RTHK: Catalans march for self-determination in Madrid

Thousands of Catalan separatists took to the streets of the Spanish capital on Saturday to denounce the prosecution of 12 of their leaders, on trial for their part in the failed 2017 independence bid.

Police estimated that some 18,000 people marched through the city centre, the first such demonstration by Catalan separatists in Madrid since 2012.

Many of the protesters carried the red-and-yellow striped flag of Catalonia, and a banner at the front of the march read: "Self-determination is not a crime".

The separatists denounce the court case mounted against the regional politicians as a politically motivated show trial.

Nine of the 12 on trial at Madrid's Supreme Court face up to 25 years in jail on charges of rebellion and other offences for pushing a secession bid referendum in October 2017 in defiance of a court ban, and for a brief declaration of independence.

The moves sparked Spain's deepest political crisis since the transition to democracy in the 1970s after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
YouTube/Kirsten Gillibrand(NEW YORK) -- After launching a presidential exploratory committee in January, Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand made her run official, announcing that "I am running for president" in a video posted to her verified YouTube account Sunday morning.



Gillibrand made the announcement in a video titled "Brave Wins," in which the New York junior senator quotes from the "Star Spangled Banner" to highlight examples of bravery in the history of the United States and to take on President Trump.



"Brave doesn't spread hate," she said in the video. "Cloud truth. Build a wall. That's what fear does."



Demonstrating her will to take on the president, Gillibrand ended her video with an announcement that her first major speech as a presidential candidate will take place outside of the Trump International Hotel in New York City on March 24.



Since launching an exploratory committee two months ago, Gillibrand has introduced herself to voters in several swing states -- including Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.



By officially entering the race, Gillibrand joins a crowded field, becoming the 14th official Democratic candidate running for president.



Despite Gillibrand getting an early start in the race by launching her exploratory committee -- a traditional precursor to announcing a run -- she has barely registered in the polls.



In a recent Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Poll of Iowa, Gillibrand was not picked as the first choice candidate for president by a single survey participant.



Gillibrand has also struggled to win endorsements and has yet to capture an endorsement from a single member of New York's congressional delegation.



The senator, who was once considered a moderate Democrat, was elected to Congress in 2006. In 2009, when then-Sen. Hillary Clinton was tapped to be President Barack Obama's Secretary of State, Gillibrand was appointed to finish Clinton's Senate term.



Since entering the Senate, Gillibrand has pushed a more progressive agenda. Gillibrand "proudly" touts her "F" rating from the National Rifle Association and is rated as "the seventh most liberal member of the 46-person Democratic Caucus" in the last Congress, according to FiveThirtyEight.



Gillibrand had previously said her campaign theme would focus on fighting for children across the country.



She has voted against Trump's position "more often than any other senator" as of December 2017, according to FiveThirtyEight.



Gillibrand has also opposed many of Trump's cabinet and senior administrative nominees, including voting against Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court.



Gillibrand's campaign contends that "she is committed to fighting for what's right, even when it's hard."

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.






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Everyone has a favourite Kusama  whether its larger-than-life pumpkins, transcendent mirror rooms, or her most famous motif, polka dots  and now weve got the chance to see them all (for real) in Shanghai. A collection of works from Japans most treasured contemporary artist, 89-year-old Yayoi Kusama  aka The Polka Dot Queen  are now on exhibit at Fosun Foundation through June 9.





Photograph: Yayaoi Kusama, courtesy Fosun Foundation

This isnt the first time that Kusamas works have gone on display in Shanghai. In fact, when Kusama: A Dream I Dreamed came to the Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai (MoCA) in June 2013, it was so popular that you literally had 15 seconds to put your head in the Infinity Mirror Room. And Kusama seems ready to have her works on display once again in Shanghai. [I hear] the art scene in Shanghai is exciting and the audiences are enthusiastic. Its moving for me to be back, she says of her return. After a string of fakes across China last year upset fans and Kusama herself, shes eager for people to see her authentic art. I am very disappointed that my creations, which Ive devoted my entire life to, have been plagiarised and exposed to everyone in an improper form, she says.





Image: Yayaoi Kusama, courtesy Fosun Foundation

Putting all that behind us, Kusamas latest Shanghai exhibit, All About Love Speaks Forever, takes you through her wildly colourful and exceedingly imaginative world. Alongside some of her signature pieces are a few works custom-made for Fosun off the back of artist studio visits. The Infinity Mirror Rooms (on the second floor) are accompanied by a few large-scale immersive and reflective installations, and one floor up the walls are lined with paintings from My Eternal Soul  Kusamas latest series that shes been working on for the past ten years.





Image: Yayaoi Kusama, courtesy Fosun Foundation

Now one of the most famous artists in the world, ranked as the top-selling female artist, Kusamas style has spanned multiple art forms: painting, sculpture, performance, happenings, fashion, literature, poetry and more. But the rise to the top was by no means plain sailing for the much-loved creator, who has spent her life battling with mental illness.

Born into a wealthy family in the late 20s, strongly discouraged by her parents to pursue her career as a painter, Kusama left her hometown of Matsumoto for New York in 1958, where she struggled to sustain recognition. Largely living in the shadow of her male contemporaries and grappling with her health, in the late 70s she returned to Japan and checked herself into a psychiatric hospital where she faded out of the limelight.

Today, Kusama continues to live and work from the hospital, where she channels her illness and her life experiences into her art. In a famous 1999 interview with BOMB, she said, by translating hallucinations and fear of hallucinations into paintings, I have been trying to cure my disease.





Finally, with a new generation of followers, Kusamas life-long work has been enjoying recognition all over the globe, and youre going to want to see it for yourself  even if only for a matter of seconds.




EZULWINI  The State visit by Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi is bearing fruits already.



During an Eswatini-Mozambique business forum held yesterday at the Convention Centre banqueting hall yesterday, practical solutions on how trade between the two neighbouring countries could be enhanced were discussed and laid bare.



The forum was opened jointly by President Nyusi and Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini.

Among these discussions was a concern raised by local businesspeople regarding a fee that is charged for trucks that are either bringing goods into Eswatini from Mozambique or transporting goods from Eswatini to Mozambique.



It was felt that this charge, which is reportedly in the region of E1 500, was too much and needed to be revisited because it was crippling to businesses.

Mozambiques Transport and Communications Minister, Carlos Alberto Fortes Mesquita, acknowledged existence of this charge and said there were moves to review it.



decree by a council of ministers



This is being implemented trough a decree by a council of ministers but we are working on towards revising this fee and will soon come up with a solution. The duty fees will be reduced and new ones which are lower than the current ones being charged will be implemented, the minister said.



Another concern raised by the businesspeople was a complaint on the high fees that were being charged by the Eswatini Revenue Authority for the importing of goods from Mozambique to Eswatini.



We find ourselves having to look for these goods far away in South Africa yet we could be sourcing them right next door in Mozambique. We really need Mozambique to talk to their Eswatini counterparts to lower the fees charged when we import from Mozambique, said one businessman.



Another businessman complained that there were charges that had been effected on charcoal and chicken feed when these were imported into Eswatini from Mozambique.
MBABANE  Back to square one! The Central Transport Administration (CTA) of yesterday, infamous for embezzlement of funds, has bounced back to the limelight pathetically for the wrong reasons.



This is despite the fact that its trading account has been clean in the past four years.

It is a different story altogether in the current financial year ending March 31, 2019.

Employees have a new word to justify fuel losses. Fuel evaporates from the tanks, they say.



Evaporation is the process of turning from liquid into vapour (a substance diffused or suspended in the air, especially one normally or sold).

Auditor General (AG) Timothy Sipho Matsebulas report contained nothing good but bad for emaSwati, particularly the taxpayer.

In his audit report for the current financial year ending on March 31, 2019, Matsebula, who is also a pastor by vocation, stated that he was informed during his routine query that fuel evaporated from bowsers at the government garage.



A bowser is a tank for fuelling aircraft and other vehicles or supplying water.

An expert in bowser maintenance said evaporation meant the fuel turned into gas  something which could cause explosion, but wondered why the fuel tanks were not cleaned.



Its unlikely that over a million of litres can evaporate. The justification falls away, said the expert who works closely with public enterprises.

Meanwhile, Auditor General Matsebula said he was concerned that 1 756 303. 40 litres valued at E19 530 257.28 was not accounted for by CTA.

He said he got this when he enquired why there was no evidence that petrol and diesel was sold to government ministries and departments.



He said the bowser register report extracted from the government systems and administered by CTA showed that returns were not submitted and captured in the data to update quantities consumed and unused in each of the fuel containers.

The auditor general said CTA claimed fuel was kept in inactive bowsers, which, in turn, caused the evaporation.



In his own words, the AG said: During discussions, I was informed that fuel is lost through evaporation. This explanation means that keeping fuel in inactive bowsers may lead to losses. However, the ministry allowed this fuel to be lost, not only through possible theft but also through evaporation, as some bowsers had unconsumed fuel which was not transferred to active stations.



He said unaccounted for fuel exceeded the capacity of each bowser. He said he further noted that these bowsers had not been active for a number of years.

At the time of compiling this report, there were no corrective actions taken by the controlling officer to rectify these anomalies, decried Matsebula.
Buffaloes..................................(1)4

Ndoda 18th, Mpendulo 64th, Phiwa 80th, Sandile 90+3

Highlanders.............................(1)1

Thabiso 35th (PEN)



LOBAMBA  Outplayed, outclassed and outfoxed! These were some of the adjectives that can best describe Mbabane Highlanders dreadful performance after they were torn to shreds by a clinical Young Buffaloes in yesterdays blockbuster Ingwenyama Cup final.



Before tournament Patron, His Majesty King Mswati III and visiting former South Africa President Jacob Zuma, Buffaloes, who are unbeaten in 2019 and in 19 games in all local competitions, put up a great second half performance to shoot down the opposition with an unbelievable 4-1 scoreline at a packed-to-the-rafters Somhlolo National Stadium.



Dominic Kunenes men are the latest millionaires after claiming the E1.3 million first prize.

It was Buffaloes terrific duo of Sandile Gamedze and Mpendulo Mpetha Dlamini, who orchestrated the Black Bulls downfall, with strikers Ndoda Mthethwa and Phiwa Dlamini also ensuring that Highlanders nine-year wait for silverware continued. All Buffaloes did was perfecting their transition play while the opposition was vulnerable on the flanks.



More than two thirds of the supporters at the stadium were expectedly backing the visiting team and jadedly dragged themselves out of the stadium after an unacceptable display by their favourite side.



It was a big missed opportunity after a questionable team selection which saw the forceful Menzi Sithole relegated to the bench, while Mthobisi Mngomezulu got the nod. Grafter Vusimuzi Zungu was deservedly substituted while the supply to talisman Thabiso Mokenkoane was completely shut down by the rigid Buffaloes defence marshalled by Siboniso Mamba.



It was Ndoda who set a tone for a flawless outing, as he opened his teams account before he was stretchered off with a knee injury.

The burly forward was at the end of the Lindo Mkhonta snap shot in the box to tap in the opener in the 18th minute, stunning the visitors supporters into silence.

Six minutes later Mthobisi Mngomezulu was provided with a glorious opportunity to restore parity but steered his effort wide from a Xolani Chocco Sibandze cross.

The wait for a response was finally over for Highlanders just 10 minutes before the interval after Mpetha floored Sawa in the box. Thabiso Mokenkoane coolly converted the resultant spot kick to give the away side hope heading into the interval.



The teams were level-pegging during the interval, with Highlanders heaving a sigh of relief following an intervention by youngster Vusimuzi Vilakati, who made a goal-line clearance to foil a Mamba bullet header.
MBABANE  Have politicians passed a vote of no confidence in the public health system?



This is because the politicians, through Finance Circular No.2 of 2013 (currently used to pay them), are allocated a medical aid cover as one of their benefits.

However, the medical aid cover is contributory, which means the politicians contribute a certain percentage towards it.



Human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi said by the mere allocation of this benefit, it translated to the politicians not having faith in the national health facilities that they always encourage the public to take advantage of and use, as they are said to be in best standards.



The country has 99 99arliamentarians, 59 constituency headmen and 336 constituency councillors.

The circular stipulates that medical aid is afforded to all parliamentarians through an approved service provider. The medical aid covers all medical costs incurred; with various contribution rates.



This is despite that the public health system is in a depressing condition as preventable diseases still claim the lives of many due to the shortage of medication.

Nhlabatsi also said the country had not yet met the eight-kilometre radius between health facilities so that the public could receive health care.



Further, due to inadequate resources, local professionals, nurses in particular, left the country in search of greener pastures.

Nhlabatasi said: With such challenges in the health sector, local politicians would be doing justice to the national health centres to use them with their families to experience the challenges daily faced by the public and employ the necessary adjustments to improve them.
PIGGS PEAK  It appears the number of teachers engaged in alleged intimate relationships with pupils at Mhlatane High School is far bigger than what was earlier reported.



This publication can now reveal that five more teachers were being investigated for intimate relationships with pupils.

The names of all the teachers, including the subjects they teach, are known to this publication but will not be revealed for now as investigations are still ongoing.

Mhlatane High School has about 1 600 pupils with about 80 teachers.



Being one of the countrys prestigious government schools, Mhlatane has both borders and day scholars.



Relationships



Some of the day scholars also use external facilities from surrounding residences within the Piggs Peak Town. Pupil-teacher relationships, though against principles of the teaching profession, are said to be very rife at the school and it is alleged some of the teachers have multiple relationships with pupils.

This is, however, not to suggest that all teachers at Mhlatane High School are engaged in such an act.



The Ministry of Education and Training has a specific team which investigates such cases under the Careers Guidance Department with the Schools Managers Department.



When police officers were called to an incident in which a teacher was allegedly found with a female pupil, this sparked anger among some of the parents who wanted the ministry to take action against the said teacher.



The parents also complained that it was not the first time a teacher had been implicated in a relationship with a pupil as another incident involving a different teacher was alleged to have happened in 2018.

It was alleged then that a teacher had gone out with one of the pupils who is said to have been a border at the school and that he allegedly dropped her off late.



Interrogated



However, the girl was later interrogated on the matter but no action was taken against the teacher then, either by the ministry or the police.

This is said to have angered parents, who became more furious after realising that another similar incident had also occurred and that even then, no action was taken.



Speaking on condition of anonymity, the parents threatened to forcefully remove the teachers but the ministry eventually asked the teachers to stay away. These were not part of the five who have now been added to the list of the teachers.



On March 12, 2019, this publication reported that three teachers had been advised to stay away from school because they were being investigated for teacher-pupil relationships.



The latest addition brings the total number of teachers being investigated to eight.

The list of the eight teachers also includes two female teachers who were also being investigated for allegedly engaging in relationships with pupils.

Last Friday, Knowledge Ngwenya, who is also a Careers Guidance Officer under the Ministry of Education and Training, visited Mhlatane High School where he is said to have continued with the investigations.

Ngwenya is also said to have collected information from pupils at the school regarding the alleged illicit relationships between pupils and teachers. This publication previously reported about two incidences including one where a pupil was said to have been found at a teachers house.

The matter was reported to the police and the said teacher has already appeared at the Piggs Peak Magistrate Court where he was granted bail of E4 000.

Arrest

This publication also has information that the Ministry of Education and Training was further informed by the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) regarding the teachers arrest as is the norm for civil servants who are alleged to have committed criminal offences.

Macanjana Motsa, the Ministry of Education and Trainings Schools Manager, confirmed that indeed, five more teachers had been added to the list of those who were being investigated.

She said the teachers were first expected to report to the regional educational officer (REO)s office today for the continuation of the investigations.
An Israeli court on Sunday ordered the temporary closure of a side building at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site that has been the source of tensions in recent weeks.

The Jerusalem magistrates court said the building known as the Golden Gate at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, should be closed while the case continues.

The site\s administrator, the Waqf religious organisation, was given 60 days to respond to the court case involving the building.

Israeli police have called for the building to be closed.

Waqf spokesman Firas Dibs said it did not intend to abide by the court\s decision, adding that the building remained open on Sunday.

Jordan, the custodian of the holy site, condemned the court ruling, with its foreign ministry adding that Israel would bear "full responsibility for the dangerous consequences" of the decision.

There are believed to be discussions ongoing between Israel and Jordan over the status of the building.

There have in recent weeks been scuffles between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli police at the site in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem over the use of the side building.

Palestinian worshippers have been entering the site and praying there despite an Israeli order that it should stay closed.

Israel shut access to the Golden Gate in 2003 during the second Palestinian intifada over alleged militant activity there.

Palestinian officials argue that the organisation that prompted the ban no longer exists and there is no reason for it to remain closed.

The larger compound is the third-holiest site in Islam and a focus of Palestinian aspirations for statehood.

It is also the location of Judaism\s most sacred spot, revered as the site of the two biblical-era Jewish temples.

Jews are allowed to visit but cannot pray there and it is a frequent scene of tension.

Israeli officials are concerned tensions at the site could boil over and set off wider clashes ahead of April 9 Israeli elections.

The site has served as a rallying cry for Palestinians.

Ofer Zalzberg, a senior analyst for the International Crisis Group, said "we are seeing a hardening of the negotiating positions of both sides" concerning access to the side building.

However, the court order gives the Israeli authorities some leeway in enforcement, he said.

"The court did not give the police a deadline for implementing its order," said Zalzberg.

"It introduces clarity, and now it\s at the discretion of the government in terms of the timing and manner of the enforcement."

The Waqf said in a statement on Saturday that it wants to carry out renovations at the building, but keep it open during that time for Palestinians who wish to pray there.

It alleged that far-right Israelis were seeking to take over the side building, but Israeli authorities say they are committed to enforcing the current rules in place at the site that prevent such moves.

SOURCE: AFP
Siemens, in a new step towards digitalising the future of Egyptian industry, has signed a contract with Al Ezz Dekheila Steel Company Alexandria (EZDK) to deploy its leading digital industrial solutions across EZDKs diverse steel production assets.



Under the agreement, Siemens will provide EZDK with Siemens Drive Train Analytics system (DTA) along with medium-voltage motors, marking the first deployment of DTA in the Middle East.



To maintain its leading competitive position as one of the largest steel producers in the Middle East region, EZDK is working to leverage the opportunities offered by digitalisation and innovations in data analytics and automation, to strengthen the companys position and pave the way for developing new technologies and products, said a statement.



Sayed Ibrahim, direct reduction division director, EZDK, said: Egypt is looking into the deployment of new technology and digitalising the industrial landscape in the country. We are committed to the development of the Egyptian metal sector, as a major pillar of the Egyptian economy.



Our contract with Siemens is an important step and we look forward to working together to develop and utilise the latest digital solutions for our industry, he added.



The amount of data available for metal production has increased exponentially in recent years. Today, steel manufacturers strive to reduce operating risk and improve reliability at the lowest sustainable cost, by predicting and preventing asset failures.



Uwe Troeger, senior executive vice president of digital factory and industries and drives divisions, Siemens, said: As the Middle East continues to develop a strengthened industrial sector, digitalisation is the differentiator which will ensure competitiveness in a global marketplace.



Digitalised industry can innovate faster, produce more for less and at a higher quality. Im pleased to be working with EZDK on this landmark implementation of Drive Train Analytics in the Middle East, supporting manufacturing in Egypt and setting a regional benchmark for digital industry, Troeger added.



Siemens DTA is a comprehensive solution that helps solve these challenges by providing condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, root cause analysis and inspection. The data-driven solutions also facilitate the development of asset strategies that maximize reliability and availability, minimise risk and cost and dramatically reduce unplanned downtime by predicting equipment issues before they occur.



As a cloud-based solution, DTA uses continuously improving algorithms designed to help equipment operators have full transparency of their assets to increase reliability and availability, minimise costs and reduce operational risk, as well as decrease spending on unnecessary and unplanned maintenance.



In addition, DTA is designed to be connected to Siemens cloud-based, open operating system for the Internet of Things (IoT), MindSphere.



MindSphere connects physical products, plants, systems and machines to the digital world, harnessing the wealth of data generated by the IoT with advanced analytics, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Continental, a leading German tyre and automotive technology company, has appointed Karel Kucera to lead its Middle East and Africa operations as the new managing director.



A Continental veteran of almost 20 years, Kucera took on the new role this month and will be based in the companys regional office in Dubai, UAE, overseeing more than 19 markets across the region, said a statement.



A citizen of the Czech Republic, Kucera, 42, is a true Continental expert as he joined company straight from university upon completing his MBA in Management from the Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Czech. Other than his mother tongue, Kucera speaks three languages including English, German and Slovakian.



The announcement comes following the recent opening of the companys first office in Saudi Arabia to support the growing demand for Continentals products and services in the kingdom, it said.



In his new role, Kucera will also lead the recently unveiled expansion plans for Continental that include the first-of-its-kind warehouse in the region, located in Jebel Ali, Dubai.



The facility will act as a hub, connecting plants in Europe, North America and South America with the brands distribution partners in the Middle East, it added.



Jon Ander Garcia, Continental regional manager - Middle East and Africa, said: Kucera has an exceptional track record with the company, with an in-depth knowledge of the business.



His experience is second to none. The region has proven to be a key market for our company since the establishment of the brands regional representation office in 2009. There is a great deal of potential in the Middle East and many opportunities for Karel to capitalise on and add to his previous achievements, he added.



Prior to his new Middle East role, Kucera served as the regional managing director of ContiTrade Central & East, Northwest Europe, located in the companys headquarters in the Czech Republic.



During his time at Continental, Kucera has held several positions within the sales and marketing divisions, across both the passenger and light truck tyres (PLT) and commercial vehicles tyres (CVT) business units.



Kucera said: It is such a privilege to be given this great opportunity to lead on one of the key global markets for Continental.



We have a strong team and highly-qualified local partners in place with whom I look forward to working closely to further grow the Continental business in the region and promote what the company has to offer from premium tyres and mobility solutions, he added.



The newly appointed managing director of Continental Middle East has replaced Jose-Luis De La Fuente, who will take on the role of managing director, Continental Mexico.



After spending four years in the region, De La Fuentes efforts have been significant in contributing to the brands expansion across the Middle East, through new product launches, strong sales results and an enhanced network of local partners, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
UK-based Direct Access Consultancy has opened its first international office in Dubai, UAE, after winning a contract to turn the citys Expo 2020 exhibition into an event accessible for all, thanks to support from the Britain's Department for International Trade (DIT).



Direct Access Consultancy, based in Nantwich, Cheshire, provides accessibility audits to help improve disabled access for buildings and transport systems.



Each of the companys five staff has a disability, giving them advanced insight into the potential challenges facing the 20 million visitors expected to visit Dubai for the first-ever World Expo to be hosted in the Middle East.



As the events universal design consultant, the business is advising the Expos planners on implementing international best practice for accessibility.



It is also helping the Expo meet the requirements of Dubais Universal Design Code  a policy introduced in 2017 to help improve accessibility across the emirate, said the company in a statement.



The Expo 2020 contract comes during a period of significant export growth for Direct Access Consultancy. Between 2017 and 2018, exports grew from a standing start to become 80 per cent of the business annual revenue.



The companys senior leadership are now working to build on its early success in the Middle East after DIT advisers helped the business identify the UAE as a potential market of opportunity, it added.



The company exhibited at Dubais Middle East Rail exhibition in February, and has been invited to deliver a keynote presentation on accessibility at the Future Landscape conference in Abu Dhabi in March.



Steven Mifsud, the director of Direct Access Consultancy, said: "This contract was a major achievement for the business, and we couldnt have done it without DITs support. Not only has it been instrumental in helping us establish a network in the Middle East, but its also enabled us to overcome a number of hurdles in terms of visa requirements and trade licences."



With the weight of Expo 2020 behind us, were now exploring other export opportunities closer to home, including in Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. If we can find international success, theres no reason others cant too, he noted.



Paul Stowers, the head of region (North West) at the Department for International Trade, said: "Direct Access Consultancy is yet another great example of a Cheshire business promoting British expertise on the world stage."-TradeArabia News Service
London-based New World Capital Advisors (NWCA), a specialist merchant banking and investment firm, has announced a strategic investment in IslamicMarkets, a leading financial intelligence, e-learning and investment platform.



Launched last year, IslamicMarkets offers industry-led learning, financial intelligence and connects investors to opportunities across the global Islamic economy, estimated to be worth $3.8 trillion by 2022.



NWCA believes that the platform will become a critical piece of the financial infrastructure serving the Islamic economy, similar to the role that Bloomberg plays in conventional financial services. This comes as interest in Islamic finance continues to grow amongst investors from both OIC and non-OIC countries, with London and Kuala Lumpur emerging as centres of excellence for Islamic finance - both locations are of strategic importance to NWCA and IslamicMarkets, with both groups planning their expansion into the region in 2019.



NWCA research highlights the following drivers behind the Islamic economy:



 Demand for Islamic financial services: Total Islamic banking assets have reached over $2.2 trillion, with average growth in core markets being 1.9X higher than that for conventional banking.



 Demand for compliant products: With ~1.7bn Muslims worldwide (approx. a quarter of the global population), 62% of which are under the age of 30 and a rapidly rising middle class, demand for convenient and accessible tools for financial services that are aligned with their values is growing.



 On a macro level, Islamic economies are some of the fastest growing economies globally. Indonesia alone will need to spend $500 billion on infrastructure over the next five years, representing a unique opportunity for the Islamic finance industry.



Zeiad Idris, co-founder of NWCA, said: The Islamic economy is the emerging market of the next decade and we expect the market to continue to flourish. Through this investment, we not only want to be exposed to this growth, but play a big part in making it happen.



Adam Sadiq, co-founder of NWCA added: Despite continued year-on-year growth, the true potential of the Islamic economy has been held back due to a lack of clear, consistent and powerful insights. By creating a gateway for all market participants to research, share and connect on live opportunities, this platform will revolutionise Islamic finance and establish confidence in the market, supporting the fast growing Islamic Fintech ecosystem.



Shakeeb Saqlain, CEO of IslamicMarkets, commented: We are delighted to have NWCA on board as our partner. This will enable IslamicMarkets to build the worlds leading Islamic Fintech platform, driving innovation across the Islamic finance industry. In the last two years alone, IslamicMarkets has created the largest ecosystem of professionals and institutions in the Islamic economy, with over 250,000 users. NWCAs focus on being a highly strategic partner to its portfolio companies will allow us to catalyse on the momentum we have developed to date.



NWCA seeks to bring traditional merchant banking principles to new markets. It specialises in complex investment opportunities that are often overlooked by the bulge bracket banks and asset managers, taking long-term stakes in businesses with high-growth potential where it can add value by providing strategic advice and access to key markets across the globe.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi-based Energy City Development Company, the owner and developer of King Salman Energy Park (Spark), has appointed Saif S AlQahtani as its new president and chief executive officer following the approval from the company board.



During the first board meeting held under the chairmanship of Mohammed Y Al Qahtani, senior vice president of Upstream at Saudi Aramco, the members discussed and approved a number of items, including the appointment of other senior company officials.



The board also approved the 2019-2021 business plan and the 2019 budget, and endorsed governance and company policies that included management guidelines, financial policies, contract and procurement management, human resources, and the authorities of the president and CEO of the company.



The board members include Abdulhamid A Al-Rashid, vice-president of Drilling and Workover; Mohammad I Al Assaf, vice-president of New Business Development, Mohammad A Al Shammary, vice-presidnet of Procurement and Supply Chain Management, and Bassam M Asiri, the assistant controller.



We are pleased to launch the operations of the Energy City Development Company, which carries out the basic role of developing the infrastructure of Spark according to the best standards, providing facilities and services, and operating and maintaining the park city to attract local and world investors in the field of energy, said Al Qahtani.



"Spark is one of Saudi Arabias mega and ambitious projects that contributes to achieving and supporting the development process and national economy in the implementation of the kingdoms Vision 2030," he added.



Soon after the nod from the Council of Ministers to establish the industrial park in 2017, Saudi Aramco began conducting studies and surveys in co-operation with the companys main suppliers. These efforts resulted in identifying a number of main components for creating an integrated, sustainable business environment comparable to the best industry centres in the world.



Saudi Aramco, in a major move, decided to set up its main Drilling and Workover headquarters at Spark, in addition to a centre for procurement and supply chain management.



The Spark will focus on attracting investments in industries and supporting services for five sectors - upstream and crude oil production, downstream, petrochemicals, electric power, and water production and treatment, said the statement from Energy City Development Company.



This will be achieved through providing world-class infrastructure to attract investors, as well as integrated services supporting investors and sustainability of investments, it stated.

The project has been successful in attracting 26 industrial tenants for a total area of 4.81 sq km, representing 80 per cent of the industrial area of Phase One, said the company.



The project includes five main areas:

1. Industrial: The area is divided into five specialised industrial clusters that contribute to developing an integrated values system for energy products and services. The specialized clusters will focus on general industrialization, electrical and equipment, liquids and chemicals, metals fabrication, and industrial services.



2. Logistics: This will include the dry port and a customs area that includes a storing and re-exporting area that will be connected with the Gulf railway in the future. The area will also include a logistic services complex and other services facilities.



3. Business: This will include the park administration centre, headquarters of Saudi Aramcos Drilling and Workover, and commercial buildings, such as office areas, restaurants, and commercial stores.



4. Training: This area is designed to accommodate 10 energy-training centres to train and develop national staff and meet investors needs in the area



5. Residential and Commercial: This area includes residential complexes and hotel apartments that will be offered to investors. It also includes a health center and supporting facilities.



Additionally, Spark will contribute to boosting the industry-related supply chain and supporting services of the energy sector in the area and the kingdom, which will create thousands of jobs for Saudis, both men and women, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia is gearing up its largest travel and tourism event yet with the launch of the 11th Riyadh Travel Fair (RTF), taking place from March 28-30 at Al Faisaliah Tower Hotel.



The event is expected to provide business networking opportunities, seminars, ministerial discussions, and highlight the tourism industrys achievements of the past 12 months. Additionally, the fair will provide a great opportunity for the general public to gain first-hand information on the latest tourist offerings and special deals from around the world.



The 2019 edition will be the biggest one to date, with an increase in both the number of exhibitors and expected higher visitor numbers.



Over 300 exhibitors representing more than 55 countries will take part this year.



Last year the RTF featured 270 exhibitors with visitor attendance at 28,695, said Bander Al Gryni, general manager ASAS Exhibitions - RTF organiser. That was an increase of 39 per cent compared with the 2016 edition just three years ago. This year, we will continue our year-on-year growth as exhibitors cross the 300 mark and expected number of visitors goes beyond 30,000.



The RTF is open to both travel professionals and the general public looking for in-depth destination information and special deals. Visitors to the 2019 edition will be able to interact directly with tourism authorities, hotels, airlines, destination management companies and travel agents from around the globe.



Tourism authorities from around the Arabian Gulf region will again have a strong presence at the fair, including pavilions sponsored by Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority. Other national pavilions include those from Mauritius, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, South Africa, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Czech Republic, South Korea, Hungary, Poland, France, Romania, Bulgaria, Jordan, India, Ethiopia, Sweden, Spain, Norway, and Denmark.



Major travel agencies such as Al Riyadh Travel and Tourism will be present, as well as hospitality brands such as Centara Hotels and Resorts and Rotana Hotels to name just a few.



Exhibitors from across Asia, Oceania, Europe and North Africa will be present, along with many key airlines such as Gulf Air, Lufthansa, SriLankan Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Philippines Airlines, Oman Air, Salam Air, Air Arabia, Turkish Airlines, Fly Bosnia, Czech Airlines, Malaysian Airlines and a great number of travel agencies, online booking sites, and tourism companies. - TradeArabia News Service
The Emirates A380 drew in more than 3,000 visitors in two days at the first ever Saudi International Airshow, with the Emirates A380 being the largest commercial aircraft on display at the milestone event.



The aircraft received a royal visit from Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Board of Saudi Space Agency. Prince Sultan was received by Adel Al Ghaith, senior vice president, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East & Iran for Emirates, who took him through the flagship aircrafts signature design details and latest onboard products.



The A380 that was on display from March 12-13 was open to both trade visitors and the general public. The aircraft on display featured 14 luxurious First Class suites, 76 flatbed seats in Business Class and 426 spacious seats in Economy Class. Guests also got the chance to see the A380 Shower Spas and OnBoard lounge that were both fully set-up and equipped to portray an authentic inflight experience.



Emirates flies its flagship A380 to 50 destinations around the world, and has flown two one-off missions to Riyadh. The airline currently has 109 A380s in service. - TradeArabia News Service
The UAE and Colombia have signed an agreement on the mutual exemption of prior visa requirements for ordinary passport holders from both countries.



The agreement was signed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Luz Stella Jara Portilla, vice minister of Foreign Relations of Colombia, following their meeting during Sheikh Abdullah's visit to Colombia.



The meeting addressed the prospects for accelerating bilateral relations in addition to an array of regional and international issues of common concern.



At the end of the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah held a joint news conference with the vice minister of Foreign Relations, where he said that relations between the two countries are steadily growing at all fronts, including trade, investment and cultural ties.



Sheikh Abdullah also affirmed the UAE support for Colombia's confirmed participation in EXPO 2020 Dubai.



"There are 4,000 Colombians living in the UAE and actively contributing to the country's economic development drive," Sheikh Abdullah added.



For her part, the Colombian vice minister of Foreign relations hailed the visit of Sheikh Abdullah and underlined its importance in fostering bilateral relations.



She appreciated the UAE's keenness to advance cooperation to the best interest of the two friendly peoples.



Attending the meeting was Salem Rashid Al Oueiss, the UAE Ambassador to Colombia. - TradeArabia News Service
WiT, which held two Middle East editions in 2014 and 2015, is returning to the region and will hold its signature conference in Dubai on April 9.



After four years away, we feel its time to make a comeback plus weve had numerous requests from key players in the region, who have attended both our events in Dubai and Singapore, to return, said Yeoh Siew Hoon, founder, WiT.



When we were there in 2014 and 2015, we definitely felt the excitement and dynamism of an emerging market and observed it had very similar characteristics to the South-east Asian markets  fragmented, diverse, young, social and even then, it was mobile first  so we look forward to seeing what else has changed and how the industry has grown.



WiT Middle East 2019, which will adopt the theme of the WiT 2018 Singapore conference  Through The Looking Glass  is making its comeback with three Foundation Sponsors.



Wego, Cleartrip and Travelstart are three leading travel brands from outside the region that have invested in the Middle East market and are committed to seeing its development and growth.



They are familiar with the WiT brand and our values, the emphasis we place on content integrity, quality and relevancy and the sincerity with which we foster and nurture our community, said Siew Hoon. We will also be working with Insight Out Consultancy and tap into their regional expertise to ensure our content is locally relevant.



The one-day WiT Middle East 2019 will be held on April 9 at a venue yet to be determined. In 2014 and 2015, the events attracted close to 200 delegates each, with delegates coming from Europe, Asia and across the Middle East.



With the way the Middle East travel market has grown, we expect a bigger, more international audience. In particular, we are looking forward to seeing how the startup ecosystem has grown and evolved, said Siew Hoon.



Globally, Dubai ranks ninth in terms of tech start-ups per gross domestic product and 23rd on the presence of large technology companies per head of population, according to this article.



Ross Veitch, CEO and co-founder of Wego, which has successfully expanded to the Middle East from its South-east Asian base, said, "The Arab world is approximately 400 million people and the wider Mena region closer to a billion which makes this diverse, vibrant, young, tech-savvy part of the world the next big emerging market for online travel. WIT has been an important catalyst for the growth of the online travel industry in Asia and Wego is delighted to help bring the WIT franchise expanded to cover the Mena region."



Stuart Crighton, CEO and co-founder of India-based Cleartrip, said: "We are pleased to welcome WiT to the Middle East after its success in South East Asia and Japan. The online market is undergoing significant change as a young and internet savvy population is changing the long established status quo of travel throughout the region. Rapid digitisation is creating choice and affordability for a diverse set of customers, in turn, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs trying to impact this change.



Paulina Klotzbucher, chief digital officer of Africas largest online travel brand, Travelstart, said: Travelstart entered the Middle East market in 2014 and since then, in the last year alone our business has grown 150 per cent. We are now present in all GCC countries, with physical offices in Cairo and Dubai. We have a growing customer base, especially on our native App. Whats most exciting about the region is how heterogeneous the communities are. We service so many nationalities all with their own needs and preferred communication methods. The diversity of this region is incredible which makes every day exciting if not challenging.



As a company, we have been attending WiT in Singapore over the years and seen the positive impact it has had on the development of online travel in APAC and we look forward to collaborating with them to bring their event and style of content to the region. Its indicative of our commitment to continue to invest in the Middle East, which is a natural complement to our home business in Africa.



Mona Faraj, founder and managing director of Insight Out Consultancy, said: We are delighted to collaborate with WiT in such an important event for our region. It is absolutely key to understand not only the extraordinary evolution of the online travel in our region but the way forward and the necessary alignment of both international and regional players to complement each other and address consumer evolution requirements. - TradeArabia News Service


Canada sanctions 4 entities over 'Ongoing Repression' in Myanmar: Global Affairs 10 Dec 2021 | 11:47 PM Washington, Dec 10 (UNI/Sputnik) Canadas Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced on Friday that Ottawa has sanctioned four entities who support Myanmars military by procuring weapons and other military equipment and providing technical assistance. see more..

US Sanctions 4 Chinese entities over North Korea, Uyghurs: Treasury 10 Dec 2021 | 10:40 PM Washington, Dec 10 (UNI/Sputnik) The United States has put sanctions on three Chinese cartoon studios over North Korea and artificial intelligence Chinese company SenseTime Group Ltd. for helping racially profile Uyghurs, US Treasury Department said on Friday. see more..

Global Poor Lost Nearly $3 7 Trillion in Income due to COVID-19 - WFP Chief 10 Dec 2021 | 9:06 PM Zurich, Dec 10 (UNI/Sputnik) The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the global economy, with poor populations bearing the brunt of the crisis with estimated income losses of $3.7 trillion, David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), said on Friday. see more..

Director Andrij Parekh to work on LGBTQ+ themed dramedy series 'Red Rainbow' 10 Dec 2021 | 8:36 PM New York, Dec 10 (UNI) Emmy-Award-winning director and cinematographer Andrij Parekh (Succession, Watchman) is set to direct 'Red Rainbow', a dramedy series produced by Alexander Rodnyanskyvia, through his AR Content banner. see more..
Dhaka, Mar 17 ( UNI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman heralding nationwide programmes on the occasion of the 100th birthday of the great leader.

The premier paid the homage by placing a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at the historic 32 Dhanmondi Road here.

She stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Father of the Nation.

Later, Sheikh Hasina laid another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu on behalf of her party as the president of Bangladesh Awami League.

Bangladesh Cabinet members, PMs advisers, parliament members and senior leaders of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

The birthday of Bangabandhu is being observed across the country as the National Childrens Day.

The theme of this year National Childrens Day is rinse life of the children with colour.

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Reports say New Zealand shooter visited Greece twice

Athens, Mar 17 (UNI) The gunman who perpetrated fatal shootings at two mosques in New Zealand visited Greece twice, and the Greek authorities are looking for traces of his stay in the country, media reports claimed.

The violent shooting in two mosques rocked New Zealand's eastern city of Christchurch on Friday, leaving 49 killed and dozens injured. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called the shooting a terrorist act, saying it was the country's "darkest day." A total of three people were detained in the wake of the attack, including the 28-year-old suspected shooter, Australian national Brenton Harrison Tarrant.

According to Skai broadcaster, besides Turkey and Bulgaria Tarrant visited Greece in 2016. In early 2016, the Australian national arrived in Athens from Cairo and then headed to Bucharest. Afterwards, he returned back to Cairo via Athens.
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A recent scientific study of a few sandstone terraces and blocks of andesite, an extremely hard volcanic stone, has shown that the Tiwanakans may have used geopolymer technology to manufacture the stones for their temple. Conventional history tells us that ancient Tiwanakans, the people who lived around Tiahuanaco on Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, never knew any advanced science. However, the site of Pumapunku in the region throws doubts at such claims. Pumapunku is a part of a huge temple complex that is dated to around 536 CE.

Geopolymer technology for buildings

Researchers studied samples from the red sandstone and andesite under an electron microscope. They discovered that the stones used in the monuments were different from the geological resources in the region. For instance, andesite rock is a volcanic stone created out of magma. During the study, the researchers surprisingly found that these stones had carbon-based organic matter in them.

Carbon-based organic matter does not exist in a volcanic rock formed at high temperatures because they are vaporized. It is impossible to find it in andesite rock. And because we found organic matter inside the volcanic andesitic stone, scientists will have the opportunity to carry out a Carbon-14 dating analysis and provide the exact age of the monuments, Luis Huaman, a geologist at Universidad Catolica San Pablo, Arequipa, Peru, said in a statement (Geopolymer Institute).

Researchers speculate that the organic material is some kind of extract from local plants that were added by Tiwanakan builders into andesite sand to form a type of cement. An analysis of the red sandstone also proved it to be artificially created, possibly using a ferro-sialate geopolymer. Cement for the andesite and sandstone is believed to have been put in molds and hardened for a few months before being used in building the monuments.

This essentially proves that Tiwanakans had a mastery over geopolymer technology since only a deep knowledge of the subject could enable them to create such stones. Plus, the discovery also explains one of the local legends about the monuments regarding plant extracts used to soften the stone. Archaeologists had previously rejected such claims as some voodoo talk. But now we know that the local legends were actually true.

Archaeological marvels in South America

Pumapunku is not the only site that displays the architectural mastery of ancient South Americans. There are numerous jaw-dropping monuments strewn all across the continent that points to the fact that civilizations with a high level of skill have existed in the region for several centuries. The most famous among them is Machu Picchu in Peru.

Machu Picchu is a 15th-century citadel built by the Inca civilization. The site is located about 2,500 meters above sea level in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru. It is considered as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. The place is believed to have been used as a royal estate and was once adorned with numerous temples and palaces. It was apparently abandoned during the period of the Spanish conquest.

Chichen Itza was a large Mayan city that existed around 600 CE to 1500 CE in what is now the Yucatan State in Mexico. It is the most visited archaeological sites in the country, with about 2.6 million tourists recorded in 2017. There is a good reason for this  the place is littered with numerous ancient monuments like the majestic Kukulcan pyramid, the Temple of the Warriors, and the El Caracol observatory.

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A security research report has revealed that Chinese hackers targeted a minimum of 27 American universities, looking for U.S. military secrets. The report is authored by iDefense, the security research wing of Accenture.

Stealing American secrets

The hackers are said to use spear phishing to access files, meaning that they appear as partner universities to the victim of the hacking attempt. So when the hackers send an email, the target is duped into trusting and opening it. This allows the malware to infect university servers and access the files.

Universities affected by the hacking attempts include Duke University, Penn State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Washington. iDefense speculated that the hackers could belong to the group called MUDCARP. They are also known by the name of Leviathan and Periscope.

Collection requirements appear to include several very specific submarine technologies produced by multiple cleared defense contractors (and their respective supply chains Any technology or program that involves the delivery or launching of a payload from a submerged submarine, or undersea autonomous vehicles, is of high interest to MUDCARP, the report stated (Radio Free Asia).

Last year, Philip Davidson, currently the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, stated that China was stealing U.S. technology by infiltrating academia and hacking defense contractors. He warned that Americas dominance in the seas was a perishable advantage given Beijings pursuit of developing a mighty naval force.

The United States maintains a significant asymmetric advantage in undersea warfare, but the [Peoples Liberation Army] is making progress. China has identified undersea warfare as a priority, both for increasing their own capabilities as well as challenging ours The Chinese are investing in a range of platforms, including quieter submarines armed with increasingly sophisticated weapons, unmanned underwater vehicles, new sensors, and new fixed-wing and rotary-wing submarine-hunting aircraft, he said in a statement (Stripes).

He suggested that the Defense Department insist on higher standards when buying systems from the commercial sector so that hackers are less likely to exploit security flaws and steal sensitive information.

Looming global threat

Chinese hackers have been a headache for many nations across the world. Recently, Australian political parties suffered an unprecedented attack that is believed to have exposed data about MPs and voters. Even the Parliaments computer systems were hacked. Though no direct evidence exists, intelligence agencies believe Chinese spies to be behind the attack.

Political parties are small organisations, with only a few full-time staff. Yet they collect, store and use large amounts of information about voters and communities These institutions can be a soft target, Bill Shorten, leader of the opposition, said to The Sydney Morning Herald.

In Indonesia, Arief Budiman, head of the countrys General Elections Commission, has accused China of attacking its voter database so as to disrupt the upcoming presidential elections. The hackers are attempting to create fake voter identities as well as modify existing data. Russian hackers are also said to be part of the hacking attempts. They try to hack our system Not only every day. Almost every hour, he said to Bloomberg.

Budiman suggested that the hackers might be trying to create distrust about the election commission, which could make the electoral process appear bogus, triggering widespread conflict. The Indonesian general election is set for April this year.

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By WestKyStar & WKCTC Staff

Mar. 17, 2019 | PADUCAH

By WestKyStar & WKCTC Staff Mar. 17, 2019 | 12:32 PM | PADUCAH

Clark Elementary School K-5 science specialist Julie Sheffer was recently named the 2018-2019 Challenger Learning Center at Paducah's Outstanding Educator during a presentation of President's Awards at West Kentucky Community and Technical College.



Sheffer was one of three individuals to receive the special recognition from Dr. Anton Reece during WKCTC's second annual Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship Program March 7 at the Clemens Fine Arts Theatre. Terry Sullivan, director of West Kentucky GEAR UP, and Art Davis, principal at Paducah Tilghman High School also received President's Awards.



The special awards came after the college honored more than 45 educators, administrators and staff in pre-kindergarten through 12th grades and named two finalists and a winner in each of four categories - distinguished administrator, distinguished faculty (PreK-5th grade), distinguished faculty (6th - 12th grade) and the Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero staff award.



The Challenger Outstanding Educator Award was included in the annual recognition program for the first time this year.



Sheffer is in her second year as the K-5 science specialist at Clark Elementary School in the Paducah Public Schools. She has been teaching for 22 years, all of them at Clark. Sheffer has taught third, fourth and fifth grades with 20 years emphasis in science.



Mellisa Duncan, director of the Challenger Learning Center at Paducah, said Sheffer "believes that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education is very important as it reaches into all aspects of our daily lives," she said. "One way she utilizes STEM in her classroom is by bringing students to the Challenger Learning Center, which she has done since it opened in 2002."



Sheffer has a Bachelor of Science degree and a master's degree, both in elementary education and both from Murray State University. She has also achieved a Rank 1 in reading and writing. Sheffer will attend the center's NASA and STEM: On the Move teacher professional development this summer free of charge.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Mar. 16, 2019 | MCCRACKEN COUNTY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 16, 2019 | 09:41 AM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY

McCracken County High School has been named to the 2019 Elite 50, an annual selection of the top 50 secondary school hospitality programs in the nation.



The Elite 50 list recognizes high schools, as well as career and technical centers, that have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in hospitality education. These schools set the standard for secondary school training in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts and/or hospitality management. These elite programs are also marked by strong enrollment and a dedication to community outreach. Many of this year's Elite 50 programs have won state and national competitions for ProStart, SkillsUSA, and Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).



The National Center for Hospitality Studies at Sullivan University in Louisville oversees the selection process for the Elite 50 list.



"We also conducted research to establish schools with strong hospitality enrollment and influence in their community," said Angela Gill, Associate Director of Admissions at Sullivan University. "Included are many schools we specifically paid visits to that we deemed to have strong hospitality programs."



More than 350 schools designated as Hospitality Programs of Distinction were invited to apply for the honor of being named to the Elite 50 list. Criteria for the schools selected for the Elite 50 included an original recipe with photos or a restaurant management design and instructor educational/certification background and informational materials such as videos or brochures about the schools program. Further consideration was given to schools that operate a restaurant or catering service as part of their culinary and hospitality training.



The National Center for Hospitality Studies at Sullivan University is known as one of the finest postsecondary hospitality training institutions in the nation and offers programs in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, hotel and restaurant management, event management and tourism and hospitality management. Every year, graduates from the National Center for Hospitality Studies pursue successful careers in virtually every corner of the globe and every aspect of the hospitality industry.
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U.S. State Department said here on Friday that an exhibition showing the lives of the empresses of China's Qing Dynasty will be on view later this month in Washington.

"Empresses of China's Forbidden City, 1644-1912" will be open for media preview at the Smithsonian's Freer|Sackler institution on March 28, prior to its public opening two days later, according to an email sent to journalists by the Washington Foreign Press Center under the U.S. State Department.

The show, the largest in 10 years for the U.S. museum of Asian art, "reveals the untold stories of Qing Dynasty empresses through nearly 135 objects made for, by, and about them," the email read.

"Of the some two dozen empresses from the period, the exhibition focuses on five who helped shape the dynasty and left a lasting impact and legacy," the State Department noted, "for the time, these women held power and the exhibition explores their influence through religion, art, and politics."

In a separate statement issued earlier on March 5, the Freer|Sackler said that the "major international exhibition, the largest at the Freer|Sackler in more than a decade, explores empresses' lives during the emperor-centric Qing dynasty."

"Despite the empresses' accomplishments and status, they are largely missing from Qing court history," it said. "Through imperial portraits, narrative paintings, furnishings, attire (jewelry and costume) and religious art, the exhibition reveals and fills in the little-known details about the world of these women and how they were able to influence court history in many spheres, including religion, art and politics."

It added that the objects to be on display would enable visitors to "look behind the walls of the Forbidden City" and bring these imperial women "out of the silence that history imposed upon them."

The majority of the objects on display, including rare treasures that have never been on view in the United States, come from the Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City, according to the Freer|Sackler.

As part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-China diplomatic relations, the exhibition, which will continue till June 23, is organized by three institutions of the two nations, namely, the Freer|Sackler, the Palace Museum in China and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

David Skorton, head of the U.S. Smithsonian Institution, said in a previous interview with Xinhua that "our Smithsonian continues to be very active in China."

"You'll be very impressed about how many things that we have been doing and are doing right now and there are more things being planned," he said. "We continue to be very interested in working with Chinese colleagues and in doing studies together where we can do partnerships together."

"Cultural institutions continue to want to work together," he said, adding that he remains optimistic about the cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States in the future.

(Source: Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-08 16:45:58|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese medical researchers are contributing more and more high-quality papers to the Lancet journals, the China Youth Daily quoted Helena Hui Wang, Asia executive editor of the Lancet, as saying in a Friday report.

Over the last 10 years, the Lancet has seen Chinese papers surge from a few hundred to some 1,500 annually, ranking third globally after the United Kingdom and the United States, she told the Beijing-based newspaper.

The Lancet sets universal high standards for global medical papers, Wang said, adding fundamentally, Lancet publishes papers that can bring renovation and breakthrough in clinical practice and medical policies.

Wang attributed the progress to the Chinese government's financial inputs and policy support. Official data suggested China's expenditure on research and development totaled 1.76 trillion yuan (261.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, the second highest in the world, said the report.

Wang marveled at China's advances of public health and medical services, which include basic medical insurance schemes, improving public health system and effective control of infectious diseases, as well as the improving health conditions of women and children.

While asking China to share its experiences with other countries and regions in this regard, she called for more initiatives to better prevent and control chronic diseases such as educating the public to foster a healthy lifestyle.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-15 09:55:31|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BISHKEK, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held a phone conversation over the border situation between the two countries, the press service of the Kyrgyz president said Thursday.

Jeenbekov and Rahmon noted the need to create a joint commission to objectively investigate the incident and prevent similar situations in the future, as well as to intensify negotiations on the completion of the process of delimitation of the state border.

The presidents were of the opinion that the two peoples, having age-old good-neighborly relations, should live in peace and friendship, the report said.

A construction work of the bypass road in Batken Oblast of Kyrgyzstan caused a conflict between Kyrgyz and Tajik border people on March 13.

An uninhabited old house, a car and a trailer were burned down from the Kyrgyz side, and a Kyrgyzstan citizen was injured during the clash, according to the State Border Service of Kyrgyzstan.

At the moment, the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik state border is relatively stable, the agency said.

The total length of the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is about 980 km, of which only 504 km have been delimited.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 03:05:26|Editor: yan

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AMMAN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday that the number of Jordanians killed in mass shootings at two mosques in New Zealand rose to four after two of the injured succumbed to their wounds.

The other five injured people are still receiving treatment and the ministry dispatched a diplomat to follow up their conditions, the ministry said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Xinhua.

At least 49 were killed and 48 others were wounded on Friday in the attacks in New Zealand's city of Christchurch, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said.

Jordan's Minister of State for Media Affairs Jumana Ghunaimat on Friday condemned the attack, urging unified and coordinated efforts to combat terrorism, the state-run Petra news agency reported.
A medical nuclear analytical assistant at the Rotterdam Erasmus Medical Center mixes a preparation of raw material Lutetium Chloride and Lutetium Octoraat, a medicine used to treat patients with a rare form of cancer, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, February 28, 2019. (REUTERS PHOTO)

ULAN BATOR, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Mongolian police have arrested 88 people linked to 29 drug-related crimes in the first two months of this year, local media reported on Saturday, citing the country's National Police Agency (NPA).

"Since 2015, Mongolia has become one of the user countries of drugs. The number of drug-related crimes has continued to increase," said Munkhtur Munkhshur, spokesperson of the NPA.

"A total of 29 drug-related crimes have been registered in Mongolia in the first two months of 2019," Munkhshur said, noting that the figure is almost same to the number of this type of crimes registered in the first half of 2018.

A lack of knowledge about drugs, curiosity, attempting to make easy money and weak law are the main factors for the growth of drug-related crimes, she said.

According to Mongolian law, the person who is found guilty of trafficking drugs will be punished by imprisonment of at least two years. Life sentence and death penalty do not exist in the Mongolian drug law.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 04:40:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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People shout slogan and hold posters during a protest in Rabat, Morocco, on March 16, 2019. Hundreds of Moroccans held on Saturday two sit-ins in the capital Rabat and the city of Casablanca to condemn terrorist attacks on two mosques in New Zealand. (Xinhua/Chadi)

RABAT, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Moroccans held on Saturday two sit-ins in the capital Rabat and the city of Casablanca to condemn terrorist attacks on two mosques in New Zealand.

The protesters expressed their sympathy to the families of the victims, and vowed their support to the Muslims in New Zealand.

They raised banners against "islamophobia" and "hate and racist speech."

At least 49 were killed and 48 others were wounded on Friday in the attacks in New Zealand's city of Christchurch, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said.
FILE PHOTO: Residents walk in the street in Chicago, U.S., on Jan. 19, 2011. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

by Xinhua writers Liu Yanan, Gao Lu, Liu Liwei

HOUSTON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The fast-growing U.S. oil and natural gas industry, which is seeking export markets around the globe, are overshadowed as sticky trade tensions have added uncertainty and costs to U.S. businesses.

Many U.S. oil and gas companies face higher costs or more difficulties resulting from nearly frozen Chinese purchasing of U.S. crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), industry insiders, experts and officials said at the energy industry conference CERAWeek held from March 11-15 by the London-based information company IHS Markit.

Still, the economic complementarity between the two sides remains strong despite trade policies and tariffs announced in 2018.

U.S. COMPANIES UNDER PRESSURE

The downstream impacts of trade barriers are very real, said Susan Schwab, professor with the University of Maryland and former U.S. trade representative on Friday at a panel discussion.

"We see them in our economy today. Interconnectedness of economy is very real. There's a lot of evidence," Schwab added.

The trade tensions between China and the United States have impacted the trade flows of LNG, said Matthew Shruhan, senior analyst on global LNG with international consultancy firm IHS Markit.

But these long-term LNG projects last for 20 or 30 plus years. The real impact on date has been a kind of long-term contract in front, said Shruhan on Thursday at another panel discussion.

"We haven't seen really any Chinese buyers (who have) contacted the U.S. LNG project developers since the tensions hiked," Shruhan said.

"When you take a trade action, you are going to perhaps create leverage for yourself, but you're also likely to be having an impact on your own domestic economic interest," said Schwab.

The proposed Alaska LNG exporting project is one of the U.S. LNG projects impacted by the bilateral trade tensions, said an anonymous industry insider.

"A lot of projects are looking to sell into China like Alaska LNG project. Cheniere Energy has long-term contracts with Chinese customers and then a lot of the proposed projects also want to sell LNG to China," said the source.

In November 2017, the State of Alaska, the AGDC, Sinopec, the Bank of China and the China Investment Corporation signed a five-party agreement to advance Alaska's LNG export project with a total investment of 43 billion U.S. dollars.

The AGDC is having conversations with individuals and officials in China, other Asian countries as well as producers and potential investors, said Mike Dunleavy, Governor of Alaska.

China is the second largest oil refining market and the United States has the largest unconventional oil coming to the market. So, you would need to find a way for some of the U.S. crude oil to go to China, according to Roger Diwan, vice president of financial services and energy with IHS Markit.

"Because of the trade tensions, China has stopped buying U.S. crude oil. If U.S. crude oil output continues to add another 1 million to 1.5 million barrels and the Chinese market is closed, that would create more relocation of crude oil in physical market," said Diwan.





COOPERATION NEEDED

Schwab said, "Speaking as an economist, trade was bad and trade barriers are bad. You have a situation where trade barriers by definition hurt everyone and consumers, (but) may benefit a few."

"Trade policy has a limited role to play when it comes to trade deficits," Schwab added.

"If the trade negotiations are not resolved, it not only has a sentiment on demand, but also has a direct impact on the physical flow of crude oil," Diwan said.

The U.S. energy industry has been going through revolutionary changes in the past decade, with increasing productions of both crude oil and natural gas, said Hou Qijun, vice president of the China National Petroleum Cooperation.

On the other hand, China has become the world's largest oil importer in 2017 and also one of the largest natural gas importers in 2018. "Naturally, a large energy producing country and a large energy consuming country are complimentary," Hou said at the CERAWeek.

Hou noted that China's increasing imports of U.S. energy can improve the trade structures of both countries, reduce trade deficit and diversify the energy import source of China.

"There may be some challenges now, but economic facts are stubborn. I would expect that sooner or later U.S. LNG exporters and Chinese LNG importers will meet, which would be beneficial for both of the countries and for the global energy markets," Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA Tuesday said in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the CERAWeek conference.

The emerging of the United States as a major energy exporter would bring more options and diversifications for energy importers such as China, said Birol.

More LNG exports from the United States would make the hand of gas importers stronger and bring more flexibility to the market, Birol added.

"It is becoming more of a buyers' market and it would be a good time for LNG importers such as China," Birol said.

The United States would contribute 75 percent of incremental LNG supply in the world in the coming few years, said Birol.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 05:30:46|Editor: yan

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MOSCOW, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Around 1.7 million Syrian refugees registered in foreign countries are hoping to return to their homeland, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides and Refugee Migration Monitoring said Saturday.

"It is estimated that 1,712,264 Syrians in nine countries expressed their desire to return back to their homeland. Since September 30, 2015, in total 389,735 Syrians have returned to their homes from abroad," the center said in a daily bulletin published by the Russian Defense Ministry.

Over the past day, a total of 1,160 Syrian refugees have returned home from Lebanon and Jordan, it said.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, as for Jan. 1, 2019, there are still 6,675,308 registered refugees seeking asylum in 45 countries worldwide.

The Syrian government is taking active steps to increase the efficiency of the process for the repatriation of Syrian refugees from foreign states, according to the center.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 05:35:47|Editor: yan

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BAGHDAD, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday death of one of its citizens in mass shootings at two mosques in New Zealand.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim sent a letter of condolences to the mother of Hussein al-Amri, who was killed in the attack.

Late on Friday, Ahmad al-Sahaf, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman, said in a statement that another Iraqi national was injured by the attacks.

Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "it strongly condemns this crime."

On Friday, gunmen opened fire at two separate mosques in New Zealand's city of Christchurch, leaving at least 49 people dead and 48 others wounded.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 06:46:01|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Manfred Weber, European People's Party (EPP) candidate for the presidency of the European Commission, speaks at the EPP local and regional leaders' summit in Bucharest, Romania, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Cristian Cristel)

BUCHAREST, March 16 (Xinhua) -- All options are currently on the table as regards the future of Fidesz Party, said Manfred Weber, leader of the European People's Party (EPP) group, on Saturday.

Speaking at the EPP local and regional leaders' summit in Bucharest, Weber said that "the main message is that we are a party of values and common convictions, and this is the question that Hungarian friends must answer: whether or not they adhere to these principles."

"The last few days were not easy within the EPP family," said the chairman of the EPP group in the European Parliament, adding "we had formal requests to take action against our friends in Hungary."

According to Weber, he had met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday in Budapest, "we have discussed the issues we face."

The German politician stressed that the EPP is a party of values, fundamental principles, common convictions, and so "we have to guarantee that each party respects these values in its core program."

"That's why we are now in negotiations," in talks with all parties and all the parties in the PPE family are preparing for next week, he told the EPP meeting in Bucharest.

"For now, all options are on the table, but my goal is to prepare a position so that everyone in the party can agree," he said.

A growing number of EPP lawmakers have been calling for the exclusion of Hungary's ruling Fidesz Party from the largest bloc in the European Parliament, amid Orban's "anti-European behaviour".

On March 4, EPP President Joseph Daul announced the launch of a procedure which could lead to Fidesz being suspended or excluded from the party. The related motion will be debated by the EPP's Political Assembly on March 20.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 06:51:02|Editor: yan

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BUCHAREST, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The European People's Party (EPP) will fight for the same living standard all over Europe, said Manfred Weber, EPP candidate for the presidency of the European Commission(EC), here on Saturday.

"The first message of the EPP Manifesto is that I dream of a better Europe...I want to fight for a Europe in which no one will be forced to leave the region where they live for financial reasons. We must fight for a Europe in which everyone enjoys the same living standard," Weber, also chairman of the EPP Group in European Parliament, told the EPP summit of local and regional leaders, here on Saturday, in his presentation of his vision for the EU future and the main guidelines of the EPP programme for the EC presidency.

According to Weber, he will be in favor of regional development policies and infrastructure development "to give young people a better future, especially in the rural areas."

"We must be open for trade, as Europeans...We can only have a good economic future if we believe in our trade policies," he said, criticizing the Socialists, the Greens, the left, as they are skeptical about the future trade agreements.

He added "On the economic side, I want to create bridges, because this is the only way to achieve good economic development and a sustainable trade policy."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 07:36:10|Editor: Yamei

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SAN FRANCISCO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A group of U.S. and Chinese scholars and experts met Saturday in Silicon Valley to discuss opportunities and challenges in smart energy application and building smart villages in the United States and China.

Representatives from Microsoft Corporation, the Global Energy Interconnection Research Institute (GEIRI) North America, and other professionals in energy industry shared their experience and expertise on developing smart energy at a seminar launched by the U.S.-China Green Energy Council in San Jose, California.

Chen Xi, Chief Information Officer of GEIRI North America, affiliated to the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), said the SGCC, the largest electricity utility company in China, boasts advanced electricity technology and abundant experience in construction of power networks in the country.

The United States has accumulated a lot of experience on power market, high efficiency and the ability of profit-making of utility companies, which can be learned by China in developing a better and more efficient power network in the future, Chen said.

The seminar held two panels for in-depth discussions on smart energy cooperation between the United States and China, present and future challenges, artificial intelligent (AI) technology in power development, business development and building smart villages.

Panel speakers included Scott Mauvais, director of Microsoft Cities, who talked on AI for sustainability, Zhiwei Wang, president of GEIRI North America, and Professor Tom Kosnik, a partner of FoundersX Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm dedicated to investment in AI and big data.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 07:51:13|Editor: Yamei

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WELLINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the terror attacks on two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch has risen to 50 as one more victim was found on one of the shooting scenes, the police said at a press conference Sunday.

Investigators found the victim while removing the bodies from the Al Noor Mosque where more than 40 people were killed as a gunman entered the mosque and went on a shooting rampage on Friday afternoon, the police said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 08:06:14|Editor: Yamei

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Photo taken on March 16, 2019 shows cards and flowers people placed to mourn the victims of the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

WELLINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the terror attacks on two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch has risen to 50 as one more victim was found at one of the shooting scenes, the police said on Sunday.

Investigators found the victim while removing bodies from the Masjid Al Noor Mosque where more than 40 people were killed as a gunman stormed the mosque and went on a shooting rampage on Friday afternoon, Police Commissioner Mike Bush told a press conference.

Meanwhile, the number of the injured people from the terror attacks stood at 50, and 36 of them were still being treated in Christchurch Hospital, with two remaining in intensive care unit and one child at a children's hospital, according to the police.

For the time being, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant was charged with murder. The terror suspect appeared briefly in the Christchurch District Court on Saturday morning.

The charging document showed the maximum penalty will be life imprisonment. He will be in custody until April 5, according to the High Court in Christchurch.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 09:46:36|Editor: Xiaoxia

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KATHMANDU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Investment Board Nepal (IBN), a government body responsible for dealing with large-scale investment, has approved an investment proposal of South Korea's Motrex to establish a car manufacturing and assembly plant in Nepal.

A board meeting of the IBN, chaired by Nepali Prime Minister Sharma Oli on Friday approved the proposed investment of 10.54 billion Nepali rupees (95 million U.S. dollars), the IBN said in a statement.

Officials at the IBN said on Saturday that the South Korean company had submitted its proposal three months ago and it was approved on Friday.

"Following the approval from IBN board, the South Korean company can invest in Nepal by signing project investment agreement (PIA) with IBN," Balaram Rijyal, spokesperson of the IBN told Xinhua. The PIA is a document that defines terms of investment between Nepali government and the investor.

IBN officials said that the South Korean company has proposed producing four wheelers, particularly passenger cars and electric vehicles. Nepal does not have any vehicle assembly plant currently and the country imports all the vehicles with both four wheelers and two wheelers.

As per the proposal of Motrex, the company will start producing vehicles from 2021, first by producing around 2,000 vehicles in a year.

"The company will produce 20,000 vehicles by 2027," an IBN official added.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 10:11:39|Editor: Xiaoxia

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WINDHOEK, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Namibian police on Saturday called for calm among protesters who plan to take to the streets of Windhoek on Monday in a movement aimed at improving availability of land.

The protest is led by the Affirmative Repositioning, a land lobby group that has been pushing for lower rental and property prices in the country's urban areas in recent years.

Namibian police Spokesperson Edwin Kanguatjivi called on the protesters to march in a peaceful manner on Monday.

"In as much as the Namibian Police have been notified and will be at hand to assist with escort, the Namibian Police force in the same vein appeal to the marching crowd to ensure that the right and freedom of other citizens are not infringed upon during the march," Kanguatjivi said in a statement.

The Affirmative Repositioning movement gathers young people who have grown frustrated by the unavailability of affordable land in urban areas. They often use social media platforms to mobilize residents in urban areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 10:40:43|Editor: Yurou

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A woman participates in a rally against racism and fascism in Athens, Greece, on March 16, 2019. Greek citizens, migrants and refugees took to the streets of Athens on Saturday to protest against racism and fascism ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which is commemorated annually on March 21. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 10:46:46|Editor: Xiaoxia

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YANGON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 22.9 kilograms of suspected uncut amber stones in Mokaung township, Kachin state, according to local police force on Sunday.

The amber stones in 17 bags were confiscated by the police when they intercepted an express bus heading from Tanai to Myitgyina at a checkpoint called Mayankahtaung on Friday afternoon.

Through investigation, the amber rocks were owned by three women.

Along with the driver, they were arrested and charged by the police for illegal transport of precious stones under Myanmar's Gemstone Law.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 11:21:49|Editor: zh

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TORONTO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- More than 500 participants, including investors, entrepreneurs and scholars, gathered in Toronto on Saturday for a two-day summit on innovation and the new economy.

The China-U.S.-Canada New Economic Innovation Meeting is aimed at bringing together the players for discussions on the latest international industrial and innovation trends.

During the two-day event, a number of roundtables will be held.

It is expected to focus on the most promising startups as well as the different areas where startups are growing, said Wang Wanli, an investor from San Francisco, United States.

Wang said he is looking forward to discussions on integration of big data intelligence and finance.

The event is hosted jointly by the University of Toronto, Chinese Business Industry Association (CBIA) and the North America Developing Leaders Entrepreneur Association (NADLEA).
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 11:21:49|Editor: Xiaoxia

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HAVANA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Cuba on Saturday slammed a U.S. government decision to shorten the duration of visitor visas granted to Cuban nationals and impose more stringent restrictions on them.

Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said via Twitter that the new restrictions were "an additional obstacle" for the many Cuban citizens who have relatives living in the United States.

The United States is reducing the validity of B2 tourist visas from five years to three months and from multiple entries to single entry, citing "reasons of reciprocity." The changes were posted online by the U.S. Embassy in Cuba and are to go into effect starting Monday.

The foreign minister denied that the changes were in keeping with the principle of reciprocity, saying "Cuba offers all means so that U.S. citizens, from any country, including the U.S., can obtain a visa."

Cuba currently grants U.S. tourists single-entry visas valid for up to two months with a possible 30-day extension, at a cost of 50 U.S. dollars.

The United States recalled a substantial part of its diplomatic and consular staff in Havana in September 2017 and stopped issuing visas of almost any type over alleged "acoustic attacks." The source of the attacks remains unclear and Cuba has accused the United States of "political manipulation" of the incidents.

Cubans have often had to apply for a U.S. visa in nearby Guyana since then, which is more costly for the Cubans.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 11:36:52|Editor: Yamei

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TOKYO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Okinawa residents in southern Japan rallied on Saturday to oppose a relocation plan of a U.S. air base within the prefecture.

Some 10,000 protesters gathered at a park in the prefectural capital of Naha, demanding the Japanese and U.S. governments halt a plan to move the Futenma base from the Ginowan region to the less densely populated coastal area of Henoko, which is also on the island.

The Okinawans, suffering from crime, pollution and accidents related to the U.S. bases and personnel on the tiny subtropical island, wish to see the Futenma base move outside of Okinawa and Japan altogether.

Last month, more than 70 percent of local voters rejected the central government's relocation plan in a referendum, but the Japanese government decided to continue with the replacement construction, dismissing the outcome of the referendum as unbinding.

"We would like to advance the new base construction work, while explaining the necessity of the relocation plan to the Okinawa people in a polite and cordial manner to seek their understanding," said Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya in February.

Okinawa hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan, yet the island accounts for just a small fraction of Japan's total landmass, meaning local residents are intensely affected by military activities and the presence of U.S. base-linked personnel living and working on the island.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 11:46:53|Editor: Yamei

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SYDNEY, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A drug-affected man has allegedly driven his car into the gates of a mosque in the Australian State of Queensland Saturday evening, shouting offensive remarks at the worshipers inside.

Queensland Police said that the 23-year-old man was stopped earlier in the day for a roadside drug test which returned a positive result.

He was taken into police custody and given a 24-hour suspension from driving as well as an order to appear in court.

After being released from police custody, the man returned to his vehicle which he drove to a nearby mosque, ramming the closed front gate with his car and causing minor damage to the property.

He then allegedly shouted offensive words through his open window, directed at the people inside, before driving home where he was located by police.

The man was arrested and further charged with one count each of wilful damage, committing public nuisance and driving a vehicle while suspended.

Tensions are heightened for those attending mosques in Australia this weekend following the deadly shootings in New Zealand on Friday which left 50 people dead.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 14:57:19|Editor: zh

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by Zhang Yongxing

SUVA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a development dividend for participating countries, including the Pacific island countries (PICs), as it has enhanced social and economic progress of the countries and brought benefits to the people, a Fijian expert said on Sunday.

"The BRI has been welcomed by a lot of participating countries, including the Pacific island countries as it has brought social and economic development and hope to them. For Pacific island countries, they need massive infrastructure development and I think China is just doing that under the framework of BRI," Keshmeer Makun, a lecturer of the University of the South Pacific (USP) told Xinhua.

He disagreed with the so-called "debt-trap" about BRI, saying that "it is important to know that China often takes into consideration the ability to meet foreign debt obligation and solvency constraint of receiving countries, hence, preventing heavy debt burden."

"China puts no political conditions and tries to meet the needs of the aid-receiving countries. In addition, like any other project, the Chinese-funded projects also go through rigorous market research and feasibility study, so that they not only get the right costing and quality, but also bring the preferred social and economic assistance to the people," he said.

"Pacific leaders have found China's assistance more desirable. Correspondingly, China has provided large quantity of foreign aid to the Pacific island countries over the past years. It is evident that China's financial aid and projects have substantially enhanced social and economic progress of Pacific island countries and provided great benefits to the people," he said.

From his point of view, the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by China but shared by the international community. And it is an important platform for the win-win cooperation and what the PICs really need.

"There are obviously different voices out in the world but for many Pacific island countries, I think there is only one voice. The fact is that many of the PICs lack the physical infrastructure and supply chain logistics which can help them to export in a significant way," he said.

"Considerable infrastructure investments in communications, seaports and airports are required to enhance trade and reduce the high cost of doing business and I think China's assistance through BRI to the Pacific region is helping substantially and consequently inject impetus to further cooperation through trade and investment," he said.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.

The expert added that infrastructure deficit in many countries including the Pacific island countries that makes connectivity difficult is a serious concern. Reducing infrastructure deficit will enhance trade and business among these countries. In this respect, the China-proposed BRI is clearly providing the technology, finance and experience to contribute to less-developed countries in building needed infrastructure.

"Further, in business, infrastructure is not only the thing but also the ease with which they conduct transactions. In this respect, the thriving internet industry has enable China to shift from the credit card era to the online or mobile payment system helping the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to do business with ease," Makun said.

"Similar digital model could be developed to enhance digital gap in other less-developed countries. The other areas of cooperation could be fighting corruption and poverty alleviation on which China has also made good quality progress."

As for China's assistance to Fiji, which inked a Memorandum of Understanding with China on cooperation within the framework of the BRI last November, Makun said China's aid to Fiji has played an important role in the island nation's economic development.

"It is not only improving the economic environment, but also enhancing the ability of being independent and reducing their dependency on imports. In addition, China's aid to Fiji is suitable to local practice while enhancing the people's living conditions, improving their living standards and increasing their incomes," he said.

In his opinion, Fiji and China, the two highly complementary economies, have great potential to cooperate through BRI.

"Fiji is economically backward but boasts rich tourist, marine, mineral and agricultural and forestry resources. And China has the advantages of capital, technology, market and human resources," he said.

Believing that BRI is inclusive, open to all countries and international and regional organizations for engagement, he said, "China has already made advances in various areas in the Pacific region and there is indeed huge potential for meaningful cooperation and technical support," Makun said.

He made it clear that the BRI has also helped the Pacific island nations attract more foreign assistance and investment by countries such as United States, Australia and New Zealand.

"Indeed, China's presence and assistance has also motivated our regional neighbors such as Australia, New Zealand and U.S. to step up. It is a good thing that such countries have made their commitments to boost the Pacific region's development," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 15:07:20|Editor: mingmei

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Photo handed out by BASARNAS (National Search and Rescue Agency) shows rescuers evacuate a body washed away by the flash floods in Sentani, Indonesia, on March 17, 2019. Sixty-three bodies have been retrieved after flash floods hit Indonesia's easternmost Papua province on Saturday night, and a search and rescue operation is still ongoing for dozens still missing, a rescue team member said on Sunday. (Xinhua/BASARNAS)

JAKARTA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Sixty-three bodies have been retrieved after flash floods hit Indonesia's easternmost Papua province on Saturday night, and a search and rescue operation is still ongoing for dozens still missing, a rescue team member said on Sunday.

The flash floods, triggered by torrential rains, destroyed buildings, bridges and other infrastructure facilities, Cory Simbolon, head of the emergency unit of the provincial disaster management agency, told Xinhua.

So far scores of villagers including a baby have been rescued, of whom 21 suffered serious injuries, Yadi Yanto, spokesman of the provincial search and rescue office, said.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency, said the number of those injured stood at 59.

All of them have been rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, the spokesman told Xinhua in a text message.

According to the emergency unit of the provincial disaster agency, the disaster occurred around 18:00 p.m. local time, forcing over 3,000 people to flee home for safe places.

Spokesman Sutopo said relief efforts have been undertaken, involving soldiers, police, volunteers, among others. Some supplies have been distributed to the affected people and a joint post command will be set up, he added.

Indonesia is frequently hit by floods and landslides during heavy rains.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 15:12:21|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The following are the key moves taken by policymakers in the past week to enhance China's economic strength and sustainability:

-- Foreign investment law adopted

China's national legislature on Friday passed the foreign investment law, a landmark legislation that will provide stronger protection and a better business environment for overseas investors.

It aims to improve the transparency of foreign investment policies and ensure that foreign-invested enterprises participate in market competition on an equal basis.

The state will manage foreign investment according to the system of pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list, the law stipulates.

Foreign-invested enterprises will equally enjoy government policies supporting enterprise development, and be able to participate in standard-setting on an equal footing and in government procurement through fair competition, according to the law.

-- Generating over 11 million new urban jobs in 2019

China vowed to ensure the creation of more than 11 million new urban jobs this year.

"In actual practice, our goal is to generate the same amount of job opportunities as we did last year, which is over 13 million," Premier Li Keqiang told a press conference after the conclusion of the annual session of China's national legislature Friday.

China will work to ensure the employment of college graduates, whose number will reach a new high of 8.34 million this year. It will prevent zero-employment families and provide more policy support to companies that hire more people.

-- Larger tax and fee cuts

Premier Li Keqiang said Friday that the country was determined to implement larger scale tax and fee cuts this year as a key countermeasure against downward economic pressure.

The move is expected to deliver a dividend of nearly 2 trillion yuan (about 297 billion U.S. dollars) to companies.

China will cut value-added tax rates for manufacturing and other basic sectors, as well as for small and medium-sized companies, the largest providers of jobs in the country.

-- More financial support for startups

China's finance ministry has called for more financial support from local governments for startups to direct funds to cash-starved businesses.

The Ministry of Finance has required local governments to lower the requirements of applying for entrepreneurship guaranteed loans and bear interest subsidies.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 15:17:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, speaks to supporters during a rally in Waterloo, some 200 kilometers northeast of Des Moines, capital of the U.S. Midwestern state of Iowa, March 16, 2019. Standing on a pickup and in front of more than 200 audience, O'Rourke touched upon healthcare, immigration and education topics. O'Rourke announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential race on March 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Xu Jing)

DES MOINES, the United States, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke Saturday met and greeted voters at a downtown square in Waterloo, some 200 km northeast of Des Moines, capital of the U.S. midwestern state of Iowa.

Standing on a pickup and in front of more than 200 audience, O'Rourke touched upon healthcare, immigration and education topics.

"(We must) ensure that every single American seeing a doctor can afford their prescriptions, can take their child to a therapy," he said.

O'Rourke also talked about topics like asylum seekers, refuges, school teachers, education, among others, in front of the audience.

When O'Rourke showed up, his supporters chanted "Beto, Beto" in chorus.

O'Rourke announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential race on March 14, 2019. Before coming to Waterloo, he has had meet-and-greet in Fort Madison, Burlington, Muscatine and Mt Pleasant in Iowa.

Born in 1972 and graduated from Columbia University, O'Rourke was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. Instead of seeking re-election in 2018, he ran for the Senate and narrowly lost to Republican incumbent Senator Ted Cruz.

As a comparatively young politician, O'Rourke's campaign bet heavily on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram specifically to get his message out to targeted voters and donors.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 15:22:23|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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JAKARTA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- One Indonesian citizen was killed in New Zealand's Christchurch attacks, an official of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

"Indonesian citizen Muhammad Abdul Hamid, alias Lilik Abdul Hamid, was confirmed dead," said Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, the ministry's legal assistance and citizen protection director.

This confirmation came from the administrator of Al Noor mosque on Saturday afternoon, the official added.

With the latest confirmation, Lalu said the attack has killed one Indonesian citizen and injured two others.

Seven Indonesians were reported to be in the two attacked mosques in Christchurch. Four of them were reported safe.

The two injured ones, father and son, are reported to be in critical condition as they were shot in several parts.

Lalu said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has called the wife of the killed Indonesian citizen, conveying condolences over the passing of her husband in the brutal terror attacks.

Lilik Abdul Hamid had been initially reported missing after the attack. He worked as an aircraft engineer in New Zealand.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 17:57:45|Editor: Yang Yi

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by Xinhua writers Liu Chen, Xu Jianmei, Hu Yousong

WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China will continue to compete and cooperate with each other, but they are not to decouple given their mutual dependence, said a renowned U.S. foreign policy expert.

"I don't think competition is avoidable. I think it's inevitable," said Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank, in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The two countries have been in a competitive relationship for some time, both geopolitically and economically, and "now it's a little bit more out in the open," noted Kagan, who is also a well-established historian.

"But that ... is not frightening," he said.

What the two sides should focus on is how to properly manage their competition, suggested the expert, who has more than once been named by the Foreign Policy magazine as one of the "Top 100 Global Thinkers" over the past two decades.

"Competition is normal," he said. "It's a question of what form the competition takes and whether the competition spins out of control and leads to conflict."

Listing mutual dependence as a key feature of U.S.-China relations, Kagan dismissed the idea of Washington and Beijing "decoupling" with each other, an argument that has gained certain publicity in the past months.

"I don't expect them to decouple economically," he said, explaining that China is dependent on the American market, and Americans are "a little less dependent but nevertheless heavily dependent" on China -- not only its market but also its willingness to buy American Treasury bills and other things.

"There's always going to be a degree of mutual dependence," he stressed.

Given that, an intertwined relationship featuring both competition and cooperation will remain the keynote in future U.S.-China interactions, he said.

"It's always been the case that ... there's been a cooperative element and a competitive element, and I think probably that will continue to be the case," added the scholar.

On Washington's China policy, Kagan suggested that the United States should support China's success in economy and technology, where "there's of course room for both."

"The correct American policy toward China," he said, "should be to encourage China to succeed economically and to hope that China does succeed economically" and that the average Chinese people's living standard improves as well.

China is going to be an economic power in its region with or without America's support, he observed.

Meanwhile, Kagan stressed that while China's relative power is increasing and its gap with America is narrowing, the United States is still the strongest in the world.

"I don't think America is materially in decline," he said, pointing to its leading role in economy, military, technology and innovation.

But as regards Washington's desire to perform an international role, "I think that has declined tremendously," he said. "And that I think is unfortunate."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 18:07:47|Editor: Yang Yi

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SEOUL, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Both the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States did not want to go back to the past confrontation and tension, South Korea's presidential Blue House said Sunday.

A senior Blue House official, who declined to be identified, told local reporters that the DPRK and the United States all did "never" want to go back to the past confrontation and tension, a situation before 2017.

Both Pyongyang and Washington saw that they had moved forward so deeply that it would actually be hard to go back to the past, the Blue House said, confirming the senior official's background briefing.

Top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump held their second summit in late February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, but it ended with no agreement.

The Blue House official noted that though Kim and Trump failed to reach an agreement in Hanoi, both Pyongyang and Washington made clear their willingness to continue diplomacy and negotiations.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 18:22:49|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's science and technology news from the past week:

-- China's Long March carrier rocket series completed 300 launches, having sent more than 500 spacecraft into space since 1970.

-- China has made significant progress in developing key technologies of the heavy-lift carrier rocket the Long March-9, which will help China realize manned lunar exploration, taking samples from Mars back to Earth, and other deep space explorations.

-- Research findings from China's Tianzhou-1 Space Mission have shown that the microgravity environment in space promotes heart cell differentiation of mice induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, providing new perspectives on future human space travel.

-- China's space-tracking ship Yuanwang-3 sailed to the Pacific Ocean for upcoming monitoring missions.

-- China's lunar rover Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit-2, has driven 163 meters on the far side of the moon and is expected to work longer than its three-month design life.

-- Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, developer of China's C919 passenger aircraft, has started construction of its customer service training base in Jiaxing, east China's Zhejiang Province.

-- Chinese researchers have found that the lake water storage in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau increased by 140.8 cubic kilometers from 1990 to 2013.

-- After using satellites and cameras, Chinese researchers have managed to use tree ages to accurately record glacier changes that happened centuries ago in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the world's Third Pole.

-- A Chinese cat lover and engineer built an AI-powered shelter for stray animals in winter.

-- Chinese scientists have designed a new screening method for hepatitis B carriers, to detect early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of primary liver cancer.

-- Chinese researchers have put forward a new deployment plan for the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)-based network to tackle China's shortage of IP addresses.

-- A recent Chinese study has shown that long-term exposure to PM2.5, a major particle matter pollutant increases the risk of diabetes.

-- Chinese researchers have found that perovskite solar cells can retain most of their power conversion efficiency in near space, providing perspectives on the new solar cells' future application in space.

-- An international study found that freshwater aquaculture in ponds converted from rice paddy fields may cause a significant rise in methane emissions, a major greenhouse gas responsible for global warming.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 18:57:53|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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RAMALLAH/SALFIT, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Israeli army Sunday deployed around Bruqin village near northern West Bank city of Salfit and cordoned off the entire area after one Israeli was killed near Ariel settlement ahead of a possible manhunt in the area.

According to Israeli reports, at least one Israeli soldier was killed and two others were seriously wounded after a man attacked soldiers at the junction of Ariel settlement and took over his gun, opened fir against others in two nearby locations and ran away.

Israeli sources said the perpetrator is a Palestinian.

Palestinian sources said that Israeli troops cordoned off the village of Bruqin to the West of Salfit city amidst increasing tensions, patrolled and blocked the routes linking to the north of the West Bank.

Ariel settlement, one of the largest Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank, was built on the lands belonging to the Salfit district, some 16.5 kilometers away from the Green line. It is the only one that includes a university.

Israeli settlement activity, deemed illegal by most world powers and under the international law, is considered one of the thorniest issues that hindered the peace talks between the Palestinians and Israeli. It continues to be one of the main issues of disagreement since the stop of the peace talks in 2014.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 19:07:56|Editor: ZX

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A girl of Miao ethnic group tastes grilled fish in Baixiu Village, Miao Autonomous County of Rongshui, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 10, 2018. China's food and beverage (F&B) industry posted a record high of 4.27 trillion yuan (636 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue in 2018, the China Cuisine Association said Sunday. The F&B industry revenue accounted for 11.2 percent of the total volume of retail sales last year, up 0.4 percentage points from 2017, said Jiang Junxian, president of the association. The F&B industry also contributed 20.9 percent to consumption growth in 2018, he said. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

TIANJIN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's food and beverage (F&B) industry posted a record high of 4.27 trillion yuan (636 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue in 2018, the China Cuisine Association said Sunday.

The F&B industry revenue accounted for 11.2 percent of the total volume of retail sales last year, up 0.4 percentage points from 2017, said Jiang Junxian, president of the association.

The F&B industry also contributed 20.9 percent to consumption growth in 2018, he said.

"The F&B industry has played an important role in stimulating consumption and boosting the economy," he said.

Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Hebei and Henan provinces saw an F&B industry revenue of more than 300 billion yuan last year, with Shandong ranking first.

China's F&B industry will see a revenue of 4.6 trillion yuan, the association predicted.

"Chinese consumers are attaching more importance to food safety, nutrition and health, and have more diversified requirements for food, so high quality food will be what the industry is heading for in 2019," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 19:12:57|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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MAIMANA, Afghanistan, March 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 Afghan security forces and 15 militants were killed following fresh clashes in the country's northern province of Faryab early Sunday, a military source said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 19:17:58|Editor: ZX

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Containers labeled with ZIH from Chinese city of Zhengzhou are seen at DUSS Hamburg-Billwerder intermodal terminal in Hamburg, Germany, on Jan. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

by Xinhua writer Shen Zhonghao

FRANKFURT, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Anastasiya Sizikova, a young woman who lives in Germany's western city of Dusseldorf, could have hardly imagined a few years ago that her career and life would be so closely linked to China.

Speaking three languages including English and Russian, she is now a director of logistics and business development at DBO Bahnoperator company, a firm established against the backdrop of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to handle container shipments from the European Union (EU) to China using block trains.

"I'm a happy person, because I truly love my job and enjoy doing it," Sizikova told Xinhua. "Through the example of China Rail Express, we can see how fast the cooperation between China and Europe is growing, we are proud to be part of this process," Sizikova said.

Following the principle of consultation and collaboration for shared benefits, the BRI is increasingly embraced by European countries and people, who have already benefited from the development opportunities the initiative offers.

In the meantime, the BRI cooperation has been playing an increasingly important role in deepening China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, which has come a long way since its establishment in 2003.

MARKETS CONNECTED

Since it was proposed in 2013, the BRI has been bringing tangible benefits to both Europe and China.

Gradually growing into an iconic brand in Europe, China Railway Express, which connects 59 Chinese cities with 49 European cities in 15 countries, made 6,363 trips in 2018, surging 73 percent from 2017, according to the China Railway Corporation.

Those freight trains have rumbled along the routes, taking garments, auto parts, chemicals and other Chinese goods to European consumers, while taking back European food, machinery, equipment and timber.

For Spain, China Railway Express not only connects Madrid with China's eastern city of Yiwu, but also provides a better opportunity for the two countries to access and explore each others' markets.

"Yiwu is a great global bazaar, and for the enterprises in the community of Madrid, it's also a big door to enter the huge Chinese market," Francisco Aranda, vice president and spokesman of Business Confederation of Madrid, told Xinhua.

The Foundation for the Exchange between Yiwu and Spain, a non-profit organization founded in 2016, recently announced that it will invite some 70 Spanish entrepreneurs to present their products at the Yiwu Imported Commodities Fair in late May this year, in which Spain will be the guest country.

For Poland, one of the largest agricultural countries in Europe, the China Railway Express is a good alternative for sea transportation as it helps Polish companies bring more competitive products to the Chinese market.

"That would be a great opportunity to start with fresh, short shelf life products that currently can't be delivered to the Chinese clients. It could also improve the frequency and efficiency of deliveries," said Malgorzata Cebelinska, trade director of Poland's leading dairy company Mlekpol.

Seeing robust growth in the Chinese market in 2018, Mlekpol is now one of the leading players in the sector of imported milk to China.

She noted that her company is considering expanding business activities and range of products in the Chinese market.

"The freight train service between China and Europe is a powerful example of how the Belt and Road cooperation can drive common development and prosperity of China and Europe with enhanced connectivity," Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said at the 55th Munich Security Conference in February.

INVESTMENTS & JOBS

While guiding European companies' to growing businesses in China, the BRI also directly leads to new investments and jobs in Europe.

The Piraeus port, where China's COSCO Shipping has investment, is an exemplary case of win-win partnership between Greece and China within the framework of the BRI.

The port started to take a new look and achieved impressive results a few years after the Chinese investment came, in the wake of the debt crisis that hit Greece hard, Vassilis Korkidis, president of Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry told Xinhua.

"It was an investment for more than 3.5 billion euros (4 billion U.S. dollars). There are a lot of activities around the port that were activated by the port development. So that means new jobs, better-pay jobs than the rest of the workers' salaries in Greece," he explained.

The Peljesac Bridge, one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Croatia's history, is another example of win-win cooperation under the BRI. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said China Road and Bridge Corporation's active participation in the construction of the projects "is a concrete economic contribution."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also highly valued the presence of Chinese companies in the country, saying that they have contributed to the full employment and the long-term economic growth of Hungary.

POSITIVE RESPONSE

As an important global public goods by China, the BRI keeps winning more and more positive feedback throughout Europe.

Michel Kempeneers, chief operating officer of overseas export and investment department at Wallonia Export-Investment Agency, told Xinhua that Belgium is very open to Chinese partners in terms of the BRI cooperation.

"We can have win-win partnerships together, talking with our Chinese colleagues with the same language of openness," said Kempeneers, adding that Belgium is not an ending point of the BRI, but a new starting point for the rest of Europe and "we welcome these flights and trains from China with a lot of happiness."

Thilo Ketterer, a public auditor and partner at the German professional service firm Roedl & Partner, has followed the BRI from the very beginning in 2013 and took part in the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2017.

The initiative, which brings everybody together, is "really fantastic," said Ketterer. He was deeply impressed and encouraged by the fact that the initiative has turned from vision into reality.

In fact, the BRI cooperation is extensively accepted as a major part of bilateral relations between China and the European countries.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Spain will actively take part in the construction of the Belt and Road, which is of historic significance as China and Spain reached consensus last November to jointly push forward the construction of the Belt and Road to strengthen Asia-Europe connectivity and boost global trade.

In addition, Greek Foreign Minister George Katrougalos said Greece will actively participate in the BRI and play a constructive role in promoting the bilateral relations and Europe-China cooperation.

From the perspective of the EU as a whole, there is growing synergy between the BRI and the Juncker Plan, a 315-billion-euro (357 billion dollar) investment scheme championed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014 to boost private investment in European infrastructure projects.

"I would like to witness the further development of success stories of the Belt and Road Initiative, to see more countries getting involved, to see new infrastructure development along the route, and to see growing cooperation between China and Europe," said Sizikova.

(Xinhua reporters Zhu Sheng in Berlin, Guo Qiuda in Madrid, Zhang Zhang in Warsaw, Yu Shuaishuai in Athens, Gao Lei in Zagreb, Yuan Liang in Budapest, Pan Geping in Brussels, Wang Huijuan in Belgrade also contributed to this report.)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 19:38:01|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TEHRAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.' plan to cut down Iran's oil exports to zero would have a negative impact on the global oil market, Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Sunday.

"We are taking measures to export Iran's oil and Iran will do what is necessary under any conditions," said Zanganeh.

If the U.S. pressures make conditions difficult for Iran's exports, the conditions will also become more difficult for the world, he added.

On Friday, Brian Hook, the U.S. State Department Representative for Iran, said "a well-supplied world oil market helps the U.S. maintain, or even tighten, sanctions on Iran without causing an oil price spike."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 19:48:02|Editor: mingmei

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Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem (R) meets with visiting UN envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen in Damascus, Syria, on March 17, 2019. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

DAMASCUS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- New UN envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen said on Sunday that he is concentrating on moving forward in the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 about a political settlement in Syria.

Speaking to reporters upon arriving in Damascus, Pedersen said he is looking forward to his discussion with Syrian government officials.

"I am looking very much forward to my discussion with the government here. We will always concentrate on how we can move forward in the implementation of the Security Council's Resolution 2254 which is my mandate, and hopefully that could lead to a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned political process facilitated by the United Nations," he said.

The UNSC Resolution 2254 was unanimously adopted on Dec. 18, 2015. It calls for a cease-fire and political settlement in Syria.

The new envoy prepared to hold talks with Syrian Foreign Ministry officials in Damascus on Sunday, saying that he will discuss the briefing he made at the UN Security Council late last month.

Pedersen vowed at the UN Security Council to work "impartially and diligently to discharge the mandate given to me in Security Council Resolution 2254 to facilitate the political process" in late February.

It will require the cooperation of all Syrian and international parties, the readiness of all to deal seriously with the realities of the conflict and to work together to move things step by step in a positive direction, he said.

He said that Resolution 2254 contains all the elements required for a political solution, adding that the resolution begins by respecting the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Syria and provides a roadmap for a truly Syrian-led and owned political process.

This is a key as a real peace process in Syria needs to be owned by the Syrians, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 19:53:04|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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MAIMANA, Afghanistan, March 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 Afghan security forces and 15 militants were killed following fresh clashes in the country's northern province of Faryab early Sunday, a military source said.

"The clashes erupted after Taliban militants stormed national army and Afghan Local Police checkpoints in Harkilik locality of Qaysar district, southwestern side of Faryab," Hadi Jamal, a press officer of army's Division 20 Pamir based in the region, told Xinhua.

About 10 security forces and several militants were also wounded during the fighting which lasted for hours, he said.

The province has been the scene of heavy clashes as militants attack security checkpoints and military camps from time to time.

Zabiullah Mujahid, a purported Taliban spokesman, tweeted that the insurgents' fighters had killed 36 soldiers and captured four others after they overran several checkpoints in Faryab in early hours of Sunday.

Earlier, Mohammad Nadir Sayyedi, a provincial council official, told Xinhua that 16 army soldiers and five police officers were killed following the clashes in Qaysar.

He said reinforcement troops evicted militants and reinstalled security checkpoints in the area on Sunday morning.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 20:53:17|Editor: mingmei

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Israeli security forces stand guard at the site of an attack which took place outside the settlement of Ariel, in the northern West Bank city of Salfit, March 17, 2019. A Palestinian killed an Israeli and severely injured two others in shooting and stabbing attacks before fleeing the scene on Sunday, Israeli army said. (Xinhua/Nidal Eshtayeh)

JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian killed an Israeli and severely injured two others in shooting and stabbing attacks before fleeing the scene on Sunday, Israeli army said.

Eli Bin, director of Israel's Magen David Adom medical emergency service, said the attacks took place outside the settlement of Ariel, southwest of Nablus city in the northern West Bank.

Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the army, said the assailant stabbed a soldier outside Ariel before grabbing his assault rifle. He used the weapon to open fire at passing vehicles, shooting civilians.

He then fled the scene in a car, firing toward soldiers along the way. He continued with the car to a nearby junction, where he fired toward people waiting at a bus stop before escaping the area.

Conricus said heavy forces arrived at the entrance to a village where the attacker seemed to hide.

It was not immediately clear if the attacker acted alone and if he was affiliated to any Palestinian militant group, Conricus added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel will find the assailant after the attacks.

"We are in pursuit of the perpetrator at two points in the Ariel area," he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, adding that "I am certain that they will apprehend them and we will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law as we have done in all of the recent incidents."

The soldiers of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and officers with the Shin Bet internal security agency were involved in the manhunt, Netanyahu added.

The injured were a 47-year-old man, who was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, and a man in his 20s, who was seriously wounded and also taken to a hospital, according to a statement from Magen David Adom medical emergency service.

The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Israel and Palestine with two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank in two separate incidents last week.

The settlements are located on lands which Israel seized during the 1967 Middle East war.

The last round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians collapsed in 2014.
Tzachi Hanegbi, Israeli minister for regional cooperation, is receiving an interview with Xinhua in Mevaseret Zion near Jerusalem, Israel, on March 13. (Xinhua)



by Xinhua writer Chen Wenxian

JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The potential of the win-win cooperation between China and Israel is gigantic as it will become more effective in the future, Tzachi Hanegbi, Israeli minister for regional cooperation, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"We can learn from you and you can learn from us. Israel being the start-up nation and China being the leading country in growth and economy makes this connectivity very strong," noted the minister.

According to Hanegbi, both sides have been actively exploring many dimensions and fields of cooperation, especially since the innovative comprehensive partnership was established by the two countries in March 2017.

Israel is glad to see the increase of its trade with China, which has become Israel's second largest trade partner in the world, the minister said.

"This is an amazing success and it is only in its first phase," he said, adding that China's efforts of opening its market further will contribute a lot to this process.

The bilateral trade between China and Israel reached about 14 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, according to the figures from the Chinese embassy in Israel.

Hanegbi said that China's opening-up is a "great development" that has made China the leading economy in the world in terms of growth and helped the world as well.

The whole world, including Israel, "are watching China very closely and are very impressed by the amazing achievements of China and the amazing growth in the last decades," he said.

Hundreds of millions of Chinese people have benefited from the economic growth, as well as new services in education and health, said the minister.

When talking about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China, Hanegbi said he was deeply impressed by the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in May 2017 when he led an Israeli delegation to the event.

Many leaders from around the world participated in the forum to make sure that they had an input into the thinking, brainstorming and contribution to the global unity, he said.

Though he could not attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in Beijing next month by himself, Hanegbi is sure that this forum will be as successful as the first one.

An Israeli delegation will attend the second forum, he added.

"We will take advantage of this second gathering to create more and more cooperation and to make sure that Israel will be eager to participate wherever our added value is relevant," said Hanegbi.

The BRI is really boosting the economy of many countries, said the minister, while hoping to see more and more Chinese companies get involved in the Israeli market.

As minister of regional cooperation, Hanegbi's responsibility is to try and locate as many as areas that Israel can work together with other countries.

"The future is about working together and this is the real idea of the connectivity of the BRI," he said.

Hanegbi is confident that more and more Israeli and Chinese companies will find common areas to work together. "I am optimistic about the future," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 21:13:20|Editor: Yurou

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KUNMING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Every day, He Runyuan explains what happiness is to hundreds of tourists.

"Dongba symbols are used by China's Naxi ethnic minority and one of the world's only remaining pictographs. For them, happiness is a steaming hot pot of food," He said. "As in the past, having a hot meal means everything."

In a traditional Naxi costume of goatskin vest and a white robe, 42-year-old He guides tourists to learn the Naxi scripts, history, culture and tradition in his center of Naxi Dongba pictographs and paintings in the Old Town in the city of Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

"Peak seasons such as national holidays and summer and winter vacations see around 5,000 visitors a day," he said.

"After explaining the symbols, I will ask the tourists to pick one they like and try to write it down," he added.

As a Naxi minority, He grew up in the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with an 800-year history, which attracted more than 14 million tourists last year.

He has been learning Naxi painting and pictographs for about 30 years. "With a population of more than 300,000, less than 700 Naxi people now understand Dongba pictographs, and only a dozen can do traditional Naxi paintings," he said.

"I think it's my responsibility to pass down our culture and let more people know about it, which is so vivid and charming," he said, adding that most Naxi people live in Lijiang. "That's why I came back here after graduation. The origin of Naxi culture is here."

His devotion of cultural protection is greatly supported by the local government which entrusted He to open the experience center in 2016 in the busiest area of the Old Town and gives him 400,000 yuan (about 59,600 U.S. dollars) a year for daily maintenance and other expenses.

"The local government offered us this two-story cultural courtyard with traditional Naxi characteristics as our center, covering about 300 square meters. We have separated it into several rooms for exhibitions and classrooms," he said.

He and four other Naxi guides work 14 hours a day. "During peak seasons, we can barely take a sip of water," he said.

"It's hard, but it's worth it. We are so proud of what we are doing," he said.

By the end of last year, there were 17 free cultural courtyards in the Old Town of Lijiang, including He's. With the support of the local government, a further 12 are expected to open to the public this year.

"I think the courtyard is a window for promoting the culture of Lijiang, as well as an important base for visitors to learn and try by themselves to have a more comprehensive understanding of our culture," he said.

He's experience center has also cooperated with travel agencies, summer camps and schools to offer free training classes on Naxi culture, receiving more than 7,000 students each year.

"Without the courtyard, nothing would even be close to possible," he said.

To prevent the ancient Chinese city from over commercialization after years of tourism development, the local government has set up a specialized annual fund of 10 million yuan for cultural protection in the Old Town.

"Lijiang has long been China's name card to the world with the Old Town as its core. For sustainable development, we must spare no effort in protecting our culture and make it one of the most attractive parts of the city," said He Tang with the protection and administrative bureau of Lijiang Old Town.

All the buildings in the Old Town are required to maintain traditional ethnic characteristics. Dancing halls, Internet bars, and among others that are inconsistent with the ancient Old Town have all been closed.

A total of 299 traditional houses and 236 yards have so far been restored and renovated by the local government and the Global Heritage Fund.

"We also invite folk artists and culture inheritors to show their skills in the Old Town to get more tourists involved. On traditional festivals, we hold grand celebrations in the Old Town." He Tang said.

More than 90 sets of books telling stories of Lijiang and the culture of Naxi have also been published.

"Our life is limited, but so long as everyone makes even an effort, the life of a culture can exist forever," He Runyuan said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 21:18:20|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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ATHENS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Greek police have launched an investigation into the two visits the terror suspect in New Zealand Christchurch mosque attacks made in the country in recent years, Greek media reported on Saturday evening.

Greek TV channels Alpha and SKAI reported, citing police sources, that Greek authorities are collaborating with Interpol, as well as other authorities in the Balkans, to probe the itineraries of the 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant.

Tarrant made a stopover at Athens international airport in the winter of 2016 while travelling from Cairo, Egypt, to Bucharest, Romania, and in March 2016, he stayed in Greece about 15 days, according to the reports.

Two words written among others on his weapons sounded the alarm for Greek authorities as well. Tarrant had written the Greek word "Turkofagos" in Latin characters which means "Turk eater". It was the nickname of Nikitaras, one of the leaders of the Greek war of independence against the Ottoman rule in the 19th century.

According to reports so far, Tarrant had also written the names of other European military leaders who also fought against the Ottoman Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The second word which is a reference to Greek history is the word "Lepanto" which is the name Venetian rulers had given to the Greek town of Nafpaktos in the 15th century, before the region fell under the control of the Ottomans.

The Ottoman fleet had a big naval station in Nafpaktos, which is located about 170 km northwest of Athens. In 1571 the historical naval battle of Lepanto took place in the area, and Western forces defeated the fleet of the Ottoman Empire.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 21:18:21|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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DAMASCUS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri arrived in Syria Sunday to hold counter-terror talks with Syrian and Iraqi military officials, local reports said.

Heading an Iranian military delegation, Bageri arrived in Damascus on Sunday morning.

The report said the visit of Bageri aims at developing the military defense cooperation and making consultations regarding counter-terror between Iran, Syria and Iraq.

His visit also included a tour to the areas where Iranian military advisors are located.

Throughout Syria's eight-year-long war, Iran has emerged as a key regional backer of the Syrian government as Iranian-backed forces aided the Syrian forces to retrieve key areas from foreign-backed rebels.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 21:33:23|Editor: ZX

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JINAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- East China's Shandong Province is looking to create easy environment for the disabled, elderly and mobility impaired in public places, local authorities said.

The provincial government has put forward construction methods that will take effect on May 1, requiring all roads, public and residential buildings, public transport services and dwelling districts to meet construction standards of barrier-free facilities.

Obstacle-free facilities should be designed, constructed, accepted and put into use simultaneously with the principal parts of construction projects. Newly-built accessibility facilities are supposed to connect with existing ones in surrounding areas.

Priorities will be given to the renovation and development of barrier-free facilities in public service institutions (charity houses, rehabilitation centers etc.), public places (schools, kindergartens, hospitals, libraries, museums etc.), public transport services, as well as public utilities and commercial areas.

Major roads, squares, parks and scenic areas will also be barrier-free, so will all local governments at or above the county level.

China has worked out a guideline on improving transportation services for the elderly and the disabled and plans to establish a service system for barrier-free transport by 2020.

According to the guideline, post offices should make sure that any mails for the elderly and the disabled are delivered to their specific addresses, while new buses in cities with more than 5 million citizens should have low floors.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 21:38:25|Editor: ZX

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SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States have plenty of areas for cooperation in smart energy development and management, an expert on energy development said Saturday.

Tan Jun, a senior researcher with the Global Energy Interconnection Research Institute (GEIRI) North America of the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), said cooperation in smart energy between China and the United States can produce results that benefit both sides.

A group of U.S. and Chinese scholars, experts and entrepreneurs met Saturday in Silicon Valley to discuss opportunities and challenges in smart energy application and building smart villages in the United States and China.

Representatives from Microsoft Corporation, GEIRI North America, and other professionals in the energy industry shared their experience and expertise on developing smart energy at a seminar launched by the U.S.-China Green Energy Council in San Jose, California.

The seminar held two panels for in-depth discussions on the two countries' smart energy cooperation, present and future challenges, artificial intelligent (AI) technology in power development, business development and building smart villages.

Tan said the SGCC has cooperated with some U.S. universities in the development and application of smart and green energy, such as the technology of new energy integration, which aims to better utilize energy storage facilities so that as much new energy as possible can be integrated and transmitted to the power grid.

"We achieved some practical results from the bilaterally beneficial collaboration, such as the faster-than-real-time energy management system, which has been adopted by the State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company," Tan said.

He noted that California, as the world's fifth-largest economy with 40 million people in North America, has been pursuing an aggressive green energy policy by adopting an ambitious target of mandating 100 percent clean energy by 2045.

The law signed by former California Governor Jerry Brown last year to obtain 100 percent of its electricity from clean sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower kept California at the forefront of addressing climate change and phasing out fossil fuels from power plants.

California's positive approach to new energy can be something worth learning for other economies, Tan said.

Chen Xi, Chief Information Officer of GEIRI North America, said the SGCC, the largest electricity utility company in China, boasts advanced electricity technology and abundant experience in construction of power networks in the world's most populous country.

The United States has accumulated a lot of experience on power markets and the ability of utility companies to make profits, which can be learned by China in developing a better and more efficient power network in the future, Chen said.

Scott Mauvais, director of Microsoft Cities, who spoke on AI for sustainability, elaborated on how to empower every organization to thrive in a resource-constrained world.

He said Microsoft has made a lot of efforts to try to harness the power of AI around sustainability goals.

The participants of the seminar also discussed building smart villages in the United States and China.

Kelly Jiang, a panelist from University of California, Berkley (UC Berkeley), said her team has helped residents of Golden Basin Village, a remote poverty-stricken village in Sichuan Province, Southwest China, start a Smart Village project.

With the assistance and support from Chongqing University, photovoltaic electricity generating facilities have been built in the village, which provide green energy for the households in the area, she said.

She cited an example of a school, where solar panels were installed on top of the roof to offer the school a source of clean energy.

"The project is even making money for the school" after it has sold extra power too much to be consumed by the school alone, Jiang said, adding this is basically a successful poverty-relief project for the villagers.

Jiang said her team composed of dozens of volunteers from UC Berkeley, in partnership of UC Berkeley authorities, will initiate a second Smart Village project in Wuxi County, a poverty-hit area in Chongqing Municipality in late June this year.

Saturday's panel speakers also included Professor Tom Kosnik, a partner of FoundersX Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm dedicated to investment in AI and big data, Zhang Xiaofeng, executive vice president of the U.S.-China Green Energy Council, and Wang Zhiwei, president of GEIRI North America of the SGCC.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 21:43:26|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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KAMPALA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Legislators from Uganda's ruling party have endorsed incumbent president Yoweri Museveni to run for the presidency in 2021.

A statement from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, issued on Sunday, said the NRM parliamentary caucus endorsed Museveni, who is also NRM chairman, during their retreat in Kyankwanzi, central Uganda.

They said Uganda needs Museveni now more than ever before for his firm guidance and mentorship.

The legislators' endorsement follows an earlier decision by the party's Central Executive Committee, which also endorsed Museveni to run.

Museveni has been in power for more than 30 years.

Legislators in 2017 voted to remove the age limit of 75 years for running for the presidency. Museveni is now 74.

The final decision for Museveni to run will be taken by a delegates' conference of the party.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 22:08:32|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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WINDHOEK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Namibian police on Saturday released a statement calling for calm to protesters who plan to march for land on Monday in the capital, Windhoek.

The protest will be led by land lobby group Affirmative Reposition, which has been pushing for availing of land to Namibians in towns and farms.

Police spokesperson Edwin Kangutjivi called on protesters to go about their business in a peaceful manner.

"In as much as the Namibian Police have been notified and will be at hand to assist with escort, the Namibian Police force in the same vein appeal to the marching crowd to ensure that the right and freedom of other citizens are not infringed upon during the march," Kanguatjivi said.

The bulk of the protesters are expected to be youth who have grown frustrated by the unavailability of affordable land in Namibian urban areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 22:08:33|Editor: ZX

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by Stefania Fumo

ROME, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Italy is an undoubted leader in the restoration and conservation of art and archeology, and its experts are called on by countries around the world including China, which is second only to the Mediterranean peninsula in terms of UNESCO World Heritage sites: Italy has 54 and China has 53.

Xinhua interviewed some of these experts to find out how the exchanges between the two countries go on in this field.

Among them is Professor Gilberto Corbellini, who directs the Department of Human and Social Sciences and Cultural Heritage at the National Research Council (CNR), an institution whose longstanding relationship with China dates back over 20 years ago.

In 2014, the CNR entered into an accord with the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage (CACH), in which both institutions jointly select three-year projects they want to work on together, with each side putting in a share of the financing.

"Cultural heritage should be seen as the result of innumerable human choices, stratified over centuries and millennia," Corbellini wrote in his foreword to a 2018 book "China and Italy: Routes of Culture, Valorization and Management", which was edited by CNR researchers Heleni Porfyriou and Bing Yu.

"This makes cultural heritage a vital part of a community, as the result of the sensitivity, thoughts, expectations, problems of men and women who, with their identities and personalities, have built the reality in which we live today," Corbellini wrote.

"I had the opportunity to meet and talk with the CACH director, and what emerged very clearly is that there is a mutual interest, especially in the field of training," Corbellini told Xinhua. "On the one side the possibility of transferring know-how and technology to restorers and cultural heritage scholars in China while at the same time, the opportunity to develop specific interventions together, in China, that are tailored to local cultural needs and expectations."

But what makes Italy a leader in this sector, and why do Chinese archeologists and scholars seek out its experts?

According to Porfyriou, it is because Italy has an extraordinary tradition in terms of a theoretical approach. "It was the first country to engage in an interdisciplinary line of reasoning in this field, and it was also in the vanguard on urban conservation, which Italy tabled at the beginning of the 20th century, while the rest of Europe only began to address it in the 1960s."

As well, Italy has "a wealth of art and monuments, which allowed it to apply and demonstrate its theories to the world," said Porfyriou, who for the past eight years has been working on a comparative project with China on its so-called "water cities", which are comparable to Italy's historic Medieval villages, or "borghi".

"Some are near Shanghai, so they benefit from tourism, but others have been abandoned, exactly like some of Italy's borghi," she said. "Our project is bilateral and seeks to identify practices allowing both countries to create parallel, similar networks that not only learn from each other but also benefit from an increased awareness that is also inclusive of the local population."

"We found that the local populations are very interested: there is the same sensitivity towards history and tradition that exists among the public in Italy," Porfyriou said.

Archeologist Maria Concetta Laurenti, a professor at the Superior Institute for Conservation and Restoration (ISCR) in Rome, believes that it's Italy's scholarly and scientific roots make it into a leader in this field.

"We developed this debate earlier than other countries did," Laurenti told Xinhua. "We started thinking about this issue in the 1800s, and this ultimately culminated in the setting up of our institute in 1939."

"A need had been felt of giving a scientific foundation to the restoration of works of art: until then, restoration had been confined to artisans' workshops, where certain methods were considered like jealously guarded secret recipes," Laurenti explained.

Bringing restoration out of the workshop, giving it a scientific basis, and founding a school to train restorers to be not artists but technicians, contributed to Italy's leadership in this field, she said.

Laurenti went on to say that what distinguishes Italian experts from their Western colleagues is a special sensitivity that goes beyond a strictly scientific assessment of the job at hand, i.e. identifying the causes of decay and intervening to limit the damage and restore the piece to a certain condition.

"We don't recreate, we don't remake, we don't falsify," she said. "A lot also depends on (the individual restorer's) capacity, sensitivity to color, and the sensitivity with which the work is treated. We have developed this sensitivity to a great degree, also thanks to the schools for restoration we have here in Italy."

These schools include the Department of Restoration and Conservation at Tuscia University: one of its founders is Professor Salvatore Lorusso, who also founded and directed the Laboratory for Cultural Heritage at Bologna University.

Lorusso, a professor emeritus and former visiting professor at China' Zhejiang University's Cultural Heritage Institute, was contacted by Chinese archeologists when the Qingzhou Buddhist sculptures were discovered at the Longxing Temple in 1996.

The statues, he said, dated back to a period between 500 and 1100 AD. "The cleaning presented huge problems, because previous restorations had been done using incorrect products and substances," Lorusso told Xinhua. "So we moved on to innovative methods using biological substances to remove the dirt and the patina that encrusted the surface of those fantastic statues".

Describing himself as "fundamentally a diagnostician and a chemist", Lorusso went on to explain that restoration and conservation is an interdisciplinary field.

"Why interdisciplinary? Because I always need others and equally, others need me," said Lorusso, who founded journal called Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage and has authored over 420 national and international publications. "The human sciences must proceed hand in hand with the experimental sciences -- the scientist must work with the art historian and the archeologist."

Going forward, CNR researcher Porphyriou said that "our Chinese colleagues (in restoration and conservation) have a great desire to spread and raise awareness, both among local decisionmakers and among the public."

A key part of this awareness is the project of twinning historic sites between the two countries through UNESCO. This would show that "funding and well-being and urban quality do not come only from tourism, but also from the valorization of historic urban settings and buildings," Porphyriou said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 22:13:34|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BAGHDAD, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Four Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Sunday in an security operation in Iraq's eastern province of Diayla, a provincial police source said.

A special force affiliated with the intelligence service raided an IS hideout in Qizlaq area, some 160 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, sparking a clash that resulted in the killing of four IS militants, including two wearing explosive belts, Sadiq al-Husseini, head of the security committee in Diyala provincial council, told Xinhua.

Faisal al-Abadi, police chief of Diyala province, confirmed the operation in a statement by his office and said that the killed extremist IS militants were preparing for a deadly attack on the headquarters of Diyala's provincial government in the capital city of Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad.

One security member was also wounded during the clash with IS militants, al-Abadi said.

Despite repeated military operations in the Diyala province, remnants of IS militants are still hiding in some rugged areas near the border with Iran, and in the sprawling areas extending from the western part of the province to the Himreen mountain range in northern the province.

Late in 2017, Iraq officially declared full liberation of its territories from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, some IS groups and individuals regrouped in desert and rugged areas and are carrying out attacks against the security forces and civilians despite operations from time to time to hunt them down.
Win McNamee/Getty Images(DOVER, Del.) -- As the political world continues to wait for Joe Biden to decide whether he will seek the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, the former vice president nearly revealed his plans Saturday night as he defended his record at a Delaware Democratic Party fundraising dinner.



"I'm told I get criticized by the new left," Biden said, referring to claims that he would occupy a moderate lane should he join the presidential race. "I have the most progressive record for anybody running."



But as his home state audience erupted in cheers, the longtime Delaware senator quickly walked a piece of the comment back.



"I didn't mean it. I mean, of anyone who would run. Of anybody who would run," he said.



Though his view on policy may not be all that different from the potential 2020 rivals classified as left of Biden, the calls for consensus and civility that comprised much of his speech Saturday set him apart in an era of increasingly hostile political rhetoric.



"We've got to get to know one another again," Biden said, describing what he called the "Delaware way," where, because the state is so small, personal relationships supersede political differences.



"You have to arrive at consensus," he continued. "Without consensus, nothing gets done period. Have to listen to the other guy, the other woman. Work with one another, respect one another no matter how badly you disagree."



Biden held up as an example his relationship with the late Sen. John McCain, with whom he said he disagreed vehemently on political issues, but maintained a strong friendship because they each believed that the other wanted the best for the United States.



"Once you question another man or woman's motive you can never reach an agreement," said the former vice president. "I can tell you have a stupid idea about this that or the other and we can still compromise."



Though some of his critiques, particularly about taking "the venom out" of politics, appeared to be particularly focused on President Donald Trump and Republicans, Biden -- a veteran of national campaigns -- is clearly keeping his finger on the pulse of his fellow Democratic hopefuls.



All eyes have been on Biden as he deliberates privately over whether to seek the 2020 Democratic nomination for president. Many of those close to him believe he will run.



Earlier this week, Biden was greeted with a warm reception at a conference for the International Association of Fire Fighters, where he encouraged the crowd to conserve their energy.



"I may need it in a few weeks," he quipped.



Multiple sources close to the former vice president have told ABC News that they believe he will launch a campaign, and in recent weeks, he has conferred with allies such as Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. -- who was left with the impression Biden would pursue the presidency, according to her office.



Prior to Saturday's dinner, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told reporters that Biden told him he was "all-but-certain he is going to run."



On Thursday, Biden met with another potential 2020 candidate, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. The pair discussed their respective future plans, according to a source close to Abrams.

Ahead of a Delaware Democratic Party dinner, Sen. Chris Coons says Joe Biden has told him he is all-but-certain he is going to run. Biden is giving tonights keynote. pic.twitter.com/pf2zwYCYJW  Adam Kelsey (@adamkelsey) March 16, 2019

On Thursday, Biden met with another potential 2020 candidate, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. The two men discussed their respective future plans, according to a source close to Abrams.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 22:13:36|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Sunday that he will oppose any military interference in Venezuela in a meeting with U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams in Rome on Tuesday, Sputnik news agency reported.

"We have a whole number of stances that we will be communicating to the U.S. side: the inadmissibility of military interference on the part of the United States, the inadmissibility of other forms of pressure on the legitimate authorities in Caracas," Ryabkov was quoted by Sputnik as saying.

The diplomat said he will also discuss with Abrams about U.S. pressure on Russian companies' business with Venezuelan firms. He reiterated that Russia will continue to cooperate with Venezuela in the energy and defense sectors.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday imposed sanctions on Evrofinance Mosnarbank, a Moscow-based bank jointly owned by Russian and Venezuelan state-owned companies, for "attempting to circumvent U.S. sanctions on Venezuela."

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that sanctions imposed outside the framework of the UN Security Council could not be considered legitimate.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also accused Russian oil giant Rosneft of continuing to purchase oil from Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA in defiance of U.S. sanctions.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 23:08:57|Editor: Yurou

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HONG KONG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The University of Hong Kong (HKU) announced on Sunday that it has signed an agreement with Tohoku University, Japan (Tohokudai) to collaborate on the research of transformative AI and robotics technologies.

The signing ceremony was held on Saturday at the HKU campus. HKU and Tohoku University will combine their advantages and strengthen the application of AI and robotics in areas including manufacturing industry, construction industry and the development of smart cities. They are planning to establish the Center for Transformative AI and Robotics Technologies in Hong Kong.

Under the collaboration, top researchers from both universities will be brought together, forming a team to transform and upgrade the technologies of AI and robotics, to improve the automation technology and to develop smart and flexible robots with self-learning ability that are adaptable to different environment.

Zhang Xiang, president and vice-chancellor of HKU said both universities will strive to achieve pioneering world-class research projects, bring more learning opportunities for students, and build greater engagement with industrial partners.

"We are eager to further strengthen the tie between the two universities and closely work together in the field of transformative AI and robotics technology to create social innovation and solve social problems in Hong Kong and Japan," Hideo Ohno, president of Tohoku University, said.

Nicholas Yang, secretary for innovation and technology of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, also attended the ceremony. He said that true innovation comes from collaboration and by pooling together the world's top scientific institutions to collaborate with local universities. Hong Kong is poised to become a hub for global research collaboration, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 23:08:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADDIS ABABA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Relatives of victims who perished in an Ethiopian Airlines crash gathered in the Ethiopian capital on Sunday to mourn their loved ones, one week after a Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 Max 8 went down just minutes after take-off.

Flight ET 302 crashed near Bishoftu town, about 45 km from Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport, killing all 157 people aboard.

The memorial service included two parts, first at the headquarters of the Ethiopian Airlines Group and the second at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Senior Ethiopian government officials and relatives of the perished crew members were also in attendence.

Thousands of others also gathered at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where relatives attended funeral services in accordance with Ethiopian Orthodox church traditions.

The memorial event came amid difficulties to provide victims' bodies to their loved ones due to the devastating nature of the crash.

"We only have very small fragmented human tissues, human remains. That is the most difficult part of this tragic accident," Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Grieving family members were given bags of soil taken from the crash site.

The Ethiopian Federal Police is now taking full control of the human remains recovered from the crash site and Blake Emergency Services, a British-based organization, has been assigned to help with the DNA identification process, Gebremariam said.

"It's going to take a very long period of time," he said.

Both data and voice recorders from the crashed aircraft have been sent to France for further investigation into what caused the tragedy.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 23:08:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Toufic Dabbousi, head of Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tripoli, highlighted Sunday Tripoli's plan of expanding its Qlayaat airport from three square meters to over 10 square meters, local media reported.

"This airport will be equipped with features that will turn it into a modern facility that can be compared to the most advanced airports in the world," Dabbousi was quoted as saying by the National News Agency.

Dabbousi's remarks came during his meeting with Telecom Minister Mohamad Choucair, who is also head of Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut in addition to other representatives of the different economic sectors in Lebanon.

Dabbousi emphasized also the importance of expanding Tripoli's economic zone which will be of great importance to oil and gas companies.

He noted that China is one of the countries that showed great interest in these projects.

"The Chinese ambassador in Lebanon considered these projects important in creating job opportunities while benefitting Lebanon and the whole region.

Meanwhile, Choucair emphasized the importance of relying on the Chinese expertise to implement these projects.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 23:14:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KABUL, March 17 (Xinhua) -- One child was killed and 10 people were wounded in two separate explosions in Afghanistan on Sunday, authorities said.

In one incident, five civilians, including a woman, were wounded after a sticky improvised explosive device (IED) attached to a sedan was detonated at a main traffic circle in Pul-e-Khumir city, capital of northern Baghlan province on midday, provincial public health official, Anwar Wardak, told Xinhua.

Four seriously wounded people will be shifted to neighboring Kunduz province for intensive medical care, he said.

In eastern Nangarhar province, one child was killed and one civilian and four local pro-government tribal militias, known as local uprising fighters, were injured when an IED was detonated near a shrine in Khogyani district earlier in the day, provincial government spokesman Attahullah Khogyani told Xinhua.

The injured were shifted to a hospital in Jalalabad city, he said.

The officials blamed the enemies of peace, referring to the Taliban militant group, for the attack.

More than 3,800 civilians were killed and over 7,180 others were injured in conflict-related incidents in 2018 in the war-torn country, according to the United Nations mission's figures.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 23:19:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DOHA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Qatar Financial Center (QFC), the regulatory authority, issued on Sunday a supervisory notice against the First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), prohibiting services for new customers in Doha, amid a probe over alleged currency manipulation.

The QFC took the decision due to FAB's failure to satisfy its fitness and property in respect of its conduct in the QFC, a statement by the authority said.

"FAB has failed to comply with an order QFC Civil and Commercial Court to produce an affidavit demonstrating its preservation of documents relevant to an ongoing regulatory investigation into potential manipulation of the Qatari Riyal," QFC added.

CEO of the regulatory authority Michael Ryan said that "it is the role of the regulatory authority to protect customers and potential customers of the QFC and to ensure that authorised firms meet, and continue to meet the required standard."

The supervisory notice does not prohibit FAB from continuing to provide services to its existing customers and the regulatory authority does not expect notice to have any negative impact on those relationships, the statement added.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism, which is denied by Doha.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 23:24:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TORONTO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Three people were seriously wounded early Sunday after a shooter opened fire on a vehicle in northwest Toronto, local media reported.

Police arrived on the scene early Sunday morning, where they found the three males suffering from gunshot wounds in the vehicle with shattered windows, CBC reported.

Shell casings were found on the ground. Stray bullets also hit a nearby residential building. No other injuries have been reported so far.

The three wounded people were taken to hospital and their injuries are considered to be non-life-threatening, according to CBC.

Police are investigating the shooting and no arrests have been made.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-17 23:29:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CHENGDU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, gave an update on the food safety of a local school canteen on Sunday.

A number of parents of students in Chengdu No.7 High School Development School recently questioned the quality of food in the school canteen.

Chengdu authorities said that of the 18 samples they collected from the school, the noodles were found to contain mildew and were sub-standard. The remaining did not have any problems. Another three samples are being tested for salmonella.

The substandard noodles were produced by a factory in Chengdu's Pidu District. So far, 52.5 kg of the food has been cooked, and the remaining 22.5 kg confiscated.

Xie Qiang, with Chengdu's Municipal Health Commission, said that 36 students who claimed to have abdominal pain had gone through examinations, and they have ruled out an outbreak of food-related disease.

As of 8 p.m. Saturday, 929 students had gone through examinations in the city's six hospitals, and three were hospitalized, according to the commission. The three students include one suffering from acute appendicitis, and one diagnosed with adenomesenteritis. The other suffered from acute gastroenteritis and has been discharged from hospital.

Three people have been detained for forcing their way into the school canteen, tearing off food packages, trampling on food, and taking pictures and videos before putting them online, according to Chengdu police authorities of Wenjiang District, where the school is located.

Ma Liehong, head of Wenjiang District, said that eight major measures had been taken to strengthen management of the school. An investment company behind the school and the school's representative have been placed under investigation. The school's board of directors will be reformed, and the schoolmaster has been replaced.

Further investigation is under way.
This picture shows a heart-shaped rough diamond found by Russian diamond miner Alrosa in the country's far-eastern Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). (Alrosa Photo)

MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia's top diamond producer Alrosa is in talks with Tiffany & Co on the supply of small-sized rough diamonds of premium colors, Alrosa CEO Sergei Ivanov has said.

"We have a long-standing good relationship with Tiffany. They value and have been buying Russian diamonds of a certain range," Ivanov was quoted by TASS news agency as saying on Friday.

"They have additional needs, so we are in talks with them on premium colors and not just small-sized raw materials. These are diamonds of small sizes, but of very high quality," he said.

Ivanov did not mention the value of a possible contract, but said that it is "not a major one."

Diamonds, with different colors, like pink, blue, orange, green and violet, are extremely rare and usually sold at premium prices.

Alrosa mines diamonds in the Russian Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Arkhangelsk Region. Last year it produced 36.7 million carats of rough diamonds and its revenue from sales of diamond products amounted to 300 billion rubles (4.63 billion U.S. dollars).

After a series of one-off supply deals with Laurelton Diamonds, a subsidiary of Tiffany & Co, Alrosa signed in 2012 a long-term supply contract with it, Alrosa said on its website. It did not disclose details of the deals.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 02:34:30|Editor: Yamei

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China's Special Envoy for Syria Xie Xiaoyan (L) meets with Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi during his visit in Amman, Jordan, on March 17, 2019. Xie Xiaoyan on Sunday highlighted the need to intensify efforts of the international community to end the Syrian crisis through a political solution that preserves Syria's unity and stability. (Xinhua/Lin Xiaowei)

AMMAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Special Envoy for Syria Xie Xiaoyan on Sunday highlighted the need to intensify efforts of the international community to end the Syrian crisis through a political solution that preserves Syria's unity and stability.

During his meeting with Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi in the capital Amman, Xie said the sovereignty, independence and the territorial integrity of Syria must be respected and preserved.

They agreed that "there is no military solution to the crisis" and stressed the need to reach a political solution that restores the country's security and provides conditions for the voluntary return of refugees.

The return of Syria to the Arab League will be beneficial for the participation of Arab countries in the political process of Syria and the final solution to the Syrian crisis, said Xie.

The Chinese envoy also appreciated Jordan's great humanitarian role in the Syrian crisis, voicing China's support to the kingdom in this regard.

For his part, Safadi urged the international community to provide the necessary support to the refugees and Jordan, which is hosting 1.3 million Syrians.

The Jordanian foreign minister affirmed that his country will not shoulder any responsibility for the Rukban camp of the displaced Syrians as its inhabitants are Syrian citizens on Syrian soil, adding that the conditions for the aid delivery from inside Syria is available now.

They also underlined the importance of the developments that China-Jordan relations are witnessing and the two countries' keenness to increase cooperation in all fields.

A day earlier, Xie held a seminar at the Middle East Studies Center of Jordan, where he exchanged ideas and opinions on regional issues with local scholars.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 02:44:32|Editor: Yamei

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The Chinatown Friendship Gate is pictured in Philadelphia, the United States, March 13, 2019. The amazing similarities in port, science and cultural diversity have helped fostering 40 years of sisterhood between the Chinese coastal city of Tianjin and the U.S. eastern city of Philadelphia. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

by Xinhua writer Xu Xiaolei

NEW YORK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The amazing similarities in port, science and cultural diversity have helped fostering 40 years of sisterhood between the Chinese coastal city of Tianjin and the U.S. eastern city of Philadelphia.

"We are one of the firsts. We honor it. We want to do it well," said Samuel K. Chueh, director of international business at Philadelphia Department of Commerce, noting that his city is fully devoted to its Chinese "sister" Tianjin.

Philadelphia became one of the first U.S. cities to initiate a sister cities relationship with a Chinese city in December of 1979, after the two countries established diplomatic ties in the same year.

In the years to come, the sisterhood between the two port cities has produced mutual benefits in a wide range of fields, including education, commerce and culture.

"Tianjin to Beijing is like Philadelphia to New York," Chueh said, adding that both cities enjoy an abundance of cultural diversity.

"We just learned that Tianjin is upgrading its port and we are upgrading our port. Tianjin is developing their life science industry, and we are so good at life science," Chueh said.

Philadelphia has the largest temperature-control port along the east coast of the United States, he said, "so we do have our advantage and the sister city relationship can help us better understand our friends in China and see how we can find more connectivity."

Chueh said he hoped that Philadelphia and Tianjin will set up direct shipping route in the future.

He said that Philadelphia also plays a leading role in life science, with the presence of about 80 percent of the world's pharmaceutical companies. "Otherwise, they would be left behind. "

Next to Johnson and Johnson and GSK, many Chinese pharmaceutical companies have offices in Philadelphia, he said.

According to Brookings Institution, from 2010 to 2016, the foreign direct investment to Philadelphia from China in biotech industry is five times higher than that of Boston, which is home to Harvard and MIT.

In June, Tianjin is sending delegations to attend the BIO International Convention in Philadelphia, which excels in life science and looks forward to more collaborations with Tianjin.

"We are working very closely with China and see how we can support the life science development in China, " Chueh said.

Besides port and life science, Philadelphia has more to offer.

Siobhan Lyons, president and CEO of Citizen Diplomacy International (CDI) pointed to the city's advantage in accessibility, cost-effectiveness and educated workforce.

"We're close to New York and D.C.... If you travel, you can reach 70 percent of the U.S. population within one day," she said. "We are one of the cheapest cities in the United States -- 25 percent cheaper than any other city on the east coast."

"We have an incredibly educated workforce because... We have more university students -- about half a million -- than any other city in the United States," she added.

In 1998, a Sister City Scholarship was established to allow Tianjin high school graduates to study at Drexel University. Over the years, it has expanded to also include La Salle University, Moore College of Art and Design, and Temple University.

Yang Mu, the first recipient of the scholarship, pursued a degree in computer science and graduated second in her class. She later went to Temple Law School and is now an intellectual property lawyer at a local firm.

In addition, the sister city exchanges include a year-long "internship" with Philadelphia's finance department by a vice mayor from Tianjin, according to CDI, which runs the sister city program.

The cultural exchanges between the two cities are also expanding. In May, Philadelphia Orchestra, the first U.S. orchestra to perform in China in 1973, is returning to China for the 11th time to play for audiences in multiple cities, including Tianjin.

Philadelphia also boasts a strong Chinese community, which proudly has the "only authentic Friendship Gate" in the United States, as Nancy Gilboy, Lyons' predecessor, put it.

The landmark gate in Chinatown, a symbol of Chinese traditional architecture, was a gift from Tianjin, which sent the materials and artisans to build it in 1983.

In 2008, Gilboy oversaw a project to repair and repaint it. She fondly recalled all the trouble she went through to acquire the material the artisans needed to make the special paint.

Before she retired about three years ago, Gilboy had traveled to Tianjin three times. Each time returning, she was amazed at how fast the city had changed.

Lyons and Chueh shared her sentiment. In a 2017 trip to Tianjin, they were shown to a museum demonstrating the city's vision for its future.

"They have these amazing models of the city and showing how it's growing... We got the overview from these little, tiny models," Lyons said.

She went on to exclaim: "The Chinese government is now making all these plans. Even in the short time we were there, you could see things being built... It was so incredibly impressive!"
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 04:04:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAPE TOWN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Eskom has announced that South Africans would face a full day of Stage 4 load shedding Sunday as it battled a shortage of capacity, including a worst power blackout since February.

Beginning from 8:00 a.m. local time, embattled electricity utility Eskom implemented the highest level of load shedding in months, which will stay till 11:00 p.m., said the state-run parastatal, which provides about 95 percent of electricity consumed in South Africa.

"We are currently load shedding in Stage 4 due to high demand or urgent maintenance being performed at certain power stations," according to Eskom.

The load shedding has continued since Saturday as a result of tropical cyclone Idai in Mozambique.

South Africa is so dependent on electricity imports from neighboring countries that a loss of 1,100 megawatts from Mozambique forced Eskom to implement Stage 4 load shedding, which allows for up to 4000 MW of the national load to be shed.

Stage 4 is the most severe load shedding that has been implemented twice, with the previous one in February.

The disaster came despite a pledge by the government to coordinate efforts to defuse the power shortage that has continued for years.

The government vowed earlier this week to bring financial, operational and structural sustainability to Eskom in an earnest manner.

The government said it has received a report from Deputy President David Mabuza on the work of a joint special cabinet committee on Eskom that was established in response to the recent electricity supply disruptions and its negative impact on the economy.

South Africa has incurred an estimated economic loss of some 300 billion rand (20.7 billion U.S. dollars) due to power cuts since 2008. Last February, the heavily-indebted Eskom introduced the toughest load shedding in recent years, disrupting economic activities and seriously affecting people's lives. Sporadic load sheddings have since followed.

Eskom has been criticized for poor management and corruption over a decade-old power shortage in South Africa. The utility insisted that load shedding be conducted rotationally as a measure of last resort to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 04:14:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ASWAN, Egypt, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday urged African Union (AU) Commissioner Moussa Faki to step up efforts to prevent conflicts and accelerate development in the African continent.

Sisi, who assumed the chairmanship of the AU in February, made the comments during his meeting with Faki on the sidelines of the ongoing Arab-African Youth Platform in Egypt's Aswan Province, according to a statement by Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi.

The Egyptian president expressed his country's keenness to continue cooperation and close coordination with the AU Commission to push forward the joint African work in various fields during the Egyptian presidency of the AU.

During the meeting, Sisi stressed the importance of exerting efforts to achieve tangible progress in areas of high priority, especially economic and regional integration, peace and security, institutional reform of the AU as well as cooperation with international partners.

He also stressed the need to intensify AU's efforts to prevent conflicts and activate the policy for the reconstruction and development in the post-conflict period.

These efforts should be exerted within the framework of a comprehensive approach based on development strategies aiming to address the roots of conflicts, Sisi said.

For his part, Faki stressed the Egypt's weight in Africa, as it is one of the countries that helped lay the foundation of the principles of the Organisation of African Unity, the first pillar of African joint action.

The chairman of AU Commission also expressed his confidence that the Egyptian presidency will strengthen development efforts in Africa, saying Egypt will be crucial to the process of reforming the AU in an institutional manner and ensuring security and political stability in the continent.

Sisi opened on Saturday the first edition of the Arab African Youth Platform with the participation of 1,500 youths from various Arab and African countries.

During the three-day platform, the youths are expected to discuss the future of scientific research and healthcare, and the impact of advanced technology and innovation in Africa and the Arab region.

The platform will also hold various sessions, workshops, and roundtable seminars, with the goal of bridging the gap between "young promising leaders and top policy and decision makers."

The event was first initiated by Sisi during the closing session of the second edition of the World Youth Forum held in Egypt's resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh in November last year.

The Arab African Youth Platform comes weeks after Sisi took over the AU presidency from his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame. It is the first time that Egypt has been elected AU chair since the launch of the African bloc in 2002.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 05:49:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TUNIS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A landmine explosion injured a civilian in Tunisia's western province of Kasserine, Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported Sunday.

The landmine explosion took place at the Mghilla mountain, said Mohamed Zekri, spokesman of defense ministry.

Zekri called on citizens to comply with the ministry instructions and not to enter military zones.

Since 2014, Tunisian authorities have proclaimed several mountainous areas in western Tunisia as military zones.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 06:15:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HELSINKI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The increased strategic importance of the Arctic area is likely to be reflected in the meeting of foreign ministers of the Arctic Council in Rovaniemi, northern Finland in May.

During the two-year chairmanship of Finland in the Arctic Council, differing views of the United States have hampered progress in some environmental sectors, analysts have believed.

This weekend, however, Reuters quoted an unnamed U.S. official saying "the U.S. wants to show that it is committed to being an Arctic power". The official said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would be likely to attend the May meeting in Rovaniemi "unless pulled to one of his many other issues".

Finnish sources quoted by local media noted on Sunday the attendance of Pompeo would "enhance the prestige of the Rovaniemi meeting" and that the "list is promising". All foreign ministers of the member countries receive invitations.

In the previous Arcitc Council meeting of foreign ministers in Fairbanks, Alaska in May 2017, member countries had to negotiate their declaration as the U.S. did not accept the initial draft. In the end, toning down a reference to the Paris climate accords made the text acceptable to the U.S..

Aleksi Harkonen, the Finnish Arctic Ambassador, told news agency Lannen Media last week that it is possible the situation in Fairbanks could be seen also in Rovaniemi. "But let us hope that the member countries see the Artic issues so important that they will not be obscured by day to day political stands," Harkonen said.

BLACK CARBON

During the Finnish tenure as chairman of the Arctic Council, the council made progress in biodiversity efforts and meteorological cooperation, but appears to have made little progress in restricting black carbon. Carried through the air, black carbon absorbs sunlight and speeds up the melting of ice and snow.

In the meeting of environmental ministers last October, the United States was no longer committed to the Arctic Council's target on reducing the spread of black carbon.

On the achievement side, the meteorological institutes of all the eight countries convened for the first time. They decided to make the data of observer stations generally available.

A researchers' meeting on arctic biodiversity was the second in the history of the council. Exchange of information about the state of the biological environment makes it easier to determine the measures that could work as a remedy.

The council has made progress also in education. Modern remote teaching methods are to be used in arranging tuition for minorities living in the sparsely populated Arctic areas.

During the U.S. chairmanship in 2015-2017, the council adopted aims to improve communications. However, concrete progress awaits ongoing improvements in satellite technology, particularly the wider use of "mini satellites".

At the upcoming meeting in May, besides the traditional declaration of foreign ministers, Finland will also present a strategic plan. It is to include concrete objects for development in environmental protection and sustainable development, Finnish officials have said. Those sectors are within the mandate of the council.

Also at the meeting, the chairmanship of the Arctic Council will pass from Finland to Iceland.

CHINESE POLICY

In early 2018 China published a white paper on its Arctic policy. China has also envisions a "Polar Silk Road". Commenting on the plans in 2018, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said the paper on Arctic policy is in line with the international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas.

In an interview with Xinhua, he also said it is important that Arctic players have something in common so that peace is maintained in the region.

In 2013 China became an observer country in the Arctic Council. The Council itself dates back to 1996 and comprises the U.S., Canada, Russia and the five Nordic nations as members.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 06:20:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOSUL, Iraq, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A clash in northern Iraq killed two Iraqi soldiers and wounded five Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants on Sunday, the Iraqi military said.

A soldier asked the force of Turkish PKK militants to show their pass permission at a checkpoint before the PKK vehicles ran over the soldier, sparking a clash that killed two soldiers and wounded five PKK militants, according to a statement by media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC).

Earlier, a security source put the death toll at three PKK militants and a soldier, while saying the PKK militants were conducting smuggling activities in the area.

Turkish forces frequently carry out ground operations, airstrikes and artillery bombardments against the positions of the outlawed PKK militants in northern Iraq, especially the Qandil Mountains, main base of the PKK.

The PKK, which has been engaged in a separatist war against Turkey since 1984, is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-18 06:55:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is saddened by the loss of life, destruction of property and displacement of people in Zimbabwe due to the heavy rains and flooding caused by tropical cyclone Idai, his spokesman said Sunday.

Guterres extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and the government of Zimbabwe, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement.

The world body expresses its solidarity with the Zimbabwean authorities and stands ready to work with them as they respond to the humanitarian needs resulting from this disaster, said the statement.

Cyclone Idai has left at least 150 people dead in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, with hundreds more missing.

Guterres' spokesman issued similar statements on Malawi and Mozambique separately on Monday and Friday.
Avion aterizat de urgenta dupa ce un pasager a agresat 2 membri ai echipajului, in SUA

Pasagerul a agresat un insotitor de bord, a declarat capitanul Arthur Gregory de la politia din Oklahoma City pentru CNN.Un air marshal a fost si el lovit in timp ce incerca sa-l imobilizeze pe omul violent. In cele din [citeste mai departe]
Open source

March 16, one Ukrainian soldier died and another one was wounded in the Donbas conflict zone, as the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) HQ reports on Facebook.

Russian-backed militants opened fire twice at the position of Ukraine's Armed Forces; they used the Minsk-banned weaponry, in particular, 82 mm mortars over 24 hours.

The enemy attacked the Ukrainian positions in the North group area near the Vilnyi village.

According to the surveillance data, two pro-Russian militants were killed and two more were wounded. The hostile drone was also destroyed.

No attacks have been spotted since the midnight of March 17.

March 9, Armed Forces of Ukraine detained the fighter of the Luhansk Peoples Republic; the detainee expressed willingness to fight for the Ukrainian army.

The detainee had a Kalashnikov AK-74 automatic machine, a military ticket of the Luhansk People's Republic, issued Alchevsk, as well as banknotes of the Russian bank, a vacation ticket, a certificate of medical treatment of the military unit L 74347 and other similar documents.
Enemy used weapons forbidden by the Minsk agreements three times over the day

Open source

The illegal armed groups opened fire at the Ukrainian positions in Donbas six times over the day, March 17. This is stated on the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Facebook page.



There are no losses among our defenders. The situation in the Donbas conflict zone remains under control of the Ukrainian military, the report says.



In their attacks, the militants used weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements three times.



In particular, they used mortars of 120 mm caliber to fire Ukrainian positions in the area of Maryinka, and mortars of 82 mm caliber in the area of Zolote-4 village.



The 82 mm caliber mortar and automatic grenade launchers were used by the enemy near Novoluhanske; the hostile forces used anti-tank missile systems in the Novotoshkivske area and in the Krymske area.

Earlier, Ukrainian military conducted an exercise in the combat area in Donbas; that included drills for the crews of multiple launch rocket systems.

The fighters worked on the effectiveness of long-range strikes and land navigation. They also designated enemy positions.

The HQ stated that the maneuvers were proved to be successful.

Similar drills for artillery crews took place in eastern Ukraine last month.

The drills took place under the order of Serhiy Nayev, the Commanding Officer of the Joint Forces Operation. The crew members performed adequately.
Open source

About 25,000 people came to the meeting with the current president of Ukraine, which took place on Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv. This was reported by the press service of the Kyiv police.



"According to preliminary estimates, about 25,000 people took part in the event. 1,000 law enforcement officers are on duty in the center of the capital," according to the report.



It is noted that in general, no gross violations were recorded, but police detained some people.



"During a superficial inspection, a telescopic stick was seized from a man. The man was taken to the police department, criminal proceedings under Article 263 (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine began," the police said.

Open source

Earlier, as part of a pre-election campaign, president Poroshenko has visited Cherkasy. Far-right came to ask Poroshenko, why no criminal proceeding against his close associate Oleg Gladkovsky, involved in embezzlement schemes in Ukraine's army, was launched. Representatives of the National Corps tried to block the motorcade of the head of state and started provoking ordinary residents of Cherkasy and the police to fight. The far-right tried to break to the scene, they used pyrotechnics, but Poroshenko managed to retreat. 19 police officers were hospitalized as a result of a mass scuffle.




Taratuta and Tymoshenko signed a memorandum in order to unite in the presidential elections and to win together

Serhiy Taruta, the presidential candidate and the MP Open source

Serhiy Taruta, Ukrainian oligarch, presidential candidate, and the MP, claimed his support to the Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the Batkivshchyna party and the presidential candidate in the elections 2019. The MP stated this at the press conference in Kyiv on March 16, as Interfax-Ukraine reported.

Taruta pointed out that he signed the memorandum with Tymoshenko in order to unite in the presidential elections and to win together. According to Taruta, they have similar views concerning bringing peace in Donbas, saving the Ukrainian economy, and the Constitution.

The time is not for my ambitions now, the MP added.

It should be noted that Taruruta cannot withdraw his candidature from the elections (7 March was the last day when candidates could withdraw their names from the ballot, - ed.), thats why his name still will be on the ballot.

As we reported earlier, the Central Election Commission of Ukraine has approved the final list of presidential candidates. Overall 39 candidates will run for the presidency on March 31.

Besides, the Central Election Commission of Ukraine has approved the design of a ballot paper. It would be a 200 x 800 mm sheet of sand color with a two-tone watermark and protective fibers with the use of protective graphic anti-scanner elements, which are produced with the help of UV-resistant protective fluorescent paints.
According to Minister Klimkin, Ukraine should implement new criteria, on which the dual citizenship could be issued

Pavlo Klimkin, the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Ukrinform

Pavlo Klimkin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, stood for the idea of dual citizenship legitimization for the representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora, as Ukrainian radio reports.

I would like to legitimize the dual citizenship for those Ukrainians and I gradually support this idea, Klimkin stated.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has outlined that Ukraine should implement new criteria, on which the dual citizenship could be issued.

Surely, we should achieve this. We lose thousands and thousands of Ukrainians, who could work here and not only in state organizations, bureaucratic sphere, or in the business, but also create the contemporary Ukrainian culture, Klimkin said.

The Foreign Minister specified that dual citizenship will allow involving foreign specialists for the work.

So many good specialists can come from the other countries to help us in our reforming process. Look, even the situation with Ulyana Suprun (Ukraine's acting healthcare minister,- ed.) tells a lot to us. We should come to it but clearly determine who can apply for it, Klimkin said.
The peacekeeping mission in Donbas can hardly have a theoretical resolution in any format. This was stated by Viktor Medvedchuk, the Chairman of the Political Council of Opposition Platform  For Life political party, on the air of 112 Ukraine.



"Because the peacekeeping mission, which Kyiv is talking about today, which is discussed by Europe, means one thing - freezing the conflict. Regarding the peacekeeping mission in Donbas, when this issue was discussed, the first and only one was a draft resolution filed by the Russian Foreign Ministry to the UN Security Council. It provided that the peacekeeping mission and its main functions are to ensure the security of the OSCE SMM in an uncontrolled territory and on the contact line. Thats all," Medvedchuk said.
Viktor Medvedchuk, chairman of the Political Party Opposition Platform - For Life Opposition Platform - For Life

During the presidential election campaign, Ukrainians are witnessing the unrealistic plans of Donbas conflict peaceful settlement. This was stated by Viktor Medvedchuk, Chairman of the Political Council of Opposition Platform  For Life political party, on the air of 112 Ukraine.



If you start analyzing the plan, proposed by current president Petro Poroshenko... he, naturally, says there is no alternative to the Minsk agreements... when he agrees that the Minsk agreements should be implemented, and makes a kind of footnote: on our terms, then, firstly, it is not clear what is at stake, and, secondly, we can say that he had the opportunity to do it earlier," said Medvedchuk.



At the same time, he stressed that other candidates, such as Yulia Tymoshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky, say something completely different. "They do not recognize the Minsk agreements and believe that these problems should be solved within the framework of the Budapest memorandum... They say: The format should be changed. The Normandy format, the Minsk agreements mean nothing, we must return to the Budapest memorandum. This is wrong, moreover, this is unjustified," the politician believes.
Viktor Medvedchuk, chairman of the Political Party Opposition Platform - For Life Opposition Platform - For Life

The Chairman of the Political Council of Opposition Platform  For Life political party Viktor Medvedchuk is sure that the conflict in Donbas cannot be resolved without taking into account Russia's position. After all, there is the position of Russia. We may like it or do not like it, but we should take it into account. If we do not take it into account, there will be no agreements, he said on the Big Interview show on 112 Ukraine.



The politician also told about how exactly Russias position should be taken into account. "They say: the opinion of Donetsk and Luhansk is important for us. Opinions of these unrecognized entities, individual regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, should be taken into account, they should take part in the negotiation process. And if this wont be fulfilled, then Russia, having the influence on Donetsk and Luhansk, says: Yes, we have influence, yes, we can contribute to the negotiation process, but after all, these republics should be in the negotiation process, noted Medvedchuk.

Earlier, Medvedchuk noted that Ukrainians are wise people and maintain friendly, good-neighborly relations with the Russians.
The Czech Republic will buy 12 military helicopters, the contract of $553 million, and will get Bell Helicopter or Sikorski

The Czech Republic chose a U.S. company as the supplier of helicopters for its army. They will buy 12 military helicopters from the U.S. company, narrowing the field of possible suppliers. Jakub Landovsky, the Deputy Defense Minister of the Czech Republic, stated this as Reuters reported.

The Defense Ministry scrapped a tender for helicopters in 2017 and planned to launch another one in summer 2018, they also meant to include bidders from German and Italian companies.

Now the supplier of the enormous tender is the contract, estimated at 553 million of dollars, which will go to Bell Helicopter (a unit of Textron) or Sikorski (Lockheed Martin).

As part of the army modernization and compliance with NATO standards, the Czech Republic is planning to replace 30-35 helicopters Mi-24, Mi-8, and Mi-17, which are currently in use and almost have come out of use.

At the same time, Prague refused to modernize 10 Polish helicopters W-3A Soko in order to increase their term of use.
While the law enforcers were checking the documents of a suspicious driver, he threw a grenade and tried to run away

Open source

A man tossed a grenade at the police officers in the Dnipropetrovsk region. As a result of the explosion, one policeman was injured, the press service of the Dnipropetrovsk regional police said.



"The incident occurred on March 17 when the police team patrolled the Krynychansky district, near Volnohorsk town. The police received information about the movement of a suspicious vehicle. After stopping the driver, law enforcement officers began checking his documents, and at that moment a man threw a grenade at the police and tried to run away, the statement reads.



It is noted that as a result of the explosion, one policeman was injured and was taken to a hospital. The partners of the victim reacted instantly and detained the attacker, using service pistols.

Earlier, the law enforcement detained the group of people, who were illegally producing and trafficking of precursor chemicals in particular great amounts in order to use them for making psychotropic substances. The press service of the Kyiv prosecutors office reports this on Facebook.

Thus, as a result of the search, the officers seized the equipment for producing precursors and psychotropic substances, around 4,4 kg of Phenyl-2-nitropropane, other precursors in particularly large amounts and marijuana. Besides, the police officers seized from the culprits the machine for making cartridges, more than 1,000 recycled cartridges and bullets and $63,400 obtained in an illegal way.
Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump accused the Google Company of cooperating with the military forces of China. Trump wrote this on Twitter.

Google is helping Chins and their military, but not the U.S. Terrible! The good news is that they helped Crooked Hillary Clinton and not Trumpand how did that turn out? Trump wrote.

However, the company has rejected this accusation and stated that they cooperate only with the U.S. government. Vivan Salama, the journalist of The Wall Street Journal, cited Googles claim, where they rejected the cooperation with China.

We cooperate with the U.S. government, in particular with the Ministry of Defense, concerning many fields, the company stressed.

Earlier, The U.S. President Donald Trump intends to appeal to the Congress asking to allocate additional $8,6 billion in 2020 for the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico, which is 1,5 times more than he asked this year.

Democrats stand against the construction of the wall. They consider this unnecessary and immoral. As they control the House of Representatives, it is unlikely that Congress would satisfy the Presidents request.
Such a massive transfer of the US Air Force strategic bombers has not happened since 2003 when the USA was in war with Iraq

The United States has thrown two strategic B-52H Stratofortress bombers, which can carry nuclear bombs, at the Fairford Air Base in the UK. MilRadar reported on Twitter, which tracks the messages of air traffic control services.

Aircraft DRYER91 and DRYER92 took off from the Barksdale air base in Louisiana and landed at the airfield in the UK on March 16.

Three B-52H bombers landed at the Fairford airbase the day before. Such a massive transfer of the US Air Force strategic bombers to Fairford has not happened since 2003 when up to 20 B-52H aircraft were deployed there to participate in the American military operation against Iraq.

The strategic bomber B-52H Stratofortress has been used by the American army since 1955. The B-52H was created in order to deliver two high-power thermonuclear bombs to any part of the Soviet Union.

According to the latest data, the United States has 78 such vehicles. Each of them can carry 31,5 tons of various weapons, including nuclear charges.
According to Mogherini, the European Union supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine

Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union dw.com

The European Parliament has not recognized and continues to condemn the Crimean annexation by the Russian Federation. Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union, outlined this from the declaration to the fifth anniversary of the Russian aggression in Crimea, as Interfax-Ukraine reports this.

The EU has not changed its position in supporting the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine since the Crimean annexation. The EU also condemns the Crimean and Sevastopol annexation, what is the violation of international law.

Annexation is still the direct challenge to the national security, what has a serious impact on the international law order, which protects the territorial integrity, unity, and sovereignty of all countries, as said in the report.

According to Mogherini, the EU continues to make pressure on the Russian Federation with the help of imposing sanctions against them and urging the members of the UN to undertake the same measures in accordance with the resolution 68/225 of the General Assembly.

Besides, the High Representative of the EU condemned the Russian aggression at the Ukrainian ship in the Kerch Strait.

The European Union calls for the immediate release of the illegally detained members of the crew [detained during Azov crisis], Mogherini outlined.
Football second division side Cologne is briefly before returning to the elite class of German football. But what comes then? Who will be coach? What players come? The rise in the first Bundesliga is always the aim for the big clubs in the second division. So also at the Club from the Cathedral City. For the Cologne it looks-very bright with only five remaining games and second place in the table. Nevertheless, the mood in the environment is tarnished. The situation is too unclear.



What will become of the trainer? What made the team? May the team in the first be League? So many questions now zip the FC fans through the head and everyone has his own ideas and solutions at hand. But when one are all sure rises FC and coach Christoph Daum leaving the Club. For more specific information, check out busy bodies. When it comes to the will of the fans they would prefer the ZDF national coach"Jurgen Klopp to Cologne to get. It might work if the goat bucks against Mainz win their last home game and the troop of Klopp thus the rise of spoil. The young trainer brings everything with what they need in the Cathedral City. New ideas, it can be attractive play and can handle very well with young players. He could build a powerful team to make the class receipt. But to someone like Jurgen Klopp to Cologne? A coach with format, such as: they can't afford to pay Jose Mourinho at FC.



It will remain only a dream of the fans. But fortunately, there are indeed many coaches without work. Mirko Slomka was released recently on Schalke and the sacking of Dortmund's Thomas doll is only a matter of time. Also a Hans Meyer would be an idea. Falko Gotz is a name which is not called. He is a young coach and has shown at the Hertha Berlin, what's in it. He would be, if Klopp won't, probably the cheapest and best solution for the goat bucks. No matter who will be the coach. It will certainly not be easy to form a team that can keep the class. The departure of top scorer Patrick seems too difficult to weigh helmet and also his strike partner Milivoje Novakovi seems to leave the Club to want to. Mathias Scherz is 36 years long over its zenith with its. It at least a striker of format is used, better two. In the midfield, the demand is also high. In addition to Roda Antar and Thomas Broich, two experienced players missing in order to compete in the elite class. The situation in defence is more relaxed. In addition to the experienced players Kevin McKenna, Youssef Mohammad, umit ozat and Aleksandar Mitreski, the young talents of Kevin Schoneberg and Tobias Nickenig have to develop time. The goalkeeper position is top notch with Faryd Mondragon and with Thomas Kessler is also a more ambitious successor behind him. However, the biggest problem is not in the team, but in the media. 1.FC Cologne must find a coach that comes clear with the very high desires of the Cologne media landscape and can also set up a team that creates the class receipt. Everything else would be just wishful thinking. But are yet to complete 5 gravity games. Probably we know only after the final day where the road leads the 1.FC Cologne and who they serves as a trainer. Who knows, maybe yes but remains Christoph Daum and the adventure turns Bundesliga".
" " The Exix colorados (Microgastrinae) wasp is one species of wasp that lays its eggs in an invertebrate host so the larvae can chew their way out when they hatch. Jose Fernandez-Triana (CC BY-NC-3.0)

We've all got to eat, but we don't always want to know how the sausage is made. This is perhaps especially true for a group of wasps called Microgastrinae  as many as 10,000 species could make up this subfamily (although fewer than 3,000 have been described), and all of them have the charming strategy of laying eggs in an invertebrate host so their babies can gnaw their way out of its still-living carcass. Yikes.

A study published in the June 25, 2018 issue of the Journal of Hymenoptera Research describes three particularly barbarous Australian parasitoid wasps. The first has been named Dolichogenidea xenomorph by the authors, after the abdomen-bursting creature from the 1979 film "Alien"  the movie aliens are called "xenomorphs," which translates to "strange form" in Greek. These sleek, black insects were reportedly the inspiration for the cinematic extraterrestrials that gave us all parasite phobias if we didn't already have them.

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"At less than 5mm [0.20 inches] in length, Dolichogenidea xenomorph might seem to lack the punch of its fearsome namesake. But size is relative; to a host caterpillar, it's an awesome predator," said lead author Erinn Fagan-Jeffries, a Ph.D. student in the University of Adelaide's School of Biological Sciences, in a press release.

Each of the wasps described in the paper is equipped with a long ovipositor  basically an egg syringe  that's used to pump eucalyptus-munching moth caterpillars full of dozens of its babies-to-be. The eggs hatch inside the host's body and, over the next few weeks, the larvae devour it from the inside out. But the caterpillar doesn't always die right away. Sometimes the wounded host becomes a sort of zombie bodyguard for the baby wasps, shooing away parasites that might want to infect the larvae themselves. It's hard out on these streets.

These three wasps are just a few of the hundreds of similar Australian species yet to be described.

"We collected over 500 wasps from a particular subfamily, from all over Australia, and determined that there were more than 200 different species just in that relatively small number of specimens," said Dr. Andrew Austin, of the University of Adelaide's Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity in the press release. "There are currently only 100 species described in this subfamily for Australia, so we've at least doubled the number of known species. It's important to document our biodiversity so that we can make informed conservation decisions about our environment. Some of these wasps may potentially be useful biological control agents for pests, but we just don't know about them yet."

Those agricultural pests don't even know what's coming. We wish them luck.

Now That's Interesting Some parasitoid wasps use caterpillars as hosts, but other species hijack spiders, cockroaches, or ladybugs.
PHIL FITZPATRICK

Journeys to the Other Side of the World: Further Adventures of a Young Naturalist by David Attenborough, Two Roads (Hodder & Stoughton), ISBN: 978-1-47366-665-8, 414 pages, about $20-30 from most booksellers

TUMBY BAY - I think everyone with access to a television set has heard of David Attenborough, the British naturalist, broadcaster, writer and film maker.

Attenborough is 92 years old and still working. He is a passionate advocate for action on climate change and recently warned it is an existential crisis for humanity that could, if not remedied, lead to our extinction as a species.

I first saw him at a live presentation for school children in the late 1950s at the old Regent Theatre in Adelaide.

He had just published his book Zoo Quest for a Dragon including the Quest for the Paradise Birds and it was the beginning of my fascination with the natural world and Papua New Guinea in particular.

Ive still got my copy of that book but was interested to note that much of the PNG section has been recently republished in a compilation called Journeys to the Other Side of the World.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 55F. NW winds at less than 5 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph.
According to the Australian Financial Review, the Australian federal government ran a limited tender for two contracts won by Paladin.

Less has been said about what these events might say about Australias ongoing engagement with PNG. We argue that this case potentially serves to undermine Australias standing among those striving to combat corruption and improve governance in its northern neighbour.

Most of this has centred on Paladin, the extravagant cost of the contract and rate of profit for the company (estimated at K40 million a month), and, of course, the opaque and abbreviated tendering process followed by the Department of Home Affairs.

CANBERRA - Recent media revelations about the $423 million (K1 billion) contract awarded to a relatively unknown company, Paladin, to provide security and other services to refugees on Manus has attracted extensive discussion in Australia.

PNG is the most corrupt country in APEC, but the Manus contracts reflect badly on Australian governance which appears to be hypocritical and replete with double standards

While permissible under commonwealth procurement rules, limited tenders are the exception rather than the rule. Using a limited tender in this case raises questions owing to the profile of the contractor and the substantial sums involved, as well as the emphasis Australia places on good governance in PNG.

Our aid program spends more on good governance in PNG than on any other sector  including health and education.

Over the years there has been a significant tightening in the administration of Australias aid programs, as with other Western donors, in light of the potential for corruption in fragile states with weak regulatory capabilities.

Indeed, the efforts to immunise aid processes against this potential vulnerability have been proclaimed as a distinguishing feature between OECD donors such as Australia, and newer entrants to international aid such as China.

Anyone who has tendered for or been otherwise involved in an Australian-funded development project will know only too well how onerous the administrative, procedural and reporting requirements usually are.

While the contract primarily involved one department (Home Affairs) and it would be unfair to generalise across the many different parts of the Australian government bureaucracy, such nuances are likely to be missed by those following events in PNG.

From such a vantage point, tendering procedures and the awarding of lucrative government contracts are too often shrouded in secrecy, suspicion and allegations of malpractice.

While these normally relate to PNG government procedures, the Paladin case involving an Australian government contract has generated similar levels of concern on the part of many local observers.

Viewed in this light, it reflects badly on broader Australian engagement in PNG. Its also unlikely to have gone down well with the many Australian officials and contractors working to ensure the proper management of Australias aid funds.

While we have no evidence of corruption and are not suggesting any in this case, this has not prevented others in PNG from making such allegations, including with regard to Paladins agreement with Peren Investment  a company controlled by brothers of Job Pomat, a Manus MP and key ally of prime minister Peter ONeill.

Social media commentators have also claimed other MPs are inappropriately involved with Paladin. Though these claims have not been proven, they highlight how the Paladin case has reinvigorated debate about political corruption in our northern neighbour. It is unfortunate that Australian decision-making has been the catalyst for suspicions and allegations in this case.

The optics for Australia in PNG are not particularly good given that, on the one hand, it advocates strongly against corruption through the aid program, while on the other, its seen by some as potentially facilitating such practices through a contract like this one.

This is not the first time that Australias stance against corruption has been questioned by observers in PNG. In 2014 then-foreign minister Julie Bishop and the Australian government were criticised for failing to publicly condemn the defunding of PNGs  until then  successful anti-corruption agency, Investigation Taskforce Sweep.

When the Paladin affair came to light, PNG ministers were quick to protest. Opposition member and former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta criticised the deal and called for an investigation.

Finance minister and leader of government business James Marape asked ONeill to strongly protest the contract and called on the Australian government to conduct a full-scale investigation to help appease what is now appearing a growing disdain for the Australian governments weak governance over matters relating to the Manus asylum deal.

Marape also expressed concern about what the scandal would mean for PNGs international stature. Back when the PNG and Australian governments first announced the Pacific Solution, some warned of the impact this would have on PNGs international and domestic reputation. These chickens have now come home to roost.

Australias singular reliance on governments in PNG and Nauru to host its controversial offshore detention facilities has come at a considerable cost, and not just in financial terms. The Paladin case illuminates some of the political costs to the PNG-Australia relationship.

Drawing on NCD governor and former human rights lawyer Powes Parkops description of the Manus facility as a Pacific Gulag, there is a distinct undercurrent of what might be called Gulag politics permeating aspects of the bilateral relationship.

Gulag politics is what happens when the political imperative to ensure the continued acquiescence of governments in PNG and Nauru to host these facilities takes priority over longstanding concerns with the quality of political governance in both countries.

Whether misplaced or not, this can easily give rise to the appearance of hypocrisy and double standards in relation to governance practices, and attract the kind of criticisms of Australia by Papua New Guineans that is more usually heard flowing in the opposite direction.
USP journalism graduates have won awards, started their own media companies and taken over positions once reserved for expatriates in regional organisations.

Funded by the Commonwealth, the program started in Suva in 1988 with a handful of students. Since then it has produced more than 200 graduates serving the Pacific and beyond in various media and communication roles.

In an eventful journey, the program has weathered military coups, overcome financial hardships and shrugged off academic snobbery.

SUVA - The University of the South Pacifics recent 50th anniversary also marked 30 years of existence for its regional journalism program.

Wansolwara student journalists on publication day at the University of the South Pacific

The beginning was hardly auspicious. Founding coordinator the late Murray Masterton recalled that from the outset some academics felt journalism was a vocational course with no place in a university.

Such disdain turned out to be the least of Dr Mastertons problems: plans to offer certificate-level courses in 1987 were almost derailed by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabukas coups  the South Pacifics first military takeover of a nation.

Masterton persevered in the face of this political earthquake and after some delays he got the program off the ground. It was a significant development in a region where journalists had little opportunity to attain formal qualifications.

It was not without irony that the Pacifics first regional journalism program was introduced in a climate of great media repression in Fiji.

A few years later, the programs future came under another cloud when Commonwealth sponsorship ran out. An injection of French government funds in 1993 provided a new lease of life, with the program upgraded to a BA double-major degree.

The three-year grant was supervised by Francois Turmel, former BBC World Service editor in London. During those lean years, Turmel often dug into his pockets to fund activities.

Then, when French funding ended in 1996, USP took over the program, appointing New Zealander David Robie as coordinator. Robie was head of the University of Papua New Guinea journalism program and a former international journalist.

During his term from 19982002, Robie made major curriculum changes by integrating the student training newspaper, Wansolwara, into assessment and introducing professional work attachments with news media organisations.

He was also the first journalism educator to gain a PhD in New Zealand and the Pacific, returning to Suva to graduate in 2003. He tells the story of the early decades of Pacific journalism education in his 2004 book Mekim Nius: South Pacific media, politics and education.

In 2001, I joined the USP journalism program as the first full-time local assistant lecturer. I was already a Fiji and Pacific news media professional and I went on to become the first local to head the journalism program.

After graduating with my PhD from the University of Queensland in 2016, I would become the first local PhD to teach journalism at USP. I saw to the expansion of the program with a boost in enrolments and improved facilities to cater for the new demand, including the recruitment of two local teaching assistants.

Under my watch, Wansolwara, continued to win major awards for excellence in journalism. The newspaper, founded in 1996 by lecturer Philip Cass and a number of students, became well-established as the programs flagship publication.

Wansolwara literally means one ocean one people and for founding student editor Stanley Simpson, the paper was a creation of young minds who wanted to do things their way.

Student training newspapers are regarded as important strategic assets, and Wansolwara has certainly played crucial roles at crucial times.

The paper came to prominence for its coverage of the May 2000 nationalist coup and the ensuing hostage crisis in parliament when the deposed Chaudhry government was held in captivity for 56 days.

Professor Robie has described the 2000 coup coverage as one of the most challenging examples of campus-based journalism. The students reporting put the overseas parachute journalists to shame. As recounted by Dr Cass:

Much of the outside coverage seemed to be done by people who were just taking the plotters statements at face value or else were writing their reports beside the swimming pool at the Travelodge, so the students were giving an alternative view that in many cases was much closer to what was going on.

Not everyone appreciated the coverage. Certain USP academics, concerned about security, felt that student journalists should practice simulated journalism. The smashing-up of the nearby Fiji Television studios by rampaging coup supporters was the last straw for USP, which shut down the Wansolwara news website, Pacific Journalism Online.

However, Dr Robie was able to arrange for a mirror site at the University of Technology Sydney to allow coverage to continue. Wansolwara won the Journalism Education Association of Australia best publication in the region award for its efforts.

It was one in a long line of awards for excellence in journalism. Such honours, along with a healthy research output, has long since silenced gibes about USP journalisms fitness as an academic course.

In the post-2006 Bainimarama coup years and as media restrictions tightened, Wansolwara, as a student newspaper, was able to remain under the radar and operate more freely than the mainstream media.

Student reporting in the face of risks was exemplary. The April 2009 issue, which included a four-page critique of the coup, was still at press when the punitive Public Emergency Regulations were introduced.

The Solomon Islands student editor at the time, Leni Dalavera, phoned me in the dead of night, concerned that the students risked arrest. Delavera was assured that the authorities were highly unlikely to move against the students and that the lecturers were responsible for the publication.

The thrills of coup coverage aside, student journalists are also challenged in major ways during their regular beats. A 2016 Pacific Journalism Review journal article by Singh and Eliki Drugunalevu, examined how USP student journalists deal with backlash from peers offended by their coverage.

This article showed how USPs journalism students changed their initial feelings of fear, hurt and self-doubt to a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Students felt they developed resilience, fortitude and a deeper understanding of the watchdog journalism ethos  learning outcomes which would not have been achievable through classroom teaching alone.

This reinforces the idea that students should not be cocooned, or made to practice simulated journalism, since they learn from dealing with confronting situations, a reality in journalism.

Students like Simpson, who bagged a string of national and regional awards as a professional, cut his teeth as a Wansolwara reporter.

The achievements of staff and students, the unique research undertaken by the program into regional media issues  which feeds back into teaching  and journalisms crucial role in the region, have cemented the programs position at USP.

In an interview in the November 2016 edition of Wansolwara, USP vice-chancellor and president, Professor Rajesh Chandra, pledged that journalism would remain part of the universitys future.

Chandra, who had strongly supported the establishment of journalism at USP, stated that good journalism was critical for an open and truly democratic society and USPs role in training good journalists was crucial.

Professor Chandras comments underscore not just the journalism programs important role at USP, but its contribution to the region as a whole. Such vindication is welcome news for all those who fought for the program and contributed to its development.

Dr Shailendra Singh is coordinator of USPs journalism program
The Australian hard-right is being agitated by trolls and scammers from the Balkans through Facebook pages that stoke fears on matters like Islam, refugees and political correctness.According to ABC News, at least four popular pages distributing this material to a combined Australian fanbase of at least 130,000 are managed by administrators based in Kosovo, Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia.The public broadcaster reports the pages stoke xenophobic fears and criticise politicians from Labor, the Greens and some moderate Liberals.Only arch-conservative Senator Fraser Anning, who was universally condemned for making a final solution reference in his maiden speech to parliament, consistently received support on the pages. The ABC stresses Mr Anning is in no way associated with the pages.While the Facebook pages have been taken down, a cybersecurity spokesperson for the social media giant told the ABC they were removed because of user behaviour, not because of the content.As Australia prepares to head to the polls in May, the news again raises the spectre of political interference via social networks.Facebook is still dealing with the brand damage of Russian hackers and fake news meddling in the 2016 US Presidential Elections. Earlier this year, the social network removed 500 pages and accounts alleged to be involved in spreading fake news in Central Europe, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries.Also related to potential election interference, in February the Australian parliament and the three major political parties were hacked in separate occasions by a sophisticated state actor.

The Australian hard-right is being agitated by trolls and scammers from the Balkans through Facebook pages that stoke fears on matters like Islam, refugees and political correctness.

According to ABC News, at least four popular pages distributing this material to a combined Australian fanbase of at least 130,000 are managed by administrators based in Kosovo, Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia.

The public broadcaster reports the pages stoke xenophobic fears and criticise politicians from Labor, the Greens and some moderate Liberals.

Only arch-conservative Senator Fraser Anning, who was universally condemned for making a final solution reference in his maiden speech to parliament, consistently received support on the pages. The ABC stresses Mr Anning is in no way associated with the pages.

While the Facebook pages have been taken down, a cybersecurity spokesperson for the social media giant told the ABC they were removed because of user behaviour, not because of the content.

As Australia prepares to head to the polls in May, the news again raises the spectre of political interference via social networks.

Facebook is still dealing with the brand damage of Russian hackers and fake news meddling in the 2016 US Presidential Elections. Earlier this year, the social network removed 500 pages and accounts alleged to be involved in spreading fake news in Central Europe, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries.

Also related to potential election interference, in February the Australian parliament and the three major political parties were hacked in separate occasions by a sophisticated state actor.
Bent over a barrel, Greek microbrewer Sophocles Panagiotou lovingly draws a measure of his Septem Red Ale into a glass cylinder and expertly transfers it to a glass. A decade ago at the start of the financial crisis, the chemistry graduate and former winemaker took a chance on building his Septem microbrewery in a family field on the island of Evia, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of Athens. "It was a crazy idea. At the time, they looked at me as if I were an alien," Panagiotou told AFP, in his fully-automated factory and bottling plant, which now produces 12 different beer labels. Tens of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises were obliterated by the economic crisis in 2010 that brought Greece to its knees and sent unemployment soaring. But the microbrewery sector managed to grow amid the ruins, as local products benefited from a fall in imported goods. Greece had fewer than a dozen breweries 10 years ago. Today, there are 45 microbreweries, said Panagiotou, recently elected president of the Union of Greek Breweries, which represents both micro and bigger firms. - Change in habits - The financial crisis, which saw Athens granted a eurozone bailout in return for swingeing austerity measures, helped spur the microbrewery sector. Foreign suppliers began demanding upfront cash payments that many Greek companies could not meet. "Habits changed during the crisis," says Yannis Kefalas, a beer enthusiast and brewer. "Demand is now centred on local products as a way to help the Greek economy." Perusing the supermarket shelves for local beers, Spyros Paraskevopoulos said that microbeers offered "extraordinary taste". "They are all so different, depending on the region they come from," he enthused. Three years ago, Kefalas decided to quit Athens and relocate to his home island of Ikaria, where he opened his microbrewery, named Ikariotissa after the island. He now exports to Germany and aims also to tap markets in Sweden, Canada and the United States. - Wine, ouzo, then beer - Given that Greece is more commonly associated with wine and spirits and does not have a major beer culture, the rise of microbreweries is perhaps even more surprising. The country consumes and exports wine and there is also strong demand for traditional alcoholic beverages such as ouzo and tsipouro. Greece is among the bottom three beer consumers in the European Union, with an annual average of 35 litres (74 US pints) drunk per person, just above France and Italy. While microbeers are becoming more popular, the most widely consumed beers are produced by Athinaiki, one of Greece's biggest breweries. It makes more than five different brands of mostly lagers and imports around 10. - Ginger, honey, cardamom - On Evia island, Panagiotou says that his production has increased 15-fold over the past decade, from 80,000 bottles in 2009 to 1.2 million this year. Yannis Marmarellis, a brewer from the northern city of Serres, has experienced a similar growth spurt. Opening his microbrewery, Siris, in 2014 after his meat factory shut down, he has increased his staff from three to 14 and quadrupled the size of his facilities. "There is an increase in demand for quality beer," says Christos Vassiliadis, one of many Greeks who began with a home brewing kit before graduating to a full brewery. He now runs Noctua, an Athens microbrewery. But producers say that several factors are holding back further growth, including bureaucracy, an habitual Greek bugbear. They also complain of high taxation and a legal framework dating from the early 20th century. After Finland, Sweden and Britain, Greece has the highest tax on alcohol in the European Union. And outdated laws on beer production mean there is no legal provision covering beers made with spices or in fruity flavours -- an area some microbrewers are exploring. "I come from the wine industry so I like to try various flavours," says Panagiotou. His products now include beer with honey, ginger, cardamom and mahleb, an aromatic spice from the seeds of the St Lucie cherry, a special version for cold Christmas nights. The hops for his beer comes from his father's fields, just behind the factory. "The microbeers are a welcome change in terms of range of both choice and taste," said Craig Morrison, a British long-term resident of Athens. Greek microbrewer Sophocles Panagiotou set up his business in a family field on the island of Evia a decade ago at the start of the financial crisis Greece's microbrewery sector grew during the financial crisis as local products benefited from a fall in imported goods Greece is more commonly associated with wine and spirits, and does not have a major beer culture During the crisis, habits changed and demand is now focused on local products to help the Greek economy, says Yannis Kefalas, a beer enthusiast and brewer Greece is among the bottom three beer consumers in the European Union Microbrewers complain of outdated legislation on beer production, meaning a lack of legal provision for experimenting with spices or fruity flavours
When Chinese legislators recommended the abolition of "education" detention centres where prostitutes and clients can be held without charge for two years, activists hoped the facilities' days were numbered. They will have to wait longer. The rubber-stamp National People's Congress (NPC) passed only one new law when it ended its annual session on Friday -- and it had to do with opening up foreign investment. Under the nearly three-decade-old system, police have unilateral power to detain sex workers and their clients for up to two years in "shelter and education" centres. Critics say the centres have little to do with education. "There may be resistance inside the regime against abolition, perhaps by the police, as this would take away some of its arbitrary detention powers," said Wang Yaqiu, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. In 2013, testimonies of ex-detainees collected by Asia Catalyst -- an organisation that defends the health of marginalised groups in the region -- revealed the harsh living conditions in the centres. These included ill-treatment, forced labour, and the obligation to pay for subsistence and forced medical examinations at prohibitive prices. "All this is a matter of money, the talk of rehabilitation or ideological education is hollow, it is just a way of extorting money on behalf of the state and the police", one of the women told the group. Shen Chunyao, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee's legislative affairs commission, said in December that "the time has come to begin the work of abolition". "In recent years, the use of the detention and education system has gradually decreased, the number of people in the centres has clearly diminished and they have been banned in some places," he added. - 'Very dangerous' - Discussion over the future of the centres came after China's top legislative committee abolished its system of "re-education through labour camps", known as "laojiao", in 2013. Shutting the labour camps -- introduced more than half a century ago as a speedy way to handle petty offenders -- closed the curtain on a dark aspect of the country's modern history long criticised by human rights groups and which Chinese officials admitted was no longer viable. But authorities retained the right to detain sex workers and their clients, and in 2014 police announced that popular actor Huang Haibo would be held for six months for having solicited a prostitute. That prompted a rare instance of dissent from state media, which questioned the system. Getting rid of the detention centres would be "a very positive step for the rule of law in China", said Shen Tingting, director of advocacy and policy at Asia Catalyst. Although illegal, prostitution remains widespread in China, with an estimated several million sex workers. Many living in Beijing were driven out with migrant workers as part of a demolition campaign in the city's slums in 2017. "Today they are in the suburbs, isolated, with no place to work. They go online and go to the customer's house, it's very dangerous," Shen said. She said the existing legal arsenal is already "sufficient" -- prostitutes and their clients can be fined up to 5,000 yuan ($745) and face up to 15 days of administrative detention. But Shen is unconvinced that attitudes towards sex workers would change, even if the forced re-education of prostitutes eventually disappears. "The repression will continue," she said, "and one wonders what new system (could) replace the old one." Chinese police checking a public bath house as masseurs serve their guests in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province. Chinese police watch over a group of massage girls suspected of prostitution during a raid on a parlour in Beijing a few years ago Shen Chunyao has said "the time has come to begin the work of abolition" of the detention centres A woman awaits customers from the doorway of a neon-lit barber shop in Beijing before a police offensive aimed cracking down on the city's rollicking sex industry


When the gunman advanced toward the mosque, killing those in his path, Abdul Aziz did not hide.

Instead, he picked up the first thing he could find, a credit card machine, and ran outside screaming: Come here!

Mr Aziz, 48, is being hailed as a hero for preventing more deaths during Friday prayers at the Linwood mosque in Christchurch after leading the gunman on a cat-and-mouse chase before scaring him into speeding away in his car.

But Mr Aziz, whose four sons and dozens of others remained in the mosque while he faced off with the gunman, said he thought it was what anyone would have done.

Abdul Aziz is being hailed a hero after he confronted the attacker. Source: AAP

The gunman killed 50 people after attacking two mosques in the deadliest mass shooting in New Zealands modern history.

The shooter is believed to have killed at least 41 people at the Al Noor mosque before driving about five kilometres across town and attacking the Linwood mosque, where he killed seven more people.

One person died later in a hospital and police announced on Sunday that a 50th body had been found.

White supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with one count of murder in the slayings and a judge said on Saturday it was reasonable to assume more charges would follow.

Latef Alabi, the Linwood mosques acting imam, said the death toll would have been far higher at the Linwood mosque if it was not for Mr Aziz.

Acting Imam Alabi said he heard a voice outside the mosque about 1.55pm (local time) and stopped the prayer he was leading and peeked out the window.

He saw a guy in black military-style gear and a helmet holding a large gun, and assumed it was a police officer.

Then he saw two bodies and heard the gunman yelling obscenities.

I realised this is something else. This is a killer, he said.

He yelled at the congregation of more than 80 to get down. They hesitated.

A member of the public places flowers at a makeshift memorial near the Linwood Mosque in Christchurch. Source: AAP

A shot rang out, a window shattered and a body fell, and people began to realise it was for real.

Then this brother came over. He went after him, and he managed to overpower him, and thats how we were saved, Acting Imam Alabi said, referring to Mr Aziz.

Story continues

Otherwise, if he managed to come into the mosque, then we would all probably be gone.

He got scared

Mr Aziz said as he ran outside screaming, he was hoping to distract the attacker.

He said the gunman ran back to his car to get another gun and Mr Aziz hurled the credit card machine at him.

His car door was open, he managed to get the other gun and he started shooting at me, Mr Aziz said.

And my two boys (aged 11 and 15) were near the door when they see him start shooting at me, [they said], Dad, come back, come back.

I managed to duck between the cars and get away from his firing.

A young girl seen laying down flowers to pay respect to the victims of the Christchurch mosques shooting. Source: AAP

Then Mr Aziz spotted a gun the gunman had abandoned and picked it up, pointed it and squeezed the trigger. It was empty.

He said the gunman ran back to the car for a second time, likely to grab yet another weapon.

He gets into his car and I just got the gun and threw it on his window like an arrow and blasted his window, Mr Aziz said.

The windshield shattered: Thats why he got scared.

Hero felt no fear

He said the gunman was cursing at him, yelling he was going to kill them all.

But he drove away and Mr Aziz said he chased the car down the street to a red light before it made a U-turn and sped away.

Online videos indicate police officers managed to force the car from the road and drag out the suspect soon after.

Abdul Aziz confronted the Christchurch mosque attacker. Source: AAP

Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, Mr Aziz said he left as a refugee when he was a boy and lived for more than 25 years in Australia before moving to New Zealand a couple of years ago.

Ive been to a lot of countries and this is one of the beautiful ones, he said.

And, he always thought, a peaceful one as well.

Mr Aziz said he did not feel fear or much of anything when facing the gunman.

He said it was like he was on autopilot. And he believes that God, that Allah, did not think it was his time to die.

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US President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort faces potentially spending the rest of his life behind bars when a judge sentences him on Thursday for tax crimes and bank fraud. Manafort, who turns 70 in April, was convicted by a Virginia jury in August of five counts of filing false income tax returns, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failing to report a foreign bank account. Manafort is one of a half dozen former Trump associates and senior aides charged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has been investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. The sentencing guidelines for Manafort's crimes call for between 19 and 24 years in prison but his defense attorneys have urged Judge T.S. Ellis to impose a "substantially" lower jail term. In a filing with the judge, they said Manafort is "truly remorseful" and is in poor health after spending the past nine months in prison. They pointed out that Manafort, who suffers from gout, is a first-time offender and said the sentencing guidelines are "clearly disproportionate" for the crimes he committed. Mueller's team issued a scathing rebuttal, stating that Manafort had breached a plea agreement reached with the government and lied repeatedly to investigators. Manafort is accused of lying about various matters including his contacts with a suspected Russian operative, Konstantin Kilimnik, with whom he reportedly shared polling data about the 2016 presidential election. "The defendant blames everyone from the Special Counsel's Office to his Ukrainian clients for his own criminal choices," prosecutors said. Most of the tens of millions of dollars Manafort was accused of hiding from the US tax authorities were paid as consulting fees for work he did for Russian-backed Ukranian politicians between 2004 and 2014. None of the charges against Manafort are connected to his role in the Trump campaign, which he headed for a couple of months in 2016. - 'Own criminal actions' - In arguing for a lighter sentence, Manafort's attorneys said the veteran Republican political consultant has been "devastated personally, professionally and financially." Mueller's office countered that it was "Manafort's own criminal actions that have led to these consequences." Trump has repeatedly denied any election collusion with Moscow and denounced the probe by Mueller, a former FBI director, as a "political witch hunt." Trump has also dangled the possibility of pardons for some of those indicted -- including Manafort, who he has praised as a "good man" who has been treated unfairly. Manafort has also been charged in Washington with money laundering, witness tampering and other offenses and faces separate sentencing in that case. Manafort, in addition to Trump's campaign, worked on the White House bids of Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole. After making a name in domestic politics, he turned his talents to the lucrative practice of lobbying on behalf of questionable foreign leaders such as Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Somalia's Mohamed Siad Barre and Jonas Savimbi of Angola. But it was his work for Viktor Yanukovych, who served as president of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014, when he fled to Russia amid corruption allegations, which got Manafort in trouble. Prosecutors alleged during his trial that Manafort used offshore bank accounts to hide tens of millions of dollars from Ukrainian politicians from the Internal Revenue Service. The money was used to support a lavish lifestyle which included purchases of luxury homes and cars, antique rugs, and expensive clothes, including an $18,500 python jacket. Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort is to be sentenced for tax crimes and bank fraud The Albert V. Bryan US Courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, where former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort is to be sentenced for tax crimes and bank fraud A lone protester holds up a sign and an American flag outside the Alexandria courthouse after former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty of tax crimes and bank fraud
Counter-terrorism police have raided two homes on the NSW mid-north coast, including one thats believed to belong to the sister of the suspected gunman in the Christchurch terrorist attack.

Officers from the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team searched a property in Sandy Beach, near Coffs Harbour, about 8.30am on Monday.

Its understood Brenton Tarrants sister lives there.

Plain-clothed detectives entered the home, which has had its windows and doors covered in black plastic sheets, to try and find any evidence for New Zealand investigators.

A house belonging to the sister of accused Christchurch gunman, Brenton Tarrant, has been raided near Coffs Harbour. Source: AFP

Another raid was carried out at a second home a short time later in Lawrence, near Maclean.

Its understood Tarrants mother works in that region.

The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand Police in their ongoing investigation, the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police said in a joint statement.

The community can be assured that there is no information to suggest a current or impending threat related to this search warrants.

Tarrant, originally from Grafton in NSW, has been charged with murder over the massacre that killed 50 people at two Christchurch mosques on Friday.

Fifty people were killed in the attacks on two mosques on Friday. Source: AAP

His mother and sister remain in a safe house under police protection and there is no suggestion they did anything wrong.

The family of the Australian man arrested in Christchurch continues to assist police with their inquiries, police said in a statement.

The NSW JCTT is unable to provide further detail regarding this matter.

Tarrant was not on any watchlist in Australia or New Zealand, despite online profiles linked to him containing white supremacist material

The 28-year-old posted a 74-page manifesto online before the attack. A 17-minute video of the shootings was live-streamed.

The JCTT is made up of officers from the AFP, NSW Police, as well as ASIO and the NSW Crime Commission.

More to come.

Do you know more or have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au.

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A woman has been left shocked after a snake slithered out of her toilet.

The serpent was pictured in the bathroom of a home in Bangaray in the north of the Philippines.

Diding Avila said she went to the bathroom during the night and noticed something in the toilet bowl.

She initially thought it was a rodent but soon the snake appeared from the toilet.

A Filipino woman has found a snake in her toilet. Source: AsiaWire/Australscope

According to local media, a family member caught the snake, reportedly five metres in length, by using a plastic bag over the toilet bowl.

The man then took the reptile outside to show other villagers.

Ms Avila said that they asked the community leaders what to do with the snake, and she was advised to take it to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the nearby Quezon City.

It is unclear what species the snake was.

The woman first thought it was a rodent of some kind before it slithered out. Source: AsiaWire/Australscope

In other snake-related news, a Queensland nurse was bitten by a deadly red-bellied black snake after he spotted it slithering through an aged care home at Noosa and tried to stop it.

Earlier this month, a snake was filmed in hanging from a tree with a kookaburra trapped in its grasp.

The clip, which was filmed by shocked onlooker Andi Kelly, shows the snake at the top of the tree in rural Kingaroy, 160km west of the Sunshine Coast.

Several squawking birds surround the snake as it begins to loosen its grip on its catch before dropping the bird to the ground.

 Australscope

Do you know more or have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au.

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A Pakistani victim of the Christchurch attack who apparently tried to tackle the gunman before being shot dead will be awarded posthumously in his home country for his courage, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Sunday. Khan spoke as the Pakistani foreign office confirmed that nine of its citizens had been killed in the mass shootings at two mosques in the New Zealand city which claimed the lives of 50 people Friday, including many who had emigrated from around the world. Video of the massacre shows one man gunned down as he approaches the shooter, while others flee. The man is believed to be Naeem Rashid, although his face is blurred in the footage and he has yet to be formally identified. "Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognised with a national award," Khan tweeted on Sunday. Pakistan has several awards to recognise civilian bravery, and Khan did not specify which one would be awarded to Rashid, whose son also died in the massacre. Rashid's elder brother Khurshid Alam told AFP in the northwestern Pakistani city of Abbottabad that the award "means a lot" to his family. "I feel very proud," he said, calling the loss of his brother and nephew a "big, big shock". Naeem, he said, had visited the family last year, staying for two months. "We had a lovely time. He was a man who would be like a kid with children, and like an adult with grown-ups," Alam said. - Suspect visited Pakistan - Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the award would be given on March 23, Pakistan Day. He confirmed that nine Pakistani citizens had been killed in the attack while one was in critical condition. One "is still not out of danger but he is being treated", he told reporters in Islamabad without identifying the victim. Qureshi said families of six of the victims have decided to bury them in Christchurch, while the other three want to bring the remains to Pakistan. "Whatever the families will decide, we will respect it and fulfil their wishes," he said, adding that flags will be flown at half-mast in Pakistan on Monday in honour of the victims. Officials in Pakistan's picturesque northern areas also confirmed that the main suspect, 28-year-old white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, had visited the region as a tourist in October, staying for more than a week. Syed Israr Hussain, owner of Osho Thang Hotel in Minapin Nagar, told AFP: "(Tarrant) ... stayed for two days before leaving for Khunjerab (Pass, on the border with China). "He was a decent and quiet guy." He said he remembered Tarrant among the many tourists who visit the region "because he was so impressed by the area, and said he had heard so many negative things about Pakistan but he found it the opposite". Tarrant's alleged involvement in the massacre left him "surprised and shocked", he said. Tarrant is also believed to have visited Gilgit and Skardu in the mountainous north. A relative looks at a picture on a mobile phone of Pakistani nationals Naeem Rashid and his son Talha Naeem, who were killed in the attacks to the Christchurch mosques in New Zealand
At a mosque on a quiet Islamabad street, any reference to the UN-listed terror group which runs it has been removed as Pakistan -- once again -- comes under pressure to demonstrate its sincerity about eliminating militancy. The first wave of militant detentions was announced by Islamabad on March 5, as tensions were still cooling between India and Pakistan after their latest confrontation over the disputed Kashmir region. New Delhi has long accused Islamabad of harbouring militant groups, which it says are used by Pakistan intelligence agencies to attack India. The February 14 suicide blast in Indian-administered Kashmir -- claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed -- is the latest example, and the attack which ignited the recent crisis between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Since March 5, Pakistani authorities have arrested hundreds of suspected Islamist militants and shuttered more than 700 madrassas, mosques, and clinics linked to banned groups. Mosques like the Al-Quba mosque visited by AFP in Islamabad -- which is run by Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), seen by the UN as a charity front for an anti-India militant group -- have had all signs announcing their links to such organisations removed. Instead, a green sign clinging to a post proclaims the new management of the premises by the "Government of Pakistan". "This government will not allow Pakistan's land to be used for any kind of outside terrorism," vowed Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month. But the crackdown is reminiscent of previous efforts, and Pakistan has yet to convince the international community that their latest thrust is sincere. Cracks have already begun to emerge after Pakistan's longtime ally China this week blocked measures by the UN Security Council to blacklist JeM leader Masood Azhar. It was the fourth time China has blocked such attempts, reinforcing suspicions that it was acting on Pakistan's behest. If so, observers said, the move undermined the sincerity of the crackdown. Had Azhar been blacklisted, Pakistan would have been morally compelled to halt his activities, a Western diplomat said. "Is Pakistan just trying to fool us?" the diplomat asked. "I would say yes." New Delhi also remained sceptical. "The widespread presence of terrorist camps in Pakistan is public knowledge within and outside Pakistan," said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar last week. - 'Low profile' - The crackdown has largely targeted JeM along with JuD, which is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group accused by India and Washington of masterminding the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008. Shuttering groups like JuD -- which provides widespread and vital services like healthcare to poor communities in a developing country where government-run social services are sorely lacking -- risks a potential backlash. "We were ordered to close the health centres and give our ambulances to the authorities," Akbar Khan, a JuD official based in the northwestern city of Peshawar, told AFP. "Our leaders asked us to accept everything and to keep a low profile," he added. A source close to JeM said the ongoing operation was unprecedented in its scale. "Almost the entire leadership of JeM has been detained, all the clerics and head clerics have been replaced and administrative control of all our mosques have also been taken over," said the source. "We have never seen such harsh steps in past." However the operation mirrors similar crackdowns on militants, such as after attacks on the Indian parliament in 2001 and in Mumbai in 2008. Then, extremists were also detained -- only for many to be released later, and the groups allowed to continue their activities, both militant and charitable. Pakistan has also not yet demonstrated its willingness to go any further than detentions and closures. "Closing major infrastructures is a very important step, but it doesn't show that the whole network has been dismantled," said analyst Huma Yusuf, a fellow with the Washington-based Wilson Center. "There are still thousands of militants in the country. What do you do with them? A peace and reconciliation process? A deradicalisation plan? Anything? Right now, there is nothing." - Terror financing - The crisis also comes as Pakistan is facing possible sanctions from the Financial Action Task Force -- an anti money-laundering monitor based in Paris -- for failing to rein in terror financing. The organisation will soon decide whether to add Pakistan to a blacklist that would trigger automatic sanctions, further weakening Pakistan's already faltering economy. Analysts fear even those headwinds may not be enough to convince the Pakistani intelligence agencies to cut their alleged ties with militants. "Why would they give away something that they have created, nurtured and defended for 30 years?" said author Myra MacDonald, a researcher specialising in Pakistan. "There is a concern that if you hit them too hard, they will hit the Pakistani state back." strs-sjd-jf/ahe/ds/gle Pakistani authorities have arrested hundreds of suspected Islamist militants and shuttered more than 700 madrassas, mosques, and clinics linked to banned groups The crackdown by authorities is reminiscent of previous efforts, and Pakistan has yet to convince the international community this latest one is sincere Groups like Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) provide widespread and vital services like healthcare to poor communities
On the surface, this looks like a terrible moment for the world's major military powers to negotiate a deal on preventing an arms race in space. Last month, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that the global disarmament architecture was "collapsing," citing various diplomatic failures, including Washington's decision to scrap a crucial nuclear weapons treaty with Russia. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has drafted plans for a new "Space Force" on orders from President Donald Trump who has declared space a "war-fighting domain". Despite those headwinds, experts from 25 countries -- including China, Russia and the US -- open a 10-day meeting in Geneva Monday aiming to lay the groundwork for a treaty to keep space peaceful. Even against the grim diplomatic backdrop, experts say there may be reasons for optimism. "I hope I am not just indulging in wishful thinking here but I do see some positive initiatives against this rather dark background," said Paul Meyer, Canada's former disarmament ambassador and an expert on space security at The Simons Foundation in Vancouver. - Hardware v action - The closed-door Geneva talks involve a UN panel called a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE). Chaired by Brazilian ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota to the UN Conference on Disarmament, the space GGE works on consensus and will only issue a report if all parties agree on its content. Diplomatic efforts to forge a space treaty have been deadlocked for more than a decade. A main problem, experts said, is that China and Russia have insisted on preventing certain devices from being deployed in space. This has been a non-starter for the West which has instead favoured language that emphasises "behaviour" or "actions" in outer space that could be restricted. Patriota told reporters the level of dialogue at the first GGE meeting in August was "several notches" better than in the past, with China and Russia indicating an openness to new ideas. At next week's second and final meeting, the GGE will try to agree on a list of "elements" that could form a treaty, he said. "We are making a big step here," he added. - Why hope? - Patriota noted that one factor possibly motivating states to move forward is the notion of "vulnerability" in space. Notwithstanding the rhetoric of a leader like Trump who boasts of ever-expanding defence budgets, military professionals understand that overwhelming dominance is not enough to protect a nation's space assets, experts said. "Asymmetrical capabilities are big," Jessica West, project manager of the 2018 Space Security Index report, told AFP. "It is very difficult for any action to defend their assets in space alone," she added. Meyer, also the ex-head of the intelligence bureau at Canada's foreign ministry, told AFP that another factor creating diplomatic momentum is that space "is no longer just a rich man's club". Dozens of countries including developing nations now operate satellites and that list will only grow, he said. Space technology -- whether related to reconnaissance, mapping or navigation -- has also become an integral part of both military and civilian everyday life. The question governments face is "where are the best interests of the nation served?" Meyer said. "Is it in sparking a further arms race relating to this very vital environment for global prosperity... or is it in making an effort to devise arrangements with some of your potential adversaries," to keep space peaceful, he added. - Space Force - Patriota conceded that Trump's move in August to create a new military branch dedicated to space hangs over the talks. But, he said, US participation so far had been "constructive". West stressed that despite Trump's "inflammatory" rhetoric, parts of his space force proposal are actually not that confrontational. "Some of it is a bureaucratic reorganisation," which will see personnel already working on space in the Navy, Air Force, and Army brought under one roof. The US is also just following moves made in China and Russia, which already have military departments dedicated to space, experts noted. - Breaking point? - Patriota said that any kind of consensus document that outlines a potential path towards a treaty would be a success for the GGE. The consequences of failure are harder to predict. Some expect the talks to sputter out and join a long list of UN disarmament efforts that have fallen flat. But, West warned, the stakes next week may be higher. "I think we are reaching a breaking point... and this may be the last opportunity to step back from the brink and maintain outer space as a direct combat-free zone," she said. "If we do slip over the edge, then reining it in will be near impossible." Russian Mission Control Centre outside Moscow. Russia along with experts from more than 20 other countries meet Monday in Geneva to see if they can thrash out an agreement to prevent the militarization of space
Unlike U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. Rep. John Katko doesn't feel "meh" about moderates.

Ocasio-Cortez, a Bronx Democrat, criticized moderates during a recent appearance at South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas. Being a moderate isn't a stance, she argued, but an "attitude toward life of meh."

Katko, R-Camillus, disagrees with Ocasio-Cortez about moderates. He has been described as a moderate because of his legislative record in Congress dating back to 2015. He has worked with Democratic members to pass legislation and follows a self-imposed rule to secure a Democratic co-sponsor whenever he introduces a new bill.

He views Ocasio-Cortez's comments and positions taken by some of the more conservative members of his party as part of a "zero-sum mentality" in Congress.

"I'll put my record up against hers. I'll put my record up against these other people with the extreme views," Katko said in a phone interview Friday. "Who's producing more? Who's getting more done? The proof is in the pudding. You can talk all you want, but unless you roll up your sleeves and are willing to listen to another person's point of view, you're never going to be successful legislatively."

Katko believes he is an example of how to work in a bipartisan manner and secure legislative victories, whether it's on broader national issues or subjects important to his district. He mentioned his authorship of a bill the House passed in his first term to address employee access controls at airports.

The bill, he explained, was opposed by unions and other interest groups due to concerns about workers' rights. He didn't ignore their opposition. Instead, he met with them and the discussions produced a compromise proposal.

"We got a really good bill out of the House," Katko said. "That is the essence of what we're supposed to be doing."

In three terms as a member of Congress, Katko has sponsored 67 bills, amendments and resolutions. The House has passed 29 of the measures. Five have been signed into law by President Donald Trump or President Barack Obama.

The bills signed into law don't include other Katko-sponsored measures that have been included in larger legislative packages signed by either president.

Katko's legislative record was recognized by a think tank, the Center for Effective Lawmaking, earlier this month. The center assigned every member of Congress a score based on several factors, including how many bills they introduced, how many advanced through the committee phase and the number of bills signed into law.

Katko earned the fourth-highest score among all members of Congress for sponsoring 29 bills in the 2017-18 sessions of the 115th Congress. The House passed 14 of his bills and Trump signed three into law.

Another accolade was presented to Katko last week. He received the Bipartisan Policy Center's annual Legislative Action Award. The award is presented to six lawmakers who have "demonstrated skill and courage in the face of political challenges to confront a political problem, provided a positive tenor to the legislative process, and improved the functioning of Congress through their example."

Along with Katko, a second New Yorker  U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chair of the House Democratic Caucus  received the honor.

Katko considers the award a "pretty big deal."

"It's the reason why I went to Congress was to try and advance that bipartisanship can work and we need to get back to it," he said.

While moderates tend to be viewed as more willing to be bipartisan, Katko doesn't feel effective legislating is limited to those in the middle.

He cited former President Ronald Reagan as an example. Reagan, a conservative hero, was open to compromise. He was willing to make deals with Democrats.

"You can be liberal and pragmatic and conservative and pragmatic," Katko said. "You don't have to be just a moderate to get things done. The more you're willing to bend, the more you're going to be considered a moderate. I think that's a good thing. I think we need more moderates. And I think we need more compromise."

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When exploring new missions in the area, the parishioners at St. James' Episcopal Church in Skaneateles, took a long, thoughtful journey. In 2015, they started with a yearlong discernment process to help them narrow their focus and energies.

Christina Stavenhagen-Helgren, church member, and Nancy Graham, pastoral care team leader, shared the importance of taking the time and involving the membership in both the direction of the church and how it serves the community. They prayed, listened to God and hosted small group discussions. As their work moved forward, they began to realize that, no matter what they did, an important element of their work would be to build personal relationships and not just financially support a cause or entity.

Members discussed what worked well in the past and what things to carry forward, and by spring 2016, they were venturing out to listen and learn about community needs. They conducted about 30 community interviews from Syracuse to Auburn. Some places they knew about, others were new. One group toured the Syracuse Rescue Mission, where they learned that the services were expanding in Auburn. In May, the mission team led a full-day retreat where they looked at all their work, and three distinct themes emerged: affordable housing, mental health support and youth.

As this process was unfolding, the footprint of the Rescue Mission in Auburn was also undergoing an expansion. The Auburn Housing Authority was constructing the Merriman Street Family Transitions Project to provide more affordable housing locally. The Rescue Mission would provide on-site case management services to tenants.

From their initial visit to bringing the proposed partnership back to the church, collaborating with the Auburn Rescue Mission just made sense. Nancy said the project hit the three themes that St. James' was interested in, the staff welcomed them, and it felt like a place where they could truly build a relationship. And they truly have.

Auburn Rescue Mission Program Coordinator Cyndi Sharp said the volunteers from St. James' are super, wonderful people! She noted that, locally, the Rescue Mission can serve between 50 and 60 kids at any time and there is always a need for volunteers as the program offers year-round activities and events for families and children.

The St. James volunteers do a variety of things for the Merriman neighborhood. They transport children and families to events, provide items for craft projects, read and play games with the children. They also provide monthly financial support to the program. Cyndi said that you couldnt ask for a better group of volunteers  they are patient, kind and willing to do most anything that is good for the kids. A new service that is underway is tutoring for those in high school.

The volunteer group has assisted with meal deliveries, Easter egg hunts, summer activities and more. They are an active presence at the Merriman site and, over time, have developed a relationship not only with the children, but with their parents as well. Christina said, Its been important for us and the families, that we are present and connecting. There are about 55 volunteers on the list and they are hoping to involve more of the churchs young people as well.

Another core volunteer in the program is Nancy Corl. She volunteers because she believes that we all have some job to do to make our community a better place. She said, In times where the norm seems to be each person thinking that their world view is the only right one to have, it helps to build connections with others  the 'bridges, not roadblocks' mindset. As a Christian person, I endorse this mission in my own life and I know our church endorses it, as well. We all can find opportunities for growth in our lives wherever we may be and whoever we are. She is grateful that the Rescue Mission is located close to where she lives, so it is easily accessible. And she encourages others to get directly involved in their community.

St. James' has completed two full years of partnership with the Auburn Rescue Mission and are embarking on some new initiatives this year. This includes a once-a-month coffeehouse. Nancy and Christina are grateful that the Rescue Mission staff trusts their membership and that they, the volunteers and the program have all grown, in many ways, together. They look forward to where the partnership with the Auburn Rescue Mission continues to take them.

Karen A. Macier, of Auburn, has spent 20 years working and volunteering in the not-for-profit sector.

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Voters in seven villages in the Cayuga County-area will head to polls on Tuesday to make choices in races for mayor, trustee and in one case, justice.

In most of these races, candidates are running unopposed. Just two of the offices up for election among these villages featured contested races, and in one case, no candidate names will appear on the ballots.

Here's a roundup of which villages are holding elections Tuesday and what's on the ballots:

Cato

Two four-year trustee seats are up for election in the village of Cato, and two candidates are running.

Incumbment Republican Donald Thompson and Republican newcomer Nicole Moose are on the ballot for the four-year terms. Incumbent Donald Hoyt is not seeking re-election.

Voting is set for noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at the Cato Village Hall, 2564 Millard Ave.

Cayuga

Two trustee seats and the mayor's office are up for election this year in the village of Cayuga.

In the race to fill two, two-year trustee terms, incumbent Tara Fricano is running on the Neighbors for the Community Party, incumbent Donald Wilson Jr. is running on the Cayuga Loyalist Party and newcomer Christopher P. Ryan appears on the 150 Plus Party.

Incumbent village Mayor William Sherman is running unopposed on the Cayuga First Party line for a two-year term.

Voting takes place from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at the Cayuga Village Office, 6205 Railroad St.

Jordan

Three unopposed candidates are seeking seats in Jordan.

Michael Weirs, the current village justice, and Mark Gustafson, a trustee on the village board, are both seeking re-election. Another trustee, Errin Chilson, is not seeking re-election, and Casey Brim is on the ballot running for Chilson's spot. All of the positions run on four-year terms, and each running candidate is with the Citizens Party.

Voting starts at noon and ends at 9 p.m. at Jordan Bramley Library, at 15 Mechanic St. in the building's community room. 

Port Byron



Three of Port Byron's five village board seats are up for election this year.

Mayor Ronald Wilson, a Republican who is also endorsed by the Democratic Party, is running unopposed for another four-year term as mayor.

Three people are vying for the two open trustee seats, which are also four-year terms. Incumbents Patrick Fenton, a Republican, and John Bell, a Democrat, are running along with newcomer Jeffrey Emerson, a Republican.

Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at the Port Byron Village Office, 52 Utica St.

Skaneateles Three candidates are vying for two open seats, both with four-year terms, as village trustees. Incumbent Gregg Eriksen of the Citizens Party and newcomer Kathleen Zapata of the Village Party are on the ballot. Incumbent Sue Dove is not seeking re-election. Voting runs from noon to 9 p.m. at the Skaneateles Volunteer Fire Department, 77 W. Genesee St.

Union Springs



Three seats are up for grabs but there's no competition on the ballot.

The mayor's seat and two trustee seats, all two-year terms, are up for election. Incumbents Mayor Bud Shattuck, and trustees Bill Boyd Jr. and Marion Case are all running for re-election. All candidates are with the Republican Party.

Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, in the meeting room at the Union Springs Village Office, 26 Chapel St. Due to the election, the village's regular monthly board meeting was moved from Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 20.

Weedsport

Due to a trustee resigning mid-term, the village is holding a special election to fill a vacant trustee seat.

Chris Lukins, with the Republican Party, resigned from the village board in December. Typically, a trustee term is four years long, but the elected trustee will be appointed to the remaining three years of the term.

No one is officially on the ballot for the election, so whoever becomes the next trustee will win the seat by having the most write-in votes.

Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at the Weedsport Village Office, 8892 South St.

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The incumbent in the Cayuga County Legislature's District 14 seat now faces a challenger, as the local Democratic Party announced Friday they've endorsed a candidate for the race.

The Cayuga County Democratic Committee has endorsed Gwen Webber-McLeod, a small business owner and nonprofit leader, to run against incumbent Legislator Michael Didio, who is seeking his third term representing the southern section of Auburn.

Webber-McLeod said she was encouraged to run in part by her participation in the Women Elect program, as well as the campaigns of several other woman candidates in the county and city this year.

Her parents were also both Jefferson County Legislators, a tradition she hopes to continue here.

Webber-McLeod has lived in Auburn with her husband for over 30 years. Currently, she serves as president and CEO of Gwen, Inc., a leadership and organizational development consulting firm, and also founded You Can't Fail, a nonprofit dedicated to creating the next generation of women leaders of color.

The experience she has gained in skills like budgeting and fiscal management will help as a Legislator, she said, but more important are her skills with collaborating, building coalitions, and leadership, partly developed serving on a number of boards and organizations such as the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce and the Booker T. Washington Community Center.

"I am always interested in effectiveness and efficiency and making sure organizations I work in are making the best use of their dollars on behalf of the people they serve," Webber-McLeod said.

Incumbent Didio, the majority leader of the Republican caucus in the county Legislature, said the biggest reason he's running for re-election is the same issue that prompted his first two campaigns  the health of Owasco Lake.

While protecting the lake from harmful algal blooms and other problems was his first motivation, Didio said after a short time it became apparent the variety and complexity of issues Legislators deal with.

"I've been involved in every program and committee from the opioid epidemic to mud on the sidewalk," Didio, a former parole officer and drug counselor said, citing his involvement with local drug court programs.

Didio, who has lived in Auburn all his 71 years, said one point of pride in his term on the Legislature has been his commitment to work not just for residents of District 14 but the county as a whole.

As part of that, Didio touted his participation in the Inter-county Association of Western New York, particularly the strength it lends to Cayuga County's voice through lobbying efforts in Albany, including pushing back against unfunded mandates.

Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin

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VISTA, Calif.  Mary C. Flanigan, 77, a former Auburn resident, passed away at her home in Vista, Calif., on Dec. 23, 2018.

A graduate of Mt. Carmel High School with the class of 1959, Mary also was a graduate of St. Josephs Nursing School in Elmira, N.Y. She was a U.S. Navy registered nurse during the Vietnam War. She had retired from Tri City Medical Center, Oceanside, Calif.

She was the daughter of Clement and Anne Lavey Flanigan. While in Auburn, Mary was a member of Holy Family Parish. Having relocated to California 40 years ago, and maintained many contacts in Auburn, N.Y., she was a world traveler. Mary was always helping others. She was a member of St. Francis Church of Assisi Church, Vista, Calif.

Surviving are three brothers and a sister, Joseph L. Flanigan, of Auburn, N.Y., Helen A. Flanigan, of Syracuse, N.Y., Raymond F. Flanigan, of Auburn, N.Y., and Charles R. (Deanna) Flanigan, of Auburn, N.Y.; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her parents, and sister-in-law, Karen Flanigan.

Services were held in Vista, Calif., with an interment in Eternal Hills Memorial Park, Oceanside, Calif.

Local memorials may be gifted to either Cayuga Community College Nursing Scholarship Program, Hospice of the Finger Lakes, or Matthew House.
MELBOURNE, Fla.  Rear Admiral William K. Young, NYNM (Ret), died March 8, 2019. He was 83 years old.

A native of Auburn, N.Y., Bill spent a year at Colgate University before attending and graduating from the Naval Academy in 1958. He served 11 years on active duty in the destroyer BACHE as Combat Information Center Officer and on Destroyer Squadron 28 staff as Communications Officer. He served as Frequency Management Officer with the MAAG and COMUSMACV in Vietnam for a year and a half. He was then assigned to work in the Pentagon for the Chief of Naval Operations as Communications Manager, returning to sea aboard the attack cargo ship ARNEB as Operations Officer. His last active duty tour was as Operations Officer with the Naval Oceanographic Office in Maryland.

He went to work for the Federal Civil Service, first in Washington, D.C. for GSA, and then in Syracuse and Rome, N.Y., for NORAD. He was promoted and moved to Florida, where he worked for the STS Contingency Support Office, an Air Force office supporting NASA shuttle operations.

While in Civil Service, on his time he also participated in the Naval Reserve and the New York Naval Militia. A reserve for more than 20 years, he commanded four reserve units, including a CruiserDestroyer Group and a Shipboard Simulator, both units new to the Reserves. He received the Reserve Center Best Unit Award for the former and national recognition by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for the latter.

He retired from the reserves as Captain. He actively participated in the New York Naval Militia, the naval arm of the New York State National Guard for many years. He served as Central New York Region Commander for four years, retiring as Rear Admiral, Upper Half.

His military awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (3), the RVN Cross of Gallantry Medal, and the New York State Military Commendation Medal.

He was a life member in the Naval Reserve Association, and twice elected President of the Central New York Chapter. He was a life member of the Space Coast Chapter of the Navy League and the National Rifle Association, and was a member of the American Legion and the Military Officers Association of America.

Bill is survived by his fiancee of 30 years, Frances Hutchens, her children and their families.

Date and location for Bills service with military honors to be determined. His ashes will be consigned to the sea.

Please check BeachFuneralHome.com for date/time.
Below is an open letter to Congressman John Katko concerning Trump's trade war and the approaching planting season:

Representative John Katko,

It has been over a year now since President Trump initiated his trade war against China. Grain farmers and milk farmers here in your district have experienced and continue to experience the extreme adverse effects on our markets due directly to his actions.

In just a few weeks, we farmers will have to make some hard decisions about what to plant this year. We only get one chance each year and theres no going back, no chance to reconsider once the seed is in the ground. Not just in New York but all over this country, in just a few weeks the better part of 200 million acres of crops will be planted. Billions of dollars of seed and fertilizer will be invested in those acres. Hundreds of millions of dollars of living expenses depend on the outcome of this investment. Millions of dollars of school and property taxes used to support rural communities depends on the outcome of this investment. Hundreds of thousands of dollars will be invested just in Cayuga County alone.

Now Trump has had over year to sort out his disagreements with China. Just today, Ive read several articles about trade representative Lighthizers testimony before the Senate concerning progress towards an agreement. Quite frankly, he wasnt able to offer senators much definitive information or encouragement despite months of negotiations. As far as farmers are concerned, the Trump administration is running out of time.

I would very much appreciate if you would communicate to President Trump and members of his administration that one way or another, they need to bring this situation to a conclusion in the next couple of weeks. Its gone on long enough. We need to be able to make some decisions and get on with our work. We need some certainty about this issue so that we can make the best decision we can. We deserve at least that much.

Richard Glenister

Locke

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Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties?

No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer.

Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties.
N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson, pictured here in his office. (CJ photo by Don Carrington) Click image to expand.

State Superintendent Mark Johnson has put a price tag on his plan to make North Carolina the best place for public school educators to begin, learn, and teach by 2030.Johnson announced #NC2030, his education initiative to improve learning and teaching environments in the state, at a Feb. 19 dinner for legislators, educators, school and district leaders, and business and community leaders. On Friday, March 8, Johnson released his budget recommendations for the 2019-21 fiscal biennium.making North Carolina the best place to begin, the best place to learn and pursue career pathways, and the best place to teach.Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, a co-chairman of the House Education Appropriations Committee, said Johnson's #NC2030 is an ambitious goal and something everyone should get behind.There's just one catch.Horn asked.Horn said Johnson will be invited to speak to the committee about his priorities. Lawmakers will decide what gets funding and what will have to wait for another day.Johnson said in the introduction to his budget recommendation.Johnson recommends $1.2 million in recurring funds to provide high-quality preschool opportunities for 4-year-olds and wants the Department of Public Instruction to supervise the NC PreK academic standards and program approval. For those on the waitlist for PreK, the budget recommends $1 million in recurring funds for an at-home tool to help close the readiness gap. Nearly $2 million in recurring funds is recommended for kindergarten-readiness pilot programs.The state superintendent also asked for $9 million in recurring funds to provide support and mentoring for reading teachers, as well as to expand Wolfpack Works, a program to improve literacy instruction through professional development for K-3 reading teachers.To boost learning, Johnson wants $10 million in recurring funds to eliminate high-stress standardized testing and implement a phased-in plan for personalized-learning opportunities across the state.The budget places an emphasis on STEM learning, including $1.5 million in recurring funds to expand computer science courses statewide and hire qualified instructors to teach the courses. Johnson recommends $900 thousand for a coding and robotics grant for middle and high school students, as well as $1.5 million in recurring funds to help students develop and enhance career-readiness skills through the SkillsUSA Career Essentials program.School safety measures are a big part of the budget recommendations. The budget outlines $72 million in recurring funds, plus $10 million in nonrecurring funds for the fiscal biennium to continue and expand grants for school mental health professionals and school resource officers. Other related requests include $11 million in nonrecurring funds in fiscal 2019-21 for school safety equipment and training grants, and $600,000 in recurring funds for regional safety trainers.Johnson's budget would shift more lottery funding to help lower-income counties with public school capital needs. The budget suggests $57 million for the first fiscal year and $95 million for the next fiscal year.Teachers would get a pay bump from the state superintendent's budget. Under Johnson's plan, all teachers would see a salary increase of at least 5 percent, but the state superintendent recommends as much as a 7 percent pay raise to make the state more competitive in terms of teacher pay. Gov. Roy Cooper's budget proposal calls for a 9.1 percent teacher pay raise over two years.Like the governor, Horn said the state superintendent doesn't have to worry about raising money. That's the legislature's job. Lawmakers don't have an infinite pool of money and must prioritize some items over others.Horn said raising teacher pay is among those top priorities.Horn said.Other funding requests in Johnson's proposal include: $73 million in recurring funds to create professional teaching cohorts for the whole state $50 million in recurring funds to increase principal pay $5 million in recurring funds to expand the Advanced Teaching Roles Pilot $16 million in recurring funds for textbook funding $15 million in recurring funds to raise the special needs funding cap from 12.75 percent to 13.5 percent $1.2 million in recurring funds to create a data-analytics unit to provide data-driven support to districts and policymakers
Members of the North Carolina General Assembly will face tough decisions on important health care legislation in the current session. Many bills have already been introduced. For example, there have been efforts in the N.C. House and Senate to expand the state's Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act. Also, legislation has been introduced to amend the state's insurance code to increase the freedom of small businesses, sole proprietors, and self-employed owners to band together and purchase health insurance However, one of the most contentious issues to come up for debate in the General Assembly this session is the State Treasurer Dale Folwell's proposed changes to the State Health Plan (SHP).The SHP is a self-insured plan that uses Blue Cross Blue Shield NC (BCBSNC) and UnitedHealthcare to administer the plan and pay claims. In utilizing a commercial-based plan, the SHP relies on the provider networks and negotiated prices of BCBSNC and UnitedHealthcare. The State Treasurer wants to bring more transparency to these pricing methods by using a reference-based model. In a reference-based model, the SHP would pay, on average, 177 percent of what Medicare pays for the same service (For more information on this plan, see my State Health Plan Primer ).In 2018, the treasurer announced that he would be changing how the SHP pays for services by moving from a commercial-based plan to a reference-based plan. Members of the General Assembly have filed a bill that would keep the current reimbursement method in place until 2021.The Treasurer's Office is concerned about the long-term solvency of the SHP, which provides benefits for over 700,000 state employees, retirees, and their families. As of last year, the plan had just over $1.1 billion in reserves, while it spent almost $3.5 billion on claims. The unfunded liability of the plan is nearly $30 billion.The SHP Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve these changes with the goal to save $300 million a year while giving roughly $60 million in out-of-pocket reductions to the members of the SHP.The North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) - formerly the North Carolina Hospital Association - claimed that the changes could impede the ability of some providers to care for patients. Given North Carolina's unique rural population compared to other states, this concern is not unfounded.However, the benefits of the reference-based reimbursement method have been documented previously. The California Public Employees' Retirement System implemented something similar to Treasurer Folwell's proposed plan for 450,000 members in 2011. Health economist Austin Frakt discussed the results:These results should not be surprising. As there is more information for market actors to make decisions, the ability for consumers to link prices to quality increases. The U.S. health care system suffers from a lack of necessary information about prices. The lack of direct purchasing at the point of sale has dramatically distorted the market for health care services. By making prices public and letting facilities and providers compete for the customers, prices are more in line with market value and patients are better off.However, there are limitations to the reference-based proposal that make it challenging to implement. For example, there needs to be a fair amount of competition between hospitals, but very little competition exists due to protectionist policies. Information about prices must be readily available. The Trump Administration required hospitals to post their chargemasters, which is a document that lists prices for each service, but the information is still misunderstood by the typical health care shopper.Despite these issues, Treasurer Folwell has shed light on important problems. Why is there so little transparency in hospital pricing? Why do consumers have such little power in the health care purchasing process? What can we do to combat surprise bills and balance billing?The NCHA has proposed switching the State Health Plan to a value-based reimbursement model. Some North Carolina hospitals have been able to create some savings by using this reimbursement method. It remains unknown, however, how much savings the SHP would realize by switching to this type of reimbursement model. As Dr. James Robinson, professor of health economics, pointed out, "Reference pricing has a remarkable short-term, immediate impact on consumer choices moving toward cheaper options. While I don't see it as a long-term solution to all of the ills of the health care system, it is a way of getting patients engaged and offering a market reward to providers who choose to price their services more affordably. The market reward is that if you lower your price, you get more customers; reference pricing helps that happen."While the stakeholders in this debate continue to weigh benefits and costs of the Treasurer Folwell's proposed plan, everyone in the health care sector should be asking how we can make the system more affordable and more consumer friendly.
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Annapolis, Md.

Thousands of educators and parents clad in red marched through the Maryland state capital on Monday evening, waving protest signs with slogans like, The Time Is Now, Fund Our Schools, and Schools Just Want to Have Funds.

The purpose of the march, estimated to be the largest in downtown Annapolis in nearly a decade, was to urge legislators to increase school funding by $325 million for fiscal year 2020 and by $750 million in fiscal year 2021. That proposalwhich has been introduced by Democratic leaders in the state House would include money to provide a 1.5 percent average teacher pay raise and expand services for at-risk learners. These are recommendations from a statewide commission studying how to best improve Marylands public schools.

Teachers and parents marching said they cant wait any longer for an investment into schools. They pointed to stagnant pay, dilapidated school buildings, unwieldy class sizes, and a lack of mental health resources for at-risk students.

Were trying to do the best we can, but Im sick of being told theres no money, said Josh Halpren, an 8th grade U.S. history teacher in Silver Spring, Md.

He teaches in a school building that was built in 1951 and hasnt been renovated since the 1970s. Its falling apart, he said, with classroom doors that dont lock, finicky air conditioning units, and instances of sewage backing up in the hallway.

Erika Meijer, a middle school health teacher in Prince Georges County, said she had to wait two years to get five lightbulbs replaced in her classroom. Her colleague Patrick Wilborn, a 9th grade U.S. history teacher in the county, said he had to wait four or five months to get a new projectorand the replacement was a used projector that was five years older.

We dont have basic resources ... for our students to have what they need, Meijer said.

Maryland spends $13,075 per student, according to an Education Week Research Center analysis adjusted for regional differences. Thats slightly above the national average of about $12,500.

Still, educators say school spending varies widely by counties. And according to a 2016 study by consultants to Marylands education department, public schools in the state are annually underfunded by $2.9 billion. The consultants calculated that amount by asking Maryland educators what they would need to help their students achieve, and then studying how much those strategies would cost.

Many teachers pointed to the need for more school counselors, saying that students today require more trauma-informed services and social supports. Kendra Lee, a counselor in Howard County, said she and one other counselor serve 715 students at their school. Its not enough, she said, and is much higher than the 250-to-1 ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association.

With additional counselors at school, Lee said she would be able to give more students individual attention, and be less reactive and more proactive.

Reducing class sizes was another rallying cry for teachers. Chris Wilhelm, an English-as-a-second language teacher, said some of his colleagues have upwards of 30 students in a class, and teach several classes a day. That makes it nearly impossible to build meaningful relationships, he said.

Every year, were fighting to make sure our classes are small enough to give kids the attention they need, he said.

Higher Teacher Pay

Teachers were also marching for higher wages. The average teacher salary in Maryland is $68,357, according to the National Education Association . Thats higher than the national average of $59,660.

But Melanie Conopask and Tilly Coyle, teachers in Anne Arundel County, said their district froze teacher pay during the Great Recession in 2008. Since then, the district has not funded step increases to bring veteran teachers up to where they should be on the pay scale.

Conopask said teachers are leaving the county or the profession altogether. And Coyle added that members of her schools staff couldnt attend the evening march because they were working another job.

Katherine Luettgen, a music teacher at an early childhood education center for students with special needs in Prince Georges County, said she has five side jobs, in addition to teaching and going to graduate school. Her husband is also a special education teacher.

Its hard to live and teach in Maryland, she said. We love to teach, but we worry: Is it sustainable? We feel like we spend all day with other peoples children, but can we afford to have our own?

She said theyve both considered leaving the profession.

Shae Savoy, a high school English and creative writing teacher in Baltimore County, said she has two masters degrees and still barely makes enough to pay her bills some months. She held a sign at the march that said, Damn those rich teachers and their 98 Camrys.

Seeing thousands of teachers clamoring for more resources feels exhilarating, Savoy said.

Theres no way we can be stopped if we stand in solidarity, she said, adding that it feels like Maryland teachers are on the precipice of great change.

See also: Where Have There Been Teacher Strikes and Protests? (Map)

This is the first large-scale protest by Maryland teachers in a year of nationwide teacher activism. Cheryl Bost, the president of the Maryland State Education Association, said she doesnt see a statewide work stoppage or strike on the radar here. Right now, she said, legislators seem receptive to making an increased investment in public education. One of the goals of Mondays march, she said, was to put pressure on Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.

About 1,500 miles away in Texas, teachers rallied at the state Capitol for increased school funding on Monday, too. The protest was part of the American Federation of Teachers campaign Fund Our Future, which is calling for increased federal and state investment in public education. Most schools were closed for spring break, so it was not a work stoppage. (While the Maryland rally was organized separately from the Fund Our Future campaign, AFT does represent a few local unions in the state, including the Baltimore Teachers Union.)

However, last week, at least four school districts in Kentuckyincluding the states largestwere forced to close because of a high volume of teachers calling in sick to protest several education-related bills at the legislature. That was the third time this spring that Kentucky districts have had to close because of an orchestrated sick-out.

Marietta English, the president of the Baltimore Teachers Union, said educators across Maryland have been inspired by the Red For Ed movement around the country. Teachers are ready to fight for what they need, and for what their students need, she said.

We think its our time. Its our time for our voices to be heard, she said. We have been silent for some time.

Images by Kaitlyn Dolan/Education Week


Update: See below for important corrections to this story





"Fruit Belt" is a 150-year-old predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo that has faced a series of systemic hurdles, each worsening the next, with the latest being the erasure of its very name, with the Big Tech platforms unilaterally renaming the area "Medical Park."

The neighborhood's story shares a lot with other historically Black, northern neighborhoods: boosted in part by the Great Migration and in part by the razing of other historically Black Buffalo neighborhoods on the east side. In the 1960s, racist slum-clearance policies led to clearance of a large part of the neighborhood and the creation of a huge, university-affiliated medical park with two massive hospitals. The decades that followed were attended by relentless pressure from city government and planners to establish a "medical corridor" in the neighborhood, with more displacements of the families that made up the community.





Rents skyrocketed and landlords began to take properties off the market, allowing them to sit vacant in the hopes of flipping them to developers. An African-American cultural center was torn down, as were many homes.





But the final indignity was when all the online maps of Buffalo began referring to the neighborhood as "Medical Park." Onezero's Caitlin Dewey sleuthed out the way this came to pass, and it's a fascinating tale.





In the early 2000s, a dotcom startup called Urban Mapping hired low-waged recent college grads to catalog neighborhood names referenced in online sources like blogs, marketing sites, city plans, and real-estate sites. Lax antitrust enforcement allowed Urban Mapping's competitor Maponics to acquire it; and then allowed the postage meter giant Pitney Bowes to acquire both companies, becoming virtually the only supplier of neighborhood mapping data in the US.





The data-sources that Maponics/Urban Mapping/Pitney Bowes relied on were systemically biased against "Fruit Belt." The local residents who used that name lived in a poor, besieged neighborhood where skyrocketing rents and the closure of local community centers meant that there was less surplus cash lying around to pay for expensive, primitive computers, to say nothing of the spare phone line, dial-up ISP service and modems (or rare, expensive DSL service) that were required to participate in the early blogosphere. Realtors were more apt to use "Medical Park" than "Fruit Belt" in their listings, because they were actively trying to erase the neighborhood's history and replace it with a clean slate targeting medical researchers and other high-income newcomers.



Update: Pitney Bowes denies that they were Google's source for the incorrect description of Medical Campus and Caitlin Dewey has confirmed that she will correct her story. We apologize to Pitney Bowes for incorrectly identifying them as the source of the error.

Information provided by Pitney Bowes Director of Communications Emily Simmons showed that Pitney Bowes does indeed incorrectly name the Fruit Belt area as Medical Campus; Ms Simmons referred to a related Wikipedia post to indicate that this was not uniquely Pitney Bowes's miscategorization.





Ms Simmons threatened legal action in pursuit of this correction. While I do not believe that there was any legally objectionable material in this post, I'm glad to make the correction, and I do so in pursuit of accuracy and not in response to a groundless legal threat.

One company's blind spot became the entire internet's blind spot, rippling out through mapping services thanks to Pitney Bowes's dominance.





It appears that the fatal blow came when Pitney Bowes someone (see update, above) ingested a 1999 report on poverty in Buffalo that used census data to draw boundaries around 54 Buffalo neighborhoods; for some reason, this map referred to Fruit Belt as "Medical Park," and that single reference became the authoritative one.

As I said, this is a really good example of how systemic bias works.





Some of it is overt racism: Jim Crow kicking off the Great Migration; bulldozing of Buffalo's east side Black neighborhoods; the "slum clearance" movement of the 1960s leading to the razing of parts of the neighborhood; redlining contributing to low rates of home ownership, making the community vulnerable to landlords who leave properties vacant in the hopes of selling them to developers.

But some of it is just a failure to account for overt racism: the failure to consider who has access to the systems being used as data-sources for the canonical mapping database.





And some of it illustrates how systemic bias undermines the resiliency of targeted communities, so that universally problematic pathologies exact a higher cost from poor and racialized people: poor antitrust enforcement led to Pitney-Bowes's dominance (and the dominance of the Big Tech platforms it supplies with neighborhood data), and we all suffer from that, but poor and racialized people have fewer avenues to push back to defend their neighborhoods from the fallout. Update: While Pitney Bowes's dominance is indeed due to lax antitrust enforcement that should have prevented its growth through the acquisition of nascent competitors, the firm did not supply Google with the incorrect map data.





Systemic bias doesn't require that people be overtly racist, and monopolism doesn't require that people be incompetent. The problem isn't that Pitney Bowes the unnamed firm responsible for the incorrect map data was especially stupid in its data-collection and refinining, it's that everyone makes mistakes, and when there's only one dominant player in the mix, its foibles and blind spots take on vastly outsized roles.



There is little indication that either Google or Pitney Bowes (Update: Pitney Bowes did not give Google the incorrect data, though their neighborhood label for Buffalo does incorrectly class Fruit Belt as Medical Campus) will make this process easier or more transparent in the future; while Google says it invites user feedback on its maps, it doesn't always act on those suggestions. And even that process, which involves clicking through three levels of menus, precludes users with limited computer skills. (Says the geographer Matthew Zook: "Communities that are not well represented in the online world tend not to show up as much" on digital maps.) Pitney Bowes offers no method for users to submit corrections. This victory is partial for the Fruit Belt, too. Residents are glad, of course, to get their name back. But some wonder how long mistaken impressions may linger  and everyone acknowledges the name change won't address the Fruit Belt's underlying problems.



Rents continue to rise and developers are circling the neighborhood, looking for investments. Next year, advocates say, some Fruit Belt homeowners will get slammed by property tax reassessments as a result of rising property values, spurred by the Medical Campus. But as residents continue to fight, says Lott, they'll have the basic certainty their community is seen  by Google, at the very least.



"The thing with Google, it dampened people's spirits who have been there struggling all their lives," Lott says. "But it's good, it's good now. It's a neighborhood where people are really close and concerned about each other. And you don't see that, probably not anywhere."



How Google's Bad Data Wiped a Neighborhood off the Map [Caitlin Dewey/Onezero Medium]





(via /.)
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Bowalley Road Rules



The blogosphere tends to be a very noisy, and all-too-often a very abusive, place. I intend Bowalley Road to be a much quieter, and certainly a more respectful, place.

So, if you wish your comments to survive the moderation process, you will have to follow the Bowalley Road Rules.

These are based on two very simple principles:

Courtesy and Respect.

Comments which are defamatory, vituperative, snide or hurtful will be removed, and the commentators responsible permanently banned.

Anonymous comments will not be published. Real names are preferred. If this is not possible, however, commentators are asked to use a consistent pseudonym.

Comments which are thoughtful, witty, creative and stimulating will be most welcome, becoming a permanent part of the Bowalley Road discourse.

However, I do add this warning. If the blog seems in danger of being over-run by the usual far-Right suspects, I reserve the right to simply disable the Comments function, and will keep it that way until the perpetrators find somewhere more appropriate to vent their collective spleen.


Before you head out on March 17th in head-to-toe green to guzzle a pint of Guinness, you should know that neither of those traditions have anything to do with the real Saint Patrick. Even more surprising? Saint Patrick isnt even his real name. Here are 8 St. Patricks Day fact thatll have you saying Irish I knew that sooner!



Saint Patrick was actually British.

Although hes one of Irelands most celebrated figures, Patrick was born around the year 390 in what is now England, Scotland or Wales. As the story goes, he was kidnapped into slavery at age 16 and brought over to Ireland. He then escaped to a monastery in Gaul (around present day France), where he converted to Christianity. Thats where he became a priest and then eventually a bishop. He returned to Ireland in 432 as a missionary, where he played a major role in converting the Irish to Christianity. After his death, he was named Irelands patron saint.

His real name was Maewyn Succat.

Yes, you read that correctly. Maewyn Succat was his name until he changed it to Patrick when he became a bishop.

March 17th is not Saint Patricks birthday.

St. Patricks Day observers who might have thought they were celebrating the saints birthday will be surprised to learn that March 17, 461 AD is actually the day he died.

RELATED: All of the Lucky Celebs Born on St. Patricks Day

The first St. Patricks Day parade happened in America, not Ireland.

The first parade took place in New York City in 1762. With an increase of Irish immigrants coming into the United States, St. Patricks Day quickly became a widespread holiday. According to Metro NY, approximately 150,000 people participate in the New York City parade each year and around two million people come out to watch.

It used to be a dry holiday.

St. Patricks Day was considered a religious holiday in Ireland for most of the 20th century so all pubs would close on March 17th. Once it became a national holiday in 1970, everything changed and pubs have become a go-to spot for many to celebrate.

Story continues

Everyone should be wearing blue, not green.

Blue was actually the color that was most associated with Patrick and green was considered unlucky. Blue is still considered symbolic of Ireland  so how did green become the go-to hue for those who dont want to get pinched?

Historically, green has been the color thats been linked to a series of Irish rebellions that took place in order to gain independence from the English crown. The color stuck once waves of Irish immigrants made their home in America and began wearing green and carrying the Irish flag to show their pride for their home country.

RELATED: The Best Outfits to Wear on St. Patricks Day for Any Possible Plans

The shamrock was NOT originally used as a teaching tool.

Many believe that St. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to teach others about the Christian Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) but that hasnt been proven to be true. However, the number three was a sacred number in Irish mythology, so it does make sense for the shamrock to hold that connection to the Holy Trinity  just likely not in an instructive way.

There are no female leprechauns.

Ever wonder why youve never seen a lady leprechaun? The answer is: They dont exist! There has been no record of female leprechauns and whats even more interesting is that leprechauns are considered to be part of the fairy family. Some have even said that leprechauns are the rejected fairies who have been ousted by the fairy community, which explains why theyre usually described as grouchy creatures who are prone to mischief.
Tattoo lovers and artists gathered in Regina this weekend for the 15th annual Pile O' Bones Tattoo Convention.

"Regina has a really strong tattoo community and we just try to show it off to the rest of the province and the rest of Canada," organizer Richard Bandet.

The event attracts artists from across the country, he said.

"There's definitely an energy, you know, hearing the tattoo machines working and just the atmosphere of all the people that are excited to see each other," Bandet said. "It's really energizing."

Heidi Atter/CBC

"When I was a kid I was obsessed with dinosaurs," Samantha Ponto said while showing her fossil tattoo. "I still am. My poppa got me into dinosaurs because I was raised by my grandparents."

For Ponto, the tattoo is a reminder of her childhood and searching at Buffalo Pound with her Poppa.

"My favourite part of my childhood was always looking for fossils with him."

Heidi Atter/CBC

Carter Couzens was in a chair for a while at the convention as he had a piece worked on for around six hours.

"Each of the flowers represents a woman in my life. So my mom, mother-in-law, wife and this tiger woman headdress thing is kind of like a continuation of that," he said. "And it's basically just...I don't know, a symbol of the strong women in my life."

Jared Gottselig said his favourite tattoo is the one he got done on March 16 that are 'nerd tattoos.'

"I'm getting Pokemon themed tattoos on my forearm. I'm going to be getting the Pokeball and the first gym badges as kind of a game that I grew up with and just got a lot of childhood memories from it," Gotsling said as he headed in to go under the needle.

Heidi Atter/CBC

Marissa Young's favourite tattoo is two flowers coloured in the birthstone colours of her two children.

"I didn't want to get the generic like the kids names and the birthday and everything. So I was like 'Can you just put their birthstone colours in the flowers?' So once the blue it's closest to Sapphire and then the other ones Ruby for my son," she said. "I love it."

Story continues

"My kids love it. Zoe, she's five," she laughed. "She wants a tattoo but you're five kid, so no."

Heidi Atter/CBC

Mina von Staden Hodges was being tattooed for around nine hours at the convention. She said the concept took months to come to pass.

"I've always loved mermaids, sirens, anything really mythical. But I also wanted something that I thought was really powerful not only in regards to female stereotypes but something that allowed women to take back their power," she said. "It's gothic, it's beautiful, it's empowering."

Heidi Atter/CBC

"My favourite tattoo is probably the praying mantis on my arm. I got him really just because I have a huge interest in insects and they're just so cute," Britt Melland said.

"I think their faces, I think they're very cute. I like their mating ritual that....like, the male insect will sacrifice itself for its children. I think that's really cute."
JERUSALEM (AP)  The Latest on Israel-Gaza (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

Israeli defense officials said after a preliminary investigation that the Gaza rockets that hit the Tel Aviv area were apparently fired by mistake.

The officials were quoted Friday in Israeli media. The Israeli military declined to comment on the reports.

It was not immediately clear if the rocket fire was a result of human error or technical malfunction. The Israeli daily Haaretz quoted the officials as saying the two rockets were fired during maintenance work.

The apparent misfire came as Gaza's Hamas rulers were in negotiations with Egyptian mediators about a truce deal with Israel. The assessment indicated that Hamas had no intention of escalating violence with Israel.

Earlier, the military had held Hamas responsible for the rocket fire at Tel Aviv, the first such attack in five years.

___

12:10 p.m.

A Hamas official says an agreement to restore calm between Gaza militants and Israel has been reached.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity Friday because the Islamic militant group is yet to announce, said Egypt led meditation efforts "that have apparently paid off."

After about 7:30 a.m. Friday, there were no reports of outgoing Palestinian rocket attacks or Israeli airstrikes.

In what appeared to be a step to bolster the Egyptian efforts, organizers announced the cancellation of the weekly protests along the Gaza-Israel frontier, an activity that has been going on for a year and has often led to a violence flare-up.

___

8:00 a.m.

The Israeli military says it struck 100 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to rocket fire.

The army said early Friday that targets included an office complex in Gaza City, an underground complex that served as Hamas' main rocket-manufacturing site, and a center used for a Hamas drone program.

The airstrikes followed a rare rocket attack on the Israeli metropolis of Tel Aviv late Thursday. Israel says Hamas fired the rockets, though Hamas and a smaller militant group, Islamic Jihad, both denied involvement.

The fighting broke out amid Egyptian efforts to broker an expanded cease-fire deal between the bitter enemies, who last fought a war in 2014.

Several barrages of rocket fire continued during the night.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier to death in the occupied West Bank on Sunday and used his rifle to wound another soldier and a Jewish settler before escaping, Israeli officials said. The incident began at an intersection near Ariel, a large settlement, where the Palestinian, having carried out the stabbing and grabbed the slain soldier's gun, fired at three vehicles, hitting a civilian, the Israeli military said. He then hijacked a car, driving it to another nearby junction where he shot a second soldier before continuing on to a nearby Palestinian village. It was not immediately clear if more than one assailant was involved. Settler officials identified the wounded civilian as a local rabbi. Hospital officials said he was in critical condition. In public remarks at the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of several assailants, saying: "Security forces are pursuing the attackers. I am certain they will be apprehended." Jason Greenblatt, the White House's Middle East envoy, said on Twitter: "We condemn today's brutal attack by a Palestinian terrorist." The Islamist group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, praised the West Bank attack as a "natural response to crimes committed by the Israeli occupation". The statement stopped short of a claim of responsibility. In southern Gaza, the attack was announced over mosque loudspeakers and Hamas activists handed out sweets to passersby in celebration. The Israeli military said it did not yet know if the attacker was affiliated with any organization. Palestinians, many of them individuals without known associations with militant groups, carried out a wave of attacks in the West Bank in late 2015 and 2016, but the frequency of such incidents has since decreased. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians seek to establish a state there and in the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014. (Writing by Jeffrey Heller, Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza, editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Canada hopes to make a splash at the 2020 Venice Biennale in Architecture by sending a team of Montrealers who'll show how Canadian cities masquerade as other locales in film and television.

This week, the Canada Council for the Arts announced that Montreal architecture and design studio T B A will represent Canada at the prestigious event with their project Impostor Cities  which will be curated by David Theodore, the Canada Research Chair in Architecture at McGill University.

Tom Balaban is one of the co-founders of T B A and he has gotten used to spotting Canadian cities hiding in plain sight in films and television.

He said often, the shot of a building in Toronto or Montreal will be spliced in with three or four other buildings to create what is supposed to be another city entirely.

The practice is so widespread that spotting Canada has become a kind of game within architecture circles.

Submitted by the Canada Council

"We're not the only ones," Balaban said. "I'm sure everybody who notices familiar buildings in films probably has had this discussion with their friends."

Impostor Cities will include supercuts of architecture in Canadian cities appearing on screen dating back to the 1950s.

He said that it's rare for cities in the United States and Europe to play anything but themselves  London is London, New York is New York  but Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver, for example, can be anywhere.

He said a big reason why is the variety of architectural styles present in Canadian cities.

"We've kept these buildings. We haven't demolished them," he said.

But Canada isn't alone and increasingly, "Eastern Europe also has started playing this this impostor game."

Getting to Venice

A jury for the Canada Council selected the Impostor Cities project to go to Venice, and with that, $500,000 will go toward both creating the exhibition, and the work involved in being its commissioner.

Carolyn Warren, the director of the Canada Council's arts granting programs, said working as commissioner to Imposter Cities means supporting the team as they build the exhibition and send it to Venice.

Story continues

"Just getting things on and off boats is a challenge in that city," she said.

The Canada Council will help organize the opening ceremony for the exhibition and make sure Canada's contribution achieves the highest profile possible, Warren said.

The Venice Biennale in Architecture was established in 1980 and brings together architects from around the world to showcase their projects in different pavilions. It will run from May to November of next year.

Warren said it's difficult to get noticed, but thinks Impostor Cities is just the kind of work that will make a splash.

For Balaban and the team, now that they are officially headed to Italy, the real work on the project begins.

That means planning and designing the exhibition, getting the rights to show clips from movies and shows, marketing, and writing essays for a book accompanying it.

"It just makes us want to drop everything and work on this for the next year," Balaban said.
The Sickle Cell Association of Ontario  the organization founded by Lillie Johnson 37 years ago  paid tribute to her on Saturday as she celebrated her 97th birthday.

"As I look around me now, it seems as if I have done a special thing for so many young people to be around me, and I enjoy them. So, that for me is a real accomplishment," Johnson told CBC Toronto.

"Thank you Lord for this very happy and engaged life of mine throughout the years. [It] has paid off and I'm happy about that."

Johnson, who emigrated from her native Jamaica to Canada in 1960, went on to serve as the first black Director of Public Health in Ontario.

Over the years, she has received numerous awards, including:

Toronto Public Health Champion Award in 2009.

Recipient of the Order of Ontario in 2010.

Black Health Alliance Legacy Award in 2014.

Ryerson University Viola Desmond Award in 2015.

100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women Honoree in 2016.

Long-Term Care Lifetime Achievement Award  Ontario Long Term Care Association in 2016.

Ontario Senior Achievement Award in 2017.

Garry Asselstine/CBC

Johnson, through her association, was instrumental in having sickle cell anemia added to newborn screening in Ontario, but she said "it was a tough fight."

Meanwhile, she said the association she founded is in capable hands and is continuing its work.

"They have done an excellent job. I just relax," Johnson said, adding that she is "very, very happy because not much was known about sickle cell," prior to the work done by the association.
Marvin Kaye said he was taken aback when, last weekend, he was told he'd have to use self-checkout at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Ajax, Ont.

"Everybody is being funnelled, herded through this self-checkout."

After protesting, Kaye said he was told he could go to a cashier  if he paid cash. He had none, so that option was out.

"I find it distasteful that I can't even get that basic level of customer service," said Kaye, who grudgingly used the self-checkout machine to pay for his purchase.

"If I wasn't with my daughter, I might have just dropped my stuff on the floor and walked out."

Many large retailers are adding self-checkout machines to stores, claiming they're offering more choice. But several Shoppers Drug Mart and Real Canadian Superstore customers complained to CBC News that they were recently given only one choice: self-checkout.

Each Shoppers Drug Mart customer relayed the same experience: because they were paying with debit or credit, they were ordered to use the self-checkout machine  which accepts cards but not cash.

"They're forcing me to use it and I don't think that's fair," said Linda Chaikowski, who was directed to self-checkout last week at a Shoppers in Winnipeg.

"I use a cane to walk with. To use this machine, I have to put my cane down, I have to find a place to put my purse, I have to pack the stuff. It's just too much."

CBC

Nancy McCurdy said she was also forced to use the machines this week at a Shoppers in London, Ont.

"I hate these new blasted self-checkouts, because they talk to you and I can't figure out what they're saying," said McCurdy, who is hard of hearing.

Marvin Kaye, the Shoppers customer in Ajax, Ont., suspects the retailer is pushing self-checkout as a way to save on labour costs  a saving he suggests should be passed on to customers.

"If I'm going to go through, pay me for the 10 minutes that I have to stand there and figure out which button to push."

Story continues

Customers should have choice, Loblaw says

Loblaw Co., which owns Real Canadian Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart, said it expects stores to always give customers the option of checking out with a cashier.

"We've now heard from a few customers that some [Shoppers] stores are encouraging those using credit or debit to use self-checkout," said spokesperson Catherine Thomas in an email.

"It is not our intention that customers feel they do not have a choice, and we have reminded all stores of this expectation."

CBC

Customers have also complained they were not offered a cashier option at grocer, Superstore.

Kerri-Lynn Parker said that around 10 p.m. last Sunday, there were no cashiers open at her Superstore in Edmonton, so she was told to use a machine.

"[An employee] said, 'We will help you.' And I said, 'Nope,' and I dropped my basket and I walked out," said Parker.

"The more people accept it, the more it's going to happen. It's a slippery slope."

CBC

Jared Gossen said he also discovered no cashiers on staff early Friday morning, both this week and last, at the Superstore in Grande Prairie, Alta. On both occasions, Gossen had a cartful of food for a weekly breakfast program he runs at the St. Lawrence Centre drop-in shelter.

He said he got help scanning his items at self-checkout, but was upset to learn from an employee that the store would have no cashiers from 7 to 9 a.m. every day.

"So, virtually now, I work for Loblaws for free," said Gossen.

"It's this disturbing trend of large corporations passing on labour to their customers."

Loblaw said there should always be a cash lane open for Superstore customers.

"We are sorry to hear about these stories and have reached out to stores to clarify our expectations," said spokesperson Catherine Thomas.

"As a customer-centric company, our goal is to make shopping more convenient, not to mandate how customers check out their purchases."

'It's probably a little trial balloon'

Shoppers and Superstore aren't the first stores to face accusations of mandatory self-checkout. In November, CBC News interviewed two Walmart customers who complained that no cashier lanes were open at their local store during certain hours.

Walmart Canada said its goal is to have a cashier available at all times.

Toronto retail consultant Bruce Winder said retailers often experiment with different ways to cut costs. But he believes mandatory self-checkout is one experiment that won't stick because, while some people love using the machines, other customers detest them.

"It's probably a little trial balloon to see if they can get away with it," says Winder, co-founder of the Retail Advisors Network. "But I'm certain that customers will revolt, and they'll have to reverse it."

Zoe Todd/CBC

The two Walmart customers said their store now appears to have backtracked on not providing cashiers at certain hours.

And Linda Chaikowski, the Shoppers customer in Winnipeg, has reported that during her most recent visit this week to the same store, she was allowed to pay at the cashier using her debit card.

"I'm glad they're changing it and realizing that there's an issue," she said.
The high school friend of a victim of the New Zealand mosque massacres said when he didn't hear back from a message asking him if he was OK, he assumed he was out helping people affected by the violence.

Ultimately, Shaukat Khan, 49, was heartbroken to learn of the death of Naeem Rashid, 50, and Rashid's son Talha, 21.

Khan went to high school with Rashid in Abbottabad, Pakistan from 1983 to 1986, but the pair remained in touch over the years as their lives took them abroad in separate directions.

"He always used to be the one we looked up to," Khan said of Rashid from his home in Surrey, B.C., on Saturday. "He was more responsible. He had a lot of respect from his friends he was very kind to each and everybody."

Facebook/naeem.rashid.334

Rashid, and his son were killed on Friday March 15 when an armed man opened fire at two mosques in New Zealand.

Videos show Rashid trying to tackle the gunman, according to his brother. Khan said he was not surprised to hear that Rashid would try to save the lives of others.

"Somebody you look up to as very humble, very caring, very pious, a very thorough human being," Khan said.

Khan said both he and Rashid became bankers, with Khan moving to Canada in 1999 with his family. The two stayed in touch over social media, often exchanging messages and having conversations.

Out helping?

Rashid moved to New Zealand where Khan said he began teaching and working towards a PhD. They spoke regularly about how grateful they were to be raising their families in countries where diversity was respected and accepted.

Khan said Rashid has two surviving sons with the youngest born in 2014.

When Khan heard about the violence in New Zealand, he sent his friend a Facebook message, but didn't hear back.

"I was praying that himself and his family is OK and I did not receive any response and I was thinking in my head ... he's the kind of guy who will go out of his way and help out the community in the times of need," Khan said.

Story continues

Sadly, the next day he learned through other high school friends that Rashid and Rashid's son were two of the victims.

'Very tough times for us'

"Very, very heartbroken and very, very tough times for us," he said about the loss.

The last time the friends corresponded was seven months ago when Khan asked Rashid to come for a visit in Canada, something he said his friend was enthusiastic about.

Now, Khan, who is a member of the group Pakistan Canada Association, is helping to try and raise funds to allow Rashid's mother to get from Pakistan to New Zealand for his funeral.
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..The Warped Mirror..17 March '19..A recent article in the(NYT) travel section described Jaffa as Tel Avivs Unexpected Luxury Hotspot and included several photos that should make everyone want to visit. Unsurprisingly, it also drew the ire of anti-Israel activists, who claimed the piece ignored Palestinians. The NYT responded to the resulting fury by revising the article and appending a contrite Editors Note that was promptly mocked. As leading anti-Israel activist Yousef Munayyer put it: Ooops, we forgot Palestinians exist!According to the editors note, the revision also included mentioning the expulsion of many [Jaffa] residents in 1948. Indeed, the article now includes a sentence that claims: In 1948, when the State of Israel was founded, most of Jaffas Arab residents were forcibly removed from their homes.So Im afraid another correction is necessary.
This is the blog of China defense, where professional analysts and serious defense enthusiasts share findings on a rising military power.
I have been studying apologetics for twelve years now, and it has become an important part of my life. Not only have my studies provided me with answers, but I have seen apologetics equip Christians to provide an answer to everyone.

As I read, think, wrestle, argue and discuss, I realise a good way to approach apologetics is to think about giving answers and seeking answers.

The problem with cookie cutter answers

In my early days of reading apologetic-related resources, I would share with students and seekers as part of my university ministry. I would often give cookie cutter answers; very precise and verbatim from the books I was reading. This method wasnt always as effective as I hoped! These answers often had a lot of underlying assumptions as to the motives of the questioner; this wasunderstandablynot always met with appreciation.

I realised it is wiser to let people speak for themselves and for me to be slow to speak and quick to listen. The everyone we seek to give an answer to is a diverse group. Not everyone will be combative, adversarial or seeking to trapdifferent people ask similar questions for different reasons.

For example, the question how could a good God allow evil and suffering? may be motivated by a number of reasons. Some question Gods existence, while others question the existence of a loving God. This sort of question is a struggle for both believers and unbelievers.

Everyone is diverse and should not be viewed under the lens of stereotypes. Alistair McGrath makes and excellent point along these lines in his book Mere Apologetics, he says:

One of the first things that the apologist learns when he does apologeticsas opposed to just reading books about itis that audiences vary enormously. Each person has his or her own specific difficulties about faith and must not be reduced to a generalised stereotype.

Consider context

As we shape our answers to address questions, we must also realise that the people we engage with are not untethered from their time and context. This understanding helps us to understand their expectations, struggles, and also their questions.

McGrath speaks very poignantly about understanding context:

We also need to reflect on the cultural context within which we proclaim, explain and commend the gospel. People do not exist in cultural vacuums. They live in a specific situation, and often absorb at least some of its ideas and values.

Essentially, we are all men and women of our times and cultural contexts; we are its products, this shapes the questions asked and the answers we can give. In the modern era, rationalism was a big thing and major questions asked were more or less along the lines of Gods existence.

In todays society the questions may be less about how rational Christianity is and more about how existentially meaningful it is. In other words: What does Christianity mean to me in a relational and emotional sense.

Seek to give and receive answers

Finally, as we seek to give and receive answers, I think it is vital that we have proper expectations. I have come to realise that people seek two key things in their quest for truth: reasons and answers.

During the modern era rationalism was the order of the day and, in many cases, people bought into the idea that if a thing was unexplainable, then it should not be believed. Reason was crowned king and arguments were a means of disseminating and coming to knowledge of the truth. Even in Christianity a rational defence of the faith became a useful tool in the arsenal of the apologist. McGrath makes a very noteworthy and timeless remark:

One of the problems here is that rationalist approaches tend to minimise the element of mystery within the Christian faith in order to make Christianity appear more accessible to reason.

I would be the first to say Christianity is rational, but also the first to say reason alone cannot sufficeit is a delicate balance. The questioner might demand pure rationalism of Christianity, and we can oftenwith good intentionsbe drawn into this line of argument unwisely.

Blaise Pascal wrote rather astutely, The heart has its reasons, which reason knows not, as we feel in a thousand instances. Not all answers are logical and can be so easily explainable, in giving answers we must realise that reason will take you only so far. Man is not only cerebral but emotional; it is both the head and the heart that comes into play.

While studying in France, I spoke to a professor who was visiting for the day and I said to him: I am not a scientist; and when the subject switches to that, I am out of my depth. He replied, Son, thats ok; the worst scientist are the ones that are just scientists. For him, when all of life is focused on facts and no emotion, it creates an imbalance. This is why I believe people need answers, not purely reasons, as some answers cannot be answered purely rationally.

On the other hand, this does not mean truth is unknowable or relative. This is simply a reality with an obvious tension; to relax it is to slip into error on either side.

Rather than being purely rational, we must have confidence in our answers. Society will want to relegate our answers to a place of irrelevancyas being antiquated and impracticalbut the outlook is wrong. Answers must firstly be accessed as being truthful or not.

Transforming words worth sharing

Giving answers is not just a good thing to be doing but biblically directed in 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 15 : But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

I do hope that the answers that Jesus Christ provides will continue to illuminate darkness of our lives with the life transforming answers it gives, as Jesus rightly says: My words are spirit and they are life.

Paul Lewis is a Staff Worker for Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship in Kingston Jamaica, where he also resides. He has aspirations of becoming a Christian apologist and he loves reading, especially topics like: History, Philosophy and Theology. You can follow him on Twitter @PaulAULewis

Paul Lewis' previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/paul-lewis.html




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has aired extracts of video from the Christchurch terror attacks at an election rally over the weekend.As large crowds gathered to hear Erdogan speak, partially blurred out images of what appeared to be portions of Australian man Brenton Tarrant's 'manifesto' appeared on a nearby big screen.As Erdogan supporters raised their mobile phones to film the alleged terrorist propaganda the vision shifted to that of a man holding a rifle, with the sound of rapid gunfire echoing in the air.About 1.40pm on Friday Tarrant allegedly stormed Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Masjid, and opened fire killing 50 people and injuring another 50.The bodies of those killed in New Zealand's worst shooting massacre will soon be returned to their grieving families for burial. The victims were aged from three to 77. Just nine minutes before opening fire, Tarrant sent a 74-page 'manifesto' to dozens of individuals, including the office of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.Tarrant reportedly used the 'manifesto' to describe himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.Turkish authorities, along with Bulgaria and Croatia, have confirmed Tarrant, 28, had been to their countries in 2016-2018. Hungarian counterterrorism authorities also suggested Tarrant had visited but revealed no other information, and local media in Bosnia reported a 2017 trip there. During his unprecedented, live-streamed shooting spree Friday in Christchurch, Tarrant exposed his apparent fascination with the religious conflicts in Europe and the Balkans  a volatile region that has been the site of some of Europe's most violent clashes.Erdogan told the crowd Tarrant had visited Turkey twice and had warned that Turks have no place in Europe, according to Global News CanadaHe claimed Tarrant had 'targeted our country, our nation and myself' and said countries around the world had to stand against the rise of Islamophobia.'We do not want to see a cross and crescent conflict again,' the news outlet claims Erdogan told the rally in reference to the conflict between Christians and Muslims.'The wicked person who martyred (50) brothers and sisters is saying that we can stay on the Anatolian side, we cannot pass to the European side. Who do you think you are?'Politicians in Pakistan and India have also expressed their grief, and shared messages of support to families who may have lost their loved ones.With wires
Nazrawit Abera, the 27 year old Ethiopian citizen imprisoned in China and facing a possible death sentence over a drug offense is gaining the attention of leading and influential players within the Government of Ethiopia, as well as the international media.





Since her story appeared on The Reporter, her issue has been covered by BBC Africa, the Voice of America, the Daily Mail newspaper in the United Kingdom; and officials within the Government of Ethiopia have promised to advocate for her case and see her released.





Diaspora activists have also started a petition to help save the life of the Civil Engineer.





Her family members contend that she became an accomplice to a crime by a childhood friend who had asked her to accompany her on a trip to China.





The friend eventually was said to have canceled at the last minute and pressured her to go ahead without her.





She was said to transport a made-in-Brazil shampoo bottles (sic) for her and which would later be discovered containing drugs.





Within days of starting a petition by a childhood friend, EromWalelgn, calling for her release, has gained the attention of more than 10,000 signatories and the attention of Abebe Abebayehu, head of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC).





Abebe confirmed to The Reporter that he had flagged her case to the Ethiopian Ambassador to China for his immediate attention and advocacy during his recent business trip to the country.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
I am a retired newspaperman. I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 44 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.



Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com
Gay equality used to be a contentious issue for Democrats. The DCCC and leadership assholes like Hoyer used to quietly counsel Democrats representing-- or running in-- swing districts to vote against equality-- and the Blue Dogs mostly did just that. That was then; now Democrats proudly embrace the LGBTQ community and there are more openly gay and lesbian members of Congress than ever before. As far as I can tell, the only overtly homophobic Blue Dog left in the House is Chicagoland fake Democrat Dan Lipinski.





And Lipinski has a primary again. Marie Newman, a strong progressive Democratic businesswoman and community leader is running again. Last week, she told her supporters that "234 House Democrats re-introduced the Equality Act-- a bill that would finally ban discrimination against LGBT Americans. It's legislation that's been kicking around Congress for over four decades-- and its never gotten a vote. That will change this year." Sounds good, right?





"But theres one House Democrat-- one in the whole country--" Marie reminded Chicago voters, "who doesn't support this civil rights legislation: Dan Lipinski. Once again, hes bucking the Democratic Party to stand against equality, something hes done consistently throughout his 14 years in Congress."





In her first run, in 2018, Marie fell just two percent short of defeating Lipinski and, she said, "Im gearing up to run again in no small part because of positions like this. Its a sad reality that we still need the Equality Act."





Blue America endorsed Marie in 2018 and we're endorsing her again this cycle. Please consider contributing what you can to her campaign by clicking on this link or tapping the Blue America Primary A Blue Dog thermometer on the right. Last cycle Marie was on the path to a clear victory when a flood of right-wing sewer money, organized by No Labels, came gushing into the race in the form of ads smearing Marie. Let's make sure she can respond if Murdoch money gets spent in IL-03 again this time.





Marie: "In more than half the country, its still legal to fire someone because of who they are or who they love. While some states have passed their own legislation, our federal civil rights laws simply dont apply to LGBT Americans nationwide. Most Americans agree were overdue in updating our civil rights laws. Every single Democrat in the United States House of Representatives is ready to take action. Every Democrat except for my representative. As a constituent, as a Democrat, as a mother, as a human being, I think its outrageous."





And this is not just a civic matter for her; it's also personal. Her daughter is a member of the LGBTQ community and, like any normal parent, she doesn't want to see her child-- or anyone's children-- discriminated against. And, by the way, in case you're wondering, when we say Marie Newman is a progressive fighter, it's not just because she's fighting for women's rights and racial equality and gay equality. She's also backing Medicare-For-All, the Green New Deal, a livable minimum wage and the other kinds of cutting edge policy that defines progressivism in the Age of Trump.
PetroVietnam risks losing hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Venezuela, Peru and a few Southeast Asian countries. Photo by Reuters/Kham

The Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Agency is investigating possible fraud by PetroVietnam in its Venezuelan oil exploration and production project.

In a communication to the state-owned oil and gas group about its Junin 2 oil field project, the agency said its sudden change in the amount of capital and high commission were potential violations of the law.

Junin 2 is operated by PVN's subsidiary PetroVietnam Exploration and Production Corporation (PVEP), and was begun in 2010 by its then general director Nguyen Vu Truong Son and PVN's then chairman Dinh La Thang.

Son recently resigned as general director of PVN, while Thang, a former political star, is serving a prison term of 30 years after being found guilty of causing losses of million-dollar in two separate trials for economic management violations last year.

According to the police, the project was mooted in 2008 with an investment of $1.24 billion.

While the project was approved by the government, the Ministry of Planning and Investment questioned the stated investment amount of $1.24 billion, pointing out correctly PVN would have to pay a commission of $584 million on top.

The ministry said the investment figure had to be raised to $1.825 billion to "realistically reflect the amount of capital invested abroad, facilitate the project's implementation and monitor the investor's settlement of financial obligations, rights and responsibilities before the state."

But since PVNs share of the project capital was $956 million, Junin 2 had to be approved by the National Assembly.

PVN then reduced its capital contribution to $547 million, or 29.9 percent, and the project no longer required the National Assembly's approval.

PVEP signed a contract in June 2010 with the Venezuelan Petroleum Corporation, a subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas company Petroleum of Venezuela, to establish the PetroMacareo joint venture to explore and drill the 247.8 sq.km Junin 2 oil field.

Almost immediately the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Finance issued written warnings about potential risks and low returns on investment.

Another concern they highlighted was the $584 million commission PVN/PVEP had to pay the Venezuelan partner simply for the right to explore the oil field regardless of profitability. Any violation of the contract would see the Vietnamese company forfeit its stake in PetroMacareo to the Venezuelan partner and all the money it had paid so far.

Project Junin 2 eventually was granted investment certificate in 2010 to extract 200,000 barrels of oil a day on a 247.8 sq.km area.

By 2013 PVEP had spent $65.5 million and paid $442 million in commissions, but in December that year, the Vietnamese government put the project on hold citing its lack of progress.

PVEP asked to delay paying the remaining $142 million commission until a full evaluation of Junin 2s oil reserves was completed.

PVN's independent auditor Deloitte Vietnam has said it "could not gather adequate evidence to assess the future financial profitability of these participation fees."
Children wait with their parents at the National Institute of Malaria, Parasite and Entomology in Hanoi for tapeworm tests on March 17, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Test results show 209 children from Thanh Khuong Commune in the northern province of Bac Ninh are infected with tapeworms.

As of Sunday morning, the flow of anxious parents bringing their children for tapeworm testing to Hanoi from the nearby Bac Ninh had not stopped.

The National Hospital of Tropical Diseases and the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology (NIMPE) have continued to receive hundreds of children every day for several days now.

Vu Minh Dien, an official with the quality control department of the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, said about 100 children got tested this morning, bringing the total number of children brought to the facility over the past few days to more than 800. As of Sunday, the institute had confirmed 102 tapeworm infections, but this number is expected to rise, with many test results still awaited.

At NIMPE, nearly 900 children had been tested as of Saturday and 107 children found positive for tapeworms.

To Mai Hoa, director of the Bac Ninh Health Department, said the province will coordinate with concerned agencies to test and support the cost of testing for students of 19 preschools in the area. The cost ranges from VND700,000-1,000,000 ($30.25-43.21).

The Bac Ninh health sector will also organize onsite testing for children in some preschools suspected of carrying the infection.

Thousands of parents have rushed to Hanoi with their kids since last week after news broke out that 57 children of the Thanh Khuong Kindergarten in Bac Ninh had been found with tapeworm infections.

Late last month, pork suspected to be infected with the parasite was found in the schools kitchen, but the actual source of the tapeworms has not been confirmed yet.

Pork tapeworms, or Taenia solium, are distributed globally. The parasite infects humans through the consumption of contaminated food.

Upon infection, tapeworms can travel to different organs, including muscles, eyes and brain. Symptoms include seizure, paralysis, headaches and memory loss if the parasite does migrate to the brain, or blindness if it gets to the eyes.

It takes a day to kill mature tapeworms and two weeks to destroy all eggs inside a human body.
Opinions

This Opinion from the European Copyright Society (ECS) discusses the legal boundaries of the use of sound sampling under copyright law in the context of the currently pending CJEU case 476/17 (Pelham GmbH v Hutter). The ECS recommends a careful interpretation of the scope of the phonogram producers right. In the absence of any threshold or condition for protection, this right will extend to cover minimal parts of phonograms and will exceed the protection offered to works in copyright law. Sampling should only be covered by the phonogram producers rights where it significantly prejudices the economic interests of the right holder. The ECS also argues that the quotation exception in Article 5(3)(d) Infosoc Directive should apply to sound sampling, even where it is not evident to the listener that another persons work or subject matter is being used in the form of a sound sample. However, such use requires that the source, including the author's name, should be given in the description of the work. In this regard, the ECS reiterates the duty of the CJEU to interpret the provisions of EU Directives in a manner that ensures compatibility with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, especially the freedom of the arts (Art 13) and the freedom of expression and information (Art 11). In the introduction below, Advocate General Szpunars Opinion (which takes a very different view on the issues referred by the national court) is also briefly considered.
Three transgender women stand trial for robbing foreign tourists in Da Nang on Thursday. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Truong

A Da Nang court sentenced three transgender women to varying prison terms on Thursday for stealing phones and cash from foreign tourists.

Nguyen Ngoc Thien, 22, received three-and-a-half-year jail sentence, Nguyen Huu Chanh, 25, two and a half years, and Dang Hoang Kiet, 29, one and a half years.

According to the indictment, the three suspects were transgender women from Ho Chi Minh City, who stayed in Da Nang in a hotel and roamed the citys streets on motorbikes looking for foreign tourists to steal from.

They flirted with the tourists and offered sexual services to distract them and steal their phones.

Police officers detained the trio on July 17 last year after a 33-year-old Indian tourist, Vijay Kumar, reported that his phone was stolen by a transgender woman. The woman flirted with him, took an iPhone X out of his pocket while he was distracted, and fled on an accomplice's motorbike, he said.

Police investigated the case and caught Kiet and Thien, who had stolen Kumars phone. The two admitted to their crime and identified Chanh as an accomplice.

The trio later confessed to 13 instances of theft between July 9-13, including three involving South Korean tourists, the biggest contingent of foreign visitors to Da Nang.

Police later seized two motorbikes, 19 stolen mobile phones worth VND62 million ($2,676), a wig and over $2,000 in cash from the trios hotel rooms.

Da Nang, Vietnams third largest city, is a leading holiday destination for international visitors, with 2.87 million arrivals last year, a 23.3 percent increase year-on-year.
Drivers argue with a staff at the Cai Lay toll station in southern Vietnam on December 2, 2017. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen

The Cai Lay toll station in southern Vietnam will reopen later this month, more than a year after it closed following protests.

The toll gate in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang will resume fee collection on March 25, it was decided at a meeting attended by Nguyen Nhat, deputy minister of transport, the tollgate investor and the provincial authorities.

The fee will be lowered by 63 percent, from VND35,000 ($1.51) to VND15,000 for cars under 12 seats and trucks under two tons. Toll fees for other auto types will also reduce by the same ratio.

The time for fee collection, however, will be lengthened from seven years to15 years and nine months.

Luu Van Hao, deputy chair of National Highway No.1 Tien Giang Investment Co., Ltd, the investor, said the toll gate now has eight lanes for collecting fees, two of them automatic.

By October this year, all ten booths will be automatic, he said.

Tran Van Bon, director of Tien Giangs transport department, said the department received more than 500 petitions from locals, asking for their vehicles to be exempted from the toll but only 350 have been approved.

Deputy minister Nhat said that residents within a radius of 10km around the toll gate will be exempted from toll fee, up from the previous 4km radius.

Built under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, the Cai Lay toll booth first opened on August 1, 2017.

The project to re-asphalt 26.5km of the highway and build a new 12km bypass road around a local town is estimated to have cost VND1 trillion (over $43 million).

However, angry drivers protested the stations location, saying it should have been along the new bypass instead.

They argued that with the current location, anyone using the highway but not the bypass would also have to pay toll fees.

In protest, they used VND200 ($0.01) and VND500 notes, the smallest denominations in the country, to pay the toll fee, forcing staff to spend a lot of time counting their payments.

With all the lanes blocked as the money was counted, traffic was usually jammed for hours. At times, the toll station had to close several times per day to allow all the vehicles through before things returned to chaos.

The station was then closed for three months.

It reopened in late November,2017, only to see drivers promptly use stacks of small change to resume their protests.

Locals were not happy with the toll station either, saying they had to pay the fee only to travel around in their neighborhood.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in December 2017 instructed Tien Giang to suspend the Cai Lay toll station. He called an emergency meeting where it was decided that no toll would be collected at the station until the government took a final decision.

There are toll stations every 62 km along the highway, according to a report released at a meeting of the legislative National Assembly last year. The standard distance set by the government is 70 km.
Cai Rang Market: a floating existence rooted deep in the soil

In the Mekong Delta, trading on waterways has been a way of life for generations, but its novelty never wears off.

It goes without saying that a floating market has to be on the to-do list of any traveler to Vietnam's Mekong Delta, and the biggest of all such establishments is the Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho City. The wholesale market floats on the Hau River, a branch of the Mekong River. From Ho Chi Minh City, you can get to Can Tho by motorbike, bus or car. Since the road trip takes around four hours, a one-day tour is not ideal and I would advise that such plans are amended. The best thing to do is to get to Can Tho the previous evening, spend the night there and save the Cai Rang market tour for the next morning.

As the market usually opens around six in the morning and runs until 10-11 a.m., the trick here is to show up early to avoid the scorching sun plus the heat and at the same time, catch up with the rush as traders bring goods from farms through small canals and coverge at the floating market. In Can Tho, head to Ninh Kieu Port, where both locals and tourist firms get their boats ready to bring people to the market about six kilometers (nearly 4 miles) from the city center. The 40-minute boat ride is an amazing experience on its own, as it passes houses built on stilts over the water, as well as boats of different sizes, shapes and colors docked along the shore.

At the market, the peace of the boat ride is broken and the shouts and laughter of traders, the sounds of boat engines, and even the barks of dogs on those boats fill the air. Traders sell and buy agricultural products, mostly vegetables and seasonal fruits grown in surrounding provinces, and the market demonstrates a way of life difficult to imagine for most mainland residents. Hence, the scene is exciting and amazing.

Each boat has a pole on which samples of what is being sold are hung. And then there are smaller boats with no of such pole: they sell a variety of things, including a collection of fruits and snacks, while some are eateries serving either drinks or hot noodle soups.



You can stop by the side of such food-court boats to have a drink or breakfast or lunch, or ask the boats driver to stop at some floating huts along the shore.



You have certain beverages and dishes in all parts of Vietnam, but having a ca phe sua da -- iced coffee with condensed milk, or a bowl of bun rieu -- a rice vermicelli soup with a crab meat mixture made of freshwater mini crabs, pork and egg that is almost like a patty, in a floating market is a different experience.

At some point, if you are traveling in small boats driven by locals, you can find yourself stuck in a traffic jam, with boats rubbing against each other and drives pushing to make space, using legs, hands and oars. This is one of the unforgettable experiences of the trip. Used as I am to the frustration, anger and resigned acceptance of Saigon traffic jams with all the dust, heat and pollution, a traffic jam at the Cai Rang Floating Market, gets me smiling, which must be contagious because everyone is smiling and laughing and talking with no sign of discomfort. No wonder. There's no smoke or dust, just a cool breeze and water splashing on either side. Aside from traders with their big vessels, farmers arrive at the market in small boats to sell their produce and do some of their own shopping.

Em (front) and her neighbors in signature clothes of southern Vietnamese women and non la (palm-leave conical hat)

Em, who rows the boat at the front, said she and her neighbors (sitting behind her) usually go to the market several times per week. Laughing, she said she does yet know how to ride a motorbike, but her rowing skills are second to none. The adroit maneuvers of both male and female boat drivers as they navigate the bustling market are something to behold, as is the practice of throwing and catching goods to transfer them from one boat to another.

If you are interested in exploring more, you can choose a tourist agency at Ninh Kieu wharf that will take you to local orchards. Here, you can taste some fresh fruit and then, explore canals in the area. Floating on this waterway, with lush greenery on both sides is like being in some kind of wonderland. As the sun starts to heat the water up, your tour ends and you would return to downtown Can Tho, where you can put your feet up and reflect on what a great day you just had.
After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings  though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger.

Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose.



Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance


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In a letter published on March 15, more than 40 human rights organizations have supported the renewal of the mandate for the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Situation in Iran.

In the letter, a copy of which was published by the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), 42 organizations have called the members of the UN Human Rights Council (UHRC) to extend Javaid Rehman's assignment.

Rehman, a Pakistani-born British legal scholar and professor of Islamic law, was appointed to the position in July 2018 after former SR Asma Jahangir passed away in February 2018.

In his latest report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council on February 27, Rehman raised his concern over human rights violations in Iran, paying particular attention to the way the death penalty is carried out.

Directly addressing the high authorities in Iran, Rehman has asked them to provide the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur with a list of all child offenders on death row.

The recent crackdown on labor rights in Iran was also given special attention in Rehmans report.

Workers strikes at the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane mill in the city of Shush, the Iran National Steel Industrial Group (INSIG) in Ahvaz, in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan, as well as widespread protests by teachers and truckers were noted.

For years, Iran has not allowed the UN SRs to visit, condemning their reports as unfair and politically motivated.

Meanwhile, in a report on the situation of human rights in Iran, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently disclosed that Iran invited the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Tehran.

The coalition of diverse human rights organizations has insisted in their letter that the renewal of Rehman's mandate is warranted by the persistence of acute, chronic, and systematic violations of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights in Iran, which have only become more alarming over the past year.

"The authorities have intensified their efforts to choke off the space for civil society work. Dissenting voices, including journalists, online media workers, and human rights defenders, including human rights lawyers, labor rights activists, and womens rights defenders, have been subjected to arbitrary arrests and detention, simply for speaking out," the letter has asserted.

Referring to widespread scandalous corruption, the signatories to the letter have noted, "Discontent with corruption and mismanagement of resources and demands for civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights have led to protests across the country over the last year. These protests and strikes have often been met by arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as violations of the rights to freedom of association, expression, and peaceful assembly."

Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, Amnesty International, Center for Human Rights in Iran, Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort (ECPM), Freedom House, and Human Rights Watch are among the signatories to the letter.
A mechanism similar to the EUs INSTEX trade channel, to be called the Special Trade and Finance Institute (STFI), will be registered in Tehran, the head of Irans central bank (CBI) said on March 15.

Germany, France and Britain launched Instrument for Supporting Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) in January to facilitate business between Europe and Iran in face of tough U.S. economic sanctions.

The Iranian governments official news agency (IRNA) cited Abdolnasser Hemmati as saying, "At a meeting with the INSTEX manager and representatives of France and the UK, CBI authorities have fully explained the SFTI mechanism."

Hemmati stopped short of elaborating publicly on the details of the mechanism.

On March 12, a member of the parliaments board of directors, Alireza Rahimi, had said that, based on INSTEX, two separate mechanisms had been devised to work in tandem and were registered in Iran and Europe.

According to Rahimi, the new company responsible for STFI will operate under the supervision of the CBI or the Economy Ministry.

INSTEX manager and German banking expert Per Fischer, a former manager at Commerzbank, visited Tehran last week to discuss the mechanisms with the Iranian authorities.

Experts representing the European trio also met with their Iran counterparts on March 12.

Based on media reports, the headquarters of INSTEX will be in Paris. The United Kingdom will head the supervisory board.

The European side says it will use INSTEX initially only to sell food, medicine, and medical devices in Iran. However, it will be possible to expand it in future.

However, the Europeans have insisted they expect Tehran to do a lot more before INSTEX can be fully implemented.

Several top Iranian officials, including the chairman of the powerful Expediency Discernment Council (EDC), Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, have criticized the European trio for setting "two denigrating conditions" for Iran before fulfilling the agreement.

The conditions, Amoli Larijani maintained on February 4, are negotiations on Tehran's missile program and Iran joining Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for combating money laundering and financing terrorists.

Although the two conditions are not mentioned in the European trios statement, they have reiterated that they expected Iran to accept and implement FATF conditions fully.

The fate of the bills related to FATF, the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), is still in limbo. The EDC says it might reach a final decision on the bills by April.
One of the accused in the controversial Petrochemical Commercial Company (PCC) in Iran has insisted on her innocence and rejected all the charges, including money laundering and mishandling of funds brought against her at a Tehran court.

Marjan Sheikholeslami, suspect number 6 in the case, who left Iran in 2009 and is based in Canada, released a statement on Saturday March 16 saying that all of the activities of her companies in Iran and Turkey were "legal."

She added that her companies "had nothing to do with money laundering and making profit out of sanctions."

The statement is in Farsi and published on Radio Farda's Persian website.

The case launched in Iran involves more than a dozen people and revolves around Iranian efforts to export petrochemicals in face of international sanctions put in place in 2011 to force Tehran to stop its clandestine nuclear program.

Based on prosecution accusations and statements by other judicial officials, the accused either failed to reimburse government companies in hard currency - converting the proceeds to local currency before returning the money, making a profit - or outright embezzlement.

The amounts involved are also not very clear, with various officials saying different things. What seems to be the case is that around 6 billion euros changed hands, apparently with no questions over 3.2 billion, which the government says was returned in 2011. But the charges say the accused made illegal profits from some of the rest of the money in the following years.

Sheikholeslami in her denial also says that "There are no outstanding debts as Judiciary authorities have claimed," stressing that she has "completely settled all of her accounts."

Elsewhere in the statement, she stated that she has not profited from delaying reimbursements or as a result of converting currencies."

She also denied "selling petrochemical products and receiving an illegal percentage of profit," and added: "I need to make it clear that I have in no way sold or bought those products, so naturally, I haven't received a percentage of the profit."

The statement effectively sums up and denies all the charges made against the suspects.

Sheikholeslami released the statement of denial one week after Tehrans prosecutor said that a "heavy" part of the case which is about "runaway" suspects including Marjan Sheikholeslami, is still open.

Meanwhile last Wednesday Iran's Prosecutor-General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri announced that "a legal writ has been issued and Interpol has been informed" of Iran's request "to extradite Ms. Shikholeslami" from Canada.

This is not likely to happen even if Montazeri is correct saying that a request for extradition has been submitted. With Iran's highly questionable legal practices, no reputable judicial system would extradite a person Iran deems a suspect.

Also, it is very hard to dissect such cases pending in Iranian courts, which operate in opaque ways, often without any real transparency or standard practices of sharing information with the public. In addition, justice is often pursued in Iran according to political considerations. Some are accused of crimes they either did not commit or had some culpability for, but are selected to take a bigger share of the blame, while real actors remain behind the scenes.

Based on the indictment pertaining to the PCC case, Reza Hamzehlou, the prime suspect opened several companies in Turkey around 2010-2011 as a trade partner of Sheikholeslami.

A prosecutor's representative accused Hamzehlou in the first court hearing of having ordered other individuals to establish companies abroad in order to circumvent sanctions.

The court has named Marjan Sheikholeslami, the former managing director of Iran's private Cultural Heritage News Agency, as suspect number 6 and the main business partner of Reza Hamzehlou, the prime suspect.

According to the Judge in charge of the case, Sheikholeslami "and two other foreign-based suspects are represented at the court by lawyers."

However, she said in the statement that her lawyer has been appointed by the court and she was never officially notified of her indictment.

The hearing of PCC case is still ongoing and no date has been announced for the court's next session.

The PCC case, which is mainly about circumventing U.S. sanctions against Iran is only one of several financial corruption cases in Iranian courts. Since 2011, several individuals and companies have been accused of illegally profiting from the sometimes far-fetched financial operations to circumvent sanctions. One suspect in one of the cases, Babak Zanjani, has been sentenced to death with similar charges, but his case has remained inconclusive as the government still hopes to repatriate the funds he has allegedly kept abroad.
In the second of four memoirs she would write, Lucia recalled: We saw a figure poised in the air above the trees; it looked like a statue made of snow, rendered almost transparent by the rays of the sun. She also wrote, It looked like a person wrapped up in a sheet.

The girlLucia dos Santoswas seven years old and lived near the town of Fatima. One day, as she was tending her familys sheep along with three other girls, they began to say the rosary and saw a strange sight.

In 1915, as World War I raged in Europe, a Portuguese girl saw something strange in the sky.

They did not know what to make of the sight, and it vanished when they finished praying. The same thing happened on two more occasions.

The angel of peace

In the spring of 1916, Lucia and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Martos (then 7 and 6) began seeing an angel.

It appeared as a young man, about fourteen or fifteen years old, whiter than snow, transparent as crystal when the sun shines through it, and of great beauty.

The angel identified itself as the angel of peace and as the guardian angel of Portugal. Lucia understood it to be the same figure she had seen in the sky.

The angel appeared to the children on three occasions, taught them prayers, and during the last appearance showed them a host and chalice that hung miraculously in the air. It then gave them Holy Communion.

I am from heaven

On May 13, 1917, the three were again tending their sheep when they perceived what they thought was a flash of lightning. As they hurried home, there was another flash, and they beheld a beautiful woman in a hemlock tree that grew in a field known as the Cova da Iria.

We beheld a Lady all dressed in white. She was more brilliant than the sun and radiated a light more clear and intense than a crystal glass filled with sparkling water, when the rays of the burning sun shine through it (Fourth Memoir).

When asked where she was from, the Lady replied, I am from heaven. She requested that the children return to the spot once a month for six months.

She also informed the children that they would go to heaven, and she asked if they were wiling to offer themselves to God and bear the sufferings he would send them, in reparation for sin and the conversion of sinners. They replied they would.

She also told them: Pray the rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.

Jesus wishes to make use of you

When the Lady reappeared the next month, Lucia asked her to take the three children to heaven, and she replied, I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon. But you are to stay here some time longer. Jesus wishes to make use of you to make me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.

This prediction was fulfilled. In 1918, toward the end of the war, a global flu pandemic took the lives of millions. Among them were Francisco, who died in 1919, and Jacinta, who died in 1920. Lucia would not die until 2005 at the age of 97.

A secret revealed

At the July apparition, the Lady promised that, in October, she would identify herself and perform a miracle so that all might see and believe.

She also gave the children a secret, which included a vision of hell that caused Lucia to cry out. Afterward, the Lady said:

You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved; etc. . . . Do not tell this to anybody.

Arrested

The children were prevented from returning to the site on August 13 because the local mayoran opponent of the apparitionshad the young visionaries arrested. Despite threatening them, he was unable to get them either to admit that they were lying or to reveal the secret.

Pilgrims who had gathered at the site of the apparitions reported strange phenomena. Some said they saw a blue and white cloud descend and then ascend again, some reported lightning, and some reported seeing our Lady.

A chapel that is to be built

Since the children had not been able to come to the site of the apparitions on August 13, the Lady appeared to them a few days later.

When asked what should be done with money that pilgrims were leaving at the apparition site, she indicated that two processional litters should be made for the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, adding, What is left over will help toward the construction of a chapel that is to be built here.

On September 13, large crowds of pilgrims greeted the children and urged them to present their petitions to the Lady.

As the children and the crowd prayed the rosary, she appeared, this time promising, In October our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of Dolors and Our Lady of Carmel. Saint Joseph will appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world.

The miracle of the sun

On October 13, the Lady said, I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the rosary every day. The war is going to end, and the soldiers will soon return to their homes.

According to Lucia, the Lady opened her hands, made them reflect on the sun, and as she ascended, the reflection of her own light continued to be projected on the sun itself.

Lucia then called for people to look at the sun, and an event called the miracle of the sun occurred. Although not everyone claimed to see the phenomenon, numerous individuals reported that the sun appeared to change colors, spin, and dance in the sky.

In the wake of this event, the children reported visions of St. Joseph, the Child Jesus, and our Lady in various guises, including Our Lady of Dolors and Our Lady of Carmel, as had been promised.

First Saturdays devotion

In the July 1917 apparition, the Lady had indicated that she would request a devotion involving the First Saturdays of the months.

This request was made on December 10, 1925, when Lucia was a novice among the Dorothean Sisters. On that day, Sr. Lucia experienced an apparition of the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, in which Mary said:

All those who during five months, on the first Saturday, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say a rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the rosary for the intention of making reparation to me, I promise to assist them at the hour of death, with all the graces necessary for the salvation of their souls (Documents on Fatima & the Memoirs of Sister Lucia, 279-280).

On January 15, 1926, she experienced an apparition of the Child Jesus, asking if she had spread this devotion, which has come to be known as the First Saturdays devotion.

Consecration requested, apparitions approved

The July 1917 apparition also indicated a request would be made for the consecration of Russia, and this was done on June 13, 1929. On that night, Sr. Lucia experience a vision of the Holy Trinity and the Virgin Mary, in which Mary said:

The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the bishops of the world, to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means (Documents on Fatima & the Memoirs of Sister Lucia, 393-394).

On October 13, 1930, the bishop of Leiria, Portugalin whose territory Fatima liesgranted formal approval for the 1917 apparitions, declaring as worthy of credence the visions of the children in the Cova da Iria, parish of Fatima, of this diocese, on the thirteenth day of each month from May to October 1917 (Documents on Fatima & the Memoirs of Sister Lucia, 290).

An unknown light

In the July 1917 apparition, the Lady stated that the war (World War I) would end but that a worse one could break out in the reign of Pius XI, who would not be elected until 1922. The sign presaging this event was to be a night illumined by an unknown light.

On the night of January 25-26, 1938, an extraordinary display of the aurora borealis was widely visible in Europe. In her Third Memoir, Sr. Lucia interpreted this as the sign indicating the new war was close.

World War II broke out the following year.

The third part of the secret

Between 1935 and 1941, Sr. Lucia wrote a series of four memoirs concerning the 1917 apparitions and her cousins.

In the Third Memoir, she revealed the first two parts of the secret they had been given on July 13, 1917: the vision of hell and the material concerning Russia and the pope, along with the forthcoming requests for the First Saturdays devotion and the consecration of Russia.

However, she did not reveal the third part at that time. On January 3, 1944, at the request of her bishop, Sr. Lucia did record it, placing the text in a sealed envelope, which in 1957 was transferred to the Holy See.

Before giving the sealed envelope containing the third part of the secret to the then bishop of Leiria-Fatima, Sr. Lucia wrote on the outside envelope that it could be opened only after 1960, either by the patriarch of Lisbon or the bishop of Leiria. Archbishop Bertone therefore asked: Why only after 1960? Was it our Lady who fixed that date? Sr. Lucia replied: It was not our Lady. I fixed the date because I had the intuition that before 1960 it would not be understood, but that only later would it be understood (The Message of Fatima; all subsequent quotations are taken from this document).

When 1960 came, the Holy See chose not to reveal the third part of the secret.

Assassination attempt

On May 13, 1981the anniversary of the first Fatima apparitiona Turkish man named Mehmet Ali Agca shot John Paul II in St. Peters Square. The pope almost died from the wound, but surgeons were able to save his life.

Though Agca has repeatedly changed his story, it is widely thought he was acting on behalf of Communist forces wishing to neutralize the Polish pope, who went on to play a key role in the downfall of Soviet Communism.

On July 18, 1981, John Paul II read the third part of the secret for the first time and learned what it contained.

The consecration performed

As early as 1942, Pius XII consecrated the entire world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and in 1952 he specifically consecrated Russia.

Following the assassination, while he was still recuperating, John Paul II had a special act of entrustment performed on June 7, 1981, and it was repeated in Fatima on May 13, 1982.

However, there was a question of whether these fulfilled the request made by the Virgin Mary, as she had asked that the pope perform the consecration in union with all the bishops of the world.

Consequently, in order to respond more fully to the requests of our Lady . . . on 25 March 1984 in St. Peters Square, while recalling the fiat uttered by Mary at the Annunciation, the Holy Father, in spiritual union with the bishops of the world, who had been convoked beforehand, entrusted all men and women and all peoples to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Subsequently, in a letter dated November 8, 1989, Sr. Lucia confirmed that the consecration had been done, writing, Yes, it has been done just as our Lady asked, on 25 March 1984.

The fall of communism

The Cold War, which began in the wake of World War II, was a tense period. It saw various conflicts; national borders were redrawn (various nations will be annihilated), and the world itself was threatened by the prospect of nuclear war.

In 1989, the Soviet bloc collapsed, and in 1991 the Soviet Union itself dissolved, with the Communist Party losing power in Russia.

Beatification and disclosure

In 2000, John Paul II beatified Francisco and Jacinta. He also decided that the time had come to release the third part of the secret, and the Holy See issued The Message of Fatima, which contained it along with supporting documents.

The third part of the secret turned out to be a vision of destruction in which an assassination attempt was made on the pope. Others also were martyred.

Interpreting the secret

The first part of the secret was a vision of hell, the ultimate consequence of human sin, and the second and third parts contained references to how human sin would play out in the course of the twentieth century.

The Lady referred to the end of World War I and the outbreak of World War II.

According to Sr. Lucia, The third part of the secret refers to our Ladys words: If not, [Russia] will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated.

The third part of the secret therefore seems to refer in a special way to the Cold War and the persecution of the Church by atheistic Communism.

The vision of Fatima concerns above all the war waged by atheistic systems against the Church and Christians, and it describes the immense suffering endured by the witnesses of the faith in the last century of the second millennium. It is an interminable Way of the Cross led by the popes of the twentieth century.

The assassination attempt on John Paul II on the anniversary of the first Fatima apparition, along with his act of consecration and his role in the fall of Soviet Communism, seems to indicate that he, in a special way, was tied to the fulfillment of the prophecy.

John Paul II regarded the fact he survived the assassination attempt as a special grace. Sr. Lucia was in full agreement with the popes claim that it was a mothers hand that guided the bullets path and in his throes the pope halted at the threshold of death.

The significance of Fatima

The Church teaches that private revelations like Fatima do not have the same status as the public revelation God has given us in Scripture and Tradition.

The latter requires the assent of faith, but private revelationseven when approveddo not. The ecclesiastical approval of a private revelation has three elements: the message contains nothing contrary to faith or morals; it is lawful to make it public; and the faithful are authorized to accept it with prudence.

The purpose of private revelation is to help people live the Faith in particular circumstances, such as the conflicts that affected the Church in the twentieth century. However, even when these circumstances are past, apparitions can have an enduring value going forward.

In The Message of Fatima, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) wrote:
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 23 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 17, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Samir Ali  Trend:

Azerbaijan has started the execution of the pardon decree signed by the country's President Ilham Aliyev March 16.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.

Among those pardoned are former chairman of the Baku Telephone Communications Public Association Beytulla Huseynov, members of the "Nida" movement Giyas Ibrahimov, Bayram Mammadov, Ilkin Rustamzade, former deputy head of the Yasamal branch of JSC Texnikabank Elnur Seyidov, deputies of the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan Gozal Bayramli and Fuad Gahramanli, ex-Minister of Health Ali Insanov.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Samir Ali  Trend:

The Azerbaijani presidents pardon decree is being executed in Bakus penitentiary institution #6 of the penitentiary service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice, Trend reports.

Some 49 prisoners were released from this penitentiary institution.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Samir Ali  Trend:

The Azerbaijani presidents pardon decree is being executed in Bakus penitentiary institution #2 of the penitentiary service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice, Trend reports.

The pardon decree covers 31 prisoners in this penitentiary institution. Among those pardoned, there is also member of the Nida movement Giyas Ibrahimov and journalist Fikrat Ibishbayli

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Execution of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs pardon decree has been completed in Azerbaijan on March 17, Trend reports.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

A citizen of Nigeria, Obu Oniedike Mozes, pardoned and released today, thanked President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for this, Trend reports.

"I expected President Aliyev to make such a decision because he is a humanist. My family is happy. I spent four years in prison and now I am free. I thank the Azerbaijani government. I thank Azerbaijani citizens. I will always pray for Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani President, Heydar Aliyev Foundation," he said.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

On the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Open Doors Day is being held today for parents and relatives of soldiers in all military units of Azerbaijan Army on the eve of the Novruz holiday. The event is held to enhance public control, ensure transparency, strengthen unity between the army and the people, improve the fruitfulness of working with families of soldiers, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 17, Trend reports.

Within the scope of the events, the relatives of soldiers and members of the public are getting acquainted with the housing and living conditions created in military units, as well as visiting official, administrative buildings, soldiers' barracks, and mess halls.

During the Open Doors Day, it is planned to hold meetings of the command of military units with parents, during which all issues they are interested in will be discussed. The concert programs and other cultural events on the occasion of Novruz holiday will also be organized.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

The European Union has welcomed the decree to pardon more than 400 people in Azerbaijan, Trend reports citing the website of the organization.

The European Union expects that further similar steps will follow in future in line with Azerbaijan's international commitments. The EU will continue its engagement with Azerbaijan to step up the cooperation, including on human rights, which constitutes an essential element of our relationship, reads the statement.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.
Details added (first version posted on 12:55)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Azad Hasanli - Trend:

Azerbaijan is the most constructive member of OPEC +, Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said, Trend reports.

Al-Falih stressed Azerbaijans role in stabilizing the oil market.

The minister added that relations between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan have deep historical roots and the countries have strong political ties.

Speaking about today's meeting with Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, Al-Falih said that the sides discussed a wide range of issues, including the possibility of implementing joint projects in the field of energy and alternative energy.

The minister thanked Azerbaijan for organizing and holding a meeting of the OPEC Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee in Baku.

Speaking about the upcoming event, he stressed that he was very optimistic regarding the implementation of commitments within OPEC +.

The 13th meeting of the Joint OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee will be held in Baku on March 18. Baku is hosting the 27th meeting of the Joint Technical Commission on March 17.

The participants will discuss the current situation in the oil market, existing problems and other issues. The presentation on the pace of development of the oil market will be held and the report of the Joint Technical Commission on oil production indicators for February will be heard during the meeting.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Hasanli_Azad
Details added (first version posted on 12:49)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Azad Hasanli - Trend:

Azerbaijan will cooperate with Saudi Arabia in the field of renewable energy sources, Trend reports on March 17.

This is envisaged by a memorandum of understanding, which was signed between the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy and the Saudi Arabian company ACWA Power.

The document was signed following the meeting between Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Shahbazov stressed that the 27th meeting of the Joint Technical Commission is being held today, while the 13th meeting of the Joint OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee will be held on March 18.

Speaking about today's meeting, Shahbazov stressed that the sides discussed a wide range of issues.

We discussed many issues of bilateral cooperation and a number of projects, the minister said. Of course, an important part of the negotiations were the issues related to OPEC and tomorrows meeting.

Attracting foreign companies to the cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of alternative energy is one of the important spheres of the ministrys work, Azerbaijani Deputy Energy Minister Samir Valiyev told reporters in Baku following the meeting.

An important part of the country's energy policy is the development of alternative energy, Valiyev added. The legislative framework in this sphere and incentive measures are being prepared. We have already signed agreements with a number of companies operating in the field of alternative energy.

The memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Saudi Arabian company ACWA Power today, he said. The cooperation formats will be determined within the memorandum. We hope that the company will work in Azerbaijan and implement its projects here."

The 13th meeting of the Joint OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee will be held in Baku on March 18. Baku is hosting the 27th meeting of the Joint Technical Commission on March 17.

The participants will discuss the current situation in the oil market, existing problems and other issues. The presentation on the pace of development of the oil market will be held and the report of the Joint Technical Commission on oil production indicators for February will be heard during the meeting.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Hasanli_Azad
When the Holy See released the text of the 83-year-old third secret June 26, it was as part of a booklet prepared by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith titled The Message of Fatima (MF). I wasnt the only one surprised at its contents. It did not contain prophecies of the end of the world, of a great apostasy, or many of the other things it had been rumored to contain. However, I was not disappointed. (Relieved would be a better word.) And it gave me a new appreciation of the Churchs struggle with Communism and of the current pontiff by showing me the view from heaven.

For years I have had a special devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. Of all the recent Marian apparitions, Fatima has spoken to me the most. Like millions of others, I had often wondered about the contents of the third secret of Fatima, which is more properly termed the third part of the secret of Fatima.

After reading the secret, the Holy Father realized the connection between the assassination attempt and Fatima. He has since consistently attributed his survival of the gunshot wound to the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima.

What Happened at Fatima, Portugal

Lucia dos Santosthe only Fatima seer alive todayis in many ways the core visionary of Fatima. She says she experienced supernatural visitations as early as 1915, two years before the famous appearances of the Virgin Mary. In 1917, she and two of her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, were working as shepherds tending their families flocks. On May 13, 1917, the three children saw an apparition of Our Lady. She told them, among other things, that she would return once a month for six months.

At Our Ladys third appearance, on July 13, Lucia was shown the secret of Fatima. She reportedly turned pale and cried out with fear, calling Our Lady by name. There was a thunderclap, and the vision ended.

The children again saw the Virgin on September 13. In the sixth and final appearance, on October 13, a dramatic outward sign was given to those gathered to witness the event. After the clouds of a rainstorm parted, numerous witnessessome as far as 40 miles awayreported seeing the sun dance, spin, and send out colored rays of light.

Meanwhile, as World War I raged across Europe, an epidemic of Spanish flu swept the globe. It erupted in America and was spread by soldiers being sent to distant lands. This epidemic killed an estimated 20,000,000 people. Among them were Franciso and Jacinta, who contracted the illness in 1918 and died in 1919 and 1920, respectively. Lucia entered the convent.

On June 13, 1929, at the convent chapel in Tuy, Spain, Lucia had another mystical experience in which she saw the Trinity and the Blessed Virgin. Mary told her, The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father in union with all the bishops of the world to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means (S. Zimdars-Schwartz, Encountering Mary, 197).

On October 13, 1930, the bishop of Leiria (now Leiria-Fatima) proclaimed the apparitions at Fatima authentic and worthy of assent.

The Secret Is Written Down

Between 1935 and 1941, on the orders of her superiors, Sr. Lucia wrote four memoirs of the Fatima events. In the third of these, she recorded the first two parts of the secret, explaining that there was a third part she was not yet permitted by heaven to reveal. In the Fourth Memoir, she added a sentence to the end of the second part of the secret: In Portugal, the dogma of the faith will always be preserved, etc. This sentence has been the basis for much speculation that the third part of the secret concerned a great apostasy. Sr. Lucia also noted that in writing the secret in the Fourth Memoir, With the exception of that part of the Secret which I am not permitted to reveal at present, I shall say everything. I shall not knowingly omit anything, though I suppose I may forget just a few small details of minor importance.

Upon the publication of the Third and Fourth Memoirs, the world became aware of the secret of Fatima and its three parts, including Our Ladys request that Russia be consecrated (entrusted) to her Immaculate Heart by the pope and the bishops of the world. On October 31, 1942, Pius XII consecrated not only Russia but the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. What was missing, though, was the involvement of the worlds bishops.

In 1943, the bishop of Leiria ordered Sr. Lucia to put the third secret of Fatima in writing. She did not feel at liberty to do so until 1944. It was then placed a wax-sealed envelope on which Sr. Lucia wrote that it should not be opened until 1960.

The Third Secret and the Popes

The secret remained with the bishop of Leiria until 1957, when it was requested (along with photocopies of Sr. Lucias other writings) by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. According to Cardinal Bertone the secret was read by both Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI (see MF, Introduction). John Paul II, for his part, asked for the envelope containing the third part of the secret following the assassination attempt on 13 May 1981 (ibid.). He read it sometime between July 18 and August 11.

It is significant that John Paul II did not read the secret until after the assassination attempt was made on his life. He notes in Crossing the Threshold of Hope (1994), And thus we come to May 13, 1981, when I was wounded by gunshots fired in St. Peters Square. At first, I did not pay attention to the fact that the assassination attempt had occurred on the exact anniversary of the day Mary appeared to the three children at Fatima in Portugal and spoke to them the words that now, at the end of this century, seem to be close to their fulfillment (221).

After reading the secret, the Holy Father realized the connection between the assassination attempt and Fatima. He has since consistently attributed his survival of the gunshot wound to the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima. It was a mothers hand that guided the bullets path, he said, and in his throes the Pope halted at the threshold of death (Meditation from the Policlinico Gemelli to the Italian Bishops, May 13, 1994).

As had Pius XII, John Paul II decided to consecrate not only Russia but also the entire world to her Immaculate Heart. After he read the third part of the secret in July, he decided to journey to Fatima on May 13, 1982, and there performed the Act of Entrustment.

This act, however, did not appear to satisfy the requested consecration, and so, on 25 March 1984 in Saint Peters Square, while recalling the fiat uttered by Mary at the Annunciation, the Holy Father, in spiritual union with the bishops of the world, who had been convoked beforehand, entrusted all men and women and all peoples to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Bertone, MF).

Sister Lucia personally confirmed that this solemn and universal act of consecration corresponded to what Our Lady wished (Yes it has been done just as Our Lady asked, on 25 March 1984: Letter of 8 November 1989). Hence any further discussion or request is without basis (Bertone, MF).

The Fall of Communism

After it became public that there was a secret of Fatima and that it mentioned Russia, many pondered Fatima in the light of Russian Communism.

Nineteen seventeen was a year of turmoil for Russia. Besides fighting in World War I, the country experienced two civil wars known as the February Revolution and the October Revolution. The former led to the creation of a provisional government that proved unstable. On October 2425, less than two weeks after the final appearance of Our Lady of Fatima, the second revolution resulted in the creation of the Soviet government.

In the ensuing years, Russia expanded its sphere of influence, exporting Communist ideology and revolution to other lands and martyring Christians wherever it spread. Once Pope John Paul IIs 1984 consecration took place, first the Soviet bloc and then the USSR itself crumbled from a variety of social, political, and economic factors.

As the Pope himself noted, And what are we to say of the three children from Fatima who suddenly, on the eve of the outbreak of the October Revolution, heard: Russia will convert and In the end, my [Immaculate] Heart will triumph . . . ? They could not have invented those predictions. They did not know enough about history or geography, much less the social movements and ideological developments. And nevertheless it happened just as they had said (CTH, 131; emphasis in original).

Though he did not reveal the third part of the secret until this year, six years earlier John Paul II hinted at its contents. Immediately after he meditated on the fall of Communism in connection with Fatima, he went on to write:

Perhaps this is also why the Pope was called from a faraway country, perhaps this is why it was necessary for the assassination attempt to be made in t. Peters Square precisely on May 13,1981, the anniversary of the first apparition at Fatima  so that all could become more transparent and comprehensible, so that the voice of god which speaks in human history through the signs of the times could be more easily heard and understood (CHT, 131-132).

By the year 2000, the Holy Father felt able to reveal the final part of Fatimas secret, since the events to which the third part of the secret of Fatima refers now seem part of the past (Sodano, MF, Announcement). The pontiff selected the beatification of Francisco and Jacinta on May 13, 2000 in Portugal as the occasion to announce this fact.

Interpreting the Secret

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the CDF, points out that the key to the apparition of Fatima is its call to repentance and conversion (MF, Theological Commentary). All three parts of the secret serve to motivate the individual to repentance, and they do so in a dramatic way.

The first part of the secretthe vision of hellis the most important, for it reveals to individuals the tragic consequences of failure to repent and what awaits them in the invisible world if they are not converted.

In the second part, Mary says, You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. Speaking of devotion to the Immaculate Heart as a means of salvation is not part of our cultural vocabulary and is easily misunderstood. Some anti-Catholics have even taken it as a false gospel replacing the gospel of Christ. It is no such thing, as Cardinal Ratzinger explains:

According to Matthew 5:8, the immaculate heart is a heart which, with Gods grace, has come to perfect interior unity and therefore sees God. To be devoted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary means therefore to embrace this attitude of heart, which makes the fiat your will be donethe defining center of ones whole life. It might be objected that we should not place a human being between ourselves and Christ. But then we remember that Paul did not hesitate to say to his communities: imitate me (1 Cor. 4:16; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2 Thess. 3:7, 9) (op. cit.).

After explaining the vision of hell, Mary spoke of a war that will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. This latter war, of course, was World War II, which Sr. Lucia reckoned as having been occasioned by the annexation of Austria by Germany during the reign of Pius XI (J. de Marchi, Temoignages sur les apparitions de Fatima, 346).

Sr. Lucia understood the night of the unknown light mentioned by Our Lady to be January 25, 1938, when Europe was witness to a spectacular nighttime display of light in the sky. In her third memoir she wrote, Your Excellency is not unaware that, a few years ago, God manifested that sign, which astronomers chose to call an aurora borealis. . . . God made use of this to make me understand that his justice was about to strike the guilty nations.

Much has been made of the statement Russia will be converted. Many people have assumed this meant the Russian people as a whole would become Catholic. But the language of the text does not require this: The Portuguese word convertera doesnt necessarily mean converted to the Catholic faith. It can mean simply that Russia will stop its warlike behavior, and thus there will be peace. This interpretation seems to be the one understood by John Paul II in a passage cited above from Crossing the Threshold of Hope.

The Third Part

In reading the third part of the secret, it is important to understand that its imagery is similar to that of many prophecies in the Bible in four key ways.

First, its depiction of events is non-literal. When it describes the popes ascent to the foot of a cross, it can be seen as symbolic of the continual struggle of the pope to follow Christ.

Second, it compresses events that occur over many years and in many places into a single image. The third secret of Fatima is essentially an icon of the twentieth-century conflict between the Church and Communist Russia. And, like any icon, the elements that it shows us must be meditated upon in a kind of timeless fashion.

Third, the third secret is written according to the language of appearances. It describes things as they appeared in the vision, not necessarily as they are in reality. We see this mode of speech (called phenomenological language) in the Bible, for example, when Scripture speaks of the sun rising and setting. The sun appears to move around the earth, though in reality it is the motion of the earth around the sun that causes this phenomenon.

Fourth, scriptural prophecies often can be changed by the response of human free will. For instance, when Jonah preached destruction to Nineveh and it repented, God spared it. Similarly, in Scripture, God declares, If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will repent of the evil that I intended to do to it (Jer. 18:78).

In one crucial respect, the secret of Fatima is unlike any of the biblical prophecies: It is not divinely inspired. While it is the product of Gods grace, God does not guarantee the exact wording or even every element of the text the way he does with the statements of Scripture.

In a letter to John Paul II date May 12, 1982, Sr. Lucia wrote: The third part of the secret refers to Our Ladys words [in the second part]: If not, [Russia] will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated (13-VII-1917) (MF, Introduction).

In interpreting the third part of the secret, the angel with the flaming sword clearly represents the judgment that would fall on the world were it not for the intercession of Mary (and, of course, the intercession of others, though here it is Mary with whom we are concerned). For many years it was rumored that the third part of the secret involved the possibility of a nuclear war. If there is anything in the text that suggests this, it is the flames of the sword, which Sr. Lucia noted looked as though they would set the world on fire.

In Scripture, fire tends to be an image of judgment or conflict in general. In his commentary on the angels flaming sword, however, Cardinal Ratzinger seems to allude to nuclear war: Today the prospect that the world might be reduced to ashes by a sea of fire no longer seems pure fantasy: Man himself, with his inventions, has forged the flaming sword (ibid.). In the 1984 consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the second of Pope John Paul IIs specific petitions was, From incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us (Sodano, MF, Introduction).

The angel then signifies the means by which the judgment is averted: Pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: Penance, Penance, Penance!

The seers then saw in the unapproachable light of God a reflection of someone who, Lucia says, we had the impression . . . was the holy father.

With the pope were others climbing a mountain to a rough-hewn cross. Mountains are traditional places where man meets with God, the difficult process of ascending the mountain suggesting the perseverance required to follow God. The ruggedness of the cross depicted in the vision evokes the harshness of the sufferings of Christ and those who share in his sufferings.

The journey of the pope and those with him through the half-ruined city suggests that the Church must pass through the destruction that accompanies war, and it evokes the suffering of the pontiff in witnessing this destruction but being unable to stop it. This reflects the experience of many twentieth-century popes.

Then comes the part of the vision reflecting the attempted assassination on Pope John Paul II. It shows that he, like numerous other members of the Church, must face the possibility of martyrdom in the conflict between the Church and Russian Communism. (There are, in fact, significant indications that the would-be papal assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca, was on a mission sponsored by the Russian secret police, the KGB.)

There are two.aspects of this part of the secret that will be seized upon by those who wish to challenge the Holy Sees interpretation. First, the killers are described as a group of soldiers using guns and arrows, not as a lone gunman who is not a soldier.

The response to this objection is simple. The third part of the secret simply describes one group of people killing another group. The soldiers in the vision represent all those who have been used by Communists to martyr or attempt to martyr Catholics, and those being killed represent all Catholics who suffer in this way at the hands of Communists. The vision thus indicates that the Holy Father will himself be a victim of this violence, though without indicating the particular means by which it will be brought to bear upon him.

Critics of the Holy Sees interpretation will also point to the fact that Pope John Paul II did not die. To this there are a couple of responses:

(1) If in the vision Lucia saw the pope being shot and falling over, she might well have thought that he had been killed even though in reality he would only be gravely wounded.

(2) The intercession of Mary may have changed what would have happened. That here a mothers hand had deflected the fateful bullet only shows once more that there is no immutable destiny, that faith and prayer are forces which can influence history and that in the end prayer is more powerful than bullets and faith more powerful than armies (Ratzinger, MF, op. cit.).

In the final image of the two angels, an aspersorium can refer to a stoup, basin, or vessel used to hold holy water, or it can refer to the.aspergill used to sprinkle holy water. Either way, the angels using the blood of the martyrs to sprinkle the souls going to God gives us a powerful symbol of salvation, of the honor shows to the martyrs by God, and of the significance of their blood. Cardinal Ratzinger points out: Therefore, the vision of the third part of the secret,so distressing at first, concludes with an image of hope: No suffering is in vain, and it is a suffering Church, a Church of martyrs, which becomes a sign-post for man in his search for God (op. cit.).

Apologetic Fallout

Having looked at the entire secret of Fatima, it remains for us to assess a few questions and apologetic issues that remain in the wake of the release of its final part:

1) Has the Vatican revealed the whole of the secret?

Yes. Any accusation to the contrary is simply not credible. John Paul II clearly believes that the third secret of Fatima is crucial to understanding his own pontificate. He is specially invested in the third secret, and, if he says that he has released the full text of the document, then he has. No one with an accurate appraisal of the moral character of John Paul II could think otherwise.

2) Why does the end of the second part of the secret not flow seamlessly into the third?

Because the third part was written more than three years after the first two. Though the three parts describe a single event, they were not composed as a single narrative. For whatever reason, when Sr. Lucia wrote down the third part of the secret she chose not to write it in a way that fit seamlessly with her previous narrative.

3) Wouldnt it have been of use for people to have known the secret much sooner?

Sr. Lucia herself explained: It may be . . . that some people think that I should have made known all this some time ago, because they consider that it would have been twice as valuable years beforehand. This would have been the case, if God had willed to present me to the world as a prophetess. But I believe that God had no such intention, when he made known these things to me. If that had been the case, I think that, in 1917, when He ordered me to keep silence . . . He would, on the contrary, have ordered me to speak (Third Memoir, 115).

This highlights the error of those who have insisted that the Virgin Mary demanded that the third part of the secret be read to the world by 1960 at the latest. When queried about this, Sr. Lucia replied: It was not Our Lady. I fixed the date because I had the intuition that before 1960 it would not be understood but that only later would it be understood (Bertone, MF, Conversation).

4) To what does the triumph of Marys Immaculate Heart refer?

Cardinal Ratzinger explains, The Heart open to God, purified by contemplation of God, is stronger than guns and weapons of every kind. The fiat of Mary, the word of her heart, has changed the history of the world, because it brought the Savior into the world  (op. cit.).

5) Are other interpretations of the third secret possible?

Since the Holy See has not infallibly defined the subject, other interpretations are possible. This does not mean that other interpretations are rationalat least if they depart from the main lines of the interpretation given by the Holy See.

The reason has to do with the nature of private revelation. Since it is principally for the benefit of the individuals directly involved, they are the most likely to interpret it properly. In this case, both Sr. Lucia and the Holy Father are in agreement that the interpretation offered in The Message of Fatima is the correct one. Those of us who are not principals have little reason to question the judgment of those for whom the revelation was given.

Bottom line: If theyre satisfied, we should be.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

It is necessary to continue the cooperation within OPEC+, Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan said during a press conference following the OPEC+ meeting in Baku, Trend reports.

"Given the current stability and balance in the oil market, we have no other way than to continue cooperation and further strengthen it, give impetus to this cooperation in order to successfully continue it in the future. We have all the prerequisites for this", he said.

Shahbazov noted that Azerbaijan has always been actively participating in the implementation of the OPEC+ agreement from the very beginning, since 2016.

"Azerbaijan also actively participated in the creation of the OPEC+ format and in mediatory actions, the minister added.

The 13th meeting of the Joint OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee will be held in Baku on March 18. Baku hosted the 27th meeting of the Joint Technical Commission on March 17. The participants discussed the current situation in the oil market, existing problems and other issues. The presentation on the pace of development of the oil market was held and the report of the Joint Technical Commission on oil production indicators for February was heard during the meeting.
According to Syrian state-run news agency SANA, a mine planted by Daesh militants exploded Saturday in the Syrian eastern province of Deir ez-Zo province, Trend reported according to Sputnik.

As a result of the blast in the village of Shoula, four local residents were killed and 36 people were injured, SANA reported.

The years-long armed conflict in Syria appears to be nearing its end, according to reports, although the country is still burdened with routine violent clashes and the presence of armed rebel and terrorist groups. Syrian military engineering units regularly carry out operations to clear mines and other types of explosive devices left throughout the country by retreating terrorists.

A similar incident occurred in late February, after a mine planted by Daesh militants in Shoula exploded near a vehicle carrying civilians. The blast reportedly killed one person and injured 10.

According to United Nations data made public in January, the Daesh terror group continues to control parts of Deir ez-Zor in the middle Euphrates river valley, where some civilians remain trapped amid continued airstrikes.

UN assessments on Syria reportedly continue to cast doubt on a declaration by US President Donald Trump in December 2018 that Daesh had been defeated.

Syria has been engulfed in a civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and terrorist groups. The conflict has significantly worsened the humanitarian situation in the Arab republic, forcing an estimated 12 million people to flee their homes or flee the country, according to UN reports.
Thousands of protesters rallied on Saturday in Croatia against domestic violence following a recent tragic case on the Adriatic island of Pag where a father threw his four children from the balcony, causing them serious injuries, Trend reported referring to Xinhua.

Protesters in Zagreb demanded more effective government actions and more serious approach against domestic violence which is on the rise in the country. They noted that 91 women were killed in Croatia over the past five years, which accounts for almost half of all murders in the country. In 70 percent of the cases, the murderer was a person close to the victim.

Coordinators of the protest, which was organized through the Facebook group #spasime (saveme), seek concrete requirements from the government. They ask to qualify domestic violence as a criminal offense, and not just as a misdemeanor.

They demand protection of the dignity and safety of victims during legal proceedings, better cooperation between prosecutors, police and welfare workers, and better education about domestic violence.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic joined the rally in Zagreb and told reporters that he would talk with the organizers of the protest on Monday. He said that it was necessary to strengthen prevention, increase punishment for perpetrators, and provide support to victims.

Apart from the capital Zagreb, protests were held in other Croatian cities including Split, Sibenik and Dubrovnik.
The European People's Party (EPP) will fight for the same living standard all over Europe, said Manfred Weber, EPP candidate for the presidency of the European Commission(EC), Trend reported referring to Xinhua.

"The first message of the EPP Manifesto is that I dream of a better Europe...I want to fight for a Europe in which no one will be forced to leave the region where they live for financial reasons. We must fight for a Europe in which everyone enjoys the same living standard," Weber, also chairman of the EPP Group in European Parliament, told the EPP summit of local and regional leaders, here on Saturday, in his presentation of his vision for the EU future and the main guidelines of the EPP programme for the EC presidency.

According to Weber, he will be in favor of regional development policies and infrastructure development "to give young people a better future, especially in the rural areas."

"We must be open for trade, as Europeans...We can only have a good economic future if we believe in our trade policies," he said, criticizing the Socialists, the Greens, the left, as they are skeptical about the future trade agreements.

He added "On the economic side, I want to create bridges, because this is the only way to achieve good economic development and a sustainable trade policy."
Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank confirmed on Sunday they were in talks about a merger, although both cautioned that a deal was far from a foregone conclusion, Trend reported citing Reuters.

Germanys two largest banks issued short statements following separate meetings of their management boards, a person with knowledge of the matter said, indicating a quickening of pace in the merger process.

In light of arising opportunities, the management board of Deutsche Bank has decided to review strategic options, Deutsche said in its statement.

Christian Sewing, Deutsche Banks chief executive, told employees in a note that Deutsche still aimed to remain a global bank with a strong capital markets business...with a global network.

Sewing also said that experience has shown that many economic and technical factors could prevent a merger. For its part, Commerzbank described the outcome as open.

Formal disclosure of talks appears to boost the chances of concluding a deal floated in 2016 before the banks opted to focus on restructuring and which has since been the subject of renewed speculation.

The German government has pushed for a combination given concerns about the health of Deutsche, which has struggled to generate sustainable profits since the 2008 financial crisis.

The government, which holds a stake of more than 15 percent in Commerzbank following a bailout, wants a national banking champion to support its export-led economy, best known for cars and machine tools.

Berlin also wants to keep Commerzbanks speciality - the funding of medium-sized companies, the backbone of the economy - in German hands.

We are going to seriously evaluate a merger, said the person with knowledge of the matter ahead of the announcement.

A person with knowledge of the matter had earlier this month told Reuters that the management board of Deutsche had agreed to hold talks with Commerzbank on the feasibility of a merger.

A merged bank is likely to rank as the third largest in Europe behind HSBC and BNP Paribas.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Sunday that the bodies of those killed in terror attacks on two Christchurch mosques were beginning to be returned to their families but only a small number at this stage, Trend reports referring to Xinhua.

The suspect Brenton Tarrant was being held in a high- security facility, Ardern told a press conference.

There would be an increased police presence in Christchurch, the country's second largest city on Monday, with an extra 120 officers, she said, adding all mosques would be guarded by the police.

Specialist teams would be at Christchurch schools and early learning centers, and support lines are also available to anyone who needs it, Ardern said.

The parliament would also pay tribute to the victims on Tuesday.

Ardern paid tribute to police, hospitals, first responders and teachers following the mass shooting.

She said she would not stop the sales and advertising of firearms, as has been suggested by academics.

A gunman stormed two mosques in Christchurch on Friday afternoon, killing at least 50 people and injuring 50 others.
Afghan officials say the Taliban have attacked checkpoints in the northern Faryab province, killing at least 22 Afghan forces, Trend reported citing The Washington Post.

Mohammad Tahir Rahmani, head of provincial council, says the insurgents launched the attack late Saturday against checkpoints manned by police and pro-government militias, setting off a fierce gunbattle that lasted into Sunday morning. The army sent in reinforcements, who were among those killed.

He says another 20 Afghan forces were wounded in the attack.

The Taliban effectively control nearly half the country and launch near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces.
The man landed in Mumbai from Tanzania on December 4 and his samples were sent for genome sequencing when he tested positive for coronavirus.
Distressed and disheartened, Maoist fighters rejected during the integration process are still waiting for support

If theres one argument that troubles Shova Parajuli the most, it is the claim that the army integration, one of the crucial tasks of the peace process following the Maoist insurgency, has been completed successfully.
In Dahals my life under threat claim, many see bid for sympathy

Two days after the government said it would act tough on the Communist Party of Nepal, led by Netra Bikram Chand, and its activities, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, co-chair of the ruling Nepal Communist Party, said on Thursday at a public function that his name was on top of the Chand outfits hit list.
Abuja: On Saturday, Armed men killed nine villagers, including children, and torched homes in northern Nigeria official sources said, the latest attack in a surge of violence in the Kaduna region. State governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai said on Twitter "Kaduna state government has confirmed the killing of nine citizens by criminal elements who attacked Nandu in Sanga (district) in early hours of this morning,". He added "No responsible leader would go to bed happy to see his citizens savagely killing one another on account of ethnic and religious bigotry,".

also read Death Toll of New Zealand Mosque shootout reach 50, 5 Indian killed

He further added that "The security agencies have so far recovered nine corpses, including children. The attackers also burnt several houses in the village,". Kaduna sits between Nigeria's majority Muslim north and the predominantly Christian south. Southern Kaduna is one of many areas blighted by years-long violence between largely Muslim Fulani herders and indigenous Christian farmers over land and water rights. The clashes have been aggravated by rapid population growth in Africa's most populous country.

Here it is to be noted that the violence has recently taken on an ethnic and religious dimension, with politicians accused of inflaming the violence for political ends. President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday condemned the latest violence. He urged all involved "to come to terms with the fact that mutual violence has no winners.

also read At least 100 people are missing in Zimbabwe after tropical cyclone Idai hit
New Delhi: On Sunday Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui said that China understands India's concern on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and he is optimistic that the matter will be resolved soon. Zhaohui said while speaking at Holi Melan celebrations at the Chinese embassy in Delhi "Regarding Masood Azhar we fully understand and we fully believe this matter. We understand Indias concerns and are optimistic this matter will be resolved,". Zhaohui added "This matter (Masood Azhar on UNSC 1267 list) will be resolved, this is only a technical hold which means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved, believe me,".

also read An armed men thunder in Northern Nigeria killed nine peoples

However, recalling the Wuhan summit, the Chinese envoy said that the two-way cooperation between India and China "is on the right track" and "fast track". "We are so satisfied with that cooperation and progress. I am quite optimistic about future cooperation," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met four times last year starting with famous informal Wuhan summit followed by meetings on the sidelines of SCO, BRICS and G20.

Here it is to be noted that China had on last week put a hold on the listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist under the United Nations Security Council 1267 committee. But the hold continues for nine months before which a decision on the listing of JeM chief has to be made. Meanwhile, New Delhi has said that it is willing to give more time to Beijing regarding its decision on Masood Azhar.

also read Death Toll of New Zealand Mosque shootout reach 50, 5 Indian killed

A govt source reported that , India will wait patiently and will not rest till Azhar is listed. Adding, New Delhi is prepared for a long haul. Masood Azhar-led JeM is a United Nations listed Pakistan based terror group. It was responsible for the dastardly Pulwama attack on February 14 that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel.
New Delhi: On Sunday, atleast five Indians have been killed in the horrific New Zealand mosque shootings though some reports place the number of death at seven. Two days after the deadly attack, the high commission confirmed that five Indians were killed in the attack. The New Zealand police confirmed on Sunday morning that the death count in the horrific shootings has risen to 50. In Newzealand, the police added that the arrested Australia-born 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, was believed to be the lone gunman in the attack.

Indian High Commission's tweet read mentioning the names of those who died "With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch,". The deceased were identified as Maheboob Khokhar, Ramiz Vora, Asif Vora, Ansi Alibava and Ozair Kadir. However, according to a report in The Times of India, seven people of Indian origin lost their lives in the Christchurch shootings.

also read At least 100 people are missing in Zimbabwe after tropical cyclone Idai hit

Here it is to be noted the Indian High Commission also set-up a support group consisting of six people in Christchurch to assist the families of those accused. To assist those looking a cue on whereabouts of their near and dear ones, the India in New Zealand Twitter account shared round-the-clock helpline numbers for assistance in the time of grief.

Here it is to be noted that soon after the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written to New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern expressing his solidarity and said, hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies. Ancy Ali from Keralas Thrissur who had migrated to New Zealand with her husband Abdul Nassar last year, was also killed in the attack, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a Facebook post on Saturday. Ancy lived near the mosques that were attacked, an officer at the Kodungalloor police station in Thrissur said.

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However, Vijayan, in his Facebook post, termed as shocking, the news that a Kodungallur native was killed in the terror attack. Vijayan said "We have been trying to contact the embassy through Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department (NORKA-ROOTS) to gather more information. We share the grief of the family,". About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.
On Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh slammed Pakistan after it sought to put a number of restrictions on the Indian pilgrims visiting the Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. The CM asserted that while Indias agenda in the matter is religious, the intention of Pakistan is totally disruptive. He also criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

It is to be noted that he remarked that while PM Khan talks of peace, the Army Chief continues to promote his evil designs. He added that the number of ISI-backed terror modules that have been busted in Punjab in recent months indicates their true intent. The CM said "Indias agenda is religious but Pakistan's is totally disruptive. While Pak PM talks of peace, their Army Chief continues to promote his evil designs. The number of ISI-backed terror modules busted in Punjab in recent months indicated their true intent,". The chief minister also said, "we disagree with some of the things Pakistan has recommended". "We disagree with some of the things Pakistan has recommended. First, we said 15,000 people should go. Second, we said you can't have passports. Why have a corridor if you want passports? The very fact that you have a corridor indicates it should have free access," added the CM.

also read Priyanka Gandhi will visit UP today to review the LS poll preparations

However, addressing a press conference to mark two years of his government, Singh added, "Some identification was, of course, needed, but there was no need for passport etc," he said, adding that such requirement would deprive poor people.On Thursday, both the countries held delegation-level talks on the corridor to discuss modalities. On Friday government sources told news agency that Pakistan has said the capping of Indian pilgrims visiting the shrine per day should be at 700. This comes even after India has approved facilities wherein up to 5,000 pilgrims can be handled daily and over 15,000 pilgrims on special occasions.

To be noted that India and Pakistan had last year agreed to open up a special border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the neighbouring country's Kartarpur -- the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev -- to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district. The two countries seek to open the corridor in November on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

also read Owaisi appeals to assist victim's family in Christchurch mosque Shooting
A Nepali among six dead in Mumbai bridge collapse

A Nepali man was among the six commuters dead in the foot over-bridge collapse at the northern end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station in Mumbai, India on Thursday.
All aboard

Discourses around transport planning should consider the mode rather than place
The ECG not requiring two hands could be used by drivers, athletes, and the military

Lisbon, Portugal - 17 March 2019: A novel electrocardiogram (ECG) method which uses signals from the ear and hand to check heart rhythm is revealed today at EHRA 2011 a European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress. The ECG does not require two hands and could be used by drivers, athletes, and the military.

Study author Dr Raffaele De Lucia, of the University Hospital of Pisa, Italy, said: "Mobile ECG devices present a major opportunity to detect atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder, and thereby prevent strokes and reduce hospitalisations. All commercially available portable ECG devices require both hands, but what if symptoms happen while driving?"

This is the first study to show that the ear can be used for ECG signal detection. The study included 32 consecutive healthy volunteers (cardiology students and nurses). An ECG was first performed by the standard method, which uses the index and middle finger of each hand. A second ECG was conducted using the index and middle finger of the left hand and a clip attached to the left ear. (See figure.)

All ECGs were printed and analysed by the device and by two cardiologists who were blinded to which method had been used. No differences were detected in the ECG results obtained by the two methods.

Dr De Lucia said: "We have shown how the ear can be used as an innovative anatomical site for ECG signal detection in healthy adults. We are now conducting further studies to validate this method in patients with cardiac arrhythmias."

The authors said the findings pave the way for a new kind of single lead ECG wearable device which leaves one hand free, making it easier to use. In addition to detecting previously undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, the device could be used to evaluate physical performance during exercise, prevent fainting, and check the heart during symptoms including dizziness and breathlessness. Patients already diagnosed with cardiac conditions such as atrial fibrillation could also use it to monitor their condition.

###

Figure: An ECG was first performed by the standard method using two hands (left photo) and then by a novel method with the ear and hand (right photo).

Authors: ESC Press Office

Tel: +33 (0)4 8987 2499

Email: press@escardio.org

Follow us on Twitter @ESCardioNews

The hashtag for the meeting is #ehra2019.

Sources of funding: None.

Disclosures: None.

References and notes

1The abstract 'The in-ear region as a novel anatomical site for ECG signal detection: spontaneous validation study on healthy volunteers' will be presented during the session Best oral e-cardiology abstract on Sunday 17 March at 11:05 to 12:35 WET (GMT) in the Damato lecture room.

About the European Heart Rhythm Association

The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) is a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Its aim is improving the quality of life and reducing sudden cardiac death by limiting the impact of heart rhythm disturbances. EHRA ensures the dissemination of knowledge and standard setting; provides continuous education, training and certification to physicians and allied professionals involved in the field of cardiac arrhythmias with a special focus on Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and Electrophysiology (EP). EHRA releases international consensus documents and position papers, it is a source of high quality, unbiased, evidence based, scientific information that promotes the quality of care for patients with AF, and for, has also dedicated a website for patients "afibmatters.org".

About the EHRA Congress

EHRA 2019 is the annual congress of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

About the European Society of Cardiology

The European Society of Cardiology brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people lead longer, healthier lives.

Information for journalists attending EHRA 2019

EHRA 2019 will be held 17 to 19 March at the Lisbon Congress Centre (CCL) in Lisbon, Portugal. Explore the scientific programme.
* Initiative designed to appease demonstrators

* Gas field workers protest, output unaffected

* Protesters have rejected such overtures so far

* Bouteflika has been losing allies

* New cabinet will reflect society - official source

* Aim is a government "of great openness" (Adds protests in Hassi Rmel gas field)

By Lamine Chikhi and Hamid Ould Ahmed

ALGIERS, March 17 (Reuters) - Algeria's newly-appointed prime minister has started talks to form a new government, state media reported on Sunday, in a move designed to placate protesters demanding President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika and his inner circle step down.

The discussions began as some workers at Algeria's biggest gas field staged a protest against "extending the fourth term", an energy official said, referring to a proposal by Bouteflika to stay in office until a new constitution is adopted.

Output at the Hassi Rmel field was not affected, said the official from state oil and gas company Sonatrach.

He described the protests as "minor", but such politically-motivated action suggests Algeria's reform push has won some influence inside an enterprise that is the north African country's main economic pillar.

Algerians, who have been demonstrating for over three weeks, have rejected overtures by Bouteflika, who has reversed a decision to stand for another term after 20 years in power.

Bouteflika stopped short of relinquishing office and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted, in effect extending his fourth term in office, meaning he will likely remain in power for some time.

State news agency APS reported that the new cabinet would include experts without political affiliation and will "reflect the demographics of the Algerian society".

The aim is to "show willingness to establish a government of great openness", APS quoted an official source as saying.

However Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui is unlikely to defuse anger on the streets simply by starting talks on a new administration.

"The new government will fall in 24 hours as long as it lacks legitimacy and popular support," said Fodil Boumala, one of the people protesters have chosen to spearhead popular pressure against what they see as an authoritarian system.

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PROMISES OF REFORM

Algerians have previously heard promises from Bouteflika, who has hinted at wide ranging political reform and steps to improve an economy which has offered many Algerians few opportunities despite the country's oil and natural gas wealth.

Protesters have grown tired of the same ruling elite, veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France, the military, intelligence agencies and big businessmen.

Algerians have made it clear they will only settle for new leaders who can improve living standards, deliver greater freedoms and dismantle a Soviet-style bureaucracy that has discouraged investors.

On Friday, hundreds of thousands of people staged the biggest demonstration since the unrest began. Some carried banners saying "No to Bedoui".

Bouteflika has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. Protesters say he is no longer fit for office.

The president has been losing allies in recent days since returning from medical treatment in Switzerland, including senior members of the ruling National Liberation Front party, known by its French acronym FLN.

Protests have been mostly peaceful, with security forces showing restraint. The military, which is expected to keep playing its influential behind-the-scenes role as a power broker, has stayed in the barracks.

Giving details of the gas field protests, the head of Sonatrach's communication department Mounir Sakhri told Reuters that production at both Hassi Messaoud and Hassi Rmel fields was still flowing as usual.

"(There were) some minor protests that did not affect our business," Sakhri said.

Algeria is an important gas supplier to Europe, mainly Italy, Spain and France. Its oil output is about one million barrels per day, and gas output is about 135 billion cubic meters per year. Several foreign firms operate in the country including BP, Total and Repsol.

In the 1990s, oil and gas production never stopped despite the country's descent into chaos. (Reporting By Algeria Newsroom; Writing by Michael Georgy, Editing by Toby Chopra, William Maclean)
WASHINGTON (AP)  Beto O'Rourke opened his Democratic presidential campaign this past week with a call to action on global warming that misrepresented the science. From Iowa, he claimed scientists are united in believing the planet only has a dozen years to turn the tide on climate change, which is not quite their view.

In Washington, an exasperated federal judge fact-checked the "no collusion mantra" recited by President Donald Trump and his associates as they try to dispel suspicions that people from his 2016 campaign and Russia worked together to tilt that election. Judge Amy Berman Jackson, while sentencing former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, reminded her courtroom  and indirectly the president  that Manafort's trial was unrelated to questions of collusion with Russia.

"Court is one of those places where facts still matter," Jackson said. "The 'no collusion' mantra is simply a non sequitur."

That didn't stop the refrain. "Again that was proven today, no collusion," Trump tweeted.

A look at some of the political rhetoric of the past week:

CLIMATE CHANGE

O'ROURKE, on global warming: "This is our final chance. The scientists are absolutely unanimous on this. That we have no more than 12 years to take incredibly bold action on this crisis."  remarks in Keokuk, Iowa, on Thursday.

THE FACTS: There is no scientific consensus, much less unanimity, that the planet only has 12 years to fix the problem.

A report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, drawn from the work of hundreds of scientists, uses 2030 as a prominent benchmark because signatories to the Paris agreement have pledged emission cuts by then. But it's not a last chance, hard deadline for action, as it has been interpreted in some quarters.

"Glad to clear this up," James Skea, co-chairman of the report and professor of sustainable energy at Imperial College London, told The Associated Press. The panel "did not say we have 12 years left to save the world."

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He added: "The hotter it gets, the worse it gets, but there is no cliff edge."

"This has been a persistent source of confusion," agreed Kristie L. Ebi, director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the University of Washington in Seattle. "The report never said we only have 12 years left."

The report forecasts that global warming is likely to increase by 0.5 degrees Celsius or 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit between 2030 and 2052 "if it continues to increase at the current rate." The climate has already warmed by 1 degree C or 1.8 degrees F since the pre-Industrial Age.

Even holding warming to that level brings harmful effects to the environment, the report said, but the impact increases greatly if the increase in the global average temperature approaches 2 degrees C or 3.6 degrees F.

"The earth does not reach a cliff at 2030 or 2052," Ebi told AP. But "keep adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and temperatures will continue to rise."

As much as climate scientists see the necessity for broad and immediate action to address global warming, they do not agree on an imminent point of no return.

Cornell University climate scientist Natalie M. Mahowald told the AP that a 12-year time frame is a "robust number for trying to cut emissions" and to keep the increase in warming under current levels.

But she said sketching out unduly dire consequences is not "helpful to solving the problem."

___

RUSSIA INVESTIGATION

TRUMP, on Manafort's sentencing to a second federal prison term: "I can only tell you one thing: Again that was proven today, no collusion."  remarks Wednesday to reporters at the White House.

THE FACTS: There was no such proof in that trial or in Manafort's other trial. Whether collusion happened was not a subject of the charges against Manafort. It's one of the central issues in a separate and continuing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller.

In the case that produced Manafort's first prison sentence, he was convicted of tax and bank fraud related to his work advising Ukrainian politicians. Judge T.S. Ellis III neither cleared nor implicated the president, instead emphasizing that Manafort was "not before this court for anything having to do with collusion with the Russian government."

Trump ignored that point afterward, tweeting: "Both the Judge and the lawyer in the Paul Manafort case stated loudly and for the world to hear that there was NO COLLUSION with Russia." Trump misquoted the lawyer as well as the judge.

On Wednesday, Jackson sentenced Manafort for misleading the government about his foreign lobbying work and for encouraging witnesses to lie on his behalf. Again, the case did not turn on his leadership of Trump's campaign. "The investigation is still ongoing," she noted, scolding Manafort's lawyers for bringing up the "no collusion" refrain during the trial.

The two judges sentenced Manafort to 7.5 years altogether.

As with other Americans who were close to Trump and have been charged in the Mueller probe, Manafort hasn't been accused of involvement in Russian election interference. Nor has he been cleared of that suspicion. The same is true of Trump.

___

THE BORDER

TRUMP: "Since 1976, presidents have declared 59 national emergencies. ... The only emergency Congress voted to revoke was the one to protect our own country. So, think of that: With all of the national emergencies, this was the one they don't want to do. And this is the one, perhaps, they should most do."  Oval Office remarks Friday after vetoing the congressional resolution seeking to strike down his declaration of a border emergency.

THE FACTS: His declaration was not the only one designed to protect the country.

President Barack Obama declared an emergency in 2009 to protect the nation from the swine flu, which had killed more than 1,000 people and spread to 46 states before he took that step. The H1N1 flu strain was linked to more than 274,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths in the U.S. between April 2009 and April 2010.

It enabled the activation of emergency plans, such as moving emergency rooms offsite to keep those infected with the virus away from other emergency room patients, and it had Republican support. Unlike Trump's order, it was not designed to free up money that Congress had already refused to spend.

Most national emergencies declared by presidents have been narrowly drawn, designed to protect U.S. interests in foreign countries, often in response to crises breaking abroad.

___

TRUMP on border security: "We're apprehending record numbers of people."  drug-trafficking meeting Wednesday.

THE FACTS: One major record has been broken  the number of migrant families arrested for crossing into the U.S. illegally. Other records have not.

More than 76,000 migrants crossed the U.S.-Mexico border last month, more than double the number from the same period last year. Most were families coming in increasingly large groups.

Overall numbers of Border Patrol arrests were the highest in 12 years, but not the highest ever.

The annual numbers are far from a record. About 400,000 people were arrested for crossing the border illegally in the last budget year, just one-quarter of the 1.6 million in 2000. That is the record.

___

MELANIA TRUMP

TRUMP: "The Fake News photoshopped pictures of Melania, then propelled conspiracy theories that it's actually not her by my side in Alabama and other places. They are only getting more deranged with time!"  tweet Wednesday.

THE FACTS: No, there's no evidence that the news organizations Trump likes to call the "Fake News" doctored pictures of Melania Trump to peddle the falsehood that a stand-in took the first lady's place in Alabama last week or other places at other times. Some wrote about the fakery, spread by a mix of satirical, gullible and anti-Trump people online, and Trump's tweet gives them more visibility than they would have had otherwise.

Among them, The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde tweeted in October 2017 that she was "absolutely convinced Melania is being played by a Melania impersonator these days." She followed up with an admission that she had indulged in a "parallel fake universe" in which she fantasized that the first lady had escaped to small-town Missouri and was volunteering at a shelter for refugees.

___

RAIL SAFETY

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY ELAINE CHAO, on positive train control: "Nothing happened on this until we came into office. And I would like some credit for that."  remarks Monday to reporters.

THE FACTS: Her comment that nothing was done on positive train control before she took control of the Transportation Department is not true.

The Federal Railroad Administration took an aggressive posture on the braking technology under the Obama administration. After an Amtrak train derailed in Philadelphia in 2015, the agency's administrator, Sarah Feinberg, pushed railroads to move faster on installing positive train control, which has been available for years. The GPS-based technology is designed to automatically slow or stop trains that are going too fast and can take over control of a train when an engineer is distracted or incapacitated.

Congress had mandated that railroad companies install the braking technology by 2015, after a 2008 Metrolink crash in California killed 25 people. But the rail industry persuaded Congress to push back the installation deadline to 2018, while allowing railroads to apply for an extension until 2020 in some circumstances.

Feinberg said she wouldn't accept further delays and had her agency post quarterly updates about each railroad's progress on her agency's website.

She warned railroads that any extensions beyond the 2018 deadline would only be considered if the railroads could prove they made a good-faith effort to meet the mandate. She also told railroads to submit plans that spelled out their detailed schedules for the braking systems and warned that the agency could fine them up to $5,000 per day if they didn't file the required plans.

In contrast, Chao was noncommittal on the deadline at her confirmation hearing, saying she needed to be briefed on the technology.

Data provided by the FRA shows that by the end of 2016, positive train control was in operation for 16 percent of freight railroads' required route miles and 24 percent of passenger railroads' required route miles. As of December 2018, it was operating for 83 percent of route miles for freight railroads and 30 percent of passenger railroads' required route miles.

The miles completed under the Trump administration built on the foundation that had been set out under Obama.

___

CLINTON EMAILS

TRUMP, on former FBI lawyer Lisa Page: "Comey testified (under oath) that it was a 'unanimous' decision on Crooked Hillary. Lisa Page transcripts show he LIED."  tweet Wednesday.

THE FACTS: Nothing in Page's testimony to the House Judiciary Committee last year indicates that former FBI Director James Comey lied about his investigative team's decision not to recommend charges against 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Clinton in her handling of an email server while secretary of state. A transcript of Page's testimony was released by the panel's top Republican this past week.

Trump is correct that Comey did testify to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in July 2016 that the decision on no charges was unanimous among his investigative team.

In the newly released transcript, Page said the investigative team determined it did not have "sufficient evidence" against Clinton to bring a charge of "gross negligence" in her handling of emails.

Page did note there was some "smack talk" by higher-level FBI officials expressing a desire to "get" Clinton. "So I am aware of senior FBI officials talking to subordinate FBI officials on the Hillary Clinton investigative team who unquestionably had anti-Hillary sentiment, but who also said: You have to get her or  again, I don't have an exact quote  but like we're counting on you, you know," Page said.

But Page also noted that none of those officials was in a position of authority over the investigation any longer.

___

BREXIT

TRUMP, on how he stood at his Scottish golf resort, Turnberry, on the eve of the Brexit referendum and predicted that the British would vote to leave the European Union: "I predicted it was going to happen and I was right and people laughed when I predicted it and they won by about two points. And I was standing out on Turnberry and we had a press conference and people were screaming. That was the day before, if you remember. I think you were there. And people were screaming and I said, 'No, I think it's going to happen.' And people were surprised I made the prediction ...because President Obama made the opposite prediction. And I was right."  remarks Thursday at White House.

THE FACTS: As when he has told this story before, Trump is mixing up his predictions and his days. A month before the vote, he did predict accurately that Britain would vote to leave the EU. The day after the 2016 vote  not the day before  he predicted from his Scottish resort that the EU would collapse because of Britain's withdrawal. That remains to be seen.

___

Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Eric Tucker, Michael Balsamo, Chad Day, Mary Clare Jalonick and Jill Colvin in Washington and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.

___

Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck

EDITOR'S NOTE _ A look at the veracity of claims by political figures
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich says he and other state AGs are willing to go after tech giants who "dominate market share."

"We as state AGs we are taking a look at maybe whether we should do something and if so what should be done," he says.

They are doing so because of the "inaction or inability" of Washington D.C. to do anything, he says.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich told CNBC on Friday he is prepared to go after big tech companies.

And he's not alone.

"When you have these tech companies dominate the market share, they essentially are akin to the monopolies of old," Brnovich said on " Closing Bell ."

"We as state AGs we are taking a look at maybe whether we should do something and if so what should be done."

Brnovich is one of several state attorneys general who spoke recently to the Washington Post about their willingness to take action against Facebook FB , Google GOOGL and other tech giants, which they say have grown too powerful.

Brnovich said they are "worried about this massive amount of data that is being collected, manipulated. Sometimes it's misleading and maybe ends up maybe compromising some of our privacy rights."

The states are stepping up because the federal government isn't, said Brnovich. "Washington D.C. has been  at least in the last decade  where good ideas go to die."

What's being seen is the "inaction or inability of the bureaucrats in Washington D.C. to do anything about protecting individual Americans, their privacy rights, how they are being manipulated when it comes to news feeds and news coverage," he said.

Facebook and Google did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

However, in a statement to the Washington Post, Facebook's vice president of state and local public policy, said the company has had "productive conversations" with state AGs. "Many officials have approached us in a constructive manner, focused on solutions that ensure all companies are protecting people's information, and we look forward to working with them," he said.

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Google also gave the paper a statement that said, "Privacy and security are built into all of our products, and we will continue to engage constructively with state attorneys general on policy issues."

Brnovich wouldn't comment on individual companies.

"I will assure you that no matter how big the company is that if they are violating the rights of Arizonians, we are going to take a look at them and we are going to come after them hard in the courtroom if that is appropriate."





More From CNBC


One canadian pot company is making a huge splash in the U.S. market.

Earlier this week, cannabis product retailer Harvest Health and Recreation RBE-V announced it would buy competitor Verano Holdings for $850 million in an all-stock deal, marking the largest U.S. cannabis deal to date. The combined company will be one of the country's largest multi-state operators, presiding over as many as 200 facilities in 16 states.

Steve White, the co-founder and CEO of Harvest, has a clear vision for how Verano will bolster Harvest's positioning in the still-developing U.S. pot industry.

"Presently, we're in a phase that people are referring to it as a land grab," White told CNBC's "Fast Money." "We plan on ... developing the largest retail footprint, the largest retail platform, in the United States, and with this acquisition, I think we've done that."

Harvest currently operates in Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and was already planning to open new locations in Massachusetts, Michigan and North Dakota. The Verano acquisition adds Illinois and Nevada to that list, as well as plans for new locations in Puerto Rico, Oklahoma and New Jersey .

"One of the things that we have been really good at is acquiring licenses when they're actually allocated by the government, which means that we don't have to go out and buy them later for tens of millions of dollars when we can acquire them for a few hundred thousand dollars," White said after announcing the deal on Monday.

"What we've seen in Verano is they also have the ability to do that very same thing," he said. "What very few people know is they won more licenses than anyone in the state of Nevada in the recent round of license awards there."

That also speaks to Verano's focus on profitability, which White flagged as another reason the companies would fit well together.

"We have had an emphasis on profitability from the very beginning of our formation, and when we started talking to Verano, we got the sense, the very clear sense, that they are like-minded in that respect," he said. "They have been running a profitable company for quite some time as well, which, as you know, in the U.S. cannabis industry is quite unique. There's only a few companies that actually run profitably. So, in this case, you've just combined two of them, so there's one less."

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And, as more and more states pave the way for a legal cannabis market to come to fruition, White suggested that Harvest's name wouldn't stay out of the headlines for long.

"We're going to do every single deal that makes sense for Harvest and Harvest shareholders," the CEO said. "For us, we think it's really important to grow faster than our competitors, and so we're going to do everything that we possibly can in order to deliver on that."

Harvest's stock, which trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange, gained over 3 percent on Friday, adding to its nearly 14 percent gain for the week. Shares of the company, which also trade over the counter, have climbed more than 52 percent year to date.





More From CNBC


Two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are parked at a Boeing production facility in Renton, Washington, U.S., March 11, 2019. REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's civil aviation authority said on Wednesday it would not allow Boeing Co 737 MAX 8 planes to fly into its airspace after the grounding of the aircraft by several nations, while the cause of the deadly crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane is investigated.

The authority said no Colombian airline operates the B737 MAX 8 aircraft but after consultation with other aviation authorities, including the United States Federal Aviation Administration, it would not allow the model to enter its airspace.

Earlier on Wednesday, Panama's Copa Holdings SA said it would voluntarily suspend operations of its six Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, following a decision by the U.S. air regulator to ground those jets.

Aeromexico and Aerolineas Argentinas SA have voluntarily decided not to fly the aircraft.

(Reporting by Helen Murphy; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
Investing.com - Oil traders will continue to focus on the outlook for global crude supplies in the week ahead amid signals that OPEC-led production cuts have helped tighten an oversupplied market.

OPEC, which together with some non-affiliated producers like Russia, known as 'OPEC+', agreed late last year to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to remove a glut and prop up prices.

Speaking on the sidelines of the OPEC, non-OPEC Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan on Sunday, Saudi Arabia's energy minister said he was optimistic about continued commitment to the oil supply cut agreement between OPEC and non-OPEC members.

"I am obviously optimistic that implementation of our OPEC+ agreement will improve, its already strong by historical standards," Khalid al-Falih said.

OPEC+ ministers will next meet on April 17-18 to decide on production policy.

Fresh data on U.S. commercial crude inventories and production activity will also capture the market's attention this week.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that U.S. crude supplies unexpectedly fell by 3.9 million barrels for the week ended March 8. The EIA also reported that total domestic crude production inched down from record territory, down 100,000 barrels to 12 million barrels a day.

Oil futures settled lower on Friday, with U.S. prices pulling back from a four-month high as worries about the economy weighed.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude declined 9 cents to settle at $58.52 a barrel by close of trade. It earlier went as high as $58.95, the most since Nov. 13.

For the week, the U.S. benchmark climbed 4.3%, its best weekly gain in about a month.

Meanwhile, International Brent crude oil futures ended Friday's session down 7 cents at $67.16 a barrel.

Brent prices, which on Thursday hit their highest so far this year at $68.14, saw a gain of approximately 2.1% on the week.

With two weeks to the end of the first quarter, WTI is up 29% on the year and Brent 25%, with both benchmarks benefiting extensively from aggressive production cuts carried out by OPEC since the start of January. However, rising U.S. output is threatening to undo those cuts.

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Data on Friday from energy services firm Baker Hughes showed that the number of active rigs drilling for oil in the U.S. fell for a fourth straight week, though it was down by just one to 833.

The market is still torn between economic concerns and high U.S. oil production on one hand and remarkable OPEC+ compliance on the other, PVM oil broker Stephen Brennock said.

Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of the main events likely to affect the oil market.

Monday, March 18

The EIA will release its forecast for April U.S. shale oil production.

Tuesday, March 19

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is to publish its weekly update on U.S. oil supplies.

Wednesday, March 20

The EIA will release its weekly report on oil stockpiles.

Friday, March 22

Baker Hughes will release weekly data on the U.S. oil rig count.

-- Reuters contributed to this report

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Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). By way of learning-by-doing, well look at ROE to gain a better understanding of MGM China Holdings Limited (HKG:2282).

MGM China Holdings has a ROE of 12%, based on the last twelve months. That means that for every HK$1 worth of shareholders equity, it generated HK$0.12 in profit.

See our latest analysis for MGM China Holdings

How Do I Calculate ROE?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit  Shareholders Equity

Or for MGM China Holdings:

12% = HK$1.1b  HK$8.9b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)

Most readers would understand what net profit is, but its worth explaining the concept of shareholders equity. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. Shareholders equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company.

What Does Return On Equity Signify?

ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The return is the yearly profit. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies.

Does MGM China Holdings Have A Good Return On Equity?

By comparing a companys ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, MGM China Holdings has a better ROE than the average (7.6%) in the Hospitality industry.

SEHK:2282 Past Revenue and Net Income, March 17th 2019

That is a good sign. We think a high ROE, alone, is usually enough to justify further research into a company. One data point to check is if insiders have bought shares recently.

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Why You Should Consider Debt When Looking At ROE

Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but wont affect the total equity. In this manner the use of debt will boost ROE, even though the core economics of the business stay the same.

Combining MGM China Holdingss Debt And Its 12% Return On Equity

MGM China Holdings does use a significant amount of debt to increase returns. It has a debt to equity ratio of 2.11. while its ROE is respectable, it is worth keeping in mind that there is usually a limit to how much debt a company can use. Investors should think carefully about how a company might perform if it was unable to borrow so easily, because credit markets do change over time.

But Its Just One Metric

Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt.

But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
(Corrects para 4 to make clear description of black box is of flight data recorder only)

By George Obulutsa

NAIROBI, March 15 (Reuters) - An Ethiopian team investigating the crash of flight ET302, which killed 157 people, has arrived in Paris, where the aircraft's black boxes are being examined, the airline said on Friday.

"The Ethiopian delegation led by the chief investigator of Accident Investigation Bureau has arrived in the French Safety Investigation (BEA) facilities and the investigation process has started in Paris," Ethiopian Airlines tweeted.

France's air accident investigation agency on Thursday received two black boxes whose data investigators will analyse to determine what caused Sunday's crash. The plane plunged into a field minutes after take-off.

The agency tweeted a picture of the data recorder, which appeared to show the crash-proof housing protecting the critical recording chip intact. Investigators will also analyse the voice recorder, which should have picked up the conversations between the pilots and with air traffic controllers.

Nations around the world, including an initially reluctant United States, have suspended the Boeing 737 MAX 8 models in operation. Since the model is relatively new, only 371 such planes were flying, but another nearly 5,000 MAXs are on order, meaning the financial implications are huge. (Writing by Katharine Houreld Editing by Kim Coghill and Peter Graff)
(Reuters) - The crashed Boeing Co 737 MAX jets in Ethiopia and Indonesia appear to have a common connection, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam told China's state news agency Xinhua on Friday.

Investigators have found a piece of a stabilizer in the wreckage of an Ethiopian jet with the trim set in an unusual position similar to that of a Lion Air plane that crashed last year, sources have told Reuters.

"It looks like the Lion Air, because the flight only lasted for six minutes," Gebremariam was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

"It was a very, very short period of time," Gebremariam said, adding that "there is clear similarity between our crash and the Lion Air crash."

All 157 people on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight were killed in the crash on Sunday. The Lion Air plane came down off Indonesia in October with 189 people on board.

Parallels between the twin disasters have frightened travelers worldwide and wiped billions of dollars off Boeing stock.

Investigators in France on Friday are examining the black boxes of the 737 MAX that crashed in Ethiopia as the global airline industry awaits the cause of the disaster.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
March 14 (Reuters) - The Boeing 737 Max 8 that crashed in Ethiopia on Sunday killing 157 people requested permission to return to Addis Ababa airport three minutes after takeoff as it accelerated to abnormal speed, the New York Times reported.

All contact between air controllers and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 to Nairobi was lost five minutes after it took off, a person who reviewed air traffic communications told the newspaper.

Within a minute of the flight's departure, Captain Yared Getachew reported a "flight control" problem as the aircraft was well below the minimum safe height from the ground during a climb, the Times reported, citing the person.

After being cleared by the control room to turn back within three minutes of the flight, Flight 302 climbed to an unusually high altitude and disappeared from the radar over a restricted military zone, the person added.

The investigation of the crash is still in its early stages and black boxes with details of the flight's final moments arrived in France on Thursday for analysis.

Experts say it is too early to speculate on what caused the crash or whether it is related to the Lion Air 737 Max 8 crash in Indonesia five months ago. Accident reports show most are caused by unique combinations of technical and human factors.

Ethiopian Airlines was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Rishika Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Stephen Coates)
The automaker offered voluntary separation programs for employees in Germany and the UK to help accelerate its plant to improve performance in the region, where Ford has struggled.

Ford(F) is cutting 5,000 jobs in Germany and more in the U.K. as part of an effort to reduce costs in Europe, the company said Friday.

The automaker offered voluntary separation packages for employees in Germany and the U.K. to help accelerate its plan to improve performance in the region, where Ford has struggled. The total number of jobs affected in the U.K. have yet to be determined.

The automaker is undergoing a larger plan to restructure its operations worldwide, which it's said will cost $11 billion. Ford is reshaping its European business into three different business groups that focus on commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, and imports. The carmaker plans to simplify its product lines and focus on the most profitable vehicles.

Ford said in January it plans to partner with German carmaker Volkswagen on a number of initiatives, including trucks and commercial vans for markets around the world.

Europe has also been difficult for Ford's Detroit rival General Motors(GM) sold off its European business entirely in 2017, to French automaker Groupe PSA and French banking groun BNP Paribas.
NEW YORK, March 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gainey McKenna & Egleston announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC or the Company) (UMC) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of those who purchased or acquired the securities of UMC between October 28, 2015 and November 1, 2018, inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.



The Complaint alleges Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) UMC conspired with Fujian to steal trade secrets from Micron relating to its research and development of DRAM; (2) UMC hired former Micron employees for the purpose of stealing such information from Micron; (3) the foregoing conduct placed UMC and certain of its employees at an increased risk of criminal and regulatory investigation by the U.S. government; and (4) as a result, UMCs public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On May 13, 2016, the Company announced that it had entered into a Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) Technology Cooperation Agreement with Fujian Jianhua Integrated Circuit Co. Ltd. (Fujian). Under the agreement, Fujian was to provide UMC with related equipment for its research and development, as well as service fees subject to the progress of the technology development. UMC was to develop DRAM related technologies for Fujian and deliver such development results to Fujian before May 12, 2021. The developed technologies were to be jointly owned by both parties. DRAM is a memory device product used in electronics to store information. DRAM is a technologically advanced commodity that is widely used in digital electronics, as well as leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, automotive, industrial, embedded, and mobile productions.

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At all relevant times, one of UMCs primary competitors has been Micron Technology, Inc. (Micron), a leading U.S. semiconductor company known for its development and production of DRAM products.

On November 1, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted UMC, Fujian, and Chen Zhengkun a.k.a. Stephen Chen (Chen), a former Micron employee hired by UMC, for conspiracy to commit economic espionage, conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets, and economic espionage (receiving and possessing stolen trade secrets). The indictment stated that the companies conspired to steal trade secrets from Micron relating to its research and development of memory storage devices. According to the indictment, the conspiracy to commit economic espionage began in or around January 2016, the conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets began in or about October 2015, and the economic espionage (receiving and possessing stolen trade secrets) began in or about February 2016.

Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period should contact the Firm prior to the May 13, 2019 lead plaintiff motion deadline. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. If you wish to discuss your rights or interests regarding this class action, please contact Thomas J. McKenna, Esq. or Gregory M. Egleston, Esq. of Gainey McKenna & Egleston at (212) 983-1300, or via e-mail at tjmckenna@gme-law.com or gegleston@gme-law.com.

Please visit our website at http://www.gme-law.com for more information about the firm.
Grand Opening Promotion at new location expected to surpass significant revenues generated from Fremont, CA. location last week

ROSEVILLE, Calif., Feb. 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (INND) a manufacturer and Direct-to-Consumer ("DTC") distributor/retailer of FDA-Registered Hearing Aids, ("Hearing Products") announces a successful "Grand Opening Promotion" ("Promotion") for its hearing aid retail location in Fremont CA., located in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, ("Fremont") which opened Monday February 11th. Additional "Grand Opening" marketing set for Fremont for the next few weeks. Fremont is InnerScope's sixth audiological hearing aid retail clinic under its dba Value Audiology & Hearing Aid Center brand ("Retail Clinics") in California. Additionally, InnerScope is announcing its seventh Retail Clinic with the "Grand Opening" of the Elk Grove, CA. location, a suburb of Sacramento, ("Elk Grove") on Tuesday February 19th. This would be InnerScope's third Retail Clinic opening in just four weeks. InnerScope will be continuing to open new Retail Clinics in Northern California as part of its as previous announced Roll-out Expansion Plan for 2019 (the "Roll-out Plan"). InnerScope anticipates opening twenty-five (25) Retail Clinics in strategic media market areas within Northern CA. by the end of 2019.



With the first week of a multi-week Promotion for Fremont, consisting of a strategic marketing plan that included multiple Full-Page Advertisements in local newspapers with over 100,000 printed circulation, as well as Targeted Direct Mail to Local Residents yielded over $32,000 between the (2) Bay Area Retail Clinics for prepaid hearing aid sales orders that InnerScope plans to deliver this month and record the revenue upon such delivery. Marketing cost for the first week Promotion was approximately $8,000 and with additional Promotional and marketing already scheduled in the coming weeks, both Retail Clinics already have customer appointments booked for the rest of the month. InnerScope has a strategic marketing strategy that includes constant marketing for the Bay Area Retail Clinics that will constantly produce revenue for each location. The projected ROI for the Fremont is a 6x to 8x from marketing cost over the course of the first year of operation.

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InnerScope expects to significantly surpass last week's Fremont and Bay Area Promotion revenues with this week's Elk Grove "Grand Opening Promotion". The first day of its Grand Opening, (yesterday) Elk Grove alone has already produced $14,000 of prepaid hearing aid sales orders. The opening of the Elk Grove location allows InnerScope to complete its Sacramento strategic marketing plan by dominating the Sacramento media market with its three (3) Sacramento area Retail Clinics. InnerScope believes the Elk Grove Retail Clinic can exceed a $1 Million Dollars in Annual Revenue with over a 30% EBIDTA based on the founders of InnerScope previous Elk Grove retail hearing aid store.

The Founders of InnerScope ("Founders") have opened, owned, and sold off over 60 Retail Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers over the past 15 years. These 60+ locations were part of a separate business from InnerScope, and these very successful locations produced well over $60 Million dollars in revenue for the Founders before selling them off in stages to two of the six major multi-billion dollar hearing aid manufacturers or their subsidiaries for a total of over $40 Million Dollars. The Founders have a Time-Tested Proven Process of Opening Retail Audiology and Hearing Aid Centers that produce Industry Leading Revenues and Customer Satisfactions.

"InnerScope with its manufacturing capabilities is able to create a Unique Selling Proposition ("USP") for its Brick & Mortar Retail Locations in the Marketplace by offering the same level of Technology & Features in a Hearing Aid Product to the Consumer at a LOWER price point without sacrificing Customer Service and Satisfaction, while Maintaining the HIGHEST Levels of Margins & Profits for the Company," said Matthew Moore, CEO of InnerScope Hearing Technologies.

"We are on target to meet our Roll-Out Plan objective to have (25) Brick & Mortar Retail Clinics by the end of 2019. In addition, InnerScope plans on having Retail Clinics across the United States and in select International Markets. This will allow a Hearing-Impaired Customer to either choose to purchase an InnerScope Hearing Product at one of our Retail Clinic locations or through our many online DTC stores or through multiple authorized large retailers, like Walmart. With our strategic retail and wholesale partnerships we are currently building, InnerScope will soon be the leader in delivery affordable high quality Hearing Products," Mr. Moore concluded.

About InnerScope Hearing Technologies ("INND")

InnerScope Hearing Technologies (INND) is a rapidly expanding consolidator of the hearing aid industry. Management is applying decades of profitable industry experience and technology to an antiquated and disjointed industry, unlocking scale and efficiency, which will serve all of InnerScope's stakeholders. Its direct-to-consumer model is revolutionizing the industry with its Walmart.com relationship representing a paramount shift in the consumption of hearing aids by the hearing impaired.

In addition, InnerScope plans to continue to open, acquire, and operate a physical chain of audiological and retail hearing device clinics. InnerScope's mission is to serve approximately 1.2 billion people around the globe that are suffering with 25 db or greater hearing loss across the entire hearing impaired vertical from R&D and manufacturing through direct consumer sales and services. For more information, please visit: www.innd.com For the Most Up-to-Date information about InnerScope Hearing Technologies (INND), please visit and follow our Official Twitter account @inndstock Page: https://twitter.com/inndstock

Safe Harbor

This presentation contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or InnerScope Hearing Technologies future performance or financial condition. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "should," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in InnerScope Hearing Technologies filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. InnerScope Hearing Technologies undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made herein.

Contact

InnerScope Hearing Technologies, Inc.

Investor Relations

Info@innd.com

916-218-4100

www.innd.com

www.valueaudiology.com

For the Most Up-to-Date information about InnerScope Hearing Technologies (INND) please visit and follow our Official Twitter account @inndstock Page. https://twitter.com/inndstock
FILE PHOTO: Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh talks to journalists at the beginning of an OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria, November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader/File Photo

(Reuters) - Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Saturday frequent U.S. comments about oil prices had created market tensions, the ministry's news website SHANA reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has made the U.S. economy one of his top issues, has repeatedly tweeted about oil prices and the Organization of the Petroleum Producing Countries. He has expressed concern about higher prices, including last month and ahead of OPEC's meeting in December.

"Americans talk a lot and I advise them to talk less. They (have) caused tensions in the oil market for over a year now and they are responsible for it, and if this trend continues, the market will be more tense," SHANA quoted Zanganeh as saying.

U.S. crude futures briefly hit a 2019 high on Friday but later retreated along with benchmark Brent oil as worries about the global economy and robust U.S. production put a brake on prices.

OPEC and its allies including Russia, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed last year to cut production, partly in response to increased U.S. shale output.

Washington granted waivers to eight major buyers of Iranian oil after the U.S. reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector in November, after withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"We do not know whether U.S. waivers would be extended or not, we will do our job but they (the U.S.) say something new every single day," Zanganeh said.

Zanganeh was speaking at a news conference ahead of the planned inauguration on Sunday of four development phases at South Pars, the worlds largest gas field, by President Hassan Rouhani.

He said Iran had invested $11 billion to complete the phases 13 and 22-24 of the giant field, which Tehran shares with Qatar, and expected to operate 27 phases by next March, SHANA reported.

Frances Total and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) suspended investment in phase 11 of South Pars last year after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that do business in Iran.

But Zanganeh said talks with CNPC were continuing.

"Negotiations are ongoing. A senior delegation from China is due to come to Iran for talks. They have promised to come to Iran soon," said Zanganeh, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Marguerita Choy)
French president Emmanuel Macron has just completed a trip to several African nations.

A number of education and business partnerships were announced.

Macron views African development as key to France's global ambition.

French President Emmanuel Macron embarked on a four-day charm offensive across the Horn of Africa last week, stopping off in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The trip is largely seen as a bid to cement new ties in a region where China's influence has been growing fast.

In the first visit by a French president to Kenya since its independence in 1963, Macron concluded his trip with a bang, announcing an estimated 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) worth of deals with the East African powerhouse.

While specifics remain obscure, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed in a statement Thursday that an agreement with a "French consortium" had been reached on a series of major works to boost Kenya's transport network, including the construction of a commuter rail line linking the Kenyan capital with its central railway station.

Accompanied by some of France's corporate giants  including Danone, EDF, GE Alstom and Total Group  Macron's message was quite clear.

"The intent is indeed to open a new partnership in economy," Macron said in a joint press conference with Kenyatta on Wednesday. "Now what we want to do, especially with our delegation of companies, is to be part of your new growth agendaThis is how France could be a long term, credible economic partner," he added.

Both sides expressed keen intent to turn this visit into a long-term affair with cooperation spanning beyond business and including a series of environmental and educational alignments of their interests.

However, some of the local reaction was less enthusiastic. Twitter was flooded with adverse reactions to Macron's visit. One Tweet read: "People like Macron are the real stumbling blocks to the development in Africa".

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https://twitter.com/RiekMachar3/status/1105835780348485634

Why this France-Africa push?

One clear goal for Macron is to curtail the influence of Beijing.

Macron is wooing African counterparts beyond traditional allies in non-Francophone Africa, such as Ethiopia and Kenya. This marks a significant effort to assert France's competitive edge in a region where China's grip runs deep.

"France has been competing with China across Africa now for a while", Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Director of the Department of Government and International Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University, told CNBC on Thursday.

"For a lot of French companies this has meant fierce business with deals often being signed behind closed doors," added Cabestan who also acts as a member of the French Centre for Research on Contemporary China in Hong Kong.

Going from an almost non-existent engagement with the continent pre-2000s, China is now the region's largest economic partner and nation creditor.

Figures from a 2015 McKinsey report estimate China's trade with Africa stood at over $185 billion. In comparison, France's trade with the region was estimated at a significantly lower figure of $57 billion.

The same report claimed that the number of Chinese firms in Africa is two to nine times the official count.

In Kenya, China fronted an estimated $4 billion to build the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, Kenya's largest infrastructure project, while in Ethiopia the giant was the financial muscle behind the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, reportedly worth $3.4 billion.

These investments reflect how Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti have taken the lead as some of the most important partners in China's "Belt and Road" reach for global influence.

"Belt and Road" is often described as a 21st century trading route linking China to Eastern Europe and Africa. It is made up of a "belt" of overland corridors and a maritime "road" of shipping lanes.

Macron had decided early on to place Africa as a top priority, a directive he clearly gave to France's 170 ambassadors in his first foreign policy address in 2017.

"It is in Africa that the future of the world will largely play out", he boldly stated.

Macron has wasted no time in implementing his plan. He swiftly launched the first ever Presidential Council for Africa, his very own advisory squad on France-Africa relations, and actioned his charm offensive blueprint with an initial trip to West Africa in July, and now East Africa.

But aside from curtailing Chinese dominance, a closer look at the data reveals the region is growing in economic importance. In 2017, Ethiopia became France's third biggest market with French exports soaring to a record high of over 830 million euros.

The number of French companies in Kenya has almost tripled over the past five years. The likes of Peugeot, L'Oreal, Accor, Schneider Electric and Danone have all set up a regional base, reflecting Kenya's growing image as a place to do business.

Can France beat China?

At first glance, the picture for Paris is bleak. France is no match for China's deep pockets and economic might. But a closer look reveals a subtle shift in dynamics that could give Macron an upper hand.

In the first instance, it appears China's approach to doing business with Africa has quietly shifted. Breaking with a tradition of doubling up, China announced in August that it would not be expanding its financial commitment to the region. Beijing's financial pledge would instead cautiously remain at its previous level of $60 billion in 2015, perhaps a symptom of the Chinese economic slowdown.

Additionally, some African countries appear to have a greater willingness to do business with countries other than China and Macron appears to be taking advantage of that trend.

"Domestic politics is also a big factor here," Cabestan told CNBC.

Ethiopia's gradual return to democracy is creating distance with China and realigning interests with France.

Meanwhile, Kenya is also keen to diversify from its overt dependence on China. "Kenya, like many other countries in the region, has a big debt to China and there is certainly a willingness to rebalance their foreign relations", Cabestan said.

Seemingly playing on these dynamics, Macron made his pitch clear on arrival in Djibouti. "French companies can offer a respectful partnershipone which will not bring on excessive, unsustainable debts and favors the development of local jobs".

Macron bolstered his charm offensive with a strong soft power component. He pledged to support the development of Ethiopia's cultural heritage and several higher education partnerships, while pushing an environmental alignment with Kenya, whose energy mix is 75% renewables.

In sum, "Macron may be able to out charm China, because of his youth, his style, France's image, but France is not going to replace China", Cabestan told CNBC.

Instead France "will more actively compete with China", he added.

What now?

Macron's push in Africa reflects his drive to project France as a global power which will likely continue especially as he faces domestic challenges to his legitimacy.

Beijing will likely be using the resources at its disposal to maintain a leading position even as its partners warm up to France. How and when China will choose to flex its muscles remains to be seen.

What's certain for now though, according to Cabestan, is that as long as there is tension with Washington, "the Chinese will be playing nice with Europe", and the wider relation between the EU and China "will get more complicated".





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Health facility in Dhanusha at the mercy of office assistant

Pheku Mahato, an office assistant at the dispensary, has been operating the OPD service at the dispensary as the institute has been without health workers for the past month.
By Sergio Goncalves

LONDON (Reuters) - Portuguese utility company EDP announced plans to sell 2 billion euros' (1.7 billion pounds) worth of assets in Portugal and Spain, and raise another 4 billion euros via an asset rotation programme until 2022 to fund its expansion in renewable energy.

EDP-Energias de Portugal is the target of a 9 billion euro takeover proposal by China Three Gorges (CTG), which the EDP board has rejected as too low and which is opposed by activist shareholder Elliott Advisors.

In a strategic update on Tuesday EDP also earmarked 12 billion euros for capital expenditure between 2019 and 2022, with 75 percent of that to be spent in North America and Europe, CEO Antonio Mexia told investors and analysts during a presentation in London.

"We will generate over 6 billion euros of sale proceeds to reinvest in renewables and strengthen our balance sheet," EDP said.

"If the opportunity is there we can do more than the 2 billion euros" in asset sales, Mexia said.

The sale of the Portuguese assets reflects some of the demands by activist investor Elliott, which has launched a campaign to try to thwart CTG's takeover proposal, but the "portfolio optimization" asset sale plan is somewhat below the 7.6 billion euros proposed by the shareholder.

The 12 billion euros EDP has earmarked for investment, however, appears to go beyond that proposed by Elliott as the utility hopes to add 7 gigawatts of renewable power capacity globally, as well as some transmission projects in Brazil, where it plans to retain its overall exposure and could even expand.

As well as calling for the sale of Iberian thermal holdings and minority stakes in Spanish and Portuguese networks, Elliott had urged EDP to sell its Brazilian operation.

"(We) Aim at superior execution of existing projects and continuous improvement of operations (in Brazil) ... also open to consolidation and value accretive growth opportunities", EDP's Chief Financial Officer Miguel Stilwell said about Brazil.

EDP, which reported a 53 percent fall in 2018 net profit on Monday due to tax and regulatory impacts in Portugal, said its investment plan should help it achieve a 7 percent compound annual growth rate in net profit over 2019-2022, and 5 percent annual growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA).

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As a result, net profit should finish 2022 above 1 billion euros and EBITDA would end that year above 4 billion euros, it said.

EDP shares were up 0.3 percent at 3.28 euros at 1212 GMT, just above the 3.26 euros per share offer Chinese state-owned CTG made for EDP last May. The bid by CTG, which is already EDP's largest shareholder with a 23 percent stake, still requires various regulatory approvals before it can be formally launched.

In its home market and neighbouring Spain, EDP plans to downsize its thermal and merchant power business. EDP's operations in Portugal account for 90 percent of electricity generation and distribution in the country.

Reuters reported exclusively last week that EDP was working on a plan to sell some of its assets in Portugal.

The utility has been running an asset rotation programme - selling some assets to buy others that may offer potentially higher returns - for a few years, mainly focussed on wind power projects.

It said it expects to reduce its debt by 2 billion euros from end-2018's 13.5 billion by 2022, when its net debt to EBITDA ratio should be less than 3 times, down from 4 times currently.

Nearly all of the planned investment will be in regulated assets and long-term power contracts to keep a low risk profile, EDP said.

In another nod to shareholders it promised to maintain an "attractive dividend policy" with a minimum 0.19 euros per share to be distributed, while raising the payout ratio to 75-85 percent by 2022 from 65-75 percent now.

(Writing by Andrei Khalip; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Designer Ryan Korban has always been devoted to Instagram. An influencer himself (with some 137,000 followers), the 34-year-old New School graduate earned his success by designing flagship stores for high-fashion brands that were flooded with selfie-takers from the go. Using bold colors and wow moments such as a massive dome made of gold leaf for the Madison Avenue Aquazzura boutique, he lured lookie-loos and the design-curious off the street just to take photos to post to their feeds. No one wants to design a store that people just walk past, he says.

So when Broad Street Development asked him to imagine the interiors for 40 Bleecker in Manhattans NoHo neighborhood, Korbans mind immediately turned to how his designs would look on social media. He started with a lobby whose lighting makes anyone look 10 years younger, then furnished it with two marble sofas and lush suede walls.

It is all about over-the-top symmetry and graphic marblesall of it meant to fit into a vertical frame that looks great on a cellphone, he says.

Sales agents stationed in the lobby welcome visitors who just want to pose on those stone slabs. Never mind that the selfie-stick set may not be looking to purchase a condo in the 12-story building, whose one- to five-bedroom homes start at around $2 million, or whether theyre financially eligible.

We are building a brand, and it deserves to get as many eyes on it as possible, says Korban of his photo-friendly designs.

While Instagram remains the fastest-growing social media platform on the planet, with more than 100 million active users in the U.S. alone, real estate developers have been slow to embrace social media from the design phase of building. Many worry that photo-ready rooms that allow entree to just anyone might cheapen their expensive product, while others simply dont want wide-eyed out-of-towners hunting for real estate porn.

But savvy developers and architects are embracing the power of the platform to move product, and are baking creative moments into the design processsometimes from the moment of construction. With the right Instagram-worthy photo op available to all, the thinking goes, a post just might influence a close.

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Up at Aby Rosens 100 East 53rd Street, art is the focus of the Foster + Partners-designed building, where plenty of visitors and brokers pop by to take photos with the Rachel Feinstein work in the lobby and the blue-chip pieces from the developers private collection in the buildings model loft residence. Compasss Leonard Steinberg is fine with prospective buyers posting images of themselves with the buildings hashtag (#100e53), and has seen some traction through random influencers.

We have gotten some direct inquiries from social media postssometimes from agents, sometimes from buyers who ask their agent to see it, Steinberg says of the Midtown residence, where studios start at $2.1 million.

Meanwhile, Brooklyns record-busting Quay Tower (the penthouse is in contract for more than $20 million, which stands to become the highest-priced sale ever in the New York borough) installed an Instagram pop-up station in its sales office. Wannabe selfie-takers step into a cartoon version of Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the developer has thoughtfully placed props for playful photo ops. (The photo is emailed to participants, in the process collecting contact information for future sales.)

Lower down the price-point totem pole, David Barry, president and chief executive officer of development firm Urby, knows his prospective tenants want enviable experiences to post on their Instagram feeds. So he thinks up photo-friendly spaces before construction begins. His Harrison Urby building in Harrison, N.J., where rentals start at around $2,000 for a studio, has a 30-foot-tall treehouse with a wall of braided rope in the common-area cafe. Anyone can come by for a latte and a snap.

The combination of greenery, oak millwork, decorative lighting, and a multicolored, tiled floor creates the feeling of a tropical oasis in what is a historically industrial town, says Barry, and when its flooded with selfie-takers, it gives the common space a lively energy.

His Staten Island Urby was conceived with the only commercial farm to be incorporated into a residential development in that borough; it grows more than 50 varieties of plants and vegetables, tended by a real farmer. (Is anything more Instagrammable than an urban farmer?)

Barry loves that his spaces have earned their own social media presence@urbylife has nearly 16,000 followersand he believes Instagram falls somewhere midway up the sales and marketing funnel, as renters work their way toward finding the perfect dwelling.

I dont think Instagrams primary purpose is transactions, but it is a great way to promote brand awareness, and that may translate indirectly as transactions, eventually, he says.

For him, slowly growing his Instagram presence through fun posts is better than any website. Its a mosaic, he says, a composite over time that authentically expresses a buildings singular personality. Which is why Barry doesnt bother much with hiring professional photographers to take stock shots. Urby builds pretty, fun, quirky places for people to pose and post, then lets the process unfold organically.
IN THE CAR WHERE Paula Hanson lives, often parked outside a local sheriff's station in Lancaster, California, her phone wouldn't stop ringing.

Hanson tried to explain to the employees at Discover Bank DFS all that had happened to her. First, she had been laid off from her job, and then her father fell ill and she moved into his house to take care of him. Shortly after he died, last year, Hanson, 62, became homeless. She simply didn't have the money to tackle the $17,000 in credit card debt she owed Discover.

Still, the calls continued: "At first, it was once a day," Hanson said, "but then they began to become, like, three times a day." Eventually, her lawyer said, the bank was ringing her five times a day.

In an effort to end the calls, Hanson agreed at one point to make a onetime payment of $50 to Discover, though she had less than $200 in her bank account.

"I have to make sure I have money to eat," she said, "but the way they pressure you  they make you feel like you have to do this."

MORE THAN A QUARTER of consumers currently receive automated calls about past-due bills, according to data provided to CNBC by YouMail , a robocall-blocking service. For many, the calls are relentless. "Some people get hundreds of calls in a single month about a late payment or debt," said Alex Quilici, chief executive of YouMail.

People often associate the flood of robocalls with scammers. Yet on one ranking this year of robocallers by volume, 8 out of the top 10 were seeking a late payment (although that list doesn't account for when companies deploy many different phone numbers to reach people).

COMPANIES USE autodialers to collect their debts because they're cheap and easy to use, said Jeff Hansen , an information technology expert. When he worked at a calling center, Hansen said, they were dialing more than 1 million people an hour for less than a penny per call.

But the way technology works makes it difficult for consumers to stop the calls, he said.

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"You get 10 calls in one day, and on the first call you say, 'I don't have the money. Stop calling,' but these automated procedures keep people out of the loop," he said. "The dialer has been loaded for the whole day, and so it's going to keep calling you."

Employees at Discover come up with the right strategy for each individual who is struggling to make their payments, said Derek Cuculich, senior manager of public relations at the company. "We determine their situation and work with them to find a solution to help them through tough times," Cuculich said.

TONYA STEVENS BOUGHT a few items, including a washer and dryer, back in 2014 from Conn's HomePlus, a furniture store chain headquartered in Texas.

She said she made many of her monthly payments, but sent them in later than the store wanted. Employees of Conn's called her morning, noon and night, Stevens, 49, said. "I was getting anywhere from five to 11 calls a day," she said.

Stevens was pushed over the edge, she said, when she was tending to her dying grandmother. "I called them screaming, bawling, 'Let me bury my grandmother,'" she said.

All together, Conn's called her more than 1,800 times, according to her lawyer.

"As standard operating procedure, our team follows all applicable statutes and regulations, only calling customers that have an outstanding debt," said Ivette Faulkner, a spokeswoman for Conn's. "Once a payment is arranged, we discontinue customer calls."

Finding themselves under President Donald Trump's "industry-friendly" administration, companies are ramping up their debt collection calls, said Billy Peerce Howard, a lawyer at the The Consumer Protection Firm in Tampa, Florida. "The consumers that call my office and complain about harassment have doubled literally overnight from when Trump was elected," Howard said.

And they could soon pick up even more.

The Federal Communications Commission is in the process of deciding the scope of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act , which bans companies from autodialing people's cellphones without their permission. Consumer advocates worry the rule will be so thin that most businesses can operate outside of it.

"If the FCC comes out with a definition as requested by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and all of the other callers, then all of those calls that are made from those automated systems won't be covered and we won't be able to stop them," said Margot Saunders, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center . "It'll be far worse than today."

Will Wiquist, a spokesman for the FCC, said the current Commission has taken more steps to put an end to illegal robocalls than any other before it. "[W]e will continue to combat all illegal robocalls with every tool we have," he said.

BUSINESSES ARGUE THAT THEY NEED to be able to contact their past-due consumers without facing " frivolous " lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. "Making sure debts are collected are important for the fundamentals of our economy," said Harold Kim, chief operating officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform.

The calls also protect consumers, Kim said, often preventing home foreclosures and car repossessions.

For the many Americans in precarious financial situations today, it's easy to fall behind on a bill, said Ira Rheingold , the executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. "We're living in an economy where people don't have a lot of savings and are dependent on credit to buy things," Rheingold said.

The repeated calls worsen their circumstances, he said, forcing them to pay their bills "out of order." For example, a person might relent to a caller and pay off a credit card bill and then not be able to send in their next rent check.

"It's not a good financial plan to pay the people who bother you the most," Rheingold said. "You need to prioritize those debts based on your needs."

PEOPLE ALSO DESCRIBE a psychological price to these calls. Karl  who asked to use his first name only to protect his privacy bought his fiance an engagement ring for around $2,500 at a Sterling Jewelers location in Florida in 2015.

Shortly after, his grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, and Karl took a leave from his job to visit him in New York. His employer didn't offer paid time off, and Karl soon fell behind on his debts, including his $120 monthly bill for the ring.

The calls from Sterling Jewelry began almost immediately, he said.

"There were times when they called me nine or 10 times a day," Karl, 36, said. "I told them what was going on, and the calls still came." According to Karl's lawyer, the company called him more than 1,300 times.

"It makes you feel like less of a person," he said.

David Bouffard, vice president of corporate affairs at Signet, the global parent company of Sterling Jewelers, said its policies are designed to make sure customers are treated with respect and fairness.

"We comply with our legal and ethical obligations," Bouffard said.

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His comments come three months into a fresh round of production cuts from the so-called OPEC+ alliance. The producers meet in mid-April to review their oil supply cut agreement, which is scheduled to last through the first-half of 2019.

The Middle East-dominated group, alongside non-OPEC allies such as Russia, agreed to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day (b/d) for six months.

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister, Khalid al-Falih, said on Sunday he was "optimistic" about the prospect of continued commitment to the OPEC-led production cuts.

Russia Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Sunday that Moscow will be fully compliant with OPEC-led supply cuts over the coming weeks.

"As far as the meeting is concerned we, of course, discussed the situation with the execution of the agreement (and) we stressed once again that Russia is discharging its obligations in accordance with the agreement to smoothly achieve the target output," Novak told CNBC's Dan Murphy in Baku, Azerbaijan, according to a translation.

"As for the target output level that forms part of the signed agreement, we plan to reach those figures by the end of March (or) beginning of April. This is earlier than in the same period two years ago by about one month."

His comments come three months into a fresh round of production cuts from the so-called OPEC + alliance. The producers meet in mid-April to review their oil supply cut agreement, which is scheduled to last through the first-half of 2019.

The Middle East-dominated group, alongside non-OPEC allies such as Russia, agreed to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day (b/d) for six months.

OPEC's share is 800,000 b/d, to be delivered by 11 members  with Iran, Venezuela and Libya exempt from cuts.

When asked whether Russia would support an extension to the cuts, Novak replied: "It is a little premature to talk about this. The deal after all covers the first six months of the year so any extension will be discussed in May or June this year."

Story continues

Compliance rates should improve "very soon"

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister, Khalid al-Falih, said on Sunday he was "optimistic" about the prospect of continued commitment to the OPEC-led production cuts.

The compliance rates in the first two months of the year are less than levels seen in 2017 and 2018. But, al-Falih told reporters on the sidelines of the joint ministerial monitoring committee meeting in Baku that he expected oil producers would "catch up very soon."

The 2019 pact was a dramatic turnabout for OPEC and its allies, after the producer group had agreed to boost supplies in mid-2018. OPEC+ changed course after Brent crude futures tumbled from $86 a barrel in October, making them wary of a supply glut.

"There are still a lot of uncertainties in the markets linked to the decisions being taken regarding sanctions against certain countries that we consider a wrong move, going against market interests and in breach of international norms and international law," Novak said, referencing U.S. crude sanctions against Venezuela and Iran.

"This impacts the market and should be borne in mind. We are a very capital-intensive sector, we require solid investments, long term investments, so all this should be borne in mind when any decisions are taken."

International benchmark Brent crude settled at $67.16 on Friday, little changed from the previous session, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dipped 0.4 percent to close at $58.39.

So far this year, the price of Brent crude has climbed nearly 20 percent, while WTI has jumped more than 21 percent over the same period.





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MakerDAO CEO Rune Christensen believes security tokens are the most exciting prospect now entering the blockchain sphere.

Rune Christensen, the CEO and founder of MakerDAO, came to the United States this week to visit the MIT Bitcoin Expo, among other things. Christensen took some time to talk to CCN about the status of MakerDAOs full release.

Any Real Value Asset Can Potentially Back a Dai

He says the multi-collateral Dai release will have two major features, but the most important is, well, the addition of other types of collateral.

The first one is that it can support multiple collateral types. This of course means ERC-20 tokens. It also means Bitcoin through WBTC. A range of cross-chain assets that are emerging now. Also there will be other stablecoins. Centralized stablecoins that already exist on the Ethereum blockchain. But most importantly, security tokens.

MKR token holders govern the actual assets allowed. However, its safe to say that things like Bitcoin and most ERC-20 tokens will be locked up in Dai CDPs before long.

Dais Approach to Crypto Governance

Rune Christensen, MakerDAO Foundation CEO

Governance is extremely important in the MakerDAO system. Its what can make or break it. The MakerDAO foundation originally owned all the MKR tokens, but, as Christensen explains, they sold them off to key players in the Ethereum world to help fund their team of 100 people. These players included risk experts, economists, developers, and institutional investors.
Young happy couple relaxing in deck chairs at their back yard and holding their arms together.

Households that spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing are cost-burdened, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Unfortunately, nowadays, most Americans spend well beyond 30 percent of their income on rent  and there are few signs indicating this will change for the better anytime soon.

GOBankingRates conducted a study that determined the salary required in every state to maintain the 30 percent of income rule of thumb, based on 2018 rent data from Zillow and mean annual wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The results of this study paint a gloomy picture of affordability in the U.S.

See the Full Study: The Salary You Need to Afford Rent in Every State

Where You Need to Make at Least $100K to Afford Rent: California and Washington, D.C.

If youre asking yourself, How much can I afford? be prepared for some disheartening news. One of the studys most distressing discoveries is how inadequate incomes across the country are to cover rents. In fact, there are only 11 states where median rent costs consume 30 percent or less of income.

There are two places  California and Washington, D.C.  where you need to earn at least $100,000 a year to afford the median rent. Based on median rents of $2,518 in California and $2,711 in Washington, youd need to earn nearly $8,400 a month to afford the former and over $9,000 a month to afford the latter. California and Washington are the only two places in the country that require six-figure incomes.

Affordability, however, is all relative.

Click to See: These Are the 50 Best Cities for Renters

States With the Most Affordable Rent

Although the salary you need to afford rent in some states is much lower than in others, that doesnt necessarily mean its more affordable. Take Colorado, for example. The wage you need to afford the median rent  $77,080  is much less than Washingtons $108,440 a year. But in Colorado, the $23,030 gap between the salary you need and the states actual annual wage is larger than Washingtons gap of $16,040, which undermines its affordability.

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Colorado is just one of 40 states where the average annual incomes fall below the required threshold to afford rent. That means there are 11 states where the average income exceeds the amount you need to afford rent.

Here are the 11 states with the most affordable rent:

State Median Rent Annual Salary Needed Average Annual Wage Difference Between Needed vs. Actual Salary West Virginia $888 $35,520 $41,400 $5,880 Oklahoma $950 $38,000 $43,340 $5,340 Michigan $1,110 $44,400 $48,300 $3,900 Missouri $1,047 $41,880 $45,520 $3,640 Alabama $998 $39,920 $43,170 $3,250 Kansas $1,051 $42,040 $44,570 $2,530 Iowa $1,057 $42,280 $44,730 $2,450 Ohio $1,113 $44,520 $46,950 $2,430 Arkansas $953 $38,120 $40,530 $2,410 Wyoming $1,149 $45,960 $47,650 $1,690 Wisconsin $1,141 $45,640 $46,270 $630

The study highlights a continuing issue in recent years of wages not keeping up with rising living costs. On top of this, across the U.S., the supply of available houses to buy is low, pushing up home prices.

See the complete results of the study below, and find out where your state falls:

State Median Rent Annual Salary Needed Average Annual Wage Alabama $998 $39,920 $43,170 Alaska $1,748 $69,920 $57,750 Arizona $1,356 $54,240 $48,160 Arkansas $953 $38,120 $40,530 California $2,518 $100,720 $57,190 Colorado $1,927 $77,080 $54,050 Connecticut $1,803 $72,120 $59,410 Delaware $1,435 $57,400 $52,200 District of Columbia $2,711 $108,440 $85,720 Florida $1,590 $63,600 $44,790 Georgia $1,262 $50,480 $47,200 Hawaii $2,481 $99,240 $52,050 Idaho $1,238 $49,520 $42,240 Illinois $1,463 $58,520 $52,410 Indiana $1,113 $44,520 $43,950 Iowa $1,057 $42,280 $44,730 Kansas $1,051 $42,040 $44,570 Kentucky $1,084 $43,360 $42,410 Louisiana $1,245 $49,800 $41,590 Maine $1,466 $58,640 $45,300 Maryland $1,807 $72,280 $57,270 Massachusetts $2,252 $90,080 $62,110 Michigan $1,110 $44,400 $48,300 Minnesota $1,449 $57,960 $52,730 Mississippi $1,055 $42,200 $38,910 Missouri $1,047 $41,880 $45,520 Montana $1,234 $49,360 $42,400 Nebraska $1,253 $50,120 $45,530 Nevada $1,423 $56,920 $45,040 New Hampshire $1,748 $69,920 $51,040 New Jersey $2,062 $82,480 $56,970 New Mexico $1,200 $48,000 $44,840 New York $2,050 $82,000 $60,100 North Carolina $1,208 $48,320 $46,080 North Dakota $1,290 $51,600 $48,130 Ohio $1,113 $44,520 $46,950 Oklahoma $950 $38,000 $43,340 Oregon $1,707 $68,280 $51,010 Pennsylvania $1,242 $49,680 $48,760 Rhode Island $1,725 $69,000 $53,110 South Carolina $1,209 $48,360 $42,240 South Dakota $1,213 $48,520 $40,770 Tennessee $1,153 $46,120 $43,550 Texas $1,455 $58,200 $48,700 Utah $1,526 $61,040 $46,460 Vermont $1,599 $63,960 $48,840 Virginia $1,452 $58,080 $53,980 Washington $1,838 $73,520 $57,480 West Virginia $888 $35,520 $41,400 Wisconsin $1,141 $45,640 $46,270 Wyoming $1,149 $45,960 $47,650

With nearly four-fifths of U.S. states rent-burdened, HUDs definition might be up for revision. The good news is you can always find pockets of affordability, though it requires persistence and knowing what you want.

One of the first choices you need to make is whether youre looking to rent or own your home. Click through to find out if its more affordable to rent or own a home in your state.

More on Rent

Methodology: GOBankingRates calculated the salary needed to afford rent in every state by using the budget rule of thumb that says to keep housing costs at 30 percent or less of your income. GOBankingRates found the median rent for single-family residences in each state, sourced from Zillow, and worked backward to find the monthly income needed to have monthly and yearly rent consume 30 percent or less of income. Average annual wages were sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

All information is accurate at the time this study was conducted in July 2018.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: You Need to Earn More Than $100K to Afford Rent in These States, Study Finds
Arjun Poudel is a health reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before joining the Post, he worked for Sagarmatha Television, Naya Patrika, Republica and The Himalayan Times.
Donald Trump's push to brand Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations could make compliance a major headache for the banking industry - and maybe even cripple the ability of crypto firms to access basic financial services. | Source: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

In a recent interview with right-wing media outlet Breitbart News, President Donald Trump said his administration is very seriously considering designating Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). However, the strain this policy shift would impose on the banking industry calls into question the feasibility of an expanded counter-terrorism regime.

Donald Trump Seriously Considering Branding Mexican Cartels as Terrorists

donald trump, us-mexico border wall

Donald Trump may brand the cartels as terrorist organizations to bolster his case for US-Mexico border wall funding. | Source: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Trumps comments come on the heels of his declaration of a national emergency at the US-Mexico border last month, a move designed to secure billions more in funding for his border wall than Congress is willing to authorize. This week, the Senate revoked the border emergency declaration  a resolution the president promptly vetoed.

Designating the cartels as terrorists could, thus, serve as a maneuver to help the president gain political leverage for his controversial wall.

According to the State Department, an FTO must be a foreign organization that either engages in or has the means to engage in terrorism and threatens the security of United States nationals or the national security of the United States.

Additionally, the legal ramifications of the FTO designation require:
President Donald Trump targets General Motors and a local union official as he pushes the automaker to restart production at an Ohio facility.

Trump claims that GM "let our Country down."

President Donald Trump targeted both General Motors GM and an Ohio union official on Sunday over an assembly plant that the automaker closed earlier this month .

His tweet amplifies the public pressure on GM to restart operations at the Lordstown, Ohio facility. Trump has frequently used his platform to push companies to take his preferred actions. Earlier this year, he threatened to cut the company's subsidies after it announced plans to slash production at several U.S. plants.

On Sunday, Trump tweeted that "Democrat" United Auto Workers Local 1112 President David Green "ought to get his act together and produce." The union represents workers at the Lordstown plant. The facility's closure is resulting in the loss of 1,300 jobs, though about 417 of those positions will go to other plants, GM previously said.

Trump wrote that GM "let our Country down" by shutting down the plant, where it made the Chevy Cruze. He has pushed the company and its CEO Mary Barra to restart production in Lordstown.

"I want action on Lordstown fast. Stop complaining and get the job done!" he wrote on Sunday.

Donald Trump tweet

On Saturday, the president tweeted that GM "must" reopen the plant, "maybe in a different form or with a new owner, FAST!"

Donald Trump tweet 2

Green has written two letters to Trump asking him to save the plant and its jobs, local TV stations WKBN reported in February . In a February letter shared by the news outlet, Green implored Trump to make a case for the facility. Green noted that the president had not responded to a first letter he sent in July 2018.

"While this may not seem that important to you, it will have a devastating impact on many families, business and communities, especially here in the Mahoning Valley, a place that I call home," the union official wrote to the president.

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Neither Green nor GM immediately responded to CNBC's requests to comment on Trump's tweet.

Trump won the White House partly on promises to boost manufacturing jobs and U.S. auto production. He has set out to renegotiate various free trade deals, in part to encourage automakers to produce at U.S. facilities.

While Trump has previously criticized GM, Sunday appeared to be the first time that he targeted Green, a local union official, by name.

GM has faced substantial pressure from Washington to keep the facility running. Both U.S. senators from Ohio  Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Rob Portman  have pushed the company to maintain jobs at the plant.

Brown has tried to pass legislation that aims to make production in the U.S. more appealing to automakers.

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President Donald Trump slams NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and praises controversial Fox News hosts in Sunday morning tweets.

It fits with his broader strategy of railing against coverage he dislikes and propping up media personalities who support him.

President Donald Trump zeroed in on two U.S. media outlets Sunday morning, appearing to threaten action against the satirical "Saturday Night Live" and pressuring Fox News to bring back a host widely condemned for her comments about a Muslim congresswoman.

Trump's string of tweets fits his broader strategy of publicly railing against coverage he dislikes and propping up media personalities who support him. The comments could raise more questions about the president's warm relationship with Fox, which at times has helped to drive White House messaging.

In a tweet Sunday morning after hours after a rerun episode of the NBC sketch comedy show ran, Trump called it "truly incredible" that "shows like Saturday Night Live ... can spend all of their time knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of 'the other side.'" He said it is "like an advertisement without consequences."

"Should Federal Election Commission and/or FCC look into this? There must be Collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia!" he wrote.

Donald Trump tweet SNL 1

Donald Trump tweet SNL 2

It is unclear exactly what action Trump is threatening against the show. He previously suggested that his administration would look into NBC's network license due to its coverage. However, the FCC does not appear to have the authority to do so, as it licenses individual stations rather than networks.

NBC declined to comment on the president's tweet. (Disclosure: "Saturday Night Live" airs on NBC, which is owned by CNBC's parent company NBC Universal).

Shortly after he knocked a network that has frequently covered him critically, Trump publicly stood up for a TV personality who staunchly backs him. He tweeted in support of Jeanine Pirro, a Fox host who was widely condemned last week for comments that critics considered anti-Muslim. Her show, "Justice with Judge Jeanine," was replaced on Saturday with no explanation.

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"Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro," the president wrote. "The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well."

Donald Trump tweet Pirro

He went on to write that Fox should "stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country." Trump added that the network should "keep fighting" for Pirro and Tucker Carlson, whose show has lost advertisers following the release of comments from years old radio interviews that critics considered misogynistic.

"They can't beat you, you can only beat yourselves!" Trump said of Fox.

Trump's defense of Pirro comes only days after 49 people were killed and dozens were wounded in shootings at New Zealand mosques.

On March 9, Pirro suggested that Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat and Muslim, is not loyal to the Constitution because she wears a hijab.

"Think about it: Omar wears a hijab," she said on her show. "Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?"

Fox has said it "strongly" condemns Pirro's comments. The remarks "do not reflect" the network, Fox added.

Pirro explained her comments further a night after she made them. In a statement, she said that "of course because one is a Muslim does not mean you don't support the Constitution."

Fox did not immediately respond to a request to comment on Trump's Sunday tweets.

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Countries and airlines around the world have grounded Boeing 737 Max planes after two fatal crashes.

The United States, usually the leader in aviation safety, had been a notable holdout.

The FAA ultimately grounded the planes on Wednesday afternoon, joining dozens of other countries.

China moved first. Indonesia followed. Then Singapore and Australia.

By midday Wednesday more than 30 countries and airlines from India to Italy had banned Boeing BA 737 Max jets from their skies after a second fatal crash of one of the planes brought the death toll to 346 people. The deadly crashes raised concerns around the world that they may have both been caused by software Boeing added to the modern version of its workhorse jet.

But the U.S. aviation regulator repeatedly stood by the American-made plane, even as close allies like the European Union decided to suspend the plane from operating there.

It left the Federal Aviation Administration, which has presided over an unprecedented period of commercial airline safety at home, in an unfamiliar state: alone.

Knee-jerk reactions

Had such a worldwide break from U.S. aviation officials happened before?

"Never," said John Goglia, a former member of the U.S. National Transport Safety Board. He's investigated accidents including the July 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 that killed all 230 people on board. Goglia called the moves by other countries to ground the 737 Max planes "knee-jerk reactions" since details of what could have caused the Ethiopia crash were still scarce.

The U.S. had for decades taken the lead in issuing aviation safety guidance to carriers and countries. Countries instead followed China, set to become the world's biggest air travel market by the middle of the next decade, according to the International Air Transport Association.

In January 2013, battery fires on new Boeing 787 Dreamliners prompted the agency to ground the planes that month. European aviation officials followed suit from the FAA, which had certified the plane. The 787s were airborne again by April of that year after FAA deemed the planes airworthy after a fix from Boeing. In 1979, the FAA grounded McDonnell Douglas DC-10 planes after deadly crashes.

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Trump announcement

On Wednesday afternoon, Canada had joined most of the world in grounding the planes, citing new satellite data.

Hours later President Donald Trump said that the U.S. would also ground the planes, a type of announcement usually made by the FAA. The FAA's acting administrator Daniel Elwell later told reporters that this new satellite-data and physical evidence more closely linked the Ethiopian Airlines crash of the Boeing 737 Max on March 10 to that of Lion Air Flight 610 that plunged into the Java Sea in Indonesia last October, killing all 189 aboard.

He defended the FAA's decision to hold off on grounding the planes.

"We are a fact-driven, a data-based organization," said Elwell told reporters after the FAA issued its order to ground the planes in the U.S. "Since this accident occurred we were resolute in our decision that we would not take action until we had data to support taking action. That data coalesced today and we made the call."

Boeing said it recommended the decision to the FAA.

U.S. inaction

The inaction from the U.S. had drawn criticism from some, like former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, whose FAA grounded the Dreamliners in 2013, before the FAA made the call that it should have grounded the planes. "Safety can never be compromised," he told CNBC .

Others, including former Continental Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune, who previously oversaw production of 737s and 757 at Boeing, said the U.S. should wait until it had more information.

After the FAA decided to go ahead and ground the jets, Elwell told CNBC's Closing Bell in an interview that the FAA, which certified the 737 Max plane, "didn't feel global pressure ." The Max is a new variant with larger engines, made by a joint venture of General Electric GE and France's Safran, and other features and rolled out in 2017.

On Monday and Tuesday, the FAA said it had no information to warrant grounding the Boeing 737 Max planes, even as other nations and airlines took that step. Of the more than 350 of the planes that have been delivered to carriers worldwide, 72 are in U.S. airline fleets, including those of American AAL , United UAL and Southwest LUV . Boeing has 4,600 more on order globally.

Chaos

As the U.S. grew more isolated on the issue, airlines were in the awkward position of at once defending the airplane as safe and changing for free the tickets of travelers who said they were too scared to fly it . Flight attendants' unions asked for the planes to be grounded and told members they wouldn't be forced to work a 737 Max flight. Some United flight attendants reassigned themselves on other aircraft, according to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, their labor union.

tweet

"When FAA got behind the court of public opinion everything else becomes optics over rational decision making," said Robert Mann, a former TWA executive and an airline consultant.

Boeing shares lost more than 10 percent in the week, shaving $24.6 billion off its market capitalization.

Lawmakers, travelers and even some airline employees, including flight attendants, urged the government and carriers to park the planes until more was known about what brought down the Ethiopian Airlines' four-month-old Boeing 737 Max 8 on Sunday shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board.

"I know this tragedy is especially challenging coming only months after the loss of Lion Air Flight 610," Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg told employees in an email. "While difficult, I encourage everyone to stay focused on the important work we do. Our customers, business partners and stakeholders depend on us to deliver for them."

The FAA's about-face

Then the U.S. changed its position.

At American's nerve center, a cavernous, 150,000-square-foot facility at its Fort Worth, Texas headquarters where the airline monitors its some 6,700 flights a day, about a dozen members of American's staff and executives and like Kerry Philipovitch, senior vice president of customer experience, assembled in a room used for crises like the 2016 Brussels bombing, where they were later joined by CEO Doug Parker , to view on a wall full of screens where its 24 Boeing 737 Max planes were and how to rebook passengers whose trips were upended by FAA's immediate order.

The airline had been discussing contingency plans since China grounded the planes on Monday, according to a person familiar with the matter. American uses the planes for 85 flights a day and began canceling flights after the FAA order. Southwest took similar steps. The three U.S. airlines flying the planes said they supported FAA's decision.

FAA and Boeing

The FAA, which has had Elwell as acting head since Michael Huerta stepped down in January 2018, was the body that certified the one to certify the best-selling plane that started flying in commercial fleets less than two years ago.

That is drawing questions from lawmakers. Investigators in the Lion Air crash have indicated that the pilots were battling an automated anti-stall system that Boeing added to the new 737 Max jets before they started flying in 2017.

The plane is a new model of Boeing's 737, an aircraft that has been flying since the 1960s and is the best-selling of all time. Boeing, facing competition from European archrival Airbus, whose A320neo, a more fuel-efficient version of its single-aisle plane that had just won orders from longtime Boeing customer American Airlines, ordered up a similar fuel-saving engine upgrade. Boeing also changed the wing and landing gear. Airbus's newly re-engined A320s started flying more than a year before Boeing's 737 Max.

Because of the changes it made to the planes, Boeing also added a system, known as the Maneuver Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, to detect whether a plane is in a stall and automatically push the aircraft's nose down, the way planes recover from such a position. Investigators are looking at whether the sensors on the doomed Lion Air plane erroneously showed the aircraft was in a stall.

'Absolutely shocked'

Some pilots said they did not know the MCAS system existed until after the Lion Air crash.

"It blew us away. It absolutely shocked us," said Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines Boeing 737 pilot an a spokesman for the airline's union, the Allied Pilots Association.

Switching from previous models of the 737 to the 737 Max entailed a 56-minute iPad training session, Tajer said. The FAA did not require additional training under the certification of the plane.

On an earnings call in April 2017, Boeing's CEO Muilenburg was asked how deregulation early in Trump's term affected the company.

Muilenburg replied that "the administration has been very engaged across government agencies and with industry to find ideas and ways and opportunities to simplify and streamline.

"Things like FAA certification processes is one place that we're seeing some solid progress," he said. "That's helping us more efficiently work through certification on some of our new model aircraft, such as the Max, as it's going through flight test and entering into service."

The FAA had signed off on the 737 Max 8 planes in March 2017.

Boeing met with American's pilots as well as with their counterparts at Southwest after the Lion Air crash to discuss the system.

Boeing told the pilots they were working on a fix to the plane's software, which the FAA confirmed when it had said on Tuesday that the planes were still airworthy. Tajer said pilots felt renewed confidence following the Boeing meeting in November.

Demanding answers

The FAA is mandating those changes along with tweaks to training and manuals for the 737 Max planes. It expects to sign off on the software fixes on March 25, according to a person familiar with the matter, opening the door for it to be rolled out onto aircraft.

Acting FAA administrator Elwell said the 35-day partial government shutdown, which furloughed FAA safety inspectors, did not delay the software changes. (The shutdown ended hours after several FAA's air traffic controllers, working without pay for more than a month, did not show up for work, snarling air travel.)

Now lawmakers are demanding answers.

Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure called for an investigation into the certification process for the plane, which propelled Boeing to a record $100.1 billion in revenue last year. The FAA's Elwell told reporters he was still confident in the certification for the plane.

Sen. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican and chair of the Senate Commerce Committee said he's planning a hearing on aviation safety because of the two crashes.

While the issue is ongoing, Boeing said it would suspend deliveries of the Max planes.

Boeing said its planned changes will make "an already safe aircraft even safer."

-CNBC's John Schoen contributed to this article.





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Wilkie Farr & Gallagher's Washington, D.C., offices. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM



Willkie Farr & Gallagher has now had four days to address the fallout from its former co-chairman Gordon Caplan being charged in a nationwide college admissions scandal.



On Tuesday, when news of the scandal broke and Caplan was charged, arrested and released on $500,000 bond, the firm was quiet.



On Wednesday, Willkie issued a statementon firm letterhead but referencing an outside PR consultantindicating that Caplan had been placed on a leave of absence from the firm and no longer held any management responsibilities. Since then, the firm has resumed its silence, but one can only assume that the duck metaphor applies: Above the surface, the firm is placidly gliding forward; beneath, it is paddling furiously.



Willkie's public response offers a window into what law firms should and shouldn't do when the unexpected occurs. And the allegations against Caplan and the Hollywood stars, fashion designers, investors and others named in the scandal are nothing if not unexpected.



"There is no way anyone could have guessed that something like this would happen. It's out of left field, which is exactly why there's such public outrage," said Gina Rubel, a lawyer and marketer who routinely puts together crisis preparation plans for law firms.



While firms plan for natural disasters, cyber breaches and, increasingly, the prospect of seeing lawyers ensnared in #MeToo allegations, anyone predicting a $75,000 payment aimed at fixing a college test score would be offered long odds. Still, it's a fair assumption that a powerhouse firm like Willkie was sitting on a precise crisis plan, one thorough enough to take into account related scenarios, like the more general prospect of a criminal misstep by a top partner.



California-based law firm public relations specialist Elizabeth Lambert says the best crisis plans involve imagining a wide range of contingencies.



"You have to be thorough," she says. "You have to be creative."



The plans will indicate who to bring into the room, or get on the phone, as soon as the unexpected strikes. For a reputational crisis, like the one currently facing Willkiewith client relationships, industry and public perceptions, and attorney and staff morale at stakethat means having the firm's general counsel, outside counsel and outside PR in place.



"They need outside, objective counsel that says, 'This is how we should handle this,'" Rubel said.



With that team assembled, the first step is to make sense of what may be a muddled picture.



"It always begins with the facts, making sure you understand what happened, and that you communicate it transparently and truthfully to everyone who matters," said Joshua Galper, a crisis manager and founder of law firm Davis Goldberg & Galper.



That means immediate communications with Caplan's clients, and being forthright with other lawyers and staff.



"Their first duty is to their clients and employees," Rubel said.



An internal investigation, probing Caplan's work on behalf of his clients, would likely follow, as would a referral to state bar regulatory authorities, reporting the unethical conduct. The firm has not addressed whether it has taken either step, a point that some outside observers have found jarring.



"They need to make a commitment publicly to finding out what else Mr. Caplan has done at the firm that would lead to some inappropriate conduct or poor judgment," said Wayne Pollock, managing attorney at PR firm Copo Strategies.



Acknowledgment of such an investigation isn't out of the question, considering recent examples of lawyers being accused of missteps while at their firm. When a Hogan Lovells attorney was spotted watching pornography at his London office in November, the firm both suspended him and announced an investigation. Likewise for Dentons, when it was exposed to allegations that a male partner engaged in inappropriate behavior at a Scottish firm it absorbed in 2017.



The legal questions here may be more complex, from whether the disregard for morality Caplan expressed in recordings extends to his handling of client matters, to whether any of the activities spelled out by the U.S. Department of Justice took place on office computers on work time. All of this speaks to the challenge of balancing obligations to the court of public opinion and the court of law.



With the firm's sole public communication about the issue a lean, five-sentence statement that goes no further than highlighting the "seriousness" of the matter, it's easy to critique what's missing. (It's harder yet to be in the crisis manager's shoes.)



For several onlookers, that's a more forceful condemnation of the scandal itself, a story that's galvanized national attention and prompted widespread scrutiny of the college admissions process.



"The firm, from a reputational perspective, needs to project a message that is consistent with its beliefs and values," Galper said, noting that clients, associates and staff, as well as others in the wider legal community, want to know that it recognizes that gaming college admissions while keeping one's children in the dark is a lamentable act.



"Its not too much to expect a large institution to have an opinion about something that happens in the news," he added.



Read More:



Willkie's Caplan May Face Legal Challenges From Regulators and His Own Firm





After Bribery Bust, Willkie Is Latest Firm to Face Vacuum in Leadership
Pakistans Foreign Ministry has confirmed that nine of the 50 people killed in the Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque attacks on March 15 were Pakistani citizens.

Other foreigners identified by their governments as being killed were from around the world -- including citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, and the United States.

A document listing the people killed in the mass shootings shows that the victims ranged in age from 3 to 77.

New Zealands largest mass shooting occurred as a gunman stormed the Al Noor Mosque in the city of Christchurch and opened fire, hitting dozens of people before fleeing to another mosque in the city and resuming his shooting spree.



A 28-year-old Australian man believed to be a white supremist was later arrested and has been charged with murder. The man posted video of the attack on the Internet and published a manifesto that included anti-Muslim rants.

Among the Pakistani victims were 50-year-old Mian Naeem Rashid, who was shot and killed while trying to disarm the gunman, and his 22-year-old son Talha Naeem.

The elder Rashid has been hailed by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as a national hero because of his attempt to overpower the gunman.

"Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognized with a national award," Khan said in a March 17 Twitter post.

"We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch," Khan said.

Originally from Abbottabad, Pakistan, Rashid had moved to New Zealand with his son in 2008 and was a teacher in Christchurch.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said on March 17 that they will both be buried in Christchurch and that arrangements have been made with the assistance of Muslim and Pakistani associations in the city.

Officials in Islamabad said the victims included three members of the same Pakistani family -- Zeeshan Raza, his father Ghulam Hussain, and his mother, Karam Bibi.

The Foreign Ministry also provided additional information about the identities of four other slain Pakistani victims of the attacks.

They included 40-year-old Sohail Shahid; 40-year-old Rawalpindi resident Mahboob Haroon; and 34-year-old Syed Jahandad Ali from Lahore.

Also killed was 27-year-old Karachi resident Syed Areeb Ahmed, a chartered accountant who was on a business trip to Christchurch. He was the son of Ayaz Ahmed.

The slain Pakistani victims had all been named by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry as missing.

Meanwhile, Afghanistans embassy in Australia has confirmed that 71-year-old Haji Daoud Nabi was killed.

Born in Afghanistan, Nabi reportedly fled the country in 1979 to escape the Soviet invasion.

In Christchurch, Nabi ran a group called the Afghan Association that tries to help refugees start new lives.

Also killed was a man of Afghan origin identified by the Afghan Embassy in Canberra as Matiullah Safi.

The embassy also said three other Afghan citizens were among about 50 people wounded in the attacks.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, BBC, Geo News, The International News, and Al-Jazeera
What many consider the first gay-pride march ever held in Central Asia has unleashed a storm of controversy in Kyrgyzstan, with threats of violence against participants, counterprotests, and fiery parliamentary debate over whether to rein in civil society.

The peaceful march by some 400 people in central Bishkek on Women's Day on March 8 promoting women's rights and "equality for all" was fiercely criticized by socially conservative lawmakers in the predominantly Muslim country.

"The men who do not want to have children and the girls who do not want to pour tea...must not only be cursed, they must be beaten," Kyrgyz parliament deputy Jyldyz Musabekova wrote on Facebook of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) supporters who took part in the march in the Kyrgyz capital, with several of them carrying rainbow flags.

"We have to beat the craziness out of them," she added. "Are there any decent guys out there [willing to do that]?"

She warned later during a March 13 debate in parliament that "if we sit silently...Kyrgyzstan will become a 'Gayistan.'"

Musabekova's comments were harshly criticized by some parliament members and on social media but echoed in gentler terms by other deputies.

Deputy Ziyadin Zhamaldinov said that in allowing the march to take place Kyrgyzstan had "disgraced" itself in front of neighboring countries. No women's marches were held in any of the four other Central Asian states.

Zamaldinov's colleague, Ainuru Altybaeva, said the march had "damaged" the concept of the traditional family.

Such comments are emblematic of a deep societal division within Kyrgyzstan, the region's only democracy and arguably its most progressive country.

'Very Proud'

Human rights activists were quick to defend the Women's Day march and excoriate deputies for their remarks.

"We are not offended by this parliament -- these deputies have in past years expressed even more absurd ideas," rights activist Tolekan Ismailova said.

"I think it's very cool that the LGBT community came on the march, because this is also related to the rights of women if we are talking about lesbians and transgender girls who face tremendous violence in Kyrgyzstan," said Bektour Iskender, the founder of the popular Kloop.kg website and a participant in the march.

"This is part of the women's rights movement -- it's impossible to separate them. And I'm very proud of Kyrgyzstan that this has become possible here."

Iskender added that it wasn't the only time that supporters of sexual minorities in Kyrgyzstan had been taking part in the women's march -- only that this was the first time opponents of the LGBT community had noticed.

"I urge people in Kyrgyzstan to stop being afraid of LGBT people -- they're also part of our society," he said. "I think that parliament deputies would also do well to get some kind of education in the field of human rights, because they're saying some very uneducated things."

30 Or 40?

Bektour told RFE/RL that this year's women's march had more participants than in previous years because of actions by the nationalist 40 Warriors (Kyrk Choro) organization, which had made threats to marchers and city officials allowing the event to be held.

City officials initially tried to discourage organizers from the Bishkek Feminist Initiatives (BFD) from holding the march, saying that it could cause traffic jams and lead to confrontations.

But the BFD was undeterred.

"The city police told us that for 'security reasons' you should not go out because members of Kyrk Choro could 'come and do something,'" BFD representative Gulaiym Aiylchy said. "We told them that despite your warnings we will still come out [and march]."

While there were 40 Warriors members present at the march, they didn't directly interfere with the procession. However, they are accused of making threats to female activists and others who attended.

Rights activist Rita Karasartova, political analyst and former government deputy minister Edil Baisalov, and ex-lawmaker Ravshan Jeenbekov also said they had been intimidated or threatened for taking part in the march.

40 Warriors was also criticized for the behavior of its leader, Zamirbek Kochorbaev, who was accused of intimidating Mira Tokusheva, a march organizer, during a public TV program on March 11 in which he said he had the organizers' "addresses."

40 Warriors called on March 11 for Bishkek Mayor Aziz Surakmatov to resign for permitting the march, and two days later the nationalist group held a counterprotest in front of parliament, warning its members that it and its "thousands" of supporters would take action if lawmakers did not.

Only about 30 people attended the nationalist group's rally. "We propose that 40 Warriors rename themselves," Iskender said, "to 30 di**heads."

Sociologist and anthropologist Altyn Kapalova said the statements by deputy Musabekova on social media and in the parliament may have violated the law.

"What Musabekova wrote can be regarded as a violation of the fundamental rights of every Kyrgyz citizen," she said. "It is not just rudely expressed, but also calls on other people to commit violence. To this we must not just respond but bring to justice."

Blaming NGOs

The debate in parliament on March 13 included the national security agency deputy chairman, Orozbek Opumbaev, who said he "shared" deputies' concerns about the participation of LGBT members in the Women's Day march.

He told the deputies it was "necessary" to pass a law similar "to what was adopted in Russia" that would monitor the finances of NGOs -- a reference to the controversial "foreign agents" law passed in Russia in 2012.

"This is the main problem -- that the financing [of NGOs] goes unchecked," he said. "In particular, on LGBT [groups]. How much money comes in [from abroad]?" he asked. "If we pass this law we have control."

For activist Ismailova, the idea is a nonstarter for Kyrgyzstan, where there are more than 14,000 registered NGOs.

"To those who say that NGOs should be checked, I would say: Read the constitution! NGOs openly show where they get funding from, provide all reports, and pay taxes," she said. "The companies of [some parliament] deputies do not pay as much taxes as we do."

Written by Pete Baumgartner based on reporting by RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service correspondents Ernist Nurmatov, Eleonora Beyshenbek Kyzy, and Kasym Rakhmankulov, and Current Time
Anup Ojha is a reporter for The Kathmandu Post primarily covering social issues and human interest stories. Before moving to the social beat, Ojha covered arts and culture for the Post for four years.
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Starting at The Denver Post before a decade at The New York Times, Alex Berenson left journalism to launch his fiction career, bursting onto the scene with The Faithful Spy. Inspired by his war correspondence, his first mystery thriller was a bestseller.

He continued with a popular series. Honestly, I was getting paid very well to write those books, he says from his Hudson Valley, N.Y., home. Its funny when people accuse me of doing this for the money. I get paid a lot more to write fiction than to write nonfiction.

But this is something I feel I need to do. Thats why Im doing it.

By this, Berenson means his deep dive back into nonfiction. As for accusations, he has faced many since Januarys release of Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence.

The Nation and Rolling Stone called the book fear-mongering and trolling, respectively. Vox wrote it off as an exercise in cherry-picking data and presenting correlation as causation. But The Marshall Project, the nonpartisan investigative reporting center, deemed it an intensively researched and passionate dissent from the now prevailing view that marijuana is relatively harmless.

Berenson also was blasted in an open letter by 75 scholars and clinicians for irresponsibly and dangerously claim(ing) a causal link between marijuana use and increases in rates of psychosis and schizophrenia.

Which is all disappointing to Berenson, who will state his case in Colorado Springs and Denver this week during talks sponsored by The Gazette, Colorado Politics and Childrens Hospital Colorado.

IF YOU GO Alex Berenson will be in Colorado Springs and Denver this week to talk about his latest book, "Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence."  Noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Springs' Warehouse Restaurant, 25 West Cimarron St.  6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, 2201 East Dry Creek Road, free and open to public  Noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Denver at the History Colorado Center at 1200 North Broadway

The opioid epidemic has come in the profiting wake of companies such as Purdue Pharma, and now a for-profit community has sprung up for the use of marijuana, Berenson says. Fellow journalists should be asking harder questions, he says. Its crazy to me that that hasnt happened.

He expected the criticism but not the personal attacks  the suggestions to get his kids high and the harassing calls to his wife, a forensic psychiatrist. It was her repeated mentions of marijuana in violent cases that made Berenson curious in the first place. He previously considered himself a libertarian on pot, having smoked a handful of times in college and after, he says. I didnt particularly care about it one way or another.

He expected controversy before he even typed the prologue, which establishes the book as an argument and, in his words, not balanced. Berensons stance is further announced by the title, a nod to Reefer Madness. (The early propaganda film originally was called Tell Your Children.)

Yes, Berenson knew users wouldnt appreciate his book.

People have a really strange attachment to this drug, he says. I think most people who use alcohol, if theyre using it every day and certainly if theyre using it all day every day, theyre going to acknowledge, you know what, maybe I have a little problem with this.

And by the way, if youre using cocaine or heroine or methamphetamine like that, youre not even gonna tell people. But cannabis people are proud to tell you they wake and bake.

Berenson, a 1994 Yale graduate, cites a 2017 study by the National Academy of Medicine that said cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses; the higher the use, the greater the risk. In a New Yorker piece stirred by Berensons findings and titled Is Marijuana as Safe as We Think?, Malcolm Gladwell wrote that the committees statement was one of its few unequivocal conclusions.

But committee member Ziva Cooper took to Twitter in January to say we did NOT conclude that cannabis causes schizophrenia. She wrote that since the report, we now know that genetic risk for schizophrenia predicts cannabis use and that cannabidiol improves outcomes in patients with schizophrenia.

Berenson has stood by his reporting. After his wife switched the light bulb in 2016, he went to London to meet with concerned psychiatrists at Kings College, among scientists around the world he interviewed. He pulled records from several states and nations. He came to the Colorado prison holding Richard Kirk to talk at length with the man who blamed a marijuana edible for shooting and killing his wife in 2014.

Berenson says he could have reported longer. But my feeling was, I dont need to do that, I dont need to reinvent the wheel here, because science is really clear. And this is a really important issue for public health ... Its more important that I get it out.
At the outset of BlacKkKlansman, we read a zany variation of a standard Hollywood introduction: Dis Joint Is Based Upon Some Fo Real, Fo Real (Excrement).

Translation: This movie is based on fact.

And yet 

A crucial scene shows a Ku Klux Klan sympathizer who never existed carrying a bomb that never existed to blow up a Colorado College activist who never existed. During this flurry of activity, two white Colorado Springs police officers manhandle an African-American who happens to be a detective. This manhandling  you guessed it  never happened. The movie is set in Colorado Springs, but the scene was filmed in leafy Ossining, N.Y.

Seems dis joint, up for Best Picture in Sundays Oscars, is loosely based on fact.

Im a literalist who sits in movie theaters two or three times a month. I enjoyed BlacKkKlansman but want my fiction to be fiction and my fact to be fact. No blending allowed. But hard truth is not Hollywoods thing. Argo, First Man and Bohemian Rhapsody, among many others, strayed too.

This week, I shared my cinematic concerns with Ron Stallworth. This was the right idea. Hes an expert on the true BlacKkKlansman story.

BlacKkKlansman is based  theres that word again  on Stallworths 1979 adventures as Colorado Springs first African-American detective. Stallworth became a member of the KKK  he owns the card to prove it  and infiltrated this evil band of white supremacists.

Its Hollywood, Stallworth politely responded after hearing my concerns. Get over it.

Imagine a director making a movie of your life. Imagine sitting in a theater and watching a performer imitate you. Yes, I know. Hard to imagine.

Stallworth lived this rare experience.

I had no problems, he said by phone. I knew they would take liberties. Hollywood always does. Keep in mind. It said it was based on a true story. It doesnt say the story is actually 100 percent accurate.

Stallworth could not, after signing away rights, demand changes in the script, but he requested the movie not to make the police look like buffoons. Stallworth didnt want to watch police with their sirens going as their cruiser speeds 10 miles away from a crime scene with no traffic in sight.

Director/co-screenwriter Spike Lee, Stallworth said, avoided those scenes.

The collaboration thrived. In an early version of the script, Stallworth read a scene that depicted him in bed with his fictional love interest.

I can tell you, they had a very mild love scene in the original script, he said. I couldnt get over the fact that this is me, and it was kind of yucky for me to be portrayed like that in front of a national audience.

He asked that the love scene be removed. So in a revised but not final version of the script, Stallworth was given a dog instead of a girlfriend to ease the burden of doing battle with the KKK.

Even I knew that a dog wasnt going to work, Stallworth said, laughing. I told them to put the romantic interest back in there. Thats what they did, and you saw how it came out.

In the final version, Stallworth embarks on a romance with a CC student. They never are shown in bed together.

I talked with Stallworth about the bomb scene, the one that never happened in Colorado Springs reality. Stallworth comfortably watched the scene that made me uncomfortable. The scene is true in spirit, he said, even if its not true in fact.

In terms of the bombing at the end, the local Klan people had been talking to me on the phone about wanting to bomb two gay bars, Stallworth said. The scene may seem gratuitous, but its based on conversations that I had with them about actually carrying out a bombing in Colorado Springs.

He refers to the police manhandling his character as a thumping.

It definitely didnt happen to me, he said.

But, again, he asks viewers, including me, to consider a higher truth.

That scene is very much a play on all the incidents going on today with rogue officers violating the rights of African-American citizens, Stallworth said. It was a way to connect current events with the racial obscenities of the past. In terms of what the Klan used to do and rogue cops used to do with black people way back in the day.

Yeah, that scene has a purpose to it. It has a meaning to it. I have no problems with those things.
Lt. Col. ML Cavanaugh, PhD, is a non-resident fellow with the Modern War Institute at West Point. This essay is an unofficial expression of opinion; the views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Point, the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or any agency of the U.S. government. Connect at MLCavanaugh.com or through his ArsenalOfIdeas.com blog.
Kulekhani-3 project fails to pay workers; construction halted

Workers deployed at the construction site of the Kulekhani-3 Hydropower Project have halted construction work of the project which recently entered the testing phase.
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We all walk on the same planet regardless of our politics. And keeping that planet healthy, Amy Roberts will tell you, is not only good for her industry, but its also something all our elected leaders should be able to agree on.

Shes the executive director of the Outdoor Industry Association, which represents some of the biggest brands in the world of outdoor recreation.

The Boulder-based national trade group made waves a couple of years ago when it helped relocate the Outdoor Retailer show  the mother of all outdoor-rec expositions  from its longtime perch in Salt Lake City to Denver. It was in protest of Utahs support for the Trump administrations public-lands policies, and Roberts tells us in this weeks Q&A whether the move got Utahs attention.

Colorado Politics asked about the influence of her industry and its consumer base on the political culture of outdoorsy Colorado  and whether its helping change the states trajectory.

Colorado Politics: OIAs membership in some ways defies the business communitys old political paradigm  the traditional chamber of commerce agenda of being at loggerheads with government as well as with the environmental movement. You represent an industry whose members, by contrast, champion environmental regulation and public-lands preservation, and arguably are more concerned about cutting carbon emissions than cutting taxes.

Given the prominent, and growing, role the outdoor rec industry plays in Colorados economy, do you think it also stands to have an impact on the states overall political culture? Not just on industry-related, environmental and conservation issues, but more broadly  amid demographic shifts toward more kayakers and skiers and bicyclists  on politics in general?

Amy Roberts: The outdoor recreation industry is really just a generation old, so we view ourselves as part of a new, emerging economy. Outdoor recreation currently represents about 2 percent of national GDP and is growing faster than the U.S. economy overall. We also see ourselves as reinforcing other sectors of the economy, whether that is attracting companies and employees seeking to locate in areas with parks and trails or offering new ways to develop rural economies in transition. We see communities like Fruita and Grand Junction developing vibrant economies with outdoor recreation as a centerpiece, which attracts other businesses, raises home prices and creates healthy outlets for families in the community.

We do believe that the outdoors and specifically our public lands system is something that inspires pride in people of all political backgrounds, so we hope to inspire elected officials in Colorado to come together in a bipartisan way to support our public lands and the environment.

The recent public lands bill that permanently reauthorized the Land and Water Conservation Fund passed overwhelmingly in Congress with Republicans and Democrats singing its praises. (U.S. Sens. Michael) Bennet and (Cory) Gardner consistently come to Outdoor Retailer together to tour the show and talk to businesses who make products and contribute to Colorados economy.

Finally, proposals to sell off our public lands have led to large protests at state capitols in the West attended by kayakers, hikers, hunters and anglers of all political stripes.

CP: Your organization not only uses its clout like other trade groups to influence public policy  endorsing industry-friendly political candidates, publicly messaging its top causes, etc.  but it also has leveraged your industrys heft in more aggressive ways. Notably, OIA helped orchestrate the move in 2017 of the industrys signature trade show  the twice-a-year Outdoor Retailer Show  out of its longtime base in Salt Lake City. It was Denvers gain, of course, and the economic impact on both cities is sure to be felt. What about the moves political impact, though, on Utah? Has the message been received and did it have the desired effect?

Roberts: It was clear at the time that Utahs elected officials underestimated our industrys resolve to leave the state, so they were caught flat-footed when we did move the show. Outdoor Retailer was a very important contributor to the Salt Lake economy, and we then saw that very congressional seat change hands in the 2018 election cycle. Was moving the show the major cause? Hard to say, but I do think the issue was raised in voters minds.

Congressman (Rob) Bishop, who was a chief proponent of scaling back the (Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national) monuments in the state, did run a number of pro-recreation ads during his campaign and did shift to support some recreation-friendly legislation, including LWCF reauthorization.

Finally, most definitely the San Juan County Commission near Bears Ears had a dramatic change in leadership, and that body now supports the monument designation. I believe we are going to see a continued discussion of these issues in Utah in the 2020 governors race, and we intend to be a part of that discussion.

CP: The association has a national reach and an office in Washington to provide a voice on Capitol Hill, but its based in Colorado and undoubtedly has a special relationship with the state. What are the top Colorado-focused issues  at the statehouse or even at the local government level  that are of interest to you, and are you hoping to have some influence over them?

Roberts: There are a lot! First looking back, we fully supported the renewal of the Colorado Lottery Division that supports Great Outdoors Colorado and the Conservation Trust Fund. We also endorsed voter-approved ballot measures in Denver to expand parks and trails, and in Chaffee County to protect forest health, manage recreational assets and conserve open space and working lands.

We know from the 2018 Conservation in the West poll that 75 percent of Coloradans consider themselves conservationists and outdoor recreation enthusiasts; well continue to support community-driven efforts to generate more funding for outdoor recreation and want to strengthen the recreation economy throughout the state.

To this end, I had the opportunity to serve on Gov. (Jared) Poliss transition team focused on providing ideas to develop, more evenly, Colorados economy. We will continue to present economic data and ideas for recreation as an option for rural economies that are moving away from reliance solely on traditional resource extraction to new, more balanced economies.

Recreation amenities can be a foundation of creating new jobs in our economic sector; they also attract businesses like tech and health care that recruit employees in a competitive job market who want to live near mountain bikes trails and ski hills.

CP: OIA is nonpartisan, like other such groups, and it doesnt appear to play favorites, endorsing candidates of both parties. Yet, your industrys and your organizations biggest policy initiatives  from public lands to climate change  seem to dovetail more with Democratic Party priorities. Is there ultimately room enough in the industrys tent for both parties? Is there a place for Republican Party principles not only in your industry, but in the environmental movement?

Roberts: If you look at our 25-year history of working in public policy, the issues we care about  whether it be funding for public lands or addressing environmental issues  have remained largely unchanged. As an industry, our values of sustainable business, investing in our land and water, and preserving wild places have remained steady. I would argue that it is instead the views of some elected officials that have changed over that time. We believe there are still Republicans who believe in the legacy of Teddy Roosevelt and we want to support their efforts.

The Department of the Interior requested public comments during the national monuments debate and more than 3 million Americans submitted comments with more than 90 percent asking that the monuments be left intact. Yet, the administration ignored that input. I think that elected officials who dont support conservation are out of step with the majority of Americans and the recent public lands vote in Congress demonstrated that. We have not seen a bill of that size pass so overwhelmingly in both houses in some time. A major factor in the widespread support was that elected officials in every state had constituents who benefited from land and water protections, which we know spur economic development and healthy lifestyles.

We are optimistic that outdoor recreation can continue to be a unifying issue for a nation that is sometimes badly divided. In fact, we think President Trump and leaders (Mitch) McConnell and (Nancy) Pelosi should stop meeting in the Oval Office and instead take a walk in a local park.

CP: In 2018, OIA started its Vote the Outdoors initiative, aimed at educating voters and promoting the industrys priorities. Did the effort have its desired effect, and will it play a role in the next big election in 2020?

Roberts: Vote the Outdoors was a new effort for OIA, so we focused on just a few Western states in 2018, including Colorado. Our goal was not to elect a certain candidate but rather to get the word out on the recreation economy and to raise the importance of conservation and support for public lands funding in voters minds.

For instance, in Colorado, outdoor recreation contributes $28 billion to the states economy and supports 229,000 jobs. So, Vote the Outdoors encouraged people to find out where candidates stand on issues that bolster the outdoor recreation economy. We also developed a scorecard that is available on the OIA website that provides information about how current members of Congress are voting on issues that support public lands and outdoor recreation.

The most important moment for our Vote the Outdoors campaign occurred when our members began to share it with their consumers, which vastly amplified our message. We ended up reaching 14 million Americans with an opportunity to educate them on our issues.
Will Germany Permit Joint European Security?



In an institution as large and complex as the European Union, there will always be blame to go around when efforts to deepen economic and political integration fail to get off the ground. But when it comes to developing a joint EU defense capability, it is clear where the problem lies.



Joschka Fischer









BERLIN  US President Donald Trump has proved truly disruptive to the transatlantic relationship. His questioning of Americas mutual-defense commitments presents NATO with an ominous and potentially existential crisis. The US security guarantee, after all, is one of the two pillars upon which European peace and prosperity have rested since the end of World War II. And nor has Trump spared the second pillar: the rules-based global trade system and economic order.



Just two years after Trumps election, Europeans find themselves shivering alone in the icy winds of international politics, rightly wondering what is to be done. It stands to reason that Europe must deepen its internal bonds, close ranks, and strengthen its military capacity. Some might question whether this is what Europeans truly want, given that we are living in the age of Brexit, which will deprive the European Union of its second-strongest military and economic power.



But just because the British dont seem to know what they want doesnt mean the rest of Europe is in the same boat. In fact, most Europeans favor a stronger, more powerful EU with a joint security policy.



The big exception is Germany. As the EUs economic engine and most populous member state, there can be no joint security policy without the country that sits at the very heart of Europe. But it is an open question whether achieving joint European security with Germanys participation is even possible.



Europeans must not allow wishful thinking to obscure important facts, as happened when the European Monetary Union was being formed in the 1990s. From the start, there were pronounced differences between individual member states not only with respect to economic and fiscal policy, but also in terms of political culture and mentality. Nonetheless, willful ignorance prevailed, and the monetary union was launched without the integrated political institutions that such a project requires.



The EU must not make this mistake again. Today, the main fact that cannot be ignored is that a joint security policy will require a compromise between Germany and France, the two largest and most powerful member states. Such a compromise will not come easily. The two countries political mentalities, historical narratives, and geopolitical interests are simply too far apart, and in many cases diametrically opposed. Still, owing to its particular history, Germany poses the bigger obstacle, even if its official rhetoric suggests otherwise.



For its part, Frances traditional self-image reflects its long history as a great European power, even if that era  and Europes global dominance generally  has passed. As a nuclear power and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, France views its military actions and arms exports not as moral failures but as the prerogatives of a world power conducting foreign policy.



The genius of Charles de Gaulle was to claim the status of a victorious power for his country after World War II. Doing so invited French citizens to forget the Vichy regime, the defeat by the Nazis in 1940, and the internal political rifts of the 1930s. It was thanks to de Gaulle that France maintained its historical course.



The same cannot be said for Germany. During the twentieth century, Germany made two bids for European hegemony and world domination, and the price it paid was its own destruction, to say nothing of Europes. Its sense of historical continuity was demolished in 1945, at which point its culture and traditions were devalued and its territorial integrity destroyed. Germany became synonymous with aggression, terror, and genocide.



Postwar Germany abandoned military-based power politics and foreign adventurism, and concerned itself primarily with economic development. Germans simply saw no other way to gain reentry to the democratic West, let alone reclaim political sovereignty. This strategy culminated in the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990.



With the shift away from power politics in 1945, Germans on both the left and the right became pacifists. And to this day, many Germans remain deeply and emotionally committed to neutrality, despite many decades of European integration and NATO membership. This has been particularly true in the post-reunification period, owing in no small measure to Americas security guarantee and willingness to manage the dirty business of power politics on Germanys behalf. But this cozy division of labor, like the American-led postwar order, came to an end with the election of Trump.



A German return to traditional power politics certainly has its risks. But the alternative is to maintain the status quo and forego a joint EU security policy. A policy consisting of more than lofty words necessarily implies a deepening of political integration in the name of European sovereignty. Without common export rules, for example, there can be no meaningful cooperation on European armaments development, let alone more far-reaching and ambitious projects.



Germans are currently engaged in an intense debate over defense spending, which must rise to 2% of GDP by 2024 to meet the countrys NATO commitments. Given the foreseeable geopolitical risks on the horizon, in the absence of a joint EU security policy, German defense spending would have to rise even higher to make up for the USs withdrawal from Europe.



Needless to say, Germanys rearmament on its own would raise many questions and historical concerns. Rearmament with and for Europe and NATO, however, would be a completely different matter. One way or another, Europe must grow stronger. It is in everyones interest that Germany be productively engaged in that process.





Joschka Fischer was German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998-2005, a term marked by Germany's strong support for NATO's intervention in Kosovo in 1999, followed by its opposition to the war in Iraq. Fischer entered electoral politics after participating in the anti-establishment protests of the 1960s and 1970s, and played a key role in founding Germany's Green Party, which he led for almost two decades.
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Haifa is on the "front line" in any action in the north but this blog looks at life in the shadow of danger to all of Israel
MBBS students open locks of Gandaki Medical College

MBBS students at Gandaki Medical College in Pokhara opened the locks of their classes, Hospital OPD and the office of medical superintendent on Saturday, keeping in view the upcoming examinations.
Nativity of Nepali English

Speaking and writing in English in South Asia has a long history associated with power and colonial darkness
Brief Encounter (1945) is considered one of the best British films ever by those of a certain age. It is based on the play Still Life (1936) by Noel Co...

7 hours ago




IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them.





They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country.





However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia.





"Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination.





Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia.





They should be lovingly helped.





Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948.





To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts:





While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 :

Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell.

The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites.



A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught.



The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers.



Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites."



Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers.









There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks.





This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work.





It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter.





In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam.













In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir.





" The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life."





An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir .





In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance).





Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed).





Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance).









Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam.





It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way.





A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah.





Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs).









Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life".





Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology.





Islam is a supremacist ideology.





Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism.





Islam is a civilization.

Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization.





Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life.

It has a say about every conceivable human act .





Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam.

























The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic.





Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111).





A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44)





Muhammad himself said:

I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30)









Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad.




George Soros gave Ivanka's husband's business a $250 million credit line in 2015 per WSJ. Soros is also an investor in Jared's business.
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Over 41,000 chickens to be slaughtered in Hetauda

Authorities have decided to slaughter fowls in Hetauda Metropolis-7, Makwanpur, after bird flu, also known as H5N1 influenza virus, was detected in the area.
She said: [The Regime] have shown that they do not care about justice. We really have no idea what they want.

More than a year on from the arrest, eight of the environmentalists remain in detention, but the founder of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (PWHF), Canadian-Iranian professor Kavous Seyed-Emami died under suspicious circumstances in prison shortly after being arrested.

Iranian authorities claim he committed suicide, something widely rejected by those who knew him, but have refused to allow an independent investigation or even allow his wife Maryam Mombini to leave the country, even though she is not under arrest and is a Canadian citizen.

Despite a request from her lawyer, Mombini still does not know why the Regime paced her under a travel ban.

The remaining activists are being held in prison, even though their families, human rights organisations, the Iranian Parliament, and even their lawyers who were chosen specifically by the Judiciary say that they are innocent of all spying charges.

Rajabi said: There is nothing in the case to indicate guilt because they have done nothing. Only two of the eight made confessions under coercion As we know, forced confessions are not legally valid and since [Niloofar] Bayani declared in court that she had been forced to confess, then there is nothing in the case to support charges against these detainees.

These charges were changed in the summer, after the finding from the Parliament, and the severity increased. Four were charged with corruption on earth, which can carry the death penalty, three were charged with espionage, and one was accused of cooperating and collusion with a hostile country.

Many of the detainees are suffering from poor health, including Morad Tahbaz, who is critically ill with cancer and is being denied medication and treatment despite assurances from the Regime authorities.

Rajabi said: Tahbaz has been suffering from cancer for some time and judicial authorities and security officials are all aware of this Tahbaz is in critical condition and needs to be transferred to a hospital. As of now, security officials have prevented it.

The families of the detained have been keeping up the pressure on the Iranian Regime in an attempt to get their loved ones realised, but so far the mullahs have not changed.

Rajabi, who lives in Germany, wrote letters to President Hassan Rouhani and Iranian MP Mahmoud Aghasi, but got no reply. She has received a response from United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran Javaid Rehman and German Green Party representative Omid Nouripour who promised to look into the matter.
Iran regimes President Rouhani met with his counterpart in Iraq. He said the purpose of his visit was to build better relations with the country and took the opportunity to criticise the U.S. sanctions that have recently been imposed, describing them as unjust.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran accused the Iranian regime of trying to turn Iraq into an Iranian province  an accusation that no Iranian official could convincingly deny. Rouhani met with Iraqs Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. The religious relations between the countries are close and the economies of the two countries are starting to entwine.

Iran has supported the Lebanese Hezbollah group since the eighties. It has provided Hezbollah with a huge amount of funds over the years and with both a political and paramilitary section, Hezbollah provides Iran with serious links to the leadership of Lebanon. Iran and Hezbollah have both been heavily involved in the Syrian civil war  supporting Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad and his regime along with Iraqi Shiite militias. Working closely with Hezbollah, the Shiite militias from Iraq have said that they will assist if there is any future conflict with Israel.

To curb the Iranian regimes threat, the United States has been cracking down on the proxy groups and militias that are linked to Iran. The U.S. recently sanctioned Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba  an Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group. And it was also recently announced that the United Kingdom would be sanctioning Hezbollahs political wing, meaning that the whole group would be classed as a terrorist organisation. This has been a major blow to the Iranian regime.

The Iranian regime has tried to justify its interference and meddling in other nations as necessary and crucial in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). However, the war on ISIS is drawing to a close and the Iranian regime is finding itself in a difficult situation. Its presence in Syria is becoming increasingly displaced and the country is trying to reconstruct itself after years and years of war and destruction. In Iraq though, the Iranian regime is not being turned away. Yet.

The United States is certainly trying to stop Iran advancing in its regional goals and U.S. allies in the region are standing alongside the U.S.

President Trump has been maximising pressure on the Iranian regime, especially with the use of economic sanctions as a bid to cut Iran off from the funds that it used to finance terrorist groups and activities.

The people of Iran have also been calling on the regime to stop plotting abroad. However, they can also see that the regime will never change and this is why they are calling for regime change  something that would benefit the region as a whole. And the international community.
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Sah appointed NAMS vice-chancellor

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- A Jordanian tourist in Thailand murdered his own child

- He was enraged with his wife who went out to have fun and to party

- The family went to Thailand for a vacation

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Wael Nabil Salman Zureikat went to Pattaya, Thailand for a vacation together with his wife and their one-year old child. Instead of a happy memory, their vacation turned into a nightmare.

The father got angry with his wife for leaving him with their child. She went out to party.

Zureikat, 52 years old murdered their child by pushing the child's stroller with the baby's foot tied on it in a pier. According to him, his 24 year-old wife would often leave the baby with him.

His anger was triggered even more when the wife once again left them.

This prompted him to bring their son to Laem Bali Hair pier, his legs tied into the stroller and was pushed him into the sea.

Man murders own child in revenge to his wife who went out to party

Source: Original

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He went back into their hotel room and that's when the guilt started to eat its way into his mind and he regretted what he had done.

When his wife went back and looked for their son. He got stressed out and decided to go back to their country.

Man murders own child in revenge to his wife who went out to party

Source: Facebook

He was intercepted at the immigration in Suvarnabhumi Airport because of his weird actuation. His wife also reported about a missing son.

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Zureikat later owned up to the crime after being interrogated. He was arrested on March 12 because of what he did. Their son's lifeless body was then discovered by a speedboat driver.

Man murders own child in revenge to his wife who went out to party

Source: Original

The suspect also added that he was weary thinking about how he will support the child financially as the child grows up. He also wanted to take revenge on his wife.

The wife who was shocked by what her husband did was in close medical care after suffering from depression.

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Happy International Women's Day, Dear Ladies | HumanMeter

International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8. HumanMeter team joined the celebrations by congratulating beautiful Filipino ladies who had no idea what we are up to. Check out the video here:

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An explosion caused by a leaking tanker truck in South Los Angeles on Sunday sent a plume of black smoke visible for miles into the air.

The 9,000-gallon tanker was parked in an industrial lot and had been leaking gasoline or another liquid fuel into storm drains, authorities said. It's not yet clear what caused the fuel to ignite but the result was a massive fireball that also ignited "the atmosphere in the storm drains" and displaced manhole covers, according to fire officials.

Firefighters stand near what remains of a gas tanker that exploded Sunday in South L.A. (Sharon McNary for LAist)

Two people at a home next door to the industrial lot were injured and taken to the hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known.

Maria Sanchez, who also lives in the home, said they had no idea a fuel tanker was parked next door.

"They just came to that place," she said of the lot's occupants. "They moved in less than a month ago to that place. They covered everything so nobody knew what was going on."

Two people living at the home on the right were injured when a gas tanker parked in the industrial lot next door exploded. (Sharon McNary for LAist)

Among the things investigators will be looking at is whether it was legal to store a fuel tanker at that location. That stretch of West Slauson Ave. is home to both residences and businesses.

The block where the explosion took place also has a small apartment building and a taco shop.

The L.A. Fire Department initially reported they had responded to a natural gas leak in the 200 block of West Slauson Ave. about 7:45 a.m. When they arrived, firefighters found "heavy fire coming from storm drains."

A manhole cover shattered when it was blown off it's hole during an explosion in South L.A. (Sharon McNary for LAist)

"Units arrived on scene to find fire coming from storm drains and gas leaking from a tanker nearby, exposing two structures to fire," said LAFD Public Service Officer Nicholas Prange



More than 70 firefighters worked for 90 minutes to bring the fire under control.



After the fire was out, L.A. County officials then worked to try to prevent any fuel from traveling further into the storm system. They blocked off a flood control channel about a mile south of the explosion to keep hazardous waster from reaching further downstream or making it all the way to the ocean. That ongoing effort involves the city's sanitation department and Department of Water and Power, L.A. County hazardous materials team and watershed authority and California's state fish and game officials.



Julia Paskin and Megan Garvey contributed to this report



UPDATES:

11:50 a.m.: This article was updated with addiional information about the location of the explosion, a quote from Maria Sanchez and details about cleanup efforts. It also clarifies that authorities have said the tanker may have been carrying gasoline or another liquid fuel.

2 p.m.: This story updated to correct Prange's job title.

This article was originally published at 9:23 a.m.
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Black Editor Resigns from Newspaper that urged KKK Revival

INDEN, Ala. (AP)  An African-American woman who took over the helm of a small-town Alabama newspaper that recently called for the Ku Klux Klan to ride again has stepped down after a few weeks, citing interference from the newspapers owner.

Elecia R. Dexter told The New York Times on Friday that she stepped down because of continuing interference from the newspapers owner who had published the KKK editorial. Dexter said she wanted to maintain her integrity and well-being.

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I would have liked it to turn out a different way, but it didnt, Dexter, 46, told the newspaper. This is a hard one because its sad  so much good could have come out of this.

Dexter last month replaced Goodloe Sutton as editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter of Linden. Dexter took over after a firestorm erupted when Sutton wrote and published an editorial that began: Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again. The editorial said Democrats and Democrats in the Republican Party are plotting to raise taxes, so the Klan should raid their communities.

It was one of many incendiary and racially insensitive editorials published by the paper.

Dexters appointment was heralded as a positive in the small Alabama town. She said she hoped her appointment would let the community know this is everybodys paper.

But Dexter told the Times that Sutton, who had retained ownership of the paper, had continually interfered in operations.

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Sutton did not respond to the Times requests for comment Friday.

The paper dates to 1879 and its editorials are consistently conservative and often critical of Democrats. The use of Democrat in its name reflects back to the period when nearly all white conservatives in the South were Democrats.
Puzzling Number of Men Tied to Ferguson Protests have Died

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP)  Two young men were found dead inside torched cars. Three others died of apparent suicides. Another collapsed on a bus, his death ruled an overdose.

Six deaths, all involving men with connections to protests in Ferguson, Missouri, drew attention on social media and speculation in the activist community that something sinister was at play.

Police say there is no evidence the deaths have anything to do with the protests stemming from a white police officers fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, and that only two were homicides with no known link to the protests.

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But some activists say their concerns about a possible connection arise out of a culture of fear that persists in Ferguson 4  years after Browns death, citing threats  mostly anonymous  that protest leaders continue to receive.

The Rev. Darryl Gray said he found a box inside his car. When the bomb squad arrived, no explosives were found but a 6-foot (1.8-meter) python was inside.

Everybody is on pins and needles, Gray said of his fellow activists.

No arrests have been made in the two homicides. St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire said witnesses have simply refused to come forward, leaving detectives with no answers for why the men were targeted.

We dont believe either one was connected to each other, McGuire said, but adding, Its tough to come up with a motive without a suspect.

Ferguson erupted in protests in August 2014 after officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Brown during a street confrontation. Brown was unarmed, but Wilson said he fired in self-defense when the black teenager came at him menacingly.

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A grand jury declined to charge Wilson in November 2014, prompting one of the most violent nights of demonstrations, and one of the first activist deaths.

Deandre Joshuas body was found inside a burned car blocks from the protest. The 20-year-old was shot in the head before the car was torched.

ROBERT COHEN/ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this Nov. 24, 2014 file photo, Ferguson activist Daren Seals, top center, awaits the decision by a grand jury on whether to indict Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown in front of the police station in Ferguson , Mo. Six young men with connections to the Ferguson protests, including Seals, have died, drawing attention on social media and speculation in the activist community that something sinister is at play.

Darren Seals, shown on video comforting Browns mother that same night, met an almost identical fate two years later. The 29-year-olds bullet-riddled body was found inside a burning car in September 2016.

Four others also died, three of them ruled suicides.

 MarShawn McCarrel of Columbus, Ohio, shot himself in February 2016 outside the front door of the Ohio Statehouse, police said. He had been active in Ferguson.

 Edward Crawford Jr., 27, fatally shot himself in May 2017 after telling acquaintances he had been distraught over personal issues, police said. A photo of Crawford firing a tear gas canister back at police during a Ferguson protest was part of the St. Louis Post-Dispatchs Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage.

 In October, 24-year-old Danye Jones was found hanging from a tree in the yard of his north St. Louis County home. His mother, Melissa McKinnies, was active in Ferguson and posted on Facebook after her sons death, They lynched my baby. But the death was ruled a suicide.

 Bassem Masri, a 31-year-old Palestinian American who frequently livestreamed video of Ferguson demonstrations, was found unresponsive on a bus in November and couldnt be revived. Toxicology results released in February showed he died of an overdose of fentanyl.

The Ferguson protests added momentum to the national Black Lives Matter movement, but they also generated resentment from people angered by TV footage of protesters hurling rocks and insults at police. Amid lingering anger, activists and observers say that while they see no clear connection between the deaths and the protests, they cant help but wonder about the thoroughness of the investigations.

These protesters and their deaths may not be a high priority for (police) since there is this antagonistic relationship, Washington University sociologist Odis Johnson said. I think there is a need for them to have a greater sense of urgency.

Activists say that in the years since the protests, they have been targeted in dangerous ways.

Something is happening, said Cori Bush, a frequent leader of the Ferguson protests. Ive been vocal about the things that Ive experienced and still experience  the harassment, the intimidation, the death threats, the death attempts.

Bush said her car has been run off the road, her home has been vandalized, and in 2014 someone shot a bullet into her car, narrowly missing her daughter, who was 13 at the time.

She suspects white supremacists or police sympathizers. Living under constant threat is exhausting, she said, but she wont give in.

They shut us up and they win, Bush said.

Its unclear if residual stress from the protests or harassment contributed to the suicides, but Johnson said many activists feel a sense of hopelessness.

This has to have a big impact on their mental health, Johnson said. For many, law enforcement is not a recourse. Many times law enforcement is not on their side.

Experts say the deaths also are indicative of a concern at the core of the protests  the underlying difficulty of life for young people of color. Five of the men who died were blacks in their 20s.

Black St. Louis County residents are three times more likely than whites to be poor, often meaning they lack adequate health insurance that could allow them to better address not only physical ailments but mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

They also tend to live in areas with higher crime rates. The 2010 U.S. census showed that while people who live in wealthy and mostly white western St. Louis County can expect to live well into their 80s, life expectancy in parts of mostly black north St. Louis County reaches only into the 60s. Life expectancy in Kinloch, a few miles from Ferguson, is 56.

Forty-five of the countys 60 homicide victims last year were black in a county where less than a quarter of the population is black, according to police statistics.

Here in St. Louis, unfortunately, we have allowed the culture of crime and violence to morph into dimensions that anybodys at risk any day, any time, said James Clark of the nonprofit Better Family Life.
Saturday, March 16, 2019

From Latham & Watkins:

On behalf of their clients, the Legal Aid Society and Latham & Watkins praised a decision rendered today by United States District Judge John Koeltl on litigation brought last June which preserves a vital humanitarian program  Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)  utilized by thousands of abused, abandoned, or neglected children in New York State and others nationwide.

The lawsuit, filed as a class action by five young adults who applied for but were denied SIJS by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), challenged a 2018 policy change in which USCIS unilaterally reinterpreted the law in a manner that effectively precluded minors between the ages of 18 and up to 21 from qualifying for SIJS.

The agencys unannounced policy change, which impacted thousands of immigrant youth across the country, was first reported in April 2018. The Plaintiffs are represented by The Legal Aid Society and Latham & Watkins.

This sweeping decision leaves no doubt that USCIS deliberately violated the rights of the most vulnerable, young immigrants  those who were abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents, said Beth Krause, Supervising Attorney in the Immigration Law Unit at The Legal Aid Society. We are relieved that the federal courts have once again been willing to rein in the arbitrary and capricious policies of the Trump Administration.

It is our duty as lawyers to protect those who are most in need. Congress created the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status program in 1990 to protect a particularly vulnerable group  young immigrants who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by a parent. We are pleased with the court decision to uphold the program on a classwide basis, said Latham & Watkins partner Robert Malionek, who filed the class action with the Legal Aid Society and argued the cross-motions for summary judgment. Our class, made up of thousands of abused, abandoned, or neglected young immigrants, once again have a path to citizenship.

Specifically, the lawsuit challenged USCISs new position that New York State Family Courts are not juvenile courts for young people aged 18 to up to 21, and are therefore not authorized to issue the orders that must support SIJS applications. This policy change ran counter to a decade of practice. Plaintiffs successfully argued that the agencys new policy violates the federal Administrative Procedures Act (APA) because it contradicts the statute that created SIJS and misinterprets New York law.

SIJS Background

Since 2008, SIJS has served as a legal pathway for unaccompanied minors under the age of 21, who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both parents, to obtain lawful permanent residency and a pathway to citizenship. However, under the Trump Administrations policy change, individuals who are over 18, but not yet 21, no longer qualify for SIJS, despite there being no change in the law or regulations related to SIJS. This is a sharp departure from a decade of consistent policy, where SIJS applications filed by young immigrants between 18 to up to 21 years of age who were placed under guardianship by New York Family Courts were consistently, and properly, granted.

For a young person in New York to apply for SIJS, a New York Family Court must first determine that the applicant was abused, abandoned, neglected or subjected to similar maltreatment under New York State law, that the applicant cannot reunite with one or both parents, and that its not in the applicants best interest to be returned to the applicants country of birth. The court must also declare that the applicant is dependent on the court or place the applicant in the custody of a caretaker. This order is then submitted to USCIS as part of the SIJS application.

Without any prior announcement, USCIS narrowed its interpretation of the law starting in 2017, ultimately documenting its new policy in February 2018. The policy change provided that in cases where applicants are over 18, they no longer qualify, incorrectly reasoning that the state courts authority ends at 18. This new policy had the practical effect of depriving immigrant youth of the opportunity to regularize their immigration status, and caused tremendous uncertainty, anxiety and other harm to children who have, by definition, already suffered emotional trauma. As the US District Court for the Southern District of New York recognized, the agencys new position had no basis in law.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/03/federal-court-preserves-sijs-for-uacs-between-18-and-21.html
Sunday, March 17, 2019

Happy St. Patrick's Day! In 2017, Sandro Galea in Fortune wrote the following:

"Today is Saint Patricks Day, a celebration of Irish heritage. Saint Patricks Day began, of course, as a religious holiday. But time and customs have transformed it over the years into a pageant of culture; a chance to acknowledge the contributions that Irish-Americans have made to the US. Yet Irish heritage was not always so widely embraced. During the Potato Famine of the 19th century, nearly 1 million Irish immigrated to America  the first large wave of refugees the country had ever encountered. Many faced virulent prejudice, and were denied employment and basic dignity upon arrival to this country. Despite these obstacles, doors were opened for the Irish, and generations hence, the Irish have made an indelible mark on the country."

There will be parades and celebrations of St. Patrick's Day across the county. For a list of parades, from Boston to San Francisco to Hot Springs, Arkansas, click here.

KJ

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/03/happy-st-patricks-day-imagine-an-america-without-irish-immigrants.html
Saturday, March 16, 2019

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has suspended an attorney for billing misconduct in court-appointed cases.

Ronald D. Hassan is a lawyer who admittedly engaged in value billing and block billing to calculate the amounts owed to him by the Public Defender Services (PDS) for his court-appointed representation of criminal defendants. Mr. Hassans billing practices resulted in impractical absurdities such as billing thirty or more hours on multiple days. He was charged with violating two separate provisions of the West Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct.

Following a hearing, the Hearing Panel Subcommittee (HPS) recommended that Mr. Hassan be suspended from the practice of law for one-and-one-half years. Mr. Hassan objected to the recommended sanctions and argued that he should instead be subjected merely to a three-month suspension. We find that the HPSs recommendation of a one-and-one-half year suspension is overly harsh, but that Mr. Hassans proposed sanction of three months is inadequate to fully effectuate the goals of the disciplinary process. Accordingly, we modify the HPSs recommendation and order that Mr. Hassan be suspended from the practice of law for six months, and we adopt the remainder of the HPSs recommended sanctions.

The bar case

In June 2015, Mr. Hassan contacted the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) about billing issues he was having with the PDS and requested an opinion as to whether he needed to self-report his value and block billing practices. Although the ODC advised Mr. Hassan to self-report, he informed them that he would seek an outside opinion.

On September 23, 2015, Mr. Hassan entered into a conciliation agreement with the PDS that detailed the extent of Mr. Hassans billing discrepancies, including billing (1) thirty or more hours on three dates; (2) twenty-four to thirty hours on four dates; (3) twenty to twenty-four hours on eleven dates; and (4) fifteen to twenty hours on twenty-six dates.

The conciliation agreement further described Mr. Hassans billing practices. He disclosed that although he recorded time for each particular matter, he billed in increments of .5 hoursregardless of actual time spentand did not have a system for accumulating the daily total of time. The agreement notes that Mr. Hassan explained that he had been billing in this manner over a course of years without ever being told it was improper, had always gained the approval of the circuit court without ever being questioned, and was unaware that PDS had published guidelines regarding the method for billing services.

To resolve the matter, the PDS and Mr. Hassan agreed that he would reduce the vouchers held by PDS for payment by one-half of the total amount of each voucher. The total amount of the reduction was $9,880.17.

The court balanced a number of mitigating and aggravating factors in determining an appropriate sanction. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/03/the-west-virginia-supreme-court-of-appeals-ronald-d-hassan-is-a-lawyer-who-admittedly-engaged-in-value-billing-and.html
A study has found that warmer waters off North Americas West Coast caused many kinds of sea life to move farther north than ever before.

The study was a project of scientists from the University of California, Davis. Their findings were reported in the online publication Scientific Reports.

The scientists examined waters off the coast of Northern California in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

The researchers say they identified a total of 67 species between 2014 and 2016, during what was described as a marine heatwave. Marine heatwaves were defined in the study as periods of extreme sea surface temperatures lasting for days to months. The 2014-2016 heatwave is thought to be the largest ever recorded.

The report says this weather event began in 2013 when a warm-water blob formed in the Gulf of Alaska. The warm water later moved southward toward California.

El Nino conditions

The warmer waters were partly a product of El Nino conditions during the same period, researchers noted. El Nino develops when winds off the coast of South America weaken. This enables warm water in the western Pacific to move eastward.

El Nino often causes ocean temperatures in the area to rise between 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, the study found.

The researchers reported that 37 of the 67 species they studied had never before been observed so far north as California. These creatures are native to an area hundreds of kilometers to the south, mainly around Baja California in Mexico.

Some species were discovered outside a marine laboratory belonging to the University of California, Davis. A few were even found north of California, off the state of Oregon. The northward travel of so many different sea creatures was considered unprecedented by the researchers.

Among the species identified in the study were a meat-eating sea slug that hunts other sea slugs, a sea snail butterfly and a purple-lined jellyfish. Another unexpected visitor was the pelagic red crab, which researchers said had only been found in areas off the coast of Mexico.

Scientists involved in the study believe the findings can provide valuable information for predicting future sea life reactions to warming oceans.

Similar findings along the U.S. East Coast

There is also evidence suggesting that warming waters in the Atlantic Ocean have caused some sea creatures to move northward.

A 2017 report in Yale Universitys online magazine Environment 360 explores this subject. The report notes that for many years, the ocean has served as our best defense against climate change. This is because ocean waters have taken in nearly all of the atmospheres extra heat. This has led to warmer oceans, with experts predicting continuing rising temperatures.

Warmer waters along the U.S. East Coast have affected the black sea bass. Researchers from Rutgers University reported the fish once was mainly found off the coast of North Carolina. But they discovered the species had traveled more than 700 kilometers northward, to waters off the coast of New Jersey, Environment 360 reported.

A 2018 Rutgers study estimated climate change will force hundreds of fish species and other creatures to seek out cooler waters in coming years. Using climate models, researchers predicted that some species along the U.S. and Canadian Pacific coasts will move as far as 1,400 kilometers north from their current habitats.

Such movement is expected to cause major difficulties for fisheries both in the U.S. and Canada, the study found.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - Study: Warm Waters Caused Many Sea Creatures to Move Far North Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

online  adj. of or related to a computer or telecommunications system

species  n. a biological classification or grouping

marine  adj. relating to the sea

blob  n. something that does not have a regular shape

unprecedented  adj. never happened before

habitat  n. the place or kind of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives
Krewe D'Etat float depicting Mayor Cantrell and NO and Company's Stephen Perry engaged in a tug-of-war over tax revenue

Part of that package includes $67 million to help spur construction of a new 1,200-room hotel, pegged for 47 acres at the convention centers northern end across from Mardi Gras World. The hotel proposal has come under scrutiny from Cantrell and the watchdog nonprofit Bureau of Governmental Research, which priced the incentives developers are seeking at nearly $330 in public costs including tax breaks and a free land lease. A consultant the convention center hired has said those incentives round out closer to $170 million.

More than half the water that leaves the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Boards treatment plants may be seeping through broken pipes and into the ground before it reaches customers  an amount of waste that is far out of line with other utilities, according to a new report from a consultant hired to study the problem.



All that wasted water  and the millions of gallons more that go to hydrants and other public uses that aren't billed  accounts for almost 20 percent of the cost of running the water system, according to the report, adding further strain to a utility that has faced financial instability for years.

A dozen people involved in the latest behind-the-scenes discussions say they think the two groups can deliver about $50 million of the $75 million in one-time money that Cantrell is seeking.



They would cobble it together from a variety of sources including federal money, a small portion of the $235 million in reserves held by the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, a tax on short-term rentals in New Orleans and altering the structure of taxes on hotel guests.



Any agreement would include an initial offer by tourism leaders that Cantrell rejected as inadequate by itself: reinstating a 0.55 percent sales tax on hotel rooms that just expired. That would provide $6.7 million a year to the city.

The hotels design and financing package have not been approved yet by the convention centers governing board. Sawaya said it could come after the Louisiana Legislature meets this spring. Thats when legislation will likely be proposed to tweak language in current state law that restricts how the convention center can spend its hotel tax revenue, he said.



That legislation, Sawaya said, would scrap a provision that requires a chunk of tax revenues to fund an expansion project that the convention center decided to abandon after Hurricane Katrina. Its been a focal point for critics of the convention centers large reserve account who question why that account has been allowed to grow so large for a project that wont ever be built.



We have to unwind that, Sawaya said, referring to state law on the expansion project-tied tax revenue.

@theadvocateno is hosting a panel about the tourism industry but no musicians, service industry worker reps, or culture bearers have been invited. There is only one women panelist, and almost all of the rest are wealthy, white tourism industry executives. https://t.co/sle3u1r9fG March 16, 2019

Here is a T-P story about the latest package of make-work projects the Convention Center has slated in order to continue justifying the existence of a slush fund it manages out of its share of hotel-motel tax revenues. They're getting a new roof, re-doing the bathrooms, putting in some new A/V equipment and a bunch of other stuff. You've probably already seen the work underway on the redesign of Convention Center Boulevard. That's part of this too. As is, of course, the infamous Jaeger/Berger hotel project.We already know the hotel is a big political controversy. But it's really just one scheme in a long running gambit by the Convention Center to keep its surplus cash rolling in by spreading it around among the city's political and business elite. The surplus derives from a strategic decision to refinance rather than retire bonds originally intended to fund the convention hall's abandoned Phase IV. The workaround allows the Convention Center to continue collecting the tax dedicated to servicing those bonds. The arrangement is legally ambiguous. In order to justify it at all, they have to spend the money on, though. And that's how we get these renovation projects/street reconstructions/hotel plans like the ones described in that T-P article.It would be nice if we could say the hotel was the last straw. But it's likely all of this would have been allowed to go in perpetuity with important people passing free money back and forth among themselves as long as we could maintain the illusion that we were at least able to approximate the basic infrastructure of a typical US city might rely on in, say, the late 19th century. But, as it happens ..So in order to deal with this, everyone is going to have to get by with a little bit less graft than they've gotten used to. Or maybe not. We read in the Advocate today that a working group of 22 public officials and tourism executives are hammering out a grand bargain that should preserve everyone's racket. All they have to do is agree on a buyout price.This would have to happen in several different pieces of legislation. But the overall picture amounts to something like a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes type deal cities often strike with developers. It would exchange a lump sum payment from the Convention Center for future concessions back to the tourism cabal. Basically they're buying the mayor off.The legislative details aren't available yet. But the general idea is the S&WB gets a one time emergency payment and the cabal gets everything it wants. Berger and Jaeger get their hotel. And the Convention Center gets to ret-con its Phase IV slush fund into legitimacy Unwind and then rewind, he means. This doesn't say they have to give the money up; only that it won't be based on Phase IV anymore. Again, we'll have to wait and see what the pieces look like but it figures to be mostly bad. The fact that part of the deal is built on a "short term rental tax" is ominous. The mayor has been mostly quiet about STRs since taking office. This could signal her intent to favor their proliferation.Fundamentally, Mayor Cantrell is selling out the city's working classes while allowing the tourism criminals to maintain their wealth and privilege. The news media won't write it that way. Likely they will praise her acceptance of the one time emergency payment as a big political victory. It's true the city and S&WB needed that money desperately. Maybe her bargaining position was never that strong.It's just as true, though, that the oligarchs were never entitled to anything like what they're getting away with. A true political victory here would break the power of concentrated wealth to withhold vital services from the public. But, remember, LaToya always told us she was never interested in " taking from the rich and giving to the poor and all that kind of crap ."In one indication a deal is imminent, several of the key negotiators are participating in a public forum on tourism hosted by the Advocate on April 3. We don't yet know what percentage of the $20 admission price will go to funding public infrastructure. But there's still time to hammer all that out. In any case, the tone of the conversation should be nice and friendly. The panelists will probably spend most of the time congratulating each other. No one who might possibly object to the arrangement will be in the room.
1. Yes. The Schlueter Group has extensive experience and contacts. Its a good investment.

2. Yes. The firms namesake has a background as a legislator and knows Killeen well.

3. No. The expenditure is a waste of money. Our lawmakers should be doing that work.

4. No. The contract should be shorter, incentivized and based on performance benchmarks.

5. Unsure. Its not always easy to quantify the outcomes of lobbying efforts.

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Some cinema owners do not seem to think that movies without subtitles will have a future in Denmark, and have completely abandoned them, according to the countrys public broadcaster .

But they mean for movies in Danish:

Pedersen blames the necessity for subtitles on the evolution of the use of Danish in movies. Whereas in the past, actors were focused on articulating themselves in a way understandable for everyone, their main emphasis has now shifted to being as authentic as possible. Hence, many actors have chosen not to imitate more common dialects and have stuck to local versions of Danish. Its a small country, but there are big differences between the Danish dialects, Pedersen explained.

But couldnt Danish actors put at least a bit more emphasis on mumbling less to attract a bigger audience? Well, apparently not.

It is difficult to ask actors to speak more clearly.  Sometimes, speaking the most common Danish accents would simply make the movies and the characters seem implausible, Peter Frandsen Siggaard, a journalist for the countrys public broadcaster, explained.
New leaked documents seen by the Sunday Times show how a Gupta-linked company purchased an auditing firm so it could loot Eskom.

The report stated that Trillian bought an auditing firm  Nkonki  which had contracts with Eskom so it could be looted with impunity.

Trillian and its former owner, Salim Essa, allegedly used Mitesh Patel, a minority shareholder in the black-owned Nkonki auditing firm, as a front, stated the report.

Nkonki had auditing contracts with Transnet and Eskom, and after it was bought by Trillian it secured several new contracts with Eskom.

The report added that this happened at a time when several Gupta supporters were on Eskoms board.

The purchase of the auditing firm, and it securing contracts with state entities, was part of the Guptas plan to capture SOEs.

Looting at Eskom

Looting at Eskom has reached biblical proportions in recent years, with reports stating that the total amount stolen could reach R500 billion.

The Special Investigating Unit is currently looking into the theft of R170 billion from Eskom  R139 billion of which is related to 11 contractors who helped build the Medupi, Kusile, and Ingula power plants.

With Eskoms Medupi, Kusile, and Ingula plants costing R334 billion to build, the R139 billion stolen by contractors makes up a large chunk of the total price tag.

The SIU said as part of its investigation it has identified 1,980 employees who failed to declare their interests to Eskom.

Load-shedding

State capture and looting at Eskom have resulted in the company not being able to deliver a stable power supply to South Africa.

In December 2018, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said that a lack of skills at Eskom, problems with coal supply systems, and problems with the power generation system were major issues the utility faced.

He added that Eskom was one of the institutions heavily affected by state capture and contracts being awarded to the Gupta family.

Today we feel the effect of state capture, and the reality that we have very old power stations that we are operating, said Gordhan.

The effects of this are being felt by South Africans this week, with Eskom implementing stage 2, 3, and 4 load-shedding.

On Saturday and Sunday, stage 4 load-shedding has been put in place. This has been attributed to a loss of power imports from Mozambique and the need to conserve diesel and water supplies for the week ahead.
Good morning, dear readers. Were almost into spring, with blue skies and warmer weather. Delicious!

Id love for you to meet a friend of mine, who manages the Information & Assistance (I&A) program, medical social worker, Tiffanie Walker. Thank you, Tiffanie, for sending the following information, so vital to seniors in maintaining contact on serious issues. This service is so comforting to seniors.

This is a service for seniors 60 and above, provided by Collabria Care in association with Napa County. This service enables us seniors to maintain our long-term independence.

This includes providing housing support, caregiver resources, transportation services and information about food access.

I&A also manages a registry of vetted caregivers in Napa County. Caregivers are recruited and listed after careful screening. In order for caregivers to be included and receive a permit, an application with supporting documentation is required. Once everything is complete, I&A will match caregivers with seniors in the community who are in need of service.

More about Tiffanie: Before managing the I&A program, she worked with seniors and their families at the Collabria Day Program. Tiffanie encourages seniors to call about any serious challenges or questions they may have. She then assesses their needs and connects them to local services or provides referrals to programs in other communities. When necessary, Tiffanie will make a home visit to evaluate the needs of a senior and their family.

Tiffanie tells us that the types of services required and their urgency can vary a lot. Last summer during a heat wave, Tiffanie was instrumental in restoring electrical power to a frail elderly couple after their familys efforts failed. She found transportation options for an elderly woman who had difficulty attending her medical appointments, and she identified elder abuse in a situation with a senior who suffered from cognitive issues and coordinated services with Adult Protective Services.

Tiffanie is amazing. She is very patient, knowledgeable and a godsend to Napa County seniors

I am a problem solver says Tiffanie. Whatever your problem, Im here to help.

If you are aged 60 or above, or if you have a question about your senior neighbor or family member, you can contact Tiffanie at 707.253.4248.

Tiffanie is genuinely interested in helping us, so dont hesitate in giving her a call.

Speaking of kind and thoughtful people, Id like to wave a hello to our Napa County Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht. I always enjoy reading his monthly E Newsletters. In his February 2019 edition, he spoke about the Be Kind button that he wears, and that hes been asked Does it work? His reply is: I tell them I cant answer for others, but it sure makes me work on it. If it gives others in this world pause, to be kind, then thats a bonus! I choose to focus on kindness because I think kindness is the foundation to creating a community that is respectful, responsible and caring.

I would say that Supervisor Wagenknecht has proven in the many years that he has served in county and city governments that his leadership has gone a long way in creating such a community. Thank you, Brad, and thank you for my Be Kind pin.

I recently received a notice from Robert Hayes, marketing and communications manager of Collabria Care about the new workshops being held in 2019.

First is titled,Loving Spirit Workshop from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. on May 4 and 5 at Collabria Care at 414 South Jefferson St., Napa. This workshop is restricted to those suffering grief from the loss of a loved one, only, as thats where the greatest need is, and there are only 30 spaces available.

Dayle E. Spencer, author of Loving Allie, Transforming the Journey of Loss, and Loving Spirit, Self-help for the Journey of Loss, will be offering a free, two-day grief recovery workshop at Collabria Care, Napa. If you have suffered a major loss in your life from the death of a loved one, you will learn techniques to help you in your recovery process.

The workshop approaches the loss from many perspectives: spiritual, multi-cultural, psychological, experiential, and through our own personalities. Each participant will receive a free Myers-Briggs personality assessment to help them understand how loss is experienced and expressed differently. They will also receive an autographed copy of: Loving Allie and a workbook based on Loving Spirit.

All participants must attend both days of the session. This is a free community service, however pre-registration is required.

Contact Janeen Fabulae to reserve your place ca 707.258.9080 or jfabulae@collabriacare.org.

For more information, visit lovingspirit.info

The second, Learning to Live with Loss, is an eight-week, grief-support group for adults who have experienced the loss of a loved one. This is a free community service, but pre-registration is required. They have two new groups:

March 26May 14, 2:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1474 Oak Ave., St. Helena (Red Cross Building).

Napa: May 6  July 1, 3 to 4:30 p.m. at 414 South Jefferson St.

Thank you, Robbie

And, last but not least: Remember to tune into: Senior Moments, hosted by Barry Martin, every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. and noon on KVON 1440 AM (Streaming at kvon.com).

Bye for now, and enjoy the weather. Also, we should all steal a page from Brads kindness book.

Keep in touch at: bettyrrhodes@sbcglobal.net
One of the truths about Napa Valley College is that no two students are alike. Another is that there are no two identical paths to learning, training, transfer or degree.

Some students come to us while still in high school, with dual enrollment allowing them to take approved college-level coursework for credit towards both high school and college graduation requirements. Others return after receiving a four-year degree but in need of specialized training. For most of our students, Napa Valley College is a critical stepping stone on their path to a college degree or training certificate.

At Napa Valley College, students enter college at different points in their lives. In fact, we often have students representing several different generations in the same class. With a wide variety of personal and professional goals and aspirations, we try to provide a successful approach and path for each individual.

Core to Napa Valley Colleges mission is to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college in pursuit of a bachelors degree. In fact, statistics show that a community college transfer student does better than a freshman entering a four-year institution.

However, a bachelors degree is not in the cards for everyone. Why? Well, life gets in the way. A family emergency, finances or myriad other issues might change their course, and luckily, more and more students across the country are finding that a two-year degree from a community college is not just a marker of accomplishment but a resume builder of acceptance.

Often, four-year colleges and universities are finding that they are not meeting the needs of students  and employers  when it comes to solid soft skills or personal skills like communication, work ethic and career preparation (not just technical subject matter expertise). Additionally, as we face the changing landscape of higher education with the closure of more four-year colleges and universities each year, the brightest students may be choosing Americas community colleges for successful career preparation.

Even if someone is intending on transferring to a four-year university or college, the smart move is to complete a two-year associates degree or certification first. The Associate Degree for Transfer guarantees that students can transfer from community college to many four-year universities in California, and community colleges give students a lot of options when it comes to degrees and career training  without breaking the bank.

Students should be commended, promoted and hired for achieving an associates degree or technical certification (optional short-term program offerings at the college) that qualify them for many well-paying, high-demand jobs that now make up a large share of the labor market. Graduates from Napa Valley College are employed throughout the Valley in a variety of industries.

What can employers in the Valley do to help assure a strong workforce locally?

Think through why your company may still want to stipulate a four-year degree as a minimum requirement for employment.

Encourage and support your workforce by assisting your employees with local community college stipends or reimbursement programs for classes.

Embrace career-driven, success-oriented employees or job applicants who have attained an associates degree or a certification with promotion or placement.

Im optimistic about Napa Valley, our heritage of diversity and our strength as a community. I am proud of the 76 years that Napa Valley College has been at the center of quality and innovative education and training.

Dr. Ronald Kraft is the superintendent/president of Napa Valley College. Visit napavalley.edu to learn more.
There is a possible serious downside to writing this column. It may label me as an all-time office crank.

That said, here goes.

Whenever a Register coworker sneezes, the newsroom erupts in God-bless-yous. These supposedly comforting words explode around me like incoming mortar rounds. In allergy season, its deafening.

Were not talking about reactions to heart attacks or the occasional choking. The trigger is the humble sneeze! A sneeze that causes no harm and may indeed be refreshing.

If I worked in a monastery, Id expect invocations of the deity. But I work in a newsroom, a secular, not particularly spiritual place. We spend our days pecking away on keyboards like amped-up gerbils ... until theres a sneeze.

A soft God bless might be a balm for the soul in a religious setting. In the newsroom where we obsess on crime and potholes, they dont do anyone any good.

These rote reactions and misplaced condolences merely jam up the wheels of production.

Do I occasionally sneeze? Of course I do. I fight the urge as best I can, then I let loose.

If its at work, I instantly feel both relief and chagrin. Relief that I didnt blow my head off. Chagrin that Ive pulled two or three coworkers away from their jobs so they can sing out blessings.

I try to nip it by spitting out a preemptory excuse me. Thats accepted etiquette, right? And in a rational world that ought to be the end of it.

And sometimes it is, particularly among those most aware coworkers who have seen me cringe at their verbal effusions.

But for others, my excuse me has no effect. They bless me and bless me and bless me until I feel practically sanctified.

Why do we say what we say? Apparently theres no mention of the practice in the Bible, at least not for sneezing.

Theories abound. It was believed in the first century that a sneeze was the body trying to rid itself of evil spirits. Or the reverse: a sneeze opened up the body to an evil spirit invasion.

During the plague years in the sixth century, the Pope supposedly commanded God bless you to protect the flock from disease.

I understand blessings during a plague. Those people didnt have antibiotics or hand sanitizers. In the sixth century, Id probably have been a major blessor too.

But in the year 2019?

God-bless-yous havent always been a newsroom thing. I dont recall them back in our old offices on Second Street. Then again, those offices spanned an entire city block. The vast expanse may have consumed them.

At our new place were bunched up in cubicles. No snort of any kind goes unacknowledged.

You know who sneezes most powerfully? My editor Sean.

His sneezes erupt from his private office and sweep across the newsroom like a sonic boom. They have what the military calls command presence.

If I were to react to Seans sneezes, Id be inclined to salute. Job well done!

Only I dont react. Instead, I brace myself for the wave of God-bless-yous aimed his way.

Our leader has sneezed! Bless him!

At this point you may be asking, whats wrong with Courtney? Doesnt he have more substantial things to worry about? Doesnt he know he sounds like George Costanza?

Point well taken.

Kevin can be reached at 707-256-2217 or Napa Valley Register, 1615 Soscol Ave., Napa, 94559, or kcourtney@napanews.com.

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From Napa, greater San Diego, Washington state and beyond, dozens of young musicians gathered in Napa on Saturday  all of them united in a shared embrace of the trumpets, vihuelas and guitarrons of mariachi music.

Napa Valley College played host to its inaugural Viva Mariachi festival, an occasion for aspiring performers to refine their playing and singing skills by day before showing off their abilities in an evening concert expected to draw more than 1,000 spectators.

The debut of Viva Mariachi is an effort to showcase not only the musical genre but the artistic skills of the community  and to encourage others to express their talents as well, according to Oscar De Haro, NVCs vice president of student affairs, who organized Saturdays event.

The key is that its a mariachi festival, but thats just the outcome, he said. The intent is to bring these youth together to show to our community the talent and abilities our youth have.

A violin is a violin, a guitar is a guitar, and a trumpet is a trumpet. Once you know music, you can transfer those skills into mariachi.

Viva Mariachi attracted 93 visiting musicians ranging in age from 10 to 66, but the focus of the festival was on the gathering of young performers keeping alive a Mexican musical tradition filled with brass, strings and soulful vocals that also has made steady inroads in the U.S.

Among those leading that expansion are instructors like Ramon Rivera and Jeff Nevin, who brought student ensembles to the Napa Valley from opposite directions  Rivera from Wenatchee High School in Washington, home base of Mariachi Huenachi; and Nevin from Southwestern Colleges Mariachi Garibaldi in Chula Vista, less than 10 miles from the Mexican border.

Since moving to Wenatchee in 2005 from his native Ventura County, Rivera has led the mariachi program at his adoptive homes school district, teaching more than 300 students across 14 classes.

Its not just in California; its places like Kansas and Tennessee, too, he said. People are looking for mariachi teachers; they call me and say Do you know somebody, do you know somebody?

Hours before showtime, the mariachis-in-training broke up into workshops grouped by instruments: violinists in one room, armonia and guitarron players in a dance studio, trumpeters in the student center. With a handful of brass players circling him, Rivera meticulously worked out the kinks in their playing and singing, from gilding their Spanish-language Rs to finishing their parts in strong staccato.

You dont want to go la-la, you want to go TA-TA, ta-ta! Rivera instructed a handful of brass players, urging them to firmly dot, with emphasis, the final two chords of La Feria de las Flores.

You know how many mariachi songs end this way? Thousands, he said. You can play the whole song perfectly but people remember the beginning and the end. Thats the difference between good mariachi and bad mariachi.

You have to pay attention to every detail, a lot of details most people miss, said 14-year-old trumpeter Sindy Cancino, who had come to the Napa festival from Oxnard with her 18-year-old sister Nancy, a violinist. Sometimes you run out of breath but you have to have a hold of your breath  you almost have to remember how to breathe!

Joining the workshop were some Bay Area transplants who had found their way into mariachi music at UC Berkeley, where they joined the student-run Mariachi Luz de Oro. I hadnt played much before, but they needed a trumpet and I loved the music, said Carl Plant, a Florida native and member of the Berkeley ensemble. Its so much fun to play music thats so expressive.

The genre also has become the life work of Nevin, a non-Mexican who joined his first mariachi band as a 15-year-old trumpeter in Tucson, Arizona and went on to found the worlds first mariachi degree program in 2004 at Southwestern, a community college south of San Diego.

Over the years, Nevin has seen the musical form become a bridge to Latino community and within it, especially in families where language and cultural differences otherwise separate elders from youngsters.

There are Mexican-American families yearning for some connection, he said during a break in the morning classes. By putting mariachi into the public schools, it makes an immediate connection to their culture.

In looking back at the success of his own mariachi program, Rivera spoke not only of freeing the musical impulses of students but of using the necessities of practice, hard work and professionalism as a springboard to greater things in life.

Its a snowball effect  you see the pride in the kids, the way they act, the way they work, the way they like going to school, he said. Imagine if these kids werent in that program. Where would they be? How would they succeed?

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The manifesto left by the alleged shooter in the horrific mosque attack in New Zealand contained one mention of Donald Trump, in which the man expresses mixed support for our president. "As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no."

We don't know what policies he was referring to, but for the moment I want to consider that "white identity" part, as it applies to both the present and future of American politics.

Let's add in this fascinating report by Astead Herndon in The New York Times, about how the Trumpian politics of polarization and racial grievance has come to define Republicans even in the most local races. Herndon visited a district near Scranton, Pennsylvania, where a Republican had badly lost a state legislative race after his bigoted and conspiracy-mongering Facebook posts were revealed.

Many of the losing candidate's supporters saw him and President Trump as victims of the same unfairness. Here's a passage at the end, preceded by a man complaining about Black Lives Matter:

"He cited two Democrats who are an increasing focus of Mr. Trump's base - Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Carol Huddy, 71, said that preserving 'our culture' was the era's defining issue - regardless if Mr. Trump is in office.

" 'We may be far away from the border, but they're here and they're coming here,' Ms. Huddy said, initially refusing to define 'they.'

"Ten seconds passed.

"Twenty seconds passed.

"And then Ms. Huddy leaned in.

" 'I'll give you a hint,' she said, whispering, 'They have names like Vasquez and Hernandez.' "

It's no accident that the members of Congress who have these folks so worried are a Latina and a Muslim woman, because what is coming to define a good portion of the Republican Party is a sense that white people are not just losing something today but are under the threat of cultural, political, and even physical annihilation.

In its extreme form, it's defined as "white genocide," a term common among white supremacists who believe that the white race is literally in danger of being wiped out. In a less extreme form, it manifests in people being increasingly drawn to white identity politics.

We have to be clear what we mean when we say that. In her upcoming book, "White Identity Politics," political scientist Ashley Jardina clarifies that the term should be understood to refer not just to straightforward racism but to something more particular. White identity politics is about whiteness becoming an organizing political factor, a group identity that leads people to seek certain things and favor certain policies because of how they will affect white people.

The presidency of Barack Obama had a great deal to do with the current white identity politics, and in hindsight we might see it as inevitable that a racist demagogue would emerge to exploit the backlash Obama produced. That's why Ta-Nehisi Coates referred to Trump as "the first white president," arguing that his 2016 campaign should be understood as an assertion that whites had to retake power and restore (as they saw it) their rightful place atop the hierarchy.

What motivates it isn't just hostility to minorities but fear that whites will be overrun, oppressed, and eventually eliminated, and the solution is in turn to banish minorities from wherever white people are feeling this threat, whether it's America, Europe, or New Zealand.

This is a key through-line connecting white supremacists, white nationalists, clash-of-civilizations advocates, and people who would describe themselves as none of those things but just Trump supporters worried about a changing America no longer having a place for them.

The neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia - the ones Trump called "very fine people" - chant "Jews will not replace us!" On the president's favorite news network, Tucker Carlson tells viewers that immigrants make America "poorer and dirtier and more divided." Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, used to serve as the chairman of an anti-Muslim organization that published a tract warning of a "Great White Death" in Europe resulting from too much dark-skinned immigration.

Utah Republican Rep. Rob Bishop says "the ideas behind the Green New Deal are tantamount to genocide," saying it was dreamed up by people who "judge distance not in miles but in subway stops." And you know who those people are.

Watch a 2015 video of Trump nodding along as an audience member says, "We have a problem in this country: It's called Muslims." When the man asks, "When can we get rid of them?" Trump answers, "We're going to be looking at a lot of different things." And of course, during that campaign, in addition to his unending stream of bigoted statements against a wide variety of minority groups, Trump proposed "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."

Many Republicans would protest that their party affiliation is based not on racial fears of extinction but on things like support for small government and tax cuts, or opposition to abortion rights and marriage equality. And they aren't lying. But it's also undeniable that with Trump in charge - and with the party having given itself over to him so completely, at least for now - white identity politics now defines the GOP. But what will they do as it drags them down?

In 2016, an extraordinary confluence of factors - the venomous hatred Hillary Clinton inspired, James Comey's last-minute intervention in the race, a media that could barely have planned their coverage to be more helpful to Donald Trump than it was, the assistance of a hostile foreign power - combined to allow Trump to sneak into the presidency with 3 million fewer votes than his opponent. In 2018, Trump tried mightily to stir up the same hatred and fear that helped him win two years earlier, and failed miserably.

What happens if Trump loses in 2020? What if he loses to a person of color?

As Ashley Jardina argues, "one effect of the perceived waning status of white Americans is the activation of white racial identity and white racial consciousness." As non-white Americans become more numerous and gain political, social, and cultural influence, whiteness becomes more salient and important to a subset of white people. Which means that a Trump defeat would almost certainly intensify feelings of white identity among a significant portion of the Republican base.

That in turn will make it harder for the party to break itself away from white identity politics. If it tries to de-emphasize identity issues and create space for those turned off by Trumpian politics to join the party, that core of its base could rebel, or just fail to show up at the polls. In states and districts that remain overwhelmingly conservative, white identity politics will become more intense, and the people elected to represent those areas will keep pulling the party back even as it harms their national prospects.

If there's a way out of this dilemma, I'm not sure what it is. But Republicans are going to need to figure it out.
Hero of 44-day Karabakh war Garik Hovakimyan's sister Mariam is born

Republican Party of Armenia Executive Body holds session chaired by Serzh Sargsyan

Iranian Embassy: Iran supports '3+3' platform during meeting held in Moscow

Armenia ex-defense minister on Prosecutor General's Office imposing attachment on his assets

Alen Simonyan: Armenia is in one of the most crucial stages in its history, and opposition is demanding my resignation

PM: Armenia is committed to contributing to global mission of strengthening democracy, and we hope we're not alone

Armenia MOD: Soldier who was injured from gunshot fired by fellow serviceman has regained consciousness

Armenia Deputy PM: Omicron variant is not sufficiently explored

First meeting within scope of '3+3' regional platform held in Moscow

NEWS.am daily digest: 10.12.21

Armenia soldier killed while resisting Azerbaijanis' attack, 8 are injured, 6 of whom are in severe condition

Armenia PM introduces new Head of State Supervision Service Romanos Petrosyan

Armenia human rights activists: There were cases when POWs were brought to territory under Azerbaijan's control

The book Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman was translated and published on the initiative of Ardshinbank

Armenia regional governor, IFRC Secretary General discuss return of Armenian POWs originally from Shirak Province

Armenia human rights activist: Number of Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan is 80 more than the confirmed one

Pashinyan: Environmental sphere is of strategic importance for Armenia

Armenia President: We must understand that we are entering completely different era for humanity

Dollar goes up somewhat in Armenia

Armenia State Revenue Committee chief meets with French Development Agency Regional Director

Opposition 'Armenia' faction MPs Artur Sargsyan and Mkhitar Zakaryan released from penitentiary institution

Head of Armenia's Norabak village: Azerbaijan has military post that is 2 km from us

Armenia finance minister receives France Ambassador and French Development Agency Regional Director

Armenia opposition MP Ishkhan Zakaryan leaving 'With Honor' faction

Russian and Armenian Deputy FMs meet in Moscow

Armenia PM highlights importance of speedy conclusion of full-format agreement between Iran and EEU

Armenia opposition MPs Mkhitar Zakaryan and Artur Sargsyan to be released without court decision today

Armenian opposition MP Armen Charchyan is released

Armenia MOD: Armenian side has one casualty, few soldiers are injured, exchange of fire is over

Armenias Pashinyan: High-tech component development also important in Eurasian integration context

Armenia Deputy PM dismisses his two assistants

Nazarbayev says Azerbaijan can become observer country in Eurasian Economic Union

Head of Armenia village: The Azerbaijanis tried to advance in direction of Sotk, but our soldiers didn't let them

Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan attacked in eastern direction of border

Special court hearing underway on case of Armenia opposition lawmaker behind bars

Artsakh officials visit Stepanakert memorial

2 more die of coronavirus in Karabakh

Vardenis protesters dismiss Armenia MOD statement on obstructing car taking wounded soldier to Yerevan

Armenia FM briefs Francophonie chief on regional security issues (PHOTOS)

Armenia Police: 13 people apprehended near MFA building

Armenia protesting residents reopen Martuni-Vardenis motorway due to border tension

Armenia parliament passes changes to some laws

Armenia MOD: Deputy commander was told in Vardenis that car taking wounded soldier to Yerevan would be obstructed

347 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Armenia opposition movement staging protest inside MFA building

Armenia has new environment minister

Artsakh MFA: Referendum on independence is solid legal basis for statehood

Special court session to be held on case of imprisoned Armenia opposition MP

Biden promises Zelenskyy to punish Russia in case of invasion of Ukraine

Newspaper: Armenia parliament recent fight case to have former ones fate

Newspaper: What is reason for recent long visit to Armenia by ex-commander of Russia peacekeepers in Artsakh?

Petition to arrest one of accused Armenia soldiers returned from Azerbaijan captivity is granted

Russian Aerospace Forces consider practice of reconnaissance and strike UAVs during Karabakh conflict

Investigative Committee: Motion filed for arrest of 5 of 10 POWs returned to Armenia on Dec. 4

Armenia State Revenue Committee chief hosts Iran Customs Administration head

Armenia Shirak Province ex-deputy governor Boris Aleksanov dies

Constitutional Court announces decision on release of arrested MPs of opposition 'Armenia' parliamentary faction

Iran, Azerbaijan discuss cooperation in petrol and natural gas sectors

Lavrov: We understand the complexity of the situation in Armenia, but it's not right to speculate Russia's role

Cem Ozdemir who initiated adoption of Armenian Genocide resolution is Germany's first minister with migration history

Armenia FM, France Secretary of State sign 'Roadmap for Armenian-French Economic Cooperation'

Armenia PM scheduled to deliver speech at Summit for Democracy on Dec. 10

Zakharova says news about recall of Russia's Ambassador to Armenia is misinformation

Opposition 'Armenia' Alliance: 3 deputies of parliamentary faction will be released

Attorney: MP Armen Charchyan needs to be released immediately by virtue of Armenia Constitutional Court decision

Armenia ex-environment minister Romanos Petrosyan appointed Head of State Supervision Service

Armenia MOD: 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight firearm injuries as a result of Azerbaijanis' provocation

NEWS.am daily digest: 09.12.21

Zakharova: Moscow hopes Armenia and Azerbaijan leaders reaffirm commitment to implementing agreements

Zakharova on Aliyev's statement and murders of Armenian peaceful civilians

Ex-chief advisor to Armenia PM Hakob Simidyan appointed Minister of Environment

Joe Biden's Summit for Democracy kicks off, Armenia PM is also participating

Armenia environment minister sacked

Residents of Armenia's Vardenis shut down Martuni-Vardenis road in support of opposition alliance's leader (PHOTOS)

Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan opened intense fire toward Gegharkunik Province military positions

Armenia President meets with Emir of Qatar

Azerbaijan opened fire on Artsakh village tractor operator, says Machkalashen mayor

Parliament ruling majority obstructs decriminalizing severe insult in Armenia

Armenia deputy defense minister: No group has come from Moscow for demarcation

Armenia parliament approves several amendments to laws in first reading
A Mexican journalist who often covered crime and drug gangs in northern Sonora state died late Friday night after being gunned down at point-blank range in his home near the U.S. border, local authorities said on Saturday, Reuters reported.

Santiago Barroso was shot multiple times after an unknown assailant knocked on his front door, the state prosecutors office said in a statement. He was pronounced dead later at a hospital.

Barroso worked as a multimedia journalist in the border town of San Luis Rio Colorado, about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Yuma, Arizona on the U.S. side. He was host of a local radio show, director of the news website Red 563 and a contributor to weekly newspaper Contrasena.

While it was unclear if his killing was linked to his work, Barrosos death marks the third journalist killed so far this year in Mexico, one of the worlds most dangerous countries for reporters.
A Florida woman was sentenced to life in prison Friday for killing her 9-year-old cousin by sitting on the child as a form of punishment, Fox News reported.

Veronica Green Posey, 66, was sentenced after jurors convicted her of first-degree felony murder, the Pensacola News Journal reported.

Dericka Lindsay had suffered horrific beatings from Posey, and Lindsays adoptive parents, James and Grace Smith, when she didnt behave, prosecutors said.

Paramedics and deputies responded to the familys Pensacola home following a 911 call in October 2017. Posey sat on Lindsay for more than five minutes, causing the girl to die from a lack of oxygen, officials said.

The girl allegedly yelled that she could not breathe during the incident, the Pensacola News Journal reported.

Posey's attorney said the woman, who weighs approximately 320 pounds, was trying to help the Smiths and did not mean to hurt the girl.

The medical examiner said Lindsay had severe bruising on her buttocks due to injury, on top of injury, on top of injury, the Pensacola News Journal reported.
A fatal hit-and-run occurred Saturday evening in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.

According to shamshyan.com, at around 10pm, an unidentified vehicle with unknown license plates hit a pedestrian on a street, and fled the scene.

The pedestrian died on the spot.

Subsequently, a person called the police, and informed that he was the one driving the said automobile, which now was in a garage.

The officers of the law found this car, which is an SUV.

The driver of this vehicle is Aleksandr F., 57. It was found out that he was under the influence of alcohol to the highest degree.

He told the police, however, that he had drunk alcohol after this hit-and-run, since he was scared and had taken this incident very hard.

Aleksandr F. has been detained.

The SUV was impounded.
08:15

Five Indians were among the 50 people killed by a white supremacist, who opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, in the worst attack on Muslims in New Zealand, the Indian High Commission said.





The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.





The high commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.





"With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted.





It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.





In another tweet later, the high commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims. (https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/family-members-of-mosque-incident)





On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's high commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin". But, he had added, official confirmation was awaited.





The high commission said its helpline numbers 021803899 & 021850033 will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.





"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin."





It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly.





Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212.





In a 74-page manifesto the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.





New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism.





Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.





About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.





-- PTI
The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

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New York (AFP) - After a second air disaster involving the 737 MAX 8, aviation giant Boeing swung into crisis mode, losing $25 billion of market capitalization and suffering a severe hit to its reputation.

That was made worse by the company's response, according to industry experts, who described their efforts variously as "terrible," and "rough."

The tragedy of the Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday, in which all 157 people on board perished, renewed fears about the safety of the plane, and led to it being grounded worldwide -- although the US decision was not made for three days.

"It's been a rough week for them," said Matt Yemma, a crisis communication specialist at Peaks Strategies, based in Connecticut.

Boeing -- which in the first days after the accident said the MAX was reliable and safe -- could have announced it was voluntarily grounding the planes on Sunday to restore confidence and ensure the flying public they were on top of the problem, he said.

"Instead they just kind of let things dragged on and they end up losing a lot of market cap and a lot of business."

It was not until Wednesday after many governments and airlines worldwide had already banned the plane, that Boeing followed suit "out of an abundance of caution."

This was the second tragic accident in less than five months involving this model, which has been in service since May 2017, after the crash of a Lion Air flight in October which killed 189 people.

A malfunction of the new MCAS stall prevention system on the MAX was implicated in the Lion Air accident in Indonesia.

And the Federal Aviation Administration said evidence at the crash site in Ethiopia and new satellite data showed similarities and warranted "further investigation of the possibility of a shared cause for the two incidents."

And despite the growing use of the MAX worldwide, in China and Europe in particular, Boeing only issued brief statements, and meanwhile appeared to be attempting to prevent the US authorities from grounding the plane.

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Two days after the accident, the company's CEO Dennis Muilenburg spoke on the phone with President Donald Trump, who had complained on Twitter that modern airplanes were becoming too complex for pilots to handle.

- 'American arrogance' -

And it didn't help that the FAA announced it had ordered Boeing to make a software fix to the MCAS flaw, which some American pilots also encountered, raising questions about whether the manufacturer was diligent about getting the word out.

"It's the American arrogance," a source close to the aircraft manufacturer told AFP, which is "dangerous because it shows that the work was not done properly" due to overconfidence.

Others said the company should have moved more quickly to get out in front of the problem.

"Typically in a situation like this, you want to give as much information as you possibly can," especially given how quickly news whips around the globe, Yemma said.

"You want to make your clients, passengers and the public feel at ease about wanting to fly your planes. And the market and investors need to know there is nothing wrong and if there is something wrong that it's going to be fixed."

Michael Priem of communications firm Modern Impact in Minneapolis, agreed Boeing should have moved faster to reassure the general public.

The public expects "very quick responses and I think Boeing didn't engage in the conversation soon enough," he told AFP.

Two industry sources told AFP on Friday that the company will be rolling out a software upgrade for the MCAS in the next 10 days, which helped boost its share price, but the lag since the October crash in Indonesia is troubling.

And Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger -- noted for his safe landing of a damaged plane on the Hudson River in New York without loss of life -- questioned Boeing's response as well.

"It has been obvious since the Lion Air crash that a redesign of the 737 MAX 8 has been urgently needed ... and the announced proposed fixes do not go far enough," he said on social media.

The issue has drawn the scrutiny of Congress, with key oversight committees planning hearings to look into the aircraft and flaws.

"I continue to have serious concerns about key decisions made in the FAA's certification of the 737 MAX, and what was, and was not, disclosed to pilots," said Representative Peter DeFazio, head of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

"I will be conducting a rigorous investigation to make sure that FAA is carrying out its critical safety mission."

Boeing may have to roll out a public relations campaign to try to restore confidence in its aircraft.

The company will have to provide a sincere "mea culpa" because "the damage is done," a source close to the aircraft manufacturer told AFP.
DES MOINES, Iowa  A University of Iowa student was found dead after a days-long search of a national park in Utah.

Jonathan Hogue's body was found at Canyonlands National Park on Friday after the 33-year-old took what officials believe was a 500-foot fall, the San Juan County, Utah, Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Hogue was a graduate teaching assistant in Iowa City, the University of Iowa tweeted after the man was reported missing Tuesday. He had been studying geography, the university's graduate and professional student government posted on Facebook.

Our thoughts are with Jonathon Hogues family and friends. Jonathon is a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa. We are monitoring the situation and will offer support as needed. More information: https://t.co/jsQTrRhryf pic.twitter.com/U4TYGblBwo  University of Iowa (@uiowa) March 15, 2019

A missing persons update posted on the national park's Facebook described Hogue as a backpacker who enjoyed long distance and off-trail hikes.

"His dream was to be a park ranger," the park wrote, also describing Hogue as enjoying drawing and painting.

The physical description the park provided also mentioned that Hogue had a tattoo on his bicep with the words "Ninja Penguin."

Hogue's body was found at the base of the Green River Outlook in the Island of the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park.

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate Hogue's death.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 'His dream was to become a park ranger': Iowa student found dead at national park in Utah
Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas Congressman Beto ORourke was once a member of computer hacktivist group called Cult of the Dead Cow (CDC), Reuters reported Friday.

During his time as a member of the CDC  originators of the term hacktivism and one of the oldest hacker clubs in the U.S.  a teenage ORourke reportedly stole long-distance telephone service to get online, pirated computer games, and shared his thoughts under the name Psychedelic Warlord. Through all the baud modems, text files, and manifestos, one pivotal question comes to mind: What exactly is hacktivism?

A portmanteau of hacker and activism, hacktivism involves using technology to conduct activism-related behavior, usually to attract attention to an issue and bring about some form of political or social change.

Molly Sauter, author of The Coming Swarm: DDoS Actions, Hacktivism, and Civil Disobedience on the Internet, says anyone can be be a hacktivist, regardless of their programming skills. Hacktivist is a very general identity, says Sauter. Its like activist, anyone can say theyre a hacktivist.

Many modern-day activism campaigns have a hacktivist component, and in many cases hacktivism is about attracting attention, much the same way groups like Greenpeace orchestrate headline-grabbing stunts in the real world to get bigger issues in the headlines.

One hacktivist group youve probably heard of: Anonymous, a loosely affiliated group of hackers and other internet users who have claimed responsibility for a wide range of actions, including denial-of-service attacks directed at Michigans state website in 2016 in reaction to the Flint, Michigan water crisis. Such denial-of-service attacks  which can disable a website by overloading it with fake traffic  are often used by groups like Anonymous, but others frown upon the tactic. In fact, Sauter says the CDC was strongly opposed to denial of service attacks, as the group believed in the concept of free-flowing information.

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People who identified as hackers in subsequent generations dont have that hangup, and dont believe its an inappropriate tactic, says Sauter. It really depends on what your understanding is of the online space, and your understanding of your own issues are. That creates the situation that lets you decide the appropriate set of tactics for your movement. As with more traditional activism, each individual or groups motivations are varied  which also means the methods used by one hacktivist group might be considered off the table for others.

Categorizing hacktivists is an exercise in overgeneralizing, and those who try often fail to properly acknowledge the motivations or intended outcomes of any one organizations efforts. For instance: the CDCs most infamous exploit, Back Orifice, could be considered either a malicious attack or a last ditch effort to patch a widespread problem. The exploit took advantage of a well-known flaw in Microsofts Windows 98 operating system that allowed attackers to take control of a computer running it. So by creating a tool that automated the exploitation of this flaw, CDC put Microsoft in a position where they were forced to patch the system they didnt want to patch, Sauter says.

Was such a move good or bad? Its certainly disruptive, Sauter says. Its like asking if a sit-in is a good tactic or an evil tactic. It is a tactic, and it can be used by a variety of people for a variety of ends.

ORourkes campaign did not immediately respond to TIMEs request for comment.

Its unclear whether ORourkes time with the CDC will move the needle with voters. As Reuters reports, there is no indication the candidate ever engaged in the edgiest sorts of hacking activity. Other, more prominent CDC members have gone on to successful careers in mainstream fields. Former CDC member Peiter C. Zatko  also known as Mudge  went on to work for the U.S. Department of Defense and founded the Cyber Independent Testing Laboratory, funded by a DARPA grant. And while he may have been the perpetuator of relatively minor crimes like pirating games and making long-distance phone calls without paying, ORourke is already spinning his ties to the group as evidence that he understands technology issues at a time when those matters are front-and-center in the national debate.

I understand the democratizing power of the internet, and how transformative it was for me personally, and how it leveraged the extraordinary intelligence of these people all over the country who were sharing ideas and techniques, ORourke told Reuters.


The African-American woman who took control of an Alabama newspaper that once called for the Ku Klux Klan to "ride again" has stepped down because of continuing interference from the papers previous leader.

Elecia Dexter, who replaced Goodloe Sutton as publisher and editor of the Democrat-Reporter in February, told The New York Times on Friday that she was stepping down to maintain her integrity and well-being.

I would have liked it to turn out a different way, but it didnt, she told the newspaper. This is a hard one because its sad  so much good could have come out of this.

Sutton, 80, sparked outrage around the country when he penned a Feb. 14 editorial calling for "the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again" to clean up Washington, D.C., from "Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats (who) are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama."

Goodloe Sutton: Alabama newspaper editor calls for the Ku Klux Klan to 'clean out D.C.'

I dont care what they say: Editor who called for KKK to 'ride again' wont back down

He drew even more backlash when he doubled down on his comments in an interview with the Montgomery Advertiser.

"If we could get the Klan to go up there and clean out D.C., we'd all been better off," Sutton told the Advertiser. "We'll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them.

Once a lauded newspaperman, nationally acclaimed in the 1990s for his and his wife's work in bringing down a corrupt local sheriff, Suttons peers in journalism stripped him of past commendations after his comments were published. State leaders resolutely condemned his comments and editorials, and local residents decried the way Sutton was representing the area to the rest of the world.

Sutton, who has worked at the paper since 1964, inherited the publication from his father. He handed over control of the Democrat-Reporter to Dexter on Feb. 21 but retained ownership of the paper.

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Dexter was chosen to succeed Sutton in hopes that she would move the paper into a new direction, according to a press release from the Democrat-Reporter.

She told CNN that Sutton sent out an altered version of the Feb. 28 issue of the paper featuring a story defending his controversial editorial and attacking the Advertiser's reporting. Dexter also accused Sutton of interfering with Thursday's paper, the network reported.

"The decision to accept the role of Publisher/Editor of The Democrat Reporter was an honor and I have no regrets," Dexter wrote in a statement obtained by CNN. "I am not discouraged; healing will come to the wonderful and loving people here."

Contributing: Melissa Brown and Brian Lyman, The Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser

Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A black woman took over a paper that said the KKK should 'ride again.' Now she's stepping down.
Rule No. 1 of tort law: The bad guy is the one with the most money to pay you.

On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza murdered 26 people, 20 of them schoolchildren ages six and seven.

Lanza killed himself, too. Cant sue him.

Lanza had a history of mental illness  a long one. Hed been treated under the New Hampshire Birth to Three program and later by the Yale Child Study Center. But it would be hard to make a case against those institutions, which enjoy a great deal more sympathy than gun manufacturers do. The schools couldnt handle Lanza, either, and he was left to the care of his mother, Nancy, who seems to have been a bit of an oddball herself and an enabler. But he murdered her, too, so shes not around to sue.

Nancy Lanza liked guns, and had a few, which is how Adam Lanza armed himself with the semiautomatic Bushmaster rifle he used in the massacre.

Bushmaster was a firearms maker founded in Maine in 1976. It changed owners a couple of times and ended up as part of the Freedom Group, a firearms conglomerate owned by Cerberus Capital, a private-equity firm, at the time of the massacre. Freedom ended up becoming the Remington Outdoor Company as part of a bankruptcy reorganization completed last year. Cerberus announced it was unloading its firearms businesses after Sandy Hook (under pressure from institutional investors, notably the California teachers retirement fund), but that proved easier said than done. Cerberus ended up largely ceding control of the debt-ridden company to creditors, Franklin Templeton and JPMorgan Chase prominent among them. In July 2018, Remington rejected a $500 million buyout. It gets complicated, but the lawsuit against the thing called Remington is in effect a lawsuit against the deep-pocketed financiers associated with it.

Thats who you sue.

The lawsuit against Remington alleges that the companys marketing practices contributed to the Sandy Hook massacre. Remington may never have known Adam Lanza, but they had been courting him for years, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said. But it is not clear that Remington courted Lanza at all  and it is quite clear that the company never courted him successfully, inasmuch as he stole the Bushmaster rifle he used in the crimes from his mother, whom he murdered. Connecticut has a law against unfair trade practices, which is a very odd way of looking at a mass murder.

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So, in sum: Remingtons private-equity owners acquired Bushmaster and formed a new company. That company sold a rifle to a distributor, which in turn sold it to a federally licensed gun dealership, which in turned sold it  legally  to Adam Lanzas mother. She was murdered, and her rifle was used in a horrifying massacre . . . and . . . if you squint . . . this somehow leads back to the marketing department at Remington, which advertised the Bushmaster rifle as a cousin to the standard-issue U.S. military rifle, which it is.

The lawsuit against Remington is bogus. It has little to do with Connecticut commercial law and everything to do with a substantive gun-control agenda and the opportunistic inclination to wring money from institutions that have a great deal of it. From the opinion of the state supreme court:

The gravamen of the plaintiffs complaint was that the defendants negligently entrusted to civilian consumers an assault rifle that is suitable for use only by military and law enforcement personnel and violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) ( 42110a et seq.) through the sale or wrongful marketing of the rifle. The plaintiffs first theory of liability was that the rifle is a military grade weapon that is grossly ill-suited for legitimate civilian purposes such as self-defense or recreation, that the rifle and other similar semiautomatic weapons have become the weapon of choice for mass shootings and, therefore, that the risks associated with selling the rifle to the civilian market far outweigh any potential benefits, that the defendants continued to sell the rifle despite their knowledge of these facts, and that it therefore was negligent and an unfair trade practice under CUTPA for the defendants to sell the weapon, knowing that it eventually would be purchased by a civilian customer who might share it with other civilian users.

This is another way of saying that Remingtons owners are being sued for failing to concur with the substantive political views of gun-control advocates, i.e. that the weapon in question is ill-suited for legitimate civilian purposes such as self-defense or recreation, a claim that, it is worth noting, is false on its face inasmuch as semiautomatic rifles are proven instruments of self-defense and by far the most popular recreational firearms in the United States.

The use of commercial litigation and regulatory law to achieve progressive political goals is by now familiar: If an oil company opposes global-warming initiatives, that isnt politics but securities fraud, as far as Democrats are concerned; if conservative activists want to show a film critical of Hillary Rodham Clinton in the lead-up to a presidential election, that isnt politics but a campaign-finance violation, as far as Democrats are concerned.

This lawsuit happens against the background of progressive demands that certain political views be criminalized.

There are two kinds of opportunism at work here: One is purely financial, the prospect of getting a big payday that sets the stage for additional big paydays in the future as the ghouls go from manufacturer to manufacturer and crime scene to crime scene collecting billions of dollars as they go. The second is political opportunism, the attempt to establish the precedent that failing to go along with the progressive political agenda makes one an enemy of the state, subject to political sanction and criminal prosecution.

The crime here was committed by Adam Lanza. But he isnt the one with the money, and theres no political juice in going after him.

More from National Review
Brasilia (AFP) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro left for Washington on Sunday to meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump and cement a budding conservative-populist alliance that, in part, aims to ramp up pressure on Venezuela.

The far-right leader flew out of Brasilia early Sunday with six ministers, among them Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, Economy Minister Paulo Guedes and Justice Minister Sergio Moro, Brazilian media reported.

It was Bolsonaro's first trip abroad for a bilateral meeting since taking office on January 1. He attended the Davos summit in Switzerland in January.

Bolsonaro, who will also meet in Washington with the head of the Organization of American States (OAS), is scheduled to return to Brazil on Tuesday.

- Admirer of Trump -

A Trump-Bolsonaro bond could see the leaders of the Americas' two largest democracies working in concert on a range of regional issues.

Most pressing is the crisis in Venezuela, where the US and Brazil -- and dozens of other countries -- have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president with the goal of forcing President Nicolas Maduro from power.

The tough-talking Bolsonaro has long expressed his admiration for Trump. He echoes the US leader in spurning multilateral organizations and leftist politics, while promoting businesses over environmental concerns at home.

Their shared nationalist sentiment can be seen in another relationship: that of Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, who is a federal lawmaker, with Trump's former strategist Steve Bannon.

Eduardo Bolsonaro announced in early February that he was part of the Brussels-based group known as The Movement, which Bannon set up to promote far-right nationalistic values and tactics.

The older Bolsonaro announced on Saturday that one key result of his current trip would be the signing of an agreement under which the US might gain access to a satellite-launching base in Brazil near the Equator.

- Eyes on Venezuela -

Story continues

But most eyes will be on developments surrounding Venezuela, which shares a border with Brazil.

Previous Brazilian administrations took a friends-to-all approach to neighboring countries. But not Bolsonaro.

The 63-year-old former paratrooper is vehemently opposed to leftist currents, at home and abroad, and he shares Trump's hostility to the "dictator" Maduro, who took over after the death of socialist leader Hugo Chavez in 2013.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that "all options are on the table" with regards to Venezuela, a phrase understood to include military action.

But Bolsonaro, like other members of the mostly Latin American Lima Group, has ruled out military action in favor of a policy of tightening the economic and diplomatic noose around Maduro.

As well as a "private meeting" with Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Bolsonaro will sit down with OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro, and participate in various forums to promote economic opportunities in Brazil.

The US is Brazil's second biggest trade partner after China.

After his arrival Sunday, Bolsonaro will dine at the residence of Brazilian ambassador Sergio Amaral with "opinion makers" including, according to press reports, Bannon and US-based Brazilian writer Olavo de Carvalho, considered Bolsonaro's ideological guru.

Bolsonaro will be staying in Blair House, the official US state residence opposite the White House used for visiting dignitaries.

After his return to Brazil, Bolsonaro is planning a trip to Chile and then, in late March, to Israel. He forged close ties with Israel's conservative leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when the latter attended Bolsonaro's inauguration.
Washington (AFP) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro arrived in Washington on Sunday to meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump and cement a budding conservative-populist alliance that, in part, aims to ramp up pressure on Venezuela.

The far-right leader flew out of Brasilia early Sunday with six ministers, among them Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, Economy Minister Paulo Guedes and Justice Minister Sergio Moro, Brazilian media reported.

They touched down at Joint Base Andrews, on the outskirts of Washington, at 3:40 pm (1940 GMT).

"It's the first time in a long time that a Brazilian president who is not anti-American, comes to Washington," Bolsonaro said on Twitter after he arrived.

It is Bolsonaro's first trip abroad for a bilateral meeting since taking office on January 1. He attended the Davos summit in Switzerland in January.

Bolsonaro, who will also meet in Washington with the head of the Organization of American States (OAS), is scheduled to return to Brazil on Tuesday.

Outside the White House Sunday afternoon, dozens of demonstrators gathered to protest the visit -- holding signs including one that accused Bolsonaro of being a "murderer" over apparent links to suspects in the killing of rights activist Marielle Franco. Police have said those ties are coincidental.

- Admirer of Trump -

A Trump-Bolsonaro bond could see the leaders of the Americas' two most populous democracies working in concert on a range of regional issues.

Most pressing is the crisis in Venezuela, where the United States and Brazil -- and dozens of other countries -- have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president with the goal of pushing President Nicolas Maduro from power.

The tough-talking Bolsonaro has long expressed his admiration for Trump. He echoes the US leader in spurning multilateral organizations and leftist politics, while promoting businesses over environmental concerns at home.

Their shared nationalist sentiment can be seen in another relationship: that of Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, who is a federal lawmaker, with Trump's former strategist Steve Bannon.

Story continues

Eduardo Bolsonaro announced in early February that he was part of the Brussels-based group known as The Movement, which Bannon set up to promote far-right nationalistic values and tactics.

The older Bolsonaro announced on Saturday that one main result of his trip would be the signing of an agreement under which the United States might gain access to a satellite-launching base in Brazil near the equator.

- Eyes on Venezuela -

But most eyes will be on developments surrounding Venezuela, which shares a border with Brazil.

"Brazil and the United States together throw fear into defenders of backwardness and tyranny around the world," Bolsonaro said on Twitter, which he is a prolific user of, like Trump.

"Those who fear ties with a free and wealthy nation? That's what we've come looking for," Bolsonaro added.

Previous Brazilian administrations took a friends-to-all approach to neighboring countries. But not Bolsonaro.

The 63-year-old former paratrooper shares Trump's hostility to the "dictator" Maduro, who took over after the death of socialist leader Hugo Chavez in 2013.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that "all options are on the table" with regards to Venezuela, a phrase understood to include military action.

But Bolsonaro, like other members of the mostly Latin American Lima Group, has ruled out military action in favor of a policy of tightening the economic and diplomatic pressure against Maduro.

As well as a "private meeting" with Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Bolsonaro will sit down with OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, and participate in various forums to promote economic opportunities in Brazil.

The country's economy is the largest in Latin America, and the US is Brazil's second biggest trade partner after China.

On Sunday night, Bolsonaro dined at the residence of Brazilian ambassador Sergio Amaral with "opinion makers" including, according to press reports, Bannon and US-based Brazilian writer Olavo de Carvalho, considered Bolsonaro's ideological guru.

Wall Street Journal columnist Walter Russell Mead, American Conservative Union president Matt Schlapp and Chris Buskirk, who edits the blog "American Greatness" were among others expected at the event.

Bolsonaro is staying in Blair House, the official US state residence opposite the White House used for visiting dignitaries.

After his return to Brazil, Bolsonaro is planning a trip to Chile and then, in late March, to Israel.
EVIA (Greece) (AFP) - Bent over a barrel, Greek microbrewer Sophocles Panagiotou lovingly draws a measure of his Septem Red Ale into a glass cylinder and expertly transfers it to a glass.

A decade ago at the start of the financial crisis, the chemistry graduate and former winemaker took a chance on building his Septem microbrewery in a family field on the island of Evia, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of Athens.

"It was a crazy idea. At the time, they looked at me as if I were an alien," Panagiotou told AFP, in his fully-automated factory and bottling plant, which now produces 12 different beer labels.

Tens of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises were obliterated by the economic crisis in 2010 that brought Greece to its knees and sent unemployment soaring.

But the microbrewery sector managed to grow amid the ruins, as local products benefited from a fall in imported goods.

Greece had fewer than a dozen breweries 10 years ago.

Today, there are 45 microbreweries, said Panagiotou, recently elected president of the Union of Greek Breweries, which represents both micro and bigger firms.

- Change in habits -

The financial crisis, which saw Athens granted a eurozone bailout in return for swingeing austerity measures, helped spur the microbrewery sector.

Foreign suppliers began demanding upfront cash payments that many Greek companies could not meet.

"Habits changed during the crisis," says Yannis Kefalas, a beer enthusiast and brewer.

"Demand is now centred on local products as a way to help the Greek economy."

Perusing the supermarket shelves for local beers, Spyros Paraskevopoulos said that microbeers offered "extraordinary taste".

"They are all so different, depending on the region they come from," he enthused.

Three years ago, Kefalas decided to quit Athens and relocate to his home island of Ikaria, where he opened his microbrewery, named Ikariotissa after the island.

Story continues

He now exports to Germany and aims also to tap markets in Sweden, Canada and the United States.

- Wine, ouzo, then beer -

Given that Greece is more commonly associated with wine and spirits and does not have a major beer culture, the rise of microbreweries is perhaps even more surprising.

The country consumes and exports wine and there is also strong demand for traditional alcoholic beverages such as ouzo and tsipouro.

Greece is among the bottom three beer consumers in the European Union, with an annual average of 35 litres (74 US pints) drunk per person, just above France and Italy.

While microbeers are becoming more popular, the most widely consumed beers are produced by Athinaiki, one of Greece's biggest breweries.

It makes more than five different brands of mostly lagers and imports around 10.

- Ginger, honey, cardamom -

On Evia island, Panagiotou says that his production has increased 15-fold over the past decade, from 80,000 bottles in 2009 to 1.2 million this year.

Yannis Marmarellis, a brewer from the northern city of Serres, has experienced a similar growth spurt.

Opening his microbrewery, Siris, in 2014 after his meat factory shut down, he has increased his staff from three to 14 and quadrupled the size of his facilities.

"There is an increase in demand for quality beer," says Christos Vassiliadis, one of many Greeks who began with a home brewing kit before graduating to a full brewery.

He now runs Noctua, an Athens microbrewery.

But producers say that several factors are holding back further growth, including bureaucracy, an habitual Greek bugbear.

They also complain of high taxation and a legal framework dating from the early 20th century.

After Finland, Sweden and Britain, Greece has the highest tax on alcohol in the European Union.

And outdated laws on beer production mean there is no legal provision covering beers made with spices or in fruity flavours -- an area some microbrewers are exploring.

"I come from the wine industry so I like to try various flavours," says Panagiotou.

His products now include beer with honey, ginger, cardamom and mahleb, an aromatic spice from the seeds of the St Lucie cherry, a special version for cold Christmas nights.

The hops for his beer comes from his father's fields, just behind the factory.

"The microbeers are a welcome change in terms of range of both choice and taste," said Craig Morrison, a British long-term resident of Athens.
SALINAS, Calif.  A California psychiatrist was found bludgeoned to death in Nevada, his body left in the trunk of a car, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and other media sources reported Friday.

The body of Dr. Thomas Burchard, 71, of Salinas was found by officers about 10:50 a.m. March 7 near the entrance to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, according to several media outlets.

Burchard died from blunt force trauma to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide, authorities said.

A man driving through the remote area with his children noticed a parked vehicle that had a rock thrown through one of its windows. Officers responded and found Burchard's body inside the car, the Review-Journal said.

The Las Vegas Coroner's Office, Las Vegas Police Department and Clark County Sheriff's Office were not available for comment Saturday.

Community Health of the Monterey Peninsula spokeswoman Mary Barker confirmed the death of Burchard.

"Hes a long-standing physician in the community who was very helpful to many of his patients," said Barker. "It was a sad situation and our hearts go out to his family."

According to Barker, Burchard worked for manyyears with the behavioral health program with Montage Health. He had a small number of adolescent patients and a larger number of adult patients.

This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: California psychiatrist found bludgeoned to death in trunk of car near Las Vegas
By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada will announce as expected on Monday that it is extending a 200-strong military training mission in Ukraine, a source directly familiar with the matter said on Sunday. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan are scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Monday. "It is the Ukraine extension," said the source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. A spokeswoman for Sajjan declined to comment, while representatives for Freeland did not reply to requests for comment. The troops, who first went to Ukraine in 2015, are due out at the end of March. Political and military sources had made clear the soldiers would stay longer, given continuing tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Canada will not be sending any additional trainers, the source added. The House of Commons defense committee recommended last December that Ottawa expand the mission, a message that Ukraine's ambassador to Canada subsequently stressed in interviews with Canadian media. Canada's defense ministry said in December that the contingent had trained more than 10,000 members of the Ukrainian security forces. The Canadian contingent is in western Ukraine, far removed from clashes between Ukrainian soldiers and Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country. Freeland, a vocal critic of Russia's move to annex Crimea in early 2014, said in a statement on Saturday that "we continue to condemn this violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the strongest terms." Canada, the United States and the European Union on Friday imposed new sanctions on a number of Russian officials to punish Moscow for its 2018 attack on three Ukrainian ships and the seizure of Crimea, which had been part of Ukraine. The Canadian trainers are in Ukraine as part of a larger mission that involves the United States, Britain, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Time is money, but so is a degree from an elite school.

That's usually what motivates the parents of high school students to go all out to get them into top-tier colleges.

The largest-ever admissions bribery case  which includes Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and Wake Forest universities and the University of Southern California  unfolded on Tuesday and rocked the country. Chatter ranged from the alleged involvement of actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Laughlin in the scandal to social media one-upmanship/one-downmanship with people posting where they did and didn't go to college.

But the bloodsport of gaining admission to a high-ranking college goes beyond prestige and car-window stickers, a.k.a. bragging rights. It comes down to one word: money.

In this July 10, 2013, file photo, prospective students tour Georgetown University's campus in Washington. Federal authorities have charged college coaches and others in a sweeping admissions bribery case in federal court.

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Graduating from big-name schools translates into better jobs and higher salaries, according to conventional wisdom. Plus, there are the auxiliary benefits that also lead to cash  powerful alumni networks, name recognition that attracts the interest of hiring managers and the right collegiate brand to catapult graduating seniors to top-notch graduate schools, which are themselves tickets to more money.

Colleges and universities conferred approximately 2 million bachelor's degrees in 2015-16, according to the most recent data from the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Plus, they awarded more than 785,000 master's degrees and close to 178,000 doctorates.

"There's no question: If you get into a prestigious institution, it will create opportunities," said Lynn Pasquerella, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. "Its an elite, selective club."

Admissions scandal stems from money, prestige

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An oft-quoted study from 2015 found that what you studied made a difference. If you're in liberal arts or business, the school counts, but that's not the case for someone in science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM. A decade after graduating, the biggest difference was among business majors; people who graduated from elite schools made an average of 12 percent more than students who earned their degrees at mid-tier schools and 18 percent more than graduates of less-selective and open-enrollment schools.

The road to better jobs is well trod from the brand-name schools. Recruiters return year after year because they know past hires from there have done well.

"Elite colleges get that advantage because recruiters tend to be from companies that pay more for prestigious positions," said Aviva Legatt, an Ardmore, Pennsylvania-based college admission consultant with as many as 50 clients every year, who declined to disclose her fees. "As a hiring manager, you might feel they have been pre-vetted by these colleges."

It's not just first jobs straight out of college. Later on in people's careers, head hunters still take note of job-seekers' alma maters. And that good first job leads to a second good job and with that better pay.

Good jobs, alumni connections, grad schools among the bounty

Alisa Levin, of the New York City-based legal-recruiting firm Greene-Levin-Snyder, said clients favor top-tier schools over local ones because those alumni have an "instant credibility" that graduates of non-exclusive institutions don't.

"Twenty-five years out, and theyll still want to see transcripts. ... It's a forever thing," she said. "People want people who others want. If you've already won one race, you're more likely to win another."

Also important are alumni connections. The more esteemed the school, the more valuable the ties. Turning to fellow graduates for help  an introduction, a well-placed resume, an invitation to shmooze  keeps the cycle going from graduation gown to shroud.

"For every person you know in a field, that counts as much as submitting more than 150 resumes to an institution where you don't know anybody," said Pasquerella. "Its hugely important to connecting... for their first job opportunities."

Levin called illustrious alumni networks "priceless," pointing out the powerful access they provide.

Not everyone believes an elite B.A. gets you from point A to point B, though.

Tony Carnevale, director of Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, said that the advantages garnered from a top-tier school can disappear within four years of working and that getting a job through an alumni connection is "something that goes back to the Gilded Age" and long gone. Plus, does a public school teacher who went to Harvard make more than one who graduated from a state school?

"It's an aristocracy posing as a meritocracy; its more about Vanity Fair than Les Miserables," he said. "People spend tens of thousands of dollars to (send their children) to the right preschool because its a straight shot to Yale. The whole system is rigged in their favor."

Follow USA TODAY reporter Zlati Meyer on Twitter: @ZlatiMeyer

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College admissions scandal: Does attending an elite school mean you'll earn more money?
By Tom Westbrook and Praveen Menon CHRISTCHURCH/WELLINGTON (Reuters) - The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings rose to 50 on Sunday after police said they found another body at one of the mosques, while authorities worked to formally identify victims and release their bodies to families. Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face further charges. Friday's attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled as terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand and the country had raised its security threat level to the highest. Footage of the attack on one of the mosques was broadcast live on Facebook, and a "manifesto" denouncing immigrants as "invaders" was also posted online via links to related social media accounts. The bodies of the victims had not yet been released to families because investigations were ongoing, but police were working as quickly as they could to do that, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said at a media conference in Wellington. It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within the 24 hours. "We have to be absolutely clear on cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs, so we are doing that as quickly and sensitively as possible," Bush said. Bush said the body of the 50th victim was found at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people died after a gunman entered and shot randomly at people with a semi-automatic rifle with high-capacity magazines, before traveling to a second mosque. "As of last night we were able to take all of the victims from both of those scenes. In doing so we were able to locate a further victim," he said. Thirty-six people were still in Christchurch Hospital, with 11 being treated in intensive care, and one child moved to dedicated children's hospital in Auckland. At a roadblock outside the Al Noor mosque on Sunday, about 40 people were standing in silence near scores of bunches of flowers. Police with gloves and metal detectors combed the street and footpath. HERO HAILED One man at the second mosque in the suburb of Linwood was hailed for distracting and confronting the shooter, preventing further deaths. Abdul Aziz, 48, told local media he heard shooting and ran outside the mosque, shouting at the gunman and drawing him away from the building, the Newshub website reported. Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, said he picked up one of the gunman's discarded weapons and threatened the man, who drove off. Police then rammed the gunman's vehicle and arrested him. "Those two police officers acted with absolute courage," Bush said. "They have prevented further deaths and risked their own lives to do so." Church services for victims of the attack were held around the country, including at Christchurch's "Cardboard Cathedral", a temporary structure built after much of the central city was destroyed in a 2011 earthquake. The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan. Muslims account for just over 1 percent of New Zealand's population. Pakistan's High Commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing. GUN REFORM Bush said police did not believe that three other people arrested on Friday were involved in the attack. Two men faced charges unrelated or "tangential" to the attack, while a woman had been released, he said. Tarrant did not have a criminal history and was not on any watchlists in New Zealand or Australia. In a manifesto circulating online, Tarrant described himself as "Just a ordinary White man, 28 years old" who used the spoils of cryptocurrency trading to finance extensive travels through Europe from 2016-2018. Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who allegedly used five weapons, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns, which had been modified. "I can tell you one thing right now, our gun laws will change," Ardern told reporters on Saturday, saying a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be considered. New Zealand has in the past tried to tighten firearm laws, but a strong gun lobby and culture of hunting has stymied such efforts. There are an estimated 1.5 million firearms in New Zealand, which has a population of only 5 million, but the country has had low levels of gun violence. New Zealand shootings: https://tmsnrt.rs/2TEun3P (Reporting by Praveen Menon and Tom Westbrook; Additional reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and John Mair; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
By David Tizzard





German sociologist Max Weber observed that modernity is not defined by technological or scientific developments, but rather a change in the way that people think. Thus it is ideas that are capable of both shaping and defining the worlds we inhabit.



A traditionalist society does not question things. It adopts a position in which the right of kings is accepted simply because that is the way it always has been. A reluctance to change grips people's minds  leaving them in both a state of fear and submission.



A modern society on the other hand brings with it citizens who rationalize. It is found in a population that questions authority, traditional cultures and practices, and is able to think reflectively upon their own behavior.



The past week in South Korea has seen those two ways of thinking clash with the disturbing revelations of sexual abuse and malpractice by some of its formerly most beloved K-pop idols. How far-reaching this story stretches is as yet unknown, but some believe that it extends to lawmakers, politicians, police officials, and beyond.



SBS reporter Kang Kyung-yoon brought to light a series of distressing and horrific messages in which male pop stars were found to have been secretly recording girls during their encounters with them. Moreover, there was also indication of giving them illegal intoxicants and barbiturates so as to render them unconscious during these acts.



The entrapment of young women, often drugged and then filmed, was seemingly a game to those involved. An attitude of competition and point-scoring was clearly visible. A sense of entitlement brought about by power and deeply-entrenched values.



Kang's bravery and forthrightness should be lauded. Moreover, her concerns about the reactions to these events and the industry itself should not go unheeded: "We may have become too lenient to their wrongdoings in the name of the Korean Wave."



Institutionalized habits in the Korean music industry remain very far removed from that which one would expect in social life and coercion is carried out through economic incentives and sanctions. Traditionalism reigns supreme and this is often done for reasons of nationalism.



The Korean Wave  otherwise known as "hallyu"  is certainly one designed for export. The K in K-pop is an exonym, for to local citizens the country is known as 'DaeHan Minguk". Han-pop doesn't quite work though, does it?



Moreover, what is generally understood to be actual Korean music  whether the traditional sounds of pansori or the ubiquitous sounds of ballad-drenched electronic trot  does not get the moniker applied to it.



BTS, not implicated in this latest scandal, have taken some of the world by storm in this latest manifestation of Korean pop. Their catchy electronic hooks, along with J-Hope's dancing and RM's ability to speak English, have been combined with a social media presence that would make even the most active Russian political bots blush.



President Moon has taken to Twitter on multiple occasions to promote the band and lavish praise on their success. Though politicians aligning themselves with the musical stars is not anything new.



Nevertheless, K-Pop is often a soft-power weapon used to bolster the image of the country and detract from the still unresolved civil war that it fought nearly seventy years ago with North Korea. It also serves to sell dreams to the citizens here.



Last October I wrote a piece titled "K-Pop Sucks" in which I decried the strict and backward practices that are observed in the Korean music industry. While many readers wrongly perceived it as an attack on their favourite artists, the country as a whole, or as trying to objectively judge something as subjective as music, it was more about the suffocating nature of the business and the traditional behavior that permeated many of its inhabitants.






Experts are increasingly concerned about the marketing of vape products to teenagers - EyeEm

Failing to warn teenagers about cancer risks from vaping is unforgivable, a leading surgeon has said as he calls on ministers to introduce child-specific guidance on the dangers of e-cigarettes.

Professor Kefah Mokbel, chief breast cancer surgeon at the London Breast Institute, said current Government advice is leading youngsters into believing e-cigarettes are safe.

Public Health England states that e-cigarettes are estimated to be 95 per cent less harmful than tobacco.

However, in his letter to the Health and Education secretaries, Professor Mokbel said e-cigarettes had not been available long enough for scientists to properly understand the risks.

It would be unforgivable if we were to do nothing, only to discover in 30 years' time that widespread vaping among teenagers in the 2010s and 2020s had triggered a significant number of avoidable cases of breast cancer, he said.

He pointed out that established science suggests toxic substances in the vapours that users inhale could trigger tumours in later life.

The number of teenagers who have tried e-cigarettes has risen rapidly to one in six, double the proportion just four years ago, and experts are increasingly voicing concerns about aggressive marketing of the products to teenagers.

Amy Sellars, assistant head teacher at Latymer Upper School, a private school in London, told the Mail on Sunday she had written to parents warning them of a new craze for the devices.

US make Juul is particularly popular with teenage girls Credit: Bloomberg

She singled out Juul, a US make, which has now become popular with British children as young as 12.

Professor Mokbel called on Matt Hancock and Damien Hinds to introduce education packages to highlight the potential dangers of e-cigarettes.

I fear a grave, unintended consequence of promoting vaping as a safer alternative to smoking has been large numbers of school-age children taking it up, he said.

What too few people realise is that e-cigarette vapours not only contain addictive nicotine, they also contain numerous potentially toxic chemicals that may well increase lifetime risk of cancer.

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He added: I have no doubt e-cigarettes are far safer than tobacco, and smokers should be encouraged to switch.

But given what we know is in e-cigarette vapour, it is my duty as a doctor and father to speak up.

The warning follows a Daily Telegraph investigation which the social media site Instagram is promoting vape products using cartoons to children as young as 13.

Promoted posts also showed e-cigarettes with flavoured e-liquids in packaging made to look like fizzy drinks cans and bubble gum.

Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at the pressure group Action on Smoking and Health, said: Current evidence does not support the alarm expressed in [Prof Mokbel's] letter.

Regular use in teens remains low with no established link to increased rates of smoking or high risk of breast cancer, or any other type of cancer.
Paris (AFP) - The French writer who popularised a theory that European populations are being supplanted by immigration, alluded to by the gunman who killed 49 at two New Zealand mosques on Friday, denounced an "appalling" act by someone who had failed to understand his work.

Renaud Camus published in 2011 "The Great Replacement," which the Christchurch gunman used as the title of a 74-page "manifesto" uploaded to the web before storming the mosques.

"I am totally non-violent," the 72-year-old Camus told AFP, saying the arrested 28-year-old Australian suspect had committed "appalling, criminal, disastrous and idiotic terrorist acts".

"If he wrote a pamphlet titled 'The Great Replacement" it's blatant plagiarism... of a phrase that doesn't belong to him and he doesn't understand," said Camus.

The writer, who is also a gay rights activist, lives in a 14th-century chateau in southwest France.

In 2015 he was convicted of inciting hatred and violence against Muslims.

A range of far-right groups have seized on his ideas to promote a conspiracy theory that native populations in the West are being replaced by political and corporate leaders, robbing a country of its cultural heritage in the process.

Many white supremacists have promoted violent resistance to the so-called "invasion" by non-whites, a term used repeatedly by the New Zealand gunman in his manifesto.

It is said to have been one of the ideas that drove the Pittsburgh Synagogue killer, who shot 11 Jewish worshippers in the US city in October.

But Camus, while defending the theory, rejected suggestions that his writings could have encouraged the gunman.

"What worries me the most in what I call 'The Great Replacement" is precisely the extent to which it encourages violence, all kinds of violence, either in everyday life or, obviously, in terrorist attacks," he said.

"At the centre of my work is the concept of innocence, which is to say, of non-aggravation, non-violence," he added.

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Camus suggested instead that the killer might have taken inspiration from the wave of attacks carried out by self-proclaimed Islamic jihadists in France over recent years.

"His crime most resembles the terrorist attacks committed in France," he said.

"I don't see why he would be more inspired by me than by the attacks which directly resemble the one he committed," he said.
PARIS (Reuters) - France's air accident investigation agency said on Saturday it had resumed work analyzing the black boxes from an Ethiopian Airways plane that crashed last week, in coordination with teams from Boeing as well as U.S. and EU aviation safety authorities. The black boxes' data should provide answers to why the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft hurtled into the ground minutes after take off last Sunday from Addis Ababa, killing 157 people. The French agency said that, in addition to Boeing, teams were also attending from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Nations around the world, including an initially reluctant United States, have suspended 737 MAX models in operation. The crash in Ethiopia was the second in five months for the plane after another in Indonesia in October. The model is relatively new - only 371 such planes were flying - but another nearly 5,000 are on order, meaning the financial implications are huge. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Mark Potter)
Paris (AFP) - France's Rungis market near Paris celebrated its 50th anniversary by throwing a giant banquet of record-breaking proportions, reserving its spot in the Guinness Book of Records.

Organisers said lunch was served to nearly 2,000 people along just over 401 metres' length of table, between the market's fruit-and-vegetable stands.

Officials from the Guinness Book of Records approved the bid, which beat the previous record of 322 metres set in 2017 on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion.

Rungis, seven kilometres (four miles) south of Paris, replaced the old market in the heart of Paris, Les Halles, when it was closed in 1969.

It is the world's biggest fresh produce market, covering 234 hectares (580 acres) and employing 12,000 wholesalers, producers, porters, restaurateurs and other workers in 1,200 separate businesses.

Many of the people who work at the market took part in the record bid.
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Lourdes Leon has already proven that she is paving her own path. The 25-year-old dancer, choreographer, and model has landed some pretty major campaigns including Swarovski, collaborations with Stella McCartney, Rihannas Savage X Fenty and so much more. Each step of the way, Lourdes has completely set herself apart from her famous mom, and in []
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand made official what already was well-known Sunday, formally joining the crowded Democratic field of candidates for president in 2020.

"Im running for president," she tweeted. "Lets prove that brave wins."

Gillibrand, 52, made the announcement on Twitter with a two-and-a-half- minute campaign video titled "The Brave." She discusses "The Star-Spangled Banner" and urges Americans in "the home of the brave" to support her and her policies.

Gillibrand talks about universal health care, family leave, an end to gun violence, the Green New Deal and campaign finance changes.

The video concludes with the senator saying that each generation must answer the anthem's question, whether the brave will win.

"Let's answer for ours," she says in the video.

Gillibrand, one of six women in the Democratic field, launched an exploratory campaign in January. Recent polling of the field shows her garnering 1 percent or less of the vote  an important number because claiming 1 percent or more would qualify her for primary debates.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., celebrates her foosball victory at a campaign meet-and-greet, Friday, March 15, 2019, at To Share Brewing in Manchester, N.H.

"Were building a campaign that will change whos at the decision-making table, take on powerful interests and restore moral integrity to the White House," Gillibrand said. "And we won't take a cent from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists."

Gillibrand will conduct an MSNBC town hall Monday in Michigan. Then she is off to Iowa for two days before heading to Nevada. She plans on making her first major speech as a candidate next Sunday in New York  "straight to President Trump's doorstep" in front of Trump International.

Gillibrand has made sexual harassment and abuse in the military, colleges and the workplace a top priority. She has provided a strong voice for the #MeToo movement and was among the first Democrats to call for the resignation of Minnesota Democrat Al Franken amid claims he improperly touched women.

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Gillibrand's biggest publicity splash as a would-be candidate was the controversy that flared up last week over how she handled a sexual harassment complaint in her office last year.

In July, a female aide made complaints against a senior male staffer in Gillibrand's Washington office. A few weeks later, the aide resigned, claiming the complaint was poorly handled.

Gillibrand said the allegations were investigated in consultation with the Senate employment counsel. The investigation found that the behavior, although inappropriate, did not meet the standard for sexual harassment, she said.

Additional complaints came to light, and the staffer was dismissed.

Contributing: Peter D. Kramer, Rockland/Westchester Journal News

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gillibrand formally joins crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates
By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Sinead Cruise LONDON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc , once one of the most active banks in commodities trading, has cut 10 roles to further downsize its global commodities trading division amid rising costs and shrinking profits. Three sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday the cuts were announced this week following an annual review of headcount across all divisions and regions. Goldman Sachs declined to comment. The commodities trading business was once one of Goldman's largest, most active units and a significant driver of profits earned by the Wall Street bank until tighter regulation curbed the risks it could take on proprietary bets. Cuts were accelerated as competition with trading houses and oil majors increased and as profits shrank. Three out of the 10 people being let go held senior roles or managing director positions within the company's commodities unit, a source with knowledge of the cuts said. The cuts are global and will involve merging the commodities unit's metals trading desks, the source said. Banks do not disclose their commodities revenues but financial analytics firm Coalition estimates the top 12 banks generated commodities trading revenue of less than $4 billion in 2018, down from nearly $16 billion in 2008. Fixed income, currencies and commodities revenues across all major investment banks dropped to their lowest levels seen since the financial crisis in the final quarter of 2018, the Coalition data showed, with oil trading suffering significant declines across the year. Goldman launched a months-long review of the commodities division to evaluate its profitability and the use of capital. The review began under Goldman's previous chief executive, Lloyd Blankfein, who was once a commodity trader himself and was seen as a big supporter of the division, but was completed under the new chief, David Solomon, who has never traded commodities. The review showed the business was using too much capital for too little profit, the Wall Street Journal reported in February, citing people familiar with the matter. The Journal said Goldman was discussing pulling back in physical trading of iron ore, platinum and other metals. One of the sources told Reuters on Friday that Goldman was not exiting any commodity businesses and they would remain a large and important part of the bank's securities division. (Reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Sinead Cruise, additional reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar in New York; Editing by Edmund Blair, Elaine Hardcastle and Jonathan Oatis)
Bratislava (AFP) - Government critic Zuzana Caputova secured a huge first-round win over the ruling party candidate in Slovakia's weekend election, putting her one step closer to becoming the country's first female president.

Official results showed Caputova securing more than twice the votes of her rival Maros Sefcovic, suggesting the electorate had shunned the political establishment following last year's shock murder of an investigative journalist probing corruption.

The liberal environmental lawyer, who secured 40 percent of the vote, is almost certain to win the March 30 run-off against European Commission vice-president Sefcovic, who took just 19 percent.

The outcome is likely to spell trouble for the governing Smer-SD ahead of next year's general election.

"Caputova has such a large lead that Sefcovic would have to attract nearly all the unsuccessful candidates' voters and that is improbable," Bratislava-based analyst Grigorij Meseznikov told AFP.

"By choosing Caputova, people have strongly called for change for the better in accordance with the values of liberal democracy," he said.

"Those who want continuity and Smer-SD to remain in power are in the clear minority."

- Mass protests were key -

Running on a slogan of "Stand up to evil," the divorced mother of two had joined tens of thousands of protesters who took to the streets after the killing of journalist Jan Kuciak who was investigating political corruption.

Kuciak and his fiancee were gunned down in February 2018 just as he was about to publish a story on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia.

The murder shocked the nation and raised fears about media freedom and political corruption.

It also sparked the largest anti-government protests since communist times in the central European country of 5.4 million people, which spent decades behind the Iron Curtain before joining the European Union, the eurozone and NATO.

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Robert Fico, who was prime minister at the time, was forced to resign but he remains leader of the populist-left Smer-SD and is a close ally of current premier Peter Pellegrini.

"These anti-government protests and their consequences showed the people that their opinion mattered. It was a very important factor in the election," Meseznikov said.

- 'On the right track' -

"Slovakia is on the right track," said outgoing President Andrej Kiska, a liberal millionaire who has endorsed Caputova.

"Caputova is exactly the person who can pull Slovakia out of the crisis," he said in a Facebook video message after the results rolled in.

Speaking on Sunday, Caputova said she would "try to address voters whose candidates did not make it to the second round".

One of the leaders of Progressive Slovakia, a non-parliamentary party, she is a community activist who won a top prize for grassroots environmental activism for her successful campaign to block a landfill in her native town of Pezinok.

She is also known for being pro-choice and promoting greater rights for same-sex couples -- views that Sefcovic appears keen to use to his advantage in conservative Slovakia.

"I want to address those who insist that Slovakia remain a Christian country and do not want the elections to be perceived as a referendum on a new super liberal agenda that Caputova is promoting," he said during a televised debate Sunday.

- 'In our hands' -

Though many Slovaks are fed up with the main political players, Caputova's version of change is not to everyone's liking, with some more conservative voters also dissatisfied with Smer, said political analyst Pavol Babos.

That electorate voted for two anti-migrant candidates: Supreme Court judge and EU critic Stefan Harabin, and Marian Kotleba, a far-right lawmaker known for his hostility to the Roma minority.

"These two candidates earned 25 percent together which is not a negligible part of the society," Babos told AFP.

According to a new opinion poll by the Focus pollster, Caputova would secure 64 percent of the run-off vote to Sefcovic's 36.

Bratislava voter Lubomir Brecka is counting on her to win.

"I hope we all realise we have it in our hands and we won't let this change go," he told AFP.

Though the office is largely ceremonial, the president ratifies international treaties, appoints top judges, is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and can veto laws passed by parliament.

Turnout in round one of the presidential election was nearly 49 percent, a little higher than what the country is used to.
Britains Philip Hammond Chancellor of the Exchequer appears on BBC TVs The Andrew Marr Show in London, Britain March 17, 2019. Photo: Jeff Overs/BBC/Handout

UK chancellor Philip Hammond said it is now physically impossible for the UK to leave the European Union on the original 29 March, 2019 Brexit date.

Hammond said on the BBCs Andrew Marr show that even if Members of Parliament (MPs) passed a prime minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal over the next week, there would still need to be a extension to Article 50 in order to pass the necessary legislation and prevent a no-deal Brexit.

Article 50 is the official notification that Britain will leave the EU. Once it is triggered, it starts a two-year period where Britain negotiates with the EU on an exit deal before it legally has to leave the bloc.

May is reportedly planning to table a third meaningful vote  dubbed MV3  in parliament next week, asking MPs to approve her withdrawal agreement. The first two votes  first in January and again on 12 March  were both voted down by large margins.

It is looking unlikely that Mays deal will be passed in parliament this week, according to a range of analyst notes that Yahoo Finance UK looked at.

It is highly likely  that Mrs. May will fail if she tries again, Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote in a note to clients. His view was echoed by analysts at Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and ING, while UBS said success is far from certain.
By Neha Dasgupta NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian immigrant Imran Khokhar, 27, had dropped off his father at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch and was still in the parking lot when he heard the screams. He raced toward the mosque doors to reach his father, who was visiting him from India, when locals stopped him from getting close. Inside, a gunman was on a shooting rampage, going on to slaughter 50 people at two mosques in the city. New Zealand authorities are now preparing to release the bodies of victims to their families for burial. However, Imran has yet to get a glimpse of his father's body, he told his elder brother Altaf, who lives in Surendranagar, in the western Indian state of Gujarat. "Why am I not being allowed to see my father's body?," an agitated Imran told Altaf, 40, who spoke to Reuters via telephone. None of the bodies of the victims were immediately released due to the investigation, leaving families unable to bury their dead within the 24 hours customary in Islam. Mahebubbhai Khokhar, 65, a retired area manager at a local state-owned power utility in Gujarat, was on his maiden visit to New Zealand with his wife to see their son, who had left India in 2010, Altaf said. Khokhar was one of the five people of Indian origin confirmed dead by the Indian High Commission in New Zealand. However, the local police had not confirmed Khokhar's death to the family, Altaf said. Imran and his mother were camping outside the hospital trying desperately to retrieve Khokhar's body. But there was no progress, they said. "We saw his name on television but the police there are not telling us anything," Altaf said. Khokhar had been scheduled to fly back to India on Sunday with his wife. Altaf does not have a passport so cannot join his mother and his younger brother in New Zealand. "Nothing is clear to us," he said. Friday's attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled as terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand and the country had raised its security threat level to the highest. The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan. Muslims account for just over 1 percent of New Zealand's population. Australian Brenton Tarrant was charged with murder on Saturday. He was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face more charges. (Reporting by Neha Dasgupta; Additional reporting by Amit Dave; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Toby Chopra)
Tehran (AFP) - Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh will not appeal a 12-year prison sentence imposed on her last week for "encouraging corruption and debauchery", her husband said on Sunday.

"She said she wouldn't want to appeal, and the reason is that the judicial process is unfair and such protests will do no good," Reza Khandan told AFP over telephone.

"She does not want to undertake any judicial action since she does not agree with the judicial process. Nothing will be done along these lines," he added.

Khandan said the new sentence against his wife, who is currently in prison for a five-year term on espionage charges, was for 12 years after she was found guilty of "encouraging corruption and debauchery".

The maximum time to be served for this offence is 10 years, Khandan said, adding however that in cases with more than three charges the judge can increase the sentence, "and he made it 12".

Khandan told AFP on Tuesday that Sotoudeh had been sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison over a case with seven charges, but she is to only serve the longest sentence which is for 12 years.

Sotoudeh has also been sentenced to a total of 148 lashes for appearing in court without the hijab Islamic head covering and for another offence.

According to him, Sotoudeh has refrained from choosing a lawyer as attorneys on her previous cases have faced prosecution for representing her.

"She was not ready to sacrifice any lawyers again and create a situation that lawyers would be prosecuted because of her," Khandan said, following a conversation they had in prison.

She had been found guilty of "colluding against the system, propaganda against the system... disrupting public order" and several other counts.

Before her arrest, Sotoudeh, 55, had taken on the cases of several women arrested for appearing in public without headscarves in protest at the mandatory dress code in force in Iran.

Sotoudeh won the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov Prize in 2012 for her work on high-profile cases, including those of convicts on death row for offences committed as minors.

She spent three years in prison after representing dissidents arrested during mass protests in 2009 against the disputed re-election of ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's supreme court on Sunday disqualified the controversial leader of the extreme-right Jewish Power party, Michael Ben-Ari, from running in next month's elections.

Ben-Ari has come under fire for comments he made about Israeli Arabs, which Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said earlier this month amount to "incitement to racism".

The elections committee had approved Ben-Ari to run in the April polls, but the opposition left-wing Meretz party successfully appealed the decision to the supreme court.

"The place of people who believe in the superiority of race is behind bars not in parliament," said Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg in a statement.

The attorney general previously accused Ben-Ari of "inciting on an ethnic-nationalistic basis against the Arab population" and "calling for a violent renunciation of the Arab population's rights."

According to Jewish Power, his disqualification marks the first time a candidate approved by the committee has been banned from standing in elections.

In a press conference following the ruling, Ben Ari said "a judicial junta is trying to impose its laws... it's not democracy."

Jewish Power are followers of late racist rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach movement was labelled a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is seen as leading the most right-wing government in Israel's history, brokered a deal to see Jewish Power join with two far-right parties to create a single electoral list.

The supreme court on Sunday approved Jewish Power's second candidate, Itamar Ben-Gvir, to stand in polls.

It also backed a candidate from the extreme-left Hadash party, Ofer Kassif, and approved the two main Arab alliances -- Hadash-Taal and Raam-Balad.

The latter had initially be barred by the elections committee over its alleged support for violent resistance.

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A Raam-Balad spokeswoman welcomed the move, describing the committee's earlier ban as "a political decision".

"A decision that once more did not get beyond the supreme court, a decision based purely on the public's fear of the party's ideological platform," she said.

Raam-Balad is fiercely critical of Israeli policies, particularly the occupation of Palestinian territory.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, a far-right politician and ardent supporter of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, slammed the supreme court rulings.

"Disqualifying Ben-Ari and approving the parties which support terrorism is a flagrant intervention against the heart of Israeli democracy," she said.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Cross-border fighting between Israel and Gaza's ruling Hamas group appeared to be winding down Friday, amid reports of an Egyptian-brokered truce and Israeli media saying a misfire was believed to be responsible for the rare Gaza rocket attack on Tel Aviv that triggered the exchange.

The two rockets had struck late Thursday, taking Israel's military by surprise. Overnight, Israeli warplanes hit some 100 Hamas targets in Gaza. The army said targets included an office complex in Gaza City used to plan and command Hamas militant activities, an underground complex that served as Hamas' main rocket-manufacturing site and a center used for Hamas drone development.

In Gaza, health officials reported that four people were wounded, including a husband and wife in the southern town of Rafah. There were no further details. The office building struck by Israel had been used by Hamas' office of prisoner affairs.

On Friday, Israeli media quoted defense officials as saying a preliminary investigation indicated the rockets were fired from Gaza by mistake. It was not immediately clear if it was a technical malfunction or human error. The Haaretz daily quoted the officials as saying the rockets were fired during maintenance work. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

Also Friday, a Hamas official said an agreement to restore calm has been reached. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because Hamas has yet to announce the deal, said Egypt led meditation efforts "that have apparently paid off."

The sudden outbreak of violence came at a sensitive time for both sides.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the midst of a tight re-election battle. A tough response would draw international criticism and domestic accusations that he is acting out of political motivations ahead of the April 9 vote. But a restrained response will draw criticism from his fellow hard-line rivals.

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Hamas, meanwhile, is coping with its own domestic troubles. Israel and Egypt have maintained a crippling blockade on Gaza since Hamas took over the territory in 2007. The blockade, along with sanctions by the rival Palestinian Authority and Hamas' own mismanagement have fueled an economic crisis that has driven unemployment over 50 percent.

Shortly before the rocket attack, Hamas police on Thursday violently broke up a rare protest by demonstrators angry about the dire living conditions in Gaza.

The crackdown triggered heavy criticism on social media. The organizers of a weekly protest along the Israeli border canceled the demonstration in the wake of the escalation.

The fighting came as Egyptian mediators were trying to extend a cease-fire between the bitter enemies, which last fought a war in 2014. The Egyptians left Gaza late Thursday.

Hamas, which typically claims responsibility for its military actions, denied involvement in the rocket attack on Tel Aviv and even said it had undermined its interests. Israel's military said earlier Friday that it holds Hamas responsible for all attacks coming from Gaza.

The late-night attack Thursday on Tel Aviv, Israel's densely populated commercial and cultural capital, marked the first time the city had been hit since a 2014 war between Israel and Gaza militants.

Following the first Israeli airstrikes, several additional rounds of rocket fire were launched into Israel. The military said several rockets were intercepted by its air defense systems, and there were no reports of injuries.

The initial blasts from the Israeli airstrikes in southern Gaza were so powerful that smoke could be seen in Gaza City, 25 kilometers (15 miles) to the north. The Israeli warplanes could be heard roaring through the skies above Gaza City.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and have fought three wars since the Islamic militant group seized power in Gaza in 2007. Smaller flare-ups have occurred sporadically since Israel and Hamas fought their last war, in 2014.

Despite its denial, Hamas is one of the only groups in Gaza with the means to strike Tel Aviv. A smaller militant group, the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad, also possesses a large arsenal of rockets, though it too denied involvement.

___

Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hugs a mosque-goer at the Kilbirnie Mosque on Sunday in Wellington - Getty Images AsiaPac

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her office received a "manifesto" from the gunman suspected of killing 50 people in two Christchurch mosques minutes before Friday's attack.

"I was one of more than 30 recipients of the manifesto that was mailed out nine minutes before the attack took place," Ms Ardern told reporters on Sunday.

"It did not include a location, it did not include specific details," she said, adding that it was sent to security services within two minutes of receipt.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face more charges.

Ms Ardern said she had read "elements" of the lengthy, meandering and conspiracy-filled far-right "manifesto".

"The fact that there was an ideological manifesto with extreme views attached to this attack, of course, that is deeply disturbing," she said.

The massacre was live-streamed around the world by the gunman and the shootings have raised new questions about violence being disseminated online.

Ms Ardern told the briefing that she had been contacted by Facebook operations chief Sheryl Sandberg who had acknowledged what had happened.

"This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook," Ms Ardern said.

Facebook said on Twitter it had removed 1.5 million videos of the attack in the first 24 hours and it was also removing all edited versions, even those without graphic content.

Tom Watson, Labours deputy leader, demanded social media sites freeze their websites in the event of a terrorist atrocity to prevent people sharing graphic images of terrorist violence.

He said a radical rethink was needed after Tarrant broadcast live the shootings on Facebook before it was shared among millions of people.

If social media sites can't stop the videos being uploaded to their platforms then they should suspend all uploads, he said. If you have to review a massacre to assess whether it breaches your terms and conditions you've got the wrong business model.

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For almost three days forensics teams have been working through multiple crime scenes - at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques as well as a house in Dunedin, the southeastern city where the Tarrant lived.

Bodies of those he gunned down had remained inside the mosque awaiting autopsies and identification by increasingly distraught family members desperate to begin Muslim burial rites.

Ms Ardern tried to reassure them on Sunday.

"I can confirm that the bodies of those who have died are beginning to be returned to their families from this evening," she said, adding that all were expected to be released by Wednesday.

It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within 24 hours.

Ms Ardern said police would be posted at all mosques while they are open.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush earlier said the body of the 50th victim was found at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people died after a gunman entered and shot at people with a semi-automatic rifle with high-capacity magazines, before travelling to a second mosque.

As the bodies of some victims were released to their families, a list circulated by relatives showed they ranged in age from three to 77 and included at least four women.

Amid the sadness, there have also been tales of heroes such as Alabi Lateef and a fellow worshipper, who followed the 28-year-old Australian gunman to his car and used a discarded rifle to smash the vehicle's back window.

Alabi said he told worshippers to duck down and then described how he and a "brother" decided to confront the attacker during a lull in the gunfire.

"By the time he got there (outside the mosque) the bullets were finished and the gun was used," Lateef recounted.

The pair's actions may have helped saved further casualties, as Tarrant was apprehended by two armed police officers soon after.

Daoud Nabi, a 71-year-old Afghan man, reportedly ran into the line of fire to save fellow worshippers at the Al Noor mosque and died shielding someone else from a bullet.

"He jumped in the firing line to save somebody else's life and he has passed away," his son Omar told AFP.

Haji Daoud Nabi (pictured), 71, a father-of-five and retired engineer, moved to New Zealand from Afghanistan in 1977

The mosque attacks have shaken this usually peaceful country, which prides itself on welcoming refugees fleeing violence or persecution.

Ms Ardern has vowed to change the country's gun laws and to uncover how a self-avowed extremist legally purchased two semi-automatic weapons, reportedly AR-15s, two shotguns and a lever-action gun without drawing the attention of the authorities.

It has also has emerged that a former soldier raised concerns about extremism at Tarrant's gun club in Dunedin.

Ardern said the cabinet would be briefed on Monday on the aftermath of the disaster and begin discussions "around issues like, for instance, gun policy."
Former Vice President Joe Biden came close to announcing his presidential candidacy on Saturday night when he told Delaware Democrats he has the "most progressive record of anybody running."

The politician then quickly backtracked, saying he meant to say "anybody who would run," when he spoke at the First State Democratic Dinner at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover as the event's keynote speaker.

Although he didn't officially announce his 2020 candidacy, his speech sounded like one he could make on the campaign trail, as he denounced President Donald Trump, criticized Republican policy and emphasized the importance of restoring America and its middle class.

Were living in the battle for the soul of America," Biden said. "We have an overwhelming need to restore the backbone of America.

The speech came at a time when speculation over whether the 76-year-old politician will run for president has intensified. This past week, U.S. Sen Chris Coons said he is "confident" Biden will run for president, even alluding to possible Biden campaign themes. The former vice president hinted at his plans at the International Firefighters Association in Washington.

More: Who is running for president? Here's a list of the candidates who have declared so far

And just a month ago, when Biden last spoke publicly in Delaware, he told a crowd at the University of Delaware that his family supports him running for president.

Throughout his speech on Saturday night, people in the crowd yelled, at times almost pleaded, "Run, Joe, run!"

Former US Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the First State Democratic Dinner in Dover, Delaware, on March 16, 2019.

More: Iowa Poll: Not even in the race, Joe Biden leads Democrats; Sanders close behind

More: Campaign 2020: I really like Joe Biden, but he shouldn't run for president

Biden was emotional when he took the podium in Dover, wiping his eyes as he thanked the crowd of hundreds for keeping the memory of his son and former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden alive. His elder son died of brain cancer in 2015.

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Biden spoke of how the state's political culture, often referred to as the "Delaware way," should act as a model for the country. Politics is personal in Delaware, Biden said, "because we know one another."

He referenced Return Day, a quirky Delaware tradition in which, following election day, candidates literally bury the hatchet and ride together in a carriage in order to eliminate any animosity.

It didn't take long for Biden to condemn Trump, saying "the worlds worst dictators are using his words to justify their power." Biden denounced Trump for his remarks following the Charlottesville, Virginia, riots in which he said there were "many fine people" on each side of the march.

"At that moment, I knew the threat to this nation was unlike anything I have seen in my lifetime, he said.

The president also hasn't helped the people he promised to, specifically the middle class, Biden said. He criticized the Republicans tax cut legislation and the Trump administration's proposed budget, which included cuts to Medicare, education and the Environmental Protection Agency.

These cuts are driven by the same thing, Biden said. They rather reward the super-wealthy and hope something trickles down than help anyone else.

Despite him seeing the country begin to tear apart, Biden said he is the most optimistic he's ever been in his political career. When he helped campaign for candidates during the 2018 midterm elections, Biden said, he felt there was an "insatiable desire" to have people of character in public office.

"It's not about me and whether I run or not," Biden said. "I mean that sincerely. It's about the capacity to restore America."

Biden said the country needs to "stop walking around with our heads down like, 'Woe is me.'" The 21st century, Biden said, can still be "America's century."

"Its time to get up and get off our backs and remember the hell who we are."

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Joe Biden comes close to announcing presidential candidacy, denounces Trump
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Supermarket giant Kroger said it soon will end a pilot program in which more than 2,000 grocery deliveries were made in self-driving vehicles from a store in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The program, launched last August, featured deliveries in autonomous vehicles from robotics company Nuro from the Kroger-owned Fry's store at 7770 E. McDowell Road for customers in ZIP code 85257.

The companies described it as the nation's first program featuring deliveries to the general public from fully unmanned vehicles.

Wednesday will mark the final day of deliveries. After that, customers who participated in the Scottsdale pilot will switch over to an existing grocery-delivery service provided by Kroger in partnership with another company, instacart.

An autonomous Nuro vehicle demonstrates a delivery on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Nuro has partnered with Fry's Food Stores to use the robot vehicles to deliver groceries in Scottsdale.

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The instacart service doesn't feature self-driving vehicles. Another difference is that instacart's staff, rather than Fry's associates, will select and deliver groceries.

But Scottsdale customers who received groceries during the Nuro pilot will continue to pay the same $5.95 delivery fee for a full year.

The purpose of the venture with Nuro was to test deliveries in self-driving vehicles in Scottsdale, then expand the program to a larger metropolitan area. The program started with modified Toyota Prius models, then added Nuro's own custom vehicle called the R1.

"During this pilot, it was learned that we can deliver a service that our customers love  providing convenience and fresh groceries for our customers safely in the communities," said Pam Giannonatti, a spokeswoman for Kroger, which owns the Fry's chain.

"This engagement shows the immense appetite for affordable, safe and convenient delivery options," she added, calling the customer response in Scottsdale "phenomenal."

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The companies now will start the next phase of the program  an autonomous-vehicle delivery service at two Kroger stores in Houston that will reach customers in four ZIP codes there.

As in Scottsdale, Kroger and Nuro will begin the service with Nuros self-driving Toyota Prius fleet, then introduce a new generation of driverless vehicles later this year.

Nuro will continue to have a presence in Arizona, at a Scottsdale office, focusing on software testing, mapping and training with a staff of more than 50 employees and contractors, said Emma Esrock, a Nuro spokeswoman.

"This shift in focus will allow us to continue improving our technology so that we can expand our reach even more quickly," she said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kroger ends its unmanned-vehicle grocery delivery pilot program in Arizona
LONDON (Reuters) - Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said he would encourage his government to agree to a Brexit extension ahead of a European Union summit this week. "My own government is going to discuss this issue next Tuesday, in preparation for a Thursday and Friday European Council. What is important of course is that there is clarity by Thursday from the UK government," he told Sky News. "If there is a request for an extension, I personally would advise my government to vote in the European Council for extension but also we need then a very clear plan from the UK as to how we are going to proceed if there is a long-term extension." (Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Keith Weir)
Bamako (AFP) - Suspected jihadists killed 21 Malian soldiers in a raid on an army camp in central Mali on Sunday, military sources said, after a dawn attack that the armed forces believe was led by a deserter.

Driving cars and motorbikes, the attackers stormed Dioura army camp in the Mopti region, in the latest assault on the military as the country grapples with the spread of extremist groups and instability.

"The provisional toll is 21 bodies discovered," said a military source, in figures also confirmed by a local legislator.

The attack was carried out "by terrorist groups under the command of Ba Ag Moussa, a deserter army colonel", according to the Malian armed forces.

A second military source said there was "a lot of damage".

"Our men responded. I saw at least four bodies on the ground," he said.

President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, on Twitter, said the Malian people were "united against terrible acts", without giving any death toll.

Once a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, Mali in recent years has been dogged by a coup, civil war and Islamist terrorism.

Extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of Mali's desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013.

In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with some armed groups, but the jihadists remain active, and large tracts of the country remain lawless.

Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, a strong French military contingent and the creation of a five-nation military force in the region, jihadist violence has not abated in Mali.

"Despite significant international efforts, the security situation has continued to deteriorate with an increase in the number of terrorist attacks," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a report sent to the Security Council this month.

In 2018, there were 237 terror attacks, up from 226 in 2017 and 183 the previous year, said the report.
Washington (AFP) - Ohio Representative Tim Ryan became the latest Democrat on Thursday to jump into the race for the party's presidential nomination, joining a crowded field vying to challenge Republican Donald Trump in 2020.

The pool of Democratic candidates for the White House is among the largest and most diverse ever.

It includes female US senators, a current and a former governor, African-Americans, a Hispanic and a young gay mayor, and is likely to grow before the US primary season gets underway next year.

The Democratic nominating convention opens on July 13, 2020, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here are the party's main contenders vying to be on the ballot.

- Tim Ryan -

Ryan, 45, was elected to the US House of Representatives from the midwestern state of Ohio in November 2002 at the age of 29.

He has won re-election seven times since then and currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee.

Ryan launched his campaign for president on a platform of investing in public education and providing affordable health care.

A moderate Democrat, Ryan mounted an unsuccessful challenge in 2016 for the Democratic leadership of the House against California Representative Nancy Pelosi.

- Beto O'Rourke -

During a frenetic, if failed, campaign for the US Senate last year in Texas, the 46-year-old O'Rourke used his youth, energy and camera-friendly good looks to become a media darling while setting fundraising records and drawing support from a range of celebrities.

Despite a reputation forged in his three terms in Congress as a pragmatic centrist, O'Rourke launched his campaign in Iowa on a decidedly left-leaning platform, calling for health and immigration reform, a higher minimum wage and an all-out battle to curb climate change.

His resolutely positive message, with calls for "kindness and decency" -- along with criticisms of an "unfair, unjust and racist capitalist economy" -- have drawn large and often youthful crowds wherever he appears.

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- Kirsten Gillibrand -

The New York senator had made a name campaigning against sexual abuse, especially in the military, even before the #MeToo movement gained national prominence.

The 52-year-old, a fierce Trump critic, is making gender and women's issues a hallmark of her campaign.

She has called for a more egalitarian society and wants to improve the nation's health and education systems.

- Bernie Sanders -

The 77-year-old Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, was an outsider when the 2016 Democratic primaries began.

But he gave favorite Hillary Clinton a run for her money with his calls for a "political revolution" and battled her down to the wire.

Sanders won passionate support among young liberals with his calls for universal health care, a $15 minimum wage and free public university education.

- Amy Klobuchar -

The 58-year-old granddaughter of an iron miner, Klobuchar is a former prosecutor with an unpretentious demeanor.

She has quietly gained attention in Washington as a centrist. Klobuchar is known for putting partisanship aside to pass legislation, something that has earned her a devoted following in Minnesota.

Klobuchar has promised more stringent gun laws and set a target of universal health care.

- Elizabeth Warren -

At 69, the US Senate's consumer protection champion from Massachusetts is on the party's left flank. She built her reputation by holding Wall Street accountable for its missteps.

Warren is considered to have one of the best campaign organizations of any Democrat. Her campaign has been dogged, however, by her past claims of Native American heritage, and Trump mockingly refers to her as "Pocahontas."

- Cory Booker -

The 49-year-old US senator from New Jersey announced his candidacy February 1, evoking the civil rights movement as he promised to work to unite a divided America.

Often compared to former president Barack Obama, Booker began his career as a community activist and rose to prominence as mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

A talented orator, Booker was elected to the US Senate in 2013, the first African-American senator from the eastern state.

- Kamala Harris -

The barrier-breaking senator from California who aspires to be the nation's first black female president announced her candidacy on a day honoring slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

The daughter of an Indian immigrant medical researcher mother and a Jamaican economist father, Harris, 54, began her career as a district attorney in San Francisco before serving as California's attorney general.

- Pete Buttigieg -

The 37-year-old South Bend, Indiana, mayor joined the race with a resolutely future-looking and optimistic message to counter Trump's darker vision.

A Rhodes Scholar, Buttigieg would be the first openly gay presidential nominee of either major party.

A US Navy reserve officer, he put his mayoral duties aside to serve in Afghanistan in 2014.

- Other candidates -

Also in the race are former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro, 44, Maryland congressman John Delaney, 55, Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, 37, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, 67, Jay Inslee, 68, the governor of Washington state, Wayne Messam, 44, the mayor of Miramar, Florida, self-help author Marianne Williamson, 66, and technology executive Andrew Yang, 44.

- Waiting in the wings -

Among the big Democratic guns who have yet to commit is former vice president Joe Biden, who leads most surveys of Democratic voters.

Biden, who combines experience and widespread popularity, would be expected to poll well in some of the blue-collar midwestern states that propelled Trump to the presidency in 2016.

burs-cl/jm
A man has been arrested over the killing of Frank Cali, a mob boss in NYs Gambino crime family

A man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a rumoured crime boss.

Police in New York said that a 24-year-old man has been arrested after the shooting death of the reputed boss of the notorious Gambino family.

Anthony Comello was arrested in New Jersey on Saturday over the death of Francesco Cali in front of his Staten Island home, said Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea.

There are multiple, multiple angles that we are exploring, he said at a news conference at police headquarters. Was the person paid to do it? Were others conspiring to do this crime?

The 53-year-old Cali, a native of Sicily, was shot to death by a gunman who may have crashed his truck into Calis car to lure him outside. Mr Shea said Cali was shot 10 times.

Mr Shea said police had recovered the truck but had not recovered the gun used in the murder.

Asked about Comellos arrest record, Mr Shea said he crossed paths in some limited circumstances with the NYPD including getting a parking ticket on Staten Island the day Cali was killed.

FILE PHOTO: New York City Police (NYPD) Crime Scene investigators work at the scene where reported New York Mafia Gambino family crime boss, Francesco Franky Boy Cali, was killed outside his home in the Staten Island borough of New York City, U.S., March 14, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Comello will be extradited from New Jersey to New York to face charges, Mr Shea said. Information on a lawyer for Comello was not immediately available.

Federal prosecutors referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Mafias Gambino family, once one of the most powerful crime organisations in the country.

News accounts since 2015 said he had ascended to the top spot.

Police say the investigation remains in its early stages and officers continue to look into whether Calis murder was a mob hit or whether he was killed for some other motive

The last Mafia boss to be rubbed out in New York City was Gambino don Big Paul Castellano, who was assassinated while getting out of a black limousine outside a high-end Manhattan steakhouse in 1985.
London (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May has issued a stark warning to lawmakers that if they do not back her Brexit deal, there is the possibility the country "will not leave the EU for many months, if ever".

Her appeal comes after a chaotic week in parliament in which MPs twice massively rejected the Brexit deal May struck with EU leaders with just two weeks left before Britain is due to leave the bloc.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, May said that if MPs do back her deal before the European Council summit on Thursday, she would seek "a short technical extension" beyond the March 29 date to leave the EU.

Acknowledging it was "not an ideal outcome", May said "it is something the British people would accept if it led swiftly to delivering Brexit."

"The alternative if Parliament cannot agree the deal by that time is much worse", she said, with Britain likely having to take part in European elections in May if there was a longer extension.

"The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about.

"There could be no more potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure," she wrote.

May warned that if MPs failed to back her deal before the European Council summit, "we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever".

The prime minister struck her agreement with the EU in November after nearly two years of tortuous talks following the June 2016 referendum to leave the bloc.

But the deal has remained deadlocked in parliament, chiefly by disagreement over the so-called Irish "backstop" -- a measure to avoid barriers at the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Lawmakers voted against the deal for a second time on Tuesday but then voted against leaving the EU without a deal on Wednesday.

MPs also rejected a call to hold a second Brexit referendum -- a blow to the hopes of a large number of Britons who still dream of keeping their European identity.

May needs to win over rebel Brexiteers in her own party and Northern Ireland's hardline Democratic Unionist Party which props up her government.
Latin American e-commerce venture, MercadoLibre, has announced a cryptocurrency-related listings ban on its platform.

In an email sent to vendors, it says that it is also cracking down on pre-paid cards used for games. This will come into effect on 19th March. It hasnt revealed why it is going down this route, but it should be noted that the venture recently received a $750 million investment from PayPal.

Over the past 20 years, we have heavily invested in developing the preeminent e-commerce and FinTech ecosystem in Latin America, said Marcos Galperin, CEO of Mercado Libre. This investment will allow us to significantly accelerate our growth. We look forward to accelerating our leadership in e-commerce and payments and foster financial inclusion in Latin America as a result of our alliance with a global leader in the industry such as PayPal.

Digital commerce in Latin America is experiencing tremendous growth and MercadoLibre is well-positioned for continued leadership, commented Dan Schulman, President and CEO, PayPal. Weve been impressed with the digital commerce and payments ecosystem Marcos and his team have built. We see great opportunities to integrate our respective capabilities to create unique and valuable payment experiences for our combined 500 million customers throughout the region and around the world.

The post MercadoLibre green lights crypto ban following PayPal investment appeared first on Coin Rivet.
We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. On the other hand, wed be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So before you buy or sell Equus Mining Limited (ASX:EQE), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.

What Is Insider Selling?

Its quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.

We dont think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Columbia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers.

View our latest analysis for Equus Mining

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Equus Mining

Gerard Toscan made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for AU$548k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.03 each. So its clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price. Its very possible they regret the purchase, but its more likely they are bullish about the company. Its not at all bad to see insiders buy shares at or above current prices.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 18.87m shares worth AU$564k. In total, Equus Mining insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. They paid about AU$0.03 on average. Id consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price, which is AU$0.011. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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ASX:EQE Recent Insider Trading, March 16th 2019

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Does Equus Mining Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon its a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 34% of Equus Mining shares, worth about AU$3.4m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Equus Mining Tell Us?

It doesnt really mean much that no insider has traded Equus Mining shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Overall we dont see anything to make us think Equus Mining insiders are doubting the company, and they do own shares. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

If you would prefer to check out another company  one with potentially superior financials  then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
The Flintstone House is a legendary Northern California landmark, but neighbors are calling it unsightly, spurring a legal battle with its owner in retaliation to additions to the cartoon-like property.

Lawyers for the town of Hillsborough filed a lawsuit against Florence Fang, its owner, in San Mateo County Superior Court over showy outdoor decorations that include a Yabba Dabba Doo sign and a series of dinosaur sculptures, The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Saturday.

Describing the property as a highly visible eyesore that is out of keeping with community standards, Hillsborough officials are arguing that the homes additions were made without the necessary permits.

Images of the massive residence on Instagram show its brightly colored orange and purple facade situated on a lawn adorned with mushrooms, a mastodon, a giraffe and, of course, dinosaurs.

Fang, a philanthropist who was once the publisher of The San Francisco Examiner, bought the home in 2017, according to the Chronicle, quickly revising the property to include a retaining wall, columns, gates, steps, a deck and a parking area.

By March 2018, The East Bay Times reported that Fang estimated she shelled out up to a quarter million dollars on the house and its accoutrements.

Mark Hudak, a Hillsborough lawyer representing the town, contends the changes created live-safety hazards that required immediate correction to protect visitors to the property.

Hudak said in the filing that Fang defied previous stop work orders issued by the city, The Mercury News reported.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Netlix announced Friday that it will remove controversial footage of a real train explosion from the hit horror film "Bird Box," which was released on the streaming giant in December.

The move follows months of criticism that the footage was exploiting the victims of the tragedy  a 2013 crash in the Quebec town of Lac-Megantic. At the time, a train carrying crude oil came off the tracks and exploded into a ball of fire, killing 47 people.

On Friday the company said in a statement to the Associated Press that it will replace the footage with fictional scenes from a former TV series in the U.S. The company said it is sorry for any pain caused to the Lac-Megantic community.

Netflix licensed the footage of the disaster from the stock image vendor Pond 5 and used it in Bird Box to set up its horrific premise. The Sandra Bullock-led thriller is about monstrous entities that compel any human who sees them to quickly try to kill themselves. To survive, the human don blindfolds.

Pond 5 originally said in January the footage was taken out of context and the company wanted to sincerely apologize. Pond 5 footage of the crash was also used in Netflixs science fiction series Travelers.

The past stance: Netflix has no plans to cut controversial 'Bird Box' scene

'Bird Box' challenge:: Netflix urges people to stop due to safety concerns

The mayor of Lac-Megantic, Julie Morin, had decried the use of the footage, calling it a lack of respect. Criticism had also been leveled by Canadians on Twitter, who argued that the footage could trigger feelings of PTSD and additional victimization.

Quebecs culture and communications minister, Nathalie Roy, applauded Netflixs latest move. This result shows that by being united and pooling our efforts, everything is possible, Roy tweeted.

The train footage was not the only controversy in the major Netflix hit. The company urged watchers cease committing so-called Bird Box Challenges  like driving a car while blindfolded  and posting the stunts on YouTube.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Netflix finally agrees to cut controversial train explosion footage from 'Bird Box'
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP)  Police in Nicaragua detained more than 100 people Saturday after opponents of President Daniel Ortega tried to hold a demonstration to pressure his government to release hundreds of protesters held in custody since 2018.

Police later said they would release the 107 protesters arrested Saturday in the coming hours at the request of the Vatican's ambassador.

Nicaragua's government banned opposition protests in September and police broke up Saturday's attempt at a demonstration in Managua, hitting several protesters as they forced them into patrol cars.

The U.S. Embassy in Managua expressed concern via Twitter about reports of police violence and called on the Nicaraguan authorities to "cease the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters."

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights called on the Ortega government via Twitter to give a full tally of those wounded and detained in the standoff, during which police carrying assault rifles hauled away protesters.

More than 300 people have died in protests since April 2018, while more than 700 are believed to be in government custody and over 52,000 have fled the country amid civil strife and repression.

On Friday, Nicaragua's government said it released 50 opposition prisoners and placed them under a form of house arrest. The release was an apparent bow to a demand by the opposition Civic Alliance for freeing inmates as a condition for resuming political talks which had been suspended.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Leonid Mikhelson, chief executive of Russian gas giant Novatek, said on Sunday he had discussed the company's Arctic LNG 2 project with Saudi oil minister Khalid al-Falih and that a deal could be expected soon.

"We are in talks with Saudi Aramco (on the Arctic LNG 2 project). I think we will get something concrete in coming months," Mikhelson said, adding that he did not expect global liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices to change after the project's launch.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of OPEC members and other major oil exporters in Baku, Mikhelson also said that the so-called 'gas OPEC' - a loose organization of global leading producers of natural gas - would strengthen on the global energy markets.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Polina Ivanova, Editing by William Maclean)
By Tom Westbrook and Praveen Menon CHRISTCHURCH/WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Accounts emerged on Sunday of heroic attempts to tackle a gunman who slaughtered 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand, as authorities prepared to begin releasing the bodies of victims to their families for burial. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face more charges. Friday's attack in the city of Christchurch, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand. Ardern also said she wanted to talk to Facebook, as footage of the attack on one of the mosques was broadcast live on Facebook, and a "manifesto" denouncing immigrants as "invaders" was posted online via links to related social media accounts minutes before the violence began. Amid the shock, outrage and recriminations that have consumed New Zealand over the past two days, tales of heroism and self-sacrifice emerged. Abdul Aziz, 48, was hailed for confronting the shooter at the second mosque and preventing more deaths. Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, ran outside after the shooting started and picked up a shotgun that the gunman had dropped. The gun had no shells in it, he said. "I chased him," Aziz said. "He sat in his car and with the shotgun in my hands, I threw it through his window like an arrow. He just swore at me and took off." Another man, Naeem Rashid from Pakistan, was seen on the gunman's video confronting the shooter before he was killed, the BBC reported. Rashid's 21-year-old son, Talha, was also killed. The death toll climbed to 50 when police found another body at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people died after a gunman burst in and opened fire on worshippers with a semi-automatic rifle with high-capacity magazines, driving to attack a second mosque. Police rammed the suspect's vehicle and arrested him as he drove away from the second mosque in the suburb of Linwood. Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the man was apprehended 36 minutes after police were alerted and he was the only person charged in connection with the shootings. Three people detained earlier were not involved, he said. 'INCOMPREHENSIBLE' Huge piles of flowers were laid at sites near the mosques and crowds of people of all faiths gathered to pay respects. Some played guitar, sang and lit candles as darkness fell. Members of a Maori motorbike gang performed a haka war-dance at one site. Church services for the victims were held, including at Christchurch's "Cardboard Cathedral", a temporary structure built after a 2011 earthquake. But the priority for grieving family and friends on Sunday was laying their loved ones to rest. It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within 24 hours but no bodies have been released because of the investigation, police said. Ardern said victims would be handed over to families from Sunday evening. "It is likely, however, to be a small number to begin with," she told a media briefing, adding that all should be returned by Wednesday. Wearing a black scarf, Ardern hugged members of the Muslim community at a refugee center on Saturday, saying she would ensure freedom of religion. Thirty-four people were in Christchurch Hospital, with 12 in intensive care, while a child was moved to a children's hospital in Auckland. Greg Robertson, head of surgery at Christchurch Hospital said staff were used to gunshots and other severe injuries, but the scale and nature of the attacks was different. "The magnitude of this is the thing that is the most significant issue for people. It's just comprehending what is the incomprehensible." The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The youngest was a three year old boy, according to an unofficial list of the dead. Pakistan's high commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing. Five Indians were killed, its High Commission said. GUN LAW 'WILL CHANGE' Tarrant did not have a criminal history and was not on any watchlists in New Zealand or Australia. Ardern said a "manifesto" was emailed to more than 30 recipients including her office, nine minutes before the attack but it gave no location or specific details. She said her office sent it to parliamentary security two minutes after getting it. In the manifesto, which was also posted online, Tarrant described himself as "Just a ordinary White man, 28 years old" who used profits from cryptocurrency trading to finance travels through Europe from 2016-2018. The shootings have raised new questions about violence being disseminated online. Facebook said it had removed 1.5 million videos of the attack in the first 24 hours, and it was also removing all edited versions, even those without graphic content. Ardern told the briefing that she had been contacted by Facebook operations chief Sheryl Sandberg who had acknowledged what had happened. "This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook," Ardern said. The violence has also shone a new light on gun control. Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who allegedly used five weapons, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns, which had been modified. She said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be considered. "We cannot be deterred from the work that we need to do on our gun laws," Ardern said. "They will change." Media has reported a rush to buy guns before any ban is brought in. New Zealand has tried to tighten laws before but a strong gun lobby and culture of hunting has stymied efforts. There are an estimated 1.5 million firearms in New Zealand, which has a population of only 5 million, but it has had low levels of gun violence. Graphic - New Zealand shootings: https://tmsnrt.rs/2O3v80l Graphic - Major mass shooting graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/2QrER0B (Reporting by Praveen Menon and Tom Westbrook; Additional reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and John Mair; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Robert Birsel)
CINCINNATI  A Cincinnati Public School District teacher accused of disciplining students with duct tape has resigned.

Charles Igwekala-Nweke resigned his position on Jan. 18, according to district spokeswoman Lauren Worley.

The teacher acknowledged in a written statement that his actions were inappropriate and resigned Jan. 18, 2019, Worley said.

Igwekala-Nweke taught math at two schools, Clark Montessori High School and Hughes STEM High School, she said. He had been employed by the district since 2015.

In late December, district administrators learned about the alleged duct taping, Worley said.

As soon as the school principals were informed, they met immediately with the employee, removed him from the classroom and instructed him to not return to any CPS schools pending an investigation. The parents of the students involved were immediately notified, she said.

More: Utah teacher on leave after forcing student to wash off Ash Wednesday cross

More: 5th-grade class holds mock slave auction selling black students; authorities investigating

A letter in Igwekala-Nweke's personnel file by Hughes Principal Kathy D. Wright indicates that the incident happened Dec. 21. Another teacher reported the incident to administrators after a student told him that "Mr. Igwekala-Nweke had placed duct tape on his mouth."

In an email to Wright, also in the personnel file obtained by The Enquirer, Igwekala-Nweke said that he engaged in behavior "unbecoming of a teaching professional."

"In my 7th bell, students were talking during their semester exam," he wrote in his email. "In the efforts of maintaining a proper test environment, I told students I would give them zeros to counter their conversations. But, instead of giving them reprimands and zeros on their semester exam, I proceeded to using duct tape on students."

He apologized for his action.

"I allowed gross rationale to justify gross behavior," Igwekala-Nweke wrote.

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The personnel file also includes statements from three students who said Igwekala-Nweke used duct tape on them.

The district reported the allegations that day to 241-KIDS, Worley said. The district also initiated its own investigation and reported the allegations to the Ohio Department of Educations Office of Professional Conduct, per the districts protocol, according to Worley.

A disciplinary conference was held in January by CPS at which point, Worley said, Igwekala-Nweke resigned.

There's no further action on the part of the district, Worley said.

Records: Arizona teacher sexually molested boy in classroom while other student watched

More: Kentucky teacher came out as bisexual to stop a student's suicide. Then he got fired

Follow Sheila Vilvens on Twitter: @SVilvens

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio teacher resigns after allegedly using duct tape on students who talked during an exam
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Beto O'Rourke is returning to Wisconsin this weekend for early campaign stops that speak to the importance of the state in the 2020 presidential race.

O'Rourke is slated to appear Sunday at a coffee shop in Madison, the state's liberal capital city, before heading to Milwaukee  site of the 2020 Democratic National Convention  for other events. It will be O'Rourke's second visit to Madison in a month. He met with more than 200 University of Wisconsin students and faculty in February before he officially entered the race on Thursday in neighboring Iowa.

Wisconsin is expected to be one of the most hard-fought states in 2020 because it is one of the few seen as being truly in play. Democrats view it as part of a "blue wall" that they hope to build in the Upper Midwest to deny President Donald Trump a second term.

Trump carried Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016, becoming the first Republican to carry the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984. Democrat Hillary Clinton was roundly criticized for not returning to the state before Election Day after she lost the Wisconsin primary to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

But Democrats have been buoyed by recent electoral successes  namely Tony Evers' defeat of two-term Republican Gov. Scott Walker in 2018 as part of a Democratic sweep of every statewide race.

Adding to the momentum, Democrats on Monday announced that they would hold their national convention in Milwaukee in 2020, choosing it over the much larger cities of Houston and Miami.

O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman, made a point during his first visit in February to emphasize that Wisconsin was "too often overlooked, the conversation does not begin until too late." He said this feeling was motivating his visits to Wisconsin and several other states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, another candidate in the large Democratic presidential field, also made an early campaign stop in western Wisconsin last month.

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Milwaukee and Madison are Wisconsin's two largest cities and are the center of Democratic power in the state. In 2016, Clinton carried Milwaukee County with 65 percent of the vote and Dane County, which includes Madison, with 70 percent.

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Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.

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Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbauerAP
BAGHOUZ, Syria (Reuters) - Falling bombs raised smoke over Islamic State's last enclave in east Syria on Sunday, obscuring the huddle of vehicles and makeshift shelters to which the group's self-declared "caliphate" has been reduced. Air strikes and artillery began hitting the area and smoke billowed overhead late in the afternoon as U.S.-backed forces resumed their weeks-long attack, a Reuters reporter said. After dark, a Kurdish TV channel broadcast live footage showing fires raging and the swift glow of rockets pounding into the enclave accompanied by the sound of intense gunfire. During an earlier lull in fighting, tiny figures of people still inside were clearly visible walking among hundreds of trucks, cars and minibuses clustered around a few concrete buildings by the bank of the Euphrates. It is all that remains to Islamic State in the heartland of the territory it seized in 2014, taking advantage of chaos in Iraq and Syria to grab about a third of both countries and eradicating the border between them. However, the group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still at large and regional officials believe it will remain a threat after it has lost all its land. The enclave is in Baghouz, a handful of hamlets in farmland next to the river along the Iraqi border. Despite its tiny size, more than 60,000 people have fled it in the past two months, said the besieging Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia. Nearly half of them were surrendering Islamic State supporters, mostly family members of jihadist fighters, though 5,000 armed militants also gave themselves up, said SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel. Another 34,000 civilians were evacuated. Former residents from the region say many of the civilians who left the Baghouz area in recent weeks were Iraqi Sunnis with close tribal ties on the other side of the border in Deir al-Zor, a Sunni heartland. They sought sanctuary in Syria for fear of reprisals by the Iraqi Hashd al Shaabi, the Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias in Iraq, the former residents said. How Islamic State lost Syria: https://tmsnrt.rs/2T8GFfC AERIAL BOMBING Another SDF spokesman, Mustafa Bali, told Reuters only about 100 militants and their families had surrendered overnight in the spot where hardline insurgents have been mounting a desperate last-stand defense. "We had expected the surrender of a large number of terrorists and their families but only a small group came out," Bali said. On Friday suicide blasts targeted some of the people leaving Baghouz and surrendering to the SDF. The SDF said 1,306 "terrorists" had been killed alongside many who were injured in the military campaign that began on Jan. 9, while 82 SDF fighters had been killed and 61 injured. The SDF said another 520 militants had been captured in special operations in the last Islamic State bastion. Former residents say hundreds of civilians have been killed in months of heavy aerial bombing by the coalition that have razed many of the hamlets in the area along the Iraqi border. The coalition says it take great care to avoid killing civilians and investigates reports that it has done so. The SDF has mostly transferred the tens of thousands who have fled Islamic State's shrinking territory in recent months to a camp at al-Hol in the northeast. A senior International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) official said last Monday an estimated 20,000 Iraqi women and children in the camp were expected to be sent home within weeks or months. The United Nations says the camp now holds around 67,000 people, 90 percent of them women and children - well beyond its capacity. Camp workers say they do not have enough tents, food or medicine. (Reporting by a Reuters journalist in Baghouz, Writing by Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Angus McDowall; Additional reporting by Rodi Said; Editing by Toby Chopra, Ros Russell, William Maclean, Gareth Jones)
At a mosque on a quiet Islamabad street, any reference to the UN-listed terror group which runs it has been removed as Pakistan -- once again -- comes under pressure to demonstrate its sincerity about eliminating militancy.

The first wave of militant detentions was announced by Islamabad on March 5, as tensions were still cooling between India and Pakistan after their latest confrontation over the disputed Kashmir region.

New Delhi has long accused Islamabad of harbouring militant groups, which it says are used by Pakistan intelligence agencies to attack India.

The February 14 suicide blast in Indian-administered Kashmir -- claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed -- is the latest example, and the attack which ignited the recent crisis between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Since March 5, Pakistani authorities have arrested hundreds of suspected Islamist militants and shuttered more than 700 madrassas, mosques, and clinics linked to banned groups.

Mosques like the Al-Quba mosque visited by AFP in Islamabad -- which is run by Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), seen by the UN as a charity front for an anti-India militant group -- have had all signs announcing their links to such organisations removed.

Instead, a green sign clinging to a post proclaims the new management of the premises by the "Government of Pakistan".

"This government will not allow Pakistan's land to be used for any kind of outside terrorism," vowed Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month.

But the crackdown is reminiscent of previous efforts, and Pakistan has yet to convince the international community that their latest thrust is sincere.

Cracks have already begun to emerge after Pakistan's longtime ally China this week blocked measures by the UN Security Council to blacklist JeM leader Masood Azhar.

It was the fourth time China has blocked such attempts, reinforcing suspicions that it was acting on Pakistan's behest. If so, observers said, the move undermined the sincerity of the crackdown.

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Had Azhar been blacklisted, Pakistan would have been morally compelled to halt his activities, a Western diplomat said.

"Is Pakistan just trying to fool us?" the diplomat asked. "I would say yes."

New Delhi also remained sceptical.

"The widespread presence of terrorist camps in Pakistan is public knowledge within and outside Pakistan," said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar last week.

- 'Low profile' -

The crackdown has largely targeted JeM along with JuD, which is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group accused by India and Washington of masterminding the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008.

Shuttering groups like JuD -- which provides widespread and vital services like healthcare to poor communities in a developing country where government-run social services are sorely lacking -- risks a potential backlash.

"We were ordered to close the health centres and give our ambulances to the authorities," Akbar Khan, a JuD official based in the northwestern city of Peshawar, told AFP.

"Our leaders asked us to accept everything and to keep a low profile," he added.

A source close to JeM said the ongoing operation was unprecedented in its scale.

"Almost the entire leadership of JeM has been detained, all the clerics and head clerics have been replaced and administrative control of all our mosques have also been taken over," said the source.

"We have never seen such harsh steps in past."

However the operation mirrors similar crackdowns on militants, such as after attacks on the Indian parliament in 2001 and in Mumbai in 2008.

Then, extremists were also detained -- only for many to be released later, and the groups allowed to continue their activities, both militant and charitable.

Pakistan has also not yet demonstrated its willingness to go any further than detentions and closures.

"Closing major infrastructures is a very important step, but it doesn't show that the whole network has been dismantled," said analyst Huma Yusuf, a fellow with the Washington-based Wilson Center.

"There are still thousands of militants in the country. What do you do with them? A peace and reconciliation process? A deradicalisation plan? Anything? Right now, there is nothing."

- Terror financing -

The crisis also comes as Pakistan is facing possible sanctions from the Financial Action Task Force -- an anti money-laundering monitor based in Paris -- for failing to rein in terror financing.

The organisation will soon decide whether to add Pakistan to a blacklist that would trigger automatic sanctions, further weakening Pakistan's already faltering economy.

Analysts fear even those headwinds may not be enough to convince the Pakistani intelligence agencies to cut their alleged ties with militants.

"Why would they give away something that they have created, nurtured and defended for 30 years?" said author Myra MacDonald, a researcher specialising in Pakistan.

"There is a concern that if you hit them too hard, they will hit the Pakistani state back."

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(Reuters) - PG&E Corp is close to naming a new chief executive officer and revamping its board backed by some of its largest investors, the Wall Street Journal said on Saturday, as the power utility restructures after filing for bankruptcy because of potential liabilities from California wildfires.

Bill Johnson, who is set to retire as the CEO of Tennessee Valley Authority in April, is the front-runner to get the top job at PG&E, the Journal reported.

PG&E has also made offers to 10 new independent board candidates and is expected to unveil the slate as soon as next week, saying it has significant shareholder support, according to the report.

Johnson's new role, which could also be announced next week, has not yet been finalized and other candidates were still being interviewed, the newspaper added.

The utility filed for bankruptcy protection in January in anticipation of liabilities from the wildfires, including the catastrophic 2018 Camp Fire that killed 85 people.

PG&E declined to comment, while no one was available at U.S.-owned TVA to comment on Saturday.

A trio of activist investors, that together own nearly 10 percent of PG&E stock, has been working with the company to change its management, the Journal reported.

The three hedge funds, Abrams Capital Management LP, Knighthead Capital Management LLC and Redwood Capital Management LLC, said in a filing on Friday they had agreed with PG&E to work together to appoint a new CEO and refresh its board. http://bit.ly/2HqIxyM

The board slate they have helped PG&E assemble is expected to include experts on cyber security, nuclear security and restructurings, the Journal said.

PG&E's previous CEO, Geisha Williams, stepped down in January after less than two years on the job.

Last month, the company said it expected only five of its current 10-strong board to stand for reelection at an annual shareholder meeting in May. It also said it expected the board to include 11 independent directors by the time of the meeting, without specifying how big the board would finally be.

The Journal said the efforts of the three investors are separate from those of another PG&E investor, BlueMountain Capital Management, which earlier in March named its own slate of 13 people it hopes to install as directors at the embattled power utility.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Marguerita Choy)
(Reuters) - PG&E Corp is likely to name a new chief executive officer as early as next week and to announce an overhaul of its board backed by some of its largest investors, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

Bill Johnson, retiring head of the Tennessee Valley Authority, is the front-runner to get the job of PG&E's new CEO, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Johnson's new role has not been finalized and other candidates were still being interviewed, the newspaper added.

The utility filed for bankruptcy protection in January in anticipation of liabilities from the wildfires, including the catastrophic 2018 Camp Fire that killed 85 people.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
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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
The Low Passions, by Anders Carlson-Wee (Norton, 95 pp., $26.95)

Anders Carlson-Wee, like most poets today, is unknown to many, though to some he is now notorious, a passing oblation to the wrathful mob. A poem of his, How-To, published in The Nation in July, provoked those who insisted that Carlson-Wee had no right to write in Black English.

But let it not be said that in The Low Passions, Carlson-Wees new collection published earlier this month, he is writing of what he does not know. The poems are set in the Midwest  specifically, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Missouri. (Carlson-Wee grew up in North Dakota and now lives in Minnesota.) Each vignette is a passing glimpse of a small corner of America that many would deem nowhere special. They are haunts not of those who have a reason to stay but of those who have nowhere else to go.

Carlson-Wee writes of rambling drifters, the dead and dying, and poverty. He has train-hopped across the country himself several times. His collection is a series of ballads, some characters reoccurring, telling the stories of people who would likely never otherwise be heard.

Many of the poems read as monologues from the mouths of varying characters. Carlson-Wee has a canny ability for capturing voices without relying on stale cliches. In Dynamite, the narrator is not a detached observer or the main character. But he is involved, a secondary character in the drama; he is extraordinarily typical  his isolation is seemingly unavoidable, and tragedy, if it should touch him, is somehow rendered mundane.

Carlson-Wee captures the dignity of these downtrodden people  their dignity despite, so often, the indignity of their circumstances. Their lives are not reduced to pathetic devices. One man, in the course of describing the help he has to give his bedridden mother, says of her that shes basically comatose, but she can shake / her head for no and youd be surprised / how much power that gives you.

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The imagery of the poems is the broken beauty of a corrupted Arcadia. Carlson-Wee echoes the reminders that what we once knew as charming, rural, and small-town America has been devastated by economic destitution, systematic cultural decay, and drug abuse. His poetry is that of depressed suburbs and shantytowns.

The stifling feeling one gets from the places depicted makes the wandering of the narrator seem more reasonable. In such situations, upheaval is in some ways a respite. The scenes cannot rely on the progressive industriousness of the city or the atavistic mystery of untouched wilderness, Instead, Calrson-Wee focuses on the places caught between both  the refuse of poetrys long-held aesthetic dichotomy.

Throughout, the poems are depictions of people without any sense of belonging, detached from home or physical possessions. Jim Tucker Lets Me Sleep in His Treehouse tells the story of an orphaned treehouse  a possession separated from its keeper. It starts with Jim describing with a fathers pride the care his son took in building the treehouse, but eventually he addresses the absence of the son, saying he had lost him to the war. The possessions caught up in the water of the Flood of 97 are mixed up like silt and All summer, people found / rusty things they didnt recognize. Things / that must have floated from other homes. The waves of debris and bodies immerse the reader in a wan, untethered landscape.

Possession is chance accident, and wandering is expected. Places are not homes but brief respites from roads. Living, a narration by a scavenger, begins, I get everything I need for free. He elaborates, describing all the decaying treasure he has found: This hat / was moldering on the kitchen floor / in the foreclosed home I picked through. By the end of the poem, the narrator has found pig carcasses, left over from some butchering. He dons white gloves and begins sorting through the pig remains. Gone is the idle pastoral farmer guiding flocks; in his place, the wandering pastor of the dead.

Within the pages lurks a preoccupation with death and eschatological American Christianity. In Cousin Josh on Doomsday the narrator says, It doesnt matter what you believe. Could be a chunk / of the sun wipin out the grid just as likely / as the Lord Himself snuffin us out one by one . . . Me, I got my chips pushed in for something natural. Death is one of the unbreakable laws of natures kingdom.

There are allusions to ancient tropes of rustic poetry, but in The Low Passions the power of nature is found not in fecund soil civilized by plows but in the weary decay of poverty. The earth, no longer a cultivated subject of an empire, is the unchecked sovereign that thrives in our neglect. With a shade of pastoral longing, Carlson-Wee describes the cigarettes lying at the bedside of a man found dead: Seven Camels touching on the bedstand / in a measured row, like a pan flute / with flush pipes that, when blown, all hit one note.

Despite the despair of so many of the characters situations, some of the poems cast points of light that are all the more bright in contrast. In lilting hendecasyllabics, Listening to a Rail in Mandan taps beautifully into the mythologized life of a wayfarer: two aisles of light like childhood brothers adrift, / like a fathers eyes carving the dark land / beside the dark river. The shape of a tree.

But there is a dearth of full musicality throughout the collection. The verse is fitting for a broken land, but the words do not have an easy flow, nor do they stick in the memory. There are neat devices employed, like the predominantly masculine caesura in Finding Josh. The lines are often broken-up, staccato fragments. They move, sometimes abrupt and sometimes turgid, like the wanderer through the torn social fabric of desolate suburbs.

A modish aversion to manner and form persists in most of the lines. Free verse is the rule, and his deviations are a welcome exception. Some of the poems are series of unrhymed couplets and some are longer, but none have crisp classical structure or thoroughly standardized blank-verse meters. But there is still something decidedly American in Carlson-Wees bald and assertive lines, something reminiscent of poets such Longfellow and Whitman.

The Low Passions will be remembered as a testament to a painful place and time. The collection is not Americas most splendid poetic paean, but it offers a glimpse into a world many outside it would rather forget existed. It will be a different kind of artifact from The Song of Hiawatha and Leaves of Grass, but no less significant for it.

More from National Review
Police are hunting three men who made anti-Muslim remarks before attacking an Asian man (PXHere/stock photos)

Police in London are hunting for three men who made anti-Muslim remarks before attacking an Asian man in the middle of the day.

The horrible hate crime assault happened on Friday afternoon in Whitechapel, east London, with the victim suffering a head injury, Scotland Yard said.

The suspects, said to be white and in their 20s, reportedly got out of a blue Ford Fiesta before hitting the 27-year-old with a blunt object before making off.

Officers were called at 1.18pm to Cannon Street Road to the reported assault.

The incident took place on Cannon Street Road in Whitechapel on Friday afternoon (Google)

The victims head injury is not believed to be serious.

He was driven to hospital and left without treatment, but then went to another hospital and was subsequently discharged, the Metropolitan Police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Sean Channing said: This was a horrible hate crime assault on a man going about his daily business.

READ MORE

Security services too slow to tackle far-right extremism, says Jeremy Corbyn

Whilst there were initial Islamophobic comments made by this group towards the individual which are being treated seriously, I would like to make clear that at no point did the group approach any mosque or congregation in the area.

There is no evidence to suggest that the mosque near the area was the intended target.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 quoting CAD 3563/15MAR or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Washington (AFP) - US diplomatic chief Mike Pompeo travels next week to Israel, where he will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of Donald Trump's administration in the midst of a heated re-election campaign.

The US secretary of state travels to the Middle East February 19-23, stopping first in Kuwait for talks before heading to Jerusalem and Beirut, his spokesman Robert Palladino said.

"The common thing in each of those places is helping those countries bolster their efforts to push back against the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pompeo told Fox News.

The Trump administration has repeatedly clashed with Tehran, also an arch foe of the Jewish state.

In Jerusalem, Pompeo "will reaffirm both privately and publicly during that visit our unwavering commitment to Israel's security and its right to self-defense," a senior State Department official said.

Earlier, Pompeo backed Israel's "right to protect its citizens," after the Jewish state said it struck dozens of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to rockets from the Palestinian enclave.

"Once again, Israeli citizens are under attack from terrorists in Gaza, armed and financed by their puppet masters in Tehran," he tweeted.

"We stand by our ally. Israel has the right to protect its citizens."

Pompeo's visit to Jerusalem, which the United States now recognizes as the Jewish state's capital -- to the great dismay of the Palestinians and the international community -- is especially an opportunity to meet with Netanyahu just before Israel's April 9 legislative vote.

The visit is a welcome one for Netanyahu, facing corruption allegations and an uncertain battle to hold on to power.

Pompeo has no plans to meet Netanyahu's rivals, who include former military chief of staff Benny Gantz and ex-finance minister Yair Lapid.

The diplomatic chief "meets with him as the head of government in Israel," explained the senior official.

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"We have major US interests with Israel. Those interests don't go away. They don't go into suspension because of the electoral cycle," the official added.

In Lebanon, where Pompeo travels after Israel, one of the principal topics will be the Shiite movement Hezbollah, which the United States considers a terrorist group that works at Iran's behest.

Hezbollah is nonetheless a member of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government, a Washington ally.
President Donald Trump targeted General Motors and a United Auto Workers leader in weekend tweets urging the car maker to reopen its manufacturing plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

At 1:38 p.m. Sunday, Trump tweeted: "Democrat UAW Local 1112 President David Green ought to get his act together and produce. G.M. let our Country down, but other much better car companies are coming into the U.S. in droves. I want action on Lordstown fast. Stop complaining and get the job done! 3.8% Unemployment!"

The tweet at Green came a day after Trump urged GM, also on Twitter, to reopen the Ohio plant, which just made its last Chevrolet Cruze: "Because the economy is so good, General Motors must get their Lordstown, Ohio, plant open, maybe in a different form or with a new owner, FAST! Toyota is investing 13.5 $Billion in U.S., others likewise. G.M. MUST ACT QUICKLY. Time is of the essence!"

FILE - In this Nov. 27, 2018, file photo, a banner depicting the Chevrolet Cruze model vehicle is displayed at the General Motors' Lordstown plant, in Lordstown, Ohio. GM employees in Lordstown and other factories in Michigan and Maryland that are targeted to close within a year say moving will force them to leave behind relatives, even their children, in some cases.

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In the Saturday tweet, Trump was referring to Toyota announcing last week that it plans to expand investment in U.S. manufacturing plants as the Japanese automaker bolsters its North American production presence amid concerns about tariffs.

The automaker deepened its commitment to American factories with plans to invest $13 billion in the period from 2017 to 2022, up from a previous plan of $10 billion.

On Thursday, the company specified plans to invest $749 million and hire 568 new workers at existing operations in Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia.

GM, asked whether Barra indeed blamed the UAW for the situation, said we aren't going to provide any specifics from a private conversation.

Barra and GM have previously described the move as a business decision driven by consumer demand.



Democrat UAW Local 1112 President David Green ought to get his act together and produce. G.M. let our Country down, but other much better car companies are coming into the U.S. in droves. I want action on Lordstown fast. Stop complaining and get the job done! 3.8% Unemployment!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

Because the economy is so good, General Motors must get their Lordstown, Ohio, plant open, maybe in a different form or with a new owner, FAST! Toyota is investing 13.5 $Billion in U.S., others likewise. G.M. MUST ACT QUICKLY. Time is of the essence!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2019

But Green told the Detroit Free Press on Sunday: "We have been producing here. We've done everything we can. We started a grassroots campaign and we've done everything we can. I recognize Terry Dittes, our international vice president, will sit down with the negotiating table with General Motors this year and that's where our fate lies, at the bargaining table."

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At 4:49 p.m., the main UAW account tweeted, "Thank you, Mr. President, for fighting alongside the UAW against @GM. We will leave no stone unturned to keep the plants open!"

Thank you, Mr. President, for fighting alongside the UAW against @GM. We will leave no stone unturned to keep the plants open! https://t.co/ZXx90HCRSF  UAW (@UAW) March 17, 2019

The UAW has sued GM over the plant closure, contending it violates terms of the 2015 contract. GM says market conditions have changed, permitting the move.

GM has faced continued harsh criticism from Trump and other lawmakers for its plans to idle five plants in North America by the end of this year or early next year as part of a restructuring plan to save the automaker $2.5 billion this year.

GM is discontinuing many of the products built at those plants, which are mostly sedans, saying U.S. consumers prefer SUVs and pickups. But GM has faced a backlash for opting to build other new products, such as the Chevrolet Blazer SUV, in Mexico.

GM built the Chevrolet Cruze compact car at Lordstown, Ohio, until last week when the last one rolled off the line.

The other plants GM will idle include Detroit Hamtramck in January 2020 where it builds the Cadillac CT6 sedan and Warren Transmission this year. It will also idle Oshawa Assembly in Ontario, Canada, this summer and a transmission plant in Maryland. At risk are some 6,200 hourly and salary jobs.

About 700 hourly workers at Detroit-Hamtramck and Lordstown assembly plants have transferred to other plants to keep their jobs. But many had to leave behind their families, UAW leaders have said.

GM has said it has 2,700 open jobs at various U.S. factories available to the majority of those working at plants that will close and has said it will put $20 million into its Romulus propulsion plant to increase the plants capacity for future 10-speed transmission production. As of January, 1,100 workers at U.S. plants have volunteered to transfer.

"All of those transfers are in effect because of the terms of the 2015 collective bargaining agreement," Brian Rothenberg, UAW spokesman, said in previous reports. "As President (Gary) Jones has said, the UAW will leave no stone unturned in working to keep these plants open."

Last month, GM also announced it would add $36 million to its Lansing Delta Township plant for future crossover production. That plant builds the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave SUVs.

USA Today reporter Nathan Bomey contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump attacks GM, UAW over plans to close Lordstown plant
Moscow (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Crimea on Monday to mark the fifth anniversary of Moscow's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine, condemned by the West but celebrated by most Russians.

A Kremlin statement on Sunday said Putin would visit the peninsula and its largest city Sevastopol to attend celebrations marking five years since Crimea "rejoined" Russia.

The Russian leader will take part in a ceremony opening a new power station and meet representatives of civil society during the visit, it said.

On March 18, 2014, Putin signed a treaty with representatives from Crimea to make it part of Russia, two days after a referendum that was not recognised by the international community.

Kiev and the West slammed the move as an annexation, leading to sanctions against Moscow, but it resulted in a major boost of Putin's popularity at the time.

In Russia, March 18 has been officially proclaimed as the "Day of Crimea's Reunification with Russia".

"It's a very important date for all Russians so there should be no doubt that Putin will take part in the relevant events (to mark the date)," the Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.
INDIANAPOLIS  Twenty-three little bodies  all clad in navy uniforms  are wriggling in their seats at Avondale Meadows Academy. There are superhero cutouts dangling from the ceiling, a Wakanda Forever poster on the wall, and Snickers, the class guinea pig, just had a slice of apple. Its a typical Wednesday morning at the Indianapolis charter school, and Shorron Scott is asking her class about their feelings.

Sad. Bad. Mad. Angry. Afraid.

Of whom? Scott asks one of her students.

Of the slave master, he says.

Avondale Meadows' third grade is learning about slavery in the United States, and its not always easy.

Across the hall, in Katie Millikans class, her two-dozen students are looking at pictures of a slave collar and the scarred back of a slave.

Nine-year-old London Moore said sometimes her classmates cry. When that happens, the class takes a break from the heavy material with a vocabulary video.

It helps, London said.

The material can get heavy for 7- and 8-year-olds. Teachers work to keep the material age-appropriate but dont sugarcoat the truth, either.

We learned they treat them like, um, they dehumanize them and dont treat them like how they are, said Thaddeus Obirieze, another student in Millikans class. If they get splinters or anything, their owners won't care. Their owners would probably sometimes put splinters in their food. If it gets on their tongue and stuff, they wouldnt care.

Thaddeus, who is 8, said he doesnt get sad, but he tries not to think about it too much.

Its so unfair, he said.

Thats part of what makes slavery so difficult to teach  and so important to get right.

Katie Millikan is teaching her third-grade class at Avondale Meadows Academy Indianapolis about slavery on Feb. 20, 2019.

And many schools arent there. This February alone:

Students at Madison's Trust Elementary School in Ashburn, Virginia, pretended to be slaves on the Underground Railroad as part of a physical education class. A third-grader, the only African-American in his class, was designated a slave during the activity. The school apologized.

On a field trip, South Carolina elementary students were told to pick cotton and sing a slave song, according to a local TV station. Students from Ebenezer Avenue Elementary in Rock Hill were visiting the Carroll School, which was built in 1929 for African-Americans and now gives programs about the Great Depression. The school district said the tunes were not intended to sound like slave songs.

Research by the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2017 found U.S. schools are failing to teach the hard history of slavery. Only 8 percent of high school seniors surveyed in the SPLCs report Teaching Hard History: American Slavery could identify slavery as the central cause of the Civil War.

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Its the equivalent of kids not being able to do division, said Hasan Jeffries, a history professor at Ohio State University who serves as chairman of the Teaching Hard History Advisory Board and host of the podcast Teaching Hard History: American Slavery. There is no other subject we could teach as bad as we do American history and still be employed.

The research found, too, that this isnt a regional problem. It isnt a Southern problem. Its a national problem, Jeffries said.

"I get students in my history classes ... and I talk about slavery and the Civil War, and their jaws drop, he said. I shouldnt be blowing their minds with that. Thats Early American History 101.

400 years of slavery: In 1619, a ship arrived in Virginia, bearing human cargo

What must schools teach about slavery? Not much

For starters, states fail to set high expectations with their curriculum standards, the SPLC research found. Jeffries' team reviewed 15 sets of state standards and found most lacked details about slavery or its essential role to the American economy.

In Indiana, explicit mentions of slavery in academic standards are few and far between  just a handful of times between fourth grade and high school.

What's more, most popular textbooks fail to provide comprehensive coverage of slavery and enslaved people, the SPLC research found.

For example, when the center reviewed 12 popular history textbooks, it found:

An Alabama history text lists states rights as the first cause of the Civil War in a list of several factors.

An AP edition of an American history text from publishing giant McGraw-Hill presents the relationship between slavery and racism as undecided, the review found. The textbook described the routine sexual assault of enslaved persons as frequent sexual liaisons or unwanted sexual advances that were only sometimes rape.

Most textbooks also failed to cover the profit motive inherent in slavery.

The Indiana Department of Education does provide extra resources online, but its unclear how widely theyre used.

For example, a video about Mary Bateman Clark, a slave who sued to end indentured servitude in Indiana, was uploaded to Vimeo three years ago and linked on the state resources website.

It has been played just 44 times.

At age 13, the first time hearing slaves were shipped across the Atlantic

At Indianapolis Public Schools, teachers still use textbooks. But because the books try to appeal to the widest audience possible, theyre often designed with the standards and politics of the biggest states in mind. Things can get watered down, said Eric Heagy, curriculum and instruction specialist for social studies and world languages.

So Nick Sargent had his seventh-graders at Northwest Middle School reading excerpts from the writing of Olaudah Equiano, an African man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery as a child in Nigeria. Equiano endured the middle passage on a slave ship to the Americas and later bought his own freedom.

Im really big on not sugarcoating history for them, Sargent said. There are a lot of examples of people trying to whitewash history and not make it sound so bad, but that doesnt do it any justice.

For many of his students, reading Equiano's story is the first time they hear about the shipping aspect of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Every other slave history thing I've learned is mainly on land, said Estefany Ponce, a 13-year-old. This is the first time finding out someones on a boat, having to go through all these things.

Slavery still impacts society. That's uncomfortable for white teachers to teach

Perhaps a larger problem than the resources for teaching slavery are the ways in which its taught, said Keith Barton, a professor of curriculum and instruction at Indiana University.

Schools tend to teach students that slavery is a moral failing of individuals, Barton said  a past problem that was solved by the Civil War, rather than an institution with impacts that African-Americans continue to feel today.

In some cases, the teacher might lack a full understanding of slavery, Barton said. In others, the miseducation might happen because the truth is so difficult to broach  and can be controversial.

As an unnamed teacher said in the Southern Poverty Law Center survey: Its difficult, as a white teacher to majority non-white students, to explain that white people benefited significantly at the very real expense of black people.

This discomfort is playing out, too, in a teaching force that is still predominantly white. The most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics suggests that while demographics of America's students are shifting rapidly  most schoolchildren are non-white now  the same cannot be said of their teachers. More than 80 percent of teachers are white.

Theres this sense of, What if were doing it wrong? What if it gets misinterpreted?  Jeffries said.

Indianapolis schools' history of discrimination

Like many of the country's large cities, Indianapolis and its surrounding suburbs have intensely segregated school systems. When the city and county merged all of their municipal services in 1970, school districts were excluded.

By the time court-ordered busing started a decade later, a massive decline in Indianapolis Public Schools enrollment was well underway. Enrollment in the district plummeted from more than 100,000 students at the start of the 1970s to fewer than 30,000 in 2010.

Black in the suburbs: Fewer AP classes, suspended more often at suburban schools

Today, nearly three-quarters of IPS students are black or Hispanic, and most are poor enough to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The wealthy suburbs in the donut counties surrounding the city, though, are the inverse of IPS. And within the last year, several districts have had racist incidents.

At Hamilton Southeastern Schools, a photo was posted in September of a student in blackface.

Last November, a racist shooting threat was found in a bathroom at neighboring Noblesville High School.

Students at another suburban high school, Zionsville, were seen in a social media post this winter using a Nazi salute.

Its likely that the way we teach slavery is contributing to these incidents of racism, Jeffries said.

The vast majority of teachers want to do better, the SPLC research found. They need stronger education programs and administrative support and better resources.

An easy way to start that: Talk about African-American history more often, rather than relegating it to Black History Month in February.

Contributing: Emma Kate Fittes, IndyStar

Follow Arika Herron on Twitter: @ArikaHerron.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Runaway-slave games. Sanitized textbooks. Schools do a terrible job teaching about slavery
Beira (Mozambique) (AFP) - More than 120 people have died and many more are missing in Mozambique and neighbouring Zimbabwe on Sunday after tropical cyclone Idai barrelled across the southern African nations with flash floods and ferocious winds.

Authorities in Mozambique said the toll there had risen to 62 in the centre of the country, while Zimbabwe said 65 people were killed in affected eastern areas, after the cyclone tore across the region on Friday and Saturday.

Mozambique's environment Minister Celso Correia gave AFP the country's updated number of deaths in Beira and Dondo districts, but warned: "We will certainly end with a higher toll."

"I think this is the biggest natural disaster Mozambique has ever faced. Everything is destroyed. Our priority now is to save human lives," he said at Beira international airport, which re-opened Sunday after being temporarily closed because of cyclone damage.

Idai hit Mozambique first on Thursday night before moving to Zimbabwe.

In Zimbabwe, eastern Chimanimani district was the worst hit part of the country, where houses and bridges were washed away by flash floods when the storm slammed the area.

The most affected areas are not yet accessible, while high winds and dense clouds have hampered military rescue helicopter flights.

"So far we looking at 65 people that have lost their lives," Joshua Sacco, lawmaker for Chimanimani, told AFP by phone, adding that between "150 to 200 people" are missing.

The majority of those unaccounted for are thought to be government workers, whose housing complex was completely engulfed by raging waters. Their fate is currently unknown because the area is still unreachable.

"We are very worried because all these houses were just suddenly submerged under water and literally washed away and that is where we have about 147 missing," he said. "It's very sad and the situation is dire."

Two pupils at a secondary school in the area were among those killed, after a landslide sent a boulder crashing into their dormitory, the country's civil protection agency said.

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- School pupils rescued -

Soldiers on Sunday helped rescue nearly 200 pupils, teachers and staff who had been trapped at the school in Chimanimani.

The group had to wade through waterlogged and mud-churned roads for some 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) to reach a relief area, where they were given food and checked by medics, according to an AFP photographer.

Tents have been set up to provide shelter for those affected by the cyclone and scores of villagers have made their way to the relief area, some having trekked for up to 20 kilometres to reach safety.

Roads have been swallowed by massive sinkholes, while bridges were ripped to pieces by the flash floods, according to the AFP photographer.

The United Nations in Zimbabwe said that nearly 10,000 were affected by the cyclone.

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who cut short a visit to Abu Dhabi over the cyclone, has declared a state of disaster in the affected areas.

- 'Worst disaster' -

Idai battered central Mozambique on Friday, cutting off more than half a million residents of the port city Beira where the environment minister said 80 percent of the electricity network was destroyed.

"All roads are cut, the infrastructure is destroyed, practically everything is destroyed," said Correia.

Beira international airport was briefly shut after the air traffic control tower and navigation equipment were partially destroyed by the cyclone. Flights began flying in on Sunday.

A significant part of the central region was "absolutely decimated by this cyclone, even larger than anticipated," said Jamie LeSueur, the International Federation of Red Cross's roving emergency operations manager for Africa after an aerial survey of the affected areas in Mozambique.

"It's bad and there's potential for it to get even worse," he said as rain continued in Zimbabwe, "which could potentially lead to another flood," said in Beira.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said its "projections indicate at-least 1.7 million people were in the direct path of the cyclone in Mozambique, and 920,000 people were affected in Malawi. Thousands more are potentially impacted by events in Zimbabwe where assessments are ongoing".

Despite having part of its roof torn off, Beira airport was busy handling flights and relief agencies have are setting up operation hubs there.

One Portuguese software business company owner Luis Leonor, 49, flew in from Maputo after having contacted with his wife via satellite phone on Saturday.

"She is fine. My house is fine but there's no more running water. I don't know what I will find there," he said. "My five employees lost their houses, they are staying at our offices."

Even before the cyclone made landfall on Friday, heavy rains earlier this month had already claimed 66 lives in Mozambique and 56 in Malawi.

burs-sn/klm
Belgrade (AFP) - Opponents of Serb President Aleksandar Vucic broke into the state-run RTS television building on Saturday, demanding to address the population, in images aired live.

There have been weekly opposition protests since December against what they describe as Vucic's slide towards autocratic rule, while accusing RTS of pandering to the ruling party and demanding more airtime for opposing views.

Among the dozens who invaded RTS on Saturday were opposition figures including former Belgrade mayor Dragan Djilas and Bosko Obradovic, leader of the right-wing Dveri party.

Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic denounced the action in a statement run on RTS.

Private TV channel N1 showed images of police starting to remove the protestors from the RTS premises.

Earlier thousands marched peacefully through the centre of Belgrade as they have done on each Saturday since December 8.

Protests were also held in several other Serbian towns, with the marchers accusing those in power of muzzling the media and civil rights groups, also calling for the RTS chiefs to step down.

Vucic, an ultra-nationalist-turned-pro-European, has rejected claims he has become autocratic, and in return has launched a "Future of Serbia" campaign, visiting towns throughout Serbia and championing his policies.

The European Commission last year raised concerns about media freedoms in Serbia, denouncing threats, intimidation and violence against journalists.
St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland - Bettmann

Erin go bragh! St Patrick's Day is nearly here, with events in honour of the patron saint of Ireland set to take place across the globe this weekend.

Recognised annually since the 1700s, the people of Ireland celebrate their heritage and culture on St Patrick's Day, with the day growing as a commercial occasion rather than a religious event in recent years.

While Ireland embraces its patron saint day by holding vibrant, green parades, wearing shamrocks and flying Irish flags more than usual, celebrations also take place in other countries around the world, including the UK, United States, Egypt and Australia.

Here is everything you need to know about St Patrick's Day, from the patron saint himself to Irish recipes and worldwide celebrations.

When is St Patrick's Day 2019?

St Patrick's Day, the patron saint day of Ireland, falls each year on March 17. The first parade in name of the saint took place in Boston in 1737, followed by the first "official" parade in New York in 1766.

The celebration of St Patrick later spread to Dublin and other American cities and in recent years has grown in popularity elsewhere in Europe and Asia.

Who was St Patrick?

St Patrick's exact birthplace is unknown and debated. Born as Maewyn Succat around the year of 385 AD in either England, Scotland or Wales, the patron saint was captured by Irish pirates at the age of 16 and brought to Ireland as a slave.

Working as a shepherd, Patrick was held captive for six years and grew closer to spirituality and prayer during this period of isolation. After a voice in his dream told him it was time to leave Ireland, Patrick successfully fled his master and sailed back to Britain to continue studying Christianity.

Shortly after his return home, an angel in Patrick's dream told him to go back to Ireland as a missionary, and following this, he decided to travel to Gaul, to study religious instruction under Germanus, bishop of Auxerre.

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Later ordained a bishop and eventually returning to Ireland, Patrick began his mission to spread the Christian message. During this time, Patrick converted thousands of people to Christianity and built churches, schools and monasteries across the country.

Legend suggests that Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock on his mission to explain the Holy Trinity, teaching his followers that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit exist as individual elements of the combined entity. While some experts claim this story was invented centuries later, the tale has led to the common practice of people wearing the symbol on the feast day.

Patrick is also thought to have banished snakes from Ireland to help remove the evil and introduce a new age. But experts claim this is a myth due to evidence snakes never existed in the country in the first place. Some say this was due to the icy waters of the Irish Sea while others believe the cold weather stopped the snakes travelling to Ireland from Britain or afar.

Around 431 AD, Patrick was appointed as successor to St Palladius, the first bishop of Ireland, and during his later years, he wrote about his spirituality and life in his 'Confession'.

Believed to have died on March 17, in the year 461, Patrick's spiritual path led him to become a legendary figure, as he left behind an established church and an island of Christians. Today, his work is commemorated annually on March 17.

Symbols and images associated with Ireland and St Patrick's Day

The colours of the Irish flag represent Catholicism (green) and Protestantism (orange), unified by peace (white). Since the 18th century, green has also represented sympathy for Irish independence.

Despite St Patrick popularising shamrocks, with many choosing to wear them on the patron saint day, he is historically associated with the red Saltire of St Patrick, featured in the flag of the United Kingdom.

The patron saint of Ireland is also associated with the colour blue, after the creation of the Order of St Patrick in the 1780s made it the official colour. St Patricks Blue can be found on Ireland's Presidential Standard, and in the plume of bearskins worn by the Irish Guards.

The legend of the Leprechaun has also become a modern day symbol of Ireland. Known for their mischievous behaviour and leaving pots of gold at the end of rainbows, today, the mythical creatures feature heavily as a tourist symbol and some people choose to wear Leprechaun costumes and hats to St Patrick's Day parades. Dublin even has its very own Leprechaun Museum.

St Patrick's Day celebrations in Ireland

Unlike St David's Day and St George's Day, St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday in Ireland, allowing the Irish to fully embrace the festivities.

The people of Ireland honour their patron saint day every year by joining parades and dressing head to toe in green, white and orange, the colours of the Irish flag. Dublin's famous St Patrick's Festival Parade will take place on Sunday March 17 this year, starting at Parnell Square, with music and live performances from bands helping to convey the 2019 theme of storytelling.

Historically the "Feast of St Patrick", the day has been observed by the Irish for over 1,000 years and families would traditionally attend church in the morning, before celebrating with dance, drink and a feast of bacon and cabbage. Today, Irish stews and pints of Guinness are often enjoyed as part of the celebration.

As many as 13 million pints of Guinness are poured on St Patrick's Day alone, increasing from the average 10 million glasses poured every day around the world. In fact, 1.8 billion are sold each year and the Guinness Storehouse is situated in the heart of St James's Gate, Dublin, with visitors able to book a tour of the famous site.

Popular Irish toasts on St Patrick's Day, include: "Slainte mhaith", meaning "good health" in Irish Gaelic, and "may the good St Patrick protect ye, and the devil neglect ye".

Other celebrations around the world

March 17 sees millions of people around the world, even those without Irish connections, turn out to celebrate St Patrick.

In the United States, the White House first recognised the Irish holiday and the countries' relations more than 50 years ago, after President Harry Truman received a box of shamrocks from Ireland's ambassador. In 1956, the first St Patrick's Day meeting between the President and the Irish Taioseach took place and since the 1990s, the White House visit has been held annually.

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, presents US President Donald Trump, with a bowl of Shamrocks during the annual St Patrick's Day ceremony at the White House in Washington D.C. Credit: Brian Lawless/PA

Every year, London showcases Irish heritage and culture as part of its annual St Patrick's Day festival and parade. While live stage performances and food stalls can be enjoyed in Trafalgar Square, colourful floats, dancers and Irish communities make their way through the capital's streets. This year, the festivities take place on Sunday March 17.

In Tokyo, the "I Love Ireland" parade takes place over two days, on March 16 and 17, with vibrant costumes and marching bands, while in New York, 150,000 people join the parade travelling up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

In fact, a range of celebrations are held across the globe to celebrate the legendary Irish figure, including parades in Sydney, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, and Oslo, Norway.

In the British West Indies, the island of Montserrat has a public holiday for St Patrick's Day and observes the patron saint with a seven day festival and parade. Dubbed the "Emerald Isle" in memory of their Irish settlers, Montserrat even use a green shamrock as their official passport stamp.

St Patrick's Day is also a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland, where a significant number of Irish people emigrated to during the 18th and 19th centuries.

In Chicago, their river has been traditionally dyed bright green on March 17 since 1962, with thousands heading to the city to see one of the most famous St Patrick's Day sights.

Rowers navigate the Chicago River shortly after it was dyed green in celebration of St. Patrick's Day on March 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Other countries join Chicago in turning their famous landmarks green on March 17, including the London Eye and HMS Belfast in London, the pyramids and Sphinx in Egypt, Burj Al Arab in Dubai, Sydney Opera House in Australia and the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

The best Irish recipes

Clodagh McKenna's beef and Guinness stew

Beautifully tender beef, cooked in the beloved Irish beverage. This hearty winter dish is served perfectly with creamy mash or roast potatoes.

Beef stew Credit: The Picture Pantry/Alloy

Slow-cooked red cabbage with apples and raisin

Traditionally served with beef, pork or turkey, red cabbage brings a sweet flavour to any dish and can also be eaten cold in sandwiches.

Red cabbage Credit: Getty Images

Rachel Allen's Barmbrack (bairin breac)

This traditional Irish sweetened bread, packed with sultanas, raisins or currants, makes a delicious treat and can be enjoyed fresh, toasted or buttered.

Barmbrack, a traditional Irish fruit loaf Credit: D and S Food Photography/Alamy

The best Irish drinks

While Ireland is the place to be for a pint of Guinness, it is also home to an array of famous alcoholic beverages including Jameson whiskey and Irish cream liqueur.

If Guinness doesn't take your fancy, the Thinking Drinkers have selected the best alternatives to drink on St Patrick's Day, from craft whiskey to post poitin.
By Tom Westbrook and Charlotte Greenfield

CHRISTCHURCH (Reuters) - An aircraft engineer, a takeaway store owner, a student pilot; details emerging of some of the 50 people gunned down at two New Zealand mosques paint a picture of dozens of ordinary lives suddenly and savagely ended.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face further charges.

Friday's attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labelled as terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand.

At Hagley College, a school across a park from the Al Noor mosque where more than 40 people were killed, a makeshift support centre was set up on Sunday.

A stream of victims' friends and relatives entered, one woman carrying sandwiches and falafel.

Muzzammil Pathan arrived to offer his condolences for a friend, Imran Khan, who was killed at a second mosque in the suburb of Linwood.

Khan, a migrant from Hyderabad in India, owned a popular Indian takeaway and had recently opened a butcher shop, he said.

"He was a good person. We wish this did not happen. He came here to New Zealand 18 years ago - he was just 47. He was a self-made man," Pathan said.

Abdul Fatah, a computer engineer in his 50s, was shot dead at Al Noor mosque said his old friend, and a survivor of the massacre, Mohammed al Jabawe. Fatah was originally from Palestine and migrated to Christchurch from Kuwait about 20 years ago, he said.

Another victim was Sheik Moussa, a Somali preacher in Christchurch in his late 70s.

He was a good old man. He liked to do marriages - he married me and my wife, said Sulaman Abdul, who fled Somalia as a refugee in 1993 for New Zealand.

National carrier Air New Zealand said Lilik Abdul Hamid, an aircraft maintenance engineer, was in killed at the Al Noor mosque.

Lilik has been a valued part of our engineering team in Christchurch for 16 years, but he first got to know the team even earlier when he worked with our aircraft engineers in a previous role overseas," Air New Zealand Chief Executive Christopher Luxon said in a statement.

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"The friendships he made at that time led him to apply for a role in Air New Zealand and make the move to Christchurch. His loss will be deeply felt by the team."

CHILD VICTIM

Authorities are still identifying victims and have not officially named those who died.

The youngest victim on an unofficial list was three-year old Mucaad Ibrahim. A family friend said Mucaad was born in New Zealand to parents from Somalia.

"They were former refugees. Its completely devastating of course. They were fleeing violence and war. This was supposed to be a safe haven. It brings back trauma, said Guled Mire, a family friend.

Hafiz Musa Patel was the Imam of Lautoka Mosque in Fiji. He was among several Fijians visiting Christchurch to see friends and relatives when he was killed at Al Noor mosque, his friend Abdul Sahid, who had flown in from Fiji to pay his respects, told Reuters.

One student, who asked not to be identified, said a friend had been killed.

He was studying to be a pilot and we saw him for morning classes. Then he went to the mosque as usual," he said.

"I got a call last night from a friend, around midnight, to say he has passed away.

The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Pakistan's high commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing.

Khaled Mustafa, a recent refugee from Syria, had also been killed at the Al Noor mosque, Syrian Solidarity New Zealand spokesman Ali Akil told news website Stuff.

Mustafa and his family had "survived atrocities" in their home country and "arrived here in a safe haven only to be killed in the most atrocious way".

His son, Hamza, who is about 16, was missing, and his son Zaid, who is about 13, is in Christchurch Hospital where he underwent a six-hour operation, Akil said.

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook and Charlotte Greenfield; Additional reporting by Praveen Menon; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Robert Birsel)
CAIRO (AP)  Hundreds of Sudanese took part in anti-government protests in the capital and other cities on Sunday as the government announced it had secured $300 million in loans to address the economic crisis that triggered the unrest.

The demonstrations began in December over price hikes and food shortages, and quickly escalated into calls for President Omar al-Bashir to step down, posing one of the biggest challenges yet to his nearly 30-year rule. Security forces have responded with a fierce crackdown that has killed dozens of people.

The rallies are being led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, an umbrella group of independent professional unions. Footage posted online showed dozens of people marching in Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, chanting: "Freedom, dignity and justice." The also canted "the people want the fall of the regime," echoing the popular slogan of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings that briefly defied despotism in the region, but never made it to Sudan.

In some videos, security forces are seen using tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

Also Sunday, dozens of families demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the National Intelligence and Security Service in Khartoum, calling for the release of detained relatives, according to activists who spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their safety.

A leading Sudanese geneticist was among those arrested. Muntasir Ibrahim, who heads the University of Khartoum's Institute of Endemic Diseases, was arrested on Feb. 21 from a mosque in the capital, said his son, Gassim Ibrahim.

Gassim said his father and other university professors had drafted an initiative for a peaceful transition of power. Police had previously arrested his father on two occasions in January.

University lecturer Hadia Hasalaah also attended the demonstration in front of the security facility, calling for the release of her husband, Hisham el-Nour, also a university lecturer.

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"He was detained for around three months without charges," she said. "This time, they (security forces) allowed us to protest, because of the American delegation" currently visiting the country.

There was no immediate comment from authorities on Sunday's protests and a government spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

Sunday's demonstrations took place as a U.S. congress delegation is visiting Sudan to meet with government officials and opposition leaders, ahead of the start of a second phase of dialogue between the two countries.

Sudanese lawmaker Mutwakil Ahmed said in a statement the U.S. delegation, led by Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, a Republican from Florida, met with Salah Gosh, the head of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services and other officials on Saturday.

A report by the state-run SUNA news service said Gosh told the delegation about "the positive results of the President Al-Bashir recent decisions to maintain the country's national security and cohesion."

The report also quoted him as saying that the recent protests "were legitimate, but their purposes changed and became illegal." It did not elaborate.

Al-Bashir disbanded the government last month and declared a state of emergency. He also has banned unauthorized public gatherings and granted sweeping powers to the police since imposing a state of emergency last month, and security forces have used tear gas, rubber bullets, live ammunition and batons against demonstrators.

Mutwakil, the lawmaker, said the U.S. delegation has discussed religious freedoms in Sudan, as well the country's counterterrorism efforts.

In 2017, the U.S. lifted decades-long sanctions, arguing that Sudan is making progress in areas of concern, including improving humanitarian access. The State Department last year agreed to a second phase of rapprochement with Sudan, laying out priorities to reconcile the two nations which have been at odds for nearly three decades.

At the time, no specific timeline was placed for the removal of the terrorism designation which was first placed on Sudan by the Clinton administration in 1993.

Meanwhile Sunday, the state-run SUNA news service reported that the Finance Ministry secured a $230 million loan from the Abu Dhabi-based Arab Monetary Fund to support the country's balance of payments.

It said the ministry signed another deal worth $70 million with the Arab Trade Financing Program, which is also based in the Emirati capital.

Al-Bashir, who seized power in an Islamist-backed military coup in 1989, has responded to the protests by suspending plans for constitutional amendments that would allow him to seek a new term in next year's elections. He has also stepped down as leader of the ruling party, appointing a loyalist in his place.

Critics say he is trying to buy time and remain in power. Al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for charges of genocide linked to the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region.

Activists say at least 57 people have been killed in the recent protests. The government's latest tally stands at 31 killed, including policemen. Neither figure has been updated in weeks.
Baghouz (Syria) (AFP) - US-backed forces said Sunday thousands of people were believed to still be inside the last Islamic State group enclave in eastern Syria, as they sought to flush out die-hard fighters with airstrikes and shelling.

Tens of thousands of dishevelled women, children and men have streamed out of a small pocket in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border in recent weeks -- and they still keep coming.

The huge numbers have flummoxed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and slowed down their offensive aimed at dealing a knock-out blow to the jihadists' once-sprawling proto-state.

"Fighting continues as the #SDF advancing into Daesh encampment," SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said in a tweet late Sunday.

"Several positions captured and an ammunition storage has been blown up by our forces. SDF is now holding positions inside the camp in #Baghouz."

At an SDF outpost inside Baghouz on Sunday, an AFP correspondent saw white smoke rising above the IS enclave as the sound of airstrikes and shelling rang out.

A large blaze ravaged the makeshift encampment where holdout IS fighters are making a last stand.

The Kurdish-led force, backed by US-led coalition warplanes, has rained fire on the jihadists for a week, blitzing thousands of fighters and family members into surrender.

But SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel told a news conference Sunday that according to the latest group that quit the pocket, "an estimated 5,000 people" are still holed up inside.

He cautioned, however, that the SDF has not been able to verify that figure.

Those fleeing the pocket have previously reported widely inconsistent figures on the number of people still inside, ranging from thousands to a few hundred.

- Surrenders and evacuations -

The SDF spokesman said there was no clear timeline for the end of the operation, estimating that it may take several more days at least before IS is driven from its last bastion.

"I hope it won't take more than a week but this is a personal estimate," he said in the village of Sousa in eastern Syria.

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Gabriel said that nearly 30,000 IS members and their relatives have surrendered to US-backed forces since January 9, including more than 5,000 fighters.

An additional 34,000 civilians have been evacuated from the IS redoubt over the same period, he said.

The exodus has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Kurdish-run camps for the displaced further north, where civilians have been transported.

More than 1,300 jihadists have been killed and around 520 have been captured in special operations by the SDF since the battle for Baghouz started, Gabriel said.

The SDF said on Saturday that dozens of jihadists and their relatives had handed themselves over.

They include Europeans, Turks, Chinese, Iraqis and Syrians, it said in a statement.

Die-hard jihadists who stayed behind to defend their last bastion have launched a series of suicide bombings in recent days to hamper the SDF advance.

On Friday, IS launched three suicide attacks outside Baghouz, killing six people as they fled the village.

- 'There is still resistance' -

Ali Khalaf Ibrahim, an SDF fighter, told AFP on Sunday that the jihadists were putting up a strong defence.

"Several times they tried to infiltrate (SDF positions) with explosive belts but they were intercepted" by SDF fighters, he said.

At the height of its brutal rule, IS controlled territory in Syria and Iraq the size of the United Kingdom, with a population of millions.

The total capture of Baghouz by the SDF would mark the end of the cross-border "caliphate" it proclaimed more than four years ago.

But IS still retains a presence in eastern Syria's vast Badia desert and has sleeper cells in the northeast.

Baghouz is the latest front in the Syrian war that has killed 370,000 people since it started in 2011.

Elsewhere in Syria, landmines left behind by IS have killed at least 17 people in a 24-hour period at the weekend, a war monitor said on Sunday.

An ordnance left behind by jihadists exploded in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on Saturday, killing 16 people and wounding 32 others, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A separate landmine explosion in the northern province of Aleppo on Sunday killed one person, the Britain-based Observatory said.

Another two SDF fighters were killed Sunday in a mine blast at Hajin, a town near Baghouz, that was claimed by IS in a statement on Telegram.

At least 44 people have been killed in landmine explosions across Syria in the past three weeks, it added.

In Damascus, the UN envoy for Syria held talks on Sunday with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, who stressed the need for a Syrian-led political solution to the eight-year war.

Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen discussed efforts to find a political settlement to the conflict, including moves to form a committee tasked with drawing up a post-war constitution, state media said.

Pedersen arrived in Damascus on Sunday in the second such visit since he took up his post in January.
Hundreds of thousands of voters crowded into schools, parking lots and temples across Thailand on Sunday, eager to cast an early ballot a week before the country's first election in eight years.

Advanced voting is usually a tepid affair, but on Sunday excitement was high as voters turned up in droves to polling stations.

More than 2.3 million Thais are expected to vote before the official March 24 poll date.

Since a 2014 coup ousted then-premier Yingluck Shinawatra, the junta has repeatedly postponed democratic elections -- much to the chagrin of the Thai public.

"I finally have a chance to cast my vote as I've waited for so long," said 48-year-old Paka Kaengkhiew as she stood in line in front of Bangkok's Phra Khanong district office.

In Dusit district -- home to military offices and government buildings -- voters piled into a school yard before a polling station there opened.

People dressed in their work clothes -- military uniforms, hospital scrubs and more casual attire -- waited patiently to cast their ballot, aided by student helpers.

At 9.00 am Prem Tinsulanonda, the head of the Privy Council -- the advisory board to Thai King Maha Vajialongkon -- arrived at the school.

Watched by Thai and international media, the 98-year-old carrying an oxygen tank was pushed in a wheelchair into a classroom boasting a portrait of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who he advised, before walking the final steps to a polling booth.

The former general was briefly installed as the temporary regent for Thailand's revered monarchy following the death of the late king before King Vajiralongkorn took over, cementing Prem's role as one of the most powerful -- and enduring -- players in the Machiavellian game of Thai politics.

More than 51 million Thais are eligible to vote in the official March 24 election, which will be held under a new military-scripted constitution.

There are "high expectations" for this year's election, said Sudarat Keyuraphan, a prime ministerial candidate for Pheu Thai -- the party which garnered the most parliamentary seats in 2011's election, and is loathed by the military.

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"The (junta) says the country is under peace and order but... the people have no hope," she told reporters at the Pheu Thai headquarters. "We are confident... we will be the party that voters go for the most."

Analysts say the new electoral system favours the army-aligned party fronted by junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is running to be civilian prime minister after a government is formed.

But voters on Sunday still held on to hopes for change.

"I vote today in the hope for better change," said Mart Bupa, 53.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke told supporters Sunday that he's never taken LSD and there's "nothing" he hasn't already revealed about his past that could come back to hurt his run for office.

The former Texas congressman  who has become known for his propensity for using the "f-word"  also promised again to clean up his language, despite breaking such past vows.

O'Rourke grabbed much attention as he wrapped up his first week of campaigning, but his challengers could be found at events from the Upper Midwest to the South. And looming over them all is the shadow of one prominent Democrat not in but not out, former Vice President Joe Biden. He has yet to announce a decision.

Speaking in front of a large map of Russia inside a coffee shop in Wisconsin's capital, O'Rourke promised to return often, addressing concerns Democrats raised in 2016 after Hillary Clinton never campaigned in the state after her party's primary and lost the state to Donald Trump by fewer than 23,000 votes.

"This state is fundamental to any prospect we have of electing a Democrat to the presidency in 2020," O'Rourke said, adding that he was "really glad" Milwaukee was chosen to host the 2020 Democratic national convention. The city, which O'Rourke was visiting later Sunday, beat out Miami and Houston.

O'Rourke, of course, has to secure the Democratic presidential nomination before he can worry about the general election. But then he's also already said he'd prefer to pick a woman as his running mate, should he make it that far. O'Rourke said Sunday that it was presumptuous to commit to that so early, but that doing so would make a "tremendous amount of sense" given the number of qualified women candidates.

Many remember the Texan for declaring "I'm so f--king proud of you guys" on national television during his concession speech in November, after narrowly losing his Senate race to incumbent Republican Ted Cruz. O'Rourke said Sunday that he'll not use profanities any more, after being asked by a voter if he was going to "clean up his act," especially in front of children.

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"Point taken, and very strongly made," O'Rourke said. "We're going to keep it clean." He made a similar pledge during his race with Cruz, then didn't make good.

O'Rourke has previously admitted to a 1998 arrest for drunken driving and said nothing else will come out that could be used against him during the 2020 presidential campaign. Later, he signed the skateboard of a supporter who asked if he had ever taken the drug LSD. The candidate responded that he hadn't.

About 400 people came to the coffee shop to hear O'Rourke. Half made it inside and half listened from the sidewalk through the opened door. O'Rourke wore a St. Patrick's Day necklace featuring green cabbage but said he had coffee  not beer  with his breakfast: "Although it can be justified as an O'Rourke on St. Patrick's Day to do that," he joked, in a nod to his Irish heritage.

The Republican Party's official Twitter accounted noted his past arrest, tweeting, "On this St. Paddy's Day, a special message from noted Irishman Robert Francis O'Rourke" and including an altered photo of the Democrat's mug shot wearing an oversized, green leprechaun hat over the phrase "Please Drink Responsibly."

Other highlights of Sunday's campaigning:

ELIZABETH WARREN

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren said during a campaign stop in Tennessee that her proposed tax on "ultra-millionaires" is a key step in reducing corruption and privileges for the rich, while making the economy work better for poorer people.

An energetic Warren spoke a racially-mixed group of about 400 potential voters while standing on a podium in front of the American and Tennessee flags in a large room at Douglass High School in Memphis, Tennessee, on Sunday afternoon. It was her first stop in a three-state tour of the South.

Warren is the first of a crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates to visit the Deep South in the run-up to the 2020 election. She is scheduled to visit the Mississippi cities of Cleveland and Greenville before a CNN town hall in Jackson on Monday. Selma and Birmingham in Alabama are on the agenda Tuesday.

Memphis is a majority black, majority Democrat city that has backed Democrats the past three presidential elections. President Donald Trump won Tennessee.

Warren touted her tax on whose households with a net worth of $50 million or more. Warren said the tax revenue, estimated at $2.75 trillion over a ten-year period. could help in reducing the cost of housing, health care and child care.

"It is an America that is working great for those at the top and not working for anyone else, and that's why I'm in this fight," Warren said. She reminded the crowd that she is running a grassroots campaign that does not accept corporate donations.

KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND

Kirsten Gillibrand formally joined the 2020 White House race on Sunday and previewed the hard line she will take against President Donald Trump by announcing a rally outside one of his signature Manhattan properties.

The New York senator had spent more than a month traveling around the country to gauge support for a run. Gillibrand's announcement that she was joining the dozen-plus Democratic candidates seeking the White House came in a nearly three-minute video released early Sunday, when she says the national anthem poses this question: "Will brave win?"

She said her debut speech as a candidate will come this coming Sunday in front of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York.

AMY KLOBUCHAR

Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar says an exchange with a tearful Vietnam veteran who lost his son to mental illness is "a moment I'm never going to forget, no matter where I go in Iowa."

The Minnesota senator spoke to voters Sunday at a Davenport, Iowa restaurant. It was the final stop of a two-day swing through the state.

The man, who was sitting toward the front of the room wearing a Vietnam Veterans hat, began crying as Klobuchar spoke about her respect for Sen. John McCain, who died last year. The Republican was a prisoner of war during Vietnam.

Klobuchar approached the man after her speech to take a photo. She stood with a hand on his back for several minutes as he recounted losing his son and told her he fears the U.S. may get into more wars.

Afterward, Klobuchar told reporters the moment "brings up again the importance of mental health centers." She says mental health care has been one of the biggest concerns she's heard from voters.

PETE BUTTIGIEG

Democrat Pete Buttigieg says he's met a fundraising threshold to participate in this summer's presidential debates.

The South Bend, Indiana, mayor said says he's received contributions from 65,000-plus individual donors. That's key because the Democratic National Committee said last month up to 20 candidates can qualify for debates in June and July by collecting donations from at least 65,000 individuals, with at least 200 unique donors in at least 20 states.

In an email to supporters, Buttigieg said "we weren't even close" to 65,000 donors when the DNC originally announced the requirement. The 37-year-old veteran says more than 76,000 people have now donated.

He also told "Fox News Sunday" that "all of the signs are pointing in the right direction" to shift from just exploring a 2020 run to becoming an official candidate, as Gillibrand did Sunday.

BILL de BLASIO

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized former President Barack Obama during a small gathering in New Hampshire as he mulls a run for president, saying that Obama's early days in office were "a lost window."

Minutes later, in front of a larger audience, de Blasio praised the Affordable Care Act, Obama's signature legislative achievement, calling it "progress." Obama pursued the health care legislation during his first two years in office and has been criticized at times for focusing on health care instead of the struggling economy.

A handful of people were present in a second-floor private room of a Concord restaurant when de Blasio compared Obama to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who took office in 1933 amid the Depression and immediately began a series of actions that came to define the modern presidency's focus on a 100-day agenda. The mayor said Roosevelt was the only person who "had a greater head of steam and political momentum and capital coming into office."

"He, to his great credit, did the 100 days and the reckless abandon and understood that you had to achieve for people to build the next stage of capital to use for the next thing," de Blasio said. "Obama, I think, nobly went at health care, but it played out over such a long time and it got treated politically as such a narrow instead of universal item, tragically, that it was a lost window. And I'm not saying anything I don't think a lot of people feel."

CORY BOOKER

Democratic White House hopeful Cory Booker said Sunday night he would reverse President Donald Trump's ban on transgender individuals serving in the military if elected president.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 300 voters in Davenport, Booker answered a question posed by a woman who identified herself as transgender about what he would do to protect LGBTQ rights as president.

"When I am president of the United States, right away I will end this ridiculous, insulting, un-American ban on transgender Americans serving in the military," he said to cheers from the crowd.

It was one of a handful of Trump Administration policies the New Jersey senator pledged to undo if elected president, including Trump's tax cuts and his revocation of protections from deportation for undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children.

Booker also weighed in on marijuana legalization, offering a more comprehensive vision for legalization that would include expunging criminal records and promoting access to the legal marijuana industry for women and people of color.

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Weissert reported from Dubuque, Iowa. Associated Press writers Sara Burnett and Alexandra Jaffe in Davenport, Iowa; Hunter Woodall in Concord, New Hampshire; and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

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This story has been corrected to show that Clinton didn't campaign in Wisconsin after 2016 Democratic primary.
Geneva (AFP) - On the surface, this looks like a terrible moment for the world's major military powers to negotiate a deal on preventing an arms race in space.

Last month, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that the global disarmament architecture was "collapsing," citing various diplomatic failures, including Washington's decision to scrap a crucial nuclear weapons treaty with Russia.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has drafted plans for a new "Space Force" on orders from President Donald Trump who has declared space a "war-fighting domain".

Despite those headwinds, experts from 25 countries -- including China, Russia and the US -- open a 10-day meeting in Geneva Monday aiming to lay the groundwork for a treaty to keep space peaceful.

Even against the grim diplomatic backdrop, experts say there may be reasons for optimism.

"I hope I am not just indulging in wishful thinking here but I do see some positive initiatives against this rather dark background," said Paul Meyer, Canada's former disarmament ambassador and an expert on space security at The Simons Foundation in Vancouver.

- Hardware v action -

The closed-door Geneva talks involve a UN panel called a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE).

Chaired by Brazilian ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota to the UN Conference on Disarmament, the space GGE works on consensus and will only issue a report if all parties agree on its content.

Diplomatic efforts to forge a space treaty have been deadlocked for more than a decade.

A main problem, experts said, is that China and Russia have insisted on preventing certain devices from being deployed in space.

This has been a non-starter for the West which has instead favoured language that emphasises "behaviour" or "actions" in outer space that could be restricted.

Patriota told reporters the level of dialogue at the first GGE meeting in August was "several notches" better than in the past, with China and Russia indicating an openness to new ideas.

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At next week's second and final meeting, the GGE will try to agree on a list of "elements" that could form a treaty, he said.

"We are making a big step here," he added.

- Why hope? -

Patriota noted that one factor possibly motivating states to move forward is the notion of "vulnerability" in space.

Notwithstanding the rhetoric of a leader like Trump who boasts of ever-expanding defence budgets, military professionals understand that overwhelming dominance is not enough to protect a nation's space assets, experts said.

"Asymmetrical capabilities are big," Jessica West, project manager of the 2018 Space Security Index report, told AFP.

"It is very difficult for any action to defend their assets in space alone," she added.

Meyer, also the ex-head of the intelligence bureau at Canada's foreign ministry, told AFP that another factor creating diplomatic momentum is that space "is no longer just a rich man's club".

Dozens of countries including developing nations now operate satellites and that list will only grow, he said.

Space technology -- whether related to reconnaissance, mapping or navigation -- has also become an integral part of both military and civilian everyday life.

The question governments face is "where are the best interests of the nation served?" Meyer said.

"Is it in sparking a further arms race relating to this very vital environment for global prosperity... or is it in making an effort to devise arrangements with some of your potential adversaries," to keep space peaceful, he added.

- Space Force -

Patriota conceded that Trump's move in August to create a new military branch dedicated to space hangs over the talks.

But, he said, US participation so far had been "constructive".

West stressed that despite Trump's "inflammatory" rhetoric, parts of his space force proposal are actually not that confrontational.

"Some of it is a bureaucratic reorganisation," which will see personnel already working on space in the Navy, Air Force, and Army brought under one roof.

The US is also just following moves made in China and Russia, which already have military departments dedicated to space, experts noted.

- Breaking point? -

Patriota said that any kind of consensus document that outlines a potential path towards a treaty would be a success for the GGE.

The consequences of failure are harder to predict.

Some expect the talks to sputter out and join a long list of UN disarmament efforts that have fallen flat.

But, West warned, the stakes next week may be higher.

"I think we are reaching a breaking point... and this may be the last opportunity to step back from the brink and maintain outer space as a direct combat-free zone," she said.

"If we do slip over the edge, then reining it in will be near impossible."
Donald Trump has said he does not see white nationalism as a rising global threat, after 49 people were killed in a racist attack on two mosques in New Zealand.

Speaking to journalists following the shootings in Christchurch, the US president claimed white supremacists were a small group of people that have very, very serious problems.

The massacre on Friday has sparked renewed warnings about the growing threat of neo-Nazism, and followed deadly far right attacks in the the US, the UK and elsewhere in Europe in recent years.

Asked by a reporter on Friday if he saw white nationalism as a rising threat around the world, Mr Trump replied: I dont really. I think its a small group of people that have very, very serious problems.

I guess, if you look at what happened in New Zealand, perhaps thats a case. I dont know enough about it yet. They are just learning about the person and the people involved. But its certainly a terrible thing.

The suspect charged over the Christchurch attack is believed to have links with violent racist groups in Europe and Asia. Brenton Tarrant is thought to have met with extreme right-wing organisations in Europe two years ago, according to security sources.

In a self-styled manifesto published online, the 28-year-old said he had been inspired by white supremacist terrorist Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011. He also referenced Dylann Roof, who shot dead nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015 in a purported attempt to start a race war.

Elsewhere in the 74-page document, Tarrant praised Mr Trump as symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.

White supremacist killings in the US more than doubled last year, according to Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC), which monitors extremist violence. In a report in last month, the organisation accused the president of pushing noxious anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim ideas into the public consciousness.

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New Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said on Saturday she did not agree with Mr Trump's assessment that white supremacism did not pose a growing threat.

She added she had spoken to the US president and asked him to show "sympathy and love for all Muslim communities". Mr Trump "acknowledged that and agreed", she said.

The president has repeatedly been accused of emboldening the far right during his time in the White House.

On Friday, during the same press conference in which he downplayed the rise of white supremacism, he depicted immigration to the US as an "invasion". The remark came as he sought to justify declaring a national emergency to secure funds for a US-Mexico border wall.

During his campaign for the presidency, Mr Trump called for a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the US and told supporters he would look at ways to "get rid of them" from the country.

In 2017, after an anti-fascist activist was killed at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, he refused to condemn far right violence and said there were "very fine people on both sides".
NEW YORK (AP)  President Donald Trump played down any threat posed by white nationalism after the gunman accused of the New Zealand mosque massacre called the president "a symbol of renewed white identity."

Trump, whose own previous responses to the movement have drawn scrutiny, expressed sympathy for the victims who died at "places of worship turned into scenes of evil killing." But he declined to join expressions of mounting concern about white nationalism. When asked whether he thought it was a rising threat around the world, he responded, "I don't really."

"I think it's a small group of people that have very, very serious problems, I guess," Trump said Friday. "If you look at what happened in New Zealand, perhaps that's the case. I don't know enough about it yet. But it's certainly a terrible thing."

Trump was asked about white nationalism and the shooting deaths of 49 people at mosques in Christchurch after he formally vetoed Congress' resolution to block his declaration of a national emergency at the Mexico border. His veto, aimed at freeing money to build more miles of a border wall against illegal immigration, is expected to survive any congressional effort to overturn it.

Questioned about the accused gunman's reference to him, Trump professed ignorance.

"I didn't see it. I didn't see it," he said. "But I think it's a horrible event ... a horrible, disgraceful thing and a horrible act."

The man accused of the shootings left behind a lengthy document outlining his motivations. He proudly stated that he was a 28-year-old Australian white nationalist who hates immigrants and was set off by attacks in Europe that were perpetrated by Muslims. He mentioned the U.S. president in a single reference.

"Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump?" was one of the questions he posed to himself. His answer: "As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no."

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The White House immediately denounced the connection. But the mention from the suspect, who embraced Nazi imagery and voiced support for fascism, nonetheless cast an uncomfortable light on the way the president has been embraced by some on the far right.

Trump, who as a candidate proposed a ban on all Muslims entering the United States, has drawn criticism as being slow to condemn white supremacy and related violence. After a 2017 clash between white nationalists and anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one demonstrator dead, Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides" of the confrontation. He also did not immediately reject the support of David Duke, a former KKK Grand Wizard, during his presidential campaign.

Some of the Democrats who are campaigning for the right to challenge Trump in 2020 criticized his response to the New Zealand attack.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar told Iowa voters Saturday that "it's our job to stand up against" white supremacism. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who is also seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, accused Trump of taking "rank with those who want to spread fear and division across the world."

Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who entered the Democratic race this week, said, "We must call out this hatred, this Islamophobia, this intolerance, and the violence that predictably follows from the rhetoric that we use."

The White House rejected any link to Trump.

"It's outrageous to even make that connection between this deranged individual that committed this evil crime to the president who has repeatedly condemned bigotry, racism and made it very clear that this is a terrorist attack," Mercedes Schlapp, the White House's director of strategic communication, told reporters on Friday. "We are there to support and stand with the people of New Zealand."

Trump telephoned New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, offering condolences, prayers and any help the U.S. might be able to provide. She told reporters she answered, "My message was: to offer sympathy and love to all Muslim communities."

Trump's hardline immigration rhetoric and calls to return America to its traditional past have been embraced by many on the conservative fringes, including some who troll online with racist imagery, as well as white supremacists who have looked to engage in violence.

In Florida, Cesar Sayoc, who had decorated his van with Trump propaganda, was accused of mailing explosives last fall to Democratic Party officials and media members, many of whom had been criticized by the president. The president said Sayoc had been "insane" long before he became a Trump fan.

Last month, a former Coast Guard official was accused of stockpiling weapons in a plot to kill media figures and liberal politicians as part of a plan to transform the U.S. into a white ethno-state. It took more than a week for Trump to respond to the plot, which he deemed "a shame."

Many experts who track violent extremists have identified white nationalism as a growing threat in the U.S. and abroad. In January, for example, the New York-based Anti-Defamation League said domestic extremists killed at least 50 people in the U.S. in 2018, up from 37 in 2017, and said, "White supremacists were responsible for the great majority of the killings, which is typically the case."

Some critics have accused U.S. authorities of not dedicating adequate resources to stem a threat of domestic terrorism. However, The Washington Post reported last week that internal FBI data showed more domestic terror suspects were arrested last year than those allegedly inspired by international terror groups.

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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Michael Kunzelman in Washington and Alexandra Jaffe in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, contributed to this report.

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Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire
Donald Trump has launched a bitter tirade against late senator John McCain for the second time in 24 hours.

The president hurled a series of unfounded allegations at the former Arizona senator this week on social media, claiming new court documents revealed he personally delivered the infamous dossier containing information against Mr Trump to the FBI and Media hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election.

He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual), Mr Trump wrote on Sunday morning. Even the Fake News refused this garbage!

Mr Trumps comments appear to be an attempt to concoct a scandal surrounding the late senator.

Related Video: Michelle Malkin Mocks The Ghost Of John McCain

Mr McCain previously confirmed he provided a copy of the dossier that was created by Christopher Steele, a British spy, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2017, before passing away a year later from a rare form of brain cancer called glioblastoma.

Mr McCain has denied providing a copy of the document to media outlets. The court documents Mr Trump is referring to in his tweets actually state that the dossier was provided to BuzzFeed by David Kramer.

Mr Kramer is a former official who worked at the US State Department and currently serves as the senior director for human rights and human freedoms at the McCain Institute.

So it was indeed (just proven in court papers) last in his class (Annapolis) John McCain that sent the Fake Dossier to the FBI and Media hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election. He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual). Even the Fake News refused this garbage!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

While a newly unsealed court filing from September appears to confirm that Mr McCain did in fact share a copy of the dossier with former senior counterintelligence FBI agent Bill Priestap, a separate court filing confirms the dossier was provided to media by Mr Kramer.

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The Daily Caller, a right-wing website that first reported on the court filings, which stem from a Russian businessmans libel lawsuit against BuzzFeed, described Mr Kramer as a longtime associate of Mr McCain.

The president took the connection between Mr Kramer and Mr McCain a step further on Sunday, claiming the senator was personally involved in providing the document to the media  despite failing to provide any evidence to support such accusations.

It was the second criticism Mr Trump made of Mr McCain in a single week, following longstanding and public tensions hes held for the career politician and military veteran.

On Friday, he quoted a Fox News contributor and the Independent Counsel during Bill Clintons presidency, writing, Spreading the fake and totally discredited Dossier is unfortunately a very dark stain against John McCain.

No one will ever love you the way they loved my father.... I wish I had been given more Saturdays with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine? https://t.co/q7ezwmHiQ4  Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 16, 2019

He had far worse stains than this, Mr Trump added, including thumbs down on repeal and replace after years of campaigning to repeal and replace!

That received a rebuke from the late senators daughter, Meghan McCain, who responded on Twitter, writing, No one will ever love you the way they loved my father.

I wish I had been given more Saturdays with him, she added. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on Twitter obsessing over mine?

Mr Trump also attacked Saturday Night Live, asking whether the Federal Election Commission should "look into" whether the comedy show is colluding with the Democratic Party, and pleaded with Fox News audiences to demand the return of one of the outlet's controversial hosts, Judge Jeanine Pirro, a loyal supporter of the president's who has been absent since suggesting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's hijab indicates she is against the US Constitution.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump and his national security team had an hourlong, classified meeting on Afghanistan on Friday, a day after a top Afghan official openly complained that the Trump administration was keeping his government in the dark about its negotiations with the Taliban.

The meeting in the secure room at the Pentagon called "the tank" included Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, CIA Director Gina Haspel and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton, among others. The session was a classified briefing about Afghanistan, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject of the private briefing.

The Pentagon has been developing plans to withdraw up to half of the 14,000 troops still in Afghanistan. Patrick Shanahan, acting secretary of defense, said he has no orders to reduce the U.S. troop presence, although officials say that is at the top of the Taliban's list of demands in exploratory peace negotiations.

U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad, the administration's main negotiator with the Taliban, recently concluded a 13-day session with leaders of the insurgent group to find a way to end the 17-year war.

Khalilzad said the two sides reached two "draft agreements" covering the withdrawal of U.S. troops and guarantees that Afghanistan would not revert to a haven for terrorists. But he was unable to persuade the Taliban to launch talks with the Afghan government.

The two sides seem to be in agreement about the withdrawal of American forces, but divided over the timeline and whether a residual force would remain.

Taliban officials have told The Associated Press that the insurgents want a full withdrawal within three to five months, but that U.S. officials say it will take 18 months to two years. The Americans are likely to insist on a residual U.S. force to guard the American embassy and other diplomatic facilities, and may press for a counterterrorism force as well.

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Afghanistan's national security adviser Hamdullah Mohib visited Washington on Thursday to publicly complain that the Trump administration has alienated the Afghan government, legitimized the militant network and is crafting a deal that will never lead to peace. His blunt remarks prompted a scolding from State Department officials.

Mohib, the former Afghan ambassador to the United States, said talks about withdrawing troops should be conducted with the Afghan government, which has a bilateral security agreement with the U.S. He also suggested that the negotiations conducted by Khalilzad, a veteran American diplomat who was born in Afghanistan, are clouded by Khalilzad's political ambitions to lead his native country.

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Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

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This story has been corrected to delete erroneous reference to Dunford attending the meeting.
Washington (AFP) - Democrats led by an Arab-American lawmaker attacked President Donald Trump's "silence" on the rise of white supremacy Sunday as reaction to the New Zealand mosque massacre spilled into a heated US debate over religious and racial bigotry.

With controversy swirling over Trump's tepid response to the massacre, White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney was forced to deny any affinity between the president's anti-immigration rhetoric and the accused Christchurch shooter's extremist views.

"The president is not a white supremacist," Mulvaney said in an interview with Fox News Sunday.

But on a separate Sunday talk show, Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Detroit and one of the first two Muslim women ever elected to the US Congress, charged that the president's failure to speak out forcefully against white supremacy was making the country less safe.

"Trump is the most powerful man in the world right now," she said on CNN's "State of the Union." "He, from the Oval Office, from that power position, can be able to send a signal very loud and clear."

"We've done this in the past against foreign terrorism. We need to do it on domestic terrorism, against white supremacy that's growing every single day that we stay silent."

After the attack on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday, which left 50 dead, Trump expressed sympathy and solidarity with the victims and people of New Zealand.

But in comments to reporters in the Oval Office, he dismissed concerns that white nationalism represented a growing danger around the world.

"I don't really. I think it's a small group of people that have very, very serious problems, I guess," Trump said.

- Trump 'a symbol' -

The alleged gunman -- identified as an Australian white nationalist -- livestreamed the assault on social media and published a manifesto filled with racist conspiracy theories.

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He also referred to Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose."

At the grassroots level, the New Zealand attacks triggered a surge of solidarity from America's Jewish and Christian communities, with hundreds of people taking part in interfaith vigils from Cincinnati to Philadelphia, Pasadena to New York.

But it also resounded in a US political scene already supercharged by controversy over remarks by Ilhan Omar -- the only other Muslim woman in Congress along with Tlaib -- that supporters of Israel and many fellow Democrats perceived as anti-Semitic.

The debate over bigotry quickly shifted to Trump after the atrocity in New Zealand.

"Time and time again, this president has embraced and emboldened white supremacists -- and instead of condemning racist terrorists, he covers for them. This isn't normal or acceptable," tweeted Kirsten Gillibrand, who formally entered the Democratic race for the White House Sunday.

Mulvaney scoffed at the idea that Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies had anything to do with the New Zealand attack.

"Let's take what happened in New Zealand yesterday for what it is -- a terrible evil, tragic act and figure out why those things are becoming more prevalent in the world. Is it Donald Trump? Absolutely not.

- Charlottesville -

At key moments of his presidency, however, Trump has soft-pedalled the danger of white nationalism, most famously when he found blame "on both sides" after a "Unite the Right" rally turned violent in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017.

In that case, a Neo-Nazi sympathizer drove into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a young woman and injuring 19.

Former vice president Joe Biden, a possible Trump challenger in 2020, evoked Trump's response to Charlottesville in a campaign-style speech in Delaware Saturday.

"Our children were listening. Our silence is complicity. With these words, the president of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it," he said.

"And in that moment, I knew the threat to this nation was unlike any I had seen in my lifetime."

Trump has avoided the subject of white nationalism on Twitter, where he instead fired off a string of messages in support of Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News host reprimanded by the network for remarks widely criticized as Islamophobic.

A former federal judge, Pirro had questioned whether the Muslim faith of Ilhan Omar, the Democrat accused of anti-Semitism, prevented her from supporting the US Constitution.

Pirro's show, "Justice with Judge Jeanine" has been off the air since then.

"Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country," Trump tweeted.

jm/ec
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Clashes between the Iraqi army and Kurdish PKK militia killed two Iraqi soldiers and wounded five of the militants on Sunday, the Iraqi military said in a statement. The clashes took place in Sinjar in northwestern Iraq after the PKK fighters were denied passage through an army checkpoint, the statement said, adding that the militants drove a vehicle into one soldier and attacked the checkpoint. The PKK did not immediately comment. Security incidents pitting the Iraqi military against armed groups other than Islamic State are rare. Sinjar, near the border with Syria, was one of the first areas to be recaptured from Islamic State in 2015 during a U.S.-backed campaign to drive the jihadist group out of vast areas they once controlled in Syria and Iraq. The security situation in the remote mountainous region remains fragile, however, with the presence of a number of different armed groups. The PKK has fought a decades-long insurgency in southern Turkey but has bases in northern Iraq, including near Sinjar. Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim paramilitaries who helped defeat Islamic State are also stationed around Sinjar, as are Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces - PKK rivals who serve the authorities that run northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. (Reporting by Jamal Badrani, Ghazwan Hassan, Ahmed Rasheed and John Davison; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
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By Andrew MacAskill

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May's warned lawmakers that unless they approved her Brexit divorce deal after two crushing defeats, Britain's exit from the European Union could face a long delay and could involve taking part in European parliament elections.

After two-and-a-half years of tortuous divorce negotiations with the EU, the final outcome is still uncertain with options including a long delay, exiting with May's deal, a disorderly exit without a deal or even another referendum.

May issued Brexit supporters an ultimatum: ratify her deal by a European Council summit on March 21 or face a delay to Brexit way beyond June 30 that would open up the possibility that the divorce could be ultimately thwarted.

The prime minister bluntly warned that Britain will be forced to take part in European parliamentary elections expected to place at the end of May if there is a longer extension to Brexit talks.

"If the proposal were to go back to square one and negotiate a new deal, that would mean a much longer extension  almost certainly requiring the United Kingdom to participate in the European Parliament elections in May," she said in an article in the Sunday Telegraph.

"The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. There could be no more potent symbol of parliament's collective political failure."

The Sunday Times said May will warn Brexit supporters that unless they support her deal they will face a "Hotel California Brexit" where you can check out, but never leave.

EU leaders will consider pressing Britain to delay Brexit by at least a year to find a way out of the domestic maelstrom, though there is shock and growing impatience at the political chaos in London.

Her deal, an attempt to keep close relations with the EU while leaving the bloc's formal structures, was defeated by 230 votes in parliament on Jan. 15 and by 149 votes on March 12.

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But May continues to fight to build support for her plan, which is expected to put before lawmakers for a third time next week, possibly on Tuesday.

To get it through parliament, the prime minister must win over dozens of Brexit-supporting rebels in her own Conservative Party and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which props up her minority government.

"I know that I will have to do more to convince others, as well as the DUP, if I am to succeed in finally securing a majority for the deal," May said.

The DUP said on Saturday it is continuing to hold talks with the government but differences remained over the Irish border.

The proposed changes would address the most contentious part of the divorce deal - an insurance policy aimed at avoiding controls on the sensitive border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

The DUP is also demanding a seat at post-Brexit trade talks as its price for supporting her deal, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

But the opposition Labour Party's finance policy chief John McDonnell said on Saturday he was concerned that Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond's presence during the talks on Friday means the government might have offered the DUP money to back the deal.

"It will rightfully be seen by the British electorate as corrupt politics and will demean our political system in the eyes of the world," McDonnell said.

The DUP denied that they were seeking money from the government.

THIRD TIME LUCKY?

After three dramatic days in parliament this week, lawmakers voted on Thursday to have the government ask the EU for a delay beyond the date Britain is scheduled to leave - March 29.

May says she wants to minimise any delay but to achieve that she will need parliament to back her deal at the third time by the middle of next week, possibly on Tuesday.

She needs 75 lawmakers to change their vote. If she can swing the DUP behind her, along with several dozen more Brexit supporters in her own party, she will be getting close to the numbers she needs.

One eurosceptic Conservative lawmaker Daniel Kawczynski said on Saturday he will now back May's deal because otherwise there is a risk Brexit may not happen.

Around 20 Conservatives lawmakers are unlikely ever to be satisfied but she may draw in a small number of opposition Labour lawmakers.

In another sign of how Brexit continues to reshape loyalties in Britain's politics, a senior Conservative lawmaker quit his local party on Saturday due to disagreements over Brexit.

Nick Boles, 53, has been critical of the government's threat to leave the EU without a deal and has faced calls from his local party to be ousted as its candidate for the next general election.

Boles said he could remain aligned with the Conservatives in parliament if it is offered "on acceptable terms."

(Reporting By Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Clelia Oziel and Guy Faulconbridge)
New York (AFP) - The US agency that regulates civil aviation said Sunday it followed "standard" procedures in certifying the Boeing jetliner whose anti-stall systems have come under scrutiny after disastrous crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia.

"The 737 MAX certification program followed the FAA's standard certification process," the Federal Aviation Administration said in an email to AFP.

It said its procedures were "well established and have consistently produced safe aircraft designs."

But reported similarities between the March 10 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8, killing all 157 on board, and the Lion Air crash in October of the same plane in Indonesia, leaving 189 dead, have raised doubts about the aircraft.

The 737 MAX is a relatively new aircraft, having entered service only in May 2017 as Boeing's answer to Airbus's medium-haul A320 Neo.

Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges said Sunday that a study of the flight data recorder retrieved from the Ethiopian plane had shown "clear similarities" to that of the Lion Air flight in Indonesia.

She said the parallels would be the "subject of further study."

- Pilots had complained -

As investigators continue their work, preliminary findings in the Lion crash have focused on a possible malfunction of an anti-stall system known as the MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System).

Boeing developed that system, because of the unusually forward placement of the plane's engines, to avoid a stall.

Experts have questioned the FAA's certification process after learning that American pilots had lodged serious complaints about the system.

According to a Seattle Times report Sunday, the FAA had delegated part of the certification process for the plane -- including the MCAS -- to Boeing engineers.

Boeing airliners are built near Seattle.

The original safety analysis provided to the FAA by Boeing contained "several crucial flaws," the newspaper said, adding that the process was carried out hastily as Boeing struggled to catch up with Airbus's more advanced work on the A320 Neo.

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The report was dated 11 days before the Ethiopian Airlines accident, the newspaper reported.

- 'All requirements... met' -

The FAA refused on Sunday to comment on the newspaper report, noting the various investigations still under way.

In the face of budget cuts, the FAA since 2009 has delegated some certification work to aircraft manufacturers or to outside experts, a procedure known as ODA (Organization Designation Authorization).

On Sunday, the agency defended its practice, insisting that the 737 MAX had to pass multiple tests and reviews before being authorized to fly.

It said the aircraft's design was minutely examined, ground and flight tests were conducted, and other civil aviation authorities were consulted to ensure the "airplane complies with FAA standards."

A statement provided by Boeing to The Seattle Times said that "the FAA considered the final configuration and operating parameters of MCAS during MAX certification, and concluded that it met all certification and regulatory requirements."

It said, without elaborating, that there had been "some significant mischaracterizations" of the certification process.

Peter DeFazio, chairman of the House of Representatives' transportation and infrastructure committee, is planning to launch an investigation into the 737 MAX's certification, congressional sources said.

Michel Merluzeau, an analyst at AirInsight, urged a cautious process.

"There may be a need to re-examine what works and what does not work (in the certification process) -- but it should not be done emotionally," Merluzeau said.

Another analyst, Richard Aboulafia of Teal Group, said the FAA's credibility is at stake -- "as is Boeing's. And, the global system of aircraft certification reciprocity is at risk too," he said.
New York (AFP) - US police on Saturday arrested a man whom they expect to charge with the murder of reputed New York mafia boss Francesco "Frank" Cali.

The purported head of the Gambino crime family, also known as "Franky Boy," was shot repeatedly outside his home in the New York borough of Staten Island late Wednesday.

Anthony Comello, 24, was taken into custody in neighboring New Jersey, apparently without incident, and had not yet been returned to New York, a New York Police Department official told AFP, on the condition of anonymity.

"We are very confident that he will be charged with the murder of Mr Cali," upon the suspect's handing over to New York, the official said.

US media reported that Cali's killing marked the first murder of a New York mob chieftain in 34 years since the death of Paul Castellano -- another Gambino family boss -- by order of John Gotti, who was known as Teflon Don.

The motive for Cali's murder is not clear, the police official told AFP, adding that the murder weapon has not yet been recovered.

"The investigation is still very, very young," the official said. "Obviously, there are multiple angles that are being explored at this time."

Comello has numerous addresses, including on Staten Island, the official said.

Cali, 53, had deep ties to Sicilian organized crime factions and is thought to have been leading the Gambinos since 2015. He purportedly wielded influence both in the United States and in Italy.

Cali shunned the limelight even after becoming don, ruling from the top while lying low in his affluent Staten Island district, where Castellano also held court.

The Gambino family is one of New York's five historic Italian Mafia families -- along with the Genoveses, Luccheses, Colombos and Bonannos.

Last October, 71-year-old Sylvester Zottola of the Bonanno family was shot dead while waiting in his car for an order from a McDonald's in New York's Bronx borough.

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His son, Salvatore, was shot three months earlier outside the family home, but survived.

Asked whether Comello has any organized crime connections, the police official told AFP: "Right now there's no information to support that he has any ties."

After Gotti died in prison in 2002 the mob's influence on the US eastern seaboard waned, but Cali's murder put it back in the headlines.

"We thought those days were over," the city's Mayor Bill de Blasio told journalists after the shooting. "But I guess old habits die hard."
Valencia (Venezuela) (AFP) - Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim leader Juan Guaido began a tour of his country Saturday aimed at sparking a citizen's movement to pry President Nicolas Maduro from power.

As Guaido, 35, kicked off his "operation freedom" in the northern city of Valencia, the pro-Maduro military staged the latest in a series of exercises.

The drill focused on defending hydroelectric infrastructure from attack -- a reaction to a weeklong national blackout that Maduro blamed on US "sabotage" but experts said was more likely the result of years of neglect.

Guaido, the head of the opposition-ruled National Assembly whose claim to be caretaker president is recognized by the US, Canada and much of Latin America and Europe, vowed he would "very soon" take up office in Miraflores, the presidential palace.

He has been pushing for nearly two months against Maduro after declaring himself acting president during street rallies by tens of thousands, following Maduro's swearing-in for a second term despite elections widely dismissed as a sham.

"We are going to reclaim what belongs to the people," Guaido told thousands of supporters on Saturday.

Maduro, he said, "believes that a thieving gang or a palace makes him president. It's only the support of our people that makes someone president of a nation and he doesn't have that. And not much longer will he be in that palace."

Guaido offered no timeline for the mobilization across Venezuela, which he said will culminate with a march on the presidential palace in Caracas.

"I'm ready to head over to Miraflores right now, wherever my future president Juan Guaido asks me to go," said one of his supporters, Milagros Lima, 50, a lawyer. She told AFP that her "whole family" are among the millions who have fled the country's dire shortages of food and medicine.

"If it weren't for them, we'd be starving to death," she said.

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Accompanying Guaido on his tour are opposition lawmakers tasked with creating citizen assemblies -- "freedom cells" -- across the country. The opposition said that, by Saturday, around 50 had already been set up in half of Venezuela's 23 states.

"Whatever happens, we must be united, mobilized in the streets," Guaido said, adding that he has not ruled out asking the National Assembly to activate a constitutional clause allowing foreign military intervention -- though such a move "depended on others."

- US ratchets up sanctions -

That was taken as a reference to US military action, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out, even though there is no sign such an operation is being mounted and US allies in Latin America oppose the idea.

On Saturday, pro-Maduro demonstrators gathered in front of Trump's White House in Washington to protest any US-led intervention in Venezuela, while anti-Maduro protesters held their own rally nearby.

Washington has so far concentrated on ratcheting up sanctions on Venezuela. That has made an already dire economic situation in the country worse, while increasing pressure on Maduro.

On April 28, a US embargo on Venezuelan oil exports will go into effect, dealing a heavy blow to Venezuela's diminished finances, as America accounts for half of the oil exported.

A major barrier to Guaido's plan to wrest control of the country is the military, which has so far remained loyal to Maduro, who has put generals in charge of lucrative civilian agencies and institutions.

Guaido has offered amnesties to soldiers who abandon Maduro, and on Saturday tweeted that he has "contacted" officers to ask them not to repress opposition protesters.

As has become common when the opposition holds an event, pro-Maduro crowds surged into the streets of central Caracas on Saturday.

A senior regime official, Diosdado Cabello, roared to thousands of pro-government supporters that Guaido and his team "will never enter the palace of the revolutionary people."

He asked the crowd if they would accept "the oligarchy, the bourgeoisie" taking charge, prompting a loud "No" in response.

"We need a real opposition, one that isn't beholden to the imperialists, one that has personal standards and knows what is really happening in Venezuela," Cabello said.

Among the regime supporters, voices raged against perceived US meddling.

"Every minute of peace Venezuela has is a victory for the revolution and a defeat for the North American empire (the US) that really wants to see us killing each other here," one pro-Maduro demonstrator, Hermes Flores, told AFP.

For him, Guaido was "a flame that will go out."
In his final days as a "Red Shirt" rabble-rouser Suporn "Rambo Isaan" Attawong urged farmers to take up martial arts in defence of Thai democracy as a coup loomed.

Now he is contesting national elections for a party aligned to the junta which seized power weeks later -- a political volte-face in a nation where pragmatism often trumps ideology and cash coaxes voter loyalty.

"Politics is a competition," he says of his political reversal.

"We used to be part of previous government and now we are on the other side."

Turbulent Thailand is often cast as a country neatly split between political camps representing the pro-democracy movement and the army-aligned establishment.

But after two coups in 13 years -- featuring rounds of paralysing protests and the demolition of several parties by the courts -- the political landscape is more roughly hewn.

It is tacked together by influential local politicians with large vote banks and a knack for backing the winning side.

Suporn was dubbed "Rambo Isaan" by the media for his tough guy persona and heritage in Isaan -- the poor, rice farming northeast which carries the most votes in parliament.

But his fortunes were imperilled by the coup that took out the civilian government of Yingluck Shinawatra.

At the time a lawmaker for her Pheu Thai ruling party, Suporn was detained by the military.

He emerged contrite, renouncing his previous affiliations on national television.

His about-turn will be complete if he wins his district seat in Nakon Ratchasima province on March 24 for the junta-aligned Phalang Pracharat party.

Rambo says his political resurrection came after he accepted he was "part of the conflict" tearing apart the country.

His new side "will bring reconciliation", he added.

Early voting begins on Sunday, with more than 2.5 million reportedly set to cast their ballots.

- Playing politics -

Phalang Pracharat has poached more than 40 other veteran MPs from Pheu Thai in the hope of lassoing in northeastern voters who mostly back Shinawatra-aligned parties.

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Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha is the party's candidate for prime minister after the election, which experts say will at best return a straitjacketed democracy with the military still prominent.

Thai power is sharply hierarchical, with patronage networks fanning out from Bangkok, through provincial government and down to village headmen.

The Shinawatra political clan perfected the art of pulling in provincial votes.

Universal healthcare, farm subsidies and village funds boosted incomes and aspirations in long-neglected rural areas of the country, bolstering the popularity of local politicians.

Many of the MPs to recently jump ship from Pheu Thai grew powerful under the Shinawatras but flipped as the political tea leaves augured a long stay in power for the generals and their allies.

The defectors are "vote magnets in their constituencies, because they are the local providers", according to Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a politics professor at Chulalongkorn University.

This entrenched system of patronage disadvantages newcomers who choose to "play politics" -- as Thais describe the dash for office.

The task of convincing grassroots voters to swap sides falls to trusted canvassers who often sit under politicians' wings.

The Election Commission punishes vote-buying and cash inducements during campaign season with up to 10 years in prison, but the system is deeply embedded in local politics.

"Canvassers are like salesmen approaching clients," an experienced practitioner of the dark political arts in the northeast told AFP.

"No matter how loyal voters are, money can change it," he added.

The "vast majority" of the country is already under the control of these canvassers, analyst Thitinan added, citing Bangkok as the exception.

"The more up-country and the poorer the area is, the more it is exposed to vote-buying," he said.

Historically payments can reach up to 1,000 baht ($31) for a pledged vote, a large sum in areas where the monthly wage can dip well below $100.

- 'Dogs howl' -

Thais have not voted in a general election since 2011.

Some fear beefed up laws will threaten the time-honoured election ritual of paying voters top-up sums (up to 500 baht) the night before polls open.

Dubbed "the night the dogs howl" -- canvassers normally go door-to-door across remote villages trying to outbid rivals.

This year they expect greater monitoring and possible election bans.

So "the payments will be made a few days before", one told AFP.

Voters are also wise to the changing game.

"Where candidates are neck-and-neck, parties will employ every tactic," said Laddawan Tantivitayapitak of poll monitoring group Open Forum for Democracy Foundation.

"But the people know their politicians, they have learned their lesson."

One voter in Nakhon Ratchasima told AFP he "earned" around 2,000 baht ($62) from several different parties right before the 2011 election.

But his political loyalty cannot be rented, the 33-year-old insisted, requesting anonymity.

"We will take the money but will vote for whoever improves our the economic situation of our area," he said.
By Lamine Chikhi and Hamid Ould Ahmed ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria's newly-appointed prime minister has started talks to form a new government, state media reported on Sunday, in a move designed to placate protesters demanding President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika and his inner circle step down. The discussions began as some workers at Algeria's biggest gas field staged a protest against "extending the fourth term", an energy official said, referring to a proposal by Bouteflika to stay in office until a new constitution is adopted. Output at the Hassi Rmel field was not affected, said the official from state oil and gas company Sonatrach. He described the protests as "minor", but such politically-motivated action suggests Algeria's reform push has won some influence inside an enterprise that is the north African country's main economic pillar. Algerians, who have been demonstrating for over three weeks, have rejected overtures by Bouteflika, who has reversed a decision to stand for another term after 20 years in power. Bouteflika stopped short of relinquishing office and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted, in effect extending his fourth term in office, meaning he will likely remain in power for some time. State news agency APS reported that the new cabinet would include experts without political affiliation and will "reflect the demographics of the Algerian society". The aim is to "show willingness to establish a government of great openness", APS quoted an official source as saying. However Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui is unlikely to defuse anger on the streets simply by starting talks on a new administration. "The new government will fall in 24 hours as long as it lacks legitimacy and popular support," said Fodil Boumala, one of the people protesters have chosen to spearhead popular pressure against what they see as an authoritarian system. PROMISES OF REFORM Algerians have previously heard promises from Bouteflika, who has hinted at wide ranging political reform and steps to improve an economy which has offered many Algerians few opportunities despite the country's oil and natural gas wealth. Protesters have grown tired of the same ruling elite, veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France, the military, intelligence agencies and big businessmen. Algerians have made it clear they will only settle for new leaders who can improve living standards, deliver greater freedoms and dismantle a Soviet-style bureaucracy that has discouraged investors. On Friday, hundreds of thousands of people staged the biggest demonstration since the unrest began. Some carried banners saying "No to Bedoui". Bouteflika has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. Protesters say he is no longer fit for office. The president has been losing allies in recent days since returning from medical treatment in Switzerland, including senior members of the ruling National Liberation Front party, known by its French acronym FLN. Protests have been mostly peaceful, with security forces showing restraint. The military, which is expected to keep playing its influential behind-the-scenes role as a power broker, has stayed in the barracks. Giving details of the gas field protests, the head of Sonatrach's communication department Mounir Sakhri told Reuters that production at both Hassi Messaoud and Hassi Rmel fields was still flowing as usual. "(There were) some minor protests that did not affect our business," Sakhri said. Algeria is an important gas supplier to Europe, mainly Italy, Spain and France. Its oil output is about one million barrels per day, and gas output is about 135 billion cubic meters per year. Several foreign firms operate in the country including BP, Total and Repsol. In the 1990s, oil and gas production never stopped despite the country's descent into chaos. (Reporting By Algeria Newsroom; Writing by Michael Georgy, Editing by Toby Chopra, William Maclean)
By Doina Chiacu and Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Sunday championed a Fox News personality who made anti-Muslim remarks as his White House rejected any attempt to link the U.S. leader to a shooter who killed 50 people in two New Zealand mosques. The violence against Muslims in New Zealand on Friday put a spotlight on Trump's rhetoric about Islam and revived criticism of his handling of white supremacist violence. "Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro," Trump wrote in Twitter posts in which he blamed Democrats for trying to "silence a majority of our Country" and advocated supporters to "stop working soooo hard on being politically correct." At the same time, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney appeared on Sunday television news shows to tamp down criticism that Trump has not been strong enough in condemning hate speech and has fomented anti-Muslim sentiment. "The president is not a white supremacist. I'm not sure how many times we have to say that," Mulvaney said on "Fox News Sunday". On Friday, Trump condemned the "horrible massacre" at the mosques and the White House called the shooting a "vicious act of hate." Asked by a reporter if he saw white nationalism as a rising threat around the world, Trump said: "I dont really. I think its a small group of people." The accused gunman praised Trump in a manifesto as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose." Mulvaney said the mosque massacres were the work of a disturbed individual and it would not be fair to align the shooter with Trump or any other politician. "I disagree that there's a causal link between Donald Trump being president and something like this happening in New Zealand," he told CBS' "Face the Nation." Trump drew strong criticism in the days after a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 when he equated white supremacists with counter-protesters and said "both sides" were to blame. Pirro, a supporter of the president, was rebuked by Fox News last Sunday over comments she made questioning whether a Muslim congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, was more loyal to Islamic sharia law than the U.S. Constitution. Pirro's show, "Justice with Judge Jeanine," was removed from its usual time slot on Saturday night. Fox News has not confirmed Pirro was suspended and said it would not comment further on the matter on Sunday. "Nice message for the president to send three days after a deadly terrorist attack on Muslims - standing up for a host who was suspended for anti-Muslim bigotry," Matthew Miller, a Justice Department spokesman under Democratic President Barack Obama, said on Twitter. Democratic lawmakers on Sunday called on Trump to defend Muslims publicly after the massacres and recognize the threat posed by white supremacists. "His rhetoric doesn't help," Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic presidential candidate, said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "At the very least, he is dividing people. They are using him as an excuse." On the campaign trail in 2016, Trump followed such statements as "I think Islam hates us," with an effort a week into his presidency to ban citizens of several Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. After court challenges, the administration revised the policy. U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Muslim, noted that government data shows a spike in hate crimes in the last decade, citing mass shootings at a synagogue and a black church. "He cannot just say it's a small group of people," she said on CNN. "We need to be speaking up against this and it has to start with him. He needs to do better by us and the country. He needs to speak up and condemn this very loud and very clearly." Hate crimes in the United States jumped 17 percent in 2017, according to FBI data. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Mary Milliken and Lisa Shumaker)
Britain's nightlife is hard to beat - istock

Something strange happened on the way to the pub: the sky burst into life. Walking down the unlit lane through the barely lit village on the edge of the inky North Sea, I was blindsided by the depth of the darkness and, with every passing second, by the intensifying brightness up above.

Every time my eyes scanned a different patch of the heavens, a new pinprick appeared, as if by merely looking I was magicking the stars; every glimpse conjured another constellation, another fanciful join-the-dots of ancient serpents, centaurs or gods.

I was star-struck, but in the best possible way. Id come to North Norfolk to walk along its coast path, drawn by birds and beaches, Blakeney seals and Cromer crabs. I hadnt factored in the nightlife. But this rural, industrially sparse, open-horizoned part of Britain is, I have since discovered, one of the best places in the country for astronomy.

Within the Norfolk Area of Natural Beauty (norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk) there are two Dark Sky Discovery Sites, which are among the few places in the UK where you easily see the Milky Way or the full constellation of Orion with the naked eye. Here I was, a world-ranging traveller, having an out-of-this-world experience barely 40 miles (64km) from Norwich  the city of my birth.

There are 66 million people on this jam-packed isle. Thats a lot of light bulbs. And a lot of resultant light pollution casting an ugly, obstructive glow on the night sky. It sometimes seems incredible that we can see any stars at all. Undoubtedly the planet does have better outposts for astronomy  strand yourself in Namibia, a nation four times Great Britains size, whose entire population wouldnt fill Greater Manchester, and youll see galaxies very far, far away.

For a small, overcrowded country, we have some remarkably sparkly places Credit: istock

But for a small, overcrowded country, we have some remarkably sparkly places. From the emptiest enclaves of our national parks to the eyepieces of hi-tech observatories, there are spots where you can acutely feel your insignificance. In a good way.

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An astronomer once told me that for thousands of years most humans would spend their evenings gathered around the fire, telling tales of the characters they saw in the stars; today, being enveloped by a properly dark sky brings us a little closer to that lost world. Its a deep reconnection with nature at its most infinite.

Seeing the stars might actually be good for our health, too. Disrupting the daily rhythm of light and dark with artificial illuminations is connected with processes that can result in chronic disease; by igniting the night, were stressing our bodies to an inorganic barrage with which theyre ill-equipped to deal.

We have an obsession with the stars Credit: istock

Perhaps this all explains our continued obsession with the stars and space, a fascination thats dimmed little since man first stood on the moon in July 1969. Plenty of exhibitions and TV documentaries will mark the 50th anniversary of this giant leap. And from April 2019, with an initial focus on the moon landing, the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres (sciencecentres.org.uk) will launch a two-and-a-half-year programme of space-science education for children and families across 13 museums, from Aberdeen to East Sussex.

Nothing widens your perspective like learning more about the universe. But ultimately all you need to do is look up, if you find the right place

Britain's most heavenly views

Isles of Scilly

Some 28 miles (45km) from any mainland light pollution, the Isles of Scilly have spectacularly dark skies. In February 2019 a group of amateur astronomers opened the most south-westerly observatory in the UK. Built in a designated Dark Sky Discovery Zone, the community-funded facility has two domes (one for deep sky viewing, one with the capacity for solar viewing) and a warm room where regular talks and workshops are held.

Events cost 5/3 adult/child (cosmosscilly.co.uk).

The Isles of Scilly aren't bad by day either Credit: Getty

Cheshire & the Peak District

Cheshires Jodrell Bank Observatory, home to the 250ft diameter Lovell Telescope, will find out in July 2019 whether its been awarded Unesco World Heritage status. In preparation, visitor facilities have been improved and a new gallery celebrating radio astronomy is being created. Learn about outer space here, then head east into the Peak District for good dark skies. For instance, a night hike up the Bronze Age hill fort of Mam Tor affords unobstructed views with little in the way of light pollution.

Open daily, 10am-5pm. Adults/children 8.50/6.50 (01477 571766; jodrellbank.net).

Exmoor, Devon & Somerset

In 2011 Exmoor was designated Europes First International Dark Sky Reserve. The parks communities continue to work together to reduce light pollution, ensuring it remains one of the countrys best astronomy spots  especially sites within the core dark sky zone, including Holdstone Hill, County Gate, Webbers Post and Wimbleball Lake. Pick up a stargazing leaflet from one of the national park centres, which also hire telescopes. The next Exmoor Dark Skies Festival is Oct 14-Nov 3 2019.

Telescope hire from 25 per night (01398 323665; exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk).

The Brecon Beacons are Waless first International Dark Sky Reserve Credit: istock

Brecon Beacons, Wales

Waless first International Dark Sky Reserve, the Brecon Beacons has extremely low light pollution and exceptionally good astronomical potential. Accessible and glittering locations include the car park at Pen-Rhiw-Ddu, just off the road that runs over the Black Mountain; the National Park Visitor Centre, near Libanus, where theres plenty of space to set up telescopes; Usk Reservoir, which is well shielded from the light pollution of southern Wales; and crag-top Carreg Cennen (just outside the park, near Llandeilo), where you can see some of the regions darkest skies twinkle above the castle ruins. Dark sky events are occasionally held.

Perseid meteor shower event, Aug 16 2019, 15 (01874 623366; breconbeacons.org).

Glenlivet and Tomintoul, Cairngorms

Remote, lowly populated and surrounded by 2,624ft hills that protect it from light pollution, Glenlivet and Tomintoul  the worlds northernmost Dark Sky Park  has some of the UKs blackest skies. Its ideal not only for amazing gazing but, given the latitude, does afford a chance to catch the mirrie dancers, or northern lights. There are three Dark Sky Discovery Sites within the park, with car parking and interpretation. Field of Hope has exceptionally good all-round visibility to the horizon; the outer planets can be seen here year round. The remote Carrachs and Blairfindy Moor are especially good for the northern lights and outer planets between September and March.

Parking free across the Glenlivet Estate (01479 870070; glenlivetestate.co.uk; darkskies.glenlivet-cairngorms.co.uk).

Long Mynd, Shropshire

A lot of National Trust land  from Cambridgeshires Wicken Fen to Wasdale in Cumbria  is good for stargazing; National Trust sites also have good car parks and sometimes wider, more even footpaths, making it easier to access more remote areas at night. Try the Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd, where there are four Dark Sky Discovery Sites, all of which have been awarded the higher Milky Way class designation, which means that the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye.

Car parking from 3.50 (01694 725000; nationaltrust.org.uk).
By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - A top Vatican official says China's government should not fear "distrust or hostility" from the Roman Catholic Church, writing amid speculation over whether President Xi Jinping will meet Pope Francis this week. Senior Vatican sources have said Francis is willing to meet Xi and that intermediaries had made overtures to the Vatican, but the Chinese side had not yet formally asked for a meeting. Any encounter would be the first between a Chinese leader and a pope. Xi's visit, starting Thursday, is his first to Italy following a historic agreement in September between the Vatican and the Chinese government on the appointment of bishops in China. Beijing cut diplomatic ties with the Vatican in 1951 and has remained concerned that an independent Church in China could threaten its authority. "The Holy See (nurtures) no distrust or hostility toward any country," Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin writes in the introduction of a new book on China to be published on Tuesday. An advance copy of Parolin's comments in the book, "The Church in China - A Future Yet to be Written" - were made available to Reuters. Parolin, second only to the pope in the Vatican hierarchy, said the Catholic Church's work in China "cannot be separated from a stance of respect, esteem, and trust toward the Chinese people and their legitimate state authorities." This appeared to be another attempt by the Vatican to allay Beijing's concerns. While the historic September agreement initiated an unprecedented direct dialogue between the Vatican and China, Beijing and the Holy See have not resumed diplomatic, relations. Parolin wrote that the previously "inextricable knots" in relations between China and the Vatican could be untied through a new, unified approach involving a mix of "theology, law, pastoral work, and even diplomacy." It is routine for heads of state and government visiting Italy to also meet the pope. A Vatican source said it could be inserted into Xi's schedule "at the last minute". A Vatican spokesman said it is not on the pope's schedule. The September deal, in the making for more than 10 years, gives the Vatican a long-sought say in the choice of bishops in China. Critics, particularly conservative Catholics, have labeled it a sellout to the Communist government. China's approximately 12 million Catholics have been split between an underground Church swearing loyalty to the Vatican and the state-supervised Catholic Patriotic Association. Now both sides recognize the pope. Many believe the September deal is a precursor to resumption of diplomatic ties with Beijing. That would mean severing relations with Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province. The Vatican is the self-ruled island's last remaining diplomatic ally in Europe. (Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Christchurch Massacre suspect Brenton Tarrant appears in court. - Getty Images AsiaPac

Police in New Zealand said on Sunday that the right-wing terrorist behind a massacre at two mosques in Christchurch was acting alone, as it emerged the killer's manifesto had been sent to the country's prime minister minutes before the tragedy unfolded.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, sent a racist, rambling manifesto to prime minister Jacinda Ardern in which he denied being linked to any organisations and said he was acting on his own.

The document, which praised President Donald Trump and Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik, was emailed to Ms Ardern's office just 9 minutes before the attack began.

However, a senior White House official said it was unfair to cast the shooter as a supporter of President Trump based on one reference to him in the manifesto.

Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told "Fox News Sunday" that the shooter was a "disturbed individual" and an "evil person." Mr Mulvaney said attempts to tie the shooter to any American politician "probably ignores some of the deeper difficulties that this sort of activity exposes."

It came as a man whose wife was killed in the attack as she rushed back into a mosque to rescue him said he harbours no hatred toward the gunman, insisting forgiveness is the best path forward. "I would say to him 'I love him as a person'," said Farid Ahmad, whose wife Husna Ahmad, 44, was killed at the Al Noor mosque - the first of two targeted by the gunman. "I could not accept what he did. What he did was a wrong thing," he added.

A man reacts following the attacks on Friday.

Asked if he forgave the 28-year-old white supremacist suspect, he said: "Of course. The best thing is forgiveness, generosity, loving and caring, positivity."

Tarrant has also broadcast the massacre live on social media, using a head-mounted camera, which sparked an outcry across the world as platforms such as Facebook were slow to take down the grisly footage.

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Facebook, YouTube and Twitter had scrambled to take down duplicates of the video at the request of the New Zealand police. The footage showed worshippers being sprayed with bullets, with some trying to crawl away, as Tarrant moved through Al Noor Mosque.

A spokesman for Facebook said it had blocked or removed 1.5m copies of the video after the original was streamed online. Traditional media outlets were also criticised for broadcasting lengthy segments of the 16-minute video clip.

Sky New Zealand removed Rupert Murdoch-owned Sky News Australia from broadcasts after the channel repeatedly screened extracts of the footage. We made the decision on Friday with Sky News Australia to replace their live news with sport, Sky New Zealand tweeted on Friday evening.

The call was made to ensure coverage doesnt compromise ongoing investigations in NZ. On Sunday, Ms Ardern said the bodies of those who died were beginning to be returned to their families as of that evening. She said it was expected all would be returned by Wednesday.

Two days after the massacre, Dunedin woman Jackie Lawton, 34, said she was "still just overwhelmed and so sad thinking about the lives lost. She went to a vigil with hundreds of others, held outside Dunedins Al Huda Mosque on Sunday afternoon.

The last time Ms Lawton attended a vigil was in December, to honour slain British backpacker Grace Millane. When Grace Millane was murdered the whole country mourned, deeply, for weeks. We felt like we knew her, even though shed been here for such a short time, she said. This is 50 people though  each one as loved and needed as Grace. This is Grace times 50 and I dont know if we can even process that.

Flowers, candles, and messages of solidarity had been placed in front of the mosque and a group sang hymns before performing a haka. Vigils have been held the length of the country over the weekend. Christchurch local James Tawhiti, 41, had driven down to Dunedin on Saturday because it was too tense and sad and awful."

Weve all already been through the earthquakes, that screwed a lot of people up, he said. But this is somehow worse because its a man-made tragedy.

Natural disasters arent evil like this and it just feels like weve lost something, maybe our innocence. Three students from Cashmere High School were at the Al Noor Mosque for Friday prayers when the attacker burst in. Two of the students are presumed dead and the third is in the hospital with gunshot wounds.

The father of Sayyad Milne, 14, told the New Zealand Herald that his son was last seen lying on the bloody floor of the mosque bleeding from his lower body. "I've lost my little boy. He's just turned 14," he told the newspaper. "I remember him as my baby who I nearly lost when he was born.

Such a struggle he's had throughout all his life. He's been unfairly treated but he's risen above that and he's very brave. A brave little soldier. It's so hard ... to see him just gunned down by someone who didn't care about anyone or anything," Milne said. "I know where he is. I know he's at peace."

Current students weren't the only ones caught in Friday's mass shootings, the deadliest terrorist attacks in the country's modern history.

A former Cashmere High School student is also believed to have been killed, as was the father of another student. Outside the school on Sunday, students came in a trickle to lean bouquets of flowers up against a construction barricade, evidence of the ongoing rebuilding from Christchurch's 2011 earthquake.

Principal Mark Wilson said counselors and trauma specialists will be on hand when classes resume at the diverse school of more than 2,000. "I'm very confident in our staff; I'm very confident in our school community. It's made up of awesome people," Wilson said. "It's still going to be hard. There's going to be a lot of grief. There's going to be a lot of sadness. I think we've also got to be very patient with each other."

Wilson declined to talk about the boys believed to have been killed, but confirmed three students were at the mosque on Friday and said one remained hospitalized with gunshot wounds to the leg. The principal noted that schools can often be a safe place for children coping with trauma.

He is also encouraging students to take up their own acts of love to counteract the tragedy.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reiterated her promise for changes to the countrys gun laws Sunday, two days after a gunman killed 50 people in a terrorist attack on two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

Ardern said at a news conference that laws need to change and they will change. She said her Cabinet will discuss the policy details Monday.

New Zealand has fewer restrictions on rifles or shotguns than many countries. Handguns are more tightly controlled.

The death toll in the attack at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques rose to 50 people Saturday; victims range in age from 2 to over 60, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Services for the victims were held at churches across the country Sunday, and people laid flowers at memorial sites. A group of bikers performed the haka  a traditional ceremonial dance of New Zealand's Maori people  at the memorial in Christchurch.

Thirty-nine people remained in the hospital, and 11 were in intensive care in critical condition, the Herald said. It said a 4-year-old child was transferred to Starship children's hospital in Auckland on New Zealands North Island.

Relatives waited Sunday for authorities to release the remains of their loved ones. Islamic law calls for bodies to be buried as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours. Many of the victims were immigrants from countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

Ardern said a small number of bodies would start being released to families Sunday evening. Authorities hoped to release all them by Wednesday.

Members of the Muslim community lay flowers at the memorial wall at the Botanic Gardens on March 17, 2019 in Christchurch, New Zealand. 50 people are confirmed dead, with dozens injured still in hospital following shooting attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday, March 15th.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said police worked with pathologists and coroners to release the bodies as soon as possible.

We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen, he said. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible.

Story continues

Police said they released a preliminary list of the victims to families.

More: Death toll rises to 50 in New Zealand mosque shootings

More: 'I was the last person to get out alive': Narrow escape from the New Zealand mosque

Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, an Australian man, appeared in court Saturday and was charged with one count of murder. The judge said it was reasonable to assume more such charges would follow. The suspect was ordered to return to court April 5. Two other people, a man and a woman, who were arrested soon after the shootings were not linked to the alleged shooter.

The suspected gunman, who described himself as a white supremacist, emailed a copy of a more-than-70-page anti-immigrant manifesto to Ardern's office and more than 60 other recipients shortly before the attack, according to media reports.

"I was one of more than 30 recipients of the manifesto that was mailed out nine minutes before the attack took place," Ardern said Sunday, Agence France Presse reported.

"It did not include a location, it did not include specific details," she said. Ardern said the document was sent to security services within two minutes of receiving it.

Sayyad Milne, 14, was killed at Al Noor Mosque. His father, John Milne, described him as a "brave little soldier," the New Zealand Herald reported. The newspaper said Sayyad attended the mosque with his mother and friends every Friday.

"I've lost my little boy," his father said. "I remember him as my baby who I nearly lost when he was born. Such a struggle he's had throughout all his life. A brave little soldier. It's so hard ... to see him just gunned down by someone who didn't care about anyone or anything."

Contributing: Doug Stanglin and Dalvin Brown; The Associated Press

More: Australian premier sides with teen who cracked egg on senator who blamed Muslims for New Zealand attack

More: How a hero in New Zealand mosque attack used cat-and-mouse chase, shooter's own gun to save lives

More: New Zealand mosque shootings: Rights groups accuse US of exporting extremism

More: Christchurch mosque attacks: Mass shootings are rare in New Zealand

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Zealand PM vows tighter gun laws after death toll in Christchurch terror attack rises to 50
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday condemned the endless killings and reprisals in Kaduna State, advising the perpetrators to sheathe their swords.

The President, who said he was deeply troubled by the killings, noted that violence could only leave sadness on its trail for the attackers on both sides of the divide.

I am deeply troubled by the fact that the sanctity of life is now treated with such reckless disregard that people derive joy in shedding the blood of others or perceived enemies, Buhari was quoted as saying in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu.

Buhari added that inhumanity has replaced compassion in the hearts and minds of the perpetrators of these atrocities.

The President observed that No responsible leader would go to bed happy to see his citizens savagely killing one another on account of ethnic and religious bigotry.

The President called for patience and dialogue on both sides, saying, Violence cannot be the solution to these persistent conflicts as long as people resort to deliberate provocation, revenge, and counter-revenge.

Buhari further stated that the government was in search of a solution, adding, While the government remains committed to protecting its citizens, the communities involved must also put their shoulder to the wheel in order to find a lasting solution.

He also said a lack of cooperation by those involved might frustrate the governments efforts towards finding a lasting solution, especially if those efforts are politicised.

Sounding frustrated, the President noted, If the people resist governments efforts to hold the perpetrators and their sponsors accountable, it would be very difficult to bring the violence to a permanent end.

He also expressed his regrets, Everything is politicised in Nigeria, including the efforts to bring offenders to justice, because their people will rise up in arms to resist their arrests and prosecution.

The President went further to say that hatred, bigotry, and prejudice greatly fuelled the killings as deadly poisons that have infected the human psyche on such scale that people now dont have any moral inhibitions about taking life.

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Home | News | General | Presidency keeps mum on Buharis CSO removal

Following reports that the chief security officer (CSO) to President Muhammadu Buhari has been removed, the presidency is yet to confirm to the news.

Premium Times had reported that Bashir Abubakar was removed and replaced by Idris Ahmed from the headquarters of the State Security Services in Abuja.

It was gathered that Abubakar was ordered to proceed on an immediate strategic course at a university in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the insistence of the Director General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi.

Although details are still sketchy about Abubakar's removal, Daily Trust reports that the presidential spokespersons, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, are yet to reply to text messages sent to them on the matter.

READ ALSO: Supplementary polls: INEC promises to be fair in Plateau

Abubakar before his removal was appointed as Buharis CSO in July 2015. He was an assistant director in the Bayelsa state command of the DSS.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the SSS in Taraba state arrested and paraded three suspects with over 300 permanent voters cards (PVCs).

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According to the report, the acting state director of the DSS, Tunji Bakari, paraded the suspects in Jalingo, the state capital.

He said the arrest followed information the police received in collaboration with other security agencies.

The PVC, according to the DSS, were recovered in the house of a special assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku whose name was withheld.

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Election not a do or die affair - Sanwoolu | Legit TV

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Home | News | General | PDP accuses INEC chairman of denying Atiku access to inspect election materials

- PDP has accused the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood of denying Atiku Abubakar access to inspect election material

- The party said the electoral body has refused to obey the March 6, 2019 ruling of the Appeal Court

- According to PDP, INEC plans collaborate with APC to frustrate the people-backed resolve by Atiku and the party

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday, March 16, accused the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood of denying the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, access to inspect electoral materials.

The party in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiya, said Mahmood and INEC has refused to obey the March 6, 2019 ruling of the Appeal Court.

Ologbondiya said the alleged attempt to disobey the court order is a deliberate and wicked ploy by INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate the people-backed resolve by Atiku Abubakar and the PDP.

READ ALSO: Presidency keeps mum on Buharis CSO removal

He said the party had written the electoral body through its legal team on March 11 and 12 respectively causing the order to be served on INEC and requesting access to the said documents and materials.

Ologbondiya said: "Despite being served with the Order and several follow-ups, the leadership of INEC has refused to grant the PDP and Atiku Abubakar access to the materials and documents, notwithstanding the urgency of the matter."

"This action by the leadership of INEC has further exposed that it has been heavily compromised by the Buhari Presidency to rig the February 23, 2019 Presidential election and to frustrate the quest by Nigerians to reclaim the mandate from President Muhammadu Buhari and save the nation from the crisis of an illegitimate government.

"The leadership of INEC and the APC are seeking to frustrate our court option, seeing that the documents and materials will expressly show that Atiku Abubakar clearly won the election by the votes directly delivered at the polling units across the country as well as expose how the commission and the Buhari Presidency manipulated the results for President Buhari.

READ ALSO: Breaking: APC rejects INECs decision on Bauchi governorship election

"The PDP cautions the INEC to note that Nigerians are now aware of its manipulative tendencies and that any further delay in granting access to the materials might attract public odium," Ologbondiya said.

The party further urged INEC to end "its unpatriotic partisan shenanigans with the APC and immediately obey the Court of Appeal and grant the PDP and Atiku Abubakar access to the documents and materials and free itself from unholy entanglement with the APC against Nigerians."

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the APC in Bauchi had rejected the decision by the IINEC to cancel the scheduled supplementary election in Tafawa Balewa local government area of the state. The party said the decision and action taken by the INEC is null and void.

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Speaking during a press conference in Bauchi on Saturday, March 16, the Bauchi state APC chairman, Uba Nana, said the position taken by the electoral body contravenes the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

Nana said INEC is not empowered to reverse any decision taken at the Collation Center by the Returning Officer appointed for that purpose.

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2019 elections: Do you still trust INEC to conduct fair elections? - Nigerians speak| Legit TV

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Home | News | General | How my brother failed Kwara people - Sarakis sister opens up, begs for forgiveness

- Senate president Bukola Sarakis sister, Oyinkansola Saraki, said he was disappointed with her brothers performance as governor and senator

- Oyinkansola said Saraki failed the people of Kwara

- The Senate presidents sister urged Kwara state governor-elect, Abdurahman Abdurazaq, to give her the opportunity to correct the family wrong to avoid nemesis

Senate president Bukola Sarakis sister, Oyinkansola Saraki, has called out his brother on a national TV programme, saying said he failed to live up to expectations while he served as the governor of Kwara state.

Oyinkansola condemned her brothers performance and begged the people of Kwara for forgiveness while appearing on TVCs Your View on Thursday, March 14.

The Senate president was elected governor of Kwara in 2003. After his tenure, he refused, against his fathers wish, to support his sister, Gbemisola, a former senator, to succeed him.

Instead, he supported the incumbent governor, Ahmed Abdulfatai, who floored his sister.

READ ALSO: AAC, APC react as INEC decides to resume collation of Rivers election results

The Senate president lost his political influence in the 2019 elections. Apart from failing to return to the Senate, losing the ticket to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, his annointed governorship candidate, Razak Atunwa, also lost to the APC governorship candidate, Abdurahman Abdurazaq, leading to a complete shattering of the Saraki political dynasty.

Commenting on the development, Oyinkansola said she was disappointed with the way her brother governed the state.

She said: I am disappointed that Bukola Saraki did not do well when he was a governor in Kwara state having studied in the United Kingdom. Bukola and I studied in the United Kingdom, he knows all the good things in the United Kingdom. We think (thought) he should (would) reciprocate that in Kwara when he became the governor but he failed them.

Even as a Senate president, he has not carried the people of Kwara along. I am not happy the way my brother served Kwarans.

She appealed to the newly elected state governor to give her the opportunity to correct the family wrong to avoid nemesis.

I just want the governor-elect to give me a chance to serve the people of Kwara. Just to say we are sorry. I dont need an appointment. Nemesis will catch up. I dont want nemesis to catch up on my children, my grandchildren or upon myself. Thats why I am saying the truth now, she said.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Oloriegbe, the senator-elect for Kwara Central, said that he will perform far better than Saraki in the ninth Senate.

He made the assertion on Thursday, March 14 after collecting his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Oloriegbe stated that Saraki did not set any standard of performance for any successor to study, despite the fact that he attained the position of Senate president.

The senator-elect stated that by his brand of politics and ambition, Saraki focused more on national politics and not on responsive and quality representation for his constituents, the people of Kwara Central.

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2019 Election: Nigerians react to Saraki's loss as INEC releases more results - on Legit TV:

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Home | News | General | Breaking: Fresh attack claims 9 lives in Kaduna

- A fresh attack in Nandu village in Sanga local government area of Kaduna state has led to the killing of nine people

- The attack which was carried out on Friday, March 15, night is said to have been a reprisal to an earlier one in the area

- Residents said the attack is suspected to have been carried out by some herders in the area

Nine people have been killed in a fresh attack in Nandu, a village in Sanga local government area of Kaduna state.

Daily Trust reports that the attack which is suspected to be a reprisal after an initially killing before the last election, where eleven cows and twenty eight sheep were killed took place on Friday, March 15, night.

Residents said the reprisal attack is suspected to have been launched by herders in the area.

The chairman of the local government area, Charles Danladi, however said normalcy has returned to the affected area.

Danladi also said that authorities of the local government had intensified efforts at dousing down tension to prevent the possibility of counter reprisals.

According to him, youths in the area had been summoned and counseled against embarking on any acts capable of escalating the ugly situation.

Condemning the killings, the Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai said nine people were reportedly killed.

READ ALSO: Presidency keeps mum on Buharis CSO removal

El-Rufai in a statement released by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Samuel Samuel Aruwan,said the state government has been briefed by the security agencies on the killing of nine persons by criminal elements.

The governor said: The security agencies have so far recovered nine corpses, including children. The attackers also burnt several houses in the village."

Commiserating with the families of the victims, the governor prayed for the repose of their souls of thise killed in the attack.

Government, security agencies, traditional and religious institutions will continue to work towards sustainable peace.

Security agencies have been deployed in the area, and the State Emergency Management Agency has been directed to immediately provide relief materials to the affected community," the statement said.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that El-Rufai had dismissed suggestions that he is biased against Christians in the state, noting that he has nothing against them.

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El-Rufai on Saturday, February 9, at a town hall meeting with a group of pastors said that he had never made any decision based on religion and ethnicity.

He said that his decision to pick a Muslim running mate was not based on religion and ethnicity, as speculated.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: We have upgraded to serve you better.

Nigeria Latest News: Buhari vs Atiku - 2019 Elections | Legit TV

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Home | News | General | Threat to life: Former APC chieftain suffering from drug induced hallucination - Group

- A group has condemned an allegation against the military by a former deputy national publicity of the APC

- The group said Timi Frank is is suffering from telltale signs of induced hallucination

- CATE also urged the military and security agencies to be proactive in addressing the risk posed by individuals like Frank

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) has alleged that former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, is suffering from telltale signs of induced hallucination.

The assertion by CATE follows Frank's allegation that Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and the military high command of a plot to kill him.

This was in reaction to an online message designed by the military in which they accused the foul-mouthed activist of being a protagonist of fake news.

READ ALSO: Presidency keeps mum on Buharis CSO removal

In a statement released on Friday, March 15, in Abuja CATE's national coordinator, Gabriel Onoja, said there's a fresh risk to Nigeria from people like Timi Frank and his paymasters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who want to use the elections as basis to trigger fresh crisis that will snowball into major security concerns for the country.

Onoja urged the military and security agencies to be proactive in addressing the risk posed in this regard.

He said: CATE will continue to prefer the outcome whereby the Nigerian Army deals decisive blows to terrorists and prevents them from achieving their goals. Where these goals happen to be in the interest of an opposition party then the party would have to bear the loss of the funds it paid to the terrorists to plan attacks."

We do not expect that any sane group or political party will be lamenting an inability to cause terror to citizens, even when the pursuit of the highest office in the land is at stake. It is even more bizarre that the choice of the channel for venting the frustration over the efficient way the Army played its role was to engage a conflicted Timi Frank to tell lies.

In his bid to execute this nefarious assignment, Timi Frank, today, issued a false statement with the headline Buratai, Military After My Life, Alleges Timi Frank.

Contrary to the false claims in his statement, several groups have acknowledged how the role of the military helped dampened the prospect for violence during the election. The attempt to create the impression that the elections would have run smoothly and safely without military presence borders on irresponsible," Onoja said.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian army had branded Frank and the chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (APC), Buba Galadima, as disgruntled Nigerians who spread fake news.

The army in a tweet on Thursday, March 14, described both Frank and Galadima as protagonists of fake news.

The tweet from the army urged the public to neither spread nor retweet their false information from Frank and Galadima.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

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Home | News | General | Meet inspiring teenager Dylan Chidick who has gained admission to 17 universities

- A young man, Dylan Chidick, has gained admission to 17 universities out of the 18 he applied to

- According to reports, the formerly homeless lad would be the first in his family to attend university

- Dylan hopes to major in political science and become a lawyer

For most people, education is the key to success a number of individuals often hope to attain knowledge at higher levels.

Some people are opportune to live a good life and afford quality education, while others are not so fortunate but they try to make the best of their situation.

Legit.ng has gathered the report of a young lad, Dylan Chidick, who will be the first person to have a university education in his family after he gained admission to 17 out of the 18 schools he applied to.

Dylan with his mother Photo: Women Rising

Source: UGC

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Dylan who lives in New Jersey had suffered very rough times with his family who were even homeless at a time. The young lad who had moved to America from Trinidad at just seven years old has now made his family proud.

He comes from a family where they barely make ends meet and they even endured homelessness with his junior twin brothers suffering from a serious heart disease.

Dylan revealed to CBS News that he had been told several times about how he would not be able to do some things but he is glad to have proved people wrong. He said: My family went through a lot and there has been a lot of people saying, 'you can't do that,' or 'you're not going to achieve this,' and me  getting these acceptances  kind of verifies what I have been saying. I can do it and I will do it.

The bright lad successfully gained admission to 17 out of 18 universities he applied to and his application fees were waived due to his financial situation.

Despite the setbacks in his life, Dylan, was the senior class president and the vice president of his school's National Honor Society.

Dylan has said that he would love to study political science and become a lawyer. He also hopes to help his mother achieve her dream of starting a Caribbean restaurant.

His story is inspiring. Congrats to him.

Meanwhile Legit.ng previously reported that some Nigerian celebrities have vowed to pay the fees of a young girl, Success, who was sent home from school for owing.

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Home | News | General | Akoko politics: Triumph over allied opposition

By Femi Salako

It will go down in the history of Akoko politics that Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo fought many battles before he could get elected as a House member to represent Akoko North East/Akoko North West federal constituency. He did fight oppositions from within and outside. There was no way BTO, as he is popularly called, could have won the election in spite of opposition from a sitting governor if not for the enthusiastic support of the people. Tunji-Ojo eventually triumphed over the allied opposition against all odds with 20,988 votes and thereby recorded the second highest victory margin of 8,021 votes in the entire state, after Hon. Adedayo Omolafe.

But for the widespread goodwill already gathered over the year by BTO, the outcome of the election would have been different. The name of Tunji-Ojo has become a household name in the Akoko area where he hails from. He contested the House of Representatives seat on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) and delivered for himself and the party against what seemed like insurmountable opposition.

Tunji-Ojo is clearly not in politics for personal gains because he is already made wealth and fame an accomplished businessman and management consultant before venturing into politics. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Matrix IT, New Planet Projects Limited and other thriving companies. He attained fame, wealth and prominence on account of his hard work, diligence and determination to succeed.

He is a well-read graduate of FUTA Staff School, Akure, London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom, Britannia Information Technology Training Academy in the United Kingdom and Smith Health Care in the United Kingdom where he bagged Bachelors and Masters degree and other professional certifications. Hon. Tunji-Ojo had a stint with HSC Bank, Barclays Bank and T-Mobile across Europe. He later returned to Nigeria to add value to the Nigerian society after giving so much value in building organisations overseas. He later returned to Nigeria and started his private business which has since grown in leaps and bounds. BTO has over the years offered consultancy services to Federal Government and several of its agencies and the National Assembly.

BTO had promised in several campaign fora to deliver effective representation to his constituents and nothing short of this is expected from him after inauguration into the lower legislative chamber.

So running for House of Representatives is to be able to position our constituency to benefit from core development while also trying to create wealth, said BTO in one of his political campaigns. He has also promised when elected to influence, persuade and lobby the Federal Government to intervene and embark on a total reconstruction of the road in his constituency which has become an eyesore.

Hon. Tunji-Ojo has constantly emphasized that he would give thoughts to his three political priorities of Infrastructural development; Wealth creation through employment and empowerment; education and healthcare.

His severally lamentation of lack of basic infrastructure in his constituency is expected to be given deserved attention by BTO at the green chamber. Apart from Irun Akoko, no other community in my LGA has a general hospital. Whenever there is an emergency, the patient will have to be taken to Ikare. In partnership with the primary healthcare development agency, we will facilitate the building of a primary healthcare centre in the communities that will bring quality healthcare closer to the people. It doesnt have to be a mega building, it may be small but must be well equipped to cater to basic primary healthcare needs of the people. I see no reason why there shouldnt be five hospitals in my LGA; one each in Ajowa, Ikaram, Oke-agbe, Arigidi, Ogbagi, Irun. Thats one of our priority areas, said Tunji-Ojo.

He also expected to deliver on the promises made concerning education during the cause of his campaign. According to BTO in one of his campaigns, How many of our schools have functional laboratories and computer centres, libraries? We must be able to use our involvement in government to facilitate some of these things. Some schools in my constituency dont have chairs where students can sit on, some dont even have a window.

Tunji-Ojo has definitely got wide exposure, impressive track record and broad network of friends to bank on for delivery of quality representation to the people of Akoko North East/West federal constituency. He also has a strong link with the grassroots to which community services has been his top priority over the years. His constant outreach and aggressive engagement with youths and women in his constituency stand clearly lend credence to his ability to deliver quality representation.

One of the things to be enjoyed by the constituents of Tunji-Ojo remains his accessibility. He has always made himself available to the people and consistently creating room to listen to and attend to the needs of his teeming constituents.

*Salako can be reached via triangle magazine8@gmail.com

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Home | News | General | How CP Muazu calmed frayed nerves in Lagos

By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor

It was like a baptism of fire. Just a few days after resuming duties as the Commissioner of Police, Lagos state, Zubairu Muazu had a taste of what it looks like to police the popular but notorious city of excellence. He came on the heels of serious preparations for elections into the different positions in the country.

Zubairu Muazu

However, the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos automatically made it one of the flashpoints of the election. In fact, it was like a do-or-die affair between the ruling APC and the major opposition party, PDP. What made it more worrisome was the seemingly belligerent posture of the incumbent Governor who was denied a second chance of governing the state and the uncertainty that surrounded his political leaning.

Worse still, the dwindling popularity of President Buhari of the APC and the anarchical posture of the man widely known as the godfather of South West politics, Senator Bola Tinubu, presented a glaring picture of desperation in all fronts. This, to a large extent, pitched a camp between those who claim to be real Lagosians and indigenes of other states especially those from the South Eastern part of the country reputed to constitute a sizeable chunk of visitors to Lagos.

Thus, the stage was glaringly set for an epic battle whose resultant effect was unpredictable. The embers of the palpable fire were stoked on the D-day at areas occupied majorly by non-indigenes of Lagos as heavily armed dare-devil political thugs unleashed mayhem at polling booths. Worst hit was the populated and densely populated Ago palace Way where they broke ballot boxes and burnt electoral materials. They also chased away voters who were busy exercising their franchise at different booths in and around the area.

This brazen attack in the full glare of security agencies and very near Ago Police station elicited no less a spontaneous reaction from the angry and aggrieved voters who gave them a hot chase and succeeded in nearly lynching one of the thugs at the scene. The boomerang effect of the attack led to fears in other areas occupied by non-indigenes prompting a red alert by the police to stem the escalation of, not just the crisis but, its attendant ethnic cleansing that may erupt.

Alas, the new Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu swiftly took the bull by the horn and swung into action. He made a quick detour from far away Lekki, Ajah, and River rine areas of the state where he was inspecting the conduct of the election and raced to the affected areas to calm frayed nerves which were already degenerating into crisis. His effort was nearly marred by some recalcitrant security agents who tried to divert his attention from the scene of the crisis at Ago Palace Way. He was, however, able to outsmart them and ended up arriving promptly at the scene and dousing the rising tension which could have snowballed into a serious ethnic crisis.

Not done yet, CP Muazu who was able to gather intelligence report pointing to planned reprisal attacks by both parties to the crisis quickly mapped out strategies aimed at ameliorating it. He embarked on visits to all the aggrieved parties where he assured them of the vow by the police to deal decisively with perpetrators of the heinous crime and called for calm. He equally summoned a meeting of leaders of all the ethnic groups in the state where fruitful discussions were held with firm assurances of maintaining peace during and after subsequent days of the election.

On the operational angle, the police in the state embarked on an all-out Operation Show Force where they showcased the preparedness of the force to quell any crisis and deal decisively with anybody caught breaching the peace. Remarkably, plain clothed intelligence men of the force were posted to strategic positions in flashpoints where the crisis may erupt while men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, diligently carried out raids on criminal hideouts with a view to rounding up all those that may allow themselves to be used in any criminal operation.

Unknown to many, while the police were busy dangling the carrot to suspected troubleshooters, they were also discreetly applying the stick to identified criminals in such a way that their dens were set on fire. This, to a large extent, helped tremendously in stemming the crisis that would have followed the attacks carried out on the first day of the election. Police sources intimated Crime Guard that CP Muazu personally led a midnight raid in some of the identified areas prone to crisis in the state.

Interestingly, the zeal with which the Commissioner of Police was able to synergise with other security agencies in the state remains a magic wand to many watchers. The dispassionate and non discriminatory manner the police in Lagos ended up cooling tempers, according to an activist who pleaded for anonymity, is worthy of emulation and kudos should go to the police helmsman in the state, Zubairu Muazu, who just assumed duties in the state only to be confronted with crisis of such gargantuan proportions in a volatile city like Lagos. It is a testimony that he is ably fit to paddle the canoe of crime fighting in the city, he concluded.

Meanwhile, information at our disposal revealed that the Commissioner of Police has also intensified efforts at solidifying the relationship between all ethnic groups in Lagos by holding meetings with their leaders even after the elections with a view to not only building a strong bridge but, ensuring that they contribute positively in stemming crime and criminality in the city.

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Home | News | General | Our breadwinner, Sugar, is gone  Brother of slain member of House of Reps

By Ola Ajayi and Adeola Badru, Ibadan

Though the police in Oyo State said the death of Hon. Temitope Olatoye, aka Sugar, a federal lawmaker from Lagelu/Akinyele Constituency, was not politically motivated, it would be difficult for his relatives, especially Hon. Olajide Olatoye, his elder brother, to believe that because it happened during penultimate Saturday elections.

Olatoye-Temitope-Sugar

The elder brother was reacting to statements credited to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Zone 11, Mr Leye Oyebade, and Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Shina Olukolu, that his siblings murder was just a case of murder.

Olajide, in an interview at their Alakia family house in Ibadan, maintained that the killing of the lawmaker had a political undertone, urging the police authorities to conduct a proper investigation into the matter.

With due respect, I think that statement has a political undertone. At the time they killed Sugar, did he go to Ojaba to buy yam? Or did he go to Bodija to buy beans? It was during the election when he was coming back from where he went to perform his civic responsibility as a good citizen of this country and as a federal legislator. His killing has much importance to his political murderers, he said.

So I am debunking the statement, with due respect, made by the AIG that his killing was not politically motivated. It was politically motivated.

Olatoye, however, commended the police for the efforts made so far in their investigation especially as some arrests have been made.

If the police believed it was not politically motivated, I want to appeal to the APC government to steer clear of this case, the bereaved brother said, adding that those behind the murder should be fished out and brought to justice.

I say categorically that Sugar was the breadwinner of the Olatoye family and they have taken him away. What is now our gain? And if this is not curbed, they will do it to other members of the family.

I want the Federal Government and the Inspector-General of Police to take note, the killing of my brother must not go like this and I am saying it, categorically, that am going to sacrifice anything to get the culprits who killed my younger brother.

Meanwhile, the Chief Whip of the state House of Assembly has been arrested in connection with the murder.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that there had been a lingering feud between him and the deceased lawmaker over the control of the local government.

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Home | News | General | Our son begged his killers with N20,000 but they insisted on killing him  Parents of slain NSCDC officer

By Bashir Bello, Katsina

For the family of Alhaji Umar Nuhu, March 9, 2019, will remain an unforgettable day as it was the day their son, CA2 Umar Aliyu, a security operative with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, went on election duty only for his lifeless body to be brought back.

Aliyu, 38-year-old and father of two kids, Al-Amin (4) and Mohammed (3-months), was killed by armed bandits who attacked Santar Amadi village polling unit in Kankara LGA of Katsina State.

A statement by the spokesperson for Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, confirming the incident, said the bandits shot Aliyu on his chest and he died on the spot.

Isah said, Today, at about 13:00hrs, armed bandits attacked Santar Amadi village polling unit at Kankara LGA of Katsina State, shooting sporadically into the air and later pursued and shot a Civil Defence Officer, CA2 Umar Aliyu, on his chest. The victim died on the spot.

Kankara is one of the nine front line local government areas of Katsina State with high cases of insecurity, ranging from kidnapping to cattle rustling, armed banditry and also sharing a border with the dreaded Rugu forest (harbouring all kinds of criminals) and Zamfara State.

A visit by our correspondent to the family house of the deceased, around Kwado area of Katsina metropolis where the family members have continued to receive sympathizers, showed that the deceased also carried out his election duty at the same area during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

He was said to have complained of the high level of insecurity in the area as everyone (residents) was in possession of a gun.

A fathers agony

The father of the deceased NSCDC officer, Alhaji Umar Nuhu, told the story of the killing.

His words, Our last discussion with him was on Wednesday before the governorship and state assembly polls). He told me that he will be going back to his duty post by Friday. He told me about his observation during his last duty in the area, during the presidential and National Assembly elections that there was a high level of insecurity in the area.

You will see the Fulanis, everybody with guns. That gun is displayed everywhere like groundnut. So I told him, if he will be working in the area, that he should ensure that the agreement reached during the presidential election  a kind of arrangement reached  which gave birth to the peaceful and smooth conduct of the elections should be replicated in the governorship election.

On Friday, before leaving for his duty post, he came to the house while I was asleep to tell his mom he was leaving. He bid her farewell. That was the last moment.

Allah gave me and He took him. So my prayer is whoever has a hand in the death of my son, Allah should expose and destroy him. I do this prayer in my own little way every time I pray. And I will continue until I also return to my Creator.

My son, I was told, brought out N20,000, gave to the bandits and begged them to spare his life but they told him they didnt need his money but his life.

He has two children, both males  Al-Amin (4) and Mohammed (3 months).

He was my firstborn. He has three younger brothers and three younger sisters.

I am appealing with a strong voice to the government that they do something urgent about his gratuity and that of other security operatives who were killed in active service. If the government gives the gratuity, it will cater to the family. It should not take a long period of time before it is paid as it has always been. It is not good enough that a staff member is killed and his family members are not catered for.

I bade him farewell, not knowing it was the last  Mother of the deceased

The mother of the deceased NSCDC officer, Hajiya Murja Dan-Binta, described the death of her son as an irreplaceable loss.

She said, Usually, every blessed day, as the day breaks, he would come to the house to greet me before going out to work. So, he came on that day, Friday, the eve of the elections. I asked him if he was leaving for election duty and he said he would be leaving after Jumaat prayer and that he was taking his wife to her family house. He returned around 9 am to tell me he was leaving, that they were called to leave because of insecurity in the area. So I bid him farewell. He gave me the keys to his apartment. I wished him the best of luck and prayed for Gods protection. I saw him off to the gates.

At about 3 pm the following day, Saturday, people started calling me to ask about what had happened. When I asked what happened, they refused to tell me, instead, they will end the calls. So I called my younger brother who works in the Nigeria Prisons Service to go to the headquarters to inquire about what happened to my son. He told me he was on his way to my house and then he began to preach to me. There and then he told me bandits killed my son.

It was an actually painful and irreplaceable loss which would remain in me until I return to my Creator. My son, Aliyu, was humble; he took good care of his family, catered for his family and us the parents. I pray that God grants him Aljannat Firdaus.

I appeal to the government not because I lost my son but to settle my sons gratuity and others who may have been killed in the line of duty promptly because of their families because, someday, they will all die and be a thing of the past.

Again, they should find a lasting solution to the issue of insecurity.

The lady with whom my son worked at the polling unit said the persons brought machine guns and started shooting sporadically. They all ran for their lives. He ran into a house, they surrounded the house and, in an attempt to jump the fence into another house, they dragged him down. He brought out N20,000 and begged them to spare his life but they told him they didnt need his money and went ahead to kill him.

The wife of the deceased officer, Hauwau Aminu, could not talk as she cried uncontrollably when our correspondent attempted to get her to speak about her last moments with her husband before he went on the ill-fated election duty.

Their first child, Alamin, was seen playing around with his peers as he didnt seem to know what was happening. Their three-months-old son, Mohammed, was seen sleeping.

Sympathizers trooped in droves into the family house at Kwado area of Katsina metropolis to condole with the bereaved members.

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Home | News | General | I came here to count ballot papers, not to count money, Igini tells politicians

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

The 2019 general elections in the country may have come and gone except in some states where the exercise was declared inconclusive. However, the elections were not conducted without casualties and heroes.

While some politicians who had planned to compromise the system may be nursing the injuries sustained during the process, those who were close to the electorate are basking in the euphoria of victory.

For the first time since democracy returned to the country in 1999, political heavyweights and godfathers appear to have lost out in the elections. This is what ordinarily would have not been possible in the past.

In Akwa Ibom State among others, there were upsets that have since become a topical discourse within the political sphere. The elections in the state have also made the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, there, Mike Igini, a hero of democracy. This is due largely to the wide accolades he continues to receive from well-meaning Nigerians.

Interestingly, Igini has a track record of integrity and firmness in handling national assignments. The Akwa Ibom State REC may have taken these virtues along with him in the conduct of the 2019 general elections in the state.

Reports indicate that, on arrival in September 2018 for the polls in the state, Igini met with political stakeholders where he made clear his vision and mission concerning the task at hand.

One of the things the REC did not mince words informing the people was about his firm position to insist on only the right but not the wrong. For Igini, he was in Akwa Ibom to count the ballot papers and nothing else.

But it appeared Iginis gospel did not sink into the skulls of some heavyweight  politicians who, apparently, thought that it was going to be business as usual. While those that had encountered the Delta State-born REC when he served in Cross River took him seriously, bearing in mind that, as far as Igini was concerned, cash was not the deciding factor but the votes, others did not.

For those who believed that what anything cannot do, more money can do it, it was their thinking that the hard posture of the REC was just to increase his price.

During an interaction with some people, Igini had posited, On account of the historical challenges of electoral service delivery in this state, l told politicians when l arrived Akwa Ibom that elections would take place and they should go and prepare for real election because residual sovereign power of the people will speak very loud.

And that there will be no more pre-writing of election results before they are held in the name of the people. It would appear now that some took my message seriously and others dismissed it because they had other plans without option B or C given all that we now know and have happened so far. We must keep public trust for the good of all and not betray it in pursuit of vanity.

The outcome of the 2019 elections in Akwa Ibom state should best be judged not by the complaints or commendations for the loss or victory of big or small politicians but the equality of opportunity provided for all voters and the verdict of the people.

My message to all stakeholders is that these elections will come and go, and after the elections, every institution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all the personnel that worked must remember that there is a history book.

There is a book that the history of these elections would be written and the role that each of the security agencies played will be recorded in that book and so shall they be remembered.

I must also say that in the final analysis, there is a high court of history that will sit in judgment on these people over the roles that each and every one of us played either in the advancement of our democracy or the retrogression of our democracy.

It will show whether we were men of courage, whether we were men of sound judgment or whether indeed, given the opportunity, that most of us that have been given today and people in the other institutions, we did the right things for our country.

For me, the media must continue to stand tall and mighty in defence of democracy and the rule of law. Here in Akwa Ibom State, I have continued to reiterate my message to the people. I have come here to serve them and not to be served. I have come to serve them and I will serve them conscientiously.

I have no vote to give to anybody. I have not come here to count money. I only came here to count ballot papers. Those who want compromise are the ones who are shouting there. I can tell you that.

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Home | News | General | Lagos Building Collapse:I lost a twin son, doctors battling to save his twin sister in hospital  Bereaved mother

A father cries: I have buried one dead child, the second missing, fate of the third uncertain in hospital

 Former school teacher speaks of warning signs of tragedy six months ago

Being at work saved me and my family  Occupant of house

Why we didnt demolish the building before the tragic incident  State Govt

By Bose Adelaja and Esther Onyegbula

Around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Adedayo Adedoyin waved her 6-year-old twin son and daughter off as they took the short walk to their school, a few meters away from their home in Lagos Island.

Emergency personnel rescue a child at the site of a building which collapsed in Lagos on March 13, 2019.  At least 10 children were among scores of people missing on March 13, 2019 after a four-storey building collapsed in Lagos, with rescuers trying to reach them through the roof of the damaged structure. The children were attending a nursery and primary school on the top floor of the residential building when the structure collapsed. Police said they believed scores of people were trapped under the rubble. (Photo AFP)

An hour later, she heard anguished screams outside. A nearby building had collapsed, and her children were inside it.

Adedoyin raced to the scene, where a small crowd had gathered and a search had begun for survivors among the rubble of the ageing three-story building that had given way without warning, trapping residents, pupils and small goods traders inside.

The building had been marked for demolition at least three times, a buildings expert said.

The expert added that there were many similar buildings in the Lagos Island area that were also at risk.

There are over 1,000 distressed other buildings of this nature in Lagos, which, if nothing is done to demolish them, they will also collapse, resulting in more calamities in the state, said Kunle Awobodu of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild.

The collapsed building had been marked for demolition about three times, but the building regulatory agency has not demolished it, Awobudu said.

The authorities began the demolition of such houses on Friday

Members of the Lagos Island community joined forces with rescuers from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) to pull mostly children out of the rubble.

Adedoyin hoped desperately for a glimpse of her children among those rescued.

Finally, her daughter Kehinde was pulled out. But she appeared unconscious and covered in dust as paramedics battled to revive her at the scene.

She looked lifeless, and I was not even sure she was breathing, Adedoyin said in her native Yoruba language.

At the Lagos Island hospital, Adedoyin was relieved that her daughter was out of the building, but her thoughts turned to her son, Taiwo, whose whereabouts she still did not know. It would be hours later that she would learn his fate.

I was at the hospital when I heard he died, she said.

She prayed fervently that her daughter recovered from her injuries.

Adedoyin said she was full of regrets about her decision to send her children to Ohen Nursery and Primary School, which they had attended since they were three years old.

Eyewitnesses said Taiwo was among the first corpses brought out from the rubbles while his twin sister, Kehinde, was later rescued and rushed to the hospital about 2.19 pm alongside a pregnant woman.

Others who were rescued alive were identified as Abdullahi Akinshina, Adedoyin Rukayat, Sanusi Rukayat, Suleiman Baraka, Rasheed Shukurat, Komolafe Saidat , Hassan Omotolani , Abimbola Faruq and Alabi Quayum.

Also on the list are Afolabi Rodiat, Olawusi Rokibat, Alawu Fayibat, Adedoyin Kehinde, Rasheed Labat ,Naimot Tise, Alabi Kabiru, Shashore Kabiru, Ogunsanwo Daniel , Owolabi Ayomide and Ayeni Faruo.

The exact figure of casualty had not been ascertained as of press time but some of the deceased identified were Taiwo Adedoyin, Aaliyah Akinshina and Fawad Abdulfatah.

Unfortunately, the building, which doubled as a school and residential building, also had shops occupied by artisans and traders and was said to have been, several years back, a toilet before it was constructed.

Lagos State Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, who visited the scene on Wednesday, said the school was not authorized to operate in the building, which was designed solely for residential purposes. The building is not technically a school; it is a residential building that was actually accommodating an illegal school, so to speak, on the second floor, he said.

If I had known that the school was not supposed to be there, I wouldnt have sent them there. We all thought we were doing the best for them. I am only hoping that my daughter survives, Adedoyin said.

During the governors visit to the area, Ambode added that many houses in the area had structural problems and would be demolished.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday said he was saddened by the incident, which mostly affected children.

It touches one to lose precious lives in any kind of mishap, particularly those so young and tender. May God grant everyone affected by this sad incident fortitude and succour, Buhari said.

The President urged the state government to put in place measures to prevent such tragic occurrences.

Hundreds of families have been keeping vigil at the three leading hospitals in Lagos, where victims of the building collapse are receiving treatment.

Around 41 people have been rescued from the building, authorities said.

At the Lagos Island Hospital on Thursday, family members huddled around a list of survivors posted at the emergency unit.

Some breathed a sigh of relief as they saw the names of their loved ones on the list while others continued to hope and pray they would soon have news.

The total number of deaths from the incident remains as yet unknown, but it is sure to be more than eight people currently reported by emergency agency officials. The building was situated in a densely populated part of the city, which is home to around 20 million people.

Rescue operations ended at the site on Thursday afternoon as no more survivors were found, said Ibrahim Farinloye of the National Emergency Management Agency.

We have searched all the debris and gotten to the last floor of the building; there are no more survivors, he said.

Controversy

Despite the claim by Farinloye and echoed by the General Manager of LASEMA, Mr Tiamiyu Adesina, that all occupants of the failed building had been rescued and operations concluded, controversy continued to trail the decision to call off rescue as some parents were still searching for their children as of the weekend.

Among those said to be missing was a girl, Mujidat Akinshina.

Mr. Muyideen Akinshina, whose three children attended the school, said Mujidat remained missing 48 hours after the incident.

Akinshina explained that he had buried one of the three children, Aaliyah, who did not survive after the collapse.

I am now left with my last child, Abdullahi, who is two-year-old and still being attended to at the hospital ward.

Lamenting the pace of the rescue operation, a resident, Bukola Bashira, queried why the government brought just one excavator to rescue people who had been trapped for over five hours.

Now they have called off the rescue when it is obvious that some victims havent been found, she said.

Also, the founder, Give back Nigeria, Jenifer Soba Pearse, frowned at the fact that the reach and rescue team had been called off while some parents were yet to see their children, whether dead or alive.

The government has called off the rescue team, it now lies in the hands of residents to use shovels to dig and the more time spent the fewer chances of recovering victims, she said.

A survivor tells her story

One of the survivors, who lived in the penthouse but escaped, said she and her husband had gone to work while their children had gone to school when the incident happened. According to her, the building was built over 20 years ago.

It has been long since this building has been having issues. In 2014, the government of Fashola marked it for demolition which never happened. The building had been making a sound. We lived in a room and parlour in the building and we have clothes and other valuables like my school certificate and NCE which are buried under the debris. I have not been able to recover anything from the building except this plastic in my hand (waving the plastic).

Testimony

The Itafaji building collapse, according to neighbours and a former teacher who knew the state of the building, was an avoidable incident if those who were in charge, especially the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, had deemed it fit to do the right thing since 2014 when the building was marked for demolition.

A former teacher at Ohen Nursery and Primary School, Salami Bukola, said, I was a teacher in that school for six months. When I was working there, the building was always shaking and stones were falling off. At a point, I spoke with the proprietress, Madam Esther, about how unsafe the building was and how she urgently needed to relocate the school. But she said she didnt have money to relocate the school. I resigned from the school in December.

There were signs that the building would collapse anytime as stones kept falling off the building. When I was a teacher at the school, we had about 30 pupils. The school had been here for years. As of the time I was teaching there, we had five teachers.

Mrs Abiola Basiua, a neighbour, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard at the scene of the incident, said the collapsed building was not the only building in the area that had been marked by the state government for demolition.

Government should demolish the buildings that have been marked or chase the occupants out. Government officials should stop collecting bribe and giving developers permit to renovate such buildings at the expense of innocent lives, she said.

I didnt live in the collapsed building but everyone in this neighbourhood knew about the state of this building. Almost every year it developed one issue or the other. For over five years, this house had been having a problem. The pillars of the building were too tiny and the rims were small. Once in a while you see the demolition sign on the building, later you wont find it again obviously because the owner had settled government officials. Lagos State government needs to check the activities of developers. They are the ones behind building collapse in Lagos; many of them dont even have the professional requirement or relevant certification for building construction.

Look at the little children, the leaders of tomorrow who lost their lives here. We are pleading with the government to help us. This is not supposed to have happened. If you want accommodation in this part of Lagos Island, agreement fees and commission are about N200, 000 before you pay the actual rent. Look at the houses government is constructing at (nearby) Ilubirin; if they build something like that for the poor, it will do a lot of things in our lives.

20 families homeless

The incident has rendered about 20 families homeless. Among them are the Ilegbes and Salawes who occupied adjoining buildings.

Last Friday, members of affected families insisted they will rather remain in the partially collapsed buildings that live in rented apartments.

One of them, Mojeedat Alapanla, said her forefathers acquired the building in which she had lived over 70 years ago.

I was born in this house as a grandchild and my mother and I lived with my grandmother. Dont ask me to quit because no place can be like home. This building was built over 70 years ago, so, how can we start living in a rented apartment?

Another resident of Massey Street, Mrs Afolasade Moseere, said about 15 people were affected by her family, saying, however, that elders were meeting to fix the structures.

Another homeless victim, Sakirat Aweni whose aged grandmother escaped death by whiskers, said the 95 years old grandmother was observing rest when the building collapsed and she was trapped although sympathisers were quick to rescue her and took her to a public hospital where she was treated.

In the cause of this story, Sunday Vanguard noticed that many buildings in the area were distressed but only a few had been marked for demolition although some of the occupants said they had taken the state government to court over the matter.

Also, it was observed that some of the buildings were handled by developers and this has been attracting knocks from building experts.

A lawmaker representing Epe Constituency, Honourable Wale Raji, sympathized with victims of the tragedy as well as the state government.

He frowned at the incessant occurrence of such on Lagos Island, calling on the government to conduct a proper investigation on the incident.

The lawmaker, who has since visited the scene of the tragedy, said approval of schools should be seriously handled by the state government to avoid calamities of this nature.

He condoled with the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, asking officials of LASBCA to take their official assignment seriously.

Three-Storey Building collapses in Lagos Alaba market

Why we didnt demolish the ill-fated building before tragedy

The state government, on Friday, commenced manual demolition of marked buildings at nearby Freeman Street while the Acting General Manager of LASBCA, Engineer Omotayo Fakolujo, disclosed that several buildings will be demolished at Adeniji-Adele and other parts of Lagos Island.

He said demolition of such buildings was delayed due to pending court cases but stated that the state government had ordered the agency to commence the exercise and this is going to affect several buildings on the Island.

As at Friday, some residents whose buildings were yet to be marked were seen entertaining fear while others rushed to LASBCAs offices for information.

NGOs providing relief

In a bid to assist victims of the tragedy, a faith-based organisation, House of Prayer, in collaboration with other non-profit organisations, provided relief materials, food and temporary shelter for victims.

At the scene of the incident, the organisation provided over three hundred plates of food and water for rescue agents on the ground, including the personnel of security agencies.

Speaking to Sunday Vanguard, Project manager of the program, Olumide David, said they will be on the ground for two weeks catering for victims. Right now we are putting on a temporary accommodation of tents for victims who survived. As humans, we need to assist the survivors as much as we can. We have collected the data of the victims including the ones in within neighbourhood to enable us to reach out to the real victims. We will be here for two weeks catering for the welfare of all affected victims, he said

We are expecting donations from churches and other organisation. We have created an online tag, #Nigeria Arise for Itafaji#.

Building collapse is frequent in Nigeria.

At least 100 worshipers were killed in a church in Akwa Ibom after the roof caved in during a Sunday service in 2016.

In 2014, more than 70 people died after a two-story guest house in a church collapsed in Lagos.

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Home | News | General | Again, Buhari condemns violence in Kaduna, urges stakeholders to embrace mediation

President Muhammadu Buhari says he is deeply troubled by persistent communal killings in Kaduna state, which has now been politicised.

President Buhari attends Extra Ordinary Meeting of Lake Chad Basin in Abuja on 15th Dec 2018

The president made his feelings known when he reacted to the endless carnage in Kaduna state in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Saturday

President Buhari regretted that everything is politicised in Nigeria, including the efforts to bring offenders to justice, because their people will rise up in arms to resist their arrests and prosecution.

He described hate, bigotry and prejudice as deadly poisons that have infected the human psyche on such scale that people now dont have any moral inhibitions about taking life.

The president, therefore, urged the actors in the crisis to come to terms with the fact that mutual violence has no winners, but losers on both sides of the conflict.

He said: I am deeply troubled by the fact that sanctity of life is now treated with such reckless disregard that people derive joy in shedding the blood of others or perceived enemies.

Inhumanity has replaced compassion in the hearts and minds of the perpetrators of these atrocities.

No responsible leader would go to bed happy to see his citizens savagely killing one another on account of ethnic and religious bigotry.

According to the president, violence cannot be the solution to these persistent conflicts as long as people resort to deliberate provocations, revenge and counter-revenge.

He, therefore, maintained that while the government remains committed to protecting its citizens, the communities involved must also put their shoulder to the wheel in order to find a lasting solution.

Lack of cooperation by those involved might frustrate the governments efforts towards finding a lasting solution, especially if those efforts are politicised.

According to him, If the people resist the governments efforts to hold the perpetrators and their sponsors accountable, it would be very difficult to bring the violence to a permanent end.

The President also appealed to the warring communities to stop inhibiting the National Emergency Management Agency efforts to deliver food, medicines and temporary shelter to the victims of the violence who are in urgent need of assistance.

The Kaduna State Government had on Saturday confirmed the latest killing of nine persons by unknown gunmen, who attacked Nandu village in Sanga Local Government area of the state in the early hour of Saturday.

The attackers also burnt several houses in the village.(NAN)

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Home | News | General | WASA: Army reaffirms commitment to greater security

The Commander, Command Army Records, Brig. Gen. Elvis Njoku, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to attaining greater heights in maintaining the security in the nation.

Njoku gave the assurance at the 2018 West Africa Social Activities (WASA) celebration, held at the Parade Ground, Chari-Maigumeri Barracks, Command Army Records (CAR) Lokoja on Saturday.

He commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, for his immense support to the command, and the dynamic leadership and guidance he had provided.

I wish to assure the Chief of Army Staff of our commitment to work harder to attain greater heights in our primary mandate of managing the records of NA personnel as well as the task of maintaining the security of Kogi State, Njoku said.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Burtai (L), inspecting Guard of Honour, during the inauguration of the Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company (NAVMC)

He said that WASA was first celebrated around 1918 in Lokoja, when soldiers of the Royal West African Frontier Forces returned from the Cameroon Campaign.

It is believed that the first WASA took place here in Lokoja, being the seat of government and the first capital city of Nigeria.

WASA provides a forum for officers, soldiers and their families to interact and socialise with friends and acquaintances outside official duties.

It is also an avenue for the barrack community to showcase the rich and diverse cultures of the country, Njoku said.

In his remarks, Kogi Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Edward Onoja, commended the Army for the good job it is doing across Kogi and the nation at large.

Bello said that the programme would further foster unity between the army, its sister agencies and the society in general.

Security is one of the key areas our government has performed very well, it could not have happened without the assistance of the security agencies, top of which is the Nigerian Army.

So, there has been a partnership and synergy to ensure the security of our people. I want Kogi people to keep supporting our security agencies, he said.

He, however, urged the army to be civil with the people of Nigeria in the discharge of their duty.

Earlier, the Army Public Relation Officer, CAR, Major Jaafaru Mohammed, said WASA was customarily observed to mark the end of the training year and usher in a new year.

NAN reports that the colourful event featured tug of war, dances by cultural groups (Yoruba, Igala, Ebira, Igbo, NYSC members, as well as the presentation of gifts and awards to distinguished soldiers and guests.

Heads of security agencies in the state and captains of industry were among the dignitaries that attended the occasion. (NAN)

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Home | News | General | We will ensure none of Saraki's loyalists get leadership position - Senator Omo-Agege

- Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said that none of the loyalists of the out-going Senate president Bukola Saraki, would be among the leadership of the red chamber

- The lawmaker said the APC leaders were determined to ensure that there was no repeat of Saraki's saga during the 9th Assembly

- Omo-Agege also noted that President Buhari, as leader of APC, would consult with the partys caucus on who should emerge Senate president

The senator representing Delta central, Ovie Omo-Agege, has vowed that any member who is remotely connected with Senator Bukola Saraki's agenda would not be allowed into the leadership of the Senate.

The Independent reports that Omo-Agege, who also gave an insight into how the next leadership of the National Assembly would be selected, lamented that for almost three of the four years of Buharis first four years, those he termed as Sarakis relegates regime made sure all agenda of the government were shot down.

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Legit.ng gathered that he said this was necessary to avert a repeat of events of the out-going Assembly, where the agenda of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was truncated due to the Saraki's factor.

Omo-Agege maintained that the APC leaders were determined to ensure that there was no repeat, and that the only way to do that was to ensure that President Buhari, as leader of APC, would consult with the partys caucus on who should emerge Senate president.

He, however, noted there was no time he said Buhari would handpick the next Senate president and other principal officers for the 9th National Assembly, adding that he had not told anyone that he would run for the Senate presidency.

For that reason, we are saying, it is the partys caucus that will meet in consultation with Mr. President and decide and recommend for the leadership position. And Mr. President is the head of that caucus. Well no longer allow relegates to govern the National Assembly. When they did the last time, you saw what happened, he stressed.

The lawmaker said though he was as qualified as any other ranking senator to be Senate president, he added: I have not told anybody that I am interested in running for the Senate presidency. But, having said that, I am just as qualified as any other ranking senator of the 9th Senate.

So, when the time comes, depending on the decision made by the caucus of the party  Mr President and other relevant stakeholders  and depending on where it is zoned to. After the zoning, we consult ourselves and complied with the rules.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that after receiving their certificates of return, some of the senators-elect tasked President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid meddling over the emergence of the National Assembly leadership.

READ ALSO: How PDP's internal dispute reportedly forced Gbenga Daniel to quit active politics

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Home | News | General | INEC may announce winner of Bauchi governorship election on Tuesday as commission resumes collation

- INEC may announce the winner of Buachi governorship election on Tuesday, March 19

- The election umpire had on Saturday, March 16, set aside the cancellation of results of gubernatorial election in Tafawa Balewa local government area of the state

- Festus Okoye, INECs national commissioner, said the commission considered a report submitted by the REC in Bauchi on the disruption of collation process in Tafawa Balewa

There are indications that the new governor of Bauchi state would emerge on Tuesday, March 19, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally set aside the cancellation of results of gubernatorial election in Tafawa Balewa local government area of the state.

Daily Trust reports that the INEC on Saturday, March 16, approved Tuesday, March 19, for continuation of the collation in Tafawa Balewa local government and correction of some errors in Ningi local government before the final announcement of who wins the election between Governor Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Legit.ng gathered that INEC also announced the appointment of a new collation/returning officer for Tafawa Balewa LGA to continue and conclude the collation process in place of the original collation officer, Dominion Anosike, who allegedly withdrew from the exercise, citing threats to her life and those of her family members.

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A statement by Festus Okoye, INECs national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, said on March 12, the commission considered a report submitted by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Bauchi on the disruption of collation process at the Tafawa Balewa collation centre which led to the cancellation of the results for the entire local government.

He said: Halfway into the local government collation, armed gangs attacked the collation centre and destroyed the local government result sheet (EC8C) and some collated results from the registration areas.

INEC guidelines provide that where violent disruption affects collation in this manner, results should be regenerated from duplicate copies on a replacement result sheet.

The collation officer, under pressure from party agents who could not wait for the arrival of a replacement result sheet, decided to collate the result on an available RA result sheet instead of the replacement LGA result sheet.

When the result was presented at the state governorship collation centre, the returning officer rejected the regenerated result because it was on a wrong result sheet.

The investigation committee established that the result in polling units and registration areas are available and in safe custody, he said.

Shedding more light on another contentious local government, Okoye said: The investigation committee also established that the number of cancelled votes for the 4 polling units in Ningi local government area which was recorded as 25,330 in form EC40G (1) was incorrect.''

According to him, the actual figure is 2,533, adding that the commission had taken the following decisions: Approved the resumption and conclusion of the collation of results of Tafawa Balewa LGA in relation to the governorship election as the duplicate and original registration area results are available.

Approved the resumption, conclusion and announcement of the result of the Tafawa Balewa state constituency. The collation process for Tafawa Balewa local government will resume on Tuesday, 19th March 2019.

The commission directed that the error in the total number of cancelled votes in four polling units in Ningi local government area should be corrected from 25,330 to 2,533.

It was gathered that the decision to restore the votes in Tafawa Balewa was based on the report submitted by the Festus Okoye-led fact-finding committee set up last week, which visited the affected areas and found nothing wrong with the original results that had been collated at polling units.

It was learnt that before the election was declared inconclusive, collation had been completed in 19 out of the 20 LGAs of Bauchi state and PDP was leading.

PDPs candidate Senator Bala Mohammed had 469,512 votes; while APCs candidate, Governor Mohammed Abubakar is trailing behind with 465,453; meaning there is a difference of 4,059 votes.

However, the PDP had 40,010 votes in Tafawa Balewa while the APC had 29,862 votes which were cancelled.

The implication is that once the election is restored, it means the PDP would lead further with 14,207 votes and APC would have just two lifelines - the outcome from Ningi as well as the void votes across the state.

In the event the total void votes still exceeds the margin of difference between the two candidates, then the rerun option must be considered but if it falls short of the additional votes secured by PDP, it means the opposition party would be declared winner.

READ ALSO: Okorocha withdrew over N17b from govt's covers in 2 days - Imo PDP alleges

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi rejected the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the scheduled supplementary election in Tafawa Balewa local government area of the state.

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Home | News | General | Why Atiku's DG Daniel resigned from PDP, politics

- Facts have emerged on the reason former governor of Ogun state, Gbenga Daniel, resigned from PDP

- It was gathered that Daniel quit active politics because of the crisis rocking Ogun state chapter of PDP

- Daniel was said to have resigned from active politics because of the choice of PDP governorship candidate in the state, Senator Buruji Kashamu

There were indications that the inability of Nigerias system to correct itself and ensure justice were some of the real reasons former Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, resigned his membership of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and quit partisan politics.

New Telegraph reports that a source close to the director general of the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, said Daniel was frustrated by the Nigerian system otherwise known as the Nigerian factor .

Legit.ng gathered that the last straw which broke the camels back was the candidature of the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun state, Senator Buruju Kashamu.

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In Nigeria, one is frustrated by the inability of the system to correct itself and ensure justice. Going by his own experience, Nigeria still has a long way to go. Closely related to it is the lack of party discipline and supremacy.

''The case of Buruju Kashamu is very frustrating. The party said this is who they want, but somebody through legal means and by subterfuge had his way.

''The party said this is who they want, the court said no. He did the same thing in 2015. So, why must I continue to waste my time, he was quoted as saying. It is something he has toyed with it is not a sudden decision, the source added.

It was learnt that despite quitting partisan politics, the ex-governor stated that he had decided to rejuvenate his charity-based organisation, Gateway Front Foundation (GFF), to continue to dispense succour to people in need and assist in their health challenges.

His decision was contained in a letter to the PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, which was dated March 14.

The letter was copied to former vice president and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the chairman, PDP Board of Trustees.

Daniel, who served as governor between 2003 and 2011, traced his political journey since he formally joined PDP on September 9, 2001 and bemoaned the condition of the opposition party in his home state.

While alluding to the recent governorship election in the state which was won by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the former governor stated that he had no regrets about his support for the winner.

Daniel had said: I served as Governor of Ogun state for eight years and our administration till today remains a point of reference in terms of physical, social, economic, educational and human capital development since the State was created in 1976.

Notwithstanding these widely acclaimed achievements, however, our party, the Peoples Democratic Party ran into trouble waters towards the end of our administration (about the year 2009) which led to the sad loss in the election of 2011, and regrettably ten (10) years after the party has been unable to resolve those internal disputes and challenges.

READ ALSO: Dont drag Nigeria backward, Nigerians have spoken with their votes - Anglican Bishop begs Atiku, PDP

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the director general of Atiku Abubakar's campaign organisation, Gbenga Daniel, on Saturday, March 16, officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and active politics.

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Home | News | General | Ogun APC governor-elect Dapo Abiodun visits ex-Atiku campaign DG Gbenga Daniel (photos)

- Ogun state governor-elect Dapo Abiodun visited ex-governor Gbenga Daniel on Saturday, March 16

- Abiodun confirmed the visit in a tweet on his official Twitter handle and said it was a 'thank you' move

- Gbenga Daniel had urged PDP supporters in Remo, Ogun state to vote en masse for the APC candidate and he eventually won

The governor-elect of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun, has paid a thank-you visit to former Director-General of the opposition PDP's presidential campaign organisation, Gbenga Daniel.

Abiodun visited Daniel, who is also an ex-governor of the state, on Saturday, March 16 and confirmed the visit in a tweet on his official Twitter handle.

READ ALSO: Ex-Govs dares APC, move to take over Senate presidency

He tweeted:

Recall that Daniel, a chieftain of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), directed the supporters of the party in Remo, Ogun state, to vote for the governorship candidate of the APC, Dapo Abiodun, on Saturday, March 9.

Daniel made this known in a statement he issued on Thursday, March 7.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported also that Gbenga Daniel, has since officially resigned from the PDP and active politics.

Stating that his resolve in this regard is entirely personal, the former governor of Ogun state said that he plans to give his attention to vocations and endeavours of life.

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In a letter made available to Legit.ng, Gbenga Daniel said: "This is to inform you of my intention to resign from active and partisan politics with effect from today, the 14th day of March, 2019."

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Home | News | General | Dont blame army for involvement in 2019 elections - Bayelsa deputy governor

- The Nigerian army has come under intense criticisms for the conduct of its personnel in the just concluded 2019 elections

- The Bayelsa state deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) has however, exonerated the army of any wrongdoings

- He appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the Nigerian army which he described as a stabilising factor

The Bayelsa state deputy governor, has urged Nigerians not to blame the army for its involvement in the 2019 general elections.

Jonah said this on Saturday, March 16 at Elebele in Yenogoa, the Bayelsa state capital, during the inauguration of some projects in the 16 Brigade Barracks otherwise known as Tukur Buratai Camp located in the community.

The deputy governor said he had investigated the army involvement in the elections and found that what they did was not different from what the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai instructed.

Buratai had at different fora said the constitution empowers the army to support civil authority in addressing internal security challenges when called upon, citing Section 217 of the 1999 constitution as amended.

READ ALSO: Rerun election: Kano govt. begins massive projects in communities with cancelled votes

The army chief said this role also extend to providing security during elections.

He, however, warned those deployed for the conduct of the elections to be professional, respect human rights and reain apolitical.

Buratai who was represented by Maj.-Gen. A. A. Saliu, the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command  TRADOC, charged commanders to always impact positively on their environment.

He promised more fund to provide required infrastructure in the Brigade and army formations across the country.

Buratai also called on the citizens to cooperate with the military by providing it with useful information to enable it ensure their safety.

The building inaugurated included Guard house, a two-storey medical centre, Brigade Garrison, soldiers and warrant officers/sergeant clubs and a block of 30 flats for corporal and below.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo has called on the military command to investigate the roles played by its personnel before and during the state House of Assembly election in Idanre local government area of the state.

The appeal was made in a statement by Mr Alex Kalejaye, the Ondo APC state spokesman, on Wednesday, March 13 in Akure.

READ ALSO: Ex-Govs dares APC, move to take over Senate presidency

His words: In Idanre for instance, wife of a former Chief of Army Staff, turned the peaceful town to a theatre of war. The entire place was militarised. And as a result of this, members of APC were ma*med, brutalized, harassed, intimidated, and scared away from performing their legitimate assignment.

It is, therefore, important for military command to investigate this target on our party members and ensure appropriate sanction to erring personnel.

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Home | News | General | Nigerian photographer Sam fakes asthma attack to overpower two robbers in Rivers

With the alarming rate of insecurity and unemployment, millions of Nigerians and their families have at one point or the other been attacked by robbers. Either you are travelling or in the comfort of your homes, you can be robbed of your hard earned belongings.

A Nigerian photographer, Samsplashz, has narrated his ordeal with dare-devil robbers on his way from Owerri in Imo state where he had gone to attend a wedding to Port Harcourt in Rivers state.

According to Samsplashz, he had boarded the car around 8.20pm. In the car were two guys and four ladies unknown to them that the two guys with them sitting in front were robbers until they started dragging the steering wheel with the driver when they were almost at Rivers state.

The robbers eventually overpowered the driver after much struggle, asked everybody in the car to lie die and submit their personal belongings to them. The photographer revealed that they collected their phones, money and cameras.

He narrated further that when he noticed they were about leaving the scene, he faked he suffered an asthma attack and was crying out for an inhaler.

Photographer fakes asthma attack to overpower robbers. Source: Samsplashz Instastory

Source: Instagram

He said his dying state left the robbers confused which helped them realise they robbers carried no arm with them. So he said he grabbed one of them while his colleague overpowered the second robber and a fight and struggle ensued for over 30 minutes before help could come to them.

Photographer fakes asthma attack to overpower robbers. Source: Samsplashz Instastory

Source: Instagram

Samsplashz thanked the police officers who came to their rescue for their professionalism while also appreciating God for the courage to carry out such a stunt and overpower robbers.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that radio personality, N6, shared a photo of one of the new techniques armed robbers use to break into homes with burglary proof.

Based on the photo, robbers now use car jacks to dent and widen burglary proofs installed to gain access to homes and even offices without disturbing the occupants to open their doors.

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Home | News | General | Kano re-run: Group accuses APC cabal of planning to rig polls

- A pressure group has accused some powerful individuals in the APC of planning to rig the re-run polls in Kano state

- The group, Concerned Kano Citizens (CKC), advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to bow to pressure from such individuals

- They also advised the president to guarantee that the conduct of the polls in the state is fair

A pressure group, Concerned Kano Citizens (CKC), has accused some powerful individuals in the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to rig the re-run polls in Kano state.

The group advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to bow to pressure from such individuals, urging the Nigerian leader to guarantee that the conduct of the polls in the state is free, fair and credible.

The group said the shocking outcome of the governorship election was caused by Governor Abdullahi Umaru Gandujes poor performances and the corruption that had dogged the APC-led government in Kano state.

In a letter dated March 15, 2019 and signed by its chairperson, Hajia Amina Bambado, and secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, the group reminded President Buhari that he would continue to wield enormous influences and control in Kano whether or not the APC wins the northern state.

READ ALSO: Presidency keeps mum on Buharis CSO removal

Part of the letter read: It baffles us that President Buhari and APC could allow governor Ganduje to seek reelection in spite of that video evidence that confirmed how he had been collecting kickbacks running into several millions of dollars from contractors.

The leadership of the party in Lagos, led by APC national leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prevented governor Akinwumi Ambode, who committed lesser offences, from going for second term. Why this disparity?

Winning election in Kano could have been easy for APC if the right person was fielded. You could see how they supported President Buhari, this was because of his personality and he will continue to enjoy that support.

We have seen how some governors and APC leaders have been plotting to use Osun strategy in Kano, this will fail. The will of the people should not be allowed to be subverted.

The concerned called on the president to do all within his powers to ensure that adequate security is provided to thwart vote-buying, voter intimidation or rigging in any guise.

He should also call the APC national chairman, Com. Adams Oshiomhole, to order and advise him to desist from interfering in Kanos politics. We cannot be muzzled to follow the script of power play aimed at 2023 elections. Let voters exercise their franchise and vote on the March 23 and whoever wins be declared without delay.

As concerned Kano citizens, we felt duty bound to call the attention of Mr President, the International community and all well-meaning Nigerians that any attempt to impose the current government against the wish of the people will not augur well for our democracy and could lead to unwanted development.

If Mr President could sacrifice his integrity on corruption drive for the sake of Ganduje, instead of strengthening it by punishing him, we dont believe a single loss of life in Kano because of Ganduje is worth it.

We humbly demand Mr President to reciprocate our gesture for being his defenders through thick and thin, to save Kano and our politics in the most trying time of our political history and allow us vote freely for whoever we like, it concluded.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf, is leading in the yet to be concluded poll with a margin of 26,513 votes.

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Meanwhile, the administration of Ganduje has kicked off various developmental and infrastructural projects in the communities at Gama ward in the Nasarawa local government area of the state.

Gama is one of the wards where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would, barring last minute changes, conduct supplementary elections on Saturday, March 23.

The Kano government reportedly started no fewer than three projects in the last three days which includes drilling of several boreholes, reconstruction of bad roads and clearing of wastes from the streets.

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Home | News | General | Rampaging militants go on killing spree in Plateau state

- Miyetti Allah and Fulani youths have accused local militia in Plateau state of killing and rustling over 100 of their cattle

- MACBAN chairman in Plateau Nura Abdullahi provided photo evidence of the incident and said the matter has been reported to relevant security agencies

- Spokesman of Nigerian Army's Operation Safe Haven in Plateau state also confirmed the attack while assuring that soldiers are on the trail of the perpetrators

Local militia in Plateau have been accused by Fulani leaders of killing 81 cows and rustling 32 others somewhere near the Collage of Accountancy in Kwall, Bassa local government area of the north-central state.

Daily Trust reports that the Fulani leaders who made the accusation at the weekend were the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Jonde Jam Fulani Youth Association of Nigeria.

The groups, who described the attack as unprovoked, said the incident occurred on Thursday, March 14.

READ ALSO: Rerun election: Kano govt. begins massive projects in communities with cancelled votes

Plateau state chairman of MACBAN, Muhammad Nura Abdullahi provided pictures of the dead cows and told media men that some cattle were shot dead while others were matcheted. The police, he said, he has been notified.

OPSH sector 6 is aware and I personally reported to the Commissioner of Police, who advised that I take the matter to the DPO for documentation which has been done. The Area Commander and the DPO have visited the scene and seen the evidence, he said.

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Nigerian Armys Operation Safe Haven spokesman, Major Adam Umar, confirmed the killing of the cows. The cattle, he said were killed and stolen while grazing. He assured that the task force will do its best to trail the assailants.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that not fewer than nine people were killed in a fresh attack in Nandu, a village in Sanga local government area of Kaduna state.

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The attack, which is suspected to be a reprisal after an initially killing before the last election, where eleven cows and twenty eight sheep were killed took place on Friday, March 15, night.

Residents said the reprisal attack is suspected to have been launched by herders in the area.

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Home | News | General | Adamawa governorship supplementary election will be conducted in 14 LGs - INEC

- INEC has revealed more details on Adamawa governorship supplementary election

- The states Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Kasim Gaidam, said the election scheduled for Saturday, March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of the state

- Gaidam said the election would be held in 29 wards and 44 polling units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the governorship supplementary election scheduled on Saturday, March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of the state.

Legit.ng reports that Kasim Gaidam, the states Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, March 17, in Yola.

Gaidam said the election would be conducted in 29 wards (Registration Areas) and 44 Polling Units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled in the recent governorship selection.

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The commission had prepared for the supplementary governorship election in the state. The election is going to be conducted in 14 LGAs, 29 wards and 44 Polling Units spread across the state, Gaidam said.

He listed the local areas to include Yola south, Fufore, Ganye, Girei, Guyuk and Hong.

Other are Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo local government areas.

Gaidam, however, explained that the election was declared inconclusive as provided by law based only on official registered voters, not permanent voters cards collected or accredited voters.

He said: Other figures being circulated should be disregarded as only report released by the Returning Officer should be considered.

It would be recalled that the results of the governorship election announced by INEC returning officer, Andrew Haruna, showed that the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri, scored 367,472 votes, while a total of 334,995 votes was scored by incumbent governor, Muhammad Bindow, the APC candidate. The margin between them was 32,476 votes. (NAN)

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), urged APC governorship candidate, Governor Muhammad Bindow to honorably concede defeat in the interest of peace in Adamawa state.

It was reported that Lawal was reacting to the release of delimitation details of polling units for governorship re-run election fixed for Saturday, March 23 as released by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the state.

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Entities like ZETDC (faults), NSSA (benefits), City of Harare (Works), ZRP etc must have toll-free numbers for easy of communication. Power outages due to faults are very common especially these days when its raining.

All attempts to report the 'power out' situation are thwarted by the need for airtime and where one gets through to the faults number, the its-common-attitude of the duty officer is appalling.

Obviously the caller expects to hear what is being done about the fault and when restoration of power can be expected, both questions are never answered in the majority of cases. NSSA pensioners are mostly poor sickly elderly people to whom airtime purchase is a luxury beyond means.

Faced with queries concerning their pension payouts, these work-veterans must be able to communicate with NSSA without impediments. A toll-free number must be availed for convenience. The City of Harare Water and Works departments are very essential entities to urban water consumers.

Burst water pipes must be attended to urgently without hindrance. Its the common people who in most cases are the first to come across gushing waters. Trees fall across busy roads blocking traffic in the process. People need too-free numbers to reach the relevant people.

As for ZRP, I shall not speak. The need is a public secret.

Tondo Murisa. Chinehasha.
Zimbabwe needs one official language if it is to develop, a human rights Commissioner has asserted.

Speaking at the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission's national inquiry on access to documentation in Zimbabwe, Thursday, ZHRC Commissioner Petunia Chiriseri said the issue of 16 official languages was for dividing the nation hence a need to adopt one language which will unite the country.

"Yes we want the 16 languages spoken freely but in terms of the official language for development purposes. We must be very careful that we see the hidden hand which will divide and then rule us.

"The divide and rule between the Shona and Ndebele can be manageable. Can you imagine a division amongst 16 tribes."

She said the 16 official languages was a negative imperialist move hence need to revise it.

She said countries with one language are advancing hence the need to revise the 16 languages issue.

"Go to America, there is only one official language which is English yet there are others such as French. Let us be conscious when pushing this 16 languages thing. Let us have one official language which will keep us united but continuing freely speaking other indigenous languages."

Chiriseri said countries like Tanzania which have more than 70 languages were lagging behind in terms of development but they are now adopting English as their official language after realising it would develop them.

She alleged South Africa to be divided because of the many languages they have.

"Just go down to South Africa, L don't know how many languages they have. There is chaos in terms of unity. If a Zulu person makes a proposal for development, a Xhosa makes sure they bring it down. They are so divided and the colonialists are still ruling.

Participants, however, did not concur saying a diversified nation is a united nation.

"the new constitution says all languages are equal. A diversion of language means unity. I am a Nguni and am proud, why should l adopt someone's language?"

Another participant asked whose language would be declared as the official language cause it could trigger tribal war.

ZHRC is conducting the national inquiry to identify challenges faced by citizens in accessing national documents, to acquire knowledge and appreciation of the process of acquiring various identity documents and to empower citizens with capacity to claim their rights on accessing national documents.
Home | World | Africa | Zimbabwe struggles despite huge forex inflows

ZIMBABWE is doing fairly well in terms of foreign currency earnings compared to countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia yet the country is struggling to meet its forex obligations, a situation which has paralysed the country's economy.

The southern African country last year received more than US$6,3 billion in foreign currency inflows compared to US$5,5 billion received during the same period in 2017, representing a 13,9% increase.

By any measure, US$6 billion is a huge amount of money.

The figure includes about US$4,3 billion in exports, which compares favourably to other countries on the continent.

For instance, Ethiopia, with a population of 105 million, received $1,8 billion from export proceeds in 2018, while Rwanda, with a population of 12,21 million, generated $2 billion worth of exports.

Surprisingly, these countries seem to be doing well in terms of managing their forex while Zimbabwe, with a population of less than 14 million is even struggling to meet its forex demand for fuel imports.

Why then are we not able to meet our foreign currency requirements if we are generating that much?

Analysts point to the country's huge appetite for foreign products.

Zimbabwe imports a number of things that could be produced locally. For instance, the country imports toothpicks, water, diapers, grain, just to mention a few.

Economic analyst John Robertson said there was need for government to revive the country's agriculture sector to cut the import bill.

"Rwanda exports more than it imports and Ethiopia has a negative balance, but this is under control because of capital account inflows.

"Zimbabwe imports billions of dollars worth more than it exports, so our trade balance is out of control."

"The government wrecked agriculture and since then, only tobacco has recovered.

"We have had to import food every year for the past 17 to 20 years.

"Maize, wheat, soybeans and even fresh vegetable imports have cost billions that we should never have had to spend on imports.

"Also, we frightened away investors, so the amount that has come in on capital account has been smaller than needed to rebuild industry."

Currently, Robertson said, fewer people had a formal job than in 1980, but since then the population has more than doubled.

He said if the country's growth had not been reversed by government policies, by now there might have been 2,5 million people with formal jobs.

"Instead, we have about 800 000 formal employees. Imagine what we might be producing and exporting if businesses were employing an extra 1 800 000 and people were making goods for export and supplying most of the finished goods we need," he said.

"It is not putting farmers back onto land over which they have security of tenure and on which they can plan good farming operations.

"We will have to carry on importing food until we get back to efficient farming methods on land that is owned by farmers."

Economic analyst Persistence Gwanyanya concurred with Robertson that the underperforming manufacturing sector had made the country import-reliant.

"The challenge is how the forex is utilised. We are a consumptive economy, which is largely dependent on imports. So whilst we have generated more, we also used more as a country.

"That's why we have a trade deficit year in year out. But you would want to know why are we consumptive, why are we import-dependent. We are like that because we don't have an industry.

"The country experienced massive deindustrialisation, which meant that we cannot feed our own people with our local production.

"Local production is lower than what is required to sustain the economy.

"That's the major problem with Zimbabwe. But the other problem, you find that the foreign currency is generated by a few commodities, I think five of them contribute about 85% of the country's foreign currency - gold, platinum, tobacco, chrome and diamonds.

"These contributors have not been willing to release their foreign currency into the market simply because of the exchange rate mechanism that we were using then (mechanism of 1:1 parity between the bond, RTGS and the US$) which we recently abandoned."

Industry and Commerce minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu told a recent business meeting that the problem was not about how much foreign currency the country generates, but how efficiently uses the money.

He said out of the US$230 million, on average, foreign currency that was allocated by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) every month, more than half of it was set aside for the importation of three products.

These are fuel ($80 million), cooking oil ($20 million) and electricity ($20 million).

"It is important for local manufacturers to optimise the country's scarce foreign currency by maximising local procurement of raw materials," he said.

"It is also important that the business community, retailers, wholesalers and so on support local production and initiatives by organisations such as Buy Zimbabwe."

Reginald Shoko, a Bulawayo-based economic analyst, said Zimbabwe was being weighed down by a strong parallel market.

"Our biggest challenge is that our foreign currency is in the parallel market, with minimum contribution to the formal economy," he said.

"I would like to believe we don't really have a challenge of forex, but that the challenge is getting the foreign exchange currency in the parallel market getting into the formal market.

"The current interbank system will be of help, but is not a panacea as it excludes the ordinary citizenry who are recipients of forex from the diaspora leaving them to the limited avenue of bureaux de change.

"The confidence deficit in the banking sector is not helping matters."

Gwanyanya, however, argued that the interbank system would need to offer an incentive to encourage the movement of foreign currency from the parallel market into the formal system.

"They are not releasing that foreign currency into the market because they have now come up with structures that will sustain them," he said.

"So if you want now to take them away from those structures, you need to come up with a strong credible incentive mechanism.

"The rate we have in the interbank foreign exchange market is not high enough to entice the market from their current ways of accessing foreign currency and the prices at which we are accessing the forex.

"There is also lack of trust of the system from the market.

"We lost trust long ago and we need to restore that trust in the banking system. That actually hinders the flow of foreign currency."

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A new military truck manufactured by Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK) is among the notable losers in the Pentagon's fiscal 2020 budget request as the Army rethinks its priorities and questions how many of the Humvee replacements it will need over the next half century.

The Pentagon is requesting $1.6 billion to buy 4,090 Oshkosh-made Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) for the Army and Marine Corps as part of a broader request for $14.6 billion in ground systems. The JLTV request is down from the $1.928 billion allocated for 5,900 vehicles in fiscal 2019 and below the $1.9 billion the military was expected to spend on the vehicles in fiscal 2020.

The Army had originally planned to spend at least $28 billion over the next 20 years to acquire more than 49,000 JLTVs, replacing about half of the service's Humvee fleet. Although the spending was to be spread out over decades, it is still significant for Oshkosh, which currently generates about $8 billion annually in revenue.

Rethinking priorities

Army officials admit that the reallocation of funding is likely not a one-time move. The Pentagon is in the process of shifting its attention away from fighting insurgencies in the Middle East and toward investment to prepare for a potential major power conflict with Russia or China. The Army is at the heart of the shift, with the service cancelling or scaling back nearly 100 programs over the next five years in order to free up $30 billion for higher-priority buys.

Oshkosh's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle navigates snowy terrain.

Oshkosh's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle navigates snowy terrain. Image source: Oshkosh.

The JLTV was designed specifically to address the shortcomings last-generation Humvees were found to have while operating in the desert, including the legacy vehicle's vulnerability to improvised explosive devices, but they are not central to a major-power war. Army Under Secretary Ryan McCarthy, during a press briefing on the budget request, noted that the Army currently has more than 100,000 vehicles in its fleet, saying there are limits on how many more are needed.

Story continues

"We're trying to hone in on the exact number of requirements of vehicles," McCarthy said. "That's why the buy will be truncated over time."

Issues and design trade-offs

The budget request comes less than a month after the JLTV was the subject of a Pentagon report that deemed it "not operationally suitable" due to a range of issues including "reliability, maintainability, training, manuals, crew situational awareness, and safety."

The Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation warned that the vehicle will likely require more maintenance than the Humvee, with a greater reliance on contractors to perform that maintenance due to its "poor manuals, and the challenges with troubleshooting the vehicle."

The vehicle is also at a greater risk of being detected on the battlefield because of its larger size and greater noise signature, the report found.

Many of the criticisms found in the report are teething errors common with sophisticated new platforms, and the Army has said the issues that were identified have already been addressed or are being addressed. Others, like the size and noise signature, are trade-offs needed to improve the vehicle's survivability compared to the Humvee. Oshkosh has said it does not expect the report to cause a delay in fielding the vehicle.

The funding pullback almost certainly has nothing to do with the criticism, but the report does make clear the limits to the JLTV's effectiveness. In a time of competing budget priorities, those details can make a difference.

Not a fatal hit

Oshkosh's August 2015 victory over Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and a General Dynamics (NYSE: GD)/AM General pairing to produce the JLTV was a big win in part due to the sheer volume of orders expected for the versatile vehicle. Defense is expected to account for about one-quarter of Oshkosh's fiscal 2019 revenue. And although defense margins, at 9.75%, trail the company's access equipment and emergency vehicle segments, profitability is expected to improve as the JLTV moves into full-rate production.

The good news for Oshkosh is that the Pentagon is definitely going to buy a lot of JLTVs over the next two decades. The decision on exactly how many the Army and Marine Corps need is likely to fluctuate over time, but this program is not in danger of being eliminated.

An investor presentation slide showing global military light vehicle market potential.

IMAGE SOURCE: OSHKOSH FEBRUARY 2019 INVESTOR PRESENTATION.

It's also worth noting that the Pentagon budget document is merely a proposal, and the actual allocation decisions will be made by Congress. The proposal is important because it reflects the current thinking of military leaders, but lawmakers historically have been very generous in allocating funds for ground vehicles beyond what is requested, and there is no reason to believe the JLTV will be any different.

It seems likely the final budget will include some sort of a compromise, with the Army not scaling back the total number of vehicles it intends to buy but perhaps spreading out the purchase over more years to free up cash for other priorities. Oshkosh also hopefully will be able to offset any U.S. cutbacks with foreign sales, with a potential addressable market of 240,000 Humvees currently in service in 60 countries.

Soldier on

Shares of Oshkosh have underperformed the S&P 500 by about 500 basis points over the past year, largely on fears of a global economic slowdown that could eat into demand for its commercial and construction vehicles. The company's shares today trade at about 10.7 times earnings, less than half of its multiple in January 2018.

OSK vs. S&P 500 1 year chart

OSK vs. S&P 500 1 year chart data by YCharts.

The company trades at a discount to pure-play defense contractors like Lockheed Martin (16.7 times earnings) and General Dynamics (15.2 times), which seems appropriate given its ties to the construction cycle. But its defense business provides revenue diversity and should help it weather an economic slowdown.

The JLTV cutback is disappointing, but it is not a fatal blow. Oshkosh shares remain an attractive option for a long-term investor looking for exposure to a diversified industrial.

More From The Motley Fool

Lou Whiteman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
A star racing pigeon named Armando has fetched a record 1.25 million euros in an online auction, Belgian media reported Sunday. The prized bird -- Belgian's best long-distance racer of all time according to those in the know -- was snapped up by a Chinese buyer for a princely sum that caused a flutter of excitement among fanciers. Armando had been expected to break the previous record of 376,000 euros ($425,000) paid for a pigeon called Nadine -- but not by such a wide margin. "Earlier this week it became clear that Armando would be the most expensive pigeon ever sold in an online auction," wrote the specialist website Pigeon Paradise (Pipa.be). "However, no one expected that the magical cap of a million euros would be pulverised," it added. The final amount was 1,252,000 euros. Pigeon Paradise did not say who had bought the pigeon, but according to the Belgian news agency Belga it was a Chinese buyer who will no doubt use his new acquisition to breed other champions. Armando was just one of more than a hundred birds sold by respected Belgian breeder Joel Verschoot. Verschoot's stable of pigeons is based in Ingelmunster, in the west of Belgium, and his online auction of his pigeons has been open for several weeks. By Sunday, the family had sold 178 pigeons for around two million euros. Homing pigeons are raced by releasing them sometimes hundreds of kilometres from home, with the first back home winning. Racing them is a tradition in Belgium, Britain, northern France and the Netherlands, although it has been going into decline. But interest from Asian buyers in recent years has given the practice a new lease of life. Homing pigeons are raced by releasing them sometimes hundreds of kilometres from home, with the first back home winning
Veteran Democrat Joe Biden campaigned for president in every way but name Saturday, declining to announce his 2020 plans but dropping hints, including a memorable gaffe that suggests he will soon be all in. As the number of Democratic White House hopefuls keeps growing, Biden is expected to jump into the crowded race to see who will challenge Donald Trump next year, but the former vice president has maintained the suspense. He received a hero's welcome in his home state of Delaware, where he told nearly 1,000 party brokers and leaders at a Democratic dinner that it was time to restore America's "backbone," but also that political "consensus" was necessary to move beyond the toxic tone of the Trump era. "Our politics has become so mean, so petty, so vicious, that we can't govern ourselves; in many cases, even talk to one another," he said. Then, a startling slip by the notoriously gaffe-prone Biden -- perhaps an accident, perhaps a perfectly placed tease as he inches towards a presidential campaign. "I'm told I get criticized by the new left. I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the United" -- and then he catches himself. "Anybody who WOULD run." A murmur rippled through the crowd, and within moments his die-hard supporters rose to their feet, chanting "Run Joe run." "I didn't mean it!" he chuckled, looking down before crossing himself as the applause lingered. "Of anybody who would run. Because folks, we have to bring this country back together again." Biden, 76, sounded at times as if he were rehearsing a campaign speech, repeating lines about the promise of the 21st century and American resolve, and choosing "truth over lies," that he had used earlier in the week at a Washington speech to firefighters. "There's so much at stake," he said about the next election, calling it the most important in a century. "Our core values are being shredded." The Democratic senior statesman has been mulling a challenge against Trump for months. While he tops nearly all early polls for the Democratic nominations race, strategists and election observers have stressed that he is under pressure to enter the field soon, or bow out. One of his potential rivals, the former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, launched his presidential bid on Thursday, and spent three straight days campaigning in the early voting state of Iowa, sucking up much of the political oxygen. Former US vice president Joe Biden is the most prominent American Democrat who is still openly mulling a 2020 White House bid against President Donald Trump
France's Rungis market near Paris celebrated its 50th anniversary by throwing a giant banquet of record-breaking proportions, reserving its spot in the Guinness Book of Records. Organisers said lunch was served to nearly 2,000 people along just over 401 metres' length of table, between the market's fruit-and-vegetable stands. Officials from the Guinness Book of Records approved the bid, which beat the previous record of 322 metres set in 2017 on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion. Rungis, seven kilometres (four miles) south of Paris, replaced the old market in the heart of Paris, Les Halles, when it was closed in 1969. It is the world's biggest fresh produce market, covering 234 hectares (580 acres) and employing 12,000 wholesalers, producers, porters, restaurateurs and other workers in 1,200 separate businesses. Many of the people who work at the market took part in the record bid. The record attempt was part of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the giant market
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The Truth About St. Patrick's Day - Happy New Year! A Freeman

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User ID: 493636

03-17-2019 09:19 PM



Posts: 607









Post: #1 The Truth About St. Patrick's Day - Happy New Year!

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A few interesting facts about March 17:-



Enoch 71:25 At that period the day is made equal with the night; and,

being equal with it, the night becomes nine parts, and the day nine parts.



From



Note well the day length (daylight hours) in Jerusalem on March 17



March 16: 11:58:51

March 17: 12:00:48 - the day of equal daylight and night

March 18: 12:02:46



So why does most of the world focus their attention on Ireland on March 17, to celebrate "St. Patrick's" day? What link is there between Jerusalem and Ireland?



"St. Patrick" is a title rather than a name that was given to Ireland's original PATRIARCH - Jeremiah, the Bible prophet, spoken about in several Irish historical records (e.g. The Chronicles of Eri, The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, The Annals of Clonmacnoise, and the Book of Conquests) and also known as "Ollamh Fodhla". Please see the articles at the following links:-



http://JAHTruth.net/olamfod



http://JAHTruth.net/tephisum



And also the one about the Ulster flag and its overt Israelite symbology:-



http://JAHTruth.net/uflag



The prefix "patri" means "father" and a patriarch is the recognized male head of a family, tribe or nation, just like the title in Gaelic "Ollamh Fodhla" means both "all-father" (patriarch over all) and "the revealer of secret/hidden knowledge (i.e. a PROPHET ) in English.



Jeremiah's assignment, given to him by God, was to be the head of the nations and kingdoms, to root out, pull down, destroy and throw down...



...which is precisely what happened in Jerusalem c. 588 BC when Nebuchadnezzar and the

Babylonian army sacked Jerusalem just as Jeremiah had forewarned King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem;



and to build and plant -



which Jeremiah did in Ireland, bringing with him Princess Teia Tephi from Jerusalem, who became queen of all Ireland when she married the ard-ri Eochaidh MacDuach 3 days after arriving in what is today Howth, Ireland on the 18th of June in 583 BC.



Jeremiah 1:4-5,10

1:4 Then the Word of the "I AM" came unto me, saying,

1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a Prophet unto the nations.



1:10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms , to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.



All of the kings and queens of Ireland from 583 BC until 500 AD were descended from Eochaidh and Teia Tephi (pictured all over the UK as "Britannia"), just as all of the Scottish kings and queens were from 500 AD until 1296 AD, as well as all of the English kings and queens from that point forward.



So there are numerous ties between Jerusalem and Ireland, both throughout the historical records, through Scripture, through geographical references, e.g. Iberia/ Heberia (Hebrew's Land - Spain and Hibernia/ Hebernia (Hebrew's NEW land - Ireland), through archaeological artifacts AND even through the calendar. :-)



Hope you and yours have a blessed St. Patriarch's day and new year to follow. St. Patrick's Day actually marks the New Year, according to the Holy Enochian Calendar.A few interesting facts about March 17:-Enoch 71:25 At that period the day is made equal with the night; and,being equal with it, the night becomes nine parts, and the day nine parts.From https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/israel/j...em?month=3 Note well the day length (daylight hours) in Jerusalem on March 17March 16: 11:58:51March 17: 12:00:48 - the day of equal daylight and nightMarch 18: 12:02:46So why does most of the world focus their attention on Ireland on March 17, to celebrate "St. Patrick's" day? What link is there between Jerusalem and Ireland?"St. Patrick" is a title rather than a name that was given to Ireland's original- Jeremiah, the Bible prophet, spoken about in several Irish historical records (e.g. The Chronicles of Eri, The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, The Annals of Clonmacnoise, and the Book of Conquests) and also known as "Ollamh Fodhla". Please see the articles at the following links:-And also the one about the Ulster flag and its overt Israelite symbology:-The prefix "patri" means "father" and a patriarch is the recognized male head of a family, tribe or nation, just like the title in Gaelic "Ollamh Fodhla" means both "all-father" (patriarch over all) and "the revealer of secret/hidden knowledge (i.e. a) in English.Jeremiah's assignment, given to him by God, was to be the head of the nations and kingdoms, to root out, pull down, destroy and throw down......which is precisely what happened in Jerusalem c. 588 BC when Nebuchadnezzar and theBabylonian army sacked Jerusalem just as Jeremiah had forewarned King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem;and to build and plant -which Jeremiah did in Ireland, bringing with him Princess Teia Tephi from Jerusalem, who became queen of all Ireland when she married the ard-ri Eochaidh MacDuach 3 days after arriving in what is today Howth, Ireland on the 18th of June in 583 BC.Jeremiah 1:4-5,101:4 Then the Word of the "I AM" came unto me, saying,1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and]ordained thee a Prophet unto the nations.1:10 See,have this day set thee, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.All of the kings and queens of Ireland from 583 BC until 500 AD were descended from Eochaidh and Teia Tephi (pictured all over the UK as "Britannia"), just as all of the Scottish kings and queens were from 500 AD until 1296 AD, as well as all of the English kings and queens from that point forward.So there are numerous ties between Jerusalem and Ireland, both throughout the historical records, through Scripture, through geographical references, e.g. Iberia/(Hebrew's Land - Spain and Hibernia/(Hebrew'sland - Ireland), through archaeological artifactseven through the calendar. :-)Hope you and yours have a blessed St. Patriarch's day and new year to follow.

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Thousands of demonstrators rallied around Serbia's presidential palace in Belgrade on Sunday, accusing President Aleksandar Vucic of authoritarianism and muzzling the media. The protest came a day after opposition supporters stormed a state-run television building. The events mark a new boldness in opposition protests that have been held weekly in the Balkan country since December against what critics describe as Vucic's slide towards autocratic rule. On Saturday night, dozens invaded the offices of RTS television -- which the protesters accuse of pandering to the ruling party -- demanding to address the population. The leaders of opposition parties have become more visible at the rallies, and among those storming the RTS building were former Belgrade mayor Dragan Djilas and Bosko Obradovic, head of the right-wing Dveri party. At Sunday's demonstration, the protesters practically blocked the presidency building for several hours. The trouble started when police tried unsuccessfully to prevent protesters from bringing a truck with loudspeakers close the presidency building. They moved on from there to the police headquarters, where they called for 10 arrested protesters to be freed. Police said only six had been arrested. The stand-off lasted around two hours, without incident. One protest leader issued an ultimatum to the president. "Aleksandar Vucic, you have until 3:00 pm Monday (1400 GMT) to free those who have been arrested. Failing that we will decide on a fresh protest and we will continue to the end," he said, calling on the government to resign. The protests have spread to dozens of other Serbian towns. In his press conference at the presidential palace -- broadcast live on RTS -- Vucic said he was not intimidated by the protesters, whom he called "hooligans". He also lashed out at the opposition, calling Obradovic a "fascist" and Djilas an "oligarch". Vucic, an ultra-nationalist turned pro-European, has rejected claims that he has become autocratic. Serbia, which aspires to join the EU in 2025, was criticised by the European Commission last year over press freedoms in the country, denouncing threats, intimidation and violence against journalists. Riot police were on hand as protesters massed outside Serbia's presidential building ahead of a speech by the country's leader Aleksandar Vucic
I didn't realize she dropped her last name?

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I didn't either until recently but tbh I didn't like it, her full name is iconic!

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same. i guess it makes sense tho after that whole kylie jenner trying to claim the 'kylie' name thing though.

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she's gone by Kylie for a large % of her career lol



i mean her debut album was just titled "Kylie"



like...





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Kylie (the original) probably had to do it for trademark purposes. Maybe to prove that she uses it. I wont be surprised if the copycat is trying to claim Kylie yet again.

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Important to remind a certain secondary reality TV personality that there is only one.

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Lizzo is amazing

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What - people have no taste! This lineup is top notch: Stormzy, Jungle, Neneh Cherry, the Cure, Tame Impala, Lauryn Hill if she can get a new alarm clock, Kamasi Washington, Jorja, Wu-Tang



Now I'm pissed I'm poor

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This Lauryn Hill accuracy lol. I didn't realize how she was live til my coworker went and she pulled the same thing.

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I thought of you, bb <3

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Ty. I feel loved and seen! <3

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my king

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Yaaaas git it GIT IT!

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Lizzo, Interpol, Janelle - okay, okay, okay like all my damn faves. Glastonbury is really that bish!

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This is the best lineup Ive seen in quite some time. And def the best Ive seen this year

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It looks more like a mid-2000s lineup and I'm here for it! These people with flop taste can go to Coachella.

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that's a great lineup!

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I don't care for most of male acts, but there are some amazing women up there. I'd go to Janelle & Lizzo alone tbh

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Next year for the big anniversary. Theyre supposedly going back to work on a new album after their South American tour ends in April.



...which is good because TBHC wasnt very festival friendly.

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it really wasn't and i think they learnt that the hard way with their tour, they had to keep changing the set list based on audience reactions. i love the album but it's easy listening, which - considering i was almost murdered in a mosh pit at the their gig?!?! isn't what people see them for lmao

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The headliners seem pretty weak for this festival, tbh, but good on them for making the ratio of male to female acts closer to 50% than most festivals. Janet was supposed to be one of the headliners for FYF last year, and they ended up cancelling the festival altogether due to poor ticket sales. :/



But it doesn't really matter what I think since I hate festivals! I'd rather see the acts individually. I'm going to a one day one in May, and am already dreading it, lol.

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Can't wait for the Kylie set.

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i love how many female acts there are on there, and so many talented folks

solid lineup for sure, but i agree that the killers headlining top tier festivals is boring at this point

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I would go just for Chemical Bros and Janelle Monae.

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It's like a call back to 00s.

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IKR?! We need more rock festivals.

Especially in Canada. In recent years theyve either been discontinued (Riot Fest because their promoter got bought by Ticketmaster who didnt want to continue it) or went bankrupt (Montreal Rockfest Who now owes acts money).

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I don't know why it happened. Is there really not a big enough audience for rock festivals anymore?



I only ever went to festivals in Europe but it's the same thing here. I used to not have enough money to go to a lot of them, and now I just don't see the point...

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I think it's interesting that the highest billed acts of the 2010s are grime (stormzy) and indie pop/RnB artists (janelle,christine, jorja). With the exception of IDLES and Sharon von Etten, are there any big, new rock acts playing? Glastonbury was known for being a rock festival so I can see why the snobs are being so snobby.



that said, I would kill for this setlist! Janet, VW, Tame Impala, Lauryn, Janelle, Sigrid, Hozier, Christine, Cat, Years & Years, Lizzo, King Princess, and IDLES sounds amazing. I'm going to Boston Calling and that was previously my fav festival lineup but pretty sad compared to this lmao

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I very recently got into IDLES and love them so much. The closest they're coming to me is ATL in May for Shaky Knees Fest and I'm seriousky considering making the trip to see them.

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rock is pretty dead as a genre right now

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Kurt Vile

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Page: 1 2 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 490961

03-18-2019 01:04 AM











Post: #1 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

Advertisement



https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019...ssion=true



The idea that President Donald Trump is a racist refuses to die, even though the main arguments have long since been disproven, and there is a mountain of evidence to the contrary.



It is like the Russia collusion hoax, which Democrats and the media continue to pursue even though, after two-and-a-half years, there is no evidence at all linking the Trump campaign with the Russian government, and Trump is tougher on Russia than his predecessors.



Both hoaxes work the same way. They are believed in by the presidents opponents and critics, because both seem to provide a way of removing him from office. Once entertained, even tentatively, confirmation bias does the rest.



Both hoaxes grab attention with extraordinary, shocking claims  a president who supports neo-Nazis! a president who is secretly a foreign agent!  that explain the otherwise inexplicable fact (to some) that Trump was elected.



Crucially, they also start with Trump receiving unsolicited support from the bad guys.



When Trump soared to the front of the Republican field, against the opposition of the media and the political establishment, a small but vocal fringe sought to use his momentum to their advantage. Former David Duke Grand Wizard backed Trump, as did an army of racist and antisemitic Twitter trolls. The media played up their significance to damage Trump.



Trump had already disavowed Duke in August 2015, but the media kept asking him about it, partly to establish a connection where there was none. When, in one CNN interview, Trump hesitated before repeating his disavowal (though he had done so the day before and would do so the day after), the media turned that into proof he empathized with the far-right. As a result, no one remembers the other denunciations, or care that Duke now backs a Democrat.



Similarly with Russia. In late 2015, in the thick of the Republican primary, Russian president Vladimir Putin was asked about Trump, and said he was talented and absolutely the leader in the American presidential race. That kicked off a frenzy of media speculation.



When, in July 2016, Trump joked about asking Russia to find Hillary Clintons deleted emails, the FBI and CIA started an investigation. Even they had been taken in by the fake news.



Trump has done anything and everything possible to denounce bigotry, and to help the people who are targeted by it. In his very first address to Congress, just a few weeks after taking office, he began by noting our celebration of Black History Month and condemning the [r]ecent threats targeting Jewish community centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries.



In his first 100 days, Trump launched air strikes against Syria  over conservative opposition  to protect innocent Muslims from chemical weapons attacks. He appointed a gay ambassador to Germany, one of the highest openly gay U.S. officials ever. He opened an embassy in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish state. And he repeatedly cites his success in promoting black and Hispanic employment, as well as womens employment.



On Russia, Trump is strong: attacking Russias Syrian proxy for using chemical weapons; sending military aid to Ukraine; urging European firms to pull out of a natural gas pipeline project with Russia; declaring that the U.S. will withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty over Russian violations; pulling out of the nuclear deal with Iran, over Russian objections; and imposing various sanctions on Russia, Breitbart News has noted.



Yet the very fact that Trump is diplomatic with Putin is the only proof the media needs to continue its obsession. 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' HoaxThe idea that President Donald Trump is a racist refuses to die, even though the main arguments have long since been disproven, and there is a mountain of evidence to the contrary.It is like the Russia collusion hoax, which Democrats and the media continue to pursue even though, after two-and-a-half years, there is no evidence at all linking the Trump campaign with the Russian government, and Trump is tougher on Russia than his predecessors.Both hoaxes work the same way. They are believed in by the presidents opponents and critics, because both seem to provide a way of removing him from office. Once entertained, even tentatively, confirmation bias does the rest.Both hoaxes grab attention with extraordinary, shocking claims  a president who supports neo-Nazis! a president who is secretly a foreign agent!  that explain the otherwise inexplicable fact (to some) that Trump was elected.Crucially, they also start with Trump receiving unsolicited support from the bad guys.When Trump soared to the front of the Republican field, against the opposition of the media and the political establishment, a small but vocal fringe sought to use his momentum to their advantage. Former David Duke Grand Wizard backed Trump, as did an army of racist and antisemitic Twitter trolls. The media played up their significance to damage Trump.Trump had already disavowed Duke in August 2015, but the media kept asking him about it, partly to establish a connection where there was none. When, in one CNN interview, Trump hesitated before repeating his disavowal (though he had done so the day before and would do so the day after), the media turned that into proof he empathized with the far-right. As a result, no one remembers the other denunciations, or care that Duke now backs a Democrat.Similarly with Russia. In late 2015, in the thick of the Republican primary, Russian president Vladimir Putin was asked about Trump, and said he was talented and absolutely the leader in the American presidential race. That kicked off a frenzy of media speculation.When, in July 2016, Trump joked about asking Russia to find Hillary Clintons deleted emails, the FBI and CIA started an investigation. Even they had been taken in by the fake news.Trump has done anything and everything possible to denounce bigotry, and to help the people who are targeted by it. In his very first address to Congress, just a few weeks after taking office, he began by noting our celebration of Black History Month and condemning the [r]ecent threats targeting Jewish community centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries.In his first 100 days, Trump launched air strikes against Syria  over conservative opposition  to protect innocent Muslims from chemical weapons attacks. He appointed a gay ambassador to Germany, one of the highest openly gay U.S. officials ever. He opened an embassy in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish state. And he repeatedly cites his success in promoting black and Hispanic employment, as well as womens employment.On Russia, Trump is strong: attacking Russias Syrian proxy for using chemical weapons; sending military aid to Ukraine; urging European firms to pull out of a natural gas pipeline project with Russia; declaring that the U.S. will withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty over Russian violations; pulling out of the nuclear deal with Iran, over Russian objections; and imposing various sanctions on Russia, Breitbart News has noted.Yet the very fact that Trump is diplomatic with Putin is the only proof the media needs to continue its obsession. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 450018

03-18-2019 01:18 AM











Post: #2 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

everyone on the planet is "Racist" one way or another, EVERYONE just as we all are human beings. Isabella

Registered User

User ID: 421592

03-18-2019 01:31 AM



Posts: 27,481









Post: #3 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 01:04 AM) 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax



https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019...ssion=true



The idea that President Donald Trump is a racist refuses to die, even though the main arguments have long since been disproven, and there is a mountain of evidence to the contrary.



It is like the Russia collusion hoax, which Democrats and the media continue to pursue even though, after two-and-a-half years, there is no evidence at all linking the Trump campaign with the Russian government, and Trump is tougher on Russia than his predecessors.



Both hoaxes work the same way. They are believed in by the presidents opponents and critics, because both seem to provide a way of removing him from office. Once entertained, even tentatively, confirmation bias does the rest.



Both hoaxes grab attention with extraordinary, shocking claims  a president who supports neo-Nazis! a president who is secretly a foreign agent!  that explain the otherwise inexplicable fact (to some) that Trump was elected.



Crucially, they also start with Trump receiving unsolicited support from the bad guys.



When Trump soared to the front of the Republican field, against the opposition of the media and the political establishment, a small but vocal fringe sought to use his momentum to their advantage. Former David Duke Grand Wizard backed Trump, as did an army of racist and antisemitic Twitter trolls. The media played up their significance to damage Trump.



Trump had already disavowed Duke in August 2015 the media kept asking him about it, partly to establish a connection where there was none. When, in one CNN interview, Trump hesitated before repeating his disavowal (though he had done so the day before and would do so the day after), the media turned that into proof he empathized with the far-right. As a result, no one remembers the other denunciations, or care that Duke now backs a Democrat.



Similarly with Russia. In late 2015, in the thick of the Republican primary, Russian president Vladimir Putin was asked about Trump, and said he was talented and absolutely the leader in the American presidential race. That kicked off a frenzy of media speculation.



When, in July 2016, Trump joked about asking Russia to find Hillary Clintons deleted emails, the FBI and CIA started an investigation. Even they had been taken in by the fake news.



Trump has done anything and everything possible to denounce bigotry, and to help the people who are targeted by it. In his very first address to Congress, just a few weeks after taking office, he began by noting our celebration of Black History Month and condemning the [r]ecent threats targeting Jewish community centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries.



In his first 100 days, Trump launched air strikes against Syria  over conservative opposition  to protect innocent Muslims from chemical weapons attacks. He appointed a gay ambassador to Germany, one of the highest openly gay U.S. officials ever. He opened an embassy in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish state. And he repeatedly cites his success in promoting black and Hispanic employment, as well as womens employment.



On Russia, Trump is strong: attacking Russias Syrian proxy for using chemical weapons; sending military aid to Ukraine; urging European firms to pull out of a natural gas pipeline project with Russia; declaring that the U.S. will withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty over Russian violations; pulling out of the nuclear deal with Iran, over Russian objections; and imposing various sanctions on Russia, Breitbart News has noted.



Yet the very fact that Trump is diplomatic with Putin is the only proof the media needs to continue its obsession.





"The uproar started on Sunday when Trump was asked by CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" if he would disavow Duke and other white supremacist groups supporting his campaign.



"Just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, OK?" Trump responded.



The next day, Trump blamed a "bad earpiece" during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show."



March 2016



https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/03/politics/...index.html "The uproar started on Sunday when Trump was asked by CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" if he would disavow Duke and other white supremacist groups supporting his campaign.The next day, Trump blamed a "bad earpiece" during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show."March 2016 LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 423870

03-18-2019 01:37 AM











Post: #4 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

It's a tactic used to make people automatically discount

anything the Left says.



Working Marvelously, I might add. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 493607

03-18-2019 01:46 AM











Post: #5 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 01:18 AM) everyone on the planet is "Racist" one way or another, EVERYONE just as we all are human beings.

LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 453934

03-18-2019 02:02 AM











Post: #6 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

Quote: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax









Trump is NOT a racist?

Wow. Now that's funny! Trump is NOT a racist?Wow. Now that's funny! LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 493696

03-18-2019 02:12 AM











Post: #7 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 02:02 AM) Quote: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax









Trump is NOT a racist?

Wow. Now that's funny!

Back it up with one fact pal.

He dated a black model and is well known for his inner city charity. He must hate minorities alot hey?

Dont let little things like facts get in the way, eh leftie? Back it up with one fact pal.He dated a black model and is well known for his inner city charity. He must hate minorities alot hey?Dont let little things like facts get in the way, eh leftie? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 493696

03-18-2019 02:15 AM











Post: #8 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

Waiting bit*h LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 412093

03-18-2019 02:23 AM











Post: #9 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

Next, they'll go after his religion. The progressive playbook, is so predictable. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 453934

03-18-2019 02:46 AM











Post: #10 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 02:23 AM) Next, they'll go after his religion. The progressive playbook, is so predictable.

FACT: Donald Trump is NOT a Republican

FACT: Donald Trump is NOT a Conservative

FACT: Donald Trump is NOT a Christian



and I have been saying that and posting that here for 3 years.



It's a known fact! Donald Trump is NOT a good person. FACT: Donald Trump is NOT a RepublicanFACT: Donald Trump is NOT a ConservativeFACT: Donald Trump is NOT a Christianand I have been saying that and posting that here for 3 years.It's a known fact! Donald Trump is NOT a good person. Soul

Registered User

User ID: 471163

03-18-2019 02:51 AM



Posts: 23,415









Post: #11 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax





Breitbart saying trump isn't a racist is like dailymail saying mussolini wasn't a fascist LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 423870

03-18-2019 03:42 AM











Post: #12 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 02:46 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 02:23 AM) Next, they'll go after his religion. The progressive playbook, is so predictable.

FACT: Donald Trump is NOT a Republican

FACT: Donald Trump is NOT a Conservative

FACT: Donald Trump is NOT a Christian



and I have been saying that and posting that here for 3 years.



It's a known fact! Donald Trump is NOT a good person.

So YOU think you're BETTER than him? So YOU think you're BETTER than him? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 453934

03-18-2019 04:20 AM











Post: #13 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

Donald Trump campaigned as a Racist



Donald Trump won as a Racist



Donald Trump has ruled as a Racist



Donald Trump will lose as a Racist



and Donald Trump will die a Racist LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 453934

03-18-2019 04:38 AM











Post: #14 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 04:20 AM) Donald Trump campaigned as a Racist



Donald Trump won as a Racist



Donald Trump has ruled as a Racist



Donald Trump will lose as a Racist



and Donald Trump will die a Racist

Donald Trump campaigned as a Racist



Donald Trump won as a Racist



Donald Trump has ruled as a Racist



Donald Trump will lose as a Racist



and Donald Trump will die a Racist LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 493725

03-18-2019 05:03 AM











Post: #15 RE: 'Trump Is Racist' Is Like the 'Russia Collusion' Hoax

LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 04:38 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (03-18-2019 04:20 AM) Donald Trump campaigned as a Racist



Donald Trump won as a Racist



Donald Trump has ruled as a Racist



Donald Trump will lose as a Racist



and Donald Trump will die a Racist

Donald Trump campaigned as a Racist



Donald Trump won as a Racist



Donald Trump has ruled as a Racist



Donald Trump will lose as a Racist



and Donald Trump will die a Racist

Wrong even though you post it twice Wrong even though you post it twice Advertisement



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To everyone who are like the trailer to #PetSematary gave everything away, Im just gonna sit here and LOL cause you have no idea what you are going to experience  HorrorDesignChick  @ SXSW (@shannon_mcgrew) March 17, 2019

#PetSematary: For years now, my wife @noaccentandrea has referred to Jason Clarke as The Professional Bad Husband. I mostly liked the film, but good goddamn, Clarke is the *perfect* actor for Kings brand of grief-stricken, evil-backsliding fathers. pic.twitter.com/k8VlybLzYh  Matthew Monagle (@LabSplice) March 17, 2019

#PetSematary is a big winner at #SXSW for @PNemiroff. A movie with a real thoughtful mean streak thatll chill you to the bone: https://t.co/ewr16Z2jxA  Collider (@Collider) March 17, 2019

[ more tweets ]

#PetSematary is *vicious* and I LOVED it. Super brutal visuals and was thrilled to see Widmyer & Kolsch fully embrace the deeply unsettling themes of mortality from the book. And WOW Jete Laurence. They really pushed it with this adaptation & it worked for me - big time.  #sxsw  Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) March 17, 2019



Lots (and lots) of thoughts on the new #PetSematary to come, but for now, what I will say is this: holy hell do I respect how bananas it gets in the third act. Absolutely not what I was expecting AT ALL.  Heather Wixson (@thehorrorchick) March 17, 2019



#PetSematary delivers a solid sense of dread from start to finish. It earns its well-timed jump scares, and terrific sound design and gnarly effects add extra layers of creepy. I think King fans will dig it.

Move over Goose, its Churchs turn.#sxsw pic.twitter.com/jqkuLKOfWq  Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 17, 2019





Directors Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch (@starryguys) and the cast closed out #SXSW with the world premiere of #PetSematary pic.twitter.com/WUuf55ooF3  Pet Sematary (@petsematarymov) March 17, 2019

The new adaptation ofclosed out SXSW and has been getting great reviews. OP is officially excited!some reviews via Twitter (no spoilers)- Saysis among the best of King adaptations.- "Its a layered, deeply sinister family nightmare that, yes, is packed with scares, but also a significant amount of complexity that takes those scares well beyond fleeting thrills."- Says the cast is phenomenal, especially the child actors.- Givesan A-.- Says the originaladaptation was one of the few to deliver.- Says not enough is being done to distinct this film from the previous, but the directors do deliver on atmosphere, jump scares and the flashbacks involving the character of Rachel.- The character of Victor Pascow will be "will be hard to erase from your mind" and is a "disturbing upgrade" from the first adaptation. Pascow is played by Obssa Ahmed.There are a ton more reviews if you search the hashtag on Twitter Some pics at the premiere.Lastly: I'm jealous of anyone who got this poster
When Venezuelas opposition leader Juan Guaido earlier this week said he had decreed the suspension of all crude oil shipments to Cuba, he explained the move with the massive power outage that plunged a lot of Venezuela into darkness. Yet the call to turn the tap off for Cuba may re-emerge, this time as a more permanent goal on the oppositions agenda.

Venezuela is Cubas largest oil supplier under a barter deal sealed by the late leaders of the two countries, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro. The deal envisaged Cuba getting regular shipments of crude in exchange for its highly trained doctors and other professionals to work in Venezuela.

At one point during this partnership, Cuba was receiving more than 100,000 bpd of Venezuelan crude, an analysis by Oliver Pieper for Deutsche Welle said. Now, however, this is probably down by a half as Venezuela struggles to keep its fields producing. Even so, Venezuelan crude is an important part of Cubas energy mix and its elimination from this mix would almost certainly lead to power outages for Cuba as well.

This urgent call by Guaido for a halt of oil exports to Cuba is not the first one. The Wall Street Journals John Otis reported in late February that the self-declared interim president of Venezuela and president of the opposition-dominated National Assembly had already set his sights on this particular portion of exports with the argument it was irrational especially amid the economic crisis raging at home.

Yesterday, Guaido tweeted that Venezuela was sending 47,000 bpd to Cuba and these were worth US$2.58 million that would be better put to good use at home rather than in Cuba. Related: The Small Asian Nation With Big LNG Plans

Venezuela needs more than ever to leverage its resources, rather than fund dark purposes. For years, Cuba's interference was allowed, justifying with an ideological brotherhood that was nothing more than giving away our oil, Guaido said in the tweet.

The Venezuelan crisis has already forced Cuba to adjust its energy sources and the country increased its imports from Russia and also last year signed a contract for more oil product deliveries from Algeria, another long-term partner. Yet Venezuelan oil has continued to play an important role in Cubas energy supply not least because it has been, from a certain perspective, free.

Cuba is not lacking in its own oil resources, though. Last year, Australian Melbana Energythe only foreign company with a presence in the Cuban energy sectorsaid it had estimated the potential reserves of a single block at 12.7 billion barrels, with a 14-32 percent chance of striking oil in it. Drilling is set to begin this quarter.

Yet developing its own crude oil resources will take time that Cuba might not have, so chances are it will remain import-dependent in the observable future. If the U.S. steps up the pressure on the government in Caracas and with the help of Guaidos opposition stops Venezuelan oil deliveries to Cuba, it will probably be Russia that will take the place of Venezuela. This will cost Havana more than it cost it to import Venezuelan oil but it will help it avoid outages.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A major challenge for Central Asias oil and natural gas industry has always been how to transport petroleum products from the landlocked region to global markets. That issue resurfaced last week (March 6) in Uzbekistan, where a delay in building a pipeline to export more gas to China helped Russia deepen its hold on the domestic energy industry. The Central Asian republics liquidity crunch has allowed Russias Lukoil to acquire local petroleum assets as well as to boost supplies of Russian gas to Uzbekistani consumersthereby, putting Moscow in a much stronger position to dictate the terms for gas exports from Uzbekistan.

A comment from Lukoils leadership this past week put the pipeline issue in the spotlight. According to the energy company, Uzbekistan owes Lukoil $600 million for gas because local customers have lately been consuming excessive amounts of heating and cooking fuel (Trend, March 6). Uzbekistan consumed 43 bcm of gas in 2017almost three times Kazakhstans consumption. One reason for this is that Uzbekistans population of 33 million is 2.5 times larger than Kazakhstans 14 million. Another reason relates to the fact that Uzbekistans centralized domestic pipeline network is inefficient and its own gas impure, containing lots of toxins (Iea.org, accessed March 14).

Uzbekistan was a gas-export powerhouse until the mid-1990s, when its major fields matured and production plummeted from a peak of 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) a year (Ceicdata.com, accessed March 14). Lacking the capital to develop additional fields, the government privatized the oil and gas industry in the early 2000s.

Most of the natural gas that Uzbekistan currently exports is carried via the 7,000-kilometer, Central AsiaChina Pipeline, to Chinas northwestern province of Xinjiang. But the three-line pipeline system is expected to reach its maximum capacity of 55 bcm this year, mainly due to increased volumes coming from Kazakhstan (Nikkei Asian Review, October 28, 2018).

China has been dragging its feet since 2014 on helping to finance a promised fourth line to the system. The line would run from Turkmenistan, through Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to Chinas southwestern border. In 2017, Uzbekistan and China announced an indefinite delay on the start of the fourth lines construction (Trend, March 4, 2017).

Strained personal relations between Uzbekistans former president Islam Karimov and other Central Asian heads of state complicated the countrys ties with its neighbors until his death in 2016. The first official visit of Karimovs successor, Shavkat Mirziyaev, was to Turkmenistan, which has Central Asias largest gas reserves. One of Mirziryaevs hopes was that Turkmenistan would help put the Central AsiaChina pipeline project back on track (Radio Free Europe, April 27, 2018). Although the visit was heralded as signifying a new era in Uzbekistani-Turkmenistani relationsand Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov reciprocated that notionexpansion of the pipeline remains on hold. Mirziyaev even tried to sweeten the pie, suggesting that Uzbekistan would join the TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia (TAPI) pipeline project that would deliver Turkmenistani gas to Pakistans and Indias huge markets gas (Tashkent Times, April 24, 2018), but so far to no avail.

Alexei Miller, the CEO of Russias state-owned energy giant Gazprom, announced in 2018 that the company would begin importing Turkmenistani gas again as of January 1, 2019, after settling a bilateral pricing dispute that had cut off supplies in 2016 (Nikkei Asian Review, November 20, 2018). Before the cut-off, Gazprom re-exported 1012 bcm a year of cheaper Turkmenistani gas through Ukraine to Europe (Oilprice.com, July 28, 2015). In addition to maintaining its position as Europes largest supplier, Gazprom has substantially increased its supplies to China in recent years.

It is unclear whether Gazprom has begun re-importing Turkmenistani gas to date (Azer News, February 11, 2019). But indications that it may have include reports that Turkmenistan has redirected some of its exports from Azerbaijan to Russia (see EDM, February 25).

An intriguing question is what Gazprom will do with the Turkmenistani gas once Russias transit contract with Ukraine ends in 2019. Relations between Moscow and Kyiv have been strained since Russia seized Crimea and began supporting the separatists in eastern Ukraine. As a result, whether a new transit contract will surface remains to be seen. One option would be to send Turkmenistani gas to Russias Volga-Ural region and export more West Siberian gas to Europe and China. To pull this off, Gazprom would need a cost-effective price for the imported gas.

What do these developments mean for Uzbekistan? First, both the delay in the construction of the pipeline to China and the resumption of Turkmenistans supplies to Russia will make it harder for Uzbekistan to secure a suitably high price for the gas it exports through Gazprom. The redirection of a large portion of Turkmenistans gas to Russia will also mean less urgency to build the fourth line of the westeast pipeline to China. Moreover, less gas revenue will make it harder for President Mirziyaev to implement the next phase of his 20172021 strategic development program. It will also complicate Uzbekistans plans to open its gas industry to Western companies. Finally, the debt to Lukoil could foster this Russian energy companys dominance in Uzbekistans petroleum sector. In lieu of payment, Lukoil could demand more Uzbekistani petroleum assets, as Gazprom did in Armenia (Neftegaz.ru February 8, 2019).

Uzbekistan needs all the revenue it can secure in order to continue growing its economy. This means finding another outlet to export its gas as well as reducing its domestic consumption. Otherwise, Uzbekistan will have to rely on Russia to both supply it with gas for domestic consumption and to export much of the gas it produces to sell abroad.

By The Jamestown Foundation

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Welcome to 'OZ' - The 'Other' Side of the Rainbow!! Some posts may be seen as offensive. Posting is at 10AM, Noon and 2PM CST daily. Up to 12 days of posts on the main page. The archives have more. You can forward posts by clicking on the envelope at the bottom of the post. Enjoy your stay! *** If you need to contact me, or have a copyright issue, please use the "Contact The Wizard" form on the left side of 'OZ'. Original source and author is cited and credited in each post where possible. ***
From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...
" " An actor playing the part of St. Patrick leads the annual St. Patrick's Day parade on March 17, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Regardless of your heritage, you're probably very aware of St. Patrick's Day. Celebrated each year on March 17, it's a day when people from all sorts of national and ethnic backgrounds dip a toe in Irish culture. Many observe the day by sporting a bright green shirt and meeting up with friends at a favorite local Irish pub. But there's a lot more to St. Patrick's Day than simply wearing green and knocking back a pint of Guinness.

For instance, who was St. Patrick? Is it true that he was taken prisoner by Irish raiders? And how do shamrocks and the Blarney stone fit into this holiday's history?

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Important historical figures are frequently shadowed by the myths and legends attributed to them over the course of centuries, and St. Patrick is no exception. He is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, St. Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Most of what is known about him comes from his two works, the "Confessio", a spiritual autobiography, and his "Epistola", a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish Christians. St. Patrick described himself as a "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God."

St. Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, but there probably never have been  the island was separated from the rest of the continent at the end of the Ice Age. As in many old pagan religions, serpents were often used as symbols. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. While not the first to bring Christianity to Ireland, it is Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites. The story holds that he converted the warrior chiefs and princes, baptizing them and thousands of their subjects in the "Holy Wells" that still bear this name.

There are several accounts of St. Patrick's death. One says that St. Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 460 C.E. His jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits, and as a preservative against the "evil eye." Another account says that St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury, England and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York City, Dublin, and Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.
" " Is the exclamation mark on its way to becoming punctuation non grata? Flowgraph/Keerati/FabrikaCr/Thinkstock

The mark, as the Brits call it, seems so innocent on its face. A vertical line. A simple dot.

Yet in England, the exclamation mark  what in America is known as an exclamation point  has become a scourge on the language. It is misused, overused and abused. It is, according to England's Department for Education, mostly unfit for 7-year-olds to use.

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In England, the exclamation mark has been deemed practically punctuation non grata.

To be sure, the modest (on its face) exclamation point is not all that well-considered in America, either. Grammarians in the U.S. often look upon the mark much like the English do. Which is to say much like the English look upon the Americans.

"I think to discourage the overuse of the exclamation point is something to be commended," says Jordan Penn, taking the high road. Penn, a California investment firm executive, created The Punctuation Guide, a simple, almost elegant website dedicated to the wonders of periods (they call them "full stops" in the United Kingdom), semicolons, brackets and, yes, exclamation points. "I just wonder if the way they're doing it, I wonder if that's really the most effective way," he adds.

Mignon Fogarty agrees. Known online as the Grammar Girl, Fogarty is generally more agreeable to the exclamation point than many. She will, in fact, defend its use to the English.

The rule that they're proposing just isn't a real rule, she says. When you force children to learn things that aren't actually rules, some subset of those children will actually carry that with them for the rest of their lives.

England's DfE told teachers last month that, in testing primary school students  elementary school kids, to Americans  credit for the proper use of the exclamation mark can be given only when a sentence begins with the words "How" or "What."

So, in the bureaucrats' example, "What big teeth you have, Grandma!" is correct.

"How beautiful Cinderella looks in that dress!" Correct.

"Watch out for that falling piano!" Incorrect.

"That's a ridiculous rule!" Incorrect.

"My guess is, when putting together a standardized test, it's always easier to have strict rules because it makes grading easier," Fogarty says.

Education officials "clarified" things a little on March 8.

"The use of an exclamation mark," the Standards & Testing Agency says in its clarification (the agency clearly has no problems with ampersands), "does not change a sentence into an exclamation." (The agency is one of three that falls under the Department of Education.)

Whatever the backtracking now, the hue and cry has begun, even among the oft-stoic Brits. "It is nonsense of the highest degree," John Sutherland, emeritus Lord Northcliffe professor of modern English literature at University College London, told The Sunday Times.

In America, though, we get it. Anyone who has received a text or an email has seen the wild proliferation of the once rarely used exclamation point. U.S. voters, in perhaps an especially unfortunate example, have had to endure it even in their presidential politics.

"To me, it's the equivalent of someone yelling or screaming when what they have to say really just doesn't warrant that level of enthusiasm," says Penn. "I would liken it to listening to a politician deliver a very, sort of generic canned line on the campaign trail, but say it at the top of their lungs. That, to me, is what's irritating."

Still, there are times when the exclamation point is just fine to use, Grammar Girl says.

"There are a wide variety of sentences that could be exclamatory," Fogarty says. "It's an exclamation. An interjection. 'Hey!' 'Ouch!' 'Look out!' Those are legitimate types of sentences."

What is not cool, and generally not acceptable on either side of the ocean, is the use of exclamation points  plural. It's an exclamation point. One should do it.

You don't have to go overboard!!!!!!

Certainly, even multiple points are acceptable in less formal methods of communication. A text to a friend  "Let's go!!!"  is OK. In an email or letter to your boss ... probably not so much.

That, of course, is the big danger of exclamation points, and perhaps why the English want to restrict them. They can be insidious. They can slip into places where they don't belong.

"It seems as though the exclamation point has taken on the meaning of sincerity," Fogarty says. "'Thanks!' seems more sincere than 'Thanks.'"

Which means that even those who should know better sometimes feel forced to join in.

"I find myself using exclamation points in email, for example, where I normally wouldn't use it," Penn says. "If the person I'm corresponding with uses it at the end to say something like, 'Thanks a lot!' or 'Have a good weekend!' I sort of feel obliged to do the same. Otherwise they're going to think I'm not all that friendly."

And that, as they say in America, might leave a mark.
THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their

THE Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR), the newest airport in Vietnam, is eyeing to open direct flights to Cebu and is open to hiring Filipinos to help in their expansion.

Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, chairman of CXR, in a press conference at the sidelines of the Routes Asia 2019 conference, said Vietnam and the Philippines should grow together in terms of tourism.

Vietnams policy has opened up for the tourists like the giving of visa online and upon arrival. I feel comfortable growing 10 million passengers in our airport for the next few years, so I believe we can have some kind of cooperation between the two countries, he said.

CXR, which serves the city of Nha Trang in the south of Vietnam, will be expanding to accommodate 10 million to 20 million passengers in the next five years.

This includes plans to open four weekly flights direct to Cebu.

Currently, CXR has 25,000 employees and Nguyen said that it will grow to 30,000 in two years time.

We welcome Filipinos (to apply at CXR) because they speak English, he said.

He said that with the current flight route setup, Cebuano travelers need to take three connecting flights to get to Cam Rahn City via plane.

The first is a domestic flight from Cebu to Manila, then another flight from Manila to another city like Ho Chi Minh.

From that point, a third flight is needed to get to Cam Rahn, which is costly.

Its a waste of time, he said.

He pointed out that if both Vietnam and the countrys tourism departments will collaborate to offer direct flights, it would cut the air travel time by up to two and a half hours.

CXR has been operational for almost a year and has a passenger traffic of 5.2 million arrivals, the bulk of which are international passengers. It serves as a gateway to the south central coast of Vietnam and has the fourth largest total passenger traffic among Vietnams airports.

Nguyen attributed this to Cam Rahns beaches that attract more tourists from other nationalities.

Their top markets include China, Russia, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Philippine Stock Exchange president Ramon Monzon said both economies of the Philippines and Vietnam will benefit once a new route is established, as it will bring in more investors. (JOB WITH PR)
A delegation from Iran engaged in the nano technology is looking for a local partner as the Middle East nation firms up plans to invest in the Philippines. The group reached out to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to relay its search for the most competent local partner. It was the Iranian ambassador who personally accompanied the group to present to us this very advanced technology. They are planning to bring in the technology thru their products and there is a high probability that they will invest here, chamber president Alegria Limjoco said over the weekend.The delegation, composed of Iran Ambassador Mohammad Tanhei and the Iran Nanotechnology Innovation Council, said it wanted to discuss the significance of Iran nanotechnology that can be used for future cooperation between the Philippines and Iran. They are introducing their cutting edge technology in Philippines. Considering our economy expanded by more than 6 percent per annum, they are scouting for reliable partner in nanotechnology either in marketing or investment, said PCCI chairman emeritus Francis Chua.
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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
Former Senate President and Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino senatorial candidate Juan Ponce Enrile rallied supporters in Bacolod City as he called on government to protect the local sugar industry amid plans by the countrys economic managers to deregulate sugar imports. Speaking to sugar farmers and laborers from various parts of Negros Island on Saturday, the four-term senator said the sugar industry is the primary livelihood of five million Filipinos. The inordinate importation of sugar will have a very negative impact on the local sugar industry and the people who depend on it. Maraming magugutom, he said. Other than that, the industry is contributing at least P120 billion annually to the economy not just because we are selling sugar but also for bio-ethanol, bio-power and other products, he added.Enrile said the government should first aid local farmers with programs to improve the industrys productivity. If we want sugar to become cheaper, lets seek measures to reduce the costs of production such as the costs of fuel, farm inputs, and farm tools. We can also assist farmers by providing them loans to modernize their equipment, Enrile said.
The Court of Appeals has upheld the right of a property developer to rescind the P321.6 million contracts it signed with one of the countrys real estate tycoons for the sale of a 150-hectare land in Barangay Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas. In a 15-page decision, the CAs Eight Division through Associate Justice Ronaldo Roberto Martin sustained the judgment rendered by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 14, Batangas City which ordered RGV Development Corporation owned by real estate tycoon Rodolfo Valencia and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Retirement and Separation Benefits System to reconvey Lot 2-A-1 to Group Developers, Inc, which is composed of 150 hectares of land in Nasugbu, Batangas. The property was then mortgaged to Manila Banking Corporation. The appellate court ruled that RGVDC did not comply with its obligations to GDI under their memorandum of agreement for the sale of the property, thus, entitling the latter to rescind the agreement and the deed of absolute sale. Under the MOA, the purchase price of the subject property is P321,600,000.00, but out of this amount, P117,166,400.00 is to be distributed to the informal settlers, while P129,474,250.00 is to be spent for the development of the relocation sites of the informal settlers. Since the subject property was then mortgaged to MBC, it was agreed that out of P321.6 million, , RGVDC will directly pay the amount of P55 million to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the partial settlement of the loan of GDI to MBC, while P16.6 million will be for the legal and miscellaneous expenses incurred in the redemption of the subject property with the MBC. The CA stressed that the trial court correctly ruled that out of the P321.6 million, only P1 million was actually received by GDI as earnest money. The amount of P117,166,400.00 and P129,474,250.00 constituted the bulk of the purchase price, and as such, RGVDCs non-compliance with their obligation constituted non-payment of the full purchase price, and consequently, a breach of contract on their part, the CA held. In its complaint for reconveyance of real property with prayer for damages, GDI said following its issuance of a deed of absolute sale over the subject property, it chanced upon an issue in one of the major dailies on April 14, 2007 showing that AFP-RSBS was offering for sale 1.5 million shares of stocks of Monterrosa Development Corporation (MDC) at a 150-hectare residential located in Barangay Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas for a minimum bid price of P892.5 million. Because of this, GDI discovered about the transfer of the subject property from MDC to AFP-RSBS, thus, the filing of the complaint. For its part, RGVD insisted that had already fulfilled its obligation under the MOA by clearing the subject property of its occupants and with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and that GDI was satisfied, that is why it executed the deed of absolute sale. They alleged that granting that RGVDC did not comply with the deposit, the beneficiaries of the amount are the tenants/occupants of the subject property, and not GDI. They further argued that GDI is already barred from denying its satisfaction with its dealings with RGVDC in view of the execution of the deed of absolute sale and the transfer of the title over the subject property to MDC since 1998. MDC denied GDIs claim of simulation of contracts as there was an actual transfer of ownership when it paid P321.6 million to GDI, which resulted in the execution of the deed of absolute sale. On the other hand, AFP-RSBS claimed that that as part of its business undertakings, it entered into a joint venture with AG&P for the construction and marketing of a 28-storey condominium in Binondo, Manila, named as Chinatown Steel Towers, Inc.On September 7, 1999, CSTI and RGVDC executed a deed of assignment allowing the former to transfer and assign in favor of the latter all its shares of stocks and assets consisting primarily of 120 condominium units at the Chinatown Steel Towers, in exchange for the subject property which at that time was in the name of MDC. Also, on the same date, RGVDC executed a deed of assignment transferring and assigning all its rights and interests over the shares of stock with MDC to AFP-RSBS. AFP-RSBS argued that the deed of assignment was in effect a corporate swap, whereby CSTI would hand over all of its shares of stocks comprising of 120 condominium units to RGVDC in exchange for the latters right and interest in MDC to AFP-RSBS, which consists of all its shares of stocks including the subject property. AFP-RSBS also alleged that at the time MDCs shares and assets were assigned to it, the title of the subject property had no adverse claim annotated in favor of GDI, thus, it claimed that it acted in good faith as MDCs assignee, and that it was a purchaser in good faith and for value. This resulted to AFP-RSBSs filing of a cross-claim against RGVDC where it contended that it was a mere assignee of MDC by virtue of a deed of assignment executed by CSTI and RGVDC. Thus, it argued RGVDC should likewise be ordered to return the proceeds of the sale of the 120 condominium units of CTS to AFP-RSBS, and to pay damages, among others in case of a ruling that favor GDI. However, the appellate court said that in this case, RGVDC failed to pay the purchase price which gave GDI a right to demand the fulfillment or cancellation of the obligation under an existing valid contract. Here, GDI opted to have the contracts rescinded, which is well within its right, it added. With regard to the claim of AFP-RSBS, the CA ruled that it is an assignee in bad faith. Had AFP-RSBS carefully examined the documents handed over by RGVDC, it would have easily discovered that the latter was not able to comply with its obligations to GDI, which would have prompted AFP-RSBS to inquire into the title of RGVDC as regards the subject property, the CA explained. But the appellate court held that RGVDC should pay AFP-RSBS the proceeds of the sale of the 120 condominium units of CSTI. Thus, the RTC correctly ordered that Rodolfo and RGVDC return the proceeds of the sale of the 120 condominium units of CSTI to AFP-RSBS as it is an assignee of MDC. Besides, Rodolfo and RGVDC did not present any evidence that it was CSTI that received the proceeds of the sale of the 120 condominium units, the CA held. Associate Justices Ramon M. Bato Jr. and Ramon A. Cruz concurred with the ruling.
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Bursts of water. Angat Dam on Sunday (March 17, 2019) continuously releases water following President Dutertes order to resolve the water shortage in Metro Manila. Angats water level remains normal despite the onset of El Nino. Farmers in Kidapawan are not as lucky as the El Nino has damaged P53 million worth of crops, prompting the city council to mull over the declaration of a state of calamity. PNA

Water supply is augmented by the Ipo Dam, which is on top of the MWSS list to ensure reliable and secure water supply. PNA

READ: Rody orders release of water from Angat

READ: Water supply woes worsen

A joint House panel on Sunday summoned the top officials of the Manila Water Co. Inc., Maynilad Water Services Inc., water regulators and five mayors to todays congressional inquiry into theQuezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, committee on Metro Manila chairman, along with Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, committee on housing and urban development chairman, will conduct a congressional hearing. We will need explanations from the concessionaires, regulators and the experts why we got into this mess and their suggestion on how we can get out of it, Castelo said. Customers of Ayala-led Manila Water have suffered service interruptions and low water pressure for the last two weeks, but those in Maynilads service area have experienced no such problems. We have to look into the water shortage with dispatch and assure the people that the government is addressing the problem with assurances that it would not happen again, Benitez said. Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate filed House Resolution No. 2518 to investigate the water service interruption. Rainwater is a free, abundant, and regular natural resource that the Philippines is fortunate to receive year in and out. It is high time that we make use of it for the general advantage of our people, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte said. Invited to the joint House panel probe are Mayors Herbert Bautista of Quezon City, Roberto Eusebio of Pasig City, John Reynald Tiangco of Navotas City., Jaime Fresnedi of Muntinlupa City and Oscar Malapitan of Caloocan City; Manila Water chief executive officer Ferdinand dela Cruz; Maynilad Water Services president and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez; Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) administrator Jeci Lapus; LWUA chairman Rogelio Uy; Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) administrator Reynaldo Velasco; MWSS Regulatory Office chief regulator Patrick Ty; National Water Resources Board executive director Servillo David; Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration administrator Vicente Malano; Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines president Rustico Jimenez; Bureau of Fire Protection chief Leonard Banago; Philippine Hospital Association president Huberto Lapuz, and several others. Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Jericho Nograles said El Nino should not be blamed for Metro Manilas water shortage, saying the culprit is Manila Waters mismanagement and lack of foresight. The water interruptions are localized within the concession areas ofManila Water. This is simply mismanagement. Manila Water should be truthful to the public instead of blaming Mother Nature for their negligence, he said. On Sunday, Senator Richard J. Gordon said local government units should issue ordinances directing their constituents to observe water conservation. Gordon also called on the public to do their part in preventing the water crisis from worsening. To do this, he said people should be conscious of their water usage. We should conserve water. We can take simple actions at home so we dont contribute in worsening the problem, he said. The MWSS, meanwhile, lauded San Miguel Corporation (SMC) for its offer to use its untapped water allocation from Angat Dam to provide water to over 6 million people in the east zone of Metro Manila currently experiencing a supply shortage.Velasco said he is calling for a special meeting among top officials of Manila Water, Maynilad, Bulacan Bulk Water, concerned LGUs, and other agencies to map out saturation operations over the next two weeks.
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Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway.
The Santa Barbara County staff was given the go-ahead to address 10 of the most pressing capital projects Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors,
" " The U.S. Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) fires a missile into the East Sea during a South Korea-U.S. joint missile drill aimed to counter North Korea's ICBM test on July 29, 2017. South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images

If there's anything author Daniel Judson has learned by watching apocalyptic movies such as "Road Warrior" it's this: Always be prepared. That's why the writer of suspense novels has created a prepper's paradise of stockpiled water, food, gasoline, medication and other necessities in his Connecticut home.

Judson is not waiting for the four horsemen to arrive, mind you. It's just that he doesn't want to be caught flat-footed if a hurricane blows through  or if missiles start flying between the United States and North Korea. The saber-rattling between both nations in August 2017 has Judson and millions of others on edge. If the unthinkable were to happen, being prepared might not be good enough.

"There is a saying in the prepper community: We are only three days from anarchy," Judson says in an email. "Recent events, though, have shown us that the estimate of three days might be a little optimistic. Protecting oneself from a natural disaster like a hurricane is one thing, but radiation, in both the short- and long-term, is a different story."

The specter of a nuclear exchange between North Korea and the United States reached critical mass on Jan. 2, 2018, after President Donald Trump tweeted his "nuclear button" was much bigger and more powerful than Kim Jong Un's. This came after Trump and Kim's Aug. 7, 2017 back-and-forth that ended in Trump threatening "fire and fury like the world has never seen before." After that remark, the number of Google searches for "how to survive a nuclear attack" spiked.

That's not to say that a nuclear exchange is likely, but in general, if intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) start falling, and you live with about a 0.5-mile (0.8-kilometer) radius of a direct hit (Kim has threatened Guam and Hawaii) you can kiss yourself goodbye. But, if you want to live, your best chance is to get away from the blast area as fast as possible and burrow yourself so deeply that the resulting radioactive fallout won't kill you, or at the very least, make you sick.

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Survivability Zones

"The direct effects will be survivable beyond a few miles except for the fallout plume, which could extend farther depending on wind, rain and the detonation yield," Dr. Michael May, an expert on nuclear arms at Stanford University says in an email interview.

There are three different damage zones that form during a nuclear blast, says Brooke Buddemeier, a health physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, in an email. Using a 10-kiloton nuclear blast, which is about the size of the bombs the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, as an example, the deadliest of these zones, the severe damage zone, will extend outward in a 0.5-mile (0.8-kilometer) radius from ground zero. In this zone, most buildings will be destroyed, and chances for survival are minimal.

The moderate damage zone extends from radius of 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer) to 1 mile (1.6 kilometers). In this zone, buildings will experience major damage. For humans, early medical attention can significantly reduce the number of casualties.

The light damage zone extends in a 1- to 3-mile (1.6- to 4.8-kilometer) radius. A person's chances for surviving a blast in this zone are very high, especially if they are in a shelter (more on those in a minute). "Most injuries in the light damage zone are relatively minor, and most people in this area would be uninjured," Buddemeier says.

In 2007, the Preventative Defense Project at both Harvard and Stanford universities, held a workshop on what would happen during and after a nuclear blast. May, along with Ashton Carter and Dr. William J. Perry, both of whom served as U.S. secretaries of defense, summarized the workshop's findings in a report titled "The Day After: Action in the 24 Hours Following a Nuclear Blast in an American City." The portrait they paint is bleak. The group looked at what would happen if a 10-kiloton uranium bomb detonated in a major U.S. city without advance warning.

A ground burst would obliterate a city's downtown, while just outside that area, people wounded by fire, flying debris and intense radiation would more than likely die. A "plume of radioactive debris" would spread over a wide area, depending on wind and weather conditions.

"Those people who were relatively close to the detonation point, or who did not shelter themselves from the radiation (which would be most intense on the Day After and then subside with time) would receive large but varying doses of radiation," May and his co-authors write. "If the dose was intense (more than 400 rems), they would get sick and die; if strong but moderate (50 to 400 rems), they would get sick but probably recover; if moderate (below 50 rems), they would not notice the effect immediately but would have a greater chance of contracting cancer over their lifetime than if they had received no dose."

Most people within the blast area wouldn't survive, the report states. The majority of buildings would be destroyed or severely damaged. Things don't get much better away from the blast. About 5 miles (8 kilometers) out, people could be bombarded with fatal doses of radiation on the first day (depending on the prevailing winds) if they were not in a shelter.

"Within the first mile or so, little can be done," May says. "Beyond that, protective structures will help. How much depends on the structure. The chances of survival increase with distance. Chances depend on the yield and altitude of the detonation and other details such as whether the location is shielded by hills, etc."

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Shelter in Place

Just how far you need to be from ground zero to survive a nuclear blast depends on many variables, such as the power generated by the blast, weather conditions and geological features, among other things. Yet, one thing is for certain: Buildings can, and do, shield people from radiation. "Beyond the immediate destruction and fire zone, sheltering in place is recommended both for fallout protection and to keep roads clear for responders," May says. "It's going to be very hard for parents, but if your kids are in school beyond the destruction and fire zone, don't go pick them up right away!"

"Any structure can help reduce your exposure to fallout radiation," adds Livermore's Buddemeier. "Though, if you have a few minutes to get into a more robust structure, that would provide more protection and further reduce your exposure."

Buddemeier also says that while a bit of ionizing radiation can penetrate buildings, the walls of most common urban buildings can reduce exposures by a factor of 10 or more. He says an adequate shelter could be a basement, particularly against a wall; multistory brick or concrete structures; office buildings (central core or underground sections); multistory shopping malls (away from the roof or periphery); and tunnels, subways and other underground areas.

" " This graphic explains how different types of shelters can provide different levels of safety in the event of a nuclear attack. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

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FEMA Guidelines

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends, if possible, finding an underground shelter "such as a home or office building basement." In short, the more concrete, bricks, books and earth that you can put between yourself and radioactive fallout, the better your survivability rate. In addition, FEMA says if a nuke detonates:

Don't look at the flash of light. You'll go blind.

"Duck and cover" behind anything that can protect you.

Find the nearest building, preferably made of brick or concrete, as fast as you can.

Get as far underground as possible, or at the very least, in the center of a building.

Keep as much of your skin covered as possible. Radioactive particles are tiny. The less that gets on your skin the better.

If your clothes become contaminated, remove them and take a shower with soap and water as soon as possible. Showers will wash the radioactive particles away. Do not use hair conditioner, because radioactive particles bind to it.

Stay hunkered down in a shelter for a minimum of 48 to 72 hours.

Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency issued a bone-chilling set of guidelines in the event North Korea targets the state. Among other things, the agency called on residents to heed warning sirens. "If you're indoors stay indoors well away from the windows," the guidelines read. "If you are outdoors, seek immediate shelter in a building, preferably a concrete structure ... DO NOT look at the flash of light."

Still, despite the horrific nature of a nuclear detonation, Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency assumes that tens of thousands, based on the size of a North Korean nuclear weapon, will survive. "Survival is very likely," the agency's Toby Clairmont said in an email interview. "We estimate that over 90 percent of the people on Oahu would survive a 15-kiloton weapon detonated in the urban Honolulu area. Those who survive will need to shelter for up to 14 days to avoid exposure to radioactive fallout."

Or, if you're like Dan Judson, create your own prepper's cave. "Most people have nowhere to run, so sheltering in place is the only option," he says. "A house is relatively easy to fortify  plywood is surprisingly strong, and instructions can be found online. A basement, if you have one, is a good Alamo, though I really wouldn't want to live in ours for a long period of time. Also, a basement hideout can quickly become a trap. Remember, everyone at the Alamo died."

Now That's Sad! More than 70 years after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the number of dead remains a mystery. Children of the Atomic Bomb, a research project developed by UCLA professor emeritus Dr. James N. Yamazaki and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, estimates the number of wounded and killed, 150,000 (Hiroshima) and 75,000 (Nagasaki), is conservative. At least 66,000 people in Hiroshima died instantly, and at least 30,000 in Nagasaki. More than 226,000 survived the blasts, although many suffered the ill effects of radiation.
Threat actors targeted Office 365 and G Suite cloud accounts using the IMAP protocol to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Over the past months, threat actors have targeted Office 365 and G Suite cloud accounts using the IMAP protocol to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Experts at Proofpoint conducted an interesting study of massive attacks against accounts of major cloud services, The experts noticed that attackers leverage legacy protocols and credential dumps to increase the efficiency of massive brute force attacks.

Attacks against Office 365 and G Suite cloud accounts using IMAP are difficult to protect against with multi-factor authentication, where service accounts and shared mailboxes are notably vulnerable. reads the study published by Proofpoint. At the same time, targeted, intelligent brute force attacks brought a new approach to traditional password-spraying, employing common variations of the usernames and passwords exposed in large credential dumps to compromise accounts.

The experts analyzed over one hundred thousand unauthorized logins across millions of monitored cloud user-accounts, below key findings from the study :

72% of tenants were targeted at least once by threat actors

40% of tenants had at least one compromised account in their environment

Over 2% of active user-accounts were targeted by malicious actors

15 out of every 10,000 active user-accounts were successfully breached by attackers

The attackers primary goal is to carry out internal phishing, especially when the initial target does not have the access needed to transfer money or data. The access to a cloud account could be exploited by attackers for lateral movements and to expand footholds within an organization via internal phishing and internal BEC. Experts observed that compromised accounts are also used to launch external attacks.

Giving a look at the sources of the attacks, most of them come from Nigerian IP addresses (40%), followed by Chinese IP addresses (26%).



According to the study, IMAP was the most abused legacy protocol . IMAP is a legacy authentication protocol that bypasses multifactor authentication (MFA). Experts pointed out that these attacks avoid account lock-out and appear as isolated failed logins and for this reason, they are hard to detect.

Below other data provided by the experts:

Approximately 60% of Microsoft Office 365 and G Suite tenants were targeted with IMAP-based password-spraying attacks



Roughly 25% of Office 365 and G Suite tenants experienced a successful breach as a result

Threat actors achieved a 44% success rate breaching an account at a targeted organization

The experts observed a large number of IMAP-based password-spraying campaigns between September 2018 and February 2019. Proofpoint reported that 10% of active user accounts in targeted tenants were hit and 1% of targeted user accounts were successfully breached.

The attackers leveraged a botnet composed of thousands of hijacked network devices (i.e. routers, servers) to launch the attacks.

These hijacked devices gained access to a new tenant every 2.5 days on average during a 50-day period, continues Proofpoint.

China was the source for the vast majority of the IMAP-based attacks (53%), followed by Brazil (39%) and the United States (31%).

Most of the attacks (63%) originated from Nigerian IP addresses, followed by South African infrastructure (21%), and the United States via VPNs (11%).

This study demonstrates the increasing sophistication of threat actors around the world who are leveraging brute force methods, massive credential dumps, and successful phishing attacks to compromise cloud accounts at unprecedented scale. Service accounts and shared mailboxes are particularly vulnerable while multifactor authentication has proven vulnerable. concludes the study.

Attackers parlay successful compromises into internal phishing attacks, lateral movement in organizations, and additional compromises at trusted external organizations.

Pierluigi Paganini

( SecurityAffairs  IMAP, hacking)

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In vagueness lies the best deterrence, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said as he commented on the almost seven-decade-old Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States during his joint press conference with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after their meeting last week. Locsin said he was confident about the assurances given by Pompeo, and that there was no need to review or modify the treaty, according to a Manila-based think tank. Locsins remarks implied that the long-standing US-Philippines alliance remained strong despite the apparent growing influence of China in the Philippines, said Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute. Since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016, he had put aside the landmark Hague ruling in exchange for economic grants from Beijing, investments and expanded trade, which had been described as a policy of appeasement, Manhit said. In his recent visit to Manila, Pompeo offered fresh assurances to the Filipinos that the US was ready to defend the Philippines in case of armed attack on Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea. That was the first open affirmation of American military commitment of support to Philippine sovereignty over the South China Sea. The treaty provides that the Philippines and the United States will come to each others aid in case of armed attacks. Pompeo said Chinas island-building and military activities in the South China Sea threatened Philippine sovereignty, security and economic livelihood, as well as that of the United States. There were concerns and apprehensions in the past on the commitment of the US to defend the Philippines amid the tensions in the South China Sea as a result of the belligerent stance of China. However, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was not convinced that the ambiguity and vagueness of the treaty with the US would serve as a deterrent. He said it would cause confusion and chaos during a crisis.Lorenzana directed lawyers from his department several weeks ago to review the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, with the objective of either maintain[ing] it, strengthen[ing] it or scrap[ping] it. Contrary to the pro-China stance of the Duterte administration, a Social Weather Station survey last year showed that six in 10 Filipinos believed the US would defend the Philippines in case of an invasion by another country. Among those aware of the treaty even before the survey, 80 percent believed that the US would defend the Philippines in case of an invasion. Of the 80 percent, 48 percent strongly believed and 32 percent somewhat believed, SWS said. As our only treaty ally, the US remains invaluable to us, and we need to recognize the significance and importance of this alliance. That said, we also need to recognize that we are required to strengthen our own defense and security capabilities, former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement. Manhit said in Southeast Asia, the US had a unique opportunity to enhance its cooperation. As countries in the region had intense interest in curbing the spread of terror and the challenge of radicalization above and beyond maritime security, there would be a continuing demand for international cooperation, he said. Moreover, there is no real substitute for the support of the US or its allies in this domain, making it an especially important window of opportunity for the US to showcase what it can offer, according to Manhit. Nevertheless, as different countries have different assessments of their internal threats, the US defense approach may need to be more multifaceted if it wants to use defense engagement as a way to get more states to support its continued presence, Manhit said. Stratbase ADR Institute has consistently said that for the Philippines to promote a rules-based order, the country must reach out to its allies and Asean partners to create political and economic structures that best secure the regions future. It behooves the Filipinos to finally be provided this specific assurance which we rightly deserve," Del Rosario said.
Security expert discovered an unprotected Elasticsearch database exposed online that was containing approximately 33 million job profiles in China.

Security expert Sanyam Jain at GDI Foundation has discovered an unprotected database exposed online that was containing approximately 33 million profiles for people in China who provided their resume to job recruitment sites.

The expert discovered the Elasticsearch database using the Shodan search engine, the 57GB archive included a username, gender, age, current city, home address, email address, phone number, marriage status, job history, education history, and salary history.

Jain discovering the ElasticSearch database on March 10th, 2019, but he was able to discover who was the owner of the archi ve.

The analysis of the archive allowed the expert to discover references to multiple Chinese job recruitment sites such as 51Jobs, lagou , and Zhilian.

During the initial investigation what I have found is that the customer profiles for the companies 51Jobs, lagou , and Zhilian recruitment are being stored in the database. I believe that a third-party is aggregating the information from these companies and using them in some way. Jain told to BleepingComputer.

The availability of this data potentially exposed people to several malicious activities such as scams and identity theft. The knowledge of the salary for so many people could be used by businesses to hire employees from their original companies.

Jain reported his findings to CNCERT, the China Cyber emergency response team, on March 11, 2019. The CNCERT told the expert it had identified the owner of the IP address as  and that he contacted him to take the database offline.

The Elasticsearch database was shutdown on March 13, 2019.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  China data leak)
The fire, which fully engulfed five shophouses in Geylang, was put out in about three hours, said the SCDF in a Facebook post. (PHOTO: SCDF / Facebook)

About 60 firefighters were deployed to tackle a massive fire in Geylang that broke out in the early hours of Sunday (17 March) morning.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded at about 1.10am to a fire at 643 Geylang Road. At the scene, the fire was found to be raging and spreading to a row of double-storey shophouses.

Due to the structure of the shophouse units which share a common roof, as well as the high density of furniture and other combustible materials stored in some of the units, the fire had spread quickly from unit to unit, said SCDF in its post.

A total of seven shophouse units were on fire, five of which were fully engulfed in flames.

Extinguished in three hours

The fire was extinguished in about three hours. A total of 17 emergency vehicles were deployed to handle the incident and up to nine handheld jets as well as three water monitors from the aerial appliances were used to bring the fire under control.

Damping down operations  which entail applying water to wet burnt surfaces to prevent any potential rekindling of fire  are ongoing. There were also no reported injuries in the incident, said SCDF.

More Singapore stories:

Tan Cheng Bock receives in-principle approval for registration of Progress Singapore Party

Personal data of over 800,000 blood donors put online by vendor: HSA
Editor of new book highlighting achievements of Chinas Nobel and Lasker award winners hopes stories will inspire young

An editor of a book recording the achievements of prize-winning Chinese scientists and writers hopes their stories inspire more young people to excel in the fields.

Professor Laurence Chan Kwong-fai, one of the six editors of Nobel and Lasker Laureates of Chinese Descent In Literature and Science, also called on the Chinese and Hong Kong governments to increase spending on research and development.

The Nobel Prize is given out each year in chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature, peace and economics. The Lasker Awards programme was created in 1945 by Albert and Mary Lasker to shine a spotlight on fundamental biological discoveries and clinical advances.

Chan said Japan had produced 23 winners of the Nobel Prize for science, while another three were laureates in literature. In comparison, nine of Chinas 11 Nobel laureates were honoured in the fields of science, with the other two winning prizes for literature.

Tu Youyou, a mainland Chinese chemist and winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine, is the only Chinese scientist working in China to have won the award.

Chinas spending on research and development in 2015 accounted for 2.07 per cent of the countrys gross domestic product. The proportion was lower than the United States, Germany, South Korea and Japan.

Its better than before, but still not enough, Chan said.

In 2016, China overtook the US in terms of number of scientific papers published.

The question is how many of them are quoted by their peers in other countries? It still has a long way to go, Chan said. [Mainland scientists] need to try harder and develop a culture of excellence, aiming for perfection and excellence.

In 2017, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor pledged to double spending on research and development to 1.5 per cent of GDP within her five-year tenure.

The book, the first of its kind, was published by World Scientific last week. The publishing house is an international scientific publisher in English language in Asia-Pacific.

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We are proud that this is the first time that a book like this has been published. It was written out of our love for our culture and heritage, said Chan, who graduated from the University of Hong Kongs faculty of medicine in the early 1970s.

Four of the six editors of the book, including Chan, are HKU graduates.

Chan, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, said they developed the idea of compiling the book 10 years ago.

Professor Joseph Sung Jao-yiu, former vice chancellor of Chinese University, contributed a chapter on Yang Chen-ning, who shared the Nobel Prize for physics with his colleague Tsung-Dao Lee in 1957, for their work in an aspect of the fundamental law of nuclear physics.

In 2012, I and more than 100 colleagues and students from Chinese University celebrated the 90th birthday of Professor Yang, Sung wrote. During the banquet, I said, Mr Yang, I learned about you as the first Chinese recipient of the Nobel Prize through my textbook when I was a primary school student.

I would have never imagined that one day, I will be dining with you side-by-side, celebrating your birthday.

Kenneth Young, emeritus professor of CUHKs department of physics, wrote a chapter on the prize-winning physicist and the universitys former vice chancellor Charles Kao Kuen.

Kao, who is known as the father of fibre optics, died in September at the age of 84, after a long battle with Alzheimers.

The chapter on Gao Xingjian, laureate in literature in 2000, was written by Mabel Lee, translator of Gaos major works. Gao, who fled China in 1987 and renounced his Communist Party membership after the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, lives in France,

By recounting the intellectual struggles and triumphs of Nobel and Lasker laureates of Chinese descent, we hope to inspire the next generation of scholars in literature and science worldwide in the hopes that they too might become laureates one day, Chan said.

This article Editor of new book highlighting achievements of Chinas Nobel and Lasker award winners hopes stories will inspire young first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.
A police officer and rescue workers stand near to a derailed passenger train, after a bomb went off on track in Naseerabad, Pakistan March 17, 2019. REUTERS/Khalid Hussain

By Gul Yousafzai

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Four people were killed and 10 injured in Pakistan on Sunday when a bomb went off on a train track in the resource-rich province of Baluchistan, where separatist rebels have been fighting the security forces for years.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but ethnic Baluch separatists, fighting what they call the unfair exploitation of their province's gas and other resources, have attacked trains in the past.

"Four people  a teenage girl her mother and two others were killed in the blast, Irfan Bashir, police chief of Naseerabad district where the blast occurred, told Reuters.

The blast derailed six carriages of the train, which was travelling from the northwestern city of Peshawar to the Baluchistan provincial capital of Quetta.

It was second train attack in two weeks in the area. No casualties were reported in the earlier blast, said another police officer.

Baluchistan is an important part of transport and energy projects that form part of Chinas Belt and Road initiative, which has brought $57 billion of investment to Pakistan.

Violence in the province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has fuelled concern about security for the investment, in particular an energy link planned to run from western China to Pakistan's southern port of Gwadar.

(Writing by Syed Raza Hassan; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Some foreign workers in Singapore were given a glimpse of what it would be like to be included in an English-centric country, when an arts collective and students from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) decided to translate an English movie to Bengali.

The movie screening of The Pursuit of Happyness, translated to Bengali, was held in late February by the collective and the NTU students and is part of a movement called Sama Sama (meaning the same in Malay) to promote inclusion and shared experiences between local and migrant communities in Singapore.

The Sama Sama movement has traveled to universities such as Singapore Management University and NTU, and launched a series of events this weekend at National University of Singapore (NUS), showcasing ideas from migrant workers, university students, and migrant worker organizations.

The idea of having the screening came about when the collectives lead Kari Tamura Chua decided to reach out to school administrations in the various universities, spokesperson Eleanor Goh told Coconuts Singapore.

The first iteration of the Sama Sama movement debuted three years ago as an exhibition to highlight the stories of migrant workers in Singapore and reframe them as capable and creative individuals, unlike the stereotype that they are just laborers.

The whole point is for the audience to draw parallels between themselves and the migrant workers, said Eleanor.

When Kari contacted the school administrations, the various universities redirected them to student leaders who come from various backgrounds; the NTU students come from majors such as public policy and law.

In a video uploaded by Sama Sama, a worker who attended the screening said that he could only understand about 70 percent of the English subtitles but the addition of Bengali subtitles by the students and the art collective helped him enjoy the movie better.

The workers who were invited to the screening are also learning English and computing skills at ed-tech social enterprise SDI Academy.

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Many of us get to watch movies of our choice anytime we want to, and we may take that for granted, said Kari. Just having a lack of subtitles may mean that others cant enjoy a movie the same way that we do.

Sama Sama will launch an exhibition on March 24 at the UTown campus in NUS, which will include tech and art concepts constructed by a team of graphic artists and programmers.

An artist called Mimi from Magicten Art Studio will use resin to construct the exhibitions walls and floors from scratch using the liquid-like material that sets into solid after molding it.

More information can be found on the Sama Sama website.

This article, Helping foreign workers feel included in Singapore: Art collective and university students add Bengali subtitles to English movie, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters!
ChristchurchIn a city battered by quakes, Christchurchs medics were tragically well-schooled in tackling mass casualty eventsbut none could have prepared for the injuries unleashed by a white supremacist with assault rifles bent on mass murder. Doctors, surgeons and nurses have been working around the clock at Christchurch Hospital since Fridays mass shooting at two mosques, frantically trying to stem bleeding, patch up shattered bodies and save lives. On Sunday, 34 patients remained in the hospital in Christchurch, twelve of them still in critical condition. Another of the injuredfour-year-old girl Alin Alsatiwas in intensive care at a specialist childrens hospital in Auckland. Greg Robertson, the chief surgeon at Christchurch Hospital, spoke on Sunday of the sheer magnitude of Fridays massacre. Horror, stunned, anger, he said, describing how his team of doctors, nurses and surgeons felt as the wounded poured ininitially in private cars and then in an ever-increasing stream of ambulances. This is not the first time the city has dealt with mass casualties. A series of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 killed more than 180 people and left many more injured, honing the medical skills of the citys doctors to deal with a sudden influx of complex wounds. I dont think theres any doubt the earthquake did have a bearing on itthe old adage practice makes perfect works on a lot of things and thats part of our processes, he said. But he admitted the horrifying, man-made nature of the latest tragedy had a much greater psychological impact on staff. The earthquake was something that we couldnt control, he said. Its the fact that someone has done this to our people, our friends, our colleagues, this is just unbelievable. The kind of injuries surgeons were facing this time around were also particularly horrifying. Robertson said his teams do sometimes encounter gunshot wounds but never on such a scale. New Zealand usually witnesses only 50 murders a year. Suddenly one town had that many people murdered in a single day and dozens more woundedsome struck by multiple bullets. Many of those brought to the hospital have been in and out of operating theaters multiple times, as surgeons prioritize the worst parts of the injuriessuch as stemming the bleeding, clearing blocked airways, trying to save limbsbefore dealing with the less severe wounds. First responders and paramedics played a crucial role.I guess thats reflected in the fact weve had only one death in a patient that arrived at the hospital. Those who got here, have a chance, Robertson said. It is likely Pakistani national Mohammed Amin Nas only survived because of the paramedics. His son Yasir Amin told AFP they encountered the alleged assailant -- Australian national Brenton Tarrant -- driving outside the Al Noor mosque. He took out this big gun and just shot at us as we were running, Yasir said. His father was struck four times. Yasir called emergency services who spent 10 minutes treating his father where he lay before rushing him to hospital. He has been into surgery three times and remains in intensive care. On a normal day, Christchurch would have three acute surgery theaters operating. On Sunday, seven were up and running with people working around the clock. Tarrant appears to have chosen ammunition designed to cause maximum trauma, Robertson said. These are not something that goes through, he said, referring to the type of bullets. Weve got a lot of fragments, shotgun injuries. He said those treating patients would inevitably have their own traumatic memories. There will undoubtedly be, as we saw after the earthquakes, a delayed mental stress type response to this whole thing. For now, he said, people were focused on saving lives. But colleagues would keep a close eye on each other in the weeks ahead. Most people are coping with things pretty well when youre doing things, he said. Its when you go home and you think about it, thats when the issues start to declare themselves.
More than 120 people have died and many more are missing in Mozambique and neighbouring Zimbabwe on Sunday after tropical cyclone Idai barrelled across the southern African nations with flash floods and ferocious winds. Authorities in Mozambique said the toll there had risen to 62 in the centre of the country, while Zimbabwe said 65 people were killed in affected eastern areas, after the cyclone tore across the region on Friday and Saturday. Mozambique's environment Minister Celso Correia gave AFP the country's updated number of deaths in Beira and Dondo districts, but warned: "We will certainly end with a higher toll." "I think this is the biggest natural disaster Mozambique has ever faced. Everything is destroyed. Our priority now is to save human lives," he said at Beira international airport, which re-opened Sunday after being temporarily closed because of cyclone damage. Idai hit Mozambique first on Thursday night before moving to Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, eastern Chimanimani district was the worst hit part of the country, where houses and bridges were washed away by flash floods when the storm slammed the area. The most affected areas are not yet accessible, while high winds and dense clouds have hampered military rescue helicopter flights. "So far we looking at 65 people that have lost their lives," Joshua Sacco, lawmaker for Chimanimani, told AFP by phone, adding that between "150 to 200 people" are missing. The majority of those unaccounted for are thought to be government workers, whose housing complex was completely engulfed by raging waters. Their fate is currently unknown because the area is still unreachable. "We are very worried because all these houses were just suddenly submerged under water and literally washed away and that is where we have about 147 missing," he said. "It's very sad and the situation is dire." Two pupils at a secondary school in the area were among those killed, after a landslide sent a boulder crashing into their dormitory, the country's civil protection agency said. - School pupils rescued - Soldiers on Sunday helped rescue nearly 200 pupils, teachers and staff who had been trapped at the school in Chimanimani. The group had to wade through waterlogged and mud-churned roads for some 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) to reach a relief area, where they were given food and checked by medics, according to an AFP photographer. Tents have been set up to provide shelter for those affected by the cyclone and scores of villagers have made their way to the relief area, some having trekked for up to 20 kilometres to reach safety. Roads have been swallowed by massive sinkholes, while bridges were ripped to pieces by the flash floods, according to the AFP photographer. The United Nations in Zimbabwe said that nearly 10,000 were affected by the cyclone. Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who cut short a visit to Abu Dhabi over the cyclone, has declared a state of disaster in the affected areas. - 'Worst disaster' - Idai battered central Mozambique on Friday, cutting off more than half a million residents of the port city Beira where the environment minister said 80 percent of the electricity network was destroyed. "All roads are cut, the infrastructure is destroyed, practically everything is destroyed," said Correia. Beira international airport was briefly shut after the air traffic control tower and navigation equipment were partially destroyed by the cyclone. Flights began flying in on Sunday. A significant part of the central region was "absolutely decimated by this cyclone, even larger than anticipated," said Jamie LeSueur, the International Federation of Red Cross's roving emergency operations manager for Africa after an aerial survey of the affected areas in Mozambique. "It's bad and there's potential for it to get even worse," he said as rain continued in Zimbabwe, "which could potentially lead to another flood," said in Beira. The World Food Programme (WFP) said its "projections indicate at-least 1.7 million people were in the direct path of the cyclone in Mozambique, and 920,000 people were affected in Malawi. Thousands more are potentially impacted by events in Zimbabwe where assessments are ongoing". Despite having part of its roof torn off, Beira airport was busy handling flights and relief agencies have are setting up operation hubs there. One Portuguese software business company owner Luis Leonor, 49, flew in from Maputo after having contacted with his wife via satellite phone on Saturday. "She is fine. My house is fine but there's no more running water. I don't know what I will find there," he said. "My five employees lost their houses, they are staying at our offices." Even before the cyclone made landfall on Friday, heavy rains earlier this month had already claimed 66 lives in Mozambique and 56 in Malawi. burs-sn/klm
The debate over e-cigarettes is something that the Singapore government would not want to take chances on, as evidenced by campaigns against the use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices in Singapore.

We at Coconuts Singapore also started covering this matter way back in 2015, when we spoke to a secret community of vapers that have been lighting up in Singapore before authorities kicked in with islandwide bans on emerging tobacco products.

However, a public health professor who was invited to give a recent talk at the National University of Singapores (NUS) School of Public Health said that Singapores relatively small size would make it easy to restrict e-cigarettes to just adult smokers looking to quit smoking.

The professor was responding to a question by Professor Chia Kee Seng, founding dean of the NUS public health school, who suggested restricting e-cigarettes as a prescription device instead of letting the general public, including younger people, hold e-cigarettes.

That would be really terrific if Singapore were to try and experiment with that, said Professor Kenneth Warner, who is a professor emeritus and dean emeritus at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

You have the ability to do something like that here that a lot of places couldnt do, he added, referencing to larger countries such as the United States which struggle to regulate usage of e-cigarettes or vaping devices.

However, Professor Warner said the impetus is on public health professionals to convince the medical profession and smokers that e-cigarettes are a way to try to quit (smoking).

The talk, which was held on March 6, was part of a public health series of dialogues held by the NUS public health school and was attended by public health professionals, students, and government officials.

In a video uploaded on Wednesday, Professor Warner shared that his research reportedly claims that the benefits of e-cigarettes could outweigh its risks.

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My own research suggests that the likely benefit to adult smokers in terms of helping them to quit (smoking) substantially outweighs the greater risks to young people for starting nicotine use, said Professor Kenneth Warner, who is a professor emeritus and dean emeritus at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

But I remain open to evidence that could change my mind on that.

Although Professor Warner did not elaborate on his findings during the talk in the interest of time, a check reveals he made similar points last April where his study revealed that nearly 3.3 million life-years could be saved by the year 2070 due to e-cigarettes.

He did draw links to differing views on the matter, with the mainstream public health community consisting of government officials previously pointing out that e-cigarettes could be a gateway for young people to be cigarette smokers.

However, he noted that a community of researchers and vapers are calling for harm reduction products such as vaping devices to be in the hands of smokers who want to quit cigarette smoking.

There is a rapidly growing body of literature here, he said.

Chiming in with the Singapore government perspective, Dr Derrick Heng, group director of public health at the Ministry of Health, said that the door is open for e-cigarettes or other harm reduction products to be registered as a smoking cessation product under the Health Products Act.

Dr Heng also noted that the local media did not pick this point up in recent coverage on the matter. (Well, were doing that now.)

Its not that the regulators are not holding the door open for whatever reason, the tobacco companies dont think this is the business strategy that they want to pursue, he said.

This article, Singapore could try restricting e-cigarettes as a prescription device to prevent young people from getting addicted: public health professor, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters!
"Where is a society headed that holds its most productive members up to ridicule and scorn and makes mascots out of its least productive and most parasitic members?" "Where is a society headed that holds its most productive members up to ridicule and scorn and makes mascots out of its least productive and most parasitic members?"

Some people have much higher income and wealth than others. President Rodrigo Duterte has called them oligarchs and monsters and wants them destroyed. Former US President Barack Obama said, I do think at a certain point youve made enough money. Many Philippine politicians, church leaders, and intellectuals have asked them to return their money to society. An adviser to US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who has a Twitter account called Every Billionaire Is A Policy Failure tweeted: My goal for this year is to get a moderator to ask Is it morally appropriate for anyone to be a billionaire?' US Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Elizabeth Warren, in calling for a wealth tax, complained, The rich and powerful are taking so much for themselves and leaving so little for everyone else.These people would have an argument if there were piles of money on the ground called income, with billionaires and millionaires surreptitiously getting to those piles first and taking their unfair shares. In that case, corrective public policy would require a redistribution of the income, wherein the ill-gotten gains of the few would be taken and returned to their rightful owners. The same could be said if there were a dealer of money whobecause of his being a racist, sexist, multinationalist, and maybe a Dutertarddidnt deal the money fairly. If he dealt millions to some and mere crumbs to others, decent public policy would demand a re-dealing of the money, or what some call income redistribution. You will say, Eric, thats crazy! Youre right. In a free society, people earn income by serving their fellow man. Heres an example: I wash your car, and you pay me P200. Then I go to my favorite restaurant and demand a meal. In effect, the owner says, Eric, you are asking your fellow man to serve you by giving you a meal. What did you do to serve your fellow man? My response is, I washed his car. The owner says, Prove it. Thats when I produce the P200. We can think of the, say, two P100 bills as certificates of performanceproof that I served my fellow man. A system that requires that one who serves his fellow man to have a claim on what he produces is far more moral than a system without such a requirement. For example, Congress can tell me, Eric, you dont have to get out in that hot sun to wash a car to have a claim on what your fellow man produces. Just vote for me, and through the tax code, I will take some of what your fellow man produces and give it to you. Look at the multibillionaires featured in BizNews Asia and Forbes to see whether they have served their fellow man well. They didnt acquire that wealth through violence. Millions of people voluntarily plunked down money to buy their products and services. That explains their great wealth. They discovered what their fellow man wanted and didnt have, and they found out ways to effectively produce and serve it. Their fellow man voluntarily gave them money. If they had followed politicians advice that at a certain point theyd made enough money and shut down their companies when they had earned their first billion or two, mankind wouldnt have most of the technological development we enjoy today. Many billionaires have made great contributions to society. One of my favorites is Gordon Earle Mooreco-founder of Intel. He has a net worth of $6 billion. In 1968, Moore developed and marketed the integrated circuit, or microchip, which is responsible for thousands of todays innovations, such as MRIs, advances in satellite technology, and your desktop computer. Though Moore has benefited immensely from his development and marketing of the microchip, his benefit pales in comparison with how the world has benefited in terms of lives improved and saved by the host of technological innovations made possible by the microchip. The only people who benefit from class warfare are politicians and the corrupt-crony elite; they get our money and control our lives. Plus, we just might ask ourselves: Where is a society headed that holds its most productive members up to ridicule and scorn and makes mascots out of its least productive and most parasitic members? [email protected]
Written by John D. Guandolo, President, Understanding the Threat (UTT)





Today, media sources in New Zealand are reporting two mosques have been attacked by a gunman leaving several dozen people dead. This is a horrific, reprehensible, inexcusable event, and Understanding the Threat (UTT) joins others in mourning and praying for the victims and their families.The actions of the attacker in New Zealand were wrong, unlawful, and monstrous.But this also highlights the growing frustration in the West by citizens who feel helpless watching their communities being surrendered by their leaders to Islamic jihadis implementing barbaric sharia (Islamic Law) and destroying liberty while security services not only fail to do their duty, they promote and support the jihadis by catering to their every request.When free men are left to fend for themselves, they will. In this case, the choice was a horribly misguided and tragic one.It is not surprising the media is falling over themselves to interview Islamic leaders, defend Islam, and call for protection of mosques in the wake of this attack  actions they never take after muslim jihadis kill Americans on American soil.The media has never accurately reported the truth about the inherent destructiveness of Islam and Allahs divine law sharia. See UTTs article here on the medias unprofessional behavior when it comes to reporting on Islamic jihad.Strong evidence exists that the Las Vegas attack in October 2017 was an Islamic State operation, and others were involved who have not been investigated. While the FBI and the Las Vegas Sheriffs Office were unable to find a motive in the single greatest loss of life in American history from such an attack, some facts of the case are available for all to analyze HERE at UTTs website.In the aftermath of the New Zealand attack, Fox News in Dallas (Texas) is dutifully taking its lead from the terrorists at Hamas doing business as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and calling for security/protection by local police at mosques.Fox News Dallas makes no mention that evidence in the largest terrorism financing trial in U.S. history  adjudicated in Dallas, Texas in 2008  identifies CAIR as a terrorist/Hamas organization.Nor does Fox News Dallas mention Texas has been the recipient of more Islamic jihadi attacks since 9/11/01 than any other state in America.But Fox News Dallas does continue to do the bidding of terrorists and regurgitate their propaganda and portraying Hamas/Muslim Brotherhood organizations and their leaders as victims.This is what the Muslim Brotherhood calls civilization jihad byhands.Americans who understand the threat realize the media works as a part of the Marxist Counter-State, and also recognize their leaders are catastrophically failing them by failing to objectively assess the threat of Islam and deal with it as they are legally required to do.In 2007, myself and another FBI agent at the FBIs Washington (DC) Field Office sat down with the agent in charge of the Counterterrorism Division.I asked her how she as a leader would respond when citizens came to understand the Islamic threat more deeply than FBI agents and began taking independent actions to protect themselves and their families  like attacking U.S. jihadi mosques and Islamic organizations teaching/training muslims to conduct military operations against the non-muslim population.She responded with a look of shock on her face and said, Ive never thought about that.I encouraged her to think about it because, I said, that time is coming.That time is now.In January of this year, four men were charged with planning to attack Islamberg in upstate New York. Islamberg is a jihadi compound where muslims are taught war against non-muslims must be fought until sharia (Allahs divine law) rules the world.At Islamberg, and related Muslims of America compounds around the United States, firearms and tactical training are standard, as well as classes on how to: assault school buses; use various killing techniques; build explosive devices; and the like.Yet, Islamberg has been untouched by the FBI and was defended by the previous sheriff there.Again, while the four men apprehended were rightly charged with planning an attack on Islamberg, the assault on the compound should have come from an FBI SWAT team or a similar unit to dismantle a real threat to citizens of New York.Currently in the United States, there are over 3200 Islamic centers/mosques in all 50 states which are a blend between a town hall, an embassy, and a military base, and warfare against the non-muslim population is taught and trained for at many of these places.Rational citizens who understand all this are, and should be, highly concerned and fearful, but they must not take independent vigilante action as we witnessed in the New Zealand attack.The Marxist and Islamic Counter-States in America needto fulfill their objectives. Vigilante action plays into our enemies objectives, hurts the Counter-Jihad Movement, is unlawful, and harms innocent people.The Marxists are the hammer for the Islamic Counter-State and will continue to be the leading violent edge of their efforts. But, in America, it is the Republican Establishment who are the enforcers of politically correct narratives  Islam is a religion of peace  that gives the enemy room to operate and pushes America closer to defeat.If victory is to be achieved in this war, the strategy begins with (1) recognizing we are at war, (2) boldly speaking truth about these threats, and (3) obeying/enforcing the law.Citizens must build a strong consensus of people in their communities who understand the threat and are willing to do everything possible, within the law, to defend their communities and dismantle the Islamic and Marxist networks there.Understanding the Threat (UTT) is the only organization in America providing leaders, police, and citizens strategies and local plans for victory.www.UnderstandingtheThreat.com
It has come to our attention that a column published on Manila Standard has assailed a requirement by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for corporations to disclose their beneficial ownership in the General Information Sheet (GIS). The opinion piece titled A formula for corruption and published on the March 13 edition of Manila Standard alleged that the requirement under SEC Memorandum Circular No. 17, Series of 2018, is a flagrant attempt to violate our right to privacy and a formula for corruption. The writer also dismissed beneficial ownership as information which does not need to be disclosed and questioned the rulemaking power of the SEC as supposedly it has no authority to require such a disclosure. The Commission wishes to respond to such claims, which were also brought to our attention by the Department of Finance.The right to privacy is not absolute. The law admits of exceptions, one of which is when the information is necessary and pursuant to the exercise of the regulatory functions of a government agency. In this case, the SEC collects information about the beneficial ownership of corporations to fulfil its statutory functions to ensure full and timely disclosure of material information, protect the investors, and minimize, if not eliminate, fraudulent or manipulative devices and practices that create distortion in a free market. Such information also helps the Commission fulfill its mandate to assist the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), as a sitting member, in implementing the Anti-Money Laundering Act, which seeks to deter money laundering as well as terrorist financing in the country. The SEC further takes note of the limited scope of the requirement. It only applies to natural persons with direct or indirect ownership of at least 25% of any category of voting shares or capital and those with the ability to elect a majority of the board of directors or any similar body, exert a dominant influence over the management or policies, or direct majority of the board. Nevertheless, the Commission is duty-bound to observe and respect the privacy rights of filers, including their right to information, right to access, right to correct, right to remove, right to damages and right to data portability, as provided in the Data Privacy Act of 2012.The disclosure of beneficial ownership of corporations is necessary in tackling illicit activities perpetrated through the use of corporate vehicles such as money laundering; terrorist financing; bribery and corruption; hiding and shielding assets from creditors and other claimants; illicit tax practices; diversion of assets; and market fraud. The lack of adequate, accurate and timely beneficial ownership information facilitates such illicit activities by disguising the identity of known or suspected criminals, the true purpose of an account or property held by a corporate vehicle, and/or the source or use of funds or property associated with a corporate vehicle. The requirement aligns with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), as adopted by the Asia Pacific Group, co-founded by the Philippines, to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. These include ensuring adequate transparency and timely access by a competent authority to current and accurate information on the beneficial ownership of legal persons and arrangements. This is also a necessary requirement to comply with the decisions of the Supreme Court in Gamboa v. Teves promulgated on June 28, 2011 and October 9, 2012, which required the SEC to look into the beneficial ownership of corporations and ensure compliance with the limit on foreign ownership.Besides, Section 73 (b) of the Revised Corporation Code requires corporations to keep and preserve information about their current ownership structure and voting rights, including lists of stockholders or members, group structures, intra-group relations, ownership data, and beneficial ownership.The SEC is granted rulemaking power under the Revised Corporation Code and the Securities Regulation Code. It had such authority even under Batas Pambansa Blg. 68, or the old Corporation Code. Section 179 (o) of the Revised Corporation Code, for one, empowers the Commission to formulate and enforce standards, guidelines, policies, rules, and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Code. Section 5 (g) of the Securities Regulation Code also grants the Commission the power to prepare, approve, amend or repeal rules, regulations and orders, and issue opinions and provide guidance on and supervise compliance with such rules, regulation and orders. The SEC exercised its rulemaking power when it issued Memorandum Circular No. 17, Series of 2018, a measure necessary in the fulfillment of the Commissions mandate and the policies behind the laws it ought to implement.The requirement actually promotes transparency and tackles illicit activities, including bribery and corruption. As discussed above, the disclosure of beneficial ownership information will prevent the misuse of corporate vehicles in money laundering; terrorist financing; bribery and corruption; hiding and shielding assets from creditors and other claimants; illicit tax practices; diversion of assets; and market fraud, among others. The requirement will help expose the identity of known or suspected criminals, the true purpose of an account or property held by a corporate vehicle, and/or the source or use of funds or property associated with a corporate vehicle, which could be disguised through bearer shares, nominee shareholders, nominee directors and corporate directors, chains of corporate vehicles, and use of intermediaries. The SEC will appreciate any information that can help it prevent corrupt practices arising from the implementation of the memorandum circular. The Commission is committed to eliminating corruption within and beyond its offices. Recently, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) recognized the SEC for its efforts to curtail corruption. The private sector, particularly the Makati Business Club, also cited the Commission as one of the best performing national agencies. In addition, the SEC consistently ranked among the sincerest institutions in fighting corruption, per surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations with support from the Integrity for Investments Initiative, funding from the United States Agency for International Development, and in partnership with the National Competitiveness Council and The Asia Foundation.Commission SecretarySecurities and Exchange Commission
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.
A world media report about the victory of Zuzana Caputova in the presidential election.

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Zuzana Caputova, the winner of the first round of presidential elections in Slovakia (Source: SITA)

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Government critic, anti-corruption lawyer, and Slovakias Erin Brockovich: these are just some expressions used by the world media to describe Zuzana Caputova, the winner of the first round of the March 16 presidential race.

Lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner Zuzana Caputova easily won the first round of Slovakias presidential election, British broadcaster BBC wrote on its website.

If she also manages to win the second round, she will become Slovakias first female president.

I see the message from voters as a strong call for change, she said early on March 17, as quoted by BBC.

Slovakias Erin Brockovich

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Read also: Caputova vs. Sefcovic: Presidential election is now narrowed down to two candidates Read more

Caputova first rose to prominence when she led a 14 year-long battle against an illegal landfill in Pezinok, as some media reminded. Eventually, she prevailed and is now sometimes referred to as the Erin Brockovich of Slovakia, the New York Times daily wrote.

The daily also reported that she had recalled having coffee with Marian Kocner, the businessman charged with ordering the murder of Kuciak, and whose interests were tied up in one of her environmental cases a few years ago.

He asked me if I was afraid of him, she said, as quoted by New York Times. I was in fighting mode then. So, I said no. But it was one of the quickest cups of coffee I have ever had.

He then asked me under what conditions I would stop, she added. I said there was no way I would stop. It was just too important.

She later came to prominence during mass protests sparked by the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak, who had been investigating political corruption, according to BBC.

Several world media also pointed out that the March 16 round of the presidential election was the very first election held after last years murder of Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, as well as the nation-wide protest gatherings that followed.

I see these elections (...) as of a strong call for change after the tragic events of last spring, Caputova said as she cast her vote in her hometown of Pezinok, as quoted by the Financial Times daily. Perhaps we are also at a crossroads in terms of rebuilding public trust.

As the newspaper pointed out, her emergence as a political force is a sign of how dramatically the sands of Slovak politics have shifted since the deaths of Kuciak and Kusnirova 13 months ago.

Chances against Sefcovic

Zuzana Caputova, an anti-corruption campaigner with no experience in public office, won the first round of Slovakias presidential election on Saturday, setting up a tough clash with the ruling Smer partys candidate, the Reuters news agency wrote.

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Read also: Presidential election: What will the Caputova vs. Sefcovic duel look like? Read more

Although voters appeared to spurn Smer a year after the murder of a journalist, which sparked mass protests, Smers Maros Sefcovic, an EU Commissioner, could earn the support of those who prefer stability to the change offered by Caputova, Deutsche Welle wrote.

Endorsed by outgoing President Andrej Kiska, who did not seek re-election, Caputova has promised to end what she calls the capture of the state by people pulling strings from behind, while maintaining the course of Slovakias foreign policy, according to German public international broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Caputovas pro-choice views and support for LGBTI rights might alienate some voters in the socially conservative, ethnically homogenous country and complicate her path to becoming the first female president, analysts said.

Sefcovic, painting himself as an experienced Christian candidate with contacts abroad, has already launched the campaign for the second round with combative statements towards Caputova, sociologist Sona Gyarfasova said, as quoted by Reuters, adding he will seek to mobilise those who did not vote in the first round.

Populism on the rise

If elected, Caputova, a pro-European liberal who belongs to the small, non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party, will stand out among the populist nationalist politicians on the rise across much of Europe, Reuters wrote.

Stefan Harabin, the former justice minister and a champion of ethnic nationalism, accused Muslim migrants of killing and raping European women in Germany and France and claimed his opponents wanted to destroy Slovak culture, the New York Times wrote.

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Read also: A vote for Caputova and against Smer Read more

But Caputova did not respond to the outrage. In a political climate where stridency is often rewarded and crudeness is frequently seen as a marker of authenticity, she has clung to the belief that decency is what voters want most. And it seems to be working.

Even though people might not agree with all my opinions, they can build a bridge of trust to me because I act with civility, she said after the final debate before the March 16 elections, as quoted by New York Times. Even if I fight, I dont fight the person, but only the actions of the person.

However, while her performance represents a rare victory for liberal forces in central Europe, which has been the scene of a series of victories by populist and nationalist parties in recent years, hard-line candidates also garnered a sizeable share of the vote, according to the Financial Times.

Stefan Harabin, a former ally of 1990s strongman Vladimir Meciar, who frequently rails against foreigners, Brussels and the EU sanctions on Russia, garnered 14.4 percent. Marian Kotleba, an extreme right leader who romanticises the fascist Slovak state of 1939-1945 led by Catholic priest Jozef Tiso, won 10.4 percent.

The population is very polarised, said Iveta Radicova, an ex-prime minister who now teaches sociology at the Pan-European University in Bratislava, as quoted by the Financial Times. One reason is the gap between the behaviour of politicians and the expectations of citizens () Like elsewhere, Slovakia is also facing the impact of globalisation, new technologies, terrorism, migration  too much uncertainty.

However, beyond Slovakia, Caputovas unlikely rise and broad support in this deeply conservative country has given hope to opposition leaders in other countries, who sense that a backlash against populists may be brewing, according to the New York Times.
The candidate of the strongest political party in Slovakia could have achieved a better result without Smer.

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When Maros Sefcovic announced his candidacy on Friday, January 18, he immediately scored well in the poll at 16.5 percent, matching the result of Robert Mistrik, who had by then been campaigning for a year.

Results: Zuzana Caputova 40.6% (870,415 votes) Maros Sefcovic 18.7% (400,379) Stefan Harabin 14.4% (307,823) Marian Kotleba 10.4% (222,935) Frantisek Miklosko 5.7% (122,916) Bela Bugar 3.2% (66,667) Milan Krajniak 2.8% (59,464) Eduard Chmelar 2.7% (58,965) The results show the turnout at 48.7 percent.

Two months later, in the first round of the election, his percentage of support barely increased to 18.7 percent. It was enough to enter the second round with Zuzana Caputova, but not a great result for a candidate running with the support of Slovakia's strongest party Smer, observers agree.

He did not even make use of Smers potential, Grigorij Meseznikov of the think-tank Institute for Public Affairs, told The Slovak Spectator. Polls currently measure 21.2 percent support for Smer.

Caputovas large margin

Tomas Koziak, political analyst of the Department of Political Science at the Faculty of Arts at Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, said that Sefcovics results show a slow but significant decline of the ruling Smer.

I dont know if Sefcovic was capable of achieving a better result, but Smer definitely expected it and wanted it, Koziak told The Slovak Spectator.
Sent the odds-on favourite in his local debut, Shagnwiththedragon delivered with a 1:58.2 win in the $11,000 Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday, March 16.

Just arriving from Northfield Park and Miami Valley in Ohio, Shagnwiththedragon managed to reach the top with only minor pressure and settled to register splits of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:28.0 over the "good" track.

It became a match race down the stretch as Shagnwiththedragon and Upfront Countryboy battled to the wire with the newcomer holding on by a neck. Golden Gesture took third.

Co-owned by Tessa Roland and Eim Racing, the JD Perrin-trained Shagnwiththedragon, by Dragon Again-Lady Terror, is a five-year-old gelding that has won $15,600 this year and $82,806 in his career. Drew Monti drove the $2.90 winner.

In the sub-featured $9,500 Class A paces, Heaven Rocks took the first division with a five-and-a-quarter length win in 1:57.4 while Littlebitaclass used a final push at the lamp to nudge past China Dream by a neck in 1:59.1.

Heaven Rocks was strong on the front from start to finish and never was threatened in beating Sunset Sid and Rebel Voyager. Using fractions of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:28.1, Heaven Rocks commanded the field down the stretch and jogged freely under the wire.

Owned by Roland and conditioned by Perrin, Heaven Rocks, by Rock N Roll Heaven-Cheerful Outlook, is a seven-year-old gelding who notched his first victory of 2019 in nine attempts. The win jacked his seasonal earnings to $13,065 and $200,362 lifetime. Drew Monti steered the $8.40 winner.

Littlebitofclass stunned the field in the second division with a $28.60 victory over favoured China Dream.

Letting China Dream cut splits of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:29.0, driver Kevin Cummings floated Littlebitaclass to the outside and had just enough left in the tank to squeeze out the narrow victory.

Mike Torcello owns the eight-year-old gelding Littlebitaclass, by Santanna Blue Chip-Aspirinne Semalu. Conditioned by Gerry Sarama, the win moved his bankroll to $10,585 this season and $281,955 lifetime.

Monti and Bucceri each had three driving wins on the night with Kevin Cummings getting a pair. Perrin, Sarama and Mike Ohol scored training doubles.

Racing will continue on Wednesday, March 20 with a 13-race card scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. There will be a $590 carryover in the Pick 5 beginning in the second race.

(with files from Buffalo Raceway)
The U.S. Air Force says it is buying 80 updated F-15C fighters to complement the new F-35 and (unofficially) make up for the fact that the air force is not getting as many F-35s as it believes it needs. There will be two variants, the single F-15CX and the two-seat F-15DX. Normally the two-seat version is for training but in this case the DX version provides the option to provide a GIB (Guy in the Back) to help with the use of the F-15X as a bomb truck for F-35s and F-22s. These two stealthy aircraft, especially the F-35, have demonstrated the ability to remain silent (few radio and radar transmissions) to detect targets and have less stealthy aircraft (or missile units on the ground) launch weapons to destroy the target. Israeli F-35s, the only ones with combat experience, may have already demonstrated this technique over Syria.

The X version would combine years of experience and upgrades for American and foreign F-15s to produce a more capable (better electronics and larger bomb load) and durable (built to operate for 12,000 flight hours) aircraft. The X model would carry up to 14 tons of bombs and missiles and be built to avoid a lot of the structural fatigue problems F-15Cs encountered. While the two-seat F-15E fighter-bomber is still available for sale new, all existing F-15Cs are at least 30 years old.

On paper, the F-35 will eventually (5-10 years) become cheaper to maintain and operate than the F-15C. The F-15X will have a cost advantage immediately. The manufacturer is willing to produce them at a fixed cost (about $72 million each) and absorb any unforeseen costs. The manufacturer has additional incentives to make the F-15X work; export sales.

Meanwhile, the F-15E continues in service and demonstrates how well an updated F-15 design can work. But the production of the F-15E is scheduled to end in 2022 and the X model would keep F-15 production going as the two-seater F-15X can be equipped to operate as a more advanced F-15E. This willingness to produce the X model should not be a surprise as there have been signs for a long time that an updated F-15 would be useful.

For example in 2008 the air force announced plans to operate its 36 ton U.S. F-15E for at least another ten years, and probably longer. In service for twenty years now, the F-15E can carry up to 11 tons of bombs and missiles, along with a targeting pod and an internal 20mm cannon. It's an all-weather aircraft that can fly one-way up to 3,900 kilometers. It uses in-flight refueling to hit targets anywhere on the planet. Smart bombs made the F-15E particularly efficient. The backseater handles the electronics and bombing, and the F-15E remains a potent air-superiority fighter, making it an exceptional combat aircraft. This success prompted Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore and currently Qatar to buy it, paying about $100 million per aircraft. In the U.S. Air Force, the F-15E is one of the most popular aircraft for combat pilots to fly, even more so than the new F-22.

The F-15E entered service in 1989 and within a decade Russia decided this novel fighter-bomber design was worth emulating. Russia developed its own F-15E, the 45 ton Su-34, which was yet another variant of the 33 ton Su-27. Su-34s to cost $36 million each (less than half the cost of an F-15E) and included a full set of defensive and offensive sensors (radars, targeting cameras, laser designators) and electronic warfare gear and could carry eight tons of missiles and smart bombs. Although development work began in the late 1990s, the Su-34 did not enter service until 2014 and proved capable in Syria.

Meanwhile, the older F-15s, which entered service in 1976, are falling apart. In 2009 the air force retired the last of its 384 F-15A fighters. Long flown only by reserve units, these were old aircraft and all built in the 1970s. Air force reserve units got the F-15As in the 1980s and 1990s, as active duty units got the new F-15C. But by 2009 the F-22 is was entering service, and more F-15Cs were going to the reserves. Many of those F-15As flew for over 30 years.

Unfortunately, the later model F-15s are not aging well. In 2007 the air force grounded all of its 442 remaining F-15As and Cs (and the smaller number of two-seat B and D trainer models) for 18 days, then grounded them again, all because of suspicions that portions of the aircraft structure have been weakened by stress (lots of maneuvering during combat training).

Before that, the air force halted non-critical flights of its F-15C (the interceptor version) fighters after a National Guard F-15C crashed. It appeared that the crash was the result of structural failure. In 2002 an F-15C traveling at high (over 2,000 kilometers an hour) speed crashed when its left tail fin broke off. At the time the F-15Es operating in Afghanistan were not grounded initially, but soon were when it was realized that the problem might be a design flaw, not age, that caused the 27 year old F-15C to go down. The F-15Es were restored to flight status after about a week, once each aircraft had undergone an extensive structural examination (taking about 13 man hours each). Most F-15Es were less than ten years old. But some F-15Cs were over twenty years old.

This time around, the F-15Es were not grounded, because metal stress in the older F-15s would not occur in the F-15E, which is somewhat different in its internal structure and was designed to avoid the fatigue problems the F-15A and C models encountered. Structural failure is more common in older fighters that have lots of flight hours (over five thousand) on them. When originally designed, the F-15 was believed to have a service life of only 4,000 hours. But new materials and design techniques increased that to 8,000. In peacetime, F-15s are in the air 250-300 hours a year. But because of the 1991 Gulf War, the 1990s "no-fly-zone" patrols over Iraq, and the operations after 2001, the F-15 fleet piled up the hours more quickly, and many are approaching the 8,000 hour mark much more rapidly than planned.

If weak components are detected, they can be replaced with stronger ones, made of materials not available when the F-15 was originally built. But you want to find the weak components before they fail. While scanning technology has improved, it's still not good enough to detect all the F-15 components possibly weakened by years of use. As a result, flying an F-15C became a bit more stressful from then on. To some in the air force, this situation has a bright side. One can now make a more compelling case to build more F-22s, to replace F-15 that are wearing out faster than expected. That did not happen and the delays in getting the F-35 into mass production kept the idea of designing an improved F-15 to fill the gap. Because of that, the F-15X was not a recent idea but the accumulation of proposals that have been showing up for over a decade.

Another area that is getting a lot more attention from engineers than journalists is the impact of heavy and sustained stress on combat aircraft. This component failure problem is not unique to the F-15 and has been occurring with increasing frequency among aging fighter aircraft all over the world. The end of the Cold War in 1991 led to the cancellation of many warplane replacement programs. Air forces were compelled to make do with thousands of increasingly older aircraft. Whenever an aircraft goes down because of a structural failure, you have to ground all planes of that type until you know exactly what caused the loss, and made any needed repairs to other aircraft of that type. Pilots are a pretty sharp lot, so governments don't dare try to play games with this. If the pilots suspect they are being set up to fly dodgy aircraft, they will not fly them, or not fly them in a useful (stressful) way.
Kim Kardashian went on Instagram, and she expressed her views on the American justice, prison, and judicial system.

For the last year, I have immersed myself in learning about the criminal justice system, the 38-year-old renowned American Armenian TV personality wrote. I visited prisons, met with formerly incarcerated people, and helped with cases of individual injustice - including two death penalty cases. I have met with and am very supportive of Governor Newsom and his decision to help bring an end to the California Death Penalty. Racial bias and unfairness run deep throughout the justice system but especially when it comes to the death penalty. And we should not be okay with the risk that an innocent person could be executed. I hope we can turn toward better solutions that focus more on healing victims of trauma and prioritizing fairness and justice.

Last year Kim Kardashian met with US President Donald Trump at the White House and discussed prison reforms.

And by their joint efforts, it became possible to release Alice Marie Johnson, 62, who was imprisoned for over 21 years in Aliceville, Alabama, for a drug-trafficking charge.

Kardashian had pleaded Trump for clemency for Johnson.

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"How can we exert pressure on our officials to restore Manila to its old glory?" "How can we exert pressure on our officials to restore Manila to its old glory?"

Can Manila be saved? Is the Pearl of the Orient still capable of being revived? Six years ago, while visiting Phnom Penh for an Asean pre-summit conference, I remarked to our delegation host how wide the boulevards of their vieux ville (old city) were, clearly a remnant of Cambodias French colonial history. To my surprise, he returned the compliment by saying that Manila, especially in the Luneta-Intramuros area, was quite beautiful. He was in Manila in 1980 though. Last 2017, I called upon the Chairman of TAITRA, the Taiwan Trade Association, Mr. James Huang, and was surprised to learn that his engineer-father used to work for Philippine Blooming Mills, the iron-smelting plant owned by a Chinese-Filipino family. He said that as a young boy, his father would send them pictures of Manila, which impressed upon him the beauty and wealth of the Philippines. At that time, Taiwans living standards were quite poor compared to ours, then the second-largest economy in East Asia. I was quite embarrassed because of the unspoken underlying message that sunk: how far they had overtaken us. In previous articles I have written about the urban rot that best describes the state of the premier city. I have also disagreed with proposals to reclaim portions of Manila Bay because the same will only be magnets for more migration into the capital region, leaving the inner cities to absorb the influx of migrant workers who will not leave the city and return to their depressed, jobless provinces. Meanwhile, those artificial islands created by reclamation will be jewels of high living reserved for the rich of China, Japan, Korea, and a few of the local elite. The decay of Manila and environs will only worsen. It is heartening to note that even the DILG, with both Secretary Eduardo Ano and his undersecretary, Epimaco Densing, have spoken against reclamation in Manila Bay. Is the urban rot beyond redemption? Is Manila for one, a hopeless case that can no longer be renewed? I sat down over the usual sumptuous lunch with former President Joseph Estrada in his Greenhills mansion When he was running for mayor of Manila six years ago. I told him that he had the rare opportunity to institute the urban renewal of the premier city. Further, I said that he really had to concentrate on just two districts: District 5 where I reside, which includes Malate-Ermita as well as Intramuros, Luneta and Liwasang Bonifacio; and District 2, which includes most of downtown Manila, but especially Chinatown, the Escolta, the Avenida and Quiapo. Invite the best architects and urban planners, I suggested, to draw up a major urban renewal of these historic and cultural jewels, and transform these into tourism magnets for both locals and foreign visitors. Take Ongpin, I suggested. Imagine if you were to make it a pedestrian walkway of cobblestones, considering how narrow this often traffic-clogged artery was. Allow only horse-drawn caretelas uniformly decorated with cocheros in starched cotton camisa chinos the only means of transport, other than in the wee hours when delivery trucks and utility vehicles would be allowed. Illuminate Ongpin and perpendicular streets with 19thcentury lampposts, and require all commercial establishments to sport well-designed facades reminiscent of the Parian district in the Spanish colonial period.You could cover the esteros after dredging and cleaning the same, within and around Chinatown with concrete slabs upon which motor vehicles could park, for a fee that accrues to the city, I further said. Movable concrete slabs would allow periodic inspection and cleaning of the waterways. Light steel structures could be put up and used for parking vehicles. Imagine doing a similar renewal of the Escolta, Dasmarinas and Juan Luna streets in what was once the financial and shopping district of the nations capital. Up to now, some of the turn of the century buildings still exist, and some, quite unfortunately, are being torn down by property developers for garish high-rise developments. Go to Port Area and weep at the abandoned and rotting warehouses which some enterprising settlers have converted into their illegal habitat. Note in envy how Senator Frank Drilon initiated the renewal of Iloilos downtown district, centered on the old Iloilo and its Aduana beside the wharf. Note how Drilon built an esplanade after cleaning the Iloilo River, beautifying the same and making what was once-passe neighborhood into prime real estate. Years before, after the moralistic Fred Lim vowed to clean up the Ermita, particularly M.H.del Pilar of its honky-tonks, I recall asking his then vice-mayor, Lito Atienza, what next? I suggested basically what I proposed to Mayor Erap for Ongpin, to resurrect the feel of Old Ermita, once haven of the elite and upper middle class before the Liberation and the great migration to Ayalas Makati villages, and Quezon Citys New Manila. Fred Lim just allowed M.H.del Pilar to rot and did nothing else after closing the notorious nightspots. Now the entire Ermita is decked with cheap nightspots catering to flesh-hungry Aussies, Japs, Koreans and backpackers. From what could have looked like Notting Hill and Portobello, Ermita has degenerated into an Angeles or Olongapo during the days when the US military bases were still here. Mayor Atienza did much to improve the Baywalk astride Roxas Boulevard, and lit up most Manila streets, but after him, nothing was done. Lynchpin of course to the urban renewal of Manila is the massive clean-up of Pasig River, including the esteros that flow into it. The massive Manila Bay rehabilitation ordered by the president would do well to focus on the Pasig River clean-up started by President FVR and snail-paced after him by uncaring administrations. It is nice to read about San Miguels Ramon Ang volunteering to undertake the clean-up of Tullahan River from Quezon City through Caloocan to Malabon-Navotas where it empties into the putrid bay. Hopefully, more private citizens and corporations would follow the example set by RSA. But urban renewal is not possible unless first, the local and even national leadership are impervious to its need; and second, if the people themselves do not have pride of place or a sense of history. That we have allowed the desecration of what ought to be considered national treasures through all these years speaks volumes of our lack of a sense of history let alone pride of place. Yet we have seen how President Dutertes political will jumpstarted the rehabilitation of Boracay. And because of this, people are beginning to be conscious about preserving the environment. Would that we could exert pressure on our officials to likewise revive and renew Manila and restore it to its old glory.
Wisdom of the Crowd: 58% of the respondents said that Ho Ching is not likely to be the next president of Singapore. https://tklcloud.com/C...
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
2 hours ago

EXPLAINER: Why US inflation is so high, and when it may ease

WASHINGTON (AP)  Inflation is starting to look like that unexpected  and unwanted  houseguest who just wont leave. For months, many economists had sounded a reassuring message that a spike in consumer prices, something that had been missing in action in the U.S.

Read Article
The Belgian government has made a decision for the replacement of the Navys mine hunters. Didier Reynders, Minister of Defense, announced that the Council of Ministers had endorsed the choice of the French consortium formed by Naval Group & ECA Robotics for the replacement of its mine hunters (six for Belgium, six for The Netherlands).

The Belgian government has made a decision for the replacement of the Navys mine hunters. Didier Reynders, Minister of Defense, announced that the Council of Ministers had endorsed the choice of the French consortium formed by Naval Group & ECA Robotics for the replacement of its mine hunters (six for Belgium, six for The Netherlands).

The French consortium formed by Naval Group & ECA Robotics has won the tender for the replacement of mine hunters in the Belgian and Dutch navies (six for Belgium, six for The Netherlands) (Picture source: Naval Group)

The purchase price is 2.6 billion euros, of which half (1.115 billion) is borne by Belgium. Compared to the initial estimate, as in the F-35 purchase file, a saving is made, of the order of 200 million euros this time, which will make it possible to invest in European projects related to maritime capacity.

The two French companies Naval Group & ECA-Robotics had joined forces to win this market. This consortium has won against two other bidders, the Dutch group Damen Schelde, associated with the company Imtech Belgie and a consortium called Sea Naval Solutions, bringing together the Thales shipyards, including Thales Belgium, STX France, Socarenam and the Antwerp firm Engine Deck Repair (EDR).

The winning consortium promised the creation of 4 billion euros of turnover and 7,000 jobs in Belgium over 20 years. Economic returns are 50% in Flanders, 35% in Wallonia and 15% in Brussels. For this purpose, 39 partnerships with Belgian companies have already been signed.

In addition to the creation of an industrial center of excellence in the field of the fight against naval mines, a drone production plant (1,550 drones including 1,300 submarine mine destruction drones) will be established in Zeebruges. The maintenance will be 100% Belgian. The contract for the Belgian part is estimated at 1.1 billion euros. "Future capacity will use unmanned systems on the surface, above water level and under water to detect and neutralize mines. Thanks to this new method of work, the mothership and its crew will be able to stay out of the minefield because only drones will be active there, the statement explains.

The Belgian Navy is implementing an innovative concept in this Mine Countermeasures (MCM) vessels. It intends to remain a pioneer and an internationally recognized expert in the fight against mines. These mine hunters will measure more than 80 meters long and will be able to accommodate up to 63 crew members. They will be larger than those currently possessed by the Marine Component.

The dossier has been delayed for three months, particularly because of its complexity, Minister Didier Reynders explained in committee this week. The government, however, was determined to make a decision before the end of the legislature, thus closing the major military investment cases.

The file was made jointly with the Netherlands, which is responsible for the frigates. If the European tender was managed by Belgium, representatives of the Dutch Defense were present on the bid evaluation team. Delivery of the first mine hunter is expected from the end of 2023. From 2025, ships will then be delivered alternately to The Netherlands and Belgium. The last delivery is scheduled for 2030.
A place to exercise ideas before writing about them with greater discipline.
Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
Political and cultural commentary from the perspective of radical common sense. Opposition to the AMERICAN BIPOLARCHY and ideological fanaticism in all forms. Don't take our word for anything: figure it out for yourself.
"Clap Your Hands If You Believe in Fairies!"
The ten first stationary speed cameras were installed by the government on 16 March 2016.

An additional 14 fixed speed cameras have since followed, adding up to 24 throughout the Grand Duchy. Six mobile cameras and one construction site camera are also operational.

According to Luxemburger Wort, who have quoted the numbers from the police, the cameras have flashed a of 798,000 times in three years  including 250,000 last year alone. Vehicles with Luxembourgish number plates are the most frequent offenders, on average.

As you may have heard, the mobile speed camera on the A4 towards Esch was in the news recently as it caught 5,000 drivers in just 48 hours.

A new speed camera which measures vehicle's average speed between two points will most likely arrive in Luxembourg in autumn. First tests will take place on the A7 between Waldhof and Gonderange.

In addition, another fixed speed camera will be operational this year still, between Grosbous and Hierheck.
The organisers of Friday's climate march criticise that their event was misused as a political platform.

"Youth for Climate Luxembourg" publicly criticised the actions of Luxembourg's Pirate Party, accusing them of disregarding the organisers' wish to keep the march non-political in terms of party association. The organisers of the event had requested that all political parties refrain from putting party banners or flags on display. This request was ignored by the Pirate Party.

One of the people who gave a speech at Place Guillaume II (Knuedler) is a candidate in the European elections for the Pirate Party. The party also posted a video of the speech on social media, complete with the party's logo.

It seems that the speech was motivated by party politics, rather than personal conviction, the organisers of the event lamented.

It is a student movement and a youth movement - and this should have been respected, the organisers argued on Facebook.

Gallery from Roland Miny (pressphoto.rtl.lu)
The US space agency NASA on Wednesday cast a shadow on the future of its new heavy-lift rocket, the SLS -- acknowledging development delays on a project that is already years behind.

The Space Launch System program is being run much as the Apollo and space shuttle mission were handled in the days of old.

But Wednesday's announcement illustrates how quickly NASA has embraced a new era dominated by private space companies who are offering the option of low-cost transport on a mission-by-mission basis.

"SLS is struggling to meet its schedule" and won't be ready in time for a first unmanned mission around the Moon and back, dubbed EM-1, set for June 2020, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told lawmakers.

"Last week, it came to our attention that we're not going to be able to maintain the schedule," which is already three years behind, he told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Boeing has spent years developing the SLS, which would be the most powerful rocket ever built, with the goal of resuming manned space missions to the Moon. The project has already cost $12 billion.

A capsule for astronauts, Orion, is being built by Lockheed-Martin and Europe for the missions.

Wednesday marked the first time that NASA has clearly acknowledged the extent of the problems with the SLS.

That news did not surprise industry analysts, who have signaled problems with the development of the SLS for years.

Boeing is using more than 1,000 subcontractors in 43 US states to get the job done. That translates to thousands and thousands of jobs.

This file artist concept image from NASA shows the next generation of heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System -- which has once again been delayed /  NASA/AFP

Congress initially wanted a first flight in late 2016. NASA then pushed back the date little by little.

But Bridenstine then made the shocking announcement that he wants to entrust the EM-1 mission to existing private launch systems, instead of waiting for SLS to be ready.

"We have amazing capability that exists right now that we can use off the shelf in order to accomplish this objective," he said.

He did not specify which private company he had in mind, but SpaceX -- founded by billionaire Elon Musk -- would be a natural candidate with its Falcon Heavy rocket.

The Delta IV Heavy of United Launch Alliance -- a joint venture of Lockheed and Boeing -- also would be a capable alternative.

- Congress will have to decide -

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine made the surprise announcements about the SLS program before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee /  GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

The new plan would consist of launching the Orion capsule, and then following it up with the launch of an upper stage for propulsion.

The two elements would then dock in orbit for the voyage around the Moon.

No rocket in existence today is capable of lifting both elements together, because of their weight, which is why NASA had said it needed the more powerful SLS.

"I want to be clear, we do not have right now an ability to dock the Orion crew capsule with anything in orbit. So between now and June of 2020, we would have to make that a reality," Bridenstine said.

One skeptical senator reminded him: "This is 2019...."

Bridenstine replied: "NASA has a history of not meeting launch dates, and I'm trying to change that."

The administration of President Donald Trump has made it clear that it is unhappy with all the delays.

A 1:50 scale model of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) is displayed at the agency's booth during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 11, 2018 /  GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

In its budget proposal unveiled on Monday, the government wants to let the private sector launch the components of the mini-space station, dubbed the Gateway, that NASA wants to put in orbit around the Moon in the 2020s.

It also decided that private companies would launch a probe towards Jupiter's moon Europa.

Both of those missions were initially expected to be carried out using the SLS.

In the end, Congress will have to decide whether to pass the space budget as is or request changes that would preserve the SLS program's place in upcoming missions.

Producing the SLS in 43 states means 86 senators have something to lose if the SLS program goes south, leading some snarky commentators to label it the "Senate Launch System."

The budget for 2020 should be adopted in the coming months.
Wonder Caves: Ideal Spot for Hikers and Cave Explorers
Polheim the wise:

The Lord loves the simple-minded 

thats why there are so many.





The above post was written by our

monthly Sunday correspondent, Lee Liberman

The slice of European history revealed in this six-episode series feels distant, our being exposed most to British crowns and wars. Thriller and romance, the story of Maximilian and Marie takes us behind the European curtain to Austria, France, and its rich French relative, the Duchy of Burgundy, during the late Middle Ages. Its a glimpse in the dark as the sun is about to rise on the Renaissance (spurred by printing press output -- the first new media in the west).The action in those parts was just as dicey as Henrys chewing up wives across the channel. Produced by German and Austrian networks jointly, the series was written by Martin Ambrosch and directed by Andreas Prochaska; it is handsomely crafted in dark medieval hues with Romeo-and-Juliet star-crossings and relationships that feel surprisingly intimate. (Below: director, shown right, andas Maximilian.)Maximilian (1459-1519), later called the last knight of the medieval era, is at 18 the brash son of Hapsburg Emperor, King Frederick III of Austria, seat of the region called the Holy Roman Empire (which Voltaire wrote was neither holy, Roman, nor an empire). Maximilian is disgusted at his fathers passivity in dealing with enemies; he whiles away his nights with Rosina, his sisters lady-in-waiting, and hunts by day with Polheim, his friend and chamberlain (the only one who will tell him the truth). This is Maximilians coming-of-age story.Emperor Frederick (above) solves politics and foreign aggression not on his horse but in his throne room orchestrating marriages  he has lined up the 40-year-old Hungarian King (his enemy), to marry his 12-year-old daughter and orders his son, Maximilian, to marry the rich Marie of Burgundy. Maries father, Charles the Bold, has enlarged Burgundian territory and wealth through acquisition; it is flourishing  a center of cloth, commerce, and sophistication. Marie is ill-disposed to an Austrian match () until her father is felled in battle. His death suddenly exposes her to a French law that subjects Burgundy to French rule if no male body sits on the throne. The French king, Louis XI, is pressing his advantage. With promises and bribes, he makes allies of merchants of Ghent* (Belgium), her capitol, who abusively force Marie to agree to marrying Louiss under-age son, Charles. Below l, young Charles, with famous French actor,, as King Louis (out of focus).The sly but aging Louis, in between having crippling strokes, is now using guns-for-hire and his own assassins to get rid of Maximilian, clearing the path to control Burgundy (below, Maximilian evading assassins).Aggressive machinations play out separately against Maximilian and Marie until they meet in episode 4, (and after). In the meantime they each have begun to internalize the urgency of an alliance  a marriage would be the least disagreeable means-to-ends. He needs her wealth to quash his fathers enemies and she needs him to prevent Burgundys absorption by France.Marie has sent Johanna, her lady-in-waiting, to the Austrian court where Johanna puts Maximilian to the sniff test (does he bathe), is he uncouth, is he literate. Determined now to thwart the French, Maximilian comes up with a scheme to rush the marriage from his sickbed  he is recovering from the plague. He and Polheim barely beat King Louiss henchmen to Burgundy.For a subplot, Polheim and Johanna fall in star-crossed love, she already having been married at 14 to a gross old man. (The doomed couple below.)The action does not supplant lovely bits of intimate conversation  the glue that distinguishes this story from the usual. Maximilian and Marie, for instance, are ruled by their heads in landing themselves in the marriage bed, but they are royal, and negotiating sex with a spouse who is a total stranger has its awkwardness. We listen in.Niewohner (a youngtype) is Maximilian; the accomplished French actress,, is Marie. Theret is familiar as the cherubic, peaches-and-cream model/muse of painter, Renoir, in the beautiful French biopic(on). She is too thin here as Marie and dressed unflatteringly, but luminous as the young duchess. The dialogue is filmed in the actors own languages, as in Marie speaks to Maximilian in French and he to her in German, though English subtitles blur this oddness. European viewers may be at ease in this multi-lingual world but we, at least, get the message about the varied ethnicity of the region compared to the homogeneity across the English channel. The graphic below shows the changing dimensions of the Holy Roman Empire from 962  1806.The action shifts among the Austrian, French, and Burgundian courts but theres an English tie here in the person of Margaret of York, widow and third wife of Maries father, Charles the Bold. She is sister to Britains Edward IV and Richard III, who (history records) befriends her step-daughter and remains a supportive counselor to the young Duchess. (Below, l, Johanna, Marie, and Margaret of York.)Note that in The White Princess series on,** Margaret of York is a manipulative power behind the throne at the Burgundian court. Whatever the veracity of either version, this German production is more fun than the English soap.In any event, the marriage between Maximilian and Marie was short but a genuine love match (archive depiction above). Maximilian married twice after her death, also for political alliance, but we are told he was loveless in later life. He was at war most of it, famous for jousting and influencing armor design.This last knight was also an avid patron of the sciences and arts  he was a bridge from the medieval to the modern world, reveling in past glory, making use of Renaissance munificence. But it was through his children with Marie that Hapsburg influence continued and would survive as the Austria-Hungary Empire until 1918. Queen Elizabeth II is among Maximilians descendants. But never mind Hapsburg politics and shifting borders, this romance is an entertaining appetizer to theof all games of thronesdue to resume in April on*Note: Aillustrated travel piece on Ghent, Belgium (3/3/19), looks just like the 15th century version See article**Note on STARZ: Former CEO(originator of much of HBOs early successes and STARZs current content) has departed. Speculation is that new owner,, may replace some STARZ content by summer. Now would be the time to catch up.
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A Vietnam-based fund has appointed a former vice chancellor of Germany as the chairman of the advisory board of its technology investment arm.

VinaCapital announced on Friday that Dr. Philipp Rosler, of Vietnamese origin, will work as the chair of the advisory board of VinaCapital Ventures.

Dr. Rosler will provide counsel for and help Vietnamese startups connect with investors and bring their products to international markets.

He served as Federal Minister of Economics and Technology and Vice Chancellor of Germany from 2011 to 2013.

VinaCapital CEO and founding partner Don Lam said the former politician has profound experience in a wide range of roles in public governance and the private sector.

Philipps experience and perspective are extraordinarily unique. He has served in both the public and private sectors; as a physician and a legislator; with large established companies and small startups, the Vietnam News Agency quoted Don as saying.

In Europe, he was as a bridge between German startups and Silicon Valley, and now he will play this and other roles for startups in Vietnam.

Dr. Rosler was born in 1973 in Soc Trang Province, southern Vietnam.

He was then adopted by a German soldiers family at nine months old and grew up in Germany.

He became the first minister of Asian descent in a European country in 2009, when he was elected as Federal Minister of Health, the youngest cabinet minister in Germany.

In 2011, he was voted as Federal Minister of Economics and Technology and Vice Chancellor of Germany.

He was the youngest chairman of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), holding the chairmanship from 2011 to 2013.

Before his political career, he was a cardiothoracic surgeon.

After leaving politics, Dr. Rosler became a member of the managing board and head of the Center for Regional Strategies of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland in January 2014.

He also served as an advisor to the Founders Fund, a U.S.-based technology fund known for its engagement with Space X, Uber, PayPal and Palantir.

Seeded by VinaCapital Group, VinaCapital Ventures is a US$100 million Vietnam-focused venture capital platform dedicated to investing in and building world-class technology companies and incorporating them into a full digital ecosystem, according to its website.

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Here are todays news stories:

Society

-- A doctor from the Blood Transfusion Hematalogy Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City has been suspended from work since Saturday for allegedly asking for extra money from his patients. The case came to public attention on Thursday after a patients family member attacked him with a knife.

-- Multiple manhole covers along a major street in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai have recently been stolen, leaving behind the openings that pose serious threats to pedestrians.

-- A truck carrying three metric tons of glass flipped over along a road in Quang Ngai Province on Saturday afternoon, killing one person and injuring two others, all of whom were on the vehicle prior to the crash.

-- Authorities in the central city of Da Nang on Saturday agreed on a plan to upgrade the existing Khanh Son landfill, which has already become overloaded, into a modern waste treatment plant worth approximately US$100 million.

-- Police in Ho Chi Min City confirmed on Saturday they had apprehended a group of suspects for allegedly demanding protection money from an owner of a local cafe and attacking the victim when he refused to pay the 'fee.'

-- A 46-year-old patient has recently been admitted to the Binh Dan Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City with injured genitals after being attacked by a female pig while he was taking care of her piglets. The victim hails from the southern province of Binh Phuoc and has eight years of experience in raising boar-pig hybrids.

-- A woman and her two grandchildren drowned while they were catching crabs and shells for a living at a reservoir in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on Saturday afternoon.

Business

-- About 350 traders at a makeshift market on Co Giang Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, which has been open since 1994, are now uncertain about how to continue their livelihood after the municipal Peoples Committee ordered the shutdown of the market on Saturday.

-- Vietnam's largest dairy producer Vinamilk has announced that the revenue of its factory in the United States exceeded $116 million in 2018, five years after the facility was put into operation.

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A doctor in Ho Chi Minh City has been discovered ripping off his patients after one of the victims family member chased him down with a knife in a hospital earlier this week.

A source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper confirmed on Saturday that the doctor, named N.L.M.T., has been suspended from work at the Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital in District 1 while his case is being validated.

The situation caught public attention as T. was chased down by a knife-wielding man, who is the family member of a patient, at the facility on Thursday.

The infirmarys board of directors then asked the doctor to write a report on the incident.

In his report, T. admitted to receiving a total of VND9 million (US$387) from a patient named D., who had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, on two separate occasions.

He also demanded and pocketed about VND20 million ($860) from two other patients.

The doctor has worked at the Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital since 2012 and is said to have great expertise.

Tuoi Tre reporters contacted T. on Saturday but he refused to provide any further detail.

The hospital is in charge of answering the press about my case from now on. I am in no position to give any information, he stated.

According to Phu Chi Dung, director of the infirmary, a probe is being carried out to determine the total of money T. received from the patients.

T. is a lecturer at the Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and has been in contract with the hospital, Dung continued, adding that the incident has also been notified to the university.

The transactions were made in private between the doctor and patients, thus they were difficult monitor. We have advised all patients to follow the payment procedures at the infirmarys counter to prevent this happening, the director elaborated.

Aside from his suspension, T. has also been asked to return all of the money to his patients.

During an interview with Tuoi Tre, X., one of the victims, said he was only aware that he was a victim after the case was publicized.

X. is a farmer and has been seeking treatment for his five-year-old child at the hospital for a few months.

T. previously asked him to pay some VND7.5 million ($322.5) for a type of medicine, and about VND3 million ($129) for a health examination of his kid, X. recalled.

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Nearly 350 traders at a decades-old makeshift market in downtown Ho Chi Minh City are now uncertain about how to continue their livelihood after the municipal administration has recently ordered the shutdown of the market.

Located on the namesake street in the citys downtown area, Co Giang Market is active from 5:00 am to 1:00 pm every day since 1994.

The municipal Peoples Committee on Saturday issued an urgent directive regarding the cessation of all business activities at the marketplace.

Activities at the market can affect traffic on the street and result in traffic jams during rush hour.

A total of 349 traders have been establishing their own stalls and selling their products, which are mainly raw food, vegetables and fruits, clothes, and groceries, along the sides of the road.

The market lacks a proper waste treatment system and measures to ensure fire safety, environmental hygiene, and traffic in the neighborhood.

A clothing stall at the market

Each of the traders will receive support worth VND39 million (US$1,677) to VND44 million ($1,892), depending on their regular income and the amount of tax they have paid.

Those who have failed to fulfill their tax duties will receive VND29 million ($1,247).

Tran Thi Sen, 49, sells pork at the venue.

During interviews with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, many traders expressed their only hope to be able to find a new place where they can continue their usual trade.

I have sold vegetables here for 20 years. This is the only job I know I can do given my poor health conditions, said 57-year-old Nguyen Thi Lang.

Nguyen Thi Lang, 57, says she has been selling vegetables for 20 years.

Tran Thi Huong, who owns a clothing stall, said she and her daughter have been running their business for more than a decade.

Huong wished her family could keep their business going elsewhere after the market is closed.

Meanwhile, Tran Thi Sen, a 49-year-old pork seller, said she would likely have to find a new job following the shutdown.

A man buys food at the market.

Pham Viet Quy and his vegetables at the makeshift market

A grocery stall at the market

A family sets up a stall to begin selling their products.

A resident sells food on a motorbike at the market.

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A woman and her two grandchildren drowned while they were hunting for crabs and shellfish for a living at a reservoir in Vietnams Central Highlands on Saturday afternoon.

The tragic accident happened in Krong Nang Town, Krong Nang District, Dak Lak Province, Dinh Van Khiem, chairman of the towns Peoples Committee confirmed on the same evening.

The victims were HVien Mlo, 54, and her two grandchildren, 11-year-old HSon Ra and eight-year-old HSo Ka.

The three family members went to the Da Lat reservoir to catch crabs and shellfish, which they would sell for money.

They lost their footing and fell into the deep section of the reservoir and eventually drowned.

After being aware of the incident, dozens of local residents joined hands to search for the victims.

They first found HSon Ra and HSo Ka and brought them to the hospital for emergency treatment but the children did not survive.

The grandmother was found shortly after but she had already passed away.

According to Chairman Khiem, the victims were members of a poor family.

Local authorities have offered support worth VND18 million (US$774) to the family of the victims.

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Tonights Australian Story chronicles the homecoming of Bhutanese conjoined twins Nima and Dawa following a ground-breaking Australian operation to separate them.

The episode features exclusive vision and interviews as the girls return home to their remote Himalayan nation, including the first moments they reunite with their father and sibling as newly independent individuals.

Nima and Dawa were born joined at the torso. Their future prognosis was bleak and they were showing signs of distress and failing to absorb their food properly. A risky six-hour operation at Melbournes Royal Childrens Hospital was scheduled last November.

Members of the 35 strong medical and allied health team that treated the girls also give their insights into the challenging operation.

The worst-case scenario is we go in there and we cant separate the twins. Or getting a complication from the operation that then threatens or ultimately ends the life of one of the twins, said paediatric surgeon Dr Joe Crameri.

Moments after learning her daughters operation was a success, the girls mother Bhumchu Zangmo told Australian Story she was overjoyed.

After hearing the news that the surgery was successful, I was so happy, she said. I was so eager to meet the kids personally.

Now 20 months old, the girls were the first conjoined twins born in Bhutan in living memory.

Up until their surgery, they had lived in seclusion amid fears they could be considered unlucky in the deeply religious nation.

A team of Australian doctors and the not-for-profit Children First Foundation brought the girls to Australia for their life-saving surgery.

Producer: Kristine Taylor

8pm Monday March 18 on ABC.
Seven was under pressure last week with My Kitchen Rules hitting an all-time low of 662,000 viewers -at the same time as oxygen thief Married at First Sight hit 1.4m viewers. Roll on AFL?

Nine now has 5 of 5 weeks in the bag and no sign of slowing down.

10 continues to trail the ABC, with Gogglebox as its best performer but not enough shows over 500,000 viewers.

SBS documentary Australia in Colour did good business for the public broadcaster, at one point siting second in its timeslot.

Network:

Nine: 32.8

Seven: 28.0

ABC: 17.6

10: 14.8

SBS: 6.8

Primary Channel:

Nine: 24.0

Seven: 19.3

ABC: 12.5

10: 9.4

SBS: 4.4

Multichannels:

9G0!: 3.7

7mate / 7TWO / 10 Bold: 3.1

ABC Kids Comedy / 9GEM: 2.7

9Life: 2.4

10 Peach: 2.3

7flix: 1.9

ABC News: 1.8

SBS VICELAND: 1.2

SBS Food: 1.0

7food / ABC ME: 0.6

NITV: 0.1

Nine won 25-54 and 16-39 demos.

Nine led every night of the week except Thursday, claimed by Seven. ABC bettered 10 every night except Thursday.

Nine led claimed victory in all cities except Perth.

Best brands last week were:

Nine: Married at First Sight (Wed: 1.4m), Nine News (6:30pm: 884,000), Travel Guides (786,000) and A Current Affair (782,000).

Seven: Seven News (942,000), My Kitchen Rules (Mon: 761,000), Home & Away (576,000) and The Good Doctor (547,000).

ABC: Death in Paradise (717,000), ABC News (688,000), Hard Quiz (635,000) and Four Corners (605,000).

10: Gogglebox (649,000), Dancing with the Stars (Elimination: 526,000), The Project (409,000) and Ambulance Australia (394,000).

SBS: Australia in Colour (341,000), Secrets of the Tudors (210,000), Michael Portillos Abandoned Britain (207,000) and Insight (203,000).
Morocco is not interfering in Algerias domestic issues and abstains from commenting on the recent developments in the eastern neighbor, said Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in a statement.

Algeria has been rocked by large-scale protests demanding an end to Bouteflikas two-decade rule and a democratic reform of an aging regime.

Some media outlets hovering around the regime in Algeria attributed statements to Moroccan diplomacy saying that Morocco is meddling in Algerian crisis or supporting a derailment of protests towards violence.

To these claims, the response of the Moroccan Foreign Minister was clear: The Kingdom of Morocco decided to adopt an attitude of non-interference concerning the recent developments in Algeria and has abstained from commenting on them.

No official or informal statement has been made to the media, said the minister.

Morocco strongly rejects the unfounded allegations of coordination with other countries, especially France, on the developments in Algeria. No contact has been made with Paris or any other country in Europe or elsewhere concerning Algeria, he said.
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With 412 votes in favour and 202 votes against, the postponement of Brexit was approved, including the extension of Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union for three more months, from March 29 to June 30. This approval by Parliament is subject to the ratification of Prime Minister Theresa May's agreement, which will take place next week.

The vote to approve the postponement revealed the great divisions within the cabinet and the Conservative Party. The tense situation and the isolation of Theresa May are becoming more and more evident as the Brexit negotiations have dragged on.

Parliament rejected with another vote the same day 334 votes against the amendment to hold a second referendum. The result was expected because the supporters of the popular vote asked for abstention. What has happened is a setback for those who were in favour of staying in the European Union.

What if they reject the agreement?

Rejection of the agreement would cause Brussels to request a further extension. An extension beyond June 30 would force the United Kingdom to hold parliamentary elections in May 2019 to elect members of the legislature.

Theresa May has acknowledged that even though the agreement is approved, a new extension of Article 50 would be needed to cover all the legal aspects of areas such as immigration, health, commerce, finance, fisheries and agriculture.

How was the vote in Parliament?

Once the vote has taken place, it is up to the British Government formally to request the extension of Article 50. It will then have to be approved by all Member States. Theresa May hopes to obtain the support of her party and the deputies of the Democratic Unionist Party.

A conservative deputy, George Freeman, even raised the possibility of requesting the resignation of Theresa May in exchange for ratifying the agreement.

Faced with the impact on business and the UK worker, the Deputy Director General of the large employers CBI, Josh Hardie, asked to present a new approach, calling the deputies to use any additional time to finally develop a solution to protect jobs throughout the United Kingdom.

Mrs May will continue to try to give the Agreement a third "significant vote" on March 20 and seek the support of those who rejected it in January and earlier this week.

If Theresa May succeeds, she will go to Brussels to ask for a postponement and thus try to achieve her objectives through the UK Parliament.
By Tatiana Jancarikova

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - An anti-corruption campaigner with no experience of public office led the first round of Slovakia's presidential election on Saturday after votes from half of polling stations were counted, as voters spurn the ruling Smer party a year after the murder of a journalist sparked mass protests.

The killing of Jan Kuciak, who reported on fraud cases involving politically connected businessmen, triggered the biggest anti-government protests in Slovakia since communism ended three decades earlier. It also led to the resignation of then prime minister, Smer leader Robert Fico.

Fico's government remains in power, but Smer's popularity has slumped. On the first anniversary of Kuciak's murder, thousands of Slovaks rallied to protest against what they see as a lack of government action on the corruption he uncovered.

With results from more than 50 percent of polling stations counted, Zuzana Caputova looked set to take pole position with 39.1 percent of votes, far ahead of the governing party candidate, Maros Sefcovic, who had 18.8 percent.

If no candidate secures a majority of all votes cast in the European Union and NATO member country of 5.4 million, the top two candidates will contest a second round on March 30.

If elected, the 45-year-old Caputova, a pro-European liberal who belongs to the small, non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party, will stand out among the populist nationalist politicians on the rise across much of Europe.

"I see a strong call for change in this election following the tragic events last spring and a very strong public reaction," Caputova told reporters as she cast her ballot earlier on Saturday. "We stand at a crossroads between the loss and renewal of public trust, also in terms of Slovakia's foreign policy orientation."

Slovakia's president does not wield day-to-day power but has veto power over the appointments of senior prosecutors and judges, pivotal in the fight against corruption.

Story continues

The murder of Kuciak and his fiancee, who was shot dead alongside him, is still under investigation. The biggest breakthrough to date came just two days before the vote, when special prosecutors said they had charged businessman Marian Kocner, a subject of Kuciak's reporting with connections across the political scene including with Smer, with ordering the murder.

"Caputova has a history of fighting for the common people as a public-interest lawyer and brings much-needed non-confrontational style and liberal values to the public debate," Ivan Musak, 52, told Reuters in Bratislava.

Peter, a 69-year old pensioner who declined to give his full name, was concerned about her lack of political experience.

"Sefcovic is an experienced diplomat, he would be more capable of representing the country," he said. "But I voted for him despite the Smer backing, not because of it."

Supreme court judge and former justice minister Stefan Harabin, an independent, got 14.5 percent and secured the third place in the vote. He promises to fight immigration and dismantle EU sanctions against Russia.

(Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Writing by Robert Muller; Editing by Mark Potter, William Maclean and Daniel Wallis)
Relatives and family members of Naeem Rashid who was killed along with his son Talha Naeem in the Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand, comfort each other during a condolence gathering at the familys home in Abbottabad, Pakistan March 17, 2019. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

A British man has been arrested for making a social media post which reportedly supported the grotesque New Zealand mosque attacks.

The man, from Oldham in Greater Manchester, allegedly shared a post which directly referenced and appeared to sympathise with the atrocity in Christchurch, which has left 50 dead.

The 24-year-old was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications.

Police said: This is a very difficult time for people. The events in New Zealand have reverberated around the world. Many people are in deep shock and are worried. 

It is at times like this that, as a community, we stand together. 

Where the law permits and people cross the line, we will take robust action, which may include arrest and prosecution.

Children as young as three were slaughtered in the attack on two mosques in New Zealand, when a gunman opened fire as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers.

Following the shootings, 28-year-old Brenton Harrison Tarrant was arrested.

Brenton Tarrants every move seems calibrated to elicit the widest coverage, from his livestreaming the entire massacre on social media to his uttering Remember lads, subscribe to PewDiePie before embarking on his butchers work.

Yesterday, when he appeared in court charged with murder, Tarrant made a hand gesture which has since been linked to a symbol of white supremacy.

Police have said more charges are likely to follow.

Many of the 34 survivors who remain in hospital after getting caught up in the shootings at Al Noor mosque and Linwood mosque are in critical condition.

Relatives are anxiously waiting for authorities to release the remains of those who were killed in massacres at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, while authorities announced the death toll from the attacks had risen to 50.

Islamic law calls for bodies to be cleansed and buried as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said police were working with pathologists and coroners to release the bodies as soon as they could.

We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen, he said.

But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible.

Story continues

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said a small number of bodies would start being released to families on Sunday evening, and authorities hoped to release all the bodies by Wednesday.

Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some relatives who were waiting for any news.

The scale of the tragedy and the task still ahead became clear as supporters arrived from across the country to help with the burial rituals in Christchurch and authorities sent in diggers to prepare new graves in a Muslim burial area that was newly fenced off and blocked from view with white netting.
Morocco will hold an African conference at the foreign ministers level to show support for the UN process in the Sahara on March 25 in Marrakech.

The event is in line with the African Unions official position, which backs UN efforts to settle the Sahara dispute, a position that was stressed during the AUs latest summit in Nouakchott last July.

The African Union has by the past adopted stands hostile to Moroccos territorial integrity and to the UN process under pressure from Algeria and the pro-separatist states in Africa, notably South Africa.

However, the return of Morocco to the African Union restored balance to the African Union position as an increasing number of states support a freeze of the membership of the Algerian-backed polisario separatist front.

In this respect, the event to be held in Marrakech is in stark opposition in its respect for international law to the conference that South Africa plans to hold the same day to gather support for separatism in the Sahara.

South Africa is planning to convene a conference of the member states of the Southern African Development Community.

Last July, the AU gave up its parallel process to mediate in the Sahara issue while stressing the primacy of the UN process and commending Moroccos autonomy initiative.

Recommendation 12N of the AU report adopted back then highlights that the role of the AU is to support UN efforts and the UN Secretary Generals Personal Envoy.

The report has only referred to the UN resolutions on the Sahara calling on the parties to engage in serious negotiations in good faith and with a spirit of compromise in order to reach a fair, lasting and mutually acceptable solution.

Moroccos election to the Peace and Security Council further strengthens the Kingdoms stance at the Continental organization. The Council is the supreme decision making body on peace and security issues and has been chaired by Algeria since its creation. Hence, the pro-separatist stands of AU are poised to change with Morocco and its increasing circle of allies acting as a bulwark against attempts to use the organization for separatist purposes.

The Polisario and their Algerian mentors are feeling the heat of an imminent change in the AU in favor of Morocco. Actually, the winds of change started to be felt since July 2016 at the AUs summit in Kigali, when 28 African states submitted a motion demanding the freeze of the membership of the Polisario in the pan-African organization.
Irish President Michael D Higgins has attended a memorial service for the victims of the New Zealand mosque shootings.

A service of silence and reflection was held at Dublins Pro Cathedral on St Patricks Day morning by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to remember those who died in the mass shootings and to renew the rejection of all forms of religious and racial intolerance by Christian believers.

The death toll stands at 50 after the shootings at two Christchurch mosques during midday prayers on Friday, with dozens more were wounded.

Mr Higgins signs a book of condolence before the memorial service (Niall Carson/PA)

Archbishop Martin welcomed Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina to the service, where he expressed solidarity with the people of New Zealand, and Muslims both in Ireland and abroad.

New Zealand ambassador to Ireland Brad Burgess was among the large crowd that attended.

Archbishop Martin said: I felt that it would somehow be incongruous to hold our regular joyful celebration of the Feast of Saint Patrick here in the Pro-Cathedral, without first finding a moment to pause and reflect on a horrific event which took place on the other side of the world but which involves us all.

We express our solidarity with the people of New Zealand. We express our solidarity with our Islamic brothers and sisters here in Ireland and worldwide  Archbishop Martin pic.twitter.com/j2FWq5R6md  Archdiocese Dublin (@DublinDiocese) March 17, 2019

He said that the brutal murder of 50 innocent people anywhere would in itself alone be a deplorable event of world dimensions.

The inspiration of the event in Christchurch  to attack people of prayer just because they were of a different faith  is something that offends Christian culture; it offends our own Irish culture, just as it offends the culture of New Zealand, a country known for its tolerance and welcome, the archbishop said.

Story continues

He added that racism and religious intolerance can never be allowed to assume even a token tone of respectability or reasonableness.

There is no such thing as half-racism. There is no way any society can think that racist or religious tolerance should have any place within it, he said.

The Church of Jesus Christ and Christian believers must constantly be alert not to fall prey to the temptation of intolerance.

History shows that when racism and religious intolerance are not addressed they contain within themselves a frightening power for fostering hatred and social destruction.

Queues to sign the book of condolence for the victims of #Christchurch in Pro Cathedral this morning pic.twitter.com/H3r5U8f2y9  Archdiocese Dublin (@DublinDiocese) March 17, 2019

The service was followed by mass, celebrating the Feast of St Patrick and blessing of the shamrock at 11am.

Long queues of people formed to sign books of condolence after the memorial and mass.

The books were opened to the public on Saturday, and will also be available for signing on Monday from 10am.
Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks to the media outside New Zealand House, following Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand, in London, Britain March 15, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Security services have been too slow to tackle the threat of far-right extremism, according to Jeremy Corbyn.

The Labour Party leader described the recent anti-Muslim massacre in New Zealand as the most disgraceful far-right terrorist attack during an appearance on Sky News.

Corbyn added that, around the world, security services have been too slow to investigate the deadly rise of far-right extremism.

Although he referenced the recent mosque shootings in Christchurch, he said the problem goes back as far as the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.

He also referred to the Finsbury Park van attack in his own constituency in north London in 2017.

Speaking to Sophy Ridge On Sunday, Corbyn said weve got to be far more aware of the dangers of the far right.

A girl walk to lay flowers on a wall at the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch, New Zealand, Sunday, March 17, 2019. New Zealands stricken residents reached out to Muslims in their neighborhoods and around the country on Saturday, in a fierce determination to show kindness to a community in pain as a 28-year-old white supremacist stood silently before a judge, accused in mass shootings at two mosques that left dozens of people dead. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

The opposition leader said steps such as immediately removing dangerous content, such as the videos uploaded by the alleged attacker in the Christchurch shootings, but said it also raises the question of regulation by social media platforms.

Corbyn used the Sky interview to agree with Labour deputy leader Tom Watsons calls for social media firms to do more to tackle the problem.

He claimed that suspect Brenton Tarrant, the 28-year-old charged with murder after the shootings, was inhabiting very dark places, adding unless more is done with social media it ends up with 50 wholly innocent people dead.

Asked whether the rise of the far right was being taken seriously enough, he said: I think many security services around the world have been, how shall I put it, slow to investigate far-right extremism, going right back to Timothy McVeigh in the USA and more recent attacks including an attack in my own constituency when Makram Ali was killed.

Fifty people are now known to have been killed in the New Zealand mosque shootings as the bodies of victims begin to be returned to their families.

Brenton Tarrant, 28, appeared in court on Saturday charged with murder and was remanded until April 5. Police said further charges would follow.

Story continues





New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he would not be ruling out the possibility of further suspects until we are absolutely convinced as to how many people were involved.

Two people arrested after the attacks were not believed to have been involved, police said, with one released and another charged with a separate offence.

Another person was taken into custody due to evidence collected during the investigation but there was no information to suggest they were linked to the attacks, police added.

Tarrant appeared to have live-streamed the terror attack and outlined his anti-immigrant motives in a manifesto posted online.

The New Zealand prime ministers office was one of more than 30 recipients of an emailed copy of the manifesto just nine minutes before guns were fired.

It did not include location. It did not include specific details, she said.

Within two minutes of receipt it was conveyed directly to parliamentary security.

Had it provided details that could have been acted on immediately it would have been, but unfortunately there were no such details in the email.

Social media giants were criticised in the wake of the attack for not doing more to stop such content being posted on their platforms.

On Sunday, Facebook said it had removed 1.5 million videos of the attack worldwide in the 24 hours after the shootings, 1.2 million of which were blocked at upload.

Mia Garlick, of Facebook New Zealand, said: We continue to work around the clock to remove violating content using a combination of technology and people.

Out of respect for the people affected by this tragedy and the concerns of local authorities, were also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content.
FILE PHOTO - Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General, briefs the U.N. Security Council during a council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Segar

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - A U.N. envoy condemned Gaza's ruling Hamas group on Sunday for what he called its campaign of arrests and violence in confronting street protests over the past few days against high prices.

Hundreds of people have taken to the streets across the enclave in "We want to live" demonstrations. Human rights officials said dozens of people have been detained or hurt.

Cellular phone videos posted on social media showed Hamas security forces beating protesters with clubs, and gunshots could be heard. Tyres have been burned and rocks thrown at the Hamas men.

Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. special coordinator for Middle East peace, said in a statement that "the long-suffering people Gaza" have a right to protest at "the dire economic situation" without fear of reprisal.

"I strongly condemn the campaign of arrests and violence used by Hamas security forces against protesters, including women and children, in Gaza over the past three days," he said.

Contacted by Reuters, a Hamas spokesman had no immediate comment on Mladenov's remarks.

Most of Gaza's two million people live in poverty. Its economy has been impacted by blockades by Israel and Egypt - with both countries citing security concerns - and disputes between Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.

Hamas has accused the security services of the rival Fatah movement, the main faction in the Palestinian Authority, of masterminding the protests in an attempt to weaken it. Fatah officials denied the allegation.

The Palestinian Authority has been imposing economic sanctions in Gaza to try to force Hamas, which seized the enclave in 2007, to implement a power-sharing agreement.

In a bid to boost Hamas government revenues, Gaza's economy ministry slapped additional fees on imports, leading to a hike in food prices, a local economist said.

In his statement, Mladenov said he was particularly alarmed by "the brutal beating of journalists and staff from the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) and the raiding of homes".

Story continues

Local rights groups said several of their employees were beaten or detained by Hamas police while monitoring the protests.

Organisers of the demonstrations, who have kept their identities hidden from the public, said in a statement that protesters were exercising their right to freedom of expression under Palestinian law.

(Reporting by Nidal Almughrabi, Editing by Jeffrey Heller, William Maclean)
A steady stream of mourners paid tribute on Sunday at a makeshift memorial to the 50 people killed by a gunman at two mosques in Christchurch.

Dozens of Muslims stood by to bury the dead when authorities finally release the victims bodies.

Hundreds of flowers were piled up amid candles, balloons and notes of grief and love outside the Al Noor mosque. As a light rain fell, people clutched each other and wept quietly.

We wish we knew your name to write upon your heart. We wish we knew your favourite song, what makes you smile, what makes you cry, read one of the tributes, which contained cut-out paper hearts under a nearby tree.

We made a heart for you. 50 hearts for 50 lives.

Two days after Fridays attack, New Zealands deadliest shooting in modern history, relatives were still waiting for authorities to release the bodies.

Islamic law calls for bodies to be cleansed and buried as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours.

Mourners lay flowers on a wall at the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch (Vincent Thian/AP)

Supporters arrived from across the country to help with the burials in Christchurch and authorities sent in backhoes to dig graves at a site that was newly fenced off and blocked from view with white netting.

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities hoped to release all the bodies by Wednesday, and police commissioner Mike Bush said authorities were working with pathologists and coroners to complete the task as soon as they could.

We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen, Mr Bush added.

But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible.

Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some who were waiting for any news.

Members of New Zealands Muslim community and officials watch as graves are prepared at a Muslim cemetery (Mark Baker/AP)

The suspect in the shootings, 28-year-old white supremacist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court on Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb, and showed no emotion when the judge read one murder charge and said more would probably follow.

Story continues

What appeared to be a jumbled 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto was posted online before the attacks.

Ms Ardern said the manifesto had been sent to her office email about nine minutes before the attacks, although she had not received the email directly herself.

Mourners link arms in Hagley Park near the Al Noor mosque (Kristen Gelineau/AP)

She said her office was one of about 30 recipients and it was forwarded to parliamentary security within a couple of minutes of it being received.

Mr Bush said at a news conference that another body had been found at Al Noor mosque as they finished removing the victims, bringing the number of people killed there to 42.

Another seven people were killed at Linwood mosque and one more person died later at Christchurch Hospital.

Thirty-four wounded remained at the hospital, where officials said 12 were in critical condition. A four-year-old girl at a childrens hospital in Auckland was also described as critical.

Dozens of Muslim supporters gathered at a centre set up for victims, families and friends across the road from the hospital, where many had flown in from around New Zealand to offer support.

About two dozen men received instructions on their duties Sunday, which included Muslim burial customs.

Abdul Hakim, 56, of Auckland, was among many who had flown in to help.

A message card is placed at a collection of flowers left at the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch (Vincent Thian/AP)

As soon as people die, we must bury them as soon as possible, Mr Hakim said. We are all here to help them in washing the body, putting them in the grave.

Javed Dadabhai, who flew from Auckland after learning about the death of his 35-year-old cousin, Junaid Mortara, said the Muslim community was being patient.

The family understands that its a crime scene. Its going to be a criminal charge against the guy whos done this, so they need to be pretty thorough, he said.

People across the country were still trying to come to terms with the massacre that Ms Ardern described as one of New Zealands darkest days.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis offered prayers for our Muslim brothers killed in the attack.

At his traditional Sunday prayer, Francis renewed an invitation to unite in prayer and gestures of peace to oppose hatred and violence.

The gunman apparently livestreamed the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where worshippers were sprayed with bullets.

The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about three miles away.

Greek police said Tarrant had stayed on the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini and travelled through the country twice, all in 2016.

Authorities in Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia and Hungary have also confirmed visits by Tarrant between 2016 and 2018 as he apparently studied battles between Christians and the Ottoman Empire.

At a news conference, the prime minister reiterated her promise that there will be changes to the countrys gun laws. She said her Cabinet would discuss the policy details Monday.
In a surprising turn of events in the coastal state of Goa, senior Congress leader and former state chief minister Digambar Kamat has reportedly agreed to join the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP after he was promised chief ministerial post by the saffron party. The Congress party on Saturday had staked claim to form the government in Goa after the demise of BJP Member of Legislative Assembly or MLA, Francis D'Souza. The deteriorating health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the fear of losing alliance partners might have forced the BJP to lure one of the senior Congress leaders to its fold, say experts.

Kamat left for New Delhi on Sunday afternoon following the BJP core committee decided to offer him the CM's post at the cost of leaving the Congress party.

"Last evening, at BJP MLAs meeting, a discussion was held over Digambar Kamat joining BJP. The decision on whether he will be the CM will be taken by central leadership," Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo confirmed to ANI.

Kamat was second-in-command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress. He held the chief ministerial post from 2007 to 2012. "I am leaving for Delhi on a business trip. It is purely personal," Kamat said before boarding the flight to Delhi from the Goa airport, reported PTI.

Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo to ANI: Last evening, at BJP MLAs meeting, a discussion was held over Digambar Kamat joining BJP. The decision on whether he will be the CM will be taken by central leadership. (File pic-Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo) pic.twitter.com/tCrBK7L7Us a ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

The Congress, meanwhile said, the BJP was spreading rumours about Kamat switching the party. "This is a game plan of the BJP's dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Girish Chodankar told the agency, adding the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations. "Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party," he said.

Manohar Parrikar's health: BJP starts search for new CM candidate in Goa; ally GFP says it'll rethink support

As Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's health condition worsens, hectic political activity has taken centre stage in Goa. The Congress party, which has maximum MLAs in the state, is trying it's hard to form the government in the state by luring independents and regional party MLAs. Earlier the BJP's ally, Goa Forward Party (GPF), said it would rethink its support in case of "any eventuality". "Parrikar's health is a cause of political concern. The BJP is also discussing possibilities, so we, a group of MLAs from our party and independents, met him. We supported Manohar Parrikar, and not the party. So in case of any eventuality, we will rethink (our support to the BJP)," Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai said.

He asserted that everything would be on the table to discuss and "there will be a rethink". "Let them come with a proposal and we will think," he added.

The strength of Goa Assembly has reduced from 40 to 37 after the death of D'Souza and resignation of two MLAs -- Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte. Now the Congress is left with 14 legislators, while BJP with 13. The BJP also has the support of three MLAs of GFP and MGP and two MLAs, including one from NCP and an independent.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

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Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had passes away at the age of 63 on Sunday. Parrikar, who was diagnosed with a "life-threatening disease" pancreatic ailment last year, was discharged from the Goa Medical College and Hospital near Panaji on February 26 last month. He had undergone treatment in hospitals of the US and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.The former Defence Minister's health took a turn for the worse in the past two days. Several BJP leaders and allies in the ruling government in the state had met him on Saturday.

10:20pm: Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu expressed condolence to Manohar Parrikar's family.

Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu: Deepest condolences over the untimely death of former Defence Minister and Chief Minister of Goa #ManoharParrikar. May his soul rest in peace. May God give strength and support to the bereaved family at this saddest hour. pic.twitter.com/YF3KVkRhxw - ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

10:15pm:

          ,   ,                       #ManoharParrikar - Dr Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) March 17, 2019

10:00pm: Goa BJP's core committee meeting is underway to take decision on chief minister position in Goa, after the demise of Manohar Parrikar. The committee members had also met on Saturday to discuss the overall political situation arising out of the deteriorating health of the former defence minister, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment.

10:00pm: MEA Sushma Swaraj expressed condolence to Parrikar's family.

                                                 - Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 17, 2019

9:50pm: Superstar Kamal Haasan, who recently launched a new political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam, also took to Twitter to offer his condolences.

Party ideologies apart a good and gentle man will always be it. Not even cancer can kill a spirit like @manoharparrikar . Have had the honour of breaking bread with him. As will the Nation, I too will remember him. - Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) March 17, 2019

9:45pm:

   #ManoharParrikar       ,                                       - Chowkidar Dr Raman Singh (@drramansingh) March 17, 2019

9:40pm:

Extremely saddened to know about the sad demise of our beloved and stalwart leader Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji. His exemplary leadership will continue to inspire us and serve as a benchmark. - Chowkidar Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) March 17, 2019

9:30pm: Program plan of Manohar Parrikar's final journey on 18 March 2019.

9:30 AM to 10:30 AM: Parrikar's mortal remains to be kept at the BJP head office, Panjim.

10:30 AM: His mortal remains to be taken to Kala Academy, Panjim.

11:00 AM to 04:00 PM: Public to pay their final respects to Manohar Parrikar.

04:00 PM: Funeral procession of Manohar Parrikar to SAG grounds, Campal.

04:30 PM: Vidhi at SAG grounds, Campal.

05:00 PM: Antim Kriya of Manohar Parrikar.

9:20pm:

Shri #ManoharParrikar ji's strong sense of dignity and integrity was visible not just in his contributions as Chief Minister of Goa and Former Defence Minister of India, but also in how gracefully he fought a long and hard battle with his illness. pic.twitter.com/5BjnchQ13a - Chowkidar Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) March 17, 2019

9:15pm: "We inform with deep grief that our beloved Chief Minister of Goa Shri. Manohar Parrikar passed away today evening, after a spirited battle against cancer," his office has tweeted.

We inform with deep grief that our beloved Chief Minister of Goa Shri. Manohar Parrikar passed away today evening, after a spirited battle against cancer. - CMO Goa (@goacm) March 17, 2019

9:10pm: Indian actor and film producer Sanjay Dutt also took to Twitter to offer his condolences.

Sad to hear about the loss of one of our finest leaders, #ManoharParrikar ji. May he rest in peace. My prayers are with the grieving family & friends. - Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) March 17, 2019

9:05pm: Respected singer and music director Lata Mangeshkar condoled the death of Manohar Parrikar.

Goa ke Mukhya Mantri Manohar Parrikar ji ke nidhan ki vaarta sunkar mujhe bahut dukh hua,unke aur hamare bahut acche sambandh the.Unke jaane se hamare desh ki bahut haani hui hai,ek atyant saccha insaan aur neta desh ne kho diya hai. Ishwar unki aatma ko shanti pradan kare. - Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata) March 17, 2019

9:00pm: Home Minister Rajnath Singh expresses heartfelt condolences to Parrikar's bereaved family.

Deeply saddened and pained by the demise of my dear friend & Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity. He served the nation and the state of Goa with great diligence. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family. - Chowkidar Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 17, 2019

8:57pm:

Extremely saddened to hear about the demise of Chief Minister of Goa, Thiru Manohar Parrikar. On behalf of DMK, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and fellow party persons. - M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 17, 2019

8:56pm: "Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress," PM Modi said.

India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen. - Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

8:55pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Manohar Parrikar as an unparalleled leader. "A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations," PM Modi tweets.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp - Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

8:52pm: "An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon," Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu tweets.

Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend... - Chowkidar Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) March 17, 2019

8:50pm:

Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend... - Chowkidar Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) March 17, 2019

8:47pm: Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis hailed Parrikar as a true son of Goa, who served India in many roles and responsibilities! No doubt Shri Manohar Parrikar will be remembered as one of best Defence Ministers of India. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and people of Goa & India. Om Shanti.

Terribly pained and saddened.... With the sudden demise of Goa CM #ManoharParrikar ji, we have lost a humble, simple, trusted, valued and hardworking leader of India. His dedication towards his work was beyond imagination. pic.twitter.com/I6a2AQ4a87 - Chowkidar Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 17, 2019

8:45pm: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted condoled the death of Manohar Parrikar. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends & followers. May his soul rest in peace, he wrote.

Deeply saddened by news of the passing away of former Defence Minister of India & Chief Minister, Goa #ManoharParrikar. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends & followers. May his soul rest in peace. - Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) March 17, 2019

8:41pm:

Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Sh Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them - Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 17, 2019

8:40pm: "As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweets.

Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri.Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled. - Chowkidar Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 17, 2019

8:39pm: Cricketer Virender Sehwag tweeted condoled the death of Manohar Parrikar.

Heartfelt condolences on the passing away of #ManoharParrikar ji . Om Shanti  pic.twitter.com/25wD8t8cy0 - Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 17, 2019

8:38pm:

In his passing, the nation in general and Goa in particular lost its proud son. My heartfelt condolences to the members of his bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace.#Parrikar - VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) March 17, 2019

8:37pm: "Mourning the loss of Manohar Parrikar, a rare IIT graduate in politics who was widely admired for his simplicity & straightforwardness," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweets.

Mourning the loss of Manohar Parrikar, a rare IIT graduate in politics who was widely admired for his simplicity & straightforwardness. Wishing his family strength & peace at this time of grief. - Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 17, 2019

8:35pm:

Entire BJP stands firmly with Parrikar ji's family. I along with millions of BJP karyakartas and importantly the people of Goa, who were his family, express my deepest condolences. May God give the bereaved family strength to withstand this tragic loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. pic.twitter.com/HWFA4gtSnX - Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

8:34pm: BJP President Amit Shah tweeted, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessely dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar ji's commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary."

Parrikar ji has shown the entire nation how a BJP Karyakarta, even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last. He will always be remembered for his contributions as India's Defence Minister and as CM of Goa. pic.twitter.com/jiKNGoOZrj - Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

8:32pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed her condolence to the family of Manohar Parrikar.

My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace. - Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 17, 2019

8:30pm: Akhilesh Yadav condoled the demise of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar.

               !                     ! - Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 17, 2019

8:27pm:

:                          - Chowkidar Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 17, 2019

8:25pm: Congress Chief Minister Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences to his family in this time of grief.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief. - Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17, 2019

8:22pm: Condolence meet to be held in the Union Cabinet at 11 am on Monday for Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

8:20pm:

RIP Manohar Golpalakrishna Prabhu Parrikar. An outstanding leader and a gentleman; IIT graduate who always stood by his principles; loved his native Goa and loved & admired by his land and people. - Amitabh Mattoo (@amitabhmattoo) March 17, 2019

8:15pm: President of India Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten."

President of India announces that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has passed away pic.twitter.com/PS8ocF395S - ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

Chief Minister @manoharparrikar's health condition is extremely critical. Doctors are trying their best. - CMO Goa (@goacm) March 17, 2019

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is "extremely critical", his office has tweeted. "Chief Minister @manoharparrikar's health condition is extremely critical. Doctors are trying their best," the tweet read.

Earlier today, core committee leader of the BJP Goa unit Dayanand Mandrekar had said that Parrikar's health is continually deteriorating and the party may soon appoint his successor, according to a ANI report.

Parrikar, who was diagnosed with a "life-threatening disease" pancreatic ailment last year, was discharged from the Goa Medical College and Hospital near Panaji on February 26 last month. He had undergone treatment in hospitals of the US and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.

As Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's health condition worsens, hectic political activity has taken centre stage in the BJP-ruled coastal state. Considering Parrikar's health, the BJP, has reportedly started finding a new face for the CM's post.

Also Read: Former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat may join BJP; likely to be offered CM's post

On Saturday, the Congress staked claim to form the government in the state, the BJP's ally, Goa Forward Party (GPF), is trying to mount pressure, saying it will rethink about its support in case of "any eventuality".

Goa BJP's core committee members had met on Saturday to discuss the overall political situation arising out of the deteriorating health of the former defence minister, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment. The BJP state leadership, led by Goa chief and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, reportedly discussed the political situation after the GFP's indirect remarks on the alliance. They also discussed the party's preparations for the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

The strength of Goa Assembly has reduced from 40 to 37 after the death of D'Souza and resignation of two MLAs -- Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte. Now the Congress is left with 14 legislators, while BJP with 13. The BJP also has the support of three MLAs of GFP and MGP and two MLAs, including one from NCP and an independent.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: Manohar Parrikar's health: BJP starts search for new CM candidate in Goa; ally GFP says it'll rethink support

Also Read:Manohar Parrikar's Last Rites Live Updates: Funeral procession to begin at 4:00pm; new Goa CM to be decided today
Raj Thackeray-led MNS, which is struggling to stay relevant in the state politics, would not contest next month's Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.

An MNS leader said party president Raj Thackeray would make his political position clear on March 19 in a public meeting, and guide the party cadres.

Also Read: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passes away: Live updates

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), founded in 2006 by Raj Thackeray after he fell out with Shiv Sena patriarch and his uncle Bal Thackeray, reached its zenith in 2009 assembly elections when it won 13 out of total 288 seats.

The party was also said to be responsible for the defeat of Shiv Sena candidates in Mumbai and its metropolitan region, apparently due to the division of Marathi votes.

However, the party lost the momentum gradually. Though it never won a Lok Sabha seat, in 2014 elections it was blown away during the Narendra Modi wave.

In the assembly elections held that year, the MNS won only one seat in Maharashtra. Recently, that lone MLA from Junnar in Pune district has joined the Shiv Sena.

In the Bruhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections held in 2017, the tally of MNS was reduced to seven seats. In October 2017, six of its corporators defected to Shiv Sena, thus taking its representation down to one seat.

"MNS chief Raj Thackeray will make his political line clear on Tuesday," said the MNS leader.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections next month, the MNS was trying hard to piggyback the Congress-NCP alliance but was cold-shouldered by the Congress, which opposes the violent "Marathi manoos" politics of the Raj Thackeray-led party.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP had also reportedly offered its support to MNS candidate in Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, but the party decided not to contest the elections.

Election to all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra would be held in four phases between April 11 and April 29.

Also Read: FII inflows, Fed rate decision to guide stock movement this week: Experts

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ASHEVILLE (TWH)  As the early reports of the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand began to come in, concern rippled through the Pagan community. The accuseds attack left 50 people dead and 50 more wounded, with the shooter live-streaming it, in real-time, to social media. In the aftermath, social media outlets scrambled to remove the video from various the various platforms where it had posted and shared.

Within minutes of the mass shooting, a reference to Valhalla allegedly made by the shooter on his Facebook page and in his writings set off alarms for members of the Pagan & Heathen communities. A manifesto titled The Great Replacement written by the accused shooter was viewable online and contained the statement Goodbye, god bless you all and I will see you in Valhalla.

The statement was the only reference to Heathenry. Still, it was enough to draw attention to Pagan & Heathen communities as mainstream media began to repeat it. The accused shooters statements involving Christian imagery were present but garnered less attention. Still, questions remained as to whether his faith or spiritual path was involved his behavior or his ideology.

As to whether he is of the Christian faith, the shooter writes in response to his own question Are you christian [sic]?, That is complicated./ When I know, I will tell you. Then, he proclaims that he is an Eco-Fascist, an ideology combing environmentalism and white supremacy.

Several TWH team members found and read through the manifesto online to determine if there was any indication of a connection to Heathenry. There was none. The reference to Valhalla was the only one; and there, the author deeply misunderstood what Valhalla represents.

There are, however, significant references to Christianity including statements about a reborn Knights Templar, a statement specifically to Christians, and and a question about what Pope Urban II would do. The statement to Christians appears to the be an excerpt from a Papal call for crusades by the mentioned pope.

The remaining contents of the manifesto are disturbing to read, using terms like invaders to describe immigrants who are not of white, proclaiming the superiority of European ancestry, advocating for the murders of innocents, children, and even heads of state of several countries. It further addresses ethnic and cultural minorities living in Europe demanding they return to their own lands, calling for the freeing of Hagia Sophia as well as the elimination of groups like Antifa, Marxists, and Communists referencing them as white scum. The document is rambling, extremist, and violent.

In response, statements condemning the massacre from the Pagan and Heathen communities were posted online within hours of the shootings.

Melbourne Heathen Moot released a strongly worded statement on their Facebook page condemning the attack and disavowing that such an act was reflective in any way of modern Heathenry. An excerpt from their statement:

We do not stand for this. Heathenry is about the Gods, Goddesses, Landspirits and the Ancestors who lived and died well and bring all that is good and true and beautiful in our lives WITHOUT DISCRIMINATING WHERE THEY CAME FROM. Heathenry is NOT about race, purity, European values (whatever that is), metagenetics, Islamaphobia and thinly veiled neo-nazism. EVER Heathenry is NOT about committing what can be seen as a terrorist act and conducting oneself in such a detrimental way to the society around them. The shooter does not represent Heathens. He is his actions, which make him a criminal/terrorist/niing/outlaw.

The Pagan Collective of Victoria in Australia issued their statement which reads, in part:

The Pagan Collective of Victoria join our voices with those of spiritual and religious organisations around the world, in condemning the abhorrent acts of terrorism in Christchurch, and in offering our love and support to the Muslim communities in Christchurch and worldwide, affected not just by this horrific and tragic act of violence, but also by the daily onslaughts of bigotry and prejudice they endure. We see you. We grieve with you. We are so sorry.

The statement also includes support for the Heathen community, and condemns the co-opting of terminology and images by white supremacists that belong to the Heathen faith.

We, and our representatives in the Victorian Heathen community, abjure the use of Heathen imagery by these terrorists in justifying unjustifiable acts. The hijacking of sacred iconography to attempt to validate heinous acts of hatred and cowardly violence is deplorable and in absolute opposition to both our spiritual and social ethos.

A number of Heathen and Pagan organizations within the US and abroad issued similar statements such as Heathens Against Hate, The Troth, and Ar nDraiocht Fein.

The co-opting of Heathen imagery by white supremacists is not new. There is of course, historical use of Norse religious imagery by Nazis, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists. Certainly since Charlottesville, it seems to be more prevalent or perhaps the practice is getting more notice. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes these Neo-Volkisch groups as well as their connections to white supremacy and their aggressive co-optation of Norse religious imagery.

But, most clearly, the NZ terrorists connection to Paganism or Heathenry is non-existent. Nevertheless, as the statements from the several organizations above imply, there is both concern about the use of Norse religious imagery by white supremacists and continued vigilance by Pagans and Heathens to respond and reject that use.
Kirsten Gillibrand released a video Sunday in which she officially joined the 2020 presidential race. The New York Senator had launched an exploratory committee back in January. She has several events lined up in the days ahead, culminating in a rally next Sunday outside Trump Tower in New York City.

Im running for president. Lets prove that brave wins. Join me: https://t.co/I1vp93LBUR pic.twitter.com/Giu4u4KEZQ  Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) March 17, 2019

Gillibrand has not yet gained much traction in the crowded Democratic field. Polling thus far has seen her receive 1% or less support in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
Ed Yong in The Atlantic:

In 1995, if you had told Toby Spribille that hed eventually overthrow a scientific idea thats been the stuff of textbooks for 150 years, he would have laughed at you. Back then, his life seemed constrained to a very different path. He was raised in a Montana trailer park, and home-schooled by what he now describes as a fundamentalist cult. At a young age, he fell in love with science, but had no way of feeding that love. He longed to break away from his roots and get a proper education.

At 19, he got a job at a local forestry service. Within a few years, he had earned enough to leave home. His meager savings and non-existent grades meant that no American university would take him, so Spribille looked to Europe.

Thanks to his family background, he could speak German, and he had heard that many universities there charged no tuition fees. His missing qualifications were still a problem, but one that the University of Gottingen decided to overlook. They said that under exceptional circumstances, they could enroll a few people every year without transcripts, says Spribille. That was the bottleneck of my life.

Throughout his undergraduate and postgraduate work, Spribille became an expert on the organisms that had grabbed his attention during his time in the Montana forestslichens.

More here.
Corinne Segal in Literary Hub:

As a student at Princeton, Merwin studied under John Berryman and R. P. Blackmur. After graduating in 1948, his travels would take him through Europe before he landed in the south of France. Michael Wiegers described the beginning of his time there for Literary Hub:

Nearly 70 years ago WS Merwin, the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and translator, was exploring the south of France when he came across a derelict stone farmhouse in the Midi Pyrenees region between Toulouse and Bordeaux. The rustic building, which was being used for drying tobacco, caught his attention less for its condition than for its location perched high above the Dordogne river, with views to the north and west across the broad valley below. This building and its surroundings would significantly influence his writingand by extension much of American poetryfor decades to come.

His first published collection, A Mask for Janus (1952), was chosen by W.H. Auden for the Yale Series of Younger Poets award, even as some looked at his early work with skepticism; his verse, dense and inspired by classical forms, was seen as inaccessible. He would later draw Audens disapproval for donating his winnings from the 1971 Pulitzer Prize, for his book The Carrier of Ladders, to antiwar causes, a move that Auden criticized as a personal publicity stunt.

More here.
Naina Bajekal in Time:

When Laila Lalamis 2014 novel The Moors Account was short-listed for a Pulitzer Prize, jurors called its tale of a 16th century Spanish expedition to Florida compassionately imagined out of the gaps and silences of history. Five years on, Lalami turns that same compassion to the silences of the present. In her timely fourth novel, The Other Americans, she follows an investigation into the death of an elderly Moroccan immigrant in an apparent hit-and-run and its impact on a California desert town.

Through nine narratorsfrom Coleman, a black detective, to Efrain, an undocumented immigrant who witnesses the crashLalami offers a compelling portrait of race and immigration in America. The driving force of the narrative is a classic whodunit, but more interesting questions lie beneath: What does it mean to feel alienated from your family or country? Who gets to be heard, and who is silenced?

Lalami, who was born and raised in Morocco, knows her subject intimately. In an essay on becoming a U.S. citizen after marrying an American, written in the wake of President Trumps travel ban in 2017, she wrote: America embraces me with one arm, but it pushes me away with the other.

More here.
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BERNALILLO  Not everybody who opens a new business can keep the doors open for 10 years, but thats what Rio Ranchoan Lara Harrison has managed to do with her Under Charlies Covers used-book store in Bernalillo.

Dont turn ahead a few paragraphs and expect to read that shes a thriving, wealthy business owner.

I havent gotten paid yet, she said, laughing. Seriously, I havent gotten paid. I can pay my employees; I can pay my bills.

This is a community service, she explained. This is a hobby. This is how I can share my love of books with other people  I dont know how people with bookstores can make a living, truly.

But, she added, To start a business, you have to love what youre doing, and that shows through, no matter what. I think if you love what youre doing, you can be a success.

Bequeathed with some 18,000 books upon the death of her father  hes the Charlie in the stores name  Harrison first had to find a way to get all of them from her home in California to her next home in Colorado, and later, from there to New Mexico. This is the state where she decided a bookstore would be a great idea.

And thats when there were more bookstores to be found  since then, the national chains Borders and Hastings have gone out of business, Barnes & Noble has been reducing its book inventory and countless consumers have taken to online sources, such as Amazon, to obtain their reading material.

Its gotten better, she said of her online competition. Its so convenient if you have a certain book that you want, to go online and order it. But then, when you order it, you dont know what condition its going to be in, even though they describe it. Its not guaranteed. (But) I cant compete with that.

But if you go into any bookstore, not just mine, you can talk to people about books, Harrison said. You can get recommendations of other books to read. (If) you dont know what to read, you can find books  especially in a used bookstore  that you wont find in a new bookstore, either. If youre reading a series, and you want to start at the beginning, you go to Barnes & Noble and they only have the end.

Of course, online shoppers dont get an opportunity for customer contact  Harrison knows her inventory  or to join a local book club, such as Charlies Book Club.

Laras the heart of this place, said book club member Nancy Nolan of Placitas, who said she joined the book club because, I like to read and I wanted to meet people in my community.

Nolan and fellow book club members Ann Kepley and Peggy Reade read between 12 and 50 books a year, they estimated. Kepley belongs to three book clubs.

(Harrisons) a huge supporter of the community, lauded Jerry Schalow, president and CEO of the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce and on hand last Wednesday afternoon for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to note her decade of success. Whenever you need somebody, you can count on Lara.

Harrison knows what its like to count on someone.

In her most-recent move, from her second location on US 550 to her current site, 160 South Camino del Pueblo, she sought help to move the tons of books.

Its really about the community, because the community has really helped my business, and not just by buying things, she explained. Weve created our own community. Like when I moved, I mean, I had people that showed up for 25 days in a row that I didnt know even know their names when they first came  and they showed up every day.

Shes happy to carry on her fathers legacy  Charlie had been a collector, not a seller, and he got rid of all the paperbacks; he gave them to a library.

My dad would be really happy about the community that weve built, because he shared his love for books with my sister and me as we grew up, she said. He would love to work in here, but hed be like a curmudgeon: Hed be telling people, Thats a crappy book. I wish he would have been able to do something like this, because he would have enjoyed it.

I love coming to work every day  I look forward to that, she said.

Her customers look forward to visiting her business, too.

A community would be much poorer without a bookstore, concluded Nolan.

Side Bar

Under Charlies Covers: Top-10 highlights from 10 years in business

1. We have sold books to at least eight movie and television productions. Some of the big ones were Better Call Saul (for Sauls brother Chucks library), Independence Day II and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot with Tina Fey. I think they got blown up in the Afghan marketplace.

2. Some of our brushes with celebrity include New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, best-selling mystery author John Sandford and actor Michael McKean.

3. We have had customers from all over the world, including as far away as Australia. We have several customers that come here every year from Canada.

4. At least once a month, we get a call from someone who thinks we are an adult bookstore and they are looking for videos or toys.

5. We are in our third location and never want to move again. The community has been a tremendous help, volunteering their time and muscle each time we have moved.

6. We have a book club that averages around 10-12 members. We started it in 2009 and still have some of the original members. We have a lot of laughs and get all kinds of perspectives on the books we read.

7. The highest-priced books I have sold were a five-book set of Game of Thrones, signed by George R. Martin for $700 to a customer in England.

8. We have donated more than 10,000 books to charitable organizations, jail and prisons. Many children have benefitted from our donations. We love to share the gift of reading with everyone!

9. The average time a customer spends in our store is 45 minutes. The longest time was five hours. Many times its been so long, we forget they are in the store! We have also found several people sleeping with a book in their hand.

10. All of the memes like, Im looking for a book with a red cover are true! We are also book detectives. A surprising amount of people come in without a book title or author and give us a short description of the cover or plot, and we do our magic.

 Lara Harrison, owner
Last week the Observer confirmed that Sandoval County Assessor Linda Gallegos hired her first cousin as deputy assessor.

County Attorney Robin Hammer said in an email that New Mexico state law allows for this type of hire, although county law states otherwise. Herein lies the conundrum for those who see this type of action as optically and morally wrong.

On one hand, state law, according to Hammer, supersedes county law in this matter. But does that mean hiring a family member is OK due to a statute that allows something the county clearly deemed illegal?

However legal it is for an official to hire a cousin, the decision looks bad.

Then, there is the argument of having a nepotism law at the county level at all. If all entities involved confirm that the hiring of a cousin is illegal by county rules, but state law supersedes them, why have that law at the county level in the first place?

Why not just use state statutes for everything, since they seem to outweigh the countys jurisdiction at every turn? We have a local law that says one thing and a state law that says another.

Those laws shouldnt be left in such an unclear state. Either eliminate the contradictory county law or make sure it doesnt contradict state law.

Then there is the matter of qualifications for the job. Perhaps Gallegos cousin is the best person for the job, given his background and experience.

But, alas, that is another matter that still has not come to light. County residents are yet again left in the dark about who is working in an office set up to serve them.

The Observer challenges Gallegos and her cousin, Richard Shanks, to prove he has the qualifications for the job. Wed like to see his previous work experience and training made public.

We know state law allows governmental entities in New Mexico to keep employee information confidential.

However, Shanks has every right to decide to make his qualifications public. If he wants to serve in a taxpayer-supported position, he should do so.

It is possible for a relative to be the best person for the job, but if we dont have proof of that, the next conclusion many people will come to is nepotism.

The final point is good judgment by our elected officials. Gallegos, who said on the record she was counseled that appearances are critical, shouldve headed that advice.

As in journalism, elected officials should be prepared to wear a bulls eye on their backs after taking their position. Making a judgment call like hiring your first cousin isnt wise, nor was it respectful of the law of the county she was elected to serve.

The fact that Gallegos did research on the legality of it is admittance that she already knew it was questionable at least. The Observer doesnt find it amusing that she followed through on the action despite that.

We ask Gallegos to make the right decision and hire someone else, or at least prove Shanks qualifications.
You know how it is. Youre in an Albuquerque bar or restaurant on St. Patricks Day. Maybe its one that serves Irish food and has a good, even an exceptional, selection of Irish beers and whiskies. Or maybe its a place that puts green dye in your Miller Lite and serves once-a-year corned beef and cabbage.

But for sure its crowded. And then, all of a sudden, a bagpipe band marches in and hushes the barroom din with its bold and boisterous blaring. Maybe the pipers even know Danny Boy.

Who doesnt love bagpipers on St. Patricks Day? Theyre so Irish.

Well, no. Theyre not. Bagpipe bands may be rollicking-good fun, but Irish theyre not.

Those are Scottish groups, said Harlow Pinson, a member of the Albuquerque Irish music bands Saoirse (Irish for Freedom) and the Duke City Ceili Band. Theres no Irish in it. Their pipes are bigger and louder than Irish pipes.

Irish music instruments  some more traditional than others  include fiddles, flutes and tin whistles, harps, banjos, the frame drum called a bodhran, harmonicas, a complex instrument known as uilleann pipes, accordions and concertinas, mandolins and guitars. Irish songs or tunes include the likes of The Wild Rover, Ta Me Mo Shui (I Am Awake), The Seige of Ennis, The Walls of Limerick, Whiskey in a Jar and Fields of Athenry, a song of the Irish potato famine.

Today, which is St. Patricks Day, Pinson and the other members of the Duke City Ceili Band will be playing at High and Dry Brewing, 529 Adams NE, starting at noon. Maybe youll hear Father Kellys Reel. But dont count on bagpipes.

A lily pad community

Pinson, 55, a website systems administrator who grew up outside of Boston, was introduced to traditional Irish music by the Irish dance bands that performed in that area. He started doing the music when he was 12 and plays the fiddle, flute and most of the Irish instruments, including the uilleann pipes, although, he admits, not all of them well.

Its an infectious music, he said. You either like it or you dont.

In Albuquerque, enough people like it to make up at least a dozen or so Irish bands and to take part in frequent music sessions.

Jack Ehn, 66, who plays flute and tin whistle, discovered the Albuquerque Irish music community in 1978, the year he moved here to go to work as a reporter for The Albuquerque Tribune. His first year in town, he found Yigal Zan, a talented tenor banjo player who was host to Irish music sessions at his home.

Every Monday and Wednesday at noon, there are six to a dozen people who go to his house to play, said Ehn, now a writing instructor at Central New Mexico Community College. These are people I have hung out with for 40 years. There is a very warm sense of friendship and community.

Ehn said that its possible for Albuquerque-area Irish music performers to move from one session to another, like frogs hopping lily pads.

Almost every day you can play somewhere if you want to, he said.

Thick as peas

Pinson is part of a weekly music session on Thursday evenings and daytime sessions on two Saturdays a month.

We are just an informal group of people who have tended to get together to play traditional Irish music, he said. Usually we find a business venue to host us  a pub or coffee house. We move around a lot. But I enjoy the community, the friendship and camaraderie.

Jim Crowley, 42, who plays the fiddle and is learning the button accordion, is from Mallow, in County Cork, Ireland. He moved to Albuquerque two years ago and quickly became part of the citys Irish music family. He likes the fact there are usually more than a few music sessions from which to choose.

If you think of musicians as keeping their chops together, once a week is not enough, he said. There are millions of Irish tunes. The process is to get them out of your head and into your fingers.

Crowley, a member of the Duke City Ceili Band, said that when he arrived in Albuquerque he found an Irish music circle that was vibrant and full of potential but lacked a binding element.

Thats when we set up the Duke City Ceili Band to play for the ceili (Irish folk) dancers at the Irish-American Society (of New Mexico). Now, were thick as peas.

Different roads

People find their way into Irish music and the Albuquerque Irish music crowd by various avenues. Some come to it later than others.

Kathy Wimmer, 58, a producer at KNME-TV, Channel 5, was closing in on her 40s when she took up the Celtic harp and immersed herself in Irish music and culture.

There is just so much  the songs, the stories, the myths, a lot of the wonderful poetry, wonderful plays, said Wimmer, who has been active in Albuquerque theater over the years.

Now, Wimmer is a member of several Irish music bands  Shenanigans, Bardic Sisters, Iscuma (Irish for It Doesnt Matter) and Colleens & Lassies. She is treasurer of the Irish-American Society of New Mexico and performs Irish music at festivals, libraries and various other venues.

Today, Colleens & Lassies, Wimmer and Mary Templeton, is performing from 2-3 p.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1000 Goad, in Socorro, and also, starting at 4:30 p.m., at Socorros Capitol Bar, 110 Plaza. From pew to pint, Irish music travels well.

An album by the Celtic rock band Scythian swept Grace Broadhead, 15, a highly-regarded fiddle player and member of the Duke City Ceili Band, under the spell of Irish music.

I listened to it over and over, and I really liked it, she said. Then I got a fiddle when I was 11 and learned mostly online from videos and recordings. It came to me pretty naturally. What I really like about it now is the community. We have sessions every week. And there are sessions wherever you go. Ive found them in Phoenix, San Diego and Ann Arbor.

Fiddle dreams

There will be bagpipes today at Two Fools Tavern, an Irish-style pub at 3211 Central NE. But from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., fiddler Nikelle Gessner Garcia, 40, and her guitarist husband, David Garcia, will do traditional Irish music at the tavern. And then from 4-7 p.m., Nikelle and David will perform Irish music with their alt-country, indy-rock band Beloved at Canteen Brewhouse, 2381 Aztec NE.

Nikelle was infused with Irish music early on because her mother was a fan of the syndicated Celtic music radio show The Thistle and Shamrock.

I started taking violin lessons at 7 and (Irish fiddle) lessons when I was 13 or 14, she said. I love the kind of feeling Irish music evokes. Its timeless.

In 2002, soon after graduating from Californias Humboldt State University, Nikelle took her fiddle and set off to follow her Irish music dreams in Ireland. She got a job for about a year tending bar at OConnors Pub in Doolin, County Clare, Ireland. Doolin is a noted center of traditional Irish music.

Doolin is a small town, 700 people, she said. There were just three pubs, but every pub had live Irish music seven nights a week and sometimes all day.

She played fiddle at OConnors, between bartending shifts, and at the other pubs, too.

You got to sit down with world-class musicians and play with them, she said. At a pub session in Ireland, you could have a whole roomful of musicians playing at the same time.

Its different in America. But today at Two Fools, Nikelle will perform tunes such as The Dunmore Lasses and The Star of Munster. And at Two Fools, where she has been playing a couple of Sundays a month for about a decade, she believes her performance will be heard and appreciated.

Its kind of background music a lot of the time, Nikelle said. But at Two Fools, I think a lot of people come for the music.

GET YOUR IRISH ON

Access to Irish music and culture is not something that just happens in Albuquerque on St. Patricks Day. Its a year-round experience if you know where to look. Here are some pointers.

 The monthly meetings of the Irish-American Society of New Mexico usually feature Irish music or programs about Irish culture and language. Meetings are free and open to non-members. Go to irishamericansociety-nm.com and click on About for information on the meetings and other events and opportunities for those interested in Celtic culture. New Mexico ShamRock Fest, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, March 23, Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum, 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE: Celtic games, bagpipes and drums, Irish and highland dancers, vendors, crafts, kids activities, food, beer and spirits; $10 for 13 and older, free for 12 and younger, $5 with military ID. For early-purchase discount go to holdmytickets.com/events/336969.

 Weekly Open Irish Music Session, 7-9 p.m. Thursdays, ABQ BBQ, 7520 Fourth NW: For intermediate to advanced musicians and music lovers.

 First Saturday Open Irish Music Session, 1-3 p.m. first Saturdays of the month, High and Dry Brewing, 529 Adams NE: For beginning to intermediate musicians and music lovers.

 Third Saturday Open Irish Music Session, 1-3 p.m. third Saturdays of the month, High and Dry Brewing: For intermediate musicians and music lovers.

 The Thistle & Shamrock, a syndicated Celtic music radio show can be heard from 6-7 p.m. Mondays on Albuquerque Public Radio Station KANW-FM, 89.1.
In 1990, the CAFE contemporary gallery emerged in Downtown Albuquerque next to a porn shop and across from the public defenders office.

Arts supporter and collector Ray Graham remodeled and opened the space now housing 516 ARTS to exhibit cutting-edge New Mexico artists. It served as a community gathering space during a time of Albuquerque corporate exodus.

Beginning on Saturday, March 23, In Our Own Backyard will showcase works by CAFE artists both then and now at 516 ARTS.

Open from 1990-1995, CAFE exhibited everything from paintings, photographs and installations to a disappearing photo booth. Its tentacles ran from artists in Taos to Roswell and included such notable names as Jane Abrams, Margaret Bagshaw, Barbara Grothus, David Koch, Delilah Montoya, John Wenger and Jerry West, among many others.

It was extremely important for contemporary artists, 516 ARTS executive director Suzanne Sbarge said. There were galleries here, but there wasnt a place for contemporary artists who were doing cutting-edge work. What (Graham) set in motion in 1990 is still alive.

Grothus exhibited her found object-meets-welding Tree/House at CAFE in 1995. The sculpture features a welded house attached to a steel tree. At its feet lies a box holding a birds nest and egg.

My work has always been about home, the artist said. That can include anything like the land or of place using that child-like image of a house with a roof.

At the time, the downtown area was nothing like the vibrant arts center it is today, she said.

Certainly we have a more stable art scene now than we did in the 90s. The difference between an opening at 516 now and CAFE then is enormous in terms of the people who show up.

Grothus is working on a new piece referencing the original. She gathered materials from a Los Alamos fire, as well as objects from her late fathers now-defunct Black Hole surplus store.

I have a treasure trove of materials from there, she said. Were really talking about environmental collapse. Theres sort of a nest involved. Were destroying our ability to survive on the planet by the destruction of the insects.

Photographer Delilah Montoya showed her University of New Mexico graduate school work at CAFE in 1993. Today she has created a series of photographs of mixed-race families in a nod to Spanish colonial casta portraits of racial hierarchies. The more Spanish you were, the more privileges you could claim, including education, inheritance and running for public office.

They were demonstrating the cleanliness of the blood, said Montoya, who divides her time between teaching at the University of Houston and her Albuquerque home. If you bred back into the Spanish lineage you could breed back into being Spanish. You had to go back four generations.

Black blood couldnt be cleansed, she continued. Think about our racial politics in the U.S. Obama was mixed-race, but he was considered to be black. Were still doing that.

Painter David Koch staged his first solo show at CAFE in 1992.

There was nothing else like it in the city, he said. It was really kind of an honor for me to be in the gallery.

Koch showed a series of 20 paintings of crumpled, wrecked cars. The images grew from a middle-aged crisis.

I had a divorce and realized I had a drinking problem all at the same time, he said.

He had always drawn cars as a child.

As an adult, I had wrecked three cars, he continued. And my relationships were a wreck. I was really interested in image as metaphor.

Koch combed insurance and personal websites for images of crashed cars and created the series with minimal backgrounds.

Theyre all probably reparable, he said. I love the idea that the car is an elevated object in our culture.

For Sbarge, the exhibition is a continuum of the history of 516 ARTS, with each generation building on the last.

For its founder Graham, CAFE stood for Contemporary Art for Everyone.
Giuseppe Verdi poured operatic drama into his 1874 Requiem in memory of a friend.

Most funeral Masses reflect the faith of the composer. But Verdi was an agnostic who dedicated his work to the memory of the poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni. When Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was too grief-stricken to attend the funeral as Italy mourned the loss of one of its leading cultural icons.

On Saturday, March 23, the New Mexico Philharmonic will join the 70-member New Mexico Symphonic Chorus in performing Verdis masterpiece at Popejoy Hall.

The Verdi Requiem is one of the most glorious works for chorus and orchestra, music director Roberto Minczuk said. It has all the dramatic fireworks he uses in his operas.

Verdi approached the mayor of Milan to propose composing a memorial to his late friend. The mayor immediately agreed, and Verdi conducted the piece on the first anniversary of Manzonis death in a church that prohibited applause.

It is a deeply religious work written by a great skeptic. It provoked dissension; Richard Wagner hated it. The conductor Hans von Bulow called it Verdis latest opera, though in ecclesiastical robes. Brahms loved it. By the 20th century, George Bernard Shaw suggested none of Verdis operas would prove as enduring as the Requiem.

He was able to create one of the most incredible sacred works of all time, Minczuk said.

The terrifying Dies Irae (Days of Wrath) section splits off in different directions, always returning to the crushing hammer blows of the bass drum as the orchestra blares full tilt.

The Dies Irae music is so powerful and dramatic that it has been used in Hollywood, Minczuk said.

The music has appeared in everything from Citizen Kane to The Lion King.

As an operatic composer, Verdi was always mindful of dramatic effect. The Requiem demands four additional trumpets to evoke the call into the next world. The four vocal soloists  Toni Marie Palmertree (soprano), Jill Grove (mezzo-soprano) Javier Gonzalez (tenor) and Robert Pomakov (bass)  must navigate writing that is at once varied, challenging, virtuosic and personal.
One morning in the 1930s in Yellowstone National Park, biologist Adolph Murie watched a trotting coyote joyously toss a sprig of sagebrush in the air with her mouth, adroitly catch it, and repeat the act every few yards.

Murie was conducting a study to prove that coyotes were the archpredator of our time. But the biologist, whose work ultimately exonerated the animals, was more impressed by that sprig-tossing  proof of the joy a coyote took in being alive.

If we paid attention, we might share Muries fascination with this intelligent, playful creature. Instead, we kill roughly half a million of them annually in the United States.

No other animal in American history has suffered the kind of deliberate, casual persecution we have rained down on coyotes. For a long stretch of the 20th century, the federal government even sought their outright extermination.

Amid that coyote war, biologists Fred Knowlton and Guy Connolly published a study explaining how coyotes could withstand such scorched-earth warfare.

When left alone, coyote populations stabilize whereas, under persecution, colonizing mechanisms kick in. If an alpha female dies, beta females breed. They have greater pup survival. Pressured, packs break up and individuals colonize new areas.

Coyotes can withstand as much as a 70 percent yearly kill rate without suffering any decline in their total population. The only real effect a half-century of coyote killing was producing was coyote Manifest Destiny, as they spread out across North America.

Yet, in New Mexico, we still allow wildlife-killing contests, where hunters slaughter as many coyotes as possible to win cash, a belt buckle, or a gun.

More than 70 prominent conservation scientists have signed a statement condemning killing contests as ecologically indefensible, but organizers still promote them as a recreational pursuit and a way to attract young people to hunting. Their victims are not only coyotes, but the very image of rural America, tarnished by widespread photos of beefy, middle-aged men in camouflage, guns in hand and dead animals no one is ever going to eat piled in trucks.

Coyotes dont need our help to survive as a species. But there is something perverse in society marking an ancient American species for death, setting it outside the bounds of even our wildlife protections and anti-cruelty laws.

No thoughtful human being should sacrifice for pleasure or a bet an animal like the one Murie observed in Yellowstone. Doing so is immoral  not in a religious sense, but in reference to moralitys origins, the evolution of a sense of fairness among members of a social species, which early on came to include a human recognition that other creatures enjoy being alive and that depriving them of life is a very serious matter.

In January, State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard banned the events for unprotected species on 9 million acres of State Trust Land, and the Albuquerque City Council issued a resolution in 2018 calling on legislators to take a stand.

This just-concluded session, bipartisan legislation was passed to outlaw coyote-killing contests statewide. It was sent to the governor, who can sign it into law.

Killing for mere pleasure an animal that for 5 million years has played an important role in America is shortsighted and ethically indefensible. As long as urbanites keep their pets inside at night and ranchers use common sense husbandry and proven non-lethal measures, coyotes pose no unique or overwhelming danger.

The truth is, we ought to appreciate them rather than target them in bloodsport.

Dan Flores is the author of numerous books, including the NYT best-seller Coyote America. He resides in Santa Fe. Camilla H. Fox is co-author of Coyotes In Our Midst.
A sample of City Hall insiders, outsiders and observers were asked to chime in on Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webbers first year in office by answering three questions:

Hows he doing so far?

What is he doing well?

What does he need to do better?

Drawing comments from critics and supporters, responses were, as expected, mixed. But the consensus was that hes doing fine so far, with a proviso:

Hes only a year in, noted Javier Gonzales, who preceded Webber as mayor and endorsed him in the 2018 election.

Echoing what Webber told the same reporter a few hours earlier, Gonzales said the switch to a full-time mayor for Santa Fe that coincided with Webber taking office last March has changed dynamics.

The mayor brings to the table exactly what the city needs to do to progress at this point in time and he is well suited to take on the challenges the city has ahead of it, Gonzales said of Webber, who settled in Santa Fe 16 years ago after making millions as co-founder of Fast Company, a business trade magazine.

Another former mayor, Sam Pick, said that from his vantage point Webber is on the right track.

Hes out in the public and trying to get everyone on board, which is impossible in this town, said Pick, who served as mayor in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

He said the true test of Webbers success in the eyes of the public will be determined in the coming weeks, after a wet winter, when residents see how he deals with the citys pothole problem.

Thats when well really find out if they love him, he said.

Former City Councilor Ron Trujillo, who finished second to Webber in last years mayor contest, already has a few pointed critiques.

He cites Webbers creation of the new position of chief of staff, adding another box to the organizational chart, and pay raises and salaries that have been awarded to people in upper management positions.

The city seems to be getting too top-heavy, Trujillo said, adding that it ought to be paying attention to, and paying, rank-and-file employees.

When I start seeing upper management getting raises  . The city needs to pay its workers.

Trujillo said Webber needs to address police department recruitment and retention, and provide that cause with the resources it requires.

The collective bargaining agreement with the police union expires at the end of June and a new one is currently being negotiated. Earlier this year, Webber and the City Council approved $600,000 for retention bonuses of $4,700 each for officers who agreed to stay with the department for just six months, through June.

Im hoping the mayor is meeting with the police and listening to them, and that hes listening to all the workers, he said.

A councilor from mid-citys District 4 for more than a decade, Trujillo said the condition of parks and playing fields was an issue that first got him elected and one that he still pays attention to. Trujillo happened to be out inspecting the condition of Franklin Miles Park when contacted for this story last week.

He was not pleased.

Im out of office one year and I cant believe what I see at Franklin Miles, he said, adding that its plagued by goathead weeds and that wood chips around playground areas washed away by storms last summer still need to be replenished.

If you were to treat each park in Santa Fe like you treat the Plaza, wed be fine, he said, repeating the oft-raised concern of many longtime locals that city government caters too much to tourists and too little to the basic needs of residents.

Controversial raises an issue

Resident Stephanie Beninato, who has never been hesitant to criticize City Hall over the years, is not impressed with Santa Fes latest political leader.

I find that he is not an honest person and neither are some of his management people, said Beninato, who speaks her mind during public comment periods at the City Council and committee meetings she frequently attends.

Beninato says Webber got off to a bad start when he reversed himself after first allowing raises for selected city employees taking on extra work on a massive overhaul of the citys computer systems.

That was an improper raise and he was just going to brush it under the rug, she said.

The raises were awarded, but not disclosed to Webber just as he took office and led to the resignation of former City Manager Brian Snyder, now in another city job.

Webber is also getting some heat from Beninato and others because two of the citys recreation centers  Genoveva Chavez and Salvadore Perez  are undergoing repairs and renovations at the same time, closing two indoor swimming pools.

Former Councilor Joseph Maestas, who also ran for mayor last year, puts the pool closures in the what can he do better category for Webber

And he said Webber needs to pay attention to the south side, the fastest growing part of the city and where most of the citys lower-income families reside.

Not only do they feel neglected, they are neglected, Maestas said. Having City Council meetings on the south side is not enough. There are inequities there that need to be addressed.

Maestas said that affordable housing and public safety  particularly a long-range plan to keep the police department fully staffed  were two other areas where Webber needs to do more work.

But he complimented Webber on the executive team he has assembled.

Mayor Webber is a smart, deliberate person and he knows how to surround himself with smart people to solicit advice so he can make a good decision, Maestas said, adding that the smartest thing Webber has done is to hire former fire chief Erik Litzenberg as city manager, one of three hires the mayor can make on his own under the new full-time mayor system of government (city attorney and clerk are the others).

(Webber) didnt have prior experience in local government, and its not easy. Hiring Erik was a great move and has helped him immensely, Maestas said.

Kate Noble, yet another opponent of Webber in the 2018 mayoral race, said she mostly likes what she sees from Webber.

Hes prioritizing well in getting a team in place and working on setting a strong foundation in terms of what the city can do going forward, said Noble, a former city employee who won election to the school board in 2017 and recently was chosen president by fellow board members.

I think theres a culture of professionalism at City Hall. I think theres been an effort to improve communication and effort to make City Hall more accessible, and to keep the community informed about whats going on.

Noble said that among the mayors biggest challenges are the citys affordable housing shortage and what to do about the so-called Midtown Campus, the city-owned site off St. Michaels Drive vacated last year by the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

Rick Martinez, chairman of Keep Santa Fe Beautiful and an activist who is on the board of the Santa Fe Neighborhood Network, agreed that housing, and how to approach growth and development, need to be priorities for Webber.

Im still looking for him to work with neighborhoods better, Martinez said. He talked about having a neighborhood liaison, but I havent seen that position filled.

Martinez wants to make sure neighborhoods are heard when new developments are proposed. People think of us as NIMBYs, he said of residents with the reputation of being anti-development. Were not. Were trying to protect what we have.

But Martinez said hes hopeful. He said the mayor was doing a good thing by not trying to rush initiatives. He said Webber seems to take a measured approach.

Hes thinking things through better than the previous mayor. Hes putting more thought into things and asking more questions, he said.

Mayors energy cited

Current City Councilor Mike Harris commended the 70-year-old Webber on his energy and work ethic.

He mentioned housing, commercial development and improvements at the airport as matters the mayor has to address going forward.

Harris also said something has to be done to kick-start housing construction. There have been projects approved, but the marketplace is not keeping up, he said, adding that hes not knocking Webber or former mayor Gonzales. In my view, weve got to work with the marketplace to get these projects rolling.

Harris said Webber would be wise to give more attention to revisions to the land use code, the Tierra Contenta development on the south side and the citys real estate assets.

But he praised Webber for improvements to the citys finances and cash-handling procedures, noting the mayor came into office in the wake of the infamous McHard report, a financial review which suggested the city was at high risk for fraud, with insufficient, outdated or non-existent financial controls.

A different opinion was provided by Becky Casper, a former city employee who recently won a whistleblower lawsuit against the city for more than $100,000. She says she was promoted three times since she was hired in 2015 and was serving as a budget analyst when she was told by a supervisor to quit digging into unpaid parking ticket balances. She was fired last summer and now lives out of state.

I voted for Webber. I encouraged my family to vote for him because I was excited that he was going to finally give the government operations the attention they deserve. He did the exact opposite, she said.

Casper said Webber stalled the implementation of an $8 million software upgrade within months of it going online, then hired a favored consultant as an employee to help lead the execution.

He ran on a platform of transparency and culpability in finances, hes become a poster child for nepotism and who-you-know or who-contributed-to-the-campaign, she said.

An incomplete?

A more neutral City Hall observer is Karen Heldmeyer, a former city councilor turned city government watchdog who is also involved with the League of Womens Voters and the Neighborhood Network.

Because of her role with the League, Heldmeyer said she withheld endorsing any candidate during last years election.

I think Id give him an incomplete,  she said of Webber. Because hes done things to reorganize City Hall, but whenever he talks about it, its like Ive reorganized City Hall. So where is that going to lead?

Heldmeyer said the department directors Webber has put in place seem to be quite professional. But she wondered about the rank-and-file employees  local people who are good people  who may now feel theyre being shut out and may start looking for work elsewhere.

Especially in Santa Fe, you need to have that historical context, she said.

She said Webber seems to be making a big push for development, which is fine, if its in the right place and deals with the existing neighbors in an appropriate way. But the emphasis seems to be on getting developments passed.

How things develop from here inside the Webber administration is what matters most, and that is yet to be determined.

There are a lot of things going on behind the scenes, but not open to the public yet, Heldmeyr said. Thats why I give him an incomplete. 
I live in Santa Fe, a city known for its turquoise jewelry, red and green chile sauces, and high desert air. In the historic Plaza District, intrepid shoppers can score a $400 poncho or a magnificent pair of designer boots. Shop windows abound with exquisitely crafted squash blossom necklaces, Zuni fetishes and Navajo rugs. On Canyon Road, visitors can browse 100 art galleries nestled in perfectly preserved adobe compounds. And in the shadow of Atalaya Mountain, St. Johns College  with its 7-to-1 faculty-student ratio  offers a top-notch liberal arts education for $35,000 per year.

A mile and a half west of exclusive hotels like the El Dorado and La Fonda on the Plaza, I work at a high-needs school, created in 2010, when several beloved neighborhood schools were collapsed into a larger K-8 community school. Since its inception, my school has struggled to define itself. It has hosted six principals in eight years and serves as a rotating door for teachers, some of whom leave for higher-performing schools in more affluent areas of town. My students come from neighborhoods the tourists dont visit. They occupy old one-story stucco buildings along the thoroughfares on the west side, many sharing space with multiple siblings or extended family members. They speak Spanish and English, often a mixture of both. One hundred percent of them qualify for free or reduced price lunch.

Until recently, the New Mexico Public Education Department had implemented a controversial evaluation program designed to increase transparency and hold schools accountable for performance. Schools were measured using a formula that took into account student performance, student growth, attendance rates, and parent and student satisfaction. It didnt account for things like teacher quality, staffing consistency, family engagement, English language proficiency and student nonacademic need, but on a general level, it does tell us which schools are thriving.

For the six years the program was in place, my school never earned better than a D. This is not particularly unusual: Last school year, over half of Santa Fes public schools received D or F ratings. My schools almost C grade for 2017-18 put us in the middle of the pack for Santa Fe Public Schools, and so it was widely celebrated as a big win. When your state is ranked last in the country for child well-being  according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private philanthropic organization dedicated to education and the welfare of children  success is measured on a relative, rather than absolute, scale.

So which schools earned the As and Bs? A quick look at the map displays a little fairy ring of four schools along the Plaza and Santa Fes wealthy east side that are considered effective institutions for learning. St. Francis Drive, the north-south highway that bisects town, divides schools that are succeeding from schools that are not. Four of the five elementary schools on the east side of St. Francis scored an A or a B last year, while only three out of 12 on the west side did. And this situation is not unique to Santa Fe. Its Opportunity Gap 101: In almost every municipal area in the country, where students live drives the kind of education they will receive and, ultimately, the choices they have in life.

In Santa Fe, the opportunity gap manifests as a yawning divide. In the four elementary schools east of St. Francis that received As or a B last year, nearly half the student body is white and one-quarter receives free or reduced-price lunch. Move a few blocks west and the narrative flips. Ninety-four percent of west-side D or F elementary school students are children of color. Ninety-five percent qualify for free or reduced price lunch. The Cliffs Notes version: If you are white or wealthy, you have a significantly better chance of receiving a quality public education, here as elsewhere.

Tale of two cities

The story of Santa Fe has been referred to as a tale of two cities. The folks living in neighborhoods like Downtown and Canyon Road are older, whiter and wealthier, and have three times the median income of people living in many neighborhoods west of St. Francis. Neighborhood zoning means that students go to school near where they live, but most families simply cannot afford to live near the good schools. And with median home prices in Santa Fe hitting record levels in 2018, occasions to cross over are scarcer than ever before. Add to this the fact that many families dont know about differences in school quality and you get kiddos who pretty much stay where they are.

I think about this situation every day, as the secretaries at my school scramble to staff unfilled positions with substitutes and teachers aides. I think about it while reviewing student data that tells the same story, standardized test after standardized test. I think about it while watching the kids play at recess, the Jemez Mountains providing a scenic backdrop. And I think about it when dealing with behaviors of the middle-schoolers who are old enough to realize theyve been dealt a bad hand and are smart enough to be angry about it.

In 1607, New Mexicos second Spanish governor, Don Pedro de Peralta, founded a new city on Indigenous Tanoan land at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. From that moment of christening, Santa Fe, or Holy Faith, became a site for struggle, for subjugation, and for incredible resilience. The history here is present and ubiquitous. Many of my students carry the names of these early Spanish settlers: DeVargas and Baca, Chavez and Lujan and Salazar. Other students have relatives who attended the Santa Fe Indian School on Cerrillos Road during the Boarding School Era, when the school operated under the assimilative mission, Kill the Indian, save the man. The story of Santa Fe and Santa Fe Public Schools, like everything I suppose, is a story of power: who has it and who doesnt.

The tangled web of factors that influence school performance is matched by the complexity of statutes and directives that compose education policy in our country. In the past few months, New Mexicos new governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, D, has initiated sweeping reforms to public school education, including replacement of the annual statewide assessment and changes to teacher evaluation processes. I am hopeful this enhanced commitment to public education at the highest levels of state government will empower and inspire administrators and educators to do whatever they can to correct the inequities. Time will tell. What I do know for sure is my students: Theyre smart, theyre funny, theyre full of potential, and they deserve so much more than a school that seems to limp by, directionless, from year to year.

So, next time you visit Santa Fe, enjoy the splendid vistas, and go ahead and buy the boots. But then head west. Take a drive down Agua Fria, where students inevitably and intimately learn the ABCs of our state of education, starting with A is for Address.

Shannon Whitney is an elementary educator in Santa Fe. This article was originally published in High Country News (hcn.org) on March 11.

Editors note

Thanks to a new grant program, the tuition at St. Johns College is effectively $25,000 for new students from New Mexico, starting this fall.
In the saga of former teacher and now convicted child molester Gary Gregors unfortunate glide through various New Mexico education bureaucracies  as chronicled in a series of investigative news stories by Journal North staff over the past two months  there were several points in time where Gregors path could have been blocked.

Gregor, as of December, stands convicted of molesting two fourth-grade students at an Espanola elementary school back in the 2007-08 school year after Attorney General Hector Balderas  unlike previous prosecutors who found reasons not to pursue charges against Gregor  finally took on the case.

Here are some key details:

 Before Gregor ever got a license to teach in New Mexico in the late 1990s, hed already been charged with sexually abusing students in Utah, although a judge dismissed the case. Its unclear if New Mexico Public Education Department officials ever knew of this episode or checked criminal and court records databases that would have shown the Utah charges.

While a dismissed case could not have been used against a defendant in a subsequent criminal prosecution, this one certainly should have been a red flag for licensure officials in New Mexico. Gregor himself had informed PED that hed been fired from his Utah school district for insubordination, for violating a direct order not to associate with students after school hours. That was another red flag  did anyone at PED wonder why a school district would fire a teacher for leading a 4H club without something else going on?

 After he was licensed in New Mexico, Gregor took a job at the Santa Fe schools. In 2004, docents at the International Folk Art Museum reported him as acting inappropriately with girl students during a field trip. This spurred a serious investigation by Santa Fe Public Schools. Some of Gregors students alleged that he would become aroused when they sat on his lap. But those accounts were challenged as tainted by a lawyer for Gregor because the girls were allowed to talk among themselves amid sessions with a Rape Crisis Center representative.

In the end, SFPS came up with a lawyerly resolution  Gregor agreed to voluntarily resign and in return he was given a neutral recommendation for potential future employers, with no mention of the allegations by the docents, the student accounts of what had happened in the classroom or a principals concern that Gregor had been displaying grooming behavior toward the girls.

Bottom line, hes gone, an attorney for the school district wrote in an email.

 He was gone, yes, but not far, soon taking a job in the Espanola school district. Meanwhile, PED reviewed what had happened in Santa Fe. Initially, a PED lawyer raised the idea of calling in law enforcement. But, again, the most serious evidence  the accounts of what happened when Gregor had girls on his lap  was discounted as legally suspect. In another arrangement brokered by lawyers, Gregor received a reprimand rather than suspension or loss of his license.

 Meanwhile, up in Espanola, Gregor soon faced a fresh set of allegations about improperly touching girls. The principal at his school, whose own teacher husband faced criminal charges of improper contact with girl students, which were downgraded in a plea deal, at one point told students to stop spreading false stories about Gregor.

Its stunning, looking back on this series of events, that no one from any New Mexico educational institution  state or local  ever called in police to take a good look at what Gregor was up to or properly gather evidence in a controlled way.

Finally, a parent did call the cops, and that helped lead to a PED decision in 2010 against renewing Gregors teaching license. Gregor was never charged by the Santa Fe District Attorneys office. Available records appear to say the case was dropped because an alleged victim had changed her story over time.

The records also indicate that the DAs office provided information to the PED as it took action against Gregors license in 2010. But prosecutors apparently either werent told about or didnt care to pursue the fact that two other girls also described abuse by Gregor in formal depositions during the PED hearings.

Some accountability was enforced later when a series of civil lawsuits against Espanola schools resulted in more than $9 million in settlements paid out to Gregors alleged victims. Theres a pending civil suit against the Santa Fe schools. And because Balderas brought criminal charges against Gregor in 2017, Gregor faces up to 168 years in prison for his December convictions for the molestation of two Espanola girls, now adults, more than a decade ago.

Again, at too many crucial points in this story, people in charge found ways to let Gregor off easy. Particularly at Santa Fe Public Schools in the early 2000s, lawyers and administrators did their jobs of protecting or making things easier for their institutions without any obvious concern about what Gregor might do at his next teaching stop.

And there just appears to have been almost a cultural imperative, not so much about protecting a teacher like Gregor, but against bringing law enforcement into situations where criminal behavior had been described. No cops, but evidence was being ruled in or out as if in a courtroom criminal proceeding.

Gregor probably wouldnt be treated the same way today, as the #MeToo movement, the mounting pedophilia scandal in the Catholic church and other current affairs have raised the collective consciousness about child and sexual abuse.

But thats too late for the women who say they were molested by Gregor as little girls.
The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has challenged investors to constructively engage their African counterparts as the governments and peoples of the continent gear up to take their destinies in their own hands and assume their rightful places in the comity of nations.



According to Dr Bawumia, Africa is on the move; a continent eager to shake off past failures due to blind colonial and cold-war alignments and sheer bad governance. The new scramble for Africa, according to the Economist Magazine, is now being led by a new generation of Africans determined to make a difference through technological innovations and the development of enterprise and markets.



The Africa we want can only be built by Africans in partnerships with countries and investors who also believe in this paradigm for change.



Vice President Bawumia issued the challenge when he addressed delegates at the ongoing 14th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership in New Delhi, India on Sunday 17th March, 2019.



The three-day Conclave, under the theme Partners in Development, Building New Synergies, and organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India, is bringing together over 500 delegates including 33 Ministers and Heads of Government from 41 African countries.



Over the past 13 editions, the CII- EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership has emerged as the pioneer event for Indian and African governments and industry to meet and explore new avenues of partnerships, and enables the Indian and African leadership to take stock of the progress of the partnership and address future needs.



Outlining a number of areas which would make an investment in Africa an attractive proposition, Vice President Bawumia urged participants to Let our conversation about the future move outside old boxes of doing business, and old government-business engagements.



Africas emerging markets offer great opportunities for economic growth and prosperity with over 1.2 billion people and a combined GDP of US$2.24 trillion. It is the worlds second largest and second most populous continent, and by 2050 will be the most populous continent in the world with an estimated GDP of $29 trillion. The continent is endowed with natural resources which, with the right complementary factors, can be leveraged for accelerated and inclusive economic growth.



Africa is home to ten of the worlds fifteen fastest-growing economies and this growth rate is expected to boost consumer spending from USD 860 billion in 2008 to more than USD 1.3 trillion by 2020, the Vice President stated.



The leaders of the continent, Vice President Bawumia indicated, had already initiated moves designed to make trading on the continent less cumbersome with the declaration of the African Unions Agenda 2063, the continental bodys long-term vision for an integrated and prosperous continent



Considering the significance of free movement of goods, services and persons across borders to socio-economic development, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a Flagship project of the African Union Agenda 2063, was launched to create a single market for Air transport in Africa. This is to allow significant freedom of air transport in Africa.



On 21st March 2018, in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and other African leaders had the pleasure of signing the Agreement establishing the African continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA).



Enhanced air connectivity, improved intra-African trade, expanded markets through continental economic integration and free movement of people, provide greater business opportunities.



Vice President Bawumia continued:



It is in this context that I encourage the relevant public officials from Ghana and India to engage in discussions that can open doors for business to business cooperation and mutually beneficial partnership engagements. This is a sure way for our two sides to explore the economic opportunities that abound in Africa and India.



Issuing a rallying cry for constructive, productive dialogue at the 14th CII-Exim Bank Conclave, Vice President Bawumia asserted:



Let us leave here with concrete engagements in business partnerships in key strategic areas. Let us know what we are not doing well as governments and what can be done to strengthen business partnerships.



Together, let us push hard so we can improve the lives of ordinary citizens in India and Africa so that they too will realize that these industry conversations are also beneficial to them in the long run.

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
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich wants to have a serious debate about climate change before the Senate takes up the Green New Deal resolution.

The New Mexico Democrat has challenged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor to have the debate.

Heinrich believes McConnell, R-Ky., wants to put the resolution  sponsored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass  on the floor as a political stunt.

The Majority Leader would have you believe that solutions to climate change are too costly or too impractical to be taken seriously, Heinrich said.

The Green New Deal seeks to solve the climate crisis by combining quick action to get to net- zero greenhouse gas emissions and 100 percent renewable energy by 2030, along with an Economic Bill of Rights.

He isnt the only member of the New Mexico delegation who believes action should be taken on the congressional level.

There is no more pressing issue facing us than climate change, and New Mexico is right in the bulls-eye, said U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M.

Climate change is a national crisis  one that requires our immediate and urgent action, Assistant Speaker of the House Ben Ray Lujan said.

Udall said he is currently revamping the Renewable Electricity Standard to strengthen the targets and ensure that all 50 states participate in building renewable power. The goal will be to get the U.S. as close as possible to zero-carbon electricity by mid-century.

Heinrich is also backing incentives to encourage small businesses to use green energy technology, as well as incentives to get government agencies and the public to use electric vehicles.

U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, D-N.M., believes the states energy producers need to be brought to the table to help find solutions.

Climate change poses a threat to our way of life in New Mexico  the years will get hotter and drier, and water will become an even scarcer resource, Torres Small said.

U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., has been touting the Green New Deal in town hall meetings and urged the New Mexico Legislature to take action.

She, Udall and Heinrich have been supportive of measures on the state level such as the Energy Transition Act, which was passed by both houses of the Legislature in recent weeks and sent to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her signature.

Im especially pleased with the work Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature are doing to reach our states potential  its key to building an economically secure future for New Mexico families, Haaland said.

UDALL HOPES FOR VETO OVERRIDE: Udall is hoping the House will once again try to block President Donald Trumps national emergency declaration.

Trump vetoed legislation Friday that would have blocked the declaration.

Udall was one of the senators who introduced the bill after it passed the House.

This does not end with the presidents veto, Udall said. I hope that the House will vote to override this veto and that the Senate will as well. But even if too many Republicans are still afraid of this president and his threats of political retaliation  and neglect to rise to their constitutional duties  this is only the beginning.

Every member of the state congressional delegation voted for the measure in House and Senate votes.

Twelve Republicans voted to block the national emergency in the Senate.

Scott Turner: sturner@abqjournal.com
FARMINGTON  A new class of U.S. Navy towing, salvage and rescue ships will be named Navajo in recognition of the tribe and the Dine people.

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer announced the name Tuesday in honor of the contributions the Navajo people have made to U.S. military forces.

The Navajo people have fought and served our armed forces with honor and valor in nearly every major conflict since the birth of our nation, so it is fitting and right to name a new class of ship in their honor, Spencer said in a Navy news release.

The new class will be based on existing commercial towing offshore vessel designs and will replace the current T-ATF 166 and T-ARS 50 class ships.

The first ship in the class will be named USNA Navajo and designated T-ATS 6, according to the release.

Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. was awarded the $63.5 million contract for design and construction, which will take place at the companys shipyard in Houma, La. It is scheduled for completion in March 2021.

The contract includes options for potentially seven additional vessels, and each additional ship will be named in honor of prominent Native Americans or Native American tribes, the release says.

Former Speaker LoRenzo Bates said in a phone interview the proposal to name a vessel after the tribe was started by former delegate Jonathan Hale during the 22nd tribal council.

When Bates became speaker pro tem in April 2014, his staff started examining initiatives that were shelved. Among those was Hales proposal.

Delegates supported a resolution in November 2014 to have the Navy name the class after the Navajo.

It gained momentum after Bates was elected speaker in January 2015, including tribal lawmakers working with the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, who helped push a measure that contained the name through Congress.

It was a project that we took on behalf of the nation and the council needed to fulfill. Im very thankful that it came to reality, Bates said.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Speaker Seth Damon commended former leaders for advocating the proposal in a joint news release.

Throughout our history, the Dine people have always been the caretakers and protectors of our land in every branch of the armed services, so we are very grateful that our people are being recognized through this historic announcement from the Navy, Nez said.

I extend a strong ahehee (thank you) to the efforts of Secretary Spencer and the late Sen. McCain to advance this effort. Our Navajo people, including several council delegates, have a strong tradition of defense of this land, Damon said.
Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Lawmakers can expect to take up a proposal next year to make New Mexico the 11th state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she will add the issue to the agenda of the 2020 legislative session.

Its a 30-day session, so the governor has some power to set the agenda.

A bipartisan proposal to legalize recreational cannabis through state-run stores narrowly won House approval this year but stalled in the Senate. It was the first time a recreational marijuana bill passed a chamber of the state Legislature.

Lawmakers approved a separate proposal Saturday that would reduce penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The state would impose a $50 fine on someone caught with up to a half an ounce of marijuana under Senate Bill 323, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces. It would be a civil citation, not a criminal conviction.
Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

Under immigration law, the United States allows people who come to this country to file an asylum claim if they have suffered persecution or fear they will suffer persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, according to the United States Citizenship Services website.

Asylum seekers arriving at the border are making a case not just to be let into the country, but to be allowed to stay. Here is how it works:

First step

The process for migrants seeking asylum starts when a person steps foot on U.S. soil, either by presenting him or herself to Customs and Border Protection officers at an official port of entry or by crossing the border elsewhere and surrendering to Border Patrol agents.

Once an individual is in custody, immigration authorities do an initial interview to get information and to ask why the person entered the country. They also do national and international criminal background checks on the person and verify the birth certificates of any children with the consulate offices of the migrants home country as part of an effort to identify whether the children are with their parents. This usually only takes a few days and migrants and families remain in holding facilities during this period.

CBP and Border Patrol can request an expedited removal for anybody without documents and unauthorized to be in the United States, but deportation is put on hold when someone asks for asylum.

A minor who is not with a parent, relative or other legal guardian is turned over to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, under the Department of Health and Human Services, which cares for the child. HHS makes an effort to find a parent or other guardian in the U.S., and after a vetting process, releases the minor to parents or family members. Otherwise, the child or teen may stay in a shelter for migrant youth or foster care while their cases move through the asylum process.

Credible fear interviews

Those seeking asylum are entitled to a credible fear interview with an asylum officer. The credible fear interviews can occur anytime from within a few days to months later. Most make it past this initial screening process and on to the next step. If their claim is deemed not credible, that person faces deportation. Individuals are often detained while waiting for these interviews.

However, some asylum applicants simply get a notice to appear before an immigration judge  bypassing the credible fear interview. Migrant parents with children often fall into this category and are released under orders of supervision pending their first appearance in court. Minors on their own remain in custody under care of Health and Human Services, which ensures they make their court appearances.

Moving on

Before they are released, ICE processes the migrants to get their personal identifying information and verifies the sponsor the migrant chooses as well as the address where the asylum applicant will stay. In the vast majority of cases, the sponsor is a relative or close friend. In the rare case that a migrant does not know someone in the U.S., a non-profit organization can step in to provide a sponsor.

Migrants released at this point are usually fitted with ankle tracking devices as part of the alternative to detention program. The program also requires the asylum seeker to check in on the phone or in person and respond to calls from the monitoring officers. The monitoring officers also contact family and friends to check on the migrant and can make unannounced home visits. A removal officer is assigned to the case to keep track of whether the migrants check in, if required, and appear in court. If they dont, that triggers a deportation order.

First appearance before judge

Migrants are then issued an order to appear before an immigration judge, which is usually scheduled within a few weeks to several months. The order also allows the family to travel to the location of their sponsor and prevents them from being taken into custody by immigration authorities during that time. This appearance before a judge occurs in the city where they have moved. Migrants, their sponsor, or charities pay for a bus ticket or other means of transportation to the city where the family will stay. The government does not cover any of the cost. Migrants typically have up to two weeks after they are released to do their first check-in with ICE.

By now, people who are required to have credible fear interviews should have had them, and they should be completed before asylum seekers make their first court appearance before a judge.

During the initial appearance, which is very short, the court schedules a formal hearing on the merits of the case. The Department of Justice has started prioritizing family units and scheduling the most recent arrivals court dates earlier so they appear in a matter of months rather than years, but it depends on the backlog in each state.

Formal asylum hearing

The formal asylum hearing includes testimony and evidence presented by the migrant and U.S. government to a judge, who decides whether to grant asylum. Approval rates vary widely depending on the judge and whether an asylum seeker had legal representation. The overall denial rate in fiscal year 2017  the most recent figures available  was more than 60 percent. For Central Americans, the denial rate is closer to 80 percent. Those who are not granted asylum face a final order of removal and must leave the country or risk deportation. Some are taken into custody right away. Families are often given up to two weeks to get their affairs in order and if they dont turn themselves in by the deadline, ICE will arrest and deport the parent(s) and children. Minors without a parent who are not granted asylum are deported and turned over to a government child or family service agency in their home countries.

Not a short process

There is a backlog of more than 800,000 cases in immigration courts. The length of time migrants wait for a formal hearing depends on the backlog in a particular state. If asylum seekers are in the U.S. more than 180 days, they can qualify for a work permit. But any change in their situation, a move for example, can restart the 180-day clock and delay the work permit. Although they are legally allowed to live and work in the country, asylum seekers do not qualify for legal residency or citizenship during this time.



8 hours on the border by Albuquerque Journal on Exposure
REDDING, Calif. - People from all over the North State gathered in Redding Saturday to celebrate the lives of two brothers who died during the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302.

Melvin and Bennett Riffel's lives were memorialized at the Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church on Saturday. They were two of over 150 people who died aboard flight 302.

The brothers were Redding natives who were well known in the community. Melvin and his wife Brittney lived in Chico.She is pregnant, expecting a baby girl.

The Riffel brothers were on their way to Africa from Australia as part of a "babymoon" trip. They brothers were taking the last part of the trip by themselves.

The service was crowded. Outside visitors continued to place flowers and candles at the bell tower with cards and messages for the Riffel family.

The parents, Ike and Susan Riffel, spoke in appreciation of people's attendance at the memorial and their support for their family. A message was shared from the pulpit about the strengthened faith that was being experienced, even in the wake of such a huge tragedy.

There is a gofundme campaign to support remaining members of the Riffel family. You can find the campaign by CLICKING HERE.
REDDING, Calif. - The Shasta County Arts Council is asking the public for help in raising money for a mural commemorating the Carr Fire.

The Council has been in talks with New York artist B.K. Foxx to commission the mural which will go on the outer west wall of the Cascade Theatre facing the U.S. Bank parking lot in downtown Redding.

Fundraiser Tyler Whitlow said, "Really, it's a celebration of the resilience of the community."

"So on the wall behind me you're going to see an amazing piece of artwork that represents what Redding and Shasta County had to go through during the Carr Fire and even the Paradise fire," Whitlow said. He said it will highlight and celebrate community strength and resiliency.

The Arts Council wants to raise $28,000 for the project, which will cover supplies, insurance fees and the cost of bringing the artist to Redding.

So far, nearly $5,000 has been raised. You can click here to visit their gofundme page.
Updated 2:10 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 16, 2019 -Terri Lhuillier sent Action News Now more pictures of Liberty and her new mate. We have added them to the photo gallery accompanying this article.

Lhuillier said the Friends of the Redding Eagles are looking for a partner to help with a new eaglecam so people can watch Liberty and her new mate as they are nesting.

"This pair of eagles have not stayed at one next location for more than one year," Lhuillier said.

They built three nests in gray pine trees at Riverview Country Club, but each of those nests fell. She said the eagles have been coming back to the old Turtle Bay nest when the Riverview ones fail. She said eagles usually have an "alternate nest."

It may be too late this year for Liberty and her mate to have new eaglets. The pair is still bonding. They are spending some time in the Turtle Bay area, but do not seem to be working on the next anymore.

The eaglecam needs to be sponsored, and then installed and maintained. This work usually occurs in August and September, but since the Friends of the Redding Eagles do not know where the pair want to build their nest, they have not been able to install an eaglecam for the past few seasons.

---

REDDING, Calif. - Votes are being cast to determine a new name for Liberty's new mate. Liberty has been one of Redding's eagle mascots for many years.

Yes, eagles are known to mate for life. Redding's famous eagle named Liberty was without a mate for a period of time, and seems to have picked up a new one, much younger than her prior partner. You can see the new mate is the eagle with wings unfurled in the photo above. (Check out the gallery for other photographs)

People in Redding have been suggesting names. The ballot is down to three choices now. You can vote between the names Phoenix, Guardian or Valor by CLICKING THIS LINK.

Liberty and Spirit, her previous mate, moved from a tree near Turtle Bay over to the Riverview Country Club. Now she is back by Turtle Bay with her new mate.

CLICK THIS LINK to read an Action News Now story from March 2018 called "Eaglets hatch in Redding's eagle's nest."
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Ms Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has called for a collaboration between the people of Agbozume and those from Agortime Kpetoe for an Ewe kete Festival.



She said culture is dynamic and "we need to preserve, protect and promote our heritage for the benefit of posterity."



Ms Gomashie, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during the celebration of the 4th Tagbato Kete Za, urged the youth to take advantage of the experience of the older generation to learn a vocation.



The event was held under the theme: "Anlo Kete, the Pride of our Culture."



"The Creative Arts Sector has room to accommodate a lot of young people and dedication and hard work pays," she said.



She said UNESCO was promoting the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Ghana needed to join the lead and take strides to protect what was authentically Ghanaian.



Ms Gomashie said the Creative Arts is appreciated around the world and the world is hungry for authentic African Art and " we must position ourselves to feed that hunger "

Source: GNA









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Featured Video
https://www.aish.com/ci/s/After-the-New-Zealand-Massacre-A-Letter-to-the-Muslim-Community.html

We all must condemn hate.

Dear Members of the Muslim Community,

In the wake of Fridays horrific massacre at the Al Noor and Linwood Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, I have to reach out. Many people I know have said that in the aftermath of this horrific tragedy, that words fail them. I wish I knew what to say one acquaintance told me; others posted on social media that there are no words.

On the contrary, there are words, plenty of them, and they have to be said. I dont share your religion. I am an Orthodox Jew living in America, far removed from the Muslim community in New Zealand. But the massacre in the mosques shows that we share a great deal.

The gunman hated us both, Muslims, Jews, and anyone else who didnt fit in with his odious white-supremacist views.

The gunman who killed 50 of your co-religionists  I wont write his name so as not to give him one iota of the recognition or glory he ostensibly craved  hated us both, Muslims, Jews, and anyone else who didnt fit in with his odious white-supremacist views. Screw the optics he posted on social media in the moments before he started his rampage  a direct reference to the Tree of Life Synagogue shooter who killed 11 Jews in Pittsburgh last October, who posted those same words before storming the synagogue and shooting Jews.

The New Zealand killer sported an array of neo-Nazi and white supremacist badges. He wore the patch of an Australian neo-Nazi group, wrote an American neo-Nazi slogan on his rifle, and sported a Ukrainian neo-Nazi symbol on his jacket. As he carried out his massacre, he played a song glorifying Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and urged people to subscribe to the Swedish social media star and white-supremacist role model PewDiePie. Though he targeted Muslims, he seems to hate Jews and many others too.

In the wake of the horrific massacre, New Zealand authorities sent out an unprecedented message to the countrys Jews: all synagogues were to be closed on Saturday, March 16. With the entire country on high alert, the police were unable to guard every minority religions house of worship. Across Christchurch, the synagogues made the extraordinary announcement they would not be opening for services on Shabbat.

Its shocking to think of an entire citys Jews being barred from synagogue on Shabbat, and this Shabbat it was even more dreadful. It was Shabbat Zachor, when Jews recall the murderous nation of Amalek who attacked the Jewish people thousands of years ago as we journeyed out of Egypt. Its read every year on the Shabbat before Purim, when we recall another plot to kill Jews, carried out by a descendent of Amalek, the wicked Haman. Shabbat Zachor reminds us that there is evil in the world that is relentlessly out to kill and destroy us. This year, as Christchurchs Jews were forced to pray at home instead of in their beloved synagogues, that message resonated even more strongly.

In my own synagogue, packed with people taking part in the mitzvah remembering Amalaks wickedness, I kept thinking of the scene in New Zealand mosques: 50 people murdered and many more seriously injured. Men, women and children shot. Mothers dying as they tried to shield their babies, people gunned down as they ran or crawled for safety. I couldnt imagine the terror they felt. It was terrible to think of whole families being murdered as they prayed.

In the long history of the Jewish people, we too have been shot as we prayed. We too have been hunted and killed and massacred at prayer. Just five years ago in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem, two Arab terrorists entered the Kehilat Bnei Torah synagogue and massacred worshippers, killing congregants with guns, knives and axes. Four Jews died as they prayed, and a Druze Israeli police officer responding to the scene was also murdered.

Hundreds of terror attacks in the years since then have seen Jews killed in Israel, in France, in Argentina, in the United States and elsewhere simply for the crime of being Jewish. We know what it feels like to be murdered for our religion, and the agony that comes from being hated.

I will judge people according to their actions, not their ethnicities.

Some might point to the fact that often its been Muslim terrorists who were behind these attacks that killed Jews and wonder if we could still feel your pain. In my opinion, thats an offensive question. Unlike the despicable murderer who killed 50 Muslims in New Zealand on Friday, I dont hate whole categories of people. With prejudice and neo-Nazism and radical Islam and other forms of extremist hate on the rise globally, I take a stand never to hate a group of people simply for who they are. Every person is capable of good and evil, and we each choose which path we take. Recognizing this is an essential part of civilization. I wont surrender the right to judge each people according to their actions, not their ethnicities.

Christchurchs Muslims were peacefully going about their business. They were praying to the same God I pray to every day. Its heartbreaking to know they were gunned down in cold blood.

My Muslim fellow human beings, I am immeasurably sorry for your loss. This is a horrific tragedy. I condemn the hate that led to this massacre. I feel your pain. I stand with you. I am praying for your dead, and for the injured who are fighting for their lives. You are not alone.

Yours Sincerely,

Yvette Alt Miller
https://www.aish.com/sp/so/Celebrating-Purim-in-Iran.html

Like Esther, growing up in Iran I was encouraged to keep my Jewish identity private.

For me, the Purim story has a deep historical connection to my heritage and homeland where the story took place. During the Iranian monarchy in the 1960s and 1970s, the joyous holiday of Purim of my childhood was celebrated at the grand Yousefabad synagogue in Tehran with Persian sweets, such as halvah, the flour-based, rose water infused dessert. Some Persian Jews took the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the city of Hamedan, located 200 miles west of Tehran and believed to be among the oldest Iranian cities, where the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai is located.

Purim is the one holiday where my two distinct worlds of the East and the West intersect. In the late 1940s, my parents met at a school dance when they were students at the University of Birmingham in England.

My British Ashkenazi mother was confused about my Sephardi/Mizrahi Iranian fathers homeland. She had never heard of Iran (Persia was renamed in 1935) and had no idea that Persia still existed. Coincidentally, my mother Stellas Hebrew name is Esther which has the same definition of star or Setareh, which is Queen Esthers moniker in Persian. After a courtship of almost a year, my father had to return to his homeland and then they continued their romance by international post for two years. My parents were married in Tehran, Iran on January 4, 1951, and remained married for 63 years.

Mordechai advised Esther to hide her Hebrew name Hadassah and thus her Jewish identity. To this, I can relate. My dual Jewish identity as a person living in modern-day Persia while visiting relatives in England depended on which side of the ocean I happened to be. In England, I was encouraged to be proud and to vocalize my ideas about democracy, Israel, and Judaism. In Iran, I was encouraged to keep my Jewish identity private and, especially after the Islamic revolution, be mindful that Israel was the enemy whose destruction was based upon one of the new regimes principals.

A happy teenager in Tehran, with my parents.

Celebrating Purim in Iran, I was more aware of the fact that its story occurred in the pre-Islamic Zoroastrian era of the Persian Empire, a millennium before the rise of Islam in Persia. Therefore, it is not surprising that non-Islamic Persian and Jewish holidays have been influenced by each other. Purim and Nowruz, the Persian New Year, both occur at the beginning of spring. The scroll of Esther celebrates the courage of a Persian queen and the survival of a people.

Following the Iranian revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979 and the subsequent eight-year Iran-Iraq war that began in 1980, the Persian Jewish community faced increased anti-Semitism and animosity toward Israel. Unlike their ancestors who relied on fasting and the courage of their heroine Queen Esther, the majority of contemporary Persian Jews lacked a royal advocate and had to leave their ancient homeland for good. Today, by some estimates, the Persian Jewish community is one-tenth of its size 40 years ago.

Nevertheless, in Iran Jews are considered the People of the Book, and they are free to practice their religion in private, as are Christians. I left the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1987 and moved to the United States. But during the eight years I lived under the new regime, Purim was celebrated with less fanfare. Persian Jews were mindful about drinking wine during Purim in a country where consuming alcoholic beverages is prohibited and punishable by law and placed more emphasis on the Fast of Esther.

In the fifth century B.C.E, Haman was vizier to the Persian Empire under King Ahasuerus, also known as Khashayar Shah to Iranians and Xerxes to the rest of the world. He sought to annihilate the Jewish people. In modern day times, the Jewish Iranians are once again confronted with a Persian ruler who desires to destroy the state of Israel, the land of the Jewish people. Irans current government labels Purim as an anti-Iranian holiday. On December 10, 2010, when tensions between Iran and Israel were particularly high, hundreds of Iranians protested in front of the Tomb of Esther and Mordecai on a small street, fittingly called Esther Lane.

The author today

Purim 2019 is fast approaching. Like other displaced Jewish Iranians, I will reminisce about Purim in Iran. Before the Islamic revolution, Iran and Israel had amicable relations and we were proud Iranian citizens who didnt have to conceal our joy for the holiday or our affiliation to the land of Israel. I will remain hopeful that one day the remaining Jews in Iran will be able to celebrate Purim with full joy once more.
Russia will defend Manbij if US leaves

Russian forces will defend the contested majority-Arab town of Manbij in northern Syria against Turkey if and when US forces withdraw under the terms of a verbal agreement struck two days ago between Russian commanders and the Manbij Military Council, reports Amberin Zaman, the first to break the news last week from this pivotal border town in Syria.

Fears of a Turkish invasion grew when President Donald Trump announced in December that US troops would be pulled out of all of Syria within 30 days, writes Zaman. Around 300 Syrian regime forces deployed near Manbij in Arima in response to the YPGs [Peoples Protection Units] calls to help them stave off a Turkish attack. Trump has since said around 400 US forces would remain in Syria and [Manbij Military Council Co-Chair Mohamed] Mustafa said there were no signs of a US withdrawal from Manbij so far. ... But if they did leave, regime forces would definitely move in together with the Russians, he said.

Given a choice, all of the Manbij leaders who spoke to Al-Monitor said that they would rather have the Syrian regime come than Turkey, concludes Zaman, but that the best outcome would be for the Americans to stay.

Barzani: Syrian Kurds should negotiate with Damascus

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Nechirvan Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, said, The Kurds of Syria should try to find a solution within the framework of a united Syria. They should be engaging in dialogue and negotiations with the regime.

It's not a matter of ignoring the Americans, Barzani told Amberin Zaman. The reality is that the regime is still there and that the Kurds of Syria should be talking with the regime in order to gain certain rights.  Currently the regime feels that it has the upper hand, but the reality is that there is still a lot of instability in Syria. The minute the government regains sovereignty over all of Syria there will be more stability and the regime will feel confident enough to give the Kurds their rights. The regime will need to deal with the reality that the Kurds are there, that they exist and they have power, they control territories and they have to find the way to solve their problems with the Kurds.

Asked who can be the guarantor of a deal between the Syrian Kurds and the Syrian government, Barzani replied, Us to a lesser extent, we are ready to step up to the plate. But this role can be played even more effectively by the Russians. It's important for all of us to have a stable neighbor such as Syria, but it's especially important for Russia. They are very clear on this point. Their strategy is geared toward securing a stable Syria. They can be key players in negotiating a settlement between the Kurds and the regime.

This column wrote in January, picking up this trend we have covered since 2016, The bumpy and treacherous road to alleviating Turkish concerns over the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) ultimately goes through Damascus via Moscow.

Al-Monitor exclusive from Derik prison in Syria

Zaman was the first reporter for a Western media outlet granted access to the Derik Central Prison for Terrorists in northeastern Syria, where 400 Syrian Kurdish guards guard the same number of captured Islamic State fighters.

The fighters housed in Derik come from Canada, Europe, China, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Libya, Russia, Turkey, Morocco and elsewhere.

The conditions at the prison appeared too good to be true, Zaman reports. There are other interrogation centers where IS fighters who either turn themselves in or are captured go through initial screening. It's hard to believe that conditions there are quite as clement, considering the brutality inflicted by IS on the Kurds.

The issue of what to do with captured foreign fighters is an increasingly pressing one as Western governments refuse to take their nationals back, writes Zaman. The Syrian Kurdish administration says it cannot cope on its own and is demanding that they be either repatriated to be prosecuted in their home countries or tried by an international tribunal in a northeastern Syrian court.

A US official speaking on condition of strict anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue confirmed that no funds had been given by the United States to the Syrian Kurds to care for the IS captives, Zaman reports. The cost of just feeding and clothing inmates at the Derik facility is in excess of $20,000 per month, the director of the facility told Zaman.

Turkey tries to broker deal among FSA, SNC and HTS

The National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, commonly known as the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), on March 10 accepted the resignation of Jawad Abu Hatab as prime minister, reports Khaled Al-Khateb from Aleppo.

Some have linked Abu Hatab's resignation to the expanding influence and control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its political arm, the Syrian Government of Salvation, over most of the areas previously administered by the Interim Government in Idlib province, writes Al-Khateb. Abu Hatabs departure follows shortly after HTS in early February took over opposition-controlled areas in Idlib, the neighboring northern countryside of Hama and the western countryside of Aleppo, in the process ousting factions of the National Liberation Front (NLF) of the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

An FSA source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that deliberations have been underway in Idlib since the beginning of February between HTS, the FSA and the SNC, writes Al-Khateb. These deliberations aim to merge the Interim Government and the Government of Salvation into one government to manage the affairs of the opposition-held areas in northwestern Syria, the source said. Talks also focused on efforts to unite the ranks of armed factions in northern Syria under one structure to be agreed upon. The source added, These are efforts exerted by Turkey to contain HTS and its Government of Salvation. These efforts aim to put an end to HTS peacefully, by pushing it to disband and join the FSA, and to create one civil administration for the opposition-held areas.

Syrian workers protest Turkish border opening

Turkey has reopened the Bab al-Salam/Oncupinar border crossing with Syria to Turkish truck traffic, effectively cutting half a workday off some truckers' delivery times, Al-Khateb reports. Turkish trucks had not entered Syria through the gate for nearly eight years for security reasons following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

Not everyone is pleased with the change, adds Al-Khateb. The development has angered Syrian truck drivers, owners of shipping companies and employees.  Dozens of drivers and owners of Syrian shipping companies took to the streets of Azaz to protest the decision March 5. Similar protests organized the next day in the city of al-Bab demanded that Turkish and Syrian officials reconsider the decision.

Meeting with Sistani crowning achievement for Rouhani in Iraq

The crowning achievement of Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis visit to Baghdad last week was his unprecedented March 13 audience with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf  the first time that a sitting Iranian president has met with the top cleric, an Al-Monitor correspondent reports. Sistani welcomed any step to strengthen relations between Iraq and its neighbors as per mutual interests and on the basis of respecting the sovereignty of states and non-intervention in internal affairs. He also expressed the necessity for balanced and moderate regional and international policies in this region to avoid further tragedies and damage."

Against this backdrop, the supreme religious authoritys decision to grant Rouhani and Zarif an audience informs Iraqi leaders that they must engage with the Rouhani administration, even if they rely on support from rival centers of power in Tehran, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), adds the correspondent. Moreover, Rouhanis achievements this week ought to have made it clear to the Trump administration and its Arab allies that Iran will neither abandon nor be kicked out of Iraq, although this should not be interpreted as Baghdad siding with Tehran over Washington.

Rouhani's trip brought great benefits to Iran at a time that its economy suffers significantly from US sanctions, adds Ali Mamouri. The final joint statement of the two countries highlights what was agreed, including waiving visa fees between the two countries from April onward, expressing agreement on the 1975 Algiers Agreement, dredging Shatt al-Arab, connecting the railway system between both countries in order to secure Irans connection to Syria via Iraq and several other economic agreements. Iran also received $200 million from Iraq for part of its debt to Iran for the import of electricity and gas.
CAIRO  Egypt has so far managed to keep its economic interests away from its foreign political disputes. Mostly.

The head of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, Rifat Hisarckloglu, visited Cairo March 5 for Egypts fourth Investment Forum under the slogan Together for Africa. The forum presents investment opportunities in Africa, including Egypt. On the same day, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture announced it was ready to import 13,000 tons of Egyptian onions for private traders and government outlets in Turkey.

Cairo's relations with Qatar and Turkey have been marred by tension for years. The Egyptian army overthrew Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohammed Morsi in 2013 and labels the group a terrorist organization. Yet Turkey and Qatar consider the Brotherhood peaceful and claim the 2013 revolution was a military coup. Turkey and Qatar are hosting Egyptian members of the Muslim Brotherhood wanted in Cairo on terrorism charges.

On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain severed ties with Qatar. The four nations accused Qatar of maintaining ties with Iran and supporting extremists and terrorist groups. Qatar denied all accusations. To this date, the four nations maintain a trade boycott against Qatar. Turkey has been one of its few real allies.

This year, an Egyptian nongovernmental organization (NGO) launched a global campaign called Martyrs Right to prosecute Qatar and Turkey for allegedly supporting and financing terrorist groups since 2011. That NGO, United National Organization for Human Rights headed by Mohamed Abdel Naeem, filed a complaint Feb. 24 to Egyptian Attorney General Nabil Sadeq. It demanded that Egypt freeze Qatari and Turkish assets, whether the assets are owned directly by the two countries or by any Qatari and Turkish national. The complaint also called for using these assets to pay fair compensation to Egyptian victims of terrorist operations.

However, Mahmoud Kbeish, former dean of the law school at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor, No person or entity may be charged or punished on the basis of its nationality. This is tantamount to discrimination. It is only permissible to seize the foreign or national funds and assets aimed to support terrorism or arising from terrorist crimes based on the investigation of each terrorist crime and not on the nationality of investors.

He argued that even if the NGO is entitled to compensation from the Turkish and Qatari governments, it must claim such compensation through international courts, not by freezing investments of Qatar or Turkey. Kbeish explained, A state property is owned by the people of this state. It is only managed by its government and not owned by it.

A source at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. All Turkish investments in Egypt are owned by individuals and not by the Turkish state. Qatari investments are distributed into parts  one part owned by Qatari nationals and another owned by Qatari national investment funds," the source said.

Mustafa Atwa, an economics professor at Mansoura University, told Al-Monitor, Commercial and economic matters should be separated from political conflicts between countries. The legal proceedings calling for the confiscation of Qatari and Turkish assets harm Egypt's image and the future of investing in it. Any investor would fear to invest in Egypt because he could see his assets confiscated within the scope of a political dispute with his state of nationality.

Atwa believes Sadeq will probably dismiss the complaint for lacking logic and reasonableness. Such complaints are a naive tool used by some human rights organizations to push Turkish and Qatari investors to pressure their governments to stop criticizing Egyptian policies, he said, adding, These complaints, although lacking seriousness, give an impression that the investment climate in Egypt is unsafe. Regional and international newspapers noted that several Qatari companies have been recently harassed and decided to freeze their activities in Egypt.

The New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) at the Egyptian Ministry of Housing allocates land to investors for development. Since 2014, NUCA has been asking Egypt's judiciary and the Administrative Control Authority to help it recover 2,000 acres allocated to Qatari Diar, a real estate development and investment company, for the firm's Citygate project in Cairo.

NUCA claims Qatari Diar failed to comply with timetables for the development. The authority claims that from 2009 to 2018, Qatari Diar completed merely 5% of the project. NUCA's legal case against the company remains pending before Egyptian courts. Months after the Qatar diplomatic crisis started in June 2017, Qatari Diar froze its investments in Egypt.

In another case, the Egyptian Supreme Administrative Court at the State Council rejected in January 2018 an action sought by a Qatari state-owned firm: named Doha Co. for the Reclamation and Cultivation of Desert Lands. The company was seeking to retain 1,250 acres of land it had acquired in 2000, but the court held that Doha Co. committed fraud and manipulated Egypts share of well water from the land.

Trade between Egypt and Qatar declined by 27% during 2017. The Trade Map website, which claims to have the largest database for international trade, recorded a drop in Qatari imports to Egypt to $1.371 billion in 2017 from $1.553 billion in 2016. Egyptian exports to Qatar also stopped completely in 2017 after reaching $325 million in 2016.

Al-Monitor also talked with Al-Sadat Academy economics professor Ihab Desouki. According to Desouki, the Egyptian market's image won't suffer because of the demands to confiscate Qatari and Turkish assets or the allegations that Egypt is restricting Qatari investors.

The investment or trade exchange disputes with some Qatari companies are a result of noncompliance by these companies and not because of restrictions imposed by Egypt, he said. This is evidenced by the fact that there are more than 200 Qatari companies still investing in Egypt. Add to this the growth of Turkish investments in Egypt and Turkish-Egyptian bilateral trade.

In 2017, total Qatari investments in Egypt stood at about $1.105 billion through 210 companies, according to Egypts General Authority for Investment. These investments include, most notably, those of Qatar National Bank and Qatari Sheikh Mohammed bin Suhaim Al Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family. The sheikh owns a large number of shares in Egyptian Steel, Citadel Capital, Naeem Holding and State Holding. So far, there is no news of him leaving the Egyptian market.

In spite of political tensions during 2018, trade between Egypt and Turkey increased by 12%. Turkish imports to Egypt in 2018 reached about $3 billion, up from $2.36 billion in 2017, despite Egypts continued anti-dumping fees on imports of reinforced steel to protect the national rebar industry. Egyptian exports to Turkey reached about $2.19 billion in 2018, up from $1.997 billion in 2017.

Turkish investment delegations have frequently visited Egypt since January 2017 to promote Turkish investments of as much as $10 billion.

The latest Turkish investments planned in Egypt consist of a major Turkish industrial city on Egyptian soil. The Turkish-Egyptian Businessmen Association announced the project in June, saying it will provide more than 1 million job opportunities for Egyptians.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  The kitchen is my breathing space, says Samah Haboub, explaining that whenever she feels sad, bored or anxious, she seeks refuge there and starts mixing ingredients without any plan, just letting her hands and her culinary heritage guide her.

But the 35-year-old chef from Gaza City has extended her talents beyond the rich Palestinian recipes she prepares for family and friends. A few months ago, she launched a Facebook page that introduced Korean food  noodles, salads and Korean sushi known as kimbap  to her city.

In 2014, my husband, daughter and I visited my brother, who lives in the South Korean city of Gwanju. I was interested in their cuisine and I enrolled in a six-month-course that teaches foreigners to prepare Korean food, she said.

Even for a cook familiar with the many different spices of Palestinian cuisine, Korean food seemed spicy, with its use of chili pepper flakes and hot sauces. According to Koreans, spicy food boosts the happiness hormones, Haboub told Al-Monitor. For that reason, they prefer their food spicy. Still, Korean cuisine is rich and healthy. It contains lots of seafood and not much fat.

The Palestinian chef said Korean meals put rice and appetizers to great use. Small dishes  sometimes as many as 15  were placed on the table, much like Middle Eastern mezes. Korean food does not need a lot of cooking and preparation time, and it is preferably served hot to savor its taste and flavors, she added.

When Haboub returned to the Gaza Strip, she began preparing Korean meals and served them to relatives and friends, who always wanted more. She found herself cooking more and more Korean food. Everybody was curious about it, she said.

As the demand increased, Haboub decided to turn this into a business by using social media to market the dishes she prepared. So she launched a Facebook page to receive orders. She was surprised to see the multiple queries about the dishes, ingredients, prices and whether buyers should come pick the food up or have it delivered.

Most clients order shrimp or chicken sushi or bulgogi, meat barbecued in a special sauce. People also like tteokbokki, hot and spicy rice cakes. Many order noodles, spicy salads or the seafood soup rich with prawns and salmon. The demand is growing, she said, adding that she was proud to have an increasing pool of customers who like sushi and other Korean dishes.

Haboub prepares the dishes in her kitchen and sells them online and through fast delivery at prices ranging from 25 to 30 shekels [around $7 to $8]. She also throws in wooden chopsticks, which her brother sends her, along with special spices and sauces she cannot get in Gaza.

Director General of Consumer Protection at the Palestinian Ministry of Economy in Gaza Raed al-Jazzar told Al-Monitor that small projects have a strong impact, as they create employment in an economy where there are few opportunities. He said these projects also introduce new products to the market, although demand remains low, as residents of Gaza Strip have weak purchasing power.

Jazzar told Al-Monitor that the Ministry of Economy funded 16 culinary projects in 2018. A monitoring unit at the Ministry, in cooperation with specialized parties, conducts field visits to check on existing projects to verify product quality.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has officially agreed to launch a fund that could in part ease the hardship caused by the United States slashing its funding to Palestinians.

The Jeddah-based OIC will establish a waqf (endowment) fund in support of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The waqf fund will serve as a financial deposit to the Palestinian refugees under the umbrella of the Islamic Development Bank, in a bid to raise funds from countries and institutions," Yousef al-Othaimeen, OIC secretary-general, announced in a March 4 statement. "The fund will also help strengthen the financial situation of UNRWA and support its activities in the humanitarian relief and development areas."

Othaimeen noted the final decision was made March 1 during an OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Abu Dhabi, though talks had begun much earlier.

Established in 1949, UNRWA aims to serve 5.4 million registered Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. Its services include education, relief, health care, social services and infrastructure.

Ahmed Abu Houli, head of the PLO's Palestinian Refugee Affairs Department, told Al-Monitor, The OIC decision to support UNRWA [was discussed at] the Conference of Supervisors on Palestinian Affairs in the Host Arab Countries," held Dec. 9 by the Arab League in Cairo. "Recommendations were made that the UN agency should continue to provide aid to Palestinian refugees.

The fund will primarily aim to sustain UNRWA's services through money from OIC member states amounting to half a billion dollars, housed within the Islamic Development Bank, which will in turn invest it in projects in the Arab region. Profits will go to bolster UNRWAs programs, Abu Houli explained.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl said in a March 4 statement, This timely decision by the leaders and members of the OIC is a unique sign of solidarity with Palestine refugees.

According to an UNRWA report from Dec. 31, 2017, the United States was the largest donor that year, contributing $365 million. The EU donated $142.5 million; followed by Germany, $76.5 million; the UK, $67 million; Sweden, $62 million; and Saudi Arabia, $53 million. Combined with other countries' contributions, the donations totaled $1.12 billion.

In 2018, the UN agency experienced an unprecedented financial crisis as the United States announced in January that it would donate only $60 million. This move came in response to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decision in December 2017 to reject US sponsorship of negotiations with Israel, in retaliation for the US decision to transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, declaring the latter Israel's capital.

Consequently, as part of an austerity measure, UNRWA laid off about 1,000 staff members in the Gaza Strip in July 2018.

Things took another bad turn when Washington decided in August to completely suspend US funding, which accounted for about one-third of UNRWAs total budget. The move put the future of the organization at stake, so in January of this year, UNRWA appealed to the international community for more funds.

Sami Mshasha, UNRWA spokesman in the Palestinian territories, told Al-Monitor the OIC fund to support UNRWA is "an unprecedented qualitative achievement at the level of the Arab and Islamic region.

UNRWAs budget for this year stands at $1.2 billion," he said. "We are bending over backward to secure that budget. But 2019 seems promising, with the possibility of bridging the big gap caused by US funding cuts. Since the beginning of the year, we received donations from several parties, most importantly the EU with a grant worth $82 million and Japan with $23 million.

Mshasha noted that yearly donations to UNRWA from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait amount to $200 million.

It's difficult to predict how much the OIC fund will contribute to UNRWAs budget, but it will surely be one of its most important sources of funding, he added.

He explained that the waqf fund will primarily provide money for temporary employment projects for Palestinians and support the ongoing monthly food aid to refugees and humanitarian programs.

Issam Adwan, head of Hamas Refugee Affairs Department, told Al-Monitor, It is true that the waqf fund would help bridge the gap in UNRWAs budget, but there are fears that the OIC would take over the UN role in sponsoring the organization.

He added, We fear that as a consequence, the EU funding for the UN agency would gradually stop, which is what Israel is calling for. UNRWA could also turn from an international organization into a regional or Arab one, which means the issue of Palestinian refugees would become an Arab, rather than an international issue."

Adwan noted, It's in the interest of the Palestinians that UNRWA remains under UN auspices, with non-Arab countries bearing the biggest part of its budget. This would keep the Palestinian refugee issue a central theme in the international community, instead of reducing it to an Arab problem.

The PLO's Abu Houli, however, downplayed these fears, saying, I believe the recent funds from the EU and Japan indicate that UNRWA remains central at the international level.

He added, The waqf fund is also strong proof that Arab and Islamic countries are committed to UN Resolution 194 of 1948, providing for the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes, after being forcibly evacuated in 1948."
Apparently, stones had been pelted and the eye of one policeman had been hurt, it was so bad the Winneba hospital said theyll have to refer him to Accra. I went to see the situation and I offered some 5,000 cedis to cater for his medical bills.why didnt they add that when they were writing the statement? Why do I always have to be painted black, queried Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.



Ken Agyepong was expressing disappointment over reports that he assaulted a police officer when he went to intervene in the chaos that occurred at the University of Education, Winneba and a subsequent statement released by the Ghana Police Service.



A statement signed by ACP David Eklu warned the Assin Central MP to be careful of his actions and that the police will not be intimidated



The Police Administration, therefore, takes very strong exception to the behavior of Mr Kennedy Agyapong who is a Member of Parliament and advises him to be mindful of his actions towards Police Officers whilst performing their lawful duties, parts of the statement read.



However, Mr. Agyapong, who was livid about the current situation, in an interview on Asempa FM, said:



We went to the University of Education, Winneba. We were invited by Education Minister to come and help solve the chaos that was in the school. Education Minister organized the meeting well enough, and we reached an understanding.



The Council Chair said he had received a call about the protests and destruction taking place on campus. So we waited after there was a little calm.



There were three sects; the suspended lecturers, the protesting students and the police team. The lecturers explained to me that there hadnt been any chaos up until the arrival of the police so I told them to be patient so I could talk to the police.



While on the way, the students started pelting the police with stones amidst their protests. I told them to stop and I went to the police to speak to the commander and told him the issue had been solved so they should let things be. Shortly after, I heard commotion from outside so I went back to the police and explained again that the issue had been solved, they told me the students had blocked the roads with logs and stones and that they should be spoken to.



The students also said we should tell the police to release two of their students and stop releasing tear gas. So I led some of the students to the police to relay the students concerns at which point they had pulled out guns. The commander told me the students had hurt some of his personnel for which reason they won't hold back anymore, theyll shoot.



I cautioned them and told one of his team members who was reiterating the point that he should be careful else Ill ensure he is sacked because I didnt understand why a policeman will be inciting violence.

I didnt wait for the commander because even he had instructed that his team shoot if they came close? Should I have allowed them to kill people? Do you know what would have happened if I hadnt intervened?.



Apparently, stones had been pelted and the eye of one policeman had been hurt, it was so bad the Winneba hospital said theyll have to refer him to Accra. I went to see the situation and I offered some 5,000 cedis to cater for his medical bills.why didnt they add that when they were writing the statement? Why do I always have to be painted black, he asked.



He also bemoaned the fact that "nobody asked me my side of the story".



They have disgraced me so badly I cant forgive them, I will not interfere in any of these issues, they should do their own thing. I have planned my life and that of my children, I will mind my business, I will not get involved in any of this because if I wasnt called on, I wouldnt even have bothered to go there for police to write such things about me. They are a stupid administration. Am I mad to just have stood up and gone to tell a police officer that hell be sacked? Should I have stood there for people to die? Is it wrong for me to have told him if he made statements that they should shoot, I will ensure he is sacked?.



You are not being fair to me at all, but if this is what you will do, I will not utter a word again, that is not my school, Ghana is not for me. However, things go, I dont care. I dont care if Ghana burns, my constituents, everybody. Im tired, nobody can just disgrace me, at this point in my life, I cant do this anymore, whatever happens should happen, I will not entertain that. I will never speak for any policeman to come and tell me rubbish, he added.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Alabamas program-best start on the softball field continued Saturday.

A 6-2 win over Hawaii completed the six-game sweep of the Rainbow Wahine Classic. It lifts the Crimson Tide to 31-0 as the last undefeated softball team left nationally.

Alabama never trailed in the finale, outhitting the hosts 7-4 and taking advantage of three errors. Only two of the six Tide runs were earned as it built a 5-0 lead after five innings. After Maddie Morgan singled in Claire Jenkins for the first run, the next two came via errors by Hawaii. Bailey Hemphill and Reagan Dykes added RBI singles to pad the lead.

Sarah Cornell (11-0) got the win pitching all seven innings, allowing four hits and striking out seven.

The Tide went 5-for-15 with runners on while Hawaii was 1-for-7.

The loss dropped Hawaii to 19-9 this season.

Alabama returns to the mainland this week for a three-game series at Texas A&M beginning Friday. The 31-0 start has already eclipsed the previous program record of 27 straight wins that opened the 2001 season.
An emergency response team has been sent to the Bibb County Correctional Facility in Brent following the latest murder to occur inside the state prison in a span of three days.

Ray Anthony Little, 56, was fatally stabbed during an assault by another inmate around 4 p.m. Friday in one of the facilitys housing areas.

Little, who was serving a life sentence for a 2012 first-degree robbery and kidnapping conviction in Mobile County, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Charged with murder is 30-year-old Devarrieo Montez Shepherd. He had been serving a 30-year sentence from a 2005 first-degree robbery in Etowah County.

Shepherd, according to an Alabama Department of Corrections news release, appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of the attack. No further incident occurred during the attack.

ADOC is also investigating a homicide that occurred Tuesday inside the same facility, in which 27-year-old Quinton Ashaad Few was fatally stabbed, possibly by 31-year-old Terrence Griffin.

Griffin, who is serving a life sentence without parole for a 2011 murder conviction in Tuscaloosa County, now faces a capital murder charge. Few was serving a 20-year sentence for a conviction earlier this year on first-degree robbery.

In response to the incidences, the ADOC dispatched a Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) to the prison to assist staff and to search inmates and the facility for contraband.

The prison is secure and remains locked down until ADOC completes its investigation into both homicides, the department said.

The conditions inside Alabamas prisons continue to receive scrutiny following U.S. District Judge Myron Thompsons emergency order earlier this year to block the placement of inmates diagnosed with serious mental illness in segregation, or individual cells, because the isolation causes their conditions to worsen and increases the risk of suicide.

The ADOC is under a court order to roughly double its security staff by adding 2,000 correctional officers over the next few years.

The states prisons have been identified as among the most violent in the country, with a prison homicide rate that is 10 times the national average. Severe understaffing, poor security, and aging facilities continue to plague the system.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, last month, announced a plan to build three new prisons for men at a cost of around $900 million. Some lawmakers have since criticized the plan.
March 17 is celebrated throughout the world as St. Patricks Day, in honor of the missionary who helped spread Christianity through Ireland. According to legend, he used the three-leaf clover to teach about the Holy Trinity. Here are five quick facts to help you learn about the patron saint of Ireland.

When did he live?

Details surrounding St. Patrick's life are hard to pin down, but he was likely born around 387 A.D. and died about 460 A.D.

Was he born in Ireland?

No, he was born in Britain, then part of the Roman Empire, and was captured by Irish pirates when he was 16. He was held in captivity in Ireland for six years, then escaped back to Britain.

Was he a priest?

Yes. He went to seminary in what is now France and became a priest, then returned to Ireland. He eventually became the first bishop of Armagh, primate of Ireland. In his autobiography, Confessio, also known as The Confession of St. Patrick, he said he baptized thousands. He also started many monasteries and helped spread Christianity across Ireland.

Why do we celebrate him in America?

Irish immigrants to Boston celebrated March 17, the day of St. Patrick's death, as a way of keeping alive their Irish heritage in America. That happened as early as 1737, with parades starting in 1766. U.S. celebrations of St. Patrick's Day spread to big cities across the country, often being more festive than observances in Ireland, where it's a holy day. St. Patrick's Day wasn't even a public holiday in Ireland until 1904, although it had been observed with parades and churchgoing since the 1700s. The festivities in America influenced Ireland, where in the 1960s pubs began to open on the holiday. It has always been associated with beer-drinking in America, promoted by taverns and pubs, while in Ireland pubs and other businesses were closed on the holiday. "Generations of Irish immigrants were eager to celebrate their origins," writes Mike Cronin, author of "The Wearing of the Green: A History of St. Patrick's Day," and also a professor at Boston College. "The shared sense of being Irish, of wearing green and in some way marking March 17, has resulted in St. Patrick's Day being observed in a similar fashion to July Fourth or Halloween. It's the closest thing in America to National Immigrant Day."

It's also a marketing bonanza, helping sell beer and drive business at bars. Bars have been running St. Patrick's Day events and promotions throughout the weekend leading to the holiday.

Are the legends about St. Patrick true?

Did St. Patrick drive all the snakes out of Ireland? Thats unlikely, since theres no evidence snakes ever lived in post-glacial Ireland. Did he teach the concept of the Holy Trinity by using the three-leafed clover, or shamrock, to demonstrate the oneness of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Theres no way to prove or disprove that legend, but its one of the most beloved stories about the saint.
A few months after teen shooters killed 12 classmates at Columbine High School, Coni Sanders was standing in line at a grocery store with her young daughter when they came face to face with the magazine cover.

It showed the two gunmen who had carried out one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Sanders realized that few people knew much about her father, a teacher who was killed that day. But virtually everyone knew the names and the tiniest of details about the attackers who carried out the carnage.

In the nearly two decades since then, a growing movement has urged news organizations to refrain from naming the shooters in mass slayings and to cease the steady drumbeat of biographical information about them. Critics say giving the assailants notoriety offers little help in understanding the attacks and instead fuels celebrity-style coverage that only encourages more violence.

The 1999 Colorado assault continues to motivate mass shooters, including the two men who this week stormed their former school in Brazil, killing seven people.

The gunman who attacked two mosques in New Zealand on Friday, killing at least 49 people, was said to have been inspired by the man who in 2015 killed nine black worshippers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Adam Lankford, a criminologist at the University of Alabama, who has studied the influence of media coverage on shooters, said it's vitally important to avoid focusing excessive attention on gunmen.

"A lot of these shooters want to be treated like celebrities. They want to be famous. So the key is to not give them that treatment," he said.

The notion hit close to home for Sanders. Seemingly everywhere she turned  the grocery store, a restaurant, a newspaper or magazine  she would see the faces of the Columbine attackers and hear or read about them. Even in her own home, she was bombarded with their deeds on TV.

"Everybody knew (Dylan) Klebold. Everybody knew (Eric) Harris. And if you said the two together, they automatically knew it was Columbine," Sanders said. "The media was so fascinated  and so was our country and the world  that they really grasped onto this every detail. Time and time again, we couldn't escape it."

Criminologists who study mass shootings say the vast majority of shooters are seeking infamy and soak up the coverage as a guide.

Just four days after the 2017 Las Vegas concert attack, which stands as the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, Lankford published a paper urging journalists to refrain from using shooters' names or going into exhaustive detail about their crimes.

These attackers, he argued, are trying to outdo previous shooters with higher death tolls. Media coverage encourages copycats.

Late last year, the Trump administration's federal Commission on School Safety called on the media to refrain from reporting the names and photos of mass shooters. It was one of the rare moments when gun-rights advocates and gun-control activists agreed.

"To suggest that the media alone is to blame or is primarily at fault for this epidemic of mass shootings would vastly oversimply this issue," said Adam Skaggs, chief counsel for the Giffords Law Center, which works to curb gun violence.

Skaggs said he is "somewhat sympathetic to journalists' impulse to cover clearly important and newsworthy events and to get at the truth. ... But there's a balance that can be struck between ensuring the public has enough information ... and not giving undue attention to perpetrators of heinous acts."

Studies show a contagion effect from coverage of both homicides and suicides.

The Columbine shooters, in particular, have an almost cult-like status, with some followers seeking to emulate their trench-coat attire and expressing admiration for their assault, which some have attributed to bullying. The gunman in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting kept a detailed journal of decades' worth of mass shootings.

James Alan Fox, a professor at Northeastern University who has studied mass shootings, said naming shooters is not the problem. He blamed over-the-top coverage that includes details about the killers, such as their writings and their backgrounds, that "unnecessarily humanizes them."

"We sometimes come to know more about them  their interests and their disappointments  than we do about our next-door neighbors," Fox said.

Law enforcement agencies have taken a lead, most recently with the Aurora, Illinois, police chief, who uttered just once the name of the gunman who killed five co-workers and wounded five officers last month.

"I said his name one time for the media, and I will never let it cross my lips again," Chief Kristen Ziman said in a Facebook post.

Some media, most notably CNN's Anderson Cooper, have made a point of avoiding using the name of these gunmen.

For Caren and Tom Teves, the cause is personal. Their son Alex was among those killed in an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater in 2012.

They were both traveling out of state when the shooting happened, and it took 15 hours for them to learn their son's fate. During those hours, they heard repeatedly about the shooter but virtually nothing about the victims.

Not long after, they created the No Notoriety movement, encouraging media to stick to reporting relevant facts rather than biographical minutiae. They also recommend publishing images of the shooter in places that are not prominent, steering clear of "hero" poses or photos showing them holding weapons, and not publishing any manifestos.

We never say dont use the name. What we say is use the name responsibly and dont turn them into anti-heroes, Tom Teves said. Lets portray them for what they are: Theyre horrible human beings that are completely skewed in their perception of reality, and their one claim to fortune is sneaking up behind you and shooting you.
One out of 10 Americans  roughly 31 million people - claim Irish ancestry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. You dont have to be one of them, however, to celebrate St. Patricks Day.

Originally, the holiday was to honor St. Patrick who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the 5th Century. Today, the holiday has expanded into a celebration of all things Irish.

Who was St. Patrick?

Maewyn Succat, the man who was to become St. Patrick, is believed to have been born around 385 AD. His exact birthday place is unknown, though it was likely in England, Wales or Scotland.

In his teens, Succat was captured by Celtic pirates and taken to Ireland where he worked as a herdsman. After escaping, he went on to become a Christian priest, taking the name Patrick. Inspired by a series of dreams, he decided to return to Ireland as a missionary in the mid fifth century.

It was in Ireland that his legend was born. Patrick became well known for establishing schools, churches and monasteries and later was appointed bishop of Ireland. It's said he converted more than 135,000 people to Christianity while establishing 300 churches and consecrating 350 bishops.

History says St. Patrick became associated with the shamrock after he used its three leaves to illustrate the concept of the Holy Trinity. And while the holiday named for him is now associated with the color green, St. Patrick's was originally associated with a blue that was used on Ireland's Presidential Standard. The emphasis on green didn't occur until the 18th century when it became associated with the Irish independence movement.

Legend holds that St. Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland, forcing them into the ocean where they drowned. Ireland is one of the places in the world where there are no wild snakes, something experts said has more to do with its geography hundreds of millions of years ago - the island was completely underwater - than the actions of a man.

St. Patrick is believed to have died on March 17 in the year 461. His death was commemorated each year in Ireland and, with increased migration, the holiday spread around the world. The first U.S. St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York on March 17, 1762, when Irish soldiers serving in the military marched through the city.

Legend holds that St. Patrick will judge the Irish on Judgement Day.

Erin go Bragh

One of the most-often repeated phrases on St. Patrick's Day is "Erin go Bragh!"

The Gaelic phrase "Erin go Bragh" is most often translated as "Ireland Forever" as an expression of support for the Emerald Isle. Erin go Bragh is the English translation of the phrase, with bragh, or brach, meaning until the end of time or, according to some translations, "until doomsday."

While long said in Ireland, the phrase came into wider usage in 1847 when a group of Irish volunteers joined the Mexicans in the Mexican-American war. The soldiers, known as St. Patrick's Battalion, flew a green banner emblazoned with the phrase "Erin go Bragh." That emblem became a popular symbol of Irish nationalism, picked up in the late 19th century as a logo of the Irish Unionist Party.

Today, the phrase is most often seen emblazoned on shirts or in Irish pubs as people join in the celebration of St. Patricks Day on March 17.
Gasoline taxes represent a rare animal at the Statehouse in Montgomery: Theyre taxes that Alabamas unflinchingly conservative Legislature actually agreed to raise.

Still, in the immediate aftermath of the signing of the Rebuild Alabama package into law Tuesday, transportation finance experts say that there may soon be a better mechanism to fund road and bridge needs.

Its a mileage-based fee, also known as a road-user fee.

A growing number of states are analyzing a system in which the number of miles someone drives is electronically collected through Global Positioning Systems (GPS) devices attached to their vehicles or perhaps through their smart phones.

The interest is driven by a hard truth: gasoline is an increasingly an antiquated fuel. Motor-engine efficiency is relentlessly improving, and electric and hybrid cars  even trucks  are pouring into the market. The gas tax, says one expert, is an aging rock star on a farewell tour.

The Alabama gas tax increase is the states first in 27 years. The new extra 10 cents per gallon will be phased in over three years, delivering about $380 million annually. The initial increase, a 6-cent hike, will occur after Aug. 31.

The gas tax worked well for 100 years, but because of fuel efficient vehicles, its going to get complicated, said Baruch Feigenbaum, assistant director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation, a non-profit libertarian think tank who referred to the gas tax as an aging rocker. We think these mileage-based fees are a wave of the future. They are not ready right now, but we think they will be ready to roll out in about 10 years.

Its a matter of time agreed Lee Muninch, a transportation researcher at the University of Minnesota and a board member on the Washington, D.C.-based Mileage Based User Fee Alliance.

Miles away

Ten states have passed legislation to study the road-user fees, and others are involved in consortiums that are exploring the same. Alabama is not one of them, for now, although the states transportation agency is aware of the user-fee interest elsewhere .

We keep tabs on pilot studies and ongoing discussion among our sister states, said Tony Harris, spokesman at the Alabama Department of Transportation, explaining that the agency is active in the American Association of State and Transportation Officials. We will continue monitoring the future of different ways to assess user fees as technologies change.

While a user fee isnt coming to Alabama anytime soon, many in the public appear unhappy with the prospect of a gas tax hike.

A poll commissioned last month by the Alabama Forestry Association showed that respondents overwhelmingly agreed that the state should spend more on roads and bridges. But just 45 percent favored a fuel tax increase; 48 percent were opposed.

The polling did not ask about alternatives to the gas tax.

Drew Harrell, executive director with the Alliance for Alabamas Infrastructure, said the switch from a gas tax to the user fee is likely decades away. Also still to be resolved, he said, is whether the implementation of a new system will be led by states or the federal government.

While there are a small number of states that have either studied this or actually tested it in pilot programs, this is a method that is miles away from being a logical and trustworthy source for charging drivers to utilize a particular road and bridge system, Harrell said. Uniformity and standardization between all levels of government will be a challenge to achieve.

At the Legislature, the subject of road-user fees didnt come up during the debates on Rebuild Alabama. Many Democrats, however, lamented the regressive nature of the gas tax, pointing out increases hit hardest on low-income households.

Rep. Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, who is the minority leader in the House, said alternatives to the gas tax simply werent explored. This is what was in front and center for us, said Daniels, referring to Rebuild Alabama.

This is something our counties have been asking for and lobbying for a number of years, Daniels said. Its a tough decision but its a decision that had to be made.

But Rebuild Alabama didnt forget or ignore owners of gas-free electric cars and plug-in hybrid cars. It dunned them with new annual registration fees: $200 for electric cars and $100 for the plug-ins.

Attacking congestion

Transportation experts who are advocating for the user fees believe the gas tax is simply outdated.

Randall OToole, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, has written policy reports arguing for the immediate implementation of a mileage-based user fee to replace the gas tax, as a method to address roadway congestion. He and like-minded advocates argue, in essence, that a user fee incentivizes a car owner to drive less. The gas tax, by contrast, is more or less invisible to the owner.

Its a dead weight loss to society, OToole said of the jammed highways in many major metro areas. If we can find a way to fix that, wed be that much richer. The gas tax doesnt fix it.

According to analysis by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, motorists in the Mobile area spend an average of 30 extra hours per year on travel time due to congestion. Mobiles ranking is among the highest of the 370 similar-sized urban areas listed within the Texas A&M report.

Birmingham, when compared to 33 medium-sized urban areas, falls in the middle of the pack for excess fuel consumed and travel delays resulting from congestion.

Fenn Church, board chairman of the Alabama Trucking Association who operates a trucking and logistics company in Birmingham, said that the fuel tax increase is much-needed, and thats its fair to all.

He emphasized that truckers will be paying a sizable portion of the tax back into the states coffers. But once the state builds new road networks, and fixes bridges, he said, the trucking industry will save three to four times as much as paying for this tax.

Tim Lomax, a senior research engineer and Regents Fellow at the Texas A&M Institute, said that finding revenue sources aimed at addressing congestion will be pivotal for larger metro regions such as Mobile and Birmingham. Rebuild Alabama provides 25 percent of revenue proceeds to the counties, and less than 9 percent to cities.

In Mobile, the $2 billion I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway widening project is proposed to be financed through tolling of both the new bridge and the existing George Wallace Tunnel.

In many respects, thats a kind of user fee. And those who drive along the entire Bayway span will pay a higher toll than those who leave it midway, exiting to the U.S. 98 Causeway.

A state with problems, like the Mobile (I-10 Bayway) and Birmingham with its congestion, if you continue to grow, your problems are just going to get worse, said Lomax. If you dont have enough money to invest into improving mobility some way, youll end up with a worse future than you have right now.

OreGo

Lomax points to the state of Oregon as a shining example for experimenting with and rolling out the mileage-based system in 2015.

Called OreGo, the system is embraced by that states Department of Transportation and has been implemented in 1,578 vehicles thus far.

The system works this way: A motorist volunteering to participate receives a device that plugs into his or her vehicle, which is then able to send mileage information back to an account manager, who then computes the miles driven. The motorist receives a credit for the gas taxes that he or she paid during the month, in exchange for a bill based on the number of miles driven.

Oregon assesses a 34-per-gallon gasoline tax, which is higher than the 28 cents per gallon that Alabama motorists will pay once the new tax increase is fully implemented.

Michelle Godfrey, education and outreach coordinator with the Oregon Department of Transportation, said the state realizes the system is a long-term solution. Also, the state is studying ways to address privacy issues and the lack of interconnectivity with adjoining states.

We cannot charge for miles driven outside of Oregon and different states have different policies on how their revenue dollars are handled, said Godfrey.

Oregon is engaged in a pilot program with California and Washington to examine the feasibility of connecting a system along the West Coast.

Another mileage-based user fee pilot program is under way on the other side of the country, along Interstate 95, including Georgia and South Carolina.

She said that privacy remains a worry, though maybe not as much as before. I attribute that to people becoming more and more comfortable with a GPS device on their smart phones, she said. That makes people a little less concerned about GSP in their vehicles.

She added, Our cars are becoming Internet devices. We have to be serious about how we handle our program data and who sees what data and how that is collected.

In Oregon, the program data collected by the state to assess mileage usage is destroyed within 30 days. Private account managers handle the data, meaning the state DOT is removed from the process.

The raw data goes to them so we cannot track it, she said.

OToole, with the Cato Institute, is one of the volunteers enrolled in OreGo, said there is a private intermediary that collects the vehicle data and the user fees and pays it to the state without having to say where I went.

Feigenbaum, with the Reason Foundation, said the privacy concerns, while a real issue, can be a bit overblown because government agencies testing the mileage-based systems are linking with private contractors to monitor vehicle mileage.

Besides, he said, everyone has a smart phone. Its tracking where you are anyway.

Harrell, with the Alliance for Alabamas Infrastructure, said there are far too many questions with privacy that are still lingering with the system before Alabama gets on board.

There are also many questions and concerns that will need to be addressed in terms of technology, privacy of drivers and other issues which must be worked out before such a proposal can even be debate, said Harrell. Its safe to say that Alabamas fuel tax will continue to serve as a fair and suitable user fee for our road and bridge system in the foreseeable future.
A 45-year-old Dothan man is believed to have lived his life crime-free over the past nearly 20 years, maintaining a family and a low profile but all the while harboring a deadly secret, authorities say.

Coley McCraney, never before on the radar of investigators in the brutal 1999 murders of slain high school seniors Tracie Hawlett and J.B. Beasley, now sits behind bars in the Dale County Jail, charged with one count of rape and five counts of capital murder. He was booked on the charges about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, jail records show, after authorities say a DNA match was found through a family DNA website in a geneology search.

Ozark police and Dale County sheriffs officials have scheduled a Monday morning press conference on the case. Court records show McCraney, originally from Ozark, has no previous criminal record.

The murders of the girls haunted the Wiregrass region for decades and been given national exposure on television networks throughout the years. The friends, both 17, were on their way home from Beasleys birthday party when they got lost in Ozark on July 31, 1999.

According to Hawletts mother, Carole Roberts, the girls had been lost and could not understand the directions they were given before stopping at a convenience store in Ozark. They had been on their way home from a party in Headland.

The girls were found the next day inside the trunk of Beasleys black Mazda 929, on the side of Herring Avenue about one block away from the Dale County hospital. Both girls had each been shot once to the head, but there were no other signs of foul play. The girls jewelry, purses and money were not missing and state forensics experts at the time said neither girl had been raped.

Within a week, police announced a nationwide, 24-hour hotline to received tips and a reward fund quickly grew to $15,000 in donations from area residents. Then-Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman announce another $10,000 in state funds.

In the years immediately after the killing, investigators conducted more than 500 interviews, overworked forensics experts and tested the DNA of more than 70 potential suspects, according to past published reports.

Police arrested Johnny William Barrentine, who they said implicated himself by putting himself at the crime scene during an interview with authorities. Barrentine later said he told police his fake stories to get the reward money that was promised at the time.

He was later cleared when semen found on Beasleys clothing and skin did not match his DNA.

McCraney is expected to make his first court appearance on Monday. The law enforcement press conference is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. in Ozark City Council chambers.
One man is dead, and a woman is behind bars following a Friday-night shooting in Dothan.

Dothan police were dispatched to the SouthEast Health emergency room after a male showed up there with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Authorities said 33-year-old Jeremy Rashad Sanders had been shot once under his left armpit and died shortly after he arrived at the hospital.

Officers determined the shooting happened in the 700 block of Monroe Street. They were able to locate the crime scene and summoned investigators there. The investigation showed that Sanders was trying to break up a physical altercation between two women one of them pulled a gun and fired one round that police said was intended for the other woman. The round struck Sanders instead.

Dothan police Saturday night announced the arrest of Suctorah Tykeymah Duncan. The 23-year-old is charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder. Her bonds total $500,000.
ComebackTown is published by David Sher for a more prosperous greater Birmingham.

David Sher is past Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), ONB (REV Birmingham), and City Action Partnership (CAP)

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Margaret Brown lived in Titusville, a neighborhood in Birmingham. Two months before I was born in 1949, she was hired to come and live with my family, and work in our home six days a week as a maid, or the help, as folks in Mountain Brook would have said back then.

I would imagine that Margaret had dreams like any other young woman: a husband, a family of her own, perhaps. She probably knew she was abandoning those dreams when she took the offer to come cook, clean, and do the laundry for my family. I can only imagine what Margaret was thinking when she boarded the #50 Crestline bus in downtown Birmingham, leaving her world and heading for The Tiny Kingdom. I would imagine she was asking God if she was making the right choiceMargaret prayed every chance she got. The silence and the groaning of the bus as it climbed Red Mountain on Pawnee Avenue, would be the only answer her prayer received.

When the bus stopped at the intersection of Beechwood Road and Woodhill Road (our street), across from the Mountain Brook Club, Margaret got off the bus. As she walked toward our home, she must have known she was in a different worldone far removed from the world she knew, and one sheltered from her world by more than just a mountain of iron. It was a world sheltered and preserved by iron wills, by defenders of the status quo.

I make no peace with a society that offered women like Margaret so few options in life. But truth be told, Margaret probably fared better than many of her peers. She adopted my family as her own, and I suspect she adopted me as the baby she would never haveshe called me the baby long after I had sons of my own. Margaret was just as much a part of my family as my parents, my brothers, and my Aunt Gladys (who lived with us for a few years).

Storms of change were brewing outside The Tiny Kingdom in 1954. Brown vs. Board of Education passed on May 17th, striking down state laws that established separate schools for blacks and whites. It was at about that time that I saw the Ku Klux Klan with my own eyes for the first (and last) time. The memory is permanently etched into my brain. Riding in the back of my parents car I saw them as my dad drove down Mountain Brook Parkway, near the Old Mill. There must have been twenty or thirty of them dressed in their hooded robes, riding on horseback. We were headed toward Homewood. They were going toward the heart of The Tiny Kingdom, no doubt to send a message to a judge, or lawyer, at their private residence. Its possible that four of the key figures in The Year of Birmingham (1963) were wearing those hoods: Robert Chambliss, Thomas Blanton, Bobby Cherry, and Herman Cash. I wouldnt have known those mens names then; all I could understand was that they were not paying a social visit to The T.K.

Almost every weekend in the 50s, Margaret Brown walked down Woodhill Road to go catch the #50 Crestline bus on Saturday afternoon. She spent the night at Sister Louies house on Saturday and Sunday nights, and spent all day on Sunday in Sister Louies church. She couldnt have possibly known that as she walked down Woodhill to catch the bus, she was walking past the home of Ollie McClung, a man who would be at the center of a landmark civil rights case brought before the Supreme Court in 1964. Ollie owned Ollies Bar-B-Q (Ollies World Famous Bar-B-Q) and he would challenge the 1964 Civil Rights Act that would force him to serve folks like Margaret Brown in his restaurant. His place of business was just a mile or so from Margarets neighborhood in Titusville. When he lost the case in 1964, 9-0, Governor George Wallace claimed it was a deathblow to the free enterprise system. Demagogues never seem to be short on hyperbole do they?

I turned fourteen on August 27th, 1963. My family, along with Margaret Brown, had moved from Woodhill Road a year earlier into a home my parents had built on East Briarcliff Road. I had watched on TV the nightmare unfolding in Birmingham that yearit all seemed horrible and other worldly. I would have never imagined that The Year of Birmingham would turn worse than the police dogs and fire hoses that were unleashed by Bull Connor that summer. But it did on Sunday, September 15th, when fifteen sticks of dynamite blew up next to a restroom at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Four little girls, all approximately my age, were killed in the blast. The bomb, believed to have been planted by four Klansmen, sickened a nation that had wrung its hands far too long. That blast led quickly to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Margaret Brown and Ollie McClung lived in two different worlds that collided in that Year of Birmingham in 1963. My prayer is that theyre seated together at the Heavenly Feast. That just feels right somehow. Pass the biscuits and the ice tea, please.

John Bagby grew up in a home where Margaret Brown cooked, cleaned, and did his familys laundry. Fifty years later, he wonders what Margaret must have thought as she boarded the bus in downtown Birmingham and headed to Mountain Brook, the well-to-do, all-white suburb that John refers to as The Tiny Kingdom.

This piece originally appeared in Kids in Birmingham 1963stories told by children growing up in Birmingham during the tumultuous year that transformed the nation and shaped our lives. It is published with permission.
The Bassmaster Classic, one of the most exciting tournament competitions on the water, is being fished in Knoxville, Tennessee, this weekend.

But for crappie fishermen, their version of the most exciting days on the water are now underway all over the Southeastthe spring crappie bite is on.

Ben Jester, of Cullman, is among the avid fans. Hes on one of the area lakes several times a week once the panfish start their move to the shallows prior to spawning, usually around the end of February or the first week of March and continuing into early April.

Of late, Jester and friends have been regularly visiting one of the newest lakes in the state, Duck River Reservoir, east of Cullman. Duck River was impounded in 2015 as a water supply lake for the growing city, flooding miles of steep, rocky valley country.

Two good boat ramps were part of the construction process, and Jester was one of the first to start visiting once the lake opened to fishing in 2017.

A few weeks back, he and a friend caught and released 90 crappies in a morning. I joined him earlier this week and we caught 30 in just over an hour.

Its about as good a crappie lake for numbers as youll find in Alabama, says Jester, who grew up in Cullman before spending a career traveling the world with the U.S. Air Force. The only thing it lacks is the age for them to have gotten big so far.

Most of the fish at present are about 9 inches long, though maybe one or two in every dozen are 10 inches or more. But based on how crappies grow, Jester expects the fish to all be around the 10 inch mark by this time next year, perfect eating size, he says.

All the usual tactics work for catching the fish, but Jester says theres not much reason to throw anything more than the generic crappie jig, a 16th ounce lure with a bit of feather or swimming plastic as a tail.

Its really simple fishing when you get on the right spot, says Jester. Just throw it out, let it sink a couple feet, and reel it back slow. Crappies dont like a lot of motion or jigging the lure up and downslow, steady and straight does it.

He fishes the lures on ultra-light spinning gear and mono lines testing 4 to 6 pounds.

Using those light lines definitely increases the catch when youre throwing those little jigs, he says. They let the lure go down deeper and work more naturally than if you use 8 or 10.

At present, he said most of the fish have moved into water 4 to 6 feet deep on shelf areas off the main channel.

In February they were out in the creek channel in 10 or 15 feet, but as it warmed up they moved to these shoulder areas, and then as soon as the next warm spell theyll go up on the brush and grass and spawn, says Jester, a lifelong angler.

He not only likes Duck River Reservoir for crappies.

The lake has a really good bass population, too, and when it first opened some guys were catching 50 or more in a day. Of course, most of them were small, but there are a few left over fish that were already in the Duck River and some of them are 5 pounds and more.

Lake Manager Tim Scott, who oversees water quality as well as fishing opportunities on the lake, said hes hopeful some help from Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources may result in boosting the size of the spotted bass and the Florida largemouths which were also stocked.

Weve been stocking threadfin shad in the lake, and if we can get them to spawn and become established, theyll provide a food supply that will really bring a growth spurt, not only for the bass but also for the crappies.

Bass are catch-and-release only at the lake, but anglers can take 30 crappies over 9 inches daily, 20 bluegills and shellcrackers, and unlimited numbers of catfish. A permit is required in possession while fishing the laketheyre available free at the two boat ramps, one on the southeast side of the dam, and one on the northwest side of the lake off C.R. 1651.

There are also many areas where shore fishing is possible with a bit of brush-busting, and 22 miles of hiking/biking trails provide added access points.

A map of the lake including ramps, parking areas and trails, is available: http://www.duckriver.org/images/stories/MAPS/Trail-Open-Map2.pdf
Workshop Organizers:

John Bickle (Mississippi State University and University of Mississippi Medical Center)

Carl Craver (Washington University in St. Louis)

Pensacola, Florida; Pensacola Beach Hotel

To be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Alabama Philosophical Society, Hilton

September 27-28, 2019

Call for Abstracts: 750 Words, Due July 15, 2019, to:jbickle@philrel.msstate.edu



The development of new experiment tools is and has been a fundamental part of neuroscience. Compared to physics, chemistry, and evolutionary biology, neuroscience is relatively poor in overarching theories, but considerably rich in the diversity and sophistication of investigative equipment. This includes both tools to manipulate brain systems and to detect their central features and activities. One simply cannot understand the history of neuroscience or current practices without attending to the tools neuroscientists use to manipulate and measure neural structure and function. Tool development has been a central source of landmark discoveries since neuroscience began.

Given the centrality of tool development across the neurosciences, this relatively recent field is a good place to explore the historical and philosophical dimensions of this neglected aspect of experimental science-in-practice. Recently a few philosophers of neuroscience have begun this investigation, publishing papers discussing optogenetics and chemogenetics, gene targeting techniques, genome-wide association studies, and the development of increasingly specific animal models to study specific psychoneural functions, both healthy and diseased. Philosophical topics range from the epistemology of tool development, both of the norms governing the construction and evaluation of these investigative instruments and the practices in which they are embedded; the nature of scientific change and progress; the extent to which tools have a life of their own, independent of theory; the design of psychological tasks and model organisms as investigative tools; and the symbiotic relationship between theory-driven experimentation and engineering. Yet these initial investigations are only preliminary; they have yet to coalesce into a shared research program. The purpose of this workshop is to begin to seek consensus on the central problems for the history and philosophy of tool development and use across the neurosciences, and to address and compile progress individuals have made addressing these questions into a coherent body of shared work.

Toward these ends we are organizing a two-day workshop at the beachfront Hilton Pensacola Beach Hotel, to be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Alabama Philosophical Society. We are calling for abstracts for presentations to be made at this workshop. Participants will be responsible for their own travel costs and arrangements, and will pay the registration fee ($60) to the Alabama Philosophical Society. Funds from the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Mississippi State University will pay for workshop meeting space, a boxed lunch on Friday for workshop participants to kick off the workshop, and coffee and refreshment breaks. Registration fees to the APS will permit workshop participants to attend the annual Friday night reception and reserve hotel rooms at conference rates. We envision 11 or 12 one-hour sessions over the two-day period, each session composed of a 25 minute talk by a workshop participant followed by 30 minutes of discussion. We are calling for abstracts of up to 750 words for proposed workshop presentations. The deadline for submitting abstracts is July 15, 2019, with acceptances sent to presenters by August

1, 2019. We interpret tool broadly, to mean any equipment, apparatus, or technique employed in experimental neuroscience. By neuroscience we mean any research field standardly recognized as such in historical or current practice (i.e., molecular, cellular, cytoarchitectural, topographical, behavioral, systems, cognitive, computational, and affective, to name a few).

Future workshops are also being planned, as is the first published collection of essays on this topic from workshop participants, as a book volume from a major academic press. Abstracts should be sent to John Bickle as Word docs (or docxs) or pdfs, attached to an email to jbickle@philrel.msstate.edu. Authors of accepted abstracts for presentation will be asked to supply a shorter abstract (150 words) for inclusion as an addendum to the APS conference program. Please direct all queries to John Bickle at the email address given above.
A powerful Israeli lobby, reporting fatigue and the fear of being accused of anti-Semitism harms coverage, say experts.

Glasgow, Scotland  Often dubbed an open-air prison on account of Israels and Egypts ongoing air, land and sea blockade of the coastal enclave, Gaza is, according to Amnesty International and several other rights groups, on the brink of a humanitarian disaster.

In February, Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, highlighted the crisis, saying that the near two million Palestinians of the besieged strip remain mired in increasing poverty and unemployment, with limited access to adequate health, education, water and electricity.

But the mainstream media does not always succeed in telling Palestines contemporary story with accuracy and empathy.

On Thursday, in the Scottish city of Glasgow, experts discussed the medias role in covering one of the most pressing and divisive issues in international politics.

Al Jazeera interviewed three of the panellists before the event, which was hosted by The Balfour Project, a campaign group created by British citizens to raise awareness over Britains record in Palestine before and during its Mandate.

You always come under particular pressure with [reporting on events in Israel and Palestine] because there is an intense and concerted Israeli media lobby  and there always was, said Sarah Helm, a former foreign correspondent for the UKs Independent newspaper. And that includes a very intense Israeli political lobby working at every single level, which there always was too  and that was no secret and nor would they make a secret of it.

She was based in Jerusalem in the 1990s.

Helm said that her editors would often come under pressure from the Israeli lobby in London on what correspondents out in the field were doing in a way that was not really true [for] other foreign stories.

Because newspapers have been got at and persuaded and pressurised by the pro-Israel lobby, the upshot over time is that the reader hasnt got a clue what this place [Palestine] is.

Today, similar concerns remain.

Everyone is terrified of putting a foot wrong and being accused of being anti-Semitic that they daren't even ask the necessary questions. Sarah Helm, journalist

David Cronin, for example, who had freelanced for The Guardian, wrote in 2015 about his frustrations with the newspaper in Electronic Intifada, where he acts as an associate editor.

Having reported about atrocities against Palestinians committed by Israel, the paper was later not keen to have me writing from Gaza, he said, adding that one editor advised him to steer clear of covering the conflict altogether.

Time and space constraints also mean that UK media reports neglect the contextual history of the conflict.

This includes the fact that seven out of 10 Gazans are registered as refugees, with many originating from families who were forced to flee their homes after Israels foundation in 1948.

It seems to me that certain absolutely fundamental facts have to be high up in any story, Helm said.

The Western media narrative has been dominated by Israel during the entire 70-year conflict, according to Ilan Baruch, the former Israeli ambassador to South Africa.

Israel was brilliantly successful in offering a narrative to the western hemisphere that was embraced with little or no objective judgement, said Baruch, who resigned from the foreign service in 2011 because he felt he could no longer represent the Israeli governments policies.

Palestinian paramedics carry a wounded protester on a stretcher during clashes with Israeli forces following a demonstration near the fence along the border with Israel, east of Gaza, on March 8, 2019 [File: Mahmud Hams/AFP]

Reporting fatigue also contributes to poor media coverage.

Sir Vincent Fean, a former British consul-general in Jerusalem, said that Gazas complex and deep-rooted struggle has diminished the appetite of Western media.

In addition to the fatigue, there is also the fact that other crises in the Middle East are bloodier, like Syria and Yemen, said Fean, who was the UKs top-ranking consular officer in Jerusalem from 2010 to 2014. They take some of the oxygen away from the issue.

In 2017, Mariam Barghouti, a Palestinian-American writer based in Ramallah, wrote in a column for Al Jazeera: The mainstream media focus is always on Palestinian reaction and not on Israeli action and it insinuates that Palestinians are on the offence when in fact they are on the defence.

In suggesting a way forward, Helm said: Editors must have the courage of their convictions to insist historical context enables the reader, listener or viewer to understand the conflict.

History has been allowed  and even recent history has been allowed  to disappear into a swamp, she said. And everyone is terrified of putting a foot wrong and being accused of being anti-Semitic that they darent even ask the [necessary] questions.

As several critics of Israeli government policy find themselves accused of anti-Jewish racism, Baruch, the former Israeli ambassador to South Africa, said the debate needed to move past conflating these two notions.

Even criticising Zionism as the inspirational movement that created Israel is not anti-Semitism, he said. [The anti-Semitism charge] is just a ploy to pull down criticism of Israel.
On February 27, Kenyas national assembly once again refused to enact the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2018, also known as the Gender Bill, which seeks to legislate on the constitutional requirement that neither gender should have more than two-thirds in elective positions.

The National Assembly did so by denying the bill the requisite quorum for a constitutional amendment which requires two-thirds of the members of the house to be present. So, the MPs didnt just fail to pass the bill, but they refused to show up to even allow for the possibility of its enactment.

The refusal by the National Assembly to enact the bill reflects an escalation in a constitutional conflict and has implications on the stability of the constitutional and democratic framework in Kenya.

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 in Article 27(8) of the Bill of Rights provides that: The State shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender. This provision is also reiterated in Article 81(b) on the principles of the electoral system and is commonly referred to as the gender principle.

Since the promulgation of the current constitution in 2010, Kenya has been struggling to realise the above-mentioned provisions. The issue has been the subject of litigation for almost a decade, with the courts consistently holding that the parliament has an obligation to enact legislation to ensure that its gender composition in both elective and appointive bodies is in line with the requirements laid out in the constitution.

In 2012, the Supreme Court of Kenya gave parliament until August 27, 2015, to enact legislation to implement the provisions of Articles 27(8) and 81(b). Despite this, Parliament has failed and/or refused to enact legislation. In March 2017, the High Court once again found that parliament had failed in their constitutional obligations to enact legislation on the gender principle, and gave them 60 days within which to do so. The court further ordered that should parliament fail to enact the legislation during this period, the provision of Article 261 of the constitution applies and any person could petition the chief justice to advise the president to dissolve parliament. Despite all this, parliament did not enact the legislation within the 60 days.

Article 261(7) provides that if parliament fails to enact any court-ordered legislation to implement the constitution, the Chief Justice shall advise the President to dissolve Parliament and the President shall dissolve Parliament. This is the sole constitutional remedy provided for the failure and/or refusal by parliament to enact constitutionally required legislation. Perhaps because it is a last resort, the language in Article 261(7) is mandatory for both parties. Neither the chief justice nor the president is granted any discretion; nor incidentally, does it require the chief justice to be petitioned to act.

With the refusal of the National Assembly to enact the Gender Bill, the constitutional obligations of the chief justice and the president are unambiguous. Chief Justice David Maraga is required to advise President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve parliament, and the president is obligated to do so.

In late 2017, Maraga received two petitions urging him to act pursuant to his constitutional obligations in Article 261(7) and advise the president to dissolve parliament. Despite these petitions, and the explicit constitutional language obliging him to act, he has yet to advise President Kenyatta to dissolve parliament.

Therefore, last month, when the National Assembly, a body that is itself unconstitutional according to the gender principle (as 78 percent of the MPs are men, in excess of the constitutional maximum of two-thirds or 67 percent), denied the Gender Bill the requisite quorum, it did so with full knowledge of the consequences. This deliberate defiance to trigger a constitutional provision on the dissolution of parliament is a decisive test of not only constitutional officeholders (the chief justice and the president) but also the supremacy of the constitution itself.

Since the decision, there has been no statement from the governments chief legal adviser  Attorney General Paul Kihara. This is not surprising given that the attorney general is a part of an unconstitutional and illegal cabinet, which itself violates the gender principle just like parliament (men make up 75 percent of the cabinet).

Before the current attorney generals nomination and appointment in 2018, the High Court had already ruled that the president and parliament had acted in violation of the constitution in nominating and approving, respectively, a cabinet where men exceeded two-thirds of the total membership. The governments chief legal adviser, therefore, holds office in violation of the constitution and a court order. On March 1, 2019, the president signalled his continued rejection of the limits of constitutional and judicial authority on his office by nominating Professor George Magoha, a man, for the role of education minister.

The systematic violation of the constitutional provisions on womens inclusion extends well beyond parliament. The Gender Bill may merely be the means for elements within the government to upend the constitutional order in Kenya.

Whatever happens next, it now appears that Kenya is in the throes of a constitutional crisis. Will the chief justice act in defence of the constitution of Kenya? Or, as a member of an unconstitutional Supreme Court (which also violates the gender principle with men holding 71 percent of membership), will he continue to be complicit in the constitutional violations and with his inaction deal the fatal blow to the constitution? If Chief Justice Maraga does play his constitutional role, will President Kenyatta, who has repeatedly violated the constitution and defied the judicial branch, finally abide by the law or will we witness this administrations decisive break with the legal framework? What happens if parliament is dissolved? Will the already discredited four-member (all male) Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) be able to conduct elections?

Women arent the only victims of the National Assemblys refusal to enact the Gender Bill. The Gender Bill has simply provided a battleground, it is a convenient means, but not an end. The objective is to unencumber democratically elected leaders from the legal framework that facilitated their assumption of power. The ramifications of parliaments refusal to enact the bill extend beyond the struggle for gender equality. They are a repudiation of the constitution and the principles of democracy. The actions of constitutional actors in the coming weeks will provide the clearest indication since 2010 of Kenyas commitment to democracy, its constitution and the rule of law.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
On October 27, 2018, a gunman entered the Tree of Life Synagogue at the Squirrel Hill neighbourhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while Shabbat morning services were being held. He shot and killed 11 and injured another seven. The murderous act was considered the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the United States. The suspect, 46-year-old Robert Gregory Bowers, was arrested and charged with dozens of federal crimes. He was a notorious racist with a history of anti-Semitic hate speech on social media.

In 2006, a young Jewish man, named Ilan Halimi, was kidnapped in France by a gang demanding substantial ransom money from his family, believing them to be rich because he was Jewish. He was tortured for three weeks and then was found dumped in the suburb of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois. He died on the way to a hospital. Earlier this year, a tree planted in his name was chopped down.

In England, the record number of anti-Semitic acts in recent years include: a man who was walking to a synagogue when food was thrown at him from a car, a woman who was spat at in the face on a bus, a Jewish bakery that was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti, and a brick that was thrown at a synagogues glass front door.

The numbers are staggering and Europe-wide. Antisemitism is rising sharply across Europe, experts have said, according to a recent report by the Guardian, as France reported a 74 percent increase in the number of offences against Jews last year and Germany said the number of violent anti-Semitic attacks had surged by more than 60 percent. The article further says: The figures confirm the results of three recent Europe-wide surveys showing Jewish people feel at greater risk, and are experiencing markedly more aggression, amid a generalized increase in racist hate speech and violence in a significantly coarser, more polarized political environment.

The deep roots of anti-Semitism in Europe are widespread and murderous. From a prolonged history of pogroms to the Crusades to the horrors of the Holocaust, and a long and nasty history in between, European Jews have been the consistent subject of baseless slander, vicious defamation, malignant lies and rumours, wild and vilifying conspiracy theories, all resulting in massacres and ultimately genocide under Nazi Germany. In no other continent, country, or culture have Jews ever been so brutalised as they have been in Europe.

Although no other clime or continent is entirely immune to it, anti-Semitism is a specifically European disease, with European Christianity a main culprit in the carnage. The implications of the Pope Pius XII (1876-1958) during the European Holocaust has earned him the title of Hitlers Pope. In Roots of Hate: Anti-Semitism in Europe before the Holocaust (Cambridge, 2003), William I Brustein offers a wide spectrum of the religious, racial, economic, and political roots of this European disease.

Critique of Zionism is not anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism is a horrid fact, and Zionists have turned anti-Semitism into an even more horrid false charge. The recent examples of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party in the UK, exemplify the consistent and systematic abuse of the charge of anti-Semitism levelled against anyone anywhere who dares to raise her or his voice in support of Palestinians criticising the murderous history of Zionism in the course of the occupation and theft of Palestine.

Submit to the Zionist theft of Palestine and slaughter of Palestinians silently  anything other than that you are an anti-Semite to Zionists. They rode on that hobby horse until their delusional ship ran aground.

Based on their public positions, neither Omar nor Corbyn is anti-Semitic. They are merely and mildly critical of the Israeli policies, and in the case of Omar of the inordinate and pernicious power of the Zionist lobbies in the US. That does not make them anti-Semites. That makes them critical of a colonial project and its active propaganda machinery.

The charge of anti-Semitism is not light. The Zionists know what they are doing. They unleash the charge to silence, paralyse and neutralise their political opponents. For a long time, they were successful, until their trick became known around the globe.

The Zionists claim that the establishment of the state of Israel is to protect Jews against persecution. This is a false claim. The establishment of the state of Israel in Palestine, where Jews have always lived alongside Muslims and Christians, was a European colonial project and as such has exacerbated the terror coming towards the Jews.

Today, anti-Semitism is real and Zionists are categorically unqualified even to detect, let alone to fight it. Jews are the victims, Zionists the beneficiaries of anti-Semitism. The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, freely and openly elected as the top political figure of the Zionists, is a rank racist with a widespread coalition with all other racists, including anti-Semites, chief among them the US President, Donald Trump.

Zionists have weaponised the charge of anti-Semitism and seek to paralyse, punish, and neutralise those who dare to speak on behalf of Palestinians. This very violent act disqualifies Zionists from bringing the charge against anyone  even, and in fact in particular, against the real anti-Semites. To fight anti-Semitism, the fighter must have moral authority. As a racist apartheid state, Israel lacks that moral authority. As an ideology of racist occupation of Palestine, Zionism lacks that moral authority. As active, hardcore or liberal advocates of that ideology of land theft, occupation and incremental genocide of Palestinians, Zionists lack that moral authority.

Crying wolf

Zionists have two deadly weapons at their disposal, both of which are now entirely useless and outdated: first is their massive stockpile of nuclear weapons and second their empty slander of anti-Semitism.

From when they write highfalutin opinion pieces in Haaretz or the New York Times or anything else in between to when they demand and exact masses of billions of dollars of military extortion from the US, Zionists rely on these two weapons  that they are the only nuclear power in their region at the service of the empire and that anyone daring to tell them they are a gang of racist European settler colonial thieves stealing Palestine one settlement at a time, they start kicking and screaming, like that proverbial shepherd: Wolf!

They have for so long for so many times and on so many false occasions cried wolf to silence their political adversaries that today no one believes them even if they detect real anti-Semitism.

If not Zionists, then who has the moral authority to detect and fight anti-Semitism?

First and foremost, Jews themselves have been fighting against anti-Semitism for a long and sustained history. They are the victims of this deadly European disease. They have paid heavily and dearly for that hatred. They lead the way on the global battle against all kinds of racism, of anti-Semitism in particular.

In a recent piece titled, Debunking the myth that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitic, Peter Beinart has rightly pointed out all over the world, it is an alarming time to be Jewish  but conflating anti-Zionism with Jew-hatred is a tragic mistake. It is more than a mistake. It is a treacherous trap. Beinart is one among countless other critical thinkers and progressive Jews and Jewish organisations that have openly, boldly and persuasively argued against equating the critic of Israel or even Zionism with the hatred of Jews.

As a matter of principle, I disagree with a critical thinker first declaring he is Jewish before engaging in a critic of Israel or Zionism. I would never begin my critique of militant Islamism, or of ISIL (or ISIS), or of Saudi Arabia, or any other ruling Muslim regime, by first declaring  I am a Muslim. Jews have always been at the vanguard of all sorts of social justice movements. Their opposition to Israel or Zionism is not an exception. It is the success of the Zionist propaganda if we ever identify Judaism with Zionism.

Politicians like French President Emmanuel Macron who equate the critique of Zionism with anti-Semitism are demonstrating their historical and intellectual illiteracy. As Azmi Bishara points out in a recent essay, anti-Zionism is a substantially Jewish phenomenon. Jews have been at the forefront of battling Zionism. In his historical ignorance, or political charlatanism, or a combination of both, Macron is turning Jews against themselves.

Muslims must be at the vanguard

It is the moral and political duty of Muslims to join Jews in their fight against anti-Semitism. Muslims must be at the forefront of fighting anti-Semitism because Islamophobia is the other side of the selfsame disease. Neither Israel, nor Saudi Arabia, nor any other Muslim country on planet earth is in a moral position to join Jews and Muslims in this fateful battle.

As the horrific massacre of Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15 shows, Muslims and Jews (as well as African Americans and indeed any other community that these Whites consider foreigners in their settler colonies) are the identical victims of racist White supremacists the world over.



For more than a decade now, I have argued that Islamophobia is the most recent rendition of the selfsame animus that has fuelled European anti-Semitism. Jews and Muslims are almost identical victims of European racist hatred. Historically, Jews have been the internal and Muslims the external other of racist Europeans. In India, Myanmar and China, the ruling Islamophobic elite mimic European racists in their practices.

The recent migration of Muslims into Europe has exacerbated that hatred and rechannelled anti-Semitism into Islamophobia. The European support for Israel, it is crucial to keep in mind, and hatred of Muslims are interconnected. They want European Jews to leave Europe and go to Israel with the same intensity that they wish Muslims to go back to their own countries. European xenophobia is predicated on the selfsame delusional racism that gave birth to Nazism in Europe.

Jews and Muslims are natural allies in this battle against racism in the intertwined forms of entrenched anti-Semitism and widespread Islamophobia. Zionists and racist Europeans know this. The conflation of Zionism and Judaism, as recently staged by Macron, is a false flag to confuse the issue and prevent the active solidarity of these two main victims of their racism.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
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Managua, Nicaragua  Police have detained more than 100 people in the Nicaraguan capital as protests erupted on Saturday to demand President Daniel Ortega release political prisoners jailed in last years violent crackdown.

Opposition groups called for what they hoped would be the first march since the demonstrations were banned after anti-government protests sparked a national crisis nearly a year ago.

Heavily armed police, which refused to authorise the march, and paramilitary troops on motorcycles descended on opposition gatherings in Managua on Saturday afternoon.

They wielded batons and wrestled some demonstrators into pickups as hundreds of protesters chanted slogans at a local mall.

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The show of force came just one day after President Daniel Ortega released 50 political prisoners amid mounting international pressure and renewed calls to restart stalled peace talks with opposition groups.

The refusal to allow freedom of expression contradicts what we need to continue the dialogue, said Justina Orozco, an activist at the protest.

The National Police said it was obliged to protect public order and had taken 107 people into custody.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights condemned what it said was police repression against protesters and journalists and called for a full account of the detained and wounded.

Officials with Ortegas government could not be immediately reached.

Saturdays protests marked the latest chapter in Nicaraguas national crisis that began last April, when demonstrations against a since-dropped pension reform sparked a widespread anti-government movement targeting Ortega, a former Sandinista rebel.

Nicaraguan security forces responded with a violent clampdown with more than 325 people having been killed, according to the commission.

Opposition groups say 770 people they deem political prisoners were jailed, including on terrorism-related charges, according to human rights lawyer Julio Montenegro, who is representing nearly 80 of them

In addition, more than 50,000 are estimated to have fled to neighbouring Costa Rica and elsewhere.

Some protesters said the ongoing clampdown nearly a year after the crisis began spurred them to take to the streets.

Even those who did not participate said residents needed to pressure the government.

I support it 100 percent, said Yadira Cordoba, whose 15-year-old son was shot dead in a march last year and another has fled to Costa Rica.

The National Blue and White Unity movement called the march to be held on one of Managuas busiest thoroughfares, called Carretera Masaya, an area dotted with restaurants and hotels.

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At one petrol station, police with riot shields and batons swept through and sent journalists running.

At the upscale Metrocentro Mall, several hundred young protesters in blue stood in a car park and plaza, many with facemasks, chanting slogans and waving flags.

Police surrounded the mall and at one point swept inside the gates with batons leaving some protesters wounded, according to social media posts. One woman said she was beaten by paramilitary members on motorcycles in the car park.

The exact number of detainees on Saturday was still emerging. The National Blue and White Unity movement listed 60 people who had been arrested.

Authorities have also shut down some media outlets along with a few NGOs. The European Parliament recently called for sanctions on Nicaragua because of human rights abuses.

After opposition groups demanded the release of political prisoners to continue talks, Ortegas government released 112 when the current round of talks began on February 27.

Ahead of the 2021 presidential elections, Ortega has said he would be willing to overhaul state institutions. On Friday, he released 50 more into house arrest.

Nicaraguas Interior Department said the prisoners face charges such as crimes against public peace and security.
At least 16 soldiers have been killed in a raid on an army camp in central Malis Mopti region, two local councillors in the area where the attack happened said.

The base is in the village of Dioura, the mayor of the nearest town Kareri, Youssouf Coulibaly, told Reuters by telephone from inside the base on Sunday.

Im currently inside the base and there were many deaths here. We have counted 16 so far, Coulibaly said. Army spokesman Colonel Diarran Kone confirmed the attack but gave no further details.

A second military source told AFP that the troops had tried to fight off the attackers.

Our men responded  We dont have an exact toll yet but there is a lot of damage, he said.

A foreign security source said efforts were under way to determine how many people had died.

Central Mali has in the past few years been overrun by fighters with links to al-Qaeda.

Growing numbers of attacks

Violence by fighter groups has worsened almost every year since it first started in Mali in 2012 when rebel fighters and allied Tuareg rebels took over the north and advanced towards the capital Bamako, until a French-led intervention pushed them back the following year.

Groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) used central and northern Mali as a launch pad for growing numbers of attacks across the Sahel region, especially on neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, despite the presence of 4,500 French troops, UN peacekeepers, a strong French military contingent and the creation of a five-nation military force in the region.

Violence has not abated in Mali which suffered 237 attacks in 2018, UN figures show.

Central Mali is the locus of the Macina Liberation Front, led by preacher Amadou Koufa.

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly claimed in November that Koufa had been killed in a raid by French forces.

But at the end of last month, Koufa appeared in a new propaganda video mocking French and Malian forces.
What Albanias future will be is the question on peoples minds, as the political process moves into uncharted waters.

Opponents of Albanias government are holding their latest rally against what they call a corrupt political system.

The opposition is calling for a snap election, the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and for drug traffickers to stop controlling the government.

Al Jazeeras John Psaropoulos reports from the capital Tirana.
When 20,000 protesters tried to enter Albanias parliament, police responded with water cannons and tear gas.

Supporters of Albanias opposition have fought with police while trying to storm parliament to confront a government they accuse of being corrupt.

They also say Prime Minister Edi Rama is linked to organised crimes, allegations he rejects as ridiculous.

Al Jazeeras John Psaropoulos reports from Tirana.
Algerias state news agency says the new cabinet will include experts with no political affiliation.

Algerias newly-appointed prime minister has started talks to form a new government, the state news agency (APS) reported on Sunday in what appears to be the latest move to appease protesters.

The new cabinet will include experts with no political affiliation and will reflect the demographics of the Algerian society, APS said.

Noureddine Bedoui was appointed prime minister last week after his predecessor Ahmed Ouyahia resigned in the wake of mass protests.

Tens of thousands of Algerians have been demonstrating for more than three weeks demanding urgent change and an end to the 20-year rule of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.





On Monday the 82-year-old wheelchair-bound leader announced he will not run for a fifth term.

However, he also postponed presidential elections, which were due to be held in April.

He said the elections would follow a national conference on political and constitutional reform to be carried out by the end of 2019. The new constitution would be put to a referendum.

Many protesters see the step as an attempt to prolong Bouteflikas rule.

He suffered a stroke in 2013 and has since been rarely seen in public.

As Bedoui reportedly began work on the new government, prominent opposition leader Abderrazak Makri called on Bouteflika and the ruling elite to step down.

The gang [the ruling authority] has refused to respond to the Algerian people until today and this moment. It has to listen to the voice of the street and implement what it wants, said Makri, the head of the Islamist Movement for the Society of Peace (MSP), in an online statement late Saturday.

In January the MSP named Makri its presidential candidate for the now-delayed April elections.

On Friday, tens of thousands of Algerians took to the streets, demanding a radical change to the ruling system in the largest demonstration yet.

Makri called for keeping the anti-Bouteflika demonstrations peaceful.

Demonstrators carry flags as they protest against Bouteflikas reelection bid [Ramzi Boudina/Reuters]

We have to make sure that this [protest] movement will not slide into violence. This is the responsibility of [the] people as well as the security and military agencies, he said.

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In the 1990s, Algeria experienced a civil war after elections that Islamist parties appeared certain to win were cancelled.

Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999, extricated Algeria from the strife that resulted in about 200,000 deaths.

The president has been losing allies in recent days since returning from medical treatment in Switzerland, including senior members of the ruling National Liberation Front party.

Protests have been mostly peaceful, with security forces showing restraint. The military, which is expected to keep playing its influential behind-the-scenes role as a power broker, has stayed in the barracks.
Thailand has struggled to overcome deep-rooted political divisions since 2001, when Thaksin Shinawatra came to power.

Bangkok, Thailand  Thailand is preparing for its first election since 2014s military coup, but with a system designed to weaken political parties and ensure the militarys continuing role, few expect the vote to resolve divisions that have plagued the country for two decades.

Nearly 52 million Thais are eligible to vote in the March 24 polls, which will be the first under the new constitution that was drawn up by the military.

Early voting began throughout the country on Sunday.

I dont think this election will take Thailand back to a liberal democracy because the constitution allows the military to continue to hold power, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at the University of Ubon Ratchathani in Thailands east.

Nevertheless, he said he thinks it is still important for Thais to vote. It is a referendum on democracy and whether this country wants to move forward with democracy or not.

To win power, a party must secure a majority in both the houses of parliament. In the lower house, 350 members will be directly elected, with the remaining 150 awarded according to each partys popularity in the polls. The 250-seat upper house will be appointed entirely by the armed forces.





That means, while most parties will need to get 376 seats to secure power, the pro-military party Phalang Pracharat might only need to secure only 126.

Thailand has struggled to overcome deep-rooted political divisions since 2001, when telecommunications tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra rode to power promising to help the countrys rural poor. Thaksins rise electrified Thais who had long felt neglected, but it also sent shockwaves through the old guard centred around Bangkoks elite who had long dominated the countrys politics.

Even with Thaksin and his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, exiled amid allegations of corruption, parties aligned with the family have won every election in the country over the past two decades.

No matter who wins, Thailand will likely remain in political crisis, Josh Kurlantzick, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington wrote in an update on the elections last month.

Coup after coup

Instability is what the military has used to justify the numerous coups  at least 13  it has staged since the absolute monarchy came to an end in 1932.

Bringing order to chaos was the reason the military under General Prayuth Chan-ocha gave for overthrowing the popularly elected government of Pheu Thai under Yingluck.

That coup came after months of turmoil on the streets of Bangkok between Pheu Thai supporters, and those bitterly opposed to the Shinawatras and their brand of populist politics, in itself a continuation of the colour-coded protests that first emerged under Thaksin and led to the coup against him in 2006.

After taking over in 2014, the military set themselves up as the National Council for Peace and Order helmed by General Prayuth, outlawing political activity and cracking down on peaceful opposition to martial rule or criticism of its policies.

The NCPO then began drafting a new constitution  the 20th in modern Thailand  giving the military six seats in the unelected upper house, strengthening the Constitutional Court, and adopting a system of proportional voting designed to break the hold of the larger parties.

After securing public backing in a referendum in August 2016, the constitution was signed into law by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took over as monarch after the death of his father, the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He will be officially crowned in May a few days before the elections official results are announced.

We are actually inventing a whole new system, said Termsak Chalermpalanupap, an expert on Thailand at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party, talks to media [Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters]

Fragmentation

Nearly 80 parties and more than 2,700 candidates will be competing for votes in the polls. Some seven million people will be voting for the first time.

The big names include the pro-military Palang Pracharat and the anti-military Pheu Thai and Future Forward, a new party led by car parts tycoon Thanthorn Juangroongruangkit. But there are also other, mostly smaller, parties that have positioned themselves more neutrally.

In the 1990s, Thailand was considered a promising democracy in a region full of authoritarian regimes, but it turned out not to be, said Aim Sinpeng, a lecturer in politics at the University of Sydney. For many young Thais, this will be the first time they are voting. The last time there was an election, they were just kids.

Pheu Thai remains popular in the rural heartlands in the countrys northeast that make up its power base, while the more establishment orientated parties continue to have the backing of the elite and middle class in Bangkok. Many voters are concerned about the economy  Southeast Asias second-biggest, but sluggish under military rule  and startling levels of wealth inequality.





Still, candidates and politicians continue to contend with laws, including lese majeste and the Computer Crimes Act, which can make it risky to speak out or even campaign. At the end of February, a Cyber Security Act was added to the authorities arsenal, allowing access to computer data and networks.

Thai Raksa Chart, a spin-off of Pheu Thai, was dissolved last month and its leading members banned from politics for 10 years by the Constitutional Court after the party announced Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya as its candidate for prime minister. The princess gave up her royal titles when she married an American in 1972 and had carved out a career for herself as an actress and television host since returning to the country.

But her candidacy broke the tradition that royalty should not get involved in politics. In a statement, the king, her younger brother, described her candidacy as inappropriate.

Meanwhile, Future Forwards leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and other party executives face the prospect of criminal charges after the election over comments criticising the military that were posted on Facebook last year.

As campaigning enters its final week, some 52 legislators from around the region have urged the military government to lift restrictions on freedom of speech and expression.

A true democracy depends on people being able to form an opinion without fear of retaliation or repercussion, something that is just not possible in Thailand today, Charles Santiago, a member of the Malaysian parliament and chair of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights.

If the election is to have any legitimacy or credibility, the junta must immediately remove all remaining restrictions on freedom of expression and ensure the release of all those imprisoned solely for their peaceful political views.
Felix Tshisekedi promised about 700 prisoners would be freed during his first 100 days in office.

The first group of political prisoners pardoned by the Democratic Republic of Congos new president has been released from prison.

President Felix Tshisekedi promised about 700 prisoners  most of them jailed under the previous regime  would be freed during his first 100 days in office.

Al Jazeeras Katia Lopez-Hodoyan reports.
Racked by anguish, the relatives of those killed in two mosque attacks are desperate to lay loved ones to rest.

Christchurch, New Zealand  In a quiet corner of Memorial Park Cemetery, the graves dug out for the dozens of Muslim worshippers killed in the worst mass shooting in New Zealands modern history stretch out, row upon row, in every direction.

Around them sit mounds of excavated soil, waiting to fill in the gaping holes carefully carved out of the earth.

Elsewhere, grieving mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons are waiting, too.

More than 48 hours after a suspected far-right gunman killed at least 50 people during what has been labelled a terrorist attack on two Christchurch mosques, the relatives of those missing and presumed dead are racked by anguish, desperate to lay their loved ones to rest.

I havent slept for two days, 31-year-old Farhana Akhter says outside a makeshift victim support centre in Christchurch, a city that is home to a few thousand Muslims.

I cant eat or drink; I need to see my aunts body as soon as possible  so we can have relief.

Farhana Akhter and Nusrat Alam say they have been informed by authorities that their aunt, Husna Ahmed, was killed in Fridays attack [David Child/Al Jazeera]

White-supremacist attack

Akhters relative, Husna Ahmed, was among the more than 40 people shot dead on Friday at the Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch  one of the two places of worship that came under attack, the other being Linwood mosque, some seven kilometres away.

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A 28-year-old Australian man, identified as Brenton Harrison Tarrant, has been charged with one count of murder, with many more expected.

In his own words, published in a rambling, racist and overtly white-supremacist online manifesto minutes before the attack, the suspect said he had decided to commit to violence against non-whites and immigrants, arguing they were destroying societal cohesion.

She saved everyones life but unfortunately she sacrificed her life. Farhana Akhter tells Al Jazeera about her aunts courage during the mass shootings on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday. pic.twitter.com/yz9WWVgj5G  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2019

Husna, 45, was attending Friday prayers, as usual, when the gunman armed with semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines stormed Al Noor mosque and opened fire indiscriminately on everyone inside.

My auntie, she was ushering all the ladies out to make sure they all got out, says 19-year-old Nusrat Alam, another niece of Husnas.

She came back in, to look for my uncle, who is disabled, and thats when she was shot by the gunman, she adds.

Its a very big step to see the body. A lot of other people are frustrated like us too.





Authorities pledge speed, sensitivity

Authorities in New Zealand have not made official public statements naming the victims, but have pledged to move as swiftly as possible in returning bodies to the victims families, while stressing the need for accurate identification and evidence gathering first.

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said some bodies would be returned to victims families on Sunday evening and expressed hope that all of those killed would be with their relatives again by Wednesday at the latest.

Arderns comments came after Mike Bush, New Zealands police chief, said officials were aware of the cultural and religious needs of Muslim victims, identifying and releasing bodies as quickly and sensitively as possible.

Muslims are customarily buried within 24 hours of death. Before their burial, the bodies are washed and wrapped in a white shroud so that funeral prayers can be conducted.

The delay enforced in the aftermath of Fridays tragedy is deeply traumatising, but understandable given the scale of the attack, says 44-year-old Waleed Wahsh on the outskirts of a public vigil at the Al Noor mosque.

It is still difficult for a lot of people not to be able to see their loved ones and the dead bodies, even just to get reassurance that they have passed away, adds Wahsh, who lost three friends in the attack.

But we have a lot of confidence that the government and their agencies are doing their absolute best and they are working around the clock to get those names identified.

A beautiful soul

Help is coming from other corners, too.

Family members, members of the Muslim community and others have travelled to Christchurch from various places across New Zealand in a bid to help out as volunteers in the aftermath of the mosque attacks.

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Javed Dadabhai, who says his cousin Junaid was murdered on Friday, is one of them. He flew down from Auckland, New Zealands biggest city and home to most of the countrys 50,000 Muslims.

My cousin was a beautiful soul; he was very softly spoken and a very kind-hearted person. He was just gentle, Dadabhai, 30, says.

He expressed that in every part of his life, he adds.

Now Dadabhai is part of a team helping organise the release of Junaids and others bodies and, in time, their burials. He says that could take the volunteers, which are coordinating with authorities, up to a week.

The families have been so patient with regards to how long this process has taken, Dadabhai says.

From an Islamic point of view, there was a want to receive the dead immediately and start the grieving process  but they realise that this is not like any other incident, especially in New Zealand  so its a stop-start to the families grieving process  they want to begin it but they are being paused too, he adds.

Hopefully its going to get better though, as the names [of those killed] are starting to get released to the families, you can see they feel they are finally allowed to cry, to release some of their grief.
Over 150 reported dead in several southern African countries, with tens of thousands cut off from roads, communication.

Weather experts are warning that a staggering amount of rain is set to continue battering parts of southeastern Africa, already devastated by a vicious cyclone that has killed more than 150 people in several countries.

Cyclone Idai has affected more than 1.5 million people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, according to officials.

The International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement on Saturday that at least 126 people had died in Mozambique, Malawi and South Africa after a week of heavy rains and flooding. In Zimbabwe, the countrys information ministry put the death toll from flooding at 31.

On Sunday, hundreds of people remained missing, while tens of thousands were cut off from roads and communication lines.

Mozambiques central port city of Beira was hardest hit, with the airport closed and many homes destroyed.

The IFRC said aid workers were trying to reach the city  Mozambiques fourth largest and home to some 500,000 people  by road in order to help establish a response operation and assess the damage.

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The extent of the destruction remains unclear, but first-hand information provided by our local colleagues indicate that many parts of Beira have been seriously damaged, said Jamie LeSueur, IFRCs head of emergency operations, who is leading the team.

Houses have been destroyed, trees and electric poles have fallen. Electricity and communications have been cut.

Al Jazeeras Malcolm Webb, reporting from Espungabera, some 300km from Beira, said the destruction caused by the enormous amount of rain was hampering aid efforts.

Since the cyclone hit Mozambiques coast, there have been torrential rains and strong winds  rivers have swollen and power lines have blown down, said Webb.

Cyclones are common on the Indian Ocean at this time of year, but few of them hit the land and this has been particularly destructive, he added.

The storm made landfall on Mozambique on Thursday, with wind gusts of about 160 kilometres per hour, causing ocean waves of up to nine metres high.

Further heavy downpours

Al Jazeera meteorologist Everton Fox said on Sunday that even though the winds had died down, the torrential rains were expected to continue  before stopping next week.

Over the next three days, we are going to see as much as 900mm of rain, he said. Thats a staggering amount of rain that will inevitably cause further problems, added Fox.

We are going to see further heavy downpours and the flooding will worsen.

Some people still attempt to cross this bridge in Chimanimani #Zimbabwe despite the danger

Cyclone #Idai pic.twitter.com/sVC6dDW6jr  harumutasa/aljazeera (@harumutasa) March 17, 2019

Amid the warnings, Mozambiques President Filipe Nyusi and his Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, cut short trips abroad to deal with the effects of the powerful cyclone.

The two leaders had both left their countries as the cyclone hit their respective countries, drawing criticism from some who thought they should have stayed at home to address a disaster whose overwhelming magnitude has not been experienced in years.

State radio in Mozambique reported that Nyusi planned to visit affected areas after returning from Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, on Sunday.

Mnangagwa was returning home from the United Arab Emirates to make sure he is involved directly with the national response by way of relief to victims of Cyclone Idai, the information ministry said on Sunday.
At least one Israeli said to be killed and two others wounded after incident near illegal Jewish settlement of Ariel.

At least one Israeli has been killed and two others wounded in a Palestinian attack in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, an Israeli military spokesman said.

In a conference call with journalists, military spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier at an intersection near the illegal Jewish settlement of Ariel and grabbed his assault rifle.

Conricus added that the Palestinian then used the weapon to fire at three vehicles, hitting a civilian and then hijacking a car which he drove to another junction nearby where he shot a second soldier before continuing on to Bruqin, a nearby Palestinian village.

Conricus said one Israeli was killed and two others were wounded. He did not identify the man who died, and said it was not immediately clear if more than one person was involved in the attack.

Palestinian news agency Maan, however, reported that two Israeli soldiers and one settler were killed in the incident, while four other settlers were seriously wounded.





In public remarks at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of several assailants, saying, Security forces are pursuing the attackers. I am certain they will be apprehended.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, praised the West Bank attack as a natural response to crimes committed by the Israeli occupation. The statement stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attack.

An Islamic Jihad spokesperson in Gaza also said the group congratulates those who committed it.

Conricus said the military did not yet know if the attacker was affiliated with any organisation but said that a manhunt is ongoing.

Israeli forces have raided Bruqin and adjacent Palestinian villages, local media said, with some soldiers stationed on the rooftop of civilian homes. The entrances to half a dozen villages were also closed off by the army.

The attack comes after two Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces last week in separate West Bank incidents. On Thursday, two rockets from Gaza were fired towards Tel Aviv in a rare attack into the heart of Israel that looked to set the sides into another round of escalation.

Hamas denied Israels accusation it was behind the rocket fire. However, Israel went on to target several sites belonging to Hamas military wing in Gaza with about 100 missiles.
More are wondering whether there should be more weapon restrictions after attack targets Muslim community.

Fridays attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labelled as terrorism, was the worst mass killing in New Zealands modern history, and the country raised its security threat level to the highest.

The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings rose to 50 after police said they found another body, while an overwhelmed hospital was forced to delay surgeries as it struggled to cope with the volume of those wounded.

Al Jazeeras Priyanka Gupta reports on how the massacre has sparked a new debate about gun laws.
Trump is forging ahead with his border wall and crackdown on migrants and asylum seekers but behind the political posturing are the lives of real people.

As part of its crackdown on migrants, the Trump administration has already stopped providing care for asylum seekers. One church in San Diego which provides shelter for migrants has been overwhelmed with people needing help.

But it has now been told to turn them away because of fire safety rules.

Al Jazeeras Rob Reynolds reports.
Rashid, who died trying to tackle the attacker in New Zealand mosque attack, to be recognised for his courage.

A Pakistani man, who died trying to tackle the New Zealand mosques attacker, will be honoured posthumously with a national award, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said.

Naeem Rashid, 49, was among nine Pakistanis killed in the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday.

Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the white supremacist terrorist and his courage will be recognised with a national award, Khan wrote on Twitter on Sunday, while extending support to the families of the Pakistani victims.

Rashid, originally from Abbottabad in Pakistan, was badly wounded in the attack on the Al Noor mosque after he tried overpowering the shooter, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis said in a series of Twitter posts.

He was rushed to the hospital but died due to indiscriminate firing, the ministry added.

Hero Christchurch mosque victim who wrestled with the gunman, Naeem Rashid from Abottabad, Pakistan. His son Talha was also killed in the attack. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. pic.twitter.com/cTHAyScKwT  Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & HRD  (@mophrd) March 16, 2019

Rashids 21-year-old son Talha Naeem was also killed in the attack, Pakistans foreign ministry said.

Mohammad Faisal, a spokesman for the ministry, said the father and son will be buried in Christchurch and arrangements for the burial are in place.

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At least 50 people, hailing from Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia were killed, when 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant opened fire at Al Noor and Linwood mosques.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in the countrys modern history.

He will be our hero

Rashid moved from Pakistan to New Zealand to work as a teacher in Christchurch. His son was a civil engineering graduate.

My son and my husband are heroes, Ambreen, Rashids wife said.

This is the mosque they always went to. I still cant understand or believe why and how this happened. But, I know that my husband is a hero. He always helped people and even in his last moments, he did what he could to help others, she told Khaleej Times.

Relatives and family members of Naeem Rashid comfort each other during a condolence gathering at the familys home in Abbottabad, Pakistan [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]

His sister-in-law, Naema Khan, told New Zealand news website Stuff, that video footage of the shooting, which was documented live, showed Rashid trying to stop the attacker.

Describing Rashid as a kind and humble man, Khan said family members were calling from around the world to say he will be our hero.

Rashids mother in Abbottabad appealed for urgent support to be able to travel to New Zealand.

It is my request to provide urgent facilities to my mother to travel to New Zealand. My sister-in-law is alone there, Rashids brother told local media.
Manila moved to quit after the body launched an examination in 2018 into President Rodrigo Dutertes drug crackdown.

The Philippines has officially withdrawn from the International Criminal Court (ICC), though the beleaguered tribunal has pledged to pursue its examination of alleged illegal killings in the governments drug war.

Manilas withdrawal on Sunday came a year after it told the United Nations it was quitting the worlds only permanent war crimes tribunal, becoming the second nation to do so after Burundi.

The secretary-general  informed all concerned states that the withdrawal will take effect for the Philippines on 17 March, UN spokesperson Eri Kaneko told the AFP news agency on Friday.

Under the treaty, withdrawal is only effective one year after a country gives written notice of its decision to the UN secretary-general.

A signatory country also can not be discharged of any cases already pending in the court before the withdrawal.

That means the probe into possible crimes against humanity in the presidents drug war launched by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in February 2018 would continue.

The suspension of the withdrawal for a period of 12 months  is to prevent situations just like this where a state is accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and they withdraw to shield themselves from prosecution, Toby Cadman, an international human rights lawyer, told Al Jazeera.

The whole point is that you cannot be permitted to do that. So the ICC will continue and will have jurisdiction over prosecuting the president and senior officials who are considered to be responsible.

Never part of the ICC

The departure of the Philippines follows the court being hit in recent years by high-profile acquittals and moves by several nations to drop out.





Manila moved to quit after the body launched a preliminary examination in 2018 into President Rodrigo Dutertes drug crackdown that has killed thousands and drawn international censure.

However, the presidents spokesman said Sunday the nation never legally joined the treaty that underpins the court, a reference to an argument that the Philippines did not complete all the steps to formalise its adoption.

Our position on the matter remains clear, unequivocal and inflexible: The Philippines never became a state party to the Rome Statute which created the ICC, spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

As far as we are concerned, this tribunal is non-existent and its actions a futile exercise, he added.

Dutertes drug war is his signature policy initiative and he defends it fiercely, especially from international critics like Western leaders and institutions which he says do not care about his country.

Controversial war on drugs

Duterte has made it clear his government will not cooperate with the ICC in any way.

The court can never acquire jurisdiction over my person, not in a million years, he said in a speech on Wednesday.

Rights group Amnesty International said on Sunday the withdrawal should prompt the UN Human Rights Council to probe the killings.

Filipinos bravely challenging the war on drugs or seeking justice for their loved ones need international support to help them end this climate of fear, violence and impunity, said Amnesty International regional director Nicholas Bequelin.

The ICC examination, which is one step before a full-blown probe, zeroes in on allegations that the government has been involved in illegal killings as part of the crackdown Duterte launched in mid-2016.

Police say they have killed 5,176 users or pushers who resisted arrest, but rights groups say the actual number of dead is at least triple that.

Critics have alleged the crackdown amounts to a war on the poor that feeds an undercurrent of impunity and lawlessness in the nation of 106 million.

The Philippiness move to exit follows a string of setbacks for the ICC, including the January acquittal of former Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo and the June 2018 not guilty verdict for former DR Congo Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba.

In a wave of unprecedented defections, other African nations  Zambia, South Africa, Kenya and Gambia  have also made moves to quit or expressed interest in withdrawing as they accused the court of being biased against Africans.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Friday the United States will revoke or deny visas to ICC personnel seeking to investigate possible war crimes by US forces or allies in Afghanistan

However, the court this month got a boost when Malaysia officially joined, making it one of just a handful of Asian members.
At a campaign rally, Erdogan says alleged NZ attacker said he wanted Muslims removed from Turkeys European territory.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showed video footage at an election rally from the attack on two New Zealand mosques that killed 50 people and said the suspected gunman had made threats against Turkish Muslims.

Erdogan said the suspect had twice visited Turkey and warned Turks have no place in Europe. He said on Saturday that Turkish authorities were investigating his visits and his contacts.

Turkeys president showed a video  including extracts purportedly from the suspects online manifesto and semi-blurred footage of the shooting  to the crowd via a large screen.

We do not want to see a cross and crescent conflict again, Erdogan told the rally, referring to the conflict between Christians and Muslims.

He said the suspected attacker had said he wanted Turkish Muslims removed from Turkeys European territory.

Majority-Muslim Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, its Asian section known as Anatolia. Turkeys largest city, Istanbul, is split between an Asian part to the east of the Bosphorus, and a European half to the west of the strait.

The wicked person who martyred 49 brothers and sisters is saying that we can stay on the Anatolian side, we cannot pass to the European side. Who do you think you are? Erdogan said.

A senior Turkish security source said Tarrant entered Turkey twice in 2016  for a week in March and for more than a month in September. Turkish authorities began investigating everything from hotel records to camera footage to try to ascertain the reason for his visits, the source told Reuters news agency.

On Friday, Erdogan said the suspected attacker had targeted our country, our nation and myself, adding countries around the world, particularly in the West, needed to guard against the rise of Islamophobia.





Demonising Islam

Leaders around the world expressed sorrow and disgust at the attacks, with some deploring the demonisation of Muslims. Political and Islamic leaders across Asia and the Middle East voiced concern over the targeting of Muslims.

The Turkish leader, who often criticises Islamophobic attitudes, called for the West to act to prevent similar attacks.

If measures are not taken right away, news of other disasters will follow this one, said Erdogan.

After Friday prayers, dozens of people gathered outside Istanbuls Fatih Mosque  one of the citys main mosques  chanting condemnation of the attack and waving signs saying Stop global terrorism and Crusader Savagery in New Zealand.

Erdogan had earlier condemned the attack on Twitter: May Allah have mercy on the victims and grant a speedy recovery to the wounded.
Chipinge, Zimbabwe  The death toll from Cyclone Idai continues to rise as southern African countries struggle to deal with the devastating aftermath of the torrential downpours.

The powerful storm has killed at least 64 people in Zimbabwe in recent days, government officials say, while in neighbouring Mozambique the death toll has jumped to 48.

Idai made landfall in Mozambique on Thursday evening before proceeding to Zimbabwe and Malawi, causing flash floods, wrecking infrastructure and leaving communities without electricity.

More than a million people have been affected, including tens of thousands who have been displaced, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In Zimbabwes Eastern Highlands, the heavy rains had died out by Sunday  but only after causing widespread destruction.

In Chipinge, an eastern town some 450km southeast of the capital, Harare, transport links were cut off after a road was damaged due to water pressure.

A bus carrying passengers bound for Harare was stuck in a mush of soft tar and mud. A few small cars managed to bypass the sludge when volunteers and soldiers laid down a makeshift path made of wooden planks.

Volunteers try to push a car stuck in the broken muddy road in Chipinge, Zimbabwe [Tendai Marima/Al Jazeera]

Transport engineers told Al Jazeera that the works to repair the damaged road could take up to a day, leaving locals trying to leave the flooded town stranded.

Gladys Nyandoro, a 58-year-old Chipinge resident whose home had been flooded, said she would seek alternative transport to continue her journey with her son to a temporary shelter in Harare.

I could only leave with a few clothes, but my house is full of water. I have never seen so much rain since we moved back here, she said of her husbands communal home.

I just want to go back to Harare; this area is too much for me.

Anesu Chitepo, a 22-year-old shopkeeper, said his grocery store had been affected by erratic power outages caused by the heavy rains.

We cant be happy to think this rain is a blessing when everything it touches is destroyed, he said. This will only bring us more trouble, than the real water we wanted.

A man walks past the Devuli River in southeastern Zimbabwe where water levels have risen significantly [Tendai Marima/Al Jazeera]

Zimbabwes government has declared the torrential storm a disaster and dispatched members of the military and national youth service to help evacuate stranded villagers.

Meanwhile, the countrys Civil Protection Unit has been using helicopters to gain access to the remote town of Chimanimani, on the northeastern border with Mozambique.

Local aid groups have yet to access the area where dozens are thought to be missing and hundreds more are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

According to Joshua Sacco, a local member of parliament, all four bridges leading to the mountainous town have been damaged.

We have people stranded in this area, but the access roads to this area have landslides, he said.

There is nothing, we dont have any road accessible, added Sacco.

The best form of help we need is an excavator or a grader to clear the roads.

The cyclone has brought torrential rains and winds thought to be worst in decades since Cyclone Eline struck the region in 2000.
The lawyer of Shamima Begum, a UK teenager who travelled to ISIL-controlled territory in Syria, says he was stopped by US-backed Kurdish forces from reaching his client, a move hampering efforts to appeal the British governments decision to revoke her citizenship.

Tasnime Akunjee travelled to the al-Roj camp in northern Syria earlier this week to get Begums instructions and signature to launch the appeal process against British Home Secretary Sajid Javids controversial move.

Begum doesnt know the details of the law around her citizenship being stripped. She doesnt know that she has a right of appeal to that, Akunjee told Al Jazeera on Sunday.

I was seeking to give her advice and the paperwork for the appeal process which ends within 28 of the decision and runs out on Tuesday, he added.

Now 19, Begum left her home in east London to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) in 2015. She was found last month at a camp held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group fighting ISIL.

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Before Akunjees arrival at the camp, several journalists had previously entered the site to interview a heavily-pregnant Begum, who appealed last month to be allowed to return home.

But Akunjee said that the SDFs orders to those guarding the camps had recently changed.

I was briefly detained by SDF guards who told me their orders were that no one was allowed to get in or out of any of the camps, said Akunjee, adding that he also spoke to the forces foreign relations officer and an intelligence official in charge of the camp.

The SDF intelligence officer informed me that he was sympathetic and attempted to ring his superiors to see whether an exception could be made, said Akunjee, who added that he was still unable to reach Begum.

Javid, the British home secretary, notified Begums parents of his decision to revoke her citizenship on February 19. British media reported that the action was taken on the grounds that she could obtain another passport because of her Bangladeshi heritage.

While Begums parents are of Bangladeshi origin, she does not hold a Bangladeshi passport. Akunjee is eager to challenge the move, which has been criticised by legal experts who say it leaves Begum stateless.

We are going to be judicially reviewing the home secretarys decision based on the fact that she [Begum] cant engage the appeal process, Akunjee said. It is physically not possible due to her circumstances. The appeal clock shouldnt be ticking.

Javids decision faced mounting criticism since Begums son, Jarrah, died earlier this month at the camp, only three weeks after being born.

Reports at the time said the infant had been suffering from breathing difficulties.








Environmental lawyer to face European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic in runoff later this month.

Slovak environmental activist Zuzana Caputova took a step closer to becoming her countrys first female president after winning the first round of nationwide elections, signalling a potential sea change for a country that has fallen victim to rampant corruption since it was established in 1993.

Among the 13 candidates vying for the presidency, Caputova secured 40.56 percent of the vote on Saturday, with more than 99 percent of all districts reporting.

She beat Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission vice president backed by the ruling centre-left Direction-Social Democracy (Smer-SD) party, which took the second place with 18.66 percent of the vote.

The two leaders will now compete in a runoff election scheduled for March 30.

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The result follows an impressive campaign from Caputova, a lawyer with no public office experience, who for years fought to clean up a toxic landfill.

Since she announced her candidacy a year ago, she has staged a meteoric rise in the polls as the anti-corruption candidate standing up to a government that has become increasingly unpopular since the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak last year.

I see a strong call for change in this election following the tragic events last spring, Caputova told reporters as she cast vote in her home town Pezinok. We stand on a crossroads between the loss and renewal of public trust.

With a population of just 5.54 million and half of all eligible voters casting their ballots in the election, it became impossible for any one candidate to win outright in the first round.

Slovakias election rules mandate a candidate take at least 50 percent of all eligible votes, not only among those who participated.

Political outsider

Caputovas resounding first-round victory poses a potential threat to the current political establishment under Smer-SD, experts believe.

Though the party is pro-European Union, it has used a populist platform to strengthen political support, taking a strong stand against migration and EU decision-makers in Brussels.

The mood in Slovakia fundamentally changed following the murders of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova 13 months ago, said Rick Zednik, an American-Slovak who established the English-language newspaper Slovak Spectator in 1995.

Found shot dead at his home near Bratislava last February, Kuciak at the time was investigating an alleged connection between Italys Ndrangheta crime syndicate and high-ranking officials in the Slovak government.

Demonstrators take part in a protest rally marking the first anniversary of the murder of Kuciak and his fiancee in Bratislava [File: David W Cerny/Reuters]

The high-profile murders of Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, months before their wedding, sparked the largest nationwide protests in Slovakia since the Velvet Revolution in 1989.

Weeks later, the then Prime Minister Robert Fico resigned from his post, but remained the head of his party.

Caputova stepped into this context as a political outsider. That, along with her achievements as a public defender, made her a credible alternative to the political establishment, Zednik told Al Jazeera, adding that her ascension could be an important factor in the run-up to the next parliamentary election in 2020.

Crying for change

Earlier this week, Slovak prosecutors formally charged a controversial businessman with alleged ties to the mafia with the murders of the 27-year-old Kuciak and Kusnirova.

While the role of the president in Slovakia is symbolic in many respects, it wields a limited but important role in policy, with veto power over any bill passed by the National Council.

The president can also shape the countrys currently vulnerable judicial system, with the ability to appoint judges to the Constitutional Court as well as the judicial council.

We only have four judges [serving in the Constitutional Court] and we need nine more elected, and Slovakia is waiting for a new president to choose those judges, said Martin Poliacik, a member of the liberal Progressive Slovakia party, of which Caputova is deputy head.

He hopes that her success could lead to a further backlash against the tide of populism that has swept much of Europe in recent years.

I think the outcome of these elections will show us how much Slovakia is crying for a change, and not only internally, but for regional civilisation, he said.

She would give hope to those other countries as well.
Belhassen Trabelsi is wanted in Tunisia where he is thought to have headed a clan that embezzled government funds.

Tunisia has said it is seeking the extradition of deposed President Zine El Abidine Ben Alis brother-in-law, who has been arrested in France and is wanted at home for alleged fraud.

The justice ministry said in a statement on Saturday it had learned from the Interpol office in Tunis that Belhassen Trabelsi was arrested on Thursday in France.

It said he was facing 17 arrest warrants in Tunisia and 43 international warrants.

Tunisian media reported that the ministry of justice had sent a letter to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday asking France to hand over Trabelsi in accordance with the bilateral agreements between the two countries.

There was no official confirmation in France of Trabelsis arrest.

But a source close to the investigation said he had been arrested in the south of the country earlier this week in connection with alleged financial wrongdoing. There were no further details.

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The millionaire businessman and brother of Ben Alis wife Leila Trabelsi left Tunisia in January 2011 when the Arab Spring uprising forced the veteran leader to flee to Saudi Arabia.

Trabelsi and his family flew in a private jet to Montreal where he requested political asylum but Canada turned down his appeal in 2015, and a year later, as it prepared to deport him, he vanished.

He is wanted in Tunisia where he is thought to have headed a clan that embezzled government funds.

A leaked June 2008 United States diplomatic cable concluded that Trabelsi was the most notorious [Ben Ali] family member and is rumored to have been involved in a wide-range of corrupt schemes.

Trabelsi  whose holdings included an airline and hotels  has denied the allegations against him, saying he accumulated his wealth from being a successful entrepreneur.
It is estimated that more than 3,000 Yazidis were killed by ISIL when they took control of the area five years ago.

United Nations forensic teams have begun exhuming bodies from mass graves around the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar  home to the minority Yazidi group.

It is estimated that more than 3,000 Yazidis were killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) group when they took control of the area five years ago.

The UN says their treatment at the hands of ISIL amounts to genocide.

Al Jazeeras Victoria Gatenby reports.
Narcissistic right-wing Australian attacker allegedly behind Christchurch shooting was not known to authorities.

Melbourne, Australia  The Australian man allegedly responsible for livestreaming a massacre of Muslims as they prayed in New Zealand mosques was previously not known to security agencies in Australia or New Zealand, authorities have said.

Brenton Tarrant, 28, accused of carrying out attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday that resulted in the deaths of at least 50 people, including children, was charged with murder as he appeared in a district court on Saturday.

Tarrant, described by Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison as an extremist, right-wing, violent terrorist, expressed admiration for other violent white nationalists and his intention to create an atmosphere of fear and to incite violence against Muslims.

Bob Parker, a former Christchurch mayor, said it was unclear why security agencies werent aware of the threat Tarrant posed.

I think there are questions to be asked about why this wasnt picked up by authorities. There does seem to be a significant amount of information that was put online sometime before this attack took place, and it does not seem to have rung alarm bells in the right places, Parker told Al Jazeera.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a media conference that Tarrant was not on a terrorist watch list.

This individual was not on any watch list for either New Zealand or Australia, she said. What Ive sought from [security] agencies is further work to ascertain whether or not he should have been.

Personal trainer

An Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesperson confirmed to Al Jazeera the man was not known to police in Australia for violent extremism or serious criminal behaviour. Three other suspects were detained along with Tarrant on Friday, but police now say he acted alone.

The NSW joint counterterrorism team has begun an Australian based investigation to assist New Zealand police, the AFP spokesperson said. With an investigation under way, it is not appropriate to provide further comment.





Tarrant has spent little time in Australia in the past four years and only had minor traffic infractions on his record, authorities said. He had worked as a personal trainer at the Big River Gym in Grafton, a small city 500 kilometres northwest of Sydney.

After his father died in 2011, Tarrant used his inheritance to travel internationally, including to France where he claimed to have seen an invasion of immigrants.

The gyms owner Tracey Gray told Australian media, I think something must have changed in him during the years he spent travelling overseas Somewhere along the lines, experiences or a group have got a hold of him.

The suspects grandmother Marie Fitzgerald agreed.

The media is saying hes planned it for a long time so hes obviously not of sound mind I dont think. Its only since hes travelled overseas that that boy has changed completely from the boy we knew, she told Channel Nine television.

Delusional, dangerous

The origins of my language is European, my culture is European, my political beliefs are European, my philosophical beliefs are European, my identity is European and, most importantly, my blood is European, wrote Tarrant in a 74-page so-called manifesto posted online prior to the attacks.

It detailed an anti-immigration, neo-fascist ideology lamenting the supposed decline of European civilisation. While describing himself as a regular white man, Tarrant speculated he might get 27 years in prison just like Nelson Mandela and be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

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Responding to his own question Is there a particular person that radicalised you the most?, Tarrant wrote: Yes, the person that has influenced me above all was [US conservative commentator] Candace Owens Each time she spoke I was stunned by her insights and her own views helped push me further and further into the belief of violence over meekness.

Professor Greg Barton, chair of global Islamic politics at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Globalisation & Citizenship, characterised Tarrant as having an unhealthy narcissism common among terrorists.

I think he was drawn by this dark fantasy of going zero to hero, like an Anders Behring Breivik, like the Quebec City mosque shooting of January 2017, said Barton.

It had to be imported from Australia, he added, referring to the Islamophobic ideology that motivated the attack, coinciding with that access to assault weapons.

While known for having more moderate politics, New Zealand has relatively lax gun laws in comparison with its larger neighbour.

Right-wing terror

Asked why the perpetrator would not have been on a terrorism watch list, Barton said, There are so many people posting the sort of thing that Brenton Tarrant was posting, that they just dont raise any alarms. There is a large cloud of right-wing extremism online.

Anti-racism campaigners in Australia have raised concern in recent years about far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson or Milo Yiannopoulos seeking to tour the country, where they attract significant followings online.





Australias Immigration Minister David Coleman said on Saturday, Yiannopouloss visa had been revoked because of comments he made in the wake of the Christchurch attacks, which referred to Islam as barbaric.

The police has been telling us for several years that their big, rising concern  which they struggled to put resources at because its not an immediate threat  is the rise of right-wing extremism, Barton said.

Theyve always said its not a case of if but when they come to Australia resulting in serious violence.

According to a recent report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), domestic extremists killed 50 people in the United States last year  an overwhelming majority of which were perpetrated by right-wing extremists.

White supremacists were responsible for the great majority of the killings, it said.
Jacinda Ardern says there was not enough time to prevent the carnage after the gunman emailed her and dozens of others.

The accused shooter in the New Zealand mosque attacks sent Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern his 74-page diatribe against foreign invaders minutes before he launched the assault that killed at least 50 worshippers.

Ardern said her office and others were emailed the alleged gunmans so-called manifesto nine minutes before the attacks began, but there wasnt enough time to take action to stop the massacre.

It did not include a location. It did not include specific details If we could have [stopped it], we absolutely would have, she told reporters on Sunday.

This was received by over 30 recipients nine minutes before guns were fired. Within two minutes of receipt it went to our parliamentary security, said Ardern. But again, by the advice of police, by the time those emails were received they were already receiving 911 calls and responding, and someone was taken into custody within 36 minutes.

In emotional scenes, Ardern earlier met mourning members of the Muslim community in Wellington.

Fridays attack, which Ardern labelled as terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand and the country raised its security threat level to the highest.

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Another body found

The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings rose to 50 after police said they found another body, as an overwhelmed hospital was forced to delay surgeries as it struggled to cope with the sheer number of wounded.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the body of the 50th victim was found at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people had died after the attacker entered and shot randomly at people with semiautomatic rifles with high-capacity magazines, before travelling to a second mosque to do the same.

As of last night, we were able to take all of the victims from both of those scenes. In doing so we were able to locate a further victim, Bush said.

Thirty-four people were still in Christchurch Hospital, with 12 in critical condition and one child was moved to dedicated childrens hospital in Auckland.

Greg Robertson, the chief of surgery at Christchurch Hospital, said the medical staff were having trouble dealing with the enormity of the situation.

We struggling with it as much as everyone else. This is not something that we expected to see in our environment. We do see gunshot wounds but 50 people in one day is more than what we should see, Robertson said a news conference.





Alleged attacker

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face further charges.

Footage of the attack on one of the mosques was livestreamed on Facebook, and a manifesto denouncing immigrants as invaders was also posted online.

The bodies of the victims had not yet been released to the families because investigations were ongoing, but police were working as quickly as they could do that, Bush said at a media conference in Wellington.

It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within the 24 hours.

We have to be absolutely clear on cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs, so we are doing that as quickly and sensitively as possible, Bush said.

Bush said police did not believe that three other people detained on Friday were involved in the attack. Two men faced charges unrelated or tangential to the attack, while a woman had been released, he said.

Tarrant did not have a criminal history and was not on any watch lists in New Zealand or Australia.

In a manifesto circulating online, Tarrant described himself as Just a ordinary White man, 28 years old who used the spoils of cryptocurrency trading to finance extensive travels through Europe over the past few years.

Mourning in Christchurch

At a roadblock outside the Al Noor mosque on Sunday, scores gathered to lay flowers, deliver handwritten notes of condolence and mourn in silence.

Among those present were representatives of a local Maori group, which performed a haka (a ceremonial dance or challenge in Maori culture) to honour those killed.

Shane Turner, 66, said the communitys response since Friday showed what Christchurch was about.

It shows how resilient we are as people, as we have been through a lot of tragedy, what with the earthquake too, Turner told Al Jazeera, citing the 2011 quake which killed 185 people.

Others present, a number of whom lost loved ones in the shootings, described the trauma suffered by Christchurchs Muslim community.

Waleed Washsh, a regular attendee at the Al Noor mosque, said the citys Muslims were devastated by the loss of so many friends, so quickly.

It is a small community, everyone knows everyone. There isnt a single Muslim house here in Christchurch that wouldnt have been affected by this, Wahsh told Al Jazeera.

I dont think words can do justice to the amount of grief we are going through, he added.

Hero hailed

One man at the second mosque in the suburb of Linwood was hailed for distracting and confronting the attacker, preventing further deaths.

Abdul Aziz, 48, told local media he heard shooting and ran outside the mosque, shouting at the gunman and drawing him away from the building, the Newshub website reported.

Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, said he picked up one of the gunmans discarded weapons and threatened the man, who drove off.





Police then rammed the gunmans vehicle and arrested him.

Those two police officers acted with absolute courage, Bush said. They have prevented further deaths and risked their own lives to do so.

Church services for victims of the attack were held around the country, including at Christchurchs Cardboard Cathedral, a temporary structure built after much of the central city was destroyed in a 2011 earthquake.

The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan. Muslims account for just about one percent of New Zealands population.

Pakistans high commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing.
A livestream of Fridays massacre was available to watch on various social media platforms hours after the incident.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said she wants to discuss the livestreaming facility available on Facebook after the attacker webcast the Christchurch massacre live on the platform.

Ardern said on Sunday she would be looking for answers from social media firms about how the mosque attack, that killed 50 people on Friday, was livestreamed on their platforms.

Using a GoPro camera, suspect Brenton Tarrant broadcast extremely graphic footage of him shooting the worshippers at Christchurchs Al Noor mosque via Facebook Live.

The distressing 17-minute livestream was available to watch on social media for hours after the attack that also left 34 people wounded.

Ardern said there were further questions to be answered by the social media sites.

We did as much as we could to remove, or seek to have removed, some of the footage that was being circulated in the aftermath of this terrorist attack, said Ardern.

But ultimately it has been up to those platforms to facilitate their removal. I do think that there are further questions to be answered.





I have had contact from Sheryl Sandberg [Facebook CEO]. I havent spoken to her directly but she has reached out, an acknowledgement of what has occurred here in New Zealand, Ardern said a media conference when asked if Facebook should stop livestreaming.

On Sunday, Facebook said it removed 1.5 million videos of the Christchurch shootings in the first 24 hours.

We continue to work around the clock to remove violating content using a combination of technology and people, Mia Garlick, who works for Facebook in New Zealand, said on Twitter adding that of the removed videos, 1.2 million were blocked at upload.

Out of respect for the people affected by this tragedy and the concerns of local authorities, were also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content, she said.

Hours after the attack, New Zealand police said they were working to have the footage removed while urging people not to share it.

Tech companies have a content-moderation problem that is fundamentally beyond the scale that they know how to deal with, Becca Lewis, a researcher at Stanford University and the think-tank Data & Society, was quoted as saying by the Washington Post.

The financial incentives are in play to keep content first and monetization first.

On Friday, YouTube tweeted it was working vigilantly to remove any violent footage while Twitter said it suspended the account of one of the suspects.
Police said no charges had yet been laid and did not provide further details on the nature of the threat.
The writing on the wall came most clearly, I think, in 1994 when Randall A. Terry said:

In 1959 it would have been unthinkable to the average American  whether Democrat, Republican or Independent  that children would be murdered by abortion, homosexuals would be indoctrinating our children and demanding marriage rights, that our surgeon general would be calling for the legalization of criminal drugs, and the distribution of condoms to ten-year-olds, that our tax money would pay for a crucifix floating in a vat of urine, that prayer and Bible reading would be illegal in government schools, that new-age, one-world, indoctrination would be standard fare. None of these atrocities could have been foreseen (much less discussed in mixed company) a scant 35 years ago. Where will it end? Will what is unthinkable and unspeakable today be commonplace 35 years hence? One shudders to imagine . . .

Randall Terry in 2011 (photo credit Marc Nozell)

The author of this prophetic comment was arrested many times for his protests against legalized injustice. In 2017 Randall was arrested for crossing a no-trespassing zone in order to protest the guest appearance of President Obama for a commencement address at Catholic Notre Dame. He was doing what the university administrators failed to do  disallow a public figure to spread an aura of legitimacy to elective abortion in a Catholic, pro-life zone of learning. Randall was acting in good faith against what was intensely wrong, while the administration, acting against its own avowed interests, staged a high profile abomination. Randall Terry is not the only fearless person arrested and carted off to prison for obeying morally correct law instead of politically correct law. [See here.] The history of persecution and martyrdom for standing against evil reaches back to B.C.

Today there is no need to imagine the outcome of the ongoing subversion of justice in America. It is in plain sight, for all to see, in the news, in commentary, in painful personal stories.

Whoever does not see the before and after, the cause and effect, of moral-free governance in America is either too young to be aware of what has been done to their country by Marxists and leaders with a defective sense of justice or has been brainwashed by media to accept a false reality. Look around and see what liberal missionaries of change have accomplished in the last few decades, outdoing the damage they did before 2000. Minds that work see a deterioration in what was once a sane, vibrant, freedom-endowed nation, in spite of faults found in every system of government, this side of heaven. It was an America that its domestic enemies are ludicrously forced to hate, exposing a derangement hard to conceal.

Minds that dont work have been deconstructed by a postmodern lunacy that prevails among intellectuals, most of them born in the 1940s. In brief, postmodern thinking suppresses critical centers of the mind that help form sound decisions  sound as in valid. By turning all statements into a narrative equal to every other narrative, postmodernists have effectively trashed validity and made serious communication between people virtually impossible. Value-free reasoning is the new standard for action in America, the U.K., and other countries hostage to political bigwigs. Witness the words of a prominent stateswoman when she said, regarding a fatal error of judgment, what difference does it make, at this point? In the postmodern world, valid, for those who insist on meaning, means: I have more pull than you.

Before 1960, the churches and their educational institutions formed a bulwark against moral degeneracy and against the adverse social and political consequences that follow. Moral delinquency in high office was publicly denounced. But after the 1960s social revolution, Marxist change agents infiltrated the churches to weaken their influence on society and appropriated the mission to lead it. Even the Catholic Church caved to the Marxists and adopted their model for salvation. Henceforth the churches were to follow the times, not lead the times. Any religion that did not step to the Marxist drumbeat was branded a cult and what it preached was condemned as hate. Speaking truth became hate speech. Appropriating morality to ones side is textbook Alinskyism, a set of Teflon-coated tools to ensure that heads, I win  tails, you lose.

With most churches relinquishing the moral high ground to leftists, the quest of these traitors of America to take the nation to their global Oz gained traction. But their gain has been the churches loss. A good many have been left to rediscover the reason for their existence. Waking up, for the many that have been led astray, is painfully upsetting.

Because this country is a democratic republic  thanks to its sharp-minded founders  and not the plaything of power-hungry elites, the hottest question for Americans of every IQ and skin color is, are we to remain a free and independent people or march down the road to a future of servitude to a state run by rulers blind to the meaning and reality of being human? Are there enough outraged Americans, in and out of positions of influence, to give these pushers of a global dystopia their eviction notice? Are todays adults seriously enough committed to pass on to their children and grandchildren the wonderful, free, sane country they received at birth or by way of (legal) immigration? Are we, the citizens of America, going to turn our children, our belongings, and ourselves over to power-rabid masters who have seized this nation by stealth, deception, bribery, intimidation, smear, and every other method of lording known?

The push to a future with no rights and freedoms except what is allowed by the state, run by self-appointed elites with no respect for life, no use for God, no regard for the sacrifices of millions of Americans, past and president, who struggled, bled, and died to keep this land free and prospering  this rush to a hellish dystopia must be halted and a saner course taken. It begins by giving the promoters of that hell their second notice of termination in 2020.

Anthony J. DeBlasi is a veteran and lifelong defender of Western culture.
In early February, the only child of the "indefatigable" former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, did the unthinkable when she condemned Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) over the congresswoman's anti-Semitic remarks. In response to Omar's Jew-hating rhetoric, Chelsea tweeted:

We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism.

Fast-forward a month, and a lunatic shoots up a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 49 people. Again, in a tweet, Chelsea expressed her sympathy for the victims and used the opportunity to show camaraderie with those who blame white nationalism for everything terrible in the world. On Twitter, Chelsea wrote this:

Heartbroken & horrified by the white nationalist terrorist attack during Jummah on the mosques and Muslim community in Christchurch. Keeping all affected by this tragedy in my heart and prayers. We need a global response to the global threat of violent white nationalism.

Wait, "Jummah"?

Anyway, like a dutiful liberal, pregnant Chelsea did what she's never done for the multitudes of Christians murdered the world over, every day: she slipped on her maternity top and waddled on over to the New York University campus to join her brethren for a vigil for victims of the massacre.

Let's face it: Chelsea had to go to NYU. For liberals, the Christchurch catastrophe is equivalent to hitting the SJW lotto and achieves everything the Jussie Smollett debacle failed to accomplish. For starters, it ties racism (since when is Islam a race?) to Trump's immigration policy and exploits the unfortunate event as a vehicle to demand sympathy for Muslim refugees coming to America from hotbeds of terrorism around the world. As a bonus, and despite the carnage having transpired in a country with strict gun control laws, the tragedy has also become a sounding board for leftists to condemn America's Second Amendment further, as well as demonize every Trump-supporter having the misfortune to have been born white.

After arriving, much to her surprise, Chelsea found out she was an unwelcome attendee. Instead of spending the evening weeping and hugging women in hijabs, a female student accused Chelsea of having "stoked" the bloody massacre some 9,000 miles away.

Ambushed in a hallway, Chelsea's February tweet condemning Omar's anti-Semitism was referred to by Muslim Bernie Sanderssupporter and NYU senior Leen Dweik. While her friend videoed the encounter, Leen got in Chelsea's face, saying:

This, right here, is a result of a massacre stoked by people like you and the words that you put out into the world. And I want you to know that and I want you to feel that deep down inside. Forty-nine people died because of the rhetoric you put out there.

Stunned by the confrontation, Clinton responded to the accusation by explaining that inciting a terrorist attack against Muslims was "certainly ... never [her] intention." Then Chelsea attempted to commiserate with the woman's outrage by saying, "I do believe words matter. I believe we have to show solidarity."

Over and over, Chelsea repeated, "I'm so sorry that you feel that way." Unimpressed, a male student responded to Clinton's heartfelt expression of sorrow with, "What does 'I'm sorry you feel that way' mean?"

Campus activist Rose Asaf then posted the video of the confrontation, along with a tweet, stating: "People haven't forgotten the Islamophobic mob she incited against @IlhanMN. There is no sense of responsibility."

So is this how it works? Jew-hating Ilhan Omar spews hatred, and Chelsea Clinton publicly condemns that hatred. Then, weeks later, there's a terrorist attack, Muslims die, and Chelsea is personally responsible for the bloodshed? Among some on the Left, it seems, is the new standard that even if the criticism is warranted, if one dares to criticize a Muslim, and even if the one doing the criticizing generally embraces Islam, any form of disparagement is defined as "stoking" violence against the whole Muslim community.

Think about it: by criticizing a woman who practices a faith she usually extols, even Chelsea Clinton has managed to be attacked by a person who, based on her politics, is undoubtedly like-minded on most other issues.

Notwithstanding the scrumptiousness of the schadenfreude, as crazy as it sounds, maybe there is a larger lesson for Chelsea Clinton to glean from all of this. By desperately trying to be on the cutting edge of cultural diversity and by wrongly defining many injustices as justice, people like Chelsea Clinton place themselves in a precarious position.

Much like Mom, Chelsea lives her life striving to be politically correct. In addition to shilling for Muslim Barbie, Chelsea also defends the right to dispose of unborn babies. So, in light of what happened at NYU, the obvious question for Ms. Clinton to consider is whether or not it is also possible for anti-life activists to one day turn on those who lament that their grandmothers were denied the right to abort their mothers.

If a Muslim-supporter like Chelsea can be blamed for inciting a massacre in a mosque, that means that the things liberals embrace, like abortion, also have the potential to make those who support those policies potential victims. And so, as the left publicly attack their own on liberal stomping grounds like NYU, the rest of America should take note as the policies Chelsea Clinton supports are making victims of the left's fiercest advocates.

Jeannie hosts a blog at www.jeannie-ology.com.

Image: Lorie Shaull via Wikimedia Commons.
Congress's refusal last week to censure or even reprimand Rep. Ilhan Omar's repeated expressions of Jew-hatred was a historic moment that should have been met with universal condemnation by America's Jewish communal organizations, especially since Jews have not felt this beleaguered worldwide since the Shoah. Yet most of these groups that for decades have claimed to represent American Jewry responded with a whimper rather than a bang, reminiscent of their disastrous failure to speak out during the Shoah.



Ilhan Omar (photo credit: Fibonacci Blue).

A case in point is the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, the local arm of the national umbrella group the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. A close examination of how they responded to Rep. Omar offers insight into the pathologies that currently afflict most contemporary American Jewish communal organizations.

The Indianapolis JCRCs recent press release did acknowledge that Omars comments represent classical anti-Semitic motifs and that criticisms of her behavior cant simply be dismissed as a knee-jerk pro-Israel response. However, coming from a group that claims its core mission is to safeguard Jews here, in Israel, and around the world, this strikes us as thin gruel for celebration. What is instead obvious to the careful reader is the statements many serious shortcomings.

To begin with, releasing the statement on the Jewish Sabbath as the JCRC did is inexplicable since the Omar controversy had been brewing for many days. The underlying message many traditional and religiously observant community members took home is that the JCRC has less interest in Jewish unity than in maintaining a pretense that it is the official voice of the Jewish community.

In terms of its content, the statement deliberately withheld comment on last weeks seismic event -- the takeover of the Democratic Party by an alliance of progressive members of Congress. The newly-dominant forces not only successfully blocked the party from effectively censuring Omar, but also forced it to adopt a bill establishing Islamophobia (the term now used to silence critics of Islamic ideology) as morally equivalent to Jew hatred. In one fell swoop Omar the victimizer had become Omar the victim.

Unlike its recent impassioned press release decrying the lack of a hate crime bill in Indiana, the JCRCs statement on Omar seemed unconcerned about whether this new turn of events could make American Jews even more vulnerable. In fact, they even played up the Islamophobia bit as a triumph. Ironically, whatever potential benefits the JCRC believed a hate crime bill offers has now been undermined by last week's precedent set by the Democratic Party. From this point on, acts of Jew hatred will increasingly be effectively parried by accusations of Islamophobia! or by claims that they were simply a legitimate response to Zionist aggression, as has been tried successfully elsewhere.

The JCRC asserted that condemnation of anti-Semitism -- regardless of its source -- must be swift and broad (a position we completely agree with), but the statement rings hollow in light of their grossly imbalanced track record that exclusively benefits the political Left and its preferred identity groups. One example is how theyve treated local Congressman Andre Carson, himself a Muslim, who at the very minimum obfuscates his support for Jew haters like Louis Farrakhan and Islamic supremacists. Despite our concerted efforts over the years to raise public awareness about these matters and convince the Jewish community that it should publicly and forcefully repudiate Carson, the JCRC has continued to abase itself -- with one minor exception buried in a press release -- by continuing to enjoy a cozy relationship with him as if all is well.

Yet what is unquestionably most shocking about the JCRC is its willingness to sacrifice Jewish security and well-being on the altar of interfaith relations with Muslim groups that regularly promote the vilest of anti-Jewish teachings. The Islamic Society of North America, which was founded by the genocidally anti-Semitic Muslim Brotherhood as part of its civilizational jihad against America and the West, is headquartered in an Indianapolis suburb. There are mountains of evidence implicating ISNA as among the most influential lpromoters of Jew hatred in the US today. Yet not only has the JCRC refused to address this growing existential threat, it was proud to stand arm in arm with ISNA after their headquarters was reportedly spray painted (though one cannot rule out a fake hate crime).

The JCRCs concerted and longstanding outreach efforts have served only to legitimize dubious Muslim groups in the public arena. In 2018 a Muslim congregation applied for a building permit to build a large mosque in an upscale Indianapolis suburb. The JCRC enthusiastically supported the permit in the name of interfaith relations clearly without doing any due diligence. Being familiar with the religiously sanctioned anti-Jewish and violent incitement that regularly emanates from so many of Americas mosques, we did some investigation and were quickly able to find information that raised legitimate concerns about the congregations ideological nature. Though we went public with this information, we could not undo the damage done by the JCRCs support, and the building permit eventually was awarded. Interestingly, Muslim groups have not reciprocated and shown much appreciation for the outreach work the JCRC has done, yet like an abused lover the JCRC can't stop itself from continuing this work.

Unfortunately, the type of irresponsible behavior in Indianapolis described is simply a reflection of a broader, national crisis in Jewish leadership. The problem is compounded by a progressive groupthink ubiquitous among American Jewish leaders that weve previously chronicled in American Thinker. Such a mindset rejects traditional Jewish thinking and cherishes above all else virtue signaling, intersectionality, and a hierarchical identify politics structure that perversely sets Jewish well-being as a much lower priority as compared to the higher priority of so-called "victim" groups-- despite Jews being the target of more than half of all religiously-motivated hate crimes 21st century America.

So, what is to be done? We expect the Jewish institutions themselves to continue to slowly decay, as vibrant Jewish life becomes increasingly the domain of religiously-observant communities who are less reliant on them for support. In the meantime, we can continue to encourage well-meaning community volunteers to try to moderate from within the more radical impulses of these organizations leaders. Withholding funding is another effective way to get the quick attention of leadership.

But the most important work will need to be done independent of such organizations. Fostering the growth of alternative groups across the US (such as ours and others) who are willing and sophisticated enough to confront our enemies head-on is a critical step. Reaching out to form new alliances with growing US religious groups like Hindus or Copts or Arab Christian communities, who face similar ideological enemies here and abroad will be helpful. Working hard to maintain and strengthen support for Jews among evangelical Christians is also necessary. Finally, we need to internalize and teach our children that simply pleading for others to honor us as the JCRC did will not work; honor will only come to those who first honor themselves.

Professor Elliot Bartky and Dr. Allon Friedman are President and Vice President, respectively, of the Jewish American Affairs Committee of Indiana (www.jaaci.org)
South Africa: SA, Vietnam to do more to elevate relations

South Africa and Vietnam have agreed that, while cordial relations remain between the two countries, more needs to be done to expand trade opportunities.

The fourth Meeting of the South Africa-Vietnam Intergovernmental Partnership Forum for Economic, Trade, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Co-operation discussed relations between the two countries on Friday.

Hosting her Vietnamese counterpart, Deputy Minister Quoc Cuong, South Africas International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule said there is a need to reach a more balanced trade relationship between the two nations.

She said the respective government officials have worked hard to concretise cooperation so that relations can continue to grow in strength and substance.

Mhaule spoke of the need to address issues that could constitute as barriers to market access in the respective economies.

On conservation, the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of bilateral cooperation in the field of conservation and wildlife protection.

Meanwhile, Cuong stressed the need to deepen bilateral cooperation in the areas of defence and security so as to elevate bilateral ties to a new height of mutual trust, as well as to further enhance other areas of cooperation.

He appreciated the positive developments in bilateral relations, particularly the exchange of 14 high-level visits since the third meeting in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoioi in 2015. He highlighted the then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosas visit to his country in 2016 and the visit to South Africa by National Assembly Vice President Do Ba Ty in 2017.

The two sides provided each other with an overview of the political developments in their countries and respective regions. Both sides deeply appreciated the cooperation and mutual support between the two countries at multilateral fora, particularly at the United Nations (UN).

The Vietnamese delegation congratulated South Africa on being elected as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2019-2020 tenure and expressed its belief that South Africa would successfully fulfil her mandate.

They also expressed sincere thanks to the South African government for supporting their candidacy to UNSC non-permanent seat for the 2020-2021 term of office.

Mhaule said the meeting gave an opportunity to review bilateral relations and also exchange views on a range of issues of mutual interest in the respective regions and continents and forged common ground in most areas.

South Africa formally established diplomatic relations with the Southeast Asian country in December 1993.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
If you subscribe to Netflix and have any interest in understanding modern Ireland, by all means start watching the 2 seasons of the series Rebellion. A number of interesting and very troubling aspects of contemporary Ireland, especially its political support for Palestinians over Israel, and its general leftward tendencies are illuminated.

Update: The Gatestone Institute offers an example of this problem with contemporary Ireland:

Ireland's legislative lower house (Dail) on January 29 approved a bill that would make it a crime for Irish citizens to import or sell any product produced by Israelis in areas located beyond the 1949 armistice lines, most of which, such as Jerusalem, were actually liberated by Israel during the 1967 Six Day War from their illegal occupation by Jordan in 1948-49. Pictured: Leinster House, seat of the Irish Houses of Parliament

The series covers the 1916 Easter Rising in season one, and the struggle against the compromise reached creating the Irish Free State as part of the UK and the effort to establish the independent Irish Republic in season two. Both seasons teach history through the eyes of fictional characters who are right in the middle of the action, although real historical figures appear as supporting characters, tying the fiction to real events, but enjoying the freedom to make up dramatic events and dialogue for the principal characters.

There is an Upstairs/Downstairs element of showing life among the rich and powerful, paralleling it and contrasting it with life at the bottom, creating a panorama of Dublin a century ago, a city whose slums were considered among the worst in Europe, while its stately neighborhoods of Georgian homes of the wealthy were, and remain today, some of the handsomest anywhere.

One thing the series shows clearly is the radical leftist  Leninist, in fact  element of fervor among many of the rebels. They operated as urban guerillas inspired by a mix of ethnic rebellion and radical socialist ideology -- a toxic combination that bedeviled the world (China, Algeria, Peru, and many other places) for much of the subsequent twentieth century. The leaders of the rebellion were caught and hanged, but their names now adorn many of the principal streets and public buildings in Dublin. I see their radicalism as an unfortunate component of contemporary Irish nationalism.

The series is produced by RTE (Radio Television Eire), the government-owned broadcaster, and the Brits are clearly the bad guys, even though a number of British characters are developed as genuine humans, not cardboard villains. The overall quality of the writing, acting, and production design are very high, making this an engaging and entertaining history lesson. One conclusion that is inescapable is that the famous British devotion to fair play did not extend to dealing with Irish rebels. But the series also shows that the brutality was no limited to one side.

If St. Patricks Day has kindled any interest in the real Ireland, as opposed to the land of leprechauns, give yourself a treat.
The outrage industry has claimed a temporary victory at Fox News, or so it seems. With no explanation, the suits at the nations leading cable news outlet pulled Saturday nights episode of Justice with Judge Jeanine off the air with no explanation. However, as Stephen Battaglio of the Los Angeles Times infers, it is pretty obvious what this must be all about:

the switch appears to be related to Pirros March 9 comment about Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn.), who wears a hijab, a traditional head covering worn by Muslim women. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution? Pirro said in the scripted opening of her March 9 program that dealt with Omar, a popular target of conservative pundits since she entered Congress. (snip) Fox News, which typically stands by its hosts when they make controversial statements, issued a public rebuke of Pirro over the comments about Omar. We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirro's comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar, Fox News said in a statement. They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly. At least four advertisers  personal finance company NerdWallet, online marketplace Letgo and drugmakers Allergan and NovoNordisk  have said they have suspended their sponsorship of Pirros program due to her remarks about Omar.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

This move seems to confirm Richard Baehrs grim assessment that the slaughter of Muslims in New Zealand has changed the momentum of American politics, putting concerns about Jew-hatred in the back seat (or maybe the trunk), while Islamophobia acrtivists sit in the drivers seat, turning us left.

I certainly hope that Fox News will not be bullied into cancelling Judge Pirros show entirely, though I fear that massive pressure is being brought upon them, via threats of advertiser boycotts, to do just that. She brings a unique brand of exuberant frankness to her reviews of the week and her interviews.
The Trump administration announced that they are in the process of finalizing plans that would ease the draconian restrictions on oil and gas exploration put in place by the Obama administration on land protecting the sage grouse.

It should be noted that energy companies would not be able to run wild and start destroying sage grouse habitat, although you'd never know it listening to radical greens.

Reuters:

Conservation groups denounced the move as a handout to the oil and gas industries, while an industry group praised it. The new rules, announced by the Department of Interiors Bureau of Land Management, fits within the Trump administrations broader plan to increase energy production on federal lands by loosening environmental regulations. Former President Barack Obamas 2015 plan to protect the ground-dwelling sage grouse imposed restrictions to development in their habitat but fell short of placing the bird on the endangered species list, which would have imposed far more rigid rules. In 2017, the DOI ordered a review of protections for sage grouse to ensure conservation efforts to not impede local economic opportunities.

There are 11 states impacted by the plan, and most of them support it:

Of the 11 Western states included in the 2015 plans, seven opted for changes, according to BLM. They include California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The governors of all of those states except California said in statements that they supported the plan amendments. Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota opted out of amending their sage grouse plans, BLM said. Washington is going through a separate planning process. Were pleased that the final plans are now out and moving forward into implementation, Kathleen Sgamma, president of oil and gas industry trade group Western Energy Alliance, said in an emailed statement. Industry will continue to do its part to conserve the species.

The amended plan is modest and maintains many protections for the sage grouse. The species is not on the endangered list and while much of the land in question would be open to exploration, only a tiny fraction of the land will actually be exploited.

This is what westerners mean when they talk about "wise use" of resources. Unless you're a radical green that hates fossil fuels and large corporations, it's a win-win situation for energy companies and the sage grouse.
Friday was a horrid day not just for those killed, and their families (and for them it was unimaginably awful) but also for the direction of politics here and abroad. Suddenly, anti-Semitism is now a non-issue. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are no longer victimizers but victims. Islamophobia and the threat of white nationalism and its violent perpetrators -- in Norway, New Zealand, Charleston, Pittsburgh and Charlottesville -- is now the only story.

See also: Fox News pulls Judge Jeanine Pirro off the air  for now, at least

Also on Friday, children brainwashed on climate change were exploited in marches all over the world, suggesting an entire generation is gone to the left, and it will probably not come back.

When it is reinforced everywhere, brainwashing wins.

Photo credit: Newtown Grafitti
The Sandy Hook elementary school shooting resulted in the deaths of 20 students and six adults on December 14, 2012. The killer, Adam Lanza, used an AR-15 manufactured by the Remington Arms Company to do the killing. The parents of the victims sued to hold Remington liable for the use of that semi-automatic rifle. The suit was dismissed by Judge Barbara Bellis in Superior Court in 2016 because of the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), passed in 2005.

But now, on March 14, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision to reverse the lower court's decision dismissing the lawsuit. The case, Soto v. Bushmaster, can now proceed to the discovery process. It is here where the plaintiffs hope to find a smoking gun on how Remington marketed the AR-15.

The National Rifle Association see this ruling as a threat for Second Amendment rights nationwide. It says:

Repealing or judicially nullifying the PLCAA has been a priority of the gun ban lobby ever since the law was enacted in 2005. Thursday's decision, while not binding beyond Connecticut, provides a possible road map for those hoping to circumvent the PLCAA's protections against frivolous and untested claims against the firearms industry.

U.S. senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called the decision a "wow" moment in American legal history. Reliving his glory days, Blumenthal hopes the discovery process in the Sandy Hook case will have a similar outcome to the 46-state lawsuit he helped lead as Connecticut attorney general against the tobacco industry. Then, damaging revelations about what Big Tobacco knew and when helped drive a $246-billion settlement.

There are several difference between firearms and tobacco. First, firearms are a Second Amendment right; tobacco and cigarettes are not. Second, the PLCAA provides specific protection from holding firearm manufactures liable for how their products are used. Tobacco was not similarly protected. By the way, the votes to pass the PLCAA in 2005 were not close. In the Senate, it passed 65-31, and in the House 283-144.

Remington will no doubt take this case to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, the company will have to spend a significant amount of money to defend itself. As of now, the gun ban lobby has won a major victory. You can expect gun control advocates to make the most of it.
In "Let's stay united against bigotry," E.J Dionne, Jr. inadvertently identifies the real yet diluted interpretation of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)'s recent bigoted rant. While most Democrats tried to portray Omar as the victim of the scandal for criticizing Israeli policy, Dionne accurately states that "Omar spoke of people who 'push for allegiance to a foreign country.'" In other words, the actual target of her remarks was the Jewish people.

No amount of political spin, Israel-hating, or intersectionality will change that. Omar's recent statement, like her previous hateful remarks, was about Jews. Shame on Democrats in Congress for succumbing to the pressure to leave Omar uncensured. Her rhetoric perpetuates an abhorrently long trend of anti-Semitism.

Dionne further states that Omar's "personal history ought to mean that she understands the dangers of prejudice better than most." Dionne's excuse for her is that she was "careless." Never mind how many times she has been careless. By saying Omar is "careless" and that she ought to know better, is Dionne saying she is not smart enough to know right from wrong?

Dionne claims that "anti-Semitism is utterly antithetical to anything that deserves to be called liberal or progressive." Well, I guess not...the proof is in the pudding!

Dionne then goes into a personal vignette of why he opposes anti-Semitism. His first friends were Jewish, his informal second father after his own passed away was Jewish, and he spent a month in Israel.

If I had a dollar for every time an anti-Israel aspersion began with "some of my best friends are Jewish" or the like, I would be a wealthy man.

Dionne begins his exposition with the comment that he favors a two-state solution. But how can that happen when there are two Palestinian constituencies  one in Gaza and the other in the West Bank  that refuse to reach a solution with each other? Does he mean a three-state solution? Have the Palestinians shown any democratic nature that makes them qualified to be a hospitable neighbor to Israel or even other Arabs? Gaza has held only one election, and that was for the terrorist group Hamas. Mahmoud Abbas has held office in the West Bank for over ten years longer than his four-year term.

With all of Dionne's exposure to Jews and Israel, he doesn't recognize this basic point.

Then he wrongly claims that Gaza is occupied by Israel. There is not a single Israeli in Gaza, and both Egypt and Israel monitor its borders for terrorists building weaponry or tunnel paraphernalia. West Bank Arabs live under Abbas's control.

Yes, it is a difficult situation, and the Palestinians need a better life. A solution is welcome by Israel. What is Dionne's explanation for why the Palestinians turned down numerous offers for a state of their own without making a counter-offer? He does not say. Is it because the Palestinians don't want an end to the conflict unless it includes the destruction of Israel? Of course, but Dionne is putting his head in the sand instead of seeing that fact. Palestinian TV describes Israeli cities as Palestinian, the Palestinians name their squares and high schools after suicide bombers, their emblem consists of the entire state of Israel, and their chief sticking point in negotiations with Israel has been with a so-called "right of return," which would flood Israel with enough Arabs to make it another Arab country. I could go on and on.

What would an article from a regular Washington post contributor about Jews be without a line bashing Israel, especially right-wing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu? For the record, it was President Obama who undermined Netanyahu by financing election campaigns to unseat him. But going back to the basis of Omar's comments, they were about Jews, not Israel. There was no need for Dionne to mention Israel in his column.

Rightfully, and to his credit, Dionne concludes that Omar's language "cannot help but be seen as anti-Semitic." It would be welcome if he, and other progressives, would continue to call out anti-Semitism, take the lead in opposing the practice, and thereby prove that anti-Semitism is antithetical to the progressive movement.
The Washington state Senate has passed a bill that would require candidates to release 5 years of tax returns before appearing on a primary or general election ballot.

The law is aimed at Donald Trump who, so far, has declined to release any of his tax returns, despite every presidential candidate in the last 40 years who have done so.

Democrats in Congress have made it clear that they will find a way to get Trump to release his taxes. But the reality is that no one can force an individual to release their tax returns.

The Hill:

"The disclosure requirement you propose is likely Constitutional," the two wrote to lawmakers, according to CBS, adding that the measure "would definitely be challenged in court." Democrats who supported the bill said the provision was necessary to force a return to norms surrounding the release of presidential candidates' tax returns. "Although releasing tax returns has been the norm for about the last 40 years in presidential elections, unfortunately we've seen that norm broken," said Sen. Patty Kuderer (D), who sponsored the bill, according to CBS. Republicans, however, argued that the state was getting into questionable territory by attempting to impose rules on a federal election. "We're on really risky ground when we're trying to place conditions on a federal election," said Sen. Hans Zeiger (R), according to CBS. Trump caused controversy throughout the 2016 campaign with his refusal to release his tax returns, claiming at the time to be under audit by the IRS. In recent weeks, Democrats in the House have indicated that they may pursue Trump's returns in the hopes of investigating the president's finances for criminal activity. A similar bill recently advanced in New Jersey's state Senate and is currently sitting in the state's General Assembly.

Democrats are fond of reminding us recently that presidents are not above the law. This is very true. But it's also true that the law is not above them. Trump has a right to privacy regarding his tax returns, which cannot be released without the approval of the IRS commissioner:

CNN:
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood predicted a reckoning for big tech in the United States as the likes of Google and Facebook seemingly keep getting wrapped into increasingly concerning controversies.

Between privacy scandals, security gaffes, and the growing importance of the role technology plays in politics, authorities in the United States are in line with global trends and are re-examining the manner wherein the Silicon Valley and tech circles in the country are and  more importantly  arent regulated.

You cannot allow this power to accumulate in the hands of this few people, AG Hood said in a recent interview.

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Running low on friends

The technology industry is largely responsible for the fact the U.S. continues to maintain its title of the worlds strongest economy by virtually every metric conceivable. The combination of that state of affairs and the fact that the average entry-level position in the field most often attracts young, liberal-minded people is widely believed to be the reason why big tech was is traditionally big friends with left-leaning governments.

That was most recently evident with the Obama administration which was particularly cozy with Google, though its relationship with the segment started growing cold during the 2016 presidential race which saw foreign election interference succeed on a large scale despite government warnings. E.g. President Obama personally warned Facebook co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg of Russian meddling in 2016 but the multi-billionaire did not perceive it as a credible threat until the damage was already done, as per his own admission.

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These days, the technology segment is being attacked by both sides of the political spectrum in the U.S. The right is still accusing it of leftist biases, with that sentiment being propagated on virtually all levels of the GOP, right up to the White House. President Trump publicly threatened Twitter and Google with regulations on numerous occasions during his first two years in the highest U.S. office, though nothing came of that so far. Then again, he also called Google a great company when the Internet juggernaut was hit by the European Commission last year, having been served a record antitrust fine for anti-competitive practices related to the Android ecosystem.

At the same time, the left side of the political spectrum in the U.S. is unsurprisingly still pushing for investigations into the 2016 interference and how it may have contributed to the loss of its candidate. Most of those looking to win the DNC nomination in 2020 went on record to criticize big tech; political heavyweight Elizabeth Warren did so most prominently, especially after Facebook slipped yet again and banned some of her ads criticizing it as a monopoly, subsequently feeling the full blow of the Streisand effect.

By most accounts, the technology sector in the U.S. is running low on friends in high places, facing that issue at a time when nationwide privacy regulations and other legislation aimed at curbing its reach seem likelier than ever. How it fares in light of those challenges remains to be seen but one thing is certain  smooth sailing in the near term is absolutely out of the question and the run-up to the 2020 election isnt going to be pretty for anyone involved.
By Ginger Gibson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand formally launched her presidential bid on Sunday morning, announcing she will deliver her first major speech next week in front of Trump International Hotel in New York City.

Gillibrand, who launched an exploratory committee earlier this year as a precursor, joins more than a dozen other Democrats who have already formally entered the contest to win the nomination to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.

"We need a leader who makes big, bold, brave choices. Someone who isnt afraid of progress," Gillibrand says in a video released Sunday morning to formalize her entry into the campaign. "Thats why Im running for president. And its why Im asking you for your support."

Gillibrand, 52, had already been campaigning in key states that hold early primary contests. She has struggled to see her polling numbers increase in the wake of her initial announcement, a benefit some of her other opponents enjoyed after starting their campaigns. Gillibrand remains at 1 percent in most public opinion polls of the Democratic primary.

Gillibrand opted to use a video instead of a speech at a rally, the traditional method, to formally launch her campaign. She will travel on Monday to campaign in Michigan, followed by stops in key early contest states of Iowa and Nevada.

On March 24, Gillibrand will deliver a launch speech in her home state in front of Trump International Hotel in New York City, to take "her positive, brave vision of restoring Americas moral integrity straight to President Trumps doorstep," her campaign said.

The launch video released Sunday morning alludes to several policy debates, including immigration, gun control and climate change.

"We launched ourselves into space and landed on the moon. If we can do that, we can definitely achieve universal health care," Gillibrand said in the video. "We can provide paid family leave for all, end gun violence, pass a Green New Deal, get money out of politics and take back our democracy."

Gillibrand has sought to position herself as a unifying figure who can appeal to rural voters.

Some in the Democratic party believe an establishment figure who can appeal to centrist voters is the way to victory. Others argue a fresh face, and particularly a diverse one, is needed to energize the party's increasingly left-leaning base.

Gillibrand was a member of the centrist and fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition while in the House of Representatives. Her positions became more liberal after she was appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton in New York when Clinton became former President Barack Obama's secretary of state.

Gillibrand then won the seat in a special election and was re-elected to six-year terms in 2012 and 2018. She has attributed the ideology shift to representing a liberal state versus a more conservative district.

As a senator, Gillibrand was outspoken about rape in the military and campus sexual assault years before the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault first arose in 2017.

In late 2017, as she pushed for a bill changing how Congress processes and settles sexual harassment allegations made by staffers, some prominent party leaders criticized her for being the first Democratic senator to urge the resignation of Senator Al Franken, who was accused of groping and kissing women without their consent.

During the same period, Gillibrand said Hillary Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, should have resigned from the White House after his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky, which led to his impeachment by the House. Some criticized the senator for attacking the Clintons, who had supported her political career.

(Reporting by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
Her is Theresa May, and the political choice facing the British today is either to leave the EU under the PMs formula which Westminster has rejected twice or to defer Brexit, a move that would require the agreement of all 27 members and might leave the UK in limbo for another two years while the country finds its way out. Its her or chaos, if youll excuse the repetition. This week has seen British politics hit an all-time low in the decline triggered by Brexit, the process where the UK is mired. Brexit is conditioned by the lies and the hubris of an irresponsible, opportunistic political class that promised a painless exit from the EU, the institution which they grotesquely portrayed as the source of all evils during the referendum campaign. May has had a heart-stopping week in which she has narrowly averted both a no-deal Brexit an option that can only be favoured by the utterly irresponsible and Parliament taking over Brexit in a vote which she won by a margin of two.

Even though Mays plan has garnered greater support in parliament since the first vote (149 nays last week down from 230 in January), the PM is a dead woman walking who refuses to step down, even though she is no longer trusted by her own cabinet, her party and the Tory MPs. Her politics is about desperately trying to control a majority dominated by about seventy Brexiteer MPs, led by Jacob Rees-Moog, plus the ten DUP representatives from Northern Ireland.

Nevertheless, Theresa May will try to get one last vote yet, once she has managed to wrangle an extension of the Brexit calendar from the European authorities. The UK will only be allowed to remain in the EU until July, when the new parliament elected in the European polls between May 23 and 26 will be inaugurated. The UK is not expected to hold European elections and it would be unreasonable for a country to retain its vote and veto powers over the basic decisions of a club which it desperately wishes to leave. Likewise, the EU is not prepared to consider a lengthy extension unless there are guarantees of an agreement from London.

The way out of this dead end is necessarily upwards, as digging a deeper hole does not seem to be the most dignified solution. Mays resignation would be most welcome and would provide a fleeting sense of retribution and satisfaction. Yet we cannot rule out the possibility of a new Tory leader who pursues an ever harder Brexit, as there is still the fantasy that Brexit is a brilliant but poorly executed plan, rather than a political monster at which all frustration is directed and all fingers are pointed.

A reliable, stable majority that blurred party lines would need to be secured in the Commons. The rift knows no party boundaries and the solutions to the chaos demand a second referendum that sanctions a new consensus in Britain where the red lines are shifted.

Europe is going through a rough patch and there is still a need for a new project beyond Macrons minimum wage stunt, a project that reaches beyond the current economic and monetary union. Thats why in Sunday's edition ARA answers the questions: who is thinking Europe? And who is listening?

Europe needs a new joint agenda beyond the monetary policy and the single market. It needs an integrated democracy that reaches beyond the shared values and democratic practices to share a tax policy and strengthened cooperation. It needs an immigration policy that offers a generous control of Europes external borders, while preserving the Schengen space and the free circulation of citizens. The EU cannot be completely permeable, but obviously it must welcome the migrants that it can humanely afford to, given the economic and demographic pressure in Africa.

Politics is increasingly a transnational affair and the EU can become stronger on immigration, the international economy, finance, security, defence, the environment and pollution control. To do that we need to have outstanding leaders for the United States of Europe, whose greatest enemies can be found in central Europe and the widening rift within us. The prime ministers of Hungary (Viktor Orban) and Poland (Mateusz Morawiecki are watching from the inside how the termites are eating away at the foundations of the Union and they will have to be dealt with. Europe is going through a very important time and it remains a reality and a project worth standing up for with passion.
Kathmandu, Nepal, March 17, 2019: Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Co-chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal has left for United States (US) for treatment of his ailing wife Sita Dahal on Sunday.

Though visit to the US is personal for treatment purpose, his recent visit to US is taken importantly from different sectors, particularly in the political and diplomatic level.

During a brief conversation with the media persons at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), he has mentioned that there could be official and unofficial visits with ambassador and US government officials during his visit.

He also stated that also he would return back in country considering to the changing the political situation in the country. However, he did not mention about the tentative time to return in Nepal.

It is said that Sita will be admitted to Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Hospital in the US to treat Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). She has been suffering from the disease for the past few years.

Medically, PSP is an uncommon brain disorder that affects entire parts of the body. As PSP affects the movement of the body, patients with PSP cannot walk freely.
Iglauer, a staff writer at The New Yorker, went to Canada for an assignment about the salmon fisheries of British Columbia, and she fell in love. She was also a war correspondent and, between the war and Canada, one of the first to write about the health effects of air pollution.  The New York Times
Nope. Studies are showing, more and more, that the people who listen to information while they sleep may actually be learning it pretty well. For instance, in a recent study, 68 German students were asked to learn some new Dutch words before 11 p.m. Half the students were allowed to go to sleep while the words were played back to them. The other half stayed awake while listening to the words. Guess who learned the words?  The Wall Street Journal
Do it yourself if you can We accept  in principle  that private equity can deliver (somewhat) excess returns over most other asset classes. But there are a lot of qualifications attached to that, and most of them are very relevant to whether and how pension funds should invest in private equity.
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Flight 1549 Capt. Chesley Sullenberger has weighed in on the MAX 8 discussion but from a crew training and experience perspective. The pilot who deadsticked an A320 into the Hudson River after a dual engine failure 10 years ago with the help of First Officer Jeff Skiles said in a Facebook post on Saturday that the FO on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 602 lacked the experience to play a meaningful role in dealing with the in-flight emergency. The FO is reported to have had only 200 hours of total flight time, a level of experience Sullenberger called absurdly low for someone with responsibility for the safety of an airliner full of people. A cockpit crew must be a team of experts, not a captain and an apprentice, Sullenberger said. The 28-year-old captain had 8,000 hours and was considered a senior captain at Ethiopian Airlines.

On Flight 1549, Skiles was on his second flight in an A320 but had more than 30 years of cockpit experience in a variety of aircraft. He was pilot flying when multiple bird strikes knocked out the engines. Sullenberger assumed control while Skiles ran the checklists and other support cockpit duties. In extreme emergencies, when there is not time for discussion or for the captain to direct every action of the first officer, pilots must be able to intuitively know what to do to work together, Sullenberger said in his post. They must be able to collaborate wordlessly. Someone with only 200 hours would not know how to do that or even to do that. Sullenberger qualified his comments by noting that its not known what influence pilot experience had on the Ethiopian crash.
At least three people have died after a "bomb cyclone" dumped rain on the frozen Plains late last week, causing record flooding from ice jams and snowmelt along the Missouri and Platte rivers. Dams have been virtually obliterated, levees have failed and entire communities marooned.

The latest: Flood warnings remained in place Sunday evening across eastern Nebraska, parts of Iowa and southern Wisconsin. The National Weather Service forecast the areas would be subjected to major flooding possibly until Wednesday. The National Guard warned had earlier told Nebraskans the flooding could last for "quite some time."

Details: Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said it was the worst flooding in Nebraska for at least 50 years. The National Weather Service warned hazardous flooding would likely last throughout the weekend in the state, as well as in south and west central Iowa. The worst affected area would be around the Platte and Missouri rivers.

The big picture: Throughout Nebraska, rivers were breaking record highs with heavy rain on top of significant snowpack, suddenly thawing ground and a surge of snowmelt traveling from upstream. Ice on rivers were causing ice jams that have exacerbated flooding in some areas.

In many areas, rivers are hitting levels that are historically unprecedented, and the old records are being exceeded by several feet, which is an unusually high margin for such milestones.

Were just smashing some records on the big boys, the Missouri and the Platte, National Weather Service meteorologist Jeremy Wesely told the Omaha World-Herald.

Details: Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesman Mike Wight told Reuters one man died trying to tow a trapped car with his tractor when waters swept him away. Another man who died had failed to evacuate, though authorities have yet to determine the cause of death, he said. Another man was trying to tow a trapped car with his tractor when waters swept him away. A third man died when he became submerged in floodwaters in the town of Riverton, the Fremont County Sheriff's Office said, according to NBC News.

Air Force personnel have been trying to contain flooding at Offutt Air Force Base, home to Strategic Command as well as the fleet of E-4B airborne command aircraft and RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft.

Aerial photos on Saturday showed water lapping up against the base's single runway, with some aircraft still parked on the base. Offutt is now the second major U.S air force base to be hit by a weather-related disaster in less than a year, after Hurricane Michael tore through Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. It said Sunday evening the water had remained at the same level for hours and was not expected to rise.

In Fremont, Nebraska, roadways flooded and 2 levees were breached on Saturday morning, according to the Fremont Tribune, requiring mandatory evacuations.

There were evacuations along the rising Missouri River and in the town of Brownville, Nebraska.

A spokesman for the state's Public Power District told the Omaha World-Herald if the river rises to 45.5 feet, the Cooper Nuclear Power Station  which produces 35 percent of NPPD's power  would be shut down.

Our thought bubble, from Axios science editor Andrew Freedman: These floods are, in parts of Nebraska in particular, worse than longtime residents have experienced and in many cases are downright unprecedented in historical records. This will be a slow-rolling disaster unfolding for the next week as floodwaters move downstream to affect other states in the Mississippi River Valley.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

The unprecedented flooding has affected up to 74 million Americans from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers deployed the state National Guard after declaring an emergency as flooding was magnified by "rapid snowmelt." Columbus, Wisconsin, opened shelters for people who had been evacuated.

In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly issued a state of emergency for Doniphan County as flash floods wreaked havoc on the community.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also issued a disaster proclamation on Friday.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

Go deeper: In photos: Staggering destruction from historic flooding in the Plains
Brenton Tarrant, the alleged perpetrator of the Christchurch mosques massacre, visited Israel on October 25, 2016, and left 9 days later, two Israeli officials told me.

Why it matters: It's unclear what brought Tarrant to Israel, and officials told me he didn't raise any suspicions when he entered the country. He arrived as part of a trip in the region that also included Turkey. The Israeli security services will have to investigate what Tarrant did in Israel and who he met before further details are released.
1 big thing: Trump's 2020 map from hell

Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

Recent polling in a slew of states that carried President Trump to his thin win in 2016 show him starting 2020 in a deep hole.

What's new: Based on demographic changes, Republicans for the first time have authentic worries about Arizona, Georgia, Texas and other states they once took for granted.

Why it matters: Trump's margin for error this time is much smaller, because he's being squeezed from the north and the south.

From the north : Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are harder this time because Hillary Clinton, a turnoff for many working-class voters, won't be on the ballot.

: Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are harder this time because Hillary Clinton, a turnoff for many working-class voters, won't be on the ballot. From the south: Demographics are making North Carolina, Georgia, Texas and Arizona more competitive, and realistically in play.

Demographics are making North Carolina, Georgia, Texas and Arizona more competitive, and realistically in play. That's part of the reason for the fascination with more centrist Democrats like Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Beto O'Rourke and Joe Biden: The states that Trump won, but could easily lose, are swingy  not super-liberal.

Among the holes in his 2016 map:

In Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote after a statewide poll in January that Trump "has a precarious path to victory," based on the facts that his job approval was just 44%, opposition was more intense than support, and Democrats were more unified than Republicans.

the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote after a statewide poll in January that Trump "has a precarious path to victory," based on the facts that his job approval was just 44%, opposition was more intense than support, and Democrats were more unified than Republicans. In Michigan , the Detroit Free Press reports that Trump faces "serious headwinds": "Less than half of likely voters believe hes doing a good job, according to some recent polls, and many, if not most, plan to vote for someone else."

, the Detroit Free Press reports that Trump faces "serious headwinds": "Less than half of likely voters believe hes doing a good job, according to some recent polls, and many, if not most, plan to vote for someone else." "Pennsylvania meltdown triggers Republican alarms," Politico wrote after the midterms. "A GOP collapse threatens to torpedo Donald Trumps re-election prospects."

triggers Republican alarms," Politico wrote after the midterms. "A GOP collapse threatens to torpedo Donald Trumps re-election prospects." In last weekend's Iowa Poll, 67% of Republicans said they would definitely vote to re-elect Trump, while 27% said they would consider someone else or definitely vote for someone else. 40% want a GOP challenger.

But Trump allies tell me their 2016 upsets reduce their current worry:

"Hes basically where he was and, depending on the poll, possibly better than where he was going into the 2016 general election," a current adviser said. "I wouldnt say this is a bad place to be."

where he was and, depending on the poll, possibly better than where he was going into the 2016 general election," a current adviser said. "I wouldnt say this is a bad place to be." "Democrats will go through exactly what Republicans did in 2016," added an alumnus of Trump's campaign and White House. "The question is where they can coalesce around a single candidate  not sure thats possible with all the differing factions."

Be smart: "Id sooner be the Dems than Trump," David Axelrod, Obama's campaign architect, told me. "He drew an inside straight in 2016 with narrow wins in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. He is vulnerable today in each, with no obvious prospect of adding a state to his column in 2020."
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 23 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 17, Trend reports.

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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Azerbaijan has started the execution of the pardon decree signed by the country's President Ilham Aliyev March 16.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.

Among those pardoned are former chairman of the Baku Telephone Communications Public Association Beytulla Huseynov, members of the "Nida" movement Giyas Ibrahimov, Bayram Mammadov, Ilkin Rustamzade, former deputy head of the Yasamal branch of JSC Texnikabank Elnur Seyidov, deputies of the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan Gozal Bayramli and Fuad Gahramanli, ex-Minister of Health Ali Insanov.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Azerbaijans former health minister Ali Insanov has been pardoned upon presidential decree.

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree to pardon a number of convicts and upon this decree, Ali Insanov has been freed from the unserved part of his sentence.

Ali Insanov was arrested in October 2005.

He was accused of embezzling state funds and organizing illegal privatization of state assets.

In April 2007 he was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment with confiscation of property. Insanov's term was to expire in October last year.

In 2017, Insanov was charged under Article 234.1 (Illegal purchase, storage, manufacturing, processing, transportation without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption), Article 315.2 (Resistance to the authorities in the performance of their duties, with the use of violence not dangerous to life and health, the use of such violence or threat of violence against him and his relatives in connection with the performance of official duties, application of the violence dangerous to life or health, concerning persons specified in the article) and Article 317- 2.1 (The preparation, keeping, concealment, carrying, transportation or use of prohibited items by a person held in penalty institutions or investigation isolators, the same acts if they are committed repeatedly) and was sentenced to 7 years and 5 days imprisonment by the Garadagh District Court.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Azerbaijan has built a very successful model of regional cooperation, head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev told reporters, Trend reports.

Hajiyev said that this model is based on effective cooperation.

"It serves the interests of not only Azerbaijan, but also its partners, neighbors. Here we can note transport corridors, energy projects," he said.

He noted that Armenia remains aloof from all these processes.

"If the current leadership of Armenia wants to carry out economic reforms, then the country should withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, treat in a civilized manner with neighboring countries and implement a policy of good-neighborliness," Hajiyev said.

He stressed that the status quo is unacceptable.

Hajiyev added that the constructive position demonstrated by Azerbaijan in connection with the settlement of the conflict also receives a decent assessment.

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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Citizens in Guba, Gazakh, Barda and Terter have contributed time and money to build six feed-grinding and seed-cleaning facilities that will provide services to nearby farmers. These facilities were built through the Socio-Economic Development Activity (SEDA), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The three new facilities in Guba and three in Gazakh, Terter and Barda will allow local farmers to make their own affordable animal feed for their cows and poultry and clean disease-free seeds for planting crops. They no longer would need to travel long distances to the nearest city to grind their clover, corn, and barley crops into feed and purchase seeds. These facilities will benefit nearby communities - home to 27,000 people - whose livelihoods depend on agriculture.

These projects are part of collaboration between USAID, the Azerbaijani government, and local communities to support citizen-led efforts to improve rural livelihoods. USAIDs SEDA is implemented by the East-West Management Institute with support from the Ministry of Economy. Since 2011, SEDA communities have implemented 134 projects that include activities supporting local economies, medical facilities, roads in rural areas, water and irrigation systems, and local school renovations -- benefiting nearly 220,000 people in 107 communities.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

The Azerbaijani presidents pardon decree is being executed in Bakus penitentiary institution #17 of the penitentiary service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice, Trend reports.

Some 10 prisoners were released from this penitentiary institution, including two Nigerian citizens.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Execution of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs pardon decree has been completed in Azerbaijan on March 17, Trend reports.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
UPCOMING MEETINGS

Monday: The developer of the proposed off-campus dorms will host a talk-back session with interested parties at St. John's Lutheran Church at 5:30 p.m. Opponents of the project expect to see several hundred neighbors in attendance.

April 9: A Board of Zoning Adjustment has been tentatively scheduled to consider whether to grant a conditional use permit for the dorms proposal, which would be located on land zoned for offices rather than residential.
The Kern River Bike Path could be extended from its western terminus at Enos Lane six miles south to the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area.
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.
The forum took place in South Africas capital Pretoria on March 14 and 15 under the co-chair of Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong and South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Reginah Mhaule.At the forum, Vietnamese and South African ministries and sectors reviewed bilateral cooperation since their third meeting, which was held in Hanoi in 2015 and discussed measures to capitalize on the countries potential in the coming years.The sides agreed to maintain delegation exchanges at all levels, and mutual support and cooperation at international organizations and multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations.They shared the view on the need to strengthen bilateral partnership in economy, trade, and investment and to soon sign a memorandum of understanding on boosting joint work in mineral resources, electricity power and renewable energy.They recommended the launching of negotiations for coal export from South Africa to Vietnam, and boosting the trading of their farm produce and food products.The South African side promised to assist the organization of events that introduce Vietnamese goods into local supermarket chains.The two sides agreed to hold a meeting of the Vietnam  South Africa subcommittee on trade in 2019 and assigned specific agencies to carry out commercial promotion activities.They pledged to continue with joint work in the protection, conservation and management of biodiversity, while exchanging information on seized wildlife animals, and implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).The two sides vowed to negotiate towards signing an agreement on cooperation on agriculture, fishery and forestry before the end of 2020.The sides agreed to hold their third defence dialogue in Hanoi this year, boost capacity training collaboration in military health, logistics, and defence industry, and exchange experience related to UN peacekeeping mission.Vietnamese and South African ministry of public security reached consensus on cooperation to prevent crime, particularly drug and wildlife trafficking, while working to sign an agreement on judicial support concerning crime.In terms of education-training and science-technology, the sides highlighted the need for more exchanges of researchers and organization of scientific seminars toward the signing of more collaboration agreements in the fields.Vietnam suggested increasing exchanges of cultural, sport and tourism delegations, facilitating art-cultural activities and film screening in both nations, and exchanging experiences in tourism and tourism development policies.At the forum, Reginah Mhaule expressed the hope to receive Vietnams support in developing ties with the Asia-Pacific region. She said she backs the ASEANs stance on tackling international dispute using peaceful measures in line with the UN charter and international law.The official stated that South Africa will soon send a diplomatic note on its official support of Vietnams candidacy for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure. She also stressed her countrys willingness to help Vietnam establish relations with the African Union.Concluding the event, the two deputy ministers said bilateral trade, current at US$ 1 billion, still fall short of potential, agreeing to boosting business connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.The next meeting was planned to take place in Vietnam in 2021.

VNA
Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Cloudy and windy. Near record high temperatures. High 81F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph..

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Cloudy this evening with thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
To celebrate St. Patricks Day, a Belfast-based coffee shop has created an extra boozy sweet treat.

Coffee shop and doughnut maker Guilt Trip Coffee has teamed up with Bushmills Irish Whiskey to create the 'Black Bush Doughnut'.

The limited edition sweet treat, which features Guilt Trips signature chocolate dough infused with a rich chocolate ganache centre, is topped with a brown butter Bushmills Black Bush glaze and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings, making it the perfect accompaniment to any celebratory tipple this weekend.

Ben Hamilton, general manager of Guilt Trip Coffee, say: We created a Bushmills Irish Whiskey inspired doughnut last year and our customers have been demanding its return ever since. This time weve chosen to use the Black Bush premium blend in our creation and were confident itll be a tasty hit.

The limited edition boozy dessert is available from Friday, March 15 until Friday, March 22 at Guilt Trips coffee shop on Orangefield Lane, Belfast.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has failed to rule out offering the DUP more funding for Northern Ireland in a bid to win support of the party for Theresa May's Brexit deal.

Mr Hammond's comments come as speculation mounts that the UK government will have to offer fresh funding for Northern Ireland as the Prime Minister battles to secure support for the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Read More

The Chancellor, speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, said: "Well the DUP, as you would have heard Nigel Dodds saying on Friday, is primarily concerned about the threat of divergence between the regime in Northern Ireland (NI) and the regime in Great Britain (GB).

"The DUP are passionate Unionists, I am a passionate unionist myself, and I regarded it as crucially important that we do not allow differences to grow up between NI and GB.

"We are looking for ways the government can reassure Northern Irish politicians about our clear intention to make sure there are no such differences as we go forward, if the backstop ever had to come into force."

Pushed on whether the government has offered more funding to Northern Ireland to the DUP during meetings with Nigel Dodds MP on Friday, Mr Hammond said: "This isn't about money, it is about political assurance. We are coming up to a spending review and we will have to look at all budgets, including devolved block grant budgets, in that spending review. Of course we will."

He added: "We have got an additional complexity in Northern Ireland. The House of Commons voted a budget through for NI last week and NI is in very difficult circumstances because the civil service has not been able to take quite difficult decisions that need taking.

"We hope that once we have got Brexit dealt with we will be able to resume power-sharing executive in NI and then of course we will have to look at the spending review in that context."

Asked if he would rule out providing extra funding to Northern Ireland in return for DUP MP's support, Mr Hammond said: "That is not where the discussion has been around."

Yesterday the DUP stressed extra cash for Northern Ireland is not forming part of the Brexit deal discussions.

The party stressed that the presence of the Chancellor at a meeting with the party on Friday did not mean that money was an issue.

A DUP spokesman said: "We are in discussions with the Government to ensure Northern Ireland is not separated out from the rest of the United Kingdom as we leave the European Union.

"Contrary to some reports we are not discussing cash. There are still issues to be addressed in our discussions."
Irish premier Leo Varadkar will meet European Council president Donald Tusk next week in Dublin to consider any requests from the UK to delay Brexit.

The Taoiseach has already revealed how he spoke to DUP leader Arlene Foster about the partys talks with the Conservative Government.

He hinted that the pair were both against a no-deal Brexit, but did not discuss details.

Speaking during his annual US St Patricks Day Tour, Mr Varadkar said: President Tusk will come to Dublin on Tuesday for meetings with me, in advance of the European Council summit later in the week, to consider any requests that come from the UK at that point for an extension.

On Wednesday at our Cabinet meeting we will be in position to sign off on a package of supports for businesses, for farmers, for the agri-food sector and for anyone who may be adversely affected by a no-deal Brexit.

Obviously we are hoping the deal will be ratified in the House of Commons before then, but if its not we are ready. Weve already passed the legislation to provide for a no-deal Brexit, we have the Common Travel Area and this package of measures to support incomes and jobs.

Its not going to be a case of everything being all right, Brexit is bad news.

Expand Close President of the European Council Donald Tusk (Rick Findler/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp President of the European Council Donald Tusk (Rick Findler/PA)

On Friday evening Mr Varadkar said US president Donald Trump could visit Ireland as early as June as part of his trip to Europe.

But closer to home he said he hoped his discussions with Mr Tusk could help avoid a rolling extension.

He added: I will have a chance to speak to him in more detail at that point and I would hope that things over the next couple of days may become a bit clearer in terms of what Westminster wants and what the British Government wants.

Ive always said that what I would like to avoid is a rolling extension, where there is an extension every few months, that would just add to uncertainty and wouldnt solve the problem.

There seems to be two emerging possibilities, one would be the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement by Westminster followed by a short extension into the summer which would allow them time to pass the necessary legislation or potentially a much longer extension of up to two years and the purpose of that would be to allow other options to be considered, for example participation in Customs Union.

Mr Varadkar took part in Chicagos St Patricks Day parade on Saturday, alongside surprise guest UFC star Conor McGregor.
A man jumped from an upstairs window after being assaulted by six masked men armed with bats and iron bars in Larne.

The incident happened in the Ballycraigy Ring area of the town on Saturday.

Detective Sergeant Leighanne Robinson said: It was reported that shortly after 7.30pm on Saturday evening, up to six masked men, armed with bats and iron bars, forced entry to the flat and assaulted the male occupant.

"The occupant escaped from the property by jumping from an upstairs window sustaining a suspected broken leg as a result. A car parked outside the property was also attacked by the men and extensively damaged."

A 34-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident. He remains in custody.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives in Larne on 101quoting reference number 1178 16/03/19.
Two men forced their way into an older woman's house in Newtownabbey and made her sit on the sofa as they burgled her house.

Police received a report of a burglary at a house in the town on Saturday night.

Inspector McCarron said: "We received a report around 7:45pm the sole occupant of a house in the Jordanstown Road area went to the rear of the property, around 7:30pm, after hearing a noise. When the woman opened the door, two men pushed past her and into the house.

"The two males made the woman, who is aged in her 70s, sit on the sofa while they searched her property before fleeing with a sum of money.

"The woman was not injured, but she has been left very distressed by what must have been a frightening ordeal for her.

"I want to appeal to anyone who was in the area around this time and saw two males acting suspiciously, or who has information which may assist our investigation to call us on non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1206 of 16/03/19."

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime."
Barracks across Northern Ireland reverberated to the sound of the skirl of pipes and drums as soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment spent the weekend celebrating St Patricks Day.

On Sunday a large crowd assembled to watch the proceedings as Lord Lieutenant of Belfast Mrs Fionnuala Jay-OBoyle CBE inspected soldiers and presented shamrocks during a parade in Belfast to mark the patron saints day.

On Saturday Lord Lieutenant of Antrim, Mrs Joan Christie OBE inspected soldiers and conducted the annual presentation of shamrock in Newtownabbey, while the mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Uel Mackin carried out the duties at Lisburns Thiepval Barracks.

Expand Close Regimental mascot Brian Boru X (MoD/Crown Copyright/PA) / Facebook

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In Enniskillen Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh, Major (Retd) Charles Plunkett MBE inspected the troops.

Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Paul Walkley said: St Patricks Day is a fantastic opportunity for us to come together to celebrate our regimental heritage and Irishness.

Its a special day where we get to thank our families, local communities and our veteran community for their enduring support throughout the year.

We will not let the rain dampen our spirits.

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The band of the Royal Irish Regiment and the bugles, pipes and drums of the 2nd Battalion provided music over the weekend.

Also present at the events was the Royal Irish Regiments mascot, Irish wolfhound Brian Boru X who wore an official green parade uniform.

He was accompanied by his handler, Wolfhound Major Moore.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald attends the American Ireland Gala Fund dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington DC (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Sinn Fein leader has been condemned for marching behind an offensive banner in New Yorks St Patricks Day parade.

Mary Lou McDonald helped carry a sign which read England Get Out of Ireland, as she took part in the citys annual parade to mark the Irish national day on Saturday.

Irelands Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney accused Ms McDonald of poor leadership and of being an embarrassment over her actions.

He tweeted: @MaryLouMcDonald this is NOT leadership  its offensive, divisive and an embarrassment  grow up, this is NOT #Ireland in 2019! we are better than this!

@MaryLouMcDonald this is NOT leadership - its offensive, divisive and an embarrassment - grow up, this is NOT #ireland in 2019! we are better than this!  https://t.co/LUbfbvOe6l  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 17, 2019

Mr Coveney made the remarks after Sinn Fein posted a photograph of their party leader at the parade.

The tweet read: No explanation needed. @MaryLouMcDonald #StPatrickDay Parade #NYC.

Ms McDonald was in the United States to take part in the annual St Patricks festivities.

In an earlier post, the Tanaiste commended New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern in the wake of the mass shootings in Christchurch.

He wrote: This is what Leadership looks like  @jacindaardern #NewZealandTerrorAttack.

His tweet was accompanied by a video of Ms Ardern wearing a hijab as she met the families of the victims of the mosque shootings.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann also condemned Ms McDonalds actions.

Mr Swann said: Once again Mary Lou McDonald as president of Sinn Fein, has shown them up for what they are really all about as she posed behind a banner which was highly offensive and wrong on so many levels.

It demonstrated that bigotry and hypocrisy were alive and well within their version of republicanism.

It is clear that when Sinn Fein talk about respect, honesty and integrity, that they are as sincere as Gerry Adams using equality as a Trojan Horse to attack unionists. Their words about rights are only a veneer to hide their true intention.

Wishing you all a very happy St Patrick's Day! Today I'm going green for a United Ireland #green4unity #time4unity #ta32 #GoGreen  pic.twitter.com/9Zc6WtO10S  Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) March 17, 2019

He added: It is sad that whilst others celebrate St Patrick in a respectful and non-confrontational manner, Sinn Fein return to type.

Democratic Unionist Partys Gregory Campbell said Sinn Feins caption on the tweeted picture, which read No explanation needed, summed up the partys attitude to explanations, truth and respect.

When slogans such as Brits out or England out of Ireland are used the unionist community are well within their rights to see themselves as the intended focus, Mr Campbell said.

The British presence in Ireland is the unionist population in Northern Ireland.

The Republican focus on Brits in the city of Londonderry saw thousands of unionists move out en masse from the Cityside as the IRA began their war.

Its clear that republicans dont do explanations. Neither do they do apologies. Theyve never explained let alone apologised for the terror their armed wing conducted for so long.

In response to the criticism a Sinn Fein spokesman said: The most divisive and offensive act on this island for almost the last 100 years has been the partition of Ireland.

It should come as no surprise that Sinn Fein wants a new united Ireland under the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement.

The faux outrage of some of our political opponents owes more to the silly season of a holiday weekend and petty political point scoring.

However if Simon Coveney and the Government is serious about achieving a new and agreed united Ireland then he should immediately convene an all-Ireland forum on Irish unity.
Everyone is equal before the law regardless of who they love, Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said.

Days after Mr Varadkar delivered his anti-discrimination speech at a meeting with US vice president Mike Pence, the Taoiseach said he wanted to express Irelands values.

Mr Pence, who has a history of anti-gay policies, hosted the breakfast meeting with Mr Varadkar and his partner Dr Matt Barrett on Thursday.

Mr Varadkar is Irelands first openly gay leader and one of very few openly gay national leaders in the world.

Expand Close The Taoiseach is on an official visit to the United States (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Speaking in Chicago on the final day of his St Patricks tour, the Taoiseach said he was not nervous about delivering the strong message.

He said: I gave consideration about what I was going to say and how I was going to say it.

Ultimately Matt and I were guests in his home, so I wanted to make sure that what I had to say was respectful and I hope it came across that way, (and) at the same time expressing what are now Irelands values, that everyone is equal before the law regardless of their religion or lack thereof, their gender, the colour of their skin or who they love.

I dont really take him (Matt) to official events, he has his own life and his own career and doesnt particularly enjoy coming along to events as my plus-one unless its a match or a concert, but when we got the invitation from the Pences it was different and he felt it was an invitation that he wanted to accept.

Mr Varadkar has extended an invitation to Mr Pence and his wife, Karen, when they visit Ireland.

They are a family with really genuine Irish connection to Co Sligo and to Co Clare, the Taoiseach added.

He said that Ireland has made progress on womens issues following last years historic referendum on the countrys abortion laws.

Unfortunately in America I think things are so polarised, people watching different news channels and shouting at each other, refusing to engage with each other, and maybe we did it a bit differently in Ireland, he added.
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina at the service (Niall Carson/PA)

Irish President Michael D Higgins has attended a memorial service for the victims of the New Zealand mosque shootings.

A service of silence and reflection was held at Dublins Pro Cathedral on St Patricks Day morning by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to remember those who died in the mass shootings and to renew the rejection of all forms of religious and racial intolerance by Christian believers.

The death toll stands at 50 after the shootings at two Christchurch mosques during midday prayers on Friday, with dozens more were wounded.

Expand Close Mr Higgins signs a book of condolence before the memorial service (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Archbishop Martin welcomed Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina to the service, where he expressed solidarity with the people of New Zealand, and Muslims both in Ireland and abroad.

New Zealand ambassador to Ireland Brad Burgess was among the large crowd that attended.

Archbishop Martin said: I felt that it would somehow be incongruous to hold our regular joyful celebration of the Feast of Saint Patrick here in the Pro-Cathedral, without first finding a moment to pause and reflect on a horrific event which took place on the other side of the world but which involves us all.

We express our solidarity with the people of New Zealand. We express our solidarity with our Islamic brothers and sisters here in Ireland and worldwide  Archbishop Martin pic.twitter.com/j2FWq5R6md  Archdiocese Dublin (@DublinDiocese) March 17, 2019

He said that the brutal murder of 50 innocent people anywhere would in itself alone be a deplorable event of world dimensions.

The inspiration of the event in Christchurch  to attack people of prayer just because they were of a different faith  is something that offends Christian culture; it offends our own Irish culture, just as it offends the culture of New Zealand, a country known for its tolerance and welcome, the archbishop said.

He added that racism and religious intolerance can never be allowed to assume even a token tone of respectability or reasonableness.

There is no such thing as half-racism. There is no way any society can think that racist or religious tolerance should have any place within it, he said.

The Church of Jesus Christ and Christian believers must constantly be alert not to fall prey to the temptation of intolerance.

History shows that when racism and religious intolerance are not addressed they contain within themselves a frightening power for fostering hatred and social destruction.

Queues to sign the book of condolence for the victims of #Christchurch in Pro Cathedral this morning pic.twitter.com/H3r5U8f2y9  Archdiocese Dublin (@DublinDiocese) March 17, 2019

The service was followed by mass, celebrating the Feast of St Patrick and blessing of the shamrock at 11am.

Long queues of people formed to sign books of condolence after the memorial and mass.

The books were opened to the public on Saturday, and will also be available for signing on Monday from 10am.
Hundreds of thousands of people have attended St Patricks Day parades in cities, towns and villages across Ireland.

Young and old alike of all nationalities lined streets across the country dressed in varying shades of green on Sunday to celebrate the national day.

In his traditional St Patricks Day message, Irish President Michael D Higgins said: May I, on this St Patricks Day 2019, send my warmest greetings as Uachtaran na hEireann, President of Ireland, to all our extended family across the world.

May I wish all those who share this island, be they Irish people by birth or descent or those who have a connection with Ireland and all those fellow global citizens who are friends of Ireland, a happy and peaceful St. Patrick's Day.https://t.co/MAkVho7LfK pic.twitter.com/CNHttS3Bma  President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) March 16, 2019

Wherever you may be, and in whatever circumstances, you are part of Irelands global family joining with us as we celebrate our shared Irishness, its culture, heritage and history.

In Dublin, President Higgins and his wife Sabina joined the crowds that thronged central Dublin for the countrys flagship parade, which got under way around midday before bright and sunny conditions turned more cold and blustery.

It was led by the Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring and grand marshals Deirdre OKane and Jason Byrne.

Large crowds gathered from early morning to nab the best vantage points. Every window sill and even some lampposts were used to gain some height to watch the parade pass by.

Pageant ensembles and arts groups from the capital and further afield delighted onlookers with colourful costumes, larger than life puppets and dancing performers.

Expand Close Hundreds of thousands flocked to parades across the country (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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The theme of this years parade was storytelling. It featured marching bands from home and abroad including the US and Germany.

Participants made their way from Parnell Square across the Liffey to St Patricks Cathedral over several hours in the afternoon.

Dublin mother Nicole Ryan brought her three children Matthew, Rachel, and Louise.

They had managed to nab a coveted vantage point on Dame Street to watch the floats and marching bands pass by.

I hope well last, she said as she balanced on the edge of an old water fountain on the street.

We havent been in to the Dublin city parade for a couple of years so we thought it would be nice to bring the kids in, she said.

A #StPatricksDay message from Taoiseach @campaignforleo - "Reaching out to our diaspora, the 70 million people who call Ireland home, is really important, especially on Irelands National Day. La Fheile Padraig faoi mhaise do gach duine ar fud an domhain." #GlobalIreland  pic.twitter.com/itKpeFedrP  MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) March 17, 2019

Rachel, 11, said she loved the marching bands, while her sister Louise, 10, said the big floats were what she enjoyed the most.

Vanessa Ives and Kim Mac Quet were among the thousands of international visitors lining the streets of the capital.

The friends travelled from South Africa to attend the parade during their first trip to Ireland.

We love it here. Were definitely coming back, they said. But they said that they had come from a heatwave in Johannesburg so they were feeling the cold.

They donned green tops, green skirts and had even dyed their hair green for the day.

The atmosphere is great but we think itll be even better when people have a couple of pints, Ms Ives said.

Ms Mac Quet said she had decided to visit Ireland to put her Irish passport to use for the first time. Her grandparents were from Ireland.

Michael Morel travelled from Paris with his father Patrick and 11 of their friends for the festivities.

Its really great to be here, Mr Morel said. Its a great festival. People are very nice and very happy.

Expand Close Many colourful costumes adorned the parade (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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In Cork, Olympian Rob Heffernan led the city centre parade.

More than 3,000 community groups got involved in the parade, the theme of which was Stories of Cork.

About 50,000 people were expected to attend.

A similar number was expected to line the streets of Limerick. The theme of its parade, which took place on OConnell Street in the city, was the wonders of space.

In Galway Paralympic medallist Shane Curran was the guest of honour, while the earliest parade of the day got under way in Dingle. It began at 6am.

In Belfast the theme of this years parade was City of Equals. Thousands of people from a range of cultures and religious backgrounds lined the streets to watch the colourful displays and drum bands.

The festivities included a free concert at Custom House Square featuring The Vengaboys, Catherine McGrath and Ryan Sheridan.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said reaching out to the Irish diaspora, the 70 million people who call Ireland home, was really important, especially on Irelands National Day.
Yes campaigners demonstrated outside the BBC in Glasgow ahead of the Scottish Referendum in 2014 (Andrew Milligan/PA)

A BBC journalist has questioned the attitudes of some colleagues in London regarding Scottish independence in a documentary about the 2014 referendum.

In the programme to be aired on the BBC on Tuesday, veteran broadcaster Allan Little said that some colleagues thought that our responsibility was to produce a series of pieces to demonstrate how foolish it would be to vote Yes.

Mr Little, who had worked for the BBC for more than 30 years at the time of the referendum, told the programme: I know how hard my colleagues in London work at trying to get it right.

Im not cynical about that but I was quite surprised by some of my colleagues failing to understand their own assumption that the Yes side was wrong.

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The BBC faced allegations of bias in the run-up to the referendum which was held in September 2014.

Just days before the vote, which the No campaign won 55% to 45%, as many as 1,000 Yes supporters gathered outside BBC Scotlands headquarters at Pacific Quay in Glasgow to protest over the broadcasters coverage of the referendum, claiming it was biased against independence.

The Yes/No: Inside The Indyref programme, to be shown on the BBC Scotland channel on Tuesday, looks at the final days of the campaign.

Ken MacQuarrie, who was the director of BBC Scotland at the time, said in the documentary: People were doing a professional job as far as was possible in every situation that they came across.
The Prince of Wales has arrived in St Lucia for the start of a 12-day tour of the Caribbean featuring an historic visit to Cuba.

Charles was warmly greeted by St Lucias Prime Minister Allen Chastanet when he arrived and also waiting at the steps of RAF Voyager, the British minister jet, was British High Commissioner Steve McCready.

The trip to the island paradise is a brief stop of a few hours for the heir to the throne before he flies on to Barbados where the Duchess of Cornwall is waiting, having flown out ahead of the tours start.

The Prince of Wales has arrived in St. Lucia to join celebrations marking 40 years of the countrys independence.



To begin the visit, The Prince is meeting with Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Governor-General Sir Emmanuel Neville Cenac. #RoyalVisitStLucia  pic.twitter.com/2DQYagG2eV  The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 17, 2019

Charles and Camilla will also visit St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and the Cayman Islands, with the highlight the four-day tour of Cuba beginning on March 24  the first by members of the monarchy.

The princes flying visit has given the St Lucians an excuse to extend celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the countrys independence, and an official ceremonial welcome and parade will be staged in the open air later for Charles.

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With its tropical forests, famous Pitons  towering volcanic plugs that are a World Heritage site  and picturesque towns the island is the archetypal Caribbean destination.

It was fought over many times during the 17th and 18th century before Britain took control of the strategically important island from the French and today its culture still reflects these influences especially in the French creole widely spoken.

The former crown colony of Britain, whose economy has moved from sugar production to tourism and banana growing, is one of the Queens realms meaning Charles is not a foreign royal but a prince of St Lucia.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate St Patricks Day by attending a parade of the Irish Guards.

William, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards, and Kate will pay a visit to 1st Battalion at their base in Hounslow, west London.

The royals will be reunited with their furry friend Domhnall, an Irish wolfhound and mascot they have met several times previously.

Domhnall, which is Gaelic for world leader, will lead 350 soldiers as they march on the Parade Square at Cavalry Barracks on Sunday morning.

Kate will then present the shamrock to officers and warrant officers, before a march past where William will take the salute.

Since 1901, when the regiment was first founded by order of Queen Victoria, the regiments parade has traditionally been presided over by a woman.

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The pair will then be toasted by the longest-serving Guardsman at the Guardsmans Lunch, and the duchess thanked for presenting the shamrock.

At past parades the Duke has sipped on a pint of Guinness in a nod to the tradition of the day.

Last year Kate, who was heavily pregnant with the couples third child, opted for a sparkling water instead.

Three years of ceremonial duties for the Irish Guards came to an end in January.

The main focus of the past 12 months was on exercise Askari Storm, a battlegroup exercise in Kenya.

It currently has troops deployed in Uganda, Jordan and Kenya, and training will ramp up in September ahead of missions to South Sudan and Iraq.

Alongside its role serving in British conflicts overseas, the Irish Guards also serve in ceremonial and public duties at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St Jamess Palace and the Tower of London.
Brothers 10-year-old Sanjay and 23-month-old Pawanveer Singh who died in a hit and run in Wolverhampton (West Midlands Police/PA)

Detectives probing the hit and run killing of two young brothers have arrested a man on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The 23-year-old suspect was detained on Sunday after Pawanveer Singh, aged 23 months, and his brother Sanjay, 10, died in Wolverhampton on Thursday.

He was arrested in central Birmingham and taken into custody for questioning, West Midlands Police said.

BREAKING NEWS: We've arrested a man on suspicion of causing the death by dangerous driving of Pawanveer Singh, aged 23 months, and his brother Sanjay, aged 10, in a collision in Wolverhampton. Full story  https://t.co/KjKalBDYTR  WMPBreaking (@WMPBreaking) March 17, 2019

Det Sgt Paul Hughes, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: This afternoons arrest is a significant development, but the investigation is continuing and we still have lots of lines of enquiry to pursue.

We would appeal to the public to keep contacting us with any information.

Pawanveer and Sanjays family have been informed of this afternoons development, and we continue to support them through this terrible period.

The brothers were with their mother in the familys BMW, turning right off Birmingham New Road into Lawnswood Avenue, when an Audi S3 crashed into them at around 8.45pm.

The driver of the Audi fled on foot before both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.

A 31-year-old man from a third car, a Bentley, was also arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and later released pending further investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police via live chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight or call 101 any time.

Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote log number 2580 of March 14.
Theresa May is warning against a long Brexit delay that would see the UK elect new MEPs (EPTV)

Theresa May has warned MPs that if they fail to back her Brexit deal at the third time of asking then Brussels might insist on a lengthy delay, potentially scuppering chances of leaving the European Union altogether.

The Prime Minister said it would be a potent symbol of Parliaments collective political failure if a delay to Brexit meant the UK was forced to take part in Mays European elections almost three years after voting to leave.

She warned that if MPs did not back her deal before Thursdays European Council summit we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever.

Mrs May acknowledged that even if her deal is passed before the summit of EU leaders the Government would need a short technical extension beyond the scheduled March 29 Brexit date.

That is not an ideal outcome  we could and should have been leaving the EU on March 29, she said.

But it is something the British people would accept if it led swiftly to delivering Brexit.

The alternative if Parliament cannot agree the deal by that time is much worse.

The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. There could be no more potent symbol of Parliaments collective political failureTheresa May

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph she said her fellow leaders would demand a clear purpose for a longer extension that was not merely a technical delay to allow legislation to pass.

In a message aimed at MPs seeking rival versions of Brexit she said: If the proposal were to go back to square one and negotiate a new deal, that would mean a much longer extension  almost certainly requiring the United Kingdom to participate in the European Parliament elections in May.

The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about.

There could be no more potent symbol of Parliaments collective political failure.

All this makes the choice now facing MPs clearer than it has ever been. If Parliament can find a way to back the Brexit deal before European Council, the UK will leave the EU this spring, without having to take part in the European elections, and we can get on with building our future relationship with the EU.

If it cannot, we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever.

In an appeal to MPs to back her deal, she said: I know that I will have to do more to convince others, as well as the DUP, if I am to succeed in finally securing a majority for the deal.

That remains my goal. It is the only way through the current impasse.

The possibility of Brexit being delayed or overturned in a second referendum is swinging some Eurosceptics reluctantly behind the deal ahead of a third vote on the package.

Backbench rebel Daniel Kawczynski publicly indicated he will now back the Prime Ministers plan.

But so far the number of Tories publicly switching positions has amounted to a trickle rather than the flood the Prime Minister needs to overturn the 149-vote defeat for the deal she suffered on Tuesday.

Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Mr Kawczynski acknowledged that the Prime Ministers deal was now the only game in town.

Constituents fed up with infighting in both Parties.Parliament voted this week to take no deal from table (mistake in my view)) No other deal can get through Commons so Mrs Mays Deal is only game in town. Do we continue to obstruct & risk no Brexit? I doubt I can take that risk  Daniel Kawczynski (@DKShrewsbury) March 16, 2019

His comments came after former cabinet minister Esther McVey, who resigned over the Brexit deal, suggested she and other MPs could now back it, even though it was rubbish and North Wiltshire MP James Gray appealed to fellow members of the Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG) to get the obnoxious deal over the line.

But other ERG figures played down the prospect of large numbers getting behind the deal when it is brought back for a vote.

Meanwhile, talks continued with the DUP, but the party stressed that the presence of Chancellor Philip Hammond at a meeting on Friday did not mean that money was being demanded.

We are in discussions with the Government to ensure Northern Ireland is not separated out from the rest of the United Kingdom as we leave the European Union, a spokesman said.

Contrary to some reports we are not discussing cash.

There are still issues to be addressed in our discussions.

Jeremy Corbyn has offered talks with opposition leaders and backbench MPs in an effort to find a Brexit compromise which could replace Mrs Mays plan.

Labour is expected to throw its weight behind an amendment tabled by backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson which would make support for the Brexit deal conditional on a referendum.
Theresa May could duck a third Commons showdown on her Withdrawal Agreement, resulting in a long delay to Brexit unless Tory rebels fall in line.

Cabinet ministers said another vote on the deal would not be held unless the Prime Minister was confident of overturning last weeks overwhelming defeat.

Unless the 149-vote humiliation can be reversed, Mrs May would be forced to seek a lengthy extension to the Article 50 process, with the UK required to elect MEPs in May, Chancellor Philip Hammond said.

Will there definitely be a third "meaningful vote" on #Brexit next week? #Marr asks Chancellor Philip Hammond https://t.co/lJpkUkMdDC pic.twitter.com/H1mgUluItC  BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) March 17, 2019

The Prime Minister herself has warned of what Westminster insiders have dubbed a Hotel California Brexit where the UK can never leave.

She said that if MPs did not back her deal before Thursdays European Council summit we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever.

It would be a potent symbol of Parliaments collective political failure if a delay to Brexit meant the UK was forced to elect MEPs in May almost three years after voting to leave, Mrs May said in a Sunday Telegraph article.

As part of the effort to put pressure on Tory hardliners and the DUP to shift position and support the deal, Mr Hammond and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox made clear that the Prime Minister might not even risk a third defeat on her deal after the 230-vote loss in January and last weeks 149-vote reverse.

Mr Hammond told BBC Ones Andrew Marr Show: We will only bring the deal back if we are confident that enough of our colleagues and the DUP are prepared to support it so that we can get it through Parliament.

We are not just going to keep presenting it if we havent moved the dial.

He said a significant number of MPs had changed their minds because the alternatives to Mrs Mays deal were so unpalatable to them, but he acknowledged it remained a work in progress to secure enough votes.

But in a warning of what was at stake Mr Hammond added: Clearly if we dont get this deal through we are almost certainly going to have to fight a European parliamentary election, almost certainly going to have a longer extension, almost certainly not going to be able to gain access to the fiscal headroom I talked about in the Spring Statement.

The Chancellor insisted it was not economic blackmail, its common sense to say that he would not be able to release the almost 27 billion of fiscal headroom unless the deal was done, as he needed to keep it in reserve to cope with a no-deal departure.

Expand Close Theresa May and husband Philip attend church ahead of another potentially difficult week for the Prime Minister (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Dr Fox told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday: I would say to my colleagues: all actions have consequences, and if you really want to deliver the Brexit we all promised then we need to back the Prime Ministers deal because there is no other deal on offer.

'There would be no point having the vote if we'd no chance of winning that' - International Trade Secretary @LiamFox says the third meaningful vote, speculated to take place this week, might not go ahead.#Ridge



For more, head here: https://t.co/JAa7I2R2yW pic.twitter.com/wyZXt4a1yG  Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) March 17, 2019

He added: If we had an extension with no agreement and this was just kicking into the long grass with the chance that Brexit might not happen at all, that would be very, very hard for most people to swallow.

The possibility of Brexit being delayed or overturned in a second referendum is swinging some Eurosceptics reluctantly behind the deal ahead of a third vote on the package.

Former Cabinet minister Esther McVey told Sky News that, although it remained a bad deal, the choice before us is this deal or no Brexit whatsoever.

Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski has also acknowledged that the Prime Ministers deal was now the only game in town.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis said the PMs deal was capable of rescue if the negotiating strategy was changed and experienced trade negotiators were brought in to work with the EU.

Writing in The Sunday Times, he added: Judging by last week the alternative would be a cascade of chaos, eventually ending in a remainer attempt, first to delay Brexit by a long time and then reverse it.

Former Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliott, writing in the same paper, called Mrs Mays deal far from perfect, but added: I would rather opt for the risk of a customs union later  a risk that has diminished in recent weeks  than the very real risk of a permanent customs union now. The choice isnt enviable, but the safer option is clear.

But so far the number of Tories publicly switching positions has amounted to a trickle rather than the flood the Prime Minister needs as she seeks 75 more votes for her deal.

Constituents fed up with infighting in both Parties.Parliament voted this week to take no deal from table (mistake in my view)) No other deal can get through Commons so Mrs Mays Deal is only game in town. Do we continue to obstruct & risk no Brexit? I doubt I can take that risk  Daniel Kawczynski (@DKShrewsbury) March 16, 2019

Meanwhile, talks continued with the DUP, but the party stressed that the presence of Mr Hammond at a meeting on Friday did not mean that money was being demanded.
Scotlands needs are being totally ignored by Westminster while the case for Scotland governing itself has never been stronger, the First Minister has said.

Nicola Sturgeon, writing for The Sunday Mail, warned again that Brexit would be bad for Scotland.

She said: The UK Parliament has not worked in Scotlands national interest for a very long time, if indeed it ever did.

But this was the week in which that was utterly exposed and plain for all to see.

In these most uncertain of times, no one should assume anything, and it remains a possibility that through a combination of arm-twisting, bullying, bribery and brinkmanship, the Brexit deal could yet pass

We learned that the Scottish Tories are happy to actively vote against our national interests, all but one of them refusing to back plans to definitely rule out the no-deal Brexit which would be ruinous for our economy and society.

In 2016 Scotland voted in favour of the UK staying in the EU by 62% to 38%, with all of the 32 council areas backing Remain.

Last week Ms Sturgeon argued that the failure of the Commons to agree on a deal meant the issue should now be put back to the public in a new referendum.

In the article she went on to criticise Jeremy Corbyn, who she said still isnt capable of fulfilling the role of an opposition leader and described Theresa May as obstinate and stubborn.

Ms Sturgeon warned against the Prime Ministers Brexit deal, adding: In these most uncertain of times, no one should assume anything, and it remains a possibility that through a combination of arm-twisting, bullying, bribery and brinkmanship, the Brexit deal could yet pass.

She said the case for Scotland governing itself has never been stronger.

The people of Scotland deserve the chance to choose a better future than this, she added.

Maurice Golden, Scottish Conservative chief whip, said: Nicola Sturgeons only goal is independence even though a majority of Scots voted against it.

The Scottish people just want politicians to get on with Brexit and get the best deal for Scotland.

Yet again Nicola Sturgeon is prioritising her own political goals above the needs of the Scottish people.

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative MP Ross Thomson said if Mrs Mays deal comes back to the Commons he may not necessarily support it.

The Aberdeen South MP said he had similar concerns as the Democratic Unionists but that he will make up his own mind on the Prime Ministers deal.

Persuading the 10 DUP MPs to back the deal is viewed as crucial by ministers as they believe allaying the unionists concerns about the Irish backstop will help swing Tory Eurosceptics behind the Prime Minister.

Mr Thomson told the BBCs Sunday Politics Scotland programme: I simply wont vote for something because the DUP back it but if those similar concerns are addressed round about the place of Northern Ireland, the issues round about the backstop, and I feel that enough protection is there to ensure that we leave the EU as one United Kingdom and do not treat another part of it differently, then of course I will be happy to suck up a lot of the other stuff I dont like within the withdrawal agreement to see it through.
Relatives of victims in President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs hold candles and display portraits of their loved ones as they gather at a Roman Catholic church in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, March 15, 2019.

Rights groups and advocates expressed dismay Sunday as the Philippines officially left the International Criminal Court, but vowed that investigations into thousands of killings under the three-year presidency of Rodrigo Duterte would not stop.

Amnesty International (AI) said the countrys withdrawal was but a futile attempt to evade international justice.

The court will continue to investigate those responsible for crimes committed during the so-called war on drugs and has ways and means to investigate, even if the Philippines will not cooperate, said Nicholas Baquelin, AIs regional director.

Last year, the Philippine government informed the ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands, about its intention to withdraw. Such action becomes effective one year after the notice is filed, according to ICC rules.

The government said that it was leaving because the country has a working justice system to prosecute rights cases and it is not necessary for complainants to go straight to the international body. Manila is only the second country after Burundi to quit the ICC.

Duterte, who took office in 2016 on an anti-crime platform and has since carried out a deadly anti-drugs war, faces two mass murder complaints filed at the ICC.

One was filed by a former police officer and a self-style assassin who accused Duterte of ordering the death of opponents and criminals when he was a mayor of the southern city of Davao. The second was filed by relatives of several people killed during the campaign.

Opposition Rep. Gary Alejano, an outspoken Duterte critic who is seeking a Senate seat in May, warned that the Philippine withdrawal has wide and long-term implications and consequences.

From a domestic point of view, the withdrawal from the ICC will embolden our leaders to commit further human rights violations, he said.

He stressed that a petition had been filed before the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the presidents withdrawal from the treaty that created the ICC, but it is likely moot now.

From an international perspective, the presidents idea to withdraw signifies an act that goes against universal values other countries have adopted and fostered. Moreover, his act will restrict our country from receiving any foreign aid which requires as a condition the preservation and protection of human rights, he said.

You cannot hide

Alejano stressed that despite the withdrawal, Duterte would not be able to escape international scrutiny because the ICC continues to maintain jurisdiction to investigate complaints for extra-judicial killings that were committed before the effectivity of the withdrawal.

You can withdraw but you cannot hide, he said.

The government did not immediately respond Sunday to requests for comment.

Since Duterte took power in 2016, about 5,000 suspected drug dealers and addicts have been killed in what police described as shootouts during law-enforcement operations. AI and Human Rights Watch officials have said thousands of others were killed, but their deaths are considered under investigation or blamed on vigilantes.

In November 2018, three police officers were found guilty of the August 2017 murder of a teenager who was mistaken as a drug pusher, the first convictions of police found to be abusing the drug war.

The ICC withdrawal came three days after Duterte, who vowed a bloodier war on drugs in the remaining three years of his term, released a new list of 46 alleged narcopoliticians. The last was separate from a list of 150 local officials, judges, police and military officers previously named. Several people on the original list have been killed.

Neri Colmenares, a lawyer who represents the survivors of drug war victims who filed the ICC complaint, said impunity in the Philippines would likely worsen after its withdrawal from the world body.

This is what is frightening with Dutertes withdrawal from the ICC  extrajudicial killings would continue unabated, he said, stressing that ordinary individuals and critics of the government would be subjected to continued harassment.

Our withdrawal will further entrench impunity in the country, he said.
Yvonne Mintz is editor and publisher of The Facts. She has worked at the paper since 1997, first as a reporter, then as senior reporter and city editor before becoming managing editor in 2004.

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VANCOUVER - A man from Surrey, B.C., is mourning the loss of his former classmate who was killed in a gun massacre at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday.

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VANCOUVER - A man from Surrey, B.C., is mourning the loss of his former classmate who was killed in a gun massacre at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday.

Shaukat Khan said when he heard news of the attack, he sent a message to his friend, Naeem Rashid, reading: "Hope all is well with you and your family. Just heard about the news. Let me know."

New Zealand mosque shooting victim Naeem Rashid is shown in a handout photo provided by his friend Shaukat Khan. A man from Surrey, B.C., is mourning the loss of his former classmate who was killed in a gun massacre at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Shaukat Khan MANDATORY CREDIT

Rashid is the kind of person who always responds within a few hours, Khan said, but in this case he didn't hear back before going to bed Friday night.

"When I got up, the high school WhatsApp group was buzzing and there was news of him being martyred in the incident. It was a big shock," Khan said in a phone interview Sunday.

Khan and Rashid were friends since elementary school in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

"When I remember Naeem  he was one of the kids who was more mature than anyone else among all of us," Khan said.

"He would simply smile at us whenever we tried to bother him or tease him. Everyone had respect for him like they would have for an elder."

Although the two went their own ways after college, they kept in touch. Khan said he last met Rashid about six or seven years ago at a function in Pakistan.

A few days before his death, Khan said his friend posted a verse from the Qur'an on Facebook about the importance of giving back to the community.

"His life was all about that," Khan said, adding that Rashid and his son, Talha Naeem, gave their lives trying to snatch the attacker's gun.

"It doesn't come as a surprise because he's the kind of person who will stand up to the evils of the world, anything that is happening wrong, and if somebody is hurt and he will try his best to help."

Rashid comes from a family who believe in social work, Khan said, noting that his friend's mother is an active member of charities helping out the less fortunate.

"So whatever he did is nothing astonishing for us because it runs in the family, runs in his blood, runs in his genes."

Rashid's mother is on her way from Pakistan for her son and grandson's funerals, Khan said.

As the shootings unfolded, the 50-year-old Rashid is seen on video trying to tackle the gunman, Rashid's brother, Khurshid Alam, told The Associated Press.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Twitter that the country is proud of Rashid, and his courage will be recognized with a national award.

Khan said Rashid moved to New Zealand about a decade ago and was working as a teacher at a local high school and finishing a PhD, adding that he was very active in the community.

Rashid has three children, he said.

"I heard about Talah who was martyred in the same incident," Khan said. "He had his whole life ahead of him."

Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian national and avowed white supremacist, is believed to have carried out the attacks at two mosques that left at least 50 people dead and just as many injured.

Thirty-four wounded remained in hospital, where officials said 12 were in critical condition. A 4-year-old girl at a children's hospital in Auckland was also listed as critical.

with files from The Associated Press
CHARLOTTETOWN - The governing P.E.I. Liberals are expected to send Island voters to the polls as early as this spring, but despite a booming economy the party is likely facing a rough ride.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Premier of Prince Edward Island Wade MacLauchlan in Ottawa on January 29, 2019. The governing P.E.I. Liberals are expected to send Island voters to the polls as early as this spring, but despite a booming economy the party is likely facing a rough ride. The smallest province's economy is on fire -- the Conference Board of Canada says it will lead the country in economic growth over the next year. But the Liberals have been in power since 2007, and there are signs Premier Wade MacLauchlan -- a longtime academic who began his political career in 2015 as premier -- is personally unpopular. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

CHARLOTTETOWN - The governing P.E.I. Liberals are expected to send Island voters to the polls as early as this spring, but despite a booming economy the party is likely facing a rough ride.

The smallest province's economy is on fire  the Conference Board of Canada says it will lead the country in economic growth over the next year.

But the Liberals have been in power since 2007, and there are signs Premier Wade MacLauchlan  a longtime academic who began his political career in 2015 as premier  is personally unpopular.

A Corporate Research Associates (CRA) poll released this month suggests the Green party has a healthy lead, followed by the Progressive Conservatives, who picked a new leader, Dennis King, in February.

The Liberals are in third place, the poll suggests.

CRA president Margaret Brigley said satisfaction with the government has been declining.

"Right now there's 51-per-cent satisfied. Based on our history, we see when satisfaction falls below 51 per cent it's not necessarily likely that party will be voted back in. They're right at the threshold right now," she said.

The Charlottetown Guardian newspaper said in an editorial this week the Liberal party may have no choice but to switch leaders if it hopes to win the election.

Peter McKenna, a political scientist at the University of Prince Edward Island, said in an interview there's a strong desire for change among Island voters.

"What we're seeing is even though the economy is very strong here on Prince Edward Island, it's not translating into support for the governing party. More specifically, it's not translating into support for Wade MacLauchlan as leader of the party and premier," he said.

McKenna said MacLauchlan's leadership style is seen as "too top-down, too dictatorial, that the public is not being properly consulted or listened to."

"I quite frankly don't think that the Liberals are going to be able to hold onto power in the next election if he's the leader of the party," McKenna said.

The current standings in the Island legislature are 16 Liberals, eight Tories, two Green and one independent member.

McKenna said that even with a lead in the polls, Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker will have to assemble enough credible candidates in the Island's 27 ridings if he hopes to have a chance to form Canada's first Green government.

The Island has only ever been governed by the Liberals or Tories.

"Islanders are desperate for something different. They're tired of politics as usual. They think the change agent is the Green party and Peter Bevan-Baker," he said.

The Tories saw a slight bump in the polls after choosing their new leader last month.

Brigley says voters may be looking to give someone else a turn after three terms of Liberal government, starting with then-premier Robert Ghiz 12 years ago.

The government doesn't have to take voters to the polls until Oct. 7, under the province's fixed-date election provisions, but there have been indications the Liberals want to go early in an effort not to overlap with the federal election this fall.

MacLauchlan and Island cabinet ministers have made a series of funding announcements this month, joined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several federal ministers.

And this week the provincial government released its third-quarter forecast for 2018-2019, showing a projected surplus of $13.8 million  up from a budgeted surplus of $1.5 million.

The P.E.I. election will also include a binding referendum on electoral reform  asking voters if they wish to stay with the current first-past-the-post system or change to a mixed-member-proportional-representation model.
MONTREAL - Mourners carrying signs bearing the images of six men who died in a Quebec City mosque shooting gathered outside a Montreal subway station on Sunday as they grieved the 50 people killed in another attack, half a world away.

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The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, left, talks to the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as they arrive for the the second day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government 2018 for a behind closed doors meeting in Windsor, England, Friday, April 20, 2018. Trudeau spoke with his counterpart in New Zealand on Saturday, offering his condolences for the 50 people killed and dozens injured following Friday's shootings at two mosques in Christchurch. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Frank Augstein

MONTREAL - Mourners carrying signs bearing the images of six men who died in a Quebec City mosque shooting gathered outside a Montreal subway station on Sunday as they grieved the 50 people killed in another attack, half a world away.

The signs bearing photos of the men carried the words "Killed by Islamophobia, 29-1-2017, Quebec."

Dozens of people of different faiths gathered on a chilly afternoon to offer condolences and prayers for the 50 people killed and dozens injured in Friday's shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Many of the Muslims in the crowd said the attack brought up painful memories of the day a gunman stormed a Quebec City mosque on Jan. 29, 2017, shooting six Muslim men to death and injuring five others as they prayed.

On Sunday, Imam Hassan Guillet referred to unconfirmed reports that the New Zealand shooter was influenced by Alexandre Bissonnette, the man convicted of six counts of first-degree murder in the Quebec attack.

"A thousand kilometres from Quebec, a terrorist sent us a message by writing on his weapon the name of our assassin, our terrorist, Alexandre Bissonnette," Guillet said as he delivered a speech from a park bench.

A woman holds a sign during a vigil in Montreal, Sunday, March 17, 2019, following a shooting at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand which left 50 people dead and many more injured.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

"As a Canadian, as a Muslim, as a human, as a father, I'm ashamed to see that we  as Quebecers and Canadians  instead of exporting our values of openness and generosity, we're exporting violence, hate and terrorism."

A now-deleted Twitter account believed to be linked to the accused Christchurch shooter appeared to show three assault-rifle magazines, one of which had Bissonnette's name on it.

Guillet's speech also targeted Premier Francois Legault, who has previously denied that Quebec has a problem with Islamophobia.

"Islamophobia exists, Islamophobia kills and Islamophobia threatens the future for all of us," he said to cheers.

The crowd included Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, as well as federal and municipal politicians and representatives from various churches, synagogues, and citizens groups. Some held signs bearing messages such as "Muslims and Christians are family."

Several who made speeches drew parallels between the New Zealand massacre and the murder of nine African Americans in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, and of 11 Jewish worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue last year. One by one, the speakers called on those in attendance to stand up against the propagation of hate speech and the rise of the far right.

"Christchurch is not a crime against Muslims only  it's a crime against humanity," said Alladin Abou Sharbin, one of the co-organizers.

"This massacre spread the language of hate that has no place among us, and has to be defeated by our unity  not only as Muslims but as the whole world."

But many of those in attendance also challenged the media, politicians, popular culture and fellow citizens to stop portraying Muslims in particular as outsiders. Several denounced the Quebec premier's plan to ban religious symbols for state workers in positions of authority; another noted the lack of non-white characters on Quebec television shows.

"We keep being put in the position of the other and the stranger and the outsider, which really fuels this kind of hate that leads to violence, leads to attacks," said Ehab Lotayef, one of the organizers.

"All we ask for is to be portrayed for what we are: normal contributors to society, normal people who have hopes and aspirations and concerns."

On Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with his counterpart in New Zealand, offering his condolences for the 50 people killed and dozens injured following Friday's shootings.

The Prime Minister's Office said Trudeau told Jacinda Ardern that Canada shares New Zealand's feelings of grief and loss, recalling the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting.

One man has been arrested and charged with murder in what appears to have been a carefully planned racist attack in New Zealand.

Trudeau's office said he offered Canada's support, and the leaders agreed to stay in touch and "work together on their shared priority of ensuring safe, secure and open societies."

Trudeau was scheduled to visit an Ottawa-area mosque later Sunday in the wake of the attacks in New Zealand.
EDMONTON - The staffer at the centre of a spreading scandal over Alberta's United Conservative leadership race says party leader Jason Kenney's team did not direct and prop up a bogus candidate to attack Kenney's main rival.

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Jason Kenney speaks to the media at his first convention as leader of the United Conservative Party in Red Deer, Alta., on May 6, 2018. The staffer at the centre of a spreading scandal over Alberta's United Conservative leadership race says party leader Kenney's team did not direct and prop up a bogus candidate to attack Kenney's main rival. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

EDMONTON - The staffer at the centre of a spreading scandal over Alberta's United Conservative leadership race says party leader Jason Kenney's team did not direct and prop up a bogus candidate to attack Kenney's main rival.

In a letter obtained by The Canadian Press, Matt Wolf says that when he worked on Kenney's campaign, he shared policy and research ideas with the campaign of Jeff Callaway  but Callaway was his own boss.

"To be clear, this was not a 'puppet'-type operation," Wolf wrote in an email to the UCP caucus Sunday morning.

"Mr. Callaway made his own decisions for his own reasons. And while communicating with the Callaway campaign was hardly my preoccupation during the leadership (race), I did, at times push things like research materials to Mr. Callaway's team."

Wolf also said he is not aware of anyone on Kenney's team illicitly funding Callaway's campaign.

Such funding would violate Alberta's election finance laws. Alberta's elections commissioner has already fined one UCP member for making such an illegal contribution to the Callaway campaign, and the CBC has reported that the RCMP has now taken over the funding aspect of the investigation.

"Our leadership campaign did not in any way funnel donations to the Callaway camp  an act that would clearly be in violation of the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act," wrote Wolf, who is currently Kenney's deputy chief of staff for the UCP caucus.

"I am very confident that even a suggestion of doing so would firmly be rejected by our campaign's leadership team at the time, and rightly so."

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley makes her way through the crowd during a rally in Edmonton on Sunday, March 17, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Wolf could not immediately be reached for comment on Sunday.

He wrote the letter just hours after CBC published a story and supporting documents late Saturday night detailing communications between the two campaigns.

In those documents, later obtained by The Canadian Press, Wolf is shown in emails and other exchanges giving Callaway's organizers talking points, speech and policy advice on attacking Kenney's main rival in the race, Brian Jean.

One piece of correspondence discussed when Callaway should drop out of the race  something he eventually did three weeks before voting day on Oct. 28, 2017, throwing his support to Kenney.

Callaway was one of three rivals for the UCP leadership. The party was created after Kenney's Progressive Conservatives and Brian Jean's Wildrose party voted to merge.

Jean was seen as Kenney's main rival in the race. Kenney defeated Jean and candidate Doug Schweitzer handily, with 61 per cent of the vote. Jean garnered 32 per cent.

Callaway, who had worked with Jean in the Wildrose party, repeatedly attacked Jean during the campaign in speeches, events and media scrums, questioning his policy ideas and financial management of the Wildrose.

Callaway could not be reached for comment.

The UCP did not make Kenney available Sunday, but the party's executive director, Janice Harrington released a statement.

It read: "Communication between leadership campaigns is perfectly normal in a preferential ballot election and was within the rules of the 2017 UCP leadership election."

Kenney and Callaway have previously denied that their campaigns worked together, and Wolf said in his letter that while his emails may look "unflattering," the correspondence is normal practice among rival camps in politics.

Premier Rachel Notley, in a speech to supporters on Sunday, said Kenney already showed questionable judgment recently when his staff staked out and filmed a political opponent.

"But an alleged conspiracy to torpedo an opponent's leadership campaign takes it to a whole other level," Notley told supporters at her Edmonton-Strathcona nomination meeting.

"Mr. Kenney owes Albertans a full accounting, not just empty denials.... Mr. Kenney has demonstrated a profound absence of integrity, and Albertans deserve better."

She later told reporters that it appeared more was going on than just communication between campaigns.

"It appears to me like people in Mr. Kenney's campaign were essentially running the other campaign," Notley said.

Derek Fildebrandt, a former UCP legislature member now running against Kenney as the head of the new Freedom Conservative party, said in a statement the documents show Kenney's "willingness to do or say anything to obtain power; to corrupt and abuse the grassroots democratic promise to achieve his own ends."

The allegations come at a super-heated time in Alberta politics.

Politicians return to the legislature Monday for a throne speech to begin a new session. The session could end at any time when Premier Rachel Notley decides to call the election.

By law, the 28-day campaign and vote must be held before June 1.
TORONTO - Police say a 21-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries in an alleged hit-and-run crash in Brampton, Ont., early Sunday morning.

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TORONTO - Police say a 21-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries in an alleged hit-and-run crash in Brampton, Ont., early Sunday morning.

Peel police say they were called to West Drive, near Orenda Road and Clark Boulevard, to respond to the collision around 4:30 a.m.

Officers allege the driver of a small beige vehicle  possibly a Toyota or Honda  failed to remain at the scene of the crash.

The 21-year-old man was taken to a Toronto hospital for treatment.

The police service's Major Collisions Bureau is probing the incident.

Investigators are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or have dash camera video to contact police.
Racism and religious intolerance or attempts to demonise the faith of another cannot be allowed to assume even a token tone of respectability and reasonableness, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said.

Archbishop Martin said he felt it would somehow be incongruous to hold the joyful celebration of the feast of St Patrick in St Mary's Pro-Cathedral without first finding a moment to pause and reflect on those who died in the Christchurch shootings in New Zealand.

It was a horrific event that took place at the other side of the world but it was one that involved all of us, he told those attending. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina were among the congregation.

President Higgins signs a book of condolence before the memorial service (Niall Carson/PA)

The brutal murder of 50 innocent people anywhere would itself be a deplorable event of world dimensions, the Archbishop said.

To attack innocent people of prayer in two mosques just because they were of a different faith was something that offended Christian culture, said the archbishop.

It is something that offends our own Irish culture just as it offends the culture of New Zealand, a country known for its tolerance and welcome, he said.

We express our solidarity with the people of New Zealand. We express our solidarity with our Islamic brothers and sisters here in Ireland and worldwide  Archbishop Martin pic.twitter.com/j2FWq5R6md  Archdiocese Dublin (@DublinDiocese) March 17, 2019

Archbishop Martin said they remembered those who died in the attack, those who mourned the loss of loved ones and those who were injured.

We express our solidarity with the people of New Zealand. We express our solidarity with our Islamic brothers and sisters here in Ireland and worldwide, he said.

We were all of God's same race, said Dr Martin.

Queues to sign the book of condolence for the victims of #Christchurch in Pro Cathedral this morning pic.twitter.com/H3r5U8f2y9  Archdiocese Dublin (@DublinDiocese) March 17, 2019

Hatred and intolerance that in any way undermine that fundamental unity of humankind is an attack on the God who created us as a single human family, he said.

The eradication of racial and religious prejudice demanded a change of heart. It called for a strengthening of spiritual conviction.

Racism and religious intolerance or attempts to demonise the faith of another cannot be allowed to assume even a token tone of respectability and reasonableness," he added.

There is no such thing as half racism. There is no such thing as partial intolerance. There is no way in which any society can think that racist and religious intolerance should take on any place within it.

Archbishop Martin said history showed that when racism and religious intolerance were not addressed, they contained within themselves a frightening power for fostering hatred and social destruction.

A book of condolence for the victims of the Christchurch shootings is open in the Pro-cathedral.
A man is being questioned in Dublin over the discovery of a large quantity of cocaine.

More than nine kilograms of suspected cocaine was seized when the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stopped a car near Newlands Road yesterday evening.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has been criticised for holding a banner in the New York St Patrick's Day parade reading: 'England, get out of Ireland'.

A picture showing Ms McDonald walking in the parade was tweeted on the Sinn Fein twitter account.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney tweeted: "MaryLou McDonald, this is NOT leadership - its offensive, divisive and an embarrassment".

He went on: "Grow up...This is NOT Ireland in 2019! We are better than this!"

@MaryLouMcDonald this is NOT leadership - its offensive, divisive and an embarrassment - grow up, this is NOT #ireland in 2019! we are better than this!  https://t.co/LUbfbvOe6l  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 17, 2019

Sinn Fein stood by the banner today, and renewed the party's and Ms McDonald's call for an all-Ireland forum on Irish unity.

Brexit, and the prospect of a hard border on the island of Ireland, has given fresh impetus to calls for a vote on a united Ireland.

Sinn Fein activists gathered in Dublin last month to discuss the campaign for Irish unity and what they say is a growing demand for a unity poll.

MaryLou McDonald has challenged the Government to convene an Irish unity forum and said unionists should start planning for all eventualities.

Speaking last month, she said: Obviously, our unionist brothers and sisters need to be part of planning a new Ireland...Their first option, of course, is to maintain the union with Britain and we respect that, but...they need to start now planning for all eventualities and unionism needs a Plan B.

Ms McDonald claimed that the growing likelihood of a no-deal Brexit has pushed the idea of Irish reunification to the forefront of politics.

She said: The Good Friday Agreement provides a route to remove the border once and for all. Regardless of Brexit, there will be a unity referendum.

In our time we now have an opportunity denied to generations  a peaceful and democratic route to Irish unity; to build a new and united Ireland.

There are those who believe Irish unity is a pipe dream...Some dont yet appreciate the huge opportunity that Irish unity can present for all of us socially and economically."
Latest: One person has died after a multi-vehicle crash on the M6.

The deceased man, in his 60s, was the driver of one of five cars which were involved in the crash just after junction 5 eastbound near Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His passenger, a woman also in her 60s, was injured and taken to the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar.

She was one of 11 people who have been brought to hospital, including one passenger who was airlifted to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, with what has been described as serious injuries.

The four drivers of the other cars and five passengers were brought to the Midland Regional Hospitals in Mullingar and Tullamore.

A report has been sent to the local Coroner and the scene is preserved for examination by Garda forensic collision investigators.

The stretch of road, between junction 5 Tullamore and junction 3 Rochfortbridge, remains closed

Anyone with information is asked to contact Athlone Garda Station 090-6498550 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

Earlier (5:01pm): At least one person airlifted to hospital after multi-vehicle collision on M6

At least one person has been airlifted to hospital after a serious multi-vehicle crash on the M6 near Kilbeggan in County Westmeath.

Gardai say five vehicles were involved.

The M6 eastbound has remained closed for several hours as emergency teams work to clear what gardai have described as a "serious traffic collision".

The westbound carriageway quickly reopened but eastbound motorists travelling between junction 5 Tullamore and junction 3 Rochfortbridge were asked to divert to the N52, via Mullingar.

Congestion was increased when a hail shower caused slippery road conditions in the area, prompting the AA to urge motorists to use extra caution on their approach.

As evening approaches, gardai and the Road Safety Authority are repeating their appeals for motorists to drive with extra caution this bank holiday weekend.

The Eastbound carriageway of the M6 remains closed between J4 and J5. The Westbound carriageway of the M6 has re-opened.  An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) March 17, 2019

Earlier (1:59pm): Motorway closed following multi-vehicle collision in Westmeath

There has been a serious traffic collision on the M6 this afternoon.

Gardai have said that at least five vehicles were involved in the crash.

The number of people injured has not yet been confirmed.

It occurred at junction 5 Kilbeggan on the M6.

The motorway is closed in both directions until further notice. Motorists are asked to divert to the N52 via Mullingar.

Congestion was increased when a hail shower caused slippery road conditions in the area, prompting the AA to urge motorists to use extra caution on their approach.

It's one of a number of collisions across the country with gardai called to two crashes on the M6 in Galway, two collisions in Kildare on the M9 northbound and southbound, and a crash on the Bundoran / Kinlough Road in Donegal.

More as we get it.
Legislation preparing Ireland for a no-deal Brexit has been signed into law by President Michael D Higgins.

The mammoth bill passed all stages of the Seanad earlier this month.

The Brexit Omnibus Bill was one of the largest and most wide-ranging pieces of legislation to ever go before the Oireachtas.

It's designed to protect the country as much as possible if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal.

Theresa May is appealing for British MPs to be "patriotic" and vote for her Brexit deal

Read More:
Update 18/03/2019, 15:03pm: A body has been recovered by teams searching for 30-year-old Ruth Maguire, who has been missing in County Louth since

Earlier: 'Totally out of character': Appeal to find mother of three missing from hen party

An appeal has been made for information after a mother of three went missing from a hen party in Carlingford, county Louth.

Ruth Maguire (30) was one of 32 women on the hen and according to her friend Katrina OHare, the group all headed home to the house we are staying in at 11:30pm last night.

The house is less than five minutes from Taaffes bar, where the group was before it headed home.

Within minutes they realised that Ruth was not with them and Katrina said, this is totally out of character.

The group, the majority of which are from Belfast, began searching for her straight away but could not find her.

A doorman heard her say she might make her way home to Newcastle, county Down.

However, her partner and children had gone to Belfast. This morning he drove back down to Newcastle and realised she had not returned home.

Her phone is turned off and her coat was found in the bar today.

Ruth is tall, slim, has blonde hair, and was wearing a black t-shirt saying Member of Irish Bride drinking team and black jeans.

The hen party arrived in Carlingford yesterday and are due to leave tomorrow.

Katrina said, this is awful, just awful, and has appealed to Ruth to make contact straight away or for anyone who knows her whereabouts to contact the gardai in Carlingford on 042-9373102.
Two people, believed to be former US soldiers, have been arrested at Shannon Airport following a security breach this morning.

It is understood the pair had breached the airport perimeter in an attempt to reach a civilian aircraft used to transport troops for the US military. The Omni Air International jet was parked at the terminal building at the time.
A woman in her 40s is due to appear in a special sitting in Limerick District Court today, charged in relation to a cash and drug seizure on Friday. A man in his 50s has been released without charge.

Gardai attached to the Limerick Divisional Drug Unit carried out a search on Friday at Reidy Court, Garryowen, Limerick.
Theresa May is appealing for MPs to be "patriotic" and vote for her Brexit deal this week.

It is reported more of her backbenchers are set to support her, and even the DUP could be on the brink of backing her.

Mrs May called on politicians to look beyond the categories of Leave and Remain and "resolve this question now". If she moves ahead with this third "meaningful vote", it is expected it could take place on Tuesday.

Sky's political reporter Rob Powell says there has been a slow trickle of Brexiteers coming round to her deal.

Tory former Cabinet minister Esther McVey, who has said she will now back Theresa May's Brexit deal, suggested the Prime Minister should consider setting out the timetable for her departure in order to win over other rebels.

"She will have to think about that herself," Ms McVey told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday. "She has got to look at the fact - when collective responsibility collapses like that, who is the voice of government?

"The Government should only have one voice so the country knows what we stand for, so the world knows what we stand for."

She said Mrs May's Cabinet was "making her position very dubious".

No Brexit at all?

Theresa May has warned MPs that if they fail to back her Brexit deal at the third time of asking then Brussels might insist on a lengthy delay, potentially scuppering chances of leaving the European Union altogether.

Mrs May said it would be a "potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure" if a delay to Brexit meant the UK was forced to take part in May's European elections almost three years after voting to leave.

She warned that if MPs did not back her deal before Thursday's European Council summit "we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever".

The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. - Theresa May

Mrs May acknowledged that even if her deal is passed before the summit of EU leaders the Government would need a "short technical extension" beyond the scheduled March 29 Brexit date.

"That is not an ideal outcome - we could and should have been leaving the EU on March 29," she said.

"But it is something the British people would accept if it led swiftly to delivering Brexit. The alternative if Parliament cannot agree the deal by that time is much worse."

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, she said her fellow leaders would demand a "clear purpose" for a longer extension that was not merely a technical delay to allow legislation to pass.

In a message aimed at MPs seeking rival versions of Brexit, she said: "If the proposal were to go back to square one and negotiate a new deal, that would mean a much longer extension - almost certainly requiring the United Kingdom to participate in the European Parliament elections in May.

"The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about.

"There could be no more potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure.

"All this makes the choice now facing MPs clearer than it has ever been. If Parliament can find a way to back the Brexit deal before European Council, the UK will leave the EU this spring, without having to take part in the European elections, and we can get on with building our future relationship with the EU.

"If it cannot, we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever."

In an appeal to MPs to back her deal, she said: "I know that I will have to do more to convince others, as well as the DUP, if I am to succeed in finally securing a majority for the deal.

"That remains my goal. It is the only way through the current impasse."

'Only game in town'

The possibility of Brexit being delayed or overturned in a second referendum is swinging some Eurosceptics reluctantly behind the deal ahead of a third vote on the package.

Backbench rebel Daniel Kawczynski publicly indicated he will now back Mrs May's plan.

But so far the number of Tories publicly switching positions has amounted to a trickle rather than the flood she needs to overturn the 149-vote defeat for the deal she suffered on Tuesday.

MP Mr Kawczynski acknowledged that the Prime Minister's deal was now the "only game in town".

His comments came after former cabinet minister Esther McVey, who resigned over the Brexit deal, suggested she and other MPs could now back it, even though it was "rubbish" and North Wiltshire MP James Gray appealed to fellow members of the Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG) to get the "obnoxious" deal over the line.

But other ERG figures played down the prospect of large numbers getting behind the deal when it is brought back for a vote.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis said the PM's deal was "capable of rescue" if the negotiating strategy was changed and experienced trade negotiators were brought in to work with the EU.

Writing in The Sunday Times, he added: "Judging by last week the alternative would be a cascade of chaos, eventually ending in a remainer attempt, first to delay Brexit by a long time and then reverse it."

DUP 'not discussing cash'

Former Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliott, writing in the same paper, called Mrs May's deal "far from perfect", but added: "I would rather opt for the risk of a customs union later - a risk that has diminished in recent weeks - than the very real risk of a permanent customs union now. The choice isn't enviable, but the safer option is clear."

Meanwhile, talks continued with the DUP, but the party stressed that the presence of Chancellor Philip Hammond at a meeting on Friday did not mean that money was being demanded.

"We are in discussions with the Government to ensure Northern Ireland is not separated out from the rest of the United Kingdom as we leave the European Union," a spokesman said.

"Contrary to some reports we are not discussing cash...There are still issues to be addressed in our discussions."

DUP leader Arlene Foster

Jeremy Corbyn has offered talks with opposition leaders and backbench MPs in an effort to find a Brexit compromise which could replace Mrs May's plan.

Labour is expected to throw its weight behind an amendment tabled by backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson which would make support for the Brexit deal conditional on a referendum.

Meanwhile, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said Theresa May might not hold another vote on her Brexit deal this week if she is on course to another defeat.

Mr Fox told Sky News: "That would be determined by whether we can succeed in getting that vote through the House of Commons."

He said it would be "difficult to justify having a vote if you knew we were going to lose it".

He added: "I would say to my colleagues: all actions have consequences, and if you really want to deliver the Brexit we all promised... if we actually want to do that then we need to back the Prime Minister's deal because there is no other deal on offer."
Thousands of people gathered in Brisbane for a prayer service on Sunday to honour the victims of the horrific Christchurch mosque shootings.

Organisers from the Islamic Council of Queensland and the Council of Imams Queensland welcomed Muslims and non-Muslims to unite in prayer and reflect on the impacts of the tragedy on Sunday.

Flowers, candles and letters had been placed outside mosques across Queensland in the past two days and the outside of the Islamic College of Brisbane was not different.

The Islamic Council of Queensland and the Council of Imams Queensland hosted a prayer service on Sunday to honour victims of the Christchurch mosque attack. Credit:Jocelyn Garcia

Dignitaries, including Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and police commissioner Ian Stewart, leaders from other religious and cultural groups and community members came together in a show of support.
As he settles into life in Australia after moving from Finland, six-year-old Otto Sahlberg is noticing the practical differences between his old school and his new one.

Back in Helsinki, Otto didn't wear a uniform, or take his lunch to school, or address his teachers by their last names. He was never asked to focus on anything for more than 45 minutes or finish his day later than 1pm. In class, he played.

At the same time, his father, Finnish education Professor Pasi Sahlberg, is noticing the philosophical differences as he settles his family into their new home in Sydney.

Pasi Sahlberg and his six-year-old son Otto are getting used to the Australian school system after moving from Finland Credit:Janie Barrett

For example, in Finland, teachers are trusted. Here, he sees a profession hamstrung by regulations. Back home, parents never asked about a school's academic record. Here, it's often the first thing Australian parents want to know.
New Zealand's high commissioner to Australia says the relationship between the two countries remains strong, and has condemned controversial statements made by Fraser Anning after an Australian man was accused of killing 50 people in an attack on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday.

Dame Annette King rejected Mr Anning's "atrocious" views and was glad the comments had been condemned by the Australian government and the Australian people.

New Zealand High Commissioner Dame Annette King and husband Ray Lind view flowers left at the front gate of the high commission in Canberra on Sunday, following the mass shooting in Christchurch Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"He does not represent New Zealand's views, nor Australia's views. They are atrocious and we reject them absolutely," she said.

Dame Annette said the fact the man charged with perpetrating the attack was Australian did not harm the relationship between the two countries, because he did not represent Australia or New Zealand.
And Mr Shorten said Mr Kaldas' idea made perfect sense which may not even require formal legislation to put in place. A centralised database and a common definition of hate crimes across all jurisdictions would help deal with the growing threat posed by right-wing extremists. Loading "It needs to be accessible and we would need a common definition of hate crime. We know these people want to find loopholes so they can escape scrutiny so we have to make sure it works. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said given the "horrific" events in Christchurch, there was always something that could be learnt.

"Our agencies and our government will do whatever is necessary to keep Australians safe by acting on the expert advice we receive," he said. But as investigators in Australia and New Zealand attempt to piece together Tarrant's itinerate lifestyle and radical views, counter-terrorism experts warn of the difficulties in tracking down self-radicalised members of the "alt-right". Deakin University Professor Greg Barton said intelligence agencies were acutely aware of the threat, and that right-wing extremists were responsible for every fatal terrorist attack in the US last year - more than 50 deaths. The police are in the situation where they're not wanting to cry wolf all the time ... but of course there are wolves in the forest. Deakin University professor Greg Barton However, Professor Barton said "alt-right groups" were harder to monitor than other terrorist organisations such as Islamic State and al-Qaeda, whose supporters operated within well-defined networks that were well known to law enforcement agencies.

"Generally speaking you're not getting the intelligence advantage of seeing a lot of chatter between dozens of individuals," he said. Professor Barton said it was also virtually impossible to distinguish between the online rantings of neo-Nazis and those harbouring serious intentions to carry out terrorism. "What we do know is that he (Tarrant) was posting on Facebook and Twitter and being a nuisance, but the problem is that there's thousands of guys posting similar things. "The police are in the situation where they're not wanting to cry wolf all the time ... but of course there are wolves in the forest and it's a question of knowing who is worth paying attention to," Professor Barton said. Professor Barton said Tarrant had been inspired by Norwegian mass murder Anders Behring Breivik, who was also a "classic loner" and "vaingloriously concerned about his reputation with his online community".

Mr Kaldas cited the United States where the Federal Bureau of Investigation produces an annual report on hate crimes. It started as a federal piece of legislation in the 1990s. Its latest report showed a 17 per cent lift in hate crimes across the US. Mr Kaldas said while it was not a perfect system, the FBI was collecting information from 15,000 police agencies which provided a reasonably accurate insight into hate crime activity. "We have eight police forces in Australia, and have not managed this. If you cannot measure it, you cannot deal with it effectively," he wrote. Former NSW deputy police commissioner Nick Kaldas says a national database of hate crimes would help identify potential hardcore criminals much earlier Credit:Nic Walker "And, by the way, the latest report from the FBI highlighted that for the past three years hate crimes were rising, significantly in some categories. Other reporting from the US has indicated that identified hate groups are at record high levels."

Over the weekend, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern conceded that Tarrant was "not on the radar" of security agencies in Australia or New Zealand. Dr Allan Orr, a counter terrorism and insurgency specialist, defended the performance of intelligence agencies in both countries. "As terrorism goes, this is a text-book example and could not have been foreseen. This guy never talked politics at the gym, he never talked politics at the gun range, he kept a closed loop. "If he was on the radar, we wouldn't be living in a democracy, sometimes they get through and you get hit," Dr Orr said. Victorian Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed that police had stepped up their surveillance of alt-right figures since the attack on Friday.
"We test all of our solutions in a non-production setting and certify and validate all results with the health system before moving changes into a live environment," the statement said. A 2014 report by an independent consultant warned that the rollout of the ieMR's radiology and pathology components could have serious consequences, but Health Minister Steven Miles in January said some issues in that report had been addressed by the state government. "[The] Queensland Audit Office found the system is improving patient outcomes," the department's spokesperson said. "ieMR is a system that works, and it provides patient care day in day out; with numerous patient benefits from being in the care of a digital hospital."

Mr Miles said in February there had been no patient-harm incidents linked to the ieMR. To date, 10 hospitals across the state have the ieMR installed, with the Gold Coast hospital expected to go "live in April. The safety notices detail software faults and errors, many following upgrades to the software from Cerner and eHealth Queensland, with some localised and others statewide. In a March 27 incident, 107 child patients were exposed to a temporary defect after a scheduled change to the ieMR unexpectedly affected an early-warning tool. The error lasted two-and-a-half hours before being reversed, during which time the ieMR might not have alerted doctors to patient deterioration.

The 107 patients identified as exposed to this defect will be reviewed to ensure no clinical harm occurred, the report said. Loading The report said the risk was "thought to be low". Queensland Health did not respond to a question asking if any patient suffered clinical harm. A July 7 alert warned that the weight entered for infant patients was not entering correctly, in a rare issue.

There is currently no evidence that an incorrect or outdated weight is being used for a drug calculation however this is currently being investigated, the alert said. A second issue with entering weights was raised on July 27, 2018, warning that special instructions in a medication order may be misinterpreted leading to a higher dose than prescribed being administered to paediatric patients. Another alert on July 31 advised the issue had been resolved. On April 10, an alert warned that 832 medications had been altered in the system after a Cerner software update corrupted medications. The 832 medications had their names changed, as were whether they were intravenous or oral.

The clinical implications were potentially incorrect medication and fluid order details leading to patient safety risk. The backup system storing medical records, known as Downtime Viewer, was also affected. Queensland Health did not respond to a question asking if any patients were affected, or if the error had been corrected. On May 17, 2018, an unexpected and significant statewide internet outage was reported that affected all of the ieMR. The statewide internet outage affected orders for radiology and pathology, and logged clinicians out.

Several hospitals switched to paper for radiology and pathology orders, and to maintain medical records. Loading An update the next day said delays were still being reported in all outbound orders from the ieMR to radiology and pharmacy. The root cause of the issue is unknown, the alert said, adding that Cerner and eHealth Queensland were investigating. Queensland Health did not respond to a question asking what the root cause of the issue was.

The shutdown occurred almost a year after a 2017 server crash that led to a root-cause analysis investigation. That investigation report was released by Right to Information late last year, detailing that Cerner disengaged from the investigation and did not supply the correct logs to assist investigators to establish the cause. A worldwide defect in Cerners systems was also discovered on March 12 last year, where if a computer had more than one patient chart open it could unexpectedly switch from one chart to another. This meant clinicians could be entering data on one patients record and then suddenly find themselves entering that patients data on another persons record. Initially the issue was not found in Queensland.

A change between patient charts without the awareness of clinicians could result in significant clinical errors including incorrect diagnoses, allergies or prescriptions, or clinical activity being undertaken on an incorrect patient, the alert warned. On March 15, hospitals were told the defect had been discovered in Queensland at several sites. Clinicians were told to make sure they were entering data on the right patient record, and to report any incidents. Queensland Health did not respond to questions asking how many patients had been affected by the incident, or if the issue had been fixed. In October last year, an issue with duplication within patient records was reported.

Every time a patient goes to hospital an "encounter" is created in their electronic medical record, in which doctors and nurses enter all of their notes, prescriptions and treatment for that visit. Loading The October 10 alert warned that encounters were being duplicated within patient records, meaning clinicians could put data into a false copy of the real encounter. The next day an update told hospitals that 301 patients across the state had duplicated encounters entered into their patient record. The duplicated encounters meant that if a patient went through emergency, was discharged, and came back, the nurse couldnt create a new emergency report for that patient.

The issue affected Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Lady Cilento, Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital, and all Metro South hospitals with the ieMR installed. Clinicians should be vigilant when placing orders for radiology and pathology ensuring that tests are conducted and reports are returned to the correct encounter as expected, the alert said. An update was sent out on October 12 saying a fix had been applied, but three days later another alert said the duplication of encounters was still happening. Two days later, another alert said Cerner had not yet been able to identify the root cause of the issue. On January 15 this year, three months later, the issue was escalated to Cerner as a high priority after hospitals reported an increase in the number of duplicated encounters.
The day of reckoning for hired electric scooters in Brisbane has arrived, with council to decide whether to renew and extend Lime's permit to operate in the River City.

Seven News reports Brisbane City Council has decided to allow Lime scooters to stay, but the council has refused to comment until a press conference, scheduled to be held at midday.

The serious injuries suffered by Brisbane Lime scooter riders Viktor Vukovic (top) and Jordan Madigan (bottom).

The company's licence expiry date was brought forward last month following safety concerns related to a software glitch that caused the front wheel to lock up and throw riders from the scooter.

Lime's permit had been due to expire midyear but was brought back to March 18 when Brisbane City Council put the company on notice to fix the problem or be kicked out.
A man has been stabbed by a poisonous stingray barb while walking in shallow water in central Queensland.

The man was walking in shallow water on Sunday at Great Keppel Island with his young son when he accidentally came in contact with a stingray and was attacked.

The RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service was tasked to Great Keppel Island after a man was stabbed by a stingray barb. Credit:RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service

The RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service was was tasked to the scene just after noon on Sunday.

The patient was treated and stabilised on the scene by the on board Queensland Ambulance Service flight paramedic before being airlifted to Rockhampton Hospital for further treatment.
The computers of the future could be made out of pig brains and bacteria, according to cutting-edge research being done by Queensland scientists.

One of the great barriers to computing power is the fact that even the most advanced computer can do only one thing at a time, and has no ability to make judgments when faced with a series of options  something living creatures do hundreds of times every day.

In response, Queensland University of Technology mathematician, medical doctor and Future Fellow Dan Nicolau has been working to create half-living, half-synthetic bio-computers with the ability to multi-task.

Queensland-based scientist Dr Dan Nicolau is developing bio-computers that can solve complex problems. Credit:rico ploeg / Alamy Stock Photo

For tasks like recognising a familiar face or reasoning about a situation, using logic, those things require you to do stuff at the same time, fundamentally  theres no way you could ever resolve those problems by doing one thing at a time, Dr Nicolau said.
Brisbane could be in for a week of rain after heavy showers, damaging winds and large hail were expected to batter Queensland on Sunday night.

About 4.45pm, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning, due to affect a swathe of the state from Texas in the south to west of Maryborough.

A thunderstorm warning has been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology. Credit:David Porter

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding and damaging winds over several hours.

The Gold Coast, Brisbane, Gympie, Ipswich, Coolangatta, Gatton and Jimboomba may be affected.
On Friday we labelled it the most pointless squabble in Liberal Party history.

The feud between Wentworth Liberal Dave Sharma and another local  a member of a branch presided over by former preselection rival Katherine ORegan  over the davesharma.com.au website was so inexplicable it could be the subject of a four-part mystery podcast.

Carlin Rookes, who registered davesharma.com.au, has offered his services to the Liberal Party. Credit:Shakespeare

Why was one Liberal member obstructing Prime Minister Scott Morrison's best chance of picking up a seat, and bizarrely registering a company in Sharma's name?

Now we might have an answer in the words of the culprit himself, Rushcutters Bay resident Carlin Rookes, the owner of davesharma.com.au until last week.
NSW police will be given new powers to search the homes and cars of convicted drug dealers under a re-elected Coalition government, while Labor would deliver detox clinics.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and retiring Police Minister Troy Grant announced a pilot program on Sunday to help police "smash organised crime gangs", especially in the regions.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced new laws for police to target drug dealers. Credit:DEAN LEWINS

"This is a request put to us by the NSW Police Force," Ms Berejiklian said.

"I want convicted drug dealers to know that they will have nowhere to hide if they want to prey on, and profit from, the people of NSW."
"And when the decorations started coming in  they'd just leave all the price tags on the stuff they were putting out and there were things like $600 throw rugs and $200 cushions, but they were going into every single room and if there's five rooms, then that's a lot of money on pillows and blankets. The Victorian-era mansion that serves as WA's Government House can be glimpsed from St Georges Terrace. Credit:Nathan Hondros "For me, looking at the price tags on some of these things, I'm going this is ridiculous, that's what I earn in a week and you're spending that on one blanket." One former employee, who worked under Mr Beazley and former governors, said there was a "blatant waste of taxpayers funds" occurring. "They are on the staff's back about the staff meeting budget, but they're the ones who are spending all the money.

"They were forwarding money from every single bucket of money that they could find to do what they wanted to do. "They brought in a whole heap of new trees for the Christmas decorations and stuff for the front of the house, all fake from China, but under a consultancy, and I know that was about six to 10 grand." One former staffer said the Governor's Establishment had spent more than $30,000 on flower arrangements so far this financial year. In November last year, the Governor flew to Albany in the government's corporate jet to commemorate Remembrance Day, according to staff. But instead of using a local vehicle and driver for the visit, Mr Beazley had his chauffeur drive his official vehicle to Albany.

"[Mr Beazley] flew down with one staff member, had the driver drive down to Albany in the vice-regal vehicle and drive him around Albany, dropped him off at the airport and then drove back in one day," the former staffer said. "It was a three-day visit down there. "The driver had to go down to Albany and pick up the Governor and all that, but the day he came back he started at seven in the morning, dropped them off at the airport at three or four o'clock in the afternoon ... then he drove back that night. For me, looking at the price tags on some of these things, I'm going this is ridiculous, that's what I earn in a week and you're spending that on one blanket. Former Government House worker "So he's done about a 14 hour day all behind the wheel."

A spokeswoman for the Governor's Establishment said Mr Beazley's regional visits program was an important part of his role and "with each regional visit the associated costs, including the most efficient use of the Governor and the driver/government vehicle, are always considered". Staff also said there were social media posts from within the house showing contract cleaning staff pouring expensive bottles of wine down a sink. "If we opened wine for a dinner or something, and we always served a red and a white, and if everyone drank the white or if everyone drank the red and only one person had one glass of white wine, or one glass of red wine a night, it'd go down the drain, the rest of the bottle," one former staffer said. "There was some really nice stuff in there, like Tom Cullity, Diane Madeleines, some really nice vintages, they were all really nice bottles of wine. "A lot Leeuwin Estate Art Series, Pierro, insanely expensive wines."

At a staff function held shortly after Mr Beazley was appointed, he told staff Australia would soon be a republic. "He ... made a big speech about how Australia is going to become a republic, you're all going to lose your jobs, but in the meantime we're going to make this place as presentable as possible so it still stays relevant," a staffer said. Former Labor leader and one-time US ambassador Kim Beazley. His Washington embassy spent more than any other mission on entertaining. Credit:Trevor Collens "They were talking about how in Melbourne [Government House] it's like an art gallery or something where people can go and he kept saying, 'money isn't an issue'." The Governor's Establishment spokeswoman said Mr Beazley's comments to staff had always been positive and informative.

"The Governor has taken time to explain his strategic direction and vision and generally inspired staff support," she said. "It is beyond the control of this organisation if a staff member chooses to incorrectly interpret those clear messages." Loading The spokeswoman for the Governor's Establishment said the Governor and Ms Annus believe Government House must be used to the fullest extent to advance the interests of the state. She said there had been a substantial increase in hospitality at Government House through formal meals and receptions to advance the Governor's representational and advocacy role.

"Visiting public officials and state public servants are also welcomed to the House to familiarise the Governor with governing activities," the spokeswoman said. "This includes state government ministers from time to time, and the broader parliamentary representation. "The Governor has requested that, for guests of government, including Royal visitors, and outstanding people visiting the state for industry, arts, and other societal interests, that the use of accommodation be offered to advance the states interests. The guest rooms of the House have been refurbished to improve efficiency and amenity, to make the area even more effective for an anticipated increase in usage." The spokeswoman confirmed Premier Mark McGowan and his family spent a night at Government House for "both business and social reasons". "Additionally, and as with all previous Governors, from time to time friends of the Governor are hosted in the Governors apartment and are looked after by the Governor and spouse in an informal capacity," she said.

"The Governors Establishment recognises that this major increase in activity imposes additional burdens on the staff whose number has not increased accordingly. The Establishment is sensitive to this." Although questions asking for details of spending in Government House were not answered, the spokeswoman said the Governor's Establishment budget was determined through the states budget process and approved by Parliament. "The financial statements at the end of this financial year will be audited and submitted to Parliament in the Annual Report for 2018/19," she said. "The establishment is currently running to budget." The spokeswoman said it was not unusual in any organisation for staff to experience health issues which require extended periods of personal leave.
New York: Social media companies have been working overtime to remove video of the New Zealand mosque attacks, which were livestreamed by the assailant. But the footage has emerged in a different place in recent days: the election rallies of Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Credit:AP

In a televised rally in Antalya, in southern Turkey, on Sunday  and twice the day before  Erdogan used an edited version of the video to galvanise support among his Islamist followers before local elections at the end of the month and criticise the Turkish opposition as weak.

The attacker, identified as Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, posted a lengthy manifesto before the attacks that said, among other things, that Muslims should be driven out of the part of Turkey that lies west of the Bosporus.

The president played fragments of the video  with blurred images of the attack  at several election rallies and paired them with statements by a Turkish opposition leader to equate his opponent with Fraser Anning, the far-right Australian senator who blamed Muslim immigration for the attacks.
The slaughter in two mosques came after the gunman posted links to a lengthy racist manifesto on the site and a forum known for extremist views. His first-person view of the carnage as he wreaked it immediately was spread across the internet. Facebook said it "quickly removed both the shooter's Facebook and Instagram accounts," and was taking down any mentions of praise or support for the shooting. But this was exactly the kind of event Zuckerberg has pledged to work harder to avoid. The company has hired thousands of people to manually screen offensive and dangerous content and plowed money into technology like artificial intelligence to more efficiently analyse and filter live video content. And yet. Mark Zuckerberg retains his iron grip on the company he founded. Credit:The New York Times Zuckerberg, 34, has acknowledged the difficulty of policing content from the 2.7 billion users that power Facebook's wildly profitable advertising engine. The company's business model depends on showing people posts they're most apt to have an emotional reaction to, which often has the side effect of amplifying fake news and extremism. Mary Anne Franks, a professor of law at the University of Miami, said there is "simply no responsible way to moderate a true live streaming service."

Facebook has always known the service has the potential to "encourage and amplify the worst of humanity, and it must confront the fact that it has blood on its hands," she said. More harm than good? In growing numbers, consumers, lawmakers and investors are asking whether the company founded in Zuckerberg's Harvard University dorm room in 2004 is doing more harm than good. The complaints are growing louder that Facebook has done a poor job of safeguarding data or protecting users from the spread of hate speech, disinformation and live footage of violent events. Maybe, pundits were wondering aloud, it's time for regulators and politicians to step in. The shares had their worst day in more than two months Friday, falling 2.5 percent to close at $US165.98.

And that was before the tragedy in Christchurch, New Zealand, which alone would have been enough to prompt soul searching in any CEO. For Zuckerberg, it couldn't have come at a worse time. Days after Warren unveiled her breakup plan, Facebook pulled her ads on the platform for the proposal. It wasn't a good look for Zuckerberg's defence of the social network as a place for public debate and people of all views. Facebook said Warren's ads violated company policy against the use of the corporate logo, but "in the interest of allowing robust debate, we are restoring the ads." Loading By Wednesday, Facebook was facing two new crises. Beginning about 11.15am New York time, Facebook's apps and sites from the news feed to Instagram and WhatsApp started going down around the world. The problems people experienced varied, from slow load times for pages to seeing no content at all or trouble sending messages. The outage continued into Thursday afternoon, the longest time Facebook's properties have been recorded as offline since 2012. Facebook said the problem was a result of a shift in the setup of its computer servers.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience and we appreciate everyone's patience," the company said. Just as concern over the outage was reaching its peak, the company was beset by news that an investigation by the US Justice Department was broadening to include a federal grand jury in New York. The grand jury has subpoenaed records from at least two smartphone makers and other electronic devices that had partnerships with Facebook, the New York Times reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the requests. "As we've said before, we are cooperating with investigators," Facebook said. There is simply no responsible way to moderate a true live streaming service. Professor of law at the University of Miami, Mary Anne Franks The company is facing ongoing probes around the world into alleged privacy violations revealed last year stemming from its relationship with Cambridge Analytica. The US Federal Trade Commission said last month it was creating a task force to look into possible anticompetitive conduct by Facebook, Google and other technology companies and several state attorneys general also are probing Facebook's privacy practices.
An Adelaide man who posted social media comments in support of the Christchurch mosque massacre has been granted bail on condition he keep off the internet.

Chad Rolf Vinzelberg, 37, hung his head and wept as he faced Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Monday charged with one count of aggravated possessing a firearm without a licence and four counts of using or possessing a prohibited weapon.

Police prosecutor Brevet Sergeant Peter Finey told the court police were on Friday made aware of comments posted by Vinzelberg and photos that showed him with a firearm.

"It was after the Christchurch massacre," he said.

"He posted certain things on Facebook in support of that."

The court heard the discovery led police to search Vinzelberg's home at Smithfield, north of Adelaide, where they seized a fake pistol, extendable baton and two flick knives from under his mattress, and a medieval mace and crossbow from his shed.

AAP
When lives are tragically cut short, it is generally easier to explain the how than the why. This dark reality is all the more felt when tragedy comes at the hands of murderous intent. Explaining how 50 people came to be killed, and almost as many badly injured, in Christchurchs double massacre of Muslims at prayer is heartbreaking but relatively straightforward.

Omar Nabi holds a photo of his father Haji Daoud, who was killed in the attack. Credit:Jason South

As with so many mass murders in recent years, the use of an assault rifle, the ubiquitous AR-15, oxymoronically referred to as the civilian M-16, explains how one cowardly killer could be so lethal.

It was much the same in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, three years ago, when one gunman shot dead 49 people in a crowded space and, though the motive appears very different, the same sort of military instrument of death lies behind the 58 deaths in Las Vegas a year later. An AR-15 was used to shoot dead 11 worshippers in Pittsburghs Tree of Life Synagogue last October and a similar weapon was used to kill six people in a Quebec City mosque in January 2017.

It is a credit to the peaceful nature of New Zealand society that, despite the open availability of weapons like the AR-15, the last time there was a mass shooting was in 1997. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern rightly identified reform of gun laws as one of the immediate outcomes required in response to this tragedy.
After shooting a semi-automatic weapon at the mosque on Deans Ave  where 41 died  police say he drove to the Linwood Ave mosque, where a further seven people were killed. One person later died in hospital, with dozens more injured. When Tarrant was apprehended by police, he had two weapons in the car and an explosive device. A further explosive device was found inside the mosque. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tarrant was in possession of five firearms, in total. Multiple graves being dug at the Memorial Park Cemetery. Credit:Jason South The fact he was able to access those types of weapons showed New Zealand's gun laws were not fit-for-purpose, and they would change, Ardern said on Saturday morning. Tarrant, who is an Australian citizen, travelled to New Zealand sporadically.

While in New Zealand in November 2017, he acquired a basic gun licence, known as a Category A licence. In December 2017, he registered with a popular online gun retailer but never purchased anything from the website. A gun expert told Newsroom the shotgun first used by Tarrant at the Deans Ave mosque appeared to be a Mossberg 930 semi-automatic. This gun has a magazine capacity of seven rounds, and once he ran out of ammunition in the shotgun, he appeared to dump it and switch to an AR15. We do not scrutinise them to assess if they are white supremacist nationalists ... as far as we knew, we didn't have those in New Zealand. President of the Bruce Rifle Club in South Otago Scott Williams The AR15 is a semi-automatic sporting rifle, and among the most popular firearms currently sold. A semi-automatic AR15 sporting rifle can only have a magazine capacity of 7 rounds. Tarrant had magazines holding 30 rounds, 40 rounds, and 60 rounds.

A semi-automatic AR15 sporting rifle can only have a magazine capacity of 7 rounds. Tarrant had magazines holding 30 rounds, 40 rounds, and 60 rounds. The expert told Newsroom they were "today's sporting rifle". They were often used for deer, goat and pig hunting, and competitive target shooting, according to online gun sites. Both types of guns could be purchased by someone holding a regular Category A licence, without any special endorsements. Guns that can be legally purchased and used by someone with a Category A licence have to be deemed by police to be non-military style, not have a collapsible or folding stock, and not have bayonets, lugs, a free-standing pistol grip, or a flash hider. Category A permits ownership of basic bolt, lever and similar action rifles and shotguns, and some semi-automatic guns, which are not deemed to be "military style". While the main body of the guns Tarrant had could be legally acquired with a basic Category A licence, the AR15 had been fitted illegally with large magazines, the expert said. It is understood part of the equipment used in the attack was likely purchased from a local gun dealer.

While Ardern said Tarrant legally held five firearms, Police Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed a Category A firearm licence holder could purchase the guns without the magazines, "or the things that will enable them to be in the state that they were". Bush said Tarrant would not have been able to legally buy the guns, in the state they were in when he launched the attack. Police were also asked how Tarrant managed to obtain a New Zealand gun licence. In order to acquire a gun licence here, a person has to be over 16, pass a background check, and have two referees, including a next of kin or spouse. Bush said Tarrant had no criminal history and was not known to police in New Zealand or Australia. He was not on any police or terrorist watchlists. When asked exactly what process police had followed when assessing Tarrant for a gun licence, Bush said police were still working through the details. But he said generally the process included checking whether the person had a criminal history, checking with their referees, "and we mostly likely do a home visit".

A group that considers themselves responsible gun owners said gun owners like them would see the police as under scrutiny for not thoroughly checking or vetting Tarrant and the people who were his referees. Tarrant was also a member of the Bruce Rifle Club in South Otago. He joined in early 2018. President Scott Williams told Newsroom, the club obviously scrutinised its members, but in relation to the basic rules of the arms code and how they handled firearms, and followed the rules. "We do not scrutinise them to assess if they are white supremacist nationalists because as far as we knew, we didn't have those types in New Zealand," he said. Tarrant is a self-proclaimed nationalist, who publicised a manifesto on social media immediately prior to the attack. The manifesto singled out issues of immigration and reiterated extreme white supremacist views.
Washington: The White House has been forced to defend the US President after the alleged shooter in the Christchurch mosque terror attacks wrote that he admired Donald Trump.

White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday that the alleged actions of "a disturbed individual" cannot be blamed on any one politician.

"The President is not a white supremacist," he told Fox News Sunday. "I'm not sure how many times we have to say that."

In a separate interview on CBS's Face the Nation, Mulvaney said that Donald Trump was no more to blame for what happened in New Zealand than Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer of Facebook, whose platform the gunman used to live-stream the killings.
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To the Editor,

To respond about Pols must fight climate change now, Bay News, March 17, had I not been a Buddhist, I would be so happy if the grandchildren of these deniers would suffer lack of clean air, poisoned water, and spoiled food. As a human, I cannot blame the grandchildren for the lack of awareness that these deniers negate time after time. Wild fires on the West Coast, floods on the West Coast, heat waves where year after year there is an increase in temperature.

One must be living like an ostrich with his or her head covered with sand or like the three monkeys See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil. Soon enough we will eradicate the ocean of fish and slaughter all the wild animals  except, were really the wild animals. I suppose the only animal we will see is Tarzan and the Chimp on TV or the movies.

Jerry Sattler

Brighton Beach

Senior for climate change

To the Editor,

As a senior citizen, I am just as frightened about climate change as the young people who wrote letters last week, Pols must fight climate change now, Bay News, March 17. Senior citizens hope and pray for a Green New Deal just as much as you younger people. Although we might not be here in 11 or 12 years, we are very much concerned about the health and welfare of our sons, daughters, grandchildren, and our planet, as well as those of you who are just starting to create lives of your own and fear for your own survival as our planet and climate deteriorates.

I believe that the first step towards creating a Green New Deal must be to vote Donald Trump and all the politicians who support him out of office. We cannot hope to get any help from politicians who are being supported and funded by the very corporations who are polluting our environment and causing climate change.

I dont know if any of you millennials remember Al Gore. Al Gore was Bill Clintons vice president. Mr. Gore was and still is deeply involved in the campaign for a cleaner environment and a green planet. In 2000, he ran for president against George Bush. He won the popular vote but lost the election because of a foul-up in ballot counting in Florida, which cost him the votes he needed in the electoral college. I have never understood why we have an electoral college. Shouldnt the President of the United States be elected by a majority of the voters all over the country, and not by individual states? Donald Trump, a man who will do nothing to fight climate change because he is in the pockets of the big businesses who are polluting and changing our climate and environment, lost the popular vote but won the electoral college.

Therefore, I believe that, before we can create a Green New Deal, we need to abolish the electoral college and the entire concept of red and blue states and elect a president by popular vote. We need to do this before November 2020, so that we can elect a president of our own choice, a candidate who is not controlled by big money and will do everything he or she can to prevent and alleviate climate change and will be willing and able to cooperate with other world leaders to bring this about. We must also vote all other climate deniers out of office and elect honest politicians who are not controlled by the big business corporations that are polluting our environment and causing climate change. Elaine Kirsch

Gravesend

Fund early voting

To the Editor,

Starting in November 2019, New Yorkers will have nine days of early voting before every election. This glorious change was long overdue  37 other states had already introduced early voting to make it easier for residents to make their voices heard.

But for early voting to succeed, the state must provide funding to counties to cover start-up costs and ensure a seamless process. I call on elected officials in Albany  including my representatives, Assemblyman Robert Carroll and Sen. Kevin Parker  to fund early voting in this years budget.

This was a hard-fought victory. Early voting expands access to democracy. Lets give it the funding it needs.

Early voting is a necessary and important move forward for New York, but it cannot work without proper funding. We need full funding for early voting in the state budget now!Mary Jean Babic

Park Slope

Crazy Bernie in Brooklyn

To the Editor,

Crazy Bernie came to Brooklyn College on Flatbush Street, (the national media couldnt even get the Avenue correct), to whip up support for his communist leaning presidential bid (Weekend with Bernie: Sanders returns to Bklyn for first rally of his 2020 campaign by Colin Mixson, online March 5).

Looking at the faces of the mush-minded students, taking in every word as if spoken by a god, speaks volumes about the educational system and where the country is headed. Bernie spouted the standard line about the government taking care of your every want and need. Free college, free healthcare, and free money for anyone not willing to work. As he droned on about the new green deal that would grind this nation to a full halt, they kept on blindly smiling and cheering.

I dont understand why they are so enthusiastic about this as if the communist/socialist bent does take over government, just why are they attending college in the first place? Capitalism will have faded away, everyone would be deemed the same in work and stature, and the sheepskin they worked for will not be worth the recycled paper it is printed on. I guess that the party of the left truly wants the uneducated  PhDs included  to be the sad future of this country, dancing in lockstep to proven failed policies of the last century.

Robert W. Lobenstein

Sheepshead Bay

History lesson

To the Editor,

Let me get this straight, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claims that its unfair to single out Rep. Omar for what she has said. Yet, its all right for Omar to single out the Jewish people for abuse.

How I wish Cortez had been in my eighth-grade social studies classes at either the former IS 320 or IS 228. I taught in both schools for a total of 33 years. My 8P-7 class at 320 and 8-1 class at 228 would have run rings around Cortez. The latter didnt even know the three branches of government. How on earth did she ever pass the history Regents?

Shame on the Democratic Party for not directly censoring Omar and removing her from the Foreign Relations Committee. Are they so beholden to the ultra-leftists that they cannot do the decent thing of condemning her actions? Oh, yes, Alexandria, the three branches of government are legislative, executive, and judicial. Now, do you understand their specific functions?

Ed M. Greenspan

Sheepshead Bay

Read the fine print

To the Editor,

Todays generation in Congress, along with members of the New York State Senate, Assembly, and Council, could learn much from the late Idaho Republican Sen. James A McClure, who passed away eight years ago on Feb. 26, 2011. His claim to fame on Capitol Hill was for 18 years, he read every word of every bill before voting on it. For many years, he signed his own mail.

Fast forward to today, did members of Congress take an Evelyn Wood speed-reading class to absorb the hundreds of pages contained in previous temporary Stop Gap spending bill, along with other so called emergency legislation passed in the dead of night? They received these with only hours before being asked to vote up or down. Only lobbyists, key Congressional staff members employed by the House and Senate leadership teams who actually wrote the fine print within the hundreds to several thousand pages on behalf of their bosses, had any idea of the details buried in the actual contents. There should be a seven-day minimum time-out period. This would provide adequate time for members of any legislative body  but also ordinary citizens, the media, and independent good government watchdog groups  the opportunity to understand all of the contents contained in any proposed bill. Everyone would also have the opportunity under an open process to comment and discuss the merits or consequences before others vote up or down for adoption.

Ditto for reading the thousands of daily automated robo letters sent to constituents, who have taken their own personal time to write. Liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, we would all be better off if members of Congress, the State Legislature, and Council members would take time to actually read, line by line, and openly debate in public any proposed legislation before voting. Their legislative actions impact both our economic and civil liberties. Future generations have to pay for and live with the consequences.

Larry Penner

Great Neck
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Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

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Digital Editor
Sources in the know said big conglomerates of Japan, including Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, and Mitsui Group, are looking to both build and buy commercial properties in key Indian cities. Mitsubishi and Sumitomo are looking to buy and hold the properties for long and earn rental yields, a source, who is working with both the conglomerates in the country, said. According to the source, Mitsubishi is in talks with ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
The sparring between India and Pakistan last month threatened to spiral out of control and only interventions by US officials, including National Security Advisor John Bolton, headed off a bigger conflict, five sources familiar with the events said. At one stage, India threatened to fire at least six missiles at Pakistan, and Islamabad said it would respond with its own missile strikes "three times over", according to Western diplomats and government sources in New Delhi, Islamabad and Washington. ALSO READ: Will give proof of Pak role in terror attacks to ...
Will Chandrashekhar Azad (or Raavan, the name he has given to himself) be the Opposition candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi? Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadras recent meeting with him has everyone talking about this. You need to be exceptionally brave to fight Modi in Varanasi and Raavan certainly is.

On the face of it, Raavan is fighting everyone. He was born in Dhadkauli village of Saharanpur in a Dalit family, studied at a Thakur-owned college in nearby Chhutmalpur, witnessed the discrimination against Dalit students and vowed to fight it. Being ...
An organization of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit, seeking freedom of these areas from Pakistan, on Sunday urged the UN and human rights bodies to intervene to end victimisation of locals by Pakistani forces.

The United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) issued the appeal while referring to the assault by Pakistani forces and it's "stooges" on a peaceful rally organised on Saturday to commemorate 'National day of State of Jammu and Kashmir' at Rawalakot in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

On March 16, UKPNP had organised a peaceful rally at Rawalakot in Poonch to commemorate foundation and National Day of the erstwhile princely state. On this day in 1846, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was formed. The rally was halted and people were threatened and harassed by the police. Peaceful protesters were also threatened to stop waving the historical flag of the former princely state.

"This is a clear violation of freedom of association, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and speech," said a press statement issued by leaders of the UKPNP.

The leaders, including exiled UKPNP Chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Secretary General Sardar Ishtiaq Hussain, Senior Vice Chair Sardar Aftab Khan, Vice Chair Raja Bashir Khan, Central Spokesperson Nasir Aziz Khan, President Foreign Affairs Committee Dr Shabir Chaudhry, secretary Foreign Affairs Committee Jamil Maqsood, Sardar Amjad Yousaf President Europe Zone, secretary Europe Zone Asif Abbas, Usman Kiyani President UK , Sajid Hussain, party leaders in North America Sardar Rasheed Yousaf, Zahid Hussain Khan, Mohammad Riaz Khan, said such acts show the real face and duplicity of Pakistan.

"On the one hand, Pakistan claims that she is champion of the right to self-determination of Kashmiri people, on the other hand, she doesn't allow peaceful rallies and gatherings of those Kashmiris who are living under its administration," the statement said.

"This is an open secret that since 1947 Pakistan has been systematically exploiting religious sentiments of Kashmiris and trying to snatch history, culture and identify of people of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has been promoting religious hatred, intolerance and extremism and terrorism to communalise our society, to divide our motherland on the basis of religion," the leaders asserted.

UKPNP leaders also urged the United Nations, the International community and human rights organisations to intervene and ask Pakistan to stop the "victimisation of nationalist leaders" and respect all human rights including article 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Article 19 states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers and Article 20 (1) states that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

"UKPNP is the real voice of voiceless and deprived and marginalised people of so-called Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan," the leaders said while reiterating that the peaceful struggle will continue for "complete independence" and "end of illegal occupation of Pakistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and advocate Ajay Aggarwal has written a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Rishi Kumar Shukla demanding further investigation in alleged Bofors scam.

Speaking to ANI, Aggarwal said: "I have written to CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla requesting that a further investigation in Bofors scam should be initiated immediately."

"Michael Hershman, one of the private investigators who had investigated this scam appeared on a private TV channel and said that he has a lot of things to say and wants to testify," he said.

"He also claimed that he was engaged by VP Singh, the then Finance Minister to investigate the case. During the probe, he found that some kickbacks were paid in some accounts," he said.

"After the investigation begun the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi got very furious and changed the ministry of VP Singh. He has said that if he is called he will make many exposes," added Aggarwal.

SC lawyer Aggarwal also levied strong charges against former CBI director Alok Verma and alleged that Verma had attempted to delay the case in connivance with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"After his revelation, CBI came out and said that reinvestigation will be done. And the then CBI chief Alok Verma forwarded an application in trial court to reinvestigate the case despite knowing well that no document is there in the trial court and all have been transferred to the Supreme Court," he said.

"He hatched this conspiracy with Rahul Gandhi to delay and scuttle the probe. There was no need of reinvestigation but of further investigation based on fresh facts that had emerged," claimed Aggarwal.

He also demanded a case to be registered against Gandhi and Verma in this regard.

Earlier in January, the Supreme Court had asked the locus standi of Ajay Aggarwal, in filing an appeal in the Bofors case. The court also said that it would be against criminal jurisprudence to permit a third party who is not connected to the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Afghan Foreign Ministry summoned on Saturday a senior official from Pakistan's embassy here over Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement which has been taken as interference in internal affairs by Kabul.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan summoned the counsellor of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Kabul over the recent remarks by Pakistan's Prime Minister Mr Imran Khan," Sebghat Ahmadi, the spokesperson of the ministry, said.

"We shared our serious criticism with the Pakistani side. The Afghan government considers these remarks as clear and evident interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs," TOLOnews quoted Ahmadi as saying.

This comes after Khan told a public gathering on Friday that peace was "around the corner" in Afghanistan and a "good government will be established".

"Negotiations have been initiated with the Taliban. God willing, our brothers in Afghanistan would live together in peace in the coming days...A good government will be established in Afghanistan, a government where all Afghans will be represented. The war will end and peace will be established there," the Pakistan Prime Minister said.

US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad recently said that he wrapped up talks with the Taliban in Doha, adding that peace requires an agreement on four issues.

"In this round of talks, we were able to move to an agreement in draft on the first two principles, counter-terrorism assurances and troop withdrawal. And when that agreement in draft is finalized, Taliban and an inclusive Afghan negotiating team that includes the Afghan government and other Afghans will begin intra-Afghan negotiation for a political settlement and a comprehensive ceasefire," the US State Department stated following the talks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cambodia is one of the fast-growing countries. The varieties of foods in this country enrich many restaurants and family scene. However, in recent years, dealing with unsafe food is becoming one of the real challenges for Cambodia.

Ajinomoto Cambodia is a company which has been contributing to making more various cuisines and safe food through 'umami' seasonings in Cambodia. It owns a factory in Phnom Penh where it produces pure quality umami seasonings. The factory is not only focusing on producing quality products but also creating an environment which takes special care of its products such as protecting them from contamination and ensuring high inspection by both employees and machines in order to deliver safe and trusted products to customers.

All of their products are produced and organized in quality by Cambodians to deliver safe everyday meals.

Soun Kean, Production Manager of Ajinomoto, Cambodia said, "My job is to guarantee the good quality product with Japanese technology, and I'm proud to be working at Ajinomoto as a Japanese international company."

Ajinomoto Group established 'Ajinomoto Cambodia' in 2009. It is supporting various aspects of the daily life of Cambodian people especially in terms of the food industry and home cooking. The company continues to research and develop products in order to deliver better products to more people in Cambodia.

Yoem Nary, a staff member at Ajinomoto here said, "I am working as Human Resources and General Affair staff. I feel happy to work here as we always cooperate with each other to ensure that our target goal is achieved and get customer satisfaction."

Food safety is regarded as a common theme in the world, and this fact shows that producing 100% safe food for health is one of the most important and responsible tasks for the food industry.

The activity of Ajinomoto Cambodia is contributing to the improvement of the food industry in Cambodia as a leading Food Company.

Reliable food seasoning "Ajinomoto" is assisting the cooking scene in the kitchen for families in Cambodia. Using Ajinomoto for the daily meal is now becoming general practice, and used in many dishes.

Mean Pagngnva, who works at the firm here said, "We continue to contribute to providing delicious food in Cambodia through our products for the future."

Daily meal constitutes our daily life. Japanese food producing company contributes to Cambodian social life by producing safe and trustworthy products.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hyderabad-based Ozair Khadir was named among the five Indians killed in Friday's terror attack at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Khadir, a resident of Noor Khan Bazar in Hyderabad, had gone to New Zealand to complete his education. The 25-year-old was a student of the Aviation College and an aspiring commercial pilot.

Khadir's family was in search of him since the terror attack occurred in Al Noor mosque. He was confirmed dead by the Indian High Commission in New Zealand a day after the attack.

On Saturday, Farhaj Ahsan, also a native of Hyderabad, was confirmed to have died in the terror attack.

The death toll in Friday's terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch rose to 50 with victims ranging in age from two years to over 60 years, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said on Sunday. He also informed that 50 people were wounded in the mass shootings.

Giving out details of those injured, Bush said that 36 of them are undergoing treatment at Christchurch Hospital and three persons, including a child, remain critical at Auckland's Starship Hospital, New Zealand Herald reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ruling BJD on Sunday accused BJP of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by allegedly shifting the Railway Electrification Board unit from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru on March 13 after the announcement of the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly poll schedule.

A BJD delegation led vice-president Badri Narayan Patra submitted a memorandum to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar in this regard.

The delegation which also included party spokesperson Sasmit Patra alleged the BJP is trying to impress the voters of Karnataka through the move.

The BJD vice president said: "The Model Code of the Conduct has been in force since March 10. Unfortunately, the Central government took a decision to shift the Railway Electrification unit from Odisha to Bengaluru."

"This is a decision they should not have taken after the MCC came into force. This is a clear-cut violation of the MCC and that is what we wanted to bring to the notice of the CEO," he said.

Badri Narayan Patra demanded that this decision should not be implemented.

Asked if the move will have negative effects in the state, he said: "Naturally, it will. Also, it will affect votes in Bengaluru." He alleged that the government took the decision deliberately to influence voters in different places.

"It is the time for the Election Commission of India to act on this and ask the government to roll it back," he said.

BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said: "The violation of MCC is a matter of grave concern. We hope that EC will take note of the issue and stop it immediately."

Elections for the 147-member strong Assembly of Odisha will be conducted in four phases along with the Lok Sabha elections, beginning April 11. The counting of votes will be held on May 23. The term for Odisha Assembly ends on June 11.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The meeting of the BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) at the party's headquarters here that culminated at 2 am on Sunday was held to deliberate on candidates that the part will field in various constituencies in 11 states, according to sources.

Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Kiren Rijiju were among those who attended the meet.

Bihar, Uttarakhand, Assam, Arunachal, Manipur, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir figured in the deliberations, sources said adding that candidates for seats in the states of North East and in south India were also discussed.

"In all these states seats have been left vacant in places where the BJP is not very strong to facilitate candidates from regional parties or other big party leaders who would support the party," sources said.

States that will go to polls on April 11 in the first phase of the upcoming seven-phase Lok Sabha elections are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

Sources also said that in Saturday's meeting there was no discussion on Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 parliamentary seats and where the BJP is still in talks with smaller parties to finalise seat sharing. The BJP won 71 seats in the state in the 2014 general election.

Amit Shah is likely to meet with the core committee of the party on Sunday too after which the BJP is expected to announce its first list of candidates, sources said.

The BJP Central Election Committee is likely to meet again on Monday and by March 22 the party may announce the list of all candidates, sources said.

Meanwhile, Congress released its fourth list of candidates on Saturday.

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The ruling BJP has asked all its MLAs not to leave Goa in the backdrop of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health and Congress staking claim to form the government in the state.

Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanawade told ANI that all the legislators have been asked not to leave Goa at a meeting held on Saturday.

After Congress dispatched a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha, BJP called for an "emergency meeting" at the party headquarters in Panaji.

A meeting of BJP MLAs is also scheduled for today at party's Panaji office, state Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Saturday.

The Goa Congress on Saturday urged the Governor to dismiss the BJP-led coalition government and invite the party to form the government in the state.

In a letter to Governor, the Leader of the Opposition in the Goa Assembly, Chandrakant Kavlekar, claimed that the Congress party has the majority to form the government and that "the numbers of the BJP may further dwindle" in the Assembly.

"Consequent upon the sad demise of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza, the BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of people, has also lost the strength of the House," Chandrakant said in his letter to the Governor.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza died last month after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Atating that

Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since February last year.

Congress had staked to form the government in October last year too but then its claims were not accepted by the Governor.

The present strength of the Goa Assembly stands at 37 instead of 40.

Congress is currently the single-largest party in the state with 14 MLAs.BJP has 13 legislators, including Parrikar, and its government is supported by three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtra Gomantak Party, and three Independents. Two Congress MLAs have resigned after defecting to BJP.

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BJP's general secretary and in-charge of Haryana, Anil Jain said that party is not going for an alliance with any other party in Haryana and is confident of winning all the 10 Lok Sabha seats on its own.

"BJP is not going to do any alliance in Haryana. On all the 10 Lok Sabha seats BJP will contest and will win," he said.

Jain also said that there is no "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand-alliance) of opposition in Haryana as the BJP is the "strongest in the state."

He also targeted Congress party saying that despite the fact that its top leadership is "mired neck deep into corruption" they "shamelessly" accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the same.

"Rahul Gandhi, his mother, his brother-in-law and sister have all been involved in corruption and they allege a person like Prime Minister Narendra Modi of corruption is shamelessness. Nobody will believe them," said Jain.

All the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in Haryana will go to polls on May 12 in the sixth phase of 7 phased Lok Sabha elections.

Polling for the general elections will be held in seven phases starting April 11 and will conclude on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

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West Bengal Congress on Sunday ended all possibilities of an alliance with the Left Front in West Bengal and announced it will contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state on its own.

This comes two days after the Left Front announced its candidates in 25 seats out of 42 parliamentary seats in West Bengal.

"Left Front announced its candidates in 25 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal on March 15 without any discussion with West Bengal Congress. Due to the unyielding behaviour of CPI (M) and its ally parties in the Left Front, we are calling off the proposed seat sharing in the state and have decided to fight BJP and Trinamool Congress in Bengal with our own force," said West Bengal Congress president Somen Nath Mitra.

The CPI (M)-led Left Front in West Bengal on Friday released a list of 25 candidates in the state for the Lok Sabha elections.

The 25 seats include Raiganj and Murshidabad, currently held by CPI(M). The party had declared its candidates for these constituencies earlier. Out of 25 seats, CPI (M) has fielded its candidates on 15 seats. In a statement, Left Front chairman Biman Basus said that the remaining 17 constituencies would be contested either by the Left Front or the Congress.

Last month, Mitra ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Trinamool Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls stating that nobody from the party, including its workers, wanted an alliance with TMC.

Currently, there are four Congress Lok Sabha Members of Parliament in West Bengal.

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Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 79F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 41F. SW winds shifting to NNW at 15 to 25 mph.
The death toll in Friday's terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch rose to 50 with victims ranging in age from two years to over 60 years, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said on Sunday.

He informed that 50 people were wounded in the twin attacks.

Giving out details of those injured, Bush said that 36 of them are undergoing treatment at Christchurch Hospital and three persons, including a child, remain critical at Auckland's Starship Hospital, New Zealand Herald reported.

The country's police chief also confirmed that Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the 28-year-old Australian-born suspect was the sole attacker who carried out the Friday's attacks at Linwood Mosque and Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch.

Two other persons, a man and woman, who were arrested after the attacks were not linked to the attacker. While the woman was let off without any charges, the man was charged with firearm offences.

Lauding the police officers for stopping a rampaging Tarrant, Bush said the suspect was believed to be a "direct threat" and used a modified A-class weapon.

Meanwhile, citizens across the country have donated NZ$ 4.3 million for the families of the victims of Friday's attacks.

Tarrant, who appeared before a Christchurch court on murder charges on Saturday, was remanded in custody without plea until April 5.

The terror attack suspect, who live-streamed for about 17 minutes his rampage through two mosques in the city, is an Australian-born citizen and is a resident of Dunedin, situated around 360 km south of Christchurch.

Tarrant was wearing white prison clothing and was barefoot and handcuffed. Flanked by two police officers, the accused apparently showed no signs of remorse as he smirked when media persons photographed him during the hearing and was seen making the white power gesture.

Condemning the terror strike, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had described the attack as "one of New Zealand's darkest days" and said it "appears to have been well planned". She asserted that the country "will not and cannot be shaken" by the attack.

Ardern underlined that the country's gun laws will undergo changes and become stricter.

Hundreds of people across the country held peace vigils in memory of the victims who died in the twin attacks.

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Congress MLA Digambar Kamat on Sunday said that he didn't get any offer from the Bharatiya Janata Party to become Chief Minister of Goa.

"My programme in Delhi was finalised 2-3 days ago, there's no question of meeting anybody. I had gone to Delhi for personal work. I don't have any offers from the BJP; these stories were planted by vested interests. I'm not bothered about the leadership or the Chief Minister post," Kamat told ANI, adding that he didn't get any offer for Goa CM post.

"If becoming the Chief Minister of Goa is in my destiny then no one can stop him from getting the post," Former chief minister of Goa Kamat further said.

Expressing grief over the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who breathed his last on Sunday evening, Kamat said: "It is a big loss of the Bharatiya Janata Party."

Meanwhile, Goa Congress leaders G Chodankar and C Kavlekar again wrote a letter to Goa Governor staking claim to form Government.

"Coalition partners of Parrikar led Govt had allied with BJP on condition that Govt is headed by Manohar Parrikar. BJP, therefore, has no allies as of now," the letter read.

Denying the reports of the Kamat's entry in the BJP, BJP Goa unit president Vinay Tendulkar said: "There are rumours in Goa that Digambar Kamat is joining BJP. We have got this information through media only. We have no information on this as yet."

Leader of Opposition in Goa assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar too refuted speculations of former Goa chief minister Kamat quitting Congress and accused the BJP of spreading 'rumours.'

Speaking to ANI, Kavlekar said: "Former chief minister and Congress leader Digambar Kamat will not leave the party. He is our senior leader and we can't even think of him leaving the party. BJP is creating these rumours because the situation is not well within their party. This also proves that BJP doesn't have a leader."

Congress is currently the single-largest party in the state with 14 MLAs. BJP has 13 legislators and its government is supported by three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtra Gomantak Party, and three Independents. Two Congress MLAs have resigned after defecting to the BJP.

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For US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, climate change doesn't figure amongst the top five threats to the United States - reflecting the rhetoric set out by US President Donald Trump, even as students across the staged mass protests against inaction over climate change.

"Everyone's talking about global warming and the threat to this country. When you look at the top five threats to this nation, where do you rank global warming or climate change?" Fox News asked Pompeo, according to a The Washington Post journalist John Hudson.

"Yeah, I wouldn't put it in the top five," Pompeo responded.

Listing China, Pakistan and North Korea at the top of his list, the Secretary of State added, "I can count to five that get you to things that present more risk to the people I used to represent in Kansas and citizens all across America, whether it's the threat that we've talked about today from China...Pakistan...North Korea...I think I'm at five already, but I could give you a whole list of threats that I think we can effect change on in a way that will really make a difference for the security of the American people."

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Goa Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Manohar Parrikar died on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle against cancer at the age of 63.

A four-time Chief Minister of Goa who was known for his simplicity and had good relations across the political spectrum, Parrikar breathed his last at his residence here.

"We inform with deep grief that our beloved Chief Minister of Goa Shri. Manohar Parrikar passed away today evening, after a spirited battle against cancer," the Chief Minister's Office tweeted.

Parrikar, a former Defence Minister, had been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since February last year. It was in October that the state government made a formal announcement about the BJP leader suffering from a pancreatic ailment.

He is survived by two sons -- Utpal, an electrical engineering graduate from Michigan State University, and Abhijat, a local businessman. His wife Medha passed away in 2000.

His cremation will be held at Miramar Goa at 5 pm on Monday. As a mark of respect, the central government declared a mourning on Monday.

After the news about the demise of the popular leader broke, condolences poured in from across party lines.

In a message, President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen."

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress," Modi said on Twitter.

The Prime Minister said, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in his message,"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief."

Parrikar took charge as the Chief Minister on March 14, 2017, and held the office till his end. He had previously served as the Chief Minister of the state from 2000 to 2002, 2002 to 2005 and from 2012 to 2014.

An engineer from IIT-Bombay, Parrikar led BJP in 2012 to victory and became the Chief Minister. He was made the Defence Minister in 2014 and was succeeded by Laxmikant Parsekar as the Chief Minister of Goa.

Considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Parrikar, a former Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, served as the Defence Minister from May 2014 to March 2017.

Born in Mapusa in the coastal state of Goa in 1955 when it was under Portuguese control, Parrikar studied at Loyola High School, Margao. In 1978, he graduated in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.Portuguese control,

Parrikar was also one of those leaders who rose in ranks from RSS to BJP. Parrikar had joined RSS even during final years of his school days and later became the Sanghchalak at the age of 26.

Often referred to as the 'Chief Minister of the Common' by many, Parrikar was known for his simple style of living and for being easily approachable by the people.

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday claimed that if YSR Congress Party wins the upcoming state Assembly election, Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) will rule the state.

While addressing party leaders and cadre at a meeting here, Naidu even indirectly accused YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of killing his own uncle, YS Vivekananda Reddy.

He said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are experts in cheating and betraying... Andhra Pradesh got injustice due to KCR and Prime Minister Modi. But Jagan has colluded with them and betraying the state... Do we need a person who killed his own uncle and vanished all the evidences?"

"KCR is supporting Jagan, as he wants a puppet government in Andhra. If YSRCP wins, KCR rules the state. So don't vote for YSRCP," he added.

Naidu feels YSRCP does not have any right "even to sit in opposition".

"Their MPs resigned as they couldn't fight there (in Parliament). Their MLAs did not turn to Assembly as they could not fight on public issues. But they take salaries. Such persons are unfit to be public representatives," Naidu said.

"KCR comes to Visakhapatnam on the name of performing 'pujas'. When KCR who had worked for me shows such attitude, how much attitude I should have? We have launched Mission 150+. We have to win all 25 MP seats in the state," added Naidu while talking about Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu said just like "Andhra people forfeited 120-year-old Congress for doing injustice to the state by dividing," similarly "BJP should also be defeated."

He said, (Modi - KCR - Jagan) joined hands to take revenge on us. But we should not surrender. We have the spirit of NTR with us. He gave us the slogan of self-respect. I gave you the slogan of Self Confidence. If anyone attacks our self-confidence, will we leave them?"

Naidu added, "YSRCP has stolen our data. If anybody calls you with such data, warn them not to call. Such culprits should be put behind the bars.

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BJP's alliance partner Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) on Saturday announced its own nominees for the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura.

The IPFT nominated party President and Revenue Minister Narendra Chandra Debbarma from the Tripura East seat and youth leader Sukhla Charan Noatia from the Tripura West.

Senior leaders of the IPFT including the party president N C Debbarma and general secretary Mevar Kumar Jamatia were present in the press conference held here on Saturday evening.

"We have been asking the BJP to leave East Tripura scheduled tribe reserved seat for us since it is reserved for tribals. But the BJP did not accept their proposal," Jamatia told ANI.

Jamatia added that IPFT is still keeping its doors open for the BJP for dialogue and if BJP withdraws its candidate from the East seat then IPFT will also withdraw its candidate from the West seat.

"We were left with no other option but to put up candidates in both the Lok Sabha seats. However, we would keep supporting the alliance, " said Debbarma at a press conference adding that the IPFT wants Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form government at the Centre.

Meantime, the BJP held its parliamentary board meeting at Delhi on late Saturday night and is likely to announce its first list of candidates soon.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Deb Varma and other senior leaders were present in the meeting at the BJP party headquarter.

Of the state's two seats, West Tripura goes to the polls on April 11 and East Tripura on April 18. The results will be declared on May 23.

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Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party said on Sunday.

Led by Raj Thackeray, the party didn't win any seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 10 announced the schedule for the 17th Lok Sabha election, which will be held in seven phases beginning April 11. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19. The counting of votes will be done on May 23.

Announcing the election schedule, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said: "The gazette notification will be issued on March 18. The last date of nomination of first phase polling will be March 25."

"The last date for withdrawal of candidature for the first phase is March 28. The first phase polling will take place on April 11. The date of counting will be May 23, 2019. As many as 91 constituencies in 20 states will go to polls in the first phase," he said.

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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of diverting the attention of citizens by launching 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign ahead of ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

"Everyone is familiar with the kind of chowkidar he claims to be. When the country is under danger, what is he doing?" he said while addressing media here. "There have been more attacks during his term than ever. His party was in the term when the parliament attack took place. By launching such campaigns, is he implying that he made the Indian Air Force, Army and Navy? This is just a way to divert the attention of people," he added.

'Main Bhi Chowkidar' was launched on Saturday in order to further the narrative of the Prime Minister's strong and decisive image which multiple surveys have conveyed is the main factor in the upcoming elections, an official release mentioned.

A day after the launch of the poll campaign, Prime Minister Modi and top BJP leaders such as Amit Shah, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, and JP Nadda, to name a few, added the prefix 'chowkidar' to their Twitter handles.

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A Mexican journalist who covered crime in north-western Mexico has been shot dead by an unknown assailant in his home near the US border, local authorities said.

47-year-old Santiago Barroso was shot multiple times at point-blank range after the gunman knocked on his front door on Friday. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital, the Sonora state's prosecutor office said in a statement on Saturday.

Barroso was a multimedia journalist based in the border town of San Luis Rio Colorado, situated about 32 km southwest of Yuma, Arizona in the United States.

The scribe was also a host of a local radio show and a contributor to a weekly newspaper called Contrasena. He was also the director of Red 563 news website.

Barosso is the fourth journalist to be killed so far this year in Mexico. It is yet to be ascertained whether his killing was linked to his work.

The three other deceased Mexican journalists are -- Reynaldo Lopez, Jose Murua and Jesus Ramos.

Mexico is one of the dangerous countries to practise journalism, where it ranks 147 out of 180 countries, according to 2018 Press Freedom Index.

The Latin American nation is only second after Syria where practising journalism is a risk, as per Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based NGO advocating press freedom. Over 100 journalists have been killed since 2000, according to the organisation.

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Mosques across New Zealand are "free and welcome to open their doors" but police will maintain an armed presence after 50 people were killed and over an equal number of people were injured in the gruesome Christchurch terror attack.

"Mosques are welcome to open their doors if they choose to do so. Police will continue to maintain a presence at all Mosques across New Zealand," New Zealand Police tweeted on Sunday.

Mosques across the country were advised to shut down following the March 14 terror attack, which shook the global community.

Meanwhile, security was beefed up outside mosques in United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and other countries following the ghastly shootings, carried out by a 28-year-old white man Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who has been charged with murder ever since.

Police believe that Tarrant single-handedly carried out the terror attack at both the mosques under a span of 36 minutes during the ongoing Friday prayers for which a large number of faithful had congregated.

At least five Indians, including three from Gujarat also lost their lives in the shootings.

36 wounded, including two Indian nationals and two persons of Indian origin, are undergoing treatment at Christchurch Hospital following Thursday's attacks, as the police have informed that 11 people out of them continue to be in critical condition.

"In addition, the four-year-old child transported to Starship Hospital in Auckland yesterday remains in a critical condition," New Zealand Police tweeted.

"Police understands the religious duty of the Islamic faith to bury the deceased as soon as possible, and is working closely with the Chief Coroner to do everything possible to expedite the process," they added, mentioning that the deceased victims have been removed from both the Christchurch mosques.

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Congress leader Tariq Anwar on Sunday rejected the reports that he has agreed to contest from a seat other than Katihar in Bihar.

"If there was any presence of NCP in Bihar, it was thanks to me. I have been contesting from Katihar since 1977. I am emotionally connected to that place. My relations with the people of the area are personal and not related to any party. There is no truth to the reports that I am willing to leave Katihar," he said.

He also asserted that the "grand alliance" in Bihar won't break.

"The alliance won't break. Both the parties need the alliance. It is necessary to be in an alliance to defeat the BJP and I believe we have adequate time," he told ANI.

However, he conceded that there might be some tension in the grand alliance.

"There might be some tension. Every party wants to get a maximum share but ultimately what is factored in is who the winning candidate is," he said.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) general secretary DP Tripathi on Sunday said that Katihar Lok Sabha seat in Bihar was not the personal property of Tariq Anwar, the leader who recently defected from the NCP to join the Congress.

"We had one seat in Katihar and that is all we are asking for. Soon, we will announce our candidate from Katihar. It is our seat. So what if Tariq Anwar has joined the Congress? It is not his personal property. Katihar was our seat. Congress has to decide," Tripathi said.

Tariq Anwar quit NCP and joined the Congress last year in September. He also resigned from his Lok Sabha seat. He was elected MP from Katihar for five terms.

In 1999, Anwar had revolted against Congress president Sonia Gandhi along with leaders like Sharad Pawar and PA Sangma. Anwar was a Rajya Sabha member from 2004-14 from Maharashtra.

In Bihar, there have been reports of fissures in the grand alliance. Lalu Prasad Yadav led RJD is not ready to concede more than 8 seats to the Congress party, though it is asking for not less than 11 seats.

On March 10, Election Commission of India announced that the ensuing General Elections will be conducted in seven phases in Bihar from April 11 to May 19. The results will be announced on May 23.

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NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not attending a meeting of political parties convened by the government after the Pulwama terror attack and instead addressing a rally in Maharashtra.

"Neither the Prime Minister nor the Defence Minister were present in the meeting after the Pulwama attack. We got to know that he (PM) was in Maharashtra and campaigning for his party's candidates," he said during a public meeting in Chakan in Pune district.

"The Prime Minister said at a rally in Yavatmal (Maharashtra) not to worry about the country's security which was in his hands. He said that he has a 56-inch chest. If he has a 56-inch chest then what was that 56-inch chest doing in Yavatmal. He was making such statements from there," Pawar said.

The NCP leader urged all the political parties to come together to fight against BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

"I urge all the political parties to come together and avoid the splitting of votes which will benefit BJP," he said.

On farmers' suicide in the state, the former Union Minister said, "There are many questions before the country. BJP had given many assurances. Since Devendra Fadnavis became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the state has witnessed more than 12,000 farmers' suicide. Such cases across is much more than this."

Pawar said "We had waived Rs 71,000 crore loans of farmers at once. Today, the state government says it has waived loan of farmers. If you check the records with the banks, you will get to know that not even 50 per cent of farmers received the benefits of farm-loan waiver," he added.

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Pashtun, Mohajir, Sindhi and Kashmiri groups gathered here on Saturday to protest against the brutalities allegedly inflicted upon them by Pakistani authorities and Pakistani state terrorism.

They chanted slogans like "the uniform is behind the hooliganism and terrorism," during the protests while referring to the Pakistani Army. Protesters were also seen holding placards which read "ISI - A terrorism factory," amongst others.

"We cannot talk about our rights, we cannot talk about our people's rights...back home," one of the speakers said at a seminar held later. They also asked the global community, including Canada, to direct Pakistan to uphold human rights.

Leaders from the communities have time and again highlighted the brutalities against them which are undertaken by the Pakistani authorities. They have called on the international community to outline the blatant acts of human rights violations, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, physical torture and arbitrary arrests which Pakistan carries out against them in their homeland.

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Sheena Bora murder case accused Peter Mukerjea was admitted to JJ hospital here on Sunday after he complained of chest pain.

"He was admitted to the hospital following a complaint of chest pain. He is being treated by specialists and is completely stable now," said Dr Sanjay Surase, Medical Superintendent at Jamshedjee Jeejeebhoy (JJ) Hospital.

The Arthur Road jail authorities checked on him yesterday and immediately rushed him to the hospital.

Peter, who is currently lodged in Authur Road jail, is accused of murdering his daughter Sheena Bora over a financial dispute in 2012. The crime came to the fore three years later, in 2015, for which Peter was charged for conspiracy.

Peter's wife Indrani is the prime accused in the case and is currently lodged in Mumbai's Byculla jail. The trial, in this case, is underway at the special CBI court in Mumbai.

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Expressing condolences on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Manohar Parrikar an 'unparalleled and exceptional administrator.' Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Parrikar died at his residence in Panaji on Sunday evening. He was 63.

The Central government has declared the mourning on March 18. "The flag will fly at half-mast in the capital and capitals of all States and UTs. The state funeral shall be accorded to Shri Parrikar. A meeting of the Union Cabinet has been called at 10 am on Monday," said a statement from the Centre.

Prime Minister Modi tweeted: "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator! He was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti."

PM Modi also recalled his contribution towards building a modern Goa and said, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress."

"India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," the Prime Minister added.

Late in the evening, Goa Chief Minister's office confirmed that Chief Minister Parrikar passed away after "spirited battle against cancer."'

"We inform with deep grief that our beloved Chief Minister of Goa Shri. Manohar Parrikar passed away today evening, after a spirited battle against cancer," the Chief Minister's office said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also condoled the death of Parrikar and said, "The news of the passing away of Chief Minister of Goa Shri @manoharparrik ji is extremely distressing. Manoharji's energetic, sincere personality will always be remembered for simplicity, truth, thinking, and determination."

"Today the country's has lost a star. We will always keep the Chief Minister of Goa, the former Defense Minister of the country on our memories. I pray to God for him and his family. Goodbye @manoharparrikar ji!" she said.

BJP president Amit Shah said: "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar ji's commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary."

"Parrikar ji has shown the entire nation how a BJP Karyakarta, even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last. He will always be remembered for his contributions as India's Defence Minister and as CM of Goa," said Shah.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told ANI: "BJP has faced a huge loss with the demise of #ManoharParrikar Ji... Apart from being a party member, he was a really close friend of mine. He isn't with me today and I'm personally very pained by this. I am immediately leaving for Goa."

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that Parrikar's demise has left a huge gap in

"Goa CM Manohar Parrikar was a good human being. His passing away has left a huge gap in We have lost a good politician. His demise has caused us immense grief. I express my grief and I pay my tributes on behalf of my party and myself," said Kharge.

Expressing grief Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrote on Twitter, "Deepest condolences over the untimely death of former Defence Minister and Chief Minister of Goa Shri Manohar Parrikar. May his soul rest in peace! May God give strength and support to the bereaved family at this saddest hour."

Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao called Parrikar a visionary and cultured leader while expressing his deepest condolence on latter's demise.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was one of the most brilliant, cultured and visionary leaders in the contemporary politics of India. As leader of the Opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly, as Chief Minister of Goa and as Defence Minister of India, he discharged his duty with utmost dedication, sincerity, and commitment," he stated.

Former Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar, who worked with Parrikar, said: "Extremely saddened by the news of Mr Parrikar's demise. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. He was easily one of the brightest stars of the country's political firmament. His honesty dedication, hard work, and simplicity were an exemplary model for every politician. His passing away is indeed a monumental loss for clean politics. It was my good luck that I had the unique opportunity to work with him when he was the Defence Minister. May his soul rest in everlasting peace!"

Sixty-three-year-old Parrikar, who was battling a pancreatic ailment since last year, breathed his last at his residence on Sunday evening.

A four-time Chief Minister of Goa, Parrikar had been in and out of the hospitals since February last year. It was in October last year that the state government made a formal announcement about the BJP leader suffering from a pancreatic ailment. He had undergone treatment in the United States as well as in New Delhi.

Parrikar took charge as the Chief Minister on March 14, 2017, and held the office till his end. He had previously served as the Chief Minister of the state from 2000 to 2002, 2002 to 2005 and from 2012 to 2014.

Considered close to Prime Minister Modi, Parrikar served as the Defence Minister from May 2014 to March 2017.

Born in Mapusa in the coastal state of Goa, Parrikar studied at Loyola High School, Margao. In 1978 he graduated in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.

Parrikar was also one of those leaders who rose in ranks from RSS to BJP. Parrikar had joined RSS even during final years of his school days and later became the Sanghchalak at the age of 26.

Often referred to as the 'Chief Minister of the Common' man by many, Parrikar was known for his simple style of living and for being easily approachable by the citizens of Goa.

Parrikar is survived by his two sons--Utpal, an Electrical Engineering graduate from Michigan State University, and Abhijat, a local businessman. His wife Medha passed away in 2000.

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Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said that India had to take action against terrorists in Pakistan because Imran Khan led country did not do so and as a result, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did what former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh couldn't.

Addressing a gathering here, she said: "We gave Pakistan evidence in 2008 as well but you (Pakistan) did nothing. Jaish-e-Mohammed itself claimed responsibility for Pulwama terror attack. What else do you need? Take action. We took the action that Pakistan should have taken. If you (Pakistan) are a victim of terrorism, why don't you remove it? That's why Modi Ji did what Manmohan Singh Ji didn't do."

She also attacked the Congress party for raising questions over the Central government. "The Congress party cannot list any such steps taken during their tenure. Our government has met leaders in the entire world to isolate and demand action from Pakistan against terrorists. Post Pulwama, post-February 26 every country has given the statement in our favour. If the Congress is questioning us, then I would like to ask them--is this how they support the cause of the nation?"

Tensions between India and Pakistan heightened following a terror attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, on February 14 in which 40 security personnel lost their lives.

On February 26, India had carried out air strike at a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, eliminating a "large number" of terrorists, according to Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.

The very next day, Pakistani jets violated Indian air space and dropped bombs in the Rajouri sector in the state. India said that it foiled an attempt by the Pakistan Air Force to carry out strikes in the state by shooting down an F-16 fighter plane.

Sitharaman also launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for asking evidence for the air strike carried out by the Indian Air Force in Balakot.

She said: "The Bengal government wants proof of the air strike carried out in Balakot. Are they on India's side or on our enemies' side? The statements made by the Bengal government help Pakistan and not us."

She also alleged that the state government is not cooperating with the Centre and is not extending the benefit of welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat to the people of the state.

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"Whenever farmers of this country and unemployed youths ask tough questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he hides behind terrorists and Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI," Congress Spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged on Sunday.

The comment comes a day after Khera had said that 'Modi' stood for 'Masood, Osama, Dawood and ISI' during a television debate, a comment which the Congress leader is facing flak for.

"From morning to evening, the Prime Minister and his party keep targeting Nehru and each and every leader. If you remember during Gujarat elections, Modihad alleged former prime minister ManmohanSingh and Gen DeepakKapoor were colluding with Pakistan to defeat him in Gujarat. What is that? Why should I not be outraged when they abuse our leaders? My leaders Pt. JawaharLal Nehru and ManmohanSingh were also country's prime ministers," Khera told ANI.

On Congress staking claim to form government in Goa, he said, "There is a lot of restlessness within the BJP and also among their allies. They form the government through the back door. They did not win a popular mandate. They along with their governor went on to form the government."

Khera also welcomed the move of fixing a timeline for the release of a manifesto by political parties for the ensuing polls.

"In Gujarat elections, BJP released manifesto when their campaign had come to an end. This is actually cheating the people," he added.

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Uttar Pradesh police busted an inter-state gang and arrested nine criminals in connection with it in Aligarh on Saturday.

Police have recovered seized country-made pistols, knives, stolen mobiles and bikes from them.

"The accused used to travel by motorcycle and snatch cell phones. Around 18 stolen cell phones have been recovered from them," police said.

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A pro-North Korean newspaper based in Japan has demanded that US should drop its "unilateral" and "unfair" demands in denuclearisation talks with North Korea, warning that the negotiations will not move forward.

Ties between the US and North Korea hit a roadblock over the ease of sanctions, where Pyongyang sought relief as recognition of the steps taken towards denuclearisation.

Washington has, until now, reinforced that relief in sanctions would only be given after the communist country carries out "complete and verifiable" denuclearisation.

"No constructive dialogues can be held if (the US) continues to call for a package deal and a one-shot resolution by making unilateral demands for (the dismantlement of) Yongbyon plus alpha and abandonment of nuclear and ballistic missiles," Yonhap News Agency reported quoting the Choson Sinbo newspaper.

"For the North and the US to have constructive dialogues, such a hegemonic way of thinking should be overcome first," the paper said in its article.

The newspaper stated that North Korea remained committed to take denuclearisation steps in exchange for measures that the US takes, but warned that the communist nation will not pay heed to "unfair" demands and will not tolerate its "arrogance" and "self-righteousness."

On Friday, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui hit out at the US over its demands, threatening to suspend talks with Washington and resume missile launches and nuclear tests.

"We have no intention to yield to the US demands (put forward at the Hanoi summit) in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind," she said.

Choe blamed Washington for not reaching a consensus in Hanoi and said they (the US) "were too busy with pursuing their own political interests and had no sincere intention to achieve a result."

On February 27-28, US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had met for the second time in Vietnam's Hanoi city, which ended in a stalemate with no agreement reached. amid several reports surfaced by South Korea's spy agency and two American think tanks speculating that restoration work was underway at the long-range missile launch site in Dongchang-ri in North Korea.

There are also speculations about North Korea's possible preparation to launch a missile or a satellite-carrying rocket, which has also been reported by the US media, wherein they stated that there has been an increase in the activity at the missile assembly facility in Sanum-dong.

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A group led by Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) protested here on Saturday against Pakistan's state policy on terrorism, saying it has "penetrated deep" into India and is spreading its tentacles globally.

The protestors also raised the issue of illegal occupation of parts of Kashmir by Pakistan and made a strong demand for the return of these areas to India, their legal owner.

They raised anti-Pakistan slogans and put up banners like "Global terrorist state - Pakistan", "Pakistan - Stop using terrorism as your state policy ", "Kashmir is an integral part of India - stop meddling".

They said Pakistan's state policy on terrorism has "penerated deep into India and (is) spreading its tentacles globally".

Munni Mohan from GKPD, which organised the protest along with Friends of India Society International, said, "Jammu and Kashmir became part of India through a legal document as an instrument of accession as was followed by other princely states in India.", according to a press release.

She said that the illegal occupation of parts of Kashmir by Pakistan is the only unresolved agenda about Kashmir and that those areas need to be returned to their legal owner, India".

Mohan talked about participation of residents in Jammu and Kashmir in the "vibrant democracy" which sees them overwhelmingly participating and choosing their elected government in the state.

"(People of) Jammu and Ladakh overwhelmingly claim to be proud Indians...The current unrest in the Valley is happening in small pockets of Kashmir at due to the cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan," Mohan said.

There was also heavy sloganeering against Pakistan during the protest. "Terror hub, terror hub - Pakistan, Pakistan", "Down with Pakistan", "Pakistan an architect of genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs" and "Pakistan - take care of your minorities" were a few of the slogans the protesters were heard using.

Speaking at a press conference, Achalesh Amar, the Coordinator of Houston's Friends of India Society International, highlighted the international ramifications of terror and the role of Pakistan in exporting terror to the world, which threatens the "world" civil society.

He referred to the role of Pakistan in providing shelter to Al Qaeda leaders and safe haven and sanctuaries to dreaded terrorists for them to regroup and export terror machinery to other parts of the globe after the fall of Afghanistan's Taliban government in 2001.

He also recalled how Osama Bin Laden, an architect of the 9/11 attacks in the US, was found well protected in a garrison city of Pakistan.

Amar also said there was a "Pakistani connect" between the London bombing and terror shooting at San Bernardino, California, according to the release.

Veena Ambardar from GKPD talked about the proxy war unleashed by Pakistan on India under the Zia Doctrine in 1988 having the code word "Operation Tupac". She said this operation encouraged cross-border terrorism, guerilla warfare in India that was fully supported and led by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and "Army regulars".

"She made a reference to Kargil, India where the nexus between Pakistan-sponsored jihadis and ISI and Army regulars was exposed at an international level," the release said.

The proxy war saw India losing more than "6000 security personnel", Ambardar said.

More than "400,000 members" of peace-loving Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs were ethnically cleansed by Pakistan and are forced to live as refugees in India, the release said while referring to her speech.

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Two students at New York University confronted former US President Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea at a vigil organised in honour of the victims of New Zealand's gruesome terror attacks which claimed the lives of 50 people.

Students Leen Dweik and Rose Asaf took offence to Clinton's reactionary tweet to Democrat Ilhan Omar's comments regarding Israel, which many have perceived to be anti-semitic in nature.

In her tweet, Clinton "co-signed as an American". "We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism," she tweeted.

Taking particular offence to the "as an American" part of Clinton's statement, Asaf told the Washington Post, "She was the one who made this a story...To me, when speaking of someone who is a refugee, it's a dog whistle, it's signalling this is a patriotic issue and that nationalism excludes people like Ilhan Omar," adding that by using "as an American," Clinton put forth an "anti-immigrant trope."

Omar is the first Somali-American elected to a legislative office in the United States and one of the first two Muslim women elected to the Congress, along with being the first minority woman to serve as a US Representative from Minnesota.

The students can be seen confronting Clinton in the video, where Dweik says, "This, right here, is a result of a massacre stoked by people like you and the words that you put out into the And I want you to know that, and I want you to feel that deep down inside. Forty-nine people died because of the rhetoric you put out there."

"I'm so sorry that you feel that way," Clinton responds. "Certainly, it was never my intention. I do believe words matter. I believe we have to show solidarity," she said.

The two students have faced backlash ever since the clip of the encounter went viral with many, including US President Donald Trump, coming to Clinton's defence. On the other hand, many have backed the two students who say that they decided to confront the former first daughter to convey their grief and nothing more.

Speaking to The Washington Post later about the incident, Dweik said: "I wanted to convey my grief. It wasn't this planned attack. I very specifically waited until after the vigil. I wanted this person to know they've caused harm. You've done things that have hurt this community, and the grief people feel today you're not separate from."

"It's sickening to see people blame @ChelseaClinton for the NZ attacks because she spoke out against anti-Semitism. We should all be condemning anti-Semitism & all forms of hate. Chelsea should be praised for speaking up. Anyone who doesn't understand this is part of the problem," Trump tweeted.

Trump also went on record to say that he did not see white nationalism as a rising threat, even though New Zealand Police suspect that 28-year-old Brenton Harrison Tarrant - a white man from Australia - single-handedly carried out the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, killing 50 people and wounding as many last week.

The primary suspect allegedly released a manifesto before the attack, where he hailed Trump as a "symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose," according to Al Jazeera.

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Police on Saturday seized unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 10 lakh from a local resident during search operations near Nidadavole Municipal Office here.

The West Godavari Police conducted raids on the direction of Election Commission in view of ensuing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held on April 11.

The person, who has been identified as Kommu Krishnamurthy, told police that he withdrew Rs 10 lakh as it was taken as housing loan, a few days back. However, on being interrogated the accused was unable to produce any evidence for it.

"We have traced unaccounted cash of Rs 10 lakh from Kommu Krishnamurthy, who belongs to Ramachandrapuram village. He has told us that he has taken a housing loan and withdrawn the money for the same purpose. However he could not produce any evidence for that money," police said.

The seized amount has been handed over to concerned officials, they added.

A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.

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Even as the Congress general secretary for the Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi arrived in state capital on Sunday, uncertainty looms large over her proposed "Ganga-Yatra" on a steamer boat from Prayagraj to Varanasi, as the party is still waiting for the Prayagraj district administration's nod.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived in Lucknow to hold a meeting with party workers on Sunday and as per the earlier schedule, she was to take a 140 km long, 3-day 'Ganga-Yatra' on a steamer boat, starting Monday, from Chhatnag in Prayagraj to Assi Ghat in Varanasi.

However, party sources claimed that due to certain obstructions on the proposed route, Priyanka may start her journey from Mawaiya Ghat of Karchana at 9 am on 18 March instead of Sangam at Prayagraj.

"There are many changes in the Priyanka Gandhi's programme as we have not got the administrative approval. She will first visit her paternal place Anand Bhawan and Swaraj Bhawan to take blessings after which she will take the water route in Ganga and will meet the poor communities living on both side of the river bank like fishermen, farmers, Kevat. Her first-night halt will be at Sitamarhi, on the second day she will visit Chunar and third day she will reach Assi Ghat at Varanasi," said Pramod Tiwari, senior Congress leader.

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Questioning the grand alliance for not declaring their prime ministerial candidate, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that his party wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be reinstated as the PM.

Speaking at a public rally, he said: "We want Modi as PM again. Why this 'mahagathbandhan' has not yet disclosed their PM candidate? Is Rahul Gandhi their PM candidate?"

Launching a scathing attack on Pakistan, he said: "Not just surgical strikes, I want that Pakistan should be destroyed completely. They are like a dog's tail but even the dog is honest."Maharashtra will vote for Lok Sabha elections in three phases. The polling dates are April 10, 17 and 24.

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A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' poll campaign, Congress general secretary in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia took a jibe at the Prime Minister on Sunday asking who would save the country if 'Chowkidars' are like him.

Addressing the media here, Scindia said, "In Prime Minister Modi's rule a new environment of corruption has been created in the country. Rafale corruption has never been answered. The government is not answering the question lingering around Rafale. He is not answering why the cost of a jet was increased or why the number of jets was reduced. There is a long list of misdeeds and lies of PM Modi-Corruption, destroying the Make in India scheme, giving away the country's treasury to a businessman. If there will be Chowkidars like him then who will save the country?"

He further accused the Prime Minister of taking control of ministries. "PM Modi ji always says that Congress has not done this and that in the last 70 years. I would say, yes, we have never taken control of any other ministries. The defence ministry has itself admitted that the Prime Minister Office has taken control over the Defence ministry and is taking all the decision," he added.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav opined that the voices of those who have been forced to take up the profession of a security guard (chowkidaar) due to lack of jobs must be heard.

.

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It was not only the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Army that were pressed into action against Pakistan after the Pulwama attack but also the Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, nuclear and conventional submarines and several warships deployed on the western maritime frontier in an aggressive posture.

The Indian Navy Carrier Battle Group that was exercising in the area was swiftly moved into operational deployment at the height of the tension between the two countries.

The details of heavy naval mobilization has come out in public domain only now as the Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (Tropex 2019) has got over.

Around 60 ships and equal number of aircraft had taken part in the war games that had quickly turned into a real time operational situation following the tension.

The Navy said the aim of the move was to deter and defeat any misadventure from Pakistan.

INS Vikramaditya had the full compliment of Mig-29 K fighter jets and was protected by nuclear attack submarine, INS Chakra.

The Indian navy, which is far superior to Pakistan's sea force, demonstrated the versatility to change roles as it operates a large number of combat platforms.

The move of such a large Indian combat fleet forced the Pakistan Navy to stay close to the Makran coast and it could not come out into the open sea.

Earlier this month, Pakistan had raised alarm that it had detected an Indian submarine in its waters but it was dismissed as a false claim by New Delhi.

--IANS

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The Congress on Sunday said its candidates for 10 of Assam's 14 Lok Sabha seats would be declared on Monday and former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will not be contesting the elections.

Putting to rest speculations about the candidature of Gogoi, Congress General Secretary in charge of Assam Harish Rawat said: "Gogoi has informed us that he will not contest the election."

Ten candidates will be finalised in Monday's meeting of the Central Election Committee in New Delhi and the remaining four will be decided after few days, he said.

Assam will see polling in the first three phases - April 11, 18 and 23 - on the seven phase Lok Sabha election.

Rawat, who later left for New Delhi on Sunday, said that candidates for the five seats in Uttarakhand would also be declared on Monday.

Asked whether he would like to contest this time, Rawat said he would like to work for the election campaign rather than contest. "But this decision has to be taken by the high command," he said.

--IANS

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The BJP on Sunday announced its first list of 123 candidates for the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh where the polls are due on April 11.

The Bharatiya Janata Party took the decision in its Central Election Committee meeting held on Saturday under the presidentship of Amit Shah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were present in the meeting.

The BJP is fielding its candidates against the candidates of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and the YSR Congress Party, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, which are the two main parties in the state.

Earlier in the day, the main opposition in Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress had released its full list of candidates for 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly constituencies in the state.

The TDP on Thursday had announced its first list of candidates, containing 126 names, for the Assembly elections.

--IANS

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday said she intends to ask Facebook how the Christchurch gunman, who slaughtered 50 people during Friday prayers, was able to livestream the massacre.

Using a GoPro camera, the terrorist on Friday broadcast extremely graphic footage of him shooting people at the Al Noor Mosque via Facebook Live. The livestream was available to watch on social media for hours after the attack, newshub.co.nz reported.

Besides being livestreamed on Facebook, the video, lasting 17 minutes, was shared repeatedly on YouTube and Twitter, before being removed by the social media giant.

In a press conference, Ardern was quoted as saying that the New Zealand Government did its best to take down the video, but its power to do so is limited.

"We did as much as we could to remove or seek to have removed some of the footage that was being circulated in the aftermath of this terrorist attack.

"Ultimately, though, it has been up to those platforms to facilitate their removal and support their removal."

She disapproved of the social media giant Facebook's incompetence at allowing graphic content to be uploaded and shared thus widely.

"Obviously these social media platforms have wide reach. This is a problem that goes well beyond New Zealand, it has played out in other parts of the world.

"So whilst we might have seen action taken here, that hasn't prevented (the footage) being circulated beyond New Zealand shores.

"This is an issue that goes well beyond New Zealand, but it doesn't mean we can't play an active role in getting it resolved," Ardern said.

Facebook has on its part said that as many as 1.5 million videos of the attack were removed from its platform in the first 24 hours.

"We continue to work around the clock to remove violating content using a combination of technology and people... ," Mia Garlick, Facebook New Zealand, wrote in a tweet.

"In the first 24 hours we removed 1.5 million videos of the attack globally, of which over 1.2 million were blocked at upload...

"Out of respect for the people affected by this tragedy and the concerns of local authorities, we're also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content," Garlick added.

Ardern also said that in the wake of the Christchurch attacks, she has been in continuous contact with Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, the report said.

"I haven't spoken to her directly, but she has reached out in acknowledgement of what has occurred here in New Zealand. This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook," Ardern noted.

--IANS

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday said bodies of those killed in the Christchurch mosques shooting will begin to be returned to their families starting with a small number.

Police and Coronial Services were working with urgency and care to identify the victims and handle them according to an internationally approved process, Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall said.

"Identification hearings will start this afternoon and we are anticipating that the process of returning the deceased will commence tonight," said Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha.

"This is a complex task which must be completed according to New Zealand law. We are working closely with community representatives to explain the process," he added.

Police have gathered the evidence and was working with families of those who were still missing.

The Coroner is confirming the victims' identities. "We acknowledge that the last 48 hours have been the most horrific in these families lives.

"We understand it is an added trauma for them that they have not been able to bury their loved ones quickly, according to their religious duty," he said.

"We are working closely with Imams from Mosques and the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand.

"This is an unprecedented event and the support of the Muslim leaders and their community has been invaluable," said Haumaha.

Police and Coronial Services are very focused and working together closely to run the process in a way that is culturally appropriate, robust, and with speed.

Marshall and two other coroners and four support staff are in Christchurch to provide additional capability and support to the locally-based coroners to help speed up the process, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The nationalities of the victims cannot be confirmed at this stage, Marshall said, adding that information on this will be released as soon as possible as the coronial process continues.

"This is a long and complex process and all organisations involved are working as quickly as possible to return loved ones to their families but it's vital we have certainty around cause of death for any future court proceedings," Detective Superintendent Peter Read says.

The deceased are examined and documented in situ, then taken to the mortuary.

The suspect 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, had killed 49 people and injured 50 more in New Zealand's worst attack, when he opened fire at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques during the Friday prayers. One more person succumbed later.

Tarrant has been charge with one count of murder and kept in a high- security facility, Ardern told a press conference.

There would be an increased police presence in Christchurch, the country's second largest city on Monday, with an extra 120 officers, she added, adding all mosques would be guarded by the police.

While she would hold a crucial cabinet meet, specialist teams would be at Christchurch schools and early learning centres. Support lines would also be available to anyone who needs it, Ardern said.

The parliament would pay tribute to the victims on Tuesday. A special vigil has been arranged on Sunday evening in Christchurch where police, hospitals, first responders would be present.

--IANS

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The crisis in Telangana's main opposition Congress deepened further on Sunday with another legislator deciding to join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Vanama Venkateshwara Rao announced after a meeting with Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrashekhar Rao that he is joining the ruling party.

Vanama Rao, who represents Kothagudem constituency in the state Assembly, is the eighth Congress MLA to cross over to the TRS this month. This has brought down the opposition party's tally in 119-member Assembly to 11. It had won 19 seats in the December 7 Assembly elections.

With the latest defection, the Congress may now lose the status of main opposition in the Assembly as it requires at least 10 percent of the members in the House.

With reports of four more MLAs being in touch with the TRS, the defected MLAs may petition the Speaker to recognise the merger of Congress Legislature Party with the TRS.

If two-third MLAs of a party defect, they will not attract disqualification under Anti-Defection Law and can be recognised as a separate block.

Losing one MLA almost every day, Congress appear totally demoralised ahead of April 11 elections to all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The Congress has accused the TRS of hatching a conspiracy to finish off the opposition. CLP leader Malu Bhatti Vikramarka demanded dismissal of the TRS government, accusing it of running the state in feudal, undemocratic and unconstitutional manner. The party plans to meet Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Monday to submit a memorandum in this regard.

--IANS

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The Congress on Sunday announced it will not contest seven Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh to return the favour of the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance, which has left two seats for the party in the state.

Addressing a press conference at the Nehru Bhawan here, Congress state unit chief Raj Babbar said, "The SP-BSP-RLD have not fielded any candidates from Rae Bareli and Amethi (represented by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi) and so our party has also decided not to contest seven seats."

He said the Congress will not contest in Mainpuri, the seat from which SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav is contesting the polls.

The Congress will also not contest in Kannauj, a seat represented by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple and Firozabad, represented by Akhilesh's cousin Akshay Yadav.

Babbar said the Congress will also not field candidates from those seats that the BSP Chief Mayawati, RLD Chief Ajit Singh and RLD Vice President Jayant Chaudhary want to contest.

He, however, said the name of the seventh seat will be announced in a few days.

According to party leaders, Congress may give up the Azamgarh seat, from where Akhilesh Yadav is expected to contest.

The BSP is contesting 38 seats in the state, the SP 37 and the RLD three.

The UP Congress chief also announced an alliance with the Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) for seven seats in the state.

He said the JAP will contest five seats on its own symbol and two seats on the Congress symbol.

The JAP will contest on its own symbol from Jhansi, Etah, Chandauli, Basti and one more seat, which will be decided in a day or two.

It will contest on the Congress symbol from Chandauli and one more seat, which will be declared in a few days, Babbar added.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 73 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2014.

Uttar Pradesh will vote in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Telugu cinemas most rapidly rising star Vijay Deverakonda is ready with his next release titled "Dear Comrade", which will be his biggest release to date in four languages Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada.

The film is said to have a deep-rooted connection to the politics of violence and it's interesting how Vijay fuses vigorous violence with unbridled passion all within a few seconds of the teaser's playing time.

Unlike other major stars, Vijay likes to leave nothing to chance and we've good reason to believe that this teaser showing Vijay knocking a solid punch in an adversary's face and then quickly moving in to catch an intense kiss with his co-star Rashmika Mandanna is indicative of the film's action-romance ideology. The pair was last seen in the 2018 hit film "Geetha Govindam".

In "Dear Comrade", Vijay plays a student leader with Communist leanings. Apparently, this student leader leads in the field of lip-locks too. The kiss in the teaser shows Vijay fully in charge of the task at hand.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was on Sunday recommended to be the first Lokpal or anti-corruption ombudsman of India.

His name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and eminent jurist Mukul Rohatgi.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who is part of the committee, did not attend the meeting.

Justice Ghose, 67, who is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) since June 2017, retired from the Supreme Court on May 27, 2017. He had assumed charge as Supreme Court judge on March 8, 2013. His was among the top 10 names shortlisted by the Lokpal Search Committee.

In July 2015, a Supreme Court bench of Justice Ghose issued notice to late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on a petition by the Karnataka government challenging the high court verdict acquitting her and three others in a disproportionate assets case.

He is a former judge of the Calcutta High Court and former Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Born in Kolkata, Justice Ghose is son of Late Justice Sambhu Chandra Ghose, former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.

Graduating in Commerce from St.Xavier's College, Calcutta, Justice Ghose completed graduation in law (LL.B.) from University of Calcutta and obtained Attorney-at-Law at Calcutta High Court, and enrolled himself as an advocate on November 30, 1976 with Bar Council of West Bengal.

He practised in civil, commercial, arbitration, constitutional and company matters both in the original side and appellate side at Calcutta High Court.

On July 17, 1997, Justice Ghose was elevated as a permanent Judge of High Court at Calcutta. He held the post of Executive Chairman, Andaman and Nicobar State Legal Services Authority and Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, West Bengal, since January 2, 2007 and August 1, 2007 respectively.

Since January 14, 2005, he was associated with Indian Law Institute (Calcutta Chapter) and acted as the Treasurer of the Indian Law Institute till May 22, 2012. He Was Chairman of Institutional Ethics Committee of National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata.

Jutice Ghose's appointment has come nearly five years after the Lokpal Act was notified on January 16, 2014.

The law provides for a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to probe cases of corruption against public servants.

The Supreme Court, hearing a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, has been pushing the government to make the appointments. In its hearing on January 4, the apex court had asked the government to appoint a Lokpal at the earliest, saying "much time has elapsed, something needs to be done".

On January 17, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Centre for repeatedly delaying the appointment of the Lokpal. On March 7, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had asked the Modi government to inform the court within a fortnight by when it would finalise the names.

Delayed for some reason or the other, the search committee was constituted on September 27, 2018, after the Supreme Court's intervention and former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai was nominated to head it.

--IANS

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An alleged conman was arrested for duping a woman by faking as an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and as DCP, north Delhi district, on the pretext of getting her a job in the Delhi Police, said an official here on Sunday.

Raj Malhotra (29), a resident of Kirari, was arrested on Friday from his residence and a police uniform, a fake name plate with ACP written, were also found from his possession, the police said.

"Few months ago, Malhotra met the victim at a gym and introduced himself as an IPS officer officiating as DCP north with the Delhi Police," Deputy Commissioner of Police S.D. Mishra said.

"Some days later, he offered help to victim (24) by claiming he had a special quota through which he will get her placed with the Delhi Police. He took Rs 1 lakh from her for it. He fooled the victim saying her appointment letter will be delivered at her residence," Mishra said.

"When the victim kept inquiring about job, the accused one day met her donning IPS dress to gain her trust. The victim became suspicious as the name plate was showing ACP and stars on his shoulders the DCP rank. She later filed a complaint with the Aman Vihar Police Station," the DCP said.

"During investigation, Malhotra was found to be a fake IPS officer and was arrested," he said.

He was also arrested earlier in 2017 when he duped another woman through the same modus operandi, the officer added.

"The accused disclosed he was a fond of wearing police uniform and always wanted to work with the police," Mishra said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Uttarakhand Congress President Kishore Upadhyaya on Sunday said he was feeling "insulted" at not being allowed to speak at Rahul Gandhi's election rally, here on Saturday.

Upadhyaya said he has expressed his resentment with the party high command. "I was not allowed to speak at Gandhi's rally. But I don't mind if the Congress is strengthened by insulting me. I accept it," he said.

Upadhyaya and State Congress chief Pritam Singh are in a tough battle for party ticket from the Tehri Lok Sabha seat.

Sources said it was on Singh's instructions that Upadhyaya was not allowed to speak at the rally.

However, the former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief told the party workers that it was time to strengthen the hands of Gandhi and not get agitated over small issues.

Congress in-charge in Uttarakhand Anugarh Narayan Singh said he would talk to Upadhyaya about the matter.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One worker was killed and two others sustained serious burn injuries following a major fire at the Indian Oil Corp's Panipat refinery in Haryana, police said on Sunday.

The fire started on Saturday night. Fire tenders were rushed to control the flames in the refinery belonging to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).

The 22-year-old victim, Mohan Lal, who hailed from Sonipat district and was engaged by a contractor of the refinery, was trapped in the vacuum distillation unit.

The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, officials said.

Sources said the incident took place when unit was being tested on Saturday night after an earlier shutdown.

Gas began to leaked during the testing, leading to a fire. Mohan Lal and another worker, Deepak, received serious burn injuries as they were trapped in the unit. Their supervisor, M.S. Kherkar, was also injured in the incident.

An internal probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the fire.

This is not the first incident at the refinery in the recent past. Two people died on January 22, 2018, following a fire at the catalyst storage site of the refinery.

The Panipat refinery is IOCL's technically most advanced public sector unit. It is spread in an area of around 4,222 acres and consists of a refinery and petrochemical complex.

It caters to the demand of petroleum products in Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, and parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away at his private residence here on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

The condition of Parrikar, diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then, had turned "extremely critical" on Sunday, the Chief Minister's Office tweeted earlier in the day.

President Ram Nath Kovind expressed his grief.

"Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten," he said in a tweet.

Other leaders, cutting across party lines, mourned his death.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri.Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled, tweeted Defence Minister Nirmala Sithraman.

"Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend...," Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief," tweeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted, "My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace."

The first Bharatiya Janata Party leader to be Goa Chief Minister, Parrikar headed the state from 2000-05 and 2012-14, before joining the Narendra Modi government as Defence Minister from 2014.

The country's first Indian Institute of Technology alumnus to serve as Chief Minister of a state, he assumed the mantle on four occasions from 2000, but could not complete a single full term in office.

He returned to state in 2017 to lead a coalition government headed by the BJP and continued in office despite his protracted illness and amid criticism from the Opposition and civil society, which had repeatedly demanded his resignation on health grounds.

A widower, Parrikar is survived by his two sons, Utpal and Abhijat, their wives and a grandson.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away at his private residence here on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

The condition of Parrikar, diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then, had turned "extremely critical" on Sunday, the Chief Minister's Office tweeted earlier in the day.

His last rites will be held here on Monday evening, an official statement said.

Parrikar's body will be kept at the Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters here, as well as at a state government-operated arts and culture centre all through the morning and afternoon, for public to pay their final respects, before being taken to the Miramar beach for cremation at 5 p.m., according to a statement from the CMO.

In view of the sitting Chief Minister's death, the state government has declared seven-day mourning. The state education board has also postponed the Higher Secondary School Certificate examination earlier scheduled on Monday (March 18) to March 27 in view of the state holiday.

The Central government has announced national mourning on Monday and the national flag will fly at half-mast all across the country. A state funeral will be accorded to Parrikar, who was a former Defence Minister too.

President Ram Nath Kovind was among the first to pay tributes, terming Parrikar an "epitome of integrity and dedication" and whose services to people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Parrikar, who was among the first BJP leaders to propose him for Prime Minister, as "builder of modern Goa" and that the county would be "eternally grateful" to him for his tenure as Defence Minister.

"When he was Raksha Mantri, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi tweeted.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who held the defence portfolio before and briefly after Parrikar, also expressed his grief in a tweet, hailing the man as someone who was loved by all.

"Saddened to know about the demise of senior BJP leader Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. He always led by example in his public life and was loved by masses. He will be missed by everyone of us. May God render peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti," he wrote.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised Parrikar for the work he did to modernise the armed forces and turning them into "mean fighting machine".

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she said on Twitter.

BJP President Amit Shah championed the departed as a "true patriot".

"Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend...," Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet.

Other leaders, cutting across party lines, mourned his death.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief," tweeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted, "My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace."

State Congress president Girish Chodankar said that the "passion and enthusiasm" with which Parrikar took on responsibilities either as Leader of Opposition as well as Chief Minister and Defence Minister will be long remembered by the people of Goa.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and her Karnataka counterpart H.D. Kumaraswamy also condoled his death.

Goa Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao recalled that Parrikar often sought out influential Catholic church leaders for opinions before taking "far-reaching decisions" for the benefit of Goa.

The first Bharatiya Janata Party leader to be Goa Chief Minister, Parrikar headed the state from 2000-05 and 2012-14, before joining the Narendra Modi government as Defence Minister from 2014.

The country's first Indian Institute of Technology alumnus to serve as Chief Minister of a state, he assumed the mantle on four occasions from 2000, but could not complete a single full term in office.

He returned to state in 2017 to lead a coalition government headed by the BJP and continued in office despite his protracted illness and criticism from the Opposition and civil society, which had repeatedly demanded his resignation on health grounds.

A widower, Parrikar is survived by his sons, Utpal and Abhijat, their wives and a grandson.

--IANS

maya/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lenovo-owned handset major Motorola may have become popular in the global smartphone market in recent years but it has failed to cement its position in India, which is the second largest smartphone market in the world.

Once a popular player in the affordable and mid-price segment in the country, the company's phone business is slipping as competition from its Chinese counterparts mount.

According to Counterpoint Research, Motorola India's smartphone shipments declined 70 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in 2018. The brand sunk from sixth spot in 2017 to 12th in the market in 2018.

"Motorola shipments declined due to the competitive product portfolio of Realme and Xiaomi. Motorola did not refresh its portfolio as compared to other Chinese players which were offering better specifications at competitive prices," Karn Chauhan, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

In August 2015, Chinese tech giant Lenovo announced it would merge its existing smartphone division, including design, development and manufacturing, into the Motorola's Mobility unit.

However, the Motorola brand launched devices three times less than other leading brands in India in 2018.

"The brand has not been able to grow at a pace it could have, sheer on its brand value. After the Lenovo-Motorola merger, the brand as well as the portfolio positioning has gone haywire. There was no distinct positioning between the Lenovo and Moto brands," Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Principal Analyst of market research firm techARC, told IANS.

"Moto was always seen as a brand for evolved users, something which OnePlus capitalised on. Had the Lenovo-Motorola Business Group (MBG) played its cards well, Moto could have been what OnePlus is today," Kawoosa added.

Sudhin Mathur quit in April 2018 as the Head of Lenovo-Motorola Group's Mobile Business in India even as the company was struggling to protect its share in the fiercely competitive smartphone market.

The change in the top management also affected its business in the country, noted Counterpoint.

In India, the budget smartphone segment is currently ruled by the likes of newly-emerged Realme and Beijing-headquartered Xiaomi - with Samsung now joining the budget segment with 'Galaxy M' series.

According to Anshika Jain, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, "The competitive landscape has changed significantly in the last year. We saw key players gaining share while smaller brands exited the market as competition intensified."

"There has been a sporadic growth of brands in the online space, while Moto continued with its limited push despite increasing competition. The push should have increased according to growing competition," noted Kawoosa.

In 2017, Motorola opened its "Moto Hubs" in the country as competition among the top smartphone manufacturers shifted to gain offline space, but to no avail.

(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.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.)
Farhaj Ahsan, one of the two men from Telangana, killed in the Christchurch terror attack, will be buried in New Zealand itself, his family said here on Sunday.

Ahsan, 31, a software engineer, was one of the 50 worshippers killed in the horrific attack on the mosques during the Friday prayers.

He was living in Christchurch with his wife and two children -- three-year-old daughter and six-month-old son.

Ahsan's parents and in-laws would be leaving for New Zealand on Sunday. His father Mohammed Sayeeduddin told IANS that their travel documents were processed and they would be reaching Christchurch on Tuesday.

Since the family found it difficult to bring the body to India, it decided to bury him there. "I consulted with family members and we decided to perform the burial there," he said.

Sayeeduddin said there was a plan for mass burial of the victims in Christchurch but was not sure if it would take place before Tuesday or later.

Ahsan was initially reported missing. The authorities on Saturday informed his wife Insha Aziz and her uncle, who had rushed from Australia, that he was among the 50, who fell to the bullets.

Sayeeduddin and his wife Imtiaz Fatima, who were hoping to hear some good news about their son, were devastated on learning about his death.

Relatives and neighbours poured in at their house in Nadeem Colony of Toli Chowki area and consoled them.

Ahasan was at Al Noor mosque for the Friday prayers when the terrorist opened indiscriminate fire on worshippers. According to Sayeeduddin, he used to regularly offer prayers at the same mosque as he was living in a nearby neighbourhood.

Unaware of what was going on at the mosque, Sayeeduddin had called his son like a daily routine and when he did not respond, he contacted his daughter-in-law, who informed him about the terror attack at the mosque. Since then it was anxious wait for the family.

Ahsan had gone to New Zealand nine years ago. He did MS from Auckland University and had shifted to Christchurch five years ago.

"He worked for various companies and had recently completed a project in Christchurch. For last six months he was searching for a new job," said Sayeeduddin.

A retired employee of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), Sayeeduddin hails from Warangal district of Telangana and lives in Hyderabad. Ahsan was the youngest among his two sons and two daughters.

Another man from Telangana was also killed in the attack. Mohammad Imran Khan fell to the bullets at the mosque, according to information reaching his relatives in Karimnagar.

Imran, whose family was settled in the US, was engaged in some business in New Zealand for last few years.

Imran Khan's uncle Manzoor Ahmed Khan received information from his brother's family in US about his death in the Christchurch shootout.

Ahmed Iqbal Jehangir, who is from Hyderabad, was injured in the attack. He sustained bullet injuries in the chest and shoulder and he is recovering at a hospital in Christchurch.

Settled in New Zealand for last 15 years, Ahmed runs a Hyderabad food restaurant near Al Noor mosque.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll in the flash floods that hit Indonesia's Papua province rose to 63 on Sunday even as rescue operations are underway to search for the dozens missing, a disaster official said.

Torrential rains triggered the floods at around 6 p.m. in several villages in Jayapura district on Saturday.

At least 21 people were critically injured, Cory Simbolon, head of the emergency unit of the provincial disaster management agency told Xinhua.

Over 3,000 people have been forced to flee from their home and take shelter elsewhere as dozens of houses, buildings, bridges and other infrastructure were damaged, he said.

Landslides upstream had accumulated soils at the river, hampering water flow. The flash floods occurred when that soil collapsed, the National Disaster Management Agency's Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former US Vice President Joe Biden "mistankenly" announced he was running for President at a Democratic Party fundraising dinner in home turf Delaware, but earned an encouraging response from the gathering.

"I get criticized by the new Left. I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the United... anybody who would run," Biden said on Saturday night event.

"I didn't mean... Of anybody who would run! Because folks, we have to bring this country back together again."

The line drew a raucous response from the Biden-friendly crowd, CNN reported.

Biden's appearance in Delaware comes as he's nearing a decision about a 2020 run. he has indicated to friends it's "all but certain" he'll run, and those familiar with discussions say an announcement could come as soon as April.

At the dinner, Biden offered a possible preview of a presidential campaign message, arguing the country is engaged in a "battle for the soul of America".

If Biden jumps into the fray, he would be taking part in an increasingly crowded race - as 15 other Democrats have already declared their bids.

They include Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, who ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke joined the race last week.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One can re-live the dream of getting a letter from Hogwarts as Potterheads of Jadavpur University have come together to create magic by hosting a Harry Potter-themed event at the campus next week.

During one of their usual breaks, some students of the Department of International Relations conceived the idea of the two-day event 'Alohomora: Unlock the Magic'. Gradually, students of other departments also joined in.

The event will be held at the Vivekananda Hall of the university.

"Harry Potter is much more than a childhood fantasy. With its inherent social message, we wanted to put Harry Potter on the socio-political map of India, and thus planned this event," International Relations student Saranya Basu, one of the organisers, told IANS.

One of the main attractions of the first day is 'Quizzitch' which is a Harry Potter-based quiz session. The registration closed with more than 60 entries from schools and colleges spread across the state.

The film 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' will also be screened on the occasion. There will be a 'Quidditch' match as well, but the participants won't fly for sure.

Alongside the other events, 'Wizengamot' -- a mock ministry event -- will take place on the first day.

The second day will see sharp minds of Bengal fighting it out in the debate session -- 'WASP -- The Wizard's Astonishingly Scintillating Parley'.

A photography contest titled 'Shutters' and a paper presentation 'Daily Scribe' are two offline events.

Shouvik Kumar Guha who recently introduced a law course based on Harry Potter at the National University of Juridical Sciences will be one of the panellists.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy for killing a minor girl due to a grudge against her over an incident for which he was reprimanded at a tuition class in east Delhi's Shahdara, a police officer said here on Sunday.

The victim's parents, resident of Naveen Shahdara, informed the police their 14-year-old daughter was missing. She had gone to meet her friend in noon but did not return till late evening.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Meghna Yadav said: "During investigation, the police spotted the boy in CCTV footage with the victim. Initially, he tried to mislead the police."

"He told the police they had gone to an ice-cream parlour together and later he returned home leaving the victim in the middle of way," Yadav said.

"But on sustained interrogation, he broke down and confessed the crime. He disclosed that he knew the victim through common tuition classes and later connected with her through Facebook messenger," she said.

"He was holding a grudge against her due to an incident at the tuition class for which he was reprimanded few days ago. He had planned to take revenge," the DCP said.

"As per the plan, the juvenile met the victim and took her for watching movie. After the movie, he took her to an isolated under construction building near Welcome Metro Station. He offered her a drink laced with drugs. When she got semi-conscious, he tied her with tape and strangled her to death," the officer said.

"Prima facie it was found that victim was not sexually assaulted although we are waiting for autopsy report," she said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Condolences poured in from across party lines for Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away at his private residence in Panaji on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Parrikar as the "builder of modern Goa" and an "affable personality."

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress.

"India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was the Defence Minister, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi tweeted.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," the Prime Minister said.

Parrikar was known to be one of the first leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party to have advocated Modi's candidature for the post of Prime Minister.

President Ram Nath Kovind eulogised him as an "epitome of integrity." "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and India will not be forgotten," the President tweeted from his official handle.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi hailed the BJP leader for the hardihood he had shown in the face of a "debilitating" illness. "I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons," Gandhi tweeted.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who held the defence portfolio briefly after Parrikar was relieved of that post, expressed his grief in a tweet, hailing Parrikar as someone who was loved by all.

"Saddened to know about the demise of senior BJP leader Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. He always led by example in his public life and was loved by masses. He will be missed by everyone of us. May God render peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti," he wrote.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hailed Parrikar for the work he did to modernise the armed forces, turning it into a "mean fighting machine" during his tenure.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she said on Twitter.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted: "My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace."

BJP President Amit Shah championed the departed soul as a "true patriot". "Manohar Parrikar'ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar'ji's commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary," Shah wrote on Twitter.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took to Twitter to mourn the death of Parrikar. "Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers," she tweeted.

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remembered Parrikar for his "simplicity". "Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Shri Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them," Kejriwal posted on his official Twitter handle.

Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy also condoled the death of his Goan counterpart. "Extremely saddened to hear the passing away of the Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar. He was respected by all across political lines. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones," tweeted Kumaraswamy.

"Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend," Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet.

The condition of Parrikar, diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then, had turned "extremely critical" on Sunday.-- IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Earlier this month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah met Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and attended Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the highest decision-making body of the ideological fountainhead of the ruling dispensation, to seek support for the Lok Sabha battle.

While the RSS is an inseparable part of the BJP's larger poll machinery, there is a marked change in the narrative this time compared to 2014.

Unlike 2014 when the RSS ran a parallel campaign to ensure that the BJP gets a historic mandate, there is a prevailing sense this time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are extremely capable of pulling it off themselves.

The RSS overdrive in 2014 came as it was considered to be a watershed election at par with 1977 -- when Janata Alliance was able to displace the Congress for the first time -- in terms of its political significance.

New Delhi's political circles are already abuzz with talks that the RSS backs Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for the top job if the BJP falls short of numbers.

Despite a changed narrative this time, the BJP gets the benefit of the vast RSS network across the country. This machinery will come handy again.

IANS takes a look into the extent of the reach of the RSS, how the organization is structured to touch every voter and the issues that will play a major role.

The Organization

The RSS has a slightly different way of looking at the country as an organizational unit. It has a flexible structure spreading into geographical areas comprising Prants or Kshetras (states and regions) and Mandals or Nagar (areas and cities).

In RSS scheme of things, India is divided into 11 Kshetras (regions).

South: It includes Kerala and Tamil Nadu

South Central: It includes south Karnataka, West Andhra Pradesh, East Andhra Pradesh (re-organized after the formation of Telangana).

West: It includes, Konkan, West Maharashtra, Devagiri, Gujarat and Vidharbha.

Central: Malwa, Madhya Bharat, Mahakaushal and Chhattisgarh

North West: Chittor, Jaipur and Jodhpur

North: It is the nerve centre of RSS activities as it includes Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

West Uttar Pradesh: Uttarakhand, Meerut and Braj.

East Uttar Pradesh: Kanpur, Awadh, Kaashi and Gorakhpur.

North East: North Bihar, South Bihar and Jharkhand.

East: It includes Utkal, South Bengal and North Bengal.

Assam: It includes North Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, South Assam and Manipur.

A vast network of RSS frontal organizations work under this broad geographical structure.

Two primary decision-making bodies of the RSS call the shots -- Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini or the central executive and Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the all-India representative council.

(Source: Know About RSS)

The issues

On Sabarimala case

The SC judgment did not take consideration of all relevant entities and customs and the different opinion of the lone woman member of the bench. It was not binding on the state government to implement the decision in any stipulated time-frame but without understanding the nuances of the judgment, the state government has shown undue haste and political ill-will towards Hindu society by facilitating forcible entry of non-Hindu and non-devotee women in the temple.

On national security and Pulwama attack

The external forces with the help of anti-national elements are giving shape to violent incidents. The attacks on the camps of army and defence forces, intrusive attacks in the border areas by Pakistan army, the recent Pulwama attack are very tragic. Nobody should take our tolerance as sign of our weakness.

On Ram-Janmabhoomi case

The SC has taken a surprising stand instead of accelerating the judicial process to end the long drawn dispute. That the SC should find no priority for this sensitive subject associated with deep faith of Hindu society is beyond understanding. We are experiencing that Hindus are constantly being neglected. While having full respect in the judicial system we would like to say emphatically that judgment on the dispute must expedite and remove obstacles in constructing a grand temple.

(Source: RSS Annual Report 2019 released on March 8)

All the RSS men

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) insists that it provides only "suggestions" rather than "directives' to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But all the RSS functionary are the eyes, ears and mind of the government as they work among the masses.

From giving feedback on selection of candidates from a constituency to reaching out to every doorstep, RSS takes the lead in mobilizing support for the BJP.

The key RSS functionaries who will play a major role behind the scenes during the Lok Sabha polls:

Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi: The RSS No. 2 handles RSS-BJP coordination. As the operational and executive head of the RSS, Joshi has been instrumental in increasing the number of regular shakhas. He recently said that the society does not run on the basis of Constitution alone as traditions and faith have their own place.

Dattatreya Hosabale: A Sah-Sarakaryavaah (Joint General Secretary), he has been assisting Joshi on organizational issues and played a key role in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections having positioned himself in Lucknow working closely with BJP leaders.

Dr. Krishna Gopal: A Joint General Secretary of the RSS, Krishna Gopal is a key figure in handling the issues between the Sangh and BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He is playing the same role which was performed by Suresh Soni in 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the pointsman between the BJP and RSS. From candidate selection to election management, he is the crucial link.

V. Bhagaiah: A joint General Secretary, Bhagaiah is OBC face. He is managing Sangh's expansion plan in in southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangan. An eloquent speaker, Bhagaiah can converse fluently in Telugu, Hindi and English and always conveys his message powerfully. An ever smiling personality, his slim, healthy body and demeanor defies his age.

Arun Kumar: He is the head of communication department of RSS (Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh). Tall and well-built, Arun Kumar interacts with national media and puts forth the RSS point of view. He has worked for many years in Jammu and Kashmir. Arun Kumar has played in role expanding the RSS organization in the troubled state.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi played the role of "perfect chowkidar" by giving Pakistan a befitting reply after the Pulwama terror attack, something his predecessor Manmohan Singh could not do in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

"After Mumbai attack, the government then did not have the guts to give a befitting reply to Pakistan. They sat right, gave statements, said they would talk, make them understand. OK, do all that. We will also do. But so long, we had been suffering," she said.

"And Pakistan continued to claim before the world that they are themselves victims of terrorism. You are grooming terrorists, training them, and sending them to India. And claim you are the victims of terrorism... then take action as per law against them," Sitharaman said.

The Defence Minister said even after Pulwama, the Indian government had given evidence to Pakistan, but it did not act.

Pointing out that even the terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) itself had claimed responsibility for the strike, Sitharaman asked: "What more proof does it (Pakistan) want?"

"What action Pakistan did not take, we took. We had inputs that another Pulwama-style terror attack was in the offing. We studied intel inputs and destroyed the training camps, where terrorists are trained.

"What Manmohan Singh did not do, Modi did. he acted like the perfect chowkidar. and gave Pakistan a befitting reply," she said participating in the panel discussion 'Ensuring India's National Security'.

Sitharman also lashed out at journalists and thinkers in the country who described Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as a "statesman" for returning Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

She said Pakistan did not do a favour but the pilot's release happened as per law.

In this context, Sitharaman reminded the audience that India had returned 90,000 Pakistani soldiers -- taken as prisoners of war after 1971 -- unconditionally.

"But there are some people within India, some journalists and thinkers, who are calling Imran Khan a statesman for sending back our pilot."

Sitharam said the statements given by these people and leaders of various opposition parties were shown on Pakistan television channels, generating high TRPs.

"These are the people who did not want India to purchase Rafale, because they would bolster the strength of our defence forces".

After Balakot air strikes, India has given a message to the entire world that it would not bow down to Pakistan's threat that since it was also a nuclear state, India would suffer if it did something against Pakistan.

She said while Pakistan was not going for a direct war with India, it was training non-state actors to come to India. "The guns, hand grenades were all given by Pakistan."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Morocco could serve as a gateway for India's exports to Europe, West Africa and the US due to a plethora of trade treaties with several countries and entities, a high-ranking official of the North African nation's industry chamber has said.

"Morocco is included in the European Union's European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) which aims at bringing the EU and its neighbours closer," Nabila Freidji, Vice President of Morocco's industry chamber, the Confederation Generale des Enterprises du Maroc (CGEM) told IANS during a visit here.

Freidji, a leading example of the first generation of women entrepreneurs in her country,pointed out that Morocco has free trade agreements (FTA) with 55 countries to give it a market of 1 billion people.

It is the only African country to have an FTA with the US, and has been given the status of a major non-NATO ally by the US government.

The CGEM Vice President emphasised Morocco's possibility of being a springboard for Indian exports and investment into Europe, West Africa as well as to the US.

CGEM, in 2015, signed an MoU with Indian industry chamber FICCI for strengthening commercial relations by expanding and deepening economic, trade and investment cooperation.

Morocco is now the largest foreign investor in India's fertiliser sector, Freidji pointed out.

India sources a large chunk of its rock phosphates and phosphoric acid requirements for its fertiliser industry from Morocco, the world's biggest phosphate exporter.

Although bilateral trade volumes hover around the $1.5 billion mark, the two countries decided to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership in 2015, when King Mohammed VI attended the third India-Africa Forum Summit here.

A founding member of the OIC, Morocco, whose constitutional monarch also has the title of 'Amir al-Mu'minin' or "Leader of the Faithful", has very old links with India dating to the Delhi Sultanate when Moroccan scholar and judge Ibn Batuta came here to join the service of the Sultan and lived in India between 1334-41, before going on to China. Ibn Batuta's account is a primary source of information of life in the Delhi Sultanate.

Moroccan culture is a blend of Berber, Arab, West African and European influences, Freidji said.

"We are both Arab, as well as African and situated on the Mediterranean on the other side of Europe," she said.

Morocco is a member of the Arab League, the Union for the Mediterranean and the African Union. It has the fifth largest economy of Africa.

The CGEM official pointed out that in its drive to integrate Morocco further in the global value chain, the country has also joined the G20 "Partnership with Africa" initiave that aims to promote private investment, particularly in infrastructure, for Africa's sustainable economic development.

The G20 group's initiative is also meant to support African countries in the establishment of a favorable business environment and in the development of the financial sector, in partnership with the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

"French carmaker Renault has created 400,000 jobs in Morocco, while 300,000 jobs have been created by Peugeot. We aim to become the largest car producer in the world by the start of the next decade," Freidji said.

(Biswajit Choudhury can be reached at biswajit.c@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Bihar's Nawada parliamentary seat went to the LJP under the seat-sharing formula finalised by the NDA, Union Minister Giriraj Singh is likely to contest from Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency.

Though the BJP has not yet finalised its candidates, the LJP is likley to field Veena Devi, the present MP of Munger from Nawada. Devi, wife of fromer MP Surajbhan, is likely to contest to Nawada because Munger seat has gone to JD-U. Senior JD-U leader Lalan Singh, a Bihar minister, is set to contest from Munger.

Lalan Singh, a Bhumihar, had won from Munger in 2009 seat but lost in 2014 when the JD-U was not part of the NDA and contested the polls alone.

Former JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar is likely to contest as a CPI candidate supported by the opposition Grand Alliance (RJD, Congress, RLSP, HAM) from Begusarai.

If Giriraj Singh agrees to contest from Begusarai, an interesting battle can be seen between the two firebrand leaders.

Giriraj Singh had announced last week that he will either contest from Nawada, which he won in 2014, or will not contest the upcoming general elections.

Giriraj Singh, known for his controversial statements, is a staunch supporter of Modi and a champion of Hinduvta

Belonging to a landed and powerful upper caste Bhumihar family, Nawada is considered a safe seat for him against the backdrop of Bihar's caste-ridden Nawada has a sizeable population of Bhumihars.

According to the seat-sharing formula, the BJP and the JD-U will contest 17 seats each, while the remaining six seats will go to the Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP.

Another seat, earlier won by BJP that has gone to JD-U is Bhagalpur The seat was earlier represented by former union minister Shahnawaz Hussain, one of the Muslim faces of the BJP in Bihar. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Hussain was defeated by RJD's Bulo Mandal in a close fight. He first won the Bhagalpur seat in 2004 in a by-election. He again won the seat in 2009.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
A personal security guard (PSO) of National Conference leader Abdul Rehman Veeri was injured in accidental fire in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Sunday.

Jahangir Ahmad, PSO, got injured when his service rifle went off while he was cleaning it, a police official said.

"Ahmad was shifted to hospital for treatment," the official said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Australian man facing murder charges in the terrorist shootings at two New Zealand mosques that left 50 dead was a frequent traveler who visited Pakistan, Turkey and Bulgaria, among other countries in recent years.

Tarrant had traveled to Turkey multiple times and "spent an extended period of time in the country," CNN quoted a senior Turkish official on Saturday.

He also recently traveled to Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, Bulgarian prosecutor general Sotir Tsatsarov told journalists, according to state news agency BTA. In 2016, Tarrant visited Montenegro and Serbia, Tsatsarov said.

Tarrant is also believed to have spent time in northern Pakistan. Speaking to CNN on Saturday, the owner of the Osho Thang Hotel in Nagar, in Pakistan's northernmost Gilgit-Baltistan region, said Tarrant had visited his hotel in October 2018.

The hotel owner, who did not want to be named for security reasons, described Tarrant as a "regular tourist."

"All I remember was that he was a fan of local food. He would leave the hotel in the morning and would come back in the evening," he said.

Shortly before the shooting began, an 87-page manifesto was posted on social media under the name of Brenton Tarrant. The document was riddled with sarcasm, apparent red herrings and allusions to online meme culture, suggesting an internet-driven evolution of nationalist hatred.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said on Sunday Omar Abdullah, his son, will be the party's chief ministerial candidate at the Assembly elections.

"Omar Abdullah will be the party's chief ministerial candidate. I am old now, Omar is young. I cannot match the energy of young people. I will represent the state in Parliament," Farooq Abdullah said.

The NC President was addressing his first Lok Sabha campaign rally at the Bahu Fort, here. He has already announced that he would seek re-election from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

Taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Abdullah said it was dividing the country by spreading hatred.

"We have to strengthen the country by fighting polarisation, injustice and hatred. You must select candidates who can run the country on principles of equality," he said.

Referring to lotus in the state emblem, he said the state of J&K never discriminated people on the basis of regions and religions.

The NC President alleged a political party had purchased news channels and newspapers to spread propaganda. Abdullah, however, did not name the BJP while levelling these allegations.

He alleged no leader of the ruling NDA alliance at the Centre paid floral tributes to CRPF troopers, martyred in Chhattisgarh.

He said Muslims have never opposed the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"Was Lord Ram only for Hindus? When Muslims have not opposed construction of a temple at Ayodhya why isn't the BJP building it," he said alleging Ram Temple was intended as a political tool and that is why the BJP is keeping the issue alive.

The biggest injustice with the state, he said was the Indus Water Treaty, "Because of which the state could not use its own water resources."

The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, was signed by India and Pakistan in 1960.

According to the terms of the treaty, rivers Sutlej, Ravi and Beas have been ceded to India accepting India's full rights on thier water.

Chenab, Jhelum and Indus were ceded to Pakistan thereby it prevented construction of a dams on them to store water for power generation.

India can only construct run-of-the-river hydro projects on these three rivers, huge power potential is being wasted which could be harnessed for prosperity of the state.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Vice President of the National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah said on Sunday that his party was open to a pre-poll alliance with the Congress if the latter agreed to NC's seat sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a party function in Anantnag district, Abdullah said: "We have received an offer from the Congress, but we are very clear about taking forward any alliance plan only if our candidates are to contest all the Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir."

J&K has six Lok Sabha seats, three in the Valley, two in the Jammu division and one in the Ladakh division.

Abdullah also criticised the Central government for not holding the state Assembly elections simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls.

"It amounts to denying the people of the state their democratic right to form an elected government," he said.

Commenting on the launch of a new political party by former IAS officer Shah Faesal, Omar said it remains to be seen whether the new party would have something new to offer to the people.

He said it was pointless to expect any forward movement towards the resolution of the Kashmir problem till the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections were over.

Commenting on the ban and the subsequent crackdown on the cadres of the Jamaat-e-Islami in the state, Abdullah said that he never felt the need to ban the Jamaat when he was the Chief Minister of J&K.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Houston chapters of Global Kashmiri Pandit (GKPD) and Friends of India Society International took out a protest against Pakistans state policy on terrorism that has penetrated deep into India and spread its tentacles globally.

The strong contingent met on Saturday here carrying banners like -- "Global Terrorist State - Pakistan", "Pakistan - Stop using terrorism as your State Policy", "Kashmir is Integral part of India - stop meddling".

There was huge sloganeering against Pakistan that they termed as the "terror hub".

"Terror hub - Pakistan", "Down with Pakistan", "Pakistan an architect of Genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs", "Pakistan - take care of your minorities", were just a few of the loud slogans being raised.

Achalesh Amar, Coordinator of Houston Chapter of Friends of India Society International, highlighted the global ramifications of terror and role of Pakistan in exporting it to the world, threatening the civil society at large.

Amar emphasised on the role of Pakistan providing shelter to Al Qaeda leaders and providing safe havens and sanctuaries for dreaded terrorists to regroup and export terror machinery in other parts of the world after the fall of Afghanistan's Taliban regime in 2001.

He further stated how Osama bin Laden, an architect of 9/11 was found well protected in the garrison city (Abbottabad) of Pakistan.

Amar also pointed at the connection London Bombing and terror shooting at San Bernardino, California which had Pakistan connection.

GKPD's Veena Ambardar spoke about the proxy war unleashed by Pakistan on India under Zia Doctrine in 1988 under the code word "Operation Tupac".

She highlighted the salient features of this operation which encouraged cross-border terrorism, guerilla warfare in India fully supported and led by Pakistan's ISI and Army regulars.

Ambardar made reference to Kargil, where the nexus between Pakistan sponsored jihadi and their ISI and Army regulars was exposed at international level.

"This proxy war has cost India losing more than 6,000 of its security personnel besides heavy collateral damage and Genocide and Ethnic cleansing of peace loving indigenous Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs where in more than 4,00,000 members were ethnically cleansed and are forced to live as refugees in India," Ambardar added.

Munni Mohan from GKPD talked about the brutal killings of more than 1,400 members of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs that resulted in the worst genocide and ethnic cleansing of minorities from Kashmir.

She stated that Jammu and Kashmir became part of India through a legal document as an instrument of accession as was followed by other princely states in India.

She reiterated that the illegal occupation of Pakistan administered Kashmir is the only unresolved agenda about Kashmir and this part needs to be returned to its legal owner that is India.

She described the democracy in Jammu and Kashmir as "vibrant", in which the residents of the state have been overwhelmingly participating and choosing their elected governments.

She navigated through the divisions of Jammu and Kashmir state -- Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir with Ladakh constituting about 59 per cent of the land, Jammu with 27 and Kashmir with 14.

Jammu and Ladakh overwhelmingly claim to be proud Indians, she said.

She added that the current unrest in the valley is happening in small pockets of Kashmir at the instance of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Palestinian killed an Israeli and severely injured two others in shooting and stabbing attacks before fleeing the scene on Sunday, Israeli Army said.

Eli Bin, Director of Israel's Magen David Adom medical emergency service, said the attacks took place outside the settlement of Ariel, southwest of Nablus city in the northern West Bank, Xinhua news agency reported.

Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the army, said the assailant stabbed a soldier outside Ariel before grabbing his assault rifle. He used the weapon to open fire at passing vehicles, shooting civilians.

He then fled the scene in a car, firing toward soldiers along the way. He continued with the car to a nearby junction, where he fired toward people waiting at a bus stop before escaping the area.

Conricus said heavy forces arrived at the entrance to a village where the attacker seemed to hide.

It was not immediately clear if the attacker acted alone and if he was affiliated to any Palestinian militant group, Conricus added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel will find the assailant behind the attacks.

"We are in pursuit of the perpetrator at two points in the Ariel area," he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, adding that "I am sure that they will apprehend them and we will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law as we have done in all of the recent incidents."

The injured were a 47-year-old man, who was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, and a young man, who was seriously wounded and also taken to a hospital, according to a statement from Magen David Adom medical emergency service.

The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Israel and Palestine with two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank in two separate incidents last week.

--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 paid tributes to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away on Sunday evening, terming him an "epitome of integrity".

"Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten," the President, who was among the earliest to offer his condolences, said on his official Twitter account.

The 63-year-old, four-time Chief Minister was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in february last year and in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and Delhi since then.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away on Sunday, often sought out influential Catholic Church leaders for opinions before taking "far reaching decisions" for the benefit of Goa, Archbisop Filipe Neri Ferrao said.

In his condolence message, Ferrao, whose influential Roman Catholic Church has had several run-ins with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led governments in the coastal state including those run by Parrikar, also said the 63-year-old politician's "sense of secularism and communal harmony and respect for the various religions, cultures and traditions of the people have been generally appreciated by the population".

Parrikar died on Sunday evening following a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.

"We acknowledge gratefully the respect and consideration he had for the church authorities in this state. He would sometimes seek their opinion before coming out with far-reaching decisions for the benefit of the state," Ferrao said, describing the former Defence Minister's death as a great loss to the people of Goa.

"His appreciation for the contribution of the Catholic educational institutions in Goa was well-known," he also said, while singling Parrikar out for his efficiency and creating lasting infrastructure for hosting two large-scale Catholic events -- the Expositions of the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier -- in his tenure as Chief Minister.

Nearly 26 per cent of Goa's 1.5 million population is Catholic.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's arrival here on Sunday has once again enthused party workers ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Priyanka Gandhi, who held her last meeting at the Nehru Bhawan office on February 14 during her first visit after being made in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, returned to the stage capital on Sunday to meet party workers and groups who had been protesting against Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in the state.

Soon after her arrival at the party office, scores of Congress workers gathered to cheer her and raise slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They also played Holi with each other.

Surendra Singh, a former state Minister during Congress rule in the 1980s, told IANS that "conditions in the state have changed after the arrival of Priyanka Gandhi in active politics".

Singh, who hails from Ballia and was to meet her along with other leaders, said, "People are excited to listen to Priyanka Gandhi as she is the daughter of the state."

On her proposed river tour from Prayagraj to Varanasi from March 18 to 20, Congress worker Shahshi Kant Tripathi said, "During her river ride, she will connect with the people of lower castes like the fishermen community, Bind community and others residing near the banks of the Ganga."

Tripathi also said that during her journey, Priyanka Gandhi will also dent the upper caste votes of the Bharatiya Janata Party as she will touch many Rajput and Brahmin dominated villages during her journey.

In a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, another party worker, Anurag Tripathi from Rae Bareli said, "Ganga maiya ne Priyanka didi ko bulaya hai, kyuki unka ek beta jumlebaaz nikla (Mother Ganga has called sister Priyanka, because one of her sons turned out only to be champion of rhetoric)."

Priyanka Gandhi, considered the second most prominent leader in the party after her brother and party President Rahul Gandhi, is being seen as a turn-around leader for the party in the state, where it was reduced to its family boroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli seats in the 2014 elections, while BJP-led NDA alliance won 73 out of the state's 80 seats.

Uttar Pradesh will vote in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma is planning to move court against the Central Board of Film Certification after it refused to accept his application to watch the movie 'Lakshmi's NTR' for approval citing the election model code of conduct (MCC).

The film based on Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao's second marriage with Lakshmi Parvathi and subsequent developments, was scheduled to be released on March 22.

The director on Sunday tweeted that he had received a letter from CBFC informing him that his application to view the film for certification cannot be processed till the first phase of elections on March 11 as the movie attracts provisions of the model code of conduct.

The CBFC pointed out that, as per the model code, parties and candidates will have to refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, and criticism of other parties or their workers, based on unverified allegations or distortion.

"The CBFC has no authority or power to postpone processing of the film on the ground of model code of conduct even before viewing the film," said Varma.

He said this amounts to blatant pre-censorship, which was a violation of the fundamental right of Freedom of Expression under Article 19 of the Constitution.

Last week, a TDP worker had urged the Election Commission to stop the release of "Lakshmi's NTR" on the ground that this could impact the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

The petitioner complained the film has portrayed TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in a negative light, which could influence voters, and demanded that the film's release be stopped till April 11.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US envoy for Venezuela will meet Russian officials on Venezuelan crisis, said the US State Department has said.

Elliott Abrams, the US Special Representative for Venezuela, will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and other Russian officials in Rome, on March 18-19, said the State Department in a statement on Saturday, Xinhua reported.

The two sides will discuss "the deteriorating situation in Venezuela," according to the statement.

Following its recognition of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the nation's "interim president" in late January, the Donald Trump administration has kept piling up pressure on incumbent Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro through sanctions and other measures.

In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced that he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the US.

Moscow has condemned Washington's threats against the legitimate Venezuelan leadership, calling them "blatant interference" in Venezuela's internal affairs and a "flagrant violation" of international law.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that Russia is ready for consultations on the Venezuela crisis with the US in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.

--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.)
Amid rising incidents of violence in the name of cow protection, Shia Muslims in Lucknow say while the incidents outrage them, they might still consider voting for the BJP if it again fields Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from the city seat in 2019 elections.

There has been speculation that Rajnath Singh, who won convincingly from Lucknow in the 2014 polls - the Bharatiya Janata Party's seventh successive victory in the constituency - may be shifted to the Gautama Buddh Nagar seat for these elections. The minister has, however, denied any change.

Muslims comprise over 26 per cent of Lucknow city's population, according to the 2011 Census, and about 350,000, as per UP Minister Mohsin Raza, of its 1.9 million voters (in the 2017 assembly elections). According to Reza, about a third of the Muslim voters are Shias, and he is confident that they will vote for the BJP.

The lone Muslim minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, he said that there are two reasons for this. First, in respect to late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was the MP from the city from 1991 to 2009, and second, the air strike in Pakistan by the Indian Air Force in response to the Pulwama attack.

He claimed that the Sunnis don't go out to vote while the Shias participate actively "We are confident that about 70,000 votes of Shias will go in favour of the BJP," he said, adding that the Muslims "are now feeling that the (Modi) government has given the opportunity to grow".

Shia Wakf Board chief Waseem Rizvi also backed the BJP, saying "we will vote for Modi ji, whoever is the candidate from Lucknow."

But, other Shia community leaders have different views.

Prominent cleric Yasoob Abbas told IANS, "The way in which the BJP MPs and the MLAs had targeted the Muslim community has broken our heart."

"The Modi government had gave a slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. But the BJP leaders raised the issues of temple and mosque and that hurt us. The BJP failed to act against such leaders. Even the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has polarised voters on the name of religion," he said.

Describing incidents of lynching as "very unfortunate", Abbas said that a human being's life is very precious, "but in the state, the price of an animal life is more than the life of a human being".

About other issues, he said one major concern that they "will keep in our mind is the condition of youths of our community". "We are very worried about their future as nothing has been done for employment," he said.

Asked about whom the community will vote for in the elections, he said that they were waiting and watching. "We will decide after looking at the candidate fielded by the political parties," he said, but praised Rajnath Singh.

"If BJP fields Rajnath Singh, then we shall consider voting a gentle and noble leader as he had never spoken against the community. He carries forward the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who believed in taking all communities together," he added.

Another prominent Shia cleric, Maulana Saif Abbas, also admitted that they were "unhappy" with the way senior leaders of the party have been silent" over incidents of hate speech by the likes of Sakshi Maharaj and Giriraj Singh.

Asked if who they shall vote for, Abbas said, "This time we shall vote very cautiously. All the Muslim votes will be decided in coming days. And the candidates of the BSP-SP and Congress would also be considered."

"We want relief from harassment caused by the leaders in the second row of the BJP and the silence of Modi and other top leaders had made us feel cornered," Abbas noted.

Uttar Pradesh will vote in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled from April 11 to May 19 and Lucknow will go to vote in the fifth phase of May 6. Votes will be counted on May 23.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.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.)
National award-winning actress Kalki Koechlin, who has observed a behavioural change among men after the prominence of #MeToo movement in India, says workshops ahead of performing any intimate scene is important.

"Intimacy workshops were important because like every dance and action sequences are previously choreographed and each actor knows every movement of the performance, an intimate scene is also choreographed. It is not improvised on the spot," she added.

The #MeToo movement has changed the film industry Kalki told IANS. "Of course, there is a change. I would say, consciousness has been created."

Citing an example, she said: "Right after the #MeToo movement took off, I was doing a play where my director was a male, and he sent two pages write-up on how we all should behave at the rehearsal space."

She had an "intimacy rehearsal" where she interacted with her co-actors and asked for permission on "how we will touch each other in an intimate scene".

Kalki has earlier addressed drug addiction and drug mafia in "Candyflip", a film and "Smoke", a web series.

Directed by Shanawaz NK and produced by Balasubramanyam TC, Surendra K Hegde, "Candyflip" released on Netflix OTT platform.

Talking about her experience, she said: "It happened to one of the friends of our director of the film. That fellow took a lot of drugs and then his mind just flipped, it lost control. It was quite a moving story and it shows the sea of confusion..."

How does she look at the situation of youngsters' addiction?

"I do not think only youngsters are suffering from addiction, I have seen middle-aged people also going through the addiction of alcohol and other things. The concept of addiction is when an individual gets into a loop of a habit that he/she cannot come out of," she said.

"Empathy and re-telling the story from our perspective might just change people's mindset towards those (drug addict) who are suffering.

"They are no different from an individual who is addicted to work... it is only wise to humanise the person who is suffering instead of humiliating. That is the way we change our society," said Kalki.

(Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@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.)
Gunning for attention Is the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP's) Patna Sahib lawmaker Shatrughan Sinha (pictured), who has an acrimonious equation with the leadership of his party, finally ready to quit? In a series of sharply-worded posts, he took on the government over what he alleged were unfulfilled poll promises.

In one of the posts, he said, You may be having many admirers but I won't be one of them. In another, he sent out a warning that he might not stick around for long. In January, too, he had said he was ready to quit the BJP ...
This refers to Modi and the Liberals by TCA Srinivasa Raghavan (March 16). Both, the Congress and the country, are paying the price for not cultivating a proactive Opposition in politics and in the Parliamentary system of governance we adopted, post-independence.

The piece suggests some action points that can be considered by Narendra Modi (pictured) if he is serious about retaining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance in power for another term and beyond. The Congress would have done much better in 2019 if the party had come out of the ...
One of Indias most unassuming but most charismatic chief ministers, Manohar Parrikar, died last evening plunging the politics of Goa into chaos. A trained metallurgical engineer from IIT Bombay, Parrikar became defence minister when Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, but his induction in the Centre was, in some ways, a second thought.

He took over in November 2014 from Arun Jaitley and while he came to Delhi and presided over a complex ministry with aplomb, his heart was always in Goa. Parrikar hated being compared to Modi but the career paths of the leaders were ...
Three persons were killed when their motorcycle collided with a tractor in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, police said Sunday.

The incident occurred in Khidirpur village on the Lucknow-Allahabad road late Saturday night, Additional Superintendent of Police Shivji Shukla said.

Ranjeet Saroj (32), Mukesh Sharma (27) and Mahesh Gupta (19) were rushed to a community health centre in Kunda where doctors declared them brought dead, he said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, the officer added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five Indians were among the 50 people killed by a white supremacist, who opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, in the worst attack on Muslims in New Zealand, the Indian High Commission said Sunday.

The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The high commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.

"With a very heavy heart we share the of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted.

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

In another tweet later, the high commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims.

(https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/family-members-of-mosque-incident)



On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin". But, he had added, official confirmation was awaited.

The high commission said its helpline numbers 021803899 & 021850033 will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.

"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin."



It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly.

Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212.

In a 74-page manifesto the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism.

Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five Indians have been killed in the ghastly terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch in which 50 people lost their lives, the Indian High Commission said Sunday, as New Zealand grapples with the emotional fallout of its worst attack on Muslims.

The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The High Commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.

"With a very heavy heart we share the of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted.

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

In another tweet later, the High Commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims.

(https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/family-members-of-mosque-incident)



The Indian mission also said that a support group has been established in Christchurch to assist the families.

In another tweet, the Indian High Commission urged people to donate blood.

"Blood donors reqd: there may be a need for blood donation for #Christchurch victims. If you are A+ or O+ please contact your nearest NZ blood bank branch. Thank you," it said.

The body of the 50th victim was discovered at the Al Noor mosque, where most victims were killed, when officials were removing the victims' bodies on Saturday, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said, told reporters on Sunday.

The victims' names were not made public. While a preliminary list of the victims has been shared with families, Bush said their bodies have not yet been released.

The number of wounded also increased to 50, he said. Of those, 34 remain hospitalised in the Christchurch Hospital and 12 are in critical condition, Greg Robertson, the hospital's chief of surgery, said.

On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin". But, he had added, official confirmation was awaited.

The high commission said its helpline numbers -- 021803899 & 021850033 -- will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.

"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin."



It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly.

Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212.

In a 74-page manifesto the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism.

Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

The mosque shootings by the white supremacist have shaken New Zealand, regarded as one of the most peaceful countries in the world.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend





Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a pardon decree.

Under the presidential decree, a total of 431 people were pardoned. Among them, 399 people were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences.

The punishment of one person sentenced to life imprisonment has been replaced by 25 years in prison and that of two people by 20 years in prison. In addition, one person is exempt from serving delayed sentence. Eleven people have been exempted from conditional sentence.

One person was freed from public works, 12 people were exempted from punishment in the form of a fine.

Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens, including three Georgian citizens, two from Russia and Nigeria each, and one from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus each.

Among those pardoned are former chairman of the Baku Telephone Communications Public Association Beytulla Huseynov, members of the "Nida" movement Giyas Ibrahimov, Bayram Mammadov, Ilkin Rustamzade, former deputy head of the Yasamal branch of JSC Texnikabank Elnur Seyidov, deputies of the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan Gozal Bayramli and Fuad Gahramanli, ex-Minister of Health Ali Insanov.
The AAP Sunday declared its last candidate in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls, with a senior leader saying the announcement was made seeing the Congress's "irresponsible and indecisive" attitude towards an alliance here.

Balbir Singh Jakhar, 45, will be the Aam Aadmi Party's candidate for the West Delhi parliamentary seat. The names of candidates for the other six seats was announced by the party on March 2.

Elections to the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will be held on May 12. The results will be declared with the rest of the country on May 23.

Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said the party has waited long enough for an alliance with the Congress, but seeing "irresponsible and indecisive" attitude of the grand old party, the AAP has decided to declare the name of its seventh candidate.

He announced the name of Jakhar at a press conference here.

"The AAP has declared all its seven candidates. We waited for long that all parties would join hands to beat the government, but the way the Congress is behaving, irresponsibly and has been indecisive for the past three months, the AAP has decided to take its movement (for full statehood for Delhi) forward," Rai said.

He said the Congress did generate some excitement among the Muslim community after its victories in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh state polls, but its "attitude" in Delhi has made the community realise that the party is not serious.

"The Congress' state of confusion has led to disappointment among people. There was some buzz among Muslims after the Congress won in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, but people have realised that the Congress is not serious. The Congress national leadership and its state president are making contradictory claims every other day," Rai said.

On Thursday, he had said the AAP will fight the Lok Sabha polls on the issue of full statehood and it is "late now" for talks on an alliance in Delhi.

"The country is disappointed with the Congress and our internal survey shows seven per cent vote share of the Congress. People feel that the Congress is not serious about Delhi, so the AAP has launched a mega campaign," he said.

"The Congress is confused and everyone is giving different statements," Rai said.

Sources said the AAP was in talks with the Congress over seat sharing, but both the parties wanted to contest from the same seats due to which they could not reach a consensus.

Last Tuesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted his party will win all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi "on its own".

Moreover, Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit has not been in favour of an alliance with the AAP, but many leaders and workers in the Delhi Congress were in favour of an alliance.

Announcing the name of Jakhar, Rai said he has been associated with the AAP since the Jan Lokpal movement. He also holds the post of chairman of the co-ordination committee All Delhi District Court bar Association apart from being a member of bodies such as the Bar Council Of Delhi, Rohini Court Bar Association and the New Delhi Bar Association.

The other six AAP candidates are Atishi from East Delhi, Guggan Singh from North-West Delhi, Raghav Chadha from South, Dilip Pandey from North-East, Pankaj Gupta from Chandni Chowk and Brijesh Goyal will contest from New Delhi.

Taking its movement of full statehood for Delhi forward, Rai said the Aam Aadmi Party members burnt the 2014 BJP manifesto in which they promised full statehood for Delhi if elected.

Rai said they will take their campaign forward by burning the manifesto at 3,000 places on March 24.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba will be here Monday to preside over the debrief of largest war-game of the Indian Navy - the Theatre-level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 19).

The exercise had commenced on January 7 and was planned to be terminated by March 10, but the Jaish-e-Mohammad sponsored terrorist attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama on February 14 led to the rapid redeployment of the Indian Navy for operations in the North Arabian Sea, a defence press release said here Sunday.

The major combat units, including the carrier battle group with INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships, submarines and aircraft swiftly transited from exercise to operational deployment mode as tension between India and Pakistan escalated, the release said.

A clear and resolute message regarding the operational posture of the Indian Navy to prevent, deter and defeat any misadventure by Pakistan in the maritime domain was also issued during the tri-services press conference conducted on February 28, it said.

About 60 ships of the Indian Navy, 12 ships of the Indian Coast Guard and 60 aircraft were part of TROPEX 19.

Among the key attributes of Naval forces are the 'versatility' to change roles, 'mobility' and 'poise'.

Availability of such a large number of combat-ready assets in the theatre of operations for TROPEX 19 allowed the Indian Navy to expeditiously respond to the developing situation in synergy with the three services, the release said.

The overwhelming superiority of Indian Navy in all three dimensions forced the Pakistan Navy to remain deployed close to the Makran coast and not venture out in the open ocean.

Earlier, TROPEX 19 had commenced with tri-services amphibious exercise in the Andaman and Nicobar islands with participation of the Army and the Air Force.

This was followed by the largest coastal defence exercise code named SEA VIGIL on January 22 and January 23 with participation of all 13 coastal states and union territories along with all maritime stakeholders.

The TROPEX itself was thus far the largest in terms of geographical spread covering the Indian Ocean Region and also with regard to the number of participating units.

This day-long review of TROPEX 19 by the Chief of the Naval Staff with all operational commanders was intended to examine the conduct of the exercise and to assess the operational preparedness of the Indian Navy, the release said.

A realistic audit of the Indian Navy's deployment philosophy and fighting capability would also be undertaken, it said.

The lessons learnt from the exercise would provide the planners accurate assessments to fine tune force structuring requirements, operational logistics, as also material and training imperatives, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With a few weeks left for Lok Sabha and assembly polls and major parties busy in finalising candidates, 'Aya Ram Gaya Ram culture seems to be gaining momentum in Odisha.

Many leaders, including sitting MPs and MLAs, are now changing party loyalty fearing denial of tickets or defeat in the upcoming polls. Those who had soured their relations with the state leadership are also crossing over from one party to another.

BJDs sitting MP from Nabarangpur Balabhadra Majhi left the ruling party alleging "neglect" and joined the BJP within 36 hours of resigning from the BJD.

Balabhdra quit the BJD in the backdrop of speculation about the party fielding Odishas SC & ST Development Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi as its candidate from Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seat.

Two ex-BJD leaders - former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda and former minister Damodar Rout - have also joined the BJP, vowing to oust Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Panda had resigned from the ruling BJD while Rout was expelled from the ruling party long ago. They were inducted into the BJP ahead of the elections.

"I have severed 45 years of relationship with the Janata Parivar as I was expelled from the BJD for no reason. I feel the BJP has the determination to dislodge 19-year-old Naveen Patnaik government," Rout said.

Salipur MLA of Congress Prakash Behera resigned on Saturday alleging "negligence by the state party leadership". Though Beheras name was cleared by the Pradesh Election Committee for becoming a candidate in 2019 polls, he quit the party ahead of elections. Behera joined the BJP in Delhi on Sunday.

Three other sitting Congress MLAs have also quit the grand old party in the run up to elections in Odisha. They are Nabakishore Das (Jharsuguda), Jogesh Singh (Sundergarh) and Krushna Chandra Sagaria (Koraput). Das and Singh joined the BJD, while Sagaria went to the Bahujan Samaj Party.

BJD MLA from Nilagiri in Balasore district Sukant Kumar Nayak also left the party alleging neglect. Sources close to him said he may join the saffron party. Nayaks resignation came after the BJD inducted Nilagiris BJP leader Sushma Biswal into the party fold.

Earlier last week, former Congress chief minister Hemananda Biswals daughter Sunita Biswal quit the party and joined the BJD after AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh announced that the party would not give more than one ticket to one family.

In an embarrassment for state BJP chief Basant Panda, his nephew joined the ruling BJD and termed his uncle as an "autocrat". Senior BJP leader and former MLA Jitendranath Mitra has meanwhile quit the saffron party and joined the BJD.

"Leaders changing party affiliation during election time is natural. This has happened in the past also. There is nothing new in it. Individuals quitting the party will have no impact on BJDs poll prospect," senior BJD leader and Finance Minister S B Behera said.

Meanwhile, BJPs Odisha Pravari Arun Singh claimed many BJD leaders were in touch with the BJP leadership for joining the saffron party.

According to political observers, party hopping will be witnessed in a big way after declaration of candidates list by the BJD, the BJP and the Congress.

Odisha will go to polls in four phases from April 11 to April 29.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Sunday blamed the BJP for "creating fear psychosis" across the country by crying hoarse over the "nation being in danger".

Paying tributes to Guru Nabba Dass ji at a congregation here, he underscored the crucial need of social justice and avenues of progress for all, irrespective of religion, caste and creed.

"India is not in danger, it is the BJP which is in danger due to rug slipping from under the feet of the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) ahead of general elections," Abdullah said.

He decried the of hate and mistrust being perpetrated and practised allegedly by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that it was "against the very idea of India".

Instead of dividing the people in the name of religion, caste and region, everyone should be treated as a compatriot, which alone can lead the country to progress and harmony, he said.

He asked the saffron party to desist from dividing the people and vitiating the atmosphere for deriving political dividends.

He also hoped that people would reject such tendencies and isolate the reactionary forces to ensure that the nation progresses and prospers as a united and strong entity.

Abdullah termed the slogan of power supply to all the villages as yet another gimmick of the ruling party, saying the Modi government had failed to regulate power supply in towns and cities and hence, it should not make tall claims.

He described the power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir as most erratic and added that the position of drinking water was not too good.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister reiterated his party's commitment of providing adequate openings to the members of weaker sections of the society in governance.

"A holistic approach is needed to be adopted for according rightful place to weaker sections in governance and decision making," he said.

Political empowerment of weaker sections holds key to their overall empowerment and mere slogans about their upliftment were not enough, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Party Sunday announced its first list of 123 candidates for the elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh assembly scheduled for April 11.

Only one of the three sitting MLAs of the BJP, which is fighting the elections on its own, has been re-nominated as the other two opted out of contest.

BJPs fourth MLA, elected in 2014, had quit the party to join the Jana Sena and has been fielded by it in Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha constituency.

BJP is hoping to improve on its tally of four in 2014 while the main contest will be between ruling Telugu Desam Party and main opposition YSR Congress headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

A sitting MLA who defected from YSR Congress to Telugu Desam and later to BJP has been given the ticket in the first list of the saffron party.

P Vishnu Kumar Raju, who was elected to the assembly for the first time in 2014 from Visakhapatnam North, has been re-nominated.

Sitting MLA P Manikyala Rao from Tadepalligudem showed no interest to fight again while another, Kamineni Srinivas, from Kaikaluru has announced he was quitting electoral

Incidentally, both of them served as ministers in the Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet when the TDP and the BJP were in alliance from 2014 to 2018.

T Jayaramulu has been chosen for the Badwel (SC) seat in Kadapa district. He was elected in 2014 on YSRC ticket but he moved to the TDP in 2016.

Just a couple of days ago, he quit the TDP and joined the BJP.

Former MLA Nimmaka Jayaraju has been chosen for Kurupam (ST) seat while senior politician Kandula Rajamohan Reddy has been nominated for Kadapa.

Industrialist N S Tulasinath has been chosen to take on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Kuppam in Chittoor district.

Former Mayor of Visakhapatnam city, Pulusu Janardhan, has been given the Gajuwaka Assembly ticket.

State BJP general secretary V Satyamurthy will be the candidate from Vijayawada Central while BJYM national secretary Panthala Suresh is being fielded from Koduru (SC) constituency.

The BJP fought the 2014 election in alliance with the TDP and outside support of Jana Sena of film star Pawan Kalyan.

It had contested 15 assembly and five Lok Sabha seats as part of the alliance and won four and two seats respectively.

With the TDP breaking ties over the issue of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, the BJP is now fighting the elections on its own.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP's Karnataka unit said Sunday that it has shortlisted candidates for all the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies and the party's central election committee would soon take a call on it.

"We have shortlisted the names of all the candidates (in Karnataka). The central election committee will take a decision on it and release the list," BJP state general secretary Arvind Limbavali told reporters.

He was speaking after the party's state core meeting here, chaired by BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa.

BJP general secretary and state unit in-charge P Muralidhar Rao, BJP organising secretary (in-charge south India) B L Santosh, former chief ministers D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar were among those who attended the meeting.

Limbavali said the state election committee would table the list before the central election committee, headed by its national president, but refused to divulge the names, saying the CEC would announce it later.

On the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, where Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is pitted against multi-lingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, wife of late actor-turned-politician Ambareesh, he said the core committee discussed fielding a candidate.

However, the party kept its options open and would take a final call based on Sumalatha's decision, he said.

Mandya has gone to the JD(S) as per the seat sharing agreement between the coalition partners Congress and the JD(S).

The party has planned to field Nikhil Gowda, grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and son of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

However, Sumalatha's decision has disturbed the political equations.

Ambareesh had represented Mandya thrice in the Lok Sabha, the first time on a JD(S) ticket and twice on Congress ticket.

He was minister of state for information and broadcasting during the UPA-1 regime.

Limbavali said senior Congress leader from Hassan, A Manju would soon join the BJP after his meeting with Yeddyurappa.

Manju had been a vocal critic of Gowda and often expressed his displeasure in respecting the Congress-JD(S) coalition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over a fortnight after they went missing, bodies of five members of a family in Gujarat's Surat were Sunday fished out from a local canal, police said.

The bodies of Jeevan Gamit (65), his wife Sharmila (62), son Dharmesh (41), daughter-in-law Sunita (36) and granddaughter Urvi (6) were brought out from a canal near Madhi village in the district, said Bardoli police station Inspector B K Patel said.

"The five are residents of Kapura village in Vyara tehsil in neighbouring Tapi district. Their family members had filed a missing person complaint at the local police station there on February 28," Patel said.

"Their car apparently fell into the canal near Madhi village. The Maruti Eeco car they were travelling in was spotted in the canal by residents on Sunday who then informed us. We brought out the car and the bodies of the five were found inside in a highly decomposed state," he informed.

Relatives of the deceased have told police they had gone to Bardoli to offer prayers at a temple and were on their way back when they met with an accident, Patel said.

"It seems the driver lost control of the car and it plunged into the canal. Further probe into the incident is underway," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Traders' body Confederation of All India Traders Sunday urged the government to probe Chinese goods imported through hawala channels, which is resulting in huge revenue loss to the exchequer.

CAIT, in a statement, also claimed that "such hawala money might be transferred to Pakistan for conducting terrorist activities".

Calling it a serious matter, the traders' body urged the government to start a high level enquiry at Indian ports to bring an end to the crony nexus.

"Who are these hawala operators who facilitate transfer of money from our country to China. Are exports to China being under invoiced and difference settled through hawala transactions or there is some other mode through which this money is going. This needs to be checked at the highest level in the interest of security of our country," it added.

Stating that India is facing a big fight against terrorism, CAIT said, "There is no doubt that someone is funding this terrorist activities. It is necessary to understand whether this funding can be linked to under invoicing of import from China. In this way, China is helping fund terrorist".

This aspect also needs to be investigated in view of the fact that China is not standing with India in its fight against terrorism, it added.

CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that in order to attract lower custom duty and lower IGST (Integrated Goods and Service Tax), the declaration in many cases do not match the material that is actually being imported.

This needs verification of documents along with the material that is imported from China, they said.

They also suspected that "it could be collusion or hand in glove offer with certain mysterious officers".

When such materials, which are grossly undervalued come to the port, custom duty is paid at a very low price. The IGST is also paid at a very lower price and then the material goes into grey market where it is sold at very competitive prices as compared to Indian goods where GST is paid at full amount, they said.

According to CAIT, it could be easily substantiated if verification of IGST paid at customs port is linked to the credit for IGST taken by importers.

"Surprisingly, it will be seen that in most of the cases, where Chinese goods have been imported, nobody has claimed IGST. This proves the point that the importer has sold the material in grey market for which nobody has claimed IGST paid at the time of imports," it said.

If the government takes up this matter and is very vigilant that custom duty and IGST is recovered at the real value of imported material, Chinese goods will become costly automatically as compared to Indian goods which bear full amount of GST, the CAIT added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government may soon accord the 'organised service' recognition and service benefits to thousands of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) officers who have been seeking better promotion and monetary benefits as they serve the maximum of their careers in hard combat zones of Naxalism, terrorism and counter-insurgency.

Official sources said the Union Home Ministry is working with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to issue a notification in this context, in view of two recent judgements of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

"High-level consultations are on and the subject has been reviewed by the home ministry and informed to the Prime Ministers Office.

"The ministry has taken a number of measures for the welfare of the jawans and officers of these forces like the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB in the past and some more specific ones post the February 14 Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF men. This is also a step in that direction," a senior official said.

The apex court in February had upheld a Delhi High Court verdict on the subject and agreed that all the CAPFs be recognised as "organised services", saying it will remove stagnation, ensuring the promotion and other service-related benefits to officers in the same post.

The Delhi High Court on March 15 had asked the Centre to file a compliance affidavit on the subject after a retired and a serving officer of these forces filed a contempt petition before it saying the government has not complied with its directions.

Ankur Chibber, the counsel for the petitioners, told PTI that the HC has asked the government to file the compliance report and had said that it will take up the matter next on March 28.

In its February order, the Supreme Court had held that group "A" officers of theCAPFs should be given all benefits, including non-functional financial upgradation (NFFU) from 2006 in terms of the 6th pay commission.

The top court, during this hearing, had upheld the Delhi HC's two verdicts by which it had granted "organised service" status to these forces and to the officers of the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

NFFU is a concept introduced in the 6th pay commission and was granted to what the government termed as Group "A" organised services.

Under NFFU, if all the officers of a particular batch cannot move up the ladder owing to lack of vacancies and only one does, the others will automatically get financial upgradation as the one promoted.

However, it would involve only a financial upgrade but not rank or perks.

The recognition will also enable CAPF officers to get better deputation opportunities in other government departments that will help them gather knowledge and expertise of different domains.

The SC had dismissed the appeals of Centre against the Delhi HC order, saying that in the monographs published by the DoPT right from 1986 till date, CAPFs have been shown to be a part of the central group "A" services.

"Therefore,all throughout from 1986 till date, in the monographs published by the DoPT, CAPFs have been shown to be a part of Central group A services. Thereafter it would not be open for the DoPT not to consider and/or treat the CAPFs as an organized group A services," the bench had said.

The officers of these forces command units that are deployed to undertake anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency combats, border guarding and render a variety of roles for maintenance of internal security and also conduct elections across the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry honoured 33 companies for their corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts in the second half of 2018 during a recognition ceremony recently held at its premises.



The Dubai Chamber CSR Label was presented to Landmark Group and United Engineering Construction Company for the first time.



QBG was awarded for the eighth time, while Ducab, Emirates Transport, Emrill Services, Mashreq Bank, and UAE Exchange were recognised for the seventh time. InfoFort, Apparel Group, Enova, MAB Facilities Management, Chalhoub Group, and Veolia were among the companies receiving the Label for the sixth time; and AF Construction, CHEP Middle East, Paramount Computer Systems, and Quick Registration were honoured for the fifth time.



Amlak Finance, and Dimara International were presented with the Label for the fourth time; Blue LLC, Dar Al Tawreeq Forfaiting and Factoring Services, Road and Transport Authority, School Transport Services, and Tristar Group were among the third-time recipients. Daikin Middle East and Africa, Clyde & Co, Future Pipe Industries, and National Bank of Fujairah were recognised for the second time.



In addition, Zulekha Hospital LLC, Empower, SummerTown Interiors, and Tecom Group were presented with the Dubai Chamber Advanced CSR Label.



Congratulating the awardees for their achievements, Majid Saif Al Ghurair, chairman of Dubai Chamber, revealed that 359 companies have received the Dubai Chamber CSR Label since its launch in 2010, and explained that the Dubai Chamber CSR Label is a clear and voluntary standard for CSR implementation in UAE and the GCC which recognises companies who adopt best business practices and conform with international CSR standards and guidelines.



Over the years, the response to the CSR label and its overall significance has grown significantly. The Dubai Chamber CSR Label acts as a developmental tool for companies, which enables them to evaluate their CSR strategies, gain recognition for their efforts, and improve their reputation, said Al Ghurair.  TradeArabia News Service
The CBI has arrested two senior Indian Forest Service officers for allegedly bribing an environment ministry official, officials said Sunday.

Tarun Johri and D Gogoi, both chief conservators of forest, posted in Arunachal Pradesh and Port Blair respectively, were arrested in a case of Rs 20,000 to the environment ministry official for getting a departmental work done.

It is alleged that some departmental service matter of Gogoi was pending in the ministry for which he sought help of his batchmate Johri, who was on a visit to Delhi, they said.

Johri paid Rs 10,000 to the official on behalf of Gogoi to a ministry official who complained to his superior about the bribe, they said.

A case was registered and during the verification process by the CBI, Gogoi paid another Rs 10,000 to the official, they said.

After successful verification, Johri was arrested Saturday, while Gogoi was nabbed Sunday, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Chinese national was arrested on Sunday for allegedly flying a drone over the iconic Victoria Memorial here, police said.

Li Zhiwei, 34, was apprehended by CISF personnel after they spotted the drone over the memorial's dome, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.

"The Chinese man arrived in the city from Malaysia on Friday. He has been arrested and we are trying to ascertain his true intention of flying the drone," he told PTI.

"We have the Eastern Command's headquarters and the Fort William only a few metres from the Victoria Memorial. And, one needs special permission to fly drones in this sensitive area. He had no such permission," the officer added.

Li has been sent to police custody till March 25.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui Sunday exuded confidence of resolving the sticky issue of designating Masood Azhar as a global terrorist through consultations, days after China blocked a fresh move at the UN to ban the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief.

"I am quite sure this matter (listing of Azhar by the UN) will be resolved. This is only a technical hold and the matter can be resolved through continued consultation," Luo said on the sidelines of an event at the Chinese embassy.

The envoy said China understands India's concerns on the issue, and was optimistic of resolving it. "We are optimistic that this matter will be resolved."



The envoy was replying to questions on China putting a hold on Wednesday to a fresh move to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.

It was the fourth time China blocked listing of Azhar in the past 10 years. The Chinese move was termed as "disappointing" by India.

The Chinese envoy also referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year and said the cooperation between the two countries are on the "right" and "fast" track.

"We are quite optimistic about the future cooperation between the two countries," Luo said.

Government sources Saturday said India would show patience with China for "as long as it takes" on the Azhar issue, but it will not compromise its position on firmly dealing with terrorists.

They said India will continue to pursue China to support listing of Azhar whose JeM carried out a number of terror attacks in India including the Pulwama strike.

They said India was "cautiously" confident that eventually Azhar will get listed as it has a solid case against the JeM chief.

Fourteen out of the 15 members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) supported India on the proposal to list Azhar as global terrorist but China was the only country which did not go with the move.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The government sources said terrorism was an issue which is not-negotiable for India and if China needed more time, New Delhi was ready to wait.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the ruling BJP and its coalition partner Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) in the state failing to forge an alliance for the coming parliamentary elections, the opposition Congress Sunday offered the tribal party an honorable solution if it wished.

Tripura PCC president Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debburman told reporters that Congress would offer an "honourable solution" to IPFT wishes to talk to it regarding the parliamentary elections.

"If IPFT feels it has trouble with BJP, they are most welcome to talk to me. I will offer them an honourable solution," Debburman said.

However, he did not elaborate what could be the "honourable" solution.

IPFT had on Saturday announced that talks for seat adjustment with BJP for the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura had failed and it has decided to field its candidates in them.

IPFT supremo N C Debbarma, who is the revenue minister of the coalition government in the state, would contest from the East Tripura (ST) constituency and the party's youth leader Suklacharan Noatia would contest from West Tripura seat, the party had said.

The party has 8 MLAs in the 60 member Tripura Assembly, while its coalition partner BJP has 36 legislators.

BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee ruled out any impact on the poll prospects of the party in the coming Lok Sabha election due to IPFTs decision to go it alone.

"We are not thinking about IPFT now. BJP will contest in both Lok Sabha seats of Tripura. We are confident of victory," he said.

Debburman said Congress has kept its doors open for dialogue on poll alliance with all regional parties of the state, including Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), National Conference of Tripura (NCT) and IPFTTipraha (breakaway faction of IPFT).

"I am talking to everyone. My aim is not to bully regional parties. Regional parties have a role to play but it should not be in direct conflict with the Congress ideology," he said.

"We have to defeat the BJP and we are doing everything to make sure that it is defeated in Tripura," he added.

Senior CPI(M) leader and Lok Sabha MP Jitendra Chaudhury said his party would not take support from IPFT, even if it comes out of the alliance with BJP and offers support.

Meanwhile, CPI-M MP Sankar Prasad Datta Sunday alleged that since the announcement of Lok Sabha elections BJP backed "antisocials" are attacking the Left party leaders, activists and supporters.

He told a poll rally at Dukli near here that BJP "goons" had attacked CPI-M leaders, workers and supporters on March 14 including the party's Rajya Sabha MP Jharna Das Baidya and her husband when they were on their way to attend a meeting in West Tripura district.

Reacting to the allegation, BJP spokesperson Ashok Sinha said, It is the nature of CPI(M) to label false charges against BJP workers".

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The Congress will solve the vexed Naga problem if voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, NPCC president K Therie said Sunday.

"Give us another chance to deliver and if we do not, throw us out," Therie appealed to the voters.

Even after the signing of the framework agreement with the NSCN(IM) in 2015 and six Naga nationalist political groups joining the peace talks separately, there has not been a breakthrough on the decades-old Naga problem.

"The Indian National Congress and the founding fathers of the Nagaland Congress have delivered political solution in the past due to which the Nagas are enjoying the fruits of statehood and are protected under Article 371(A) of the Constitution," the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) chief said in a statement.

Chishi was chosen as the Congress candidate to contest the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland after wide consultations to accommodate the views of like-minded parties, societies and groups, he said.

The party has appealed to the like-minded parties for their support to their candidate in view of the common belief in secularism, opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Bill and early political solution to the Naga issue.

The Congress will also scrap the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill if it comes to power, the NPCC chief said in a statement.

A largescale protest had erupted in the Northeastern states as the indigenous people of the region were apprehending that if the Citizenship Bill was enacted, it would endanger their livelihood and identity.

The bill, being vehemently opposed in the region even by certain allies of the BJP, was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8 but was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document.

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The Congress Sunday slammed the BJP's "Main Bhi Chowkidar campaign with Rahul Gandhi claiming that the truth cannot change as everyone is saying "Chowkidar Chor Hai.

The BJP's campaign was launched Saturday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi adding "Chowkidar (watchman) to his Twitter handle. Union ministers and BJP leaders also added the word to their respective handles.

"You can keep trying Mr Modi, but the truth cannot be extinguished. Every Indian is saying it. #ChowkidarChorHai



"P.S: Do force Sushma ji to add Chowkidar to her handle. It's looking very bad, Gandhi said on Twitter.

External Affairs Minister Swaraj also changed her handle by adding 'Chowkidar' to it.

The Congress countered the BJP's 'MainBhiChowkidar' hashtag, which was trending on Twitter since morning, with its 'ChowkidarChorHai' hashtag.

Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said on Twitter, Main bhi chowkidhar because the chowkidhar I had appointed is missing.

I am told he has gone looking for 'achhe din', he said taking a swipe at Modi's promise of good days.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, First theft and then brazenness.

For five years, the jobs of youth were stolen, remunerative price of farmers' crop was stolen, the rights of Dalits were stolen, the participation of women was stolen and the business of traders was stolen through noteban and GST.

Because, only one chowkidar is a thief, he said on Twitter, adding '#ChowkidarChorHai'.

The Congress had coined the phrase 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' and launched the hashtag to attack the prime minister ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had accused him of corruption in the Rafale deal, which the government has vehemently denied.

The Congress and the BJP have been indulging in a war on Twitter, with each accusing the other on social media after Gandhi's jibe of 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' at Modi on the Rafale deal.

The war of words is likely to intensify this election season that ends on May 23, with the declaration of results.

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There is "complete unanimity" among all senior Congress leaders in Rajasthan on the names of the candidates to be fielded in almost all of the 25 Lok Sabha seats, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said Sunday, asserting that his party will accomplish its "mission 25" in the state.

The Rajasthan Congress chief also asserted that the Lok Sabha polls will be fought on bread and butter issues and not on emotional matters that the BJP wants to take the narrative to.

The BJP-led government is trying to shift the narrative away from issues of economic non-performance and job creation, he told PTI in an interview.

The government has made deliberate attempts to make institutions hollow and systematically dismantle them over the last five years, Pilot alleged, citing the examples of institutions such as the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Reserve Bank of India.

Asked about the issue of infighting over ticket distribution which had reportedly been a concern in assembly polls, Pilot said there is a set process for ticket distribution in the Congress and at every level all stakeholders are involved in the decision making, from the district to the national level.

All senior leaders are consulted and it is with their consent that the final decisions are taken... For Lok Sabha, I am happy that for almost all the seats, between all the senior leaders in Rajasthan, there is complete unanimity on the names that we feel should be fielded for the Lok Sabha, the 41-year-old former Union minister said.

His remarks come amid speculation over the electoral debut of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot.

"We have adopted a very exhaustive process in which from each constituency, the chief minister, myself and the AICC in-charge (Avinash Pande), have interacted with 600-700 parliamentary constituency workers at least, Pilot said.

The RPCC followed a three-tier process -- screening, talking and consulting -- on which work was done over the last one and a half months, the MLA from Tonk said.

Today we are comfortably placed, we are putting up the best possible candidates with complete unanimity so that we are fighting to win and complete our mission 25, and we are going to complete that mission, he asserted.

The Congress had drawn a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the BJP had made a clean sweep in the state. The Congress is eyeing a clean sweep in the state with its 'mission 25' encouraged by the win in the assembly polls and the formation of its government in the state last December.

Asked if the post-Pulwama Balakot air strikes may have an electoral impact in Rajasthan considering it is a border state, Pilot said: Being a border state or not is not as important as the fact that the country is pained with the record number of unemployed young people in India and the farmers' crisis that goes on unabated."



Asked if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign in Rajasthan along with Rahul Gandhi, Pilot said: She was there in Ahmedabad. She made a very good speech at the rally. I am sure that outside UP also she will be campaigning for the party as and when the time arises.

He also reiterated that Rajasthan is a two-party state where the Congress has always contested all the seats and the BJP has fought on all constituencies, and it would be no different this time.

Pilot also alleged that the BJP was desperate and it was reflected in Bihar where it gave Janata Dal (United) 17 seats despite the party having just two members in the Lok Sabha.

This is because of the three states that BJP lost in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Because of the Congress defeating the BJP in these states, its allies are getting more than their pound of flesh, he said.

On alliance not coming through for the Congress in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, Pilot said: We are fighting elections to win whether it is UP or other states. The number of parties supporting the UPA has increased.

He asserted that in most of the states alliances are done and things are better than they seem from the outside.

We are going to have a united, competent, and strong anti-BJP alliance across India, Pilot said.

Polling will be held in Rajasthan in two phases on April 29 and May 6.

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The Congress is indulging in " of abuses" but the BJP will not retaliate and let the people give the response in the parliamentary election, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said Sunday.

"They have stooped to a different level. They refer to the Prime Minister with phrases like 'gandi nali ka keeda', 'maut ka saudagar', 'natwar lal' and Hitler, among other remarks. They are free to indulge in this of abuse but BJP will neither react nor retaliate. Let the public give its response in the upcoming elections," Javadekar told reporters.

"They demean chaiwala, pakode wala and now chowkidar. It shows their mentality, thought process and DNA. If this is the level of debate they can bring to the table we would focus on work and not indulge in this culture of hurling abuses," he added.

The HRD Minister, when asked about the "Chowkidar" campaign while defaulters like Nirav Modi are on the run, said, "They are on the run because they know that the chowkidar is here. If it was UPA regime, they would have been happily flourishing here. They escaped because they knew that they are in trouble and we will make every effort to bring them back and hold them accountable for their actions.

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Three persons including a couple from Rajasthan were arrested allegedly for hacking the Facebook account of a person in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir and posting vulgar and obscene messages, police said on Sunday.

Varinder Singh had lodged a written complaint on December 25 last year alleging that some unknown persons hacked his Facebook account and embarrassed his family by creating his fake ID and IDs of his wife and sister and sharing his family photographs with vulgar and obscene messages, a police spokesman said.

He said an FIR under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Ranbir Penal code was registered at Reasi police station and the investigation set into motion.

During investigation, the spokesman said the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the fake ID's were retrieved from Facebook and the accused were identified as Rahul Jain, his wife Kirti Jain of Jaipur and Parvinder Singh alias Rocky, a local driver.

"It came to the light that the couple had once visited Reasi and had exchanged their phone numbers with the complainant. Later, they managed to contact the third accused through the friend list of Facebook account of the complainant," he said.

He said the accused couple were arrested from their residence in Jaipur by a special team on a court warrant and were brought to Reasi on Saturday and on their disclosure, the third accused was also arrested.

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A couple was arrested here for allegedly stealing former national shooter Vishwajeet Shinde's belongings, including his shooting kit containing live cartridges, while he was travelling in a train, police said on Sunday.

The incident took place last Friday when Shinde, who works with the Western Railway, was on way to Mumbai from Delhi in the Sampark Kranti Express, an official at the Bandra railway police station said.

During the journey, Shinde realised that his belongings, including his shooting kit containing 3,800 live cartridges meant for practice, were stolen following which he informed the railway police, he said.

While probing the incident, the police checked the CCTV footage of Bandra railway station which showed Lalit Manojkumar Dhingan (28) and his wife Jyoti (25), both residents of Antop Hill area here, getting down from the same train along with Shinde's bag and taking a cab, he said.

The police managed to traced the cab and its driver informed that he dropped the couple at Antop Hill, he said.

They also managed to locate the rail ticket PNR number of the two accused and got their photos which were circulated in the area, the official said.

Acting on a specific tip-off, the police raided the residence of the accused on Saturday night, he said.

The official said during interrogation, the couple admitted to the theft and the police later recovered Shinde's bag and shooting kit from them, he said.

Both the accused were subsequently arrested. They were on Sunday produced before a local court which remanded them in police custody, he added.

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Dubai Customs said its in-house framework, Enterprise Architecture, has won the Presidents Award  Service Delivery and Automation at the Open Group Innovation and Excellence conference, held in the south Indian city of Kochi last month.



The event was organised by Open Group, a global consortium headquartered in the US, that enables the achievement of business objectives through technology standards.



Its diverse membership of more than 625 organisations includes customers, systems and solutions suppliers, tool vendors, integrators, academics, and consultants across multiple industries.



Various business and innovation leaders from around the globe participated in the conference which was dominated by major topics including the best practices in enterprise architecture, IT, digital transformation, risk management and international supply chain.



Lauding the feat, Dubai Customs director Ahmed Mahboob Musabih said: "These recognitions are the fruit of the relentless efforts of our teams at Customs Development Division and the Service Innovation Department and the work towards the realisation of our vision as a leading customs organisation."



"The Enterprise Architecture has streamlined the procedures and led to more client satisfaction. We hit a record in client happiness topping the happiness meter with 97.45 per cent thanks to our advanced systems and products which employ artificial intelligence and smart applications," stated Musabih.



Juma Al Ghaith, the executive director of Customs Development Division, touched on the latest advancements that led to the development of the Enterprise Architecture. "This smart system streamlines our business and leads to easier and hassle-free customs procedures whilst saving cost and raising performance," he noted.



Hussam Juma, the director at Service Innovation Department, attributed this achievement to the great efforts exerted by the higher management team at Dubai Customs who helped build an innovation incubator within Dubai Customs workplace.



Juma outlined the main role of the Enterprise Architecture which ensures that business and technology are in alignment by linking the business mission, strategy, and processes of Dubai Customs to its technology strategy, and by documenting this using multiple architectural models.-TradeArabia News Service
Kashmir has been left facing an acute shortage of migrant workers this year with the building activities in the valley taking a severe burnt.

Though officials have no explanation for this unusual development, locals widely believe that the migrant workers may be shunning the valley, fearing reprisal against them due to attacks on Kashmiris outside the state after the February 14 Pulwama suicide bombing that left 40 CRPF jawans dead.

Tens of thousands of migrant workers, who used to reach here from Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and elsewhere in the country by the last week of February or early March till last year are conspicuous by their absence this year.

These workers, both skilled and unskilled, have failed to show up in the valley so far, hitting the construction activities that usually resume in March at the end of three-month winter here.

The valley's labour market used to be so dominated by the migrant workers that the city's many landmark spots have been unofficially renamed as 'Bihari chowks'.

For example, Hawal Chowk in downtown city, Chanapora in uptown Srinagar and Rambagh on Srinagar Airport road have come to be referred as 'Bihari chowks' with hundreds of migrant workers arriving there every morning till last year, seeking daily-wage employments.

Srinagar residents attribute the acute dearth of migrant workers this year to their possible heightened fears over possible retaliation against them here due to attacks on Kashmiri students outside the state after the Pulwama terror strike.

"A major factor behind them not coming to Kashmir may be the fear of reprisal against the Kashmiris getting targeted by right-wing goons in other parts of the country over the Pulwama attack," said Arshad Hussain, a businessman.

The dearth of labourers has resulted in construction works getting delayed and the labour costs shooting up.

"I used to employ 50 to 60 labourers daily -- most of them migrant workers. Right now I have to make do with just 10 to 15 local workers," said Afaq Ahmad, a local contractor.

He feared the works undertaken by him might be delayed substantially if the migrant workers do not return to Kashmir before soon.

While officials maintain no data on migrant workers, as per a conservative estimate by the industry, around five lakh labourers come to Kashmir every year in February and work here till December when the winter sets in.

"I was planning to building my new house this April but I guess I will have to put it off for a while as local labourers have started demanding more wages than the rates prevalent last year," said Suhail Mir, a local resident.

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A Delhi court has directed police investigation against Bollywood actor Krishan Kumar in a cheating case filed by his brother.

Metropolitan Magistrate Anuj Kumar Singh has directed station house officer, Hauz Khas, to register the complaint filed by the actor's brother Gopal Dua and initiate an investigation in the case.

Dua has alleged that in January 1987, Kumar had approached him with regard to a land deal in Namoli village in Greater Noida, following which a company, Shiv Machine Tools Ltd, was incorporated on February 25 in the same year.

Dua said he and his younger brother Kumar became promoters and the first directors of the company.

Initially an equal number of shares were allotted to both of them but later in 2013, Dua contented that his shares in the company were forfeited illegally on the basis of forged and fabricated documents.

The court in its order said,"a perusal of the complaint and documents annexed discloses the commission of a cognizable offence and investigation by police is required to find out as to whether the allegations in the complaint have any force or not."



"Further, police investigation is required for collection of the evidence," it said.

Kumar is brother of the slain T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar.

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: Chennai Super Kings fans had a lot to cheer about at the M A Chidambaram stadium here Sunday as the players took part in a practice match.

With fans being allowed free entry into three stands, a huge number gathered to watch the CSK players.

Though captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni didn't feature in the 'match', there was a loud cheer when he made an appearance.

Dhoni trained for about an hour, sending deliveries into the stands at regular intervals.

None of the foreign players in the squad were present on the day.

Only one half of the Twenty-20 game was played and Batting Lions had a hit with the willow.

Murali Vijay (32) and Ambati Rayudu (40) opened the innings, with the latter donning the role of an accelerator.

Rayudu, who smashed five boundaries and a solitary six during his 23-ball stay, was sent back in the 7th over.

He was caught off the bowling of veteran Harbhajan Singh.

The hugely popular Suresh Raina (56), coming in at number three, was the only batter to post a half-century.

The team ended the innings at 199 for five.

Shardul Thakur was the best bowler, scalping two wickets, while Harbhajan, Karn and Deepak Chahar took one each.

The three stands C, D and E were packed and members of the fan club were also present in good numbers.

The CSK players began full-fledged training for the forthcoming season of IPL on Saturday, CSK takes on Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opening match of IPL-12 at the MAC here on March 23.

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A differently abled teenager, hailing from Madhya Pradesh and found roaming here, was reunited with his family, police said on Sunday.

The 15-year-old boy was found by a police patrol team at Bishnah main bazar on the outskirts of Jammu city Friday.

He disclosed his name as Shubham but was unable to disclose his full particulars, a police spokesman said.

The police, however, following painstaking efforts, was able to find that the boy originally belonged to Madhya Pradesh and was living with his family at Angurabad area of Pathankot in Punjab before getting lost.

He was handed over to his family after completion of legal formalities Saturday, the spokesman said.

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Realty major DLF will invest around Rs 750 crore for construction of a new commercial project in Gurugram as it seeks to encash rising demand of office and retail space from end users as well as institutional investors, according to sources.

The company has decided to build a new commercial project with 2.5 million sq ft area in Gurugram. It will sell office and retail space in this commercial project, and not adopt lease model, sources said.

DLF has completed and sold a 2.5 million sq ft commercial project 'DLF Corporate Greens' located at Southern Peripheral Road in Sector 74A, Gurugram.

Adjacent to the Corporate Greens project, the company has more land parcels where it will build the new commercial property. The construction work would start in few months with an estimated cost of around Rs 750 crore, sources said.

The company spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

DLF, the country's largest realty firm in terms of market capitalisation, mostly develops commercial project on lease model to earn rental income. However, some of its projects are on sale model as well.

It has more than 30 million sq ft of leased commercial properties with a rental income of over Rs 3,000 crore.

The bulk of its rent-yielding commercial assets are in the joint venture firm DLF Cyber City Developers Ltd (DCCDL). While DLF owns 66.66 per cent stake in DCCDL, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC holds the remaining 33.34 per cent.

To monetise commercial real estate, DLF promoters had in late 2017 sold their entire 40 per cent stake in DCCDL for Rs 11,900 crore.

This deal included sale of 33.34 per cent stake in DCCDL to GIC for Rs 8,900 crore and buy-back of remaining shares worth Rs 3,000 crore by DCCDL.

Post this big ticket deal, DLF is looking to develop more commercial projects directly as well as through JV firm with GIC as it is left with limited stock.

DCCDL is developing a 12-acre green commercial project 'Cyber Park', with a leasable area of 2.5 million sq ft, in Gurugram at a cost of about Rs 1,500 crore and more such projects are in the pipeline in and around Cyber City and Cyber Hub.

DLF had recently announced development of an office complex on a land parcel that it bagged through an auction from Haryana government. It has tied up with the US-based realty firm Hines for this project.

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Election personnel will hike through the rugged and difficult terrain of an Arunachal Pradesh district bordering China for a day to ensure that the lone voter of a polling station can exercise her franchise.

Sokela Tayang lives with her children in Malogam, around 39 kilometres from Anjaw district headquarter Hayuliang. The area fall under Hayuliang Assembly constituency.

According to sources, very few families reside in Malogam and all the voters, except 39-year-old Sokela, are registered in other polling stations.

"The polling station had two voters during the 2014 elections. Now, for some reasons, Sokela's husband Janelum Tayang has transferred his name to another polling booth under the same constituency," sources at the state Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office here said.

It will take a full day for the polling party -- a presiding officer, polling officers, security personnel and porters -- to reach Malogam polling station from Hayuliang on foot, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Liken Koyu said.

"They may have to be in the booth from 7 am to 5 pm on the polling day. We don't know when she will come. One cannot be forced to cast his or her vote early," Koyu said.

The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are being held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh. A total of 7.94 lakh voters, including four lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise on on April 11.

This time, 11 polling stations have been set up in the state exclusively for female voters.

The northeastern state has several polling stations where the number of voters is very low. One of them is Lamta polling booth under the Pakke-Kessang Assembly constituency which has only six voters.

Out of the 2,202 polling stations in the state, seven have less than 10 voters, 281 have electorates between 11 to 100, and 453 have between 101 to 200, sources said.

One booth in Naharalagun under Itanagar Assembly constituency has the highest 1,340 voters.

The state has 518 remote booths where polling parties have to reach on foot covering a distance between 30-50 kilometres which may take even three days, a source said.

With an area of 83,743 sq km, the largest in the northeastern region, Arunachal Pradesh has a population of 13.84 lakh, according to 2011 Census.

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Senior Congress leader left for New Delhi on Sunday, amid speculation that he may join the ruling BJP, though the former chief minister denied any such move.

Speculations were rife that Kamat may be inducted into the BJP and given a major position in the state government, considering Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health.

Kamat was second in command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress.

The senior Congress leader, who held reigns of the state from 2007 to 2012, left for Delhi on Sunday.

"I am leaving for Delhi on a business trip. It is purely personal," Kamat said before boarding the flight to Delhi from the Goa airport.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of spreading rumours about Kamat.



"This is a game plan of the BJP's dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress," he said.

Chodankar also alleged that the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations.

"Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party," he added.

Meanwhile, Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar refused to comment on reports in a section of media that the issue of Kamat joining the saffron party was discussed during its MLAs' meeting held here on Saturday.



The health of 63-year-old Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, deteriorated on Saturday, sparking hectic political activities across parties in the coastal state.

The BJP on Sunday said it is "already thinking on Goa political transit phase" even as it asserted that the state government was "stable" and warned people against rumours.

State minister Vijai Sardesai met Parrikar on Saturday at his private residence at Dona Paula near here and said his health had "deteriorated", but he was "stable".
Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is said to be in active consideration for appointment as the country's first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman, officials said Sunday.

Justice Ghose, 66, retired as Supreme Court judge in May 2017. He is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) since June 29, 2017.

His name for the post is understood to have been in active consideration by the Lokpal selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said, without citing further details.

There was no official announcement of his appointment by the government.

His appointment, if made, may trigger a political storm as Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had boycotted the selection panel's meet on Friday.

The law, which envisages appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed on 2013.

The development comes a week after the Supreme Court asked Attorney General K K Venugopal to inform it within 10 days about a possible date for meeting of the selection committee.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S A Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna was on March 7 informed by Venugopal that the Lokpal search committee headed by former apex court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai has recommended three panels of names to the selection committee for appointment of chairperson, judicial and non-judicial members in the anti-graft body.

The attorney general had told the bench that he will ask the secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that the meeting of the selection committee is convened as early as possible.

The top court had refused to pass directions to disclose names in the three panels.

Following the court's proceedings, a meeting of selection panel was held on Friday.

The Supreme Court had on January 17 set up a February-end deadline for the Lokpal search committee to send a panel of names who could be considered for the appointment as its chairman and members.

A person who is or has been the Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court judge is eligible for appointment as Lokpal.

According to rules, there is provision for a chairperson and a maximum of eight members in the Lokpal panel.

Of these, four need to be judicial members.

Not less than 50 per cent of the members of the Lokpal panel shall be from amongst the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities and women, the rules say.

Upon selection, the chairperson and members shall hold office for a term of five years or till they attain 70 years of age.

The salary and allowances of the chairman will be same as that of the Chief Justice of India.

The members will be paid salary and allowances same as that of a judge of the Supreme Court.

The Lokpal selection committee is headed by the prime minister and has as its members -- the Lok Sabha Speaker, leader of the opposition in the lower house, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist who could be nominated by the President or any other member.

President Ram Nath Kovind had nominated former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi as "eminent jurist" as the member of the panel against the vacancy arising following the death of senior advocate P P Rao.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had been invited in the past meetings of the selection panel as a "special invitee".

However, he had been refusing to attend the meeting since February last year arguing that there was no provision for a special invitee to attend such a meet.

In a recent letter to Modi, he alleged that the government has not made any attempt to amend the relevant provisions of the Lokpal Act to include the leader of the single largest party in the opposition as a member of the selection committee.

There is no leader of opposition or LoP in the current Lok Sabha.

A party should have at least 55 seats or 10 per cent of the strength of the Lok Sabha for its leader to get the LoP status.

The Congress is the single largest opposition party in the lower House but its leader could not be given the LoP status as it does not have the requisite number to qualify for it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Kashmiri man seeking medical help for his newborn, a Bihar girl facing eve-teasing on board a train and a Rajasthan businessman looking for the person who owes him money -- all find a 'madadgar' (a good Samaritan) in the CRPF, the country's largest paramilitary force.

The faceless 21-member 'Madadgar' team of the CRPF has been providing help not only to people in the militancy-affected Jammu and Kashmir but other parts of India as well.

The 24x7 helpline was the brainchild of CRPF's Inspector General (Operations) Zulfiquar Hasan as long spells of curfew had become routine in Kashmir in 2016 due to the widespread violence in the aftermath of the killing of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen terror group.

The initiative, which started in January 2017, has many success stories and attracted huge appreciations from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as well as the Union Home Ministry.

A few days ago, the phone at the Kashmir-based 'Madadgar' unit started ringing in the dead of night and the call was from Boniyar in Baramulla town of North Kashmir. The caller, the father of a three-day-old baby, was crying and asking for help as the newborn required immediate transfusion of O-negative blood.

Immediately, the nearest CRPF unit was alerted and jawans with O-negative blood rushed to the district hospital, after taking adequate security precautions, and donated blood for the newborn.

The baby was discharged from the hospital a few days later.

Not far from Boniyar lives Mushtaq Tantray. A resident of Gundbrath in Sopore district, Tantray had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for three-four years. However, in 2016 his financial condition deteriorated and he had to sell everything and shift to a tin- shed dwelling along with his wife, Mubinaa, and three school-going children.

"They (Madadgar) are God-sent angels. They have saved me," says Tantray, whose hameo-dialysis is being taken care by the CRPF for the past two years. Besides this, he also gets a regular supply of medicines from the paramilitary force, which has been fighting militancy in Kashmir Valley for the past three decades.

"This is an effort by the CRPF to build bridge with people of the this country. The results have been encouraging and I am sure that we will be able to serve people better," Hasan, who is a West Bengal-cadre IPS officer, told PTI.

Last December, 'Madadgar' received a call from a girl who was travelling in a train from Bihar. She was complaining of eve-teasing by three boys on board and needed help. "The alert sub-inspector at the call centre, which is based in Kashmir, took the PNR number of the girl and checked the live location of the train.

"Immediately, the Railway Protection Force at the next station was alerted and the three boys were arrested," recalls Assistant Commandant Gul Junaid Khan, who heads the 'Madadgar' call centre.

"We receive on an average around 700 calls a day and the problems can be anything. Even some call us to know directions of roads to reach their destination," he said.

Recently, there was a call from Rajasthan and the person claimed that a Kashmiri businessman owed him money. "We verified the claims and found it to be true. After mediation, we ensured that the person was paid all his dues by the businessman," Khan said.

Post February 14, which was the darkest day for the CRPF in Kashmir Valley when it lost its 40 men in a suicide terror strike by Jaish-e-Mohammed, the lines of Madadgar continued to ring with distress calls.

"We had not even mourned properly and our boys were out to help others. Efforts were made to respond to calls received from Kashmiris living across the country who pleaded for help...Police officials and NGOs in those areas were contacted and the safety of the people was ensured," says Hasan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of kilometers away from New Zealand, four distraught families in Gujarat and Kerala are waiting for one last glance of their five relatives who were among those killed in a shooting at two mosques in Christchurch.

The grieving families are trying to cope with the loss of their loved ones in the attack by a gunman which left 50 people dead.

Among the deceased were a 28-year-old man from Gujarat, who was recently blessed with a baby boy, and his father, and an Imam who shifted to New Zealand three weeks ago, after his citizenship was confirmed.

Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer hailing from Hyderabad, is also feared to have died and his parents are expected to leave for New Zealand Sunday night, a family member said.

A grieving Yasmeen Vora from Vadodara said their relative Arif Vora (58) went to New Zealand with his wife on February 14 to see their son Rameez Vora (28), who was recently blessed with a baby boy.

Rameez Vora, who was settled in New Zealand, took his parents to offer Friday prayers at the mosque when the incident took place, she said.

"Arif's other son Raheel, who lives in Australia, confirmed that both Arif bhai and Rameez were killed in the attack," said the distraught woman.

The family members approached Lok Sabha member from Vadodara, Ranjan Bhatt, who has assured help, she said.

Hafiz Musa Patel (56), an Imam hailing from Luwara village in Bharuch, who had gone to New Zealand only three weeks back as his citizenship had recently been confirmed, his relative Ayub Ghadi said.

Patel was living in Fiji since the last three decades. His two daughters and three sons are settled in Australia and New Zealand," Ghadi said.

"He had gone to the mosque to offer Friday prayers with his wife and a friend when the shooting happened. Bullets hit Patel in the back following which he was shifted to a hospital in Christchurch where he succumbed," he said.

Besides, Juned Kara from Navsari in Gujarat was also among those killed in the attack, Superintendent of Police Girish Pandya said.

"Kara, a native of Adada village in Navsari, was among those killed in the attack. It was confirmed last night," Pandya said.

The Kerala Chief Minister's Office said that all efforts were being made to bring the mortal remains of a 27-year-old woman killed in the attack.

Ancia Alibava from Kodungallur in Thrissur district, was pursuing MTech in an agricultural university there. She had gone to the mosque to offer prayers with her husband, Abdul Nazar, when the shootout took place. Ancia was reportedly in the women's section.

Her husband managed to escape and informed relatives in Kerala about the tragedy.

NORKA Roots (a department which provides all information pertaining to Non Resident Keralites) was in constant touch with the Indian High Commissioner in New Zealand, a statement by the CMO said.

The high commission officials were informed by the New Zealand Police on Sunday morning that the body would be released within 24 hours.

NORKA Roots officials said as soon as the body is handed over, it would be brought to Kerala within four days.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on the young woman's hometown with her family waiting anxiously for her mortal remains to be brought back for the final journey.

According to media reports, the family has also rejected the request of the New Zealand government to perform the last rites in that country.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post on Saturday, had termed as shocking, the report of Alibava's death.

Khursheed, brother of Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a Hyderabad resident who is recovering after being shot, told PTI that he too would be travelling to the country.

Khursheed was supposed to leave for New Zealand on Saturday night, but could not as he did not have a confirmed ticket, he said.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted on Saturday night that Ahsan, the engineer who is feared dead, had passed away.

A cousin of Ahsan recalled his childhood and their stay at Hanmakonda (Warangal) in Telangana, saying he was a bright student who completed engineering from a city college.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A delegation of 20 innovative UK renewable energy companies will visit Saudi Arabia from tomorrow (March 18) for meetings to be held with governmental and private sector stakeholders.



The meetings, organised by the UKs Department for International Trade and the Saudi British Joint Business Council (SBJBC), will run until March 20.



The delegation includes both small and larger companies with expertise in a range of renewable energy technologies including grid management, low carbon desalination, solar and wind energy solutions and legal and advisory services.



The companies will participate in meetings and roundtables hosted by the Saudi General Investment Authority (Sagia), Renewable Energy Programme Development Office (Repdo), Sabic, Acwa Power and the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC) over three working days in Riyadh.



As well as focussing on the major projects recently launched by Saudi Arabia to generate 59 gigawatts of electricity from solar and wind by 2030, the programme will include a roundtable hosted by the Council of Saudi Chambers on the opportunities for on and off grid renewable energy generation through private Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and rooftop solar.



Jeremy Short, Department for International Trade, said: Saudi Arabia has an ambitious renewable energy programme stretching across both large scale and local schemes in support of its Vision 2030 objectives around the energy transition.



The UK is keen to support the Kingdom in these ambitions and hopes that this mission is the start of a dialogue leading to provision of UK knowledge and expertise in this market, he said.



Gary Hunt, director of the British Trade Office in Al Khobar, said: Saudi Arabia is embracing new technology and innovation as part of its National Transformation Plan (NTP). This mission is a fantastic opportunity to match UK capability with Saudi Arabias aspirational goals in the renewable energy sector.



Chris Innes-Hopkins, SBJBC UK executive director, said: We are delighted to partner with the Department for International Trade, Sagia and CSC in organising this important visit which follows SBJBCs Smart Cities Mission to Saudi Arabia in November 2018.



We look forward to a productive visit, he added.



Hashim Alawadi, SBJBC Saudi deputy chair, said: We continuously work with our British counterparts to enhance trade and further strengthen the commercial relationships between businesses in both countries.



Renewable energy is indeed a very promising arena for cooperation and we hope that this visit will result in another strategic long term area of partnership between the private sectors in our countries, Alawadi added.  TradeArabia News Service
Twelve alleged drug peddlers, including a father-son duo, were arrested along with huge quantity of contraband substance in separate operations in Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Sunday.

Manzoor Hussain and his son Waqar Ahmed were arrested after 2,334 intoxicant tables and capsules were recovered from them during vehicle checking at Salani bridge in Rajouri district Sunday, a police spokesman said.

The duo was travelling in a bus which was on way to Rajouri from Jammu.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Rajouri, Yougal Manhas termed the arrest of the duo as a "major success".

"The authorities are going to take more stern steps against people involved in drugs and narcotics peddling in Rajouri district in days to come," he said.

Bahar Ahmad Dar, a known drug peddler, was apprehended along with two kilograms of charas at Darpura Rallu link road near Banihal in Ramban district on Saturday, the spokesman said. Dar is a habitual offender and was involved in as many as four FIRs, he added.

"A dossier has already been submitted to district magistrate for his detention under the Public Safety Act," the spokesman said.

He said two drug peddlers - Azad Ahmad Bhat of Pulwama and Adil Ahmad Padder of Anantnag - were arrested after police recovered one kilogram of charas from their possession during checking of a three-wheeler at T-Chowk in Banihal Saturday evening.

Sahil Sharma of Bishnah and Raj Kumar of Nanak Nagar were arrested along with 6.5 grams of heroin during checking at Jinder Melu in the R S Pura area on the outskirts of Jammu, the spokesman said.

He said three more drug peddlers, Jagmeet Singh and Princepal Singh, both residents of Simbal, and Jagjeet Singh of Punjab, were arrested after two grams of heroin and 11 kgs of poppy straw was seized from their possession at Miran Sahib and Channi Himmat areas of the city.

Two more drug peddlers, Abrar Ahmad and Haroon Ahmad, were arrested during separate raids in Doda district, the spokesman said.

All the arrested persons were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot has said the BJP government's move to provide 10 per cent quota for the economically backward section in the general category was aimed at empowering the poor and not for electoral benefits as alleged by the opposition parties.

He claimed the Congress government led by Narasimha Rao had tried to provide reservation for the general category poor but did not follow proper procedure.

The BJP government has fulfilled the long-pending demand as it was committed to the issue and did not want to betray the people of the country, Gehlot said.

"The poor belonging to the general category had for long been demanding quota for them, like that for the SC, ST and OBCs. Our government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has done justice to them," the Union minister, a Dalit face within the BJP, said.

He said the government neither violated the 50 per cent cap on reservation set by the Supreme Court "in any manner" as it was applicable only for the SC, ST and OBCs, nor it had any intention to interfere with the existing quota for these categories.

"We followed proper procedures and made Constitutional amendments to carve out quota in the general category. We inserted clause 6 in Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution -- which are on discrimination and equal opportunity -- to implement it.

"The Congress government under P V Narasimha Rao tried to grant quota in the general category but did not follow proper procedures because of which he apex court struck it down. The recent refusal by the apex court to stay the Centre's decision shows that our procedure was constitutionally valid," Gehlot said.

He claimed that the move has created an atmosphere in the country favourable to Modi.

"Not only those belonging to the general category but also members of other community has praised the Modi government for it and will vote heavily for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls," the Union minister said.

Asked about the BJP's fortunes in the parliamentary polls, Gehlot said, "Every election is a challenge and the BJP under Modi has the power to convert every challenge into opportunity."



On whether the Congress or regional parties, teaming up to oppose the BJP, pose a more formidable challenge to the saffron party, he said, these parties are "battling for survival" which is why they are seeking to stich up alliances.

He alleged that most of the leaders in the UPA government and other regional parties were "knee deep in corruption" and many of them are out on bail.

"The vote base of the Congress and other regional parties (BSP and SP) has almost eroded because of their negative People of the country know these parties are going for alliances for their own survival and thus a government formed out of such alliance will be a weak one.

"The People of the country do not want a helpless government, they want a strong government ('Desh ki janta majboor nahin mazboot sarkar chahati hain'). They know that only a strong government under Modi can take tough decisions like it has taken against terrorism and Pakistan.

"The two surgical strikes during which our armed killed terrorists have instilled confidence and a sense of security among citizens," he said.

On allegations of the Modi government being "anti-Dalit", Gehlot said the BJP-led NDA dispensation has taken many steps for the empowerment and welfare of all, including the Dalits.

"The Modi government wants an atmosphere of harmony, equality and unity in the society where everybody gets equal benefits and opportunities and nobody is left out," the Union minister said.

Laws to protect the Dalits from atrocities and to safeguard their rights were strengthened during the NDA regime while the financial allocations for several welfare and empowerment schemes were increased, Gehlot said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A German reporter held by Venezuelan authorities for four months flew back home Sunday after being conditionally released, a Venezuelan NGO has said.

Billy Six (32) "is in the air right now, flying from Caracas," Carlos Correa, head of the Espacio Publico non-governmental group that defends free speech, told AFP.

The organisation published a photo on Twitter showing the German in a plane making the sign of a "V" for victory with his fingers.

Arrests of media employees have increased in recent months as President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido duel over who is the legitimate president of the economically-devastated stricken country.

Six was arrested in northern Falcon state on November 17 for allegedly photographing Maduro at a proximity deemed too close by the leader's minders.

After being held for four months by the Venezuelan intelligence service -- during which he staged a brief hunger strike -- he was released on Friday with orders to report to court every two weeks, Espacio Publico said.

But Correa said that, as he had no specific ban on leaving the country, Six "considered it best" to return to Germany.

"We were able to speak to him," said Correa. "He is doing well. He is in good spirits." Six had complained earlier in a letter that he was being refused a chance to defend himself and that he had been denied the results of medical tests conducted after he contracted dengue fever.

His case, at first taken up by a military tribunal, was later transferred to a civil court in Caracas.

The freelance reporter had been in Venezuela to investigate drug trafficking, smuggling and human trafficking -- and the exodus of Venezuelans forced to migrate due to the economic crisis.

Espacio Publico and journalists' associations in Venezuela accuse Maduro's government of systematically limiting access and movements of journalists.

About 50 arrests of journalists have been recorded by Espacio Publico this year in Venezuela.

Guaido, head of the opposition-controlled legislature, declared himself interim president at a public rally on January 23, saying that an election widely viewed as a sham last year meant Maduro was a "usurper." The opposition leader is backed by more than 50 countries, including Germany and the United States.

On March 7, Maduro's government expelled the German ambassador, accusing him of "meddling" in domestic affairs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Germany's two biggest lenders, the ailing Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, said Sunday they would launch formal talks toward a possible merger that could create a "national champion" in financial services.

Chancellor Angel Merkel's government has been urging the two Frankfurt firms to explore a cross-town tie-up to avoid either one being swallowed up by a foreign competitor and to create a muscular player that can finance Germany's export-driven companies.

The lenders, both grappling with painful restructurings after years of falling profits, have long been the subject of merger rumours.

Deutsche Bank said Sunday it was "reviewing strategic options and confirms discussions with Commerzbank", adding that "there is no certainty that any transaction will occur".

Commerzbank said both banks had "agreed today to start discussions with an open outcome on a potential merger".

If they did tie the knot, they would create a European banking behemoth with some 1.8 trillion euros (USD 2 trillion) in assets, close to France's largest bank BNP Paribas.

Deutsche Bank's market capitalisation is 16.1 billion euros while Commerzbank's is 8.9 billion euros.

Deutsche Bank's CEO Christian Sewing said in a letter to staff that "we have to assess opportunities as they arise" and that "consolidation in the German and European banking sector is an important topic for us".

"Our stated aim remains to be a global bank with a strong capital markets business -- based on a leading position in our home market in Germany and in Europe, and with a global network."



A week ago Finance Minister Olaf Scholz sent up shares in both banks by confirming that "there are talks about the situation as it is" between the lenders, with the government a "fair companion" to the discussions.

On Sunday, his ministry said only that it had "taken note" of the start of formal talks and remained "in regular contact with all sides".

Critics of a potential deal have pointed to both Deutsche and Commerzbank's weakened state in the wake of the financial crisis, saying combining two ailing firms would not produce a healthy one.

"Putting two guys on crutches together doesn't make a sprinter," Markus Kienle of SdK, an association representing small retail shareholders, quipped earlier this year.

Commerzbank is still part-owned by the German state, after Berlin had to step in following its 2009 acquisition of troubled Dresdner Bank, and is part-way through a tough restructuring.

Deutsche is also reorganising, and only returned to the black last year after many years spent fighting the financial and legal fallout of its breakneck pre-crisis expansion.

Any potential tie-up would have to overcome a slew of hurdles -- from the headache of marrying the IT systems to dealing with cultural differences between the lenders, and the potential market challenges of recapitalising a giant with feet of clay.

Two German unions last Wednesday firmly rejected the idea of a merger between the top lenders.

Service workers' union Verdi charged the merger would make the combined banks "more attractive for a 'hostile' takeover, for example from France".

It warned that "at least 10,000 further jobs would be in grave danger" on top of thousands already slated to go amid the far-reaching restructuring projects.

Nonetheless, marrying off Germany's two biggest private banks would fit with Berlin's new-found fervour to build up such titans.

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier has joined his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire in calling on the EU to relax merger rules and allow the creation of world-spanning businesses, after Brussels rejected a tie-up between Siemens' rail division and French train-maker Alstom.

European banking supervisors have long urged mergers between lenders to create a more resilient financial sector -- but prefer cross-border marriages to avoid bundling together national problems.

A Frankfurt banking source with close ties to the public sector has told AFP that Berlin clearly wanted to avoid the banks, whose low valuations have made them takeover targets, "falling into the hands of a foreign player".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Alexander Skarsgard says "Godzilla Vs Kong" is visually "extraordinary".

The 42-year-old actor said the film, which is scheduled to release next year, gave him the chance to play a character which is different from what he has done in the past two years.

"We've been shooting for two months, we were in Hawaii for a month we were in Australia for a month and I fly back tomorrow morning to continue. I'm having so much fun, I'm loving it I really am.

''It's quite different for 'The Aftermath', and from most movies I've been doing the past two years I've done a lot of slightly more cerebral, emotionally intense dramas. So in that way it was quite cathartic and it was exciting to something big and fun and I love the character I play in it and visually it's pretty extraordinary," Skarsgard told Collider.

The film, directed by Adam Wingard, follows on from Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" and Jordan Vogt-Roberts' "Kong: Skull Island" and "Godzilla: King of the Monsters", which is slated for release this year.

"Godzilla Vs Kong" also features Julian Dennison, Brian Tyree Henry, Demian Bichir and Millie Bobby Brown.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Gujarat BJP Sunday held a meeting to discuss names of candidates for the state's 26 Lok Sabha seats.

All 26 seats, currently held by the BJP, will go to polls in a single phase on April 23.

The meeting, which took place in Gandhinagar, was attended by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, state Lok Sabha poll in charge Om Mathur and state unit chief Jitu Vaghani among others.

Names of probable candidates will be discussed for three days after which a final report will be sent to the party high command in Delhi, a leader said on condition of anonymity.

Senior BJP leaders met Sunday to discuss names of probable candidates for Vadodara, Bharuch, Panchmahals, Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Valsad, Navsari, Vardoli, Surat, Anand and Kheda Lok Sabha constituencies, Rupani said in a Facebook post.

"The Lok Sabha election committee met in Gandhinagar. Discussions were held on candidates for the Lok Sabha seats based on input received by party's poll observers," Rupani said.

Rupani said names of probable candidates for Vadodara, Bharuch, Panchmahals, Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Valsad, Navsari, Vardoli, Surat, Anand and Kheda Lok Sabha seats were discussed.

Sources said sitting MPs from the 26 seats were discussed Sunday.

Discussions on rest of the seats will be held tomorrow and day after tomorrow, a party source said.

The opposition Congress also held a meeting Sunday under the leadership of state unit president Amit Chavda.

Party sources said Congress leaders from Kheda, Kutch and Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituencies were among those who met Chavda.

Discussions were also held on the party's preparations for bypolls in five Assembly constituencies, Congress sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the Pulwama terror attack, NCP chief Sharad Pawar Sunday said he had suggested to give "all powers" to armed forces to destroy terror camps in the all-party meeting held in Delhi on February 15.

Indian Air Force conducted air strikes on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26, twelve days after 40 CRPF jawans were killed in Pulwama in a suicide bomber attack.

Pawar further said the prime minister skipped the meeting and attended a political rally in Yavatmal in Maharashtra.

"While the border in Kashmir was being targeted, they (government) remained a spectator. However, later, the PM spoke about the 56 inch chest in Yavatmal, What was that 56 inch chest doing in Yavatmal?" Pawar asked.

He alleged that the PM was politicising the Pulwama terror attack.

Pawar was addressing NCP workers at Chakan industrial town in Pune district, where he kicked off the campaign for party's candidate in Shirur Lok Sabbha constituency, Amol Kolhe.

The former defence minister said the leaders of various parties were briefed about the Pulwama strike in the Delhi meeting, and their suggestions were sought after the briefing.

"A day after the Pulwama terror attack, the government called an all-party meeting in Delhi. In that meeting, we were briefed about the attack, including which explosives were used and how the attack was executed," Pawar said.

He said after the briefing, the government sought to know the way forward in the aftermath of the attack.

"Being a former defence minister, the first question was asked to me, and I responded saying that we need not speak about what has to be done. Give all powers to the Army, Navy and Air Force and they will destroy the terrorist camps. Representatives of all parties supported the meeting," the NCP chief recalled.

Pawar said apart from the prime minister, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman too gave a miss to the crucial meeting.

"When we inquired why they didn't attend the crucial meeting, we were told that the PM had gone to Yavatmal for political campaign. On one hand, we were being asked about what should be our response to the Pulwama terror attack, while on the other hand, the PM was busy giving a political speech," he said.

Citing examples of late prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi, Pawar said Gandhi not only created history but she also created new geography by breaking Pakistan into two and creating Bangladesh.

"While we have examples of Shastriji and Indira Gandhi, what has he (Modi) has done other than speaking about the 56 inch chest," he said.

Referring to IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's return to India from Pakistan custody, two days after his MiG-21 jet was shot down in dogfight with Pakistani fighter aircraft, Pawar said the kin of the pilot also said the issue should not be politicised.

"It was the entire world which pressurised Pakistan to return wing commander Abhinandan to India as per the Geneva Convention. After he returned to India, his wife stated that she is happy that her husband is back but she is more proud of that fact that he went to Pakistan border to protect the country.

"She also requested that the issue should not politicised. Even wife of IAF officer Ninad Mandavgane who died in a helicopter crash in Kashmir said their valour should not be utilised for political gains," he said while disapproving any attempts to politicise the entire issue.

Pawar also stated that while the security personnel were ready to give their life for the protection of the country, current leadership is indifferent to their issues.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese consumer electronics major Haier Group is looking at India as one of the most "strategic market" globally, and expects the local unit to become a billion dollar company by 2020 and be among top three players in home appliance segment in next two years, largely driven by higher sales, said a top company official.

Haier India, expects to continue its high growth momentum from all verticals and is also extending its product portfolio by expanding into segments such as smart homes solutions and smart laundry business.

Besides, the Qingdao headquartered company, which owns six other global brands besides Haier, is also mulling to introduce some of them in India after 2020, to tap the growing opportunities premium segment.

"Our target is to be one billion dollar company by 2020," Haier India President Eric Briganza told PTI.

Haier India, which follows January-December fiscal calendar, had posted a net revenue of around Rs 3,500 crore in 2018, by registering a growth of around 50 per cent and is now among the top five durables brands in India in the categories which it operate, he added.

"Now we are targeting to be third largest brand in the home appliances by 2020," Briganza said adding "we are aiming to close 2019, with a year-on-year growth of 35 per cent."



Haier is presently investing around Rs 3,000 crore to set up its second manufacturing unit at Greater Noida, UP, where it expects to start production by the end of 2020, to meet its growing sales demand.

Two years, back Haier has already invested around Rs 600 crore to expand the manufacturing capacity of its Pune-based unit.

"India is the most strategic market for us. We are confident about about it and are investing," said Song Yujun, VP, Global Appliances Haier Group and Managing Director, Haier South and South East Asia.

Presently, India is the highest contributing foreign market for the brand Haier products, he said adding that it may introduce some more brands from its portfolio in coming years to cater the premium segment.

"We have plans to introduce some of the brands in India to cater the segmented markets," said Yunjun, without suggesting the name of probable brands.

Besides Haier, the group has six other brands - Casarte, Leader, US-based GE Appliances, Fisher & Paykel from New Zealand, AQUA from Japan and Italy-based Candy.

Haier India, besides appliances, is also expanding its IoT enabled public laundry services here, which would be a part of its service revenue.

"By 2019 end, we will expand to 100 campuses in India which will have IoT enabled public laundries," said Yujun.

Last year, Haier India had introduced first IoT enabled public laundry service at Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi University.

Controlled completely through an app, users can reserve, schedule, monitor and pay for the services from their phones. Each washing machine is connected to the cloud and can be individually managed from the app.

Haier India also plans to to open Smart Homes solution in all leading metros. It had opened first smart home solutions store in New Delhi in November 2018.

"With this step, we took a step closer in making our consumers' lifestyle future ready," Briganza added.

In 2018, Haier Group's global turnover was 266.1 billion yuan. In overseas markets, Haier has 12 industrial parks and 54 factories



Haier India's Pune plant has capacity to roll out 1.8 million refrigerators, 0.5 million units each of - washing machines, ACs, TVs and water heaters annually.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A section of students of Bharathiar University Sunday demanded capital punishment for the accused in the Pollachi sexual harassment case, police said.

Holding placards saying 'Hang the accused. Book them under rape case,' the students raised slogans urging the government to act immediately and hang them, they said.

Meanwhile, activists of the Social Democratic Party (SDPI) formed a human chain here demanding an NIA probe into the entire episode, the police said.

They also raised slogans against the government and demanded that Superintendent of Police R Pandiarajan be removed from the post, they said.

A gang of four men had on February 12 allegedly tried to strip the woman inside a car near Pollachi, and had shot a video of the act and blackmailed her using the visuals.

With the incident sparking off outrage after reports of more women were assaulted by the gang, the Tamil Nadu government had last week issued an order transferring the case to CBI.

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Social activist Anna Hazare Sunday welcomed the that former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was being considered for appointment as the chief of country's first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman.

Justice Ghose, who retired from the Supreme Court in May 2017, is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Speaking to reporters, Hazare said, "I welcome the decision of appointing the country's first Lokpal. The people's movement for it, going on for 48 years now, has finally won."



Hazare has led several agitations and hunger protests demanding the appointment of Lokpal at the national level and Lokayukta in states.

He had sat on a hunger strike in February-March in his native Ralegansidhi in Ahmednagar district over the non-appointment of Lokpal.

The Lokpal Act, which envisages establishment of anti-graft body Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed in 2013.

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US-based Infor, a global leader in business cloud software specialised by industry, has announced that global trade enabler DP World, as part of its digital transformation initiatives, has selected the Infor GT Nexus Commerce Network as the technology backbone to power its Global Supply Chain Platform Initiative.



DP Worlds objectives for strategic growth require innovative logistics digitalisation capabilities to power a new business initiative that will extend the value of its port and trade facilitation services to customers around the world.



The DP World Global Supply Chain Platform Initiative will bring supply chain stakeholders and processes together on a single global, intelligent network.



This will deliver enhanced, end-to-end, digital logistics services and worldwide supply chain visibility.



DP World has chosen the Infor GT Nexus Commerce Network for its track record in providing a network for global trade management to over 65,000 businesses.



The Infor strategy to deliver network native, global supply chain digitalization and innovation was also a key factor in the decision.



DP World aims to improve performance at all stages of the global supply chain, from points of manufacture to points of consumption. The company is also seeking to make trade smarter, which means working to establish physical infrastructure such as ports, logistics parks, and transport services where they are most needed, and to exploit the opportunities offered by digital technology to make the whole supply chain work better.



As a global trade enabler servicing customers around the world with a comprehensive supply chain network capability, this expansion into logistics is a key part of its growth strategy.



Jonathan Wood, Infor general manager, India, Middle East, and Africa (IMEA), said: The global digital logistics market is expected to grow by almost 8 percent between now and 2023.



As some of the busiest production centres in the world, the IMEA region is ideally placed to maximise this opportunity, and with its heritage in global trade and strategic investment, DP World will position the Infor GT Nexus Commerce Network to help achieve its objective of a leading position in worldwide supply chain services, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
A community health worker was killed and her husband seriously injured when a speeding tractor crushed their motorcycle in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district, police said Sunday.

The accident occurred near Masawi village on Saturday.

Kamlesh, an accredited social health activist (ASHA), and her husband Hukum Singh were on their way to a health centre on the vehicle when the speeding tractor hit them, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Nigerian feature film "Water of Gold" -- along with a text message campaign -- made viewers significantly more likely to report corruption, according to a study which shows how such media can shift social norms.

"Water of Gold" is Nigerian film commissioned for the purposes of an innovative experiment to investigate whether films can help combat corruption.

The movie, set in the Niger Delta, is a story about two brothers. One brother, Natufe, is a poor fisherman.

However, Natufe's brother, Priye, leaves the Niger Delta, gets rich in business, returns home, and becomes a corrupt politician -- to the dismay of Natufe, who becomes outspoken about endemic local corruption.

In one version of "Water of Gold," Natufe and another local activist set up a number for corruption reporting via text message and report instances of it, in scenes lasting five minutes.

The other version did not contain those scenes. As the researchers discovered, "Water of Gold" boosted corruption reporting among viewers -- but only when it contains the extra 17 minutes showing the movie characters reporting corruption themselves.

"When we added the extra scenes in the film, we found we did get more people reporting," said Rebecca Littman, a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

The movie, and an accompanying mass text message, spurred 240 people in 106 small communities to send in concrete, specific reports of corruption over a seven-month period, a marked improvement compared to two national campaigns that generated 140 reports per year, in a country of 174 million people.

By combining texting with the film, it becomes "less costly, and psychologically easier, to try this new thing," Littman said about corruption reporting.

To conduct the study, the researchers both commissioned "Water of Gold" and then rolled it out in careful fashion.

Among the 106 places where the film was available, in 2013 and 2014, it was randomly determined whether viewers would see the "treatment" version of the film, with the corruption-reporting scenes, or the "placebo" version, which lacks them.

Both versions of the movie were also accompanied by a new system for reporting corruption via text message, which was displayed on the film's packaging and at the beginning, middle, and end of the film.

Soon after handing out the films, the researchers then sent out a mass text message blast in each community, to all subscribers of the major mobile phone provider, so people simply had to reply in order to report corruption.

Nigeria would seem to provide a setting where anticorruption campaigns have room to grow, researchers said.

In a public-opinion survey conducted as part of the research project, just under 80 per cent of Nigerians said they thought the police, civil servants, and state governments were corrupt.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Sunday released its health manifesto ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and urged all political parties to give priority to the health sector.

The manifesto contains various suggestions to improve public health, change policy directions, streamline medical education and improve medical research.

"There is insufficient funding in the healthcare sector and the GDP in healthcare is at a dismal rate of 1.2 pc. The out of pocket expenditure is one of the highest for our country and every year over 3.3 per cent of people are pushed below poverty line due to expenditure on health," said Dr Santanu Sen, the national president of IMA.

"In order to improve the overall healthcare sector and cope up with the out of pocket expenses, the GDP must be increased to at least 5 per cent," he said.

The IMA will soon launch a countrywide 'Health First' campaign to propagate the manifesto among the candidates, political parties and the public.

The local units of IMA will conduct public meetings and seminars in which the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections will also be invited.

"The primary and preventive care should be given top priority. Wellness centres have to be reconceived and they have to be manned by MBBS graduates," said Dr R V Asokan, the general secretary of IMA.

"MBBS doctors are ready to work in rural areas and the IMA can facilitate availability of manpower to the primary care centres. There should be recruitment boards to recruit MBBS graduates for primary care," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The presence of Lalu Prasad, known for his witty repartee and rustic mannerism, which made campaigning a lively affair, is being sorely missed this time.

The RJD supremo is serving sentences in fodder scam cases and lodged in a Ranchi hospital for a number of ailments.

The inimitable RJD supremo, whose party symbol lantern brings the promise of dispelling darkness, is known to lighten up the tedium associated with elections, often leaving in splits even those at the receiving end of his jibes.

People still recall the kind of banter he had brought to the atmosphere during the assembly polls of 2015, when he took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was firing on all cylinders during campaigning.

The polls were fought along with his arch rival Nitish Kumar - who headed the JD(U) as the chief ministerial candidate - but the imprint of Lalu, ailing and disqualified from contesting elections himself, was unmistakable.

Who else could have dismissed prime minister at one panel discussion after another with the remark "Narendra Modi is my junior".

The short-lived alliance between the arch rivals proved mutually beneficial as Kumar salvaged his pride, battered by a drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls held the previous year, and returned to power for a record third term.

Prasad, meanwhile, succeeded in launching his sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav's political careers.

The polls also saw a turnaround in the fortunes of the RJD, which emerged as the single largest party in the assembly, a far cry from 2010 when it failed to muster enough numbers to stake claim to the post of the leader of the opposition.

Taints of corruption, however, continued to haunt the RJD supremo as cases of money laundering were lodged against his younger son Tejashwi, pertaining to a period when he was still in his teens.

The scandal involving Tejashwi, who was the deputy chief minister of Bihar when his party was in coalition with the JD(U) and the Congress, was too much to stomach for an image-conscious Nitish Kumar, who snapped ties with the RJD and went back to the NDA, which he had quit in 2013.

The RJD was, as a result of the dramatic turn of events, stripped of power and left with an axe to grind against Kumar.

In a bid to perpetuate his hold over power, Prasad initiated his eldest daughter Misa Bharti, too, into active politics, besides wife Rabri Devi, who had succeeded him as chief minister, and has over the years transformed from a tongue-tied housewife to a doughty, combative politician.

In Tejashwi, the younger son believed to be his father's favourite, the party sees its future, while Tej Pratap reminds Prasad's admirers of his father's mannerisms with a shrewdly cultivated rustic touch.

Depending upon their leanings, people recall with disdain or devotion Prasad's earthy swagger.

The ailing septuagenarian continues to occupy the political centrestage in Bihar, even though he has been away from the public eye for more than a year. He now awaits the Supreme Court's decision on his bail plea.

In the caste-ridden polity of Bihar, he would always be remembered as the architect of a formidable winning combination of the Muslims-Yadavs (MY) that thoroughly changed the political landscape.

Despite allegations of corruption or patronage to criminals, Prasad is known for his stout defence of social justice, and the boldness with which he quelled communal passions in surcharged times like the Ayodhya movement of the 1990s.

He had even stopped BJP stalwart L K Advani's 'Rath Yatra' in the same year when he was the chief minister, and got him arrested.

The RJD is the single largest constituent of the opposition grand alliance. If the anti-incumbency turns out to be strong, the party may well send the largest number of MPs from Bihar and emerge as a key player in the formation of the new government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Most complaints filed by air passengers in the Civil Ministry's grievance redressal system relates to behaviour of airline staff and harassment of flyers, according to an official document.

'Loss of baggage' category in Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring system (CPGRAM) has received second highest number of complaints from air passengers, showed a Ministry document accessed by PTI.

The document shows that while 3,524 complaints were received in CPGRAM in the category of 'harassment of passengers/ staff crew behaviour', the number of complaints that were received in the category of 'loss of baggage' was 1,822.

The category of 'ticketing/fare/refund' received third highest number of complaints. It recorded 1,011 grievances as yet.

The CPGRAM is an online system with an objective of "speedy redress and effective monitoring of grievances" by ministries or departments or organisations of central government.

The CPGRAM was established by the Centre in 2007-08.

When asked for data regarding the number of complaints received against each airline, a senior ministry official said, "There is no option in CPGRAM to segregate the grievances airline-wise."



Last year, the civil ministry had told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture that "systematic grievance redressal mechanism has been already put in place through which passenger grievances received by this office are forwarded to the concerned airline for redressal directly with the complainant as the travel by air is a contractual matter between the airline and the passenger".

In its report dated December 21, 2018, the Standing Committee said that it "feels that the role of the Ministry should be more than being a transmitter of passenger grievances to the respective airlines".

"The Ministry should ensure that the respective airline has taken necessary action to redress the grievance within a stipulated timeframe. The Ministry should also penalize the airlines in case of not solving the grievances to the satisfaction of passengers," the committee had said.
"Bharosa Party", "Sabsi Badi Party", and "Rashtriya Saaf Niti Party" are some of the 2,300- odd political parties that India has on the eve of the 2019 general elections.

The Election Commission of India's latest data on political parties, registered till March 9, a day before the Lok Sabha elections were announced, reveal that the country is having a total of 2,293 political parties.

They include seven "recognised national" and 59 "recognised state" parties.

In fact, 149 political parties were registered with the poll panel between February and March on the eve of the announcement of the poll schedule.

Till February this year, the country had 2,143 political parties registered with the Commission, with 58 of them getting registered ahead of the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telengana, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh during November-Deember last year.

Some of the recently registered 149 parties include Bahujan Azad Party from Sitamarhi in Bihar, Samoohik Ekta Party from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Rashtryia Saaf Niti Party from Jaipur, Rajasthan, Sabsi Badi Party, Delhi, Bharosa Party from Telengana and New Generation People's Party from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

These registered but unrecognised political parties do not have the privilege of contesting elections on a fixed symbol of their own.

They have to choose from a list of 'free symbols' issued by the poll panel. According to the latest EC circular, there are 84 such free symbols available currently.

To become a recognised political party either at the state or national level, a party has to secure certain minimum percentage of polled valid votes or certain number of seats in the state legislative assembly or the Lok Sabha during the last election.

Fearing misuse of the provisions for financial contributions to political parties, the Election Commission had in 2016 asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes to look into the finances of 255 registered but unrecognised political parties it had "unlisted" that year for not contesting polls in the last one decade between 2005 and 2015.

There have been fears that most of such parties are used to 'round trip' the black money into white.

The EC had found that some of the parties were "no longer in existence or functioning".

While the poll watchdog has the mandate to register a political party, the electoral laws denies it the power to deregister any party.

With its demand to get power to deregister a party being pending with the Law Ministry, the Commission had used its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to "unlist" parties for being dormant and not contesting elections for a long time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five Indians were among the 50 people killed by a white supremacist, who opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, in the worst attack on Muslims in New Zealand, the Indian High Commission said Sunday.

The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The high commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.

"With a very heavy heart we share the of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted.

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of indian nationality/origin". But, he added, official confirmation was awaited.

The High Commission said its helpline numbers 021803899 & 021850033 will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.

"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin."



It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly.

Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212.

In a 74-page manifesto the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism.

Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.

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Jammu and Kashmir Bank Sunday said it proposes to sell its stake in PNB Metlife India to private equity player Oman India Joint Investment Fund II for Rs 185 crore.

The bank has executed share purchase agreement with Oman India Joint Investment Fund II for sale of 4.1 crore shares of PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd, Jammu and Kashmir Bank said in a regulatory filing.

This would be subject to fulfilment of certain conditions precedent, which include requisite prior approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, it said.

Jammu and Kashmir Bank holds 5 per cent stake in the insurance venture.

PNB MetLife India Insurance is a joint venture between MetLife International Holdings Inc, Punjab National Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, M Pallonji and Company Pvt Ltd and other private investors.

The state-run Punjab National Bank holds 26 per cent stake in the venture, while the US-based MetLife has a 26 per cent stake.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The district police have denied permission to former Uttar Pradesh Minister Dharam Pal Yadav from staying in a private hospital here, citing the sensitive law and order situation ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Yadav was been sent back to the Dehradun District Jail, where he is serving a life term, on Friday, officials said.

DIG Upendra Agarwal said the action has been taken due to information that during Yadav's proposed stay in the hospital, some of his supporters were planning to create disturbance in the area to influence voters.

Yadav was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) on March 14 for treatment.

On the same day, he got himself referred to Yashoda Hospital in Ghaziabad.

On March 15, he was discharged from the hospital and sent to Dehradun jail.

Yadav was imprisoned in the much-publicised Mahendra Bhati murder case, Agarwal added.

Yadav is a four-time MLA, two-time Parliamentarian and a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government.

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With its huge campus and large auditoriums, the Jamia Millia Islamia is increasingly becoming a favourite option for filmmakers to shoot their projects.

While the Delhi University continues to be a favourite with Bollywood, the filmmakers say they usually avoid going to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as securing permissions there is a tedious process.

According to sources, the reason behind the JMI opening its doors for shoots can also be attributed to fund cuts by the government.

They said the varsity administration has become lenient with shoots and that has helped the filmmakers.

Professor Majid Jamil, the secretary of Jamia Teachers' Association, said the varieties have been asked to generate their own funds and efforts are underway to generate own fund resources.

"For the last two years, the varsity has been facing issues in paying salaries of teachers. The varsity had to even break its fixed deposits to pay the salaries of teachers. Every university is facing these issues and most of the research and development activities are being hampered," he added.

The grand finale of 'Bigg Boss 12' was shot in one of the auditoriums of JMI, while a film titled 'Doordarshan' starring Mahie Gill was recently shot in the campus.

An advertisement of Subway India was also shot in one of the classrooms of the varsity where the makers spent close to Rs 2-2.5 lakh in renovating the classroom according to their requirement, the sources said.

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali recently visited the campus for a recce for his film 'Love Aaj Kal 2' since he wanted to shoot a scene in a science laboratory but since the varsity's lab did not fit his requirements, he will now be shooting that particular portion in Mumbai, the sources added.

The varsity will soon play host to Kangana Ranaut starrer 'Panga', the sources said. A Malayalam film was also recently shot in the campus.

"The campus of JMI is huge and we do not have to worry about procuring additional security as we can shoot without worrying about our actors getting mobbed. The varsity has a strong security in place," said Line Producer Javed Khan.

He secured permission for shooting the film 'Doorsdarshan' and also the commercial for Subway India.

Khan said the varsity provides several options through its auditoriums, classrooms and lawns.

"Every centre of the varsity has a different look. We can even recreate government offices in the varsity," he added.

While Khan did not talk about the rates charged by the varsity, he said the JMI offers an economical option for shoots.

He said the Delhi University is more expensive than the JMI.

The sources claimed that shooting in the JMI costs Rs 50,000 per day and the varsity gives concession if the film has a social message.

The Delhi University, with its ambience, despite the high rates has been a favourite with Bollywood.

Shahid Kapoor starrer 'Kabir Singh' was recently shot in Miranda House while Amazon Prime's web series 'Breathe 2' featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Amit Sadh was shot in Kirori Mal College, the sources said.

"In the Delhi University, one mostly has to shoot during vacation time as there is always a threat of the actors getting mobbed but if there is an urgent requirement, the colleges give permission even on working days," said Line Producer Navmeet Singh.

Singh said colleges like Kirori Mal, Hansraj and Miranda House are quite open for allowing shoots while it is difficult to procure permission to shoot in the St Stephen's College.

The sources said the cost of shooting in Kirori Mal college, Hansraj college and Miranda House is anywhere between Rs 2-2.5 lakh.

Arjun Kapoor-Shraddha Kapoor starrer 'Half Girlfriend' was shot in the St Stephen's College and the sources claimed that the makers had to shell out Rs 3 lakh for each day they shot in the college.

The sources claimed that the JNU is not very open to the idea of film shoots and even filmmakers prefer to stay away from shooting there.

"We have applied for permission to the JNU earlier but have not got a response. The perception of the varsity is that it is very political and filmmakers prefer to stay away from shooting there," said Singh.

Even for the film 'Raanjhana', in which Sonam Kapoor and Abhay Deol played JNU students, the varsity was recreated in some other university in Noida.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Free zones are now present in more than 80 per cent of states in the world, including emerging countries, and comprise nearly 30 per cent of global trade. Asia region consists of the largest number of free zones in the world, followed by North America, South America and the Middle East.



With a total of 160 free zones (7.3 per cent), the Middle East is the fourth largest host region in the world, with Dubai comprising of 30 per cent of the free zones.



These figures testify the important role free zones play in creating a robust economy, according to organisers of Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), which is set to take place in Dubai from April 8 to 10.



Dawood Al Shezawi, chief executive officer of Annual Investment Organizing Committee, said: In todays fast-paced world, free zones are more than facilitators of seamless operations.



Offering legislative and investment benefits, free zones around the world have evolved as competitive business models, that accelerate growth of the economy by creating job opportunities and facilitating easy and smooth trade, he said.



Annual Investment Meeting is the worlds leading platform for FDI, aimed at facilitating strategic networking and promoting investments. Power-packed with international investment community, this exalted gathering witnesses high-ranking policy makers, business leaders, regional and international investors, successful entrepreneurs, leading academics and celebrated financial experts showcasing up-to-date information and strategies on attracting FDI.



Offering companies benefits as low tax rates, faster procedures, ease of business, quick access to international markets, robust physical and digital infrastructure, vigilant security and seamless regulations, free zones around the world have been the key source of economic growth.



With free zones driving the growth of the economy, industry experts suggest that markets as US, European Union, Middle East and North Africa (Mena), Asia and Latin America will witness a robust growth in years to come.



In the UAE, in addition to the free zones, the government has introduced several measures to increase FDI. Some of the strategic initiatives introduced by the UAE include the introduction of a 10-year visa rule for specialists, 100 per cent ownership law and the creation of a government body in Abu Dhabi to drive foreign direct investment.



At the upcoming Annual Investment Meeting, experts will focus on diversification and highlight the significant role of free zones in driving foreign direct investments.



In addition, the exhibition will offer opportunities for governments and private organisations to launch and promote their projects to a vastly diverse audience, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
: The Jana Sena Sunday announced an electoral tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party in Andhra Pradesh, allotting three Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats to it for the April 11 elections.

Announcing this, Sena president Pawan Kalyan said he wished to see BSP chief Mayawati as the Prime Minister.

Kalyan had met Mayawati in Lucknow two days ago.

BSP senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Veer Singh came to Vijayawada Sunday to formalise the alliance.

Accordingly, the BSP has been allotted SC reserved Lok Sabha seats Chittoor, Tirupati and Bapatla.

The 21 assembly seats have not been finalised yet.

Many could not appreciate her personality and greatness. Country needs a strong leader like Mayawati as Prime Minister. This is the wish of crores of people and mine too, Kalyan told reporters here.

A few years ago he was asked to be the BSP AP unit president but he could not oblige because of the then political situation, the Sena chief said.

Veer Singh said AP needed a Chief Minister like Pawan Kalyan, saying he was aiming to usher in a social change.

Mayawati would tour Amalapuram on April 3 and Tirupati the next day and then go to Hyderabad, he said.

The Jana Sena said its alliance with BSP would extend to April 11 Lok Sabha elections in neighbouring Telangana as well but did not specify the seats each would contest.

The Jana Sena is also yet to finalise seat-sharing with the CPI and the CPI-M in AP though Kalyan held several rounds of talks with the Left leaders in the last few days.

Meanwhile, former IPS officer V Lakshmi Narayana joined the Jana Sena, ending speculation about his political moves.

Narayana shot into fame as the then Joint Director of CBI in AP, who led the probe into the Jaganmohan Reddy disproportionate assets case.

A Maharashtra cadre officer, he took voluntary retirement late last year and toyed with the idea of floating his own political outfit.

There was speculation that the ruling TDP might field him as a candidate from Visakhapatnam district.

Narayana met Pawan Kalyan after midnight Saturday and formally joined the Sena on Sunday at a function in the party office here.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Sri Krishna Devaraya University Rajagopal, a close relative of Narayana, also joined the Sena.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seeking to emerge as a potent third force in the state, the Jana Sena of Telugu film star Pawan Kalyan has teamed up with the Bahujan Samaj party, the CPI and the CPI-M for the April 11 polls to Lok Sabha and the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

On a day of hectic political activity, the Jana Sena Sunday afternoon finalised seat-sharing with the BSP and later with the Left parties.

Accordingly, the Jana Sena will contest 140 out of 175 assembly and 18 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

BSP has been given three Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats, CPI and CPI-M two Lok Sabha and seven assembly seats each, as part of the agreement, Kalyan announced.

The MP and MLA game has become so expensive that we had to take some courageous decisions to contest and change the system. We have put an end to this bizarre money somewhere. We are happy to allot four Lok Sabha seats to the Left parties, Kalyan told a press conference.

CPI-M state secretary P Madhu said their objective was to introduce a new in the state by breaking the hegemony of the TDP and the YSR Congress.

Ours is a very good combination that is coming before the people. We will unitedly confront the Congress and the BJP as well, he added.

This was a new effort to "emerge as a potent third force in the state", the former MP said.

CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna and Sena leader Nadendla Manohar were also present.

As per the agreement, CPI-M will get Kurnool and Nellore Lok Sabha seats while CPI Anantapuramu and Kadapa seats.

The BSP has been allotted SC reserved Lok Sabha seats -- Chittoor, Tirupati and Bapatla.

At a separate event at the Jana Sena office, Kalyan said he wished to see BSP chief Mayawati as the Prime Minister.

Kalyan had met Mayawati in Lucknow two days ago.

BSP senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Veer Singh came to Vijayawada Sunday to formalise the alliance with the Sena.

Many could not appreciate her personality and greatness. Country needs a strong leader like Mayawati as Prime Minister. This is the wish of crores of people and mine too, Kalyan told reporters.

A few years ago he was asked to be the BSP AP unit president but he could not oblige because of the then political situation, the Sena chief said.

Veer Singh said AP needed a Chief Minister like Pawan Kalyan, saying he was aiming to usher in a social change.

Mayawati would tour Amalapuram on April 3 and Tirupati the next day and then go to Hyderabad, he said.

The Jana Sena said its alliance with BSP would extend to April 11 Lok Sabha elections in neighbouring Telangana as well but did not specify the seats each would contest.

Meanwhile, former IPS officer V Lakshmi Narayana joined the Jana Sena, ending speculation about his political moves.

Narayana shot into fame as the then Joint Director of CBI in AP, who led the probe into the Jaganmohan Reddy disproportionate assets case.

A Maharashtra cadre officer, he took voluntary retirement late last year and toyed with the idea of floating his own political outfit.

There was speculation that the ruling TDP might field him as a candidate from Visakhapatnam district.

Narayana met Pawan Kalyan after midnight Saturday and formally joined the Sena on Sunday at a function in the party office here.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Sri Krishna Devaraya University Rajagopal, a close relative of Narayana, also joined the Sena.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jet Airways has grounded its operations at Abu Dhabi Airport from Monday for an indefinite period, citing operational reasons.

Abu Dhabi is one of the two international hubs of Jet Airways. Dutch capital Amsterdam is the European gateway for the airline for its operations to Europe and beyond.

"Jet Airways has cancelled all their flights from Abu Dhabi with immediate effect from March 18 due to operational reasons," Etihad Airport services said in a notification to its passengers Sunday.

Etihad Airport Services is the ground handling arm of Jet Airways investment partner Etihad Airways. Abu Dhabi airport also serves as the main hub of the UAEs national carrier.

"Further to the short notice of flight cancellation, (Abu Dhabi) hub may face minor disruption)," the company said in the statement.

Responding to PTI queries on the cancellation of its operations from Abu Dhabi, the airline in a statement said, " Jet Airways has pro actively taken certain adjustments to its flight schedule keeping in mind the likely yet interim non-availability of some aircraft in its fleet in the foreseeable future."



Jet Airways has also informed the regulator directorate general of civil aviation and the passengers about these changes, it added.

Jet Airways has been looking at various ways to raise funds amid acute liquidity crunch that has forced it to ground aircraft, cancel flights in large numbers, shutdown stations and delay salary payments to its pilots and engineers along with other senior staff.

On March 8, Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal wrote to Etihad Airways Group CEO Tony Douglas seeking an urgent funding of Rs 750 crore and also warned that any delay in fund infusion might result in its grounding of the carrier, saying more than 50 of the aircraft are grounded amid increasing arrears of vendors and salaries to a section of employees.

Jet Airways has a debt of over Rs 8,200 crore and needs to make repayments of up to Rs 1,700 crore by the end of March.

It has already defaulted on an ECB payment earlier this week but is servicing its domestic debt.

The Jet Airways board had on 14 February approved a bailout plan whereby the lenders led by the State Bank of India (SBI) would become the largest shareholders in the airline by converting the airline's debt into equity at a nominal price of Re 1.

The Jet Airways bailout plan was approved by the shareholders on 21 February.

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JNU student leader and activist Shehla Rashid made her foray into active by joining the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Movement, launched by former IAS officer Shah Faesal here on Sunday.

The engineer-turned-activist, who is currently pursuing her PhD from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, shot to fame as a prominent face of the student activism following a controversy over an event at the varsity during which alleged anti-national slogans were raised.

"During the past five years, as a student activist, I have been in conversation with all political parties. To join the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' movement was a conscious decision. However, whether or not I will be contesting elections is something I am still giving a thought. For now, I will be focusing on strenghtening the party's base in different areas," Rashid told PTI.

In her short address to the supporters of the party at the function at Gindun Ground in the Rajbagh area of the city, she said the JKPM was a movement for peace and development in the state.

"This is not a party, but a movement for peace and development and a movement for our dignity and unity," she said.

Shehla said the JKPM wants more women to join the party as it was the time to give them their due place.

"Our party is not like the other parties where women do not get their due. We know that in a conflict, it is the women who suffer the most," she said.

Rashid, who was the first Kashmiri woman to contest and win the JNU Student Union polls, says Kashmir has always been close to her heart.

"If I would have not moved to the JNU for further studies and remained here, I would not have been the Shehla Rashid I am known as today. I would have been suppressed politically, legally, socially as well as personally.

"The scope for student activism is very very restricted here (Kashmir). Not that I did not face any opposition, restrictions and criticism in Delhi but I definitely had more space to express myself," she said.

Rashid, who has 4.65 lakh Twitter followers, is active on social media platforms even though her views have often landed her in controversies.

Faesal, the first Kashmiri to top the IAS exam, resigned from the service earlier this year to enter into

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Except Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafeez Saeed, almost all leaders of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation have gone underground after the Pakistan government placed the two outfits in the list of banned organisations, official sources said on Sunday.

Under immense international pressure, the Imran Khan-led government placed the Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) in the list of proscribed organisations and arrested over 100 members of the outfits, including Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar's son and his brother.

Pakistan also took control of the properties of the JeM, the JuD and the FIF, including seminaries and mosques, across the country.

The government termed the action in accordance with the National Action Plan (NAP) and meeting the obligations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

"Except the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack, Hafiz Saeed, almost all main leaders of the JuD and the FIF have gone underground and they will reappear once this dust settle," an official source told PTI.

He said JuD chief Saeed is keeping a low profile and currently living at his Lahore residence amid high security.

The JuD's media team has also gone underground, as they are neither issuing any statement nor taking calls from the media persons.

Even messages sent by PTI to JuD media team members Yahya Mujahid and Ahmed Nadeem asking if the JuD leadership has gone underground to escape arrests or waiting the dust to settle down, it remained unanswered.

For the first time in two decades Saeed was also not allowed to enter and deliver the weekly sermon at JuD headquarters in Lahore.

"The Pakistan government is yet to take a decision on taking Azhar and Saeed into the protective custody," the official said.

The government has upgraded a group of proscribed organisations to "high risk" and started monitoring and re-examining their activities and profiles under heightened security checks at all layers of legal, administrative, investigative and financial regimes to comply with the requirement of the FATF.

The Paris-based global watchdog against financial crimes had expressed dissatisfaction over considering these entities as "low" to "medium" risk by Islamabad, saying Pakistan did "not demonstrate a proper understanding of the terror financing risks posed by Daesh (ISIS), Al Qaeda, Jud Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) Haqqani network (HQN), and persons affiliated with the Taliban".

According to the government, all these entities have now been described as "high-risk" and will be subjected to greater scrutiny by all agencies and institutions of the state, starting from their registration to operations and from their fund collection to bank accounts and issuance of suspicious transactions, information sharing and so on.

These decisions are being taken to comply with the FATF obligations.

Recently, the Dawn said that merely making an announcement about a group's proscription was not enough.

"If the state has evidence of the outfit's involvement in militancy it should present the facts and pursue the legal course so that JuD's leadership can face justice," it said.

"As has been witnessed for nearly two decades now, the state moves to ban militant outfits, but, in very little time they are back, up and running, with new names and the entire structure of violence intact," it said.

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Hitting out at the BJP and the Congress for allegedly failing to meet the aspirations of the people, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday said a federal front government must come to power after the Lok Sabha elections.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi president said he would play a major role and start a national party, if necessary, to herald reforms and unite the country.

"If this country is to improve, it has to move forward on par with other countries at an international level with its head held high. Only if the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are made to run away, alternative federal will come in this country. The writ of states should run," he said, kicking off his party's election campaign in Karimnagar.

The TRS is seeking 16 seats for itself and one seat for ally AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi to ensure that Telangana gets a "good" deal post-Lok Sabha elections. There are 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

"Not just these 16 MPs, but by gathering 100 to 150 MPs, Telangana should influence the country's politics," he said.

The country has not been able to progress the way it should have with the Congress and the BJP at the helm of affairs since Independence, he said.

Giving an example, he said the country is blessed with 70,000 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water, however there is still drinking and irrigation water shortage.

He further claimed power plants were not being used effectively.

China has progressed greatly, though it was backward earlier, he said.

Many reforms are needed in governance, judiciary, among others, he said.

During his visit to Telangana, BJP president Amit Shah had said the Centre has given plenty of funds to the state, which is not true, KCR alleged.

He said all central funds received by the state were as per the Constitution.

Telangana is among the six-seven states that make the country run, he said.

The chief minister criticised the thorny relations between the government and the opposition. While Congress chief Rahul Gandhi alleges Prime Minister Narendra Modi is corrupt, Modi retorts by saying the Gandhis are out on bail, KCR said.

He mocked the BJP's "Hindutva agenda", asking whether others outside the saffron party were not Hindus.

"The local Congress, BJP leaders are speaking today with big mouths as if there is no problem, no problem of drinking water, as if they only took contract for Hindu religion. Are you only Hindu? Are we not Hindu," he said.

"We are better Hindus than you. Nobody in India does as many 'yagas' as I do. In fact, Modi (once) said Rao spends most of his time on 'pujas'. What is your (Modi) loss if we do 'pujas'. You come if you like, I will give you 'prasadam'," he said.

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The Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP) Sunday alleged that the Congress government in Punjab had failed on all fronts and the promises made by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was "nothing but a bundle of lies".

The PEP was floated in January by former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda.

The party also came out with a "charge sheet" alleging that the state government had failed on several fronts, including eradicating drug menace and providing one job per family.

Polls to the 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab will be held on May 19.

The "lofty claims" of fulfilling poll promises made by Singh "is nothing but a bundle of lies and a cock and bull story", Khaira, who represents the Bholath assembly constituency, said.

"Needless to mention, the promise to write off complete debts of farmers by Amarinder Singh was the most striking point in the election manifesto of the Congress.

"The ground reality is that as of now the government has waived only Rs 4,245 crore as against the colossal debt of Rs 1 lakh crore," the PEP alleged in its "charge sheet".

This "great betrayal" by Singh has dashed to the ground hopes of farmers and farm labourers, "leading to an escalation of suicides in Punjab", it said.

The PEP said, "as on date as many as 750 farmers and 'khet-mazdoors' (farm labourers) have committed suicides, onus of which lies directly on the chief minister and his party."



The Congress government has also failed to eradicate the drug menace in the state.It had promised during the 2017 Punjab polls to wipe out the problem within four months, it alleged.

The PEP also accused the state government of failing to implement their "star promise" of providing one job per family.

"In order to hoodwink the youth, the Punjab government is organising job fairs to mischievously show case its poll promise. Needless to mention, these job fairs are merely campus placements of youth by private companies and the government has nothing to do with these private sector jobs," it said.

"The stark reality is that more than 22 lakh youth continue to be jobless in Punjab..," the party claimed.

The PEP charged Singh-led government of "hoodwinking, cheating and misleading the youth of Punjab in the name of job fairs, in order to hide their failure to provide employment."



The Khaira-led party also accused the state government of failing to curb corruption despite its "zero tolerance" claims to tackle the scourge.

"The government has also miserably failed to curb mining and other forms of mafia in the state," the "chargesheet" said.

The party alleged that other key promises such as 50 lakh smart phones for the youth, increase of old-age pensions to Rs 2,500 per month, increase of assistance under the 'Shagun scheme' to Rs 51,000, and free houses to the poor among have all gone unhonoured in the past two years.

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President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, saying he was an unparalleled leader and a true patriot.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BJP chief Amit Shah also expressed grief over the demise of Parrikar who was suffering from a pancreatic ailment.

Describing him as "one of Goa's favourite sons", Gandhi said Parrikar was respected and admired across party lines and had bravely battled his illness for over a year.

Shah remembered him as a leader who dedicated his life to the country and ideology and said Parrikar has shown how a BJP worker "even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last".

The prime minister described Parrikar as an "unparalleled leader", who was a "true patriot and exceptional administrator and admired by all". Terming him as a builder of modern Goa, Modi said his tenure as a defence minister saw enhancement of India's security capacities.

Kovind said Parrikar was an "epitome of integrity and dedication in public life".

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said she met him only once, when he visited her mother, Sonia Gandhi, at the hospital two years ago. "May his soul rest in peace," she said.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said he was a true fighter who worked tirelessly for the welfare of his people with a sense of duty and dignity.

National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said Parrikar's untimely demise has left a void that will be difficult to fill.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik described him as a widely respected public figure and an able administrator



Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot condoled his death and prayed for peace of the departed soul.

Expressing sadness over Parrikar's demise, former president Pranab Mukherjee said the Goa chief minister fought bravely against his disease and he always hoped that Parrikar will beat it.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said Parrikar's exemplary leadership will continue to inspire and serve as a benchmark.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, "Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers."



Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed Parrikar as a "symbol of simplicity" in

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said Parrikar's dedication and simplicity won many hearts and he also contributed immensely towards the development of the nation.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar also expressed grief over demise of Parrikar.

"We have lost an able and industrious administrator who made his mark with his simple demeanour and extraordinary intellect. My sincere condolences to his family members," Pawar tweeted.

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The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), founded by Ram Vilas Paswan, is facing an uphill task this time in the Lok Sabha elections of reasserting its political standing after the party chief has virtually passed on the baton to his son Chirag Paswan.

Serving his eighth term as the MP from Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, which Ram Vilas Paswan has won with record margins on more than one occasion, the septuagenarian leader has made it clear that he will not be contesting the polls and seek re-entry into Parliament through the Rajya Sabha.

His party, however, will be contesting six out of the 40 seats in Bihar the same number the LJP had won in 2014



in alliance with the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United).

The success of his party in these six seats which include brother Ram Chandra Paswans Samastipur, as also Jamui represented by Chirag Paswan would show the esteem in which people still hold the legacy of the Union minister whose frequent change of loyalties has earned him the colourful sobriquet 'mausam vaigyanik', meaning a weatherman who has the uncanny knack of sensing which way the wind blows.

The party had come into being in 2000 following a bitter feud with Sharad Yadav, the veteran socialist leader, who at that time headed the JD(U) with which Paswan was aligned.

He sought recognition as a separate group with the support of four out of 10 JD(U) MPs including himself, which was granted by the then Lok Sabha speaker GMC Balayogi and the LJP was thus founded.

LJP started off with its founder being a member of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet. He then quit the NDA and gave up his ministerial berth in protest against the 2002 riots in BJP-ruled Gujarat.

Since 2002, Paswan has changed his loyalties at a head-spinning rate, meeting with success on some occasions as also humiliating losses like his own defeat in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, and its members in both the houses of the state legislature defecting to the JD(U) in the next few years.

The JD(U)s exit from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2013 made the BJP look for new allies and the opportunity was seized by Paswan even though it required him to hold the brief for Narendra Modi ironically, the man blamed for Gujarat riots as the then chief minister of the western Indian state.

It is believed that the emergence of India as a new economic power under Modis plank of development with corruption-free governance became an obvious justification for Paswans realignment in the larger interest of the people.

If voters re-endorse this plank of the NDA, 'mausam' (weather) would turn out to be favourable for the LJP too.

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The unit of the Congress on Sunday called off seat-sharing talks with the CPI(M)-led Left Front for polls, after weeks of hectic parleys failed to resolve the impasse over distribution of seats.

becomes a new addition to the list of states where the Congress failed to clinch a seat-sharing deal to take on the

CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra said he will not make any comment until and unless he gets to know anything official from the Congress.

The Left Front has called a meeting Monday to decide its next course of action.

"It has been decided by our party unit that we don't want any adjustment or alliance by compromising our dignity. The Left can't dictate us on who will be candidate and who won't. We will fight alone in Bengal," Mitra announced after closed door party meet on Sunday evening.

The decision by the Congress Sunday paved way for four cornered contest in Bengal between the Trinamool Congress, BJP, Left Front and the Congress.

"I will be going to New Delhi tonight with names of three probable candidates for every seats for the first three phases for clearance from our high command," Mitra said.

A section of the Congress leadership felt insulted over the Left Front unilaterally announcing its list when the talks were on between both the parties, party sources said.

The Left Front in its list announced Congress leader Rezaul Karim's, chairman of the state medical cell of the party, from Birbhum seat.

The Left's candidate list mentions Karim as their candidate from Birbhum, but did not mention which party he represents.

"How can they decide who will be our candidate? Our medical cell chairman's name was declared as their Birbhum candidate without taking due permission from our side. This is absurd. So what's the use of negotiations if Left front declares candidates on our behalf?" Mitra asked



"We wanted this alliance, but unlike the CPI(M) we didn't want it to be a marriage of convenience. We wanted a credible alliance where both had equal respect, but the CPI(M) was unwilling to do that," senior state Congress leader Subhankar Sarkar said.

The Left Front announced its first list of candidates for 25 seats in for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls Friday leaving 17 constituencies for the Congress.

According to sources, the state Congress is not happy with the seats that were left for the party. Since the beginning of seat-sharing talks between both the parties, there have been several issues which had cropped up time and again.

Initially, the impasse over Raiganj and Murshidabad Lok Sabha seats were resolved after intervention of Congress president and CPI(M) general secretary

The Congress later decided to leave those two seats for the CPI(M) as it had won those two seats last time.
Dubai Customs has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Dubai Free Zones Council to help with the implementation of the Virtual Stock Guarantee initiative.



The agreement follows the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai of facilitating business procedures.



The new facility was developed by Dubai Customs to support re-export activity from free zones to external markets within Dubai Customs efforts to help Dubai maintain a leading position and turn into a world economic capital. This initiative is the first of its kind in the world, said a statement.



The signing ceremony was attended by HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Free Zones Council; Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World group chairman and CEO and chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and was signed by Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, secretary general of Dubai Free Zones Council; and Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director of Dubai Customs.



More than 18,000 companies based in 24 free zones and 37 customs warehouses can benefit from the Virtual Stock Guarantee facility, in addition to customs warehouse companies willing to use it to re-export their goods solely through Dubais air and sea ports, and the UAE land exits.



According to the agreement, Dh455 billion ($123.88 billion) will be released as company and warehouse securities: Dh327 million ($89.03 million) in bank guarantees and Dh128 million ($34.85 million) in cash guarantees.



HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum said: After developing a comprehensive geo-economic map of Dubai, this agreement follows hard on the heels of the foundation of the Dubai Free Zone Council as a fulfilment of the 2nd article of the 50-Year Charter which was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.



Its the fruit of cooperation between the free zones council and Dubai Customs to leverage the virtual stock operation, which is the first of its kind in the world. This agreement also supports the 3rd article of the 50 Year Charter of creating the first virtual commercial zone in the region which will provide various facilities to investors, and help attract foreign direct investment, support the economy of Dubai, and enhance its position on the global map, he added.



HH pointed out that the Free Zones Council keeps developing and adopting the latest future trends that meet and even go beyond the investors expectations.



This leverages our national economy and creates a very inviting and attractive environment that employs the most advanced technologies to help entrepreneurs and businesses of different sizes get the best of our free zones, HH added.



Sultan bin Sulayem said: We follow the wise vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and develop certain initiatives to facilitate business activities and maintain economic growth.



This will help create more investment opportunities and raise Dubai competitive edge worldwide. Dubai Customs' Virtual Stock Guarantee initiative supports Dubai Free Zone Companies that has significant role on Dubai's economy, while Free zones have contributed Dh532 billion ($144.84 billion), representing 41 per cent of Dubai's non-oil foreign trade in 2018, he added.



We will always work hard to help Dubai maintain its leading position worldwide and encourage more investments into the emirate. The Virtual Stock Guarantee facility is the first of its kind in the world and it will pave the road towards the development of the first virtual trade zone in the world which will target 100,000 companies in accordance with the third principle of the 50-Year Charter, bin Sulayem added.



Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni said: The Virtual Stock Guarantee provides more cash flexibility to different companies and licensed customs warehouses within the free zones. Now they can retrieve their securities and bank guarantees and use them to enhance their business and develop their operations, in parallel with enhancing the trade cycle at various. This will have its positive effect on the economy.



Dr Al Zarooni highlighted the importance of Dubai's innovation culture which is applied in a practical and systematic manner at Dubai free zones. Over the past few decades, it has contributed to the economic, social, and human development of the emirate and the country as a whole and positioned Dubai as a preferred global destination for the ease of doing business, and the go to destination for investment and investors.



On his part, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director of Dubai Customs highlighted Dubai Customs role in developing and innovating smart services and systems following its vision of turning into a world leading organisation that supports legitimate trade.



These steps, facilities and procedures have done their part in helping Dubai reach Dh1.3 trillion in its non-oil foreign trade in 2018 against a backdrop of world economic world volatility and turmoil. Dubai Customs topped the list of happiness meter with 97.5 per cent, Musabih said.



Musabih added: The return of customs guarantees to free zone companies and warehouses will boost their operations in Dubai. A total of half a billion dirhams, are expected to be reused in their commercial activities, ensuring their growth sustainability and attracting new investments.  TradeArabia News Service
Gujarat BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar parliamentary seat in the state where polling will be held on April 23, a party legislator said on Sunday.

The seat is currently held by BJP veteran L K Advani.

Observers were sent by the BJP on Saturday to seek opinion of party workers and leaders in Gandhinagar about the candidate from the seat.

Most party workers reportedly told the observers that Shah was their choice for the seat.

"BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. I made this demand in front of the observers and it was supported by all," said Kishor Chauhan, a party MLA from Vejalpur, which is a part of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

He said Shah was earlier an MLA from Sarkhej seat, which is a part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

"He (Shah) knows everybody here and is the right candidate to represent us," Chauhan said.

Party sources said MLAs from Naranpura, Sanand and Sabarmati also proposed Shah's name for Gandhinagar seat.

No BJP worker or leader staked claim for Gandhinagar and all of them "in one voice demanded that their national leader contest from the seat", party observer Nimaben Acharya said, without revealing the name suggested by the partymen.

All BJP workers were of the view that the seat was held by a national leader so far, so someone from the central leadership should contest from here, another party observer Prithviraj Patel said.

Gujarat BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya, however, said the central parliamentary board would take a decision on who would be the party's candidate from Gandhinagar, or for that matter, any other seat in the state.

The Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat was won by Advani six times since 1991, barring the 1996 Lok Sabha polls.

In the 1996 general elections, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpyee had won the Gandhinagar seat as well as from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.

The Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat comprises seven assembly constituencies, namely Gandhinagar North, Kalol, Sanand, Ghatlodia, Vejalpur, Naranpura and Sabarmati.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To woo allies in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, the Congress in a reciprocal gesture on Sunday announced that it will leave more than a dozen Lok Sabha seats for other parties, including seven seats for the SP, BSP and RLD alliance in the state.

Apart from this, the grand old party of India also announced that it will leave two seats for the Apna Dal, and entered into an electoral agreement with the lesser known Jan Adhikar Party.

"The Congress is leaving seven Lok Sabha seats in the state for the SP, BSP and RLD alliance. These include Mainpuri, Kannauj and Firozabad. Apart from this, the party will not field any candidate on seats from where BSP chief Mayawati, RLD chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudhary are likely to contest or may contest,"UP Congress chief Raj Babbar told reporters here.



He, however, could not tell the name of the seventh Lok Sabha seat, which the Congress will be leaving for the alliance.

"The alliance has left the seats of Rae Bareli (held by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi) and Amethi(held by Congress president Rahul Gandhi). In a reciprocating gesture, we are leaving seven Lok Sabha seats for them," Babbar said.

When asked whether it is Badaun, he replied in the negative.

On March 8, the Samajwadi Party had released its first list of nine candidates for the in Uttar Pradesh, fielding party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav from its stronghold Mainpuri.



ALSO READ: Congress leader Kamat leaves for Delhi amid rumours that he will join BJP

The party later announced that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav would contest from Kannauj, where she is the sitting MP.

The party has decided to field MPs Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav from the current seats of Badaun and Firozabad, respectively.

Incidentally, the Congress had announced Saleem Iqbal Shervani as its candidate from Badaun.

Babbar said the Congress has also decided to leave the Lok Sabha seats of Gonda and Pilibhit for the Apna Dal.



"The Congress also entered into an electoral agreement of seven seats with the Jan Adkhikar Party. Under the agreement, the Jan Adkhikar Party will contest from five seats, including Jhansi, Chandauli, Etah and Basti. On two seats, the candidates of Jan Adkhikar Party will contest on Congress symbol. One of the two seats is Ghazipur," he said.

The Jan Adkhikar Party was founded by Babu Singh Kushwaha, a former BSP minister and close aide of Mayawati.

Kushwaha was one of Mayawati's most trusted "backroom boys", and a senior member of the UP cabinet.

On April 7, 2011, he was forced to resign after being implicated in the murder of two chief medical officers.
To woo allies in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, the Congress on Sunday announced that it will leave more than a dozen Lok Sabha seats for other parties, including seven seats for the SP, BSP and RLD alliance in the state.

Apart from this, the grand old party of India also announced that it will leave two seats for the Apna Dal, and entered into an electoral agreement with the lesser known Jan Adhikar Party.

However, the BJP termed Congress' gesture as "laughable", with UP Deputy Chief Minister saying that all the parties are afraid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence, they are forging a "mahamilavat" (highly adulterated) alliance.

"The Congress is leaving seven Lok Sabha seats in the state for the SP, BSP and RLD alliance. These include Mainpuri, Kannauj and Firozabad. Apart from this, the party will not field any candidate on seats from where BSP chief Mayawati, RLD chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudhary are likely to contest or may contest," UP Congress chief Raj Babbar told reporters here.

He, however, could not tell the name of the seventh Lok Sabha seat, which the Congress will be leaving for the alliance.

"The alliance has left the seats of Rae Bareli (held by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi) and Amethi(held by Congress president Rahul Gandhi). In a reciprocating gesture, we are leaving seven Lok Sabha seats for them," Babbar said.

When asked whether it is Badaun, he replied in the negative.

On March 8, the Samajwadi Party had released its first list of nine candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, fielding party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav from its stronghold Mainpuri.

The party later announced that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav would contest from Kannauj, where she is the sitting MP.

The party has decided to field MPs Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav from the current seats of Badaun and Firozabad, respectively.

Incidentally, the Congress had announced Saleem Iqbal Shervani as its candidate from Badaun.

Speaking to reporters here, UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said, "The reciprocating gesture by the Congress goes on to prove that the 'dal' (parties) may be different, but their 'dil' (heart) is same. The move by the Congress can be termed as laughable, and it seems that the opposition is afraid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his growing popularity across the country."



Babbar said the Congress has also decided to leave the Lok Sabha seats of Gonda and Pilibhit for the Apna Dal.

"The Congress also entered into an electoral agreement of seven seats with the Jan Adkhikar Party. Under the agreement, the Jan Adkhikar Party will contest from five seats, including Jhansi, Chandauli, Etah and Basti. On two seats, the candidates of Jan Adkhikar Party will contest on Congress symbol. One of the two seats is Ghazipur," he said.

The Jan Adkhikar Party was founded by Babu Singh Kushwaha, a former BSP minister and close aide of Mayawati.

Kushwaha was one of Mayawati's most trusted "backroom boys", and a senior member of the UP cabinet.

On April 7, 2011, he was forced to resign after being implicated in the murder of two chief medical officers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over 1.19 crore voters in the age group of 18 to 19 years will exercise their franchise for the first time in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, according to Election Commission (EC) data.

Lok sabha polls to 48 seats in the state will be held in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.

Out of the total 8,73,29,910 voters in the state, 1,19,95,027 are first-timers in the 18 to 19 years' age group, as per official figures.

Of the total voters, 4,57,01,877 are men, 4,16,25,950 women and 2,083 third gender voters.

An election official said they received 12,31,027 applications online after publication of the voters' list a few months back.

Of these, 7,17,427 names have now been included in the voters' list.

Besides, 55.75 lakh applications were received offline, of which 43.51 lakh were accepted for registration, he said.

In Maharashtra, the ruling BJP and its ally Shiv Sena have agreed to contest 25 and 23 seats, respectively.

The opposition Congress will fight in 26 seats, while its ally NCP will contest 22.

The opposition parties have announced names of some of their candidates.

Former BJP MP Nana Patole, who joined the Congress sometime back, will be pitted against Union minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur.

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde will contest from Solapur, while party leaders Milind Deora and Priya Dutt will fight from Mumbai-South and Mumbai-North Central seats, respectively.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule will contest from Baramati.

Besides, actor Amol Kolhe will contest on the NCP ticket from Shirur while senior party leader Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar has been nominated from Maval.

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- Sergio Aguero kept alive Manchester City's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple as they survived a major FA Cup scare in a thrilling fightback from two goals down to win 3-2 at Swansea in Saturday's quarter-finals.

Aguero had watched from the substitutes' bench as second-tier Swansea roared into a stunning first half lead through goals from Matt Grimes and Bersant Celina.

But the Argentine emerged as City's saviour on a rainy night in south Wales by setting up their first goal for Bernardo Silva, before completing the comeback with a last-gasp winner after Swansea keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt scored an unlucky own goal from the Argentina striker's penalty to draw City level.

Having already won the League Cup and advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals, Premier League leaders City remain in the hunt for a clean sweep of all four major trophies.

It was a fortunate escape for City on Saturday however, as replays showed Raheem Sterling was fortunate to win the penalty that led to the equaliser, while Aguero was marginally offside for the winner.

City boss Pep Guardiola had named a strong starting line-up and Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva both went close early on.

It only looked a matter of time before City took the lead but Swansea ensured it was anything but one-way traffic.

They showed they could give the visitors a run for their money with a neat passing game that pushed City on to the back foot.

Grimes put Swansea ahead from the penalty spot in the 20th minute after Fabian Delph carelessly fouled Connor Roberts after the City defence was wrong-footed by Mike van der Hoorn's crossfield pass.

Grimes had not scored in his three-and-a-half years at the Liberty Stadium but took over penalty duties following Celina's embarrassing spot-kick miss in a 3-0 midweek defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

The 23-year-old centre back made the most of Delph's misjudgement by confidently driving the ball high into the roof of the City net.

- Disintegrated -



=================



It went from bad to worse for City nine minutes later as Guardiola's defence disintegrated following a nine-pass move involving seven Swansea players.

This time Swansea attacked with pace and purpose and, after fine play on the edge of City's box by Nathan Dyer and Daniel James, space opened up for Celina to curl the ball delightfully beyond Ederson.

Guardiola looked flummoxed in the technical area as he mulled over finding a way back into the tie while Aymeric Laporte lost his head following referee Andre Marriner's half-time whistle and was booked for shoving Swansea winger Wayne Routledge in the chest.

It was a dire situation that left City in danger of a repeat of last season's embarrassing FA Cup exit at Wigan.

But Guardiola replaced Sane with Sterling in the 57th minute and Aguero came on for Riyad Mahrez six minutes later. The moves paid dividends soon after as City hit back.

City's pressure was rewarded in the 69th minute when Bernardo Silva hit a crip shot beyond Nordfeldt after he was teed up by Aguero to set up a thrilling finale.

The visitors drew level in the 78th minute when Cameron Carter-Vickers' challenge on Sterling was deemed a penalty even though the defender appeared to touch the ball first. Aguero restored parity in fortuitous circumstances when his spot-kick hit a post and went in via Nordfeldt's back.

City laid siege to the Swansea goal in the final stages and Aguero had the final word with a stooping 88th minute header that survived the hosts' offside claims as VAR was not available.

City's celebrations were marred by a pitch invader, but there was no disguising their relief after a dramatic revival.

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A 45-year-old man cleaning a water pipeline in Grant Road area of south Mumbai died reportedly due to suffocation, police said Sunday.

Four others who were with the deceased suffered shortness of breath and had to be rushed to civic-run Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central after being rescued by a Fire Brigade team, the official added.

The incident happened late Saturday night near August Kranti Maidan at Nana Chowk, under Gamdevi police station limits, the official said.

"The deceased has been identified as Rakesh Nizab. The BMC pipeline was being cleaned when the incident happened. His body has been sent for post mortem to ascertain the cause of death," the Gamdvei police station official informed.

An accidental death report has been registered at Gamdevi police station and a probe was underway, he added.

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A man allegedly hacked to death his 19-year-old daughter for resisting his attempts to molest her in Bihar's Khagaria district on Sunday, the police said.

The father was arrested by the police after the incident at Khajretha village and made an abortive bid to commit suicide, Bharatkhand police outpost officer-in-charge Manoj Kumar said.

He is being treated at a nearby hospital, Kumar said.

The girl's mother told the police that her husband killed her daughter for refusing to the illicit relationship and the man was arrested on the basis of her statement.

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A technocrat-turned-politician, Manohar Parrikar rose from an ordinary RSS pracharak background to become the country's Defence Minister and also a four-time chief minister of Goa who emerged as one of the few national leaders from the politically volatile state.

Parrikar, 63, enjoyed a man-next-door image who navigated Goa's for two decades and became BJP's crisis man in the coastal state.

Despite his long association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) from his schooldays, Parrikar, who died Sunday, managed to create for himself a reputation as a somewhat moderate leader and a man with personal integrity.

An admitted workaholic who insists on leading a simple life, Parrikar, a metallurgist by training, was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa, which remained for long a Congress bastion, with regional outfits having pockets of influence.

There are many accounts of his spartan sytle -- security personnel seeing him arriving at the airport in a rickshaw, carrying his own luggage wearing rumpled bush shirts and chappals in north block.

Parrikar had a three-year-long stint as Defence Minister in the Narendra Modi-led cabinet but the political controversy over the controversial Rafale jet deal cast a shadow on his tenure. The deal was initiated in September 2016 when he was holding the Defence portfolio.

Parrikar termed as 'overreaction' his ministry's note objecting to "parallel parleys by the Prime Minister's Office" with the French authorities in the Rafale deal.

The back and forth between the Congress and the government over the estimated Rs 58,000 crore deal to buy 36 combat jets from France took a new turn with a report in The Hindu daily last month citing a November 24, 2015 note of the Defence Ministry which said that parallel discussions by the PMO "weakened the negotiating position of the MoD and Indian negotiating team".

Congress President Rahul Gandhi claimed that Parrikar had said he had nothing to do with the Rafale deal.

The Congress also released an audio tape in which Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane claimed that the chief minister has the Rafale deal files in his bedroom. In his response, Parrikar tweeted that the allegations were the Congress party's desperate attempt to fabricate facts.

The Congress also accused Parrikar of being silent on the deal, alleging he was aware of the violation of several norms linked to the purchase of the aircraft.

A known fighter, an ailing Parrikar's decision to go for a ride and inspect two upcoming bridges in the state with a feeder tube protruding from one nostril was a defining image and sought to suggest he is still in-charge of the state.

Born on December 13, 1955 into a middle class family, Parrikar's political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer.

Parrikar never shied away from displaying his affiliation to the Sangh and was even photographed participating in the annual 'Sanchalan' organised by the RSS in the uniform and wielding lathi.

He even credited the surgical strikes conducted by Indian



Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during his tenure as Defence Minister to the teachings of the RSS.

His plunge into BJP is considered as an attempt by the party to curb the growth of the state's oldest regional political party Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

Parrikar entered electoral in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency.

He was leader of the Opposition from June to November 1999 and was known for his speeches against the then Congress-led government.

He became chief minister of Goa for the first time on October 24, 2000, but his tenure lasted only until February 27, 2002. On June 5, 2002, he was re-elected and served another term as chief minister.

On January 29, 2005, his government was reduced to a minority in the assembly after four BJP MLAs resigned from the House.

Pratapsinh Rane of the Congress subsequently replaced Parrikar as chief minister. In 2007, the Parrikar-led BJP was defeated by the Congress.

But the year 2012 saw Parrikar riding a popularity wave in the state when he took his party to the historic number of 21 out of 40 seats in the assembly.

He went on to become the chief minister again.

After the Modi-led Cabinet was sworn at the Centre, Parrikar was offered a ministerial berth in November 2014. He remained in the union cabinet till 2017.

His health started deteriorating in February 2018 and he was first admitted at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital for pancreatic ailment. He was flown to the US in the first week of March last year where he remained admitted at hospital till June.

Parrikar attended the monsoon session of Assembly from July 19 to August 3, and left for the USA on August 10 for the second round of checkup. He returned to Goa on August 22, 2018.

Parrikar was shifted to the AIIMS New Delhi on September 15 last year.

After almost a month-long treatment, he returned to Goa on October 14.

Parrikar stunned everyone when he reached the CM's office on January 2 this year after a gap of almost two-and-a-half months.

He also attended the budget session on January 29 and presented the state Budget the next day.

During the last few days, Parrikar had been in and out of Goa Medical College and Hospital for treatment, but was mostly confined to his private residence.

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Raj Thackeray-led MNS, which is struggling to stay relevant in the state politics, would not contest next month's Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.

An MNS leader said party president Raj Thackeray would make his political position clear on March 19 in a public meeting, and guide the party cadres.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), founded in 2006 by Raj Thackeray after he fell out with Shiv Sena patriarch and his uncle Bal Thackeray, reached its zenith in 2009 assembly elections when it won 13 out of total 288 seats.

The party was also said to be responsible for defeat of Shiv Sena candidates in Mumbai and its metropolitan region, apparently due to division of Marathi votes.

However, the party lost the momentum gradually. Though it never won a Lok Sabha seat, in 2014 elections it was blown away during the Narendra Modi wave.

In the assembly elections held that year, the MNS won only one seat in Maharashtra. Recently, that lone MLA from Junnar in Pune district has joined the Shiv Sena.

In the Bruhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections held in 2017, the tally of MNS was reduced to seven seats. In October, 2017, six of its corporators defected to Shiv Sena, thus taking its representation down to one seat.

"MNS chief Raj Thackeray will make his political line clear on Tuesday," said the MNS leader.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections next month, the MNS was trying hard to piggyback the Congress-NCP alliance, but was cold shouldered by the Congress, which opposes the violent "Marathi manoos" of the Raj Thackeray-led party.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP had also reportedly offered its support to MNS candidate in Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, but the party decided not to contest the elections.

Election to all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra would be held in four phases between April 11 and April 29.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to hit the campaign trail after the Lok Sabha election schedule was announced on March 10 but he has already addressed public meetings or BJP workers in over 100 Lok Sabha constituencies in 22 states in the past few weeks, the party said on Sunday.

The party's media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said the BJP through a series of programmes such as 'Mera parivar, Bhajapa parivar', mega contact drive and 'vijay sankalp' rallies, has reached out to over 10 crore people recently.

While Modi has relied on rallies and addressing party workers and beneficiaries of his government's schemes through video- conferences for his campaign, party president Amit Shah has done so by holding public meetings, speaking to social media volunteers and addressing booth-level workers in over 130 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Election to the 543-member Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases between April 11 and May 19.

Modi began his public outreach ahead of the Lok Sabha elections with programmes, including a rally, in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on December 29 and 30 and has travelled to different parts of the country while also using the tool of video-conference to contact the masses and party workers, the BJP said.

Shah started his campaign for the polls with a visit to Tripura on January 5 and has held over 45 public meetings till March 7.

After the announcement of the poll schedule by the Election Commission, Modi and Shah have not begun their campaign yet.

Baluni asserted that people have been showing massive support for Modi and the BJP.

"People have decided on having the Modi government once more," he said, adding that India has become "prosperous, secure and decisive" under him.

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Ericsson and Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) have partnered to develop a new digital skill learning program to scale up Artificial Intelligence (AI) skill development for young people.



Ericsson and Unesco are combining their respective strengths to create opportunities to scale up skill development in AI and other key digital skills for young people. Under the AI for youth initiative the partners will:



 Develop and manage a repository of AI and other key digital skill training courses that will be available globally

 Build capacities of master trainers from selected countries around the globe with advanced knowledge of AI skill development

 Support master trainers to mobilize AI hub centres and hackathons to train young people on developing AI applications



Heather Johnson, vice president Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson, said: At Ericsson we believe that building strong and viable partnerships is key to meeting the global Sustainable Development Goals. This public private partnership focusing on skill development for Artificial Intelligence is an excellent example of what can be achieved when leaders work together to promote knowledge sharing and cooperation.



Borhene Chakroun, director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Division, Unesco, said: At Unesco we think that artificial intelligence is to be put at the service of sustainable development, a whole set of new education and training programmes has to emerge to equip youth with skills required to live and work in artificial intelligence era. Our partnership with Ericsson is critical to advance this agenda.



The initiative was launched at Mobile Learning Week 2019, Unescos flagship education conference held at Unesco Headquarters in Paris from March 4 to 8. The event brings together education and technology experts from around the world with focus on AI and sustainable development.



As part of the event, Unesco member states were invited to join the initiative and support the scaling up of AI skill development for young people.  TradeArabia News Service
In the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar the nation has lost a true patriot, BJP president Amit Shah said Sunday, remembering him as a leader who dedicated his life to the country and ideology.

Shah said Parrikar has shown how a BJP worker "even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last".

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also condoled his demise and said his contribution in making the armed forces a lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled.

Shah said, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar ji's commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary. He will always be remembered for his contributions as India's defence minister and as CM of Goa."



The entire BJP, he said, stands firmly with Parrikar's family.

"I along with millions of BJP karyakartas (workers) and importantly the people of Goa, who were his family, express my deepest condolences. May God give the bereaved family strength to withstand this tragic loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he tweeted.

Parrikar died on Sunday following a long illness.

Terming him a sincere, honest and sensitive political activist, Sitharaman said she learnt a lot from Parrikar.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she tweeted.

Parrikar headed the defence ministry from November 2014 to March 2017.

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Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships were put on operational deployment by the Indian Navy after tension escalated between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack, Navy officials said Sunday.

They said the naval assets were part of a mega exercise but they transited from the exercise for operational deployment soon after the Pulwama attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, Navy sources said.

About 60 ships of the Indian Navy, 12 ships of the Indian Coast Guard and nearly 80 aircraft were put on operational deployment mode, they said.

"Availability of such a large number of combat ready assets in the theatre of operations for TROPEX exercise allowed the Indian Navy to expeditiously respond to the developing situation in synergy with the three services," Navy Spokesperson Capt. D K Sharma said.

"The overwhelming superiority of Indian Navy in all three dimensions forced the Pakistan Navy to remain deployed close to the Makran coast and not venture out in the open ocean," he said.

Tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalated after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack and subsequent aerial strike by India on a training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated the strike next day by unsuccessfully attempting to target Indian military installations. The JeM claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

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Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarine Chakra, 60 ships and nearly 80 aircraft were put on operational deployment by the Indian Navy in the North Arabian sea in the wake of escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack, officials said Sunday.

They said the naval assets were part of a mega exercise but they transited from the area of the drill for operational deployment soon after the dastardly attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

At a tri-services press conference on February 28, the Indian Navy said it was in a high state of readiness to "deter, prevent and defeat" any "misadventure" by Pakistan in the maritime domain, reflecting a sense of its preparedness as well as seriousness of the situation.

"The major combat units of the Indian Navy including the Carrier Battle Group with INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships, submarines and aircraft swiftly transited from exercise to operational deployment mode as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated," Navy Spokesperson Capt D K Sharma said.

The naval assets comprising 60 ships of the Indian Navy, 12 ships of the Indian Coast Guard, and 60 aircraft were part part of the theatre level operational readiness exercise (TROPEX 19), which commenced on January 19 in Andaman and Nicobar islands, and was to be concluded on March 10.

However, the JeM-sponsored Pulwama attack on February 14 led to the rapid redeployment of ships, submarines and aircraft for operations in North Arabian sea, Capt Sharma said.

"The overwhelming superiority of Indian Navy in all three dimensions -- on surface, under-sea and in air -- forced the Pakistan Navy to remain deployed close to the Makran coast and not venture out in the open ocean," he said.

Twelve days after the Pulwama attack, Indian fighter jets bombed the Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26. Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations next day.

Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will assess outcome of the TROPEX in the Kochi naval base on Monday.

The day-long review by Admiral Lanba with all operational commanders is intended to examine the conduct of the exercise and to assess the operational preparedness of the Indian Navy, said the Navy spokesperson.

Exercise Tropex was followed by the largest coastal defence drill -- SEA VIGIL' on January 22 and 23 with participation of 13 coastal states and union territories along with all maritime stakeholders.

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Buddha Air, which is Nepal's leading private air service provider, is all set to operate flights to Kolkata from May-end this year, according to a media report.

The airlines had planned to start flights to the eastern Indian city from mid-April. However, it changed its flight dates considering upcoming Indian parliamentary elections, the Himalayan Times reported.

"Although the date of the flights has been changed due to the elections, the flight schedule remains unchanged," a media statement issued by the Buddha Air was quoted as saying by the paper.

Buddha Air will operate its flights to Kolkata with the ATR 72-500 aircraft on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week.

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New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on Sunday officially announced she would seek the Democratic party's nomination for the 2020 presidential election, taking aim at Donald Trump as she formally joined the crowded field of challengers.

In a video released Sunday morning, she said the national anthem posed the question: "Will brave win?" "Well, it hasn't always, and it isn't right now," she said. "Brave doesn't pit people against each other. Brave doesn't put money over lives. Brave doesn't spread hate.

Cloud truth. Build a wall. That's what fear does." The announcement was widely expected after the 52-year-old champion of women's rights told TV host Stephen Colbert in January she would be forming an exploratory committee.

In an election cycle where Democratic candidates are tilting heavily to the left, Gillibrand touted her vote against the Wall Street bailouts supported by both major parties, pledged to work for universal health care, and pass the so-called Green New Deal, an economic stimulus program aimed at tackling climate change.

Gillibrand joins more than a dozen Democrats already in the race, including Kamala Harris, Beto O'Rourke, Cory Booker in addition to independent Bernie Sanders who ran against Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2016.

But she has distinguished herself in key ways, raising her national profile by sponsoring -- and mounting a three-year campaign for -- a bill that would revamp how sexual assaults in the military are prosecuted by removing them from the chain of command.

The bill fell short in the Senate, but Gillibrand has been relentless about highlighting sexual assault in the military, on college campuses and in the workplace. She is also one of the top Trump naysayers in the Senate, voting against the president's nominees for major posts more than almost any other senator.

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The family of the Australian man arrested for the slaughter of 50 Muslim worshippers in New Zealand said Sunday they were stunned and "shattered" by his horrific deed.

"We're all gob-smacked, we don't know what to think," Brenton Tarrant's grandmother, Marie Fitzgerald, told Australia's Channel Nine network.

"It's just so much... to take in that somebody in our family could do anything like this," Fitzgerald said from her home in New South Wales state.

Tarrant grew up in the small town of Grafton and showed no signs he would later become enthralled with white nationalist ideology while travelling in Europe and then turn that hatred into violence.

"It's only since he travelled overseas I think that the boy has changed, completely," she said, adding that as a teen, Tarrant was interested mainly in computer games.

He began travelling after his father died several years ago, and has been living in recent years in the southern New Zealand city of Dunedin.

But he returned home a year ago for the birthday of his sister, and Fitzgerald said there were no signs he had undergone a transformation.

"He was just his normal self," she said.

Tarrant's sister and mother, who still live in the area, have been placed under police guard and even family members can't contact them, she said.

"The police will do their duty and keep them protected, which is what they need, and no phone contact, they've said you can't contact them," she said.

Tarrant's uncle, Terry Fitzgerald, said they learned of his role in the massacre at two mosques in Christchurch from the television.

"First up I said, 'No it couldn't be', but then I saw his photo," he said.

"Now everybody's just devastated... shattered, that's the word," added Marie Fitzgerald.

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A carnage in far away New Zealand has left three families grieving in Gujarat as four of their relatives are among those killed in the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch that shook the world.

At least 50 people were killed in the ghastly terror attack on Friday as worshippers gathered for weekly prayers.

Two of the deceased were natives of Bharuch and Navsari districts in Gujarat.

Besides, a father-son duo killed in the attack hailed from Vadodara and their family back home is shattered and finding it hard to cope with the loss of two of their members in the gun attack on a mosque in New Zealand last Friday.

Yasmeen Vora from Vadodara said their relative Arif Vora (58) went to New Zealand with his wife on February 14 to see their son Rameez Vora (28), who was recently blessed with a baby boy.

Rameez Vora, who was settled in New Zealand, took his parents to offer Friday prayers at the mosque when the incident took place, she said.

"Arif's other son Raheel, who lives in Australia, confirmed that both Arif bhai and Rameez were killed in the attack," said the distraught woman.

The family members approached Lok Sabha member from Vadodara, Ranjan Bhatt, who has assured help, she said.

Equally heart-wrenching is the case of deceased Hafiz Musa Patel (56), an Imam hailing from Luwara village in Bharuch, who had gone to New Zealand only a few weeks back as he was planning to settle there, his relative Ayub Ghadi said.

Patel was living in Fiji since the last three decades. His two daughters and three sons are settled in Australia and New Zealand.

"He went to New Zealand three weeks ago after his citizenship there was confirmed," Ghadi said.

"He had gone to the mosque to offer Friday prayers with his wife and a friend when the shooting happened. Bullets hit Patel's back following which he was shifted to a hospital in Christchurch where he succumbed," he said.

Besides, Juned Kara from Navsari was also among those killed in the attack, district Superintendent of Police Girish Pandya said.

"Kara, a native of Adada village in Navsari, was among those killed in the attack. It was confirmed last night," Pandya said.

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The National Green Tribunal has directed six states to submit by April 30 action plans for bringing air quality standards within the prescribed norms, failing which they would be liable to pay environment compensation of Rs 1 crore each.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ordered the chief secretaries of Assam, Jharkhand Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Nagaland governments to submit their plan within the stipulated time.

"We direct chief secretaries of the states in respect of which action plans have not been filed to forthwith furnish such action plans," the bench, also comprising Justices S P Wangdi and K Ramakrishnan, said.

The States, where action plans are found to be deficient and deficiencies are not removed till April 30, 2019, will be liable to pay Rs 25 lakh each and the timeline for execution of the action plans is six months from the date their finalisation, the bench said.

It said that budgetary provision must be made for execution of such plans.

The tribunal warned that if action plans are not executed within the specified timeline, the defaulting states will be liable to pay environmental compensation and may also be required to furnish performance guarantee for execution of plans in extended timeline as per recommendations received from the Central Pollution Control Board.

"The CPCB is directed to update the number of cities. If on parameters applied, there are other cities, not included in list of 102, such cities may be also included," the NGT said.

The direction came after the CPCB informed it that out of 102 cities, action plan has been received from 83 cities while 19 have not submitted the plan.

The NGT will take up the matter for further consideration on July 19.

Concerned over the threat posed to limited natural resources due to their overuse, the tribunal has directed for assessment of carrying capacity of 102 cities, including Delhi, where air quality does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

The concept of "carrying capacity" addresses the question as to how many people can be permitted into any area without the risk of degrading the environment there.

The tribunal had said the Ministry of Urban Development in coordination with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Transport, authorities such as Planning Commission and states may carry out such study with the assistance of experts in the field.

It had said that it is undisputed that air pollution is a matter of serious concern and large number of deaths take place every year in the country on account of air pollution.

The NGT had said Delhi is over-polluted and figures quite high in the ranking of most polluted cities and there is no study about the capacity of the city with respect to the extent of population which can be accommodated and number of vehicles which can be handled by its roads.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Sunday said his party was open to a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir if his party were to get to contest the three seats in the valley.

"We have had a proposal for an alliance but we have made it clear that National Conference will field its candidates on the three Lok Sabha seats in the valley," Abdullah told reporters at a party function in Khanabal in Anantnag district.

The former chief minister said he has conveyed to the Congress his party's willingness to discuss the other three seats -- two in Jammu and one in Ladakh region -- of the state.

"Let us see what response we get from them," he added. The parliamentary board of the National Conference is scheduled to meet here on Monday to discuss the probable candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bhim Army said the Congress has done nothing for Dalits during its 60-year rule and there is no reason for it to support the party in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls.

The remarks by the Bhim Army's national president Vinay Ratan Singh came days after Congress general secretary in-charge for east Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met its chief Chandrashekhar Azad at a hospital in Meerut on Wednesday, which is being seen as a Dalit outreach move of her party.

"The Congress fought B R Ambedkar. The party ruled the country for so long, but did nothing for us. Atrocities were inflicted on Dalits under its rule. It gave rise to the RSS and the BJP," Singh alleged, adding "there's not a single reason for us to support it".

"She wanted to meet Chandrashekhar bhai, but he said no. She then made a special request and they met for a few minutes. No political issue figured in their talks," he told PTI.

The Dalit group's founder, Chandrashekhar Azad, had announced at a rally in the national capital on Friday that he would contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and welcomed support of all parties, including the Congress, to take on the BJP.

Chandrashekhar had also sought the support of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for his candidature, saying his group would back their alliance in other seats.

Singh said the Bhim Army would not have supported BSP supremo Mayawati had she not been part of the Dalit movement and asked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to make amends for the mistakes of his party.

He said a few people in the SP have taken up the issues of Dalits. "But, mistakes have been made and Akhilesh Yadav should give an answer. He should make amends if he wants Dalits to vote for his party," he said.

He was referring to SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's comment in Parliament that Modi should become prime minister again and the party's alleged silence on Dalit issues.

Asked about Mayawati terming the Bhim Army a product of the BJP during the 2017 Saharanpur clashes, he said, "We would have never supported her and her party had she not been part of the Dalit movement. There are a number of Dalit MPs and MLAs who are not part of this movement. We have nothing to do with them."



Singh also said a candidate would also be fielded against Union minister Smriti Irani.

He said they would also field candidates in Punjab which has a considerable Dalit population. The state sends 13 representatives to the Lok Sabha.

The Chandrashekhar-led group shot to limelight during the May 2017 clashes between Dalits and upper caste Thakurs in Saharanpur.

Chandrashekhar was arrested after the clashes. Though he was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court, the UP Police arrested him under the stringent National Security Act. He was released in September 2018 after 16 months in jail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Microsoft today (March 17) demonstrated its industry-leading AI innovations at the Comex 2019, the 29th edition of Oman's premier annual ICT trade show, at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat.



The Microsoft stand was themed around the ability of AI to empower individuals and organisations to achieve more, be they businesses, developers or end-users.



Microsoft is resolutely committed to empowering public and private enterprises to fulfil Omans economic vision, said Sheikh Saif Hilal Al Hosni, country manager, Microsoft Bahrain and Oman. We see digital transformation as an indispensable part of achieving prosperity for all Omanis, and artificial intelligence is the lynchpin of it. We aim to bring responsible and trusted AI to every application, business process and employee, enabling organisations to go further with digitisation and deliver unprecedented insights to decision makers.



Comex 2019 runs until March 19. Some 110 exhibitors participated at the event to share ideas and get answers to pressing questions in areas such as augmented and virtual reality, cybersecurity, 3D printing, blockchain, big data, Internet of Things, smart cities, artificial intelligence, payment technologies and robotics.



We are pleased to once again to see Microsofts participation at Comex 2019, said Hassan Fida Al Lawati, director general of Digital Society Development at the Information Technology Authority of Oman. As we move diligently towards the fulfilment of our leaderships vision for a sustainable, diversified economy, it is gratifying to have a partner so committed to the acceleration of digital transformation. We appreciate Microsofts efforts in all industries across Oman and look forward to our continued collaboration.



At Microsofts booth, delegates learned how they could dream big and transform their businesses by creating smart ecosystems fed by the intelligent cloud. Company experts showed how the Internet of Things can connect the intelligent cloud with the intelligent edge in real time, by staging a live demo of an IoT-connected drone controlled by cloud-based, AI.



The specialists explained how governments and businesses can leverage such solutions to solve problems in areas such as construction monitoring, traffic-congestion reporting, oil-and-gas pipeline inspection and maintenance, urban planning, environmental monitoring, utility powerline inspection, asset monitoring and many others.



Comex attendees also got the opportunity to get hands-on with multiple IoT- and AI-themed click-thru demos. Real-world use cases included those from fields such as manufacturing, energy, logistics, agriculture, aerospace, and oil and gas.



Microsoft experts also participated in the Smart Cities & Industry 4.0 summit at Comex this year. Dave Bell, IoT technical director for Microsoft MEA, delivered a session titled Introducing tomorrows innovations to industry 4.0 to shed light on how Microsoft is enabling digital transformation for its customers. Steve Dunbar, IoT Commercial Director for Microsoft MEA, also spoke at the summit on the topic of Smart Buildings and highlighted the basic fundamentals for a successful smart city.



Participating as the official Artificial Intelligence Partner, Microsoft also shared its presence at Comex with its partners, hosting many at its booth that demonstrated AI innovations built on the Microsoft intelligent Cloud. Link Development showcased a live demo of a solution designed to supercharge the Oman tourism sector.



Company experts unveiled an end-to-end tourist platform powered by AI that will enhance the tourist journey by providing personalized experiences to book hotels, tourist attractions and so on. The platform would capture tourist feedback through cognitive services such as chatbots, facial recognition and provide sentiment analysis to evaluate their experience and drive insights to make better decisions.



Microsoft Partner GULFCYBERTECH E-solutions showcased a range of solutions for various sectors and industries. These included intelligent innovations powered by AI such as e-Kart, e-Projects, e-Recruitment, e-Tenders, e-Events, e-Institute, e-Property, e-Sales and e-Vendor.



Microsoft Partner EXCEED IT Services also participated to showcase various AI-based technologies for organisations to improve customer engagement, enhance hiring, boost communication, manage invoices, automate HR functions, streamline business process and conduct efficient employee management. And partner Paramount showcased its intelligent security solutions around identity, cloud, network, applications, data and risk management.  TradeArabia News Service
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters on Sunday called his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi and expressed his deepest condolence over the death of nine Pakistani nationals killed in a terror attack on two Christchurch mosques, Foreign Office said.

At least 50 worshippers were killed on Friday in attacks on the Al Noor Mosque in central Christchurch and the Linwood Mosque in the city's outer suburb on Friday, in what appeared to be the worst attack on Muslims in a western country. Among the dead, there were nine Pakistani nationals.

Speaking to Qureshi over telephone, Peters, who is also Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, conveyed his condolences and sympathies with the bereaved families of the innocent victims.

"Peters conveyed his condolences and sympathies with the bereaved families of the innocent victims," Pakistan Foreign Office said.

Condemning the attack, Qureshi termed it a "heinous" and "cowardly" act and expressed deep sorrow on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan.

He said that the menace of terrorism had reached shores of a peaceful and beautiful country like New Zealand, the FO said.

"The mindless killing spree carried out by the terrorists once again proved that terrorism knows no religion or boundaries," said Qureshi, adding Pakistan itself was a victim of terrorism and has lost more than 70,000 innocent lives.

"This affirms Pakistan's narrative that terrorism is an international phenomenon, having no religion and should not be associated with any religion," he said.

The Foreign Minister assured Pakistan's support to the government and people of New Zealand.

Qureshi also requested his New Zealand counterpart for full assistance in the transportation of bodies to Pakistan, the FO said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday condoled the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

"Deeply saddened by of the passing away of former Defence Minister of India & Chief Minister, Goa #Manohar Parrikar. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends & followers. May his soul rest in peace," Patnaik wrote on Twitter.

A host of other leaders, including Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Niranjan Patnaik, also expressed grief over the death of Parrikar.

"Extremely saddened at the passing away of a dear friend & colleague, Shri Manohar Parrikar. A wonderful human being, his dedication towards his duty & passion for the welfare of his people will always remain an inspiration for all of us," Pradhan tweeted.

"He will be deeply missed. Pray to the Almighty to give strength to his near and dear ones in this hour of grief," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Odisha MLA Prakash Chandra Behera Sunday joined the BJP after being with the Congress for 20 years, with Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan saying his presence will help the party bring about changes in Odisha under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

Behera, who represents Cuttack's Salepur constituency, quit the Congress on Saturday.

Joining the BJP during a party press conference here, he said, "I have faith in Narendra Modi's leadership and the youngsters in my constituency are really impressed with the government's decision of carrying out surgical strikes."



He said he quit the Congress because he was ignored by the party's state leadership.

Pradhan welcomed him into the BJP fold and said his presence will help the party bring about changes in Odisha under the Modi leadership.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign ministers of Muslim nations will meet in Istanbul on March 22 where an emergency meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been called to discuss ways of addressing anti-Islam sentiment following the twin mosque massacres in New Zealand, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced Sunday.

Qureshi told a press conference in Islamabad that Turkey holding the rotatory OIC presidency decided to summon the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting after consultations.

"The idea (behind summoning the meeting) is to devise a strategy against Islamophobia, while keeping the Christchurch tragedy in mind, he said, adding that the participants will discuss the root cause of the issue.

A 28-year-old immigrant-hating white nationalist, who is believed to have lived in Dunedin, killed 50 people when he opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers.

Nine Pakistanis were among the 50 people killed in the attacks.

Qureshi said that Pakistan will observe a day of mourning on Monday for victims of the New Zealand mosque attacks and flags would fly at half-mast.

He said families of six Pakistanis decided to bury the victims in Christchurch while bodies of three others will be transported back to Pakistan for burial.

Qureshi said that after completing the process for identification, New Zealand officials would start handing over all bodies to the heirs on Monday.

He also paid tribute to a Pakistani man, Naeem Rashid, who died after trying to tackle the gunman, for his bravery and courage.

The minister said that in recognition of Rashid's courage, he will be honoured with a national award on Pakistan Day, March 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One more victim of the terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch belonged to Telangana and family members of him and of another feared dead are on their way to New Zeland.

According to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) sources here, Ozair Kadir, identified by the Indian High Commission as among the five Indians killed in the attack, was a resident of Noorkhan Bazar area in the city.

The sources said Kadir's brother was on way to New Zealand. His father is working in a Gulf nation.

Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a city resident, has been injured in the massacre Friday, while Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer from here, was feared dead.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted on Saturday night that Ahsan had passed away.

However, the Indian High Commission Sunday said five Indians had been killed in the attack by a 28-year old man who reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers.

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

Meanwhile, the parents of Ahsan are expected to leave for New Zealand Sunday night, a family member said.

Similarly, Khursheed, brother of Jahangir would also travel to New Zeland.

A cousin of Ahsan recalled his childhood and their stay at Hanmakonda (Warangal) in Telangana, saying he was a bright student who did his engineering course from a city college.

Fifty people were killed in the attack in two mosques in New Zealand and five of them were identified as Indians Sunday by the Indian High Commission there.

(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 Sunday expressed optimism that the issue relating to India's push for designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief as a global terrorist by the would be resolved.

We are optimistic that this matter will be resolved, Luo said on the sidelines of an event at the Chinese embassy here when asked about China putting a hold on listing of Azhar by Security Council (UNSC) or Sanctions Committee on designating Azhar as global terrorist.

On Wednesday, China for the fourth time blocked the bid in the UNSC to designate Azhar by putting a technical hold on the proposal. The Chinese move was termed "disappointing" by India.



It is only a technical hold which means consultations on the issue will continue, government sources said Saturday.

The sources said India was "disappointed" with China for putting the technical hold on the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist and will continue to pursue the matter with Beijing.

The Chinese envoy also referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year and said the cooperation between the two countries are on the "right track".



We are quite optimistic about the future cooperation between the two countries, Luo said.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.
China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui Sunday expressed optimism that the issue relating to India's push for designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN would be resolved through consultations.

"We are optimistic that this matter will be resolved," Luo said on the sidelines of an event at the Chinese embassy here when asked about China putting a hold on listing of Azhar by UN Security Council (UNSC) or UN Sanctions Committee on designating Azhar as global terrorist.

He said China understands India's concerns over the issue.

"I am quite sure this matter will be resolved. This is only a technical hold and the matter can be resolved through continued consultation," he said.

The Chinese envoy also referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year and said the cooperation between the two countries are on the "right track".

We are quite optimistic about the future cooperation between the two countries, Luo said.

On Wednesday, China for the fourth time blocked the bid in the UN Security Council to designate Azhar a global terrorist by putting a technical hold on the proposal. The Chinese move was termed "disappointing" by India.

It is only a technical hold which means consultations on the issue will continue, government sources had said Saturday.

The sources said India was "disappointed" with China for putting the technical hold on the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist and will continue to pursue the matter with Beijing.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

Government sources said on Saturday that India will show patience with China for "as long as it takes" but will not compromise its position on firmly dealing with terrorists.

China has to resolve certain issues with Pakistan though it has adequate information that certain terror groups are operating from Pakistani soil and they are acting against Chinese interests as well, the sources had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Oscar Isaac has said the unused footage of late Carrie Fisher from "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" will help explain the dynamic relationship between his character Poe and Princess Leia in the upcoming "Episode IX".

In an interview with Sirius XM's John Fugelsang, the actor opened up about using the old footage of Fisher for the new film.

"I wasn't surprised because I remember we were doing that, we worked a lot. (Fisher) and I worked together so much.

"We would talk about the scenes, and we got very tight during the shooting of that. So it was a beautiful thing to see, and it gets carried over into the new film as well," Isaac said.

He had previously said the film deals with Fisher's death in a "really beautiful way".

"Star Wars: Episode IX", which will once again feature Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Lupita Nyong'o and Domhnall Gleeson, is set to be released in December.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of transgender voters enrolled in 'others' category in the electoral list has not seen much increase since the 2014 general elections.

According to data provided by the Election Commission, the number of voters enrolled in the "other" category now stands at 38,325, an increase of 15,306 in the last five years.

The poll panel had since 2012 allowed registration of transgender persons as 'others' in the electoral rolls.

Transgender activists claim the figure is quite low compared to their population, as many of them still refrain from enrolling themselves in the voters list as 'others'.

Though the 2011 census puts the population of transgenders at around 4.9 lakh, activists claim it is much higher than that.

Besides social stigma, they claimed that the tedious process of furnishing documents to validate a transgender person's identity is another reason behind the community's low enrolment in the voters list.

A number of documents are required to be furnished to prove one's identity while enrolling in the list.

It becomes a difficult process for the transgender community members as many of them don't possess the documents and certificates, said Anindya Hajra, a transgender activist at Pratyay Gender Trust.

"Insensitivity of the officials and the herculean paperwork can double or triple the pain of transgender people if not heighten their anxiety, social humiliation and dysphoria. Thus many prefer not to undergo this ordeal," Hajra said.

"Transgenders face similar problem while applying for passports also. Medical certificates of a gender transition is sought despite the 2014 NALSA verdict that states that self-identifying as transgender is not necessarily tied to a case of medical transition," the activist said.

Also, there are many who registered themselves either as male or female many years ago and changing their gender in the voter ID card will require them to go through a lot of steps, Hajra said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Gauri Sawant, who runs Sakhi Char Chowghi, an NGO in Maharashtra, said many transgenders run away from their homes at an early age and do not possess birth certificates or address proofs.

The legal process of getting these documents is expensive as well as tedious as the officials are "insensitive" towards the community, Sawant claimed.

"The requirement of a medical certificate does not recognise the principle of self-identification, fundamental to the principle laid down in NALSA judgment.

"Also, many had undergone gender-change procedures before the 2014 judgment and do not have the medical documents to validate that. Since several of these people are not well-off financially, they go to quacks to undergo procedures and thus do not have any documents," the transgender activist said.

Submitting address proof is a significant hurdle as a majority of transgender people live on rent and the house owners refuse to sign an agreement which makes it difficult for them to even submit an application, she claimed.

Meera Sanghamitra, an activist with the National Alliance of People's Movements and Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti alleged that there has been "no meaningful attempt" to implement the 2014 Supreme Court judgment to give ID cards to transgenders in all states based on self-identification and ensure inclusion of their names in voters list or change of their names or gender as per their choice.

"We clearly see this as a failure of the government, of the previous government as well. But in the case of this government, it is even more clear and stark.

"The verdict had come out just before it (BJP) came to power and the Supreme Court gave clear-cut guidelines. But five years hence,we don't see its implementation either by the government or the Election Commission, except for little exceptions," Sanghamitra said.

Another activist alleged that when transgenders approach the poll panel office for registration, officials often treat them as an outcast and do not respond properly, adding the social stigma attached to the community discourages its members from applying for enrolment in voter list as 'others'.

"The reliance on a number of documents from a person opting as transgender must be waived. Their chosen gender identity must be granted to them without subjecting them to questions to validate their choice," Hajra said.

Abhina Aher, a trans activist working with India HIV/AIDS Alliance as an associate director took a shot at the government accusing it of not doing anything for the community.

In a snide remark, Aher said, "Why should they get enrolled? Why should they at all become the part of decision making process when the government doesn't even consider them as citizens of the country. The government has failed them in terms of providing employment, reservations or other opportunities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is visiting China to participate in a strategic dialogue and hold talks with the top Chinese leadership on a range of issues, including the multi-billion CPEC project, to strengthen the bilateral ties, the Foreign Office said Sunday.

The announcement of the four-day visit comes days after China for the fourth time blocked a bid in the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Wednesday to designate chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal, a move India termed as disappointing.

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on February 27, days after the Pulwama terror attack which killed forty Indian soldiers.

The Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that "Qureshi is visiting China from March 17 to 20 for the first Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue".

Apart from the talks on other issues, "both sides shall also discuss the regional situation and cooperation at multilateral fora," the Foreign Office said.

They will specifically hold comprehensive discussions on the entire range of bilateral relations including the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ninth edition of Sikka Art Fair (Sikka), a pillar event of Dubai Art Season, opened yesterday (March 16) at the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood in Dubai, UAE to run until March 24.



Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice chairman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), who inaugurated the event, toured the fairgrounds accompanied by Afra Al Basti, director general of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children; Dr Rafia Gubash, founder of Women Museum; Dr Hessa Lootah, assistant professor at UAEUs Mass Communication Department; Muna Bu Samra, editor-in-chief of Al Bayan Newspaper; and artist Fatma Lootah.



Sikka is held alongside Art Dubai, DIFC Art Nights, Galleries Night at Alserkal Avenue and Emirates Airline Festival of Literature among other events. Sikkas ninth edition, organised under the Dubai Art Season umbrella, will feature artistic manifestations of tolerance, complemented by visual depictions highlighting coexistence, openness, and cultural diversity in societies. The annual art initiative was launched by Dubai Culture to celebrate Dubai's burgeoning creative and cultural landscapes.



The fair also plays host to a range of activities, initiatives and talks moderated by artists including live musical performances, research initiatives, interactive meetings, and educational activities, all of which feature works by emerging talent based in the UAE and the GCC.



Sheikha Latifa commented: The youth hold a special focus within the vision and direction of my father, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as they are the future of our beloved nation. Supporting their growth and ambitions and guiding them in their pursuit of excellence within their chosen field is of utmost importance to us in Dubai Culture.



The ninth edition of Sikka Art Fair returns to the pulsating heart of historic Dubai with nine days of art, talks, music and creativity, taking visitors on a storied journey through the multi-faceted city that never sleeps.



With 48 commissioned artists and a lively programme of performances, workshops, and film screenings, Dubai Culture continues to work diligently to make Sikka Art Fair becomes the platform that allows young emerging artists from the UAE and the GCC to showcase their work as well as gain inspiration from their peers to keep honing their talent.



This year's edition saw over 400 applications, 48 of which were selected from regional artists, who developed their artistic research around this editions theme to support the Year of Tolerance initiative. This year, the fair will host 23 Emirati artists, accounting for 48% of the total number of exhibitors, as well as Arab artists representing Jordan, Palestine, and Syria, amounting to 19%. Artists from the Indian subcontinent comprise 17%, while artists from Europe, the United States, Australia, and South America will account for 16%.



The fair supports young talent from the UAE and the region by providing them with opportunities to showcase their works to art patrons, critics, and the wider public.



This edition also features the Zayed University Students House, organised by 30 Emirati students who are giving performances that delve into the challenges and concepts that play a part in shaping the UAEs future. The students are also showcasing artworks that highlight the UAE's heritage and the adverse effects of climate change and its risks on sensitive, local ecosystems. This special corner also includes paintings, photos, and films that depict the UAEs history, customs, and traditions as well as the urban developments that transformed all its Emirates.



Set to run throughout March and April 2019, Dubai Art Season is presenting a two-month, citywide activation of art events across Dubai, including outdoor art exhibitions and installations, visual and performing artists, music and film screenings, workshops, and talks.  TradeArabia News Service
A courageous Pakistani national who died in the ghastly Christchurch terror attack on two mosques will be conferred with a national award posthumously for trying to tackle the White supremacist gunman before being shot dead by him.

Naeem Rashid, a resident of Jinnahabad in Abbottabad and a professor in New Zealand, was present at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch when the terrorist opened fire on Friday and killed 50 worshippers.

Prime Minister Imran Khan extended support to the families and also announced to award a Pakistani who tried to tackle the attacker but was killed.

"We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was killed trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognised with a national award," Khan tweeted on Sunday.

Rashid's 22-year-old son, Talha Naeem, a civil engineering graduate, was among those who lost their lives in the shooting.

Rashid, who was injured in his bid to overpower the attacker, passed away on Saturday after succumbing to his injuries.

Pakistan Foreign Office on Sunday confirmed, nine Pakistani national were killed in the attack that took place on Friday.

The 28-year-old gunman, identified Brenton Tarrant, live-streamed footage of himself going room-to-room, victim to victim, shooting the wounded from close range as they struggled to crawl away.

The attack has shocked New Zealanders, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place.

Police warned Muslims all over the country not to visit mosques "anywhere in New Zealand" in the wake of the Christchurch attacks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defence Minister Nirmala Sunday criticised those from within the country who had termed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan a "statesman" for returning Wing Commander and said the IAF pilot's release was as per law and not a favour.

India had sent back 90,000 Pakistani soldiers unconditionally after the 1971 war, in which Pakistan was defeated, she said.

"But some within India, some journalists and thinkers, are terming him (Khan) a statesman for sending back our pilot, but it is only as per law and it has not done India a favour; they are also questioning what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done," she said.

Pakistan has shown the statements of such people and opposition leaders on their television channels, increasing TRP, the minister said.

"It is these people who did not want (the country) to buy Rafale, because arrival of these will give strength to our forces," she said, addressing a gathering here on 'Ensuring India's Security' organised by the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation.



ALSO READ: Opposition scored self-goal by questioning success of Balakot strike: FM

India has given a message to the world after the Balakot air strike by not bowing to Pakistan's nuclear blackmail, the minister said.

On February 26, the IAF conduct air strikes in Pakistan's Balakot targeting Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps. The strikes came after a suicide bomber from the terror group on February 14 rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus, killing 40 personnel, in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Modi did what former prime minister Manmohan Singh did not do after the Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008, possibly because of Pakistan's continued propaganda that "it is a nuclear power like India, and we should not forget that before doing anything against them", she said.

"'Chowkidar' gave Pakistan the right answer," she said.

The defence minister said though there is no direct war being waged between India and Pakistan, there were ceasefire violations by the neighbouring country, and non-state actors with the support of Pakistan, indulge in attacks like that in Pulwama.

Many were given training for suicide attacks at Balakot.There was intelligence on this development and that there will be many more Pulwama-like attacks in the coming days, she said.

"So, not to wage war but to neutralise the terrorists at their training camps. They were eliminated (at Balakot)," she said, adding, India did what Pakistan ought to have done.

said Pakistan claims it is a victim of terrorism, but itself trains and sends them to India.

"Why Pakistan does not take action against terrors groups and terrorists being nurtured and trained on its soil if it is a victim?" she asked.

The minister said that after the Pulwama attack, evidence was given to Pakistan, but it did not act.
Panun Kashmir, an organisation advocating the cause of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, Sunday hailed the Centre for carrying out an air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan following the Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel.

"We welcome the decision of government of India to inflict debilitating costs on Pakistan for unleashing jihad (holy war) on the territory of India. It is time that a very high debilitating cost is imposed on the jihadi support structures operating on the soil of India," chairman Panun Kashmir Ajay Chrungoo told reporters here.

Terming the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami a "step in the right direction", he demanded similar action against Jamiat Ahle Hadith and its sister affiliates, claiming that the organisation has "phenomenally widened its indoctrination infrastructure in the state".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Trinamool Congress Sunday said central paramilitary personnel deployed ahead of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal should not "terrorise" the people in the "name of making them feel safe and secure".

Party secretary general Partha Chatterjee said a paramilitary personnel was seen in a TV channel asking a woman at her home in the city about the whereabouts of her son and telling her "Koi dadagiri nahi chalega," (no hooliganism will be allowed).

The footage was aired on Saturday night, Chatterjee told a workers' meeting here.

"Does a central force personnel have the right to visit a house and threaten its residents this way during a flag march, which is aimed at instilling confidence among the people?" the state minister asked.

TMC, Chatterjee said, will "certainly" take up the issue at the appropriate level.

"We don't have anything against the deployment of central forces. But they (forces) have no right to terrorise people in the name of interaction with locals," he said.

Claiming that 135 companies of central forces will be deployed in the seven-phase polls, Chatterjee remarked, "Such large deployed of paramilitary force is not even seen in Kashmir."



The Bharatiya Janata Party, he claimed, is trying to scare the people of West Bengal.

The TMC top leader asked the party rank and file to fight complacency and work towards increasing the victory margin in every Lok Sabha seat.

Ten companies of central paramilitary forces have arrived in the state since Friday and are conducting flag marches in different parts of Kolkata and elsewhere ahead of the polls which begin on April 11.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The parents of Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer feared dead in the Christchurch mosque massacre, are expected to leave for New Zealand on Sunday night, a family member said.

Khursheed, brother of Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a city resident who is recovering after being shot, told PTI that he too would be travelling to the country.

Khursheed was supposed to leave for New Zealand on Saturday night, but could not as he did not have a confirmed ticket, he said.

A cousin of Ahsan recalled his childhood and their stay at Hanmakonda (Warangal) in Telangana, saying he was a bright student who did his engineering course from a city college.

Fifty people were killed in the attack in two mosques in New Zealand.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted on Saturday night that Ahsan had passed away.

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President Ram Nath Kovind Monday expressed grief over the demise of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, saying he was an "epitome of integrity and dedication in public life".

The former defence minister was battling a pancreatic ailment and died at his private residence in Dona Paula near Panaji, officials said.

He was 63.

"Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity.

"An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind," the president posted on his official Twitter handle.

Parrikar's health was fluctuating for a year and took a turn for the worse in the past two days.He is survived by his two sons and their families.

"The chief minister passed away around 6.40 pm Sunday," a senior state government official told PTI.

Sources said Parrikar had been on life support system since late Saturday night.

Parrikar had been unwell since February 2018 when he was diagnosed with a pancreatic ailment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Sunday condoled the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and described him as "one of Goa's favourite sons".

He said Parrikar was respected and admired across party lines and had bravely battled his illness for over a year.

"I am deeply saddened by the of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief(sic)," Gandhi said on Twitter.

The Congress on its official Twitter handle also said, We condole the passing of former Union Minister & Chief Minister @manoharparrikar. We hope that his family finds strength in their moment of grief.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, "Deeply saddened by the demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. My heartfelt condolences to his family members..May his soul rest in peace.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, Sad to learn about the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, CM of Goa. He was a cordial man, who was admired across party lines. My deepest condolences to his family and friends."



Parrikar died at his private residence near here Sunday. He was 63. The BJP stalwart's health, which has been fluctuating for a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days.

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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday exuded confidence that people will make the right choice in the forthcoming general elections by electing a stable government rather than 'mahamilawat gathbandhan', which is being envisaged as a road to disaster.

The mahamilawat gathbandhan, which has leaders and political parties of different ideologies, can only promise political instability, said Jaitley in his seventh blog on 'Agenda 2019'.

"At the cusp of history, India and Indians have a choice to make. Are they electing a six month Government or a five year Government? Are they choosing between a tried, tested and a performing leader or a chaotic crowd of non-leaders?



"Is India looking at a Government which accelerates growth, development and poverty alleviation or is it looking for a Government made by persons who excel only at self-enrichment? I am confident that aspirational people of an evolving society will make the right choice," said Jaitley who is also the head of the publicity wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mahamilawat gathbandhan, being formed with the objective of ousting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "is a road to disaster. It is a race to the bottom," said the minister.

Jaitley said while in the NDA government, the last word belonged to the Prime Minister, there is a "tug of war" on the issue of leader in the coalition proposed by the opposition parties, including Congress, BSP, SP, TMC, and TDP.

"Four people have clearly indicated their desire to be Prime Ministers - Shri Rahul Gandhi, Behan Mayawati, Mamata Didi and Shri Sharad Pawar. Each desires to expand his or her own base and reduce that of the competitor," the minister said in the blog.

He further said that the gathbandhan unquestionably promises only political instability.

Such non-ideological alliances have only lasted for a few months, he said while citing examples of governments headed by Chaudhary Charan Singh, V P Singh, Chandrasekhar, H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral, which did not last full term.

"Who would want to invest in India in an environment of political instability? Would even Indian investors prefer to go outside and look for more stable countries for investment? Where there is instability, there is corruption.

"People with brief political opportunities make the best of them. This is the experience of the past," said the senior BJP leader.

Jaitley further said federalism in India is inherent both geographically and constitutionally.

The Constitution defines 'India' i.e. 'Bharat a Union of States'.

The states must be fiscally strong. This is the essence of Indian federalism.

Equally, if not more important, is the fact that for India to be a Union of States, there must be a strong Union, he said, adding if there is no strong Union, both India and India's federalism will stand to suffer.

"Let there be absolute clarity. India is a Union of States. It is not a Confederation of States. That is the fundamental difference between NDA and the UPA. This is also the fundamental flaw in this idea of the federal front," he said.

He said the framers of the Constitution had a vision and they were men of wisdom.

When prominent areas like defence, sovereignty, security of India, foreign policy and eventually the war against terror were maintained as primary responsibility of the Union Government, can India be ever defended without a strong Union? he wondered.

"There can be no 'federal front' without a strong Central party," Jaitley said, adding that in the both the NDA governments the nucleus of the coalition was a large party.

"There was no completion for leadership. The last word belonged to the Prime Minister. That is how the two Governments functioned. There was clarity in terms of policy and the Government had capacity to take difficult decisions and deliver," he said.

The minister further said that today we have reached a situation where India grows faster than others in the world.

"The essential pre-requisite for accelerating our movement in this direction is that India must have political stability, a clear policy direction, a strong and decisive leadership. If we falter on any one of these, we will be letting down our own people and future generations. India cannot afford lost opportunities at this stage," he said.

About 900 million Indians would start voting from April 11 to elect the next government in a seven-phased elections. The votes are scheduled to be counted on May 23.

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A police sub-inspector was killed and three others were injured when their jeep collided with a truck in Rajasthan's Nagaur district.

The accident occurred on Kishangarh-Hanumangarh state highway under Parbatsar area on Sunday when they were on their way to Ajmer from Churu, police said.

Sub-Inspector Sumer Singh (50) died on way to a hospital in Ajmer, the police said, adding the injured policemen were being treated.

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Horeca Trade, a Bidfood company and a leading provider of international F&B brands in the UAE, has entered into an agreement with GSP Foodstuff Trading to distribute the rice producers Raj Mehak brand in the UAEs foodservice channels.



GSP, which has advanced plants in the basmati growing belt of northern India, uses internationally acclaimed Buhler technology to produce a variety of high-quality basmati rice under the Raj Mehak and other brands. Under the terms of the agreement, Horeca Trade will employ its extensive sales, marketing and e-commerce expertise to distribute Raj Mehak basmati rice and products to the countrys complete foodservice markets.



Bidfood Middle East chief commercial officer, Wael Al Jamil, said: We are delighted to induct the premier rice brand, Raj Mehak, into our wide portfolio of products catering to the needs of the foodservice industry. Our partnership with GSP underlines our commitment to further enhance our product portfolio with brands that meet the highest safety and quality standards.



The Gulf region is one of the biggest markets for Indian basmati rice, with the UAE being the major growth driver over the years. In addition to a major domestic market, the UAE is the largest re-exporter of rice in the world, accounting for 81 per cent of global rice re-export, according to Dubai Chamber.



GSP Foodstuff Trading marketing director, Waris Hasnain, said: There is a growing demand for premier quality basmati rice in the UAE. Horeca Trades extensive and multi-channel foodservice network provides us with a solid opportunity to reach out to a wider consumer base in the country.



Bidfood Middle East currently operates in five markets via the Bidfood stand-alone commercial entities in every market - Horeca Trade (UAE, Oman, Bahrain), Al Diyafa (Saudi Arabia) and Bidfood (Jordan). Bidfood ME collaborates with major brands such as illy Coffee, Sweet Street Desserts, San Pellegrino Waters, Lamb Weston, Monin, Fonterra, Bridor Bakery, General Mills and several other renowned brands.  TradeArabia News Service
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Sunday described Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar as a highly-qualified leader of the masses who left his stamp in politics.

Parrikar (63) died of a pancreatic ailment on Sunday at his private residence near here.

"It is shocking for us. Highly qualified, leader of masses and true son of the soil has left us. As Goa CM, leader of opposition in Goa and as Defence minister, he left his stamp on every post he held," Fadnavis said.

"When Goa was going through political turmoil, the solution came in the form of Parrikar. He offered a stable government and took the state forward," Fadnavis added.

"It was his calibre that took him to Delhi as Defence minister. Many decisions were pending, but Parrikar found solutions to them. He worked very hard," the Maharashtra CM said.

He said he learnt several things from Parrikar who was like a big brother, Fadnavis said.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, offering condolence, said, "The country has lost its great son in the form of Parrikar. He was an embodiment of simplicity, though he served as chief minister of Goa multiple times as well as Defence minister."



"He served the country in its critical times. When the Uri terror attack took place during his tenure, he led the surgical strike. He was not only a hope to the BJP but also to the country," Thackeray said.

In his condolence, Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao said, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was one of the most brilliant, cultured and visionary leaders in the contemporary politics of India.

"As leader of the Opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly, as Chief Minister of Goa and as Defence Minister of India, he discharged his duty with utmost dedication, sincerity and commitment," Rao said.

"Parrikar had a vision of development and a strong urge for the welfare of the people. A suave leader, Parrikar had friends cutting across the political lines. Parrikar served the people of his state till his last breath. His life was a Karma Yagya in the service of the people. In his demise, the nation has lost a luminous star in public life," the Maharashtra governor said.

Parrikar's friend and senior journalist Girish Kuber recalled the departed leader as a sensitive father, stubborn politician and quick learner.

Speaking to a regional channel, Kuber said, "Parrikar lost his wife when he was in his early 40s and he knew his younger son could not sleep without her presence. He ensured he returned home every night irrespective of his event or commitments. It shows how deeply he was connected to his family."



Queried about Parrikar's engineering background obtained from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Kuber said he was a very quick learner.

"He was a very quick learner, as he came from a very competitive academic life. Nandan Nilekani was his batchmate. So one imagine the kind of academic competitiveness he has experienced. It helped him in his political career as he could learn things quickly and start working on solutions," Kuber said.

Kuber said Parrikar was not keen on shifting to Delhi, for his stint as Defence minister.

"He was indeed nervous when details related to the Rafale fighter jet purchase deal started surfacing and I had spoken to him a couple of times that day. It is commendable that Parrikar never faced a single charge of corruption despite holding so many important posts in his political career," he said.

Commenting on Parrikar's appeal in Goa, Kuber said, "You would find it surprising that even some churches in Goa had officially appealed to the followers to vote for Parrikar. Everybody knew he was not just a BJP leader but also had a strong RSS background. But Parrikar succeeded in garnering such acceptability."



Despite being soft-spoken otherwise, Parrikar had a powerful take when it came to political debates, Kuber said.

"I feel his stubbornness sometimes put limitations to his political growth. Sometimes, he took extreme stands and invited controversies, including his comments over then BJP's national leader Lal Krishna Advani," he said.

His simple man image was also carefully adopted one, Kuber said.

"He used to live simple. He never made a fuss if transportation arrangements had some problem. He had travelled in an autorickshaw in Mumbai when he was a senior leader in Goa," he said.

When Parrikar was first elected as MLA from Panjim, he had made it clear he was going to use it to build his image as a leader.

"He did it and it lasted till his end," Kuber said.

Kuber is editor of Indian Express group publication Loksatta.

While speaking to a regional channel, Vasant Vasant Limaye, his fellow student at the IIT-Bombay said, "There used to be separate groups among students at IIT-B, those fluent in Marathi and those strong in English. But Manohar could deal with students from such diversified background perfectly," he said.

Parrikar had earlier promised his wife that he would quit politics, but after her death, he decided to continue with his political life, Limaye recalled.

"At the time of my book release couple of years ago, I had invited him. Later, I learnt that his son was admitted to a hospital so I assumed that he would not come to my event in Pune. But once he was informed that his son was discharged from hospital, Parrikar attended his Assembly session and reached Pune. I was shocked to see him but was thrilled with his commitment," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) working president Hemant Soren has slammed the BJP for allegedly politicising the Pulwama terror attack, saying over dead bodies will not fetch votes.

The former Jharkhand chief minister, who was here to hold talks with grand alliance members for firming up the tie-up, said the government should do its job and allow the security forces to theirs.

The forces are competent at giving a befitting reply, he said.

What about the people who are dying because of hunger, farmers committing suicide, people are unemployed on a large scale. You (BJP-led government at the Centre) don't give answers to that. Doing over dead bodies will not fetch votes, he said during an interaction with a group of reporters here on Saturday.

He slammed the government for alleged politicisation of the Pulwama terror attack.

A suicide bombing in Pulwama on February 14, carried out by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), had claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

India had carried out a preemptive non-military air strike at a JeM terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26.

They (the government) talk about Pulwama, what about the jawans being killed in suicide attacks regularly.The jawans all come from an agriculture background. So, at home the farmer is dying of hunger and at the border his son is getting killed, Soren said.

He alleged that the families of the jawans killed from his state are all duped and given no benefits.

The BJP wants to take advantage of such situations, he claimed.

When jawans get killed, their bodies go to respective states and the BJP plays People have now understood their games, Soren said.

The opposition parties have been accusing the government of politicising the Pulwama attack and the subsequent Balakot air strikes, a charge the government has outrightly rejected.

Soren said the JMM besides raising the issues of water, jungle and land, will also aggressively take up unemployment and negligence of farmers in the Lok Sabha and later in the assembly polls.

The JMM leader alleged that the development of Jharkhand under the BJP government is only on paper.There is nothing to show on the ground, he said.

The JMM on Saturday had said the grand alliance in the state has been officially sealed for the Lok Sabha polls.

The JMM, along with the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) comprise the grand alliance in the eastern Indian state. There is also a consensus to include the Left if it agrees on the seat sharing formula, details of which are still under wraps.

Jharkhand's 14 Lok Sabha seats will have elections in four phases.

"The fight against @BJPIndia & BJP4Jharkhand in GeneralElections2019 is a momentous one and the future Jharkhand depends on the combined Grand Alliance which is now officially sealed," Soren tweeted Saturday night.

The former chief minister had met Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday, following which the deal was clinched.

JMM sources said the seat sharing details and the official announcement of the grand alliance will be made in Ranchi before Holi in the presence of party president Shibu Soren.

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Noting that there was serious failure on part of the Uttar Pradesh government to control pollution in western UP rivers, the NGT has directed the state to pay Rs 5 crore as 'performance guarantee' to implement the action plan for rejuvenation of the rivers.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the UP chief secretary to personally look into the issue of availability of potable water to the affected inhabitants of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Bagpath and Ghaziabad districts.

"In view of serious failure of the state of Uttar Pradesh so far and alarming situation of pollution of the river affecting public health, we find it necessary to require furnishing of performance guarantee in the sum of Rs 5 crore to the satisfaction of the Central Pollution Control Board by Uttar Pradesh to the effect that action plan will be implemented within six months. On failure, the amount will be forfeited," the bench said.

The green panel also asked the chief secretory to provide requisite logistics to the committee, headed by Justice S U Khan (retd) with representatives of the CPCB and the Environment Ministry, so that the committee can oversee the implementation of the action plan to restore the rivers to their original condition.

The committee, which was formed by the tribunal to submit an action plan, told the NGT that discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents in Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar is mainly responsible for the pollution of the river.

"It found that prosecution was initiated against 118 non-complying industries. Orders for closure were passed against non-compliant industries out of which 28 orders were revoked or suspended. Show cause notices were also directed to be issued to some of the polluting industries," it noted.

The committee informed the tribunal that it could not perform its functions with regard to health check on account of noncooperation of authorities and could not undertake awareness programme in absence of assistance of authorities.

"Hand pumps from which contaminated water is extracted and consumed are still functional. No measures have been taken by the authorities for supply of potable drinking water in the affected areas. No effort has been made to identify the victims for compensation," the committee said in its report.

The National Green Tribunal today ordered closure and registration of cases against 124 industrial units which are polluting the Kali, Krishna and Hindon rivers in six districts of western Uttar Pradesh.

Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal appeared for the petitioner NGO Doaba Paryavaran Samiti in the case.

Observing that people have a fundamental right to clean air and water, the NGT had earlier directed the district magistrates of these six districts to submit an action plan for providing potable water to the villagers in a time bound manner.

The green panel had directed the UP government to immediately seal all hand pumps which are discharging contaminated water and sought an action plan to clean the Kali, Krishna and Hindon rivers.

The tribunal had asked the state government to devise health benefit schemes for persons suffering from ailments caused due to drinking polluted water.

The NGO, headed by C V Singh, had alleged that more than 50 villagers have died of cancer in western UP due to consumption of contaminated groundwater.

It was alleged by the petitioner that groundwater in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Bagpath and Ghaziabad districts was being polluted as a result of effluent being released underground by reverse boring by the industries.

Earlier, the UP Jal Nigam had faced the NGT's ire for its failure to comply with a 2015 order directing it to seal all hand pumps which were releasing contaminated groundwater in six districts of the western part of the state.

It had earlier directed the state government and its officials to provide potable drinking water to the villagers of the six districts through GPS-installed vehicles.

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Sounding the poll bugle from the banks of river Ganga, Congress' in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Sunday said political stagnancy had left the youths, women, farmers and labourers distressed in Uttar Pradesh and it was her responsibility to change the here.

Gandhi arrived here for the next leg of her UP tour, as part of which she is to sail from Allahabad to Varanasi on river Ganga.

In an open letter, dated March 17, Gandhi said, "Due to stagnancy in the of the state, youngsters, women, farmers and labourers are in worried state. They want to share their pain and agony, but in the noise of political arithmetic, their voice is completely absent from the policies of the state."



Gandhi said political transformation in the state was not possible without listening to the voices of the people and sharing their pain.

"Hence, I have come to your doorstep for a sachaa samwaad (genuine conversation). I assure you that based on the conversation with you, we will bring transformation in We will move towards solving your problems," she said in the letter.

The party's newly appointed general secretary said she would contact the people using various means of transportation, including waterways, buses, train and padayatra (on foot).

"River Ganga is a symbol of truth and equality. It is also a symbol of our Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (culture). It does not differentiate among people. Ganga-ji is the lifeline of Uttar Pradesh and with her support I will reach you," the letter read.

Gandhi will be on a three-day tour beginning March 18, vice-president of UP Congress RP Tripathi said in communique, dated March 15, to district magistrates of Allahabad, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi.

Party leaders said Gandhi was likely to use a motorboat (steamer) to cover the distance of around 100 km.

She is set to meet family members of martyred CRPF jawan Mahesh Raj Yadav in Allahabad, and on March 20 the ancestral house of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in Varanasi, the letter said.

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Britain's then Prime Minister Clement Attlee, the chiefs of MI6 security service and Buckingham Palace aides all conspired to cover up one of the last scandals of the British Empire involving the theft of charity funds by one of its Governors posted in India, papers in the UK's National Archives have revealed.

Sir Arthur Hope, who served as the Governor of Madras Presidency between 1940 and 1946, had been entrusted with donations to the Indian Red Cross.

But in 1944, the British establishment became aware of his mounting gambling debts which led him to also misappropriate the funds intended for the charity, 'The Times' reported.

Hope reportedly had a passion for race-horses and tended to lose a lot of money on them, which led him to divert charitable funds to deal with mounting debt liabilities. The money he was thought to have siphoned off to settle his debts added up to 40,000 pound at the time.

According to the correspondence documents unearthed in the archives, when word reached Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India at the time, that some of Hope's creditors in India wanted their money back, the British decided that the governor must be quietly removed from office.

"Hope's health, which has been indifferent for some time, affords reasonable cover," the Viceroy suggested.

A doctor's note was produced claiming that Sir Arthur, who was then 48, had "tropical neurasthenia", a diagnosis commonly given to white Europeans who disliked the colonial climate and wanted to go home.

King George VI was also briefed of his plan because the monarch's approval was required for a change in governor.

However, it was feared if he stepped down while he was still in India, he could be sued and arrested over of his debts before he could board a ship for England.

"I feel it would be wise to get him out of the country before he actually resigns," Sir Patrick Spens, Lord Chief Justice of India, advised the Viceroy in a letter.

Hope eventually sailed back to England and the cover up proved successful as years later his obituary in 'The Times' read: "He was compelled by ill-health to resign before his extended term of office was complete."



The UK government of the day was unable to sue him without exposing "the delinquencies of the King's representative", noted Sir David Monteath, the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma.

In 1947, the year India gained its independence, then British PM Attlee approved a donation to the Indian Red Cross using British taxpayers' money in such a way that people would be unaware it came from the government in London.

It was agreed that paying 3,750 pound that had been missed by the charity would prevent Indians becoming suspicious about the rest of the money Hope had misappropriated.

MI6 was also reportedly kept informed of this arrangement, which will go down in history as one of the last major scandals of the British Raj.

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The IDBI Bank's proposal for changing its name has not found any favour from the Reserve Bank of India, sources said.

The board of last month proposed change in the name of the lender to either LIC or LIC Bank, following its takeover by Life Insurance Corporation.

According to the sources, the RBI is not in favour of changing the name of

The board had proposed LIC IDBI Bank Ltd as the first preference followed by LIC Bank Ltd.

Besides the RBI, change of name requires clearance from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, shareholders, stock exchanges, among others.

In January, the insurance behemoth LIC completed the acquisition of 51 per cent controlling stake in IDBI Bank, marking the entry of more than 60 years old state-owned insurer into the banking space.

In August last year, the Cabinet approved the acquisition of controlling stake by Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) as a promoter in the bank through a combination of preferential allotment and open offer of equity.

LIC had been looking to enter the banking space by acquiring a majority stake in IDBI Bank, as the deal is expected to provide business synergies despite the lender's stressed balance sheet.

For the third quarter ended December, 2018, IDBI Bank posted widening of loss by nearly threefold to Rs 4,185.48 crore as bad loans surged.

The bank had reported a net loss of Rs 1,524.31 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

Total income decreased to Rs 6,190.94 crore for the quarter, compared to Rs 7,125.20 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago.
RSS leader Indresh Kumar has said that after 2025 people from India could settle and start businesses in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, among other cities in neighbouring Pakistan.

Dishing out a history lesson while speaking at an event in Dadar on Saturday, he said the region now comprising Pakistan used to be called "Hindustan" till 1045 AD.

He said that formation of a "Bharatiya Union of Akhand Bharat" was also possible.

"People used to say there was no Pakistan before 1947. Till 1045 AD, the area was called Hindustan. It will become Hindustan again after 2025. You can start looking to settle or start a business in say Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi or Sialkot after 2025," Kumar claimed.

Commenting on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's "Akhand Bharat" or undivided India doctrine, Kumar said, "Delhi has ensured that Bangladesh has a government favourable to us."



Appreciating the Centre's "tough stand" on Jammu and Kashmir, he said it was a result of "changed political willpower".

"For the first time, a government in India has taken such a tough stand in Jammu and Kashmir. This became possible for military only because of the willpower of the government. Now, the political willpower is changed," he claimed.

"Thus, we have dreams of settling in Lahore or any other city in Pakistan and also not having to seek permission from China to visit Manasarovar."



Manasarovar is a high altitude freshwater lake fed by the Kailash Glaciers near Mount Kailash in Tibet Autonomous Region in China. It is a holey site in Hinduism.

"Similarly, we have ensured a government in Dhaka of our interest. A Bharatiya Union of Akhand Bharat on the lines of the European Union can come into existence," Kumar said.

He also questioned the Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

"If one country, one flag, one Constitution is applicable to all states in India, then why is it not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir," he asked.

"If Mumbai is open to all Kashmiris, then why is Kashmir not open to all Mumbaikars?" he said.

Kumar is a patron of the RSS-backed Muslim Rashtriya Manch.

He was speaking at an event organised by Maharashtra chapter of Forum for Awareness of National Security, headed by former Maharashtra Director-General of Police Pravin Dixit, and the Savarkar Strategic Centre of the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New York-listed contractor Schlumberger - the sole bidder in state-owned ONGC's tender for raising oil production from aging fields - has sought several deviations from the bidding norms, including projection of a 26-27 per cent decline in output in next few years.

India's leading national oil company launched its initial tender for Production Enhancement Contracts (PEC) in April 2018 for raising output beyond the business as usual (BAU) scenario from two aging fields. Schlumberger submitted the only application for Geleki, while ONGC received no bids for Kalol oilfield in Gujarat.

Sources privy to the development said Schlumberger is projecting a 26-27 per cent decline in base production in next few years and has sought several deviations in tender norms for infusing technology to raise output over this base.

The government has been pushing ONGC to hire international oil service companies to raise output from its mature oilfields as it saw the foreign companies as the answer to declining production from ageing fields.

Last year, ONGC had shortlisted Schlumberger, Halliburton and GE subsidiary Baker Hughes for raising output from Kalol field in Gujarat and Geleki field in Assam. At the close of bids, only Schlumberger made a financial bid for Geleki field, the sources said.

No bid was received for Kalol field.

The service providers will be paid a fee for raising output beyond an agreed baseline production.

The state-owned form is discussing with Schlumberger the deviations sought by it, according to the sources.

ONGC top brass, they said, are keen to conclude a contract with Schlumberger soon to get the project going.

Based on experience of the Geleki bidding, the company plans to bring out similar bidding for few other ageing oilfields.

ONGC is looking to raise domestic output quickly to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target of cutting import dependence by 10 per cent by 2022.

India currently imports over 83 per cent of its oil needs.

Originally, ONGC had on December 7, 2016, signed a Summary of Understanding (SoU) to give Kalol field to Halliburton and Geleki field to Schlumberger for raising production above the current baseline output.

Though the contracts were signed in presence of Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ONGC rescinded them in 2017 on fears of courting controversy for handing fields on nomination basis.

Thereafter, the company in June 2017 floated an expression of interest (EoI) from service providers for undertaking production enhancement. Schlumberger Asia Services, Halliburton Offshore Services Inc and Baker Hughes Singapore PTE Ltd were shortlisted as the firms were meeting pre-qualification criteria.

Bids were originally sought by May 25, 2018, but saw several extensions and final bids came in a couple of months back.

The 15-year Production Enhancement Contract (PEC) will require the oilfield service producer to commit to investing in capital expenditure and operating expenditure to increase production from the existing baseline output.

A tariff will be paid in USD per barrel of oil and USD per million British thermal units for gas for any incremental hydrocarbon produced and saved over the baseline.

The baseline was to be prepared by ONGC and vetted and certified by a third party of international repute but Schlumberger is seeking deviations in it, the sources noted.

All the oil and gas produced will belong to ONGC and the service provider arrangement is being entered into to get the best technology available, they added.

Besides Schlumberger, Halliburton and Baker Hughes, ONGC was also in talks with Weatherford International.

The sources said based on the experience of Kalol and Geleki, the PEC model may be extended to other onshore fields.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
'Kahaani' actor Saswata Chatterjee, who will step into the shoes of a writer suffering from identity crisis in upcoming Bengali flick 'Dwikhandito', says for him script is the hero of any film.

"In a film, the script becomes the real hero. If the script cannnot narrate a story in a film, it will fall flat. No amount of acting, camera and other technical flourish can pull it up", said Chatterjee, who has essayed several critically acclaimed roles in Bengali films like 'Ebar Shabor', 'Laptop', 'Goynar Baksho', 'Rajkahini', 'Bhooter Bhobisyot' and 'Proloy'.

"I always take up a film if that has something unique to offer, something different to offer," he told PTI Friday.

The 48-year old actor, whose 'Dwikhandito' and 'Tarikh' are awaiting release, said, "In my acting career I consider myself lucky to have been offered so many varied roles which had layers."



Chatterjee, who had turned up in a comic character in 'Hoichoi Unlimited', regretted that true comic roles are becoming fewer in Bengali film industry.

"We don't have true comic characters and true comedies in Bengali film industry any more, like the ones in past. We have forgotten to laugh at ourselves. True comedy is not mimicry," he said.

About 'Dwikhandito, he said, "My role in the film is one of the most complex ones. I have portrayed multiple characters in the film - sometimes the character of father and at other times his daughter. There are also some other characters which I portrayed by changing my voice and body language."



The film revolves around the life of a writer Kaushik Roy who suffers from dissociative identity crisis and begins to enact in his real life the characters created by him in his writings and is eventualy admitted to a hospital.

Chatterjee plays the role of the writer, while that of the writer's wife is essayed by Anjana Basu in 'Dwikhandito' which will be released on March 29.

He said debutant director Nabarun Sen, an NRI in Singapore, has brought up an interesting issue. "We will be able to identify people with such traits, around us."



The film's story has been written by Sen and it has no relation with Taslima Nasrin's controversial novel 'Dwikhandito'.

To a question if the financial viability of cinema will be at stake if people stop going to theatres, Chatterjee said, "Cinema will survive as people will continue to watch it on mobiles and laptops. But these are not the ideal mediums."



"For really enjoying a film, to see the full effect of watching a film the audiences should go to theatres. Laptop or mobiles cannot replace the experience of watching a film in theatres," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force has arrested a leader of a gang that allegedly duped various banks to the tune of Rs 8 crore in the name of financing over 60 car loans, officials said Sunday.

Rajat Kulshreshtha, 34, carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest, had multiple cases registered against him in Agra and was arrested from his residence in Noida on Saturday, the officials said.

According to the Noida unit of the STF, Kulshreshtha had floated a fake automobile company with its address in Greater Noida and organised a gang that approached various banks between 2013 and 2016 for loans.

"The gang got 61 vehicles financed during the period on the basis of forged documents. Kulshreshtha had caused the banks a loss of Rs 8 crore by illegally obtaining loans for vehicles that were never bought," Deputy Superintendent of Police (STF) Rajkumar Mishra said.

"Kulshreshtha, a Class 12 pass, had set up the fake company with one his friends Mohit Jain. They had created a website and even hired some staff to respond to telephonic and email conversation with the bank in order to appear authentic," he said.

He said the gang had submitted forged documents including quotations for vehicles' costs, payslips of staff, and other documents to obtain loans.

While probing the case, the Noida unit of the STF got a tip-off that Kulshreshtha would be in his apartment in Sector 78 on Saturday night and he was held from there, Mishra said.

During the arrest, an apple laptop, a luxury wrist watch, among other items were seized from the flat, while his SUV was also impounded, he said.

An FIR in the case has been registered at the New Agra police station under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (fraud), 467 (forgery) and related offences and legal proceedings were underway, the DSP added.

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Renowned businessman Akram Miknas has condemned the terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which resulted in the death of 50 people.

A great responsibility is placed on all men of thought, religion, culture and even businessmen to immunise our societies from extremist terrorist ideology, which works to exclude others and eliminate diversity instead of celebrating it, said Miknas, a media and advertising pioneer in the region.

The shooter refused to spare any of the mosques visitors including his youngest victim, a three-year old child who was mercilessly killed during the attack. "This horrible terrorist act in New Zealand re-emphasises that we must learn to live with each other and realise that our differences are blessings," he said.

Our differences must be viewed in a positive, natural state that we must accept and rejoice, not reject and retaliate against, he stressed.

Miknas believes that every individual must increase efforts to overcome extremist ideologies. The enemies of Islam will not be able to eliminate our religion or its followers no matter what they do, in the same way that Israel will not be able to end the Palestinians and their cause, he said.

We must each work to eradicate these ideologies and change the mindset, depending on our capabilities, so extremists around the world understand that such terrorists and criminal attacks cannot end the other, he added.

The shooter responsible for the attack has been apprehended by the New Zealand authorities and has been charged with murder. "I ask myself and ask this right-wing terrorist, Brenton Harris Tarrant: What has he done now that he has ended the life of all these innocent victims, just because they had a different religion, form, language and colour? What was the reason behind or benefit of this senseless attack? he said.

This terrorist will now spend the rest of his life in prison, or perhaps he will be executed, but it does not end Islam and its followers," he stressed.

There must be a solution to confront the radical ideologies against Islam. Otherwise, there will only be more violent extremism, ending the lives of more and more innocent people, he concluded.  TradeArabia News Service
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday arrived in the Maldives on a two-day visit, in the first full-fledged bilateral trip from India to the island nation after the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih came to power in November.

In a special gesture, Swaraj was received at the airport by her Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid and Foreign Secretary Abdul Mohamed, External Affairs Ministry (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"EAM @SushmaSwaraj receives a warm welcome on arrival in #Maldives. In a special gesture, FM @abdulla_shahid & Foreign Secretary Abdul Mohamed receive EAM at airport. 1st high-level visit to Maldives since new Maldives government assumed office in Nov. 2018," he said in a tweet.

In Male, Swaraj will have a bilateral meeting with Shahid and delegation-level talks with Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi, Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer, National Planning and Infrastructure Minister Mohamed Aslam, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Aishath Nahula and Economic Development Minister Fayyaz Ismail.

Swaraj will also call on President Solih on Monday and Speaker of the Parliament Qasim Ibrahim on Sunday. Minister of Home Affairs Sheikh Imran Abdulla will also call on Swaraj.

In New Delhi, the MEA said Saturday that her visit is aimed at further strengthening the "close and friendly" relations between the two countries.

"India attaches the highest importance to its relationship with the Maldives which is marked by trust, transparency, mutual understanding and sensitivity," it said.

"The ministers will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and discuss future programme of action," the MEA said.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and a number of senior officials are accompanying Swaraj during the trip.

Officials said it will be the first full-fledged bilateral visit at the political level from India to the Maldives after the new government assumed office.

They said Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Maldives in November only to attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony and no substantive discussion had taken place then.

Sources said the Maldives was aware of Indian government's limitations due to the election code of conduct and that Swaraj's visit will be to enhance overall ties which came under strain during the presidentship of Abdulla Yameen, who was known to be close to China.

Solih visited India in December last year during which India announced a USD 1.4 billion financial assistance to the island nation.

The two countries had also agreed to remain mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the Indian Ocean region and not allow their respective territories to be used for any activity inimical to their interests.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated after the then President Abdulla Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 last year.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

Solih became president in November after he defeated Yameen in presidential elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday held talks with her Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid and reviewed progress on important bilateral issues, including implementation of agreed outcomes of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's visit to India last year.

Swaraj arrived arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit, the first full-fledged bilateral trip from India to the island nation after the government of President Solih came to power in November last year.

"Warm discussions between EAM @SushmaSwaraj & Foreign Minister @abdulla_shahid. Reviewed progress on important bilateral issues, including implementation of agreed outcomes of the State Visit of President @ibusolih to India,"



External Affairs Ministry (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Solih visited India in December last year during which India announced a USD 1.4 billion financial assistance to the island nation.

The two countries had also agreed to remain mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the Indian Ocean region and not allow their respective territories to be used for any activity inimical to their interests.

Swaraj also held a joint ministerial meeting with nine other Maldivian ministers, including Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi and Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer.

In a special gesture, Swaraj was earlier received at the airport by her Maldivian counterpart and Foreign Secretary Abdul Mohamed.

Swaraj will also call on President Solih on Monday and Speaker of the Parliament Qasim Ibrahim on Sunday. Minister of Home Affairs Sheikh Imran Abdulla will also call on Swaraj.

In New Delhi, the MEA said Saturday that her visit is aimed at further strengthening the "close and friendly" relations between the two countries.

"India attaches the highest importance to its relationship with the Maldives which is marked by trust, transparency, mutual understanding and sensitivity," it said.

"The ministers will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and discuss future programme of action," the MEA said.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and a number of senior officials are accompanying Swaraj during the trip.

Officials said it will be the first full-fledged bilateral visit at the political level from India to the Maldives after the new government assumed office.

They said Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Maldives in November only to attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony and no substantive discussion had taken place then.

Sources said the Maldives was aware of Indian government's limitations due to the election code of conduct and that Swaraj's visit will be to enhance overall ties which came under strain during the presidentship of Abdulla Yameen, who was known to be close to China.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated after the then President Abdulla Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 last year.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

Solih became president in November after he defeated Yameen in presidential elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and the Maldives on Sunday discussed measures to strengthen bilateral ties and collaborate in the fields of defence, development cooperation, capacity building and health as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with the country's top leadership, including her Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid.

Swaraj arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit, the first full-fledged bilateral trip from India to the island nation after the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih came to power in November last year.

Swaraj and Maldivian Foreign Minister Shahid reviewed progress on important bilateral issues, including implementation of agreed outcomes of President Solih's visit to India last year, External Affairs Ministry (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

They agreed on a broad spectrum of issues for further collaboration, including development cooperation and enhancing people-to-people contact.

Solih visited India in December last year during which India announced a USD 1.4 billion financial assistance to the island nation.

The two countries had also agreed to remain mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the Indian Ocean region and not allow their respective territories to be used for any activity inimical to their interests.

During a joint ministerial meeting with nine other Maldivian ministers, including Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi and Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer, the two sides discussed ongoing and future cooperation across all spheres, including defence, development cooperation, capacity building, health and consular issues, the MEA spokesperson tweeted.

Swaraj also called on the Speaker of the Parliament of Maldives, the People's Majlis, Qasim Ibrahim and reiterated India's commitment to supporting the country in its path of peace, development, prosperity and democracy.

She unveiled a plaque dedicating the renovated IGM Hospital to the people of Maldives in the city of Male. IGMH is the first and largest government healthcare facility in the Maldives, built with Indian assistance.

Swaraj will call on President Solih on Monday.

In New Delhi, the MEA said Saturday that her visit is aimed at further strengthening the "close and friendly" relations between the two countries.

"India attaches the highest importance to its relationship with the Maldives which is marked by trust, transparency, mutual understanding and sensitivity," it said.

"The ministers will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and discuss future programme of action," the MEA said.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and a number of senior officials are accompanying Swaraj during the trip.

Officials said it will be the first full-fledged bilateral visit at the political level from India to the Maldives after the new government assumed office.

They said Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Maldives in November only to attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony and no substantive discussion had taken place then.

Sources said the Maldives was aware of Indian government's limitations due to the election code of conduct and that Swaraj's visit will be to enhance overall ties which came under strain during the presidentship of Abdulla Yameen, who was known to be close to China.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated after the then President Abdulla Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 last year.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

Solih became president in November after he defeated Yameen in presidential elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Telangana anticipates a shortage of police personnel for the Lok Sabha polls as it is difficult to get additional forces from other states due to simultaneous elections all over the country, a top election official said.

"We are taking all efforts to make proper arrangements but I anticipate there will be a slight shortage of uniformed personnel," Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said.

During the assembly polls last year, about 19,000 additional security personnel from other states were deployed.

"Last time (assembly polls) we deployed about 95,000 police personnel for the elections, of which 19,000 were from other states.

This time it may not be possible because Lok Sabha polls are being held all over the country and every state has its own elections," Kumar said.

He said they had asked for additional security forces from other states and added that about 2.5 lakh personnel, including poll officials, would be used for election duty.

The Lok Sabha elections would be held in single phase in Telangana on April 11.

The notification will be issued on March 18 and the last date for filing nominations would be March 25.

Kumar said initially there were concerns on availability of Electronic Voting Machines as 34 Election Petitions have been separately filed in the Telangana High Court on various grounds.

Twenty of these petitions were filed against the 'efficacy, veracity and functioning', among others, of the EVMs, sources said



This prompted the officials to keep about 9,000 EVMs in a 'lock-in' state, he said.

As per rules, EVMs of those constituencies whose verdict is challenged in courts should be kept intact and not be used until the court clears the petition.

"We have asked the Election Commission of India to allocate the machines which are locked for in EPs. They have made the allocation and we have received sufficient number of machines," the CEO said.

Kumar said Telangana plans to set up 35,000 polling stations across the state



As per the standard formula, states should have 1.6 times ballot units in proportion to the number of polling stations, 1.3 times Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and 1.2 times control units, he saidHe said the total number of voters for the Lok Sabha polls in Telangana was expected to be nearly three crore.

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Cinema cannot be held hostage to just one economic model, says Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron whose film "Roma" was at the centre of intense debate between streaming versus theatrical that has divided the world of movies and their makers.

The debate around the success of "Roma" has "very little" do with cinema, it is rather about "economic models", the Mexican director told PTI in an interview.

"Roma", despite being the obvious frontrunner and claiming three top awards including the Best Director Oscar for Cuaron, could not claim the top prize of Best Picture, which went to "Green Book", sparking sharp reactions from cinema lovers.

Some interpreted it as the result of a fight between Hollywood studios and Netflix after it was reported that filmmaker Steven Spielberg was pushing for a rule change by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to exclude streaming services from Oscars eligibility.

While Cuaron does not think "Roma" lost because of the resistance to the way it was distributed, he does believe that the debate has very little to do with cinema.

"Definitely, there is a debate going on. For me, that debate relates very little with cinema. It is just about economic models. If there is anything within these conversations, it is that they use cinema as hostage to justify their economic model. I don't like that because it is not about that. It is just about their economic model," Cuaron told PTI over phone from the US.

The director believes striking a balance between economic models will benefit cinema at large.

"A balance between those models and Netflix and, cinema in general, can bring new possibilities for special kind of films that are neglected in the last few years by the theatrical experience," he added.

Cuaron, however, said he does not have an "answer" to why "Roma" lost to "Green Book".

"I cannot say that's what happened. I don't have any reason to support those theories. I mean there are other films that they liked better or maybe were better to call the best film of the year," he said.

"Roma", shot in black-and-white, is a memory piece from Cuaron's childhood spent in a Mexican suburb and revolves around a housemaid, Cleo. The film, despite being shot in Spanish, has found universal love, something that has surprised the director, who is more famous for directing Hollywood projects such as "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Gravity".

Cuaron said he made "Roma" to "heal personal wounds" but was surprised by the "beautiful acceptance" from the audience.

"I am very pleased of course, but I would lie if I said I was not surprised," he said.

Asked whether it may have to do with the projection of working classes who are generally ignored in cinema, the director said, "Probably, but at the same time, I cannot be certain that it is only that".

"Definitely, there was a strong emotional connection with the film... I have to say that in certain countries like your country (India) and in Mexico, we have such a sharp contrast in terms of class. In these countries, the film has opened up a conversation. For that, I am very pleased but it was not by design.

"I was doing a film, in which, I was going to portray, as honestly as possible, both my personal wounds and social wounds. Personal wounds, in terms of my family and myself. But you cannot do that without having the context. It was about the wounds that I share with the society and ultimately, what was surprising was that I ended up sharing those wounds with the rest of the world."



Those who follow Cuaron's cinema notice the director's fascination with elements, particularly the ocean, which is somewhat a recurring theme in "Y Tu Mama Tambien", "Gravity" and in "Roma".

Cuaron said he was unaware of his affinity towards oceans until it was pointed out to him.

"I was completely unaware of it until people started mentioning. That was never by design that I set out to do but I guess it has happened like that. Of course, oceans have a huge symbolic quality, in terms of who we are in terms of evolution. Oceans are our primordial suit, we are born through it...

"Of course, we believe water and oceans, in terms of certain cleansing and purity. All the rituals of cleansing, in most cultures, are always related with water. We have our rituals and in India, you have the (river) Ganges," he said.

The decision to shoot the film in monochrome, which earned him the Best Cinematography award at the Oscars, was also something that came instinctively to Cuaron.

"With 'Roma', I never questioned the black-and-white format. The film is about Cleo (a stand-in for Cuaron's nanny Liboria 'Libo' Rodriguez whom he dedicates the film to). The project was a memory and it was to be done in black-and-white. Those are the things I was certain about. You don't question it because they are the DNA of your film.

"I come from an older generation, a generation where I enjoyed watching films in black-and-white as a child. I was already a teenager when we had our first colour TV. So it was normal for me to watch black-and-white films. We were used to that. Now, of course, it has become something that is stylish. It was not like that before.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday called on her rebellious MPs to do the patriotic thing to strike an honourable compromise over Brexit as she prepares to table her twice-defeated withdrawal agreement to another Parliament vote next week, hoping it would prove third time lucky for her.

Her latest plea came at the end of a frenetic week in Westminster as MPs voted on a flurry of motions, not just ruling out leaving the European Union (EU) with May's deal but also without any deal in place at all, calling for a delay to the March 29 Brexit Day deadline.

May warned deeply divided Brexiteers within her own party and across the House of Commons that failure to once again support her deal, which was defeated by a resounding 230-vote margin in January and a smaller 149-vote margin last week, would mean the UK may not leave the EU for many months and may even rule out Brexit altogether.

She urged MPs to get behind her improved deal before a European Council summit in Brussels next week, with legally binding changes to the controversial Irish backstop clause addressing concerns that the UK could be tied to EU rules indefinitely.

If Parliament can find a way to back the Brexit deal before European Council, the UK will leave the EU this spring, without having to take part in the European elections If it cannot, we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever, she writes in The Sunday Telegraph'.

As things stand, May is hoping to return to Brussels with a Parliament-backed deal to seek a short delay until June 30 to complete procedures.

It is for the EU to decide the terms and conditions of any extension because legally the UK is still due to leave the economic bloc on March 29.

With European Parliament elections scheduled to take place towards the end of May, if the UK Parliament remains deadlocked over an exit strategy, the EU is expected to agree to only a lengthy delay to the Article 50 Brexit mechanism.

Such a move would necessitate Britain's participation in the European Parliament polls.

The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs [Members of European Parliament] three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. There could be no more potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure, Theresa May warned.

Against this backdrop, she is set for a last-ditch attempt at getting her deal through the Commons as she seeks to change the mind of 75 MPs to vote differently from last week and win the required majority.

For those who backed remain, I am asking them to remove any chance of the UK staying in the EU. For those who backed leave, I am asking them to vote for a form of Brexit that may not be everything they hoped for, she urged.

There are some signs that hard-Brexiteers might be ready to change their minds over fears of a lengthy delay or no Brexit at all, with a letter signed by Tory MPs from Leave-backing constituencies, including former Brexit Secretary David Davis, urging colleagues to back the deal.

The Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which has voted against the agreement twice already, also held out some hope, saying that while there were "still issues to be discussed", it remained in talks with the government.

The 10 votes provided by the DUP, which provides Theresa May's Conservative Party government with its crucial Commons majority, are key to the British Prime Minister proving third time lucky with her withdrawal agreement.

Meanwhile, Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has written to MPs across the Commons inviting them for talks to find a cross-party compromise over Brexit.

In his letter, he called for urgent meetings to find a "solution that ends the needless uncertainty and worry" caused by May's "failed" Brexit negotiations.

Meanwhile, a latest opinion poll conducted by Opinium for the Observer' newspaper exposed the lingering divisions across the country over Brexit, with an equal set of people (43 per cent each) found backing a second referendum and leaving the EU without a deal by March 29.

The poll found that if a second referendum were held with the options of accepting Theresa May's deal or remaining in the EU on the ballot paper, 46 per cent said they would back remain, against 36 per cent who would vote to leave on the terms of the British Prime Minister's proposal.

The figures will encourage remain supporters ahead of a mass demonstration and march in favour of a second referendum scheduled to take place in London next Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Austria's Dominic Thiem defeated Milos Raonic 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 on Saturday to book a title clash with five-time champion Roger Federer at the ATP Indian Wells Masters.

Thiem, ranked eighth in the world, withstood 17 aces from the rangy Canadian, gaining the only break of the contest in the third set.

He'll fight for a maiden Masters 1000 title against Swiss great Federer. Federer, seeking a record sixth Indian Wells crown, reached the final when semi-final opponent Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament with a right knee injury.

Thiem, 25, has split four prior meetings with the 20-time Grand Slam champion 2-2.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: The electoral alliance in Tamil Nadu has been forged in view of the prevailing political situation and the party has not compromised on its ideology, CPI (M) politburo member G Ramakrishnan said Sunday.

All the constituents of the alliance were equally and seriously concerned over the alleged danger posed by BJP at the Centre and the ruling AIADMK in the state to the democratic and secular fabric of the country, he told reporters here.

He was replying to a question on how the party was managing an alliance with Congress, whose ideology and economic policies were poles apart from the CPI (M).

When pointed out to the criticism by BJP leaders on the claim of secular nature of the alliance, when parties with the name of religion in them - Indian Union Muslim League and Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam - he said these parties were also fighting for the cause which the CPI (M) also stood for.

This was formed for eyeing not only on the elections but also on NEET, GST against which the alliance partners have been fighting against as these were some of the issues confronted by the people of Tamil Nadu under the AIADMK rule, Ramakrishnan said.

On the Pollachi sexual harassment case, he said the AIADMK government has been remaining silent and failed to implement the Madras High Court order to give Rs 25 lakh to the victim and also take action against the police official for revealing her name.

"This is an issue of contempt of court," he said.

On the election strategy, Ramakrishnan said the DMK-led Secular Progressive Front would raise the issue of secularism, democracy and economic policies, which adversely affect the small industries, with the public, majority of which has already decided to oust Prime minister Narendra Modi.

CPI (M) Coimbatore candidate P R Natarajan, who was also present, said that his first task after winning the elections was to revive the closed industrial units.

Once a new government if formed after defeating Modi, he would raise the issue of waving of farmers loans and also students' education loans, Natarajan said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Despite nursing a grudge against the state government for its alleged failure to curb communal riots, the minorities in Bengal are likely to vote for the TMC to stop BJP's march, leaders said.

A deciding factor in several Lok Sabha seats in the state, the minorities especially Muslims are likely to vote for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) which they perceive as a "credible force" unlike the Congress-Communist Party of India (Marxist) alliance, they claimed.

"Despite having anger against the state government over various issues including several riots that took place in the state, the minorities will vote for TMC in the state to ensure their safety and security," Mohammed Kamruzzaman, General Secretary of All Bengal Minority Youth Federation told PTI.

"In Bengal, TMC is the most credible force as it is in power, when it comes to fight against BJP," he added.

Kamruzzaman, whose organization has the biggest following among Muslim youths in the state, said that the Congress-CPI(M) seat sharing talks have evoked little hopes as credible alternative among the masses.

The Imams of the city, who hold a sway over the large Muslim population here, felt that the minorities should vote for the strongest secular candidate.

"We would appeal to the minorities to vote in favour of the strongest secular forces in their respective areas. Efforts should be made to ensure that only secular and democratic candidates win," Qazi Fazlur Rahman, the Imam, who conducts prayers on Eid at Red Road every year, told PTI.

The Red Road Eid prayers witnesses the biggest congregation of Muslims in the state.

Rahman's view was echoed by Shafique Qasmi, Imam of Nakhoda Masjid, the biggest mosque in the city, who stressed that the minorities must ensure that there was no division of their votes and only a secular and democratic force comes to power.

The minorities, which comprise nearly 30 per cent of the electorate, are a deciding factor in nearly 16-18 Lok Sabha seats of the state. They are a vote bank that every political party has tried to woo.

Parliamentary seats such as Raiganj, Coochbehar, Balurghat, Malda North, Malda South, Murshidabad in north Bengal and seats such as Diamond Harbour, Uluberia, Howrah, Birbhum, Kanthi, Tamluk, Joynagar in south Bengal have very high Muslim population.

The TMC presently holds a great influence over the minority votes in the state but several riots that took place in the last four years have angered a section of the minorities.

According to Union Home Ministry data released in 2018, communal violence increased sharply since 2015 in West Bengal.

While the state recorded 27 incidents of communal violence in 2015, the number almost doubled by 2017 when 58 such incidents were recorded. The recent ones being the Basirshat riots in 2017 and Asansol riots in 2018.

The TMC, however, blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for trying to flare up communal passions to serve its own political purpose and expressed confidence that it will repeat its 2014 feat with the help of minorities.

"The minorities are very well aware of developmental work that the TMC government has done. Bengal is known for communal harmony but BJP is trying to disturb that for its own political gains," TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim said.

According to TMC sources, minorities are likely to vote for the party to stop the march of the BJP.

Since independence, the minorities in the state voted in favour of the Congress in order to keep outfits like the Hindu Mahasabha and Jan Sangh at bay.

However, since the late sixties, they gradually started drifting towards the Left forces, which under the leadership of Jyoti Basu and Promode Dasgupta put up an alternative against the Congress rule in the state.

After the CPI(M)-led Left Front came to power in 1977, through its iconic policies of 'Operation Barga' - giving land to landless farmers which benefited lakhs including Muslims - cemented its support base among the minorities.

Riding on the support of minorities and rural Bengal, the Left Front in 1996 and 2004 had sent the largest bloc of 33 and 34 MPs, respectively, to the Lok Sabha.

But things started falling apart for the Left Front after the Sachar Committee report in 2008 painted a dismal picture on the condition of minorities in the state.

Adding to their woes was the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram and Singur that made the TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, as the new "saviour" of minorities.

Banerjee unseating the 34-year-old Left Front regime in the state but has been accused of appeasing minorities by the BJP-RSS, which emerged as the main opposition in West Bengal.

"The policies of the state government were only aimed at protecting the interests of a specific community in the state. This has ignited anger among the majority community which feels only BJP can protect their interests," BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said.

Senior CPI(M) leader and MP Mohammed Salim said the assertion by TMC that it is a saviour of the Muslims in the state has fallen flat in the last few years.

While Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan said that minority voting pattern would depend a lot on the credibility of the CPI(M)-Congress alliance in the state.

"If we are able to put up a credible alternative then we too will receive considerable minority votes. But if we fail to do so, TMC will take away the entire share," the senior Congress leader said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress and JD(S), which are fighting the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in an "alliance of compulsion" after having contested the state elections against each other, face a key challenge of ensuring transfer of votes between the parties that would test the mettle of the ruling coalition.

It is even more daunting in the old Mysuru region, where both parties are considered as arch rivals, having been at loggerheads for decades.

The Congress and the JD(S), which had bitterly fought each other in the May 2018 assembly polls, had sewed up a post-election alliance after a hung verdict with the BJP emerging as the single largest party but falling short of required numbers.

The Congress will contest 20 Lok Sabha seats and the JD(S) eight under a deal between the coalition partners finalised on Wednesday after weeks of haggling.

For the coalition to emerge as a formidable opposition to the BJP and win more number of seats, it is crucial for the Congress to transfer its votes to the JD(S), and vice-versa.

Conceding that transfer of votes is a "bit difficult" and not an easy task, senior JD(S) leader Y S V Datta said it is more so in the old Mysuru region as the Congress and his party are "common rivals" and "there is no BJP there".

"So as we have been fighting against the Congress in successive elections. Now all of a sudden Congress workers supporting our candidate and our workers supporting Congress candidate, is slightly an embarrassment," he told PTI.

Datta, who is JD(S)' campaign committee chief, however, said, as this is not a local election, he didn't expect that kind of rivalry between the workers of the two parties.

"As this is a Lok Sabha election, and as Delhi is far. Whether it is Congress or JD(S) won't matter much for them (party men)... so ultimately both party workers will fight the election together," he added.

Asserting that trust is key to success of any alliance, senior Congress leader and MLA Ramalinga Reddy said, "It is still initial stage. There will be some kind of hiccups, but gradually it will be alright and they (both partymen) will adjust."



According to the seat-sharing arrangement, the JD(S) will contest from Uttara Kannada, Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Tumkur, Hassan, Mandya, Bangalore North and Bijapur, while the Congress will field candidates for the rest 20 seats.

Among the eight seats with the JD(S), it has MPs in Hassan and Mandya Tumkur is with the Congress and the rest five are represented by the BJP.

As a majority of the seats the JD(S) will be contesting are held by the BJP, transfer of Congress' votes to its regional partner is important for the alliance to outperform the saffron party.

The JD(S) will also need Congress' support in its own bastion Mandya this time, where Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is pitted against Sumalatha Ambareesh, wife of late actor-turned-politician Ambareesh.

Mandya has become a high-stake battle for the father-son duo of former prime minister H D Deve Gowa and Kumaraswamy, as they are facing backlash for promoting dynasty by fielding Nikhil. Gowda's other grandson Prajwal Revanna is JD(S) candidate from the family's home turf of Hassan.

The Congress too will need JD(S)' votes to be transferred to it in constituencies like Mysore, Chikkaballapura, Bangalore Rural among others, where the regional party has considerable base.

In the 2014 general election, the BJP had bagged 17, Congress nine and JD(S) two seats. However, in the by-polls, the BJP had yielded the Bellary seat to the Congress.

The transfer of votes will not be easy, as some in the Congress are upset over the party's decision to cede constituencies such as Tumkur and Uttara Kannada to the JD(S). Local party leaders have even threatened not to support their alliance partner in the constituency, and to contest as a rebel candidate.

With a section of local Congress leaders and workers seen supporting Sumalatha, who is likely to contest as independent candidate in Mandya after being denied ticket, JD(S) leader and Minister Sa Ra Mahesh has warned the grand old party of repercussion in the event of any misadventure by it in the Vokkaliga bastion.

"how you (Congress) will treat us (JDS) in Mandya, the same will resonate in Mysore (where Congress candidate will be contesting)," he said at a JD(S) rally on Friday.

Transfer of JD(S) votes is crucial for the Congress in Mysore. Currently the BJP has a hold over the seat.

Meanwhile, five Congress MLAs from Bangalore North, after a joint meeting with JD(S) MLAs from the constituency on Friday, announced that they will work together for Deve Gowda's victory, if he contests from the seat.

Gowda is yet to take a call on whether he will contest from Tumkur or Bangalore North.

The JD(S) has doubts about the Congress' complete support in Bangalore North, as most of the party MLAs there are considered to be close to Siddaramaiah, and they may "seek revenge" for the former chief minister's defeat from Chamundeshwari in 2018 assembly polls, according to party sources.

Narayana A, who teaches Political Philosophy and Indian at Azim Premji University, said, "It is an alliance of compulsion, in old Mysuru region. There is no doubt about it... at this stage on transfer of votes we cannot say much, we will have to see the candidates."



"Also, the kind of signals that have been going out ever since the formation of the coalition government has created some kind of confusion among the workers," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BMW Group is reorganising its Board of Management to create a new leaner, future-oriented structure.

From April 1, the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce automotive brands will be part of a new central sales division. It will be headed by Pieter Nota, member of the BMW AG Board of Management responsible until now for sales and Brand BMW, Aftersales BMW Group.

Nota will also remain responsible for additional functions including brand and product management and aftersales.

Meanwhile, BMW Motorrad will become part of the Development Division under management board member Klaus Frohlich.

We are restructuring our divisions to give us the best possible foundation for the future. It sends out a clear signal that our organisation is lean and efficient throughout the company, said Harald Kruger, chairman of the BMW AG Board of Management, speaking in Munich on Friday.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, responsible for MINI, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad, Customer Engagement and Digital Business Innovation BMW Group until the end of the first quarter of 2019, will remain a member of the BMW AG Board of Management until October. During this period he will promote the companys strategical focus on electromobility. Schwarzenbauer will then leave the company at his own request when he turns 60.

Over the last six years, Peter Schwarzenbauer has taken MINI and Rolls-Royce as well as BMW Motorrad to new heights and set important impulses in the fields of mobility services, digital services and customer engagement. We would like to thank him very much for that and have every confidence that his conviction and passion for electromobility will drive our transformation momentum and ensure the successful launch of the MINI Electric, said Kruger.  TradeArabia News Service
Two brothers were killed when their motorcycle collided with a roadways bus in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, police said Sunday.

Circle Officer, Chandausi, Poonam Mishra said the accident took place Saturday night near Janeta village, when a motorcycle collided with a bus.

The deceased have been identified as Saquib (17) and Sajid (15), police said, adding that the bodies were sent for post-mortem.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British Prime Minister Theresa May's government warned Sunday it could scrap a planned Brexit vote this week unless it felt it could win and avoid a long-term EU withdrawal delay.

"It would be difficult to justify having a vote if you knew you were going to lose it," International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told Sky

"We will only bring the deal back if we are confident that enough of our colleagues... are prepared to support it so that we can get it through parliament," finance minister Philip Hammond added on the BBC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi Sunday termed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance as "unnatural" and born out of the Opposition's "fear psychosis" against the BJP-led NDA governments' development-oriented

The Opposition is also scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi' ever growing popularity, he claimed.

"The gathbandhan (alliance) of SP, BSP and RLD is an unnatural alliance. They do not have any similarity in terms of netas (leaders) and niti (policy)," said Shahi, elaborating how SP and the BSP had been fighting each other for the last 15 years.

"This alliance is a result of the fear psychosis created by performance of the BJP-led NDAgovernment under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and his ever-growing popularity," the minister told PTI here.

"The alliance partners had indulged in various acts of corruption and the people of the state will never accept them,"he added.

"That's why they do not want a majboot (strong) government,they want a majboor (weak) one."



Asked about the possible impact Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would make on her party's electoral prospects in the eastern Uttar Pradesh, the senior UP minister claimed she will make no impact at all.

"There will be no impact of Priyanka Gandhi in eastern UP. It (Congress) is out of the poll platform," he said.

Shahi said, "PM Modi has worked for the upliftment of the people from different sections of the society including the downtrodden who constitute the lowest strata of the society."



He said the prime minister has made immense contribution to improve the farmers' plight by providing for availability of seeds, testing of soil, higher MSP for the corps, besides taking other welfare measures for them.

The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) will help farmers to engage in agriculture in a tension-free way, he said.

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Upset over being ragged by a senior, two students of a private arts and science college here allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison, police said Sunday.

The students, both pursuing their first year BA Economics course, had taken the poison on March 2, following which they were hospitalised.

While one of them died Saturday, the other had succumbed four days ago, police said.

They said the duo were not able to put up with the ragging and so decided to take the extreme step.

Police are on the lookout for one Jaisakthi, who allegedly ragged the students.

The college authorities said they were investigating the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which is part of the DMK-led alliance and has been allotted two seats in Tamil Nadu, Sunday said its chief Thol Thirumavalavan would contest the Chidambaram seat, and named 10 others for Andhra Pradesh and Kerala contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Another seat - Villupuram - in the state allotted to it by the DMK-led 'Secular Progressive Alliance' would be contested by the party general secretary and writer T Ravikumar, a former MLA.

Addressing reporters here, Thirumavalavan said he would be contesting on an independent symbol, whereas Villupuram seat would be contested on the DMK's rising sun symbol.

"This is an amicable decision taken with an aim to win both the constituencies," he said.

Thirumavalavan was elected to parliament for the first time in 2009 from Chidambaram constituency, however, he lost to an AIADMK candidate when contested from the same seat in 2014 general elections.

VCK would be contesting six lok sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and three in Kerala independently.

In Andhra Pradesh, N K Jacob Vidyasagar will be contesting from Guntur, PTM Sivaprasad - Chittoor, George Bankari - Visakhapatnam, Dr Murugesan Prabhu - Tirupati, Bondalapalli Chandrasekar - Rajampet, and Ramaji Immanuel from Kadapa.

In Kerala, M Selvaraj from Idukki, Jeevan K Vijayan from Kottayam and lawyer K R Meena would be contesting from Kollam.

Alleging that the Election Commission was delaying the allotment of an independent symbol for a month without citing any reason, Thirumavalavan said the symbols sought by the party was allotted to others.

"Earlier we asked for a ring, then a diamond, then a jackfruit, but all of them were allotted to the others. Now they have asked another list of symbols. Time to begin campaigns is nearing," he said.

The DMK-led 'Secular Progressive Alliance' allies, CPI(M), CPI and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had Friday named their candidates for five Lok Sabha constituencies allotted to them as part of seat-sharing arrangement.

The DMK would be contesting 20 seats



The CPI(M) fielded former Lok Sabha MP P R Natarajan in Coimbatore constituency, which he represented in the 15th Lok Sabha, while Sahitya Akademi Award winner and Tamil writer S Venkatesan would contest in the Madurai constituency.

The CPI has nominated K Subbarayan for Tiruppur and former MP Selvarasu for Nagapattinam seat.

The IUML, which was allotted the Ramanathapuram seat, has announced K Nawaz Kani, managing director of a courier company, as the candidate.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim leader Juan Guaido began a tour of his country aimed at sparking a citizen's movement to pry President Nicolas Maduro from power.

As Guaido, 35, kicked off his "operation freedom" in the northern city of Valencia on Saturday, the pro-Maduro military staged the latest in a series of exercises.

The drill focused on defending hydroelectric infrastructure from attack -- a reaction to a weeklong national blackout that Maduro blamed on US "sabotage" but experts said was more likely the result of years of neglect.

Guaido, the head of the opposition-ruled National Assembly whose claim to be caretaker president is recognized by the US, Canada and much of Latin America and Europe, vowed he would "very soon" take up office in Miraflores, the presidential palace.

He has been pushing for nearly two months against Maduro after declaring himself acting president during street rallies by tens of thousands, following Maduro's swearing-in for a second term despite elections widely dismissed as a sham.

"We are going to reclaim what belongs to the people," Guaido told thousands of supporters on Saturday.

Maduro, he said, "believes that a thieving gang or a palace makes him president. It's only the support of our people that makes someone president of a nation and he doesn't have that.

And not much longer will he be in that palace." Guaido offered no timeline for the mobilization across Venezuela, which he said will culminate with a march on the presidential palace in Caracas.

"I'm ready to head over to Miraflores right now, wherever my future president Juan Guaido asks me to go," said one of his supporters, Milagros Lima, 50, a lawyer. She told AFP that her "whole family" are among the millions who have fled the country's dire shortages of food and medicine.

"If it weren't for them, we'd be starving to death," she said.

Accompanying Guaido on his tour are opposition lawmakers tasked with creating citizen assemblies "freedom cells" across the country. The opposition said that, by Saturday, around 50 had already been set up in half of Venezuela's 23 states.

"Whatever happens, we must be united, mobilized in the streets," Guaido said, adding that he has not ruled out asking the National Assembly to activate a constitutional clause allowing foreign military intervention -- though such a move "depended on others."



That was taken as a reference to US military action, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out, even though there is no sign such an operation is being mounted and US allies in Latin America oppose the idea.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Sukhram's grandson Aashray Sharma is eyeing a BJP ticket ticket for Mandi Lok Sabha seat here with Himachal's former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh hoping to get that of Congress for the 2019 polls.

Neither the ruling BJP nor the Congress, however, has yet finalised their candidates for any of the four Himachal Lok Sabha seats seats - Shimla, Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra.

In a recent Facebook post, Shimla Rural MLA and a scion of erstwhile princely state Bushahar, Vikramaditya Singh, said, "I have not applied for ticket from Mandi seat as my father has taught me to control my ambitions."



"If the Congress leadership gives me this responsibility, I am ready for that as my father has also taught me to fight for the party and the country in every situation," he added.

When contacted, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Kuldeep Singh Rathore, however, told PTI that no name has been shortlisted so far by the screening committee for any of the four Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The five-member committee is headed by AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal.

The panel is to meet soon to shortlist candidates for the central election committee (CEC) to take a decision, Rathore added.

Former Union Telecom Minister in PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress government, Sukhram's grandson Aashray Sharma has not only expressed his willingness to contest from Mandi but has even begun electioneering here.

"I have already campaigned in 15 out of 17 assembly segments except Seraj and Jogindernagar falling under Mandi parliamentary constituency," Sharma told PTI.

BJP's Himachal unit president Satpal Singh, however, said, "Sharma is not even a primary member of the party. What we have to say, we will say when we will be called at Delhi (by senior BJP leaders for parliamentary board meeting)."



Responding to Singh's statement, Aashray retorted, "If I am not member of the BJP, my father Anil Sharma (who is a minister in Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in Himachal) Pradesh too is not a BJP member.""I along with my father met (BJP president) Amit Shah in Delhi in October before the Himachal assembly elections in 2017 and joined the BJP," he added.

"It was for the first time in the Himachal that the BJP performed so well in Mandi in last assembly election after our family, having its hold in this region, joined the BJP just 21 days before the state polls," he claimed.

Sharma expressed optimism that he would get a BJP ticket from Mandi.

"The party will surely honour his family, which helped the BJP's perform better in Mandi district. I'm fully optimistic about the party allocating me a ticket for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat," he said.

"Moreover, I am campaigning on directions of (senior party leaders from) Delhi. Nowadays the winnability is the sole criteria all parties in selecting candidates. All surveys too have also gone in my favour," he claimed.

The sources, however, say the state BJP is in favour of reallocating the seat to its sitting MP Ram Swaroop Sharma, who had won the seat by a margin of nearly 40,000 votes.

He had secured 3,62,824 votes in 2014, defeating Congress candidate Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh, who had got 3,22,968 votes.

Sukhram, 91, has represented Mandi in Lok Sabha thrice in 1984, 1991 and 1996, Virbhadra Singh thrice in 1971, 1980, 2009 and his wife twice in 2004 and 2013.

Political observers here say if Aashray Sharma and Vikramaditya Singh are respectively fielded by the BJP and the Congress, Mandi is sure to see a keen contest between the two.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top White House official said Sunday that President Donald Trump "is not a white supremacist" and attempts to tie him to the alleged New Zealand mosque shooter are "absurd."



Mick Mulvaney, the acting chief of staff, described the New Zealand shooter as a "disturbed individual" and "evil person" and said it was unfair to cast the 28-year-old Australian "as a supporter of Donald Trump any more than it is to look at his, sort of his eco-terrorist passages in that manifesto and align him with Nancy Pelosi or Ms Ocasio-Cortez."



Pelosi, a California Democrat, is the House speaker. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, is a freshman and major proponent of a plan, named the Green New Deal, for tackling climate change.

"This was a disturbed individual, an evil person, and to try and tie him to an American politician from either party probably ignores some of the deeper, difficulties that this sort of activity exposes," Mulvaney said.

Still, Mulvaney's defense of Trump failed to quiet calls, chiefly from Democrats, for the president to issue a forceful denunciation of white nationalism. They argue that Trump's rhetoric, including harsh comments about immigrants and Muslims, encourages individuals like the New Zealand shooter.

Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the man accused of the deadly shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, left behind a lengthy document that proudly stated he was a white nationalist who hates immigrants and was set off by attacks in Europe that were perpetrated by Muslims.

"Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump?" was one of the questions he posed to himself in the document. His answer: "As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no." The attacks left 50 people dead, and 34 others wounded, a dozen of them critically.

Mulvaney said Trump is a defender of religious minorities worldwide and that his actions speak louder than his words.

"Look at what we've done while we've been here," he said. "I don't think anybody could say that the president is anti-Muslim."



Before Mulvaney appeared on the Sunday talk shows, Trump tweeted in defense of Fox weekend host Jeanine Pirro, whose program did not air in its regular Saturday time slot.

Fox offered no explanation, but Pirro's absence from the lineup followed anti-Muslim comments she directed last week toward Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, one of three Muslims in Congress, who wears a head covering known as a hijab.

Trump tweeted "Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro." Mulvaney also addressed a threat by North Korea to reconsider its halt to nuclear and ballistic missile tests, saying such a move would be a "truly disappointing turn of events." The threat followed the collapse of nuclear disarmament talks last month between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

The chief of staff also expressed confidence that Trump's veto of a measure blocking his declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border - in order to build a border wall - will be upheld when the House votes later this month to override the president.

"It doesn't have a chance," Mulvaney said of the vote set for March 26.

Asked last week whether he saw white nationalism as a rising global threat, Trump said "I don't really." He went on to characterise the movement as made up of a "small group of people that have very, very serious problems" and said "I guess, if you look at what happened in New Zealand, perhaps that's a case.

I don't know enough about it yet." Sen Tim Kaine, D-Va., disagreed, saying white nationalism is on the rise "and the president should call it out, but sadly he's not doing that."



As a candidate, Trump proposed banning all Muslims from entering the United States. As president, he drew criticism for attempting to institute the travel ban and for being slow to condemn white supremacy and related violence.

After a violent 2017 clash between white nationalists and anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one demonstrator dead, Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides" of the confrontation. Trump also did not immediately reject support from David Duke, a former KKK Grand Wizard, during his presidential campaign.

Rep Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who is also Muslim, said Trump should call the Justice Department for data on the rise of white supremacy in the US.

She urged Trump to use his bully pulpit to denounce the movement. "He, from the Oval Office, from that power position, can be able to send a signal very loud and clear," she said.

Mulvaney appeared on "Fox Sunday" and CBS' "Face the Nation." Kaine and Tlaib spoke on CNN's "State of the Union.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top White House official says it's unfair to cast the alleged New Zealand mosque shooter as a supporter of President Donald Trump based on one reference to Trump in a manifesto the suspect released before the attack.

Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney tells "Fox Sunday" that the shooter was a "disturbed individual" and "evil person."



Mulvaney says attempts to tie the shooter to any American politician "probably ignores some of the deeper difficulties that this sort of activity exposes."



On another issue, Mulvaney said any resumption of missile or nuclear testing by North Korea would be a "truly disappointing turn of events."North Korea had halted such testing as it discussed denuclearization with the U.S.

Both sides failed to reach a deal at a February summit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After being denied a ticket from the Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, senior Congress leader K V Thomas Sunday said he will work for the party and ensure its candidate, Hibi Eden, wins from the constituency.

Thomas, who represents the constituency, was miffed at being denied a ticket, but seemed pacified after top Congress leaders spoke to him and assured him that they would take care of his interests.

Sources said he also spoke to former prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on the issue.

I will continue to work for the party more strongly.It was my immediate response... because when all sitting MPs were given tickets, I was denied it (a ticket).

I will not take any steps that would hurt the interests of the party. I owe everything to the party.I will stand by whatever decision is taken by the party, Thomas, who was the Union food minister in the UPA government, told reporters here.

He later became the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament.

Ernakulam is a Congress stronghold and whoever is the party candidate, will win, Thomas said, claiming that Manmohan Singh had telephoned him.

Asked whether Eden will win, he said 100 per cent



I was pained not because of ignoring seats for me but for the attitude towards me.While all sitting MPs were given given tickets, I was denied it, he said after his outburst at the party last night for being denied a ticket from Ernakulam.

Thomas had also met Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly Ramesh Chennithala and Congress general secretary in charge of Kerala Mukul Wasnik, and held discussions, the sources said.

Asked about rumours about him joining the BJP and contesting as the saffron party's candidate, he said he is a Congress man and no one has contacted him.

Thomas was upset after he was denied the party ticket from Ernakulam which he currently represents.

He has been a five time parliamentarian from this constituency besides being a two-time legislator in the state.

Sources said the party is learnt to have worked out a formula with him to which he has reportedly agreed. Details of this formula are not available.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the buildup to the launch of the Sikka Art Fair 2019, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirates dedicated entity for culture, arts, heritage, and literature in the UAE, organised a meeting with media professionals and artists participating in the fair.



This year's edition is being held under the patronage of HH Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Dubai Culture.



Saeed Al Naboodah, acting director general at Dubai Culture, said: In recognition of the multiculturalism of Dubai and its respect for all faiths and cultures, the fair will emphasise tolerance. Therefore, we chose the title An Open Window to Art and Tolerance to celebrate the Year of Tolerance initiative, emphasising cultural diversity, harmony, and a strong community fabric in the UAE. The exhibition will achieve many other goals, chief of which the sponsorship of UAE and regional artists, offering them the perfect opportunity to showcase their works to a wide local and international audience in Dubai. We will also hold many specialised workshops for the artists under the supervision of experts in various fields to achieve our mission to create opportunities for novice artists and to embrace and encourage talent by providing them with the ideal platform to hone their skills."



Walid Ahmad, head of Dubai Art Season, presented a comprehensive presentation about the ninth edition of Sikka Art Fair, organised under the Dubai Art Season umbrella, now in its sixth edition, and taking place during March and April 2019. Sikka Art Fair is launched by Dubai Culture to celebrate the emirate's growing creative and cultural scene through a rich array of unique cultural and artistic activities being held over two full months throughout Dubai, including outdoor art projects, interactive initiatives, workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions, and performing arts.



Sikka Art Fair 2019 will take place from March 16  24 in Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and will introduce a number of participating artists, conduct interviews with them, and highlight their works and previous participations.



Ahmad added: The young artists will seek to embody the message of the exhibition through their artistic work that encourages participation, invites others to meet on the same path, and integrate in an environment that supports dialogue and coexistence. We will provide visitors with a fun and enjoyable experience for all age groups as part of their visit to Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood to discover many of its landmarks, such as the historical designs of the old buildings and houses, and art galleries. Visitors can enjoy delicious local meals offered by kiosks scattered throughout the neighbourhood, and participate in workshops and chat discussions as well as enjoy a selection of evening activities that will spread the joy of the place with spectacular visual and audio presentations until 8pm." - TradeArabia News Service


Actor Woody Harrelson has admitted that he was "disappointed" with second season of his hit HBO show "True Detective".

The first season of the show, created by Nic Pizzolatto and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, was a massive hit for the network and also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film. It featured Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey in the lead.

The show's sophomore run, however, performed abysmally for the network.

Despite featuring the likes of Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch and Vince Vaughn, the second installment could not replicate the success of the first season.

Talking about the show in an interview with Willie Geist for "Sunday TODAY", Harrelson, 57, said he is happy with the third season of the series, which featured Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in the lead.

"I was not really wanting to do television. Well, it wasn't television, it was HBO. So I feel lucky about that. I was, you know, kind of disappointed that the second season wasn't as... but now the third season, which I've only seen the first four episodes because I've been working, but I'm really psyched about the third season. I'd like it to keep going," he said.

During the interview, Harrelson also ruled out his return to the show.

"I can't imagine there's any world where we go and do another season. I feel like we did that and it went great.

"The only thing that could happen is people (would) say, 'Well, don't you wish this season you're doing is as good as the one you did before?' I don't want to face that," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fighting a do-or-die electoral battle in Andhra Pradesh on April 11, the main opposition YSR Congress Sunday announced its candidates for all 175 assembly seats, retaining almost all the sitting MLAs and giving a major share to the backward communities.

YSRC chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy who is aspiring to become the chief minister in his late father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's footsteps will, for the second time, contest from his family pocket borough Pulivendula in Kadapa district.

In 2014, Jagan won the seat by a record margin of 74,256 votes, the highest in the state.

The announcement of candidates, however, triggered some rebellion in the party in a few districts, including Guntur, Prakasam and Visakhapatnam where some aspirants were denied tickets.

Floated in 2011 after Jaganmohan Reddy quit the Congress over denial of chief ministership, the YSRC lost the race in the 2014 general elections, getting just 0.3 per cent less vote share than the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) that captured power winning 106 seats in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) then.

Though the YSRC won 67 seats, as many as 23 of its MLAs defected to the ruling party in 2016 and 2017.

In the context, the 2019 election is a do-or-die battle for the YSRC as its political longevity will largely depend on election result.

Political strategist Prashant Kishore, who worked the electoral magic for Narendra Modi in 2014, is YSRC's consultant now.

Kishore and his team conducted various rounds of surveys to select the candidates for the assembly election.

Former IAS officer Vara Prasad, who was elected as YSRC MP from Tirupati in 2014, is now being fielded for the assembly from Gudur (SC) constituency.

Former IPS officer K Iqbal has been named for Hindupur against Telugu film star and sitting MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna.

Former Union Minister and BJP leader Daggubati Purandeswari's husband Venkateswara Rao will be the YSRC candidate from Parchuru.

Though their son was supposed to be the candidate, his US citizenship came in the way, forcing Venkateswara Rao to jump into the fray though he wanted to retire from active

The YSRC has only 15 women candidates out of the 175 and 41 BCs.

As many as 12 former ministers, 37 former MLAs and 15 doctors have also been chosen for the assembly battle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's antitrust watchdog raided units of global commodities trader Glencore and two other firms in Mumbai on Saturday in an inquiry into alleged collusion on the price of pulses, four sources with knowledge of the raids told Reuters. More than 25 antitrust officials carried out the raids at the offices of local units of Glencore and Africa's Export Trading Group, and India's Edelweiss group which previously had a commodities business, two government sources told Reuters.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been investigating allegations that the companies formed a cartel to discuss the pricing of pulses while importing and selling them in the Indian market at higher prices in 2015 and 2016, when India faced an acute shortage, the sources said. A spokesman for Switzerland-based Glencore, Charles Watenphul, declined to comment, while India's Edelweiss, which sold its commodities trading business in November 2016, and the Export Trading Group did not respond to requests for comment.

Two years of drought pushed up prices of pulses such as chickpeas and black grams, which are a staple of Indian cuisine, in 2015 and forced New Delhi to offer duty-free imports, encouraging foreign and Indian traders who imported pulses to sell locally. "The collusion by these companies led to higher prices of pulses," one of the government sources said, adding that the CCI's inquiry started three months ago. The investigation will also assess whether the companies have continued their alleged collusion even after the prices of pulses stabilized in recent years, the source said.

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IMPORT PRICES

The raids on five company offices in India's financial capital began on Friday and were concluded on Saturday. Antitrust officials collected evidence, including documents and e-mails, and questioned company officials during the raids, a second government source said. Another source, an industry executive, told Reuters that CCI's search involved going through company records at Glencore's office in Mumbai, confirming it was part of the watchdog's probe into accusations of fixing import prices. The drought during 2015 wilted crops and exacerbated shortages of food such as protein-rich pulses and India, which consumes about 22 million tonnes of pulses annually, faced a shortfall of 7-8 million tonnes in 2015-16.

The CCI's raids on commodities traders mark only its fourth such search operation in its near 10-year history. They can only be conducted with approval from a judge. In October, the CCI raided the offices of global brewers such as Carlsberg and Anheuser Busch InBev and found e-mails which allegedly showed violations of Indian anti-trust laws. The brewing companies have pleaded leniency under a CCI programme, Reuters has reported.

Boeing 737 Max won't be allowed in Indian airspace; airlines brace for flight cancellations
A day after launching 'Main Bhi Chowkidar (I am a watchman too) campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah changed their names to 'Chowkidar Narendra Modi' and 'Chowkidar Amit Shah', respectively, on Twitter. Other BJP leaders, including Minister of Railway Piyush Goyal and Union Health Minister JP Naddan, also followed the suit as part of the saffron party's bigger campaign against the Congress party before the Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul's reaction came after Prime Minister Modi launched the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign for upcoming Lok Sabha elections, urging everyone, who cares of the country, to come forward to fight corruption, dirt, social evils.

The Modi-led BJP has launched the campaign to counter the Congress's 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' jibe. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has time and again hurled the 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' barb at PM Modi over the alleged scam in the Rafale fighter jet deal. While sharing a video with a hashtag #MainBhiChowkidar, PM Modi urged people to show how all Indians were "chowkidars (watchmen)" and kick-started the BJP's campaign for the 2019 General Elections. The video focuses on the Modi government's various flagship programmes, such as Mudra Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana and the Clean India initiative.

"Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar," he tweeted on Saturday. He also said that everyone working hard for the progress of India was a "chowkidar". "Today, every Indian is saying #MainBhiChowkidar."

It is noteworthy that in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had turned around Manishankar Aiyar's "Chaiwalla" jibe into a massive campaign. Reports suggest the 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign has been started after extensive surveys and data analysis by the BJP strategists who found that Rahul Gandhi's 'Chowkidaar Chor Hai' campaign "ineffective" among people. This campaign, which appeals to people to join the movement, will reportedly drive the narrative of the PM's strong, decisive and clean image, which multiple surveys have conveyed is the main factor in the upcoming elections, suggest experts.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

Also Read: Lok Sabha elections 2019: PM Modi asks supporters to take 'Main bhi Chowkidar' pledge
The sparring between India and Pakistan last month threatened to spiral out of control and only interventions by U.S. officials, including National Security Advisor John Bolton, headed off a bigger conflict, five sources familiar with the events said. At one stage, India threatened to fire at least six missiles at Pakistan, and Islamabad said it would respond with its own missile strikes "three times over", according to Western diplomats and government sources in New Delhi, Islamabad and Washington.

The way in which tensions suddenly worsened and threatened to trigger a war between the nuclear-armed nations shows how the Kashmir region, which both claim and is at the core of their enmity, remains one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints. The exchanges did not get beyond threats, and there was no suggestion that the missiles involved were anything more than conventional weapons, but they created consternation in official circles in Washington, Beijing and London. Reuters has pieced together the events that led to the most serious military crisis in South Asia since 2008, as well as the concerted diplomatic efforts to get both sides to back down.

The simmering dispute erupted into conflict late last month when Indian and Pakistani warplanes engaged in a dogfight over Kashmir on Feb 27, a day after a raid by Indian jet fighters on what it said was a militant camp in Pakistan. Islamabad denied any militant camp exists in the area and said the Indian bombs exploded on an empty hillside.

In their first such clash since the last war between the two nations in 1971, Pakistan downed an Indian plane and captured its pilot after he ejected in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Hours later, videos of the bloodied Indian pilot, handcuffed and blindfolded, appeared on social media, identifying himself to Pakistani interrogators, deepening anger in New Delhi. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi facing a general election in April-May, the government was under pressure to respond.

'NO GOING BACK'

That evening, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval spoke over a secure line to the head of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Asim Munir, to tell him India was not going to back off its new campaign of "counter terrorism" even after the pilot's capture, an Indian government source and a Western diplomat with knowledge of the conversations told Reuters in New Delhi.

Doval told Munir that India's fight was with the militant groups that freely operated from Pakistani soil and it was prepared to escalate, said the government source. A Pakistani government minister and a Western diplomat in Islamabad separately confirmed a specific Indian threat to use six missiles on targets inside Pakistan. They did not specify who delivered the threat or who received it, but the minister said Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies "were communicating with each other during the fight, and even now they are communicating with each other". Pakistan said it would counter any Indian missile attacks with many more launches of its own, the minister told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We said if you will fire one missile, we will fire three. Whatever India will do, we will respond three times to that," the Pakistani minister said.

Doval's office did not respond to a request for comment. India was not aware of any missile threat issued to Pakistan, a government official said in reply to a Reuters request for comment. Pakistan's military declined to comment and Munir could not be reached for comment. Pakistan's foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

TRUMP-KIM TALKS

The crisis unfolded as U.S. President Donald Trump was trying to hammer out an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi over its nuclear program. U.S. security advisor Bolton was on the phone with Doval on the night of Feb 27 itself, and into the early hours of Feb 28, the second day of the Trump-Kim talks, in an attempt to defuse the situation, the Western diplomat in New Delhi and the Indian official said.

Later, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was also in Hanoi, also called both sides to seek a way out of the crisis. "Secretary Pompeo led diplomatic engagement directly, and that played an essential role in de-escalating the tensions between the two sides," State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a briefing in Washington on March 5.

A State Department official declined comment when asked if they knew of the threats to use missiles. Pompeo spoke to Doval, the Indian and Pakistani Foreign Ministers Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, respectively, Palladino said. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Phil Davidson told reporters in Singapore last week that he had separately been in touch with the Indian navy chief, Sunil Lanba, throughout the crisis. There was no immediate response from Lanba's office to a question on the nature of the conversations.

U.S. efforts were focused on securing the quick release of the Indian pilot by Pakistan and winning an assurance from India it would pull back from the threat to fire rockets, the Western diplomat in New Delhi and officials in Washington said. "We made a lot of effort to get the international community involved in encouraging the two sides to de-escalate the situation because we fully realized how dangerous it was," said a senior Trump administration official.

The Pakistani minister said China and the United Arab Emirates also intervened. China's foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The government of the UAE said Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan held talks with both Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. India has not given details, but has said it was in touch with major powers during the conflict. On the morning of Feb 28, Trump told reporters in Hanoi that he expected the crisis to end soon.

"They have been going at it and we have been involved in trying to have them stop. Hopefully that is going to be coming to an end." Later that afternoon, Khan announced in Pakistan's parliament that the Indian pilot would be released, and he was sent back the next day. "I know last night there was a threat there could a missile attack on Pakistan, which got defused," Khan said. "I know, our army stood prepared for retaliation of that attack." The two countries have gone to war three times since both gained independence in 1947, the last time in 1971. The two armies are trading fire along the line of control that separates them in Kashmir, but the tensions appear contained for now.

Diplomatic experts said that the latest crisis underlined the chances of misread signals and unpredictability in the ties between the nuclear-armed rivals, and the huge dangers. It still was not clear whether India had targeted a militant camp in Pakistan and whether there were any casualties, they said. "Indian and Pakistani leaders have long evinced confidence that they can understand each other's deterrence signals and can de-escalate at will," said Joshua White, a former White House official who is now at Johns Hopkins. "The fact that some of the most basic facts, intentions and attempted strategic signals of this crisis are still shrouded in mystery ... should be a sobering reminder that neither country is in a position to easily control a crisis once it begins."
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday launched an all-out attack on the opposition, terming mahamilawat gathbandhan 'Mahagathbandhan' as a road to disaster.

"The Mahamilawat Gathbandhan 'Mahagathbandhan' is a road to disaster. It is a race to the bottom having a tug of war on the issue of leader. Four people have clearly indicated their desire to be PM - Shri Rahul Gandhi, Behan Mayawati, Mamata Didi and Shri Sharad Pawar," Arun Jaitley said in his latest blog post.

Each desire to expand his or her own base and reduce that of the competitor, Arun Jaitley wrote in a post on his Facebook page.

Citing an example, he said that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is trying to maximise its base in Uttar Pradesh and weaken the Congress in several States. The Congress wants to go alone where it has some strength and is desperate to be in alliances, even with its own opponents, elsewhere. Similarly, the Trinamool Congress is trying to maximise its seats in West Bengal as it does not want Congress to win any seats in the state.

Taking a jibe at leaders of an anti-BJP alliance in Maharashtra, Arun Jaitley said that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar wants his ultimate dream to come true and is hoping for a hung Parliament where he has an opportunity to play his cards.

Also Read: Chowkidar Narendra Modi! PM changes name on Twitter after launching 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign; BJP leaders follow suit

"Where a proxy leadership battle is visible before the elections, it will be full-fledged war post the elections."

He said India cannot afford to lose opportunities at this stage. "In order to move forward, India must have political stability, a clear policy direction and a strong, decisive leadership. If we falter on any one of these, we will be letting our own people down and damaging the future."

Speaking on the Congress-Aam Aadmi Party alliance in Delhi for the Lok Sabha elections 2019, senior BJP leader said the opportunism in this coalition is writ large. The AAP was formed as a reaction against the Congress corruption, but today it is pleading with Rahul Gandhi-led party for an alliance.

Lauding the government's effort to boost the economy, he said India has reached a situation where we grow faster than others in the world. We are expanding the size of our economy.

He said that priority for the future would be infrastructure development in terms of better highways, more airports, better railway systems, better urban infrastructure, surplus power, more port capacity, are growing every year. If this trend continues for the next two decades, India would evolve into a new league, he said.

Analysing the performance of two NDA governments, Jaitley said that Atal Bihar Vajpayee-led government had clarity in terms of the primacy of the BJP, despite forming a Government with its allies. He was the unquestioned leader of the government. The same was true of the second NDA Government led by Narendra Modi which had absolute majority of 282 seats in the 2014 General Elections, he said.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: Former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat may join BJP; likely to be offered CM's post
Five Indians were among the 50 people killed by a white supremacist, who opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, in the worst attack on Muslims in New Zealand, the Indian High Commission said Sunday. The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The high commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack. "With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted. It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir. In another tweet later, the high commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims.

On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin". But, he had added, official confirmation was awaited. The high commission said its helpline numbers 021803899 & 021850033 will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.

Christchurch mosques attack: How New Zealand gunman live-streamed his killings on social media

"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin." It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly. Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212. In a 74-page manifesto the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism. Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.

New Zealand shooting: Bangladesh cricket team escapes Christchurch mosque attack unhurt
Of the 638 aircraft in indian skies, all the 18 Boeing 737 Max's are grounded. Even if this crisis isn't grave enough and may blow over in a few months, India's aviation sector still has too many air pockets ahead to revive any time soon. High aviation fuel prices, rupee depreciation, excessive parking and landing charges, loads of debt and fare wars, even some inefficient operations, have been the millstones around the airline industry. Just last quarter there were indications that the industry was on the verge of mild recovery, even though the distress in the industry is far from over. Airlines such as Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir and Air India continue to struggle when it comes to financial and operational performances.

Take the case of Jet Airways. The Mumbai-based full-service carrier has been battling its biggest financial crisis in history. Recently, the Naresh Goyal-controlled carrier has defaulted to its foreign loan repayment due to liquidity crunch, and is staring at a fault of$109 million which it has to pay by March 28 to the HSBC Bank Middle East. Its lenders have prepared a resolution plan which includes Goyal's shareholding coming down to about 20 per cent from 51 per cent now. Under the plan, the banks will take control of the airline and appoint a new board. The plan is still stuck in the approval stage.

The problems with IndiGo are not as complex as Jet. Besides facing the pilot crunch, the airline has been struggling with rising costs, particularly aircraft rentals, fuel and finance costs. The marginal improvement in the fares have moved up the yields in the last quarter but they are still lower than 2014/15 levels. In the quarter ended December 2018, IndiGo, which has 42.5 per cent market share, registered a 75 per cent drop in net profits.

Its rival carrier SpiceJet, which has been affected by the recent groundings of Boeing 737 MAX 8, reported 77 per cent drop in net profits to Rs 55.1 crore for the same quarter. SpiceJet, which was flying 13 737 MAX 8 till recently, is likely to face issues with capacity additions. It has placed an order of 205 such planes order, including 50 aircraft that the airline has the option to convert into a firm order later.

Boeing 737 Max 8 ban: SpiceJet cancels 35 flights; sets up passenger complaint cell

"Jet's operating fleet have nearly halved; Air India's fleet is down by almost 20 per cent, and the 737 MAX grounding is the most unfortunate thing to have happened to the aviation sector. Six airlines that had bid under UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naargik) scheme have shut down operations. With all these developments, the passengers will be affected because of lesser number of flights and higher fares. Ticket prices are already costing an arm and a leg on some sectors," says Mark Martin, founder of Martin Consulting.

Experts believe that external factors - fuel prices and rupee-dollar exchange rates -- are difficult to control, and the current situation can be salvaged by the government by lowering import duties. "The government can lower the excise duty on jet fuel further (from 11 per cent now) to bring down the operational costs of the airlines. With the grounding of aircraft, the DGCA could make the wet leasing process easier which is not the case right now," says an aviation consultant.

While some parameters have improved, but the outlook for the domestic sector still looks weak. Australian aviation consultancy CAPA (Center for Asia Pacific Aviation) forecasts that Indian carriers will lose a collective$550 million to$700 million in the financial year 2020 as compared to an estimated$1.7 billion loss for the 2019 year ending in March. In a January note, ratings agency ICRA too had predicted a bad year for the aviation sector.

"The profitability of all airlines in 2018/19 is expected to be weaker than in 2017/18. Some of the airlines have large capacity expansion plans, which may be either owned (through debt funding) or on operating lease. Thus, the aggregate industry debt level is expected to increase to about Rs 61,000 crore by March 2019. Many of the industry players have weak balance sheet structure; and with rising losses in the near term, the industry would need about Rs 35,000 crore equity infusion over the next 3-4 years," the report said.

Globally, the profitability of the aviation industry is likely to face some issues. International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts the global airline industry net profit to be $35.5 billion in 2019 as against$32.3 billion expected net profit in 2018. However, the industry association remains cautiously optimistic, and believes that there are downside risks as the economic and political environments remain volatile.

Boeing to suffer up to $2.5 billion loss every month

Boeing 737 Max accounted for 90 pc of all 737 series orders for the aircraft maker. It was to make over 900 of these this year alone. With nearly all users grounding the aircraft, Boeing will suffer up to $2.5 billion every month it isn't able to produce and deliver new aircraft. The global ban on the controversial Boeing 737 MAX 8 has rattled the airline operators. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), the US nodal agency for aviation, says that the worldwide fleet of 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 is 387 planes which are operated by 59 operators. When compared with the size of the active global commercial fleet (about 26,307), the 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 fleet constitute just 1.47 per cent.

US joins queue of nations grounding Boeing 737 Max jetliners

The scenario changes completely if the pending aircraft orders are taken into consideration. For instance, 737 MAX series accounts for over 35 per cent (4,636 aircraft) of the total pending aircraft orders with Boeing and Airbus (13,216). In India, the situation is no different. SpiceJet and Jet Airways had 18 of them, and out which five were already grounded by Jet due to its financial troubles. For domestic commercial aircraft fleet of 638, the current groundings might not have a significant impact. But the pending orders of 430 737 MAXs - out of the total 1,008 orders for the entire sector - could affect the growth projections for airlines like SpiceJet and Jet. For Boeing, this is the biggest setback for the US-based aircraft manufacturer in its entire history. The overwhelming dependence on this single-aisle aircraft - 4,636 737 MAX out of the total backlog of 5,826 aircraft - can seriously jeopardise its financials, and the company is under immense pressure to fix the problems.
Groundings of brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets have sent shockwaves through global aviation after a crash in Ethiopia, but many airlines are managing to keep to schedule with other jets while economic woes mean some may be grateful for a pause.

The 737 Max 8 upgrade to Boeing's best-selling jet only entered service in 2017, meaning there are not many in the skies compared with other more established work horses.

"If you had a grounding of something like the 737-800, wow what an impact. But with the MAX, there are fewer than 400 of these flying globally," one aviation analyst said, adding that most airlines could "backfill most of the capacity".

The Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people on Sunday was the second 737 MAX crash in less than six months, with 189 others killed when a Lion Air jet went down in Indonesia in October. At a time when crashes are rare, that is an unusually bumpy entry into service for a new jet.

There were 371 of the 737 MAX family jets in operation before this week's groundings, led by China, according to Flightglobal. Around two-thirds of the fleet is now grounded, based on Reuters calculations.

That compares to more than 6,000 of the previous model, the 737 NG series, giving airlines the ability to use other jets in their fleets as a replacement for at least some of the flights.

"At present the impact of any groundings is contained by the relatively small global fleet currently in service," aviation consultant John Strickland told Reuters.

The time of year and signs of concerns about a peak in global aviation growth and a slowdown in the economy means cutting capacity is not necessarily negative for airlines.

"It is off-season so it is an easier gesture to make, and some airlines are more worried about having too much capacity," a Western aviation official said.

For others who are able to make do without the 737 MAX 8 for a period, doing so is likely to come at a cost.

"It is a headache for airlines to take aircraft out of service with flights likely to be cancelled and an impact on revenues," Strickland added.

Although March is not a peak season for flights, some have been hit, with Chinese aviation data firm Variflight on Monday saying at least 29 international and domestic flights had been cancelled.

However, airlines had swapped for other planes on 256 other flights that had been scheduled to use the 737 MAX 8.

Singapore's Changi Airport said on Tuesday that one planned 737 MAX flight by Shandong Airlines to and from Jinan had been cancelled, but others had gone ahead with different aircraft.

Singapore Airlines Ltd, Indonesia's Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia and state-backed carriers Air China Ltd, China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd and China Southern Airlines Co Ltd all have large fleets of jets other than the MAX to draw on, the analyst said.

The bigger impact from the Ethiopian crash could be on future deliveries, since other carriers including Korean Air Lines Co Ltd have placed relatively large orders for 737 MAX 8 jets, said Um Kyung-a, a senior analyst at Shinyoung Securities.

"It might turn into a big headache for them if Boeing fails to nail down the causes of the recent crashes," Um said. "If that turned out to be the case, they need to come up with different plans to replace their 737 MAX 8 orders."

Brazil's largest airline, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, had placed a firm order of 100 Boeing 737 Max 8 jets as of last month, according to the carrier's latest earnings release. It currently operates seven such planes, which it decided to ground late on Monday.

The airline operates Boeing 737 models exclusively and announced in December that it was accelerating its transition to the newer Max 8 planes.

Lion Air, which suffered a 737 MAX crash in October, has refused to take delivery of some of the jets but analysts say it is suffering from overcapacity and may benefit from a slowdown.

It threatened in November to cancel Boeing orders in a row over the crash but has yet to do so, industry sources said. Airbus SE is another supplier and is seen in talks to sell more.

Malaysian officials said on Monday they had asked national carrier Malaysia Airlines to revisit its order for 25 737 MAX jets.

"I feel there are other factors apart from safety, including finance and politics, for that move," said Shukor Yusof, the head of Malaysia-based aviation consulting firm Endau Analytics.

"I doubt there will be outright cancellations for orders already placed by other carriers because there are still many unanswered questions."

Also read: Pilots must have 1,000 hours of experience to fly Boeing 737 MAX; DGCA issues stricter rules

Also read: Ethiopian Airlines crash: India bans Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes
Traders' body Confederation of All India Traders Sunday urged the government to probe Chinese goods imported through hawala channels, which is resulting in huge revenue loss to the exchequer.

CAIT, in a statement, also claimed that "such hawala money might be transferred to Pakistan for conducting terrorist activities".

Also Read: EAM Sushma Swaraj arrives in Maldives for two-day bilateral trip

Calling it a serious matter, the traders' body urged the government to start a high-level enquiry at Indian ports to bring an end to the crony nexus.

"Who are these hawala operators who facilitate the transfer of money from our country to China. Are exports to China being under invoiced and difference settled through hawala transactions or there is some other mode through which this money is going. This needs to be checked at the highest level in the interest of the security of our country," it added.

Stating that India is facing a big fight against terrorism, CAIT said, "There is no doubt that someone is funding this terrorist activity. It is necessary to understand whether this funding can be linked to the under-invoicing of import from China. In this way, China is helping fund terrorist".

This aspect also needs to be investigated in view of the fact that China is not standing with India in its fight against terrorism, it added.

CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that in order to attract lower custom duty and lower IGST (Integrated Goods and Service Tax), the declaration in many cases does not match the material that is actually being imported.

This needs verification of documents along with the material that is imported from China, they said.

They also suspected that "it could be collusion or hand in glove offer with certain mysterious officers".

When such materials, which are grossly undervalued come to the port, custom duty is paid at a very low price. The IGST is also paid at a very lower price and then the material goes into a grey market where it is sold at very competitive prices as compared to Indian goods where GST is paid at the full amount, they said.

According to CAIT, it could be easily substantiated if verification of IGST paid at customs port is linked to the credit for IGST taken by importers.

"Surprisingly, it will be seen that in most of the cases, where Chinese goods have been imported, nobody has claimed IGST. This proves the point that the importer has sold the material in the grey market for which nobody has claimed IGST paid at the time of imports," it said.

If the government takes up this matter and is very vigilant that custom duty and IGST is recovered at the real value of imported material, Chinese goods will become costly automatically as compared to Indian goods which bear full amount of GST, the CAIT added.

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Avani Hotels & Resorts, one of Asias fastest growing contemporary hotel brands, is strengthening its relationship with Novaland Group in Vietnam, with the signing of three new properties in Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, and Cam Ranh.



So along with the two Avani hotels currently operating, Avani Quy Nhon Resort and Avani Hai Phong Harbour View, travellers can soon enjoy the authentic, balanced Avani style all across Vietnam.



Avani Vung Tau Resort is located in the port city of Vung Tau, just two hours by car or hydrofoil from Ho Chi Minh City, making it a popular weekend getaway. An important trading port dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, Vung Tau boasts some of Vietnams most scenic beaches and is host to many international meetings and conventions. The Avani Vung Tau is scheduled to open by the end of 2019 and will feature both oceanfront and hillside rooms, totalling 149 keys. Along with impressive views with each room, Avani Vung Tau Resort will offer a signature oceanfront dining experience.



Scheduled for an opening at the end of 2021, Avani Saigon is located in the historic District 1 of Vietnams largest city  Ho Chi Minh, surrounded by a blend of colonial and modern architecture with street-side cafes and coffee shops. Just a 30-minute drive from the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the 217-key property will be part of a 38-story mixed-use complex that includes retail shops and residences and will feature an all-day dining restaurant and an AvaniSPA.



Avani Cam Ranh Resort & Villas, opening at the end of 2022, sits right on the south-central coast of Vietnam. In contrast to its neighbour, the tourist hotspot of Nha Trang, which is also serviced by Cam Ranh International Airport, Cam Ranh is a low-key destination blessed with crystal-clear waters, jungle-shrouded mountains, and ancient pagodas. The resort will feature 300 well-appointed rooms and suites, as well as 315 private villas, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty bistro, and a beach club, while 1,200-sq-m of meeting and banquet space will allow for beachfront events, Avani-style.



Commenting on these developments, Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels, the parent company of Avani Hotels & Resorts, said: Avani is one of our fastest growing brands, and we are pleased to be working with Novaland Group to develop three properties in Vietnam as part of Minor Hotels strategic expansion in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is one of the regions most dynamic economies with tremendous growth potential in both domestic and international tourism, thanks to a winning combination of cultural attractions and natural beauty. We look forward to expanding our footprint in Vietnam with Novaland Group and to creating an exceptional product for Avani guests.



Avani currently operates 24 hotels and resorts in 15 countries. The brand recently debuted in Australia, New Zealand, and Laos. Avani currently has 15 new hotels in the pipeline, including a recent signing in Kota Kinabalu, Dubai, and a second Avani in Busan. - TradeArabia News Service


Goa's Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, 63, died at his private residence on Sunday. Parrikar, four-term chief minister and former defence minister, had been battling a pancreatic ailment since February 2019.

Parrikar is survived by his two sons and their families. The government has declared national mourning on Monday.

The BJP leader's health, which has been fluctuating since February 2018, became worse in the past two days. According to sources, Parrikar was on life support system from the late night on Saturday.

A senior government official told that "The chief minister died around 6.40 pm Sunday," reports PTI.

ALSO READ: Manohar Parrikar's Last Rites Live Updates: Funeral procession to begin at 4:00pm; new Goa CM to be decided today

President Ram Nath Kovind, in a tweet, said, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, chief minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity." "An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and India will not be forgotten," added the President.

. . . . - President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

PM Modi said, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti."

India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen. - Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

"India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi said in a series of tweets.

BJP president Amit Shah, in a tweet, stated, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar ji is a commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary."

Entire BJP stands firmly with Parrikar ji's family. I along with millions of BJP karyakartas and importantly the people of Goa, who were his family, express my deepest condolences. May God give the bereaved family strength to withstand this tragic loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. pic.twitter.com/HWFA4gtSnX - Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

Despite his declining health, Parrikar had presented two state budgets in 2018 and 2019. He had also attended serval public functions and the inauguration of a bridge across River Mandovi.

(Edited by Vivek Dubey)

Also Read: Manohar Parrikar's health: BJP starts search for new CM candidate in Goa; ally GFP says it'll rethink support
The Pulwama terror attack that sparked tensions between India and Pakistan prompted a rapid redeployment by the Indian Navy amid the exercises that the Navy describes as the "largest war games" in the seas.

Even as the Indian Army responded to ceasefires violations on Line of Control and the Air Force responded with aerial strikes on a JeM terror camp in Balakot, Pakistan the Indian Navy did not waste any time in shifting to battle mode.

"The major combat units of the Indian Navy including the Carrier Battle Group with INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships, submarines and aircraft swiftly transited from exercise to operational deployment mode as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated," a Navy statement said

Chief of Navy staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff will be in Kochi on March 18 to discuss the outcome and audit the operational preparedness after the war games- Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 19).

The exercise had commenced 07 Jan 19 and was planned to be terminated by 10 Mar 19.

"However, the JEM sponsored a terrorist attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama on 14 Feb 19 led to the rapid redeployment of the Indian Navy for Operations in North Arabian Sea, the Navy said.

About 60 ships of the Indian Navy, 12 ships of the Indian Coast Guard and 60 aircraft were part of TROPEX 19.

The overwhelming superiority of the Indian Navy in all dimensions forced the Pakistan Navy to remain deployed close to the Makran coast and not venture out in the open ocean, the Navy said.

"A clear and resolute message regarding the operational posture of the Indian Navy to prevent, deter and defeat any misadventure by Pakistan in the maritime domain was also issued during the tri-services press conference conducted on 28 Feb 19," the Navy statement added.

Also Read: Mid-air crises: Why Indian aviation sector's problems go far beyond the Boeing 737 Max itch
China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui Sunday expressed optimism that the issue relating to India's push for designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN would be resolved.

We are optimistic that this matter will be resolved, Luo said on the sidelines of an event at the Chinese embassy here when asked about China putting a hold on listing of Azhar by UN Security Council (UNSC) or UN Sanctions Committee on designating Azhar as a global terrorist.

On Wednesday, China for the fourth time blocked the bid in the UNSC to designate Azhar by putting a technical hold on the proposal. The Chinese move was termed "disappointing" by India.

It is only a technical hold which means consultations on the issue will continue, government sources said Saturday.

The sources said India was "disappointed" with China for putting the technical hold on the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist and will continue to pursue the matter with Beijing.

The Chinese envoy also referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year and said the cooperation between the two countries are on the "right track".

We are quite optimistic about the future cooperation between the two countries, Luo said.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

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The IDBI Bank's proposal for changing its name has not found any favour from the Reserve Bank of India, sources said.

The board of IDBI Bank last month proposed a change in the name of the lender to either LIC IDBI Bank or LIC Bank, following its takeover by Life Insurance Corporation.

According to the sources, the RBI is not in favour of changing the name of IDBI Bank.

The board had proposed LIC IDBI Bank Ltd as the first preference followed by LIC Bank Ltd.

Besides the RBI, change of name requires clearance from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, shareholders, stock exchanges, among others.

In January, the insurance behemoth LIC completed the acquisition of 51 per cent controlling stake in IDBI Bank, marking the entry of more than 60 years old state-owned insurer into the banking space.

In August last year, the Cabinet approved the acquisition of controlling stake by Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) as a promoter in the bank through a combination of preferential allotment and open offer of equity.

LIC had been looking to enter the banking space by acquiring a majority stake in IDBI Bank, as the deal is expected to provide business synergies despite the lender's stressed balance sheet.

For the third quarter ended December 2018, IDBI Bank posted widening of loss by nearly threefold to Rs 4,185.48 crore as bad loans surged.

The bank had reported a net loss of Rs 1,524.31 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

Total income decreased to Rs 6,190.94 crore for the quarter, compared to Rs 7,125.20 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago.

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news, act-politics

Good morning Canberra. The forecast predicts a rainy Monday, saying there's a 90 per cent chance of a fall reaching 10-30mm. Expect a high of 23 degrees today. It's been three days since the horrific attack killing 50 people in Christchurch. New Zealand's high commissioner to Australia, Dame Annette King, on Sunday said the relationship between the two countries remained strong and thanked the Australian people for their offers of support and acts of kindness. Jasper Lindell spoke to her about the mass shooting. Here's what's been happening in Canberra. It's more than 18 months after that experiment in democracy, the ACT's citizen's jury, was first announced to consider reforms to compulsory third party insurance. Soon a bill to make changes to the scheme will be tabled. They can be described as ground-up changes and the Barr government in proposing them would allow injured children and workers to pursue common law damages in the scheme even if they don't meet the injury threshold. The final bill will appear after backroom negotiations between the Greens and Labor. Katie Burgess explains the new scheme and what it could mean for people involved in road incidents. There are concerns emerging about Transport Canberra's new public transport network, as parents say the changes will put students at risk by forcing them to cross dangerous roads. In some cases, the changes to the network mean school buses have been replaced with convoluted possible trips involving multiple buses and either walking or bike riding. The suggested route option for some kids to get from their home to school by 9am is to cross the congested roundabout at the intersection of Erindale Drive and Sternberg Crescent in Canberra's south, catch a bus to Woden and then get on a school bus service for the final leg. Jasper Lindell and Katie Burgess with this story. You might remember the ACT government made repeated public assurances the light rail project would be completed on time. Newly-released internal documents however show it was aware there were risks to light rail being completed on time months before the start date was officially pushed back. They're heavily redacted, but the briefs and meeting notes obtained under freedom of information laws show the government had doubts about the timeline the consortium building stage one light rail, Canberra Metro, had set out. Katie Burgess reveals some of the government's deliberations last year. Following the Christchurch mass shooting, writer Sandra Elhelw Wright has written about the rise of Islamophobia. A summary won't justify them, but in this passage below, her words speak for themselves. "For 17 years we watched the normalisation of bigotry," she writes. "For 17 years we feared that one day it would no longer be about words and fear, but about life and blood. "Friday felt like that moment in movies when the protagonist, running behind a moving train and out of breath, finally stops - acknowledging that the train is going too fast and their little legs can't keep up." The early signs are good with the Green Machine keeping the Gold Coast scoreless in a 21-0 victory on Sunday night. It's the first time Canberra have kept a clean sheet in six years - the last time against Parramatta in round 19, 2013. Have the Canberra Raiders found their defensive starch? David Polkinghorne reports on a match played in wet conditions.

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news, latest-news

The ACT Education Directorate has launched a review costing more than half a million dollars into future student demand, due to Canberra's growing population. The directorate awarded a $531,000 contract to the Australian National University's School of Demography last month to conduct the review over three years. The review would look to completely overhaul the directorate's current projections for future student demand over the next decade for ACT public schools. Contract documents said the directorate's current model was unable to function well enough to adequately plan for future school infrastructure. "Enhancement of [the directorate's] student-demand modelling is required at this time to respond to a number of factors, including significant increased demand for government school education, arising from population growth," the contract read. "At present, the student demand model does not take account of these factors sufficiently well to enable school infrastructure planning at the small area level." Other factors cited in the contract included a large shift of students from private to public schools and increased urban infill targets set by the ACT government. The review would include a complete overhaul of "all underlying assumptions and source data" used to currently project student numbers for ACT schools. An Education Directorate spokesman said the School of Demography undertook a previous review of student demand modelling in 2016, shortly after the most recent census. "The current contract with the ANU will build on this review and will develop an updated student demand model, as well as additional research services," the spokesman said. "The directorate concluded that continuing the partnership with the ANU would provide the best value for money for the targeted outcomes." According to contract documents, a project plan is set to be signed off by the end of March, with the review set to finish by the end of 2021. The directorate spokesman said the new demand model would be able to better plan for student growth. "The updated model should be able to better model urban infill, have improved capabilities around tracking and predicting student movements between schools and deliver improved scenario modelling capabilities," the spokesman said. Currently, student projection models are used by the directorate to plan for enrolment numbers at government schools and infrastructure or students, with the annual school census helping to provide data for future projections. The most recent school census, released May 2018, showed almost 20 per cent of Canberra schools were full or close to full. It showed 15 schools were bursting at the seams, operating at between 90 and 102 per cent capacity, while 12 schools were less than half full. Public school enrolments have increased 13 per cent since 2014, with there being more than 77,000 students across the ACT. The directorate identified several challenges with current planning measures, including new housing developments along Northbourne Avenue, new housing developments, a high turnover of school-aged migrants and aging neighbourhoods. Non-government schools would also be included as part of the review. The review comes as the public school system welcomed an estimated 1340 additional students in 2019. New schools are set to open in Canberra while the review takes place, with a primary school in Denman Prospect catering to 600 student slated to start classes in 2021. The government is set to release land for future school sites in Gungahlin, West Belconnen and Molonglo Valley in coming years. The directorate spokesman said the review would not impact on new schools planned in coming years, with student forecasts in the short to medium not to be affected. "The directorate and the ANU intend to progressively refine the model and its assumptions over the next three years. Demand forecasting will continue over the period without interruption," the spokesman said "The student demand forecast we have for the short to medium term is accurate, and this review will not have any impact on new schools planned to be built in the next few years."

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comment

There is something weird about the way our children are now being taught. Our education standards have slipped dramatically compared with other countries. Seems our children will know everything about gender fluidity and climate change, but will know nothing about the important role that coal plays right across the world. The children obviously don't know that without coal, there is no steel. To make a single wind turbine requires the burning of tons of coal. Without steel, there are no houses, no large buildings, no cars, trucks, aircraft, trains, buses or ships. Virtually all household appliances, from irons to fridges, require steel. And, the little darlings better practise using chopsticks, as knives, forks and spoons are usually made with steel. Given that Australia's carbon dioxide emissions represent but a fraction of global carbon dioxide emissions, any reductions we make will have a minimal effect. Why are we destroying our economy when even Alan Finkel, the chief scientist, is reported to have said even if Australia met all its climate change requirements, it would have little or no impact on overall emissions globally. John Burns, Hall Mr McCormack's claim that night sport will end as a consequence of Labor's renewable energy policy ranks with Joyce's $100 lamb roast and Abbott's Whyalla will be wiped of the map in the fear-monger stakes. What next, Shorten is Lucifer? We are in for a devil of an election. Mike Quirk, Garran Scott Morrison is parroting a line invented by John Howard; that Australians who joined Islamic State or its precursors should just be abandoned by Australia. That's what Howard and Abbott did about David Hicks. The same principle has since been applied to Australian men who fought for Islamic State. Now it is the turn of the Australian women who married Islamic State fighters. Morrison effectively says that even though they are Australian citizens we should just wash our hands of them. That's not the approach we took with George Pell. A lot of effort was put into bringing him home to face justice. It's not the approach we take with refugees who come here by boat. Even though they aren't our citizens, we spend a lot of money to lock them away on Manus Island and Nauru. When a Labor government wanted to send some of these people away to Malaysia, the Liberals joined with the Greens to make sure they were kept in detention. Washing our hands of people is absolutely not the approach we take with refugees who come here by plane. The current government lets them in and then allows them to stay. Just a few weeks ago, we made a huge fuss about one of these people who was arrested in Thailand. We went to considerable lengths and expense to get him back here. So just what is the big danger, problem, or whatever, with Australian citizens who joined Islamic State? There is ample action we can take once we get these Australian citizens within the reach of our courts. Grant Agnew, Coopers Plains, Qld On March 12, 1913, our nation's capital was formally named Canberra. On April 12, 2005, the ACT Honour Walk, commemorating those who have played an important role in the founding and shaping of our city, was dedicated. Among the plaques on this Honour Walk is one to James (Jim) Fraser. The dedication reads in part: "It was often said that Jim Fraser acted not only as the ACT's local Member of Parliament, but as its Mayor, Senator and Ombudsman ... Jim was an advocate for all Canberrans." Contrast this to those current government ministers excoriated in Jack Waterford's article "Libs dig in to last dollar" (March 9, Forum, p1) in which is detailed the patronage, nepotism, cronyism, stacking of statutory boards and laying of landmines in the form of contracts with massive compensatory clauses should they be revoked in the future. While elements of this type of behaviour are not absent from the opposition's book of dirty tricks, the current Coalition government has plunged shamelessly to new lows. Politicians such as Jim Fraser and other decent electoral representatives of whatever political stripe would surely be disgusted with what now passes for public service to one's peoples by those at the highest levels of government. I know I am. Ann Darbyshire, Hughes A living wage is absurd ("Labor prepares to legislate a 'living wage' by changing the Fair Work Act", canberratimes.com, March 13). It costs more to live in Sydney than it does in Mt Gambier. And it is far less expensive to live with Mum and Dad than have a place of one's own. If politicians and well-paid employers can decide the wages of low-skilled workers, surely low-skilled workers have the right to fix the wages of the meddling classes. Were that to happen my guess is that well-paid know-it-alls would take a pay cut. I propose annual salaries for the following vocations according to the good they do to society. Inventors, innovators and poets: $100,000. Scientists, pilots, doctors and mathematicians: $90,000. Corporate CEOs, bartenders and nurses: $80,000. Drivers, labourers, clerks, prostitutes, fireman and police officers: $70,000. Politicians, bureaucrats, lawyers, economists, union officials, world improvers and TV presenters: $50,000. The above list is not comprehensive but it would be a move to a fairer distribution of national income. Victor Diskordia, McKellar Every animal lover in Canberra should feel sadness and outrage at the wanton slaughter of Mimosa, a defenceless pet alpaca who was a service animal, by a dog that clearly has behavioural problems and was owned by a man cruel enough to film the attack. Domestic Animal Services cannot sit on its collective hands and claim it has no responsibility here. It just isn't good enough for Mr Lantzke, Mimosa's owner, to be told "rangers are collecting evidence". Vicious dogs and their equally vicious owners have no place in our civil society. This was a clear case of unmitigated cruelty and the RSPCA should act if DAS is unwilling or unable or too apathetic to act. Someone knows this person and his dog. Contact DAS and urge it to act. Christina Faulk, Swinger Hill While Bill Shorten should be thanked for offering Canberra $200 million towards the cost of the tram he also needs to be made aware the funds could be better spent elsewhere. The ACT government can't adequately fund public housing: provision has fallen from 45 units per 1000 people in 1995 to under 28 now, resulting in rising numbers "sleeping rough", rental stress and the nation's least affordable housing for young people. The ACT government can't adequately fund public medical services. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported last December Canberra locals have by far the longest waits in emergency departments and that our year-long elective surgery waiting times are four times the national average. It is also unable to fund mental health services. Only 40 per cent of the people who present receive treatment within the clinically recommended timeframe. The ACT government can't adequately fund public education. The Grattan Institute recently stated ACT schools "trail the nation" on a like-for-like basis. It said the trend was getting worse. The ACT government can't fund adequate urban infrastructure. The steadily deteriorating state of our parks, footpaths and public areas is visible to all. So, before stumping up a fraction of the funds needed to replace a fast and efficient bus route with an outdated and inflexible tram, Mr Shorten should think about the good $200 million could do for Canberrans dependent on public services. If you insist on spending it on transport, replace the oldest half of the Transport Canberra fleet with modern electric buses and return the operating-cost savings as additional services. Kent Fitch, Nicholls Among the many critiques of the Bill Shorten promise of $200 million for the second stage of light rail (Letters, March 14), Douglas Mackenzie thinks there will be few viable stops along Adelaide Avenue and Yarra Glen. My fear is the present playing fields along the eastern part of this route will be sold off to help pay for the tramway. I imagine the government will find such a course well nigh irresistible. In addition to the huge development revenue, there would also be fewer parks to maintain. The fact nothing has been said about these playing fields to date is very concerning. I, for one, want a guarantee they will be saved for community use. James Walcott, Mawson Bill Shorten's premature endorsement of the second stage of the Canberra tram has probably kyboshed the one big chance Labor had of unseating Senator Zed Seselja. Shorten has been poorly advised in this matter. He does not seem to understand just how on the nose the project is for many Canberrans, particularly in the south which has always been Senator Zed's heartland. If Shorten had declined to endorse the second stage until a business case had been made Labor would have likely secured more Senate votes, possibly even unseating Zed. That is an outcome that can't come soon enough for many of us. Don Sephton, Greenway I am getting a bit tired of your anti-light rail correspondents, even from the normally splendid Douglas Mackenzie (Letters, March 14). Their sentiments might have some legitimacy were we not in a climate crisis which demands a rapid shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This means the electrification of transport and that includes light rail. Yes, we could go electric buses but the great advantage of light rail is that it carries a lot of people on new carriageways and not on existing roads. As for the bareness, the trees are in and growing so Northbourne will be green again before long. I look forward to the opening of the Gunghalin line and the extension to Woden. Jenny Goldie, Cooma Canberra Grammar School has added to its already unacceptable daily traffic disruption by creating a second exit from its new car park bordering Mugga Way. The gutter crossing seems designed to block any significant water flow. Was this exit authorised? John McEwen, Red Hill Yes I was guilty of delaying NBN connection, but a couple of years ago the last "upgrade" caused no internet, no landline, and the expense of a private "fix-it" man to fix it. When I received another recorded-message landline call on Friday reminding me that I had but months, I sighed and decided to agree. The voice said to press 1 if I wished to proceed. I pressed 1. The phone then went dead. There was no one on the other end, ominous? Kathryn Spurling, Chifley On farms in Australia any dog attack on stock almost always results in the dog being destroyed on the spot. That is what should have happened to the dog that attacked the alpaca earlier this week. The owner should also be fined heavily for not having it on a leash, not calling it back and then so disgustingly filming the attack. Janet Tuckerman, Duffy Brian Stonebridge (Letters, March 12) used the words "soft racism" in relation to the banning of the Black Magic balloon. By prefixing "racism" with "soft" he expects to get away with "confronting" racism. He must know that, by definition, the balloon cannot be racist. Nor is the owner for flying the balloon. It is typical of the ACT government to have a knee-jerk reaction to one complaint. The decision has costs a business money and impacted on the enjoyment of thousands. Is the RAAF balloon the next in line. Some may say it looks menacing. Jevon Kinder, Murrumbateman, NSW My heart goes out to the people of New Zealand. M. Moore, Bonython BLANKET BLACK BAN The banning of the "Golliwog" balloon by Events ACT must be causing some concern for the ACT library service. What about Conrad's Nigger of the 'Narcissus, Shaw's The Black Girl in Search of God and Waugh's Black Mischief? Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla CLOSE CALVARY If Calvary hospital is unwilling to provide the full range of health services to those seeking them it has no place in the public health system. Fred Pilcher, Kaleen SAVED BY INCOMPETENCE Senator Zed has been copping a bit of flack for being ineffective and not representative of the people of the ACT. His critics overlook his most significant achievement. As Peter Dutton's numbers man in the Turnbull coup his ineptitude saved us from the horrors of a Dutton prime ministership. Rob Ey, Weston WINDSOR RETHINK I have a question for the voters of the federal electorate of New England. On view of recent events was the previous member, Tony Windsor, that bad after all? Greg Simmons, Lyons FULL-TIME FOOLS In the lead up to the budget in April and federal election in May the adage about fooling some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time is once again, becoming a top priority. What eventuates on election day will demonstrate sufficient people can be fooled all of the time. John Sandilands, Garran MONASH MUST STAY Monash Drive should stay as an option. In 50 years we may all be driving solar electric cars; the costs for trams and buses may have made them too expensive. John Skurr, Deakin EMPTY PEWS John Popplewell (Letters, March 13) asked if if we'd been to church lately. I have. Unlike John, I didn't see "rows and rows of people in pews, a large majority, female". I saw rows and rows of almost empty pews. The few people in the pews were mostly women. G. Barker, Flynn FILM THE DOG OWNER Vale Mimosa, the gentle therapy alpaca that was mauled by an off-leash dog while the dog's owner filmed the attack. Let's see film of the dog owner when he is sentenced. John Davenport, Farrer US NEEDS SCOMO The US government doesn't need to build a wall along its border with Mexico. All they need is ScoMo, the brick wall who stands alone. Sankar Kumar Chatterjee, Evatt GOODBYE TO THE GANG The end is nigh for ScoMo and the gang. N. Ellis, Belconnen Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610. Keep your letter to 250 or fewer words. References to Canberra Times reports should include the date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).

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Ctrip.com International, one of Chinas largest integrated travel services companies, has signed an agreement with Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) to develop a global distribution strategy promoting MHR properties to Ctrips 300 million-strong customer base.



The agreement was announced jointly at ITB Berlin by David Zhou, chief business officer for Accommodation Business Unit of Ctrip, and Nayan Peshkar, MHR senior vice president  Digital, Distribution & Revenue Strategy.



It marks the start of an alliance enabling Ctrip to offer MHRs iconic portfolio of hotels in the US, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australasia to its China-based business and leisure travel clients. Through the aegis of a strategic collaboration agreement, MHR will partner with Ctrips membership program, which will certify its properties as Chinese Friendly Hotels and enable them to benefit from Ctrips influential ranking system. MHR and Ctrip will also work towards customer initiatives such as the launching of a flagship store on Ctrips digital platforms, joint marketing campaigns as well as knowledge sharing and cross-exposure programmes for team members.



Ctrip is the number one platform for Chinese nationals travelling overseas. About one in four Chinese citizens use Ctrip to book and search for outbound flight tickets, making it the worlds largest outbound travel platform. According to Ctrips 2018 Travel Report, its customers top destinations are England, France, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, and US, all of which are home to hotels owned or operated by MHR and its associates.



Zhou said: We are so grateful to be enhancing our relationship with MHR. Chinese outbound tourists reached nearly 150 million in 2018, and the growth for this year remains strong. By signing this China-focused distribution agreement with MHR, we are continuing to offer 300 million members the best hotel experience worldwide whilst enhancing MHRs presence and boosting new business opportunities for them in the China market.



Peshkar of MHR said: We are delighted to be joining forces with Ctrip and thus raising the profile of our hotel offering in the large and fast-growing China travel market. Asia is our second biggest region of operations, so we already have a deep and embedded experience of what it takes to meet the high demands of business and leisure travellers from China. With hotels located in some of the worlds most attractive destinations, we look forward to welcoming more of Ctrips customers in the coming year. - TradeArabia News Service
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A large proportion of teenage girls who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant will opt for an abortion, but thanks to a patchwork of national laws the number of abortions performed in Australia each year is a mystery. A new report in the Medical Journal of Australia has called on governments to collect abortion data as a matter of urgency. Failing to do so, the report's authors say, means authorities are unable to shape policies that could reduce teen pregnancy rates. "Greater understanding of adolescent pregnancy outcomes, including abortion, would help shape a suite of interventions for vulnerable adolescents, including interventions that facilitate access to quality schooling and alleviate poverty." The report shows a steady decrease in the number of teen pregnancies, which fell to an historic low of 10 births per 1000 15-19 year olds in 2017, from 55.5 per 1000 15-19 year olds in 1972. However, the report's authors  Royal Women's Hospital research fellow Jennifer Marino and University of Melbourne adolescent health chair Susan Sawyer  cautioned this could mean more teens are having abortions rather than bring a pregnancy to term. Abortion laws vary between states and territories, and abortion rates are collected only in South Australia and West Australia. In SA, 47 per cent of 15-19 year olds who fall pregnant opted to terminate their pregnancy in 2016, while 77 per cent of pregnant girls aged under 15 underwent abortions. In WA, 42.3 per cent of pregnant 15-19 year olds had an abortion in 2015. Dr Marino and Professor Sawyer said the failure of governments to collect national data was letting young people down. "Notwithstanding the recent same-sex marriage decision, the defunding of various sexuality education programs suggests we live in an era of growing sexual conservatism," they wrote in a paper to be published on Monday. "In this context, it is important to remember that access to sexual and reproductive health services for the young constitutes part of their right to health as well as being their human right." The report also called for publicly funded abortion clinics in every state and territory, with feasible options for women and girls living in remote areas to terminate their pregnancies. Marie Stopes Australia acting chief executive Jamal Hakim said the lack of data collection was symptomatic of broader problems with abortion services in Australia. "We have a patchwork of laws, funding, regulations and service delivery across the country so when it comes to accessing abortion in Australia, it really is a postcode lottery," Mr Hakim said. He said proper data collection could also help shed light on "reproductive coercion" among teens. "Research from the United States shows that teenagers can be susceptible to reproductive coercion such as being coerced not to use a condom during sex or the removal of a condom during sex without the partners knowledge (often referred to as stealthing)," he said. "Coercion may also occur where a young pregnant person is coerced into an abortion by a partner or family member." It's understood the federal opposition will consider collecting better and more consistent data on abortion rates as part of its reproductive health strategy, if it wins office in May. The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald contacted the office of federal Health Minister Greg Hunt for comment. A spokesman for Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the issue was a matter for the federal Health Minister.

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Four phases follow events like the tragedy in Christchurch  shock and disbelief, grieving, a search for answers, and new countermeasures. The shocked New Zealand reaction to the Christchurch terrorist massacre was similar to Australias following the terrorist attacks in Bali in 2002, when Indonesian terrorists killed 88 Australians in twin nightclub bombings. (In all, there were 202 fatalities, including two New Zealanders.) Since 1950 in New Zealand there have been seven multiple-death incidents resulting in a total of 50 deaths, with only one getting into double figures  what is called the Aramoana massacre, which resulted in 14 deaths. This was a mass shooting that occurred on November 13, 1990 at Aramoana, northeast of Dunedin. Resident David Gray, after a verbal dispute with his next-door neighbour, shot and killed 13 people, including local police Sergeant Stewart Guthrie. The next day, the Police Anti-Terrorist Squad located Gray, and shot and disabled him as he came out of a house firing from the hip. He died on the way to hospital. None of these fatal incidents seems to have been politically motivated. Most politically motivated acts of violence in New Zealand have been bombings as a form of protest. These included the Huntly rail bridge bombing (1951), the Wanganui Computer Centre bombing (1982), and the Wellington Trades Hall bombing (1984). New Zealand will be particularly shocked by the Christchurch massacre as it prided itself on being a well-integrated community welcoming migrants from around the world, including Muslims unwelcome elsewhere. However, there are many right-wing activists in New Zealand who do not welcome migrants from other cultures. Prominent among them is the nationalist far-right NZ Sovereignty movement. New Zealand security authorities seem to have been mainly focused on Islamist extremists and not to have taken the extreme-right seriously enough. The agency that will come under most scrutiny after the Christchurch massacre is the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, or NZSIS. NZSIS is a civilian intelligence and security organisation. Its role is to investigate threats to security and to work with other agencies within government so the intelligence it collects is actioned, and threats that have been identified are disrupted. NZSIS headquarters is in Wellington, with regional offices in Auckland and Christchurch, and some staff based overseas. It has close to 300 full-time equivalent staff. The Director-General since 2014 has been Rebecca Kitteridge. She was reappointed for another three years from May 2019. Andrew Little is the Minister Responsible for NZSIS. Meanwhile, the New Zealand Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is quite active in global and regional counterterrorism forums. It notes While the risk of a terror attack here is thought to be low, we need to be vigilant, and play a part in countering terrorism abroad. Located within the NZSIS is an interdepartmental group, the Combined Threat Assessment Group (CTAG), whose role is to warn of terrorist and criminal threats. The CTAG is hosted by NZSIS and includes representatives of the Government Communications Security Bureau, New Zealand Defence Force, Police, and Civil Aviation Authority. In February 2019, the DG NZSIS noted in a briefing to Governments Intelligence and Security Committee that at any one time about 30 people are of particular interest to the NZSIS. No mention was made of any right-wing concerns. There is also no mention of right-wing extremism in the NZSIS 2018 annual report. New Zealand lists 21 groups as terrorist entities. The list contains groups drawn from a UN list that pose no threat to New Zealand or its interests. It also includes the Taliban, which is usually regarded as an insurgent group and not a terrorist group. No right-wing groups are included. It is much harder for the public to access counterterrorism advice in New Zealand than it is in Australia. For example, it is difficult to determine what New Zealands terrorism threat levels are without doing a lot of digging. I eventually found them buried in a Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website. There are six threat levels: Negligible, Very Low, Low, Medium, High and Extreme. At the end of 2014, because of concerns about Islamist terrorism, New Zealands terror threat level increased from Very Low (unlikely) to Low (possible but not expected). In the wake of the Christchurch massacre it has been raised to High (assessed as likely). The High ranking is because of not knowing who else might be involved and to guard against copycat attacks. The other area that will attract scrutiny in the search for answers phase is New Zealands lax gun law situation. Only pistols and military style semi-automatic firearms need to be registered with Police and there is no national register. There are about 230,000 licensed firearms owners and an estimated 1.5 million firearms in New Zealand. Gun licences are issued at the discretion of police provided they consider the applicant to be of good standing without criminal, psychiatric or drug issues, and have suitable storage facilities. Last year 52,000 weapons were imported legally but police believe a lot more came in illegally. The 1997 Thorp Inquiry estimated that between 10,000 and 25,000 firearms were owned by people with criminal intent, along with possibly another 100,000 "grey guns" held by unlicensed individuals, but not intended for criminal purposes. New Zealand Police have pushed for years for tighter gun controls, against political resistance. In March 2009, a police bid to reclassify certain types of civilian semi-automatic firearms - of the kind used in the Christchurch attacks - was overturned by the New Zealand High Court as a result of a legal challenge mounted by the New Zealand National Shooters Association. Clearly, high priorities going forward should be a review of New Zealands security threat assessment system, a tightening up of gun laws, and a buyback scheme to reduce the number of firearms. Clive Williams is a visiting professor at the ANUs Centre for Military and Security Law

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Swiss-Belhotel International is celebrating Easter with the launch of an enticing new global promotion that offers major discounts on springtime stays around the world.



This year, Easter Sunday falls on April 21. To mark this major annual festival, Swiss-Belhotel Internationals Easter Promotion promises 25 per cent off the Best Flexible Rate at its entire global collection, which now comprises more than 80 hotels, resorts and residences in 11 countries.



To take advantage of this generous offer, guests must book between March 1 and 31 for stays taken between April 13 and 30. All guests will also enjoy complimentary wi-fi throughout their stay.



Easter is a wonderful time of year to come together with your family and celebrate the onset of spring. In the Northern Hemisphere, this season represents rejuvenation and rebirth, allowing guests to look forward to the year ahead with renewed positivity. We are delighted to enhance this air of optimism with our Easter Special promotion, and we look forward to welcoming all guests to Swiss-Belhotel Internationals hotels this spring, said Gavin M. Faull, chairman and president of Swiss-Belhotel International.



Guests have a wide range of exciting Easter holiday destinations to choose from, including Bali, where Swiss-Belhotel International now operates nine exceptional properties in many of the islands most popular resort areas. Those who prefer fast-paced city life can head to Jakarta or Manila, while culture seekers can explore the wonders of Yogyakarta, and relaxing retreats can be discovered in Bali.



Alternatively, guests can head Down Under to celebrate Easter in Australia or New Zealand, with a choice of impressive hotels in Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and Queenstown.



Swiss-Belhotel Internationals Easter Special is valid for guests who book direct via the companys website or via selected online travel agencies (OTAs). - TradeArabia News Service
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
Abu Dhabi Airports has extended its city check-in facilities to IndiGo, one of India's leading budget airlines, enabling passengers flying out of Abu Dhabi airport to check-in 24 hours prior within the city i.e. before reaching the airport.



This new service is in line with the airlines commitment to providing courteous and hassle-free travel experience to its customers. The new service has been made available to all IndiGo customers effective March 10.

IndiGo passengers can visit the 'City Terminal' located opposite to Abu Dhabi mall to complete check-in procedures.



Maarten De Groof, chief commercial officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, said: We are delighted to welcome IndiGo passengers to stop by our easily accessible and conveniently located remote check-in facilities. Ensuring a seamless and efficient customer is one of our top priorities at Abu Dhabi Airports, and we look forward to introducing travellers to our world-class services and unique brand of Arabian hospitality. India has always been one of our most important and largest areas of operations, and we are looking forward to continuing to work closely with IndiGo passengers to meet the markets growing demand.



William Boulter, chief commercial officer, IndiGo said: We are delighted to introduce this new check-in feature for our passengers in Abu Dhabi which will both add convenience and ease to their travel experience with us. We thank the Abu Dhabi International Airport team for extending us all the support to make this feature live. We started providing this service to all IndiGo passengers starting March 10. IndiGo will continue to enhance its hassle-free experience which is one of the core values that the airline stands for besides providing on-time and affordable fares to customers.

Currently, IndiGo flies two daily non-stop flights from Abu Dhabi to Calicut and Kochi. - TradeArabia News Service
A month-long Thai gastronomic extravaganza is coming to Bahrain, bringing together a host of renowned restaurants that will take diners on a journey to the heart of Thailand.



On March 26, Bahrain and Gulf Air will launch the Thai Festival 2019 at The Gulf Hotel, Bahrain.



Organised by The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Dubai & Middle East Office in partnership with Royal Thai Embassy in Manama, Bahrain and The Gulf Hotel, the EATHAI VISITHAI 2019 promotion will run till April 25 and will see the city come to life as people celebrate Thai culture and cuisine with incredible discounts on offer at 13 of Bahrains finest dining establishments.



Throughout the festival, Bahrain residents and visitors alike will be able to experience the fiery rich flavour combinations and unique cooking styles Thailand is famous for. Known worldwide for its authentic street food and fine-dining scene, Thailand is one of the worlds leading culinary destinations, having recently launched its very own Michelin Guide and home to over 27 Michelin starred restaurants.



The participating venues will showcase their appetising special Thai dishes with tasting and a live cooking show at the exclusive launch event on March 26. These include The BF Food Bahrain, Shada Restaurant, Tom Yum Kung Restaurant, Honey Restaurant, Monsoon Restaurant, Royal Thai-Gulf Hotel Bahrain, Wang Thai Restaurant, Thong Eak Restaurant, Som Tum Thai Restaurant, Thai Seafood Restaurant, Wok This Way Restaurant, Top Thai Restaurant and Ayothaya Restaurant.



In addition to a brilliant live display of Thai gastronomy, the launch event will also showcase traditional Thai performances and an exclusive Thai silk fashion show by prestigious Thai designers organised by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture of Thailand. Thai silk has become a coveted item across the globe, and it is one of the most sought-after products for visitors to Thailand and a highly supported industry in the kingdom, with Her Majesty Queen Sirikit creating the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles in 2012. Guests at the launch event will be wowed by the exquisite silks and fabrics during the fashion show.



Speaking about the festival, Thanis Na Songkhla, ambassador, Royal Thai Embassy Manama, Bahrain, said: We are beyond thrilled to bring The Thai Festival 2019 to Bahrain. Thai food is incredibly popular in the region and we are excited to showcase it further at this exciting festival, further showcasing authentic culture and values.



Pichaya Saisaengchan, director, Tourism Authority of Thailand Dubai & Middle East Office, added: The Thai Festival has been an ongoing success in the Kingdom of Bahrain and were excited to see it return for another edition. Its an incredible way to showcase our world-renowned cuisine and guests will be able to avail incredible discounts and win fabulous prizes. - TradeArabia News Service
By Inder Bisht, TwoCircles.net

With Lok Sabha elections approaching, every political party is trying to show that it cares for the marginalised communities and if voted to power, it will do all that is possible to address their concerns. However, for Dalits of Bhagana village in Haryanas Hisar district, it seems justice will remain elusive no matter who comes to power. They have been camping outside the district secretariat for the last eight years in protest against their social boycott by the dominant Jats of their village over a land dispute but to no avail. The boycott which resulted in the exodus of 138 Dalits families from Bhagana hasnt seen a single prosecution till date despite several complaints and a writ-petition being filed by the victims in the Haryana High Court. Victims lawyer Balwant Singh Bodia says that the state government had falsely claimed in an affidavit that all the victims have been rehabilitated to which they have filed a counter-affidavit in the court. No relief package or any concrete steps towards the rehabilitation of the affected families have been taken by the administration till date. Support TwoCircles

In December 2012, the administration managed to persuade the protesting families to go back to the village by giving them compensation of around Rs 67,000, and an assurance of their safety. Out of the 138 families, 51 eventually did agree to return to the village. However, later, to the shock of the families, the compensatory amount turned out to be a loan. I still receive notices from the State Bank of India to pay my instalments for the cattle loan which the district collector had fraudulently imposed on me claiming it as a part of relief amount. I owe more than a lakh rupee to the bank now, says Virender, a Dalit from Bhagana who had agreed to return. Many of the 51 families eventually again relocated to different parts of the state after feeling disillusioned by the promises made by the administration. along with the persistent hostile environment towards them in the village. In 2014, Bhagana witnessed a second exodus of the Dhanak (a backward caste) community members when four minor girls of their community were allegedly gang-raped by the members of the Jat community.

About 80-odd families of the community left the village fearing for their lives and the biased attitude of the administration in favour of the Jats. Five members of the Jat community were eventually arrested in the case but later got released. The National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) has been monitoring the matter for the last few years, and some members of the commission have visited the village as part of their probe. Last year, the NCSC had asked the Haryana chief secretary, director general of police (DGP) and Hisar deputy commissioner (DC) to appear before the chairman for a hearing in connection with the issue. Satish Kajla, 39, who has been leading the protest, says that the NCSC chairman Ram Shankar Katheria had told him that the uprooted families would be relocated near Hisar. However, on the matter of prosecuting the 30-odd village members who had ordered their social boycott, Kajla says, Katheria was dismissive. He told me in private that if they were to take action against the villagers, who are jats, law and order situation in the area would suffer, says Kajla. A special investigation team was constituted after the meeting to investigate the matter, says Kajla, but there is no information about its progress. I had filed an RTI to find out any update on the SIT findings but didnt get any response. I am clueless at the moment where the investigation is heading towards, says a dejected Kajla. The issue which had started with a dispute over the distribution of village shamilat (common) land in 2011 witnessed the Jats-led village panchayat later imposing social-boycott of the protesting Dalits resulting in the exodus of 138 Dalit families from the village. The uprooted families camped outside Hisars mini secretariat and started protesting against the injustice and atrocities they were subjected to by the members of the dominant caste of their village.

After the gang-rape incident in 2014, the protesting families undertook a 170 km walk to Delhis Jantar Mantar to highlight their plight in front of the countrys media and politicians. I met Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, who asked me to meet the then Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, says Kajla. In the meeting with Hooda, Kajla claims, the then chief minister reprimanded him for raking up an unnecessary issue. The present village sarpanch Shakti Singh says that he has done his best to persuade the Dalits to return to the village but, he adds, that the few protesting people are keeping the issue alive for personal gains. They dont want to work but live off the compensation money. We agreed to all their demands and are willing to give them plots too, says Shakti Singh. The Dalits of Bhagana this correspondent spoke to said that the plots are far away from their present residences in the village and hence are of no use to them. Despite the claims of the sarpanch that situation has normalised in Bhagana and that no social boycott of Dalits is practised anymore, few of the Dalits who had returned to the village say that the situation is not normal, particularly for the Dalits who are still protesting against the previous sarpanch and panchayat members. Vimla Devi, 55, whose husband had expired last year says that when she along with her family returned to Bhagana after six years and went to the sarpanch for work under NREGA scheme, the sarpanch, she said, told her that since she was still part of the protest at Hisar secretariat she cant get work. The dispute had arisen in 2012 after the village panchayat had excommunicated some Dalits of the village for objecting to the distribution of 280 acres of the village (common) land by the panchayat members. The village head along with the panchayat members had drawn up a scheme to divide and distribute the common land among the villagers. According to the scheme, the upper castes were to get around 1,000 square yards each while the Dalit households were getting around 100 square yards each, says Satish Kajla. The plan was allegedly in response to a government scheme Mahatma Gandhi Malin Basti Yojana under which 100 square yards of a plot was to be given to every BPL (below poverty line) family. However, Kajla alleges that the scheme was a ruse, and the panchayat didnt have the intention to distribute the land to the Dalits.

They knew that if the panchayat had directly asked the villagers to vacate the common land then there would have been a protest. So they named a scheme and asked people to deposit the money for registration in a bid to look it authentic, says Kajla. Out of 280 acres of common land in Bhagana, 230 is non-cultivable which is used for various purposes like playground, cremation, pond, dumping garbage and cattle dung. The common village land was distributed in proportion to the land that the residents already owned. This meant that the Dalit families, which were mostly landless, ended up with less than 100 square yards each. They were also asked to deposit Rs 1,000 as registration fee. The dominant caste group in the village, most of its members belonging to one family, managed to corner most of the redistributed land, says Kajla. Next, the panchayat members started felling trees from the common land and sold the timber off in the market. The actual flashpoint between the Jat-dominated panchayat and Dalits occurred when the panchayat members uprooted poles and broke off seating arrangement at a three-acre playground where the youths of the village used to play. We used to play on the ground daily. It was special for us because some of us had managed to clear physical round of the recruitment process because of continuous training on the ground. We were in no mood to let it go, says Jagdish Kajla, another Dalit member of Bhagana village. When the Dalits made a representation to the government, the Jats were angry and allegedly ordered a social and economic boycott of them. The shopkeeper in the village was told not to sell to us; the common village pond was denied to our buffaloes. No one would talk to us. We were not allowed to use barber shop, village cremation ground and temples. Even using transport to travel outside of the village was not allowed to us, recalls Satish.

Most of the Dalits of Bhagana work as agricultural labourers in the fields of the jats. No jat would employ us in his field. The village head had stopped giving us work under NREGA scheme also, says Satish. Pushed to the wall the boycotted Dalits on May 21, 2012, left the village along with their cattle and camped at the premise of Hisars mini-secretariat. The protest has continued ever since.




The Lee baseball team dropped both games to the Mississippi College Choctaws in a fiery doubleheader from Olympic Field on Saturday afternoon.The two Gulf South Conference rivals were meeting for the first time since the conference championship game last season when the Choctaws edged the Flames.Mississippi College (13-9, 6-4) scored early in often in blowing out Lee, 13-4 in the opener. The nightcap was a back and forth affair as the Choctaws held off the Flames late for a 6-5 win.Lee (11-14, 4-5) will look to salvage the final game of the series tomorrow afternoon.First pitch is set for 1 p.m."Mississippi College has a really good team and came out swinging aggressively. Our starters on the mound struggled in both games and that put a major strain on our pitching staff heading into tomorrow," said Lee head coach Mark Brew. "We have to clean up our defensive miscues and freebies from the mound. It's a short turn around, but we have to find a way to salvage the series tomorrow."GAME ONEThe Choctaws jumped on Lee starter Randall Coxwell (1-2) scoring four runs on five hits over the first two frames.Mississippi College would open up a 6-0 lead before a Miguel Pimentel singled home a run in the third frame. Justin Fragale followed with a run-scoring single of his own. Thomas Zazzaro added a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth.The Choctaws wouldn't let up however as added three more in the fourth and finished things with four runs in the sixth. Blaine Crim completed the offensive output with a three-run home run.Chris Cosby (2-2) went eight innings allowing four runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out six.Andrew Franklin finished off the last 3.1 innings on the mound for the Flames. The lefty did not allow a hit and struck out four.GAME TWOA late rally came up short for the Flames as Mississippi College scored two three runs in the sixth and worked out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the frame to complete the sweep.Crim delivered a doubled home a run to tie things up at 4-4 in the sixth inning. From there the Flames self-destructed, issuing back to back bases loaded walks to give the Choctaws a two-run advantage. Crim ended the game with three hits, two RBI and two runs scored.In the bottom of the sixth the Choctaws returned the favor issuing a bases loaded walk to Miguel Pimentel before working out Ryan Lane worked out of trouble with a big strikeout. Lane would earn his first save of the year with a 1-2-3 seventh.Freshman Alex Butler started for the Flames and was chased after giving up a three runs in the first before recording an out. All-GSC hurler Logan Workman (2-2) came on and tossed five-plus innings allowing three runs on four hits and was hit with the loss. He walked five and struck out four.Down 3-0 early the Flames got on the board in the second inning on a Ryan Beamish double to right center that scored Fragale. The two would partner together again in the third to tie things up at three as Fragale single home Fernando Ortiz before Beamish delivered another double down the right field line to plate Fragale.Zack Ingram started for the visitors and was given a no-decision after allowing four runs on four hits. Ingram walked five and punched out four. Brandon Kennedy (1-1) struck out the side in the side in the fifth to earn the victory.
Neljo Sweetie Merriman Mullins, 56, entered into her heavenly home on March 13, 2019, with her loving husband Ricky by her side.

She was born in Bradley County on September 22, 1962.



She was preceded in death by her father, her sister Connie Chaney, niece Lisa Lyles, grandparents, aunts and uncles.



Neljo was a graduate of Bradley Central High School and attended Cleveland State Community college. She was employed by H and R Block and worked for the Bradley County Election Commission for over 30 years.



Neljo was a dedicated Christian and attended Community Hall Church where she was an active member of the Dorcas Circle. She also loved her pets especially her fur baby, Angel. Neljo, affectionately nicknamed Sweetie by her mother, lived up to her name. She was a very kind, caring and giving person putting the needs of others before herself. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.



She is survived by her husband of 26 years Ricky Mullins, her mother Betty Merriman, her sister Vernice Cronan and her husband Joe, brother Bart Merriman and his wife Katrina, special niece, Angela Whitly, and her husband Tony, special cousins; Linda Foster, Susan Oliver and her husband Zollie and her little mama Patsy DeVivo. She is also survived by her niece and nephew Amanda Gatlin and Thomas Bennett whom she and Ricky helped raise after her sister Connie passed away, and several other nieces, nephews and cousins.



A Remembrance of Life Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, at Jim Rush Funeral and Cremation Services Wildwood Avenue Chapel with Pastor Jeannie Cissom and Pastor Quinn Green officiating. The interment will follow at Union Grove Church of Christ on Bates Pike.

The family will receive friends on Monday from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
38 local businesses and nonprofits want to motivate Chattanoogans to save money. They adopted and decorated a piggy bank for the Tennessee Saves Pigs on Parade campaign to encourage people to build their savings.

The public is invited to vote for their favorite piggy banks. Vote by visiting the Tennessee Saves Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TennesseeSavesChattanoogaChapter. Click on photos and see all. Click on the individual photos in the 2019 Business and 2019 Nonprofit Categories and like your favorite(s) to cast your vote. Vote by Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Live voting is also avaible at the Chattanooga Chamber Expo on Wednesday at the Convention Center from 10:00-11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.. Admission to the Expo is free and hundreds of local businesses will showcase their goods and services.

University of Tennessee Extension Agent June Puett coordinates the event and the local Tennessee Saves campaign. More than 35,000 area people have taken take steps toward making sound financial decisions by taking the Tennessee Saves pledge, she said. A goal of the campaign is to illustrate how easy and fun saving money can be. Ms. Puett invites the public to take the Tennessee Saves Pledge at www.tnsaveschatt.org. and choose to receive free emails or texts with motivational savings tips.

Contact Ms. Puett with University of Tennessee Extension at jpuett@utk.edu or 423-855-6113 to schedule an educational program for a group or to adopt a piggy bank for next years event.
Area high school students were honored on Thursday at the Awards Program for the Youth Photography Showcase, sponsored by the Photographic Society of Chattanooga.

Students from 12 schools filled the sanctuary at St. John UMC for the event. Schools were Baylor, Boyd Buchanan, Bradley Central, Chattanooga Christian, Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts, Chattanooga State Collegiate High, Girls Preparatory School, Hamilton Middle High, Home Schools, McCallie, Notre Dame, and Silverdale Baptist Academy.

With two Best of Shows  Print Division: The Cathedral  by Keoni Varlack, Home School, and Digital Division: A Living Reflection by Riley Evans, Silverdale Baptist Academy, there were other students who placed in six categories in both print and digital divisions. Images totaled 413 digital images, submitted by 67 students, and 288 prints, submitted by 58 students.

This was the 13th year PSC has sponsored the photography contest for high school students. Some images from this local contest are forwarded to the Photographic Society of America to compete with students from around the world. Those who placed here will be displayed at the Hunter Gallery of American Art in the Education Hall in August. These images, as well as winners from past contests, may also be viewed online at http://chattanoogaphoto.org/activities/contests/youth-photography/ in the next few days.
At the monthly meeting on March 13, members of the Nancy Ward Chapter presented Alan Syler with the Excellence in Community Service Award.

After a career with the Navy and at TVA, Mr. Syler has spent his retirement as a member of countless veteran organizations. His passion is the Hamilton County Mentors for Vets. The group works closely with veterans having trouble with the court system. They are working to incorporate the group in the Hamilton County Mental Health Court. He recently got involved with Get Veterans Involved. This is a program that encourages local veterans to go into public schools to help build character and responsibility in youth.

During the 2017 term, Mr. Syler served as chairman of the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council for Mayor Berke. Mr. Syler is also a proud member of the Tennessee Sons of the American Revolution, John Sevier Chapter.

In addition to the award from the Chapter, Karen Downer with the Quilts of Valor Foundation gave a program on the organization and presented Mr. Syler with a quilt. Honoring veterans is one of the most popular and enjoyable missions of the chapter and the society, said officials.




After two years of being one of the cutest couples in Hollywood, Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez are finally engaged! A-Rod proposed to J-Lo in the evening on the beach while the two were vacationing together in the Bahamas. A professional photographer was there to capture the special moment, and that includes images of the breathtaking engagement ring Rodriguez chose.

Over a little more than the last two years, fans have raptly payed attention to anything having to do with J-Lo and A-Rod. The couple are not only adorable together, but highly supportive of one another. Theyve been living together for a while now with their four children. Lopez has twins, Max and Emme, from her marriage to Marc Anthony, while Rodriquez has two daughters, Natasha and Elle, from his previous marriage.

Fans wonder, however, just how close the blended family is. When there are children from previous marriages, its of the utmost importance that they get along with each other. Are Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguezs kids already close friends? Heres what we know.

All four kids are already best friends

A quick look at either Alex Rodriguezs or Jennifer Lopezs Instagram accounts will reveal plenty of pictures of their adorable blended family. By the looks of things, all four children are already best friends. Theyve been pictures just curling up on a chair together, playing music, having dance rehearsals, decorating the Christmas tree, and just generally hanging out.

A source close to the couple confirmed what the world already believed to be true. The kids are amazing together. And they have wanted Jennifer and Alex to get married for a long time. The source went on to add that the children will all definitely be a huge part of the wedding.

Jennifer Lopez had talked to People Magazine previously about just how well their blended families get along. I was so loving to his kids and he was so loving and accepting of mine, and they embraced each other right away. [The kids thought] I get a new bonus brother and sisters to hang out with all the time and its nice.

The kids cooperate well together

It would appear that all four children know the value of teamwork, as the world saw when Jennifer Lopez posted an image this past Christmas of the children decorating their enormous tree together. Max and Emme are even sharing a ladder together while Ella stands nearby, so that all three children can tackle a different height.

The three girls take dance together

Natasha, Ella, and Emme all take dance together. Images were released of all three girls posing in their dance outfits. Obviously, theyre taking after Jennifer Lopez, whether theyre hers biologically or not, because the girls dont only dance. Theyre also musically inclined, which people saw when Lopez posted an image of all three girls working together to perform a song on the ukulele.

All four kids were part of J-Los birthday celebration

This past July, the beautiful triple threat celebrated her 49th birthday. To mark the special occasion, she chose to take a trip to the Bahamas with Alex Rodriguez and all four of their children. They posed for pictures (of course), where the children all look ecstatic to be together.

Body language tells the same story

Not only do they appear happy, but the all of the images of the kids appear to be very natural. The children stand close to one another, which is usually an indicator that things are truly going as well as they seem. A close look shows that they are not flinching away from each other, and smiles appear genuine.
Most people know that Melania Trump isnt Donald Trumps first wife. With a reputation for dating around and even being unfaithful to his spouses, Trump isnt well-known for staying committed to just one woman. Plus, he has a daughter whos almost the same age as his wife (but at least shes not younger).

The big question then is this: How many times has Donald Trump technically been married? Will he get divorced again? Read on to find out.

Donald Trump and Ivana Zelnickova

Donald and Ivana Trump | Tom Gates/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Trumps longest and most famous marriage was with Czech model and businesswoman Ivana Trump. The pair married in 1977 and after that, Ivana became involved in the family business, helping her husband run Trumps casinos in Atlantic City. Over the course of their 15 year marriage, Ivana gave birth to three children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric.

But their relationship was not fated to last. In 1992, rumors of an affair with Marla Maples spurred the pair to divorce during a time that Trump described as the darkest days of his life. He was talking about the financial implications and the emotional strain of separating from a woman hed built a life with for 15 years.

Eventually, Donald Trump paid Ivana Trump $25 million as part of the divorce settlement. They are supposedly on good terms today.

Donald Trump and Marla Maples

Donald Trump and Marla Maples | Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images

Trumps shortest marriage is the one people most often forget. Trump met actress Marla Maples while he was still married to Ivana Trump and began a covert affair with her that quickly got out of hand. When Trump tried to secretly bring her along on a family vacation to Aspen, Maples couldnt help but go up to Trumps wife and say, I love Donald. Do you? Yikes.

Maples got pregnant with Trumps daughter, Tiffany, in 1993 and the couple wed just a few months after she was born that same year. But by 1997, they were separated and officially divorced in 1999.

Donald Trump and Melania Knauss

Donald and Melania Trump | Spencer Platt/Getty Images

They say the third times the charm, right? In total, the President has been married three times and is now wed to Melania Trump.

Donald met Melania at a Manhattan night club when he was on a date with someone else. When he asked Melania for her number, she requested his instead, and apparently, Trump appreciated that she was a little harder to get than other women he pursued. Melania hails from Slovenia and had no concept of Trumps reputation or celebrity status at that point.

After dating for a while, Trump proposed to Melania with a 12-carat engagement ring in 2004. They tied the knot in 2005 and had their son Barron in 2006.

At that point almost no one  including Trump himself  suspected hed be president one day. But hey, sometimes the strangest things are true. Now Melania Trump is first lady of the United States and the third wife of Donald Trump. Rumors of trouble in their marriage or reported infidelity have been shot down by Melania repeatedly.

Who would have thought it would turn out this way?
By Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net

Srinagar:  Saying that his party would be acting as a bridge between Srinagar and New Delhi to solve every issue, former IAS officer Shah Faesal on Sunday launched his own political outfit Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement at a function in Rajbagh area of the Srinagar city.

Chanting slogans Ab hawa badley gi hundreds of people across the state participated in the rally.

In his first address after launching the party, Shah Faesal said as a mainstream party they can only facilitate a peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue which ultimately has to come from New Delhi and Islamabad.

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He accused both India and Pakistan of playing politics at the cost of peoples lives.

He said it was difficult for him to launch his own political party, but Kashmiri youth supported him and suggested that he should not join the hands with those political parties whose hands were drenched with the blood of Kashmiris.

Faesal, who refused to divulge any details about the partys election plans, said he was in touch with three political parties but during this time, peoples slurs and suggestions forced him to launch a new party.

I want to thank them for directing me in the right decision and everyone who is with me has left something and sacrificed to start this movement. We will not allow this politicking over the blood Kashmiri youth, Faesal said while addressing party workers.

He accused both India and Pakistan of playing politics at the cost of peoples lives who were living along the Line of Control and the international border.

Our nation is carrying the baggage of the indignation of Treaty of Amritsar when our nation was sold along with people to Dogras, Faesal said.

He also said that some regional parties accused him that his decision to launch a political party was a conspiracy of New Delhi.

And these political parties were after me to join them & when I decided to launch my own party they accuse me of being a New Delhi or RSS agent. You should not pay heed to anything without any proof. We are here with new politics, he said.

Faesal also termed his decision to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) as wrong.

I thought development will bring peace but nothing will change till there is bloodshed, he said.

On the occasion, former Jawaharlal Nehru Students Union (JNU) vice president Shehla Rashid also joined Faesals party.

While addressing the participants, she said that their party wants to facilitate the resolution of Kashmir dispute peacefully.

A major agenda will be to empower youth in educational institutes and create a movement where they can express their political dissent, she said.

Women are the worst sufferers of Kashmir conflict and they should join J&K Peoples Movement. Youngsters should be allowed to express dissent and raise voice over human rights violations & this movement will fight for these rights, she further said.

The rally was attended by over 3,000 people who came from Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, and South Kashmir.

We have a lot of hopes from Shahfor years we have been betrayed by the politicians here but Shah has the vision, he has the will to do something for his people, said Bashir Ahmad Khan, a businessman from North Kashmirs Kupwara district.

Bashir said he had a few meetings with Shah Faesal and he thought that he is the only guy who can help them to live an honourable life.

Yes, we met him a few times and we felt that he is the one who can help us to get out this mess. Since he is educated and is from our area he understands our problems, said Bashir.

Shah has left his bureaucracy, a chair where he could have enjoyed and lived his luxurious life but he chose to be live for us, that is the difference, he added.

Mohammad Ishaq from Central Kashmirs Budgam said only time will decide whether Shah Faesal left the bureaucracy for them or for himself.

Every politician promises the same way before elections but after winning they dont even recognise us. But I strongly believe that he will not betray his people like others do. So this is the reason I came here to attend his rally, he says.

Another youth, Raheel Shakeel from Srinagar city said Shah Faesal deserves a chance.

I believe if he becomes CM of the state, the future of the people especially the youth will be bright, he said.

Ahead of party launch, Shah Faesal released the partys vision document. One of the main objectives of the part is that they shall pursue a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem as per the will and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir State.

The 2010 batch UPSC topper resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in January this year to protest unabated killings in Kashmir and marginalisation of Indian Muslims.

Since resigning from the service, the former bureaucrat has been interacting with young achievers with the aim of getting them to support his initiative for corruption-free, clean and transparent politics in the state.

He had also launched a crowdfunding campaign in January to support his initiative.

Several youngsters and aspiring politicians are expected to join Faesals political outfit.
Meghan Markle has had quite an expensive pregnancy  especially in comparison to Kate Middleton. So far, the Duchess of Sussex has broken royal protocol with an extravagant $200,000 baby shower in New York City and reportedly has a maternity wardrobe worth a whopping seven times more than the Duchess of Cambridges.



Up ahead, we take a closer look at Meghan Markles maternity wardrobe  including how much its worth and what her most expensive ensemble is so far  and how it compares to Kate Middletons.



Meghan Markles maternity wardrobe



Kate Middletons maternity wardrobe was not as expensive as Meghan Markles. | Samir Hussein/WireImage

For the last eight months, the Duchess of Sussex has made public appearances, gone on royal tours, and met with some important world leaders all while dressed to the nines in a maternity wardrobe fit for a royal. According to a recent report by Love the Sales, Meghan Markle has given us 75 stunning maternity looks worth over half a million dollars total.



Like her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle has sported a few affordable ensembles, including dresses from H&M and Aritzia. However, her total maternity wardrobe is worth over $600,000 and averages around $8,485 per outfit.



As with everything Meghan Markle (and Kate Middleton for that matter) wears, her maternity wardrobe has caused an uptick in search volume and sales for various designers, including Karen Gee, who designed a white shift dress the duchess wore while on her Australian tour. The designers dress saw a 5,800% increase in search volume, which ultimately crashed the website.



Veja, the sneaker company behind Meghan Markles sustainable V-10 kicks that she wore to a sailing competition at the Invictus Games also benefited from the mother-to-bes outfit choices. The company saw an overnight increase of 300% search traffic.



Does Meghan Markle pay for her clothes?



Its unclear which clothes the Duchess of Sussex pays for and which ones are borrowed from designers. However, some of her most pricey maternity looks (like the $13,000 Oscar de la Renta dress she wore to the Geographic Society Awards in October 2018) were most likely loaned to the duchess.



Meghan Markles Oscar de la Renta dress was $13,000. | Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage

How Meghan Markles maternity wardrobe compares to Kate Middletons



Like Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton also wore her fair share of high-end designers throughout her three pregnancies. Most notably, the Duchess of Sussex wore Jenny Packham, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, and Erdem. However, she also donned a lot more affordable pieces, too.



Kate Middletons maternity wardrobe was a mix of affordable and designer. | Karwai Tang/WireImage

According to Love the Sales, Meghan Markles maternity wardrobe is the most expensive out of any royal woman. In fact, the Duchess of Sussexs ensembles racked up a bill totally seven times more than what Kate Middletons maternity wardrobes were worth. But, thats not to say either duchess actually paid for most of their ensembles.



As we mentioned previously, some of Meghan Markles pricier maternity looks were likely loaned to the duchess by the designer. And, the same goes for Kate Middleton. Additionally, Kate Middleton was able to recycle some of her garments from her first pregnancy  which she did a handful of times  which saved the Duchess of Cambridge some money.



Will Meghan Markle save some of her favorite maternity staples for baby number two? Only time will tell.



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Meghan Markle has been struggling with social media bullying since she began dating Prince Harry. The issue has gotten so severe that Kensington Palace even had to release a list of guidelines detailing how to interact with royals online. Unfortunately, it seems the guidelines havent helped very much, if at all. So Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are bringing in a professional: Sara Latham.



Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Karwai Tang/WireImage

Who is Sara Latham?



I cannot think of a person more suited for this position than my girl Sara Latham. For two decades weve been in the campaign trenches together during the best times and the hardest times. Shes strategic, top notch and will shine in this role. https://t.co/tANyDchmnC  adrienneelrod (@adrienneelrod) March 15, 2019

The Sussexes have hired Latham to be their head of communications. Shes incredibly qualified for the job. Latham worked as a transitional official for Barack Obama in 2008 and was a senior adviser on Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign. She also worked in the White House during Bill Clintons presidency. All this to say: shes particularly qualified in handling political name calling. Shes also a dual citizen in the U.S. as well as the U.K, so that doesnt hurt, either. In 2005, she worked as special adviser to U.K. Labour politician Tessa Jowell. The royal couple has been known, as of late, for their liberal-leaning politics. Someone like Latham will certainly aid them in honing that voice.



Who better to focus their narrative and reign in trolls than someone like Latham, whos experienced in dealing with high-profile politicians and the onslaught of racism and sexism they face? asks Refinery writer Alexis Reliford.



Latham will report to the Queens communications secretary and will be based out of Buckingham Palace.



The bullying



The Royals have become accustomed to their fair share of bullying over the years, but no ones received quite as much negativity as Markle. CNN recently reported on a study that found more than 5,000 tweets contained anti-Meghan hashtags. In addition to the set of social media courtesy guidelines Kensington Palace published, staff are devoting more resources to deleting comments targeting Meghan, and blocking abusive Twitter and Instagram accounts. Software is being used to filter out the use of the n-word as well as emojis of guns and knives, reports CNN.



The article goes on to list other ways in which Markle has been harassed online through the years, but especially after her pregnancy was announced. In addition to the racist and sexist hashtags that are plaguing the Duchess, rumors are being spread about her relationship with the rest of the royals, and articles are being written about how her family went from cotton slaves to royalty and Markles rich and exotic DNA.



Why is all of this happening? Why do people love to hate Meghan Markle so much?



Meghan Markle fits into this bigger idea of the West and the UK in decline, he said. She does that by not fitting in, by being who she is, which is mixed race. People tie these things so much to what they think it means to be British, which is white. So, it has a racial element to it, said Hope Not Hate researcher Patrik Hermansso.

But theres also this idea of cultural decline  [that] what we were before, a strong palace, a monarchy, an empire  is falling apart, and that of course is brought on by these other far-right conspiratorial ideas, like what mass immigration is doing with our society, the replacement of British people of British culture.

Read more: The Real Reason Meghan Markle Wants Her Children to Attend an American School

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Meghan McCain didnt hold back in defending her late father, John McCain, after President Trump recently attacked the late senator on Twitter. Find out what The View co-host had to say.

Senator John McCain and Meghan McCain | Heidi Gutman /ABC via Getty Images

Trump took to Twitter to slam John McCain

Trump was active on Twitter over the weekend, including a critique of a rerun of SNL, but he also took the opportunity to slam John McCain. He called out the late senator regarding his role in the Justice Department investigation into Russias involvement with the 2016 presidential election.

Trump tweeted: Spreading the fake and totally discredited Dossier is unfortunately a very dark stain against John McCain. Ken Starr, Former Independent Counsel. He had far worse stains than this, including thumbs down on repeal and replace after years of campaigning to repeal and replace!

Spreading the fake and totally discredited Dossier is unfortunately a very dark stain against John McCain. Ken Starr, Former Independent Counsel. He had far worse stains than this, including thumbs down on repeal and replace after years of campaigning to repeal and replace!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2019

The president was referencing McCains no vote against repealing Obamacare in 2017. NBC News pointed out that the legislation opposed by McCain did not have a replacement component.

Trumps quote of Ken Starr came from Starrs recent appearance on Fox News Fox & Friends, where he discussed alleged media leaks of a dossier that alleges the Trump campaign worked with the Russian government to defeat rival Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Starr explained: The more we find out the uglier it becomes. The Steele dossier I think has been very substantially discredited. Of McCain, Starr noted, I think he was an American hero. But Im very sorry he got implicated in this in terms of spreading this very nasty stuff around. He added that the reports that McCain leaked the dossier are unfortunately a very dark stain on the senators record.

No one will ever love you the way they loved my father. I wish I had been given more Saturdays with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine? https://t.co/q7ezwmHiQ4  Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 16, 2019

Meghan McCain fires back

Meghan McCain didnt hold back in her response to Trump, tweeting: No one will ever love you the way they loved my father. I wish I had been given more Saturdays with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine?

Meghan received a mix of reactions to her tweet, with many applauding her for defending her father, including one person who noted: Your Father had more Decency in his Pinky than Trump has in his entire being!

Another commenter remarked: Trump is really terrible. Im sorry you have to endure this. I may not have the same politics as you do but this is terrible.

Not everyone, however, was on Meghans side, with one person commenting: Its difficult to feel love for a man that even while ill got up the strength to go all the way to Washington just to thumb his nose at both President Trump and the American people with a thumbs down. That gesture will be his political legacy.

So it was indeed (just proven in court papers) last in his class (Annapolis) John McCain that sent the Fake Dossier to the FBI and Media hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election. He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual). Even the Fake News refused this garbage!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

Trump doubled down on his criticism of McCain

Trump continued to tweet about John McCain on Sunday morning as well, writing: So it was indeed (just proven in court papers) last in his class (Annapolis) John McCain that sent the Fake Dossier to the FBI and Media hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election. He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual). Even the Fake News refused this garbage!

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told host George Stephanopoulos on ABCs This Week that Trump should apologize for the tweets. He explained: I frankly think the presidents continued attacks on now-late Sen. John McCain is something thats regrettable and for which he should apologize.

Coons added: Sen. McCain conveyed that report out of a sense of duty, and he is someone who lived his entire life with a sense of honor and duty to our country.
Learning multiple foreign languages might not be part of the royal familys strict protocol, but that doesnt stop certain members from overachieving. The British royal family is chock full of impressive linguists  including Prince William who can speak around five foreign languages  some of which have been speaking multiple languages since childhood.



Case in point: Prince Philip grew up in a family that spoke more than one language and is, therefore, fluent in a few. How many languages does Prince Philip speak? We share the details, plus what foreign languages other members of the royal family speak, ahead.



How Many Languages Does Prince Philip Speak?



Prince Philip | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

When it comes to foreign language in the royal family, Prince Philips skills are probably the most impressive. Although he doesnt know as many languages as his son, Prince Philip and grandson, Prince William, the Duke of Edinburgh grew up fluent in three languages. What languages does Prince Philip speak? Find out, below.



English



Despite his connection to the Greek and Danish royal families, Prince Philip didnt grow up speaking the languages. Instead, he and his family spoke English. In fact, he even lived at Kensington Palace and studied in the United Kingdom as a young boy.



At seven years old, the Duke of Edinburgh moved to the United Kingdom and attended Cheam School. While there, he lived with his maternal grandmother, Victoria Mountbatten at Kensington Palace and his uncle, George Mountbatten at Lynden Manor in Bray, Berkshire.



Prince Philip | Alastair Grant  WPA Pool/Getty Images

French



In addition to speaking English, Prince Philip also grew up speaking French. Like his wife, Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh is fluent in the language.



German



Prince Philips family also spoke German, which is where the duke gets his fluency from. In addition, he studied at Schule Schloss Salem in Germany at 12-years-old.



Royal family foreign languages



Prince Philip isnt the only multilingual royal. In fact, many members of the royal family are fluent in French and know a handful of other foreign languages, too. What languages does the royal family speak? Find out, ahead.



French: Prince Philip isnt the only royal fluent in French. In addition to the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth, and their children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward all speak the language. On top of that, Prince William and Kate Middleton speak French and Meghan Markle allegedly knows a little, too.



Spanish: Some of the royal familys youngest members are already learning their first foreign language. Prince George and Princess Charlotte are allegedly learning Spanish and practice with their nanny, Maria Turrion Borrallo.



Russian: In addition to French and Spanish, Russian is also spoken at Kensington Palace. Prince Michael of Kent and his wife, Princess Michael both speak and understand Russian.



Tagalog: Meghan Markle might know a little Tagalog, the language of the Philippines. While visiting Edinburgh with Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex was overheard saying Salamat Po, which means thank you.



Swahili: Prince William knows a little Swahili, too. The Duke of Cambridge allegedly taught himself the foreign language.



Welsh: As the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles is sometimes required to speak a little Welsh. While hes not fluent, he does understand and speak enough to get by. Additionally, Prince William also speaks Welsh. His father started him early in hopes that the future Prince of Wales would be fluent by the time Prince Charles becomes king. Prince Williams knowledge of the language is unclear, but some believe he is fluent.



Gaelic: The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge allegedly know a little Gaelic, too. They likely speak the language when in Northern Ireland and Scotland.



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Changes are coming for the royal household.

On Thursday, it was announced that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would be splitting from Prince William and Kate Middleton. The act would break up the familys joint court and create two different offices.

While William and Kate will remain in Kensington Palace, Meghan and Harry will be moving their office to Buckingham Palace with the Queen.

According to sources close to the royal family, now is the perfect time for the split to occur.

They have always been different, they are very different characters, the source told People of the royal brothers. They drew great comfort from each other when their mother died, and as theyve grown up together. But they need to be separate. Now Meghan has arrived it is the right time to make that break.

And while headlines of the split have caused an uproar, the seperation itself is a pretty natural line of progression.

What does the r oyal split mean?

This split simply means that Prince William and Harry will have seperate offices and can focus on issues that interest them each individually.

When the men were single, sharing an office was no problem. But, now that they are both married and have a significantly larger amount of public engagements, it makes more sense for them to do them seperately .

The arrival of Meghan has changed the dynamic of the relationship in a fairly significant way, royals author Sally Bedell Smith told People. It is inevitable and practical because it gives Harry and Meghan some freedom to build up their own collection of interests and charities.

Now that the houses of Sussex and Cambridge are separated, Sarah Latham will begin leading communications for Harry and Meghan. Latham was formerly the campaign adviser for Hillary Clinton. The staff that worked for the Sussexes previously will stay at Kensington Palace and work under the Cambridges.

According to PEOPLE, Jason Knauf has been named Senior Adviser to the Cambridge house and Christian Jones has been named the Communications Secretary.

A source close to the family told royal reporter Omid Scobie that both families will continue to be patrongs for the Royal Foundation.

The split will not be a quick endeavor as Meghan and Harry will need to hire a full staff.

It will be a step-by-step process, the source said.

The new household will be funded primarily by the Queen and Prince Charles. The Queen has historically used her own money to fund the offices of members of her family.

During this time, Meghan and Harry will move out of their two-bedroom home in Nottingham Cottage and into Frogmore Cottage.

According to r oyals experts, this split could actually be a good thing for the future of the family.

In this generation, there are only two of them, and it makes sense for them to go their separate ways and create separate identities, royals author Robert Lacey told People. Looking to the future, their children will proliferate around those two centers.

Read more: What are the Odds of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Naming Their Baby Diana?

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Theres no doubt the Food Network is an agreeable channel for those from all walks of life. From Bobby Flays entertaining competition shows to Giada De Laurentiis strolls through Italy, fans have certainly picked up on their favorite chefs over time. And while Ree Drummond, the host of The Pioneer Woman, may be a relative newcomer to the network, shes certainly attained quite an impressive fan following. Her viewers love her candid tales of life on the ranch just as much as they love her recipes.

Thanks to Rees television banter and super popular blog (which takes the same name as her show), fans have been able to get an in-depth look into what her life is really like. Unfortunately for the star, there was a point when she had to flee from her Oklahoma place of residence. Heres what happened.

Ree Drummond never imagined when she was younger that shed be living in Oklahoma

Those who watch The Pioneer Woman know Ree lives on a ranch in Oklahoma, but how she got there makes for quite an interesting story. Country Living explains Ree detailed how she came to live in the countryside in her first issue of The Pioneer Woman Magazine. The star explained that while she grew up in Oklahoma, she couldnt wait to head to the big city permanently to start her life after college. Based on my brief time at home, I knew that an urban environment was where I belonged. I missed the conveniences, the coffee shops, the take-out galore , she wrote. I missed the anonymity of living in a city  the ability to run to the market without running into my third-grade teacher.

Of course, we now know everything changed for Ree once she met Ladd, her husband. While she was visiting home, she met him at a local Oklahoma bar  and after their first date, she knew it was true love. I dont know how long we stood there in the first embrace of our lives together. But I do know that when that kiss was over, my life as Id always imagined it was over, too, Ree wrote. She never made it to Chicago, which was in her future plans. Instead, she stayed in the Oklahoma country to get married and start a family.

She was forced to flee the ranch due to a tornado

Living in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, certainly has its ups and downs  and unfortunately, tornadoes are a reality the Drummonds have to deal with. People notes a meteorologist questioned if Ree and her family were OK after he noticed that a tornado warning was issued very close to her place of residence back in October 2018. On Twitter, he noted, That tornado warning just NW of Pawhuska had to be REALLY close to the ranch. Wonder if she got any pictures or took cover from the storm.

To that, Ree assured everyone that she and her family were fine  but it couldve been a close call. We are fine! It was headed straight for our place, so I drove to my sister-in-laws house with the boys. (Gotta love that detailed radar; you can see everything down to the county road number.), she commented back. She then noted that Ladd had the opposite reaction to her, however. Instead of driving away from the storm, he headed straight toward it to watch.

Country life can be tough, but shes learned to adapt

There certainly arent tornado warnings in many major cities. And while Ree once longed for big metropolitan life, shes also learned that life on the ranch is where shes meant to stay. As she wrote on the Pioneer Woman blog, In the country, there are just certain realities one has to face. Flat tires, for one. Water and electrical outages, for another. Manurewell, thats obvious. Its everywhere. The list goes on and on. She then goes on to talk about her beloved basset hound, Charlie, who has since passed  and she explained how the simple country life actually suits her perfectly. I sigh and think nothing on earth is better than this  its just me and my dog, my loyal, beautiful dog, just the way life should be.

Does Ree still long for big-city life? We may never know, though we do know just how much she loves her loyal husband, Ladd, her dogs, and of course, her kids who have all grown up on the ranch as well. Even with a few tornadoes, it all seems worth it.

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While being a part of the royal family is a life most people can only dream of, it is not always easy. Despite living in a palace, having everything you could ever want, and being loved and adored by fans around the world, royal life can be difficult at times.

Prince Harry is constantly being followed by photographers, and everything he does is scrutinized by the media. This cant be easy on Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, knows that as well. We can only imagine that at times, the excessive amount of media attention is difficult to handle. So, what is the simple way that Meghan Markle helps Prince Harry deal with too much media attention?

WE Day

During a speech at todays #WEDayUK event (which encourages youth to take part in positive social change), Prince Harry shared a powerful quote by Martin Luther King: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." pic.twitter.com/xD81by8yBJ  Omid Scobie (@scobie) March 6, 2019

Recently, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made an appearance at WE Day, and fans were simply delighted. WE Day is an event that encourages positive change in communities, which is an initiative that is close to the hearts of both Harry and Meghan. Harry made a very moving speech, saying that he knows how the world can be challenging, talking about activism and mental health issues, and also calling the current generation the most engaged generation in history.

Meghan Markles favorite quote

While on stage, Harry told fans that their role is to shine the light before sharing one of his wifes favorite quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr., which says Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. He revealed that Meghan reminds him of this quote quite often, as a way of helping him deal with too much attention from the media in his life. It was a wonderful surprise when Meghan later joined Harry on stage. Royal fans can agree that Harry, along with Meghan, is such an inspiration to everyone!

Why Harry struggles with attention from the media

The excessive amount of attention that Harry receives on a daily basis is overwhelming in many ways. As the world knows, Harry lost his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997 when he was only 12 years old, when she was tragically killed in a car accident in Paris. Harry and his brother, Prince William, have never kept quiet about the fact that they were, and still are, extremely resentful at the many photographers who were constantly following Diana. They know that she was being followed on the night of the accident, and it caused the driver of the car she was in to lose control, resulting in the fatal crash.

Meghan is wonderful at helping Harry

LONDON, ENGLAND  MARCH 11: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex during a musical performance as they attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will showcase and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and around the UK. (Photo by Chris Jackson  WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Meghan completely understands just how difficult too much media attention can be, especially for Harry. She encourages Harry to do what he can to make the world a better place, something that was evident in his WE Day speech. Harry is not shy about letting the world know that Meghan has been such a positive influence on his life, and he seems to feel empowered by her more and more as time goes on. By reminding Harry that media attention and negativity can be difficult, but he needs to stay strong and stand for what he believes in and cares about, she helps him deal with the hardest parts of his life.

Meghans look for the event

The crowd was overjoyed to see the Duchess of Sussex join her husband on stage at the event. She stunned in a casual look that consisted of black pants, a black shirt, and a lovely blue blazer. Meghan wore her dark hair in loose waves around her face, and also wore a necklace by Jennifer Meyer that she recently received at her New York City baby shower.

We can certainly all agree that the Duke and Duchess are a wonderful influence on the world!
As much of Cassie and Coltons breakup as The Bachelor showed, there was still so much footage of the two that we never got to see. We never really got the full story of why Cassie was acting the way she was, and why Colton believed in her so much, even when, to us watching at home, it seemed as though she was very clearly telling him she just wasnt interested.



NEW YORK, NEW YORK  MARCH 13: Cassie Randolph and Colton Underwood attend the Build Series to discuss The Bachelor at Build Studio on March 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)

After their breakup and after Colton had convinced Cassie to stick around and go on another date with him in Portugal, Cassie told Colton that she didnt even know if she was ready for a relationship, let alone a proposal. But in an interview with People Magazine, she said that she went on the show with every intention of getting engaged.



I came into The Bachelor open and ready to be engaged. But you have no idea how little time youre going to get. I was trying to get there, but I needed more time. Looking back, I had no idea how unclear I was being to him, she said in the interview.



Cassie and Colton had trouble communicating at first



One of the issues the couple had while on the show was miscommunication. Colton had a hard time asking the right questions, and Cassie had a hard time articulating her feelings.



He was good at articulating how he was feeling about me, but I was unable to say certain things to him. In Portugal I was like, Whoa, theres three of us left, theres an engagement in two weeks, and I still havent even told him Im falling in love with him, even though I was, said Cassie.



I wish I had done a better job asking questions early on. I could have seen what she needed and [tried to] help. In interviews leading up to the [fantasy suite] date I was saying I want her to tell me shes in love with me. That was wrong of me to do because I dont want her to say it just to say it, said Colton in the interview. [What she did] takes a lot of courage because a lot of people who have been in her position on the show before would just say it to go on. She wasnt willing to do that.



What really happened the night of the breakup



Colton said he maybe missed some of the cues Cassie had been giving him that she was uncomfortable because he was just so in love with her.



Going into that date, I was so excited and in love with her that I had my blinders on. I still didnt know where she was, but I wasnt afraid to say what was on my mind, said Colton.



So what pushed Cassie over the edge?



That was the first time I was hearing those things from him. And I was also just emotionally drained and exhausted. Looking back, I know he was genuine, but it was hard to know for sure because there were still two other girls there. I was overwhelmed, and I didnt want to stand in the way of him having what he came here for. I heard him say many times, I want an engagement at the end of this. Its not that I didnt see myself getting there, but it was hard with the pressure of the show. I wanted to be 100 percent confident I was ready [for a proposal], and I owed it to him to be honest, she said.



Read more: The Bachelor: Cassie and Coltons First Official Date



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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are soon due with their first child, and the world has been on edge since they announced the pregnancy. While most of the world has been focused on this special royal baby, there have been numerous headlines suggesting that it will not be the only royal baby this year.

In fact, a good number of people believe that Prince Harrys older brother, Prince William, will become a father yet again this year. But why do some people think Kate Middleton is pregnant with her fourth child? Is she, or is it all rumor? Heres what you need to know.

Kate Middleton | JEFF J MITCHELL/AFP/Getty Images

People have royal baby fever

The rumors about Kate Middleton expecting baby number four began shortly after Meghan Markles pregnancy was announced. The truth is that the rumors most likely began simply because people have gotten royal baby fever.

The public holding onto a false belief simply because they wish it true is not all that uncommon. A great example is the way so many people (and for so long) have constantly latched onto rumors that Jennifer Aniston was pregnant  even despite her publicly stating several times she was not.

Kate Middleton made a comment about a baby

The latest favorite in the pregnancy rumors revolves around something Kate Middleton said while on tour in Northern Ireland with her husband. Always personable, Middleton and Prince William were meeting with the crowd when a small baby caught the Duchess eye. She commented that the little boy seemed very sweet, and asked how old he was. After the father responded, Kate said Hes so diddy it makes me very broody.

Broody is a British word for a woman wanting more children. Fans everywhere latched onto this simple statement as proof that Middleton was either pregnant, or soon would be trying  despite Prince Louis being less than a year old.

But people are making way too much of this statement. The truth here is that the royal family are trained to engage with the public and make conversation. Kate Middleton was quite obviously doing just that by telling a father how sweet his child was  which would mean a lot coming from a royal mother of three!

There has been no official announcement

A big indicator there is not a fourth child being expected for Kate Middleton and Prince William is that there has not been an official announcement. While there are many rules about pregnant royals (such as not ever revealing the gender before birth), they do typically make an official announcement at some point.

If Kate Middleton had been noticeably pregnant for as long as the rumors have been persisting, shed not only be showing but it is almost certain that an official announcement would have been made.

Kate Middleton does not appear pregnant

As mentioned above, Kate Middleton would be quite advanced in her pregnancy even if shed only just found out herself when the rumors began. This means she should be showing, especially since women whove already given birth tend to show a bit sooner than first-time mothers.

Quite recently Middleton has been seen without any heavy jackets or other clothing that could potentially hide a baby bump. She looks as thin and in shape as she ever has, and certainly does not appear to be pregnant.

Body language expert says no
'Five Feet Apart' film reminds teens love isn't contingent on human touch, director Justin Baldoni says

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Justin Baldoni's directorial debut, the romantic film Five Feet Apart, stars Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson as two 17-year-olds who have cystic fibrosis  a chronic genetic respiratory disorder with a short life expectancy.

The CFers, as the characters refer to themselves, are both in the hospital for various treatment sessions. But they couldnt be more different: Sprouses Will, the combat boot-wearing artistic type, doesnt take his medical regimen seriously, as hes all but given up the idea of ever beating the illness. Its just life, itll be over before you know it, he says. In turn, Richardsons Stella is a bright and energetic YouTuber who lives according to the rules, determined to get better in hopes of receiving a lung transplant.

Despite their differences, it doesnt take Will and Stella long to fall in love shortly after meeting in the hospitals neonatal wing. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that they must maintain at least five feet of distance from each other to avoid dangerous cross-infection.

Human touch, Richardson says in the films intro, We need that touch from the one we love almost as much as we need air to breathe. I never understood that until I couldnt have it.

With themes of love, sacrifice, and hope, Five Feet Apart reminds viewers that life is worth living, every breath, no matter how difficult, is precious, and that love isnt contingent on physical touch.

Baldoni, who's best known for his role as Rafael Solano on The CWs "Jane the Virgin," is an actor, director, and entrepreneur whose efforts are focused on creating impactful media. He spoke to The Christian Post about the inspiration behind Five Feet Apart and its poignant yet hopeful message, and why he believes death can be a messenger of joy.

CP: Congratulations on your directorial debut! What inspired this story?

JB: It all started seven years ago when I gave up acting to start telling stories of amazing individuals who were living with terminal illness and choosing joy, hope, and love in the face of tremendous adversity. I gave up the material life I was living to use my skills and talents to lift others up and to tell their stories, which I did in a documentary called "My Last Days."

In the process, I realized that I was the one being lifted up; many of these people living in these conditions were happier than I was, and I knew that if I could take a piece of that, I would have lived a life I was proud of.

During this time, I met a young woman named Claire who had CF. She was the one who told me that people living with that disease cant get closer than five feet, and I knew it was a movie I had to make and a story I had to tell. I wish that Id had a movie like that growing up, learning about myself and the material and physical temptations that exist in the world. So for me, telling a story without physical touch where intimacy couldnt be explored was a challenge I was willing to take on.

I also wanted to honor the 300,000 people who live with CF every year. These people have never been represented in a sincere way. Claire passed away just before I was able to show her the film; she never got to see it finished. But theres no doubt in my mind she will continue to impact millions with her resilience and love for life.

CP: This film is, in many ways, a beautiful tragedy  its heartbreaking yet uplifting. I love how it shows the importance of making every moment count in this life.

JB: We live in such a dark time, and its easy to lose faith and hope. I wanted to create a movie that shows love is worth fighting for. We live in a time where everything is on demand and we have so many choices and its easy to quit when theres a bump in the road. We can confuse that with thinking were not with the right person, and I wanted to explore what it means to fight for someone you love when giving up isnt an option.

Theres a beautiful tragedy to this story; these young adults make difficult choices. The themes of this film  love, sacrifice, and hope  are desperately needed today.

CP: I worked for hospice for years, and it was such an honor, yet so sobering to be with people in their final moments. Did you feel a sense of sacredness and spirituality when approaching the subject of death?

JB: Absolutely. If you bring it all the way back, it was inspired by a quote I once heard: I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve?"

Its something that always struck me: How can death be joyful? But reflecting on our mortality can actually inform our lives. For me, this was all rooted in service and also in the belief that there isnt an end, and that in the journey of life there are so many lessons to be gleaned from death. Its a sacred space.

The documentaries werent just for the audience, but for the subjects themselves. They trusted me with telling their stories. Im a filmmaker with a mission to help those facing the end of their lives leave a legacy. Thats the sacredness of the film for me, handling those issues delicately but not turning off an audience.

Theres a large sector of the population that doesnt want to be fed any spiritual themes or serious matters; they just want to see a film with a compelling story. But I dont believe those things are mutually exclusive, and I hope this film shows that.

CP: You make films and documentaries about topics that matter. What drives that passion?

JB: Faith. Faith drives it. It all starts with faith. I have a very strong faith and a belief that our purpose here on Earth is to know God and to love God, and through that love of God, to love humanity and be of service.

All of us have a unique opportunity to be of service. For some, it might be grandiose and big and large, like me  I get to use my specific gifts to serve in kind of a large-scale way. But even small, everyday things need to be celebrated. In the eyes of God, I believe that what Im doing isnt any different than someone who is janitor putting love into every piece of dirt that they pick up, or someone who cleans toilets in church.

Its about intention and purity. It all comes back to faith and the feeling of responsibility with my platform, to use it in a way that doesnt just serve myself, but to serve others. We live, we die: What did you do when you were here? How did you spend your time? Were you focused on yourself or others? I try to infuse into my films and work the importance of living a life of service.

CP: These are two teens who are continually reminded that life is short and time is elusive. What message do you want to send to teens and young people with this film?

Justin Baldoni's directorial debut, the romantic film Five Feet Apart, stars Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson as two 17-year-olds who have cystic fibrosis  a chronic genetic respiratory disorder with a short life expectancy.

The CFers, as the characters refer to themselves, are both in the hospital for various treatment sessions. But they couldnt be more different: Sprouses Will, the combat boot-wearing artistic type, doesnt take his medical regimen seriously, as hes all but given up the idea of ever beating the illness. Its just life, itll be over before you know it, he says. In turn, Richardsons Stella is a bright and energetic YouTuber who lives according to the rules, determined to get better in hopes of receiving a lung transplant.

Despite their differences, it doesnt take Will and Stella long to fall in love shortly after meeting in the hospitals neonatal wing. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that they must maintain at least 6 feet of distance from each other to avoid dangerous cross-infection.

Human touch, Richardson says in the films intro, We need that touch from the one we love almost as much as we need air to breathe. I never understood that until I couldnt have it.

With themes of love, sacrifice, and hope, Five Feet Apart reminds viewers that life is worth living, every breath, no matter how difficult, is precious, and that love isnt contingent on physical touch.

Baldoni, who's best known for his role as Rafael Solano on The CWs "Jane the Virgin," is an actor, director, and entrepreneur whose efforts are focused on creating impactful media. He spoke to The Christian Post about the inspiration behind Five Feet Apart and its poignant yet hopeful message, and why he believes death can be a messenger of joy.

CP: Congratulations on your directorial debut! What inspired this story?

JB: It all started seven years ago when I gave up acting to start telling stories of amazing individuals who were living with terminal illness and choosing joy, hope, and love in the face of tremendous adversity. I gave up the material life I was living to use my skills and talents to lift others up and to tell their stories, which I did in a documentary called "My Last Days."

In the process, I realized that I was the one being lifted up; many of these people living in these conditions were happier than I was, and I knew that if I could take a piece of that, I would have lived a life I was proud of.

During this time, I met a young woman named Claire who had CF. She was the one who told me that people living with that disease cant get closer than six feet, and I knew it was a movie I had to make and a story I had to tell. I wish that Id had a movie like that growing up, learning about myself and the material and physical temptations that exist in the world. So for me, telling a story without physical touch where intimacy couldnt be explored was a challenge I was willing to take on.

I also wanted to honor the 300,000 people who live with CF every year. These people have never been represented in a sincere way. Claire passed away just before I was able to show her the film; she never got to see it finished. But theres no doubt in my mind she will continue to impact millions with her resilience and love for life.

CP: This film is, in many ways, a beautiful tragedy  its heartbreaking yet uplifting. I love how it shows the importance of making every moment count in this life.

JB: We live in such a dark time, and its easy to lose faith and hope. I wanted to create a movie that shows love is worth fighting for. We live in a time where everything is on demand and we have so many choices and its easy to quit when theres a bump in the road. We can confuse that with thinking were not with the right person, and I wanted to explore what it means to fight for someone you love when giving up isnt an option.

Theres a beautiful tragedy to this story; these young adults make difficult choices. The themes of this film  love, sacrifice, and hope  are desperately needed today.

CP: I worked for hospice for years, and it was such an honor, yet so sobering to be with people in their final moments. Did you feel a sense of sacredness and spirituality when approaching the subject of death?

JB: Absolutely. If you bring it all the way back, it was inspired by a quote I once heard: I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve?"

Its something that always struck me: How can death be joyful? But reflecting on our mortality can actually inform our lives. For me, this was all rooted in service and also in the belief that there isnt an end, and that in the journey of life there are so many lessons to be gleaned from death. Its a sacred space.

The documentaries werent just for the audience, but for the subjects themselves. They trusted me with telling their stories. Im a filmmaker with a mission to help those facing the end of their lives leave a legacy. Thats the sacredness of the film for me, handling those issues delicately but not turning off an audience.

Theres a large sector of the population that doesnt want to be fed any spiritual themes or serious matters; they just want to see a film with a compelling story. But I dont believe those things are mutually exclusive, and I hope this film shows that.

CP: You make films and documentaries about topics that matter. What drives that passion?

JB: Faith. Faith drives it. It all starts with faith. I have a very strong faith and a belief that our purpose here on Earth is to know God and to love God, and through that love of God, to love humanity and be of service.

All of us have a unique opportunity to be of service. For some, it might be grandiose and big and large, like me  I get to use my specific gifts to serve in kind of a large-scale way. But even small, everyday things need to be celebrated. In the eyes of God, I believe that what Im doing isnt any different than someone who is janitor putting love into every piece of dirt that they pick up, or someone who cleans toilets in church.

Its about intention and purity. It all comes back to faith and the feeling of responsibility with my platform, to use it in a way that doesnt just serve myself, but to serve others. We live, we die: What did you do when you were here? How did you spend your time? Were you focused on yourself or others? I try to infuse into my films and work the importance of living a life of service.

CP: These are two teens who are continually reminded that life is short and time is elusive. What message do you want to send to teens and young people with this film?

JB: I want young people to appreciate their lives. I want young people to take a second and realize that theyre alive, that theyre breathing, that theyre privileged and blessed, that life is beautiful, and that love looks like a lot of different things and its worth fighting for.

At the end of the day, theres a lot to be hopeful about. And most importantly, that love isnt contingent on human touch, its not physical, its not something you can put into a box and say, It looks like this. And, not to confuse love with intimacy, because I think thats an easy mistake to make.

I want young people to appreciate their lives. I want young people to take a second and realize that theyre alive, that theyre breathing, that theyre privileged and blessed, that life is beautiful, and that love looks like a lot of different things and its worth fighting for.

At the end of the day, theres a lot to be hopeful about. And most importantly, that love isnt contingent on human touch, its not physical, its not something you can put into a box and say, It looks like this. And, not to confuse love with intimacy, because I think thats an easy mistake to make.
Appeals court saves clergy tax-free housing allowance

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled Friday that a law giving clergy an exemption from paying income taxes on their housing allowance is constitutional. The ruling protects religious leaders nationwide from having to pay nearly $1 billion more each year in taxes.

The courts unanimous decision in the case Gaylorv. Mnuchin reversed a district courts ruling in 2017 in favor of the atheist legal group Freedom From Religion Foundation, which argued that excluding pastors housing allowance from their taxable income was unconstitutional.

A group of clergy who rely on the housing allowance appealed that decision to the Seventh Circuit and were represented by the law firm Becket.

The tax code treats ministers the same as hundreds of thousands of nonreligious workers who receive tax-exempt housing for their jobs  thats not special treatment, its equal treatment, said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, which defends religious rights. The court rightly recognized that striking down the parsonage allowance would devastate small, low-income houses of worship in our neediest neighborhoods and would cause needless conflict between church and state, he added.

Pastor Chris Butler of the Chicago Embassy Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, says his church cant afford to pay him a full salary, but it offers him a small housing allowance so he can afford to live near his church.

This ruling is a victory not just for my church but for the needy South Side Chicago community we serve  our youth, our single mothers, our homeless, our addicted, and our victims of gang violence, Butler said. I am grateful that I can continue serving them and living side by side with them to make our neighborhood a safer, more peaceful place."

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Joe Davis, counsel at Becket, said the estimate of $1 billion per year in additional taxes comes in part from a report by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which "estimates the housing allowance at $0.97 billion for 2018, and expects that it will actually exceed $1 billion this year."

"Congressional estimates  for instance the Estimates of Federal Tax Expenditures for Fiscal Years 20162020, prepared by the Joint Committee on Taxation  likewise estimate the allowance at nearly a billion dollars annually," Davis said.

Judge Michael Brennan wrote in his opinion Friday that Congress has enacted federal tax exemptions for religious organizations as far back as 1802. And dismissed FFRFs claim that a tax code exemption for clergy housing violated the Establishment Clause.

FFRF claims [that the tax code exemption for religious housing] renders unto God that which is Caesars. But this tax provision falls into the play between the joints of the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause: neither commanded by the former, nor proscribed by  the latter. We conclude [the tax code] is constitutional. The judgment of the district court is REVERSED, Brennan added in the opinion.

In response to the Seventh Circuits ruling, FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, one of the plaintiffs, said, The housing allowance is so clearly a handout to churches and clergy, and it so clearly shows preferential treatment and discriminating in favor of ministers.

The co-plaintiffs with Gaylor were FFRF Co-President Dan Barker (a former pastor-turned-atheist) and Ian Gaylor.

The clergy allowance is not a tax deduction, but an exemption  allowing housing allowances paid as part of clergy salary to be subtracted from taxable income. The congressional Joint Committee on Taxation has reported that the exemption amounts to $700 million a year in lost revenue, FFRF said in a statement Friday.

Clergy may use the housing allowance not just for rent or mortgage, but for home improvements, including maintenance, repairs, dishwashers, cable TV and phone fees  even personal computers and bank fees," FFRF added in its statement. "The subsidy extends to churches, which can pay clergy less, as tax-free salaries go further.

In 2011, the FFRF filed a lawsuit against the tax code exemption for religious housing, a law passed in 1954 that gave clergy a tax exemption for their housing allowance.

In 2013, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb for the Western District of Wisconsin ruled in favor of the FFRF, only to have the decision overturned in November 2014 by a three judge panel of the Seventh Circuit. According to the panel, FFRF lacked the standing to sue because the atheist group had never asked for the exemption and thus had not been denied it.

In April 2016, the FFRF refiled their lawsuit after following the panel's order on standing, with Crabb ruling in October 2017 that the tax allowance was unconstitutional.

In her opinion Crabb wrote that the tax exemption "violates the Establishment Clause because it eliminates the burden for a group made up of solely religious employees but maintains it for nearly everyone else."
Christianity Strongest in Europe Where It Was Banned, New Pew Report Finds

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Central and Eastern Europeans are less likely than Western Europeans to approve of same-sex marriage and abortion or welcome Muslims and Jews into their families, new data suggests.

Pew Research has unveiled a new two-year survey of over 56,000 adults from 34 Western, Central and European countries that shines a light on how the continental religious divide impacts social and political views.

"Christianity has long been the prevailing religion in Europe, and it remains the majority religious affiliation in 27 of the 34 countries surveyed," the Pew report states. "But historical schisms underlie this common religious identity: Each of the three major Christian traditions  Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy  predominates in a certain part of the continent."

While Orthodoxy is the dominant faith in Eastern Europe, Catholic-majority countries are common in the central and southeastern Europe and Protestantism is dominant in parts of Northern Europe and Scandinavia, Pew notes. Western Europe also has growing populations of religious unaffiliated citizens.

In looking at the divide on religion, the data shows that people in Eastern Europe were much more likely to say that being Christian is "important" to their national identity. This is true for some states that were once part of the Soviet bloc, where religion was once officially kept religion out of public life.

While 82 percent of Armenians and 81 percent of respondents from Georgia said Christianity was very or somewhat important to their national identity, more than eight in 10 people from Sweden, Denmark and Belgium said that being a Christian was not very or not at all important to their national identity.

More than seven in 10 people from Romania, Greece and Serbia said being Christian was important to their national identity, while 65 percent of people from France and the United Kingdom, 64 percent of Germans and 59 percent of Spaniards said being Christian wasn't important to their national identity.

In predominantly Catholic Italy, 53 percent said being a Christian is important to their national identity. Predominantly Catholic Ireland was practically split down the middle with 48 percent saying religion was important to their national identity and 49 percent saying it is not.

The baltic states of Estonia and Latvia were different than other Eastern European states in the fact that 82 and 84 percent of respondents from those countries respectively said that religion wasn't important to their national identity.

However, the survey still found that people from Estonia and Latvia largely held many of the same views as people from other Eastern European countries.

More than nine out of 10 people from Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova say that they oppose allowing gay couples to marry.

At least eight out of 10 people from Ukraine, Serbia, Lithuania, Belarus and Bosnia, and at least seven out of 10 people from Latvia, Estonia, Romania and Greece also said they oppose legal gay marriage.

On the other end, at least eight out of 10 people from Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands and Belgium said they favor allowing gays to legally marry. At least seven out of 10 people from Spain, U.K., Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, and Norway said the same.

The Czech Republic was the only Eastern or Central European nation with a majority of voters saying they favor legal gay marriage.

When it comes to whether abortion should be illegal or legal in "all or most cases," there were only seven countries where a majority of voters said that abortion should be illegal  all Eastern and Central European countries. Those include Georgia (85 percent), Moldova (79 percent), Ukraine (55 percent), Russia (56 percent), Belarus (54 percent), Poland (52 percent) and Greece (52 percent).

Over nine out of 10 respondents from Sweden and Denmark said that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while at least eight out of 10 respondents from Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Norway, and the U.K. said the same.

Eastern and Central European countries were a bit more divided on the issue of abortion, with 11 Eastern and Central European countries having a majority of respondents saying that they think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The Czech Republic (84 percent), Estonia (81 percent), Bulgaria (80 percent), Hungary (70 percent), and Slovakia (70 percent) are the Eastern and Central European countries where abortion is most supported.

Respondents from Eastern and Central European countries were most likely to say they would not welcome a Muslim into their family.

Only 7 percent of Armenians, 16 percent of people from the Czech Republic, 17 percent of Georgians, and 19 percent of people from Belarus said they would accept a Muslim into their families. Less than three in 10 people from Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Hungary and less than four in 10 people from Estonia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Bulgaria and Poland said the same thing.

Nine out of 10 respondents from Netherlands, Denmark and Norway said they would accept a Muslim into their families and majorities from all other Western European countries said the same thing. The only two Eastern/Central European countries with a majority that would accept a Muslim into their families are Slovakia and Croatia.

While respondents from Western European countries were still more likely to say they would accept Jews into their families, the data shows that most countries (except Bosnia where half the population is Muslim) are more willing to accept Jews into their families than Muslims.

The survey also indicates a "significant decline" in Christian affiliation throughout Western Europe  especially in nation's like Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. In each of those countries there is a at least a 20 percent gap in the people who say there were raised Christian and those who say they are "currently Christian."

According to Pew, there are a number of different reasons why so many Western Europeans raised as Christians no longer consider themselves Christian. Chief among those reasons is that they "gradually drifted away from religion." However, others noted that they disagree with traditional church teachings on issues like homosexuality and abortion.

"By contrast, this trend has not been seen in Central and Eastern Europe, where Christian shares of the population have mostly been stable or even increasing," the Pew report reads. "Indeed, in a part of the region where communist regimes once repressed religious worship, Christian affiliation has shown a resurgence in some countries since the fall of the USSR in 1991. In Ukraine, for example, more people say they are Christian now (93%) than say they were raised Christian (81%); the same is true in Russia, Belarus and Armenia. In most other parts of Central and Eastern Europe, Christian shares of the population have been relatively stable by this measure."

The Pew survey also found that Central and Eastern Europeans are more likely than Western Europeans to say that religion is very important in their lives, that they attended religious services monthly and that the pray daily.

By comparison, at least half of respondents from Greece, Bosnia, Armenia, Georgia and Romania say that religion is important in their lives, while only about one out of 10 respondents from France, Germany and the United Kingdom said the same thing.

Western Europeans also are more likely than Eastern or Central Europeans to say they never pray, the data shows.

Western Europeans are more likely to not believe in God than Central or Eastern Europeans. Hungary, Czech Republic and Estonia are the only three Eastern and Central European Countries where less than two-thirds of respondents say they believe in God.

Pew found that fewer than two-thirds of respondents from most Western European countries said they believed in God. In countries like Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden where there are large populations of religiously unaffiliated, less than half of adults said they believed in God.
Hillsong Channel series 'Now With Natalie' highlights celebrities impacting culture with their faith

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The Hillsong Channel is now airing a new six-part series featuring celebrities who talk about their faith and how they're using it to make a lasting impact on the culture.

Hosted by wardrobe stylist Natalie Manuel Lee, who's a member of Hillsong Church and sister of popular fashion and sneaker designer Jerry Lorenzo, the series, Now With Natalie, shows Lee interviewing Hailey Bieber, Tyson Chandler, Kelly Rowland, Jerry Lorenzo and Elaine Welteroth, among others who speak about their faith.

Lee said she wanted to host the show because she saw the need for purposeful content.

Episode one featured supermodel Hailey Bieber, filmmaker Elliot Rausch, and cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf. Bieber was the main focus of the episode which centered around identity and comparison.

"The guests this season, those are my friends and my family, it's my community. I'm blessed to have them in my life. Not only do I learn from each and every one of them, but we have these conversations all the time, Lee told The Christian Post in a recent interview.

It could be very daunting and scary to really tell your story and really be able to tell the [real] truth, Lee said, adding that she believed it was imperative to gather her influential friends and family to encourage a generation.

The greatest way to serve is to tell your story. And for them, I just needed them to tell their story, and be honest, be transparent. I knew that they would have an impact that they probably didn't even realize how big the impact would be, and it has so far, she added.

Lee emphasized that everyone she interviews for the series shares something about their faith.

"One-hundred percent, everybody that's on the show is a believer and that was the point," she told CP. "I think the common thread from everybody from episode one to episode six, the common thread is their faith.

"It's that consistent pillar in their life, which is their faith and their relationship with Jesus and their relationship with God. And they're able to talk about it, they're able to display it, they're able to say how it helped them navigate through this industry. So yeah, Kelly Rowland, Tyson Chandler, Angela Davis and then Jerry Lorenzo, they all definitely give it to us about the man above, for sure.

Hillsong Church is known for its influence in young Hollywood and its churches are frequently attended by Justin and Hailey Bieber, and Selena Gomez, among others. Lee, who's also a member of Hillsong, believes the influence Christian celebrities have can be useful in spreading the Gospel.

"We are in a generation where we glorify the position that one has, as opposed to glorifying the purpose of the position, she explained. So for this, obviously, people and viewers are going to watch because they see these people that had these huge positions and huge influence. But they're here to tell you that it's not just about that, it's bigger than the platform and the position that God has given them. Kelly Rowland always says, 'it is bigger than the number one.'

Lee said her strategy behind the show came as a result of understanding the influence that her guests will have on our generation and on our culture.

"I think, for me, the mandate and the mantra and the goal was to infiltrate the Kingdom in the culture as opposed to the other way around. So these people that are influencers of the culture are able to now infiltrate Kingdom mind, thoughts and Kingdom mind characteristics in the culture and it's a need, she declared.

Hillsong Church is often criticized for linking arms with different people in Hollywood, but Lee says she believes all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

"The unfortunate thing is that these people [celebrities] with status ... they have a microscope on them more so than we do. We all sin, but for us, we just see it. Unfortunately, the people that are on my show, we see it because of the access and the visibility that they have. So who are you to judge? I sin, you sin, we all sin, Lee maintained.

Throughout the six episodes of Now With Natalie, Lee talks mental health, self-worth and the pursuit of status. She believes that many people are fans of these celebrities because of what they stand for.

"The whole purpose of it, you look at these people, and you admire them. But the bigger thing is, why do you admire them? You admire them because of their characteristics, and where is their character coming from? It's rooted in faith, and it's rooted in God," she added.

"So the whole purpose of this is also to pull back the veil of, this is why you really like that person. You might not know why you like them, but this is why you like them, because they're rooted in Christ and they're rooted in God. And that's where their great character, if you will, comes from, Lee affirmed.

When asked why she wanted to create Now With Natalie for the Hillsong Channel, Lee said the age we are living in calls for a show like this.

"Where we are as a humanity, the plight of humanity and where we are as a culture, we are just not in the best. The purpose of this show is to really dismantle and nullify and pull back the veil of the counterfeits that are being sold for identity as well as purpose, she said.

Lee identified those "counterfeits" as anything other than God that's used to identify one's worth or value.

Our Creator, who has created us, is the one that should be putting labels on us. Myles Munroe always says, 'if you see a problem become the solution that can be a part of your purpose. So for me, I just felt the call and I knew that we needed it as a generation," Lee said.

"I know that if we can have people sit down, people like the Kelly's and the Haley's and the Jerry's sit down and have a conversation  a very vulnerable, transparent conversation  that in my opinion was the most impactful way that we needed to do it. I think vocally hearing their story as opposed to maybe reading it, to me, it's more impactful, she added.

For more information on Now With Natalie or to watch the show, visit the Hillsong Channel.
'Make Families Great Again': Hungary seeing more babies, fewer abortions through pro-family policies

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White House officials, Republican members of Congress and evangelical leaders gathered Thursday for Making Families Great Again, a conference on family policy hosted by the Hungarian Embassy at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Led by President Viktor Orbans Fidesz Party, Hungary has become a poster child for passing nationalist pro-family policies over the last several years.

With nearly a decade-worth of data, Hungarian officials claimed Thursday that policies instituted over the last several decades that have incentivized marriage and childbirth have helped boost marriage and birth rates in Hungary at a time many countries struggle with those issues.

I was very proud to be a minister here and hearing from our American friends how much they admired the Hungarian family policies, Katalin Novak, the Hungarian minister of state for family, youth and international affairs who gave a keynote address at the event, told The Christian Post in an interview.

They say that Hungary can be a role model for them in this issue. They said that we can show an example to the rest of the world for pro-family issues.

Hungarys birth rate fell below replacement level decades ago and the nation has struggled to repopulate. Unlike some of its European counterparts that have relied on immigration to boost population totals, the Orban government has made clear that it does not view mass immigration as the answer.

Rather, the administration believes the answer is to ensure that Hungarian citizens have all the incentives they need to build large and happy families.

Today, the Hungarian government spends nearly 5 percent of its GDP towards incentives for those in the predominantly-Christian nation to get married and have children  lots of them.

Through policies, subsidies and extensive tax reductions enacted since Orban regained power in 2010, some parents are eligible to receive the equivalent a grant of about $36,000 to help pay a home mortgage, and the equivalent of about $9,000 from the government toward a seven-seater vehicle if they have the required number of children.

The list of incentives and benefits for parents in Hungary is quite extensive and includes things like a state-financed daycare system, three years of paid parental leave, free kindergarten, subsidized vacations, assistance paying off student loans, vacation benefits and exemption from income tax for mothers with four or more children.

According to Novak, Hungary has seen positive results spanning from the time Orban retook control of the government in 2010.

From 2010 to 2018, she says, marriage rates in Hungary have increased by 43 percent (the highest number in 20 years), divorce rates have decreased by 22.5 percent, fertility has increased by 21 percent (highest in 20 years) and abortion has decreased by 33.5 percent.

This has happened as birth rates continue to slip in countries across the developed world, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.

These numbers and figures, they speak for themselves, Novak assured. [C]ompare it to the socialist trends, the left-liberal government.

Participants in the conference included White House director of strategic communications Mercedes Schlapp, President Trumps special assistant on domestic policy Kathryn Talento and Health and Human Services senior policy advisor Valerie Huber.

The event also included Reps. Chris Smith, R-N.J., Andy Harris, R-Md., Paul Gosar, R-Ariz and Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb.

Others included Family Research Council President and USCIRF commissioner Tony Perkins, former White House advisor Sebastian Gorka, American Conservative Union Chair Matt Schlapp and as Emilie Kao, the director of the Heritage Foundation's DeVos Center for Religion & Civil Society.

We are working closely with the U.S. administration on family issues. They would also like to get some detail on our pro-family policies and the measures that we have introduced in the last nine years, Novak, who is also the vice president of the Fidesz Party explained.

We can already see in the new budget actually just introduced recently in the U.S. that it already has some important elements regarding pro-family measures. There are already important steps taken and we can see in President Trumps speeches as well, he thinks it is very important that pro-family and pro-life values should be represented.

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Feminists, conservatives, lesbians urge Congress to scrap 'gender identity' from Equality Act

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A coalition of radical feminists, lesbians, and politically conservative women are petitioning the government to scrap "gender identity" in federal civil rights legislation that's being considered in Congress.

The inclusion of this into the Equality Act, these women say, erases sex-based protections feminists and others have fought for in previous decades, and women as a category are essentially scrubbed from the law. Women and girls face increased risk of exploitation by predatory males who will use gender identity to invade their private spaces, they maintain.

The Equality Act is an update to the 1964 civil rights law guaranteeing freedoms previously denied to African-Americans, and is considered by many to be one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacies.

Both the radical feminist organization Women's Liberation Front, a left-wing radical feminist organization, and the Hands Across the Aisle Coalition, a bipartisan group of women resisting transgender activism and ideology together despite profound differences on other issues, issued statements denouncing the Equality Act as a "full-frontal assault" on women and girls. The bill, which was introduced Wednesday, has the support of 161 major corporations.

"In the era of #MeToo, its hard to understand why these companies are willing to endanger women and girls by acting so deliberately to undermine the nations indecent exposure and voyeurism restrictions, in what are supposed to be single-sex accommodations. Is it any wonder that many of them have recently faced significant sexual harassment allegations, or had large bias or sexual harassment claims brought against them?" the HATAC statement reads.

The statement cites a report from WalesOnline which notes that in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, where mixed-sex toilets were recently installed in schools, girls are skipping school because boys are shaming them over their periods and the fear being sexually harassed.

"This is no different than what happens in developing nations when menstruating girls have inadequate toilet facilities, or facilities that they must share with boys. To think that this wouldnt occur in developed nations smacks of chauvinistic notions of progress that use per capita income as a proxy for moral development," the bipartisan coalition asserted.

"We ask that these major brands and multinational corporations, and the nonprofit virtue signalers who represent their interests, stand down this full-frontal assault on the privacy and dignity of women and girls. We ask that they act instead to encourage respect for everyones right to single-sex accommodations, as originally guaranteed in all previous civil rights laws recognizing the states interest in discouraging sex-based discrimination against women and girls."

Likewise, board directors of WoLF noted it their statement that "the gender identity provisions of the Equality Act will forbid the law to see sex while legitimizing sex stereotypes, and by doing so, they will destroy the laws ability to fight sexism, or protect women from male harassment and violence. The concept of gender identity is not only unrelated to sexual orientation, in some respects it is directly contrary and undermines the ability to prevent discrimination and harassment against same-sex attracted individuals."

The legislation is being considered largely at the behest of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's leading LGBT activist organization.

"People across the spectrum oppose gender identity ideology because no one really believes in human sex change. Everyone knows you cant change sex, but out of either a desire to be kind, or social pressure, some people are willing to act as though its possible," said Natasha Chart, board chair of Women's Liberation Front, in an email to The Christian Post Thursday.

"This is, and always has been, a polite social fiction. It was introduced to ease both the discomfort of people, primarily men at first, who didnt like the sex stereotyped roles expected of them, and of other people who were upset at seeing others reject sex-stereotyped behavior. But its anachronistic," she continued.

While most of the views of the women of WoLF are decidedly left-of-center, the political left at-large appears to think that they need a new social justice cause, along with an opportunity to present themselves as allies to a marginalized group of people and offer an "everything you know is wrong" kind of critique, she said.

"The irony that theyre mainly doing this on behalf of men, and many very wealthy, white men, seems lost on most of them," she said of the left.

"After so many years of 'RuPauls Drag Race,' is anyone still that bothered by seeing men in dresses and lipstick? Women of every description, especially as we get older, are very likely to wear pants, have short hair, go out without makeup, and most people dont think anything of it."

Thus, those on the left backing the inclusion of gender identity in the Equality Act are attempting to frame this topic to cohere with their standard narrative and enemies, she said, adding that they would otherwise have to engage feminist arguments against gender ideology, which they seem afraid of doing and is harder.

"What they should be concerned about is the inevitable fallout from whats going to be a medical child abuse scandal like nothing theyve ever seen. They think Twitter is judgmental? Wait until they have to face detransitioners and their families, asking why they didnt do anything to stop this," Chart added.

Meg Kilgannon, a conservative Catholic member of the Hands Across the Aisle Coalition, believes it is important for people to put aside their differences and deal with the present threats to women and girls. Conservatives and Christians who think transgender ideology and the concept of a self-determined gender identity other than biological sex is so ridiculous it will never be enacted in law are misinformed.

"Conservatives largely don't think we need to say that men can't be women and women can't be men. That's obvious. We don't think we need to talk about that. But we absolutely must say that and we must keep saying it," Kilgannon said in a CP phone interview Thursday afternoon.

The right to even speak those obvious truths is under assault in the proposed legislation, she stressed.

"To say that out loud you could face fines, you could be accused of a hate crime for simply stating the fact that a man is a man. Even if he wears a dress, that does not make him a woman."

Kilgannon told CP that although she might not agree with left-wing women in HATAC and others on issues like same-sex marriage and abortion, conservatives should table those differences and fight together because being a women means something.

"And if anyone can claim to be a woman, then it doesn't mean anything to be one," she said.

"I'm willing to work with anyone on this issue, because it is the defining issue of our time."
Duke Divinity School student-pastor fighting for life after being shot in Costco parking lot

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Ryan Ware, a 24-year-old graduate student at Duke Divinity School who serves as pastor of two churches in Virginia, is now fighting for his life after he was shot in a Costco parking lot in Durham, North Carolina, Saturday.

The Duke Divinity School community is deeply saddened and troubled by the shooting of one of our students, Divinity School Dean Greg Jones said in a statement to The Chronicle Wednesday. We have been surrounding the victim and his family with love, support and prayers ever since, and we will continue to do so in the coming days."

Ware, who became a licensed pastor last summer, serves as pastor at Wesley Chapel United Methodist in Danville, and Rock Springs United Methodist Church.

Police say, just after 1:30 p.m. on Saturday while he was at the 1500 block of North Pointe Drive, Ware was shot in the stomach while inside his SUV. No arrests have yet been made but a grey or silver sedan was seen speeding from the scene after the shooting.

Police searched Wares SUV, and took a wallet and a cellphone before swabbing for DNA and gunshot residue. Officials also said Ware had been hospitalized with possibly serious and life-threatening injuries.

Wares parents urged people on their social networks to pray for their son on Saturday night as those who were at the Durham Costco at the time of the shooting wished the family well.

My heart goes out to them, I cant even imagine how they feel. It must be just a horrible thing just to have something like that happen to your son, one woman who asked not to be identified said in an interview with ABC 11. She was inside Costco when the shooting happened and witnesses say he was found slumped over in the drivers seat.

The fact that someone would target someone like that, just an innocent person with their life ahead of them, the woman added.

Authorities said Ware remained hospitalized on Thursday. Calls to the two churches Ware pastors were not immediately answered on Friday.

The Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church called for prayers for Ware in a statement on the shooting.

This past weekend, one of our clergy members in the Danville District, and student at Duke Divinity School in North Carolina, was the victim of a shooting in North Carolina. We, the Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church, join together with the Duke Divinity School community in offering prayers for him, the statement said. We ask that our clergy and laity pray for his healing and for strength for his family and friends.

Anyone with information on the shooting is being urged to call Crimestoppers at 919-683-1200.
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As the horrific events in New Zealand stun the world, Christchurch suffers the wounds of a tragically growing list of cities. While so many predictably rush to politicize and blame, the frequency of these events might have created an additionally unhelpful effect.

Where most once put our hands over our mouth in horror, an increasing number merely pause to offer a brief tribute of sentiment as consolation.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, echoes often enough to warrant a predictive template on social media platforms to expedite the now traditional response. One cant help but wonder the efficacy of the phrase to those forever burdened by such anguish.

What thoughts? What prayers? To whom are you praying? What reply do you expect? How do grieving souls process others conversations with an all-powerful deity?

The list of questions erupting from wounded souls must extend beyond the horizon.

In her core, America feels deeply and cherishes her citizens safety. Our societys fracture, however, wrenches so many away from that core. As a result, were left disengaged  particularly if we disagree politically or religiously. How can we offer meaningful consolation to people on the other side of the world, if we cant embrace our neighbors?

In Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan, the hero didnt offer thoughts and prayers, but rather action and care. He first noticed and then approached the assaulted man. Only then could he bind the wounds and carry the injured man to safety. Once there, the parables hero then ensured sustainable care.

With social media and instant news, glibness and optics receive more shelf space than the heart. But care requires something of the caregiver. Instead of the now trite, Thoughts and Prayers, let us indeed think and pray, but also speak and act with frankness and specificity. When words fail us, it is understandable to land on a phrase that feels safe and appropriate to say, but to be effective at ministering to the wounds, we must go deeper.

Our thoughts and prayers are between ourselves and God. Our words and actions speak to others.

May we address those forever altered in their pain with such directness as President George W. Bush stated through a megaphone on a pile of rubble so many years ago following an event that shocked the planet.

I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people  and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!

A president standing in carnage met the rawness of 9/11 with forthrightness and leadership.

Carnage in its all too many forms provides us with the opportunity to look at it for what it is  and speak hope and life to those around us. The only strengthening words are those communicating that the victim is seen, cared for specifically, and a plan is communicated to ensure sustainable care. Sentiment costs little and rarely comforts. Although costly, leadership always comforts.

The protection of citizens should remain paramount to any government. Part of that protection is equipping others to care for and protect themselves. Another part is seeing to those unable to do so. Let us offer more than thoughts and prayers. Let us offer leadership toward a safer, stronger, and more caring country seeking to assure one another that those who suffer will not do so in isolation. In doing so we also provide leadership to those watching us.

The most effective leaders are often those responding to that great need of assurance in the face of overwhelming loss. In those moments, our vocabulary changes from stock phrases to specificity.

Leadership in suffering can be as simple as saying, I see you, and I see the magnitude of your pain and sorrow  and I will work to make sure you dont endure this alone. Those words emanate from the heart. Displaying outrage is a collective pastime. Displaying our hearts requires a greater courage.

From shootings to mental illness to immigration to race, may we be a nation that binds the wounds, regardless of our differences. May we be a people who notice suffering of those around us.

The question remains: Can anything good come out of the Christchurch massacre? If we use contemplation and prayer as a springboard to help care for and sustain one other, the answer is Yes. In doing so our united hands can then better extend to wounded lives around the world.

Peter Rosenberger hosts a nationally syndicated radio program for family caregivers. For more than 30 years, hes cared for his wife who lives with severe disabilities. He is the author of "7 Caregiver Landmines and "How You Can Avoid Them." Follow on Twitter @hope4caregiver
120 people killed, 140 homes destroyed by Nigeria Fulani since February

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At least 120 people have been killed by alleged Fulani militant attacks since February in the Kaduna state of Nigeria with the latest attacks on Monday resulting in the deaths of over 50 and the destruction of more than 140 homes.

The governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew this week in the troubled Kajuru Local Government Area as thousands have been displaced from their homes by violence caused by militant Fulani herdsmen.

The curfew comes as there have been a string of recent attacks against communities within the predominantly Christian Adara chiefdom of southern Kaduna.

On Monday, 52 people were killed, dozens injured and around 143 homes were destroyed in attacks on the villages of Inkirimi, Dogonnoma and Ungwan Gora in the Maro district of the Kajuru Local Government Area, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

The Monday attack followed an attack on Sunday in the Ungwan Barde village in Kajuru in which 17 people were killed and dozens of homes were burned.

In late February, there was another attack in Maro that resulted in the deaths of about 38 Christians and saw homes and a church burned. On Feb. 10, 10 people were killed in an attack in Ungwan Barde as six others were killed in isolated attacks the day before.

CSW, a United Nations-recognized NGO that advocates for persecuted Christians worldwide, reports that victims in the attacks on Monday included women and children. Survivors told the nonprofit that the attackers were separated into three groups. One group shot and killed people, the second set fire to buildings, and a third ran after people fleeing the scene.

According to CSW, one victim of the attack who suffered a deep cut delivered a stillborn baby shortly after.

We are deeply disturbed by the resurgence of militia attacks in southern Kaduna, and extend our deepest condolences to the Adara people, CSW Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said in a statement.

CSW believes that the recent violence could have been incited by Kaduna Governor el Rufais claims on the eve of Nigerias presidential elections that 66, mostly Fulani, people were killed in Kajuru.

The claim was refuted by the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency. The Kaduna State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria accused the governor of delivering false information.

Nonetheless, Rufai didnt back down from the claim and later raised the death toll to 133 killed, according to CSW. Rufai also ordered the arrest of nine Adara elders and village chiefs.

The Adara community is still reeling from the death of Adara chiefdom leader Raphael Maiwada Galadima, a Catholic man who was abducted and killed last October.

In December 2018, the Kaduna government divided the Adara chiefdom into two emirates.

We echo the appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of the Adara elders, who have been detained arbitrarily. In the interests of justice and equity, we call for the restoration of the Adara Chiefdom, Thomas said. [We] urge all who are in positions of authority to refrain from making unsubstantiated accusations capable of inciting violence and damaging fragile community relations even further.

Nigeria ranks as the 12th worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2019 World Watch List.

In 2018 alone, thousands of Christians were killed by militant Fulani herdsmen, leaving some to say that genocide is occurring in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.

Kaduna state is not alone in suffering from Fulani violence as other states in the Middle Belt have faced it too.

On March 4, Fulani militants in the Benue state reportedly attacked three villages, killing 23 people with bullets and machetes, according to International Christian Concern.

CSW is calling on the Nigerian federal government to address the spike in violence in a decisive and unbiased manner.

The relentless death and destruction is a sad indictment of the continuing failure by both levels of government to fulfill the primary mandate of protecting all its citizens impartially, Thomas argued.
Accounts of heroism emerge from New Zealand mosque killings

Accounts emerged on Sunday of heroic attempts to tackle a gunman who slaughtered 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand, as authorities prepared to begin releasing the bodies of victims to their families for burial.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face more charges.

Friday's attack in the city of Christchurch, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labelled terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand.

Ardern also said she wanted to talk to Facebook, as footage of the attack on one of the mosques was broadcast live on Facebook, and a "manifesto" denouncing immigrants as "invaders" was posted online via links to related social media accounts minutes before the violence began.

Amid the shock, outrage and recriminations that have consumed New Zealand over the past two days, tales of heroism and self-sacrifice emerged.

Abdul Aziz, 48, was hailed for confronting the shooter at the second mosque and preventing more deaths.

Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, ran outside after the shooting started and picked up a shotgun that the gunman had dropped. The gun had no shells in it, he said.

"I chased him," Aziz said. "He sat in his car and with the shotgun in my hands, I threw it through his window like an arrow. He just swore at me and took off."

Another man, Naeem Rashid from Pakistan, was seen on the gunman's video confronting the shooter before he was killed, the BBC reported. Rashid's 21-year-old son, Talha, was also killed.

The death toll climbed to 50 when police found another body at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people died after a gunman burst in and opened fire on worshippers with a semi-automatic rifle with high-capacity magazines, driving to attack a second mosque.

Police rammed the suspect's vehicle and arrested him as he drove away from the second mosque in the suburb of Linwood.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the man was apprehended 36 minutes after police were alerted and he was the only person charged in connection with the shootings. Three people detained earlier were not involved, he said.

Huge piles of flowers were laid at sites near the mosques and crowds of people of all faiths gathered to pay respects. Some played guitar, sang and lit candles as darkness fell.

Members of a Maori motorbike gang performed a haka war-dance at one site.

Church services for the victims were held, including at Christchurch's "Cardboard Cathedral", a temporary structure built after a 2011 earthquake.

But the priority for grieving family and friends on Sunday was laying their loved ones to rest. It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within 24 hours but no bodies have been released because of the investigation, police said.

Ardern said victims would be handed over to families from Sunday evening.

"It is likely, however, to be a small number to begin with," she told a media briefing, adding that all should be returned by Wednesday.

Wearing a black scarf, Ardern hugged members of the Muslim community at a refugee centre on Saturday, saying she would ensure freedom of religion.

Thirty-four people were in Christchurch Hospital, with 12 in intensive care, while a child was moved to a children's hospital in Auckland.

Greg Robertson, head of surgery at Christchurch Hospital said staff were used to gunshots and other severe injuries, but the scale and nature of the attacks was different.

"The magnitude of this is the thing that is the most significant issue for people. It's just comprehending what is the incomprehensible."

The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

The youngest was a three year old boy, according to an unofficial list of the dead.

Pakistan's high commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing. Five Indians were killed, its High Commission said.

Tarrant did not have a criminal history and was not on any watchlists in New Zealand or Australia.

Ardern said a "manifesto" was emailed to more than 30 recipients including her office, nine minutes before the attack but it gave no location or specific details. She said her office sent it to parliamentary security two minutes after getting it.

In the manifesto, which was also posted online, Tarrant described himself as "Just a ordinary White man, 28 years old" who used profits from cryptocurrency trading to finance travels through Europe from 2016-2018.

The shootings have raised new questions about violence being disseminated online. Facebook said it had removed 1.5 million videos of the attack in the first 24 hours, and it was also removing all edited versions, even those without graphic content.

Ardern told the briefing that she had been contacted by Facebook operations chief Sheryl Sandberg who had acknowledged what had happened.

"This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook," Ardern said.

The violence has also shone a new light on gun control.

Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who allegedly used five weapons, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns, which had been modified. She said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be considered.

"We cannot be deterred from the work that we need to do on our gun laws," Ardern said. "They will change."

Media has reported a rush to buy guns before any ban is brought in.

New Zealand has tried to tighten laws before but a strong gun lobby and culture of hunting has stymied efforts.

There are an estimated 1.5 million firearms in New Zealand, which has a population of only 5 million, but it has had low levels of gun violence.
Iraqs State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) is looking to expand its crude oil trading activities with more spot sales and with opening offices outside Iraq, the director of SOMOs crude oil and gas marketing division, Ali Nazar Faeq Al-Shatari, said at the at the S&P Global Platts Asian Refining Summit on Thursday. As Oil Price writes, the state oil marketing company of OPECs second-largest producer plans to begin the opening of offices abroad with Singapore, S&P Global Platts quoted Al-Shatari as saying during the conference.

According to industry and trading sources who spoke to Reuters this week, SOMO has moved to scrap two joint ventures for trading as it aims to boost its crude oil sales on its own and get the trading revenues for itself.

At the end of last year SOMO also clamped down on the previously widespread re-selling of its crude oil cargoes, which it had always banned, although that ban had been largely ignored.

According to Reuters, now the Iraqi state oil marketing company is also emboldened to trade the Iraqi crude on its own as the market for sour and heavy crude grades is tightening amid OPECs cuts and the U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela.

Iraq also aims to sell more of its oil on the prized Asian markets, and in November it allocated 67 percent of its 2019 oil sales to Asia. Iraq has raised the share of its crude oil shipped to Asia to 67 percent for 2019, from around 60 percent earlier in 2018.

Middle Eastern oil producers have been keen to get more revenues from trading their own oil.

In April last year, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said that it was establishing a new trading unit to introduce and manage non-speculative trading to further maximize value from every barrel of crude oil and refined product that is produced and marketed by the company.
Couple married for 56 years die hours apart still holding hands

A Michigan couple whose family described as inseparable in life died hours apart while holding hands earlier this month.

The daughters of the storybook couple, Will and Judy Webb, who died on March 6, told Fox 2 that their parents who met when they were just 14, wouldn't have wanted to die any other way.

"At 14 they met and were friends, they dated other people, they were engaged to other people," Marybeth Webb, one of the late couple's daughters explained. "And then they were both single when he went to [the] Army. So she was like, 'I didn't have anyone to write, so I started writing your dad.'"

The couple forged a friendship through letters. Judy wrote Will when he served in Korea and they soon fell in love. On Feb. 16, 1963, they eventually got married and moved to Melvindale where they raised their children.

And their daughters grew up understanding the strong bond between their parents.

"They always had their arms on each other. If she was away five minutes, he would say, 'Where's mama, have you seen mama?'" another daughter, Lori Thomas, said.

It wasn't until several months ago the daughters, who are all nurses, said that the bond between their parents was first threatened by sickness. Judy suffered complications from what was supposed to be a routine surgery and things started going downhill from there and they watched their father go down with her.

"It went bad," Lori explained. "She ended up coding from it. My father watched it and broke."

Will, who was 77, collapsed the morning after his wife coded. Even though he and his wife were being treated in separate hospitals, the couple still maintained a physical and emotional bond that medical experts couldn't explain.

"She would get a fever from her infection; he would get a fever. Couldn't figure out where his was coming from because there was no source," Marybeth said. "She ended up with encephalopathy as a complication from the antibiotic she was on; he ended up with encephalopathy. Both ended up unresponsive at the same time, ended up back in the ICU."

It was soon clear that Will was dying.

"I put him in hospice and let God take it from there, and my mom just started declining so bad we said we have to get them back together, we can't do this, they can't die without one another," Ann Warren, another daughter, told Fox 2.

"We said 'Mom, you want to see dad?' She said 'Yes.' (She was) all excited and they brought mom through the door in dad's room and he looked over and saw her and said 'Mama!' And that was like the last thing he said," Warren added.

About four days before the couple died they were brought together in the same hospice where their daughters put their beds together so they could hold hands.

"They were holding hands and when my dad took his last breath, my mom went like this rubbing his hand," Lori said. "She wasn't responding but she knew he died, so she rubbed his hand, like I'll be there soon  and she was."

Even though their parents are gone, the sisters described the gift of love their parents left them as a "treasure."

"We all have this long line of love we just treasure," Warren said. "That's why no one should ever settle. If you have someone you truly love you should fight for it. They fought for their love every day."

Courtesy of The Christian Post
Most Christians gave up social media for Lent - poll

As part of the observance of Lent, many American Christians are logging out of Facebook and Twitter, opting to give up social media more than any other thing, according to a recent survey.

Every other year, the website DecisionData.org takes a poll of Americans to see what they are giving up for Lent, a season on the liturgical calendar that ends with Easter Sunday.

In a poll of 586 American adults whose findings were released Tuesday, the website found that "social media" was the most common thing given up, with 21 percent of respondents naming it.

In second place was "alcohol" at 18 percent and third place was "chocolate/sweets" at 13 percent. The rest of the list was "soda/coffee" (11 percent), "junk snacks" and "fast food" (8 percent), "p*rnography" (6 percent), "marijuana" and "tobacco" (4 percent), and "other" (7 percent).

"Religious or not, Lent can be a great time of year to give up a distraction and refocus on other things that might be more important in our lives," noted DecisionData.org.

"While popularized in religious circles, Lent is spreading into the secular world, as more people participate in the fasting of some specific thing over the 40 days that lead up to the Easter holiday."

When the website last did its Lent poll in 2017, "alcohol" had topped the list at 20 percent, "junk snacks" was second at 15 percent, and "social media" was at third with 14 percent.

In 2017, DecisionData.org explained that while alcohol had been at the top of the list before, "most notably is the rise in social media on the list of things people are giving up."

Situated between Ash Wednesday and Easter, Lent lasts for 40 days plus Sundays to mirror the length of time Jesus Christ spent fasting in the wilderness, as described in Matthew 4:1-11.

Jennifer Eivaz, pastor at Harvest Christian Center in Turlock, California, believes many Christians do not fast largely because they are not taught to. But the Bible calls believers to fast.

She also maintained that while it's helpful to fast technology, biblical fasting requires giving up food.

Earlier this month, Village Church Pastor Matt Chandler encouraged Christians to give up food for Lent in order to "orient their hearts around the betterness of Jesus above earthly pleasures."

"Not all food but, but maybe that's breakfast, or maybe that's lunch, or something like that," explained Chandler, noting that fasting has traditionally been associated with Lent.

"We want to set aside a good gift from God in the gift of food, the provision of that food, the gift of the taste of that food, the joy that comes from that food."

Courtesy of The Christian Post
Tom Angleberger and Jared Chapman: Will sign and discuss Didi Dodo, Future Spy, 5 p.m., Blue Willow Bookshop, 14532 Memorial; 281-497-8675, bluewillowbookshop.com.

Briallen Hopper: Will sign and discuss Hard to Love,

7 p.m., Brazos Bookstore,

2421 Bissonnet; 713-523-0701,

brazosbookstore.com.

TUESDAY

S.C. Perkins Will sign and discuss Murder Once Removed, 6:30 p.m., Murder By The Book, 2342 Bissonnet; 713-524-8597, murderbooks

.com.

Bryan Washington: Will sign and discuss Lot, 7 p.m., Brazos Bookstore.

WEDNESDAY

John McMahon:

Will sign and discuss The Good Detective, 6 p.m.,

Murder By The Book.

Greg Iles: Will sign and

discuss Cemetery Road,

7 p.m., Murder By The Book.

Susan Meissner:

Will sign and discuss The Last Year of the War, 7 p.m., Blue Willow Bookshop.

THURSDAY

Hanif Abdurraqib : Will sign and discuss Go Ahead in the Rain, 7 p.m., Brazos Bookstore.

Samira Ahmed: Will sign and discuss Internment,

7 p.m., Blue Willow Bookshop.

FRIDAY

Jim Nelson and Joy Jones : Will sign and discuss Billy Love, 7 p.m., Brazos Bookstore.

SATURDAY

Kathi Appelt: Will sign and discuss Angel Thieves, 1 p.m., Blue Willow Bookshop.

Ruth Davis: Will discuss and sign Thirteen Rivers, 2-4 p.m., Galveston Bookshop, 317 23rd, Galveston; 409-750-8200 or galvestonbookshop.com.

Ana Khan
A fatal car crash killed two people on Greens Road Sunday morning.

Police say that a male driver and a female passenger were traveling eastbound on Greens Road and Air Center Boulevard around 3:30 a.m, when the crash occurred. Investigators say the male driver veered out of his lane and careened directly into a tree.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo was recovering from a "mild stroke" in a hospital in Houston Saturday, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

The 69-year-old cardinal was taken to the hospital Friday night, the statement said. He was expected to remain there for a few days, before being transferred to a rehabilitation facility.

He was resting comfortably Saturday and talking with doctors and nurses, the statement said.

"With so much to do, I am looking forward to getting back to work as soon as possible," DiNardo said in a prepared statement.

LISA GRAY: Amid abuse crisis, DiNardo carries hopes of many for church reform, only on HoustonChronicle.com

DiNardo, archbishop of the diocese and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has been under increasing pressure in recent months to address how the church handles allegations of child sex abuse.

State and local law enforcement officials raided the archdiocese's offices in an hours-long search in November, looking for information related to priests accused of child abuse.

In January, the archdiocese released a long-awaited list of priests who were "credibly accused" of child sex abuse, a list that some victims said fell short. It included the names of two priests, Manuel La Rosa-Lopez and John Keller, currently under investigation.

DiNardo in a November op-ed in the Houston Chronicle had pledged to handle the problems with transparency.

In a second op-ed published this year, he wrote, "[W]e can and must do better."

The archdiocese includes 1.7 million Catholics. Hearing the news of his hospitalization, people began to post on social media that they were praying for his full recovery.

DiNardo was born in Ohio and grew up around Pittsburgh. He was ordained a priest in 1977 in the Diocese of Pittsburgh and became bishop of Sioux City, Iowa, twenty years later.

The church leader, praised for his commanding speech and penchant for storytelling, moved to Houston in 2004 and became cardinal in 2007.

The bishops of Texas late Saturday offered their prayers and support to DiNardo.

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, along with the other bishops, released a statement asking people to pray for "his healing as well as asking God's guidance for the medical professionals who are caring for the cardinal. The bishops of Texas look forward to his full recovery and his return to his leadership responsibilities soon."

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The Houston Police Department is looking for a man who allegedly shot at and fled from an officer late Saturday afternoon. The officer was not injured.

Police said the man, pictured in red pants and a black and white jacket, ran from an officer who was responding to a call around 4:30 p.m. Saturday about a discharge of a firearm.
Two days after Harris County deputies announced a crackdown on illegal street racing, a pedestrian was hit by a red Camaro.

"Racing is suspected to be a contributing factor in the crash," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a tweet.

The 19-year-old pedestrian is in serious, but stable condition and is expected to survive. No charges have been filed and the incident remains under investigation.

BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to you

The collision took place at Houston Oaks Drive at Sam Houston Parkway.

On Friday, deputies arrested four people accused of racing down the Katy Freeway over the last few days.

RELATED: Street racers busted on Katy Freeway; cops warn drag racers in town for competition

"Precinct 5 deputies will arrest and charge those who are racing on public roadways and endangering their own lives and the lives of other innocent drivers and passengers," the constable's office stated in a press release.

Those who want to race are encouraged to enter legal events, such as TX2K19.

Includes reporting by Jay R. Jordan

NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.
The nightmare of the New Zealand Christchurch massacre will be in the spotlight of the global community for some time. In short - the terrorist broke into the mosque and opened fire on the praying people taking advantage of commotion, got out and repeated the atrocity in another mosque. 50 people died, as many were injured.

Nonhuman - 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant - on the eve of the massacre shared on the Internet his radical ultra-right views. Perhaps, he was not alone. This is being established by the investigators who are trying to understand whether the inscriptions in different languages on the assault rifles of the murderer lead to other countries where these languages are spoken by other possible terrorists.

Most likely, they do not lead to anyone but have a certain symbolic character. The names of people who distinguished themselves in wars against Muslims (such as the Georgian King David the Builder) or nationalists, racists, fascists, who distinguished themselves these days, were encrypted on the rifles magazines. To mention their names means desecrate the air or soil paper. So, Georgia that got excited about being mentioned in the hot news can calm down. Or rather, the countrys talkative officials, who have fallen into an ecstatic state because of the flickering opportunity to be at least sideways involved in the world events.

Turkey was one of the first to react to the tragedy. The Chairman of the Grand National Assembly (Parliament) of Turkey, Mustafa Shentop, and representatives of five parliamentary factions made a joint statement, which, along with the traditional condemnation of the terrorist attack and the usual words in such cases, contains a curious conclusion: the incident is the result of racism, based on anti-Islamic and anti-immigrant rhetoric, unfortunately, supported by some politicians and the media.

On the same day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoned New Zealand Governor-General Patsy Reddy, expressed condolences and offered assistance in investigating the crime. The Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey left for Wellington. And this is despite the fact that the Turkish ambassador to New Zealand said that there are no Turkish citizens or ethnic Turks among the victims.

Many other countries have responded to the attack accordingly. Especially Muslim ones. In particular, Pakistan. But the activity of Turkey is unprecedented. Recep Tayyip Erdogan shows himself not only as a strong local leader but seems to be positioning himself as the brightest and mighty leader of the entire Muslim world due to relative passivity of the other prominent representatives. What happened in New Zealand, however blasphemous it might sound, was an opportunity for the leader who challenged and did not bend under US President Donald Trump, to once again demonstrate extraordinary strength of mind. Undoubtedly, astute Erdogan understands this and, probably, new strong statements that will attract the attention of the world community will be heard from Ankara these days.

We cannot avoid the banal, even vulgar question, who needed to kill innocent praying people. For the answer - maniac, racist, religious fanatic, etc - C minus. It is enough to look at the political map of the world and name the calmest region never mentioned in the news. Therefore, maybe, it is worth considering the tragedy in Christchurch as an attempt to provoke tensions in this quiet region of the Earth, to throw a spark or light from other regions where the fire is already raging or is ready to flare up.

The attack on a mosque in New Zealand literally shocked neighboring Australia. It borders with Indonesia - a country of almost 300 million people, 90% of whom are Muslims, with a bouquet of ethnic and religious contradictions, which are hardly kept under relative control by the authorities. And it was the natives of Indonesia who were basically the victims of attacks in New Zealand mosques.

The difficult neighborhood with Indonesia for Australia and New Zealand was a risk factor that prompted a search for a military alliance with a third party. The US could not stay away. In the Canberra and Wellington doctrines, it is reflected in the form of an indication that the guarantees of national security against the threat of a possible armed conflict, among other things, are in the US military alliance. Washington is increasing its presence in all the regions of the world. This is a strategy. Moreover, in relations with Europe, for example, this presence is becoming more and more expensive And in Oceania, it was too calm to talk about the need to strengthen presence.

My close friend from the institute who emigrated to Australia in the mid-1990s complained that time stands in Melbourne, there are no events, absolute calm. After the turbulent post-Soviet period, it was painfully unusual for him. He said that in the five years of life in Australia, the most extraordinary events in the news were 2-3 cases of shark attacks on swimmers, 1-2 rescues of whales that flew ashore, public disputes - is it acceptable to kill kangaroos getting quite annoying to farmers, as well as several cases of violent mental disorder among the aboriginal population who overdid with some kind of narcotic mushrooms. After a few more years, with a laugh, he told how Melbourne and Sydney were completely paralyzed because of student unrest, which in fact turned out to be not that critical - just a couple of shop and cafes windows were broken

But all this may be in the past. In Australia and New Zealand, it was calm. Too calm and quiet. For today's world order and its rulers, this seems to be a big disarray.
For weeks on end, Dylan Chidick would wait by his mailbox for the postal worker.

He had applied to more than a dozen colleges, not an unusual move for an ambitious student who served as class president at Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City. In November, the packets and letters started arriving, and they kept coming into the New Year, week after week in a perpetual cycle of anxiousness and excitement. His mother would ask to open the envelopes. They contained very good news.

In total, the teenager said, he has been accepted to 17 colleges - including New England College, Quinnipiac University and Rowan University. Ever ambitious, he said he was waiting to hear from one more school: his top choice, the College of New Jersey.

But to reach this point, he had already overcome an obstacle that not even his friends at school knew about until his story made the news this week.

For about three months during the summer of 2017, Chidick, his mother and two younger brothers were homeless and lived in a Jersey City shelter, after his mother lost her job and was unable to pay rent.

"It was really scary" he told The Washington Post about his time at the shelter. "There's a lot of people I didn't know. You never know the intentions of everyone around you."

The shelter also disrupted his studies, with curfews butting with his habit of doing homework late into the night. In August of 2017, they were placed in permanent housing in Jersey City with help from a local organization called WomenRising, but the experience had shaken him.

"I was so focused on never getting back in that situation that I was just . . . my studies took a hit," Chidick said. His normally excellent grades dipped in the final quarter of sophomore year. But after a bumpy junior year, he doubled down on his studies. "This senior year, I made a pact like: Get straight A's again," he said. In addition, he toiled at studying for his college entrance exams.

The hard work paid off in the form of a small mountain of acceptance letters that arrived through the winter. "It feels really great," Chidick said. "I accomplished something, and I feel like I'm making my family proud."

Chidick was born in Trinidad and moved to the United States with his mother, Khadine Phillip, in 2008. He has 11-year-old twin brothers, who suffer from heart conditions. "My brothers have a role model to look up to, and I'm really happy that I could be that person," he said.

Phillip told The Post that he would be the first person in their family to go to college.

Chidick ecstatically revealed to CBS News on Thursday that he had just gotten another life-changing call: Someone had offered to pay for his tuition and boarding, wherever he chose to go.

"He is quietly toiling away on his life plan," said Anne Miller Christensen, director of Village of Families, a division of WomenRising that secured Chidick's housing. "He deserves the positive outcomes that he's getting because he's working really hard for them."

Christensen described Chidick as humble but determined and had spoken to him about his ambitions. "He said he wants to be a lawyer because there's a lot of injustice in the world, and [he'd] like to see people have the opportunity to have justice," she recalled.

While the months of homelessness in his past played a significant role in his high school years, Chidick is more interested in looking toward his future.

"I'm not going to let that one part define me," he said.
North Korea is considering suspending talks with the United States and may rethink a freeze on missile and nuclear tests unless Washington makes concessions, a senior diplomat said on Friday, according to news reports from the Norths capital. As U.S. The Globe and Mail reports, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States wished to continue talks with North Korea and had every expectation that its leader, Kim Jong-un, would stick to pledges not to resume nuclear and missile testing. Mr. Pompeo gave no sign of U.S. willingness to soften its stance in demanding that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons.

North Korean vice-foreign minister Choe Son-hui blamed top U.S. officials for the breakdown of last months summit between Mr. Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Russias TASS news agency and the Associated Press reported. We have no intention to yield to the U.S. demands (at the Hanoi summit) in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind, TASS quoted Ms. Choe as telling reporters in the North Korean capital.

The second Trump-Kim summit broke down over differences about U.S. demands for Pyongyang to denuclearize and North Koreas demand for dramatic relief from international sanctions imposed for its nuclear and missile tests, which it pursued for years in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Ms. Choe said Mr. Pompeo and U.S. national security adviser John Bolton "created the atmosphere of hostility and mistrust and, therefore, obstructed the constructive effort for negotiations between the supreme leaders of North Korea and the United States, TASS reported.

Mr. Kim would make an announcement soon on his position on the denuclearization talks and North Koreas next steps, TASS quoted Ms. Choe as saying. She said Washington had thrown away a golden opportunity at the summit and warned that Mr. Kim might rethink a moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests, AP reported.

I want to make it clear that the gangster-like stand of the U.S. will eventually put the situation in danger, AP quoted Ms. Choe as saying. However, she added: Personal relations between the two supreme leaders are still good and the chemistry is mysteriously wonderful.

Mr. Bolton told reporters outside the White House Ms. Choes statement was inaccurate. He said he had spoken to his South Korean counterpart but wanted to consult with other U.S. officials before responding further. Mr. Bolton later accompanied Mr. Trump to a prearranged meeting with top defence officials at the Pentagon.

Mr. Pompeo told reporters it was not the first time he had been called gangster-like by North Korea. And following that we continued to have very professional conversations ... I have every expectation we will be able to continue to do that, he said.

Mr. Pompeo said that in her remarks, Ms. Choe had left open the possibility that negotiations would continue. Its the administrations desire that we continue to have conversations around this, Mr. Pompeo said. As the President said when he was in Hanoi, the offer that they made simply didnt rise to the level that was acceptable, given what they were asking for in exchange.

Mr. Kim had committed multiple times to Mr. Trump in Hanoi that he would not to resume nuclear or missile testing, Mr. Pompeo said. Thats Chairman Kims word. We have every expectation he will live up to that commitment. Mr. Pompeo told Fox News he did not want to forecast what we will do or what we might do if Mr. Kim were to resume testing, but added: That would be most unfortunate. I think Chairman Kim understands that. Mr. Trump has pointed to North Koreas freeze in nuclear and missile testing since 2017 as a positive outcome from nearly a year of diplomatic engagement with North Korea. He and Mr. Kim had previously exchanged fiery rhetoric that had raised fears of war.

Washington has said it is closely watching activity at a North Korean rocket site that U.S. think tanks have said could be preparations for a new launch. Mr. Trump has made much of his personal chemistry with Mr. Kim and has said he would be very disappointed in Mr. Kim if North Korea were to resume testing.

South Korea, which has an ambitious agenda of engagement with North Korea that is dependent on Pyongyang and Washington resolving at least some of their differences, said it was too early to tell what Ms. Choes comments might mean. We cannot judge the current situation based solely on Vice Minister Choe Son-huis statements. We are watching the situation closely. In any situation, our government will endeavour for the restart of North Korea-U.S. negotiations, South Koreas presidential Blue House said in a statement.

Ms. Choes comments echoed the Norths usual rhetoric at tense points in its dealings with Washington. North Korea expert Joshua Pollack said North Korea may be delivering an ultimatum. Theyre putting down a marker, saying which way things are headed if nothing changes, Mr. Pollack, of the James Martin Center for Non-proliferation Studies in Monterey, California, said.

Joel Wit of the 38 North think tank said North Korea was likely toughening its negotiating position after the collapse of the Hanoi summit. It is likely to gauge the U.S. reaction in the days ahead before making a decision to launch a rocket, he said.

Ms. Choe had said after the Hanoi talks that Mr. Kim might lose his commitment to pursue a deal with the United States after seeing it reject a request to lift some sanctions in return for the North destroying its main known nuclear complex. In Beijing, Premier Li Keqiang urged patience and further dialogue between North Korea and the United States.

Earlier on Friday, a spokeswoman for South Koreas Ministry of Unification told a press briefing that the weekly meeting of the two countries scheduled at a liaison office in Kaesong, North Korea, had been cancelled after the North Koreans said they would not be sending senior officials. The spokeswoman said the ministry had not confirmed why the North Korean officials decided not to attend.
WASHINGTON - Several days after an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed outside Ethiopia's capital city, the Trump administration's senior air safety official was still defending the plane.

Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Daniel Elwell, a former Air Force command pilot and American Airlines captain, was reassuring the House chairman who oversees aviation safety about the soundness of the jet, even though that same model had crashed in Indonesia four months earlier.

"He still had confidence in the plane," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said of the conversation early Wednesday. DeFazio said Elwell agreed to return that afternoon to address growing concerns. "Then they went dark."

Late Wednesday morning, Canada's transportation minister announced that new satellite tracking data showed enough similarities between the October crash and the one on March 10 to ground the aircraft, following numerous other countries that had already made the decision. That left the U.S. as a glaring holdout.

Finally, at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, word came from President Donald Trump that the U.S. also would bar the planes from flying.

"I didn't want to take any chances," Trump said.

Washington Post photo by Jabin Botsford

It was extraordinary for a president to intervene in matters typically left to the FAA or the Department of Transportation. Asked if President Barack Obama was ever directly involved in a decision whether to ground planes or issue urgent safety mandates during his tenure, former Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, "No, never, not one time."

In public and in private, Trump presented himself as a key arbiter in deciding whether the Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 planes would be able to keep flying, according to White House and administration officials interviewed for this report who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Rather than simply being briefed on the FAA's findings in the days after the crash, Trump played an active role, holding daily phone calls with Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg and other stakeholders and offering his thoughts about the aviation industry. Asked by reporters about the decision to ground the plane, Trump left the impression that he had taken the lead, saying it was a "very tough decision."

But in the days that followed, as Trump faced criticism about whether his administration acted too slowly and whether he should have been so intimately involved, the White House sought to shift attention back to the aviation agency.

A senior White House official said the FAA had repeatedly told the president in phone calls that there was no reason to ground the planes and that Boeing had a record for being safe. This official said the FAA showed the president how many Boeing planes were in the sky, told him the particular model had been flying for years and urged against a quick grounding.

An FAA spokesman declined to discuss what was communicated to the president. But agency officials offered various versions of this statement, to the public as well as others in government: "all available data ... shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft."

The disagreement offers a window into the broader dysfunction that can result when the highly technical realm of crash investigations is made political.

After Trump jumped in, some of the signature features of his presidency washed over the process. The typically plodding, data-driven forensic work of figuring out what caused an airplane to fall from the sky has given way to attention-grabbing tweets, administration infighting, and questions of government competence, critics said.

At the same time, critics said FAA officials were more stubborn than valiant in their initial refusal to act, and that they were too deferential to Boeing.

"When we say we have no basis to ground the aircraft, we have no basis to ground the aircraft," one FAA official told The Washington Post on Tuesday, when the European Union and others were breaking with the United States and grounding the aircraft. The official requested anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.

"You had data. You had 350 dead bodies in four months," countered a former FAA official, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the agency's approach.

It's a remarkable situation for the FAA - and a test of the agency's standing at a time when commercial flight in the United States is historically safe.

Joseph LoVecchio, a retired airline captain with 31 years of experience flying major carriers and jets including the Boeing 737, said the FAA has struggled to balance its dual role as regulator and promoter of aviation.

"They are both the salesman as well as the cop, and that has always been an issue," LoVecchio said.

He said the FAA's oversight of Boeing's training and documentation for a key automation feature was flawed. That feature has been blamed, in part, for the crash of the Boeing 737 Max 8 in Indonesia in October.

On Sunday, Ethiopia's transportation minister said information from the flight data recorder from the Ethiopian Airlines jet shows "clear similarities" to the Lion Air flight.

"Of all the years of building aircraft and certifying them, how can something like that slip through the cracks? That was a failure of leadership," LoVecchio said.

But Ray LaHood, a former GOP congressman from Peoria, Illinois, who also served as a transportation secretary under Obama, emphasized that the vast majority of FAA staffers are career employees focused on ensuring the U.S. aviation system is as safe as possible. Once potential problems with the planes are fixed, "I think this will be a small little blip on the total reputation of the agency," he said.

As transportation secretary in 2013, LaHood made the decision to ground Boeing's 787 Dreamliner after two instances when the plane's lithium-ion batteries caught fire. There was much internal debate within the FAA at the time, with the agency's safety officials questioning LaHood's decision, which took the planes out of commission for roughly three months.

The decision to ground the Max 8 and 9 aircraft was made with an emergency order under Elwell's signature.

New physical evidence discovered at the crash site "together with newly refined satellite data available to FAA this morning, led us - led me - to this decision," Elwell told reporters shortly after Trump spoke Wednesday.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said decisions on the planes were made at the Department of Transportation by "Secretary Elaine Chao, who is a very brilliant woman, working with the FAA."

Elwell, who said he was in "constant consultation" with Chao, presented the new data as a late-breaking, game-changing development that required a major reversal.

U.S. officials had been telling American travelers, and those around the world, that it was safe to keep flying on the 737 Max jets, despite flight bans and growing concerns in other countries, from China to the United Kingdom. Now officials were saying new information required the planes to be grounded immediately.

Aviation experts said the satellite data showed Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 had ascended and descended multiple times after takeoff, echoing the behavior of the plane in Oct. 29 Lion Air flight that crashed into the Java Sea after sensor and automation malfunctions, according to the preliminary investigation.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Elwell said the new information provided crucial "missing pieces that we did not have prior to today."

But the data buttressing one of these missing pieces had actually been in the FAA's hands since Monday, according to an FAA official and another source familiar with the details.

The explanation for the delays involving the critical information are in dispute, as is the propriety of the hands-on approach Trump initially took before he began distancing himself as the week wore on.

An administration official argued that the FAA had originally been dismissive of the satellite data, reflecting the agency's strong push to defend the well-connected company's safety record.

But another person familiar with the circumstances denied that, saying the agency wasn't dismissive, but instead needed to translate the raw data - which is typically read by computer - into something useful.

An FAA spokesman clarified the timeline, saying that after receiving the data Monday night, the FAA sought additional expertise Tuesday then "received the refined data analysis" Wednesday morning.

Trump had made his own impatience with aviation technology clear in several tweets, when he opined that "airplanes are becoming far too complex" and rely on "unnecessary" technological advancements. "Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT," he tweeted.

Trump took the unusual step of consulting directly with Muilenburg - an ally he referred to last June as a "friend of mine. A great guy" - early in the week, as the chief executive appealed to the president to keep the 737 Max flying. But Trump also told officials that the Boeing 737 "sucked" and wasn't as good as the Boeing 757 he owns as a personal jet.

Some experts and analysts say they are confident the decision to ground the Boeing 737 Max was made by experts at the FAA based on the new evidence, which included a device found in the wreckage that indicated the jet was configured to dive. That finding marked another similarity with the Indonesia crash.

But the way the grounding decision was rolled out was highly unusual, the experts said.

"I have never seen the White House come up with an announcement like this," said Jeff Guzzetti, who until last month was director of the FAA Accident Investigation division. "They may have felt that the world's attention was focused on this and the White House" deserved its share, Guzzetti said. "The Canadians beat them to it. It did look bad."

Trump was inclined to ground the planes in meetings early in the week, but was getting sharp feedback from Muilenburg and FAA officials, who continued to deliberate as late as Wednesday morning, officials said. Boeing and its influential cadre of lobbyists worked the FAA and Transportation Department

A person familiar with the process said Trump quizzed Elwell and Chao about why other countries were grounding the planes and the U.S. was not. "The answer was, 'There's no basis,'" the person said.

Christopher Hart, the former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said he did not find himself in disagreement with the FAA's hesitance to ground the planes.

Hart said the grounding of the 737 Max represented "uncharted territory" for the U.S. and one of its plane manufacturers. What is the threshold for grounding a plane in a scenario where automation doesn't work as intended or pilots fail to grasp the complexities of automated systems? he wondered.

"The two questions are going to be 'What is the trigger for the grounding?' And 'What is going to be the trigger for ending the grounding?'" Hart said.

Kudlow noted that "Boeing has come forward to make some adjustments in flight plans and software and sensors and pilot training and all kinds of things." Still, he added, "They won't be back on the runways until we are absolutely 100 percent satisfied that they are safe."

Trump told reporters Wednesday that he had been holding phone calls with airline executives and regulators throughout the process.

The White House didn't get the satellite data until Wednesday, an administration official said. Trump held a final call with Muilenburg that day.

Trump agreed to let the FAA announce the decision, but then did it himself before the FAA could.

"They were going to announce grounding the plane, but they told Trump they were going to do that and Trump went out and announced it before I heard from the FAA," DeFazio said.

After telling reporters the planes were being grounded "effective immediately," Trump went off-script, indicating it was not solely a safety-based decision, but one that took into account how air travelers were being impacted "psychologically."

"We didn't have to make this decision today. We could've delayed it," Trump said. "We maybe didn't have to make it at all, but I felt - I felt it was important, both psychologically and a lot of other ways."

---

The Washington Post's Lori Aratani, Faiz Siddiqui, Toluse Olorunnipa, Damian Paletta and Todd Frankel contributed to this report.
Friday's attacks on mosques in New Zealand, in which 50 people were killed, once again brought world's attention to the problem of terrorism. member of the Council under President of the Russian Federation on Inter-Ethnic Relations, deputy director of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Zorin, expressed opinion that Russia remains one of the main targets of international terrorism attacks.

"We have certain experience. We believe that prevention of terrorist acts is the task of authorities and special services. Yes, the state has all necessary means to ensure inter-ethnic harmony, fight against terrorism and radicalism, and only it has the right to use force to counter incitement of hatred and prevent violence. However, the role of civil society is also important. Both government, special services and civil society should work to prevent terrorism acts. Unfortunately, we still don't have necessary awareness in society, some people don't understan how dangerous terrorism is. Based on our experience, if there is no ongoing dialogue with civil society, then uncontrolled bursts of violence and radical manifestations can occur," Zorin said.

"Strategy of the State National Policy of the Russian Federation until 2025 emphasizes the role of system that will monitor ethno-confessional, interethnic relations and try to prevent conflicts before they occur. "Regional and local authorities should know the real state of affairs and prevent conflicts from reaching the boiling point in order to prevent possible terrorism acts. Measures to prevent terrorism must be taken on daily basis, with proper monitoring of current situation.

We must regularly send signals to civil society, to people, to show them that system of prevention of terrorism acts depends on their activity, on their cooperation with authorities. In other words, it's not just about government structures and security authorities. Traditional mistrust of citizens towards them is understandable: there were times when this cooperation was often misused. There should be trust between government structures, national-cultural organizations, youth organizations," expert believes.

According to him, importance of integrated approach to anti-terrorism work requires improvement of situation with culture and education, as well as increase of employment rate. Work with young people together with law enforcement agencies, municipal authorities, local communities and spiritual leaders is very important. Only joint efforts of all necessary forces of society can stop this evil called terrorism."
Two owners of food companies vending at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo had their trucks stolen within days of each other, leaving them without reliable transportation and out of thousands of dollars.

Jim Rewerts, owner of Cajun Unlimited, said after 32 years of vending at the Houston rodeo, this years experience has him looking over his shoulder. His blue Ford F350 truck, used to transport several trailers from his base in Beaumont to the rodeo, was stolen.

Rewerts said he parked his truck at a hotel nearby the rodeo just before midnight on March 6. Members from his crew checked on the truck at around 4 a.m. the next morning, but by 6 a.m. on March 7, his truck, its new $10,000 engine, fancy hitch and valuable tools, were gone and remain missing.

This is uncharted territory, said Rewerts, adding that within the decades hes worked at the rodeo, nothing like this has ever happened.

Alex Simeonidis, the North Dakota owner of food vendor Santa Lucia who has worked with Rewerts at different festivals for around 20 years, said he was in disbelief when he learned about his stolen vehicle.

"I was shocked that something like that would happen," said Simeonidis, who is serving up Greek food at the rodeo for his fourth year.

But days later, the same thing happened to him.

Simeonidis said that after completing a day of vending at the rodeo, he returned to the nearby Motel 6 where he was staying around midnight on March 8 and parked his 2018 GMC Sierra Denali in the motels parking lot. The long hours of the rodeo likely had him distracted, he said, and the fact that the hotel had a gated area with only one entrance and exit made him feel safe.

He woke up the next morning and went outside in the parking lot to meet his crew. His truck was gone  in its place, broken glass.

I was panicked, he said. This had never happened to me.

Inside were his phone, a cash box with around $4,000, his and his sons Canadian passports, and his wallet. His truck, with only 25,000 miles, was practically brand new.

Simeonidis spent the next morning talking to police and reviewing hotel footage, which showed men breaking into his car around 1 a.m., smashing its tracking system, and driving off. Simeonidis said the thieves were working to steal his truck for nearly 30 minutes. His car has been untraceable since.

Both Rewerts and Simeonidis believe that their stolen trucks were no coincidence. They believe they were being watched and have warned other rodeo vendors of what happened to them, they said.

Its really sad, especially for me  a person comes from another state and is in the city for three weeks, Simeonidis said. You feel beyond violated. You feel like your whole life is ruined. ... I would not like it to happen to my worst enemy.

brittany.britto@chron.com

twitter.com/brittanybritto

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In Baku, the co-chairmen of the Azerbaijani-Iranian State Commission for Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Cooperation, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Farhad Dezhpasand signed a number of documents, including a Memorandum of Understanding between Azermash and Qartal companies on joint production of buses on the territory of Hajigabul industrial district.

The plant will be commissioned by the end of 2020 and its annual capacity will be 500 buses, abc.az quotes the head of Azermash, Emin Akhundov as saying.
Texans should demand that state lawmakers pass bills restoring the states Open Meetings Act to full strength.

A recent court ruling gashed a hole in the law by making it easier for members of government boards and agencies to make decisions prior to meeting by conferring individually or in small groups that dont constitute a quorum.

Some Houston ISD trustees were accused of using that tactic in a failed attempt to replace Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan. Five trustees admitted communicating one on one prior to a 5-4 vote in October to fire Lathan, but contended they never met as a group. The decision to replace Lathan was later rescinded while the Texas Education Agency investigated the matter.

The open meetings law prohibits so-called walking quorums, where public officials covertly discuss what they plan to do before taking a public vote. That provision, however, was ruled unconstitutionally vague in February by the state Court of Criminal Appeals, which suggested the Legislature fix the problem.

Without that fix, some public officials may view the court ruling as giving them license to ignore the spirit of the Open Meetings Act, said Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Fortunately, bills making it clearer that it is illegal for board members to decide public business when a quorum isnt present have been filed.

Shannon said identical bills sponsored by state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, and Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, have a good chance of being enacted. A number of legislators understand the need for open government and did not need to be coerced to support the legislation, she said.

Texas had one of the strongest open government laws in the country, Shannon said, but it has been eroded by court rulings. That includes the state Supreme Courts Boeing v. Paxton decision in 2015, which has allowed companies to withhold information concerning government contracts they consider proprietary. Bills to close that loophole filed by Watson and state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, should be passed.

Conversely, legislators should not pass a bill sponsored by Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, which would weaken the 2011 Texas Citizens Participation Act. The so-called anti-SLAPP law is needed. It allows judges to quickly dismiss strategic lawsuits against public participation filed by lobbyists, politicians and businesses solely to silence whistleblowers or critics.

How lawmakers vote on these bills will reveal whether they truly believe in transparency. This isnt a Republican or Democrat issue; its about good government. The publics business should be conducted in public. Period.
Advisor to the US President on National Security John Bolton did not rule out the possibility of new negotiations with Moscow on the nuclear weapons control.

He made a statement speaking about Chinas building up its nuclear potential, which, according to Bolton, is one of the reasons for Washingtons intention to strengthen the American missile defense system.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  A recent requirement for more transparency in hospital pricing could be the first step in transforming the healthcare industry into a consumer-driven one, making shopping for a procedure more like buying a house or a car.

Under new federal regulations, hospitals have to post a list of service prices, called chargemasters, on their websites. However, these lists dont reflect the final costs most patients pay. They dont factor in the lower rates insurers negotiate, nor do they standardize the way that services are listed, making it difficult to compare apples-to-apples.

What [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] has done is not the silver bullet, but certainly it is a catalyst toward moving the industry toward much more user-friendly retail comparisons, said Jeff Price, vice president of payer strategy and population health operations for Summa Health.

Price said greater transparency will allow consumers to make very-educated decisions.

Its no different than just about any other industry that we as consumers live in, Price said.

Tracy Porter, an assistant professor of management at Cleveland State University who specializes in healthcare administration, expects to see consumers planning for medical procedures the way they do when making big investments, such as a car or a home.

Theres a big move in medicine to empower patients, to have them look at their own health care and own it to an extent, Porter said.

Costs for expensive procedures arent always top of mind for consumers, many of whom meet their insurance deductibles and dont see the full charges for their care. For so long, patients have just done what their doctors told them, said Porter. But that is changing as patients take a more-active role in making healthcare decisions and begin to choose where to go for treatment.

Some, like Heather Stanton of Valley City, are shopping around for care.

Stanton, who had her second child, Izabella, in August 2017, took tours of local hospitals before choosing the Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital to deliver her daughter. Stantons first child was born at the Clinics Medina Birthing Center, which closed just before Izabella was due, so she had to find a new hospital where she felt comfortable.

I just liked Fairview better, and it was a little closer, Stanton said. Security was also great at Fairview.

The federal government in January started requiring hospitals to post prices for services online. The move was an effort by CMS to increase transparency and elevate the role consumers have in making healthcare decisions, according to CMS Administrator Seema Verma.

We believe patients are the most powerful force in our healthcare system in driving cost and value, Verma said. Today, patients are basically shut out of the process for driving value.

But many say these lists, as is, arent that helpful.

Most patients do not pay these rates as their specific healthcare plan coverage determines any out-of-pocket charges, the Cleveland Clinic said in a prepared statement. University Hospitals did not respond to requests for comment.

Its difficult to compare prices from one system to another because each labels services differently. Plus, there are many variations of each service. The Plain Dealer compared the pricing lists from the areas major hospital systems and found significant variations in how services were categorized or billed.

For example, University Hospitals regional locations offer per day rates for a labor room, while other hospitals, including UH Cleveland Medical Center, use hourly rates.

When it comes to operating room rates, UH assesses a setup fee, whereas the Clinic charges a fee for the first 30 minutes. MetroHealth, meanwhile, lists a set base rate for a room.

The federal government is still working on ways to make the pricing lists more useful to patients. But Verma said hospitals can go beyond the basic requirements on their own.

Hospitals dont have to wait for us to go further to help patients understand, Verma said.

Pomerene Hospital, for example, doesnt just provide pricing lists for services. The Millersburg hospital also shares bundled prices, or total cost for procedures, because the hospital has a lot of self-pay patients in the Amish community.

Right now, the federal government doesnt have a mechanism for enforcing the price transparency rule. But all of the hospital systems in Northeast Ohio have complied.

In fact, many local hospitals say they have long offered consumers price estimates, either through self-service tools online or via hospital staff.

MetroHealth for years has posted the prices of its most frequently used services online and, in 2015, launched an online cost estimator tool, said Donna Graham, executive director of revenue cycle for MetroHealth. The system also has staff in place to answer questions about cost and to help patients figure out ways to get services covered.

This is not new to us, Graham said. In January, we just extended the pricing we had already provided.

The link to the pricing list is on MetroHealths landing page. From Jan. 1 through mid-February, there was a 58 percent increase from the previous year in visits to pricing information, Graham said.

Verma called increasing price transparency an important first step in giving patients more control.

The increase in price transparency comes at a time when the industry is being held more accountable for quality, with the proliferation of things like accountable care organizations. ACOs grew under Obamacare and reward Medicare providers for working together to provide high-quality care more efficiently.

The solution is not as simple as just revealing prices, Verma said.

Hospital pricing lists:

Cleveland Clinic

MetroHealth

Summa Health

University Hospitals

Searchable database:
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Theres a new and effective way to avoid infection after surgeries involving implantable electronic devices, including pacemakers, according to research from the Cleveland Clinic.

Major infections were reduced by 40 percent with the use of dissolvable envelopes that wrap around devices and automatically release antibiotics, the study showed.

These results were presented Sunday at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session, and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Clinic said. The study also will be presented at the European Heart Rhythm Association 2019 Congress.

The findings come at a time when concern about hospital infections is rising, said Dr. Khaldoun Tarakji, associate section head of cardiac electrophysiology at the Clinic.

To be able to drop (the infection rate) by 40 percent was truly remarkable, Tarakji said. He was co-senior author of the study, along with Dr. Bruce Wilkoff, director of cardiac pacing and tachyarrhythmia devices at the Cleveland Clinic.

Wilkoff and Tarakji are paid advisors for medical technology company Medtronic, which funded the study and manufactures the mesh envelope.

Theres a high risk of infection each time a patient undergoes surgery to replace or upgrade pacemakers, defibrillators or other implantable electronic devices, Tarakji said. Infection around the device can have serious consequences, such as additional surgery to remove the device and its surrounding hardware.

The study looked at a dissolvable envelope made of absorbable mesh, coated with two antibiotics, that encases the implanted device. The envelope, which received FDA approval in 2013, is fully absorbed in about two months. Researchers found no increase in complication rates.

This study is the first randomized control study of the meshs effectiveness, Tarakji said. The trial, which ran from 2015 to 2018, included nearly 7,000 patients at 181 medical centers in 25 countries, and followed patients for a year. The Clinic was among the medical centers that enrolled patients in the study.

We never had a study of this magnitude before, Tarakji said, adding that additional studies looking into more ways to reduce the infection rate are called for.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Southwest Airlines is reducing service between Cleveland Hopkins and Las Vegas to just one flight per week, starting in mid-June. The carrier currently flies between the two cities every day.

Starting the week of June 9, the route shifts to Saturday only. In mid-August, the carrier plans to bring back a second weekly flight, on Sundays.

And in October: Southwest plans to dip a toe into a new market  Cleveland to Dallas Love Field, on Sundays only. The new route will start Sunday, October 6, with Cleveland flights departing at 6:20 p.m., arriving in Dallas at 8 p.m. The Dallas-to-Cleveland route leaves Texas at 1:20, landing in Cleveland 2 hours and 35 minutes later, at 4:55 p.m.

The once-a-week flight is a small addition, but observers say it could be meant to test the waters to see if there is interest in the route.

Dallas Love Field is a city-owned airport about six miles northwest of downtown Dallas. It was the citys main airport until 1974, when Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport opened. Southwest maintains its corporate headquarters at Love Field.

Currently, both American Airlines and Spirit Airlines fly to Dallas, but to DFW, about 20 miles from Love Field.

Also in October, Southwest is adding a second weekend flight to Tampa, Florida. The airline currently operates a seasonal, Saturday-only route to Tampa, but will add a Sunday flight next fall.

Said Southwest spokesman Dan Landson: We always look at travel patterns of our customers to determine whether there is an opportunity to add additional service. We want to always make sure that were offering flights to the destinations our Cleveland-area customers want to go.

The reduction of Las Vegas service is somewhat surprising, given the load factors on that flight  91 percent in 2018, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. Load factor is the percentage of seats on an airplane that are occupied.

While the planes are full, its likely that fares on the route arent as high as Southwest would like. Both Spirit and Frontier airlines fly between Cleveland and Las Vegas  and both typically have fares lower than Southwest, driving down prices.

United Airlines, too, used to fly between Cleveland and Las Vegas, exiting the route in May 2016, largely because fares had dropped so dramatically on the route.

According to the DOTs Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average fare from Cleveland to Las Vegas in the third quarter of 2018 was $152, down from $295 in early 2014, before United Airlines closed its hub at Hopkins.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael OMalley determined in January that his office would not be the one to file criminal charges against Euclid Police Officer Michael Amiott over the violent 2017 arrest of a motorist, according to a previously undisclosed letter obtained by cleveland.com.

First Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Lisa Reitz Williamson wrote in the Jan. 11 letter to Euclid officials that the victim Richard Hubbard III did not sustain serious physical harm, a necessary element to prove felonious assault charge.

Williamson informed Euclid Law Director Kelley Sweeney and prosecutor Mary Riley Casa that OMalleys office was working with the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office to investigate potential federal charges against Amiott. The letter also informed the pair that they were free to pursue misdemeanor charges against the officer.

This story marks the first public disclosure that OMalleys office had reached any determination on whether to pursue felony criminal charges against Amiott.

Reached for comment Friday, OMalley confirmed that his office was no longer pursuing charges in state court. He said his office determined that federal charges would be more appropriate after reviewing Hubbards medical records, and that members of his office are still working alongside Cuyahoga County sheriffs deputies and FBI agents to collect records and conduct interviews.

We initiated this investigation because we felt the arrest was excessive and unnecessary, OMalley said. That path has led us to seeking federal charges to bring justice in this matter.

Amiott has not been charged in connection with the incident.

A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Justin Herdmans office, which would ultimately decide whether to charge Amiott in federal court, declined to comment Friday. Sweeney said in a Friday email that she is waiting on the federal investigation to conclude before deciding whether to pursue misdemeanor charges against Amiott or refer the case to a special prosecutor.

Christopher McNeal, a lawyer who represents Hubbard and his girlfriend Yolimar Tirado in a lawsuit against Amiott, the city of Euclid and other officers, said Friday he was not aware of OMalleys decision.

McNeal said Hubbard was treated in the emergency room for soft-tissue injuries that required physical therapy after Amiott bashed his head into the pavement during the encounter, and another officer used a Taser on Hubbard. He also said Hubbard continues to go to the counseling.

Mr. Hubbard had suffered harsh injuries and continues to suffer unrelenting psychological and emotional harm stemming from the savage assault by Amiott and his cohorts, McNeal said. That the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office believes that Mr. Hubbard did not sustain serious physical harm, I believe that position is deceptive, duplicitous and disingenuous, due to the practice of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office of charging felonious assault against the average citizen under far less severe circumstances, not to mention African Americans.

OMalleys office as recently as March 7 was asked if the office was still conducting its criminal investigation into Amiott, and at no time did they inform the public that they had passed the decision on whether to bring criminal charges on to other agencies.

Ryan Miday, OMalleys director of communications and public policy, told cleveland.com in a Jan. 8 phone interview that the office had been working with the U.S. Attorneys Office and the FBI to investigate whether to bring federal charges against Amiott. That language was mirrored in the letter sent three days later.

In a March 7 text message exchange with the offices public information officer Tyler Sinclair, cleveland.com sought an update on the investigation.

Sinclair, who said at first only that the matter was still under investigation, declined to comment further when specifically asked if OMalleys office was still investigating the case for potential criminal charges, and referred further questions to Herdmans office.

OMalley on Friday refused to put his name behind the offices response to why it never disclosed to cleveland.com that it decided not to charge Amiott in state court. He instead offered comments from Sinclair, who was on speakerphone with him.

This office clearly outlined the direction of our investigation, which has led to us working with federal authorities to seek federal criminal charges," OMalley said, attributing the comments to Sinclair. I think our statements have been accurate. Nobody ever asked us about our state issue."

Videos of Hubbards traffic stop showed Amiott knee Hubbard, tackle him to the ground and repeatedly punch Hubbard in the face and body. Another officer used his Taser on Hubbard during the encounter.

A witnesss cellphone video of the arrest and dashcam footage released by Euclid police were widely shared online. The violent arrest led the city to fire Amiott, but that firing was later overturned through arbitration and the department was ordered to give Amiott his job back.

Hubbard was initially charged with resisting arrest, driving without a license and a traffic signal violation, but prosecutors later dropped them. Tirado also faced charges that prosecutors later dismissed.

To comment on this story, please visit Fridays crime and courts comments page.

Cleveland.com reporter Eric Heisig contributed to this story.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- A new ordinance regarding the citys informal bidding procedure was approved at the March City Council meeting.

Before the change, city purchases between $2,500 and $15,000 went through an informal bidding process rather than a public one. The new legislation increases the minimum amount from $2,500 to $5,000.

Several factors led to this newest ordinance.

First, In September, City Council passed an ordinance creating an informal public bidding process for purchases less than the amount necessary for public bidding, which at the time of passage was a maximum of $7,500. This required the city to obtain three written informal proposals for the goods or services they hoped to purchase.

In the November election, voters approved Issue 40. This amended the previous section of the city charter that stated that the purchasing agent could purchase goods and services for the city up to $7,500 without public bidding. The charter amendment raised that amount to $15,000.

Mayor Anthony Togliatti explained that since that time, any informal purchases over $2,500 had to have written documentation showing three competitive price quotes. This meant that the city had to have three written informal proposals for purchases ranging from $2,500 to $15,000.

Its more stringent than it has been in the past. It ensures proper purchasing procedure, Togliatti said.

Still, the process needed to be tweaked a bit further. Councilman Carl Asseff, chair of councils Economic Growth and Development Committee, introduced new legislation to raise the minimum amount from $2,500 to $5,000.

He conducted a five-month managerial analysis on the informal bidding process, from September 2018 to February 2019. According to his report at the March City Council meeting, the findings were:

 26 purchases between $2,500 and $5,000

 25 purchases between $5,000 and $7,500

 11 purchases over $7,500, and another 11 over $10,000.

The conclusion was that 51 purchase requests were for less than $7,500; 50 percent of those were for less than $5,000.

Asseff said city directors are spending three hours each time they search for vendors who will write informal bids. He said an hours worth of work for a director costs the city $57, including the city staff salary and benefits. His conclusion was that it is an expensive process for the directors to be searching for vendors, waiting for the product and not using their time to develop other opportunities.

Asseff said the changes will (let) directors be directors, and not clerks trying to find the best price.

Togliatti explained that in some situations, the product or service a department needs is only sold by a certain business. This results in time delays in getting the product because additional quotes are not available for the three-quote requirement.

Asseff said the new legislation would keep the system of checks and balances intact, as the citys purchasing director still oversees all purchases made.

He said the legislation is not new, but is asking the question, How do we correct a problem that we didnt analyze thoroughly enough the first time?

Patricia Wisniewski was the only council member to vote against the new ordinance. She stated that based on the statistical results of Asseffs study, raising the minimum to $5,000 only corrected 50 percent of the problem.

Asseff plans to conduct another analysis next September to determine if further action needs to be taken regarding the informal bidding procedure.
PIKE TOWNSHIP, Ohio  A 66-year-old woman died Sunday morning after her car crashed into a ravine in Stark County, officials said.

The crash was reported about 8:45 a.m. on the 8200 block of Sherman Church Avenue SW, less than 10 miles south of Canton off Interstate 77, the Stark County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

When sheriffs deputies arrived on scene, they found a silver Honda Accord crashed in a ravine, the release says. First responders pronounced the driver  66-year-old Mollie Hughes of Dover, Ohio  dead at the crash scene.

Authorities determined that Hughes was driving south on Sherman Church Avenue SW when her car traveled west off the roadway, the news release states.

No further details regarding the crash were released Sunday. Anyone with information about the crash can contact the Stark County Sheriffs Office at 330-430-3800.

If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Michelle Obama had a message for Cleveland on Saturday night: She didnt become Michelle Obama overnight.

Young people see me here now. All they see is this finished product, Obama said in front of a sold-out Playhouse Square crowd. I am just like you. I failed. I had embarrassing moments. I had losses.

Obama gave the crowd a glimpse into her journey from the south side of Chicago to the White House, as part of an international book tour promoting her autobiography Becoming. The bestselling book chronicles her experiences as a wife, mother, professional and First Lady.

The conversation, moderated by The Chew host Carla Hall, walked the audience through Obamas experiences in politics, raising her daughters in the White House and transitioning to life as a private citizen.

Obama recalled her first experience on the campaign trail: She showed up to a backyard event in high heels.

I was sinking into the grass, Obama said. I took my shoes off, because I was like, Its ridiculous for me to stand in front of you in heels sinking into the grass.

She remembered awkward conversations with parents of her daughters friends, notifying them that security would need to check their homes for guns and drugs after sleepover invitations.

I said please dont lie, because you will be arrested, and thanks for inviting them! Obama said.

She spoke about keeping her daughters grounded  both had chores and made their beds  in a home with tuxedoed butlers and chefs. She eventually nixed the staffs formal attire, at least some of the time.

You cant have grown men serving kids in tuxedoes, she said.

And she spoke of her new life as a former First Lady: a reality that will never be normal, but is inching toward ordinary.

Yesterday, I had a normal experience. I was with my brother in Milwaukee and his family and my nephews, theyre in second grade, they were like, Can Auntie Mich come and pick us up from school? Obama said. The security let me ride with my brother in his car with his wife. First time Ive been in somebody elses car being driven.

Granted, the car was being followed by a security motorcade. But it was still something.

Obama said she doesnt plan to disrupt her modest normalcy by running for office.

Politics is a tough thing, which is sadly why I would never do it, Obama said. Sadly, we are in such a divisive place when it comes to politics, that if you put an R or an D by your name, then automatically half the country feels like they just cant listen to you or trust you.

I just dont find it to be for me an effective way to reach people, Obama added.

Obamas candor and authenticity impressed the audience, some of whom traveled across the country  from places like Los Angeles; Austin, Texas; and Charlotte, North Carolina  to see her speak.

I thought that the most important point was that we are all Michelle Obamas, Susan Stephens of Gates Mills, said. We are all Michelles. We are all Baracks. Everybody has their own power and power is really about goodness. Its more about your values and your integrity.

Stephens said she attended Princeton with Obama and Michells brother, Craig Robinson. The former First Lady has always been smart, nice and kind, Stephens said.

These arent new characteristics for her. Shes always been this person, Stephens said.

Look at what she represents for young brown girls or brown girls our age and even women her age and older, said 23-year-old Nia Moore, of Los Angeles. She just represents something, a first for all of us. Its something that I would say that maybe our moms and grandmothers never even thought was possible for us.

The book tour has stopped in big cities across the country, including New York, Dallas and Chicago. The show is set to visit Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Canada next, and is scheduled to continue to Europe in April.

Becoming is one of the fastest selling non-fiction books ever. It has sold over 6 million copies in all forms and editions in the United States and Canada between its November release and early March, according to Obamas publisher. Its being published in 44 language and has sold 8.25 million print copies across the world.
Sen. Rob Portman showed his mettle Thursday when he stood with only 11 other Republican senators to vote against President Donald Trumps emergency declaration. In a lengthy and eloquent floor statement laying out what was at stake constitutionally and practically, Portman, from the Cincinnati area, showed that when the stakes are high, he will choose principle over partisanship. Bravo.

He did so without rancor or hype, while offering a far better practical path forward to improved border security that answers both Trumps concerns and urgent security needs.

Portman disarmed our prior criticism with his measured and sensible approach.

While our editorial board had earlier praised Portmans ongoing attempts to find a border security compromise, wed viewed with skepticism his failure to announce in advance how hed vote on the measure disapproving Trumps national emergency declaration.

Given the presidents uncompromising statements, we saw Portmans continued search for compromise as a futile excuse for delay.

Well, we were wrong. Portman described Thursday how hed worked almost until the Senate vote to persuade the White House about the worth of alternative paths. Alternative paths remain worthy.

On Friday, Trump tweeted his thanks to all of the Great Republican Senators who bravely voted for Strong Border Security and the WALL, then vetoed the disapproval resolution.

Id like to thank all of the Great Republican Senators who bravely voted for Strong Border Security and the WALL. This will help stop Crime, Human Trafficking, and Drugs entering our Country. Watch, when you get back to your State, they will LOVE you more than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 15, 2019

He should instead have heeded Portmans sensible ideas to defuse the political vitriol while closing the book on this misuse of the National Emergencies Act that sets a troubling precedent for future presidents.

Portman reminded the Senate in his floor statement that in two prior presidential national emergencies in which Pentagon military construction funds were seized for other emergency ends, the decisions were not controversial, coming as they did during wartime when Congress recognized the need.

Our founders drew a clear line on at least one thing," Portman said Thursday: Congress, closest to the people, would have the power of the purse.

Even after Trumps veto, compromise remains possible.

In his floor statement, Portman laid out in detail how Trump could still assemble the $5.7 billion hes said he needs for a wall without a national emergency declaration.

Portman stood up to defend the constitutional order when scores of his GOP colleagues, presumably fearful of White House (or voter) retribution, ducked. He did so while pointing a wise way forward to a real political compromise on border security. He was one of the adults in the room Thursday. Well done.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Even the most casual observers of the Ohio Statehouse will soon hear extensive debate about mandatory sentencing, the reclassification of crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, and other criminal justice reform issues. But there is an opportunity for meaningful reform that lawmakers can undertake right now: Ohio needs to overhaul its public defender system.

In the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainright, the justices unanimously concluded that legal representation in criminal proceedings is guaranteed under the Sixth Amendment. Further, the court stated, under the 14th Amendment, it is the responsibility of each state to ensure that defendants who cannot afford their own legal representation are provided counsel.

In response to Gideon, Ohio implemented programs for indigent defense that required the state to pay 50 percent of the costs, with counties paying the remainder.

By 1979, this approach was failing. When state funding fell short of the 50 percent threshold, the legislature implemented proportional reduction, in which reimbursements were reduced proportionally across all 88 counties. Since then, the state government has averaged a meager 38 percent reimbursement rate, with an all-time low of 26.1 percent in fiscal 2009. Ten years later, the state is still failing to meet its statutory obligations, at the rate of 42.9 percent.

A system designed to guarantee justice is failing both the accused and the taxpayer. And state officials are failing to follow state law.

Micah Derry is Ohio director of Americans for Prosperity.

Unfortunately, the problem with Ohio public defender policy isnt limited to funding issues. The current system contains problematic, misaligned incentives at multiple levels.

While some counties have full-time public defenders employed by the local government, indigent defense in most counties is a more individual enterprise. In about 70 counties, private attorneys voluntarily submit their names to a court to be placed into pools to represent individuals accused of crimes. When it is determined that defendants cannot afford legal counsel and do not wish to represent themselves, a judge appoints an attorney from that pool to provide counsel. That lawyer is then reimbursed at a capped rate with funds provided by the state and county.

Judges are there to serve justice, but they also strive to keep a clean docket and move cases through the process as efficiently as possible. When a public defender opts to go to trial rather than to advise his or her client to plead to a lesser charge, the process slows. That creates an incentive for lawyers to join in moving the process along rather than risk offending the judge, even if that is not necessarily what is best for the accused.

There is a better approach.

When Gov. Mike DeWine introduce his state operating budget proposal Friday, his administration prioritized adequate funding for the Office of the Ohio Public Defender, requiring the state to pay significantly more indigent defense costs and removing a financial burden from county governments. This is critical.

In his letter to the legislature for the upcoming budget, Ohio Public Defender Director Tim Young provides a stark picture of his offices funding. From 2000 to 2015, OPD funding increased by 8 percent  while the cost of living rose 33 percent. Staff was cut. And since nationally about 80 percent of criminal defendants charged with a felony are indigent, according to a 2011 paper, Ohio is not living up to its responsibility to guarantee a fundamental constitutional right.

Shifting the responsibility to the state would standardize the quality of defense in every county and allow the Ohio Public Defenders office to analyze caseloads statewide and redirect resources where they are most needed.

Inadequate criminal defense is not just wrong, its expensive. It leaves too many people in jail who shouldnt be there, driving up costs of incarceration and diverting funding from other priorities -- including anti-recidivism programs that could further reduce prison populations, keep our communities safer and save money in the long run.

Gov. DeWine, Senate President Larry Obhof, and House Speaker Larry Householder have all strongly indicated their willingness to work on reforming the criminal justice system. Adequate legal representation is a guarantor of the right to due process. Fixing Ohios public defender system should be the first of many steps toward meaningful, lasting criminal justice reform in the Buckeye State.

Micah Derry is the state director of Americans for Prosperity-Ohio, a 501c4 advocacy group with more than 100,000 individual donors from all 50 states, including Charles Koch.

*************

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  Democrat Beto ORourkes presidential campaign released details about his Monday visit to Northeast Ohio, a meet and greet with voters in Cleveland.

ORourke, a former Texas congressman, will hold the event starting at 3:30 p.m. at Ginos Cento Anno at 1314 Denison Ave. in Cleveland. Its the only event ORourke has scheduled for the day.

ORourke, 46, is one of more than a dozen candidates exploring or actively running for the Democratic nomination for president to challenge Republican Donald Trump in 2020.

He rose to national prominence after a close loss to GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, in 2018, cultivating a dedicated following and raising massive amounts of money for a Senate race.

After months of speculation, he officially declared his candidacy for president Thursday.

What: Meet and greet with Beto ORourke

Where: Ginos Cento Anno

1314 Denison Ave, Cleveland, OH

When: 3:30 p.m.

Space is limited. Entry will be granted on a first come, first serve basis.
Today, 89 years old Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Distinguished Professor of Lomonosov Moscow State University Yuri Stepanovich Kukushkin passed away. The relevant message was published on the website of the Faculty of History of Moscow State University.

"Yuri Stepanovichs professional career is inextricably linked with the history department of Moscow State University, which he headed for nearly a quarter of a century. During the fruitful work of Yuri Kukushkin, his talent as a scientist, historian, and researcher was brilliantly revealed in numerous scientific monographs, articles, educational and methodical manuals, popular publications that have received decent recognition in our country and abroad ", the message reads.

In 1947, Yuri Kukushkin became a student of the History Department of Moscow State University. In 1956, at the Department of Soviet History of the Soviet period, he successfully defended his thesis entitled The role of local Soviet authorities in the collectivization of agriculture in 1929-1932." In May 1956, Yuri Kukushkin was enlisted as an assistant at the Department of Soviet History of the Soviet period, and in the late 1950s, he was appointed deputy head of the department. From that moment and for several decades, Yuri Kukushkin combined teaching, research and administrative work.

In 1965, Yuri Kukushkin was appointed deputy dean at the History Department. In 1967, he successfully defended his doctoral thesis Rural Soviets and Class Struggle in the Village (1921-1932), and a year later he became a professor of the Soviet History Department.

Yuri Kukushkin became the dean of the Faculty of History in February 1971, he held this post for 24 years. In 1977, he was elected the head of the Department of the History of the USSR of the socialism period, he held this post until December 2013.

In 1979, Yuri Kukushkin was elected a corresponding member, and in 1987 - a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

"Foreign scientists highly appreciated the scientific and pedagogical activity of Academician Yuri Kukushkin. He was an honorary doctor of the Kliment Ohridski Sofia University (Bulgaria) and the Soka University of Tokyo (Japan). A number of fundamental works, scientific articles, textbooks and popular science works of Yuri Kukushkin were published in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese in our country and abroad,  the statement reads.

"When in the early 1990s, there was a very difficult period for the national education and science system, Yuri Kukushkin, taking the post of dean of the faculty until 1995, did everything possible to keep a high level of education and scientific work at the history department.

Yuri Kukushkin was awarded the Order of the October Revolution and the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Friendship, medals. He was also awarded the honorary title of the I degree Lomonosov prize laureate. He was awarded the honorary title Distinguished Professor of Moscow University.

"The dean's office and the entire staff of the Faculty of History of Moscow State University, the staff of his department, friends, colleagues and students of Yuri Stepanovich Kukushkin express their deepest condolences to his family and friends," the report reads.

The staff of Vestnik Kavkaza expresses their condolences to the relatives and colleagues of Yuri Kukushkin and share their sorrow with them.
The body of a pensioner who went missing a few days ago was found today in a pond in Gyumri, the media report.

It is known that a man living nearby saw a dead body in the water and immediately reported the terrible find to the law enforcement authorities. The police established the identity of the deceased, she was a 72-year-old resident of Gyumri. No traces of violence were found on the body, Sputnik Armenia reports.

The woman suffering from impaired memory left home on March 15th, since then there was no news of her. The relatives and the police were searching for the old lady.
The prospect of 5G is already paying off.

Three exchange-traded funds pegged to the rise of fifth-generation connectivity, the next phase of wireless communications often referred to as 5G, are outpacing the so far in 2019.

While the S&P 500 has gained over 12 percent this year, the Pacer Benchmark Data & Infrastructure Real Estate ETF, the ALPS Disruptive Technologies ETF and the Ark Fintech Innovation ETF have all managed to top its run. The Disruptive Technologies ETF is up nearly 21 percent.

And even though the 5G rollout is still very much in its early innings, some market-watchers expect even more upside for these funds.

"A lot of the disruptive opportunity will come as a result of 5G taking shape globally," Chris Hempstead, head of ETF Sales at Deutsche Bank, told CNBC's "ETF Edge." "These ETFs that are levered to 5G technology are looking to be on the leading edge of the 5G revolution, so the names that are in these indices are going to be the names that bring 5G to us."

In the case of the Data & Infrastructure Real Estate ETF  a tangential way to invest in the data boom that 5G adoption could generate  those names include data center operators like Equinix and real estate investment trusts involved in wireless communications like American Tower. That ETF made a fresh 52-week high on Friday.

The ALPS Disruptive Technologies ETF has a variety of holdings that include the stocks of Zscaler, First Data and iRobot. The Ark Fintech Innovation ETF's top 10 holdings include Tesla, Nvidia and Twitter.

"I think the next iteration from that will be ETFs that start to isolate the companies that are going to benefit the most from 5G technology coming to market," Hempstead said.

Hardeep Walia, the founder and CEO of Motif  a company that just partnered with Goldman Sachs to build its signature thematic ETFs for the big bank  agreed, telling CNBC that his company's Goldman Sachs Motif Data-Driven World ETF already includes some 5G-related holdings.

"It's going to affect internet of things. It's going to generate massive amount of data. You're going to need more AI. You're going to need more attempts to keep it secure," Walia said. "So [in] every part of the data innovation cycle, 5G [is] a good driver."
President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he departs to visit storm-hit areas of Alabama from the White House in Washington, March 8, 2019.

President Donald Trump zeroed in on two U.S. media outlets Sunday morning, appearing to threaten action against the satirical "Saturday Night Live" and pressuring Fox News to bring back a host widely condemned for her comments about a Muslim congresswoman.

Trump's string of tweets fits his broader strategy of publicly railing against coverage he dislikes and propping up media personalities who support him. The comments could raise more questions about the president's warm relationship with Fox, which at times has helped to drive White House messaging.

In a tweet Sunday morning after hours after a rerun episode of the NBC sketch comedy show ran, Trump called it "truly incredible" that "shows like Saturday Night Live ... can spend all of their time knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of 'the other side.'" He said it is "like an advertisement without consequences."

"Should Federal Election Commission and/or FCC look into this? There must be Collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia!" he wrote.

Donald Trump tweet SNL 1

Donald Trump tweet SNL 2

It is unclear exactly what action Trump is threatening against the show. He previously suggested that his administration would look into NBC's network license due to its coverage. However, the FCC does not appear to have the authority to do so, as it licenses individual stations rather than networks.

NBC declined to comment on the president's tweet. (Disclosure: "Saturday Night Live" airs on NBC, which is owned by CNBC's parent company NBC Universal).

Shortly after he knocked a network that has frequently covered him critically, Trump publicly stood up for a TV personality who staunchly backs him. He tweeted in support of Jeanine Pirro, a Fox host who was widely condemned last week for comments that critics considered anti-Muslim. Her show, "Justice with Judge Jeanine," was replaced on Saturday with no explanation.

"Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro," the president wrote. "The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well."

Donald Trump tweet Pirro

He went on to write that Fox should "stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country." Trump added that the network should "keep fighting" for Pirro and Tucker Carlson, whose show has lost advertisers following the release of comments from years old radio interviews that critics considered misogynistic.

"They can't beat you, you can only beat yourselves!" Trump said of Fox.

Trump's defense of Pirro comes only days after 49 people were killed and dozens were wounded in shootings at New Zealand mosques.

On March 9, Pirro suggested that Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat and Muslim, is not loyal to the Constitution because she wears a hijab.

"Think about it: Omar wears a hijab," she said on her show. "Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?"

Fox has said it "strongly" condemns Pirro's comments. The remarks "do not reflect" the network, Fox added.

Pirro explained her comments further a night after she made them. In a statement, she said that "of course because one is a Muslim does not mean you don't support the Constitution."

Fox did not immediately respond to a request to comment on Trump's Sunday tweets.

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.
Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska CNBC

Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, a close confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on Sunday that Moscow and Washington are more interested in "muscle flexing" than improving their relationship. Asked whether he has hopes of thawing tensions between Russia and the West while economic sanctions are in place, Deripaska replied: "The way I see it, from the U.S. side, it is impossible." "If you look at the reality, Russian people (and) American people, they don't hate each other," he told CNBC's Geoff Cutmore during an exclusive interview in Moscow. "In the heart of the Russian people, I think there is room to go and start a new page but the problem is all of this muscle flexing from both sides." Deripaska on Friday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Department to lift the sanctions it placed on him last year as part of a wider retaliation for Russian interference in the U.S. election and what the Treasury described as its "malign activity around the globe."

The billionaire commodities magnate claims his wealth dropped by 81 percent, or $7.5 billion, as a result of the sanctions, and that he's become "a victim of this country's political infighting." His companies EN+ and Rusal, the latter of which is the world's second biggest aluminum producer, came under sanctions as part of the U.S. measures against the Russian government in April of 2018. The lawsuit is the latest shot in a long series of provocations and flare-ups between Russia and the U.S., whose relations are seen by many as at their worst since the Cold War.

'Are you serious?'

Deripaska told CNBC that both countries are prepared to spend trillions of dollars on defense despite that more than half of such an expenditure was likely to be "unnecessary." When asked whether the prospect of a change of president in the U.S. next year might present an opportunity for improved ties between Washington and Moscow, Deripsaka replied: "Are you serious?" "Everything will be the same in four years," he said. "Only a new generation will do something. This (generation) would prefer to have fighting." Russia's economy tanked in 2014 in part thanks to U.S. sanctions enacted over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and Russian officials regularly slam the latest slate of Treasury sanctions what they say is "anti-Russian hysteria" conjured up by the West. Moscow and Washington have been on opposing sides of a number of international conflicts, including in Syria, Ukraine, Iran, and most recently Venezuela. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Russia of "standing with its Venezuelan cronies" in order to "protect a Moscow-friendly regime." His comments came shortly after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Russian bank Evrofinance Mosnarbank for helping Venezuela's state oil firm PDVSA dodge U.S. financial restrictions. Both countries have now withdrawn from an 1987 international nuclear treaty, and Putin in December warned the threat of a nuclear war should not be discounted. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that Russia does not want an "arms race," but was ready to respond to military threats if necessary.

Sanctions and more sanctions
Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska said in response to U.S. allegations against him that his relations with Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's one-time campaign manager, ended "seven or eight years ago."

The Russian businessman, an associate of President Vladimir Putin, on Friday filed suit against the U.S. Treasury Department in an attempt to get rid of sanctions placed on him last year as part of Washington's response to Russian interference in the U.S. 2016 elections.

Deripaska came under scrutiny in the United States for his ties to Manafort, with whom he had numerous business dealings.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC's Geoff Cutmore in Moscow, Deripaska called U.S. allegations against him "very absurd" and claimed that his name and brand were used since he is "successful."

"Yes they used my brand. I am successful, from Russia. I know a lot of people. Channels like you are interested in my opinion on politics, economy. They branded me," Deripaska said.

Court filings have revealed that Manafort was deeply indebted to the Russian billionaire, whom the U.S. put on a list of "Designated Russian Oligarchs" last April.

Manafort reportedly used his position in the Trump campaign to try and resolve his debt problems with Deripaska, offering him "private briefings" about the progress of the campaign, according to 2016 emails shared with investigators.

Deripaska denies that he ever received such an offer from Manafort.

He told CNBC Sunday that now he is waiting to hear how the U.S. will respond, saying "Justice Department will present facts, and I hope they will not hide behind national interests."
Oleg Deripaska, a Russian billionaire known to have ties to the government of President Vladimir Putin, said on Sunday he would fight the U.S. government in court for "weaponizing the financial system" against him. The metals tycoon launched a lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Department on Friday, in an attempt to cast off sanctions placed on him last year. On Sunday he told CNBC's Geoff Cutmore in Moscow that he launched the suit to clear his name, and he denied that the Kremlin encouraged his legal action against the sanctions. He expressed surprise at U.S. actions against him. "I personally was taken in this step by full surprise, and I hope that sooner or later people will recognize it is wrong," Deripaska said. "It is getting worse and worse," he said. "Last hearing in Congress, when people start blaming me personally for any sort of things which I had no connection  (it is) just fantasy."

"So, it has given me total understanding that the legal system in the U.S. may be the last resort where people could assess the facts and to see, you know, what justice will be," Deripaska said. When asked whether he had taken the decision to sue the U.S. Treasury Department at the instruction of the Kremlin, Deripaska said anyone who believed that was "totally wrong." The sanctions, which fall under Washington's CAATSA (Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) legislation, were levied on several Russian individuals and their businesses in April 2018 as part of a wider measure to punish Russia for its interference in the 2016 U.S. election and what Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin described as its "malign activity around the globe." Putin denies that Russia tampered with the U.S. presidential election. "Weaponizing the financial system  can be justified if its drugs, nuclear proliferation, trafficking. But, to apply the same means (or) the same tools on entrepreneurs, and crushing all concept of presumption of innocence and fair process, I don't think it is something which will stay long," Deripaska said.

A 'new reality'

Deripaska, whose net worth is valued at $3.6 billion, is suing for what his court filing describes as "unlawful action" that led to "utter devastation of Deripaska's wealth, reputation and economic livelihood." Among the companies sanctioned were Rusal, the world's second largest aluminum producer, and En+, in which Deripaska owned majority stakes. The commodities magnate claims his wealth dropped by 81 percent, or $7.5 billion, as a result of the sanctions, and that he's "a victim of this country's political infighting."

Cannot see a strategy of taking on the U.S. Treasury ending well. That's an affront to the whole U.S. sanctions regime. Timothy Ash senior emerging markets strategist, Bluebay Asset Management

Deripaska said the impact of the sanctions  which he described as "a very strong instrument"  had forced him to adapt to a "new reality." The Trump administration lifted the sanctions on Rusal and En+ in January  against Democrats' objections  but not the sanctions on Deripaska himself. Deripaska's lawsuit demands that his name be removed from a list of sanctioned individuals, and that the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, cancel their decision to label him an "oligarch" and disclose records related to him. The legal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, names Mnuchin and OFAC Director Andrea Gacki as defendants. A Treasury Department spokesperson contacted by CNBC on Friday declined to comment on the pending litigation. OFAC's addition of Deripaska to a list of "Designated Russian Oligarchs" last April was based on allegations that he acted on behalf of "a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation," as well as for allegations of "money laundering ... threatening the lives of business rivals, illegally wiretapping a government official, and taking part in extortion and racketeering," as well as his operation in the Russian energy sector. But the billionaire's lawsuit is unlikely to be successful, according to Timothy Ash, a Russia expert and senior emerging markets strategist at Bluebay Asset Management. "Cannot see a strategy of taking on the U.S. Treasury ending well. That's an affront to the whole U.S. sanctions regime," Ash told CNBC in an email. "Resistance is futile, as they say, when it comes to fighting OFAC and the U.S. Treasury." Read Deripaska's legal complaint below:
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The latest India-Pakistan standoff over Kashmir was limited to a few aerial skirmishes and cross-border shelling, but the two nuclear powers were tempted to use their missile arsenals at one point, RT informed citing a media report.

At the height of the renewed hostilities in the contested Kashmir region, New Delhi threatened to launch its missiles at Pakistan, while Islamabad said it would respond with its own missile strikes three times over, Reuters reported, citing Western diplomats, as well as Pakistani, Indian, and American government sources.

In February, Pakistani-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed bombed an Indian Army convoy, killing dozens of troops. India responded with airstrikes targeting the groups hideouts in the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir, triggering retaliatory strikes and a series of dogfights in which an Indian pilot was shot down and captured by Pakistan.

As tensions mounted, India vowed to fire six missiles on specific targets inside Pakistan. That intention was separately confirmed by a Pakistani minister and a Western diplomat in Islamabad.

Predictably, Pakistan said it would counter any missile attacks with many more launches. We said if you will fire one missile, we will fire three. Whatever India will do, we will respond three times to that, an unnamed Pakistani minister told Reuters.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan inadvertently confirmed that the worst-case scenario could have played out. I know last night there was a threat there could be a missile attack on Pakistan, which got defused, Khan told the parliament in late February. I know our army stood prepared for retaliation of that attack.

Reuters sources said the release of the downed Indian pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, helped ease the growing animosity between the arch-rivals. However, there were sporadic artillery duels in late February and early March, in which several civilians were killed on both sides of the border.
AROUND TOWN: Care and Share Food Bank Recipe for Hope raises more than $400K to ease community hunger
Brexit 1) Meaningful Vote Three is set to take place this week, but May will pull it if she doesnt have the numbers

If the party whips do not think Mrs May has the numbers by tomorrow evening, her deal will not be put to a vote. If that happens  or it is put to a vote and she loses  the Prime Minister will fly to Brussels on Thursday to ask for an extension of up to two years: the EU is expected to attach stringent conditions, such as the UKs continued membership of a Customs Union, as the price for agreeing the extension.  Mail on Sunday

Brexit 2) The Prime Ministers ultimate threat: Vote for my dealor Brexit kops it

All this makes the choice now facing MPs clearer than it has ever been. If Parliament can find a way to back the Brexit deal before European Council, the UK will leave the EU this spring, without having to take part in the European elections, and we can get on with building our future relationship with the EU. If it cannot, we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever.  Sunday Telegraph

Brexit 3) What will the EU demand as the price for extension? Customs Union membership? Single Market membership too? A Second Referendum? None of the above?

Parties prepare to fight European elections  Sunday Express

Vardagar against a rolling extension  Sunday Express

Brexit 4) Meanwhile, Labour ducks and dives

If it fails Government sources have said they will be forced to seek a long extension and the EU will demand the UK would have to stay under Brussels rule in the customs union and single market. This so-called Norway option means Britain would have to accept most of Brussels rules with no say over their formulation along with continued free movement. Britain would also be unable to strike free trade agreements with the rest of the world. The EU too is expected to demand a second referendum as a condition of a long extension.  Sunday Express

The shadow Chancellor has revealed quite a number of MPs would back a compromise deal if the public have a final say. The party is working with Labour backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson on their proposals that will come before MPs this week.

Mr McDonnell said: Weve said we would support that if it comes back, and it may well be this week but it will be down to the tactics they want to pursue, because they will only push that when they think theyve got a realistic prospect of winning.  Sun on Sunday

> Today:

> Yesterday:

Leadership 1) Is Hancock emerging as an Osborne/Cameron-backed modernisation candidate?

The fight for the leadership has boiled down into two main battles. Hunt appears to have eclipsed Javid as the establishment candidate to beat but is under threat from dark horse Matt Hancock, the health secretary, who combines support from some remainers who once backed Amber Rudd with none of her attempts to undermine Brexit. Colleagues were impressed that he neutralised the NHS winter crisis and emerged as a more polished media performer.

 Stride holds dinners for Hunt.

 Glen and Evenett tour the tearooms for Javid.

 Osborne has switched support from Javid to Hancock.

 Coffey whipping for Truss.

 Sunday Times

Brexiteers will target Javid and Hunt  Sunday Telegraph

And dont forget Patel: she is set to make aid reform speech  Sunday Times

(Mordaunt latest International Development Secretary to demand spending overhaul  Sun on Sunday)

She is expected to back Hunt  Mail on Sunday

Will Johnson and Raab risk sticking with hardline ERG sub-group?  Sunday Times

Leadership 2) Johnson  his agonising Brexit vote choice. Does he jump with the switchers, or stick with the diehards?

The former Foreign Secretarys future rests on whether or not he backs Theresa Mays deal. He has twice voted against it but admirers believe he must be on the winning side again to stand a chance of making it into Number 10. BoJos chances increased after front runners Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid irked grassroots Tories by voting to delay Brexit until the end of June. One minister told The Sun on Sunday: Theres a tremendous opportunity for Boris here  bigger than when he decided to support the Leave campaign three years ago.  Sun on Sunday

Johnson tells Johnson and Johnson to button it as leadership campaign stands at the ready  Sunday Express

Leadership 3) Meet Team Raab

Mr Raab, the former Exiting the EU secretary who quit last year over Mrs Mays Brexit deal, has assembled a team of ambitious former Conservative ministers around him to support his bid. They include former foreign office minister Sir Hugo Swire, former Brexit minister Suella Braverman, former Northern Ireland minister Shailesh Vara and former ministerial aides Robert Courts and Michael Tomlinson. Paul Stephenson, a former senior campaigner in the Vote Leave campaign, is providing strategic advice.  Sunday Telegraph

Boles: I have no regrets



For some of us this enterprise has exacted a personal and political price. It has unleashed a torrent of vile threats online, especially for the women. In my case it has caused the final disintegration of my relationship with my local Conservative association. Although I will remain a Conservative MP until the next election I will not stand for re-election in Grantham and Stamford. But I have no regrets. This is how politics must work if we are to bring our divided nation together. Men and women of goodwill setting aside party-political differences and co-operating in the national interest.  Sunday Times

Boles resigns from his local Association, keeps the Conservative whip in the Commons, and says he wont stand again in Grantham  Observer

Senior Association member calls on MP to go now  Sun on Sunday

Most Conservative MPs support him, but at least one doesnt  Sunday Telegraph

Gyimah faces no confidence vote this week, 40 Associations protest against Mays policy  Sunday Telegraph

> Yesterday: ToryDiary  Boles has resigned as a member of his Conservative Association  but wishes to continue taking the Conservative Whip

Wright and Javid on the Christchurch massacre and social media: the era of self-regulation is coming to an end.

The white paper, devised jointly by the Home Office and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCSM), was set to be published in the winter, but publication is still pending. The DCMS has said it will create a framework to ensure the UK is the safest place in the world to be online. It will impose legal restrictions on online platforms covering areas such as childrens data, incitement to crime on social media, anonymity and online advertising. In a meeting with stakeholders and activists earlier this week, the DMCSs digital secretary, Jeremy Wright, told internet companies the era of self-regulation is coming to an end.  Observer

> Yesterday: Mohammed Amin on Comment  The New Zealand atrocity  and the symbiotic relationship between anti-Muslim and Islamist terrorists

Rudd and Hancock on fast-tracking claimants with mental health problems

Brine plans pre-9pm ban on junk food adverts

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd told The Sun on Sunday: I know that the security of a regular wage, the camaraderie of the workplace and the self-esteem you get from being in work can vastly improve the mental health of so many people. Thats why providing people with mental health conditions with as much support as possible, so they can get back into work, is one of my top priorities. And its also a huge benefit to Britains economy when everyone who is able to work does work. The move is expected to improve waiting times significantly for access to psychological therapies services and enhance the Jobcentres support so it reaches the most vulnerable people. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: Many people with mental illness feel as if they are at rock bottom. For some, work can seem like an impossible task. But I know that with the right support, people can feel better and get back into work.  Sun on Sunday

Adverts for foods high in fat, salt or sugar are estimated to have been seen 700m times online by children in 2017 and 3.5bn times on television. Steve Brine, the public health minister, said: It is not right that our children are so widely and easily exposed to adverts promoting foods high in fat, sugar and salt. Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: We hope the watershed is implemented as soon as possible.  Sunday Times

News in Brief
Lord Ashcroft: How the United Kingdom voted on EU referendum day  and why

The UK has voted to leave the European Union. On referendum day I surveyed 12,369 people after they had voted to help explain the result  who voted for which outcome, and what lay behind their decision.

The demographics

The older the voters, the more likely they were to have voted to leave the EU. Nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of 18 to 24 year-olds voted to remain, falling to under two thirds (62 per cent) among 35-44s. A majority of those aged over 45 voted to leave, rising to 60 per cent of those aged 65 or over. Most people with children aged ten or under voted to remain; most of those with children aged 11 or older voted to leave.

A majority of those working full-time or part-time voted to remain in the EU; most of those not working voted to leave. More than half of those retired on a private pension voted to leave, as did two thirds of those retired on a state pension.

Among private renters and people with mortgages, a small majority (55 per cent and 54 per cent) voted to remain; those who owned their homes outright voted to leave by 55 per cent to 45 per cent. Around two thirds of council and housing association tenants voted to leave.

A majority (57 per cent) of those with a university degree voted to remain, as 64 per cent of those with a higher degree and more than four in five (81 per cent) of those still in full time education. Among those whose formal education ended at secondary school or earlier, a large majority voted to leave.

White voters voted to leave the EU by 53 per cent to 47 per cent. Two thirds (67 per cent) of those describing themselves as Asian voted to remain, as did three quarters (73 per cent) of black voters. Nearly six in ten (58 per cent) of those describing themselves as Christian voted to leave; seven in ten Muslims voted to remain.

The AB social group (broadly speaking, professionals and managers) were the only social group among whom a majority voted to remain (57 per cent). C1s divided fairly evenly; nearly two thirds of C2DEs (64 per cent) voted to leave the EU.

How the parties divided

A majority of those who backed the Conservative in 2015 voted to leave the EU (58 per cent), as did more than 19 out of 20 UKIP supporters. Nearly two thirds of Labour and SNP voters (63 per cent and 64 per cent), seven in ten Liberal Democrats and three quarters of Greens, voted to remain.

Conservative voters constituted just over three out of every ten remainers, and four in ten leavers. Labour voters made up four in every ten remainers, and two in ten leavers.

When they decided

Just under half (43 per cent) of voters said they always knew how they would end up voting or decided more than a year ago. Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) decided in the week before referendum day; and one in ten decided yesterday, or on the day they filled in their postal vote.

Leave and remain voters were almost equally likely to have decided on the day. Labour and Lib Dem supporters who voted leave were more likely to have decided late than Conservative leavers.

Reasons to leave, reasons to remain

Nearly half (49 per cent) of leave voters said the biggest single reason for wanting to leave the EU was the principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK. One third (33 per cent) said the main reason was that leaving offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders. Just over one in eight (13 per cent) said remaining would mean having no choice about how the EU expanded its membership or its powers in the years ahead. Only just over one in twenty (6 per cent) said their main reason was that when it comes to trade and the economy, the UK would benefit more from being outside the EU than from being part of it.

For remain voters, the single most important reason for their decision was that the risks of voting to leave the EU looked too great when it came to things like the economy, jobs and prices (43 per cent). Just over three in ten (31 per cent) reasoned that remaining would mean the UK having the best of both worlds, having access to the EU single market without Schengen or the euro. Just under one in five (17 per cent) said their main reason was that the UK would become more isolated from its friends and neighbours, and fewer than one in ten (9 per cent) said it was a strong attachment to the EU and its shared history, culture and traditions.

Overall, small majorities of voters thought EU membership would be better for the economy, international investment, and the UKs influence in the world. Leaving the EU was thought more likely to bring about a better immigration system, improved border controls, a fairer welfare system, better quality of life, and the ability to control our own laws.

Next Conservative Prime Minister

For 2015 Conservatives who voted to leave the EU, Boris Johnson was the preferred successor to David Cameron for 43 per cent. Michael Gove was second with 19 per cent, and Theresa May third with 15 per cent.

For Conservative supporters who voted to remain, Theresa May was the most popular choice of successor for 28 per cent, followed by George Osborne (22 per cent). Boris Johnson was third, with 12 per cent, just ahead of Ruth Davidson on 10 per cent.

Among voters as a whole, the most popular choice for the next Conservative Prime Minister was Boris Johnson (28 per cent), followed by Theresa May (18 per cent) and Ruth Davidson (10 per cent). George Osborne (8 per cent) came fifth after Michael Gove (9 per cent).

National identity

In England, leave voters (39 per cent) were more than twice as likely as remain voters (18 per cent) to describe themselves either as English not British or more English than British. Remain voters were twice as likely as leavers to see themselves as more British than English.

Two thirds of those who considered themselves more English than British voted to leave; two thirds of those who considered themselves more British than English voted to remain.

In Scotland, remainers (55 per cent) were more likely than leavers (46 per cent) to see themselves as Scottish not British or more Scottish than British.

Social attitudes

A small majority of those who voted to remain think that for most children growing up today, life will be better than it was for their parents; leavers think the opposite by 61 per cent to 39 per cent. Leavers see more threats than opportunities to their standard of living from the way the economy and society are changing, by 71 per cent to 29 per cent  more than twice the margin among remainers.

Nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of remainers think life in Britain is better today than it was 30 years ago; a majority (58 per cent) of those who voted to leave say it is worse.

By large majorities, voters who saw multiculturalism, feminism, the Green movement, globalisation and immigration as forces for good voted to remain in the EU; those who saw them as a force for ill voted by even larger majorities to leave.

Political engagement

Those who said they paid a great deal of attention to politics were evenly divided between leave and remain. Those who said they paid little or no attention to politics voted to leave the EU by 58 per cent to 42 per cent.

What did they expect?

Seven voters in ten expected a victory for remain, including a majority (54 per cent) of those who voted to leave. Leave voters who voted UKIP at the 2015 election were the only group who (by just 52 per cent to 48 per cent) expected a leave victory.

The impact

More than three quarters (77 per cent) of those who voted to remain thought the decision we make in the referendum could have disastrous consequences for us as a country if we get it wrong. More than two thirds (69 per cent) of leavers, by contrast, thought the decision might make us a bit better or worse off as a country, but there probably isnt much in it either way.

>Full data from this survey, together with all of Lord Ashcrofts political research and commentary, is at LordAshcroftPolls.com
Would May agree to go quickly to get her deal through? She may yet hint at it. But watch the small print.

Some hold Theresa May entirely to blame for the Governments current condition  and Brexits. They argue variously that she has never believed in it, or else given way to Remainers, or to else to Brexiteers, or else been adamant for drift, or else been run by Olly Robbins, or else simply cocked everything up, especially since calling the 2017 election. Others claim that it is unjust to make her carry the can, amidst a divided Party, Commons, Parliament and Country. Our own take is somewhere between the two.

Whichever view Conservative MPs take, they should all agree on one point  namely, that there is no sign of May wanting to leave Downing Street. Prime Ministers almost never go willingly. The only exception we can think of recently is Harold Wilson  and he was ill, so shouldnt really count. No, May looks dug in for the moment, unless there is a long extension.

Perhaps she will surprise us all. Maybe she will emerge from Number Ten, for no apparent reason, to announce publicly that she is willing to resign. But we doubt it. It is more likely that, if the Prime Ministers back is up against the wall, as it was during Decembers leadership challenge, hints will be dropped and briefings given  but no pledge offered of an immediate departure.

Nor is there a means of forcing her out quickly. There can be no ballot until next autumn. The 1922 Committee wont move quickly. Nor will the riven, quarrelling Cabinet. Its Soft Brexiteers want to prop her up, for fear of Boris Johnson or Dominic Raab succeeding her  and of a new leader firing Philip Hammond. The harder ones have lost their mojo.

Other potential successors, such as if Jeremy Hunt or Sajid Javid, will not want to spearhead a putsch, or try to  partly on the principle that he who wields the dagger never wears the etc. (After you, Saj. No, after you, Jeremy.) So the suggestion that the Prime Minister might be prepared to stand down to get her deal through falls at the first hurdle  namely, that theres no sign of her playing ball.

Tory MPs will be hunkering down for Meaningful Vote Three this weekend. It will bring both principle and pragmatism into play, and the calculations they must make are not easy. We will say more about the choice later this week. But as they ponder the future, they can surely banish one scenario from their minds  namely, May quitting, during the next few days, in order to let her deal pass. That might suit the leadership aspirations of some potential successors. But wishful thinking and stubborn reality dont mix, at least in this case.
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Tomorrow, Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Crimea and Sevastopol to participate in the celebrations marking the anniversary of the referendum and the reunification of the republic with Russia. The relevant message was published by the Kremlin press service.

The Russian leader will take part in the commissioning ceremony of the Balaklavskaya TPP. He will also participate in the commissioning of the Tavricheskaya TPP and the Port substation in Taman through videoconference .

In Sevastopol, the head of state will visit the memorial complex of monuments of the 1854-1855 citys defense and the 1941-1944 Malakhov Kurgan, RIA Novosti reports.
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In that spirit, we've tracked down five of the creepiest tales and urban legends that really happened to real people, proving once and for all that nothing is more terrifying than everyday life.

The best creepy campfire stories are always the ones that end with the words, "...And it's all true, because I have the damned documentation here to prove it!"

The Dead Body Under Your Freaking Matress

The Legend:

A couple checks into a hotel and have to put up with a foul odor in their room all night. They call the staff to complain and somebody figures out the stench is coming from the bed.

Now, there's no way that scenario is going to have a good ending. You're almost hoping at that point that it'll turn out the last guest just got drunk and pooped behind the headboard. But, no, the staff take off the matress and discover the couple has been sleeping over the rotting body of a dead girl who had been stuffed in the box spring.

The Truth:

This actually happened, in Las Vegas. Also, Kansas City, MO and Atlantic City, NJ and several times in Florida and California and, well, let's just say that in or under the bed in a hotel room seems to be a fairly popular destination for the recently deceased.

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It makes sense if you think about it. The closet and under the bed are the two most popular places to hide just about anything, so it's not surprising a hell of a lot of corpses end up there as well. In fact, the odds are pretty good that at least once a guy has killed a prostitute, tried to stuff her under the bed, only to find there was already a body there.
The investigation centered around the diary of Bhavnesh's brother, 45-year-old Lalit Bhatia. Lalit had taken over as head of the family after their father's death in 2007, and it seems he had gone mad with a moderate amount of power. He believed his dead father was communicating with him, and everyone else in the family just ... went along with that. Lalit began to dictate the daily routines of his family. They cut meat and alcohol from their diets, became more religious, and saw their businesses grow and profit. And then they all killed themselves in a ritual meant to let them meet and thank Lalit's father for his spiritual guidance. A ritual everyone thought that they would somehow miraculously survive.

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Psychologists blamed the incident on a shared psychotic disorder. Lalit was delusional, but he had also legitimately helped the family, so no one wanted to be the weirdo who made things awkward by saying, "Hey, maybe group suicide isn't the right move here?" We'll never know whether Lalit believed everything he said, but that's how 11 educated, financially comfortable, well-respected middle-class people killed themselves without making a big deal about it.

Check out all of Eamon Lahiri's work here. For queries about work or his favorite flavor of ice-cream, get in touch at eamon.lahiri@gmail.com or say hi on Twitter.

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For more, check out the 6 Most Eerily Convincing Ghost Videos On YouTube - The Spit Take:





The first-ever Cracked Podcast LIVE TOUR is coming to a city near (some of) you this spring! Tickets on sale now for Chicago IL (April 11th) and St. Paul MN (April 12th).

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Being the narcissistic jackass that he was, you'd suppose that the star of the show might have taken some pleasure in all this attention. According to reports, Bundy and his jailers could clearly hear the commotion going on outside. But even the slayer of dozens of innocents apparently found the spectacle disconcerting. "They're crazy. They think I'm crazy? Listen to all of them," remarked the necrophiliac murder.

When 7:16 a.m. finally came and an anonymous executioner pulled a lever to send electricity coursing through his body, word soon trickled out that Bundy had finally been executed before even the "small puff of smoke" that arose from one of his legs even had time to dissipate. The news triggered an outpouring of emotion from all the Reagan-mask-wearing, homemade-tinfoil-electric-chair helmet-making members of the crowd outside. They let loose wild cheers and yelled in the faces of the many journalists in attendance things like, "Thank God it's Fry-Day!" (It was a Tuesday.)

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Even a hardened law enforcement professional like Jim Sewell, the police chief of Gulfport, Florida, was taken aback by the unabashed merrymaking he witnessed from the masses outside the prison. Despite admitting he had zero sympathy for the now-dead murderer, he pointed out that, "Regardless of what Bundy did, he was still a human being." Meanwhile, the crowd squealed in delight like tweens at an Ariana Grande concert as the coffin containing Bundy's corpse was transported away in a white hearse. They surrounded and chased it all the way to Gainesville, where he was cremated. (His ashes were later dispersed at an undisclosed location in the Pacific Northwest.)

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So maybe you think the people of today, with all the horrors of the world ready for their viewing pleasure right there on their phones, are exceptionally callous. Well, just remember the image of a mulleted guy piggybacking on a girl while holding a frying pan and wearing a tie-dyed shirt with "The Bundy-BBQ" written on it. We're not saying that Theodore Robert Bundy deserves any sympathy whatsoever. In fact, feel free to spit on the ground like a superstitious grandmother after speaking his name. But at least try to have a little dignity about it.

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That takes us to the saga of Caroline Calloway. As hilariously documented by writer Kayleigh Donaldson, Calloway decided to charge $165 for tickets to a touring seminar on how to "Be Yourself." She wouldn't even be present for the first hour, and that was somehow the best part. Calloway raked in at least $30,000, but put out a call for a photographer and videographer who were willing to work for free because, and this is an actual quote, "omfg supplies are EXPENSIVE." When people pointed out how sleazy that was, she made herself out to be a poor, put-upon event planner.

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A week before the tour launched, and long after the tickets were sold, Calloway was still looking for venues. On Day 1 of the tour in New York City, she abruptly cancelled promises of food and handwritten keepsakes. Then she announced that the seminars scheduled for other cities would also be in NYC. Ticketholders would just have to pony up for airfare on short notice. It was painfully obvious that she didn't want to pay to fly to cities she hadn't secured venues in, but her stated reasoning was that everyone told her the NYC venue was "perfect," and she now couldn't imagine holding her workshop anywhere else, which was technically true.

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And the saddest detail of all, somehow, is that she promised every attendee an orchid "crown," then only produced a single flower that people could clip in their hair for selfie ... before returning for the next person to use.

The rest of the non-touring tour shockingly ended up being canceled. It's difficult to tell how much was a scam and how much was born from Calloway's extremely Instagram-friendly attitude of believing that good intentions and the right attitude can accomplish anything right up until any work is involved. But either way, hundreds of hopeful young women were taken advantage of, while Calloway got to write the whole thing off as a proud learning experience. You can't let the haters drag you down with cruel comments like "Hey, maybe learn to plan events?"


Half Year Report December 2018

Perth, Mar 18, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Your directors are pleased to present their report on the consolidated entity consisting of Australian Potash Limited ( ASX:APC ) and the entities it controlled at the end of, or during, the half-year ended 31 December 2018.LAKE WELLS POTASH PROJECTAustralian Potash Limited ( ASX:APC ) is an ASX-listed Sulphate of Potash ('SOP') explorer and developer. APC holds a 100% interest in the Lake Wells Potash Project located approximately 500km northeast of Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. On development of Stage 1, Lake Wells will comprise a 150,000 tonne per annum (tpa) SOP processing operation, supported by an estimated 35-bore brine abstraction network.During the half-year, APC continued progressing the feasibility study into the development of the Lake Wells Sulphate of Potash Project.LAKE WELLS GOLD PROJECTEarn In & Joint Venture Agreement with St Barbara LimitedOn 8 October 2018, APC announced that the Company and St Barbara Limited (SBM) entered into an Earn in & Joint Venture Agreement, covering tenure at the Lake Wells Gold Project over the tenements identified below (see Figure 4 in link below).Under the terms agreed and previously announced, SBM paid APC $1.25M in cash consideration for entering into the Agreement and has agreed to pay a minimum exploration expenditure of $1.75M in the first year.During the period, APC and SBM have continued to progress their joint venture by forming a management committee as provided for under the Earn in & Joint Venture Agreement. Work completed includes preparation for access to allow a 500 hole, 23,500 metre Lake Wells aircore drilling program to commence in late Q3 March or early Q4 June FY19.To view the full report, please visit:About Australian Potash Ltd

Australian Potash Limited (ASX:APC) is an ASX-listed Sulphate of Potash (SOP) developer. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Lake Wells Potash Project located approximately 500kms northeast of Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields.

Following the release of a Scoping Study in 2017, APC has been conducting a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) into the development of the Lake Wells Potash Project. The Company is aiming to release the findings of the DFS in H2 2019.

The Lake Wells Potash Project is a palaeochannel brine hosted sulphate of potash project. Palaeochannel bore fields supply large volumes of brine to many existing mining operations throughout Western Australia, and this technique is a well understood and proven method for extracting brine. APC will use this technically low-risk and commonly used brine extraction model to further develop a bore-field into the palaeochannel hosting the Lake Wells SOP resource.

A Scoping Study on the Lake Wells Potash Project was completed and released on 23 March 2017. The Scoping Study exceeded expectations and confirmed that the Project's economic and technical aspects are all exceptionally strong, and highlights APC's potential to become a significant long-life, low capital and high margin sulphate of potash (SOP) producer.
Contributed / Connecticut State Police

GREENWICH  Connecticut State Police warned motorists to slow down by posting photos of a Sunday afternoon accident to the agencys Twitter page.

The post read Today Troopers were dispatched to a one car rollover as a vehicle was traveling into the Southbound Greenwich Rest Area on Route 15. Fortunately only minor injuries. Todays lesson: SLOW DOWN driving into the rest area.
Heres your General Assembly with less than a month to go before legislative committee deadlines start crashing on the way to their June 5 adjournment.

The House and Senate are droning on about some semi-inconsequential nominations, opposed only by a handful of ultra-cons from places in Connecticut youve never heard. One of them is Rob Sampson of Wolcott, a former longtime House member whos now in the smaller, more-opaque sandbox of the Senate.

Sampson is the lone vote against retired Supreme Court Justice Lubbie Harper Jr. of New Haven, whose age necessitates that he must become a judicial referee. Harper, you might not remember but Sampson surely does, sided with the majority in the states landmark 2008 Elizabeth Kerrigan et al. v. Commissioner of Public Health.

That was the historic ruling, written by Justice Richard Palmer, declaring that the states civil union law was unconstitutional and that same-sex couples have the right to marry, too. The decision forced the General Assembly to codify gay marriage.

The Capitols bustling, with a bunch of committee meetings scheduled throughout the afternoon, after the House and Senate let out.

David Lehman, the Greenwich millionaire who Gov. Lamont wants to lead the states economic development, is working the halls against pushback, both perceived and real.

Im trying to decide if he reminds me of Mary Tyrone, the tragic elderly matriarch lost in the third-act fog of Long Days Journey Into Night, remarking on how pretty her hands once were. Or maybe Lehmans wearing the quizzical look of a Yale undergrad who just found out that his mom, Goldie Saxe, had written a big honking check for him to get accepted.

But what Im really interested in is what turns out to be a more than four-hour meeting of the legislative Government Administration & Elections Committee, which is holding a public hearing on a raft of good-government bills, including an attempt by the State Elections Enforcement Commission to account for the so-called dark money that the 2010 Citizens United ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed to pollute Connecticut Politics.

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill testifies for more than 90 minutes. First-term Rep. Matt Blumenthal, D-Stamford, wonders whether state statutes could be changed to allow people to obtain absentee ballots if they expect to be out of town at any time on Election Day. Currently, ABs are available only for voters who will be away all day.

Its a step in the right direction, Merrill says. A member of Merrills staff joins her and warns Blumenthal that a previous attorney general, who happens to be the young lawmakers father, had ruled against a particular proposal.

I question his.... and the rest of Blumenthals remarks are lost in the welcomed laughter that only a crowded legislative hearing room can enjoy during esoteric arguments on ballot access. Thank you madam chairman, Blumenthal says, sheepishly, to Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly.

Sampson is the ranking member of the committee, where Republicans have a lot less clout than they did in the two previous years, when the tie in the Senate allowed the GOP to have a co-chairman who could help kill bills. Now, Merrills push for early voting and so-called no-excuse absentee ballots has a better chance.

Ive always seen no-excuse absentee ballots as essentially early voting, Sampson says, asking Merrill what it costs to run an election. She said that since different towns have varying staffing levels and pay scales, its hard to tell. Theres no real consistency.

The reality, says Rep. Steve Harding, R-Brookfield, is that many communities struggle with public policy apathy. Towns are finding it harder to get staff. Merrill agreed. Towns are having trouble finding registrars for $6,000 a year.

Its now early afternoon Friday in the State Capitol Press Room. Twenty-four hours ago, the door opened across the room from my desk by the east window and a familiar face appeared.

Rep. Ezequiel Santiago was looking for a fifth-floor office for a meeting, and had walked up the wrong staircase. A couple reporters with desks closer to the door pointed him in the right direction, and he turned to go.

Wait, I beckoned from behind my screen of plants. You never come up here.

I stood and walked the 15 yards to him, and asked Santiago if he had even been in this little-known corner of the historic, 1878 building. He admitted he hadnt. I gave him a brief tour of the 60-foot-by-60-foot room, festooned with political campaign signs (Rowland Governor) from long-ago races, the map of Connecticut, the bookcases full of state statutes and walls covered with old newspaper headlines.

Look, you have to see the centerpiece here, I said, leading him to the Press Rooms pride and joy: a large framed photo of the famous 1970 meeting between President Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley. It was an occasion when the president had bestowed upon Presley a vague anti-drug award.

Subsequent biographies of The King revealed that he was likely blasted out of his gourd that day on pills.

Look at him, Santiago said, noticing Presleys bloodshot eyes, the cape, the hand-tooled belt buckle, the huge 70s era shirt collar. He laughed, then left for his meeting. Come up more often, I implored. He promised he would.

Within hours, Ezequiel was dead, the victim of an apparent heart attack at 45.

Ken Dixon, political editor and columnist, can be reached at 203-842-2547 or at kdixon@ctpost.com. Visit him at twitter.com/KenDixonCT and on Facebook at kendixonct.hearst.
US Allies Dont Agree With Trump Blocking Huawei

The Trump administration's push to get US allies to block Chinese firm Huawei from their next-generation wireless networks is facing skepticism from political and industry leaders in Europe.

At a major global industry conference recently in Barcelona, many are pushing back on US claims that Huawei poses a national security threat. Industry players instead argue that a blanket ban on the Chinese telecom's hardware would set 5G deployments back years and inject more uncertainty into the rollouts.

Nick Read, the CEO of the British telecom giant Vodafone, told reporters at the Mobile World Congress recently that swapping out Huawei equipment thats already in European networks would be a massive undertaking that structurally disadvantages the continent amid a global race to roll out the networks.

Read said the US should present evidence that Huawei poses an unacceptable risk.

We need to have a fact-based risk-assessed review, he told reporters at the event, according to Reuters. People are saying things at the moment that are not grounded, Im not saying that is the case for the US because I have not met them directly myself so I have not seen what evidence they have, but they clearly need to present that evidence to the right bodies throughout Europe.

Vodafone has worked with Huawei in developing the next-generation wireless networks known as 5G, but it is still awaiting a UK intelligence report for the final word on whether the Chinese business will be permitted in their infrastructure.

Last week, one of the UKs top cybersecurity officials said that any threat that Huawei poses could be managed. And German officials are reportedly leaning towards allowing the company to participate in their countrys 5G buildout.

The Trump administration has emphasized 5G as essential to the US economy and national security. Proponents say that the new capabilities, which are still years away from being fully realized, will deliver much faster mobile download speeds that will unlock a technological revolution.

But the pushback from US allies comes as Trump himself has signaled that he's open to a softer stance on Huawei, potentially undercutting his administration's efforts.

The president suggested last week amid a new round of trade talks with Chinese government officials that the US would consider dropping charges against Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested in Canada in December at the request of the Trump administration. Meng is facing extradition on charges of violating trade sanctions against Iran.

After months of rumors that Trump would sign an executive order banning the use of Huawei's products from the nations wireless infrastructure, he appeared to back away from that last week.

I want to have competition with China, the president told reporters in the Oval Office recently. Fair competition. I don't want to block out anybody if we can help it. Now if there's going to be a security reason or something, then we have no choice, but that is one of the things we'll be discussing today. We want to have open competition. We've always done very well in open competition.

Huawei has become the worlds largest supplier of telecommunications equipment because it offers low prices that competitors have a hard time competing with, and the president has warned that U.S. providers need to catch up.

The US is lagging behind, Huawei chairman Guo Ping said in Barcelona. His message is clear and correct, Guo added of Trump.

Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House and a staunch Trump ally, said in a phone interview with The Hill that Huaweis growth will give China extraordinary access to information and an extraordinary ability to manipulate it.

Theyre a national security threat in the long run because what they want to do is go out to countries all over the world and offer them government-subsidized cut-rate deals and end up with Huawei providing all of the telecommunications capabilities, Gingrich said.

The former Georgia Republican added that if Huawei had access to the worlds 5G networks, China would be able to amass troves of data that would give its intelligence services a huge advantage over the Wests.

But thats proving to be a hard sell to many in Europe. Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete, the CEO of Spains Telefonica, told Bloomberg there is no proof of any wrongdoing in any part of our networks and that the US should offer evidence showing that Huawei is a risk.

For the time being there is a lot of noise, and we would really like to become factual on that issue, Alvarez-Pallate said.

As for the US market, its still unclear whether Trump will sign the executive order keeping companies like Huawei out. Doug Dawson, a consultant for small telecommunications carriers, though, says that after years of warnings from lawmakers and intelligence officials, domestic companies have mostly avoided using Huawei parts out of fear they could soon be outlawed.

They've been trying to break into the market with low prices, Dawson told The Hill. At this point, you'd never buy it new because you couldn't support it.

Whether they actually have a backdoor, I don't know how any of us would know that, he added.

The Hill:

You Might Also Read:

British Telecom Is Stripping Huawei Out Of Its Network:
Cette annonce nest plus disponible et aucune proposition ne peut etre transmise.

Consultant to elaborate a complaint handling system for the national commission for human rights in Djibouti a Djibouti

Consultancy to elaborate a complaint handling system for the National Commission for Human Rights in Djibouti (CNDH)

Terms of Reference



Background



The objective of the Better Migration Management (BMM) program is to improve the migration management in the East and the Horn of Africa in response to the needs identified by the African countries of the Khartoum Process and in particular to address the trafficking of human beings and the smuggling of migrants within and from the Horn of Africa.



The BMM program has four components:

Policy Harmonization;

Capacity Building;

Protection of Vulnerable Migrants; and

Awareness-Raising.



The program is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Commission. . It is currently in its third year of implementation. The implementation is facilitated through an implementing partnership consisting of IOM, UNODC, CIVIPOL, Expertise France, British Council, the Italian Department of Public Security, and the lead agency GIZ. The programmes interventions target countries in the Horn of Africa region, i.e. Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan,Somalia and Uganda.



In the framework of implementing its component 3, that focuses on protection, GIZ-BMM strengthen the capacity of the national institution for human rights (CNDH) in promoting and protecting migrants rights in Djibouti.



In parallel of implementing a monitoring system for human rights violations system, the CNDH can instruct and provide all legal assistance to any person (migrants and citizens) who believes that his/her fundamental rights have been violated to stop it.



Although having this mandate, the CNDH has so far never been able to respond effectively to the few complaints received and has never been able to communicate on this investigative power due to a lack of clear and precise procedure.



Based on this situation but also on the several human rights violations cases informally observed, GIZ-BMM has undertaken to strengthen the organizational capacities of the CNDH in order to allow an internal reorganization to enable on the one hand a better inclusion of migrants as one of the priority target and on the other hand to create and operationalize a a complaint handling system.



It is within this framework and with a view to enabling the CNDH to implement fully its attributions related to the protection of Human Right that GIZ seeks to engage an international Human Rights Expert to develop a complaint handling system for Djiboutis National Commission of Human Rights.



To this effect, GIZ-BMM is seeking to engage a national human rights expert to support with an internaltional one the establishment of a complaints handling system for the CNDH.



Consultancy:



The assignment aims to contribute to the reforms currently undertaken by the CNDH, by assisting in the creation and implementation of a complaints mechanism.

As part of this consultation the expert in the CNDH,under the supervision and collaboration of an international expert,will be responsible for reinforcing the capacities previously identified and strengthening its mandate of investigation and sanction regarding rights violations. .

This work has to be done in accordance with the requirements of the laws and regulations in force in the Republic of Djibouti, to enable CNDH to deal effectively with complaints and other cases of human rights violations.

The national expert will also be responsible for facilitating communication and meeting between the selected international expert, the CNDH and its partners.



Outcomes of the consultancy



Collect, in a desk and field research, all kind of national data necessary for carrying out the mission of the international expert in general. This includes the legal data on the organization, respective competences of all state administrations able to receive complaints from citizens, organizational data of the different administrations receiving complaints, all texts governing the judiciary system (powers, organizations, procedures) and more generallyany data that the international expert might deem necessary to obtain.

Help the international consultant to frame the work of the CNDH in the reception and the management of the complaints, in accordance with the balance sheet carried out previously so that it is not in contradiction with the procedures/attributions of the courts provided for by the laws and regulations.

Support the development of a complaint handling manual in French;

Provide a comprehensive report with clear recommendations in soft and hard copy.





Working languages



All written reports, presentations, and trainings related to the consultancy will be in French. To communicate with the international expert, English is also compulsory.





Duration and timeframe for the consultancy:

Timeframe: The mission has to be executed in april and may 2019

Total working days: 30





Consultancy requirements:



Advanced University Degree from an accredited institution in law or human rights or related disciplines;

Minimum of 10 years work experience in the field of administration of justice or in legal counsel;

Work experience in Djibouti desired;

Excellent command of French and English;

Excellent analytical and organizational skills;

Good communication and mediation skills.



To apply, please send your resume, financial and technical offert at these email adress before the 24th of march.



Emplois & Services, Emplois

17 mars, 2019

148 vues au total, 0 vues cette semaine
The decision to prosecute one of the Bloody Sunday soldiers is straightforward victors justice. And if you still havent grasped who won in the war between Britain and the Provisional IRA, perhaps the truth will now at last sink in. All war is crime. But only the losers ever face trial for it.

Whether Soldier F is guilty or not is a matter for the courts, and should stay that way. I have nothing to say about it. But the long, dragging process which has led to his being charged is political, far more a matter of power than of justice.

It is because we were the vanquished and the Provisional IRA, backed with all the might of the USA, were the winners in 1998 that this is happening at all.

If we had won, scores of IRA and loyalist murderers (freed as a sop to the Protestant killer gangs) would still be doing time. And our police and courts would still be hunting down the culprits of hundreds of terrorist crimes which will now never be punished. And there would not be the slightest chance that a long-retired ex-paratrooper would be preparing for his trial, for actions allegedly taken while under Army discipline.

Youths confront British soldiers minutes before paratroopers opened fire killing 14 civilians on what became known as Bloody Sunday

IF you are sharp-eyed, you will have noticed that the body which announced the prosecution is called the Public Prosecution Service, not the Crown Prosecution Service. That should be a helpful hint. Britains continued rule in Northern Ireland is provisional, in more senses than one.

So the Crown, the symbol of British authority which adorns every courthouse and prison (and every embassy abroad), and is to be found on the cap-badge of every police officer and all service personnel, has already been abolished in Northern Ireland.

In the same way, our flag has been hauled more than halfway there. In Northern Ireland now, the Union Jack can only be flown on public buildings in limited circumstances.

Everybody there knows that one day soon, the referendum promised in the 1998 surrender to the IRA will be held, and the whole thing will be handed over to Dublin rule. For the first time since 1945, a Western European country will surrender territory to its neighbour as a reward for successful armed aggression backed by the USA, a fact so shocking that many still cannot comprehend it.

This handover is guaranteed by solemn treaty, by the way. Therell be no dithering, no negotiation, no second thoughts. The projected Irish referendum is not advisory. It will be final if it decides in favour of a united Ireland (though it can be held again, every seven years, if it produces the wrong result, until it comes up with the right one).

Derek Wilford, pictured (left) in recent years and (right) in 1972, was the commander in charge on Bloody Sunday. He said he felt his men had been betrayed

Yet millions, especially the Blair creature who signed the instrument of surrender, are still keen to pretend that we won this nasty little war, when we lost it, as Soldier F now knows very well.

It is all part of the deep, deep sleep of Britain, from which we shall only be awakened by shock and awe, as we finally realise that we have spent what we earned, and wantonly wrecked what we inherited from our wiser forebears.

I'm a veteran of political demonstrations going back to the 1960s, though I have given it up in recent years.

One sad thing has always been constant at these events  the almost total absence of glamorous young women, especially when it is raining.

Theyre just not all that keen on such things, usually preferring expensive restaurants to street protest. I cant think why.

But in recent months I keep seeing pictures  such as this one taken yesterday  of unusually attractive female enthusiasts demonstrating in favour of leaving the EU, whichseem to contradict this ancient law of nature. They even turn out in pouring rain. Does anyone know who they are?

If human nature has changed,we need to do the research into how this extraordinary thing happened.

Are Daleks aiming at No10

The most sinister building in London has, for many decades, been the Admiralty Citadel, a windowless concrete bunker overlooking Horseguards Parade. Attempts to make it seem less menacing, by growing Virginia creeper on it, have not succeeded. Ive never been able to find out what goes on inside it. As I passed it the other day, I noticed it has sprouted Dalek-like protuberances, above, pointing in the general direction of Downing Street. The Ministry of Defence says they are communications equipment. If they say so, it must be true.

I hate to say it, but we missed our chance to dump the Tories

The current EU mess really was not that hard to foresee. As I wrote in a blog posting on February 4, 2016: I myself am baffled as to how a referendum could decide the issue, when huge majorities in both Houses of Parliament, plus the great bulk of the media, plus businessmen (traditionally utterly ignorant about politics) plus the civil service, the education sector, and the judiciary, are committed to our continuing membership. If we voted to leave, who would implement the decision?

On February 28, 2016, I wrote here: You read it first here. The EU is like the Hotel California. You can check out. But you can never leave. Something I now hear repeated almost every day by somebody or other.

If the Tories collapsed, some horrible Trump-like body, with its knuckles brushing the ground, would barge into the empty space, says Peter Hitchens

Likewise, when I realised nearly two weeks before the vote that there would be a Leave majority, I predicted: We are about to have the most serious constitutional crisis since the Abdication of King Edward VIII. I suppose we had better try to enjoy it.

If  as I think we will  we vote to leave the EU on June 23, a democratically elected Parliament, which wants to stay, will confront a force as great as itself  a national vote, equally democratic, which wants to quit. Are we about to find out what actually happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?

My argument, for years before then, was as it is now  the main obstacle to any serious change for the better in this country is the existence of a party which calls itself Conservative but is nothing of the kind.

Alas, I fear it is now too late to get rid of it. Everyone is too bitter to think.

If the Tories collapsed, some horrible Trump-like body, with its knuckles brushing the ground, would barge into the empty space.

If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here
A mother-of-two who is studying law while on maternity leave has revealed the very mixed reactions she gets from students when she arrives to class with her newborn strapped to her chest.

Alexia Arthur, 26, from Christchurch in New Zealand, was determined to further her education after giving birth to Felix 11 weeks ago - but it hasn't been easy.

'I had some boy walk past and say "She's got her baby here, what the f*** is she doing?" but he was some 18-year-old so he probably doesn't get it. I'm there for the same reason that he is,' Ms Arthur told Daily Mail Australia.

A mother-of-two who is studying law while on maternity leave has revealed the very mixed reactions she gets from students when she arrives to class with her newborn strapped to her

Ms Arthur, who also has a two-year-old, has been working in local government for five years but wasn't qualified for a more senior role.

So the 26-year-old thought maternity leave would be the perfect time to return to studying full-time, switching to part-time once she returned to work.

'It's all been good and really positive, the only thing is I get a lot of people staring at me,' she said.

The 26-year-old thought maternity leave would be the perfect time to pursue her passion so she is studying full-time currently and will then study part-time once she goes back to work (pictured with her two-year-old daughter)

She explained that although her two little ones keep her busy she found herself quickly getting bored with her time away from work and was losing sight of herself.

While Ms Arthur said her two little ones kept her busy, she found herself quickly getting bored and was losing sight of herself.

And despite reservations about bringing Felix in with her five days a week, it had gone better than she had hoped.

'I didn't know if it was going to be okay but everyone at law school seems fine with it and he's a very chill baby,' she said.

'Everyone's really nice but the younger students definitely stare a lot. I'm breastfeeding right now so I can't be without him anyway, I'm trying to make it work.'

'Everyone's really nice but the younger students definitely stare a lot. I'm breastfeeding right now so I can't be without him anyway, I'm trying to make it work,' she said

'Even the Dean of law told me to see her personally if I need help with the juggle struggle,' she said

Ms Arthur has tried to time it perfectly so that most of the time Felix is asleep during lectures and classes but occasionally she does need to breastfeed him.

'The university has been super welcoming. My lecturers have said I'm all good to bring him and have asked if I ever need help to ask them,' she said.

'Even the Dean of Law told me to see her personally if I need help with the juggle struggle and someone else emailed me the lecture notes when I was breastfeeding as I couldn't take notes.'

All of this being said, Ms Arthur's classes have only been going for a week so far, so it's still all very new.

'Even the Dean of Law told me to see her personally if I need help with the juggle struggle and someone else emailed me the lecture notes when I was breastfeeding as I couldn't take notes,' she said

Although Ms Arthur had some reservations bringing Felix in with her five days a week it has been going better than she could have hoped

She has decided that she will continue to take Felix with her to university until he's old enough to go to daycare.

Ms Arthur said it's amazing that her university has been so welcoming and has offered her the support she needs.

'I think it's important that this is considered normal, it's not the 1950s, we can do everything if we want to,' she said.

'Our Prime Minister even took her baby to the UN so it's becoming more normal if you want to do everything, but it's important that you have the support.

'I don't think I'm doing anything particularly extraordinary or amazing, I'm just doing what I want to do and that should be expected in 2019.'
A former investment banker who retrained as a chef when she lost her job during the financial crisis has had a second wave of success as a luxury confectioner.

At 27, Italian-born Lavinia Davolio, was the director of an investment bank in London, one of the youngest ever in the company's history.

Lavinia, now 35, wasn't put off by being the only woman in a team of 34 men and she loved the rush of the trading floor and the thrill of closing multi-million pound deals.

But following the financial crash, she turned up to work one day in 2012 to discover her security pass no longer worked. The Italian-born rising star was one of 4,500 made redundant in a day.

Seeing it as an opportunity, Lavinia, who has always had a passion for food, decided to retrain as chef and launch her own confectionery, which has been served at Buckingham Palace, and is set to turnover a million pounds in the next year.

Lavinia Davolio, retrained as a chef after she was made redundant from her job as an investment banker. Now she runs Lavolio, a luxury confectionery company that's stocked by Fortnum & Mason and is set to turnover 1million in the next year

The banker-turned-chef-turned-entrepreneur is excited to set out on her latest adventure, motherhood.

'It's very exciting and terrifying at the same time' she told Femail. 'Being your own boss means maternity leave is different, I'll have more flexibility and I'm indispensable now, which you're not working for a big corporation!'

'When the baby comes I'll be able to work around my own schedule more. I'll be able to do work when he sleeps, hopefully. That's the scary thing about being pregnant, you don't know what's going to happen.'

Being made redundant after almost a decade in the industry at just 30, Lavinia saw the opportunity to start something completely new.

'Every stereotype you hear about investment banking is true,' she explained. 'It's not an easy place for a woman'.

Despite her fast rise in the ranks, Lavinia was often mistaken for a secretary, and decided her redundancy was the perfect time retrain and open up a restaurant or a patisserie.

Now 35, the banker-turned-chef-turned-entrepreneur is excited to set out on her latest adventure, motherhood, and plans to work around her baby's sleeping schedule

'I grew up on a farm in Italy with a big Italian family that all loved food. I knew then I wanted to follow my passion and set up a restaurant of patisserie,' she said.

'The problem with chocolate is that it melts, and it doesn't keep long in warm weather.

'One day, I discovered we could use a panning technique using revolving copper barrels to coat food with a sugar shell, and wondered if it would work for chocolate.

'It's great because it's a natural preservative, but it also means there's a surprise inside.

'I wanted to make a box of chocolate more exciting, using nuts, coffee, spices and real fruits - so that's what's in the product.'

Being made redundant after almost a decade in the industry at just 30, Lavinia saw the opportunity to start something completely new, and retrained as chef, and soon set up her own business

Six months after creating the recipe in her kitchen, she was being stocked by Fortnum & Mason, which lead her chocolates to be served at Buckingham Palace.

'I had to figure out how to do everything on my own,' she said.

'I went to food stalls and markets, refining my product and pitching before Fortnum & Mason became my first major stockist.

'As they have the royal seal I was invited to take the chocolate to Buckingham Palace, it was very secretive and I was only allowed into the delivery room, but it was very exciting!'

'We now stock all the best independent shops all over the UK, a few with the royal seal.

'I have my own boutique shop in Fulham, west London, but 50 per cent of our retail is done online, mostly through Amazon Marketplace.

'Our online sales means we can afford to have the brick and mortar shop, which is such a nice touch, it means we can personalise and gift wrap for our clients.

Six months after creating the recipe in her kitchen, she was being stocked by Fortnum & Mason, which lead her chocolates to be served at Buckingham Palace, and Royal Ascot

Six years on, she ships to 27 countries worldwide, and has a team of five which she can be assured will look after the business when she's on maternity leave.

Her husband Angelo, who works in the City, plans to keep working when the baby comes too.

'I'm pretty flexible, but I don't plan to stop working. I might branch into confectionery for children, too!'

'At the moment our boxes say "not suitable for children" on them, but a lot of new mothers become mum-trepeneurs.

She even hopes that one day her son will takeover the business.

'I feel the chocolate reflects me, it's very personal, it has my name on it. We like to put our name on food, it's an Italian thing!' she explains.

Six years on from creating the recipe on her kitchen table, Lavinia now ships to 27 countries worldwide, and has a team of five which she can be assured will look after the business when she's on maternity leave

She's the first in her family to go into business. One of six children, five of whom are in the UK, none of them work as entrepreneurs.

'My Dad's a vet, so is my sister, another sister is a teacher, i'm breaking the mould!'

'We all love food, but I'm the only one in the industry. My Dad is my biggest fan, and my husband is chief taster!'.

The growth of the company has all been organic, and her team are made up of staff recommended by her old clients, and those who applied through online adverts.

'We all chip in to do everything' she adds 'Operations, marketing, production and sales'.

Part of her success if the focus on the whole 'sensory' experience not just a sugar hit.

The growth of the company has all been organic, and her team are made up of staff recommended by her old clients, and those who applied through online adverts. She says that in her job she 'learns something new everyday'

The sweets come in designer tins often adorned with floral patterns, some of which use William Morris designs and are sold at the V&A.

'The pace of my job hasn't really changed since I was on the trading floor' she adds.

'I learned to be compliant, articulate, and on time in my banking job, and those are all skills I still use now.

'But now I know how to cook, I've learned about health and safety, food safety, it's a lot different. Now, I learn something new everyday.'
Baptiste viewers were left shocked by the violent death of yet another central character in the latest installment of the BBC drama.

Fans of the detective series watched villain Constantin perish tonight, after he was apparently thrown from his balcony in an assassination - just a week after the violent murder of transgender cafe owner Kim Vogel (Talisa Garcia).

The scene came in the nail-biting penultimate episode of the hit series, after the killer was blackmailed by Baptiste into helping the police investigation and ensuring the French detective's safety.

Viewers took to Twitter after the shocking scene, which left fans guessing over what might happen in the final episode next week.

Early on in the episode, Baptiste blackmailed Constantin into helping him with his investigation as the pair appeared in a tense retaurant scene

However, having agreed to help the French detective Constantin was apparently thrown from his balcony into a busy cafe on the streets below

One shocked viewer wrote: 'This episode is well intense', while some couldn't believe the astonishing scenes, saying: 'NO WAY!'

'This is brutal', a fan tweeted, as another wrote: 'Good God, this is a bloodbath' following the gruesome death.

Many viewers couldn't believe they were left to guess what would happen next, with one social media user insisting: 'I need another hour!'

Earlier in the episode, viewers had watched Constantin (Alec Secareanu) blackmailed by French detective Julien Baptiste into helping him with his investigation.

Viewers took to Twitter after the shocking scene, which left fans guessing over what might happen in the final episode next week

Baptiste presented him with a 17m high performance luxury motor yacht, paid for in cash.

'Now, you'll have to admit to your employers that it's [the money] been stolen and I'm sure they already have their suspicions,' Baptiste argued.

'And if they were to discover the purchase of this boat in your name, in cash...I'm sure even Edward Stratton could make sense of that.'

The French detective promised that if anything were to happen to he or his family, then he would to tell Constantin's colleagues that he had blown the stolen money on the boat, which Baptiste had brought in the assassin's name.

Baptiste returned to TV screens on tonight as the French detective desperately tried to uncover the lost money and secure the safety of his family

Assassin Constantin was uninterested in Baptiste's offer at first, and was only interested in helping the detective once he found himself being blackmailed

Baptiste revealed he had paid for a luxury yacht in cash and that he would reveal the purchase to Constantin's colleagues

Baptiste offered the killer protection and a new life, in exchange for information and his family's safety.

Genevieve and Baptiste discussed the plan with Martha, as the French man argued that he understood the killer.

Constantin almost immediately chose to help the detective, and they agreed to meet within the hour at a secret address.

However, as the assassin desperately packed a bag of clothes in an attempt to escape, there was a loud banging at his front door.

And it wasn't not long before his fate became clear, when he plunged from his balcony and landed on the parasol of a cafe on the street below.

The assassin was left desperate as he suggested he would help Baptiste, and quickly packed a bag of clothes as he attempted to escape

Having agreed to help Baptiste, the killer plans an escape route, but he is terrified by a knock on the door

Those dining in the cafe below were shocked as the killer plunged to his death in an apparent assassination - leaving viewers at home in shock

Though liaison officer Genevieve questioned if it could be suicide, Baptiste knew better, saying: 'A man like that? Never.'

It wasn't the only death this week, with Edward Stratton (Tom Hollander) discovering his ex wife Claire and new boyfriend slaughtered by the Romanian gang.

Stratton managed to protect himself, and stabbed the assassin to death while he was being choked.

Secrets unfolded elsewhere in the episode, as Martha revealed to Niels that Baptiste is his father, and a grieving Greg found a mysterious box that his dead partner Kim Vogel had left him with images of her as a young boy inside.

And at the end of the programme, it was revealed that Baptiste has his doubts about ex-girlfriend Martha's honesty, suggesting she may have worked with the gang to provide them with Stratton's whereabouts.

Baptiste returns to BBC1 on Sunday for the final episode at 9pm
A popular Australian beauty brand known for their cult tanning oil has released a face water that promises bronzed, breakout-free skin to match your body.

Bali Body, which boasts an incredible 1.3 million followers on Instagram, debuted the new product on Tuesday March 5 and one unit sold every 30 seconds.

'The new Bali Body Face Tan Water is a clear, lightweight and super hydrating water that leaves your face, neck and decolletage with the perfect natural tan, every time,' the company said.

Scroll down for video

A popular Australian beauty brand known for their cult tanning oil has released a face water that promises bronzed, breakout-free skin to match your body

Bali Body, which boasts an incredible 1.3 million followers on Instagram, debuted the new product on Tuesday March 5 and one unit was sold every 30 seconds (before and after)

'It's a fake tan for your face that won't clog pores or cause breakouts and evens out skin tone in just 4-6 hours.

'It has a fresh floral scent (no fake tan smell), is vegan and has natural DHA.'

Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is a colourless chemical that interacts with the amino acids in dead skin cells to produce a brown colour change.

'It's a fake tan for your face that won't clog pores or cause breakouts and evens out skin tone in just 4-6 hours,' the brand said

Already customers are raving about the $29.95 tanning water on their website

After seeing global success with their Self Tanning Mousse - which sold out online three times - the beauty juggernaut is hoping this new item will have a similar viral effect.

Already customers are raving about the $29.95 tanning water on their website.

'I bought it last week and applied it before going to bed. I normally do not go out without makeup and for the first time my skin was so pretty hat I did not feel like wearing anything on top,' one person wrote.

A third added: 'I love this product so much! It felt so light on my skin and gave my face a perfect bronzed glow. I got so many compliments on my skin. Obsessed!'

'I had no clue what this would be like but it is amazing! I used to hate tanning my face because it would make me break out. This has actually made my skin better,' another said.

A third added: 'I love this product so much! It felt so light on my skin and gave my face a perfect bronzed glow. I got so many compliments on my skin. Obsessed!'

Although there was one caution to wash your hands after every use because it will develop between your fingers and on your palms.
Natural and at-home cleaning solutions are constantly being swapped between homeowners, but just because they might be safer for you and the environment, that doesn't mean they work.

Everything from Coca-Cola as a toilet cleaner to microwaving your kitchen sponges to kill bacteria have been suggested in the past.

But in practice a lot of these suggestions barely help at all and just make the surfaces you're trying to clean sticky or strangely scented.

Scroll down for video

Everything from Coca-Cola (pictured) as a toilet cleaner to microwaving your kitchen sponges to kill bacteria have been suggested in the past

1. Remove food storage container stains with lemon juice

The original hack argues that an individual should rub half of a lemon onto the plastic stains, leave it for 24 hours and then gently rinse the item.

Other suggestions included leaving the bowl or container in the sun for one or two days with the lemon rubbed in, as the sunlight will 'lift' the grime.

But Stuff.co.nz reported that this was an ineffective method and will only leave your container smelling extra scented.

The original hack argues that an individual should rub half of a lemon onto the plastic stains, leave it for 24 hours and then gently rinse the item

2. Clean your sponges by heating them in the microwave

Placing a damp sponge in a microwave for two minutes on high heat is said to kill any nasty bacteria that might be hiding inside it.

But while it might have a small effect, it certainly won't get rid of the bacteria.

A study conducted by a group of microbiologists conduced that it was more effective to replace your sponge every week or so.

Placing a damp sponge in a microwave for two minutes on high heat is said to kill any nasty bacteria that might be hiding inside it

3. Using Coca-Cola to remove toilet stains

The theory is that you need to pour a can of coke into your toilet, let it settle for an hour and then scrub and flush as you might normally clean.

But those who have tried it say there is only a small amount of change to be seen.

In this instance you're better off leaving it to the professionals and opting for a chemical product made for toilets.

The theory is that you need to pour a can of coke into your toilet, let it settle for an hour and then scrub and flush as you might normally clean

4. Use lemon and baking soda to remove marks on your kitchen bench

For this hack you should supposedly dip a half-cut lemon in baking soda and rub it onto your countertop to remove grime and stains.

To finish you simply wipe the surface with a wet sponge and dry it with a tea towel.

But sadly this will only pick up smaller stains and won't work on the vast majority of deeper marks.

However, it will increase the shine of your bench considerably.

For this hack you should supposedly dip a half-cut lemon in baking soda and rub it onto your countertop to remove grime and stains

5. Removing plastic chopping board stains with lemon juice

Soaking your chopping boards in lemon juice for 20 minutes is said to leave them sparkling clean.

While it does minimise the marks, it doesn't completely eradicate them.

Several applications of the lemon juice, and perhaps popping it in the sun, would hasten the process.
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have toasted St Patrick's Day with a pint of Guinness after watching a traditional parade of the Irish Guards.

William, who has been colonel of the regiment since 2011, arrived with Kate on Sunday morning for the couple's annual visit to the 1st Battalion at its base in Hounslow, west London.

Paying a sartorial tribute to Ireland's national day, Kate donned a new emerald green coat from Alexander McQueen, believed to have cost at least 3K, with a Lock & Co. hat and 510 Gianvito Rossi pumps, while her husband wore his Irish Guards Frock Coat.

The duchess added a pair of special edition green amethyst and green tourmaline earrings from Kiki McDonough.

During their visit, in a tradition stretching back more than a century, Kate presented sprigs of shamrock to officers and warrant officers, before a march past where her husband took the salute.

The couple were later toasted by the longest-serving Guardsman at the Guardsman's Lunch, and the duchess was formally thanked for presenting the shamrock.

Cheers! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoy a pint of Guinness after attending the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, where she presented shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

Kate looked delighted to be reunited with Domhnall the Irish wolfhound, the Irish Guards' furry mascot. At past parades, the Duke has sipped on a traditional pint of Guinness in a nod to the tradition of the day although last year Kate, who was heavily pregnant with Prince Louis, opted for a sparkling water instead

Kate was presented with posies of flowers by six-year-old Jemima and her sister Athene, three (pictured). Crouching down to speak to them, she waved goodbye to the siblings before Kate cooed over their 12-week-old baby brother, Rory

Making friends: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge share a joke with officers following the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, where they presented shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

Feeling broody? The Duchess of Cambridge (right) coos over a baby at the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

Flashback: It's not the first time the Duchess of Cambridge has enjoyed a traditional pint of Guinness; seen here on St. Patrick's Day in 2017. The following year, she was left to sip on sparkling water while pregnant with her third child

During their visit to Cavalry Barracks today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led a minute's silence to pay respects to the New Zealand terror attack victims.

The parade began with the Last Post, before a minute of silence was observed by the royals, the Irish Guards and their families who stood in memory of the 50 victims.

After Kate presented the shamrock to guardsmen and warrant officers, three cheers were raised to the royal duo before a march past where William took the salute.

Some 350 soldiers marched on the Parade Square at Cavalry Barracks on Sunday morning, while their families proudly watched on wrapped up warm with blankets to protect from the cold March wind.

Drummer Murray said: 'We've had a week-long preparation as a battalion, we've had a couple of rehearsals, couple of little bits that we've had to obviously fine tune.'

Leading the procession was Irish wolfhound and mascot Domhnall, whom Kate patted and stroked several times while presenting him with a shamrock.

Kate was then presented with posies of flowers by six-year-old Jemima and her sister Athene, three. Crouching down to speak to them, she waved goodbye to the siblings before cooing over their 12-week-old baby brother, Rory.

'Is he a good sleeper?', she asked his father, Major Ben Irwin-Clark, company commander of number two company. 'Oh well enjoy, it just gets better and better,' she added, imparting some maternal wisdom as she waved goodbye.

Princess on parade: Paying sartorial tribute to Ireland's national day, Kate donned traditional emerald green, teaming a buttoned coat with a matching floral hat and Gianvito Rossi pumps while her husband was dressed in full military attire

Kate paid tribute to St. Patrick's Day in forest green, adding a pair of 510 pumps. She added a pair of special edition green amethyst and green tourmaline earrings from Kiki McDonough and a hat from Lock & Co

Princess on parade! Kate and her husband, who has been Colonel of the Irish Guards since 2011, are paying their annual visit to the 1st Battalion at their base in Hounslow, west London

The Duke of Cambridge salutes the Irish Guards following their traditional march past as the Duchess looks on. The the Duke of Cambridge took on the role of the Guards' royal colonel in 2012 and during their visit today the couple also held a minute's silence for the victims of the recent New Zealand terror attack

All smiles: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looked to be in excellent spirits today. The couple were later toasted by the longest-serving Guardsman at the Guardsman's Lunch, and the duchess was formally thanked for presenting the shamrock

The Duchess of Cambridge attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow on Sunday, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards - a tradition dating back to the early 1900s

Kate shares a giggle as she meets officers today. In a tradition stretching back more than a century, Kate presented sprigs of shamrock to officers and warrant officers, before a march past where her husband will take the salute

Kate wrapped up warm in a pair of black gloves and wore a decorative floral hat. She added a pair of special edition green amethyst and green tourmaline earrings from Kiki McDonough to complete her St. Patrick's Day look

Kate prepares to present soldiers with shamrock. The tradition, which began in 1901, later became the trademark of the Queen Mother who maintained it until she died - famously missing her favourite day's racing at Cheltenham to be there

Kate is all smiles as she arrives at the Cavalry Barracks this morning. One of the five regiments of the Foot Guards, the Irish Guards have been a part of the British army since 1900, when they were founded by a royal decree from Queen Victoria

Kate presents shamrocks to officers in London today. The tradition which began in 1901 later became the trademark of the Queen Mother who maintained it until she died - once missing Cheltenham to be at the St Patrick's Day parade

Ryan Orr, who has been with the Irish guards since 2004, brought his six-year-old son Kallum to the parade.

It is Kallum's second parade, having met William and Kate in 2016. The recruitment warrant officer, who lives in Aldershot, joked: 'He put his hand in Prince William's pint three years ago, didn't you sausage?'

Asked if he was proud of his dad, Kallum said 'Yeah, extremely', adding that he was looking forward to meeting the duchess again.

The family later shared a laugh with Kate and William as they recounted the episode. Mr Orr said: 'It means a lot because every (St Patrick's) day we get together... have a good drink and a catch up at the same time.

'The battalion's due to deploy to South Sudan and Iraq this year so it's extra special to get together as one before they deploy.'

Kate is handed a sprig of shamrock to pin to Domhnall's coat. Domhnall, which is Gaelic for 'world leader', traditionally leads 350 soldiers as they march on the Parade Square, although concerns have been raised about his ailing health in recent years

Old friends: The couple were also reunited with their furry friend Domhnall, a seven-year-old Irish wolfhound and mascot they have met several times previously, at Cavalry Barracks today. He has been the regiment's mascot since 2013

The Duchess pets the Irish Guards' mascot, Domhnall. The much-loved hound, who has his own Twitter account @officaligmascot and succeeded a dog named Conmael, joined the Irish Guards in 2012, a year after the Duke of Cambridge took on the role of the Guards' royal colonel

Kate pins a traditional sprig of shamrock to the pooch's coat. Domhnall, which is Gaelic for 'world leader', traditionally leads 350 soldiers as they march on the Parade Square at Cavalry Barracks on St. Patrick's Day

Kate opted for her signature beauty look of rosy cheeks and a nude lip today. The couple were later toasted by the longest-serving Guardsman at the Guardsman's Lunch, and the duchess will be thanked for presenting the shamrock

Bravery of Irish Guard savaged by a buffalo in Kenya as he tells Duke of Cambridge of his ordeal A guardsman who was savaged by a buffalo in Kenya was singled out by the Duke of Cambridge to recount his ordeal. Guardsman John Bogg was deployed with the Irish Guards for a training exercise in October when he was attacked by a buffalo on high ground during an early morning patrol. William immediately asked to speak to the 19-year-old during a visit to 1st Battalion at their barracks in Hounslow, west London, after a Saint Patrick's Day parade. Describing the ordeal, he told the Press Association: 'I heard a grunting sound to my left and there was a figure built quite well, and I saw in the glint of the moonlight its horns, then it charged at us. Guardsman John Bogg, pictured in London today, was attacked by a buffalo on high ground during an early morning patrol in Kenya 'Everyone ran to the left and I went to the right. It chased after me, flipped me with its horns, flew me about 10 metres further down, then it kept repeatedly butting me, about four or five times. 'My day sack saved me, otherwise I would have been impaled. Once it thought I was dead, finished, it gave me a final butt and ran off, trampled over me, so I was lucky to survive it. If it wasn't for my day sack I wouldn't be still here now.' Guardsman Bogg has been part of the Irish Guards for 18 months, and was deployed to the Falklands before Kenya. The duke, described by the soldier as 'very hands on' in his role as Colonel of the Irish Guards, visited the operation in Kenya last year but was not there when the incident occurred. He later heard the story after it was passed up the army's chain of command, and loudly asked: 'Where's Guardsman Bogg?' when he entered the dining room, where hundreds of soldiers were waiting to toast him. The teenager said his name being called out was 'completely unexpected'. Shaking Guardsman Bogg's hand, the men chatted for a few moments before William gestured quizzically to the rest of his comrades and asked about the role they played after he was attacked. 'They all ran off sir,' the teenager replied, prompting raucous laughter. Moments earlier, the guardsmen banged on tables and cheered as they waited for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to arrive. The couple later sipped pints of Guinness as hundreds of soldiers stood to toast them. Describing their meeting, Guardsman Bogg said: 'He said it was unbelievable that I was still here and he'd heard about it, and asked me how the buffalo attacked me. And then Kate was just asking what had happened. 'The interaction in Kenya, coming out and seeing us  I don't think every regimental colonel does that. I think you've got to be one in a million to do that to be honest with you.' He added: 'To think that he's chosen me out is quite special to honest with you, especially for someone that high up to hear about such an incident, it's brilliant.' Advertisement

Since 1901, when the regiment was first founded by order of Queen Victoria, the tradition has traditionally been presided over by a woman - with the exception of 1950, when King George VI presented the shamrocks to mark the regiment's 50 anniversary.

The shamrock's three heart-shaped leaves represent Ireland and the Holy Trinity. God and country and, on St Patrick's Day every year, it's handed out to Irish Guards who fight and die in the British Armed Forces.

In times of war, the shamrock is shipped out to them to be tucked into their Kevlar helmets, and for those at home the ultimate honour is to have it presented by a senior female member of the royal family family.

The tradition which began in 1901 later became the trademark of the Queen Mother who maintained it until she died - once missing her favourite day's racing at Cheltenham to be at the St Patrick's Day parade.

It was later taken up by Princess Anne, however since 2012 the duty has fallen to the Duchess of Cambridge whose husband is the current royal colonel of the Irish Guards.

Kate has attended every year since - except for 2016, with her decision to remain at Anmer Hall with her two young children causing controversy - and is dressed in head-to-toe green.

The couple arrive at Cavalry Barracks. Some 350 soldiers marched on the Parade Square at Cavalry Barracks on Sunday morning, while their families proudly watched on wrapped up warm with blankets to protect from the cold March wind

Kate and William arrive in Hounslow to honour the Irish Guards on St. Patrick's Day. Paying sartorial tribute to Ireland's national day, Kate donned traditional green, teaming a military style coat with a black floral hat

Kate shares a giggle with officers in Hounslow today. The couple were reunited with their furry friend Domhnall, a seven-year-old Irish wolfhound and mascot they have met several times previously, at Cavalry Barracks today

The couple were all smiles as they arrived in west London this morning. At past parades, the Duke has sipped on a traditional pint of Guinness in a nod to the tradition of the day however last year pregnant Kate opted for a sparkling water instead

Royal custom: In a tradition stretching back more than a century, the Duchess of Cambridge presents ceremonial sprigs of shamrock to officers and warrant officers - before a march past where her husband then took the salute

The Duchess is greeted by officers. Paying sartorial tribute to Ireland's national day, Kate donned traditional emerald green, teaming a coat with a matching floral hat and Gianvito Rossi pumps while her husband was dressed in full military attire

The couple were also reunited with their furry friend Domhnall, a seven-year-old Irish wolfhound and mascot they have met several times previously, at Cavalry Barracks today.

Domhnall, which is Gaelic for 'world leader', traditionally leads 350 soldiers as they march on the Parade Square at Cavalry Barracks on Sunday morning, although concerns have been raised about his ailing health in recent years.

The much-loved hound, who has his own Twitter account @officaligmascot and succeeded a dog named Conmael, joined the Irish Guards in 2012, a year after the Duke of Cambridge took on the role of the Guards' royal colonel.

Drummer David Murray, his regimental handler, said the St Patrick's Day parade was 'number one' in his calendar and like a 'second birthday'.

The canine mascot, wearing a red coat, was presented with his first shamrock in 2013 and today led the regimental band and parade.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose for a photograph with officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards during the regiment's St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London

Kate and William pose for a photograph with officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards during the regiment's St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, after Kate presented the troops with shamrock

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose for the traditional group photograph. One of the five regiments of the Foot Guards, the Irish Guards have been a part of the British army since 1900, when they were founded by a royal decree from Queen Victoria to commemorate the Irishmen who died fighting during the Boer War

Say cheese! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge smile for the camera as they attend the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

The couple mark their visit with a group photo. During their visit to Cavalry Barracks today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led a minute's silence to pay respects to the New Zealand terror attack victims

Kate and William took part in the traditional group photo. The couple were later toasted by the longest-serving Guardsman at the Guardsman's Lunch, and the duchess was formally thanked for presenting the shamrock

Picture perfect: Paying sartorial tribute to Ireland's national day, Kate donned traditional emerald green, teaming a custom coat with a Locl & Co. hat and 510 Gianvito Rossi pumps, while her husband wore his Irish Guards Frock Coat

Kate shares a giggle with young troops during this afternoon's reception. The Irish Guards were among the last units to be deployed to Afghanistan and in 2013, were drafted in to play a mentoring role for local Afghan troops before being returned to the UK in time for the Queen's birthday parade

The Duchess of Cambridge charms members of the Irish Guards during her visit today. The couple were toasted by the longest-serving Guardsman at the Guardsman's Lunch, and the duchess was formally thanked for presenting the shamrock

Queen of style! Paying sartorial tribute to Ireland's national day, Kate donned traditional emerald green, teaming a custom coat with a matching hat and 510 Gianvito Rossi pumps, while her husband was dressed in full military attire

The Duchess of Cambridge chats to soldiers and their families during this afternoon's reception. Kate and William, who has been Colonel of the Irish Guards since 2011, arrived on Sunday morning for their annual visit to the 1st Battalion at their base in Hounslow, west London

Making friends: The Duke Duchess of Cambridge chat to a little girl after attending the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, where she presented shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

William presents medals to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as he attends the 1st Battalion Irish Guards St Patrick's Day Parade at Cavalry Barracks - after Kate presented officers with shamrocks

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after attending the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, where they presented shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

Famous faces: One little girl appeared less than impressed at the prospect of meeting the Duchess of Cambridge as she mingled with guests at a reception during this morning's St. Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow

All in the details: The Duchess of Cambridge, who wore an emerald green coat believed to be from Alexander McQueen, added a custom hat and a pair of special edition green amethyst and green tourmaline earrings from Kiki McDonough

The Duke of Cambridge, dressed in full military attire, wasted no time in getting into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day as he sipped on Guinness during a visit to at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow to watch the Irish Guards' annual parade

William and Kate share a laugh during this afternoon's reception at Cavalry Barracks. Alongside its role serving in British conflicts overseas, the Irish Guards also serve in ceremonial and public duties at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St James's Palace and the Tower of London

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toast the Irish Guards. The regiment currently has troops deployed in Uganda, Jordan and Kenya, and training will ramp up in September ahead of missions to South Sudan and Iraq

William and Kate celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the Irish Guards. Three years of ceremonial duties for the regiment came to an end in January and their main focus of the past 12 months was on exercise Askari Storm, a battlegroup exercise in Kenya

The Duchess of Cambridge's hair as seen from behind

At past parades, the Duke has sipped on a traditional pint of Guinness in a nod to the tradition of the day although last year Kate, who was heavily pregnant with Prince Louis, opted for a sparkling water instead.

One of the five regiments of the Foot Guards, the Irish Guards have been a part of the British army since 1900, when they were founded by a royal decree from Queen Victoria to commemorate the Irishmen who died fighting during the Boer War.

Since then, the Guards, who, like all Guards regiments boast the Queen as their colonel-in-chief, have fought in all the major 20th century conflicts and, more recently, led the British advance into Basra during the Iraq War in 2003.

The Guards were also among the last units to be deployed to Afghanistan and in 2013, were drafted in to play a mentoring role for local Afghan troops before being returned to the UK in time for the Queen's birthday parade.

Three years of ceremonial duties for the Irish Guards came to an end in January and their main focus of the past 12 months was on exercise Askari Storm, a battlegroup exercise in Kenya.

It currently has troops deployed in Uganda, Jordan and Kenya, and training will ramp up in September ahead of missions to South Sudan and Iraq.

Alongside its role serving in British conflicts overseas, the Irish Guards also serve in ceremonial and public duties at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St James's Palace and the Tower of London.
Model Yasmin Le Bon has revealed she's determined to hold onto her 'rock'n'roll' style despite becoming a grandmother.

The mother-of-three, 54, who recently returned to the catwalk during Calvin Klein's Spring 2019 show, explained that she's not afraid of dressing in whatever she likes.

Speaking in the Telegraph's Stella magazine, Yasmin, who lives in Richmond, west London, said: 'I wear more miniskirts now than I did in my twenties and thirties.

'The older you get, the more you need to hold on to your rock'n'roll. I like labels that design for people like me - characters who just never want to grow up.'

Much has changed since Yasmin's first runway for Calvin Klein at the tender age of 23 in 1987 - including her becoming a grandmother to Taro last June.

Model Yasmin Le Bon, 54, pictured at Somerset House in 2016 , has said she 'wears more miniskirts now than I did in my 20s and 30s'

Yasmin, pictured in a full-length dress at a London party in 1998, said although she's getting older she's embracing her more 'flamboyant' style

Yasmin and Duran Duran frontman husband Simon welcomed their grandson, whose mother is their middle daughter Saffron, 27, last summer.

And reflecting on her return to the catwalk after a seven-year break, Yasmin explained she 'didn't want to look like someone's grandma on the runway.'

But Yasmin said she's embraced her new roles in life and loved coming back and walking with up-and-coming youngsters like Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber.

Yasmin also revealed how she has embraced the changes she's seen in herself as she's entered her fifties.

Although not 'ruling anything out' when it comes to having cosmetic procedures done in the future, the beauty did warn against fillers, thinking people should just use a great surgeon and 'save up for the face lift.'

The mother-of-three, pictured during the Calvin Klein Spring Summer 2019 show during New York Fashion week, returned to the catwalk in September

Yasmin Le Bon, front, and her oldest daughter Amber Le Bon, 29, behind, are pictured at the Vogue and Tiffany & Co party at Annabel's in London in February 2018

Yasmin, who was one of the highest paid models of the 80s, is married to Duran Duran frontman Simon, pictured together in 2016, and they live in west London

Looking back on her long career, Yasmin revealed that she's keen to recycle looks and revisit what she already has in her wardrobe.

She said 'I have no problem with wearing everything again' and is embracing her more 'flamboyant side.'

The British-Iranian model, who celebrated 33 years of marriage to Simon, 60, on December 27, has three daughters Amber, 29, Saffron and Tallulah, 24.

In January Yasmin stepped out with Amber for a gala celebrating the new Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition London's Victoria and Albert Museum.

The pair looked like sisters with their both of them opting to pull their hair back and wear floor-length outfits with impeccably-applied makeup.
Sunday Brunch fans were left in hysterics as Fleabag star Sian Clifford accidentally swore during a live broadcast of the Channel 4 cooking show.

The actress who is best known for playing Claire in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's BBC comedy series, was playing a game that involved throwing teabags when she dropped the F-word.

Sian, 36, covered her mouth in shock after loudly shouting 'F***' when she failed to hit her target.

Host Tim Lovejoy, 50, who was standing next to Sian at the time quickly apologised to the audience saying: 'Can I just apologise for that language?'

Viewers were left in hysterics over the accidentally faux pas and took to Twitter to share their reactions.

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The cast of the popular Sunday morning show which included British comedian Keith Lemon had announced they were going live on air moments before Sian's blunder

Actress Sian Clifford, 36, (pictured left) who is best known for starring in BBC's Fleabag stunned viewers of Channel 4's Sunday Brunch and its host Tim Lovejoy, 50, (pictured right) after swearing live on air today

Social media users began tweeting alongside the show moments after the cast announced they were live.

In response to the blunder, one person said: 'ha ha ha love a casual F bomb on a Sunday morning and it wasn't even @lemontwittor.'

Another wrote: 'Woman on Sunday Brunch just dropped the F bomb live on air and all whilst trying to throw a t bag into a cup.'

A third added: 'Did she just drop the F bomb?? best part of the show #sundaybrunch.'

Guest on the show including celebrity comedian Keith Lemon (pictured right) began laughing uncontrollably after Sian's outburst

Tim Lovejoy (pictured centre) attempted to turn discussions on the show towards darts after quickly apologising for the actress

A stream of social media users took to Twitter to share their amusement over the show's unexpected turn of events

Sian (pictured as Claire in BBC drama Fleabag) was claimed she was overthinking when she through the teabag and blurted out a profanity

One Twitter user was unimpressed by Sian's reaction to swearing and accused her of trying to just cover it up

Hosts Tim Lovejoy, 50, and Simon Rimmer, 55, who were joined by guests including Keith Lemon were stunned and quickly tried to recover from the blunder.

The show continued with the guests laughing off the incident and Tim trying to revert to talking about darts.

However, not all social media users were impressed by the quick change in direction of the popular show which has been on air since 2012.

One person said: 'Seriously, why does Sian Clifford think she's above apologising to the public for her expletive and just tries to cover up? Shocking!'

Another wrote: 'And there goes Sian's TV career...'
Suzie Cregan, 40, from Christchurch, Dorset, is cofounder (with her brother, Jim) of British brand Jimmys Iced Coffee. She lives with her husband, Tom, and their 18month-old daughter, Bee.

After training in health and beauty, I decided on a very different career path  with Dorset police.

Seven years later I popped into a travel agent on a whim and left with a round-the-world ticket. I left the force and went adventuring.

Suzie Cregan, 40, from Christchurch, Dorset, is cofounder (with her brother, Jim) of British brand Jimmys Iced Coffee

On my return, I brought back my new-found passion for smoothies and opened a smoothie bar. Four years later, my brother, Jim, came back from his travels around Australia obsessed by iced coffee.

Straight away I saw his vision and was so confident in our plan, I put my cafe on the market that day.

Jim was the ideas man and the face of the brand, while I was the companys engine room, helping turn ideas into reality.

We wanted to be simple, clean, authentic and delicious, with just four ingredients: Arabica coffee, milk, water and a touch of Demerara sugar.

It took lots of late-night taste tests to get the flavour just right. We worked out of my bedsit with one goal in mind  to be a global drinks brand. Our parents lent us nearly all their life savings.

The first four years were the hardest, with neither of us having a day off. We drove for miles hand-delivering stock, going to exhibitions and meetings. Wed sleep in lay-bys.

Most days mum, who lived around the corner, would arrive in her dressing gown with bacon rolls and a pasta salad for our lunch.

Jimmy's Iced Coffee was first stocked in Selfridges in 2011, it's now in Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer

Our first stockist was Selfridges in 2011. Today, were in Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer, to name just a few. Everyone said working with a sibling was a terrible idea, but making big decisions alongside someone with whom you can be honest is an advantage. Sometimes I dont even need to speak; Jim just knows.

Eight years on, there are 21 of us at Jimmys HQ and a new managing director running the show. He talks about things such as key performance indicators (whatever they might be!), which keeps our team on track, but importantly has enabled me to take a step aside.

Last year Id just had my daughter, Bee, and was back at work three weeks later. Id take her into work with me and rock her in her baby bouncer with my foot underneath my desk. Thank goodness for both grandmas  they were run ragged.

Now, my role is new business and maintaining customer relationships, which I can do from my phone on a playground slide with Bee. My work-life balance finally exists and was worth the seven years of hard slog to set up our own company.
A message on WhatsApp led me to look at the morning's newspaper . . . and that is how I first became aware of the death of my former husband.

Pow! My first reaction was one of extreme shock, which surprised me.

We had been divorced for more than 20 years and had no communication during that time, except on the occasion he called to tell me he was getting married again.

I was even more surprised when the shock was followed by a huge wave of sadness. But then, what did I expect? I had no idea how one reacted, or was supposed to react, to the death of an ex (and, in my case, only) husband.

There are no self-help books, no advice centres or helplines, no features in any of the magazines I had worked on and edited. This was a completely new emotion.

Jo Foley explains she had been divorced for more than 20 years and had no communication with her former husband, except on the occasion he called to tell her he was getting married again, when she discovered he had died from her morning paper

I didn't weep, but I felt hollow for days, trying to adjust my emotional compass to a world where somebody I had been closer to than any other living being was no longer around.

It didn't matter a fig that we hadn't been in touch for years. Suddenly, memories of our life together came bounding back, and I was sad.

When we had started out together, our lives weren't supposed to end this way  we were young, excited and wildly in love. We had vowed to one another in church to be together 'until death us do part'.

But then, all marriages start off with the same expectations, and for many it works. It didn't for us, although we hung on for almost 19 years.

Some of those years were magical, some monstrous, and for much of the time we tried to make it work even though we split up every so often; sometimes for a few days, sometimes for weeks and once for a few months.

But something always brought us back together, much to the amazement, amusement and occasional annoyance of friends.

We met in our 20s when we worked for the same newspaper in Birmingham. From the beginning, our relationship was volatile  full of highs and laughter, followed by deep lows. But we were young, energetic and in love.

First, we had to adjust to living with each other.

We were both spoilt. I was an only child and he, a much younger brother, was brought up almost as one. So we wanted everything, and we wanted it now. But we didn't have exactly the same tastes. From the colour of the front door to the pictures on our walls, everything had to be negotiated, discussed, argued about. Exhausting.

And as for the rest of our preferences, he liked France; I preferred Italy. He loved Beethoven and Led Zeppelin; I was a Bach and Leonard Cohen aficionado. He wanted to live in the country; I was a townie. He liked dogs; I'm a cat person.

Memory lane: Jo Foley with Desmond Quigley on their wedding day

He preferred me in what I termed 'wife clothes', that is, dresses and suits; I wore what he called 'bag lady'  Jean Muir and Issey Miyake.

But despite our considerable differences, we got on with life.

We were lucky that we were also loving our work, often spending more time on that than with each other. We were successful and in demand, moving jobs rapidly. We hardly took holidays because we were having so much fun . . . and when we did, we were knackered and fought with what was left of our energy.

It was often on our way back from such a break that we decided to call it quits. But back at home, we soon returned to our old routine.

One of our separations was so serious that I bought a house. Then we thought we should try again. That meant another move and I half-jokingly suggested we should have a house where we had a floor each and one in which we could meet. It was the beginning of the end.

By then, he had set up a consultancy and was consumed with establishing it. Stress started to take a toll on his health and our relationship.

One of our separations was so serious that I bought a house. Then we thought we should try again. That meant another move and I half-jokingly suggested we should have a house where we had a floor each and one in which we could meet. It was the beginning of the end.

His drinking increased and his depressions went deeper. I can't say we argued more, as we always had a fairly feisty relationship, but the looks were colder, the tears heavier, the silences longer.

I think relationships end when there is nothing left to say, and we had said it all over the years.

It came to a head when he agreed to take a sabbatical from work and I suggested that while he was away, we should do what we had been trying to do for years: call it a day.

A few months later he moved out of the house. Our divorce came through quickly  there was no third party, no children and no financial squabble.

The only quibble was about a painting which we both loved and which had been a present from him.

I offered custody rights: his for six months and then mine. But the good grace which was so much a part of him emerged and it became solely mine.

We saw each other a few times after the divorce and he came with me to my father's funeral (at his own request), which was 28 years ago. But after that we had no contact.

Over the years, fragmentary elements of his whereabouts filtered through  his move to the country, then away to France  but nothing else.

And then, a few months ago, seven lines in The Times brought it all back. He may not have been in my life by then, but he had been a huge part of it.

What was disturbing was that the announcement stated he had already been cremated, at his request. So he really didn't want to be remembered.

Death is soothed by memorial services, rituals, celebrations,  all part of the mourning process. In his case, death and cremation were a fait accompli by the time I heard of it.

Strange, though, that after such a long, long time I still felt the need to mourn the man I was once married to. I later discovered that he had died after a long illness. He was 71.

I'm still so very sad that he is dead, and grateful for the life we had together. I wouldn't have missed it for the world: the good  and, yes  the bad and the ugly, too.
James Brabazon is a film-maker and writer who has spent his entire career hanging out in hostile places, his social circle a bunch of spivs, spooks, government assassins and mercenaries. Of all his war stories, a couple stand out. First, there was the day he was savaged by a crocodile and made a tourniquet from his own belt only to pass out when a medic stitched him back together with just a dribble of anaesthetic.

Brabazon, 46, was holding the croc in the approved manner  a bit like bagpipes  when it hit him with a scaly tail sharp as a breadknife on the back of his head and sank its teeth into him, gouging one arm and both thighs. We were nose to nose, he recalls. I gave it a solid left hook, which did nothing other than nearly break my knuckles. A croc wrangler eventually wrestled him free.

James Brabazons work in Liberia made his name and gave him the clout to have his films aired on the BBC, Channel 4, HBO and Netflix

Then they started to stitch me up, through the subcutaneous layers that contain your nerve endings. It hurt a great deal more than being bitten.

That episode in Zimbabwe doesnt feature in his new book, The Break Line. Nor does the second, though it did take place in West Africa, which is where the novel, his first, is set.

Brabazon was many months into a civil war there, holed up with rebel forces in Liberia and surviving on the most meagre of rations, a bowl or two of boiled rice daily. Then he found a solitary tin of condensed milk.

It seemed like a miracle  it meant I could make rice pudding. I was just about to eat it when a rocket-propelled grenade went through the side of the building next door. I stood up, grabbed my pudding and ran down a level. But then another RPG came in and someone started strafing the balcony I was on.

So I put my bowl on the floor, lay down next to it, stuck my face in and lapped it like a cat. I was slurping away with plaster and masonry falling around me. Youd have to have prised that rice pudding from my cold dead fingers to make me stop.

Brabazons work in Liberia made his name and gave him the clout to have his films aired on the BBC, Channel 4, HBO and Netflix. The Break Line is the distillation of a quarter of a century of travel with a camera in one hand and a notebook in the other. Set in Sierra Leone, it sees Special Forces veteran Max McLean on a mission that is non-routine even by his own black ops standards. The first half of the story is a regular thriller, brilliantly informed. The science, the weaponry, the effects of it on the body, the medicine, the military and intelligence structures, the relationship between Whitehall and the Armed Forces and the secret intelligence services, thats all real, says Brabazon.

The second half takes a surprising turn into the realms of fantasy fiction. No spoilers here, but its so twisty and multilayered it would be easy to imagine it as as a computer game. He is already writing a sequel.

Its a long way from the Kent seaside cottage that is his UK home. Brabazon is divorced but has a girlfriend and spends a lot of time there with his two children, aged nine and 11. He grew up longing to prove himself like his grandfathers, both soldiers. Just 19, he left for the West Bank and Gaza. He then went up to Cambridge to read history, cut his teeth on the conflict in the Balkans and has been in hot spots including Afghanistan, Syria, Equatorial Guinea and Amazonian South America ever since.

The closest hes ever come to dying was in Syria in 2012, when a helicopter dropped a barrel bomb on him when he was trapped in the open. The funny thing about barrel bombs, he begins, as if there was anything ever funny about a barrel bomb, is that they whistle. So you can see the things and hear them and you have a very long time to think about them. I felt very calm, there were no regrets for the life Id lived.

Zimbabwe, 2000: James Brabazon winces in pain as the crocodile he had been holding like bagpipes turns and bites him in the thigh

But as it fell it drifted, and I watched it explode further down the valley. I thought, Oh, OK, that was good. Bonus, actually.

He has spent his life trying to tell the truth about conflicts. Ive always tried to tell my stories with honesty, he says. Being a novelist makes me a professional liar. Thatll make a nice change.

The Break Line by James Brabazon is out now (Michael Joseph 12.99). Offer price 10.39 (20 per cent discount) until Aug 26. Order at mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640, p&p is free on orders over 15
TRUE CRIME

CONAN DOYLE FOR THE DEFENCE

by Margalit Fox (Profile 16.99)

On January 25, 1925, a prisoner was released from Peterhead jail in Scotland. Concealed beneath his dentures, so the prison authorities could not find it, was an urgent note from a fellow convict.

It included a message for one of the most famous men in the world  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Oscar Slater, the man who sent the message, had already spent 16 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (pictured) is most famous for creating Sherlock Holmes but he also helped to clear a man of murder

In 1908, 82-year-old spinster Marion Gilchrist was living in a large flat in a prosperous neighbourhood of Glasgow. On the evening of December 21 that year, Miss Gilchrists maid popped out to buy a newspaper. She was gone about 15 minutes. When she returned, she found her mistress bludgeoned to death.

Miss Gilchrist, reports Margalit Fox in this gripping account of the murder and its aftermath, had been beaten so savagely that autopsy photographs depict a face that looks as though it had never been human.

Oscar Slater, whose real name was Oscar Leschziner, was born in Germany in 1872. He had lived in New York, London, Paris and Brussels as well as Glasgow. He moved in a dodgy underworld of chancers and semi-criminals but he had no record of violence.

There was not a single link between him and Miss Gilchrist. Almost certainly, he had never heard of her before he was accused of killing her.

Unfortunately, the police were looking for a suspect. In Slater  a gambler, a foreigner, a Jew and a less than solid citizen  they found an ideal candidate.

The Sherlock Holmes author received a note from a prisoner who had been jailed for 16 years for a murder he didn't commit

His pawning of a brooch similar to one stolen from Miss Gilchrist brought him to their attention. It was not Miss Gilchrists brooch but this scarcely mattered. The police wanted him found guilty. In what Conan Doyle later called a disgraceful frame-up, they made sure he would be.

Witnesses had seen a man leaving the scene of the murder.

In an identity parade, dark-haired, olive-skinned Slater was placed among 11 pale, pink Scotsmen. As a journalist later wrote, it was like attempting to conceal a bull-dog among ladies poodles. Unsurprisingly, the witnesses picked out Slater.

All evidence in Slaters favour was either ignored or suppressed. At his trial, the judge gave a summing-up that was outrageously biased against him.

He was found guilty and sentenced to death. He had always been fascinated by machinery, but Slater surprised his warders by taking an interest in the gallows that was being constructed to hang him.

However, he was not to become too intimately acquainted with it  his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

In the words of a writer at the time, he was held to be too guilty to be released, yet not guilty enough to be hanged.

After years of effort on the part of Conan Doyle, Oscar Slater was originally freed and acquitted of the murder

It was at this point that Conan Doyle became involved. With his big build and walrus moustache, he looked more Dr Watson than Holmes. However, Conan Doyle had a track record for reversing miscarriages of justice. Using observation and logic like his world-famous creation, he had already cleared the name of George Edalji in as bizarre a case as any Holmes had faced.

An Anglo-Indian solicitor living in the Midlands, he had been convicted of a series of animal maimings. Conan Doyle demonstrated that the man could not have been responsible.

Conan Doyles first efforts for Slater were unsuccessful and the convicted man continued to suffer in prison for years. Margalit Fox quotes extensively from his moving letters to his family back in Germany, which show that he was very far from the unfeeling monster that had been described in court.

Margalit Foxs engrossing book brings this case back to life and highlights the part played by Conan Doyle

When Conan Doyle received the tiny note from the dentures in 1925 (it still exists in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow), he was inspired to try again. Times had changed, and Slater had so obviously been the victim of official dishonesty and incompetence that finally, after 18 years inside, the work of Conan Doyle and other supporters had its reward.

Slater was released from Peterhead jail on November 14, 1927. The rest of the story is not always a happy one.

Conan Doyle and Slater, who only met once face-to-face, fell out over money.

Slater was granted compensation of 6,000.

Conan Doyle thought he was honour-bound to reimburse some of his supporters expenses. But Slater didnt. The two men never spoke again.

And after 20 years of freedom, Oscar Slater died at his home in Ayr in 1948.

Nobody knows for certain who killed Marion Gilchrist. The only certainty is that it wasnt Oscar Slater, who suffered one of the worst miscarriages of justice in Scottish legal history.

Margalit Foxs engrossing book brings his case back to vivid life and highlights the part played in it by the creator of the worlds most famous detective.
are you reading now?

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, based on a true story about child-snatching in the southern states of America. A mother would be told her baby had died, then it would be illegally adopted for huge sums of money.

would you take to a desert island?

War And Peace. I read it as a teenager, and remember it being spellbinding. The TV series has made me want to revisit it.

Thriller writer Lesley Pearse is currently reading Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

first gave you the reading bug?

Rupert The Bear. I was in hospital having my tonsils out. A nurse helped me to read it and it opened up a whole new world for me. I can still see the cover of that book  Rupert is in a boat made from a sea shell. I still love him.

left you cold?

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. All that referring to Thomas Cromwell as he! Why not use his name? Im sure she is a brilliant writer and I thought the TV series was great, but I like proper introductions and descriptions.

The Woman In The Wood by Lesley Pearse is published by Penguin at 7.99.
BOOK OF THE WEEK

YOU LEFT EARLY

by Louisa Young (Borough Press 14.99)

The novelist Louisa Youngs dedication in her memoir is For everyone who has found themselves here. The here of You Left Early is both all-encompassing and particular.

You will relate to her beautiful but, yes, sobering story if you have ever fallen in love and been loved; if you are musical or a lover of music; if you have cherished someone and lost them; if you have considered suicide or known someone who has been sucked into its undertow; if you have struggled with addiction or loved an addict.

Youngs great love was the composer (or decomposer, as he liked to joke) Robert Lockhart, whom she first met at Oxford University, when they were both 17 (he a precociously gifted music scholar, she still a schoolgirl; he pale and interesting, she more pink and interested); a man she says she was half in love with for half her adult life and fully for the rest.

Novelist Louisa Young's great love was the composer Robert Lockhart who died after a lifetime of struggle with alcohol

He died at the age of 52  after so many grim struggles had been overcome  in the most bathetic way possible: by Sunday roast in a gastropub. With half a throat removed by surgery, eating roast beef and Yorkshire pudding was a major risk.

There were always three in this relationship, and the third party was alcohol. The posh girl from Kensington and the working-class hero from Wigan were sleeping together but they seemed to spend a lot of time saying they were not boyfriend and girlfriend.

There were plenty of other women, but Lockharts most constant companion (to mimic his endless nicknaming) was Boozie La Belle.

She said that there were always three in this relationship, and the third party was alcohol

Young is great at capturing the youthful electrifying moment when the object of your crush turns his gaze on you.

This is how she describes the state of being Lockharted (his womanising talents were so legendary they demanded a verb): When you were on the sofa with him, the focus of him, getting all of it . . . there was a tendency to go Whoa! and fall into the tidal wave.

She writes about him, and her first magnetic attraction to him from afar, in terms more often used by men to describe women: he was gorgeous and incandescent.

The writing is both lovely and, later, when he is in hospital, forensic: Joan Didion with a scalpel. He looks, as he ages, a bit Ted Hughes: all crag and stoop.

The heartbreaking tale was covered in her book 'You left too early' (pictured), which has been described as touching and lovely

Toward the end, when he has cancer, she describes the difference between being the girlfriend of an addict and being the girlfriend of a cancer patient, where indifference and judgmentalism towards the couple is exchanged for the full symphony of sympathy.

Her memoir is gloriously saturated in music. In the car on the way to a stint in rehab, the wood pigeons croon their five-note song of security and comfort. Their romance was forged over their equal appreciation of, for example, Etta James singing Id Rather Go Blind  each of them listening to it in separate locations on the radio and then him rushing home to make love to her.

Reading the intimacy and knowledge of his response to music, through the filter of someone who loved him, is entrancing. It must have been thrilling for Young to collaborate with someone so musically exceptional; to have sung Apres un Reve and Clair de Lune with their air of absinthe and green velvet and drippingly emotional Parisian nights to his piano accompaniment; to have had him write pieces for the funeral of her beloved father (Wayland, Labour peer Baron Kennet, himself a composer manque). Enduring treasures to shore up against less uplifting memories.

Her memoir is filled with music and recounts her first meeting with the man who charmed her

Towards the end of the book, the reader cannot help but feel frustrated and sad for Young.

She has taken in Robert so many times over the final decade of his life  his alcoholism lost him a marriage, access to his son, (almost) a foot, his work, friends, even drinking partners, since he is banned by all his local pubs.

People cross the street to avoid him. She has bathed him, washed his clothes, fed him; supported him through his rehabs; dealt with first a grim alcoholic illness in his relapses (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, affecting memory and the brain) then, after four and a half years of sobriety, throat cancer.

He died at the age of 52  after so many grim struggles had been overcome while eating at a gastropub

On one occasion  which chilled me with dread, like a thriller, as I read  she leaves his hospital bedside and enters his flat.

The man who swore he had stopped drinking had a lair littered with empty vodka bottles full of his urine, no curtains, no sheets on the bed, piles of newspapers, food she had brought him rotting in the fridge  and still she did not give up on him.

Then she is haranguing him because the least he could do, she argues, after everything shes done for him, is summon the energy to propose to her  knowing full well that she, being an independent, free-thinking feminist, would never marry a man.

Whereupon Lockhart produces a Victorian diamond ring (he had been planning a romantic ambush on Hampstead Heath) and  no surprise  she rushes to accept.

What was uncanny was that, as I was reading, just as soon as a slightly disobliging suspicion would surface, Young was acknowledging with trademark scrupulous honesty her readers doubts before warding them off.

She looked after Robert many times over the final decade of his life  his alcoholism lost him a marriage

Does she only get her man, you ask, when he is half the man he once was? And there she is, as though writer and reader are in some sort of silent communion of empathy: So he had only got round to proposing because of the illness: so what? It was a glory to be snatched from the teeth of . . . other possibilities.

Equally, just when one is feeling there is perhaps something selfish about Young devoting so much energy to her unsuitable alcoholic lover while her daughter, Lola, was suffering panic attacks and had given up piano because of him, there she is again: Yes, of course I was thinking how could I have protected her better.

There is a lot in this memoir to admire, including the writer herself. You learn a great deal about addiction and its context at a time when even our prevailing culture  and lets not be in collective denial  is alcoholic.

But it is, at heart, an old-fashioned love story.

Lockhart did not live long enough to marry Young, but she certainly carried out her wedding vows, loving and caring for him with tender steadfastness, mostly in sickness and, for far too short a time, in health. It is good to read, six years after his death, that she has found love again: Grief and love entwine like roses, and never die. They remain with the old and encompass the new . . . Life does go on.
When Johnny Cash walked into Folsom Prison in California to record a live album in front of the inmates, his career was crumbling and his personal life was in ruins. By the end of that day, he was on his way to becoming an outlaw legend of American music, as Scott B Bomar writes

Early in the morning of January 13, 1968, Johnny Cash and his entourage, including his band, his father Ray and his future wife June Carter, stepped out of limousines in the Folsom Prison parking lot and boarded a school bus.

The huge gates of Folsom opened to allow the bus inside, and after they closed, another set opened. There was a quiet sense of foreboding among all those present. The granite walls in Folsom are about eight feet thick, recalled Jim Marshall, the only official photographer present whose pictures have been collected in a new book to commemorate the gig.

When the second gates clanked shut, John said, Jim, theres a feeling of permanence in that sound. After that, I started wondering when we were going to get out of there.

Johnny Cash (above) had played numerous prison shows for inmates in his career, but at Folsom in January 1968, he planned to record one of those concerts for the first time

Cash had played numerous prison shows for inmates in his career, but at Folsom, a maximum-security facility near Sacramento, California, he planned to record one of those concerts for the first time.

The album that resulted from Cashs two triumphant performances that day, At Folsom Prison, would become a hit and then a classic, reinvigorating a career that had lost steam due to Cashs crippling amphetamine addiction, a crumbling first marriage, financial problems and a growing reputation for missing shows.

Marshalls photographs capture the sombre expressions on the faces of Cash and his companions once inside the prison walls. Those who were there described the walk to Dining Hall #2, where the shows would be performed, as something akin to a funeral march. Even Cash was nervous.

Jim Marshalls photographs capture the sombre expressions on the faces of Cash and his companions once inside the prison walls

While hed got his drug habit largely under control, Cash was not yet completely clean. He later confessed to producer Bob Johnston that hed popped a handful of pills to calm his nerves. He said, I took more pills that morning than I ever had in my life,  Johnston recounted to Cash biographer Robert Hilburn. He was scared.

Cash had wanted to record a live album in a prison ever since he had played at the annual rodeo at the Texas State Penitentiary in 1957. On that occasion, inmates called for his song Folsom Prison Blues again and again.

Later, as his fame grew, Cash received letters from prisoners asking him to perform for them. He began booking shows at penitentiaries, including San Quentin in Marin County, California, where one of the inmates who saw him perform was future country music legend Merle Haggard.

He had the right attitude, Haggard remembered years later. He chewed gum, looked arrogant and flipped the bird to the guards. He did everything the prisoners wanted to do. When he walked away, everyone in that place had become a Johnny Cash fan.

Hello, Im Johnny Cash, was Cashs greeting to the inmates when he took the stage at Folsom that January morning. Hilburn was struck by what he witnessed: The atmosphere was electric as Cash prowled the stage between verses with the pent-up tension of a caged panther.

After the Folsom concert, Cash married June Carter (above with Cash), found God and kicked his drug habit, and he decided to record another prison album, At San Quentin

After the Folsom concert, Cash married June, found God and kicked his drug habit, and he decided to record another prison album. At San Quentin would be even more commercially successful than its predecessor.

At that show, Cash played A Boy Named Sue for the first time. It would become the biggest-selling single of Johnny Cashs career.

The extraordinary popularity of the Folsom and San Quentin albums forever linked Cash and prison in the popular imagination, leading many to believe he had once been an inmate himself.

But while hed spent a few nights in jail, Cash never served hard time  though he didnt mind encouraging the impression that he had. I speak partially from experience, Cash wrote in the liner notes for At Folsom Prison. I have been behind bars a few times. Sometimes of my own volition  sometimes involuntarily. Each time, I felt the same feeling of kinship with my fellow prisoners.

Johnny Cash At Folsom And San Quentin: Photographs By Jim Marshall is published by Reel Art Press and BMG on July 2, priced 39.95. Offer price 29.96 (25% discount, including free p&p) until July 1. Pre-order at mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640
The Call the Midwife star on super-cute booties, her lucky tee and the heels that caught Stephen Frys eye

Fenella Woolgar

From the ages of three to six, I lived in New Canaan, Connecticut. I had an American accent and used to do imitations of Americans that made everyone laugh. I have kept this number plate from our car ever since. It lives in my kitchen.

From the ages of three to six, I lived in New Canaan, Connecticut. I had an American accent and used to do imitations of Americans that made everyone laugh. I have kept this number plate from our car ever since. It lives in my kitchen. I once pretended to be Irish to get a role, then thought I should probably spend some time there, so I toured around the Dingle Peninsula with my mum, who is Irish. We found this mug, now chipped, that has the Irish version of my name: Fionnguala.

I will forever cherish these first pairs of booties my sons wore. They are so sweet. I loved having babies so it couldnt be more appropriate that Ive ended up on Call the Midwife which is all about children and childbirth.

When I was cast as an artist in a Mike Leigh film, I took some painting lessons to get into character, which sparked a major passion. This painting of my son Gabriel, aged four, is one of the first I did. Im very proud of it as it totally captures him. I bought this tatty T-shirt in Camden Market when I was about 25 and didnt have much money. I dyed it at home in a bucket and wore it at my audition for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. I got in, so Ive kept it  its far too short to wear again.

After my children, photo albums are the first thing Id rescue from a fire. I have many priceless photos of our sons [Kit, 11, and twins Gabriel and Tristan, ten]. They bring so much joy and remind me of how quickly time passes.

I love this wedding photo: my husband Rob and I are laughing because Moira, our best woman, made a very funny speech. She told Rob to put his hand over mine, then said, Thats the last time youll ever have the upper hand.

I love this wedding photo: my husband Rob and I are laughing because Moira, our best woman, made a very funny speech. She told Rob to put his hand over mine, then said, Thats the last time youll ever have the upper hand. I wore these kitten heels to audition for Stephen Frys [2003] film Bright Young Things. Stephen didnt say a word to me, so I was sure I hadnt got the part, but then he looked down at my feet and said, I love your shoes, and I got it.

The DVD of Call the Midwife series eight, including the Christmas special, will be out tomorrow, price 20.42
Not the best moment to channel the just got out of bed look

On 3 May 1997, I was working for a national newspaper. I remember the euphoria in the office at the Labour landslide and return to power after 18 years  a young, sexy, photogenic couple!  despite everyone having a hangover. We gathered in the editors office to talk through coverage. Id seen the paparazzi that morning as I drove past the Blairs house in Islington from my Hackney home (I lived on the Blairs old street, which had the highest rate of knife crime in Europe. No wonder they moved).

Suddenly, this photo was slapped on the editors desk. At around 8am, after three hours sleep, Cherie had opened the door to a delivery of flowers sent by local schoolchildren. She was in a Next cotton nightie, hair a birds nest. She was suddenly no longer Superwoman, but Everywoman: fallible. I remember the glee in the office: a fissure! Bad news always sells better than good. We discussed headlines, ways to humiliate her further; we even sent a pretty intern round with another bouquet. It was mooted I write a spoof Bridget Jones-esque column in the voice of Cherie, wailing about how much shed drunk, when in fact Cherie later said they hadnt had time to touch a drop.

The British tendency to pick away at female celebrities  be they lawyers or princesses  began in earnest that morning. Look at her fat knees, the men in the office were saying. We couldnt be thrilled for the Blairs for even 24 hours. I drove home that night, rubbernecking again. This time flowers were laid by railings, too many to take in perhaps. I was reminded of those flowers a few months later, at Kensington Palace after Diana died. I will never forget Cheries expression: this was just the beginning and they would never, ever let up

Also that month

Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker
In the early 80s, when I first tried to meet men, this is how it was done. If you fancied someone, you staged a military operation to get him to notice you. That handsome shop assistant at the health food store? I ended up with a peanut butter mountain. That personal trainer in Highbury? I ended up with killer abs. My nextdoor neighbour David? I bought a Mini in order to offer him lifts and threw a party just so I could invite him: he got off with my best friend Wilma. I have just turned 60 and find that, after one short-lived marriage to a much younger man who cheated on me, and after a five-year relationship with David, whom I snared after a 30-year campaign, but who made me feel like Sisyphus, so inert was he in making any effort at all to make me happy, Im looking for love again. Im not desperate, but it would be nice to have someone to check the dipstick. And Ive been assured dating today is a doddle. Available men are out there, waiting in their hundreds for me to swipe right! Seriously, how hard can it be?

If you need a conversation starter, try a prop  a hat or even a balloon  says Lizs new wing woman Hayley (right). Liz wears shirt, Primrose Park. Trousers, Amanda Wakeley. Shoes, Malone Souliers. Hayley wears dress, Primrose Park. Shoes, Jimmy Choo

Im in a trendy private members bar in Londons Shoreditch  the sort of place that always makes me wish Id stayed at home in my PJs. Problem is, Im with dating guru Hayley Quinn, who is the most positive, confident and bossy woman Ive ever met. I broke up with my long-term boyfriend in October and shes supposed to be guiding me through the quagmire that is modern-day dating. Im saying my shoes hurt and fantasising about my slippers, but shes having none of it.

Give me your phone, she says sharply. I hand it over.

Hmm. Right. Why are you still texting your ex?

I tell her I feel sorry for him, plus I need a man to go on holiday with as Ive already booked it.

How many years have you wasted on him?

Five. And, well, 30 pining before we got together.

What was the problem?

He never arranged anything or made an effort. Hes boring. He doesnt look after his appearance or flat. Hes got no money.

She tells me he will never change and that there will have been an early sign he was no good for me. There was! His first text after hed finally asked me out was to ask me to choose the restaurant, as he was socially inept.

Worth swiping right? Only if he has more than an oyster card in his wallet, says Liz

There! That was the moment you should have pulled away and not replied, so he could sit back, reflect on what hed said and realise he didnt meet your standards. Youre a good organiser, so you took over. You mustnt do that. You should have ignored him as though he was a puppy who had done a puddle. You only reward good behaviour. You have to set a precedent. You need someone who will nourish you and be supportive. What I like about Hayley  who is only 32 but has been a dating guru for ten years  is that she is not remotely in awe of men. This comes from the fact that she started out working for the Pickup Artist brand (a semi-underground community of men who teach each other how to attract women), and her experiences of blogging as a male alter-ego and advising men taught her they are just as vulnerable as we are: These demonised people werent asking for the world, they would just love a woman to connect with.

Hayley now mentors women and men in boot camps that give a sense of community and reassure participants that theyre not the last single person left alive. She also takes singles out to learn how to meet people in real life. She has developed a skill set anyone can learn to help them meet people. This includes body language, conversation skills, tips on redoing your online profiles, styling and personal training. Plus, she is an advocate of the theory that its OK for women to make the first move.

Dating now and dating when I first attempted it back in the 80s in my early 20s are worlds apart. I tell Hayley that when I fancied a man, Id be too terrified to talk to him and would never, in a million years, have asked him out. Instead, I would go to extraordinary lengths to snare him. Never mind all the beauty treatments and outfit buying, pilates classes and jogging, I would conduct stakeouts just to watch him while hiding in my car. Id have lunch near his workplace.

'In the early 80s, when I first tried to meet men, this is how it was done. If you fancied someone, you staged a military operation to get him to notice you,' writes Liz. Dress, Amanda Wakeley. Shoes, Pretty Ballerinas

You see, that is the problem  you mustnt idolise a man. You were placing far too much focus on just one man, investing too soon. I tell women to cast the net wide, have lots of dates and meet lots of men so if one doesnt work out you can move on. Lets get you in the pool and encourage lots of guys to come in.

I see, so, basically, dating in the 21st century is: Thank U. Next.

She asks what Im looking for. At first I say, Rich and not stupid. Then I elaborate, Someone proactive. Someone who doesnt just have an Oyster card in their wallet. Who will look after me. Put me first, always. A gentleman. Well read. Useful. Funny. An animal lover. Intelligent. Handsome. Fit.

Im to sign up on two dating apps: Match and Bumble. Hayley tells me to be honest in my profile and post at least four recent photos, ideally ones where Im relaxed, in natural light. In the meantime, she takes me out in real life to show me how easy it is to chat to men in bars. You need a prop, she says, flourishing her hat. Watch. She goes up to a group of men chatting among themselves and says, Can I leave my hat here? A simple ruse, but one that makes them notice her, smile and see her as approachable. Walking into a party? Dont just run over to your friend, walk round the room first. It helps to have a wing woman  but dont exclude everyone else. At a bar, angle your stool so its facing out. If a man looks at you, smile. Ask him a question, then be direct. Use I like how as an opener  remember, most men fear rejection  as in, I like how youre reading a real book. Hayley swears this works, though I am still too shy in real life to actually flirt.

Her approach to dating is not to trick men or be remotely desperate. Its all about inner poise, so I wonder where she gets her confidence from. She grew up in Cornwall, the daughter of two disabled parents, which meant she had to do everything for herself. She got her first job, washing up, aged 13 before leaving home to study English at university in London. She doesnt need a man to make her whole but to enhance her life and add value, which is as it should be. (She has a very handsome boyfriend who is very supportive and whom she met at the gym.)

Having gone live on the dating apps, we wait with bated breath for a response. On Bumble, where men can favourite you but are not allowed to message women first, I get about 100 notifications in the first hour. On Match, the number of men winking at me hovers at around 300 (the youngest messager is a 26-year-old, the oldest is 63). Rather than feeling like a pariah, I find out Im like a pot of jam on a hot summers day! Thats the first revelation: there are so many single men out there  and there was I thinking they were all happily married or gay. The apps, though, soon get on my nerves: Youre a catch, and someone else thinks so, too. Plus, there are just too many men to scroll through. Who has the time, frankly?

And when I start to scroll through the photos  oh, dear me, no. Beer guts. Bald heads. Some have even used the photo from the first dance at their wedding! How lazy is that? I ask Hayley why men who are clearly not comparable with me looks or career wise have asked to meet me. Men dont get many likes, so they tend to have a scattergun approach. They just swipe you right in the hope one will stick. Charming.

'I tell Hayley that meeting these men and scrolling through the apps has turned me off dating. I prefer the old days'

We start to whittle down the men. Hayley messages five on Bumble. While Im tempted to ask what they earn, she is far more playful, asking about their favourite music, what animal they would be or their favourite dog-walking spot. She tells me that only if they are fairly literate and responsive should I get down to the nitty-gritty of career, etc.

We finally plump on three for me to meet. The first is The Artist, who lives near Henley and paints in his spare time. He has hair and is in his late 50s. He isnt that chatty online but we arrange to meet for coffee the next day anyway. I do as Hayley asks and choose a cafe within walking distance of my flat  Do not travel to a date! He texts to ask the location of the nearest tube, which I find pathetic, but against my better judgment I dont pull away. We meet and he is nice enough. Quite well dressed. But it turns out he lost his job and his home which sent him into a depression, and he now delivers cars for a luxury showroom. He texts me later to ask to see me again but Ive learnt my lesson when it comes to men. They have to be solvent and have an interesting life. Anecdotes. Be proactive. I dont need a giant son.

The second is The Italian. Hayley is really excited about him as he is tanned and muscular in his photo  posed on top of a roof, holding a hammer. Holding a hammer is good. He lives in St Albans and has renovated his own house. Like The Artist, he has grown-up children. In fact, so suitable does he sound, I go against Hayleys advice and we text all night, mainly about how much we love Princes music. We arrange to meet the next evening, a Friday, at his suggestion. I tell him I live in Londons Primrose Hill. Can we meet in West Hampstead, he asks. Outside the station?

I report him to Hayley. He is saying West Hampstead as thats a direct train ride for him, she says sternly. And no, you dont meet him at the station, you meet him in the pub.

When he turns up, he is very, very short. He had put 5ft 9in on his profile, but there is no way he is even 5ft 7in. Perhaps because I love Prince he thought I wouldnt mind. Conversation is pedestrian and then it all goes south. It turns out he is a locksmith, which is fine, but not what Im after now I am no longer with David (who regularly lost my keys). After two drinks, he asks for the bill. I get out my wallet thinking to pay half, and he swiftly puts his away. Do you want a lift home? he asks me. We leave the pub. Are you heading towards that white van? I ask, stopping in my tracks. Its not white, its silver.

I am feeling I have wasted time with these two. The Italian, so chatty online, saying I always fancy a leggy brunette, doesnt even send a thank-you text; when a couple of weeks later I ask why, he texts back, I was thinking it was a bit far for dating. How could I do this a few times a week with my job? Ah, so finding the love of your life means the distance on sat-nav. I reply, A thanks for buying you a drink would have been polite. Moron.

But I still have one date to go. (Hayley wants me to do more but Im behind on my Big Little Lies boxset. Rotate your dates, she tells me. It can be fun.) This one is nearly 60, lives near the coast in the North York Moors and has his own interior design business. Thats more like it. I offer to meet halfway but he insists on driving to a pub near me, where he books a table.

He is tall but not remotely attractive. I think to myself, Oh, come on, give him a chance, so I do. He doesnt ask any questions, so I say, given the pub is so old, I wonder if its haunted?

Hayleys ten dating commandments Liz shares her gurus advice 1. Be specific in your online profile about what you want: must be a home owner, read books, not a lunatic. But Hayley stresses you should still be positive  say what you like, not what you dont. 2. Filter and discard ruthlessly. If a man doesnt give enough details, sounds stupid, has made no effort with the photos, swipe left for reject. 3. Have fun with messages: where would you go if the world were your oyster? Only further down the line should you quiz more thoroughly. Find out as much as you can before wasting each others time. 4. Remember to pull away at the first sign of moron-dom. If he cant google a restaurant to find the nearest tube, cant make you laugh or doesnt ask about you, ignore then withdraw. 5. On a first date, wear your fourth best outfit, and so on. 6. Never offer to pay if its drinks: this is a clear indication of where the relationship will go. If its a meal, offer to go dutch. 7. Stay safe: meet in a public place, dont let him walk you to your car  say you are going to the ladies first. Never share your address. 8. If he doesnt follow up with a thank-you text, delete him. 9. Hayley isnt against men being flirtatious in texts (Will I get a real kiss?). She thinks theyre just trying to prove themselves and being nice. But for me, its a no. 10. Check apps just once a day. If you go on a date and like him, meet only once a week at first: he has to respect that you have a life that existed before you met him. Advertisement

He says, Do you want to know what I really believe? OK. There is a race of reptiles, living beneath the Earths crust, that feeds off the blood of children and they rule the world. Trump is actually one of the good guys  hes trying to fight them.

At first I think he cant be serious. He has two almost grown-up daughters. An ex-wife. Two recent ex-girlfriends. He owns two houses. But, yes, theres more. The Germans landed on the moon in the 1930s and they are still there! I posit that perhaps if they were so clever, theyd have won the war, but apparently theyre biding their time. I ask for proof. I could take you out tomorrow and show you American planes spraying our population to keep us depressed.

Well, if I hadnt been depressed about being tossed on to the dating pile at this stage of my life, I certainly am now. What I find staggering is the arrogance of men. He had arrived at a date, thinking it perfectly fine not to have forewarned me hes a David Icke disciple. And Id been worried about turning up with one unwaxed knee. I report back to Hayley. When I complain that The Italian made me pay, she says I shouldnt have offered. And The Nutter? The chances of meeting a conspiracy theorist are quite slim. Keep the dates local and short, so youre not wasting time.

If you really want to meet The One, expect hard work and a lot of frogs. You have to filter them down ruthlessly, get dressed up, show up and talk for an hour without yawning or looking at your phone. The hairdresser on our photoshoot pipes up that she spent three months chatting to a man online before she met him  and now theyre happily married. So virtual dating can have a happy ending. But its a numbers game. Only you can decide whether you have the energy to commit to it.

I tell Hayley that meeting these men and scrolling through the apps has turned me off dating. I prefer the old days. Nowadays theres no frisson, no chase, no build-up, no butterflies, no romance: its all very clinical and available and instant. But, perversely, what is fantastic is that Ive finally found out my own worth. I am a catch, and the reason Im single is that most men dont measure up, especially those in my age bracket: usually divorced with grown-up children, and having lost the family home, they seem bruised and bitter and lonely. In the #MeToo age, its also glaringly apparent men seem quite scared of us, too. So if you are, like me, emerging into the modern world of dating and worried you might not be good enough, trust me, you are a catch. If you choose to dive in the pool, they would be very lucky to have you.

I tell Hayley the men whove been winking at me dont deserve a nanosecond of my time. Thats the attitude with which to approach dating in the 21st century! she texts. Be super picky! Nice men do exist. But, yes, there are more important things in life than meeting men.
Now that we are all obsessed with Brexit, we are in danger of forgetting we are still paying for the last crisis.

In the report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), there was a sobering chapter setting out the huge costs of propping up the banks.

A total of 136.6billion was paid out by the Treasury following the financial meltdown. Large sums have been repaid, but there is still a shortfall of more than 19billion.

Ministers need to act fast, rather than run the risk of RBS falling into the tender mercies of shadow chancellor John McDonnell if Labour win an election, says Ruth Sunderland

These are staggering sums. It would have been worse, of course, had the Government not intervened: that would have resulted in Armageddon.

Now ministers need to tie up the last bit of unfinished business and return RBS wholly to private ownership  and they need to act fast, rather than run the risk of the bank falling into the tender mercies of shadow chancellor John McDonnell if Labour win an election.

Even the latest figures in the OBR analysis do not encompass the full costs to shareholders and society. Take Barclays.

It did not avail itself a bailout from the UK government, having controversially secured capital from the Middle East in a deal which is now the subject of a court case brought by the Serious Fraud Office.

The costs of the crisis for its investors added up to nearly 37billion over the past seven years, a colossal amount of money. The tab included 15billion for misconduct and law suits, 2.4billion in bank levies, 7.1billion in taxes, 10.1billion losses from poorly performing fringe businesses and 1billion for ring-fencing.

Once tax bills were added in, that virtually obliterated the entire operating profit for the period.

RBS rescue: Having put in 45.8billion, the taxpayer is still 31billion down

At RBS, of course, it was worse. The new OBR figures show that having put in 45.8billion, the taxpayer is still 31billion down.

Even at a loss, the sooner that the bank can extricate itself from government  it still has a stake of around 62 per cent  the better. Especially now that McDonnell is prowling bank boardrooms on his cup of tea offensive.

RBS is back in profit and has 4-5billion surplus capital. By far the best use for it would be to buy back government shares, which it has authority to do up to a 5 per cent ceiling.

One sign it is returning to normality is the shareholder register. The bank has previously been the preserve of small investors and US hedge funds taking a punt, but it has begun to attract backing from some serious investors.

Its biggest private shareholder is Norges, the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, which holds around 6 per cent of the free float and is an ultra long-term investor.

Until recently, pension funds and income funds have not invested because it did not pay a dividend. Now that payouts have resumed, more mainstream investors may come back.

The bank has behaved disgustingly in the past. It still has issues to sort out with small firms who were maltreated and a report from the regulators is due shortly. But the last of the big conduct fines in the US has been resolved and the majority of the PPI mis-selling costs have been covered.

Some people will always hate RBS because of their own personal experiences but it has been chastened and, as the biggest lender to small firms, it could play a positive role in the economy. If it is ever to atone for the sins of the past then it needs to come out of state control.

If McDonnell comes to power, that process of returning to normality could come to a shuddering halt. They have talked about using RBS as the basis of a National Investment Bank, a new publicly owned institution to underpin their industrial policy.

What a tragic irony it would be for shareholders if RBS was plunged back into state hands at this juncture and forced to become the tool of a misguided socialist cabal.
The Duchess of Cambridge's favourite high street jeweller is on the brink of collapse, putting 500 jobs at risk.

Links of London, owned by retail group Folli Follie, has a long list of upmarket clients with flagship stores in Mayfair and Sloane Square.

But it has become the latest high street chain to look at a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) to cut rents and close stores.

The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Links of London's earrings

Links was set up by husband-and-wife team John Ayton and Annoushka Ducas in 1990.

They won a contract with Harvey Nichols and had opened 45 shops by the time the couple sold the business to Folli Follie in 2006.

Earlier this month the Greek retailer was hit by a 17million fine for an alleged 750million fraud involving overstated sales. Links, which has 350 shops and concessions, struggled in 2017, posting a pre-tax loss of 20.6million on sales of 42.9million.

Its designs have been a long-time favourite of Kate Middleton, who wore its 360 Hope Egg Earrings in her official engagement photos in 2012.

Another of the Duchess's favourite brands, LK Bennett, called EY in as administrators earlier this month.
Interserve was handed 660million of taxpayers contracts in the two years before it collapsed, despite three profit warnings.

The troubled outsourcer still had 2.1billion of public deals when it went bust on Friday.

It was handed public contracts worth 432million in 2017, and 233million last year despite profit warnings in May 2016, October 2017 and November 2018, according to Tussell, a data provider on UK government contracts.

> Read: Secret back-up plan to nationalise Interserve before rescue

Interserve was handed 660million of taxpayers contracts in the two years before it collapsed

The biggest contract in 2018 was awarded by the Foreign and Commonwealth office 66million for total facilities management services in July.

Even since December 2018, when the company announced a rescue plan to clear 630million in debts, Interserve has been awarded 6million in public contracts.

GMB, the union for Interserve workers, said: Awarding hundreds of millions in taxpayer-funded contracts to troubled outsourcing companies is the height of irresponsibility.

Ministers have still not taken on board the lessons from the collapse of Carillion.
The Trump administration is reportedly looking into a new plan that would help citizens of Iran topple the country's hardline regime.

Less than a week President Trump announced the US would be withdrawing from the landmark Iran nuclear accord despite widespread opposition from allies who warned that pulling out of the agreement could cause a global crisis.

Trump also vowed to reimpose the harsh economic sanctions in place prior to the deal implemented in 2015 in exchange for heavy restrictions on Iran's nuclear program.

With the new plan the administration would assist the Iranian public in unseating the staunch regime in Iran that's already in a very vulnerable position after months of violent protests and an imploding economy.

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The Trump administration is reportedly looking into a plan that would embolden citizens of Iran to topple the country's hardline regime after several months of violent protests

On Tuesday President Trump announced the US would withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement despite an outpouring of opposition from allies in Europe who warned pulling out of the agreement could cause a global crisis

The new plan outlined by a national security think tank would rely on the power of the public to topple the current regime led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pictured

The three-page white paper being circulated among National Security Council officials in the White House offers a democratization strategy that would drive an even deeper wedge between the Iranian public and the regime headed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The plan, obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, was authored by the Securities Studies Group, a think tank with close ties to the White House, namely National Security Adviser John Bolton.

It would work to reshape foreign policy toward Iran by explicitly seeking a regime change, something the Obama administration opposed back in 2009 when similar popular protests were occurring in the Arab country.

The current administration has been moving in the direction of this kind of policy shift ever since Bolton entered the White House in April.

Bolton has been a vocal supporter of a regime change in Iran for several years, even penning an op-ed on the topic in 2015.

Under Bolton's leadership, the Trump administration is heading in that direction as well.

National Security Adviser John Bolton, pictured, has been a longtime supporter of a regime change in Iran. He joined the Trump administration in April of this year

Renewed protests broke out in Iran following Trump's withdrawal announcement. Above protesters burn a US flag at a demonstration in the capital of Tehran on Friday morning

Women and children also vocally protested against the US decision to back out of the accord

'The Trump administration has no desire to roll tanks in an effort to directly topple the Iranian regime,' SSG president Jim Hanson told the Washington Free Beacon.

'But they would be much happier dealing with a post-Mullah government. That is the most likely path to a nuclear weapons-free and less dangerous Iran.'

The proposed plan focuses on pushing the Iranian public to make political change rather than using direct military intervention by the US.

'The ordinary people of Iran are suffering under economic stagnation, while the regime ships its wealth abroad to fight its expansionist wars and to pad the bank accounts of the Mullahs and the IRGC command,' SSG writes in the paper.

'This has provoked noteworthy protests across the country in recent months.'

The Free Beacon reported that an NSC official declined to comment directly on the paper but confirmed that the White House is working to 'change the Iranian regime's behavior'.

'Our stated policy is to change the Iranian regime's behavior of continuous destabilizing regional acts and support of terrorism,' the official said.
Britain will attempt to save the Iran nuclear deal after Donald Trump pulled the US out of the agreement, as hurried talks are held between Boris Johnson and his counterparts.

The Foreign Secretary had said Britain continues to believe that the Iran nuclear deal 'has value' as he arrived in Brussels for EU-hosted talks with France and Germany.

The talks were followed by a meeting with the Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an intensive diplomatic effort to shore up agreement over the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson met his European counterparts to discuss the Iran nuclear deal - but appeared to be left out on a limb

The landmark 2015 agreement was meant to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

But the US pulled out of the pact last week and promised to impose tough economic sanctions on Iran.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters it and the E3 - the UK, Germany and France, had agreed to 'deepen our dialogue at all levels'.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (L) and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif during a meeting of the E3 and Iran at the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium

She told reporters it was a positive meeting.

She said: 'It allowed us to agree on a common set of lines of actions and measures to put in place on which we will start working tomorrow.'

Arriving earlier on Tuesday in the Belgian capital, Johnson said: 'We think it (the JCPOA) has value, we continue to believe in it even though America has decided to walk away.

'So we will be looking at a package of measures that we may be able to devise as Europeans to encourage the Iranians to stay in the deal.

Tuesday's meeting was held amid fears that European companies may face reprisals from the US for breaching American sanctions by continuing to operate in Iran.

Mr Johnson said before the meeting: 'We will be looking at all the ways we can come up with to protect legitimate UK and European businesses who may want to trade with Iran, who do want to trade and have great plans to do that.

'But we have to accept, we have to be realistic, about the electrified rail, the live wire of American extra-territoriality and how that can serve as a deterrent to business ... that doesn't mean there aren't some things we can do.'

European diplomats wanted to show they were not gullible and would not drop other divisive issues with Tehran, including its role in the Syria conflict.

'I want to stress we are under no illusion about the stuff Iran gets up to in the region, in the Middle East. We have no illusions about Iran's disruptive behaviour, but we think we can tackle those in other ways,' Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said.

'As you know very well, we have many other disagreements,' she said. But, she added, 'with the nuclear deal in place we have better chances to address any other issues we have to address with Iran'.

Mr Johnson held talks with French foreign minister Jean-Yves le Drian in London on Monday and said Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Paris on the need to preserve the JCPOA, which removed sanctions on Iran in return for Tehran giving up its military nuclear programme.

British Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson (L) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (C) and the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian (R)

(Left to right) Vice-President of the Commission Federica Mogherini, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas and the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson

The pair were joined by German foreign minister Heiko Maas in Brussels.

Mr Zarif told reporters as he left that the meetings had been 'a good start', adding: 'I believe we are on the right track, now a lot depends on what we can do within the next two weeks.'

The European Commission has been examining measures to counter the introduction of any US sanctions that could harm European businesses.

The commission is expected to unveil them to EU leaders at a summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Wednesday.

Among them is the possible use of an EU 'blocking regulation' which would, in essence, ban European companies from respecting American sanctions when the sanctions might damage EU interests, notably trade and the movement of capital.

The regulation, which has been brandished as a threat in the past but never used, was drawn up more than 20 years ago and would have to be revised.
President Donald Trump's approval ratings may be on the rose back home, but overseas things are not looking so good for the commander-in-chief.

The fallout from his decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal last week continues around the world, and on Wednesday the head of the European Council went after President Trump.

'Looking at latest decisions of @realDonaldTrump someone could even think: with friends like that who needs enemies', stated former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

'But frankly, EU should be grateful. Thanks to him we got rid of all illusions. We realize that if you need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of your arm.'

Thorough tusking: Donald Tusk (left on Wednesday) went after President Trump (right on Wednesday) on Twitter,decrying his decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal

Tusk spoke about the Iran nuclear deal in further detail while also outlining a few other issues he had with the current leader of the United States in his prepared remarks.

'Following last week's announcement of the United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran, we need a united European front,' Tusk told those assembled in Bulgaria.

'I want leaders to reconfirm that the EU sticks to the deal as long as Iran does. The deal is good for European and global security, which is why we must maintain it. Despite the US hesitation. '

He then added that the EU needed to prepare for the negative impact this US decision could have on their continent.

Tusk later addressed the issue of trade.

'We will decide on the best way forward in EU-US trade relations. Here again, unity is our greatest strength. And my objective is simple: we stick to our guns,' stated Tusk.

'This means a permanent exemption from US tariffs on aluminium and steel if we are to discuss possible trade liberalisation with the US. The EU and US are friends and partners, therefore US tariffs cannot be justified on the basis of national security.'

He then noted: ' It is absurd to even think that the EU could be a threat to the US. We need to bring back reality in this discussion, which is not the case today.'

Members of the European Council will discuss ways they might be able to salvage the Iran nuclear deal now that President Trump has opted to back out of the agreement during their summit in Bulgaria this week.

Tik tok: German chancellor Angela Merkel (above on Wednesday in Bulgaria) has been vocal about her anger over President Tump's decision to withdraw the US from the Iran deal

This move came less than three years after it was signed by his predecessor Barack Obama and the leaders of Iran, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

Tusk also signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action at the time as president of the European Council.

This was a far cry from the cheerful photos of Tusk and President Trump seen chatting with a smiling Angela Merkel back in July at the G20 Summit in Hamburg,

The German chancellor has also voiced her anger at President Trump, and said earlier this week that while the deal was not optimal it did serve a purpse.

'This agreement is everything other than ideal, but Iran is, according to all the knowledge of the international nuclear authorities, sticking to the commitments of the agreement,' stated Merkel.
Passengers flying home to the UK from a Greek island have said they suffered fits and panic attacks after they were kept on the plane for three hours with no air conditioning.

With temperatures as high as 84F (29C) on the island of Zante, struggling tourists claim they were given no food or water for hours as the plane waited on the tarmac.

As they waited in the baking cabin they leaned on seats, stripped off and struggled to stay upright, as some of them reportedly passed out.

Airline Thomas Cook has reportedly apologised to holidaymakers, who were on their way back to London Stansted, and admitted it should have let passengers off the aircraft earlier, the Sun Online reports.

One picture appeared to show a passenger being helped from the plane after passing out

One passenger told the website: 'We were stuck in this sweat box and couldn't breathe because the air con was switched off.

'They wouldn't give us any food, and wouldn't let us off the plane because they kept saying the flight would take off in a couple of minutes.'

Customers on the flight, which was scheduled to take off at 2pm, claim they were not given anything to eat or drink until 9.30pm.

They also complained about the state of the accommodation they were given once the flight was cancelled.

A pregnant woman allegedly had no shower or air-conditioning where she was staying while another said her room was 'dirty and unhygienic'.

Passengers suffered fits and struggled to stay conscious on board the sweltering plane

Passengers, some of them with babies, also claimed they had been dropped off in the dark with their bags and told to make their own way to the accommodation.

Thomas Cook reportedly said the passengers had finally left Zante at 9am this morning and said they would investigate individual claims.

The airline apologised and said they had kept them on the plane in the hope that it would take off sooner.

A spokesperson said customers would receive a letter of apology, saying: 'We are very sorry for the discomfort our customers experienced.'
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Party planner Bronson Van Wyck celebrated his birthday over the weekend with a bacchanal bash in Mykonos that drew out a very A-list crowd of very scantily-clad guests.

Paris Hilton, Vanessa Getty and Indre Rockfeller were among the togaed throng who turned out for the bash, which was held inside the ruins of a local temple.

There was not an abundance of food and plenty of drink at the dionysian affair, which all capped off with performances from Flo Rida and Duran Duran.

Performer Simon Le Bon was one of the few men who kept his Achilles heel hidden as he performed in jeans and tee-shirt, while wife Yasmin got into the spirit of things by dressing as Helen of Troy.

The best look of the night however may have been billionaire Steven Schwarzman, who chose to forgo the suggested Homeric attire and and instead dressed up like another billionaire - the late, Greek, shipping magnate Aristsole Onasis.

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Hungry like the wolf: Bronson Van Wyck (left with Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon)held his annual birthday bash in Mykonos over the weekend, choosing the ruins of a Greek temple as the venue for the event

War monger: Among the guests at the birthday bash were Paris Hilton (above with fellow guests), who shares a name with the prince responsible for starting the Trojan War in Homer's The Illiad

Showtime at the Apollo: Leather was popular among the men and a few of the women, with Odd Mom Out star Jill Kargman (center) opting to wear a linothorax while Peter wish (left) and Douglas Friedman (right) had more of a Fulton Street vibe

Oracles: A glittering Vanessa Getty (left) later posed in a shot with her futuristic pals Friedman and Wish (on right)

Bacchae or bust: Former fashion editor and dancer Indre Rockefeller (left) and her husband Justin (right), the son of former senator Jay Rockefeller, were on hand for the event in Mykonos

Billionaire boys club: Steven Schwarzman (on right with a fellow guest) dressed like Aristotle Onasis at the event

Party-thenon: Lucy Sykes Rellie (center) and her husband Euan (right) were joined by Christian Leone (second left), Karen Larrain (second right) and Daniel Urzedo (left), who was clad in sweatpants

The libation bearers: A group of guests pose up in Mykonos prior to gathering at the venue for the big night (above)

Van Wyck founded his eponymous event production with his mother Mary Lynn in 1999, and soon after his sister Mimi joined as a partner.

The company has planned a number of A-list bashes and weddings, with clients including Beyonce, Madonna, and former presidents Barack Obama, George Bush and Bill Clinton.

He is a descendant of Robert A. Van Wyck, a former New York mayor who now had the misfortune of having his name attached to the often congested expressway that connects John F Kennedy Airport in Queens to the rest of the city.

Van Wyck grew up in Arkansas however, and after attending Yale accepted a job in Washington DC with the State Department where he handled protocol, which is why in addition to former heads of state here in the US his roster of clients includes many an ambassador and foreign dignitary.

It was then off to Hollywood for a few years designing sets before his return to New York City and the creation of Van Wyck & Van Wyck.

For his own bash he opted to dress like Dionysius himself, wearing a green toga that had grapes dripping down the front, as well as a crown that was bursting with the berries.

His mother and sister were also among the guests this weekend, as was actress and writer Jill Kargman, who along with her husband Harry got very much in the spirit of the night.

Packing for Peloponnese: Gladiator sandlas were a big hit among guests at the party, as were low hemlines (Austin Conor above)

Olympians: Van Wyck poses with his parents Mary and Bronson at the event (above), with a statue that was brought in for the evening

The fall of Troy: Paris did not post any photos from the party, but did share her look in an Instagram post plugging her hotel which was tagged and hashtagged throughout the post (above)

Dionysus et co: Van Wyck was joined by his business partners and family for the event, with sister Mimi (left) and mother Mary (right) among the guests

Odyssey: Meredith Melling Burke (above with husband Zachary Iscol) partied at the event while her friends and former co-workers attended the nuptials of Anna Wintour's daughter Bee Shaffer

Deities and DJs: Bradford Shellhammer (left) and Getty (second left) pose up with some of the other togaed attendees over the weekend

Titanesses and Titan: Gigi Mortimer, Danielle Ganek, Electra Toub, Carole Mack and Sara Ayres (left to right) posed with Mortimer's husband

The storm stirs: Lydia Fenet and Maggie Borner enjoy the wind and fog as they dance the night away inside the Greek ruins (above)

Fresh hell: Tini Cochran went as the Goddess of Spring Persephone (left), while her kohl-rimmed partner dressed as Hades (right)

Luring sailors to their death: Kimberly Nichole (above) performs at the event in a vibrant yellow look with glittering boots

'Dionysus hath smiled upon us! Thank you @bronsonvanwyck for the best #homeric bacchinal of this Artemesiaa life. Duran Duran hits against the cliffs and was f***ing Mount Olympus itself,' wrote Kargman on Instagram.

She then included photos of both herself and her husband, who proved to be the night's best sport wearing a leather linothorax and lots of eyeliner just like his wife.

Getty and Hilton chose more glittering looks, opting for dresses made of chain metal that they showed off on social media.

There was no photo of Hilton at the party on her Instagram, but she did pose a glimpse of her look in what appeared to be a post promoting the hotel in Mykonos that was providing her with lodging for the event.

Lucy Sykes Rellie and her husband Euan were not shy about sharing photos from the party however, posting a combined total of 12 photos from the evening.

These included both husband and wife in their traditional togas, which Euan added some sparkle to with gold glitter on his face.

Zeuses not muses: A silver-faced Bradford Shellhammer, who founded Fab.com and now works for eBay, posted a group shot with Ryan Brown and Mark Silver (above)

Sacrificial lamb: Nick Colletti, Jackson Sheehan, James Bundy, Ana Dalanora and Dominic Venton (left to right) prepare for battle

Paris is burning: Hilton later posed with with one of the Caten brothers (above), who are behind the popular fashion label DSquared

Down from Olympus: Yasmin Le Bon (center) got in the spirit of the event while posing up with Dean and Dan Caten over the weekend

Sirens: The Caten brothers (above) had been seen visiting Lindsay Lohan at her nearby club earlier in the week, making the most of their trip

Queer eye for the Aegean guy: Jorge Cott (center) is flanked by Jamie Jimenez (left) and Quinn Pofahl (right)

Hephaestion nation: Personal trainers Killian (left) and Alexis (right) showed off their toned and tanned physiques at the party

Alexis-ander the Great:'Thank you @bronsonvanwyck for this amazing party  fabulous just like you,' wrote Alexis on Instagram after the party

Pandora's box: Alexis also made sure to snag a photo with Hilton (above), who did not seem to be joined by anyone at the event

The allegory of the cave: Alexis and the birthday boy pose for a photo in which Van Wyck proudly shows off his staff (above)

Another duo who posted multiple shots from the birthday were the svelte Candadian design duo of Dan and Dean Caten.

The twins behind DSquared had been visiting Lindsay Lohan at her her nearby club a few days before the bash, and on Saturday night showed off their very slender frames in togas that left little to the imagination.

Gigi Mortimer, whose son Topper recently wed designer Tabitha Simmons, was at the bash, as was sugar baron Pepe Fanjul and his wife Emilia.

Christina Schwarzman, who hosted their year's Met Ball alongside her husband, was also on hand as was former Vogue editor Meredith Melling Burke.

Their presence in Mykonos rather than back in New York suggested that they did not make the cut for the big wedding of Anna Wintour's daughter Bee Shaffer and her Italian husband Francesco Carrozzini.

He is also of Vogue lineage, with his late mother Franca Sozzani presiding over Vogue Italia prior to her death in 2016 after a year spent battling an unknown illness.

Cleavage in the Cyclades: Andres Betancur poses with Kelsea Bachman (left) and Sasha Marie (right) ahead of the party

Kiss from Eros: Kargman plants a kiss on the birthday boy, who will celebrate 20 years in business next year after founding his company in 1999

Posing with Perses: Kargman gets her claws out to pose for a photo alongside a friend at the event (above), which was a multimillion dollar affair

Cerberus, but make it fashion: Kargman (above)has been enjoying a family holiday in Greece with her husband for the past week

Grecian gaggle: Harry Kargman, Hailey Lustig, Alexis Mintz, Stephen Prince and Michael Torkin (left to right) show off their carefully thought out costumes

Interior. Leather bar: Kargman hangs with some more leather-clad attendees at the party including Kofi Yankey (second left) in her Una Burke look

Golden fleece: Silver-faced Shellhammer shared a snap of himself with Brian Babst (right) and a fellow winged guest

The Argonauts: Shellhammer also posted a photo with a gold and glittery Georgi Balinov (right), whose fascinator was ready for flight

 Slide me  Icarus: Shellhammer lost his wings by the end of the night but his makeup remained flawless

Socialite Lydia Fenet, photographer Douglas Friedman and publicist Peggy Siegal were also all in attendance at the party,

Friendman and his partner, Nike brand director Peter Wish, also provided their own take on the theme by dressing a Grecian space gladiators.

This is just the latest over-the-top birthday bash for Van Wyck, who turned 43 this year.

To celebrate turning 40 back in 2015 he hosted a Bal des Sauvages on New York City's Upper East Side, a little over 600 years after the first was held in Paris back in 1393 by King Charles VI of France.

Luckily for Van Wyck, no one was set to fire at that bash, which drew out the likes of Julia Koch, Tamara Mellon and Michael Ovitz, Candice Bergen and Martha Stewart.
A British schoolboy, 15, has been killed after falling out of a speedboat and hitting the propeller in front of his family while on holiday in Greece.

The family of five had rented a speedboat on the small Ionian island of Paxi after the father produced a valid driving licence. His parents and two other siblings, aged 15 and 17, were also on the boat.

The tragedy happened when the boy lost his balance, and fell over the side where he hit the propeller and was fatally injured.

A local coastguard official said that the water was choppy, with big waves

Local media reported there had been heavy waves at the time of the incident.

He was dragged back on board the speedboat by his family and the boy was sped back to the shore where waiting medics could only declare him dead.

The British family had been travelling to the main port of Gaios when the tragedy happened.

The father had initially been arrested after the tragic death, but was later released while the investigation continues.

The family of five had rented a speedboat on the small Ionian island of Paxi

The family were not named, but it is believed they currently live in the United States and had gone on holiday to Greece with a 54-year-old, who had arranged to hire the boat which had a 150-hp outboard engine.

A spokesman for the Paxos Health Centre declared that the schoolboy aged 15 died in the incident.

The Mayor of Paxos, Spyros Vlachopoulos

The Mayor of the island, Spyros Vlachopoulos, said: 'The child was transferred to the Health Centre, where his death was found to have been instant and the doctors could not offer any service.

'We are offering our most sincere condolences and we will assist the family however we can.'

A local coastguard official said that the water was choppy, with big waves, and not ideal for using the powerful craft.

They also confirmed that there had also been a red alert against travelling between Corfu and Paxi.




A Nazi warplane has been discovered off Rhodes in an 'extremely good state of preservation' that is beyond experts' wildest expectations.

The Junkers JU-52, a type of aircraft dubbed 'Iron Annie' that was considered the workhorse transport plane of the Third Reich, was found at the bottom of the Aegean sea near the Greek island.

Mystery surrounds what the plane was doing in the area, but the Nazis had a presence in Rhodes from 1943 and speculation is that it was either on a delivery mission or had possibly been transporting troops.

A Nazi warplane has been discovered off Rhodes in an 'extremely good state of preservation' that is beyond experts' wildest expectations. Dramatic footage has emerged showing it lying on the sea bed to the east of the Greek holiday island

The Junker JU-52, a type of aircraft dubbed 'Iron Annie' that was considered the workhorse transport plane of the Third Reich, was found at the bottom of the Aegean sea near the Greek island. A diver is pictured shining a torch at one of the plane's engines

There was a Nazi presence in Greece from 1943, but it is not yet known how the Luftwaffe plane met its fate or how many were on board when it went down. The plane appears to be in a relatively good condition, missing only the front engine, which has not yet been found, and the glass cover of the cockpit

It is also not yet known how the Luftwaffe plane met its fate or how many were on board when it went down.

The wreck was found at a depth of about 245ft and to the east of the holiday island by specialist divers from 'Aegean Tec' who used GPS technology to track it down. Dramatic footage captured by divers shows the aircraft lying on the sea bed.

German officials have been contacted with details of the plane to determine if the plane crashed with the crew on board and to piece together the circumstances of how it ended up on the sea floor.

The plane appears to be in a relatively good condition, missing only the front engine, which has not yet been found, and the glass cover of the cockpit.

Experts said the extremely good state of preservation of the wreck was beyond their wildest expectations.

The wreck was found at a depth of about 245ft and to the east of the holiday island by specialist divers from 'Aegean Tec' who used GPS technology to track it down

Iron Annie: How the JU-52 was became the workhorse of Hitler's Luftwaffe It was one of the key components of Hitler's Luftwaffe - and was even used to transport the Fuhrer himself. The Junckers JU-52, nicknamed Iron Annie, was considered the workhorse transport plane of the Third Reich - capable of carrying 18 armed soldiers, a number of fitted machine guns and up to 1,100 lbs of bombs. The trimotor aircraft was manufactured from 1931 to 1952 and saw both civilian and military service. The Junckers JU-52, nicknamed Iron Annie, was considered the workhorse transport plane of the Third Reich - capable of carrying 18 armed soldiers, a number of fitted machine guns and up to 1,100 lbs of bombs During the Second World War, it flew with the Luftwaffe as a troop and cargo transport and - briefly - as a medium bomber. It was 62.3 ft long, weighed six tonnes and had a wing span of more than 95ft. Powered by three BMW engines, it was capable of speeds of up to 165 mph with a range of 540 miles and a maximum flying height of 18,000ft. Hitler used a Deutsche Lufthansa Ju 52 for campaigning in the 1932 German election and later used them to transport his cabinet and war staff after becoming Chancellor. During the war, the Junker JU-52 became a backup aircraft for the Nazi leader after it was replaced by a four-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor. Advertisement

Machine guns have been preserved and that the cockpit was complete, having all the piloting systems of the time in place.

Cockpit controls are said to be complete including all the dials, throttles and control columns.

Machine guns are preserved and still in the fuselage while all of the fuselage doors are still closed meaning the exact cargo is still unknown.

The occupation of Greece by the Axis Powers began in April 1941 after Nazi Germany invaded Greece to assist its ally, Fascist Italy, which had been at war with Greece since October 1940. Following the conquest of Crete, all of Greece was occupied by June 1941.

The occupation in the mainland lasted until Germany was forced to withdraw under Allied pressure in October 1944.

As early as the 1930s, two thirds of all the Lufthansa planes were Junkers and the plane could carry up to 18 armed troops at a speed of around 164 mph.

The JU-52 was an aircraft created by the German manufacturer Junker.

During the Second World War, most of the company's aircraft was seized for military use while production continued for military purposes. JU-52s are 62.3 ft long, weigh six tonnes and can carry up to 18 armed soldiers.

It has not been revealed what the plans are for the wreck now that it has been discovered.
Dramatic video from Minnesota shows a major roadway covered with ice and snow which was left over from the massive bomb cyclone storm this week.

Carol Bauer, a resident of the Gopher State, decided to take a drive in Graceville on Thursday.

She then realized, however, that the roads were covered in snow, ice, and fog.

Bauer began filming as she traveled along the storm-battered highway, according to Yahoo! News.

She told Storyful that when she left her house, she thought the roads were clear.

As she headed west, she then realized just how treacherous the terrain had become.

Carol Bauer, a Minnesota resident, filmed herself driving through the town of Graceville on Thursday

The roads were covered with snow, fog, and ice as the region was digging out from the massive 'bomb cyclone' storm

She told Storyful that when she left her house, she thought the roads were clear. As she headed west, she then realized just how treacherous the terrain had become

Another dramatic video illustrating the devastating effects of the bomb cyclone was filmed by Joshua Ludley.

Ludley works at the Anamosa Dam on the Wapsipinicon River in Jones County, Iowa.

He filmed images of large chunks and broken sheets of ice as they were floating down the river.

Experts predict that the ice will cause water levels on the river to rise, perhaps reaching major flood levels this weekend.

Authorities were using boats and large vehicles on Saturday to rescue and evacuate residents in parts of the Midwest where a recent deluge of rainwater and snowmelt was sent pouring over frozen ground, overwhelming creeks and rivers, and killing at least one person.

Another dramatic video illustrating the devastating effects of the bomb cyclone was filmed by Joshua Ludley, who works at the Anamosa Dam on the Wapsipinicon River in Jones County, Iowa

He filmed images of large chunks and broken sheets of ice as they were floating down the river

Large pieces of ice are seen in the river in Jones County, Iowa on Friday

Experts predict that the ice will cause water levels on the river to rise, perhaps reaching major flood levels this weekend

The scramble to move people out of harm's way was expected to subside going into the new week, as rivers and creeks in flooded eastern Nebraska and western Iowa were expected to crest Saturday and Sunday.

That left officials downstream looking to prepare for likely flooding.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson had already met with emergency management team members Friday to review and update flood-response plans, and the Missouri Highway Patrol was preparing additional equipment and putting swift water rescue personnel on standby.

The Missouri National Guard also temporarily relocated the 139th Airlift Wing's C-130s from Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph as a precaution.

The National Weather Service said the Missouri River at St. Joseph reached nearly 26 feet on Saturday, about a foot below what's considered major flooding at the northwest Missouri city.

But it's expected to crest Wednesday or Thursday at 29.3 feet - more than two feet above major flooding level.

Flooding is seen above in Jordan, Minnesota on Friday after the Sand Creek flooded its banks due to a large ice dam

Another aerial view of Syndicate Street shows cars and trucks stranded in the flood-ravaged road. Oil is seen leaking into the water

The image above shows Syndicate Street in Jordan, Minnesota after the floods hit

Wind creates ripples in flood waters in a field in Vernon, Michigan on Friday

Residents of River Resort near Yutan, Nebraska go to check on their cabins on Thursday

Evacuation efforts in eastern Nebraska and some spots in western Iowa on Saturday were hampered by reports of levee breaches and washouts of bridges and roads, including part of Nebraska Highway 92, leading in and out of southwest Omaha.

Authorities confirmed that a bridge on that highway that crosses the Elkhorn River had been washed out Saturday.

In Fremont, west of Omaha, the Dodge County Sheriff's Office issued a mandatory evacuation for some residents after floodwaters broke through a levee along the Platte River.

And in Mills County, Iowa, authorities ordered people in some rural areas to evacuate after the Missouri River overtopped levees.

The flooding followed days of snow and rain - record-setting, in some places - that swept through the West and Midwest.

The deluge pushed some waterways, including the Missouri River, to record levels in Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.

The flooding was the worst in nearly a decade in places.

The family of farmer James Wilke, 50, of Columbus, Nebraska, said he was killed Thursday when a bridge collapsed as he was using his tractor to try to reach stranded motorists on Thursday.

His body was found downstream, his cousin Paul Wilke told the Columbus Telegram. Gass Haney Funeral Home confirmed James Wilke's death.

At least two other people were missing in floodwaters in Nebraska.

Officials said a Norfolk man was seen on top of his flooded car late Thursday before being swept away in the water and another man was swept away by waters when a dam collapsed on the Niobrara River.

Officials in Sarpy County, south of Omaha, said Saturday that power may be shut off to communities along the Missouri, Platte and Elkhorn rivers for safety reasons.

They warned those who choose to ignore calls to evacuate that rescues would be attempted only during daylight hours.

Some cities and towns, such as North Bend on the banks of the Platte River, were submerged.

Motorists are forced to turn around as West Maple Road in Elkhorn, Nebraska is inundated with floodwaters on Friday

Travelers take in the overflowing Missouri River near Platteview, Nebraska on Saturday

Surveyors with the USGS take measurement of the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday

Ducks swim nearby as the high waters of the Missouri River almost submerge figures in the Monument to Labor statue by Matthew J. Placzek in Omaha on Saturday

Horses that were being boarded in Inglewood, Nebraska are moved through floodwaters to higher ground in Fremont, Nebraska on Friday

Others, such as Waterloo and Fremont, were surrounded by floodwaters, stranding residents in virtual islands with no access in or out.

'There is no way out of here unless you've got a helicopter - or a boat,' the Rev. Mike Bitter, pastor of Christian Church of Waterloo, told the Omaha World-Herald.

Officials in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska were urging people not to drive unless necessary.

In Iowa, a section of northbound Interstate 29 that runs parallel to the Missouri River was closed due to flooding.

Authorities were rerouting motorists at Kansas City, Missouri, using a detour that took people almost 140 miles out of the way.

Farther east, the Mississippi River saw moderate flooding in Illinois from Rock Island south to Gladstone.

Highway 12 is seen damaged after a storm triggered historic flooding, over Niobrara River, Nebraska, on Saturday

A damaged road is seen after a storm triggered historic flooding in Niobrara, Nebraska on Saturday

Highway 275 is seen underwater after a storm triggered historic flooding, near Waterloo, Nebraska, on Saturday

An aerial view of damaged buildings after a storm triggered historic flooding, in Valley, Nebraska, on Saturday

The above image shows the damage from flooding on Highway 12 on Saturday

An aerial view of Spencer Dam after a storm triggered historic flooding, near Bristow, Nebraska on Saturday

Flooded apartments are seen over Elkhorn River in Nebraska on Saturday

Meteorologist Brian Pierce with the National Weather Service's Quad Cities office in Davenport, Iowa, said flooding on the Mississippi could get worse a few weeks as more snow melts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

'What we're having now is the dress rehearsal for the main event that's going to happen in early April,' he said of the flooding on the Mississippi.

Rising waters along the Pecatonica and Rock rivers flooded some homes in the northern Illinois cities of Freeport, Rockford and Machesney Park.

The National Weather Service said record crests were possible along the rivers, with water levels forecast to continue to rise over the next several days and remain above flood stage through most of the weekend.

Freeport resident Mary Martin told the (Freeport) Journal-Standard that she went to the store to get milk and bread when she saw floodwaters were rising Friday.

'Within an hour of going to the store, I could not get back in. That's how fast the water was coming up,' Martin said.
A casino robbery suspect died Saturday following a shootout outside the Bellagio hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip, police say.

The armed man, who has not yet been identified, had allegedly walked into the Vegas casino, and approached the poker cage where he demanded they hand over their cash. He then fled out of the north entrance.

Unfortunately for the robber, as the Bellagio was already crawling with police that night, investigating an unrelated missing child case.

Officers caught up with the suspect outside in the valet lot where he was attempting to car jack a vehicle.

Las Vegas police respond to an officer-involved shooting in front of Bellagio on Friday, March 15, 2019, in Las Vegas

A shootout then occurred after the suspect opened fire, police say.

Capt. Nichole Splinter of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said: 'An armed suspect entered the casino to a popular poker room cage area and approached the tellers demanding money,' Splinter reported in a scene briefing.

The suspect fired at least one shot at an officer before being shot by a second officer, according to the briefing.

'The officer had his bulletproof vest on, which probably saved his life,' Splinter said, adding that 'it looks like the bullet hit the front of his chest and possibly went across.'

Both the suspected robber and the officer were taken to the hospital where the wounded casino thief was initially in critical condition.

The suspect's death was confirmed by a police spokesman, Officer Aden OcampoGomez. The officer who was hit in the vest was treated and released.

Video taken by Twitter user Andrew Badecker shortly after the incident from inside the crowded poker room shows gamblers largely unaware that the robbery and shootout took place as an officer attempts to ask questions of potential witnesses.

Twitter user Robert Fuller, @Gamblindude, posted this image of a Las Vegas police officer with police tape placed around chairs to cordon off the cage area of the Belaggio's poker room on Friday night

Twitter user Andrew Badecker posted video from the poker room after the robbery incident, but the gamblers in the crowded area apparently hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary

Las Vegas police officers investigate outside of the north valet at the Bellagio after police fired at a robbery suspect in Las Vegas

'No one noticed,' Badecker responds to the Las Vegas uniformed cop trying to take statements from his table.

The cage area in the poker room that was robbed is where the casino cashiers exchange chips and tokens for cash.

'Going to be a long night at #Bellagio. Poker cage robbed, @LVMPD shot the robber outside, poker room on lockdown,' user Rick Fuller tweeted with a photo of police tape surrounding the poker room cage and a Las Vegas police officer standing by.

No identities have been released, and the authorities did not disclose how much money the suspect took in the holdup.
The teenager who egged Senator Fraser Anning after he blamed immigration for the Christchurch Mosque massacre has seen his social media following grow by tens of thousands.

Will Connolly, 17, from Victoria, was behind Mr Anning at a Conservative National Party Meeting in Melbourne, on Saturday afternoon when he smashed an egg on the back of the senator's head.

A short scuffle ensued and the schoolboy was grabbed around the neck, tackled to the ground and restrained by up to five men after the egging.

The teenager who egged Senator Fraser Anning after he blamed immigration for the Christchurch Mosque massacre has seen his social media following grow by tens of thousands (pictured)

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the schoolboy's Facebook page to heap praise on him for egging Senator Fraser Anning

Many of the people heaping praise on the schoolboy called him a hero for his actions with all nationalities united in support for him

An image from the event then shows the youngster being escorted from the venue by police.

Since the story broke, Mr Connolly's social media following on Instagram has risen to 241,000.

Meanwhile, he has also received more than 30,000 comments of praise from all over the world including the Netherlands, Morocco and Egypt.

'You are a hero, we are proud of you, greeting you from Libya respect,' one user wrote.

'Respect and million thanks! You are amazing and make the world vibrate,' another added.

The incident has resulted in the youngster's social media following growing within hours as people from all over the world praised him for his efforts

The egging occurred after Mr Anning released a controversial response in the wake of the Christchurch Mosque massacre on Friday.

'I am utterly opposed to any form of violence in our community, and I totally condemn the actions of the gunman,' Mr Anning said.

'However, whilst this kind of violent vigilantism can never be justified, what it highlights is the growing fear within the community, both in Australia and New Zealand, of the increasing Muslim presence.'

People from all over the world took to Will Connolly's social media pages to share words of encouragement and thanks

The senator, who has since been kicked out of the Katter's Australian Party, sparked a deluge of negative reactions, with many people condemning him on social media.

'White supremacy (your ideology) killed these people. Shut the f*** up and have some respect,' one person wrote on Twitter.

'Resign. You do not deserve to stand representative of the Australian people,' another person said.

A third person added: 'You are an embarrassment to humanity'.

In a follow-up statement, Senator Fraser Anning said he opposed to any form of violence within our community and totally condemned the actions of the gunman.

The egging came after Mr Anning released a controversial response in the wake of the Christchurch Mosque massacre on Friday

A petition has been created calling for the senator to be expelled from Australian Parliament.

'We call on the Australian government to expel this man who blames victims for their own violent deaths, and uses references to genocide to further his hateful agenda,' the petition says.

The petition has already been signed more than 750,000 times and will be sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office upon completion.

'Realistically, we all understand that it is likely to be constitutionally impossible to expel Anning,' the petition reads.

'We can however send out a strong message that vile hate speech will not be condoned, and that Muslims, or indeed any group of people, will not have their dignity and rights eroded.'
A woman has died of a heart attack after undergoing a controversial cleansing procedure.

Natasha Lechner went into cardiac arrest after participating in a 'kambo ceremony' in her home in Mullumbimby, in northern NSW, on March 8.

The treatment involves applying kambo, a discharge emitted from an Amazonian green tree frog, onto the skin after it is burned with a stick.

However, after Ms Lechner's ceremony, the 39-year-old's body temperature plummeted and she passed out.

After another participant called an ambulance, but she couldn't be revived and was pronounced dead at 11.15am.

Natasha Lechner, 39, (pictured) went into cardiac arrest after participating in a 'kambo ceremony' in her home in Mullumbimby, in northern NSW, on March 8

Kambo, although controversial, is a growing trend that is said to purge the body of toxins by making its participants vomit.

Ms Lechner's twin brother, Christian, said his sister's debilitating back pain, which she had been dealing with for more than 20 years, led her to the alternative therapy.

'She was a hairdresser for 20 years and had sciatica and a crushed vertebrae and often cried in pain, she needed back surgery and high doses of pain killers,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

'I think she went on a path and began to search for more biologically friendly medicines.'

Ms Lechner was heavily involved in crystals, tarot and spiritual ceremonies and chased alternative therapies after suffering from severe back pain for more than 20 years

Her brother, Christian (pictured right with Ms Lechner) said it was her 'conscious decision'to undergo the Kambo ceremony

WHAT IS KAMBO? - Kambo is a poison used as a traditional medicine in purging or cleansing rituals - It is a waxy substance collected by scraping the skin of an Amazonian tree frog - The skin is blistered in several places with a hot stick and small amounts of kambo are applied to open wounds - Symptoms after kambo are strong and immediate and can include severe vomiting, dizziness, fainting, swollen lips or face - Participants are also at risk of serious adverse side effects including seizures and death, especially if it enters the bloodstream - Kambo is not commonly used in Australia but is available from specific practitioners at certain ceremonies Advertisement

Devastated after the loss of his twin, Christian took to Facebook to farewell his 'best friend'.

'I grew with her in our mothers womb, I watched her grow as a child, every minute. She was my reflection, my connection, my other half.'

Ms Lechner lived a spiritual life.

Her social media accounts are filled with images of crystals, tarot cards and spiritual ceremonies.

In 2013, she moved to Byron Bay, where her brother said she bonded with people with similar interests.

She underwent a training program to administer kambo in January and had also undergone the therapy several times in the past four years.

Spokeswoman for The International Association of Kambo Practitioners Sophie Perkins said Ms Lechner had not disclosed any health conditions prior to her training.

'During the two weeks, no one saw anything that would give any cause for concern,' she told The Daily Telegraph.

Kambo is a poison used as a traditional medicine in purging or cleansing rituals. It is a waxy substance collected by scraping the skin of an Amazonian tree frog (stock image)

The skin is blistered in several places with a hot stick and small amounts of kambo are applied to open wounds (stock image)

She also revealed that the person who administered kambo to Ms Lechner was not a licensed practitioner.

Five deaths have been linked to Kambo across the world since its introduction.

According to the IAKP's website, kambo can have serious adverse side effects or reactions in some people, including seizures and death - especially if it accidentally enters the bloodstream.

Although it is not commonly practiced, Australia has the third-largest number of kambo practitioners in the world behind the US and the UK.

It is readily available from specific practitioners for certain ceremonies.

Tweed Byron Police confirmed the kambo ceremony was one aspect they would investigate in regards to the death of Ms Lechner.
A Florida woman who killed her nine-year-old cousin by sitting on her as punishment has been sentenced to life in prison.

Veronica Green Posey, 66, was convicted of first-degree felony murder Friday after a jury heard she sat on Dericka Lindsay for more than five minutes.

A jury heard the schoolgirl died of suffocation after she was starved of oxygen when 320lbs Posey crushed her in an effort to get her under control in October 2017.

Veronica Green Posey, 66, was convicted of first-degree felony murder Friday after a jury heard she sat on Dericka Lindsay for more than five minutes. A jury heard the school girl died of suffocation when 320lbs Posey crushed her in an effort to get her under control in 2017

Prosecutors say little Lindsay had suffered horrific beatings from Posey, as well as from her adoptive parents, James and Grace Smith.

Posey's attorney said the 320-pound woman was trying to help the Smiths and didn't intend to hurt Dericka.

James Smith was previously sentenced to 10 years for his role in death, while Grace Smith still faces charges but is currently mentally and physically unfit to stand trial.

In an autopsy, the medical examiner found Dericka had severe bruising on her buttocks that she described as 'injury, on top of injury, on top of injury.'

Assistant State Attorney Amy Shea said on the day of Dericka's death, Posey was awoken by a phone call from Grace Smith saying that Dericka and her eight-year-old sister were misbehaving.

'Once her feet hit the floor getting out of bed, she was determined to beat these children,' Shea said.

She took a ruler and a thin pipe intended to give the ruler 'weight,' then went over to the Smiths' home to aid Grace Smith with the beating of the young child.

James Smith (left) was previously sentenced to 10 years for his role in death, while Grace Smith (right) still faces charges but is currently mentally and physically unfit to stand trial

Posey forced the girl to bend over arm armchair and then sat on her back, crushing her chest.

Despite the girl's screams that she couldn't breathe, Posey continued to sit on her until she stopped moving.

It was only when she realised the girl had stopped breathing that she called 911.

At the time Posey told law enforcement that she sat on the small girl 'for being out of control.'

The child was transported to Baptist Hospital but she was pronounced dead a short time later.
The parents of an autistic teenage boy were warned he would be taken into care after they objected to him being given powerful hormone drugs to help him change sex.

Doctors at an NHS clinic had recommended he be given puberty-blockers  which delay adolescence  after the youngster declared he believed he was female.

But his mother and father, fearing the potential side-effects of the drugs, stopped him going to the clinic. And they suspected his abrupt decision to change sex was a result of his autism.

After the boy told the school he had been barred from treatment, a teacher told his parents that they should find alternative accommodation for their son or else he would be put into temporary foster care. And the school reported the couple to childrens services for being emotionally abusive to their son by not supporting his wish to change gender.

The autistic boy told his school that he had been barred from treatment by his parents, who were then warned he might be taken away if they objected to him using hormone drugs (Stock photo)

A month later, the local authority placed him in a child protection plan after social workers concluded he was likely to suffer significant harm under his parents care.

However, the family avoided seeing the boy go into foster care because a family friend agreed that he could live with them. Childrens services have now taken the boy out of child protection and earlier this year he moved back home.

The parents, who are both middle-class professionals, revealed their ordeal to The Mail on Sunday after reports that at least three children were taken into care last year because their parents objected to them changing gender.

The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told how the experience almost broke the family.

She said: Im absolutely devastated. When I saw the report that social services wrote about us and saw the words emotional abuse, I just broke down.

All we were doing was trying to get him to pause and think about his actions. My biggest worry as a mum is my child gets pushed down this route, becomes a woman, goes through the surgery, then gets to 25 and says, Ive made a mistake.

The familys problems began in 2015 when the boy started struggling to cope with the pressures of secondary school due to his Aspergers and autism. He started to self-harm and his parents asked his GP to refer him to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

During an appointment with a child psychotherapist, the boy announced he believed he was female. His parents said he had never mentioned such a belief to them previously and suspected that his sudden interest in changing gender may have been another of his autistic obsessions. However, they agreed for him to be referred on to the Leeds branch of the Tavistock Clinic  the only NHS service for under-18s who are confused about their gender.

But they became frustrated by the vague approach of psychologists and their apparent failure to get to grips with the boys autism.

They agreed for him to be referred on to the Leeds branch of the Tavistock Clinic  the only NHS service for under-18s who are confused about their gender

The final straw came when they saw a report recommending that their son, who was approaching 15, be prescribed puberty-blockers.

We had read that these blockers might not be reversible and there might be long-term effects for brain development, his mother said. So in 2017, the couple took the decision to remove their son from the care of the Tavistock.

Six months later, the school informed them that their son would not be returning home and they were being reported to childrens services.

His mother said: They were worried because he was coming out of lessons, going to the toilets, cutting himself and saying that Mum and Dad wouldnt get on board with him wanting to be a girl.

The school and social workers took what our child said as gospel. But considering he has autism, his perception of social scenarios is seen through an autism lens.

Although the family are back together, the boys mother is still angry about their treatment. She said: I cannot bear the thought of other families going through what weve been through. It has been horrendous.

The Mail on Sunday reported last year that a third of those referred to the Tavistock show strong signs of autism.

Shoppers rail against unisex changing rooms

High street chain Primark has come under fire from shoppers who say its new unisex changing rooms make them feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.

Women visiting the fashion firms store at the huge Bluewater shopping centre in Kent were shocked that there were no signs to make it clear they would be changing with men.

Lorraine Young, who had used the changing rooms without realising they were unisex, said: Id feel very uncomfortable. I wouldnt want guys to be there when I came out.

Primark in Kent's Bluewater shopping centre has come under fire from shoppers over new unisex changing room facilities which make customers feel 'uncomfortable'

Margaret Webster, 80, who was buying trousers for her husband, said: I would feel self-conscious.

The younger generation wear such flimsy things nowadays and Id imagine an older man might not be used to seeing them in such flyaway things.

A Primark spokesman said: It has been our policy for some time that all customers are welcome to use the fitting rooms of their choice in our stores.
Its a scandal worthy of a Broadway play: who is the person that has been pooping in New York City audition rooms?

The mystery has actors on the Great White Way stumped.

The first incident was reported at Pearl Studios in midtown Manhattan.

During auditions for the musical Magic Mike on February 26, a person involved with the show slipped on the floor.

She stopped and said, Oh, I just stepped in s***, actress Eunice Bae told the New York Post.

We all laughed thinking she was using the slang version of s*** to mean general mess, but then we all began to smell it.

Alle-Faye Monka, who also auditioned for a part in Magic Mike, told the Post: The first theory was that someone carried it off the street on their shoes.

Cast members of Magic Mike, a Broadway musical, are seen in the stock image above. On two occasions, someone left piles of fresh feces in audition rooms for the show in New York City, it has been reported

The first 'attack' took place at an audition room at Pearl Studios in New York City (seen right)

But there is no way that was plausible given that it looked like, well, a fresh pile.

Another pile of feces was left on the floor of an audition room at the Ripley-Grier studio, which is just down the block from Pearl Studios on Eighth Avenue, on March 6.

There is one prevailing theory as to the motive behind the poop attacks - a dispute between union and non-union actors.

The Actors Equity Association has been urging Broadway theatergoers to buy tickets to shows that are strictly union productions.

The hashtag #askifitsequity has been shared on social media in the hope that union-only plays would be preferred.

But Magic Mikes auditions are an open call, meaning that it is also open to non-union actors.

Broadway actors spoofed the real life drama with hilarious sketches online. Brooks Ashmanskas, the star of the music The Prom, appears in this online skit

Two other stars of the musical - Josh Lamon (left) and Courtney Balan (right) - also appear in the spoof

Productions who use non-union actors pay them about four times less than Equity members, according to the Post.

This has created friction between the union actors and the non-union actors who say they are being denied opportunities.

The union has long disliked the tours of Broadway shows that are quite lucrative for non-union actors.

The Post notes that after the first pile of feces was left in the audition room at Pearl Studios, the hashtag #askifs***sequity was launched on Twitter.

Theater actors took it in stride and reacted only as they could - by creating overly dramatic spoofs.

One skit created a short send-up of Law and Order: SPU (Special Pooping Unit).

Another video on Twitter included the cast of The Prom, a musical.
Hit TV drama The Crown is known for its lavish production values  with each episode costing up to 10million.

But even screen veteran Charles Dance may have raised an eyebrow at the lengths the shows producers went to for his portrayal of Prince Charless great confidant, Lord Louis Mountbatten.

For as our photograph shows, the award-winning actor was painted in oils to lend authenticity to a scene where Mountbattens portrait is removed from a building in Whitehall.

Charles Dance, 72, plays Lord Louis Mountbatten in hit TV drama The Crown. The Crown's crew took authenticity to another level as this picture reveals the award-winning actor was painted in oils to lend authenticity to a scene where Mountbattens portrait is removed from a building in Whitehall

Admiral of the Fleet Lord Louis Mountbatten at the Ministry of Defence, London, after his retirement from the office of Chief of the Defence Staff, July 15, 1965

Dance, 72, looked suitably aristocratic during shooting, in a role that is likely to feature in some of the shows most compelling storylines, including the love affair between Prince Charles and a young Camilla.

With the new, third series focusing on Queen Elizabeths reign in the 1960s and 1970s, viewers will get to see Charles and Camilla becoming close friends and later a couple. But in 1973 their relationship ended abruptly and Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles.

Some have speculated that Lord Mountbatten  Charless trusted adviser and great-uncle  conspired to separate them so that the future monarch could marry his granddaughter Amanda.

In this series, Oscar-winner Olivia Colman has taken over the role of the Queen from Claire Foy and Josh OConnor plays Charles.

The series will be screened later this year on Netflix.
Yaqub Ahmed was meant to be kicked out of the country in October but he was given a last-minute reprieve when holidaymakers on a Turkish Airways flight took pity of him without knowing of his crime

A rapist whose deportation was stopped when misguided passengers staged a mutiny is still in Britain  at a cost of at least 16,000 to taxpayers.

Yaqub Ahmed was meant to be kicked out of the country in October, more than a decade after he was jailed for his part in the gang-rape of a teenage girl.

But as The Mail on Sunday revealed, he was given a last-minute reprieve when holidaymakers on a Turkish Airways flight at Heathrow  unaware of his sickening crime  took pity on him.

The refugee was ushered off the plane by Home Office guards after a confrontation with the passengers who complained he was being separated from his family.

And five months later Ahmed, now 30, has still not been put on another flight back to his homeland of Somalia.

It is believed he remains in immigration detention at a cost of 100 a day.

The total bill could be far higher as he will be eligible for public funding if he continues to challenge his deportation order. Figures from the Legal Aid Agency show that his lawyers were reimbursed a total of 3,338 for challenging his detention and removal between 2010 and 2016, while his solicitor and barrister during his Crown Court trial received 28,000.

Last night, victims rights campaigner Harry Fletcher said: The failure of the authorities to enforce a legal deportation following a serious sexual crime discredits the whole system and yet again fails victims.

Ahmed was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 2003 after arriving from Somalia aged 14.

Five months later Ahmed, now 30, has still not been put on another flight back to his homeland of Somalia and it is believed he costs the taxpayer 100 a day

Within a few years he had been sentenced to 21 days in a young offenders institution for an assault on a police constable and fined for being drunk and disorderly.

Then in 2008 he was jailed for nine years for his part in the brutal rape of a 16-year-old girl who had become separated from her friends during a night out in the West End of London.

Ahmed spent about five years behind bars after receiving an extra six months for asking an accomplice to smuggle a mobile phone inside for him.
Tory leadership contender Liz Truss has launched an extraordinary attack on her Cabinet rivals, branding them vultures trying to appease Left-wing whingers with big spending pledges.

Amid growing division within the Cabinet over Brexit wrecking, the Treasury Minister let rip at her endless colleagues asking for spending on this that or the other.

In a speech described as the starting gun on the leadership election, the South West Norfolk MP declared the Conservatives must slash taxes and be radical if they want any hope of winning the next Election.

And she took aim at the policies of her rivals for the Tory crown, including Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark.

Liz Truss (pictured above) is said to have torn into Cabinet 'vultures'

Speaking at a Westminster dinner on Wednesday, Ms Truss pleaded for an injection of va va voom into the DNA of the Conservative Parliamentary Party because I am afraid the ratio of my colleagues talking about increasing spending to cutting taxes is not good. And the Treasury Chief Secretary accused Tory MPs of being ashamed to call for fiscal responsibility because they were afraid of losing the next Election to Jeremy Corbyn.

In the most open pitch for the leadership by a serving Cabinet Minister yet, Ms Truss said: So what do we need to stand for? First of all we have to be the party of lower taxes.

And the reality is we have a 50-year high in terms of tax burden. Now I do not think we can go into the next Election in that position. We need to lower our taxes.

Britain's Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss (L) Britain's Business Secretary Greg Clark (C) and Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd leave a cabinet meeting in Downing Street central London

Her speech came amid a week of feverish plotting by Ministers jostling to replace Theresa May as soon as this summer. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was spotted conspiring with Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns and allies over a late-night fast-food meal on Tuesday, in what one MP branded the Byron Burger betrayal.

Sources say that former Chief Whip Mr Williamson  who helped Mrs May become Prime Minister  has concluded she is toast and has begun crunching the numbers for who is next. But so far only Ms Truss has been so public with her ambitions, with one Minister accusing her of firing the starting gun on the race with Wednesdays speech.

Addressing over 120 Ministers, MPs and other Westminster figures celebrating the 15th anniversary of the grassroots TaxPayers Alliance campaign, she went on: In too many cases we have been a bit too ashamed of being Conservatives, ashamed of being free marketeers and ashamed of being in favour of low taxes.

Liz Truss took aim at the policies of her rivals for the Tory crown, including Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured above)

Setting out her vision for the country, she added: People like money, they like success, they want to buy a new car, a new house, they want to travel abroad, they want to be successful. The Conservatives will only win when we are the party of aspiration opportunity and that success.

She said that in a Britain dominated by Left-wing whingeing and virtue-signallers, the Tories had been too afraid to stand up for what they believe in.

As well as promoting her vision for how to win the next Election, Ms Truss also used her speech to take aim at fellow Cabinet Ministers who have asked for more money, such as former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Mr Williamson.

She said: Too many of us in the Conservative Party think there is some magic money tree we can somehow find and pay for all that spending. Not enough of us have been talking about taxpayers, we spend far too much time talking about public money as if it something just delivered from heaven and doesnt actually come from peoples pockets.

Pointing to the fact Mr Hammond told the Commons the economy was recovering faster than expected, Ms Trust said: We have options now. We could increase investment, we could increase our public spending, we could reduce the deficit, or we could reduce taxes. What I think is interesting is, ever since those numbers came to light, the vultures have been circling, Ive heard from endless colleagues asking for spending on this that or the other.

I call these colleagues of mine plastic hawks, because they are always there telling me they are a fiscal hawk, but come every spending discussion its like my department needs more money, my area needs more money.

She went on to call for the Justice Secretary David Gaukes department put under the control of the Home Office and Business Secretarys Greg Clarks department to be merged with the Department for Transport.
David Davis is spearheading a last-ditch effort to persuade hardline opponents of Mrs May's deal to swing behind the Prime Minister.

The former Brexit Secretary has broken ranks with Boris Johnson  who joined Mr Davis in resigning from the Cabinet over Mrs May's negotiations  by signing a public letter warning the rebels that they risk losing Brexit entirely.

Mr Davis, who dropped his opposition to the deal last week, is one of 15 signatories to the letter, which has been organised by Mansfield MP Ben Bradley.

Their move came as the divisions in the Tory party threatened to explode into full civil war, with more than 50 local Tory associations considering deselecting their MPs over their anti-Brexit voting in the Commons, The Mail on Sunday understands.

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis has dropped his opposition to Theresa May's deal and is spearheading an effort to persuade opponents to back the Prime Minister

Yesterday, Tory MP Nick Boles quit his local Conservative association after a series of clashes over Brexit. He had been facing efforts by local activists in the Grantham and Stamford Conservative Association to oust him as the party's candidate for the next General Election after he threatened to resign the whip to oppose a No Deal Brexit.

In the letter, which has also been signed by Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski  who voted against the Government over the deal only last week  the Leave-supporting MPs write: 'We voted against the deal in the first Meaningful Vote, but we now recognise there is an increasing risk that in holding out for a perfect deal we could end up losing Brexit altogether.

'Some of us voted for the deal in the second Meaningful Vote because we felt that the departure date on March 29 would be lost.

'That has regrettably become reality. Now the UK is faced with the prospect of a long extension of Article 50.'

The letter goes on: 'Brexit is at risk. Therefore we urge colleagues who, like us, wish to deliver Brexit, to vote for the deal and ensure we leave the EU as soon as possible.

'We need to leave now, take the risk of No Brexit off the table, and then continue to fight for the best future relationship as an independent nation.'

Mr Kawczynski later wrote on Twitter: 'Mrs May's Deal is only game in town. Do we continue to obstruct & risk no Brexit? I doubt I can take that risk.'

Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski voted against the Government's Brexit deal last week but now backs it

Last night, two of the most high-profile rebels against the deal  former Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson and Dominic Raab, Mr Davis's successor as Brexit Secretary  were still insisting they would vote against it if Mrs May brings her deal back to the Commons this week.

However, many of their colleagues believe they will retreat from their wrecking ball tactics if Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party decides to back the deal following this weekend's negotiations with No 10.

It is understood that the DUP was preparing to back Mrs May last weekend  until legal advice from Attorney General Geoffrey Cox bluntly stated that 'the legal risk remains' that Northern Ireland could remain trapped in the deal's backstop which would tie the province to EU rules.

One colleague said: 'If it ends up being just them and loony tunes headbangers like Steve Baker [hardline deputy chairman of the Tory Eurosceptic European Research Group] and [prominent ERG Brexiteer] Mark Francois in the No lobby, it won't be a good look for men with leadership ambitions. Judge them by the company that they keep'.

Nick Boles has quit his local Conservative association but is staying on as MP for Grantham and Stamford

The splits in the party have been replicated in the ERG, which is headed by Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has been increasingly sidelined by No 10 in negotiations about the deal in favour of former leader Iain Duncan Smith. Last weekend, while Mr Duncan Smith was meeting Mrs May at Chequers, an oblivious Mr Rees-Mogg was enjoying a day out at Crufts.

The 'wrecking ball' MPs who could destroy deal Boris Johnson He's the Tory Brexit heavyweight with the heft to shatter Mrs May's deal hopes  or make them come true if the former Foreign Secretary finally swings the Prime Minister's way. Steve Baker The ex-Brexit Minister warns a March 29 No Deal Brexit is still alive, hinting ERG MPs could stop the law change to postpone it. Dominc Raab A former Brexit Secretary seemingly determined to give May's deal the chop; has a black belt in karate to help him with that. Mark Francois He says: 'I was in the Army. I wasn't trained to lose.' Now seeing frontline service as the Tory ERG group's shock weapon. Anne Marie Trevelyan A true-blue die-hard Tory backbencher with a Thatcher-like refusal to back down on a proper Brexit. So far, any way... Advertisement

Mr Boles, who has been a leading voice in the campaign calling for a closer Norway-style relationship with Europe, said that while he was leaving his local party, he would stay on as the MP for Grantham and Stamford and take the Conservative whip at Westminster if it was offered to him on 'acceptable terms'.

In a letter to members of his association, Boles said a 'division has opened up between me and members of the association executive', adding: 'Many of them are convinced that the Government should take the UK out of the European Union without a deal.'

But a senior official at his local association called on Boles to take the 'honourable course' and quit as an MP. Martin Hill, vice-president of the association, said: 'Nick has been at odds with the local party and with the Prime Minister for some time.'

Relations are understood to be increasingly tense between Mrs May and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox following Mr Cox's legal advice last week.

He stunned Downing Street by ruling in the House of Commons that Britain still risked being stuck in the backstop, despite the changes to Mrs May's deal which were agreed in Strasbourg, contradicting the Prime Minister's claims to have secured changes that ensured Britain could not be trapped.

Mr Cox, who was involved in the negotiations, has been criticised for 'allowing' the Prime Minister to bring back a deal which he could not endorse.

But The Mail on Sunday understands that Mr Cox urged Mrs May not to make the journey to Strasbourg  only for the Prime Minister to insist on going.

Last night, one diehard member of the ERG said that she was not persuaded by the lobbying by her colleagues to back the deal.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: 'I still am not able to see how I can vote for an unchanged Withdrawal Agreement. The risks are as yet unaltered'.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable will today accuse the Tories of risking peace in Northern Ireland by trying to undermine the Brexit deal backstop.

He will tell his party activists that, for Mrs May's Government, 'peace in Ireland matters less than peace in the Conservative Party'.

The Lib Dem leader also claims that, even if a deal is agreed this week, it would only be the start of 'years and years of frustration and friction' for the UK.

'If Brexit is a political Everest, this is the Base Camp,' Sir Vince will warn.

ERG 'Suicide Squad' in last ditch plan to sabotage PM

A group of die-hard Tory Brexiteers are privately vowing to force a no-confidence vote in the Government if Theresa May negotiates an extended delay to Brexit at an EU summit this week.

If the Prime Minister loses a third Meaningful Vote on her Brexit deal this week  or fails to put it to the Commons because defeat is inevitable  then she plans to travel to the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday to request a delay to Brexit of up to two years.

The EU has indicated that it is only minded to accept a delay on the basis that the UK agrees to stringent new conditions  such as signing up to membership of a customs union.

But a 'suicide squad' of members of the European Research Group of Conservative MPs, numbering up to 15, have threatened to team up with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party to force a confidence measure before she could put the delay to an essential vote in the Commons.

If the move succeeded, the Prime Minister would be forced from Downing Street just days before the UK left the EU without a deal  an ultra-chaotic 'no PM and no deal' scenario.

However, allies of Mrs May are relaxed about the prospect.

A senior Tory source said: 'It is hard to imagine Labour voting to stop a delay to Brexit and a customs union in favour of a chaotic no deal.'
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A determined cyclist battled through flooded roads earlier this morning after rivers across the UK burst their banks when almost a month's worth of rain pelted the country in just 24 hours.

Cars, fields and roads have been drowned under a foot of water as rivers overflowed in Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, the Calder Valley, north Wales and Shrewsbury, with waters continuing to rise throughout the afternoon.

As many as 34 flood warnings and 49 flood alerts are still in place, issued by the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales, as river levels are expected to continue to rise over the next few days.

Temporary flood barriers are being hastily put up for the first time in several years at Ironbridge, on the River Severn, as well as at Bewdley, Shrewsbury and Wribbenhall along its course.

Flood defences have also been put in place in York after a car was submerged, the Dame Judi Dench walkway flooded, and the picnic benches surrounded by water.

The unidentified cyclist sped past numerous vehicles in Castleford, West Yorkshire, that had been abandoned thanks to the heavy flooding of the region's roads.

A determined cyclist battled through flooded roads in Castleford, West Yorkshire, earlier this morning after rivers across the UK burst their banks when almost a month's worth of rain pelted the country in just 24 hours

York has been battered with water as the area floods thanks to the River Ouse bursting its banks, as flood warnings remain in place across the UK

Tide of destruction: Historic Gwydir Castle in North Wales is flooded for the THIRD time in seven months as four weeks rain falls in just 24 hours wrecking the Tudor property By James Tozer An historic castle has been flooded for the third time in seven months after being abandoned by the authorities, its devastated owners claimed yesterday. Gardens surrounding Gwydir Castle in North Wales  visited in July by Prince Charles  were submerged after parts of the country saw a months worth of rain fall in just 24 hours. Despite efforts by volunteers to build a wall of sandbags, the Tudor property was left with 7ft of water in its cellars as the nearby River Conwy reached record levels. Gardens surrounding Gwydir Castle in North Wales  visited in July by Prince Charles  were submerged after parts of the country saw a months worth of rain fall in just 24 hours Supporters of Gwydir Castle last night backed the call for action. Actor John Challis  best known as Boycie from Only Fools and Horses  said on Twitter the authorities response was disgraceful and elitist Judy Corbett, who has lived at the Grade I-listed fortified manor house with her husband Peter Welford for 25 years, is convinced that a 7million project to protect nearby villages from flooding has increased the risk to the property. They believe the work made the river flow more quickly. However, the Welsh authorities deny this and say funding for flood protection work is prioritised based on how many lives are at risk. Were completely devastated, Miss Corbett said. Weve been warning this would keep happening if flood protection measures werent put in place and weve again been proved right. She added that repeated flooding had left the castle with damp and rot. We ought to be opening to visitors for the season on April 1, but thats obviously not going to happen now, she added. Its absolutely heartbreaking. If nothing is done to protect us, the fabric of this historic building will suffer permanent damage. Supporters of Gwydir Castle last night backed the call for action. Actor John Challis  best known as Boycie from Only Fools and Horses  said on Twitter the authorities response was disgraceful and elitist. Conservative Welsh Assembly member Janet Finch-Saunders pledged to challenge the refusal of funding, posting: Why are our private listed buildings and our historical Welsh heritage placed at risk in this way? But Sian Williams, of Natural Resources Wales, which is responsible for flood protection measures, said: We have a duty to use the public money to reduce the risk of flooding for as many homes and business as we can. This is why it is difficult to prioritise this property above other communities. She insisted that the Conwy valley flood scheme reduced the risk for the castle. Despite the measures, about 40 homes flooded in Llanrwst. There was also flooding in towns and cities elsewhere, including York and Rochdale. Four people had to be rescued from two cars stuck at Bangor-on-Dee, near Wrexham, yesterday. The Environment Agency has warned that water flowing from sodden hills and fields means flooding will continue to be a risk over the next few days. Last night, there were 27 flood warnings across England, largely in the West Midlands and in the North, along with five in Wales. Judy Corbett, who has lived at the Grade I-listed fortified manor house with her husband Peter Welford for 25 years, is convinced that a 7million project to protect nearby villages from flooding has increased the risk to the property Advertisement

Skipbridge (pictured) near York also saw heavy rain and flooding with the UK seeing nearly a month's rain falls in 24 hours

Even trees struggled to withstand the heavy flooding that battered Skipbridge in York, with rivers overflowing in Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, the Calder Valley, north Wales and Shrewsbury

Experts predict sunny spells will break up sleet and snow in the UK today, with the weather improving on Monday before turning cloudy and grey across Britain on Tuesday

One water sports enthusiast rode a jet-ski across flood waters near Castleford, West Yorkshire, making the most of the flood

It comes as a delighted water sports fan took advantage of Britain's roads on his jet-ski today, driving past a drowned car and doing a loop as other motorists looked on in horror near Castleford, West Yorkshire.

Ice warnings were also in place for Scotland, Northern Ireland, the north of Wales and north and northwest of England this morning.

Snow flurries have also been seen in Hope Valley, Derbyshire, and around Stirling castle, Scotland, as the areas were briefly transformed into a winter wonderland.

Hail stones are also expected across the southeast and other areas of the country tonight.

As much as two thirds of a month's rainfall pelted Rochdale, near Greater Manchester, last night raising the River Roch's level and threatening residents homes.

The A555 Manchester link road (pictured) is still closed after two third's of a month's worth of rain fell in Rochdale, causing rivers to burst their banks

Fields have been completely submerged near Silsden, Yorkshire, after a nearby river burst its banks and flooded the grassland

York has already experienced flooding along the banks of the River Ouse. A parked car has been submerged by the rivers rising waters since early this morning

Water levels in the River Ouse have continued to rise this afternoon further submerging these picnic benches and causing some to float upwards

A pair look out of pub the Kings Arms in York as flood water continues to rise and threatens to break their flood defence

Waters are also threatening to enter houses along the riverside. Claire Dinnis, from the Environment Agency, said 'persistent heavy rain' has caused the high river levels which are expected to continue to rise over the next few days

Capel Curig, in the north of Wales, saw 138.6mm of rain in the past 24 hours, more than half their monthly average.

Claire Dinnis, from the Environment Agency, said: 'Persistent heavy rain on Saturday, falling on ground already wet from rain earlier in the week, has caused high river levels across parts of northern England and the Midlands.

'We have seen flooding in the Calder Valley, the Greater Manchester area, York and along the River Severn.

'River levels in these areas will continue to rise in response to this rainfall over the next few days, in particular along the River Severn where we have erected temporary flood barriers in Shrewsbury and Bewdley.

Flood Barriers have also been deployed in Shrewsbury along the River Severn. (Pictured) Barrier put up across a road to stop the floodwaters damaging houses

Temporary flood barriers have been installed along Ironbridge for the first time in several years to protect against the River Severn's rising water levels. (Pictured) men install flood defences at Ironbridge

Walkways along the side of the river have also been submerged as the Environment Agency warns that more flooding could be on the way, putting out 34 flood warnings. (Pictured): River Ouse, York

The Dame Judi Dench walkway in York has also been submerged by rising water levels. The Environment Agency expects water levels to continue to rise throughout the day

A member of staff at the Kings Arms in York jumps across the flooded water to leave. Inside the pub has lines drawn on the wall showing the level water has got to in previous floods

People look out at the riverway in York, where water has drowned the walkway and roads under several feet of water

The pair check the water level outside the pub to try and find out how deep it is. Flood warnings are still in place across the UK

Flood water pictured at Skipbridge near York also shut the entry road to Thistledown House bed and breakfast today and flooded nearby fields

A railway line was also drowned yesterday in water on the Calder Valley line between Rochdale and Halifax

Snow was also seen across the UK this morning. The Hope Valley in Derbyshire is experiencing snow fall today after temperatures dropped across the area. (Pictured) A blue Vauxhall carefully navigates the wintry conditions

Snow has also fallen around historic Stirling castle, Scotland, which once housed Mary Queen of Scots and Robert the Bruce

As many as 34 flood warnings are in place mostly across the north and northwest of England. There are also 66 flood alerts in place

Wales also has five flood warnings in place as well as 17 flood alerts due to the persistent heavy rains that battered the UK

Flood barriers have been closed in York as the city experienced flooding due to heavy rains that battered the country yesterday

Ice warnings were in place for Scotland, Northern Ireland, the north of Wales, and north and northwest of England

'We have officers out on the ground checking defences, clearing drainage channels and supporting affected communities.

'We would urge people to check the flood risk in their area and not to drive through flood water  just 12 inches of water can be enough to float your car.

Becky Mitchell, from the MET Office, said it is quite possible that some areas have received almost a months worth of rainfall, particularly in the northwest of England and Wales.

Speaking about the day ahead she said there will be a mixture of sunshine and showers in some areas, with snow possible in Scotland.

'It's going to be breezy but not as windy as the last few days.

'It could get up to 11 degrees in the south but a bit colder across Scotland, about seven or eight degrees celsius.

'Tonight we are going to have clear skies in many areas and that means we could have a touch of frost, particularly in areas of Scotland where you could have snow on the ground.

'And then in the west it should turn cloudy with a bit of rain towards the end of the night.'

'We've got some scattered showers around and there's been a few rumbles this afternoon. The hail has mainly been around southeast England but it's possible in other areas as well.

'There's also been some sleet and snow on higher ground'

Shopkeepers in Rochdale were pictured building up flood defences last night as heavy storms caused inches of water to rise up, with more wet weather on the way today. Their town received two thirds of a months worth of rain in 24 hours yesterday

The water levels in the River Roch in Rochdale, pictured, were rising throughout the night and came close to bursting the banks. Winds of 55mph and thunderstorms are set to hit parts of the UK today

Rochdale Sixth Form College, pictured, was also flooded when the river burst its banks due to a stormy weather system

Yesterday the railway line in Calder Valley was completely submerged by flood waters.

Much of the country has struggled in high winds over the past few days and although they are dropping, gusts will still reach up to 55mph.

Experts predict sunnier skies from the middle of next week, bringing an end to almost seven days of wet weather.

Over the weekend a storm, which the Met Office considered naming Storm Hannah, brought snow to northern England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland - along with four inches of rain to Wales and northern England.

Severe flooding in North Wales caused by the heavy rain has caused devastation for businesses and homes along the banks of the river Conwy which burst its banks earlier today.

National Trust owned Tu Hwnt i'r Bont Tearoom was a casualty of the flooding, and ended up underneath 3ft of water with high tide still to come.

Scroll down for video

Several cars were involved in an accident on the M77 southbound at the Maidenhill exit slip near Newton Mearns, while part of the M8 was flooded at Paisley.

A yellow warning for ice extends into the early hours of this morning.

Forecasters are warning of delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport and for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes, combined with seven separate warnings today for wind, rain, ice and snow.

It comes after more than 2,100 homes, offices and shops in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, were blacked out on Friday, along with nearly 200 properties in the Devon towns of Plymouth and Torquay.

Storm Gareth swept into Britain earlier this week, bringing gusts of up to 75mph on Tuesday night, while winds of more than 60mph were felt widely across western parts of the UK in the early hours of thursday.

Three climbers died following an avalanche on Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain, with a fourth taken to hospital with serious injuries. The group were caught by a river of snow and ice in a gully.

Queues of lorries around seven miles long formed along a section of a major motorway at Dover in Kent waiting for space on ferries and Eurotunnel crossings after severe weather disrupted cross-Channel crossings.

A tree falling on to overhead wires between Irvine and Kilwinning overnight caused disruption to trains between Glasgow and Ayr, but Scotrail confirmed thurday afternoon that the lines had been repaired.

Trains between Durham and Newcastle were also halted after overhead electric wires were damaged, impacting LNER, CrossCountry, Northern and Transpennine Express services, but reopened later that day.

Some Virgin Trains services between Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston and some between Glasgow Central and Preston were cancelled. There were also reports of trees blocking roads.
Four people have been rushed to hospital after a van hit a light pole and flipped in western Sydney on Sunday morning, trapping one passenger inside.

Shortly before 4am, the van slammed into the pole on South Parade, in Auburn, with such force that it snapped in half as the vehicle flipped onto its side.

The driver and four passengers were able to free themselves, however, police had to smash a window to release a fifth passenger.

Four people have been rushed to Westmead Hospital (pictured) after a van hit a light pole and flipped in western Sydney on Sunday morning, trapping one passenger inside

The four injured people were taken by paramedics to Westmead Hospital for assessment.

The driver, a 47-year-old man from South Granville, allegedly returned a positive roadside breath test, police said.

He was arrested and taken to Auburn Police Station, where it is alleged he refused to undergo another breath analysis.

Police charged him with negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm), refuse or fail to submit to breath analysis, drive with unrestrained passenger, licence expired two years or more.

The man was granted conditional bail and will appear in Burwood Local Court on April 18.
Historians should avoid colourful predictions, however tempting they might seem.

At the moment Im touring the country with a lecture called Henry VIII And The First Brexit, which compares the kings eventual clean and triumphant break with the Roman Church with our own messy and humiliating attempts to extricate ourselves from the European Union.

But audiences really want me to talk about the present.

The Blairites were contemptuous of the people they supposedly represented and, in particular, of their party membership, who were ritually humiliated by the abolition of Clause Four of the Labour Partys constitution [File photo]

What do you think is going to happen?, they ask. I shrug my shoulders and explain that, since history only works by looking backwards, those historians who pose as prophets are charlatans.

My audiences think Im copping out, of course  and they are right.

I havent always been such a purist. Three years ago, I published a book on Magna Carta to mark the founding document of our Parliamentary constitution, that had been sealed 800 years earlier in 1215.

In holding a medieval king accountable to his subjects  or some of them, at least  Magna Carta was a revolutionary step and is rightly celebrated.

Where Blair led, David Cameron and his government were eager followers and disciples. Supposedly Conservatives, they hailed Blair as The Master and gobbled up his memoirs as a model of how their own government should run

But I ended on a note of caution. All is not well with Britain or our politics, I said. Is it silly to think there is a touch of 1215  a whiff of revolution  in the air?

And it came true in June 2016, with the decisive referendum vote to reshape our politics once again and leave the European Union.

The referendum was a very British revolution. And its been followed by a very British counter-revolution, which shows every sign of succeeding.

Don't be deceived by the lack of violence or the comparative good manners of those now seizing control. This is a coup, and what is at stake is the nature and legitimacy of Parliament itself.

Ruled by comfortable, smug elites, Parliament is choosing to ignore the ordinary British people as they attempt to hold power to account.

It is no exaggeration to say that British democracy, which stands in direct line with Magna Carta, is now unravelling before us.

If todays self-satisfied MPs and Ministers  I have already described them as a Parliament of Pygmies  have no time for the voters, they have little time for history, either.

Ruled by comfortable, smug elites, Parliament is choosing to ignore the ordinary British people as they attempt to hold power to account. It is no exaggeration to say that British democracy, which stands in direct line with Magna Carta, is now unravelling before us

They seem to have forgotten that the original power of our Parliament lay in its claim to represent everybody and not just a few privileged groups, as in continental Europe. (Take for example the Estates General in France or the Cortes Generales in Spain, two early parliaments which promptly died out in the 17th Century.)

They should remember, too, that our Parliament owed its survival to its willingness, with more or less of a struggle, to adapt and remain representative. As time went by, Parliament broadened out to include newly powerful social groups as they appeared.

First came the Reform Act of 1832 which gave the vote to the newly prosperous middle class. This ushered in several decades of dominance by the Liberal Party, which was only broken by the genius of Benjamin Disraeli.

Disraeli, who is the founder of the modern Conservative Party, recognised Conservatisms natural affinity with the radical masses.

Disraelis intuition was vindicated with the second Reform Act in 1867, the next major parliamentary change, which enfranchised the skilled working man and began the process that turned the Tories into the natural party of government.

Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Communist states were ruled by similarly pampered, out-of-touch and privileged elites who, against all the evidence, claimed to represent the People. The People, shame on them, were ungrateful and in the habit of rebelling [File photo]

Then came the Labour Party, a grand coalition between trade-unionised workers and the middle-class intelligentsia.

And it was the tit-for-tat of Conservative and Labour  two national parties, which between them represented more or less every shade of opinion in the country  that guaranteed the stability of British politics through all the convulsions of the 20th Century.

They kept us free from revolution and prevented the rise of extremist parties, whether of the Left or Right. Until now.

The new Industrial Revolution the global movement of capital and the rise of technology  is partly to blame. It has cut away at the base of both main political parties.

First to fall was Labour, as the death of mass-production industry and a mass trade union movement left it a hollowed-out shell. As such, it was ripe for the Blairite coup as a tiny, unrepresentative faction took over a once-mighty movement.

The Blairites were contemptuous of the people they supposedly represented and, in particular, of their party membership, who were ritually humiliated by the abolition of Clause Four of the Labour Partys constitution.

The Blairites were equally disparaging of history, traditional institutions and the nation itself. They believed in free markets, free love and unlimited immigration and they exhibited an ugly combination of self-righteousness and intolerance.

They were, pretty much to a man and a woman, on the make. And they loved, loved the EU. Finally they tried, and with a large measure of success, to forge a new governing class in their own image.

Where Blair led, David Cameron and his government were eager followers and disciples. Supposedly Conservatives, they hailed Blair as The Master and gobbled up his memoirs as a model of how their own government should run.

They inflicted a Clause Four moment on their own Party membership by gratuitously imposing gay marriage.

Above all, Tory modernisation which can be summarised most neatly as an attempt to make the Tories the party of choice for readers of The Guardian  turned the Conservative Party into a pale imitation of New Labour and rendered its MPs indistinguishable from their supposed opponents on the other side of the House.

The result is that, between them, Blair and Cameron contrived to turn two broad-church, national parties that commanded the allegiance of millions into a pair of narrow, elitist factions.

The true extent of that change had been masked by voters tribal loyalty and our first-past-the-post system, which delivers clear, decisive results in General Elections.

But the EU referendum tore apart the veil: it was now the People versus the Parliament.

Disraelis intuition was vindicated with the second Reform Act in 1867, the next major parliamentary change, which enfranchised the skilled working man and began the process that turned the Tories into the natural party of government [File photo]

The People voted 52 to 48 per cent to leave; an estimated 74 per cent of MPs voted to remain.

No representative assembly can sustain such a gulf. Either People or Parliament must give way.

And so it has proved as, in its profound lack of wisdom and in its disregard for the central thread of its own history, Parliament has decided it is the People who should change. Or, rather, be changed.

This is not the first time such a thing has happened. Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Communist states were ruled by similarly pampered, out-of-touch and privileged elites who, against all the evidence, claimed to represent the People.

The People, shame on them, were ungrateful and in the habit of rebelling. After one such protest, the German poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht wrote one of the great poems of political dissent, including the satirical lines:

Wouldnt it

Be simpler in that case if the government

Dissolved the people and

Elected another?

When I first read the poem 50 years ago as a student, I laughed complacently because I knew it couldnt happen here.

But it has. Since what is Remain or the campaign for a Second Referendum but an attempt to dissolve the people and elect another?

And where will it end? In other very British revolution? Or something nastier?

I dont want to prophesy, good historian that I am, but I fear the worst.
The toddler never stood a chance.

As his father and older brother played dead inside the Al Noor mosque, three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim got up and ran  straight into the path of white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, who squeezed the trigger of his military assault rifle.

Instantly cut down, Mucad died in his Somalian fathers arms. Heartbroken, his brother spoke of the little boys energy and playfulness, and how he liked to smile and laugh a lot.

Last night the death toll from the attacks had risen to 50, authorities said. A further 50 people suffered injuries in the mass shootings.

As his father and older brother played dead inside the Al Noor mosque, three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim (pictured) got up and ran  straight into the path of a murderous white supremacist

He was met by Brenton Tarrant, who squeezed the trigger of his military assault rifle and killed the youngster

It was, as everyone kept saying, the day New Zealand lost its innocence. But amid the soul-searing horror visited upon Christchurch on Friday, stories of extraordinary courage and self-sacrifice emerged, all recounted with characteristic Kiwi modesty. Save for the actions of one man, who brought the carnage to an end by chasing Tarrant out of a second mosque and attacking his car with a rifle, the death toll might well have been higher. Another man, 71, died in a burst of bullets as he flung himself over others to protect them.

Last night, after an image of the dramatic moment when Tarrant was apprehended by police appeared online, further details of the countrys worst ever mass killing emerged as:

- Tarrant, 28, smirked and made a white power gesture in the dock as he was charged with murder;

- Two others remain in custody, including an unidentified woman;

- Doctors are battling to save the life of critically injured children, including a four-year-old girl who was shot in the head;

- Tarrant emailed his hate-filled manifesto naming the mosques he was to attack to New Zealands Prime Minister shortly before his rampage began;

- It was reported that the mosque shooter may have stayed for a few weeks in Britain during a visit to Europe two years ago. He also visited France, Portugal, Spain and Eastern Europe, where he went to Crusades battle sites;

- A man from Oldham who posted comments on social media supporting the massacre was arrested by Greater Manchester Police.

The accused presented to the cameras a form of the OK hand signal that has been associated with white supremacist as he

Using a helmet camera, Tarrant, an Australian, streamed live video of the killings on Facebook. Before firing his first shot at 1.40pm, he filmed his car journey, during which he listened to the British Grenadiers marching song.

Then casually walking towards the mosque, he was greeted with the words Hello, brother by a worshipper.

From that moment Tarrant swung his weapon from side to side, firing wildly as though playing a video game. Less than six minutes later, 41 people lay dead. One man, Waseem Daraghmeh, 33, who was shot four times, cradled his critically injured four-year-old daughter, Elin, pleading for help.

Yesterday Mr Daraghmeh posted a video on Facebook from his hospital bed. Please pray for my son, for me and for my daughter, he said softly. Mr Daraghmehs brother Sabri Daraghmeh said Elin remained in the danger phase. He explained that the family had moved to New Zealand from Jordan five years ago and that his brother had described it as the safest place one could ever live in.

The same sentiment was expressed over and over again among survivors yesterday.

Retired engineer Haji-Daoud Nabi, 71, who escaped the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and brought his family to New Zealand in the 1980s, was shot and killed as he tried to shield others.

His son Omar Nabi said: He jumped in the firing line to save somebody elses life and he has passed away. Your time is up but youre helping someone else to live because theyre younger  their life has to go on.

By 1.46pm, Tarrant was back in his car and on the move again, this time heading for the Linwood mosque across the city. Seven more people were killed there  an eighth died later in hospital. Many more would have died but for the bravery of 48-year-old father Abdul Aziz, who chased Tarrant outside when he returned to his car, apparently seeking more ammunition.

As his two youngest sons  aged 11 and five  beseeched him to come back, Mr Aziz threw a credit-card machine at the gunman, who fired in his direction.

Mr Aziz said he dodged between parked cars to avoid being shot. He then spotted a gun the attacker had dropped and picked it up. He pointed it and squeezed the trigger but it was empty.

The moment the gunman was taken down: With weapons drawn, armed officers surround Tarrant moments after he was dragged from his car at the end of the rampage

Still, he pursued the killer. Mr Aziz, originally from the Afghan capital Kabul, said: He gets into his car and I just got the gun and threw it like an arrow and blasted his window, he said.

The windshield shattered, thats why he got scared.

He said the gunman was cursing at him, yelling that he was going to kill them all.

But he drove away and Mr Aziz said he chased the car down the street to a red light before it sped away.

Minutes later, police managed to force the gold Subaru from the road and drag Tarrant out at gunpoint. It was 36 minutes after the first shot was fired.

National-level futsal player Atta Elayyan (right) was among those killed on Friday. He is being remembered as an 'inspiration'

Officers found two explosives in the car, which were disabled by a bomb disposal unit.

Latef Alabi, the Linwood mosques acting imam, said of Mr Aziz: He went after him, and he managed to overpower him, and thats how we were saved.

In the hours that followed what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called one of New Zealands darkest days, locals began to move slowly through the city to lay flowers outside both places of worship.

Families of the victims knelt and cried before teddy bears and burning candles as hearse after hearse drove slowly by to carry away the bodies of victims. Police cordoned off a large area around the two mosques as forensic experts lined the streets in navy uniforms, searching the ground for evidence.

Mounds of bouquets  thousands in all  quickly formed, accompanied by handwritten cards bearing messages of solidarity and strength. Posters, paper birds and red love hearts hung on trees. Words of support for the Muslim community appeared on pavements, written in multi-coloured chalk.

Also killed in the attack was Husna Ara Parvin (pictured), who was reportedly gunned down as she tried to save her quadriplegic husband from the shooter

By all accounts, Tarrant, who describes himself as the son of a working-class, low-income family, never expected to survive the day. He planned to go on killing until he was himself cut down.

Instead, he was hauled before a court yesterday, handcuffed and wearing a white police-issue tunic, and was charged with murder.

The judge, Paul Kellar, said it was reasonable to assume that Tarrant, a short, broad-shouldered man, would face further murder charges. The judge allowed photographs to be taken inside court on the condition that Tarrants features were obscured.

However, that allowed the accused to present to the cameras a form of the OK hand signal that has been associated with white supremacists. Silent throughout the proceedings, Tarrant glanced several times at journalists before being remanded in custody without plea until April 5.

Facebook block murder video... but Twitter users retweet it The horrific video of the mosque massacre was still available to be viewed on the internet yesterday, more than 36 hours after the attack. While Facebook had successfully blocked the footage from being shared after it was live-streamed by killer Brenton Tarrant, it remained available on at least one website. Twitter users shared links to the video hosted on a sickening website that celebrates death. Clicking on the link opened up the video showing the graphic horror of the attack at the Al Noor mosque. Last night, Twitter said it had removed the video highlighted by The Mail on Sunday and shut down the account. Meanwhile, the extremist message board where Tarrant posted his hate-filled manifesto has been taken down. Advertisement

Police were forced to clear crowds who had gathered outside. Some had lost relatives and friends. Armed police patrolled the building as a police helicopter circled overhead.

One member of the public, who was denied entry to the court, said he wanted to get in and knife the accused and brandished a weapon he had brought.

Meanwhile, police in Dunedin, a city 220 miles south-west of Christchurch, sent a bomb-disposal robot into the house where Tarrant is believed to have planned the deadly attack.

Last night, Turkish authorities released a CCTV image of Tarrant during a visit to the country in 2016. Officials in Ankara said Tarrant had made two trips to the country and they were investigating who he may have met.

They released a photo of him walking through the airport in March 2016.

Tarrant is said to have set off on a journey around the world in 2011, following the death of his father Rodney, and his warped views crystallised on his travels, reinforced by extreme material he perused on the internet.

The Bulgarian government has also said it was investigating Tarrant, who apparently visited the country late last year.

Last night, troubling allegations surfaced that members of the gun club that Tarrant belonged to had openly discussed taking part in mass shootings.

Pete Breidahl, 40, a former member of the New Zealand Defence Force, said he had warned police in 2017 that the Bruce Rifle Club in South Otago was the perfect breeding ground for a mass shooter.

Tarrant joined the club after he successfully applied for a gun licence in 2017.

Mr Breidahl said he had visited the club three times in recent years and had overheard members talking about mass shootings.

He said: The conversations I had and the people I met literally terrified me to my core and I left early.

He added: The place just stunk of inadequacy compensated through use and ownership of semi-automatic firearms.

He said he went to the local police station not long after and lodged a formal complaint with officers, but that his concerns were not acted upon.

Last night, 36 of the injured victims remained in hospital, 11 of whom are in intensive care fighting for life. A further 60 people remain on the official missing persons list, raising fears that the death toll could rise significantly.

Fifteen of Tarrants 50 victims have been identified by family members, including Palestinian surgeon Dr Amjad Hamid, 57, who had moved to New Zealand with his wife for a better life, and Kuwaiti Atta Elayyan, 33, who had recently become a father.

Last night, amid fears of a jihadi backlash, protests were held in Pakistan against the shooting and many mourners gathered to comfort the father of Syed Areeb Ahmed, a Pakistani victim of the massacre.

Protests were also being held in Istanbul, which condemned the violent attack. People could be seen burning flags which had been printed with the face of Tarrant.

In New Zealand, an 18-year-old was charged with inciting hostility or ill-will in relation to the attack.
A group of die-hard Tory Brexiteers are privately vowing to force a no-confidence vote in the Government if Theresa May negotiates an extended delay to Brexit at an EU summit this week.

If the Prime Minister loses a third Meaningful Vote on her Brexit deal this week  or fails to put it to the Commons because defeat is inevitable  then she plans to travel to the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday to request a delay to Brexit of up to two years.

The EU has indicated that it is only minded to accept a delay on the basis that the UK agrees to stringent new conditions  such as signing up to membership of a customs union.

If Theresa May loses a third Meaningful Vote on her deal this week, she plans to request a Brexit delay of up to two years

Member of the European Research Group have threatened to team up with Labour to force a confidence measure

But a suicide squad of members of the European Research Group of Conservative MPs, numbering up to 15, have threatened to team up with Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party to force a confidence measure before she could put the delay to an essential vote in the Commons.

If the move succeeded, the Prime Minister would be forced from Downing Street just days before the UK left the EU without a deal  an ultra-chaotic no PM and no deal scenario.

However, allies of Mrs May are relaxed about the prospect.

A senior Tory source said: It is hard to imagine Labour voting to stop a delay to Brexit and a customs union in favour of a chaotic no deal.
Tory MPs backing Boris Johnson for the party leadership fear the contest will be 'stitched up' to keep him  and other Brexiteer candidates  off the final ballot paper, The Mail on Sunday understands.

Mr Johnson's allies accuse Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt of forming a 'secret alliance' with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, under which they would share out their supporters to ensure the pair finished in the first two places.

Under the party's leadership election rules, MPs vote to select the final two candidates, who are then voted on by party members.

Tory MPs backing Boris Johnson to be the next prime minister fear he may be stitched up

While Tory MPs are split fairly evenly into Remain and Brexit voters, the party membership is dominated by Brexit supporters.

Although Mr Hunt voted Remain and once even called for a second referendum, he has courted the Brexiteer wing of the party by saying that the UK should not fear a No Deal and comparing the EU to Soviet Russia.

Mr Hancock, who also supported Remain, would expect to come second to Mr Hunt  but would accept the Treasury as his prize. He has gained ground at the expense of Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who is regarded as 'accident prone' following rows over knife crime and his ill-timed safari holiday during the migrant crisis in the Channel.

Brexiteers point the finger at former Chancellor George Osborne, who they claim has switched his backing from former protege Javid to Hancock.

The decision by Department for Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd not to run has also freed up pro-Remain MPs, who are swinging behind Hancock.

The move would also freeze out former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, who is vying with Mr Johnson for the party's Brexiteer vote. A pro-Boris MP said: 'There would be uproar if Tory members  the vast majority of whom voted for Brexit  did not have a proper Brexiteer to choose from. So many members do not trust Jeremy Hunt on this issue. There would be riots in the shires if this happened.'

The four candidates with functioning campaign teams already in place are Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt, Mr Raab and Mr Javid. Rudd herself is expected to back either Johnson or Michael Gove.

Mr Johnson's allies believe Jeremy Hunt has formed an alliance with Matt Hancock to ensure they take the top two spots

Other potential candidates include Liz Truss, the increasingly confident and outspoken chief secretary to the Treasury, fast-rising MP Tom Tugendhat and former chief whip Mark Harper.

Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, who had been planning to run, is now expected to form a joint ticket with Mr Hunt.

It comes as this newspaper can reveal that the powerful Tory backbench 1922 Committee has begun privately preparing the leadership election to replace Theresa May.

The committee held a secret meeting on Wednesday to update and confirm the official rules for a formal contest to replace the Prime Minister.

'It could happen at any moment and the men in grey suits will be ready for that moment,' one member of the 1922 Executive told The Mail on Sunday.

Party insiders said it would be 'sub optimal' to hold the contest at any time other than this summer, as the long break from the Commons would give the candidates the chance to get out of Westminster and meet party members around the country.

However, without pressure from the Cabinet, there is no formal way for the PM to be disposed until December after Theresa May survived a bid to oust her last year.

The MoS revealed last week that allies of Mrs May had discussed whether she would have to offer to resign in order for her deal to successfully pass the Commons.

Even if she survives in the short term, she is widely expected to step down before the party's autumn conference.
As head of the Governments climate change committee, Tory peer John Selwyn Gummer was a key figure behind last weeks controversial decision to ban fossil fuel central heating in new homes.

But in pushing for the radical change, he failed to declare that the firm he runs has received more than 500,000 from companies which are set to make millions from the decision.

The ban, from 2025, was announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond following the recommendations of two reports by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), chaired by Mr Gummer, now known as Lord Deben.

The reports both recommended homes should no longer be heated with natural gas but with hydrogen  even though it is an expensive, and, as yet, largely untried method.

Gummer did not declare he had any relevant private interests in either report, even though his family-run consultancy, Sancroft International, has received at least 299,699 from Johnson Matthey, which sells hydrogen technology.

Tory peer John Selwyn Gummer was a key figure behind last weeks controversial decision to ban fossil fuel central heating in new homes

The firm is also part of a lobby group, the Hydrogen Council, which campaigns for policy changes favouring the hydrogen industry.

Gummer is already being investigated by the Lords Commissioner for Standards, Lucy Scott-Moncrieffe, after The Mail on Sunday last month revealed that Sancroft was paid more than 600,000 by green businesses, including Johnson Matthey, which stood to benefit from CCC decisions.

She is also examining more than a dozen occasions when Gummer, 79, spoke in Lords debates on matters affecting its clients.

Gummer, who as Agriculture Minister in 1990 famously fed his four-year-old daughter a beefburger at the height of the BSE crisis, has always declared his chairmanship and ownership of Sancroft.

However, he has never disclosed its clients  but has denied any conflicts of interest. It is understood he justifies this by saying Sancroft did not advise its clients how to influence Government policy.

In his spring statement, Mr Hammond also announced there would be new measures to increase the proportion of gas from biological sources supplied to homes. Sancroft has been paid more than 232,000 by businesses which make such gas, including 183,062 from Saria Ltd, which is building a network of UK plants which generate gas from waste and specially grown crops, such as maize and sugar beet.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that Mr Gummer's company Sancroft International was paid more than 600,000 by green businesses in consultancy fees

Spills from these sites, which are heavily subsidised by taxpayers, have caused numerous pollution incidents. Two years ago, a leak poisoned the River Teifi, with a devastating impact on what had been Waless finest trout and salmon stream.

In another report issued in November, the CCC also strongly supported such biomass fuel, saying its use should be increased. Gummer did not declare any interests in it.

Last night MPs from both main parties voiced concern that Mr Hammond had followed CCC recommendations  adding to house-building and energy bills  despite Ms Scott-Moncrieffes ongoing investigation. Labours Graham Stringer said: Gummers denials he has conflicts of interest now lack any credibility. Its really disturbing that key Government policies are being influenced by someone who has vested interests on this scale.

Monmouth Conservative MP David Davies added: Im very concerned that the Chancellor has announced huge and costly policy changes while the chairman of the committee which recommended them is being investigated. Until the inquiry is complete, these policies should be put on hold.

Treasury sources confirmed last week that banning fossil fuel heating will leave two main options  electric powered heat pumps, and using hydrogen.

The CCC issued a statement praising Mr Hammonds announcements as a genuine step forward in reducing emissions. But the CCC, Gummer and Johnson Matthey declined to comment on Sancrofts work.
Furious Paratroopers have pledged to post their Northern Ireland campaign medals back to the Queen in protest at the scapegoating of Soldier F  the only soldier charged with murder over 14 deaths at Bloody Sunday.

Angry veterans also plan to march on Downing Street and to picket the court when their former colleague, now in his 70s, is brought to trial over the killings of two civil-rights marchers 46 years ago.

And they are raising funds to provide Soldier F with an independent legal team because they fear lawyers appointed by the Ministry of Defence could put the Governments interests first.

Warzone: Soldiers behind an armoured barricade in Londonderry on January 30, 1972

Retired Paras have already met to plan their response to the decision to bring murder charges against Soldier F over the deaths of two protesters on the Londonderry peace march in January 1972.

The service medal with words altered on the clasp. The medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces who had 30 days continuous service in Northern Ireland [File photo]

He will also be charged with the attempted murder of four other marchers. Soldier F has previously admitted firing 13 shots on the day and killing four protesters but he denies murder.

Writing on Facebook, one former soldier said he has decided to send back his General Service Medal with Northern Ireland clasp, which was awarded to members of the Armed Forces who had 30 days continuous service in Northern Ireland.

He wrote: Tell them what they can do with our medals and how far they can shove them.

Another wrote on social media: The medals mean nothing when the very people who issued them are stabbing us all in the back.

In protest at the treatment of Soldier F, veterans have also shared images online of the Northern Ireland medal with the clasp altered to read: Sold out. Shafted. Betrayed.

Ex-Paras intend to discuss their plans for a London march with the Metropolitan Police.

Hundreds of veterans from regiments across the British Army are expected to take part.

Last night, protesting Paras received the backing of former British Army Colonel Richard Kemp, who served in Northern Ireland.

He said: While IRA terrorists were given early releases and Royal pardons, our soldiers have been hounded. Soldiers have been treated worse than terrorists.

Soldier F is the only squaddie out of 18 originally investigated by police to be charged.

Thirteen people were killed and 15 injured when soldiers opened fire on marchers. One victim died months later.
Jeremy Corbyn was at the centre of a fresh anti-Semitism storm last night after being accused of describing the Labour MP suspended from the party over the row as his comrade.

The Labour leader sparked fury by patting Chris Williamson on the back and chatting with him in full view of fellow MPs  even though Mr Williamson is facing an investigation for saying the party had been too apologetic over anti-Semitism allegations.

The encounter  caught on camera by Commons TV  was seized upon by critics as proof that Mr Corbyn is still not serious about rooting out anti-Jewish prejudice.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (right) was criticised by other MPs for 'patting' suspended MP Chris Williamson (left) on the back

Derby North MP Mr Williamson was suspended last month after being filmed saying Labour had given too much ground in the face of criticism of its handling of anti-Semitism allegations.

But last week, MPs were astonished to see Mr Corbyn approach Mr Williamson and a colleague in the Commons Chamber during a vote on the Brexit negotiations.

The Labour leader can be seen weaving his way through a crowd and stopping to chat to the two MPs after patting them both on the back.

Witnesses say Mr Corbyn greeted them by saying: How are we, comrades?

Independent MP Ian Austin, who quit Labour over the anti-Semitism row, said: If any more proof were needed that the Labour leader couldnt care less about eradicating anti-Jewish prejudice in his party, this is it.

But last night a Labour source defended Mr Corbyns actions, saying: It is absurd to confuse basic politeness with a lack of resolve to tackle anti-Semitism.

A Labour source defended Mr Corbyns actions, saying: It is absurd to confuse basic politeness with a lack of resolve to tackle anti-Semitism
A man who often sat and begged outside the Al Noor mosque has revealed how he escaped being killed in a hail of bullets after visiting the community minutes before the gunman opened fire.

Reformed Mongrel Mob gangster Darrel Moses, 52, walked away from the mosque after thanking his Muslim friends for a kind gesture on Friday, when a terrorist stormed in killing 50 people and injuring dozens more.

Darrel, who was released from prison four weeks ago after a 13-year sentence for a 'bad crime' made friends with the Muslim community after a friend suggested they might be able to help him get his life back on track.

That they did - giving him clothing, a TV, two chairs, a mattress and money for food and basic supplies like washing powder.

Reformed Mongrel Mob gangster Darrel Moses, 52, used to sit and beg outside Al Noor mosque and befriended the Muslim community

He told Daily Mail Australia they had provided him with basic necessities, including clothing, a TV, two chairs, a mattress and money for food and basic supplies like washing powder

Darrel said he had just finished visiting his new friends at the mosque (pictured) when a gunman opened fire on the worshipers moments later

But Darrel, who often sits near their mosque with a sign seeking work, very nearly got killed trying to pay them back.

'F*** I just walked out of here, brother,' told Daily Mail Australia.

'I could have been one of those fellas who died, hey.'

Darrel often sits near the mosque with a sign advertising how he is looking for work. He made friends with the Muslims, and visited them minutes before the shooting.

Everything was normal, he recalled.

'They were all happy, laughing, having their prayers, talking like normal,' he said, shaking his head.

Darrel said hello to his new mates, who have told him stories about how they moved to New Zealand from trouble spots around the world, including Afghanistan, because of 'bombs and stuff going off.'

After a quick visit, Darrel went into town and saw some people he knows who live on the streets.

He decided to go back to the mosque with some bread and milk to repay them for what they had done for him.

Darrel, who was released from prison four weeks ago after a 13-year sentence for a 'bad crime' made friends with the Muslim community after a friend suggested they might be able to help him get his life back on track

He had gone into town and decided to repay his Muslim friends for their generosity, but returned to the carnage

'They did more for me than the Justice Department, believe me!' he exclaimed.

Instead, he came back to carnage and blocked off streets.

As of Sunday morning, 50 people are dead, including two of Darrel's friends.

Like everyone else, he'd heard the automatic gun fire, but thought it was something else.

'We just thought it was a cracker going off,' he said.

Before the Muslim community had provided him with assistance, Darrel had been resigned to going back to jail, where he almost died twice in stabbings.

The Muslims, who had encouraged him to convert to the religion, built up his spirit. The Maori man says he now feels 'part Muslim'.

Brenton Tarrant is charged at Christchurch District Court on Sunday

'They gave me some words of wisdom,' Darrel said.

'They said you're a good man, with a good heart, a handsome man, you can get any woman you want.'

They liked how he had a 'big heart' and was always laughing. 'They like me because I'm a hard care character, I used to always make them laugh.

'They go, "you like to laugh a lot!" I said, it's better to laugh than be sad.'

Darrel, a father of two whose daughter is a police officer in Sydney, today laid flowers at the crime scene with his partner.

There is not much laughter in Christchurch now.
Teenage girls using e-cigarettes may be dramatically raising their risk of developing breast cancer, an expert has warned.

Professor Kefah Mokbel  one of the top breast cancer surgeons in Britain  fears an epidemic of vaping among youngsters could have devastating consequences in the future.

Toxic substances in the vapours inhaled by users have been linked to breast cancer, particularly for women who have been exposed to them in adolescence.

One of Britain's leading surgeons, Professor Kefah Mokbel, fears vaping could increase the risk of teenage girls getting breast cancer later in life

Now Prof Mokbel has written to Ministers calling for health and education officials to issue new guidance on the potential dangers of e-cigarettes, saying it would be unforgivable to do nothing.

His warning comes as:

The number of teenagers who have tried e-cigarettes has surged to one in six  double the proportion just four years ago  with many youngsters thinking them all but harmless;

Companies selling vaping products target the young with colourful adverts and enticing flavours;

E-cigarettes are sold in supermarkets alongside health products.

Public Health England has consistently stated it estimates e-cigarettes to be 95 per cent less harmful than tobacco. However, vaping products have not been used long enough for experts to know the long-term effects.

Prof Mokbel said established science suggested toxic substances in the vapours that users inhale could trigger tumours in later life. Chemicals that mimic the sex hormone oestrogen are present in them, he said, while a new study has found many contain carcinogenic heavy metals.

Many youngsters think e-cigarettes are harmless and the number of teenagers who have tried them has doubled in four years

Prof Mokbel  lead breast cancer surgeon at the private London Breast Institute, part of Princess Grace Hospital  has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Education Secretary Damian Hinds urging the Government to introduce educational programmes highlighting the adverse potential long-term health consequences of e-cigarettes.

He feared youngsters had taken official messages promoting vaping as a healthier alternative to smoking  guidance he did not dispute  to mean that e-cigarettes were by and large safe.

Unscrupulous, profit-hungry firms were fuelling the problem with aggressive and deceptive marketing of brightly coloured products clearly aimed at teenagers, he added.

In his letter to the Ministers, passed to The Mail on Sunday, Prof Mokbel warned: It would be unforgivable if we were to do nothing, only to discover in 30 years time that widespread vaping among teenagers in the 2010s and 2020s had triggered a significant number of avoidable cases of breast cancer.

No hard evidence currently exists linking e-cigarette use with breast cancer or any other type of cancer. But Prof Mokbel, the author of more than 200 academic papers and 14 books on breast cancer, said it would be complacent to assume no pattern would emerge in the future.

A Juul advert ran in Vice Magazine in 2015 showing a young woman smoking the e-cigarette

Fruit Bandits vaping liquid is marketed with a range of brightly-coloured packages featuring cartoon characters

What too few people realise is that e-cigarette vapours not only contain addictive nicotine, they also contain numerous potentially toxic chemicals that may well increase lifetime risk of cancer, he said.

E-cigarette vapours have been shown to contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), he explained, which can mimic sex hormones such as oestrogen and affect how the body responds to them.

These include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are produced when carbon-based material is burnt, certain heavy metals and other compounds.

Hidden health hazards in vapour Many teenagers consider e-cigarette vapours to be harmless but Professor Mokbel says there is growing evidence that chemicals and metals in them could prove toxic. Here are some of those potential dangers: HORMONE DISRUPTORS Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can mimic sex hormones, potentially raising the risk of cancer cells (pictured below right with red blood cells) developing. Breast Cancer UK says there is considerable evidence exposure to EDCs can increase the risk of breast cancer later in life. FLAME RETARDANTS Meant to stop e-cigarette aerosols from igniting, these can act as hormone disruptors. A study in 2018 found moderate to elevated levels of flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, which can act as EDCs, in e-cigarette samples. CARCINOGENS IN SMOKE Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, caused by burning carbon-based materials, and are known cancer-causing agents. However, levels are much higher in tobacco smoke. HEAVY METALS Carcinogenic nickel and chromium have been found in a high proportion of e-cigarette vapour samples. Advertisement

Last October, scientists at Hong Kong Baptist University found moderate to elevated levels of endocrine disrupting flame retardants, namely polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in five of 13 e-cigarette samples.

According to the charity Breast Cancer UK: There is considerable evidence that exposure to EDCs during critical moments of development, for example in the womb, during early infancy, childhood or during puberty, could also increase the risk of developing breast cancers later in life.

Last month, scientists at Johns Hopkins University in the US also found an array of heavy metals present when they analysed vapours from 56 e-cigarette products, including the cancer-causing agents chromium and nickel.

Researcher Ana Rule, assistant professor of environmental health, said: Chromium and nickel are both known to be carcinogens, while two of the other metals  lead and manganese  can cross into the brain, causing neurological effects.

In more than half of e-cigarette aerosol samples analysed, they estimated exposure from 50 puffs exceeded daily environmental safety limits for chromium and nickel set by the US Centres for Disease Control.

They even found traces of potentially deadly arsenic  another carcinogen  in ten samples. Prof Rule and her colleagues think these metals leech out of alloy coils in e-cigarette devices, which are heated up to vaporise the e-liquid.

She believed the argument that vaping was less damaging than tobacco was of limited relevance when thinking about teenagers who had little intention of ever taking up smoking: If they vape, they increase the risks to their health.

Prof Mokbels fears follow studies indicating e-cigarette use could raise the risk of heart attacks and lung diseases. But there is deep unease that pointing out potential  but unproven  dangers of vaping will confuse people and make them wrongly think e-cigarettes are as bad as tobacco.

Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at the anti-smoking pressure group Action on Smoking and Health, said: Current evidence does not support the alarm expressed in [Prof Mokbels] letter. Regular use in teens remains low with no established link to increased rates of smoking or high risk of breast cancer, or any other type of cancer.

IVG e-liquids have advertised their products on Instagram with a young girl modelling their new flavours

While teenage experimentation with e-cigarettes was increasing, regular use was stable at about one per cent, she said. She also quoted a 2018 Public Health England analysis which concluded the cancer potencies of e-cigarettes were largely under 0.5 per cent of the risk of [tobacco] smoking.

The same review found the levels of metals identified in e-cigarette aerosol do not give rise to significant safety concerns. John Dunne, of UK Vaping Industry Association, accused Prof Mokbel of scaremongering.

He said: Warnings such as these should be backed up by clinical evidence rather than scaremongering without any substance, potentially discouraging smokers from switching to vaping.

Prof Mokbel stressed: I have no doubt e-cigarettes are far safer than tobacco, and smokers should be encouraged to switch.

But given what we know is in e-cigarette vapour, it is my duty as a doctor and father to speak up.

So many youngsters are now vaping that school heads are writing to parents. Amy Sellars, an assistant head at the private Latymer Upper School in London, warned: I am writing to you with the news of a new craze that seems to be affecting young teenagers. She singled out US firm Juul which has now become popular with British children as young as 12.

Youngsters are simply wrong to think that this is safe, by Professor Kefah Mokbel

According to official studies, just one in 100 British teenagers is a regular vaper.

But if you ask me, that number is simply out of date  or many of the young people surveyed were economical with the truth.

Because as a father of two secondary school children, I know how widespread vaping now is in schools. It has become a quiet epidemic.

What is driving this is the mistaken belief among many teenagers that e-cigarettes are by and large safe.

In my professional opinion, they are not. I believe vaping is very likely to increase the long-term risk of cancer.

Of course, I understand there is currently no hard-and-fast evidence linking prolonged e-cigarette use with cancer in general, or breast cancer in particular.

E-cigarettes may be less harmful than tobacco but there could be serious long-term consequences of vaping

And I fully appreciate that e-cigarettes are much less harmful than tobacco, and would encourage smokers to switch.

But I fear a grave, unintended consequence of promoting vaping as a safer alternative to smoking has been large numbers of school-age children taking it up.

What too few people realise is that e-cigarette vapours not only contain addictive nicotine, they also contain numerous potentially toxic chemicals that may well increase lifetime risk of cancer.

It is particularly important adolescent females avoid exposure to these agents, as they can change the development of the breasts during puberty, raising the risk of breast cancer later in life.

We are exposed to them in the general environment  but the difference with vaping is that you are taking them directly into your circulation.

While numerous studies into the short-term health effects of e-cigarettes have been undertaken, it will take decades for long-term safety data to accumulate.

It would be unforgivable if we were to do nothing, only to discover in 30 years time that widespread vaping among teenagers in the 2010s and 2020s had triggered a significant number of avoidable cases of breast cancer. Instead, regulators should take pre-emptive action to protect susceptible teenagers from aggressive and deceptive marketing of e-cigarettes, which are often targeted at them.

Ministers should also instigate education programmes, to protect todays youngsters from a very real threat to their health.
It was a cold day in February five years ago when a psychologist sent by the local authority issued a chilling warning to Sinead: Give up your rights to protect your son or we will take him from you.

After 25 years of caring for someone with autism, including winning a judicial review to ensure funding for his education, Sinead was not too scared by the threat.

There is not a court in the land that would do such a thing, she replied.

One month later, police turned up on her doorstep with a council official to say that a secret court hearing had empowered the authorities to seize her son Martin.

Pictured: Mother Sinead with son Martin, whose names have been changed to protect their identities for legal reasons. Sinead says her family has spent 200,000 over five years trying to get him back after he was taken into care by social services and moved to a home two counties away where they claim he is 'kept prisoner'

At the same time, social workers arrived at the farm where Martin was enjoying work experience and told him that they needed to take him into safety since his parents were unable to care for him  and then put him in a care home two counties away.

I could not believe it, Sinead recalled last week. I called my husband Paul, who broke down in tears, and then I collapsed. Our son had been kidnapped by the state and we were powerless to do anything.

Since then, this couple in their early 60s  both with a lifetime of service on the public sector front line  have been almost bankrupted after spending about 200,000 trying and failing to win their sons freedom.

They have spent long weeks fighting lonely battles in court against public-funded lawyers and told they can only meet their son if accompanied by minders.

Worst of all, they say they have seen their son decline from being a cheerful soul into a drugged, desperate and despairing prisoner.

Sinead has spoken to us in defiance of draconian gagging orders that threaten her with prison and the seizure of assets. We have changed all the names in this case and cannot even identify the council involved in the saga.

The Mail on Sunday has revealed how hundreds of teenagers and adults have been torn from their families and held against their will for up to 18 years in secretive, secure hospitals and Assessment and Treatment Units (ATUs).

Our exposures have led to five official inquiries after families told how their children were being locked in solitary confinement, fed through hatches like animals, abused and forcibly medicated in places costing the NHS up to 730,000 a year per patient.

Over the past four years alone, more than 40 people with autism or learning disabilities have died inside these secure units.

Yet Sineads tragic story suggests the scandal of incarcerated people with autism goes well beyond all those innocent people cruelly trapped in secure health units.

Martin is in supported living. He lives in a room in a house  funded by benefits  with carers in the community, yet is still held behind locked doors and stopped from returning to his family. At one point, he was prevented from meeting his mother for 17 months.

Im his Mum but I am powerless to protect him, said Sinead, struggling to hold back tears. I feel so impotent. I can do nothing despite this outrageous human rights violation.

Martin was taken away from his parents due to a High Court hearing at which the council claimed he was 'at risk' from his mother. The family has spent the last five years in court battles but have been unable to bring him home

'We spent 25 years trying to give him a normal life and ensure he was not segregated  and now look at him, locked up like this. Im so distraught.

Unlike many children with autism, Martin thrived at school after an early diagnosis in infancy. I have such fantastic memories of his childhood, said Sinead. The schools were fabulous and everyone worked together to help him.

The problems began when teachers suggested he apply for a further education college to teach him some skills needed for independent living. The nearest one was 90 minutes away, so it was agreed Martin should live near it during the week.

A fight with the local council over funding led to a judicial review, which his parents won  and as a result, they say, social workers began to interfere.

Sinead was appointed Martins deputy by the Court of Protection, empowering her to manage his affairs. This was challenged unsuccessfully by the local council, and a gruelling 15-month court battle cost the family 25,000.

The council moved to the High Court and held a hearing without notice, at which social workers claimed Martins safety was at risk from his mother. This led to his seizure five years ago.

Sinead said her family found itself fighting on their own in court without legal aid against teams of taxpayer-funded lawyers. They would bully us and use legal jargon that goes way over our heads.

She alleges that her son has deteriorated badly over the past five years. He was a healthy, happy college student who used to play darts in the pub and go to the cinema with his friends  now he is barely able to function.

These are difficult cases to investigate, with secret court sessions, social workers involved and swirling, serious allegations.

But I have seen notes from council officials confirming Martin has suffered emotional turmoil  reports constantly refer to him crying or being tearful, said one internal email.

Our stance until now has always been that [Sinead] triggered such behaviour and stress, wrote a council lawyer when she was barred from seeing her son. But that cannot possibly be the case at the moment, given he has not had any contact with her.

Reports by support staff refer to him frequently crying, shouting and screaming and asking to return home. I want to go back to mummy and daddys, records one log in 2016. Another two years later says Martin wants out and to go home to mummy and daddy real soon.

One thing is clear: Sinead and Paul have been driven to despair. She said: What they have done to Martin has broken us on every level, from emotionally to financially. My husband is distraught over losing his son.

'It feels like there is an alternative universe for families if someone has learning disabilities. It is almost like a state round-up and they are not allowed the kind of lives the rest of society takes for normal. We just want him home.

Terrified mother flees to Poland with her daughters to 'keep them safe' after autistic son is seized by social workers and taken into care where he 'talks of suicide'

A traumatised mother has fled to Poland with her daughters after her teenage son with autism was seized by social workers and taken into care, leaving him with severe weight loss and talking of suicide.

The woman, who cannot be named due to court orders, fears that if she returns to Britain, her daughters  one of whom also has autism  could also be taken away.

She is terrified because she can see what has happened to her son, said her husband, who has remained in Britain.

The family say they were targeted after falling out with social services during a long struggle to have their sons condition recognised and for suitable education.

The boy went to a centre for pupils with behavioural problems but was bullied and barely attended school for four years.

Last year, after an interim court order was imposed, the teenager, now 17, was sent into protected placement that his family say has left him bored and depressed. He has lost weight and lives in fear of a violent fellow resident.

They have torn my family apart. I dont know when I will get my son back, said the father, an Oxford graduate.

No one was at risk, no one had been harmed  yet they have been allowed to do this to my family. My son keeps saying he is crushed and dying inside.
Actress Lori Loughlin's daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli joked on video that she was 'literally never in high school' a year before her mother was accused of paying bribes to get her into a prestigious college.

The now 19-year-old social media influencer made the remarks in a YouTube video shot on her last day of high school, posted in May of 2018.

'I'm, like, excited to go prank my, like, do the school prank, but I'm also literally never at school that I think my class doesn't even  and maybe they forget I go there!' the teen said.

Olivia Jade then let out a laugh and added, 'I'm just kidding!'

Actress Lori Loughlin's daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli joked on video that she was 'literally never in high school' a year before her mother was accused in the college admission scandal

'I'm, like, excited to go prank my, like, do the school prank, but I'm also literally never at school that I think my class doesn't even  and maybe they forget I go there!' the teen said

She was filming the nine-minute video compilation to highlight her last day of high school

Loughlin and her fashion designer husband are accused of paying $500,000 to a fixer who saw that Olivia Jade and her sister were admitted to the University of Southern California as purported coxswains on the school's women's rowing team, even though they had never participated in the sport.

According to court documents, Olivia Jade posed with a photo of a rowing machine as part of her college application materials, despite her apparent lack of interest in the sport. She has not been charged.

Her parents are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, a felony which carries a maximum sentence of five years behind bars.

The case is one among many in a sweeping criminal probe into alleged bribery and backroom dealing to rig admissions into USC, Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, and other top-flight schools.

The Full House star Loughlin was dropped from the Netflix reboot Fuller House, and is currently free on a $1million bond

Olivia Jade, a USC freshman who raked in big money with sponsored posts on social media, has also faced repercussions for allegedly cheating the admissions process.

Sephora and TRESemme both cut ties, while she has also reportedly put the brakes on her college career.

Overnight, she has gone from a college student making upwards of seven figures a year to a drop out with uncertain prospects.
Theresa May has performed a miracle. Her imploding premiership has allowed Jeremy Corbyn to undertake a skilful make-over.

Over the past days, the bedraggled Marxist fanatic has been morphing into an elegant statesman smoothly preaching goodwill to end the Brexit crisis.

If the Governments meltdown continues and Corbyns astute transformation gains traction, Britain faces the prospect of sleepwalking into disaster  heralding the most extreme Left-wing government in the nations history.

Overnight, as John McDonnell has promised, Corbyn and his comrades would irreversibly change the country  soaking the middle classes, punishing business and opening Britains doors to unlimited immigration.

These two men could be leading the country if the Government's disastrous management of Brexit continues

In contrast to Mays sinking Government, Corbyn and McDonnell have in the past week presented themselves as the reasonable leaders of a united party, despite Labours own bitter divisions.

Dressed in his new uniform  blue suit, white shirt and red tie  Corbyn offers compromise while McDonnell utters platitudinous concern in a bank managers honey-toned voice.

Put aside politics, McDonnell said last week on BBC radio  even though in reality he thinks about nothing else.

Their latest disguise is dangerously convincing. Listening to them now, few could imagine how Corbyn and McDonnell have plotted all their lives  through purges, plots and coups  for the chance to seize power.

Alarmingly, amid the aggressive politics unleashed by politicians on both sides of Brexit, Corbyn has positioned himself above the toxic atmosphere. In the Commons and in soft TV interviews, he presents himself as the moderate candidate to be Britains next Prime Minister.

Cleverly, he camouflages the menace of his extremist policies  a far, far bigger threat to Britain than any No Deal Brexit.

Mistakenly, many Tories delude themselves that Corbyns popularity ratings are so low that he could not win a General Election and is therefore a manageable risk.

They could hardly be more wrong. A Survation poll published yesterday, for example, puts Labour four percentage points ahead of the Conservatives.

And no one should underestimate the Queens position if the Government disintegrated and the Tory party disagreed about a new leader and the next Prime Minister  all of which now seem extremely possible.

In that hiatus, the Queen might be obliged to ask Corbyn to form another minority government and he would immediately call for an Election  one in which many disillusioned voters would grasp the appeal of a man promising respite from dishonest politicians.

Many Tories do not see Jeremy Corbyn as a serious risk to their Government, but they could hardly be more wrong

Posing as Mr Reasonable, Corbyn would offer a compassionate vision of relief from austerity and cut-throat capitalism, the construction of millions of new homes, huge wage rises for public servants and the abolition of student loans.

Pitifully, the Tories would be incapable of campaigning to save the country from Corbyns other agenda  mass nationalisation, confiscation of private property, legalised squatting, open borders and crippling tax increases propelling an exodus of wealth creators and talent.

Eighteen months ago, I realised the danger of Corbyns cultivated good bloke image. Anticipating the Brexit crisis, I set out to discover whether his authorised biography was true.

After all, nothing is more important than establishing the character and honesty of a future prime minister.

My resulting book  Dangerous Hero, serialised in The Mail on Sunday  tarnished Corbyns halo, revealing how he had deliberately lied about his past.

Dangerous Hero shows how Corbyn deliberately lied about his past

Among the most serious lies was the missing seven months in his youth. Corbyn has always said that he spent two years as a volunteer teacher in Jamaica in the late 1960s.

I discovered that he had left the island after 15 months and gone to Guyana, a centre of Marxist agitation across South America.

During that period, Corbyn became a communist and embarked on his voyage of supporting violent and anti-Semitic groups.

Another lie was his claim that the break-up of his second marriage in 1996 was due to a disagreement about the private education of a son.

In fact, Claudia Bracchitta left him because he had neglected his family and was utterly incompetent with his money.

A third lie was his claim never to resort to personal abuse. Innumerable members of the Labour Party in Hornsey and fellow councillors in Haringey described the hostile language, purges and persecution orchestrated by Corbyn against them during the 1970s. A fourth lie was his claim to be a pacifist.

In truth, Corbyn has supported a succession of brutal terrorists in Africa, South America and especially the virulently anti-Semitic Hamas and Hezbollah in the Middle East. And of course, he worshipped the IRA.

Then there are the persistent allegations of anti-Semitism  of which his backing for a vile mural caricaturing Jewish bankers and his warning that Jews need to understand British irony are just two of countless supporting examples.

Naturally after Dangerous Hero was published, the Corbynistas at large unleashed a wave of lies and abuse against me  identical to the smears hurled at Luciana Berger and other Labour MPs who resigned from their party not least because Corbyn failed to protect them from his supporters hostility.

Long ago, the team of conspirators in Corbyns office recognised the opportunity offered by the Torys civil war.

Diligently, they stoked the internecine flames. Only belatedly did they recognise one obstacle to success  anti-Semitism. A torrent of ugly revelations has provoked a crisis serious enough to damage Labours election chances.

Corbyn has supported a succession of brutal terrorists in Africa, South America and especially the virulently anti-Semitic Hamas and Hezbollah in the Middle East

So Corbyns office will have been delighted to see the London-based Middle East Eye, which some have claimed is a pro-Hamas news group and which is financed according to the Saudis by Qatar, publishing an attack on my book.

Peter Oborne, the author of the attack, is on record as being an admirer of Corbyn. In 2015, Oborne wrote that he was cheering for Corbyn a hero of democracy. Corbyn, Oborne assured his readers, would not jeopardise our national security and brings a welcome integrity back to the heart of our politics.

Oborne acknowledged he called Corbyns office for information for his attack and posed 16 questions to me for Middle East Eye, including about my reference to Naz Shah, the Labour MP who applauded the idea of Israel being transported to America.

He ignored that Shah had written problem solved about such a transport solution, and posted #ApartheidIsrael above the words never forget that everything Hitler did was legal.

Corbyn had initially appeared to equivocate over Shahs anti-Semitism when it was exposed in 2016.

Indeed, he appeared to show some sympathy for her. Echoing his Marxist advisers, such as spin doctor Seumas Milne, Corbyn seems to show solidarity with those who believe that Jews have been engaged for centuries in a global conspiracy to exploit the oppressed.

Spin doctor Seumas Milne has been instrumental behind the scenes of Corbyn's plot for power

Wall Street, Labours anti-Semites argue, is a plot to steal the workers wealth  led by Jewish bankers.

Importantly, that is the reason why Labours anti-Semitism is not just about Jews. In the wider picture, their prejudice fires their dream to irreversibly change Britain.

As prime minister, Corbyn has pledged, he would decimate the City and the private ownership of property.

Fulfilling his dream to create a communist society, he would follow the ambitions of his hero, Hugo Chavez, the architect of Venezuelas self-destruction. Rather than Britain being a country of equal opportunity, he would strive for equality of poverty.

Perhaps the most distressing aspect of the Tory civil war is that the battle of ideologies between the virtues of capitalism and the horrors of communism has been buried.

The most effective Tory allegation against Corbyn remains Amber Rudds swipe in a TV debate prior to the 2017 Election. We have to stop thinking theres a magic money tree, she said  hardly a killer blow.

In the days ahead, as Corbyn and McDonnell speak about compromise, Britons would do well to recall Vladimir Lenins sermon that any capitalists civil war should be exploited to crush democracy and, in its bid to create a genuinely revolutionary state, the leaders objective should be to put an end to compromise.

Britains fate is imperilled. Serious politicians need to stop their self-indulgence and join the battle against a group of determined revolutionaries.
The most wounded British soldier from the Afghanistan war has finally recovered sufficiently to leave the Army, his campaigning mother has revealed to friends.

Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, 34, was expected to die from his injuries after being blown up by a Taliban anti-tank mine in Helmand province in 2006.

But he battled back from brain damage, internal blast wounds and the loss of both his legs.

Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, 34, was expected to die from his injuries after being blown up by a Taliban anti-tank mine in Helmand province in 2006

However, as Para-trained Bens miracle recovery continued, so his medical needs became more complex and expensive. This led to him staying in the Army so the Ministry of Defence could be held accountable for ensuring he received the appropriate care.

Now a landmark 7 million deal between defence and medical chiefs has paved the way for Ben to leave the Army. The MoD and NHS England finally agreed a care package after two-and-a-half years of negotiations.

The length of time it has taken to secure long-term funding for her son drove his mother Diane Dernie to despair. She even threatened to sue the MoD last year in a bid to break the deadlock.

The Mail on Sunday has also previously revealed how Diane, from Doncaster, was forced to protest after defence chiefs cut Bens pay and took 15 months to provide him with a specialist wheelchair.

Our expose led to Diane receiving a personal apology from Defence Minister Earl Howe.

A landmark 7 million deal between defence and medical chiefs has paved the way for Ben to leave the Army. The MoD and NHS England finally agreed a care package after two-and-a-half years of negotiations

Ben's mother, Diane, 61, was driven to despair over the length of time it took to secure funding

Now Diane, 61, has happily told friends: It has been a nine-year fight and it has gone to the wire but we finally got an agreement today and Ben leaves the Army at the end of the month. Who will I argue with now? Position available. Diane also paid tribute to the military charity Pilgrim Bandits which has taken Ben on expeditions around the world which have raised millions of pounds for other wounded veterans.

She added: We were never alone in this fight, the charity [Pilgrim Bandits] has supported Ben and us in every way possible. Under a landmark 2007 arrangement introduced by former head of the British Army, General the Lord Dannatt, severely wounded troops were allowed to remain in uniform in spite of their injuries even though there was no realistic prospect of them performing military duties again.

In return, Ben represented the Army at thousands of public functions and took on a huge burden of charity commitments.

Diane said: 'It has been a nine-year fight and it has gone to the wire but we finally got an agreement today and Ben leaves the Army at the end of the month. Who will I argue with now? Position available'

Only the actions of Ben's quick-thinking comrades in 7 Para kept father-of-one Ben alive on the horrific day in September 2006 when his British Army jeep was blown up while fighting the Taliban

Ben's legs had to be amputated and he sustained grievous damage to his spine, skull and pelvis, cracked all of his ribs and punctured his lungs and spleen

Ben was serving with 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery when he was severely injured in a roadside blast in the Taliban stronghold of Sangin.

Only the actions of his quick-thinking comrades in 7 Para kept father-of-one Ben alive on the horrific day in September 2006 when his British Army jeep was blown up while fighting the Taliban.

But his legs had to be amputated. His blood loss was staunched and, after his condition was stabilised, he was flown back to intensive care in Britain within two days.

He had sustained grievous damage to his spine, skull and pelvis while his lungs and spleen were also punctured. Ben also cracked all his ribs. Shockingly, Ben spent nearly six months stuck in a geriatric NHS ward full of old women and caught MRSA.

Initially, he was awarded just 152,000 compensation by the MoD under its statutory compensation scheme for service personnel injured in combat. Following a media campaign, this figure was increased to 570,000, which Diane used to buy a bungalow for him and fit out with specialist equipment.
Jim Matthews explains why he traveled to Iraq to fight against ISIS

The firefight erupted at about 2am. Id been trying to sleep, fully clothed, on an old steel bed in the bunker after finishing my freezing watch a few hours earlier. Cudi! said an urgent voice, using my Kurdish nom de guerre. Biksi! Biksi!.

Thats what they called a 7.62 calibre PKM machine gun  and I was being ordered to get outside and fight.

Islamic State had got to within 100 yards of us.

Pumping with adrenaline, I scrambled out into the biting mountain air and ran up to the berm  a 10ft-high defensive ditch made with bulldozer  under a rain of crossfire.

I righted my machine gun on its tripod and started blasting. From out in the darkness, IS roared away with machine guns, small arms and the occasional mortar.

They were desperately, terrifyingly close. Rounds snapped overhead and crashed through the empty water towers behind us. Then panic.

The PKM jammed  dirt, probably  so I continued with my Kalashnikov until, finally, the jihadi killers had retreated. When it all died down, a Kurdish soldier, Agit, came to relieve me but I refused to leave my post.

He smiled. Come on. If tak-tak [firing] starts up again, you can come back out and fight. I settled for that and left.

It was January 2015 and I was among a handful of Western volunteers with the brave Kurdish forces battling with IS in Syria and Iraq. Yes, I knew what I was doing  sort of. Id served a tour of duty with the British Army. But never before had I faced real combat.

Harsh, arid and freezing cold, the mountains in the far north of Iraq were a world away from Stoke-on-Trent, where I grew up. Yet for all the dust and the fear, this was where I truly wanted to be. My childhood had been chaotic  and I certainly became what you would call a troubled teenager.

Its not that I was stupid. I was pretty good academically but I wasnt interested in lessons and spent my time on the streets, getting up to no good.

I was kicked out of school and out of home, too, and found myself living at a YMCA, surviving on benefits. Then came the Army  my saviour. It welcomed me and took me in for four years.

Jim Matthews far left, Erik Kosta Scurfield - the first British person to be killed in action out there - and Ash Johnston (Australian), the first international volunteer killed in action there, some days before Kosta

I joined the Royal Pioneer Corps, then a Commando Logistics Regiment working alongside the Royal Marines and served as a Balkans peacekeeper in the 1990s.

There was precious little real soldiering involved, but the Army gave me self-discipline, belonging  and the confidence to better myself.

After leaving the Pioneer Corps, I went to university and became involved in radical politics. But the revolution never happened and, by the time I reached my 30s, I decided to take my life in a new direction.

I did a postgraduate course in teaching English as a foreign language and travelled to work in Saudi Arabia. But, out of the blue in late 2014, my life received an extraordinary jolt.

I saw a newspaper article about two Britons who had volunteered to fight against IS with the YPG, the predominantly Kurdish Peoples Protection Units.

That winter, IS had shown a horrified world what animals they were as they raped and butchered in the name of God.

The brutality touched something elemental in me. I remember a photo of a grinning IS fighter clutching a womans severed head by the hair, one finger raised to the camera like some kind of gang sign. There was a wave of public feeling that this monster called IS just had to be fought.

Matthews served with the British Army in Bosnia during the 90s and featured in The Brits Battling Isis, a Channel 4 documentary about the extremists

I learned, too, that the YPG  famous in the West for including all-female units  had stopped IS dead in its tracks at the bloody siege of Kobani in Syria. More than 2,000 IS jihadis died when the Kurds, along with their Syrian and Western allies, retook the city in January 2015. Suddenly, the world was taking notice of the YPG.

I had reached the age of 40 and here, at last, was a cause I could believe in. Maybe, even, live a life of nobility and honour.

So how does a boy from Stoke join a group of Kurdish freedom fighters? Via Facebook, of course.

They were posting in the guise of a group calling themselves The Lions of Rojava and it took me only a few minutes to find them.

I sent a private message and, after two anxious days, I got a reply. They asked in polite, if slightly broken, English if I had any military experience, whether I had taken drugs or been to prison because ypg will have no criminal. I told them the truth  Id been in the British Army  and it seemed to do no harm. Two days later they sent me instructions and kit list, including thermal underwear, plus the simple instruction: YPG pick you up From Airport Sulaymaniyah city of Iraq.

Matthews leaves the Old Bailey after terror charges against him for fighting with a Kurdish militia group against ISIS were dropped

I was in.

Of course there were doubts. My friends were astonished when I told them where I was travelling (although I hadnt told them why.) And with two weeks to go, there was still a voice in my head telling me I was a fool  that I should stick with a lucrative teaching contract in Saudi Arabia. My soul-searching and anguishing went on  but either I was going to board that plane or I wasnt. Perhaps it was the chance of a lifetime. It was certainly a chance to actually fight.

I landed at Sulaymaniyah on a flight from Saudi Arabia and boarded a scruffy white shuttle bus into town. There I was met by a short, stocky guy dressed in a velvet jacket and flowery, open-necked shirt. He had a mobile phone with my photo on it.

Yeh-per-geh? he asked.

It took me a second: YPG Yes!

We jumped into a battered white pick-up and sped away until we came to the outskirts of town and a house on an unpaved alley.

Inside, lounging on a sofa, was Jac, aged 21, a fellow volunteer from Bournemouth. I was an ex-soldier whod seen a fair bit of the world. Even so, I had never actually fired a gun at another human being. Did Jac have any idea what he was getting into?

It didnt seem to matter  and there was no doubting his commitment.

I tried to come here last year, he told me. Before I flew out, the Special Branch turned up at my house, asking me stuff like, Have you made a will? Trying to put me off.

I flew to Erbil but the British cops had already tipped them off and they wouldnt let me in. Made me pay for my own flight home.

Close to midnight that same day, we crossed the Tigris river in a rubber dinghy and scrambled out on the opposite bank. Now we were in Syria. We were driven to a small compound on the ridge of a hill where, briefly, we could sleep. Then, after breakfast, we were straight into weapons training. It was rudimentary, to say the least.

Now, this gun is called karnas, it is sniper weapon. The instructor was holding a medium-length rifle.

It is used for murdering.

Polite laughter all round. I was alongside 12 Westerners. I met a fat Texan biker, a deluded Dutchman who claimed to have been on every black ops mission from Israel to Colombia, and an Estonian boy who looked about 14. There were a few Christians, including Kosta from the UK  a burly ex-Royal Marine who spent his spare time reading the Bible  and Ashley, a laughing red-headed Aussie.

Matthews describes how he came to fight for ISIS and the things he experienced while in Iraq

Sometimes, said our instructor, when enemy is coming very close you want to toilet, but dont be worry, this is normal.

We fired ten rounds each, out in the hills, and practised some very basic assault tactics.

We had a total of three days training in all. Then it was for real.

We headed for Tal Hamis  and to battle. Some 20 Toyota pick-ups were crammed with fighters, and we travelled in a motley convoy. There were tanks, Humvees and motorbikes. There was a flatbed truck with a 57-calibre gun.

There were crudely armoured bulldozers and a wonderful assortment of home-made armoured vehicles  angular, misshapen things, all rough-weld and spray paint. Pure Mad Max. Yellow and green YPG flags fluttered and battle music blared out  a cacophony of traditional and modern tracks overlaid with the ululating of a thousand charged-up warriors, male and female, mostly in their teens or early 20s. At dawn, we moved forward in formation, heavy weapons and armoured vehicles first  then us.

By the way, youve heard about Ashley? said Kosta, referring to the likeable Australian.

My stomach lurched. Hes dead. Ashleys vehicle had broken down. Hed got out to cover the others and had been picked off by a sharpshooter.

The heat haze shimmered. My Kurdish comrade Dilsoz squinted up at the ridge and the villages dotted about the mountainside.

Are they massacring people in those villages right now? he asked.

After a brief firefight, we cleared one village and IS fell back. The YPG kids swept in, but I was sure the enemy were still near. I decided to check out a defensive berm some way off.

Halfway there I saw five armed figures sauntering away. They moved so nonchalantly that I couldnt be sure they were IS, so I fired a round over their heads. They broke into a run.

Then, as I gained on them, two threw themselves down in the long grass  to give their comrades covering fire. The others kept moving. Bullets started zipping towards me as I sprinted forwards, zig-zagging left and right. The light was fading and I thought: Is this where I die?

An IS rocket flew over my right shoulder, falling somewhere behind me, and I dropped for cover.

The two jihadis firing at me were using the ground well, popping up and down, running in short bursts and disappearing before shooting once again.

I started firing back and, with my third shot, took one of them down. His screams reached my ears, stirring a feeling of guilt (Id caused it) and dread (it could be me next).

The second guy started to run back for his friend, but changed his mind and fled.

My rifle jammed. I changed the magazine and was going through the drills to clear the barrel when a small, orange explosion blossomed up ahead, followed by a cloud of dirty smoke. The one Id wounded had blown himself up with a grenade rather than be captured.

Well, said a voice in my head. Now youve shot someone. Another human being. So, now how do you feel?

Ask me later, I told it.

As the year went on, I lost several comrades. My friend Kosta, the Bible-reading former Marine, was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade. And Jac from Bournemouth, who fought for many months and proved himself a truly outstanding soldier, was killed while trying to disarm a suicide vest.

After one shattering year, I decided to leave  and the decision was easy. I was making mistakes taking a bit longer to get out of bed for my guard shift, failing to clean my weapon. I was utterly drained.

So I went to my commander, Soran, a fireball of a man with a black beard and piratical headband, and I said I was done. I even gave him a hug before we parted. You good friend, he said. It was true comradeship, and I miss it still.

I arrived back in Britain at Portsmouth International Ferry Port in February 2016 where, at passport control, I was detained and charged under the Terrorism Act.

I was outraged. Thanks to the wording of this Act, terrorism is defined as any kind of fighting or violence or any use of firearms or explosives for the purpose of advancing a political, racial or ideological cause.

It is hopelessly broad and could trap almost anyone fighting a war, anywhere. I had been fighting with the YPG, which was not a proscribed terrorist organisation, against IS, which was. And I had been fighting alongside an international coalition that included Great Britain.

I spent the next two-and-a-half years being summoned to shabby interview rooms in police stations to explain to the security services again and again that I was not a terrorist. Question after endless question were fired at me. What did you feel you achieved out there? What were your strategic battle plans? And all I could think about was pulling the dead and dying from the wreckage of burning towns.

My passport was seized, and then the police announced the decision to charge me as a terrorist on Twitter  before they had the decency to let me know.

Life was a struggle. Id managed to keep myself together by working as an English teacher to international students but now, perhaps, understandably, the school that employed me decided I would have to go.

Then the Halifax froze my bank account, refusing to explain why, and I nearly lost my home.

When, finally, the charges were dropped, I still had no explanation from the authorities of why theyd done this, let alone an apology. Fighting the IS was one thing. Fighting the British State was another.

How this war will be remembered by others, I dont know. But Ill always remember the warmth and kindness of my comrades in arms  and Ill always regret not making more of the time I shared with people who are now gone. If Im proud of anything, its of having known my fellow fighters  and being considered their friend.

I cant say for certain that I made a difference. But I know that, for once in my life, I belonged.

lAdapted from Fighting Monsters, by Jim Matthews, published by Mirror Books, priced 18.99. Offer price 15.19 (20 per cent discount with free p&p) until March 24. Order at mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. Spend 30 on books and get free premium delivery.
A 23-year-old man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly rammed his car into the gates of a Queensland mosque while hurling insults at worshipers inside.

Police say the incident took place outside Baitul Masroor Mosque in Stockleigh on Saturday night, hours after the suspect had been taken into custody for driving under the influence.

The driver is alleged to have slammed his car into the gates around 7pm, causing minor damage to the property, and 'shouted offensive words' through the window, before driving back home where he was arrested.

He was further charged with one count of wilful damage, commit public nuisance and driving a motor vehicle whilst suspended.

Police say the incident took place outside Baitul Masroor Mosque in Stockleigh (pictured) on Saturday night, hours after the suspect had been taken into custody for driving under the influence

About five hours earlier at 2.20pm, the Browns Plains man had been stopped on Buckley Road where authorities administered a roadside drug test which tested positive.

He was issued with a 24hr driver's license suspension and a notice to appear in court for one count of driving a vehicle whilst relevant drug is present.

Hours later, the man took to the road again, this time driving along Neville Street and pulled into the place of worship.

The incident occurred just a day after a gunman shot up a New Zealand mosque in Christchurch killing at least 50 people.

A spokesman for the mosque, however, said the incident was 'random' and not connected to the massacre, the Courier-Mail reported.

Baitul Masroor Mosque had previously dealt with another 'disturbing' incident in 2017 when a severed pig's head was left outside the property.
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Dozens of cars and a lone food truck sit parked behind the Al Noor mosque - with no one to drive them home.

This is the haunting image at the scene of Christchurch's mosque massacre, where a gunman killed 50 people on Friday and injured dozens more.

Residents who live close by the mosque where Australian-born Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, allegedly opened fire said it was a chilling reminder of the tragedy seeing the cars left there three days on.

They know many owners will never return to collect them.

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The carpark behind the Al Noor mosque remains crowded three days after Australian-born gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant allegedly opened fire

More than twenty cars and a lone food truck remain parked behind the mosque three days later - many owners will never return to collect them

One local said what happened behind their properties was simply 'horrible'.

Now out their back windows are 'the cars of the dead'.

The neighbour said: 'They have been simply excellent (neighbours), I do want people to know that'.

All bodies have been removed from the mosque, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities were working as fast as they could to allow relatives to bury their dead loved ones in keeping with Islamic custom.

Police outside the Al Noor mosque continued to sweep the street for evidence on Sunday, marking up cars where bullets may have hit or ricocheted.

It comes as workers at a Christchurch cemetery continue the daunting task of digging graves for the murdered.

Workers used heavy machinery to prepare at least a dozen graves at a cemetery on Saturday afternoon, ahead of the unprecedented number of burials.

Police outside the Al Noor mosque continued to sweep the street for evidence on Sunday, marking up cars where bullets may have hit or ricocheted

The mosque remains a crime scene, but New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern having said she hoped all bodies would be removed by the end of Sunday

Workers used heavy machinery to prepare at least a dozen graves at a Christchurch cemetery on Saturday (pictured) ahead of an unprecedented number of Islamic burials

Islamic custom dictates that the deceased should be buried within 24 hours of their death, meaning workers have had to dig the graves at a rapid rate

They moved swiftly to stay in line with the Islamic custom that dictates the deceased should be buried within 24 hours of their passing.

But local Islamic leaders have admitted they have never seen a burial quite like this.

'They (the community) is in shock, having to sit down and plan 49 funerals,' Dr Zain Ali, an Islamic expert at Auckland University, told Daily Mail Australia.

'They're just coming to terms with the death of these people. A message went out saying "we need help organising this"  people are just not in a frame of mind'.

A Christchurch Council spokesman has confirmed that 'the council is currently in the process of getting plots ready'.

They moved swiftly to stay in line with the Islamic custom that dictates the deceased should be buried within 24 hours of their passing (Pictured: Confirmed victims Haji Daoud Nabi, left, and Naeem Rashid, right)

Police allege that Tarrant began his shooting rampage at the Al Noor Masjidal Mosque in the city's east, before driving across town to the Linwood Masjid Mosque and again opening fire

The local Muslim community is struggling to come to with the scale of the tragedy and their grief is visible everywhere.

In the city hundreds have left floral tributes and written messages on the pavement at the Masjid Al Noor mosque, where the first shooting occurred on Friday afternoon.

One mourner, Nadia Edmond, 18, wept as she laid flowers, saying she and the city's young people would not stand for 'this hatred'.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called the incident one of the country's 'darkest days' and said grants of NZD$10,000 would be available to the families of victims to help cover the cost of funerals.
Controversial Senator Fraser Anning has been confronted by a second heckler after he blamed the Christchurch terror attack on Muslim immigration.

Ali Bidiri, 20, filmed himself approaching Mr Anning at Melbourne Airport on Saturday night, just hours after an egg was cracked on his head by teenager Will Connolly.

'Don't you have any f****** remorse?,' Mr Bidiri is heard asking the Independent senator in the video.

Mr Anning can be heard telling him to 'stand back' before appearing to call him a 'maggot'.

Mr Bidiri said it was 'disturbing to see someone in the senate who's meant to be representing my country have that much hate towards people of my faith and people who have come to Australia for a better future'.

Mr Bidiri 'felt like he needed to say something' after spotting Mr Anning while waiting for a friend at the airport. After asking why he 'had no remorse' Mr Anning told him to 'step back' before calling the 20-year-old a 'maggot'

Mr Bidiri continues to scold the senator as assistants shuffle in and help Mr Anning board the plane.

The senator was reportedly making his way to Brisbane to appear at the Modern Arms & Militaria Fair in Ipswich, Queensland on Sunday.

While Senator Anning said he cancelled his stall at the gun show, an attendee told Seven News he made a short appearance.

On the same day Mr Bidiri confronted Mr Anning, the senator had an egg cracked on his head during a Conservative National Party Meeting in Melbourne.

The incident was captured in confronting footage showing the teen, Will Connolly, being tackled to the ground and arrested.

He has since gone on to become hailed as a 'hero' by social media, gaining more than 270,000 followers on Instagram.

Mr Bidiri said he wasn't planning on approaching him, but after feeling the same frustration as Mr Connolly, he said he just 'felt the need to talk to him'.

'It was disturbing to see that someone in the senate who's meant to be representing my country have that much hate towards people of my faith and people who have come to Australia for a better future,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Honestly, it really hurt.'

'There's a difference between hate speech and freedom of speech, what we say should never have a negative impact on another person or group of people,' he added.

Ali Bidiri, 20, filmed himself approaching Senator Fraser Anning at Melbourne Airport on Saturday night, just hours after an egg was cracked on his head by teenager Will Connolly

Will Connolly, 17, (pictured) cracked an egg on Senator Anning in a press conference in Melbourne on Saturday and filmed it for the world to see

And while he admitted that a lot of language was exchanged, he reiterated that 'for a senator, an individual representing the Australian population, he shouldn't be referring to the Australian population as maggots'.

The uproar comes after Mr Anning released a statement where he blamed Muslim immigration for the terror attacks in Christchurch on Friday.

'The real cause of the bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place,' his statement said.

He has since faced wide-spread backlash following the release of his statement, including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

He was wrestled to the ground by members of the public and escorted out by the police

A joint media release was made from the government and the Labor party on Sunday announcing they will move a motion that 'censures Senator Anning for his inflammatory and divisive comments seeking to attribute blame to victims of a horrific crime'.

However, when Mr Morrison was asked if a parliamentary motion was enough, he replied: 'I think the full force of the law should be applied to Senator Anning.'

He previously said the comments the senator made were appalling, ugly and had no place in Australia.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also condemned Mr Anning's comments, calling them a 'disgrace' at a press conference on Sunday.

New Zealand High Commissioner Annette King also said her country absolutely rejected Senator Anning's sentiment.

'We just condemn what he said and I'm absolutely delighted that his comments were condemned from the very top of government here in Australia and by the people of Australia,' she told reporters in Canberra.

A change.org petition calling for Mr Anning's expulsion from parliament has amassed almost 815,000 signatures.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned Mr Anning's comments, saying the 'full force of the law should be applied to him
Casey Anthony has been spotted partying at a bar for St Patrick's Day in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Anthony, 32, who was acquitted of the 2008 killing of her own daughter, appeared to be living it up with a group of friends at O'Shea's Irish Pub, where she was seen late Saturday into the wee hours of Sunday.

In addition to St Patrick's Day, it's also a birthday weekend for Anthony, who turns 33 on Tuesday.

A source at the bar told DailyMail.com that Anthony was 'partying pretty hard and asking people to take shots with her.'

Casey Anthony was spotted partying at a bar for St Patrick's Day in West Palm Beach, Florida

Anthony, 32, who was acquitted of the 2008 killing of her own daughter, appeared to be living it up with a group of friends at O'Shea's Irish Pub

It is also a birthday weekend for Anthony, who will turn 33 on Tuesday

Photos show Anthony festively dressed for the holiday, with a bright green ball cap and green sweatshirt tied around her waist.

Anthony, who has been spotted at several West Palm Beach bars in recent days, was seen getting friendly with several men at the bar.

Though her current relationship status is unclear, she was most recently linked to 38-year-old Antony Karagiannis last fall.

He was not seen among her group of friends at the bar.

She was seen chatting up several men at the bar and buying shots for her friends

Anthony seemed to get quite comfortable with one of the men in her group of friends

Anthony appeared to be enjoying the holiday weekend at the crowded Irish pub

Karagiannis, a bar worker with a child of his own, said at the time that he 'didn't care' about Anthony's past, but insisted that they weren't officially dating, and that he wanted to keep things 'casual.'

Anthony was acquitted in 2008 of the murder of her two-year-old daughter Caylee after a highly publicized trial.

Prosecutors alleged that she was a party girl who had killed her daughter to live a carefree life free of parental responsibility, but a jury found her not guilty.

In January, Anthony told DailyMailTV that she had rejected offers of doing a reality show, because she 'is not the wild child everyone characterizes me to be.'

Though her current relationship status is unclear, she was most recently linked to 38-year-old Antony Karagiannis (above) last fall

Anthony was acquitted in 2008 of the murder of her two-year-old daughter Caylee after a highly publicized trial

'I turned down big money of (sic) doing a reality show,' she said.

She went on: 'They want to follow your every move, not happening..meaning...I don't like the parts that I am not in control of..my life is not a script.

'They wanted to add things that I didn't.. we will leave it at that. I guess the life of Casey wasn't good enough, and wanted to make me more wild to hype up the speculation of me and make what everyone has thought about me all along to be true.

'I am not the wild child that everyone characterizes me to be.'

She added, 'I am not shy.. I am very outgoing.. I love everyone..but I am in no ways a wild easy woman.'
Retired Navy cook Michael R. White was arrested in Iran in July for allegedly insulting the nation's supreme leader and posting private information online

A U.S. Navy veteran from California has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran, his lawyer said Saturday, becoming the first American known to be imprisoned there since President Donald Trump took office.

Though the case against Michael R. White remains unclear, it comes as Trump has taken a hard-line approach to Iran by pulling the U.S. out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers.

Iran, which in the past has used its detention of Westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations, has yet to report on White's sentence in state-controlled media. Its mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

'Obviously the concern is that the Iranians are using this as a tool against the United States, given the other individuals who are in custody,' Washington-based lawyer Mark Zaid told The Associated Press.

White's arrest was first reported by IranWire, an online news service run by Iranian expatriates, which interviewed a former Iranian prisoner who said he met White at Vakilabad Prison in the northeastern city of Mashhad in October.

In the time since, White has been convicted of insulting Iran's supreme leader and posting private information online, Zaid said. He said the information surrounding the case remained vague. He learned of the sentence from the U.S. State Department, which in turn learned of it from the Swiss government, which looks after American interests in Iran.

White's mother told reporters White (pictured right) had traveled to Iran to visit a woman he said was his girlfriend (pictured left), but he never boarded his scheduled return flight

The State Department said late Saturday that it was 'aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen in Iran.'

'We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad,' it said, without elaborating on the case.

The New York Times first reported White's 10-year sentence.

White's mother, Joanne White, had told the Times that her son, who lives in Imperial Beach, California, went to Iran to see a woman she described as his girlfriend and had booked a July 27 flight back home to San Diego via the United Arab Emirates.

She filed a missing person report with the State Department after he did not board the flight. She added that he had been undergoing treatment for a neck tumor and has asthma.

White worked as a cook in the U.S. Navy and left the service about a decade ago.

Zaid said Saturday that White apparently traveled to Mashhad without informing the woman in advance. It remains difficult for Americans to get visas to Iran, 40 years after the Islamic Revolution and the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis.

'That's certainly our concern, that he's being used as a pawn,' Zaid said. 'But we're more in a confused state than an aware state.'

White's mother, Joanne White, (pictured left) filed a missing person report with the State Department after he did not board his scheduled return flight on July 27

There are three other Americans known to be held in Iran.

Iranian-American Siamak Namazi and his octogenarian father Baquer, a former UNICEF representative who served as governor of Iran's oil-rich Khuzestan province under the U.S.-backed shah, are both serving 10-year sentences on espionage charges.

Iranian-American art dealer Karan Vafadari and his Iranian wife, Afarin Neyssari, received 27-year and 16-year prison sentences, respectively. Chinese-American graduate student Xiyue Wang was sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly 'infiltrating' the country while doing doctoral research on Iran's Qajar dynasty.

Iranian-American Robin Shahini was released on bail in 2017 after staging a hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for 'collaboration with a hostile government.' Shahini has since return to America and is now suing Iran in U.S. federal court.

Also in an Iranian prison is Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who advocated for internet freedom and has done work for the U.S. government. He was sentenced to 10 years on espionage-related charges.

Former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission, remains missing. Iran says that Levinson is not in the country and that it has no further information about him, though his family holds Tehran responsible for his disappearance.
The Linwood Avenue mosque imam who was seen escaping the massacre in blood-soaked clothing warned worshippers to take cover after hearing the gunman open fire outside.

Imam Alabi Lateef Zirullah has broken his silence for the first time since the deadly shooting that left at least six people dead at his mosque in Christchurch on Friday.

Worshippers were all about to drop to the floor for the second part of the Muslim prayer service when Brother Lateef spotted the gunman out the front and shouted his warning.

'He saved lots of lives,' a worshipper who survived the Linwood part of the massacre told Daily Mail Australia.

'Many more would be dead if we had been kneeling'.

The prayer leader said he was inside when alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28, began shooting Muslim worshippers outside.

'When I saw those Muslims shot dead I just told our brothers, ''Go down! Go down! Somebody has just shot our brothers outside the masjid'',' he told the New Zealand Herald.

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Linwood Avenue mosque imam Alabi Lateef Zirullah (pictured covered in blood) has broken his silence for the first time since the deadly shooting that left seven people dead at his mosque in Christchurch on Friday

The prayer leader, who was seen leaving the mosque in blood-soaked clothing said he warned worshippers to take cover after hearing the gunman open fire outside

But Zirullah said many of them were not quick enough to heed his warnings and did not react until another man was shot in the head through the window.

'He [Gunman] saw him standing and shot him [through] the window. When glass got broken and the brother fell down, everyone realised to go down,' he added.

The imam ran out of the mosque with fellow worshipper Abdul Aziz, who had picked up a credit card machine on the way which he used to throw at the shooter who had ran back into his car to retrieve another firearm.

The gunman allegedly began firing back at him, but Aziz was able to dodge the stream of bullets by running through a sea of parked cars, he told the publication.

Aziz revealed he even spotted one of the shooter's guns on the ground and attempted to fire it but it was out of ammunition.

Instead, he launched the weapon through the suspect's car like 'an arrow,' he said.

He said the stunt was enough 'scare' the gunman who then drove away. The shooter had allegedly shouted and 'cursed' at him while threatening to kill everyone.

While that was taking place, Zirullah said he tried to use that time to secure the doors and keep the gunman out.

He was able to call 111 and began nursing the injured worshippers.

'I thought I'd be gone. I was ready to die because I felt for the brothers,' he said.

Linwood mosque

Imams Alabi Lateef Zirullah (left) and Gamal Fouda (right) have broken their silence

A concerned group tried to engage him before he walked away totally devastated

Gamal Fouda, imam of Al-Noor mosque where 43 were killed, said the gunman entered just five minutes into the service.

He heard screaming coming from outside, initially thinking it was children playing, before someone yelled: 'Yeah. Shooting!'

The man who raised the alarm then broke a window and clamboured out of it, with many of the 200 worshippers following.

Fouda says this is why many people survived, as many escaped through the hole in the glass.

'That's why on this right side [of the building] only a few people were killed.

'But the left side, they fell on each other and they piled on top of each other. He was just standing and aiming at them.'

Fouda described the gunman shooting at 'any noise coming from anywhere'.

Smoke from the gunshots left the air thick and difficult to breathe for those who had gone into hiding.

Bloodied bandages are seen on the ground following a shooting resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries at the Al Noor Mosque on Deans Avenue in Christchurch

Zirullah was pictured wandering with his blood-stained tunic in the street outside the Linwood Avenue mosque after the rampage.

The distraught man was spoken to by a crowd of people outside the police cordon before he crossed the street, his face full of dismay.

Tarrant's sickening film showed casualties crawling across the bloody floor of the Al Noor mosque as the terror suspect unloaded rounds into them.

He used a semi-automatic shotgun as well as a modified semi-automatic rifle as he pummelled victims with multiple bullets.

He had taped magazines to each other and could be seen calmly reloading fresh ammunition into the gun - thought to be an AR-15.

The massacre left 41 at the Al Noor Mosque dead before the suspect journeyed to the Linwood Avenue Mosque where he killed another seven victims, two more later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to 50 as of 5.30pm AEDT.

It is the worst attack of its kind in the country's history and was dubbed its 'darkest day' by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

New Zealand's stricken residents reached out to Muslims in their neighbourhoods and around the country on Saturday.

Shocked family members stand outside the mosque following a shooting resulting in 41 dead at the Al Noor scene

Some offered lifts to the supermarket or volunteered to walk with their Muslim neighbours if they felt unsafe.

In online forums, people discussed Muslim food restrictions as they prepared to drop off meals for those affected.

'Love always wins over hate. Lots of love for our Muslim brothers,' read a handwritten card on a wall of flowers in a historic part of the city that stretched a full block.

Still, Muslims were advised to stay away from mosques while the nation's security alert remained at the second-highest level a day after the deadliest shooting in modern New Zealand history.

Outside one of the two mosques, 32-year-old Ash Mohammed pushed through police barricades in hopes of finding out what happened to his father and two brothers, whose cellphones rang unanswered. An officer stopped him.

'We just want to know if they are dead or alive,' Mohammed told the officer.

Police cordoned off the area surrounding the Al Noor mosque after the attacks (pictured)

Desperate for any news, families and friends of the victims gathered at the city's Hagley College, near the hospital.

They included Asif Shaikh, 44, who said he was among more than 100 people at the Al Noor mosque when the attacker came in.

He said he survived by playing dead, but was desperate to know what happened to his friends who were there with him.

'It's been 36 hours, I haven't heard anything about them,' he said.

New Zealand, with a population of 5 million, has relatively loose gun laws and an estimated 1.5 million firearms, or roughly one for every three people. But it has one of the lowest gun homicide rates in the world. In 2015, it had just eight.

Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who bought the five guns used in the crimes legally.

'I can tell you one thing right now, our gun laws will change,' Ardern said.

She did not offer too much detail, but said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be looked at. Neighbouring Australia has virtually banned semi-automatic rifles from private ownership since a lone gunman killed 35 people with assault rifles in 1996.

Before Friday's attack, New Zealand's deadliest shooting in modern history took place in 1990 in the small town of Aramoana, where a gunman killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbour.
A man has allegedly punched a man and an off-duty officer while armed with a knife during a vicious road rage incident.

Police were called to Heley Beach Rd, Brooklyn Park in Adelaide's inner west about 11am on Sunday following reports a Mazda sedan had stopped in front of a Mitsubishi 4WD, blocking its path.

The 31-year-old accused got out of the vehicle and began walking toward the other car when he was approached by a man and a woman.

The accused was searched by police and was allegedly found with a knife in his possession (stock)

Police allege he assaulted the pair by punching them, before being restrained by several members of the public.

The woman - an off-duty police officer - and the man suffered minor injuries.

The alleged perpetrator has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and carry offensive weapon after a knife was found in his possession.

He was granted bail and will appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on May 20.
The 17-year-old boy who smashed an egg on the back of Senator Fraser Anning's head has been inundated with offers of free concert tickets from Australian bands.

Will Connolly, from Victoria, was behind Mr Anning at a Conservative National Party Meeting in Melbourne, on Saturday afternoon, when he egged the senator.

A short scuffle ensued and the schoolboy was grabbed around the neck, tackled to the ground and restrained by up to five men.

The incident was captured in confronting footage showing the teen being arrested and later removed from the premises.

Will Connolly, 17, (pictured) has been inundated with offers of free concert tickets from Australian bands

Will Connolly, from Victoria, was behind Mr Anning at a Conservative National Party Meeting in Melbourne, on Saturday afternoon, when he egged the senator

Since the video has gone viral, a GoFundMe page has been set up to pay for the teenager's legal fees and 'to buy more eggs'.

'Our hero EggBoi takes on Fraser Anning, the senator for Queensland that is now despised around the world for comments made after the shooting at a New Zealand mosque,' the GoFundMe page says.

The page has far exceeded its original $2,000 goal with more than 14,000 shares on Facebook and more than 1,400 people donating to the cause in just one day.

It has since reached over $40,000 and is still climbing with no signs of slowing down.

'I have spoken to EggBoi (Will) on the phone a short while ago and he is committed to sending a majority of the money to the victims of the Christchurch terrorist attack. I will keep you all updated with how everything pans out,' an update on the GoFundMe page says.

Since the video of the egging went viral, the teen has seen his online following soar and even gained recognition from a number of prolific Australian bands.

The internet has provided lots of support behind Will, with bands and music festivals expressing their admiration for the teen's actions on Twitter.

Several Australian music groups have offered the 17-year-old with free concert tickets for life, including Hilltop Hoods, The Amity Affliction, The Living End and Violent Soho.

'Egg Boy, you have free entry to any Hoods show for life should you wish,' Hilltop Hoods wrote on Twitter.

'If Egg Boy likes Amity he can have free entry +1 to all of our shows forever,' Joel Birch from The Amity Affliction posted.

Several Australian music groups have offered the 17-year-old with free concert tickets for life, including Hilltop Hoods, The Amity Affliction, The Living End and Violent Soho

'Holy s**t, he full smacks him with a lefty and egg boy just cops it and keeps filming. Cool as ya like mate, what a legend! Egg boy has guest list for life. Hell, he can be our official photographer too... Love you egg boy!' Violent Soho tweeted.

'This kid is welcome at any TLE show. Anytime. Anywhere. In egg boy we trust,' The Living End wrote.

He's even received the offer from some groups in the United States, such as American hip-hop festival Rolling Loud and indie folk band The Mountain Goats.

'Someone put us in touch with Egg Boy because we want to give him free tickets for life,' Rolling Loud wrote.

'Guest list for life for there #eggboy,' The Mountain Goats said.

Since the video of the egging went viral, the teen, has seen his online following soar and even gained recognition from a number of prolific Australian bands

After he was wrestled, and some Anning supporters even held him in a choke hold, the boy was then led away by police

Will's Instagram now boasts more than 269,000 followers and his Twitter feed is flooded with fans calling him a 'hero' and affectionately renaming him Egg Boy.

The hashtag EggBoyHero is now trending on Twitter worldwide.

'Thank you for your love and support,' he has since written to his newfound fans.

Since the video's wide circulation, Adam Houda, a high profile criminal lawyer who has defended men charged with terrorist-related offences in the past, is now demanding Mr Anning face charges for his actions.

On Twitter, the lawyer said it was a clear case of assault on a child.

Twitter has erupted with praise of Egg Boy with many creating 'fan art' to show they stand with the 17-year-old

Mr Connolly was wrestled to the ground by members of the public after egging Mr Anning during his press conference

The teen even has backing from high-profile criminal lawyers, including Adam Houda, who has publicly stated he will represent him in court free of charge

'I've just seen the footage of the Fraser Anning egging. Anning reacts by assaulting the young man. The police are now obligated to charge Anning,' he tweeted.

'I've been a lawyer for over two decades and in my opinion there is no argument that Anning was acting in self-defence.'

Mr Houda, who is the former lawyer of Sydney Lindt Cafe siege gunman Man Haron Monis, has offered to represent the teenager free of charge.

'The video evidence is clear. Anning has NO defence. I'll be monitoring the situation carefully.

'I've never chased a client, but I've put it out there that I'm happy to help him (pro bono) It's now up to him and his parents.'

High profile lawyer Adam Houda has called for Fraser Anning to be charged after he took a swipe at a protester who egged him during a press conference

Adam Houda, known as the go-to lawyer for men charged with terrorist-related offences, is now demanding Mr Anning face charges for his actions

Victoria Police released a statement saying they are continuing to investigate the incident 'in its entirety' including the actions of Mr Anning and others.

Disturbing footage has also emerged showing Mr Anning's supporters holding the boy to the ground in a choke hold as others taunted the teen.

'You are nothing but a weak f****** human being,' a man could be heard saying.

The egging came a day after Mr Anning released a statement where he blamed Muslim immigration for the terror attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday, where 50 people were killed.

'The real cause of the bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place,' his statement said.

Senator Anning (pictured) took a swipe at a left-wing activist at a protest rally after the 17-year-old cracked an egg on his head

The support for Mr Connolly has grown exponentially in just one day, with the hashtag EggBoyHero now trending worldwide on Twitter

He faced wide-spread backlash following the release of his statement.

A Change.org petition calling for Mr Anning to be removed from parliament has been signed over 750,000 times.

'Senator Fraser Anning has no place in the government of our democratic and multicultural country,' the petition says.

'We request that he be expelled from his position as Senator, and investigated by law enforcement agencies for supporting right wing terrorism.'

The petition speaks about Mr Annging's statements about the Christchurch attack.

'We call on the Australian government to expel this man who blames victims for their own violent deaths, and uses references to genocide to further his hateful agenda,' the petition said.

A short scuffle ensued before the man was tackled to the ground by other members of the public

Attendees of the event held the young man on the ground after the physical altercation

'There is no place in Australian government for Neo-Nazis. There is no place for bigotry. There is no place for hate speech.'

Politicians have roundly condemned Mr Anning for his comments.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also hit out at the independent senator's comments in a tweet on Friday.

'The remarks by Senator Fraser Anning blaming the murderous attacks by a violent, right-wing, extremist terrorist in New Zealand on immigration are disgusting. These views have no place in Australia, let alone in the Australian Parliament.'

Labor frontbencher Tony Burke told the ABC 'the normalisation of bigotry is something that is not only confined to him'.

'We need to call it out, we need to make sure that no way any member of parliament fosters it. He wants the conflict and he wants the notoriety,' he said on Saturday.
Theresa May (seen outside church in Berkshire today) urged MPs to 'stand together as democrats and patriots' and accept her withdrawal agreement so Britain could 'heal its divisions and move forward'

Theresa May today begged MPs to act like 'patriots' and vote for her Brexit deal at its third showing next week - as it emerged the EU is 'war-gaming' for the fall of her government.

The Prime Minister said it would be a 'potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure' if a delay to Brexit meant the UK was forced to take part in May's European elections almost three years after voting to leave.

She warned that if MPs did not back her deal before Thursday's European Council summit 'we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever'.

Mrs May acknowledged that even if her deal is passed before the summit of EU leaders the Government would need a 'short technical extension' beyond the scheduled March 29 Brexit date.

'That is not an ideal outcome - we could and should have been leaving the EU on March 29,' she wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.

'But it is something the British people would accept if it led swiftly to delivering Brexit.

'The alternative if Parliament cannot agree the deal by that time is much worse.'

Mrs May said her fellow leaders would demand a 'clear purpose' for a longer extension that was not merely a technical delay to allow legislation to pass. This could lead to Britain taking part in the EU elections, an idea that 'didn't bear thinking about'.

Her call to arms came as leaked documents revealed moves in Brussels to prepare for the collapse of Mrs May's government should her vote fail.

In a briefing note, the EU commission secretary general Martin Selmayr said: 'Imagine they have a new Brexit secretary or prime minister - what then?

'Article 50 has been agreed and the process has ended. It must be clear that the starting point is not a renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement.'

Martin Selmayr (seen on the right with Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on February 27) has urged EU leaders to prepare for the fall of Mrs May's government

Selmayr, who is seen as a master strategist and jokingly referred to as 'The Monster' by his mentor Jean-Claude Juncker, was reflecting the fear that hardline Brexiteers could topple Mrs May and replace her with a Prime Minister who would push for a harder split with the EU.

Meanwhile, Downing Street told the Mail On Sunday the failure of her Brexit deal would leave the UK stuck in the Brussels version of a 'Hotel California'  unable ever to leave the EU.

The Prime Minister has been advised that, if her troubled agreement is rejected again  forcing her to apply to the EU for a long extension to Article 50  then the Commons would have the power to delay Brexit indefinitely.

The officials warned Mrs May that, because a delay which runs beyond June would oblige the UK to participate in this year's European parliamentary elections, 'there is effectively no limit to the number of extensions of Article 50 the UK can ask for or be required to ask for by Parliament'.

The Government has been locked in critical negotiations with the DUP this weekend to persuade them to sign up to Mrs May's deal. Their discussions have focused on Attorney General Geoffrey Cox's 'clarification' of his legal advice on the backstop.

Mrs May is also preparing to promise that Northern Ireland will never be treated differently from Britain in terms of the common market and customs union; and that the DUP will be 'deeply involved' in future trade deal negotiations, according to The Sunday Telegraph .

Downing Street hopes that, if the DUP backs the deal, most rebel Tory MPs would then also fall into line. The party has stressed that the presence of Chancellor Philip Hammond at a meeting on Friday did not mean that money was being demanded.

Mr Hammond told Sophy Ridge on Sunday that 'significant' numbers of Tory rebels were now prepared to support Mrs May.

Number 10 is this weekend targeting the 78 Tory MPs it needs to persuade to change their minds by using 'WhipsApp'  a blizzard of promises and threats on social messaging apps.

The possibility of Brexit being delayed or overturned in a second referendum is swinging some Eurosceptics reluctantly behind the deal ahead of a third vote on the package.

Backbench rebel David Kawczynski publicly indicated he will now back the Prime Minister's plan.

But so far the number of Tories publicly switching positions has amounted to a trickle rather than the flood the Prime Minister needs to overturn the 149-vote defeat for the deal she suffered on Tuesday.

Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Mr Kawczynski acknowledged that the Prime Minister's deal was now the 'only game in town'.

His comments came after former cabinet minister Esther McVey, who resigned over the Brexit deal, suggested she and other MPs could now back it, even though it was 'rubbish' and North Wiltshire MP James Gray appealed to fellow members of the Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG) to get the 'obnoxious' deal over the line.

But other ERG figures played down the prospect of large numbers getting behind the deal when it is brought back for a vote.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis said the PM's deal was 'capable of rescue' if the negotiating strategy was changed and experienced trade negotiators were brought in to work with the EU.

Downing Street is in talks with DUP MPs and its leader Arlene Foster (seen on Good Morning Britain on January 16) to persuade them to back her deal

Writing in The Sunday Times, he added: 'Judging by last week the alternative would be a cascade of chaos, eventually ending in a remainer attempt, first to delay Brexit by a long time and then reverse it.'

Former Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliott, writing in the same paper, called Mrs May's deal 'far from perfect', but added: 'I would rather opt for the risk of a customs union later - a risk that has diminished in recent weeks - than the very real risk of a permanent customs union now. The choice isn't enviable, but the safer option is clear.'

Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg is also thought to be open to changing hims mind.

If the party whips do not think Mrs May has the numbers by tomorrow evening, her deal will not be put to a vote.

If that happens  or it is put to a vote and she loses  the Prime Minister will fly to Brussels on Thursday to ask for an extension of up to two years: the EU is expected to attach stringent conditions, such as the UK's continued membership of a Customs Union, as the price for agreeing the extension. That would then have to be passed by both the Commons and the Lords before March 29 to avoid a No Deal Brexit.

A senior Government source said that the Tory rebels should appreciate the constitutional consequences of a long extension: 'At the very least, the UK would be expected to take part in the European Parliament elections, at a cost of more than 100 million.

Once the UK has taken part in the EU elections there is effectively no limit to the number of extensions of Article 50 the UK can ask for or be required to ask for by Parliament. Multiple extensions are permissible up to the date of the next European elections'.

The source added: 'It truly is the Hotel California Brexit, as No 10 has been making clear to the rebels'. In Hotel California, The Eagles famously sang: 'You can check out any time you like but you can never leave.'

If, however, Mrs May puts her deal to a vote and wins, she will ask for an extension to Article 50 up to June 30 to prepare the legislation for Brexit.

But No 10 claims that the necessary legislation could be passed by April 25, preparing the way for a new Brexit date in May.

Mrs May said last night: 'If Parliament can agree the deal before the European Council on March 21, we will seek a short technical extension to pass the necessary legislation. That is not an ideal outcome  we could and should have been leaving the EU on March 29. But it is something the British people would accept if it led swiftly to delivering Brexit.

'The alternative if Parliament cannot agree the deal is much worse. EU leaders would require a clear purpose for any extension that was not merely technical.

'If the proposal were to go back to square one and negotiate a new deal, that would mean a much longer extension  almost certainly requiring the UK to participate in the European Parliament elections in May.'

Former Brexit secretary David Davis (see non the left with Michel Barnier on March 19) said the PM's deal was 'capable of rescue' if the negotiating strategy was changed and experienced trade negotiators were brought in to work with the EU

Mrs May suffered another blow yesterday after Nick Boles quit his local Conservative association, although he said today he 'hasn't given up' on the Tories and would continue to take the whip at Westminster.

Speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Boles defended his record as a Conservative MP for Grantham and Stamford after the vice-president of the local Tories, Martin Hill, said members feel 'betrayed by our parliamentary representative'.

Mr Boles said he was in hospital receiving chemotherapy as he recovered from a brain tumour when the party's 2017 manifesto was written, adding: 'So I wasn't able to give it quite the attention perhaps that I should have done.

'But the truth is I have voted for Theresa May's deal every time it has been offered, and I will vote for it again on Tuesday.'

It came amid growing concerns about the lack of discipline in the Tory party after four cabinet ministers - David Gauke, Amber Rudd, Greg Clark and David Mundell - defied a three-line whip to abstain from this week's vote to rule out a no deal.

This sparked fury among Brexiteers, with Tory MP Mark Francois telling Sky News: 'The collective responsibility has disintegrated - you might as well tell the whips to pack up and go home. The government is barely in office.'

Jeremy Corbyn has offered talks with opposition leaders and backbench MPs in an effort to find a Brexit compromise which could replace Mrs May's plan.

Labour is expected to throw its weight behind an amendment tabled by backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson which would make support for the Brexit deal conditional on a referendum.
A two-year-old boy was saved from the New Zealand terror attack by his father who threw himself over the youngster and shielded him from a hail of bullets.

Zulfirman Syah was at the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch with his son Averroes for prayers when white supremacist Brenton Tarrant began opening fire.

Seven people were killed at the Linwood Islamic Centre by Tarrant after he allegedly murdered 42 people at the nearby Al Noor Mosque.

Brave Zulfirman was shot several times to his body but shielded his son for enough time for others to chase the gunman away.

Seven people were shot at the Linwood Islamic Centre by Brenton Tarrant after he killed 42 people at the nearby Al Noor Mosque. Pictured, Zulfirman Syah with his son Averroes and wife Alta Marie

Footage taken after the aftermath of the assault shows victims of the atrocity, including Averroes clambering over his father as he lies on the ground

Zulfirman Syah (pictured) was at the at Linwood Islamic Centre with his son Averroes for prayers when Tarrant began opening fire with a semi-automatic shotgun and rifle

The brave father was shot several times to his body but shielded his son (who he is pictured with) for enough time for others to chase the gunman away

Footage taken after the aftermath of the assault shows victims of the atrocity, including Averroes clambering over his father as he lies on the ground.

Averroes was hit in the leg and buttock by shrapnel but only suffered minor injuries, while his father had to undergo emergency surgery.

Zulfirman's wife Alta Marie told the New Zealand Herald: 'My husband shielded our son during the attack at Linwood Islamic Centre, which caused him to receive most of the bullets and much more complex injuries than our son.

'He is recovering nicely and has been cheerful, Alta told The Sunday Times.

In the massacre, Tarrant allegedly used semi-automatic weapons, two shotguns and a lever-action firearm

Alta revealed on Facebook that her husband and son were injured in the incident

Tarrant (pictured), 28, is originally from Grafton, New South Wales but more recently a resident of Dunedin on New Zealand's South Island

Alta, who is an English teacher, was cooking in her kitchen in their new home when she received a call from her husband.

When she received a second call from him a few minutes later it became clear that there had been an attack at the mosque.

Alta explained on Facebook: 'Syah was said to have been shot in multiple places on his body.

'He is in stable condition following the extensive exploratory and reconstructive surgery he had earlier today.

'While he is still in the intensive care unit at this stage, he will be moved to the general ward whenever it is deemed appropriate - likely in the next day or so.

'While the road to recovery will be long, his condition has only improved since he arrived at the hospital yesterday.

'This afternoon he had a visit from the Indonesian ambassador, which lifted his spirits.'

The family arrived in New Zealand from their native Indonesia two months ago.

On a givealittle fundraising page set up by a friend, Zulfirman was described as a 'talented, hardworking artist'.

The friend said: 'The family 'felt at peace in New Zealand... let's help restore their peace and counteract this horrible act of violence'.
Hardcore Brexiteers who voted against Theresa May's withdrawal deal are beginning to crack, as the PM battles to secure the support of 75 more defectors to win her crucial vote next week.

European Research Group (ERG) stalwarts Jacob Rees-Mogg and Iain Duncan Smith are wavering in their opposition to Mrs May's agreement, sources say, as they face warnings its failure could cause a lengthy delay which could put Brexit itself at risk.

It comes after David Davis made the bombshell decision to vote for the deal on Tuesday, and former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey said she would be going through the aye lobby next week 'the rules have changed'.

European Research Group (ERG) stalwarts Jacob Rees-Mogg (left, on Thursday) and Iain Duncan Smith (right, on February 28) are wavering in their opposition to Mrs May's agreement, sources say

But despite the positive signs Mrs May still faces a difficult task ahead, with senior ERG figures predicting she will lose her third vote by 'well over 100 votes', according to the Sunday Telegraph.

Mr Duncan Smith is said to have been prepared to back Mrs May's deal at its second showing if Attorney General Geoffrey Cox had changed his legal advice on the Irish backstop, as was ERG chairman Mr Rees-Mogg.

'Iain and Jacob were both on the verge, and they are still looking to rat,' a colleague told The Sunday Times.

Ms McVey, who resigned in protest at Mrs May's agreement, is insistent that voting with the Prime Minister is now her only option as 'the rules have changed'.

She told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday that this week's vote to rule out No Deal had left MPs facing the choice between 'this bad deal and no Brexit whatsoever'.

'When I resigned there was still a chance to get a better deal or no deal  which is what we stood on in our party manifesto  but this week the government and parliament conspired to take no deal off the table. So I will be holding my nose,' she said.

Meanwhile, former Brexit Secretary David Davis is rallying support for the deal after his bombshell decision to back it last week.

He joined 15 MP who signed an open letter warning the rebels that they risk losing Brexit entirely. Signatories included Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski  who voted against the Government only last week.

The increase pressure on Tory rebels appears to be having some impact, with Mr Rees-Mogg reportedly 'snippy' with Eurosceptic allies urging him not to back down at a gala this week .

Deputy ERG chair Steve Baker is also 'under great strain', a colleague told The Sunday Times, with some believing him to still be 'in play'. Other rejected this assessment.

Esther McVey, (seen today, left) who resigned in protest at Mrs May's agreement, said that voting with the Prime Minister (right, also today) is now her only option as 'the rules have changed'

But so far the number of Tories publicly switching positions has amounted to a trickle rather than the flood the Prime Minister needs to overturn the 149-vote defeat for the deal she suffered on Tuesday.

It comes as Mrs May warned MPs that if they fail to back her Brexit deal at the third time of asking then Brussels might insist on a lengthy delay, potentially scuppering the chances of leaving the European Union altogether.

She warned that if MPs did not back her deal before Thursday's European Council summit 'we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever'.

Mrs May acknowledged that even if her deal is passed before the summit of EU leaders the Government would need a 'short technical extension' beyond the scheduled March 29 Brexit date.

Deputy ERG chair Steve Baker (seen in High Wycombe on June 19 last year, is also 'under great strain' and could be 'in play', a colleague said

Former Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliott, writing in the same paper, called Mrs May's deal 'far from perfect', but added: 'I would rather opt for the risk of a customs union later - a risk that has diminished in recent weeks - than the very real risk of a permanent customs union now. The choice isn't enviable, but the safer option is clear.'

Meanwhile, talks continued with the DUP, but the party stressed that the presence of Chancellor Philip Hammond at a meeting on Friday did not mean that money was being demanded.

'We are in discussions with the Government to ensure Northern Ireland is not separated out from the rest of the United Kingdom as we leave the European Union,' a spokesman said.

'Contrary to some reports we are not discussing cash. There are still issues to be addressed in our discussions.'

It comes as Liam Fox said Mrs May might not hold another vote on her Brexit deal this week if she is on course to another defeat.

The International Trade Secretary told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: 'That would be determined by whether we can succeed in getting that vote through the House of Commons.'

He said it would be 'difficult to justify having a vote if you knew we were going to lose it'.

He added: 'I would say to my colleagues: all actions have consequences, and if you really want to deliver the Brexit we all promised... if we actually want to do that then we need to back the Prime Minister's deal because there is no other deal on offer.'
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This is the incredible moment enormous American B-52 bombers land at a RAF base in the largest US bomber deployment to the UK since the Iraq war.

Amazing photos and video footage have captured the impressive US planes landing at RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, their new temporary base.

Their arrival on Thursday and Friday came ahead of a NATO exercise in Georgia, which will be a show of force against Vladimir Putin's neighbouring Russia - though it is unclear if the B-52s will be involved.

This is the incredible moment that a US Airforce B-52 Stratofortress bomber comes in to land at RAF Fairford on Friday

Their arrival comes ahead of a NATO exercise in Georgia, which will be a show of force against Vladimir Putin's neighbouring Russia - though it is unclear if the B-52s will be involved

The military show of force comes almost 11 years after the two countries - former Soviet Union partners - fought a nine-day war over breakaway regions of Georgia

The military show of force comes almost 11 years after the two countries - former Soviet Union partners - fought a nine-day war over breakaway regions of Georgia.

NATO said the aim of the exercise, which begins tomorrow, 'is to improve interoperability between NATO and Georgia and educate the Georgian armed forces about NATO standards for collective training and exercise'.

The aircraft have joined the US European Command area of operations and they could be part of a deployment for flying training and 'theatre integration'.

The aircraft have joined the US European Command area of operations and they could be part of a deployment for flying training and 'theatre integration'

The aircraft from 2 Bomb Wing have flown from from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and part of the new deployment of the USAF Bomber Task Force in England

NATO allies, including the UK and US, are preparing for war games in Georgia under the banner 'NATO-GEO EX19'

The planes, from 2 Bomb Wing, have flown from from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and are part of the new deployment of the USAF Bomber Task Force in England.

NATO allies, including the UK and US, are preparing for war games in Georgia under the banner 'NATO-GEO EX19'.

A press conference will be held at RAF Fairford at 2pm on Tuesday, where more information is expected to be released about their deployment.

The is the largest deployment of a US single bomber platform since 2003 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Georgia's NATO ambitions have been a source of anger for Russia - which does not want to see it join what it regards as a hostile military bloc - since 2008 when NATO leaders promised Georgia it would one day join the alliance.

NATO said the aim of the exercise, which begins tomorrow, 'is to improve interoperability between NATO and Georgia and educate the Georgian armed forces about NATO standards for collective training and exercise'

The is the largest deployment of a US single bomber platform since 2003 for Operation Iraqi Freedom

Georgia's NATO ambitions have been a source of anger for Russia - which does not want to see it join what it regards as a hostile military bloc - since 2008 when NATO leaders promised Georgia it would one day join the alliance

A press conference will be held at RAF Fairford at 2pm on Tuesday, where more information is expected to be released about their deployment

Russian forces entered two breakaway Georgian regions in 2008, which remain garrisoned by Russian troops to this day, something Moscow says is in keeping with local people's wishes, but which the West and the Georgian government call an illegal occupation.

NATO leaders discussed ties with Georgia at their summit in Brussels in July, a move Dmitry Medvedev, who was president when Russian and Georgian forces clashed in 2008, condemned.

'As for the recent NATO decision reaffirming its commitment to eventually admit Georgia, what can I say to this? It is an absolutely irresponsible position and a threat to peace,' said Medvedev.
MP David Lammy has been slammed by critics who blame his 'white saviour' tweets for Comic Relief's 8million drop in donations.

Critics say a Twitter spat between Mr Lammy, 46, and documentary maker Stacey Dooley, 32, turned people away from making a donation after just 63million was raised.

That is compared to 71.3million in 2018.

Mr Lammy criticised Comic Relief for sending white people to Africa to show poverty there saying it was part of a 'white saviour' complex left over from a 'colonial era'.

Scroll down for video.

Comic Relief co-founder Lenny Henry helped present Friday night's Red Nose Day appeal. The 60-year-old comedian helped set up the charity in 1985 in response the famine in Ethiopia. After the Twitter spat Mr Henry made a joke the MP might say 'screw you, white people' while at a Comic Relief fundraiser at Wembley Arena

A Twitter spat between MP David Lammy and documentary maker Stacey Dooley, 32, has been blamed for fewer donations after just 63million was raised

Stacey Dooley received an outpouring of support by Comic Relief viewers as her controversial charity trip to Africa was aired

The documentary-maker, 32, visited clinics in Uganda for pregnant women and malaria sufferers

This year's total is on track to be the lowest raised since 2007 - when just 40.2million was tallied by the end of the night.

But 63million is still far below the record-breaking 108million raised in 2011.

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, joined criticism of MP David Lammy as his Twitter spat with Miss Dooley was blamed for putting people off donating.

Mr Lammy had tweeted in response to a photo cradling a black child Miss Dooley had posted while she was filming in Uganda for Comic Relief

He said: 'I notice David Lammy wisely keeping quiet while the UK celebrated Comic Relief #rednoseday raising millions.'

Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live Romesh Ranga, a comedian who co-hosted the broadcast, said: 'David Lammy had his points to make and I agree with some of what he said but the thing is that Comic Relief has done a lot of amazing stuff.

'What is not up for debate is that Comic Relief is doing a lot of really positive stuff. Its raised over 1billion for amazing causes since it started.

What we have to work on is looking at tackling these issues and the narrative and the white saviour phenomenon.'

Although 8million less was raised this year than in 2018 the Red Nose Day Appeal has seen similarly dramatic drops in previous years.

While in 2017 82million was raised the Red Nose Day before, in 2015, saw 78m in donations - a 4million drop blamed on the effects of austerity.

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, joined criticism of MP David Lammy as his Twitter spat with Miss Dooley was blamed for putting people off donating

But Chris Phelps, MP for Croydon South and vice chairman for policy for the Conservative Party did not blame austerity for this year's lower total.

He slammed Mr Lammy for his 'pathetic manufactured indignation'.

'The cost of his absurd egotistical posturing is real. This is money that could have been used to save lives. He should fulsomely apologise to stop a repeat next year,' Mr Phelps said.

Others claimed they avoided donating this year because they did not want to be labelled a 'white saviour'.

One tweet read: 'I didn't contribute this time. I'd hate to be thought of as a 'white saviour. Marie Curie got my donation.'

Mr Lammy had tweeted in response to a photo of Miss Dooley cradling a black child - posted while she was filming in Uganda for Comic Relief.

He said: 'The world does not need anymore white saviours. As I've said before this just perpetuates tired and unhelpful stereotypes.

'Let's instead promote voices from across the continent of Africa and have serious debate.'

His tweet led to a Twitter spat as Miss Dooley replied: 'David, is the issue with me being white? (Genuine question) ...because if thats the case, you could always go over there and try raise awareness?

'Comic relief have raised over 1 billion pounds since they started. I saw projects that were saving lives with the money. Kids lives.'

The documentary maker faced criticism when she posted a photo of a black child to Instagram with the caption 'Obsessssed'.

Mr Lammy told her his criticism was not personal but it was important not to produce 'a distorted image of Africa which perpetuated an old idea from the colonial era'.

After this year's comic relief saw an 8million drop in donations since 2018 people took to Twitter to criticise the MP.

One Tweet said: 'Hardly surprising people give unconditionally to charity, but if their help isn't appreciated, they will give money to causes where they won't be criticised.'

Social media users rallied behind the Strictly Come Dancing winner tonight on Twitter

Another tweeter criticised the MP after Love Island winner Dani Dyer's film on Female Genital Mutilation was edited to avoid further 'white saviour' accusations.

The tweet read: 'Because of your "white saviour" comment, powerful women were stopped from using their profile to help women in dire circumstanced. A segment on female genital mutilation was edited down for Comic Relief because Dani Dyer is a white celeb. Happy?'

The 22-year-old's film was cut short on Friday night's broadcast to prevent fresh attacks as she visited a project in Sierra Leone where young girls were taught to say no to genital mutilation.

She said: 'This is girl power. I love that. I need a little bit of this group at home'.

Nimco Ali, 36, a campaigner who helped outlaw the practice in Britain, warned Emma Freud, 57, director of Red Nose Day, the film might backfire.

Stacey Dooley received an outcry of support after her short film aired during the Red Nose Day broadcast.

Comic Relief have been approached for comment.
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There were emotional scenes outside a New Zealand mosque today as the country's Prime Minister embraced crowds - just days after a shooter massacred dozens of worshipers at Friday prayer.

Jacinda Ardern, 38, visited the Kilbirnie mosque to comfort those affected by the tragic shooting which saw 50 worshipers including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman shot dead as they prayed.

White supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 28, live-streamed the sickening attack on Facebook in which he allegedly killed dozens of Muslims during Friday prayers using four guns at two mosques in Christchurch.

He subsequently appeared smirking in court charged with murder on Saturday morning, after allegedly opening fire inside the Al Noor Mosque before driving to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continuing his rampage.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hugs a mosque-goer at the Kilbirnie Mosque on Sunday, as she meets with members of the Islamic community

Ms Ardern (pictured with a mosque-goer) visited the Wellington based mosque to pay her respects and comfort those affected by the tragedy - New Zealand's worst ever mass shooting

The Prime Minister lays a wreath at the mosque, as 50 people are confirmed dead following the tragic shooting including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman

Ms Ardern was greeted by members of the Islamic community as she visited the Kilbirnie Mosque. Her visit comes days after a shooter massacred dozens of worshipers at Friday prayer at two mosques in Christchurch

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and finance minister Grant Robertson look on at the Kilbirnie Mosque, among hundreds of other mourners who arrived to pay their respects

Ms Ardem hugs and consoles a woman as she visits Kilbirnie Mosque to lay flowers among tributes to the Christchurch attack on Friday. She is among a visibly emotional crowd, who have turned out to pay their respects following the tragic shooting

A makeshift memorial has been set up at the Kilbirnie Mosque, where Ms Ardern met with members of the Islamic community to pay her respects. Hundreds have left flowers at the memorial, where mourners gathered today

It has now emerged that his extremist views may have been fueled by a trip to Britain, which he made during a two-month-tour of Europe.

With The Sunday Telegraph quoting a senior government source as saying he 'transitted' through Britain in 2017, staying 'for a few weeks'.

The newspaper claims that in the summer of 2017, Tarrant hired a car in eastern France where he visited war graves, before heading to the UK possibly by ferry.

And now foreign agencies including MI5 are investigating Tarrant as CCTV emerged of him travelling in Turkey, with Ankara on Friday saying it was investigating Tarrant's multiple visits to Turkey, and who he might have met while he was there during an 'extended period of time in the country.'

The Bulgarian government has also said it was looking into Tarrant, who apparently visited the country late last year, as well as Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Tarrant is said to have set off on a journey around the world in 2011, following the death of his father Rodney, taking in Turkey in 2016, as well as the Balkans and Pakistan in late last year.

Tarrant claimed in a so-called 'manifesto' to have made money trading Bitcoin, enabling him to travel the world. He is said to have visited a wide range of countries including North Korea, Japan and India.

In the United Kingdom yesterday, a man was arrested for posting support for the terror attack on social media, as police warn of more far-right extremists in the country.

Greater Manchester Police arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sending malicious communications, as The Sunday Times revealed a secret Cabinet Office assessment which said the far right could pose a greater threat than Islamist terrorism in some parts of Britain.

Mourners also gathered outside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch on Sunday to lay flowers and tributes to the dead. A St John Ambulance member is seen here laying flowers outside the mosque - where a shooter slaughtered worshipers during Friday afternoon prayer

A large pile of tributes begins to form outside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, one of the locations where Australian Brenton Tarrant is said to have opened fire on worshippers at Friday prayer

Mourners were visibly emotional as they lay tributes outside the Al Noor mosque. The shooter allegedly opened fire inside the Al Noor Mosque on Friday before driving to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continuing his rampage

A large pile of flowers and cards has formed outside the Al Noor mosque. On Friday white supremacist Brenton Tarrant is said to have filmed a sickening attack on Facebook in which he allegedly killed dozens of Muslims during Friday prayers using four guns at two mosques in Christchurch

Mourners have gathered to pay their respects following the tragic shooting on Friday. The attack was broadcast in horrifying, live video which showed the suspect wielding at least two rifles. It followed the publication of a 73-page manifesto in which Tarrant laid out his racist, anti-immigrant views

The Prime Minister's appearance in Wellington comes as Tarrant's grandmother, Marie Fitzgerald, 81, joined Brenton Tarrant's grandfather Joyce in voicing her incredulity that her grandson was potentially capable of murder.

Speaking for the first time on Sunday from her living room in New South Wales, Mrs Fitzgerald said she was 'gobsmacked' when she learnt of the Christchurch attacks.

'It's just so much for everyone to take in that somebody in our family would do anything like this,' she told Nine News.

Mrs Fitzgerald described an adolescent Tarrant as a computer enthusiast who didn't pay much attention to girls growing up.

She said he would focus on the 'ins and outs' of a computer because talking to girls was 'too hard'.

Regardless, she said he was a 'normal, happy child' growing up in Grafton.

She said his father's death at the hands of cancer in 2010 'took its toll' and prompted seven years of travelling through Europe and Asia.

'The media are saying he's planned it for a long time so he's not of sound mind.

'It's only since he travelled overseas, I think, that that boy has changed.'

Grandmother of Brenton, Marie Fitzgerald (pictured) says her grandson was a computer enthusiast uninterested in girls growing up

Joyce Tarrant, 94, said the alleged cold-blooded killer who filmed himself gunning down Muslims during Friday prayers was not the grandson she knew

Mrs Fitzgerald sat alongside Tarrant's uncle, who apologised to the families of the victims.

'We are so sorry for the families over there, for the dead and the injured. We just want to go home and hide.'

Tarrant's grandmother from the other side of his family, Joyce, told Daily Mail Australia he was a 'good boy' who most recently visited over Christmas.

The news of the attacks devastated the Grafton community, particularly Brenton's mother Sharon.

She was in class teaching a double-period of English when her son allegedly went on his shooting rampage.

After receiving calls from journalists on Friday afternoon, the Maclean High School teacher had to be pulled out of class and told of her son's alleged act.

It is believed Tarrant's sister Lauren has gone into police protection alongside Sharon after being interviewed by counter-terrorism police on Friday.

Brenton Tarrant was arrested after allegedly gunning down dozens of worshippers on Friday

Daily Mail Australia witnessed Sharon's pet dog left on the family's front porch near a pair of empty food bowls.

The alleged shooter's family approached police as soon as they recognised his face on TV coverage of the attacks, NSW officers said on Saturday.

Joyce said Tarrant visited his family in Grafton, in northern NSW, twice a year.

Joyce said the whole family was struggling with the news.

'We're just doing the best we can,' she said at the door of her weatherboard house under the huge bridge that links Grafton's north and south.

Joyce said her grandson showed no signs of extremist ideology when she last spoke with him.

Elsewhere in the riverbank town of about 22,000 people, locals were uneasy being at the centre of international attention.

Grafton is famous for its picturesque jacaranda trees, but now also for the evil that grew up there.

'This has put Grafton on the map, but not in a good way. We had enough to worry about,' one local said.

'Tears, shock horror and shame that such evil is associated with not only our country but our home town, another said.

'I feel so terrible for the people and families affected by this evil act of terrorism.'

Flanked by two much taller armed security officers, Tarrant smiled faintly as he stood behind a small glass barrier which came up just above his eyes.

Tarrant attended a local high school and then worked as a personal trainer at the local Big River Squash and Fitness Centre from 2010.

But following his father Rodney's death after a battle with cancer, he allegedly began to turn towards extremism.

A woman who knew Tarrant through the gym said before his father's death he had never spoken about religion or his beliefs.

'From the conversations we had about life he didn't strike me as someone who had any interest in that or extremist views,' she said.

'But I know he's been travelling since he left Grafton. He has been travelling overseas, anywhere and everywhere.

'I would say it's something in the nature of his travels, something he's been around.

'I know he's been to lots of different countries trying to experience lots of different things in life and I would say something's happened in that time in his travels.'

Tarrant grew up in a picture-perfect house (shown above) in Grafton in the Northern River region of Australia's New South Wales

Tarrant previously worked as a personal trainer at Big River Squash and Fitness Centre in his hometown of Grafton.

Prosecutors in Bulgaria have launched a probe into Tarrant's recent travel to the country.

He visited Bulgaria between November 9 and 15 last year, claiming he wanted 'to visit historical sites and study the history of the Balkan country', according to Bulgaria's public prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov.

Tsatsarov said he hoped the inquiry would establish if this was 'correct or if he had other objectives'.

Turkish border authorities are also examining two trips by Tarrant to the country in 2016, CCTV footage capturing him walking through the airport in March, 2016.

A senior Turkish official says Tarrant spent an 'extended period of time in the country' across multiple trips.

He says the suspect may have also traveled on to countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The official says an investigation is underway of 'the suspect's movements and contacts within the country'.

Tarrant faced Christchurch District Court on Saturday morning where he was charged with one count of murder.

Flanked by two much taller armed security officers, Tarrant smiled faintly as he stood behind a small glass barrier which came up just above his eyes.

Police allege that Tarrant began his shooting rampage at the Al Noor Masjid Mosque in the city's east, before driving across town to the Linwood Masjid Mosque and again opening fire

Hundreds have taken to the streets near the mosques to march and pay tribute to the victims

From behind the glass window he made a white power gesture to those inside the court room.

Police allege that after opening fire inside the Al Noor Mosque Tarrant drove to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continued his rampage.

Short of stature with a stocky build, with thinning hair and beady brown eyes, Tarrant stood squarely in place throughout the entire hearing.

He swivelled his torso around to repeatedly glance at the media, at District Court Judge Paul Kaller and out the windows of the Christchurch District Court.

At the beginning of the hearing he appeared to have a faint smile on his face, but it faded into a neutral expression as the hearing continued.

He has been charged with one count of murder but police say many more charges are expected to be laid when he appears in the High Court on April 5.

The hearing was over within minutes, with Tarrant taking one final look at those gathered and marched away.
Dunedin Airport in New Zealand's south island has been placed in lockdown amid fears of a 'suspicious package'.

The airport was evacuated at about 8.10pm Sunday local time, with the surrounding area quickly cordoned off.

New Zealand Police confirmed they are on the scene and the bomb squad is reportedly en route.

New Zealand's Dunedin Airport has been placed into lockdown after a suspicious package was found. Pictured is the airport's departure lounges

'Police are at the scene and specialist teams have been deployed to determine the nature of the package,' a statement reads.

A source from within the airport told the Otago Daily Times an abandoned bag was found in a building outside the airport's main terminal.

At least one flight has already been disrupted, with an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington circling the air for an hour before returning to where it took off from.

New Zealand's terror threat was elevated from low to high on Friday following the alleged attack on two mosques in Christchurch.
A 24-year-old man has sustained life-changing injuries after being stabbed multiple times in an attack outside a bowling alley in East London last night.

The 'unprovoked' assault took place outside of Hollywood Bowl on Cook Road in Dagenham.

Metropolitan Police say they received a call at 10.17pm last night after the victim self-presented to an East London Hospital with stab wounds.

The victim reported that he had been set upon in an unprovoked attack when leaving the Hollywood Bowl venue.

A 24-year-old man has been stabbed repeatedly after leaving a bowling alley on Cook Road, Dagenham

He was getting into a car with a relative when a group of men approached him, stabbing him multiple times and attacking the vehicle before running away.

In a statement Metropolitan Police said: 'Police were called to an east London hospital at 22:17hrs on Saturday, 16 March after a 24-year-old man presented himself suffering from stab wounds.

'His injuries were deemed not life-threatening.

'The victim reported that he had been subjected to an unprovoked attacked a short time earlier after leaving the Hollywood Bowl in Cook Road, Dagenham.

'As he got into a vehicle with a relative, they were approached by a group of males who began attacking the vehicle and stabbing the victim.

'They then fled the scene. No other reported injuries. There have been no arrests at this early stage.

'Enquiries continue, led by officers from the East Area Command Unit.'

Just before midnight the same evening Metropolitan police were called to another stabbing incident on Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End theatre district of London.

Two men were injured in the attack which saw one man stabbed in the chest while another was attacked with a bottle.

Three men were arrested on suspicion of affray after the incident.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Shaftesbury Avenue at 11.47pm on Saturday, March 16 following reports of an assault.

'One male was discovered with a head injury having been hit with a bottle; another male was found with a stab wound to the chest.

'Both have been taken to hospital - neither of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

'Three males have been arrested on suspicion of affray. All have been taken into custody.'
Two young Muslim sisters were berated with vile abuse at a train station in Auckland for wearing a hijab just 48 hours after a gunman killed 50 worshippers in Christchurch.

The two sisters were minding their business at the Mount Albert train station on Sunday and were horrified when a young man approached them.

Iqra, 21, convinced her family it would be safe to leave their home and insisted they would be fine.

She was at the station with her younger sister Asma when an 'obviously drunk' man went up to them and started yelling, saying he hated girls.

Two young Muslim sisters were berated with vile abuse at a train station in Auckland for wearing a hijab, just 48 hours after a gunman killed 50 worshippers in Christchurch on Friday (stock image)

'He came back up to us and he was like ''what are you looking at? You Muslims, go back to your country''', and he repeated it about two or three more times,' Iqra told the NZ Herald.

The 21-year-old attempted to contact security for help at the station, but they weren't able to immediately attend.

The man put his phone in the women's face, telling them he was going to film them before repeating: 'Go back to your country'.

'He started swearing saying ''you effing muslims, go back to your country, you effing ugly muslims, you need to go back to your country'',' Iqra said.

Iqra and Asma said the confrontation was 'terrifying' and were left shaking in fear.

Irqa had fears the man was going to attack them with the bottle he was carrying and said for the first time ever in New Zealand, she felt unsafe.

The young women said they were surprised there were no security in sight.

The two sisters were minding their business at the Mount Albert train station (pictured) in Auckland's inner city on Sunday and were horrified when a young man approached them

Iqra and other members of her family are considering no longer wearing their headscarves in public due to the fear the situation instilled in them.

'I know this is only one man and most people have been supportive of Muslims but it was so distressing,' Iqra said.

She managed to get in contact with police who told her they would meet her at the next train station.

Iqra filed an official complaint and was told the man was known to police.
Jeremy Corbyn has indicated he could launch a fresh bid to oust Theresa May if her Brexit deal is rejected by MPs for a third time.

The Labour leader said it would be 'appropriate' to table another confidence motion in the Government at that point.

Mr Corbyn also indicated that his party could back an amendment calling for a referendum on a Brexit deal, although he would not set out which side he would be on in another public vote.

The Labour leader said Theresa May's Brexit deal would cause 'enormous' economic harm to the UK. Mrs May is seen at church in her constituency today

Appearing on Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday, he said: 'The Government is apparently going to bring its proposals once again to Parliament this week. I suspect they will be defeated again.

'The whole process they are doing is running down the clock.

Mr Corbyn told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: 'We are not supporting Theresa May's deal at all because we think it's a blindfold Brexit which will actually do enormous damage to our economy'

'I think at that point a confidence motion will be appropriate. At that point we should say there has to be a general election so the people of this country can decide 'do they want a Labour government investing in people's communities, dealing with inequality, injustice and having a relationship with Europe that protects jobs and guarantees our trade for the future?''

Brexit: What happens next? What happened last week? MPs twice rejected Theresa May's Brexit deal. They also voted against leaving with no deal, and now voted in favour of a delay. What will happen next? MPs have supported a delay, so May will have to request an extension to Article 50 from the EU. Could Brexit be delayed? If other member states agree to it, Brexit will be postponed, but May has said that this should be for no longer than three months. If, however, MPs do not support her deal, she warned that the extension could be far longer. Could Brexit be stopped? May has warned this is a possibility. While she will not revoke Article 50 herself, she has warned political chaos could see the Government replaced by Jeremy Corbyn or another pro-Remain administration. Will the Prime Minister face a motion of no confidence? It is possible. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has insisted he will only call another vote of no confidence if he has a chance of winning - but in January Mrs May precipitated one herself. Will May just resign after a second defeat? Unlikely but not impossible. Defeat would be another monumental blow to the PM's political authority. Will there be a general election? There are mounting calls for one. Tory MP Charles Walker said yesterday if the House could not pass the deal, the current Parliament probably needs to be replaced so a new Government can be formed to tackle Brexit. One of the advantages of an election is it would be much quicker to organise and resolve than a second referendum. Could there be a second referendum on Brexit? There are mounting demands for a new public vote - but probably not currently a majority in the Commons for it. A new referendum would take at least six months to organise and run. This could be optimistic as there is no consensus over what the question might be. Advertisement

Pressed on whether a defeat on the third meaningful vote would be the trigger to launch a motion he said: 'We will obviously decide the exact moment.'

Mr Corbyn stressed that Labour was 'not supporting Theresa May's deal at all because we think it's a blindfold Brexit which will actually do enormous damage to our economy'.

But he indicated that the party could officially back an amendment tabled by backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson who have put forward a plan to support the deal on the condition it is put to a referendum.

'We have obviously got to see the wording of it,' Mr Corbyn said.

Asked if he was 'enthusiastic' about a referendum, Mr Corbyn said: 'I'm enthusiastic about getting a deal with Europe which guarantees our future trading relationship and protects job and industries in this country.

'I do think people should have a choice on that.'

Challenged on whether he would vote Remain in a referendum, Mr Corbyn said: 'It depends what the choice is in front of us.

'If we have got a good deal in which we can have a dynamic relationship with Europe, which is all the trading relationship and so on, then that might be a good way forward that unites the country.'

Repeatedly challenged on whether he wanted to leave the EU Mr Corbyn said: 'We want to have a relationship with the EU of the type I set out and people will have a choice on that.

'But there will be a credible choice in any referendum that Labour proposes.'

Mr Corbyn has written to MPs backing soft Brexit plans as well as supporters of a second referendum, inviting them for talks to find a cross-party compromise.

The Labour leader called for urgent meetings to find a 'solution that ends the needless uncertainty and worry' caused by Mrs May's 'failed' Brexit negotiations.

He said Labour's 'credible' plans would form the starting point for any discussions, but he was keen to find 'common ground' with supporters of other plans.

The offer has been extended to SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds, Plaid's Liz Saville Roberts and Green MP Caroline Lucas as well as backbenchers with Brexit plans.

He indicated Labour could back an amendment pushed by backbench MPs Peter Kyle (pictured) and Phil Wilson which could allow a deal to pass the Commons, on the condition it is put to a referendum

Mr Corbyn said: 'Labour has set out credible options as to how we propose to break the deadlock and avoid a disastrous no-deal.

'This includes putting forward an alternative Brexit plan with a permanent customs union, single market deal and dynamic alignment on rights and protections.

'We have also said that we would support a public vote to prevent damaging Brexit proposals being forced on the country.

'We would obviously use that position as a starting point for any discussions, but we would like to hear about the plans you are advocating, and we are keen to see if there is scope to find common ground between our respective proposals and to work together to break the impasse.'

Labour's Baroness Chakrabarti offered her support to Mr Corbyn during an appearance on the Andrew Marr Show, claiming he had shown more leadership over Brexit than Mrs May.
The widow of the 'genius' tycoon who introduced the black bin-bag into British households has lost a fight to control his 16million fortune.

Michael Cowan, who died from a brain tumour aged 78 in April 2016, was the millionaire owner of successful plastics company, Hanmere Polythene Ltd.

The foundation of his fortune was the black bin-bag, which at one point sold 200 million a year.

He died two months after he married his lover of 25 years, Mary Jane Cowan.

Michael Cowan, who died from a brain tumour aged 78 in April 2016, was the millionaire owner of plastics company, Hanmere Polythene Ltd. Two months before his death, he married his lover of 25 years, Mary Jane Cowan. This week, she brought a groundbreaking bid to persuade the High Court to grant her 'outright control' of his millions

Michael left her with hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash and also used his will to set up trust funds.

Mrs Cowan, 77, this week brought a groundbreaking bid to persuade the High Court to grant her 'outright control' of her late husband's millions.

Mr Justice Mostyn heard that the widow received around 435,000 of her husband's money in the first year after he died and now receives a regular monthly payout from the trust funds, amounting to around 240,000 a year.

Mr Cowan set aside 1m to support his children, stepchildren and grandchildren, but made Mary Jane the 'principal beneficiary' of one of the funds for her lifetime.

He also left her all of his personal belongings.

However, her barrister Penelope Reed QC argued that the tycoon did not make 'reasonable provision' for her from his estate, because she has been left 'very little by way of assets in her own name'.

She has been left 'confused and stressed' by having to go through the trustees of the funds if she wants extra chunks of her late husband's money.

She also said she 'lacks security'.

But Mr Justice Mostyn has now ruled she cannot go behind her husband's will.

The foundation of Mr Cowan's fortune was the black bin-bag, which at one point sold 200 million a year. Stock picture

Her case was effectively a bid to establish a right for wives to have direct control over their husbands' riches after death, he said.

Her 'devoted' husband had made 'generous provision' for her needs in circumstances where Mr Cowan was already very wealthy when the couple met, he said.

The judge said that Mr Cowan had probably set up the trusts in order to minimise inheritance tax and to spare his aging widow the 'burden' of having to invest his riches herself.

He had also 'wished to retain within the hands of his trustees the flexibility to deploy all that remained of the estate after the death of Mary Jane for the benefit of his descendants, his stepchildren and charitable purposes,' the judge said.

'The argument of Miss Reed QC is that because Mary Jane does not have outright ownership of the assets and therefore absolute control of them, she is - as she put it - 'at the mercy of the trustees', who could cut her adrift with no access to money at all,' he said.

'On many occasions, Miss Reed QC asserted that Mary Jane 'lacks security'.

'I have to say that I completely disagree.'

Her argument that her husband should have left her in direct control of his millions was 'tantamount to saying that every widow has an entitlement to outright testamentary provision from her husband', he added.

'This would, in effect, introduce a form of forced spousal heirship unknown to the law. Plainly this cannot be right.

'Michael was plainly devoted to Mary Jane and the terms of his will were expressly designed to meet her every reasonable need for the rest of her life,' he said.

'It must be possible for a testator to provide for his widow by a generous trust arrangement such as this without the fear that it will be interfered with at huge expense.

'I have to make the...assessment as to whether the trustees will honour Michael's wishes and ensure that every reasonable need of Mary Jane is met until her death.

'There is absolutely nothing in the evidence to suggest they would blatantly defy his wishes.'

Dismissing the widow's claim, the judge added that if the trustees took that 'immoral' path of denying her money for her reasonable needs, they would be liable to be sued by her for breach of trust.

Mary Jane was Mr Cowan's second wife. His divorce from his first, Jacqueline, in 2001, hit the news when they fought in the Appeal Court over money.

Jaqueline had been awarded a 3.1m slice of his then 12m fortune, including the former matrimonial home, Hadham Grange, in Much Hadham, Herts, and their Caribbean apartment.

Her share was later upped to 4.4m by Lord Justice Thorpe after she challenged it as 'absolutely, clearly and unequivocally unfair'.

Mr Cowan built up his wealth from humble beginnings, while living in a Stevenage council house.

He owned a country estate in Hertfordshire, a pad in the Caribbean and homes in Santa Barbara, California, and London.
An evil foster mother has been jailed for six years for forcibly starving an orphaned boy to skin and bones so she could claim sickness and disablement state handouts which she frittered on luxuries.

Lyubov Korotkova sobbed in an iron cage in a Russian court before she was led away to start her sentence.

The wicked carer was convicted of 'special cruelty, humiliation and torture' in starving and drugging him for eight years and fooling doctors into thinking he had a rare and inexplicable disease.

Foster mother Lyubov Korotkova cried in an iron cage in a Russian court before she was led away to start her sentence

Valery was starved and drugged by the foster mother so she could claim his sick benefits (pictured left when he was removed from her care in May 2017, and again at a later date)

She falsely claimed around 50,000 in state handouts and for a total of seven years - up to the age of 11 - the boy, named as Valery Kondourov, lived in a 'grave' medical condition.

She must now pay this money back in full and hand over more than 8,000 in 'moral damages' to the child who was removed from her care as soon as her cruelty was exposed.

Before she was exposed, Korotkova - in her 40s - was seen as a local hero in her city Magadan for 'lovingly' caring for an exceptionally ill child.

Korotkova was sentenced at a Russian court to six years in prison after she starved orphaned boy Valery Kandaurov

In fact, she had forcibly reduced his weight by starving him of food and plying him with drugs to feign serious illness.

'The malnutrition was so severe that the 11 year old boy had the weight of a four-year-old child,' said Svetlana Petrenko, of the Russian Federal Investigative Committee.

The child is now recovering his health with a new foster mother - but his life had been in acute danger with Korotkova, say medics.

'For eight years she deliberately was not feeding her fostered child in order to register him as disabled and receive benefits and sickness payments,' said Petrenko.

'During all these years the woman was seeing many different doctors with her child, asking them to check him for multiple diseases, including cancer.

'As a result, the doctors - who were cheated - could not pinpoint the right diagnosis.'

Korotkova deprived Valery of food and fed him pills which made him sick in order to fake a rare stomach condition

Aged 11, Valery weighed just two stone and measured 3ft 5ins, typical for a boy half his age. He could still fit into the clothes he owned when he was adopted, aged 3 (pictured)

The suspicions of a senior doctor who eventually examined the child led to the boy being removed from her care - and her being unmasked as a cheat.

The medic found the child was entirely healthy - apart from the appalling damage inflicted by the toaster mother.

At the age of 11, Valery was just 3ft 5 inches tall - more like a five-year-old.

The court was told she deliberately hatched a criminal plan to steal benefits and hid her scheme even from her husband Andrei who helped her care for the child.

Korotkova (right) was told by Svetlana Petrenko of the Russian Federal Investigative Committee: 'The malnutrition was so severe that the 11 year old boy had the weight of a four-year-old child'

She starved him and 'made him take medical drugs to build up the clinical manifestation of a stomach disease'.

She also home-schooled the boy, so he was never seen by teachers.

The investigative committee was told: 'Having cheated the doctors, she managed to register her child as handicapped ....and started receiving financial assistance, compensation and other allowances.'

Initially local officials Magadan did not believe the allegations against the 'heroic' woman and staged a public campaign to have the boy returned to Korotkova.

Korotkova falsely claimed around 50,000 in state handouts for a total of seven years. She must pay it back in full and hand over more than 8,000 in 'moral damages' to the child

Kremlin children's ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova stepped in to prevent this happening.

Korotkova - who denied her guilt - was seen in a video as she was sentenced.

She was convicted of the 'intentional infliction of a grave injury, to a minor (leaving him) in a helpless state'.

Her actions were conducted with 'with special cruelty' and amounted to 'torture'.

She was found guilty of failing to carry out her foster mother duties raising the child and of swindling the state out of benefit cash.

She was reported to have 'frittered' the cash on 'luxuries'.

The boy is now being cared for permanently by Svetlana Suleimanova, a psychologist who treated him immediately he was freed from his life of hell with Korotkova and flown 3,800 miles to Moscow.
A suspected thug who knocked a victim into the path of a moving train, causing his head to be hit by one of the carriages, is at the centre of a British Transport Police (BTP) manhunt.

CCTV images show a man who is suspected to have punched the victim in the head multiple times after a fight erupted on on a tube station platform on Friday night at 11.30pm.

The victim, in his 30s, fell to the floor near the edge of the central line London Underground platform at Tottenham Court Road Station after receiving multiple punches to the head.

He was then hit by a passing train carriage as it departed the station, suffering serious jaw injuries.

BTP said they would like to speak to the man pictured in connection with the incident.

The British Transport Police released the photos on Twitter captioned: 'We're looking to identify this man in connection? Do you know who he is'

The victim remains in hospital today receiving treatment for the trauma as BTP appeals for witnesses of the fight to come forward.

A spokesman for BTP said: 'At approximately 11.30pm on Friday evening, a fight erupted on the Central Line platforms at Tottenham Court Road, Soho, London, following a verbal altercation.

'During the fight, the victim, a man in his thirties, was punched a number of times to the head, causing him to fall to the floor. As the a Tube carriage departed the station, it struck the victims head on the platform edge, causing a serious injury.'

DC Helen Buckland from BTP, said: 'We're in the early stages of our investigation and I am urgently appealing for witnesses to come forward.

The images were released on Saturday afternoon. The fight is believed to have escalated from a verbal altercation

'Likewise, I would be keen to hear from anyone who recognises the man shown in these CCTV images.

'I believe he holds vital information which could help us understand exactly what happened.

'The victim remains in hospital at this time receiving further treatment to a very serious injury to his jaw.'

The spokesman added: 'Officers believe the man shown in these CCTV images may have information which could help them investigate.

'If you know who he is, contact BTP by sending a text to 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 787 of 15/03/2019.'
A survivor of the Christchurch massacre has described how he 'held his breath' and played dead in a last-ditch bid to avoid the gunman.

Gulser Ali had attended prayers at the Al Noor mosque when the it was stormed by Australian alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28.

As bullets began to ring out, Mr Ali said he tried to flee the scene, but soon realised there was no escape route.

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Gulser Ali (pictured) had attended prayers at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch when the building was stormed by the alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant

He said when the gunshots were first fired, the victims started screaming and attempted to flee.

'I ran from the mosque [and] when the people, they start falling down, I jump over them and then I see no way to go. I don't know where I am going, then I thought, "okay go down, just lie down" and... I lie down and hold my breath,' Mr Ali told Sunday Night.

'[I] make my body loose and then for a while, I lie dead like that and then... keep watching with the eyes,' he added.

Another survivor, Nour Travis, said that many worshippers were so scared they were unable to move.

The image shows one of the victims of the shooting being taken away on a stretcher by medical staff

Survivor Nour Travis (pictured) said that many people were so scared they 'froze' unable to move

'They just... yeah, freeze. So some people, they freeze,' he said, adding those people 'didn't make it out'.

A two-year-old boy, meanwhile, was saved from the attack at the Linwood Islamic Centre by his father who threw himself over the youngster and shielded him from a hail of bullets.

Brave Zulfirman was shot several times to his body but shielded his son, Averroes, for enough time for others to chase the gunman away.

Averroes was hit in the leg and buttock by shrapnel but only suffered minor injuries, while his father had to undergo emergency surgery.

A two-year-old boy (pictured centre) was saved from the attack at the Linwood Islamic Centre by his father Zulfirman Syah(pictured left) who threw himself over the youngster (Zulfirman's wife Alta Marie pictured right)

Brave Zulfirman (pictured) was shot several times to his body but shielded his son, Averroes, for enough time for others to chase the gunman away

Zulfirman's wife Alta Marie told the New Zealand Herald: 'My husband shielded our son during the attack at Linwood Islamic Centre, which caused him to receive most of the bullets and much more complex injuries than our son.'

Imam Alabi Lateef Zirullah has for the first time spoken since the deadly shooting left at least six people dead at his mosque.

Worshippers were all about to drop to the floor for the second part of the Muslim prayer service when Brother Lateef spotted the gunman out the front and shouted his warning.

'He saved lots of lives,' a worshipper who survived the Linwood part of the massacre told Daily Mail Australia.

Another survivor Imam Alabi Lateef Zirullah (pictured) has broke his silence for the first time since the deadly shooting

The prayer leader, who was seen leaving the mosque in blood-soaked clothing said he warned worshippers to take cover after hearing the gunman open fire outside

'Many more would be dead if we had been kneeling'.

The prayer leader said he was inside when the gunman began shooting Muslim worshippers outside.

'When I saw those Muslims shot dead I just told our brothers, ''Go down! Go down! Somebody has just shot our brothers outside the masjid'',' he told the New Zealand Herald.

But Zirullah said many of them were not quick enough to heed his warnings and did not react until another man was shot in the head through the window.

'He [Gunman] saw him standing and shot him [through] the window. When glass got broken and the brother fell down, everyone realised to go down,' he added.

The imam ran out of the mosque with fellow worshipper Abdul Aziz, who had picked up a credit card machine on the way which he used to throw at the shooter who had ran back into his car to retrieve another firearm.

The gunman allegedly began firing back at him, but Aziz was able to dodge the stream of bullets by running through a sea of parked cars, he told the publication.

Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim (pictured) was killed as he tried to flee the gunman while his father and brother played dead

The image shows a group of policeman standing outside the mosque in Christchurch in New Zealand

Among those who lost their lives, was three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim who was killed as he tried to flee the gunman.

As his father and older brother played dead inside the Al Noor mosque, Mucad ran  straight into the path of the gunman, who squeezed the trigger of his military assault rifle.

Mucad died in his Somalian father's arms.

Heartbroken, his brother spoke of the little boy's energy and playfulness, and how he 'liked to smile and laugh a lot'.

A total of 50 worshipers including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman were shot dead as they prayed.

A further 50 people suffered injuries in the mass shootings and some remain in hospital in critical condition.

The alleged gunman live-streamed the sickening attack on Facebook in which he allegedly killed dozens of Muslims during Friday prayers using four guns at the two Christchurch mosques.
Philip Hammond has urged rebel Tory MPs to 'get a grip' and back Theresa May's Brexit deal next week or risk never leaving the EU.

Responding to a question about four Cabinet ministers ignoring a three-line whip and abstaining on Wednesday's vote to rule out no deal Brexit, he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: 'I think a line has been drawn under that now.

'The PM was very firm in Cabinet that we need to get a grip on our discipline to get the country through a very difficult process.'

Chancellor Philip Hammond today said (right) a vote on the Brexit deal would 'not definitely' happen this week. Pictured left: Theresa May at her church in Berkshire today

Mrs May angrily criticised David Gauke, Amber Rudd, Greg Clark and David Mundell for not backing the government on the no deal vote at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Cabinet ministers would normally be expected to resign for defying a three-line whip, the strongest one possible, and their decision to remain in their posts angered Brexiteers .

Tory MP Mark Francois telling Sky News: 'The collective responsibility has disintegrated - you might as well tell the whips to pack up and go home. The government is barely in office.'

On Marr, Mr Hammond appeared to reject reports he had discussed abstaining on Tuesday's vote, saying 'I don't think so'.

He added: 'I voted with the government, I've always voted with the government. I didn't change my mind.'

Earlier today, Mrs May begged MPs to act like 'patriots' and vote for her Brexit deal if it makes a third showing on Tuesday or Wednesday - as it emerged the EU is 'war-gaming' for the fall of her government.

Mr Hammond told Marr a vote on Brexit would 'not definitely' happen - as he refused three times to rule out whether he had offered more money to the DUP to back Theresa May's deal.

'We will only bring the deal back if we are confident that enough of our colleagues and the DUP are prepared to support is so that we can get it through Parliament.

'We are not just going to keep presenting it if we haven't moved the dial.'

Mr Hammond referred to signs hardcore Brexiteers are sliding in their opposition to Mrs May's withdrawal agreement, which was voted down on Tuesday but will go before MPs again on Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

'What has happened since last Tuesday is that a significant number of colleagues, including some very prominent ones who have gone public, have changed their view on this and decided that the alternatives are so unpalatable to them that they, on reflection, think that the Prime Minister's deal is the best way to deliver Brexit.'

Mr Hammond refused three times to say whether he had ruled out offering the DUP more cash for Northern Ireland in return for backing the deal. Pictured: Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds in Belfast on February 8

European Research Group (ERG) stalwarts Jacob Rees-Mogg and Iain Duncan Smith are wavering in their opposition to Mrs May's agreement, sources say, as they face warnings its failure could cause a lengthy delay which could put Brexit itself at risk.

It comes after David Davis made the bombshell decision to vote for the deal on Tuesday, and former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey said she would be going through the aye lobby next week 'the rules have changed'.

Mr Hammond acknowledged the numbers were not there yet and it was a 'work in progress'.

He said: 'Clearly if we don't get this deal through we are almost certainly going to have to fight a European parliamentary election, almost certainly going to have a longer extension, almost certainly not going to be able to gain access to the fiscal headroom I talked about in the Spring Statement.'

Mr Hammond said it was 'absolutely vital' to get Mrs May's deal through in the next week because 'it's the final chance to do this deal without having to have a long extension of the Article 50 period'.

The Chancellor insisted it was 'not economic blackmail, it's common sense' to say that he would not be able to release 27 billion of public money from his Brexit war chest unless the deal was done, as he needed to keep it in reserve to cope with a no-deal departure.

Asked whether the Prime Minister would quit if she thought she was part of the problem, Mr Hammond said: 'She is the kind of person who will always do what she thinks is in the best interests of the country.

'She is a person with a very strong moral streak to everything she does and she will always do, I'm sure, what she feels is in Britain's best interests.'

The Government has been locked in critical negotiations with the DUP this weekend to persuade them to sign up to Mrs May's deal.

Downing Street hopes that, if the DUP backs the deal, most rebel Tory MPs would then also fall into line. The party has stressed that the presence of Mr Hammond at a meeting on Friday did not mean that money was being demanded.

The Chancellor refused three times to rule out that he had offered the DUP more money to back the deal.

'This isn't about money,' he said, before adding: 'We are coming up to a spending review and we will look at all our budgets.'



The Prime Minister has said it would be a 'potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure' if a delay to Brexit meant the UK was forced to take part in May's European elections almost three years after voting to leave.

She warned that if MPs did not back her deal before Thursday's European Council summit 'we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever'.

Mr Hammond (seen on March 14) said it was 'absolutely vital' to get Mrs May's deal through in the next week because 'it's the final chance to do this deal without having to have a long extension of the Article 50 period'

Mrs May acknowledged that even if her deal is passed before the summit of EU leaders the Government would need a 'short technical extension' beyond the scheduled March 29 Brexit date.

'That is not an ideal outcome - we could and should have been leaving the EU on March 29,' she wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.

'But it is something the British people would accept if it led swiftly to delivering Brexit.

'The alternative if Parliament cannot agree the deal by that time is much worse.'

Mrs May said her fellow leaders would demand a 'clear purpose' for a longer extension that was not merely a technical delay to allow legislation to pass. This could lead to Britain taking part in the EU elections, an idea that 'didn't bear thinking about'.

Her call to arms came as leaked documents revealed moves in Brussels to prepare for the collapse of Mrs May's government should her vote fail.

In a briefing note, the EU commission secretary general Martin Selmayr said: 'Imagine they have a new Brexit secretary or prime minister - what then?

'Article 50 has been agreed and the process has ended. It must be clear that the starting point is not a renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement.'
Muslims in Dunedin were shrouded in love and support on Sunday as the Al Huda Mosque reopened for the first time since the Christchurch massacre.

Flowers, notes, flags and teddy bears lined the fence as members walked inside for midday prayers, joined by locals keen to show their support.

Sure Obeidat, 21, told Daily Mail Australia it was an emotional experience that left her overwhelmed with gratitude.

Muslims in Dunedin were shrouded in love and support on Sunday as the Al Huda Mosque reopened for the first time since the Christchurch massacre

Members of the Muslim community met with police and community leaders inside the Al Huda mosque

Young girls were seen working with their families to feed anyone who attended the mosque

By nightfall multiple candles were burning brightly for those victims of last Friday's tragedy

A couple place flower with their children in Dunedin on Sunday while members of the Muslim community met with police and city leaders

'People who aren't Muslim were sitting at the back and following what we were doing  our positions and movements,' she said.

'It was amazing  it really touched my heart. A five-year-old was dressed in full clothing for prayer  it was very emotional to see those kids supporting every one of us here.'

Afterwards, the community met with police and city officials, who reassured them steps were being taken to ensure Friday's shooting could never happen again.

Australian-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, struck fear into the heart of New Zealand on Friday when he shot dozens of Muslims inside a Christchurch mosque during prayer time.

The self-confessed terrorist live-streamed himself shooting repetitively at people of all ages as they laid on the floor. He has been arrested and charged with murder.

In a bizarre 73-page manifesto, published online and sent to authorities nine minutes before the shooting began, Tarrant said he had initially planned to attack the Al Huda Mosque, before deciding to target Christchurch instead.

Flowers, notes, flags and teddy bears lined the fence as members walked inside for midday prayers, joined by locals keen to show their support

Afterwards, the community met with police and city officials, who reassured them steps were being taken to ensure Friday's shooting could never happen again

Locals lay flowers and condolences at the Huda Mosque in tribute to those killed and injured on Friday

A policeman looks on as locals lay flowers at the Huda Mosque in tribute to those killed and injured on Friday

Locals are seen laying condolences, flowers, notes and toys at the Al Huda Mosque in tribute to those who lost their life on Friday

Ahmad Taha said he had been at Friday prayers with his brother in Dunedin when the attack took place, and feels horrible even thinking about what could have been.

He said there is a lot of fear within his community, and claims the mosque has been a target before.

'The mosque has been broken into a few times in the past  I don't know if it's related to the incident on Friday, if this guy might have come in here, because he wanted to do the massacre here,' he said.

Ms Obeidat said a lot of her community had a refugee background, and the shooting had left them deeply unsettled.

Emotioanl scenes were captured as locals attended the Al Huda mosque on Sunday to pay their respect

'Sending love and prayers for the families and friends whose lives were taken,' one note reads

Muslims in Dunedin were shrouded in love as the Al Huda Mosque reopened for the first time since the Christchurch massacre

Locals wrote messages on the footpath outside the Al Huda mosque as it was opened again on Sunday for the first time since the shooting on Friday

'I think everyone is frightened. There are a lot of refugees here  Palestinian, Syrian, and recently Afghanistan, so they're terrified,' she said. 'One of the girls who I am close with who is from Syria  she's unstable right now, she's mentally, really devastated.

'They're terrified to go to school wearing the hijab, which is what a lot of the Muslim community wear every day.

'They left a war zone to come to a safe country  for this to happen so soon, in New Zealand, it's heartbreaking.

The university student said she was haunted by the idea Tarrant could have stormed the Dunedin mosque, where her brother had been praying at the time.

Hundreds of locals lay flowers at the Al Huda Mosque in tribute to those killed on Friday and to give support to the muslim community

The mosque reopened on Sunday for first time since the Christchurch massacre and locals lay flowers and condolences

A sea of flowers was seen against the fence of the mosque as it reopened on Sunday

Mourners turned up to Al Huda mosque on Sunday to give their respect to the 50 people killed in the shootings on Friday

Flowers, notes, flags and teddy bears lined the fence as members walked inside for midday prayers, joined by locals keen to show their support

'There are no words to describe it  I don't even think there are feelings for this, like I don't know how I feel  I still can't believe it. '

Despite the tension, Mr Taha said everyone was so grateful to New Zealand for the way his community has been cared for in the wake of the horrific attack.

'The Kiwi people are wonderful, they are so amazing, I don't think anybody in the world could have done better than New Zealand,' he said.

'It feels like we are one big family  if someone is rogue or a lone wolf, it doesn't mean New Zealand is responsible for his act.'

Ms Obeidat said though the devastation was immense, nothing would lessen the faith of those who joined her inside the mosque.

'Nobody can ever tear Islam,' she said. We will fight back with love and prayer. That's all we will use.'

Emotional scenes were captured outside the Al Huda Mosque on Sunday as it was reopened for the first time since the shootings on Friday

Afterwards, the community met with police and city officials, who reassured them steps were being taken to ensure Friday's shooting could never happen again

Hundreds of well-wishers turn out to the mosque on Sunday for midday prayers to show support to the Muslim community

Hundreds of members of the community attended the Al Huda Mosque in tribute to those that died on Friday
Police in London have the worst response rate in the country to 999 and 101 calls, new figures have revealed.

The London Met can take up to 35 minutes to answer 999 calls and five hours and 15 minutes for 101 inquiries, according to figures obtained under a Freedom of Information Act.

It is estimated that each day in London 500 999 callers and 12,000 calling 101, ring off out of frustration - after failing to get through to an operator.

The London Met can take up to 35 minutes to answer 999 calls and five hours and 15 minutes for 101 inquiries, figures obtained under a Freedom of Information Act state. (File image)

Our table gives a break-down of response times to both 999 and 101 calls in each area of the country

West Midlands Police were second slowest responding to 999 calls with the force taking up to 11mins 7s to answer, according to the Sunday People probe.

While Greater Manchester Police were the second slowest responding to 101 calls , with callers having to wait up to 4 hours 11mins.

David Spencer, of think-tank Centre for Crime Prevention, said: 'It is a disgrace. Who knows how many lives are being lost and crimes going unsolved as a result?'

According to the London Met there is a surge in 999 and 101 calls and resources are under pressure.

The force admits closing the 101 line due to 'lack of funds to man the system day and night'.

A Metropolitan police spokesman said the force was 'working to improve the emergency response service to Londoners'.



Police are failing to respond to more than 3,000 calls a day within their target times, according to figures obtained by The Sunday Times, under a separate Freedom of Information request.

A total of 21 out of 43 police forces in England and Wales released figures about response times.

In 2017 officers took more than an hour to respond to more than 1 million crimes that required a priority response - a breach of the target. It was the equivalent of one in four of all offences in this category.

Our table gives a break-down of response times to both 999 and 101 calls in each area of the country.
A Ryanair passenger had his 'nose bitten off' during a brutal mid-air fight which started 'over a woman not wearing her shoes', shocking footage shows.

The airline said two men were detained by police after the brawl broke out on a UK flight from Glasgow Prestwick to Tenerife South on Saturday, leaving blood spattered across the cabin.

Dramatic footage posted to social media captured the two men fighting as a female flight attendant attempted to step in and passengers screamed at them to stop.

Ben Wardrop, who filmed the incident, said it stemmed from a woman not wearing her shoes and a fellow passenger taking issue with it.

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Two men were fighting on a Ryanair flight from Glasgow to Tenerife but were broken up by cabin crew and passengers

He explained: 'It all started over a woman not wearing her shoes on the flight going to the toilet, and a very drunk man pulled her up about it, saying that someone would stand on her toes, then the woman's boyfriend stepped in and tried to defuse the situation.

'Once the plane landed and more alcohol was consumed the man and the woman's boyfriend started arguing, both being very drunk they started to fight.'

A photograph posted on Twitter appeared to show blood still on the door of an overhead luggage compartment before the plane's next flight.

They appear to fall to the floor during the grappling and people continue to try to pull them apart

Blood is smeared on the overhead lockers after the violent fight on the Ryanair flight

The 30 second recording sees a man wearing a cap and hoodie and a younger gentleman in a black top grappling halfway down the plane.

One passenger can be heard shouting: 'Boys stop this. Why are you just sat watching?'

They fight for around 20 seconds before cabin crew and other passengers drag the men off each other.

The man in the black top shouts 'that's what I got, that's what I got,' as he is pulled towards the front of the plane without any clear injuries.

Another person was pushed towards the rear of the aircraft by cabin crew with blood dripping down his face. A witness said he was trying to break up the fight.

A man, who was reportedly trying to break up the fight, leaves the centre of the plane with a busted nose and blood across his face

Mr Wardrop said: 'One of the cabin crew, which was a young woman aged about 24, was caught in the middle of it all and was very scared, but done a good job on defusing the men fighting.

'There was a family with a young boy sitting in front of us that witnessed all of the action.

'It was a very scary moment as it was very confined and lots of innocent people got involved due to the small space on the plane. Ryanair's staff handled the situation very well,' he added.

In the footage, a young boy peeks over the top of his seat to watch the fight, with more families and children reportedly on the plane.

A Ryanair spokeswoman said: 'The crew of this flight from Glasgow Prestwick to Tenerife (16 Mar) requested police assistance upon arrival after two passengers became disruptive in-flight'

'There were numerous occasions of drunk and disorderly behaviour leading to a man having his nose bitten off,' a source told the Scottish Sun.

A Ryanair spokeswoman said: 'The crew of this flight from Glasgow Prestwick to Tenerife (16 Mar) requested police assistance upon arrival after two passengers became disruptive in-flight.

'The aircraft landed normally and police removed and detained two individuals.

'We will not tolerate unruly or disruptive behaviour at any time and the safety and comfort of our customers, crew and aircraft is our number one priority.

'This is now a matter for local police.'

Tenerife police have been contacted for comment.

The plane, which had been heading from Glasgow Prestwick to the southern Spanish city of Malaga, was forced to divert to Madrid

It comes a month after a Ryanair flight from Glasgow Prestwick to Malaga had to be diverted after a 'full fist fight' reportedly broke out on board amid scenes of 'absolute chaos'.

Witnesses said two men traded punches after a drunk male passenger had 'started pestering women in a hen party'.

Cabin crew had to ask passengers for help as the violence unfolded in the aisle, the witness said.

The plane, which had been heading from Glasgow Prestwick to the southern Spanish city of Malaga, was forced to divert to Madrid.

A disruptive passenger was met by Spanish police in the country's capital before the jet carried on to its intended destination.
President Donald Trump has called on Fox News to 'bring back' Jeanine Pirro after her weekly show was replaced by a documentary following her remarks suggesting that Rep Ilhan Omar's hijab meant that she subscribes to sharia law.

Pirros program, Justice with Judge Jeanine, reportedly did not air on Fox News on Saturday night due to 'scheduling matters'.

Instead, the network re-aired the documentary Scandalous: The Trial of William Kennedy Smith, in Pirro's normally scheduled time slot at 9pm.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a Fox News spokesperson said the network is 'not commenting on internal scheduling matters'.

But on Sunday, Trump tweeted that the 'Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country'.

'They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well,' he added.

President Donald Trump has called on Fox News to 'bring back' Jeanine Pirro after her weekly show was replaced by a documentary following her remarks suggesting that Rep Ilhan Omar's hijab meant that she subscribes to sharia law

In a second tweet, the president said that 'Fox must stay strong and fight back with vigor'

And in a third tweet, Trump called on Fox News to 'stay true to the people that got you there. Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine'

In a second tweet, the president said that 'Fox must stay strong and fight back with vigor'.

'Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country. The losers all want what you have, dont give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die!' Trump said.

In a third tweet, Trump called on Fox News to 'stay true to the people that got you there. Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine'.

'Your competitors are jealous - they all want what youve got - NUMBER ONE. Dont hand it to them on a silver platter. They cant beat you, you can only beat yourselves!' Trump tweeted.

The 'scheduling' conflict comes just a week after Pirro came under for suggesting that Rep Ilhan Omar's hijab meant that she subscribes to sharia law.

During the opening monologue of her show on March 9, Pirro claimed that Omar's hijab was a sign that she was committed to the religious law which originates from the Quran, adding that it was 'antithetical' to the constitution.

Pirros (left) program, Justice with Judge Jeanine, reportedly did not air on Fox News on Saturday night due to 'scheduling matters'. The incident comes a week after Pirro made remarks about Rep Ilhan Omar's (right) hijab

During the opening monologue of her show (pictured) on March 9, Pirro claimed that Omar's hijab was a sign that she was committed to the religious law which originates from the Quran, adding that it was 'antithetical' to the constitution

She said: 'Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to sharia law which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?'

Earlier in the segment, Pirro had suggested that the Minnesota congresswoman was not getting her 'anti-Israel sentiment doctrine' from the Democratic party.

She said: 'Think about this. She's not getting this anti-Israel sentiment doctrine from the Democrat party So if it's not rooted in the party, where is she getting it from?

'Think about it. Omar wears a hijab, which according to the Quran 33:59, tells women to cover so they won't get molested.'

Fox News 'strongly' condemned the comments Pirro made, saying: 'They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly.'

Omar has been embroiled in an anti-Semitism scandal in recent weeks after making a number of controversial comments.

She previously said that she wanted to discuss 'the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country'.

Omar also drew ire from both sides of the political spectrum after claiming that Israel's relationship with the US was 'all about the Benjamins' last month, before later apologizing.

Despite the rebuke, Pirro released her own statement, in which she refused to apologize

In a tweet, Omar thanked Fox for the statement, saying: 'No ones commitment to our constitution should be questioned because of their faith or country of birth.'

Despite the rebuke, Pirro released her own statement, in which she refused to apologize.

She said: 'I've seen a lot of comments about my opening statement from Saturday night's show and I did not call Rep. Omar un-American.

'My intention was to ask a question and start a debate, but of course because one is Muslim does not mean you don't support the Constitution.

'I invite Rep Omar to come on my show any time to discuss all of the important issues facing America today.'

Pirro was called out on Twitter by a fellow Fox News Channel employee who is Muslim. The employee, Hufia Kumal, works on Bret Baier's news show.

She wrote: 'Can you stop spreading this false narrative that somehow Muslims hate America or women who wear a hijab aren't American enough? You have Muslims working at the same network you do, including myself.'

It was not immediately clear what Fox had done in addressing the matter with Pirro, the former district attorney from New York's Westchester County who is a particular favorite of President Donald Trump.

Fox News' chief executive, Suzanne Scott, had reportedly scolded producers of the network's shows last year, encouraging them to run a tighter ship in terms of incendiary comments.
A criminologist has revealed the darkest secrets of some of Britain's most notorious prisoners, including serial killers, rapists and robbers.

David Wilson, 61, a professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, has spent almost 40 years trying to understand the minds of some of the UK's most violent men.

Interviewing them behind bars, he has analysed monsters including serial killer Dennis Nilsen and the man behind the Dunblane school massacre, Thomas Hamilton.

David Wilson (pictured), 61, a professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, has spent almost 40 years trying to understand the minds of some of the UK's most violent men

With a career starting as a prison governor, he now advises various police forces as a criminologist and in 2006 was involved in the investigation of the Ipswich serial murders where he helped convict serial killer Steve Wright.

Now, in an interview with The Sunday People, Mr Wilson revealed some of the darkest and most unsettling things he's been told while interviewing these shady characters - as revealed in his new book My Life With Murderers.

One of his most prolific encounters was with serial killer Dennis Nilsen, who butchered 15 young men during a murderous spree lasting years.

The former civil servant, 72, executed and dismembered many of his victims at his home in Muswell Hill, north London before he was jailed for life in 1983.

Most of Nilsen's victims were homosexual or homeless men who he would pick up in bars across London or on the street.

After inviting them to his home, Nilsen would ply his victims with food and alcohol before killing then. His preferred method was strangulation.

Once dead, he dismembered their bodies by dissecting them in his house.

He would cut up the rest of their bodies and store them in plastic bin bags at the property. When the stench of their rotting corpses became stronger, he tried to flush their limbs down the toilet and drains.

David Nilsen (pictured leaving court in 1983), 72, executed and dismembered many of his victims at his home in Muswell Hill, north London before he was jailed for life in 1983

Serial killer Dennis Nilsen (right), with a prison warden at his side, is driven away in London where he was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years imprisonment after being convicted of six murders and two attempted murders at the Old Bailey court

Most of Nilsen's victims were homosexual or homeless men who he would pick up in bars across London or on the street (Nilsen is pictured during an interview)

The killer was found out when he audaciously complained to a waste company about a blockage caused by his flushing of limbs down drains.

Recalling his encounter with Nilsen, Mr Wilson said that when he went to leave an interview the killer gently touched his hand and said: 'Do you have to go?'

Describing the moment, Wilson said: 'It was his final gesture of trying to exert power over me.'

In a harrowing recollection to Wilson, Nilsen explained why he killed his first victim 14-year-old Stephen Holmes, saying: 'I wanted him to stay for ever. I couldn't face him going.'

In 2006, Wilson became key to securing the conviction of serial killer Steve Wright who brutally murdered five prostitutes in a spate of killings that shocked the nation and saw him dubbed the Ipswich Ripper.

Steve Wright (pictured) brutally murdered five prostitutes in a spate of killings that shocked the nation and saw him dubbed the Ipswich Ripper

Also known as the Suffolk Strangler, Wright holds the dubious record of carrying out the highest number of murders in the shortest space of time - claiming five victims in the days between October 30 and December 10.

Only two victims were originally found, by Wilson said at the time: 'What we're seeing is an organised serial killer.

'He's probably used prostitutes in the past and he's undoubtedly hurt prostitutes in the past. I would suggest that he's killed them in the past too.'

Forklift driver Wright picked up his victims - Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clenell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29 - while his girlfriend was working nightshifts.

He strangled or asphyxiated them when they were incapacitated with massive doses of heroin, and their bodies were stripped and dumped in remote countryside.

One of Wilson's most intriguing encounters was with serial rapist Peter Cook who raped six women and injured two others in a series of sex attacks carried out in Cambridge between October 1974 and April 1975.

Cook was known as the 'hooded rapist' because of a bizarre leather mask he wore during his crimes.

Cook was finally caught following one of Britain's biggest manhunts. He broke into his victims' flats and bedsits to carry out his vicious attacks. For months, he created an atmosphere of fear and panic among young women in Cambridge.

Serial rapist Peter Cook raped six women and injured two others in a series of sex attacks carried out in Cambridge between October 1974 and April 1975

Cook was known as the 'hooded rapist' because of a bizarre leather mask he wore during his crimes (the mask is pictured)

But it was his penchant for strange disguises that gave him away. A police officer spotted him trying to cycle away from an attack wearing a long blonde wig.

And this is something Wilson picked up on in his discussions with the rapist, writing in My Life With Murderers: 'He spent most of his time sewing dresses for dolls he bought with his prison wages.

'When he asked for permission to have HRT to become a woman called Janet I sat dumfounded for a few moments, trying to make sense of the Cambridge rapist now wanting to become a woman.'

Wilson has also met one of Britain's most notorious prisoners Charles Bronson - who was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974, but during his time inside he has taken hostages in 10 prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused 500,000 in damage in rooftop protests.

Charles Bronson was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974, but during his time inside he has taken hostages in 10 prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused 500,000 in damage in rooftop protests

In 1999 Bronson was given a life sentence after taking prison art teacher Phil Danielson hostage at HMP Hull after he criticised one of his drawings. Bronson, who does 2,000 press-ups a day, tied a skipping rope round the teacher's neck and led him about 'like a dog' while holding a knife and broken bottle to his throat before releasing him after 44 hours

In 1999 he was given a life sentence after taking prison art teacher Phil Danielson hostage at HMP Hull after he criticised one of his drawings.

Bronson, who does 2,000 press-ups a day, tied a skipping rope round the teacher's neck and led him about 'like a dog' while holding a knife and broken bottle to his throat before releasing him after 44 hours.

Describing his encounter with Bronson, Wilson said: 'I was not the only member of staff who thought there was something sexual about all that stripping off to show us his muscles and his genitals.

'He wanted to display his body and I believe he wanted to impress on everyone that he really was a "real man".'
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Two people have been killed in Nebraska as the submerged state grapples with the worst flooding its seen in 50 years.

Rainfall and swollen rivers, left in the wake of the 'bomb cyclone' winter storm swirling through the US, has left Nebraska inundated with water, neighborhoods completely submerged, and bridges ripped apart.

Governor Pete Ricketts declared a state of emergency in 53 counties, saying that one-third of the state has been affected in the devastating floods and 2,600 locals living near rivers were urged to evacuate on Friday.

'This is the largest widespread amount of flooding we've had in the last half century,' Ricketts said on the deluge.

Nebraska saw its various rivers break through their banks, cresting at up to 25 feet and rushing into neighborhoods, forcing locals to climb on their roofs and cry for help.

Helicopters were sent to rescue residents trapped in the fast-rising waters. Locals in Arlington, Nebraska pictured on their roof waiting for help to arrive as the state grapples with the worst flood in 50 years

Highways were broken when dams burst and rivers swelled in Nebraska this week, thanks to rain and snow fall created in the 'bomb cyclone' winter storm that is weakening as it swirls towards the east

Waterloo was hardly recognizable as water reached the height of treetops and only the tops of telephone poles were visible

Dodge street is closed from flood waters on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska after the highway was submerged

Gushing floodwaters broke a bridge near Genoa this weekend as the Governor Pete Ricketts declared a state of emergency

The swollen Platte River in Nebraska pictured above along the I-80 bridge near Ashland that was closed on Wednesday and reopened Saturday after the massive floods receded

A farm near Fremont pictured above as the town as turned into a virtual island after the Platte and Elkhorn Rivers flooded

An aerial view of damaged buildings after a storm triggered historic flooding, in Valley, Nebraska pictured above, drowning homes and businesses in water

Swamped: Streets turned into rivers and Valley, Nebraska neighborhoods into swamps in the historic flooding

Highway 275 is seen underwater after a storm the worst flooding in 50 years, near Waterloo, Nebraska on Saturday

Thanks to the @NENationalGuard for their great work with this rescue by Arlington today. #NebraskaFlood pic.twitter.com/Ri69TTqPRy  Gov. Pete Ricketts (@GovRicketts) March 16, 2019

The floodwaters from the Niobrara River in the northern part of the state were so strong they blasted through the 90-year-old Spencer Dam dam on Thursday, drowning the local town of Lincoln in water and completely washing out a bridge on US Highway 281.

The flooded Platte and Elkhorn Rivers turned the town of Fremont into an island. Fremont was issued a mandatory evacuation for residents by the Dodge County Sheriff's Office.

The Missouri River, which borders Missouri and Nebraska reached 26 feet on Saturday - a foot below what's considered major flooding - but is expected to crest on Wednesday or Thursday at 29.3 feet, according to WPTV.

Rescue teams in boats have been pulling trapped residents out of the flood waters since Thursday.

On Saturday two Nebraska National Guard Black Hawk helicopters spent the day placing massive 1,500-pound sandbags to fortify an island on the Platte River that holds the City of Lincoln's wells and water supply.

Rescue efforts on Saturday were hindered by levee breaches and the washouts of bridges and highway roads. Officials said power may be shut off in communities near the flooding rivers for safety reasons.

Brave farmer 50-year-old James Wilke, of Platte County, lost his life when he tried to join the rescue effort on his tractor, despite the wind and rain, on Thursday.

He died when a bridge collapsed as he was crossing it, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Brave farmer 50-year-old James Wilke, of Platte County, lost his life when he tried to join the rescue effort on his tractor and died when a bridge collapsed as he was crossing it on Thursday

Governor Pete Ricketts shared pictures of the damage found in Fremont and Niobrabra and Lynch on his social media including this highway road eaten out by the turbulent waters

Destroyed: Buildings and businesses were unrecognizable after they were washed out and battered by the floodwaters

Highway road bridges collapsed and crumbled as they succumbed to the fierce, rushing floodwaters in the state

Businesses, homes and farms, were buried underwater as with this community, drowning under the overflowing Missouri River in Platteview, Nebraska on Saturday

Statues were submerged in the overflowing Missouri River as with this Monument to Labor Statue in Omaha on Saturday

Governor Pete Ricketts (left) and Unicameral Speaker Jim Scheer (right) surveyed historic flooding in portions of northeast Nebraska on Saturday

Not only was water a problem, but the cold temperatures led to slush and ice and bitter weather conditions

The bridge collapsed under the weight of the tractor and a frantic search was launched to find his body washed downstream about nine hours later.

'He was always the first to go help somebody,' his cousin Paul Wilke said. 'He was always the first to go help somebody.'

A second Nebraska man 55-year-old Aleido Rojas Galan of Norfolk died at a hospital in Lincoln after he got caught in the rushing waters along the state line with Iowa on Friday evening.

Galan was with two other men in a car when the vehicle got trapped in the floods and they tried to swim to safety.

When rescuers arrived on the scene Galan and another man were 'hanging onto trees', according to the Fremont County Sheriff's Office. Galan later died from his injuries.

At least two other people are also missing in the floods in the state. A Norfolk man was last seen on top of his submerged car late Thursday and got swept in the water and wasn't seen again.

Another man got caught in the current when the Spencer Dam collapsed on Thursday.

Water pictured seeping into the west side of town despite being the placement of sandbags in Fremont

Horses that were being boarded in Inglewood, Nebraska are moved through floodwaters to higher ground in Fremont

Surveyors with the USGS take measurement of the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday after its floods caused thousands to evacuate

As of Sunday morning minor and major flooding persisted in Nebraska with many roads still closed

While Sunday will be calm, rain and snow is expected to return on Tuesday, which could lead to more flooding

Nebraska state officials have no indicated how many homes were damaged or how many people needed rescue.

And the perilous weather isn't over just yet. While Sunday will be calm, the state will see a chance of rain and snow on Monday and Tuesday.

The town of Fremont, about 40 miles northwest of Omaha, became an island as the Platte River and Elkhorn River overflowed.

'We're like an island. You cannot get in our out,' Fremont Councilwoman Linda McClain said to the New York Times.

By Saturday the Elkhorn River flooded Waterloo, cresting at 42.63 feet, creating at 14ft flood stage. By Tuesday the river is forecast to fall below flood state.




Ralph Bulger, father of murdered toddler James Bulger, has said he 'will not rest' until the new identity of his son's killer Jon Venables is revealed.

Mr Bulger vowed to sources that he will expose Venables.

In a High Court battle earlier this month Mr Bulger and James Bulger's paternal uncle Jimmy Bulger lost a bid to overturn the lifelong anonymity granted to the killer.

A source close to the family told Daily Star Sunday: 'Ralph has lost his son in the worst way possible. What else does he have to lose?

Ralph Bulger (left), the father of James Bulger (right), has lost a bid to make public details of his son's killer's new identity

The family's source spoke to Daily Star Sunday yesterday about the verdict, on what would have been James' 29th birthday adding: 'It is sick, that's what it is.

'Ralph believes Venables lost his right to protection and to live a quiet life when he continued to be evil and twisted into his adult life.

'He is a paedophile and a child killer for goodness sake. He will never change and so we will never stop fighting for justice.

'We cannot work out why he is being so well protected. But we won't stop.

Denise Fergus, James Bulger's mother tweets on what would have been the murdered toddler's 29th birthday

'You watch  he will continue to be in and out of the courts on sick charges and we will never know.'

Mr Bulger was fighting for Venables' new identity to be revealed along with details of his life in recent years.

But, rejecting their case earlier this month, President of the High Court's Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane said: 'My decision is in no way a reflection on the applicants themselves, for whom there is a profoundest sympathy.

'The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.'

The judge said the injunction was designed to protect Venables from 'being put to death'.

He added: '(Venables) is 'uniquely notorious' and there is a strong possibility, if not a probability, that if his identity were known he would be pursued resulting in grave and possibly fatal consequences.

Venables, pictured in 1993, was granted lifelong anonymity by a High Court judge and has lived under new identities since his initial release from custody in 2001

'This is, therefore, a wholly exceptional case and the evidence in 2019 is more than sufficient to sustain the conclusion that there continues to be a real risk of very substantial harm to (Venables).'

Anyone who breaches the wide-ranging injunction faces prosecution for contempt of court.

Speaking outside court after the ruling, solicitor advocate Robin Makin, for the Bulgers, said: 'The authorities seem to be hell-bent on protecting (Venables) regardless of the risk to others and this has been a primary driving force behind Ralph and Jimmy's application.'

The judge refused permission to appeal against the ruling but Mr Makin said the Bulgers may consider pursuing a challenge at the Court of Appeal.

Venables' lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald QC, previously said he is at risk of being attacked and even killed should his current identity be made public.

Two-year-old James was murdered by Venables and Robert Thompson, both 10, after they snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1993.

Venables, now 36, has been living anonymously under a new identity since his release from prison but was convicted of having child abuse images in 2010 and again in 2018.

Footage from the day of James' murder showed him being led away by the two schoolboys

He remains in jail after receiving a sentence of three years and four months in February 2018 for possessing the images.

Robin Makin, acting on behalf of the Bulgers, argued that personal details and photos of Venables as an adult have been accessible on the internet for years, but the killer has suffered no damage or targeted threats as a result.

Mr Makin claimed that authorities are using the anonymity order to avoid scrutiny for failing to keep Venables from re-offending following his release from prison.

The idea behind the lifetime anonymity order for Venables and Thompson, made by Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, was that it would aid the rehabilitation of the killers, who were just ten when they murdered the toddler.

But while Thompson has not re-offended, Venables has twice been convicted of child abuse image offences.

James' mother, Denise Fergus, was not involved in the case at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
A Houston woman has beaten some incredible odds and given birth to sextuplets.

Now Thelma Chiaka is getting some much needed rest after delivering six babies in the span of nine minutes.

Chiaka gave birth to two sets of twin boys and one set of twin girls on Sunday morning.

Thelma Chiaka (pictured with her doctors) gave birth to sextuplets - two sets of boys and one set of girls - at the Woman's Hospital of Texas on Sunday morning

Chiaka is shown in the hospital holding hands with neonatologist Dr. Israel Simchowitz (right) and Dr. Sarmeel Khaira (left)

The woman is shown after delivering the babies, holding up a sign which says 'March 15, 2019, Sextuplets'

The deliveries occurred between 4.50am and 4.59am at the Woman's Hospital of Texas.

All six babies weighed between 1 pound 12 ounces to 2 pounds and 14 ounces.

The hospital said the sextuplets are in stable condition and will continue to receive care in the hospital's advanced neonatal intensive care unit.

Chiaka has named her daughters Zina and Zuriel. She has not yet named the four boys.

The odds of giving birth to sextuplets is an astounding 1 in 4.7 billion.

It would be more likely to get struck by lighting twice (1 in 9 million) or even win the lottery (1 in 302 million).

Chiaka's preganancy is certainly rare but she does not hold the record for most children born at a time.

Nadya Suleman, better known as 'Octomom,' became world famous when she gave birth to eight babies in January 2009, aged 33.

She is the only woman to have given birth to a set of octuplets to live past their first week,

Nadya Suleman, better known as 'Octomom,' became world famous when she gave birth to eight babies in January 2009, aged 33




Theresa May could have to agree to step down to convince enough Tory MPs to back her Brexit deal when it is put before the Commons next week.

The Prime Minister today begged Tory MPs to 'act like patriots' and support her agreement if it goes to a vote for the third time on Tuesday or Wednesday, but still needs to win over around 75 hardcore Brexiteers.

Several rebel Tories say they would need a guarantee from Mrs May that she will resign if they are to back her deal.

Several Tory MPs are said to be willing to support Theresa May's deal if she offers her resignation. The PM is seen today at church in Berkshire with her husband, Philip

Former Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey said the PM should prepare for a 'dignified departure' - before adding that she would be willing to stand as next Conservative leader "if there were enough people who supported me".

Ms McVey was asked on BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics if it would be a good idea for the PM to confirm she will leave Number 10 by the summer.

The MP for Tatton replied: "I think that what is best for her is, really only she knows, but what I do know is we as a party want to be able to thank her.

"She needs a dignified departure so however that works best for her for all of the reasons I've said. She's done so much to try and get this through, even though we're not on the same side of the argument, we are Tories."

Conservative MP for Dover Charlie Elphicke said there needs to be "a change of leadership" in order for him to support the deal, telling BBC Sunday Politics South East we need "a new face and a new team to take us forward to the future relationship".

His comments come after fellow Tory Andrew Bridgen told The Sunday Times that he was informed by party whips that Mrs May was willing to announce her resignation to get her Withdrawal Agreement approved when it returns to the Commons for a third meaningful vote potentially this week.

The newspaper reported that two of the PM's most senior aides have spoken to MPs currently against the deal to see if they would change their mind if Mrs May was to reveal her departure plans, but Downing Street has denied the claims.

The Chancellor Philip Hammond played down the idea on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning after it was suggested Mrs May might be the sort of person to realise that "I'm part of the problem".

He said: "Well, she absolutely is a kind of person who will always do what she thinks is in the best interests of the country.

"She's a person with a very strong moral streak to everything she does and she will always do, I'm sure, what she feels is in Britain's best interest."

Former Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey (seen today) said the PM should prepare for a 'dignified departure'

He added: "The Prime Minister has already said to the Conservative Party that she will not lead the party into the next General Election in 2022. So she's already made that clear."

His Cabinet colleague, the International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, indicated Mrs May could still lead the party in to a snap general election if there was an "emergency situation".

The Tory party is also in the midst of a row about Cabinet responsibility, after four senior ministers defied the PM's orders to vote against the Brexit motion on Thursday.

Ms McVey said Mrs May's position is "dubious" because of the collapse of discipline in her top team, telling Sky News: "Her Cabinet ministers, by defying collective responsibility, have made life very difficult for the Prime Minister.

"That's what she needs to look at now. Has she got discipline in the Government?"

An aide to Mr Hammond said Amber Rudd, one of those four Cabinet members who failed to obey the whip, should have resigned.

Huw Merriman, the Chancellor's PPS, told the BBC: "I think if you don't support your government and you are on payroll then yes, you shouldn't stay in government.

"All discipline breaks down, as soon as you start working as a government member saying we must do one thing and then you do the other."

He added that Ms Rudd "has her view, but we can't carry on like this", adding: "You can't govern if your government ministers do not vote the same way. It's just completely chaotic. And people need to keep their discipline."

Mr Fox also expressed his unhappiness with the actions of his Cabinet colleagues, telling Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday: "Collective responsibility is the price we pay for having the privilege to sit around the Cabinet table.

"I hope that following the discussions we had people will reflect on that, because we have to move forward."

It comes amid reports a group of staunch Tory Brexiteers are privately vowing to force a no-confidence vote in the Government if it negotiates an extended delay to Brexit at an EU summit this week.

'I've been approached by whips offering the PM's resignation if I vote her deal through,' Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, (pictured on November 14 last year) said

If the Prime Minister loses a third Meaningful Vote on her Brexit deal this week  or fails to put it to the Commons because defeat is inevitable  then she plans to travel to the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday to request a delay to Brexit of up to two years.

The EU has indicated that it is only minded to accept a delay on the basis that the UK agrees to stringent new conditions  such as signing up to membership of a customs union.

But a suicide squad of members of the European Research Group of Conservative MPs, numbering up to 15, have threatened to team up with Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party to force a confidence measure before she could put the delay to an essential vote in the Commons.

If the move succeeded, the Prime Minister would be forced from Downing Street just days before the UK left the EU without a deal  an ultra-chaotic no PM and no deal scenario.

However, allies of Mrs May are relaxed about the prospect.

A senior Tory source said: It is hard to imagine Labour voting to stop a delay to Brexit and a customs union in favour of a chaotic no deal.

It comes amid signs some staunch Tory Brexiteers are waving in their opposition to Mrs May's agreement.

Iain Duncan Smith is said to have been prepared to back Mrs May's deal at its second showing if Attorney General Geoffrey Cox had changed his legal advice on the Irish backstop,as was European Research Group chairman Mr Rees-Mogg.

But despite the positive signs Mrs May still faces a difficult task ahead, with senior ERG figures predicting she will lose her third vote by 'well over 100 votes', according to the Sunday Telegraph.
The cousin of the man accused of the worst mass murder in New Zealand's history says her once 'normal' relative has a 'twisted mind' and deserves to die.

New South Wales woman Donna Cox says it 'hurts' to be related to Brenton Tarrant, 28, after he allegedly killed 50 Muslim worshippers in Christchurch on Friday.

Tarrant faced court on Saturday, smirking and giving a white supremacist sign as he was charged with one count of murder.

Now, with more charges likely to come, members of his family are condemning his alleged acts.

The family of accused terrorist Brenton Tarrant (pictured) have condemned the attacks. Here he is pictured in court making a white supremacist sign

Cousin Donna Cox (pictured) says she is in disbelief over the attacks, and that accused gunman Brenton Tarrant should be given the death penalty

Tarrant (pictured as a teen) will never comprehend the impact the alleged attacks have had against his parents in their hometown of Grafton, his cousin said

Tarrant will never comprehend the impact the alleged attacks have had against his parents in their hometown of Grafton, Ms Cox told Sunday Night.

'Just what he's putting his family through. That he is from... a very respected family, his mum, his dad, were pretty high in the community here,' she said.

'He wasn't raised like that, but I'm not here to defend him. If I could ask him - I'd ask him why. How could you do that?

'That's a twisted mind right there. You'd have to be to be able to do something like that.'

Tarrant's mother, Sharon, is a teacher at a local school. She had to be whisked away by police mid-class when reports of the attack first came through on Friday.

She and Tarrant's sister, Lauren, have been placed under police protection, without even mobile phone contact with the rest of their family.

As a child, Tarrant was obsessed with guns and violent video games, Ms Cox said.

His father, a local garbageman who died from cancer in 2010, was widely-liked in the community.

After his father's death, Tarrant began travelling around Europe. Bulgarian and Turkish authorities are investigating his travel history, determining whether he had ulterior motives for frequenting their countries over the span of seven years.

Somewhere along his journeys, he allegedly forged extremist views and a deep seated hatred for non-white immigration, a hatred that culminated in Friday's attacks.

Tarrant will re-appear in New Zealand's High Court on April 5, when additional charges are expected to be laid.

'I know what he deserves. He deserves the death penalty for what he's done. That hurts because he is family,' Ms Cox said.

Tarrant was arrested on the sidewalk by two training police officers on Friday after he allegedly shot and killed 50 Muslim worshipers

Meanwhile, a relative, who asked to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia the Grafton community is shaken.

'Everyone is confused and hurt and angry. I'm heartbroken, I'm shattered,' she said.

'I hate him so much right now. If I saw him I'd punch him in the face as hard as I could. He wasn't raised to be a racist, no-one made him this way.

'His parents are beautiful people.'

They said the reason behind the attacks may never be revealed, but is adamant he was 'influenced'.

'I want to know where it's come from because it certainly didn't come from his family or his friends here,' they said.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hugs a mosque-goer at the Kilbirnie Mosque on Sunday, as she meets with members of the Islamic community

The Prime Minister lays a wreath at the mosque, as 50 people are confirmed dead following the tragic shooting including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman

Candlelit vigils have been held across the globe to mourn those who lost their lives. Pictured is a prayer vigil in Melbourne on Saturday night

Other relatives, including Tarrant's grandmother Marie Fitzgerald and uncle Terry Fitzgerald, broke their silence on Sunday.

Mrs Fitzgerald said she was stilling coming to grips with what had happened.

'It's just so much of everything to take in that somebody in our family would do anything like this,' the 81-year-old woman told Nine News.

'The media is saying he has planned it for a long time so he is obviously not of sound mind.'

She and Mr Fitzgerald apologised on behalf of their family to the victims of the massacre, saying: 'What he has done is just not right.'

Other relatives, including Tarrant's grandmother Marie Fitzgerald and uncle Terry Fitzgerald (pictured) broke their silence on Sunday

Joyce Tarrant, 94, said the alleged cold-blooded killer who filmed himself gunning down Muslims during Friday prayers was not the grandson she knew

Authorities have confirmed the death toll has reached 50. Above ambulance staff are seen taking a man from outside the mosque

The shooter's weapons were marked with the names of other people who have carried out attacks

Tarrant grew up in Grafton, with many of his classmates remembering the now-28-year-old as a popular student.

'He was funny and one of the popular kids, very smart and outgoing,' a high school friend said.

'There was nothing odd about him at school. He was very much a prankster and very large with curly hair until he got into fitness.'

Another of his cousins, who also asked to remain anonymous, said he was a 'chubby' child because he was obsessed with computers.

They said he spent all his time playing violent video games, at least once being so engrossed he wet himself instead of stopping to go to the toilet.

However, by his last years of school he was increasingly interested in fitness and described as a popular prankster.

He allegedly tore through two mosques in Christchurch, shooting five different guns at hundreds of worshippers, killing 50 and injuring 47 others.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the attacks fell on 'one of New Zealand's darkest days' and has vowed to tighten gun laws.
President Donald Trump began his Sunday morning venting about 'Saturday Night Live,' complaining the show should be investigated by federal regulators for mocking him but not Democrats.

The president complained their treatment of him was 'like an advertisement without consequences' and a boost to help Democrats.

'It's truly incredible that shows like Saturday Night Live, not funny/no talent, can spend all of their time knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of 'the other side.' Like an advertisement without consequences. Same with Late Night Shows,' he wrote on Twitter.

President Trump began his Sunday morning venting about 'Saturday Night Live'

He complained about the show's parody of him as Alec Baldwin (seen here in a February episode) often portrays him as a bumbling commander in chief

Last night's 'Saturday Night Live' was a repeat featuring a parody of 'It's a wonderful life'

And he added: 'Should Federal Election Commission and/or FCC look into this? There must be Collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia! Such one sided media coverage, most of it Fake News. Hard to believe I won and am winning. Approval Rating 52%, 93% with Republicans. Sorry! #MAGA'

The late night sketch-comedy show is currently in repeats - with a new episode returning March 30.

Saturday night's repeat featured a parody of 'It's a Wonderful Life' with Trump shown imagining his life if he had never been elected president.

The program has long used the president as a punching bag.

Actor Alec Baldwin frequently lampoons the president as a fumbling, incompetent commander in chief.

But presidents, no matter their party, are often mocked by the program.

President Trump questioned whether the Federal Election Commission or Federal Communications Commission should investigate.

The FEC examines improper campaign contributions while the FCC originated the fairness doctrine - a regulation that requires the news give equal time to both sides. However the doctrine was discontinued in 1987 and is no longer on the books. Additionally, when it was used by the FCC as a method of distributing television and radio licenses, it was found not to apply to elected officials.

Also, 'Saturday Night Live' is a comedy show and its satire is protected free speech.

The show has parodied Hillary Clinton with Kate McKinnon playing the former presidential candidate during the 2016 campaign.

Trump has long railed against the media's treatment of him and has a habit of declaring stories and items he doesn't like 'fake news.'

He's also threatened 'Saturday Night Live' before.

Just last month the president suggested his government should look carefully at comedic 'hit jobs' against Republicans.

'Nothing funny about tired Saturday Night Live on Fake News NBC!' Trump blasted in a Sunday morning tweet on February 17. 'Question is, how do the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs without retribution? Likewise for many other shows? Very unfair and should be looked into. This is the real Collusion!'

Trump has been fighting claims for more than two years that his 2016 campaign colluded with agents of the Kremlin to impact the result of the presidential election.

The concept of a hopelessly biased political press corps is one argument that buoyed Trump's first candidacy, and which campaign insiders say he will return to repeatedly as he runs in 2020.
Primark has installed its first gender neutral changing rooms.

The fashion retailer has introduced unisex fitting areas at its giant new store at the Bluewater mall near Gravesend, Kent, and a new store at Hastings, East Sussex.

It made the decision following claims of unfair treatment by transgender customers.

Primark has installed its first gender neutral changing rooms. Stock image shows a Primark changing room

The move has angered some shoppers who have threatened to boycott branches involved.

One person tweeted: 'How to lose the largest amount of customers in a day, cater for the minority and not the majority. I won't be buying anymore #Privacy in #Changing rooms for women and children.'

Although there has been some backlash, the decision has been welcomed by equality campaigners, The Mirror reported.

It has installed unisex fitting areas at its giant new store at the Bluewater mall near Gravesend, Kent, and a new store at Hastings, East Sussex. (File image)

Transgender woman Joni Bendall stormed out of the Primark store in Ipswich, in 2015 Suffolk, after claiming her persistent pleas to be allowed to use the fitting rooms of her choice fell on deaf ears

Gender neutral zones at public pools can be a 'magnet' for sexual predators Most sexual assaults at public swimming pools happen in unisex changing rooms, figures revealed last September. Ninety per cent of assault, voyeurism and harassment cases relate to the gender neutral zones which have been branded a 'magnet' for sexual predators. Of 134 complaints in the UK in 2017, 120 were about incidents in unisex changing rooms, data obtained by the Sunday Times revealed. The stats compound fears that unisex changing rooms - which are becoming increasingly popular to accommodate transgender people - pose a danger to women. At least two-thirds of all sex incidents in public pools and leisure centres happen in unisex changing areas. Only a few happen in single-sex changing rooms, the figures, released under freedom of information laws, show. 'These figures show that women and girls are more vulnerable in mixed changing rooms and there is a danger these places are becoming a magnet for sexual offenders,' David Davies, MP for Monmouth, told the Sunday Times last year. Advertisement

One Primark customer previously claimed in April last year that her friend was forced to show her passport before she could use a changing room at a branch in Coventry.

There was backlash online after the incident.

One customer tweeted: 'If a transfemme/transbutch person feels they need to change in the female changing area, let them.'

Another claimed: 'Turned away from both the male AND female dressing rooms. trans ppl exist guys.'



In 2017, Topshop's billionaire owner, Sir Philip Green, sparked a similar debate when he announced that all changing rooms would be gender neutral.

This month it was announced female gymnasts of all ages at British clubs must now use the same changing facilities and toilets as males who identify as female, following a ruling by the sports governing body.

Primark has gender neutral dressing rooms in some of its continental stores.

Primark, owned by Associated British Foods, told the Mirror, it had introduced 'non-gendered fitting rooms to improve the customer experience' at the two stores but those at its other 195 UK shops continue to be labelled male and female.

Primark has been approached by MailOnline for comment.

Transgender woman Joni Bendall stormed out of the Primark store in Ipswich, in 2015 Suffolk, after claiming her persistent pleas to be allowed to use the fitting rooms of her choice fell on deaf ears.

Afterwards she wrote a stinging letter to the Primark's chief executive officer, Paul Marchant, over the incident.
Jeremy Corbyn has angered supporters of British veterans after saying former soldiers should face prosecution for incidents during the Troubles, days after a former paratrooper was charged with murder over Bloody Sunday.

The Labour leader told Sophy Ridge on Sunday that the 'law must apply to everyone', and denied that there was a discrepancy between the investigations into soldiers after Republican suspects were sent 'comfort letters' offering effective immunity from prosecution.

Matthew Jury, of McCue & Partners, who is representing the families of the victims of the Hyde Park bombings, told MailOnline: Shamefully, Corbyn and co continue to stand by Blairs outrageous decision to do a back-room deal with the IRA to grant terrorists on-the-run effective amnesty  and remember, whatever their protestations, this was not a part of the Good Friday Agreement.

All the while they sermonise about no one being above the law. They cant have it both ways.

'If theyre going to demonise and pillory Britains veterans, then they must also back, not only an unequivocal revocation of the on-the-run letters, but a swooping up of the terrorists themselves to finally face justice.

Jeremy Corbyn said the 'law must apply to everyone', and denied that there was a discrepancy between the investigations into soldiers after Republican suspects were sent 'comfort letters' offering effective immunity. Pictured: Youths confront soldiers during Bloody Sunday in 1972

It came after the Public Prosecution Service controversially decided to prosecute a man, known as Soldier F, for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney at the civil rights march in Londonderry in 1972.

The decision sparked anger among former servicemen, who pointed out former British soldiers were facing prosecution while IRA men got off Scot free.

Alan Barry, founder of Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans, said: 'Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, veterans are being left open to prosecution while terrorists have been cleansed of their past crimes.'

Speaking on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Corbyn said: 'The law must apply to everyone, and I don't think we should have statutory limitations on this.'

Mr Corbyn said today: 'The law must apply to everyone, and I don't think we should have statutory limitations on this'

Mr Corbyn said 'we should have a fair and proper judicial process' and said what happened on Bloody Sunday was 'awful and appalling'.

He added: 'I do think it's important to have the independence of a legal process, and there has to be an insurance that everyone has to abide by the law.'

He was pressed on whether it was fair given how those members of the IRA suspected of crimes were offered an amnesty in the Northern Irish peace process.

The Labour leader replied: 'The Good Friday Agreement was important, seminal and complicated, but it does not provide complete immunity for everyone, it was never intended to.'

Shami Chakrabarti criticised the comments of Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson in support of Soldier F, when he said the Government would pay his full legal costs and added: 'Our serving and former personnel cannot live in constant fear of prosecution.'

She told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show she approves of anyone accused of serious crimes getting 'full, complete five-star legal aid'.

Soldier F will be charged with the murders of James Wray (left) and William McKinney (right) on Bloody Sunday. Mr Wray, 22, was shot twice in the back. Mr McKinney was film-maker who recorded scenes from the march before the shooting started

But she added: 'It's not about wannabe prime ministers who are currently Defence Secretary giving coded messages of support to one defendant or another, its about saying anybody who's been charged with murder, which is the most serious offence in our law, should get the best possible defence and it should be paid for by the state.'

Asked about Mr Williamson's suggestion to change the law end prevent soldiers being charged, she said: 'I don't think we can do that if we believe in the rule of law.'

Baroness Chakrabarti said it would start a 'very dangerous precedent if we started granted blanket immunities to anybody in a particular role or profession'.

Former paratrooper charged with murder while IRA terrorists go free

It was announced on Thursday that a former serviceman, named only as 'Soldier F', will stand trial for the murders of two men during the Bloody Sunday shooting in 1972 and the attempted murders of four others.

The prosecution has sparked a political row, with Armed Forces groups saying soldiers who served their country are facing investigation while IRA members avoid action under so-called 'comfort letters'.

Alan Barry, founder of Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans, said: 'Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, veterans are being left open to prosecution while terrorists have been cleansed of their past crimes.'

Two children hold pictures of Bloody Sunday victims James Wray and William McKinney during a vigil in West Belfast Northern Ireland on Thursday

At the same time as Soldier F's prosecution was announced this morning, authorities revealed that two alleged Official IRA members would face no criminal action.

In the wake of this morning's landmark decision to prosecute the soldier, MPs accused the government of failing to do enough to protect those who fought in the Army.

Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams waded into the row, saying more soldiers should be prosecuted and throwing his weight behind a protest just over the Irish border in Dundalk.

Soldier F is one of 17 former members of the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment who were investigated over the violence which left 13 people dead in Londonderry in 1972.

The sixteen other British military veterans who were investigated over Bloody Sunday will not face action, it was announced this morning.

Fresh graffiti appeared on Thursday on the 'Free Derry' road sign after the announcement by Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service that only one former paratrooper is to be prosecuted

Soldier F is now thought to be in his 70s and faces trial for the alleged murders of James Wray and William McKinney and the alleged attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O'Donnell.

Critics of the decision point out that around 200 IRA fugitives, thought to be behind a series of terror attacks during the Troubles, were sent so-called 'comfort letters', assuring them they were no longer suspects.

The British government said it will support Soldier F and cover all of his legal costs, with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson praising the 'courage and distinction' of those who fought in Northern Ireland.
A Florida teacher was arrested last week for allegedly creating child pornography for her ex-boyfriend that included her one-year-old son.

Audra Mabel, 34, was terminated from Spring Lake Elementary School in Altamonte Springs where she worked as a kindergarten teacher, following her arrest on Thursday for allegedly producing and distributing child porn.

Mabel was arrested after her ex-boyfriend, Justin Ritchie, 36, was taken into custody for allegedly sexually assaulting his four-year-old daughter, according to a criminal complaint filed by the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Ritchie is married and has three children of his own, including a one-year-old.

Florida teacher, Audra Mabel (left), 34, was arrested for allegedly creating child porn for her ex-boyfriend, 36-year-old Justin Ritchie (right)

Mabel was arrested after Ritchie (pictured with his family) was taken into custody for allegedly sexually assaulting his four-year-old daughter, according to a criminal complaint filed by the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida

Authorities started investigating him after his wife told police that she was bathing her three children, when her four-year-old told her that Ritchie 'had touched her vulva'.

On March 6, a forensic child interviewer spoke with the victim who told investigators that her father, Ritchie, had touched her 'many times'.

Ritchie was arrested on March 8 and investigators said they found 10 videos and images on his cell phone that showed him 'sexually assaulting' his four-year-old and his one-year-old child.

Another video allegedly shows Mabel using her one-year-old son 'to engage in or assist her to engage in sexually explicit conduct'.

Mabel reportedly admitted to producing videos with the one-year-old in 2017 when she worked as a first-grade teacher at a school in Lansing, Michigan.

She claimed that she sent the videos and photos to Ritchie, who was living in Florida, because they 'sometimes incorporated role-play and fantasies of child sex abuse into their sexual relations,' the complaint reads.

Ritchie is married and has three children of his own, including a one-year-old. Authorities started investigating him after his wife told police that she was bathing her three children, when her four-year-old told her that Ritchie 'had touched her vulva'

On March 6, a Ritchie's daughter was interviewed. She told police that her father had touched her 'many times'. He was arrested on March 8 and police said they found 10 videos on his cell phone that showed him 'sexually assaulting' his four-year-old and his one-year-old child

According to a criminal complaint, the pair would also read stories to each other about sex between children and adults.

Their relationship ended in 2018 because Ritchie refused to leave his wife.

Ritchie has been charged with sexual battery on a child under 12. He has been booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility.

His arraignment is scheduled for April 23.

Mabel has been charged with producing and distributing child pornography.

Another video allegedly shows Mabel using her one-year-old son (left and right) 'to engage in or assist her to engage in sexually explicit conduct'. Mabel reportedly admitted to producing videos with the one-year-old in 2017 when she worked as a first-grade teacher in Michigan
It turned from nightmare to relief for one Colorado family who heard a crash in the night - only to find a furry surprise.

The family's guests thought someone had broken in to the Breckenridge home when they heard the sound of broken glass.

But when police arrived on the scene, it wasn't a burglar they discovered. It was an adult moose.

Scroll down for video

A Colorado family thought they were being robbed when they heard a crash in the night, only to find that it was a moose that had gotten into their home

The moose had been walking around outside the house in Breckenridge when it fell into a window well early Friday morning and crashed through into the basement

The moose had been walking outside the house when she fell into a window well early Friday morning.

She crashed through a window in the home's basement, waking up the family and their guests inside.

The moose did not suffer any major injuries and was able to walk around before finding herself a nice place to rest in one of the rooms of the home.

Video shows that the moose made a bit of a mess during her visit, but was calm when Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers arrived on the scene.

The officers tranquilized the moose so that they could move her through the home's tight stairwell.

CPW posted about the incident on Twitter, sharing videos and photos of the moose's visit

Video shows that the moose made a bit of a mess during her brief visit to the family's home as she searched for a comfortable place to rest

Officers from the Breckenridge Police Department and Red, White & Blue Fire District were also on hand to help.

'It's not easy to maneuver in a tight space while trying to carry such a large, heavy animal,' CPW Wildlife Manager Elissa Slezak in a statement.

'The team worked with us to haul the moose up the stairs and get it out of the house.'

After they got the moose upstairs, responding officers took her to a waiting trailer where the tranquilizer was successfully reversed. The moose was then released into prime moose habitat in Grand County.

CPW posted about the incident on Twitter, sharing videos and photos of the moose's visit.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers tranquilized the moose so that they could move her through the home's tight stairwell and into a waiting trailer (pictured)

The tranquilizer was then successfully reverse. The moose did not suffer any major injuries from her fall

The moose was then released into prime moose habitat in Grand County. CPW also recommended residents cover their window wells to keep out 'unexpected visitors'

'Think you're having a rough Friday? Homeowners and @BreckPolice were surprised this morning when a suspected home invasion turned out to be...an adult cow moose,' one tweet read.

'We were called in to take the lead on getting this trespasser out of the basement and into more suitable - though maybe a bit less comfortable - habitat.'

'After getting a quick glimpse of how the humans live, this moose will now be relocated to prime moose habitat.'

CPW also recommended that residents cover their window wells to keep 'unexpected visitors' from falling into their home.
Madeleine McCann's parents are 'furious' after a retired Portuguese detective repeated claims that they put their daughter's life at risk.

Gerry and Kate McCann, both 51, from Rothley in Leicestershire, were said to be livid that Goncalo Amaral has again said the three-year-old's life was endangered after the couple revealed the distinctive mark in her eye.

The abductor may have felt forced to kill the toddler after the mark was publicised, Mr Amaral, 59, suggested, due to her being easily identified.

Mr Amaral, who led the police investigation into the 2007 Praia de Luz disappearance, originally made the comments in a book he wrote in 2008.

But he has repeated them in Netflix documentary The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, which was released on Friday.

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Goncalo Amaral has again made claims Madeleine McCann's life was endangered by revealing her distinctive eye mark

Gerry and Kate McCann are said to be 'furious' after the claims were made in a Netflix documentary released on Friday

Three-year-old Madeleine McCann vanished from Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007

The tapas bar at the hotel the McCanns were staying at in Portugal when Madeleine went missing

'Mr Amaral doesn't seem to have any compassion for Kate and Gerry and is only interested in publicising himself,' a source told the Sunday People.

'To criticise them for doing everything they could to help find their daughter is insensitive in the extreme.

'If there is any defamatory content in there then, of course, they will consider what next steps need to be taken.'

A friend of the McCanns added: 'This documentary just regurgitates everything, the good and the bad, and frankly it doesn't take it on at all.

'That's what Kate and Gerry expected and is largely why they thought it wasn't going to help and didn't get involved.'

Still from the new documentary that has promised fresh theories into the girl's disappearance

A source close to Mr and Mrs McCann said: 'This documentary just regurgitates everything, the good and the bad, and frankly it doesn't take it on at all'

Apartment 5A at the Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz in Portugal was where Madeline went missing from 10 years ago on May 3

Madeleine was nearly four years old and the investigation into her disappearance is ongoing

In the eight-part documentary, Mr Amaral claimed: 'That birthmark made her stand out from all the other children.

'As a colleague of ours said, that mark was a "death mark" and if we make this public it can put the child at risk. It puts her survival at risk.'

Mr Amaral - who was kicked off the investigation after six months - is facing a libel fight with the McCanns after his book The Truth Of The Lie also claimed the parents made up the abduction story after Madeleine accidentally died in the flat.

The detective was not the only one to believe the McCanns were involved in their daughter's disappearance.

Child protection expert Jim Gamble said in the documentary he suspected Mr McCann and wife Kate 'from the very outset'  and even tried to get the father to 'do the right thing' and confess.

But the former head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre said he is now convinced the couple were innocent and devastated over their daughter.

Former head of Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre Jim Gamble (pictured in the documentary) said he is now convinced the couple were innocent and devastated over their daughter

Mr Gamble described how he helped Mr McCann write an appeal to Madeleine's abductor, urging them to let the child go and hand themselves in.

He said he hoped his words might prompt Mr McCann to act if he had been involved.

Mr Gamble said he advised Mr McCann to write his appeal 'along the lines that sometimes people make terrible mistakes in life they never intended, but ultimately it's never too late to do the right thing'.

He added: 'But in shaping that I was actually talking to Gerry. I think it was the only way of delivering that message or reflecting that thought  if something had happened, if it was a mistake, it's never too late to come out and stop all of this.'

Mr Gamble said his initial suspicion of the McCanns was based on his experience as a police officer, adding: 'Statistically it's likely to be the parents or somebody who's in close proximity with the child.'

But later knowledge of the case convinced him they were innocent, and he described Portuguese detectives' decision to name them as formal suspects in September 2007  a decision later lifted  as 'clutching at straws'.

The McCanns were asked to take part in the documentary by British company Pulse Films.

But the couple refused as they believed it 'could potentially hinder' the British police investigation.

It is understood they have not watched any episodes but their lawyers have.

The series producers were also turned down by the 'Tapas Seven' - who had been holidaying with the McCann family in 2007.
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One of New Zealand's largest Maori gangs has performed an emotional haka in a powerful tribute to the Christchurch massacre victims - as dozens of graves are prepared by families demanding they be allowed to bury their loved ones.

The poignant moment on Sunday saw around ten members of Black Power, which was first formed in 1970, gather near to the police cordon at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch to perform the ceremonial dance.

The group were surrounded by mourners who had gathered at a flower vigil to pay their respects to the victims of Friday's terror attack.

It comes as counter-terrorism police have raided two homes as part of investigations into the Christchurch terrorist attack.

The homes were in New South Wales (NSW) where the accused gunman, Brenton Tarrant, grew up, though he has spent most of the last decade overseas.

The Australian Federal Police and NSW Police said in a joint statement: 'The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand Police in their ongoing investigation.'

The poignant moment saw around ten members of Black Power perform the haka (pictured)

Dozens of graves were being dug by workers at a Christchurch cemetery for the worshippers killed in Friday's terror attack

A gang spokesman, who did not want to be named, said that 'no words' could explain how hurt people were feeling.

'Even though people call us a gang and what not, we live in this community together and it has just brought everyone together, it doesn't matter what you wear or what colour your skin is, or what you stand for, your religion, it's just brought everyone together like the earthquakes,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

The unidentified spokesman also said that the type of extremism exhibited in the recent attack had been around for 'decades' and people need to be wary.

'That [white power extremism] has been here for years, it's been here for decades, every respect for a person who shows who they are but others hide behind something. Those are the people you have to be aware about and careful about because they do not express how they feel, they just blow up and something like this is the result,' he said.

Meanwhile dozens of graves were being dug in a Christchurch cemetery as families clamoured for the return of their dead.

Coroners said they hoped to let grieving relatives fulfil Islamic burial customs soon, but insisted they had to move carefully through their investigation into the horrific terror attack.

Black Power member said the haka was a showing of honour and respect to those that had been suffering, and to give them strength

Mourners were pictured standing across the road from the mosque in Christchurch, in New Zealand's south island

The unidentified spokesman for Black Power also said that the type of extremism exhibited in the recent attack had been around for 'decades'

Another member of the gang, Shane Turner, said the Black Power group members were suffering alongside everyone else.

'It is sad today and going to be sad tomorrow and this is about the only time we can all be together collectively,' he said.

He added the haka was a showing of honour and respect to those that had been suffering, and to give them strength.

The tribute comes shortly after members of another renowned gang, the Mongrel Mob, were captured consoling each other after the Christchurch terror attack as Prime Minister Jacinda Arden met families of the victims.

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden speaks with a woman during a visit to the Canterbury Refugee Centre in Christchurch

Members of the Mongrel Mob (pictured) descended at Hagley College, in Christchurch, where Jacinda Arden arrived at about 1pm to greet hundreds of survivors, family members and mourners

Ms Arden hugs a member of Christchurch's Muslim community on Saturday afternoon

Ms Arden wore a black headscarf to pay her respect.

She told reporters on Saturday afternoon that authorities were focusing on returning victims to their families so they could properly mourn.

The Prime Minister spoke with families at Hagley Park who were desperately trying to locate their missing relatives.

'Hagley Park, very much the focus on them was being able to access their loved ones,' she said.

'Front of mind for them, of course, is fulfilling their religious expectations and that is burial.'

Ms Arden had also spoken with Muslim leaders at the refugee centre.

Ms Arden, who visited Canterbury Refugee Centre in Christchurch, wore a black headscarf to pay her respect

Ms Arden had also spoken with Muslim leaders at the refugee centre

Ms Arden spoke to a number of survivors who shared their experiences, including one man who said a bullet scraped him

Mongrel Mob are an organised street gang in New Zealand based across the country

'At the meeting at the refugee centre, their community leaders shared the same sentiment that has come through from New Zealanders generally that,' she said.

'This is not the New Zealand they know.'

'This is not the New Zealand that has welcomed them and that it is not a reflection of the New Zealand they know, and that sentiment came through very strongly.'

Ms Arden spoke to a number of survivors who shared their experiences, including one man who said a bullet scraped him.

The street gang was seen dressed in jackets, vests and t-shirts with the mongrel logo

They are seen greeting other mourners at Hagley College on Saturday afternoon

A father who thought New Zealand was a 'safe place to raise a family' and a tourist visiting his son: Fresh details about the 50 innocent victims of the Christchurch mosque massacre emerge

by Lauren Ferri and Alex Chapman

Nearly three days since the horrific terror attack in Christchurch which left 50 worshippers dead, new details about the innocent victims are emerging.

On Friday, 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant allegedly went on a shooting rampage at two mosques and gunned down dozens of innocent people including children, a student pilot, a design engineer and a health care worker.

As of Monday morning, only one person remained missing and the remaining 49 victims had been identified.

They include, Junaid Ismail, 36, who left behind a wife, three young children and a mother who relied on him to care for her.

Another, Ansi Alibava, 25, was eagerly awaiting her graduation ceremony from her masters degree in May, while Hussein Al-Umari, 36, was a regular at the Masjid Al Noor mosque.

Nearly three days since the horrific terror attack in Christchurch which left 50 worshippers dead, new details about the innocent victims are emerging

Ozair Kadir (pictured), 24, was a student pilot at the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand and had been in Christchurch for just a year when he was killed on Friday

Syed Jahandad Ali, 43, from Pakistan was one of the 50 victims killed in the terror attack in Christchurch on Friday

Maheboob Allarakha Khokhar (left), 65, who was due to return to India on Sunday after visiting his son in Christchurch and Husna Ara Parvin (right), who was reportedly gunned down as she tried to save her quadriplegic husband from the shooter

Ashraf Ali (pictured) a respected imam at the Masjid Al Noor mosque who was originally from Fiji, is also thought to be among the dead

Also among the dead is Tariq Omar, 24, who is remembered for his kind and humble nature and was a former student of Cashmere High School in Christchurch.

Kamel Darwish, 38, who moved to Christchurch from Jordan six months ago and was awaiting the arrival of his wife and three children - was convinced to go to New Zealand by his brother, who had lived there since 2007 and said it was a 'safe place to raise a family'.

Sixty-year-old Abdelfattah Qasem, from Palestine, was also killed on Friday at the Masjid Al Noor mosque - he was the Muslim Association of Canterbury's former secretary.

Another among the dead is Musa Vali Suleman Patel, 60, who was visiting Christchurch to see his son and was a highly respected leader of the Fiji Muslim League - he left behind his wife Saira Bibi Patel, three daughters and two sons.

Ramiz Arifbhai Vora, 28, and his father Arifbhai Mohamedali Vora, 58, were both shot dead on Friday.

The 28-year-old lived and worked in Christchurch and had a baby daughter a week before he was killed in the vicious attack - his father was visiting him from India at the time.

Syed Areeb Ahmed (pictured), 26, from Karachi, Pakistan lost his life in the horrific shooting attacks in Christchurch on Friday

Linda Armstrong (left), 65, and Tariq Omar, 24, were also brutally killed by the shooter on Friday in Christchurch

Sixty-year-old Abdelfattah Qasem from Palestine was also killed on Friday at the Masjid Al Noor mosque - he was the Muslim Association of Canterbury's former secretary

Ali Elmadani (right), 65, was a retired engineer who immigrated to New Zealand in 1998. Sohail Shahid (left), from Pakistan was also killed

Ozair Kadir, 24, was a student pilot at the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand and had been in Christchurch for just a year when he was killed on Friday.

Another among the victims is Maheboob Allarakha Khokhar, 65, who was due to return to India on Sunday after visiting his son in Christchurch.

Four-year-old Abdullahi Dirie was also named among the dead after both he and his father Adan were shot at one of the mosques, while four of his siblings escaped unhamed.

Abdullah's family fled Somalia in the 1990s and made New Zealand their home, he was the youngest in his family.

Before he was brutally killed, Amjad Hamid, 57, was a senior Medical Officer and Rural Hospital Consultant at Hawera Hospital who has been remembered for his kindness, compassion and sense of humour.

National-level futsal player Atta Elayyan (right) was reportedly killed on Friday. He is being remembered as an 'inspiration'

A recently identified victim is 38-year-old Kamel Darwish who moved to New Zealand from Jordan six months ago (pictured)

Ramiz Arifbhai Vora (left), 28, and his father Arifbhai Mohamedali Vora (right), 58, were both shot dead by the gunman on Friday.

Mohammed Omar Faruk (pictured), 36, from Bangladesh was shot dead on Friday at the mosque attacks in Christchurch

Another among the victims is Mounir Soliman, 68, from Egypt who was a design engineer working at Scotts Engineering in Christchurch since 1997.

Zeehan Raza, 38, is also among those killed and was a mechanical engineer who moved to New Zealand from Pakistan in 2018 - both he and his parents Ghulam Hussain and Karam Bibi, were killed at the Linwood Masjid mosque.

Another believed to be among the dead is Bangladeshi Husna Parvin, who was reportedly gunned down as she tried to save her wheelchair-bound quadriplegic husband from the shooter.

Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim died in the arms of his father and brother, who only survived because he played dead.

Mucad Ibrahim was attending Friday prayers with his father and older brother Abdi Ibrahim when a gunman stormed the al Noor mosque in Christchurch and opened fire on the worshippers.

It's believed that at the time of the horrific attack, Mucad ran from the gunman while his father and brother played dead.

Ansi Alibava (pictured) came to New Zealand to pursue a Master of Agribusiness Management at Lincoln University

Lilik Abdul Hamid, 58, from Medan, Indonesia (pictured), who died in the mosque left behind two children

Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim (left) was also named among the dead after he passed away in the arms of his father and brother, who only survived because he played dead. Cardiologist Amjad Hamid (right) was mowed down after moving to New Zealand 23 years ago because he wanted a better future for himself and his wife

Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim (left) was also named among the dead after he passed away in the arms of his father and brother, who only survived because he played dead. Cardiologist Amjad Hamid (right) was mowed down after moving to New Zealand 23 years ago because he wanted a better future for himself and his wife

Haji Daoud Nabi (pictured), 71, a father-of-five and retired engineer, moved to New Zealand from Afghanistan in 1977 and set up a new life as one of the 'first Muslims in New Zealand'. He is thought to be among the dead in the Christchurch shooting

Khaled Mustafa (pictured) arrived in New Zealand only a few months ago from Syria with his family, his son Hamza, 16 also died

VICTIMS OF THE NEW ZEALAND MOSQUE MASSACRES As of 2am AEDT Monday Mucad Ibrahim, 3 Abdullahi Dirie, 4 Sayyad Milne, 14 Khaled Mustafa, 45, and son Hamza, 16 Naeem Rashid and his son Talha, 21 Tariq Omar, 24 Ozair Kadir, 24 Syed Areeb Ahmed, 26 Ansi Alibava, 25 Ramiz Vora, 28 Farhaj Ahsan, 30 Mojammel Hoq, 30 Atta Elayyan, 33 Hussein Al-Umari, 36 Mohammed Omar Faruk, 36 Junaid Ismail, 36 Osama Adnan Abu Kwik, 37 Zeehan Raza, 38 Kamel Darwish, 39 Dr Haroon Mahmood, 40 Husne Ara Parvin, 42 Syed Jahandad Ali, 43 Mohammad Imran Kahn, 47 Mathullah Safi, 55 Amjad Hamid, 57 Lilik Abdul Hamid, 58 Arifbhai Mohamedali Vora, 58 Ghulam Hussain, in his 60s Karam Bibi, in her 60s Musa Vali Suleman Patel, 60 Abdelfattah Qasem, 60 Ashraf Ali, 61 Mohsin Al-Harbi, 63 Linda Armstrong, 65 Maheboob Khokhar, 65 Muhammed Abdusi Samad, 66 Ali Elmadani, 66 Mounir Soliman, 68 Ahmad Gamaluddin Abdel Ghani, 68 Hussein Moustafa, 70 Abdukadir Elmi, 70 Haji-Daoud Nabi, 71 Still Missing: Zakaria Bhuiyan Advertisement

Osama Adnan Abu Kwik, 37, from Palestine (pictured) was in the process of applying for New Zealand citizenship when he was killed

Mojammel Hoq, 30, from Bangladesh (left) and Musa Vali Suleman Patel, 60, from Fiji (right) also died in the shooting on Friday

Talha Naeem, 21, (pictured) was shot at the Masjid Al Noor in Deans Ave, his father was also killed on Friday

Hussein Al-Umari, 35, (pictured) was a regular at the Masjid Al Noor in Deans Ave, Christchurch, where he was killed

Muhammed Abdusi Samad, 66, from Bangladesh (pictured) was a lecturer at Lincoln University and frequently led prayers at the Masjid Al Noor in Deans Ave

Naeem Rashid (pictured), from Abbottabad in Pakistan, was hailed a hero after he tried to wrestle the gun from the Christchurch shooter on Friday. But he was badly wounded after sadly died later in hospital

Cashmere High School student Sayyad Milne (pictured), 14, who was at Friday prayers when the shooting started, is believed to be dead. Although it's not been officially confirmed, his father has spoken of his loss

Dr Haroon Mahmood (pictured) leaves a wife and two children aged 13 and 11

A spokesman for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that five Pakistani citizens are missing (pictured missing person Syed Jahandad Ali)

At least one Jordanian was killed in the attacks and two are critical among the eight injured, Jordan's Foreign Ministry announced

A woman (pictured) was seen distressed outside a community center near Masjid Al Noor in Christchurch, and said her husband has been missing since Friday's mosque attack

United in Grief: Emotional scenes as New Zealand Prime Minister hugs mourners at mosque after white supremacist massacred 50 Muslims - while the gunman's grandmother tells of her shock at killing spree

by James Wood

There were emotional scenes outside a New Zealand mosque today as the country's Prime Minister embraced crowds - just days after a shooter massacred dozens of worshipers at Friday prayer.

Jacinda Ardern, 38, visited the Kilbirnie mosque to comfort those affected by the tragic shooting which saw 50 worshipers including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman shot dead as they prayed.

White supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 28, live-streamed the sickening attack on Facebook in which he allegedly killed dozens of Muslims during Friday prayers using four guns at two mosques in Christchurch.

He subsequently appeared smirking in court charged with murder on Saturday morning, after allegedly opening fire inside the Al Noor Mosque before driving to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continuing his rampage.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hugs a mosque-goer at the Kilbirnie Mosque on Sunday, as she meets with members of the Islamic community

Ms Ardern (pictured with a mosque-goer) visited the Wellington based mosque to pay her respects and comfort those affected by the tragedy - New Zealand's worst ever mass shooting

The Prime Minister lays a wreath at the mosque, as 50 people are confirmed dead following the tragic shooting including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman

Ms Ardern was greeted by members of the Islamic community as she visited the Kilbirnie Mosque. Her visit comes days after a shooter massacred dozens of worshipers at Friday prayer at two mosques in Christchurch

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and finance minister Grant Robertson look on at the Kilbirnie Mosque, among hundreds of other mourners who arrived to pay their respects

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and finance minister Grant Robertson look on at the Kilbirnie Mosque, among hundreds of other mourners who arrived to pay their respects

Ms Ardem hugs and consoles a woman as she visits Kilbirnie Mosque to lay flowers among tributes to the Christchurch attack on Friday. She is among a visibly emotional crowd, who have turned out to pay their respects following the tragic shooting

A makeshift memorial has been set up at the Kilbirnie Mosque, where Ms Ardern met with members of the Islamic community to pay her respects. Hundreds have left flowers at the memorial, where mourners gathered today

It has now emerged that his extremist views may have been fueled by a trip to Britain, which he made during a two-month-tour of Europe.

With The Sunday Telegraph quoting a senior government source as saying he 'transitted' through Britain in 2017, staying 'for a few weeks'.

The newspaper claims that in the summer of 2017, Tarrant hired a car in eastern France where he visited war graves, before heading to the UK possibly by ferry.

And now foreign agencies including MI5 are investigating Tarrant as CCTV emerged of him travelling in Turkey, with Ankara on Friday saying it was investigating Tarrant's multiple visits to Turkey, and who he might have met while he was there during an 'extended period of time in the country.'

The Bulgarian government has also said it was looking into Tarrant, who apparently visited the country late last year, as well as Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Tarrant is said to have set off on a journey around the world in 2011, following the death of his father Rodney, taking in Turkey in 2016, as well as the Balkans and Pakistan in late last year.

Tarrant claimed in a so-called 'manifesto' to have made money trading Bitcoin, enabling him to travel the world. He is said to have visited a wide range of countries including North Korea, Japan and India.

In the United Kingdom yesterday, a man was arrested for posting support for the terror attack on social media, as police warn of more far-right extremists in the country.

Greater Manchester Police arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sending malicious communications, as The Sunday Times revealed a secret Cabinet Office assessment which said the far right could pose a greater threat than Islamist terrorism in some parts of Britain.

Mourners also gathered outside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch on Sunday to lay flowers and tributes to the dead. A St John Ambulance member is seen here laying flowers outside the mosque - where a shooter slaughtered worshipers during Friday afternoon prayer

Mourners also gathered outside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch on Sunday to lay flowers and tributes to the dead. A St John Ambulance member is seen here laying flowers outside the mosque - where a shooter slaughtered worshipers during Friday afternoon prayer

A large pile of tributes begins to form outside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, one of the locations where Australian Brenton Tarrant is said to have opened fire on worshippers at Friday prayer

Mourners were visibly emotional as they lay tributes outside the Al Noor mosque. The shooter allegedly opened fire inside the Al Noor Mosque on Friday before driving to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continuing his rampage

A large pile of flowers and cards has formed outside the Al Noor mosque. On Friday white supremacist Brenton Tarrant is said to have filmed a sickening attack on Facebook in which he allegedly killed dozens of Muslims during Friday prayers using four guns at two mosques in Christchurch

Mourners have gathered to pay their respects following the tragic shooting on Friday. The attack was broadcast in horrifying, live video which showed the suspect wielding at least two rifles. It followed the publication of a 73-page manifesto in which Tarrant laid out his racist, anti-immigrant views

The Prime Minister's appearance in Wellington comes as Tarrant's grandmother, Marie Fitzgerald, 81, joined Brenton Tarrant's grandfather Joyce in voicing her incredulity that her grandson was potentially capable of murder.

Speaking for the first time on Sunday from her living room in New South Wales, Mrs Fitzgerald said she was 'gobsmacked' when she learnt of the Christchurch attacks.

'It's just so much for everyone to take in that somebody in our family would do anything like this,' she told Nine News.

Mrs Fitzgerald described an adolescent Tarrant as a computer enthusiast who didn't pay much attention to girls growing up.

She said he would focus on the 'ins and outs' of a computer because talking to girls was 'too hard'.

Regardless, she said he was a 'normal, happy child' growing up in Grafton.

She said his father's death at the hands of cancer in 2010 'took its toll' and prompted seven years of travelling through Europe and Asia.

'The media are saying he's planned it for a long time so he's not of sound mind.

'It's only since he travelled overseas, I think, that that boy has changed.'

Grandmother of Brenton, Marie Fitzgerald (pictured) says her grandson was a computer enthusiast uninterested in girls growing up

Joyce Tarrant, 94, said the alleged cold-blooded killer who filmed himself gunning down Muslims during Friday prayers was not the grandson she knew

Mrs Fitzgerald sat alongside Tarrant's uncle, who apologised to the families of the victims.

'We are so sorry for the families over there, for the dead and the injured. We just want to go home and hide.'

Tarrant's grandmother from the other side of his family, Joyce, told Daily Mail Australia he was a 'good boy' who most recently visited over Christmas.

The news of the attacks devastated the Grafton community, particularly Brenton's mother Sharon.

She was in class teaching a double-period of English when her son allegedly went on his shooting rampage.

After receiving calls from journalists on Friday afternoon, the Maclean High School teacher had to be pulled out of class and told of her son's alleged act.

It is believed Tarrant's sister Lauren has gone into police protection alongside Sharon after being interviewed by counter-terrorism police on Friday.

Brenton Tarrant was arrested after allegedly gunning down dozens of worshippers on Friday



Daily Mail Australia witnessed Sharon's pet dog left on the family's front porch near a pair of empty food bowls.

The alleged shooter's family approached police as soon as they recognised his face on TV coverage of the attacks, NSW officers said on Saturday.

Joyce said Tarrant visited his family in Grafton, in northern NSW, twice a year.

Joyce said the whole family was struggling with the news.

'We're just doing the best we can,' she said at the door of her weatherboard house under the huge bridge that links Grafton's north and south.

Joyce said her grandson showed no signs of extremist ideology when she last spoke with him.

Elsewhere in the riverbank town of about 22,000 people, locals were uneasy being at the centre of international attention.

Grafton is famous for its picturesque jacaranda trees, but now also for the evil that grew up there.

'This has put Grafton on the map, but not in a good way. We had enough to worry about,' one local said.

'Tears, shock horror and shame that such evil is associated with not only our country but our home town, another said.

'I feel so terrible for the people and families affected by this evil act of terrorism.'

Flanked by two much taller armed security officers, Tarrant smiled faintly as he stood behind a small glass barrier which came up just above his eyes.

Tarrant attended a local high school and then worked as a personal trainer at the local Big River Squash and Fitness Centre from 2010.

But following his father Rodney's death after a battle with cancer, he allegedly began to turn towards extremism.

A woman who knew Tarrant through the gym said before his father's death he had never spoken about religion or his beliefs.

'From the conversations we had about life he didn't strike me as someone who had any interest in that or extremist views,' she said.

'But I know he's been travelling since he left Grafton. He has been travelling overseas, anywhere and everywhere.

'I would say it's something in the nature of his travels, something he's been around.

'I know he's been to lots of different countries trying to experience lots of different things in life and I would say something's happened in that time in his travels.'

Tarrant grew up in a picture-perfect house (shown above) in Grafton in the Northern River region of Australia's New South Wales

Tarrant previously worked as a personal trainer at Big River Squash and Fitness Centre in his hometown of Grafton.

Prosecutors in Bulgaria have launched a probe into Tarrant's recent travel to the country.

He visited Bulgaria between November 9 and 15 last year, claiming he wanted 'to visit historical sites and study the history of the Balkan country', according to Bulgaria's public prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov.

Tsatsarov said he hoped the inquiry would establish if this was 'correct or if he had other objectives'.

Turkish border authorities are also examining two trips by Tarrant to the country in 2016, CCTV footage capturing him walking through the airport in March, 2016.

A senior Turkish official says Tarrant spent an 'extended period of time in the country' across multiple trips.

He says the suspect may have also traveled on to countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The official says an investigation is underway of 'the suspect's movements and contacts within the country'.

Tarrant faced Christchurch District Court on Saturday morning where he was charged with one count of murder.

Flanked by two much taller armed security officers, Tarrant smiled faintly as he stood behind a small glass barrier which came up just above his eyes.

Police allege that Tarrant began his shooting rampage at the Al Noor Masjid Mosque in the city's east, before driving across town to the Linwood Masjid Mosque and again opening fire

Hundreds have taken to the streets near the mosques to march and pay tribute to the victims



From behind the glass window he made a white power gesture to those inside the court room.

Police allege that after opening fire inside the Al Noor Mosque Tarrant drove to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continued his rampage.

Short of stature with a stocky build, with thinning hair and beady brown eyes, Tarrant stood squarely in place throughout the entire hearing.

He swivelled his torso around to repeatedly glance at the media, at District Court Judge Paul Kaller and out the windows of the Christchurch District Court.

At the beginning of the hearing he appeared to have a faint smile on his face, but it faded into a neutral expression as the hearing continued.

He has been charged with one count of murder but police say many more charges are expected to be laid when he appears in the High Court on April 5.

The hearing was over within minutes, with Tarrant taking one final look at those gathered and marched away.
Beto O'Rourke claims he's not at any disadvantage at all being a white male in the crowded Democratic presidential primary field after conceding it would 'very difficult' not to have a woman as his running mate.

'I would never begin by saying I'm at any disadvantage at all,' he told NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday when asked.

'As a white man who has had privileges that others could not depend on or take for granted, I've clearly had advantages over the course of my life. I think recognizing that and understanding that others have not, doing everything I can to ensure that there is opportunity and the possibility for advancement and advantage for everyone is a big part of this campaign and a big part of the people who comprise this campaign,' he added.

Beto O'Rourke claims he's not at any disadvantage at all being a white male in the crowded Democratic presidential primary field

He also said it would 'very difficult' not to have a woman as his running mate

He also praised the diversity of the 14 candidates running for the right to take on President Donald Trump in 2020.

'I just think that this is the best field that we've ever seen in the nominating process. I think the diversity of background, and experience, expertise that is going to be brought to bear on these problems is exceptional. And I know at the end of the day we're all going to be on the same team and I'm excited about that,' he noted.

O'Rourke announced his presidential ambitions on Thursday and headed for the early caucus state of Iowa, where he had to apologize for a series of gaffes, including his joke that his wife raises their three children practically on her own.

He said on Saturday it would be 'very difficult' not to select a woman to be his running mate if he wins the nomination.

'It would be very difficult not to select a woman with so many extraordinary women who are running right now,' he said during a campaign stop in Dubuque, Iowa.

'But first I would have to win,' he said. 'You know, this is as open as it has ever been.'

There are five women competing against him for the Democratic nomination: Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar along with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

Speaking on the podcast Political Party LIVE! in Cedar Rapids, he admitted he was wrong for joking that his wife raised the family only 'sometimes with my help', which had sparked outrage among female politicians and activists.

'Not only will I not say that again, but I'll be more thoughtful going forward in the way that I talk about our marriage, and also the way in which I acknowledge the truth of the criticism that I have enjoyed white privilege,' O'Rourke said.

He acknowledged that the 'criticism is right on' and said his controversial statement was his 'ham-handed attempt to highlight the fact that Amy has the lion's share of the burden in our family'.

'She actually works but is the primary parent in our family, especially when I served in Congress, especially when I was on the campaign trail,' he said.

He and Amy married in 2005 after meeting on a blind date and have two sons and a daughter tougher.

Kamala Harris

As are Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

O'Rourke announced his White House bid on Thursday after months of speculation with a three-minute video where his wife Amy sits silently at his side clinging onto his arm.

He quickly faced backlash over perceived odd mannerisms, with critics like President Donald Trump mocking him as crazy for his excessive hand gestures and Dr. Drew Pinsky, the host of The Celebrity Rehab, saying 'there's something not right' about O'Rourke.

Oddsmakers currently show O'Rourke in fourth for the nomination, after Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden.
This is the terrifying moment that a Polish lorry driver causes a massive crash by careering into the side of an unwitting driver's car, forcing them into crash barriers.

The dashcam footage, which was shared by Thames Valley Police, shows the driver of a white Volkswagen Sirocco sitting in the middle lane of the M1 motorway.

The lorry next to them, driven by Zbigniew Kaczorowski, 55, from Poland, then tries to turn into the lane and instead crashes into the side of the car, near its rear wheel.

This is the terrifying moment that Polish lorry driver Zbigniew Kaczorowski, 55, causes a massive crash by careering into the side of an unwitting driver's car on the M1 motorway

This forces the car to turn sharply sideways in front of the lorry and into the crash barriers.

The VW is then forced between the barriers and the side of the lorry as it spins out of control, with its bumper and debris flying everywhere.

But the car then comes to a halt in the busy inside lane and is hit by a following lorry, which is fortunately able to slow enough to avoid another big impact.

The driver of the car, a VW Sirroco is in the middle lane of the motorway as Kaczorowski tries to change into their lane. Instead, he crashes into the side of the car, near its rear wheel. This forces the car to turn sharply sideways in front of the lorry and into the crash barriers, sending debris and the car's bumper flying into the air

The stricken driver of the VW did not suffer life-threatening injuries in the crash, which happened between junctions 15 and 14 of the M1 near Milton Keynes.

However, the motorway was closed for three hours because of the carnage.

Kaczorowski pleaded guilty to careless driving on March 11 and was uninjured in the crash.

Police also warned drivers to check their blind spots before changing lanes.
An eight-year-old boy who fled Nigeria with his family and is now living in a homeless shelter in New York City while his asylum application pends has been crowned the state's chess champion for his age group.

Tanitoluwa Adewumi won the state tournament for his group, from kindergarten through third grade, last weekend.

The boy and his family fled their home in Nigeria in 2017 in fear for their lives and have been living in a homeless shelter ever since while their application for asylum pends.

Tanitoluwa Adewumi won the state tournament for kindergarten through third grade last weekend. He is pictured with his trophy

Tani, as he is known to family and friends, plays chess at the elementary school he attends and practices every night in the shelter.

His father Kayode drives for Uber and is also a real estate broker.

The family moved to the US to escape Boko Haram, a terrorist group responsible for atrocious attacks against Africans.

Because they are devout Christians, they feared they would be targeted.

Tani and his siblings became enrolled in local elementary schools not long after they arrived and he discovered the chess club.

His mother Oluwatoyin emailed them to say that while they could not afford to pay the fees attached, he was eager to participate.

Tani only started playing chess in 2017 after his family fled Nigeria to live in the US

Tani's father Kayode drives for Uber and is also a real estate broker. They are pictured with his mother Oluwatoyin and older sibling

Tani now wants to be the youngest grandmaster New York has ever seen

The club waived the fees to encourage him.

Not only does Tani play with them, but he also attends a free, three-hour practice session in Harlem every Saturday to master his game. At night, he uses his father's laptop to practice.

Now, he wants to be the youngest grandmaster 'ever', he told The New York Times.

Russ Makofsy, who runs the chess club in which Tani plays, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the boy's family.

He said it was astonishing how much Tani had improved in just a year.

'One year to get to this level, to climb a mountain and be the best of the best, without family resources.

'Ive never seen it,' he told The Times.

The GoFundMe page has nearly raised $12,000 of its $25,000 goal.
A missing Iowa man who disappeared while hiking at a national park in Utah was found dead on Friday after falling 500 feet to his death, authorities say.

Jonathan Hogue, 33, was a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa and an avid hiker who vanished while hiking in the Canyonlands National Park in Utah on Tuesday.

Three days later following an exhaustive search effort his body was found at the base of the Green River Overlook.

The body of missing hiker Jonathan Hogue, 33, was found on Friday after he went missing on Tuesday during his hike at the Canyonlands National Park in Utah

Authorities believe he fell 500 feet to his death off one of the many peaks there, the San Juan County Sheriff's office said in a news release.

His car was located at the Overlook on March 10, 2019 and his body was later found about 500 below it.

Officials said Hogue did not leave his trip itinerary with anyone.

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident.

Authorities believe he fell 500 feet to his death at the Green River Overlook, the San Juan County Sheriff's office said in a news release

The Green River overlook pictured above. Hogue was known to be an experience hiker with a passion for long distance hikes and going off trail

Hogue was an experienced hiker who liked long distance and off-trail hikes and had a dream of becoming a park ranger one day.

The Green River Overlook is an easy hike, according to AllTrails, that features peaks and deep canyons below.

At the University of Iowa he was earning a PhD in geography, loved the outdoors, and enjoyed drawing and painting.

'Our thoughts are with Jonathan Hogues family and friends. Jonathan is a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa. We are monitoring the situation and will offer support as needed,' the school tweeted Friday.

Hogue's heartbroken sisters Bianca and Angela Natole paid tribute to him on Facebook on Saturday.

Hogue's heartbroken sister Bianca Natole paid tribute to him on Facebook on Saturday

Sister Angela Natole also lamented her brother's death on Facebook writing 'Buddy was an angel just passing through'

Hogue and his sisters Bianca (right) and Angela (left) pictured above

'Buddy was so patient, talented, creative, goofy, kind, and full of life. I learned so much from him about life and about myself. He was a brother, friend, supporter, and inspiration to me, and I will miss him more than words can express,' Natole wrote.

'Thank you so much to everyone who helped in our search for him. The support and prayers my family has received are very much appreciated,' she added.

His sister Angela remembered Hogue as 'an angel just passing through', adding 'his families were lucky enough to know and love him'.
A DNA breakthrough has led to the arrest of a man in the cold case murders of two Alabama teens 20 years ago.

Coley McCraney, 45, was arrested on Saturday for the murders of Tracie Hawlett and J.B. Beasley.

The two 17-year-old girls were found dead in the trunk of J.B.'s car in 1999, a day after being reported missing by their families. They vanished on their way home from party in Ozark, Alabama.

Tracie Hawlett (left) and J.B. Beasley (right), both 17, were found dead in J.B.'s car in 1999. Their bodies had been put in the trunk and they had both been shot in the head

Coley McCraney, 45, was arrested on Saturday for the murders. Police matched DNA found at the scene to some that had been submitted by one of his relatives as part of a voluntary ancestry research program

Both girls had been shot once in the head and one of them had been raped.

Police collected DNA from the scene but for years they have been unable to find a match to a potential suspect.

However, a recent search found a match to one of McCraney's relatives who had voluntarily submitted their DNA to find out more about their ancestry.

Investigators traced it back to the man, who now lives in a different city but who once lived where the girls' bodies were found.

The girls' bodies were found in the trunk of J.B.'s vehicle. Above is the crime scene in 1999

McCraney was taken into custody at around 6.30pm on Saturday. No additional details about his arrest or his life were immediately available.

The girls' families, who have been desperately looking for answers for years, have not yet commented on his arrest.

It is not yet known which of McCraney's relatives' DNA led police to him.

He has been charged with two counts of murder and one count of rape.

The teenage girls' families believe they had gotten lost on their way home from the party they were at and stopped at a gas station when they were attacked.
Prince Harry will take two weeks paternity leave when his baby with the Duchess of Sussex is born.

The royal is expected to take a break from official engagements in order to help his wife look after their baby because 'it's a very modern Dad thing to do'.

Meghan could give birth as soon as next week if she has her baby prematurely and medics are watching the 37-year-old closely.

Prince Harry is expected to take a break from official engagements in order to help his wife the Duchess of Sussex look after their baby because 'it's a very modern Dad thing to do'

It is thought an excited Prince Harry has already created a playlist for the birth featuring Handel's Eternal Source of Light Divine, which Meghan walked down the aisle to, and Circle of Life by Elton John

But as soon as the baby is born Harry is expected to take time away to fully support his wife.

A friend of Harry's told the Express: 'He doesn't need to take paternity leave because he doesn't work in the way most people do, but he thinks it's a very modern Dad thing to do.'

Harry's last paid job was as a captain in the army for ten years with his commission ending in 2015.

Now the royal's duties are co-funded by the Queen and the Prince of Wales.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'I'm sure Her Majesty will accommodate a break from duties.'

Shared Parental Leave was first introduced in 2015 when for the first time women could transfer some of their maternity leave to their partners for the two weeks after they gave birth or adopted a child.

But while mothers can claim up to 145.18 a week for 52 weeks, fathers are only entitled to a maximum of two weeks leave.

And as few as two per cent of eligible new parents took shared parental leave last year, according to Government figures.

Olga FitzRoy, founder of Parental Pay Equality, told MailOnline: 'We think its incredibly important for fathers to be involved in the care of their children from day one, both to bond with their babies and gain confidence and skills in childcare, and of course to support the mothers in the early days.

'We are pleased that Prince Harry is taking paternity leave, but would remind readers that 100,000 dads every year get no paternity or parental leave whatsoever as they are self-employed.

'Its time the government caught up and introduced paternity & shared parental leave for all dads, because unequal caring responsibilities are one of the main contributors to the gender pay gap.'

Until the royal couple's baby is born medics will regularly test the Duchess of Sussex for high-blood pressure and protein in urine to check for any conditions.

One potentially deadly illness, pre-eclaspsia, is common in pregnant women over the age of 35.

But it can lead to stroke, heart failure and threaten the life of an unborn child.

Dr Amin Gorgy, fertility consultant at The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, told the Express: 'Meghan, and older mothers in general above the age of 35, have an increased risk of giving birth early.

'According to a very large Canadian study, women aged between 35 and 39 are 35 per cent more likely to go into premature labour than women aged 30 to 34.'
An African-American woman who took over the helm of a small-town Alabama newspaper that recently called for the Ku Klux Klan to 'ride again' has stepped down after just a few weeks in the position.

Elecia R. Dexter told The New York Times on Friday that she stepped down because of continuing interference from the newspaper's owner who had published the KKK editorial.

Dexter said she wanted to maintain her 'integrity and well-being'.

'I would have liked it to turn out a different way, but it didn't,' Dexter, 46, told the newspaper.

'This is a hard one because it's sad - so much good could have come out of this.'

Last month, Dexter replaced Goodloe Sutton, 80, as editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter of Linden.

Elecia R. Dexter (pictured) who took over as editor for Alabama newspaper, Democrat-Reporter, that called for the KKK to 'ride again' has stepped down, citing interference from the paper's former editor Goodloe Sutton

Last month, Dexter replaced Sutton (pictured), 80, as editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter of Linden

Dexter took over after a firestorm erupted when Sutton wrote and published an editorial that began: 'Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again' (pictured)

Dexter took over after a firestorm erupted when Sutton wrote and published an editorial that began: 'Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again.'

The editorial said 'Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama,' so the Klan should raid their communities.

It was one of many incendiary and racially insensitive editorials published by the paper.

Upon resigning as editor and publisher of the paper, Sutton said: 'I can drink beer and chase women now. They can't run too fast, or I can't catch them.'

Dexter's appointment was heralded as a positive in the small Alabama town.

She said she hoped her appointment would let the community know 'this is everybody's paper'.

At the time, Dexter, whose family is from rural Marengo County, where Linden is located near the Mississippi line, said she began working at the paper earlier this year and has a good working relationship with Goodloe.

Dexter said: 'I told him there were some different ways you could have made your point.'

Since that editorial was published, the paper has received emails from those who supported what Sutton wrote and others who were 'disgusted' by his statements,' she said.

But Dexter told the Times last week that Sutton, who had retained ownership of the paper, has continually interfered in operations.

Upon resigning as editor and publisher of the paper, Sutton said: 'I can drink beer and chase women now. They can't run too fast, or I can't catch them'

Before resigning, Sutton suggested in an interview that lynchings should be a way to clean up Washington. Sutton also questioned whether the KKK (file image) was violent, claiming America's most feared white supremacist terrorist organization 'didn't kill but a few people'

In one incident, Dexter said Sutton emailed an altered version of the February 28 issue of the paper to local news outlets and advertisers.

Dexter shared her version with the Times as well as Sutton's altered version which shows that that a front page article about his retirement had been replaced with one defending the editorial and criticizing The Advertiser for its coverage.

In one email the subject line read: 'fake news hurts little paper.'

Before Sutton resigned, he suggested in an interview with the Montgomery Advertiser, that lynchings should be a way to clean up Washington.

'We'll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them,' Sutton said.

Sutton also questioned whether the KKK was violent, claiming America's most feared white supremacist terrorist organization 'didn't kill but a few people'.

Auburn University and the University of Southern Mississippi quickly rescinded previous honors for Sutton, who won praise two decades ago for stories exposing corruption in the sheriff's office.

The Alabama Press Association censured Sutton and suspended the Democrat-Reporter's membership.

The paper dates to 1879 and its editorials are consistently conservative and often critical of Democrats.

The use of 'Democrat' in its name reflects back to the period when nearly all white conservatives in the South were Democrats.
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The heroic police officers who brought an end to the New Zealand mosque killer's rampage have revealed how they tracked down the shooter - after coming straight from a training session on how to deal with armed criminals.

Yesterday, an image emerged showing two officers surrounding 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant after he allegedly opened fire on hundreds of worshipers at two mosques in Christchurch on Friday.

The brutal killing spree, which the shooter sickeningly live-streamed on Facebook, left 50 dead including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman who were murdered as they prayed.

Today, the officers who brought the horrific incident to an end have revealed the snap decisions they had to make when trying to bring the gunman's car to a stop, as he weaved in and out of lanes with his hazard lights on.

Police were able to stop the suspect by wedging their station wagon between a cop car and a gutter in a residential street

They were seen approaching with their weapons drawn before pulling a person in dark clothing out of the vehicle

Footage showed the moment hero police took a suspect into custody after the horror massacre at a Christchurch mosque

Brenton Tarrant was arrested after allegedly gunning down dozens of worshippers on Friday

Accused Christchurch massacre gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant (pictured) made a white power gesture from behind a glass window, during a brief appearance in court on Saturday

Speaking to The New Zealand Herald, Senior Sergeant Pete Stills, of New Zealand Police, said the officers had been dispatched to search for the killer while at a training session on how to deal with armed offenders.

He said: 'They had their work vehicles there with them with firearms in them. They operationalised themselves and got into one car, they decided to skirt the city, they thought that's what the offender would do - rather than drive through the central business district.'

The officers then made the decision to drive along Brougham Street, as they thought if he'd just been to Linwood - the second mosque he attacked - that would be a likely route he might take.

And their decision paid off, just moments later they spotted a suspicious car driving along the road - with a man fitting the description of the offender coming right for them.

Stills continued: 'They were trying to catch up with him, they were discussing tactics - did they want to pursue him?'

Considerations racing through their minds included whether the gunman might get away and hurt more innocent members of the public, or, should they decide to ram him, whether a crash might hurt innocent road users.

Police allege that Tarrant began his shooting rampage at the Al Noor Masjid Mosque in the city's east, before driving across town to the Linwood Masjid Mosque and again opening fire

Nearly three days since the horrific terror attack in Christchurch which left 50 worshippers dead, new details about the innocent victims are emerging

But they decided to go ahead with bringing the alleged gunman's vehicle to a stop, and so rammed it on the driver's side until it came to a halt.

Yelling at members of the public to get back, both officers - who have 40 years of policing between them - had to drag Tarrant to the ground, claiming he was 'non-compliant' when they approached him.

And dramatic footage captured the moment the arrest took place, with the two officers restraining the alleged attacker on the ground.

Praising his officers' behaviour, the Sergeant said: 'I was surprised how calm and collected they were.

'They wouldn't have been scared, we practice for this stuff - to be honest, it was lucky two officers with that amount of service and experience were there.'

And added that without their brave actions, more people would likely have been killed.

As of Monday morning local time, only one person remained missing and the remaining 49 victims had been identified.

They include, Junaid Ismail, 36, who left behind a wife, three young children and a mother who relied on him to care for her.

Another, Ansi Alibava, 25, was eagerly awaiting her graduation ceremony from her masters degree in May, while Hussein Al-Umari, 36, was a regular at the Masjid Al Noor mosque.

Also among the dead is Tariq Omar, 24, who is remembered for his kind and humble nature and was a former student of Cashmere High School in Christchurch.

Ozair Kadir (pictured), 24, was a student pilot at the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand and had been in Christchurch for just a year when he was killed on Friday

Syed Jahandad Ali, 43, from Pakistan was one of the 50 victims killed in the terror attack in Christchurch on Friday

Maheboob Allarakha Khokhar (left), 65, who was due to return to India on Sunday after visiting his son in Christchurch and Husna Ara Parvin (right), who was reportedly gunned down as she tried to save her quadriplegic husband from the shooter

Ashraf Ali (pictured) a respected imam at the Masjid Al Noor mosque who was originally from Fiji, is also thought to be among the dead

Kamel Darwish, 38, who moved to Christchurch from Jordan six months ago and was awaiting the arrival of his wife and three children - was convinced to go to New Zealand by his brother, who had lived there since 2007 and said it was a 'safe place to raise a family'.

Sixty-year-old Abdelfattah Qasem, from Palestine, was also killed on Friday at the Masjid Al Noor mosque - he was the Muslim Association of Canterbury's former secretary.

Another among the dead is Musa Vali Suleman Patel, 60, who was visiting Christchurch to see his son and was a highly respected leader of the Fiji Muslim League - he left behind his wife Saira Bibi Patel, three daughters and two sons.

Ramiz Arifbhai Vora, 28, and his father Arifbhai Mohamedali Vora, 58, were both shot dead on Friday.

The 28-year-old lived and worked in Christchurch and had a baby daughter a week before he was killed in the vicious attack - his father was visiting him from India at the time.

Ozair Kadir, 24, was a student pilot at the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand and had been in Christchurch for just a year when he was killed on Friday.

Another among the victims is Maheboob Allarakha Khokhar, 65, who was due to return to India on Sunday after visiting his son in Christchurch.

Four-year-old Abdullahi Dirie was also named among the dead after both he and his father Adan were shot at one of the mosques, while four of his siblings escaped unhamed.

Syed Areeb Ahmed (pictured), 26, from Karachi, Pakistan lost his life in the horrific shooting attacks in Christchurch on Friday

Linda Armstrong (left), 65, and Tariq Omar, 24, were also brutally killed by the shooter on Friday in Christchurch

Sixty-year-old Abdelfattah Qasem from Palestine was also killed on Friday at the Masjid Al Noor mosque - he was the Muslim Association of Canterbury's former secretary

Ali Elmadani (right), 65, was a retired engineer who immigrated to New Zealand in 1998. Sohail Shahid (left), from Pakistan was also killed

National-level futsal player Atta Elayyan (right) was reportedly killed on Friday. He is being remembered as an 'inspiration'

A recently identified victim is 38-year-old Kamel Darwish who moved to New Zealand from Jordan six months ago (pictured)

Ramiz Arifbhai Vora (left), 28, and his father Arifbhai Mohamedali Vora (right), 58, were both shot dead by the gunman on Friday

Mohammed Omar Faruk (pictured), 36, from Bangladesh was shot dead on Friday at the mosque attacks in Christchurch

Abdullah's family fled Somalia in the 1990s and made New Zealand their home, he was the youngest in his family.

Before he was brutally killed, Amjad Hamid, 57, was a senior Medical Officer and Rural Hospital Consultant at Hawera Hospital who has been remembered for his kindness, compassion and sense of humour.

Another among the victims is Mounir Soliman, 68, from Egypt who was a design engineer working at Scotts Engineering in Christchurch since 1997.

Zeehan Raza, 38, is also among those killed and was a mechanical engineer who moved to New Zealand from Pakistan in 2018 - both he and his parents Ghulam Hussain and Karam Bibi, were killed at the Linwood Masjid mosque.

Another believed to be among the dead is Bangladeshi Husna Parvin, who was reportedly gunned down as she tried to save her wheelchair-bound quadriplegic husband from the shooter.

Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim died in the arms of his father and brother, who only survived because he played dead.

Mucad Ibrahim was attending Friday prayers with his father and older brother Abdi Ibrahim when a gunman stormed the al Noor mosque in Christchurch and opened fire on the worshippers.

Ansi Alibava (pictured) came to New Zealand to pursue a Master of Agribusiness Management at Lincoln University

Lilik Abdul Hamid, 58, from Medan, Indonesia (pictured), who died in the mosque left behind two children

Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim (left) was also named among the dead after he passed away in the arms of his father and brother, who only survived because he played dead. Cardiologist Amjad Hamid (right) was mowed down after moving to New Zealand 23 years ago because he wanted a better future for himself and his wife

Haji Daoud Nabi (pictured), 71, a father-of-five and retired engineer, moved to New Zealand from Afghanistan in 1977 and set up a new life as one of the 'first Muslims in New Zealand'. He is thought to be among the dead in the Christchurch shooting

Khaled Mustafa (pictured) arrived in New Zealand only a few months ago from Syria with his family, his son Hamza, 16 also died

Osama Adnan Abu Kwik, 37, from Palestine (pictured) was in the process of applying for New Zealand citizenship when he was killed

Mojammel Hoq, 30, from Bangladesh (left) and Musa Vali Suleman Patel, 60, from Fiji (right) also died in the shooting on Friday

Talha Naeem, 21, (pictured) was shot at the Masjid Al Noor in Deans Ave, his father was also killed on Friday

Hussein Al-Umari, 35, (pictured) was a regular at the Masjid Al Noor in Deans Ave, Christchurch, where he was killed

Muhammed Abdusi Samad, 66, from Bangladesh (pictured) was a lecturer at Lincoln University and frequently led prayers at the Masjid Al Noor in Deans Ave

Naeem Rashid (pictured), from Abbottabad in Pakistan, was hailed a hero after he tried to wrestle the gun from the Christchurch shooter on Friday. But he was badly wounded after sadly died later in hospital

Cashmere High School student Sayyad Milne (pictured), 14, who was at Friday prayers when the shooting started, is believed to be dead. Although it's not been officially confirmed, his father has spoken of his loss

Dr Haroon Mahmood (pictured) leaves a wife and two children aged 13 and 11

A spokesman for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that five Pakistani citizens are missing (pictured missing person Syed Jahandad Ali)

It's believed that at the time of the horrific attack, Mucad ran from the gunman while his father and brother played dead.

It comes as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, 38, visited the Kilbirnie mosque to comfort those affected by the tragic shooting.

Hundreds of tributes had been left at the mosque in Wellington, and at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Masjid Mosque in Christchurch where the shootings took place, after Tarrant's alleged shooting spree.

The Prime Minister's appearance in Wellington comes as Tarrant's grandmother, Marie Fitzgerald, 81, joined Brenton Tarrant's grandfather Joyce in voicing her incredulity that her grandson was potentially capable of murder.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hugs a mosque-goer at the Kilbirnie Mosque on Sunday, as she meets with members of the Islamic community

Ms Ardern (pictured with a mosque-goer) visited the Wellington based mosque to pay her respects and comfort those affected by the tragedy - New Zealand's worst ever mass shooting

The Prime Minister lays a wreath at the mosque, as 50 people are confirmed dead following the tragic shooting including children, a renowned heart surgeon and a talented sportsman

Speaking for the first time on Sunday from her living room in New South Wales, Mrs Fitzgerald said she was 'gobsmacked' when she learnt of the Christchurch attacks.

'It's just so much for everyone to take in that somebody in our family would do anything like this,' she told Nine News.

Mrs Fitzgerald described an adolescent Tarrant as a computer enthusiast who didn't pay much attention to girls growing up.

She said he would focus on the 'ins and outs' of a computer because talking to girls was 'too hard'.

Regardless, she said he was a 'normal, happy child' growing up in Grafton.

Tarrant faced Christchurch District Court on Saturday morning where he was charged with one count of murder.

Flanked by two much taller armed security officers, Tarrant smiled faintly as he stood behind a small glass barrier which came up just above his eyes.

Grandmother of Brenton, Marie Fitzgerald (pictured) says her grandson was a computer enthusiast uninterested in girls growing up

Joyce Tarrant, 94, said the alleged cold-blooded killer who filmed himself gunning down Muslims during Friday prayers was not the grandson she knew

From behind the glass window he made a white power gesture to those inside the court room.

Police allege that after opening fire inside the Al Noor Mosque Tarrant drove to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continued his rampage.

Short of stature with a stocky build, with thinning hair and beady brown eyes, Tarrant stood squarely in place throughout the entire hearing.

He swivelled his torso around to repeatedly glance at the media, at District Court Judge Paul Kaller and out the windows of the Christchurch District Court.

At the beginning of the hearing he appeared to have a faint smile on his face, but it faded into a neutral expression as the hearing continued.

He has been charged with one count of murder but police say many more charges are expected to be laid when he appears in the High Court on April 5.

The hearing was over within minutes, with Tarrant taking one final look at those gathered and marched away.
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The black box from the doomed Ethiopian Airlines plane showed 'clear similarity' to the Lion Air crash near Indonesia in October last year, Ethiopia's transport minister has revealed.

While declining to give details today, Dagmawit Moges said the parallels would be the 'subject of further study during the investigation,' with a preliminary report issued in '30 days'.

Flight 302 plummeted into farmland southeast of Addis Ababa minutes into its flight to Nairobi, killing all on board and leading to the worldwide grounding of Boeing's 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

The Lion Air jet went down in the Java Sea in October last year and killed 189 people after it vanished from radar 13 minutes after departing Jakarta airport.

Both planes reportedly experienced erratic steep climbs and descents as well as fluctuating airspeeds before crashing shortly after takeoff.

The black box flight recorder from the crashed Ethiopian Airlines jet, was sent to be investigated in le Bourget, north of Paris, by French air accident investigation agency BEA

Questions have honed in on an automated anti-stalling system introduced on the 737 MAX 8, designed to automatically point the nose of the plane downward if it is in danger of stalling.

The pilots of Lion Air Flight 610 struggled to control the aircraft as the automated MCAS system repeatedly pushed the plane's nose down following takeoff, according to the flight data recorder.

In the case of the Ethiopian flight, the black boxes have been handed to France's BEA air safety agency, which is working with American and Ethiopian investigators to determine what went wrong.

It comes as thousands of mourners turned out for a mass funeral for victims of the Ethiopian plane crash - with family members given sacks of earth to bury in place of the remains of their loved ones.

As many as 17 empty coffins were draped in the national flag as they were marched through the streets of Addis Ababa today - near the crash site.

The service followed officials delivering bags of earth to family members the victims of the crash instead of the remains of their loved ones because the identification process is expected to take a long time.

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Mourners of victims of the crashed accident of Ethiopian Airlines react beside coffins during the mass funeral at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa

The crash of Flight ET 302 minutes into its flight to Nairobi on March 10 killed 157 people on-board and caused the worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft model involved in the disaster

Victims of the crash came from 35 countries and included many humanitarian workers headed to Nairobi. An unnamed woman cries at the funeral today.

The service came a day after officials began delivering bags of earth to family members of the 157 victims of the crash instead of the remains of their loved ones because the identification process is expected to take such a long time

An elderly man cries and holds up the picture of who is believed to be a female relative at the mass burial. Other mourners wp around the coffin

Relatives carry portrait photos of smiling loved ones as they mourn next to their coffins during the ceremony

The victims of the crash placed photographs of their loved ones on the empty coffins. They are pictured touching them at the service today

Coffins of victims of the crashed plane are gathered during the mass funeral. The bright orange coffins are draped in the Ethiopian flag

Workers carry bricks and a coffin of a passenger of the plane crash at the wall vault cemetery of Balewold Church, part of the Holy Trinity Cathedral Church

A crew member for Ethiopian Airlines mourns the passing of her colleagues and appears to hold a picture above her head during the funeral

An Ethiopian Airlines crew member uses a sash around her shoulders to wipe away tears beneath her sunglasses

Elias Bilew worked with a victim called Sintayehu Shafi for the past eight years.

Bilew said: 'He was such a good person.

'He doesn't deserve this. He was the pillar for his whole family.'

Some of the victims' family members confirmed they were given a 1kg sack of scorched earth taken from the crash site.

'The soil came as it became impossible to identify bodies and hand over remains to family members,' one family member said.

'We will not rest until we are given the real body or body parts of our loved ones.'

Two of the victims' family members said they were given 1kg bags of soil to go in the coffins while the remains are being identified

Mourners carry pictures and wear tops with their loved ones on them at the funeral. One woman (bottom centre) appears to have a picture of a young man in graduation robes on her top

A woman mourns next to a picture on a coffin of a young woman smiling. It is not known if the unnamed woman is related to the victim

Funeral workers lift one of the orange coffins next to a van. An unnamed man holds a portrait of one of the victims of the crash last week while a woman (left) cries

An Ethiopian Airlines crew member raises a flower in her hands to her head as pallbearers carry the coffins of her colleagues

An Ethiopian government official also confirmed the soil was being handed out.

Forensic DNA work has begun on identifying the remains but it may take six months to identify the victims.

However, authorities say they will issue death certificates within two weeks.

Muslim families have held prayers for the dead and are anxious to have something to bury as soon as possible.

Interpol and Blake Emergency Services, hired by Ethiopian Airlines, will work with Ethiopian police and health officials to identify the bodies, Dagmawit Moges, Ethiopia's Minister of Transport said yesterday.

She said: 'Preparation for the identification process has already started and we will make sure that the post-mortem investigation will start as soon as possible.'

Many relatives have gathered at the rural, dusty crash site near Ethiopia's capital to pray.

French investigators said they had successfully downloaded the cockpit recorder data and had transferred it to the Ethiopian investigation team without listening to the audio files last night

Ethiopian Airlines crew members mourn with white flowers as pallbearers carry the coffins of their colleagues who died in the crash

A pallbearer wearing a black hate carries the coffin of a passenger from the plane crash during the burial ceremony

Workers carry a coffin of a passenger of the crash into the wall vault cemetery at Balewold Church. Multiple people help lift the coffin

Service workers carry a coffin of a passenger of the crash inside the wall vault cemetery at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Church in Addis Ababa. The Cathedral is the highest ranking Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo cathedral in the city

Devotees hold candles during a special service for the families of the victims of the crashed plane in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Nairobi, Kenya

Experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing are among those involved in the investigation into the model.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has said satellite-based tracking data shows that the movements of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 were similar to those of Lion Air Flight 610, which crashed off Indonesia in October, killing 189 people. Both involved Boeing 737 Max 8 planes.

The planes in both crashes flew with erratic altitude changes that could indicate the pilots struggled to control the aircraft. Shortly after their takeoffs, both crews tried to return to the airports but crashed.

Boeing 737 Max aircraft, pictured here at the Farnborough International Air Show last year, has been grounded across the world since the crash

A graph shows the vertical air speed of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 between takeoff and crash

Data from Lion Air Flight 610 is more detailed and shows similar dramatic oscillations

Preliminary data from Ethiopian Airlines flight shows wild swings in the aircraft's vertical speed before the crash, indicating the craft was climbing, levering off, diving, and climbing again.

The data, though more sketchy and preliminary, is strikingly similar to the vertical air speed data from Lion Air Flight 610.

Experts say the oscillations in vertical speed suggest the culprit may be the relatively new automated anti-stall system on the 737 MAX, known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS).

The system was designed to prevent the 737 Max from climbing too steeply and stalling, a problem that emerged when engineers discovered the placement of the plane's larger engines sometimes caused the craft to pitch up during climbs.

In the two crashes, vertical speed oscillation of roughly 15 to 20 seconds is a telltale sign that suggests the MCAS system may have been involved, R. John Hansman Jr., a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told the New York Times.

He said some oscillation is natural due to turbulence, but would typically have a span of either less than eight seconds or more than a minute.

It has now been revealed that the discovery of the screw-like device at the scene finally convinced US officials to also ground the jet model.

The so-called jackscrew is used to set the trim that raises and lowers the plane's nose, according to a person involved in the investigation.

The source, who wishes to remain anonymous, added that the investigation found the device was configured to push the nose down.

Graphic above shows how the jackscrew had been configured on the flight

The US and many other countries grounded the Max 8s as the US-based company faces the challenge of proving the jets are safe to fly amid suspicions that faulty sensors and software contributed to the two crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.

The US National Transportation Safety Board has sent around 16 members to assist the investigation.

Boeing said it supports the grounding of its planes as a precautionary step, while reiterating 'full confidence' in their safety.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump went to church on St. Patrick's Day.

The first couple was greeted by Rev. Bruce McPherson, interim rector, at St. John's Episcopal, the yellow stucco church across Lafayette Park from the White House on Sunday morning.

Melania Trump wore a white coat while the president was in a jacket and red tie for the occasion.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at at St. John's Episcopal

The church is across Lafayette Park from the White House

The Sunday service contained some St. Patrick's Day elements.

A choir sang the Irish songs 'Be Thou My Vision' and 'Kyrie Eleison.'

The church was decorated in greens for the occasion.

Sunday also marked the second Sunday in Lent.

The president spent the morning in a tweet frenzy, complaining about 'Saturday Night Live' mocking him, trashing the late Sen. John McCain, and praising Fox News host Jeanine Pirro.

The first lady wore a white coat to Sunday service

The president spent Sunday morning tweeting before he attended church with the first lady

However, his twitter account was quiet while he and the first lady were at Sunday morning service.

Every sitting president has attended St. John's Episcopal at least once since it was built in 1816. Pew number 58 is designated as the president's pew.

St. John's is often referred to as the 'Church of the Presidents.'

The Trumps are not frequent church goers but often attend mass on the holidays.

The last time the first couple went to church was Christmas Eve at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.
Jack the Ripper has sensationally been revealed as a 23-year-old Polish barber after fresh DNA tests were taken from a blood-stained shawl.

Aaron Kosminski was the notorious serial killer who hunted on the streets of Victorian London, according to scientists.

New evidence finds that two sets of DNA traces on the clothing matches that of both Kosminski and one of his murdered victims Catherine Eddowes.

Aaron Kosminski, a Polish barber, has been revealed as notorious murderer Jack the Ripper, according to scientists

New evidence finds that two sets of DNA traces on a blood-stained shawl owned by Russell Edwards (pictured) matches that of both Kosminski and one of his murdered victims Catherine Eddowes

The Polish immigrant lived with his two brothers and a sister in Greenfield Street, just 200 yards from where his third victim, Elizabeth Stride, was killed.

The identity was confirmed by researchers from Liverpool John Moores University who shared their findings in the Journal of Forensic Sciences.

They wrote: 'We describe for the first time systematic, molecular level analysis of the only surviving physical evidence linked to the Jack the Ripper murders.

'Finding both matching profiles in the same piece of evidence enhances the statistical probability of its overall identification and reinforces the claim that the shawl is authentic.'

Eddowes was slaughtered by Kosminski on the night of September 30, 1888 in Mitre Square, Whitechapel, where her kidney was hacked out and her cheeks ripped apart

Jack the Ripper killed at least five women in 1888 in the East End of London

Businessman Russell Edwards, 48, who bought the shawl at auction in 2007, contacted the scientists several years ago.

Who were Jack the Ripper's victims in 1888? Mary Ann Nichols was disembowled on Buck's Row. Annie Chapman's uterus was removed at 29 Hanbury St. Elizabeth Stride's throat was cut at Duffield's Yard, Berner St. Catherine Eddowes's uterus and kidney were removed and her cheeks torn on Mitre Square. Mary Jane Kelly was completely mutilated and her heart was removed at 13 Miller's Court. Advertisement

It had been found next to Eddowes' body and was stained with what was believed to be her blood.

Eddowes was slaughtered by Kosminski on the night of September 30, 1888 in Mitre Square, Whitechapel, where her kidney was hacked out and her cheeks ripped apart.

The serial killer is then rumoured to have eaten her kidney in a revolting and twisted act of pride.

Eddowes was the second woman to have died at the hands of Jack the Ripper that night - he had slit Elizabeth Stride's throat an hour earlier.

Kominski was linked to the notorious killer in 2014 when Dr Jari Louhelainen, one of the authors in this week's paper, studied the same shawl.

But his claims were rubbished by other scientists who said made he made an 'error of nomenclature' in his analysis.

The 130-year mystery of the murderer's identity continued, but these new findings appear to have finally unmasked the villain.

Eddowes was the second woman to have died at the hands of Jack the Ripper that night - he had slit Elizabeth Stride's throat an hour earlier




John Gotti Jr is demanding an apology from police after mobster Francesco 'Frankie Boy' Cali's suspected killer was finally arrested and contrary to rumors, his mobster uncle Gene Gotti was not behind the murder.

On Saturday US Marshals apprehended Anthony Comello, 24, and he's expected to face murder charges for killing Cali.

Cali, the 53-year-old reputed boss of the notorious Gambino crime family, was murdered in cold blood outside of his Staten Island home on Wednesday March 13, hit by a hail of six bullets.

Police were thought to be considering heroin dealer Gene Gotti, 72, as the man behind the murder, suspecting he committed the crime in a power move to take over the mob as he was released from prison six months ago after 29 long years.

John Gotti Jr (left), who was acting boss of the Gambino crime family in the 90s, is demanding a police apology after authorities speculated his uncle mobster Gene Gotti could have been behind the murder of fellow gangster Francesco 'Frankie Boy' Cali (right), who was killed Wednesday

Although police suspected Cali's murder could been an inner-mob hit, Anthony Comello, 24, was arrested on Saturday in connection with the murder. He is not believed to be connected to the mafia

'Today, an arrest was made. A 24-year-old individual who did it for personal reasons, not street reasons. Is somebody going to apologize to Gene and his family?' 55-year-old Gotti Jr said to the New York Post.

'I wonder if these tremendously insightful law enforcement individuals are going to issue an apology to Gene Gotti,' he added.

'He has grandchildren and to have to endure the last several days of that propaganda nonsense. Im sure it was hurtful to the kids and this is the problem we have today,' Gotti Jr said.

Gotti Jr slammed law enforcement officials 'who are quick to speculate and their government cooperators are all too eager to contribute to these wrong theories.'

'You put individuals into a position where they are guilty until proven innocent,' the It goes to show you how broken the system is.Thank god there are cameras to help law enforcement to do their jobs,' the mobster, whose life was turned into a film called Gotti: in the Shadow of My Father, said.

For Cali's slaying, the police are thought to have turned attention to Gene Gotti (above). He was the younger brother of the Gambino crime family's main leader John Gotti, and was just released from prison after 29 years in 2018

Authorities are believed to have thought Gotti coordinated Cali's killing in a power move. After it was revealed Cali's killer was a non-mobster, Gotti's family is now demanding an apology

Despite his attempts to shame local police, one unnamed law enforcement officer involved in the case fired right back.

'Tell Junior we will apologize once his family apologizes to the Castellano, Lino and Johnson families, and all the other families whose relatives they killed and got away with. He should stick to the movie business, or whatever else hes doing to pay the bills,' the agent said.

Cali, the reputed boss of the notorious Gambino crime family, was murdered in cold blood outside of his Staten Island home on Wednesday March 13, shot by a hail of six bullets and run over by a pickup truck.

Following Cali's murder, police probed whether the killing was a part of mobster clash, with Gotti trying to claim power.

Gotti was a famous drug trafficker with the Gambino crime family in New York and was convicted of running his multimillion-dollar heroin smuggling ring in 1989. He spent 29 long years in jail for heroin dealing.

'What troubles me to the core is the simple fact that for two days the Gotti name has been put into the press for these negative reasons and its been done because it could be done. Its easy' Gotti Jr said.

'It bothers me because (Genes) family was so excited to come home  And to come home and deal with this nonsense  Geno never complained. Hes cut from his brothers (John Gotti) cloth,' he added.

He went so far as to say if it wasn't for surveillance cameras, 'law enforcement would have gotten a government cooperator or cooperators to corroborate their theory and Gene Gotti and others would have been charged for that murder (Cali) within a year.'

Police were led to the suspect after finding a finger print on the license plate of Cali's silver Escalade (above), which had fallen from the vehicle after the killer crashed into his car

Investigators are seen with forensic equipment outside the Cali's home on Thursday

Comello is not a mobster and is believed to have killed Cali in a dispute over a woman in Cali's family. Comello wanted to date the woman and Cali allegedly refused

Comello was arrested on Saturday from his Brick, New Jersey home and is currently in New Jersey jail

Anthony Comello was arrested on Friday for the sudden murder of Cali, which was the first hit on a New York mafia don in more than 30 years.

Comello, originally from Staten Island, is believed to have no ties to the mob himself - with initial reports indicating cops think the murder was the work of a lovesick madman.

His dispute with Cali may have stemmed from the mob boss's refusal to let Comello date his niece, who was inside the home when Cali was gunned down outside, a police source told the Daily Beast.

Comello worked odd construction jobs has been described as 'a complete nut' and as a 'conspiracy theory type', various sources say.

Crime scene investigators discovered a stash of weapons while searching Comellos Staten Island home on Saturday, sources told WCBS-TV.

Comello claimed he was high on marijuana and was acting in self defense because Cali had a gun, but the sources say police have so far found no evidence to confirm that claim.

Police say Comello has a limited criminal history, including a parking ticket he got on Staten Island on the day of the murder.

He's currently being held in a New Jersey jail and police are are investigating to see if others were involved in the crime.

Comello was arrested after cops reviewed surveillance camera footage from the Cali mansion that had recorded the incident.

The footage shows Cali shaking hands with a man, speaking, and when the crime boss turns his back, the hitman unsheathes a 9mm pistol and opens fire.

The gunman pulled the trigger 12 times, hitting Cali at least six times.
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday 'it could be a while' before there's a list of military projects that will be impacted by the move of funding to build President Donald Trump's border wall.

'It could be a while and here's why,' he said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.' 'None of the programs that were scheduled to be started or what we call obligated in 2019, so between now and the end of September, will be impacted at all.'

He also said there's no list of projects to be targeted - after a Democratic senator suggested the White House was hiding one.

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday 'it could be a while' before there's a list of military projects that will be impacted by the wall

When President Trump declared a national emergency last month, he said he would redirect $6.5 billion to build his wall

Mulvaney said there is no list of projects yet to change funding to build the border wall

'I know of no list. And if anybody should it would be me,' he added. 'There's no list of projects that are absolutely going to not be funded so that the wall can be. What it is is a list of programs that fit the criteria that I've just laid out for you, which is that they are meant to be funded beyond the end of this fiscal year.'

When President Trump declared a national emergency last month, he said he would redirect $6.5 billion to build his wall.

One Democratic senator said The Pentagon is planning to tap $1 billion in leftover funds from military pay and pension accounts to help for the border barrier.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin told The Associated Press: 'It's coming out of military pay and pensions. $1 billion. That's the plan.'

Durbin said the funds are available because Army recruitment is down and a voluntary early military retirement program is being underutilized.

Democratic senators have expressed frustration with a lack of information about where the administration will get the funds.

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia claimed the White House was attempting to withhold the list until after Congress votes on whether or not to override the president's first veto.

'This is the White House wanting to hold the list back because they worry that if senators and House members saw the potential projects that were going to be ransacked to pay for the president's wall they would lose votes,' Kaine said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.'

Trump declared a national emergency after Congress failed to give him the $5.7 billion he requested to build his border wall.

Congress voted against his move last week and, on Friday, Trump issued the first veto of his administration.

'It is definitely a national emergency. Rarely have we had such a national emergency,' he said when he issued his veto.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement last week that '[o]n March 26, the House will once again act to protect our Constitution and our democracy from the president's emergency declaration by holding a vote to override his veto.'

She will have to marshal two-thirds of the House, 290 seats, to prevail. Democrats hold just 235. If Pelosi were to pull off the feat, the Republican-controlled Senate would get the measure next.
A man wanted in the 1999 fatal shooting of a New York Police Department officer was arrested in Florida almost two decades after the incident.

Lester Pearson, 43, was taken into custody in Jacksonville, Florida, by US Marshals and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Friday morning in connection with the death of NYPD officer Vincent Ling, according to the Florida Times-Union.

Authorities recovered a handgun from Pearson during the arrest.

Lester Pearson, 43, was taken into custody in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday morning in connection with the 1999 death of NYPD officer Vincent Ling

NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill tweeted out his thanks to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and US Marshals for their efforts in apprehending Pearson 20 years after the incident

He is now being held without bail on a NYPD detainer warrant in connection with Ling's death and is expected to be extradited to New York on a murder charge.

In Florida, Pearson faces charges of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a felon from another state and a misdemeanor battery charge. His bail for the Florida charges is said to be set at $40,000.

According to a New York Post report at the time, Ling was 27 years old when he was shot in the chest and had a bullet between two vertebrae.

The shooting occurred when Ling, who worked undercover in narcotics, was off duty. Ling and Pearson were said to have gotten into an argument and then shot at each other in the Bronx neighborhood where Ling lived in December 1999.

After allegedly shooting Ling, Pearson was said to have fled from the scene on foot. Ling, who was paralyzed, died some time later from his wound. The two men were believed to have been connected through Ling's sister.

NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill tweeted his appreciation for Jacksonville police and U.S. marshals in Sunday's arrest.

'Law enforcement professionals demonstrate time & again that we are patient & that our collaborative forces have a very long reach,' O'Neill tweeted, while calling Pearson a 'career criminal.'

Pearson is expected to be extradited to New York to face a murder charge in connection with Ling's death. He is also facing charges in Florida, North Carolina and Louisiana

By 1999, Pearson had already had an extensive arrest record for charges including attempted murder, assault and gun possession. He also had one conviction, although it's unclear what charge the conviction was related to.

Authorities said it was unclear how long Pearson had been living in Jacksonville, but noted that he was using the alias 'Michael Davis' and that he was also performing locally as a rapper under the stage name 'Monsta Kodi.'

Local Florida court records indicated that Pearson had been involved in 1999 misdemeanor battery charge that was later dismissed. In 2004, he was charged again with the same offense, according to the Times-Union.

Pearson was also wanted in Louisiana on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and possession of marijuana, according to First Coast News.

During that 2005 incident, Pearson allegedly attacked a Louisiana State Police officer who had arrested him and seized 100 pounds of marijuana from him, according to the New York Post.

Pearson is also said to be wanted in North Carolina for a weapons charge.

Pearson is expected to appear in court on March 29.
Pawanveer Singh, 23 months, and Sanjay Singh, ten, died in the crash in Wolverhampton on Thursday

A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing the deaths of two brothers aged one and ten who were killed in a horror 'street race' car crash in Wolverhampton.

Sanjay Singh, ten, and his 23-month-old brother Pawanveer were killed when their mother's white BMW was struck by an Audi S3 on Thursday evening.

Police and ambulance crews dashed to the junction of Lawnswood Avenue and Birmingham New Road in Wolverhampton at around 8.45pm.

The mother, who is still being treated in hospital, was heard screaming 'my babies, my babies' as medics battled to save her children.

Despite the efforts of paramedics the boys were pronounced dead at the scene while their mother was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

It is believed the Audi may have been racing a white Bentley Continental convertible when it jumped a red light and ploughed into the BMW as it turned right at the junction.

Pictures from the scene of a three-car crash in Wolverhampton last night show a smashed up white BMW, which was carrying two young boys and their mother

The 31-year-old Bentley driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but was later released pending further investigations while the driver of the Audi fled the scene on foot.

Today West Midlands Police said a 23-year-old man, from Birmingham, had also been arrested and was being questioned over the fatal crash.

Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'This afternoon's arrest is a significant development, but the investigation is continuing and we still have lots of lines of enquiry to pursue.

'We would appeal to the public to keep contacting us with any information.

A blue Audi A3 was also involved in the crash and is pictured being examined by officers at the junction of Birmingham New Road and Landswood Avenue in Birmingham last night

The road was shut for six hours while officers investigated the major crash in Wolverhampton

'Pawanveer and Sanjay's family have been informed of this afternoon's development, and we continue to support them through this terrible period.'

The family of the brothers, from Dudley, said in a statement last week: 'Our family are grieving over the tragic deaths of our two beautiful children, as well as dealing with the shock of the horrific crash.

'We appeal to the general public to come forward as witnesses in order help police find the perpetrator who fled from the scene and to bring him or her to justice.'

Anyone with information is urged to contact police via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight or call 101 anytime.

Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote log number 2580 of March 14.
Bowen was charged with aggravated assault and violating an order of protection, which she had on er for an altercation with her neighbor last year

The threatened neighbor called the police and claims she has photos and video footage of the nonagenarian point a firearm at her over their feud

The threatened neighbor called the police and claims she has photos and video footage of the nonagenarian point a firearm at her over their feud

Bessie Bowen, 90, of Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested for allegedly threatening her neighbor with a gun over leaves piling up on her property

Bessie Bowen, 90, of Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested for allegedly threatening her neighbor with a gun over leaves piling up on her property

Bessie Bowen, 90, of Memphis, Tennessee, was charged with aggravated assault and violating an order of protection for threatening to kill her neighbor over leaves on the property

Police arrested a 90-year-old woman after a feud with her neighbor allegedly escalated into an armed threat to kill her over leaves in the neighbor's yard.

Bessie Bowen of Memphis, Tennessee, was accused by the woman next door of coming to her house, pointing a gun at her and threatening to kill her due to the pile of leaves in the yard, WREG reported.

Police were called to the Bethel Grove neighborhood in Memphis by the alleged victim on Thursday morning. The woman claimed she had video and photos of Bowen pointing a firearm and making the threats.

Bowen was charged with aggravated assault and violation of an order of protection.

The neighbor had the order filed against Bowen stemming from a prior assault in June of last year.

'She's always been serious about her yard,' another shocked neighbor, who wished to remain unidentified, said of the incident. 'I never had a problem with her. I never seen or heard her do anything like that.'

Bowens, who lives in the home on the left, allegedly made her way over with a gun to complain to her neighbor on the right about the buildup of leaves on her lawn

The nonagenarian let the police search for the gun at her home, but they only found an empty holster, according to a court affidavit.

The lawn-care obsessed woman was still arrested over the feud, but Bowen was later released on her own recognizance.

'I hope they don't send her to jail,' the unnamed neighbor added. 'She's an old lady. Just serious about her yard.'
The National Theatre is to show a play focusing on the lives of four paedophiles and how they live with the consequences of their actions in what the writer describes as a 'compassionate' portrayal.

The play, Downstate, centres on four men convicted of sex crimes against minors who share a group home in Illinois and 'live out their lives in the shadow of the offences they committed', according to the National Theatre website.

The play proved so controversial in America that it required police protection during its first two performances.

The play, Downstate , centres on four men convicted of sex crimes against minors who share a group home in Illinois

At the theatre on Friday, writer Bruce Norris said that the play is about forgiveness and that child abuse is 'not black and white'.

Norris argued that the purpose of the play, described as 'provocative' by the National Theatre, was to 'disrupt consensus' about what was deemed sexually appropriate.

The Pulitzer-prize winning writer said: 'We live in a culture that emphasises retribution and reprisal and encourages vigilantism and celebrates it.

'The idea that these sort of legal and sexual situations were being treated as black and white makes me really uncomfortable because that is a form of consensus that I think is not nuanced enough to address what actually goes on in those situations'.

Described as 'provocative' by the National Theatre, writer Bruce Norris says the play is ultimately about forgiveness, while asserting that child abuse is 'not black and white'

The theatre, which lists a number of mental health charity websites including MIND on its page, warns: 'Downstate discusses and contains graphic descriptions of child abuse and rape.

'There are also graphic depictions of self-harm and reference to drug use, that some people may find distressing'.

Norris added that a part of his 'plan' was to change society's perceptions of certain groups of people who are seen as 'monsters and subhuman'.

'You can't really look at people for two hours and not extend some measure of understanding, even if they're people who've done terrible things,' Morris said.

Norris added that a part of his 'plan' was to change society's perceptions of certain people who are seen as 'monsters and subhuman'

'This is my most optimistic and most compassionate play. In the end what the play is really about is forgiveness'.

Director Pam MacKinnon, who joined Norris on Friday, said: 'Hopefully people's thinking coming out of the play us that this situation is much more complex that they thought it was'.

So far Downstate has received largely positive reviews. While the New York Times warned that it was 'difficult to stomach', the paper awarded it four stars and credits Norris for taking on an 'unpopular' topic.

The Chicago Tribune echoed this sentiment, also giving Downstate four stars.
A British pensioner has been revealed as an 'elite' wildlife killer who has shot hundreds of animals for fun.

Malcolm King has won a plethora of awards from the Safari Club International (SCI), an organisation that promotes hunting as conservation.

The father-of-two has been trophy hunting since 2000 and has achieved a number of milestones such as shooting some of Africa's 'big five' that include lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalos and leopards.

A blog detailing his exploits in Cameroon said 'he had been travelling for quite some time' and 'needed a number of specific animals from the rainforests.'

Pensioner Malcolm King (pictured) is known as one of the world's elite hunters

According to animal campaigner Mr King (pictured left) has killed more than 500 animals worldwide

A description of the 74-year-old, who is a director of a property managing agents based in the British Virgin Islands, is also on the website, it says: 'Lots of world-renowned hunters may feel envious of his extensive trophy collection,

'It contains some of the hardest and most desired trophies from Asia, Europe and America, as well as from Africa.'

The website adds that Mr King was in Cameroon because he was going after the Weatherby award - a prestigious hunting award.

Eduardo Goncalves, founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting told The Sunday Telegraph: 'King is among the world's 'elite' big game hunters - very few have amassed so many of the industry's obscene awards.

A description of Mr King has appeared on a website saying 'renowned hunters may feel envious of his extensive trophy collection'

'If you add the minimum number of kills needed for all his awards it comes to well over 500.

'International Law allows wildlife killers to get away with murder.'

Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph from his offices in Gloucestershire, the 74-year-old said he was not a trophy hunter.

He added he was a huntsman who had now retired and it was 'no different to stalking or culling animals in the Highlands' and said 'there is nothing wrong if done ethically and legally.'
hese colourful images capture Indians of all ages marking the joyous occasion by partying and having fun

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Millions of people across India took to the streets to douse other people in coloured powder for the annual Holi celebrations.

Revellers in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh were seen partying in temples and throwing powder- or 'gulal'- over one another.

The Hindu festival is one of the largest celebrations across India, which commemorates the start of spring and the end of winter.

People inside temples in Mathura, northern India, were covered in fluorescent coloured powders to celebrate the occasion, while others in villages around the state of Uttar Pradesh were seen dancing and partying.

These amazing images capture people marking the joyous occasion by partying and having fun.

People inside the Bankey Bihari Temple of Vrindavan near the city of Mathura, in the state of Uttar Pradesh are seen covered in fluorescent coloured powders to celebrate the occasion

People are seen playing with the colourful powders at a temple in the state of Uttar Pradesh during the festival. The Hindu spring festival is one of the largest celebrations across India, which commemorates the start of spring and the end of winter

Indian women in the state also beat their husbands with sticks in the nearby village of Barsana. The Lathamar Holi tradition usually takes place a few days before the event

People are seen partying and dancing during the festivities in the village of Nandgaon. The powder thrown is called 'gulal' and can be bought from street sellers

Revellers in the Nandgaon village are pictured together as gulal powder is seen flying through the air. The festival is also a celebration of good harvests

Men daubed in orange join in the Lathmar Holi celebration in the town of Barsana. These amazing images capture people marking the joyous occasion by having fun

One street seller is pictured with a variety of powders to sell to others during the festival. Millions of people across India took to the streets to douse other people in coloured powder for the annual Holi celebrations

In chaotic scenes of celebration, scores of people are pictured covered in powder and drenched with red and purple colours in the Nandgaon village. The festivities are also an attraction for tourists visiting India

One reveller is carried by two people as he is covered in orange powder in a Nandgaon village temple. Others see this as a perfect photo opportunity and gather round with their cameras as he is lifted up onto the shoulders of two men
President Donald Trump lashed out at several Fox News anchors on Sunday and argued they should be working at CNN, the network he loves to deride as 'fake news.'

It was an usual criticism of Fox News from the president, who is a loyal viewer and fan.

'Were @FoxNews weekend anchors, @ArthelNeville and @LelandVittert, trained by CNN prior to their ratings collapse? In any event, that's where they should be working, along with their lowest rated anchor, Shepard Smith!,' he wrote on twitter.

President Donald Trump lashed out at several Fox News anchors

Trump claimed Arthel Neville, Leland Vittert, and Shepard Smith should work at CNN

Arthel Neville and Leland Vittert anchor the cable news network on weekends. Shepard Smith anchors an afternoon show on Fox News.

Smith has often garnered attention for his willingness to call out the president and his administration.

It's unclear what sparked the president's anger at Neville and Vittert.

Fox News has not responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The president doesn't hide his preference for Fox and often derides CNN as 'fake news' - particularly when the cable news network reports stories about him or his administration he doesn't like.

Earlier Sunday Trump called on Fox News Channel to 'bring back' Jeanine Pirro after her weekly show was replaced by a documentary following her remarks suggesting that Rep Ilhan Omar's hijab meant that she subscribes to sharia law.

The president has appeared multiple times on her show and that of Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Both Pirro and Hannity are seen more as commentators while Neville, Vittert and Smith follow a traditional news model.

Pirros program, Justice with Judge Jeanine, reportedly did not air on Fox News on Saturday night due to 'scheduling matters'.

Instead, the network re-aired the documentary Scandalous: The Trial of William Kennedy Smith, in Pirro's normally scheduled time slot at 9pm.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a Fox News spokesperson said the network is 'not commenting on internal scheduling matters'.

But on Sunday, Trump tweeted that the 'Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country'.

'They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well,' he added.

The 'scheduling' conflict comes just a week after Pirro came under for suggesting that Rep Ilhan Omar's hijab meant that she subscribes to sharia law.

During the opening monologue of her show on March 9, Pirro claimed that Omar's hijab was a sign that she was committed to the religious law which originates from the Quran, adding that it was 'antithetical' to the constitution.

Pirros (left) program, Justice with Judge Jeanine, reportedly did not air on Fox News on Saturday night due to 'scheduling matters'. The incident comes a week after Pirro made remarks about Rep Ilhan Omar's (right) hijab

Smith, meanwhile, was honored on Wednesday night with the Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award at the Radio Television Digital News Foundation's 29th annual First Amendment Awards dinner.

In his remarks, Smith reminded his audience of what he described as journalism's "intrinsic duty and responsibility to others, to the people who trust us," according to Fox News.

"We must never manipulate or invent," he said. "We must never knowingly deceive because to do so is a disservice to our audience and potentially injurious to our society."
A man in his fifties from Maidstone has been shot dead in Cambridge Crescent, according to reports.

Another local man, also aged around 50, has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Police were called to the area at around 10.43am this morning and emergency services also descended on the scene.

Police were called to Cambridge Crescent in Maidstone at around 10.43am today to reports of a shooting

A spokesman for Kent Police said: 'We have arrested a man on suspicion of murder after another man was found reportedly shot in Maidstone

'Our officers were called at 10.43am on Sunday 17 March 2019 to Cambridge Crescent where a man was found with a suspected gunshot wound.

'The South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended the scene where the man in his 50s was pronounced deceased.

The man's next of kin have been informed of his death.

The South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended the scene where a man in his 50s was pronounced deceased (Stock photo)

'A local man, also in his 50s, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. A firearm has been recovered by police.

'Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate have launched an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.

'Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact our appeal line on 01622 604100 quoting reference 17-0574.

'Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers in Kent anonymously on 0800 555 111.'
The white supremacist terrorist who callously shot and killed 50 people in a disgusting attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, was bullied as an overweight child, friends have said.

Brenton Tarrant, 28, used semi-automatic weapons to kill defenceless Muslims as they prayed at Al Noor and Linwood mosques on Friday. He live-streamed the 16-minute-long brutal onslaught on Facebook.

Fifty people have died and dozens more are being treated in hospital after the shootings - with 12 still in a critical condition.

Tarrant grew up in the north-eastern NSW town of Grafton.

Many of his childhood friends still living in the area have revealed Tarrant was a loner for most of his life.

Tarrant grew up in the north-eastern NSW town of Grafton, and his childhood friends still living there said he was a loner for most of his life. He played for the Grafton Ghosts under 15 rugby league team in 2005 (Tarrant is pictured top left)

Tarrant (pictured as a teen) will never comprehend the impact the alleged attacks have had against his parents in their hometown of Grafton, his cousin said

Many of his childhood friends still living in the area have revealed Tarrant (pictured as a child with his father) was a loner for most of his life

Daniel Tuite played for the Grafton Ghosts under-15 rugby league team with Tarrant in 2005.

Mr Tuite said he went out of his way to speak to Tarrant as he was 'picked on pretty badly'.

'Grafton can be a pretty harsh place... so if you're overweight and a bit what some people might call useless on the field, you're going to probably get picked on. That's why he just kept himself to himself,' Mr Tuite told The Australian.

'Where we're from, we'd never even come in contact with Muslims, really.'

Mr Tuite said Tarrant suffered a knee injury, leading him to spend more time lifting weights at gyms.

'Something just changed and he got really serious about exercise and got himself in shape,' Mr Tuite said.

Tracey Gray, the owner of Big River Gym in Grafton, said Tarrant worked as a personal trainer at the gym five or six years ago.

'He started coming to my facility as a boy that was finishing school and showed a lot of dedication to his own training. Then he went and did his personal training qualifications,' she told Stuff.

Tarrant's grandmother, Marie Fitzgerald, said Tarrant also spent time 'learning the ins and outs of computers and playing games on computers' during his youth.

Other relatives, including Tarrant's grandmother Marie Fitzgerald and uncle Terry Fitzgerald (pictured) broke their silence on Sunday

Mrs Fitzgerald said she was still coming to grips with what had happened.

'It's just so much of everything to take in that somebody in our family would do anything like this,' the 81-year-old woman told Nine News.

'The media is saying he has planned it for a long time so he is obviously not of sound mind.'

The last time Tarrant returned home to NSW was for his sister's birthday last year.

Tarrant's cousin Donna Cox said it 'hurts' to be related to the alleged mass-murderer.

The 28-year-old faced court on Saturday, smirking and giving a white supremacist sign as he was charged with one count of murder.

Ms Cox said Tarrant would never comprehend the impact of his actions on his family.

'That he is from... a very respected family, his mum, his dad, were pretty high in the community here,' she told Sunday Night.

'He wasn't raised like that, but I'm not here to defend him. If I could ask him - I'd ask him why. How could you do that?

Tarrant's grandmother, Marie Fitzgerald (pictured), said Tarrant also spent time 'learning the ins and outs of computers and playing games on computers' during his youth

Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant grew up in this house in Grafton, New South Wales

'That's a twisted mind right there. You'd have to be to be able to do something like that.'

She said Tarrant should receive the death penalty for his actions.

Tarrant's mother, Sharon, is a teacher at a local school. She had to be whisked away by police mid-class when reports of the attack first came through on Friday.

She and Tarrant's sister, Lauren, have been placed under police protection, without mobile phone contact with the rest of their family.

Cousin Donna Cox (pictured) says she is in disbelief over the attacks, and that accused gunman Brenton Tarrant should be given the death penalty

As a child, Tarrant was obsessed with guns and violent video games, Ms Cox said.

His father, a local garbageman who died from cancer in 2010, was widely-liked in the community.

After his father's death, Tarrant began travelling around Europe. Bulgarian and Turkish authorities are investigating his travel history, determining whether he had ulterior motives for frequenting their countries over the span of seven years.

Somewhere along his journeys, he allegedly forged extremist views and a hatred for non-white immigration, feelings that culminated in Friday's attacks.

Tarrant will re-appear in New Zealand's High Court on April 5, when additional charges are expected to be laid.
Suspected New Zealand mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant could be deported to Australia as it is revealed he is facing additional murder and terrorism charges.

Tarrant appeared in court on Saturday where he was charged with one count of murder under the Crimes Act.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters on Sunday that the legal proceedings for the accused gunman were still in the early stages, but said she was 'seeking advice' on what will follow.

'Charges have been laid, we can expect additional charges, he'll be appearing in the High Court on the 5th of April, so there's obviously a process that needs to be gone through here,' she said.

Accused gunman Brenton Tarrant appeared in court on Saturday where he was charged with one count of murder under the Crimes Act. Police say they are now considering additional charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured) told reporters she is 'seeking advice' on Tarrant's deportation

Ms Ardern's spokesperson said the PM was considering all options, including whether Tarrant would be deported before or after serving a sentence.

Police said they are also considering further murder charges, as well as additional charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act.

Tarrant was born in Australia but had been living in Dunedin when he allegedly carried out New Zealand's worst mass murder in history on Friday.

So far 50 people have been confirmed dead after the gunman allegedly stormed into two mosques in Christchurch.

Tarrant was able to enter New Zealand without a visa and had been visiting 'sporadically,' but it is unclear how long he had been living in the country.

He faces a life in prison if convicted and is already a 'marked man' behind bars, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Gang members visiting Hagley High School in Christchurch on Sunday condemned Tarrant's alleged actions calling them 'disgusting' and 'wrong in every way possible'.

Linwood Avenue mosque imam Alabi Lateef Zirullah (pictured covered in blood) was seen leaving the scene after seven people were shot dead at his mosque in Christchurch on Friday

A man was seen with bloodstains on his trousers near the mosque after the shooting

They had visited the school to offer their condolences to the affected families and referred to the Muslim community as 'our people.'

'That stuff that happened [on Friday], that was disgusting, there was no need for it. We're a club, we do our things but, nah, that's just wrong in every way possible,' one said.

One gang member appeared to dish out a warning saying 'we've got friends inside [prison] too.'

A criminal justice advocate told the publication that Tarrant may need to be put in solitary confinement in a high security prison for his own safety.

'Those sorts of feelings will run high with the prisons. The only thing that Corrections can do is to segregate them and keep them in separate custodial management regime,' Sir Kim Workman said.

Tarrant was seen smirking and giving a white supremacist sign as he was charged with one count of murder on Saturday.

He will re-appear in New Zealand's High Court on April 5, when additional charges are expected to be laid.

People lay flowers and notes to pay tribute, at Deans Ave street close to the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch where at least 50 people were reportedly killed in twin terror attacks




The Republican Party is being accused of peddling anti-Irish stereotypes by posting Beto ORourkes mug shot from his drunk driving arrest 20 years ago on its official Twitter account.

The tweet included the caption: On this St. Paddy's Day, a special message from noted Irishman Robert Francis O'Rourke.

O'Rourke is of Irish descent.

The photo attached to the tweet showed ORourkes 1998 mug shot after he was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Texas.

The mugshot was photoshopped, as a green leprechaun hat was placed on top of ORourkes head.

The Republican Party's official Twitter account shows an image of 'noted Irishman' Democrat Beto O'Rourke, the 2020 presidential candidate, with a leprechaun hat on top of his 1998 mug shot following his DWI arrest in Texas. The tweet angered some who said it was racist

O'Rourke was 26 years old when he was arrested for drunk driving. A witness told police that he tried to flee the scene after the Volvo he was driving collided with a truck on a Texas interstate. He is seen above in Madison, Wisconsin on Sunday

The message scrawled at the bottom of the mug shot reads: PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

The tweet angered many on social media who accused the GOP of promoting racist stereotypes about the Irish.

Im sure Lincoln would be proud of this tweet, writer Molly Jong-Fast tweeted.

You guys are really going high here.

Journalist Ken Klippenstein posted a photo of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh saying I like beer.

Kavanaugh famously expressed his love for beer during his Senate confirmation hearings, during which it emerged that he had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a high school party more than 30 years ago.

Kavanaugh, like ORourke, is of Irish Catholic descent.

Matthew Dowd tweeted: As an Irishman this is deplorable. As an American it is unpatriotic. As a human it is racist.

Another Twitter user commented: Just curious, are there mugshots for George W. Bush's DUI or for the night Laura Bush drove through a stop sign at 50mph on a remote road on a clear night and killed a classmate with her car, then wasn't tested for alcohol.

In 1976, George W. Bush, who was eventually elected president in 2000, was arrested for drunk driving by police in Maine.

Laura Bush, his wife, was 17 years old when she ran a stop sign and struck another car, killing its driver, on a dark country road in Midland, Texas.

Tony Posnanski tweeted: Now do Matt Gaetz, Brett Kavanaugh, George W. Bush, Donald Trump Jr....

Im sure Lincoln would be proud of this tweet, writer Molly Jong-Fast tweeted. You guys are really going high here.

Matthew Dowd tweeted: As an Irishman this is deplorable. As an American it is unpatriotic. As a human it is racist.

Journalist Ken Klippenstein posted a photo of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh saying I like beer. Kavanaugh, like ORourke, is of Irish Catholic descent

Tony Posnanski tweeted: Now do Matt Gaetz, Brett Kavanaugh, George W. Bush, Donald Trump Jr....

Another Twitter user commented: Just curious, are there mugshots for George W. Bush's DUI or for the night Laura Bush drove through a stop sign at 50mph on a remote road on a clear night and killed a classmate with her car, then wasn't tested for alcohol.

Gaetz, the congressman from Florida, was arrested in 2008 for driving under the influence, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Donald Trump Jr, the presidents eldest son, was arrested for public drunkenness during a Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans in 2001.

He spent 11 hours in jail, according to PEOPLE.

ORourke announced this past week that he will seek the Democratic nomination for the presidency.

A former congressman from El Paso, ORourke became a national figure after mounting a spirited campaign against heavily favored incumbent Senator Ted Cruz.

Although Cruz won the election and kept his U.S. Senate seat, the smaller-than-expected margin of victory and the energized grassroots support for ORourke had people urging the 46-year-old Democrat to run for president.

Now that he is running for president, ORourke will likely have to answer questions about his DWI arrest.

When he was 26 years old, ORourke was driving drunk along an interstate roadway at a high rate of speed in a 75mph zone just before 3am.

Matt Gaetz, the Republican congressman from Florida, was arrested in 2008 for driving under the influence

Former President George W. Bush was also arrested for drunk driving. Former First Lady Laura Bush was behind the wheel of a car when she ran a stop sign and slammed into another car, killing the driver, when she was 17 years old

Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, was arrested in 2001 for public drunkenness during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans. He spent 11 hours in jail

ORourke lost control of his Volvo and hit a truck, according to The Washington Post.

According to reports, the impact of the crash sent ORourkes car across the center median, where it came to a complete stop.

A witness said that ORourke attempted to leave the scene.

When police arrived, ORourke failed a breathalyzer test. His blood alcohol level was measured at .136 and .134 - above the .10 legal limit.

He was arrested at the scene and charged with driving while intoxicated, but the charges were later dropped after he completed a court-approved diversion program.

ORourke has talked about his arrest when running for El Paso City Council, where he served before he was elected to Congress in 2013.

I drove drunk and was arrested for a DWI in 1998, he said during his campaign last year.

As Ive publicly discussed over the last 20 years, I made a serious mistake for which there is no excuse.

Beto O'Rourke apologized for joking that his wife Amy raises the kids on her own, his white privilege, and his jarring teenage fiction writing during an interview with the podcast Political Party LIVE! in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday

O'Rourke announced his presidential ambitions on Thursday and headed for the early caucus state of Iowa, where he had to apologize for a series of gaffes, including his joke that his wife raises their three children practically on her own.

He said on Saturday it would be 'very difficult' not to select a woman to be his running mate if he wins the nomination.

'It would be very difficult not to select a woman with so many extraordinary women who are running right now,' he said during a campaign stop in Dubuque, Iowa.

'But first I would have to win,' he said. 'You know, this is as open as it has ever been.'

There are five women competing against him for the Democratic nomination: Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar along with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

Speaking on the podcast Political Party LIVE! in Cedar Rapids, he admitted he was wrong for joking that his wife raised the family only 'sometimes with my help', which had sparked outrage among female politicians and activists.

'Not only will I not say that again, but I'll be more thoughtful going forward in the way that I talk about our marriage, and also the way in which I acknowledge the truth of the criticism that I have enjoyed white privilege,' O'Rourke said.

He acknowledged that the 'criticism is right on' and said his controversial statement was his 'ham-handed attempt to highlight the fact that Amy has the lion's share of the burden in our family'.

'She actually works but is the primary parent in our family, especially when I served in Congress, especially when I was on the campaign trail,' he said.

On Friday, a day after his White House bid announcement, it was revealed he was a part of computer hacking activist group Cult of the Dead Cow as a teenager

He and Amy married in 2005 after meeting on a blind date and have two sons and a daughter tougher.

O'Rourke announced his White House bid on Thursday after months of speculation with a three-minute video where his wife Amy sits silently at his side clinging onto his arm.

He quickly faced backlash over perceived odd mannerisms, with critics like President Donald Trump mocking him as crazy for his excessive hand gestures and Dr. Drew Pinsky, the host of The Celebrity Rehab, saying 'there's something not right' about O'Rourke.

Then O'Rourke went on to apologize for his jarring poetry and fiction written as a teenager while he was a member of a group of activist computer hacking group Cult of the Dead Cow, which included fantasizing about killing young children and a suggestive ode to a cow.

The presidential candidate said he was 'mortified' that his teenage musings under the pseudonym 'Psychedelic Warlord' have resurfaced.

At the age of 15 O'Rourke published a shocking fiction piece about a driver who ran over and killed children with their car because they were 'happy', according to a Reuters report on his hacking history published a day after he announced his White House bid.

He wrote that after running over the kids, 'I was so fascinated for a moment, that when after I had stopped my vehicle, I just sat in a daze, sweet visions filling my head.'

His writings become even more disturbing in his poetry, particularly one piece fashioned as very suggestive ode to a cow.

Lines in the piece entitled The Song of the Cow saying 'Thrust your hooves up my analytic passage, Enjoy my fruits' and 'Buff my balls, Love the Cow'.

Beto and Amy share three children together Henry, Ulysses and Molly pictured together in 2018

On Friday he admitted he was wrong for joking that his wife raised the family only 'sometimes with my help', which had sparked outrage among female politicians and activists. Pictured above with wife Amy Hoovers Sanders

He apologized for his writing saying: 'There was a report that came out today that shared things that I had written as a teenager. Really hateful. Really bad stuff.'

'I'm mortified to read it now, incredibly embarrassed, but I have to take ownership of my words.

'Whatever my intention was as a teenager doesn't matter, I have to look long and hard at my actions, at the language I have used, and I have to constantly try to do better,' he added.

The liberal El Paso native also talked about white privilege and how he's benefited from it, citing how he walked away from two arrests while he was still a young man without serious consequences.

'I have been arrested twice in my life. Once for attempted criminal trespass and another more braver offense of driving while intoxicated,' he said during the Friday talk.

'Those offenses didn't end up defining me or narrowing my options in life and it's not because I'm a great person... a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm a white man.

'I've understood better from the experiences of others how this criminal justice system works and how it doesn't work in this country,' he added.
Sunrise host David 'Kochie' Koch has accused One Nation leader Pauline Hanson of 'empowering' white supremacists in a fiery interview on Monday morning.

Koch didn't hold back when Hanson appeared on Seven's breakfast program, grilling the federal senator on her party's 'anti-Muslim policies' in the wake of Friday's Christchurch terrorist attack which claimed 50 lives.

Alleged Australian gunman Brenton Tarrant released a 74-page terrorist manifesto on social media the day before the tragedy.

'This terrorist manifesto almost reads like One Nation immigration and Muslim policy. Do you feel complicit with this atrocity?,' Koch asked Hanson.

A fired up David Koch grilled Pauline Hanson (pictured) in a heated on air debate on Monday

A defiant Hanson hit back.

'David, I feel for those people and I feel for those families who have lost lives. The same across the road here when we had the Lindt Cafe terrorist attacks.

'We have problems but you've actually got to discuss it and debate the issue. Why we have these terrorist attacks in this country. Why is it happening around the world? Why is it happening in many places?'

A fired up Koch then claimed terrorist attacks were carried out by right-wing white supremacists 'egged on by your (Hanson's) comments, by your anti-Muslim comments'.

'(Things like) 'they don't deserve to be here', 'they will take over our country'. Can you understand how that empowers a white supremacist ... into seeing it as a call to arms?' Koch asked.

Hanson then turned the focus to what's happening in the UK.

'People are leaving England to come out here because they have lost their country. England is not the country that they grew up in,' she said.

'Learn from the mistakes of other countries to ensure that it doesn't happen here. I didn't grow up with terrorism when I was a child. Why is it happening now.

'You make such bold claims that every Muslim is terrible, every Muslim is a threat because they don't look like us and they don't have our religion,' Koch shot back.

Many Sunrise viewers came to Ms Hanson's defence following the heated interview

As the heated interview continued, Ms Hanson accused Koch of not knowing what was happening in Sydney's western suburbs.

'Go out to Fairfield now, go and ask the Lebanese Christians what has happened to their country. They will tell you the same thing. They're in fear the same thing will happen here,' she said.

'I have a youth centre in those areas and know exactly what's happening there,' an exasperated Koch replied.

In a fiery face-off with fellow crossbencher Derryn Hinch, who was also invited to be part of the Sunrise interview, Hanson downplayed her past connection to under-fire Senator Fraser Anning, who now sits as an independent.

'For you to say that is absolutely disgusting,' she told Sunrise when asked if she had picked Senator Anning to run for One Nation because of his white supremacist views.

'No, I didn't pick him because of that.'

Thousands attended a vigil on Sunday in the wake of Friday's terrorist attack in Christchurch

Senator Anning entered parliament in late 2017 as a replacement for One Nation's Malcolm Roberts, who was disqualified from sitting in the upper house because due to his dual citizenship.

Senator Hanson kicked him out of the party on his first day when he refused to step aside and allow Mr Roberts to return.

Senator Anning has been branded a 'disgrace' by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian leaders for blaming the Christchurch mosque massacre on Muslim immigration.

When parliament resumes next month the coalition government and Labor plan to jointly move a censure motion condemning his comments.

Tensions boiled over again on the topic of under-fire Senator Fraser Anning (pictured)

But Senator Hanson said she didn't see the point of a censure motion.

'A censure isn't going to prove, it's not going to do anything ... what is a censure? It will not prove a damn thing,' she said on Monday.

'The people will have their say, not politicians out there beating their chest about all of this.'

Many viewers disagreed with Koch's grilling.

'I am disgusted with yourself and Sunrise. Regardless of agreeing or disagreeing with the views of Pauline Hanson, she was set up for an ambush this morning. Still the same old, boys club mentality in politics and television,' one viewer tweeted.

Another added: 'Turning off bias. Absolute disgrace. Nothing but an ambush on Pauline Hanson.'
Residents living near Houston, Texas were warned to shelter in place on Sunday after a fire at a petrochemicals plant.

'City of Deer Park issuing SHELTER-IN-PLACE emergency in Deer Park,' the city of Deer Park wrote in a tweet at 8:58 a.m. 'Please take immediate action and seek shelter.'

Even four hours later, the fire at Intercontinental Terminals Company Deer Park remained uncontrolled.

A tank exploded at a petro-chemical plant in Deer Park, Texas near Houston

Officials said about 30 employees were working at the time of the fire and all have been accounted for with no injuries

Smoke rises from a fire burning at the Intercontinental Terminals Company in Deer Park, east of Houston. Residents in the area are being urged to find a safe location indoors after the fire broke out at the petrochemicals terminal

Officials said a chemical tank containing naphtha, a component used in gasoline, had caught fire.

Fire fighters are began to attempt to control the fire using foam.

'As of 3:30 p.m., we are fighting the fire defensively in order to ensure it does not spread,' said ITC in a press release. 'The safety of our employees, our surrounding community and the environment is our first priority.'

The fire resulted in the closure of State Highway 225 in both directions from Beltway 8 to Independence Parkway, which also remains closed near the facility.

The chemical burning is called petroleum naphtha, which is a colorless liquid with the odor of gasoline

Residents have been asked to remain sheltered and avoid going outdoors. Community air monitoring is being conducted in the area

The fire is located at 1943 Independence Parkway in a large facility that falls within the cities of Deer Park and La Porte.

The ITC Deer Park terminal has a capacity of 13.1 million barrels which are used to store various petrochemical liquids and gases including fuel oil and bunker oil.

Harris County Pollution Control is conducting air monitoring, and the city of Pasadena has contacted an independent contractor for additional air quality monitoring.

The Deer Park facility is the second to catch fire in as many days. On Saturday, there was a fire at an ExxonMobil plant in Baytown.
If theres one thing for which French officialdom has a passion, it is fiendishly complicated bureaucracy.

So it says something about the towering importance of a proposed D-Day memorial that they have  for once  waved it aside.

The site of a glorious tribute to British servicemen killed in the landings  backed by generous Daily Mail readers  is to be inaugurated later this year.

And now the French authorities have vowed to smooth over any planning obstacles in honour of the sacrifice made.

Sculptor David Williams-Ellis poses with the first of the three 440-kilo, 9ft figures which will be the centerpiece of the new memorial

An early working model of the sculpture shows how the memorial will appear when it overlooks Gold Beach in Normandy

Speaking at the launch of the Normandy Memorial Trust appeal in Paris, French politicians pledged their full support for the project, which also has the backing of veterans, the Prince of Wales, and the British Government.

This is not just an administrative matter but our duty of memory and we are at your side, said Laurent Fiscus, the prefect of Calvados  in the area of Normandy where the memorial will be built.

He was speaking at a reception at the British embassy in Paris where the latest designs for the site have been unveiled.

The memorial will overlook Gold Beach where thousands of British troops came ashore on the morning of June 6, 1944  D-Day  to begin the liberation of France and Europe.

More than 22,000 British servicemen and women were killed during the subsequent 77-day Battle of Normandy which saw some of the most vicious fighting of the entire war.

Of all the major Allied nations involved in the landings, however, Britain is the only one without a national memorial to its dead.

Just over 50 acres of land have now been acquired for the commemorative site, which will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister and the French president on the 75th anniversary of D-Day itself. However, a further 7.5million is needed to complete the project.

Scultpor Mr Williams-Ellis met with D-Day veteran Ronald Clements at the British Embassy in Paris for the fundraising of the memorial

An artist's impression issued by the Normandy Memorial Trust shows how the memorial will appear above Gold Beach

Guests at the embassy reception heard the British ambassador, Lord Llewellyn, explain that President Emmanuel Macron has taken a personal interest in the memorial project.

Lord Ricketts, former ambassador to Paris and now chairman of the memorials trustees, once again thanked Mail readers for their outstanding response to the appeal for funds and also thanked French officials for helping to overcome the pitfalls of the French planning system.

We have discovered that things can be a little complicated, he said with diplomatic understatement, to gales of laughter from the French guests present.

Touching tales involving French bureaucrats are few and far between but it emerged that local officials have just done the memorial campaign quite a favour.

Under French law, any loss of agricultural land to alternative uses requires a compensation payment. In the case of this memorial site, that would normally equate to 83,000.

However, when the proposal came before the Calvados Chamber of Agriculture the other day, officials declared that such a payment was out of the question. Any compensation, they said, had been paid back in 1944.

In pride of place at the Paris event were two Normandy veterans, Ronald Clements, 97, who served in the frigate HMS Mounsey, and Joe Cattini, 96, formerly of the Royal Artillery, who landed on Gold Beach on D-Day morning at the wheel of a three-ton ammunition truck loaded with 25lb shells and dozens of cans of petrol.

The Royal Engineers had marked us a route through the minefield on the beach with white tape, he recalled later. This wireless truck was in a real hurry. He overtook me, went over the white tape and got blown to pieces.

Mr Cattini said that his two biggest fears were snipers aiming at his cargo and the dust. There was this hidden German 88 [88mm field gun] which would zero in on any dust cloud.

One day, the truck ahead of me was going too fast and sending up all this dust and it got a direct hit, he says. My mate Sam Leiper and three others were on that truck. They all burned to death. I remember I drove very slowly after that.

Gunner Leiper, who was 21 when he died in August 1944, will be one of the 22,442 names on the memorial following extensive research by a team of military historians. All those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Normandy campaign will be included.
Police in New York are investigating a fresh murder mystery after human bones, a torso, and possible lung and heart tissue were found in the backyard of an old, two-story house in Queens.

Forensics team members have spent the week digging up the backyard of a home in the Richmond Hill neighborhood after an anonymous woman called police Monday night and said she knew about a murder that happened in the late 1970s, including where the body had been buried.

'She recalls now that a little over 40 years ago she was present at this house and gave us information regarding the presence of a body that was buried in plastic bags in the backyard,' NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea told reporters last week.

Police haven't yet confirmed the identity of the victim, but they believe it was a man between the ages of 30 and 35.

An unidentified woman called New York Police Monday night and said she knew of a murder that took place in the 1970s, including where the body was buried

Police who followed up on the tip found human remains in the backyard of a two-story home in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, New York

They found the skeletal remains of what's believed to be a man in his 30s

The remains were so old, investigators turned them over to anthropologists to help figure out who they belong to

NBC New York reports the remains were so old, they were turned over to anthropologists who are helping with the investigation.

Detectives are scouring through decades-old homicide and missing person reports to find a possible connection. Neighbors expressed shock when they heard what was taking place in one of their own back yards.

'I walk around here all the time and it's usually a calm neighborhood,' Jacob Davidson told NBC New York.

Police are also searching the national missing person's database, hoping the DNA from the skeletal remains will match someone in the registry, Fox News reports.

The New York Times reported that the woman was a child at the time living in the house.

It is not clear why the anonymous woman waited so long to reveal her dark secret to authorities.
President Donald Trump on Sunday bragged that Republican senators who supported his emergency declaration to build a border wall were 'uniformly praised' in their home states except a few of those lawmakers actually faced heavy criticism for their support.

'Those Republican Senators who voted in favor of Strong Border Security (and the Wall) are being uniformly praised as they return to their States. They know there is a National Emergency at the Southern Border, and they had the courage to ACT. Great job!,' he wrote on Twitter.

It's unclear what he is basing his information on.

President Donald Trump bragged that GOP senators who supported his emergency declaration to build a border wall were 'uniformly praised' in their home states

But Republican Sens. Thom Tillis (left) and Cory Gardner (right) voted with Trump and were criticized back home for it

Lawmakers are in their home states for the next two weeks for district work period.

At least two Republican senators who supported him were subject to home state criticism.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who had come out against Trump's move, flipped and supported him in last week's Senate vote. Tillis is on the ballot next year when Trump is running for reelection.

The Raleigh News & Observer slammed Tillis in an op-ed: 'Tillis has abandoned his principles in order to stand wherever Trump stands, there will be no need for further op-eds. We can learn what our senator thinks by reading Trumps tweets.'

Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, who is expected to face a tough reelection campaign next year, voted with Trump and was burned by the Denver Post for it.

The paper withdrew its 2014 endorsement of him.

Sen. Susan Collins voted against Trump's national emergency declaration last week; she is one of 12 GOP senators who did so and the only one up for reelection in 2020

A dozen GOP senators voted with Democrats in supporting the House resolution disapproving of Trump's national emergency declaration

'We no longer know what principles guide the senator and regret giving him our support in a close race against Mark Udall,' the editorial board wrote, citing his vote last week.

A dozen GOP senators crossed to the other side of the aisle to vote with Democrats in supporting the House resolution disapproving of Trump's national emergency declaration to build his border wall.

The move sparked the president's first use of his veto power.

Several of those senators are from states the president won in the 2016 election but all of them expressed a concern that Trump's declaration would violate the separation of powers outlined in the constitution.

Already 16 states, led by California, have filed a lawsuit against the president to stop his move.

Only one of the 12 senators is up for reelection next year: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is already known as an independent voter.

TWELVE REPUBLICAN SENATORS OPPOSED TRUMP A dozen Republican senators voted Thursday to block the president's national emergency. They are: Lamar Alexander of Tennessee Roy Blunt of Missouri Susan Collins of Maine Mike Lee of Utah Lisa Murkowski of Alaska Rob Portman of Ohio Mitt Romney of Utah Marc Rubio of Florida Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania Roger Wicker of Mississippi Rand Paul of Ketucky Jerry Moran of Kansas Advertisement

Trump declared a national emergency after Congress failed to give him the $5.7 billion he requested to build his border wall.

Congress voted against his move last week and, on Friday, Trump issued the first veto of his administration.

'It is definitely a national emergency. Rarely have we had such a national emergency,' he said when he issued his veto.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement last week that '[o]n March 26, the House will once again act to protect our Constitution and our democracy from the president's emergency declaration by holding a vote to override his veto.'

She will have to marshal two-thirds of the House, 290 seats, to prevail. Democrats hold just 235.

If Pelosi were to pull off the feat, the Republican-controlled Senate would get the measure next. The two-thirds requirement there means six more Republicans flipping from Trump's side.

The measure would have the effect of terminating Trump's use of the National Emergencies Act to reprogram funds to build a border wall  despite a standoff with Democrats during the government shutdown that resulted in Trump being denied the $5.7 billion he was requesting for that purpose.

Trump warned GOP senators last week before their vote to quit 'overthinking' his national emergency as they deliberated how to vote on a resolution rebuking him.

Trump says he told them to 'vote anyway you want, vote how you feel good' while cautioning that it will 'very bad thing for them long into the future' if they move to terminate it.

'I think anybody going against border security, drug trafficking human trafficking, that's a bad vote,' he warned on Wednesday.
(ANSA) - Rome, March 8 - Four Italians have been arrested on charges of killing an Albanian man and hiding his body in a cavity behind a wall near Monza.

Lamaj Astrid had disappeared in Genoa in January 2013 and his corpse was found on January 15, 2019 in a flat in Senago, near Monza.

The four men were identified thanks to an investigation by Carabinieri police and arrested in Muggio, Enna, and Genoa.

He was allegedly killed on the orders of his ex, a 64-year-old jewel trader, whom he had left and robbed, police said. The woman, who was arrested near Genoa airport, allegedly commissioned the killing from six people believed to be close to organised crime.


If the PMs deal is rejected by the House of Commons and MPs like Esther McVey (pictured), we may not leave the EU for many months and possibly not at all

The third vote on Mrs Mays EU deal will be a truly agonising, painful dilemma for many Conservative MPs who have already voted twice against it.

For them the disadvantages have been all too clear: the long period of European Court of Justice jurisdiction, the large Brexit bill, and above all the Irish backstop dividing our country and from which it may be difficult to exit.

On the other hand, if the PMs deal is rejected by the House of Commons, we may not leave the EU for many months and possibly not at all.

The PM seems to have decided that since Parliament has rejected whatever she has been able to negotiate, she may have no choice but to follow wherever a majority can be found in the House of Commons.

The logic of this means at best a soft Brexit, one in name only, and at worst no Brexit at all.

In last weeks debate much attention was focused on the Attorney Generals advice on the risks of being permanently locked in the Irish backstop, and his conclusion that there was no legal guarantee that the UK could unilaterally leave.

However Geoffrey Cox did also indicate that as a result of the various additions to the backstop the risks of Britain being permanently imprisoned in the backstop had definitely been reduced.

Since the EU has publicly declared it recognises the backstop is intended to be temporary  if it is ever used at all  and given the spotlight turned on this issue, the EU would surely look pretty disreputable if it ever tried to keep Britain in the backstop against its wish.

The PM seems to have decided that since Parliament has rejected whatever she has been able to negotiate, she may have no choice but to follow wherever a majority can be found in the House of Commons

More compellingly it is not at all clear why the EU would want Britain permanently in the backstop since it gives Britain full access to goods in the single market without having to accept either freedom of movement or make payments to the EU Budget.

Britain would also be free to deregulate its services which accounts for 80 per cent of our economy.

Any perceived risks in the backstop have to be balanced against the risks that will follow if the PMs deal is thrown out again. That would lead to the PM asking the EU for a postponement of Britains exit date.

The danger is that once we postpone our exit for the first time it may be the start of a process whereby it is postponed again and indefinitely.

Geoffrey Cox did also indicate that as a result of the various additions to the backstop the risks of Britain being permanently imprisoned in the backstop had definitely been reduced

Some MPs believe that the Government can postpone our exit date but cannot ultimately stop it. This is surely wishful thinking. The numbers are against it.

Parliament has voted against no deal and the PM is likely to go along with that, even if it means altering the legislation, which it could easily do.

Once Brexit is kicked into the long grass with a delay of a year or even longer, then it will be truly dead. The legitimacy of the mandate from 17.4million voters will diminish the further we get from the referendum. The momentum for Brexit will be lost  but the momentum for a second referendum will intensify.

To assert as some Eurosceptics do that it is preferable to remain in the EU than to accept Mrs Mays deal is absurd. The PMs deal is far from ideal. But it has one overwhelming advantage.

Under her deal we will definitely leave. We will be removed for ever from the threat of political union, and we will not be subsumed as a province of a new country called Europe

Under her deal we will definitely leave. We will be removed for ever from the threat of political union, and we will not be subsumed as a province of a new country called Europe.

We will not have our taxes harmonised with those of Europe inside a European Treasury. We will not be part of any European army, and we will leave the Common Fisheries and Agricultural policies.

True, Mrs Mays deal will not give us, for the moment, the ideal trade policy. But there will be all to play for in the next stage of the negotiations when there will be different leadership because Mrs May has said she will stand down before the next election.

Above all, we will be removed from the main threat Eurosceptics have fought for so long  that of needless unnecessary political integration. That is the main prize.

What is certain is that this opportunity will never happen again and history will not understand if it is Conservative MPs who prevent us reclaiming our self government.
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Prince Harry is not due to become a father until next month  but yesterday his cousin Zara Tindall showed her faith in his parenting abilities.

She made him godfather to her baby Lena at her christening at St Nicholas Church in Cherington, Gloucestershire.

Harry was joined at the low-key ceremony by his wife, Meghan, who is expecting their first child in late April and whose growing baby bump was covered under a fashionable vintage-style buttoned coat.

Prince Harry and a heavily-pregnant Meghan attended the christening of ten-month-old Lena Tindall at St Nicholas Church in Cherington, Gloucestershire

Safe in Daddy's arms: Mike Tindall carries Lena from the church in spring showers after the low-key service

Zara Tindall's parents Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips were also in attendance at the christening but there was no sign of Prince Philip or the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

The Queen, the great-grandmother of Lena, carried her umbrella from the church as she braved the Gloucestershire weather

Captain Mark Phillips, who divorced Princess Anne in 1992, attended the christening in Gloucestershire

The event was also attended by the Queen, whose presence will have surprised some royal-watchers because she did not attend the christening of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges third child, Prince Louis.

The Queen held her own umbrella as she left the Grade-I listed church during a spring shower.

Nine-month-old Lena, her youngest great-grandchild, was christened at the same church where her sister Mia and cousin Isla Phillips were blessed previously.

She was carried from the service in her christening gown by her father, former England rugby player Mike Tindall. Zaras parents Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, who divorced in 1992, were also there but there was no sign of Prince Philip or the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Princess Anne leaves the christening of her granddaughter Lena at the same church where Mia Tindall and Isla Phillips were blessed previously

Lena was carried out of the service in her christening gown by her devoted father, the former England rugby international Mike Tindall

Meghan, who is expecting her first child in late April, covered her bump under a vintage-style buttoned burgundy coat

The Rev Dr Gerald South, the priest in charge, said the service at St Nicholas Church was lovely but declined to comment further

The Queen appeared at the christening of Lena without her husband the Duke of Edinburgh

She was seen clutching to the order of service as she left the church in Cherington, Gloucestershire

Onlookers said the christening was a surprisingly low-key event considering the high number of high-profile royals in attendance

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first child is due in late April and speculation is already mounting over who they will choose as their newborn's godparents

An onlooker said: There were between seven and ten police cars discreetly parked in a farmyard on the edge of the village, and we saw a few bobbies dotted around the village'

Equestrian Zara recently became a brand ambassador for trendy pram and buggy firm iCandy who appeared to deliver a buggy to Harry and Meghan at Frogmore

Parish councillor Kate Gegg said she had attended morning service at the church and had no idea the royals were about to arrive and said the vicar did not even mention it

The tradition for royal babies used to be to select elderly or foreign relatives for the role of godparents but Harry and Meghan appear likely to follow in the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges footsteps and opt for friends over family

Royal infants usually have more than the standard three godparents. Prince Louis has six, future king Prince George has seven and Princess Charlotte has five

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last week unveiled plans to create their own household when they swap Kensington Palace for Frogmore House

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they will move their staff and offices to Buckingham Palace amid rumours of a rift with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Zara and Mike Tindall were firm fixtures at the Cheltenham Festival this week as they watched the famous Gold Cup

Prince Harry will take two weeks paternity leave from royal engagements when his baby with the Duchess of Sussex is born

The Rev Dr Gerald South, the priest in charge, said the service was lovely but declined to comment further.

An onlooker said: There were between seven and ten police cars discreetly parked in a farmyard on the edge of the village, and we saw a few bobbies dotted around the village. But considering the number of royals in attendance, it was a surprisingly low-key event.

Parish councillor Kate Gegg said she had attended morning service at the church and had no idea the royals were about to arrive. The vicar didnt say anything about it, she added.

Equestrian Zara recently became a brand ambassador for trendy pram and buggy firm iCandy.
An army of more than 400,000 public-spirited volunteers have pledged their precious time to help clear the litter blighting our neighbourhoods.

Over the weekend, another 10,000 people signed up to Keep Britain Tidys Great British Spring Clean, backed by the Daily Mail, from March 22 to April 23.

This takes the total number of volunteers to 400,208  well above the 370,000 people who signed up for last years campaign. Encouragingly, this includes 144,711 children.

With just a few days until the clean-up begins, the half a million mark is now in sight. And last night, campaign organisers at Keep Britain Tidy asked for one final push to hit this target.

Natasha Ray (right), Litter Heroes Ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy with pupils of Springdale First School at Broadstone in Dorset for the Great British Spring Clean

Pupils from Alsager Highfields Foundation Primary School in Cheshire on a litter-picking walk around the town

Richard McIlwain, the charitys deputy chief executive, said: With a week to go before the formal campaign launch, we are now asking everyone across the country for one last big push to get us over the line and hit our target of half a million volunteers cleaning up the country.

A shocking 30million tons of litter is collected from our streets each year, costing councils an estimated 1billion annually. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers will head out from Friday to take part in the biggest clean-up Britain has ever seen, with events organised across the country.

Theresa May backed the campaign, with the Government recently announcing it would allocate 9.75million to allow every council to support local clean-ups.

The campaign has also been backed by the bosses of Sainsbury's and Asda. Sainsbury's boss Mike Coupe said, 'We look forward to working together to do our bit'

This is part of their drive to make littering culturally unacceptable within a generation. It has also been backed by Prince William and TV cookery stars Mary Berry and Prue Leith. Conservationists including Sir David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Bear Grylls have also approved.

Last week, United Nations Environment Assembly president Siim Kiisler praised the campaign for sending out a strong message that littering is unacceptable. After hearing about the mass litter pick in Britain, he told an international environmental gathering in Kenya that cleaning up towns, cities, beaches and the countryside was vital in raising awareness of waste disposal.

More than 80,000 volunteers have pledged to join Keep Britain Tidy's Great British Spring Clean, which is backed by the Daily Mail. From March 22 to April 23, they'll help to pick up some of the litter which peppers Britain's beaches (stock image)

It is hoped half a million people will sign up to the Great British Spring Clean, which has been backed by Theresa May and Sir David Attenborough (stock image)

Mr Kiisler said: They see that their friend, neighbour or colleague from work or member of their family went out and, with their own bare hands, picked up some trash  because there is no other way to collect it. If they see their friends doing it, they will probably think twice before dropping litter again.

Some high street giants have also lent their support, including Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, Greggs, McDonalds, Costa Coffee and John Lewis.

The Daily Mail has long campaigned against the scourge of plastic in the environment, putting pressure on politicians and businesses which led to the tax on single-use plastic bags and the ban on microbeads in cosmetics.

Great British Spring Clean: The river of rubbish that storms have washed up

Stretching across the canal basin, this raft of rubbish is grim testimony to our throwaway culture.

Plastic bottles, food packaging, polystyrene, carrier bags and even car tyres have formed the floating island in the shadow of the BBC headquarters in Salford. The eyesore in the Manchester Ship Canal is a frequent sight following bad weather such as the heavy rainfall brought by Storm Gareth.

David Lancaster, a Salford councillor, said it was part of an ongoing battle with Mother Nature.

A huge floating island of rubbish has appeared in the quayside close to Media City in Manchester following a week of storms. Empty bottles, wheels and a fridge have been washed up

Storm Gareth has caused havoc all over the country but this shocking sight will cause misery to the wildlife that have made the basin their home

We are aware of this particular build-up, which is in our waters, and we have begun removing it, he told the Manchester Evening News.

Five local rivers drain into the Quays so natural and other debris caught up in those rivers is washed down and accumulates. Debris builds up particularly quickly after heavy rain.

BBC presenter Nicky Campbell posted a video of swans swimming in fly-tipped waste near the BBC complex last year.

The Great British Spring Clean will run between March 22 and April 23. Register at gbspringclean.org
More than one million people have signed a petition demanding controversial Australian Senator Fraser Anning be removed from parliament.

The petition follows outrage throughout Australia and the world after the independent Queensland senator blamed Islamic immigration for Friday's Christchurch mosque shooting shortly after the attack had taken place.

The former One Nation party member has been condemned as a 'disgrace' since the statement, with the petition requesting he be pushed to resign from his position and if appropriate 'be investigated for supporting right-wing terrorism.'

Senator Fraser Anning said the real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets on Friday is the immigration program that allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place

Sydney doctor Kate Ahmad lodged the petition with change.org and it quickly became the largest in Australian history.

As of Monday morning, more than 1.1million people have signed the petition.

Dr Ahmad told the Sydney Morning Herald she knows there is not currently a legal process to expel MP's from Parliament unless they are criminals or dual citizens, but hoped to draw attention to the public's response to his comments.

'It's to make clear that this kind of hate speech won't be accepted by the community or the country as a whole, that there are repercussions for this behaviour,' she said.

'Politics has degenerated to the point where extreme views have become mainstream and have a veneer of legitimacy. It's a problem we have an elected member of parliament like this and he must take responsibility for his actions.'

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said his party will consider pushing for amendments to the Privileges act in order to expel Senator Anning from parliament.

The Greens leader Richard Di Natale said his party will consider pushing for amendments to the Privileges act in order to expel Senator Anning from parliament

He said his party are 'exploring all options' after his statement, but the major parties have rejected changing laws in favour of allowing voters to have their say at the next federal election.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Senator Anning should face the 'full force of the law' after he reacted violently to a teenage boy who cracked an egg on the back of his head.

NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Senator Anning's comments were a 'disgrace'.

Senator Anning was roundly condemned after he used the phrase 'final solution' in his maiden speech to parliament - a reference to the Holocaust.

More than one million people have signed a petition demanding controversial Australian senator Fraser Anning be removed from parliament

He also attended a far-right rally in Melbourne where participants made Nazi salutes.

A 17-year-old protester broke an egg on the senator's head during a press conference on Saturday.

A short scuffle ensued and the schoolboy, who was later identified as Will Connolly, was grabbed around the neck, tackled to the ground and restrained by up to five men.

He has been widely praised after he filmed himself egging Senator Anning, and a GoFundMe page established to cover his legal fees has already reached more than $39,000.

A 17-year-old protester broke an egg on the senator's head during a press conference on Saturday

Muslim Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said Senator Anning has been making disgraceful comments for some time.

'I don't want to spend a second talking about Senator Fraser Anning,' she told ABC radio.

'I think the people will have their say and boot him out as the next election.'

Senator Anning attended a gun show in Ipswich on Sunday, two days after 50 people were killed in the horrific Christchurch attack.

Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old man from Grafton in NSW, has been charged with murder over the mass shooting.

Senator Anning will hold a press conference in Brisbane on Monday.
The mother of Claudia Lawrence said yesterday that she would like to meet Libby Squires parents after becoming upset over the similar disappearance of their daughter.

Joan Lawrence said the case of Miss Squire, 21, had brought back memories of her daughter, who vanished ten years ago today.

She appealed for Miss Squires parents, Lisa and Russell, to get in touch so she could comfort them. The couple have spoken of their utter heartbreak and despair.

It came as police investigating Miss Lawrences disappearance said witnesses are withholding vital information that could lead to a breakthrough, adding that she was probably attacked by someone she knew.

Claudia Lawrence (right), pictured with her father Peer, went missing as she walked to her job at York University 10 years ago today at the age of 35. Her body has never been found

The disappearance of Libby Squire (pictured), a student at Hull University, reminded the mother of Claudia Lawrence about her own daughter going missing

Miss Lawrence, 35, a chef at York University, vanished from her home in York and is believed to have been murdered, though her body has never been found.

Miss Squire, a philosophy student at Hull University, was last seen on a bench close to her student home in the city at 11.40pm on January 31 this year.

Mrs Lawrence, 75, said that when Miss Squire mysteriously vanished after a night out it made her sit up and think because its so similar.

I was quite upset when I saw about Libby Squire, because shes got long, dark hair and you cant help but be reminded when you see the searches going on, she told the York Press.

Joan Lawrence said she understood how Miss Squire's parent felt. 'I know exactly where they are coming from and if they would like to get in touch with me, Im a good listener,' she said

I understand how her parents feel, know exactly where they are coming from and if they would like to get in touch with me, Im a good listener. It really helps if you talk to someone in the same situation. I have a lot of friends and they are really great, but say they cant imagine what its like.

Meanwhile, Miss Lawrences father Peter said the decade of uncertainty had destroyed his family from the inside and that he now struggles to believe his daughter is still alive.

Mr Lawrence, a retired solicitor, said the pain was less raw, but no less significant, adding: It still eats into you, the not knowing. He appealed for anyone with information to come forward and put the family out of their misery.

Yesterday, Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, of North Yorkshire Police, said police do not believe Claudia fell victim to an attack by a stranger.

Polish butcher Pawel Relowicz, 24, was arrested over Miss Squires disappearance and remains under investigation while he is to stand trial for unrelated offences

A major search operation took place following Miss Squire's disappearance. Police divers searched the lake in Oak Road Park in Hull near to the home of missing 21-year-old student in February

He said: It remains the case that we strongly suspect key and vital information is being withheld that could provide the breakthrough that we all want to see, not least Claudias heartbroken family.

Unless we get information or intelligence to suggest that Claudia came to harm as a result of an opportunity taken by someone unconnected to her, the team and I still strongly believe the answer lies locally. She was last seen at her home on March 18, 2009 and was reported missing after she failed to appear at work the next day.

Nine people have been arrested or interviewed in connection with her disappearance. Police submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to several men in their fifties but there is insufficient evidence to bring charges.

Detectives arrested butcher Pawel Relowicz, 24, over Miss Squires disappearance and said he remains under investigation. He is to stand trial for unrelated offences after pleading not guilty to five charges of voyeurism, an indecent act and three burglaries.
Heavily-armed police have begun raiding the Dunedin home of accused killer Brenton Tarrant.

Officers arrived at the Anderson's Bay house on Monday morning at the same time Australian Federal Police were carrying out simultaneous raids at Tarrant's mother's and sister's homes near Grafton.

The one-bedroom house in New Zealand has been Tarrant's home for the past two years, and it is believed to be where he planned the terror attacks.

New Zealand police officers arrive at the Dunedin home of accused killer Brenton Tarrant

Forensic police were seen entering Tarrant's home at 11.30am to begin a search of the rental house he has lived at for the past two years

Brenton Tarrant's mother's home in Lawrence, near Grafton NSW was also searched by police

The one-bedroom house has been Tarrant's home for the past two years, and it is believed to be where he planned the terror attacks

Officers searched through garden beds and bushes as part of their raid on Tarrant's rental home

Officers arrived at the Anderson's Bay house on Monday morning, at the same time Australian Federal Police were carrying out simultaneous raids at Tarrant's mother and sister's homes near Grafton

Eight specialist search officers were seen putting on hazardous-material suits and gloves before they entered the suburban house, just after 11.30am local time

Eight specialist search officers were seen putting on hazardous-material suits and gloves before they entered the suburban house, just after 11.30am local time.

They focused a lot of their search on the roof of the weatherboard house and on bushes and garden around the property.

Police would not comment to Daily Mail Australia on the raid, only saying it was an 'ongoing investigation'.

Meanwhile, counter-terrorism police have raided two homes in Australia as part of investigations into the Christchurch terrorist attack.

Officers from the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team searched a property in Sandy Beach, near Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast about 8.30am on Monday, before storming a second house at Lawrence, near Maclean.

'The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand Police in their ongoing investigation,' the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police said in a joint statement.

They focused a lot of their search on the roof of the weatherboard house

Police would not comment to Daily Mail Australia on the raid, saying it was an ongoing investigation

New Zealand Police searched near the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch on Monday

Officers inspected vehicles and the streets near the mosque as people came to pay their respects to those who died

Meanwhile, officers also searched the Dunedin home of Brenton Tarrant

Brenton Tarrant's sister Lauren lives at the Sandy Beach property while his mother Sharon lives in Lawrence.

There is a heavy police presence at both properties.

NSW Police said there was no threat to the community related to both searches.

Tarrant, 28, was charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday.

Tarrant's mother is a teacher at a local school. She had to be whisked away by police mid-class when reports of the attack first came through on Friday.

She and Tarrant's sister have been placed under police protection, without mobile phone contact with the rest of their family.

New Zealand Police officers from the Special Search Operations group prepare to forensically examine the home of Brenton Tarrant

Counter-terrorism police have raided two homes in Australia including that of Brenton Tarrant's sister Lauren(pictured) as part of investigations into the Christchurch terrorist attack

Brenton Tarrant's sister Lauren lives at the Sandy Beach property (pictured) while his mother Sharon lives in Lawrence

He grew up in the north-eastern NSW town of Grafton before moving to New Zealand in 2017.

Tarrant's family has been assisting police with their inquiries after the massacre.

The last time Tarrant returned home to NSW was for his sister's birthday last year.

Tarrant grew up in this house in Grafton in the Northern River region of Australia's New South Wales

The last time Tarrant (pictured) returned home to NSW was for his sister's birthday last year
BBC chairman, Sir David Clementi, is expected to say the broadcaster is no longer the 'big beast in the jungle'

Too much red tape is stopping the BBC from competing with on-demand rivals, its chairman will warn today.

Sir David Clementi is expected to say the broadcaster is no longer the big beast in the jungle and is under threat from online streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.

In a speech to the Oxford Media Convention, Sir David will call for an urgent debate on regulation of broadcasters to ensure the BBC remains fit for the global, digital age.

He will say: The current regulatory system has its origins in an era where the BBC was seen as the big beast in the jungle.

But that view of the world has now passed. Increasingly, our major competitors are well-funded, international giants  Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, YouTube  whose financial resources dwarf our own.

The BBC wants to offer more box sets and make iPlayer programmes available for more than 30 days  where rivals offer them for at least three years

The BBC wants to offer more box sets and make iPlayer programmes available for more than 30 days  where rivals offer them for at least three years.

But it has to submit any plans to rigorous public interest tests, which Sir David will say take months to process and mean the BBC risks lagging even further behind audience needs.
Senator Fraser Anning has defended physically lashing out at the teenage boy who publicly egged him, saying his actions were in self-defence.

The 69-year-old Queensland federal MP addressed the incident during a Kyle and Jackie O Show segment this morning ahead of his scheduled press conference.

Mr Anning has come under fire after slapping 17-year-old Will Connolly who cracked an egg on the politician's head during a Conservative National Party meeting in Moorabbin, Melbourne on Saturday.

The embattled senator said he did not regret striking back at the boy stating his reaction was how 'most sensible' would react.

'You know it was a bit of a shock, someone hitting you from behind. A bit of a cowardly thing to do, to whack you in the back of the head,' Fraser told the hosts.

'I turned around and defended myself, I think that's what most people, most sensible people would do.'

Jackie pointed out that Anning's initial reaction appeared to be instinctive but questioned if he had realised the boy's age when he went to strike him for a second time.

Senator Fraser Anning has defended physically lashing out at the teenage boy who publicly egged him on Saturday saying it's what 'most sensible people would do'

Mr Anning was speaking at a Conservative National Party Meeting in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon when the young man approached him and cracked an egg on his head

'That's why I only gave him a slap, Jackie. Which is probably what his mum should've done long ago. Poorly behaved like that, he should've had a few more lessons at home,' he replied.

When asked if he was bothered that the boy was receiving praise for his actions, Anning said: 'No, it doesn't worry me too much. People have their own opinions, they have the right to express them, they just don't have the right to attack you.

'I'm sure he will be [reprimanded], yeah. He needs to be, otherwise he'll grow up to be a person who'll do it again and again, probably. If he thinks he can get away with it.'

The boy's attack seemed to be in response to Anning's controversial tweet following the New Zealand mass shooting on Friday in which he linked Muslim immigration to violence in the country.

During the interview, Fraser said he did in fact condemn the shooting but maintained that countries with Muslim immigration have seen an increase of 'terrorist attacks' and violence.

'A lot of people have been listening to the left-wing media, in my press release I've utterly opposed any form of violence in the community and totally condemned the actions of the gunman,' he said.

During a press conference on Monday (pictured) Mr Anning also reiterated his comments on Muslim immigration saying citizens should have a say on how many migrants are allowed to settle in Australia and who is allowed to stay

The Queensland MP was seen slapping the teen in the face immediately after he was egged, but then went in for another strike

Will Connolly, 17, (pictured left at the event) was tackled to the ground after cracking an egg on Senator Anning in a press conference in Melbourne on Saturday and filmed it for the world to see

'All I've said is that countries that have Muslim immigration invariably have escalation in violence and terrorist attacks and murders.

'And we don't learn from countries who have allowed this indiscriminate immigration, which is what we have in this country.'

Anning repeated his comments in a press conference on Monday and claimed his words had been 'taken out of context.'

His remarks had been branded by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as 'disgusting,' but Anning told reporters, 'I see nothing disgusting about stating the facts.'

He went on to say Mr Morrison's criticism was 'hypocritical' because he is 'funding countries' who 'support terrorism.'

'It's all okay for politicians who live behind their high fences, they don't have to rub shoulders with these people, but (it is) the people in the street who are being attacked,' he told reporters in Brisbane on Monday.

Anning's comments have resulted in a petition calling for his resignation which now has more than one million signatures.

Anning released a statement on Friday, claiming the growing fear of the 'increasing Muslim presence' was behind the New Zealand terror attack - which left 49 worshippers dead.

A short scuffle ensued before the boy was slammed to the ground by other members of the public

Attendees of the event held the young man and put him in a chokehold after the physical altercation

Mr Anning has been slammed by politicians for his extremist stance, as Australians pay their respects to the victims of terrorist attack (pictured: man who egged Anning)

The right-wing politician was slammed by his peers for his extremist stance, while other Australians paid their respects to the victims of terrorist attack.

Video footage from Saturday's event shows the young man approach Anning from behind, as he speaks in front of a camera.

The man, who films the altercation, then slams an egg on to the back of the Senator's head who then spins his body to take aim at the youngster.

A short scuffle ensued before the man was tackled to the ground by other members of the public.

An image from the event shows the man walked from the venue by police.

The 17-year-old was arrested but has since been released pending further inquiries.

A video has emerged of men believed to be right-wing cronies filming themselves apparently choking the man who threw the egg.

The footage films the man's face up-close as he's appeared to be held down by the neck.

The men can then be heard hurling abuse at him.

'You are nothing but a weak human being you p****,' one man can be heard saying.

A Change.org petition calling for Mr Anning to be removed from parliament has been signed over 250,000 times

SENATOR FRASER ANNING'S FULL STATEMENT New Zealand Mosque Shooting Speaking following reports of multiple shootings at two Mosques in New Zealand earlier today, Senator Fraser Anning has responded with strong condemnation. 'I am utterly opposed to any form of violence within our community, and I totally condemn the actions of the gunman,' he said. 'However, whilst this kind of violent vigilantism can never be justified, what it highlights is the growing fear within our community, both in Australia and New Zealand, of the increasing Muslim presence. 'As always, left-wing politicians and the media will rush to claim that the causes of today's shootings lie with gun laws or those who hold nationalist views but this is all cliched nonsense. Anning has sparked outrage after blaming immigration for the mosque shootings in New Zealand 'The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place. 'Let us be clear, while Muslims may have been the victims today, usually they are the perpetrators. World-wide, Muslims are killing people in the name of their faith on an industrial scale. 'The entire religion of Islam is simply the violent ideology of a sixth century despot masquerading as a religious leader, which justifies endless war against anyone who opposes it and calls for the murder of unbelievers and apostates. 'The truth is that Islam is not like any other faith. It is the religious equivalent of fascism. And just because the followers of this savage belief were not the killers in this instance, does not make them blameless. 'As we read in Matthew 26:52, 'all they that take the sword, shall perish by the sword' and those who follow a violent religion that calls on them to murder us, cannot be too surprised when someone takes them at their word and responds in kind,' Senator Anning concluded. Advertisement

While another concerned member of the group appears to tell his friends to 'let him go'.

A Change.org petition calling for Mr Anning to be removed from parliament was released stating: 'Senator Fraser Anning has no place in the government of our democratic and multicultural country.

'We request that he be expelled from his position as Senator, and investigated by law enforcement agencies for supporting right wing terrorism.

'We call on the Australian government to expel this man who blames victims for their own violent deaths, and uses references to genocide to further his hateful agenda,' the petition says.

'There is no place in Australian government for Neo-Nazis. There is no place for bigotry. There is no place for hate speech.'

Politicians have roundly condemned Mr Anning for his comments.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also hit out at the independent senator's comments in a tweet on Friday.

'The remarks by Senator Fraser Anning blaming the murderous attacks by a violent, right-wing, extremist terrorist in New Zealand on immigration are disgusting. These views have no place in Australia, let alone in the Australian Parliament.'

Labor frontbencher Tony Burke told the ABC 'the normalisation of bigotry is something that is not only confined to him'.

'We need to call it out, we need to make sure that no way any member of parliament fosters it. He wants the conflict and he wants the notoriety,' he said on Saturday.

'He was put there as the result of being on the One Nation ticket. One Nation is the reason he is there.'

Opposition leader Bill Shorten also voiced his anger at Anning's comments.

'While families in Christchurch mourn for loved ones they've lost, an obscure Australian senator saw this act of terrorism and tragedy as an opportunity to blame the murder victims,' he tweeted.
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The Prince of Wales arrived in St Lucia for the start of a 12-day tour of the Caribbean sporting a bit of a do.

Charles was warmly greeted by St Lucia's Prime Minister Allen Chastanet after he landed on the island, but the tropical climate appeared to be causing chaos with his normally neat hairdo.

As he spoke at the opening ceremony Charles was in dire need of a brush or comb to tame his unruly mop of grey hair, but appeared otherwise unruffled by the hot weather.

The trip to the island paradise is a brief stop of a few hours for the heir to the throne before he flies on to Barbados where the Duchess of Cornwall is waiting, having flown out ahead of the tour's start.

Charles and Camilla will also visit St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and the Cayman Islands, with the highlight the four-day tour of Cuba beginning on March 24 - the first by members of the monarchy.

Hair to the throne! Prince Charles was sporting an unusually wild hairdo as he spoke at the welcome ceremony in St Lucia

The Governor-General Emmanuel Neville Cenac (centre left) with Prime Minister Michael Chastanetas (right) as the Prince of Wales (centre) attends an official welcome ceremony and parade at the stadium in St Lucia, at the start of his tour of the Caribbean

The Prince of Wales attends the official welcome ceremony and parade at the stadium in St Lucia, at the start of his tour of the Caribbean

The Prince of Wales arrives at Hewanorra International Airport, St Lucia. Charles and Camilla will also be visiting St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and the Cayman Islands, with the highlight the four-day tour of Cuba beginning on March 24

A smiling Prince Charles shares a joke with St Lucians waiting to meet him. Charles and Camilla will also visit St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and the Cayman Islands, with the highlight the four-day tour of Cuba beginning on March 24 - the first by members of the monarchy

The Prince of Wales attends an official welcome ceremony and parade at the stadium in St Lucia, at the start of his tour of the Caribbean

The Prince of Wales (centre) is welcomed by the Governor-General Emmanuel Neville Cenac with his wife Julita Du Boulay (left) and Prime Minister Michael Chastanet with his wife Raquel Chastanet (right) as he arrives at Hewanorra International Airport in St Lucia

The Prince of Wales meeting people at the start of his Caribbean tour. The prince's flying visit has given the St Lucians an excuse to extend celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the country's independence

A marching band as the Prince of Wales attends an official welcome ceremony and parade at the stadium in St Lucia

Charles spoke at the open-air event before St Lucia's prime minister Allen Chastanet, governor-general Sir Emmanuel Neville Cenac, British High Commissioner Steve McCready and other guests including students.

Charles said: 'The Commonwealth has been a cornerstone of my life for as long as I can remember and, through all the unprecedented global challenge of these past seven decades, it seems to me that the Commonwealth remains as vital today as it has ever been.'

Speaking about the global threat posed by climate change the prince went on to say: 'Importantly, the Commonwealth brings us together and gives us the means to harness shared opportunities, as well as to address common challenges.

'There is no greater challenge facing all of us, in my view, than that of global warming and climate change which, I know, poses nothing short of an existential threat to this island as it does to every part of this region.'

He went on to talk about his 2017 visit to the Caribbean in the wake of hurricanes Maria and Irma to see for himself the damage wreaked by the natural disasters.

The Prince of Wales talking to dancers at an official welcome ceremony and parade at the stadium in St Lucia, at the start of his tour

The Prince of Wales is presented with flowers as he attends the Governor-General's Reception at the Serenity Hotel, Coconut Bay, in St Lucia

The Prince of Wales (right), with the Prime Minister of St Lucia Michael Chastanet (centre) as he attends the Governor-General's Reception at the Serenity Hotel, Coconut Bay, St Lucia

The Prince of Wales meeting people at the welcome ceremony in St Lucia. The trip to the island paradise is a brief stop of a few hours for the heir to the throne before he flies on to Barbados where the Duchess of Cornwall is waiting, having flown out ahead of the tour's start

Prince Charles gives an award to Dorothy Phillip during an official welcome ceremony and parade after his arrival to St Lucia

Charles also praised St Lucia's 'abundant talent and creativity' which got enthusiastic applause from the crowds in stands at the sports field hosting the event.

The trip to the island paradise was a brief stop of a few hours for the heir to the throne before he flew on to Barbados where the Duchess of Cornwall is waiting having flown out ahead of the start of the tour.

The prince's flying visit has given the St Lucians an excuse to extend celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the country's independence, and an official ceremonial welcome and parade will be staged in the open air later for Charles.

With its tropical forests, famous Pitons - towering volcanic plugs that are a World Heritage site - and picturesque towns the island is the archetypal Caribbean destination.

It was fought over many times during the 17th and 18th century before Britain took control of the strategically important island from the French and today its culture still reflects these influences especially in the French creole widely spoken.

The former crown colony of Britain, whose economy has moved from sugar production to tourism and banana growing, is one of the Queen's realms meaning Charles is not a foreign royal but a prince of St Lucia.
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She shot to fame after showing off her enviable physique in the music video for Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines.

And Emily Ratajkowski was sure to turn heads as she turned her beach trip into an impromptu fashion shoot while out with close friend Gigi Hadid, 23, on a luxury boat in Mykonos, Greece on Saturday.

The stunning model, 27, flaunted all of her delectable curves in a scanty polka dot swimsuit, which showcased her perky posterior and eye-popping cleavage to perfection.

SO stunning: Emily Ratajkowski, 27, flaunted her flawless figure in a skimpy polka dot one-piece as she enjoyed a sun-soaked boat trip with Gigi Hadid in Mykonos on Saturday

Emily displayed her flawless complexion and sun-kissed glow with ease as she made the boat her catwalk, posing in a number of sultry stances that made the most of her incredible physique.

The runway queen paired her scandalous look with box-fresh sneakers, and shielded her eyes from the bright sunshine with vintage-inspired circle shades.

Emily's glossy chocolate locks cascaded past her shoulders in a sleek straight style and donned a straw hat as she worked her best angles for her friend's camera.

Model beauty: Emily displayed her flawless complexion and sun kissed glow with ease as she made the boat her catwalk, posing in a number of sultry stances that made the most of her incredible physique

Pulling her best pose: Working her model magic, the brunette beauty tried to get her all important Instagram shot as her male pal snapped away

Catwalk stunner: The runway queen paired her scandalous look with box-fresh sneakers, and shielded her eyes from the bright sunshine with vintage-inspired circle shades

Peachy: Not afraid to flash the flesh, Emily left little to the imagination in the thong polka dot swimsuit which exposed her back and made the most of her pert derriere

So chic: Emily toted her belongings in a sophisticated faux snake-skin shoulder bag as she hopped aboard the boat

Snap-happy: The American beauty, who teased plenty of side boob in the one piece, couldn't resist inspecting the photos from her impromptu photoshoot

Killer curves: The one-piece featured a plunging neckline which made the most of her ample assets

And pose! Emily's glossy chocolate locks cascaded past her shoulders in a sleek straight style as she worked her best angles for her friend's camera

Emily looked fresh-faced on the boat trip, despite attended the opening of Nammos Villagea luxury shopping centerin Mykonos, Greece on Friday night with pal Gigi.

The models, who wore vibrant draping dresses, participated in the evening's ribbon cutting ceremony and couldn't resist sharing snaps from the glitzy event on Instagram as they mingled with veteran model Kate Moss.

Sharing a photo of the trio on Instagram, Gigi wrote: 'Cant get much hotter dates than @katemossagency & @emrata'.

Out at sea: The star chatted away to a pal as they soaked up the sun on the boat trip

Strike a pose! The buxom model ran her fingers through her hair as she posed up a storm on the boat, with her photographer taking photos from all angels

Finishing touch: Emily looked every inch the beach babe as she finished off her eye-catching look with a pair of gold hoop earrings

In demand: Ratajkowski made her professional runway modeling debut and has since gone on to walk in a number of shows

Feeling hot: The model ensured to keep hydrated throughout the day as temperatures peaked 30 degrees

Helping hand: Emily leaned on a pal for support as they prepared to ride through the crystal-blue sea on a speed boat

Idyllic destination: The Blurred Lines star has been holidaying on the Greek island with her pal Gigi, and been mingling with a number of A-list celebs, including veteran model Kate Moss

Kicking back and relaxing: The girls quaffed on beer and bubbly during the boat trip

Sunny climes: The American beauty donned a straw sun hat to help her keep cool in the mid-heat of the day

Leggy display: The scanty swimsuit was incredibly high-cut, making the most of her endless pins

Meanwhile, Gigi Hadid looked incredible in a hot pink bikini, showing off her slender figure as the boat departed from the Santa Marina hotel.

Gigi's neon bright two-piece made the most of her enviably toned physique during her yacht outing.

She wore her blonde locks in a tousled style and sported a pair of tinted shades to match her eye-catching swimwear.

The stunning star was spotted quaffing a glass of bubbly on board the boat, where she was joined by fellow beauty Emily.

Cooling off: Gigi appeared to have taken a swim in the sea during the fun beach trip

Relaxing in style: The pair caught some rays as they sunned themselves on board the boat

Group shot: The girls captured their every move for social media, posing up a storm for the camera

Hats off!! Emily opted to cover up her brunette locks with a stylish straw boater hat

Later in the evening, Gigi and Emily partied the night away at the Bonbonniere club in Mykonos in the company of veteran supermodel Kate Moss, 44.

Kate took to the decks alongside DJ Fat Tony under their DJ duo name 'Fat Moss' and danced euphorically around the booth wearing a pair of black headphones.

Over the course of the evening, Kate mingled with other A-list guests including fellow models Gigi and Emily.

The two shared a laugh and a hug as they welcomed guests into Mykonos' newest shopping centre.

Pictures or it didn't happen: The social media sensations ensured their followers were up to date

Day out: The group relaxed in style on their yacht before calling it a day and heading back to shore

Steady on! Gigi struggled to maintain her balance as she hopped off the boat and onto the dinghy

Helping hand: The model of the moment was assisted by a number of bodyguards as she touched down

Taking the plunge: Gigi showed off a hint of cleavage in her extreme plunging top with preppy collar detailing

Following suit: Emily wasn't far behind her friend, modelling her stylish polka dot swimsuit

Emily appears to be still loved up with husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, 31, as she shared a snap of them cuddling on Thursday.

The Blurred Lines dancer sat on her husband's lap as he nestled into her shoulder while sitting in front of several red chili peppers.

Their marriage came as a surprise to Ratajkowski's 16.6 million followers as the two were only dating for a few weeks prior to the wedding.

They only became a couple a few weeks before the wedding but a source told UsWeekly that she'd known him 'for years'.

Emily had only split from boyfriend of three years Jeff Magid in January according to reports, and was first spotted with Sebastian in mid-February.

Windswept: The model of the moment appeared to be struggling with the wind as it caught her hair

Animated: Gigi was deep in conversation with her friends as she enjoyed some well-deserved time off

Eye-catching: Gigi's neon bright two-piece made the most of her enviably toned physique during her yacht outing

Looking good: The model highlighted her slender physique and peachy posterior in the skimpy two-piece

Key accessories: She wore her blonde locks in a tousled style and sported a pair of tinted shades to match

Sunbathing session: The group sipped on chilled beverages as they relaxed on the boat and topped up their tan

Quick change: Gigi later emerged in a pair of casual ripped denim shorts and a plunging white top

Legs for days: Gigi ensured the focus remained on her long, lithe limbs in her blue Daisy Dukes

All eyes on her: The stunning model commanded attention in her low-key beachwear

Shady lady: The budding supermodel protected her eyes behind a large pair of ski goggle-inspired shades

Cute: The blonde bombshell carried her essentials in a tiny beaded purse for her beach outing

Just chilling: The girls were taken back to shore by boat, chatting as they headed back to dry land
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She was enjoying a night out at the exclusive Bonbonniere club in Mykonos on Saturday.

And Gigi Hadid was spotted catching some rays with her posse of model pals including Emily Ratajkowski earlier in the day, sunning herself on board a yacht.

The model, 23, looked incredible in a hot pink bikini, showing off her slender figure as the boat departed from the Santa Marina hotel.

Relaxing in style: Gigi Hadid was spotted catching some rays with her model pals including Emily Ratajkowski in Mykonos on Saturday, sunning herself on board a yacht

Gigi's neon bright two-piece from Frankies Bikinis made the most of her enviably toned physique during her yacht outing.

She wore her blonde locks in a tousled style and sported a $225 pair of tinted Westward Leaning SPORT sunglasses to match her eye-catching swimwear. The model also carried Susan Alexandra's Merry bag with her.

The stunning star was spotted quaffing a glass of bubbly on board the boat, where she was joined by fellow beauty Emily.

The Gone Girl actress, 27, was displaying her peachy posterior in a beige halterneck one-piece as she paraded around on the boat, highlighting her slim figure.

Eye-catching: Gigi's neon bright two-piece made the most of her enviably toned physique during her yacht outing, and she accessorized it with a handbag by New York-based designer Susan Alexandra

Looking good: The model highlighted her slender physique and peachy posterior in the skimpy two-piece

Key accessories: She wore her blonde locks in a tousled style and sported a $225 pair of tinted Westward Leaning SPORT sunglasses to match

Sitting pretty: The girls chatted on board the yacht as they soaked up the last sunshine of the day

Quick change: Gigi later emerged in a pair of casual ripped denim shorts and a plunging white top

Cheeky: The stunning blonde made the most of her enviable physique in her itsy bitsy shorts

Later in the evening, Gigi and Emily partied the night away at the Bonbonniere club in Mykonos in the company of veteran supermodel Kate Moss, 44.

Kate took to the decks alongside DJ Fat Tony under their DJ duo name 'Fat Moss' and danced euphorically around the booth wearing a pair of black headphones.

Over the course of the evening, Kate mingled with other A-list guests including fellow models Gigi and Emily.

The two shared a laugh and a hug as they welcomed guests into Mykonos' newest shopping centre.

Cooling off: Gigi retreated to the shade following her sunbathing session on the prow of the boat

All eyes on her: The stunning model commanded attention in her low-key beachwear

Day out: The group relaxed in style on their yacht before calling it a day and heading back to shore

Cute: The blonde bombshell carried her essentials in a tiny beaded purse for her beach outing

Group shot: The girls captured their every move for social media, posing up a storm for the camera

Animated: Gigi was deep in conversation with her friends as she enjoyed some well-deserved time off

The stunning women posed alongside Kate as they enjoyed their ladies' night sat in their seats, soaking up the atmosphere.

The two younger models, who wore vibrant draping dresses, participated in the evening's ribbon cutting ceremony.

Gigi was enjoying some girl time in the face of the news she has reunited with her on/off boyfriend Zayn Malik.

Just chilling: The girls were taken back to shore by boat, chatting as they headed back to dry land

Windswept: The model of the moment appeared to be struggling with the wind as it caught her hair

Hats off!! Emily opted to cover up her brunette locks with a stylish straw boater hat

Pictures or it didn't happen: The social media sensations ensured their followers were up to date

Full speed ahead: The girls jetted back to shore before their fun-filled night out at a Mykonos club

Shady lady: The budding supermodel protected her eyes behind a large pair of ski goggle-inspired shades

Helping hand: The model of the moment was assisted by a number of bodyguards as she touched down

Steady on! Gigi struggled to maintain her balance as she hopped off the boat and onto the dinghy

Zayn proved they are stronger than ever as he gushed about the supermodel in a recent interview with GQ Magazine.

The Bradford native revealed the runway sensation has changed his entire outlook on life and even joked that it's only a matter of time before 'hyper-organised' Gigi is managing his finances.

Summarising Gigi as 'hyper-organized, clear-headed, and positive', Zayn was equally positive about her family, describing her mother Yolanda as 'really f***ing cool'.

He added: '[Gigi's] helped me to look at things from a positive angle...She doesnt handle my finances yet - we'll get to that eventually.'

Taking the plunge: Gigi showed off a hint of cleavage in her extreme plunging top with preppy collar detailing

Following suit: Emily wasn't far behind her friend, modelling her stylish polka dot swimsuit

Legs for days: Gigi ensured the focus remained on her long, lithe limbs in her blue Daisy Dukes

On the move: Gigi struggled to tie her hair up as she walked along, battling with a gust of wind

Opting for comfort: Bella's sister completed her look with a pair of casual white trainers

Gal pals: The group headed back to the Santa Marina hotel on the Greek island of Mykonos

Girls' getaway: The group have been living it up in by the seaside for the past few days

Meanwhile, Emily was sure to turn heads as she turned her beach trip into an impromptu fashion shoot while out on the boat.

The stunning model flaunted all of her delectable curves in the scanty polka dot swimsuit, which showcased her perky posterior and eye-popping cleavage to perfection.

Emily displayed her flawless complexion and sun-kissed glow with ease as she made the boat her catwalk, posing in a number of sultry stances that made the most of her incredible physique.

The runway queen paired her scandalous look with box-fresh sneakers, and shielded her eyes from the bright sunshine with vintage-inspired circle shades.

Emily's glossy chocolate locks cascaded past her shoulders in a sleek straight style and donned a straw hat as she worked her best angles for her friend's camera.

SO stunning: Emily Ratajkowski, 27, flaunted her flawless figure in a skimpy polka dot one-piece

Pulling her best pose: Working her model magic, the brunette beauty tried to get her all important Instagram shot as her male pal snapped away

Model beauty: Emily displayed her flawless complexion and sun kissed glow with ease as she made the boat her catwalk, posing in a number of sultry stances that made the most of her incredible physique

Catwalk stunner: The runway queen paired her scandalous look with box-fresh sneakers, and shielded her eyes from the bright sunshine with vintage-inspired circle shades

Peachy: Not afraid to flash the flesh, Emily left little to the imagination in the thong polka dot swimsuit which exposed her back and made the most of her pert derriere

So chic: Emily toted her belongings in a sophisticated faux snake-skin shoulder bag as she hopped aboard the boat

Snap-happy: The American beauty, who teased plenty of side boob in the one piece, couldn't resist inspecting the photos from her impromptu photoshoot

And pose! Emily's glossy chocolate locks cascaded past her shoulders in a sleek straight style as she worked her best angles for her friend's camera

Killer curves: The one-piece featured a plunging neckline which made the most of her ample assets

Leggy display: The scanty swimsuit was incredibly high-cut, making the most of her endless pins

Out at sea: The star chatted away to a pal as they soaked up the sun on the boat trip

Strike a pose! The buxom model ran her fingers through her hair as she posed up a storm on the boat, with her photographer taking photos from all angels

Finishing touch: Emily looked every inch the beach babe as she finished off her eye-catching look with a pair of gold hoop earrings

Feeling hot: The model ensured to keep hydrated throughout the day as temperatures peaked 30 degrees

Helping hand: Emily leaned on a pal for support as they prepared to ride through the crystal-blue sea on a speed boat

Idyllic destination: The Blurred Lines star has been holidaying on the Greek island with her pal Gigi, and been mingling with a number of A-list celebs, including veteran model Kate Moss

In demand: Ratajkowski made her professional runway modeling debut and has since gone on to walk in a number of shows

Sunny climes: The American beauty donned a straw sun hat to help her keep cool in the mid-heat of the day
She is known for constantly flaunting her fab figure.

And Emily Ratajkowski did what she does best on her most recent outing.

The 27-year-old model was spotted showing off her assets in a tiny bikini while sunning aboard a boat in Mykonos, Greece.

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Showing off: Emily Ratajkowski was spotted showing off her assets in a tiny bikini while sunning aboard a boat in Mykonos, Greece

Assets: The 27-year-old model wife of Sebastian Bear-McClard proudly put her pert posterior on display as she pranced around on the boat in thong bikini

The wife of Sebastian Bear-McClard proudly put her pert posterior on display as she pranced around on the boat in thong bikini.

No doubt she was having a blast as she was joined by fellow model Gigi Hadid and other gal pals.

Emily seemed to be quite happy with the way she looked as she took to Instagram on the same day to share a very sexy snap of herself on the deck.

Happy: She seemed to have a blast on the boat

Proud: She seemed to be quite pleased with the way she looked as she had pals take snaps of herself posing on the deck

Chill: She had time to relax as she laid out on the deck while working on her tan

Cheeky: Emily enjoyed a dance on board the yacht

Fix up: She adjusted her swimsuit before her pal took a shot

Rested: She lay strewn across the bow of the boat

No doubt that she got the pulses of her 18.2 million followers racing as she shared even more revealing photos of herself.

She rocked a very tiny navy polka dot bikini which showed off her bountiful cleavage and pert derriere.

Emily certainly shined as she knelt on the deck of a boat for the saucy snap on the sea.

Dynamic duo: No doubt she was having a blast as she was joined by fellow model Gigi Hadid and other gal pals

Feeling good: The two ladies seemed to have a blast with one another

All smiles: The pair shared a joke while on board the stunning boat

Party people: The pair were seen taking photos and dancing together as they made the most of their day at sea

Fixing her hair: At one point, Gigi adjusted her messy bun

Enjoying herself: Emily looked relaxed as she smiled at her pal who was snapping photos

Standout pieces: The beauty accessorized her swimsuit simply with gold hoops and shades

In search of rays: The model continued to soak up the sun, presumably to get a tan

Chilled: She relaxed on the bow of the boat

Relaxed: Gigi relaxed at the bow of the dinghy alongside her pals

Arrival: Earlier in the day, Gigi was pictured boarding the impressive vessel in a black midi dress with monochrome tie-straps and a pair of white trainers

Ready: Gigi's number highlighted her enviable frame alongside Emily

Chilled: The in-demand model carefully stood up as she made her way towards the yacht

The newly-married model accessorized with black cat eye shades and a pair of gold hoop earrings.

Her brunette tresses were pulled back into two buns as she let her natural looks shine with minimal make-up on her face.

Emily certainly seemed to be in high spirits as she took to her Instagram Story to share a snap of herself dancing on the watercraft vehicle.

Wow factor: Emily took to Instagram on Sunday to share yet another sexy bikini photo while aboard the boat

Stunning: No doubt the 27-year-old model got the pulses of her 18.2 million followers racing as she shared even more revealing photos of herself

Vibes: Emily certainly seemed to be in high spirits as she took to her Instagram Story to share a snap of herself dancing on the watercraft vehicle

Stylish: The newly-married model accessorized with black cat eye shades and a pair of gold hoop earrings

She later slipped into a pair of flowy white trousers and a huge basket weave hat for another cool snap.

The stunner is certainly making the most out of sun-filled vacation as she also took to the picture-sharing social network to share yet another bikini snap on Friday.

The model posed with her back to the camera as she modeled a pair of high cut briefs and a strapless top.

Life's a beach: Emily has been sharing plenty of saucy snaps as she showed off her flawless in another social media post from Friday

'So happy': Earlier the Gone Girl beauty showed off a stylish two-piece dress

The Gone Girl star gazed out to sea as she stood towards the bow of the boat.

Hours earlier she posted another sun-drenched snap of her flashing her cleavage wearing a stylish two-piece dress with tie-detail.

'So happy to be back in [Greece]' the star captioned the snap.

Meanwhile Emily appears to be still loved up with husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, 31, as she shared a snap of them cuddling on Thursday.

Emily, 27, sat on her husband's lap as he nestled into her shoulder while sitting in front of several red chili peppers.

Sunset chic: The previous evening Emily enjoyed an evening at a taverna on the beach

'Husband AF': Emily Ratajkowski looked every inch the happy newlywed as she snuggled up to her husband in a sizzling snap posted to her Instagram stories on Thursday

'Husband AF,' she captioned the snap.

Emily wore a plunging black tank top with glittering gold accents as she snuggled up to her beau.

In February, Emily surprised friends and family with her courthouse marriage to producer Sebastian in New York.

I do! In February, Emily surprised friends and family with her courthouse marriage to producer Sebastian in New York (pictured May 2018 in New York)

The I Feel Pretty actress and Sebastian exchanged vows in a small ceremony with just a handful of friends in attendance.

Their marriage came as a surprise to Ratajkowski's 16.6 million followers as the two were only dating for a few weeks prior to the wedding.

They only became a couple a few weeks before the wedding but a source told UsWeekly that she'd known him 'for years'.

Emily had only split from boyfriend of three years Jeff Magid in January according to reports, and was first spotted with Sebastian in mid-February.
She's spent the last 10 days soaking up the sunshine on a Greek island break with her boyfriend Ryan Thomas.

And Lucy Mecklenburgh treated her Instagram followers to one last snap as she relaxed at Abaton Island Resort & Spa in Crete on the last day of her holiday on Sunday.

The former TOWIE star, 26, displayed her toned and tanned figure in a simple white bikini, paired with a beige kimono, as she chilled out poolside.

All white! Lucy Mecklenburgh treated her Instagram followers to one last snap as she relaxed in a white bikini at Abaton Island Resort & Spa in Crete on the last day of her holiday on Sunday

The fitness entrepreneur wrote alongside the snap: 'White bikini always come out on the last day.' (sic)

Lucy also posted one last romantic shot with her soap star boyfriend of one year as she and Ryan, 34, posed in front of a beautiful Greek sunset during their week on the island of Mykonos.

She wrote: 'Until next time.'

Last week, Lucy slipped into a hot pink bikini as she penned an empowering message about learning to love her body when she's not at her 'thinnest, fittest or strongest'.

That's a wrap: The former TOWIE star, 26, posted one last romantic shot with her soap star boyfriend of one year as she and Ryan, 34, posed in front of a beautiful Greek sunset

The TV personality displayed her washboard abs in the plunging fuchsia two-piece, designed by actress Elizabeth Hurley for her swimwear line.

Showing off her sun-kissed holiday glow, Lucy went make-up free and wore a pair of dark shades.

The fitness entrepreneur made sure no hair was out of place as she swept back her dark cropped brunette tresses into a low ponytail.

Lucy confidently spoke about how she's learned to accept her body without constantly putting herself down.

Hot stuff: The TV personality treated her social media followers to another sizzling snap as she enjoyed another day in paradise while relaxing in Crete last week

She wrote alongside the snap: 'My body isnt at its thinnest, fittest or strongest right now but I have learnt how to look after my body, nourish my body & accept my body without constantly putting it down for not being perfect!!'

Despite launching her fitness programme Results With Lucy, the television personality admitted she sometimes finds it hard to maintain her strict exercise regime.

In an interview with OK! Magazine, she confessed: 'You know what, I found it very tough [getting back into the routine] this year, and Im still getting back into it slowly.'

'I think my biggest advice to people is just take it step by step. Just change one thing at a time. It's just not realistic, you overwhelmed yourself, you end up ten days in like "Nooo!!"'

Proud: Lucy penned an empowering message about learning to love her body when she's not at her 'thinnest, fittest or strongest'

Bombshell: The fitness entrepreneur enjoyed a week on the party island of Mykonos before travelling on to Crete

Lucy and Ryan enjoyed a week on the party island of Mykonos before travelling on to Crete for a more relaxing break.

The couple seem to be well and truly back on track after a brief split earlier this month.

The pair - who met while filming Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls in May 2017 - had a furious row after Lucy accused the father-of-one of getting close to a model on a night out in Manchester.

Ryan was said to have furiously denied the rumours and convinced Lucy to try again.

A source told The Sun at the time: 'Who knows what will happen long-term, but for now things they seem determined to smooth it over.'

Ryan is a dad to daughter Scarlett, nine, who he shares with ex-girlfriend of six years, former Coronation Street star Tina O'Brien, 34.
Emily Ratajkowski shared a very racy snap of her derriere on Instagram while posing on a boat during her trip away in Mykonos, Greece, on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old model looked incredible as she posed in a white swimsuit with a plunging neckline and thong detail.

She captioned the image with the words: 'Bye Mykonos you were perfect. Swear this is the last photo of me on a boat lol @gigihadid @nammosmykonos @nammosvillage #onlyatnammos #nammosvillage.'

Boat life: Emily Ratajkowski shared a racy picture of her derriere while wearing an extreme plunging thong swimsuit as she waved goodbye to Mykonos trip on Instagram on Wednesday

Golden girl: She also shared a snap of herself wearing an extreme plunging gold dress as she went braless underneath

She also shared a very busty picture of herself wearing a gold dress which had another deep plunging neckline and she went braless underneath it.

Emily has also posed with her back to the camera as she modeled a pair of high cut briefs and a strapless top while on the boat, sharing snaps throughout the week.

The Gone Girl star gazed out to sea as she stood towards the bow of the boat.

Hours earlier she posted another sun-drenched snap of her flashing her cleavage wearing a stylish two-piece dress with tie-detail.

Life's a beach: Emily showed off her flawless figure in a snap from her vacation on Friday

'So happy': Earlier the Gone Girl beauty showed off a stylish two-piece dress

'So happy to be back in [Greece]' the star captioned the snap.

Meanwhile Emily appears to be still loved up with husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, 31, as she shared a snap of them cuddling on Thursday.

Emily sat on her husband's lap as he nestled into her shoulder while sitting in front of several red chili peppers.

Sunset chic: The previous evening Emily enjoyed an evening at a taverna on the beach

'Husband AF': Emily Ratajkowski looked every inch the happy newlywed as she snuggled up to her husband in a sizzling snap posted to her Instagram stories on Thursday

'Husband AF,' she captioned the snap.

Emily wore a plunging black tank top with glittering gold accents as she snuggled up to her beau.

In February, Emily surprised friends and family with her courthouse marriage to producer Sebastian in New York.

I do! In February, Emily surprised friends and family with her courthouse marriage to producer Sebastian in New York (pictured May 2018 in New York)

The I Feel Pretty actress and Sebastian exchanged vows in a small ceremony with just a handful of friends in attendance.

Their marriage came as a surprise to Ratajkowski's 16.6 million followers as the two were only dating for a few weeks prior to the wedding.

They only became a couple a few weeks before the wedding but a source told UsWeekly that she'd known him 'for years'.

Emily had only split from boyfriend of three years Jeff Magid in January according to reports, and was first spotted with Sebastian in mid-February.
Nicole Scherzinger proved you CAN mix work and play on her trip to Mykonos, Greece, where she was pictured larking around on a photoshoot.

The 40-year-old covered up a taupe coloured bikini with a matching semi-sheer crocheted cover-up in cream as she posed on the beach on Tuesday.

Larking around with her pal, the energetic pop star pouted and threw out some moves as she paddled in the water.

Glamour: Nicole Scherzinger wore a semi-sheer cover-up over her bikini as she larked around with a pal on a shoot in Mykonos, Greece on Tuesday

Who needs a dance floor? Nicole threw out some shapes as she paddled in the water

Her pal wore a red swimsuit tucked into a pair of denim shorts as she danced alongside Nicole.

As a photographer snapped away, Nicole lifted up her kaftan a little, revealing a glimpse of her legs through the sexy thigh-splits.

It's been a fun week for Nicole who celebrated her landmark birthday on June 29, but on July 1, said her pals had flown out to surprise her.

This is how it's done: Her pal wore a red swimsuit tucked into a pair of denim shorts as she danced alongside Nicole

Special time: It's been a fun week for Nicole who celebrated her landmark birthday on June 29, but on July 1, said her pals had flown out to surprise her

Cute: As a photographer snapped away, Nicole lifted up her kaftan a little, revealing a glimpse of her legs through the sexy thigh-splits

She tweeted: 'Had the best Birthday with all my girls flying in to surprise me at Bagatelle London! Thank you for a fun night! xo.'

Her holiday comes just days after Nicole marked her birthday with a cherubic childhood snap and poignant caption that urged her 3.5 million followers to never take anything for granted.

She wrote: 'God where does the time go...? Birthday got me like Its crazy...I find the older you get the faster time flees...so be GRATEFUL.

'Count your blessings, even thru the sun and rain. And cherish every moment, because you never know. I love you all. My heart, Little Nicole.'

Message: Her holiday comes just days after Nicole marked her birthday with a cherubic childhood snap and poignant caption that urged her 3.5 million followers to never take anything for granted

She's done this before: Nicole looked effortlessly beautiful as she posed on the beach

Let the good times roll: Her pals all made sure she was having a blast as they messed around

Details: Nicole wore a selection of gold bangles on her arm which added a touch of glamour

Arms in the air like you just don't care: Nicole was in great spirits as the day wore on

Meanwhile, Nicole's sighting follows a very candid interview given to MR PORTER Journal by her beau Grigor Dimitrov, 27.

While the pair have made the conscious decision to remain relatively tight-lipped on their three-year romance, the sportsman got candid about their struggles, admitting balancing his career and love life is 'not easy'.

Revealing Nicole is 'doing a better job' at fitting in around his hectic schedule, he said: 'It's not easy. The schedules are very heavy. But she's doing a better job than I am at being able to come to most of the places I'm at.'

Specs appeal: Nicole threw on some vintage shades as a snapper took her pics while she was on dry land
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Supermodel Gigi Hadid sure knows how to pass the hot summer months.

On Wednesday the 23-year-old leggy Vogue cover girl was seen having a ball while at the exclusive Bonbonniere club in Mykonos with a group of pals.

The blonde beauty showed off her lean 5ft10in figure as she made the most of a black bikini top and green/black Fendi briefs while taking a splash in the Mediterranean Sea.

Cooling off: Supermodel Gigi Hadid sure knows how to pass the hot summer months. On Wednesday the 23-year-old leggy Vogue cover girl was seen having a ball while at the exclusive Bonbonniere club in Mykonos

Shapely: The blonde beauty showed off her lean 5ft10in figure as she made the most of a black bikini top and green/black Fendi briefs while taking a splash in the Mediterranean Sea

The former Guess model wore her blonde hair up in a high and messy ponytail with gold hoop earrings that made her look up for fun.

The catwalk princess - whose siblings Bella and Anwar also model - added a sparkly anklet.

She was seen heading to a jet ski with a life jacket in her hand; later the daughter of Yolanda Hadid got on the water craft and sped away from the dock.

This comes after she clapped back at haters online. She left comments on a post posted on an Instagram account dedicated to 'exposing' what it says is a 'fake' relationship with Zayn Malik.

The troll shared a photo of Gigi and Zayn and added, 'Whatever zigi does for promo. Fact is that, Zayn is not going to follow gigi or ever going [to] post her picture on his Instagram again.'

Gigi on the run: The former Guess model wore her blonde hair up in a high and messy ponytail with gold hoop earrings that made her look up for fun

Hadid fired back: 'Seems like u guys tag me in a new post every day  pls stop.. it's just negative, I really have no hard feelings towards you I just know what a beautiful world there is to go out and live in instead of trying to dissect a relationship between two people that you don't even know and that you do not see 99% of.

'For someone who is virtually inactive on the app, I don't need his follow- my eyes are tattooed to his chest. The energy you put into this does not serve you our your life in any way kids. truly beating a dead horse. You guys can call it promo but I just post about my boyfriend like anyone else, whether I support z or he supports me is out of love and excitement for one another. There's nothing to figure out all the time give it a break.'

Gigi ended: 'This is my last comment on this matter but I hope u know it's not coming from a bad place. Just would love for you to find something else that inspires you in life. x.'

A good laugh: She was seen heading to a jet ski with a life jacket in her hand; here she laughed as two friends hugged

Days ago, Hadid was spotted catching some rays with her posse of model pals including Emily Ratajkowski earlier in the day, sunning herself on board a yacht.

The model looked incredible in a hot pink bikini, showing off her slender figure as the boat departed from the Santa Marina hotel.

Gigi's neon bright two-piece from Frankies Bikinis made the most of her enviably toned physique during her yacht outing.

She wore her blonde locks in a tousled style and sported a pair of tinted shades to match her eye-catching swimwear. The model also carried Susan Alexandra's Merry bag with her.

Ready for her closeup: Gigi is one of the most demands models in the world; her sister Bella and brother Anwar also model

The stunning star was spotted quaffing a glass of bubbly on board the boat, where she was joined by fellow beauty Emily.

The Gone Girl actress, 27, was displaying her peachy posterior in a beige halterneck one-piece as she paraded around on the boat, highlighting her slim figure.

Later in the evening, Gigi and Emily partied the night away at the Bonbonniere club in Mykonos in the company of veteran supermodel Kate Moss, 44.

Ready to roll: Later the daughter of Yolanda Hadid got on the water craft and sped away from the dock

Don't call me, I'll call you: The red carpet favorite was on the Yamaha jet ski all by herself

Kate took to the decks alongside DJ Fat Tony under their DJ duo name 'Fat Moss' and danced euphorically around the booth wearing a pair of black headphones.

Over the course of the evening, Kate mingled with other A-list guests including fellow models Gigi and Emily.

The two shared a laugh and a hug as they welcomed guests into Mykonos' newest shopping centre.

The stunning women posed alongside Kate as they enjoyed their ladies' night sat in their seats, soaking up the atmosphere.

Making a splash everywhere she goes! Hadid took off fast and did not look behind as she went on her adventure

The two younger models, who wore vibrant draping dresses, participated in the evening's ribbon cutting ceremony.

Gigi was enjoying some girl time in the face of the news she has reunited with her on/off boyfriend Zayn Malik.

Zayn proved they are stronger than ever as he gushed about the supermodel in a recent interview with GQ Magazine.

The Bradford native revealed the runway sensation has changed his entire outlook on life and even joked that it's only a matter of time before 'hyper-organised' Gigi is managing his finances.

Summarising Gigi as 'hyper-organized, clear-headed, and positive', Zayn was equally positive about her family, describing her mother Yolanda as 'really f***ing cool'.

He added: '[Gigi's] helped me to look at things from a positive angle...She doesnt handle my finances yet - we'll get to that eventually.'
Nia Vardolos announced she was divorcing husband of 25-years Ian Gomez on Tuesday.

But the My Big Greek Wedding star/writer looked like she was taking things in stride on Wednesday seen in Greece with daughter Illaria Gomez, 11.

The performer, 55, kept an easy-going air, donning a tie-dye maxi-dress with Birkenstock sandals.

Getting away from it all: Nia Vardalos was seen in Greece with daughter Illaria, 11, just days after filing for divorce from husband of 25 years Ian Gomez at the LA County court

Nia, who rose to fame for her based-on-real-life Greek marriage extravaganza in 2002, appeared in good spirits as she strolled 11-year-old daughter Illaria.

She topped off her blue frock with a straw hat, flat purse and delicate earrings.

Her only child, who was adopted in 2008, looked sweet in a blue top, comfy shorts, and red shoes.

Summer style: The performer, 55, kept an easy-going air, donning a tie-dye maxi-dress with Birkenstock sandals while sightseeing with her daughter and another companion

Back in the day: Vardalos filed divorce papers at LA County court, citing 'irreconcilable differences.' The couple are seen in 2002 above

They were also joined by a companion in a monochrome caftan and chunky slides.

Nia was probably happy to jet away following her surprising divorce announcement on Tuesday.

Vardalos filed divorce papers at LA County court, citing 'irreconcilable differences.'

The couple are seeking joint custody of their daughter.

Co-parents: Nia (above June 20) and Ian are seeking joint custody of their daughter

Nia and Ian released a statement addressing their split shortly after TMZ reported on the court documents.

In it, they told the public: 'Weve been respectfully separated for a lengthy period of time. Our relationship became a friendship so the decision to end the marriage is completely mutual and amicable.

'It is our hope that decency will prevail on the reporting of this story which will soon be yesterdays news. Thank you for respecting our privacy.'
She's known for her racy sartorial displays on the red carpet and at glitzy events.

And Kimberley Garner was back to her old tricks, as she showed off her eye-popping cleavage while on her recent holiday in Mykonos, Greece.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 28, was sure to turn heads in her very revealing attire, which paired a minuscule white bikini with an off-the-shoulder top.

Sizzling display: Kimberley Garner showed off her toned abs and peachy derriere in a TINY white bikini while on her recent sun-soaked Mykonos break

Showing off her toned abs in the form-fitting attire, Kimberley made sure to highlight her ample assets in her frilly top as she used a string at the front to accentuate her bust.

Kimberley's top sat low on her chest, and it looked elegant as it had puffy sleeves and was adorned with flower rivets.

Styling her blonde hair with a side parting, the model let her hair cascade over her shoulders in loose waves.

Busty: Showing off her toned abs in the form-fitting attire, Kimberley made sure to highlight her ample assets in her frilly top

Stylish: Kimberley's top sat low on her chest, and it looked elegant as it had puffy sleeves and was adorned with flower rivets

Chatting away: She could be seen relaxing in the bar area with with her ex-boyfriend, and they seemed to be talking amicably as they enjoyed their break away from it all

Kimberley brushed on a glamorous palette of make-up to highlight her pretty features, as she used light pink lipstick and smokey eye shadow to make her blue eyes pop.

But it was the reality star's tiny bikini bottoms that were sure to grasp the most attention, as it barely covered her behind as she walked around in the resort.

Her daring ensemble sat high on her waist, and was designed so that it barely covered her so that she could fully flaunt her derriere.

Readjusting: The blonde beauty could be seen pulling her top up so that she didn't suffer a wardrobe malfunction

Stunning: Kimberley brushed on a glamorous palette of make-up to highlight her pretty features, as she used light pink lipstick and smokey eye shadow to make her blue eyes pop

Looking good: Styling her blonde hair with a side parting, the model let her hair cascade over her shoulders in loose waves

Kimberley's white ensemble also helped to showcased her sun-kissed skin, and incredible figure.

She could be seen relaxing in the bar area with with her ex-boyfriend, and they seemed to be talking amicably as they enjoyed their break away from it all.

Kimberley's outing comes after she was forced to deny claims she had gone under the knife, taking to Instagram to share a sizzling bikini snap.

She wrote: 'For all the gossip, no I have not had a boob job, and no I have not had a butt job! (Which still comes as a very weird concept to me)'

Peachy! It was the reality star's tiny bikini bottoms that were sure to grasp the most attention, as it barely covered her behind as she walked around in the resort

Hitting back: Kimberley's outing comes after she was forced to deny claims she had gone under the knife, taking to Instagram to share a sizzling bikini snap

Didn't happen! She wrote: 'For all the gossip, no I have not had a boob job, and no I have not had a butt job! (Which still comes as a very weird concept to me)

'Womens bodys change, sometimes Im a little chubbier and sometimes too skinny, its just natural and so important to love our bodys, whatever the phase - but thanks for all the gossip I have heard over the past year, it has really made me laugh.'

She continued: 'ps I have been learning some butt exercises, will make a video, incase you want a fake butt ;) (sic).'

Kimberley jetted to Mykonos for a sun-soaked break with friends, and she was even spotted sunbathing topless beside her ex-boyfriend.

Body confidence: She added: 'Womens bodys change, sometimes Im a little chubbier and sometimes too skinny, its just natural and so important to love our bodys, whatever the phase'

Fun in the sun: Kimberley jetted to Mykonos for a sun-soaked break with friends, and she was even spotted sunbathing topless beside her ex-boyfriend

Still friendly: When contacted by MailOnline last month, the property heiress revealed the pair are 'not together' but still remain 'good friends'

When contacted by MailOnline last month, the property heiress revealed the pair are 'not together' but still remain 'good friends'.

Remaining tight-lipped on his identity, she revealed she broke up with her former beau after a 'wonderful' three years together.

The blonde bombshell shot to fame when she starred in Made In Chelsea in 2012 as a love interest of Richard Dinan, but is now better known for her swimwear line Kimberley London.
She has made sure to flaunt her jaw-dropping figure during her sun-soaked trip to Mykonos.

And Emily Ratajkowski treated her followers to yet another sizzling holiday snap as she shared sultry shot of her peachy behind on Instagram on Sunday.

The model and actress, 27, looked sensational while facing her back to the camera, showcasing her famous posterior in a plunging thong swimsuit.

Peachy: Emily Ratajkowski treated her followers to yet another sizzling holiday snap as she shared sultry shot of her peachy behind on Instagram on Sunday

The Gone Girl star shared a throwback snap of herself wandering up a rocky hill while on holiday, after saying goodbye to her idyllic Greek trip, captioning the picture 'Mars'.

The newlywed has shared plenty of other pulse-raising photos from her holiday, with her enviable behind taking centre stage in many of the snaps.

Emily has spent the past week soaking up the sun on the island of Mykonos and has kept her fans regularly updated with snapshots of her adventures.

The beauty was joined by fellow model Gigi Hadid, 23, for a portion of the trip, with the pair spotted hitting the town for a girls' night out together last week.

Rearly great: The model and actress, 27, has kept her followers updated with regular snaps during her week-long break to the Greek island of Mykonos

Emily appears to be still loved up with husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, 31, as she shared a snap of them cuddling on Thursday.

The bombshell sat on her husband's lap as he nestled into her shoulder while sitting in front of several red chili peppers.

'Husband AF,' she captioned the snap.

In February, Emily surprised friends and family with her courthouse marriage to producer Sebastian in New York.

Boat life: The Gone Girl star shared a racy picture of her derriere while wearing an extreme plunging thong swimsuit as she waved goodbye to her trip on Wednesday

Life's a beach: Emily showed off her flawless figure in a snap from her vacation on Friday

The I Feel Pretty actress and Sebastian exchanged vows in a small ceremony with just a handful of friends in attendance.

Their marriage came as a surprise to Ratajkowski's 16.6 million followers as the two were only dating for a few weeks prior to the wedding.

They only became a couple a few weeks before the wedding but a source told UsWeekly that she'd known him 'for years'.

Emily had only split from boyfriend of three years Jeff Magid in January according to reports, and was first spotted with Sebastian in mid-February.
Tom Hanks looked in great shape while enjoying a romantic birthday getaway with Rita Wilson in Greece on Sunday.

The Cast Away actor, who turned 62 on Monday, stripped off his shirt to explore Antiparos with his beloved wife.

He enjoyed a swim before they later returned to their luxury yacht.

Love is in the air: Tom Hanks went shirtless as he and wife Rita Wilson went exploring across the rocks during a beach trip in Antiparos, Greece on Sunday

Tom, who is worth around $390million, wore a pair of long board shorts to soak up the sun, while Rita, 61, wore a monochrome cover-up.

She made sure she didn't get too much sun as she wore a Panama hat, while walking a little ahead of Tom.

Rita took to Instagram to share a sweet birthday message to her husband on Monday.

Enjoying some time off: Tom wore a pair of long board shorts to soak up the sun as he pulled a dinghy along the water

She wrote: 'Today is your birthday. Youve brought so much light into the world not just for me but for our family and through the stories you tell. We love you. Happy Birthday!'

The couple were last pictured in Antiparos back in 2016, where the pair were seen indulging in a spot of paddle-boarding together.

Birthday message: Rita shared this sweet note on Monday

Rita was born Margarita Ibrahimoff to a Greek mother and Bulgarian father in Los Angeles.

The actress, who was raised Greek Orthodox, is famously credited with being a driving force to getting Nia Vardalos' hit 2002 flick My Big Fat Greek Wedding to the big screen.

'Tom and Rita insisted on it to being Greek all the way,' Nia told Filmcritic.com of their input at the time.

'In fact, there was a scene where a character was wearing jeans and supposedly the family had just gotten back from church.

'Tom knew that no Greek Orthodox practitioner wears jeans to church, so he astutely made the appropriate changes that everyone else missed.'

Rita and Tom also served as executive producers on Mamma Mia, the ABBA-based musical starring Meryl Streep, which was shot in Greece.
They recently documented their luxury journey to Greece on social media as they jetted off in a private jet.

And Scott Disick and Sofia Richie looked in the throes of love as they enjoyed a cosy speedboat ride during their Mykonos getaway on Monday afternoon.

The Keeping Up with The Kardashians star, 35, appeared smitten as he wrapped his arms around his 19-year-old girlfriend for their bumpy excursion on the island.

Smitten: Scott Disick and Sofia Richie looked in the throes of love as they enjoyed a cosy speedboat ride during their Mykonos getaway on Monday afternoon

The TV personality opted for his signature low-key appearance as he sported a teal blue T-shirt, and protected his eyes from the sun in a pair of square-framed sunglasses.

Meanwhile, the stunning model flashed a glimpse of her perky assets in a khaki green bikini top, tied in with a pair of matching scanty briefs.

Showcasing her radiant complexion, the Chanel star swept her tresses into a sleek bun to reveal her make-up free appearance.

Loved-up: The Keeping Up with The Kardashians star, 35, appeared smitten as he wrapped his arms around his 19-year-old girlfriend for their bumpy excursion on the island

Casual: The TV personality opted for his signature low-key appearance as he sported a teal blue T-shirt, and protected his eyes from the sun in a pair of square-framed sunglasses

Slender frame: Meanwhile, the stunning model flashed a glimpse of her perky assets in a khaki green bikini top, tied in with a pair of matching scanty briefs

Off they go: The daughter of musician Lionel Richie gave onlookers a peek at her taut abs as she paired her skimpy bra with a pair of wide-leg trousers

Despite being surrounded by a group of friends, the couple weren't afraid to pack on the PDA as Sofia rested on Scott's lap.

The pair's affectionate display comes after Scott's ex Kourtney Kardashian hit back at a troll who asked her where her children are as she posed in a bikini while on holiday in Portofino.

While a fan wrote on Instagram: 'Where are your kids?' as she ate snacks on the deck of a boat, the reality star, 39, sharply replied: 'My son was taking the photo, and the other two were sitting at a table across from me. Thank you so much for your concern.'

The look of love! Sofia gazed adoringly at her partner as they engaged in a lively conversation

Glowing: Showcasing her radiant complexion, the Chanel star swept her tresses into a sleek bun to reveal her make-up free appearance

Cosy: Despite being surrounded by a group of friends, the couple weren't afraid to pack on the PDA as Sofia rested on Scott's lap

Stepping up: It was recently reported that the entrepreneur and California native are reportedly ready to take their romance to the next level

Closer: 'Scott and Sofia are moving in together,' a source told Us Weekly, adding, 'She'll move into his house'

Kourtney has also thrown a sixth birthday party for her daughter Penelope, while she has been away and has been pictured with all children on board the boat.

The fitness enthusiast shares three children, Mason, eight, Penelope, five, and Reign, three, with former long-term love, Scott Disick, 35.

Kourtney - who has been in a one-year relationship with her beau Younes Benjima, 25 - soaked up the sights of of Turks & Caicos and more recently, Rome.

Budding romance: The pair made their relationship Instagram official in September last year, after months of dating rumours

On and off: Sofia and Scott reportedly called it quits just weeks ago, but reconciled shortly after

Something to say: The pair's display comes after Scott's ex Kourtney Kardashian hit back at a troll who asked her where her children are as she posed on holiday in Portofino on Monday

Before Scott and Sofia's holiday, the businessman documented his journey to Greece as he shared a snap with his partner, taking off on a private jet.

It was recently reported that the entrepreneur and California native are reportedly ready to take their romance to the next level.

'Scott and Sofia are moving in together,' a source told Us Weekly, adding, 'She'll move into his house.'

In your face: Kourtney and Scott's children are currently with her and she has also thrown daughter Penelope a sixth birthday party while she's been away

Kids: Mason (left) and Reign (right) are also with the group while Kourtney was away
She makes no secret of her love of a party.

And Nicole Scherzinger was once again living it up as she was spotted on a night out Iin celeb hotspot Mykonos where she appeared worse-for-wear while stumbling down some stairs before hugging a man dressed as a teddy.

The 40-year-old former Pussycat Dolls star looked stunning in a white crochet cover-up with a cobalt blue swimsuit underneath as she appeared to have overindulged while larking around with her pals on the low-key getaway.

Happy days: Nicole Scherzinger was once again living it up as she was spotted on a night out in Mykonos where she appeared worse-for-wear while stumbling down some stairs before hugging a man dressed as a teddy

Nicole has joined a bevy of stars, including Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Kate Moss and Matthew McConaughey, in heading to the Greek party island of Mykonos.

Prior to her night on the town, the stunner took to Instagram to share a duo of shots with her half-sister Keala Scherzinger as they hit the shores before sundown when they decided to hit the town for a party.

During the night out, she was seen larking around in a typically playful fashion as she enjoyed the fun and frolics of her holiday.

Following the night out, Nicole put her partying antics behind her as she headed to Thailand for a working holiday while also unwinding with a spot of sunset yoga by her exquisite pool before she enjoyed an early morning to watch the sunrise.

Wahey! The 40-year-old former Pussycat Dolls star looked stunning in a white crochet cover-up with a cobalt blue swimsuit underneath as she appeared to have overindulged while larking around with her pals on the low-key getaway

Hot stuff: Prior to her night on the town, the stunner took to Instagram to share a duo of shots with her half-sister Keala Scherzinger as they hit the shores before sundown when they decided to hit the town for a party

Yay! It's been a fun week for Nicole who celebrated her landmark birthday on June 29, but on July 1, said her pals had flown out to surprise her

It's been a fun week for Nicole who celebrated her landmark birthday on June 29, but on July 1, said her pals had flown out to surprise her.

She tweeted: 'Had the best Birthday with all my girls flying in to surprise me at Bagatelle London! Thank you for a fun night! xo.'

Her holiday comes just days after Nicole marked her birthday with a cherubic childhood snap and poignant caption that urged her followers to never take anything for granted.

She wrote: 'God where does the time go...? Birthday got me like Its crazy...I find the older you get the faster time flees...so be GRATEFUL.

Cheeky! She showed off her peachy posterior in the sheer cover-up with a sexy swimsuit

Opening up: Meanwhile, Nicole's sighting follows a very candid interview given to MR PORTER Journal by her beau Grigor Dimitrov, 27

'Count your blessings, even thru the sun and rain. And cherish every moment, because you never know. I love you all. My heart, Little Nicole.'

Meanwhile, Nicole's sighting follows a very candid interview given to MR PORTER Journal by her beau Grigor Dimitrov, 27.

While the pair have made the conscious decision to remain relatively tight-lipped on their three-year romance, the sportsman got candid about their struggles, admitting balancing his career and love life is 'not easy'.

Revealing Nicole is 'doing a better job' at fitting in around his hectic schedule, he said: 'It's not easy. The schedules are very heavy. But she's doing a better job than I am at being able to come to most of the places I'm at.'
She's enjoying a Mykonos holiday with her boyfriend Scott Disick.

And Sofia Richie cooled off from the high temperatures of the Greek isles by tying up her white tee as she posted a snap of herself riding in a boat on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old beauty flaunted her toned tummy as she leaned back with the beautiful Aegean Sea in the background.

Holiday fun: Sofia Richie, 19, cooled off from the high temperatures of Mykonos by tying up her white tee as she posted a snap of herself riding in a boat on Tuesday

Daring to impress, the stunner swathed her gorgeous gams in a white knit blanket as her brunette tresses danced in the wind.

Sofia and Scott have been getting closer on their Mediterranean adventure as the two were seen pack on the PDA while out and about.

The pair's affectionate display comes after Scott's ex Kourtney Kardashian hit back at a troll who asked her where her children are as she posed in a bikini while on holiday in Portofino.

While a fan wrote on Instagram: 'Where are your kids?' as she ate snacks on the deck of a boat, the reality star, 39, sharply replied: 'My son was taking the photo, and the other two were sitting at a table across from me. Thank you so much for your concern.'

Loved up: Sofia is enjoying the Greek isle holiday with her boyfriend Scott Disick

The fitness enthusiast shares three children, Mason, eight, Penelope, five, and Reign, three, with former long-term love, Scott Disick, 35.

Kourtney - who has been in a one-year relationship with her beau Younes Benjima, 25 - soaked up the sights of of Turks & Caicos and more recently, Rome.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Sofia and Scott are reportedly ready to take their romance to the next level.

'Scott and Sofia are moving in together,' a source told Us Weekly, adding, 'She'll move into his house.'

Flaunt it: Sofia showcased her enviable figure in a skimpy bikini top

The news was certainly a surprise as the move comes only a month after it was widely reported that they had broken up because Scott was unfaithful.

A source told E! News: 'Sofia broke up with Scott after the pictures and rumors of his behavior in Wyoming were floating around.

'She couldn't take it anymore. Scott has been off the rails recently and is not in a good place.

'He goes in waves of partying really hard and then he will have his good days and it's just very toxic behaviour. It's very up and down.'
They recently documented their luxury journey to Greece on social media as they jetted off in a private jet.

And now Sofia Richie, 19, showcased her enviable figure in a sizzling black bikini as she cosied up to beau Scott Disick, 35, during their Mykonos getaway on Tuesday.

The model looked at ease in her boyfriend's company as she luxuriated in their resort clad in a plunging bikini top that highlighted her ample cleavage.

Loved-up: Sofia Richie, 19, showcased her enviable figure in a sizzling black bikini as she cosied up to beau Scott Disick , 35, during their Mykonos getaway on Tuesday

The daughter of crooner Lionel Richie teamed her spaghetti-strapped top with a pair of equally skimpy bikini bottoms which rested over her slender hips and accentuated her pert posterior.

Looking utterly relaxed, she worked her brunette locks into a messy top knot and simply accessorised her poolside attire with a delicate necklace while she rested her head on Scott's shoulder.

Offsetting Sofia's swimwear display, Scott donned a grey T-shirt and sported a much longer hairstyle with his groomed facial hair.

The Keeping Up with The Kardashians star appeared smitten as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend during their sun-bathing session on the Greek Island.

Work it: The daughter of crooner Lionel Richie's spaghetti-strapped top accentuated her gym-honed figure

Sun-soaked: The model looked at ease in her boyfriend's company as she luxuriated in their resort

Cosy: Scott kissed the side of Sofia's head during their afternoon

Chit chat: The pair were deep in conversation before they kissed

The pair's affectionate display comes after Scott's ex Kourtney Kardashian hit back at a troll who asked her where her children are as she posed in a bikini while on holiday in Portofino.

While a fan wrote on Instagram: 'Where are your kids?' as she ate snacks on the deck of a boat, the reality star, 39, sharply replied: 'My son was taking the photo, and the other two were sitting at a table across from me. Thank you so much for your concern.'

Kourtney has also thrown a sixth birthday party for her daughter Penelope, while she has been away and has been pictured with all children on board the boat.

The fitness enthusiast shares three children, Mason, eight, Penelope, five, and Reign, three, with former long-term love, Scott Disick, 35.

Mane attraction: Looking utterly relaxed, she worked her brunette locks into a messy top knot

Casual: Offsetting Sofia's swimwear display, Scott donned a grey T-shirt

Chilled: The pair stood on their balcony while they soaked up the sun

Kourtney - who has been in a one-year relationship with her beau Younes Benjima, 25 - soaked up the sights of of Turks & Caicos and more recently, Rome.

Before Scott and Sofia's holiday, the businessman documented his journey to Greece as he shared a snap with his partner, taking off on a private jet.

It was recently reported that the entrepreneur and California native are reportedly ready to take their romance to the next level.

'Scott and Sofia are moving in together,' a source told Us Weekly, adding, 'She'll move into his house.'

Relaxed: Scott sported a much longer hairstyle with his groomed facial hair

Smitten: The Keeping Up with The Kardashians star appeared smitten during their sun-bathing session on the Greek Island

Previously rumours were swirling the lovebirds had abruptly ended their long-term romance after Scott was seen getting close to a mystery woman at a listening party for Kayne West's album Ye in early June.

A source told E! News: 'Sofia broke up with Scott after the pictures and rumours of his behaviour in Wyoming were floating around.

'She couldn't take it anymore. Scott has been off the rails recently and is not in a good place.

No shade: Sofia sported a pair of trendy cat-eye style Prada Eyewear sunglasses

Walk this way: Sofia walked up the hotel's steps following a cooling dip

'He goes in waves of partying really hard and then he will have his good days and it's just very toxic behaviour. It's very up and down.'

However, the lovebirds vehemently denied the rumours as they insisted they were still together on Instagram.

Scott wrote: 'We had no idea we even broke up but thanks for thinking of us.'

Sofia updated her Instagram story where she penned he was her 'whole heart' using the heart emoji. She added: 'Never believe the internet.'
She delightedly said yes when her beau got down on bended knee at the beginning of the year.

And Paris Hilton and fiance Chris Zylka proved they were happier than ever before as they enjoyed an adrenaline-packed getaway in Mykonos, Greece.

Taking to her Instagram account on Wednesday, the 37-year-old reality star sizzled in an orange swimsuit as she cosied up to her hunky other half, 33.

Love: Paris Hilton, 37, and fiance Chris Zylka, 33, proved they were happier than ever before as they enjoyed an adrenaline-packed getaway in Mykonos, Greece

Paris showed off her bronzed glow in the bold one-piece which she teamed with a semi-sheer black skirt.

Donning a pair of chic shades, the socialite's blonde locks effortlessly billowed in the wind as she enjoyed herself with her other half.

Paris captioned the snap: 'I love exploring the world & making memories together my love. .'

Recently, the Hilton heiress hinted that her wedding to Chris, who proposed in Aspen, Colorado, in January, might be televised.

'I love making memories together': Taking to her Instagram account on Wednesday, the reality star sizzled in an orange swimsuit as she cosied up to her hunky other half

Looking good: Paris showed off her bronzed glow in the bold one-piece which she teamed with a semi-sheer black skirt

The former star of The Simple Life told E! News: 'We've been getting a lot of calls and a lot of offers from different networks, pitching that show so maybe.'

Hilton then coyly answered 'yes' when asked if she would ever take up one of their offers.

Last week, Paris confessed she feels 'so lucky' not to have lost her engagement ring when she was partying at RC Cola Plant at Mana Wynwood in Miami.

Taking to Twitter to explain what happened, she said: 'The ring was just so heavy and big that while I was dancing it literally flew off my finger into an ice bucket a couple of tables over.

'We've been getting a lot of calls': Recently, the Hilton heiress hinted that her wedding to Chris, who proposed in Aspen, Colorado, in January, might be televised

'Thank God by some miracle my fiance found it before someone else did and most likely would not have returned it. I am so lucky!'

Meanwhile, Paris revealed that she'd had replicas made when she appeared on Access Live via People recently.

She said: 'I had a couple replicas made because I'm scared to go to certain countries and have this ring on. So I had three more of those made just, you know, for deejaying and going to certain places.'
Scott Disick is dating a 19-year-old model with curves to spare.

And the 35-year-old bad boy of reality TV seemed to want to remind his social media followers of that as he shared an image of the beauty on Wednesday.

All that can be seen in the new photo is the 19-year-old cover girl's backside where it almost looks as if she is not wearing any bottoms at all. The couple has been on vacation in Mykonos, Greece for the past week.

Daring: Scott Disick shared this image of Sofia Richie in Greece on Wednesday; it almost looked as if she did not have bottoms on

Bye: Scott wrote on the image, 'I guess we're leaving.' He was right

Model pose: Earlier in the week, the teen dream posed in this bikini top

Sofia's bottom is almost entirely exposed in the suit, resting over her slender hips and accentuating her pert posterior, almost making the photo not safe for work.

The daughter of crooner Lionel Richie teamed her bottoms with a spaghetti-strapped top.

And she had a purse wrapped over her cross body style. And oddly the siren added a pair of red high heels to her swimsuit look.

Scott wrote on the image, 'I guess we're leaving.' He was right.

Leaving so soon? Hours later the two were seen in the airport in Greece

Travel day: The two were in layers of clothing as they carried their belongings through the airport

Hours later the two were seen in the airport in Greece.

The two were in layers of clothing as they carried their belongings through the airport. They are most likely heading back to Los Angeles where his ex Kourtney, 39, is with their three kids Mason, Penelope and Reign.

This comes after Sofia and Scott were seen by the pool on Tuesday.

Offsetting Sofia's swimwear display, Scott donned a grey T-shirt and sported a much longer hairstyle with his groomed facial hair.

Back to reality: They are most likely heading back to Los Angeles where his ex Kourtney, 39, is with their three kids Mason, Penelope and Reign

The Keeping Up with The Kardashians star appeared smitten as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend during their sun-bathing session on the Greek Island.

The pair's affectionate display comes after Scott's ex Kourtney Kardashian hit back at a troll who asked her where her children are as she posed in a bikini while on holiday in Portofino.

While a fan wrote on Instagram: 'Where are your kids?' as she ate snacks on the deck of a boat, the reality star, 39, sharply replied: 'My son was taking the photo, and the other two were sitting at a table across from me. Thank you so much for your concern.'

Kourtney has also thrown a sixth birthday party for her daughter Penelope, while she has been away and has been pictured with all children on board the boat.
Paris Hilton still knows how to pull off a sexy bathing suit photo.

The 37-year-old DJ shared a striking photo from a mini island inside a swimming pool while on vacation in Mykonos, Greece on Thursday.

The blonde bombshell looked like a Bond girl as she wore a monokini with a thin sheer coverup, stilettos, a bold choker and sunglasses with her hands on her hips.

A 10! Paris Hilton shared a striking photo from a mini island inside a swimming pool while on vacation in Mykonos, Greece on Thursday

So 007: The blonde bombshell looked like a Bond girl as she wore a monokini with a thin sheer coverup, heels, a choker and sunglasses with her hands on her hips

Dreamy location: Her caption read, 'Loving Life at @Alegria_Mykonos! Such an incredibly beautiful villa!'

Good pad: The Alegria villa is a full house with a big pool and sweeping views of the Mediterranean

Her caption read, 'Loving Life at @Alegria_Mykonos! Such an incredibly beautiful villa!'

It's not clear how the diva found her way to the island as she had on heels and a dry suit, but her fiance Chris Zylka may have helped her out.

The two have been in Greece for several days already and seem to be having the time of their life.

Taking to her Instagram account on Wednesday, the reality TV vet sizzled in an orange swimsuit as she cosied up to her hunky other half, 33.

Love: Hilton and fiance Chris Zylka, 33, proved they were happier than ever before as they enjoyed an adrenaline-packed getaway in Mykonos

Paris showed off her bronzed glow in the bold one-piece which she teamed with a semi-sheer black skirt.

Donning a pair of chic shades, the socialite's blonde locks effortlessly billowed in the wind as she enjoyed herself with her other half.

Paris captioned the snap: 'I love exploring the world & making memories together my love. .'

Recently, the Hilton heiress hinted that her wedding to Chris, who proposed in Aspen, Colorado, in January, might be televised.

'I love making memories together': Taking to her Instagram account on Wednesday, the reality star sizzled in an orange swimsuit as she cosied up to her hunky other half

Looking good: Paris showed off her bronzed glow in the bold one-piece which she teamed with a semi-sheer black skirt

The former star of The Simple Life told E! News: 'We've been getting a lot of calls and a lot of offers from different networks, pitching that show so maybe.'

Hilton then coyly answered 'yes' when asked if she would ever take up one of their offers.

Last week, Paris confessed she feels 'so lucky' not to have lost her engagement ring when she was partying at RC Cola Plant at Mana Wynwood in Miami.

Look at my skirt: The perfume mogul held out her skirt that was sheer

The easy life: Hilton looked magazine cover ready as she sat on a boat while Chris looked on

Her future's so bright... Here Hilton showed off her oversized sunglasses as she hit the water

Taking to Twitter to explain what happened, she said: 'The ring was just so heavy and big that while I was dancing it literally flew off my finger into an ice bucket a couple of tables over.

'Thank God by some miracle my fiance found it before someone else did and most likely would not have returned it. I am so lucky!'

Meanwhile, Paris revealed that she'd had replicas made when she appeared on Access Live via People recently.

She said: 'I had a couple replicas made because I'm scared to go to certain countries and have this ring on. So I had three more of those made just, you know, for deejaying and going to certain places.'
At the start of the month, they treated their fans to a steady stream of scintillating bikini snaps as they soaked up the sun on the Greek island of Mykonos.

And it has now been reported that Gigi Hadid, 23, and Emily Ratajkowski, 27, jetted off the island with nicely lined pockets after picking up generous payments for performing a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Nammos Village shopping centre.

The glamorous beauties were photographed partying alongside supermodel Kate Moss, 44, at the exclusive event, for which they are said to have received $1.28 million (977,500) apiece.

Pay day: Gigi Hadid, left, and Emily Ratajkowski, right, were reportedly paid $1.28 million apiece when they opened the Nammos Village shopping centre in Mykonos on June 30

Officials at the upscale shopping centre claim that at least 190 million people followed the opening party online and a host of influential bloggers reportedly received payments of $464,900 (355,400) to attend the ceremony.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Gigi and Emily for comment.

The models turned heads when they arrived at the event in typically glamorous style, wowing in colourful gowns as they hit the red carpet at the June 30 event.

Opening night: The models, who wore vibrant draping dresses, were the star attraction as they participated in the evening's ribbon cutting ceremony

Special guests: The stars wowed as they arrived at the exclusive event in typically glam style

Model behavior: Kate Moss, who wore a sparkling halter top, mingled with the two models over the course of the evening

Gigi caught the eye in a flowing pink dress, which featured a high neckline and a small cutout at the abs, teaming her gown of choice with clear strappy heels.

Meanwhile, Emily stepped onto the red carpet in a burnt orange sleeveless minidress, which boasted a waterfall sash feature, and white Reebok sneakers.

During the event, the two stars shared a laugh and a hug as they welcomed guests into Mykonos' newest shopping centre, before using giant scissors to cut the ribbon.

California native Gigi, who recently rekindled her romance with pop heartthrob Zayn Malik, made the most of her trip to island, remaining for more than a week - and sharing a number of shots of herself basking in the glorious sunshine.

We like to party: The stars also took to Instagram to share shots pf themselves partying away

Sunny: During her trip, Gigi took to Instagram to share shots of herself soaking up the sunshine

Breathtaking: She also uploaded snaps of the sun-kissed Greek island's breathtaking backdrop

Sponsored: Model Emily took to Instagram to share shots, which included sponsored captions

London-born, California Emily also got her money's worth during her visit to the glitzy island, and kept her more than 18 million Instagram followers entertained with sizzling social media snaps.

Local media covering the event commented that the reward for showing up at the party of Nammos Village was intriguing given the difficult financial situation of many Greeks and the ongoing economic crisis.

Nammos Village is described as being the first shopping centre facility on the island to gather many big brands under one roof.

Lapping it up: The stars spend several days on the ritzy resort island, sharing snaps throughout

Itsy bitsy: London-born Emily displayed her sensational body in a skimpy polka dot srting bikini
They were two fifths of the original Spice Girls line up with Victoria Beckham declining to join the rest of the band on their upcoming 2019 reunion tour.

And now Geri Horner, known as Ginger Spice, has thrown shade at her former band mate Victoria during a quickfire interview with Rob Beckett on All Together Now on BBC .

The funny man, 33, started off by asking the pop star, 46, generic questions such as moon or the sun, a night in or night out, and blonde or ginger hair.

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Ouch! Geri Horner, 46, known as Ginger Spice, threw shade at her former band mate Victoria Beckham during a quickfire interview with Rob Beckett, 33, on All Together Now on BBC

Geri's interrogation became personal when Rob asked: 'Posh or Baby?'

Without hesitation, the beauty fired back with her selection of Emma Bunton and then refused to select her choice between Mel B and Mel C.

Proving her shock, Geri covered her mouth and giggled when Rob Beckett told her she had no worries between selecting Emma over Victoria.

Personal: Geri's interrogation became personal when Rob asked: 'Posh or Baby?' (Pictured: Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham in 2012)

Going for it: The funny fan pushed Geri to choose between Posh and Baby

No hesitation: Without hesitation, the beauty fired back with her selection of Emma Bunton

The difference: Geri then refused to select her choice between Mel B and Mel C

Fans took to Twitter to share there thoughts on Geri's controversial answer, with many agreeing with her response, adding that they also favoured Baby Spice, Emma Bunton.

'I love baby too' gushed one viewer, and 'Baby Spice has always been my favourite too' asserted another social media user.

However, others shared their support for Victoria, with the hashtags #justiceforposh and #justiceforvictoria .

Both! Geri selected both Sporty Spice and Scary Spice as equal favourites in her mind, when asked to choose between the two

Awkward: Proving her shock, Geri covered her mouth and giggled when Rob Beckett told her she had no worries between selecting Emma over Victoria

Shock! Geri shared on Twitter the clip of her admitting she prefers Baby Spice over Posh Spice

Justice: Some Twitter users started hashtags that supported Victoria Beckham

Supportive: Fans agreed that they also preferred Emma Bunton

Revealing Geri's comment was tongue in cheek, the beauty has previously insisted Victoria is still very much in the Spice Girls despite not joining the band on tour.

Chatting on Lorraine on in November, the newly-reformed girl group reiterated that there is no bad blood between the four members going on tour, and the absent Posh Spice who is sitting it out due to her career as a fashion designer.

Each of them - Geri, Mel C, Mel B and Emma Bunton - insisted that Victoria is fully supportive, whether she is 'on stage or off stage' and that she won't ever not be a Spice Girl.

'Vicky is supportive on and off the stage,' Geri said. 'The five of us have always had this thing, we support each other on and off stage. We did speak to her and meet up with her and we said, "Look, youre in the band on and off the stage, it doesnt matter".'

'The thing is, were very proud of Victoria. She works incredibly hard and what shes achieved is amazing.

'She will always be a Spice Girl, as we will and always have been.' added Mel C, with Mel B saying: 'I'm hopeful we'll get back together, I want to tour america too! It will work at some point!'
He is the muscular brother of Married At First Sight star Jessika Power whose piercing blue eyes wooed the nation on his sister's 'wedding day'.

But for all his charms they were reportedly not enough to get Rhyce Power, 29, past security at one of Sydney's most sought-after celebrity hotspots.

An onlooker claimed his heavily-tattooed appearance was frowned upon by bouncers last Saturday at the swanky Double Bay bar, Pelicano.

Rejected: For all his charms they were reportedly not enough to get MAFS 'hot brother' Rhyce Power (pictured), 29, past security at one of Sydney's most sought-after celebrity hotspots

'Security didn't like the look of his neck and arm tattoos and he didn't have anything to cover them up - so he got denied by security,' the source allegedly told The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday.

Rhyce had been on a night out at the time with 2018 Bachelor in Paradise contestant Eden Schwencke.

Rhyce told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday that he's become used to being refused from nightclubs, based on his appearance.

'Being refused entry to nightclubs or being judged on my tattoos is something I've dealt with for a while, it's disappointing that it still happens,' he said.

'To me, it's my art and it's unfortunate others can't acknowledge that.'

Heavily-inked: An onlooker claimed Rhyce's heavily-tattooed appearance was frowned upon by bouncers last Saturday at the swanky Double Bay bar, Pelicano

The part-time stripper relocated from Perth to Sydney's Bondi since his rise to fame in early February.

He has also been spotted hitting the social scene with Love Island Australia's Eden Dally.

Earlier this month, Jessika's 'hot brother' sparked rumours he was dating her co-star Martha Kalifatidis when they were seen together at the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

But according to a source at the event, their flirtatious display was one-sided - and largely orchestrated by 'fame hungry' Rhyce.

Star power: 'Security didn't like the look of his neck and arm tattoos and he didn't have anything to cover them up - so he got denied by security,' the source allegedly said (Rhyce is pictured with sister and MAFS 'bride' Jessika, 27)

Jessika has also shot down rumours that her brother is dating the Greek goddess.

Appearing on The Kyle and Jackie O show, Jessika, 27, explained that Rhyce was originally supposed to attend the fashion show as her 'plus one'.

However, when she was unable to attend due to other commitments, the tattooed tradie still decided to show up.

'They definitely have not hooked up,' Jess said. 'She's still with Michael.'
He may not have found love on Married At First Sight with 'wife' Melissa Lucarelli.

But it appears the Nine reality show has helped boost Dino Hira's profile as a male model in Western Australia.

On Saturday, the Perth-based star, 34, hit the catwalk at a fashion show for local brand, Suited For Him.

Taking it in his stride! MAFS' Dino Hira, 34, hit the catwalk at Perth fashion show on Saturday after leaving the reality show

The brand, based in Subiaco, Western Australia, 'offers an exclusive premium quality range of custom suits to purchase, and are hand tailored to suit each individual'.

Dino strutted his stuff in several of their designs, including a bold pink blazer with navy pants, and a beige suit with checked blazer.

Prior to appearing on Married At First Sight, Dino had a background in modelling, stripping and acting, but it appears he's more in-demand than ever now.

WA's Next Top Model? The Perth-based star strutted his stuff while modelling looks for local brand, Suited For Him

Dino's exit from the reality show on March 3 was surrounded by controversy.

The reality personality was busted secretly recording his 'wife' Mel on the phone to her sister days earlier - much to her shock.

'I wanted to show Mel that the words were hurtful and it wasn't easy for me to take,' explained Dino, when asked about the recordings during their final episode.

See you later! Dino's exit from the reality show on March 3 was surrounded by controversy. Pictured with 'ex-wife' Melissa Lucarelli

Caught out! The reality personality had been busted secretly recording his 'wife' Mel (pictured) on the phone to her sister days earlier - much to her shock

'You're acting like I slept with your best friend and killed your dog. I was telling my sister what had happened in our relationship,' raged Mel in response.

'I am so sick of you playing the victim. You were invading my privacy, again. God knows... have you been recording me more times? I feel sick.'

With relationship expert John Aiken then stepping in to stop them squabbling, both Dino and Melissa decided to leave the social experiment.
She seems to have picked up her aunt Kylie Jenner's flair for party planning.

Rob Kardashian's daughter Dream helped throw her dad a special St. Patrick's Day-themed birthday party on Saturday before heading over to her mother Blac Chyna's house.

Though the reality star's 32nd birthday isn't until Sunday, his family decided to start the party a day early.

Party planner: Rob Kardashian's daughter Dream, 2, helped throw her 31-year-old dad a special St. Patrick's Day-themed birthday party on Saturday before heading over to her mother Blac Chyna's house

Dream was dressed in holiday-appropriate attire for the intimate gathering, with a green Minnie Mouse shirt and some clover-speckled gray sweat pants.

She even had a pair of sparkle green sneakers and had her hair done up in cute ringlets.

Dream's aunt Khloe Kardashian, 34, helped document the two-year-old's intimate party for her dad.

(Almost) birthday boy: Rob Kardashian had a day-early birthday party thrown by his daughter Dream; pictured in 2012

First piece: Khloe managed to snap some shots of the little planner in the making cutting into Rob's cake

Having a blast: Dream's aunt Khloe Kardashian, 34, helped document the two-year-old's intimate party for her dad

'Dreamy Dream wanted to throw her daddy a special birthday party before she goes to her mommy,' the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wrote in an Instagram Story.

'Her daddy's birthday is on Sunday (St Patty's Day) but she got her cousins together to celebrate!,' she concluded adding in emojis of a four-leaf clover, a rainbow and a green heart.

Later on, the former partner of Tristan Thompson shared another text post about Dream's talents.

'Dream is a [sic] great at throwing parties! Thank you dreamy! She picked out the decorations, created the invite list and everything,' she wrote. 'Get ready Rob for another party on Sunday.'

A real knack for it: 'Dream is a [sic] great at throwing parties! Thank you dreamy!' Khloe wrote on Instagram

Yum: The center was decorated with large frosted shamrock and 'Happy Birthday Daddy'

Khloe managed to snap some shots of the little planner in the making cutting into Rob's cake, which was sprinkled liberally with shredded coconut and dotted with little shamrock sprinkles.

The center was decorated with large frosted shamrock and 'Happy Birthday Daddy.'

Though the little cutie was helping celebrating her dad's birthday, she also took the opportunity to have some fun with her cousins.

Festive decorations: The cake was sprinkled liberally with shredded coconut and dotted with little shamrock sprinkles

Luck of the Irish: Dream fully embraced the St. Patrick's Day theme for her dad's birthday

A short sped-up video on Khloe's Insta Stories showed the little tyke having a go at a little pink slide inside the house.

She got in some recreation with the Revenge Body star's little girl, 11-month-old True Thompson, who was dressed in a cute powder blue tutu.

Though he was the guest of honor, Rob stayed out of the spotlight on his special day, leaving Dream to be the real star.

Play date: Though the little cutie was helping celebrating her dad's birthday, she also took the opportunity to have some fun with her cousins. A short sped-up video on Khloe's Insta Stories showed the little tyke having a go at a little pink slide inside the house

Adorable: She got in some recreation with the Revenge Body star's little girl, 11-month-old True Thompson

Working things out: Last month, Rob and his former partner Blac Chyna, 30, tried to clarify their recent custody struggles; pictured in 2016

Last month, Rob and his former partner Blac Chyna, 30, tried to clarify their recent custody struggles.

'Angela and I are both actively co-parenting and there are no pending or active custody cases,' he wrote, referencing her real name, Angela Renee White.

In her own post, she wrote, 'Robert and I [sic] only concern is what's in the best interest of our daughter that we both equally love. Additionally, Robert is a wonderful father to our Dreamy!'

Short-lived romance: Their whirlwind romance begin in January 2016, followed shortly by an engagement announcement in April and the announcement of Blac Chyna's pregnancy with Dream in May

Their whirlwind romance begin in January 2016, followed shortly by an engagement announcement in April and the announcement of Blac Chyna's pregnancy with Dream in May.

Dream was born in November, but by December 2016 the couple had already split. After a short-lived reconciliation later that month, the relationship was finished in February of 2017.

The now-acrimonious relationship reached its nadir in July 2017, when Rob posted sexually explicit images of his former fiancee without her consent.
She has been an advocate for stricter and safer gun laws in the United States.

Now, in the wake of that horrific mass shootings at two mosques in New Zealand, Kim Kardashian has come out in support of leaders in the country who have vowed to change its gun laws.

'Just 24 hours after the Christchurch shooting New Zealand bans semiautomatic guns!' she wrote in reference to New Zealand Attorney General David Parker's comments about banning the controversial weapons.

'America take note! Why can't our elected officials put public safety over gun manufacturers' profits?!?!' the reality star continued.

Lending her support: Kim Kardashian (above September 28 2018) praised leaders in New Zealand who vowed to change the country's gun laws following Friday's mass shooting that killed 50 people

Khloe Kardashian was quick to lend her support to her older sister.

'Yes sister! Yes!!!!!! Let's end this senseless violence,' she tweeted.

Within hours of the massacre that killed 50 people, New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, promised to change the country's gun laws, though she didn't immediately specify how.

'I can tell you one thing right now. Our gun laws will change,' she declared during a news conference.

Advocate: The reality star shined the spotlight on US leaders to follow suit

New Zealand's attorney general, David Parker, took it step farther and vowed to ban semi-automatic guns at a vigil on Saturday, but later backtracked as reported by The New York Times.

'Those decisions have yet to be taken,' he told Radio New Zealand.

'But the Prime Minister has signaled that we are going to look at that issue [banning semi-automatic weapons].'

Currently the sale of semi-automatic guns is not restricted in New Zealand.

The suspected shooter has been identified as Brenton Tarrant, 28, of Australia. He used five guns in the attacks and had a gun license allowing him to legally purchase all of the weapons.

Worried mom: Kim Kardashian has been an advocate for stricter and safer gun laws in the US

Taking a stand: Kardashian demanded congress to debate gun laws following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in 2018

It was just over a year ago that Kim Kardashian called for safer gun laws in the US following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

'We owe it to our children and our teachers to keep them safe while at school,' she tweeted February 14, 2018.

'Prayers won't do this: action will. Congress, please do your job and protect Americans from senseless gun violence.'

While Kim was letting her voice be heard on gun safety, husband Kanye West was spotted arriving at his studio in Calabasas on Saturday.

Looking casual but trendy in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, the hip-hop legend stepped out of his white Tesla and headed inside for a day's work.
Penelope Cruz revealed she sought Donatella Versace's blessing before she agreed to play her in American Crime Story.

The actress, 44, took on the role of the fashion designer in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

Speaking to Sunday Life magazine, the Spanish star said she spoke to Donatella, 63, over the phone before accepting the role.

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Approval: Penelope Cruz (pictured as Donatella), 44, asked Donatella Versace, 63, for her 'blessing' before signing on to play the fashion icon in American Crime Story

'In a way, I needed her blessing to do it because I respect her a lot,' Penelope said.

Penelope also revealed that she wanted to humanise Donatella, with the series showing her in the aftermath of her brother Gianni Versace's death.

'I wanted to show the side of her I knew, the vulnerability and the kindness, and the sense of humour she has about herself.'

Different sides: Penelope, who has modelled for Versace, also revealed that she wanted to humanise Donatella, with the series showing her in the aftermath of her brother Gianni Versace's death

The Versace family said they had 'no involvement whatsoever' in the mini-series, saying it should be considered a 'work of fiction'.

However Donatella gave Penelope flowers after she was nominated for a Golden Globe award.

Donatella previously confirmed that she had a conversation with Penelope, but refused to give any further details.

Gift: Despite reports the Versace family were not pleased with the unauthorised production, Penelope said Donatella gave her flowers after her Golden Globe nomination

Elsewhere in the interview, Penelope, who will team-up with her husband Javier Bardem in new film Everybody Knows, spoke of life in Spain.

Penelope has settled into Spain with Javier and their two children, son Leo, eight, and daughter, Luna, five.

She tries to shield her two children from the spotlight, and has refrained from making New York or Los Angeles home.

Penelope revealed that she regulates her children's screen time, and has called for regulations for social media, in an effort to protect youth.
After wrapping Season 10 of her hit sitcom Modern Family, Sarah Hyland celebrated by getting a new shorter haircut.

The 28 year old actress was spotted leaving the Nine Zero One hair salon in West Hollywood, California.

The actress teased getting her hair cut one week ago on Instagram, with a new snap featuring the caption 'Whos ready for short hair? I think its about that tiiiimeeee. (And by that I mean just take out Haleys fake hair).'

New do: Sarah Hyland steps out with a new hair style after leaving the Nine Zero One hair salon in West Hollywood, California

Short hair: The actress teased getting her hair cut one week ago on Instagram, with a new snap featuring the caption 'Whos ready for short hair? I think its about that tiiiimeeee. (And by that I mean just take out Haleys fake hair)'

Instagram: The actress teased getting her hair cut one week ago on Instagram, with a new snap featuring the caption 'Whos ready for short hair? I think its about that tiiiimeeee. (And by that I mean just take out Haleys fake hair)'

Hyland was spotted leaving the salon wearing a white Wilfred for Aritzia short-sleeved top with skinny blue jeans and platform heels.

She was also carrying her phone and a large tan purse, while wearing hoop earrings and stylish Garrett Leight shades.

She also had a green scrunchie around her wrist, which she won't necessarily need with her shorter hair style.

Stepping out: Hyland was spotted leaving the salon wearing a white short-sleeved top with skinny blue jeans and platform heels

Heading home: She was also carrying her phone and a large tan purse, while wearing hoop earrings and stylish shades

Hyland just recently wrapped production on Season 10 of her hit series Modern Family, which was originally slated to be the final season.

There were rumors that the show's producers and ABC were considering another season this fall, which were ultimately confirmed.

ABC announced in February that Modern Family will return for an 11th and final season during the 2019-2020 TV season.

Production wrap: Hyland just recently wrapped production on Season 10 of her hit series Modern Family, which was originally slated to be the final season

Hyland's character Haley Dunphy is certainly having a memorable season, with it being revealed that she's pregnant.

Her boyfriend Wells Adams took to his Instagram story while watching a recent episode, where Dunphy says she looks like a 'disgusting pig monster' but Adams disagreed.

'Youre not a disgusting pig monster! Youre beautiful!,' Adams said over the TV, adding that his girlfriend makes a, 'hot pregnant woman.'

Pregnant on TV: Hyland's character Haley Dunphy is certainly having a memorable season, with it being revealed that she's pregnant

Aside from her work on Modern Family this year, Hyland returns to the big screen with the new movie comedy The Wedding Year.

The story follows an L.A. photographer with no plans to get married who is forced to make a big decision when she and her boyfriend are invited to numerous weddings.

Hyland stars alongside Tyler James Williams, Jenna Dewan and Anna Camp in the upcoming comedy.
Emilia Clarke has revealed that she doesn't regret stripping down for Game of Thrones - as the fantasy series gears up to air its final episodes next month.

The actress, 32, who plays the fierce Daenerys Targaryen, was handed more sex scenes than any other character in season one of the popular television series.

But despite her image now being featured on porn sites, Emilia told The Sun there is 'not one part of the show I would go back and redo'.

No regret: Emilia Clarke, who plays the fierce Daenerys Targaryen, was handed more sex scenes than any other character in season one of the popular television series

She told the publication: 'People ask me the nudity question all the time. But the short answer is no, I would never change anything. You had to see those sex scenes, as they couldn't just be explained.'

But the Mother of Dragons, who is now said to be worth a massive 9.7 million ($13 million), did receive some backlash for the raunchy scenes.

Feminist critics hit out at Emilia for one particular moment in season six of the show where Daenerys' clothes were burned off as she emerged from a fire.

In the nude: Despite her image now being featured on porn websites, Emilia, 32, said there is 'not one part of the show I would go back and redo'

But the actress said she was trying to portray her character as 'strong' and 'empowered' in the controversial scene.

'I just wanted to come out and do an empowered scene that wasn't sexual  it was naked, but it was strong,' she said.

'I get a lot of c*** for having done nude scenes and sex scenes. That, in itself, is so anti-feminist. Women hating on other women is just the problem. That's upsetting.'

Emilia confessed that she worried she would become 'pigeonholed' in one particular role after appearing nude in the epic drama.

Emilia said: 'People ask me the nudity question all the time. But the short answer is no, I would never change anything...'

Emilia was named Esquire's Sexiest Woman Alive in 2015 - and turned down the role of Anastasia Steele in 2015's scandalous film Fifty Shades of Grey.

The actress shot to fame in 2011 after she replaced Tamzin Merchant as the platinum-haired Targaryen princess.

Her character has since undergone some dramatic plotlines - including an arranged marriage to Dothraki chieftain Khal Drogo, played by Jason Momoa, and the tense Liberation of Slaver's Bay.

She was last seen in a scandalous scene with Jon Snow, played by Kit Harrington, in the final episode of season seven.

Emilia's comments come just a month ahead of the premiere of the eighth and final series of Game of Thrones on April 14.
Earlier this week, a college admissions cheating scandal, dubbed Varsity Blues, hit Hollywood.

And David Foster is the latest celebrity to weigh in on the matter, albeit in a humorous way.

On Saturday, daughter Erin took to Instagram to share a text from her famous dad, that doubled as a two-edged sword.

Joking around: David Foster, 69, is the latest celebrity to weigh in on the matter, albeit in a humorous way. He is seen in London on Saturday

'Thanks for the confidence, dad': On Saturday, daughter Erin took to Instagram to share a text from her famous dad, that doubled as a two-edged sword

'Thank god you didn't want to go to college-I'd be in jail right now!!' wrote David, 69.

'Thanks for the confidence, Dad' joked Erin, 36.

The joke comes fresh off the college admissions cheating scandal, that saw some of Hollywood's most famous stars embroiled in scandal.

A family affair: Erin and David are seen with his other daughter, Sara, 38 in West Hollywood in June 2016

On Tuesday, Lori Louglin and Felicity Huffman were one of 50 people allegedly charged by the FBI.

Lori, 54, and husband Mossimo Giannulli reportedly paid $500,000 to have daughters Olivia and Isabella admitted to USC, by pretending that they were row recruits.

Neither daughter have rowing experience, and did not have plans to do so once in college.

On Wednesday, both she and her husband posted $1 million bond, and are scheduled for court in Boston later this month.

Poking fun: The joke comes fresh off the college admissions cheating scandal, that saw some of Hollywood's most famous stars, including Lori Loughlin, 54, embroiled in scandal. She is seen in Beverly Hills in July of last year

Family matters: On Wednesday, both she and her husband Mossimo Giannulli, 55, posted $1 million bond, and are scheduled for court in Boston later this month. He is seen in LA on Tuesday

Meanwhile, Felicity Huffman, 56, and husband William H. Macy, 69, are another set of famous parents involved in the scandal.

The couple were reportedly involved in a plan to help her daughter Sofia succeed on her SATs, by having her test at an alternate location, versus at her school.

Her answers were then changed, and a proctor was paid $40,000 by Key Worldwide Foundation.

Felicity would later donate $15,000 to fraudulent company.
They had a very public tiff, but Lindy West wants to make it clear she's not going after her former boss, sex advice columnist Dan Savage.

The 37-year-old New York Times contributing opinion writer told Page Six the former co-workers had repaired their relationship shortly after a 2011 falling-out.

In Hulu's new series Shrill, SNL favorite Aidy Bryant, 31, stars as a writer and journalist working to navigate relationship and professional struggles, all while coming to terms with her weight.

Setting the record straight: Lindy West, 37, told Page Six that Aidy's Bryant's boss in Shrill isn't based on her own former boss, sex advice columnist Dan Savage; shown March 13

The series, which is based on Lindy's 2016 non-fiction book Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, stars Aidy as Annie, a lightly fictionalized version of Lindy who works at an alternative weekly newspaper in the Pacific Northwest.

She comes into conflict with her boss over his perceived fat shaming.

Actor and director John Cameron Mitchell, 55, seems to be filling the role of Dan Savage, 54, the syndicated relationship and sex advice columnist who was Lindy's boss at The Stranger.

Bad boss: Actor and director John Cameron Mitchell, 55, seems to be filling the role of Dan Savage, 54, the syndicated relationship and sex advice columnist who was Lindy's boss at The Stranger; shown March 13

Big controversy: The two originally exchanged tense words in 2011, when Lindy published a piece at The Stranger titled Hello, I Am Fat, a critique of her boss' writing about overweight people's poor health. Savage returned with a defense of his own; pictured in 2011

But the acclaimed author and Executive Producer made clear that the events might be inspired by her life, but the show's boss isn't directly based on Savage, whom she's no longer feuding with.

'Dan and I patched it up immediately and so there's no conflict, but it's funny that I'm answering questions about it,' she told Page Six on Wednesday.

'I was feeling really nervous because I hadn't talked to him about the show when I knew people were going to be asking about it and assuming that the character is him.'

The two originally exchanged tense words in 2011, when Lindy published a piece at The Stranger titled Hello, I Am Fat, a critique of some of her boss' writing about overweight people's poor health. Savage returned with a defense of his own, Hello, I'm Not The Enemy.

Not all real: But the acclaimed author and Executive Producer made clear that the events might be inspired by her life, but the show's boss isn't directly based on Savage, whom she's no longer feuding with

Back to normal: 'Dan and I patched it up immediately and so there's no conflict, but it's funny that I'm answering questions about it,' she told Page Six on Wednesday; still from Shrill

The two even met up by accident on the way to the series' South By Southwest premiere this month, when they realized they were on the same airplane.

'We actually had this really lovely talk and he was really supportive and really excited about the show and he laughed about how we're supposed to be in a fight,' she said.

'We almost took a selfie to prove to the world that we're not, but then we both looked like garbage so we decided not to.'

Old friends: 'We actually had this really lovely talk and he was really supportive and really excited about the show and he laughed about how we're supposed to be in a fight,' she said; still from Shrill

For his part, Mitchell actively tried not to emulate the popular advice writer.

'I purposely didnt read those sections in [Lindys] book because I didnt want to be influenced by that,' he told Page Six.

'My version for the character is: He was big in the '90s in the Portland alternative rock & roll scene, maybe had a little label, bemoans the ADD state of the world now and sees his own business collapsing as the Village Voice did. He acts all punk, but he's a bit, 'question authority but don't question me.' So its a fun, punk rock dictator.'

Shrill is currently available to stream on Hulu.
Married At First Sight's Jessika Power and Daniel Webb are officially still together.

Although their controversial 'affair' is still unraveling on TV, Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the drama was worth it for the lovers, who are going strong months later.

On Saturday, the pair finally went public with their secret romance, as they visited a bar in Brisbane and happily posed for fan pictures.

Married At First Sight EXCLUSIVE: Jessika Power and Dan Webb (both pictured) have proved they're still together after being photographed by a fan at a Brisbane bar on Saturday night

In one image, shared under the MAFS hashtag on Instagram, Jessika, 27, is seen nuzzling into Dan, 35, for the photograph.

An onlooker said the pair appeared 'very loved up' and were 'definitely a couple'.

The beauty appeared to have undergone a make-under in recent weeks too, with her plump pout appearing considerably thinner in the photograph.

Their public outing comes after Perth-based Jessika recently appeared to confirm she had moved to Queensland.

Closer to her man! Their outing comes after Jessika subtly responded to rumours she'd moved to Queensland, by changing her location on Instagram from Perth to Brisbane

Planning her new life? In January, Jessika shared an update to Instagram, before the show started to air, looking for beauticians on the Gold Coast, where Dan lives

It was recently rumoured that Jessika had moved states to be closer to Dan, who shares custody of his four-year-old son on the Gold Coast.

And although she is yet to publicly respond to the claims, Daily Mail Australia can reveal she has cryptically addressed the situation on Instagram.

In recent weeks, Jessika has changed her location on the social media platform from Perth to Brisbane.

Moving on! Although their controversial 'affair' is still unraveling on TV, it seems the drama was definitely worth it for the lovers, who have since found happiness in the real world

An unearthed post from Jessika, shared in January just before the show aired, showed her setting herself up in her new home state.

'Best places for eyebrow waxing and facials on the GC?,' asked Jessika at the time.

In February, presumably as Jessika made her more permanent move to Queensland, the pair were pictured embracing on a Gold Coast beach.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nine for comment.

Drama! Despite going strong in the real world, on the show, Dan is still 'married' to Tamara Joy (left) and Jessika is with 'husband' Mick Gould (both pictured right)

Since Dan intruded onto Married At First Sight with 'wife' Tamara Joy several weeks ago, the groom began a steamy 'affair' with Jessika, who is 'married' to Mick Gould.

The pair went on to hatch a plan to remain in their 'marriages' in a bid to get to know each other in secret and continue their 'affair'.

During last week's dinner party, the couple slipped away from their partners and co-stars to share another kiss in the studio's car park.
Cara Delevingne and girlfriend Ashley Benson have been known to don stylish ensembles while on the job and out on the town.

But on Saturday, the hot and heavy couple kept things low-key in the fashion department during a day of shopping in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The pair appeared to be in a jovial mood, smiling, cracking jokes and packing on the public displays of affection during their afternoon jaunt.

Casual time: Cara Delevingne and her girlfriend Ashley Benson enjoyed a day of shopping with a friend in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles on Saturday

The couple were first spotted holding hands while walking into a Bed Bath and Beyond store with a female friend.

Delevingne, 26, showed off her toned figure in black skinny jeans and a Prince t-shirt with the legendary musician's iconic love symbol on the front of it.

The British model rounded out the ensemble with a burgundy letterman jacket and black sneakers and had her shoulder length blonde hair long and with a center part.

PDA: The hot and heavy couple held hands as they walked into a Bed Bath and Beyond

Comic relief: Benson (right) had her friends laughing when she walked out of the store with a bottle of water on top of her head

Benson, 29, rocked a pair of black leggings with a white sleeveless t-shirt and white sneakers.

For added flare, she wore a brown beanie hat over her long blonde tresses and a pair of dark sunglasses.

At one point, when the trio were heading to their car with their groceries, the Pretty Little Liars star showed off her comedic side and walked with a bottle of water on top off her head.

After sharing a few laughs, the ladies dropped off their new purchases in their car and then walked across the street to pick up some food and flowers at a market across the street.

The couple reportedly started dating last May but 'wanted to keep things under the radar so they could get to know each other outside of the spotlight first,' reported a source from Life and Style.

Delevingne won Model Of The Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014. She branched into acting on 2012 with a minor role in the film adaption of Anna Karenina.

Her most notable roles include the romantic mystery film, Paper Towns (2015) and the comic book film Suicide Squad (2016).

Aside from Pretty Little Liars, Benson has also appeared in the crime film, Spring Breakers (2012) and the comedy-drama Elvis & Nixon (2016).
He is the son of Hollywood superstar Will Smith and the co-founder of the world's fastest growing brand of water.

But on Saturday Jaden Smith assumed a more humble role - as a Woolworths checkout assistant.

The 20-year-old actor and rapper stunned shoppers and delighted fans as he took up position at a bespoke checkout that had been kitted out with his product.

Change of scenery: On Saturday, Jaden Smith, 20, assumed a more humble role to his usual Hollywood gig - as a Woolworths checkout assistant (pictured)

JUST Water, which is fully recyclable and made from 82 per cent renewable resources, will be launched at Woolworths and 7-Eleven this week.

To promote his new product, Jaden donned a Woolworths lanyard, a button-up shirt and a typically striking pair of pink glasses.

The Karate Kid star appeared somewhat rusty at his new responsibilities as he got to grips with scanning the water bottles.

Fighting his first day jitters on the supermarket shop floor, Jaden limbered up while telling the camera 'I feel like I need to come out of my shell a little.'

But he seemed more at home educating a young customer about the benefits of his product.

'It's 82 per cent renewable resources - it's not based on petroleum-based products,' he proudly explained.

Unexpected: The actor and rapper (pictured) stunned shoppers and delighted fans as he took up position at a bespoke checkout that had been kitted out with his product

The quirky young entrepeneur has been on a whistle-stop of Melbourne since he landed in Australia on Thursday.

He showcased his quirky style in a hooded jumper with floral trousers as he arrived at Channel Ten's studios to appear on The Project on Friday.

Jaden then told host Waleed Aly his father is a 'super cool dad.'

He has also admitted that even he finds some of his fashion choices a bit strange.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph the young rapper said: '[My style] is crazy. Avant-garde in a way. Sometimes I shave half of my head. I'm so confused by myself.'

Businessman: The quirky young entrepeneur (right with father Will Smith) has been on a whistle-stop of Melbourne since he landed in Australia on Thursday
They met up briefly to share in parenting the youngest child.

Kourtney Kardashian, 39, dropped by Malibu Italian restaurant Tra di Noi where her ex-partner Scott Disick, 35, was dining for lunch on Saturday.

She handed off their youngest child, four-year-old son Reign, so he could spend some time with his father.

Family hand off: Kourtney Kardashian, 39, dropped by Malibu Italian restaurant Tra di Noi where her ex-partner Scott Disick, 35, was dining for lunch on Saturday to hand over four-year-old Reign

Though it was just a casual meeting, the 5ft1in reality star went with an eye-catching outfit built around a striking pair of bright orange slacks with beige panels running down the sides.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore an off-white short-sleeve shirt and rocked a matching pair of snakeskin boots.

Little Reign was dressed for comfort, with a pair of green sweat pants and a white T-shirt.

Scott was out for lunch in a navy blue long-sleeve shirt and olive-colored cargo pants.

Always stylish: Though it was just a casual meeting, the 5ft1in reality star went with an eye-catching outfit built around a striking pair of bright orange slacks with beige panels running down the sides

Adorable: Reign was dressed for comfort, with a pair of green sweat pants and a white T-shirt

Making a statement: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore an off-white short-sleeve shirt and rocked a matching pair of snakeskin boots

Relaxed look: Scott was out for lunch in a navy blue long-sleeve shirt and olive-colored cargo pants

Before the quick meet-up, Kourtney and Reign had their own lunch at the nearby Greek restaurant Taverna.

The successful businesswoman also traded off the black Land Rover she and her son arrived in.

The former lovers had some help clearing out the vehicle before Scott and Reign drove away.

The now-separated couple were famous for their on-again, off-again romance, which began in 2006 and was documented on KUWTK. In addition to Reign, they also share an older son, nine-year-old Mason, and a daughter, six-year-old Penelope, both of whom were absent from the Malibu meeting.

Kourtney and Scott called it quits for good in July of 2015.

Fine dining: Before the quick meet-up, Kourtney and Reign had their own lunch at the nearby Greek restaurant Taverna

Sharing the ride: The successful businesswoman also traded off the black Land Rover she and her son arrived in

Switch out: The former lovers had some help clearing out the vehicle before Scott and Reign drove away

On Wednesday, Scott raised some eyebrows due to his interaction with another member of the Kardashian clan.

He posted a photo of Khloe, 34, in a sheer fishnet body suit taken on Monday during a trip to Las Vegas.

'Been waiting all week to post this #wcw,' he wrote, referencing the popular hashtag #WomanCrushWednesday.

Though some followers thought it was unusual or even creepy for the former partner of Khloe's sister to be posting about her, she didn't seem to mind at all.

'Hahaha!! I love you Scott!' she commented on his photo.

Complicated history: The now-separated couple were famous for their on-again, off-again romance, which began in 2006 and was documented on KUWTK

Stunner: Kourtney looked every inch the cover girl

Amicable exes: Kourtney and Scott hugged it out

Shared family: In addition to Reign, they also share an older son, nine-year-old Mason, and a daughter, six-year-old Penelope, both of whom were absent
Hallmark Channel fired Lori Loughlin on Thursday in light of the actress being charged in connection to the college admissions bribery scandal.

Now, after talk that the future of When Calls The Heart may be in doubt, the network sent out a message, reassuring fans.

'#Hearties, we assure you that Hallmark Channel has no plans to cancel When Calls The Heart,' the network shared via Instagram on Friday.

'Hope Valley has many more stories left to share and we will let you know the details soon.'

Dismissed: Lori Loughlin was fired from all Hallmark Channel productions that includes its umbrella group Crown Media, following her arrest in connection to the college bribery scandal

Hallmark, and its umbrella group Crown Media, severed ties with Loughlin two days after she and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, were among the 50 people arrested and indicted this week -- including actress Felicity Huffman.

'We are saddened by the recent news surrounding the college admissions allegations,' Crown Media Family Networks said in a statement.

'We are no longer working with Lori Loughlin and have stopped development of all productions featuring Lori on the Crown Media Family Network channels -- including #GarageSaleMysteries, an independent third party production.'

Peace of mind: Hallmark Channel assured fans the series won't be canceled

Loughlin and her husband posted $1 million bail and will enter a plea when they appear in front of judge in Boston March 29.

The couple are alleged to have paid $500,000 in bribes to have their two daughters designated as recruits for the University of Southern Californias crew team, despite the fact that neither of them participated in the sport.

In light of the scandal and the firing of Loughlin, When Calls The Heart will not air on Sunday, March 17, while the company evaluates 'all creative options' for the series.

The break: The company announced the firing of Loughlin on Thursday

Loughlin's firing is a big loss due to the fact that she had one of the main roles on When Calls The Heart.

She has also appeared in a number of Hallmark Channel original movies over the years, and starred in more than a dozen films in the Garage Sale Mystery series.

The 54-year old is best known for her role as Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis on the ABC hit sitcom Full House from 1988-1995, and it's Netflix sequel Fuller House from 2016-2019.
Jessica Hart was first spotted with NASCAR driver James Kirkham in February.

And the couple looked to be going strong, as they attended the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday.

The 32-year-old blonde beauty sported a pit crew-style shirt, teamed with cropped jeans and silver pointy-toe heels.

Love in the fast lane! Jessica Hart, 32 (left) was all smiles as she attended the Australian Formula One Grand Prix with NASCAR driver boyfriend James Kirkham (right), in Melbourne on Sunday

Jessica added a sparkly box clutch and statement silver jewels to the race day look.

Tinted aviator sunglasses concealed her gaze, and her blonde locks were styled into a sleek high ponytail.

The model's white shirt was tied in a knot at the waist giving a glimpse of her midriff.

All smiles: Jessica, in a pit crew-style shirt and cropped jeans, beamed for photos alongside her beau

She's got style: Jessica added a sparkly box clutch and statement silver jewels to the race day look

Beauty: Tinted aviator sunglasses concealed her gaze, and her blonde locks were styled into a sleek high ponytail

Jessica opted for a minimal makeup palette, and beamed for photos alongside her beau.

James stood out in a fluorescent yellow long-sleeved top, camouflage pants and sneakers.

He added a black cap, gold jewellery and tinted sunglasses, and showed off tattoos on his hands and neck.

Comfortable: The couple appeared relaxed and at ease, and were seen chatting at the annual event

Going strong: Jessica and James were first spotted on Valentine's Day in Los Angeles, heading out for dinner

The couple appeared relaxed and at ease, and were seen chatting at the annual event.

Jessica and James were first spotted on Valentine's Day in Los Angeles, heading out for dinner.

James, who is also a father-of-one, placed his hand affectionately behind her back.

Metallic! The beauty strutted along in a pair of towering heels in a silver tone at the event

Trendy: She showed off her slim pins in the fitted jeans, which were in a pale blue colour

On trend: The model's shirt was tied in a knot at the waist giving a glimpse of her midriff

In August 2018, the former Victoria's Secret model spoke on Instagram about her split from then-fiance Stavros Niarchos III in 2017.

Jessica revealed the reason behind their unexpected break-up, telling fans their 'journey ran its course'.

'That journey ran its course, my friend. Everything is and was fine, it was completely amicable,' she answered a fan during a live Q&A session.
She's the Hollywood actress who is promoting her new horror movie Us.

However Lupita Nyong'o took time out to speak about her personal relationship with the #MeToo movement, in Sunday's Stellar magazine.

Lupita, 36, previously accused Harvey Weinstein of sexually harassing her in 2011 when she was still a drama student.

Emboldened: Lupita Nyong'o (pictured), 36, has spoken about her personal relationship with the #MeToo movement, in Sunday's Stellar magazine

Lupita told Stellar Magazine that the #MeToo and the #TimesUp movement show that people banding together leads to real change.

'Speaking up and out in unison changes things. It moves the consciousness of people,' she said.

'It's about stamina and persistence and consistency, and recognising that the movement is for each individual who identifies with it.'

Back in October 2017, Lupita accused Harvey Weinstein of sexually harassing her in 2011 when she was still a drama student, in an opinion piece for The New York Times.

Speaking out: Lupita previously accused Harvey Weinstein of harassing her in 2011 when she was still a drama student

Harvey has since disputed Lupita's claims, saying in an official statement that he has a 'different recollection of the events'.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Stellar interview, Lupita spoke about preparing for the role of Adelaide Wilson in Jordan Peele's bone-chilling follow-up to Get Out.

She also reflected positively on the birthday present she gave herself last year - a 10-day vow of silence.

'It wasn't the easiest homework - I've learnt how to watch horror films now and not freak out: in the daylight, with noises going on and standing up so you can leave anytime,' she joked.

Us follows a family on holiday at the beach, but their serenity quickly turns to chaos when a group of horrifying doppelgangers begin to terrorise them.
She got the chance to chat (almost) face to face with an idol.

Kim Kardashian revealed on Saturday that her oldest daughter, five-year-old North West, got to FaceTime with former Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa, 15.

The 38-year-old reality star gushed about the fun moment on Twitter.

Having a blast: Kim Kardashian, 38, revealed on Saturday that her oldest daughter, five-year-old North West, got to FaceTime with former Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa, 15; pictured March 6

'North just FaceTimed @itsjojosiwa and her life is made!!!!!!' wrote an overjoyed Kim.

'That was the cutest thing ever seeing North soooo excited! Especially when she saw her dog bowbow.'

The dancer and YouTube personality first came to prominence when she appeared on Abby Ultimate Dance Competition, hosted by Abby Lee Miller of Dance Moms fame.

JoJo went on to be featured in seasons five and six of Dance Moms, which followed the exploits of a group of young dancers and their sometimes overbearing parents.

Proud mom: Kim gushed about the fun moment on Twitter

Adorable reaction: 'That was the cutest thing ever seeing North soooo excited! Especially when she saw her dog bowbow'; pictured March 6

JoJo is particularly well known for her vibrantly colored outfits and the large bows she wears in her hair.

Dance has always been an important activity for the little girl, who takes ballet lessons.

In 2014, Abby Lee Miller revealed that she'd met Kim and her husband Kanye West. The reality fixture, who pleaded guilty to felony bankruptcy fraud in 2016, recommend North attend a top dance class if you she wanted to excel.

Popular figure: JoJo went on to be featured in seasons five and six of Dance Moms, which followed the exploits of a group of young dancers and their sometimes overbearing parents; pictured with BowBow

Pink fanatic: JoJo is particularly well known for her vibrantly colored outfits and the large bows she wears in her hair; pictured with BowBow

In 2018, Kim took North and her niece Penelope Disick to a taping of Dancing With The Stars: Juniors.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star tried her own hand at the dance competition when she appeared on the adult version of the program in 2008.

Her ill-fated stint ended after only three weeks.

Her brother Rob Kardashian fared much better, snapping the runner-up spot on season 13 in 2011.

Though she got to bathe in North's happiness, Kim was in a more serious mood earlier in the day.

Dancer's legs: Dance has always been an important activity for the little girl, who takes ballet lessons

She took to Twitter in the morning to praise the New Zealand government for banning semi-automatic firearms in the wake of a deadly shooting, in which 50 gatherers at Mosques in the town of Christchurch were murdered.

'Just 24 hours after the Christchurch shooting and New Zealand bans semiautomatic guns! America take not! Why can't our elected officials put public safety over gun manufacturers' profits?!?!'

Political stances aren't new for Kim. In May 2018 she visited President Donald Trump in the White House to urge clemency for a first-time nonviolent drug offender who had served 21 years of a life sentence.

The sentence was ultimately commuted, and in September Kim returned to lobby for a sentencing reform bill that was passed by Congress and signed into law.
She's in one of Married At First Sight's most successful matches ever.

But the pressure of the experiment and drama from other couples proved too much for Jules Robinson on Sunday, as she revealed she wants to quit the show.

While sobbing in 'husband' Cameron Merchant's arms, Jules said: 'I've come here and I've got what I wanted, I got you. And I just feel like I want to leave.'

'I get really affected when there's a lot of hatred': MAFS' Jules Robinson, 36, broke down in tears next to 'husband' Cameron Merchant, 34, on Sunday night's episode

The beauty's breakdown was triggered by Cyrell Paule's explosive clash with Jessika Power during last Wednesday's dinner party.

'It was full on. I just get really affected when there's a lot of hatred and screaming and yelling,' explained Jules, 36, to Cam, 34, before the commitment ceremony.

'It's not a nice thing to be around. It just makes you feel 'ugh' the next day, there's so much going on.'

Breakdown: The beauty's breakdown was triggered by Cyrell Paule's explosive clash with Jessika Power during last Wednesday's dinner party. 'It was full on. I just get really affected when there's a lot of hatred and screaming and yelling,' explained Jules to Cam

Comforting his partner, Cam explained to camera: 'The drama has obviously taken its toll on Jules, and I just want to make sure she's okay and she's upset.'

Jules continued: 'This experiment is so difficult and it does affect our relationship. I've had enough of it today.'

Since meeting on the Nine show last year, Jules and Cam have gone from strength to strength.

Big step! During last week's home stay episode, which was filmed in November, Jules asked Cam to move into her Double Bay apartment in Sydney after the experiment ends

During last week's home stay episode, which was filmed in November, Jules asked Cam to move into her Double Bay apartment after the experiment ends.

And it appears that's exactly what's happened once the show wrapped, with the pair regularly cited in Sydney's Eastern suburbs.

Married At First Sight continues 7.30pm on Monday on Nine.
They were dressed to the nines for a nighttime outing.

Kim Kardashian, 38, shared video to her Instagram of a nighttime getaway with her sister Kourtney, 39.

The raven-haired beauties were dress in contrasting black and white outfits.

Fun night out: Kim Kardashian, 38, shared video to her Instagram of a nighttime getaway with her sister Kourtney, 39

Kim put on a busty display in what appeared to be a low-cut white dress.

The reality star ran her hands through her lustrous dark locks.

Kourtney contrasted with her younger sister, wearing her dark hair tied up.

She wore an alluring black off-the-shoulder dress that covered her cleavage with a mass of thin dark feathers.

Dark-haired goddess: Kim put on a busty display in what appeared to be a low-cut white dress. The reality star ran her hands through her lustrous dark locks

Feathery display: Kourtney contrasted with her younger sister, wearing her dark hair tied up. She wore an alluring black off-the-shoulder dress that covered her cleavage with a mass of thin dark feathers

In her thoughts: Kim first posted a short video of herself staring introspectively from the back of a car

Kim first posted a short video of herself staring introspectively from the back of a car.

In a second post, she widened the frame, revealing her sister in the next seat over.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians stars traded off making kissy faces for Kim's phone.

The two socialites refrained from mentioning their final destination on social media.

Double trouble: In a second post, she widened the frame, revealing her sister in the next seat over

Blow a kiss: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians stars traded off making kissy faces for Kim's phone

Earlier in the evening, Kim shared a stately black and white photo of herself seated at a desk in the California State Senate chamber.

The wife of Kanye West added a lengthy caption in favor of California Governor Gavin Newsom's recent decision to instate a moratorium on the death penalty in the state, effectively ending the punishment.

'For the last year, I have immersed myself in learning about the criminal justice system. I visited prisons, met with formerly incarcerated people, and helped with cases of individual injustice - including two death penalty cases,' she wrote.

'I have met with and am very supportive of Governor Newsom and his decision to help bring an end to the California Death Penalty. Racial bias and unfairness run deep throughout the justice system but especially when it comes to the death penalty. And we should not be okay with the risk that an innocent person could be executed. I hope we can turn toward better solutions that focus more on healing victims of trauma and prioritizing fairness and justice.'

Taking a stand: Earlier in the evening, Kim shared a stately black and white photo of herself seated at a desk in the California State Senate chamber as she applauded Governor Gavin Newsom moratorium on California's death penalty

Kim has become a very public advocate of gun safety legislation and criminal justice reform in recent years.

She congratulated New Zealand's parliament on Saturday for taking swift action in the wake of a mass shooting at two Mosques in the city of Christchurch. At least 50 people were murdered in the dual attacks.

'Just 24 hours after the Christchurch shooting New Zealand bans semiautomatic guns! America take note!' she wrote. 'Why can't our elected officials put public safety over gun manufacturers' profits?!?!'

She had previously lobbied for a sentencing reform bill that was passed by Congress and signed into law. The First Step Act lowers mandatory minimum sentences for a number of federal crimes, while also increasing how early inmates can be released for good behavior.
AnnaLynne McCord and her sister Rachel McCord stepped out in style at the second night of The Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails in Las Vegas.

The 31 year old AnnaLynne and her 30 year old sister Rachel looked elegant and stunning while stepping out at the event, held at The Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino.

The sisters were on hand for the first day of the two-day launch event in Las Vegas as well.

Stylish sisters: AnnaLynne McCord and her sister Rachel McCord stepped out in style at the second night of The Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails in Las Vegas

Red carpet: The 31 year old AnnaLynne and her 30 year old sister Rachel looked elegant and stunning while stepping out at the event, held at The Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino

AnnaLynne McCord wore a sparkling black and silver full-length dress with black shoes to the event, after wearing a little black dress to the first day's festivities.

Rachel McCord wore a slightly matching silver dress that had no black elements, capping off her outfit with a pair of nude heels.

Both sisters were spotted holding small handbags to the event.

Showing some leg: AnnaLynne McCord wore a sparkling black and silver full-length dress with black shoes to the event, after wearing a little black dress to the first day's festivities

Stylish Rachel: Rachel McCord wore a slightly matching silver dress that had no black elements, capping off her outfit with a pair of nude heels

The McCord sisters were both born in Atlanta, the daughter of a pastor who was home-schooled and graduated from high school when she was just 15.

She began her modeling career shortly thereafter, signing with Wilhemina Models, where she appeared in campaigns for Estee Lauder and Marc Ecko.

She transitioned to acting, appearing in The Middle of Nowhere in 2002 and The Transporter 2 in 2005.

Career: The McCord sisters were both born in Atlanta, the daughter of a pastor who was home-schooled and graduated from high school when she was just 15

She starred as Loren Wakefield in the 2007 TV series American Heiress, and played Eden Lord on Nip/Tuck.

Her breakthrough role came in 2008, when she landed the role of Naomi Clark on The CW's 90210 reboot, which she starred in for all five seasons.

Her sister Rachel also appeared in a few episodes of American Heiress as well.

Sister: Her sister Rachel also appeared in a few episodes of American Heiress as well

Actress: She starred as Loren Wakefield in the 2007 TV series American Heiress, and played Eden Lord on Nip/Tuck

AnnaLynne has two movies coming out this year, Wrongfully Accused and Soldier's Heart, which are both in post-production.

Rachel McCord makes her directing debut with the short film A Mini Movie, which she also wrote and starred in.

Also spotted at the red carpet for the event was Scheana Shay.

Stepping out: AnnaLynne has two movies coming out this year, Wrongfully Accused and Soldier's Heart, which are both in post-production

Red carpet: Also spotted at the red carpet for the event was Scheana Shay
Married At First Sight's Tamara Joy went all out for her 30th birthday party on Saturday.

The current reality star celebrated at The Albion Rooftop in Melbourne, and many of her MAFS co-stars were on hand to help her ring in the milestone birthday.

Also at the party was fellow MAFS star Melissa Lucarelli.

Brides gone wild! MAFS' Tamara Joy planted a kiss on co-star Melissa Lucarelli as she celebrated her 30th birthday with a star-studded bash in Melbourne on Saturday

The close friends put on an amorous display on a darkened Melbourne street, with Tamara seen clutching the 38-year-old's face as she planted a kiss on her cheek.

She was also seen embracing her in a tight hug, before the two women were seen walking down the street with their arms wrapped around each other.

And Melissa wasn't the only one Tamara got close to at the party.

All smiles: The two women were seen walking down the street with their arms wrapped around each other

Happy hug day: The close friends put on an amorous display on a darkened Melbourne street, with Tamara seen embracing Melissa in a tight hug

Tamara looked chic in a gold patterned mini-dress, which she paired with black stilettos and dangly earrings.

She was seen dancing while clutching a glass of champagne in one hand.

At one stage, Tamara and a male guest were seen clutching black helium balloons bearing the numbers '3' and '0' as they posed for photos together.

Love in the street: Clearly happy to see each other, Melissa and Tamara were seen embracing as they chatted in the street

Flirty 30: The current reality star celebrated at The Albion Rooftop in Melbourne, and many of her fellow MAFS co-stars were on hand to help her ring in the milestone birthday

Dancing queen: Clearly enjoying herself, she was seen dancing while clutching a glass of champagne in one hand

Capturing the moment: At one stage, Tamara and a male guest were seen clutching black helium balloons bearing the numbers '3' and '0' as they posed for photos together

Loving it: 'Thirty and never felt better,' the Married At First Sight star wrote on Instagram of her milestone birthday

Also joining Tamara at the party was fellow intruder Susie Bradley, 25.

Clearly close, the two women were seen hugging throughout the party, and playfully posed for photos on a podium for Grand Prix weekend.

There appears to be no competition between the two women though, with them both happily sharing the winner's podium.

Coming out on top: Also joining Tamara at the party was fellow intruder Susie Bradley. Clearly close, the two women playfully posed for photos on a podium

Sharing is caring: There appears to be no competition between the two women though, with them both happily sharing the winner's podium

Close second: Later, Susie stepped down onto the second place box, and was seen laughing hysterically after being relegated to runner-up status

Later, Susie stepped down onto the second place box, and was seen laughing hysterically after being relegated to runner-up status.

Many of Tamara's friends were seen wearing matching flower crowns on their heads, with the reality star posing for photos with a group of girlfriends.

Taking to the street: Tamara was seen embracing Susie out on the street before she loaded into the backseat of a waiting car

Hug it out: Tamara pulled Susie in for a bear hug, as an overzealous male friend tried to ward off onlookers

Flower power: Many of Tamara's friends were seen wearing matching flower crowns on their heads, with the reality star posing for photos with a group of girlfriends

Fellow MAFS star Mick, 31, was also on hand for the celebrations, and stuck close to the birthday girl.

The affectionate pair - whose partners on the hit reality show, Jessika Power and Dan Webb raised eyebrows after embarking on an affair - could hardly keep their hands off each other.

Mick appeared to have been a hit with Tamara's friends too, with the tall sheep farmer also seen chatting with several of her girlfriends at the bar.

Affectionate: As they walked down the street together, Mick wrapped an arm around Tamara's shoulders, as she held onto his hand

Memorable appearance: Fellow MAFS star Mick was also on hand for the celebrations, and stuck close to the birthday girl

Moving on: When the party was over, Tamara and Mick seemed determined to kick on, with the pair seen making their way over to the Royal Melbourne Hotel

Hands on: The affectionate pair - whose partners on the hit reality show, Jessika Power and Dan Webb embarked on an affair - could hardly keep their hands off each other

She's got his back: Tamara placed an affectionate hand on Mick's back as they walked down the street together

Connecting: Pressing her body up against Mick's, Tamara was seen wrapping her arms around his waist

When the party was over, Tamara and Mick seemed determined to kick on, with the pair seen making their way over to the Royal Melbourne Hotel.

Pressing her body up against Mick's, Tamara was seen wrapping her arms around his waist.

As they walked down the street together, Mick wrapped an arm around Tamara's shoulders, as she held onto his hand.
She's been enjoying some time off from her busy schedule as she holidays in the Caribbean.

And Luisa Zissman continued to lap up the sunshine as she embarked on a refreshing boat ride on the scenic shores of Barbados on Saturday afternoon.

The former Apprentice star, 31, set pulses racing as she slipped into a feline print two-piece, which showcased her sensational figure.

Time off: Luisa Zissman continued to lap up the sunshine as she embarked on a refreshing boat ride on the scenic shores of Barbados on Saturday afternoon

TV personality Luisa tapped into full relaxation mode as she took delight in a sunbathing session, highlighting her toned midsection and lean legs in the process.

The CBB star also took a walk on the wild side with her choice of accessories as she sported an animal print headpiece and circular-framed sunglasses.

Keeping up with the relaxed environment, Luisa styled her golden tresses into loose waves and displayed her naturally radiant complexion with minimal make-up.

Sun-soaked: The former Apprentice star, 31, set pulses racing as she slipped into a feline print two-piece, which showcased her sensational figure

Envy-inducing break: TV personality Luisa tapped into full relaxation mode as she took delight in a sunbathing session, highlighting her toned midsection and lean legs in the process

Bold: The CBB star also took a walk on the wild side with her choice of accessories as she sported an animal print headpiece and circular-framed sunglasses

Luisa seemed to be enjoying the break away from her busy schedule, which includes being mum to Dixie, eight, Indigo, two and Clementine, one.

The TV personality divorced first husband Oliver Zissman in 2014 after five years of marriage and tied the knot with Irish businessman Andrew Collins in July 2015.

Luisa and pal Anna Williamson form a chatty duo for their podcast Loose Lips, and speaking about her new move into podcasts, Luisa revealed: Loose Lips was born just to chat s**t really. I wanted to do something to get back to work after having my babies.

I was thrilled, I was hopping and skipping and jumping out the door. To be baby free every Monday - its brilliant.

Look at her glow: Keeping up with the relaxed environment, Luisa styled her golden tresses into loose waves and displayed her naturally radiant complexion with minimal make-up

Yummy mummy: Luisa seemed to be enjoying the break away from her busy schedule, which includes being mum to Dixie, eight, Indigo, two and Clementine, one

New project: Luisa and her pal Anna Williamson form a chatty duo for their podcast Loose Lips

She added: I kind of feel like I'm too much for TV. I love the way that with the podcast we can just say what we want, be who we want to be, and have opinions on stuff that wont always be the popular opinion.

It's a great form of media thats not censored, which is great for me because I am a massive gob-s****'.

It comes as she went under the knife in August for a breast lift and smaller implants, that would shrink her bust to either a B or C Cup.

Honest: Loose Lips was born just to chat s**t really. I wanted to do something to get back to work after having my babies', she revealed

Changes: She went under the knife in August for a breast lift and smaller implants, that would shrink her bust to either a B or C Cup

History: Luisa had a breast enlargement operation in 2013, taking her chest from a 32C to a 32E

'I was sick of them': After undergoing the 15,000 reduction surgery, the businesswoman said she changed her figure as she was 'sick of looking like a Love Island porn star'

Taking to Instagram, she shared a lengthy series of clips detailing why she opted for the reduction, admitting that she wasn't prepared for the fact that her breasts would grow bigger after the birth of her children.

Luisa had a breast enlargement operation in 2013, taking her chest from a 32C to a 32E.

After undergoing the 15,000 reduction surgery, the businesswoman explained: 'I had my implants out. No more big boobies! I was sick of them, I was sick of looking like a Love Island porn star.

'I actually feel ok, I'm not really in that much pain but I was in hospital since Saturday and I was like out of it. Now I have no t**s, they look tiny'.
They're the influencers du jour, with millions of adoring fans at their fingertips.

And on Saturday, Tammy Hembrow, 24, was enjoying a night out with fellow Instagram star, model Rose Bertram, 24.

The beaming it-girls left Catch Restaurant in West Hollywood wearing matching black outfits and holding hands.

They've got influence! Tammy Hembrow (right) held hands with fellow Instagram star Rose Bertram (left) during a girls' night out in West Hollywood on Saturday night

Tammy opted for a skin-tight black dress with a zipper detail all the way through the front, and a halterneck.

She teamed it with Versace heels, featuring the fashion house's black and white logo on the front, and a clear panel along the front.

Tammy's trademark blonde locks were worn in a very long ponytail and chose a makeup palette of rosy blush and a nude pink lip.

Out and about: The beaming it-girls left Catch Restaurant in West Hollywood wearing matching black outfits and holding hands

Fashionable friends: Tammy opted for a skin-tight black dress with a zipper detail. Model Rose wore an edgy outfit consisting of a belted, leather bustier with an unusual sheer top

The two women looked relaxed and happy as they walked down the street in the trendy part of Los Angeles.

Model Rose wore an edgy outfit consisting of a belted, leather bustier with an unusual sheer top with a high, woolen neckline.

She teamed it with high-waist satin trousers with wide legs, and a pair of strappy black heels.

Famous: Rose, a Belgian model, heads up the Chubby In Shape meal prep line and has over 764,000 Instagram fans. Pictured in 2019

Her hair worn in a high ponytail, the blonde beauty donned bright red lipstick to add a pop of colour to her look.

The two women are social media superstars with Tammy, who is the designer of the Saski Collection brand, having over 9.3 million Instagram fans.

Rose, a Belgian model, heads up the Chubby In Shape meal prep line and has over 764,000 Instagram fans.
Sunday's episode of My Kitchen Rules saw an unlikely alliance form between Americans Josh and Piper.

The pair, both from opposing teams, were eagerly awaiting fellow contestants Matt, Luke, Pat and Bianca's main course of pork ribs with duck fat potatoes and apple and fennel slaw, when they discovered a mutual love for the hearty dish.

After learning ribs were on the dinner menu, Josh's eyes lit up, with judge Manu Fieldel, 45, telling him he'd never seen the 25-year-old get so excited about food.

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Common ground: Sunday night's episode of My Kitchen Rules saw Josh (pictured) bonding with Piper over their mutual love of ribs

'I live on ribs... This is American cuisine!' Josh told the table.

Piper added: 'Again, another American at the table. I absolutely love my pork ribs. I actually won a rib eating contest once. I ate 52 baby back ribs.'

After disclosing her impressive appetite for ribs, both Josh and his brother Austin were left wide-eyed.

Champion eater: 'Again, another American at the table. I absolutely love my pork ribs. I actually won a rib eating contest once. I ate 52 baby back ribs,' said Piper

Food critic: After learning ribs were on the dinner menu, Josh's eyes lit up, with judge Manu Fieldel (pictured) telling him he'd never seen the 25-year-old get so excited about food

The table fell quiet, with even Piper's partner Veronica, 41, left wondering where the slender reality star put them.

But Josh was clearly impressed, having found a kindred spirit in the 35-year-old beauty queen.

'I got you, girl,' he laughed, leaning across the table towards her and laughing.

Favourite things: 'Americans love sloppy, yummy food, and ribs are just one of those things,' explained Piper

Good enough to eat: Fellow contestants Matt, Luke, Pat and Bianca dished up a main course of pork ribs with duck fat potatoes and apple and fennel slaw

Perfect match: Josh was clearly impressed by Piper's seemingly insatiable appetite for ribs, having found a kindred spirit in the 35-year-old beauty queen

'Americans love sloppy, yummy food, and ribs are just one of those things,' explained Piper.

Piper then said Matt, Luke, Pat and Bianca's ribs would have to be 'perfect', and acknowledged that both she and Josh had 'high expectations' for their meal.

'You have three Americans on the table who know their ribs, and we know how to cook our ribs,' added Josh.

Unimpressed: After lifting the plate up to his nose to smell it, a clearly disappointed Josh was heard mumbling, 'Oh no'

Understanding: Josh was seen sharing a knowing, somewhat flirty smile with Piper, who nodded her head across the table at him

'They better be good.'

He was then seen sharing a knowing, somewhat flirty smile with Piper, who nodded her head across the table at him.

When the food was finally placed in front of them, neither Josh or Piper could wipe the smile off their faces.

Food for thought: Even Piper's partner Veronica (centre) was left wondering where the slender reality star put the 52 baby back ribs she downed as part of a competition

But after lifting the plate up to his nose to smell it, a clearly disappointed Josh was heard mumbling, 'Oh no.'

Piper shot him a knowing look, after recognising the concern which had fallen over his face.

She then sniffed her own plate, with the pair exchanging a series of glances.

Communicating with their eyes: Josh described himself and Piper as having 'a telepathic connection'

'I noticed that Josh is looking at his ribs, inspecting them, and both of us make eyes at each other,' said Piper

'I noticed that Josh is looking at his ribs, inspecting them, and both of us make eyes at each other,' said Piper.

'We know exactly what's gone wrong with these ribs without even saying a word.'

Josh described the two as having 'a telepathic connection'.

Mutual understanding: 'We know exactly what's gone wrong with these ribs without even saying a word,' said Piper

Criticism: Looking across to Piper, Josh asked, 'Was this American?' Without hesitating, she told him it clearly wasn't

'That's what happens when you get an Australian to cook an American dish,' Josh joked to his brother, Austin, 21.

Looking across to Piper, Josh asked, 'Was this American?'

Without hesitating, she told him it clearly wasn't, prompting the brothers to then burst out laughing.
She is a doting mother who is known for pulling out all the stops to mark her daughter's milestones.

And Tamara Ecclestone went to great lengths to ensure her daughter Sophia was over the moon as she threw her an extravagant party in celebration of her fifth birthday on Sunday.

In a slew of Instagram snaps, the 34-year-old F1 heiress, who shares her child with husband Jay Rutland, 38, treated fans to an inside look at circus-themed bash, complete with glitzy decorations which drew inspiration from musical film The Greatest Showman.

All about her: Tamara Ecclestone went to great lengths to ensure her daughter Sophia was pleased as she threw her an extravagant party in celebration of her fifth birthday on Sunday

The birthday girl appeared to be having the time of her life as she enjoyed a boogie on the dancefloor, accompained by her loved ones.

Transforming the lavish venue into Sophia's playground, the event was decked out in elaborate display boards emblazoned with the words: 'Fifi's Greatest Show'.

During the bash, Sophia, who was sat on her mother's lap, was captivated by dancers who delivered an impressive circus-style performance.

Wow-factor! The F1 heiress, 34, and her husband Jay, 38, treated fans to an inside look at circus-themed bash, complete with glitzy decorations which drew inspiration from The Greatest Showman

Having fun: The birthday girl appeared to be having the time of her life as she enjoyed a boogie on the dancefloor, accompained by her loved ones

Only for the best: Transforming the lavish venue into Sophia's playground, the venue was decked out in elaborate display boards emblazoned with the words: 'Fifi's Greatest Show'

The duo act showcased their athletic abilities as they performed acrobatics while swinging from a rope.

Earlier that day, Tamara shared a touching Instagram montage as she enthused 'these years have been the best of my life'.

The treats started early for Fifi as she gifted her bundle of joy with a personalised princess-inspired pillow, decorated with the words: 'When I wake up, I will be 5'.

Got her attention: During the bash, Sophia, who was sat on her mother's lap, was captivated by dancers who delivered an impressive performance

Skilled: The pair showcased their athletic abilities as they performed acrobatics while swinging from a rope

Birthday girl: Earlier that day, Tamara shared a touching Instagram montage as she enthused 'these years have been the best of my life'

In the sweet slideshow, the TV personality shared a series of throwback images of Sophia as an adorable tot.

The socialite captioned the short clip: 'Happy Birthday Fifi thank you for choosing me to be your mumma.

'You are the most kind, caring, brave, hilarious, fearless little girl we are so proud of you. The past five years have flown they have been the best years of my life. I will never let you down.'

Sweet treats: The treats started early for Fifi as she gifted her bundle of joy with a personalised princess-inspired pillow, emblazoned with the words: 'When I wake up, I will be 5'

Awww: In the sweet slideshow, the TV personality shared a series of throwback images of Sophia as an adorable tot

Grateful: The socialite captioned the short clip: 'Happy Birthday Fifi thank you for choosing me to be your mumma'

Tribute: 'You are the most kind, caring, brave, hilarious, fearless little girl we are so proud of you. The past five years have flown they have been the best years of my life. I will never let you down', she penned

'Birthday snuggles': Tamara shared a beaming snap of herself with her adorable daughter on the morning of her birthday

On Saturday, the brunette delighted Fifi with a trip to The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice at Wembley's SSE Arena.

The former model also showed off Sophia's birthday preparations as she shared a snap of her daughter's pink-themed decorations, a series of presents and a three-tier L.O.L. Surprise cake.

Kicking off her special day with a bang, the reality star's sister Petra, 30, treated her niece to cupcakes for breakfast, with Tamara penning: 'Thank you @petraecclestone for our cupcake breakfast #fifisgreatestshow'.

Earlier this month, she revealed she does not understand the hysteria surrounding her decision to breastfeed her daughter until she was four.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Tamara divulged details of life in the Ecclestone-Rutland household as she re-launched her charity Tamara Gives Back, in which she auctions her clothes to benefit Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The star, who has spent years raising money to help children with life-threatening and life-limiting diseases, gushed about her beloved daughter and her decision to breastfeed her until recently - which has long caused controversy.

Tamara has always been candid about breastfeeding the tot until she was ready to stop and frequently shared shots while feeding her beloved daughter.

Extravagant: The former model also treated her social media followers to a glimpse of Sophia's birthday preparations as she shared a snap of her daughter's pink-themed decorations, a series of presents and a three-tier L.O.L. Surprise cake

Speaking to MailOnline during an intimate chat at Mayfair's Claridge's Hotel, the kind-hearted and gracious star discussed the end of her breastfeeding journey.

The Milan-born beauty said: 'Fifi stopped in summer time and she'd already started to cut down and I knew it was coming. I didn't want it to be a thing and it happened so naturally. We didn't talk about it and it happened on her timetable and that's how I like to parent...

'I don't believe in training, like sleeping or potty training and that's always worked for us. I knew when she was ready and because it was so gradual it was such an amazing journey. I really didn't expect the hysteria around it...

'#fifisgreatestshow': Kicking off her special day with a bang, the reality star's sister Petra, 30, treated her niece to cupcakes for breakfast

Lucky girl! On Saturday, the brunette delighted Fifi with a trip to The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice at Wembley's SSE Arena

'The first time it happened we were breastfeeding on the beach with no one around and I said to Jay take a picture and there was this huge uproar and people fighting and getting aggressive about a picture!...

'When that happened I knew every time I did this it would happen but I was not going to let that stop me so I continued...

'There was such a circus around it so I thought... let me use this platform. People messaged me saying I gave them confidence to stand up to people asking them to stop and people came up to me and told me their stories.'
She's known for sharing enviable Instagram shots with her 1.2 million followers.

And Louise Thompson, 28, took to social media again on Sunday to post another breezy snap of her idyllic holiday to Bali.

The Made in Chelsea star showcased her toned stomach as she posed in a tiny white bikini next to a gorgeous bamboo fence on the Indonesian island.

Idyllic: Louise Thompson, 28, took to the 'gram again on Sunday to post another breezy snap of her idyllic holiday to Bali

Louise let her wavy brunette locks fall down past her shoulders as she smiled in the stylish tie-front bikini top and briefs.

And never one to forgo the glamour, the reality starlet opted for a full face of bronzed makeup and a nude lip on her tropical getaway.

She completed her look with a single circular gold ring on her left hand.

Living it up: Louise was heard poking fun of her fellow tourists as she holidayed with boyfriend Ryan Libbey on Thursday

Louise captioned the shot: 'Proper wavy in Bali' followed by a wave emoji.

The chic snap comes after Louise was heard poking fun of her fellow tourists as she holidayed with her boyfriend Ryan Libbey on Thursday - and shared several videos of beach club guests attempting to take the perfect pool selfie.

The Made In Chelsea star's social media antics came as the brunette beauty had shared a whopping 27 bikini pictures (and counting) on her exotic holiday.

'What's going on? Where's the normal people?': Louise filmed fellow holidaymakers in the pool, joking that everyone had phones in their hands

Tasty: Showing off her delicious platter of fresh sushi, she continued, 'In our defence, the reason that we are here is because I've heard the food is really good'

In the video, Louise said: 'Ryan and I are spending our afternoon in the most un-us way ever. This is called Omnia and it's basically Ibiza, but in Bali!

'There's also another bit of the pool over there, with people hanging out, swimming around, got their butt cheeks out.'

Showing off her delicious platter of fresh sushi, she continued: 'In our defence, the reason that we are here is because I've heard the food is really good in that Japanese restaurant, which is a box over there. The cocktail is actually pretty delicious too.'

Snap happy: The Made In Chelsea star's social media antics come as the brunette beauty has shared a whopping 27 bikini pictures (and counting) on her exotic holiday thus far

Self-aware: Louise scoffed, 'I thought I was bad! Every single person in this pool has a phone'

Louise laughed: 'No one's even having a good time, they're all miserable!'

Louise then panned the camera over people bobbing about in the shallow end, joking that every single person had a phone in their hand.

She focused heavily on a glamorous girl who was perched on the edge of the pool, working her angles so her boyfriend could take a picture of her in a bikini.

She scoffed: 'I thought I was bad! Every single person in this pool has a phone and seems to be taking pictures... Phones, phones, broken phones...

Looking good: The stunning star has been delighting her followers all week with sizzling snaps from her tropical holiday

'What's going on? Where's the normal people?'

'I bet he's like, for f**k's sake!', Ryan said of the poor bloke trying to take a selfie of his girlfriend - something poor Ryan is only too familiar with.

Louise laughed: 'No one's even having a good time, they're all miserable!'

The reality starlet has been soaking up the sun in the holiday hotspot with her hunky fiance, 28.

On Wednesday, the Sun reported she and her beau Ryan have left the reality series just a day after her brother Sam announced he would be parting ways from show.

Claims: On Wednesday, it was reported she and her beau Ryan have left the reality series just a day after her brother Sam announced he would be parting ways from show

But Louise took to her Instagram to debunk the rumours shortly after, reassuring her fans that she 'never said' she was leaving, Digital Spy reported.

Louise, who was engulfed in an intense love triangle with Spencer Matthews and Jamie Laing on the popular E4 series, has now rebranded herself as a health and fitness guru which is evident on her social media platforms.

It appears as though she has found her calling, as the petite star regularly flaunts her chiselled physique on Instagram.

Offering advice to her followers on how to achieve a body like her, the London native has also brought on board the assistance of her beau Ryan as they share exercise tips.

Previous romance: Louise was engulfed in an intense love triangle with Spencer Matthews (L) and Jamie Laing (R) on the popular E4 show

Her brother Sam, 26, revealed he quit the series, six years after first appearing on the show.

In an interview with Heart, the Celebs Go Dating star admitted he's made the departure after struggling to deal with his recent break-up from co-star Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo.

Sam, who dated the 25-year-old from last May till November, admitted to breakfast hosts Lucy Horobin and Jamie Theakston: 'Getting dumped all the time was chipping away at my confidence'.

Detailing the break-up, he elaborated: 'You don't want to be around your ex. Everyone on there is now more her friend and a lot of my friends have upped and left.

'[MIC] takes your soul, you are so invested in it as it is is your real life', the reality star added.
Love Island bosses have refuted claims that aftercare for contestants is inadequate, after former contestant Mike Thalassitis was found dead on Saturday aged 26.

The reality star - who appeared on the third series of the ITV2 programme in 2017 - was found hanged in a park in Edmonton, North London, and as previous contestants on the show payed tribute, some urged producers to offer more support to the stars.

In a statement released to MailOnline ITV bosses claimed that care for Islanders is 'taken very seriously and is a continuous process' after they also paid tribute to Mike.

Tragic loss: Love Island bosses have refuted claims that aftercare for contestants is inadequate, after former contestant Mike Thalassitis was found dead on Saturday aged 26

The statement read: 'Care for our Islanders is a process the show takes very seriously and is a continuous process for all those taking part in the show.

'We ensure that all of our Contributors are able to access psychological support before, during and after appearing on the show. The programme will always provide ongoing support when needed and where appropriate.

'We also discuss at length with all of our Islanders, before and after the show, how their lives might change and they have access to support and advice to help with this.'

They also paid their condolences to Mike, sharing: 'Everyone at ITV2 and Love Island are shocked and saddened by the terrible news about Mike. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends.'

Love Island contestant: The reality star - who appeared on the third series of the programme in 2017 - was found hanged in a park in Edmonton, North London (pictured on Love Island)

It has been suggested that Mike was at the time struggling to come to terms with the death of his grandmother and had recently been dealing with debt. The reality TV star had moved in with the 94-year-old after her deteriorating health meant she needed a full time carer.

And this morning former Love Island contestant Montana Brown said that Thalassitis had been 'in a dark place' recently, wishing she had done more to help.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed this morning that the body of a man had been found at 9.28am on Saturday, with the circumstances around the death not considered to be suspicious.

A spokesman said: 'Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and found a man, aged in his 20s, deceased. Police are in the process of informing the man's next of kin.'

Inquest: Mike's death comes as an inquest into the death of another former Love Island star Sophie Gradon was cancelled after her parents asked for more time to consider a report

His death comes as an inquest into the death of another former Love Island star Sophie Gradon was cancelled after her parents asked for more time to consider a report which was recently received.

The inquest, scheduled for next Thursday, was cancelled by Northumberland Coroner's Court.

The 32-year-old who featured on the show's 2016 series, was found dead at her home in Ponteland, near Newcastle, on June 20 last year.

Inadequate: Malin Andersson has hit out at Love Island for its lack of support once contestants leave the villa - after season three star Mike Thalassitis was found dead on Saturday

Her boyfriend, Aaron Armstrong, died 20 days later at his home in Blyth, Northumberland.

The inquest into her death was cancelled after her parents received 'new information'.

As the news of Mike's death was released, former contestant Malin Andersson hit out at Love Island for its lack of support once contestants leave the villa - but there is no suggestion the show is to blame for Mike's death.

In a series of tweets, season two star Malin, 26, admitted she was only sent flowers by the ITV2 team when her four-week-old daughter Consy passed away in January.

She said: 'WAKE UP @LoveIsland !!!! I got flowers from the producers when my daughter died. No f**king phone call. No support, or help. Enough is enough.

'Nothing when my mum died. Nothing when Sophie died. Change needs to happen.'

'If I didn't have a strong head on me that my mum passed down to me, I wouldn't have been able to cope with this all. But not everyone is like this.'

Shock: Mike, 26, who rose to fame on the ITV2 show in 2017, was discovered in woodland near his Essex home on Saturday, his manager confirmed (pictured in 2017)

'PLEASE IF YOU FEEL ALONE, OR SAD, OR STUCK REACH OUT TO SOMEBODY!'

Dom Lever, who appeared in the Love Island villa alongside Mike, joined Malin's call for change.

He said: 'I'm shocked at the news!! me and @MikeThalassitis may not have seen eye to eye but he was a top guy.

Speaking out: In a series of tweets, season two 2016 star Malin, 26, admitted she was only sent flowers by the ITV2 team when her four-week-old daughter Consy passed away in January

'You get a psychological evaluation before and after you go on the show but hands down once you are done on the show you don't get any support unless you're number one.'

His wife Jess Shears, who also starred on the show, added: 'In complete shock, was lucky enough to get to know Mike, he was the loveliest guy. My heart breaks for his family.

'Shows offer you 'support' but realistically it's only while you are in their care. Minute you get home & are no longer making them money it's out of sight out of mind.

The star continued: 'If I didn't have a strong head on me that my mum passed down to me, I wouldn't have been able to cope with this all. But not everyone is like this'

'There should be ongoing support & also financial advice. Life after these shows isn't all it's cracked up to be.'

Big Brother star Mark Byron, who has not appeared on Love Island, also said the 'amount of aftercare should reflect the amount of time after the shows air that the people remain in the spotlight.'

The news of Mike's death comes after fellow season two Love Island star Sophie Gradon, 32, was found dead at her parents house in Medburn, Ponteland in June.

Joining forces: Dom Lever and his wife Jessica Shears, who both appeared in the Love Island villa alongside Mike, joined Malin's call for change

Her co-star Zara Holland later revealed she was on antidepressants two years after appearing on the show - and claimed contestants didn't receive enough aftercare.

Zara, 22, told The Sun she 'changed as a person' when her Miss GB title was stripped off of her after she had sex on the show and is still 'haunted' by the repercussions.

She said: 'I changed as a person, I didn't want to go out or socialise, I came out of Love Island and they didn't contact me.

'Love Island called me for the first time in two years on Thursday [after the death of Sophie] to ask if I was OK, funny they call me now when something terrible has happened.

Tragic: The news of Mike's death, of which the circumstances are still unknown, comes after fellow Love Island star Sophie Gradon was found dead at her parents house in Medburn, Ponteland in June (Mike and co-star Sam Gowland pictured)

'People applying need to know how serious things can be, they see a claim to fame, they don't see that in ten years' time, when you're married with babies, you'll still be haunted for the rest of your life.'

A spokesperson for Love Island said at the time: 'All of our islanders are offered psychological support before, during and after their time in the villa. We take our duty of care very seriously and this is always our top priority.'

MailOnline has contacted Love Island for comment over Malin, Jess and Dom's tweets.

If you have been affected by this story, call Samaritans at any time, from any phone for free on 116 123
A bombshell leaked email from one of Australia's top celebrity management companies reveals how talent agents beg for Logies votes on behalf of their clients in the lead-up to TV's night of nights.

The email seen by Daily Mail Australia sent out by a publicist to various colleagues and industry contacts back in March 2018 includes a plea to vote for a well-known television celebrity for the Gold Logie.

The author of the email, rather embarrassingly, says that 'every vote counts' because the total number of votes for the TV Week Logie Awards is 'surprisingly low'.

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EXCLUSIVE: A bombshell leaked email from one of Australia's top celebrity management companies reveals how talent agents beg for Logies votes on behalf of their clients in the lead-up to TV's night of nights. Pictured: Karl Stefanovic winning the 2011 Gold Logie

This startling admission will no doubt come as a blow to organisers of the Logie Awards, as it appears to show just how low the threshold is for winning an award - and that behind-the-scenes politicking can play a major role in deciding winners.

TV Week's editor Thomas Woodgate told Daily Mail Australia on Monday: 'TV Week does not release voting numbers for the Logie Awards to any network.

'The voting numbers last year were extremely high, and this year we are encouraged by the numbers already, which again proves the public's interest in the TV Week Logie Awards remains as strong as ever.

'We welcome encouragement from all networks and publicists to promote the wealth of talent in our industry. After all, the TV Week Logie Awards is a celebration of the amazing Australian television industry.

'We are extremely proud to give the public the opportunity to have their say and back their favourite TV shows and talent.'

Awkward! The email seen by Daily Mail Australia sent out by a publicist to various colleagues and industry contacts back in March 2018 includes a plea to vote for a well-known television celebrity for the Gold Logie. Pictured: Carrie Bickmore winning the Gold Logie in 2015

The Logies, which first started in 1959 to celebrate excellence in the Australian TV industry, is no longer considered as prestigious as it once was, and is even dismissed as a 'joke' in some circles.

In past years, a handful of TV stars have won Logie awards as a result of disruptive fan campaigns. Some of these (most notably, Tom Gleeson's #Denyer4Gold Twitter movement) were intended to be ironic but ended up being successful.

Meanwhile, the ceremony itself, which takes place this year on the Gold Coast, has been described by one insider to Daily Mail Australia as 'just an excuse for a massive p**s up'.

Insiders: The author of the leaked email, rather embarrassingly, says that 'every vote counts' because the total number of votes for the Logie Awards is 'surprisingly low'. Pictured: Grant Denyer winning the Gold Logie in 2018

It comes after industry website TV Tonight reported there was a 'loophole' in the Logies voting process that allows people to cast votes from overseas.

Per the rules of the competition, only Australian residents are allowed to vote - but some expats have apparently found a way around this by registering with their relatives' addresses in Australia.

There have supposedly been cases of individuals as far afield as the United Kingdom voting online.
When an Indonesian judge sentenced her to 20 years' imprisonment for drug trafficking in May 2005, Schapelle Corby feared she would never be able to have children.

But almost five years after her release from Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison, the 42-year-old Queenslander is determined to become a mother.

In an interview with Woman's Day published on Monday, Schapelle revealed she hopes to have a baby with her long-term boyfriend Ben Panangian, 38.

Ready to start a family: Schapelle Corby, 42, has revealed she is hoping for a 'miracle baby' with her jailbird boyfriend Ben Panangian, 38. Pictured together on holiday last year

The former drug mule is focusing on her health and well-being in the hopes of conceiving naturally on the couple's upcoming trip to Phuket, Thailand.

Schapelle and Ben don't get to spend much time together due to living in different countries (he is based in Indonesia, while she resides on the Gold Coast) but she says they will be making the most of their next getaway.

'We've been able to meet each other once per year since my deportation from Bali two years ago,' she said. 'We are hoping to become pregnant on this trip together.'

Despair: When an Indonesian judge sentenced Schapelle to 20 years' imprisonment for drug trafficking, she feared she would never be able to have children. Pictured: Schapelle with her translator during her sentencing at Denpasar District Court on May 27, 2005

'We're starting our day at 6:30am with a 45-minute jog together. It's important to us to keep up our fitness on our travels as we are hoping to conceive,' she added.

Sadly, the couple only spend 'two precious weeks a year together' because Ben is unlikely to be granted an Australian visa due to his criminal record.

Schapelle says she can return to Indonesia if she chooses, but does not feel 'comfortable' doing so yet. Instead, she and Ben meet in countries where visas are not required for entry.

Rebuilding her life: Schapelle revealed to Woman's Day on Monday that she hopes to have a baby with her long-term boyfriend. Pictured with her mother Rosleigh Rose

Previously, it was assumed she could not return to Indonesia because of her 2005 drug trafficking conviction in Denpasar, Bali.

Typically drug criminals are banned from re-entering Indonesia once they have completed their sentence. An example of this is Bali Nine member Renae Lawrence, who was released from prison last year and is prohibited from ever returning.

However, this does not appear to be the case for Schapelle.

Staying put! Schapelle can apparently return to Indonesia if she chooses, but does not feel 'comfortable' doing so yet. Instead, she and Ben meet in countries where visas are not required for entry. Pictured with her half-sister last year

Schapelle became a household name after she was arrested in October 2004 at Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport with 4.1kg of marijuana wrapped in plastic inside her boogie board bag.

She was later sentenced to 20 years in prison, but after a series of sentence reductions was released on parole in February 2014 after nine years behind bars.

In May 2017, she was deported back to Australia amid a media frenzy.
It appears things are back on between Stephen Bear and Georgia Harrison after the former Celebrity Big Brother star called her 'the girl for me'.

The Ex On The Beach star, 29, took to Instagram where he shared several videos of the pair enjoying a fitness retreat in Thailand.

He also shared clips of them appearing on MTV series The Challenge where Bear can be seen speaking to fellow contestant Nany Carmen Gonzalez.

Romance: It appears things are back on between Stephen Bear and Georgia Harrison

On the series, Nancy accused Bear of being with Georgia, 24, which he said was only because she would not be with him.

However, the reality star now says the scenario was not as it seems as he wrote alongside the snap: 'I was just acting.. @georgialouiseharrison is the girl for me.'

Bear and Georgia are joined by Love Island's Theo Campbell on their trip to Gymbangarang - a luxury fitness retreat based in Chiang Mai.

The trio have shared several clips of them enjoying themselves on the sun-kissed trip, including a dip in the sea and a bike ride.

Abroad: Bear and Georgia are joined by Love Island's Theo Campbell on their trip to Gymbangarang - a luxury fitness retreat based in Chiang Mai

Romance: Bear described Georgia as 'the girl for me' in a screenshot he shared of an episode of MTV's The Challenge

Bear and Georgia were said to have first gotten together in November before they were reported to have split the following month.

Insiders told The Sun at the time: 'It was over before it even began. He's done "something" to her, but he won't tell her.

'Given his history it's pretty safe to assume he's done the dirty again.'

Bear was hit by 'cheating' claims as reports alleged the star 'invited two women back to his hotel room' in Los Angeles.

Relationship: Bear and Georgia were said to have first gotten together in November before they were reported to have split the following month

Georgia appeared to allude to the claims as she posted in a since deleted tweet: 'A leopard never changes its spots.'

But Bear seemed to brush off the accusations as he hit back via his own Twitter account: 'Landed back in the UK and Living the dream. They say a Leapord doesnt change its spots .. lucky im a Bear (sic).'

Bear starred on two series of Ex On The Beach, the third series saw him find love with ex-girlfriend Vicky Pattison while in series five he was seen getting together with Gaz Beadle's ex Lillie Lexie Gregg.

He also starred on Celebrity Big Brother and went on to win the show, despite cheating on former love Lillie with Chloe Khan while taking part in the series.

Georgia found fame on The Only Way Is Essex before appearing on Love Island's third series as a late arrival.

She struck up a romance with Sam Gowland who has since joined Geordie Shore and is now dating Chloe Ferry.
Details of The Bachelor's Alex Nation and Richie Strahan's messy breakup are set to be aired in the upcoming new series of Bachelor In Paradise.

And now new information about the former couple's split has come to light ahead of the show's premiere.

According to New Idea magazine, health problems, financial struggles and the return of Alex's ex-boyfriend all contributed to their relationship breakdown.

'Dark times, financial struggles and the return of an ex': The 'grubby details' of Alex Nation and Richie Strahan's breakup is laid bare as they are set to face off over their break up on Bachelor In Paradise

The publication claims that after the duo did long distance for five months (Alex was living in Melbourne and Richie was based in his hometown Perth for work), the mother-of-one pleaded with her beau to move to Melbourne to support her through a difficult period in her life.

New Idea alleges that Alex was 'going through some dark times and a medical complication', but rope technician Richie was experiencing 'financial issues' after an injury prevented him from working.

The magazine claims he was reluctant to fly over the Melbourne unless it was for public appearances with Alex.

'She was lonely and going through some tough times. She wanted Richie by her side and for them to be a family but he didn't want to keep spending money on flights unless they were getting paid for it,' a 'friend' allegedly told the publication.

'I don't know if Australia is ready for the grubby details!' Alex (left) and Richie (right) clash as they face off over break up in explosive Bachelor in Paradise promo

The final nail in the coffin was allegedly when Alex got in contact with her ex-boyfriend, Tom Barbour, for support.

While absolutely nothing happened between the pair, Richie was not happy.

'He was so angry he found out that way,' the 'friend' claims.

'It sealed their fate, really, and they never saw each other again after that.'

Alex and Richie fell in love on The Bachelor in 2016, only to devastatingly part ways months later.

And Bachelor in Paradise fans were treated to a sneak peek of their dramatic showdown as they reunite in the upcoming season.

In a brief promo clip released on Sunday, Richie, 33, explains in a voiceover: 'The circumstances of our break-up were quite brutal.'

Discussing the relationship with host Osher Gunsberg, Richie says, 'I don't know if Australia is ready for the grubby details surrounding it.'

Meanwhile, Alex, 28, is seen entering the luxury Fiji resort and in a voiceover, admits, 'Richie and I do not talk anymore and I do not want to meet him in Paradise.'

But after an awkward reunion, the pair appear to waste no time getting into a bitter face off.

Discussing the relationship with host, Osher Gunsberg, Richie says, 'I don't know if Australia is ready for the grubby details surrounding it'

'Do you want to go there Rich?' she rants while he fires back with: 'Don't beat around the bush Alex, because you're not going to like my response.'

Alex then continues: 'So you're honestly sitting there saying you were perfect in our relationship'

An enraged Richie responds: 'Don't put words in my mouth!'

Alex then cryptically claims, 'It was me! I actually can't believe that you were telling me, it was me.'

Alex, 28 is seen entering the luxury Fiji resort and in a voiceover, admits, 'Richie and I do not talk anymore and I do not want to meet him in Paradise'

The showdown comes after Alex insisted she fell in love with the hunk with 'every fibre of my being'.

Sharing a slew of candid photos on Instagram last month from her experience on the Bachelor, to commemorate the third anniversary of her appearance on the show, Alex insisted her feelings were real for Richie.

'Do you want to go there?' The pair appear to waste no time getting into a bitter face off

In the post, she wrote: 'It's a bizarre thing falling in love on national television. Did I really fall in love with Richie?

'At the time, I believed that with every fibre of my being.

'What we were in that moment was powerful and special and I was on cloud nine and what we went through and experienced together was unique.'
Karl Stefanovic could possibly become radio's newest star.

That's based off rumours swirling around the corridors of Sydney's 2GB studios.

The Australian reported on Monday that the 44-year-old 'is in talks' to join the radio station, as uncertainty looms over whether Alan Jones will quit in June.

Is Karl set to be radio's newest star? Rumours are swirling that Stefanovic (left) is in talks to join Sydney's 2GB as uncertainty looms over whether Alan Jones (right) will quit

There is said to be 'uncertainty about whether Australia's biggest radio name, Alan Jones, will walk away from 2GB in June,' The Australian reported.

Should Karl sign on, he could possibly take over the morning slot at both 2GB and 4BC.

While it may seem left of centre to some, it's not too far-fetched, considering Nine's Hugh Marks is a Macquarie Media stakeholder.

As of December, the Nine Network acquired Fairfax's 54.5 per cent of Macquarie Media, which owns radio stations 2GB, 3AW and 4BC.

Despite being dumped from the Today show, Karl still has two years remaining on his Nine contract, and earns a reported $2 million a year.

His schedule is also quite free, with his only commitment at Nine being game show This Time Next Year.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Macquarie Media and Karl's representatives for comment.

TV to radio? It's not too far-fetched, considering Nine's Hugh Marks is a Macquarie Media stakeholder. Karl still has two years remaining on his Nine contract

Speculation over whether Karl will join the radio station, comes as Jones has only four months left on his 2GB contract.

The 77-year-old has been a permanent fixture on Sydney radio for the past 18 years.

However the past year has seen Jones have his fair share of personal and professional troubles.

Not only has he had time off from the station due to health concerns, he's also had to issue an on-air apology.

Jones was accused of misogyny and bullying during an on-air interview with Sydney Opera House CEO, Louise Herron.
Jesse Luken was officially charged with driving under the influence stemming from a vehicle collision in December, according to TMZ.

The Glee actor was found behind the wheel of a 'mangled' car in the Glendale suburb of Los Angeles on Dec. 26.

Luken was charged with one misdemeanor count of DUI and one misdemeanor count of driving with a .08 blood alcohol content.

Trouble: Jesse Luken was officially charged with driving under the influence stemming from a vehicle collision in December, according to TMZ; seen in 2017

Authorities reportedly found his Toyota on the curb with the airbag deployed the day after Christmas.

TMZ reported that 'his right front tire was mangled but no other cars were involved' in the collision where Luken was found in the driver's seat and 'reeked of booze.'

The actor, born in 1983, was given a breathalyzer test on scene of the incident, which police say he failed.

Luken had a recurring role as jock Bobby 'Boom Boom' Surette on the hit Fox musical-comedy, with a four-episode stint in 2012.

Luken, who starred as Bobby 'Boom Boom' Surette in Fox's comedy-musical drama 'Glee' (pictured), has been arrested for a DUI

Not great: The Glee actor was found behind the wheel of a 'mangled' car in the Glendale suburb of Los Angeles on Dec. 26; seen in 2015

He also has numerous film and television appearances to his name including in hit shows NCIS and Law & Order: LA.

Luken is not the first Glee cast member to have a challenging past marred with criminal activity.

Naya Rivera, who played cheerleader Santana, was arrested and charged with domestic battery after then husband Ryan Dorsey called the cops on her last year.

Work: Luken (right) starred as the jock Bobby in Glee and has numerous TV and film credits to his name

The couple finalized their divorce in June and will share joint custody of their son Josey Hollis and have waived spousal support, according to People.

Mark Salling, who played Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, died from suicide in 2018 while awaiting sentencing in his child porn case. He was 35.

Cory Monteith, who portrayed Finn Hudson, died of a drug and alcohol overdose in 2013 just months after admitting himself into a Vancouver treatment center.
An elite unit of "smokejumpers" and a fleet of publicly-owned water-bombing planes and helicopters will boost Australia's firefighting capacity if Labor wins the federal election.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has promised a $101 million to set up a national aerial bushfire fighting fleet of aircraft, with up to six large air water tankers and 12 helicopters, and boost the funding for the existing National Aerial Firefighting Centre.

The new aerial unit would also include a team of "smokejumpers", or firefighters who would rappel from helicopters armed with chainsaws, hoes and other tools to set up containment lines around fires in remote areas.

These units are successfully used in California and other US states.

Mr Shorten says Australia's firefighters and emergency services did an excellent job but needed more support from the government.

"At the moment, Australia doesn't have a government-owned fleet of water bombing aircraft - making us reliant on borrowing from private companies domestically and from overseas," he said on Sunday.

"The bushfire season in Australia is lengthening and already overlapping with the northern hemisphere, increasing the risk that we won't be able to access the aircraft we need at times of peril. "
Soa Robertine's two-year-old daughter Frangeline weighs no more than a child of four months

Frangeline is aged two but weighs no more than a four-month-old -- the terrible result of her battle with measles, which is cutting a deadly swathe through Madagascar.

Widespread malnutrition and low rates of immunisation on the Indian Ocean island have ramped up the killing power of the highly infectious virus.

In the last six months, nearly 1,000 children have been killed by a resurgent disease that vaccination once appeared to have tamed.

Now on a drip, the scrawny infant was only saved because her mother Soa Robertine, 32, made the 25-kilometre (15-mile) trek from her home to the Anivorano-nord health centre, in the island's far north.

Without her timely action, respiratory or neurological complications arising from the virus would have proved fatal, doctors said.

"Frangeline is suffering severe malnutrition and she wasn't vaccinated" against measles," said the clinic's head of medicine, Hollande Robisoa.

"She contracted a complicated form of measles and she would have died if she hadn't been brought here."

Many other children have not been so lucky.

Between last September and February, there were more than 79,000 cases of measles in Madagascar, 926 of which were fatal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Anivorano-nord clinic has had 510 patients suffering from "kitrotro" and "kisaosy" -- the local names for measles.

Roughly 100 patients were hospitalised but only four lost their lives, according to official statistics.

But many local people dispute the numbers in a community where rumours are common.

"I heard that hundreds of children have already died," said Sylvain Randriamaro, 46, sitting in the hospital waiting room.

In the last six months, nearly 1,000 children have been killed by measles, a disease that vaccination once appeared to have tamed in Madagascar

"I was alarmed, so I decided to vaccinate my two children," aged five and six, he said.

Measles has hit Madagascar barely a year after it was gripped by an outbreak of plague that claimed 200 lives.

"It's a major epidemic," said doctor Vincent Sodjinou, a WHO representative.

"It's down to the fact that for almost a decade the rate of vaccine coverage was not high enough and, over generations, the numbers of unvaccinated people have increased."

- 'Malnutrition a bed for measles' -

Measles can be relatively benign if symptoms like fever and cough are handled promptly.

If not, there is a risk of "opportunistic" illness such as pneumonia or diarrhoea -- diseases that can fatally attack patients with weak immune systems.

Since last September and February, there were more than 79,000 cases of measles in Madagascar, 926 of which were fatal

In Madagascar, where 47 percent of children under five are malnourished, the disease has proved particularly dangerous.

"It's often said that malnutrition makes a bed for measles," said Sodjinou. "The most serious cases are often reported in malnourished children."

The paediatric ward at Antsiranana's military hospital, north of Anivorano, has been overwhelmed.

"Normally we only treat one measles case here every two months," said head of medicine Ravohavy Setriny Mahatsangy. "We've had 444 just since December."

Mahatsangy blamed physical contact between patients, their "reluctance to go to hospital and opposition to vaccinations".

The combination of factors has wrought a tragic toll on his patients.

One example is Marie Lydia Zafisoa, aged eight, whose "mother took her to a witchdoctor... and then a traditional healer who prescribed six baths," according to her aunt Bana Tombo.

When that failed, Zafisoa's father carried her to the clinic.

"It was too late -- she died on the way, on her father's shoulders," said Tombo.

Seven-month-old Adriano Luc Rakototsioharana was more fortunate.

Her grandmother Catherine had also turned to traditional medicine before taking her to hospital.

She barely survived the ordeal -- but even so, Catherine remains adamant that traditional medicine holds the key.

"For measles, you need a cow dung infusion or a tea with bark from the lazalaza tree," she said.

- 'It's the culture' -

Doctors say that such beliefs are frustrating their efforts to roll back the disease.

"It's the culture," Ravohavy said, with a resigned smile.

"Changing people's mentality is far more difficult than treating measles."

Children wait to be vaccinated in a village in Madagascar where WHO estimates 5.6 million doses would be needed to contain the epidemic

The profession also complains that the situation is worsening despite the state paying for most measles treatment.

"But the people prefer traditional healers who often advise them to refuse any hospitalisation," said a health ministry official, doctor Said Borohany.

"And most villages are hours away from basic medical centres."

The other viable solution, vaccinations, has been complicated by the lack of funds available for such a programme.

Until now the nation's vaccination programme has administered only a single dose when the WHO recommends two.

The UN agency estimates that 5.6 million doses would be needed to contain the epidemic.

But Madagascar is $1.6 million (1.42 million euros) short of the $11.2 million needed to fund such an operation.

Newly-elected President Andry Rajoelina has promised to vaccinate all children aged between six months and nine years.

"Our goal is to eradicate measles," he said.

But the fight will be long and difficult.

"Madagascar put in place a routine vaccination programme," said the WHO envoy, Sodjinou. "But it remains inadequate to reach the furthest reaches of the country."
Investigators at a lab in France and a field in Ethiopia are looking for clues into the second deadly accident involving Boeing's newest jetliner, while DNA testing has started to identify the remains of victims.

As the investigation proceeds, more details have emerged suggesting similarities between Sunday's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 jet and another deadly Max 8 accident in October.

Here are five things to follow as the investigation continues.

THE INVESTIGATION:

Experts on Friday in France began analyzing the so-called black boxes from Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which plummeted to the ground shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa.

Preliminary satellite data suggests that the jet's flight path was similar to that of a Lion Air Max 8 that crashed Oct. 29 in Indonesia.

FILE - In this March 14, 2019 file photo, Ethiopian relatives of crash victims mourn at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. The investigation into the deadly plane crash in Ethiopia is continuing at a lab in France and the crash site. More details are emerging that suggest similarities between Sunday's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 jet and that of a Lion Air Max 8 Oct. 29 in Indonesia. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

The Indonesian investigation focuses on whether flight-control software embedded in the plane automatically pushed the nose down repeatedly, and whether the pilots knew how to fix the problem.

Earlier this week, investigators searching the wreckage in Ethiopia found a part that controls tail surfaces used to make the plane rise or descend. The surfaces, called horizontal stabilizers, were tilting up, which would have caused the plane's nose to drop, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. The person was not permitted to disclose details of the investigation that have not been made public.

The 737 Max has flight-control software that can automatically tilt the stabilizers if sensors detect that the plane is in danger of losing aerodynamic lift from the wings, which is necessary to stay aloft. That is suspected in the Lion Air accident. It is too early to know whether the software or something else tilted the stabilizers up on the doomed Ethiopian plane.

THE FIX

Boeing shares were hammered all week but got a small bump Friday after a report by the Agence France-Presse news agency that the company will produce an upgrade to the Max's flight-control software in 10 days.

That would be quicker than expected. An airline industry official told The Associated Press that Boeing has indicated it is more likely to be two to four weeks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Boeing's conversations with airline officials were not intended to be made public.

Boeing declined to comment and Charles Bickers, an airline spokesman, referred the AP to the company's previous statement, which said only that the upgrade would be completed "in the coming weeks."

WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?

Boeing executives and technical experts briefed pilots at U.S. airlines that fly the Max in November about the plane, less than a month after the Lion Air crash. They mentioned changes in the flight-control software, indicating that Boeing was already at work on a solution.

Boeing aimed to finish the work in April. Boeing has declined to say whether the Ethiopian Airlines crash gave new urgency to finish the work, but experts have said that is a safe bet.

"They were working toward a solution. They didn't expect the Ethiopians to lose their jet while all this was going on," said Alan Diehl, a former investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.

Boeing won't comment on the time it has taken engineers to finish the work, but Diehl and industry officials familiar with the situation say it isn't as easy as upgrading an iPhone.

Engineers had to find out what the system was doing on the Lion Air flight, how the system's commands appeared to pilots, what changes needed to be made to software, manuals and training, and the best way to make those changes.

Then they had to write new software code, test it - first in the lab, then on a 737 Max simulator, finally in a flying plane. And they had to be sure that the modifications didn't affect other flying characteristics of the plane.

"Whenever you change this stuff you better be damn sure you don't create some other problem," Diehl said. "I think they are being very methodical."

COST FOR BOEING

The two deadly crashes and the worldwide grounding raise two risks for Boeing: financial losses and a reputational damage.

Analysts think Boeing can overcome both if the company convinces regulators relatively quickly that the problems with the plane and its flight-control software, and there are no more accidents.

Norwegian Air CEO Bjorn Kjos has said his airline will seek compensation from Boeing. Others carriers say it's too early for them to say whether they will because they cannot yet estimate lost revenue and extra costs. Those numbers depend on how long the planes end up parked.

Boeing already faces lawsuits over the Lion Air crash, and lawyers say the second crash strengthens their argument that Boeing knew the plane was defective and let it fly anyway.

Investigators haven't determined the cause of either crash, but Boeing would face large payouts to the families of passengers if the Max plane is found to be at fault.

Boeing has $7.6 billion in cash, but new revenue could face a hit because the company suspended deliveries of the Max on Thursday.

TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS

There are about 370 Max jets now parked at airlines around the world, including 72 in the United States. Because the Max is so new, it accounts for a small percentage of the global fleet of about 24,000 airliners.

In the U.S., Southwest is likely to be most affected because its 34 Max 8s represent nearly 5 percent of the carrier's fleet and a slightly higher percentage of the airline's passenger-carrying capacity. Southwest canceled 170 of its roughly 4,000 flights Friday, and "the vast majority" were due to the Max, said spokesman Chris Mainz.

American Airlines canceled about 85 flights Friday because of the groundings - some scheduled for its 24 Max 8s and others on planes being used to fill in for the now-parked Max 8s.

United Airlines, which has 14 Max 9s that are parked, canceled five flights scheduled for the planes on Friday and used other planes to add four flights to Hawaii for displaced passengers, said spokeswoman Erin Benson. The airline said in a securities filing Friday that the financial and operational impact of the grounding will increase if it lasts into the peak summer travel season.

Helane Becker, an airlines analyst with the Cowen Research financial services company said if the planes are grounded for a long time, ticket prices could rise because there will be fewer seats for sale if demand remains steady. Southwest experienced a bookings decline last year fall after one person was killed by a piece of engine debris on a flight last year.

The Max 8 crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed 346 people.

Travel insurance companies expect a record number of claims from travelers whose flights scheduled on the Max planes have been canceled.

___

David Koenig can be reached at http://twitter.com/airlinewriter

Ethiopian relatives of crash victims grieve at the site where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, on Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)
The Sinn Fein leader has been condemned for marching behind an offensive banner in New Yorks St Patricks Day parade.

Mary Lou McDonald helped carry a sign which read England Get Out of Ireland, as she took part in the citys annual parade to mark the Irish national day on Saturday.

Irelands Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney accused Ms McDonald of poor leadership and of being an embarrassment over her actions.

He tweeted: @MaryLouMcDonald this is NOT leadership  its offensive, divisive and an embarrassment  grow up, this is NOT #Ireland in 2019! we are better than this!

@MaryLouMcDonald this is NOT leadership - its offensive, divisive and an embarrassment - grow up, this is NOT #ireland in 2019! we are better than this!  https://t.co/LUbfbvOe6l  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 17, 2019

Mr Coveney made the remarks after Sinn Fein posted a photograph of their party leader at the parade.

The tweet read: No explanation needed. @MaryLouMcDonald #StPatrickDay Parade #NYC.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald attends the American Ireland Gala Fund dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington DC (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ms McDonald was in the United States to take part in the annual St Patricks festivities.

In an earlier post, the Tanaiste commended New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern in the wake of the mass shootings in Christchurch.

He wrote: This is what Leadership looks like  @jacindaardern #NewZealandTerrorAttack.

His tweet was accompanied by a video of Ms Ardern wearing a hijab as she met the families of the victims of the mosque shootings.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann also condemned Ms McDonalds actions.

Mr Swann said: Once again Mary Lou McDonald as president of Sinn Fein, has shown them up for what they are really all about as she posed behind a banner which was highly offensive and wrong on so many levels.

It demonstrated that bigotry and hypocrisy were alive and well within their version of republicanism.

It is clear that when Sinn Fein talk about respect, honesty and integrity, that they are as sincere as Gerry Adams using equality as a Trojan Horse to attack unionists. Their words about rights are only a veneer to hide their true intention.

Wishing you all a very happy St Patrick's Day! Today I'm going green for a United Ireland #green4unity #time4unity #ta32 #GoGreen  pic.twitter.com/9Zc6WtO10S  Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) March 17, 2019

He added: It is sad that whilst others celebrate St Patrick in a respectful and non-confrontational manner, Sinn Fein return to type.

Democratic Unionist Partys Gregory Campbell said Sinn Feins caption on the tweeted picture, which read No explanation needed, summed up the partys attitude to explanations, truth and respect.

When slogans such as Brits out or England out of Ireland are used the unionist community are well within their rights to see themselves as the intended focus, Mr Campbell said.

The British presence in Ireland is the unionist population in Northern Ireland.

The Republican focus on Brits in the city of Londonderry saw thousands of unionists move out en masse from the Cityside as the IRA began their war.

Its clear that republicans dont do explanations. Neither do they do apologies. Theyve never explained let alone apologised for the terror their armed wing conducted for so long.

In response to the criticism a Sinn Fein spokesman said: The most divisive and offensive act on this island for almost the last 100 years has been the partition of Ireland.

It should come as no surprise that Sinn Fein wants a new united Ireland under the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement.

The faux outrage of some of our political opponents owes more to the silly season of a holiday weekend and petty political point scoring.

However if Simon Coveney and the Government is serious about achieving a new and agreed united Ireland then he should immediately convene an all-Ireland forum on Irish unity.
March 17 (Reuters) - Italy's Guido Migliozzi carded a final-round 69 to clinch his maiden European Tour title with a one-shot victory in the Kenya Open on Sunday.

The 22-year-old rookie, playing in his 14th European Tour event, took the lead with a birdie on the 12th hole and held his nerve under pressure to par the last six holes and go 16-under for the tournament at Nairobi's Karen Country Club.

Joint overnight leader Migliozzi finished above his playing partner Adri Arnaus of Spain and South Africans Louis de Jager and Justin Harding who were tied for second place.

"I like this moment. I like the pressure, it's like a drug," Migliozzi, who sank four birdies on the day but also had two bogeys on the front nine, said. "I love playing with a lot of people looking at me and a lot of cameras.

"There was a lot of pressure on the course. After the birdie at the 12th I was leading but it was tough. I just kept patient towards the end, that was it.

"I enjoyed the last two days very much. The pressure was a lot and I'm happy about how I'm playing under pressure, also with my putting game that I worked a lot on."

India's Gaganjeet Bhullar, one of several leaders during a tight final day, finished fifth with a final round 69.

Triumphant 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjorn, returning to the Kenyan capital for the first time in 24 years, was further back tied in 12th with four others.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre signed off with a brilliant 63 to set a new course record after three disappointing rounds, finishing tied 17th. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Toby Davis)
On March 16, when he was brought to the court, handcuffed, dressed in white prison clothes, there was one noticeable expression on his face: he was smiling.

On March 15, he, as a single shooter, massacred 49 people.

His name, as now the world knows, is Brenton Tarrant. He is 28 years old. He is an Australian national.

It happened in Christchurch, New Zealand.

How many more people need to die before we say in one voice: enough? (Photo: Reuters)

Armed with a semi-automatic gun, Tarrant entered a mosque and shot everyone he saw. Men, women, children. While he was shooting people in prayer he videotaped it all with a head-mounted camera and streamed it live. Clicking on that video is the nightmare that I know would be like the memory of that childhood horror that turned me into a lifelong insomniac.

It was like one of those scenes from a gory video game in which only the gun is seen, moving in a precise calculation to target the next victim, people made of pixels getting shot at, blood spraying everywhere, screams filling up the screen muffled by the methodical pumping of a gun whose only purpose is to blast every living thing to pieces, to make holes in human beings that are too big, too deep to be made by an ordinary gun whose primary purpose was to be used as a weapon of protection. The gun Tarrant held had one target: a Muslim.

The firing lasted for five minutes. According to one eyewitness, it lasted for 15-20 minutes. The eyewitness said: What I did was basically waiting and praying, God please, let this guy run out of bullets.

His bullets did run out. After he had shot more than 50 people.

Another survivor said, He started to shoot them. Anyone who he thought was still alive, he continued shooting them. He didn't want anyone to stay alive.

Another survivor, Farid Ahmed, who is in a wheelchair said, I saw on the floor  the bullet shells  so many hundreds.

An eyewitness, Carl Pomare, who was driving by the mosque, said that he saw people running. And then: The next second there was rapid fire. These people were being knocked down like ten-pins. I saw them being hit from behind and they were falling to the ground.

Pomare said: It was a scene of carnage.

The massacre took place in two mosques, Al-Noor and Linwood Masjid in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Islamophobia is real. We need to accept that. (Photo: Reuters)

Before the attacks with guns that are said to be modified to be made more lethal, and driving in a car that was said to be full of weapons that showed his intention to continue with his attack, Tarrant posted an 87-page long rambling text titled The Great Replacement, full of white supremacist references. The French-origin phrase is said to be a rallying cry for European anti-immigration extremists.

In the text, Tarrant named the mosques he was going to attack, the reason for his radicalisation after his rage at seeing the events in France in 2017, and his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim viewpoints.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern termed the shooting as one of New Zealands darkest days. What has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence. [Attackers] have no place in New Zealand. For now, my thoughts and Im sure the thoughts of all New Zealanders are with those who are being affected and with the families.

What has happened in Christchurch is an extraordinary act of unprecedented violence. It has no place in New Zealand. Many of those affected will be members of our migrant communities  New Zealand is their home  they are us.  Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) March 15, 2019

Who is Brenton Tarrant? A white supremacist? A relatively normal man who was radicalised for reasons not apparent to those who knew him? A gym manager with no extremes of extremist views or any crazy behaviour? Do words of Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel make it easier to understand Tarrant? This sort of extremism is not something that weve seen here. But he is not from here. He came here with hate in his heart and intention to kill in his mind. So he did not develop his hatred here. He came here to perform this act of terrorism.

The response of New Zealand and most countries to the massacre of Muslims in two mosques in Christchurch is one of those rare heartwarming moments of global unity that is reflective of the best of humanity after witnessing the worst of humanity.

What is also different about this methodical barbarity by a white man on unarmed Muslim children, women and men is the way it has been described by the prime minister of New Zealand and other world leaders. It is plain and simple terrorism, and there is global acceptance of that reality instead of trying to give it a shade of a mass murder, an action of an unhinged mind, or an act of triggered madness of a frenzied mind.

True, this is not New Zealand. It is home to immigrants who chose it to be their home. (Photo: Reuters)

The massacre of 49 Muslims in two mosques is also a manifestation of the Islamophobia that is so commonplace in the West today that it is impossible to discard it as a figment of imagination of many Muslims who suffer some form of it every day, or which is used as a political tool for an exaggeration of Muslim victimisation. It is an indication of seeing Muslims as invaders intent on replacing the white majority in Europe. And it is a testimonial to the very real threat of the far right and the existence of many who idolise Anders Breivik.

The anti-Muslim sentiment bordering on naked hatred and unbridled bigotry is what led to the attack on people gathered in mosques to pray on a Friday, and not much will change until, to begin with, there is a recognition of that sentiment. Until there is a clear acknowledgement that Islamophobia is not merely a 12-letter word that Muslims and their advocates use to further their agenda of victimisation and suffering. To paint almost 1.8 billion Muslims in the identical strokes of radicalised, militant, West-hating bigots, and to thrust on almost 1.8 billion Muslims one story of the other-ing of the West is not just feeding the beast of Islamophobia further dividing a hugely polarised world, it is also a blatant mechanism to see in binaries of black and white the reality of the 24 per cent of the worlds population.

Amidst the overwhelming darkness of the massacre of 49 Muslims, mosques in New Zealand and around the world have been flooded with heartfelt messages of love and solidarity. Mosques in different cities in New Zealand have seen an incredible expression of support. The messages of We love you, We are one and Forever changed are a further reiteration of the words of Prime Minister Ardern: Immigrants have chosen to make New Zealand their home, and it is their home. They are us.

Thousands of miles away in Pakistan, the family of 50-year-old Naeem Rashid mourns his death as well as that of his 21-year-old son Talha. Both the father and son were killed in the massacre. Before being shot, Naeem tried to stop the shooter without thinking about his saving his own life. Unimaginable is the pain of his family and loved ones as they mourn Naeem and Talha who went to pray and were killed simply because they belonged to a religion the shooter, the terrorist, the radicalised extremist, the white supremacist hated.

Six Pakistanis have reportedly been killed in the massacre.

Also among those who were killed on March 15 was the four-year-old Syrian boy Abdullahi Dirie. He was at the mosque with his father and four siblings. Tarrant shot the four-year-old Abdullahi.

Terrorism doesn't have a face, religion or nationality. (Photo: Reuters)

Also killed: Hamza Mustafa, a 14-year-old Syrian boy.

Also killed: 42-year-old Bangladeshi Husne Ara Parvin, who stood in front of her wheelchair-bound husband in an attempt to save his life.

Also killed: 27-year-old Areeb Ahmed of Pakistan who was in New Zealand on a business trip.

Also killed: 71-year-old Afghan Haji Daoud Nabi, a resident of Christchurch, a place he called home since 1977, and [that] offered hope and safety for him and his family.

Also killed: Hamzas father Khaled Mustafa, a Syrian refugee who in 2018 with his family (wife and three children) came to New Zealand, which they they thought was the safe haven.

Also killed: Lilik Abdul Hamid from Indonesia.

Also killed: Mounir Sulaiman, 68, Ahmed Jamal Aldean Abdulghani, 68, Ashraf al-Morsi and Ashraf al-Masri from Egypt.

Also killed: Four unnamed Jordanians.

Also killed: Nationals of India, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Terrorism does not have a face even if it is that of a white man who live-streamed his massacre. Terrorism does not have a name even when it introduces itself before pumping hundreds of bullets into people whom it other-ed, dehumanised and killed. Terrorism does not have a religion even when it announces its hatred of followers of one particular faith. Terrorism does not have a nationality even when the perpetrator is in a country that takes pride in its inclusivity and generosity of spirit. Terrorism is not region-specific even when its perpetrator carries a passport.

What the world needs to say in one voice: enough. What the world needs to enunciate without any whataboutery: no more. What the world needs to do, beyond borders, beyond faiths, beyond ideologies: stand as one.

How many more people need to die before the world, united, will say: never again?

Also Read: Rest in peace, Isha! What life and death teach us in just a split second
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Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.
The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Advisors S.r.l., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe (Services) Limited, AIG Europe Holdings S.a.rl., AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Insurance Company (Switzerland) Ltd, AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG Shared Services Corporation, AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE EOLA LLC, AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American Home Assurance Company Escritorio de Representacao no Brasil Ltda., American International Group Inc., American International Group UK Limited, American International Overseas Association, American International Overseas Limited, American International Realty Corp., American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A., American Security Life Insurance Company Limited, Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Avondhu Limited, Blackboard Customer Care Insurance Services LLC, Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Services LLC, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., Chartis Takaful Enaya B.S.C. (c), Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Fortitude Group Holdings LLC, Fortitude Life & Annuity Solutions Inc., Fortitude Reinsurance Company Ltd., Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Group Risk Services Limited, Group Risk Technologies Limited, Illinois National Insurance Co., Jefferson Eola Venture LLC, Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, MG Reinsurance Limited, Mt. Mansfield Company Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Private Joint-Stock Company AIG Ukraine Insurance Company, Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SA Affordable Housing LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., Thai CIT Holding Company Limited, The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., Western World Insurance Company, and Western World Insurance Group Inc..
The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC.
1 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust in the last twelve months. There are currently 1 hold rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in SPY, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.

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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.
MFS Multimarket Income Trust is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by MFS Investment Management, Inc. The fund invests in the fixed income markets across the globe with greater emphasis on United States. It seeks to invest in fixed income securities issued by U.S. Government, foreign government, mortgage backed, and other asset-backed securities of U.S. and foreign issuers, corporate bonds of U.S. and foreign issuers, and debt instruments of issuers located in emerging market countries with an average duration of 5.1 years. The fund employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach while focusing on factors such as underlying credit quality, collateral characteristics, and indenture provisions, and the issuer's management ability, capital structure, leverage, and ability to meet its current obligations. It seeks to benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against a combination of the Citigroup World Government Bond Non-Dollar Hedged Index, JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global, Lehman Brothers U.S. Credit Bond Index, Lehman Brothers U.S. Government/Mortgage Bond Index, and Lehman Brothers U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index. MFS Multimarket Income Trust was formed on March 12, 1987 and is domiciled in the Unites States.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Johnson & Johnson: 3Dintegrated ApS, ALZA Corporation, AMO (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd., AMO ASIA LIMITED, AMO Australia Pty Limited, AMO Canada Company, AMO Denmark ApS, AMO Development LLC, AMO France, AMO Germany GmbH, AMO Groningen B.V., AMO International Holdings, AMO Ireland, AMO Ireland Finance Unlimited Company, AMO Italy SRL, AMO Japan K.K., AMO Manufacturing Spain S.L., AMO Manufacturing USA LLC, AMO Netherlands BV, AMO Nominee Holdings LLC, AMO Norway AS, AMO Puerto Rico Manufacturing Inc., AMO Sales and Service Inc., AMO Singapore Pte. Ltd., AMO Spain Holdings LLC, AMO Switzerland GmbH, AMO U.K. Holdings LLC, AMO US Holdings Inc., AMO USA LLC, AMO USA Sales Holdings Inc., AMO United Kingdom Ltd., AMO Uppsala AB, APSIS, AUB Holdings LLC, Abott Medical Optics, Acclarent Inc., Actelion Ltd, Actelion Manufacturing GmbH, Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty. Limited, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Korea Ltd., Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Mexico S.A. De C.V., Actelion Pharmaceuticals Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Actelion Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Actelion Pharmaceuticals US Inc., Actelion Registration Limited, Actelion Treasury Unlimited Company, Akros Medical Inc., Albany Street LLC, Alios BioPharma, Alza Land Management Inc., Animas Diabetes Care LLC, Animas LLC, Animas Technologies LLC, AorTx Inc., Aragon Pharmaceuticals, Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, Atrionix Inc., Auris Health, Auris Health Inc., Backsvalan 2 Aktiebolag, Backsvalan 6 Handelsbolag, Beijing Dabao Cosmetics Co. Ltd., BeneVir BioPharm Inc., Berna Rhein B.V., BioMedical Enterprises Inc., Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd., Biosense Webster Inc., C Consumer Products Denmark ApS, CNA Development GmbH, CSATS Inc., Calibra Medical LLC, Campus-Foyer Apotheke GmbH, Carlo Erba OTC S.r.l., Centocor Biologics LLC, Centocor Research & Development Inc., ChromaGenics B.V., Ci:Labo Customer Marketing Co. Ltd., Ci:z Holdings, Ci:z. Labo Co. Ltd., Cilag AG, Cilag GmbH International, Cilag Holding AG, Cilag Holding Treasury Unlimited Company, Cilag-Biotech S.L., CoTherix Inc., Codman & Shurtleff Inc., Coherex Medical Inc., ColBar LifeScience Ltd., Company Store.com Inc., Conor MedSystems, Cordis International Corporation, Cordis de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Corimmun GmbH, DR. CI:LABO COMPANY LIMITED, Darlain Trading S.A., DePuy France, DePuy Hellas SA, DePuy International Limited, DePuy Ireland Unlimited Company, DePuy Mexico S.A. de C.V., DePuy Mitek LLC, DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., DePuy Products Inc., DePuy Spine LLC, DePuy Synthes Gorgan Limited, DePuy Synthes Inc., DePuy Synthes Institute LLC, DePuy Synthes Leto SARL, DePuy Synthes Products Inc., DePuy Synthes Sales Inc., Debs-Vogue Corporation (Proprietary) Limited, Dr. Ci:Labo Co. Ltd., Dutch Holding LLC, ECL7 LLC, EES Holdings de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EES S.A. de C.V., EIT Emerging Implant Technologies GmbH, Ethicon Biosurgery Ireland, Ethicon Endo-Surgery (Europe) GmbH, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC, Ethicon Holding Sarl, Ethicon Inc., Ethicon Ireland Unlimited Company, Ethicon LLC, Ethicon PR Holdings Unlimited Company, Ethicon Sarl, Ethicon US LLC, Ethicon Women's Health & Urology Sarl, Ethnor (Proprietary) Limited, Ethnor Farmaceutica S.A., Ethnor Guatemala Sociedad Anomina, Ethnor del Istmo S.A., FMS Future Medical System SA, Finsbury (Development) Limited, Finsbury (Instruments) Limited, Finsbury Medical Limited, Finsbury Orthopaedics International Limited, Finsbury Orthopaedics Limited, GH Biotech Holdings Limited, GMED Healthcare BV, Global Investment Participation B.V., Guangzhou Bioseal Biotech Co. Ltd., Hansen Medical Deutschland GmbH, Hansen Medical Inc., Hansen Medical International Inc., Hansen Medical UK Limited, Healthcare Services (Shanghai) Ltd., I.D. Acquisition Corp., Innomedic Gesellschaft fur innovative Medizintechnik und Informatik mbH, Innovalens B.V., Innovative Surgical Solutions LLC, J & J Company West Africa Limited, J&J Pension Trustees Limited, J-C Health Care Ltd., J.C. General Services BV, JJ Surgical Vision Spain S.L., JJC Acquisition Company B.V., JJHC LLC, JJSV Belgium BV, JJSV Manufacturing Malaysia SDN. BHD., JJSV Norden AB, JJSV Produtos Oticos Ltda., JNJ Global Business Services s.r.o., JNJ Holding EMEA B.V., JNJ International Investment LLC, JNJ Irish Investments ULC, JOM Pharmaceutical Services Inc., Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy (Holding) Limited, Janssen BioPharma Inc., Janssen Biologics (Ireland) Limited, Janssen Biologics B.V., Janssen Biotech Inc., Janssen Cilag C.A., Janssen Cilag Farmaceutica S.A., Janssen Cilag S.p.A., Janssen Cilag SPA, Janssen Development Finance Unlimited Company, Janssen Diagnostics LLC, Janssen Egypt LLC, Janssen Farmaceutica Portugal Lda, Janssen Global Services LLC, Janssen Group Holdings Limited, Janssen Holding GmbH, Janssen Inc., Janssen Irish Finance Company UC, Janssen Korea Ltd., Janssen Oncology Inc., Janssen Ortho LLC, Janssen Pharmaceutica (Proprietary) Limited, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen Pharmaceutica S.A., Janssen Pharmaceutical, Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K., Janssen Pharmaceutical Sciences Unlimited Company, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Janssen Products LP, Janssen R&D Ireland, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Janssen Sciences Ireland Unlimited Company, Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC, Janssen Supply Group LLC, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., Janssen Vaccines Corp., Janssen de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag, Janssen-Cilag (New Zealand) Limited, Janssen-Cilag A/S, Janssen-Cilag AG, Janssen-Cilag AS, Janssen-Cilag Aktiebolag, Janssen-Cilag B.V., Janssen-Cilag Farmaceutica Lda., Janssen-Cilag Farmaceutica Ltda., Janssen-Cilag GmbH, Janssen-Cilag International NV, Janssen-Cilag Kft., Janssen-Cilag Limited, Janssen-Cilag Manufacturing LLC, Janssen-Cilag NV, Janssen-Cilag OY, Janssen-Cilag Pharma GmbH, Janssen-Cilag Pharmaceutical S.A.C.I., Janssen-Cilag Polska Sp. z o.o., Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd, Janssen-Cilag S.A., Janssen-Cilag S.A., Janssen-Cilag S.A. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag s.r.o., Janssen-Pharma S.L., Jevco Holding Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Johnson & Johnson (Angola) Limitada, Johnson & Johnson (China) Investment Ltd., Johnson & Johnson (Egypt) S.A.E., Johnson & Johnson (Hong Kong) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Ireland) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Jamaica) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Kenya) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc., Johnson & Johnson (Mozambique) Limitada, Johnson & Johnson (Namibia) (Proprietary) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (New Zealand) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Philippines) Inc., Johnson & Johnson (Private) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Thailand) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson (Trinidad) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Vietnam) Co. Ltd, Johnson & Johnson - Societa' Per Azioni, Johnson & Johnson AB, Johnson & Johnson AG, Johnson & Johnson Belgium Finance Company BV, Johnson & Johnson Bulgaria EOOD, Johnson & Johnson China Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Consumer (Hong Kong) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer (Thailand) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer B.V., Johnson & Johnson Consumer Holdings France, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., Johnson & Johnson Consumer NV, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Saudi Arabia Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Services EAME Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Del Paraguay S.A., Johnson & Johnson Dominicana S.A.S., Johnson & Johnson Enterprise Innovation Inc., Johnson & Johnson European Treasury Company, Johnson & Johnson Finance Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Finance Limited, Johnson & Johnson Financial Services GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Foundation Scotland (NON-PROFIT), Johnson & Johnson Gateway LLC, Johnson & Johnson Gesellschaft m.b.H., Johnson & Johnson GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Guatemala S.A., Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc., Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions Inc., Johnson & Johnson Hellas Commercial and Industrial S.A., Johnson & Johnson Hellas Consumer Products Commercial Societe Anonyme, Johnson & Johnson Hemisferica S.A., Johnson & Johnson Holding GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Holdings K.K., Johnson & Johnson Inc., Johnson & Johnson Industrial Ltda., Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC Inc., Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC, Johnson & Johnson Innovation Limited, Johnson & Johnson International, Johnson & Johnson International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Johnson & Johnson International Financial Services Company, Johnson & Johnson Japan Inc., Johnson & Johnson K.K., Johnson & Johnson Kft., Johnson & Johnson Korea Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Korea Selling & Distribution LLC, Johnson & Johnson LLC, Johnson & Johnson Limitada, Johnson & Johnson Limited, Johnson & Johnson Luxembourg Finance Company Sarl, Johnson & Johnson Management Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical (China) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical (Proprietary) Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Medical (Shanghai) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical (Suzhou) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical B.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices & Diagnostics Group - Latin America L.L.C., Johnson & Johnson Medical GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Medical Korea Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical Mexico S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical NV, Johnson & Johnson Medical Products GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Medical Pty Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Medical S.A., Johnson & Johnson Medical S.C.S., Johnson & Johnson Medical S.p.A., Johnson & Johnson Medical SAS, Johnson & Johnson Medical Saudi Arabia Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical Servicios Profesionales S. de R.L. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical Taiwan Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medikal Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Johnson & Johnson Middle East FZ-LLC, Johnson & Johnson Morocco Societe Anonyme, Johnson & Johnson Nordic AB, Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Limited, Johnson & Johnson Pakistan (Private) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Panama S.A., Johnson & Johnson Personal Care (Chile) S.A., Johnson & Johnson Poland Sp. z o.o., Johnson & Johnson Private Limited, Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Pty. Limited, Johnson & Johnson Research Pty Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Romania S.R.L., Johnson & Johnson S.A., Johnson & Johnson S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson S.E. Inc., Johnson & Johnson S.E. d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson SDN. BHD., Johnson & Johnson Sante Beaute France, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Johnson & Johnson Servicios Corporativos S. de R.L. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision India Private Limited, Johnson & Johnson Taiwan Ltd., Johnson & Johnson UK Treasury Company Limited, Johnson & Johnson Ukraine LLC, Johnson & Johnson Urban Renewal Associates, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Shanghai) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Ireland Unlimited Company, Johnson & Johnson d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson de Argentina S.A.C. e. I., Johnson & Johnson de Chile Limitada, Johnson & Johnson de Chile S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Colombia S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Costa Rica S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson de Uruguay S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Venezuela S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Ecuador S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Peru S.A., Johnson & Johnson do Brasil Industria E Comercio de Produtos Para Saude Ltda., Johnson & Johnson for Export and Import LLC, Johnson & Johnson s.r.o., Johnson and Johnson (Proprietary) Limited, Johnson and Johnson Sihhi Malzeme Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, La Concha Land Investment Corporation, Latam International Investment Company Unlimited Company, LifeScan, MDS Co. Ltd., McNEIL MMP LLC, McNeil AB, McNeil Consumer Pharmaceuticals Co., McNeil Denmark ApS, McNeil Healthcare (Ireland) Limited, McNeil Healthcare (UK) Limited, McNeil Healthcare LLC, McNeil Iberica S.L.U., McNeil LA LLC, McNeil Nutritionals LLC, McNeil Panama LLC, McNeil Products Limited, McNeil Sweden AB, Medical Device Business Services Inc., Medical Devices & Diagnostics Global Services LLC, Medical Devices International LLC, Medical Industrial do Brasil Ltda., Medos International Sarl, Medos Sarl, MegaDyne Medical Products Inc., Menlo Care De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Mentor B.V., Mentor Deutschland GmbH, Mentor Medical Systems B.V., Mentor Partnership Holding Company I LLC, Mentor Texas GP LLC, Mentor Texas L.P., Mentor Worldwide LLC, Micrus Endovascular LLC, Middlesex Assurance Company Limited, Momenta Ireland Limited, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc., NeoStrata Company Inc., NeoStrata Company Inc., NeoStrata UG (haftungsbeschrankt), Netherlands Holding Company, NeuWave Medical Inc., Neuravi Inc., Neuravi Limited, Novira Therapeutics, Novira Therapeutics LLC, NuVera Medical Inc., OBTECH Medical Sarl, OGX Beauty AU Pty Ltd, OGX Beauty Limited, OMJ Holding GmbH, OMJ Ireland Unlimited Company, OMJ Pharmaceuticals Inc., Obtech Medical Mexico S.A. de C.V., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Inc., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals NV, Ortho Biologics LLC, Ortho Biotech Holding LLC, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical LLC, Orthotaxy, Orthotaxy, PMC Holdings G.K., PT Integrated Healthcare Indonesia, PT. Johnson & Johnson Indonesia, Patriot Pharmaceuticals LLC, Peninsula Pharmaceuticals LLC, Penta Pty. Limited, Percivia LLC, Perouse Plastie, Pharmadirect Ltd., Pharmedica Laboratories (Proprietary) Limited, Princeton Laboratories Inc., Productos de Cuidado Personal y de La Salud de Bolivia S.R.L., Proleader S.A., Pulsar Vascular Inc., Regency Urban Renewal Associates, RespiVert Ltd., RoC International, Rutan Realty LLC, SYNTHES Medical Immobilien GmbH, Scios LLC, Sedona Enterprise Co. Ltd., Sedona Singapore International Pte. Ltd., Sedona Thai International Co. Ltd., Serhum S.A. de C.V., Shanghai Elsker For Mother & Baby Co. Ltd, Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Ltd., Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Sightbox LLC, Sodiac ESV, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Company, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Partnership, Spine Solutions GmbH, SterilMed, SterilMed Inc., Surgical Process Institute Deutschland GmbH, Synthes Costa Rica S.C.R. Limitada, Synthes GmbH, Synthes Holding AG, Synthes Holding Limited, Synthes Inc., Synthes Medical Surgical Equipment & Instruments Trading LLC, Synthes Produktions GmbH, Synthes Proprietary Limited, Synthes S.M.P. S. de R.L. de C.V., Synthes Tuttlingen GmbH, Synthes USA LLC, Synthes USA Products LLC, TARIS Biomedical, TARIS Biomedical LLC, TearScience Inc., The Anspach Effort LLC, The Vision Care Institute LLC, Tibotec LLC, Torax Medical Inc., TriStrata Incorporated, UAB "Johnson & Johnson", Vania Expansion, Verb Surgical, Verb Surgical Inc., Vision Care Finance Unlimited Company, Vogue International, Vogue International LLC, Vogue International Trading Inc., WH4110 Development Company L.L.C., XO1, XO1 Limited, Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Zarbee's Inc., and Zarbee's Naturals.
Beazley plc provides risk insurance and reinsurance solutions in the United States, Europe, and internationally. Its Cyber & Executive Risk segment underwrites management liabilities, such as employment practices risks and directors and officers, cyber and technology, and media and business services. The company's Marine segment underwrites various marine classes, including hull, energy, cargo and specie, piracy, satellite, aviation, kidnap and ransom, and war risks. Its Market Facilities segment underwrites portfolios of businesses. The company's Political, Accident & Contingency segment underwrites terrorism, political violence, expropriation, and credit risks, as well as contingency and risks associated with contract frustration. This segment also underwrites life, health, personal accident, sports, and income protection risks. Its Property segment provides commercial and homeowners' insurance. The company's Reinsurance segment specializes in writing property catastrophe, property per risk, casualty clash, aggregate excess of loss, and pro-rata businesses. Its Specialty Lines segment underwrites a portfolio of businesses comprising architects and engineers, healthcare, lawyers and environmental liability, market facilities business, and international financial institutions. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

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There is not enough analysis data for Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO).

4.3 Community Rank

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MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO) and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe DEE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe DEE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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Red Hat, Inc. provides open source software solutions to develop and offer operating system, virtualization, management, middleware, cloud, mobile, and storage technologies to various enterprises worldwide. It offers infrastructure-related solutions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, an operating system platform that runs on hardware for use in hybrid cloud environments; Red Hat Satellite, a system management offering that helps to deploy, scale, and manage in hybrid cloud environments; and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, a software solution that allows customers to utilize and manage a common hardware infrastructure to run multiple operating systems and applications. The company offers application development-related and other technology solutions, such as Red Hat JBoss Middleware, a solution for developing, deploying, and managing applications; integrating applications, data, and devices; and automating business processes in hybrid cloud environments; The company's application development-related and other technology solutions also includes Red Hat cloud offerings, a software solution that enables customers to build and manage various cloud computing environments; Red Hat Mobile, a software development platform that enables customers to develop, integrate, deploy, and manage mobile applications for enterprises; and Red Hat Storage, a software solution that enables customers to manage large, unstructured, or semi-structured data in hybrid cloud environments. It also provides consulting, support, and training services; and realtime operating system, distributed computing, directory services, and user authentication. Red Hat, Inc. has collaboration with Juniper Networks Expand to provide a unified solution for enterprises designed to manage and run applications and services. The company was formerly known as Red Hat Software, Inc. and changed its name to Red Hat, Inc. in June 1999. Red Hat, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Royal Mail Plc engages in the provision of postal and delivery services. It operates through the following segments: Royal Mail and General Logistics Systems (GLS). The Royal Mail segment collects, sorts and delivers letters and parcels across the UK. The GLS segment operates in continental Europe and the Republic of Ireland and has a ground-based deferred parcel delivery network in Europe. The company was founded in 1516 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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One strange thing you will observe in Sarajevo is its streets littered with reminders of the war.

My trip to Bosnia was a part of my tour of the Balkan peninsula south-eastern Europe. I must confess that when I planned the trip I had little idea of what to expext from it and I did not expect too much since I had mentally told myself that former part of a communist regime  Yugoslavia  would have nothing much to offer of tourist interest.

(Above) Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo; (below) The cemetery in Mostar old town in Bosnia

I was wrong and I ate my words as I spent an awe-struck few days in the region, marvelling at natural and man-made wonders alike. My first impression of Bosnias capital, Sarajevo, was that it was like a beautiful red painting, with the entre piece being the iconic bridge Latin Bridge that stretches over the Miljacka in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. For those interested in history, the northern end of the bridge was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip in 1914, the ghastly event that sparked World War I. Sarajevo was also the epicentre of the infamous siege by Serbia that sparked the Bosnian war. But that was a long time ago and the regions tourism industry definitely wants to portray a different picture of Bosnia as an important country in the region with its beautiful cities and a great paradise for nature lovers. Its buildings have been scrubbed clean, its historical monuments renovated and its government is now making fresh efforts to host another Olympic games like the winter Olympics that it hosted in 1984.

The scintillating city

I joined a walking tour to see the highlights of this vibrant city which is built in a valley and is surrounded by the alps with its emerald green hills. The gigantic statue  Multicultural Man  a nude man pulling the meridians of the earth together, with doves helping him in the job, is probably the most visited and photographed monument in the city. The statue signifies the fact that that despite the siege of Sarajevo from the year 1992 to 1995, the country is holding together very well.

The Ugliest building now has the highest rent

It might not be a sight for sure, but Sarajevos ugliest building, a Soviet era relic, now coloured green and yellow, draws tourists by the droves, many of who take dozens of pictures for their Insta and other social media handles. Im not sure what it looked like in the Soviet era but the legend goes that the government did not want the ugliness of the black-brown communist building to mar the festivities when the country hosted the 1984 winter Olympics, and had it painted green and yellow. The building has an unusual facade today with no particular architectural style but the fact remains that apartments in it get the highest rents in Bosnia!

The old bazaar of Sarajevo

Like most of the cities of the Balkan region, Sarajevo is a quaint, pretty old town with cobbled streets and tiny stores selling stunning handicrafts. Some of the main attractions in the historic old town are the historic buildings such as the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and the clock at Sahat Kula  the only one that uses the lunar time which is how the muslims determine the time for their daily prayers. The bazaar is also the place to sample the distinctive traditional Bosnian coffee served in copper pots with a huge range of dessert delicacies. The bustling old town is a great place for people to smoke a shisha  if you like it  and to buy some trinkets from the shops along the lanes.

The reminders of war

One strange thing you will observe in Sarajevo is its streets littered with reminders of the war. Most of the streets are full of red rose painted on either sides of them and have at least one section which is damaged. A local explained that these damaged pieces are where the artillery landed and someone was killed on that spot. The roses have been painted in memory of the lives lost and symbolises love and peace.

A tunnel of hope

During the siege of Sarajevo for over three years, a 800 meters deep tunnel was dug by citizens from both sides of the city, which was used for passage of medicines, food and artillery. The tunnel took over three months to complete but helped the locals survive and the army to fight during the siege. Another place close to this tunnel is the Sniper Alley, which was the main street targeted by the army.

MOSTAR

Mostar, Bosnias second most pretty city is two-and-a-half hour drive away from Sarajevo and has many lush valleys, a sparkling river, many mosques, and churches. I had thought that my senses were already saturated with the horrors of war that I had seen in Sarajevo, but Mostar again punches you on the face with its heavily pockmarked buildings and streets. The main attraction of Mostar is Stari Most, a 16th Century Ottoman bridge that is aesthetically pleasing but difficult to walk across. It was damaged in several wars and rebuilt in 2004 and is the iconic symbol of the humpbacked bridge. Today, it is used by divers to show off their diving feats in the shallow river below the bridge.

THE BLAGAJ TEKIJA monastery

This 600-year-old Dervish mystical monastery situated at the base of a cliff next to the holy river, Buna, is a unique picturesque series of old buildings and rooms where you can see many dervishes of the Mevlevi order, spin into a dance and go into a state of meditation where they praise God. On certain days of the week, you can engage in conversations with them about sufism. I also recommend a boat ride into the cave near Buna.

Bosnia is a treat for your eyes and senses. It has the Eastern Europes old world charm full of exotic cuisine and history.

 The writer is a travel enthusiast
The following companies are subsidiares of PerkinElmer: Analytica of Branford, Applied Biosystems, Arnel Inc., ArtusLabs, Beijing Huaan Magnech Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Longrun Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Testing Lab Co. Ltd., Beijing OUMENG Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Bio Evolution SAS, Bioo Scientific Corporation, Biosense Picolabs Inc., Biosense Technologies Pvt Ltd., Caliper Life Sciences, Caliper Life Sciences Inc., Cambridge Research & Instrumentation Inc., CambridgeSoft, Ceiba Solutions, Chengdu PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Chromo G.A. SAS, CisBio US Inc., Cisbio Asia Pacific Ltd, Cisbio Bioassays SAS, Cisbio China Ltd., Cisbio Group SAS, Cisbio KK, Cisbio.com, DNA Laboratories Sdn. Bhd., Dani Analitica S.r.l., Dexela, EUROIMMUN (Hangzhou) Medical Laboratory Diagnostics Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN (South East Asia) Pte Ltd., EUROIMMUN (Tianjin) Medical Diagnostic Technology Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN AG, EUROIMMUN Brasil Medicina Diagnostica Ltda., EUROIMMUN Diagnostics Espana S.L.U., EUROIMMUN France SAS, EUROIMMUN Italia Diagnostica Medica S.r.l., EUROIMMUN Japan Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics (China) Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics Canada Inc., EUROIMMUN Medical Laboratory Diagnostics South Africa (Pty) Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, EUROIMMUN Polska Spolka z o.o., EUROIMMUN Portugal Unipessoal Lda., EUROIMMUN Schweiz AG, EUROIMMUN Turkey Tibbi Laboratuar Teshisleri A.S., EUROIMMUN UK Ltd., EUROIMMUN US Inc., EUROIMMUN US Real Estate LLC, Geospiza, Guangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Hangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Horizon Discovery, Immunodiagnostic Systems, Integromics S.L., Jiangsu Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., LabMetrix Technologies, Labtronics, ManCell SAS, Nexcelom Bioscience, NovaScreen Biosciences Corporation, Opto Technology, Orchid Biomedical Systems Pvt Ltd., Oxford Immunotec, Pediatrix Medical Group - Newborn Metabolic Screening Business, Perkin Elmer Chile Ltda., Perkin Elmer Italia SpA, Perkin Elmer Sdn. Bhd., Perkin Elmer Yuhan Hoesa, Perkin Elmer de Mexico S.A., Perkin-Elmer Argentina S.R.L., Perkin-Elmer Instruments (Philippines) Corporation, PerkinElmer (Hong Kong) Ltd., PerkinElmer (India) Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer (Ireland) Ltd., PerkinElmer (Schweiz) AG, PerkinElmer (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund L.P., PerkinElmer (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund Management Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer (UK) Holdings Ltd., PerkinElmer Analytical Solutions B.V., PerkinElmer Automotive Research Inc., PerkinElmer BVBA, PerkinElmer CV Holdings LLC, PerkinElmer Cellular Technologies Germany GmbH, PerkinElmer Danmark A/S, PerkinElmer Diagnostics Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Diagnostics Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Espana S.L., PerkinElmer Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Finland Oy, PerkinElmer Genetics Inc., PerkinElmer Germany Diagnostics GmbH, PerkinElmer Global Diagnostics S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Global Financing S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Health Sciences (Australia) Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer Health Sciences B.V., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Canada Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences FZ-LLC, PerkinElmer Health Sciences Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer Healthcare Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Holding Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Holdings Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer IVD Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer Inc., PerkinElmer Informatics Inc., PerkinElmer Instruments (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer International C.V., PerkinElmer Investments Ky, PerkinElmer Israel Ltd., PerkinElmer Japan Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer LAS (Germany) GmbH, PerkinElmer LAS (UK) Ltd., PerkinElmer Life Sciences International Holdings, PerkinElmer Limited, PerkinElmer Ltd., PerkinElmer Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Nederland B.V., PerkinElmer Norge AS, PerkinElmer Oy, PerkinElmer Polska Sp z o.o., PerkinElmer Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer SAS, PerkinElmer Saglk ve Cevre Bilimleri Ltd., PerkinElmer Shared Services Sp z o.o., PerkinElmer Singapore Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PerkinElmer Sverige AB, PerkinElmer Sweden Health Sciences Holdings AB, PerkinElmer Taiwan Corporation, PerkinElmer VertriebsgmbH, PerkinElmer chemagen Technologie GmbH, PerkinElmer do Brasil Ltda., Perten Instruments, Perten Instruments (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Perten Instruments AB, Perten Instruments France SASU, Perten Instruments GmbH, Perten Instruments Italia S.r.l., Perten Instruments of Australia Pty Ltd., RHS Ltd, RayAl Ltd., Shandong Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Haoyuan Biotech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Signature Genomic Laboratories, Solus Scientific Solutions Inc., Solus Scientific Solutions Ltd., Surendra Genetic Labs, Suzhou PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Suzhou Sym-Bio LifeScience, Suzhou Sym-Bio Lifescience Co. Ltd., Tulip Diagnostics, Tulip Diagnostics Pvt Ltd., Vanadis Diagnostics, Vanadis Diagnostics AB, ViaCell, ViaCord LLC, VisEn Medical, VisEn Medical Inc., Wallac Oy, Wellesley B.V., Xenogen Corporation, ZeLab SAS, and chemagen Biopolymer-Technologie AG.
The following companies are subsidiares of TransDigm Group: 1711 Waterview Pkwy LLC, ARA Deutschland GmbH, ARA Holding GmbH, Acme Aerospace, Adams Rite Aerospace GmbH, Adams Rite Aerospace Inc., Advanced Inflatable Products Limited, Aero-Instruments, AeroControlex Group Inc., Aerosonic, Aerosonic LLC, Air-Sea Survival Equipment Trustee Limited, Airborne Acquisition Inc., Airborne Global Inc., Airborne Holdings Inc., Airborne Systems, Airborne Systems Canada Ltd., Airborne Systems Group Limited, Airborne Systems Holdings Limited, Airborne Systems Limited, Airborne Systems NA Inc., Airborne Systems North America Inc., Airborne Systems North America of CA Inc., Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc., Airborne Systems Pension Trust Limited, Airborne UK Acquisition Limited, Airborne UK Parent Limited, Aircraft Materials Limited, AmSafe, AmSafe Aviation (Chongqing) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Private) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., AmSafe Global Holdings Inc., AmSafe Global Services (Private) Limited, AmSafe Inc., Angus Electronics Co., Arkwin Industries, Arkwin Industries Inc., Auxitrol SAS, Auxitrol Weston Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Auxitrol Weston Singapore Pte. Ltd., Auxitrol Weston USA Inc., Aviation Technologies, Aviation Technologies Inc., Avionic Instruments LLC, Avionics Instruments, Avionics Specialties Inc., AvtechTyee Inc., Beta Transformer Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Beta Transformer Technology Corporation, Beta Transformer Technology LLC, Breeze-Eastern Corporation, Breeze-Eastern LLC, Bridport Erie Aviation Inc., Bridport Holdings Inc., Bridport Ltd., Bridport-Air Carrier Inc., Bruce Aerospace Inc., Bruce Industries, CDA InterCorp LLC, CEF Industries LLC, CMC Electronics Inc., CMC Electronics ME Inc., Champion Aerospace LLC, Cobham, DDC Electronics K.K., DDC Electronics Ltd., DDC Electronics Private Limited, DDC Electronique S.A.R.L., DDC Elektronik GmbH, Darchem Engineering Limited, Darchem Holdings Limited, Data Device Corp., Data Device Corporation, Dukes Aerospace Inc., EST Defence Company UK Limited, Edlaw Limited, Electromech Technologies LLC, Elektro-Metall Export GmbH, Elektro-Metall Paks KFT, Esterline, Esterline Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Europe Company LLC, Esterline Foreign Sales Corporation, Esterline International Company, Esterline Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Esterline Services China Ltd., Esterline Technologies Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Europe Limited, Esterline Technologies France Holding SAS, Esterline Technologies French Acquisition Limited, Esterline Technologies Global Limited, Esterline Technologies Holdings Limited, Esterline Technologies Management France SAS, Esterline Technologies SGIP LLC, Esterline Technologies Unlimited, Esterline do Brasil Assessoria e Intermediacao Ltda, Extant Components Group Holdings Inc., Extant Components Group Intermediate Inc., GQ Parachutes Limited, Guizhou Leach-Tianyi Aviation Electrical Company Ltd, Harco, HarcoSemco LLC, Hartwell Corporation, ILC Holdings Inc., Irvin Aerospace Limited, IrvinGQ France SAS, IrvinGQ Limited, Janco Corporation, Johnson Liverpool LLC, Jupiter SAS, Kirkhill Elastomers, Kirkhill Inc., Kunshan Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Leach Holding Corporation, Leach International Asia-Pacific Ltd, Leach International Europe S.A.S., Leach International Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., Leach International UK Ltd, Leach Technology Group Inc., MarathonNorco Aerospace Inc., McKechnie Aerospace, McKechnie Aerospace (Europe) Ltd., McKechnie Aerospace DE Inc., McKechnie Aerospace DE LP, McKechnie Aerospace Holdings Inc., McKechnie Aerospace US LLC, Mecanismos de Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Militair Aviation Ltd., Norco, Nordisk Asia Pacific Limited, Nordisk Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Nordisk Aviation Products (Kunshan) Ltd., Nordisk Aviation Products AS, North Hills Signal Processing Corp., North Hills Signal Processing Overseas Corp., Norwich Aero Products Inc., Pascall Electronics Limited, Pexco Aerospace, Pexco Aerospace Inc., PneuDraulics, PneuDraulics Inc., Pressure Systems International Ltd, Racal Acoustics Inc., Racal Acoustics Limited, Rancho TransTechnology Corporation, Retainers Inc., SSP Industries, Schneller, Schneller Asia Pte. Ltd., Schneller LLC, Schneller S.A.R.L., Schroth Safety Products, ScioTeq LLC, ScioTeq Ltd., ScioTeq Pte. Ltd., ScioTeq SAS, ScioTeq bvba, Semco Instruments, Semco Instruments Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Signal Processing Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Skandia, Skandia Inc., Skurka Aerospace, Skurka Aerospace Inc., Symetrics Industries, Symetrics Industries LLC, Symetrics Technology Group LLC, TA Mfg Limited, TDG ESL Holdings Inc., TDG France Ultimate Parent SAS, TDG Germany GmbH, TEAC Aerospace Holdings Inc., TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., TREALITY SVS LLC, TTERUSA Inc., Tactair Fluid Controls Inc., Takata Protection Systems, Technical Airborne Components Industries SPRL, Telair International, Telair International AB, Telair International GmbH, Telair International LLC, Telair International Services PTE Ltd, Telair US LLC, Texas Rotronics Inc., TransDigm (Barbados) SRL, TransDigm Canada ULC, TransDigm European Holdings Limited, TransDigm Ireland Ltd., TransDigm Receivables LLC, TransDigm UK Holdings plc, Transicoil (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, Transicoil LLC, Wallop Industries Limited, Weston Aerospace Ltd, Whippany Actuation Systems, Whippany Actuation Systems LLC, XCEL Power Systems Ltd., Young & Franklin, and Young & Franklin Inc..
Zinc Media Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, produces television and radio contents in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Television and Zinc Communicate. The Television segment operates television production activities under the Blakeway, Brook Lapping, Films of Record, Red Sauce, Supercollider, and Tern Television brand names. The Zinc Communicate segment specializes in developing cross-platform content for brands, businesses, and partners, including graphics and animation, web design and hosting, video production, publishing, and advertising sales. In addition, it provides contract publishing services. The company was formerly known as Ten Alps plc and changed its name to Zinc Media Group plc in November 2016. Zinc Media Group plc was incorporated in 1981 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Lennar: 360 Developers LLC, Alliance Financial Services Inc., Ann Arundel Farms Ltd., Aquaterra Utilities Inc., Arbor Mill Veteran Project 2018 LLC, Asbury Woods L.L.C., Astoria Options LLC, Autumn Creek Development Ltd., Aylon LLC, Azusa Associates LLC, B2 Milpitas LLC, BB Investment Holdings LLC, BCI Properties LLC, BMR Communities LLC, BMR Construction Inc., BMTD LLC, BPH I LLC, Bainebridge 249 LLC, Bay Colony Expansion 369 Ltd., Bellagio Lennar LLC, Belle Meade LEN Holdings LLC, Belle Meade Partners LLC, Black Mountain Ranch LLC, Blue Horizons Estates LLC, Bonterra Lennar LLC, Bramalea California Inc., Bressi Gardenlane LLC, Breton Park Lennar LLC, CAP IL 1 LLC, CL Ventures LLC, CML INACTIVE LLC, CML-MO HAF LLC, CML-MO HAF PARKING LLC, CP Block 6aS LLC, CP Block 8aS LLC, CP Block 9aS LLC, CP Center Apartments LLC, CP Center Garage LLC, CP Red Oak Partners Ltd., CP Vertical Development Co. 1 LLC, CP/HPS Development Co. GP LLC, CP/HPS Development Co.-C LLC, CPFE LLC, CPHP Development LLC, CalAtlantic Financial Services Inc., CalAtlantic Group, CalAtlantic Group Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Arizona Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Georgia Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Texas Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Washington Inc., CalAtlantic Mortgage Inc., CalAtlantic National Title Solutions LLC, CalAtlantic Title Agency LLC, CalAtlantic Title Group LLC, CalAtlantic Title Inc., CalAtlantic Title LLC, CalAtlantic Title of Maryland Inc., Camarillo Village Park LLC, Cambria L.L.C., Candlestick Retail Member LLC, Cardiovascular Medical Specialists LLC, Carolina Blue LLC, Carson 175 LLC, Cary Woods LLC, Casa Marina Development LLC, Central Park West Holdings LLC, Cherrytree II LLC, Club Bonterra Lennar LLC, Coco Palm 82 LLC, Colonial Heritage LLC, Columbia National Risk Retention Group Inc., Commonwealth Incentive Fee LLC, Concord Station LLP, Coventry L.L.C., Creekside Crossing L.L.C., Crest at Fondren Investor LLC, DBJ Holdings LLC, DCA Financial LLC, DTC Holdings of Florida LLC, Darcy-Joliet L.L.C., Durrell 33 LLC, EL Ventures LLC, EV LLC, Eagle Bend Commercial LLC, Eagle Home Mortgage LLC, Estates Seven LLC, Evergreen Village LLC, F&R QVI Home Investments USA LLC, FLORDADE LLC, Faria Preserve LLC, Fidelity Guaranty and Acceptance Corp., Fidelity Land LLC, Fox-Maple Associates LLC, Friendswood Development Company LLC, GDI MANAGER LLC, Garco Investments LLC, Greystone Construction Inc., Greystone Homes of Nevada Inc., Greystone Nevada Holdings LLC, Greystone Nevada LLC, Greywall Club L.L.C., HCC Investors LLC, HPS Development Co. LP, HPS Vertical Development Co. LLC, HPS Vertical Development Co.-B LP, HPS Vertical Development Co.-D/E LLC, HPS1 Block 1 LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3B LLC, HPS1 Block 50 LLC, HPS1 Block 51 LLC, HPS1 Block 52 LLC, HPS1 Block 53 LLC, HPS1 Block 54 LLC, HPS1 Block 55 LLC, HPS1 Block 56/57 LLC, HSP Arizona Inc., HTC Golf Club LLC, Hammocks Lennar LLC, Harbor Highlands Group LLC, Harveston LLC, Haverton L.L.C., Heathcote Commons LLC, Heritage Pkwy East Holdings LLC, Heritage of Auburn Hills L.L.C., Hewitts Landing Trustee LLC, Hingham Properties LLC, Huntley Venture L.L.C., Inactive Companies LLC, Independence L.L.C., Independence Orlando LLC, Isles at Bayshore Club LLC, KMC Real Estate Investors LLC, Kendall Hammocks Commercial LLC, Kentuckiana Medical Center LLC, Kingman Lennar LLC, LB/L  Duc III Antioch 330 LLC, LCD Asante LLC, LCI Downtown Doral Investor LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor GP LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor LP LLC, LEN - Belle Meade LLC, LEN - OBS Windemere LLC, LEN - Palm Vista LLC, LEN BPT Investor LLC, LEN Mirada Investor LLC, LEN Notarize Investor LLC, LEN OT Holdings LLC, LEN Paradise Cable LLC, LEN Paradise Operating LLC, LEN-CG South LLC, LEN-Cypress Mill LLC, LEN-Ryan 1 LLC, LEN-Touchstone LLC, LENH I LLC, LENNAR HOMES OF TENNESSEE LLC, LFS Holding Company LLC, LH Eastwind LLC, LHI Renaissance LLC, LMC 10th & Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 144th and Grant Investor LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Holdings LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Investor LLC, LMC 360 Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 410 S Wabash Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Investor LLC, LMC 8th Avenue Apartment Investor LLC, LMC 990 Bannock Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Investor LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Holdings LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Investor LLC, LMC Block 42 Holdings LLC, LMC Build to Core III Investor LLC, LMC Build to Core III LLC, LMC Burnside Holdings LLC, LMC Burnside Investor LLC, LMC Chandler and McClintock Holdings LLC, LMC Charlestowne Holdings LLC, LMC Charlotte Ballpark Developer LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Holdings LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Investor LLC, LMC Cobalt Holdings LLC, LMC Costa Mesa Holdings LP, LMC Crest at Park West Holdings LP, LMC Denver Gateway I Investor LLC, LMC Denver Gateway II Holdings LLC, LMC Development LLC, LMC Downtown Doral South Holdings LLC, LMC Durham Gateway Holdings LP, LMC Evans School Holdings LLC, LMC Gateway Investor LLC, LMC Gateway Venture LLC, LMC Gilman Square Investor LLC, LMC Horton Street Holdings LLC, LMC Huntington Crossing Holdings LLC, LMC Inactive Companies LLC, LMC Lakeside Holdings LP, LMC Leya Holdings LLC, LMC Living Illinois LLC, LMC Living Inc., LMC Living LLC, LMC Living TRS LP, LMC Millenia Investor II LLC, LMC NE Minneapolis Lot 2 Holdings LLC, LMC New Bern Investor LLC, LMC North Park Holdings LP, LMC Parkfield Holdings LLC, LMC Parkfield Investor LLC, LMC Righters Ferry Holdings LLC, LMC River North Holdings LLC, LMC Spring Street Investor LLC, LMC Stonewall Station Investor LLC, LMC Triangle Square Investor LLC, LMC Venture Developer LLC, LMC Verbena Holdings LLC, LMC West Loop Investor LLC, LMCFX Investor LLC, LMCPNW Marymoor Holdings LLC, LMI - Jacksonville Investor LLC, LMI - South Kings Development Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle Holdings LLC, LMI - West Seattle Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle LLC, LMI Cell Tower Investors LLC, LMI City Walk Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale LLC, LMI Contractors LLC, LMI Glencoe Dallas Investor LLC, LMI Lakes West Covina Investor LLC, LMI Largo Park Investor LLC, LMI Las Colinas Station LLC, LMI Naperville Investor LLC, LMI Pacific Tower LLC, LMI Park Central Two LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners Investor LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners LLC, LMI-JC Developer LLC, LMI-JC LLC, LMV 1640 Broadway REIT-DC LP, LMV 1701 Ballard REIT-DC LP, LMV 19H REIT-DC LP, LMV 2026 Madison REIT-DC LP, LMV 85 South Union REIT-DC LP, LMV ATown REIT-DC LP, LMV Annapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Apache Terrace REIT-DC LP, LMV Block 42 REIT-DC LP, LMV Bloomington REIT-DC LP, LMV Bolingbrook REIT-DC LP (DE), LMV Central at McDowell REIT-DC LP, LMV East Village I REIT-DC LP, LMV Edina REIT-DC LP, LMV Fremont WS I REIT-DC LP, LMV Glisan REIT-DC LP, LMV Grand Bay REIT-DC LP, LMV II Grand Bay Pod V Holdings LP, LMV II Kierland Holdings LP, LMV II NoMo Holdings LP, LMV II Venture Developer LLC, LMV II Wynwood Holdings LP, LMV Kirkland REIT-DC LP, LMV Little Italy REIT-DC LP, LMV M Tower REIT-DC LP, LMV Millenia II REIT-DC LP, LMV Milpitas REIT-DC LP, LMV NE Minneapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Oak Park REIT-DC LP, LMV One20Fourth REIT-DC LP, LMV QR Build to Core Manager LLC, LMV Rio Bravo REIT-DC LP, LMV Scottsdale Quarter REIT-DC LP, LMV Tysons REIT-DC LP, LMV Vallagio III REIT-DC LP, LMV Victory Block G REIT-DC LP, LMV Warren Street REIT-DC LP, LNC Communities II LLC, LNC Communities IV LLC, LNC Communities V LLC, LNC Communities VI LLC, LNC Communities VII LLC, LNC Communities VIII LLC, LNC Pennsylvania Realty Inc., LNC at Meadowbrook LLC, LNC at Ravenna LLC, LS College Park LLC, LS Terracina LLC, LV Opendoor Investor LLC, LV Opendoor JV LLC, LW D'Andrea LLC, Lagoon Valley Residential LLC, Lakelands at Easton L.L.C., Legends Club LLC, Legends Golf Club LLC, Len - Little Harbor LLC, Len FW Investor LLC, Len Paradise LLC, Len-Angeline LLC, Len-Hawks Point LLC, Len-Land LLC, Len-Land West LLC, Len-MN LLC, Len-Verandahs LLP, LenCom LLC, LenFive LLC, LenFive Opco GP LLC, LenFive Sub III LLC, LenFive Sub LLC, LenFive Sub Opco GP LLC, Lenalto CMBS LLC, Lencraft LLC, Lennar Aircraft I LLC, Lennar Arizona Construction Inc., Lennar Arizona Inc., Lennar Associates Management Holding Company, Lennar Associates Management LLC, Lennar Avenue One LLC, Lennar Berkeley LLC, Lennar Bevard LLC, Lennar Bridges LLC, Lennar Buffington Colorado Crossing L.P., Lennar Buffington Zachary Scott L.P., Lennar Carolinas LLC, Lennar Central Park LLC, Lennar Central Region Sweep Inc., Lennar Chicago Inc., Lennar Cobra LLC, Lennar Colgate Urban Renewal Development LLC, Lennar Colorado LLC, Lennar Colorado Minerals LLC, Lennar Commercial LLC, Lennar Communities Development Inc., Lennar Communities Inc., Lennar Communities Nevada LLC, Lennar Communities of Chicago L.L.C., Lennar Concord LLC, Lennar Construction Inc., Lennar Cory Road LLC, Lennar Courts LLC, Lennar Developers Inc., Lennar Ewing LLC, Lennar Financial Services LLC, Lennar Flamingo LLC, Lennar Fresno Inc., Lennar Gardens LLC, Lennar Georgia Inc., Lennar Greer Ranch Venture LLC, Lennar Heritage Fields LLC, Lennar Hingham Holdings LLC, Lennar Hingham JV LLC, Lennar Homes Holding LLC, Lennar Homes LLC, Lennar Homes NJ LLC, Lennar Homes of Arizona Inc., Lennar Homes of California Inc., Lennar Homes of Indiana Inc., Lennar Homes of Texas Land and Construction Ltd., Lennar Homes of Texas Sales and Marketing Ltd., Lennar Homes of Utah Inc., Lennar International Holding LLC, Lennar International LLC, Lennar Lakeside Investor LLC, Lennar Layton LLC, Lennar Living LLC, Lennar Lytle LLC, Lennar MF Holdings LLC, Lennar MPA LLC, Lennar MPA WIP LLC, Lennar Mare Island LLC, Lennar Marina A Funding LLC, Lennar Massachusetts Properties Inc., Lennar Middletown LLC, Lennar Monmouth Redevelopers LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Victory Block G Mezz LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily Builders LLC, Lennar Multifamily Communities LLC, Lennar Multifamily Venture DC LP, Lennar New Jersey Holdings LLC, Lennar New Jersey Properties Inc., Lennar New York LLC, Lennar Northeast Properties LLC, Lennar Northwest Inc., Lennar OHB LLC, Lennar PI Acquisition LLC, Lennar PI Property Acquisition LLC, Lennar PIS Management Company LLC, Lennar Pacific Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Management Inc., Lennar Plumsted Urban Renewal LLC, Lennar Point LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core GP LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core LP LLC, Lennar Realty Inc., Lennar Reno LLC, Lennar Riverwalk LLC, Lennar Sacramento Inc., Lennar Sales Corp., Lennar Sierra Sunrise LLC, Lennar Spencer's Crossing LLC, Lennar Sun Ridge LLC, Lennar Texas Holding LLC, Lennar Ventures LLC, Lennar West Valley LLC, Lennar Winncrest LLC, Lennar at Franklin LLC, Lennar at Jackson LLC, Lennar at Marlboro 79 LLC, Lennar at Monroe LLC, Lennar.com Inc., Longleaf Acquisition LLC, Lori Gardens Associates II LLC, Lori Gardens Associates III LLC, Lori Gardens Associates L.L.C., Lorton Station LLC, Lyons Lennar Farms LLC, Madrona Ridge L.L.C., Madrona Village L.L.C., Madrona Village Mews L.L.C., Majestic Woods LLC, Maple and Broadway Holdings LLC, Menifee Development LLC, Mid-County Utilities Inc., Miralago West Lennar LLC, Mission Viejo 12S Venture LP, Mission Viejo Holdings Inc., Motomic Diagnostics LLC, Multibank 2009-1 CML-ADC Venture LLC, Multibank 2009-1 RES-ADC Venture LLC, NC Properties I LLC, NC Properties II LLC, North American Asset Development LLC, Northbridge L.L.C., OHC/Ascot Belle Meade LLC, One SR L.P., PD-Len Boca Raton LLC, PG Properties Holding LLC, POMAC LLC, PT Metro LLC, Pace Drive Holdings LLC, Palm Gardens At Doral Clubhouse LLC, Palm Gardens at Doral LLC, Palm Springs Classic LLC, Palm Vista Preserve LLC, Patuxent Infrastructure Inc., Pioneer Meadows Development LLC, Pioneer Meadows Investments LLC, Plaza Condominium Ventures LLC, Portside Marina Developers L.L.C., Portside SM Associates L.L.C., Portside SM Holdings L.L.C., Portside Shipyard Developers L.L.C., Prestonfield L.L.C., Quail Roost Lennar LLC, RCCF GP II LLC, RCCF GP III LLC, RCCF GP IV LLC, RCCF GP LLC, RES-FL EIGHT LLC, RES-FL SEVEN LLC, RES-FL VISION ONE LLC, RES-FL VISION TWO LLC, RES-GA CASCADE LLC, RES-GA DIAMOND MEADOWS LLC, RES-GA KAP LLC, RES-GA SOUTHERN PLANTATION LLC, RES-GA THIRTEEN LLC, RES-GA TWELVE LLC, RES-GA WEST LLC, RES-IL ONE LLC, RES-NC ONE LLC, RES-PA LSJ LLC, RES-PA POM LLC, RES-TX BOULEVARD LLC, RH Insurance Company Inc., RH MOA BBCMS 2017-C1 LLC, RH MOA CF 2017-C8 LLC, RH MOA LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C4 LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C6 LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 CLASS B LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 LLC, RL BB FINANCIAL LLC, RL BB INACTIVE LLC, RL BB-AL LLC, RL BB-FL ALHI LLC, RL BB-GA LLC, RL BB-GA RMH LLC, RL BB-IL LLC, RL BB-IN AA LLC, RL BB-IN KRE LLC, RL BB-IN KRE OP LLC, RL BB-IN KRE RE LLC, RL BB-MS LLC, RL BB-NC LLC, RL BB-OH LLC, RL BB-SC BROOKSA LLC, RL BB-SC CLR II LLC, RL BB-SC CLR III LLC, RL BB-SC CLR IV LLC, RL BB-SC CLR LLC, RL BB-SC CRRC LLC, RL BB-SC RACEDAY LLC, RL BB-TN BRISTOL LLC, RL BB-TN LLC, RL BB-TN RACEDAY TOWER LLC, RL BB-TX LLC, RL BB-WV LLC, RL CMBS Holdings LLC, RL CML 2009-1 Investments LLC, RL REGI ARKANSAS LLC, RL REGI Alabama LLC, RL REGI FINANCIAL LLC, RL REGI Florida LLC, RL REGI GEORGIA LLC, RL REGI INACTIVE LLC, RL REGI KANSAS LLC, RL REGI MISSISSIPPI LLC, RL REGI MISSOURI LLC, RL REGI NORTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI SOUTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI TENNESSEE LLC, RL REGI VIRGINIA LLC, RL REGI-AL HP LLC, RL REGI-AL VRC LLC, RL REGI-FL CRC LLC, RL REGI-FL ESH LLC, RL REGI-FL FT. PIERCE LLC, RL REGI-FL GDL LLC, RL REGI-FL ITALIA LLC, RL REGI-FL MRED LLC, RL REGI-FL RDI LLC, RL REGI-FL SARASOTA LLC, RL REGI-FL TPL LLC, RL REGI-FL VARC LLC, RL REGI-GA DRAD LLC, RL REGI-GA HAY DB LLC, RL REGI-GA MHU LLC, RL REGI-GA MPD LLC, RL REGI-GA RLR LLC, RL REGI-MO GMB LLC, RL REGI-MO MOSCOW MILLS LLC, RL REGI-MS Double H LLC, RL REGI-MS OCEAN SPRINGS LLC, RL REGI-NC CIL LLC, RL REGI-NC LITTLE WING LLC, RL REGI-NC MLD LLC, RL REGI-NC Mland LLC, RL REGI-NC RALEIGH LLC, RL REGI-NC SUGARM LLC, RL REGI-NM LLC, RL REGI-SC CTL LLC, RL REGI-SC LAKE E LLC, RL REGI-SC TDG LLC, RL REGI-SC TIG LLC, RL REGI-TN OAK LLC, RL REGI-TN SEVIERVILLE LLC, RL RES 2009-1 Investments LLC, RMF Alliance LLC, RMF Commercial LLC, RMF PR New York LLC, RMF Partner LLC, RMF SUB 1 LLC, RMF SUB 2 LLC, RMF SUB 3 LLC, RMF SUB 4 LLC, RMF SUB 5 LLC, RMV LLC, Raintree Village II L.L.C., Raintree Village L.L.C., Ral-Len BM LLC, Ral-Len LLC, Rannel Capital WeWork Series D LLC, Rannel Holdings LLC, Rannel Interests LLC, Rannel Investments LLC, Rannel Mortgage Investments LLC, Rannel Proprietary Investments LLC, Renaissance Joint Venture, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove II LLC, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove LLC, Reserve at River Park LLC, Reserve at South Harrison LLC, Rialto Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Rialto Credit Partnership GP LLC, Rialto Mezz Partners GP LLC, Rialto Mortgage Finance LLC, Rialto Partners GP II LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Debt LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Property LLC, Rialto Partners GP LLC, Rialto RSSF GP LLC, Riverwalk at Lago Mar LLC, Rocking Horse Minerals LLC, Rutenberg Homes Inc. 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Realty Inc., UAMC Holding Company LLC, UB 2018C14 MOA LLC, USH - Flag LLC, USH Equity Corporation, USH LEE LLC, USH Leasing II LLC, USH Leasing LLC, UST Lennar HW Scala SF Joint Venture, VII Crown Farm Investor LLC, Venetian Lennar LLC, Vineyard Land LLC, Vineyard Point 2009 LLC, Vista Palms Clubhouse LLC, WCI Communities, WCI Communities Inc., WCI Communities LLC, WCI Towers Northeast USA Inc., WCI Westshore LLC, WCP LLC, WIP Lennar OHB LLC, Waterview at Hanover LLC, West Lake Village LLC, West Seattle Project X LLC, West Van Buren L.L.C., Westchase Inc., Westchase Ltd., Westfield Homes USA Inc., White Course Lennar LLC, Wild Plum JV LLC, Willowbrook Investors LLC, Winncrest Natomas LLC, Woodbridge Multifamily Developer I LLC, Wright Farm L.L.C., and YLRichards4Acres 2015 LLC.
Chacko had publicly said that the alliance should happen, though he had added that the final call would be that of Mr Gandhi.

New Delhi: After weeks of dithering, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are learnt to have agreed in-principal to form a pre-poll alliance for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. Both the parties will fight on three seats each, while one seat will be contested jointly by fielding a common independent candidate.

Sources privy to developments said that the final approval to the decision will be given by Congress core group and a formal announcement is likely soon. Polling for citys seven Lok Sabha seats, all currently held by the BJP, will take place on May 12.

The Congress is learnt to have kept the New Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North West Delhi seats with itself, while the seats of North East Delhi, South Delhi and East Delhi have been allotted to the AAP.

The remaining West Delhi seat is likely to be allotted to an independent candidate who would be jointly selected by both the parties, sources informed.

Sources said that despite objection by Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit, the Congress agreed to enter into an arrangement with the AAP with a pre-condition that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party will not insist on an alliance in other states. The Congress and the AAP are pitted against each other in Punjab.

The two parties alliance in Delhi comes as a surprise, especially after party chief Rahul Gandhi had last week asked booth level workers to ensure victory of party candidates on all seven seats.

Sources said that Congress Delhi in-charge P.C. Chacko is learnt to have played a major role in the change in the partys stand, as a majority of city party workers  when asked about their opinion on the alliance proposal through the partys Shakti app  are said to have given their approval to the a tie-up with the AAP.

It is learnt that the party high command reconsidered its stand on alliance with the AAP after receiving a positive feedback from party workers.

Mr Chacko had publicly said that the alliance should happen, though he had added that the final call would be that of Mr Gandhi.

Interestingly, the change in partys stand is likely to leave Ms Dikshi, who recently took over as the city Congress chief, on a sticky wicket. She was the chief minister in Delhi when the AAP was formed in 2013 amid allegations of corruption in the city government.

Anti-corruption activist-turned-politician Kejriwal had targeted Ms Dikshit-led government over alleged corruption and wrested power from the Congress in 2013, ending the partys 15-year rule in the city.

The Congress-AAP reunion is likely to give fresh ammunition to the BJP which has always maintained that the AAP is a B-team of the Congress and that the two parties had a backdoor pact.

The AAP and the Congress had a bitter divorce in 2014, within 49 days of Mr Kejriwal taking oath as the chief minister in his first tenure. Mr Kejriwal had resigned on February 14, 2014, abruptly bringing to end the tenure of the AAPs first ever government in the country.
The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations  Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, TXF LLC, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA engages in the traditional banking businesses of retail banking, asset management, private banking, and wholesale banking. It operates through the following segments: Spain, the United States, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and Rest of Eurasia. The Spain segment includes mainly the banking and insurance business that the group carries out in Spain. The United States segment consists of the financial business activity of BBVA USA in the country and the activity of the branch of BBVA SA in New York. The Mexico segment refers to banking and insurance businesses in this country as well as the activity of its branch in Houston. The Turkey segment reports the activity of Garanti BBVA group that is mainly carried out in this country and, to a lesser extent, in Romania and the Netherlands. The South America segment comprises of operations in n Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Rest of Eurasia segment includes the banking business activity carried out by the group in Europe and Asia, excluding Spain. The company was founded in 1857 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Banco Santander: 2 & 3 Triton Limited, A & L CF (Guernsey) Limited (f), A & L CF June (2) Limited, A & L CF June (3) Limited, A & L CF March (5) Limited, A & L CF September (4) Limited, AFB SAM Holdings S.L., ALIL Services Limited (b), AN (123) Limited, ANITCO Limited, Abbey Business Services (India) Private Limited, Abbey Covered Bonds (LM) Limited, Abbey National, Abbey National Beta Investments Limited, Abbey National Business Office Equipment Leasing Limited, Abbey National International Limited, Abbey National Nominees Limited, Abbey National PLP (UK) Limited, Abbey National Property Investments, Abbey National Treasury Services Investments Limited, Abbey National Treasury Services Overseas Holdings, Abbey National UK Investments, Abbey Stockbrokers (Nominees) Limited, Abbey Stockbrokers Limited, Ablasa Participaciones S.L., Administracion de Bancos Latinoamericanos Santander S.L., Aduro S.A., Aevis Europa S.L., Afisa S.A., Albert., Aljardi SGPS Lda., Alliance & Leicester, Alliance & Leicester Cash Solutions Limited, Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (Derivatives) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (No.2) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments Limited, Alliance & Leicester Limited, Alliance & Leicester Personal Finance Limited, Altamira Santander Real Estate S.A., Alternative Leasing FIL, Amazonia Trade Limited, Amherst Pierpont, Andaluza de Inversiones S.A., Aquanima Brasil Ltda., Aquanima Chile S.A., Aquanima Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aquanima S.A., Arcaz - Sociedade Imobiliaria Portuguesa Lda., Argenline S.A. (b), Asto Digital Limited, Athena Corporation Limited, Atual - Fundo de Invest Multimercado Credito Privado Investimento no Exterior, Atual Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos e Meios Digitais S.A., Autodescuento S.L., Autohaus24 GmbH, Auttar HUT Processamento de Dados Ltda., Aviacion Antares A.I.E., Aviacion Britanica A.I.E., Aviacion Centaurus A.I.E., Aviacion Comillas S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Intercontinental A.I.E., Aviacion Laredo S.L., Aviacion Oyambre S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Real A.I.E., Aviacion Santillana S.L., Aviacion Suances S.L., Aviacion Triton A.I.E., Aymore Credito Financiamento e Investimento S.A., BEN Beneficios e Servicos S.A., BRS Investments S.A., BZW Bank, Banca PSA Italia S.p.A., Banco Bandepe S.A., Banco Madesant - Sociedade Unipessoal S.A., Banco PSA Finance Brasil S.A., Banco Popular, Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A., Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 100740, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 2002114, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso GFSSLPT, Banco Santander - Chile, Banco Santander Consumer Portugal S.A., Banco Santander International, Banco Santander International SA, Banco Santander Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Banco Santander Peru S.A., Banco Santander Rio S.A., Banco Santander S.A., Banco Santander Totta S.A., Banco Santander de Negocios Colombia S.A., Banco de Albacete S.A., Bansa Santander S.A., CCAP Auto Lease Ltd., Canyon Multifamily Impact Fund IV LLC, Capital Street Delaware LP, Capital Street Holdings LLC, Capital Street REIT Holdings LLC, Capital Street S.A., Carfax (Guernsey) Limited (f), Carfinco Financial Group, Carfinco Financial Group Inc., Carfinco Inc., Casa de Bolsa Santander S.A. de C.V. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Cater Allen Holdings Limited, Cater Allen International Limited, Cater Allen Limited, Cater Allen Lloyd's Holdings Limited, Cater Allen Syndicate Management Limited, Centro de Capacitacion Santander A.C., Certidesa S.L., Chrysler Capital Auto Funding I LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Funding II LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Receivables LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 2 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 4 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding LLC, Cobranza Amigable S.A.P.I. de C.V., Community Development and Affordable Housing Fund LLC (g), Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - Credipar S.A., Compagnie Pour la Location de Vehicules - CLV, Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Argentina S.A., Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Iberica S.L. Unipersonal en liquidacion (b), Consulteam Consultores de Gestao Lda., Consumer Lending Receivables LLC, Crawfall S.A. (b), Cantabra de Inversiones S.A., Cantabro Catalana de Inversiones S.A., Darep Designated Activity Company, Decarome S.A.P.I. de C.V., Deva Capital Advisory Company S.L., Deva Capital Holding Company S.L., Deva Capital Investment Company S.L., Deva Capital Management Company S.L., Deva Capital Servicer Company S.L., Digital Procurement Holdings N.V., Diners Club Spain S.A., Direccion Estratega S.C., Dirgenfin S.L. en liquidacion (b), Ebury, El Corte Ingles, Elavon Mexico, Electrolyser S.A. de C.V., Entidad de Desarrollo a la Pequena y Micro Empresa Santander Consumo Peru S.A., Erestone S.A.S., Esfera Fidelidade S.A., Evidence Previdencia S.A., Financeira El Corte Ingles Portugal S.F.C. S.A., Financiera El Corte Ingles E.F.C. S.A., Finsantusa S.L. Unipersonal, First National Motor Business Limited, First National Motor Contracts Limited, First National Motor Facilities Limited, First National Motor Finance Limited, First National Motor Leasing Limited, First National Motor plc, First National Tricity Finance Limited, Fondos Santander S.A. Administradora de Fondos de Inversion (en liquidacion) (b), Fortensky Trading Ltd., Fosse Funding (No.1) Limited, Fosse Master Issuer plc, Fosse Trustee (UK) Limited, GTS El Centro Equity Holdings LLC, GTS El Centro Project Holdings LLC, Gamma Sociedade Financeira de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Gesban Mexico Servicios Administrativos Globales S.A. de C.V., Gesban Santander Servicios Profesionales Contables Limitada, Gesban Servicios Administrativos Globales S.L., Gesban UK Limited, Gestion de Instalaciones Fotovoltaicas S.L. Unipersonal, Gestion de Inversiones JILT S.A., Gestora de Procesos S.A. en liquidacion (b), Getnet Adquirencia e Servicos para Meios de Pagamento S.A., Global Vosgos S.L. Unipersonal, Grupo Empresarial Santander S.L., Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico S.A. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Santander SAB de CV, Guaranty Car S.A. Unipersonal, HQ Mobile Limited, Hispamer Renting S.A. Unipersonal, Holbah II Limited, Holbah Santander S.L. Unipersonal, Holmes Funding Limited, Holmes Master Issuer plc, Holmes Trustees Limited, Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH, Iberica de Compras Corporativas S.L., Independence Community Bank Corp., Insurance Funding Solutions Limited, Interfinance Holanda B.V., Inversiones Capital Global S.A. Unipersonal, Inversiones Maritimas del Mediterraneo S.A., Isla de los Buques S.A., Klare Corredora de Seguros S.A., Landcompany 2020 S.L., Langton Funding (No.1) Limited, Langton Mortgages Trustee (UK) Limited, Langton Securities (2008-1) plc, Langton Securities (2010-1) PLC, Langton Securities (2010-2) PLC, Laparanza S.A., Liquidity Limited, Luri 1 S.A. en liquidacion (b) (e), Luri 6 S.A. Unipersonal, Master Red Europa S.L., Mata Alta S.L., Merciver S.L., Mercury TFS, Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.A. de C.V., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.L., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.p.A., Moneybit S.L., Mortgage Engine Limited, Motor 2016-1 PLC, Motor 2017-1 PLC, Mouro Capital I LP, Multiplica SpA, NW Services CO., Naviera Mirambel S.L., Naviera Trans Gas A.I.E., Naviera Trans Iron S.L., Naviera Trans Ore A.I.E., Naviera Trans Wind S.L. (b), Naviera Transcantabrica S.L., Naviera Transchem S.L. Unipersonal, NeoAuto S.A.C., Norbest AS, Novimovest  Fundo de Investimento Imobiliario, Open Bank Argentina S.A., Open Bank S.A., Open Digital Market S.L., Open Digital Services S.L., Operadora de Carteras Gamma S.A.P.I. de C.V., Optimal Investment Services SA, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland Euro Fund, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland US Dollar Fund, PBE Companies LLC, PECOH Limited, PI Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH, PSA Banque France, PSA Finance UK Limited, PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V., PSA Financial Services Spain E.F.C. S.A., PSA Renting Italia S.p.A., PagoFX Europe S.A., PagoFX HoldCo S.L., PagoFX UK Ltd, PagoNxt Merchant Solutions S.L., PagoNxt S.L., Parasant SA, Patagon.com, Pereda Gestion S.A., Pingham International S.A., Popular Spain Holding de Inversiones S.L.U., Portal Universia Argentina S.A., Portal Universia Portugal Prestacao de Servicos de Informatica S.A., Prime 16  Fundo de Investimentos Imobiliario, Punta Lima LLC, Punta Lima Wind Farm LLC, Retop S.A., Return Capital Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos S.A., Return Gestao de Recursos S.A., Riobank International (Uruguay) SAIFE (b), Rojo Entretenimento S.A., SAM Asset Management S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, SAM Investment Holdings S.L., SAM UK Investment Holdings Limited (b), SANB Promotora de Vendas e Cobranca Ltda., SCF Eastside Locks GP Limited, SDMX Superdigital S.A. de C.V., SMPS Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A de C.V, Sancap Investimentos e Participacoes S.A., Santander (CF Trustee Property Nominee) Limited, Santander (UK) Group Pension Schemes Trustees Limited, Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 1 S.A., Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 2 S.A., Santander Alternatives SICAV RAIF, Santander Asesorias Financieras Limitada, Santander Asset Finance (December) Limited, Santander Asset Finance plc, Santander Asset Management - S.G.O.I.C. S.A., Santander Asset Management Chile S.A., Santander Asset Management LLC, Santander Asset Management Luxembourg S.A., Santander Asset Management S.A. Administradora General de Fondos, Santander Asset Management S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Asset Management UK Holdings Limited, Santander Asset Management UK Limited, Santander Back-Offices Globales Mayoristas S.A., Santander Banca de Inversion Colombia S.A.S., Santander Bank & Trust Ltd., Santander Bank National Association, Santander Bank Polska S.A., Santander Brasil Administradora de Consorcio Ltda., Santander Brasil Gestao de Recursos Ltda., Santander Brasil Tecnologia S.A., Santander Capital Desarrollo SGEIC S.A. Unipersonal, Santander Capital Structuring S.A. de C.V., Santander Capitalizacao S.A., Santander Cards Ireland Limited, Santander Cards Limited, Santander Cards UK Limited, Santander Chile Holding S.A., Santander Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L4 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L5 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Bank, Santander Consumer Bank AG, Santander Consumer Bank GmbH, Santander Consumer Bank S.A., Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A., Santander Consumer Banque S.A., Santander Consumer Credit Services Limited, Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V., Santander Consumer Finance Global Services S.L., Santander Consumer Finance Oy, Santander Consumer Finance S.A., Santander Consumer Finance Schweiz AG, Santander Consumer Financial Solutions Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Finanse Sp. z o.o. (b), Santander Consumer Holding Austria GmbH, Santander Consumer Holding GmbH, Santander Consumer International Puerto Rico LLC, Santander Consumer Leasing GmbH, Santander Consumer Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.L., Santander Consumer Multirent Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Operations Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Receivables 10 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 11 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 3 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 7 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables Funding LLC, Santander Consumer Renting S.L., Santander Consumer S.A., Santander Consumer S.A.S., Santander Consumer Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Services S.A., Santander Consumer Technology Services GmbH, Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc., Santander Consumer USA Inc., Santander Consumo S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Corredora de Seguros Limitada, Santander Corredores de Bolsa Limitada, Santander Corretora de Cambio e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., Santander Corretora de Seguros Investimentos e Servicos S.A., Santander Customer Voice S.A., Santander Digital Assets S.L., Santander Drive Auto Receivables LLC, Santander Equity Investments Limited, Santander Espana Merchant Services Entidad de Pago S.L. Unipersonal, Santander Espana Servicios Legales y de Cumplimiento S.L., Santander Estates Limited, Santander F24 S.A., Santander Facility Management Espana S.L., Santander Factoring S.A., Santander Factoring Sp. z o.o., Santander Factoring y Confirming S.A. E.F.C., Santander Finance 2012-1 LLC, Santander Financial Exchanges Limited, Santander Financial Services Inc., Santander Financial Services plc, Santander Finanse Sp. z o.o., Santander Fintech Holdings S.L., Santander Fintech Limited, Santander Fundo de Investimento SBAC Referenciado di Credito Privado, Santander Gestion de Recaudacion y Cobranzas Ltda., Santander Global Consumer Finance Limited, Santander Global Facilities S.A. de C.V., Santander Global Facilities S.L., Santander Global Operations S.A., Santander Global Services S.A. (b), Santander Global Sport S.A., Santander Global Technology Brasil Ltda., Santander Global Technology Chile Limitada, Santander Global Technology S.L., Santander Global Trade Platform Solutions S.L., Santander Guarantee Company, Santander Holding Imobiliaria S.A., Santander Holding Internacional S.A., Santander Holdings USA Inc., Santander ISA Managers Limited, Santander Inclusion Financiera S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Insurance Agency U.S. LLC, Santander Insurance Services UK Limited, Santander Intermediacion Correduria de Seguros S.A., Santander International Products Plc. (d), Santander Inversiones S.A., Santander Investment Bank Limited, Santander Investment Chile Limitada, Santander Investment I S.A., Santander Investment S.A., Santander Investment Securities Inc., Santander Investments GP 1 S.a.r.l., Santander Inwestycje Sp. z o.o., Santander Lease S.A. E.F.C., Santander Leasing LLC, Santander Leasing S.A., Santander Leasing S.A. Arrendamento Mercantil, Santander Lending Limited, Santander Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Operations S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Services S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Uruguay S.A., Santander Merchant Platform SolucoesTecnologicas Brasil Ltda., Santander Merchant S.A., Santander Mortgage Holdings Limited, Santander Paraty Qif PLC, Santander Pensiones S.A. E.G.F.P., Santander Pensoes - Sociedade Gestora de Fundos de Pensoes S.A., Santander Private Banking Gestion S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Private Banking UK Limited, Santander Private Banking s.p.a. in Liquidazione (b), Santander Private Real Estate Advisory & Management S.A., Santander Private Real Estate Advisory S.A., Santander Real Estate S.A., Santander Retail Auto Lease Funding LLC, Santander Rio Asset Management Gerente de Fondos Comunes de Inversion S.A., Santander Rio Trust S.A., Santander Rio Valores S.A., Santander S.A. Sociedad Securitizadora, Santander Secretariat Services Limited, Santander Securities LLC, Santander Seguros y Reaseguros Compania Aseguradora S.A., Santander Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., Santander Servicios Especializados S.A. de C.V., Santander Technology USA LLC, Santander Tecnologia e Inovacao Ltda., Santander Tecnologia Argentina S.A., Santander Tecnologia Espana S.L.U., Santander Tecnologia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Totta SGPS S.A., Santander Totta Seguros Companhia de Seguros de Vida S.A., Santander Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych S.A., Santander Trade Services Limited, Santander UK Group Holdings plc, Santander UK Investments, Santander UK Operations Limited, Santander UK Plc, Santander UK Technology Limited, Santander Wealth Management International SA, Santander de Titulizacion S.G.F.T. S.A., Santusa Holding S.L., Services and Promotions Delaware Corp., Services and Promotions Miami LLC, Servicio de Alarmas Controladas por Ordenador S.A., Servicios de Cobranza Recuperacion y Seguimiento S.A. De C.V., Sheppards Moneybrokers Limited, Shiloh III Wind Project LLC, Sociedad Integral de Valoraciones Automatizadas S.A., Sociedad Operadora de Tarjetas de Pago Santander Getnet Chile S.A., Socur S.A., Sol Orchard Imperial 1 LLC, Solarlaser Limited, Sovereign Community Development Company, Sovereign Delaware Investment Corporation, Sovereign Lease Holdings LLC, Sovereign REIT Holdings Inc., Sovereign Spirit Limited (f), Sterrebeeck B.V., Suleyado 2003 S.L. Unipersonal, Summer Empreendimentos Ltda., Super Pagamentos e Administracao de Meios Eletronicos S.A., Superdigital Argentina S.A.U., Superdigital Colombia S.A.S., Superdigital Holding Company S.L., Superdigital Peru S.A.C., Suzuki Servicios Financieros S.L., Swesant SA, TIMFin S.p.A., TOPSAM S.A de C.V., Taxagest Sociedade Gestora de Participacoes Sociais S.A., Teatinos Siglo XXI Inversiones S.A., The Alliance & Leicester Corporation Limited, The Best Specialty Coffee S.L. Unipersonal, Time Retail Finance Limited (b), Tonopah Solar I LLC, Toque Fale Servicos de Telemarketing Ltda., Tornquist Asesores de Seguros S.A. (b), Totta (Ireland) PLC, Totta Urbe - Empresa de Administracao e Construcoes S.A., Trabajando.com Mexico S.A. de C.V. en liquidacion (b), Trabajando.com Peru S.A.C., Trans Rotor Limited (b), Transolver Finance EFC S.A., Tresmares Growth Fund Santander SCR S.A., Tresmares Santander Direct Lending SICC S.A., Tuttle and Son Limited, Universia Brasil S.A., Universia Chile S.A., Universia Colombia S.A.S., Universia Espana Red de Universidades S.A., Universia Holding S.L., Universia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Universia Peru S.A., Universia Uruguay S.A., Uro Property Holdings SOCIMI S.A., WIM Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., WTW Shipping Designated Activity Company, Wallcesa S.A., Wave Holdco S.L., Waypoint Insurance Group Inc., and Wirecard (Technological Assets).
Bridgepoint Education, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides postsecondary education services in the United States. Its academic institutions, Ashford University and University of the Rockies, offer associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in the disciplines of business, education, psychology, social sciences, and health sciences. The company offers its programs primarily through online; and at its campuses. As of December 31, 2017, its institutions offered approximately 1,200 courses and 80 degree programs; and had 45,730 students enrolled. The company was formerly known as TeleUniversity, Inc. and changed its name to Bridgepoint Education, Inc. in February 2004. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc..
Observers noticed that the statement was relatively mildly-worded and did not lash out at China.

New Delhi: Despite being disappointed at Chinas persistent blocking of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions to designate Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, India will show patience and be prepared for the long haul, government sources said on Saturday.

Without elaborating, sources also said there are issues that China needs to resolve with Pakistan and that India is not looking to do any deal with China to get Azhar banned by the UN.

Sources further said India will interact directly with China on this matter in future as well and that New Delhi does not require any other country to intercede with Beijing on its behalf. Government sources also said that India would not rest till the UN takes action against Azhar.

Government sources pointed out that 14 out of the 15 UNSC members as well as the entire international community is with India on the issue of listing Azhar  chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad  as a global terrorist. They said that for China itself terrorism is a major challenge and that there are terror groups in Pakistan which target even China.

Observers feel India does not want to sour ties with its larger eastern neighbour and does not want to wash away the recent post-Doklam gains made in Sino-Indian relations.

This is probably the reason why Indias official reaction to the recent Chinese move merely expressed disappointment without naming Beijing.

Observers noticed that the statement was relatively mildly-worded and did not lash out at China.

In addition, the second edition of the informal summit between the Chinese President and the Indian Prime Minister is scheduled to take place later this year in India.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit India later this year for the summit and New Delhi is apparently keen that this not be derailed.

Observers also point out that China does not want to spoil its relations with its all-weather friend Pakistan and Islamic hardline organisations within that country as the Chinese are protecting their huge financial investments in the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC).
The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos.
Epwin Group Plc manufactures and sells building products in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Extrusion and Moulding, and Fabrication and Distribution. The company offers windows, doors, cavity closers, and curtain walling products; wood plastic composite decking products and panels; glass reinforced plastic prefabricated components, such as door canopies, dormers, chimneys, copings, bay window canopies, and bespoke components; fascias and cladding systems; rainwater, soil, and underground drainage products; bathroom panels/wall boards; and insulated glazing units. It is also involved in the extrusion of PVC-u and PVC-ue materials; and supply and installation of plastic building products. The company serves social housing providers, new build companies, contractors, architects, designers and specifiers, specialist roofline and window stockists, window fabricators, roofline installers, window installers, rainwater and drainage wholesalers, builder merchants, bathroom wholesalers, bathroom installers, DIY retailers, builders, and homeowners. It operates a network of 77 building plastic trade distribution centers and 12 window stores. The company was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Solihull, the United Kingdom.

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iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF's stock was trading at $170.68 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IWO stock has increased by 70.1% and is now trading at $290.28.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
Fortis Inc. operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 433,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 98,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,233 megawatts (MW), including 59 MW of solar capacity. The company also sells wholesale electricity to other entities in the western United States; owns gas-fired and hydroelectric generating capacity totaling 65 MW; and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,048,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, it owns and operates the electricity distribution system that serves approximately 572,000 customers in southern and central Alberta; owns 4 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 225 MW; and provides operation, maintenance, and management services to five hydroelectric generating facilities. Further, the company distributes electricity in the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador with an installed generating capacity of 143 MW; and on Prince Edward Island with a generating capacity of 130 MW. Additionally, it provides integrated electric utility service to approximately 67,000 customers in Ontario; approximately 270,000 customers in Newfoundland and Labrador; approximately 31,000 customers on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and approximately 15,000 customers on certain islands in Turks and Caicos. The company also holds long-term contracted generation assets in Belize consisting of 3 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 51 MW; and the Aitken Creek natural gas storage facility. It also owns and operates approximately 91,000 circuit Kilometers (km) of distribution lines; and approximately 49,500 km of natural gas pipelines. Fortis Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in St. John's, Canada.

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The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. T

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The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd..
According to Azhar's interrogation report available with security agencies here, he had visited the UK in October 1992.

New Delhi: Terror mastermind Masood Azhar had undertaken a month-long sojourn to England to collect funds for militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir and received Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency), though he got a "very poor" response while travelling to Sharjah and Saudi Arabia before arriving in India in 1994.

Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammad, responsible for a series of terror strikes in India including the attack on Parliament in 2001 and a CRPF convoy in Pulwama last month, had procured a Pakistani passport in his real name and original address in 1986 and had extensively toured African and Gulf countries where he realised that the Arab nations were not sympathetic to the "Kashmir cause". According to Azhar's interrogation report available with security agencies here, he had visited the UK in October 1992. Mufti Simail, a cleric at a mosque at Southall in London, had facilitated his travel. Originally from Gujarat, Simail had studied at Darul-Ifta-Wal-Irshad in Karachi. "I stayed with Mufti Ismail in the UK for about a month and visited several mosques in Birmingham, Nottingham, Burleigh, Sheffield, Dudsbury and Leicester where I sought financial assistance for Kashmir (militants). I could collect Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency)," he told his interrogators. The terror mastermind also met other Muslim leaders in the UK including Maulana Iamail, who was also of Indian origin and had been engaged in construction of mosques and madrasas in Mangolia and Albania. In the early 1990s, Azhar had visited Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kenya, Zambia and collected funds for the terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Azhar had also visited Saudi Arabia for fund collection and contacted two main agencies in the country handling such aid but without success. One of them is Jamiat-ul-Islah, which is an ally of Jamaat-e-Islami. "Since Hizbul Mujahideen owed allegiance to Jamat, we were politely refused any aid.

The Arab nations as such do not want to give aid for the Kashmir cause," he told the interrogators. In Abu Dhabi, Azhar could collect Rs 3 lakh in Pakistani currency, another Rs 3 lakh in Sharjah and Rs 2 lakh in Saudi Arabia on his second visit. Azhar arrived in New Delhi in January 1994 with a fake Portugese passport. The Ashok hotel in Delhi's posh Chanakyapuri area, which houses the diplomatic enclave, was the first stop of Azhar, who dodged immigration officials' queries about his Portugese passport by claiming he was a "Gujarati by birth". The Pakistan-based terrorist, who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir within the next two weeks, had also stayed in capital's hotel Janpath and visited Lucknow, Shahranpur and Islamic seminary Darul-uloom Deoband, according to his interrogation report. "I spent two days in Dhaka and thereafter travelled to Delhi by Bangladesh Airlines (Biman), reaching the IGI Airport in the early hours of January 29, 1994. The immigration officials at the IGI commented that I did not look like a Portuguese but when I replied that that I was a Gujarati by birth, he did not hesitate to stamp my passport. "I hired a taxi and asked (the driver) for a good hotel. I was taken to the Ashok hotel in Chanakyapuri where I stayed," the interrogation report read. After arriving in the national capital, Azhar went to Darul-uloom Deoband , Gungoh and then Saharanpur before returning to New Delhi two days later.

On reaching Delhi, Azhar stayed at hotel Janpath located near Connaught Place. Since his flight to Srinagar was booked for February 9, he decided to visit one Maulana Abu Hassan Nadvi alias Ali Mian at his madrassa in Lucknow. Azhar reached Srinagar on February 9, 1994 where he stayed at the Madrasa Qasmian in Lal Bazar. Later in the evening, a militant, Sajjad Afghani, came to meet him along with his deputy Amjad Bilal of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. The next morning, on February 10, he was escorted by Afghani to a place called Matigund where all Pakistan/PoK-based terrorists had gathered. "They (the terrorists) were happy about my visit and merger of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. I had taken their addresses and letters so that I could communicate their welfare to their families after returning to Pakistan," he had told the interrogators. While returning from Matigund, accompanied by Afghani and one Farooq, a militant of Matigund area, who was armed and had a wireless set, the car developed some trouble and stopped. Azhar and his accomplice boarded a three-wheeler and proceeded to Anantnag. After travelling for about 2-3 km, the auto rickshaw was stopped by Army personnel, according to the report. "Farooq started running and opened fire which was returned by the Army men. Farooq managed to escape but I along with Afghani was arrested," he told the interrogators. Azhar was freed from an Indian prison in 1999 along with two other terrorists in exchange for passengers of an Indian Airlines aircraft which was hijacked and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan.
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF's stock was trading at $36.88 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EEMS shares have increased by 65.9% and is now trading at $61.18.

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Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates in Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farm operations in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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The following companies are subsidiares of 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. 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However, sources close to Singh said he was keen to contest from Rajgarh seat in MP, considered his pocket borough.

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath on Saturday appealed to senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh to pick the toughest seat in the state to contest from if he desired to enter fray in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Talking to reporters in Chhindwara where he was currently on a two-day tour to kick off electioneering for Congress for the upcoming LS polls as well as an assembly by-election he was scheduled to contest to enter state assembly, Mr Nath said there were 3-4 LS seats in MP which shunned Congress for last 30-35 years.

I have urged Digvijay Singh to choose the toughest seat in MP if he wants to contest the upcoming LS polls. However, the decision to pick the seat rests on him, he added.

Congress sources said Mr Nath may have dropped hints that he wanted Mr Singh to contest from Bhopal where the last time Congress won was in 1984. Former president Late Shankar Dayal Sharma won the seat in 1984.

Speculations doing rounds in Congress circle indicated that Mr Singh was also being considered for Indore seat which has remained out of bounds for Congress since 1989. However, sources close to Mr Singh said he was keen to contest from Rajgarh seat in MP, considered his pocket borough.

Similarly, AICC general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia, who has been appointed in-charge of Uttar Pradesh (west) in the upcoming LS polls, was mulling to contest from Gwalior instead of Guna, he currently represented. However, Mr Nath wanted Mr Scindia to contest from Guna to ensure that the seat was retained by the party, sources added.

Mr Nath said the list of candidates for LS polls in MP would be declared in 3-4 days. He has already indicated that he would vacate his Chhindwara LS seat for his elder son Nakul in the upcoming polls and he would contest by-elections in Chhind-wara assembly seat, scheduled to be held on April 23.
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Age doesnt diminish the embarrassment. Or the pain. Or discomfort. You simply learn to accept.

Menstruation is talked about only in whispers, thus any useful information spreads very slowly, social media magic not withstanding.

No matter what people say, and no matter how common menstruation is, young girls are quite embarrassed about having it. On a website where the topic of menstrual taboos across religions was being discussed, a 14-year-old Norwegian girl posted this comment. Not only young girls, I wanted to add.

Age doesnt diminish the embarrassment. Or the pain. Or the discomfort. You simply learn to accept. The hard truth is nobody likes to bleed. #HappyToBleed is a stellar example of women raising their hackles as religious pundits and regressive individuals try to tell them theyre polluted or inferior. Whether someone makes a festival of it or calls it a divine process, the troubles are going to remain.

Today we have painless childbirth, but for painful menstruation theres no remedy but the good old painkillers. Medical research has either failed to address this problem or the pharma giants have kept it alive so their painkillers would sell in bulk. Unexpected arrival of the menses, leakage and staining of clothes, non-availability of suitable places for changing or disposal of sanitary napkins, abdominal cramps and acute pain right in the middle of a crucial exam or a business meeting or a thrilling holiday  these are the stuff that womens nightmares are made of.

And when we are young we feel everything more intensely. So little girls hate their periods more passionately than older women do.

In recent times there have been attempts to put forth the suggestion that the ancient practices of seclusion of menstruating women were devised for their own benefit.

Women would be freed from the burden of housework, never mind if theyre treated as untouchables for a few days. Perhaps this formula worked as long as households had multiple women to share the chores among themselves. But today the scene has changed because the nuclear family has only one woman or perhaps two.

The rest-and-recreation theory simply doesnt hold water. Women in the unorganised sector are paid daily wages, those in the organised sector have to show up at the workplace or face the consequences, and women in high places find it even more difficult to take time off from work because theyre running on a 24/7 schedule throughout the year.

Rest and recreation come only at a price, whether you are a daily wage earner or formally employed. In the present family setup where women spend twice as much time as men attending to domestic chores and caring for children, menstruation doesnt offer any break from this drudgery.

The well meaning gentlemen who say that Hinduism envisages rest for women during their periods should tell us who will cook the food, breastfeed the infant, put the toddler to sleep, and minister to the miniscule needs of the TV watching head of the household.

In Nepal in 2017 a teenager died of snakebite in a menstruation hut. In another horrific incident in January this year a woman and her two minor sons died of suffocation in a menstruation hut because the woman had lighted a fire to protect them from the severe cold. The government of Nepal had banned the seclusion of women during menstruation but social evils die hard.

India has its own stock of menstruation related horror stories. Nepal is the worlds only Hindu country, so all the trending propaganda about Hindus respecting women and all that doesnt cut any ice.

Menstruation isnt a health and hygiene issue either. Sanitary pads arent a one stop solution to all feminine woes, as the television ads would have us believe. Pads need to be changed regularly and disposed properly. Theyre far too expensive and beyond the reach of the poor.

Girls in our country miss school because they cant afford menstrual products. Re-useable menstrual cups are now on the market and theyre incredibly pocket-friendly but youve to learn to insert them and the awareness is yet to spread.

Menstruation is talked about only in whispers, thus any useful information spreads very slowly, social media magic notwithstanding. The obsession with passing the virginity test on marriage effectively blocks the use of tampons and similar fears are likely to hamper the use of menstrual cups too.

Girls everywhere in the world need guidance and role models. Chinese swimmer Fu Huanyi became an instant internet sensation when her team won a bronze at the Rio Olympics and she announced she was sorry to let down her team-mates because she was on her period and couldnt give her best performance. Women and girls wondered how someone could go swimming at such a time without painting the pool red.

While the impurity debate goes on, doctors and scientists would do a great service to womankind if only theyd find a way to stop menstruation for good. A few cycles and off go the eggs to the Ovum Bank for future use! Or you can join the happy-to-bleed brigade and continue to have your periods until youve had a child or two, after which you can choose to permanently remove the menace. One injection and no more menses  howzzat!!? Or better still, no more pregnancies, only test-tube conceptions and incubator-hatched babies. That way the size zero babes can keep their hourglass figures.

But theres a flip side. In a verbal spat with your significant other youll no longer be able to remind him where he came from!

(The author is an IT professional)
The Congress often accuses the Modi government of assisting economic offenders and favouring industrialists.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah arrive for the BJP Central Election Committee meeting for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: G.N. Jha)

New Delhi: Taking Congress chowkidar chor hai barb head-on, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a social media campaign #MainBhiChowkidar, asking people to pledge their support against corruption, dirt, social evils and to work hard for the progress of India. The campaign reminded many of the BJPs 2014 Lok Sabha campaign strategy around the Opposition partys chaiwala barb that had prompted the BJP to launch its successful Chai pe charcha campaign to connect with voters and register a landslide victory.

The Congress has been accusing the Prime Minister of corruption in Rafale fighter jet deal, using the barb chowkidar chor hai (watchman is a thief) after Mr Modi called himself a chowkidar of the nation.

In his four-minute social media video on Saturday, Mr Modi said, Your chowkidar is standing firm and serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying #MainBhiChowkidar.

The video begins with Mr Modi saying Aap ashwast rahiyein, aap ka yeh chowkidar poori tarah se chaukanna hai (Rest assured, you chowkidar is alert). The BJPs Main Bhi Chowkidar campaign became Twitters top worldwide trend, hours after launch. The video shared by Mr Modi, featuring a song with lyrics showcasing the Modi governments initiatives, racked up more than 50,000 likes and 19,000 retweets on the micro-blogging website.

As the #MainBhiChowkidar started trending, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a dig at the hashtag by tweeting, Defensive tweet Mr Modi! You feeling a little guilty today and tagged photographs of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and others, along with Mr Modi. The Congress often accuses the Modi government of assisting economic offenders and favouring industrialists.

The BJP hit back with its official twitter saying: Nervous tweet Mr Rahul! Looks like you are scared today seeing so many #MainBhiChowkidar. Its quite natural for robbers to be nervous when they see #Chowkidar.

It was Congress Manishankar Aiyar, who had called Mr Modi, then the BJPs Prime Ministerial candidate in 2014, a chaiwala and had faced severe criticism for mocking Mr Modis humble background.

The BJP then built its 2014 campaign narrative around the chaiwala barb and even launched a successful mass connect programme  Chai pe charcha - and registered a landslide victory in the last Lok Sabha elections.

The ruling partys 2019 general election campaign to remain at power is also built around Mr Modis unmatched leadership and his governments performance.
Sources said the VHP has already secured 40 acres of land for the proposed university in Gurgaon, near Delhi.

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad will soon be unveiling its first university in Gurgaon, christened as Ashok Singhal Ved Science and Technology University, which has been named after its late senior leader Ashok Singhal. The name of Ashok Singhal, who was the international working president of the VHP for over 20 years and played a leading role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, was selected for naming the university as he is considered as the tallest leader of the organisation who worked tirelessley for the cause of the Sangh over several decades, sources stated.

Sources said that a meeting of senior VHP functionaires, along with Sangh affiliates, is due to be held on April 3, where a discussion on academic pursuits, the proposed curriculum and staff recruitment is likely to be made. Sources said the VHP has already secured 40 acres of land for the proposed university in Gurgaon, near Delhi.

This newspaper had on May 15 last year first reported the VHPs plan to establish a Ved University for advanced studies and research in the Vedas and the historical Bharatiya texts. While the Sangh affiliate now operates schools and colleges across the country and even overseas to propagate its educational agenda, this will be the first such attempt by the VHP to foray into higher education. The Ved University will be the first of its kind to be established and promoted by the Sangh affiliate, sources added.

At present, Sangh affiliate Vidya Bharati operates Shishu Mandir and Ekal Vidyayalayas. while a few colleges like Hanuman Sanskrit Mahavidyala in Delhi are also operational. The proposal for a Ved University has been discussed for several years. Last year, Sangh leaders had expressed the view that for the propagation of the Vedas and other ancient Indian texts, their teaching at school and college level was not sufficient and could be expanded. There was a consensus on the need for promoting research and higher studies in these subjects and hence the need for the university, sources said. It is understood that once the university is operational, the VHP plans to set up affiliate colleges for further studies in related subjects.

The VHP now operates 16 Ved Vidyalayas across the country. Students from these Vidyalayas, recognised by the human resources development ministry, are able to study till Class 12 and later have an option to join other universities and colleges.
The Union Cabinet will hold a special meeting at 10 am on Monday to pay tribute.

New Delhi/Panaji: Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar passed away at his home in Panaji on Sunday evening after a prolonged illness. He was 63. The Centre has announced national mourning on Monday to mark his death. Parrikars health had worsened over the past two days, and turned critical late Saturday night. when he was put on life support. His medical condition had fluctuated for over a year. The four-term chief minister and former defence minister was flown to the United States for treatment of his pancreatic cancer in March last year. The chief minister died around 6.40 pm on Sunday, a state government official said in Panaji. A widower, he is survived by his two sons and their families.

Parrikar will be accorded state funeral. The national flag will be flown at half-mast in New Delhi and the capitals of all states and Union territories on Monday. The Union Cabinet will hold a special meeting at 10 am on Monday to pay tribute.

President Ram Nath Kovind Monday expressed grief over Parrikars demise, saying he was an epitome of integrity and dedication in public life. Condoling his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a unparalleled leader, who was a true patriot and an exceptional administrator, admired by all. Mr Modi said his service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Shanti, the PM said in a tweet. Mr Modi said when

Parrikar was the defence minister, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced the countrys security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen. The PM also posted a picture of him and Parrikar together on a social media website.

With Parrikars demise, the BJP-led coalition in Goa has to search for a new leader to replace him. He was heading a coalition government comprising the BJP, Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents. His death will also necessitate a fourth byelection in Goa, where bypolls are due for the Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa Assembly seats on April 23. These will be held in the state along with the Lok Sabha polls.

With CM Parrikars demise, the ruling coalition will have to make a fresh representation to the governor after choosing their leader. The representation will have the letter of support, a senior Goa official said. If the governor is not convinced, then she will have to invite the single largest party to form the government, he said. The Congress is currently the single largest party in Goa, with 14 MLAs, while the BJP has 13 in the 40-member Goa Assembly. The Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents have three MLAs each, while the NCP has one legislator. The strength of the House has been cut to 36 due to demise of BJP MLA Francis DSouza earlier this year, and Parrikar on Sunday, and the resignations of two Congress MLAs, Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, last year. After the news of Parrikars death broke, the coalition partners have called emergency meetings.

Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi also condoled the demise of Parrikar and described him as one of Goas favourite sons. He wrote on Twitter: I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief.

BJP president Amit Shah said the nation had lost a true patriot in Parrikars death. Mr Shah said Parrikar showed how a BJP worker even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman also condoled his demise and said his contribution in making the armed forces a lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled.

Born on December 13, 1955 into a middle class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer. He was the first IIT graduate to become a chief minister.

Parrikar entered electoral politics in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency. He was the defence minister from November 2014 to March 2017 during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
China was the only country that did not back the proposal, much to Indias disappointment.

New Delhi: In words that would be encouraging for India, Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui on Sunday expressed confidence that the issue regarding the proposal for listing at the UN Security Council (UNSC) of (Pakistan-based JeM chief) Masood Azhar as a global terrorist would be resolved, adding that China had only placed a technical hold and that there would be further consultations.

It may be recalled that China had last week placed a technical hold on the proposal at the UNSC that had been moved by France, the United States and Britain. It may also be recalled that the proposal was backed by 14 out of 15 UN Security Council members. China was the only country that did not back the proposal, much to Indias disappointment.

Regarding the Masood (Azhar) case, we fully understand and believe this matter, the concern from your side, we understand that, we are optimistic and quite sure this matter will be resolved. This is only a technical hold and that means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved, believe me, the ambassador said at an event at the Chinese embassy here to celebrate Holi.

The envoy added after the Wuhan summit (between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year), Sino-Indian cooperation was on the fast track and the Chinese side was fully satisfied with this progress. His remark on the Azhar issue that it was only a technical hold placed by his country is being seen as significant and could be viewed with some hope by India.

Despite being disappointed over Chinas persistent blocking of UN Security Council resolutions to designate Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, government sources said on Saturday that India would show patience and be prepared for the long haul. Without elaborating, government sources had also said there are issues that China needs to resolve with Pakistan and India was not looking for any deal with China to get Azhar banned by the UN.

The sources further said India will interact directly with China on this matter in future and New Delhi does not require any other country to intercede with Beijing on its behalf. Government sources also said India would not rest till the UN takes action against Azhar, adding that for China itself, terrorism was a major challenge and that there were terror groups in Pakistan that target even China.

Observers feel India does not want to sour ties with its larger eastern neighbour and doesnt want to wash away the recent post-Doklam gains in Sino-Indian relations. This was probably the reason why Indias official reaction to Chinas recent move merely expressed disappointment without naming Beijing. Observers noticed that the statement was relatively mildly-worded and did not lash out at China. Also, the second edition of the informal summit between the Chinese President and the Prime Minister is due to take place later this year in India. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit India later this year for the summit and New Delhi is apparently keen that this not be derailed.

Observers also note China does not want to spoil its relations with all-weather friend Pakistan and Islamic hardline outfits in that country as the Chinese are protecting their huge financial nvestments in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Former minority shareholders of Hermes claim they were cheated out of money before Wirecard bought the firm in 2015.

Mumbai: Alleged fraud in the acquisition of a Chennai-based firm has come to haunt Frankfurt-listed Wirecard AG. The German payment processing firms shares have slumped almost 50 per cent on reports that its acquisition of the Chennai -based Hermes I Tickets Private Ltd being investigated by authorities in Singapore for allegations of money laundering and document forgery.

Wirecard, a star in the German stock market for more than a decade, came under selling pressure after a series of reports of a possible fraud in Indian operations.

Also a lawsuit was filed in London by former minority shareholders of the Indian company claiming they were cheated out of money before Wirecard bought the firm in 2015.

According to the 2017 suit brought by Prashant Manek and Sanjay Chandi, Hermes I-Tickets was sold to a Mauritius-based buyer and then resold just three weeks later to Wirecard for at least $200 million more.

In the 2017 suit, the former minority investors claim they were duped into selling their shares in the first transaction and are seeking compensation from the previous owners, according to legal filings, which became public the last week.

Wirecard bought Hermes, which specialised in selling travel tickets, for 216 million euros ($244 million) upfront with an option to pay a further 110 million euros.

The purchase took place just weeks after the company had been sold for $40 million, according to the filings. Manek and Chandi allege that the former majority owners, Ramu Ramasamy and Palaniyapan Ramasamy, convinced them to sell their stake in the business. The Ramasamy brothers controlled 90 per cent of Hermes and havent yet filed a defence statement in the case.

At the time of the deal, Wirecard Chief Executive Officer Markus Braun hailed Hermess parent company as one of the regions leading payment groups, with revenue set to exceed 45 million euros in 2015.

Hermes is also the focus of a probe by Singapore police in its investigations of the Wirecard allegations, according to a Singapore court document seen by Bloomberg.

The unit was also involved in the alleged fraud, according to a preliminary report by Rajah & Tann in its inquiry for the German company.

After a seven-month investigation, the Southern Investigative Reporting Foundation has obtained thousands of pages of documents that suggest a minimum of 175 million euros and perhaps as much as 285 million eurosfrom Wirecards 340-million euro purchase of an India-based payment processor in October 2015 did not go to the seller.

Making matters odder still, Wirecards own filings show the money left its coffers.

In the fall of 2014 corporate finance officials from JM Financial Services, a Mumbai-based investment bank, received a mandate to locate a buyer for Hermes I Tickets, a modestly sized e-commerce company that derived 63 per cent of its business from selling travel tickets. Indian operations are being investigated by authorities in Singapore for allegations of money laundering and document forgery, the foundation said.

The foundation obtained a copy of the pitch book that bankers used to market Hermes Tickets to prospective buyers. For fiscal 2015, Hermes Tickets aimed to generate 22 million euros in sales and about 3.8 million euros in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, or Ebitda, a standard gauge of a companys potential profitability.

The asking price was 46.2 million euros, but no buyers emerged for Hermes Tickets that fall season or through much of 2015.

On October 27, 2015, a deal was announced. Wirecard purchased Hermes Tickets when it bought the payment businesses of its parent, Great Indian Retail Group, and a 60 per cent stake in another subsidiary, Great Indian Technology. The transactions price tag was 230 million euros in cash, plus 110 million euros in prospective earnout payments over three years.
New Delhi: Traders' body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Sunday urged the government to probe Chinese goods imported through hawala channels, which is resulting in huge revenue loss to the exchequer.

CAIT, in a statement, claimed that "such hawala money might be transferred to Pakistan for conducting terrorist activities". Calling it a serious matter, the traders' body urged the government to start a high-level enquiry at Indian ports to bring an end to the crony nexus.

"Who are these hawala operators who facilitate the transfer of money from our country to China. Are exports to China being under invoiced and difference settled through hawala transactions or there is some other mode through which this money is going. This needs to be checked at the highest level in the interest of the security of our country," the statement added.

Stating that India is facing a big fight against terrorism, CAIT said, "There is no doubt that someone is funding the terrorist activities. It is necessary to understand whether this funding can be linked to under-invoicing of import from China. In this way, China is helping fund terrorist". This aspect also needs to be investigated in view of the fact that China is not standing with India in its fight against terrorism, it added.

CAIT National President BC Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that in order to attract lower customs duty and lower IGST (Integrated Goods and Service Tax), the declaration in many cases does not match the material that is actually being imported. This needs verification of documents along with the material that is imported from China, he said. CAIT statement also suspected that "it could be collusion or hand in glove offer with certain mysterious officers".

When such materials, which are grossly undervalued come to the port, customs duty is paid at a very low price. The IGST is also paid at a very lower price and then the material goes into grey market where it is sold at very competitive prices as compared to Indian goods where GST is paid at full amount, the statement said.

According to CAIT, it could be easily substantiated if verification of IGST paid at customs port is linked to the credit for IGST taken by importers. "Surprisingly, it will be seen that in most of the cases, where Chinese goods have been imported, nobody has claimed IGST. This proves the point that the importer has sold the material in grey market for which nobody has claimed IGST paid at the time of imports," it said.

If the government takes up this matter and is very vigilant that customs duty and IGST is recovered at the real value of imported material, Chinese goods will become costly automatically as compared to Indian goods which bear full amount of GST, the CAIT added.
Post her divorce, Malaika Arora has often been spotted with beau Arjun Kapoor around town. But recently, what caught everyones attention was her 14-year-old son Arhaan hanging out with them. The couple, rumoured to be married soon, seemed to be at ease with the new equation between them as they lunched together, setting a perfect example of how the new age stars and their children are on the same page when it comes to their divorce or finding love again.

In the past, there have been many instances of divorced parents falling out with their children when another partner came into the picture. But now, the parents are taking initiatives to iron out any ill will that may arise in the due course. Malaika even went on record to talk about the support she received from her son after the divorce. In a chat show, shed said, I would want to see my child in a happy environment than be subjected to an environment that is completely disruptive. With time, my child is far more accepting and happier. He can see that we both are far more content than we were in our marriage. He did actually turn around one day and say to me, Mom, its good to see you happy and smiling.

Another instance of a perfect equation is that of Saif Ali Khans children Sara and Ibrahim, with his second wife Kareena Kapoor Khan. Saif who comes across as one of the coolest dads, reveals how gracefully his family handled the relationships. You have to get everything right. I mean, its not a situation that anybody wants to really be in. But since its there, you make the most of it by being as decent as you can about everything. Sometimes when youre separated, you kind of compete for the child. Basically, youre trying to say youre better than your ex-partner. But children are half you and half them, so you are actually damaging them, he said, adding how lucky he was that his children handled his new relationship well. The problem is that you, for some reason, felt the need to move on. Thats bad enough for the children, but you cant move away from them. You have to balance them. Im very lucky because if Sara or Ibrahim decided to be extra emotional or selfish, Id be in trouble. Also, Kareena has been amazing. Shes very kind and understanding with me, first of all, and with them, he said in an earlier interview.

Former Miss Universe and actor Sushmita Sens social media posts are flooded with happy pictures of her daughters  Renee and Alisah  with her boyfriend Rohman Shawl. The Kashmiri model has often been spotted at family events and looks at ease with Sushs daughters. Similarly, actor Arjun Rampal, too has spoken about his daughters Mahikaa and Myra, being understanding about his relationships.

Actor Farhan Akhtar separated from wife Adhuna Akhtar after 14 years of marriage and has two daughters, Shakya and Akira. Now, with rumours of his impending marriage with Shibani Dandekar growing stronger, the actor has apparently taken both his daughters into confidence about this new phase in his life.

Suneeta Kanga, an expert in international etiquette, believes that the behaviour of children towards their parents love life or otherwise has become more accepting. The young kids are very open about things. They have started to think that it is a good thing for their parents to find love again. The parents also maintain a civil relationship with ex-spouses. The young generation right now is very inclusive of everything, which is a great thing. They are inclusive about peoples choices in love, she says.

Actor Renu Desai, who was earlier married to the actor-politician Pawan Kalyan, is ready to tie the knot for the second time. The duo has a 10-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. Speaking about the best way to approach children about their new life partner, she said, In Indian culture, divorce is still a newer concept. You have to explain it to them intelligently, without dumbing it down. Today, my kids are supportive because I have been honest and have given them respect, she says.

Talking about the best way to communicate the situation to their children, she goes on to add, If parents have decided to divorce, the only way to make sure that children are not affected is by not disclosing the couples differences in public. My children have never seen us have angry vibes or talk ill about each other. The respect remains intact and that gives the kid a healthy outlook. Also, it is very important to be as honest as possible. Kids are way more resilient than what we give them credit for.

Clinical psychologist Nikita Jain says, Children are far more observant than we adults understand. They know what is happening between their parents or how a father or mother has found happiness with someone else. The moment the parents decide to be honest with the children, the young minds feel respected and important. They also look at their parents behaviour and if it has a positive influence by the new man or woman in their life. That is what celebrities do now. Since their lives are in the public space anyway, they want to make sure that their children dont get to know about a new partner from someone else. This can have a bad influence on their relationship.
The portraits, in which Zaneles subjects seem to gaze into the camera with a stony expression, are part of the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

In 2006, South African artist Zanele Muholi began a photographic series as an attempt to remedy black queer invisibility. Featuring lesbians, women and trans people of colour, the project was born out of the need to create a visual history of South Africans, especially lesbians, while highlighting their struggles.

The portraits, in which Zaneles subjects seem to gaze into the camera with a stony expression, are part of the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

Some of their stories gave me sleepless nights as I tried to process the struggles that were told to me, says the 47-year-old artist, rewinding her experience while working on the project titled Faces and Phases. Many of the women I met had been violated and I endeavoured not to exploit them further through my work. I set out to establish relationships with them based on a mutual understanding of what it means to be female, lesbian and black today.

The Johannesburg-based artist has dedicated the project to a friend who died of HIV-related complications in 2007, at the age of 25.

The work is on display outside Cabral Yard, and at David Hall, located half a kilometre away.

Even as South Africa legalised same-sex marriage around the same time that Zanele started working on her project, discrimination and violence against queer women continue to be spread. In this respect, her series, which is also the subject of a book, has been created as a way of advocating their rights as well as bringing to attention stories of discrimination against the queer community.

Race is also an important element in her work as she critiques traditional photographic techniques that have a bearing on racist attitudes celebrating white skin.

Zanele was born in 1972 at the height of apartheid in South Africa. Her first brush with photography took place while browsing through the works of black women photographers. An important influence in her work has been American photographer Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashes well-known book Viewfinders: Black Women Photographers, which is a survey of black American female photographers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Zanele began her training as an artist through an advanced photography course at the David Goldblatt-founded Market Photo Workshop in Newtown. Her first solo show, as part of the schools exhibition in Johannesburg, focused on portraits of black lesbian couples.

Interrogating the marginalisaton of the queer community in the post-apartheid South Africa, the collection received national-level attention.

She has also worked in the field of advocacy on behalf of South Africas queer community as a co-founder of the Forum for the Empowerment of Women. Zaneles activism is an integral part of her art, because of which she identifies herself as a visual activist.
Evidence Action has succeeded by working closely with government and communication experts to design locally appropriate awareness campaigns to increase acceptance and effectiveness of the programme.

Bengaluru: The National Deworming Day is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that focuses on reducing the rate of parasitic worm infection, which affects over 241 million children in the country every year. The campaign was launched in February 2015 as part of the National Health Mission to deworm all children from 1 to 19 years of age. The programme is promoted by Evidence Action, a non-profit organisation headed by Priya Jha, Director (India), and it works to support governments in developing school-based deworming programmes in Kenya, India, Ethiopia and Vietnam.

The programme aims to bring relief to children who are at risk of parasitic worm infections that can negatively impact their health, ability to learn and future productivity. Building on existing data, Evidence Action works with policymakers to design and implement effective deworming programmes at the state and national level. Through their support for the National Deworming Day alone, the programme treated approximately 260 million children in 2017.

Ms Jha told Deccan Chronicle, "The success of the National Deworming Day (NDD) has been steadily increasing and the coverage has gone up from 8.9 crore in February 2015 to 22.69 crore in August 2018. It is now accepted and understood that school-based mass deworming programmes are safe, cost-effective and can reach hundreds of millions of children quickly when implemented through a single, fixed-day approach. This round, the target is to reach 24.44 crore children and adolescents in 30 states and union territories. In Karnataka too our team is making efforts to reach the target."

The National Deworming Day is conducted twice a year, in August and February. In the last round of NDD in August 2018 in Karnataka, 1.56 crore children and adolescents were dewormed in approximately 75,000 government and private schools and 65,000 anganwadis. But still, Ms Jha said, they have some difficulty in reaching out to populations such as children in private schools and those out-of-school. However, they are working on a plan to reach those children too, she said.

"Evidence shows that regular deworming reduces absenteeism in schools, improves health and nutritional uptake, and increases learning outcomes among children and adolescents. Stakeholders at the national, state, district, block and front line health worker level have been playing a critical role in reaching out to crores of children. The focus, however, needs to be on maintaining healthy and hygienic practices that help children and communities remain safe from worm infections. The National Deworming Day has now been included in the Extended Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan, Anaemia Mukt Bharat and PoshanAbhiyaan, which is a positive development for the programme's acceptance," she said.

Evidence Action has succeeded by working closely with government and communication experts to design locally appropriate awareness campaigns to increase acceptance and effectiveness of the programme.

"I am proud to be part of Evidence Action family. The only eligibility and criterion to be part of Evidence Action is passion for social development, skill and capacity to work in high-pressure conditions. All the work carried out is evidence-based and cost-effective through a scalable and sustainable model," said an Evidence Action team member from Karnataka, requesting anonymity.
The Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya has named its newly-born female black rhino Samaira Sharma, after Team Indias top order batsman Rohit Sharmas daughter. The message was conveyed to Ritika and Rohit Sharma by the CEO of the Wildlife Conservancy, Richard Vigne.

Rohit and his wife visited the Conservancy back in September 2015. Rohits visit was part of a campaign to raise awareness about the plight of rhinos all over the world and the devastating effects of poaching, Elodie A. Sampere, the PR, Communications, and Fundraising Consultant of the Conservancy, said in an exclusive telephone interview. Rohit and his wife had visited Sudan, the last male Northern White rhino who died last year on March 19, 2018, Elodie added.

Rohit Sharma with wife Ritika and daughter Samaira.

Rohits visit was part of a campaign called Stars For The Last Male Standing. It was organised to raise awareness about the plight of the Northern White rhino. During his trip, Rohit Sharma also met Baraka the blind black rhino.

Certificate by the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy.

Explaining more about rhinos, she said, In the wild, rhinos usually live for 30-35 years. In captivity, though, they can live for up to 45 years.

Rohit Sharma took to Twitter to thank the conservancy for bestowing the honour upon them. He wrote, This has made us so emotional! This is so special! Conservation of rhinos is a cause so close to our hearts & Sudan meant so much to us. Thank you @OlPejeta for this honour. Cant believe our 2-month-old has a Rhino named after her in Africa, unbelievably special (sic).
Several Union ministers and BJP leaders have already made the "chowkidar" addition to their social media profiles.

"Chowkidar" is a term often used by the PM to describe his role at the Centre as a watchdog against corruption as well as his hands-on style of work. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh BJP leaders Sunday joined the party's "chowkidar" social media poll campaign, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi added "chowkidar" to his Twitter handle profile and asked people to take the #MainBhiChowkidar pledge against corruption. Among the leaders was former MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and state unit chief Rakesh Singh. "Chowkidar" is a term often used by the PM to describe his role at the Centre as a watchdog against corruption as well as his hands-on style of work.

However, the Congress, which has alleged corruption to the tune of several thousand crore in the Rafale fighter jet purchase deal, has been hitting back with the slogan "chowkidar chor hai" (watchman is a thief). The ruling BJP has now turned the watchman moniker into Lok Sabha poll campaign ammunition by asking people to use it along with their names on social media platforms. Several Union ministers and BJP leaders have already made the "chowkidar" addition to their social media profiles.
Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is active in consideration by the Lokpal selection panel headed by PM Modi, officials said. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The name of former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is said to be in active consideration for appointment as the chief of country's first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman, officials said on Sunday.

Justice Ghose, who retired from the Supreme Court in May 2017, is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

His name for the post is understood to be in active consideration by the Lokpal selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they said.

There was no official announcement of his appointment by the government. His appointment, if made by the government, may trigger a controversy as Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had boycotted the selection panel's meet on Friday.

The Lokpal Act, which envisages establishment of anti-graft body Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed in 2013.
New Delhi: Terror mastermind Masood Azhar had undertaken a month-long sojourn to England to collect funds for militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir and received Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency), though he got a "very poor" response while travelling to Sharjah and Saudi Arabia before arriving in India in 1994.

Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammad, responsible for a series of terror strikes in India including the attack on Parliament in 2001 and a CRPF convoy in Pulwama last month, had procured a Pakistani passport in his real name and original address in 1986 and had extensively toured African and Gulf countries where he realised that the Arab nations were not sympathetic to the "Kashmir cause". According to Azhar's interrogation report available with security agencies here, he had visited the UK in October 1992. Mufti Simail, a cleric at a mosque at Southall in London, had facilitated his travel. Originally from Gujarat, Simail had studied at Darul-Ifta-Wal-Irshad in Karachi. "I stayed with Mufti Ismail in the UK for about a month and visited several mosques in Birmingham, Nottingham, Burleigh, Sheffield, Dudsbury and Leicester where I sought financial assistance for Kashmir (militants). I could collect Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency)," he told his interrogators. The terror mastermind also met other Muslim leaders in the UK including Maulana Iamail, who was also of Indian origin and had been engaged in construction of mosques and madrasas in Mangolia and Albania. In the early 1990s, Azhar had visited Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kenya, Zambia and collected funds for the terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Azhar had also visited Saudi Arabia for fund collection and contacted two main agencies in the country handling such aid but without success. One of them is Jamiat-ul-Islah, which is an ally of Jamaat-e-Islami. "Since Hizbul Mujahideen owed allegiance to Jamat, we were politely refused any aid.

The Arab nations as such do not want to give aid for the Kashmir cause," he told the interrogators. In Abu Dhabi, Azhar could collect Rs 3 lakh in Pakistani currency, another Rs 3 lakh in Sharjah and Rs 2 lakh in Saudi Arabia on his second visit. Azhar arrived in New Delhi in January 1994 with a fake Portugese passport. The Ashok hotel in Delhi's posh Chanakyapuri area, which houses the diplomatic enclave, was the first stop of Azhar, who dodged immigration officials' queries about his Portugese passport by claiming he was a "Gujarati by birth". The Pakistan-based terrorist, who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir within the next two weeks, had also stayed in capital's hotel Janpath and visited Lucknow, Shahranpur and Islamic seminary Darul-uloom Deoband, according to his interrogation report. "I spent two days in Dhaka and thereafter travelled to Delhi by Bangladesh Airlines (Biman), reaching the IGI Airport in the early hours of January 29, 1994. The immigration officials at the IGI commented that I did not look like a Portuguese but when I replied that that I was a Gujarati by birth, he did not hesitate to stamp my passport. "I hired a taxi and asked (the driver) for a good hotel. I was taken to the Ashok hotel in Chanakyapuri where I stayed," the interrogation report read. After arriving in the national capital, Azhar went to Darul-uloom Deoband , Gungoh and then Saharanpur before returning to New Delhi two days later.

On reaching Delhi, Azhar stayed at hotel Janpath located near Connaught Place. Since his flight to Srinagar was booked for February 9, he decided to visit one Maulana Abu Hassan Nadvi alias Ali Mian at his madrassa in Lucknow. Azhar reached Srinagar on February 9, 1994 where he stayed at the Madrasa Qasmian in Lal Bazar. Later in the evening, a militant, Sajjad Afghani, came to meet him along with his deputy Amjad Bilal of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. The next morning, on February 10, he was escorted by Afghani to a place called Matigund where all Pakistan/PoK-based terrorists had gathered. "They (the terrorists) were happy about my visit and merger of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. I had taken their addresses and letters so that I could communicate their welfare to their families after returning to Pakistan," he had told the interrogators. While returning from Matigund, accompanied by Afghani and one Farooq, a militant of Matigund area, who was armed and had a wireless set, the car developed some trouble and stopped. Azhar and his accomplice boarded a three-wheeler and proceeded to Anantnag. After travelling for about 2-3 km, the auto rickshaw was stopped by Army personnel, according to the report. "Farooq started running and opened fire which was returned by the Army men. Farooq managed to escape but I along with Afghani was arrested," he told the interrogators. Azhar was freed from an Indian prison in 1999 along with two other terrorists in exchange for passengers of an Indian Airlines aircraft which was hijacked and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan.
New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind Monday expressed grief over the demise of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, saying he was an "epitome of integrity and dedication in public life".

The former defence minister was battling a pancreatic ailment and died at his private residence in Dona Paula near Panaji, officials said. He was 63. "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. "An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind," the president posted on his official Twitter handle. Parrikar's health was fluctuating for a year and took a turn for the worse in the past two days.He is survived by his two sons and their families. "The chief minister passed away around 6.40 pm Sunday," a senior state government official told PTI. Sources said Parrikar had been on life support system since late Saturday night. Parrikar had been unwell since February 2018 when he was diagnosed with a pancreatic ailment.
A two-minute would be observed in his memory and a resolution would also be passed hailing Parrikar's contribution as a public figure, official sources said. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet will meet Monday to condole the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The special cabinet meeting would be held at 10 am. A two-minute would be observed in his memory and a resolution would also be passed hailing Parrikar's contribution as a public figure, official sources said. Whenever a senior leader of any political party, or a minister passes, the Union Cabinet meets to condole the demise.
Bengaluru: Congress president, Rahul Gandhi will be in Bengaluru on Monday evening to hold discussions with a select group of entrepreneurs and is slated to hear their experiences.

After kickstarting his poll campaign in Kalaburgi, which is represented by Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday morning, Mr Gandhi will land in Bengaluru in the evening to interact with the entrepreneurs at an amphitheatre at Manyata Tech Park in the city.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader said Mr Gandhi has been meeting entrepreneurs in the last couple of months to understand the challenges they face, policy hurdles and other barriers that need ironing out to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. The source added that the Congress president has been unsparing in his criticism of the Narendra Modi governments inability to create enough jobs over the last five years, resulting in widespread unemployment and youth unrest.

The source disclosed that it would be a freewheeling interaction with no specific agenda.

The broader idea is to understand issues pertaining to the start-up ecosystem and policy issues. The interaction is also part of the manifesto making exercise of the party, the source explained.
Although bioterrorism might seem a problem beginning in the late 20th century, a short story, `written by H.G.Wells in 1894, portended the threat of an attack with biological agents. It tells the tale of an anarchist who steals a vial of what he believes to be cholera bacilli to poison the water supply of the city of London.

As predicted by Wells, several incidents of bioterrorism have been witnessed the world over, but there has not been a single documented case of bioterrorism in India to date. But there have been few incidents in the past that might have been biological attacks, given the fact that it is tough to differentiate natural epidemics from biological attacks.

During the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, a scrub typhus outbreak in northeastern India came under suspicion. Other cases which could not be officially confirmed as events of bio-terror include, the spread of bubonic plague in Surat in 1994 which caused several deaths, dengue hemorrhagic fever in Delhi in 1996, anthrax in Midnapur in 1999 and encephalitis in Siliguri in 2001 and an anthrax scare in 2001 at Mantralaya in Mumbai.

Recent Nipah Virus outbreak which happened in 2018 in Perambra, Kerala has the physical attributes to serve as a potential agent of bioterrorism. The first human outbreak of Nipah virus was reported from Malaysia among pig farmers in 1998. The virus was named Nipah after the name of the village of Sungai Nipah, in Malaysia. There were several outbreaks in Bangladesh and the first reported outbreak was in 2001. There was an outbreak in Nadia, West Bengal in 2007. The present epidemic in India after nearly 11 years with a high case fatality rate indicates that there is a total lack of health care systems preparedness and surveillance strategy.

India also appears ill-equipped to face the threat of bioterrorism, as was evident from the recent H1N1 epidemic, which claimed over 2,300 lives. We must know and get acquainted with this form of terror before it becomes an enormous challenge to our Health Department. Early detection and quick response to bioterrorism are contingent on close cooperation between public health authorities and law enforcement; however, such collaboration is currently lacking.

The threat of bioterrorism is the most probable when compared to other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), owing to rapid advancements in the field of synthetic biology besides the existence of hostile neighbours like Pakistan and Bangladesh. In 2002 at Kandahar, Afghanistan, the Pentagon detected anthrax at a suspected Al-Qaeda biological weapons site together with equipment conventionally used in biowarfare programme. Later some sketches and calculations to make helium-powered balloon bomb filled with anthrax was discovered in the Kabul office of an NGO headed by Bashiruddin Mahmood, one of the two Pakistani nuclear scientists arrested in Islamabad for questioning on their alleged links with Osama Bin Laden.

The links of Al Qaeda with four terrorist groups in India are well established. These groups are Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Harkat-ul-Jihad-ul-Islami and Harkat-ul- Mujahidin. On account of the close link of these terrorist groups with Al -Qaeda, there is a real risk of these terrorist groups launching a biological attack in India in the future. Besides the above state actors, there are numerous non-state actors in India and her neighbourhood as well.

High population density, subtropical climatic conditions, coupled with poor hygiene and inadequate sanitation facilities make India extremely susceptible and suitable for the spread of infectious diseases. Inadequate medical facilities and non-availability of medical services in remote areas make the circumstances still more ideal for contagious diseases to run like wildfire. Its shocking but true that on an average a single government doctor serves nearly 12,000 people.

On top of it all, any battle with bioterrorism is fraught with numerous challenges, the first and foremost challenge being the collection or isolation of the microbes and their identification. Its challenging to pinpoint the origin of infection or the site of an outbreak or arrive at a realisation that a bioterrorism attack has been unleashed on the population. Without such information, it would be challenging to combat the assault as we would fail to press into action the concerted efforts of various agencies entrusted with the responsibility. Insofar as preparedness of India to a bioterrorist attack is concerned, its incredibly deficient from the viewpoint of infrastructure, trained personnel, scientific expertise and public education. The existent institutional mechanisms lack proper coordination to counter any bioterrorism attack.

The fact of the matter is that we have not had any bioterrorism attack so far, which could be the reason why we find ourselves complacent, making our country that much more vulnerable to unsuspecting attacks, thereby considerably endangering the lives. Its imperative that we learn and gear up fully before such an eventuality occurs and becomes a massive challenge to us. Early detection and rapid response to bioterrorism hinges upon close cooperation between public health authorities and law enforcement. However, we seem to be lacking such collaboration at the moment.

To keep India battle ready to counter a bioterrorism attack, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Govt. of India (GoI) has proposed a model instrument where participation of both government and private sectors is a sine qua non to defeat any such attack. As epidemics have the potential to wreak havoc on a large scale like chemical and nuclear weapons, a multi-sector approach has been envisaged to be adopted. In India, several nodal ministries have been earmarked for dealing with epidemics caused by bioterrorism.

The central departments which are involved are Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH and FW) which is one of the main ministries tasked with providing directions and technical support for capacity building, surveillance and early detection of an outbreak. Health ministry also helps in the deployment of Rapid Response Teams, human resources and logistic support. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is another nodal ministry which works in conjunction with MoH and FW. MHA is responsible for the assessment of the threat, intelligence inputs and implementation of preventive mechanisms. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specialised force constituted under MHA to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) attacks. It consists of 12 battalions, three each from the BSF and CRPF and two each from CISF, ITBP and SSB.



Each battalion has 18 independent specialist search and rescue parties of 45 personnel each including engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and medical/paramedics. The total strength of each battalion is 1,149. All the 12 battalions have been equipped and trained to respond to natural as well as human-made disasters. Battalions are also trained and equipped for response during CBRN emergencies. Besides, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) manages the matters and consequences of biowarfare. Clinical case management is backed by the Indian Army, as they have several hospitals nationwide. They use ambulances, aircraft and ships to handle casualties. The Defence R&D Organization (DRDO) is actively pitched into developing protective systems and equipment for troops to contend against nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.

The other ministries which are also responsible are the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for evaluation of short and long-term consequences, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Urban or Rural Development Ministry and Department of Drinking Water Supply, Indian Railways etc. NDMA has been made responsible for promulgating policies on management and approving plans of different ministries. And the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) coordinates and monitors responses in crises especially in disasters. It provides strong coordination and implementation of relief measures during disasters.

In order to enhance the preparedness of India towards bio-terror attacks, we should emulate the West and formulate training exercises and implement technologies that are being adopted in countries like the USA and Europe. For instance, the state of New York in September 2016, held the fourth edition of its massive emergency response training exercise called the Excelsior Challenge, which is a training exercise designed for police and first responders to become familiar with techniques and practices should a real incident occur. In 1999, the University of Pittsburghs Center for Biomedical None Informatics deployed the first automated bioterrorism detection system, called Real-Time Outbreak Disease Surveillance (RODS), which collects data from many data sources and uses them to detect a possible bioterrorism event at the earliest possible moment.

The city of New York has developed unique software to combat bioterrorism. The tool called the New York City Syndromic Surveillance System tracks disease progression throughout the City of New York. We would do better if we conduct exercises like Dark Winter to know our preparedness and inadequacies in overcoming bio-terror attacks.

Bioterrorism is a low-probability, high-impact event. Biological agents imperil human, livestock and crop health, and thereby hurt the Indian economy. Its therefore imperative that we enhance our understanding of them with the intention of dealing with them effectively. Political awareness and public participation are indispensable for threat alleviation. In a country like India, where the population is on the increase by the day and has exceeded a billion, preventive strategies and efforts against bioterrorism require to be strengthened, improved and made useful. Such preparedness against bioterrorism will also capacitate our populace against natural epidemics, thus transforming India into a resilient society.

Author Damian Mark Smyth says, Were One, weve always been One, well always be One until we think we are not. And herein lies our challenge, we are one, but we think we are separate; we have forgotten our Oneness. As a result of our mistaken belief that we are separate, we have created an imaginary world of duality which is leading to terrorism, war, conflict and suffering. When all the people on this planet realise they are one, there will be nothing to fight against and no strife.
New Delhi: In words that would be encouraging for India, Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui on Sunday expressed confidence that the issue regarding the proposal for listing at the UN Security Council of (Pakistan-based JeM chief) Masood Azhar as a global terrorist would be resolved, adding that China had only placed a technical hold and that there would be further consultations.

It may be recalled that China had last week placed a technical hold on the proposal at the UNSC that had been moved by France, the US and Britain. It may also be recalled that the proposal was backed by 14 out of 15 UN Security Council members. China was the only country that did not back the proposal, much to Indias disappointment.

Regarding the Masood (Azhar) case, we understand and believe this matter, the concern from your side, we understand that, we are optimistic and quite sure this matter will be resolved, the ambassador said.

This is only a technical hold and that means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved, believe me, the ambassador said at an event at the Chinese embassy here to celebrate Holi.

The envoy added after the Wuhan summit (between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year), Sino-Indian cooperation was on the fast track and the Chinese side was fully satisfied with this progress. His remark on the Azhar issue that it was only a technical hold placed by his country is being seen as significant and could be viewed with some hope by India.

Despite being disappointed over Chinas persistent blocking of UN Security Council resolutions to designate Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, government sources said on Saturday that India would show patience and be prepared for the long haul.
New Delhi: Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar passed away at his residence in Panaji on Sunday evening after a prolonged illness. He was 63. The Centre has announced national mourning on Monday to mark his death.

Parrikars health had worsened over the past two days, and turned critical late Saturday night. when he was put on life support. His medical condition had fluctuated for over a year. The four-term chief minister and former defence minister was flown to the United States for treatment of his pancreatic cancer in March last year. The chief minister died around 6.40 pm on Sunday, a state government official said in Panaji. A widower, he is survived by his two sons and their families.

Parrikar will be accorded state funeral. The national flag will be flown at half-mast in New Delhi and the capitals of all states and Union territories on Monday. The Union Cabinet will hold a special meeting at 10 am on Monday to pay tribute.

President Ram Nath Kovind Monday expressed grief over Parrikars demise, saying he was an epitome of integrity and dedication in public life. Condoling his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a unparalleled leader, who was a true patriot and an exceptional administrator, admired by all. Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Shanti, the PM said in a tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said when Parrikar was the defence minister, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced the countrys security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen.

With Parrikars demise, the BJP-led coalition in Goa has to search for a new leader to replace him. He was heading a coalition government comprising the BJP, Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents. His death will also necessitate a fourth byelection in Goa, where bypolls are due for the Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa Assembly seats on April 23. These will be held in the state along with the Lok Sabha polls.

With CM Parrikars demise, the ruling coalition will have to make a fresh representation to the governor after choosing their leader. The representation will have the letter of support, a senior Goa official said. If the governor is not convinced, then she will have to invite the single largest party to form the government, he said.

The Congress is the single largest party in Goa, with 14 MLAs, while the BJP has 13 in the 40-member Assembly. The Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents have three MLAs each, while the NCP has one. The strength of the House has been cut to 36 due to demise of BJP MLA Francis DSouza earlier this year, and Parrikar on Sunday, and the resignation of Congress MLAs, Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, last year. After the news of Parrikars death broke, the coalition partners have called emergency meetings.
RAMESWARAM: While the sitting MP of the sprawling Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency in Southwest Tamil Nadu is Anwar Raja of the AIADMK, a devout Muslim, the DMK allocating the seat for the April 18 Lok Sabha polls this year to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), has evoked a mixed reaction from voters in this segment.

Even as the IUML, after the DMKs announcement of seats shared with its allies, promptly declared that it was fielding a local businessman Nawazghani, a section of the voters in this constituency which spans three districts of Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai and Virudhunagar, have apprehensions of possible polarisation of the voters on religious lines this time.

This is in the wake of the main political parties in recent years, including the DMK and AIADMK, supporting or fielding Muslim candidates for the Ramanathapuram seat, though Hindus form a huge chunk of the voters. Added to this, Ramanathapuram is considered the gateway to the pilgrim island of Rameswaram, to which devotees from all parts of the country throng all through the year.

After the delimitation exercise (redrawing of constituency boundaries), Ramanathapuram parliamentary constituency comprises the Assembly segments of Ramanathapuram, Paramakudi, Mudukulathur, Tiruvadanai, besides Aranthangi in Pudukkottai district and Arupukkottai in Virdhunagar district.

Historically, this constituency has elected both Hindu and Muslim candidates, but the charge of religious bias has cropped up after the delimitation of electoral constituencies in 2009. While in 1952, 1957 and 1962 Parliament elections, Nagappa Chettiar, Subbiah Ambalam and Arunachalam, all representing the Congress party were elected in those respective years, it was in the 1967 Lok Sabha polls, that the DMK-backed Muslim candidate, Mohammed Sharif had won.

In the subsequent, the Ramanathapuram constituency had elected Forward Bloc leader P.K Mookaiyah Thevar (1971), AIADMKs Anbazhagan (1977), DMKs Sathyendran (1980), Congress candidate Rajeshwaran elected for three consecutive terms in 1984, 1989 and 1991, followed by Udayappan of TMC (1996), AIADMKs former Treasurer S. Sathyamoorthy (1998), AIADMKs K Malaisamy (1999), Bhavani Rajendran of the DMK (2004), and actor K.J Ritheesh of the DMK in 2009.

However, since the election of Mr. Anwar Raja of the AIADMK in 2014 Lok Sabha poll and 2016 Assembly elections, a section of the electorate have begun to voice concerns over the changing voters profile of the constituency post-delimitation.

It is in this backdrop that some mixed reactions have now come up to the IUML announcing its candidate for the 2019 LS polls. Janab Bhai of Rameswaram says, since 1967 elections, after 52 years this constituency has been allotted to IUML in the DMK-led front. As the main poll plank in this election is the establishment of a secular, progressive government at the Centre, it does not matter to which caste or religion the candidate belongs; the IUML nominee as a candidate of the secular alliance has a good chance of making it this time, added Janab Bhai.

Another voter, Madheena of Rameswaram, rejected perceptions of the IUML being a communal party, saying it has been playing a role in the countrys politics for nearly 100 years and working for the nations development, beyond caste and religious considerations. The IUML, as part of the DMK-led alliance is only fighting the anti-people policies of the Central and State governments and we will work for its candidate to win from Ramand, added Madheena.

Nonetheless, voters like M S Arul of Pamban and Prabhakaran of Rameswaram, say that only political parties which articulate the interests of the fishermen community here will get their support in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. They also resented the mainstream parties approach of late to field Muslim candidates from Ramnad, saying it was part of the alleged efforts to change the profile of this constituency.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K.V. Thomas, Ernakulam MP, who was denied a seat on Saturday, had received calls on Sunday morning from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, to join the BJP.

But a highly placed source close to Thomas told DC that he conveyed to Modi and Amit Shah about his firm stand to remain with Congress when they called him on Sunday morning. It was when Jaitley called Thomas with a slew of lucrative offers that he will never be able to follow the saffron politics, the Kerala BJP leaders realised that their game plan to poach Thomas will not work out.

Jaitley promised Thomas cabinet rank position in anticipation of quite a number of current Rajya Sabha MPs contesting the Lok Sabha elections falling vacant.

Thomas told Jaitley that he is not wearing the khadhi on his body, but on his mind. It was then the BJP camp realised that Thomas will remain elusive to BJP and will always remain loyal to Sonia Gandhi. Thomas did not attend the calls made by Tom Vadakkan who was keen to act as a messenger, said a source close to Thomas to DC.

Hectic parleys were on since Saturday night over the phone and in person when a slew of calls came to Thomass mobile. Initially, the peeved five- time MP, 72 year old Thomas was in no mood to mellow down to the words of Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala. After day long deliberations with KPCC and AICC leadership, Thomas informed that he would remain as a Congress party worker. He maintained that he will remain with the Congress and would never resort to harm his party in any way.

"I have my own identity where I am not concerned with posts. I felt hurt by the approach being meted out to me by the party. Congress will emerge as winner in the Ernakulam LS constituency as it is a Congress stronghold", said Thomas

On Saturday, when Thomas did not come out with a firm reply on whether he would join BJP, alarm bells started ringing in the Congress camp. Ahmed Patel, political secretary to UPA chairman, Sonia Gandhi and Mukul Wasnik, AICC general secretary in-charge of the State held telephonic conversations with Thomas late on Saturday night. But a Congress source told DC that a peeved Thomas was more upset with the top brass of the AICC leadership comprising of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, CWC leader A. K. Antony and Congress president Rahul Gandhi not defending him when Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala vehemently batted for Hibi Eden. But Chennithala managed to convince before the CEC that Hibi has got more chance to trounce CPMs P. Rajiv. This led Thomas to shout in anger at Chennithala when he initiated damage controlling measures by coming to his home in person on Sunday morning.

KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran had actually favoured Thomas. But he was cowed down by pressure from Chennithala, CWC leader K. C. Venugopal, UDF convener Benny Behanan who will be contesting from Chalakudy. At the same time, KPCC vice president V. D. Satheesan MLA who is also the member in the AICC publicity and publication committee collected the support of MLAs in favour of Hibi which was the biggest shock for Thomas, said a Congress source.

Thomas will be meeting Sonia Gandhi on Monday morning where she is expected to offer him key posts in the party. Already she had conveyed him not to take any hasty decision. Later, Mullapally also came out in public and said that there were dissents within the party on giving him another term.
Hong Kong: Safe contruction industry commended

Commissioner for Labour Carlson Chan today attended the 20th Award Presentation Ceremony of the Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan said with the concerted efforts of the Government and the industry over the past 20 years, the accident rate per 1,000 workers in the construction industry significantly dropped more than 80%, from 203.9 in the first three quarters in 1999 to 31.4 in the first three quarters in 2018.

"However, the construction industry still has the highest occupational safety and health risk and number of fatalities among all industries. Among the 16 fatal industrial accidents last year, 14 involved the construction industry, with falling from height being the main cause of death.

Mr Chan said the department launched in January a special enforcement operation targeting high-risk operations such as scaffolding work to eradicate unsafe practices.

Additionally, the department would launch a new online complaint platform shortly and hold a safety seminar on truss-out scaffolds in May

It will keep promoting occupational health and safety messages via animations and other platforms, Mr Chan added.

Inaugurated in 1999, the award scheme recognises principal contractors, sub-contractors, site personnel and front-line workers with good occupational safety and health performances.

The competition this year attracted 186 construction sites, 116 sub-contractors and 134 safety teams.

This story has been published on: 2019-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Claims that ward office carried out renovation without considering its load bearing capacity.

Deputy municipal commissioner said that no tiles are so heavy that it can bring a bridge down.

Mumbai: The blame game in the civic administration towards taking responsibility after any mishap has again come to light. After Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday held four of its staff guilty towards the Himalaya bridge collapse, which killed six people, the guilty officer feel that the report was made in hurry and they are being made scapegoats.

All four officers named in the preliminary report were then posted in the BMC bridges department and two of them, who were senior officers, have retired from service.

Speaking to The Asian Age one the retired senior officer, who has been put under full-fledged departmental enquiry (FFDE), said, The ward office had recently renovated the bridge by putting tiles. They failed in basic calculations of whether the bridge design will bear the load. None of bridge department engineers will take such risk at the cost of human lives, he said on condition of anonymity.

While, deputy municipal commissioner of Zone 1, Harshad Kale, asserted that no tiles are so heavy that it can bring a bridge down. The A-ward had given letter to bridges department in 2016 regarding the renovation. However, the department never replied to the letter.

An A-ward officer Kiran Dighavkar, said, The preliminary report says 1.4 tons of structural steel was used on the bridge during repairs carried out in 2013, which overloaded it. We had just replaced the tiles and painted the bridge. The ward office is not responsible and the enquiry will finalise the things.

The retired officer added, All the officers named guilty in the report are not currently posted in the bridges department, which gives us no chance to see the files and give our replies immediately. Before finalising the report on Friday, they didnt seek our justification. We are made scapegoats and I have no option but to face enquiry now. The municipal commissioner on Friday suspended executive engineer A.R. Patil, assistant engineer S.F. Kalkulte and retired officers chief engineer S.O. Kori and deputy chief engineer R.B. Tare under FFDE for substantial work and poor supervision of the Himalaya bridge.
Veer Singh said AP needed a Chief Minister like Pawan Kalyan, saying he was aiming to usher in a social change. (Image: File)

Amaravati: The Jana Sena Sunday announced an electoral tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party in Andhra Pradesh, allotting three Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats to it for the April 11 elections.

Announcing this, Sena president Pawan Kalyan said he wished to see BSP chief Mayawati as the Prime Minister.

Kalyan had met Mayawati in Lucknow two days ago.

BSP senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Veer Singh came to Vijayawada Sunday to formalise the alliance.

Accordingly, the BSP has been allotted SC reserved Lok Sabha seats Chittoor, Tirupati and Bapatla.

The 21 assembly seats have not been finalised yet.

Many could not appreciate her personality and greatness. Country needs a strong leader like Mayawati as Prime Minister. This is the wish of crores of people and mine too, Kalyan told reporters here.

A few years ago he was asked to be the BSP AP unit president but he could not oblige because of the then political situation, the Sena chief said.

Veer Singh said AP needed a Chief Minister like Pawan Kalyan, saying he was aiming to usher in a social change.

Mayawati would tour Amalapuram on April 3 and Tirupati the next day and then go to Hyderabad, he said.

The Jana Sena said its alliance with BSP would extend to April 11 Lok Sabha elections in neighbouring Telangana as well but did not specify the seats each would contest.

The Jana Sena is also yet to finalise seat-sharing with the CPI and the CPI-M in AP though Kalyan held several rounds of talks with the Left leaders in the last few days.

Meanwhile, former IPS officer V Lakshmi Narayana joined the Jana Sena, ending speculation about his political moves.

Narayana shot into fame as the then Joint Director of CBI in AP, who led the probe into the Jaganmohan Reddy disproportionate assets case.

A Maharashtra cadre officer, he took voluntary retirement late last year and toyed with the idea of floating his own political outfit.

There was speculation that the ruling TDP might field him as a candidate from Visakhapatnam district.

Narayana met Pawan Kalyan after midnight Saturday and formally joined the Sena on Sunday at a function in the party office here.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Sri Krishna Devaraya University Rajagopal, a close relative of Narayana, also joined the Sena.
Digvijaya Singh, a former chief minister and multiple times Lok Sabha MP, is currently a Rajya Sabha member. (Photo: File)

Chhindwara: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday said if party colleague Digvijaya Singh wants to contest upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he should choose the "toughest seat" in the state.

While Nath did not mention any seat, in particular, he said there were "2-3-4 seats" in Madhya Pradesh which the Congress had not won in the past "30-35" years.

Singh, a former chief minister and multiple times Lok Sabha MP, is currently a Rajya Sabha member.

"I have requested Digvijaya Singh that if he wants to contest Lok Sabha polls, then he should do so from the toughest seat. There are 2-3-4 seats from where we have not won elections since the last 30-35 years," Nath told reporters in Chhindwara.

Congress functionaries said he may have been referring to Bhopal and Indore Lok Sabha seats, both of which have been held by the BJP since 1989.

Congress sources said Nath is keen that Singh contest from Bhopal. Former President late Shankar Dayal Sharma was the last Congress winner from the seat in the 1984 general elections.

Kamal Nath, in reply to a query, however, said it was for Singh to decide from where he wants to contest. He also added that the Congress would announce Lok Sabha candidates from the state in the next three-four days.

Kamal Nath arrived in Chhindwara on a two-day visit to address 11 rallies, with his son Nakul Nath, in all likelihood, being the Congress' Lok Sabha candidate.

Kamal Nath, who is a nine-time MP from Chhindwara, is fighting an Assembly bypoll from here scheduled for April 23.

Nath has to get elected to the MP Assembly in order to continue as chief minister.

The Chhindwara Assembly seat was vacated by Dipak Saxena, who had won it in the 2018 state polls, so that Kamal Nath could get an entry into the 230-member House.
BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. I made this demand in front of the observers and it was supported by all," said Kishor Chauhan, a party MLA from Vejalpur. (Image: File)

Ahmedabad: Gujarat BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar parliamentary seat in the sate where polling will be held on April 23, a party legislator said on Sunday.

The seat is currently held by BJP veteran L K Advani. Observers were sent by the BJP on Saturday to seek an opinion of party workers and leaders in Gandhinagar about the candidate from the seat. "BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. I made this demand in front of the observers and it was supported by all," said Kishor Chauhan, a party MLA from Vejalpur, which is a part of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. He said Shah was earlier an MLA from Sarkhej seat, which is also a part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. "He (Shah) knows everybody here and is the right candidate to represent us," Chauhan said.

No BJP worker or leader staked claim for Gandhinagar and all of them "in one voice demanded that their national leader contest from the seat", party observer Nimaben Acharya said, without revealing the name suggested by the partymen. All BJP workers were of the view that the seat was held by a national leader so far, so someone from the central leadership should contest from here, another party observer Prithviraj Patel said. The Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat was won by L K Advani six times since 1991, barring the 1996 Lok Sabha polls.
China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Sunday expressed optimism that the issue relating to India's push for designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN would be resolved. (Photo: Twitter/ANI)

New Delhi: China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Sunday expressed optimism that the issue relating to India's push for designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN would be resolved.

We are optimistic that this matter will be resolved, Luo said on the sidelines of a Holi event at the Chinese embassy here when asked about China putting a hold on listing of Azhar by UN Security Council (UNSC) or UN Sanctions Committee on designating Azhar as a global terrorist.

Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on China blocks India's bid to designate M Azhar as global terrorist in UNSC, said, "It'll be resolved, it's only a technical hold which means there is time for continued consultations. It'll be resolved believe me."

#WATCH Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui speaks to ANI over China blocks India's bid to designate M Azhar as global terrorist in UNSC, says "...It'll be resolved, it's only a technical hold which means there is time for continued consultations. It'll be resolved believe me" pic.twitter.com/NXZAwdyDnk  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

On Wednesday, China for the fourth time blocked the bid in the UNSC to designate Azhar by putting a technical hold on the proposal.

The Chinese move was termed "disappointing" by India. It is only a technical hold which means consultations on the issue will continue, government sources said on Saturday.

The sources said India was "disappointed" with China for putting the technical hold on the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist and will continue to pursue the matter with Beijing.

The Chinese envoy also referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year and said the cooperation between the two countries are on the "right track".

We are quite optimistic about the future cooperation between the two countries, Luo said.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.
Congress General Secretary of UP (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday arrived in Lucknow to address the party workers ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. (Photo: Twitter/ANI)

Lucknow: Congress General Secretary of UP (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday arrived in Lucknow to address the party workers ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress general secretary scheduled a meeting with a number of delegations who have been holding demonstrations against the BJP government and also interact with people to take feedback about the implementation of various programmes.

Priyanka, is on a four-day visit in the state where the Congress leader will take a 3-day boat ride on a 140-kilometre long ganga-yatra starting from Prayagraj and Mirzapur districts on Monday. This is her second visit after being appointed the party's general secretary.

She will end the trip in Varanasi on Wednesday, which is known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, a day before the festival of Holi.

During Priyanka Gandhis streamer campaign, she also planned to halt at various temples and dargahs.

The Congress leader would also interact with electorally significant communities who live by the river. Many of these communities come under the other backward castes or scheduled castes groupings and together they make up a good chunk of the electorate, said Congress party.

She will also meet the family members of a CRPF jawan killed in Pulwama terror attack.

On Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that Priyanka Gandhis entry into politics will make no difference to the BJPs prospects in the Lok Sabha polls. He also dismissed the SP-BSP alliance calling it a false alarm and stated that it was already embroiled in a dispute.
Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday announced that he would launch a national party after assessing the results and political situation, once election results are declared.

Mr Rao made this announcement at his first public meeting at Karimnagar to mark the start of his election campaign. He has always believed that Karimnagar is lucky for him because he was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Karimnagar in 2004 and had announced that a separate state of Telangana would be formed, which eventually became a reality in 2014.

While announcing that the new party will be born after the results of the general election on May 23, he said, Karimnagar is proven as Lakshmigadda for me. Whatever task I have taken up from here has turned into reality. Today, I am announcing that if necessary I will launch the new party for a Congress, BJP Mukt Bharat.

Mr Raos speech seemed to be angled in the direction of setting a national agenda for him to enter national politics after the general election.

Highlighting the failures of the Congress and the BJP, he said when other nations like China, America and Japan, with meagre resources are developing enormously, India is lagging behind in terms of development due to hopeless parties like the Congress and the BJP who fight on religion.

Referring to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a thief, and in turn Mr Modi calling Sonia Gandhi and Rahul as people roaming while on bail, he questioned what the nations of the world will think listening to them.

Regarding the national agenda of the party, he stressed the need to bring structural changes and reforms in the judiciary and administration and for that the people of Telangana must elect all the 16 members who are contesting in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

He said that Telangana state will have to become a driving force to bring a qualitative change to national politics and it has to become a role model for all other states in the coming days.
Its revealing how the tragic shooting in New Zealand appears differently to different people, depending on where they stand. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan sees it as an explosion of Islamophobia. Turkeys foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also complains that Muslims are being demonised. But many Europeans and North Americans  as well as Sangh Parivar diehards  probably quietly agree with Queensland's Senator Fraser Anning, 70, that it highlights the growing fear of the increasing Muslim presence. He blames the immigration programme which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place. That coupling of Muslim with fanatics is bound to resonate in many non-Muslim circles.

Senator Anning is the only mainstream politician to extend even qualified approval to the motives that supposedly inspired the Christchurch bloodbath. Claiming to be a strong advocate of traditional Christian values, he came to the world's attention by demanding a return to Australia's whites-only immigration policy and a ban on Muslim and black African migrants. He is a strident critic of the United Nations which he accuses of usurping many of Australias national rights, and a fervent follower of the former Australian Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies (1894-1978), whom Morarji Desai had also admired. His mention of Muslim fanatics recalled brutalities like Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorism in India, Taliban depredations in Afghanistan, Boko Harams ruthlessness in Nigeria, or the now dwindling killing fields of the so-called Islamic State.

Since its the exception that shapes opinion and is remembered, these barbaric phenomena gnaw at the public consciousness while millions of ordinary law-abiding Muslims who struggle peacefully to make ends meet or try desperately to escape to a better life in leaky tubs across the Mediterranean are submerged in the gory spectacle of the 2002 Bali bombing. Few of those who mourn that outrage remember  or even know perhaps  that three Indonesian Muslims were executed for the crime. What will never be forgotten in Australia, New Zealand and expatriate circles of Southeast Asia is that 88 Australians were among the 202 dead.

Not that Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the 28-year-old Australian who has been charged in Christchurch with murder, mentions the Bali bombing in his rambling 74-page manifesto posted on the social media. Instead it refers to Rakhmat Akilov, 40, an Uzbek sympathetic to the Islamic State who carried out a lorry attack in Sweden last year killing five people and is now serving a life sentence for terrorist crimes. The document also says the author found the sight of immigrants in the French cities he visited in 2017 offensive, and indicates that Anders Breivik, the Norwegian terrorist and killer of 77 innocent children and adults, had approved of his murderous plan. In a giveaway phrase, Tarrant's manifesto also lauded Donald Trump (who denounced Fridays horrible massacre) as a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.

President Trumps own condemnation of the crime was unambiguous, but he is over-optimistic in denying that white nationalism is a rising global threat and in dismissing the shooting as an individual incident. The small and isolated groups that indulge in such brutality reflect a school of thought that is spreading and could seriously challenge peace and stability some day in the not too distant future.

Thomas Klau of the European Council on Foreign Relations holds that just as anti-Semitism was a unifying factor for far-right parties in the 1910s, 20s and 30s, Islamophobia has become the unifying factor in the early decades of the 21st century.

Ruth Wodak, an Austrian academic working in Britain, takes the analysis further. She divides Europe's rising populist parties into four groups. Some in Austria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and France gain support via an ambivalent relationship with fascist and Nazi pasts. Some Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian parties endorse a fundamentalist Christian conservative-reactionary agenda. Some parties, particularly in Hungary, Greece, Italy, and the United Kingdom, restrict their propaganda to a perceived threat to their national identities from ethnic minorities". And some, especially in the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland, focus primarily on a perceived threat from Islam.

Inevitably, there is considerable overlapping among the four categories. For instance, the perception that their national culture is under threat, which is the main attraction of far-right parties in the Scandinavian countries, according to an article in The Economist, could also include Islamophobia and anti-Semitism as well as residual or vestigial fascism. The common plank is the rise of a dangerously vicious form of right-wing extremism that has already shed blood in Britain, France and the United States  to say nothing of India  as the world seems to be hurtling towards a grim realisation of Samuel Huntingtons prophecy.

Westerners are so horrified today because New Zealand, remote in the Pacific, slumbered in their consciousness as a kind of Shangri-la. It may have been so in those halcyon days when the then Prime Minister, Robert (Piggy) Muldoon, proudly told me that his was a multiracial nation. He had in mind the 15 per cent indigenous Maoris. But Asians, with their baggage of pride and prejudice, will soon outnumber Maoris if they havent done so already. At the same time 4.6 million New Zealanders had 1.2 million registered firearms last year. The mix could be explosive.

Christchurch looks like a pleasant English country town. But appearances can be deceptive. Paul Buchanan, a strategy analyst, was quoted as saying that it has a very active white supremacist community, a community that has attacked refugees and people of colour on multiple occasions over the past 20 years. Tarrant says he chose his victims because he saw them as invaders who would replace the white race. He predicted chillingly that he would feel no remorse for their deaths. It would be a mistake to ignore the anti-Muslim phenomenon that he represents.
The Tamil Nadu government hasn't conducted itself with empathy for women in handling the Pollachi sex scandal. Even its gazette notification ordering a CBI probe was flawed, with the girl named after she had suffered indescribable indignities in a leaked video from a mobile phone recording. The fact that the victim was named twice, first by the police, ostensibly in error, and for which an apology of sorts was issued, shows the government was brazenly acting on the premise that the victim could be named as it was not a rape case. The high court didn't hesitate to censure the government and order compensation of at least Rs 25 lakhs. It's debatable, however, if any sum is adequate for what just one victim of a major sex scam targeting women in Pollachi, near Coimbatore, suffered.

Given that elections are nearing, including to at least 18 seats in Tamil Nadu's Assembly, the sex scam has taken on political overtones, with at least one of the four key perpetrators allegedly close to a ruling party leader. A man who accosted the victim's brother for complaining to the police has been removed from the AIADMK. The point is that naming of the victim can be seen as a way to keep hundreds of other women affected in the scandal from registering complaints. This is where the CBI can help by setting up a toll-free number and email ID for victims to come forward and expose the perpetrators. It is the state government's basic duty to ensure that justice prevails for the women horribly wronged in a sustained plot of sexual harassment.
A Boeing spokesman referred to a statement on Monday that the upgrade would be deployed across the 737 MAX fleet in the coming weeks. (Photo: AP)

Boeing Co plans to release upgraded software for its 737 MAX in a week to 10 days, sources familiar with the matter said.

The US planemaker has been working on a software upgrade for an anti-stall system and pilot displays on its fastest-selling jetliner in the wake of the deadly Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October.

Similarities between the flight path in the Lion Air incident and Sundays Ethiopian Airlines crash have raised fresh questions about the system, but so far there is no evidence on whether the same software is again a potential issue.

Asked about the timeline, first reported by AFP, a Boeing spokesman referred to a statement on Monday that the upgrade would be deployed across the 737 MAX fleet in the coming weeks.

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Mr Patole will be fighting against Union minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Nagpur: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is likely to address an election rally in Nagpur, which will be her political debut in Maharashtra, informed Nagpur Congress Lok Sabha candidate Nana Patole. He will be fighting against Union minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Mr Patole who had quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his Lok Sabha seat while challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi both inside and outside Parliament is the sole MP who is not satisfied with the governance.

Listing irregularities and scams in the BJP ruled Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) which is under the direct supervision of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and central minister Nitin Gadkari, Mr Patole said the duo have successfully damaged the autonomous status of the civic body and virtually robbed its charm. All the developmental and service activities are being privatised and Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has been unnecessarily given undue benefits.

Mr Patole said a lot of resentment is prevailing among the common men as property taxes have increased, the water supply services have been handed over to private party (OCW), which has also affected the smooth water supply across most part of the city particularly in South, North and Central Nagpur areas.

Replying to a question, Mr Patole said, Mr Gadkari is our friend and has blessed me personally but during last five years; he has little to cheer up the youngsters waiting for employment opportunities. If elected, Mr Patole said his party will make all efforts to provide jobs to unemployed youths.

He ridiculed Mr Gadkari saying in year 2009, Mr Gadkari had made power point presentation at Yashwant Stadium and in Amravat to promise lakhs of jobs in Mihan. Where are the lakhs of job? he asked.

On international issue, Mr Patole said Pakistan and China would be very happy if Narendra Modi is elected since China is dumping huge scrap in India and you see a large number of Chinese products have flooded in the market.
Bratislava: Government critic Zuzana Caputova secured a huge first-round win over the ruling party candidate in Slovakias weekend election, putting her one step closer to becoming the countrys first female president.

Official results showed Caputova securing more than twice the votes of her rival Maros Sefcovic, suggesting the electorate had shunned the political establishment following last years shock murder of an investigative journalist probing corruption.

The liberal environmental lawyer, who secured 40 per cent of the vote, is almost certain to win the March 30 run-off against European Commission vice-president Sefcovic, who took just 19 per cent.

The outcome is likely to spell trouble for the governing Smer-SD ahead of next years general election. Caputova has such a large lead that Sefcovic would have to attract nearly all the unsuccessful candidates' voters and that is improbable, Bratislava-based analyst Grigorij Meseznikov said.

By choosing Caputova, people have strongly called for change for the better in accordance with the values of liberal democracy, he said.

Those who want continuity and Smer-SD to remain in power are in the clear minority.

Running on a slogan of Stand up to evil, the divorced mother of two had joined tens of thousands of protesters who took to the streets after the killing of journalist Jan Kuciak who was investigating political corruption.

Kuciak and his fiancee were gunned down in February 2018 just as he was about to publish a story on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia.



The murder shocked the nation and raised fears about media freedom and political corruption.

It also sparked the largest anti-government protests since Commu-nist times in the central European country of 5.4 million people, which spent decades behind the Iron Curtain before joining the European Union, the eurozone and NATO.

Robert Fico, who was prime minister at the time, was forced to resign but he remains leader of the populist-left Smer-SD and is a close ally of current premier Peter Pellegrini. These anti-government protests and their consequences showed the people that their opinion mattered. It was a very important factor in the election, Meseznikov said.
India will show patience with China for "as long as it takes" but will not compromise its position on terrorism, government sources said on Saturday, days after China blocked a fresh move at the UN to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

China has to resolve certain issues with Pakistan though it has adequate information that certain terror groups are operating from Pakistani soil and they are against Chinese interests as well, sources said.

It was for China to resolve the issues with Pakistan, and India will show patience on it, they said, adding New Delhi has shared evidence against Azhar with all the UN Security members including China.

On Wednesday, China for the fourth time blocked the bid in the UN Security Council to designate Azhar by putting a technical hold on the proposal. The Chinese move was termed "disappointing" by India.

Sources said India was "cautiously" confident that eventually Azhar will get listed as it has a solid case against the JeM chief.

India is not going to make any compromise or cut any deal with any member nation of the UN Security Council or UN Sanctions Committee on designating Azhar as global terrorists, sources said, adding New Delhi is ready for a long-haul on the issue.

They said 14 out of the 15 members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) supported India on the issue while seven members were co-sponsoring the resolution to list Azhar.

India will not rest until he is proscribed by the UN, they said.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

Sources said terrorism was an issue which is not-negotiable for India and if China needed more time, New Delhi was ready to wait.

They said India was not going to approach the UN Security Council on the issue of Azhar and that if there was any other option to list Azhar, then it was for the members of the powerful body to explore.

They also ruled out the possibility of any mediation by any country to resolve issues between India and Pakistan.

In 2009, India moved a proposal by itself to designate Azhar. In 2016 again India moved the proposal with the P3 - the United States, the United Kingdom and France in the UN's 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of the attack on the airbase in Pathankot in January 2016.

In 2017, the P3 nations moved a similar proposal again. However, on all occasions, China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, blocked India's proposal from being adopted by the Sanctions Committee.
Former IAS officer Shah Faesal, who resigned from the service earlier this year, launched his own party Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement at a function in Srinagar on Sunday.



As mainstream party we can only facilitate peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue which ultimately has to come from New Delhi and Islamabad, he said amid thunderous applause from hundreds of his supporters, who had gathered at Gindun Ground in posh Rajbagh area of the city.



The newly floated party also released a vision document at its launch. The manifesto said the party will attempt to bring about sustainable peace in the state by making the people politically empowered, economically prosperous, socially emancipated, ethically evolved, culturally enlightened and environmentally conscious.



The 2010 batch UPSC topper, who resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) on January 9 this year to protest unabated killings, absence of credible political initiative from Delhi, and rise of Hindutva forces said that women were the worst sufferers of Kashmir conflict and that they should join his party.



The youngsters should be allowed to express dissent and raise voice against human rights violations. Our party will fight for these rights. The party (JKPM) would seek adequate political representation for under-represented communities like Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians and Kashmiri Pandits, he asserted.



The former bureaucrat said that Kashmiri politicians were living in a state of mental siege and slavery. This all pervading mentality of siege has to go. Our intention to launch this party is to provide a platform for people from all religions and castes, he asserted.



Without naming anyone, Faesal said, Those who were ready to accommodate me in their political parties, by denying them and their offers, they are now saying, I am an agent of RSS and BJP.



The former IAS officer said that he admires Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for their political struggle.



Shehla Rashid, an engineer-turned-activist, who is currently pursuing her PhD from Jawahar Lal Nehru University (JNU), was among the people who joined the party on Sunday. We need basic living facilities and we need development. We will work for the peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue, she said.



Shehla also requested the women to come forward and join the newly formed political party.
Wary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi exploiting the aerial strike against Pakistan ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, 21 opposition parties on Wednesday asked the BJP not to politicise the issue at a time when national security should be of paramount concern.

Leaders of 21 parties held a three-hour meeting convened by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, with the Pulwama attacks and the subsequent air strikes in Pakistans Balakot dominating the discussions.

As the meeting progressed, reports about the shooting of an IAF MiG 21 aircraft and

the capture of a Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistani security forces trickled in. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans strident posture and the offer of peace talks also figured in the deliberations of the opposition leaders.

At the meeting, 21 parties expressed their deep anguish over the blatant politicisation of the sacrifices made by our armed forces by leaders of the ruling party, Congress President Rahul Gandhi told reporters.

He was flanked by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPI(M) Secretary General Sitaram Yechury among others.

National security must transcend narrow political considerations. The leaders observed that the Prime Minister has, regrettably, not convened an all-party meeting as per the established practice in our democracy, Rahul said.

At the outset, the leaders praised the valour and bravery of the armed forces and condemned Pakistans misadventure of targeting the military installations and the loss of one fighter aircraft.

Expressing deep concern over the safety of the missing pilot, the opposition leaders urged the Modi government to take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect Indias sovereignty, unity and integrity.

A section of the opposition appeared rattled by the BJPs all-out attempt to gain maximum political mileage out of the Pulwama attack and the subsequent air strikes, with at least one leader declaring that Modi had already won the elections.

Another section wanted the opposition to go all out against Modi and the BJP, but was cautioned by Pawar, who noted that the national mood should be taken into account before taking any extreme step.

However, Pawars suggestion against naming Modi and the BJP in the joint statement was accepted and the leaders only made a reference to the leaders of the ruling party. There was also consensus among the opposition on the need to raise issues related to the job crisis and the agrarian distress across the country.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who breathed his last on Sunday will always be remembered for his spartan lifestyle and common man approach as he ruled a state known as a glitzy tourist destination.

There was a time when 63-year-old Parrikar was talked about as a successor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even when he headed the secretive defence ministry, Parrikar was a common man's minister, meeting people of all hues and all denomination.

Whether in his home-state Goa or in Parliament, Parrikar was often spotted in his trademark half-sleeve shirt hanging loose and carrying thriller novels along.

Parrikar was born on December 13, 1955, in the bustling market town of Mapusa in the then Portuguese Goa. He completed his school education in Marathi and went on to graduate in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai in 1978.

While in school, Parrikar was a regular at RSS shakhas and had become chief instructor of the organisation for the coastal state. He had risen to the post of sanghchalak (local director) by 1989 when Goa gained statehood.

In 1994, 36-year-old Parrikar made his debut in the state assembly and first made his mark as an aggressive Opposition leader and was known to have dominated the legislative proceedings.

Over the years he built the BJP in the state and went on to become chief minister for the first time in 2000, giving a semblance of stability to a state that had seen 13 different government between 1990 and 2002.

From four MLAs in 1994, Parrikar was instrumental in raising the strength of BJP to 17 in 2002, that made him the chief minister for a second term. The victory also established him as the unquestionable leader of Goa, which he remained till his death.

Slowly and steadily, the technocrat-politician helped the BJP gain acceptability in the largely Catholic state, pushing the regional parties  Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and United Goans Party to the margins.

After the BJP's loss in the Lok Sabha elections of 2009, Parrikar did not hesitate in bluntly telling veteran L K Advani to step aside and make way for the next generation. His compared Advani to a rancid pickle.

Parrikar's grand victory in the 2012 assembly elections made him a formidable voice among the next generation leaders in the BJP and his close ties with the RSS added heft to his views.

In 2013, Parrikar emerged as Modi's biggest supporters and backed him for a national role at the BJP national executive in Panjim that year.

Though he enjoyed a clean image, a section within the state RSS disapproved of his support to the Church and was even accused of Catholic-appeasement at the cost of development in the state. Parrikar's stand to allow casinos and mining activities in the state earned him friends and foes in equal measure.

After the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Parrikar reluctantly gave up the post of the chief minister to become the defence minister, the first Union Cabinet Minister, under Modi.

In 2017, as the Goa Assembly elections threw up a hung Assembly, Parrikar did not hesitate to quit as defence minister to return to the state as chief minister. However, his fourth term as the chief minister did not hit the right notes.

In March last month, Parrikar was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and the US. Parrikar has been forced to remain in office as crucial alliance partners, who keep the government afloat, have refused to accept anyone else as chief minister.

On the personal front, Parrikar lost his wife Medha to cancer in 2001. He is survived by two sons.
Leadership crisis has been a periodic phenomenon across societies and professions. Indian legal academia is equally plagued by the problem of identifying credible leaders in the form of Professors of Law who can effectively lead the National Law Universities (NLUs). The contemporary trends in appointment of Vice Chancellors (VC) in the national law universities reflect this pattern. Firstly, there is an increasing practice of appointing the sitting Vice Chancellor for a second term. Secondly, the new trend is towards appointing a retired judge of the high court or retired district judge or the judicial officer from the State Judicial Academy to officiate as Vice Chancellor In-Charge.

Both models speak of the leadership crisis, or perhaps reflect foul play in the appointment process in one way or the other. The first model of re-appointment has its own demerits, nonetheless, it is workable because at least it is professors who have demonstrated some level of results in their first term that are allowed to continue in office.

The second model is most disturbing, because it indicates that there is a dearth of credible professors who can take the top management position in NLUs immediately after the seat of the Vice Chancellor falls vacant. Or, perhaps, this situation is increasingly being used by the judiciary to reward some retired judges with post-retirement positions. This is possible because the Vice Chancellors of NLUs are appointed by the Chief Justices of the respective high courts in their capacity as the Chancellor. Only National Law University Bangalore and Kolkata are exceptions, for which the Chancellor is the Chief Justice of India. The argument, however, remains the same. Some case examples of NLUs across the country clearly show this trend.

In Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU, Raipur) a former judge of the High Court of Chhattisgarh was appointed as the officiating Vice Chancellor on October 3, 2018, by order of the Chief Justice, High Court of Chhattisgarh and the Chancellor of HNLU. In Chanakya National Law University (CNLU, Patna) also, a former judge of the High Court of Judicature at Patna is officiating as Vice Chancellor (in-charge) since March 2018.

National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL, Ranchi) was until recently being headed by the Director, Judicial Academy, Jharkhand, since April 2017. The former judge, Calcutta High Court, has been officiating as the Vice Chancellor in the West Bengal University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS, Kolkata) since April 2018. In National Law University (Aurangabad), Maharashtra, the only Professor of Law in the university has been officiating as the Vice Chancellor since December 2018.

As evident, out of the five NLUs, four are being led by either a retired judge of the High Court or a judicial officer from the higher judiciary in the state. The case of these five NLUs raises many alarming issues. First, why is the Vice Chancellor (VC) position lying vacant in so many NLUs since quite a long time? In case of HNLU, it has been over five months, in CNLU, it has been almost a year, in NUSRL, for over one year and 10 months, in NUJS for over 10 months and in MNLU (Aurangabad) for over two months.

Secondly, why are the Chancellors of these NLUs who are mostly the Chief Justices of the High Courts, unable to appoint any Professor of Law, either from within the NLU or any central or state universitys department of law as the interim vice chancellor till the vacancy is filled? Thirdly, why is there an increasing trend of entrusting this job to judicial officers? It compels us to think, what could be the interest of the judiciary in NLUs.

These questions are critical and highly relevant for the smooth functioning of NLUs and for maintaining the quality of legal education. We perhaps need to appreciate that an academic mind is as distinguished in its own right as is the judicial mind of a judge. Hence, the two have distinguished roles to play in society and generally these roles are not interchangeable. Heading an educational institution requires a different skillset and judgeship needs a different acumen. An academic interest can be best served only by an academic supervisor and none else.

Exercising extra-judicial power

Is the legal academia alone to be blamed for this crisis of leadership? From the four cases of NLUs in the recent past, it appears that whenever a seat of a Vice Chancellor falls vacant, the judiciary is exercising its extra-judicial power through the Chancellor and appointing retired judges as interim Vice Chancellors. Since the Chancellors have the power to constitute a search committee and appoint a Vice Chancellor for a full term, appointment of retired judges as Vice Chanecllors In-charge and allowing them to continue for months, raises concerns. Legal academia may perhaps need to take a collective call if this is a healthy practice.

The leadership challenges in an education institution has far-reaching implications. Likewise, in the case of NLUs, it affects the stability of leadership per se, policy decision-makingvis-a-vis appointment of law teachers and staff, quality of curriculum and syllabus design and overall standards of legal education.

Hence, what is needed is timely appointment of eligible and suitable law professors as Vice Chancellors for a full term. However, a limited role of the judiciary in supporting the NLUs to function smoothly must always be welcomed. At the same time, the legal academia must act steadfastly in developing academic leaders to lead the National Law Universities and improve the standards of legal education.

(The writer is Assistant Registrar (Research), Supreme Court of India, and Assistant Professor, NLU Odisha)
The story of Indian sweets is as old as the countrys gods. In the Dwapara Yuga, the people of Brajbhoomi offered lavish meals to appease Lord Indra for good rainfall.

Deeming it a burden on poor farmers, a skeptical Lord Krishna convinced people to stop the practice. This angered Lord Indra, who wreaked heavy rains and threatened to destroy the village. Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain on his finger for seven days and provided shelter to the villagers. Since Krishna used to eat eight meals a day and this incident left him hungry for a week, as a token of gratitude, the villagers prepared 56 types of food (eight for each of the seven days) for Lord Krishna. Thus the concept of Chhappan Bhog (56 special items) emerged.

If Chhappan Bhog is loved by Lord Krishna, the modak is dear to Lord Ganesha. During Ganesh Chaturthi, it is a staple in many households, along with puran poli or holige (sweet flatbread with a filling of coconut or lentil). Each festival has its typical sweetmeats  kheer during Diwali, gujiya and malpua for Holi, til (sesame) and gud (jaggery) sweets for Sankranti, the disc-shaped ghevar during Teej, thekua for Chhatth Puja, kalkals and plum cake during Christmas, and sevai & phirni for Eid.

For that guest

At home, mothers would deftly rustle up sweets during festivals or for sudden guests. Laddus in the north or unde down south, depending on which side of the Vindhyas you stayed, would be fashioned out of besan (gram flour), rava (semolina), ragi (finger millet), peanuts, puri or murmura (puffed rice) and coconut. Halwas would be made out of gajar, moong or suji, while kheer or payasa would be stirred out of rice, vermicelli or makhana (puffed lotus seeds).

The joy of pilfering sweets on the sly was undeniable, especially during weddings, when sweets were mass-produced in-house.

India has always been the proverbial land of milk and honey where milk is painstakingly reduced to khoa/mawa or curdled into chhena, the base for most Indian sweets. Whether simmered as rabri or basundi, scraped off in layers as khurchan, shaped into barfis and pedas, frozen as kulfi or made into rasmalai, milk is the bedrock of Indian sweets.

Every season brings to the table its own flavours  from gajak, pinni and hot gajar (carrot) or moong dal halwa in winter across North India to patali gur rosogolla and nolen gurer sandesh in East India made from palm jaggery. From Mathura and Banaras Ka Peda to Agra Ka Petha (made of white pumpkin), each region has its own typical sweets.

Eastern delights

At Puris Jagannath Temple in Odisha, an elaborate mahapras



Gur ka Rasgulla



ad of 56 food items is offered to the Lord. Every day, six sets of offerings are made, spanning different meal hours, including several sukhila (dry sweets). Perhaps Odishas most famous export is the rasgulla, with a 700-year-old tradition of being served as bhog to Lakshmi at the Jagannath Temple. As per legend, when Lord Jagannath goes on his annual nine-day sojourn Rath Yatra without her consent, Lakshmi locks the temple gate, Jai Vijay Dwar, and prevents his convoy from re-entering the sanctum sanctorum. To appease Lakshmi, Jagannath offers her khira mohana, a precursor to the rasgulla.

At Pahala, a stretch of around 50 shops midway Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar, you find stacks of containers full of cream-hued rasgullas and chhena gaja, or deep-fried cottage cheese squares soaked in sugar syrup. Chhena poda, literally burnt cottage cheese, is a classic Odiya sweet from Nayagarh. It is made of soft chhena with dry fruits dipped in sugar syrup, and baked till brown. The chhena jhili from Nimapada is a delightful version of the gulab jamun, Sambalpurs kalakand is legendary, and so is Bikalananda Kars rasgulla at Salepur near Cuttack.

Odiya cooks from Puri were much-sought-after all over East India for their ability to cook food as per Hindu scriptures and norms of purity. Many were employed in Bengal during 19th century, and as a result took several dishes with them, including the rasgulla and eventually its Bengali appropriation.

The spongy-white rasgulla was popularised in present-day West Bengal in 1868 by Kolkata-based confectioner Nobin Chandra Das. In 1930, his son Krishna Chandra Das introduced vacuum packing and canned rasgullas, which took it beyond Kolkata and India. Variants include the slightly larger rajbhog (kesar rasgulla with stuffing of dry fruits and khoa) and kamalabhog (orange-flavoured rasgulla).

In Bengal, mishti or sweets were traditionally prepared by confectioner families called Modaks or Moiras, who received wide patronage from zamindars and aristocrats. Often, news of good tidings were accompanied by a platter of sweets, hence the origin of the sandesh, literally message.

Pantua, a Bengali variant of gulab jamun, was reincarnated by master confectioner Bhim Chandra Nag to commemorate the birthday of Countess Charlotte Canning, wife of Governor-General Charles Canning. It was thus after Lady Canning that the ledikeni (sic) was named. Many sweets have fascinating origins.

Local folklore contends that a princess from the Krishnanagar royal family was married to a scion of the Burdwan royal family. When she became pregnant, she lost her appetite and refused to eat any food, craving for a particular sweet made in her maternal home instead. She didnt know its name except that it was made by a lyangcha or lame confectioner!

The said sweet-maker was located and sent from Krishnanagar to Burdwan, where he was given lands and settled so he could prepare delicacies for the royal family happily ever after. And thus, Saktigarh in Burdwan district emerged as the hub for the lyangcha, an elongated gulab jamun.

Once, a daughter of the prominent Banerjee family of Telenipara in Bhadreswar was married into another zamindar family of Baidyabati. After a month of marriage, it was customary for the groom to visit his in-laws. Wanting to pull his leg, the zamindar called upon the famous confectioner Surya Kumar Modak to create a sweetmeat that would befool the groom.

Modak filled a talsansh (common Bengali dry sweet) with rosewater. When the unsuspecting groom took a bite believing it to be a dry sweet, the rose water dribbled onto his kurta. The ecstatic zamindar named this new sweet jolbhora or filled with water.

In another incident, the zamindar told his moira to create a special sweet. The sweet-maker created a sandesh with rose water and cardamom. When his master did not return by the appointed hour, to prevent the sandesh from getting spoiled, he dunked it in sugar syrup. When the zamindar came back and tried it, he loved the sweet and dubbed it monohora or one that captures the heart.

Bihar, too, has its share of iconic sweets  the peda of Kopariya Ghat, the tilkut from Devghar  made of hand-pounded til (sesame), jaggery and khoa  the khaja from Rajgir to balushahi and lavanglata (stapled with a lavanga or clove). Anarsa, made of soaked rice paste and sesame, has regional variations from the arasu pitha of Odisha to the kajaya of Karnataka.

What is gujiya or pidukiya to Biharis is karjikayi to Kannadigas. In what seems a case of misheard lyrics, balushahi is known down south as badushah and shakarpare as shankar poli. Imarti, the jalebis fatter cousin, is locally called jahangir.

Northern frontiers

Delhi is the perfect place in North India to set off on a sweet tooth tour through its galis (alleys)  from Old Famous Jalebiwala at Dariba Kalan in Chandni Chowk to Hazarilal Jain Khurchan wale, moong dal halwa at Chaina Ram at Fatehpuri Chowk, the softest gulab jamuns at Kanwarjis in Parathewale gali and shahi tukda, kheer, phirni and rabri at Kallan Sweets near Jama Masjid. In winter, trays of pinni or atta laddus and gond ke laddu made of edible gum provide delicious fortification against cold weather.

A traditional Punjabi winter delicacy is panjri or dabra, made of dry fruits, whole-wheat flour, sugar, edible gum, poppy seeds and fennel. Amritsars makhkhan te pede di lassi is no less than a dessert, enriched with pedas of white butter, topped with a crust of malai, and served in tall tumblers at Ahuja Milk Bhandaar at Lohagadh Gate and Gyan di lassi near Regent Cinema.

Kashmir has its modur polav or sweet Kashmiri pulao with fried dry fruits and nuts, bakerkhani (layered sweet bread) and gigantic maida puri served with halwa. While driving to the hills of Uttarakhand, travellers stop at Gajraula for thandi kheer at Bhajan Tadka dhaba. Further up, Almora is famous for its unusual bal mithai, a brown chocolate-like fudge made with roasted khoa, coated with white sugar balls. Another Kumaoni delicacy is the singori or singauri, sweetened khoa served in leaf cones of the Malu creeper.

In Rajasthan, if Alwar is known for its milk cake and Jodhpur for mawa kachori and makhaniya lassi (best at Mishrilal at Ghanta Ghar), then Jaisalmer is synonymous with Dhanraj Ranmal Bhatias panchdhari laddu.

Yet, most food discoveries begin in Jaipur  from boondi laddus at Nathulal Mahaveer Prashad to rabdi at Ramchandra Kulfi Bhandar and lassis at Lassiwala and Lakshmi Misthan Bhandar (LMB). The churma laddu is a shared legacy with adjoining Gujarat, whose signature sweet is the mohanthal (granular besan fudge), a must on all Gujarati thalis. Surati ghari, made of mawa, ghee, sugar, refined flour, gram flour and enriched with dry fruits, is said to have been invented by Devshankar Shukla for Tatya Tope during the 1857 mutiny to energise Indian mutineers.

In Kutch, the mawa of Bhirandiyara is made from the milk of buffaloes that graze in the Banni grasslands.

In the Hindi heartland of Allahabad and Varanasi, locals love their kalakand and lal peda. Like most pedas, it is made from reduced milk but allowed to brown, giving it its trademark reddish appearance. Loaded with ghee, shaped by hand and dusted with castor sugar and pistachios, it is best enjoyed at Rajbandhu in Kachori gali or near Sankatmochan Temple. Lucknows Awadhi cuisine boasts exquisite desserts like nimish (light set cream pudding) and makkhan malai.

In Madhya Pradesh, the foodie city of Indore, has a unique dessert drink called shikanji, a sweet milkshake concocted by Nagori Mishthan Bhandar in Bada Sarafa and popularised by Madhuram Sweets.



Singori (Uttarakhand)



Since its a blend of various ingredients  reduced milk and mattha (buttermilk) enriched with dry fruits and spices like saffron, cardamom, mace and nutmeg, its called shikanji (literally, mixture). In Gwalior, Bahadura at Naya Bazar is the place for jalebi and gulab jamun, while Shankerlal Halwais laddus were made famous by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Gajak (sesame brittle) is a winter specialty from Morena made of roasted sesame or sometimes peanuts and cashew, with jaggery and ghee. Pick up a pack or two from Ratiram Gajak or Morena Gajak Bhandar. Badkul, Jabalpurs version of a jalebi, is made of khoya and arrowroot batter.

The dark-coloured sweet with a spongy texture was invented in 1889 by Harprasad Badkul, after whom its named.

Similar in texture is the thick and chewy Burhanpur jalebi, made of mawa, sometimes bulked up with arrowroot, served hot at Burhanpur Jalebi Centre.

Another delicacy from Burhanpur is daraba, made of sugar, semolina and ghee whipped into a fluffy sweet. Sold at Milan Sweets, it is relished during the annual Balaji ka Mela held on the banks of River Tapti.

Migration was the key reason for the dispersal of many sweets across India. In Tamil Nadu, the Tirunelveli Halwa was first prepared by Rajput cooks hired by the zamindar of Chokkampatti, who had tasted something similar in Kashi. Jegan Singh moved to Tirunelveli, where he opened a shop and named it Lakshmi Vilas after a relative who sold the halwa on the towns streets.

In the early 19th century, when Uttar Pradesh was under the grips of a deadly plague, a few Thakur families moved in search of better prospects from Unnao to Dharwad in North Karnataka. To make ends meet, Ram Ratan Singh Thakur started making pedas. His grandson Babu Singh Thakur opened a shop that attracted such queues that the area was called Line Bazaar.

While Thakur Peda gave it name, Mishra Peda gave it fame by branching out of Dharwad and making it a household commodity.

Belgaum kunda, made from milk, sugar and khoa, was introduced by purohits (Rajasthani cooks) who had migrated from Marwar. Once, Gajanan Mithaiwala, better known as Jakku Marwadi, was boiling milk in his kitchen but forgot to switch off the stove. When he returned, the milk had coagulated to which he added khoa and created Belgaum kunda.

Down south



Mishra Peda Factory. Photos by authors



Karnataka has a wealth of signature sweets  the iconic Mysore Pak, Bellarys cycle khoa, Gulbargas malpuri, karadantu (dry fruit snack enriched with edible gum) from Amingad and Gokak besides godi (wheat) halwa from Bhatkal. Belgaum or Belagavi is also known for its mandige or mande, a flaky crepe with a thin filling of ghee, castor sugar and khoa, prepared on an upturned tava and folded like a dosa.

Neighbouring Kerala is famous for Kozhikode Halwa, a glutinous sweet made of flour, molasses and oil. SM Street is lined with shops selling large multi-coloured stacks with flavours ranging from fig and date to banana. On the streets one also finds dweep unde from Lakshadweep, made from coconut and jaggery, and wrapped in leaf. Keralas most popular dessert is the rich and caramelised ada pradhaman made from rice, jaggery and coconut milk.

Keralas northern tract of Malabar has it own set of sweets, mostly fashioned out of locally available bananas and coconut. Pazham nerchadu are ripe bananas stuffed with coconut and jaggery, and fried while the spindle-shaped unnakaya, named after the similar-looking silk cotton pod, is mashed bananas with a stuffing of coconut, sugar and raisin, deep-fried till golden brown. Mutta mala (egg garland) is a unique Moplah egg dessert where the whites are steamed into a cardamom-scented cake and the yolk is drizzled into sugar syrup to form lacy necklaces!

Ramzan feast

In Mumbai, the mile-long stretch of Mohammed Ali Road from Bohri Mohalla to Minara Masjid teems with food stalls during Ramzan selling malpua, phirni, bhandoli (a yellowish malpua with egg) and special sweets. Sutarfeni from Gujarat is a thread-like sweet mixed with milk and eaten at sehri, the pre-dawn meal. The steamed Kutchi Memon sweet saandal, made of fermented rice, sugar, coconut milk and mawa, looks like sanas and is as soft as cotton. At JJ Jalebi, started in 1947 by Haji Chhote Khan of Kanpur at the JJ Hospital corner, attendants, like calligraphy artists, squeeze out dough from a muslin cloth to fry dark-brown mawa jalebis.

The whole precinct is dotted with famous sweet shops: Fakhri Sweets, started 75 years ago, still famous for mawa samosa and malai khaja. Suleiman Usman Mithaiwala, who started Zam Zam Sweets as a bakery in 1936, invented the aflatoon with mawa and other secret ingredients. Tawakkal Sweets, another fourth-gen shop started by Ismailji Alibhai Mithaiwala, has expanded its repertoire beyond boondi and jalebi to contemporary sweets like mango malai and black currant mithai.

Maharashtra is also known for orange barfi from Nagpur, mango-flavoured amba barfi and kandi peda from Satara. Modi Sweets and Ladkars, started by Mohan Babu Rao Ladkar in 1940, have both been awarded the Presidents Medal.

Inventiveness and adaptability have been twin mantras for any confectioner. And India has readily absorbed all foreign flavours  the ghee-laden sohan halwa made its way across the northwest frontier courtesy the Mughals. Shahi tukda is Mughal in origin. With the availability of double roti (bread) from bakeries, it evolved into the Hyderabadi double ka meetha.

The ubiquitous kaju katli was created only after the Portuguese introduced cashews to India, as was the bebinca in Goa. Chettiar traders picked up kavuni arisi from the sticky rice pudding in Myanmar (Burma). Yet, all these flavours have melded into the cultural cauldron to create the sweet taste of India.
My good wishes are with her and I also congratulate her for the task she has been given officially by her party, says Sinha.

In an interview to YOJNA GUSAI, Union minister for communications MANOJ SINHA said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the BJP-led NDAs captain and mascot and like in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and in 2017 (the UP Assembly polls), his home state of Uttar Pradesh will give the maximum number of seats to the BJP-led NDA.

Lok Sabha elections are starting from next month. Do you think the BJP will continue in power?

The nation has made up its mind to re-elect Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA government under his leadership. I am saying this with confidence because I see the josh among the people for Mr Modi and the trust they have for his leadership. Also, our cadre is so charged because of the feedback they receive from the ground in favour of Mr Modi and the BJP-led NDA. The common man trusts him and the poor want him to continue because both have faith that Mr Modi can deliver and the NDA is the only alliance which has shown that it is dedicated to the people of the country.

You represent the Gazipur parliamentary seat in Uttar Pradesh, a state which gave the maximum number of seats to the BJP both in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. What will happen now?

Yes, Uttar Pradesh gave us the maximum number of seats in 2014 and the people of the state continued their faith in 2017 when the BJP created a record with its winning tally in the Assembly polls as well. I am confident that UP will favour the BJP again in the coming Lok Sabha polls and that voters will bless Mr Modi. UP will give a significant push to the BJP-led NDA tally in the general polls and the NDA will bag more seats than it did in 2014.

But what about the SP-BSP-RLD alliance which many political pundits feel can dent the BJPs prospects in UP?

It is true that if one goes by the optics, this alliance looks strong in terms of vote banks. But then even voters know that it is an alliance of rivals and the ground reports contradict the optics. You (Opposition parties) might try hard to forget your own history but voters remember everything. But yes, how effective this alliance is will be tested when the election results are out. We all remember how many political pundits and their predictions failed in 2014 and then again in 2017 regarding UP. Many had predicted that the BJP can never match its 1998 performance in UP but voters rejected all these predictions as they had decided to vote for Mr Modi. All the calculations and arithmetic failed in front of Mr Modi and it will fail again, as I said earlier that people have made up their mind to vote for a Narendra Modi-led NDA government again.



How do you see Congress performance in UP now that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been given charge of eastern UP?

My good wishes are with her and I also congratulate her for the task she has been given officially by her party. But the fact is that she had been working for elections earlier also. She was actively involved in the last Assembly elections in Amethi and Rae Bareli. She also campaigned a lot but then we know how the Congress performed, both across the state and in their own pocket boroughs. I think that if she sincerely starts working from now, then the Congress can see better results in 2024.

What about the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) of the Opposition parties? Does it pose any threat to the BJP?

I dont see any credible Opposition against the BJP, whether it is the mahagathbandhan or a gathbandhan. The fact is these bandhans are very loose, they have no strength. The fight within these mahagathbandhans and gathbandhans is not to challenge the NDA but to resolve who can be their prime ministerial candidate.



Your party has been facing flak over the Balakot airstrike and some political parties had claimed that this strike was not over the Pulwama terror attack but to play the nationalist card before the elections?

I want to first ask these parties who was behind the Pulwama attack? It was the Jaish-e-Mohammad (a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation) which carried out the Pulwama attack. If the government had not acted, then these very parties and their leaders would have called the government a coward  wo kehte hai sarkar main dum nahin hai. But I want to tell them that the nation does not function on what these kinds of people think or how they react. It runs keeping in mind what it is that people want and the foremost concern is always how its pride is honoured.

What about the Ram Mandir? How come everytime there are elections, the Ram Mandir becomes an issue?

It is wrong to say that it is an election issue. I am one of the many lakhs of people of this country who want the mandir to be constructed at the Ramjanambhoomi in Ayodhya.

As far as the BJP goes, we had reiterated our commitment over the issue in our manifesto in 2014, which we did in earlier manifestos as well. But we have also clarified the options to resolve the issue, either through mediation or when the Supreme Court decides. We have taken the oath of the Constitution and are working according to it. The government has asked the court to give the excess land to the Nyas (the Ramjanambhoomi Nyas), and let the court decide. I would only like to request the Supreme Court that the issue should be resolved at the earliest as it is linked with the faith of millions of people

You said that there is no credible Opposition but what about farmers unrest, unemployment, rural unrest and the recent 10 per cent reservation for general categories, which the Opposition claims that you were forced to do to compensate for wooing OBCs and dalits?

The problem with the Opposition is that they give support but not without a condition, like they did for the legislation for 10 per cent reservation for general categories. A debate has been going on for many years that economically backward should also be criteria for giving reservations, no matter which section the person belongs to. It was a historic decision, which did not curtail or hamper the existing reservation policy because the government made sure of it. If you leave aside the Oppositions allegations over farmers issues and see what this government has actually done for the farming as well as allied sectors, you will get a clear picture. Like the Opposition says, the PM-KISAN scheme gives just `17 a day to farmers but for a small farmer the amount is seed money to buy urea, fertilisers and seed for his land. Look what is happening in states where the Congress won after announcing loan waivers for farmers. They (farmers) have been complaining that they got duped by the Congress. Just check the number of people who opted for a MUDRA loan or got skill training or benefited from such similar schemes. They(the Opposition) say there is unrest in rural areas but I will tell them to at least visit a village and see the transformation. Earlier, villagers used to say, Ye bharat sarkar ka post office hai or Bharat sarkar ka bank hai. Now they say with pride, Ye hamara post office hai, hamara bank hai jo Modi sarkar ne diya hai. Ask someone how he/she feels to finally get their homes electrified or cook in a gas stove or live in a pucca house. It is easier to criticise than to admit that things have actually been done in this government.
Today concludes Sunshine Week, an annual observance of the American Society of News Editors and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The week of March 16 is designated each year to honor the anniversary of James Madisons birthday with a reminder to citizens of the importance of the free flow of information protected by Madison in his writing of the constitutions Bill of Rights.

Sunshine Week promotes freedom of information and transparency in government, two of the standards insured by watchdog journalism, reporting that holds officials accountable  the very type of reporting that is in danger of being lost in local communities.

Watchdog journalism, or investigative reporting, has brought to light campaign finance abuse by school board members, overprescribing by doctors of pain killers in the opioid crisis, waste of taxpayer dollars on projects that bypassed competitive bidding, bribes to officials in state government, and in recent weeks, revelations of covering up physical abuse at the Glen Mills Schools reform institution in Delaware County.

Watchdog journalism has a preventive role, too. When reporters are present at school board and council meetings, asking questions about bids, perusing budget documents and challenging executive sessions called behind close doors, officials understand their actions are being observed and reported. It keeps them honest.

As newspapers shrink and close, that presence at public meetings is becoming scarce.

An Associated Press report this week cited data compiled by the University of North Carolina that showed more than 1,400 cities in the U.S. have lost a newspaper over the past 15 years. Many of those are in rural and lower-income areas, often with an aging population.

Strong newspapers have been good for democracy, and both educators and informers of a citizenry and its governing officials. They have been problem-solvers, said Penelope Muse Abernathy, a University of North Carolina professor who studies news industry trends and oversaw the news desert report released last fall, the AP report stated.

That is what you are missing when you dont have someone covering you and bringing transparency or sunlight onto government decisions and giving people a say in how those government decisions are made.

A recent study published in the Journal of Communication and cited in a recent MediaNews Group editorial reported that as citizens have fewer opportunities to read news coverage of local politicians and government officials theyre more likely to turn to sources such as social media or cable TV news for information. As people turn to these increasingly polarized sources, they often apply these opinions to local city council candidates and state legislators, according to the research.

This carries over to fewer voters casting ballots for candidates of different parties. In 1992, 37 percent of states with Senate races elected a senator from a different party than the presidential candidate favored in the state. In 2016, for the first time in a century, no state did that, the study found.

In another study, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Notre Dame found that municipal borrowing costs increase after a newspaper ceases publication. The demise of a paper leaves readers in the dark and emboldens elected officials to sign off on higher wages, larger payrolls and ballooning budget deficits, AP reported.

Stanford Universitys James Hamilton in his book Democracys Detective, examined case studies of newspaper investigations and found that each dollar spent by a news organization generated hundreds of dollars in benefits to society.

When investigative scrutiny declines, stories go untold, which means waste, fraud, and abuse will be less likely to be discovered, said Hamilton, director of the Stanford Journalism Program.

The presence and ability of journalists to seek out information is critical to that open flow of information. Without it, were in the dark.

Sunshine Week is journalists campaign to remind elected officials, citizens and news consumers of this importance.

Our democracy depends on it.
I have a vision for Pennsylvania.

I want our commonwealth to have vibrant towns and cities with new development, opportunities in rural and disadvantaged areas, and a modern, interconnected commonwealth.

For a long time, Pennsylvania was at the forefront of American industry. Were home to Americas first suspension bridge, hospital, business school and oil well. The Pennsylvania Railroad once reigned the rails, and our technology brought television into the homes of millions of people worldwide.

But after decades of neglect and disinvestment, the wear and tear of time is starting to show on our infrastructure.

Years of budgetary constrictions has translated into crumbling roadways, eroded streambanks, dilapidated state parks, and stagnant brownfields.

In many places in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the work that propelled the Industrial Revolution and drove wartime efforts left behind blighted neighborhoods and dangerous chemicals.

Upper Dublin is one of several communities struggling with PFAS, a class of chemicals that has been linked to numerous health problems. At the time of their use, PFAS were considered harmless.

In the case of Upper Dublin, the chemicals were used in firefighting foam during military exercises. They sank into the soil and made their way into the water table, and now are found in the drinking water in this quiet, suburban community.

Removing contaminants like PFAS is costly, but necessary to keep Pennsylvanians safe. Yet, our commonwealth lacks a dedicated funding source to pay for these large-scale environmental cleanups.

We also need a way to remediate the legacy buildings left behind by the industrial era.

Many of our once-booming industrial municipalities like Coatesville, Chester and Norristown now struggle daily with issues caused by blight.

Blighted homes threaten residents health and safety, cost local governments for enforcement and maintenance, reduce property values and tax revenue and make communities less attractive for investment.

Nobody wants to live next to a crumbling house. And nobody wants to run a business near a collapsing building.

Some of these blighted properties are in desirable locations but a lack of funding has prevented communities from large initiatives that would allow them to be redeveloped into assets like parks and greenways.

Several of the most popular greenspaces in Southeastern Pennsylvania have made new use out of abandoned industrial sites. Projects like the Schuylkill River Trail have the potential for expansion, and other brownfields sit waiting for cleanup. But Pennsylvanias budget offers very limited resources for greenspace development.

If we want Pennsylvania to be a great place to live and work, we need to make investments in our communities.

Thats why Im proposing Restore Pennsylvania.

Restore Pennsylvania will help communities of all sizes across the state tackle major, much-needed infrastructure projects. This ambitious program can help Pennsylvanians with other problems they face every day and put our commonwealth at the forefront of competition in the modern economy.

Restore Pennsylvania can transform underutilized and abandoned former industrial and commercial sites into desirable properties by infusing Pennsylvanias Brownfields program with much-needed capital.

Restore Pennsylvania will enable new environmental projects and new recreational opportunities across the commonwealth, including infrastructure and maintenance in state parks, local water quality improvements, and funding for new hiking, biking and trail projects.

Restore Pennsylvania can assist communities with removing contaminants, including lead paint from schools.

Restore Pennsylvania can bring high-speed broadband  a need in todays economy  to the more than 800,000 Pennsylvanians who lack fast, reliable internet.

Restore Pennsylvania can help communities remove dangerous, unsightly blight and return properties to the tax rolls by supporting demolition and renovation funds.

Restore Pennsylvania can help upgrade our four-digit back roads, expand roadways to meet the transportation demands of growing businesses, improve our public transit systems, remove contaminants and develop green infrastructure.

To pay for Pennsylvanias needed infrastructure investments, Im asking for a commonsense severance tax that is in line with every other major gas producing state. Just like in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Alaska, out-of-state consumers of our precious natural resource would pay our residents for what theyre taking.

Its time for us to stop saying, Im sorry for the problems youre facing, theres nothing we can do.

We can do something. We can raise $4.5 billion and put it directly into our infrastructure.

We can remove blight. We can rebuild bridges and roads. We can redevelop brownfields. We can expand internet access. We can develop attractive sites for businesses to use. We can prevent future floods.

With Restore Pennsylvania, we can position our commonwealth for success.
A very grueling, contentious legislative session adjourned last week. We know it was a rough session because events on our Capitol Hill even overshadowed the circus in Washington D.C.  a rarity. We know its hard to follow the nuances of legislative action because of all the political mumbo-jumbo. So, to clarify what really happened, we offer our traditional annual feature: What they say  and what they mean.

Lawmakers pushing tax reform: Broadening the base of the sales tax to include all professional services ensures fiscal soundness and fairness. (Wow, we have achieved a remarkable feat: Every business association and interest group in Utah is spitting mad at us!)

Freshman legislators: We were surprised and pleased with the diversity of legislation this session. (Alcohol, cigarettes, stronger beer, vaping, horseracing, premarital relations.  Who knew that Utahns were having so much fun with so many vices.)

House Speaker Brad Wilson: I look forward to extra time to visit my peers in other states and learn how other state legislatures function so we can adopt best practices. (I am especially intrigued by Nebraska, which does not have a Senate.)

Senate Pres. Stuart Adams: I appreciate the important dynamics and inevitable friction between the upper and lower body. (Just a reminder: The Senate is the upper body.)

Medicaid expansion supporters: "There may be some minor issues in the language of the petition, but the Legislature should leave it alone and see if problems arise in the future." (We can never admit in public that the automatic increase for health care providers is a major problem that must be resolved.)

Most lawmakers: We take air quality seriously, and we took meaningful action this session to clean up Utahs air. (Thank goodness there was no major inversion during the session, which saved us from clean air protest rallies.)

Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski: I am outraged at the Inland Port legislation and am filing a lawsuit. (All right, the good old boys on the Hill gave me a great campaign issue.)

Salt Lake Chamber: We were successful in calling upon the governor and the Legislature for more time to deliberate the difficult issue of modernizing Utahs tax code. (Hopefully, if we say this enough our members will forget we strongly endorsed the bill.)

Sober lawmakers: Allowing 4.0 beer in convenience stores is a generous compromise. (We did not want to face a nasty citizen initiative battle on this.)

Beer drinkers: Utahs war on beer must end! (Once Ive had a few, it doesnt matter if its 3.2, 4.0 or 4.8).

Long-time conservative activist Gayle Ruzicka: I am grateful for the many experiences and friends gained in the legislative process over many years." (I am enjoying the last laugh at all those who think Im past my prime. Who else got a multi-page flattering profile in a daily newspaper, won major battles this session, and is still eager for more? See you in 2020.)

All lawmakers: We were wise to handle revising the medical marijuana initiative in a special session before the regular session. (That was a piece of cake compared to our experience over the last 45 days.)

Perceptive legislators: We definitely need a new state flag to represent our changing demographics and diversity. (This is a great way to distract angry voters from tax and moral issues.)

Gov. Gary Herbert: I endorsed the House skinny budget because it made sense. (The Legislature disregards most of our recommendations, but I appreciated the House pushing hard on tax reform.)

Many lawmakers: We respect ballot initiatives, but just want to ensure that they are appropriately implemented." (These dang things are a terrible nuisance.)

Nitpicking pundits: The Legislature is just a good old boys and girls club and is clueless to needs of Utahns. (I know lawmakers make tremendous sacrifices and study tough issues in transportation, tax reform and education. But I'm too lazy to actually research their actions and it is just more fun to attack them with unfair castigations.)

Veteran lobbyists: "We are proud to be part of the important legislative process." (We are like gut bacteria; no one wants to see us, but they know they need us.)

Frank: This session is an absolute confirmation The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more important priorities and rarely weighs in on most legislative issues. (The Church appropriately focused their time and effort on the recent visit with Pope Francis. I just hoped the Pontiff listened to their wisdom.)

LaVarr: The push for comprehensive tax reform was a great effort, even if it fell short and will take a while longer. (The great thing about the Legislature is that when its over, spring is here!)
If the 2019 Utah Legislature were to be graded, it likely would have earned an incomplete.

Before the session started, Gov. Gary Herbert joined leaders in the House and Senate in listing tax reform as a top priority. Because of a gradual shift toward a service economy, sales tax revenues were lagging behind the income tax and threatening the states ability to fund many of its non-education-related programs and projects.

Unfortunately, it took until the final days of the session before a bill emerged that would have spread the sales tax to a variety of services, reduced the income tax and provided a modest tax cut, among other things.

It was simply too much, too late, and lawmakers wisely backed off in favor of a task force that will study the matter with the hope of gathering consensus for a comprehensive bill at a special session in June.

Simply put, there is no way to enact such sweeping tax reform without angering some people, and lawmakers will have to come to terms with that in order to accomplish anything meaningful. But that doesnt mean every proposal is worthy of support.

For instance, Senate leaders have floated the idea of restoring the full state sales tax rate on groceries. Currently, most food items are taxed at 1.75 percent, rather than the full rate of 4.7 percent.

This would be a terrible idea. Lawmakers reduced the rate during the Jon Huntsman Jr. administration as a way to bring relief to the poorest Utahns. Food is a basic human need. Unlike many other taxed items, its purchase generally is not considered optional. It should be unthinkable to restore the full tax to groceries, especially at a time when the state has a $1.1 billion surplus in tax collections.

The structural imbalance of tax receipts is a real thing, and lawmakers are right to take on the challenge. We hope they have given themselves enough time to do the job right, and in a way that doesnt provide undue pain to those least able to absorb it.

Beyond postponing tax reform, lawmakers did make some significant strides during this session. They passed a meaningful hate crimes bill after many years of falling short. The new bill would address crimes committed with the intent to intimidate or hurt entire classes of people. It is modeled after legislation favored by the Anti-Defamation League, and ought to become a useful tool for prosecutors when faced with particularly troublesome crimes.

Education also fared well, with $280 million more in ongoing funding being earmarked for public schools and a 4 percent increase in the weighted pupil unit. Keeping up with growth remains a never-ending challenge for lawmakers when it comes to education funding.

Lastly, the 2019 session will be remembered for the way lawmakers altered successful citizen initiatives. Voters approved three of these in November. Lawmakers altered two of them, and may yet tackle the third.

We agreed with changes made to the medical marijuana initiative  changes supported by both opponents and supporters and enacted before the regular session began. These changes make the law more effective, providing relief to sufferers without opening the door to recreational marijuana use.

Changes to the Medicaid expansion initiative are more problematic, however. Voters approved a measure to expand Medicaid to everyone earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, as called for under the Affordable Care Act. But lawmakers said the tax increase allowed for in the initiative would not raise enough to fund that, so they reduced the expansion to full coverage for everyone earning up to 100 percent of poverty.

The change still depends on Washington approving waivers to the law, but it clearly alters the intent of what voters approved.

In addition, lawmakers passed three bills to make future initiatives more difficult to pass. One, requiring initiatives to provide the means to fund themselves, makes some sense. So does another that aims to ensure voters understand petitions they are signing, making it easier for them to remove signatures. The third one, however, would postpone the effective dates of voter-approved laws until after lawmakers meet in session. The troubling premise is that lawmakers always would want to alter what voters have approved.

As with tax reform, the long-term effect of these remains to be seen. If they harm the publics ability to be heard on important matters lawmakers have ignored, that would leave a lingering bad taste from the 2019 session.
This is of interest because of the beliefs that the shooter in New Zealand has about immigration and foreigners.

At least 49 were killed and 20 were injured after a gunman opened fire on Friday prayers at a mosque in New Zealand killing many worshippers and forcing the city of Christchurch into lockdown as police launched a massive manhunt. (Photo: AP)

I learned about the New Zealand shooting massacre on Friday morning while listening to news on the radio. The reporter was speaking to local Muslims about their reaction and the voices were distinctly South Asian. A newspaper report on Saturday morning says that nine Indians are among those missing after the attack, including men from Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

After the shooting report, the commentary (this is BBCs Radio 4, which I listen to every morning) turned to another story. The first piano ever to come to Australia had been located and sent to England for repairs. Why England? Because that is where it was made.

It came to Australia in January 1788 with 11 ships that are known as the First Fleet. These were the original vessels from Portsmouth in England, that brought over a thousand Europeans to Australia, beginning its colonisation. This is not that long ago: It is after the last Battle of Panipat between the Marathas and the Afghans, long after the fall of the Mughal empire. The British first came to Surat in 1608 and so Australia and New Zealand are very new in the colonisation process.

This is of interest because of the beliefs that the shooter in New Zealand has about immigration and foreigners. In a note he wrote before the massacre, he says his motive for murdering people was to directly reduce immigration rates to European lands. He considers New Zealand and Australia (where he was born) to be European lands, though the Europeans are themselves immigrants.

The colonisation of Australia and New Zealand brought great misery to its original inhabitants, called the aborigines (with whom we Indians have genes in common). Aboriginal means something existing from the earlier times, just like we refer to Indias most ancient inhabitants as adivasis.

The aboriginal population was destroyed by European colonists, who were ruthlessness in taking over the land, and they also brought disease. The takeover came with its own names.

Victoria, New South Wales, Wellington, Auckland, Queensland are names we are familiar with today. They are ones that the colonisers imposed on the land they occupied against the will of the aborigines. New Zealand was annexed in 1840 by the British from the local Maori population.

The Europeans inflicted severe cruelty on the aborigines even after they conquered their land. Under acts of their Parliament, they began officially separating aboriginal children from their parents. This is known today as the Stolen Generations. This policy continued into the 1960s. Even today the aboriginal people face discrimination, including in the criminal justice system.

All of this is hidden under their cheerful and sporty demeanour, which supposedly reflects the Aussie spirit (of course, these days we also know Aussie spirit through its cheats).

What I have written above is common knowledge and every Australian and New Zealander will be familiar with it. European colonisation devastated populations on the other side of the world also and if today we are familiar with names like Canada, Virginia, Georgia, Washington, America, Bolivia and Argentina, it is because foreigners conquered these lands and imposed names on them.

It is this European colonisation that around the world produced gun laws that allowed people, meaning White settlers, to keep firearms, ostensibly for their defence.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand said after the massacre that she would change the countrys gun laws. This will of course help prevent future violence. It is astonishing that nations allow civilians to purchase and keep high-powered rifles with large magazine capacities whose only purpose is war. Americas resistance to gun control has inflicted the greatest massacres on its population, including its children.

All this is why it is so remarkable that the shooter Brenton Tarrant should feel that it is only others who are immigrants and imposing on his culture. It may interest readers to know that the word Tarrant, which is of British origin, shares the same root as the word trespasser, meaning someone who enters without permission, which in Hindi is called ghuspethiya.

Tarrant says that he does not hate people if they live in their own country, but he had a problem with invaders who colonise other peoples lands. However, he also wrote that the origin of my language is European, my culture is European, my political beliefs are European, my philosophical beliefs are European, my identity is European and, most importantly, my blood is European.

Perhaps he should have moved to Europe if he felt so strongly, instead of taking out the problems of his identity crisis on innocent people.

But we should ask ourselves why the descendants of violent conquerors and colonisers still claim victimhood. It is not natural. The fact is that this sentiment, against immigrants and particularly against Muslims, is produced by the climate of hatred and bigotry that we see all around us. It is produced by the politics of division and spread by a reckless media around the world, including, unfortunately in India.
Growing up in Utah, I was taught that nothing mattered more than family. Through songs, religious activities and the phrase families are forever displayed in framed needlepoint, I understood from a young age how much families being together meant to Utahns. This was as much of a fundamental core value when the pioneers settled here as it was when I was a child, or as it is today. Given these beliefs, it is troubling that recent immigration policies are breaking Utah families apart. Since 2016, deportations in the Salt Lake City area of responsibility have more than doubled, with immigration arrests increasing 24 percent, according to U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency.

This increase in deportations is due to a shift in focus for ICE. Instead of prioritizing violent offenders, ICE is targeting those easier to locate because they are less dangerous and expensive to apprehend, including parents and children in stable families. These families are low public safety risks who are paying their taxes, checking in with immigration officers and renewing their driving privilege cards. Our communities are not made safer by tearing these families apart. This increase in deportations escalates family separations as a consequence, and often parents or caregivers who are undocumented have no choice but to leave their citizen-children behind. Data from the Migration Policy Institute shows, as of 2016, 38 percent of Utahs undocumented immigrants lived with at least one citizen-child under 18, and we have 45,000 citizen-children with undocumented parents and siblings.

Multiple studies, including in the Journal of Community Psychology, report that separation due to deportation is associated with housing instability, food insecurity and economic hardship, often lead to older citizen-children becoming the primary caregivers of younger siblings, which impacts their educational attendance and performance. This leads to children experiencing behavioral issues such as anxiety, eating disorders and anger. These negative impacts can affect the entire community  after immigration raids, community members have reported feeling more distrust and fear towards public institutions, which results in lowered participation in church, school and social services.

These separations also negatively impact Utahs economy and workforce. It is estimated that 75,000 undocumented immigrants contribute to Utahs workforce with 74 percent having family incomes above the poverty level, 71 percent of those 16 and older being employed, and 43 percent being homeowners. Immigrants contribute to Utah more than just in terms of the economy and workforce. I have experienced this firsthand as the daughter of an immigrant; my mother came to America with my father, an American Naval soldier, in 1980. She and her sister opened two Italian restaurants in Ogden while my mother received a Masters of Education, teaching Spanish and English as a second language at Ben Lomond and Ogden High School.

She later became the ESL specialist for the State Board of Education and director of Math Engineering and Science Achievement at a national level. The work she does now impacts thousands of Utah children who strengthen our states prosperity. I cannot help but look at my mothers success story and think how different our familys story would be if she had not been given the opportunity to work and live in this state. Where would I be now if I had been separated from my mother due to deportation? How can Utah justify the separation of these families? And more importantly, how can we as citizens, who claim to believe in family togetherness, stand idly by while it happens? Its clear these families positively contribute to Utah, and if Utah believes families should be together, we cannot accept these separations. I urge you to contact your representatives and explain how much Utahns believe families should not be separated.
SALT LAKE CITY  As a child growing up in New Zealand, Leroy Transfield loved to draw, but there was one problem. He couldnt get behind the paper. He couldnt see what was in back of his drawings.

I guess I had it in me to be a sculptor, Transfield said with a laugh as he reflected on his early beginnings as a sculptor.

His first art pieces were Book of Mormon figures for his moms seminary class in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then as a university student, he entered a sculpture in the church's International Art Exhibit. He didnt get in that show, but now, 29 years later, his terra-cotta sculpture Christ Healing, is on exhibit, along with 150 other beautiful, faith-filled art pieces, at the 11th International Art Competition on exhibit at the Church History Museum through Oct. 7.

The 151 artists  members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  who are represented at the competition reside in 26 countries, and their works reflect their diverse backgrounds. From the soil fragments of Mexico City and the quilt of silk threads from Japan to the Lego sculpture from Saudi Arabia and the Australian spiritual self-portrait of a lamb who has strayed, the forms take an introspective look at this years theme of Meditations on Belief. The subject was drawn from Psalms 77:10-12: I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

As Transfield, now living in Orem, reflected on that theme, he thought of how Christ healed the blind man. The ambiguous, loose modeled clay sculpture also represents how Christ can heal individuals personally.

In life we have hardships and we have things we need to be healed from, Transfield said. A lot of people have a lot of problems and things that they need to be healed from physically and mentally and spiritually.

The theme of Meditations on Belief also stirred childhood memories in artist Jacqui Larsen from Springville.

Growing up in Syracuse, New York, Larsen was inspired by church primary songs and hymns. Music was a large part of Sunday meetings and she wanted to incorporate the marriage of memory, music and testimony in her art work.

I began thinking of how I can make a piece that would make that visual in some way, Larsen said. I grabbed some old hymnbooks and began making a collage piece based on (those memories).

Larsen works in mixed media and often attaches objects to her paintings. Her memories of The Children Sing songbook published in 1951, frottage rubbings from the embossed covers of the hymn books and the childrens primary song The Golden Plates are represented in her 3D sculptural wall piece called The Children Sing.

I like objects because they carry with them history, Larsen said. They carry with them a history of use. Those hymnbooks have been used. They have been present when people were singing. I like bringing the actual hymnbooks into my work because it contains those moments of history within an object.

The topic of the competition also spoke to her personally and guided her in the process of creating her first full 3D work.

We do need to pause and meditate on our beliefs and think about how we have belief, Larsen said. How do we acquire it? How do we continue to develop it or nurture it?

For Sarah Winegar of Springville, her relief reduction print Come Unto Me  completed her last semester at the University of Utah in 2017  was a perfect fit for the competition.

Her linocut relief technique, was inspired by Leonardo da Vincis The Last Supper. Christ is at the center of her art, but surrounding him are Winegars family members.

Those are the people who are relevant to my life, Winegar said. I think that following is unique for everyone. Everyone has their own way of following. For me it has always involved lots of people. Its not an individual following. Its an individual act, but including all my family. This is my way that I follow is being with the people that I love.

The three works from Transfield, Larsen and Winegar were purchased by the museum. A total of 15 works were purchased to develop the Church History Museums art collection.

Jean Richardson served as a judge at this 11th International Art Competition. This was her first year as a juror.

Its an exciting show, Richardson said. I hope that when people come to see (the exhibit) they enjoy the diversity of materials and topics and themes.

If you go ...

What: 11th International Art Exhibition: "Meditations on Belief"

When: Through Oct. 7; Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Church History Museum, 45 N. West Temple

How much: free

Web: history.lds.org
SALT LAKE CITY  Following several years of heavy lifts to fund homelessness initiatives, the topic didn't get as much attention from the 2019 Utah Legislature as it has in previous years, though there were new efforts to address a closely related issue: affordable housing.

But despite a big push from housing and homeless advocates  as well as support from developers and the Salt Lake Chamber  the Utah Legislature only partly acted on a high-priority affordable housing bill, passing it without its $24 million ask.

The move left housing and homeless advocates deflated, while legislative leaders blamed it on budget constraints and complications from tax reform planned for a summer special session.

"We're going to be checking the couch cushions later," Rep. Steve Waldrip, R-Eden, said on the House floor, right before lawmakers voted to strip SB34's $24 million fiscal note, even though he acknowledged the bill was the product of multi-stakeholder efforts to address Utah's affordable housing shortage.

The money would have pumped $20 million on-time and an additional $4 million ongoing into the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund, which is used for loans and grants to develop moderate-income housing.

But even without the $24 million, SB34 still enacts new policies on cities to encourage local officials to plan and zone for affordable housing by leveraging their eligibility to apply for about $700 million in state transportation funds.

That's still a "critical" win for affordable housing this year, the bill's sponsor, Sen. Jake Anderegg, R-Lehi, said after the House floor vote late Thursday night.

"We took a really big step on policy," he said. "But as far as the financial commitment, I think we fell down."

Anderegg added: "Cities are only one side of that coin. Cities don't actually develop or build affordable housing, so the other side of the coin is still being left unfulfilled at this point."

Anderegg explained the stripped fiscal note to homelessness advocate Pamela Atkinson outside the Senate chamber, visibly disappointed in the move. He said his bill was a "casualty of the budget process that went down this year."

As chairman of the state's newly created Commission on Housing Affordability, Anderegg said he's "received assurances" that there will be funding for the bill "when we come back in the special session" this summer. He said he didn't know how much yet, but "I'm going to shoot for everything I can get."

But whether the issue even gets addressed in coming months is up in the air. Senate Budget Chairman Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, said there's "certainly a possibility" but he also said, "I don't think we would look at it in the special session."

"I think it's probably going to hang there until next year, then we'll take another look at it," Stevenson said.

House Speaker Brad Wilson said "there's always budget constraints, but that doesn't mean we won't (consider it) down the road." He said with passing SB34, the state still took a big step on affordable housing policies.

June Hiatt, director of policy and advocacy for the Utah Housing Coalition, said while she was happy to see SB34 pass, she was disappointed it was without funding. Pointing to the state's more than 40,000-unit housing shortage  that only grows as years go by  she wondered when state leaders will start prioritizing the issue.

"Quite frankly, if the state's going to take this seriously, they need to put their money where their mouth is," she said. "To once again be told, 'We don't have the money,' it's harder to hear every year."

Another affordable housing bill, HB386, which would have allocated $20 million for affordable housing preservation, was watered down to $3 million but still failed in a Senate committee.

On homelessness, however, a notable bill cleared the Legislature. HB342 aims to address an audit last year that found poor data was making it impossible to track what homeless programs worked or didn't work.

That bill, if signed by Gov. Gary Herbert, will require the state's Homeless Coordinating Committee  the body that distributes state money to homeless providers  to better evaluate and track progress toward specific goals.

Preston Cochrane, executive director of Shelter the Homeless, the owner of the three new homeless resource centers currently under construction, said the bill will help "isolate what the real gaps" are in the state's homeless system, which auditors estimated Utah spent more than $100 million on in 2017.

"It really requires the state to have a more data-driven approach," he said.

However, another bill  one that would have created drug-free zones around homeless shelters and increased penalties on drug dealing  also didn't get funded, so it died in the Senate. But its sponsor, Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, said he plans to bring it back next year.

"Our fellow citizens that are experiencing an episode of homelessness should not have to put up with drug dealers while living in temporary shelter," Eliason said.

Atkinson expressed disappointment that Eliason's bill didn't pass, but remained optimistic it would come back next year "for the sake of the neighborhoods" around the future homeless centers, promised they won't be like the downtown homeless shelter before Operation Rio Grande.

"They need to have that reassurance," Atkinson said.
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SOUTH JORDAN  As part of the Boy Scout oath, young men promise "To help other people at all times" as well as live their lives with honesty and strong character.

On Saturday, that duty to serve and pledge to do their part to make the world better was on full display as scores of Scouts throughout the Beehive State collected thousands of pounds of food to help Utah families in their times of need as part of the annual Scouting For Food drive.

"This shows that a small effort of one (individual) combined with the efforts of many produces a great result," Glen Thorne, district commissioner for the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts, said. "It's a great opportunity to actually get out and do something for somebody."

Ginette Bott, president and CEO of the Utah Food Bank, said the effort comes at a crucial time as supplies at the Utah Food Bank and emergency food pantries begin to dwindle after the holiday season.

Thorne said the event gives young Scouts the chance to see how little gestures can have a big impact on people all over the state.

Various Scout troops statewide passed out door-hanger flyers to ask local residents to leave bags of food to be picked up and brought to a central collection site. The annual event includes cooperation with the Utah National Guard and the Utah Food Bank and its partner agencies.

Being able to help so many deserving Utah families is a heartwarming experience, Thorne said.

"It amazes me and I'm grateful for my peers in my community, those who are willing to donate and that we can all come together for a greater cause," Thorne said. "(The reason) why I volunteer at all is that hopefully, it makes a difference for somebody."

The new food donations will help replenish depleted stockpiles that had been gathered at the end of the year, Bott said. Since its inception 33 years ago, the yearly effort has provided the equivalent of over 19 million meals, she noted, and this year the goal is to increase that total to 21 million meals.

Heading into the spring and summer months, collecting new food donations is critical for the well-being of many Utah families, she said.

"June, July and August are the most challenging for the Utah Food Bank," Bott said. "Having the Scout council provide this help right now as we prepare for summer is very important."

She said many kids get their meals through the free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs at school, but those kids will miss out on those meals during the summer break. Families with children then have to visit local food pantries more often to get nutrition, which decreases the food bank's inventory much more rapidly, she explained.

Bott said 12 percent of Utah's population is challenged with issues of hunger, which translates into approximately 382,000 people who regularly utilize the food bank or one of the 150 food pantries located throughout the state.

Meanwhile, she noted that a recent decision by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to end its partnership with the Boy Scouts of America at the end of this year could impact the success of the annual food drive if there are fewer Scouts.

"Many generations have participated in this tradition," she said. "I hope it doesn't go away."

Thorne said the mission of the Boy Scouts is something he strongly believes in and he is hopeful that the food drive and other Scouting-related activities can continue.

"I hope to see that those who want to be involved will stay involved (and) hopefully that will translate into enough youth that it can keep this (food drive) going," he said. "I'd hate to see that opportunity go away. It's a need that still needs to be met, but how we go about it as a community to help the Utah Food Bank and the pantries I don't know. It's a great opportunity for the youth to see that their small efforts can have a great impact."
ANETH, San Juan County  Search and rescue crews continued to search Saturday for missing 3-year-old Andanndine Jones, who police say went missing Thursday in San Juan County.

The crews were joined by more than 100 volunteers Saturday who searched on foot while boat crews from Grand County, the state and Bureau of Land Management searched the river, according to a release from the Navajo Police Department.

The boat team covered 24 miles of the river while on-foot volunteers covered 8 miles of the riverbed west of Aneth.

Andanndine reportedly walked away from her home in Aneth on Thursday afternoon. After her parents reported her missing, crews from the Navajo Police Department, Montezuma Creek Fire and EMS and the San Juan County Sheriff's Office began searching for her in the Navajo Nation community, according to the police statement.

Crews have searched "on foot, in the air and on the river," the release states. On Friday, searchers focused on the bank near McElmo Creek.

"At this point, the circumstances of Andanndine Jones disappearance do not appear to be an abduction," police said.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez asked for the community's prayers in finding the girl.

The land search was expected to continue Sunday, while water-based search efforts were canceled, according to police.
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand  The New Zealand leader's promise of tightened gun laws in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings has been widely welcomed by a stunned population.

Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern said her Cabinet will consider the details of the changes on Monday. She has said options include a ban on private ownership of semi-automatic rifles that were used with devastating effect in Christchurch and a government-funded buyback of newly outlawed guns.

While curtailing gun owners' rights is a political battleground in the United States, Christchurch gun owner Max Roberts, 22, predicted Ardern won't face serious opposition to her agenda.

"There will be no opposition to it. There's no movement in New Zealand for that. Our media and politics are more left wing," said Roberts, a carpenter who uses guns for hunting.

Elliot Dawson, who survived the shooting at Christchurch's Linwood mosque by hiding in a bathroom, hopes New Zealand follows Australia's lead on gun control.

In Australia, a virtual ban on private ownership of semi-automatic rifles and a government-funded gun buyback cut the size of the country's civilian arsenal by almost a third.

The ban followed a 1996 massacre in which a lone gunman used assault rifles to kill 35 people in Tasmania state in 1996.

"Personally, I don't think guns should be legal at all. Maybe in some extreme self-defense, but I don't think they need such firearms like that," Dawson said. "New Zealand is not America. America is a totally different situation. I think in America it would be probably more dangerous to take people's guns away. But here, I don't think we need them at all."

Akshesh Sharma moved to Christchurch from Fiji to study. He was shocked that the shooter was able to get his hands on such military-style weapons.

Sharma agrees with the prime minister that gun laws need to be tightened.

"I don't see this as a place where you need guns to live to feel safe," Sharma said. "I can understand in the U.S. maybe, but here it's a different story."

Roberts, the gun owner, doubted banning certain types of weapons would be effective. But he said New Zealand should only allow its own citizens to buy guns. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the Australian charged in the Christchurch shootings, obtained a New Zealand gun license in November 2017 and started legally amassing an arsenal of five guns within a month.

"I think when people harbor hate like, that these things are possible," Roberts said.

"Particularly Australian citizens, I don't understand how they can get access to firearms in New Zealand when New Zealand citizens can't get access to firearms in Australia," he added.

Ian Britton uses a rifle for shooting rabbits and target shooting. He favors outlawing assault rifles like those used in Christchurch because they're unnecessary.

"I can't use the words I'd like to use, but it's disgusting. I never thought I'd see that in this country," Britton said.

Ardern noted that attempts to reform had failed before under pressure from the gun lobby.

"There have been attempts to change our laws in 2005, 2012 and after an inquiry in 2017. Now is the time for change," she said.

___

Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.
SALT LAKE CITY  The traditional state vs. local control power struggle manifested again in several ways on Capitol Hill this year, from the ongoing fight over the Utah Inland Port Authority to gravel pits and plastic bags.

Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski's fight over the port authority is moving to the courts and is its own animal, spilling over from last year's session. But as for other issues, when the 2019 session started, several bills quickly caught the nervous eye of local officials, wary of state encroachment into local powers.

Yet as Day 45 came to a close, there was a breath of relief, as those bills either wilted or passed the Utah Legislature drastically different than they began.

Whether it was in the dust-up over state interference of local regulation of gravel pits, the yearly attempt to block plastic bag bans, or a more heavy-handed approach to force cities to zone for affordable housing, the 2019 session had many wins for local control, at least as the Utah League of Cities and Towns sees it.

"As we look back on the 45 days of the session, the league is pleased and thrilled about how responsive and respectful the Legislature was to local authority," said Cameron Diehl, executive director for the league, an organization that lobbies for city rights on Capitol Hill.

"There were many bills that started with a premise of pre-empting local government, and those bills either died or moved in a substantial way to respect the role of local government," Diehl said.

One bill, HB288, began as one that would drastically limit cities' abilities to regulate gravel pits, upsetting environmentalists and residents who live near gravel operations such as Geneva Rock's Point of the Mountain pit in Draper.

The dispute centered around private property rights  particularly for a business that has long existed before neighborhoods began to encroach  and cities' authority to limit gravel pit expansion. Ultimately, after the bill at one point was shot down in the House, what passed the Utah Legislature the last night of the session was a compromise between both sides.

There was also SB34, a bill aimed at increasing affordable housing, that focused on incentivizing cities by leveraging state transportation dollars  though some lawmakers questioned whether that was a tough enough approach to force cities to do their part. Ultimately, the bill that passed found a happy medium, Diehl said, because it encouraged, rather than forced, cities to zone for moderate-income housing.

Then there was a new effort to block cities like Park City from banning plastic bags  but the bill stalled in the House after it was literally shouted down on the House floor by two voice votes  a moment that left lawmakers, even sponsor Rep. Mike McKell, laughing.

But in all seriousness, Diehl said the failure of the plastic bag ban bill shows "the Legislature publicly acknowledged, several times, that this is a local authority issue, and they respected local authority."

"That's big," Diehl said.

Another win, in Diehl's eyes, was the rocky but ultimately successful passage of the bill sponsored by Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, that aimed to relax the state's iron grip on city anti-idling ordinances. The version that passed reduces the state-mandated requirement that cities allow illegal idlers three warnings before issuing a citation down to one warning.

It wasn't all that Arent wanted to help cities enforce their own laws, but it was enough to be considered a win, Diehl said.

"Look at where the law was two months ago. Frankly, state law discouraged cities from acting on their own ordinances," Diehl said, calling Arent's bill a step in the right direction.

It's a stark contrast from last year's session when the Utah Legislature expanded its power on multiple fronts  including the creation of the Utah Inland Port Authority that dismayed Salt Lake City officials.

This year, even the fight over the port in some ways scaled down significantly as the Salt Lake City Council negotiated on and supported this year's bill, along with the Utah League of Cities and Towns  although the mayor is only just starting to ramp up her fight. The courts will decide in the coming months what will happen next.

To House Speaker Brad Wilson, the 2019 session was one of collaboration, not combat, with city leaders.

"I'm meeting constantly with mayors and council members and commissioners, and so, in general, it feels like we're working very well together," the Kaysville Republican said, acknowledging that while there remains "tension" with Biskupski, he believes lawmakers worked well with the City Council this year. "So I don't feel like that's been a big theme of the session."

There are examples here and there where lawmakers debate whether the state should step in to tackle issues on local fronts, Wilson acknowledged, but that happens every year.

"And it goes both ways, too," he said. "There are times we stand back."

House Minority Leader Bring King, D-Salt Lake City, said there is certainly a "constant push me, pull you struggle" on Capitol Hill every year related to local control issues.

That was demonstrated in multiple ways this year, including the legal fight over the port authority, he said, noting Democrats were in a tough spot this year, split between the City Council and the mayor.

"You have wins, you have losses, and it all depends on the perspective," King said.
SALT LAKE CITY  Authorities on Sunday suspended the search for 3-year-old Anndine Jones, who was reported missing on Thursday with search efforts concentrated in the vicinity of McElmo Creek near her home in the Aneth area of San Juan County on the Navajo Nation in southeast Utah.

A press release from the Navajo Division of Public Safety said the decision to suspend the search was made Saturday night.

"The continued deployment of substantial resources after the three days of aggressive searching by air, land and water-based resources has necessitated a pause by these elements to allow them time to recuperate and time for the services to reassess," the statement said.

It continued: "This halt will allow public safety to organize and secure additional resources for subsequent search efforts. Additionally, the Division of Public Safety is assessing what the impact of the Gold King Mine contamination release that occurred on Thursday will have on the search."

Heavy winter storms resulting in fluctuating electrical flow knocked out a plant that treats wastewater draining from the Gold King Mine in southwestern Colorado. Wastewater has bypassed the plant flowing into the San Juan River. McElmo Creek feeds into the San Juan River.

The wastewater treatment plant was installed after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inadvertently triggered a wastewater spill from the Gold King in 2015, contaminating rivers in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

According to earlier reports, the 3-year-old wandered away from her home near Aneth. There was no indication of an abduction so no Amber Alert was issued, the press release said.

The press release said a concurrent investigation was occurring as the search was underway.

"Jones is listed in the National Crime Information Center as a missing person. This has been distributed to all our national partners with NCIC," the press release states.

Community volunteers will continue organizing search teams. The Navajo Police Department will remain in the community to investigate any leads generated by the volunteers.

We are thankful of the overwhelming amount of support and resources that we received throughout the search. We want to thank our local, state, federal partners, volunteers and the donations made to helped us in covering the terrain in finding this little girl, Police Chief Phillip Francisco said.

Tribal, national, state and local authorities from three states and some 200 volunteers have searched for the girl by air, land and water.

People are asked to call 505-368-1350 or 505-368-1350 if they have additional information about the case.

Contributing: Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY  Michelle Aldana gave birth to her first child chained to a hospital bed.

Then serving time at the Utah State Prison on a drug charge, she says she labored through the difficult 2001 birth for nearly 30 hours, her ankles bleeding as the shackles on both her legs and one arm dug in.

"I felt like a farm animal," she said.

The practice of keeping inmates shackled during childbirth was once common around the United States, but that's gradually been changing after women began speaking out, with 22 states passing laws against it over the past two decades.

Utah added to that list on Thursday when HB318 passed the Legislature on its final night. At least three other states are considering joining them this year, after the federal government recently banned the practice with a sweeping criminal justice reform law. Many other states have policies against shackling, but advocates say that without a law it's harder to stop a practice they condemn as dangerous and inhumane.

Women are America's fast-growing segment of prisoners. The American Civil Liberties Union estimates about 12,000 pregnant women are incarcerated in U.S. jails or prisons each year.

"For me, it's just a fundamental issue of dignity," said Utah Rep. Stephanie Pitcher, D-Salt Lake City, who sponsored HB318. "A woman deserves dignity in childbirth."

Though the state prison changed its official policy to prohibit shackling in 2015, Pitcher has heard from a number of Utah doctors who have treated incarcerated women having babies in shackles, some as recently as this year. Her bill, which would apply to both the prison and local jails, passed both chambers unanimously and awaits the governor's signature.

The practice is an outgrowth of policies requiring all prisoners to be restrained during medical treatment for safety, said Amy Fettig, deputy director of the National Prison Project at the ACLU.

But childbirth is different, she said. Preventing a woman from moving during labor increases the risk of potentially life-threatening health risks inherent in childbirth, like blood clots. It also makes it harder to move her if there is an emergency, or feed the baby after it's born.

Meanwhile, the physical conditions of labor make escape attempts unlikely, and there are no documented cases of a woman getting away while having a child, Fettig said.

Still, some have raised safety concerns. In Utah, Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, has pointed out that violent incidents happen often in state prisons, and hospitals have far less built-in security.

He ultimately voted in favor of the bill, which does allow some shackling during transportation and the use of soft restraints if an inmate is documented to be dangerous. Prison officials are also in support, and say their policy change means women like Aldana are treated differently today.

Most other states without laws against shackling do have policies in place, but without strict controls, the practice is hard to stamp out, said Lauryn King, a public-policy Ph.D. student at The George Washington University who completed a state-by-state analysis of laws on the topic.

"What are the odds that without specific training, your average corrections officer knows every policy?" she said. In New York, for example, a report found the practice continued even after a law was passed.

In Wisconsin, a woman said in a lawsuit she was shackled with a chain so short that she couldn't reach the stirrups during labor in February 2014. Tennessee and Arkansas have faced similar lawsuits and are weighing bans on the practice this year, along with South Carolina.

In Utah, Aldana's tough 2001 labor left her with a fracture to her pelvis, but she has recovered and is now a substance abuse counselor pregnant with her third child. She still suffers with anxiety about childbirth but said a law against shackling would be a relief.

"I just don't think any woman, when they're that vulnerable, should ever be treated that way," she said. "It's just wrong."
Its body is made primarily of aluminum, with silicone used for its face and hands.

The futuristic version of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Mindar costs more than USD 90,000 to make. (Photo: ANI)

Robots are gradually taking over our jobs and hotels, and now the next territory they are planning to invade is religion or spirituality, depending on how you see it.

A humanoid, called Mindar, is now delivering Buddhist teachings and sermons at the Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, South China Morning Post reports.

Mindar was created by a team at Osaka University. Its body is made primarily of aluminum, with silicone used for its face and hands.

The futuristic version of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Mindar costs more than USD 90,000 to make.

The temple will host Mindars chanting and teaching until May 6.
In a poll conducted on Digits Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels, a clear majority voted to boycott Chinese smartphones. However, a large number of people expressed their inability to ignore Chinese smartphones and highlighted the lack of viable op

Has Chinas recent move to block the ban on JeM Chief Masood Azhar at the UN Security Council (UNSC) impacted your preference for Chinese smartphones? We asked our audiences on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to vote and the results are in. We published the results of our Twitter poll yesterday, wherein a clear majority voted in favour of boycotting Chinese smartphones. Our social media poll with 10,000+ respondents, paints a similar picture.

70 percent of voters across Digits Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages voted in favour of boycotting Chinese smartphones in light of the ongoing UNSC incident, while 30 percent of the poll takers voted not to boycott Chinese phones and said that they will continue buying them. As mentioned before, we conducted the poll across all of Digit's social media accounts, including all our vernacular pages, which put together, resulted in 70 percent of the over 10,000 people who voted saying that the Chinese govt's ongoing activities at the UNSC will negatively impact their preferences with respect to buying Chinese smartphones.

While the vote clearly tilts towards boycotting Chinese smartphones, the comments we received on the poll highlight several interesting viewpoints. A majority of comments expressed the inability of Indians to ignore Chinese smartphones given a lack of viable alternatives in the market. Many in our audience also pointed at the lack of indigenous resources in India to develop and manufacture smartphones locally, leaving users with no option but to buy phones made by Chinese OEMs.

The stronghold of Chinese smartphone makers in India was very apparent from the comments. It is true that Chinese smartphone vendors, including OnePlus, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo and Vivo command 60 percent market share in India and the same was reflected in comments made by Digits Facebook audience.

While some find it impossible to ignore the presence of Chinese electronics in India, many stakeholders felt that it is difficult to find value for money and best-in-class features on non-Chinese smartphones.

Then there were those who felt that buying Made-In-India Chinese phones like those from Xiaomi, OnePlus and others are a viable alternative to buying phones that are imported into the country.

If you still feel like voting on the issue, our Facebook poll is live for another 5 days. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or vote and express how you feel about the issue on our Facebook Page.
This will make Xiaomis foldable phone come in at almost half the price of the Galaxy Fold and less than half the cost of the Huawei Mate X.

Highlights:

Xiaomi could launch a foldbale phone in Q2, 2019.

The foldable phone from the Chinese company could be priced at $999.

This copuld be the cheapestr foldable phone in the market.

The race to develop and release foldable phones has suddenly become very real after Samsung and Huawei unveiled their foldable devices last month. While Samsungs Galaxy Fold starts at $1980, the Huawei Mate X is priced at a whopping $2600, making both foldable phones ultra premium and unaffordable for the masses. Xiaomi, however, might do things differently.

A new report says that Xiaomis foldable smartphone is headed for a Q2, 2019 launch. The company has already released a concept video of its foldable device and also spoken about it officially, detailing the double folding phone and how the company plans to evolve MIUI to suit the new form factor.

The latest report claims that Xiaomi will launch its foldable phone, currently being referred to as Mi Flex or Mi Fold, at a price point of $999. This will make Xiaomis foldable smartphone one of the cheapest such devices to launch in the market, almost half of Samsungs Galaxy Fold and less than half of the Huawei Mate X. The report further says that the Xiaomi foldable phone will be priced at 999 euros in Europe and Rs 74,999 in India. The low cost of the phone has been attributed to OLED displays made by Visionox Technology.

In terms of specs, the Xiaomi foldable phone is expected to come bearing the Snapdragon 855 chipset with up to 10GB RAM.
Googles latest patent application hints at the companys interest in building a device that folds.

It is to be noted that the patent associates the foldable screen technology to a computing device and not smartphone in particular.

Samsung did it, so will Google. The internet search giant is reportedly working on building a flexible screen device that could potentially be its future foldable phone.

Googles latest patent application hints at the companys interest in building a device that folds. As spotted by Patently Mobile, Googles patent describes a device with an OLED display that folds inwards.

The patent further talks about the possibility of a folding device that could bend at two different places in a Z-fold pattern with the help of number of embedded layers.

It is to be noted that the patent associates the foldable screen technology to a computing device and not smartphone in particular. Also, as it is a patent, Google may or may not choose to transform it into a commercial product.
Representatives of Louth County Council, who are in New York for the St Patricks Day period, met with senior executives from Tourism Ireland on Friday last. They were briefed on Tourism Irelands extensive promotional programme in the United States for 2019, which is in full swing right now.

We were delighted to meet with the representatives of Louth County Council and to have the opportunity to brief them about the extensive promotional programme we are undertaking in the United States this year, said Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Irelands Head of North America and Australia.

In 2018, we welcomed a record 2 million North American visitors to the island of Ireland. Looking to the year ahead, we are confident that our strategy  combined with more airline seats than ever before from the US, as well as the strength and competitiveness of the vacation experience right around the island of Ireland  will deliver further growth.

St Patricks Day traditionally marks the real start of the tourism season for us; our aim is to bring a smile to the faces of people everywhere and to convey the message that Ireland offers the warmest of welcomes and great fun, as well as wonderful scenery and heritage.

"We are using every opportunity to capitalise on Irelands heightened profile this week; the saturation coverage about Ireland at this time of year  across the airwaves, in newspapers and digital media  is an invaluable boost for our overall tourism marketing drive in 2019.

Over the coming days, Tourism Ireland will participate in and promote the island of Ireland at a range of St Patricks Day events across the United States. Numerous landmarks will participate in Tourism Irelands Global Greening initiative to celebrate St Patrick and Ireland  including the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the famous Welcome sign in Las Vegas, City Hall in Boston and the spectacular Niagara Falls.
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French police loot shops on Champs-Elysees

Chaos erupted on in Paris in the 18th weekend of Yellow Vest demonstrations. Protesters set multiple fires on the streets. Even the police officers got involved in crimes.

Yellow vests have not stopped in France for 18 weeks in September. Tens of thousands of people are filling the streets despite the Police 'hard intervention and the government' s back-up.

JEWELRY STORES WERE ROBBED

Yesterday, the plunder scandal hit the demonstrations. Clothing stores, jewelry stores were emptied in the streets of the Champs-Elysees. In the images published by the French media, a jeweler's shop was completely emptied.

POLICE OFFICERS GOT INVOLVED THE LOOTINGS

In the aftermath of the incident, he filled his purse with gold from the shop in looting incidents. It's seen when a cop filled his gold in his purse from a jewelry store.

The police, who could not prevent the shops from being damaged in the street, and who could not capture the activists, reacted to this movement.

French police loot shops on Champs-Elysees -WATCH
Muslim ummah cries for its martyrs in New Zealand

Victims from at least 10 different countries slain the terror attacks in Christchurch.

Muslims with at least 10 different nationalities fell victim to terror attacks at two mosques in New Zealand's third largest city Christchurch on Friday.

"THEY WERE JUST LOOKING FOR A SAFE PLACE"

The Australian-born terrorist identified as Brenton Harrison Tarrant, and two other suspects who are in police custody, killed at least 50 Muslims, including women and children as young as 3 years old, at their place of worship. So far, local reports and statements from officials confirmed that at least 6 Pakistani, 6 Palestinian, 5 Indian and 4 Egyptian nationals have either lost their lives or are still missing as well as several others with a wide array of backgrounds. Some of the victims have survived civil wars in their home countries, only to die in one of the quietest countries at the other end of the world.

Syrian refugee Khaled Mustafa, who had arrived in New Zealand with his family just months ago, was amongst those killed on Friday. Even worse, one of his sons is critically injured in the hospital and the other son missing, most likely dead.

They were just looking for a safe place. Unfortunately, we cant claim that New Zealand is a safe place anymore, the spokesman for Syrian Solidarity New Zealand Ali Akil told reporters.

Amjad Hamid was born in Palestine, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, and died in Christchurch at age 57. His wife Hanan told reporters that she and her heart doctor husband emigrated from Palestine to Christchurch 23 years ago.

Another Palestinian, Abdelfattah Qasem, 59, was the former secretary of the Muslim Association in the city. Linda Armstrong, 65, who had sponsored a child from Bangladesh, died at Lynwood mosque as well.

A Pakistani hero

Naeem Rashid from Pakistan was hailed a hero after video footage of the attack appeared to show him attempting to wrestle the gun from the terrorist before his death. His 21-year-old son Talha also was killed at the Al Noor mosque.

Dr. Haroon Mahmood who was working as assistant director at nearby Canterbury college widowed a wife and orphaned two children aged 13 and 11.

Indonesian-born aeronautical engineer Lilik Abdul Hamid and a refugee from Afghanistan, Daoud Nabi, were among the victims.

Youngest victims of the terror attacks, 3-year-old Mucad Ibrahim and 4-year-old Abdullahi Dirie were from Somalia. Dirie's family had fled war-torn Somalia in the mid-1990s as refugees and settled down in New Zealand.

42-year-old Husne Ara Parvin from Bangladesh was shot dead when she was rushing to the male section of the mosque hoping that she could save her wheelchair-bound husband, according to one of her relatives who spoke to local media. Her husband Farid Uddin survived the attack.

Kuwait-born Atta Elayyan, a 33-year-old tech industry professional, who has recently become a father is also among the dead.

34-year-old Syed Jahandad Ali from Pakistan and 36-year-old Hussain Al-Umari from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) died in the attacks where they regularly attended Friday prayers. Osama Adnan, 37, was from Egypt.

Ph.D. graduate Kamel Darwish was a father of three.

Mohammad Imran Khan, a 47-year-old man who owned two restaurants in Christchurch died in the Lynwood mosque.

Retired electrical engineer Ali Elmadani from UAE and futsal player 14-year-old Sayyad Milne, are also among the victims.

Ashraf Ali, from Fiji, is among the dead. Many victims still missing or injured, families and relatives continue to wait around the hospitals in Christchurch to hear about the fate of their loved ones.
Pope calls NZ attack 'senseless acts of violence'

Pope Francis shared a message after a terror attack which he called 'senseless acts of violence' at two mosques in New Zealand.

Pope Francis called the terror attack in New Zealand that killed at least 50 Muslims at their place of worship as "senseless acts of violence".

"SENSELESS ACTS OF VIOLENCE"

"His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the injury and loss of life caused by the senseless acts of violence at two Mosques in Christchurch, and he assures all New Zealanders, and in particular the Muslim community, of his heartfelt solidarity in the wake of these terror attacks," a Vatican statement read.

An Australian gunman, 28-year-old Brenton Harrison Tarrant also the accused terrorist killed at least 50 Muslims in Friday's twin terror attacks in New Zealand.

The terror attack, during the weekly Friday prayers at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, was streamed live on social media. The footage has since been taken down.
President Erdogan commemorates Halabja Massacre

In a tweet, Erdogan said the chemical attack on Kurdish-populated Iraqi city of Halabja is still a fresh "wound"

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday marked the 31st anniversary of the Halabja Massacre in which thousands of Kurds killed and injured.

'IS STILL A FRESH WOUND'

In a Twitter post, Erdogan said the chemical attack on Kurdish-populated Iraqi city of Halabja is still a fresh "wound".

"The wound opened in the conscience of humanity when thousands of civilians were killed by a chemical attack in Halabja 31 years ago maintains its freshness today," President Erdogan said. "I wish God's mercy for our Kurdish brothers who lost their lives in the Halabja Massacre which went down on history as a black mark," President Erdogan added.

On March 16, 1988, between 5,000 and 7,000 Kurds are estimated to have been killed during the Iran-Iraq war when forces loyal to Saddam Hussein dropped toxic Mustard and Sarin gases on Halabja.

Thousands of others died of complications, illnesses and birth defects in the following years. Many Halabja residents still suffer the physical effects of the attacks.
President marks the anniversary of Canakkale Victory

'We are strongly opposed to treacherous plans against our nation,' says President Erdogan.

As descendants of Canakkale's martyrs, Turkish people will never compromise their independence, future and freedom, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday.

THE GLORIOUS VICTORY



We are strongly opposed to treacherous plans against our nation and we work tirelessly with all of our citizens; man, woman, young and old, shoulder to shoulder, to build a bright future, Erdogan said in a message to mark Canakkale Victory and Martyrs Day. He stressed the Canakkale Victory is a glorious victory that brought to heel the most advanced militaries of the era. Turkish nation commemorates the 104th anniversary of the Canakkale Victory with great pride and excitement and once again remembers each and every hero with respect and gratitude, first and foremost Ghazi Mustafa Kemal, who entrusted these lands to us, on the occasion of March 18 Martyrs Day, he added.

The events leading up to the momentous battle started in February 1915, when Britain and France decided to launch the Gallipoli Campaign to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war as quickly as possible by reaching and capturing its capital, Istanbul.

They started their attack on March 18 the day, which is commemorated today as the Canakkale Naval Victory Day but the waters were filled with a network of mines laid by Ottoman vessels.

On April 25, allied soldiers landed on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula. The troops were there as part of a plan to open the Dardanelles Strait on Turkey's Aegean coast to Allied fleets, allowing them to threaten the Ottoman capital. The Allied forces, however, encountered strong and courageous resistance from the Turks and the campaign turned out to be a costly failure.

Tens of thousands of Turkish nationals and soldiers died, along with tens of thousands of Europeans, plus around 7,000 - 8,000 Australians and nearly 3,000 New Zealanders, referred together as Anzac troops.

Victory against the Allied forces boosted the morale of the Turkish side, who then went on to wage a war of independence between 1919 and 1922, and eventually formed a republic in 1923 from the ashes of the old empire.
Turkish delegation in New Zealand after terror attacks

Vice-President Fuat Oktay, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to pay tribute to the victims of New Zealand's mosque attacks.

A high-level Turkish delegation arrived in New Zealands Christchurch city on Sunday to pay respects to the victims of Friday's twin terrorist attacks.

THEY ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT THE SITES WHERE THE BLOODY ATTACKS TOOK PLACE

Vice President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu were welcomed by the Turkish ambassador in Wellington Ahmet Ergin.

They are expected to visit the sites where the bloody attacks took place on Monday. Speaking at a press conference, New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed her gratitude over the arrival of the Turkish delegation.

The delegation from Turkey, a Muslim-majority country, has arrived to show their support to Muslims, she said.

At least 50 people were killed as a gunman opened fire on worshippers during Friday prayers at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch.

Three Turks are among the wounded in the attacks, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday.
Under pressure, Britain's May scrambles to win support

Mays government was scrambling to get support in parliament for her Brexit deal at the third time of asking, aiming to persuade doubters with threats and promises to avoid any move to oust her.

British Prime Minister Theresa Mays government was scrambling on Sunday to get support in parliament for her Brexit deal at the third time of asking, aiming to persuade doubters with threats and promises to avoid any move to oust her.

VOTING COULD TRIGGER TO AGAIN

After parliament backed a move to delay Brexit, May still has only three days to win approval for her deal to leave the European Union if she wants to go to a summit with the blocs leaders on Thursday with something to offer them in return for more time.

Stepping up the pressure on the prime minister, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said he could trigger another confidence vote in Mays government if she fails again to get her deal approved by parliament.

Almost three years since Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum, the country is no clearer about how and when it will leave the bloc, with several outcomes possible, from exiting without a deal to Brexit never happening at all.

Mays warning that if parliament again votes against her deal which has already been crushed twice by lawmakers that Britain could face a long delay and would need to take part in European elections in May seemed to be winning some over.

But her finance minister, Philip Hammond, said she was not in the clear yet. What has happened ... is that a significant number of colleagues ... have changed their view on this and decided that the alternatives are so unpalatable to them that they on reflection think the prime ministers deal is the best way to deliver Brexit, he told BBCs Andrew Marr program. Asked if the government had enough numbers yet, he replied: Not yet, it is a work in progress.

Many Brexit supporters in Mays Conservative Party say the key to whether they will back her deal is the agreement of the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up the prime ministers minority government in parliament.

May needs 75 lawmakers to change their vote after it was crushed first in January by 230 lawmakers and then by 149 on March 12.

The DUPs 10 lawmakers could sway a large segment of a pro-Brexit Conservative grouping, several lawmakers say, but even then, she would still probably also have to get some Labour lawmakers on board as well.
Boston, MA -- The final results are in for MOMENTUM 3, the largest left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) trial ever conducted. The study of more than 1,000 patients with severe heart failure not only confirms that the HeartMate 3, a next-generation LVAD device, markedly reduced the need for re-operations due to pump malfunctions, but also found that it lowered risk of bleeding events and strokes, compared to the HeartMate II. Results were presented in a Late Breaking Clinical Trial at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session by Mandeep R. Mehra, MD, executive director of the Center for Advanced Heart Disease and medical director of the Heart & Vascular Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and published simultaneously online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"We are thrilled to have completed the largest LVAD trial in the world, to see that all of the early benefits we observed in interim analyses were sustained, and to report reductions in pump-related thrombosis, strokes and mucosal bleeding -- three measures of hemocompatibility -- compared to the previous generation of cardiac pump," said Mehra. "Our results should spur confidence that we now have a much more forgiving pump and should provide reassurance to clinicians that we do not need to wait until a patient is 'near death' to consider this option for our patients."

MOMENTUM 3, sponsored by Abbott Inc., compared Abbott's HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist system, a magnetically-levitated, continuous centrifugal-flow circulatory pump, to the HeartMate II, a commercial axial flow pump. The trial evaluated how many participants, two years after receiving their device, had not suffered a disabling stroke or had an operation to replace or remove a malfunctioning device.

A total of 1,028 patients were randomized to receive either the centrifugal flow pump or the axial flow pump. The team found that 397 patients (76.9 percent) in the centrifugal-flow pump group did not experience a disabling stroke or need a re-operation compared to 332 (64.8 percent) in the axial-flow pump group. Only 12 people who received the centrifugal-flow pump needed a re-operation compared to 57 patients who received the axial pump. The centrifugal-flow pump reduced risk of stroke by 58 percent, major bleeding by 36 percent and gastrointestinal hemorrhage by 36 percent. Infection rates and rates of right heart failure were no different between the two groups.

MOMENTUM 3 launched in 2014 and was designed to dramatically reduce the overall timeline for clinical trials. All patients with refractory heart failure who needed a cardiac pump were eligible for the trial, regardless of whether the pump was intended as a bridge to transplantation or destination therapy. Based on the study's first interim analysis at six months, the HeartMate 3 was approved in 2017 by the FDA for use as a short-term device, such as for a bridge to transplantation. Last fall, supported by the second interim results of MOMENTUM 3, the pump was approved by the FDA as a long-term use device, such as for patients with advanced heart failure who are not eligible for a heart transplant.

The HeartMate 3 includes several technological adaptations intended to reduce risk of complications. The fully magnetically levitated device runs like a bullet train -- its rotor has no mechanical bearings in it and pushes the blood using only magnetism. It is designed to reduce shear stress and destruction of blood elements as they pass through the pump, which is thought to cause blood clots to form in pumps.

Reductions in bleeding events, re-operations and strokes could translate to important cost savings. The team calculated that in every 10 patients implanted with the centrifugal-flow pump, compared with the axial-flow pump, 2.2 pump thrombosis events, two strokes and 6.8 bleeding events would be averted over a two-year period.

"Until now, these devices have been considered less cost-effective, which has been a big issue outside of the U.S.," said Mehra. "Our evidence shows a decreased need for hospitalization and re-operations, indicating that the centrifugal-flow pump may be much more cost-friendly in the longer term."

Mehra notes that residual risks remain, including infections, which occur in nearly 50 percent of patients. Many, but not all, of these infections occur at the entry point of the drive line that powers the device. In addition, low-frequency, right-ventricular heart failure events can occur. Mehra is now chairing a follow-up trial that will specifically examine these challenges and what modifications can be made to address them.

###

MOMENTUM 3 is sponsored by Abbott, Inc., and the complete protocol, designed by the sponsor in consultation with clinical advisors and the study oversight committee, is available at NEJM.org. Mehra reports receiving travel support and consulting fees, paid to Brigham and Women's Hospital, from Abbott. He is also a consultant to Medtronic, Janssen, Mesoblast, NupulseCV, Fine Heart, Bayer and Portola. Co-authors also report receiving consulting fees, teaching fees, lecture fees, travel support and research grants from Abbott and Medtronic.

Brigham Health, a global leader in creating a healthier world, consists of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, the Brigham and Women's Physicians Organization and many related facilities and programs. With more than 1,000 inpatient beds, approximately 60,000 inpatient stays and 1.7 million outpatient encounters annually, Brigham Health's 1,200 physicians provide expert care in virtually every medical and surgical specialty to patients locally, regionally and around the world. An international leader in basic, clinical and translational research, Brigham Health has nearly 5,000 scientists, including physician-investigators, renowned biomedical researchers and faculty supported by over $700 million in funding. The Brigham's medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and now, with 19,000 employees, that rich history is the foundation for its commitment to research, innovation, and community. Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and dedicated to educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. For more information, resources, and to follow us on social media, please visit brighamandwomens.org.
Patients with prostate, bladder or kidney cancers are at greater risk of dying if they have had psychiatric care prior to the cancer treatment. In addition, patients with these cancers show greater suicide risk than the general population, even once the data is corrected for previous psychiatric care. These are the main findings of a new study presented at the European Association of Urology congress in Barcelona. They highlight the need for psychiatric care to be integrated into cancer treatment.

There is emerging evidence that cancer survival rate is influenced by the mental health state of the patient. This work is the first which relates urological cancer survival to previous (within 5 years) use of psychiatric services, giving scientists an indication of the mental health state of patient before the cancer diagnosis. This is part of a larger study looking at the effect of mental health on cancer survival.

What did they do?

A US/Canadian team led by Assistant Professor Zachary Klaassen (Georgia Cancer Centre, Augusta, Georgia) looked at the mental health records of 191,068 urology cancer patients from Ontario in Canada (where Professor Klaassen was on temporary assignment). These patients had either suffered from prostate, bladder, or kidney cancer. They then assigned each patient a score based on whether they had used psychiatric services within the previous 5 years. 57.1% had not used these services whereas the remaining patients had received outpatient treatment (41.6%), emergency department treatment (0.84%) or hospital admission (0.40%). The patients were matched to 528,387 control patients, i.e. patients who had not suffered any cancers. Full figures are available in the attached abstract.

What did they find?

The researchers found that patients previously treated for mental health conditions had a greater risk of dying of their cancer than those who had not been treated, with the mortality risk increasing in line with the intensity of the prior mental health treatment. For example, the odds of cancer mortality were 1.78 times greater in patients who had been hospitalised for mental health problems, when compared with controls (Hazard Ratio, 1.78).

Zachary Klaassen said "This is the first large, population-level study to show that patients with previous mental health problems are at greater risk of dying of their cancer compared to patients with no mental health history. We believe that there will be several factors behind this, but we need more studies to understand the causes".

A second analysis looked at suicide rates following diagnosis and treatment with prostate, bladder, or kidney cancer. In common with other findings, the researchers found that suicide rates increased after cancer diagnosis. Professor Klaassen commented:

"This is the first population-level suicide study where we have been able to adjust for previous psychiatric history. We found that whereas the overall risk of suicide increased by around 16% (HR=1.16) for patients who had been diagnosed with these cancers, it went up by around 39% (HR=1.39) in patients who had no previous history of mental health treatment. This shows the significant toll that cancer diagnosis has on the mental health of patients.

In general, we can say that patients with genitourinary malignancies who have utilized psychiatric services in the five years leading up to their cancer diagnosis are at increased risk of dying of their cancer compared to patients with the same cancer who have not sought psychiatric help. Furthermore, these patients are at greater risk of suicide. The exact reason for this relationship is unknown, however it highlights the importance of identifying at-risk patients and having a multi-disciplinary approach (including psycho-oncology) to managing these patients".

"There are more than 20 population-level studies suggesting that cancer patients are at increased risk of suicide compared to the general population. This is the first study to account for pre-diagnosis psychiatric status, and it confirms that a cancer diagnosis in itself is a driving factor for suicidal risk. Considering that several studies have suggested that bladder cancer patients are amongst the highest-risk patients, at the Georgia Cancer Center we are working towards including prior psychiatric data on these patients to help us understand if early psychiatric assistance may help in the overall outcome. We think that this needs to be generally considered for these patients.

Commenting, Professor Francesco Montorsi (Milano), European Association of Urology's Adjunct Secretary General for Science said:

"This large study shows that pre-existing mental state can have a significant influence on cancer outcomes. In addition, it shows that just the diagnosis of cancer can have a bearing on whether or not the patient attempts suicide. The clinical community has a duty to treat the whole patient, not just the cancer, so we need to take note of these findings, and where possible to include appropriate precautions to take account of a patient's mental health history"

###

This is an independent comment; Professor Montorsi was not involved in this research.

Press release info: Not peer-reviewed/observational study/People

This work was part-funded by part by the University of Toronto, and by a grant from the Canadian Urological Association/Canadian Urologic Oncology Group/Astellas
You may have to wait until September, but do check with the mairie to see if there is an AVF (Acceuil des Villes Francaises) in the area. AVF is an association for newcomers of all nationalities and persuasions. Or perhaps there are other associations in St. Vincent or nearby towns - usually the quickest way to get to know folks in the area.



Generally speaking, you'll find various Forums des Associations advertised during the first couple weekends in September, where you can review all the local clubs and associations to find one (or more) that may be of interest to you.
Angered by layoffs and trustees decision to contract a school to an out-of-state charter network, the San Antonio Independent School District teachers union is backing candidates challenging board President Patti Radle and trustee Christina Martinez in the May 4 election.

The San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, which represents nonadministrative employees, also endorsed a St. Philips College employee who is critical of the current school board for the open District 2 seat on the East Side.

We went back to the principles that guide our work and the things that we value, said Shelley Potter, president of the union. Weve talked a whole lot over the last year about our concerns about lack of transparency and the decision-making processes in the district.

Union leaders also are concerned about perceived inequities between specialized and neighborhood schools in the district.

The union is effectively turning the election into a referendum on Superintendent Pedro Martinez, whose efforts to overhaul the school district have captured the attention of education leaders across the state and country.

Union members simmering resentment burst into an outright rebellion last spring, as the board, in quick succession, turned over operations of Stewart Elementary to Democracy Prep Public Schools and laid off more than 160 employees, including 132 teachers. The union called for the superintendent to be ousted and promised consequences this year at the polls.

For their part, SAISD leaders pointed to a budget hole opened by plummeting enrollment and a state law that, barring the charter partnership, could have forced Stewart to close if it failed to meet state academic standards again.

The third-largest school district in Bexar County, with about 51,000 students, SAISD covers much of the inner city. It has a high concentration of poverty  91 percent of students qualify for school meal subsidies based on their family incomes  and a history of low performance.

Martinez took the helm four years ago with a five-year turnaround plan that focused on increasing state accountability ratings and college and career readiness across the district. Those metrics started to tick up last year, and the superintendent has generally counted on the boards unanimous support.

Radle, a former city councilwoman who represents the West Side and lives in the countys poorest ZIP code, was first elected to SAISDs board in 2011. She was a teacher for 20 years, including 12 in SAISD.

The union endorsed Janell Rubio, 38, in her challenge against Radle. Rubio, who described herself as unemployed in her candidate filing, said this month that she has a daughter at Tafolla Middle and two at Lanier High, her alma mater.

Rubio said she was angry that Rodriguez Elementary School, which is in her district, is closing at the end of this school year after failing to meet state standards for five consecutive years.

We do not need lip service to transparency and communication, Rubio said. We need someone in District 5 that will fight to keep our neighborhood schools open.

Christina Martinez, no relation to the superintendent, has three children in SAISD schools and works for Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas. She was appointed two years ago to serve out the term of Olga Hernandez, who resigned from the board after she was charged with wire fraud. Hernandez was later acquitted.

Martinez represents District 6, encompassing much of the Edison High area north of downtown.

Eduardo M. Torres, 19, a student at the University of Texas at San Antonio, received the unions blessing against Martinez. A recent Edison graduate, Torres said SAISD was selling out to corporations by partnering with external charters.

I find it frustrating that being left out of every decision and excluded from a seat at the table are our students, he said.

The union endorsed Alicia Monica Perry, 39, a student success specialist at St. Philips College, for the District 2 seat, which James Howard is vacating after 21 years on the board. Perry said she has six children in SAISD.

Perry criticized the layoffs and said unfilled vacancies left many children with long-term substitute teachers this school year. But she praised the districts new college and career programs, including early college high schools.

The union had tried to recruit candidates, but many chose not to run for personal reasons, Potter said. All nine candidates across three single-member districts answered the unions written questionnaire and showed up for interviews with its political action committee, Potter said. Some community members were invited to the interviews, and all the candidates had the opportunity to speak to the audience and answer questions, she said.

The PAC board made its endorsement decisions with the audiences feedback slips in mind, she said.

Now the PAC board is determining levels of financial support based on the unions resources and what the candidates have available, Potter said.

The union and incumbents differ on whether to blame the superintendent for the districts recent enrollment plunge. Radle and Martinez pointed the finger at charters and national anti-immigrant rhetoric that, they have said, causes families to fear enrolling their children.

Another District 2 candidate, Christopher Green, 36, a teacher at Rhodes Middle in SAISD, submitted a response with almost the same wording as that of Martinez. Both also said declining birth rates were a factor in enrollment. Green and the incumbents said SAISD needs to better market its schools to families.

Potter faulted the superintendent. We had the external charters before he got here, she said. What people in the community are telling me is that theyre not buying what the district is selling.

The incumbents and Green all said they support the districts partnerships with Democracy Prep and the Relay Graduate School of Education to run schools, although Radle said she supported the Democracy Prep contract only reluctantly because she worried that the school would close without it.

The Alliance and the Texas State Teachers Association filed a grievance and a lawsuit over the Democracy Prep contract, saying it violated the contractual rights of the teachers who were at Stewart last year and that employees and community members were not consulted, as state law requires, before the partnership was approved.

A state district judge last summer denied a request for a temporary injunction that would have stopped Democracy Prep at Stewart from opening.

The SAISD board this month denied the grievance, which the union said it plans to appeal to the Texas Education Agency.

The union also took aim at the rise in specialized schools, including the Advanced Learning Academy and Steele Montessori Academy, that have attracted wealthier families from within and outside SAISD.

We feel like theres a lack of equity right now in the district, in the way that different schools are being treated differently, in the resources theyre receiving, Potter said.

Those schools are open to students countywide. In the name of integration, they have weighted lotteries that often prioritize SAISD students but reserve a certain proportion of seats for students in four socio-economic categories. Potter said she worried that the diverse by design system could displace students who live in SAISD.

In their questionnaires, the incumbent trustees defended choice schools as a way to attract and retain students, but they said they wanted to make neighborhood schools just as enticing.

The research is very clear, Christina Martinez said. When we intentionally integrate schools, the students do better academically and socially.

Martinezs and Greens answers to the questions about choice schools and integration nearly matched.

The union also brought up the abnormally high number of teaching vacancies in SAISD this year. The district began the year with 35 teaching vacancies, compared with a maximum of five on first days in the past.

Radle said the talent management department learned from the situation and that she wants to see early hiring stepped up this year for positions that are more difficult to fill. But Potter blamed last years layoffs, saying they made teachers from other school districts reluctant to apply to SAISD.

In her questionnaire, Radle said the most important issue SAISD faces is hiring and maintaining campus leadership and teachers who truly believe in the capabilities of our children and have the talent to help the children reach their maximum potential.

Martinezs most important issue was declining enrollment.

In their speeches, the union-endorsed candidates said they would be voices for teachers, students and community members.

Together, our coalition will stand up to power to make our communities heard and to keep our schools public, Torres said.

Alia Malik covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN
A device, the size of a school lunchbox, might be the latest step to determine if graves of a long lost African-American enclave are still buried within a Northeast Side neighborhood.

On Friday morning, Kevin T. Glowacki and his archaeological team from Texas A&M University set up a 3D laser scanner at the Hockley Family Cemetery, once overgrown so dense that sunlight couldnt penetrate it.

The equipment sent out millions of points of light, hitting every three millimeters in all directions, across designated scan areas. It retrieved the data for an accurate, 3D model of layers beneath the cemeterys surface.

The team said the Faro Focus 350, set atop a tripod, would produce images that resembled pointillism art.

Glowacki said it could take from one to several hours for the software to generate a point cloud, or collection of data points that can be manipulate.

Its a powerful tool for documentation, the director of the Center for Heritage Conservation said at the 1.4 acre lot, behind Northern Hills Elementary School. Maybe we will be able to notice the way the ground moves and see depressions or mounds that might represent burials.

Historian and landscape architect Everett Fly invited Glowacki and colleagues, Ben Baaske and Andrew Billingsley, to be part of a year-long project he said would include genealogical research and ground-penetrating radar. Fly, a nationally recognized historian, has helped preserve sites across the country.

His support network includes city archaeologist Kay Hindes, the San Antonio Conservation Society, the University of Texas at San Antonio and the Kronkosky Foundation.

African-American resources have been so underrepresented, Fly said. and this is a lesson for that bigger program of intangible resources for the whole city so that we can all learn from it.

Three years ago, retired Air Force Maj. J. Michael Wright contacted Fly about the overgrown plot in the subdivision. The land had been an active cemetery once owned by Jane Warren, a former slave who had her own cattle brand: YOK.

Wright and archivist David Carlson suspected that the property was once part of Wetmore, a black settlement near the present intersection of Thousand Oaks and Wetmore roads.

He joined Fly on a path lined with wooden stakes bearing orange strips that flapped in the wind. Both men often meet to talk about their step to try and resurrect the burial ground that belonged to a community of 100 people.

Its exciting, Wright said, as he held a miniature Sheltie named Foxy. Its the mystery of the history.

Several other visitors also witnessed 21st-century technology catalog data from beneath the cold, dark soil. District 10 staff member Steve Peterson said he had always wondered what the field had been during his 34 years as a San Antonio police officer.

I was astounded, he said. Who would have thought, surrounded by all these houses that you had an old cemetery that has historical value.

Throughout the day, the team moved the scanner to 18 different spots around the lot that 100 volunteers had cleared several months ago. Fly said two metal crosses, rusted barbed wire and a possible fence post were found after the cleanup.

Earlier, a crew had removed branches and cleared weeds. One of the workers, Walter Williams, stopped and took a break from hauling thorny shrubs and tree limbs. He looked over the graveyard and said it was a stark difference from the above-ground cemeteries in New Orleans where he had once worked.

Williams noted that there were not any plots in sight. Nor, he said, did he see any headstones. The only things he saw jutting from the ground were stumps of trees that blotted the burial ground of the forgotten settlers from the eyes of the present world.

Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis
Where theres smoke, theres not necessarily a smoking gun.

Its something to keep in mind while we navigate through the maze of unanswered questions about the operations of the Bexar County Democratic Party under its former chairman, Manuel Medina.

On Wednesday, Monica Alcantara, the partys current chair, stood in front of the Bexar County Courthouse and read a prepared statement announcing that she and a 12-member committee had found numerous instances of financial corruption on Medinas watch, including money laundering, forgery and excessive and illegal cash disbursements with no supporting documentation.

Alcantaras news conference was the culmination of a war between loyalists of the current and former chairs. Its a war so riotous that the party got kicked out of one meeting site and faces the threat of expulsion from VFW Post 76.

Alcantara said she had turned over all relevant documents to the FBI at the urging of Sheriff Javier Salazar and District Attorney Joe Gonzales.

Alcantaras allegations carried a ring of familiarity. Medina, a freewheeling political operative who ran the party for six years (2012-18), always was viewed with suspicion by a faction of party veterans.

Medina tended to intermingle the affairs of his consulting firm with party business, most infamously in 2014, when he received $393,338 from the U.S. Senate campaign of David Alameel for consulting, canvassing and block walking services at a time when Alameel was competing with four other Democrats for the partys nomination.

During that time, Medina used the partys office as a de facto Alameel headquarters, something Medina also would do for himself in 2017 when he launched a failed bid for San Antonio mayor.

The party also demonstrated some sloppy bookkeeping during Medinas tenure.

In 2016, Diana Arevalo simultaneously was running for state representative and serving as co-chair of the partys coordinated general election campaign.

Those two roles intertwined when her campaign reported making a cash payment of $6,000 to the BCDP, which Arevalo said she actually paid to block walkers on Election Day.

The party did not report that cash donation from Arevalo but did report three expenditures, totaling $8,000, in loan repayment/reimbursement to Arevalos campaign.

Just as smoke does not guarantee the presence of a smoking gun, sloppiness does not prove corruption. But these kinds of incidents raised eyebrows among Medinas detractors.

Based on the few hints Alcantara offered Wednesday, its fair to assume that one of her allegations is based around a series of BCDP transactions in November 2014. These transactions were targeted in a 2017 complaint filed with the Texas Ethics Commission against Medina and Arevalo by party activist Ralph Galvan.

They also illustrate how challenging it will be for the FBI (or any other investigative agency) to make sense of the partys finances.

In early November 2014, with the midterm elections looming, superstar personal injury attorney Thomas J. Henry made five donations to the party, totaling $156,044, according to BCDP campaign finance reports.

During that period, Arevalo, on Medinas behalf, made three deposits, totaling $36,310, to the partys Chase Bank account. The oddity in those deposits was that Arevalo brought the money to the bank in cash and had the cash converted  in $1,000 increments  to money orders before depositing the funds.

Medina insists that the reason for all this loose cash was that after Henry offered, on the eve of the 2014 election, to write a check to the party to pay for block walkers, Medina worried that it would take too long for the bank to clear the deposit. So he says he asked Henry to make out a check to Medina.

That way, according to Medina, he immediately could cash the check and pay the block walkers  in cash  by Election Day. Medina says any leftover funds were deposited in the BCDP account.

Henry did not respond to an interview request for this column.

The problem is that the BCDP campaign finance report numbers for Henrys donations dont match up with the deposits made to the partys bank account. Because so much cash ended up flying around, its hard to make sense of it all.

Medina vehemently denied that any corruption occurred under his leadership.

Alcantara has continuously divided the party with false allegations, he said. Then she runs to the media and plays the victim.

In a way, its strangely fitting that itll come down to the nations chief law enforcement agency to play referee between the Medina and Alcantara factions of the BCDP. After all, no one else has been able to do it.

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Beware the ides of March! This expression is familiar to many of us because Shakespeare used it in his tragedy Julius Caesar, named after the famous Roman general and politician who was once the most powerful person in the world.

Its warning is one all Americans would do well to take to heart in todays troubled and confusing times.

The ides of March in question was March 15, 44 B.C. More Americans ought to think through how long we can tolerate disruptions to the functioning of our federal government, put off upgrading our aging transportation and water supply infrastructures, live with ever-widening gaps between the relatively few haves and the many have-nots, support an economically and humanly costly forever war on terrorism fought by 1 percent of our population, ignore the splintering of information so that there is no common basis for informed and respectful public debate, and attribute our problems to immigrants, illegal and legal.

We are calling out, with guidance from Shakespeare and Roman historians, American citizens, beware the ides of March.

This is no trivial matter, as we can see by using as an example Julius Caesar, a savvy and courageous public figure and an accomplished military leader who makes Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson and Karl Rove look like amateur politicians.

In the second scene of Shakespeares play, during the public celebration of Caesars greatest triumph, a soothsayer  truth-teller  shouts out his warning from a tumultuous crowd. Caesar asks who this man is. Brutus, a close associate who we know will later help assassinate Caesar, explains the soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. Wanting confirmation, Caesar has the soothsayer brought face to face. We hear for a third time within seven lines of the play, Beware the ides of March.

Shakespeare wanted this warning to stay with us as we watch the political maneuverings of Caesars rivals and the miscalculations that the shrewdly intelligent Caesar makes that will soon cost him his life. But the self-serving actions taken by all of Romes leaders and by the people who supported their different factions would lead to increasing violence and bloodshed across the known world and, within a few decades, to the end of the Roman Republic.

Fifteen years earlier than the action of Shakespeares play, Caesar passed land-grant legislation designed to bring relief to Roman military veterans and the urban poor. As University of Texas at Austin alumnus and historical writer Philip Freeman puts it, Caesars bill brought enormous benefits to Roman citizens, and it cost the Roman treasury not a single denarius. The strong objections of old-guard Roman aristocrats against the bill and the political chicanery they used to try to block it were based on political self-interests and aimed at keeping Caesar from increasing his popularity and power base.

Even in antiquity, Caesars situation in 45 and 44 B.C. stood out as a case study of the pitfalls of power politics. After defeating his rival Pompeys army at the Battle of Munda in Spain on March 17, 45 B.C., Julius Caesar was named dictator, a title given to a leader in times of emergency. He is at the height of his power and popularity. He is not about to have a soothsayer with no political power or economic influence affect his life with a prophetic warning. So, Caesar dismisses it: He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass.

Caesars inattention cost him his life. One ancient source calculates that more than 80 conspirators were planning Caesars assassination. His opponents were senators who no longer ruled for the common good, if they ever had. They were joined by those who had grown rich with the support of senators and other government officials. They wanted their power and prestige back. They assassinated Caesar three days before he was scheduled to lead the Roman army against the Parthians in what we now call the Middle East.

Our lives continue to suffer under complex problems that self-regarding political leaders refuse to solve. Let us at least heed the ides of March.

Tom Palaima is a professor of classics at the University of Texas at Austin. Al Martinich is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin.
The explanations given by Texas two U.S. senators for supporting the presidents emergency declaration simply do not hold water. Their votes were divorced entirely from the constitutionally provided separation of powers and any real emergency that a border wall would address.

Sen. Ted Cruz explained his vote Thursday this way: When President Obama violated the Constitution through executive amnesty (for Dreamers), I led the fight against that lawless action. Unlike President Obama, here President Trump is acting pursuant to explicit statutory authority.

However, in acknowledging GOP Senate colleagues real concerns regarding the vast emergency powers that Congress has given the President, Cruz undercut his own argument. He said he shares those concerns.

And if he objected when Barack Obama did it (not under the auspices of the National Emergencies Act that Congress enacted, in any case), he should have been doubly concerned about President Donald Trumps declaration.

Congress said no to the border funds. Trump disagreed, so he contrived an emergency and usurped Congress power of the purse by attempting to reallocate funds it apportioned for other purposes. Moreover, the votes allowing Congress to rescind such a declaration are acknowledgment that it is empowered to undertake critical analysis of what constitutes an emergency.

Cruz says there is such an emergency. There is none that a border wall will address. As has been reported over and over, border crossings are at historic lows; the recent influx of Central Americans is characterized by people turning themselves at ports of entry for asylum claims; and most drugs coming across the border enter through those same ports of entry.

The only emergency is how to deal with that Central American influx because border facilities and the immigration bureaucracy are not equipped to handle so many families and minors who are traveling alone. Congress should turn its attention to that.

But for an alleged constitutionalist, Cruz flunked. As has Cornyn, whose reasoning is similarly hollow. Moreover, he conflates issues.

He slammed Democrats for failing to deal with the Central American influx, but, again, a wall  what this emergency declaration is about  doesnt really address that. And, like Cruz, he has voiced support for reining in the presidents declaration powers.

But given the opportunity to do that reining in, Cornyn not just punted but fumbled.

Grasp the logic. The presidents emergency declaration powers must be reined in, both are deeply concerned, but lets give the president a pass this one time. The selectivity of Cruzs and Cornyns outrage over the Constitution is troubling  and purely political.

Cornyns vote likely stems from his place in the GOP Senate leadership  he is No. 2  and fears of a backlash in his 2020 re-election bid. He will get that backlash in any case; it just wont come during the GOP primary but in the general election.

Cruz simply is against anything Democrats are for  his ardor for the Constitution situational, apparently. The National Emergencies Act did not foreclose on senators discerning whether the emergency is legitimate or passed constitutional muster.

Yes, the president will veto and its clear at the moment that there are not enough GOP votes to override.

And this will pose one more opportunity for Texas senators. Congress said no to the funds, and the president has done his version of taking away the marbles by declaring an emergency and issuing the veto threat.

Cornyn and Cruz can stand for Congress power of the purse and help override the veto  they can continue to be for this constitutional power, or they can stand with the president on this declaration.

They cannot do both, not with any intellectual honesty.


Japan's largest carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) will return to both Ljubljana and Dubrovnik this summer by operating a number of charter services originating from Tokyo and Osaka, which will be run on behalf of the country's largest tour operator. Services will depart Japan early in the morning and arrive in the Slovenian capital in the early afternoon (13.00). Return flights will originate from Dubrovnik. Flights from Osaka will commence in mid-July and from Tokyo in late August, however, additional charters are expected to be scheduled to both Ljubljana and Dubrovnik in the coming weeks from cities including Sapporo, Fukoka, Nagoya and Sendai. All of the planned flights so far are scheduled to operate with ANA's wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which has the capacity to seat 264 passengers. Japan's largest carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) will return to both Ljubljana and Dubrovnik this summer by operating a number of charter services originating from Tokyo and Osaka, which will be run on behalf of the country's largest tour operator. Services will depart Japan early in the morning and arrive in the Slovenian capital in the early afternoon (13.00). Return flights will originate from Dubrovnik. Flights from Osaka will commence in mid-July and from Tokyo in late August, however, additional charters are expected to be scheduled to both Ljubljana and Dubrovnik in the coming weeks from cities including Sapporo, Fukoka, Nagoya and Sendai. All of the planned flights so far are scheduled to operate with ANA's wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which has the capacity to seat 264 passengers.





ANA expressed interest in upgrading its annual charter operations to the Slovenian capital last year by introducing scheduled flights to Ljubljana. The company's President and CEO, Yuji Hirako, held talks with the Slovenian government in 2018 over the matter. ANA has requested for the drafting of a bilateral air agreement between Japan and Slovenia, which is a precondition for the establishment of scheduled flights. In the meantime, the two sides will negotiate a temporary arrangement in order to allow the Japanese carrier to operate regular services to Ljubljana, if it wishes to exercise such rights. ANA is also said to be seeking a codeshare agreement with its fellow Star Alliance member Adria Airways.





Ad for ANA's 2019 charter flights to Croatia and Slovenia





On the other hand, the Croatian government recently authorised the Minister for Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butkovic, to commence talks with his Japanese counterpart over the establishment of scheduled flights between Zagreb and Tokyo. The two sides must first sign a Bilateral Air Service Agreement, which has already been drafted, with Mr Butkovic expressing hope for negotiations to be swift in order for flights between the two capitals to be launched in the near future. In addition to Dubrovnik, Zagreb also boasted charters from Tokyo in the past. The initiative for the introduction of regular flights from Japan to Croatia is said to have come from the Japanese side.
This is a report of a recent trip from Zanzibar to Skopje via Doha with Qatar Airways business class / economy class combined flight. After a few days spent in Tanzania and Zanzibar, the experience on Qatar Airways' business class flight this time was not as good, with most of the food options running out after some four hours into the flight. Qatar Airways economy class to Skopje on the Airbus A320 was excellent. The report includes a short review of the Dhow Lounge at Zanzibar International Airport and a short review of Qatar Airways' business class lounge in Doha. Stay tuned for more videos coming up shortly. The impressions from the flights are in the video below. Thanks for watching.
When Joyce Pellegrino took out her camera during a tour of Cuba, she wasnt expecting an art exhibit to come from it.

But nonetheless, an art exhibit in Black Rock features photos taken during her trip to Havana and its outskirts in 2017.

This is Pellegrinos first-ever art show, which will be inaugurated with a free public reception Saturday, March 9 at Framemakers Gallery, 3004 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Pellegrino was encouraged by her friend and colleague, Mary Gibbs, whose paper-and-acrylic works were featured at Framemakers during Black History Month.

Originally from the New Haven area, Ms. Pellegrino lives in Branford. She attended Sacred Heart Academy and the University of Saint Joseph; and acquired a masters and advanced degrees in counseling and rehabilitation from Springfield College in Massachusetts. She works for the state of Connecticuts judicial branch, but photography became an avocational pursuit in recent years.

I believe my interest in photography began when I was able to start traveling, says Pellegrino. I viewed it necessary to capture the uniqueness of what I was seeing and (at the same time) feeling.

And it was coupled with the sense of passion and appreciation to be there in that moment, Pellegrino continues, adding that she is drawn to peoples expressions and their immediate surroundings, so that remains the substantial influence for my photographs.

For arranging the trip to Cuba, she credits her friend, Donna Borrelli, who owns Hamden Travel and planned the incredible trip itinerary for a (manageable) group of enthusiastic travelers.

The show consists of 29 small 8x10 works and 10 larger works.

Some of her photographs are of Cuban art, not scenery. A series of smaller-format panels depict details from vibrant murals at the Habana Compas Dance Company studio.

She also captures the vivid mural work from the Picasso of Cuba, Jose Fuster, who works mainly in tile. His palador (restaurant), home, workshop and gallery, roofs, doors, walls and benches stretch for blocks, filled with brightly colored sculptures and mosaics, she says.

What Pellegrino wants visitors to walk away with (aside from some of her art) is the idea of Cuban ingenuity.

One photo underscores that point. Unable to buy conventional fixtures, the owner of a bathroom turned a gas-station pump into a water faucet. For a vanity, the sinks basin is a metal bowl strapped to a tire.

I was so awestruck with how resourceful the people were, in so many ways, she says.

The show is on view through March. Visit Framemakers Facebook page for more information on the gallery.
Christian Abraham / Christian Abraham

BRIDGEPORT  Police have identified the man who was arrested Friday after allegedly kidnapping his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint.

Lynwood Whitley, a city resident, was arrested by state police on I-95 South near Exit 6 Friday, city spokeswoman Rowena White said Saturday.
3 1 of 3 Contributed / Connecticut State Police Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed / Connecticut State Police Show More Show Less 3 of 3





PUTNAM  An incarcerated man was arrested by state police Friday for guns seized during a search in January.

According to a post on the Connecticut State Police Facebook page, on Jan. 16, about 6:45 p.m., members of state police Troop D, Putnam Police Department, and Officers assigned to the Danielson Probation Office executed a narcotics related search and seizure warrant located at a School Street address in Putnam.
NEW HAVEN  As he prepares to step down as the citys top law-enforcement officer, Police Chief Anthony Campbell said he hopes to inspire others to act with kindness and grace  as others had for him.

Campbell was the guest speaker at Trinity Episcopal Church on-the-Green in New Haven Sunday morning, and he recounted the support and help he received as a young police officer coming back from a major injury. The chief told the congregation, Where there is trauma, there is the opportunity for grace to flow.

Wearing a full uniform, Campbell reflected on his unusual background growing up in the Harlem section of New York City  his mother a corrections officer, his father a drug dealer. Campbell became a cop and was later ordained as a minister after studies at the Yale Divinity School.

Trauma and Grace has been the theme of the Trinity congregations Lenten services, with guest speakers invited to offer their perspectives on the topic.

The police chief told the congregation about a difficult encounter he had when he started in law enforcement, booking and fingerprinting a criminal suspect who was full of rage and hostility toward the police. Diffusing the tension with a piece of candy, the rookie cop said he realized how much he shared with the young man, and the two made a connection.

We were talking to another as I finger-printed him, and as I shared my life story with him, he shared his life story with me, I found that we had a lot in common. It was simply by the grace of God, that my path had gone in one direction, and his path had gone in another direction, Campbell recalled.

A year and a half later, Campbell met the man again, in pleasanter circumstances. The formerly hostile criminal detainee had a different message, Campbell told the congregants: I just wanted to say thank you for treating me with decency and respect, for giving me a moment of peace in a time that was really difficult for me, thank you for acknowledging my humanity.

The police chief recalled a severe injury he sustained 13 years ago, when a young Bridgeport man ran him over with a car on the street as part of a gang initiation. It looked like Campbells law-enforcement career would be over as a result of his grievous injuries  and the young driver was expected to get 20 years in jail.

Campbell requested that the young man get a more lenient sentence  the judge complied with his request and cut the sentence in half  and Campbell eventually recovered and worked again as a police officer. He credited friends and supporters, and his Bible study group, for their help.

Turning to the present, Campbell said each person listening listening to him in the pews had a grace which lives in each of us. The police commander said there would come a time for all of them when that kindness could make a big difference.

If you open your eyes, theres constant opportunities for us to provide that grace to someone who may be hurting, right amongst us, he told the worshipers, who gave him a warm round of applause following his speech.

Campbell regularly attends Vertical Church in West Haven.
iShares Latin America 40 ETF's stock was trading at $22.49 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, ILF shares have increased by 11.7% and is now trading at $25.12.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
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.

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Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, manufactures and sells BMW vehicles and automotive components in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company offers minibuses under the JinBei, Renault, Haise, Grand Haise, and Granse brands, as well as multi-purpose vehicles under the Huasong brand. Its automotive components include moldings, seats, axles, safety and airbag systems, and interior decoration products, as well as engines for minibuses, sedans, sport utility vehicles, light duty trucks, etc. The company also provides BMW sport activity vehicles. In addition, it offers auto-financing services to customers and dealers. Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited has strategic partnerships and alliances with BMW, Toyota, Magna, Bosch, Continental, Delphi, TI Automotive, and Johnson Controls. The company was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong.

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Augusta Gold Corp., a junior exploration company, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in the United States. It primarily explores for gold, silver, and other metals. The company holds interests in the Bullfrog gold project located in the north-west of Las Vegas, Nevada. It also owns, controls, or has acquired mineral rights on Federal patented and unpatented mining claims in the state of Nevada for the purpose of exploration and potential development of metals on a total of approximately 7,800 acres of land. The company was formerly known as Bullfrog Gold Corp. and changed its name to Augusta Gold Corp. in January 2021. Augusta Gold Corp. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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Farmers have described Welsh government plans to introduce a pan-Wales NVZ type regulations as 'disastrous' for the sector, especially in light of Brexit uncertainty.

The regulations will come into force in January 2020 with transitional periods for some elements to allow farmers time to adapt and ensure compliance.

Rules will include measures such as nutrient management planning, sustainable fertiliser applications, protection of water from pollution and manure storage.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths announced the plans in a written statement in November last year.

But the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) said the majority of the plans had simply been cut-and-pasted from the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) rules currently affecting just 2.3% of Wales.

The FUW Milk and Dairy Produce Committee described the plans as 'outrageous'. Committee chairman Dai Miles said: These plans will affect farms, especially the smaller family farms, who carry out good practise and will incur extra cost through no fault of their own.

It is painting the whole industry with the same brush when actually there is only a small minority at fault.

Mr Miles said that as farmers were becoming increasingly aware of the plans, anger was rising within the industry that a 'draconian approach' was being considered, especially at a time when figures suggest Wales agriculture industry could be the worst affected by Brexit.

The fact that such a draconian blanket approach is being planned goes against the Welsh government's commitment in December 2017 to strike the right balance of comprehensive regulatory measures, voluntary measures and investment and ...explore further options to provide land managers with flexibility, where these would achieve the same or better outcomes than a regulatory approach, he said.

Mr Miles added that the rules would have 'far-reaching repercussions' for dairy farmers across Wales, but could also result in a fall in Welsh beef production, in particular due to increased costs and reductions in profitability.

The FUW said that if the Welsh government plans go ahead there will be an increase in the number of Welsh farm holdings subject to legislation from an estimated 600 to more than 24,000.
Nearly 10,000 sheep stolen last year by livestock rustlers in England and Wales has only resulted in one charge by the police.

Livestock theft is seen as incredibly difficult to protect against, and farmers are becoming agitated as criminals get away with their crimes.

The BBC made a Freedom of Information (FoI) request into the crime, which shows an increase in the past few years.

There were 381 incidents of sheep theft in 2018, but Hertfordshire Police was the only force to bring a charge.

Data shows that 9,635 sheep were stolen in 2018, an increase from 7,606 in 2017 and 6,337 in 2016.

All 43 police forces in England and Wales responded to the BBC's request.

For example, three separate incidents of livestock rustling in Herefordshire in this year alone has led the police to issue out a warning to farmers.

The incidents include 22 Texel Cross and Welsh Mule ewes stolen earlier this year from a farm in Canon Frome.

Twenty sheep, with a green mark on shoulder, were stolen during January from a farm in Tarrington.

And 17 in lamb ewes were stolen from a different farm in Tarrington around the 15th January.

West Mercia Police said: Thieves often don't use the main point of access to a field choosing to cut through barbed wire or fence instead.

It is a crime that often needs a degree of organisation, as dogs are used to round up the sheep and put them on a trailer.

Checking your animals regularly can alert you to their theft, marking the animals can make them difficult to dispose of.

The worrying increase follows a Scottish farmer turning to a revolutionary marking system in a bid to tackle the problem.

Drummond Estate near Comrie in Perthshire - which grazes nearly 3,000 sheep across the Glenartney Hills - uses the TecTracer theft-deterrent system.

It is adapted from technology used to discourage the theft of lead from church roofs.

By ingraining thousands of coded microdot markers into each sheep's fleece, the system easily identifies the animal and which farm it comes from, incriminating rustlers at random checks carried out at auction markets, abattoirs or on other farms.

Based on claims data, NFU Mutual estimate rural crime cost the UK 44.5m in 2017. With an increase of 13.4% on the previous year, rural crime is rising at its fastest rate since 2010.
Up to 3,000 hens ganged up on a fox that broke into their pen and pecked it death on a French school farm, it is believed.

Students at agricultural school Le Gros Chene in Brittany found the fox's mutilated body lying in the corner of the pen.

The five-acre farm is home to up to 6,000 free-range chickens. The fox entered a coop containing 3,000 hens, which is kept open during the day.

There, in the corner, we found this dead fox, Pascal Daniel, the head of farming at the school, told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

There was a herd instinct and they attacked him with their beaks.

He added: It was a juvenile of five or six months, about 60cm long. He did not seem sick and in any case, he did not have scabies.

Regional paper France Oest quoted local wildlife experts who said the fox's death was 'surprising'.

They said: There may be a group effect, but also other reasons  the fox was young so inexperienced. It could already be weakened, even injured, and we know that chickens will confront a weak animal with no vigour.
The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
Less than four years ago, Jeremy Corbyn was an obscure backbencher in the British Parliament. In his 30 years as a member of the Labour Party, his greatest legislative accomplishment was paradoxically the lack of any: From 1997 to 2010, when Labour was last in government, Corbyn was the MP who voted against his own party more than any other. Despite his perpetual insubordinations, successive Labour Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown declined to expel Corbyn from their party. There was no threat, a deputy Labour chief whip told the Financial Times about Corbyn and his small band of hard-left rebels in 2016. These people were tolerated because no one had ever heard of them.

Today, everyone in British politics has heard of Jeremy Corbyn, who, as leader of Her Majestys Most Loyal Opposition, has utterly transformed the Labour Party. Once a broad-based movement that could command large parliamentary majorities, today it is a sectarian personality cult, offering meager resistance to a shambolic Conservative government. Once the party whose leaders created NATO and stood stalwart against the threat of international communism, today Labour is led by people who sing the praises of anti-Western despots and terrorists. And once the natural political home of British Jewry, Labour today is mired in an anti-Semitic morass, to the point where 40 percent of Jews say they would seriously consider leaving the country were Corbyn to become prime minister. Indeed, Labour has become so toxic that, last month, eight MPs quit the party, calling it sickeningly, institutionally racist, a threat to national security and a danger to the cohesion of our society, the safety of our citizens, and the health of our democracy.

A vehicle for an extreme agenda

How Labour reached this deplorable condition is one that should seriously concern liberals in the United States, where a similar dynamic is playing out in the Democratic Party. An insurgent progressivism favorably disposed to socialism, hostile to Jews and openly admiring of Jeremy Corbyn and all that he represents is steadily making inroads against an aging, centrist Democratic establishment. Here, a constellation of elected officials, media personalities, and activists are mimicking the tactics of their ideological comrades in Britain to take over and transform the Democratic Party into a vehicle for their extreme agenda.

The devotees of American Corbynism congregate around Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist who, like the British Labour leader, has a long record of overlooking the depredations of left-wing authoritarians abroad. A recently discovered video from 1988 shows the future presidential candidate regaling an American audience with the highlights of a recent trip he and his wife Jane made to the Soviet Union, where he rode on the very, very effective transportation system and was wowed by train station chandeliers that were beautiful. Just a year before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, these two political pilgrims sounded like Beatrice and Sidney Webb, British socialists who ventured to Josef Stalins Russia only to report back smiling peasants and abundant harvests. Sanders, who initially had positive things to say about the late Hugo Chavezs Bolivarian revolution, today stubbornly refuses to call his successor, the brutal Nicolas Maduro, a dictator.
Can you believe its five months since Yasam Icin Yars 2018!

All monies have now been collected and you raised the fantastic amount of 124,500TL

Were sure that everyone who raced for life is wondering how well be spending the money so, after a series of meetings, were now in a position to be able to update you on where were up to.

Where has the money be used in the past?

In previous years, we have used the monies raised to buy equipment for the Devlet (State) Hospital in Fethiye.

In 2015 the money raised was used to buy an Endoscope  A medical instrument used for visual examination of the interior of a body cavity or a hollow organ such as the colon, bladder, or stomach.

In 2016 the money raised was used to buy a Bronchoscope  A thin, flexible instrument with a lighted viewing tube that is used to visualise the air passages to the lungs.

In 2017 the money raised was used to refit the chemotherapy ward with new chairs, side tables and a fridge. A machine for cleaning the endoscpe was also purchased.

Yasam Icin Yars  Racing For Life

Where will the money go this year?

This year the Yasam Icin Yars team have looked into ways we can help people who are suffering with cancer in a more direct way.

The Oncology unit at the Devlet is the only one in Fethiye and many patients have to travel to hospitals in Izmir, Antalya and Denizli for treatments not available in Fethiye. This causes real hardship for poor families and some of those people cannot afford to travel for the treatment they so desperately need.

Dr Ugur Muslu

We met with Devlet Oncologist, Dr Ugur Muslu, to find out more. He told us

There are currently 1300 cancer patients registered at the Devlet Hospital. 150 of these are undergoing chemotherapy with 15 patients being treated every day.

Every year between 300 and 500 new patients are diagnosed with cancer, 50% of these are treated at the Devlet. Patients have to travel for treatments not available at the Devlet, i.e. radiotherapy treatment is carried out in Denizli.

The people who cannot afford to travel for treatment are directed to Sosyal Yardm (the equivalent of UK Social Services). Sosyal Yardm receive requests for financial help for many things, not just medical treatment. They dont have an unlimited budget so cannot help everyone.

Helping to save lives

Yasam Icin Yars money will be used to support as many of these people as possible who, without help, may die.

Thats not as easy as it might sound and we still have a round of meetings with Sosyal Yardm to discuss the details of the process we need to put in place.

Once we have finalised the system, we will bring you full details and regular updates.

We have also agreed to purchase two more new chairs for the chemotherapy unit.

Yasam Icin Yars 2019

Were already making plans for this years Yasam Icin Yars which will take place on

Sunday 13th October

Run IT, Walk IT, Beat IT!

Kos, Yuru, Basar!

Thank you to everyone who took part in last years race and made it possible for us to help to save lives.
Parama Veera Chakra

Parama Veera Chakra, the Balakrishna movie, directed by Dasari Narayana Rao was one of the much-awaited movies of Balakrishna. The film that released in the year 2011 was a patriotic movie with the star in dual roles.

Balakrishna as Komaram Bheem

The Balakrishna movie had featured the actor in multiple get-ups. In the film, the actor had made a brief appearance as Komaram Bheem, the freedom fighter and it was appreciated by all.

Jr NT At Parama Veer Chakra Audio Launch

Interestingly, the audio launch ceremony of Parama Veera Chakra was a grand ceremony and it was attended by the team members of the film as well as other stars. Jr NTR was also present for the big function that was held in Hyderabad.

Jr NTRs Speech

If reports are to be believed, JR NTR, who spoke during the function had sent out a special wish as well. According to the reports, he showered praises on his uncle as well as the movie. The reports suggest that JR NTR expressed his wish to see Balakrishna as Komaram Bheem in a full-length movie in a film directed by Dasari Narayana Rao.
China said it was willing to have more discussions with all parties concerned, including India, on blacklisting Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.

Beijing: China said on Friday it was willing to have more discussions with all parties concerned, including India, on blacklisting the head of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which claimed responsibility for the attack on an Indian paramilitary convoy in disputed Kashmir in February.

China prevented a UN Security Council committee on Wednesday from blacklisting JeM founder Masood Azhar.

India said it was disappointed at the block, which sparked calls for boycotts of Chinese products on domestic social media, while the United States said it was counter to a goal it shared with China of achieving regional peace and stability.

In a statement faxed to Reuters late on Friday, China's foreign ministry reiterated that the "technical hold" on the blacklisting was to give more time for the committee to have further consultations and study on the issue.

China hopes the committee's actions can "benefit reducing the tense situation and protect regional stability", the ministry said, responding to a Reuters question on the boycott calls in India.

"China is willing to strengthen communication with all parties, including India, to appropriately handle this issue," it added, without elaborating.

The United States, Britain and France had asked the Security Council"s Islamic State and Al Qaeda sanctions committee to subject Azhar to an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze. The 15-member committee operates by consensus.

China had previously prevented the sanctions committee from sanctioning Azhar in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police said, 'A 3-year-old girl was raped in Punjabi Bagh area allegedly by the father of the tuition teacher living in the victim's neighbourhood. The accused has been arrested.'

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Saturday arrested a man for allegedly raping a 3-year-old girl in Punjabi Bagh area of the national capital.

The man has been identified as the father of the victim's tuition teacher.

Speaking to ANI, Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police said, "A 3-year-old girl was raped in Punjabi Bagh area allegedly by the father of the tuition teacher living in the victim's neighbourhood. The accused has been arrested."

An FIR has been registered under the relevant section of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigation in the matter is underway.
At least five Indians, including three from Gujarat have died in Friday's terror attacks in New Zealand's Christchurch, the Indian High Commission in New Zealand said on Sunday.

Christchurch: At least five Indians, including three from Gujarat have died in Friday's terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, the Indian High Commission in New Zealand said on Sunday. The High Commission further informed that two Indian nationals and two persons of Indian origin injured in the attack were receiving medical treatment.

The Indian mission put out on its official Twitter handle the names of the five Indian nationals  Maheboob Khokhar, Ramiz Vora, Aarif Vora, Ansi Alibava and Ozair Kadir. "With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch  Mr Maheboob Khokhar, Mr Ramiz Vora, Mr Asif Vora, Ms Ansi Alibava, Mr Ozair Kadir, @kohli_sanjiv @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj," the High Commission said tagging External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli and MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

"We have been pursuing with NZ auth (sic) whereabouts of 9 Indians, incl 2 PIOs; 2 indians receiving treatment. Following up with NZ Govt for others. Also r (sic) in regular touch with their families," the High Commission further said.

A socio-cultural organisation for the Indian community in New Zealand, the Indian Social and Cultural Hub of Christchurch (ISCC) put out descriptions of those who were killed in the terror attack.

Ozair Kadir a 25-year-old from Hyderabad was a student of the Aviation College and an aspiring commercial pilot. Ansi Karippakulam Alibava, 25, from Kodungalloor, Kerala and a Masters student from Lincoln University leaves behind her husband. Farhaj Ashan aged 30, leaves behind his wife Insha Aziz, his three-year-old daughter and seven-month-old son. He had left home on Friday morning for prayer.

Ramiz Vora and his father Aarif Vora from Vadodara in Gujarat also succumbed to their injuries, the organisation said on its social media page. Meanwhile, according to reports Maheboob Khokhar, 63, hailed from Ahmedabad. The Indian mission also shared two helpline numbers for assistance and expressed their condolences over the deaths of 50 people killed in the twin attacks.

"Our helpline numbers (021803899 & 021850033) will remain available round the clock to assist families as we together cope with our shared grief. We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin," it said in a tweet. "Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated page to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims," another tweet stated.

Earlier, at least nine Indian nationals or people of Indian origin were feared missing in New Zealand following the deadly terror attacks at Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, unofficial sources said on Friday.

Swaraj had condemned the dastardly terror attack and put out the helpline numbers of the Indian High Commission in New Zealand tagging High Commissioner Sanjiv Kohli for Indians requiring assistance.

The death toll in Friday's terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch rose to 50 with victims ranging in age from two years to over 60 years, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said on Sunday. Earlier, police had said that 49 people were killed in the twin attacks.

He informed that 50 people were wounded in the mass shootings. Giving out details of those injured, Bush said that 36 of them are undergoing treatment at Christchurch Hospital and three persons, including a child, remain critical at Auckland's Starship Hospital, New Zealand Herald reported.

The country's police chief also confirmed that Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the 28-year-old Australian-born suspect was the sole attacker who carried out the Friday's attacks at the two mosques in the city. Tarrant, who appeared before a Christchurch court on murder charges on Saturday, was remanded in custody without plea until 5 April.

The terror attack suspect, who live-streamed for about 17 minutes his rampage through two mosques in the city, is an Australian-born citizen and is a resident of Dunedin, situated around 360 kilometres south of Christchurch.

Condemning the terror strike, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern had described the attack as "one of New Zealand's darkest days" and said it appears to have been well planned. She asserted that the country will not and cannot be shaken by the attack. Ardern underlined that the country's gun laws will undergo changes and become stricter.
Parrikar was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa.

Panaji: Manohar Parrikar, who rose from a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to become the country's Defence Minister and also chief minister of Goa, enjoyed a man-next-door image in the politically-volatile coastal state.

Parrikar, 63, served the state four times as chief minister and had a three-year-long stint as Defence Minister in the Narendra Modi-led cabinet.

He was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa, which remained for long a Congress bastion, with regional outfits having pockets of influence.

Born on 13 December, 1955 into a middle class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer.

Parrikar never shied away from displaying his affiliation to the Sangh and was even photographed participating in the annual 'Sanchalan' organised by the RSS in the uniform and wielding lathi.

He even credited the surgical strikes conducted by Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during his tenure as Defence Minister to the teachings of the RSS.

His plunge into BJP politics is considered as an attempt by the party to curb the growth of the state's oldest regional political party  Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

Parrikar entered electoral politics in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency. He was leader of the Opposition from June to November 1999 and was known for his speeches against the then Congress-led government.

He became chief minister of Goa for the first time on October 24, 2000, but his tenure lasted only until February 27, 2002. On June 5, 2002, he was re-elected and served another term as chief minister.

On 12 January, 2005, his government was reduced to a minority in the assembly after four BJP MLAs resigned from the House.

Pratapsinh Rane of the Congress subsequently replaced Parrikar as chief minister. In 2007, the Parrikar-led BJP was defeated by the Congress led by Digambar Kamat.

But the year 2012 saw Parrikar riding a popularity wave in the state when he took his party to the historic number of 21 out of 40 seats in the assembly. He went on to become the chief minister again. BJP continued its victory mark in the year 2014 when the party won both the Lok Sabha seats.

After the Modi-led Cabinet was sworn at the Centre, Parrikar was offered a ministerial berth in November 2014. He remained in the union cabinet till 2017 when his party failed to garner a majority in the Goa legislative assembly polls.

He returned to the state in March 2017 when he managed to woo alliance partners such as Goa Forward Party and MGP to support him to form the government. His health started deteriorating in February 2018 and he was first admitted at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital for pancreatic ailment. He was flown to the US in the first week of March last year where he remained admitted at hospital till June.

Parrikar attended the monsoon session of Assembly from July 19 to August 3, and left for the USA on August 10 for the second round of checkup. He returned to Goa on August 22, 2018.

After being treated at a makeshift medical facility at his residence, Parrikar was shifted to the AIIMS New Delhi on September 15 last year.

After almost a month-long treatment, he returned to Goa on October 14.

Parrikar stunned everyone when he reached the CM's office on January 2 this year after a gap of almost two-and-a-half months.

On January 27, he attended the inauguration of the third bridge on Mandovi river along with Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

He also attended the budget session on January 29 and presented the state Budget the next day. On the last day of the session on January 31, he was taken for treatment to AIIMS, New Delhi and returned to Goa on February 5.

Parrikar also addressed the Atal Booth Karyakarta Sammelan on February 9, 2019 in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah.

During the last few days, Parrikar had been in and out of Goa Medical College and Hospital for treatment, but was mostly confined to his private residence.
At one stage, India threatened to fire at least six missiles at Pakistan, and Islamabad said it would respond with its own missile strikes three times over, according to Western diplomats and government sources in New Delhi, Islamabad and Washington.

New Delhi/Islamabad: The sparring between India and Pakistan in February threatened to spiral out of control and only interventions by US officials, including National Security Advisor John Bolton, headed off a bigger conflict, five sources familiar with the events said.

At one stage, India threatened to fire at least six missiles at Pakistan, and Islamabad said it would respond with its own missile strikes three times over, according to Western diplomats and government sources in New Delhi, Islamabad and Washington.

The way in which tensions suddenly worsened and threatened to trigger a war between the nuclear-armed nations shows how the Kashmir region, which both claim and is at the core of their enmity, remains one of the worlds most dangerous flashpoints. The exchanges did not get beyond threats, and there was no suggestion that the missiles involved were anything more than conventional weapons, but they created consternation in official circles in Washington, Beijing and London.

Reuters has pieced together the events that led to the most serious military crisis in South Asia since 2008, as well as the concerted diplomatic efforts to get both sides to back down.

The simmering dispute erupted into conflict late last month when Indian and Pakistani warplanes engaged in a dogfight over Kashmir on 27 February, a day after a raid by Indian jet fighters on what it said was a militant camp in Pakistan. Islamabad denied any militant camp exists in the area and said the Indian bombs exploded on an empty hillside.

In their first such clash since the last war between the two nations in 1971, Pakistan downed an Indian plane and captured its pilot after he ejected in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Hours later, videos of the bloodied IAF pilot, handcuffed and blindfolded, appeared on social media, identifying himself to Pakistani interrogators as Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, deepening anger in New Delhi.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi facing a general election in April-May, the government was under pressure to respond.

"No going back"

That evening, Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval spoke over a secure line to the head of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Asim Munir, to tell him India was not going to back off its new campaign of counter-terrorism even after the pilots capture, an Indian government source and a Western diplomat with knowledge of the conversations told Reuters in New Delhi.

Doval told Munir that Indias fight was with the militant groups that freely operated from Pakistani soil and it was prepared to escalate, said the government source.

A Pakistani government minister and a Western diplomat in Islamabad separately confirmed a specific Indian threat to use six missiles on targets inside Pakistan. They did not specify who delivered the threat or who received it, but the minister said Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies were communicating with each other during the fight, and even now they are communicating with each other.

Pakistan said it would counter any Indian missile attacks with many more launches of its own, the minister told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. We said if you will fire one missile, we will fire three. Whatever India will do, we will respond three times to that, the Pakistani minister said.

Dovals office did not respond to a request for comment. India was not aware of any missile threat issued to Pakistan, a government official said in reply to a Reuters request for comment. Pakistans military declined to comment and Munir could not be reached for comment. Pakistans foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Trump-Kim talks

The crisis unfolded as US president Donald Trump was trying to hammer out an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi over its nuclear programme.

US security advisor Bolton was on the phone with Doval on the night of 27 February itself, and into the early hours of the next day, the second day of the Trump-Kim talks, in an attempt to defuse the situation, the Western diplomat in New Delhi and the Indian official said.

Later, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was also in Hanoi, also called both sides to seek a way out of the crisis. "Secretary Pompeo led diplomatic engagement directly, and that played an essential role in de-escalating the tensions between the two sides, State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a briefing in Washington on 5 March.

A State Department official declined to comment when asked if they knew of the threats to use missiles.

Pompeo spoke to Doval, the Indian and Pakistani Foreign Ministers Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, respectively, Palladino said.

US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Phil Davidson told reporters in Singapore last week that he had separately been in touch with the Indian navy chief, Sunil Lanba, throughout the crisis. There was no immediate response from Lanbas office to a question on the nature of the conversations.

US efforts were focused on securing the quick release of the Indian pilot by Pakistan and winning an assurance from India it would pull back from the threat to fire rockets, the Western diplomat in New Delhi and officials in Washington said.

We made a lot of effort to get the international community involved in encouraging the two sides to de-escalate the situation because we fully realized how dangerous it was, said a senior Trump administration official.

The Pakistani minister said China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also intervened. Chinas foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The government of the UAE said Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan held talks with both Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. India has not given details, but has said it was in touch with major powers during the conflict.

On the morning of 28 February, Trump told reporters in Hanoi that he expected the crisis to end soon. They have been going at it and we have been involved in trying to have them stop. Hopefully, that is going to be coming to an end.

Later that afternoon, Khan announced in Pakistans parliament that the Indian pilot would be released, and he was sent back the next day. I know last night there was a threat there could a missile attack on Pakistan, which got defused, Khan said. I know, our army stood prepared for retaliation of that attack.

The two countries have gone to war three times since both gained independence in 1947, the last time in 1971. The two armies are trading fire along the line of control that separates them in Kashmir, but the tensions appear contained for now.

Diplomatic experts said that the latest crisis underlined the chances of misread signals and unpredictability in the ties between the nuclear-armed rivals, and the huge dangers. It still was not clear whether India had targeted a militant camp in Pakistan and whether there were any casualties, they said.

Indian and Pakistani leaders have long evinced confidence that they can understand each others deterrence signals and can de-escalate at will, said Joshua White, a former White House official who is now at Johns Hopkins. The fact that some of the most basic facts, intentions and attempted strategic signals of this crisis are still shrouded in mystery ... should be a sobering reminder that neither country is in a position to easily control a crisis once it begins..
Parrikar was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa, which remained for long a Congress bastion.

Panaji: Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, a former Defence minister who had been battling a pancreatic ailment for over a year, passes away at 63 in Panaji residence on Sunday.

The health of Parrikar, a technocrat-turned-politician and a BJP stalwart, took a turn for the worse in the past two days after his medical condition fluctuated for over a year. The four-term chief minister was flown to the US for treatment in March, 2018.

"The chief minister died around 6.40 pm Sunday," a senior state government official told PTI.

Sources said Parrikar was put on life support system late Saturday night. A widower, Parrikar is survived by his two sons and their families.

The central government announced national mourning on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Parrikar, hailing him as an "unparalleled leader".

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti, (sic)" Modi said in one of several tweets.

"Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress, " Modi tweeted.

"India will be eternally grateful to Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi further said.

Parrikar was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa, which remained for long a Congress bastion, with regional outfits having pockets of influence.

Despite his falling health, Parrikar had presented two state budgets in 2018 and 2019 and had attended public functions, including the inauguration of an iconic bridge across River Mandovi.

A known fighter, an ailing Parrikar's decision to go for a ride and inspect two upcoming bridges in the state with a feeder tube protruding from one nostril was a defining image and sought to suggest that he was still in-charge of the state.

In a tweet, President Ram Nath Kovind said, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, chief minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and India will not be forgotten," the President tweeted from his official handle.

BJP president Amit Shah tweeted, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jis commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary."

Several political leaders, including Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant and Lok Sabha MP Narendra Sawaikar, reached the private residence of Parrikar in Dona Paula after the news of his demise broke.

Born on 13 December, 1955, into a middle class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer.

Parrikar entered electoral politics in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency. He was the defence minister from November, 2014 to March, 2017 during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While the country observes a national day of mourning on Monday after the death of 'well-loved' Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, several prominent politicians, journalists, and activists have condoled the demise of the former defence minister.

While the country observes a national day of mourning on Monday after the death of "well-loved" Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, several prominent politicians, journalists, and activists have condoled the demise of the former defence minister. President Ram Nath Kovind hailed Parrikar as an "epitome of integrity" while Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Parrikar's "pro-people" policies had brought in "remarkable" progress in Goa.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Modi also praised Parrikar for his affable personality.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress.  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

Congress president Rahul Gandhi offered condolences to Parrikar, who battled a "debilitating illness for over a year".

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17, 2019

Paying tribute to former Defence Minister and the chief minister of Goa, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah lauded Parrikar for showing the "entire nation how a BJP Karyakarta, even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last."

Parrikar ji has shown the entire nation how a BJP Karyakarta, even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last. He will always be remembered for his contributions as Indias Defence Minister and as CM of Goa. pic.twitter.com/jiKNGoOZrj  Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

As Rajnath Singh offered his condolences, the home minister said that Manohar Parrikar was known for his "honesty, integrity and simplicity".

Deeply saddened and pained by the demise of my dear friend & Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity. He served the nation and the state of Goa with great diligence. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.  Chowkidar Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 17, 2019

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal offered prayers and said that Parrikar was a "symbol of simplicity".

Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Sh Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 17, 2019

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "Mr Parrikar was important for Goa, but he was also important for India. He was a man of impeccable integrity, a dynamic chief minister". Praising Parrikar for providing a vision, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC said: "He was a mentor, guide, friend, a role model every needed." West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee also tweeted, offering condolences to his family.

Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 17, 2019

"He (Goa CM Manohar Parrikar) was a good human being. His passing away has left a huge gap in politics; we have lost a good politician. His demise has caused us immense grief. I express my grief and I pay my tributes on behalf of my party and myself," ANI quoted Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge as saying.

Praying for his family, National Conference chairman Farooq Abdullah said Parrikar was a simple man who was dedicated to the nation. "The nation should remember him as an honest, kind man. I knew him as the Minister of Defence. I know how he conducted himself in the House. He was very simple, meet everyone with kindness. When he had to go to Goa, he did that. But his health gave away," said Abdullah.

Admiring Parrikar's simplicity and straightforwardness, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also mourned his death.

Mourning the loss of Manohar Parrikar, a rare IIT graduate in politics who was widely admired for his simplicity & straightforwardness. Wishing his family strength & peace at this time of grief.  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 17, 2019

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said: "We have lost an able and industrious administrator."

Spiritual leader Sadhguru said that Parrikar was a "visionary" leader who was trusted "across the political spectrum".
Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh said Saturday he did not trust Pakistan's intent behind the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, saying their agenda was 'nefarious and political' and aimed at 'exploiting' the sentiments of the Sikhs.

Chandigarh: Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh said Saturday he did not trust Pakistan's intent behind the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, saying their agenda was "nefarious and political" and aimed at "exploiting" the sentiments of the Sikhs.

"Pakistan is doing it with a different intent, which is not at all aimed at promoting peace," Singh said at a press conference here to mark two years of his government. "India's agenda is religious, but theirs is totally disruptive."

The Congress leader said the number of devotees proposed by Islamabad to be allowed to pass the corridor was not at all sufficient and he wanted at least 15,000 pilgrims to be permitted to visit the historic gurdwara every day.

The chief minister reiterated his demand for an open visit at the Kartarpur gurdwara, questioning the rationale behind having a corridor if the need for passport and visa was still there.

"Some identification was, of course, needed, but there was no need for passport, etc," he said, adding that such requirement would deprive poor people.

India and Pakistan had last year agreed to open up a special border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the neighbouring country's Kartarpur  the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev  to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district. The two countries seek to open the corridor in November on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

Singh said he was all for the corridor, which was a matter of devotion for the Sikhs, but there was need to exercise caution.

He pointed out to the number of ISI-backed terror modules busted in Punjab in recent months. "While Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan talks of peace, their army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, continues to promote his evil designs."

Asked if the airstrike by the Indian Air Force in Pakistan's Balakot would benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha election, Singh said any government of the day, including the Congress, would have retaliated after the Pulwama attack.

The chief minister also lashed out at the BJP for politicisation of the armed forces. "The Congress has never politicised the 1965 or the 1971 wars. We have always put the nation above political interests," he added.
Tamil Nadu has been discussing Pollachi since the video was released. Nobody outside the state seems to have been as affected.

It was a Monday morning and I woke up to the alarming number of beep tones coming from my Facebook messenger application on my phone. Multiple friends and family members had forwarded me a video which had just been released by Tamil Nadus investigative journalism magazine Nakkheeran.

What startled me was that it showed a women being sexually assaulted by a group of men in a resort in Pollachi. As soon as the video starts, one could hear a young woman crying. Her face was digitally masked. Then, a guy signals to other men to come inside. Thats when I stopped. I realised what it was and I did not want to watch it further. All I had to do was log into my social media accounts to get the rest of the story.

As expected, people on Facebook and Twitter were up in arms about the incident. Over the next few hours, it emerged that this wasnt an isolated incident but an organised crime racket which involved sexual assault of several kinds on different women over a period of seven years in the 'conservative' town of Pollachi.

Most of the women were befriended by these men on Facebook, promised a relationship, taken to a farm house, gang-raped and filmed. This organised crime was led by a young man called Tirunavukarasu who belongs to an affluent family from a dominant caste in Tamil Nadu. The people involved in the gang rape, filming and distribution of the video are related to party men of the ruling AIADMK.

The main accused is a close relative of Tamil Nadus deputy speaker Pollachi Jayaraman. The third accused, Nagaraj, is a close aide of AIADMK minister Velumani. These two ruling party officials have not been apprehended in any way in spite of the charges against them. People who have seen the videos have been sharing graphic details of the rape in them.

Ironically, this news first surfaced on 26 February. The outrage did not emerge till the rape video was released by Nakkheeran. Only then did people start talking about the organised nature of the crime and those involved. This week has been filled with despair, advice to women and agitations across the state. This week has been especially traumatic for women.

I am tired and triggered, but I want to raise some crucial issues:

The political exploitation of the Pollachi sexual assault survivors

Involvement of the ruling partys political dynasty in this case requires Opposition parties such as the DMK to take AIADMK to task. But what disappoints me here is the speed at which DMK supporters started sharing the video of rape without a minuscule of ethics. They could have shared the news of the organised crime to attack AIADMK. This would have worked as well.

Instead, using this as an opportunity to disarm AIADMK politically in the wake of the 2019 elections, the leaked videos were shared with or without masking. Leaders took part in dramatically narrating the contents of the video which was also shared on social media. These are extremely violative, in addition to being ethically wrong.

The magazine Nakkheeran, which otherwise is commended for uncovering various scandals and corruption in the state, totally lost track as well. In its race to be politically relevant and to get eyeballs, they leaked the videos to the masses, without as much as taking into consideration the lives of the sexual assault survivors. The race for readership triumphed over protecting the modesty and privacy of the survivors.

Let me make something clear. Tamil Nadu is not safe for women. When people say, 'Tamil Nadu is Periyars land, women and children are safe here', I just laugh.

It is true that Dravidian ideologies have helped Tamil Nadu excel in social welfare. The state has introduced the countrys first women-centric schemes and laws. But the data collected over the years by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and various human rights organisations prove that the safety of women and children in Tamil Nadu has been far from good, especially in rural areas.

The failure of the state to control casteism and patriarchy has resulted in increased number of honour killings, rapes and child abuse. What is worse is that there is nobody to monitor the State Monitoring Committee, which is supposed to look into these crimes. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is the head of this committee.

Despite the high number of crimes against women which take place in the state, all large political parties do not acknowledge the actual state of affairs. AIADMK does not acknowledge the crimes and the Opposition DMK usually issues a digital statement about the crime. Or is up in arms just before an election.

Women deserve justice irrespective of the political climate around them.

National media's bias against the south

The High court of Madras posed an important question: Why didnt the rape receive sufficient attention? Why do rapes in UP and Delhi get more airtime than Pollachi?

Tamil Nadu has been discussing Pollachi since the video was released. Nobody outside the state seems to have been as affected by this incident for quite a while. But is this the first incident from Tamil Nadu which didnt make it to a national media channels primetime slot? Forget national media channels, even some Tamil media channels ignored this issue.

After the 2012 Delhi gang rape, the nation felt the pain. For months, we discussed it and an important law came to be passed. Seeing the manner in which the media rallied behind massive protests during this incident, I felt that the country was unified against crimes against women. But when a similar incident occurred in a rural village in Tamil Nadu, the news was blacked out.

In 2017, Nandini  a Dalit girl from the village of Ariyalur  was pregnant with her lovers child. A dominant caste leader belonging to the Hindu Munnani gang raped the girl along with his friends, removed her fetus, killed her and threw her naked body in a nearby well. Her body was discovered after a week, covered with maggots.

If the 2012 Delhi gang rape could affect the country's sentiment unanimously, what about the women from the south?

When will Nandini be relevant for the rest of the country? When the Pollachi sexual assault evoke a similar interest?

It is time the national media took a look at the state of women in the south, instead of what food was served at a wedding or what dress an actor's daughter wore to a party.

The ruling governments track record

A heinous crime takes place in our state and the chief minister does not hold a press conference to reassure us or to explain what his government is doing to make sure that the perpetrators of this organised crime are brought to book. Time and again, the chief minister proves that he is just a namesake. He does not take responsibility for any mishaps happening in the state, irrespective of the magnitude of the issue.

Pollachi is a stronghold of the ruling AIADMK. It is host to many hate crimes in the state, especially caste-based killings. The city belongs to the 'kongu belt', which is often adjudged as the capital of various caste-related associations which are very active in the state. The leaders of these caste associations on various occasions have gone on record stating that they will not let inter-caste marriages happen and if their women break the rules, they should be killed to safeguard caste pride.

Irrespective of the hate speeches, these leaders were never apprehended. On the contrary, they are close associates of the chief minister. The deputy speaker and a minister are accused of playing hosts to the criminals involved in this organised crime but the chief minister has not yet advised them to resign till the investigation reaches its logical end.

Safety of women has been an alien concept for the ruling AIADMK. Nirmala Devi, chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University, was arrested for approaching women students for sex in exchange for degree and accolades with proof. She was accused along with suggested involvement of Governor Banawarilal Purohit. The professor is behind bars now, but the Tamil Nadu government failed to investigate this further.

The AIADMK government has for seven years been playing silent spectator to such organised crimes.

The BJP government is yet to make a statement on this. Well, who cares about women? Leaders of the BJP government have previously been accused of stalking women, encouraging organised troll activity online and institutionalised crimes. It seems like they are just passively supporting their political allies in Tamil Nadu.
Mismanagement rather than declining water resources is the main reason for the water crisis in Ladakh's Leh town. There is also the problem of waste disposal.

Editor's Note: A network of 60 reporters set off across India to test the idea of development as it is experienced on the ground. Their brief: Use your mobile phone to record the impact of 120 key policy decisions on everyday life; what works, what doesn't and why; what can be done better and what should be done differently. Their findings  straight and raw from the ground  will be combined in this series, Elections on the Go, over a course of 100 days.

Read more articles from the series here

***

Leh: "We need to think seriously about the consequences of using flush water toilets," said Phunchok Dolma from Phay village in Ladakh. "The traditional dry compost toilet is a better option as it uses no water, and the waste generated can be used as manure in agriculture."

Of late, this debate on tradition versus modernity in toilet technology has become intense in Ladakh, as it is directly related to both availability of clean drinking water amid rising demand and pollution of scarce ground water resources.

A region closed to outsiders till 1974, the large influx of tourists, which exceeded three lakh in 2018, has, no doubt, given a big boost to the local economy. Thousands of youths are engaged in tourism-related activities and work as tour guides, helpers, travel agents and taxi drivers.

The other side of the coin includes the ecological damage done to this once isolated and pristine region by the haphazard race to build hotels, cafes and other tourist facilities, with many families, especially in Leh, converting their agricultural fields into hotels and guest houses.

The adverse impact of blindly catering to this increasing influx of tourists without corresponding modern sanitation, waste and water management practices is only now getting attention. The exposure to the outside world has brought some changes to traditional local practices, including in sanitation.

For long, Ladakhis used dry compost toilets that use no water and can function in the region's freezing winter temperatures. These are now being increasingly replaced by the western flush toilet, which pollutes ground water resources.

"Locals have problems with using flush water toilets since they are used to the traditional dry compost toilets," said Urgain Dolker, a local Ladakhi. "Besides, Ladakh lacks a proper system of sewage management and treatment."

Many hoteliers said that while foreigners prefer using dry compost toilets and appreciate the local ways of preserving the environment, domestic tourists prefer flush toilets. Officials cite maintenance as a major challenge when it comes to dry compost toilets. Last year, a municipal committee experimented using a bio-digestor chemical for the compost manure, but the experiment failed due to the region's extreme temperatures.

Leh's district panchayat officer Zakir Hussain said dry compost toilets were included in the Swachh Bharat programme as it was not possible to construct flush toilets in far-flung areas due to harsh climatic conditions.

"The problem in urban areas is having no place to dump the compost manure," he said. "Changing weather patterns also makes flush toilets more suitable for urban areas."

Leh's rural department has constructed 4,390 toilets  both flush and compost  since October 2014 under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Hussain said.

Becky Norman, who has done research on dry compost toilets through the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), said there is a big problem of toilets "in a fast-growing town like Leh".

"And since there is little understanding of the difference between soak pits and septic tanks, most hotels in Leh and guest houses have soak pits, through which the waste seeps into ground water areas. The Leh Municipal Committee recently made it mandatory for every hotel and guest house to have a septic tank and to clean it twice a year. The municipal department currently has two suction tankers and is planning to buy two more," she added.

Norman believes there is a need to create awareness about the pros of local compost toilet.

"For many tourists, a seat on dry compost is a fine solution, especially if they understand how water toilets pollute and dry composting toilets actually support the local organic ecosystem," she said.

But many locations in Leh town are too crowded to make composting toilets easy.

"In Ladakh's villages, it would be very easy to design nice composting toilets for village guest houses and hotels," Norman said. "They can have a seat and a nice clean room for the user. In many locations, it is even possible to design attached bathrooms with composting toilets."

The amount of faecal sludge generated in Leh has also increased over the years. Wastewater generated from hotels, individual households and army camps have all contributed to this.

Faecal sludge is now being treated at a Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) at Bombgarh. Set up in August 2017, it has treated 27,12500 litres of waste water so far. The treated wastewater is used in agriculture.

The Leh FSTP is Indias first public-private partnership in faecal sludge management. Another FSTP in Agling is likely to be operational soon.

Rural Leh was declared open defecation free (ODF) in August 2017; Leh Urban Local Body and the state of Jammu and Kashmir were declared ODF in September 2016.

Census records show that Leh's population rose from 27,423 in 1981 to 45,671 in 2011. In Leh, many rented accommodations do not provide toilet facilities to tenants, which was the reason for open defecation in Leh town. However, in rural areas, every household has its own compost toilet. In fact, the first thing Ladakhis decide before constructing a house is where to locate the toilet.

Leh's BJP president Dorje Angchuk admits that sanitation can be an important issue in the 2019 election if social activists play an active role in highlighting these concerns.

"Political parties should understand what the public demands and act on them," Angchuk said. "The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission in the region will definitely work in favour of the BJP."

Unsurprisingly, Tsering Namgyal, Congress district committee president in Leh, has a different opinion.

"Sanitation and the waste disposal system is not a major concern for political parties for the 2019 election in Ladakh," he said. "It is a work in progress."

Dr Ishey Namgyal, president of Leh's municipal committee, said Ladakhi culture is such that it is already ODF.

"We are planning to run a pilot project where toilets similar to the ones in Druk Padma Karpo school (which runs on solar energy) will be built in some public places in Leh," he said.

A small school in Shey, the waste collected here is covered in sand and turned into manure in a pit below, which is ultimately bought by farmers.

While sanitation and pollution of ground water resources are getting attention in Ladakh, the availability of potable water in Leh and other areas of Ladakh is another serious problem that needs immediate attention.

According to NGO Ladakh Ecological Development Group's (LEDeG) assessment of water supply and demand in Leh town, carried out using government and other available research data, total public water supply from various sources is 5.4 millions of litres per day (MLD)  2.01 MLD comes from the Indus river, 0.9 MLD from springs and 2.4 MLD from borewells. Apart from this over 4,000 private borewells in the district extract 2.9 MLD of water, putting immense pressure on the groundwater levels.

The presence of migrant labourers, especially in summer, adds to the challenge. LEDeG data classifies water usage in Leh city as 0.9 MLD by tourists, 3.9 MLD by residents and 1.5 MLD by workers, adding up to 6.3 MLD. In winters, the demand is as low as 2.8 MLD. While the demand for potable water already exceeds supply, the LEDeG report adds that the supply needs to increase to 12 MLD in 2022 and 15 MLD in 2028 to meet the demand after taking leakages into account.

In the absence of strict government regulation and monitoring of groundwater extraction, many springs have also dried up.

"The water table in Leh town is between 100 and 150 feet and around 300 feet in other areas," said Thinless Dorjay, operation assistant of LEDeG's Liveable Leh Project. "The underground water table in Leh is not stable and confined to the lowlands."

Besides depletion of groundwater resources, the other serious problem is pollution of this water.

"We tested the groundwater with the help of the Technical University of Munich," said Fariha Yousuf, trainings assistant at LEDeG. "We tested for the presence of pollutants such as nitrate, chloride and (bacteria) E coli. Out of the 110 samples, we found 100 samples positive for chloride, a confirmation that it is due to wastewater contamination. E coli was found in 14 of the 16 samples tested. Other substances like caffeine and pharmaceuticals were found in other samples."

Mismanagement rather than declining water resources is the main reason for the water crisis in Leh town, Yousuf said.

"Nearly 35 percent of the water is wasted," she added. "There is no system to check where the water goes.Private agencies manage borewells. No one knows how much water we extract and how much is consumed. There is no metering system."

Then there is the growing problem of waste disposal. Leh town generates 35 to 40 tonnes of garbage in the summer, primarily because of tourism, and 5 to 6 tonnes in winter. Till recently, Ladakh did not even have a concept of waste management. The increasing challenges forced the administration to think seriously about garbage disposal and waste management, after which they came up with technologies for primary waste segregation.

Now that more and more tourists visit Ladakh to take in its scenic beauty and spiritual essence, problems and challenges in water management, sanitation, sewage treatment and waste disposal will only increase. The need is not only for strict regulation but also to make all stakeholders aware of the issues and prepare sustainable and responsible tourism and local management policies.

The author is a Leh-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters
Rahul Gandhi made four trips and spent nine days in Amethi after becoming party president, while Smriti Irani made six trips in 2018 alone.

Amethi: An online war of words broke out between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 3 March, gave the Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi the technology to manufacture AK-203 guns. This was allegedly a bid to take credit for the development works done in this constituency, which has traditionally been held by the Gandhi-Nehru family.

The family bastion has turned into a high-stake battleground, and voting in the Lok Sabha election here is scheduled in the fifth phase of polling on 6 May. Polling in Uttar Pradesh will happen in seven phases.

The Congress, in its first list of candidates, has fielded party president Rahul Gandhi from the Amethi constituency. The BJP is yet to release its candidates, but speculation is that Union minister Smriti Irani will challenge Rahul on his home turf, just like last time  in 2014, she lost to Rahul, but not without giving a tough fight; since then, Irani has been visiting Amethi and taking stock of developmental works being done there.

Jumping in to battle

In the first week of March, BJP heavyweight Nitin Gadkari launched some schemes for Amethi. Meanwhile, top party functionaries, including Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, have been working to highlight the grand old partys apathy towards Amethi.

While the BJP is trying to build a narrative that the Congress illegally acquired residents land in the name of Samrat Cycle Factory, the latter has chalked out a strategy to counter these claims.

According to Congress president in Amethi, Yogendra Mishra, the party will take out a Sandesh Yatra in the third week of March to highlight the partys projects and developmental works initiated there.

Its much needed, because the present government is trying to take credit for all our projects, Mishra said, adding that the BJP has snatched many projects in Amethi and is attempting to hijack several others, like the Korwa Ordnance Factory, which was given to Amethi by Rahul in 2007.

As per the plan chalked out by the Congress, the Sandesh Yatra will have about 20 "nukkad (street-corner) meetings" over three days each in Amethi constituencys five Assembly segments  Tiloi, Jagdishpur, Gauriganj, Amethi, and Salon. The party cadre will go to local markets, tea stalls, and other spots to spread the word about the work Congress has done there.

Rahul made four trips and spent nine days in his parliamentary constituency after becoming party president, while Irani made six trips in 2018 alone.

What do experts say?

According to political commentator JP Shukla, Amethi is a constituency where prestige is at stake for both the BJP and Congress. While the latter has been holding the seat since before the Emergency (1975), Irani invested a lot of time there after losing in the 2014 polls.

The Amethi and Raebareli Lok Sabha seats have been nurtured by the Nehru-Gandhi family. They themselves made it a high-stake seat and the BJP wants to end this. By fielding a heavyweight like Irani, the BJP is challenging Rahul individually. None of the other parties are fielding candidates for this seat, because the entire Opposition does not want Modi to return, Shukla said, adding that it would be very demoralising for the Congress if Rahul lost the seat in this election.

Vikram Singh, a senior advocate and political analyst based in Amethi, said the fight is going to be very tough for the Gandhi scion this time, because the BJP cadre is extremely active on the ground and has been doing its best to reach out to as many voters as possible.

In the last election, both Rahul and Priyanka had to visit each and every block to convince the voters and the winning margin was 1 lakh-odd votes, down from 2009s 3 lakh. This time, it is going to be tougher, because the Congress cadre is only seen on television debates and not on the ground, even though they (Congress workers) brag a lot about their groundwork, he added.

The only thing that could help Rahul win this time is sympathy, because for the people of Amethi, the Gandhi family put the district on the map. At the moment, I dont see anything else in Rahuls favour, he said.

Professor RR Jha, a political science professor from the Banaras Hindu University, said the battle in Amethi is going to be interesting because big names are contesting the election, but it should be kept in mind that fielding bigshots to challenge Rahul is also a matter of political respect.

We can see that the BJP is going full throttle against the Congress in Amethi... If one considers history, Lohia always contested elections against Jawaharlal Nehru but never won. The Congress also fielded Karn Singh from Lucknow against former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the professor added.

In politics, it is not the seat that is important but the candidate who is contesting the election. Amethi is a matter of prestige for both Irani and Rahul. It will be a very big blow to whichever of the two loses this seat. It is now up to the people of Amethi to choose the best among them, he said.

(The authors are Lucknow-based freelance writers and members of 101Reporters.com)
Chandrashekhar Azad-led Bhim Army shot to limelight during the May, 2017 clashes between Dalits and upper caste Thakurs in Saharanpur.

New Delhi: The Bhim Army said the Congress has done nothing for Dalits during its 60-year rule and there was no reason for it to support the party in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls.

The remarks by the Bhim Army's national president Vinay Ratan Singh came days after Congress general secretary in-charge for east Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met its chief Chandrashekhar Azad at a hospital in Meerut on Wednesday, which is being seen as a Dalit outreach move of her party.

"The Congress fought BR Ambedkar. The party ruled the country for so long, but did nothing for us. Atrocities were inflicted on Dalits under its rule. It gave rise to the RSS and the BJP," Singh alleged, adding that "there's not a single reason for us to support it".

"She wanted to meet Chandrashekhar bhai, but he said no. She then made a special request and they met for a few minutes. No political issue figured in their talks," he told PTI.

The Dalit group's founder, Chandrashekhar Azad, had announced in a Delhi rally on Friday that he would contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and welcomed support of all parties, including the Congress, to take on the BJP.

Chandrashekhar had also sought the support of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for his candidature, saying his group would back their alliance in other seats.

Singh said the Bhim Army would not have supported BSP supremo Mayawati had she not been part of the Dalit movement and asked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to make amends for the mistakes of his party.

He said a few people in the SP have taken up the issues of Dalits. "But, mistakes have been made and Akhilesh Yadav should give an answer. He should make amends if he wants Dalits to vote for his party," he said.

He was referring to SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's comment in Parliament that Modi should become prime minister again and the party's alleged silence on Dalit issues.

Asked about Mayawati terming the Bhim Army a "product of the BJP" during the 2017 Saharanpur clashes, he said, "We would have never supported her and her party had she not been part of the Dalit movement. There are a number of Dalit MPs and MLAs who are not part of this movement. We have nothing to do with them."

Singh also said a candidate would also be fielded against Union minister Smriti Irani. He said they would also field candidates in Punjab which has a considerable Dalit population. The state sends 13 representatives to the Lok Sabha.

The Chandrashekhar-led outfit shot to limelight during the May, 2017 clashes between Dalits and upper caste Thakurs in Saharanpur.

Though he was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court, Chandrashekhar was arrested after the clashes by Uttar Pradesh Police under the stringent National Security Act. He was released in September, 2018 after 16 months in jail.
Shatrughan Sinha, who is the BJP MP from Patna Saheb, is likely to be replaced with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Lok Sabha election, according to sources

New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who is the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) from Patna Saheb parliamentary constituency in Bihar, is likely to be replaced with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, according to sources.

Sinha, a BJP leader who has criticised the party leadership several times in the past, had put out a series of tweets that seemed to indicate that he will leave the party. "Sir, the Nation respects you, but the only thing the leadership lacks is credibility trust factor. Leadership jo kar rahi hai or jo kah rahi hai, kya log uspe vishwas kar rahein hain? Shayad nahin! (Will the people trust what the leadership is doing and saying? Maybe not!) Any way it all seems to be too little and too late?" he said.

"Promises made in the past are still to be fulfilled. Hope, wish pray, though I may not be with you anymore - 'Mohabbat karne vaale kam na honge, (shayad) teri mehfil mein lekin hum na honge' (Even though those who are fond of you will not reduce, I may not be with you anymore)," Sinha tweeted on Friday.

Sinha also shared the stage with opposition leaders at an anti-BJP rally in Kolkata in January. The BJP, late on Saturday held a meeting at party's headquarters presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party national president Amit Shah, to shortlist candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

democratic world who hasn't had a single Q & A session during his tenure.  Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) March 13, 2019

According to sources, the decision was taken to field Ravi Shankar Prasad from Patna Saheb and RK Singh from Ara parliamentary constituencies. Further, the party is likely to field Sanjay Jaiswal from West Champaran and Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh from East Champaran constituencies in Bihar.

Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The dates of polling in Bihar will be on 11, 18, 23 and 29 April and 6, 12 and 19 May. The counting will happen on 23 May and the results will be announced on the same day.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 22 seats, Congress bagged two seats, Lok Jan Shakti Party captured six seats and Rashtriya Janata Dal won in four constituencies. Meanwhile, sources said that while Saturday's meet was held to deliberate on candidates that the party will field in various constituencies in 11 states, the BJP Central Election Committee is likely to meet again on Monday and by 22 March the party may announce the list of all candidates.
Lok Sabha Election 2019 Tracker LIVE updates: Speaking at Akhnoor in Jammu, Narendra Modi attacked the Opposition grand alliance, and said that the 'mahamilawati' leaders are bound to face 'mahagirawat' (great destruction).

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BJP chief Amit Shah will address rallies at Koliabor and Teok in Assam's Jorhat district in a daylong trip to the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to begin active election campaigning on Thursday with rallies in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Rudrapur in Uttarakhand and Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir. All three seats go to polls in the first phase on 11 April.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will have a busy day in Haryana with five roadshows in a single day, at Jagadhri, Radaur, Ladwa, Indri and Karnal in Haryana.

Newly anointed Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi has said that she is open to contesting elections. Priyanka has been campaigning at Amethi and is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Friday.

Bollywood actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who has been associated with BJP for about three decades, will join the Congress on Thursday and is likely to be fielded from Patna Sahib.

The development came a day after, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy raised fears about possible raids on Congress and JD(S) functionaries in the state. He had claimed that CRPF personnel were brought from various parts of the country to carry out the raids in the state.

In a pre-dawn swoop today, Income Tax officials along with CRPF personnel carried out raids at the residences of Karnataka Minor Irrigation Minister CS Puttaraju and his nephew, reported News18.

In what is being considered a very youth-oriented poll plank, the SP will form a youth commission to help formulate policies.

Samajwadi Party will release its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto on Thursday. The party manifesto will focus on jobs for youth, reported News18.

Reports say the high command upset with the allocation of certain seats and some Congress leaders have suggested calling off the alliance. Rahul will have one-on-one meetings with senior Congress leaders.

Amidst reports that discontent is brewing between the Congress and its Bihar ally, the Rashtriya Janata Dal over seat-sharing, Rahul Gandhi will meet his party's Bihar unit to finalize alliance details.

The state government has also cancelled the transfer of the intelligence chief. Naidu has called the EC's decision "undemocratic and one-sided". The EC's orders follow a complaint filed by Telugu Desam Party's rival, YSR Congress Party, alleging that phones of the party's leaders are being tapped by top police officials in the state.

The Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh has filed a writ petition at the High Court over the Election Commission of India's orders to transfer a few top cops in the state including the state's intelligence chief. The hearing is on Thursday.

A wall collapsed at Jagan's rally in Mandapet town, killing a woman and injuring 20, while Naidu's road show in Ananthpur saw 20 people injured after a wall gave away.

In a strange and tragic coincidence, both Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrabu Naidu and YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy's rallies on Wednesday saw serious accidents take place.

In the video, the BJP has alleged that the UPA regime had compromised on providing assistance to the Indian armed forces to make it easier for Vadra (referred to as jijaji) to get "commission".

BJP has released a new campaign video, this time aimed at Congress president Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra, under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate in a land scam.

"He (Rahul) has said whatever he felt like. I won't like to make any comment on it. He is just a kid. What will I say about it?" Mamata said.

She also refused to comment on Rahul's minimum income promise ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dismissed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's allegations against her government, saying "he is just a kid".

"All those deployed at such polling stations - police, election officers and other employees - will be women. These booths, an initiative towards gender equality and involving women's participation in the electoral process, will be called as 'Sakhi Matdan Kendras'," it said.

As per the Election Commission's (EC) directions to set up polling stations entirely managed by women, such booths will be set up in all 40 Lok Sabha seats of the state, a release issued by the election office here said.

An all-women polling booth will be set up in every Lok Sabha constituency of Maharashtra during the next month's polls in a bid to encourage more female voters to exercise their franchise.

Speaking to a private news channel, JD(S) leader Puttaraju said three teams of Income Tax officials and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel carried out raids at his Chinnakurli residence in Mandya and his nephew's house in Mysuru.

In a predawn swoop Thursday, Income Tax officials along with CRPF personnel carried out raids at the residences of Karnataka Minor Irrigation Minister CS Puttaraju and his nephew.

JD(S) leader Madhu Bangarappa said Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy had already "spoken" about this, because he got inputs from the intelligence department and questioned why BJP leaders' houses were left unscathed, reported ANI.

"This is out in the open through I-T raids. The constitutional post offer for I-T officer Balakrishna has helped the PM in his revenge game. It is highly deplorable to use government machinery, corrupt officials to harass opponents during election time," he said.

28 March, 2019 | HDK tears into BJP over raids on JD(S) minister's house, says I-T official was offered post as bribe

Reports say the Congress high command is upset with the allocation of certain seats and some Congress leaders have suggested calling off the alliance.

This comes amidst reports that discontent is brewing between the Congress and its Bihar ally, the Rashtriya Janata Dal over seat-sharing.

A meeting has begun at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's residence between the party brass and its Bihar leaders.

He also touched upon the safety of women, the respect accorded by his government to idealogues Chaudhary Charan Singh and Deenbandhu Chhoturam, the allegedly false promises made by Indira Gandhi ('gareeb, gareeb hi rehe gaya') and the numerous schemes brought by his government.

There is little that Modi did not speak on, when it came to issues at the Meerut rally. The prime minister spun his full repertoire of rhetorics for repeated slams on the Congress, the SP-BSP alliance and critics of his government. He, however, did give a new spin to the old 'saabka saath, saabka vikas' slogan and instead said 'saabka saath, saabka hisaab.'

"They wanted to become heroes of Pakistan. Will you forgive these people?" he asked to resounding cheers.

"Uttarakhand has four holy dhams to which I wish to add a fifth dham, the sainik dham," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He, once again, asked the crowds if it was okay to question whether India had indeed done the Balakot air strikes.

28 March, 2019 | Will add fifth dham for sainiks to Uttarakhand's four dhams, says Modi

"If Modi ji is elected again we will ensure every infiltrator is removed from Assam," Amit Shah said at his Assam rally on Thursday. The BJP has run into choppy waters in Assam over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has seen widespread protests, and a firm promise by the BJP chief is likely to help the party at this point.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has written to Chief Electoral Officer of Bhubaneswar demanding action against BJP for alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct 'for surrogate advertising through a TV serial broadcast on a TV channel in which the characters talk about Atal Pension Yojana, ANI reported.

"There are two sets of parties today. Those who are neutral and those who are anti-BJP. I am anti-BJP, while Naveen Patnaik, according to me, is neutral. On 23 May (counting day), there will be a new prime minister. I can assure that."

"Jaganmohan is a criminal. He is a cheat. BJP is supporting Jagan as they feel he will support them post polls. There is a hidden nexus between them. Both TRS and YSRCP are with the BJP... I am not in the race to be the next prime minister, but we will all sit together post polls and work out a solution. Democratic compulsions far bigger today than political compulsions.

28 March, 2019 | I'm not in race to be PM, says Chandrababu Naidu In an interview, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said, "I am not a contender for prime minister's post. I am being targeted by the BJP government through YSRCP leader Jaganmohan Reddy.

ANI quoted Kumaraswamy as saying, "I-T department should work independently, but it's working under the instructions of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. After the BJP came to power, it (the situation) has become like a dictatorship. Do you think the I-T director in Bengaluru is innocent? I also have lot of records."

Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, his deputy G Parameshwara, and other senior Congress-JD(S) coalition leaders are currently protesting outside I-T office against raids at residence of Karnataka minister CS Puttaraju in Mandya.

He further said, "I was once travelling in a bus while your vehicle was passing by. There was a traffic jam, so I got off the bus thinking maybe you would do a dance number or two to clear the jam."

The National Commission for Women has issued a notice to Samajwadi Party leader Firoz Khan over his remark on BJP Rampur candidate Jaya Prada. Khan on Thursday stirred a controversy by saying people of Rampur will get entertained in the ensuing polls, where Samajwadi Party's Azam Khan will face BJP's newly-inducted member Jaya Prada. "Evenings in Rampur will now become more vibrant during elections. Azam Khan has done enough for the people of Rampur, so they will surely vote for him. But they will leave no stone unturned in getting entertained during this one-off opportunity."

Asserting that the NDA government has worked for development in every field, Shah said, "To save Assam, infiltration has to be stopped and the Congress cannot do this work."

Addressing a rally in Assam's Teok, BJP chief Amit Shah claimed that he is hearing only slogans for Narendra Modi government's re-election these days. "Wherever I go, I'm hearing the same slogan: "Fir ek bar, Modi Sarkar (Once again, Modi government)."

Attacking the Opposition grand alliance, he said, "The Opposition that doesn't have a prime minister candidate or a policy can't develop the country or work for the welfare of the people."

" Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was an MP for 20 years from Assam. However, the Congress failed to do any development for the region," Amit Shah said while addressing a rally in Assam's Teok.

According to reports, an alliance between the Congress and the NCP is unlikely in Gujarat. The NCP also released its list of star campaigners on Thursday, featuring prominent names like Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, and Supriya Sule..

According to ANI, BJP's Kozhikode Lok Sabha candidate Prakash Babu has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a Pathanamthitta court in connection with the violence in Sabarimala.

According to Samajwadi Party's new list, Nasir Qureshi will contest from Moradabad, Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar from Bareily,Pooja Pal from Unnao, Shyam Sunder Yadav from Jhansi and Nathuni Prasad Kushwaha from Kushinagar.

Lalu Prasad's son Tej Pratap Yadav tweeted that he has resigned as the chief of RJD's student wing.

Addressing a rally in Assam's Teok, BJP chief Amir Shah said, "Din mein to Congress ke Gogoi ji aur Ajmal (AIUDF Cheif Badruddin Ajmal) aamne saamne chunaav ladte hain. Magar jab raat hoti hai, dono ke beech mein ilu-ilu chalu ho jata hai (During the day, Congress' Tarun Gogoi and AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal fiercely contest elections, but in the night, the two share a friendly relationship)."

Addressing a rally in Jammu, Narendra Modi said that it was an honour that he got to visit Jammu on the first day of his election campaign and that he was able to seek blessings of Vaishno Devi.

He further said, "After the strike in Balakot, the Congress leaders have been speaking such things that are not in the favour of the country. How can an individual find anything acceptable that is being lauded in Pakistan. They're asking for proof of the attacks, " he said.

peaking at Akhnoor in Jammu, Narendra Modi lashed out at the Congress for demanding proof of Balakot air strike. "Amid the call to end terrorism, what has happened to the Congress and its allies. I simply don't understand that is it the same Congress which belong to Sardar Patel. I don't understand is it the same Congress in which Subhash Chandra Bose had dreamed of an independent India? My soul says it's not the same Congress. What is your opinion?"

Narendra Modi accused the Congress, National Conference and PDP of praising the people who promote terrorism in the Valley. "They have a problem in saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' , but they are proud to hail those who promote terrorism," he said. He also blamed the three parties of stalling developmental projects in state.

Speaking at Akhnoor in Jammu, Narendra Modi attacked the Opposition grand alliance. "If the people of Jammu have faith in chowkidaar, then note it down that the mahamilawati leaders are bound to face mahagirawat (great destruction)," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The guru of Congress naamdar (Sam Pitroda, Rahul Gandhi's media advisor), who accompanies Rahul on foreign trips, gave clean-chit to terrorists and Pakistan on television. Jab guru hi aisa hoga to chele kaise honge, aur chele ke sathi kaise honge. (When the guru is of such kind, then how would his followers be?)"

Speaking on development, Narendra Modi said, "Your chowkidaar (watchman) is committed to ensuring the fulfillment of the five points of development: Education for children, income for youth, medicine for the old, irrigation for farmers, and voice of the public."

In Dhaurahra, Congress workers staged a demostraction demnanding Jitin Prasad be giving ticket from the constituency. Prasada responded to it, saying, "I am a disciplined soldier of the party and will do what I am told."

Samajwadi Party releases another list of candidates. Nasir Qureshi to contest from Moradabad, Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar from Bareily,Pooja Pal from Unnao, Shyam Sunder Yadav from Jhansi and Nathuni Prasad Kushwaha from Kushinagar. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/OJNTRjtMA4

According to Samajwadi Party's new list, Nasir Qureshi will contest from Moradabad, Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar from Bareily,Pooja Pal from Unnao, Shyam Sunder Yadav from Jhansi and Nathuni Prasad Kushwaha from Kushinagar.

Lalu Prasad's son Tej Pratap Yadav tweeted that he has resigned as the chief of RJD's student wing.

Addressing a rally in Assam's Teok, BJP chief Amir Shah said, "Din mein to Congress ke Gogoi ji aur Ajmal (AIUDF Cheif Badruddin Ajmal) aamne saamne chunaav ladte hain. Magar jab raat hoti hai, dono ke beech mein ilu-ilu chalu ho jata hai (During the day, Congress' Tarun Gogoi and AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal fiercely contest elections, but in the night, the two share a friendly relationship)."

Addressing a rally in Jammu, Narendra Modi said that it was an honour that he got to visit Jammu on the first day of his election campaign and that he was able to seek blessings of Vaishno Devi.

He further said, "After the strike in Balakot, the Congress leaders have been speaking such things that are not in the favour of the country. How can an individual find anything acceptable that is being lauded in Pakistan. They're asking for proof of the attacks, " he said.

peaking at Akhnoor in Jammu, Narendra Modi lashed out at the Congress for demanding proof of Balakot air strike. "Amid the call to end terrorism, what has happened to the Congress and its allies. I simply don't understand that is it the same Congress which belong to Sardar Patel. I don't understand is it the same Congress in which Subhash Chandra Bose had dreamed of an independent India? My soul says it's not the same Congress. What is your opinion?"

Narendra Modi accused the Congress, National Conference and PDP of praising the people who promote terrorism in the Valley. "They have a problem in saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' , but they are proud to hail those who promote terrorism," he said. He also blamed the three parties of stalling developmental projects in state.

Speaking at Akhnoor in Jammu, Narendra Modi attacked the Opposition grand alliance. "If the people of Jammu have faith in chowkidaar, then note it down that the mahamilawati leaders are bound to face mahagirawat (great destruction)," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The guru of Congress naamdar (Sam Pitroda, Rahul Gandhi's media advisor), who accompanies Rahul on foreign trips, gave clean-chit to terrorists and Pakistan on television. Jab guru hi aisa hoga to chele kaise honge, aur chele ke sathi kaise honge. (When the guru is of such kind, then how would his followers be?)"

Speaking on development, Narendra Modi said, "Your chowkidaar (watchman) is committed to ensuring the fulfillment of the five points of development: Education for children, income for youth, medicine for the old, irrigation for farmers, and voice of the public."

Dhaurahra: Congress workers stage demonstration demanding Jitin Prasada be given ticket from the constituency. Prasada says 'I am a disciplined soldier of the party and will do what I am told' pic.twitter.com/FYfHXOHUFl

In Dhaurahra, Congress workers staged a demostraction demnanding Jitin Prasad be giving ticket from the constituency. Prasada responded to it, saying, "I am a disciplined soldier of the party and will do what I am told."





Lok Sabha election 2019; pre-poll trends LATEST updates: Speaking at Akhnoor in Jammu, Narendra Modi attacked the Opposition grand alliance, and said that the "mahamilawati" leaders are bound to face "mahagirawat" (great destruction).

He also lashed out at the Congress for demanding proof of Balakot air strike. "After the strike in Balakot, the Congress leaders have been speaking such things that are not in the favour of the country. How can an individual find anything acceptable that is being lauded in Pakistan. They're asking for proof of the attacks, " he said.

Addressing a rally in Assam's Teok, BJP chief Amit Shah said, "Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was an MP for 20 years from Assam. However, the Congress failed to do any development for the region."

In an interview, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said, "I am not a contender for prime minister's post. I am being targeted by the BJP government through YSRCP leader Jaganmohan Reddy." However, he assured that on 23 May  which is the counting day, India will have a new prime minister.

Speaking at a campaign rally at Kaliabor in Assam, BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday recited a list of the Narendra Modi government's achievements and vowed that if Modi is elected again, the BJP would ensure every infiltrator is removed from Assam.

On a day when it was widely expected that Shatrughan Sinha will join the Congress, it was announced by the party that he will join the party on 6 April. The actor-turned-politician has, however, met Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

In a shorter speech than his Meerut one, Modi made it clear in Rudrapur that he is willing to rake up the Balakot air strikes in order to strike the nationalism chord when and where required. This was the second rally where he has called Rahul Gandhi "Pakistan's hero."

"The people of Uttarakhand have always been with me. This is a contribution which I never forget," he said. In the rally, he also highlighted the several measures taken by his government in the state.

PM Narendra Modi began the second of his three rallies of Thursday at Rudrapur in Uttarakhand by stressing that the Congress, which never thinks about the poor, sat on the Rafale deal for 10 years because they failed to make a profit out of it.

Modi uttered yet another invocation of the nation's Army in the beginning when he called Uttarakhand "the land of the brave, the land of sacrifices."

Reports have said that actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha who has been with the BJP for a very long time, is now headed to meet Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. The party has promised "good news" on the Sinha front soon, say reports.

Minutes after Modi had stopped speaking at his first campaign rally at Meerut, Congress communication in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a press conference that the prime minister should apologise for comparing three political parties of the country to alcohol with his "sarab" jibe and also for "mocking the poor of the country."

"It is unfortunate that when we speak of NYAY, Mr Modi mocks the poor of the country. Previously he had mocked the poor of the country during demonetisation, this shows his true character," Surjewala said.

There is little that Modi did not speak on, when it came to issues at the Meerut rally. He combined the 'sa' of Samajwadi Party, the 'ra' of RLD and the 'B' of Bahujan Samaj Party together form 'SARAB'. The acronym, it is understood, stands for alcohol.

The prime minister spun his full repertoire of rhetorics for repeated slams on the Congress, the SP-BSP alliance and critics of his government. He, however, did give a new spin to the old 'saabka saath, saabka vikas' slogan and instead said 'saabka saath, saabka hisaab.'

He also touched upon the safety of women, the respect accorded by his government to idealogues Chaudhary Charan Singh and Deenbandhu Chhoturam, the allegedly false promises made by Indira Gandhi ('gareeb, gareeb hi rehe gaya') and the numerous schemes brought by his government.

"If someone goes to the theatre to see a play, he or she expects drama, new sets. Sets is a common term in theatre. Some people who were confused, thought I meant theatre 'sets' when I said 'A-SAT'," Modi said, taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi over the latter's World Theatre Day snub of the PM's Mission Shakti announcement yesterday.

India has decided, phir ek baar Modi sarkar, Narendra Modi said at his first rally in Meerut on Thursday. He kicked off the rally by remembering the Chaudhary Charan Singh and saying that he has followed in the leader's footsteps in prioritising farmers over all others.

Speaking before Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Meerut, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath repeated the selfsame chant of the BJP, 'Modi hain toh mumkin hain' and said Modi has been synonymous to development by now.

Fresh off the controversial speech on Mission Shakti  which has also attracted ECs scrutiny  after India's launch of an anti-satellite weapon on Wednesday, the prime minister will speak in rallies at Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Rudrapur in Uttarakhand and Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir.

A meeting has begun at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's residence between the party brass and its Bihar leaders. This comes amidst reports that discontent is brewing between the Congress and its Bihar ally, the Rashtriya Janata Dal over seat-sharing.

Reports say the Congress high command is upset with the allocation of certain seats and some Congress leaders have suggested calling off the alliance.

Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy called the raids of JD(S) minister Putturaju's house the "real surgical strike".

"This is out in the open through I-T raids. The constitutional post offer for I-T officer Balakrishna has helped the PM in his revenge game. It is highly deplorable to use government machinery, corrupt officials to harass opponents during election time," he said.

In a predawn swoop Thursday, Income Tax officials along with CRPF personnel carried out raids at the residences of Karnataka Minor Irrigation Minister CS Puttaraju and his nephew.

Speaking to a private news channel, JD(S) leader Puttaraju said three teams of Income Tax officials and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel carried out raids at his Chinnakurli residence in Mandya and his nephew's house in Mysuru.

The development came a day after, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy raised fears about possible raids on Congress and JD(S) functionaries in the state.

Thursday promises to be a high octane day as far as developments in the road to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is concerned. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hit the election trail for the first time since the dates of the election were announced on 10 March.

Modi's speech has also invited censure from Opposition parties which have questioned the timing of the speech and also alleged that Modi has chosen to dramatise the achievement for polltime gains.

TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said that the TMC will approach Election Commission to file a complaint on the speech.

It is, however, up to the Election Commission to interpret it in that manner. Modi did not explicitly turn the speech into a poll pitch, but the BJP leadership did pat Modis back for the success of the mission. The partys social media team has also been strategically pointing out that Modi deserved credit for having the courage to give a go-ahead for the project, something they allege that the previous UPA government stopped short of. The poll code does bar the ruling party from using the governments achievements in a way to further political interests.

For now, the Election Commission has sought an active transcript of Modis speech from the government. A committee headed by the Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena will examine the prime minister's address on Mission Shakti for possible Model Code of Conduct violation.

BJP chief Amit Shah, meanwhile, will address rallies at Koliabor and Teok in Assam's Jorhat district in a daylong trip to the state.

In Bihar, the BJP will be losing its longtime member, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, to the Congress on Thursday. Sinha is likely to be fielded from the Patna Sahib seat in Bihar, which he currently holds.

Although not all is okay within the Congress either in the state of Bihar. Amidst reports that discontent is brewing between the Congress and its Bihar ally, the Rashtriya Janata Dal over seat-sharing, Rahul Gandhi will meet his party's Bihar unit to finalize alliance details.

Reports say the Congress high command is upset with the allocation of certain seats and some Congress leaders have suggested calling off the alliance. Rahul's Bihar meeting will come on a day when he will hold a whopping five roadshows at Jagadhri, Radaur, Ladwa, Indri and Karnal in Haryana.

Meanwhile in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul's sister, newly anointed Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi, indicated on Wednesday that she would be open to contesting the 2019 election if the party wants her to.

Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party will release its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto on Thursday. The party manifesto will focus on jobs and in what is being considered a very youth-oriented poll plank, the Samajwadi Party will form a youth commission to help formulate policies.

In Karnataka, meanwhile, Putturaju claimed that CRPF personnel were brought from various parts of the country to carry out the raids.

"Three teams of I-T officials and CRPF soldiers comprising eight soldiers carried out raids at my Chinnakurli residence in Mandya and my nephew's residence in Mysuru," Puttaraju told a channel. The minister said he was not afraid of the raids and instead, it had instilled confidence in him.

Lok Sabha elections will begin on 11 April and continue for over a month till 19 May across seven phases, followed by counting of votes on 23 May, the Election Commission announced Sunday, kick-starting a mega electoral battle where the BJP will pitch for a re-election of the Modi government amid the Opposition's efforts for a united fight to unseat it.

The polling will be held on 11 April, 18 April, 23 April, 29 April, 6 May, 12 May and 19 May for 543 Lok Sabha seats across the country in which nearly 90 crore voters would be eligible to vote, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said. Assembly elections will also be held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls, the CEC said.
After making a political buzz through a successful roadshow in Uttar Pradesh's capital last month, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appears all set to explore a new means of reaching out to the electorate  the river route.

Lucknow: After making a political buzz through a successful roadshow in Uttar Pradesh's capital last month, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appears all set to explore a new means of reaching out to the electorate  the river route.

"It would be the first time that any leader of this stature will be reaching out to the electorate using the river route in a motorboat, getting first-hand account of the people residing in these remote riverine areas," Congress spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi told PTI.

Priyanka is all set to formally kick off campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Prayagraj and Varanasi, using the river route on Monday.

This will provide her with an opportunity to interact the locals and know their problems, the biggest of which is caused by recurring floods in these areas as well as the reality of Ganga cleaning, which was first launched by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Dwijendra Tripathi said.

Another Congress spokesman Anshu Tripathi said, "These villages and people have been living on the fringes since long and have been neglected by successive state governments in the last 30 years. This is an attempt by the Congress leadership to let them know its sincerity for all sections of people, including the neglected ones."

Priyanka, 47, who was recently appointed Congress general secretary incharge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, will cover a distance of about 110 to 112 kilometres touching Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi.

Reaching the villages by river, she will use the trail taken by the locals to interact with as many people as possible, Awasthi said, adding that a detailed programme is being worked out.

Political analyst Ramesh Dixit, while admitting that he did not remember any leader using the river route for campaigning, said this was only aimed at giving it a different look.

"The target is to reach out to the Mallah, Kewat and Nishad communities of boatmen, fishermen and agriculturalists living along the river...but to know about the difficulties faced by them, it does not require one to be a diver...this is just aimed at making the campaign look different," said Dixit, a retired head of the political science department of Lucknow University.

Priyanka's plans for the first phase of her campaign was stated in a letter submitted to the Election Commission and permission has been sought for her visit from Prayagraj to Varanasi from 18 March to 20 March.

The letter also informs that Priyanka will use a motorboat to cover the distance of around 100 kilometres and programmes to welcome her have been scheduled for which permission was required in compliance with the Model Code of Conduct.

Priyanka is likely to arrive in the state capital on 17 March and move to Prayagraj for her campaign the next day. There she is expected to visit the historic Anand Bhawan, the erstwhile official residence of the Nehru family, now dedicated as a museum housing the personal belongings of Jawaharlal Nehru and his father Motilal Nehru.

Congress circles say that Priyanka may offer prayers at Maa Vindhayavasini temple in Mirzapur and Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hours before launching his political outfit Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement on Sunday, IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal released his party's vision document, which lays emphasis on resolving the Kashmir dispute peacefully.

Hours before launching his political outfit Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement on Sunday, IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal released his party's vision document, which lays emphasis on resolving the Kashmir dispute peacefully.

The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement will work to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state and make them "politically empowered, economically prosperous, socially emancipated, ethically evolved, culturally enlightened and environmentally conscious", the vision statement read.

Faesal will launch the party at Rajbagh in Srinagar on Sunday, with the aim to keep politics in the state corruption-free, clean and transparent.

He had resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in January to protest unabated killings in Kashmir and the maginalisation of Muslims in India. Faesal had also criticised the Centre for exercising influence on the Reserve Bank of India, Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency.

The vision document also mentioned that the party will leverage Jammu and Kashmir's location as a gateway to Central Asia as "a 'Look Up-North' center for the subcontinent".

"The party shall work towards reviving the centrality of Jammu and Kashmir state to the ancient Silk Route civilisation so that Jammu and Kashmir can reemerge as a corridor of peace between various South Asian neighbours," the document read.

Apart from protecting the special status given to the state and ensuring equal rights and opportunities and empowerment of marginalised communities, women and disadvantaged sections, the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement shall seek to promote a culture of tolerance. The vision document also mentioned that the party will work towards the peaceful return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland.

Faesal's exit from bureaucracy and entry into politics comes at the heels of the Lok Sabha elections, which will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in five phases. The state will vote on 11, 18, 23 and 29 April and 6 May. The votes will be counted on 23 May.
AMMK leader Sarubala Thondaiman will contest from Trichy parliamentary constituency while former speaker K Kalimuthu's son David Annadurai will contest from Madurai Lok Sabha seat.

Chennai: The TTV Dinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) on Sunday announced the first list of candidates for 24 Lok Sabha seats and 9 by-election seats.

Party leader Sarubala Thondaiman will contest from Trichy parliamentary constituency while former speaker K Kalimuthu's son David Annadurai will contest from Madurai Lok Sabha seat.

Another party leader, P Vetrivel, will fight from Perumbavoor in the impending bypolls.

The legislators who were earlier disqualified have also been nominated to contest from nine constituencies where by-elections will be held.

Lok Sabha elections and assembly bypolls will be held in Tamil Nadu on 18 April in the second phase of the seven-phased elections. Counting of votes will take place on 23 May.
With Manohar Parrikar's death, the strength of the Goa Assembly has come down to 36. So, the majority required for forming the government is 18+1.

Article 163 of the Indian Constitution states that there "shall be a council of ministers with the chief minister at the head to aid and advice the governor in the exercise of his functions, except in so far as he is by or under this Constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them in his discretion."

This provision assumes importance, as it will guide all political and constitutional developments in the aftermath of the death of Goas chief minister Manohar Parrikar. With the death of Parrikar, the council of ministers ceases to exist. Given the fact that there cannot be a vacuum, the governor will have to appoint a new chief minister as soon as possible.

In doing so, the governor has to use her discretion that shall be guided by precedents, apex court rulings and recommendations of important commissions. This leads to an important question as to whom the governor should invite to take oath as the new chief minister. The Congress party on Saturday staked claim to form a government.

The Congress on 16 March claimed the status of "single largest party" with 14 MLAs, and asked Governor Mridula Sinha for an invitation to form the new government.

In a letter to the governor, Congress MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar said, Also, we anticipate that the numbers of the BJP may dwindle, thus not allowing such a single party in the minority to continue even for a moment. It is, therefore, incumbent upon you to dismiss the government led by the BJP to ensure that the Congress, which is the single largest party in the House and is presently enjoying the majority be called to form a government.

Goa has a 40-member Assembly. However, the strength of the Assembly came down to 37 members, as two Congress MLAs gave up their memberships after joining the BJP and BJP MLA Francis D'Souza died last month.

With Parrikar's death, the strength of the Goa Assembly has come down to 36. So, the majority required for forming the government is 18+1.

In the current scenario, the BJP has 12 MLAs and also has the support of 6 MLAs (3 each of the Goa Forward Party and MGP). Additionally, an Independent member and an NCP MLA also are supporting the BJP. This makes for a total of 20, which is a comfortable majority for the BJP.

The Sarkaria Commission on Centre-state relations, which had submitted a detailed report on the discretionary powers of the governor, noted that if there is a single party having an absolute majority in the Assembly, the leader of the party should be invited by the governor to form the government.

However, it stated that if there is no such party, the governor should select a chief minister from either 

-An alliance of parties that was formed prior to the elections or,

-The largest single party staking a claim to form the government with the support of others, including Independents or,

-A post-electoral coalition of parties, with all the partners in the coalition joining the government or,

-A post-electoral alliance of parties, with some of the parties in the alliance forming a government and the remaining parties, including Independents supporting the government from outside.

Later, the Punchhi commission also laid down similar guidelines. In SR Bommai vs Union of India also, the court had held that the governor has to invite the leader of the party commanding a majority in the House or the single largest party/group to form the government in case of a hung Assembly.

On the governor's discretion, the BJP was invited to form the government in March 2017, in spite of the Congress being the single largest party. It is likely that the governor might do the same this time too.

Supreme Court advocate and legal expert Ashok Dhamija says, Basically, there are two views on what should be done when there is no party with a clear-cut majority in the Assembly. The first view is that the single largest party should be invited and should be given a chance to form a government and prove its majority. The second view is that if there is an alliance of parties that, in the opinion of the governor, can command a majority, then such an alliance can be given a preference first.

He adds, It is believed that the second option is better. If the governor feels that an alliance will be in a better position to prove its majority and form the government, it is better to invite such an alliance."

As pointed out by a legal expert, in May 2018, when the Karnataka Assembly result was declared, the governor invited the BJP, and not the Congress-JD(S) coalition to form the government. While the former did not have a majority, the latter did. The decision proved to be wrong, as the BJP government could not prove its majority and had to resign. Ultimately, the Congress-JD(S) coalition was invited to form the government.
Reuters

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Facebooks chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg has sent condolences over the shootings at two mosques that killed 50 people, some of which were live-streamed over the social media platform.

Certainly, I have had contact from Sheryl Sandberg. I havent spoken to her directly but she has reached out, an acknowledgment of what has occurred here in New Zealand, Ardern said a media conference when asked if Facebook should stop live-streaming.

This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook, Ardern said, adding Sandberg has shared condolences over the shootings in Christchurch on Friday.
tech2 News Staff

In a bid to fight fake news, WhatsApp appears to be working on a new 'image search' feature that will enable users to verify the source of an image shared over a group or personal chat.

The feature won't be appearing right away but as per WABetaInfo, the Facebook-owned messaging app is currently testing this new feature on its WhatsApp Beta build version 2.19.73 for Android. As noted in a blog post, the new feature appears to use Googles reverse image search feature to track the source of the image.

Though spotted in a beta version of WhatsApp, the new feature is still not available for public testing which means that users on the beta track will not be able to test the feature out yet.

The image is said to appear in the extended three-dot menu on receiving an image on WhatsApp. A new 'Search Image' option appears, tapping on which runs the reverse image search function through Google.

With WhatsApp being under the government's strict eyes ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the introduction of the feature could be instrumental in the company's fight against fake news. However, it remains to be seen how soon WhatsApp announces the feature, given the fact that there's very little time before the elections get underway.
By Benet Koleka TIRANA (Reuters) - Albanian police used tear gas and water cannon on Saturday to disperse protestors trying to break into parliament after marching twice around a nearby government building in a campaign for early elections. The initially peaceful protest became violent when a small number in the several thousand-strong crowd began pushing and throwing stones at police protecting parliament

By Benet Koleka

TIRANA (Reuters) - Albanian police used tear gas and water cannon on Saturday to disperse protestors trying to break into parliament after marching twice around a nearby government building in a campaign for early elections.

The initially peaceful protest became violent when a small number in the several thousand-strong crowd began pushing and throwing stones at police protecting parliament. Some protesters and police suffered minor injuries.

The protest is the fifth since mid February as the opposition seeks fresh elections after allegations of corruption and electoral fraud. Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party renounced their parliamentary seats in February but a dozen substitute lawmakers took them up.

Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha said Albania would not have peace until Prime Minister Edi Rama quits to allow free and fair elections. And he took a swipe at Western diplomats calling for calm and dialogue.

"Albania is not destabilised by protests for European values. It has been destabilised by crime and the government's embrace of it. This we need to end," Basha said.

Earlier both the European Union, with which Albania hopes to start accession talks in late June, and the United States urged all sides to refrain from violence.

After Western calls to the opposition not to relinquish their seats in parliament were rebuffed, the EU said it backed all those in parliament who were working to advance Albania's bid to join the EU.

"There can be no stability without democracy and without justice," Basha said, vowing to keep protesting.

Speaking at an urban renewal project in the town of Berat, Rama made no direct reference to the protests but said his government was here to stay at least until the next national elections due in June 2021, the text of his speech sent by his office showed.

Recognising progress in the overhaul of the judiciary to root out corrupt judges and fight organised crime, the EU said more needed to be done before local elections in June.

"It is now very urgent to overcome the current political situation by establishing a national platform of dialogue among all parties concerned, also in view of the incoming June municipal elections," the EU added.

(Reporting by Benet Koleka; Editing by David Holmes)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Tatiana Jancarikova BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - An anti-corruption campaigner with no previous experience of public office is set to win Slovakia's presidential election on Saturday as voters spurn the ruling Smer party one year after the murder of a journalist sparked mass protests. The killing of Jan Kuciak, who reported on fraud cases involving politically connected businessmen, triggered the biggest anti-government protests in Slovakia since communism ended three decades earlier

By Tatiana Jancarikova

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - An anti-corruption campaigner with no previous experience of public office is set to win Slovakia's presidential election on Saturday as voters spurn the ruling Smer party one year after the murder of a journalist sparked mass protests.

The killing of Jan Kuciak, who reported on fraud cases involving politically connected businessmen, triggered the biggest anti-government protests in Slovakia since communism ended three decades earlier. It also led to the resignation of then prime minister, Smer leader Robert Fico.

Fico's government remains in power, but Smer's popularity has slumped. On the first anniversary of Kuciak's murder, thousands of Slovaks rallied to protest against what they see as a lack of government action on the corruption he uncovered.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) across the European Union and NATO member country of 5.4 million people, and will close at 10 p.m. The two best performing candidates will face a run-off on March 30.

Polls show the Smer-backed candidate, EU commissioner Maros Sefcovic, trailing far behind political newcomer and lawyer Zuzana Caputova, whose endorsement by the protest movement has catapulted her to frontrunner position with support at more than 50 percent.

If elected, the 45-year-old Caputova, a pro-European liberal who belongs to the small, non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party, will stand out among the populist nationalist politicians on the rise across much of Europe.

"I see a strong call for change in this election following the tragic events last spring and a very strong public reaction," Caputova told reporters as she cast vote in her home town Pezinok. "We stand on a crossroads between the loss and renewal of public trust, also in terms of Slovakia's foreign policy orientation."

Sefcovic, who voted in Bratislava and ran on a platform of unity and continuity, said he would "expect the results with suspense. The people will decide."

The president does not wield day-to-day power but has veto power over the appointments of senior prosecutors and judges, pivotal in that fight.

The murder of Kuciak and his fiancee, who was shot dead alongside him, is still under investigation. The biggest breakthrough to date came just two days before the vote, when special prosecutors said they had charged businessman Marian Kocner, a subject of Kuciak's reporting with connections across the political scene including with Smer, with ordering the murder.

"Caputova has a history of fighting for the common people as a public-interest lawyer and brings much-needed non-confrontational style and liberal values to the public debate," Ivan Musak, 52, told Reuters in Bratislava.

Peter, a 69-year old pensioner who declined to give his full name, was concerned about her lack of political experience.

"Sefcovic is an experienced diplomat, he would be more capable of representing the country," he said. "But I voted for him despite the Smer backing, not because of it."

The last AKO agency poll before the vote published on March 1, showed support for Caputova at 52.9 percent and Sefcovic at 16.7 percent.

Supreme court judge and former justice minister Stefan Harabin, an independent, got 11.4 percent. He promises to fight immigration and dismantle EU sanctions against Russia. He slams LGBT rights as "sick ideology" and says he would "renounce all international treaties that Slovakia joined under pressure".

(Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Editing by Jason Hovet, Raissa Kasolowsky, Mark Potter, William Maclean)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Tamara Mathias (Reuters) - Non-invasive heart valve replacement systems from Medtronic Plc and rival Edwards Lifesciences Corp proved as good or better than open heart surgery in younger, more active patients for whom the surgical option was deemed low risk, according to trial results that had been scheduled to be presented on Sunday. Both companies already have approvals for their TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) systems for use in patients too frail to endure surgery and those deemed at intermediate risk. Approvals in low-risk patients would open up a large new population for the devices seen as vital growth drivers for the companies.

By Tamara Mathias

(Reuters) - Non-invasive heart valve replacement systems from Medtronic Plc and rival Edwards Lifesciences Corp proved as good or better than open heart surgery in younger, more active patients for whom the surgical option was deemed low risk, according to trial results that had been scheduled to be presented on Sunday.

Both companies already have approvals for their TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) systems for use in patients too frail to endure surgery and those deemed at intermediate risk. Approvals in low-risk patients would open up a large new population for the devices seen as vital growth drivers for the companies.

An estimated 165,000 low-risk patients suffer from severe aortic stenosis each year in the United States, Western Europe and Japan, a condition that can lead to heart failure in as little as two years, Medtronic said.

With TAVR, the replacement heart valve is threaded into place through an artery via catheter, sparing patients chest-cracking surgery.

"When I do these patients in the morning, (later that day) I find them sitting in a chair, eating dinner, asking when they can go home," said Dr. Michael Reardon, who led the Medtronic study. "As a heart surgeon, there is no incision I can make that's small enough to allow my surgical patients to do that well."

Edwards, which holds about 70 percent of the U.S. TAVR market, said it expects the global market to double to about $7 billion in 2024. The two companies have similar market shares outside the United States.

The Edwards Sapien 3 TAVR system proved superior to surgery on the main goal of its 1,000-patient trial, a composite of rate of stroke, death and rehospitalization one year after the procedure. The rate for TAVR was 8.5 percent versus 15.1 percent for surgery, data unveiled at the American College of Cardiology scientific meeting in New Orleans showed.

At 30 days, the Sapien also resulted in a lower rate of stroke - 0.6 percent versus 2.4 percent - which had been the primary safety concern when these systems were first introduced.

Medtronic's rival Evolut TAVR system met the main goal of its so-called non-inferiority trial in more than 1,400 low-risk patients, proving as safe and effective as surgery, data presented at the same meeting showed.

The combined rate of all-cause death or disabling stroke after two years was 5.3 percent for Evolut versus 6.7 percent for surgery, a difference considered not statistically significant.

At the 30-day mark, Evolut was significantly better on safety. With TAVR, the composite rate of death or disabling stroke was 0.8 percent versus 2.6 percent for surgery. TAVR was also better on other safety measures after 30 days.

TAVR systems can cost about five times as much as traditional replacement heart valves, providing a significant source of revenue for the companies. But they can be more cost effective overall due to much shorter hospital stays and recovery times.

Jefferies analyst Raj Denhoy said he expects the TAVR market to grow in both size and competition, with Boston Scientific's Lotus system poised for potential U.S. approval this year.

TAVR "is pretty dramatic technology and it should be used in a lot more patients than it's being used in already," Denhoy said.

(Reporting by Tamara Mathias in Bengaluru; editing by Bill Berkrot)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 passenger jets around the world have been taken out of service following two fatal plane crashes over the past five months in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed almost 350 people in all.

Reuters: More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 passenger jets around the world have been taken out of service following two fatal crashes over the past five months in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed almost 350 people in all.

The causes of both crashes are still under investigation. One of the biggest unanswered questions: Was the planes software to blame?

What we know

 Boeing has stopped delivery of all new MAX jets to its customers.

 Satellite data gathered from the Ethiopian Airlines flight and evidence from the crash site showed similarities with a Lion Air accident in Indonesia, which prompted the US Federal Aviation Administration to ground all Boeing MAX jets in service.

 Investigators have found a piece of a stabiliser in the wreckage of the Ethiopian jet with the trim set in an unusual position similar to that of the Lion Air plane, two sources familiar with the matter said.

 The pilot of the Ethiopian Airlines flight had reported internal control problems and received permission to return. The pilot of the Lion Air flight had also asked to return not long after taking off from Jakarta.

 Technical analysis of the black boxes from the crashed Ethiopian Airlines jet is underway in France. It will take several days to complete the first readings from the boxes, French aviation officials said. The US National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to assist and an Ethiopian team arrived in Paris on Friday.

 The Ethiopian Airlines plane requested permission to return to Addis Ababa airport three minutes after takeoff as it accelerated to abnormal speed, the New York Times reported.

 Indonesia plans to move up by about a month the release of an investigation report on the Lion Air crash, which killed all 189 on board, its transport safety committee said on Friday. It now plans to release the report between July and August, ahead of its previous schedule of between August and September.

 Following the Lion Air crash in October, Boeing said it was preparing a software upgrade for the jets. After the Ethiopia crash, the company said it would deploy that upgrade across the fleet in the coming weeks.

 Boeing maintains its new, fuel-efficient jets are safe, but supported the FAA decision to ground them. Fearing a financial hit and brand damage, investors have wiped about $26 billion off the companys market value.

 US lawmakers said the planes could be grounded for weeks to upgrade the software and install it in every plane.

 Boeing plans to release upgraded software for its 737 MAX in a week to 10 days, sources familiar with the matter said on 16 March.

 No lawsuits have been filed since the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, but some plaintiffs lawyers said they expect that Boeing will be sued in the United States.

What's next?

 Investigators are expected to release a preliminary report based on information they glean from the data and cockpit recordings captured by the two black boxes.

 Ethiopian Airlines said on 16 March that DNA testing of the remains of the passengers may take up to six months.

 A decision will be made by countries about whether and when to lift the grounding of the Boeing jets based on that information.
Masood Azhar had undertaken a month-long sojourn to England to collect funds for militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir, though he got a very poor response while travelling to Sharjah, Saudi Arabia

New Delhi: Terror mastermind Masood Azhar had undertaken a month-long sojourn to England to collect funds for militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir and received Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency), though he got a "very poor" response while travelling to Sharjah and Saudi Arabia before arriving in India in 1994.

Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammad, responsible for a series of terror strikes in India including the attack on Parliament in 2001 and a CRPF convoy in Pulwama last month, had procured a Pakistani passport in his real name and original address in 1986 and had extensively toured African and Gulf countries where he realised that the Arab nations were not sympathetic to the "Kashmir cause".

According to Azhar's interrogation report available with security agencies here, he had visited the UK in October 1992. Mufti Simail, a cleric at a mosque at Southall in London, had facilitated his travel. Originally from Gujarat, Simail had studied at Darul-Ifta-Wal-Irshad in Karachi.

"I stayed with Mufti Ismail in the UK for about a month and visited several mosques in Birmingham, Nottingham, Burleigh, Sheffield, Dudsbury and Leicester where I sought financial assistance for Kashmir (militants). I could collect Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency)," he told his interrogators.

The terror mastermind also met other Muslim leaders in the UK including Maulana Iamail, who was also of Indian origin and had been engaged in construction of mosques and madrasas in Mongolia and Albania. In the early 1990s, Azhar had visited Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kenya, Zambia and collected funds for the terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

Azhar had also visited Saudi Arabia for fund collection and contacted two main agencies in the country handling such aid but without success. One of them is Jamiat-ul-Islah, which is an ally of Jamaat-e-Islami. "Since Hizbul Mujahideen owed allegiance to Jamat, we were politely refused any aid. The Arab nations as such do not want to give aid for the Kashmir cause," he told the interrogators.

In Abu Dhabi, Azhar could collect Rs 3 lakh in Pakistani currency, another Rs 3 lakh in Sharjah and Rs 2 lakh in Saudi Arabia on his second visit. Azhar arrived in New Delhi in January 1994 with a fake Portugese passport.

The Ashok hotel in Delhi's posh Chanakyapuri area, which houses the diplomatic enclave, was the first stop of Azhar, who dodged immigration officials' queries about his Portugese passport by claiming he was a "Gujarati by birth".

The Pakistan-based terrorist, who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir within the next two weeks, had also stayed in capital's hotel Janpath and visited Lucknow, Shahranpur and Islamic seminary Darul-uloom Deoband, according to his interrogation report.

"I spent two days in Dhaka and thereafter travelled to Delhi by Bangladesh Airlines (Biman), reaching the IGI Airport in the early hours of 29 January, 1994. The immigration officials at the IGI commented that I did not look like a Portuguese but when I replied that that I was a Gujarati by birth, he did not hesitate to stamp my passport. I hired a taxi and asked (the driver) for a good hotel. I was taken to the Ashok hotel in Chanakyapuri where I stayed," the interrogation report read.

After arriving in the national capital, Azhar went to Darul-uloom Deoband , Gungoh and then Saharanpur before returning to New Delhi two days later. On reaching Delhi, Azhar stayed at hotel Janpath located near Connaught Place. Since his flight to Srinagar was booked for 9 February, he decided to visit one Maulana Abu Hassan Nadvi alias Ali Mian at his madrassa in Lucknow.

Azhar reached Srinagar on 9 February, 1994 where he stayed at the Madrasa Qasmian in Lal Bazar. Later in the evening, a militant, Sajjad Afghani, came to meet him along with his deputy Amjad Bilal of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami.

The next morning, on 10 February, he was escorted by Afghani to a place called Matigund where all Pakistan/PoK-based terrorists had gathered. "They (the terrorists) were happy about my visit and merger of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. I had taken their addresses and letters so that I could communicate their welfare to their families after returning to Pakistan," he had told the interrogators.

While returning from Matigund, accompanied by Afghani and one Farooq, a militant of Matigund area, who was armed and had a wireless set, the car developed some trouble and stopped.

Azhar and his accomplice boarded a three-wheeler and proceeded to Anantnag. After travelling for about 2-3 km, the auto rickshaw was stopped by Army personnel, according to the report. "Farooq started running and opened fire which was returned by the Army men. Farooq managed to escape but I along with Afghani was arrested," he told the interrogators.

Azhar was freed from an Indian prison in 1999 along with two other terrorists in exchange for passengers of an Indian Airlines aircraft which was hijacked and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan.
With Muslims making up just 1 percent of New Zealand's population, some members of the close-knit community raced to the mosques when they heard about the shootings.

Christchurch: A few months ago, Christchurch's Linwood Mosque proudly laid down new carpets in its halls.

On Friday, the light brown carpets were stained red after an gunman stormed the building, spraying bullets at worshippers.

"There was blood everywhere. Everything was out of control," Ibrahim AbdelHalim, imam of Linwood Mosque, told AFP.

Like the wider Muslim community in Christchurch, Egypt-born AbdelHalim is struggling to come to terms with the violence wrought upon worshippers this week as he waits to bury the dead.

Working together with the local Islamic community, AbdelHalim had sought to refresh the mosque after a trust bought it over in early 2018.

Some of the seven worshippers who died at Linwood were among the most enthusiastic contributors, donating their personal time to help in fundraising efforts.

One woman, a local Kiwi, fell down beside his wife when she was shot dead, AbdelHalim said. His wife, Falwa El-Shazly, was shot in the arm but survived the attack.

Another man, a Fijian-Indian New Zealander who would regularly bring boxes of food from his restaurant during mosque donation drives, was also killed.

"They are dear to me, these are people who offer to us work for free," AbdelHalim said.

"It was a very bad day, not just all of us, all of New Zealand."

At Hedley College, the main meeting centre for the survivors and victims' families, local Muslims from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds shared wordless hugs and fought back tears as they exchanged news about their loved ones.

With Muslims making up just 1 percent of New Zealand's population, some members of the close-knit community raced to the mosques when they heard about the shootings.

"I did not go to the prayer yesterday due to work... but received a call from my friends and rushed to the spot," Mohammad Kamruzzaman, originally from Bangladesh, told AFP.

"Five of (our Bangladeshi friends) are still missing, only Allah knows where they are. We have lost... a guardian lady for our community, who taught children the Koran for free. It feels like we have lost a parent."

'We are not immune'

Fiji-born Azan Ali, 43, who was in the Linwood Mosque with his Auckland-based father when the attack occurred, trembled when he thought back to crack of the gun shots on Friday.

"Will I see my parents, my kids, my loved ones again or not? All the people you pray with, you see beside you..." he added, his voice trailing off.

"My kids are scared, you know. You just have to work through it as a community."

His father, Sheik Aeshad, who saw a worshipper shot in the neck, said he could not understand how such violence could take part in New Zealand, a small nation better known for its rolling, green hills and snow-capped mountains.

"We never thought in New Zealand, this could happen. New Zealand's so friendly a place, you can leave your door open and go. But not now," he added.

"I'm thinking what's going to happen the next time... it could be more people targeting somewhere else."

It was a sentiment shared by Sahra Ahmed, a New Zealander of Somali origin and a nurse active in her local community.

Sahra said the attacks showed the South Pacific island nation could not escape the global wave of right-wing extremism.

"This is a global movement, for better or worst, it's happened in all parts of the world. And some people like to import ideas from everyone else. So we're not immune from what's happening," she told AFP.

"It doesn't matter where you go, the world is very small."
Aziz, an Australian citizen, tried to distract and chase the gunman away from outside his mosque in Christchurch with the only weapon he could find - a hand-held credit card machine

Christchurch: When Afghan refugee Abdul Aziz saw a man brandishing a gun outside his mosque in Christchurch, he ran towards the attacker armed with the only weapon he could find - a hand-held credit card machine.

Seven people were killed when a white supremacist stormed Linwood Masjid - the second mosque he attacked on Friday - as worshippers knelt to pray.

But the death toll could have been much higher if not for the heroic actions of Aziz, an Australian citizen, whose efforts to distract and chase the gunman away have attracted widespread praise. "You don't have much time to think, whatever you think of, you just do it, you know," Aziz told AFP, brushing off the "hero" tag as local Muslims gathered to thank him for saving relatives and friends.

"I just wanted to save as much lives as I could, even if I lose my life." Aziz and his four sons were worshipping at the mosque when they heard the loud cracks of gunfire outside the building. Initially thinking someone was setting off firecrackers, Aziz became suspicious and ran out of the mosque, grabbing a small credit card processing device.

Outside, he was stunned to find an armed man wearing military-style fatigues. "At first, I didn't know if he was the good guy or the bad guy. But when he started swearing, I knew he was not the good guy," he said.

Aziz hurled the machine at Tarrant and then ducked between cars as the self-confessed fascist unleashed a barrage of shots at him. Aziz then heard one of his sons call out, "Daddy, please come back inside!" Unhurt, he picked up an empty shotgun the gunman had discarded and shouted "come on here" repeatedly in an effort to draw him away from his sons and the other worshippers.

"When he see the gun in my hands, I don't know what happened, he dropped the gun and I chased him with my own gun... I managed to throw the gun on his car and smash the car window, and I could see he was a bit frightened."

The 48-year-old kept chasing the attacker as he sped off in his car. The gunman was apprehended by two armed police officers soon afterwards.

Aziz returned to the mosque where he was met by scenes of carnage. Dead bodies were strewn around the mosque, among them his close friends. "When I close my eyes, I still see bodies everywhere," he said. "We are all still in shock, but what can you do. You cannot bring them back." Then came another shock.

Aziz said police who arrived after the shooting blocked him from re-entering the mosque, thinking he might have been the gunman as he was seen earlier with the weapon. "For a long time, I didn't know if my kids were alive or dead or injured because I couldn't go inside the mosque," Aziz said. He later found out all his sons had survived.

Aziz arrived in Australia as a child refugee. He lived in Sydney for almost three decades before moving to Christchurch two-and-a-half years ago. He says he has nothing but contempt for the attacker. "A lot of people tell him he is a gunman. But... a man never hurts anybody. He is not a man - he is a coward," Aziz said.

He said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from his neighbours after the attacks. "There's very nice people around here. When I went home last night, my wife told me all the neighbours, they sent flowers... cards, foods, cakes. They showed all their love. That's why I love New Zealand - you won't get that sort of love and that sort of respect anywhere."
The mosque attacks in New Zealand has shocked citizens, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place.

Islamabad: A courageous Pakistani national who died during the ghastly Christchurch terror attack on two mosques will be conferred with a national award posthumously for trying to tackle the White supremacist gunman before being shot dead by him.

Naeem Rashid, a resident of Jinnahabad in Abbottabad and a professor in New Zealand, was present at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch when the terrorist opened fire on Friday and killed 50 worshippers.

Prime Minister Imran Khan extended support to the families and also announced to award the Pakistani who tried to tackle the attacker but was killed.

"We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was killed trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist and his courage will be recognised with a national award," Khan tweeted on Sunday.

Rashid's 22-year-old son, Talha Naeem, a civil engineering graduate, was among those who lost their lives in the shooting.

Rashid, who was injured in his bid to overpower the attacker, passed away on Saturday after succumbing to his injuries.

Pakistan Foreign Office on Sunday confirmed, nine Pakistani national were killed in the attack that took place on Friday .

The 28-year-old gunman, identified Brenton Tarrant, live-streamed footage of himself going room-to-room, victim to victim, shooting the wounded from close range as they struggled to crawl away.

The attack has shocked New Zealanders, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place.

Police warned Muslims all over the country not to visit mosques "anywhere in New Zealand" in the wake of the Christchurch attacks.
In Christchurch, anguished relatives were anxiously waiting on Sunday for authorities to release the remains of those who were killed in massacres at two mosques in the New Zealand city while authorities announced the death toll from the racist attacks had risen to 50.

Christchurch: Anguished relatives were anxiously waiting on Sunday for authorities to release the remains of those who were killed in massacres at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, while authorities announced the death toll from the racist attacks had risen to 50.

Islamic law calls for bodies to be cleansed and buried as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours. But two days after the worst terrorist attack in the countrys modern history, relatives remained unsure when they would be able to bury their loved ones. Police Commissioner Mike Bush said police were working with pathologists and coroners to release the bodies as soon as they could.

We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen, he said. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible. Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some relatives who were waiting for any news.

The scale of the tragedy and the task still ahead became clear as supporters arrived from across the country to help with the burial rituals in Christchurch and authorities sent in backhoes to dig new graves in a Muslim burial area that was newly fenced off and blocked from view with white netting.

The suspect in the shootings, 28-year-old white supremacist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court on Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb, and showed no emotion when the judge read him one murder charge and said more would likely follow.

Bush said at a news conference on Sunday that they found another body at Al Noor mosque as they finished removing the victims, bringing the number of people killed there to 42. Another seven people were killed at Linwood mosque and one more person died later at Christchurch Hospital.

Another 34 victims remained at Christchurch Hospital, where officials said 12 were in critical condition. And a young child who was in a childrens hospital in Auckland was also listed as critical. Dozens of Muslim supporters gathered at a centre set up for victims, families and friends across the road from the hospital, where many had flown in from around New Zealand to offer support.

About two dozen men received instructions on their duties Sunday morning, which included Muslim burial customs. Abdul Hakim, 56, of Auckland, was among many who had flown in to help.

As soon as people die we must bury them as soon as possible, Hakim said. We are all here to help them in washing the body, putting them in the grave. Javed Dadabhai, who flew from Auckland after learning about the death of his 35-year-old cousin Junaid Mortara, said the Muslim community was being patient.

The family understands that its a crime scene. Its going to be a criminal charge against the guy whos done this, so they need to be pretty thorough, he said. Still, it was hard, he said, because the grieving process wouldnt really begin until he could bury his cousin.

People across New Zealand were still trying to come to terms with the massacre that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described as one of New Zealands darkest days. A steady stream of mourners arrived at a makeshift memorial outside the Al Noor mosque, where hundreds of flowers lay piled amid candles, balloons and notes of grief and love. As a light rain fell, people clutched each other and wept quietly.

Under a nearby tree, someone had left a potted plant adorned with cut out red paper hearts. We wish we knew your name to write upon your heart. We wish we knew your favourite song, what makes you smile, what makes you cry. We made a heart for you. 50 hearts for 50 lives.

Tarrant, the suspect, had posted a jumbled 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto online before the attacks and apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the slaughter.

The gunman livestreamed 17 minutes of the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where he sprayed worshippers with bullets. Facebook, Twitter and Google scrambled to take down the video, which was widely available on social media for hours after the bloodbath. The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about 5 kilometres (3 miles) away.

Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who bought the five guns used in the crimes legally. I can tell you one thing right now, our gun laws will change, Ardern said.

She did not offer too much detail, but said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be looked at. Neighbouring Australia has virtually banned semi-automatic rifles from private ownership since a lone gunman killed 35 people with assault rifles in 1996.

Before Fridays attack, New Zealands deadliest shooting in modern history took place in 1990 in the small town of Aramoana, where a gunman killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbour.
New Zealand police closed Dunedin airport late on Sunday after a suspicious device was reported on the airfield.

New Zealand police closed Dunedin airport late on Sunday after a suspicious device was reported on the airfield. "Dunedin Airport is currently closed," a statement said. "Police are at the scene and specialist teams have been deployed to determine the nature of the package."

New Zealand is currently in a state of high alert after a gunman, who is believed to have lived in Dunedin, killed 50 worshippers at two mosques on Friday.

On Saturday, after the police took 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant and two others into custody after the attack, Tarrant stood in the dock wearing handcuffs and a white prison smock, as the judge read a single murder charge against him. A raft of further charges were expected.

The former fitness instructor and self-professed fascist occasionally turned to look at media present in court during the brief hearing that the public were excluded from for security reasons.

Flanked by armed police, he flashed an upside-down "okay" signal, a symbol used by white power groups across the globe. He did not request bail and was taken into custody until his next court appearance scheduled for 5 April.

With inputs from AFP
(Reuters) - Police have a suspect in custody in the slaying of reputed Mafia boss Francesco 'Franky Boy' Cali, New York media reported on Saturday. The 53-year-old Cali, who was shot to death on Wednesday outside his home on New York City's Staten Island, was allegedly the head of the Gambino family, one of the five Italian-American Mafia families that have historically dominated organized crime in New York and New Jersey. A police spokeswoman declined to comment on Saturday

(Reuters) - Police have a suspect in custody in the slaying of reputed Mafia boss Francesco "Franky Boy" Cali, New York media reported on Saturday.

The 53-year-old Cali, who was shot to death on Wednesday outside his home on New York City's Staten Island, was allegedly the head of the Gambino family, one of the five Italian-American Mafia families that have historically dominated organized crime in New York and New Jersey.

A police spokeswoman declined to comment on Saturday.

Investigators were questioning the suspect, who was not identified, media reported.

ABC News reported that surveillance video of the killing on Wednesday night showed a man crash his car into Cali's parked SUV, drawing Cali outside. The two men spoke and shook hands, ABC reported, before the suspect pulled out a gun and shot Cali half a dozen times.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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Oil and gas companies in the U.S. have unleashed a torrent of production that has overwhelmed much of the nation's existing midstream infrastructure. That's forcing pipeline companies to work as fast as they can to build the assets needed to move all this oil and gas from production basins to market centers along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

One company racing to solve this logistical issue is Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD). The company currently has several export terminals under construction and in development, which will help move the continued flood of production to world markets. However, with output growing faster than companies like Enterprise can keep up, the coming gusher could overwhelm two key Texas ports, which has the industry starting to look elsewhere.

A staggering surge of oil and gas

Last year, the U.S. oil industry delivered record-smashing oil production growth. Crude output expanded by 1.6 million barrels per day (BPD), the largest increase in the country's history, pushing oil volumes up to an average of 10.9 million BPD and obliterating the record of 9.6 million BPD set in 1970. Production is on track to continue growing at a fast pace and is expected to an average of 12.3 million BPD this year before topping 13 million BPD by 2020, according to the latest forecast from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Meanwhile, gas production is also on track to expand at an accelerated pace over the next few years.

The bulk of this output is all flowing toward the Gulf Coast, which is the country's refining and petrochemicals hub. However, the U.S. is currently producing more oil and gas than its existing downstream infrastructure can handle, which is driving a big uptick in exports. That's also becoming problematic because those terminals are quickly filling to the brim. That led Enterprise Products Partners CEO Jim Teague to comment at a recent industry conference:

Corpus Christi can't handle what's coming, and Houston can't handle what's coming. ... It's not just crude. It's not just LNG. It's all of the above.

That's leading the company and its peers to look for ways to get out ahead of this problem by building new export-related infrastructure away from these increasingly congested areas.

Check out the latest earnings call transcript for Enterprise Products Partners.

Shifting the focus of the export infrastructure building boom

Enterprise Products Partners already has several export projects under way and in development. The company is currently expanding the capacity of its industry-leading liquified petroleum gas terminal on the Houston Ship Channel by 30%. That project should come online during the third quarter of this year. In addition, the company is building an ethylene export terminal, which is a petrochemical made from ethane. The company expects to finish this project, also on the Houston Ship Channel, by year's end.

However, with ship traffic in Houston becoming increasingly congested as export capacity increases, the industry needs to start building elsewhere so that the region isn't overwhelmed. Enterprise is working on taking a step in that direction by proposing to construct the Sea Port Oil Terminal, which it would build 40 miles off the coast of Freeport, Texas. By developing this port offshore, Enterprise could fully load very large crude carriers capable of transporting 2 million barrels of oil, which are too big for inland ports to handle.

It's not the only company looking to build oil export facilities away from inland ports in Texas. Energy infrastructure giants Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) and Enbridge (NYSE:ENB) have also proposed constructing an offshore oil terminal near Freeport, while Tallgrass Energy wants to build an onshore oil export facility in Louisiana.

In addition to going offshore, Enterprise has also said it's looking at export projects on both the East and West Coasts. Several peers have already built export terminals on the East Coast, with Kinder Morgan and Dominion Energy constructing LNG facilities while Energy Transfer operates the Marcus Hook terminal that exports natural gas liquids. Meanwhile, several companies are working on LNG export facilities from the West Coast of both the U.S. and Canada, including Pembina Pipeline, which hopes to give its Jordan Cove project in Oregon the green light later this year. Given the increasing concerns with bottlenecks along the Texas Gulf Coast, Enterprise and others are likely to propose building solutions to move oil and natural gas toward the East and West coasts, which would make it easier to export them to Europe and Asia, respectively.

Solving this problem could enrich investors

Enterprise Products Partners has been one of the nation's early leaders in building export facilities to transport the country's rapidly rising output to global markets. That smart move has enabled the company to deliver significant earnings growth in recent years. However, with the flow of oil and gas toward the Texas coast on track to overwhelm the region, the company is looking for outside options. This foresight could enable Enterprise to become an export powerhouse, which has the potential to create even more value for investors in the coming years.
Even procrastinators are starting to think about getting their taxes done now, and when they do, they'll face tax forms they've never seen before, thanks to tax reform. A new, shorter 1040 form might look inviting, but the trade-off is that there are several new schedules that go with the main return.

Schedule 3 offers a way for taxpayers to save money on their taxes by taking advantage of certain tax credits. The credits on Schedule 3 are nonrefundable, which means that unlike with refundable credits, you can't get extra money back once your net taxes paid drops to zero. However, if you've had a lot of taxes withheld from your paycheck, then you're a prime candidate to use these tax credits to boost the size of your refund. Below, we'll look at Schedule 3 more closely to see the five main ways that you can save.

Line 48: Foreign tax credit

The foreign tax credit applies to taxpayers who have income from sources outside the U.S., whether it's from wages or salaries or from overseas investments. The general idea of the foreign tax credit is to help you avoid getting taxed twice on the same income, and so if a foreign jurisdiction had primary taxing authority over the income, the U.S. will offer a tax credit to offset all of part of your overseas tax payment. Whether you paid the foreign tax directly or it was withheld from income you receive, the credit is generally available.

One thing to remember is that the credit is typically limited to whatever the U.S. tax rate on the income would've been. So if you got taxed in a high-tax country, the amount of your foreign tax credit might be less than the full amount of tax you paid. That's consistent with the desire to avoid double taxation, but it does add some complexity to the calculations of how much you get to claim as a credit.

Line 49: Child and dependent care credit

The child and dependent care credit gives a tax credit of 20% to 35% on up to $3,000 in child care or other dependent care expenses for one dependent, or $6,000 for two or more dependents. The percentage of the credit depends on your income, with low-income taxpayers getting the highest 35% credit rate and higher-income taxpayers maxing out at 20%.

One thing to remember, though, is that for joint filers, the credit is only available if both spouses have earned income. Single-earner families can't claim the credit, with the rationale that the tax break is intended for those who need care to produce income rather than just for convenience.

Line 50: Education credits

Several tax breaks are available for education, including the American Opportunity credit for undergraduate work and the Lifetime Learning credit for a broader range of educational expenses. The American Opportunity credit offers up to $2,500 per year for as many as four years, while the Lifetime Learning credit maxes out at $2,000 per year but offers an unlimited number of years to claim it.

The full amount of these credits doesn't go on Line 50, however, because 40% of any American Opportunity credit is refundable and therefore shows up elsewhere on your tax return. However, you'll end up including the remaining 60% of the American Opportunity credit plus any Lifetime Learning credit you're owed on this line, and that amount can cut your taxes substantially.

Line 51: Saver's credit

Line 51 covers the retirement savings contribution credit, better known as the saver's credit, to low- and middle-income taxpayers. The credit pays you back 10%, 20%, or 50% of up to $2,000 in contributions to IRAs, 401(k) plans, or similar retirement savings vehicles.

The exact amount of the credit depends on your income and filing status, with the top amounts reserved for joint filers making less than $38,000 and singles making $19,000 or less. But with at least some credit being available for joint filers with incomes up to $63,000, it's worth looking to see if you qualify.

Line 53: Residential energy credit

Finally, the last nonrefundable credit on Schedule 3 is the residential energy credit. Certain home improvements involving solar electric or water-heating projects, small wind energy installations, or geothermal heat pumps can qualify for a 30% tax credit. Fuel-cell installations have separate credit provisions of up to $1,000 per kilowatt of generating capacity.

These credits have already gotten extended through the 2021 tax year. Some related energy credits technically expired at the end of 2017, but the provisions described above aren't part of the debate over tax extenders.

Get as big a tax break as you can

If you like tax credits, you'll want to take a good look at Schedule 3. You might not be able to use all the tax breaks on the form, but you can at least get a sense of what's available and start planning now for how to get a bigger credit against your taxes in 2019 and beyond.
Robinsonleon tu uz nie je!

Preco tu uz @robinsonleon nie je?

Ludia prichadzaju a odchadzaju, konta sa registruju a zanikaju. Obcas sa niekto narodi a obcas niekto zomrie. S covidom ci bez, to je jedno. Nic netrva vecne. Len pan Boh je vecny a mozno BIRDZ ciastocne...



To ze tu robinsonleon uz nie je, je vlastne takym novym normalom.

Muzeme o tom vest spory, muzeme s tim nesouhlasit, ale to je asi tak vsechno, co s tim muzeme udelat...



Mozne priciny vzniknutej situacie Mozne priciny vzniknutej situacie



a) konto @robinsonleon bolo zrusene samotnym pouzivatelom.

Cize sam si zrusil/zmazal ucet na BIRDZ. Napriklad ma vela ucenia v skole, alebo si mysli, ze je na BIRDZ prilis stary a nasiel nejaky seniorsky web, alebo ma prilis vela kamaratov a uz dalsich nepotrebuje. Inak poznas Pravdu?



b) konto @robinsonleon bolo zablokovane nasimi administratormi.

Cize bol zablokovany, lebo urazal ludi, porusoval podmienky pouzivania portalu, alebo zakony SR alebo sa pochvalil fotografiou svojho prirodzenia.



c) konto @robinsonleon uniesli mimozemstania.

Sice malo pravdepodobna moznost, ale treba s tym pocitat. Clovek nikdy nevie, co cakat od mimozemstanov.



Ono je vlastne jedno, ktora moznost je spravna.

Podstatne je, ze sa @robinsonleon uz nevrati...
Development Bank Recognizes Guaido-Chosen Representative

By VOA News March 15, 2019

The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) has officially recognized the Venezuelan representative designated by opposition leader Juan Guaido, the first multilateral institution to take such an action.

The bank is Latin America's largest regional lender, and the move is a major setback for President Nicolas Maduro. The action could eventually free up development lending to Venezuela if Maduro were to step down.

Guaido has been recognized as Venezuela's legitimate leader by most Western countries, including the United States as well as many Latin American nations.

He named Harvard University economist Ricardo Hausmann, an exiled former Venezuelan government minister, as his representative to the IADB, forcing a vote by the lender's 48-member board of governors.

The bank said in a press release that its decision to recognize Hausmann was effective immediately. It said that a sufficient number of members had voted "to meet the requirements of quorum and favorable votes for a decision."

In another development Friday, American Airlines said it has temporarily suspended its operations into Caracas and Maracaibo, citing safely concerns in Venezuela.

"The safety and security of our team members and customers is always No. 1 and American will not operate to countries we don't consider safe," the airlines said in a statement.

The decision comes after the U.S. State Department this week issued a travel advisory urging Americans to avoid Venezuela "due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, and arbitrary arrest and detention of US citizens."

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Venezuelan Opposition Leader: Russia, China Do Not Back Maduro

By VOA News March 15, 2019

Venezuela's opposition leader said at a rally Thursday in capital Caracas that Russia and China do not back President Nicolas Maduro.

Self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido said that those two countries are simply following their business interest in Venezuela.

Although most Western countries, including the United States, have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate president, Russia and China have expressed support for Maduro.

"They (President Nicolas Maduro's government) are isolated, they cannot solve the problems they have created, they have no international ally. It is not true that Russia and China are with them, that's a great fallacy. Nobody is with them. They (Russia and China) are very clear on where their interests lie and that is valid, I understand it perfectly. What they must also understand, as all countries do, that the only thing that protects citizens is the rule of law."

The oil rich country has received more than $50 billion from China in the past 10 years through oil-for-loan agreements. Russia as well has signed billion-dollar deals for joint ventures on oil production.

Maduro is refusing to relinquish power despite shortages of food, water and electricity and has said he is the victim of a coup plot by the United States.

The U.S. increased its pressure on Venezuela earlier this month, imposing sanctions on six high-ranking security officials as well as revoking the visas of dozens of other high officials, in addition to previous sanctions.

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Afghanistan calls in senior Pakistani diplomat over remarks by Prime Minister Khan

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 07:26PM

Afghanistan has summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat over remarks by Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, who speculated about a new government in Kabul.

The Afghan government has lambasted the words as "flagrant interference" in the country's domestic affairs.

On Friday, the Pakistani premier expressed hope that the ongoing negotiations between the Taliban militant group and the United States lead to peace in war-torn Afghanistan.

Khan hoped that "a good government" would be formed in Kabul, "a government where all Afghans will be represented."

The remarks prompted the country's foreign ministry to summon Pakistan's counselor in Afghanistan to account for Khan's remarks.

"Afghanistan expressed its grave objection on Pakistan's government and deemed such remarks a flagrant interference in its internal affairs," Sibghatullah Ahmadi, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman, tweeted on Saturday.

This is the second time in the past three weeks that Kabul has summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat for clarification and they clearly illustrate the longstanding tensions between the two neighbors at a sensitive time.

In February, the ministry called in Pakistani Ambassador Zahid Nasrullah Khan over his comments that Afghan peace negotiations could be affected if India resorted to violence against Pakistan.

The Taliban have reiterated opposition to direct talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's administration in Kabul. However, Ghani has repeatedly stressed that no peace deal between the Taliban and the US could be finalized without involving his government.

US negotiators have been negotiating a ceasefire with the Taliban and their role in the country's political future, including Ghani's government. The latest round of talks lasted 16 days and finished on Tuesday. Further talks are expected later this month.

The Taliban's five-year rule over at least three quarters of Afghanistan came to an end following the US invasion in 2001 but 18 years on, Washington is seeking truce with the militants.

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Government critic expected to win presidential election in Slovakia

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 06:12PM

Slovakia may see its first female ceremonial head of state as the nation heads to the polls to elect a new president.

Opinion polls before the Saturday election predicted Zuzana Caputova, 45, had a double-digit lead over her main rival European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, a 52-year-old career diplomat.

Caputova, an environmental lawyer, is a vocal government critic who emerged as the clear favorite after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova, created distrust among masses regarding the central European country's ruling political establishment.

Caputova, who is a deputy head of the non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party, has appealed to voters tired of the country's main political players and vowed to restore public trust in the state, running on a slogan of, "Stand up to evil."

Several voters said that they were impressed by Caputova's fresh approach to politics.

Project manager Nora Bajnokova said she supported Caputova because "she is a woman, a mother, a lawyer and not involved in active politics."

"Caputova attracts those who abhor corruption and are dissatisfied with what they see as an increasingly... self-dealing government," said university professor Kevin Deegan-Krause from Wayne State University.

Her rival, Sefcovic, is an independent backed by the ruling Smer-SD party and "appeals to those with a certain satisfaction with the progress of a country which, by many indicators, has not done at all badly over the last decade," Deegan-Krause explained.

Campaigning on the slogan "Always for Slovakia," Sefcovic has promised greater social benefits for the elderly and young families.

Neither candidate is expected to win the required 50 percent for outright victory in the first round.

A likely run-off for the post, which is mostly ceremonial, is scheduled for March 30.

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Egypt court upholds verdict, places 169 Brotherhood convicts on terror list

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 05:09PM

An Egyptian court has upheld an earlier verdict against 169 convicted members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood movement and placed them on the country's terror list for the next five years.

On Saturday, Egypt's Court of Cassation upheld a verdict against the suspects after a criminal court in May last year found them guilty of conspiring to infiltrate state institutions with the aim of overthrowing President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government.

The suspects had appealed the ruling by the criminal court but on Saturday the Court of Cassation rejected their appeal. The decision is final and cannot be appealed.

The Muslim Brotherhood was outlawed as a "terrorist organization" in late 2013 following the ouster of the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, through a military coup by Sisi, who was at the time Morsi's defense minister.

The Brotherhood, which fully supported Morsi, protested against the coup, but the pro-Morsi protests were brutally crushed in the August 2013 Rabaa massacre in which more than 800 civilians were killed.

The court's decision is said to be based on state security investigations which purportedly revealed that those convicted had attempted to revive the Brotherhood's activities by recruiting new members to its armed wings, spread rumors and provided financial and logistical assistance to the banned movement, which is Egypt's oldest opposition movement.

According to Egypt's anti-terrorism law, anyone who is put on the terror list cannot leave the country and their assets are frozen.

Rights groups in Egypt and across the world have recorded cases of irregularities in the trials of political prisoners in the country. They say the army's clampdown on the supporters of Morsi has led to the death of some 1,500 people and the arrest of 22,000 others, including 200 people who have been sentenced to death in mass trials.

The Brotherhood operated under strict measures during the rule of longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak, who was himself removed from power following an uprising in 2011.

Morsi had been sentenced to death on charges of corruption, escaping from prison and inciting violence before the Court of Cassation overturned that ruling in November 2017 and ordered a retrial.

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Zarif stresses peace, stability promotion in Afghanistan, pledges Iran's support for Afghans

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 03:19PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says only the Afghan people should decide on their country's internal affairs, reaffirming Iran's support for its eastern neighbor in promoting peace.

"We always believe that Afghan people express the final opinion about all the country's affairs," Zarif said in a meeting with the Afghan special envoy for peace, Mohammad Omar Daudzai, in Tehran on Saturday.

As the Afghans' representative, the Kabul government then makes decisions about the country's affairs, he added.

Zarif also voiced Tehran's support for Afghans, saying, "Iran always seeks to help the Afghan government and nation."

The Afghan envoy, for his part, said the Kabul government should lead the peace process in the country.

Daudzai also praised the Islamic Republic's positive stance on ongoing developments in Afghanistan.

The Iranian foreign minister and the Afghan envoy also exchanged views about ways to strengthen Tehran-Kabul cooperation in various fields.

More than 17 years of the United States' presence in Afghanistan at the top of a military coalition have brought nothing but chaos and insecurity to the country, as a result of which all forms of organized crimes, especially the production of illicit drugs, have been skyrocketing. The country has also turned into a hotbed of violent acts by major terror outfits, especially Daesh.

Last month, Iran's envoy to a meeting of the International Contact Group on Afghanistan, Rassoul Eslami, reiterated Tehran's support for the Afghan peace process, praising the pivotal role played by the Kabul government in restoring peace to the war-torn country.

The government of Afghanistan, as the representative of the Afghan people, plays a pivotal role in peace efforts, the Iranian envoy said, calling for cooperation between various political factions and the Kabul government toward reaching peace.

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Yemenis downed 19 Saudi Apache copters during war: Army spokesman

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 10:40AM

Yemen's army says the country's air defense has managed to shoot down 19 Saudi Apache helicopters since the outbreak of the war in 2015.

Speaking at a press conference in Sana'a on Saturday, army spokesman Brigadier Yahya Sare'e provided the figures regarding the four-year-long war on the impoverished Arab country.

He said that Saudi Arabia and its allies have carried out over 250,000 airstrikes and dropped more than 500,000 bombs and missiles on Yemen, al-Masirah TV reported.

The aggressors' warplanes fired at least 5914 cluster and phosphorus bombs at several Yemeni provinces, he added.

Sare'e also noted that a total of 22 countries have directly and indirectly been involved in the Saudi war, adding that Yemen is in possession of evidence suggesting Israel's role in the Western-backed offensive.

The spokesman further said that the Yemeni army has boosted its capability to manufacture weapons and stored ballistic missiles at its depots.

The Yemeni military, he stressed, has managed to destroy over 7,000 armored vehicles, trucks, tanks and bulldozers belonging to the Saudi-led coalition.

Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, including the UAE, launched the devastating military campaign against Yemen in order to bring the Riyadh-backed former government back to power.

The invaders have, however, failed to achieve their objective in the face of Yemenis' resistance.

The war has so far taken a heavy toll on the Yemen's infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and factories.

According to a report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi war has claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis.

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Venezuela's Maduro creates military unit to protect key services after massive blackout

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 08:28AM

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he has authorized the formation of a new military unit tasked with protecting the country's key infrastructure following the recent nationwide blackout.

Maduro said during a speech at the presidential palace in the capital Caracas on Friday that the military unit, dubbed Command for the Defense of Basic Strategic Services, was tasked with protecting basic installations and services, such as electricity and water, as part of Venezuela's Armed Forces.

The announcement came days after nearly most of the Latin American country was swept by a massive blackout, which Maduro blamed on a cyber attack directed by the United States government.

Doubling down on his views, the 56-year-old president said Friday that the "cyber attack against the Venezuelan electric energy system was a terror act by the US government against the Venezuelan people," adding that "Venezuelans have defeated this terror attack and we are now preparing to move forward."

Maduro's critics, however, accused the government of failing to maintain the country's infrastructure.

The Venezuelan government announced on Tuesday that power was back on in most parts but western regions still reported cuts.

Maduro had previously accused the opposition movement, led by self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido, of devising a plan "to accompany the blackout with general violence."

Accusing Maduro's government of "inefficiency" over the power cut, however, Guaido has so far taken advantage of the crisis and called on his supporters to take to the streets against the president.

Power failure undermined Maduro's government: US envoy

On Friday, US special representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams claimed that Venezuela's power outage had undermined Maduro's government and severely weakened his hold on office.

Abrams echoed repeated remarks by US authorities, who seek to topple the democratically-elected government of Maduro, saying the blackout would "shorten the life of the regime."

"What's the impact of this situation on the longevity of the regime? It's obviously going to shorten the life of the regime," Abrams told reporters in Washington.

"We are not making any predictions and, as we look back, we see that, generally speaking, neither we nor anyone else has been very good at predicting when regimes fall."

The US special envoy for Venezuela also said Maduro seemed to be focusing his resources on restoring power and keeping order in the capital.

The US has been using everything in its power, including economic pressure and even military action, to topple Maduro. Washington has confiscated Venezuela's oil assets based in the US to channel them to Guaido.

Many Western countries have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's leader but Maduro enjoys the backing of many non-aligned nations such as Russia, China, Turkey and Iran while key state institutions, including the military, still support him.

Maduro has repeatedly accused Washington of masterminding a "coup" against his government, blaming the US for the economic crisis in Venezuela.

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Christopher Fomunyoh Archives

Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, Regional Director at the Washington based National Democratic Institute NDI, and President of The Fomunyoh Foundation (TFF) on Saturday, March 16, made donations to some churches and civil Society Organizations working with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

This follows an ongoing unrest in the Anglophone regions, where over One million persons have been displaced.

The event that took place at the Foundations headquarters in Bamenda, North West Region, saw Dr Christopher thanking civil society organisations and churches for helping to curb the burden on internally displaced persons. He then donated items such as clothes, toiletries, sanitary pads and cash the 8 institutions, which they would intern,, transmit to IDPs.

Amongst the beneficiaries are the Youth Outreach Programme, (YOP), Community Initiative for Sustainable Development (COMINSUD), United Youths Organization (UYO), Centre for development, promotion, research and information technology exchange (CEDPRITE).

Four churches were also recipients; Presbyterian Church Nghomgham, the Gebuaer Baptist Church Atuakom, The RAMAH Christian Center and the Catholic Church Nghomgham, all in Bamenda. Dr. Chris Fomunyoh has promised more actions with other charity bodies in the days ahead.

Apart from the donations, Christopher Fomunyoh has been joining his voice to many other institutions, to call on Paul Biya to create a genuine dialogue platform, so as to put an end to sufferings caused by the war. Using his social media accounts , he condemns the high rate of human rights violations perpetrated in Cameroon.

Many had stipulated he would run for the 2018 elections, but Dr. Chris said he couldnt walk on corpses to be president. He was paying allusion to the bloodshed ongoing in the North West and South West. Similar speculations were raised by the Cameroonian media, about Dr. Christophers candidature for the 2011 elections but he ended up not declaring his rejecting the intention.
If you 'care' about Yemenis, back Saudi war: Pompeo to senators

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 06:48AM

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has rebuked senators for passing a resolution to end Washington's support for the Saudi war on Yemen, saying they should back Riyadh if they "truly care about Yemeni lives."

In comments to the media in Washington on Friday, Pompeo claimed the vote showed that American senators do not care about the Yemeni people.

"If you truly care about Yemeni lives, you'd support the Saudi-led effort to prevent Yemen from turning into a puppet state of ... Iran," he said.

On Wednesday, the Republican-led Senate approved the resolution to halt US military assistance for the Saudi offensive against Yemen by a 54 to 46 tally.

The measure now heads to the Democrat-led House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass.

A similar resolution to end US support for the Saudi war on Yemen passed the Senate in December, but it was not taken up under the then-Republican-controlled House. For the resolution to reach the president's desk, it will have to go back to the House for approval.

The US provides intelligence sharing, logistics support and other training to the Saudi-led coalition, which has been waging the war on Yemen since March 2015. It also previously helped with mid-air refueling for warplanes operated by Riyadh and its allies, but that assistance ended last November.

Senator Bernie Sanders, a co-sponsor of the resolution, said, "The bottom line is that the United States should not be supporting a catastrophic war led by a despotic regime with a dangerous and irresponsible foreign policy."

Pompeo, however, said the Trump administration believes that suspending the US role would not end the Yemen conflict.

"We all want to improve the dire humanitarian situation. But the Trump administration fundamentally disagrees that curbing our assistance to the Saudi-led coalition is the way to achieve these goals," he said.

Pompeo also argued that the way to "alleviate the Yemeni people's suffering isn't to prolong the conflict by handicapping our partners in the fight," but by giving the Saudi-led coalition the support needed to defeat Houthi Ansarullah fighters.

Saudi Arabia and its partners launched the war in an attempt to reinstall Riyadh-allied former regime and crush the Houthis, who have been running state affairs in the absence of an effective government.

The Western-backed aggression against Yemen, coupled with a naval blockade, has destroyed the country's infrastructure and led to famine as well as a cholera outbreak.

So far, the aggressors have been unable to penetrate the defenses of the Yemeni nation and Houthi fighters.

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Trump Nominates Air Force General For Top NATO Post In Europe

March 16, 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated the top U.S. Air Force general in Europe to serve as the next supreme allied commander in Europe and head the U.S. European Command.

The nomination of General Tod Wolters was announced March 15 by acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who said the NATO alliance had agreed with the pick.

If confirmed by the Senate, Wolters would succeed U.S. Army General Curtis Scaparrotti.

He will take over his new role in NATO at a time when the alliance is preparing for the likely demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a U.S-Russian disarmament pact that has protected Europe for the past three decades.

In his other role, as head of the U.S. European Command, Wolter would lead all U.S. forces in Europe.

Wolters now serves as commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe -- Air Forces Africa based at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. In his role, he also serves as the chief of NATO's Allied Air Command. He has served in that position since August 2016.

Wolters is a fighter pilot by training, with more than 5,000 hours through his nearly 32-year military career, according to his Air Force biography.

Based on reporting by AP, dpa, and Stripes.com

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-nominates -air-force-general-for-top-nato -post-in-europe/29824848.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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UN Manages Only Temporary Afghan Mission Rollover After U.S.-China Spat

By RFE/RL March 16, 2019

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a temporary six-month rollover of the UN mission in Afghanistan after a spat between the United States and China prevented a full resolution.

Council diplomats on March 15 said the United States objected to language in a resolution that urged strengthened regional economic cooperation involving Afghanistan, including through the "Belt and Road" initiative linking China to Europe, Africa, and other parts of Asia.

The full-year resolution in 2018 included the language, and the project was also mentioned in 2016 and 2017 resolutions.

Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, which includes massive projects such as airports and roads, has raised concerns by some in the West about Chinese expansionism.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence last year criticized China's global infrastructure drive, saying many of the projects were of low quality and also saddled developing countries with loans they cannot afford.

Jonathan Cohen, the U.S. acting ambassador, told the Security Council that "China held the resolution hostage, and insisted on making it about Chinese national political priorities rather than the people of Afghanistan."

He added that Beijing's infrastructure-investment effort had "known problems with corruption, debt distress, environmental damage, and lack of transparency."

China's deputy ambassador, Wu Haitao, told the council that Cohen's comments were "at variance with facts and fraught with prejudice."

"This is an initiative of economic cooperation aimed at achieving common development and prosperity. It has nothing to do with geopolitics," Wu said.

With the disagreement, the Security Council was forced to adopt the temporary rollover of the UN mission there for six months instead of a year.

A U.S.-led coalition has been in Afghanistan since 2001 supporting the government in Kabul against Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and other militant groups.

With reporting by AP and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/un-afghan-resolution- china-us-spat/29824565.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Pompeo Slams International Criminal Court, Threatens To Deny, Revoke U.S. Visas

By RFE/RL March 16, 2019

The United States will revoke or deny visas to any International Criminal Court (ICC) individuals investigating alleged war crimes by U.S. forces or allies, including in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

"I'm announcing a policy of U.S. visa restrictions on those individuals directly responsible for any ICC investigation of U.S. personnel," Pompeo told a news conference in Washington on March 15.

Pompeo said the policy had already been implemented, but he did not provide details of who had been affected, citing confidentiality rules.

"But you should know: If you're responsible for the proposed ICC investigation of U.S. personnel in connection with the situation in Afghanistan, you should not assume you will still have or will get a visa or that you will be permitted to enter the United States," Pompeo warned.

ICC prosecutors in November 2017 sought authorization from judges to initiate an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan since May 1, 2003.

The request covered countries where the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency held prisoners.

Judges are reviewing material submitted by prosecutors and must decide whether to authorize an investigation.

Pompeo said the visa restrictions "may also be used to deter ICC efforts to pursue allied personnel, including Israelis, without allies' consent."

He added that Washington was "prepared to take additional steps, including economic sanctions, if the ICC does not change its course."

The Hague-based ICC did not comment specifically about the visa threat, but it insisted it is an independent and impartial institution and would continue to do its work "undeterred" by any U.S. actions.

Human Rights Watch called the announcement a "thuggish attempt to penalize investigators" at the court and that it sends "a message to torturers and murderers alike: Their crimes may continue unchecked."

Pompeo's comments follow a threat by the administration of President Donald Trump in September 2018 to ban ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the United States and to place sanctions on funds they have in the country if the court were to launch an investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan.

The U.S. national-security adviser, John Bolton, at the time warned that "if the court comes after us, Israel, or other U.S. allies, we will not sit quietly."

"We will ban its judges and prosecutors from entering the United States. We will sanction their funds in the U.S. financial system, and we will prosecute them in the U.S. criminal system," Bolton said.

Pompeo did not mention potential criminal prosecution of ICC members in his comments.

He said the United States declined in 1998 to join the court "because of its broad, unaccountable prosecutorial powers and the threat it poses to American national sovereignty."

The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide, or crimes against humanity when a country is unable or unwilling to prosecute perpetrators themselves.

The United States is among a dozen countries, including China and Russia, that have not ratified the Rome Treaty that created the ICC.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pompeo-us -deny-visas-icc-investigators- afghanistan-/29824557.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Maduro Announces New Venezuela Military Drills After Week-Long Blackout

Sputnik News

23:26 16.03.2019

BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the start of the second stage of the country's large-scale military drills on Saturday, following a nearly week-long nationwide blackout.

"The complex military exercises dubbed Ana Karina Rote have started to protect the strategic services of the country. We will not allow the enemies of the motherland to steal the peace of the heroic Venezuelan people again", Maduro wrote on Twitter.

The first stage of the drills, dubbed Angostura, was held in mid-February. This time, the drills are dedicated to the protection of the national electric power grid following the major blackout that swept the country last week.

On Friday, Maduro also announced the creation of a new structure within the armed forces tasked with protecting key national infrastructure.

On 7 March, a massive power outage swept through the majority of Venezuelan states, leaving the nation  over 30 million people  without access to basic amenities, including water and medical care at hospitals. National electricity supplier Corpoelec insisted that the blackout was the result of sabotage at the major Guri hydroelectric power plant in the country's east.

Maduro has pinned the blame for the crisis on the United States, while Washington has denied having a role in the blackout. The power supply was fully restored across Venezuela on Wednesday, according to Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez.

The crisis in Venezuela escalated in January when lawmaker Juan Guaido was elected president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which all other government branches have been refusing to recognize since 2016. Guaido then declared himself the country's "interim president", gaining almost immediate support from the United States and its allies. Russia, China and numerous others have reaffirmed their support for constitutionally elected Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president.

President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on 10 January after winning the May election, has called Guaido's move an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.

 Sputnik

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Maduro Vows 'Powerful Changes' in Govt, New Authority to Protect Infrastructure

Sputnik News

07:09 16.03.2019

CARACAS/MEXICO CITY (Sputnik)  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro promised Friday to carry out significant changes in the work of the government.

"Soon, I will announce new powerful changes in ways of the national government's work," Maduro said in a speech at the presidential palace in Caracas on Friday, as aired by his Periscope channel. The president has not specified, however, what changes will be made but he called on the government ministers to go to the streets and "rule together with the people".

Maduro also announced the creation of a new structure as part of the Armed Forces tasked with protecting key infrastructure in the wake of the recent large blackout in the county.

"I would like to inform you about the creation and launch of the new structure to protect the strategically important key infrastructure of Venezuela", Maduro said in a speech at the presidential palace in Caracas on Friday, as aired by his Periscope channel. Maduro added that the new structure would include four departments.

The president noted that the "cyberattack against the Venezuelan electric energy system was a terror act by the US government against the Venezuelan people".

"Venezuelans have defeated this terror attack and we are now preparing to move forward", Maduro argued. On 7 March, nearly the whole territory of Venezuela was swept by a blackout, caused by what the national electricity supplier Corpoelec called sabotage at a the Guri dam. The outage lasted for almost a week.

The Venezuelan authorities have accused the United States of waging a cyberattack against the hydroelectric power plant, the claim denied by Washington.

The situation in Venezuela has worsened since the country's opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president on 23 January. The United States and 54 other countries have recognized Guaido Venezuela's interim president.

Maduro has dubbed Guaido a puppet of the United States and said Washington has attempted a coup d'etat to exact a change in government. Russia, China, Turkey, Bolivia and other countries have voiced support for the government of consituttionally elected President Nicolas Maduro as the only legitimate authority in Venezuela.

 Sputnik

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UNSC to Extend Peacekeeping Mandate in Afghanistan

Sputnik News

05:29 16.03.2019

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The UN Security Council unanimously agreed to extend the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for a period of six months, French Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Anne Gueguen said.

"The result of the voting is as follows: the draft resolution received 15 votes in favor, the draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2460 of 2019", Gueguen said during a UN Security Council meeting on Friday. The document, drafted by Germany and Indonesia, prolongs the UNAMA mandate so that the mission can continue its support for peaceful reconciliation, elections, regional cooperation, reconstruction and humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.

However, the United States expressed concern over the fact that the UNAMA's mandate was not extended for one year as it had been done before and blamed China for the outcome.

"We are deeply disappointed that the Council was not able to come to a consensus on the resolution renewing the mission's mandate for the full one year", US Deputy Representative to the United Nations Jonathan Cohen said. "China held the resolution hostage and insisted on making it about Chinese national political priorities rather than the people of Afghanistan".

Cohen said the UN Security Council had to accept the short-term technical rollover and expressed the willingness to reconvene after the six months to prolong the mandate.

China said the UN Security Council failed to come to a consensus because of the differences on the fundamental principles of extending UNAMA's mandate.

"The Council failed to reach agreement on the extension of the substantive content of the draft resolution because differences still persist", China's Ambassador to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu said.

One of them is that one member has persistently refused to accept constructive opinions, put forward by other members, which has poisoned the atmosphere for consultations, Ma added.

 Sputnik

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US Navy Wants a 'Ghost Fleet' of Drone Warships  Report

Sputnik News

04:30 16.03.2019(updated 11:37 16.03.2019)

The drones might serve as protection for carrier strike groups or as offensive vessels in their own right, Navy officials say.

The US Navy wants to procure a number of unmanned drone warships that will operate on the open seas without any sailors, Popular Mechanics reports.

According to the report, the 90-metre, 2,000-tonne, corvette-sized vessels are designed to carry both sensors and weapons.

According to USNI News, the drone ships, which the Navy has already dubbed the Ghost Fleet, could find widespread use as an avant-garde of carrier strike groups. Due to the curvature of the Earth, warships have hard time detecting low-attitude cruise missiles that can have a range of more than 100 miles. Sending a flotilla of drones ahead of manned ships, with their sensors at full power, would significantly increase a strike group's protection, Navy officials say.

The drones will eventually be equipped with vertical launching silos for missiles themselves, capable of carrying anti-air defense missiles as well as offensive cruise missiles or anti-submarine weapons, PM reports. Considering these vessels will have no sailors, the command won't hesitate to send them on missions too dangerous for a regular manned ship.

So far, the US Navy has marked $400 million in its budget for the procurement of two 300-foot corvette-class drone ships, the report says, adding that currently, the US fleet has no corvette-class ships at all. The decision comes following the successful journey of the Sea Hunter drone from the US West Coast to Hawaii. The Sea Hunter was a much smaller ship than the planned drones, being only 132 feet long and weighing 140 tons.

Navy officials compare the Ghost Fleet initiative to another Navy idea to get aerial drones operating from the decks of US carriers. The Navy flew the Northrop Grumman X-47B UAV, an attack drone that looks suspiciously similar to Northrop's B-2 Spirit bomber, off the USS Bush in 2013, and now plans to field at least eight MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling drones by 2024.

 Sputnik

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UNSC Extends Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan - France Deputy Envoy

Sputnik News

04:30 16.03.2019

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - A resolution to extend for a year the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has been adopted, French Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Anne Gueguen said during a UN Security Council meeting.

"The result of the vote is as follows: 14 votes in favor, no votes against, one abstention", Gueguen said on Friday. "The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 2459 of 2019". According to the text of the US-sponsored resolution, the United Nations will extend the presence of its good offices in South Sudan for another year to ensure peace and stability in the country.

Russia abstained from voting on the extension of the mandate arguing that the text of the document undermines the importance of the Khartoum agreements while prioritizing other issues.

"We are concerned that the document, which is supposed to clearly outline the mandate of peacekeepers, is overburdened with formulations and wording on gender issues and human rights", Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy said. "The latter is placed higher in tasks of the mission than the implementation of the peace agreement."

Last year, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir signed the peace agreement in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum with the former vice-president and rebel leader Riek Machar to end the civil war that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions of people since the beginning of the conflict.

Shortly after gaining independence from Sudan and becoming the world's newest independent nation, fighting erupted in South Sudan in December 2013. In more than five-years of ethnic-based fighting the Dinka tribal forces aligned with Kiir have battled rival Nuer tribal forces led by ousted Machar.

 Sputnik

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Israeli TV Says Hamas 'Accidentally' Fired Rockets at Tel Aviv, IDF Agrees

Sputnik News

03:40 16.03.2019

The launch of two rockets from the Gaza Strip prompted Israel to launch massive airstrike in retaliation Thursday evening. The Israel Defense Forces seems to agree with the assessment, while the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank doubts the Israeli TV report.

The two rockets that were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Tel Aviv and almost started a war were launched by "accident," Israel's Channel 13 reported Friday.

According to the report, the launch happened after low-level Hamas operatives "messed with" the rocket launcher, which was set up to fire at Tel Aviv in case of a future conflict. The Jerusalem Post reports that the rockets could have accidentally gone off during a routine maintenance operation.

The launch reportedly came as a total surprise to both Hamas leaders and the Egyptian delegation they were having a meeting with at the time of the event.

"You're meeting with us at the same time as you're firing on Tel Aviv?" the Egyptians reportedly asked Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in fury.

After Sinwar checked out what happened, he reportedly explained the situation to the Egyptians, who immediately called Tel Aviv and relayed what they had been told to the Israelis.

Israeli officials apparently believed the explanation, as Channel 13 reported that "had the launch been deliberate, the Israeli response would have been five times heavier." Responding to the launches, which did hit residential areas but caused no direct injuries, Israeli warplanes hit over 100 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight from Thursday to Friday, The Times of Israel reported. The incident almost escalated to an all-out war after Hamas retaliated by launching several more rockets Thursday night.

An unnamed, low-level operative was arrested by Hamas authorities after the brief conflict, Channel 13 reported.

According to The Times of Israel, the West Bank's Palestinian Authority doubted that the rockets were launched by mistake. The IDF, however, indicated that they consider the strike to be accidental, according to the Times.

Hamas officials said in an interview with the Times that the movement "has no interest in an escalation," and that firing rockets is "outside the national consensus," and they promised to take measures against the people behind it.

The farcical chain of events that almost led to the war was "like something out of Monty Python," Channel 13 reported. This was the first rocket launch at Tel Aviv since 2014.

 Sputnik

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UN: No Rights Progress in Eritrea After Peace Deal With Ethiopia

By Lisa Schlein March 16, 2019

U.N. experts say Eritrea's human rights record has not changed for the better since the government signed a peace agreement with Ethiopia last year, formally ending a two decades-long border conflict. The U.N. Human Rights Council held an interactive dialogue on the current situation in Eritrea this week.

After a 20-year military stalemate with Ethiopia, hopes were high that the peace accord would change Eritrea's human rights landscape for the better.

U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore said that has not happened. She said Eritrea has missed a historic opportunity because the government has not implemented urgently needed judicial, constitutional and economic reforms.

She said the continued use of indefinite national service remains a major human rights concern.

"Conscripts continue to confront open-ended duration of service, far beyond the 18 months stipulated in law and often under abusive conditions, which may include the use of torture, sexual violence and forced labor," she said.

Gilmore urged Eritrea to bring its national service in line with the country's international human rights obligations.

"The peace agreement signed with Ethiopia should provide the security that the government of Eritrea has argued it needs to discontinue this national service and help shift its focus from security to development. In the absence of promising signs of tangible human rights progress, that flow of asylum-seekers is not expected to drop," Gilmore said.

Human rights groups say unlimited national service forces thousands of young men to flee Eritrea every month to seek asylum in Europe. They say many lose their lives making the perilous journey across the Sahara Desert or while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

The head of the Eritrean delegation to the Council, Tesfamicael Gerahtu, said his country has had to adopt certain measures to counter the negative effect of the last 20 years on peace, security and development. He insists there is no human rights crisis in his country.

He accused the Human Rights Council of exerting undue pressure on Eritrea by monitoring his country's human rights situation and adopting detrimental resolutions. He called the actions counterproductive.

"The honorable and productive way forward is to terminate the confrontational approach on Eritrea that has been perpetrated in the last seven years and that has not created any dividend in the promotion of human rights. And, there is no crisis that warrants a Human Rights Council agenda or special mandate on Eritrea," Gerahtu said.

Daniel Eyasu , head of Cooperation and International Relations of the National Youth Union and Eritrean Students, agrees there is no human rights crisis in Eritrea. He offered a positive spin on the country's controversial national service, calling it critical for nation building.

Unfortunately, he said, the reports of the council's special procedures characterizing national service as modern slavery is unwarranted, unjustified and unacceptable.

The Founder of One Day Seyoum, Vanessa Tsehaye, said the government has not changed its stripes. She said it is as repressive today as it was before the peace accord with Ethiopia was signed.

Tsehaye's organization works for the release of her uncle, a journalist who has been imprisoned without a trial in Eritrea since 2001 and for all people unjustly imprisoned. She said they continue to languish in prison.

"The standoff at the border cannot justify the fact that all capable Eritreans are enlisted into the national service indefinitely. It cannot justify the fact that the country's constitution still has not been implemented and that the parliament still has not convened since 2002. It does not justify the fact that the only university in the country has been shut down, that the free press has still not been opened and that tens of thousands of people have been imprisoned without a trial simply for expressing their opinions, practicing their religion or attempting to leave their country," Tsehaye said.

But delegates at the council welcomed the peace process and expressed hope it will result in better protection for the Eritrean people. But they noted the prevailing abusive conditions are not promising.

They urged the government to reform its military service, release all political prisoners, stop the practice of arbitrary arrests, and end torture and inhumane detention conditions.

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Venezuelans Relocating in Brazil to Ease Pressure on Host Communities

By Lisa Schlein March 16, 2019

More than 200,000 Venezuelans fleeing economic hardship, political oppression and human rights abuses have arrived in Brazil since 2017. Most of them are living in the northern part of the country, putting a strain on the local residents hosting them.

The U.N. refugee agency and partners have begun relocating more than 5,000 Venezuelans from Brazil's northern state of Roraima to 17 other states in the country.

U.N. Refugee spokesman Babar Baloch told VOA this voluntary relocation scheme is designed to ease the pressure on host communities.

"What I understand from talking to my colleagues in Brazil is that many of them are sleeping rough on the streets, not everyone is able to find a job, not able to sustain themselves once they arrive in Brazil. So, this support is very important for them and this targets different vulnerable groups, as well from families, individuals," he said.

Baloch said the whole idea behind the project is to move the Venezuelan refugees and migrants to different parts of Brazil where there are better opportunities to find homes and jobs.

A first group of 225 Venezuelans boarded a Brazilian Air Force aircraft on Wednesday. They took off from Boa Vista, the capital of the State of Roraima, for 13 different cities in Brazil. The UNHCR says more flights are scheduled over the coming weeks.

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Venezuela's Guaido Begins National Tour

By VOA News March 16, 2019

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido began a tour of his country Saturday in Valencia, part of his effort to oust embattled President Nicolas Maduro.

Guaido tweeted photos of the day's activities, attended a service at Valencia Cathedral and visited a local market, greeting crowds of supporters in both places.

In Spanish, he tweeted, "Those who live here and who come to buy what little they can are hardworking people who deserve to live better."

He said that while the Saturday market is usually full of "hustle and joy," on this particular day it was instead full of the cries for hope and freedom.

Guaido said people were feeling the consequences of Venezuela's economic crisis, caused by what he called "an inhuman system that destroyed the production and purchasing power of our people."

Guaido has been recognized as Venezuela's legitimate leader by most Western countries, including the United States and many Latin American nations.

On Friday, the Inter-American Development Bank, Latin America's largest regional lender, officially recognized the Venezuelan representative designated by Guaido. It was the first multilateral institution to take such action.

The bank's move was a major setback for Maduro. It could eventually free up development lending to Venezuela if Maduro were to step down.

Guaido named Harvard University economist Ricardo Hausmann, an exiled former Venezuelan government minister, as his representative to the IDB, forcing a vote by the lender's 48-member board of governors.

In another development Friday, American Airlines said it had temporarily suspended its operations into Caracas and Maracaibo, citing safety concerns in Venezuela.

The decision came after the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory urging Americans to avoid Venezuela "due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens."

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US envoy to discuss Venezuela with Russian officials

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/3/17 7:46:14

The US envoy for Venezuela will meet with Russian officials on Venezuelan crisis, said the US State Department on Saturday.

Elliott Abrams, the US Special Representative for Venezuela, will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and other Russian officials in Rome, the capital city of Italy, on March 18-19, said the State Department in a statement.

The two sides will discuss "the deteriorating situation in Venezuela," according to the statement.

Following its recognition of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the nation's "interim president" in late January, the Trump administration has kept piling up pressure on incumbent Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro through sanctions and other measures.

In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced that he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the United States.

Moscow has condemned Washington's threats against the legitimate Venezuelan leadership, calling them "blatant interference" in Venezuela's internal affairs and a "flagrant violation" of international law.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that Russia is ready for consultations on the Venezuela crisis with the United States in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.

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Azerbaijani President Pardons Hundreds, Including Political Prisoners

By RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service March 17, 2019

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has pardoned more than 400 people, including several members of the opposition considered to be political prisoners by international rights organizations.

The mass pardon, which Aliyev issued in a decree signed early on March 16, included former Health Minister Ali Insanov, journalist Fikret Faramazoglu, opposition Musavat Party member Alikram Xurshidov, and the deputy chairpersons of the opposition Popular Front Party, Gozel Bayramli, and Fuad Qahramanli.

Insanov was a high-ranking member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party and seen as a possible rival of Aliyev's. He was arrested in 2005 on suspicion of planning a coup attempt and sentenced two years later on embezzlement and bribery charges.

Insanov has claimed his innocence, and human rights groups have said they considered him a political prisoner.

Also among the pardoned were Ilkin Rustamzadeh, Elgiz Gahraman, Giyas Ibrahimov, and Bayram Mammadov of the opposition NIDA youth movement.

Ibrahimov and Mammadov were sentenced on drug charges after they sprayed graffiti on a statute of Heydar Aliyev, the former president of Azerbaijan and the current leader's father.

"Amnesty International believes that Giyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov are prisoners of conscience and that the drug charges against them were fabricated with the sole purpose of punishing them for their political activities," the human rights group said in 2016.

Rights groups and Western governments have urged the Azerbaijani authorities to release political prisoners for years and have accused the government of fabricating criminal cases to stifle dissent and media freedom.

Under the pardon, 399 people will be released from prison, 11 will have their suspended sentences lifted, and 12 will have fines against them dismissed. Three people serving life sentences will have their terms reduced to 25 years.

Aliyev's pardon will also free 14 foreigners from prison, including three Georgians, two Russians, two Nigerians, and one each from Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus, Turkey, Cameroon, and India.

It is common in Azerbaijan for the president to pardon prisoners ahead of the Norouz new year holiday, which is on March 21. But it is unusual for political prisoners to be included in the pardon.

On March 2, Azerbaijani anticorruption blogger Mehman Huseynov was freed after fully serving a two-year prison sentence in a case that sparked international outrage and critics said was politically motivated.

Huseynov was convicted of libel for saying he had been mistreated by police in January 2017.

The move came after large-scale demonstrations in Baku in support of Huseynov and the adoption of a European Parliament resolution calling for his immediate release.

Aliyev has ruled the oil-producing former Soviet republic of nearly 10 million people with an iron fist since shortly before his long-ruling father's death in 2003.

In 2018, he won a fourth consecutive presidential term with 86 percent of the votes in elections criticized by international observers.

With reporting by Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-aliyev -pardons-political-prisoners/29825801.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Pakistan Military Claims Indian Spy Drone Shot Down Along Line of Control

Sputnik News

02:50 17.03.2019

The interception happened an estimated 150 meters inside Pakistani territory in the Rakhchikri Sector along the Line of Control which separates the Indian and Pakistani sections of the disputed Jammu and Kasmir regions.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, spokesperson for Pakistan Armed Forces, in a Saturday tweet, claimed that the national army shot down what he described as 'an Indian spying quadcopter'.

The Indian army has not yet commented on the claim.

On Monday the Times of India reported that Tariq Naqash, a Pakistani journalist, tweeted a photo of what he called 'Indian spy drone' being shot down by Pakistan's army although it appears to be, according to an Indian media report citing a US news agency, an old photo of a US drone that crashed in the US state of Arizona in 2006.

Tensions between India and Pakistan rose again in February after Indian Air Force airstrikes against alleged terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Balakot, Pakistan. The former announced that they had shot down two Indian warplanes and captured an Indian pilot, who was later released as a "peace gesture" toward New Delhi.

 Sputnik

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Revolution? Guaido Calls for Venezuelans to Mobilize for 'Operation Freedom'

Sputnik News

00:43 17.03.2019(updated 01:06 17.03.2019)

The self-proclaimed leader has started a trip across Venezuela in an attempt to create "freedom cells" in order to oust President Nicolas Maduro from office.

Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim leader Juan Guaido has called on people of Venezuela to get out on the streets, mobilize and organize into what he dubbed "Operation Freedom."

"After we mobilize the entire country, we will go to Miraflores and reclaim what belongs to the people," Guaido told supporters, referring to the presidential palace, as he announced the 'operation' in the city of Valencia Saturday, AFP report says.

Starting Saturday, Guaido is touring Venezuela accompanied by opposition lawmakers, tasked with the creation of 'freedom cells'  organized civilian opposition groups. The opposition announced that it has already set up 50 cells in half of Venezuela's 23 states.

"Whatever happens, we must be united, mobilized in the streets," Guaido said.

According to Guaido's tweet, Operation Freedom consists of three steps: to create "Freedom and aid" committees "on every street of Venezuela;" to create "labor and sectoral committees" in the public and private sectors and begin preparation of "constitutional forces" within National Armed Forces.

"For the international community to do more and the Armed Forces do what they must, we have to move on to a level of organization, pressure and mobilization never seen before," Guaido tweeted. According to his tweets, the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela are "in total disobedience" and are willing to "organize to protect the people of Venezuela."

"I am certain that our officials will have the necessary moral reserve to decisively cease the usurpation," the tweet reads.

Until now, Guaido sought to mobilize people in the nation's capital of Caracas, which suffered a lengthy blackout that officials say was the result of sabotage. Now that power and basic services in the capital have been restored, Guaido has shifted his focus to the rest of the country which is still struggling with power outages and service disruptions, according to Reuters.

Earlier this week, the country's chief prosecutor asked the Supreme Court to probe Guaido for alleged involvement in the 'sabotage' of the country's electricity system, Reuters.

Speaking to supporters in Valencia, Guaido said he is mulling asking the National Assembly to activate a constitutional clause that would allow foreign military intervention, adding that such a move would "depend on others."

Currently, Guaido's greatest challenge appears to be Venezuela's military, which, despite his tweets, remains loyal to Maduro. A military intervention might be one way to overcome this obstacle. The administration of US President Donald Trump has not ruled out invading Venezuela, with US National Security Adviser John Bolton saying that "all options are on the table." However, there is no sign of such an operation building in the US, an AFP report says.

Washington continues to impose sanctions on Caracas and Maduro, making a troubled situation in the crisis-ridden country even worse for its leaders and its people. On 28 April, a US embargo on Venezuelan oil exports will go into effect, dealing a heavy blow to the already-diminished finances of Caracas,

According to recent statistics, the US accounts for an estimated 50 percent of the oil exported from the beleaguered South American nation.

 Sputnik

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Suspect In New Zealand Mosque Shootings Officially Charged With Murder

By RFE/RL March 16, 2019

The 28-year-old Australian man suspected of carrying out mass shootings at two mosques in New Zealand has made his first court appearance, wearing handcuffs and a white prison suit as he waited to hear the charges against him.

Brenton Tarrant on March 16 flashed what many consider to be a white power gesture -- an upside-down "OK" sign -- as he entered the courtroom in the city of Christchurch.

Tarrant showed no emotion as one murder charge was read against him. The judge said "it was reasonable to assume" further murder charges would follow.

The suspect did not request bail and was ordered to be held until his next court appearance, scheduled for April 5.

New Zealand was in mourning on March 16, a day after 50 people were killed and nearly 40 more were wounded at two mosques in Christchurch in an attack that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called one of the country's "darkest days."

The gunman, believed to be a white supremacist, live-streamed the killing spree from a head-mounted camera and posted a manifesto that included anti-Muslim rants.

The man, armed with at least five guns, burst into the Masjid al-Noor mosque in central Christchurch and opened fire during midday prayers.

It is believed he fled and then drove to the Linwood Masjid mosque, shooting and killing more people.

"Those injured range from young children to the elderly. They include men, women, and children and they were among those who had been both killed and injured," Prime Minister Ardern said.

Police said the alleged shooter was arrested about 36 minutes later in a car that was carrying improvised explosive devices.

Two other people are also being detained in connection with the shootings, but details have not been released about what ties they might have to the massacres.

An imam who was leading prayers at the Linwood mosque when the gunman burst in and opened fire said on March 16 that the Muslim community's love for New Zealand was not shaken by the tragedy.

"We still love this country," Ibrahim Abdul Halim said. The imam vowed that extremists would "never, ever touch our confidence."

With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/supect-new- zealand-mosque-christchurch-appears -court/29824604.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Highlights of Premier Li's news conference

People's Daily Online

(People's Daily Online) 10:00, March 15, 2019

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met the press on Friday at the Great Hall of the People after the conclusion of the annual session of the National People's Congress, the national legislature.

Here are the highlights from the press conference:

1. On economic growth

- It is true that China's economy has encountered new downward pressure, as part of a global trend.

- Last year, people across China made a strong united effort to advance our supply-side structural reform and China achieved the GDP growth goal of 6.6 percent. The country has sent a message of stability to the market.

- We will continue to take measures to boost vitality in the market so that China will have a stronger dynamism for development.

2. On tax cuts

- In the past several years, China has worked to replace business tax with value-added tax (VAT). Three trillion yuan in business tax have been cut over the past three years, which is fairly large scale tax reduction.

- The government has determined to lunch a larger-scale round of tax reductions and fee cuts, which will be a key measure for the country to deal with download pressures on China's economy.

- This year we will make reductions in VAT and social insurance contributions, with two trillion yuan worth of reductions to all companies.

3. On Korean Peninsula issue

- The Korean Peninsula issue is a long-standing and complicated one, which cannot be resolved overnight.

- It's important to stay patient and promote dialogue, especially between the DPRK and the U.S.

- The country is committed to a denuclearized peninsula. We hope there will be peace and stability on the peninsula. It is in the regional and global interest.

4. On China-U.S. ties

- Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 40 years ago, the China-U.S. relationship has been forging ahead and it has achieved fruitful results.

- The twists and turns are changing. However, the trend of moving forward has not changed.

- Our common interests are far greater than differences. Maintaining a stable bilateral relationship is not only beneficial to both parties, but also beneficial to the world.

- China and the U.S., as the two largest economies, have become closely entwined through years of growing their relationship. It is neither realistic nor possible to decouple these economies.

5. On reform and opening up

- Through 40 years of reform and opening-up, China has made remarkable achievements, delivering benefits to all of its population.

- The government will continue to pursue market-oriented and law-based reforms to ensure that concrete outcomes will be delivered through specific actions.

- In carrying out reform, the government must create an enabling environment for the market to perform its role in resource allocation.

- In terms of the certain countries' suspicions that the Chinese government asks Chinese companies to spy on other countries, this is not consistent with Chinese law.

- This is not how China behaves, we did not do that and will not do that in future.

6. On cross-Strait ties

- China upholds the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus and opposes Taiwan independence.

- A total of 31 measures have been introduced last year to promote cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges.

7. On job markets

- Every year, we see about 15 million people entering the job market, and that growth won't slow down in the near future.

- This year, for the first time, we are elevating the status of employment-first policy to a macro policy together with the fiscal policy and monetary policy. It's projected that 11 million urban jobs will be created this year, but in actual fact, the number will go beyond 13 million.

8. On foreign investment law

- The law will offer better legal support to the protection and attraction of foreign investment, as well as regulate government behaviors.

- China will introduce a series of regulations and documents in accordance with the foreign investment law to protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors.

9. On China-Europe ties

- China and the Europe are each other's largest trading partners, there has been cooperation as well as friction in their relations.

- I hope that both sides will view this relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective and continue to show mutual respect, deepen mutual understanding, and advance cooperation in joint pursuit of sustained healthy growth of our relations.

10. On services for the elderly and infants

- The supply of nursing services for the elderly and infants in China is insufficient and cannot meet demand, and this situation deserves the highest attention.

- Innovative measures are needed to address the shortages of such services to meet public demand. Developing community-based nursing services for the elderly and infants can help as nursing facilities in communities can be more accessible to residents.

11. On China-Russia ties

- Bilateral trade exceeded $100 billion last year for the first time despite the downturn in global trade growth, which shows that there is still a great deal of untapped potential in China-Russia cooperation.

- The two countries could expand cooperation in areas like trade in commodities, cross border e-commerce, aviation and aerospace and also enhance exchanges at the sub-national level and between their peoples.

12. On medical insurance

- Outpatient drugs for chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, will be reimbursable by 50 percent through China's basic medical insurance program this year.

- When it comes to serious illness insurance scheme, we will lower the payout threshold.

13. On China-Japan-ROK free trade zone

- A comprehensive, high-standard and mutually beneficial free trade agreement among China, Japan and the Republic of Korea is in the interest of the three countries.

- Although Japan and the ROK have pretty large surpluses in their trade with China, China is still prepared to compete with them in an equal manner to bring more options to customers of the three countries.

14. On new business models

- China will continue to exercise accommodative and prudential regulations on new business models such as Internet Plus and sharing economy. What is known about new things is always far less than what is unknown, and they should be given a chance to grow.

15. On internet service

- China aims to cut the cost of internet services by another 20 percent this year, which will involve a total of about 180 billion yuan ($26.8 billion).

16. On micro and small enterprises

- China will this year lower financing costs for micro and small enterprises by one percentage point.

- Authorities will encourage financial institutions to improve management mechanisms to provide cheaper services for small, private companies.

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China rejects U.S. accusations on human rights

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 07:44, March 15, 2019

China on Thursday said that it firmly opposed a United States human rights report making unfounded accusations against China, urging the U.S. to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks when commenting on the 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the U.S. Department of State which again criticized China's human rights situation.

Just as that in the previous years, the China-related content of this year's report is full of ideological bias, disregards the facts, confuses right and wrong, and makes groundless accusations against China, Lu said.

"China firmly opposes it and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side," said Lu at a routine press briefing.

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting and promoting human rights," Lu said. "Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, in particular over the past four decades of reform and opening-up, tremendous progress has been made in China's human rights cause."

"The Chinese people have the most say and our achievements are obvious to all," Lu said, adding China will continue to forge ahead on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and achieve new development along the way.

He urged the U.S. to take off its tainted glasses, abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, view China's human rights situation in an objective and fair manner, and stop using this issue to interfere in China's internal affairs.

Lu said the U.S. should reflect on its own human rights situation and deal with its own issues first.

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PLA, armed police urged to study spirit of NPC session

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/3/16 11:19:06

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) and armed police force have been urged to study the spirit of the second session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) and the spirit of the remarks made by President Xi Jinping during the session.

This is an important political task for the whole military, said a circular released Friday by the General Office of the Central Military Commission.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed fulfilling the set targets and tasks of national defense and military development as scheduled, in the remarks he made while attending a plenary meeting of the PLA and armed police force delegation.

The circular called on the PLA and armed police force to have a clear understanding of new circumstances, new tasks and new demands in strengthening national defense and the armed forces, and intensify the sense of mission to achieve new progress in making the military strong.

The circular stressed studying the spirit of Xi's remarks, and urged the PLA and armed police force to clearly understand the importance and urgency of implementing the 13th Five-Year Plan for military development, and go all out to carry out the plan so as to ensure that the set targets and tasks are fulfilled as scheduled.

The PLA and armed police force should have a deep understanding of the severe situation facing China's security and development, improve military preparedness, actively support local economic and social development as well as ecological conservation and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, the circular stressed.

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DPRK Attempting to 'Pressure the US Back to Negotiations' With Latest Threats

Sputnik News

03:55 16.03.2019(updated 03:57 16.03.2019)

Simone Chun, a fellow at the Korea Policy Institute, told Radio Sputnik on Friday that North Korea's threat to suspend denuclearization talks with the US may be a response to unsuccessful talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

On Friday, North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told reporters that Kim was disappointed that a deal was not made with Trump in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in late February.

The long-anticipated summit proved futile when the US refused to lift all economic sanctions against the country in exchange for North Korea giving up all of its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

"They wanted to denuke certain areas and I wanted everything I did not want to give up the sanctions unless we had a real program," Trump told Fox News last month when asked about points of contention in his talks with Kim.

"We have no intention to yield to the US demands in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind," Choe told reporters Friday.

In addition, Choe added that Kim would make an official announcement regarding his position on weapons testing in the near future, and that his relationship with the US president is "still good, and the chemistry is mysteriously wonderful," Vox reported.

"I think what North Korea is trying to do is pressure and respond to [US Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo and US National Security Adviser John Bolton, who made a radical shift to a hardline position. North Korea never really succumbs to threats, and I'm surprised it's taken them a while to respond to the hardline position," Chun, who is also a member of the Korean Peace Network, told Radio Sputnik's Loud and Clear hosts John Kiriakou and Brian Becker.

"What I think is happening, is North Korea is trying to pressure the US back to negotiations. On the other hand, North Korea has been known for [responding to] action [with] action. It may resume testing, which will then be unfortunate and also raise the stakes very high. But I think the bottom line here is that North Korea is responding to the hardline position and is still trying to [get] the diplomacy back," Chun added.

On Friday, Choe also noted that Bolton and Pompeo "created the atmosphere of hostility and mistrust, and, therefore, obstructed the constructive effort for negotiations between the supreme leaders of North Korea and the United States," reported the Observer.

"I want to make it clear that the gangster-like stand of the US will eventually put the situation in danger," AP quoted Choe as saying.

"I think Bolton has [the] obligation to advise [the US] president and also [to protect] the interest of the US. It seems like he's not even reading US intelligence community reports. They [US intelligence], a long time ago, concluded that North Korea will never [denuclearize] without commensurate or immediate concession in return. I think that is a pretty accurate assessment. Bolton, as the [US] national security adviser, should read [the US'] own intelligence report and advise the president accordingly," Chun told Sputnik.

"With regard to South Korea's position, South Korea is at the moment in a very difficult position," Chun noted.

Following denuclearization talks in February, South Korean President Moon Jae In's approval ratings dropped, according to a Realmeter survey released Thursday.

The poll, which surveyed about 1,500 adult South Koreans between Monday and Wednesday, found that the South Korean president's approval fell to 45 percent, the lowest it has been since he took office in May 2017.

In 2018, Moon's approval ratings shot to over 70 percent following his historic meeting with Kim, the first of three inter-Korean summits. South Koreans expressed optimism at the prospect of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which has been divided into two countries with drastically different economic and political systems since 1948, Sputnik previously reported.

"That is, South Korea wants the US to give more flexibility to President Moon, specifically President Moon's vision, plan, for greater inter-Korean economic exchange and cooperation. In return, South Korea says that if the US is not willing to provide lifting of economic sanctions, the US should support South Korea's role in inter-Korean economic exchange and cooperation. So, South Korea is in a difficult position. I think there are still many analysts in Korea that believe that [there should be a summit between] South Korea, North Korea and the US," Chun continued, also adding that denuclearization will take "enormous cooperation."

Earlier this month, the South Korean National Intelligence Service reported that Pyongyang may be partially restoring its Dongchang-ri missile launch site, which it started demolishing last year. In addition, several US think tanks and South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that satellite pictures revealed that the Sohae Satellite Launching Station at Tongchang-ri, which Kim also pledged to dismantle at the summit with Trump in Singapore last year, is also being restored

 Sputnik

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Complete discontinuance of war games needed

Pyongyang Times

Date: 17/03/2019 | Source: Pyongyang Times

Though the US and south Korea talk about the "end" of joint military exercises under strong public opposition at home and abroad, they have recently staged a war drill under the codename "alliance", which is similar to the previous ones in terms of content and purpose.

On March 3, they made public the end of Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises and the enforcement of new war game with the new codename. Accordingly, the Key Resolve joint military exercise, a combined command post drill, has changed its codename as "alliance" and was staged between March 3 and 12, and the Foal Eagle joint military drill will be conducted frequently throughout the year without any codename in the form of small-scale field manoeuvres below the battalion level.

The recent joint military drill was aimed to enhance the capacity for conducting war by examining the wartime operations plan simulating the "north's all-out invasion of the south" through a computer simulation test.

Involved there were south Korea's defence ministry, joint chiefs of staff, operation headquarters of three services and a combined unit under the direct control of the defence ministry, and some members of the south Korea-US Combined Forces Command, the US Command in south Korea and the general headquarters of the US forces in the India-Pacific region from the US side.

The US and south Korea advertise that the drill aims to back up the diplomatic efforts for easing tension on the Korean peninsula and achieve complete denuclearization, as they describe it as "defensive one" for consolidating the alliance between them and defending regional stability and assert that they have drastically reduced the number of participating troops and period as compared to the Key Resolve.

They can never cover up the aggressive and confrontational nature of the war game no matter how cunningly they play a trick, while reducing its scale and period.

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Iran exports from South Pars gas fields growing despite US bans

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 16, IRNA -- Iran's export of gas condensate from South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf region has witnessed 15 percent increase in January and February 2019 compared with similar period last year, a senior Iranian official in economic affairs said on Saturday.

Despite the US sanctions and restrictions, Iran's South Pars Gas Field which is the world's largest gas field has been experiencing growth in its exports, said Ahmad Pourheidar, Director General of the customs department of Pars Special Economic Zone.

Pourheidar said the export of gas condensate from South Pars has valued at 553.6 million dollars in Jan-Feb 2018, while the figure reached 745.1 during the same period in 2019 showing 15 percent increase.

The South Pars products are mainly being exported to United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Poland and Norway, the official said.

South Pars, known as North Dome in Qatar, is the world's largest gas field with an area of 9,700 square kilometers which is shared between Iran and the Persian Gulf Arab state.

US President Donald Trump pulled out Washington from the Iran Deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May, 2018, calling it the worst deal ever reached.

Despite the world criticism over US unilateralism and anti-Iran measures, Trump re-imposed anti-Iran sanctions in November, 2018.

1483**2044

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Iranian mechanism of INSTEX to be registered soon

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sat / 16 March 2019 / 14:31

Tehran (ISNA)  Special Trade and Financial Instrument (STFI) designed as Iran's mechanism for Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) is due to be registered soon in Tehran, Governor of Iran's Central Bank, Abdolnaser Hemmati announced.

Governor of Iran's Central Bank stressed that registration of the Iranian financial instrument doesn't mean that Iran will wait for operationalization of Europe's mechanism. "We will pursue our strategy for financial supplement and trade in the condition of sanctions by special methods, especially through working with our neighboring countries and trade partners".

The announcement comes after a visit to Iran by INSTEX president Per Fischer to work out details of the payment channel. "Through talks that my colleagues held with representatives of Germany, France and UK (the three European countries that have set up INSTEX with Iran) and the INSTEX director at the Central Bank of Iran, complete explanation about the Iranian mechanism similar to the European version of the mechanism was given and we are waiting for practical steps from Europe," Hemmati added.

End Item

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Iran to unveil 112 new nuclear achievements in April: AEOI

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 06:11PM

The spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says the Islamic Republic will unveil 112 new nuclear achievements in April.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Saturday, Behrouz Kamalvandi described the achievements as "very important," saying they would cover various fields, including exploration, extraction, fuel cycle, power plants, science and technology as well as laser.

The achievements would be unveiled on Iran's National Nuclear Technology Day on April 9, he said.

"The unveiling of these achievements under the country's current circumstances will convey this message to enemies that the Iranian nation has resisted economic sanctions and has turned threats into opportunities," the official said.

After its failure in military war, the US waged a full "economic war" against Iran and currently resorts to sanctions to exert pressure on Tehran, the AEOI spokesman emphasized.

"In this war, the US puts pressure on all of its allies and non-allies to stop their economic relations with Iran; however, the Iranian nation will strongly pass this phase as well," Kamalvandi pointed out.

He noted that Iran should make utmost use of its capabilities to counter the economic war and neutralize their pressure.

US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington in May last year from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015, and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Under the deal, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

Trump's administration announced re-imposition of the "toughest" sanctions ever against Iran's banking and energy sectors with the aim of cutting off the country's oil sales and crucial exports.

Despite Washington's withdrawal, Iran has not left the deal yet, but stressed that the remaining signatories to the agreement have to work to offset the negative impacts of the US pullout for Iran if they want Tehran to remain in it.

This comes as earlier this month the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) once again reaffirmed Iran's compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA.

"Iran is implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," Yukiya Amano said in his introductory statement to the IAEA's Board of Governors in Vienna on March 4.

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The Week In Russia: Blue Balloons, Blood Feuds, And A Trial In Chechnya

By Steve Gutterman March 15, 2019

The Kremlin shrugs at the top Chechen legislator's "blood feud" threat against a blogger, while a top human rights activist in Chechnya faces a verdict in a drug-possession trial denounced as a "tragic farce." There was a touch of farce in Moscow, too, where activists said police classified blue balloons held by protesters at a 15,000-strong rally for Internet freedom as "pilotless flying vehicles" and detained the demonstrators handing them out.

Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward.

Be Afraid

When Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked about the Chechen parliament speaker's declaration of a "blood feud" targeting a dissident blogger who is in hiding in Poland, his response was telling: He said there is no such thing as a blood feud in Russian law.

Well, exactly.

Magomed Daudov's threat, and the nonresponse from President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, underscore Chechnya's status as an anomaly in a country often portrayed as being buttoned under Putin's tight control.

Since 2007, when Putin installed Ramzan Kadyrov at age 30, he has run the region in the North Caucasus as his own and played largely by his own rules -- both inside Chechnya and sometimes beyond its borders.

Kadyrov and his allies sometimes call those rules Islamic law, as Daudov did during the March 12 Instagram Live broadcast in which he delivered what its recipient, the blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov, called a "veiled threat" that "we will find you and kill you, punish you, kill you."

After Abdurakhmanov called Kadyrov a traitor, Daudov declared the blogger "an enemy to me and my brothers." While he said he would not kill Abdurakhmanov, he added: "From now on, when you go to bed, make sure that you lock the door with a key. When you go outside, be vigilant. If you get a kick in the back, know that it's no accident."

One might think that such a warning, coming from the top lawmaker in one of the 83 regions of the Russian Federation, is the kind of thing that might embarrass Putin, who as president is the guarantor of the Russian Constitution. He would never admit being embarrassed about it, though -- as Peskov's noncomment comment made clear -- so it's hard to know and does not really matter.

A Killing Near The Kremlin

But in some ways, it seems like quite the opposite: that the Kremlin uses Chechnya's unofficial special status -- its reputation, steeped in centuries of conflict with the Russian state and furthered by the late author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, as a wild place whose people will not knuckle under to authority -- to distance itself from such incidents while doing little or nothing to stop them.

For instance, take the killing of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead on a bridge near the Kremlin on February 27, 2015.

In 2017, five men from Chechnya were sentenced to prison for his murder, but relatives and government critics have voiced suspicion that the culprits will never face justice because an honest investigation could lead too close to Kadyrov or to Putin.

After the killing, Kadyrov deflected attention away from himself -- and from Moscow, the Kremlin, and Putin -- with an Instagram post in which he portrayed the Chechen convicted as the triggerman, Zaur Dadayev, as a pious Muslim who was incensed at the controversial depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The implication being, of course, that the killing was a personal thing, a matter of faith and fiery convictions, and that there was no need to look for a mastermind in Moscow or anywhere else.

Another case that Russian authorities seem to have done their best to keep from bleeding across Chechnya's borders is the trial of human rights activist Oyub Titiyev, the head of the Moscow-based group Memorial's office in Grozny, the Chechen capital, on a marijuana-possession charge he and supporters contend was fabricated.

The case was quite literally kept in Chechnya at the start of last July, in fact: The defense sought to move the trial to Moscow or elsewhere, arguing that he had no chance of acquittal in his home region whose head, Kadyrov, called him a drug addict and a traitor working for an "enemy" organization.

'The Absurdity'

The top court in Chechnya rejected that plea, and Titiyev faces a verdict on March 18, with prosecutors calling for a four-year prison sentence for the 61-year-old father of four.

The overall strategy here is familiar from trials across Russia in the past 20 years: A Kremlin critic, an opposition activist, a business rival is accused of a crime -- often one not directly related to what is widely suspected to be the authorities' real motive for targeting him -- and is put on trial. And convicted.

The prosecution's case in Tityev's trial in some ways resembles others in its core simplicity: a bag of marijuana was found under a floor mat in his car, the state claims; in the case of former Russian Economic Development Minister Aleksei Ulyukayev  now serving an eight-year prison term -- a bag holding $2 million in bribe money was allegedly found in the trunk of his car. l

There are details that set this one apart from some others, though. In his final statement in court before the trial wrapped up on March 7, Titiyev said he was certain he will be convicted and added, "You don't need a law degree to see the absurdity of this case." Rachel Denber, the deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, called it a "tragic farce."

Those details include: Security cameras out of order during a crucial four-hour period on the day Titiyev was arrested; a scrap of human hair -- the only piece of forensic evidence -- stuck to a piece of tape on the bag of marijuana; and a trip back to the scene of the alleged crime to round up witnesses who had not been there at the time, according to the defense.

A key prosecution witness testified that "a man next to him in a taxi van was reading an article about someone who had just been arrested for marijuana possession," Denber wrote. "The witness said he recognized the man in the photo -- Titiyev -- as the man he had seen smoking a joint in the street two months earlier."

'Drones' Detained

There was a strong sense of farce, though perhaps less tragic, at a demonstration against so-called "sovereign Internet" legislation that critics fear is part of an attempt by the state to strengthen control over online discourse and stifle dissent.

Activists said that police classified the blue balloons some were holding as "pilotless flying vehicles" and detained the demonstrators handing them out -- also trying to bundle the balloons into buses.

Several bunches of balloons escaped and sailed up into the sky, but others ended up bumping against the ceiling of a police precinct house, above the heads of detained demonstrators.

The arrest of the balloons added a touch of humor to a serious situation: More than 15,000 packed a street named after Soviet dissident physicist Andrei Sakharov for the rally, making it one of the biggest protests in years.

One demonstrator, lawyer Daniil Lipin, even registered his balloon with the relevant authorities as a pilotless flying vehicle in a wry comment on the situation, according to a Facebook post.

Advocates of the "sovereign Internet" legislation have cast it as a measure of protection against the United States and its allies, saying they want to ensure the Russian segment of the web can continue to operate in the event of an attempt by forces abroad to cut the country off.

Critics -- including lawmakers from parties other than the ruling United Russia in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, which gave the bill preliminary approval in February -- contend that its real aim is to give the government the sweeping powers to censor online content and muzzle free speech.

What A Laugh

Other pieces of legislation that are causing concern about the Kremlin's intentions include a pair of bills -- now on Putin's desk after breezing through the Duma and upper house, the Federation Council -- that would enable the authorities to block websites and mete out punishment for "fake news" and material deemed insulting to "society," the state, or state authorities.

Putin's own Presidential Council on the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights -- an advisory body whose advice often goes unheeded -- had urged the upper house to send the bills back, issuing a somber statement warning that they would groundlessly curb the freedom of expression.

Upper-house lawmakers ignored the human rights council, passing both bills by overwhelming margins on March 13. And if the Kremlin human rights council found little to laugh about in the legislation, that was not so for Federation Council chief Valentina Matviyenko.

A YouTube video shows Matviyenko recounting, with a stumbling delivery and a few false starts, what she says is a meme making the rounds among the "very talented, very smart, very creative" Russian people: "Criticize those in power and you violate the law against insulting the authorities, praise them and you violate the 'fake news' law."

Matviyenko and several others present at the meeting of cultural officials then break out in laughter, apparently finding it funny.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia- deripaska-suit-us-treasury-sanctions -rusal/29824571.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US, Canada, EU announce new sanctions against Russia

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 07:21AM

The US, the EU and Canada have imposed fresh sanctions against Moscow in a coordinated move as people in Crimea celebrated the fifth anniversary of reintegration to Russia following a referendum.

"The United States and our transatlantic partners will not allow Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine to go unchecked," US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Friday.

Mnuchin announced new measures that targeted more than a dozen Russian officials and businesses.

The measures freeze all properties and interests belonging to the designated individuals and entities. They also prohibit US persons from transacting with the sanctioned individuals and firms.

Tensions escalated between Moscow and Kiev in November after Russia seized three Ukrainian navy ships in the Kerch Strait, according to Kremlin. The Russian navy also detained 24 Ukrainian crew members in the incident.

"We call upon Russia to immediately return to Ukraine the seized vessels and detained crewmembers, and keep the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov open to ships transiting to and from Ukrainian ports," said US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino.

Canada hailed the anti-Russian move, saying that Ottawa was taking similar measures against Moscow "in response to Russia's aggressive actions in the Black Sea and Kerch Strait and Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea."

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada had placed 114 Russia individuals and 15 entities on the sanctions list.

The EU also slapped sanctions on eight more Russians over the same allegations. This increases the bloc's blacklist of Russians sanctioned over the conflict in Ukraine to 170 persons and 44 entities.

Relations between Moscow and the rest of Europe have deteriorated since 2014, when Crimea rejoined Russia following a referendum where more than 90 percent of participants voted in favor of the move. The West brands the reunification as annexation of Ukrainian land by Russia.

In siding with Ukraine, the European Union has followed Washington's lead in leveling several rounds of sanctions against the Moscow.

Russia vows retaliation

Russia said on Saturday it will not leave "this unfriendly action" by the European Union unanswered.

"The EU's claim that Russia 'broke international law' and used unjustified force does not correspond with reality at all," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The excuse for placing our fellow countrymen on the European Union's illegitimate sanctions lists amazes with its hypocrisy and cynicism," it added.

Crimea marks 5th anniversary of reunification

On Friday, thousands of people were celebrating the fifth anniversary of Crimea's reunification with Russia in the capital city of Simferopol.

Organizers of the rally said people will be celebrating "Crimea's reunification with Russia" and "the Crimean spring" during a four-day-long series of events until Monday.

According to local officials, some 7000 people were out in the streets, holding Russian and Crimean flags. "Crimea will forever be Russian," people were chanting.

"Five years have passed and the situation has stabilized, people are now adapting to their new environment and its new laws and political culture," a university student told the Moscow Times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was also scheduled to participate in the celebrations, the Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

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Exclusive: Washington Autopsy Files Reveal Lesin Sustained Broken Bone In Neck

By Mike Eckel, Carl Schreck March 16, 2019

WASHINGTON -- Mikhail Lesin, the former Russian press minister who turned up dead in a Washington hotel room in 2015, sustained a fracture to a neck bone just below the jaw line "at or near the time" of his death, according to documents released by the city's medical examiner that provide new details about his final days.

The finding does not provide clear-cut evidence of foul play in Lesin's death; another statement in the documents suggests the bone could have been damaged "after death" -- possibly during the autopsy.

That detail, however, and others contained in the 149-page file released exclusively to RFE/RL offer the most precise scientific description to date about Lesin's death, which officials ruled accidental and said was caused by blunt-force injuries amid excessive alcohol consumption.

Once a powerful media adviser to President Vladimir Putin, Lesin fell out of favor with the Kremlin elite sometime around 2012 and had lowered his public profile before he was discovered dead in the Dupont Circle Hotel, located a few blocks from the White House, on November 5, 2015.

The files were released by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, filed nearly two years ago by RFE/RL. Washington Judge Hiram Puig-Lugo last month ordered the city to turn over the files.

Among the new details revealed by the documents:

 Lesin's hyoid -- a bone located about midway between the larynx and the jaw bone -- was completely fractured;

 The FBI considered possibly taking over the case in early 2016. It wasn't clear whether the agency formally did so, though earlier files released by the agency show its agents were involved in questioning witnesses and examining video recordings from hotel cameras;

 Lesin's son, Anton, who lives in Beverly Hills, California, told investigators he did not know why his father was in the U.S. capital, and also reported that Lesin regularly had serious bouts of drinking while on business trips;

 The day after the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner released an initial report, one of its officials was summoned to appear before a criminal grand jury looking into Lesin's death;

 In a report filed the day of Lesin's death, a forensic investigator with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner wrote that a detective had called and said a "friend" of the former Russian official had contacted him and "inquired about the decedent's location."

Despite the official conclusion that his death was "accidental," Lesin's links with Russia's ruling elite, the bizarre circumstances of his demise, and a string of strange deaths of Russians across the globe have fueled persistent speculation that he may have been killed.

Blunt-Force Trauma

On March 10, 2016, four months after Lesin's death, an initial report by the medical examiner's office declared Lesin died of blunt-force trauma to the head, neck, torso, upper and lower extremities, but said the manner of death was "undetermined."

The day after that announcement, according to the newly obtained files, an official from the medical examiner's office was subpoenaed to appear before a criminal grand jury investigating Lesin's death.

A final report, released in October 2016 by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Washington and Metropolitan Police Department, called his death accidental, caused or contributed to by blunt-force injuries to the head, neck, torso, and upper and lower extremities "which were induced by falls." Acute ethanol intoxication was cited as a factor.

The autopsy records obtained by RFE/RL show the extent of the cuts and bruising over his head, neck, upper torso, and lower torso, but do not say how the injuries occurred.

In a supplemental report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner dated April 1, 2016, an official recounted a conversation with an unidentified individual who had called to ask questions about the forensic anthropology report -- focusing on skeletal analysis -- in the Lesin case.

The caller, whose name and title was redacted in the document, asked "if the injury could have occurred with a fall," the official wrote.

"I explained that the position of the hyoid is protected by the mandible and that fractures are commonly associated with hanging or manual strangulation. I also said that I could not exclude a significant fall as a cause for the fracture, but I would expect soft-tissue injury to be associated with the impact," the official, whose name was also redacted, wrote.

The official also explained that an "autopsy artifact" -- or a change introduced into a corpse that can lead to forensic misinterpretation -- "must be considered as a possible cause of the fracture," according to the report.

The autopsy record said the fracture in the hyoid bone was a "complete transverse fracture." It also said that cartilage from the nearby thyroid was "atraumatic."

"The fracture margins are sharp and there is no gross evidence of healing indicating the trauma occurred at or near the time of death," it said.

According to a 2015 article published by the National Institute for Health, "fractures of hyoid bone resulting from trauma other than strangulation are very rare; hyoid bone fracture associated with panfacial trauma are even rarer."

Room And Board

The medical examiner's official report released in October 2016 was met with deep suspicion by business acquaintances and others familiar with the once-powerful, wealthy Kremlin insider who was instrumental in Russia's crackdown on independent TV and in the creation of the international broadcaster RT.

One person who had direct access to the hotel room where Lesin was found told RFE/RL in 2016 that it was physically impossible for him to have died alone in the room. Photographs released by police showed bottles of beer and liquor, stacks of dollar bills, and crumpled clothing on the floor. Associates of Lesin have argued that the Dupont Circle Hotel did not match his known tastes for expensive goods and lodging.

Prior to the Dupont Circle Hotel, Lesin had spent time at the more upscale Four Seasons Hotel in another part of Washington. According to the D.C. police report, officials at the Four Seasons had called the U.S. Secret Service on November 3 when Lesin appeared to be heavily intoxicated, and the Secret Service advised that a guard be posted at his door to prevent him from leaving. He checked into the Dupont Circle Hotel a day later.

According to the records, the Secret Service was already in the hotel, working to guard an unnamed official staying there.

Lesin drank most of the alcohol in the hotel room minibar, according to the new files, and on at least one occasion, was found wandering the hallway wearing only his underpants and a shirt.

A 'Friend' Was Looking For Lesin

In the newly released files, one document dated November 5, 2015, shows a forensic investigator with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who wrote that a detective had called and said a "friend" of Lesin had called him and "inquired about the decedent's location."

"Caller advised the decedent was last known alive Tuesday [November 3, 2015] in the afternoon leaving the Four Seasons hotel," the forensic investigator wrote.

There is no indication who the friend was.

Russia Today

Much of Lesin's vast wealth came from a private company he set up in the 1990s to sell television advertising on Russia's exploding TV-advertising market. That company, called Video International (VI), was later acquired by Yury Kovalchuk, the main shareholder of Bank Rossia, which has been closely linked to the Kremlin.

Lesin played a major role in the 1996 election campaign of Boris Yeltsin, and served as his main spokesman in the latter part of Yeltsin's tenure, including during Yeltsin's abrupt decision to resign, announced on December 31, 1999, and the appointment of Putin to be his successor.

As Putin's press minister in the early 2000s, Lesin was instrumental in bringing the country's national TV channels under Kremlin control, primarily NTV, a channel known at the time for its hard-hitting journalism. He went on to set up Russia Today, the global Kremlin mouthpiece known today as RT.

He lost favor with the Kremlin for unknown reasons sometime between 2012 and 2014, and he largely fell out of the public eye.

In 2014, a year before his death, Lesin had drawn the attention of the U.S. Senate, where one lawmaker had called on the FBI to investigate him for possible money laundering.

Lesin owned mansions in Beverly Hills, California, where his children and estranged wife live, and owned a yacht valued at $40 million. Months before his death, Russian media alleged that he was engaged to a Russian model much younger than him, and that she was pregnant with their child.

RFE/RL has been unable to confirm the whereabouts of the woman, identified as Viktoria Rakhimbayeva.

Lesin was not known to be a regular visitor to Washington. But shortly after his death, it emerged that one of his reasons for being in the U.S. capital was to attend a scheduled gala fundraiser at the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute on November 3, two days before his body was found.

One of the philanthropists being honored that night was the influential Russian banker Pyotr Aven. Lesin never attended the event.

Aven also attended a private event at the Atlantic Council, another Washington think tank, on November 4. According to a person with knowledge of that event, Lesin had sought to attend as well, but the organizers declined to include him.

When law enforcement agents interviewed Lesin's son, Anton, sometime during the investigation, he said he did not know why his father had traveled to Washington, D.C., according to the newly released files.

One person in contact with federal law enforcement officials told RFE/RL that Lesin had been in contact with the Justice Department in the months leading up to his death. In March 2018, the website BuzzFeed quoted unnamed sources as saying that former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele had given the FBI a report stating that Lesin was bludgeoned to death by enforcers working for an oligarch close to Putin. The identity of the oligarch was not revealed in the BuzzFeed report.

Steele later became famous because of a series of memos detailing President Donald Trump's alleged connections to Russia. Known as the Steele Dossier, the memos were circulated among Washington reporters in late 2016, and published in full by BuzzFeed in January 2017.

In their December 2017 report, D.C. police said that Lesin had been drinking heavily in the days prior to his death. A month later, the FBI released a 56-page file on its investigation, including the work by forensic experts into the closed-circuit video footage of the Dupont Circle Hotel.

The FBI files also included 29 pages from a report by the city medical examiner's office that were the basis of the official reason given by the city for his death. However, the pages were redacted almost entirely.

Russian officials have said little publicly about Lesin's death, aside from indicating early on that they expected U.S. law enforcement to provide full details.

Since his death, some of Lesin's assets have been gradually sold off. His yacht was sold in Florida in 2016.

In 2017, his two Beverly Hills mansions were listed for sale, at $23 million and $29 million. It isn't immediately clear if the homes have been sold yet.

Mike Eckel reported from Washington, D.C., Carl Schreck reported from Prague.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lesin -autopsy-record/29824566.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russia Vows To Respond To Fresh EU Sanctions

By RFE/RL March 16, 2019

The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced Moscow will respond to fresh sanction action by the European Union.

The EU, along with the United States and Canada, on March 15 imposed new sanctions to punish Russia for its 2018 attack on three Ukrainian naval vessels as well as its annexation of Crimea and its support for separatists and other actions in eastern Ukraine.

"The decision of the Council of the European Union shows disrespect for the Russian Federation's right to ensure protection of its state border," the Russian Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying by Interfax on March 16.

Russia captured the three Ukrainian naval ships and their 24 crew members in November 2018 near the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

Moscow alleged that the vessels had illegally entered Russian territorial waters near Crimea, which Russia occupied and annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Ukraine and most UN member states do not recognize the annexation. The 24 Ukrainian sailors are still being held by Moscow.

The EU action announced on March 15 targeted eight Russian officers for their involvement in the November incident.

The EU sanctions list now includes 170 individuals and 44 entities.

Washington also cited the Russian seizure of the Ukrainian vessels and crew in announcing its new sanctions.

"Today's action targets individuals and entities playing a role in Russia's unjustified attacks on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Kerch Strait, the purported annexation of Crimea, and backing of illegitimate separatist government elections in eastern Ukraine," the U.S. Treasury said in a March 15 statement.

Six officials were targeted, along with six Russian defense companies, and two Russian energy and construction firms operating in Crimea.

The six defense firms operating in Crimea were targeted for misappropriating Ukrainian state assets to provide services to the Russian military during the 2014 annexation, it said.

Four of the six Russian officials targeted by the measure were involved in the attack near the Kerch Strait attack in November off the coast of Crimea, the Treasury said.

"The United States and our transatlantic partners will not allow Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine to go unchecked," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"This joint initiative with our partners in the European Union and Canada reinforces our shared commitment to impose targeted and meaningful sanctions in response to the Kremlin's attempts to disregard international norms and undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

Some 13,000 people have been killed, a quarter of them civilians, and as many as 30,000 wounded in the war in eastern Ukraine since it broke out in April 2014, according to UN data.

With reporting by Interfax and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-vows-to-respond- to-fresh-eu-sanctions/29824975.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russia's Deripaska Files Suit Against U.S. Sanctions, Claims Loss Of $7.5 Billion

By RFE/RL March 16, 2019

Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska has filed a lawsuit in a Washington court against the U.S. Treasury Department, alleging the sanctions against him are illegal and claiming they have cost him $7.5 billion.

Deripaska, a powerful tycoon with close ties to the Kremlin, names the Treasury, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Andrea Gacki, who leads the Treasury's sanctions unit, in his suit filed on March 15.

Deripaska claims he has been unfairly swept up in a "general hysteria" because of unfounded allegations spread by members of U.S. Congress and others amid Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the presidential campaign of Donald Trump.

A Treasury spokesman declined to comment and referred news agencies to the Justice Department, which also declined to comment.

The Treasury in April 2018 imposed sanctions on three companies linked to Deripaska -- Russian aluminum giant Rusal, its parent company En+, and power firm EuroSibEnergo.

The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) alleged that Deripaska and other Russian oligarchs were profiting off their links to Russian President Vladimir Putin and from Moscow's "malign activity" around the globe.

But, given Rusal's size and importance, the sanctions roiled global metals markets, unnerving businesses in the United States and Europe.

The U.S. administration later reached a deal with the three Russian firms to end Deripaska's control in return for a lifting of sanctions, forcing the oligarch to divest much of his holdings.

News reports have since documented how Deripaska's divestments may end up benefiting family members, other oligarchs, and a state-controlled Russian bank.

In his suit, Deripaska claimed the sanctions made him an industry outcast, avoided by business partners and banks, and led to the reduction of his net worth by four-fifths.

"The effect of these unlawful actions has been the wholesale devastation of Deripaska's wealth, reputation, and economic livelihood," his attorney,

Erich Ferrari, wrote in the 28-page lawsuit.

Michael Dobson, a former senior OFAC official who dealt with Russia sanctions before leaving the agency, called the suit an "annoyance claim" that was unlikely to be successful.

"Ultimately I don't really think this case is going to go far," Dobson, who is now with the Morrison & Foerster law firm, told the AFP news agency.

With reporting by AFP and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia- deripaska-suit-us-treasury-sanctions -rusal/29824571.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russia Has No Plans to Deploy Missiles in European Part of Country - MFA

Sputnik News

12:03 16.03.2019(updated 12:27 16.03.2019)

Earlier in the week, General Ben Hodges, former commander of United States Army Europe (USAREUR), suggested that after leaving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), the US would increase the potential of its missile defence system in Europe without focusing on deploying its cruise missiles to the continent.

Moscow is ready to take necessary reciprocal measures to ensure balance in the sphere related to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, but it will not deploy missiles in the European part of Russia as long as the United States does not deploy its facilities in Europe, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.

"We will take all the necessary reciprocal and symmetrical measures in order to ensure balance in the INF sphere. However, we do not plan to deploy our missiles, including in the European part of the country, as long as there are no US facilities of this kind in Europe," Grushko said in an interview with Russian journal International Affairs.

He called on Europeans to prevent Washington from deploying its missiles in Europe, warning them against the possibility of United States' absolute military and geopolitical reign.

On February 2, the United States formally suspended its obligations under the INF Treaty and launched a six-months withdrawal process. Washington has said it would terminate this procedure if Russia remedied its alleged violations of the bilateral arms control deal.

Russia has repeatedly insisted that it is not violating the INF Treaty and accused the United States of breaching the agreement. Russia has suspended its obligations under the treaty in response to the US move.

 Sputnik

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Disabled Victims Are Syrian War's Most Vulnerable

By Nisan Ahmado March 15, 2019

Sham al-Akhras, 10, has only known war since the Syrian civil war started in March 2011, when she was an infant. If the brutal conflict is physically and emotionally distressing for regular Syrians, it is all the more so for al-Akhras, who has to live with her disability under the harsh conditions of a refugee camp in northern Syria's Idlib.

Al-Akhras is unable to speak and can barely walk. Her father, Maher, told VOA that lack of access to medical facilities in Idlib's war zone has prevented him from even diagnosing her condition, let alone getting proper treatment.

But despite the great barriers, al-Akhras has turned into a strong little girl, determined to fully live her childhood moments of carefree play and uncontrollable giggles.

"She is an independent and a brave little soul," Maher said. "Sham does not allow us to help her in her daily life, like helping her stand up, put on her clothes or eat. She likes to do things by herself."

Al-Akhras and her parents were displaced from Aleppo when the war escalated between the Syrian regime and rebels in 2012. They are settled in a refugee camp in Harem town near the Turkish border, where al-Akhras is enrolled in the first grade at the camp school.

Despite a lack of special accommodations for her at the school building, she insists on going there to learn the Arabic alphabet and work on coloring, shapes and other educational activities.

"The displacement was harsh on Sham. We left Aleppo because of the violence that took over our city. We lost our house in an airstrike by the regime. We are facing financial hardships; and adding to all this is the absence of professional medical aid and treatment because of the war that has made it harder for us to find good care for our daughter," al-Akhras' father said.

With no real end in sight to the war in Syria, al-Akhras is only one among thousands of disabled Syrians who have to carry the heavy burden of the conflict, according to rights organizations and experts following the plight of disabled Syrians.

Stigma and exclusion

Fayez Orabi, a Syrian doctor operating from Turkey, told VOA that many disabled Syrians also are suffering from stigma and exclusion within their communities, in addition to the effects of the war. He said neglect and lack of psychological help most likely would leave permanent psychological scars, especially on those who became impaired by the war.

"People who were disabled by the war suddenly find themselves unable to interact with their communities and can't earn a living for their families. This adds a sense of guilt and shame in them because they have lost their abilities to be active like they used to be," Orabi said.

Orabi said that disabled Syrians, facing an overwhelmingly unfavorable attitude, have almost no chance of getting into the work force to become productive members in their communities and breadwinners for their families.

"When a family member is disabled, especially when this person is the main provider to the family, the entire family is affected. Providing people with disabilities with an opportunity to be productive will support the entire family," Orabi said.

Millions displaced

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the British-based war monitor, the Syrian civil war has cost the country about 560,000 lives with millions of people displaced.

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said Monday that about 1.5 million people in Syria are now living with permanent impairments because of the conflict, including 86,000 people who have lost limbs. It estimated 3.3 million Syrian children are exposed to risks from explosive hazards such as land mines.

The agency said children with disabilities were particularly exposed to the devastation of war, and it asked aid organizations to help provide access to aids like wheelchairs, canes and prosthetics.

"In conflict, children with disabilities are among the most vulnerable," said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF's Middle East and North Africa regional director. "They often require specialized treatment and services. As children, their needs differ from those of adults. Without access to services, schools and assistive products like wheelchairs, many children with disabilities face a very real risk of exclusion, neglect and stigmatization as the unrelenting conflict continues."

Local activists in many areas have introduced initiatives to support people with disabilities by providing them with medical treatment and reintegrating them into the society. They say international aid is helpful but not enough  and a change of attitude is needed in the society to address the problem.

Hassan Hamzeh, an activist working for the rights of persons with disabilities in Idlib, said effective assistance should ensure that disabled Syrians are empowered to serve as active citizens without feeling shame because of their conditions.

Hamzeh worked with other local activists to start a school for children with disabilities in Idlib, though he notes their initiative has remained local and limited because of the lack of money and support.

"Helping people with disabilities to be self-sufficient and independent in life will pave the way for them to be active members in the Syrian society that needs every contribution to rebuild the country," Hamzeh said.

VOA Extremism Watch Desk's Sirwan Kajjo and VOA Turkish, Urdu and Kurdish services contributed to this report.

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Fresh US-led airstrikes kill many civilians in Syria's Dayr al-Zawr

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 16, 2019 05:50PM

A large number of civilians, mostly women and children, have been killed after the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the terrorist Takfiri Daesh group conducted fresh airstrikes in eastern Syria.

Syria's official news agency SANA, citing some local sources, reported that casualties were caused on Saturday when US-led warplanes bombarded Baghouz refugee camp in the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr.

The US-led coalition has recently stepped up its airstrikes in the besieged town of Baghouz, the final piece of land still held by Daesh.

At least 50 people were killed and scores of others injured on Monday when US-led jets targeted families fleeing the last vestiges of Daesh's territorial rule near the Iraqi border.

Earlier this month, US warplanes also bombed the same troubled region with internationally-banned white phosphorus munitions, killing several people.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in January that continued airstrikes by the US-led coalition against ordinary people and civilian targets showed the alliance's reckless disregard for the UN Charter as well as international law.

The US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes and operations against what are said to be Daesh targets inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.

The military alliance has repeatedly been accused of targeting and killing civilians. It has also been largely incapable of achieving its declared goal of destroying Daesh.

SDF locked in battle with Daesh in Baghouz

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the US-backed Kurdish militants in Syria said on Saturday that clashes were ongoing with Daesh terrorists who are now holed up in the village.

"Clashes broke out again last night and have continued since," Adnan Afrin, a spokesman for the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said, adding, "There have so far been no surrenders (today) and there's no sign they are giving up."

An SDF statement said that the latest fighting broke out after the Kurdish-led force attacked Daesh positions inside Baghouz. Around 32 Daesh terrorists, including at least four senior figures, were killed in the battle.

On Friday, Daesh launched three attacks outside Baghouz, killing six people among those fleeing the village.

The US-led coalition said on Twitter late Friday that the SDF had made no fresh advance.

"Daesh has proven to demonstrate a reckless disregard for human life and continues to be a global threat," the coalition said, adding, "We stand by our SDF partners as they fight to liberate that last Daesh-held territory."

Daesh has unleashed a wave of bombings over the past week to impede the SDF advance.

It remains unclear how many Daesh militants and civilians remain inside Baghouz.

According to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 61,000 people have streamed out of the militant-held territory since December.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said Saturday that around 3,000 people had arrived at al-Hol camp in northeastern al-Hasakah from Baghouz over the past two days, pushing the camp's population to over 69,000.

The UN said most of the new arrivals "show clear signs of distress, fatigue, malnutrition and require some form of medical care or attention."

The IRC and the UN say around 122 people, mainly children, have died en route to the camp or shortly after arriving since December.

"There is an urgent requirement for funding to continue health and nutrition interventions in the camp," the UN said.

The US has long been providing the SDF -- a predominantly Kurdish alliance of militants -- with arms, calling it a key partner in the purported fight against Daesh.

Such support has angered Washington's NATO ally, Turkey, which views militants of the People's Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group.

Syrian Army foils infiltration attempts in Hama

Syrian government forces, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, on Saturday confronted breaches of the de-escalation zones by foreign-backed terrorists who were seeking to infiltrate many military points in the country's west-central province of Hama.

According to SANA, army units foiled an infiltration attempt by terrorist groups in Hama northern countryside and killed many terrorists.

Syrian government forces also destroyed mortar cannons and rocket launch-pads for terrorist groups in the region.

The agreement on creating four de-escalation zones in four areas in northern, central and southern Syria, where the most intense fighting was underway between the Syrian government and different militant groups, took effect in 2017.

In recent months, Syrian government forces, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have made unprecedented territorial gains against foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists across the conflict-plagued Arab country.

Syria has been gripped by militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the Arab country.

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At Least 4 Killed, 36 Civilians Hurt as Mine Explodes in Deir ez-Zor - Reports

Sputnik News

22:06 16.03.2019(updated 22:52 16.03.2019)

According to Syrian state-run news agency SANA, a mine planted by Daesh militants exploded Saturday in the Syrian eastern province of Deir ez-Zo province.

As a result of the blast in the village of Shoula, four local residents were killed and 36 people were injured, SANA reported.

The years-long armed conflict in Syria appears to be nearing its end, according to reports, although the country is still burdened with routine violent clashes and the presence of armed rebel and terrorist groups. Syrian military engineering units regularly carry out operations to clear mines and other types of explosive devices left throughout the country by retreating terrorists.

A similar incident occurred in late February, after a mine planted by Daesh militants in Shoula exploded near a vehicle carrying civilians. The blast reportedly killed one person and injured 10.

According to United Nations data made public in January, the Daesh terror group continues to control parts of Deir ez-Zor in the middle Euphrates river valley, where some civilians remain trapped amid continued airstrikes.

UN assessments on Syria reportedly continue to cast doubt on a declaration by US President Donald Trump in December 2018 that Daesh had been defeated.

Syria has been engulfed in a civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and terrorist groups. The conflict has significantly worsened the humanitarian situation in the Arab republic, forcing an estimated 12 million people to flee their homes or flee the country, according to UN reports.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

 Sputnik

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Militants Violate Ceasefire in 2 Syrian Provinces - Russian MoD

Sputnik News

04:15 17.03.2019

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Militants breached the truce regime in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Latakia over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said on Saturday.

"Over the past day, militants attacked the settlement of Ain al-Kantara in Latakia province, the settlements of al-Salihiyah and al-Huvaiz in Aleppo province as well as Aleppo (three times) and northwestern outskirts of Aleppo (two times)", head of the center Maj. Gen. Viktor Kupchishin said at a briefing.

Kupchishin added that works to recover social infrastructure in Syria continue. "As for 15 March 2019, 31,396 houses, 826 educational facilities and 147 medical centers have been recovered. Besides, 926km [597 miles] of roads have been repaired", he said.

Kupchishin recalled that in order to prevent a humanitarian disaster in the Rukban refugee camp, a humanitarian corridor and the Jleb mobile checkpoint have been set up.

"Specially formed columns of buses are also sent for the voluntary and unimpeded return of temporarily displaced persons from the al-Tanf area to the places of their permanent residence. The Syrian government guarantees the security of temporarily displaced persons and a simplified procedure for the restoration of documents. There are also centers for temporary accommodation for refugees", he added.

Syria has been engulfed in an armed conflict since 2011. At the moment, the Syrian government forces continue military operations in several areas of the country to clear them from terrorists. The political resolution, rebuilding of the country and return of the refugees have come to the forefront in Syria. Moscow is assisting Damascus in this process, along with providing humanitarian aid to civilians and being a guarantor of the ceasefire.

 Sputnik

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TORONTO, March 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Data On Tap Inc., the company behind Canadas newest all-digital wireless provider, dotmobile, announces opening of Toronto office and two strategic partnerships after securing initial seed financing round.



Initial capital will be used to establish dotmobile headquarters in Toronto next month and to launch the application in beta by this fall. In addition, Data On Tap Inc. announces strategic partnerships with Apptium Technologies, headquartered outside of Washington, D.C., and iTo, headquartered in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Less than thirty days after our brand concept launch, we are happy to announce that weve secured our initial seed investment. Weve reached our funding target a full month earlier than planned and we now have a clear path to launch dotmobiles application in beta by this fall, and full wireless service in 2020. Support from the Canadian government through the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) directive and presumptive CRTC policy changes have cleared a path for tiny telecoms, companies like us. We are excited to showcase our unique vision to Canadians and solicit their input a full year ahead of our launch in 2020 at our website, says Algis Akstinas, CEO of dotmobile.

Apptiums development centres in Toronto, Canada; Herndon, Virginia, USA; and Chennai, India will build the modern backend of dotmobile, powering their vision of an all-digital, member-powered experience.

We work with big telecoms in Canada, U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific, so weve seen the complexity behind older legacy systems. Its exciting to think of what can be built if we start with digital-only right from the beginning. Our platform is the perfect tool for MVNOs like dotmobile who want to build upon the most open, secure and forward-thinking architecture that exists. says Rick Kapani, CEO of Apptium Technologies.

iTos development centre in Kaunas, Lithuania will build the dotmobile application front-end, working closely with the digital experience designers at dotmobile HQ.

We are obsessed with building great experiences for telecommunication companies and work with them in some of the most competitive markets in the world. We joined dotmobile as an innovation partner at the end of last year when we were tasked with building their website and implement a member onboarding process that is private by design and simpler than any wireless service provider in Canada. The best digital experiences are those that are purposefully built. says Paulius Lazauskas, CEO of iTo.

Todays announcements are illustrative of our innovation partner strategy: sharing a common vision, collaborating on a transparent roadmap and creating value for everyone. In addition to that, each partner has the opportunity to showcase telcotech innovations without being bound by the rigidity of legacy systems. With four specialized technology delivery centers around the world we will have around the clock development and innovation. says Alex Bauman, CXO of dotmobile.

Data on Tap Inc. is building dotmobile, Canadas newest wireless provider, a smart tiny telecom with a simple goal - to make wireless more affordable and awesome. Canadians now have a chance to contribute to the development of innovative, affordable wireless service by backing tiny telecoms. Data On Tap, dotmobile, dot. and the dot. logo are trademarks of Data On Tap Inc.

Media inquiries: media@dotmobile.app
TORONTO, March 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation (hereinafter, The Company) (TSX: TNX) (NYSE MKT:TRX) is pleased to announce that it has posted on the company website a video presentation from the 2019 AGM by Ulrich Rath, Technical Director, about the Buckreef Project and the dual objective drill program currently underway.



Please follow the link below to view:



http://www.tanzanianroyalty.com/2019/03/11/agm-2019-video-playback/

Respectfully Submitted,

James E. Sinclair, Executive Chairman

Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation

For further information, please contact Michael Martin, Investor Relations at 860-248-0999, email m.martin@tanzanianroyalty.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements

Certain of the statements made herein may contain forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, but not always, forward- looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified using words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, ,occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information herein include, but are not limited to the Positive Feasibility Study on Buckreef, the timing and the results of the proposed drilling program.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information and even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: gold price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; mining operational and development risk; litigation risks; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; risks of sovereign investment; currency fluctuations; speculative nature of gold exploration; global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements; and defective title to mineral claims or property, as well as those factors discussed in the sections entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 20-F Annual Report dated November 29, 2018.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward- looking statements and information continually as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securitys regulatory authorities in Canada and the U.S.

Cautionary Note Regarding Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources

The terms "Mineral Reserve", "Proven Mineral Reserve" and "Probable Mineral Reserve" used in this release are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on August 20, 2000 as may be amended from time to time by the CIM. These definitions differ from the definitions in the United States Securities Exchange Commission ("SEC") Guide 7. In the United States, a mineral reserve is defined as a part of a mineral deposit which could be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time the mineral reserve determination is made.

The terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource", "Inferred Mineral Resource" used in this release are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instruction 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the CIM Standards. Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

For a detailed discussion of Buckreef resource and reserve estimates and related matters see the Company's reports, including the Form 20-F Annual Report dated November 29, 2018 and technical reports filed under the Company's name at our website at: www.tanzanianroyalty.com .

Cautionary Note to US Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources

Note to U.S. Investors. While the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource," "indicated mineral resource", and "inferred mineral resource" are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, they are not defined terms under standards in the United States and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. As such, information contained in this report concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources under Canadian standards may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S companies in SEC filings. With respect to "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" there is a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and a great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "indicated mineral resource" or "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves.

CONNECTICUT OFFICE: TORONTO OFFICE: PO Box 577 82 Richmond Street West Sherman, CT Suite 208 U.S.A. 06784 Toronto, Ontario M5C 1P1 Fax: (860) 799-0350 Toll Free (844) 364-1830 investors@tanzanianroyalty.com www.tanzanianroyalty.com




OTTAWA, March 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orezone Gold Corporation (TSXV:ORE) (Orezone or the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Louis Archambeault as VP Corporate Development and Strategy and Mr. Ryan Goodman as VP Legal & Administration.



Mr. Archambeault has over 15 years of capital markets and finance experience, and has been involved with the Company as a consultant since July 2018. Prior to joining Orezone, Mr. Archambeault was the Director of Corporate Development for Goldcorp Inc. Before that, he spent several years in the CIBC Mining Investment Banking Group and prior to that, he worked as a mining engineering consultant at AMEC. Mr. Archambeault holds a Masters degree in Mining Engineering from McGill University.

Mr. Goodman has over 16 years of experience working with mining companies in various stages of growth and development, and specializes in such areas as financings, M&A and corporate governance. Most recently, Mr. Goodman was the VP Legal Affairs of Aura Minerals Inc. for the past 7 years. Previous to Aura Minerals, Mr. Goodman practiced law with a large Canadian multinational law firm with a focus on securities and mining. Mr. Goodman holds a J.D. from the University of Manitoba.

The Company also announces the departure of Mr. Tim Miller as Chief Operating Officer and the planned departure, after a short transition period, of Joe McCoy as VP Administration.

Patrick Downey, the Companys President and CEO commented, I am excited to have Louis and Ryan join the Orezone team. Their diverse skill sets and experiences in the mining sector and capital markets will assist the Company in the continued development and financing of the Bombore mine. The Company also wishes to thank both Tim and Joe for their long service and contributions made to the Company over the last several years, and wishes them well in their future endeavours. With the move of the Companys corporate office to Vancouver, and Tim and Joe located in Miami and Ottawa respectively, this is a natural transition. Tim has also expressed the need to dedicate more time to his other business interests.

The Company has started the process of recruiting an experienced site-based Project Manager for the development and construction of the Bombore gold project and will not be replacing the COO role vacated by Mr. Miller.

About Orezone Gold Corporation

Orezone is a Canadian company with a successful gold discovery track record and recent mine development experience in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The Company owns a 90% interest in Bombore, a fully permitted, low cost, development stage gold project in Burkina Faso, situated 85 km east of the capital city of Ouagadougou, adjacent to an international highway.

For further information please contact Orezone at +1 (778) 945-8977 or visit the Companys website at www.orezone.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Dennis Richardson, the Oregon secretary of state and first Republican elected to the position in three decades, died of brain cancer Tuesday night at age 69.Richardson was at times a divisive figure in Oregon politics, but rose through the ranks to be his party's most successful standard-bearer in more than a generation with his election as secretary of state in 2016, bucking a Democratic wave that swept other Oregon electoral races.He died at his home in the southern Oregon city of Central Point while with family and friends, Leslie Cummings, the deputy secretary of state, said in a statement."Dennis leaves a legacy of always aiming high, expecting excellence, moving fast, and doing what is right for the people," the statement said. "It has been an honor and a privilege to work with such an incredible leader and wonderful friend. He will be greatly missed."Gov. Kate Brown ordered flags lowered to half-staff in recognition of Richardson's death."Regardless of what side of the aisle his colleagues sat on, we all knew Dennis' kind heart guided his career of service to the people of Oregon," Brown said in a statement.Richardson was a devout Mormon, father of nine and grandfather of 31, a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War and attorney by trade.He was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives and served six terms, where he earned a reputation as a politician fiercely committed to his conservative beliefs, but who nonetheless focused on the details of policy, and budgets in particular.He rose through the ranks of committee assignments to appointment as co-chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in 2011, an important post with control over the state budget. The promotion came during a crucial year when the House membership was tied 30-30 between Democrats and Republicans, an unusual situation that brought an extra dose of politicking to setting the state budget.The assignment helped Richardson develop his negotiating skills, and earned him even greater respect from Republicans in the Legislature."On the Republican side, we really looked to Dennis," said Julie Parrish, a former state representative who joined the House Republican Caucus that year and who later was manager of Richardson's secretary of state campaign."His death will be deeply mourned by all his former colleagues in the Oregon House of Representatives," said House Republican Leader Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass.Richardson ran for governor in 2014 and easily secured his party's nomination, and lost the general election to incumbent Gov. John Kitzhaber.For a time, Richardson was hesitant to re-enter politics, Parrish said. But she showed him polling that indicated he could have a chance at election as secretary of state, and he declared his candidacy. Richardson was elected in 2016, after a bruising campaign against then-Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian.Richardson hit the ground running once in office. Auditors working for him investigated wasteful health care spending, poorly run child welfare programs, and even Portland Public Schools, among other programs. He also established new policies to reinstate thousands of inactive voters.
Maintain an asset inventory so you know what you need to protect, and what state it is in.

so you know what you need to protect, and what state it is in. Control access based on a need to know, and assure strong user authentication. Deploy multi-factor authentication, manage your user accounts throughout their entire life cycle  ensure proper identity vetting, background clearance practices, account provisioning and deprovisioning, and pay close attention to privileged accounts.

based on a need to know, and assure strong user authentication. Deploy multi-factor authentication, manage your user accounts throughout their entire life cycle  ensure proper identity vetting, background clearance practices, account provisioning and deprovisioning, and pay close attention to privileged accounts. Ensure secure configurations on hardware/software on servers, workstations/laptops and mobile devices.

on hardware/software on servers, workstations/laptops and mobile devices. Continuously assess systems to identify and remediate vulnerabilities , reducing opportunities for attackers to target weaknesses.

, reducing opportunities for attackers to target weaknesses. Monitor and analyze logs, and alert on suspicious events, to help swiftly identify, understand, respond and recover from incidents.

Protect sensitive data  encryption is the best data protection assurance going, but also consider data loss protection (DLP), information rights management (IRM), automated monitoring for unauthorized access and transfer of sensitive information, and proactively alerting on/or blocking such activities.

 encryption is the best data protection assurance going, but also consider data loss protection (DLP), information rights management (IRM), automated monitoring for unauthorized access and transfer of sensitive information, and proactively alerting on/or blocking such activities. Enhance Web browser and email protections reduce opportunities for attackers to manipulate human behavior, by filtering and blocking malicious links and attachments. Deploy email authentication (trust) policies to reduce fraudulent email (spoofing) and potential financial and reputational risk.

As part of a massive IT transformation and consolidation effort, the state of New York government has redesigned the way it protects constituent data over the past several years. These extensive cybersecurity efforts are led by the state's impressive Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Deborah Snyder In her government technology leadership role, Deborah Snyder directs the Chief Information Security Offices comprehensive governance, risk management and compliance program. She is responsible for providing strategic leadership and vision, and assuring business-aligned, risk-based investments that maximize business opportunity and minimize cybersecurity risk.Snyder leads her team by example with a long list of degrees and professional certifications including, MBA, GCIS, GSTRT, CISSP, CRISC and PMP.She serves on the NYS Forum Board of Directors, NY CISO Executive Summit Governing Board, is a State Academy for Public Administration Fellow, and member of the Project Management Institute, InfraGard, Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).She teaches graduate-level courses, has published numerous articles, and co-authored, which offers industry leadership insights and perspective. She is a highly regarded speaker on topics critical to executive-level business and IT professionals.You can get a sense of Deborah's speaking style and extensive knowledge by viewing this keynote address at the 2018 DFSO Cybersecurity & Payments Roundtable held at Columbia Business School (shown below.)I first met Deborah (she often goes by "Deb") about four years ago at a NASCIO Conference, when she was the deputy CISO. I was immediately impressed with her depth of knowledge, passion for security and really clear thinking. As you will see in the interview below, she has built quite an amazing team and plan in New York state during a period of time when keeping top cyberstaff is very difficult across the country. Now on to the interview.The New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) was created in 2012, as part of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos visionary information technology transformation and consolidation initiative. ITS is responsible for providing centralized IT services to the state and its governmental entities, with the awareness that our citizens are reliant on these services. As such, we set statewide technology policy for all state government agencies and monitor all large technology expenditures in the state, seeking efficiencies, lower costs and innovative solutions. Our strategic goals support the priorities of the administration and are aligned with agency missions to enable better government services.ITS many statutory responsibilities also include providing for the protection of state government cybersecurity infrastructure, including but not limited to identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities, deterring and responding to cyber events, and promoting cybersecurity awareness within the state.Under the governors leadership, ITS, through the State Chief Information Security Office, has established a comprehensive cybersecurity program and made significant investments in enhancing the states cybersecurity posture and capabilities. We cover a wide range of services including statewide policies, standards, program governance, compliance, risk management, information security training and exercises, vulnerability and threat management, threat intelligence analysis, security operations center monitoring, and detection (including oversight of third-party managed security services), and digital forensics and incident response. As CISO, I also direct and maintain the NYS Cyber Command Center, hotline and related procedures for cyberincident reporting and response and digital forensics, and distributes real-time advisories and alerts.Our cyberprogram builds upon well-established industry frameworks and practices (e.g., the National Cyber Security Framework and Top 20 Critical Controls). This assures it supports ITS mission of delivering secure, reliable and cost-effective IT services that meet our clients business priorities and compliance requirements.Our NorthStar  the mission that drives and guides our priorities and objectives, is Advancing New York states ability to safeguard information, defend against cyberthreats, and deliver innovative and secure government services.DS: Since ITS was formed, our team has grown to over 60 full-time security professionals, and investments in cyber have increased significantly. Part of this growth was simply due to the centralization of security resources as part of our continued efforts to transform and improve services delivery. This has been highly effective in driving standardized security processes and service delivery, to assure consistent performance and quality.Part of it was making sure cybersecurity was firmly at the table in budget planning. Our approach was more a conversation about cyber as an element of enterprise risk management. We provided relevant examples of the growing risk of cyberattacks, and associated costs of incidents and breaches. We also examined and tracked spending in ways that provided a clearer picture of initiatives across the organization that support enhancing security. In other words, better understanding what we were spending beyond just my offices direct costs.We developed mechanisms to factor the cost of security activities into project planning and forecasting, improving our ability integrate incorporated consideration of security requirements into overall costs, scope and schedule.While we certainly considered what others are spending on cybersecurity as a percentage of overall spend, particularly other states, it wasnt used as a yardstick for what we need to spend. We looked at our overall security posture, and what we were spending and where, from a price, performance and capability maturity point of view  did we have the required capabilities, capacity, level of readiness and resiliency that we need, or were there areas where we needed to invest further? We also built performance and outcome metrics into our efforts. This helped us ensure capital requests and investments were evaluated based on performance and value.DS: The threats we see are really no different than any other large organization. NY state government, like other sizable public and private entities, relies on a large and complex technology environment to conduct its operations. ITS secures the shared technology services, statewide network, data, systems and critical infrastructure used by state and local government entities  over 160,000 endpoints, 140,000 users and 4,600 applications, across a distributed and complex infrastructure.Cybercriminals and hackers are opportunistic. Attacks try to take advantage of your weakest links. They live off the land, trying to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in system hardware and software that has not been kept patched and up to date. If you closely examine root causes, the majority of breaches you see in the news today are the result of human error  social engineering, misconfigured systems.We have seen our share of targeted social engineering attacks  e.g., phishing campaigns aimed at obtaining sensitive information and compromising business email accounts. We have also seen damaging malware attacks including ransomware that hit health-care facilities and local government.While industry reports indicate that ransomware dropped, and coin mining malware became the top means of monetizing attacks in 2018, I believe we are likely to see a resurgence in malware attacks in 2019, due to economic influences negatively affecting cryptocurrency values.In terms of dealing with these threats, weve double down on assuring good cyber hygiene practices  the essential measures that ensure a solid foundation for security. We also established a strategic road map for critical investments that will continue to enhance the states ability to protect data, systems and infrastructure, and strengthen our defense against next-generation cyberattacks.Critical success factors:Once you have the basics in place, taking a risk-based approach is key. Every organization has limited resources and the fiduciary responsibility to use them wisely. Prioritizing your efforts based on what is most probable and impactful for your organization and sector helps ensure a solid return on investments. Incidents, industry reports, and government-sector trends indicate that the majority of attacks are coming in through email, Web browser and application vulnerabilities, so enhancing security in these areas first provided a practical approach.We've learned to NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF STRONG, PROACTIVE DEFENSES.Essentially, make it harder for your users to make mistakes, and easier for us to detect, respond and recover when they do.ITS proactively protects our clients by blocking well over 7 million security events daily  an extremely powerful statement of the business value and return on cybersecurity investments.Prevention-focused technologies, improved Web-browser filtering, and intrusion detection help strengthen defenses and security posture.Next-generation security platforms, automation, and standardization create efficiencies and cost savings. Streamlining threat analysis and incident response processes helps increase capacity and improve active response times.Heuristics and AI-based solutions detect, alert on and/or block anomalous behaviors that exceed tolerances and send up red flags. Segmenting networks helps isolate and more tightly control access to critical systems and highly sensitive data. Implement Secure System Development Life Cycle processes to manage the security of all in-house developed and acquired software to prevent, detect and correct security weaknesses. Scan applications during development and before migration into productions to identify and remediate application vulnerabilities. If you have many applications, take a risk-based approach and start with systems that are mission-critical and/or Internet-facing and containing sensitive data.DS: Our strategic road map and priority initiatives encompass multiple themes, including enhancing governance and visibility, protecting business email and user accounts; safeguarding sensitive data; protecting business applications and devices; and strengthening NY states critical infrastructure.In 2017 we requested capital investment to combat next-generation threats to government, citizens and business. The first wave of these initiatives are now underway and we are making good progress.Our goal is delivering business value to the state and our client agencies. We do that by ensuring that all cybersecurity initiatives and investments align with business objectives and industry practices, and are adaptable to the current threat landscape.DS: Cybersecurity is a dynamic field requiring specialized skills and a highly trained workforce. Staying ahead of threats and responding quickly to alerts and incidents requires proficient teams. Like many other large organizations, we leverage managed security services to augment continuous monitoring and detection capabilities and maintain a global perspective on the threat landscape.One of our biggest strengths is recruiting and hiring for the right skill sets and investing in our people. Opportunities for growth and learning are highly valued. Our training and professional development programs reflect this, providing a wide variety of professional development and skills-based opportunities and education initiatives.In June 2018, our 21st NYS Annual Cyber Security Conference  the longest running state-sponsored conference of its kind  drew over 1,600 registrants and 46 sponsors, for 48 sessions across 14 tracks and 3 days. We also offered sector-specific sessions for local government, education, energy, health and legal, plus leading research and hands-on skills training.Over 68 percent of our security staff hold one or more industry certifications. Our teams routinely participate in ongoing skills training and attend top industry conferences. Over 50 percent of the NYS Cyber Command Center team has trained at a top industry cyber-range. These investments are paying dividends in capabilities and performance.We dont stop at just the security team. Since security is integrated in all that we do at ITS, we invest across the organization  e.g., ITS developers have been trained in application security principles and secure code testing tools and techniques, database administrators receive training on database security, operations teams in secure architecture design, and configurations management.As our CIO, Bob Samson often emphasizes, All IT is cyber. There is a cyber component to every initiative, device, service and product we provide. All of it must be configured and operate securely to reduce risk to NYS data, systems and infrastructure. A big part of doing security well is every employee knowing how to apply security concepts to their job, and being able to optimize the tools and technologies we have in place.Collaboration and strong partnerships are critical factors in our success. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that requires all hands on deck collaboration. We actively engage our clients in managing and understanding their cyber-risk, and assure collaboration across internal teams. We also maintain strong partnerships across federal, state and local government, and critical infrastructure sectors.We hold monthly Information Community of Practice and Cyber Partners Meetings to promote best practices, share intelligence, and conduct and actively participate in federal, state and local government cyberexercises.In 2018, joint efforts by CISO and the MS-ISAC resulted in the registration of all 62 NYS counties, and over 150 schools and municipalities. These organizations now have full access to beneficial cybertools, resources and services at no cost. We are also supporting the states Education Department in their efforts to enhance security across local Regional Information Centers, over 700 K-12 schools, and 65 state university campuses.DS: Its no secret that increasing demand, coupled with a scarcity of skilled cyberprofessionals, has created a global industry gap, making the job market and salaries highly competitive. According to recent estimates , there will be as many as 3.5 million unfilled positions in the industry by 2021.Creative recruitment, talent retention and professional development efforts are key to ensuring skilled and effective security teams. Cybersecurity professionals can come from both technical and nontechnical backgrounds. We actively look for smart, motivated individuals within our organization that have the right collaboration, communication and analytical skills.We are actively engaged in building the cybertalent pool for the future. We support STEM/STEAM and tech-education programs in schools across the state. Our popular NYS K-12 Cyber Poster contest experienced a 200 percent growth over the past five years, with five national winners coming from NY state.We have strong relationships with universities and colleges that serve as feed-streams for new talent, and are leaning in to help drive programs and curriculum that aligns with workforce needs. We are out there at career days and job fairs, educating students about the wide range of opportunities in the profession. Our Cyber Open House events for college students are always well-attended.Robust internship, fellowship, and mentoring programs help us attract new talent to government service. Veterans programs are another channel we are taking advantage, tapping into the intelligence training and hands-on experience of former military service personnel.Our cyberoutreach efforts recently received the National Cyber Security Alliance Cyber Secure Community Award . This first-ever award highlights organizations that exemplify excellence in cybersecurity, help everyone stay safer and more secure online, and promote cybersecurity as a shared responsibility. NCSA recognized ITS with this award for its efforts to positively impact the community at large through its comprehensive cybersecurity awareness and outreach programs.I also believe in giving back and helping the next wave, teaching, routinely speaking, and mentoring, as a means of engaging current and future professionals, and sharing knowledge and skills that can help them be successful in todays workplace.DS: ITS has taken a hybrid strategy. We maintain New Yorks private government cloud environment  the, the first of its kind in the nation, in our state-of-the-art data centers. We also pragmatically take advantage of public cloud services to support various functions and capabilities where appropriate  e.g., Microsoft Office 365, call center/help desk functions and website hosting.As the mega trends of ubiquitous computing and digital business transformation continue to drive cloud services adoption, it is challenging to balance benefits  cost, reliability and accelerating innovation  while still assuring security.Foundational to our efforts is a cloud solution road map and cloud services broker model that automates and standardizes IT infrastructure while reducing operating costs and time to deliver applications. This ensures flexible, elastic and cost-effective multi-cloud services, with high-availability and disaster recovery enhancements that enable agencies, employees and citizens with best-in-class services, and provides a frictionless customer experience.Also crucial is the development of the state data strategy being advanced by our Chief Data Officer, to assure we understand what data we have, ownership, business uses, and associated security and privacy requirements.We have established control expectations and apply well-vetted industry standards and methods to help assess cloud services and create transparency into vendor security posture. This ensures we clearly convey our clients business requirements and the security capabilities vendors must have in place.From there, it comes down to requiring and maintaining solid controls, including strong authentication and identity management, secure configuration, vulnerability testing protocols, encryption, secure application programming interfaces and microservices, and micro-segmentation where appropriate.DS: When youre out there blazing the trail and leading the charge, it might be easy to lose your connection to the why behind what we do. Its important to keep that Northstar  that sense of purpose and connection with our client agencies and people we serve, clearly in front us. Our teams are highly motivated by the challenging and meaningful work we do, and the diverse range of issues we are engaged in. Information security is an incredibly dynamic field  so much so that it can feel like a different job every day. Thats what keeps it interesting and relevant.If we accept the notion that technology touches every aspect of government, the robust set of interconnected modern technologies ITS provides has the power to truly transform how we deliver secure government services.Our CIO Bob Samson routinely talks about the IT mega-trends  ubiquitous computing, data, cloud services, and cybersecurity  that are shaping our world and accelerating innovation. He emphasizes the relationship between these trends, and the ability to advance the states agenda, and help agencies solve their grand challenges.Moving forward, vigilance, resilience and strategies that strengthen and future-proof cybersecurity defenses will be ongoing themes. As we continue to support the state in embracing digital and transforming government services, our cybersecurity strategy must balance state-of-the-art security services with the agility to make integrating security frictionless. Security is no longer just something we do; its become an integrated part of everything we are.New York state is showing the nation how this is done, to the benefit of our agencies, residents and businesses. Government Serves. Excelsior  Ever Upward!
'Moonshot' Commitment

No E-Learning on Snow Days

(TNS)  International Falls, Minn.  After more than 30 years of doing business in this longtime mill town, Optum Health plans to close its health care claims office this summer.The good news is the company's 90 workers can keep their jobs. The bad news is that offer is good only if they're able to work remotely. And those who live outside the city limits may not have access to the high-speed Internet service they'd need to keep earning a company paycheck.Optum says its intention is to keep all of its workers on the job, and it will do what it can to help those in need of technical upgrades. City and county leaders are looking at setting up a business center where people lacking broadband  whether Optum employees or not  could get their work done.Such predicaments have Minnesota politicians taking a new look at rural broadband. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar has made the issue a major talking point as she begins her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.Gov. Tim Walz has promised he'd attack the problem like a "moonshot." Meanwhile, a Republican-sponsored bill with bipartisan support is making its way through the Legislature, promising $35 million a year in each of the next two years for rural broadband upgrades.All the talk about addressing the issue is encouraging, broadband advocates say. But with one in five rural Minnesota households still lacking access to high-speed, wired Internet service, there's a long way to go."They did it in the '30s with electricity. They did it in the '50s with telephones. This is the electricity of the 21st century," said Anne Schwagerl, an organic farmer in Browns Valley on the South Dakota border.Schwagerl and her husband grow grain and raise pigs. And in her view, Internet access is as essential to farming today as a good tractor.Schwagerl got high-speed Internet on her Prairie Point Farm in 2017, after Big Stone County sold about $4 million worth of bonds on behalf of Federated Telephone Cooperative. The co-op, which had been unable to get funding through traditional channels, used the money to install high-speed broadband for its customers and will repay the county over 20 years. The project also received a $3.9 million grant from the state's Border-to-Border Broadband Development program."It made a huge difference in our ability to be efficient in our operations," said Schwagerl, who is secretary of the Minnesota Farmers Union. "We can access up-to-the-minute market data and make good decisions." Schwagerl also sells her hogs direct to consumers, something that wouldn't be possible without good Internet service.Some 140 miles north, in Ada, Minn., Edie Ramstad had been trying to run a worldwide Internet company on dial-up service.Ramstad owns Weave Got Maille, which makes rings, tools and other supplies for chainmaille jewelry. Her dial-up service was so slow, Ramstad said, that her employees sometimes had to drive to Fargo, 45 miles away, to upload product images to the company website."We could always tell when the kids got out of school," she said, "because we'd get booted off [the web]." It was so frustrating that several times Ramstad considered shutting down the business with its 16 employees.Last year, Ramstad found an Internet provider willing to run lines to her business. But at $800 a month, it's expensive  and even at that, she said, the service isn't as good as a typical city-dweller would have in his or her home."It used to be that broadband was a competitive advantage. Now, it's a cost of doing business," said Bernadine Joselyn, director of public policy and engagement for the Blandin Foundation of Grand Rapids, Minn. "We believe that broadband and the skills to use it are fundamental to healthy communities."Blandin has worked with almost 100 Minnesota communities and invested more than $10 million in broadband initiatives. The current proposal for state broadband funding, Joselyn said, "is really a victory in Minnesota in that it has gotten a lot of bipartisan support."Still, the governor's "moonshot" would simply return annual broadband spending to its 2016 level of $35 million. That number dropped to $20 million in 2017 and to zero in 2018 after then-Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed the Legislature's omnibus spending bill. In the budget negotiations that followed, broadband was left on the cutting-room floor.The key difference is that the current proposal runs for two years, said Margaret Anderson Kelliher, commissioner of the state Department of Transportation. Anderson Kelliher chaired the Governor's Task Force on Broadband under Dayton and was also CEO of the Minnesota High Tech Association."It really is important to remember that all the money that has been appropriated in the past was one-time funding," she said. "It is a good spot for one-time dollars, but it really does need a commitment."I think what the governor is doing is making a real commitment to reaching these goals," she said. "It's a show of, 'We're really going to do this, we're going to make this happen.'"In International Falls, where the economy has been based on timber and tourism, officials are hopeful about what a higher-tech future could bring.But they're cautious about painting too rosy a scenario in a town where generations of residents have gone to work at the paper mill."We don't have a real strong entrepreneurial culture here, that people are going to look to create their own realities," said Paul Nevanen, director of the Koochiching County Economic Development Authority. "That's a long-term shift."It's a shift that can't come too soon for Jackie Edwards, who lives on a family farm in rural Renville County near Hector, Minn., some 80 miles west of the Twin Cities."My husband works in agriculture and is obviously in need of broadband for that, as well as for our four children," she said. The family has satellite Internet service, but it's expensive  about $90 a month  and unreliable."Our Internet just gets really slow and everybody's frustrated," she said. "When you talk about e-learning, it becomes an issue. In a snowstorm, it's likely we don't have Internet."Neighbors just 2 miles away have fast fiber Internet, "but we fell just short," Edwards said.And that's the problem, Anderson Kelliher said. "A lot of the places that are left to build broadband in Minnesota are more challenged  more physically challenging to deploy the broadband, and therefore more expensive," she said.State broadband investments, she added, are "really for the hardest portions of the state. We don't want people left behind," she said. "It is a tool that people expect nowadays."
The need for social services has reached an all-time high. This article takes a look at how the social good sector can learn from the private sectors adoption of technology and data to help serve the most critical needs of our communities.
(TNS)  The state faces myriad threats from hackers and rogue nations trying to get into the computer systems of governments, businesses and individuals to steal confidential information and financial data, according to Massachusetts new cybersecurity czar."The threat is very real, and anything that is compute-based is vulnerable to exploitation," said Stephanie Helm, a former U.S. Navy captain and intelligence officer who recently took over as director of MassCyberCenter. "The severity of the threats depend on the adversary and their objective. Sometimes they want your information, sometimes they want your money."Helm said cyberspace threats seem to multiply each year, as government agencies and businesses scramble to keep a handle on them."We have a lot of very unique intellectual property in Massachusetts that we need to do our best to protect," she said. "We've also got a lot of big corporations, and their livelihood is based on strong cybersecurity."A report last year by a legislative panel found the state is "extremely vulnerable" to cyberattacks from hackers and foreign adversaries."There is a need for more strictly regulated and enforced cybersecurity measures in both the public and private sectors, which leaves the private data of Massachusetts citizens open to manipulation and theft, actions which can ruin companies reputations and destroy public trust in government bodies," the report stated.It cited breaches in Holyoke, Leominster and Brookline, where hackers accessed local government computers and in some cases demanded ransom payments.Critical infrastructure  such as utilities, voting systems and transportation overseen by local governments  is especially at risk, the report noted.Gov. Charlie Baker created the cybercenter two years ago and earmarked $400,000 for a new grant program to train cybersecurity professionals.He also created the 19-member Cybersecurity Strategy Council comprised of former military and industry officials to advise state leaders. Michael Brown, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and former director for cybersecurity coordination at the Department of Homeland Security, is chairing the committee.MassCyberCenter is as a part of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and serves several functions, according to the Baker administration, including working with the private sector to provide support for business development, fostering the growth of cybersecurity firms and running programs that "increase the cybersecurity talent pipeline."A primary goal of the center is to act as a clearinghouse of advice for businesses, municipalities and individuals about steps they can take to deter cyberattacks.To be sure, the center is a work in progress. Helm currently works with a staff of two -- herself and a program manager -- but said the center's position within MassTech gives it access to the state's high-technology sector.She's working on a two-year strategic plan, which she expects to submit to Baker for consideration, outlining the agency's approach to cybersecurity resiliency."The center will play a key role in discussions between state government, industry and academic partners on a collaborative approach to address the cyberthreats we face," she said.Fears about cybersecurity have been stoked by recent claims that Russian hackers have been remotely targeting the U.S. electric grid. Meanwhile, hackers from China, Iran and North Korea have targeted nuclear reactors and other power industry infrastructure, using tainted emails to harvest credentials and gain access to networks, according to federal officials.The integrity and security of state and municipal voting systems are another concern for cyber security officials ahead of the 2020 presidential election.Last year, a grand jury indicted a dozen Russian hackers, accusing them of interfering in the 2016 presidential election and stealing sensitive information from state and local election boards.Helm points out that Massachusetts is home to some of the countrys top cybersecurity firms  including Raytheon, Threat Stack, Rapid7 and Identity Force  as well as prestigious colleges and universities where faculty and researchers are developing the next generation of cybersecurity systems."Massachusetts is at the forefront of the cybersecurity sector," she said. "We have a tremendous amount of technical innovation that can rapidly be used to improve cybersecurity, and we have a ready pipeline of highly educated workers to fill those jobs."
UK-based Reaction Engines has received further endorsement of its SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine) design (earlier post) via its collaboration with ESA and the UK Space Agency (UKSA). The two agencies recently reviewed the preliminary design of the demonstrator engine core of the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE), which Reaction Engines will use to undertake ground-based testing at its under-construction test facility at Westcott, Buckinghamshire.

Reaction Engines has had a hugely supportive relationship with ESA and we are delighted with this further endorsement of the SABRE engine design. This step opens the door to some exciting testing milestones which we will be undertaking in the next 18 months and moves us closer to the demonstration of the first SABRE engine, a unique class of scalable aerospace engines, which will revolutionize the way we travel around the globe, and get into orbit. Shaun Driscoll, Programs Director, Reaction Engines





The positive conclusion of our Preliminary Design Review marks a major milestone in SABRE development. It confirms the test version of this revolutionary new class of engine is ready for implementation. Mark Ford, head of ESAs Propulsion Engineering section

Reaction Engines launched a significant new element of its development programme in October 2016 to design, build and demonstrate a SABRE engine core. The test item consists of an engine core, which is a major module of the complete SABRE engine, but without the pre-cooler and rocket nozzle in place.





This core design and development activity is a major undertaking and upon completion of the tests, major elements of the worlds first air-breathing engine capable of accelerating from zero to Mach 5 will have been demonstrated.

The SABRE hybrid engine blends jet and rocket technology. There are three core building blocks to SABRE: the pre-cooler, the engine core and the thrust chamber.

The SABRE engine core tests are part of a range of development activities currently underway at Reaction Engines. The company will shortly begin its HTX hot heat exchanger testing in a unique test facility it has constructed in Colorado, United States.

The HTX test program is a manufacturing and performance ground-level demonstration of the SABRE engine Pre-Cooler heat exchanger in a high temperature environment, similar to that expected to be seen by the SABRE engine during its air-breathing flight regimeup to 1000 C air inlet temperature.

Over the last four years Reaction Engines has raised more than 100 million (US$133 million) from public and private sources and had secured investment from BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Boeings venture capital arm.

ESA, via the UK Space Agency has invested 10 million in SABRE development, together with 50 million from UKSA. ESA also performs a technical oversight role on behalf of UKSA.

ESAs involvement began in 2010 with an independent review of SABREs viability, opening the way to UK government investment. Then in 2012 ESA collaborated with Reaction Engines testing of a key element of SABRE the pre-cooler that cools the hot airstream entering the engine at hypersonic speed, the performance of which was fully validated under ambient air temperatures.

The complete air-breathing core demonstrator will be fully representative of the SABRE thermodynamic core cycle, fueled by liquid hydrogen, and will contain heat-exchangers, combustion and turbomachinery modules.
The Coast Guard rescued a boater in distress on Long Island Sound Saturday morning.

The Coast Guard command center in New York received a report that a 56-foot recreational boat was taking on water, with one person aboard, around 6:50 a.m. near Kings Point on Long Island.

The boat was submerged when a Coast Guard utility boat arrived on scene, and the man was pulled to safety. He was not seriously injured, and he was wearing a life jacket at the time.

The Coast Guard reminds boaters to always wear a life jacket. Wearing a life jacket increases the chances of surviving a boating accident, the rescue agency wrote in a statement about the incident, which is under investigation.
Periscope cameras are set to become "the next big thing" in smartphone photography, but they are not exactly new - they've been around for years actually. The history of optical zoom on mobile goes way back. Keep in mind that mobile phones have had cameras on them only since the year 2000.

Not long after that in 2004 the Sharp 902 came around. Vodafone was just launching its 3G network in the UK and it claimed that this is the first phone with a 2MP camera in Europe. Even more interesting, it featured 2x optical zoom.

Better yet, it did the zoom with a single camera instead of switching from a wide to a tele camera like modern phones do. Time has buried much of the evidence, but it's quite possible that this was a periscope design, that square-ish lens is pretty telling.

The Sharp 903 from 2005 bumped the resolution up to 3.15MP, which the 904 kept. You could even use optical zoom in 3G video calls, isn't that something?



Sharp 902  Sharp 903  Sharp 904

The Nokia N93 from 2006 (and N93i the following year) mimic the design of some digital video cameras with a flip out screen. Its 3.15MP camera had Zeiss lens with 3x optical zoom.

Since the camera was laid out along the width of the phone, there was no need for a periscope design - the complex hinge that rotates the screen along two axes made sure screen and camera point at the same direction.

The N93 phones had digital image stabilization and the video quality was advertised as "DVD-like".



Nokia N93  Nokia N93i

Nokia had competition. In 2007 the Samsung G800 launched and, according to its maker, was the "world's first 5MP camera phone with 3x optical zoom". Video capture wasn't up to N93 standards, though, as it topped out at 320p. The G810 from 2008 did add proper 480p video capture (this was at a time when DVD was still king and the HD-capable Blu-ray was just getting started).



Samsung G800  Samsung G810

Again, the Nokia and the Samsung offered smooth zooming with a single camera. Modern multi-camera phones just jump between cameras with different focal lengths and interpolate in between.

The G810 was followed up by the INNOV8, but Samsung tried a point-and-shoot form factor with the Samsung W880 from 2009. It was essentially a 12MP camera with 3x optical zoom (and 720p video capture) that also happened to be a phone. This was never released globally, though.

Years later, Samsung would revisit this design with the Galaxy S4 zoom (2013) and Galaxy K zoom. They boasted an optically-stabilized lens that offered 10x zoom (24-240mm) and relatively large 1/2.3" sensors.



Samsung W880 AMOLED 12M  Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom  Samsung Galaxy K zoom

There was the Galaxy Camera in 2012 and its sequel, Galaxy Camera 2 in 2014, which really were Android-powered cameras - they had no phone functionality.

But if that's what you want, there were alternatives like the Nikon Coolpix S800c (2013), which ran Android 2.3 Gingerbread displayed on a beautiful 3.5" OLED screen. It had full access to the Play Store as well as a 1/2.3" sensor behind a 10x zoom lens (25-250mm).



Nikon Coolpix S800c was an Android-powered point-and-shoot camera

Back in 2012 Polaroid was showing off a camera+phone device too, but that never panned out. The Polaroid Android HD was supposed to cost $300 (quite low price for what it was), but we're not sure any actual consumer got their hands on it. Even before that in 2010 there was the Altek Leo, a phone with 14MP camera and 3x zoom. That was supposed to come out in 2011, but it never did.

In 2015, Asus demoed the Zenfone Zoom, which had a single periscope lens with 3x optical zoom (28-84mm) and stabilization. It was fairly thin at 12mm, considering all the complex internals (not just the periscope, but the mechanized zoom too). There was a version for Europe too.



Asus Zenfone Zoom ZX550  Asus Zenfone Zoom ZX551ML

You may be thinking "where was the legendary camera maker Sony during all of this"? While it's true that today many digital cameras (smartphone and otherwise) use Sony sensors, the company had its own thing going (it didn't even have a dual camera phone until last year).

In 2013 Sony tried to make add-on cameras of the QX line popular. Those had large sensors (the QX100 used the 1" sensor from the RX100 camera) or large zoom. Later, the QX1 launched with an APS-C sensor and interchangeable optics, basically a Sony a5000 that used the phone as a screen. The QX30 offered 30x optical zoom and sported a refined 1/2.3" sensor.



Sony QX30  Sony QX1

Will periscope cameras be the next big thing? Perhaps they'll just be one part of the actual revolution - computational photography. Basically all modern flagships use it and it has greatly improved image quality.

The likes of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro even merge information from multiple cameras to achieve better zoom. The tele camera on the Pro does only 3x optical zoom, but with a bit of computational magic that goes up to 5x hybrid zoom.

Maybe we'll see more of that going forward. Light's image processor can use cameras with different focal lengths. However, the first phone with it, the Nokia 9 PureView, doesn't make use of that capability despite having five cameras.

But Nokia PureView does have an alternative to optical zoom - one might call it "solid state zoom". The Nokia 808 PureView had a super high resolution 41MP sensor, which by default produced 5MP shots. This left plenty of resolution to zoom in (crop and oversample).



Nokia 808 PureView

The new crop of high resolution sensors (set to reach 100MP soon, if Qualcomm is to be believed), the simplicity of the design and the image enhancements of computational photography may make this the preferred zoom method, perhaps coupled with a physical tele camera (or three).
And here's another one. A new report emerged claiming that Samsung is the sole supplier for OLED panels for this year's Huawei flagship, the P30 Pro. Assuming, the regular P30 will also be getting Samsung-made AMOLED.

According to a Weibo post, which in turn claims to have inside information, Huawei has struck a deal with Samsung and has tasked the latter of making all of the OLED panels for the P30 flagships. There's more than one reason for Huawei to make the switch.

For starters, Samsung is the biggest smartphone OLED supplier in the industry and has the manpower to pull off the high demand. Secondly, this would ensure fewer leaks, although it's a little too late for that. Additionally, it makes the whole process less complicated as Huawei has to deal with just one supplier.

And last, but not least, the problem with quality control could potentially be solved. Remember the Mate 20 Pro fiasco with the LG-made panels? The BOE ones were fine, but a lot of LG panels failed within the first week of launching, which affected overall sales for sure.

It looks like Huawei and Samsung have let bygones be bygones. After all, securing high-quality components is more important.

Source (in Chinese)




Haiti - FLASH : The Senate wants to interpellate the PM before the Chamber of Deputies





Following the letter of interpellation of the Chamber of Deputies dated March 15 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27200-haiti-flash-the-pm-and-his-government-interpellated-by-70-deputies.html fixing the interpellation of the Prime Minister and his Government on March 18, senators who had fixed the date of interpellation in a letter dated March 13 of Prime Minister Jean Henry Ceant and two of his ministers : Jean Roudy Aly (Justice) and Jean Marie Reynaldo Brunet (Interior), on September 20 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27168-haiti-flash-the-pm-and-two-ministers-under-an-interpellation-of-the-senate.html , have changed this date in a correspondence dated March 15 which reads "This interpellation session is scheduled for Monday, March 18, 2019, or by impossible on Tuesday March 19, or Wednesday, March 20, or Thursday, March 21 between 0:00 am and 6:00 pm"



What "removes" to the lower house the possibility of interpellates the Prime Minister before the Senate IF this request for modification of date of interpellation is considered by the Primature as a priority on the letter of interpellation of the Chamber of Deputies.



An order of interpellation that is important to the Prime Minister, who will certainly evaluate the probabilities of a vote of no confidence in each of the two Houses of Parliament.



Note that if the upper house grants a vote of confidence to Ceant, it can not be interpellated before 6 months. On the other hand, the probability of a vote of no confidence in the lower house is important, since the request for an interpellation comes from 70 deputies close to the Head of State and a vote of no confidence would cause the fall of the Prime Minister and of his Government.



However, remember that Ceant is currently on an official trip to Morocco where he participates in the invitation of King Mohammed VI Crans Montana Forum https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27200-haiti-flash-the-pm-and-his-government-interpellated-by-70-deputies.html and should be back home in the evening of Tuesday, March 19 and can only at best, to stand in the Senate March 20 as convened, except request for postponement on his part...



To be continued...



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27168-haiti-flash-the-pm-and-two-ministers-under-an-interpellation-of-the-senate.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27200-haiti-flash-the-pm-and-his-government-interpellated-by-70-deputies.html



S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Petit-Goave : Supplication of high school students, deprived of course since January 14





On Thursday, March 14, a group of students from Lycee Faustin Soulouque in Petit-Goave spoke on Radio Preference, begging teachers to come back to work next Monday, in order to avoid the total loss of their school year. Recall that the students of High School Soulouque are deprived of course since January 14, when a group of teachers went on strike, demanding the payment of their salary arrears, their letter of appointment and budgeting https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26663-haiti-petit-goave-lycee-faustin-soulouque-closed-angry-students-demand-reopening.html



"Please, teachers, come and teach. We are waiting for you. We will stay in our classrooms. We will not take the streets. We will work, alone between us, in case of absence of teachers. We are tired of blocking other private schools and throwing stones at the police..." the students said exasperated.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27038-icihaiti-petit-goave-high-school-students-deprived-of-class-for-59-days.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26825-haiti-petit-goave-striking-teachers-refuse-dialogue.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26796-haiti-petit-goave-the-ministry-dialogue-with-strikers-of-lycee-faustin-soulouque.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26770-haiti-petit-goave-teachers-will-not-go-back-to-the-classrooms.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26731-haiti-petit-goave-8-hours-of-demonstrations-and-violence-several-victims.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26724-haiti-petit-goave-activities-paralyzed-for-lack-of-fuels-and-student-demonstrations.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26672-haiti-petit-goave-violent-clashes-between-students-at-least-6-wounded.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26663-haiti-petit-goave-lycee-faustin-soulouque-closed-angry-students-demand-reopening.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25191-haiti-petit-goave-promise-of-a-school-year-without-strike-at-lycee-faustin-soulouque.html



HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goave)






















Haiti - Social : The Digicel Foundation finances a water catchment project in Cornillon Grand Bois





As part of the 2nd edition of its "Konbit Pou Chanjman" campaign launched in May 2018 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24455-haiti-digicel-foundation-launch-of-the-2nd-competition-konbit-pou-chanjman.html the Digicel Foundation finances a water catchment project in Cornillon Grand Bois (West Dept.) submitted by the organization "Union of Progressive Youth for the Advancement of Grand Bois Cornillon (UJPAGC)"



This project from the very beginning caught the attention of the Board of Directors of the Foundation which had selected it for the second phase (visit of the selected projects). The visits began in December 2018 and allowed the Foundation to understand the needs and urgency of certain projects, including the water shortage of Cornillon Grand Bois, as well as the daily challenges faced by the population. The organization was chosen as one of the 25 finalists and invited to present its project last February to the jury https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27033-haiti-digicel-list-of-the-25-finalists-of-the-2nd-edition-of-the-digicel-contest-konbit-pou-chanjman.html



Following this presentation, the project was selected as one of the 15 winning projects and should officially receive its grant (700,000 gourdes) in the final to be held next April. However, given the urgency in Cornillon, the Foundation met with the UJPAGC on March 12 to finance the project sooner than the planned date and start the work immediately.



Thursday, March 14th, a meeting was held between the Digicel Foundation, the National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) and the Cornillon Toqwn Hall to discuss the project implementation and proceed to the signing of the contract. Work will begin soon and will be jointly supervised by the three entities.



About Konbit Pou Chanjman and finalists : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27033-haiti-digicel-list-of-the-25-finalists-of-the-2nd-edition-of-the-digicel-contest-konbit-pou-chanjman.html



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27151-icihaiti-politic-the-head-of-state-visits-cornillon-grand-bois.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27033-haiti-digicel-list-of-the-25-finalists-of-the-2nd-edition-of-the-digicel-contest-konbit-pou-chanjman.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27082-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24455-haiti-digicel-foundation-launch-of-the-2nd-competition-konbit-pou-chanjman.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Education : Towards the strengthening of presbyteral schools





On Friday, officials from the Ministry of National Education and representatives of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education (CEEC) held a working session on a draft agreement on the strengthening of presbyteral schools. It was for the leaders of these two institutions to agree on the content of the document that will outline the cooperation for the benefit of children attending the presbyteral schools. To this end, under instruction of Minister Cadet, a Mixed Commission was set up to elaborate the terms of this agreement.



This session, moderated by Jacques Yvon Pierre, Technical Coordinator in the Minister's Office, was attended by several members of the cabinet, the cluster coordinator, Jacques Francois, members of the Communication Bureau and representatives of the CEEC. At this meeting, Msgr. Pierre Andre Dumas, President of the CCEC, paid a courtesy visit to encourage the parties to finalize the text of the agreement, which aims to improve the supervision of presbyteral schools by focusing on the quality of learning.



At the end of this session, the text was validated by the participants with some changes to be made for purposes of clarifying certain elements.



Learn more about presbyteral schools :

These schools, created by priests in some parishes of the Catholic Church across the country, supplement the shortage of school provision at the State level and largely serve disadvantaged urban and rural strata. The first of its kind were established following the convention of August 4, 1913 concluded between the Haitian State and the Catholic Church.



It should be noted that the latest survey conducted by the CEEC revealed the existence, at the national level, of 1,140 presbyteral schools attended by just over 602,000 students and mobilizing approximately 8,000 teachers.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Internships for INAGHEI and FDSE students

Signature of a partnership agreement between the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MCI) and the State University of Haiti (UEH) providing for the awarding of internships to students of the National Institute of Administration of Management and Higher International Studies (INAGHEI) and the Faculty of Law and Economics (FDSE) in their fields of study.



CFI speaks in Germany about business opportunities in Haiti

Tessa Jacques Antoine, the Director General of the Investment Facilitation Center (CFI) participated in the Investment Management Exhibition held in Frankfurt, Germany which was held for 3 days this week. She took the opportunity to present investment opportunities in the Caribbean in general and in Haiti in particular...



Economic relations with DR

Ronell Gilles, the Minister of Trade and Industry (MCI) aware of the socio-economic realities surrounding binational relations with the Dominican Republic informs that the Ministry decided to organize an observation mission on the border area for a punctual state of the places and to create a unit specialized in economic and commercial relations with the neighboring Republic.



Election Bill and Persons with Disabilities

As part of its advocacy project on civil and political rights, funded by the Disability Rights Fund, the "J'Aime Haiti" Foundation organized an exchange workshop on March 14, which brought together representatives of various civil society and State organizations, including human rights organizations, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) and the Office of Citizen Protection (OPC). The purpose of the workshop was to analyze the draft law and make recommendations to the concerned authorities to better take into account the needs of persons with disabilities in the electoral process.



School canteen

"The School Canteen Program provides 100% local food for 30,000 students by purchasing dry, fresh produce directly from small farmers through the contribution of the Canadian Embassy in Haiti," says the World Food Program (WFP). Haiti), assistance reinforced by Japan on February 28th https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27079-haiti-social-during-2-years-16-000-schoolchildren-will-receive-a-school-meal-thanks-to-japan.html



Successful Tsunami Warning Exercise

On Thursday, a major tsunami warning exercise (CARIBEWAVE 2019) was held in Haiti and more than 50 Caribbean countries https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27169-icihaiti-notice-important-tsunami-simulation-exercise-in-the-caribbean.html For this exercise the Civil Protection in Haiti has activated the National Emergency Operation Center (COUN) in order to send the messages in real time, organize regular evacuation exercises, testing emergency plans to be ready to respond to emergencies. In Port-au-Prince, the Civil Protection Brigadiers simulated an evacuation of the City Hall after a tsunami warning. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27169-icihaiti-notice-important-tsunami-simulation-exercise-in-the-caribbean.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2019/03/17 | Source

After-school English classes for first and second graders will resume in April after a vote in the National Assembly reversed a ban, according to the Education Ministry on Wednesday.

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They were banned last year since regular English classes start in third grade and children younger than that were to be protected from excessively long hours.

But the ban caused an uproar among parents, and Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae promised last October to lift it again.

"We'll conduct a survey to find out how many parents want" the after-school English classes, a ministry official said. "They can resume as early as April".
By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2019/03/16

After adapting the traditional tale of Hansel and Gretel in a modern, Korean setting, Yim Pil-sung decided to do the same with the classic Korean folktale Simcheongga, by creating an atmospheric, erotic thriller. Let us see how he fared.

"Scarlet Innocence" (festival entry) is screening at the Florence Korea Film Fest

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Literature professor Hak-gyoo is a gorgeous man, whose beauty seems to put him constantly in trouble. First, he is accused for a sex scandal by a student of his, which forces him to leave Seoul and his depressed wife and daughter, Cheong-i, in order to teach in a small, rural town. While being there though, he starts an affair with a local girl, Deok-i, with the two of them soon becoming the object of much gossip, to the utter frustration of the girl's deaf-mute mother. Eventually, the allegations against him drop, and he returns to Seoul to teach at the university, leaving behind a disgruntled Deok-i, who does not hesitate to follow him to Seoul. When he decides to return to end things with her, tragedy befalls her and his family, in the harshest fashion. The film then leaps 8 years later, where Cheong-i has become a genuine playboy, to the annoyance of his daughter. Soon, however, tragedy appears once again and revenge becomes the main theme of the story.

Yim Pik-sung directs a film that is split into two segments, with the events following the return of Hak-kyu to the town serving as the dichotomy. The issue however, is that the two parts are quite different as much as they are uneven. In that fashion, the first part functions as a kind of romantic story, at least till the ending, filled with sensualism ( including a long, quite steamy sex scene) where the built up of the relationship and its repercussions are excellently built-up and portrayed.

On the other hand, the second part goes a bit too far in terms of story, which eventually becomes quite naive, as revenge and counter revenge start dominating the narrative. As the victims become perpetrators and vice versa, the sense of measure is almost completely lost, with the same applying to the characters, who after a fashion, seem paper-thin, with the time leaps adding to this sense, in essence stripping the story of most of the impact the twists could have. This aspect applies particularly to the two girls, whose story, in the second, part, suffers in term of analysis, thus faulting the particular characters.

Although the faults in the narrative are significant, I cannot say the same about the technical aspect of the film. Lee Sung-jae's cinematography is exceptional, giving the images a dark and grey hue that suits the erotic thriller aesthetics to perfection, while his presentation of the erotic scenes is one of the highlights of the production. His focus on Jung Woo-sung's body is more than evident, but the result is excellent, since the Korean super star is build like a sculpture. The quality remains the same in both the rural and the urban setting, in another trait of Lee's work. Mowg's music also adds to the aforementioned sense, through a number of atmospheric, quite fitting tracks. Kim Sang-beom's editing gives the film a dreamy pace that functions nicely for the most part, but the time leaps are somewhat abrupt and do not help the narrative.

Jung Woo-sung as Hak-gyoo is great in the role of the temptation and as a playboy, but not as good in the part where he has to appear broken and in need. Roughly the same applies to Esom as Deok-i, who is quite good as a naive girl in love and relatively convincing femme fatale, but not so good when she has to appear completely broken.

"Scarlet Innocence" has a number of faults in its narrative, but remains a treat for the eye for various reasons and definitely deserves a watch, particularly from those that enjoy erotic thrillers.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"Scarlet Innocence" is directed by Yim Pil-sung, and features Jung Woo-sung, Esom, Park Si-woo and Kim Hee-won.

Available on Blu-ray and DVD from YESASIA
By William Schwartz | Published on 2019/03/16

Designed with the centennial of the March 1st Movement in mind, "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" serves an obvious purpose as a documentary. We may know Yu Gwan-sun by name, but who was she? And who were the women she collaborated with in prison? They were not always so well known. The opening scene depicts the writing of a New York Times article in 2018 that helped bring Yu Gwan-sun to prominence. "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" goes further, giving context to the lives of the other women who were in the Seodaemun prison who also defied Japanese authority.

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Unfortunately "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" is less a historical documentary than it is a series of reenactments. While we do get brief explanations from relevant learned persons about critical background information, for the most part "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" jumps from one torture scene to the next. The documentary is less about the accomplishments of the women it profiles and more about how they were tortured for their defiance by the Japanese government and those Koreans who willingly worked for it.

On one end this is certainly accurate. A major reason why Yu Gwan-sun came to prominence is that all she really did was make noise at a prison loud enough that people outside the prison could hear it. For that minor, mostly symbolic victory, she was slowly and brutally murdered. Yu Gwan-sun's main contribution to Korean independence was to act as a martyr for it. Even if the other women she worked with managed to survive for much longer, they are relevant for the same reasons.

Martyr is an especially appropriate word to use here because "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" was produced by the Christian Broadcasting Service. The surprisingly lengthy torture scenes need to be viewed in that context. The suffering of the women is intended to be inspirational, because they loved Korea as much as they loved God. These women were acting in the name of a higher purpose, and while what they went through was awful, ultimately they would have seen that sacrifice as vindicated for the sake of independence. This theme is explicitly noted in the post-credits sequence.

"1919 Yu Gwan-sun" suffers from bad timing as much as anything else. Having seen "A Resistance" just last week, I was hungry for a more factual recollection of the Yu Gwan-sun story. "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" doesn't provide that. For the most part it's just a different kind of dramatization- and one that's much less artfully done. "A Resistance" excelled on understatement, strong performances, and a cold mechanical look at Imperial Japan's prison structure. This alleged documentary is considerably more bombastic and less subtle than that.

I liked the bits in "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" that explained what these women were doing with their lives before they became prisoners. These moments, whether they take place in Bible study groups or gisaeng training facilities, provide spiritual context that does a lot to explain the later defiance of these women in the face of torture. The problem with "1919 Yu Gwan-sun" is, there's too much torture and not enough context. That makes for a fairly weak documentary.

Review by William Schwartz

"1919 Yu Gwan-sun" is directed by Shin Sang-min, and features Lee Sae-bom, Yang Yoon-hee, Kim Na-ni, Park Ja-hee, Kim Gyoo-ri-I, Kim Moo-neui, Ryu Eui-do, Jang Se-ah and Hwang Do-won
Published on 2019/03/17 | Source

Korea is expected to suffer a shortage of the working-age population even if the retirement age is raised to 65.

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Analysis of population estimates by Statistics Korea suggests there will be 31 million people in the working-age population between 20 and 65 in 2030, fewer than the current 31.2 million between 20 to 60 before retirement age.

The reason is the country's record-low birth rate. Korea's working-age population from 15 to 64 already started dwindling in 2017. Last week, the Supreme Court raised the legal retirement age from 60 to 65. At this rate, there is a strong chance that Koreans will have to worry about a shortage of workers instead of a shortage of jobs.

Most workers now retire at 60, even though the working-age population ranges from 15 to 64. The number of people between 20 and 60 fell from 31.5 million in 2016 to 31.2 million this year. And by 2030, when the retirement age has risen to 65, there will be only 31 million people of working age. By 2039, even if the retirement age is raised to 70, there will be only 31.1 million.

Statistics Korea projects Korea's total population to shrink to 36.7 million by 2065, and the portion aged between 20 and 60 to 13.5 million. If the low birthrate continues, the population decline could speed up even more.

Population experts back in 1960 forecast that machines would eventually replace humans, but in reality the development of new technologies ended up creating new jobs. That means an optimum number of workers must be maintained.

Yun Seok-myung at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs said, "People can work into their 70s if health permits, so senior citizens could earn a living on top of their pensions".

The problem is the quality of jobs on offer. Korean men actually retire at 72.9 years of age, while women retire at 73.1, the oldest in the OECD. As of January, 3.99 million people over 60 were employed, the bulk in low-paying jobs after retiring from their previous work in their early 50s.

Experts said the key task is to improve the quality of jobs available for senior citizens while extending the retirement age.
By Vasia Orion | Published on 2019/03/16

We're back to stressing over fresh premieres assaulting our watchlist, as this week brings us the start, and goodies, of "Doctor Prisoner", "Kill It", "Confession - Drama" and "Mother of Mine". We have plenty more from shows further down the road, as well as some really fun casting news.

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New Week Premieres

After a little premiere slowdown, this week brings back the opening of new dramas, starting with "Doctor Prisoner" on the 20th. The series has a new trailer and poster you can whet your appetite with. The rest of the premieres pile up on Saturday, the 23rd. OCN's "Kill It" has released a short highlight video, while tvN's "Confession - Drama" has a lengthier, 4-minute one out. On the public channel side, KBS 2TV's "Mother of Mine" drops some family goodies with a new teaser and posters.

Upcoming Drama Goodies

"Welcome to Waikiki 2" has released a new teaser, and so has "Special Labor Inspector, Mr. Jo". "My Fellow Citizens" has its own teaser, as well as a fresh poster. "Her Private Life" has adorable couple stills, and we get the first drop of goodies for "I Hate Going to Work". "Beautiful World" drops another blood-chilling video, and "Voice 3" has script reading shots. "The Banker" has a fresh teaser, and introductions to its other three leads. In casting news, "Abyss" has more members, and "Save Me 2" has confirmed its leads, while "Joseon Survival" is courting its own. Be sure to check out the profiles of all these shows for more.

Followed Dramas

This has been the week of lamenting "Possessed" becoming another "Children of a Lesser God" in terms of English availability, and also the week of me trying to pick "God's Quiz: Reboot" up again. I'll get there, I know it.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'
Republicans circling if Henson resigns from House

Although GOP leaders in Raleigh have been silent on the cyberstalking charge against state Rep. Cody Henson, two local Republicans named Johnson say theyre eyeing the seat if Henson quits.

Henson has been accused of cyberstalking and the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office is investigating whether he committed a crime against his estranged wife, Kelsey Henson, Carolina Public Press reported.

Last week, after the media reported the criminal summons, the N.C. Democratic Party, Democratic Women of North Carolina and a House Democratic leader called on Henson to resign.

Now that a judge has seen fit, after a hearing on the merits, to grant a permanent restraining order against Rep. Henson, there has been a finding of domestic violence on his part, House Democratic Whip Rep. Deb Butler said. There is no place for domestic violence in our society, particularly on the part of an elected official who purports to be a role model for our youth. In my opinion, he should resign.

At the Henderson County Republican Party Convention on Saturday, a Polk County commissioner said hed look at running if Henson resigns while another Republican declined to rule out a primary challenge if Henson stays.

Lets just say testing the water, said Gene Johnson, a 57-year-old attorney who practices in Henderson and Buncombe counties and lives in Polk. Im more interested to see what happens with Rep. Henson. Im not going to step on his toes. Im just waiting to see what happens.  At this point Im not ready to say whether he would challenge Henson in a primary.

Jake Johnson, the 24-year-old chairman of the Polk County Board of Commissioners, plans to announce a campaign for Secretary of State. That could change, he said, if Hensons seat becomes vacant.

Im getting a lot of calls on it, said Johnson, who was elected in 2016. If the seat came open it would be something I would consider.

Last month a judge granted Kelsey Henson a yearlong restraining order against Henson after she filed a complaint that he will not quit texting the plaintiff at all hours of the day.

Henson has declined to comment on the cyberstalking charge, saying its a family member he hopes to resolve privately.

Rep. Henson looks forward to addressing this allegation in due course through our judicial system and will not attempt to litigate the matter through the media, Hensons attorney, Michael Edney, said in a statement. Cody will continue to focus his love and energy on his two beautiful children and will continue to represent the people of District 113.

* * * * *

Carolina Public Press contributed reporting.
Tax referendum may be a long shot

The citys request for a quarter-cent sales tax referendum faces an uphill battle in a Legislature resistant to local tax measures.



Hendersonville City Council on Thursday formally voted to ask the General Assembly to allow a referendum in the city on a quarter-cent sales tax. The tax, which would raise about $2 million if voters authorized it, would fund streets, sidewalks and greenways. Weve been working with Rep. McGrady about introducing a bill, City Manager John Connet said. Connet and council members said the city is limited in revenue options to the property tax and that a local option sales tax would spread the burden to visitors and tourists who dont pay city property taxes. We know we have a large number of people that come in and use our infrastructure, Connet said, and all of that cost should not be based on the (city) property taxpayer. Ive to a lot of people of all ages and I havent gotten any opposed to it, Councilman Ron Stephens said. I think theres going to be a lot of support for it.

Voters may not get the chance to decide. Hendersonville legislators were noncommittal at best in comments to the Hendersonville Lightning. The city asked for a referendum last year, too, and failed to get one.

Ill file the bill as requested, Rep. Chuck McGrady said. I advised (Connet) theres not a great opportunity. He said he hasnt pushed the bill yet. I have not had that discussion with the finance (committee) people. Last year we just couldnt get it moving.

"The local option sales tax bill is similar to a bill that was passed by one House committee last session, but wasnt heard in a second committee to which it was referred," McGrady said in his newsletter to constituents last week. "It could meet a similar fate this year, since legislators are hesitant to authorize local governments to collect additional taxes."

Sen. Chuck Edwards expressed little more confidence in the bill's chances.

It is not a topic I have studied yet, he said. I would like to see first that it could make it out of the House before it made it in the Senate. Typically this type of legislation has a very tough time making it through.
'So much we want the public to know': Meritus COVID cases surge again
Superstar Aamir Khan says filmmaking does excites him, but currently he wants to focus on acting. The 54-year-old actor, who made directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par, said he will quit acting once he decides to turn full-fledged filmmaker.

I am inclined towards filmmaking and I coincidentally directed Taare Zameen Par. I have been in love with filmmaking and acting and I cant alienate the two but what I can say right now is that I began my career as an actor and it excites me. The moment I become a full-fledged filmmaker I will stop acting. Right now, I dont want to stop acting, thats why I am holding back the director inside me, Aamir told reporters here on Thursday.

As a producer, Aamir has backed films like Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par, Jaane Tu Yaha Jaane Na, Peepli Live, Dhobi Ghat, Delhi Belly, Talaash, Dangal and Secret Superstar. The actor said his aim is to support good scripts and making money is not his agenda. I had not thought at what pace I will make films. Usually, people make films with their production houses for business. That is not our first agenda. Creativity is our agenda. Till the time we dont get a good script, we dont make it into a film.

Aamir Khan celebrates his birthday with his wife Kiran Rao in Mumbai on March 14, 2019. (IANS)

When asked if as an actor does he have any Hollywood aspirations, Aamir said he would work in any part of the world if he gets a good opportunity. For me, as an actor, what is important is what the film is all about and what it is trying to say. It should excite me as an actor. It is not important that it should have a social message. It does not matter which part of the world it originates from. If someone from Japan or Africa offers me something and if I get excited, I will do it. But I dont have a fascination for Hollywood, Aamir added.

Also read: Kareena Kapoor has a hilarious reply for troll who says Taimur is dying of hunger: Hes eating too much actually

The actor has announced his next project, Lal Singh Chaddha, an official adaptation of Tom Hanks 1994 film Forrest Gump. He was also in talks for Netflix series on spiritual leader Rajneesh, popularly known among his followers as Osho, but he said the script has not been finalised yet. Nothing is happening on Osho at the moment. I am not aware. The script is not ready, he said.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
With the sun finally setting on the weekends, Bollywood stars were spotted out and about in Mumbai, grabbing a quick bite at their favourite restaurants or returning home after a vacation.

Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan was spotted at the Mumbai airport, on her way to Malaysia. She was seen in a white shirt, blue denim, black boots, topped with a light green jacket. She wore large sunglasses as the paparazzi clicked her pictures. Actor Kangana Ranaut was also seen at the airport as she finally returned to the bay. She looked stunning as always in her flowy white suit and printed dupatta.

Actor Alia Bhatt decided to grab a snack at a restaurant after celebrating her birthday on Friday. She looked cute in a floral outfit, teamed with a denim jacket. Actor Jacqueline Fernandez also returned to Mumbai after her Da-Bangg show was cancelled in Dubai due to bad weather.

Also read: Parineeti Chopra reveals she owes Kesaris Akshay Kumar money

Actor Janhvi Kapoor smiled for the cameras once again as she was seen walking out of a building in a black dress. Actor Shilpa Shetty was also seen at a restaurant with her husband Raj Kundra, son Viaan and sister Amrita Arora. Actor Sunny Leone was seen with her husband and two sons by the paparazzi. Her sons looked cute as a button as they looked at the photographers.



Actor Kriti Sanon was seen at a films shoot while Ishaan Khatter and Nushrat Barucha were spotted at an event. Entrepreneur and Hrithik Roshans ex-wife Sussanne Khan was also spotted by the paparazzi. Check out everyones pics:

Kriti Sanon at work. (Varidner Chawla)

Sunny Leones son in her arms. (Varidner Chawla)

Sunny Leone and her husband Daniel Weber with their son. (Varidner Chawla)

Janhvi Kapoor spotted by paparazzi. (Varidner Chawla)

Sussanne Khan seen in Mumbai. (Varidner Chawla)

Shilpa Shetty out for lunch with family. (Varidner Chawla)

Alia Bhatt and Jacqueline Fernandez out and about in Mumbai. (Varidner Chawla)

Kangana Ranaut at the airport. (Varidner Chawla)

Kareena Kapoor at the airport. (Varidner Chawla)

Ishaan Khatter with Nushrat Baruch at an event. (Varidner Chawla)

Vaani Kapoor and Jim Sarbh at an event. (Varidner Chawla)

Follow @htshowbiz for more
If you ever meet Sharon Isbin, classical guitarist, multiple Grammy-winning musician, and founder and director of the guitar department at New York Citys The Juilliard School, heres a tip. Never shake her hand.

Im so sorry, but I have to take care of my hands, says the 62-year-old guitar legend. I play entirely with my fingertips and fingernails, and once, a music conductor almost squashed my hand during a handshake. If a classical music conductor is unable to realise how important my hands are for my music, I dont expect most people to understand it. So as a rule, I avoid handshakes.

In India on a three-city tour called The Peace Tribe with Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, Sridhar Parthasarathy and Vijay Ghate, Sharon says shes been listening to Indian classical music since she was 18 years old, but never imagined shed collaborate with anyone in this field, leave alone perform with them in India.

It still feels surreal, she says. It is a true pinch-me moment for me. In fact, I actually cancelled one of my US concerts to be here, something I have never done before.

Opposites attract

In a way, this collaboration has been 10 years in the making. Sharon met sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his family nearly a decade ago and they have been friends ever since. Around six years ago, Amjad came up with the idea for a collaboration, and I immediately said yes, says Sharon. But since Indian classical music is mostly an oral tradition and I cant work without a written composition, it took him some time to pen down the notations for me. I finally got the first draft this November and here I am! We have two concert tours of the same kind planned for the US after this, and then we intend to record it.

Around six years ago, Amjad [Ali Khan] came up with the idea for a collaboration, and I immediately said yes! -Sharon Isbin

Sharon is not new to collaborations, having worked with artists like Steve Vai, Laurindo Almeida, Nancy Wilson, Larry Coryell, Stanley Jordan, Herb Ellis, and Steve Morse, but her work with The Peace Tribe has been a very different experience. For one thing, the combination of sarod and classical guitar is not easy to achieve. You have the metal strings of the sarod being played with the plectrum, and the nylon strings of the guitar being played by fingertips and fingernails. It was intriguing to watch Ayaan and Amaan use the long fingernails on their left hands to produce pitches on the sarod, with a coconut shell as a plectrum in the right hand, whereas I have frets on the guitar for pitches and use long fingernails on my right hand to strike the strings, she says. So, the sound each instrument produces is very different from the other.

Playing with an ensemble of all Indian classical musicians for the very first time was a very different experience for Sharon Isbin, but also where she found her own familiar reference points (Prabhat Shetty)

Sharon found Sridhar Parthasarathys mridangam fascinating, was bowled over by Vijay Ghates tabla, and had her mind blown by the experience of playing with an ensemble of all Indian classical musicians. But she also found familiar reference points in the performances. I often collaborate with jazz musicians who improvise, says Sharon. I also enjoyed adding embellishments to my part in raga style. It reminded me of how I add embellishments when playing Bach and other 18th century baroque Western classical music, as musicians are expected to do in the baroque style of the time.

I worked dozens of hours to learn [Indian] music. I used special techniques with my fingers to match the effect of plectrums on sarods-Sharon Isbin

The difference between the Indian classical music tradition and the Western is conceptual, says Sharon. Indian classical music has long pieces. You are taken on a journey. It is a very expansive state of consciousness, whereas a Bach or a Beethoven piece has a clear and defined sense of enclosure, she explains. But I always found Indian classical music very meditative. I think I connected with it also because I have studied transcendental meditation and have been practising it since I was a teenager.

Before coming to India, she made it a point to listen to recordings by Amjad Ali Khan, Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash. They are so creative, artistic, masterful, energetic and moving! The music maestro Khan has composed for us is sheer genius, successfully interweaving our varied musical, spiritual and artistic traditions with mystical beauty, grace and great emotion, she says.

But since she didnt have much time, she learned these pieces by ear rather than delve into the basics of Indian classical music.

Strings attached

Life turned out differently from what Sharon had aimed for as a youngster. The daughter of a scientist, Sharon was fascinated by rocket science, but when her entire family shifted to Italy for a year, she found herself inadvertently attending classical guitar classes.

Sharon Isbin, the multiple Grammy-winning musician and the founder and director of the guitar department at The Juilliard School, is considered as one of the topmost classical guitarist of our times (Prabhat Shetty)

My brother wanted to learn the guitar and Aldo Minella, a big name in classical guitar, was teaching in Italy, she laughs. My mom took both of us to his class, but the moment my brother realised that the music was not rock and roll, he bailed. So to experience the unique opportunity, she stepped into her brothers shoes. But a year later, science became her passion, and she was soon building model rockets and launching them from a nearby field. But when she won a competition that gave her the chance to play with the Minnesota Orchestra, her life changed.

Indian classical is mostly an oral tradition and I cant work without a written composition- Sharon Isbin

Today she has played with nearly 200 orchestras and commissioned pieces by composers like Joan Tower, Ned Rorem and John Corigliano. I had to break through a lot of glass ceilings, first as a classical guitar player and then as a woman classical guitar player, says Sharon. I had to work hard to convince composers to write for me. Now, I have more than 60 compositions written for me. 

Like her guitar skills, Sharons patience has become legendary. The story goes that she diligently followed up with John Corigliano for eight years to get him to write one composition for her. I had met him at a party and then randomly ran into him at the post office one day. There was a long queue. I thought the most obvious thing to do while waiting in the post office queue with John [Corigliano] was to ask him to write me a piece for guitar and orchestra! Sharon laughs. I asked him and he said that it was an interesting idea and that I should call him, and so I called him every year for eight years! Finally, I got to know that he liked dramatic concepts and I worked out one he liked. And I got what I wanted.

Holy cow!

Now back in New York, Sharon is mighty pleased with her experience in India. She vividly remembers a reaction from a member of the audience in Delhi. When the show ended, a man in the front row clapping and yelled out to me with joy: No matter how fast the others played, you kept up with them and went all the way!

It was great to get such appreciation from the audience, especially since I worked dozens of hours in the last week to learn the music at full speed using special techniques with my fingers to match the effect of plectrums on sarods, she says when we connect with her a few days later over email.

But no India trip for a Westerner can end without a mention of the Taj Mahal and cows. On my last day, en-route Agra, I spotted a cow! chuckles Sharon. Of course I had to pose for a photo with them! she says.

Being constantly told you are what you are because of your father is a pain!

Despite the complications of tradition and their gharanam here is how the Bangash Brothers keep it respectful and keep it cool...

Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash are collaborating with Sharon Isbin on a score written by their father and sarod legend, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Prabhat Shetty)

As string instruments, the sarod and the guitar are cousins at some level. But much as Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash are excited and awed by the idea of collaborating with Sharon Isbin, they are somewhat challenged by the actual musical pieces.

Thats because the Indian classical music tradition is primarily oral, which leaves room for improvisation, while the Western classical music tradition is written. So to accommodate Sharon, the scores developed for the trio have all been written out.

Nothing can change, says Ayaan. Though you have windows to improvise, the take offs and the landings are predetermined. Even so, it isnt easy for Sharon either. She has new sounds all around her.

The Bangash brothers are known for their experimental approach to Indian classical music, but now they are more in tune with the idea of fusing different musical traditions cleanly than with jamming. We want to try the Western approach to fusion, where the score is written with a plan to improvise, says Amaan. It is not a jam.

Ayaan makes their idea of fusion clearer. It is about creating a bouquet of flowers where the beauty and fragrance of each flower adds to the entire experience, he says.

Let it grow

At 41 and 39 respectively, Amaan and Ayaan come across as more introspective than they used to be. Music is not just learning the notes and doing your riyaz. You need to see the ups and downs in life. Your personal experiences add the X-factor to your music, says Ayaan.

Theyre finding their own voices, but they are yet to emerge from beneath the tall shadow of their father. We are immensely proud of our father and we love him to bits. But being constantly told that you are what you are only because of your father is a pain, says Amaan.

Ayaan explains: Although we had a very normal childhood, our school teachers would say things like, Ayaan, we expect a certain kind of behaviour from you. Remember whose son you are. This was quite overwhelming. I got cautious about everything.

Amaan admits that his lineage may be why he remains a bachelor. It often creates a problem, he says. Suppose I meet some interesting girl at a party, I cant approach her because one, she might think that I hit on girls often, and two, she might think that because I am Amjad Ali Khans son I must be arrogant. So whatever I do, I always have my dads name attached to me!

At 41 and 39, Amaan and Ayaan are far sorted in their head today and their music more introspective; On Amaan: Jacket, Shantanu & Nikhil; jeans, Diesel; shoes, Vintage Boots Lucchese; On Ayaan: Jacket, Shantanu & Nikhil; jeans, Diesel; shoes, Gucci (Prabhat Shetty)

He recounts an incident where he asked a girl on their fourth date where she saw the relationship going; she snapped that she didnt have to make a decision in a hurry just because he was Amaan Ali Bangash, Amjad Ali Khans son. I was like whoa! What just happened? says Amaan. I still have no clue how and when my dad came into the picture that day!

But bhai should totally get married! Now my kids are six years old, they need cousins to play with! laughs Ayaan.

Arre, I have been wanting to settle down for the longest time, but things never work out! scowls Amaan. It is getting a bit lonely. I am really hoping that I will connect with someone soon.

Rock you like a hurricane

The brothers dont behave like stereotypical classical musicians. Still, since they represent the seventh generation of the Senia Bangash gharana, they created quite a ripple in the Indian classical music scene when they decided to become television anchors in a talent hunt show in 1999. We were told we were bringing shame to our gharana, says Amaan.

The irony was that by stepping into the more popular spotlight, the brothers learned more about their own heritage of music. We met people like OP Nayar, Laxmikant Pyarelal and such greats. We heard so many young talents during the show, that we sat up and began taking our riyaz far more seriously. And also, finally people started calling us by our names! laughs Ayaan.

That experience held them in good stead, because music evolves, and trolling is always available. The only advice I ever give young musicians is, live your life. Dont get affected by criticism and dont get swayed by praise. Apna time ayega, says Amaan. But make sure when your time comes, you are absolutely prepared. Work hard every single day while you are waiting.

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My cousin Parth, aka Parthasarathy Ramasubramanian, has gone and fallen in love with a Punjabi girl named Pinky.

My relatives in Palghat are agog with dire predictions about the marriage.

Punjabi weds Palghat? Never! says an uncle, imitating erstwhile Tamil thespian Nadigar Thilagam (acting superstar), Sivaji Ganeshan.

The great Indian joint family comes together to celebrate the union of two dysfunctional families

His wife has a more immediate question. Does the girl eat meat? Or for that matter, garam masala? The two seem fairly equal in her eyes, given that the only foods she eats are doused with coconut oil, curry leaves and chillies.

Shiva, Shiva, says an uncle. Of course, she will be a meat-eater. Or even a man-eater. He belly-laughs at his weak (and sexist) joke. That boy should never have been sent to study in Delhi. Look at who he has turned up with.

Well, at least it isnt some foreigner girl who eats meat. The M word again.

In the centre of this storm is the boys father, who at 72 is still called Baby. At 100 kilograms spread evenly over five feet, Baby Mama, my uncle, trundles through life like a cherubic baby elephant, albeit one that sings Carnatic music songs continuously and slightly off-key. He deserves the second most common of nicknames amongst Palghat Iyers. The first most common is Ambi, but it is usually given to a male child. Baby is the second and is unisex. I have a Baby-chithi and a Baby-mama.

For a long time, Baby Mama and Visalam Mami played ostrich. They pretended that Pinky didnt exist. When their son Parth (family nickname: Paachu) brought the girl to their home and announced that she may be pregnant, they had no choice but to go to Delhi to meet the girls parents. Which is how some 25 of us from my side of the family sat nervously in a sprawling bungalow in Lutyens Delhi facing General Ahuja and Mrs Ahuja who were profusely (as only Punjabis can do) serving us sugary masala chai.

The initial pleasantries took all of five minutes. The Ahujas stared blankly at the strong Malayalam-accented English coming out of my uncles mouth. Cousin Paachu didnt help matters any further by saying that most of his family hadnt left Kalpathi village in Palghat except for brief sojourns in Chennai.

Chennai was the cue that General Ahuja was waiting for. He launched into an explanation about how he was posted in Chennai. Or was it a diatribe? All the familiar names sounded like rocket launchers when they came out of his mouth  Meenambakkam, Nungambakkam, Injambakkam and Kothavalchavadi  it was all one big mash up by way of a Sikh beard.

Finally, my aunt, Visalam piped in. What is the biggest difference between a North Indian and a South Indian wedding? she asked her to-be samdhis (in-laws).

Mrs Ahuja didnt miss a beat. Alcohol, she replied.

There was a pause. Nobody in my Kalpathi clan has touched alcohol. Or at least, that is what we tell ourselves when we sit at our banana leaf plates and I am sticking to it.

What about rituals? Visalam continued. We typically have the wedding ceremony in the morning, preferably early morning.

Yes, yes, said Baby Mama sitting up. My wife and I were married at 4.20am.

General Ahuja looked like he wanted to throw up. That is when we go to sleep after our weddings, he said. His wife glared at him.

Paachu and Pinky sat beside each other, looking more and more despondent.

Weddings in India are more than rings. They are the co-mingling of two clans. And while we may be divided by culture, food, customs, and yes, consumption of alcohol, there is one tie that binds all of us. It is the desire to connect with each other, to preserve family ties, to accommodate every last irritating aunt and uncle in that ceremonial rite of passage that we call a wedding. This is why an uncle can call you up before your wedding and give you a list of people that need to be invited. This is why there are symbolic roles for the chachis, mamis, buas, maasis and kakis in the actual ceremony.

For all the back-biting and complaining, the great Indian joint family comes together to celebrate their union with another equally dysfunctional family. Which is what we did.

The Ahujas sweated it out in Chennai where we had the muhurtham, not at the crack of dawn which is when my family would have been in peak form, but at a civilised 10.30am to accommodate those North Indians. And later, we went to Delhi for the reception on the lawns of the Ahuja household. A lot of us from South India made runs to the bar and came back carrying clear liquids that we said was Sprite. None of us imbibed, of course.

(This column addresses the issue of parenting our parents and other unique facets of This Indian Life and our culture. If you have stories about the weird and wonderful relationships that enrich or enervate your life, write in.)

This Indian Life appears every fortnight

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Photo: Contributed

Vernon's MQN Architecture & Interior Design was a top five finalist in five categories at this years 2019 Georgie Awards in Vancouver.

Our team was ecstatic to be selected as a finalist again this year by the CHBA BC in five categories let alone to bring home two Georgie Awards, says partner Dora Anderson.

The Georgie Awards, presented by the Canadian Home Builders' Association of British Columbia, celebrate excellence in home building.

The awards gala was a black-tie event, presented by emcee Todd Talbot, co-host of Love It or List It Vancouver, in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 650 industry professionals.

This year, MQN submitted a custom lakeside home dubbed Boomerang Bay.

This captivating home stays true to prairie style architecture and design as it is rooted in nature with a sense of place,'' Anderson says.

Much like building, success is not built by one person but by a team, which is why we are proud to share this build and award with our wonderful clients and all the talented hard-working local Okanagan building partners that worked with us to make this dream home a reality, adds MQN partner Brian Quiring.

Those include: Bercum Builders, Arden Tile, C&S Tile, Dennis Taylor Painting, Emco-The Ensuite, Terry Harris Cabinets, Flo Form Countertops, Artist Doug Alcock, Sundial Lighting, K2 Stone, Mason John Farina.
BJP has given up sitting seats in Bihar and Jharkand to have alliances. The opposition parties are not ready to compromise even on non existing seats. Good luck to them, former finance minister, Yashwant Sinha, once one of the senior-most leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but increasingly, one of the harshest critics of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the current dispensation in New Delhi, tweeted earlier this week.

Sinhas frustration was obvious. Since the Karnataka election in the middle of last year, there has been a growing belief and realisation among opposition parties that the BJP, which looked invincible till then, could be defeated if its opponents came together. Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamys swearing in was a coming out party of sorts for a so-called Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance).

Between then and the end of 2018, the prospects of an alliance were talked up by most opposition leaders. Almost all of them, though, were careful to avoid discussion of a prime ministerial candidate. This would be decided after the election, they said. And almost all of them maintained that partnerships would remain at the level of states  in effect, reducing the Lok Sabha election to a series of smaller battles.

The first, the absence of a prime ministerial candidate, was going to be a weakness, especially against the BJP, which, with Narendra Modi at the helm, was always going to make the contest a mano-e-mano one. The second  reducing the general election into a clutch of smaller state-level elections  appeared like a good strategy on paper. Since (and including) the Gujarat election in late 2017, the BJP has not won as many state elections as it would have liked to; and state-level alliances are always easier to strike than a national one.

That was the situation going into the December assembly elections. By then the BJP had already lost two allies  the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra and the Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu & Kashmir, and was having issues with several others, including the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab.

Then came the December assembly elections, in which the Congress wrested three key Hindi heartland states from the BJP and the momentum seemed to be even more with the opposition.

Two months on, the situation is different, and not just because national security has become a hot-button issue for most voters after the Pulwama terror strike. It is different because of two significant factors.

One, the BJP has sewed up alliances with almost 30 parties, big and small. Some of these alliances  such as the ones with the Shiv Sena, the Janata Dal (United) and the Akali Dal  are existing ones that have been strengthened and renewed. Others  such as those with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and a bunch of others in Tamil Nadu  are new. There may be still more alliances to come. The details show that the BJP has been, at best generous, and at worst, honest in deciding the number of seats each partner will contest.

The BJPs alliance with a clutch of parties in Indias northeast, struck earlier this week, needs special mention. Since 2014, the BJP has expanded its presence in the region, forming smart alliances with local parties, but it appeared to have thrown everything away with its recent attempt to push the citizenship bill through Parliament. The law, which grants (and accelerates the granting of) citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from neighbouring countries raised hackles in the northeast where local people are perennially worried that outsiders will occupy their land and take away their livelihood. As recently as a month ago, many of the partnerships the BJP struck in the region between 2014 and 2018 appeared shaky. Yet, come mid-March, and the BJP has renewed almost all the alliances and is in a good position in a region that sends 25 representatives to Parliament.

Two, the BJP has engineered defections, some say close to a 100, from other parties over the past few months. A top-of-mind listing by Chanakya, of only the prominent leaders, came up with 25 leaders, most of whom have joined the BJP in the past month alone. That includes two Trinamool Congress members of Parliament in West Bengal, four Congress members of legislative assembly in Gujarat, a senior Congress leader (Tom Vadakkan) in Delhi, the son of the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra assembly, and former Biju Janata Dal MP, Jay Panda. It is likely many of these leaders will be fielded in a party that values what it calls winnability over all else. It is equally likely that at least some of them will win.

Meanwhile, the Congress continues to struggle with its alliances (the blow-hot-blow-cold drama in Delhi is a case in point, as is the delay in finalising an alliance with the Left Front in West Bengal). It could well be that the partys recent electoral success is itself coming in the way of finalising them.

letters@hindustantimes.com
With the election dates announced I would reckon theres one question thats probably on everyones lips: have the Pulwama terror attack and the Balakot airstrike that followed it changed the political landscape and altered electoral calculations or is that just a passing impression which will fade with time? My initial answer was to agree with the first half of the question. But the more I reflect the more I realise thats not as obvious as it first seems.

Theres no doubt that as of today, a mood of nationalism and anti-Pakistan feeling has superseded earlier issues such as joblessness, rural distress, Rafale, the continuing impact of GST and demonetisation and, perhaps, even identity and religion. At its heart is Indias traditional yearning for a strong decisive leader capable of teaching Pakistan a lesson. Like Indira Gandhi in 1971, Narendra Modi in 2019 fits that description. So will a euphoric and grateful nation vote for him?

Possibly. After the surgical strikes of 2016 the Bharatiya Janata Party swept to victory in Uttar Pradesh (UP) in 2017. Could it happen again? Perhaps. Of the 40 CRPF jawans killed in Pulwama, 30% came from this one state. Beyond that, the largest percentage of recruits to the three armed forces is also from UP. So here the impact of national fervour could be most pronounced.

However, a contrarian view is also possible. In 1999, in Kargil, Atal Bihari Vajpayee only won the same number of seats as he did in 1998. In 2009, after 26/11, the Congress didnt lose seats but gained over 60. And then theres the famous example of Winston Churchill, who won the Second World War only to badly lose the election a few months later. This means theres no clear correlation between nationalist sentiment and election results. At best it can be argued both ways.

Now, there are good reasons for believing the electoral impact of Balakot could be different to that of the surgical strikes. First, rural distress and farmer suicides have progressively worsened since 2017. Maharashtra may be the worst affected but, remember, 60% of India is rural. When they vote, wont the issues of immediate concern and suffering determine how they do so? Its hard to believe the PMs Kisan Scheme has adequately allayed this concern.

The other factor is joblessness. Admittedly, in 2017-18, unemployment was at its worst in 45 years at 6.1% but since then the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy says its considerably increased to 7.3%. Youth unemployment is even worse. The Centre for Sustainable Employment at Azim Premji University suggests its an astonishing 16%. The unemployment rate for rural males aged 15-29 jumped over three times to 17.4% by 2017-18. The rate for rural females of the same age increased nearly three times to 13.6% by 2017-18. The young may be fans of Mr Modi and euphoric after Balakot but, surely, the pain of not having a job will trump any rejoicing over the strike?

A lot, of course, depends on how the opposition plays it. Rather than question the success of Balakot or accuse the government of intelligence failure in Pulwama or continuing to whip the over-flogged Rafale horse, the opposition needs to stir the cauldron of unemployment, rural distress, Dalit and minority mistreatment and the general intolerance of the Modi government. If it can do this successfully, Balakot may not dominate on voting day. But can it? So far Im not convinced the answer is yes.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story

The views expressed are personal
Former dictator Pervez Musharraf said last week terrorist outfits were used by Pakistans intelligence agencies in his time to carry out bomb blasts in India; and Jaish-e-Mohammad was among then. He knew, he added in a chilling admission, but did not stop them.

JeM was working for Pakistani intelligence then, essentially Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and does now, along with a host of other terrorist outfits such as Lashkar-e-Toiba, which have carried out attacks in India, and Haqqani Network, which has targeted Afghanistan and US-led international forces there. It may even have had a role in Pulwama, either directly by planning or facilitating it, or indirectly, by being generally supportive of the JeM and others.

The ISI is the parent terrorist organisation, a mother lode that feeds them, keeps them in business and uses them to disrupt peace initiatives and disrupt regional stability, and time may have come to hold it accountable, designate it as a global terrorist organization as its proxies; or, at the east, name, shame and sanction officials linked to these groups or individuals, as has been suggested.

The ISIs role in spawning terrorism has been a matter of public record for long, affirmed and acknowledged even by Pakistan, Musharraf among them. India, the United States and other countries have known it for longer.

At a US congressional hearing in 2011, Admiral Mike Mullen, then chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said, without a hint of irony or sarcasm, The Haqqani Network (a Pakistan-based wing of the Afghan Taliban proscribed by both the US and the UN) acts as a veritable arm of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency. The two outfits had together planned, coordinated out carried out, he told the lawmakers, a deadly attack on the American embassy in Kabul just a week before, killing 16 Afghan police officers and civilians. The admiral went on to cite their other hits.

India has a longer list of such attacks involving the ISI and any of its many proxies, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and their proxies: including the Parliament House attack in 2001 to the Mumbai attacks in 2008 to the Pathankot air-base attack in 2016. ISIs fingerprints were all over them.

David Headley, the Pakistani-American who has confessed to help plot the Mumbai massacre has told American and Indian prosecutors of two ISI officers  Major Ali and Major Iqbal  who helped plan the attacks.

And when Omar Sheikh, the Pakistani-British terrorist, who India released from custody in 1999 in exchange for passengers of IC 814 along with JeM founder Masood Azhar, was being hunted for kidnapping American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, he gave himself up to his former handler from the ISI, by then a senior government official.

There is a case for a terrorism designation for ISI, or its personnel. But who is going to litigate it?

India t has considered and dismissed proposals to designate Pakistan a state-sponsor of terrorism because it does not want to shut down avenues for talks to normalize relations, according to multiple national security officials. But what about the ISI? A retaliatory pronouncement from Pakistan will follow for sure. But is that really such a s bad thing?

The United States toyed with the idea of designating Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism in the 1990s, but did not go through with it, though a number of lawmakers and experts continue to press for it There have been suggestions for listing the ISI, going back several decades now. It may be time now for the United States to take another look at those proposals.

The United States does target departments of foreign governments. It sanctioned Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization in 2017, for less, it can be argued.

Just a few weeks before Lisa Cutis joined President Donald Trumps national security team in 2017, she wrote a paper with Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the US, urging the new administration to adopt a new, and tougher, approach to dealing with Pakistan on it continued support of terrorism.

The Trump administrations objective must be, the authors argued, to make it more and more costly for Pakistani leaders to employ a strategy of supporting terrorist proxies. Among the their many suggestions, some which have indeed been implemented such cutting security-related aid to Pakistan, was the option of declaring Pakistan a state-sponsor or terrorism, though they had then cautioned it would be unwise do so in the first of the administration; its the third year now.

They had also recommended holding Pakistan military and ISI officials accountable. The U.S. should consider compiling a list of Pakistani military and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officials, current and former, who are known to have facilitated acts of terrorism  including supporting the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network)  and barring them from travel to the US. Blacklisting by America for links to terrorism, could impact their travels to other countries as well. And that can be good start, with sanctions on individuals and entities to follow.
Has the teacher covered the entire syllabus as prescribed by the university? How effective was the content and how effective was the teacher in communicating it? What about the pace at which it was being taught?

These are among the parameters on which students of nearly 10,400 engineering colleges will rate their teachers from the academic year 2019-20, according to a top official.

The All India Council for Technical Education, which regulates engineering colleges and polytechnics across India, has chalked out a detailed mechanism to assess the performance of a teacher. Apart from student feedback, other factors to be used to grade a teacher are departmental activities, institute activities, annual confidential report as well as contribution to society.

We have come up with a new system which focuses on how much work of the teacher is of relevance to the students as well as the society. Earlier, there was a lot of focus on the number of publications etc. However, there is now a concerted effort to make the evaluation of teachers in technical institutions more broadbased, said AICTE vice-chairman MP Poonia.

Teaching and student feedback have been allotted 25 marks while teachers can get a maximum of 20 points for departmental activity, 10 each for institute activity, ACR and contribution to society. Overall, teachers will be rated on a 100-point scale.

Two notifications have already been issued by AICTE in this regard, Poonia said. The norms related to student feedback will practically kick in from the academic session 2022-23 as teachers will be assessed on their performance based on a three year period, Poonia said.

Inder Mohan Kapahy, a former UGC member said: Any 360-degree evaluation of an academic process is always welcome. There should be a comprehensive evaluation of the course content, exam and assessment patterns. The aim should be to encourage academic improvement.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued two notifications regarding recruitment of constables on its official website jkpolice.gov.in.

One of the notification is about the recruitment of permanent female residents of the J-K state in two women battalions (one in Jammu region and the other in Kashmir region) and the other is for recruitment to the post of Constables in two border battalions one each in Jammu province and Kashmir Province from 10 border districts of Jammu and Kashmir equally.

For the two women battalions, there are 1350 vacancies distributed as per MHA guidelines. (Check notification).

For the border battalions also there are 1350 vacancies (675 for the districts of Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Rajouri, Poonch and 675 for Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Leh and Kargil). (Check notification)

The link for submission of application will be notified separately on the Jammu and Kashmir Police official website. The last date to apply for the exam will be 30 days after the activation of the link.

The instructions for filling up the form are available on the Jammu and Kashmir Police website.

Candidates applying for the exam must have a matriculation degree from a government recognised board before the last day of submission of application. Read the notification carefully before applying to see the other eligibility conditions and much more.

Eligible candidates will have to go through Physical Endurance test followed by Physical Standard Test. Successful candidates from the above two stages will be called for a written test which will have 100 objective type questions to be attempted in 2 hours time. The questions will be of matriculation level and will have questions from general awareness/general knowledge, elementary mathematics, analytical aptitude and ability.

The fees for applying for the exam is 300.

Note: Regularly visit the official website of J-K police for latest news and updates.
Two senior Indian Forest Service officers have been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly bribing an official of the environment ministry. The two officers Tarun Johri and D Gogoi are posted as chief conservator of forests in Arunachal Pradesh and Port Blair.

A CBI spokesperson said the two officers of the 2001 batch were arrested following a complaint by the ministry officer. The bureaucrat filed a complaint with the CBI alleging that he was offered a bribe of ?20,000 to help forge Gogois service record.

The officer said that Johri had contacted the environment ministry officer and asked him to get the approval of the ministry of environment and forests for making changes in the date in Gogois service record as a chief conservator.

We had received a complaint from the MoEF official after the officer received the bribe. The CBI teams arrested Johri from Delhi while Gogoi was arrested from Port Blair. Searches were conducted at the Delhi residence of Johri. Another team conducted searches at Gogois residences in Guwahati and Port Blair. We have registered a case. Investigation is on, a CBI spokesperson said.

Johri, who was arrested late Saturday night, was produced before a city court on Sunday. The court remanded him to judicial custody till March 19. Gogoi, arrested on Sunday from Port Blair, will be brought to Delhi on a two-day transit remand on Monday.

The two seniors IFoS officers are from the 2001 AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre.

Johri was the conservator of forests in the Delhi forest department. CBI officers said Johri had offered to help his friend and batchmate, Gogoi by bribing the ministry official.
Maheboob Khokhar, 65, who was killed in New Zealands Christchurch attack, was supposed to return to Ahmedabad on Saturday, his family members said on Sunday, the day the Indian high commission in New Zealand confirmed death of five Indians in the mosque attack had left 50 people dead.

Of the deceased, three were from Gujarat and one each from Telangana and Kerala. In a tweet, the high commission identified them as Maheboob Khokhar, Ramiz Vora, Asif Vora, Ansi Alibava and Ozair Kadir.

Khokhar, a retired employee of Gujarat Electricity Board, would never miss offering namaz at their Makkarnagar society mosque in Juhapura area of Ahmedabad and continued the practice even when he visited his son Imran Khokhar in Christchurch who has been working in New Zealand for over a decade now, said Hafiz, Khokhars son-in-law.

As usual, Imran had gone to park his car after dropping his father at the mosque when Khokhar fell victim to indiscriminate firing by the gunman.

Read more| Wanted to save lives, even if I lost mine: Man who chased NZ gunman away

The couple (Khokhar and his wife Akhtar Begum) was scheduled to leave for Ahmedabad the next day (Saturday), said Hafiz, Khokhars son-in-law.

We were expecting him to join us in namaz from Sunday. His sudden death has come as a big shock. We never thought that he would not make it back, said Khokhars friend, who did not want to be identify.

The other two victims of the massacre, Asif Vohra and his son Rameez, a father-son duo from Vadodara were declared dead on Saturday.

Most of their close family members have migrated abroad. The Gujarat government has requested the New Zealand high commission to grant visa to Mohsin, Asifs brother, and relatives of Rameezs wife, on a priority basis, said Vadodara MP Ranjan Bhatt.

According to reports, Rameezs wife had delivered a baby girl only a few days ago. She was to be discharged from the hospital on Friday.

Asif and Rameez had decided to complete the discharge formalities after attending prayers at the mosque, the report said. Asif and his wife had gone to New Zealand just a month ago to welcome the new member of the family.

Hyderbads Mohammad Farhaj Ahsan, 30, who succumbed to his injuries in a Christchurch hospital on Friday night, had migrated to New Zealand six years ago after getting a job as an electrical engineer.

His father Mohammad Sayeeduddin said he had gone to the mosque to offer Friday prayers and was missing after the shooting. He had taken his wife and kids with him a couple of years ago, he said.

His brother Kasim Khan, who described Ahsan as a bright student, said they will be leaving for Christchurch on Sunday night.

The family of Keralas Thrissur-based Ancia Alibava, who was killed in the attack, said her husband Abdul Nazar had a miraculous escape as he was able to hide behind one of the walls in the mens section of the mosque.

She was in the womens section. Her family will be leaving for New Zealand to bring her body to their village Kodungallur.

Khursheed Jahangir, brother of Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, another Hyderabad resident, who was being shot and currently recovering, said he too would be travelling to New Zealand. Jahangir, a resident of Amberpet area went to New Zealand about 15 years ago. He runs a restaurant offering Hyderabadi cuisine next to Al Noor Mosque, where the shooting took place.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Shamim Siddiqi, another victim from Jamshedpur, is reported to be out of danger. Siddiqis brother-in-law, Shamsul Hassan, said his sister Rehana Parveen had informed them that another operation would be performed to remove a bullet in next few days.

There are about 20 million Indians is New Zealand, according to Indian High Commission website.

(With inputs from HTC in Hyderabad and Jamshedpur and agencies)
The Goa BJP on Sunday morning said that its leadership was already thinking about a political transit phase as political developments heightened in Goa in the wake of chief minister Manohar Parrikars deteriorating health situation.

While the party admitted that there was no question of a leadership change for as long as Manohar Parrikar is there, party sources said that the talk of an arrangement to succeed Parrikar has already begun.

Our partys leadership in Delhi and Goa is very strong, stable and is already thinking about the Goa political transit phase. We will come out of all things with greater success, Sandesh Sadhale the BJP Goa media coordinator said in a statement.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikars health took a turn for the worse on Friday night but the chief ministers office has in a statement said that he is stable.

Parrikar has been battling pancreatic cancer since February last year but faced with a lack of a viable alternative, has continued to be in the chief ministers chair.

Congress leader and former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat left for Delhi on a business trip, fuelling speculation that he was quitting the party to join the BJP in order to be sworn in as chief minister.

However, Kamat while speaking to reporters before his departure said he was only departing on a business trip.

The BJP, meanwhile, had called for a meeting of its core committee which the party said is to discuss the finalisation of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls and the three bypolls, but that the issue of Parrikars health would also be discussed.

If Manohar Parrikar was there would be no need to change leader because now his health is critical and there is day to day deterioration the party has to take some decision. I think it will happen. If government has to be run, you need a chief minister, you need a cabinet leader because cabinet takes many decisions, Dayanand Mandrekar a former BJP minister and member of the core committee member said.

Also read | Dismiss Parrikar govt: Congress stakes claim in Goa, BJP in huddle

BJPs central observers led by B L Santosh are also expected to arrive in the state later today to take stock of the situation.

Late on Saturday evening, the BJP held meetings with its MLAs and party leaders to discuss partys future strategy.

Parrikar deteriorated a lot since last night (Friday night) and doctors are checking on him continuously, but they are not able to say he will improve. That is why an emergency meeting was called on what should be our future strategy, BJP leader Michael Lobo had said.

Saturday night, BJPs organisation secretary Satish Dhond also called on Vijai Sardesai leader of Goa Forward, a crucial alliance partner in the BJP led government.

Earlier on Friday, in an act of political posturing, Vijai along with a group of six MLAs called on Parrikar to express solidarity with him and to send a wider political message that the six MLAs were together as one unit.

On Friday, the Goa Congress staked claim to form the government in Goa claiming to be the single largest party in the wake of the death of BJP MLA Francis DSouza and expecting that the BJPs numbers may further dwindle.
Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Orgnisation (SCO), including both India and Pakistan, will take part in a joint counter-terrorism exercise likely to be held in grasslands of Kazakhstan in the Sary Arka region this year.

The SCO member states will hold a joint anti-terrorism exercise Sary-Arka-Antiterror 2019, the Council of Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of SCO said on Friday.

The exercise was announced during the 34th meeting of RATS, a key SCO mechanism, held in Tashkent in Uzbekistan Friday.

India and Pakistan became full-members of the SCO, headquartered in Beijing, in 2017 and took part in war games of the group held in Russia last year.

It was the first time that the armies of India, Pakistan, and China took part in a military exercise along with the other members of the SCO -- Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan.

For the 2018 exercise, India had picked a 200-soldier contingent from the 5th battalion of the Rajput Regiment; New Delhi also dispatched a small Indian Air Force regiment for the drills.

The latest RATS statement did not give details about when the 2019 exercise will be held.

There is no doubt, however, that the exercise will attract international attention. It is a rare occasion for Indian and Pakistan soldiers and officers to be part of a friendly exchange in the backdrop of decades-old enmity and a history of war and violence.

This years RATS exercise will take place in the shadow of the Pulwama terror attack in February, the bombing of a terrorist camp deep inside Pakistan by Indian warplanes and the subsequent engagement between the Indian and Pakistan air forces near the Line of Control (LoC).

In the run-up to their becoming full-members of the SCO in 2017, doubts had, in fact, been expressed whether the open hostility between India and Pakistan could, jeopardise the group, which is run under the umbrella influence of Beijing and Moscow.

Experts say that it is expected that the diplomatic influence exerted by Beijing and Moscow  and the SCO charter -- will not allow the two new members to bring their bilateral differences to the SCO table to disrupt the groups functioning.

Taking part in SCO wargames is also seen as a way to increase friendly interactions between the armed personnel of India and Pakistan who have fought three wars over the years.

Chaired by Russia, Fridays meeting also declared plans to hold the first stage of joint border operation Solidarity 2019-2021, the seventh meeting of the heads of the border services, and training workshops on identifying and preventing the use of the Internet for terrorist, separatist and extremist purposes.
In an all-out attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for seeking proof of Indian air strikes in Pakistans Balakot, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday asked the Trinamool supremo and her party whether they stood with India or were helping our enemies.

Taking part in a panel discussion here, Sitharaman referred to the deadly Feb 14 terror attack on the CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama and said After that, when we struck Balakot, it was our fight against terrorism. But they are asking for proof? From the same state from where the entire nationalism movement began in India?

The Defence Minister said: Are they with India and nationalist Indians or are you helping our enemies? Are you giving support to their arguments? I cant believe these people are from Bengal.

The BJP leader was speaking on Ensuring Indias National Security, and perspectives on West Bengal and NorthEast.

This Bengal today speaks in favour of Pakistan! Unbelieveable, she said, alleging the Trinamool was helping that Pakistan which suppressed Bengali speaking people in then East Pakistan (now Bang!adesh).

Why is Bengal scared today? How can someone from here raise questions about nationalism, patriotism?

Taking potshots at Banerjee, she said didi (elder sister, as Banerjee is called) was doing non-cooperation against the government of India just like the non-cooperation movement launched against British rule under Mahatma Gamdhi.

Against our own government? What sort of politics is this? Does Bengal not vote and send representatives to Parliament?

Sitharaman said there has been no parivartan (change) in Bengal during Banerjees chief ministerial tenure. Its only a bad clone of the 34-year communist rule. Did you vote for getting the clone, which is working against the interests of the common people? she asked.
Photo: Contributed

Two incidents in Kelowna Saturday, a TD Bank closed for emergency reasons and heavy police presence surrounding a black Dodge on Hollywood Road, are linked.

Shortly after 8 a.m. RCMP received a report of a bank robbery underway at the TD Canada Trust location on Harvey Avenue.

The suspect had entered the bank, and demanded cash from a teller. He then fled the scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.

RCMP flooded the scene immediately and established a perimeter to search for the reportedly armed suspect.

"Our front line officers spotted the suspect in a vehicle in the area of Springfield Road and Hollywood Road South," said RCMP Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey, spokesperson for the Kelowna Detachment. "Those officers conducted a high risk traffic stop with the black Dodge Neon, and managed to take that suspect into police custody without incident."

The suspect is a 58-year-old Kelowna man, who now faces potential charges and remains in police custody.
Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui expressed confidence on Sunday that the issue of ban on Jaish--Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar will be resolved, reports ANI.

This comes four days after Beijing blocked a move at the United Nations Security Council to ban the head of the terror organisation which claimed the Pulwama attack that killed 40 jawans.

This matter (Masood Azhar on UNSC 1267 list) will be resolved. This is only a technical hold, which means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved, believe me, Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui told ANI.

Earlier on Thursday, China blocked the latest international move to designate Azhar as a global terrorist at the UNSC, allowing a major bilateral irritant with India to fester.

This prompted some permanent members of the UN Security Council to say that they would pursue other actions to counter Chinas continued opposition to designating Masood Azhar.

This is the fourth time that China has placed a hold on this listing, a Security Council diplomat said pointedly. China should not prevent the Committee from doing the job the Security Council has entrusted it to do. Chinas move to hold the listing is inconsistent with its own stated goals of combating terrorism and furthering regional stability in South Asia.

When asked about the reason for blocking the move initiated by the US, France and UK, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China always carries out thorough and in-depth investigation of the applications to the UN sanctions committee.

A statement issued by the external affairs ministry in New Delhi expressed disappointment at the UNs Islamic State and al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee being unable to come to a decision on the move to sanction Azhar on account of a member placing the proposal on hold.
By single-handedly standing up to the other four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and holding up the latest attempt to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, China has virtually put at stake its bilateral relations with India in providing comfort to the beleaguered Imran Khan regime in Pakistan.

Although the Indian foreign ministry said it was cautiously optimistic that Azhar would eventually be listed by the UNs Islamic State and al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, meaning that China would come around to agreeing with France, Russia, the UK and US, the fact is that the hold will lead to a hardening of positions both in New Delhi and Beijing.

Listing Azhar as a global terrorist was in many ways low-hanging fruit to deepen India-China bilateral ties, but Beijing is clearly siding with its client state, and has given priority to the economic corridor it is building through Pakistan that will lead to the warm waters of the Persian Gulf. It is another matter that Islamabad supported the jihad waged by the Mujahideen against occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s Afghan war because of a perceived threat from Moscow to Karachi port. The latter was confirmed by no less than then Pakistan National Security Advisor Naseer Janjua to his Indian counterpart on December 26, 2017, in Bangkok.

After the Azhar listing hold, it is evident that China will not yield an inch in accommodating India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) or give up any of its traditional territorial claims over India. It will choke Indian strategic ambitions by intensifying its economic ties and infrastructure linkages with other South Asian countries. India should also be prepared for China, as an upper riparian state, further harnessing the precious water resources on the Tibetan plateau.

In this emerging scenario, India should work with its close allies like the US for a seat on the UNSC, given the fact that it is the sixth largest and fastest growing economy in the world.

The Azhar hold yet again showed the power of permanent members  a global terrorist with the blood of hundreds on his hands and Pakistan are allowed to go scot-free by an indulgent ally. India should also rebalance its trade ties with China, given that its deficit is creeping upwards of $40 billion. The Narendra Modi government will have to take into account a growing clamour within the ministry of external affairs for strong steps to be taken to curb its trade deficit with China.

With 70% of the Brahmputra river flows originating from India territory, work on Upper Siang dam projects need to be speeded up in anticipation of weak flows from China because of dams built on the great Tsangpo bend in Tibet.

While India has been building up its infrastructure capacities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, the work needs to be accelerated so that it is close to matching the level across in Tibet.

As the Azhar episode shows the Chinese resolve in taking on the remaining permanent members of the UNSC to favour a client state, India should not expect any relief from Beijing on resolution of the boundary dispute.

The evolving geostrategic equation, wherein Indias traditional ally Russia is increasingly ambivalent to a rising China and the latter is in a strong position to extract economic leverage from Indias neighbours, poses a threat to New Delhi for the near future. This real-time threat can only be handled by a strong leadership holding the reins of power in New Delhi as Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinpings authority grows from strength to strength. The other option left is for New Delhi to scale down its global ambitions.
The Congress in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday claimed that some leaders from the ruling BJP are expected to switch sides after the latter announced its list of 54 candidates for the forthcoming polls for the 60 member Legislative Assembly on April 11.

Some BJP MLAs are expected to join the Congress, said Takam Sanjoy, who heads the state unit of the Congress in the state. In 2014, the state elected a Congress government till the MLAs switched sides finally ending up with the BJP with Pema Khandu as the Chief Minister.

At least six names of the sitting MLAs were missing from the BJPs list even as candidates for six more constituencies are yet to be decided.

Kumar Waii, the home minister of the state is among those whose name is missing from the list. I just saw that they have announced another candidate. I had differences with Chief Minister Pema Khandu, he said adding he would go to the people before deciding his next course of action.

Also read: Violence over PRC could pose an obstacle for BJP to retain power in Arunachal

Differences came to fore during the recent protests over the permanent resident certificates to non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe communities which led to violence in the state including in capital Itanagar as three protestors died allegedly in police firing.

Waii said he had not ordered the firing.

According to the BJPs list, chief minister Pema Khandu will contest from the Mukto constituency which elected him unopposed in 2014 and in the by-election after his father Dorjee Khandus death in 2011.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein who contested and won from two seats will be the BJPs candidate from Chowkham, according to the list. The name of the candidate for Lekang, the second seat that Chowna Mein hd contested has not been announced yet. The constituency has a sizeable population of non-APST communities demanding PRC.
Days after its announcement, cracks have developed in Bharatiya Janata Partys grand alliance with parties in northeast for the coming Lok Sabha polls after several smaller players decided to field own candidates and refuted having any pre-poll tie-up.

On Saturday, the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), partner in BJP-led coalition government in Tripura, announced its own candidates for the two LS seats in the state after talks on seat sharing with the BJP failed.

Since we are part of the government in Tripura and also a partner of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), we had asked BJP to give us one seat in the state. But they refused. Hence, we have decided to field our own candidates, NC Debbarma president of IPFT said.

While Debbarma, who is the revenue minister in the Biplab Deb-led government, would contest from the Tripura East seat, Suklacharan Noatia would be the IPFT candidate from Tripura West.

It will be a friendly fight in Tripura, but we would campaign separately. We are still part of the government and it is for the BJP to decide whether they want to continue their alliance with us, Debbarma added.

The development in Tripura came a day after Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) announced that there would be no alliance with BJP for the lone LS seat and the simultaneous assembly polls in Sikkim.

Also read: AGP joins hands with BJP again, likely to contest 3 seats in Assam

While details of why the tie-up between the national party and the main opposition in Sikkim didnt materialize are not available, reports say there were differences over seat sharing and certain demands by the SKM.

The SKM would filed candidates in all the 32 assembly seats and lone Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim, PTI quoted SKM spokesperson Sonam Bhutia from Gangtok.

On Wednesday BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav had announced formation of a grand alliance with several parties in northeast and claimed it would win at least 22 of the total 25 seats in the region.

The BJP, NPP, NDPP, AGP and BPF will fight together in Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh with the mission of defeating Congress party in the hustings, Madhav wrote on Facebook.

He also stated that the party would fight the election together with IPFT in Tripura and with SKM in Sikkim.

National Peoples Party (NPP) chief and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma also shot down Madhavs claims , insisting that there would be no pre-poll alliance with the BJP.

The NPP is a party with own identity and we will fight elections on our own terms. In the states where we feel we should put up our candidates, we will do so. There will be no pre-poll alliance with BJP, Sangma said hours after Madhavs announcement.

Senior Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is also convenor of North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a BJP-led group of anti-Congress parties in northeast, had also stated that though there would be understanding with NPP, a full-fledged alliance wont be possible between both parties for LS polls.

On Friday, NPP announced Conrad Sangmas sister and former union minister Agatha K Sangma as its candidate for the Tura LS seat in Meghalaya and T Kipgen as the candidate from Outer Manipur seat. The BJP is also expected to field candidates from both these seats.
Thousands of porters, labourers and truck drivers have been suffering to make their ends meet as import from Pakistan through integrated check post (ICP) Attari, which facilitates the trade of India with Pakistan and Afghanistan, has come to a halt post duty hike by India.

Government of India has hiked the duty on imports from Pakistan to 200 per cent from 5 per cent on all items on February 17 in response to the Pulwama terror attack. Since then, not a single truck importing goods from Pakistan has entered India, as local traders are unwilling to pay the hiked duty.

There are around 3000 truck drivers and conductors and 2866 porters and helpers, who earn their livelihood working at the ICP.

All of them have been in a quandary as they were witnessing such a situation for the first time. All the porters and truck drivers are from Attari and its surrounding villages.

We have been working here since 1977 and have not witnessed such a situation. This is for the first time that we have been rendered jobless for nearly a month. We have no clue, where should we go and what should we do to support our families?, said Amarjit Singh Shinda, president of truck driver union at Attari border.

He said, Around 25,000 people, families of porters and truckers, are affected with this hike in duty. If oil of private companies can be exported to Pakistan, why the duty on import items from Pakistan cant be revoked?

Even Barter trade in Jammu & Kashmir has not been impacted despite the Pulwama attack taking place there. We have taken up the matter to the Member of Parliament (MP) from Amritsar, Gurjit Singh Aujla, and have even apprised Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, but to no avail, said Jasbir Singh Khela, a truck driver (?).

President of porter union at Attari, Gursahib Singh, said, We have been struggling to pay the fee of our children. Our children have been asked not to sit in exams due to pending fee. This is most difficult phase in our life.

He said if government doesnt want to revoke the hiked duty on Pakistani imports, it should pay salary to those earning livelihood at the ICP. We do not have farmland and we live near the border with Pakistan, where there are no industries or work. The government has been playing with our future, he said.

We have not received any information so far about government relaxing the duty on Pakistani imports, said Sukhdev Singh, manager, Land port authority of India (LPAI).

He said on an average around six to ten trucks from Afghanistan enter India through the ICP, which are not enough to engage all the porters and truckers.

Earlier, MP Aujla had assured the porters that he would urge the Central government to cut duty on Pakistani imports by half to resume business at the Attari ICP.

Any solution on revoking the hiked duty on imports from Pakistan would emerge only after the general elections and it will depend on the decision of the new government, said officials privy to the matter.
When their mother died three months ago in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK), sisters Shazia, 36, and Shahnaz Bhat, 32, couldnt stop crying. They had no travel documents to go to their parental home, just across the Line of Control that divides PoK and Jammu and Kashmir, to attend her funeral.

Their mother had been repeatedly requesting them to visit her since they travelled to the Valley eight years ago from PoK with their Kashmiri husbands, and they had been putting her off with excuses.

We used to tell her lies, giving one excuse or the other. And when she died, we hugged each other and wept here, Shazia Bhat, who is now on anti-depressants, said with tears in her eyes at her husbands modest home in the old quarters of Srinagar .

The two sisters are among hundreds of women from PoK and Pakistan who came to Jammu and Kashmir with their husbands after then chief minister Omar Abdullah in 2010 announced a return and rehabilitation policy for former militants who crossed over from the region and were living in PoK.

Shazia came to Srinagar with her husband, a papier mache artist, in March 2012 along with their three children through Nepal . Shahnaz had come here a few months earlier, in 2011, with her husband and two children. Since then, they have received no travel document, like a passport, to travel abroad and visit their relatives.

Dozens of these women protested in Srinagar early this month, demanding citizenship rights and travel documents to visit their parents, siblings and relatives in PoK and Pakistan.

We had no idea that we will get stuck here. We were living happy lives there.

Why are we not being accepted by the government here? Why have we been pushed into this fight (between India and Pakistan), said Shahnaz, a homemaker. Her husband drives a school bus in south Kashmirs Pulwama district.

Kubra Geelani,28, who had come here in 2014 and was divorced by her husband last year, is living with a family in south Kashmir and is desperate to go home to Muzaffarabad. She said she visited the Pakistan embassy and was provided a passport, but was not allowed to go across the border by Indian immigration officials at the Wagah border.

Prominent human rights lawyer and president of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), Parvez Imroz said that the women and their children have been reduced to non-persons (a state less person) despite the promise by the state in 2010 that those returning will be rehabilitated.

This is a human issue. They cant go to visit or mourn their relatives even though the distance between Srinagar and Muzafarabad is less than 200 km, he said. Children cant suffer for what their parents have done. They have no ration card, no admissions in schools, and no passports. I repeat this is a human issue.

K. Vijay Kumar, adviser to Jammu and Kashmir Gov. Satya Pal Malik, said: The issue has come to the notice of the government and the matter is under consideration.

Omar Abdullah couldnt be contacted over the issue.
Former Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose is likely to be the first Lokpal of the country, officials in the know of developments said.

Justice PC Ghoses name was cleared by the selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi.

Justice Ghoses name was among the top 10 names that was shortlisted by the Lokpal Search Committee.

After retiring in May 2017 from the Supreme Court, Justice Ghose joined the National Human Rights Commission.

Justice Ghose is a former judge of Calcutta high court and has also served as the former chief justice of Andhra Pradesh high court.

Jutice Ghoses appointment has come nearly five years after the Lokpal Act was notified on January 16, 2014. The law provides for a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to probe cases of corruption against public servants.

The Supreme Court, while hearing a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, in a hearing on January 4, this year, had urged the government to appoint a Lokpal at the earliest, saying much time has elapsed, something needs to be done.

Delayed for some reason or the other, the search committee was constituted on September 27, 2018, after the Supreme Courts intervention and former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai was nominated to head it.

The selection of Justice PC Ghose wasnt without its own share of controversies.

Since there is no designated Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha currently, the government had invited Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the House, to meetings of the selection panel but as a special invitee.

Objecting to the invitation extended to him for the selection panel meeting as a special invitee, Kharge, however, refused to attend the Lokpal selection panels meeting

In a letter to the PM, he wrote that he would attend the meeting only after relevant changes are effected in the law. He had also hit out at the Modi government for not amending the Lokpal Act to facilitate the participation of the opposition in the Lokpals selection process.
Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar died at his residence in Panaji on Sunday, prompting the Centre to announce a national mourning even as tributes flowed in from across the political spectrum for the 63-year-old former defence minister who was widely considered the tallest Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from the state.

Parrikar was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and was repeatedly admitted to hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New Delhi and New York. His mortal remains will be cremated in Panaji on Monday evening after they are kept at the BJPs state headquarters for political leaders and the public to pay their finals respects, according to an official statement.

Shortly after the Goa CMs Twitter handle announced on Sunday evening that he was extremely critical and that doctors were trying to improve his condition, President Ram Nath Kovind announced that the senior BJP leader had passed away.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind, President Kovind tweeted a little before 8pm.

Read more| Human mind can overcome any disease, Parrikar had said a month ago

After the Presidents tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi led a chorus of tributes to Parrikar, calling him an affable leader and admired leader.

My condolences to his family in this time of grief.Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress, the Prime Minister tweeted.

Gandhi said he was deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons, the Congress president added.

Parrikar is survived by two sons  Utpal and Abhijeet. He lost his wife to cancer in 2001.

Goa appeared headed for political turmoil after Parrikars death, with the BJPs strength in the state assembly going down to 12 MLAs. The Congress staked its claim to the government in Goa a day earlier on Saturday, as reports of Parrikars deteriorating health prompted the BJP to go into an emergency huddle to consider alternatives.

Read more| Parrikar a quintessential swayamsevak, was once reluctant to join politics

The Congress said on Saturday that the BJPs strength had diminished to 13 following the death of its legislator Francis D Souza last month. After Parrikars death on Sunday, the BJPs strength in assembly stood at 12.

The Congress has 14 MLAs in the assembly that has a current effective strength of 37. Since the state elections in 2017, three Congress legislators have resigned and joined the BJP. One of them was re-elected on a BJP ticket and bypolls for other two seats are still to be held.

Parrikar, who was an Indian Institute of Technology graduate, made a mark as chief minister of Goa when the politics in the state was hit by defections and unstable governments. He became the Goa CM for the first time in October 2000 after a split in the ruling Congress. Parrikar projected himself as a leader who reached out to people across religious boundaries, attempting to woo the states 26% Catholic community.

He was appointed the countrys defence minister between November 2014 and February 2017. However, Parrikar returned to Goa politics after the BJP failed to win a majority in the state assembly in 2017. In the 40-member assembly, the Congress emerged as the largest party with 17 MLAs and the BJP stood second with 13.

However, regional parties Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP)  both with three MLAs each  and three independent legislators decided to support the BJP on the condition that Parrikar would head the coalition government.

In February 2018, the Goa CM was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was treated at hospitals in India and the United States. Despite his failing health, Parrikar continued to head the fragile coalition government as there was no consensus on a leader for the post of the CM.

Read more| Man who built modern Goa: PM condoles Parrikars demise

After the Goa CMs death was announced on Sunday, BJP MLAs in the state held a meeting along with party leaders from Delhi at a Goa hotel, a person with knowledge of the developments said on condition of anonymity. The agenda of the deliberations, however, was not immediately known.

There was no response from alliance partners MGP and GFP till the time of going to press.

The Union home ministry has announced national mourning on Monday and a state funeral will be accorded to Parrikar. Top BJP leaders from across the country including PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are expected to be present for the last rites.
Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar died at his Panaji residence on Sunday evening just over a year after he was detected with cancer. He was 63.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity, President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted.

Hours earlier, Parrikars office had tweeted that his condition was extremely critical and doctors are trying their best.

Parrikar was suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and had been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and New Delhi over the past year. Updates here.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikars death comes around the same time the opposition Congress in Goa has launched an all-out effort to stake claim to form the government. It had, over the last few days, claimed that the BJP-led ruling coalition in Goa had lost its majority after BJP legislator Francis D Souza died last month.

Goa CM Manohar Parrikar: A timeline

The Congress had re-emerged as the single largest party in the Goa Legislative Assembly after DSouza died of cancer on February 14. The Congress has 14 MLAs and the BJP 13 but enjoys the support of three MLAs each from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party, besides three independents.

It is not clear how the politics will play out in the state after Parrikars death, particularly since the former defence minister was seen as the glue holding the BJPs alliance together in Goa.

Also Read | Indefatigable Manohar Parrikar was BJPs tallest leader in Goa

The Goa BJP, in a statement earlier on Sunday, suggested the party leadership had a plan in place for the worst-comes-to-worst scenario. Our partys leadership in Delhi and Goa is very strong, stable and is already thinking about the Goa political transit phase. We will come out of all things with greater success, Sandesh Sadhale the BJP Goa media coordinator said.

Often described as Goas tallest leader in decades, Parrikar was the first BJP chief minister of the picturesque coastal state back in 2000. When he resigned as the Union Defence Minister and took charge of the state in May 2017, it was the fourth time that he was sworn to the CMs office. He never did get an opportunity to govern the state for the assemblys full term of five years.

His last term as chief minister was cut short when he was given the Defence Ministry portfolio in November 2014. Parrikar was jubilant when he got an opportunity to head back home a little over two years later. He had for weeks been talking about how had missed Goan food in Delhi.

This time, his death cut short his tenure.
Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar died at his Panaji residence on Sunday evening just over a year after he was detected with cancer. Here is a timeline of his life:

Full name: Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar

Age: 63

Children: Two sons -- Utpal and Abhijat

December 13, 1955: Born in Parra village, North Goa, a village from which his family derives its surname.

May 1971: Completed SSC from New Goa High School, Mapusa (Poona Board)

May 1973: Completed Inter Science (HSSC), St Xaviers College, Mapusa (Bombay University)

1978:Completed Bachelor of Technology (Metallurgy) IIT Bombay

1981: Appointed RSS sanghchalak (local director) to the organisation he joined when in school.

1991: Contested first election as BJPs candidate for North Goa Lok Sabha seat. Lost to Congress candidate Harish Zantye.

1994: Contested and won from the Panaji assembly constituency. BJP opened its account winning four seats for the first time in Goa.

1996: Contested Lok Sabha North Goa seat a second time. Lost again to MGPs Ramakant Khalap who went on to become Union Law Minister.

July 1999: Led the BJP in the 1999 General Assembly elections. Won 10 seats

November 1999: Engineered a coup to dislodge then Congress Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro and supported Congress rebel Francisco Sardinha to be Chief Minister along with his and his band of breakaway MLAs to form a coalition government.

October 2000: Engineered yet another coup to become chief minister for the first time.

May 2001: Loses his wife Medha to cancer.

February 2002: Parrikar controversially dissolves Goa assembly. Governor accepts proposal and calls for fresh elections.

June 2002: Parrikar re-elected

Goa Chief Minister with 17 BJP MLAs with the help of the Maharashtra Gomantak Party (2) and United Goans Democratic Party (3).

November 2004: Goa hosts its first International Film Festival of India, and would soon become the permanent host for the countrys premier film festival. Parrikar spruces up Panaji in record time.

February 24, 2005: With NDA government losing Lok Sabha elections the year before, three-year-old Parrikar-led coalition government reduced to a minority after emboldened coalition partners withdraw support. Parrikar government loses trust vote. Congress Pratapsingh Rane becomes chief minister

June 2007: With Parrikar at the helm, BJP loses state assembly elections winning 16 seats to the Congress-NCP combines 19. Digambar Kamat, now with the Congress, sworn in as Goa chief minister. Parrikar elected as Leader of Opposition in the state assembly.

July 2007: Parrikar attempts to topple Digambar Kamat government, but Kamat wins trust vote.

March 2012: Parrikar elected Goa chief minister with BJP winning simple majority for the first time.

November 2014: Parrikar sworn in as Union Defence Minister; Elected as Rajya Sabha MP from Lucknow, UP.

September 26, 2016: Oversees surgical strikes to destroy militant bases within Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

March 2017: Resigns as Union Defence Minister, sworn in as Goa chief minister to lead the coalition government with allies making his leadership conditional to them supporting the BJP.

Health timeline

February 14, 2018: Hospitalised with what was initially believed to be food poisoning.

February 15, 2018: Parrikar admitted to Mumbais Lilavati Hospital and is examined by Dr P Jagannath.

February 16, 2018: Chief Ministers Office reveals Parrikar is suffering from mild pancreatitis

February 17, 2018: Chief Ministers Office updates Parrikars health informing he is suffering from inflamed pancreas.

February 22, 2018: Discharged from Lilavati Hospital, attends curtailed Goa Legislative Assembly session and presents statement of income and expenditures in place of a full budget.

February 24, 2018: Readmitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital with slight dehydration.

March 5, 2018: Parrikar flies out of Goa to Mumbais Lilavati Hospital and from there to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Research Centre, in New York. Appoints Cabinet Advisory Committee in his absence.

June 13, 2018: Parrikar returns from USA.

June 14, 2018: Chairs cabinet meeting approving proposal for cancer centre at Goa Medical College.

August 10, 2018: Parrikar flies back to USA for follow up treatment.

August 22, 2018: Parrikar returns from USA

August 23, 2018: Hospitalised again in Mumbai for routine tests

August 28, 2018: Flown back to the USA to be examined by doctors who treated him.

September 10, 2018: Admitted to local hospital in Goa.

September 15, 2018: Parrikar shifted to AIIMS, New Delhi, on Amit Shahs advice.

September 24, 2018: Drops two ministers from his cabinet, inducts two others

October 14, 2018: Parrikar shifts back to Goa.

January 28, 2019: Parrikar inaugurates 850-crore signature bridge, asks BJP workers gathered there, Hows the josh?

January 30, 2019: Parrikar presents state budget in the Goa Assembly.

March 15, 2019: Parrikars condition deteriorates after his blood pressure drops suddenly.

March 16, 2019: Goa Chief ministers office tweets that his condition is stable.

March 17, 2019: Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar passes away late in the evening.

Occupational background:

Started his own business in the form of M/s Goa Hydraulics and its sister concern Westfield Hydraulics and Pneumatics, which he co owns with his sons Utpal and Abhijat and is involved in the manufacture of hydraulic cylinders and precision engineering technology.
Chelsea Powrie

The first ever batch of Okanagan Valley maple syrup was boiling at Maple Roch in Summerland Saturday.

The company has been providing maple products to the community for seven years, but just last year came up with the idea of trying to tap local trees for a purely local product.

"We have tapped about 50 trees, we have about 75 taps going," said owner Roch Fortin, adding that private owners from around the area reached out once they heard his plans. "From five different locations in Summerland, the District of Summerland gave us permission to tap five trees as a trial and we really appreciated that."

On Saturday, Maple Roch opened up to let the public see the boiling process of the clear sap from the local trees. They were processing 75 gallons of sap, and saw well over 100 curious visitors.

"Which is good, but it means I have to work many hours," Fortin said with a laugh. "Because once you start you can't stop!"

Fortin did a test run last year with a small amount of sap from local trees. This year, its full steam ahead to bottle and sell a local twist on the Canadian classic.

"The process is simple, you collect the sap, you filter the sap, from there it goes into an evaporator," Fortin said, explaining the liquid is boiled at an extremely high temperature to dilute the substance down to the high sugar, high viscosity syrup we have come to know and love.

"Next thing we know, when it reaches 211-212 degrees, we put it in a big bucket and a little bit later we will distribute it to the fine folks here in Summerland," Fortin said.

Community is important to Fortin. He supports three families back home in New Brunswick by selling their east coast maple syrup, and sells maple-infused products made by nearby Okanagan artisans.

"In addition, we are a social enterprise. Everybody working with us are either on long-term disability from the food bank, or physical disabilities, we're just working with a large group of individuals that contribute immensely to the success of our business," Fortin said.

He said using his business to help the community is far more important to him than any monetary gain could be.

"We're not going to be multimillionaires," Fortin said. "One thing's for sure, we know we're contributing a lot."
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikars demise has sparked a political frenzy in the state with BJP calling its MLAs and ministers together at a city based hotel while the Congress has once again petitioned the governor to invite them to form the government in the state.

While condoling the death of Manohar Parrikar, the Congress wrote to the Governor saying that the unfortunate development calls for the immediate action on your part for smooth transition and transfer of power.

The coalition partners had allied with BJP on condition that the government is headed by Manohar Parrikar who was the then Defence Minister of India. The BJP has no allies as of now, said the letter, Congress second in 48 hours.

The Congress being the single largest party the leader of the Congress Legislature Party is entitled to be invited to form the best government, said the letter signed by leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar and Goa State President Girish Chodankar.

Watch| My BJP entry rumours planted by vested interests: Digambar Kamat

Both the Congress and the BJP called emergency meetings of their MLAs with the respective central observers chairing the meetings.

Crucially, Digambar Kamat whos departure to Delhi earlier on Sunday sparked speculation that he was being offered the Chief Ministers post if he defected to be BJP remained with the Congress camp.

Earlier in the day the Congress accused the governor of acting like a BJP office bearer pointing to the fact that the Governor has refused them an audience but has had the time to meet BJP office bearers.

The BJP too called a meeting of its legislators at a city hotel while alliance partners and independents met separately at the residence of Goa Forward Leader Vijai Sardesai.

Questions over who will succeed Parrikar remain. The BJP would like one of its MLAs to be made CM while the alliance partners are yet to make their stands known in light of todays developments.
Four-time Goa chief minister and former defence minister Manohar Parrikars colleagues in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) described him as a quintessential swayamsevak (volunteer). On Sunday night as news of this demise broke, colleagues in the Sangh paid tributes to the disciplined, unassuming Goan, who thought nothing of his political achievements or the high office that he occupied.

Parrikar joined the Sangh during his final years of schooling. During his years at Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, he came in contact with Seshadri Chari, who was then incharge of students at the premier engineering institute. Chari said he joined the Sangh as a full-time worker for a year after getting his degree and was posted to Mumbais Mapusa. He became a sanghchalak [local director] for a year and then moved back to Goa where he started his enterprise. He was sent by the Sangh to the Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] along with Shripad Naik, when they felt the need to induct some new faces into the party, Chari said.

Chari, a former editor of the Organiser, said Parrikar initially had qualms about joining politics. He had apprehensions about politics. He was concerned that he might have to take decisions that his conscience would not permit. He was squeaky clean, Chari said. Parrikar always wore his Sangh credentials on his sleeve; acknowledging the organisations role in instilling discipline, nationalism and social concern in him, said another Sangh functionary who did not wish to be quoted.

Chari said he had no compunction in saying Parrikar was a prototypical swayamsevak. His image of simple, unpretentious man was not cultivated; that is who he was, said Chari.
Just over a month ago on World Cancer Day, Manohar Parrikar gave a hint of his determination to fight his life-threatening illness to the end when he said that the human mind can overcome any disease.

Parrikar was then admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

Human mind can overcome any disease #WorldCancerDay, Parrikar had tweeted on February 4.

Human mind can overcome any disease. #WorldCancerDay  Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) February 4, 2019

Forty-one days after that tweet, the chief minister who was diagnosed with a pancreatic cancer in February last year, died Sunday evening in Panaji. Parrikar s wife Medha had also died of cancer in 2001.

Over the past year, Parrikar had been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and New Delhi but insisted on working as long as he could.

On January 27, he showed up at the inauguration of a signature bridge by Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari in the capital city of Panaji . Three days later on January 30, he presented the state budget in the legislative assembly with a tube in his nose.

Politicians across parties have praised Parrikar for working for Goa till the end.
Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar travelled to the African and Gulf countries as well as the UK between 1990 and 1993 to collect donations for jihad in Kashmir, Afghanistan and Somalia, a dossier on the terror mastermind that has been handed over to Pakistan by India says. The dossier lists countries such as Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Zambia, the UAE, Bangladesh and the UK among the places that he visited during his trips.

Masood Azhars foreign sojourns took place due to his proximity to Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Osama Bin Laden, the dossier says. Maulana Fazlur headed the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) and was close to Osama bin Laden, whose Al Qaeda funded the Jamia Binoria, where Azhar completed his education and later joined as a teacher and managed to impress Maulana Fazlur.

Masood Azhar studied upto class VIII and then joined the famous Jihadi seminary in Karachi, called the Jamia Uloom al Islamia or the Jamia Binoria, which has been one of the main nerve centers of support for the Afghan Jihad since early 1970s, the dossier says.

The dossier on the Jaish-e-Mohammad and its top leadership, including Masood Azhar, was handed over to Pakistan by India after the Pulwama attack. Pakistan had at that time said that the dossier was being examined. Immediately after the Pulwama attack, France, UK and US had moved a resolution in the UN to list Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. However, like the previous three times, China once again put a technical hold on the move, saying it needed more time for consultations.

The dossier to Pakistan says that during the course of his travels to the African and Gulf countries, he had referred to his own participation in the global jihad in Somalia, and managed to collect large amounts of funds and had created his own funding network beyond Pakistan.

After the Russian forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, the HuM, al Qaeda and the Taliban linked groups shifted their focus to Jammu and Kashmir to incite people for jihad, showcasing Afghanistan as a success story of jihad, the dossier says.

Subsequently, in 1994, Masood Azhar arrived in India through Bangladesh on a fake Portugese passport in the name of Vali Adam Issa. He went to Jammu and Kashmir to lead the Harkat-ul-Ansar (HuA), a group formed by the merger of HuM and HUJI in Jammu and Kashmir and in Pakistan, it says. But he was arrested in February 1994 and jailed for his acts of jihad in India. He stayed in jail till December 1999, when he was released after the hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight IC814 to Kandahar in Afghanistan.

During the course of his interrogation after his arrest, he had revealed his close contacts with key jihadi leaders of the region and had also given details of his activities in support of the al Qaeda-led jihad across many theatres including Somalia and Afghanistan, the dossier says.

A year after he was released at Kandahar in 1999, Masood Azhar had formed the Jaish-e-Mohammad, which attracted the bulk of the cadres of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen as well as other jihadis from Punjab and Karachi the dossier to Pakistan says.

With renewed vigour and support, Masood Azhar made fresh bid to perpetuate violence in India. The group claimed its first attack (a suicide attack) in an Army cantonment in Jammu & Kashmir in December 2000 and then mounted another attack in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly in India in October 2001. The JeM operatives directed by Masood Azhar launched audacious armed coordinated attacks on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi on December 13, 2001, the dossier states. The Parliament attack had led to serious standoff between India and Pakistan.

The Jaish-e-Mohammads claiming of the Pulwama attack had also led to tensions between the two countries with India launching an air strike on a Jaish camp at Balakot in Pakistan. The air strike was responded to by Pakistan and had led to an aerial engagement on the Line of Control.
Araku is the only constituency Lok Sabha constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes out of 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh and came into existence in 2008 after the Delimitation Commission of India recommended implementation of delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.

Kothapalli Geetha of the YSR Congress won the seat in 2014 defeating TDPs Gummidi Sandhyarani. The YSR Congress has large support among tribals in the constituency and is hoping to retain the seat. The welfare and development of tribal communities is a major election issue among different parties. Other communities in the constituency include Kapus, Scheduled Castes, Yadavas and Matsyakaras. There is a Maoist threat in the constituency and last year TDP MLA Sarveswara Rao was shot dead.

Aruku parliamentary constituency is spread across Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. According to the 2011 census, out of total 1926513 population 91.59% is rural and 8.41% is urban population. The Scheduled castes (SC) and Scheduled tribes (ST) ratio is 7.23 and 54.76, respectively out of the total population.

Araku Lok Sabha constituency in numbers:

Name of the Lok Sabha constituency: Araku (ST)

Date of voting: April 11

2019 candidates: KVV Satyanarayan (BJP, Shruti Devi (Congress) Kishore Chandra Deo (TDP) , Madhavi (YSRCP)

Sitting MP, Party: Kothapalli Geetha, YSRC

Winning margin in 2014: 91,398 votes

Runner up name, party: Gummidi Sandhyarani, TDP

Number of voters in 2014: 1,272,724

Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 71.47

Number of polling booths in 2014: 1,628

Number of women voters: 650,308
The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) party led by T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Sunday released its first list of candidates in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The candidates names were for 23 Lok Sabha seats out of 39 in Tamil Nadu and for the lone Puducherry seat, a statement issued here said.

The AMMK also announced its first list of nine candidates, who will contest in the Assembly bye-elections.

Bye-elections for 18 out of 21 vacant assembly seats will be held on April 18 along with the Lok Sabha polls.

Dhinakaran was expelled from AIADMK party and he floated the AMMK.

He also won from the R.K.Nagar Assembly seat in Chennai as an independent defeating AIADMK and DMK candidates in 2017.
Politicians joined President Ram Nath Kovind to mourn the death of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday.

 Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity, President Kovind wrote on Twitter.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

President Kovinds predecessor Pranab Mukherjee praised Parrikar saying he worked for the nation till his last breath.

Deeply saddened at the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar.He fought bravely against his disease & I always hoped that he will beat it.Despite his deteriorating health,he put Nation first & worked for it till his last breath. May he rest in peace. My prayers are with his family  Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) March 17, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Parrikar was an unparalleled leader, a true patriot and exceptional administrator and was admired by all.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader.



A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations.



Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters.



Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

Union home minister Rajnath Singh said Parrikar was known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity.

Deeply saddened and pained by the demise of my dear friend & Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity. He served the nation and the state of Goa with great diligence. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.  Chowkidar Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 17, 2019

BJP president Amit Shah said Parrikar showed the entire nation how a BJP Karyakarta, even during his toughest time is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last

Parrikar ji has shown the entire nation how a BJP Karyakarta, even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last.



He will always be remembered for his contributions as Indias Defence Minister and as CM of Goa. pic.twitter.com/jiKNGoOZrj  Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said he was saddened by the news of Parrikars death after bravely battling a debilitating illness for over a year. His sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined him in condoling Parrikars death.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year.



Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons.



My condolences to his family in this time of grief.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17, 2019

My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace.  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 17, 2019

National conference leader Omar Abdullah said Parrikars untimely demise has left a void that will be difficult to fill. PDP leader Mehbooba described the late Goa chief minister as a true fighter who despite battling cancer, worked tirelessly for the welfare of his people with a sense of duty and dignity.

Saddened to hear about the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was a true fighter who despite battling cancer, worked tirelessly for the welfare of his people with a sense of duty & dignity. Condolences to his loved ones & family.  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 17, 2019

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also took to Twitter to mourn Parrikars death. Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Sh Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them, he wrote.

The Aam Aadmi Partys Goa Convenor Elvis Gomes said that with the passing away of Parrikar, Goa has lost a politician who had changed the political discourse from the time he ascended into power.

Having closely seen him work, I can say that he showed the right intentions in the beginning though political pulls and pressures affected the direction of his governance. We parted ways on ideological differences, but still saw him as a buffer against the divisive designs of the party he belonged to. We pray that his soul rests in peace Gomes said.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was saddened by Parrikars death.

Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 17, 2019

Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said Parrikar was respected by all across party lines.
Sudin Dhavalikar wants to become the Chief Minister: Goa Deputy Speaker

Michael Lobo, Goa Deputy Speaker and BJP MLA: Sudin Dhavalikar (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party leader) wants to become the Chief Minister. He said he has sacrificed many times by supporting BJP, he has put his demand but BJP will not agree to that.

Michael Lobo, Goa Deputy Speaker & BJP MLA: Sudin Dhavalikar (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party leader) wants to become the Chief Minister. He said he has sacrificed many times by supporting BJP, he has put his demand but BJP will not agree to that. #Goa pic.twitter.com/pwwymv5Uj9  ANI (@ANI) 18 March 2019

Our priority for now is to give Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a proper farewell: MGP

Meetings conclude. No decision has been arrived at. Our priority for now is to give Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a proper farewell. A decision could be taken after that, says MGP.

After one hour we will know who is the candidate: Sudin Dhavalikar

Sudin Dhavalikar, MGP after meeting with Nitin Gadkari: They will decide in 1 hour after discussions with the MLAs. Im going to the executive committee of my party, I will ask them to have a resolution. After one hour we will know who is the candidate, reports news agency ANI.

MGP will have to take resolution on supporting government: Sudin Dhavalikar

BJP said that they will get back to us in one hour. After that our party (MGP) will have to take a resolution (on supporting the government) whatever discussions we held with the BJP are confidential, says MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar.

Not easy to fill Parrikars shoes: Vijai Sardesai

We have discussed the contours of the alliance and how things should function. They (BJP central leadership) have told us that they will get back to us. It is not easy to fill Parrikars shoes. Well see tomorrow morning, says Vijai Sardesai after emerging from discussions with Nitin Gadkari and B L Santosh.

Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar arrives at hotel where alliance partners are holding meeting over next Goa CM

Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar who appeared to have deserted the ruling coalition now enters the hotel where BJP leaders and alliance partners are holding extensive parleys to finalize who should succeed Manohar Parrikar as CM.

Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai with party MLAs arrive for meeting with Nitin Gadkari

Panaji: Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai with party MLAs Vinod Palyekar and Jayesh Salgaonkar along with two independent MLAs Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gaude arrive for meeting with senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.

Panaji: Goa Forward Party (GFP) Chief Vijai Sardesai with party MLAs Vinod Palyekar & Jayesh Salgaonkar along with two independent MLAs Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gaude arrives for meeting with senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari. pic.twitter.com/0PwxbW9ea7  ANI (@ANI) 17 March 2019

Goa Forward and two independents to meet BJP national leaders

Goa Forward and two independents to meet BJP national leaders. We will see what they have to say, says Vijai Sardesai. Nothing is finalised.

MGP leaders arrive at hotel in Goa to meet BJP central observers

MGP leaders Sudin Dhavalikar and Babu Ajgaonkar arrive at the hotel to meet with BJP central observers B L Santosh and Nitin Gadkari who are camping in Goa.

Nitin Gadkari arrives in Panaji for BJP legislature meet

Goa: Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari arrives in Panaji for the BJP legislature meet following the demise of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, reports news agency ANI.

BJP has no allies now: Goa Congress leaders write to Governor

Goa Congress leaders G Chodankar and C Kavlekar write letter to Goa Governor staking claim to form Government, letter reads Coalition partners of Parrikar led government had allied with BJP on condition that government is headed by Manohar Parrikar. BJP therefore has no allies as of now.

Goa Congress leaders G Chodankar & C Kavlekar write letter to Goa Governor staking claim to form Government, letter reads "Coalition partners of Parrikar led Govt had allied with BJP on condition that Govt is headed by Manohar Parrikar. BJP therefore has no allies as of now." https://t.co/5HIqE2WRDi  ANI (@ANI) 17 March 2019

Goa Congress leaders write to Governor staking claim to form government

Goa Congress leaders Girish Chodankar and Chandrakant Kavlekar write letter to Goa Governor, Mridula Sinha staking claim to form Government in the state.

Goa Congress leaders Girish Chodankar and Chandrakant Kavlekar write letter to Goa Governor, Mridula Sinha staking claim to form Government in the state. pic.twitter.com/vqFU6gBTUi  ANI (@ANI) 17 March 2019

We had given support to Manohar Parrikar not BJP: Vijai Sardesai

Vijai Sardesai, Goa Forward Party: We had given support to Manohar Parrikar not BJP. Now that he is not anymore, options are open. We want stability in Goa, we dont want dissolution of house. Well wait for the decision at the BJP legislature meeting and then take the next step, reports news agency ANI.

Not only a loss for BJP, but also for society: Amit Shah

BJP President Amit Shah: Manohar Parrikar ji is no more with us, its not only a loss for BJP but also for the society. From modernization of the forces to the first surgical strikes under PM Modis leadership, he gave a good account of his administrative qualities.

BJP President Amit Shah: Manohar Parrikar ji is no more with us, it's not only a loss for BJP but also for the society. From modernization of the forces to the first surgical strikes under PM Modi's leadership, he gave a good account of his administrative qualities. pic.twitter.com/F9FdKxOmP0  ANI (@ANI) 17 March 2019

Location of Manohar Parrikars Vidhi changed from SAG grounds Campal to Miramar

The cremation of late Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will take place full state honour on Monday evening.

The funeral procession will be taken from Kala Academy, Panjim, at four in the evening and last rites will be performed at five in the evening at Miramar.

Parrikars mortal remains will be kept at the BJP head office, Panjim, between 9:30 am to 10:30 am and would be moved to Kala Academy for the public to pay their last respects. The public can pay homage to Parrikar from 11 am to 4 pm.

All official programmes of BJP scheduled for tomorrow cancelled

All official programmes of BJP including the CEC scheduled for tomorrow, have been cancelled, following the demise of Former Defence Minister and Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, reported news agency ANI.

Goa Congress again stakes claim to form govt, second time in 48 hours

Goa Congress again stakes claim to form govt, writes to governor second time in 48 hours.

Modi biopic poster launch put off on Goa CMs death

The launch of second poster of Prime Minister Narendra Modis biopic of the same name was postponed following the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday evening, reported news agency IANS.

Parrikar passed away at the age of 63 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.

BJP President Amit Shah was to launch the poster of the film PM Narendra Modi on Monday morning in Delhi.

However, late in the evening the makers of the film messaged invitees, We are extremely sorry to inform that the poster launch of our film PM Narendra Modi, which was scheduled for March 18, 10.30 am, has been postponed due to the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

RIP Manohar Parrikar: From an IIT engineer to BJPs tallest leader in Goa

Goa Governor condoles Parrikars death

The Governor of Goa Dr. Smt. Mridula Sinha on behalf of the state Government and the people of Goa and along with Dr. Ram Kripal Sinha has conveyed heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all, on the death of beloved Chief Minister and Former Union Minister for Defence Shri Manohar Parrikar on March 17, 2019.

In her condolence message the Governor has said that she is deeply sorry to hear about the sad and untimely demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar. Further she has said, as a political leader he had, in his own way, chartered a new approach to various problems and succeeded in resolving many of them by his sincere personality. Shri Manohar Parrikar was an able Administrator and has raised the stature of the State of Goa to the highest level. He created an ideal for all the leaders to emulate and follow his path. He will be remembered as a social worker who gave his whole life to the cause of people. ln his death, the country and the State of Goa has lost a tall leader and the vacuum created by him will be difficult to fill, she added.

Odisha CM condoles death of Parrikar

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday condoled the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Deeply saddened by news of the passing away of former Defence Minister of India & Chief Minister, Goa #Manohar Parrikar. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends & followers. May his soul rest in peace, Patnaik wrote on Twitter.

Goa govt declares one day holiday, 7 days state

The Goa government has declared one day holiday, and seven days state mourning period following CM Manohar Parrikars death.

Parrikar consulted Church in major decisions: Archbishop

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away on Sunday, often sought out influential Catholic Church leaders for opinions before taking far reaching decisions for the benefit of Goa, Archbisop Filipe Neri Ferrao said.

In his condolence message, Ferrao, whose influential Roman Catholic Church has had several run-ins with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led governments in the coastal state including those run by Parrikar, also said the 63-year-old politicians sense of secularism and communal harmony and respect for the various religions, cultures and traditions of the people have been generally appreciated by the population.

Program plan of Manohar Parrikars final journey

Manohar Parrikars mortal remains will be kept at the BJP head office, Panjim from 9:30 am to 10:30 am on Monday.

His remains will then be taken to Kala Academy, Panjim, where the public will pay their final respects.

The funeral procession of Parrikar will then head to SAG grounds in Campal where the last rites will be performed.

Congress to stake claim to form government in Goa

With the BJP strength in the Goa Assembly down to 12 MLAs after the death of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday, the Congress is likely to stake claim to form the government in the coastal state, a senior party leader said.

There is no cabinet in place now. We are going to demand the Governor to invite the Congress party to form a government because we are the single largest party in the Assembly with 14 MLAs, the leader told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Congress secretary in-charge of Goa A. Chellakumar is expected to arrive here on Sunday night to take charge of his partys bid to form the government.

Condolences over untimely death of former defence minister: Chandrababu Naidu

Deepest condolences over the untimely death of former Defence Minister and Chief Minister of Goa #ManoharParrikar. May his soul rest in peace. May God give strength and support to the bereaved family at this saddest hour, said Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.

Centre announces national mourning on March 18

The government announced national mourning on Monday as Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar died this evening, officials said.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said the national flag will fly at half-mast in the national capital, the union territories and the state capitals.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet will be held on Monday at 10 am.

State funeral will be accorded to Parrikar.

Parrikar was most lovable and honest senior politician: Venkaiah Naidu

Deeply saddened to learn about the untimely passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa.

He is one of the most lovable and honest senior politicians of our country. He was a dynamic and dedicated individual who led life full of values and principles, tweeted Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu.

Manohar Parrikar away from VIP culture: VHP

Manohar Parrikar away from VIP culture, carried his own luggage, stood in queues as an ordinary man, cleanest politician, represented the modern suave generation & demonstrated excellence in whatever he did, tweeted Vishva Hindu Parishad.

Not even cancer can kill a spirit like Manohar Parrikar: Kamal Hassan

Party ideologies apart a good and gentle man will always be it. Not even cancer can kill a spirit like @manoharparrikar . Have had the honour of breaking bread with him. As will the Nation, I too will remember him, tweeted Kamal Hassan.

A man of impeccable integrity: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Deeply condole the sad demise of Manohar Parrikar. A brilliant IIT graduate, an outstanding CM of Goa, an accomplished Defence Minister, a man of impeccable integrity, firm believer in good governance and above all a good human being. Miss you Manohar ji, tweeted Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Manohar Parikkar was epitome of integrity: Vasundhara Raje

Anguished by the news of Shri #ManoharParikkar Jis untimely demise. He was the epitome of integrity and honesty, having served the people of Goa with dedication and commitment that will inspire generations to come, tweeted Vasundhara Raje.

India grateful to Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as defence minister: PM

India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced Indias security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen, PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa: PM Modi

Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader.

A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations.

Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters.

Om Shanti, PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress, PM said in another tweet.

Devendra Fadnavis condoles death of Manohar Parrikar

He was a true son of Goa and served India in many roles and responsibilities !

No doubt Shri Manohar Parrikar will be remembered as one of best Defence Ministers of India.

My deepest condolences to his family, friends and people of Goa & India, tweeted Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Immediately leaving for Goa: Nitin Gadkari

BJP has faced a huge loss with the demise of #ManoharParrikar Ji... Apart from being a party member, he was a really close friend of mine. He isnt with me today & Im personally very pained by this. I am immediately leaving for Goa, said Nitin Gadkari, reported news agency ANI.

Parrikar always led by example in his public life: Arun Jaitley

Saddened to know about the demise of senior BJP leader Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. He always led by example in his public life & was loved by masses. He will be missed by everyone of us. May God render peace to the departed soul, tweeted Arun Jaitley.

From surgical strikes to OROP: How Manohar Parrikar shaped Indias military

An outsider in Delhi, Parrikar was quick to grasp the intricacies of the ministry, the working of the armed forces and the challenges of modernising the military in the face of shrinking budgets.

Manohar Parrikars passing away has left a huge gap in politics: Kharge

He (Goa CM Manohar Parrikar) was a good human being. His passing away has left a huge gap in politics; we have lost a good politician. His demise has caused us immense grief. I express my grief and I pay my tributes on behalf of my party and myself, said senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

Manohar Parrikar was respected by all across political lines: HD Kumaraswamy

Extremely saddened to hear of the passing away of the Chief Minister of Goa Shri #ManoharParrikar.

He was respected by all across political lines.

My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace, tweeted HD Kumaraswamy.

Parrikars contribution to the nation will never be forgotten: Ram Vilas Paswan

Deeply saddened by the demise of Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister, Shri Manohar Parrikar ji. He lived a very simple life. His contribution to the nation will never be forgotten. May God give strength to his family to bear this tragic loss, tweeted Ram Vilas Paswan.

Parrikar was committed to philosophy of Nation First, Party Next , Self Last: Amit Shah

Parrikar ji has shown the entire nation how a BJP Karyakarta, even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last.

He will always be remembered for his contributions as Indias Defence Minister and as CM of Goa, tweeted BJP national president Amit Shah.

As Raksha Mantri his contribution will remain unparalleled: Nirmala Sitharaman

Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri.Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled, tweeted defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Manohar Parrikar, first IITian to become CM of a state: Suresh Prabhu

Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend..., tweeted Suresh Prabhu.

A symbol of simplicity in politics: Arvind Kejriwal

Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Sh Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them, tweeted Arvind Kejriwal.

Parrikars exemplary leadership will continue to inspire us: Piyush Goyal

Extremely saddened to know about the sad demise of our beloved and stalwart leader Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji. His exemplary leadership will continue to inspire us and serve as a benchmark, tweeted Union minister Piyush Goyal.

Manohar Parrikar: BJPs crisis man in Goa

Manohar Parrikar, who rose from a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to become the countrys Defence Minister and also chief minister of Goa, enjoyed a man-next-door image in the politically-volatile coastal state.

Parrikar, 63, served the state four times as chief minister and had a three-year-long stint as Defence Minister in the Narendra Modi-led cabinet.

Aam Aadmi Party condoles death of Manohar Parrikar

The Aam Aadmi party has condoled the death of the CM Shri Manohar Parrikar. Extending sympathies to the bereaved family members, AAP Goa Convenor Elvis Gomes said that with the passing away of Parrikar, Goa has lost a politician who had changed the political discourse from the time he ascended into power.

Having closely seen him work, I can say that he showed the right intentions in the beginning though political pulls and pressures affected the direction of his governance. We parted ways on ideological differences, but still saw him as a buffer against the divisive designs of the party he belonged to. We pray that his soul rests in peace said Gomes.

Security tightened outside Parrikars residence

As Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar died at his Panaji residence on Sunday evening, relatives, officials and admirers have begun gathering and security has been tightened outside his house.

Security tightened outside Manohar Parrikars house ( HT Photo )

May his soul rest in peace: Priyanka Gandhi

My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace, tweeted Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Manohar Parrikar was one of Goas favourite sons: Rahul Gandhi

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year.

Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons.

My condolences to his family in this time of grief, tweeted Congress national president Rahul Gandhi.

Saddened at the passing away of Goa CM: Mamata Banerjee

Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister #ManoharParrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers, tweeted Mamata Banerjee.

We condole passing away of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar: Congress

We condole the passing of former Union Minister & Chief Minister @manoharparrikar. We hope that his family finds strength in their moment of grief, tweeted Congress.

Omar Abdullah condoles Manohar Parrikars death

My heartfelt condolences to the family, friends & colleagues of Manohar Parrikar Sahib. His untimely demise has left a void that will be difficult to fill. May his soul rest in peace, tweeted Omar Abdullah.

Condolence meet for Goa CM Manohar Parrikar at 11 am tomorrow

Condolence meet to be held in the Union Cabinet at 11 am tomorrow for Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, reported news agency ANI.

Goa CM Manohar Parrikar dies, tweets President Kovind

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten, tweets President Ram Nath Kovind.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Relatives, officials arrive at Goa CMs residence

A stream of well wishers have begun to gather outside the Chief Ministers residence including current and former ministers and MLAs.

Officials and ministers streaming into Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikars residence. Chief Secretary, Director General of Police , Speaker of the assembly. Union Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Naik all arrive at Parrikars residence. Area cordoned off. Official announcement yet to be made. Family is being privately informed first.

Goa CM Parrikar critical

Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikars health condition is extremely critical, his office said Sunday.

Parrikar, 63, is suffering from a serious pancreatic ailment, and is currently at his private residence at Dona Paula near here.

Chief Minister @manoharparrikar's health condition is extremely critical. Doctors are trying their best.  CMO Goa (@goacm) March 17, 2019
The BJP on Saturday deliberated on finalising the names of candidates for Lok Sabha elections, particularly for constituencies where polling will be held in the first phase.

The names were discussed at the partys central election committee attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party Amit Shah.

Sources said the discussion was held on seats in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttarakhand and the seven northeastern states.

The Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 11 and continue for over a month till May 19 across seven phases, followed by counting of votes on May 23.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman Sunday criticised people who termed Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan a statesman for returning Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman and said the IAF pilots release was as per law and not a favour. India had sent back 90,000 Pakistani soldiers unconditionally after the 1971 war, in which Pakistan was defeated, she said.

But some within India, some journalists and thinkers, are terming him (Khan) a statesman for sending back our pilot, but it is only as per law and it has not done India a favour; they are also questioning what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done, Sitharaman said.
Photo: The Canadian Press A library book that was returned 42 years late to the Vancouver Island Regional Library is shown in a handout photo.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Vancouver Island Regional Library

A book about surviving in the outdoors has been returned to a B.C. library branch more than four decades after it was checked out.

The book, "Wilderness Living: A Complete Handbook and Guide to Pioneering in North America" was borrowed from the Union Bay branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library in 1977.

It was returned anonymously to the Courtenay branch last Monday.

Library spokesman David Carson says the book's subject matter "adds to the mystique of its whereabouts over the past four-plus decades."

He says the book is in excellent condition considering its extended absence from the shelves.

Carson says overdue materials for adults accrue a daily fine of 30 cents until a $10 cap is reached  which is lucky for whoever who signed it out.

"The fine would have been in excess of $4,500 without the cap," said Carson, adding that he doesn't know if the book will go back into circulation.

He noted that it's still being sold and is considered a valuable resource for outdoor survival.

Carson said although ideally, books are returned before their due date, it's not unusual for items to be returned late.

"But to have a book returned from the time when Stars Wars first came out  and for it to be in such good condition  is definitely not common," he said.
Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, a former Supreme Court judge, is all set to become the first Lokpal of India, an anti-corruption ombudsman.

According to officials with knowledge of the matter, a selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed on his name.

Justice Ghose, who is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), was a judge in the top court for four years from March 2013 to May 2017.

During this period, he adjudicated on wide variety of cases.

A division bench of Justice Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy convicted former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalaithas aide, Sasikala, and others in a graft case in a significant verdict. In this case, Jayalalitha too was an accused, but proceedings against her were dropped because she died during the pendency of the case.

Justice Ghose was also a part of the two-judge bench that declared the centuries-old tradition of Jallikattu, or bull fighting, will be banned.

Another important matter handled by Justice Ghose as a Supreme Court judge was the Babri Masjid case, in which the top court directed a trial court in April 2017 to proceed against political leaders LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti and others for alleged criminal conspiracy.

After his retirement in 2017, Justice Ghose was appointed to the National Human Rights Commission as a judicial

member. Born on May 28, 1952, Justice Ghose comes from a family of lawyers. His father, late Justice Shambhu Chandra Ghose, is a former Chief Justice of Calcutta high court.

Justice Ghose, who graduated in law from the Calcutta University, joined the Bar Council of West Bengal in 1976 as an advocate. He became a judge at the Calcutta high court in July 1997.

In December 2012, he was made the chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh high court. After three months, in March 2013, he was elevated to the Supreme Court.Former advocate general of Tripura and eminent lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said the most noticeable part of Justice Ghoses character is his calmness and friendly approach.

He used to hear cases and pass orders very fast. As a judge, he astounded us with his sharp memory. In simple words, he was an outstanding judge, said Bhattacharya.
Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose is likely to be appointed the countrys first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman, after a Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led selection committee on Sunday agreed on his name, two officials with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Parliament passed the Lokpal Act in 2013, when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power. The law provides for a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to investigate cases of corruption against public servants.

The competent authority will soon take a final decision on the name of justice Ghose for the chairperson, Lokpal, as recommended by the selection committee, and then the appointment will be formally announced, an official said on the condition of anonymity. Justice Ghose, currently a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), retired as a Supreme Court judge in May 2017.

The PM, Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Justice of India or his nominee, Leader of the Opposition, and an eminent jurist are the members of the Lokpal selection committee. As there is no designated Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha currently, the government had invited Kharge, the leader of the Congress legislature party in the House, to the meetings of the selection panel as a special invitee.

Kharge repeatedly turned down the governments invite to attend the panels meetings, saying he could not accept the Opposition being made voiceless on a critical matter.

A second official said the selection committees decision on justice Ghoses name for the post was in line with the Supreme Courts March 7 directive to attorney general KK Venugopal to submit within 10 days the date of meeting of the PM-led selection committee on the Lokpals appointment. Other members in the selection panel are Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi. The selection committees decision was based on the recommendation of an eight-member search panel, chaired by justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, the two officials said. The search committee was constituted in September last year to recommend names for the positions of the chairperson and the members of the Lokpal. Other names recommended for the ombudsman were not immediately known.

Lawyer and civil rights activist Prashant Bhushan criticised the selection process as opaque. No honest person would oppose transparency in the matter of appointment of persons to such critical positions. This shows that they wanted to appoint improper persons, he said. It is unfortunate that the selection committee does not include the Leader of the Opposition. The Supreme Court did not accept our plea that the leader of the single largest party in the Opposition should be made a member of the committee in place of the Leader of the Opposition, Bhushan said.

A government official, however, refuted the charge. Technically, there is no Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Despite that, the selection committee did invite the leader of the single largest party in the Opposition [Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge] in the meetings. But, he declined, said the official, requesting anonymity.

On March 14, Kharge declined the selection committees invitation the seventh time since February 2018 for being invited as a special invitee. A special invitee would not have any rights of participation in the process of selection of the Lokpal and I cannot accept the Opposition being made voiceless in a critical matter, Kharge wrote to the PM while declining to be a part of the selection committees meeting.

On Sunday, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi tweeted: Exceedingly happy to see the announcement of LOKPAL. It shall strengthen all anti corruption systems in the country....

In a tweet, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said: #Modi #Shah #BjP deserve congrats 4appointing #Lokpal when their departure time hs come after wasting 5yrs since 2014, despite hypocritically shouting lokpal during their opp years!modiji also acted true 2form having obstructed/stalled #Lokayukta 4whole 12yr term as #CM #Gujarat.

Born on May 28, 1952, justice Ghose is a law graduate from the University of Calcutta. According to the National Human Rights Commissions website, he has been associated with many activities of the Ramakrishna Mission.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted two resolutions piloted by India on addressing single-use plastic pollution and sustainable nitrogen management.

This is the first time an India-backed resolution has been adopted at UNEA. The fourth session being held in Nairobi, Kenya concluded on Friday.

The resolution on addressing single-use plastic pollution urges member states to develop national or regional plans, identify environment-friendly alternatives, work with research organisations and the industry to develop such alternatives, improve waste management practices.

The Prime Minister had said India would phase out single-use plastic by 2022 during his World Environment Day speech in 2018.

This is the context for India to bring up the resolution and after tough negotiations, it was accepted. However, the member states did not want the resolution to say it would be phased out, said an environment ministry official, requesting anonymity.

So far, only 9% of the nine billion tonne plastics ever produced has been recycled. And, if the current trend continues, landfills will have 12 billion metric tonne plastic litter by 2050.

We have generated huge quantities of plastic waste and it is not restricted to landfills in the cities, it gets into the rivers and oceans and has a massive environmental impact. Many cities have banned polybags. We now have a national policy to phase out single-use plastic as well. But on ground as soon as the policing gets lax, the bags are back everywhere. The global agreements will help in driving research into viable alternatives, said Dr Rajiv Seth, former pro-VC of TERI school of advanced studies.
The Election Commission on Saturday served a notice to a man in Uttarakhand who printed a message on his sons wedding invitation card appealing to the guests to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Jagdish Chandra Joshi, who runs a cow shelter in Joshikhola village in Garud block of the district, had printed an appeal on the wedding invitation of his son Jeevan that said: Tohfa mat lana kintu var vadhu ko ashirwaad dene se pehle 11 April ko rashtrahit mein Modi ji ko vote jarur kar ana, (Do not bring gifts. But in national interest do vote on April 11 in favour of Modi before coming to bless the bride and bridegroom).

The notice was served by assistant returning officer (AROBageshwar, on Joshi for allegedly vilolating the model code of conduct.

District Election Officer (DEO) Ranjana, who goes by one name said, The notice has been served to the person concerned through ARO and he has been asked to be present in person within 24 hours.

Joshi however apologised. My kids gave the text material for the invitation. I would apologise before the election commission. We are simple people and do not have any inclination towards any political party, he said.

In Uttarakhand, the Lok Sabha polls are to be held on April 11 and the wedding is scheduled for April 22.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top BJP leaders on Sunday prefixed chowkidar to their name on Twitter as part of a campaign launched on Saturday that asked people to take the main bhi chowkidar hoon pledge.

The move is a counter to Congress president Rahul Gandhis pitch that mocks PM Modi for describing himself as the countrys watchman. Chowkidar chor hai (Watchman is a thief) has been a running theme in Rahul Gandhis campaign against the BJP for months.

Gandhi has often argued that his pitch, which started with his allegation that the government bought overpriced Rafale fighter jets, resonated with people.

This morning, PM Modis personal Twitter handle was changed to Chowkidar Narendra Modi and that of BJP chief Amit Shahs was Chowkidar Amit Shah. Soon scores of BJP leaders made the change too, following up on the BJPs Main bhi Chowkidar campaign launched yesterday.

As part of this campaign, in a tweet put out on his @narendramodi handle yesterday, PM Modi wrote, Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar.

The tweet was accompanied by a 3 minute 45 second video that begins with the PM addressing the people saying, Your chowkidar is absolutely alert. The video then moves into a song with visuals of people from across the length and breadth of the country, singing main bhi chowkidar hun as part of the chorus of the song.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said democracy, Constitution and the country are in danger under the BJP government.

Congress knows how to rule and run the government. Congress can develop the country better. BJP government assured people to bring black money, provide employment for youths but failed, he said, while addressing a public meeting in Pahari town under Kaman assembly constituency.

Congress launched the Lok Sabha election campaign in Rajasthan from the Mewat region of Bharatpur. CM Gehlot, deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, state Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey, state ministers Vishvendra Singh, Dr Subhash Garg, Bhajan Lal Jatav and Kaman MLA Zahida Khan were among the party leaders who addressed the public meeting. During their address, the Congress leaders claimed that the party provided rights to people such as MGNREGA, right to education, information and health. All medical treatment has been made free by the Congress government, they claimed.

He said the BJP had formed government on the basis of catchphrases. They assured people of achche din and to bring black money, but failed. They talk about Hindutva. We were taught to respect all religions. BJP only remembers Ram temple at the time of election to win elections, he said.

Deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said Congress follows principles in politics, while BJP leaders try to destroy peace and brotherhood across the country.

People have to decide and chose between fake and true leaders in Lok Sabha election. Some miscreants are spreading terrorism in the country but the leaders of central government have been trying to save them, he said.

In the assembly election in 2018, Congress won five seats out of seven assembly seats in district and there are three ministers from the district in the council of ministers.
Bikaner division situated at the northern tip of Rajasthan shares the International Border with Pakistan and after the recent Balakot air strikes sentiments are running high. Being the food basket of Rajasthan, farmer and water issues dominate the region.

Bikaner division has three parliamentary seats - Bikaner, Sriganganagar and Churu. Sriganganagar and Bikaner districts. Situated in the Thar Desert, the region has an arid climate with little rainfall. Thus water has always been an important factor here. The Gang Canal changed the arid region into Rajasthans food basket.

Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner got the Gang Canal built in 1899-1900 when Bikaner state faced a severe famine. The canal that brought Sutlej waters of Punjab to irrigate arid Bikaner was built in 1927 and changed the face of the region.

The region has a history of a strong peasant movement during Independence. The Jats, who led the revolt against the feudal landlords, are politically influential in the region. Brahmins and Scheduled Castes are other influential communities.

In the 2013 Lok Sabha election, BJP won all three parliamentary seats of Bikaner, Sriganganagar and Churu. In the 2018 assembly polls, of the 24 assembly segments in the three parliamentary constituencies, the Congress won 11, the BJP won 10, CPM bagged two and one seat went to an independent.

In the assembly election, the farmer anger worked against the BJP. Now, the Congress seems to be on the receiving end.

Girdhari Mahiya, CPM MLA from Dungargarh, said Bikaner division lies in the canal area and farming and water are important issue here. Electricity rates are high and so farming is expensive. Farmers are not getting minimum support price (MSP) and urea and fertiliser prices are high, so farmers are unhappy, he added.

Farmers are also feeling cheated on the loan waiver. The Congress had said they would give complete loan waiver, but they later added riders, said Mahiya.

He said there is infighting among both the Congress and BJP but it will damage the Congress more. After the air strikes the mood currently favours the BJP. Votes are going to be cast in Prime Minister Narendra Modis name, he said.

Prof Om Janju, a former teacher at the Swami Keshvanand Mahavidyalaya in Sangria, Hanumangarh, said the BJP is trying to change the narrative after the air strikes. There is no talk of the economy, farm distress, unemployment. BJP wants to keep alive the issue of nationalism and national security as they have failed to deliver on their promises, he said.

Political analyst Narayan Bareth said, Traditionally there was no industry or agriculture in the region and people migrated to other states for employment. After Gang canal, agriculture developed and there is some prosperity in the region.

He said issues of farmers such as availability of water, seeds, urea, fertilizer, mandis and other infrastructure are important. Since the region is along the India-Pakistan border and there are many people from the region in the defence services, nationalism has a resonance here.

Senior BJP leader Devi Singh Bhati said the overall sentiment is pro-Modi especially after the air strikes. The upper castes, OBCs and most Scheduled Caste communities apart from Meghwals are supporting BJP. Jats who voted for the Congress in the assembly elections, will vote on basis of the candidate, he said.

However, Congress minister and Bikaner West MLA BD Kalla said people will not vote blindly for the BJP only on the issue of national security.

BJP made lot of promises such as employment to 10 crore people, bringing back black money, but they failed to deliver. They have waived loans of big corporate but not of farmers. We have waived loans of cooperative and land mortgage banks and loans of nationalised and commercial banks are under process. People are smart and will assess the governments on the work done, he said.

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The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body for Bishops of Roman Catholic Church, has written to the chief election commissioner, requesting to change the voting date of April 18 because it coincides with Maundy Thursday  the day before Good Friday, believed to be the day when Jesus Christ had his last meal with his disciples.

Elections will be held in 13 states on April 18, including Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal.

In a letter addressed to the commissioner, a copy of which is with HT, Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, secretary general of CBCI, said, Good Friday is a public holiday. The election commission has respectfully not decided to hold polls on Easter, which falls on a Sunday. However, almost all Christians also attend church on the day before Good Friday.

Mascarenhas added that he was writing on behalf of the whole community.

In another letter, the Archbishop of Roman Catholic Church of Bombay has asked the pastors to vote for a party that promotes communal harmony a spirit of national integration through inter-religious dialogue and understanding.
To check the movement of illegal cash to Delhi during the Lok Sabha polls, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has set up a baggage screening point at Indira Gandhi International airports domestic arrival terminal.

Officers said all fliers arriving in chartered flights from non-commercial airports and air strips that do not have adequate security cover will undergo a thorough screening, excluding exempted dignitaries.

There are more than 300 such air strips and 39 non-commercial or partially operational airports in India.

Many of them are in cities such as Hisar in Haryana, Ambedkar Nagar, Moradabad, Etawah, Meerut, Aligarh, Akbarpur and Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, Amravati in Maharashtra, Patiala in Punjab, Banasthali in Rajasthan, Rourkela in Orissa and Munger and Kishanganj in Bihar, an official said.

In the wake of the elections, CISF has prepared a set of standard operating procedures (SOP). The day elections were announced, the measures were put in place. We have set up an X-ray screener at the domestic arrival terminal and all passengers arriving via chartered flights are being checked. Extra staff has been deployed. Dog squads are available to sniff out any suspicious items, said a senior officer who did not wish to be identified.

The officer said the listed dignitaries would be exempted from the check. But their staff members are being frisked thoroughly, the officer said.

The officer said the measures will help track the illegitimate movement of cash. We have strict instructions to track any suspicious transportation of cash. It is expected the movement of chartered airplanes will increase significantly in Delhi as campaigning begins in full swing. The set-up will remain active till the elections are over, he said.

The officer said fliers arriving Delhi by any passenger flight from a non-commercial airport will undergo similar check.

The CISF is in charge of security at 61 airports in the country. There are at least 300 air strips and 39 airports that are not CISF-protected, the officer added. CISF is expected to initiate similar checks at other airports.
The results of the Delhi Congresss internal survey, seeking the opinion of booth-level workers about a possible alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, have been submitted to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who is likely to take a final call in the next two or three days on a seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties in the national capital.

The results of the survey have been directly sent to the Congress chief and a final decision will be taken by him, Delhi Congress in-charge PC Chacko said.

Chacko said the results are confidential and their details will not be made public.

However, what the grassroots level workers have to say will decide the possibility of an alliance, which has until now garnered mixed reactions from the party leadership.

From Wednesday evening to Thursday evening, a recorded audio survey by Chacko was sent on phone to all grassroots workers asking them to vote in favour of or against an alliance with AAP.

To defeat the BJP, should the Congress agree to an alliance with AAP in Delhi? To vote yes press one, to vote no press two, the recorded voice said.

After the opinion survey started, Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit said she was not kept in the loop before a call was taken on reaching out to party workers in the city.

Although Dikshit has been saying the decision against the alliance was unanimous, party leaders are divided in their opinion. Former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken, after vocally opposing an alliance with AAP for months, did a volte-face and supported a pact with AAP, during a meeting convened by Rahul, in which senior Delhi Congress leaders participated.

Dikshit said the decision to hold the survey overrode Rahuls announcement at a booth-level convention on Monday, where he had said the party will be fighting on all seven seats in Delhi.

I have clarified my stand on the alliance. The final decision is with the party leadership, Dikshit said on Friday.

Senior leaders of the AAP on Friday said it has heard that the Congresss internal survey found overwhelming support to an alliance between the two parties.

A party leader said the seat-sharing could be four for AAP and three of Congress, without specifying the names of the parliamentary constituencies.

AAP has always been wanting an alliance. We are waiting for an official announcement from the Congress as previously, too, talks had reached a positive point, only to be shot down later, a senior party leader, on condition of anonymity, said.
Photo: The Canadian Press Image from shooter's video shows guns in his vehicle.

The suspected New Zealand shooter carefully modeled his attack for an internet age. He live-streamed the massacre, shouted out a popular meme slogan and published a long, rambling manifesto replete with inside jokes geared for those steeped in underground internet culture.

All that makes Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the man charged with murder for the attack Friday on mosques in Christchurch, the latest person to allegedly commit mass slaughter alongside a targeted appeal to online communities that breed extremism.

Prior to killing six people in Isla Vista, California, in 2014, Elliott Rodger posted an online video and circulated a lengthy document full of grievances. He was later found to have ties to a misogynistic online group known as "incels," or "involuntary celibates," who sometimes call for violence against women. Last year, Robert Bowers, the man charged with killing 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue, posted threats on Gab, a social media site popular with white supremacists.

Recruitment with and proliferation of extremist ideals is nothing new  in person or online. People who want to discuss such ideas are bound to find each other, said Daniel Byman, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute. But whereas small groups might have once met up in real life, now people can go online and find large groups to reinforce and encourage their ideas almost instantly.

People do things online that they might be hesitant to do in real life, Byman said. That can range from harmless acts, such as emailing someone you would be too intimidated to approach at a party, to sharing, building on and encouraging extremist views and violence.

"It enables you to be bolder," Byman said.

Online sleuths quickly connected the livestreamed video to posts made by the same user on 8chan, a dark corner of the web where those disaffected by mainstream social media sites often post extremist, racist and violent views.

Tarrant's manifesto spread quickly on 8chan Friday. The 74-page screed espouses white supremacist views even as it contradicts itself. Some saw similarities to the 1,500-page manifesto written by Anders Behring Breivik, a Norwegian right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in 2011.

The Tarrant document seemed intended to feed the online communities he took part in, in part by "trolling" common internet themes and outlooks with ironic mockery.

"Were you taught violence and extremism by video games, music, literature, cinema?" Tarrant asks himself in the essay.

"Yes, Spyro the dragon 3 taught me ethno-nationalism," he writes, seemingly sarcastically. That passage references a video game for Sony's PlayStation console intended for children 10 and up.

"Fortnite trained me to be a killer and to floss on the corpses of my enemies," he continued, only to abruptly contradict himself in a classic trolling move: "No." Fortnite is a popular online battle game.

Mary Anne Franks, a law professor at the University of Miami and president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative called for greater oversight of social platforms after Tarrant's manifesto and attack.

"It's pretty clear the person involved here was radicalized online," she said. "The conversations in these chat rooms and message boards, with in-jokes and memes, are part of a cultivation of a certain kind of radical person in these spaces."

Still, it can be hard to pin his actions on his behaviour online, said Hannah Bloch-Webha, a law professor at Drexel University. "I don't think society understands enough about the role of propaganda and violent speech in provoking actual violence," she said.

In a live-streamed video of his attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, the shooter says "Remember, lads, subscribe to PewDiePie." That's a reference to Felix Kjellberg, a popular YouTuber who has faced considerable controversy of his own over videos that included anti-Semitic jokes and Nazi imagery .

But again, Tarrant's meaning wasn't straightforward, since he was repeating a popular internet meme crafted to help PewDiePie claim the largest number of followers on YouTube. Kjellberg condemned the attack in a tweet Friday and said he was "sickened" by the use of his name.

The act of livestreaming the attack was in itself a sign of how far internet culture has permeated the physical world. People regularly stream daily events now, said Byman of the Brookings Institute, including their confrontations with law enforcement.
The Congresss West Bengal unit on Sunday announced it will contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The announcement came after the Congress stopped its seat-sharing negotiations with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M) over its move to unilaterally name candidates for 25 seats on Friday.

West Bengal Congress president, Somen Mitra, said he was going to Delhi with the partys list of 42 candidates even as the central leadership will take the final decision in this regard. A section of our leaders felt insulted after the Left Front unilaterally declared its candidates while discussion on seat sharing was on.

A Congress leader, who did not wish to be named, said as a national party, they cannot succumb to unilateral decisions. Initially, we wanted to contest from Raigunj and Murshidabad. But we did not stick to our demand, following Rahul Gandhi and Sitaram Yechurys intervention, he said. But Left Front has fielded candidates from Basirhat and Purulia as well although we said that we would like to field our nominees. This is unacceptable.

CPI (M)s Rabin Deb, who was involved in the seat-sharing talks, did not reply to messages.
Congress general secretary (east UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will interact with party workers here on Sunday to review the state units preparedness for the Lok Sabha election.

The interaction has been scheduled a day before she begins her river journey from Prayagraj to Varanasi (March 18 to 20) and launches the partys poll campaign. A late night report quoting the Prayagraj district administration said permission had been given for the river journey.

In Lucknow, the Congress general secretary will meet a number of delegations of those who have been holding demonstrations against the BJP government and also interact with people to take feedback about implementation of various programmes.

Priyanka is going to have a busy day after arriving at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) headquarters here on Sunday. A detailed programme of her meetings with party leaders and organisations having grievances against BJP led governments functioning at the Centre and in the state is still being worked out, said a party leader.

Preparations are afoot for Priyankas river journey from Prayagraj to Varanasi beginning on Monday.

When Priyanka storms into Prime Minister Narendra Modis Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday morning, she proposes to visit former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastris residence in Ramnagar area of Varanasi. She will offer puja at Kashi Vishwanath temple, meet party workers and attend a Holi Milan programme in Varanasi before returning to New Delhi on Wednesday evening.

On the way, she will meet the family members of a CRPF jawan killed in Pulwama terror attack, visit mazar of Maulana Ismail Chisti, have darshan at Vindhyavasini temple and Chandrika Devi temple and meet members of boatmen communities and the handloom weavers etc.

Although the Uttar Pradesh Congress has refused to share Priyankas programme with the media, a letter written by the partys state unit to authorities seeking permission for her tour is being circulated on the social media.

State Congress president Raj Babbar has reached sharply to the circulation of Priyankas programme on social media and said the itinerary was still being finalized and sent to authorities.

We will soon share the programme. We welcome the enthusiasm about Priyankas programme, he said.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Saturday said if party colleague Digvijaya Singh wants to contest upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he should choose the toughest seat in the state.

While Nath did not mention any seat in particular, he said there were 2-3-4 seats in MP which the Congress had not won in the past 30-35 years.

Singh, a former chief minister and multiple times Lok Sabha MP, is currently a Rajya Sabha member.

I have requested Digvijaya Singh that if he wants to contest Lok Sabha polls, then he should do so from the toughest seat. There are 2-3-4 seats from where we have not won elections since the last 30-35 years, Nath told reporters here.

Congress functionaries said he may have been referring to Bhopal and Indore Lok Sabha seats, both of which have been held by the BJP since 1989.

Congress sources said Nath is keen that Singh contest from Bhopal. Former President late Shankar Dayal Sharma was the last Congress winner from the seat in the 1984 general elections.

Nath, in reply to a query, however, said it was for Singh to decide from where he wants to contest.

He also added that the Congress would announce Lok Sabha candidates from the state in the next three-four days.

Nath arrived in Chhindwara on a two-day visit to address 11 rallies, with his son Nakul Nath, in all likelihood, being the Congress Lok Sabha candidate.

Nath, who is a nine-time MP from Chhindwara, is fighting an Assembly bypoll from here scheduled for April 23.

Nath has to get elected to the MP Assembly in order to continue as chief minister.

The Chhindwara Assembly seat was vacated by Dipak Saxena, who had won it in the 2018 state polls, so that Nath could get an entry into the 230-member House.

Also read | Lok Sabha elections 2019: Kamal Naths son Nakul Nath likely to take over dads mantle
The seat-sharing talks between former chief minister Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) and Congress in Jammu and Kashmir have been deadlocked, according to people aware of the developments.

The NC wants to contest all three seats in the Valley as a prerequisite for an alliance in the state that has six Lok Sabha seats, they added. The Congress wants Anantnag seat in the Valley. We had received a proposal from the Congress for an alliance in Jammu and Kashmir for the Lok Sabha polls. But we have told them clearly that only National Conference candidates will contest three seats in the Kashmir, NC vice president Omar Abdullah told reporters on Sunday.

Omar said if the formula suits the Congress, only then they could talk about the other three seats in Jammu and Ladakh.

The Congress has asked the NC to leave Anantnag as the party leadership feels Ghulam Ahmad Mir has a better chance of winning. It is ready to leave a seat either in Jammu or Ladakh for the NC in return, the people aware of the developments said.

Mir, the state Congress chief, told Hindustan Times that talks were on but not on the old terms. This time, there will be a new arrangement of seat sharing, he said.

The Congress and NC contested the last national polls in 2014 together but managed to win no seats. The NC contested the Valleys Baramulla, Srinagar, and Anantnag seats. The Congress fielded its candidates from Jammu, Udhampur, and Ladakh.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party won three seats each.

The NC is likely to field Mohammad Akbar Lone from Baramulla and Farooq Abdullah from Srinagar. Abdullah won the Srinagar seat in 2017 after PDPs Tariq Karra resigned from Lok Sabha and joined Congress.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who will be soon playing a cameo in Chiranjeevis upcoming Telugu film Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, has completed shooting for his portion in the highly anticipated project.

On Saturday, director Surender Reddy took to announce that Amitabh Bachchan has wrapped up his portion in the film.

Its a wrap with Big B. What an amazing and incredible journey it has been. Thank you sir for being part of Sye Raa. Working with you was such a great honor, Reddy wrote.

Its a WRAP with #BigB...What an amazing and INCREDIBLE journey it has been. Thank you sir for being part of #SyeRaa..Working with you was such a great honor  @SrBachchan #MuchRespect #DreamComeTrue pic.twitter.com/uPdsQUtCpt  SurenderReddy (@DirSurender) March 16, 2019

In March last year, Amitabh joined the sets of the film. Hours before landing in Hyderabad for the shoot, he wrote on his blog that hes thrilled to be part of this project.

Dear friend Chiranjeevi, that majestic super star and icon from the world of Andhra and Telugu cinema, requests for a guest appearance in his magnum opus, on a most valiant period character that he portrays, and I agree. So, am off to begin its shoot in Hyderabad in a few hours, he wrote and shared his look from the film.

Also read: When Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra almost got divorced, thanks to Anurag Basu. Heres how it happened

In the film, Amitabh is believed to be playing Chiranjeevis mentor. This will be his second Telugu outing after playing a very brief role in Vikram Kumars Telugu romantic drama Manam.

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, which chronicles the epic story of Kurnool-based freedom fighter Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, also stars Nayanthara, Sudeep, Vijay Sethupathi and Jagapathi Babu among others in important roles.

On Saturday, Sudeep took to Twitter to share an emotional post. He wrote: 10 years post shoot of Rann, I get to share screen with this huge icon and a legend once again, and whos spent most of his life serving cinema and entertaining us. Thanks Sye Raa, Ram Charan and @DirSurender for having gifted me these moments.Thank u @SrBachchan sir for your loving gestures.

10 years post shoot of Rann, I get to share screen wth this huge icon n a legend once again,who's spent most of his life serving cinema n entertaing us.Tnx #Syieraa,,RamCharan n @DirSurender for having gifted me these moments . Thank u @SrBachchan sir for ur loving gestures. pic.twitter.com/Fvx5tSvUZQ  Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) March 15, 2019

He had shared the screen with Amitabh after a decade. The two had previously worked together in Ram Gopal Varmas Rann.



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New Zealands worst mass shooting in modern history appears to be the act of a lone gunman who attacked worshippers at two mosques out of racial hatred.

The death toll from Fridays massacre in the South Island city of Christchurch has risen to 50 after another victim was located at one of the crime scenes, police said on Sunday. One person has been charged with murder while three other people apprehended with firearms are not believed to be involved, they said.

At this point, only one person has been charged in relation to these attacks, Commissioner Mike Bush told reporters. I will not be saying anything conclusive until we are absolutely convinced as to how many people were involved.

Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian man, appeared in the Christchurch District Court yesterday charged with one count of murder. He entered no plea and was remanded in custody until April 5. He is expected to face further charges, police said.

Well Planned

New Zealand is reeling from what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has described as a well-planned terrorist attack. Early Friday afternoon, a shooter walked into a packed central city mosque and opened fire, filming and live-streaming the act to social media as he killed 42 people. He then drove across the city to another mosque and continued the rampage, murdering seven more people. Another victim died in hospital.

Fifty people were injured and Christchurch hospital is still treating 36, of whom 12 are in a critical condition. A young child who was transferred to Aucklands Starship hospital also remains critical.

Tarrant grew up in the small Australian city of Grafton and worked in a local gym as a personal trainer, Australias Nine News reported. He left his job in 2010 after the death of his father and traveled extensively. Turkey has confirmed he spent considerable time there, and there are reports he also visited Pakistan, North Korea and Eastern Europe.

Also read | Ordinary white man? Picture of New Zealand accused emerges

Ardern said yesterday that Tarrant spent sporadic periods of time in New Zealand and most recently lived in the southern city of Dunedin. He attended a local gym and was a member of the Bruce Rifle Club in the south Otago town of Milton, New Zealand media outlet Stuff reported.

Gun Laws

Police recovered two semi-automatic weapons, two shotguns and a lever-action firearm after the attacks. Tarrant had a category-A gun license which meant he could legally buy the weapons he used, although there are suggestions the guns were altered to make them more lethal, Ardern told reporters.

She indicated she will move quickly to tighten gun laws, saying a ban on semi-automatic weapons is one possibility that will be discussed by ministers this week.

Gun shops reported increased sales of firearms around the country on Saturday, including semi-automatics, ammunition and magazines, as people rushed to acquire them before the government acts, according to the Newsroom website.

Police said Tarrant was arrested as he fled in a car from the second mosque about 36 minutes after the first call of the attacks came in. He was a direct threat and officers had to use some force to effect the arrest, Bush said. Video footage shows armed police pinning the gunman to the ground after running his car off the road in a city street. Two home-made bombs were found in the vehicle.

Manifesto

Tarrant didnt appear on any government security watch-list, nor did he have a criminal record in New Zealand. Ardern has asked officials to review whether his actions on social media should have brought him to the attention of intelligence agencies.

Tarrant posted a manifesto online before the attack, suggesting a racially-motivated act of terrorism. In a rambling document thats dozens of pages long, he says he was inspired by Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik, who was responsible for the deaths of 77 people in 2011.

The events have shocked New Zealand, a peaceful nation of just under five million people in the South Pacific where gun violence is relatively rare. There has been an outpouring of grief and emotion around the country as it struggles to comprehend how something so violent could occur.

The death toll surpasses the 49 deaths during a prisoner of war camp riot in 1943, and is the worst mass-murder since before European settlement in the 1800s.

Christchurch, a city of about 390,000, is still recovering from a 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people and destroyed the central business district.

Also read | RUN!: New Zealand Christchurch mass shooting victims recount horror, mourn the lost
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has lauded his countryman Mian Naeem Rashid, who he said was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist, two days after 50 people were killed in attacks on two mosques in New Zealands worst mass shooting in modern history.

In his tweet on Sunday, the Pakistan PM said: We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognized with a national award.

The death toll from Fridays massacre in the South Island city of Christchurch has risen to 50 after another victim was located at one of the crime scenes, police said on Sunday. One person has been charged with murder while three other people apprehended with firearms are not believed to be involved, they said.

At this point, only one person has been charged in relation to these attacks, Commissioner Mike Bush told reporters. I will not be saying anything conclusive until we are absolutely convinced as to how many people were involved.

Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian man, appeared in the Christchurch District Court yesterday charged with one count of murder. He entered no plea and was remanded in custody until April 5. He is expected to face further charges, police said.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she is seeking advice on Tarrants possible deportation to Australia but it was too soon to say whether that is likely.

(With agency inputs)
If renewed talks with rebel Conservative MPs and other allies succeed, Prime Minister Theresa May will introduce the EU withdrawal agreement for the third time in the House of Commons next week, hoping it will pass before the European Council summit on Thursday.

May is due attend what could be her last summit as leader of an EU member-state. The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, but even if the agreement is passed next week, the exit date will need to be extended to allow time to pass the necessary legislation.

Seeking an honourable compromise, May on Sunday told rebel MPs that failure to pass the agreement next week would mean the UK not leaving the European Union for many months, if ever. Ministers said the agreement may not be re-introduced if minds do not change soon.

Also read: Brexit deal rejected second time, triggers call for new approach

Chancellor Philip Hammond said Sunday morning that even if the agreement musters a majority, a short extension will be needed: It is physically impossible to leave on 29 March, but we would be able to leave very soon.

But if we are unable to do that - if we are unable to bring a majority together to support what in my view is a very good deal for Britain - then we will have to look at a longer extension and we are in uncharted territory, he told BBC.

Asked if a vote would be sought on the agreement next week, he said it would depend on the growth in support from among the MPs who voted against it in January and last week, including the Democratic Unionist Party that is propping up the minority May government.

We will only bring the deal back if we are confident that enough of our colleagues and the DUP are prepared to support it so we can get it through Parliament. We are not just going to keep presenting it if we havent moved the dial, Hammond added.

Also read: PM Theresa May faces challenge despite securing key Brexit changes

Holding the prospect of Brexit not happening at all, May has been meeting groups of MPs and used an article in The Sunday Telegraph to try and change minds. Some rebels have indicated they would now support the agreement by holding the nose, if only to ensure the UK leaves the EU on the due date of March 29.

The opposition Labour has been working to seek support for the idea that the agreement could be supported subject to a new confirmatory referendum.

May wrote that it would be a potent symbol of Parliaments collective political failure if a delay to Brexit meant the UK was forced to take part in elections to the European Parliament in May, nearly three years after voting to leave the EU.

May admitted that she had more to do to convince rebel MPs in her party and outside to support the agreement, including the DUP: I am convinced that the time to define ourselves by how we voted in 2016 must now end.

We can only put those old labels aside if we stand together as democrats and patriots, pragmatically making the honourable compromises necessary to heal division and move forward.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The last words Sukhwinder Singh Mithu remembers from his wife were a plea to her killers.

"Don't hurt my Mithu. Don't hit him," he recalls Jaswinder (Jassi) Kaur Sidhu uttering.

On that warm June evening nearly 19 years ago, Mithu and Sidhu were returning home on a scooter in the village of Narike in Punjab after an evening out.

Sidhu, who was from Maple Ridge, had secretly married Mithu  a poor rickshaw driver  a year earlier against her mother's wishes, Indian police have said.

Mithu's voice broke in a recent interview as he recalled the attack on June 8, 2000, for which his wife's mother and uncle have been extradited from Canada to India, where they face charges of conspiracy to murder.

A lawyer for the mother, Malkit Kaur Sidhu, and uncle, Surjit Singh Badesha, says he is confident his clients will be found not guilty and allowed to return to Canada.

"They want to spend the rest of their life in Canada," said Simrandeep Singh Sandhu.

Mithu said he is relieved that they will at last face trial, but the past two decades have been hard on him.

The couple was crossing a bridge when they saw a white car, he said in Punjabi from India. He saw four people get out of the car.

They ran at the pair armed with sticks and swords, said Mithu, 42.

When one of their attackers tried to hit him with a sword, Mithu said he ducked and the weapon hit his wife.

"She screamed and fell off the scooter," he said, his voice breaking

He remembers jumping off his scooter and running to her.

"I asked them why they were hitting her. I asked them why they were hitting us. I tried to defend her."

His wife's screams haunt him: "She was shouting for help. She was asking 'Are you OK, Mithu?' "

That's when he lost consciousness.

For the next few weeks he remained unconscious in hospital. It would be nearly a month before he could see again.

He said no one told him of his 25-year-old wife's death for three months because his family wanted to wait until they thought he was well enough to handle the news.

Her body was found the day following the attack at the edge of a lake. Court documents say a post-mortem showed the cause of death was "shock and hemorrhage as a result of injury to the vital organs."

Sidhu's mother and uncle believed the marriage brought dishonour to the family, Indian police have said. They have also alleged that death threats were issued to the couple and phone calls were made from Badesha's home in B.C. to some of the perpetrators around the time of the attack.

Sidhu and Mithu met in December 1994 when they both got on a three-wheeler going to a village in Punjab. Sidhu lived close to Mithu's house and they soon started meeting.

Over the next five years, they spoke on the phone between Canada and India, and exchanged more than 200 letters.

"Her Punjabi was not very good. I don't know English," Mithu said. "But we wrote letters and talked on the phone. Our love story was before Whatsapp and smartphones."

Mithu's lawyer, Ashwani Chaudhary, said Sidhu's mother allegedly had her daughter sign a letter that was sent by fax to police in Punjab saying she had been kidnapped and forced into marriage by Mithu.

Chaudhary alleges that Jassi Sidhu was made to believe the document  written in Punjabi, which she didn't properly understand  was part of an application to get Mithu permanent residency in Canada.

An Indian court document says when she learned about the letter in early 2000, Sidhu went back to India to give a statement to the police that she loved Mithu and married him "out of her free will" and that the marriage was "not to the liking of her parents and maternal uncle."

In 2013, Jody Wright, who worked with Sidhu at a Coquitlam beauty salon, testified at an extradition hearing in B.C. that her colleague was forced to sign a document seeking an annulment from her husband after threats were made against their lives.

Sidhu and Badesha were extradited to India in January, ending a long legal battle in Canada. They were arrested on Jan. 6, 2012  almost 12 years after Jassi Sidhu's body was found.

In a unanimous decision in 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada set aside a B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that stopped the proceedings over concerns the mother and uncle would be poorly treated or even tortured in India.

Sandeep Garg, the senior superintendent of police in the Sangrur district, said officers are finalizing their case and it will soon be presented to a court.

Mithu said he is relieved the case is moving forward.

"It took a very long time to get a hearing," he said.
Photo: The Canadian Press

They had walked that once innocuous stretch of sidewalk side-by-side so many times. Every Friday, Yasir Amin and his dad had ambled along the path toward the mosque where they prayed together in peace, a routine so serene and so ordinary that Amin was nearly blinded by confusion when the man drove up with the gun.

Amin and his father, Muhammad Amin Nasir, were just 200 metres from the Al Noor mosque on Friday when everything went wrong. They had no idea that a white supremacist had just slaughtered at least 41 people inside the mosque's hallowed halls, or that more people would be killed at a second mosque soon after. All they knew was that a car that had been driving by had suddenly stopped. And a man was leaning out the car's window, pointing a gun at them.

"RUN!" Amin screamed.

The bullets began to fly. The men began to run. But at 67, Nasir couldn't keep up with his 35-year-old son. And so he fell behind, by two or three fateful steps.

Amid the blasts, Amin turned to scream at his father to get down on the ground. But his father was already falling.

The gunman drove away. A pool of blood poured from Nasir's body.

"Daddy!" Amin screamed. "Daddy! DADDY!"

Amin had never seen anyone shot before. He left Pakistan for Christchurch five years ago, and was embraced by a multicultural city that felt like the safest place on earth. His father, who farms vegetables, wheat and rice back in Pakistan, also fell for the leafy green city at the bottom of the world.

And so Nasir began making routine visits to see his son, sometimes spending up to six months in New Zealand before returning to Pakistan to tend to his crops. Nasir had been in town only three weeks for his most recent visit when he was shot three times on the street of the city he had adopted as a second home.

From the ground, Nasir stared up at his son, unable to speak, tears running down his face. Amin ran to his car to grab his phone and called the police. Officers quickly arrived, and soon the father and son were in an ambulance racing to the hospital.

Like many other victims struggling to cope with the horrific events of Friday that left 50 dead, Amin made his way to Hagley College near the hospital. The college was serving as a community centre for the grieving, and members of the public poured in with meals and drinks, doling out hugs and words of support to those in need.

Outside the college, Javed Dadabhai mourned for his gentle cousin, 35-year-old Junaid Mortara, who is believed to have died in the first mosque attack. As of Saturday, many families were still waiting to find out if their loved ones were alive.

The long wait for information on the status of the dead was particularly painful because Muslim tradition calls for burials within 24 hours of a person's death.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Police are crediting an off-duty officer from Calgary with spotting an Edmonton boy at the centre of an Amber Alert that spanned two Alberta cities.

Edmonton police say the Calgary officer saw the boy and his mother thanks to the Amber Alert, and that RCMP from Okotoks took the woman into custody.

"It was without incident," Edmonton police Staff Sgt. Ashley Emerson said of the arrest.

Police say the boy's mother has been charged with one count of abduction, and the eight-year-old boy has been returned to his father.

When they issued the alert Friday night, police said they believed the boy was abducted from school by his mother that afternoon, and that he was believed to be in danger.

Emerson said police were alerted by a parent at around 3:50 p.m. that a boy was walked out of the building by a woman, without his coat or his outdoor footwear. The school had notified the parent, Emerson said, who then called police.

After leaving Edmonton, the pair were believed to be travelling in the Calgary area.

Emerson said investigators didn't know at first who the woman was. They then learned there was a parenting order in place and suspected the woman might be the non-custodial parent.

He explained it was several hours before an Amber Alert was issued because police needed to be satisfied that the child's safety was at risk.

"It was only at that point that we utilized that system. We don't use it sort of as an investigative tool to help us resolve the matter quickly. We use it when we're satisfied that it's met the criteria and that the child is in fact in danger," Emerson said.

Emerson said he didn't know details of how the Calgary officer knew an alert had been issued for the boy. He said the officer spotted the vehicle that was described in the alert heading east out of the town of Black Diamond on Highway 7 and followed it.

RCMP from Okotoks pulled the vehicle over on Highway 7 about halfway between Black Diamond and Okotoks, he said.
During a live DJ set he performed at the Music Box in San Diego, California, Madlib busted out a few unreleased Mac Miller joints from the Maclib project he's purported to be sitting on. Its existence was only reported about a month ago when producer Thelonious Martin sat down with DJBooth to discuss his recollections of fallen rapper.

According to Martin, Madlib doesn't seem to be comfortable with the notion of exploiting the work of a dead person, considering Mac never consented to give the green light while he was alive and kicking, so we're led to believe. Nonetheless, Madlib did brandish a few of the soul-ridden Mac Miller joints, one boasting the signature licks of a mutual friend in Thundercat.

"Fuck the b*tch, met her once/Think she the one 'cause I met her at a record shop/We start from a line then connect the dots/I'm forever hot," Mac Miller can be heard rapping in his signature crackly voice. Madlib's willingness to share the music in public is nevertheless a positive sign, something Mac Miller diehards will read into long and hard, one would imagine.

His Bandana project with Freddie Gibbs is seemingly moments away from receiving its marching orders, a hefty sample clearance hanging in the balance. Let us know, is Maclib of any interest to you? Feel free hit us with your thoughts on the ethics of this situation, down below in the comment box.

[Via]
Meek Mill is one of the few Black men in America that was able to overcome a system that was designed to keep people like himself down. After it was discovered that the police officer who originally arrested Meek was a dirty cop, the Philadelphia rapper had the ammunition he needed to fight the courts and receive bond. Although Meek is out from behind prison bars, his fight for personal freedom and equality for all is far from over. Spreading awareness is the first step in any activist movement, and Meek has partnered with Jay-Z to help educate the masses.

The Rocnation boss and Meek teamed up with Amazon for the 6-episode docuseries Free Meek. The docuseries highlights the consequences of long-term probation for the black community. Meek revealed a short teaser for the series at a recent show in Philadelphia, and the clip has since been uploaded to YouTube, as reported by Rolling Stone. "I never really looked at it as a nightmare, I looked at it as real life for black kids in America, Meek states. This is real life."

Free Meek is an upcoming documentary series that will follow Meek and his fight for exoneration while exposing flaws in the criminal justice system, Amazon wrote in a statement. The series will give viewers unprecedented access to the stars life, career, and criminal justice odyssey, while demonstrating the negative effects long tail probation is having on urban communities of color. Check out the trailer below.
According to new reports, Neil deGrasse Tyson will return to his usual post as the host of his StarTalk and Cosmos: Possible Worlds shows following the completion of the National Geographic Channel's investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct brought up against the astrophysicist.

While the channel did not elaborate on its findings, it did announce that Tyson will be returning to host the remaining 13 episodes of StarTalk in April. "Both Fox and National Geographic are committed to finding an air date for Cosmos, the network said in a statement. There will be no further comment.

The shows were put on ice when multiple women came forward with accounts of sexual abuse suffered at the hands of Tyson. Nat Geo made a commitment to investigating the claims, pushing back the March release of Cosmos on Fox and Nat Geo.

It was website Patheos that published a report in which two women accused Tyson of inappropriate behavior, including Dr. Katelyn N. Allers of Bucknell University and Ashley Watson, Tyson's former assistant. In the past musician Tchiya Amet also accused Tyson of raping her when they were graduate students in the 80s.

Fox and Nat Geo released a joint statement soon after: We have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson. We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent reports.

It isn't the first time that Nat Geo has had to investigate one of its show's stars. Last year, they investigated allegations of sexual harassment brought on against Morgan Freeman by eight women. The network said it did not find any instances of wrongdoing, reinstating Freeman's The Story Of God production.
The Jacksons are staying true to their word, by upholding their disenfranchised brother at all costs. That opportunity presented itself last night as Michael's former band of brothers traveled to Brazil to perform a medley of his/their songs including "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "Dancing Machine," all of which feature MJ as the lead vocalist.

"It will be a tribute to MJ." Tito Jackson said in regards to the group's intentions in Sao Paulo, Brazil. "He is everything and will be represented on the stage." As you likely know, Tito Jackson, alongside brothers Marlon, Randy, and Jackie, were often regarded as background support for Michael's stargazing potential, and to a lesser extent their brother Jermaine, who later tasted his own solo success once they disbanded. Unfortunately, Jermaine couldn't make the trip due to an illness.

Coincidentally, the concert at Espaco Das Americas coincided with Michael's daughter Paris Jackson allegedly attempting suicide, a report she vehemently denies. Regardless of the fact, The Jackson will remain in the Southern Americas until Tuesday where they've been booked a second time in the same locale. As Tito prefaced by labeling the concert booking an "MJ Tribute," their touring endeavors appear to centered around defending the luster of their family crest, heavily weighted by the public's perception of their brother.
Last night, 21 Savage performed his first live concert since being detained then released by ICE officials. Concertgoers in South Padre Island, Texas were treated to sparkling renditions of older songs like "No Advance" and "No Heart" from his Savage Mode EP with Metro Boomin, and conversely, newer material off I Am > I Was- all documented by the numerous attendees brandishing their phones like dynamite.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1107153817940955136



Since returning to the fold, 21 Savage and his attorney have consecrated a good amount of their energy and resources towards improving his public image. That does not say 21 Savage was ever labeled a miscreant by anyone with real insight into Sheyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, the man behind the mythology.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1107161854160371712



But there's a belief "cleaning up" will serve him well in his efforts to secure permanent residency in the United States. Concert experiences like the one South Padre Island just bore witness to, help give off the impression 21 Savage is a working American, with his sights on stimulating the economy from the ground up - music to Donald Trump's gumpy eardrums.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1107266195911262209



One look at the #SouthPadre hashtag should give you a clear indication of how 21 Savage was received by the young Texan crowd, with few "nameless" concertgoers resorting to hawking their tickets last minute, in light of the demand for his return showing. In other news, 21 is keeping busy rolling out his Bank Account Campaign centered around promoting young entrepreneurship, as he himself embodies the project both in spirit and through his body of work.

[Via]
President Donald Trump is again training his fire on the late Sen. John McCain, nearly seven months after the Arizona Republican's death from brain cancer.

Trump's tweets over the weekend prompted a rebuke from the senator's daughter Meghan McCain and from some lawmakers.

On Saturday, Trump quoted former independent counsel Ken Starr, who criticized McCain on a recent Fox News show. In the segment, Starr referred to reports that a McCain ally had shared with the media parts of a dossier that allegedly included information linking Trump to the Russian government.

Trump piled on in his Saturday night tweet, criticizing McCain - as he has repeatedly done on the campaign trail and in interviews - for his vote against repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017.

Meghan McCain tweeted in response: "No one will ever love you the way they loved my father ... I wish I had been given more Saturday's with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine?"

Sunday morning, Trump was at it again.

Returning to the subject of the Steele dossier, Trump incorrectly stated that John McCain, who the president claimed had been "last in his class" at the U.S. Naval Academy, had "sent the Fake Dossier to the FBI and Media hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election."

"He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual). Even the Fake News refused this garbage!" Trump said in the tweet.

Meghan McCain responded to Trump via Twitter.

"My father lives rent free in your head," she said in a tweet that later appeared to have been deleted.

Trump's tweet contained three errors. McCain, a member of the Naval Academy's class of 1958, graduated fifth from last in his class. The senator was not made aware of the Steele dossier until Nov. 18, 2016 - after Trump had won the election. And there is no evidence that McCain gave the dossier to the media.

Former McCain aide David Kramer, a Russia expert, testified in a deposition in the BuzzFeed libel case in Florida that he gave the dossier to the media in December 2016. McCain himself gave the dossier to the FBI, but there is no evidence that he gave it to the media.

The libel suit was filed by a Russian technology mogul, who argued that the news outlet defamed him when it published the dossier. BuzzFeed prevailed in the suit in December, when a judge found the organization had the right to publish the dossier. In response to a request from the New York Times, the judge last week unsealed documents related to the suit, including Kramer's deposition, which is why the topic is again back in the news.

Some of McCain's former Senate colleagues defended him in the wake of Trump's tweet.

On CNN's "State of the Union," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a 2020 presidential contender, called Trump's attacks on McCain "just another outrageous action by the president."

"John McCain was a war hero," Klobuchar said. "He served our country well. And he died. And the courage he showed in life was matched - when he was in that cell for five years in Vietnam, as a prisoner of war - was matched by the courage he showed us when he died."

Klobuchar also defended McCain's handling of the dossier, arguing that turning it over to the FBI "was the right thing to do."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was one of McCain's closest allies on Capitol Hill but who pivoted to fully embrace Trump after the senator's death, praised McCain on Twitter but made no mention of the president or his remarks.

"As to @SenJohnMcCain and his devotion to his country: He stepped forward to risk his life for his country, served honorably under difficult circumstances, and was one of the most consequential senators in the history of the body," Graham said. "Nothing about his service will ever be changed or diminished."

---

The Washington Post's Rosalind S. Helderman and Colby Itkowitz contributed to this report.
Houston Public Library officials apologized Friday for failing to conduct a background check on a registered sex offender who read books to children at an event hosted by drag queens.

Albert Garza, a 32-year-old registered sex offender, participated in the program under the name Tatiana Mala-Nina, according to the conservative anti-LGBTQ group, MassResistance.

Library officials acknowledged in a statement Friday that Garza has "a criminal background that should have prevented him from participating" in the Drag Queen Storytime program, in which drag queens read books at the Freed-Montrose library.

Department of Public Safety records show Garza was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of an 8-year-old child in 2009, for which he received five years of probation and community supervision.

Mala-Nina did not respond to attempts Saturday to confirm her apparent criminal background.

"We assure you that this participant will not be involved in any future HPL programs," the library's statement reads. "...We deeply regret this oversight and the concern this may cause our customers. We realize this is a serious matter."

RELATED: Controversial story time draws protesters to Montrose library

The development is the latest in an ongoing effort by conservatives seeking to end the Drag Queen Storytime program. In January, a federal judge granted the city's request to terminate a lawsuit against Mayor Sylvester Turner and the city's chief librarian, Rhea Lawson.

Though a group of conservative Christian activists alleged in the suit that the storytellers had violated the Constitution's freedom of religion clause, a federal judge found that the plaintiffs lacked standing to sue and had failed to establish a constitutional violation.

MORNING UPDATES: Get the Houston news you need for your day, delivered each morning

Meanwhile, the activists have sought background information about the drag queen storytellers, filing public records requests that the city denied, said Tracy Shannon, a MassResistance member and plaintiff in the suit. The activists then uncovered Garza's history through social media, Shannon said.

"We might not all agree that having adult entertainers is the right way to entertain young children or promote literacy, diversity and acceptance and inclusion," Shannon told reporters Friday. "But we can all agree that it's inappropriate to have a ... sex offender entertaining children at the library."

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Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley meet in Edmonton in September.

B.C.'s Court of Appeal will consider a key question regarding provincial powers in the political battle over the future of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project during a five-day hearing that starts Monday.

The B.C. government's reference case asks the court if the province has jurisdiction to regulate the transport of oil through its territory and restrict bitumen shipments from Alberta.

Specifically, it asks if proposed amendments to British Columbia's Environmental Management Act are valid and if they give the province the authority to control the shipment of heavy oils based on the impact spills could have on the environment, human health or communities.

The province is also asking the court whether the amendments are overridden by federal law.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have said only Ottawa, not the provinces, has the authority to decide what goes in trans-boundary pipelines.

Alberta and Saskatchewan have both filed documents as interested parties supporting the federal government in the case.

When B.C. filed the reference case last year, Alberta announced it would ban B.C. wines and accused Horgan of trying to break the rules of Confederation in newspaper ads.

Last summer, the Federal Appeal Court overturned approval of the project to triple oil shipments from Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., ruling that the National Energy Board had not properly considered its impact on marine life nor had Ottawa meaningfully consulted with Indigenous groups.

Last month, the board found that the pipeline is still in the public interest despite the risk that an increase in tanker traffic could adversely affect southern resident killer whales, hurt related Indigenous culture and increase greenhouse gas emissions. It added 16 new recommendations for federal government action in addition to the 156 conditions in its initial approval in 2016.

The federal government purchased the pipeline last year.

Trudeau has said the expansion is in the best interests of all Canadians and his government has committed $1.5 billion to an ocean protection plan that includes millions for research on B.C. killer whales.

Horgan said last year the aim of the case is to protect the province's coastline and economy from the harms of an oil spill.

"We believe it is our right to take appropriate measures to protect our environment, economy and our coast from the drastic consequence of a diluted bitumen spill," Horgan said in a statement when the reference case was announced last April.

"And we are prepared to confirm that right in the courts."
The bidding starts at $50,000  nearly as much as the average household earns in a year in rural Scurry County, where 18-year-old Lillyan Digby lives with her family. Which is why, as she stands on stage at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Saturday morning with her steer Hank, Lillyan cant help but think, This isnt real.

Hanks nervous. Cows arent built to traipse around a stage in front of hundreds of people waving yardstick bidding paddles. Not even prize-winning steers like Hank, who on Friday night was named the shows grand champion among all 34 of the rodeos breed champions. And while Lillyan is determined to keep her composure behind pursed lips, by the time the bidding hits $300,000  just a minute or so into the fast paced one-upping  Hank lets out a long, deep moo.

This elicits a few laughs from the crowd of a couple hundred of Houstons most well-to-do, dressed in ensembles that make you realize cowboy boots really do pair well with Louis Vuitton. But the vast majority of the people seated in the sales pavilion are too pumped up to notice. In the front row, Alan Kent is battling his way to the top bid. Hes a mainstay at this auction  the businessman in a black cowboy hat whos bought too many champions over the past four decades to even remember the total number. But a few rows to his right, Paul Somerville is determined to take the top bid.

They play chicken  along with a few others. Theres McCarthy Building Company, and Emily and Robert Clay up front. And further back in the stands, theres the Champagne Cowgirls, a group of more than a dozen of Houstons most high-profile female philanthropists, dressed in matching denim jackets. Theyre fueled up on coffee (and maybe a few cocktails, one of their members, Hallie Vanderhider, says with a wink) and ready to raise the auctions energy to the next level.

Somerville takes the lead at $400,000, then loses it before securing it again at a half-million dollars. But then theres Kent with a $525,000 bid.

Hank stomps a foot. Snorts.

Lillyan looks around, but she cant focus on a darn thing. This is a lot of money, she thinks. Shell get a cut of it  somewhere between $75,000 and $85,000  enough to pay for all four years at the college she plans to attend. The rest will go into a general pot for the other student competitors in the running for a rodeo scholarship.

She tries to wrap her mind around that thought. And the thought that this will be the last time she sees Hank, the stubborn steer shes worked with daily since last April. Then she lets her mind wander for a second: Shes competed in the Houston show each year since she was 9. And this is it. This is the final moment  the one sparkling accomplishment shes worked her boots off to accomplish year in and year out.

She tries not to cry. It isnt easy.

Last year, the champion steer went for only $410,000. But this is the biggest rodeo in the biggest city in the state where everythings bigger. It would just be bad manners to stop at last years mark. Wouldnt it?

At the $500,000 threshold, the Champagne Cowgirls drop out. Maybe if they hold onto their designer purse strings, they can take home the top bid for the reserve champion, Vanderhider says.

The bidding slows with Kents $525,000 bid, even as the auctioneers voice grows faster. And just when it looks like Kent might saunter home with a winning bid of $525,000, McCarthy Building Company offers up $530,000. Somervilles back in with $540,000. Then Kent with $560,000.

No ones willing to give in.

The world record bid of $600,001 came in 2002, back when money was a little looser, and no one has come terribly close since. But today feels special.

Kent stops bidding for a moment. He motions to Somerville: What if they teamed up? And what if they looped in the guys at McCarthy Building and Emily and Robert Clay?

The bidding slows for a second at $600,000 as they hatch this plan. Then, the forces that had been competing against each other for the last two minutes combine. Not only does this assure that each of these Texas men gets a claim to the winning bid, it also means a larger pot for the scholarship fund.

Ive got $625,000, you want me to sell this steer? The auctioneer calls out. Hes met with hoots and screams. Its a new world record! Jackpot!

The crowd grows louder. There are back slaps and whoopees. But up front, Kent and Somerville sit in dignified silence for a moment. Somerville touches the blue button hes pinned to his suit jacket. He must have handed out dozens of these pins this morning, and right now it feels good to be wearing the simple message: Its for the kids.

maggie.gordon@chron.com;

twitter.com/MagEGordon
WATERLOO, IOWA  Beto ORourke was shrewd and strategic at times in his first few days as a presidential candidate, but at other moments his remarks were so unscripted that awkward apologies were required. And sometimes it was downright weird, such as when he responded to questions about his violent fictional writings as a teenager under the pseudonym Psychedelic Warlord.

So it looked a lot like ORourkes improbable 2018 U.S. Senate campaign, which endeared him to those looking for more authentic politicians. ORourke also offered plenty of ammunition for critics who question whether hes ready to be the nations 46th President.

The 46-year-old ex-congressmans core message is still a pledge to move beyond partisan feuding in Washington, a theme that Texas voters heard last year in his race against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

I will work with anyone, anytime, anywhere to advance the agenda of this country and I will not distinguish based on party, or geography or any other difference, ORourke told more than 300 people packed into a popular T-shirt store in Cedar Rapids. All of us count, and Im counting on everybody.

Related: Who is Beto ORourke and how did he get here?

That may help explain the decision to start his Iowa trip in Keokuk, a city of 11,000 in the states far southeastern corner, an area where residents voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump in 2016.

I wanted to go to communities that far are too often overlooked, ORourke said, the same reason he offered for venturing to Texas Republican strongholds such as King County  where Trump took more than 90 percent of the vote  in his 2018 Senate campaign.

Candidates dont start presidential runs in Keokuk, said Norm Sterzenbach, the former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party who is advising ORourke on how to translate his Texas-style campaign to Iowa.

Every viable candidate for president will end up visiting all of Iowas 99 counties, as ORourke plans to do. So just visiting is not enough. But Sterzenbach said ORourkes energy is different.

During a three-day tour of Iowa that began Thursday, ORourke covered 500 miles, springing onto bartops to deliver speeches, running a 5K race and getting sidetracked at a used record store where he bought old copies of vinyl records by Santana and Asleep at the Wheel.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

That was so awesome, Crystal Walter said as she emerged from the crowd in Cedar Rapids, where she talked with ORourke one-on-one and posed for a selfie with him.

Walter, who is in her late 20s and was an organizer for Bernie Sanders in 2016, said she was blown away after seeing ORourke in person. Instead of marching through his policy positions, ORourke was genuine and thoughtful, diving deeper into issues, she said. He also openly takes responsibility for mistakes hes made, she said  ORourke had just told the audience about his 1998 DWI arrest and a criminal trespassing charge. She was won over.

I still do love Bernie, but I think Bernies time has come and gone and I think Beto has it, Walter said.

Apology for male privilege moment

Further east in Mount Vernon, a town of about 3,000 people, Mary Liebig stood outside the Sing-A-Long Bar & Grill in a 30-degree windchill for a chance to meet ORourke. Liebig, who is from Iowa City but attends Rice University in Houston, said after seeing his Senate campaign, she knew other Iowans would respond to him.

Hes very real, Liebig said.

But that unscripted approach also had him in the crosshairs of others from almost the minute he launched his presidential campaign on Thursday.

First, ORourke caught flak for announcing his candidacy in a video alongside his wife Amy ORourke, who never had a chance to speak. Then, while in Keokuk, he was blasted for joking that his wife is raising their three children sometimes with my help.

Critics called it a display of white male privilege, the kind of quip no female candidate could make. ORourke agreed with them.

Not only will I not say that again, but Ill be more thoughtful going forward in the way that I talk about our marriage, and also the way in which I acknowledge the truth of the criticism that I have enjoyed white privilege, he said.

He later added: So yes, I think the criticism is right on. My ham-handed attempt to try to highlight the fact that Amy has the lions share of the burden in our family  that she actually works but is the primary parent in our family, especially when I served in Congress, especially when I was on the campaign trail  should have also been a moment for me to acknowledge that that is far too often the case, not just in politics, but just in life in general.

It wasnt even his first apology of the night. He also was left expressing his embarrassment over graphic fictional writings unearthed from when he was a teenager in which he talked about murdering children. The stories, written from a killers point of view under the pseudonym Psychedelic Warlord, were first reported by Reuters. The writings can still be found online.

On Friday night in Iowa, ORourke said he was mortified to read it now, incredibly embarrassed ... whatever my intention was as a teenager doesnt matter.

Texas Republicans saw the stories, too. Gov. Greg Abbott highlighted them on social media.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz launched a Beat Beto Fund.

Hours after ORourke launched his campaign on Thursday President Donald Trump mocked his delivery, saying he waves his hands too much when he talks: Is he crazy or is that just the way he acts? the president asked.

ORourkes actions as a young man have also come back at him in past campaigns. Last fall during his senate race, law enforcement reports surfaced detailing his 1998 DWI on Interstate 10 in an El Paso suburb. ORourke lost control of his car and hit a truck. A witness told police that ORourke had tried to drive away from the scene, which ORourke denies. Arrested and charged with DWI, he completed a court-approved diversion program and had the charges dismissed.

The Texas GOP lampooned ORourke last year with a 25-year-old image of him wearing a dress on an album cover with his bandmates in the punk group Foss.

For subscribers: Beto ORourkes ties to his wealthy family draw scrutiny, and attack ads, in Senate race

ORourke made abundantly clear that while there are stumbles, part of the success of his impromptu, transparent approach  and the advice of Amy ORourke since the start of his senate campaign  is to run like he has nothing to lose.

Im doing my best, imperfectly for sure, ORourke said.

A pro-ethanol Texan

As unorthodox as he can be, ORourke was very traditional in other ways as he got started in Iowa. He made an unpublicized tour of an ethanol facility and during one campaign stop lauded the fuel additive that is a critical issue for Iowans. Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from corn and other plant materials that comprises up to 10 percent of commercial gasoline in the U.S.

In Texas, ethanol has been opposed by the oil industry and many lawmakers as a government-pushed additive that can damage car engines and fuel.

But when asked in Mount Vernon about it, ORourke sounded more like a native Iowan as he ticked off the benefits of turning corn into fuel.

We are not just addressing a fuel standard, not just environmental concerns, but were reviving rural America in the process, he said. So lets stand behind and with those farmers. Iowa is showing us the way.

On other issues, ORourke stuck to ground he covered in 2018, stressing his plan to provide citizenship to Dreamers  who came to the country illegally with their parents as children  as well as to the parents who brought them here. He talked up his plans to decriminalize marijuana and expunge records of people incarcerated for possession of small amounts of drugs.

As for health care, ORourke continued to steer clear of supporting Medicare for all, but said hes determined to push for universal health care so everybody has a chance to see a doctor, whether they can afford it or not.

While many of ORourkes positions are similar to those of other Democrats seeking the nomination, its clear he creates a different kind of ripple in the field. As ORourke jumped into the race, U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker both mentioned him by name in pleas for more contributions.

In Las Vegas, former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro reacted to a question about being the other Texan in the race.

Im the one from the other side of the tracks. Im the one that didnt grow up as a front-runner, said Castro, the grandson of a Mexican immigrant. Im the one that is going to work hard each and every day, if we have to crawl through all 50 states and knock on doors to get support in this race. Im going to bring a voice of folks who also dont feel in this country like theyre the front-runner.

Though more than a dozen candidates are already in the race, former Vice President Joe Biden is still holding out, even as the polls show him leading the field. Asked about Biden during one stop, ORourke said hes all for him getting into the race.

We could use his perspective, ORourke told more than 200 people in Independence, Iowa on Sunday.

ORourke has never held statewide office, unlike most of the other top contenders in the race, but he has risen into the top tier of challengers to Trump because of his narrow loss to Cruz and the fact that he raised over $80 million  the biggest haul ever raised by a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate.

Even as ORourke talked up ethanol and praised Iowans on his first-ever trip to the state, that love had a limit. While praising a few meals he had in the state, he said he is just not sure hes going to be able to make it to a Taco John, a popular chain with more than 400 restaurants in the Midwest founded by an Iowan.

The rule of thumb in El Paso is never eat Mexican food outside of El Paso, he said in Cedar Rapids to a roar of laughter.

Next stop: Wisconsin
When you bow in prayer, when your head touches the ground, you know someone is there to protect you.

These are the words of the Imam delivering his Friday sermon at one of the Houston areas largest Muslim congregations. Halfway across the world 49 children, women and men were gunned down at two Friday congregations in Christchurch, New Zealand.

In Houston, details are trickling in. Congregants react with feelings of sadness, anger and betrayal.

The first congregant I meet is a high school kid quietly hunched over his phone in a corner, earbuds on. I notice that he is watching video coverage of the mosque massacre, his eyes bloodshot and glazed. The New Zealand shooter had livestreamed the slaughter over social media to shock the world. I panic and cover up the boys phone. This world is treacherous! he blurts at me Arabic, his voice trembling. He walks away.

I catch up with a group of older male congregants as they exit the mosque. Theyre all of Arab origin. They wear straight faces, but look about uneasily. One of them, a physician, tells me casually, they will never accept us. The other, a businessman, interjects: It will always be this way. A third remarks on the vindictiveness of the shooter, emptying rounds into already dead bodies like they are targets in a video game.

Their pessimism is matched only by their nerve, their defiance. They would not let fear keep them from worship.

Thats not to say those who attended mosque on that brisk and somber day did so without caution. It seemed that on Friday, Gods primary theological directive was security. With four armed security officers on site, the congregation understood the need to protect its places of worship, its schools and its families. On Friday, congregants were joined by representatives from the Fort Bend County Sheriffs office, Interfaith Ministries and other local organizations. Their solidarity was warmly received. It kept hope alive.

In this country, that hope emboldens peaceful people, unites them, and sharpens their resolve against hate and terror.

It was another story in New Zealand, where my contacts expressed frustration at how unprepared the country is to give its Muslim citizens the protection they deserve. New Zealand has been considered one of the safest countries in the world. Not anymore. Friday evening, authorities called for all mosques to shut down and for Muslims to avoid congregating in publica clear indication they have no clue how to secure their country. In response, Muslim grassroots organizations the world over have organized a public peace vigil.

The scale and horror of New Zealands worst act of terrorism in modern history stunned many. It should not stun Americans. From the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in October, to the mosque burned in Victoria in 2017, to the Charleston church shooting in 2015, we have seen this movie before. Even the local mosque I visited Friday was the target of a drive-by shooting in January. Thankfully, there were no causalities.

The profile of recent mass shooters against Muslims, Jews, blacks or other minorities in houses of worship is the same: angry white men protecting the superior race from the inferior ones. Since Donald Trumps campaign in 2015 and his election to the U.S. presidency in 2016, hate crimes  especially against Muslims, Jews and African-Americans  have risen sharply. White nationalism is clearly a growing threat to national security, even if the president refuses to admit it. Internal figures reported recently by the Washington Post show that during the 2017 and 2018 budget years, authorities arrested more domestic terrorism suspects than those inspired by Islamic extremists.

Many countries have since marched ceaselessly toward a path of nationalism, Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment.

The New Zealand shooter, who is Australian, meticulously premeditated his assault for years, fed off the cesspool of hatred we know as social media and prepared an 80-page manifesto. He was inspired by Trump and justified his massacre as deterring the invasion of Muslim immigrants. Hours later Trump equated immigrants with an invasion at a press conference partly intended for condemning the massacre.

As long as political leaders, right-wing cable and social media generate hate and fear of Muslims, immigrants and others, attacks on sacred places wont soon become a thing of the past. While I suspect security will tighten its hold over religious communities, it will not loosen our resolve to live peacefully and worship freely.

El-Badawi is program director and associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Houston. Hes on Twitter @EmranE
The Enigma has entered the building.

In politics, if the media agrees with your views and you play nice with them, there springs forth a benevolent narrative that youre a blank slate where people can write whatever story they like. (See Barack Obama.)

But if the Fourth Estate opposes your policies and you pick fights with reporters, the narrative is much less kind. Youre a phony, a charlatan, a conman who will be whatever people want you to be. (See Donald Trump).

Ready or not, we now have a candidate who appears to be a mixture of both.

Just in time for St. Patricks Day, Robert Francis ORourke has formally entered the 2020 presidential race. Its been quite a journey so far for the Irish-American son of El Paso county judge and county commissioner Pat ORourke, who once told reporters he gave his son the nickname Beto because he thought it might help get votes if he entered politics in a border state like Texas.

Pat ORourke was cynical as heck. He was also a genius. He knew the Beto moniker would pay ethnic dividends for his son  twice.

It would help the younger ORourke fool gullible Mexicans into thinking he was one of them  and many do, from what I hear  because were already conditioned to the insult of white actors playing them on film (e.g.: Starring Marlon Brando as Emiliano Zapata).

But this stab at cultural appropriation also allows arrogant white liberals to feel as if theyre progressive enough to vote for a Latino because they know in their heart that its a safe choice, since theyre really just voting for one of their own.

Upon hearing of the arrival of our savior, my first thought was: Why not wait until Cinco de Mayo? A fake Mexican holiday created by white people to sell beer is the perfect day to kick off the candidacy of a fake Mexican candidate adored by white liberals who dont mind the hard sell.

The marketing is hard-core. The media is pitching Beto like hes the last shot of tequila at one of those offensive frat parties you see around the country where, in order to get in, you have to don a sombrero, throw on a serape and imitate a Mexican.

Beto retired from the House of Representatives after three exhausting two-year terms, where he passed no significant bills, rarely reached out to Latinos and avoided the combustible immigration issue, according to Latino lawmakers who got beat up over it. In 2017, he launched a Senate race against an intensely unpopular incumbent and raised more than $70 million from across the country. Yet, by implementing the Hillary Clinton strategy for luring Latino voters  i.e., attract them by ignoring them  he still managed to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory.

ORourke  who has disclosed a personal wealth of $5 million to $10 million  suffered through unemployment the way most of us do: by spending three months traveling the country to find America and maybe himself. The spectacle was too much for CNNs Nia-Malika Henderson, who noted at the time that a woman or minority candidate would be too busy grappling with self-employment to indulge in much self-introspection.

Still, Beto pulled it off. Chalk up one for white male privilege, where often the normal rules dont apply to you.

Meanwhile, the media  much of which is run by white liberals who are endlessly fascinated by the adventures of other white liberals, while often refusing to give others the time of day  has gone loco for Beto.

Last month, ORourke was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in Times Square. Now there are two documentaries, and an Annie Leibovitz photo shoot for a cover story in the latest issue of Vanity Fair. Expect more fawning to come.

You can bet that the other dozen or so Democrats running for president  no matter what their color  are green with envy.

Things are especially ticklish for Julian Castro, the one authentic Latino in this race. ORourke gets to say that we should legalize marijuana nationwide. If Castro did that, reporters would poke around to see if the Mexican-American had a drug trafficker uncle south of the border.

Why does ORourke get special treatment? You know why. As the Texas Democrat told Vanity Fair about the 2020 presidential race, Im just born to be in it.

Hows that for entitlement?

Heres a riddle: How many Betos does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Answer: One. To hold the bulb, while the world revolves around him.

Navarrrette writes a syndicated column for the Washington Post.
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Photo: The Canadian Press This March 4, 2019, image from video provided by Earth Conservation Corps Eagle Cam, shows Bald Eagles Liberty and Justice on their nest in Washington.

It's a tale with everything you'd need for a soap opera: star-crossed lovers, a stable relationship threatened by younger suitors, pregnancy and loss, and a hungry raccoon.

Washingtonians, along with a global community of eagle-watchers, have been transfixed this winter by Liberty and Justice, bald eagles who've nested and raised eaglets together for 14 years on the grounds of the city's police academy.

Their annual mating ritual, egg-laying and hatching process normally draws thousands of viewers to a special eagle cam. But this year has been unusually dramatic, with twists and turns that became headline news outside the eagle-watcher community.

"It's been a roller-coaster ride," said Tommy Lawrence, managing director of the Earth Conservation Corps, which runs the eagle cam and has been instrumental in repopulating the local bald eagle community. "People kind of take ownership of the eagles and really become invested in their well-being."

The saga of Justice and Liberty isn't the capital's only eagle drama. Last Wednesday, the Blue Line of Washington's Metro was delayed to rescue an injured bald eagle from the tracks . The bird later had to be euthanized.

Another eagle cam , at the National Arboretum, also has chronicled relationship tensions this year. Two eagles, known as Mr. President and The First Lady, experienced a comparatively mild relationship drama when another female showed up and tried to woo Mr. President. The interloper was chased off by The First Lady.

But the bigger drama involved Liberty, the female, and Justice.

Their mating season started normally. Together they prepared the nest they've shared for 14 years. They mated on Feb. 9. Normally at that point, Liberty would lay eggs  usually two  and spend most of her time sitting on them while they incubated and the male sought food for the family.

But this year, Justice disappeared almost immediately after mating, leaving Liberty with no way to gather food while keeping the eggs warm. During his absence a younger male eagle began appearing at the nest and courting Liberty. Researchers named him "Aaron Burrd" and speculated that he had fought Justice and driven him from the territory. A second young male rival also made some appearances.

After about 10 days, Liberty began making short flights away from the nest, meaning the temperature of the eggs dropped too low to hatch. On Feb. 23, Liberty flew away with one of her new suitors for two days, essentially abandoning her nonviable eggs. The next day, Justice reappeared after a more than two-week absence to reclaim his place. When Liberty returned, she didn't accept him back at first but gradually they reconciled.

Then came a final Darwinian twist. While the reunited pair was away from the nest, a raccoon climbed up and ate both eggs live on camera . Nothing was actually lost. The eggs were never going to hatch. But Lawrence said some newer eagle-cam devotees didn't fully understand what had happened.

"The reaction was intense," Lawrence said. "People would start freaking out on Facebook and asking why we didn't rescue the eggs and then some older members of the community would calm them down."

When interviewed Friday by The Associated Press, Lawrence announced breaking news: Justice and Liberty, after slowly rekindling their relationship, had mated the day before. Now the watch is on to see if Liberty is still fertile this late in the mating season and will lay more eggs. Justice, by the way, has continued his mysterious disappearances. On March 7, he vanished for five days before returning.

"We don't know where he keeps going," Lawrence said. "Our minds go to 'Does he have a second nest somewhere?' "

The twists and turns have been covered by multiple local media outlets with Kardashian-level of detail. Now speculation is running hot as to whether Justice and Liberty have a long-term future together or whether the younger suitors are a glimpse of the future.




iciHaiti - DR : 657 Haitians deported to Haiti





As part of the ongoing actions of the Directorate General of Migration (DGM), to regulate the presence of foreigners residing in irregular migratory situation in the Dominican territory, control operations have been carried out in the provinces of : Azua, Duarte, La Vega, Monte Plata, Santiago de Caballeros, Puerto Plata and Valverde, as well as in different sectors of the National District and Municipalities of Santo Domingo North during which 869 Haitians have been controlled.



The migratory control teams were composed of inspectors, agents of the (DGM) with the support of the military, the National Police in coordination with the Public Ministry of the Provinces concerned.



After the verification process 657 compatriots (75.6%) were declared in irregular migration situation and transferred to the border posts of Dajabon and Elias Pina to be registered and deported to Haiti.



Lieutenant General Maximo William Munoz Delgado Director General of the DGM recalls that the operations of control of foreigners will continue throughout the Dominican territory in accordance with the provisions of the General Law on Migration 285-04, which regulates migratory flows on the territory of the Dominican Republic.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27180-icihaiti-dr-more-than-9-000-haitians-deported-or-turned-back-to-the-borders-in-february-2019.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27105-icihaiti-dr-expulsions-continue-without-respite.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27025-icihaiti-dr-1-204-haitians-deported-to-haiti.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26903-icihaiti-dr-552-haitians-deported.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26826-haiti-dr-migration-maintain-the-pressure-1-153-haitians-deported.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26744-haiti-rd-nearly-340-000-haitians-deported-or-sent-back-to-haiti-in-3-years.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26682-icihaiti-social-more-and-more-difficult-to-live-illegally-in-the-dominican-republic.html



SL/ iciHaiti


















Photo: YouTube

A man from Surrey, B.C., is mourning the loss of his former classmate who was killed in a gun massacre at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday.

Shaukat Khan said when he heard news of the attack, he sent a message to his friend, Naeem Rashid, reading: "Hope all is well with you and your family. Just heard about the news. Let me know."

Rashid is the kind of person who always responds within a few hours, Khan said, but in this case he didn't hear back before going to bed Friday night.

"When I got up, the high school WhatsApp group was buzzing and there was news of him being martyred in the incident. It was a big shock," Khan said in a phone interview Sunday.

Khan and Rashid were friends since elementary school in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

"When I remember Naeem  he was one of the kids who was more mature than anyone else among all of us," Khan said.

"He would simply smile at us whenever we tried to bother him or tease him. Everyone had respect for him like they would have for an elder."

Although the two went their own ways after college, they kept in touch. Khan said he last met Rashid about six or seven years ago at a function in Pakistan.

A few days before his death, Khan said his friend posted a verse from the Qur'an on Facebook about the importance of giving back to the community.

"His life was all about that," Khan said, adding that Rashid and his son, Talha Naeem, gave their lives trying to snatch the attacker's gun.

"It doesn't come as a surprise because he's the kind of person who will stand up to the evils of the world, anything that is happening wrong, and if somebody is hurt and he will try his best to help."

Rashid comes from a family who believe in social work, Khan said, noting that his friend's mother is an active member of charities helping out the less fortunate.

"So whatever he did is nothing astonishing for us because it runs in the family, runs in his blood, runs in his genes."

Rashid's mother is on her way from Pakistan for her son and grandson's funerals, Khan said.

As the shootings unfolded, the 50-year-old Rashid is seen on video trying to tackle the gunman, Rashid's brother, Khurshid Alam, told The Associated Press.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Twitter that the country is proud of Rashid, and his courage will be recognized with a national award.

Khan said Rashid moved to New Zealand about a decade ago and was working as a teacher at a local high school and finishing a PhD, adding that he was very active in the community.

Rashid has three children, he said.
Imperial Valley News Center

Vice President Mike Pences Call with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters of New Zealand

Washington, DC - Vice President Pence spoke yesterday with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters of New Zealand. Vice President Pence expressed his condolences on behalf of the American people for the despicable terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The Vice President also affirmed the Presidents solidarity with New Zealand and our cooperation in ensuring that all perpetrators are brought to justice. These acts of hate have no place in the diverse and tolerant society for which New Zealand is justly known.
President Trump and Prime Minister Varadkar of Ireland at the 2019 Presentation of the Shamrock Bowl

Washington, DC - President Trump and Prime Minister Varadkar of Ireland at the 2019 Presentation of the Shamrock Bowl:

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much, everybody. Great honor. Oh, that beautiful music. I cant talk over that music. (Laughter.) Its too good. Its too good. Well let them finish out. (Applause.) Very good. And thank you very much.

Its a great honor, and Im delighted to be here tonight with so many of my Irish friends. I have a lot of Irish folks in this room. And we have a lot of people that wanted to be here very specifically for that reason.

We celebrate St. Patricks Day and honor thriving Irish American partnerships that we have all over this country.

Some of you came all the way from the Emerald Isle to be with us this evening. Many of you, actually. Many of you. Others came from a little known island called Manhattan. And no matter where you began your journey, were grateful that you made it and youre really welcome to be at the White House. This is a very spectacular place. Ive lived in a lot of locations. I have lived in a lot of places. And, Melania, I think we have to say, this tops it, right? (Laughter.)

MRS. TRUMP: Yes.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: This tops it.

On behalf of the First Lady, Id like to thank Taoiseach. Leo, you are really something. Weve gotten to know each other over the last couple of years. (Applause.) Very special guy. And also, Dr. Matthew Barrett for joining us tonight. Thank you, Matthew. You here someplace? Thank you very much. Wheres  thank you, Matthew, very much. (Applause.) Appreciate it.

Also, I want to give a very special thank-you to a very proud American, but hes also very proud to have a lot of Irish blood in him, and thats our Vice President, Mike Pence. (Applause.) You have a lot in you. How much? You have a lot, right? Almost the whole deal?

VICE PRESIDENT PENCE: Whole other (inaudible).

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Pretty  pretty close. Along with his wonderful sister, who I just met, Annie. Thank you, Annie, for being here, wherever you may be. Thank you very much, Annie.

We also are grateful to be joined by Irelands Ambassador to the United States, Daniel Mulhall, and his wife Greta. Thank you very much, Daniel. (Applause.) Thank you.

My thanks as well to three Irish American Supreme Court justices in attendance. One of them has a little less of the Irish blood, but theyre all great. (Laughter.) Justice Gorsuch, Justice Kavanaugh, and Justice Kennedy. And we appreciate very much, wherever you are. (Applause.) Great. Really great. Doing a fantastic job.

Several members of Congress are also here for the festivities, and all of the members of Congress, wherever you may be  there are too many of you to name. I hate to do that to you. Youre going to go home, youre never going to vote for Trump again. (Laughter.) But thats okay. I may be better off. Right? (Laughter.)

Were also pleased to have many members of my Cabinet with us, including Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, whos doing a fantastic job; Attorney General Bill Barr, Mrs. Barr. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) Ambassador Robert Lighthizer. Hes not busy enough. Hes negotiating with China. Hes negotiating with South Korea, Japan. We just heard about Japan. Japan is now negotiating. They havent wanted to negotiate for many years, but now theyre negotiating. Its called tariffs. Tariffs are a very, very great way of getting people to the table. And Japan has been terrific  Prime Minister Abe.

Just have completed a deal with Mexico. The USMCA with Mexico and with China  with Mexico and with Canada. And the China deal is going along incredibly well. Well see what happens, but were very deep.

And where is Bob Lighthizer? Is he around, or is he still  I think hes just a big negotiating machine. (Laughter.) I cant imagine  I cant imagine that hes even here. But, Bob, if you are here, youre doing a great job.

Well have news on China  probably one way or the other, were going to know over the next three to four weeks. And if that one gets done, it will be something that people are going to be talking about for a long time, and because we have been really taken advantage of for a long time. And now, I think China, frankly, is  theyve been very responsible and very reasonable. Lets see what happens.

This year, on March 17th, from Boston to Chicago, to the Emerald City of Seattle, and dozens of other cities and towns in between, millions of Americans will celebrate the legendary history and the rich heritage of the inspiring Irish people. I know many Irish people and they are inspiring. Theyre sharp, theyre smart, theyre great, and they are brutal enemies, right? (Laughter.) So you have to keep them as your friend. Always keep them as your friend. You dont want to fight with the Irish. Its too tough. Too  its too bloody. (Laughter.)

In my hometown of New York City, St. Patricks Day  for years and years, Ive gone to St. Patricks Day; my father and mother would take me  is one of the most important holidays of the year and the greatest parade of the year. During the parade this weekend, Fifth Avenue will become a beautiful sea of green, and marchers make their way past the famous and very beautiful St. Patricks Cathedral. To me, one of the most beautiful places in the country.

At the White House, we celebrate this holiday with todays event, the annual presentation of the Shamrock Bowl. And I wont tell you whos getting it. Its a big surprise. (Laughter.) Okay? Its a very big surprise. I want to keep all the television back there  we want to keep them in suspense.

This tradition began almost 70 years ago, when Irelands first Ambassador to the United States, John Joseph Hearne, gave President Harry Truman a small box of shamrocks in 1952.

Tonight, we accept this gift as a symbol of the enduring friendship with Ireland and its amazing people  people that we love. The Irish are confident, fierce, faithful, tough, and true. They never give up; they never give in. Do you give in? Does anybody here give in? Huh? I dont think so.

Since the time of the Revolutionary War, the sons and daughters of Ireland have played a central role in the history of our country. On Christmas night 1776, a Bostonian of Irish descent, General Henry Knox, directed General George Washingtons famous Crossing of the Delaware. During the Civil War, more than 150,000 Irishmen valiantly fought to preserve our union. And they fought hard.

This very building  our nations beloved White House  was designed by Irish architect, James Hoban. In 1974  in 1794, when Catholic Irish workers in Washington, D.C. needed a place to pray, they founded a church  now the oldest parish in Washington, D.C.  and its called St. Patricks.

Every year on St. Patricks Day, we honor Irelands patron saint and his life of selfless service to others. Today, we also honor the many Irish American firefighters, soldiers, police officers, doctors, nurses, teachers, priests, and countless others who carry on St. Patricks blessed legacy of service.

Tonight, we are thrilled to have so many members of the Irish community with us at the White House for this celebration.

So many people wanted to be here and they couldnt because we wanted to make room for you. So we just said, Dont come. (Laughter.)

Through trial and triumph, ups and downs, thick and thin, the extraordinary Irish people have stood by Americas side, and America will always stand by theirs. (Applause.)

And I have to say  and I have to say that we have literally never had a better relationship with Ireland than we do right now based on the relationship that we have. But were doing trade. Were doing many, many things with Ireland. And its been a  its been a wonderful friendship. Never been stronger than it is today.

We thank the Taoiseach for his honored gift of good luck and goodwill. And we wish all Americans and our great friends in Ireland, many of whom are watching right now, a very, very Happy St. Patricks Day.

Id like to invite the Taoiseach to begin the presentation of this years Shamrock Bowl. And I just want to say its an honor to be with you, and enjoy yourself, enjoy your evening. And lets present the trophy to President Trump. (Laughter and applause.)

PRIME MINISTER VARADKAR: So, Mr. President, First Lady, Mr. Vice President. (Speaks Irish Gaelic.)

As some of you will know, I am a big fan of history and I really love history, because I believe that history is the study of the future. It reminds us where weve come from and points us to the place we need to go next.

And throughout history, holders of your office, Mr. President, have defined the destiny of this great country in times of certainty and in times of crisis. People like President Washington, who helped to create America and show the world what freedom meant and how democracy worked. People like President Jefferson, who helped to make America great and created a republic of liberty. President Lincoln, who preserved democracy and proved that freedom has no limits. And Presidents Roosevelt and Reagan, who defeated two evil empires and secured freedom for the world.

I know, Mr. President, youve said your ambition is to make America great again, and I think we can already see some of the results of that. The American economy  (applause)  the American economy is booming. There are more jobs, rising incomes, lower taxes. Exactly what you said you would do. And American military power is unrivaled. Nobody doubts your status as a great power in the world.

But I think what makes America really great is not just economic prowess or military might, its all those things that make all of us around the world really love and respect America.

Above all, your people  and so many of you here tonight  your values, and your nation conceived of liberty, the land and home of the brave and free.

Those inspiring words that inspired the world: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

A nation dedicated to the proposition of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. A country that puts a man on the moon not because it was easy, but precisely because it was hard.

And, Mr. President, the promise of America inspired so many people seeking liberty and freedom around the world, including so many people in my own country. We were inspired by some famous American women, like Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Rachel Carson, Marsha Johnson, who changed forever the way we view the world and the world around us. And inspired by the Civil Rights Movement here in America. People in Northern Ireland, for example, demanded equal rights and equal opportunities too. And they sang the same songs, We Shall Overcome. And indeed, they did.

And we know that as you work to make America great again, that wont mean forgetting or losing sight of all of those things that have made America great already.

People around the world have been inspired by America and have traveled to come here and to make it their home. And people came, including millions from Ireland who were among the hands that helped to build America. Some made the opposite journey and still do. And when Americans come to Ireland, we greet them as brothers and sisters.

Mr. President, I believe that our history is shared and our future is intertwined. So I believe that future generations of our citizens should have the same opportunity to enrich each others societies as past generations did. No nation at the moment, with as many ties as Ireland has to the United States, has so few pathways to legal immigration. And I know weve talked about this on a few occasions. And when weve talked about it, we found agreements.

And I want to thank you and also Congress for your support for the new E-3 visa program, which will allow a limited number of Irish people to come here annually. (Applause.)

Mr. President, a hundred years since independence, Ireland has taken her place among the nations of the world. Were a proud member of the United Nations, acting as a force for good around the world. Were securing our place in the European Union  the common European home which we helped to build. And were a gateway to the Atlantic and, I hope, a bridge between Europe and America.

And at this point in our history, were very keen to deepen the economic ties between our two countries. Decades of investment by U.S. firms in Ireland have helped to transform Ireland from one of the least developed countries in Europe to what is now one of the most prosperous. And we thank America and we thank you for that. I will never forget the role of America in making our economic transformation possible.

Today, however, our economic relationship is very much a two-way street. Almost 100,000 Americans in 50 states are now employed in Irish-owned companies, and there are more jobs to come. A hundred and nineteen Irish firms have invested here since you took office, and investment by Irish companies in the U.S. has trebled in recent years.

We have a trade surplus in goods and merchandise, but thats balanced by a trade surplus in services. So, jobs and trade and investment are going in both directions. And free trade and free enterprise are making everyone better off in the round, and Id like to keep it that way.

President Lincoln once said, The past is the cause of the present, and the present will be the cause of the future. All these are links in the endless chain stretching from the finites to the infinites.

And, Mr. President, I believe that Ireland is part of that endless chain. Were really proud of our links to this great country. We want them to continue, and we want to strengthen and deepen them in the years ahead.

And so, Mr. President, in the spirit of our long-shared friendship, it gives me very great pleasure to present you with the 2019 Shamrock Bowl. Happy St. Patricks Day. (Applause.)

(The Shamrock Bowl is presented.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very much.
Veto Message to the House of Representatives for H.J. Res. 46

Washington, DC - Veto Message to the House of Representatives for H.J. Res. 46:

To the House of Representatives:

I am returning herewith without my approval H.J. Res. 46, a joint resolution that would terminate the national emergency I declared regarding the crisis on our southern border in Proclamation 9844 on February 15, 2019, pursuant to the National Emergencies Act.

As demonstrated by recent statistics published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and explained in testimony given by the Secretary of Homeland Security on March 6, 2019, before the House Committee on Homeland Security, our porous southern border continues to be a magnet for lawless migration and criminals and has created a border security and humanitarian crisis that endangers every American. Last month alone, CBP apprehended more than 76,000 aliens improperly attempting to enter the United States along the southern border  the largest monthly total in the last 5 years. In fiscal year 2018, CBP seized more than 820,000 pounds of drugs at our southern border, including 24,000 pounds of cocaine, 64,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 5,000 pounds of heroin, and 1,800 pounds of fentanyl. In fiscal years 2017 and 2018, immigration officers nationwide made 266,000 arrests of aliens previously charged with or convicted of crimes. These crimes included approximately 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 killings. In other words, aliens coming across our border have injured or killed thousands of people, while drugs flowing through the border have killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.

The current situation requires our frontline border enforcement personnel to vastly increase their humanitarian efforts. Along their dangerous trek to the United States, 1 in 3 migrant women experiences sexual abuse, and 7 in 10 migrants are victims of violence. Fifty migrants per day are referred for emergency medical care, and CBP rescues 4,300 people per year who are in danger and distress. The efforts to address this humanitarian catastrophe draw resources away from enforcing our Nations immigration laws and protecting the border, and place border security personnel at increased risk.

As troubling as these statistics are, they reveal only part of the reality. The situation at the southern border is rapidly deteriorating because of who is arriving and how they are arriving. For many years, the majority of individuals who arrived illegally were single adults from Mexico. Under our existing laws, we could detain and quickly remove most of these aliens. More recently, however, illegal migrants have organized into caravans that include large numbers of families and unaccompanied children from Central American countries. Last year, for example, a record number of families crossed the border illegally. If the current trend holds, the number of families crossing in fiscal year 2019 will greatly surpass last years record total. Criminal organizations are taking advantage of these large flows of families and unaccompanied minors to conduct dangerous illegal activity, including human trafficking, drug smuggling, and brutal killings.

Under current laws, court decisions, and resource constraints, the Government cannot detain families or undocumented alien children from Central American countries in significant numbers or quickly deport them. Instead, the Government is forced to release many of them into the interior of the United States, pending lengthy judicial proceedings. Although many fail ever to establish any legal right to remain in this country, they stay nonetheless.

This situation on our border cannot be described as anything other than a national emergency, and our Armed Forces are needed to help confront it.

My highest obligation as President is to protect the Nation and its people. Every day, the crisis on our border is deepening, and with new surges of migrants expected in the coming months, we are straining our border enforcement personnel and resources to the breaking point.

H.J. Res. 46 ignores these realities. It is a dangerous resolution that would undermine United States sovereignty and threaten the lives and safety of countless Americans. It is, therefore, my duty to return it to the House of Representatives without my approval.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

March 15, 2019
A woman in Houston, Texas has given birth to sextuplets, beating the odds to make her one in 4.7 billion.

Thelma Chiaka welcomed two sets of twin boys and one set of twin girls on Friday morning at The Womans Hospital of Texas.

All six babies were born between 4.50am and 4.59am with weights ranging from one pound, 12 ounces to two pounds, 14 ounces.

According to the hospital, each of the babies is in a stable condition and will continue to be supervised in the advanced neonatal intensive care unit.

The delivery team, led by Dr Ziad Haidar, Dr Sharmeel Khaira and Dr Israel Simchowitz, have said that Chiaka is doing well too.

WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world Show all 29 1 /29 WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Zambia, Linety, 18, bathes her one-month-old daughter Maria in Nsambilo, a concoction of protection made from tree roots. The concoction is believed to keep the baby healthy and protect her from evil spirits. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Zambia, Flora, 59, sits with her daughter, Linety, 18, and prepares to bathe her one-month-old grandaughter Maria in Nsambilo, a concoction of protection made from tree roots, believed to keep the baby healthy and protect her from evil spirits. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Zambia, two-week-old baby Mutinta wears a kakonde, a necklace to protect her from vomiting, diarrhoea and bad omens. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Zambia, Grandma Estheli, 62, covers two-week-old baby Mutinta while being held by her mother Chuuma, 18. Mutinta wears a kakonde necklace to protect her from vomiting, diarrhoea and bad omens. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Nigeria, a twig tree is held in a calabash bowl, where it is dissolved in water as part of the Nana Fatsuma tradition. The pregnant mother will drink the solution to hasten delivery. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Malawi, grandmother Melise makes porridge for her daughter, Lucia, 26, who has just given birth to baby Bertha. New mothers are given a special porridge made from soya, maize flour and sugar. It is thought that this will give them the energy and the nutrients they need. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Malawi, Lucia, 26, mother to newborn baby Bertha, eats a special porridge made from soya, maize flour and sugar, which is given to mothers after childbirth. It's believed this will give mothers the energy and nutrients they need. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Malawi, Lucia, 26, mother to newborn baby Bertha, sits with her mother, Melise. Melise has made her a special porridge from soya, maize flour and sugar which is given to mums after childbirth. It is thought to give her energy and the nutrients. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Uganda, Nagit, 30, sits in the doorway of her home with her baby Bakita after a blessing ceremony. As part of the ceremony, the skin of an Etopojjo tree is soaked in water and small strings are tied around the babys wrist, ankles, neck and waist. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Uganda, Nagit, 30, and her husband Lomer, 32, sit with their five children after the blessing of their newborn. As part of blessing ceremony, the skin of an Etopojjo tree is soaked in water, forming small strings. These strings are then tied around the babys wrist, ankles, neck and waist. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Uganda, clan members dance and sing to welcome the birth of new baby Loumo. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Uganda, Awas, 58, (far left) serves local beer to her six-week-old grandson Loumo, the baby's mother Sagal, 24, and clan elders. The clan members all drink from one gourd as a sign of peace and togetherness as they welcome the new baby. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In the USA, a priest baptises four-month-old Emmeline at the Roman Catholic Holy Family Church in New Jersey. Some Catholics believe pouring holy water over a babys head absolves them of sin. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In the USA, parents Robert, 38, and Marisa, 37, hold their four-month-old baby Emmeline. She was baptised in a Roman Catholic church. Some Catholics believe pouring holy water over a babys head absolves them of sin. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Scotland, five-week-old Emma is given a coin by her Nana, Sandra, a custom meant to bring good luck and prosperity. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Scotland, Ross, 35, and Amanda, 32, from Glasgow hold their five-week-old baby, Emma. Emma is given a coin by her Nana, Sandra, a custom meant to bring good luck and prosperity. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Japan, Natsumi, 29, feeds her four-week-old daughter Miwa during Okuizome, a first food ceremony. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Japan, Natsumi, 29, feeds her four-week-old daughter Miwa during Okuizome, a first food ceremony. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Japan, four-week-old baby Miwa has a first food ceremony. Natsumi, 29, feeds her daughter Miwa during the ceremony, which is called Okuizome. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Sweden, Sebastian, 31, cuts his newborn son Harrys umbilical cord in an operating theatre at Ostersund hospital. The convention helps fathers feel more involved in the birth. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Sweden, Sebastian, 31, and Maria, 34 hold their baby son Harry. Sebastian cut his newborn son Harrys umbilical cord in an operating theatre at Ostersund hospital. The convention helps fathers feel more involved in the birth. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In India, Rinku, 22, applies thick, black kajal or kohl to her child Kritikas eyes, to ward off evil spirits. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In India, two-year-old Kritika has a drink after her mother, Rinku, 22, has applied thick, black kajal or kohl to her child's eyes and forehead to ward off evil spirits. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Madagascar, Nome, 21, wears a masonjoany mask to protect herself from the sun and bad spirits. It is made by grinding a sandalwood tree branch and adding water to form a paste. She holds her newborn baby Jackie Marcel Stephan. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Madagascar, Nome, 21, wears a masonjoany mask to protect herself from the sun and bad spirits. She sits with her sister, who applied the mask. It is made by grinding a sandalwood tree branch and adding water to form a paste. She holds her seven-day-old baby, Jackie Marcel Stephan. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Madagascar, Nome, 21, wears a masonjoany mask to protect herself from the sun and bad spirits. It is made by grinding a sandalwood tree branch and adding water to form a paste. She holds her seven-day-old baby Jackie Marcel Stephan. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Ghana, Vida, 30, holds her one-month-old baby David in front of a tree from which bark is taken, boiled in water and then poured over her as part of Kosoto to protect her from stomach problems in future pregnancies. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Ghana, Vida sits with her children (L-R) Patrick, aged 11, one-month-old David, Hannah, aged five and Desmond, aged three, outside their home. Vida took part in the Kosoto custom following David's birth where bark from a tree is taken, boiled in water and then poured over her to protect her from stomach problems in future pregnancies. Water Aid WaterAid photo series shows childbirth rituals from around the world In Ghana, Mary, 21 stands with her husband Sampson and two-year-old son Nathaniel. They performed the Nila tradition where a traditional herbalist makes a small cut on the babys cheek, thought to prevent the him from getting convulsions. Both parents also did the Nila tradition as infants. Water Aid

While Chiaka has yet to name all of her children, the hospital revealed that she has named her two daughters Zina and Zuriel.

Because having sextuplets is so rare, cases often make headlines.

In 1968, a woman in Birmingham became the first to give birth to six babies at once on the NHS. There were 28 medical staff at the delivery.

Fast-forward to 1983 and Janet Walton also made history by giving birth to the worlds first all-female sextuplets in Liverpool.

Walton wrote about her experience of raising her children in her memoir, Six Little Miracles: The Heartwarming True Story of raising the Worlds First Sextuplet Girls, which was published in 2015.
The governments assertion that the foot-and-mouth crisis remains under control was being pushed to the limit last night as half a million sheep faced slaughter, the number of cases climbed towards 200, and an Irish minister said the outbreak was making Britain the leper of Europe. The two men in charge, the minister of agriculture, Nick Brown, and the governments chief veterinary officer, Jim Scudamore, continued to use the words under control, even while revealing startling dimensions to the outbreak.

The biggest of those was the threat of slaughter for up to 500,000 ewes and lambs spending the winter away from their home farms. They may have to be killed for animal welfare reasons if returning them is seen as too great a risk.

Their slaughter, compensation for which would add up to 50m to the cost of the outbreak, would mean the present incident would comfortably surpass in scale the 1967 epidemic, in which 442,000 animals died. Until yesterday, a total of 155,000 animals had been earmarked for slaughter, of which 116,000 had been culled.
Paul Cheale, a pig breeder and abattoir owner, woke up to a farmers worst nightmare yesterday when he found his Essex property at the centre of Britains first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease for 20 years.

His Cheale Meats Abattoir at Little Warley, near Brentwood, was doubly surrounded  by the yellow-and-black isolation tape of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and by TV crews and journalists wanting to know what had happened.

Mr Cheale looked shaken and could not keep the tremor out of his voice when he emerged to give his version of events. We are devastated, he said. It is a real tragedy  the farming industry has been through BSE and swine fever and now we are faced with this.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has indicated he could vote to leave the EU if there is another Brexit referendum.

Mr Corbyn said how he voted in any future referendum giving the British public a Final Say on Brexit would depend on the withdrawal deal which is on offer at the time.

He gave a heavily caveated answer when asked if he was enthusiastic about the idea of a new referendum, and said that his party might back an amendment calling for one depending on its wording.

Recommended The success of Brexit is now in the hands of a small group of MPs

The comments from the leader of the opposition come after more than 20 of his MPs defied his will to back a clear call for a referendum in any circumstances last week.

Eleven of the MPs also quit his party over Brexit and antisemitism with eight going on to form the new Independent Group in the House of Commons.

Asked if he would vote Remain in a new referendum, Mr Corbyn told Sky Newss Sophy Ridge on Sunday: It depends what the choice is in front of us. If weve got a good deal in which we can have a dynamic relationship with Europe ... then that might be a good way forward that unites the country.

It depends what the relationship is that weve agreed in the future.

Mr Corbyns front bench is in talks with Labour backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson about potentially backing an amendment which would see a referendum called on a deal that is approved by parliament.

Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Show all 15 1 /15 Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Pork There will be tariffs on pork in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cheese There will be tariffs in place on some cheeses including 22.10/100kg of cheddar, 19.10/100kg of processed cheese and 18.60/100kg on some blue cheeses Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Milk There will be no tariffs in place on milk Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Car Parts There will be no tariffs on car parts imported from Europe PA Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cars However finished cars will face tariffs of 10.6% Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Alcoholic drinks There will be no tariffs on alcoholic drinks - except on some rums due to ingredients used in their distilling process Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Beef There will be tariffs on beef in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fish There will be no tariffs on many types of fish including cod, haddock, salmon and sea bass Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fruit and vegetables There will be no tariffs on almost all fruit and vegetables Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Chocolate There will be no tariffs on chocolate or other cocoa products Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Poultry There will be tariffs on poultry in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Ceramics There will be some tariffs in place on ceramis Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Steel There will be no tariffs on steel Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Coal There will be no tariffs on coal Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Lamb/Mutton There will be tariffs on the meat of sheep in order to protect British farmers Getty

He explained that the amendment is being written and that he would need to see the exact wording before ordering whips to shepherd MPs into backing it.

The Labour leader was shown a quote from Mr Kyle, who described Mr Corbyns team as moving towards enthusiasm for a new referendum.

Asked if he was enthusiastic, he said: I love the way he puts that. Thats very nice. Yes, we had a good discussion. Yes, our conference voted on a comprehensive motion which is about all the issues relating to Europe, but our priority is to get a general election, but yes we do support the principle.

Asked again he said: Im enthusiastic about getting a deal with Europe which guarantees our future trading relationship and protects jobs and industries in this country and I do think people should have a choice in that.

 Nigel Farage leads pro-Brexit Leave Means Leave march from Sunderland to London

Pressed again, he named his priorities as avoiding a no-deal Brexit, protecting jobs and having a trading relationship with Europe, before adding, and a choice, a real credible choice that people can make on the future relationship with Europe.

When a clear amendment backing a new referendum was put before the Commons last week, Mr Corbyn whipped MPs to abstain. The motion was also not supported by the Peoples Vote campaign, which argued that it was not the right time to bring it forward.

But 41 of his MPs rebelled, with 24 supporting a referendum and 17 voting to oppose one. Five frontbenchers ended up resigning over the vote.
Philip Hammond has said he will review cash granted to Northern Ireland in the coming months, amid claims the government is trying to buy the support of DUP MPs for Theresa Mays Brexit deal.

The chancellor said that current discussions with the DUP are not about money but political assurances, but highlighted funding for Northern Ireland would be looked at soon as part of a scheduled spending review.

News that Mr Hammond is involved in the talks with the DUP, whose 10 MPs prop up the governments Commons majority, have led to speculation that a financial incentive might be involved.

Recommended Corbyn indicates he could vote leave in a second Brexit referendum

After the chancellor made his comments in an interview on Sunday, his Labour opposite number accused him of offering a bung to the DUP and branded it gutter politics.

It comes as efforts continue to secure enough support in the House of Commons for the prime ministers Brexit deal in a vote currently set to to take place on Tuesday, though only if Ms May believes she can win.

Talks with the DUP had not concluded by Sunday morning, but there had been mounting speculation that the government would find more money for Northern Ireland as part of a deal.

Speaking on BBC1s Andrew Marr Show, the chancellor said current discussions are not about money, but reassuring the DUP there will not be any divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in any future relationship with the EU.

But he then went on: We are coming up to a spending review and we will have to look at all budgets including devolved block-grant budgets [money going to the home nations] in that spending review.

Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Show all 15 1 /15 Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Pork There will be tariffs on pork in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cheese There will be tariffs in place on some cheeses including 22.10/100kg of cheddar, 19.10/100kg of processed cheese and 18.60/100kg on some blue cheeses Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Milk There will be no tariffs in place on milk Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Car Parts There will be no tariffs on car parts imported from Europe PA Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cars However finished cars will face tariffs of 10.6% Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Alcoholic drinks There will be no tariffs on alcoholic drinks - except on some rums due to ingredients used in their distilling process Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Beef There will be tariffs on beef in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fish There will be no tariffs on many types of fish including cod, haddock, salmon and sea bass Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fruit and vegetables There will be no tariffs on almost all fruit and vegetables Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Chocolate There will be no tariffs on chocolate or other cocoa products Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Poultry There will be tariffs on poultry in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Ceramics There will be some tariffs in place on ceramis Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Steel There will be no tariffs on steel Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Coal There will be no tariffs on coal Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Lamb/Mutton There will be tariffs on the meat of sheep in order to protect British farmers Getty

Asked if there could be money in the review in return for voting for the deal, he added: We havent even started to look at it yet, but there will be a spending review.

Weve got an additional complexity in Northern Ireland as you know, the House of Commons voted a budget through for Northern Ireland last week. Northern Ireland is in very difficult circumstances [with parties there having so far failed to create a power-sharing executive].

Because the civil service has not been able to take some quite difficult decisions that need taking. We hope that once weve got a Brexit dealt we will be able to resume the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland and then of course we will need to look at the spending review in that context.

When the DUP agreed to prop up Ms Mays administration in the commons after the 2017 election, the party negotiated an extra 1bn in spending for Northern Ireland over 2018 and 2019.

Money in the agreement, and potentially the support of the partys 10 MPs for Ms May, is set to end in June, creating the opportunity for its leader Arlene Foster to negotiate new terms, with the governments main ask likely to be safe passage of her Brexit deal.

Up until the end of last week talks with the DUP had been largely legal discussions with attorney general Geoffrey Cox, but the involvement of Mr Hammond indicated there was a financial element to the meetings.

 DUP Nigel Doods denies 'cash for votes' over Theresa May's Brexit deal

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell hit out at Mr Hammonds comments on Sunday, saying: From his interview with Marr this morning and his wriggling refusal on several occasions to deny the DUP is being offered a bung for voting for Mays deal, it is blindingly obvious that Hammond is offering a bribe to the DUP in the forthcoming spending review. Gutter politics.

Mr Hammond said the expected vote on Tuesday on Ms Mays deal would happen only if the prime minister thought she had enough support to pass it, echoing words from trade secretary Liam Fox earlier in the day.

He said it was not now physically possible for the UK to leave the EU on 29 March as previously planned, because no deal has been ruled out by MPs, an approved deal is not in place and, even if MPs back one, a little more time is needed to pass necessary legislation.

But in a warning to Brexiteers who are still thinking about opposing the deal on Tuesday, he said: Its absolutely vital that we get it through next week because otherwise this is the final chance to do this deal without having to have a long extension of the Article 50 period. Im clear about that.

Mr Hammond went on to dodge a question about whether he might ever say to the prime minister that it is time for her to resign.

The prime minister is absolutely focused on getting her deal through parliament. Shes passionate about because she passionately believes this deal is the best exit deal for Britain from the European Union.

If she doesnt get it through then Im sure shell be equally committed to ensuring a process that allows parliament to find an alternative way forward.
When Philip Hammond, Michael Gove, Theresa Mays deputy David Lidington and chief whip Julian Smith all sit down to make you an offer, you know it is going to be a serious one.

This was the assembled cast earlier in the week as the government began the difficult business of trying to convince their Northern Irish partners to back the prime ministers Brexit deal  absolutely critical to its chances of passing through the Commons on Tuesday.

The DUP have long taken an absolutist line on refusing to back her withdrawal agreement because of the presence of the Irish backstop.
Jeremy Corbyn has written to MPs backing soft Brexit plans as well as supporters of a second referendum, inviting them for talks to find a cross-party compromise.

The Labour leader called for urgent meetings to find a "solution that ends the needless uncertainty and worry" caused by Theresa May's "failed" Brexit negotiations.

He said Labour's "credible" plans would form the starting point for any discussions, but he was keen to find common ground with supporters of other plans.

The offer has been extended to SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds, Plaid's Liz Saville Roberts and Green MP Caroline Lucas.

Backbench MPs invited for talks with Mr Corbyn and shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer include Labour's Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, who have put forward a plan for the Commons to allow the Prime Minister's Brexit deal to go through, subject to a referendum.

Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Show all 15 1 /15 Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Pork There will be tariffs on pork in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cheese There will be tariffs in place on some cheeses including 22.10/100kg of cheddar, 19.10/100kg of processed cheese and 18.60/100kg on some blue cheeses Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Milk There will be no tariffs in place on milk Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Car Parts There will be no tariffs on car parts imported from Europe PA Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cars However finished cars will face tariffs of 10.6% Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Alcoholic drinks There will be no tariffs on alcoholic drinks - except on some rums due to ingredients used in their distilling process Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Beef There will be tariffs on beef in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fish There will be no tariffs on many types of fish including cod, haddock, salmon and sea bass Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fruit and vegetables There will be no tariffs on almost all fruit and vegetables Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Chocolate There will be no tariffs on chocolate or other cocoa products Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Poultry There will be tariffs on poultry in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Ceramics There will be some tariffs in place on ceramis Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Steel There will be no tariffs on steel Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Coal There will be no tariffs on coal Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Lamb/Mutton There will be tariffs on the meat of sheep in order to protect British farmers Getty

Senior Labour backbenchers Yvette Cooper, Hilary Benn and Rachel Reeves have also been offered talks, along with Tories Ken Clarke and Nicky Morgan.

Invitations have also been sent to Sir Oliver Letwin, Nick Boles, Stephen Kinnock and Lucy Powell - the Tory and Labour MPs behind a push for a Norway-style soft Brexit inside the single market with a customs union.

Labour's Jack Dromey and Tory former minister Dame Caroline Spelman, who led Commons efforts to reject a no-deal Brexit, have also been offered a meeting.

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Mr Corbyn said: "Labour has set out credible options as to how we propose to break the deadlock and avoid a disastrous no-deal. This includes putting forward an alternative Brexit plan with a permanent customs union, single market deal and dynamic alignment on rights and protections. We have also said that we would support a public vote to prevent damaging Brexit proposals being forced on the country.

"We would obviously use that position as a starting point for any discussions, but we would like to hear about the plans you are advocating, and we are keen to see if there is scope to find common ground between our respective proposals and to work together to break the impasse."

Press Association
Sir Vince Cable will say the Liberal Democrats are on a mission to go from "protest back to power" as he addresses the party's spring conference just days after setting out the timetable for his departure.

The 75-year-old who will step down as leader after the local elections in May, said the party had to continue arguing for the benefits of staying in the European Union (EU) as the Brexit debate rages at Westminster.

He will use his speech in York to accuse Theresa May of putting a higher priority on keeping the Conservative Party together than maintaining peace in Northern Ireland in her efforts to revise the Brexit deal's backstop.

Declaring that "we are Remain", he will say: "To those outside the Westminster bubble, the parliamentary games on Brexit are baffling: a weird combination of snakes and ladders, chess and all-in wrestling.

"Whatever happens in the next few weeks of parliamentary twists and turns, we must argue - since no-one else can be relied upon to do so - that none of the several mutually exclusive versions of Brexit on offer - soft or hard - are as good as the deal we currently have."

Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Show all 15 1 /15 Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Pork There will be tariffs on pork in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cheese There will be tariffs in place on some cheeses including 22.10/100kg of cheddar, 19.10/100kg of processed cheese and 18.60/100kg on some blue cheeses Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Milk There will be no tariffs in place on milk Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Car Parts There will be no tariffs on car parts imported from Europe PA Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Cars However finished cars will face tariffs of 10.6% Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Alcoholic drinks There will be no tariffs on alcoholic drinks - except on some rums due to ingredients used in their distilling process Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Beef There will be tariffs on beef in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fish There will be no tariffs on many types of fish including cod, haddock, salmon and sea bass Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Fruit and vegetables There will be no tariffs on almost all fruit and vegetables Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Chocolate There will be no tariffs on chocolate or other cocoa products Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Poultry There will be tariffs on poultry in order to protect British farmers Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Ceramics There will be some tariffs in place on ceramis Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Steel There will be no tariffs on steel Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Coal There will be no tariffs on coal Getty Tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit Lamb/Mutton There will be tariffs on the meat of sheep in order to protect British farmers Getty

"The Prime Minister's efforts to win over Tory Eurosceptics have focused on attempts to revise the backstop, the measures in the Brexit deal aimed at preventing the return of a hard border. The intensity of the campaign to remove it speaks volumes about the underlying motives of those who demanded Brexit and now demand a 'clear Brexit'. They simply deny our history, which is entwined with that of Ireland."

Sir Vince will target Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley for criticism after a series of gaffes.

"It really is quite shocking that this Government is so lacking in talent that it employs a Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who says she doesn't understand sectarian voting patterns and then compounds this public declaration of ignorance with a blatantly and naively one-sided view of the killings in the Troubles," he will say.

"Ms Bradley has revealed an ugly truth: that peace in Ireland matters less than peace in the Conservative Party."

Sir Vince, who clashed repeatedly with Ms May over immigration policy while they sat around the Cabinet table during the coalition years, will use his speech to return to the issue, saying it highlights the divides in British politics.

"Our mission to move from survival to success, from protest back to power, takes place in a world where liberal values are under siege and in retreat," he will say. "Nothing quite defines liberalism like its opposite, illustrated by Theresa May's policies on immigration."

Press Association
Tory leadership hopefuls have stepped up a gear in making their pitches to replace Theresa May as pressure mounts on the prime minister to set a date for leaving Downing Street.

Rivals have undertaken a flurry of activity both behind the scenes and in the media as speculation grows that Ms May will announce her departure in the coming weeks.

The expectation has been fuelled by signals that Conservative MPs whose votes the prime minister desperately needs to pass her Brexit deal would back her plan if she sets out her departure schedule.

With senior Tories such as Priti Patel, Liz Truss and Dominic Raab all making public interventions within days of each other and following a tumultuous week in parliament, even Downing Street aides have accepted the political reality that Ms Mays authority has faded.

It comes as the prime minister prepares for what might be her final attempt to push her twice-defeated Brexit deal through the House of Commons on Tuesday, with her team holding talks to win round DUP, Eurosceptic Tory and Labour MPs.

Priti Patel, former international development secretary (AFP/Getty)

As discussions continue on Monday, one potential leadership contender, ex-cabinet minister Priti Patel, will appear on stage at an event organised by a right-of-centre think tank.

One MP told The Independent: To all intents and purposes it looks like Priti is putting herself out there just as the wheels fall of the PMs wagon.

She knows shes from the right part of the party, the part which is going to chose the next leader, so shes reminding everyone shes there.

Papers react to the Brexit vote Show all 10 1 /10 Papers react to the Brexit vote Papers react to the Brexit vote The Guardian The Guardian highlights just how soon the Prime Minister's defeat has come Britain's scheduled date of departure Papers react to the Brexit vote Daily Mail The Daily Mail takes aim at MPs who political editor Jason Groves claims have "plunged Britain into chaos" by rejecting the Prime Minister's deal Papers react to the Brexit vote The Independent Daily Edition The Independent calls for a second referendum as a way forward Papers react to the Brexit vote Daily Express The Daily Express leads with exasperation, with political editor Macer Hall writing that "Brexit was hanging in the balance last night" Papers react to the Brexit vote The Sun The Sun take the Prime Minister's "croaky" voice into account as it reports on last night's "Brexit shambles" Papers react to the Brexit vote Financial Times The Financial Times claims that the Prime Minister's authority is "in shreds" and reports on the fall in the pound in the wake of the vote Papers react to the Brexit vote The Daily Telegraph The Daily Telegraph calls the Prime Minister's defeat "humiliating" and claims that a delay to Brexit is likely Papers react to the Brexit vote The i The i claims that parliament is "out of control" Papers react to the Brexit vote The Times The Times claims that Britain is in crisis and that the Prime Minister "may face resignation calls" Papers react to the Brexit vote Daily Mirror The Daily Mirror says that the Prime Minister "surrenders" in reference to the likelihood of Brexit being delayed after the vote

For all anyone knows Theresa will have announced when shes off within the next couple of weeks. So all the wannabes have stepped up a gear.

Friends of the senior MP, who was involved in the Vote Leave campaign, said the event was not part of a leadership push, had been organised sometime ago and would focus on international development only.

But it is likely to at least give Ms Patel a platform to talk about Brexit, her values, the future of the country and the prime ministers troubled withdrawal agreement, which she has consistently voted against.

Others have indicated that Ms Patel could become a running mate for Boris Johnson, the perennial leadership contender, who polling shows is still among the most popular choices of Conservative members.

On Saturday another hopeful, chief secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss, gave a lengthy interview to The Times in which she set out radical policies on the social mobility agenda, like Oxford and Cambridge universities taking 100 of the brightest state-school pupils from every area.

Asked if she would like to run for leader she said: I think the Conservative Party spends far too much time talking about personalities and not ideas.

 Nigel Farage leads pro-Brexit Leave Means Leave march from Sunderland to London

Its never wise to rule out anything in politics, but Im absolutely not thinking about it.

Pushed on whether she would be a running mate for a male candidate, she added: I dont want to be the number two.

Ex-Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, fast being seen as the strongest Brexiteer rival to Mr Johnson, dropped a further hint that he will run, after making a major speech on social mobility a few days earlier, he said: Never say never.

Dominic Raab, former Brexit secretary (AFP/Getty) (AFP)

A senior Tory Leave-backing MP said: Dominic is very active right now. Hes the one to look our for.

Leading contenders Sajid Javid, the home secretary, and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt are both said to have operations ready for a tilt at the top job.

But they will have to overcome the fact that they voted to extend Article 50 earlier this week, another Conservative linked to the Brexit-backing European Research Group (ERG) said.

He added that former Brexit secretary David Daviss chances of reviving his leadership hopes had crumbled due to how he announced he would vote for Ms Mays deal during the week.

He said: His reputation is f***ed in the ERG. He can forget about running for the leadership.

On Friday, it emerged that chancellor Philip Hammond is leading government talks with the DUP in a bid to win their support for Ms Mays deal, prompting speculation there could be financial incentives for the party to back the plan.

The Independent also revealed talks between government officials and Labour MPs to enshrine in law parliaments ability to share the future relationship in return for backing her deal.

 DUP Nigel Dodds says talks over Brexit deal will continue over the weekend

While some Conservatives who had opposed it in the first instance are changing their minds, it is not yet enough to win the vote.

It was reported on Saturday that close aides now believe the only way she can gain a majority for her deal will be announcing she is standing down by Octobers Conservative Party conference.

A Tory Brexiteer echoed the view, saying: For some people, even in that hardcore group of the ERG that No 10 finds difficult to reach, it does change things.

She would need to stand at the despatch box and say Ill be gone by X date.

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Self-interest alone would have some affect. With her quitting on the cards, do you not think Sajid [Javid] and Jeremy [Hunt] will be saying to their mates, thats what you should be calling for to back the deal?

If the meaningful vote on Ms Mays deal is won on Tuesday then she will head to the European Council summit on Thursday calling for an extension of the Article 50 period until 30 June, in order to pass necessary legislation to complete Brexit.

If not then the EU is unlikely to grant an extension without knowing what it is for, with growing pressure from Brussels to either join a customs union or call a new referendum.

The government has pledged to hold indicative votes in the days running up to 29 March to find if anything has a majority in the Commons, while Ms May is believed to also be open to a fourth attempt at forcing her deal through.
A US woman has been jailed for life for killing her nine-year-old cousin by sitting on her as a form of punishment.

Veronica Green Posey, 66, was convicted of murder after smothering Dericka Lindsay at the girls home in Pensacola, Florida.

The child suffocated after 23-stone Posey sat on her for more than five minutes.

Prosecutors said Dericka suffered horrific beatings from her adoptive parents, James and Grace Smith, and her cousin when she misbehaved.

The abuse came to a head on 14 October, 2017, when Posey was woken by Ms Smith phoning her to complain she could not control Dericka and her eight-year-old sister, reported the Penscola News Journal.

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. 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Once her feet hit the floor getting out of bed, she was determined to beat these children, assistant state attorney Amy Shea told a trial at Escambia Countys circuit court.

Posey took a ruler and pipe to the family's home and used them to help Ms Smith "whip" Dericka, it was reported. As the girl struggled, Posey sat on her back, pushing Dericka's chest into the arm of a chair.

The child reportedly screamed twice that she could not breathe. After Posey got up, she realised Dericka was not breathing and called 911.

Recommended Child cruelty and neglect offences double over past five years in UK

An autopsy revealed Dericka had severe bruising on her buttocks that a pathologist described as "injury, on top of injury, on top of injury".

Posey's lawyer, Michael Griffith, argued she had not intended to hurt Dericka and that the Smiths were responsible for their daughter's abuse.

But jurors found her guilty of first-degree murder on Friday.

James Smith had previously been jailed for 10 years for child cruelty. His wife, who suffers from mental and physical illnesses, was found unfit to stand trial but could be prosecuted at later date.
Schoolchildren were among those killed by landslides and flooding in Zimbabwe as the death toll from tropical cyclone Idai rose to at least 157.

The pair of boarders were asleep when a rock fall hit the dining hall and dormitory at St Charles Lwanga school in the eastern province of Manicaland, according to officials in the southern African country.

Cyclone Idai has affected more than 1.5 million people across southern Africa since it hit land in Mozambique last week.

At least 126 people have died in Mozambique and Malawi and another 31 have died in Zimbabwe. Hundreds more are missing or have been left homeless by the disaster.

Both Zimbabwe's president Emmerson Mnangagwa and Mozambiques leader Filipe Nyusi cut short their trips to the United Arab Emirates and Eswatini respectively after being criticised for failing to deal with the crisis.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Mnangagwa declared a state of emergency in the disaster-hit areas and tweeted his thoughts and prayers for the victims of the storm.

He added: Rescue operations are underway and we are grateful for the bravery of the men and women of the Zimbabwean armed forces who, along with our local and international partners, are participating in the urgent rescue efforts.

Recommended More than 100 dead as floods and tropical cyclone hit Mozambique

President Nyusi is expected to visit some the affected areas following his arrival home.

The major coastal city of Beira, Mozambiqe, was hardest hit, with more than 500,000 residents left stranded in by floods caused by heavy rain and winds of up to 105mph.

The airport was closed, many homes were destroyed and images on social media and local television showed billboards and rooftops blown off, trees snapped and power lines brought down in the streets.

South Africa has also experienced power cuts during the storm because to its reliance on imported electricity from Mozambique, according to reports.

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United Nations agencies and the Red Cross are helping with rescue efforts that include delivering food supplies and medicines by helicopter.

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society appealed on Facebook for help with supplies of clothing, shelter and blankets, along with medical supplies and food.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and displacements as a result of the Cyclone which has rendered many homeless, the humanitarian organisation said in a statement. Together we will make a difference. Let us join hands and make a difference as there is never too small an effort in humanitarian work.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
A mass funeral was held for the 157 victims of a plane crash in Ethiopia after their families were given bags of earth to bury in place of their remains.

Some victims relatives fainted and fell to the ground during a procession through the countrys capital Addis Ababa as 17 empty coffins draped in the national flag were laid to rest in their memory.

The Sunday service came the day after officials began delivering bags containing 2.2 pounds of scorched earth taken from the crash site to the relatives of those who died.

Families have been told the identification process is expected to take a long time and could last up to six months.

An Orthodox priest dressed in a traditional black turban and black robes told the crowd gathered at Bole International Airport: Our deep sorrow cannot bring them.

Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures This picture taken on March 11, 2019, shows debris of the crashed airplane of Ethiopia Airlines, near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. - An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed on March 10 morning en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi with 149 passengers and eight crew believed to be on board, Ethiopian Airlines said. (Photo by Michael TEWELDE / AFP)MICHAEL TEWELDE/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Family members mourn the victims at the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, at Hama Quntushele village in the Oromia region, on March 13, 2019. - A Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019, killing all eight crew and 149 passengers on board, including tourists, business travellers, and "at least a dozen" UN staff. Families of the victims were taken to the remote site on March 13, 2019, where the plane smashed into a field with 157 passengers and crew from 35 countries, leaving a deep black crater and tiny scraps of debris. (Photo by TONY KARUMBA / AFP)TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A page of a Boeing flight crew operations manual is seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner REUTERS Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures epa07434278 Rescue workers search the site for pieces of the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STRINGER EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 passenger plane of the Norwegian low-cost airline Norwegian is parked at the tarmac at Vantaa airport in Vantaa near Helsinki, Finland on March 13, 2019. - A number of countries have banned Boeing's 737 MAX 8 medium-haul workhorse jet from their airspace in response to the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 people on board. (Photo by Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUTHEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Rescue workers search the site for pieces of the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STRINGER EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A heap of debris from the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are piled at the crash site near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STR EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A crew working with an investigative team to clear the site after the Sunday crash of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, carry debris at Hama Quntushele village in the Oromia region, on March 13, 2019. - A Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all eight crew and 149 passengers on board, including tourists, business travellers, and "at least a dozen" UN staff. Families of the victims were taken to the remote site on March 13, 2019, where the plane smashed into a field with 157 passengers and crew from 35 countries, leaving a deep black crater and tiny scraps of debris. (Photo by TONY KARUMBA / AFP)TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8, on a flight from Miami to New York City, comes in for landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York, U.S., March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo REUTERS

As Ethiopian Airlines staff sobbed in each others arms, he added: This is the grief of the world."

The victims on board the Boeing 737 Max 8 flight 302 came from 35 countries and included many humanitarian workers headed to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

The flights two pilots, six crew and 149 passengers all died in the crash on 10 March.

Elias Bilew said he had worked with one of the victims, Sintayehu Shafi, for the past eight years.

Coffins of victims of the crashed accident of Ethiopian Airlines are gathered during the mass funeral at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 17 March 2019. (AFP/Getty Images)

He was such a good person, he said. He doesnt deserve this. He was the pillar for his whole family.

Countries around the world have grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 planes following the crash.

The plane involved in last weeks crash was the same model as the one that crashed off Indonesia in October killing 189 people.

French investigators said that they had successfully downloaded the cockpit recorder data and had transferred it to the Ethiopian investigation team without listening to the audio files.

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Work on the flight data recorder resumed Sunday but no additional details were given.

Experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board and the planes manufacturer Boeing are among those involved in the investigation.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said satellite-based tracking data showed that the movements of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 were similar to those of Lion Air Flight 610, which crashed near Indonesia.

Both incidents involved Boeing 737 Max 8 planes.

The planes in both crashes flew with erratic altitude changes that could indicate the pilots struggled to control the aircraft.

Shortly after their take-offs, both crews tried to return to the airports but crashed.

Boeing now faces the challenge of proving the jets are safe to fly amid suspicions that faulty sensors and software contributed to the two crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.

Associated Press contributed to this report
A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of reputed Gambino crime family mob boss Francesco "Frank" Cali, police in New York said.

The 53-year-old was shot 10 times outside his Staten Island home last week. It is thought the gunman may have crashed a truck into Calis car to lure him outside.

Anthony Comello, 24, was detained in New Jersey said Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea, who stressed that the investigation is in its early stages.

There are multiple, multiple angles that we are exploring, Mr Shea told a news conference. Was the person paid to do it? Were others conspiring to do this crime?

Investigators were still trying to ascertain whether Cali was killed because of his connection organised 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. 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An anonymous source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN the killing did not appear to be mob-related.

Mr Shea said police have recovered the truck but have not recovered the gun used in the murder.

Asked about Mr Comellos arrest record, Mr Shea said he crossed paths in some limited circumstances with the NYPD.

He received parking ticket on Staten Island the day Cali was killed, he said.

Mr Comello will be extradited from New Jersey to New York to face charges, Mr Shea said. It was unclear whether he had legal representation.

Federal prosecutors referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Mafias Gambino family, once one of the most powerful crime organisations in the country.

Reports dating back to 2015 suggest had risen to head of the family.

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Calis only mob-related criminal conviction came a decade ago, when he pleaded guilty in an extortion scheme involving a failed attempt to build a NASCAR track on Staten Island.

He was sentenced to 16 months behind bars and released in 2009.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Jeanine Pirro is off Fox News prime time  for one night, at least.

Fox News removed Ms Pirros programme, Justice With Judge Jeanine, from its usual 9pm time slot on Saturday, one week after the network took the rare step of publicly rebuking the host for an on-air monologue that questioned a Muslim lawmakers loyalty to the United States.

Fox News declined to say whether Ms Pirro had been formally suspended.

We are not commenting on internal scheduling matters, the network said in a statement on Saturday evening.

A former prosecutor known for fiery monologues, Ms Pirro is one of the most fervent on-air champions of Donald Trump, an old friend from her days in New York political circles who often urges his Twitter followers to tune in to her show.

US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA

She came under heavy criticism last weekend for her remarks about representative Ilhan Omar, a Muslim who wears a hijab.

Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution? Ms Pirro asked.

Among those calling her comments prejudiced was a Muslim producer at Ms Pirros own network.

Several advertisers said they would no longer sponsor her show.

Fox News, which has mostly stood by its star personalities in past scandals, responded by saying Ms Pirros remarks do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly.

The network has not elaborated on that discussion or what internal punishment, if any, was meted out.

Fox News was also grappling with an uproar over another of its star hosts, pundit Tucker Carlson, who has faced scrutiny for offensive comments he made on a shock-jock radio programme about a decade ago.

The comments were recently published by the left-wing advocacy group Media Matters for America.

Mr Carlson did not miss any of his regular network appearances this past week.

On air, he thanked officials at Fox News for backing him. The network has not issued its own statement on the matter.

Ms Pirro has not apologised for her remarks. My intention was to ask a question and start a debate, but of course because one is Muslim does not mean you dont support the Constitution, she said in a statement last weekend.

Since then, Ms Pirro, an active user on Twitter and Instagram, has been silent on social media.

Last week, Ms Omar  who was recently criticised for comments in Congress that some lawmakers viewed as antisemitic  thanked Fox News after the network distanced itself from Ms Pirros remarks.

No ones commitment to our constitution should be questioned because of their faith or country of birth, she wrote on Twitter.

Viewers who tuned in to watch Ms Pirro on Saturday night instead saw a rerun of Fox News documentary-style show, Scandalous, a series that usually focuses on the travails of prominent Democratic politicians and their relatives.

The episode that ran on Saturday was about the 1991 rape trial of William Kennedy Smith, a nephew of President John F Kennedy.

The New York Times
Did Joe Biden accidentally reveal his plans to run for the White House? Or was it just another slip of the tongue by the former vice president with a reputation for veering off script?

In a keynote speech at a dinner for the Delaware Democratic Party on Saturday, Mr Biden boasted he has the most progressive record of anybody running.

The only problem is Mr Biden has not announced whether he will launch a third run for the White House, despite repeatedly teasing the possibility.

He quickly corrected himself, clarifying that he meant to say anybody who would run, then adding I didnt mean it while a cheering crowd in his home state nearly drowned him out.

Although Mr Biden has been known to go off script, his remark is likely to be viewed as a Washington-style gaffe  a case of accidentally telling the truth.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

During the rest of his speech he sounded very much like a candidate-in-waiting. He repeatedly attacked Donald Trump, accusing him of stoking division and anger, and bemoaned the ascendant new left of his own party has criticised him for being cordial towards Republicans.

The only thing strong enough to tear America apart is America itself and weve seen its start, he said.

Mr Biden accused Mr Trump of backing away from Americas role as a leader on the world stage and abandoning its allies.

He said it is no coincidence that fake news  one of Mr Trumps favourite labels  has become the phrase of choice for every despot terrorising his people.

Were literally in a battle for the soul of America, he said.

More than a dozen Democrats have already launched formal 2020 presidential campaigns.

After former Texas representative Beto ORourkes entered the race last week, Mr Biden, who is his partys best-known and best-connected presidential prospect, is the last major contender to remain on the sidelines.

 Joe Biden: 'Our leadership is giving license to this prejudice'

But that did not stop the friendly home-state crowd from revelling in the idea that he will jump in.

I told him recently I have one campaign left in me, said Sonia Schorr Sloan, a fundraiser and long-time Biden adviser.

Delaware governor John Carney said Mr Biden doesnt just look like hes back. He looks like hes ready for a fight.

Just minutes before Mr Bidens slip of the tongue, though, Mr Carney raised the possibility of a Biden campaign with a bit more delicacy.

I am not up here to break any news tonight, Mr Carney told the crowd.

Then he added: In my humble opinion, we have never needed Joe Biden more than we need him right now.

Associated Press
Stacey Abrams, who narrowly lost her bid to become governor of Georgia last autumn, has a series of decisions to make.

Should she run for the Senate in 2020? Should she wait until 2022 to run again for governor? Or, audaciously, should she join the crowded field of candidates seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination?

Losing campaigns are not the normal launching pad for a run for the White House. But these are not normal times, and Ms Abrams, who came within a percentage point and a half of becoming the first African-American female governor in US history, is in the unusual - some might say enviable - position of being encouraged to think about running for president.

Ms Abrams, who was the former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, sat down last week with Steven Ginsberg, The Washington Post's national editor, and talked about the choices, the timetable and what kind of presidential campaign she would run.

If she decides to make the leap, the campaign would talk about race and identity, organising, voter engagement and voter suppression, among other things.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

"I think that I am a skilled communicator," she said. "I think I'm a very good thinker. No, I know I'm a good thinker. I know I have policy chops. I have foreign policy experience. . . . I've done a great deal of work on a number of issues. But I need to make certain that I am the best person at this moment for that job and that's what I need to think about."

By her own description, Ms Abrams is not an impulsive politician. She is methodical in her thinking and her analysis. Running for president has been in the back of her mind for many years, though not a race in 2020.

Candidates for president do not always get to pick their moment and Ms Abrams' gubernatorial race has provided an unexpected opportunity to consider a White House bid. But time is pressing in on her.

Ms Abrams is one of three Democrats who gained national prominence, in Democratic circles at least, while losing statewide races in red or swing states. Another is Andrew Gillum, the former mayor of Tallahassee who lost his race for governor of Florida by less than half a percentage point.

Recommended Congress demands answers over Georgia voter suppression

The other is Beto O'Rourke, the former Texas congressman, whose losing campaign for the Senate turned him into a national celebrity in Democratic circles, and who this past week declared his candidacy for president with a Vanity Fair cover story complete with photos by Annie Leibovitz.

Ms Abrams has been pushed hard by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and many of his colleagues to challenge Georgia's incumbent Republican senator David Perdue, next year. If she is not going to do that, she knows she owes it to her party to make that known soon. She said she expects to decide about a Senate campaign by early April. If the answer to that is no, she will then turn immediately to the question of running for president.

If she enters the presidential race, her campaign would be an extension of how she ran in Georgia, with a focus on turning out voters who do not always show up, concentrating on communities of colour and raising pointed questions about the state of democracy under Donald Trump.

"To win in 2020, a Democrat has to talk relentlessly about voter suppression because when Republicans talk about vote fraud they are telling a lie, and they're repeating that lie so much that it sounds like the truth," she said.

"Voter suppression is real, and one of the ways it works is it has a psychological effect of convincing people that it's their responsibility that things are wrong. But when you talk about it from an activist perspective, it's an engagement tool. We turned out voters because they knew someone was trying to take something from them, and I want Americans to understand that someone is trying to take their democracy from them and they've got to fight to keep it."

 Stacey Abrams: 'I'm supposed to say nice things and accept my fate'

Republicans bristle at claims that voter suppression cost Ms Abrams the governorship last autumn. They note that overall turnout was at a high level. Even Ms Abrams proudly talked about the overall increases as well as higher turnout among African-Americans and Latinos and her success in raising the Democrats share of the white vote.

She also talked about irregularities that occurred during the election. "The vote differential was 54,000 votes," she said. "I cannot prove empirically that I would have gotten every vote that could have been counted, but I do know that the absence of an effective system robbed me and Georgians of having a fair election where we could say with certainty that what happened was right."

Asked whether she could make a bigger statement on the issue about which she is passionate by running and winning another election in Georgia or going national, she said, "I think that is a legitimate frame but it's not the one I can use. These are jobs. I'm applying for a job, and I should run for office, because I want to do that job at that moment. The issue of voter suppression is an existential issue, and no matter what job I have, I'm going to talk about that issue."

Would a campaign on those issues spark a backlash, and a surge in turnout, among those who might feel excluded? Ms Abrams thinks not.

"For those who feel excluded by the articulation of another's identity, I would say that we all have parts of ourselves that are important," she said. "But when, in the American jurisprudence and in the American policymaking, we use those identities to harm you or to foreclose your opportunity, then it's in everyone's interest that we resolve that. It is not good for anyone."

US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA

Ms Abrams already believes she could do a better job in the highest office in the country than Mr Trump. She could not cite anything the president has done on his own initiative that has been good for the country and she offered a blistering description of him.

"He is a racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, homophobe who has diminished our sense of cohesion as a nation. Regardless of where a president stood on issues, there has always been at least a veiled attempt at some sense of national unity. His intentionality to speak only to a narrow group that he calls his base, his willingness to only administer his office for that population, has diminished the credibility of his time in office."

Ms Abrams does not believe Democrats lost in 2016 because Mr Trump was a superior candidate with superior ideas.

"We lost because our organising method in 2016 did not engage voters who had long been out of the body politic," she said.

"I do not believe in turnout targets and one thing we demonstrated in our campaign, much to the suspicion and chagrin early on, is that you cannot run a campaign in the 21st century that believes in a base. Every voter is a persuasion target."

She knows she would make history if she ran and won but says she is not driven by that ambition. "I think history always informs who we are, but it should never decide what we do. When you run to be a marker, that's insufficient to carry you through the hardest times,' she said.

Ms Abrams insisted that she has not made up her mind, but it is fair to say that if she were to run, her campaign would be a striking contrast to that of many of the others in the race, particularly the white male candidates - Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Mr O'Rourke - who are currently attracting the most attention.

The Washington Post
Donald Trumps name will not appear on voting ballots in Washington State if the president fails to release his tax returns ahead of the 2020 elections.

Lawmakers in the Washington State senate approved major legislation this week that would legally require all presidential candidates to release the last five years of their personal tax returns in order to have their names featured on both primary and general voting ballots.

The 28-21 vote margin advances the bill to the northwestern states House of Representatives.

However, top officials warned the law could face an uphill legal battle despite its apparent constitutionality.

The disclosure requirement you propose is likely constitutional, Washingtons attorney general and solicitor wrote in a letter to the state senate, who noted the legislation would definitely be challenged in court.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

The bill was co-sponsored by Democratic lawmaker Patty Kuderer, a state senator who said political norms surrounding tax return disclosures have been all but discarded under Mr Trump.

Although releasing tax returns has been the norm for about the last 40 years in presidential elections, unfortunately weve seen that norm broken, she said, according to CBS.

 Trump speaks in Oval Office after signing his first veto

Washington isnt the only state passing legislation to codify standard practices surrounding tax disclosures for presidential candidates after Mr Trump famously declined to provide his during the 2016 election, citing an alleged audit.

There is nothing stopping a presidential candidate from releasing their tax returns amid an ongoing audit.

New Jersey has also advanced a similar bill to the states general assembly that would force candidates to disclose their recent tax returns.

Republicans argued the forced disclosure were creating a precedent that could cause problems at general elections.

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Were on really risky ground when were trying to place conditions on a federal election, Hans Zeiger, a Washington Republican, said this week.
Donald Trump has launched a bitter tirade against late senator John McCain for the second time in 24 hours.

The president hurled a series of unfounded allegations at the former Arizona senator this week on social media, claiming new court documents revealed he personally delivered the infamous dossier containing information against Mr Trump to the FBI and media hoping to have it printed before the election.

He and the Dems, working together, failed (as usual), Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday morning. Even the fake news refused this garbage!

Mr Trumps comments appear to be an attempt to concoct a scandal surrounding the late senator.

McCain previously confirmed he provided a copy of the dossier that was created by Christopher Steele, a British spy, to the FBI in 2017, before dying a year later from a rare form of brain cancer.

Criminals who worked for Trump Show all 5 1 /5 Criminals who worked for Trump Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Cohen Former lawyer for Donald Trump was sentenced to three years in prison on counts involving evading income tax, false disclosure of the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and another hush money charge Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Paul Manafort Former campaign manager for Trump Manafort was found guilty in February 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. The crimes occurred prior to his appointment in Trump's campaign Getty Criminals who worked for Trump George Papadopoulos Former Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in October 2017. He had lied about making contact with a professor who claimed that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Flynn Former White House National Security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in December 2017. He had lied about conversations that he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during Trump's Presidential campaign. He was not given prison time due to his "significant assistance" to the Mueller investigation Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Rick Gates Deputy chairman of Trump's presidential campaign Gates pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in February 2018 AFP/Getty

McCain denied providing a copy of the document to media outlets. The court documents Mr Trump is referring to in his tweets actually state that the dossier was provided to BuzzFeed by David Kramer.

Mr Kramer is a former official who worked at the US State Department and currently serves as the senior director for human rights and human freedoms at the McCain Institute.

While a newly unsealed court filing from September appears to confirm that McCain did in fact share a copy of the dossier with former senior counterintelligence FBI agent Bill Priestap, a separate court filing confirms the dossier was provided to media by Mr Kramer.

The Daily Caller, a right-wing website that first reported on the court filings, which stem from a Russian businessmans libel lawsuit against BuzzFeed, described Mr Kramer as a longtime associate of McCain.

The president took the connection between Mr Kramer and McCain a step further on Sunday, claiming the senator was personally involved in providing the document to the media  despite failing to provide any evidence to support such accusations.

It was the second criticism Mr Trump made of McCain in a single week, following longstanding and public tensions hes held for the career politician and military veteran.

On Friday, he quoted a Fox News contributor and the independent counsel during Bill Clintons presidency, writing: Spreading the fake and totally discredited dossier is unfortunately a very dark stain against John McCain.

He had far worse stains than this, Mr Trump added, including thumbs down on repeal and replace after years of campaigning to repeal and replace!

That received a rebuke from the late senators daughter, Meghan McCain, who responded on Twitter, writing, No one will ever love you the way they loved my father.

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I wish I had been given more Saturdays with him, she added. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on Twitter obsessing over mine?

Mr Trump also attacked Saturday Night Live, asking whether the Federal Election Commission should look into whether the comedy show is colluding with the Democratic Party, and pleaded with Fox News audiences to demand the return of one of the outlets controversial hosts, Judge Jeanine Pirro, a loyal supporter of the presidents who has been absent since suggesting congresswoman Ilhan Omars hijab indicates she is against the US constitution.
Australias senate is to officially rebuke a senator who blamed the terrorist attack in New Zealand on Muslims and then punched a teenager who cracked an egg on the back of his head.

Furthermore, Australias prime minister suggested Queensland senator Fraser Anning should be charged over the egg incident.

A bipartisan motion led by the Australian senate leader Mathias Cormann, alongside senate opposition leader Penny Wong, said Mr Anning seeks to attribute blame to victims of a horrific crime and to vilify people on the basis of religion, which do not reflect the opinions of the Australian Senate or the Australian people.

The 17-year-old boy crunched the egg onto the back of Mr Annings scalp during a press conference after Mr Anning said the New Zealand terrorist attack in which 50 Muslims were killed was due to an increasing Muslim presence in the country.

After the egg was broken on his head, Mr Anning turned round and struck the teenager twice.

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. 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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

Footage of the incident then shows several supporters of Mr Annings tackle the boy to the ground and restrain him in a chokehold. One man is seen kicking the boy while he is on the ground.

On Sunday, the prime minister Scott Morrison told reporters: The full force of the law should be applied to Senator Anning.

Victoria Police has said it is investigating the actions of the senator and his supporters as well as those of the teenager.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said: Having seen that footage I instructed that our people examine the whole of that footage with the relevance to whether any assault charges be laid [against] anyone in that footage that may have committed an offence, not only from that first egging incident, but then everything that followed on from that.

One of those who tackled the boy was far-right activist Neil Erikson, who was controlling access to the building. During the scuffle to apprehend the boy, he shouted for reporters to be removed from the area.

Get the journalists out of here ... If you dont like, get out, Erikson said, according to The Sun-Herald newspaper.

While the child was being held in a chokehold, one of Mr Annings supporters is heard telling him: You are nothing but a weak human f***ing being, you f***ing prick.

The teenager has won considerable support for egging the far-right senator.

A crowd-funding page set up to help pay for any legal fees he may face has raised almost 30,000 Australian dollars (16,000).

The page initially said: Money raised will go to EggBoi for: Legal fees. More eggs.

But it was later updated to say the 17-year-old is committed to sending a majority of the money to the victims of the Christchurch terrorist attack.

In a video posted after the egging incident the boy urged people not to follow his example.

Dont egg politicians. You get tackled by 30 bogans at the same time, he said in the video, using Australian slang for an unsophisticated person.

I learnt the hard way, he added.

Mr Anning caused outrage after the attack in which 50 Muslims were killed in two mosques, with a statement calling Islam the religious equivalent of fascism.

He said: The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place.

Let us be clear, while Muslims may have been the victims today, usually they are the perpetrators. World-wide, Muslims are killing people in the name of their faith on an industrial scale.

He added: The truth is that Islam is not like any other faith. It is the religious equivalent of fascism. And just because the followers of this savage belief were not the killers in this instance, does not make them blameless.

A Change.org petition to remove him from parliament has accrued almost a million signatures and has made it the biggest and fastest-growing petition ever hosted on the platform.
A man has claimed that he reported the gun club where the alleged Christchurch mosque shooter practised over two years ago.

In video posted on his Facebook page, Pete Breidahl said he attended a shooting competition at the Bruce Rifle Club, near Dunedin, in November 2017.

He claimed that members at the club had Confederate flags and wore camouflage clothing with military webbing and insignia. The Confederate flag is seen by some as an icon of slavery and racism.

Mr Breidahl added that members talked about about "zombie apocalypses" and "homicidal fantasies".

He said he was left so concerned after the competition that he went to the police arms officer in Dunedin and shared his "serious concerns" about the members.

New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Show all 11 1 /11 New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Zakaria Bhuiyan People gather hoping to find out information about Zakaria Bhuiyan who is still missing after the mosques shootings in Christchurch. David Moir/AFP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Mucad Ibrahim Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim, the youngest known victim of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 15 March 2019. Abdi Ibrahim via AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Nadeem Rasheed Nadeem Rasheed, brother of Pakistani Naeem Rashid who died alongside his son Talha Naeem, 21, who were killed in shooting at a Mosque in Christchurch, at their home town in Abbottabad, EPA New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Omar Nabi Omar Nabi speaks to the media about losing his father Haji Daoud Nabi, 71, in the mosque attack REUTERS New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Ash Mohammed Ash Mohammed, right, talks to a police officer about his father and two brothers who are missing near the Masjid Al Noor mosque AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Akhtar Khokhur Akhtar Khokhur, 58, shows a picture of her missing husband Mehaboobbhai Khokhar, 65. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Wasseim Alsati A note is seen on a window of a door at the family home of Wasseim Alsati in Christchurch on 17 March 2019. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Haroon Mahmood Relatives offer condolences to nephew (centre) of Haroon Mahmood, a Pakistani citizen who was killed in Christchurch mosque shootings. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Farid Ahmed Farid Ahmed (pictured) survived the Al Noor mosque shootings but his wife Husne was killed. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Syed Areeb Ahmed A relative shows a picture of Syed Areeb Ahmed, a Pakistani citizen who was killed the Christchurch mosque shooting. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Naeem Rashid A relative looks at a picture on a mobile phone of Pakistani nationals Naeem Rashid and his son Talha Naeem (right) who died in the Christchurch shootings. AFP/Getty Images

Mr Breidahl claimed to have met Brenton Tarrant, the man accused of carrying out the attack. Mr Tarrant joined the Bruce Rifle Club in 2018.

"I told the cops they were nuts and shouldn't have guns," Mr Breidhal said.

The former New Zealand Defence Force soldier, later posted a photo of an old Facebook post in which he shared his concerns in 2017.

"There were some guys here with pretty strong feelings about guns, and one in particular really had me very worried," he wrote at the time. "He was complaining about skateboarding kids at the uni saying if they can carry their boards, he should be allowed to carry a gun."

However, the vice-president of the gun club rejected any links to white nationalism.

Scott Williams told the Otago Daily Times that any investigation of the club would prove the allegations "unfounded".

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"I think we're feeling bit stunned and shocked and a bit betrayed perhaps, that we've had this person in our club who has ended up doing these horrible things," he said. "I don't know where this has come from. We certainly never heard from the police. [Breidahl] is known to us, he clearly has a chip on his shoulder, or a bone to pick with us. We don't know why."

He added he was there on the day Mr Breidahl said he attended and he did not see Confederate flags.

"We'd welcome any police investigation into the club, and members, and I'm sure the allegations would prove unfounded."

A police spokesperson said initial enquiries show no record of a "complaint" being made, according to The New Zealand Herald.

Officers will look into the matter, the spokesperson added.
A teenager dubbed "Egg Boy" has become the talk of the internet after he threw an egg at an Australian politician who blamed Muslim immigration for the Christchurch terror attack.

The 17-year-old catapulted to fame after he was captured splatting Queensland senator Fraser Anning during a TV interview, prompting a scuffle in which the youngster was twice punched and then restrained.

Police said the boy was arrested but released without charge pending a further investigation.

Mr Anning had been heavily criticised after conflating Muslim immigration with the far-right shootings at two New Zealand mosques which left 50 people dead.

"Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?" he asked.

New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Show all 11 1 /11 New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Zakaria Bhuiyan People gather hoping to find out information about Zakaria Bhuiyan who is still missing after the mosques shootings in Christchurch. David Moir/AFP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Mucad Ibrahim Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim, the youngest known victim of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 15 March 2019. Abdi Ibrahim via AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Nadeem Rasheed Nadeem Rasheed, brother of Pakistani Naeem Rashid who died alongside his son Talha Naeem, 21, who were killed in shooting at a Mosque in Christchurch, at their home town in Abbottabad, EPA New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Omar Nabi Omar Nabi speaks to the media about losing his father Haji Daoud Nabi, 71, in the mosque attack REUTERS New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Ash Mohammed Ash Mohammed, right, talks to a police officer about his father and two brothers who are missing near the Masjid Al Noor mosque AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Akhtar Khokhur Akhtar Khokhur, 58, shows a picture of her missing husband Mehaboobbhai Khokhar, 65. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Wasseim Alsati A note is seen on a window of a door at the family home of Wasseim Alsati in Christchurch on 17 March 2019. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Haroon Mahmood Relatives offer condolences to nephew (centre) of Haroon Mahmood, a Pakistani citizen who was killed in Christchurch mosque shootings. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Farid Ahmed Farid Ahmed (pictured) survived the Al Noor mosque shootings but his wife Husne was killed. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Syed Areeb Ahmed A relative shows a picture of Syed Areeb Ahmed, a Pakistani citizen who was killed the Christchurch mosque shooting. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Naeem Rashid A relative looks at a picture on a mobile phone of Pakistani nationals Naeem Rashid and his son Talha Naeem (right) who died in the Christchurch shootings. AFP/Getty Images

In a further statement, Mr Anning added: "The real cause of the bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration programme which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place."

After he was egged, people across the planet took to social media to hail the youngster responsible, nicknaming him Egg Boy.

Twitter user defilibrator tweeted: "Egg boy showed the world that religion, age or ethnicity doesn't matter when it comes to standing up against oppression, hatred and evil. You only need a pure heart and the egg boy has a heart of gold! Bless you."

Writer Maxine Beneba Clarke posted: "Saddle the horses. Send messengers far and wide to search the land for the mysterious Egg Boy, whose throw is precise, whose judgement is sound, and whose courage is infinite. For as with Arthur and the Excalibur sword, only he shall lead us out of the darkness."

American actress Chelsea Peretti tweeted: "why did egg boy vid make me cry".

And New Zealand rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra simply posted: "Egg boy energy."

A GoFundMe page was even launched, with the aim described as raising money for "legal fees" and "more eggs".

Within 14 hours it had raised more than 10,000 (7,500).
Two days on from devastating attacks on mosques in the city of Christchurch, New Zealanders were still coming to terms with events that increasingly seem to be among the most deeply scarring  and consequential  in the nations history.

In modern New Zealand, eruptions of violence have been remarkable for their rarity. Over past decades, incidents like the Bain family killings in 1994, the murder of Sophie Elliott in 2008 and British backpacker Grace Millane just months ago, produced widespread shock.

But what has just occurred is new territory, puncturing the blanket of relative security that these remote islands have long seemed to provide. Residents of Christchurch, despite the earthquakes of eight years ago, had become habituated to living in one of the worlds most reputedly safe societies.

Accordingly, prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who forthrightly described Fridays horrors as terrorism, is now setting the stage for lasting changes to be made to the countrys gun laws, which have allowed those with licences to possess semi-automatic weapons. And perhaps more besides.

Gun laws in New Zealand need to change and will change, she declared at a press briefing on Saturday.

New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Show all 11 1 /11 New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Zakaria Bhuiyan People gather hoping to find out information about Zakaria Bhuiyan who is still missing after the mosques shootings in Christchurch. David Moir/AFP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Mucad Ibrahim Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim, the youngest known victim of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 15 March 2019. Abdi Ibrahim via AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Nadeem Rasheed Nadeem Rasheed, brother of Pakistani Naeem Rashid who died alongside his son Talha Naeem, 21, who were killed in shooting at a Mosque in Christchurch, at their home town in Abbottabad, EPA New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Omar Nabi Omar Nabi speaks to the media about losing his father Haji Daoud Nabi, 71, in the mosque attack REUTERS New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Ash Mohammed Ash Mohammed, right, talks to a police officer about his father and two brothers who are missing near the Masjid Al Noor mosque AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Akhtar Khokhur Akhtar Khokhur, 58, shows a picture of her missing husband Mehaboobbhai Khokhar, 65. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Wasseim Alsati A note is seen on a window of a door at the family home of Wasseim Alsati in Christchurch on 17 March 2019. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Haroon Mahmood Relatives offer condolences to nephew (centre) of Haroon Mahmood, a Pakistani citizen who was killed in Christchurch mosque shootings. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Farid Ahmed Farid Ahmed (pictured) survived the Al Noor mosque shootings but his wife Husne was killed. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Syed Areeb Ahmed A relative shows a picture of Syed Areeb Ahmed, a Pakistani citizen who was killed the Christchurch mosque shooting. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Naeem Rashid A relative looks at a picture on a mobile phone of Pakistani nationals Naeem Rashid and his son Talha Naeem (right) who died in the Christchurch shootings. AFP/Getty Images

Visiting a gun shop in an outer suburb of the city, this reporter saw semi-automatics still on sale, including what appeared to be an AR-15  one of the types of firearms used, in modified form, in noted mass shootings in the US, including during the Sandy Hook massacre.

Brenton Tarrant, 28, who has been charged with the mass murders, is believed to have used a semi-automatic weapon during the violence.

Speaking outside a bar in the citys Cathedral Square, Selena, a 23-year-old lifelong Cantabrian, told The Independent she felt that the events of Friday afternoon had retraumatised otherwise stoical locals.

Quite a few people are still trying to get over things to do with the earthquake, she said. Weve kind of taken it for granted how safe we think New Zealand is.

Elsewhere in Christchurch, expressions of community spirit, grief and solidarity were on clear display, as were armed police standing watchfully as small crowds gathered to pay their respects near cordoned-off roads, metres from the assaulted mosques.

It is a measure of how much has changed in such a short time that the presence of armed police in this low-crime city has progressed from a source of some controversy to a non-issue.

Less than a month ago, moves to temporarily arm Cantabrian police officers on the beat, following a non-lethal firearm incident, were a source of debate. It seems that very few would object now.

The people of this city have other concerns. And, in many cases, this includes how to help one another.

In an echo of the spirit displayed by residents after the earthquakes, volunteers have begun to organise so as to offer assistance to the distressed, injured  and those that serve them.

Fundraising pages for the families of victims have received a steady inflow of payments; other initiatives involved donations of both time and money.

The Independent stumbled across an example of the latter by chance. On Saturday, while approaching Christchurch General Hospital, this reporter noticed a group of volunteers busily unloading boxes of food for visiting families  all of it halal. They recruited several passers-by to assist with the delivery.

This generosity was initiated by Olly, 34, whose workplace is located on Riccarton Road, in an area of the city which extends to a few hundred metres from the scene of the first attack. He explained that he took action initially as an individual but was now supported in his efforts by so many others he couldnt provide a figure for how many were involved: when asked for a number, he simply said lots.

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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. 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Speaking in imperfect English, he said: Yesterday when I heard, I was really in shock, so I decided to help.

He started purchasing some meals from a local shop but ran out of money. He hoped to get more.

I wanted to buy something, but it was not [enough] he said, adding that he managed to find collaborators who provided both money and additional vehicles to carry the food.

Beyond Christchurch, New Zealanders were paying tribute to their Muslim compatriots in vigils and other communal displays of respect. The biggest gathering of this kind was held in capital city Wellington on Sunday  a memorial event which attracted around 10,000 people at its peak.

Wellingtonian Karl Jensen, who described himself as an event worker donating his time and technical know-how, said the get-together was packed, describing it as elegiac, respectful, emotive.

Reflecting on developments over the weekend, he said he welcomed the prime ministers statements on gun control, but added he wished that more had been done before Friday, and observed that experts had been calling for tighter regulations for some time.

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Karl, a former resident of Christchurch, continued: I just think that if the NZ parliament had enforced stronger gun laws  a law professor and the head of the NZ police union had made this case, disregarded by a firearm retailer  we wouldnt be in this mess. If the killer had no means to kill people, it wouldnt have happened.

Back in Christchurchs city centre, sitting across a table of pints, when asked if she had a message to Muslim New Zealanders, Selena paused before offering a succinct, but sincere, reply.

We stand by you guys, she said, with a gentle smile.
Thousands of supporters of Catalan independence marched on Madrid to support politicians and activists who are on trial for their role in an attempt to secede from Spain.

Organisers said 120,000 people marched in Spains capital, while Spanish police put the number much lower at only 18,000.

Twelve Catalan politicians and activists are standing trail for staging a banned independence referendum for the northeastern region of Catalonia.

Nine of those on trial are accused of rebellion, which could see them sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.

The October 2017 referendum passed with overwhelming support, with 92 per cent in favour and a turnout of 43 per cent of the electorate.

However, Spain had already declared the referendum unconstitutional and some observers said the vote failed to meet international standards for elections.

Large pro-independence protests have previously taken place in Catalonia and some European cities, but Saturdays march was the first major separatist protest in the capital.

The 120,000 crowd size quoted by organisers was well beyond expectations.

Recommended Spanish voters split over how to bring country together

There were no reports of violence at the march.

A banner reading Self-determination is not a crime opened the demonstration, which was led by Catalan politicians and organised by more than 60 civil society groups across Spain.

Catalonias regional president, Quim Torra, told reporters that the march was needed to decry a trial which he has described as a farce.

Spain has insisted the judicial process is fair and its courts are fully independent from the government, but critics of the trail believe the 12 defendants are political prisoners who are being tried for their beliefs.

The trial is about to enter the fifth week of hearings and has attracted close attention across the country.

Media have been broadcasting lengthy live testimonies by defendants and witnesses from the trial and radio stations have hosted in-depth debates about prosecution strategies.

A sentence is not expected until after Spains 28 April general election, in which the issues of Catalan independence and Spanish unity have become major topics for voters.

Agencies contributed to this report
In February 2017, a tide of blue flags flowed through the old Gothic centre of Barcelona towards its Mediterranean coast.

Carried by a crowd at least 160,000 strong, they were coloured to symbolise the sea, which was claiming the lives of thousands of Syrian and North African refugees trying to make it to Europe.

United behind a banner proudly proclaiming We want to welcome you, it was one of the biggest pro-immigration marches the world has seen.

Many taking part were outraged that Spain had pledged to accept 17,000 refugees as the crisis peaked, yet by that point, the conservative government in Madrid had only taken in a little more than 700  and only a third of the 1,250 places provisioned for Catalonia had been filled.

The social impact of the protest was incalculable, recalls rally organiser Ruben Wagensberg in an interview with The Independent. He is now a member for the Republican Left of Catalonia in the regional parliament.

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Now, unfortunately, our progress is being jeopardised by opportunistic far-right parties and, for the first time in Catalonia, grassroots racism, he adds.

Two years on, almost to the day, Catalonia is seeing a very different protest  in one week alone, there have been three attacks on immigrants.

Near where the sea meets the mountains in Catalonias Castelldefels, around 25 young Spaniards, wearing hoods and with their faces covered, broke into a shelter where 35 unaccompanied foreign minors were living and attacked the children with rocks bigger than their heads.

You cant begin to imagine the fight, and everyone who experienced it is still processing it. Minutes felt like hours, one of the staff members on duty told local news agencies.

More than a dozen residents were apparently beaten and mugged, but fortunately, the security guards and care workers on duty managed to protect the children from more serious injuries. One of the workers, however, had to be rushed to hospital.

One boy was treated for anxiety after he was found in a back room, apparently kidnapped by five of the intruders.

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Once word got out, despite mass condemnation, there appeared to be a splinter of support for the aggressors within the Castelldefels community.

The following night, the episode was repeated at the same shelter, but this time featuring some 150 people. The police were ready, and managed to disperse the attackers.

The most harrowing part of that what happened is a representation [to the victims] of who we are  all of us  as a society, the care worker laments. We forget our society is also theirs: more diverse and multicultural by the day.

The same week, a few hundred residents of Canet de Mar gathered in front of the town hall to campaign for the deportation of 50 unaccompanied foreign minors from a nearby housing shelter, calling on them to go home.

Less than 48 hours later, a man trespassed into the shelter, armed with a machete, and came face-to-face with at least one of the children. Luckily, police stepped in before anyone was physically hurt.

The left-wing local mayor, Blanca Arbell, blames malicious groups within the community for creating false alarm about the impact of their new neighbours and spreading lies by trying to link migrants with a rise in robbery and petty crime.

Since 2017, Spanish shores have become the main gateway to Europe for people escaping war-torn countries or seeking to better their lives, with over 85,000 arrivals, including 5,277 and counting this year.

A sizeable proportion of those have been classed as immigrants under the age of 18 without their parents. Around 2,000 came to Catalonia last year and in 2019, there have been 428 so far.

The politician responsible for unaccompanied immigrant children in Catalonia concedes more work is required to help them integrate.

The majority of Catalans reject these attitudes, but we acknowledge that there are small groups starting to carry out attacks on the basis of prejudice and stereotypes, says Chakir El Homrani, Catalan minister of labour, social affairs and family.

Just as Catalan society has become polarised on independence, it has become more divided about its sea border policy, too.

Whereas separatists want to show that a Catalan state would be multicultural  in contrast to nationalist Spain, hardline unionist groups like Vox are accused of blurring the lines between anti-independence and anti-immigration sentiment.

Voxs local leader, Ignacio Garriga, maintains that the groups repugnance towards both independence and immigration is through a love for Catalonia.

We have to address the needs of our own people; the Spanish people, argues Garriga, whose mother was an immigrant from Equatorial Guinea. Those who accuse us of anything other than loving thy neighbour are liars and defamers.

We reject both violence ... And illegal immigration.

 Catalonia President Quim Torra: Catalan separatists trial 'terrible mistake'

Vox sparked fury earlier this year by publishing a list of demands, including the deportation of undocumented migrants and eliminating public funding for Islamic associations, in exchange for supporting a centre-right coalition.

And according to various polls, immigration is climbing up the list of concerns among Spanish people.

The question for Spain  until only recently seen as a welcoming EU country for refugees  is how this might play out in the upcoming elections.
Viktor Orban is facing calls for greater scrutiny of his governments spending of EU funds as tensions between the Hungarian prime minister and the EU near breaking point.

More than 470,000 people have signed a petition to pressure Mr Orbans government into joining the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO), the EUs new anti-corruption watchdog for EU funding.

Alongside the petition, Mr Orbans Fidesz party is also at risk of being suspended or expelled next week from the main centre-right group in the European parliament.

The EU has allocated 25bn (21.3bn) to Hungary in the 2014-2020 budget period and critics have warned funds are often spent on overpriced or unnecessary projects that benefit allies of the prime minister.

Mr Orban is known for his anti-EU and anti-immigration campaigns, and his accusations that the EU is increasing its powers to the detriment of member states.

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Independent MP Akos Hadhazy launched a petition in September with the hope of gathering 1 million signatures to pressure Hungarys government into joining the EPPO, which is expected to begin investigations at the end of 2020.

Mr Hadhazy and other critics say the countrys chief prosecutor, Peter Polt, has failed to investigate many cases of suspected corruption, some of which allegedly concern Mr Orbans family.

There are two bastions that keep this populist regime in power  one is the chief prosecutor and the other is public media and government propaganda, Mr Hadhazy said last week while helping activists gather signatures.

Mr Polt has been successfully attempting to whitewash the corruption affairs involving the Hungarian government ... and the most prominent politicians, he added.

Foreign minister Peter Szijjarto defended Mr Polt on Monday, calling criticism of the former Fidesz parliamentary candidate a coordinated series of political attacks.

In a recent survey on corruption in the public sector by Transparency International, Hungary was ranked 26th out of 28 EU countries.

Only Greece and Bulgaria had lower scores for their anti-corruption measures.

Although more than 470,000 Hungarians have signed Mr Hadhazys petition so far, it is not legally binding.

The government has rejected joining the EPPO, citing national sovereignty concerns and even misgivings about its quality.

The list of renovations and constructions partly funded by the EU in Budapest includes 572m (487m) given for the citys fourth subway line, 37.5m (32m) for the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, and 10.5m (8.9m) for construction at City Parks ice-skating rink, the largest in Europe.

Hungary may have to repay funds to the EU if projects are found to not comply with EU rules, but observers say there is plenty left over for government allies.

In the past years, it has become clear that there are a few businesspeople close to the government whose companies nearly always win the large public contracts, said Katalin Erdelyi, an award-winning journalist for investigative news site atlatszo.hu.

The investments are frequently overpriced, costing much more than initial estimates.

 Jean-Claude Junker accuses Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban of 'fake news'

Ms Erdelyi said there are projects that appear to be built with the only purpose of using as much of the EUs funds as possible.

One of those projects is a bridge and bicycle adventure park that runs through the town of Hatvan and is used by few bikers due to safety concerns over its construction.

It would be very good if Hungary joined the European Prosecutors Office, Ms Erdelyi said.

It would be much easier to uncover the deals suspected of corruption and confirm whether or not there was any misuse of European Union subsidies.

Mr Orbans Fidesz party is also currently involved in a dispute with the European Peoples Party, which is the largest political group in the European parliament.

Fidesz could be suspended or ejected from the group when the EPP meets for its political assembly on 20 March over criticism of Mr Orbans commitment to democratic principles.

The Hungarian leader has repeatedly said he would prefer to stay in the centre-right alliance, in order to transform it into an anti-immigration force.

The conflict between Fidesz and the EPP has been exacerbated by EU proceedings launched last year over concerns about the rule of law in Hungary since Mr Orbans return to power in 2010.

Istvan Hegedus, a former Fidesz MP and current chairman of the Hungarian Europe Society, says Mr Orban is unlikely to take Hungary out of the EU.

Despite his clashes with the organisation, Mr Orban still relies on EU money.

The funds, in part, generated non-sustainable growth, but if these financial resources were to end, the Hungarian economy would be in a much more difficult situation, Mr Hegedus said, naming EU farm subsidies as one of those vital for Hungary.

He will have to think over a thousand times whether hell give up these EU subsidies.

Agencies contributed to this report
He has been accused of courting national extremists in his bid to be re-elected as Israels prime minister, but now, it seems, Benjamin Netanyahu is targeting an entirely different demographic by suggesting he would consider legalising cannabis if he won another term in power.

Asked about the issue during a live Facebook stream, the Likud party leader said he was looking into it and will have an answer soon.

His declaration came after polls showed the countrys new Zehut party  led by the firebrand Moshe Feiglin  surged in popularity on the back of its promise to decriminalise the drug.

The new libertarian group, while unlikely so score real support in the 9 April election, could take significant numbers of right-of-centre voters away from Mr Netanyahu.

His new stance on marijuana is being seen by some as a ploy to sure up support among younger voters.

Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Show all 10 1 /10 Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Palestinian protesters burn tires during a demonstration on the Israel border on February 22 2019 AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Palestinian protesters run through smoke from tear gas and burning tires during a demonstration near the fence along the border with Israel on February 22 2019 AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Palestinian protesters climb the fence along the border with Israel during a demonstration AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Palestinian protesters holding national flags walk past burning tires during a demonstration on the Israel border AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border A Palestinian protester wears a head band as he takes part in a demonstration near the fence along the border with Israel, east of Gaza City on February 22 2019 AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Palestinian protesters and a medic run to pick up a child during a demonstration near the fence along the border with Israel on February 22 2019 AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border Palestinian protesters run through smoke from tear gas and burning tires during a demonstration near the fence along the border with Israel on February 22 2019 AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border A man carries the Palestinian flag during a demonstration near the border fence with Israel AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border A Palestinian protester wears a mask painted in the colours of the national flag during a demonstration on the Israel border AFP/Getty Palestinian protesters light fires along the Israel border A Palestinian protester returns a tear gas canister thrown by Israeli troops during a demonstration on the border AFP/Getty

It comes amid what appears to be one of Israels tightest elections in memory.

Mr Netanyahu, who leads a right-wing block in the countrys parliament, is in a race with the Blue & White bloc led by former military chief Benny Gantz.

While the prime minister has swept to victory in previous elections by painting his opponents as soft on the issue of Palestine, the charge that is failing to stick to Mr Gantz, who repeatedly ordered military action there while leading the Israel Defense Forces.

His quest to be re-elected has also been made harder after the countrys attorney general announced last month that he intended to charge him with bribery and fraud.

Israels local cannabis industry has been blooming after the government approved medical cannabis exports in January.

Officials have estimated related trade deals could bring in as much as 1 billion shekels (208 million) a year in tax revenue.
During the final years of Muammar Gaddafis rule, a steady stream of businesspeople and senior former officials like Tony Blair jetted in and out of Tripoli. They hobnobbed with Libyan officials or even the main man himself inside his tent at the Bab al-Aziziya compound, from where he ran the oil-rich country.

Over small talk and copious servings of tea, they cut potentially questionable deals, handing over consultancy fees or other monies to grease the wheels of Libyan bureaucracy in what amounted to alleged graft, kickbacks and other scheming that tested or transgressed the limits of their own nations anti-corruption laws.

The deal-making of that era has now come back to haunt those who allegedly took part and those near them, most recently threatening to damage one of the worlds leading engineering firms and weaken or even topple the government of Canadian premier Justin Trudeau, and perhaps engulf even more companies.

Mr Trudeaus administration stands accused of attempting to soften penalties against SNC-Lavalin, a Montreal-based engineering giant that allegedly paid C$48m (27m) in bribes to Libyan officials to win contracts in the decade before Gaddafis downfall.

Allegedly corrupt business dealings with the Gaddafi regime have already led to raids, seizures of assets, convictions and jail time in cases in the Netherlands and Norway, and deals under quiet scrutiny by prosecutors stretch the globe, involving firms in Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, an investigation by The Independent reveals.

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Much of the scrutiny of these deals had been suspended in part because overburdened European prosecutors were struggling to pursue cases against nationals who joined Isis and other jihadi groups. But with the Isis conflict drawing to a close, several sources said some of the matters could be resurrected.

The cases, some involving alleged payoffs stretching back years, serve as a warning for big companies seeking deals in kleptocratic regimes known for corruption.

Theres a mentality that corruption is just the way things are done in certain countries while ignoring the impacts of corruption, said James Cohen, executive director of Transparency International Canada.

Theres also a perspective that because of lax enforcement, some companies think they can play the odds and get away with corruption. I think this should be a cautionary tale.

Theres a mentality that corruption is just the way things are done in certain countries while ignoring the impacts of corruption James Cohen, executive director for Transparency International Canada

The businesspeople and politicians often met with Gaddafis sons Saif al-Islam and Saadi or surrogates such as National Oil Company chief Shokri Ghanem to talk about deals, especially in the energy sector, according to Libyan businesspeople and western diplomats.

All those used to go there to make unbalanced business transactions, said Abdulhamid el-Jadi, a Libyan banker and anti-corruption activist who has spent years examining energy and other deals of the Gaddafi area.

The glad-handing intensified in 2003 after the UN lifted sanctions in Libya over its nuclear programme, even catching the attention of American officials in Libya.

The National Oil Company appears to be actively looking for ways to extract additional concessions, or to cut services previously provided to the international oil companies, said a leaked US diplomatic cable from 2007.

Many secrets about the deals are believed to have gone to the grave with Ghanem, Gaddafis last oil minister. He was the alleged go-between for many of the bribes before he defected to the west in 2011 during the final months of the collapsing regime, according to European prosecutors.

His lifeless body was found floating in the Danube in on 29 April 2012, six months after Gaddafis death. The autopsy report said he drowned. Austrian authorities recovered no obvious evidence to suggest violence or foul play.

Prosecutors are now burrowing through the documents and testimony to try to unravel who paid what to whom, and for what purpose.

According to Norwegian and Swiss prosecutors, Ghanems son Mohammed served as the alleged bag man in the case of Yara International, an Oslo-based fertiliser giant.

The company wound up paying the largest corruption fine in Norwegian history and four of its executives were indicted for allegedly paying bribes to win a concession to build a plant in Marsa el Brega and for a separate deal in India, with one defendant receiving a seven-year prison sentence, according to court documents.

Tony Blair met with Muammar Gaddafi on the outskirts of Tripoli in March 2004 (Getty)

Norwegian and Swiss prosecutors said they discovered Yara deposited at least $1.5m (1.2m) in a UBS account belonging to a company in the British Virgin Islands that was operated by Mohammed Ghanem, according to court documents.

The four executives claim they didnt pay bribes but only fees to agents and consultants. Norwegian prosecutor Marianne Djupedal described the Yara prosecution in 2015 as just a small part of whats proven to be a much bigger and complex case that spans multiple jurisdictions, bank accounts, and shell companies registered in tax havens.

Dutch prosecutors have for years been pursuing a case against a $700m hedge fund in the Netherlands called Palladyne, which was operated by Ghanems son-in-law, Ismael Abudher. Its mandate was to manage assets of the Libyan Investment Authority, which managed Libyan public funds.

During a search of his home, Dutch investigators found documents suggesting Mr Abudher owned at least a dozen British Virgin Islands shell companies. Dutch investigators in the case concluded that Mr Abudher had used the firms to embezzle money from the LIA portfolio, according to documents obtained by The Independent.

According to an email obtained by The Independent and confirmed as authentic by Dutch officials, prosecutors in the Netherlands have also been examining payments and communications between Palladyne, its associated shell companies, and a number of major firms.

We came across several (oil) deals involving Ismail Abudhur and Shokri Ghanem whereby we established that funds were going to be transferred to offshore companies operated by Ismail Abudhur, the Dutch investigator wrote in the 4 March 2016 email. Not all the deals went through.

The companies cited in the email are:

Dow Chemicals, the US petrochemical giant, which sought and obtained a joint venture to operate in Ras Lanuf, a petroleum and petrochemical complex in eastern Libya

Sinopec, Chinas state-owned energy behemoth, which has been under investigation for obtaining oil and gas deals using bribery

Hellenic Petroleum, a partially state-owned Greek energy oil giant that sought to win energy exploration deals

Crosco, a Croatian oil services firm that expanded its presence in Libya during the Gaddafi era

Weatherford, a US and Swiss oil drilling firm that sought to win contracts in Libya

LG Chem, a South Korean chemical engineering firm that sought deals in Libya

Pertamina, Indonesias state oil and gas firm, which sought Libyan investment in its refineries

Star Consortium, a now-defunct UAE partnership of two firms that has been prosecuted in Libya and mired in a years-long legal battle over control of a refinery at Ras Lanuf in the wake of a 2008 deal that has come under scrutiny. The firm had long maintained it was fleeced by Libyan counterparts

Arab Drilling and Workover Company, a company owned by a consortium of 10 Arab states that has been probed for connections to the Ghanem family

All of the companies named in the email obtained by The Independent have been contacted for comment, apart from the now defunct Star Consortium, for whom contact details are unavailable.

There is no evidence any of these companies took part in any illegal activities.

In the Canadian case, two former SNC Lavalin employees, Sami Bebawi and Stephane Roy, were charged in 2014 by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with bribing Libyan officials to win deals over the course of a decade.

The Trudeau administration is accused by a former attorney general of pressuring officials to agree to a deferred prosecution or remediation deal that would spare the company further damage. The company, which employs 50,000 people worldwide, has seen its shares plummet over the last year.

Mr Trudeau denied he exercised pressure on the prosecutor, but conceded he urged officials to consider the broader economic implications of bringing the company, which employees 9,000 Canadians, to its knees over the case.

They create many thousands of spin-off jobs in peripheral industries they directly and indirectly put food on the table for countless families as one of Canadas major employers, Mr Trudeau said in his recent press conference addressing the scandal, in which he refused to apologise but admitted mistakes had been made.

But they are also a company facing serious criminal charges, he continued. These are the types of situations that make governing a challenge.

Mr Cohen warned that such calculations by governments and public enforcers risk glossing over the victims of corruption. Its a slap in the face of citizens of these countries who do want change and dont want to live in under a corrupt and repressive regime.
It was during the 2016 referendum campaign that my family first realised we could restore our German citizenship, thus retaining our freedom of movement in Europe. The application seemed a bit of a faff, and not many people knew of our familys refugee history. Adopting a new nationality had seemed ridiculous; we didnt speak German, hadnt lived in Germany for generations, and our family had fled in terror from the Nazis.

Fleeing to the UK in 1936, my great-grandparents Wolfgang and Lotte Krebs and their young son Peter were stateless for over a decade. First applying for British nationalisation in 1941 they were denied citizenship for 11 years, instead relying on short-term promises by the government and their employer to be able to stay living in Ipswich, where Wolf was an electrical engineer.

White privilege and the model minority trope meant Wolf and Lotte could more easily assimilate to British culture than refugees and migrant people of colour. Lotte would tell friends that she picked up her Germanic accent whilst travelling the continent. Both Lotte and Wolf, who practised liberal Judaism in Germany, became secular on British soil.
The scene of a fatal Road Traffic Accident on the M6 at Kilbeggan. Photo: Tony Gavin 17/3/2019

A man in his 60s has died following a five-vehicle crash on the M6 in Co Westmeath.

The collision happened at junction 5 (Kilbeggan) shortly before 1pm.

A male driver of one of the cars, believed to be in his 60s, was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene.

His female passenger, also in her 60s, was injured and taken to the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar.

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The four drivers and five passengers of the other cars involved were also taken to the Midland Regional Hospitals in Mullingar and Tullamore.

One other passenger, who gardai described as having serious injuries, was taken by helicopter to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

A garda spokesperson said that a report has been sent to the local Coroner. The scene is preserved for examination by Garda forensic collision investigators.

The stretch of road remains closed and motorists are being asked to divert to the N52 via Mullingar.

There was another minor collision on the westbound carriageway but it has since reopened.

There was an emergency helicopter and three ambulances. It seemed serious. It was a terrible shower of hailstones, said local woman Caitriona Staunton.

A recent hail shower reportedly caused slippery road conditions in the area, with extra caution advised.

The Tyrrellspass St Patricks Day parade in county Westmeath was called off to allow diverted traffic through the area.

On behalf of the committee, our thoughts are with those involved in the accident on the motor way, a post from the organisers of the parade on Facebook read.

We ask that people please work with us as we clear the village to allow diverted traffic through."

Gardai have appealed for anyone with information to contact Athlone Garda Station 090-6498550 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.
A "young team of heroes" stopped a fellow passenger attempting to jump overboard on a Belfast-bound ferry.

Members of the Forth Bridges Accordion Band travelling on the 11.30am crossing from Cairnryan to Belfast on Saturday prevented the female passenger from jumping overboard.

Posting on the group's Facebook page, a spokesperson for the band said: "Were just off the ferry from Cairnryan Scotland to Belfast Northern Ireland.

"The quick response from our band member Declan saved the life of a middle aged woman who was about to throw herself overboard, he grabbed her as the young girls ran for assistance.

"Declan, Keevay, Korri, Myryn & Hayley we are so proud of you all. Well done to our young team of heroes."

Declan Chirray (17), from Falkirk, said he was travelling with the band to take part in a St Patrick's Day Parade in Enniskillen on Sunday.

He said the incident happened when he went outside for a smoke with his grandmother when he saw the incident unfolding.

"I just sprinted over and grabbed her," he said.

A Stenaline spokesman said: Stena Line can confirm that on the 11.30am crossing from Cairnryan-Belfast this morning (16th March) a female passenger attempted to jump overboard but was restrained by other passengers, who alerted crew to the incident.

"The passenger was reunited with her two travelling companions and the group were given a cabin for the remainder of their return journey to Cairnryan.

"A Stena Line crew member stayed with the group during the remainder of the return crossing. The group disembarked the ship on arrival in Cairnryan. Stena Line would like to extend its thanks to the passengers who helped to prevent a potentially critical situation developing.
The EU is set to equip farmers with more market data to help them negotiate better prices and contract terms with processors and retailers.

A new law on "market transparency", to be tabled by the European Commission in April, aims to provide more up to date and accurate data on products - including prices, costs and stocks, especially at processor and retailer level.

While farm gate and consumer prices are widely available, the EU says there are information "black holes" in the middle of the food supply chain, and particularly in the meat, milk, and fruit and vegetable markets.

The EU already has a milk market observatory and a food price monitoring system but the data is mainly used by EU officials, and not farmers.

The new rules would provide more accurate information more frequently, and break data down not only by product or sector but even by individual cuts of meat.

The success of the move will depend on rural broadband coverage and on whether the Commission can provide adequate training for farmers on how to use the data.

But the recent Beef Plan movement in Ireland wants to prevent factories accessing the livestock data farmers send in to the Department of Agriculture through AIMS. The movement says factories currently hold all the power and fix beef prices, which they say eats into any benefits they might get from the CAP.

EU officials see the proposal as a third step in a bid to give farmers more bargaining power. It follows last year's rule changes allowing for producer cooperation, and a ban on unfair practices such as late payments and last-minute order cancellations.

MEPs will today give their final sign off on the unfair trading practices law, which was tentatively agreed with EU governments last year.

They managed to extend the rules to all suppliers and buyers, regardless of size, and to agricultural products other than food.

They also added to the list of unfair trading practices by including a 60-day payment deadline for orders of non-perishable goods, a 60-day notice period for cancelling an order of perishable goods and a ban on below-cost sales by retailers, unless agreed in advance.

The idea is for all EU countries to apply a set of minimum standards, leaving individual countries to bring in stricter rules if they want. EU countries would set up a watchdog that can impose sanctions on producers or retailers that break the rules.
A surge in packages coming from China Mail - with volumes more than doubling in 18 months -has helped drive the huge parcel growth at An Post.

The Irish postal company is now planning further automation to cope with the massive rise in parcels it is delivering to online shoppers.

A 15m plan will see An Post install a second automatic parcel sorting machine next year at its Dublin Mail Centre in west Dublin.

That will add to the one it is currently installing to help it cope with a massive increase of parcels expected next Christmas, largely driven by the ongoing surge in online shopping.

"Given the expected growth rates we will need a second machine for the following Christmas," said Gareth Bridgeman, An Post's managing director for mails and parcels.

"So the minute we are over Christmas this year, in February 2020, we will start installing that second machine, which will cater for further growth."

This has seen An Post's parcels business grow by 40pc in the past year. As much as a third of the total number of parcels delivered by An Post is believed to come from Amazon. The company also has contracts with other high profile retail brands such as Zara, Next, Brown Thomas and Eason.

But one of the most striking changes is that the company has also seen a doubling in volumes from China Mail in the last 18 months.

Figures for online shopping show that 5bn was spent last year, 2bn from Irish retailers with the remainder coming from abroad. Of the 3bn from abroad, the UK accounts for two-thirds, with the remainder mainly from China and the US.

"The volumes from China Mail have more than doubled in the past 18 months and it is made up of deliveries from websites such as Wish.com and Alibaba," said Bridgeman.

Those sites specialise in cut price small electronic and other relatively low value items.

"Those deliveries can take two or three weeks to get from China but often consumers are happy to wait that length of time for a phone cover or whatever it is because it has only cost them maybe 2 or 3."

Bridgeman said that a transformation in operations at An Post over the past two years was now helping it to capitalise hugely on the boom in online shopping.

"Two years ago we were just the old post office. We didn't deliver on Saturdays or in the evening time. We couldn't use an app to let you tell us that you were going out and that we should put your parcel behind the potted plant," he said.

"We put all of these changes through in consultation with our trade union. Our post men and women watched as letter volumes have nearly halved in 10 years. People were worried about their jobs and their futures but all of a sudden we are seeing this boom in parcels."
The founder of fast-food chain business Eddie Rocket's is to step away from the day-to-day running of the business 30 years after it started.

Niall Fortune, who opened the first restaurant on South Anne Street in Dublin's city centre in 1989, is to take up a new role as chairman of the Rockets Group.

Fortune will be replaced as managing director by Adrian Crean, who previously spent seven years heading up fast food giant McDonald's in Ireland.

Crean will lead the business at a time when it is embarking on significant international expansion. In October, the group opened its first German outlet at a Center Parcs in Allgau. It was the first of 16 outlets set to be opened as part of a franchise agreement with food business Elior Group.

The Rockets group also includes the personalised burger chain The Counter.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Crean said that he will be looking to replicate similar deals across Europe.

"We're looking for people with the ability to scale," he said. "The development agreements we are looking for would typically take place over a three-year time horizon, with 10 to 15 locations opening over that period."

Crean joins from forecourt retailer Applegreen, where he was chief brand and strategy officer.

The company has also brought in US-based James Walker to assist in it its international expansion. Walker previously worked in a similar capacity for food giant Subway and Johnny Rockets, a US chain.
Americans love elections. That's the conclusion I draw from six years of living in the US, having moved here from Ireland. It seems less about the business of governing and more about the stump speeches, the handshaking, and drawing of lines in the sand. Here's what I'm for, and here's why my opponent is wrong.

As I write this, we're some 20 months away from the 2020 election, and over a dozen candidates have thrown their hat into the ring. If you can't keep them all straight in your head, you're not alone.

The 2020 election, like the 2018 midterms, will be a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency. But if Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, is anything to go by, the 2020 election will also be a referendum on Silicon Valley.

The phrase "a shot across the bow" was invented for moments like earlier this month, when Warren published a 1,500-word critique titled "Here's how we can break up Big Tech." In it, she outlined how tech monopolies hurt innovation, why regulators should reverse recent mergers, and why platforms should be designated "utilities," like electricity and water.

On the one hand, deeply-researched and coherent policy outlines are conspicuously absent from American politics recently. On the other hand, it's hard to see how this will win her campaign friends or influence voters.

Whether or not tech companies are too big, too small, or just right, it's hardly a problem that materially impacts the everyday lives of Americans.

I get the appeal of taking a strong stance, particularly one which isn't exactly crowded by other candidates - but this still strikes me as bizarre. Rather than making an argument against "big tech" from first principles, she's trying to convert the unpopularity of these tech companies into support for her presidential run.

Leaving Apple off her list of undesirables is an indication of this: the iPhone manufacturer has largely avoided the negative press that Amazon and Facebook have been subjected to for the last 18 months.

But all of Warren's criticisms also apply to Apple, so it's unclear why they originally emerged unscathed. (In a follow-up interview, Warren did include them in her crosshairs.)

The thrust of Warren's argument, that American consumers are worse off because Amazon, Facebook, and Google have grown so big, feels off to me. Warren never quite articulates what the company's size has to do with how consumers are impacted. Take her policy plank that these platforms should not be allowed sell on their own platform. If Amazon is banned from selling items on its own site (something Warren proposes), the result is that consumers have less access to affordable goods. Google offers many of its core services for free, and it's not obvious this would remain true with increased regulation.

A question Warren doesn't ask: would it be worth "breaking up big tech" if you had to pay for Gmail, or Google Maps, or to search the web?

There's a lot that Warren doesn't include in her manifesto, and a lot that she glosses over or expects her audience to take on faith alone.

Conspicuously absent is any explanation of how these companies got so big in the first place. It's easy to cry monopolies and unfair practices, but this ignores the simple fact that people like these companies, and more and more people use their products every year.

People, as Warren notes, prefer using Google to Bing - precisely because it's an unquestionably superior product. As business analyst Ben Thompson noted, Warren is effectively seeking to punish consumers for choosing the best option available. Ultimately, Warren's policy is a solution in search of a problem. Breaking up large companies just for being large makes no sense, and penalising innovation strikes me as the ultimate own-goal.

Silicon Valley might have solidified its place in popular culture, but innovation is actually down in the last decade.

Entrepreneurship in America largely hasn't recovered from the Great Recession: in 2015, a total of 414,000 business were formed - 25pc less than were formed in 2006. If Warren is a supporter of small business, she should put forward initiatives that promote competition, rather than add bureaucracy for its own sake.

It's certainly in vogue to criticise the tech industry in the US. The Cambridge Analytica scandal was so bad because it confirmed so much of what people suspected Facebook was up to. But taking a generic stance against big tech isn't the solution.

The best way to prevent big businesses is to make it easier to unseat incumbents. As we saw with GDPR, regulation entrenches big businesses more often than it curbs their perceived excesses.

Putting more regulatory weight on small businesses will only make it harder for the sorts of young, scrappy companies that Warren ostensibly promotes.

Since the 1400s, startups have created jobs and been a key source of economic mobility: the term "high-tech startup" is redundant because so many startups develop new technology solutions that make society (and other companies!) more productive. They are the tide that raises all ships.

None of this is to say that governments and regulators shouldn't take a long, hard look at Silicon Valley companies. But if Russian meddling with social networks impacted the result of the 2016 election, that would have far greater consequences for American consumers than whether Google's acquisition of Waze violates the spirit of anti-trust laws.

If Warren's opening move is anything to go by, Silicon Valley is going to the punching bag of 2020 campaigns on the left and right.

Democrats in 2018 defined themselves in opposition to Donald Trump, with lukewarm results. Silicon Valley is an easy target to refocus on.

Prepare yourself for multiple rounds of one-upmanship that ultimately won't benefit consumers. I suspect it's going to be a long few months.
Deutsche Bank is rebuffing pressure from top performers to restructure retention bonuses after the awards tumbled in value last year and opened the way for more defections, according to people familiar with the matter.

The bank told key staff in recent weeks it won't make any changes to the programme, which began in 2017, the people said, asking not to be identified because the talks were private. Senior executives including Mark Fedorcik, co-president of the investment bank, have sought to retool the bonuses after the share price slid far below the level needed for full payout, the people said.

Some employees have been weighing career options, worried a potential merger with Commerzbank might crimp future compensation.

To ensure crucial talent didn't flee, the firm earmarked more than 1.1bn in retention awards to about 5,500 employees in 2017. But the payouts take as long as six years to vest, and half are in the form of equity that will be withheld if the stock misses an undisclosed target.

The stock slumped 56pc last year, leaving the price below half the level needed, people familiar with the matter have said.

Deutsche Bank has said it set a minimum stock price when designing the bonuses "to further align the awards with the long-term health of our bank and the interests of our shareholders". Yet the price is now so much lower than what's required, that some employees are giving up. A representative for the company - headed by Deutsche Bank CEO Christian Sewing - declined to comment.

Departures from the investment bank in the past year included Charles Dupree, the top mergers and acquisitions banker in the Americas, and Tadhg Flood, co-head of financial institutions banking. Brad Kurtzman, head of the equities unit in the Americas, will depart at the end of March.

The company has told staff of deep cuts to 2018 bonuses, sources said last week. The firm lowered its annual bonus pool by 10pc to 15pc from the prior year, one source said. While some top performers got raises, and others including new hires were guaranteed payouts, it'll withhold bonuses entirely from certain bankers in New York and London, the sources said.

Analysts at Bank of America wrote in a note last week that it's an open question whether Deutsche Bank would be able to maintain the pay and incentive structure of a global investment bank if it were to merge with Commerzbank, Germany's second-largest lender.

This month, two union leaders on Deutsche Bank's supervisory board came out against a merger over concerns it would lead to job cuts. As many as 30,000 positions could be at risk if a deal were reached, according to people familiar with the situation.

Bloomberg
Kelsey Grammer has said that Britain needs to pull up your sleeves and get on with Brexit.

The actor, 64, who is to make his West End debut in Man Of La Mancha at the London Coliseum, dismissed arguments for a Peoples Vote.

He said the US also suffered the issue of voters demanding a second chance because they were unhappy with a result.

The Cheers and Frasier star, a supporter of US President Donald Trump, described his political views as pro-common sense on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show.

"Once you've made the decision, once the vote is done, it's time to get the work done"



Frasier actor Kelsey Grammer, who is starring in musical Man of La Mancha in London, speaks to the Andrew #Marr programme about #Brexit https://t.co/5bM6RAIAvX pic.twitter.com/N9xfjnKjlg  BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) March 17, 2019

Asked about Brexit, he replied: I just thought its time. Once youve made a decision, once the vote is done, its time to pull up your sleeves and get the work done.

Well see, obviously there are some people who wish they had voted, so maybe they are going to vote again.

We have this issue in America too. If you dont get the result you want, lets just keep voting until we get it.

Grammer previously discussed his political views in 2017, telling Radio 4s Desert Island Discs being a Republican supporter is like having a target on your back.

Expand Close Grammer is a supporter of US President Donald Trump (BBC/PA) / Facebook

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He told Marr that, in a mainly liberal industry, he might have lost acting roles because of his views.

Grammer said: I like to think better of my peers than to think they would hold that against me in terms of talent.

You hire an actor. You dont hire his politics. There are maybe some people who have done that.

He added: Theres a kind of hysteria about disagreement right now which I think is unhealthy.

If you take the opportunity to really listen to someone and let them make their point, logic will defuse that. But logics not really that popular right now.

Man Of La Mancha opens at the London Coliseum on April 26.
A new body to help tackle gambling addiction and problems caused by gaming is to receive 1m a year from the Irish Bookmakers Association.

The Gambling Awareness Trust is a newly registered charity which aims to fund research into gambling problems, information campaigns and help finance agencies which provide counselling and other services.

Its board is chaired by former Junior Agriculture Minister Tom Hayes and includes former Minister for State with responsibility for primary care, mental health and disability Kathleen Lynch, retired garda superintendent John Ford, retired judge Gillian Hussey and Willie Collins, former director of Aiseiri addiction treatment services, who served on the Government's National Advisory Committee on Drugs.

The Irish Bookmakers Association will not have a representative on the board.

The establishment of the trust was expected to be announced today.

Michael Devine, clinical director of the Cork-based Tabor Group which provides residential treatment for a wide range of addictions, said he was unaware of the new trust. He said he was aware there has been lobbying for levies to be imposed on the gambling industry to fund measures to deal with problem gambling. The provision of funds for research and treatment "would be welcome," he said.

While the proportion of gambling addicts receiving residential treatment was very small, there were many people with other addictions who developed problems with gambling, he said.

"Cocaine addicts can develop problems with gambling because they somehow think it could result in easy money to pay drug debts. So gambling becomes a secondary problem for addicts," he said.

"In ways, it's similar to obsessive compulsive behaviour. A person in a bad mood may try to use gambling to change their mood. They can engage and can't stop as it becomes compulsive. They suffer unwanted consequences but they nevertheless continue.

"We have people who approach the Tabor Group who have financial difficulties, who may have been involved in workplace fraud, or a family in distress because a mortgage was taken out without family members knowing.

"This can result in self-harm and families deciding on an intervention," he said.

Fianna Fail TD Jack Chambers said: "Gambling addiction in Ireland has spiralled completely out of control and is causing much harm, and is ruining lives and tearing apart families in the exact same way drugs or alcohol addiction do on a daily basis.

"The scale of gambling addiction is still not fully appreciated, and least of all by the Government, who have done absolutely nothing to try and help people with gambling addiction.

"They have... turned their backs entirely on gambling addicts. I introduced comprehensive gambling legislation along with my party colleagues which, among other things, would set up a fully empowered regulator to properly control this sector. But the government has refused to allow this legislation to proceed.

"I am deeply concerned that the gambling industry is now pumping huge sums of money into what is effectively a public relations measure," he added.
Focus fell neatly on the written word during this week of the Tipperary murder trial.

Evidence was heard of a note discovered in the home of defendant Patrick Quirke - and of indentations discovered on the same sheet of paper which told of previous writings.

There was evidence of a flurry of solicitors' letters sent between the legal representatives of Mary Lowry and Mr Quirke as they settled the ending of their lease agreement for the land at Fawnagowan, Co Tipperary.

We also heard of an anonymous text message sent to Ms Lowry in the months after the disappearance of her boyfriend, Bobby Ryan, which warned her that she was being watched.

Judge Eileen Creedon yesterday warned the jury not to discuss the case, which, she said, "was really being discussed by just about everyone in the country, at this point".

On Tuesday, the jury was told of a handwritten note detailing a series of questions about the disappearance of Mr Ryan.

The note speculated that the naked state of his body meant "he was either murdered and the clothes taken off or that he never left the house". Garda John Walsh said the note was found in a search of Mr Quirke's house on May 17, 2013.

Mr Quirke (50), of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryan (52), a part-time DJ known as 'Mr Moonlight', on a date between June 3, 2011, and April 2013.

Gda Walsh read the note aloud, beginning: "Mary last one to see him? Body naked, either murdered and clothes taken off or never left the house?"

He said the words "never left the house" were underlined.

The note continued: "How did she find his van so quickly? Why did she look for him in a place she knew he wouldn't have needed to go....Very strange...Token search...Why wouldn't she act on leads of travelling salesman?"

There were other questions such as why she gave "varying accounts" of how long Mr Ryan was in the yard and ended: "Why was she relieved when 'Crimecall' was a rubbish programme and got no help to jog anyone's memory."

The following day, the jury heard indentations on the same sheet of paper were deciphered. Detective Garda Jeremiah Moloney from the document and handwriting section of the Technical Bureau told the trial he used an electrostatic detection apparatus - or ESDA device - that can detect indentations caused by pen pressure from previous writings.

On the front of the page he discovered indentations at the top which read "pallet chains", followed by "Gary ( ) empty tank two loads", as well as "agitate need water".

Among the indentations on the back of the page was found: "What the guards will know", "murdered poss in house", and the words "dispose" and "Mary".

Line 16 read "dispose of clothes\phone\any other evidence", said Dt Gda Moloney.

Between lines 20 and 21 were the words "phone pinged".

The jury heard of a series of solicitors' letters sent between Ms Lowry and Mr Quirke, which began in December 2012, in which they agreed to terminate his lease of her farm.

One of these asked Mr Quirke to refrain from entering Ms Lowry's property and restrict his activities to the farmland and to day-time hours, if possible.

A reply from Mr Quirke started he was "extremely disappointed" matters had deteriorated between them.

Meanwhile, the trial heard gardai have never discovered the identity of the person who sent a text message to Mary Lowry three months after the disappearance of Mr Ryan.

Phonetically written, it read: "U tink u r so col out partyn lik Bobby nevr existd. We no u hidn somethn nd wer gonta watch u till u crak."

Translated, it read: "You think you are so cool out partying like Bobby never existed. We know you're hiding something and we are going to watch you until you crack."

The trial continues.
AN English woman who moved to Ireland in a bid to prevent her second child being taken into care has lost a year-long legal fight over where decisions about the youngster's future should be made.

The woman, who is in her 30s, had a toddler taken from her and placed for adoption in 2014 when living in England.

In 2017 she travelled to Ireland when pregnant with her second child to try to escape attention from council social workers in England, family court judges have heard.

Irish social workers became involved when the second child was born in Ireland.

Staff at the Irish Child and Family Agency began care proceedings and the child was temporarily placed with a foster carer pending long-term decisions.

The woman wanted a judge in Ireland to make decisions about her second child's long-term future.

Social workers in Ireland and England disagreed.

They thought the child's case should be analysed in English family courts.

A judge in Ireland ruled against the woman, said the case should be transferred to London, and said a family court judge in England should make decisions.

That ruling was accepted by a High Court judge in London.

The woman has now had the latest in a series of appeals dismissed.

Deputy High Court Judge William Tyler, who is based in London, had analysed her latest challenge at a private family court hearing and has outlined his decision in a written ruling.

He said the case should be considered in England and indicated that a judge in England would soon begin examining arguments about where the second child should live in the long term.

The judge said the woman had been born in England and lived in England until 2017.

Judge Tyler said he was the seventh judge, in Ireland and England, to have examined arguments about where the case should be heard since January 2018.

He said the child at the centre of the case could not be identified in media reports of the case, he has not indicated in which areas of England or Ireland the woman lived, and he has not named the English council involved.
The former chair of the new Children's Hospital Board, Tom Costello, told colleagues he was reluctant to step down from the role last month, amid controversy surrounding the cost of the project, new correspondence shows.

Mr Costello tendered his resignation at the height of public anger and concern about an over-spend at the St James's site, saying he was "concerned about the reputational damage" criticism of the project would bring.

Speaking publicly at the time, he said he "acted with professionalism and integrity" during his six years on the board.

Correspondence obtained by the Sunday Independent, under the Freedom of Information Act, shows Mr Costello stood down from his role as chair of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) with a heavy heart.

The estimated cost of the new hospital at the St James's Hospital site in Dublin has increased from its original estimate of 650m to more than 1.7bn.

It had previously been proposed to build the hospital at the Mater Hospital at an expected cost of 450m but this was not granted planning permission.

On the morning he tendered his resignation last month, Mr Costello sent an email to senior officials working on the project.

The email was sent shortly after 11am on February 2. He explained that he enjoyed his time working on the project but had come to the conclusion he had to vacate his role.

"Reluctantly I have decided to step down from my role as chairman of the NPHDB," Mr Costello wrote.

He added that he would keep watch on the project from afar and promised to maintain a personal interest in the development of the new hospital.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you all and I thank you most sincerely for your commitment and dedication to this once-in-a-lifetime project.

"I wish you every good wish in the days and years ahead as you move to project completion.

"I will be keeping a close eye on progress."

The email was sent to nine senior project officials, including: project director John Pollock; project monitoring committee administrator Elaine O'Rourke; commercial director Declan Holmes; and development board executive Pat Molloy.

Director for programme management Richard Fitzpatrick, design director Phelim Devine, financial officer Jim Farragher, executive communications manager Rhonda Evans and commercial adviser Norman Craig were also made aware of his decision to resign with immediate effect.

These officials were also sent a copy of Mr Costello's public statement. In it, he indicated he was concerned public commentary about rising costs would distract focus from delivering the project.

He said he wanted to make the public aware his decision was grounded on concerns about "the reputational damage that the ongoing commentary about the increased cost of the hospital is having on this critically important project".

Mr Costello added he was satisfied the project would be delivered by 2022.

Mr Costello, who has more than 30 years' experience working in construction, before becoming a consultant, was appointed to the hospital's development board by then Health Minister James Reilly in 2013.

He did not respond when contacted by the Sunday Independent last week.
The former Irish soldier who moved to Syria to live with Islamic terrorists was wired 800 by her family in recent months after she told them she wanted to come home.

Lisa Smith was sent 300 before Christmas and 500 last month by her family in Dundalk to help her escape the war-torn region with her two-year-old son, said Peter Fitzpatrick, an independent TD for Louth.

He said Ms Smith spoke to family members by phone around February 12, when she confirmed she received the 500.

She texted a week later on February 19, again indicating her desire to leave, said Mr Fitzpatrick. The family heard nothing more until earlier this month when an ITV news crew interviewed her in a refugee camp in Northern Syria along with the families of other Isil fighters.

As to Ms Smith's current beliefs, Mr Fitzpatrick said: "All the family knows is that she had been in contact with them for the last two years telling them that she wants to come home."

He added that they have heard nothing since her text message last month.

The TD, who like Ms Smith is a former member of the Defence Forces, said he met her family last Monday after they reached out to him through a friend. He said after hearing their concerns, he contacted Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney from the Smith family home.

The minister then spoke to the family on the phone. "The family were delighted to speak to him," as up to then they had "no contact with anyone" other than gardai.

Mr Fitzpatrick, who met the family again yesterday, said they have "placed their faith" in the Department of Foreign Affairs. The department is engaged in ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure Ms Smith's release from the camp in Northern Syria.

However, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said last night that her identity has not been confirmed and the government has received no request for consular assistance from her.

The fate of Ms Smith has sparked heated debate after she was interviewed by an ITV news crew in the camp controlled by Kurdish-led forces.

The report said she had fled Baghouz, Isil's last stronghold, with her son. The Taoiseach has indicated that Ms Smith will not be stripped of her citizenship and can return to Ireland but has promised that there will first be a security assessment of her activities.

Lisa Smith converted to Islam in 2011 when she was in still in the Air Force, serving as an attendant on the government jet. Security sources believe that she was radicalised online in Dundalk and that she left Ireland in 2014 or 2015 to live in the Isil caliphate.

She is believed to have married an Isil fighter and had a son with him.

Speaking about the case last week, Leo Varadkar said: "Going to Syria or going to live in what was called Islamic State is not in itself a crime. So we will need to carry out an investigation. I know the authorities there will want to interrogate her. But it's very possible that she wasn't a combatant," he said.
A Catholic bishop has spoken about why a reduction in the number of Masses as priest numbers continue to fall may not be a negative development.

But Bishop Donal McKeown said: In many ways, there are far too many Masses with the size of the buildings that we have and the numbers of people that are there, said the bishop, whose diocese straddles the Border, including the Inishowen peninsula in Co Donegal and Co Derry.

He also warned that turbo-capitalism is ravishing society and destroying lives in Ireland.

The focus must be on ensuring that we have a number of good high-quality well-prepared liturgies that welcome people and include people. So we dont need as many Masses, said the Bishop of Derry.

His remarks follow a warning by the Bishop of Ossory, Dermot Farrell, that the number of priests in his diocese aged under 75 will decrease by half, from 40 to 20, in the next 10 years, causing a reduction in Masses.

Bishop McKeown told the Sunday Independent the Church is changing from the model where the laity helped the priest do all his work to a model where the priest supports the laity in the work of the parish.

The places in the world where the Church is thriving and growing are those places in Africa and Asia that didnt have a glut of clergy two generations ago. They are thriving precisely because of far fewer priests, the bishop said.

We have to stop lamenting an old model that arose in almost a pre-literate age where no one in your parish could read except the master and the doctor and the priest. In most congregations now, you could have a PhD sitting in front of you.

We have to find creative ways to move forward rather than telling a miserable story that all is declining, he said.

He was optimistic because his diocese had a wellspring of positive people who were proud of their faith with strong lay organisations doing pastoral work.

He said a key part of the local diocesan plan is building open and welcoming communities in a context where there is so much loneliness and fragmentation of relationships, as well as suicide and addiction. The plan seeks to support people to journey and grow together in faith and to work to make Jesus known and loved.

Nationally, a neo-liberal model of society was causing many problems of its own. People need to help get some balance back rather than have this turbo-capitalism ravishing the place and destroying lives, he said.

Meanwhile, Bishop Farrell told this newspaper that it is inevitable there will be further reductions in Masses in his diocese. The old model of the priest providing all services was not sustainable and the time had arrived for the laity to take on more leadership roles, he said.

A service model is not going to sustain the Christian life of the parish. What we have at the moment is a type of service model. When you transition from one model to another, there is going to be pain and it isnt easy for people or for the priests either who were brought up in a certain model, he said.

There are now moves for ongoing co-operation between groups of parishes in seeking ways to provide for the sacramental and liturgical life in their areas, in terms of joint pastoral councils or communal baptismal teams, funeral teams, shared choirs, readers, and Eucharistic ministers.

He said fewer Masses in future years was not a negative thing as there were currently many Masses taking place within a few miles of each other on Sundays.

When many churches were built, cars had not been invented but nowadays travel was much easier.
Mary Lou McDonald has apologised for walking behind a banner in the New York St Patricks Day parade which read England get out of Ireland. Photo: Sinn Fein

The Sinn Fein leader has been condemned for marching behind an "offensive" banner in New York's St Patrick's Day parade.

Mary Lou McDonald helped carry a sign which read "England Get Out of Ireland", as she took part in the city's annual parade to mark the Irish national day on Saturday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney accused Ms McDonald of poor leadership and of being an embarrassment over her actions.

He tweeted: "@MaryLouMcDonald this is NOT leadership - it's offensive, divisive and an embarrassment - grow up, this is NOT #Ireland in 2019! we are better than this!"

Mr Coveney made the remarks after Sinn Fein posted a photograph of their party leader at the parade.

The tweet read: "No explanation needed. @MaryLouMcDonald #StPatrickDay Parade #NYC."

Ms McDonald was in the United States to take part in the annual St Patrick's festivities.

In an earlier post, the Tanaiste commended New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern in the wake of the mass shootings in Christchurch.

He wrote: "This is what Leadership looks like - @jacindaardern #NewZealandTerrorAttack".

His tweet was accompanied by a video of Ms Ardern wearing a hijab as she met the families of the victims of the mosque shootings.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann also condemned Ms McDonald's actions.

Mr Swann said: "Once again Mary Lou McDonald as president of Sinn Fein, has shown them up for what they are really all about as she posed behind a banner which was highly offensive and wrong on so many levels.

"It demonstrated that bigotry and hypocrisy were alive and well within their version of republicanism.

"It is clear that when Sinn Fein talk about respect, honesty and integrity, that they are as sincere as Gerry Adams using equality as a Trojan Horse to attack unionists. Their words about rights are only a veneer to hide their true intention."

He added: "It is sad that whilst others celebrate St Patrick in a respectful and non-confrontational manner, Sinn Fein return to type."

Democratic Unionist Party's Gregory Campbell said Sinn Fein's caption on the tweeted picture, which read "No explanation needed", summed up the party's attitude to explanations, truth and respect.

"When slogans such as "Brits out" or "England out of Ireland" are used the unionist community are well within their rights to see themselves as the intended focus," Mr Campbell said.

"The 'British presence in Ireland' is the unionist population in Northern Ireland.

"The Republican focus on "Brits" in the city of Londonderry saw thousands of unionists move out en masse from the Cityside as the IRA began their 'war'.

"It's clear that republicans don't do explanations. Neither do they do apologies. They've never explained let alone apologised for the terror their armed wing conducted for so long."

In response to the criticism a Sinn Fein spokesman said: "The most divisive and offensive act on this island for almost the last 100 years has been the partition of Ireland.

"It should come as no surprise that Sinn Fein wants a new united Ireland under the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement.

"The faux outrage of some of our political opponents owes more to the silly season of a holiday weekend and petty political point scoring.

"However if Simon Coveney and the Government is serious about achieving a new and agreed united Ireland then he should immediately convene an all-Ireland forum on Irish unity."
Gardai are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal house fire in the south-west of the country in which an elderly woman died.

Emergency services were alerted to a fire at a property in Youghal, east Cork this evening and rushed to the scene.

The blaze was contained by fire services and then searched. Sources said a female pensioner, aged in her 80s, was discovered inside. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal fire is underway, but it is currently being treated as a tragic accident.

The woman was discovered in an armchair and gardai are working off the theory that she died as a result of smoke inhalation.

A post-mortem is expected to be carried out which will confirm the exact cause of death.

Gardai and fire services will also carry out inquiries to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

Emergency services remained at the scene of the fatal fire in Youghal last night and the scene was preserved by gardai.

In a separate incident last October a male in his 60s died following a house fire at a property in Dunmanway, west Cork. The incident was not treated as suspicious.
Ruth Maguire (pictured) was one of 32 women on a hen party in Carlingford in Co Louth last night. Ruth's friends are making an appeal for information after the mum of three did not arrive back to the house that they were staying in. Picture Ciara Wilkinson

Ruth Maguire (pictured) was one of 32 women on a hen party in Carlingford in Co Louth last night. Ruth's friends are making an appeal for information after the mum of three did not arrive back to the house that they were staying in. Picture Ciara Wilkinson

An appeal has been made for information after a mother-of-three went missing from a hen in Carlingford, Co Louth.

Ruth Maguire (30) was one of 32 women on the hen and according to her friend Katrina OHare the group all headed home to house we are staying in, at 11.30pm last night.

The house is less than 5 minutes from Taaffes bar, where the group was before it headed home.

Within minutes they realised that Ruth was not with them and Katrina said, this is totally out of character.

The group, the majority from Belfast, began searching for her straight away but could not find her.

A doorman heard her say she might make her way home to Newcastle, county Down.

However her partner and children had gone to Belfast. This morning he drove back down to Newcastle and realised she had not returned home.

Her phone is turned off and her coat was found in the bar today.

Ruth is tall, slim, has blonde hair and was wearing a black t-shirt saying Member of Irish Bride drinking team, and black jeans.

The hen party arrived in Carlingford yesterday and are due to leave tomorrow.

Katrina said, this is awful, just awful, and has appealed to Ruth to make contact with straight away or for anyone who knows her whereabouts to contact the Gardai in Carlingford on 042- 9373102.
The living room is open plan to the kitchen at Glenlion Lodge, Howth,

Glenlion Lodge at Thormanby Road in Howth, Co Dublin, is a sweet little bolthole on the southern side of the peninsula with wonderful sea views.

If you consider buying it, though, you might not want to get too fond of the way it looks right now.

Fingal County Council granted planning permission in February 2017 for a substantial extension to the lodge, designed by architects Douglas Wallace.

The case went to appeal but An Bord Pleanala upheld the planning authority's decision.

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What you will get, if you proceed with the plans, is a 1,614 sq ft cottage with a whole new first floor from which to better enjoy the view of Dublin Bay.

If not, you will have a tiny lodge measuring 632 sq ft all on one floor, and one in need of some modernising, down to an avocado-coloured bathroom suite.

However, there's nothing wrong with the view as it is, which can be enjoyed from a bay window in the open-plan kitchen and living room, measuring some 18ft by 16ft.

There's a wooden ceiling and a laminate floor in the living area, with an elevated fireplace in the corner.

The kitchen is basic but functional, with fitted cabinets and a tiled floor, and there's even a separate utility room.

To one side of the living room is a bedroom with French windows allowing egress onto the south-facing terrace.

This room has an en suite (in avocado) with a walk-in shower.

The second bedroom is off the entrance hall and has a bay window and a bathroom off it with white suite.

At present, the house has a fairly dismal energy rating of G. Once extended and modified, it's planned that the new energy rating will be A3.

Glenlion Lodge is for sale for 650,000 with Gallagher Quigley, (01) 818 3000.
Frida decoration, 13. No, you dont have to wait until Christmas for this hand-embroidered Frida hanging lovely; iansnow.comspring

A few years ago, if you had asked most people if they'd heard of early 20th-Century Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, outside of a knowing few, the recognition factor would have been low. Adding 'Eyebrows' as a clue might have helped.

But over the past few years Google Trends data has registered a steady upwards tick in global search interest in the artist.

Then last year, the V&A staged 'Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up', a massive, sell-out exhibition which ran between June and November and suddenly, it's a Fridaverse: everyone wants a piece of her signature naive folk-art style.

The love of all things Frida coincides with fashion's recent obsession with dark floral and animal print motifs (thanks, Gucci, Olivia Rubin and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi). Put it together with the move to modesty from full-coverage fashion brands like The Vampire's Wife and Batsheva and we're nicely prepped to translate a folksier feel into our interiors too.

For Roisin Lafferty, founder and managing director of Kingston Lafferty Design, it's all about the 360-degree view. "This is very fashion led," she confirms. "Often interior trends are led by fashion collections. There's a link between festival chic, nomadic travelling and adventuring as we enter the spring and summer months."

Kahlo herself was inspired by Mexican culture and its colours and symbols. And the same elements typify the folk art and design of global traditional cultures from the 18th and 19th centuries which are informing our decor tastes today. Think vintage Russian Matryoshkas, ikat and Hungarian floral patterns, chalky paint colours and hand-stencilling.

Lafferty agrees. "This trend is inspired by original blankets, rugs and embroidery details from bygone eras. Lots of original elements can be sourced online, in vintage and charity shops and flea markets."

Going direct to the original material is the thing to do to create an authentic look. "Avoid the newer items on the high street that reference this trend and instead opt for the original source," she says.

Pieces can be sculptural, functional or decorative - so, what should you buy? "Like all trends, I would advise treading with caution," Lafferty warns. "Trends are just that. I would encourage you to look at new trends and see if there are certain elements that really appeal to you. Part of the appeal of folk motifs are the textiles and natural materials that are usually associated with them," she points out.

That's a clue to look for rugs and wall hangings - things that will literally stick around in your decor. "This will mean there is more longevity from the pieces you do invest in," Lafferty says.

Prints and ceramics are another way to reference folk art in your home without it taking over - worth thinking about in smaller spaces. Online sources such as Etsy can be a godsend for both, as can eBay - provided you get your search parameters right.
There was a certain smugness in settling in for the evening last week to watch the UK parliamentary drama. The juxtaposition of the veneer of ancient, formal, solemn ritual with the farcical reality was compelling. Such pomposity about such chaos.

I knew these guys. On the college debating circuit back in the day, I met plenty of their kind. Legal types, like the European Research Group guys. They debated for places with names like Middle Temple, and they enjoyed the pomp and ceremony of it all. The Irish style of debating was about winning the argument and getting a few laughs. For these guys, Oxbridge types, it was more about the drama. They loved the drama, the pomposity, jumping up and down making points of order in Bercovian bellows, shouting things like "shame" from the audience. They loved it, all the shouting and the drama. All great sport. They were nice chaps most of them. Decent fellows. Of course in my naivete it never struck me that these bumptious, almost childlike chaps, for whom most things seemed a bit of a lark, were being groomed to run the empire one day. It never struck me either that their quaint ways of carrying on around debating was how they would actually govern.

Of course, I'm not telling you anything you haven't observed. It has become a trope with us now. We are finally having our revenge for hundreds of years of being regarded as the child in the complex relationship we share with our neighbours. And now suddenly, we are the adult, and they the child. The child that doesn't know what's good for it. Overstimulated, running around in circles, tears of frustration, doesn't know what it wants, won't be told.

And last week was a high point for us. We in the chattering classes trooped home every evening, and having got grown-up Brexit news from the sensible troika of Fiona Mitchell, Tony Connelly and Tommie Gorman, we then settled in to Sky News to be delighted and appalled by the omnishambles as it played out. Some weird form of masochism had us all glued to it for hours as it went around in circles with its Harry Potterish, almost Dickensian cast of characters. The stout shouty Bercow in his element as the boss of the orphanage, the central-casting villain Rees-Mogg, Slugworth if he was drawn by a Victorian cartoonist. Even Theresa May, who when drawn by the cartoonist, would have a perpetual drip at the end of her nose, had an actual drip on the end of her nose, and was croaking like a frog. Each time she said the 'E' as she started saying 'EU' in her deep growl, you half expected her to say 'ET phone home'.

No wonder then that kicking them and condescending to them has become a national sport for us. It has even made us feel good about our own parliament. The narrative on our own parliament before all this kicked off had been that it was a joke. New politics wasn't working, was the line, and the whole thing was an embarrassing mess that was demeaning politics. Suddenly now, our own gang are masterful statesmen and women, restrained and responsible.

We might find it is a dangerous narrative that underestimates Theresa May and the UK. She may seem weak now, and many of the Brexiteers may look like cartoon buffoons, but these people didn't get where they are today by being idiots - not complete idiots anyway. We may disagree with many of their opinions, and yes, the whole Brexit process is a shambles, and they seem pathetic at this point, and powerless.

But then, what are we to make of their tariff plans, as revealed last Wednesday morning? The UK government essentially sent out a message last Wednesday morning, saying, "OK guys. If this is how you want to play it, we will do what we want." And while the proposed tariff regime may not be legal, it is the intent of it that we should look at. It was Britain saying, 'We will screw the Irish beef industry, we will mess with the hundreds of thousands of jobs in the German motor industry, and most importantly, we will give you what you want. We will not implement a border on the island of Ireland. In fact, you guys are going to have to be the ones to do it.' So under that tariff plan, or some variation of it, it was Leo Varadkar, and Donald Tusk and Co who would be putting up a hard border in Ireland.

May and her government were essentially reminding us all that if the UK is cut loose, defending Europe's frontiers, or even maintaining their integrity, would not be the UK's problem any more. There were presumably other messages there too, like to the DUP, about how a backstop that will hopefully never happen, might not be the worst outcome. Indeed, while everything could have changed by the time you read this, as I write there is some hope the DUP have had some manners put in them.

Another dangerous narrative that took hold as the week progressed was that if the UK wanted a long extension on Article 50 they would have to either have another referendum or come back with a plan for a softer Brexit. This was the culmination of days of noise from Brussels, suggesting that they wouldn't be making it easy for the UK to get an extension. The narrative was that Europe does not want to be infected by the toxicity of the UK, if the UK was to come back in for an extended period. We also heard a lot of suggestions that Europe was tired of Brexit now, had more pressing problems to deal with, and that it was up to the Brits to sort it out amongst themselves now. Europe is done with the whole mess. Sick of it. No more now.

That is all very understandable, and it is frustrating to see the UK in this seemingly intractable position where a parliament split three or four ways becomes paralysed. But does it really help to treat the UK with such disdain, with such impatience, with such hostility? Europe acting like this is actually feeding into the mentality that gave us Brexit. It is grist to the mill of the extreme Brexiteers who won't back May's deal regardless of backstops, because they want to be free. If you have a bunch of people who have issues about their sovereignty, is it really a good idea to start lording it over them and debasing them, when they are already on their knees? It just feeds into the Brextremists' narrative about Europe.

I'm not saying the British didn't inflict all this on themselves, and that they are not making a balls of it. But cornering and humiliating people like this usually serves to make them more dangerous.

Giving people "a ladder to climb down" has been the new cliche of the last few days. While it's difficult to give someone what they want if they can't agree what they want, there are better strategies than upping the stakes all the time.

Right now there is still some hope she can get her deal through this week but if not, maybe Europe, and not just the UK, should have a rethink. We've given the UK plenty of the stick, maybe it's time now for a bit of carrot, and maybe even a ladder.
A bad deal is better than no deal after all. Who could have guessed? It has taken Mrs May and her colleagues 33 months to arrive at a conclusion so obvious that the crash-out possibility made its debut only after the 2016 vote, as a threat to frighten the EU-27. Its abandonment was marked appropriately when the Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay voted against the government motion which he had commended to the House of Commons a few hours earlier. And kept his job.

Mrs May intends to submit the draft agreement a third time this Tuesday and will then seek a short time extension from the EU to avoid exit on March 29, since preparatory legislation has been neglected. Whatever the outcome, the humiliation of the United Kingdom has been most thoroughly accomplished by this hapless generation of elected officials.

There could even be another midnight dash to meet Mr Juncker, from whom yet another meaningless elaboration on the draft agreement could be extracted. More pertinently, meetings are under way with the Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 MPs were part of the 149-vote shortfall for the deal's second defeat last Tuesday. If they can be converted, others from the Tory right would possibly follow. Mrs May bunged the DUP 1bn for extra spending in Northern Ireland to secure the support which keeps her minority government in office, a deal which runs out next June.

The attendance of Philip Hammond, who holds the Treasury purse-strings, at the initial meeting with the DUP prompted journalists to pop the question to the DUP's Nigel Dodds.

''No, we are not discussing more cash," said an affronted Dodds, on behalf of the UK's only coin-operated political party.

The majority on Thursday evening to seek an extension to the Article 50 period, the twilight of the UK's 45-year membership in the European Union, was a fitting coda to this doomed exercise in ''taking back control''. Having chosen to convert friends into strangers, the UK relies on their kindness to facilitate the continuation of a Brexit process acknowledged to damage both.

There is no beneficial Brexit for the UK economy and any Brexit outcome will be economically damaging in both parts of Ireland. The pure economics of the referendum choice were well summarised by Theresa May as she campaigned for the Remain cause in April 2016:

"So, if we do vote to leave the European Union, we risk bringing the development of the single market to a halt, we risk a loss of investors and businesses to remaining EU member states, driven by discriminatory EU policies, and we risk going backwards when it comes to international trade."

The ''discriminatory EU policies'' to which the then Home Secretary referred are inescapable. The EU is a deep internal market, extending unimpeded trade access only to its members. There is no form of Brexit which retains the full economic benefits of membership.

Only if the UK can somehow replace lost European trade with expanded markets elsewhere can there be a net benefit, and Mrs May dismissed this Brexiteer pipe-dream in the same speech:

"It is tempting to look at developing countries' economies, with their high growth rates, and see them as an alternative to trade with Europe. But just look at the reality of our trading relationship with China - with its dumping policies, protective tariffs and industrial-scale industrial espionage. And look at the figures. We export more to Ireland than we do to China, almost twice as much to Belgium as we do to India, and nearly three times as much to Sweden as we do to Brazil. It is not realistic to think we could just replace European trade with these new markets."

Mrs May's conversion to the Leave cause since her appointment as prime minister does not alter these blunt realities.

Brexit may deliver extra sovereignty, lower EU immigration and greater autonomy, but in the economic sphere, it is about damage-limitation. If the UK takes a hit, this will hurt the exporters of the Republic, for whom it is an important, if declining, market. There is double-trouble for Northern Ireland, for which the British market is more critical, but is also the source of substantial annual financial transfers.

If a post-Brexit economic slowdown in the UK brings budget stringency in its wake, Northern Ireland will not be spared the consequences. There will be retribution for DUP bungs: Northern Ireland is not the only needy UK region.

The deal envisaged in the withdrawal agreement contains the bonus, for Northern Ireland, of better long-term access to EU markets than will be offered to the rest of the UK.

For Great Britain, the current arrangements, inside the EU, cannot really be bettered from a narrowly economic standpoint, unless you believe the fairytales about the El Dorado in distant lands that awaits Britannia Unbound. Mrs May did not believe them in April 2016 and can hardly believe them now.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement has ended almost all political violence but has not resulted in the sharp economic recovery in Northern Ireland for which hopes were high.

There are notable bright spots, particularly the recovery in the tourism and hospitality sector but the overall outcome has been disappointing. Northern Ireland remains one of the under-performing regions of the UK economy. Whatever damage is inflicted by the eventual Brexit settlement will be borne by an economy that is hardly thriving.

The same could, of course, be true in the Republic - the recovery from the banking bust has been impressive but there are grounds for fearing that it has run its course, Brexit or no Brexit.

Both public sector and household balance sheets need further repairs and the external environment is threatening.

The Republic is more exposed than any EU member to a slowdown in the US, the strongest export market and the principal source of inward investment.

All the evidence suggests that the European economy has already slowed and there is a risk of weak export demand on all fronts. Add in the loss of grip in budgetary management and the threats, from the EU and the US, to the corporate tax regime, and it is easy to paint a gloomy picture.

If Mrs May fails to secure a majority for her deal before next Thursday's European Council, there might be no short extension on offer. Should the EU leaders grant only a 21-month extension and insist on the UK holding elections in May for the European Parliament, the wind is gone from the sails of Brexit and a second referendum, or straight revocation of the Article 50 resignation letter with or without an election, become possibilities.

The Irish Government - which will have a veto the same as everyone else since an extension requires unanimity - would have lost its second-best shot at damage-limitation, the defeated withdrawal agreement.

It should then switch to supporting only a long extension, in the expectation that this improves the chances of the best possible outcome for Ireland, North and south, which is the abandonment of Brexit. How this comes about is the UK's business. And it is the good neighbour policy too - Brexit has damaged the UK, the greatest humiliation since Suez.

EIGHT DEFINING MOMENTS IN A BIZARRE BREXIT WEEK

1. Hope in Strasbourg:

MPs were openly suggesting various ways in which Theresa May could resign  then the breakthrough arrived. Mrs May hot-footed it to Strasbourg to meet Jean-Claude Juncker, and a deal was announced a little after 10pm.

2. Coxs bombshell:

Westminster awoke last Tuesday with one question in mind. Had the previous nights drama changed anything and would Attorney General Geoffrey Cox be able to change his legal advice and say the backstop no longer represented a trap? At 11am, the cat was out of the bag. In a devastating final paragraph to his advice, Mr Cox admitted the legal risk remains unchanged that Britain might find itself stuck indefinitely in the backstop.

3. The big defeat:

With her voice barely functioning, Mrs May tried one last time to win over the doubters but wasnt even close as she lost by 149 votes.

4. Amendment madness:

MPs were given a free vote on no deal, but werent happy with the unclear motion, which only ruled out no deal this month. Amendments flew, but it was a defeat nonetheless, by 312 to 308.

5. Whip? What whip?

The motion, which now ruled out no deal, was too strong for Mrs May and a free vote was suddenly made a three-line whip. Four Cabinet ministers abstained and a 43-vote defeat left Mrs Mays authority completely shot.

6. A volatile Cabinet:

The Prime Minister is said to have gone bats**t at her rebellious ministers.

7. The Chancellor has his say:

In defiance of the government line, Philip Hammond called for cross-party consensus and hinted at the need for indicative votes on a way forward.

8. Extension vote:

On one last day of confusion, Mrs May escaped backbench plans to take control of Brexit by just two votes.
Former Tanaiste Mary Harney famously said that "spiritually" Ireland was "probably a lot closer to Boston than Berlin".

Almost 20 years on, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has changed the script in the face of the massive threat posed to Ireland's economy by the chaos of Britain's departure from the EU.

During his St Patrick's Day trip to the United States, he has unashamedly seized on one of the few possible positives that could come from Brexit.

His relentless message was that Ireland wants to grasp the opportunity to become a "bridge" between the United States and Europe.

It's an ambitious task that's not without its difficulties, not least the volatile occupant of the Oval Office, Donald Trump, who has clashed with EU leaders such as German chancellor Angela Merkel.

As Mr Varadkar put it bluntly at the end of his US trip: "President Trump likes Ireland. He doesn't like the European Union."

But Mr Trump isn't the only DC power-broker and Mr Varadkar also made his pitch in meetings with business executives and Congress representatives.

His argument is perhaps best summed up in an interview he gave to The Washington Post. He told the newspaper that "Brexit solidifies Ireland's position as a reliable partner and a safe place for US companies to invest because we know where we want to be in the world, which is at the heart of the European Union".

Mr Varadkar also said: "I think potentially Ireland can be a bridge between the EU and the United States which the UK can't be anymore."

At the US Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday, he spoke of Ireland's 12.5pc corporate tax rate and the "certainty" it gave companies at a 'fireside chat' on how Ireland is the 'Gateway of the Atlantic'.

He pointed out that the US and Ireland speak the same language, have similar business cultures and that there's a two-way economic relationship in relation to jobs and trade.

More than 100,000 people are employed by Irish companies in the US and American companies have around 155,000 workers in Ireland.

It was a message that is well understood by US business.

Chamber chief executive Thomas Donohue said of Mr Varadkar: "The President of the United States and lots of people have developed an affection for this man because of the way he has represented... the United States' interests, in a very challenging time due to Brexit."

In the Oval Office, Mr Trump did indeed say that he and Mr Varadkar had become "fast friends". But that didn't stop him slapping down Mr Varadkar's remarks about free trade and his hopes for a deal between the EU and US.

Mr Trump launched into a tirade against the EU and how it has treated the US "very, very unfairly" and threatened to impose tariffs on European goods.

Mr Varadkar later said he wasn't surprised by Mr Trump's reaction, saying he had made similar remarks at their meeting last year.

He added: "President Trump likes Ireland. He doesn't like the European Union and he's not a fan of multi-lateralism and he feels that the European Union treats America unfairly in terms of trade.

"The argument that I was making to him was if that's the way he feels then maybe we should sit down, the EU and the US, and negotiate a new trade deal."

He said the EU has done this with Japan and Canada and the US has done it with Canada and Mexico.

"So rather than megaphone diplomacy, should we not get our people across the table and negotiate a trade deal between the EU and the US that can make us all better off?"

Mr Varadkar admitted that Mr Trump's response to this amounted to his administration prioritising a deal with China but "perhaps after that".

The Taoiseach has also made the point that it makes sense for the US to make a deal with the EU with its 500m people-strong market, before it makes one with the UK and its 60m people.

He may not have much luck with Brexit-supporting Mr Trump in that regard, but Ireland does have other friends in Washington.

Mr Varadkar has said he believes that the US Congress won't support any trade deal with the UK that would undermine an open border with Northern Ireland.

Trade agreements must be approved on Capitol Hill, where Ireland has allies among both the Democrats and Republicans.

Irish-American congressman Richard Neal chairs the powerful House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee which is involved in the trade approval process.

He was among those in attendance at last Thursday's lunch hosted by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

The biggest applause Mr Varadkar received at the event was when he thanked the Friends of Ireland caucus for their "vital help" to protect the Good Friday Agreement and ensure there was no return to a hard border in Ireland, "whatever happens with Brexit".

It remains to be seen if the Taoiseach will be successful in his bid to bridge the Atlantic and reap the rewards this could bring in terms of investment and jobs.

Much could change - particularly due to the ongoing Brexit turmoil and it's hard to say what the landscape will even in June, the earliest time the Government believes that Mr Trump may visit Ireland.

Mr Varadkar is trying to place Ireland at "the heart of Europe" while being a remaining EU bastion for US business values.

But in terms of Boston and Berlin? The gulf between Trump and Merkel may be a bridge too far.
In January, for the first time ever, the UK accounted for less than 10pc of Irish goods exports. That was what emerged last Friday morning when the State's statisticians published the latest trade data. The figure shows how the Irish economy has internationalised so successfully over the decades by massively growing its trade with a diverse range of markets.

But they should not be interpreted to mean that a no-deal Brexit would be anything other than disastrous for the Irish economy - imports from the UK still account for a quarter of all goods shipped into the country and Britain provides a vital 'landbridge' for products coming from and going to the continent.

The latest trade news came at the end of a week in which even the most Brexit-fatigued could not avoid spending hours watching, listening to and reading about our neighbour's departure from the EU.

Despite the many gasps of incredulity at what happened in British politics last week, the week's three big votes in that country's parliament events played out largely as expected seven days ago.

The House of Commons rejected for a second time the withdrawal agreement Theresa May had negotiated with the EU in last Tuesday's 'meaningful' vote. The majority against was 149. That was narrower than the majority of 230 against the deal when the first meaningful vote took place in January. But it was still enormous.

In a vote last Wednesday, MPs rejected leaving the EU without a deal by a majority of 43. This was largely meaningless because it did not change British law and it certainly did not change EU law, which sees the UK's membership of the bloc run out on March 29. If there was anything really significant about the vote, it was its narrowness.

Despite many and frequent claims that there is an overwhelming majority of MPs against no deal, the fact that the vote was much closer than the vote the previous day shows that there is a not insignificant number of Conservatives who either don't fear a no-deal or actively want that outcome. That reflects public opinion, particularly among Conservative-supporting voters. Yet another opinion poll last week found that more people - 41pc - believed that leaving with no deal came closest to honouring the 2016 referendum. Last week's YouGov poll found that 35pc of respondents thought leaving on the terms of the Mrs May-EU deal honoured it most closely.

Last Thursday, the biggest majority of the week - 210 - voted in favour of seeking an extension to the Brexit deadline to June 30. That was meaningful, because it gives Mrs May that authority to ask the EU for an extension. That will be a central focus of Brexit drama in the coming days.

But before considering issues around an extension, consider a less-expected development last week - plans by the British government for trade in the event of a no-deal exit. These plans involved a commitment not to change anything on the northern side of the Border on this island for one year and the announcement of new taxes (or 'tariffs' in the jargon on international trade) on some goods entering the island of Britain from Ireland and the rest of the EU.

In one respect, the British government plans were at odds with what British sources had signalled repeatedly over many months - that there would be no changes for goods arriving in Britain from the EU, at least in the initial days and weeks after a no-deal exit. This was to be the position, even if the EU were to hit British exports with tariffs when they arrived at the bloc's external frontier.

This was all based on the 'continuity principle'. The idea was not to be nicer to the EU than the EU might be to Britain. It was designed to minimise disruption to supplies coming into that country in the immediate aftermath of a no-deal exit.

The plans last week suggested that new tariffs would be applied on some EU goods from the beginning. This contributed to a view in Ireland, and more widely in the EU, that the British were trying to divert attention from their own difficulties or, worse still, isolate Ireland from its fellow 26 EU members. This view is not incorrect. But that does not mean the proposals should be dismissed out of hand, as they largely were, reflecting the degree to which discussion on Brexit has become an echo chamber. In this cocoon, people compete to show who can be most disdainful of the British side in the Brexit fiasco. This is neither healthy, nor helpful, in managing what is a massive damage limitation exercise.

As most people on all sides agree, a top priority is reducing the risk to peace on this island posed by Brexit. The deepest fear is that a remilitarisation of the Border would lead to the re-radicalisation of the nationalist community, which, in turn, could cause the Troubles to restart. That scenario is most likely to play out if British border infrastructure appears, which is then subject to attack by extremists, which in turn requires British security personnel to protect the installations.

Last week's proposal from London that it would not change the northern side of the Border for a year has downsides. It would, for instance, increase incentives for smuggling. More significantly, it would also create incentives for legitimate businesses to ship goods destined for the British market through Northern Ireland to avoid tariffs at British ports. The big loser in all this would be the UK treasury. Britain was always going to be damaged economically by Brexit. Loss of tariff revenues would add to the bill, but that is insignificant in the grander scheme of things and certainly not an issue the Irish Government cares about.

One aspect of the criticism of the British border proposal was that the World Trade Organisation would not allow it. This is very wide of the mark. The WTO secretariat is not like the European Commission, which has powers to challenge EU members who break EU rules. The WTO civil servants in Geneva carry out technocratic tasks at the request of the member countries. They don't tell countries to do anything.

It is possible that another WTO member country could claim that by not policing the northern side of the Irish Border, it was being discriminated against, thereby beaching WTO rules. While that could conceivably result in a legal case being taken against the UK, Article 21 of the founding treaties of the WTO allows countries to take measures for reasons of national security, even if other member countries believe those measures discriminate against their exporters. Not putting British soldiers on the Border, and avoiding a return to the Troubles, is very clearly a national security matter for the UK.

If last week was wall-to-wall Brexit, don't expect any respite this week. Theresa May, if parliamentary procedure permits, looks set to put her deal to the Commons for a third time on Tuesday. To get it through, the DUP will have to buckle and sign up to the principle of taking Northern Ireland out of the UK's single market, a change of significant constitutional importance.

At the same time, EU leaders will be considering the terms upon which they would agree to postponing the March 29 expiration of Britain's EU membership. They will have to agree among themselves to prolong the agony and then agree with a British government which has shown itself to have little competence and even less authority.

It is very far from a foregone conclusion that an agreement will be reached. With these two huge obstacles to overcome, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that there remains a worryingly high risk of a no-deal exit in 12 days.
The trailer for Netflix's new series The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann begins with an aerial shot of a pristine beach. Azure waves lap the shore as a lone figure, a tiny speck in a red swimming costume, walks across the sand. Cut to black.

"The world's most famous missing child case," the words appear out of the darkness as an eerie soundtrack begins to play. "A mystery in search of answers." And then that photo - the one stamped on the memories of everyone who can recall this case as if it were yesterday - of the little girl in the red velvet dress with the blonde bob, her big eyes (one blue and one green with a brown mark on the iris) staring out through the camera, willing you to find her.

Twelve years on from the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and it is now possible to have a grown-up conversation with someone who doesn't remember the months of newspaper headlines about the little middle-class girl from Leicestershire, who disappeared from her room in a Portuguese holiday resort while her baby brother and sister lay sleeping and her parents ate dinner with friends.

It was the story which had people the world over hanging off every cough and spit. The Daily Telegraph's reporter in Praia da Luz was the last British journalist to leave the Algarve after five months straight covering the story, but there was a press presence in the resort for well over a year after her disappearance.

It was a missing child case that preyed on our deepest fears about the terrifying notion that families could be targeted by paedophiles and child traffickers while on holiday.

For Netflix, the true-crime genre has become a bit of a winning formula, attracting huge global audiences. Take a big unsolved case, one with plenty of old news reports to rehash and former witnesses to dredge up. "Re-examine" every old lead, acquire various "fresh" lines of inquiry and air a couple of wild, never-heard-before claims. With a production budget to make it look like a HBO drama, viewers are then taken on a journey of ever-increasing pace and urgency so, at every twist and turn, it feels as if you might be about to finally reveal the truth. Making a Murderer, The Ted Bundy Tapes, the Amanda Knox documentary - this is a well-worn path; the ultimate binge watching for the Netflix generation, who are digesting these stories of human misery with insatiable glee.

The sheer drama of the case of Madeleine McCann will undoubtedly make for gripping watching, especially for Gen Zers, who may be coming at every outlandish theory ever made about what happened for the first time.

From the very beginning, this case has been dogged with controversy and the eight-part series which dropped on Netflix on Friday has itself been shrouded in secrecy. Rumblings within the industry suggest the series was at one point almost cancelled altogether over a lack of new material. The creators and collaborators didn't take part in the usual rounds of interviews and press to promote the show. Interviews with director Chris Smith (who, incidentally, was behind the brilliant Fyre, Netflix's most recent success story) never happened. A brief announcement last Thursday revealed the documentary would drop the following morning.

Meanwhile, Kate and Gerry McCann and their extended web of friends and family had, it emerged, refused point blank to be involved in a series which did nothing but rehash every painful theory about what had happened to their little girl all those years ago.

The McCanns are said to be deeply concerned that the show draws heavily on testimonies from former suspects and key players from the Portuguese police, including the man who has been their tormentor over the past few years, Goncalo Amaral.

In 2007, the Portuguese police named them as formal suspects and this ex-detective has long been considered by the McCanns as a "thorn in our sides" and was unsuccessfully taken to court for accusing them of covering up their daughter's accidental death.

"They didn't ask for this documentary to be done," says Clarence Mitchell, the couple's long-time spokesman. "They, their family and friends, myself included, were all approached by Pulse Films, who were making it, to take part, but they felt that there was no tangible investigative benefit in the search for Madeleine.

"Indeed, one of the principal concerns is that it could potentially hinder it. So they declined to engage with it, and asked all their immediate circle and family and friends not to do that as well."

It is "distressing", Mitchell says, for the McCanns to see old allegations being aired again. "But Kate and Gerry have through bitter experience over the years come to realise how certain elements of the media will approach the situation. They will only engage if they feel it's of benefit to the search for their daughter."

Of the many distressing theories which have emerged over the past 12 years is the idea that Madeleine was taken by child traffickers. According to one report, experts in the documentary believe she was abducted to order by a child-trafficking gang (as a middle-class British girl, she would be more financially valuable) and taken to another foreign country. It isn't a new theory, by any means. At the time, it was one of the few theories which provided the McCanns with a glimmer of hope that Madeleine might yet be found alive. But experts say the notion she was trafficked is far-fetched.

Andrew Munday, unit commander for the UK's Modern Slavery Unit, says "nothing" about how child trafficking operates fits the disappearance of Madeleine.

"It's almost unique for a white British national child to be snatched in such a way for the purpose of trafficking," he tells me. "I can't think of a single case where the child is kidnapped in such a way."

DCI Colin Sutton, the detective who caught Levi Bellfield and solved more than 30 murders over the course of his career at Scotland Yard, says this series is a "missed opportunity".

"An organisation with good resources had the opportunity to start with a clean sheet of paper and go through the investigation from the very beginning and point out the discrepancies and point out the potential leads or lines of inquiry that could have been followed, should have been followed or weren't followed," he said.

"Because of the notoriety of the case it is one where there is a reluctance [on the part of the media and the police, he says] to grasp the nettle and do a proper job of looking at the evidence and analysing and so forth."

DCI Sutton believes that while theories about child trafficking and targeted abduction might make for spine-tingling drama, they are always among the least likely hypotheses with these cases. "I understand that the notion that there are these predatory groups who are stealing children is something that is attractive in terms of selling newspapers and TV programmes, but I'm not sure in the real world how common an occurrence that is," he said.

The documentary claims Madeleine could still be alive. It points to the case of Jaycee Dugard, who was abducted aged nine in California and found 18 years later, and Carlina White, who was snatched as a baby from a New York hospital in 1987 and later learned the truth at 23.

Jim Gamble, a top child protection policeman who took part in the first UK police investigation into the disappearance, has told the documentary that with advances in technology, he believes the truth will come out.

"I absolutely believe that in my lifetime we will find out what has happened to Madeleine," he says. "There's huge hope to be had with the advances in technology. Year on year, DNA is getting better. Year on year other techniques, including facial recognition, are getting better. As we use technology to revisit and review that which we captured in the past, there's every likelihood that something we already know will slip into position."

Meanwhile, Julian Peribanez, a Spanish private investigator once hired by the McCanns, tells the documentary he infiltrated a paedophile ring sharing obscene videos and passed their details to police. Twenty-three people were questioned and 13 arrested, and a former head of cyber-crime told the documentary: "Some of these investigations may lead to these minors being found and rescued from their captors.

"There is always something left to do until you find her," he says.

Until we know the truth, there will always be more documentaries to make, more books to write. Dredging up old leads and allegations like this would, the McCanns's spokesman says, be distressing "for anybody".

"But it's far worse for a family in their situation, where they're still hoping that their daughter will be found alive one day."
Les femmes en politique W. Tchango

Thousands of women across Cameroon are celebrating the 34th edition of the International Womens Day, with a commitment to intensify fight against gender discrimination, despite earlier calls for boycott.

Although the International community celebrates this edition under the theme,  Think equal, build smart, innovate for change", Cameroon went for, Crusade against Gender Inequalities: Committing to the New Impetus."

For a week, Cameroonian women have been involved in human investment activities, round table discussions, work shops, exhibitions, on the role of women in the society and the importance a family or community, stands to gain in an equal country, which stakeholders believe is the new impetus. Celebrations in Yaounde was chaired by First Lady Chantal Biya.

Cameroon has made key strides toward gender equality and womens empowerment through major international commitments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Declaration of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on Equality Between Women and Men, and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, though these international and regional commitments take precedence over Cameroons national laws, customs, and traditions, the preference for customary laws remains, and means that discrimination against women continues in Cameroon, especially in rural areas. Feminists still believe Cameroon has a long way especially with fa few women governing public structures and voting laws.

However, todays March past was timid and under tight security in the North West and South West regions. Unlike previous years where at least 3000 women crowded the Commercial Avenue grandstand, less than a quarter of this number took part this year. Some political figures had called on women to boycott celebrations this Friday. Kah Walla of the Cameroon Peoples Party (CPP), the South West, North West Women Task Force(SNWOT) all called for a nationwide boycott, stating the lives of women and children killed in the crisis-hit region was more important ,than a simple March past and a fabric. They called on government and other stakeholders to provide ending solutions to the ongoing war. Apart from their call on a boycott, separatists had declared a ghost town this Friday across both regions.
Surfing Irish social media last week was like a long swim through sectarian sewage.

The worst tribal tweeters were not Sinn Fein trolls but a sneer of bourgeois bigots unbuttoning their tribal prejudices in unfunny misogynistic jibes at Arlene Foster-Kelly in America.

The mainstream media was not that much better. Instead of investigating whether Leo Varadkar's backstop had led us to the brink of a no-deal abyss they dumped on the DUP.

Anyone familiar with Northern media knows that no mainstream unionist journalist abuses southern politicians in the manner now common in mainstream Irish pundits when talking about Arlene Foster-Kelly.

But not content with being tribal they also tell you brazen lies. Here's three.

First, they continually dismiss the DUP as deluded dinosaurs with no defensible reason for not doing what we want them to do.

Only one journalist, Dan O'Brien, consistently defies the southern consensus to spell out why unionists, who support a soft border, hate the backstop.

"The backstop would leave the citizens of Northern Ireland disenfranchised, they would be subject to laws made at EU level, but without a vote in the European Parliament."

Second, they lie by depicting the DUP, in the words of a letter to The Irish Times last Friday, as "misogynists and homophobics".

But if the DUP was misogynistic surely it would not have elected a woman leader, something neither of the two main southern parties have done yet.

True it is still sexually conservative - but so were Fine Gael and Fianna Fail until more recently than we like to remember.

Being slow to accept same-sex marriage is regrettable, but it is not an excuse for the verbal ethnic cleansing carried out by bourgeois bloggers I call the Pope's Grandchildren.

The green fever that infects the Pope's Grandchildren was not borne on a Northern breeze.

Starting with his glib promise, in December 2017, not to abandon Northern nationalists (abandon to what - a free health service and a 9bn subsidy?), Leo Varadkar has infected the body politic with a green fever as potentially dangerous to our political health as the black or yellow fevers of the Great Famine were to our physical health.

So far Middle Ireland has proved immune to green fever. But not the Irish bourgeois media, by which I mostly mean RTE and The Irish Times, where it has surfaced as uncritical support for the backstop.

Last week, both did their best to hide the fact that Leo Varadkar had folded his arms to save his face and let Theresa May drown. Let me show why I believe that.

Last Tuesday, before the crucial Commons vote, when it was vital to put a good face on the EU tweak, the Taoiseach kept telling us nothing had changed.

At which point the Irish media should have pointed out that if nothing had changed then logically he was offering nothing to help the DUP do the deal they clearly wanted to do.

But the Irish pundits were too busy working us up with Kitty The Hare stories of the horrors of a no deal they failed to ask the logical follow up. If no deal was that bad why was Varadkar not offering a compromise - as a majority of people wanted?

Let me briefly take you through last week to show you the creepy compliance of Irish media.

SATURDAY. Michael Lillis writes a letter to The Irish Times revealing Jeffrey Donaldson's tribute to John Hume during a panel discussion in Glasgow University on February 26.

Later that day, as Rory Best, a Northern Protestant, led the Irish rugby team into the Aviva, the DUP was signalling it wanted to vote for the May deal but needed a softer backstop.

SUNDAY. Jeffrey Donaldson of the DUP talks on a link to Aine Lawlor of The Week in Politics.

Donaldson, in what I call his Daniel O'Donaldson mode, rational and charming, repeated his tribute to John Hume and set out the DUP's stall.

"We want a soft border. We want to avoid a no deal. We want to avoid a hard border."

Incredibly, Aine Lawlor seemed to decide that Donaldson's determined positivity was actually a disguised DUP negativity.

She half lifted her downcast head and shook it despairingly at Charlie Flanagan and Lisa Chambers who, still basking in the aftermath of the Donaldson glow, were taken aback by her determinedly downbeat summation:

"Charlie Flanagan, watching Jeffrey Donaldson outline the DUP position there, it's very hard to be optimistic that we are facing anything other than a disastrous No vote and chaos from Tuesday on, isn't that right?"

Aine Lawlor's gloomy approach left both Charlie Flanagan and Lisa Chambers with no space in which to welcome Donaldson's olive branch.

MONDAY. Desperate to get May through the vote on Tuesday, the British government claims the EU was offering "legal changes" to the backstop.

Far from staying silent and fudging this for the sake of peace, as Bertie Ahern or Micheal Martin would have done, Leo Varadkar remains focused on not losing face: "It does not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement, or undermine the backstop or its application."

In sum, he preferred to risk Theresa May's defeat than offer the DUP the cover of even a verbal fig leaf.

TUESDAY. On Morning Ireland, before the May vote, Jeffrey Donaldson cautiously welcomes the EU proposals, but the subtext clearly signals that he would like a deal.

Later that day, in the Dail, Aristotle would have given Micheal Martin full marks for laying bare the lack of logic in Leo Varadkar's "not-an-inch" backstop position.

"Essentially, people are arguing about how temporary is something that we all agree should be temporary."

Martin did not have to spell out that if everybody agreed the backstop was temporary, why didn't the Taoiseach make sure the EU offer was good enough to help the DUP vote for May - as it wanted to do?

Again the media missed Leo Varadkar's striking lack of political pragmatism. Tweaking the backstop sufficiently to strike a deal is like making a proper apology: to be acceptable it has to hurt you a bit.

But Leo Varadkar doesn't like to be hurt the least bit. He would rather risk running the country off the cliff than lose face.

WEDNESDAY. In an insightful interview with Ivan Yates for The Tonight Show, Bertie Ahern convincingly argues the DUP had wanted a deal - and calls for fewer verbal sticks and more verbal carrots when talking to our English neighbours.

THURSDAY. Leo Varadkar looks good at the White House. But looking good is not the same as doing good, which often conflicts with looking good.

Next week, I believe the DUP will help Theresa May swim ashore.

If so, it will happen without Leo Varadkar ever having reached out a helping hand in case he looked weak.

Luckily, we didn't send a Leo Varadkar to London to negotiate the Treaty. How can he claim Michael Collins as his hero? Collins was not afraid to look weak if it advanced the peace and prosperity of his country.
An interesting thing happened up North the other day.

Tommy Tiernan played three sold out gigs in Belfast's Ulster Hall and, as sometimes happens with his shows, some of the audience were rather less than impressed.

So disgruntled were they that a bunch of them walked out - I remain convinced that some people only go to comedy gigs so they can then storm out in a huff - and DUP councillor Dale Pankhurst was moved to announce that: "(I've) received numerous calls from Unionists who had to get up and leave the Ulster Hall due to comments made regarding contentious issues... some have asked for a PSNI investigation to be started."

In many ways, that was just business as usual for the greatest, and most infuriating, Irish comedian since Dave Allen.

Whether it's pushing Catholic buttons on the Late Late or telling the Unionists, as he apparently did on Sunday night, to "f**k off to Israel", he is by turns brave, mischievous and deliberately offensive.

Tiernan has found himself in trouble before following comments he made about Israel, but the fact that people up the road actually thought that his jokes were worthy of police attention should remain fresh in the mind of those who have started to loudly call for a post-Brexit United Ireland.

Let's be honest for once, Northern Ireland is a foreign country and they do things differently up there.

That's not to say that they are any better or any worse than those of us in the Free State, they simply have a different way of looking at the world.

Do we really want to take on all that baggage?

One of the more striking lessons of the chaos that Brexit has wrought is the perils of voting for something without running through all the ramifications.

In the case of the UK's Brexit vote - and it was a democratically fair fight with one side the clear winner, in case any of us have forgotten that fact - we saw that voting with your heart rather than your head is a one-way ticket to mayhem.

It's also a sign of disordered thinking.

After all, while many of us can understand the principle of wanting your country to retain its own autonomy, have independent control over its borders, legal system and so forth, it has become horrifyingly clear that actions often have unintended consequences.

That is almost exactly the same predicament in which we find ourselves when confronted by the prospect of a united island.

In the 20 years since we voted to remove Articles 2&3 from our Constitution, and with it the 60-year-old territorial claim on Northern Ireland, things have improved beyond all recognition. Yet still, some people - but perhaps not as many as Sinn Fein would like to think - cling to the dangerous myth of the fourth green field.

The power of wishful thinking is again working strongly within these people because, rather like some of the Brexit voters, they have failed to do the most important thing - look at all the worst-case scenarios before you even begin to fantasise about the benefits.

It should also be remembered that in the two decades since we revoked those articles, both states have travelled wildly divergent paths.

For instance, in the years since that referendum in 1999, the Republic has voted for gay marriage and abortion.

From being a small country with our own repressively conservative past, we rapidly entered into an era of tolerance and socially liberal public policies which aren't just politically anathema to many of the 750,000 members of the Presbyterian, Methodist and Church of Ireland flocks, they are considered sinful and even demonic. How do we think such a large rump of religious and staunchly conservative people will feel about being subsumed into a liberal 32-county nation? The answer to that, of course, extremely badly - and that's before we even begin to predict how Loyalist paramilitaries, who are still active, will respond.

Like many Southerners, I have numerous friends from the North, as well as family who have lived there, and there are few places on this island more breathtakingly beautiful than the Antrim coast. The people, by and large, are friendly, warm and engaging.

But it is a very different society with very different values and it remains a far more cloistered statelet than the one we have become.

You only need to look at the number of DUP politicians who still believe in creationism.

It was only two years ago that DUP politician Trevor Buchanan called for such gibberish to be taught in all schools in the North, adding for good measure that: "I'm someone who believes in creationism and that the world was spoken into existence in six days by His power... children have been corrupted by the teaching of evolution."

Such an opinion is simply baffling and worthy of mockery down here, where even the most strident Catholic priest would baulk before saying such a thing. But it's simply par for the course for the DUP and their voters. So how the hell do we accommodate those views, which are deeply held by so many up there, in this new Hibernian heaven people seem so keen on? We can't.

We can get as misty eyed as we want about the prospect of reunification, but as our friends in the UK are discovering, you should always be careful what you wish for.
Tanya Burr attending the British Fashion Awards at the London Coliseum, St Martin's Lane, in London Credit: Ian West/PA Wire.

Tanya Burr attends the EE British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House, Bow Street in London.

Tanya Burr attends the Vogue and Ralph Lauren Wimbledon party at The Orangery on June 22, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr attends the EE British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House on February 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr arrives for the Revlon Choose Love Masquerade Ball at Victoria and Albert Museum on July 21, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr attends The Fashion Awards 2016 at Royal Albert Hall on December 5, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Danny E. Martindale/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr wearing Burberry at the Burberry Womenswear February 2016 Show at Kensington Gardens on February 22, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Burberry)

Tanya Burr attends the Vogue and Ralph Lauren Wimbledon party at The Orangery on June 22, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Jim Chapman and Tanya Burr attend the Vogue and Ralph Lauren Wimbledon party at The Orangery on June 22, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr attends the Royal Film Performance of "Spectre"at Royal Albert Hall on October 26, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman attend the GQ Men Of The Year Awards at The Royal Opera House on September 8, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr attends the Burberry show during London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2016/17 at Kensington Gardens on February 22, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr with the Manuka Doctor Youtuber Award in the press room at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2016

Tanya Burr attends the UK Premiere of "Joe & Casper Hit The Road USA" at Cineworld Leicester Square on November 17, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Part of Tanya Burr's mass appeal is her girl-next-door image.

The British super vlogger hit the beach in Miami and is being praised by fans for having a "normal" figure and not covering up her curves.

The 27-year-old, who wed long-term love Jim Chapman last year, was pictured in an on-trend one piece by Tommy Hilfiger as she soaked up the sun with a friend in her latest trip The Magic City.

Burr shared pictures of her on the beach on her Instagram and is being praised her army of loyal fans for giving a healthy body image.

Expand Close British beauty blogger Tanya Burr hits the beach with friend in Miami Beach. Picture: Splash News / Facebook

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Whatsapp British beauty blogger Tanya Burr hits the beach with friend in Miami Beach. Picture: Splash News

"You look beautiful and it's lovely to see someone with a 'normal' shaped body flaunting it," one wrote.

She has never shied away from showing off her figure and hit out at "body shamers" last year who accused her of photoshopping her pictures when they compared the images she shared vs the ones taken by paparazzi.

"You don't know you're being photographed and so it's not going to be nice, whereas when I Instagram a photo of myself of course I'm going to be standing in the most flattering position and I'm ready for the photo, so of course I'm going to look better, but I don't edit them," she explained.
Tanya Burr arriving for the GQ Men of the Year Awards 2018 in Association with Hugo Boss held at The Tate Modern in London

Jim Chapman and Tanya Burr attend the Vogue and Ralph Lauren Wimbledon party at The Orangery on June 22, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman attend the GQ Men Of The Year Awards at The Royal Opera House on September 8, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman, two British YouTube superstars who were early adopters of the platform, have announced their split after 12 years.

I dont know what it says about me, but, like most celebrities, I could give you at least a brief biography of their personal and professional lives and what makes them them.

It goes like this: Tanya and Jim first met when she was 17 and he was a 21-year-old university student. Under the advice of his sisters Samantha and Nicola Chapman (aka Pixiwoo), she launched her vlogging career in 2009 and hasnt looked back. At the time, he had hoped to pursue a career using his psychology degree, but had noticed a gilded path to success established by the women in his life and branched out on his own video journey. Within a few years, they became behemoths in the blogosphere. Fast forward to 2019 and Tanya is being flown to Paris to sit front row at Dior and he was voted number one in GQs Best Dressed Men list.

She has published three lifestyle books and launched an extraordinarily successful cosmetics range with Superdrug, which, as of 2016, a Tanya Burr makeup product was selling every two minutes.

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For those of us who have long since aged out of the YouTube influencer demographic, its easy to dismiss their news as something of having little consequence to the general news cycle, but for their devoted followers (a combined 10.8m across social media channels), this is the equivalent of the dismantling of Brangelina.

On Tuesday, in an uncharacteristically coy manner, Tanya shared a brief statement on her Instagram Stories confirming their divorce and asking for privacy. Just wanted to let you all know that a few weeks ago Jim and I made the painful decision to no longer be together. We have a huge amount of love and respect for each other and will continue to remain friends forever. Thank you in advance for respecting our privacy at this difficult time, she wrote.

This is all standard PR practice for a Hollywood couple, but not for that of a pairing who have made millions around sharing details about their private life. Just two weeks ago, they individually gave tours of the home theyre renting in Los Angeles. It was an ad for One Fine Stay, an Airbnb rival, but it showed every inch of the place they were calling home, which doesnt exactly scream the establishment of personal and public boundaries.

The low-key announcement is also in stark contrast to their much publicised wedding just four years ago, which raises the question: when youve monetised your personal life, can you be taken seriously when you ask for privacy?

The key to successful influencing is that youre required to sell yourself. There are plenty of other nice, digitally fluent folks out there chomping at the bit for a slice of the advertising pie, so one is required to give Truman Show-levels of access to keep things interesting.

Unlike traditional celebrities like actors and musicians, who have a discernible talent and training in their field, and are usually playing a long-term marketing game as dictated by their publicists and movie studios; infuencers rely on the support of their followers who become invested in their lives. Like a close friend who lives in the internet.

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Where does it stand, though, when youve enjoyed a lucrative career at the cost of essentially selling yourself, but then something serious comes up. A journey youve asked your fans to follow you on, that doesnt work out - for example, a marriage breakdown. After you shared your wedding pictures and tagged your suppliers on social media in 2015?

The practice of celebrities claiming privacy when it suits them is well-established. But there is a tricky line between being a well-known person in your field who doesnt seek out tabloid culture or commercial endorsements, in comparison to someone whose most popular video is a behind the scenes look of a luxury trip to the Maldives.

There are myriad examples of taking privacy breaches too far, you need only look at the 2011 News of the World phone hacking scandal and nude photo leak when a number of Hollywood actresses had their Cloud accounts hacked. Both are egregious and traumatising for all involved. Its not representative of a culture that consumes showbiz news at an accelerated pace; but rather the shady practices of the few who ruin the reputations of the many.

What Im saying is - you cant have your cake and eat it too. Especially when that cake has made you millions.
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

The Duchess of Cambridge attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

The Duchess of Cambridge strokes the Irish Guards mascot as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

The Duchess of Cambridge strokes the Irish Guards mascot as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

The Duchess of Cambridge present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow

The Duchess of Cambridge present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles during the St Patrick's Day Parade in Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, Britain March 17, 2019. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

Kate Middleton wore her unofficial St Patrick's Day uniform of head-to-toe emerald green during her annual visit to the Irish Guards in London.

Every year since her 2011 wedding to Prince William, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards, Britain's Duchess of Cambridge has adopted a different shade of green to meet the 1st Battalion at their base in Hounslow, west London today.

Kate opted for a deep green Alexander McQueen coat, velvet Gianvito Rossi heels and a hat from Lock and Co. At the beginning of their duties, they led a minute's silence to pay respects to the New Zealand terror attack victims.

The parade began with the Last Post, before a minute of silence was observed by the royals, the Irish Guards and their families who stood in memory of the 50 victims.

Expand Close The Duchess of Cambridge present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Duchess of Cambridge present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow

The sun shone as Kate, wearing a dark green Alexander McQueen coat and hat from Lock and Co, then handed out baskets of shamrock.

After Kate presented the shamrock to officers and warrant officers, three cheers were raised to the royal duo before a march past where William took the salute.

Some 350 soldiers marched on the Parade Square at Cavalry Barracks on Sunday morning.

Their families proudly watched on wrapped up warm with blankets to protect from the cold March wind.

Expand Close The Duchess of Cambridge strokes the Irish Guards mascot as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Duchess of Cambridge strokes the Irish Guards mascot as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

Leading the procession was Irish wolfhound and mascot Domnhall, whom Kate patted and stroked several times while presenting him with a shamrock.

Drummer David Murray, his regimental handler, said the St Patrick's Day parade was "number one" in his calendar and like a "second birthday".

Video of the Day

The mascot, wearing a red coat, was presented with his first shamrock in 2013 and today led the regimental band and parade.

Drummer Murray said: "We've had a week-long preparation as a battalion, we've had a couple of rehearsals, couple of little bits that we've had to obviously fine tune.

Expand Close The Duchess of Cambridge attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Duchess of Cambridge attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards

"Domhnall - he's been in the battalion since 2012, he's pretty good at his job... doesn't really need to fine tune much so in regards to me and him it's been quite a smooth week."

He added: "He helps me through the parade to be honest, he knows what he's doing."

Additional reporting by Press Association
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England

(L-R) Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L), talks with Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R) as Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, stand by attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch students play football during their visit to Lycee Qualifiant Grand Atlas, the local secondary school on February 24, 2019 in Asni, Morocco. (Photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga - Pool/Getty Images)

Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex arrive at the residence of Moroccan King Mohammed VI in Rabat, Morocco February 25, 2019. Yui Mok/Pool via REUTERS

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive for a reception hosted by the British Ambassador to Morocco at the British Residence during the second day of their tour of Morocco on February 24, 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. (Photo by Yui Mok - Pool/Getty Images)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the WE Day UK event at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London, Britain, March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are in the process of formally dividing their royal courts, they are bringing some major political players to join their team.

In addition to Christian Jones, who worked at the Department for Exiting the European Union, they have recently hired Sara Latham, a former campaign adviser for Hillary Clinton, as their head of communications.

On Thursday, it was confirmed that Meghan and Harry would be going their own way regarding their royal work, operating out of Buckingham Palace under Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, a clean break from Kensington Palace, which is where Prince William operates from.

But, as the Sussexes are preparing for the arrival of their first child in the spring, they are full steam ahead with plans for their future, including a move from their Nottingham Cottage home to Frogmore House in Windsor.

Expand Close Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England / Facebook

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Whatsapp Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England

The split will involve the creation of new staff and offices working exclusively for the couple as current staff are operating across both the Sussexes and Cambridges agendas.

Latham will report directly to Queen Elizabeth's Communications Secretary, fresh from her role overseeing global corporate accounts at PR firm Inside Freuds. In addition to her work as a Clinton campaign adviser, she was chief of staff to John Podesta, who was chair of her 2016 US presidential campaign.

She has an established reputation in American politics having previously worked for former US president Bill Clinton and was previously described by USA Today as a "longtime Democratic fixer". She was also part of former president Barack Obama's transition team when he was first elected into the White House in 2008.

Her experience working across American and British politics uniquely positions her to adapt to the royal couple's American-British coupling.

Their decision to move from Kensington Palace has been months in the making and is believed to be part of the behind the scenes moves to prepare for William's next role as Prince of Wales while their father Prince Charles is braced to ascend the British throne.

The statement read: "The Duke of Sussex currently has his own private office, which has been supporting The Duchess since the engagement of Their Royal Highnesses in November 2017. This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for The Duke and Duchesss work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage.

Expand Close (L-R) Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L), talks with Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R) as Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, stand by attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019 / Facebook

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Whatsapp (L-R) Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L), talks with Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R) as Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, stand by attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019

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"The Queen has given permission for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to base their Household Office at Buckingham Palace."

Last year, it was widely reported that there was a "feud" between Meghan and her sister-in-law Kate Middleton, but now it's believed the tension may be with William and Harry.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge talk to Guardsman Bogg (Gareth Fuller/PA)

A guardsman who was savaged by a buffalo in Kenya was singled out by the Duke of Cambridge to recount his ordeal.

Guardsman John Bogg was deployed with the Irish Guards for a training exercise in October when he was attacked by a buffalo on high ground during an early morning patrol.

William immediately asked to speak to the 19-year-old during a visit to 1st Battalion at their barracks in Hounslow, west London, after a Saint Patricks Day parade.

Describing the ordeal, he said: I heard a grunting sound to my left and there was a figure built quite well, and I saw in the glint of the moonlight its horns, then it charged at us.

Expand Close Guardsman John Bogg, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards who attended the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow and spoke to the Duke of Cambridge about when he was savaged by a buffalo in Kenya. Photo:: Jemma Crew/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp Guardsman John Bogg, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards who attended the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow and spoke to the Duke of Cambridge about when he was savaged by a buffalo in Kenya. Photo:: Jemma Crew/PA Wire

Everyone ran to the left and I went to the right.

It chased after me, flipped me with its horns, flew me about 10 metres further down, then it kept repeatedly butting me, about four or five times.

My day sack saved me, otherwise I would have been impaled.

Once it thought I was dead, finished, it gave me a final butt and ran off, trampled over me, so I was lucky to survive it. If it wasnt for my day sack I wouldnt be still here now.

Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards as she attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow

One of the maddest experiences of my life, he added.

Guardsman Bogg has been part of the Irish Guards for 18 months, and was deployed to the Falklands before Kenya.

The duke, described by the soldier as very hands on in his role as Colonel of the Irish Guards, visited the operation in Kenya last year but was not there when the incident occurred.

He later heard the story after it was passed up the armys chain of command, and loudly asked: Wheres Guardsman Bogg? when he entered the dining room, where hundreds of soldiers were waiting to toast him.

The teenager said his name being called out was completely unexpected.

Shaking Guardsman Boggs hand, the men chatted for a few moments before William gestured quizzically to the rest of his comrades and asked about the role they played after he was attacked.

They all ran off sir, the teenager replied, prompting raucous laughter.

Moments earlier, the guardsmen banged on tables and cheered as they waited for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to arrive.

The couple later sipped pints of Guinness as hundreds of soldiers stood to toast them.

Describing their meeting, Guardsman Bogg said: He said it was unbelievable that I was still here and hed heard about it, and asked me how the buffalo attacked me. And then Kate was just asking what had happened.

The interaction in Kenya, coming out and seeing us  I dont think every regimental colonel does that. I think youve got to be one in a million to do that to be honest with you.

He added: To think that hes chosen me out is quite special to honest with you, especially for someone that high up to hear about such an incident, its brilliant.
People prepare to move the flowers after police removed a police line, outside Masjid Al Noor in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 16, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Aktar, who says her husband is missing after Friday's mosque attacks, reacts outside a community center near Masjid Al Noor in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 16, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

CHARGED: Brenton Tarrant was charged yesterday for murder in relation to last weeks mosque attacks

A message card is placed at a collection of flowers left at the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch (Vincent Thian/AP)

BRAVERY: Left, Naeem Rashid and his son Talha. Naeem was originally from Abbottabad in Pakistan and was a teacher in Christchurch. In the video of the attack at the Al Noor mosque, he at one point attempts to tackle the gunman, but was shot. Widely hailed as a hero, his brother, Khurshid Alam, said he was proud of his actions after seeing the video. "He was a brave person, and I've heard from a few people there, there were few witnesses they've said he saved a few lives there by trying to stop that guy," said Mr Alam. "It's a still a shock for us, whatever hero he becomes it's our pride now, but still the loss. It's like cutting your limb off."

SLAIN: Haji Daoud Nabi (71), a father-of-five and retired engineer, moved to New Zealand from Afghanistan in 1977 and set up a new life. He is among the dead in the Christchurch shooting

ALL WERE INNOCENTS: Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim was killed at the mosque, while his father and brother escaped alive

Three year old Mucad Ibrahim (right) is believed to be the youngest victim; Brenton Tarrant (bottom left) was charged with murder

New Zealand's stricken residents reached out to Muslims in their neighbourhoods and around the country yesterday, with a fierce determination to show kindness to a community in pain as a 28-year-old white supremacist stood silently before a judge, accused in mass shootings at two mosques that left at least 50 people dead.

Brenton Harrison Tarrant appeared in court amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb, and showed no emotion when the judge read him one murder charge.

The judge said "it was reasonable to assume" more such charges would follow.

Tarrant, who posted an anti-immigrant manifesto online and apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the slaughter in the city of Christchurch, appeared to make a hand sign, similar to an OK sign, that is sometimes associated with white nationalists.

Expand Close A woman cries near Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 17, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Silva / Facebook

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Whatsapp A woman cries near Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 17, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

The massacre during last Friday prayers prompted a heartfelt response from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who pronounced it "one of New Zealand's darkest days" and said the shooter, an Australian native, had chosen to strike in New Zealand "because we represent diversity, kindness, compassion".

Her fellow countrymen seemed to want to prove her right by volunteering acts of kindness. Some offered lifts to the shops or volunteered to walk with their Muslim neighbours if they felt unsafe.

In online forums, people discussed Muslim food restrictions as they prepared to drop off meals for those affected.

"Love always wins over hate. Lots of love for our Muslim brothers," read a handwritten card on a wall of flowers in a historic part of the city that stretched a full block.

Expand Close Friends of a missing man grieve outside a refuge center in Christchurch, Sunday, March 17, 2019. The live-streamed attack by an immigrant-hating white nationalist killed dozens of people as they gathered for weekly prayers in Christchurch. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Friends of a missing man grieve outside a refuge center in Christchurch, Sunday, March 17, 2019. The live-streamed attack by an immigrant-hating white nationalist killed dozens of people as they gathered for weekly prayers in Christchurch. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)

Still, Muslims were advised to stay away from mosques while the nation's security alert remained at the second-highest level a day after the deadliest shooting in modern New Zealand history.

Ardern said 38 survivors remained in hospital yesterday, with 10 critically wounded. But updates were slow to come, and many families were still waiting to hear whether their loved ones were among the victims. Last night one of the hospitalised victims died, bringing the total dead to 50.

Outside one of the two mosques, 32-year-old Ash Mohammed pushed through police barricades in hope of finding out what happened to his father and two brothers, whose mobile phones rang unanswered. An officer stopped him.

"We just want to know if they are dead or alive," Mohammed told the officer.

Here are the stories of some of those who were killed in Christchurch.

Mucad Ibrahim, three

Mucad Ibrahim was lost in the melee when the firing started at the Al Noor mosque as his older brother Abdi fled for his life and his father pretended to be dead after being shot.

The New Zealand Herald reported that the family searched in vain for the toddler at Christchurch hospital and later posted a photograph of Mucad, smiling with Abdi with the caption: "Verily we belong to God and to Him we shall return. Will miss you dearly brother".

Abdi described his little brother as "energetic, playful and liked to smile and laugh a lot", confessing he felt nothing but "hatred" for his killer.

Abdullahi Dirie, four

Four of Adan Ibrahin Dirie's five children managed to escape Friday's attacks, but the youngest, Abdullahi, was killed, his uncle, Abdulrahman Hashi, 60, a preacher at Dar Al Hijrah Mosque in Minneapolis, told the New Zealand Herald.

Dirie also suffered gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital. The family fled Somalia in the mid-1990s as refugees and resettled in New Zealand.

"You cannot imagine how I feel," Mr Hashi said.

He added: "He was the youngest in the family. This is a problem of extremism. Some people think the Muslims in their country are part of that, but these are innocent people."

Sayyad Milne, 14

Milne was described as a good-natured, kind teenager. The high school student was at the Al Noor mosque for Friday prayers when the attack started, his half-sister, Brydie Henry, told the Stuff media outlet.

Sayyad was last seen "lying on the floor of the bloody mosque, bleeding from his lower body," she said her father told her.

Sayyad's mother, Noraini, was also in the mosque and managed to escape, Ms Henry said. The teenager has two other siblings, 15-year-old twins Shuayb and Cahaya.

"They're all at home just waiting. They're just waiting and they don't know what to do," Henry told the news site.

Husne Ara Parvin, 42

Ms Parvin died being struck by bullets while trying to shield her wheelchair-bound husband, Farid Uddin Ahmed, her nephew Mahfuz Chowdhury told The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi newspaper.

Mr Chowdhury said Uddin had been ill for years and Ms Parvin took him to the mosque every other Friday. She had taken him to the mosque for men while she went to the one for women. Mr Chowdhury said relatives in New Zealand told him when the shootings began, Ms Parvin rushed to her husband's mosque to protect him. He survived.

The Bangladeshi couple had moved to New Zealand sometime after 1994, Mr Chowdhury said.

Naeem Rashid, 50, and Talha Rashid, 21

As the shootings unfolded, Naeem Rashid is seen on video trying to tackle the gunman, according to his brother, Khurshid Alam.

Mr Alam told the BBC: "He was a brave person, and I've heard from a few people there, there were few witnesses . they've said he saved a few lives there by trying to stop that guy."

Mr Rashid's son, Talha Rashid, is also among the dead. Pakistan's Ministry of Public Affairs confirmed their deaths in a tweet.

The elder Rashid was a teacher in Christchurch and was from Abbottabad, Pakistan. His son was 11 when his family moved to New Zealand. He had a new job and planned to get married.

Mr Rashid's brother, who lives in Pakistan's garrison city of Abbottabad, Dr Mohammad Khursheed, received a call from his sister-in-law telling him of his brother's death.

Dr Khursheed said his brother had already bought his plane ticket to Pakistan for a May family reunion. "He was very brave. He snatched the gun and I think he saved many lives," Dr Khursheed said.

Haji Daoud Nabi, 71

Mr Nabi moved his family to New Zealand in 1979 to escape the Soviet-Afghan war. Days before the shootings, his son, Omar, recalled his father speaking about the importance of unity.

"My father said how important it is to spread love and unity among each other and protect every member of the society we live in," Omar told Al-Jazeera.

He told the news network his father ran an Afghan Association and helped refugees settle in to a new country.

"He used to make them feel at home."

Syed Areeb Ahmed

Mr Ahmed had recently moved from his house in Karachi, Pakistan for a job in New Zealand to help support his family back home. On Saturday, Pakistan's foreign ministry informed his family that he was among those killed during the mosque attack.

One of his uncles, Muhammad Muzaffar Khan, described him as deeply religious, praying five times a day. But education was always his first priority, Khan said.

"He had done Charted Accountancy from Pakistan. He was the only son to his parents. He had only one younger sister ... He had only started his career, but the enemies took his life."

Family members, relatives, and friends have gathered at Mr Ahmed's house to express their condolences. His body is expected to arrive there in coming days.

Mohammad Imran Khan

A handwritten cardboard sign outside Mohammad Imran Khan's restaurant, the Indian Grill in Christchurch, on Sunday said simply CLOSED. A handful of pink flowers laid nearby.

The owner of the convenience store next door, JB's Discounter, Jaiman Patel, 31, said he helped the staff with the keys after the terrorist attack that claimed Mr Khan's life.

"He's a really good guy. I tried to help him out with the set-up and everything," Mr Patel said. "We also put the key out for them when the terrorists come, and sorted it out for him."

Mr Khan had a son who was 10 or 11, Mr Patel said.

The two were business neighbours who helped each other out when needed, he said.

"We are helping each other. It's so sad."

Hungry for any news, families and friends of the victims gathered at the city's Hagley College, near the hospital.

They included Asif Shaikh (44), who said he was among more than 100 people at the Al Noor mosque when the attacker came in. He said he survived by playing dead, but was desperate to know what happened to his friends who were there with him.

"It's been 36 hours, I haven't heard anything about them," he said.

Nearby, Akhtar Khokhur leaned on the shoulders of her friend and cried as she held up her mobile phone with an image of her husband.

"I still don't know where he is," she said.

Khokhur (58) and husband Mehaboobbhai Khokhur (65) had travelled from India to spend time with their son Imran, their first visit in the eight years since he moved to New Zealand. The couple was due to fly out tomorrow.

Imran had dropped off his father, an electrical engineer, at the Al Noor mosque and was looking for a parking space when the shooting began. They have not heard from him since.

The gunman had posted a jumbled, 74-page manifesto on social media in which he identified himself as an Australian and white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.

He livestreamed 17 minutes of the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where, armed with at least two assault rifles and a shotgun, he sprayed worshippers with bullets, killing at least 41 people.

More people were killed in an attack on a second mosque a short time later.

Facebook, Twitter and Google scrambled to take down the gunman's video, which was widely available on social media for hours after the bloodbath.

The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about five kilometres away.

The video showed the killer was carrying a shotgun and two fully automatic military assault rifles, with an extra magazine taped to one of the weapons so that he could reload quickly.

He also had more assault weapons in his car, along with what appeared to be explosives.

Two other armed suspects were taken into custody last Friday while police tried to determine what role, if any, they played in the cold-blooded attack that stunned New Zealand.

Tarrant's relatives in the Australian town of Grafton, in northern New South Wales, contacted police after learning of the shooting and were helping with the investigation, local authorities said. Tarrant has spent little time in Australia in the past four years and only had minor traffic offences on his record.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed Tarrant was involved in both shootings but stopped short of saying he was the sole gunman.

During yesterday's morning hearing, a man who was not present in court was charged with using writings to incite hatred against a race or ethnicity, but it was not clear if his case was related to the mosque attacks.

"We appear to primarily be dealing with one primary perpetrator, but we want to make sure that we don't take anything for granted in ensuring New Zealanders' safety," Prime Minister Ardern said.

New Zealand, with a population of five million, has relatively loose gun laws and an estimated 1.5 million firearms, or roughly one for every three people. But it has one of the lowest gun murder rates in the world.

In 2015, it had just eight.

Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who bought the five guns used in the crimes legally.

"I can tell you one thing right now, our gun laws will change," Ardern said. She did not offer details, but said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be looked at. Neighbouring Australia has virtually banned semi-automatic rifles from private ownership since a lone gunman killed 35 people with assault rifles in 1996.

Before last Friday, New Zealand's deadliest shooting in modern history took place in 1990 in the small town of Aramoana, where a gunman killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbour.

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The man charged with murder in New Zealand, following the killing of 50 people at two separate mosques in Christchurch, described himself online as "a private and mostly introverted person" from "a regular family".

Aren't they all?

The reaction of Brenton Tarrant's friends was equally predictable. "I honestly can't believe that somebody I have... shared conversations and interacted with would be capable of something to this extreme," said one woman who worked with him. Another who knew him as a child described him as "angelic".

That would be consistent with what is known about radicalisation. Inadequate individuals in search of meaning in their lives are led down a dark path.

Brenton Tarrant haunted the shadowy recesses of the internet, where the discontented gather to vent their multiple hostilities. For most, it's a harmless release valve. For others, it sets them on a course to destructive action.

"I decided to take a stand," was how Tarrant described his decision to commit mass murder in the hope of sparking a race war.

He took it to the logical end by streaming the massacre in real time on the internet, creating a digital Ouroboros, as the serpent that eats its own tail is known in mythology. Radicalised by the internet, he finally uses it to spread the word, thereby radicalising others in an endless cycle. At least that's what he hoped.

Becoming his own broadcaster meant that Brenton Tarrant could bypass mainstream media, while still being able to control it by providing the material to fuel the story in the immediate aftermath. It ensured that Tarrant's audience was not confined to like-minded acolytes. Anyone who uses social media cannot avoid being exposed as well.

Whether it's just tweeting supportive hashtags for victims, or discussing who or what was to blame for inspiring the violence - because everyone seems to have an opinion about that, and it invariably chimes conveniently with their existing political prejudices - we all become part of the killer's game.

That's the dark genius of the internet. It connects the world, and it turns out that this may not always be a good thing. Some things and some people should be kept far apart.

That concern is echoed by Tim Berners-Lee, the man who invented the world wide web 30 years ago. He concedes that, for all its potential to enrich daily life, it has also "given a voice to those who spread hatred and made all kinds of crime easier to commit".

Berners-Lee remains optimistic about the next 30 years, but such fears can only be intensified by Christchurch.

Tarrant's manifesto will now have been seen millions of times. Most will give up in contemptuous despair a few pages in. A few will be thrilled by what they find there, and a few is all it takes to keep his "ethno nationalist, eco fascist" message alive.

There is probably no way of preventing the internet being used for these malign ends, at least not in ways that might not in themselves become equally dangerous. That is one of the difficulties of the conversation around this subject, especially when atrocities such as the massacre in New Zealand occur, making rational consideration well nigh impossible.

It always starts from the premise that something has "gone wrong" with the internet. But what if nothing has gone wrong with it? What if Tarrant was simply using the possibilities inherent in the medium by its very nature? Every technology is corrupted soon after birth. The printing press led to the dissemination of propaganda, too. Photography, radio, TV, cinema - all were quickly exploited for mass manipulation, and continue to be so. No technology is innocent.

In broadcasting his killing spree live to the world, Brenton Tarrant was not doing anything new. He was merely adapting the instruments that are used by "influencers" everywhere, from celebrities on Instagram to content providers on YouTube. It's all about getting the attention of an easily distracted world, then keeping it. Mass shootings, like beheading videos posted by Isil, are a gruesome but effective way of doing that.

Social media companies cannot prevent live footage of such acts appearing on their platforms, but they have undoubtedly been leaden-footed about ensuring that it doesn't get constantly uploaded and replicated like a virus. Videos of Brenton Tarrant carrying out the mosque shootings were gone from Twitter within hours, but they're still out there, one click away.

If there is anything to be said for the concentration of power in a few giant corporations, which has allowed them to amass huge amounts of information on each and every one of us, it is that it must be easier to regulate a way to shut down dangerous content - however that is defined.

Ultimately, though, it is not possible to find a way of blocking white supremacists' access to the internet without first understanding why this technology has wormed its way so deeply into our collective consciousness. The effects are only gradually being mapped.

Marshall McLuhan, who coined the famous phrase "the medium is the message", noted that reading requires concentration, whereas TV encouraged passive consumption. The internet, which is far from passive, goes one step further, relentlessly bombarding the brain with stimuli in short bursts that leave one both eager for more but also psychologically anxious.

MRI scans show the effect to be similar to addiction. It is known to affect memory; deferring gratification becomes harder; productivity at school and work decreases accordingly. Some say we shouldn't worry about it, because the brain evolved to focus in fragments. That's all very well, but the internet now fires more of these shards at us than evolution ever expected. It's little wonder that our minds struggle to cope with the deluge of sensation.

Tim Berners-Lee offers one astonishing statistic: "There are more web pages than there are neurons in your brain."

To put it another way: we're outnumbered, and the battle is only going to get more uneven. Throwing an increasingly toxic, atomised politics into the mix is a recipe for ever greater, and stranger, extremism.

Without doubt, there will be more Brenton Tarrants. Some will come from the right, some from the left, but they will all be children of the world wide web, whose impulse to kill for a muddled cause goes hand in hand with a desire for notoriety and attention, becoming ever more difficult to tell apart.

The internet didn't invent violence, but it will increasingly shape the form in which it is transmitted and consumed. The only decision left is whether to keep watching.
The suspected shooter claimed he was just one of "millions" of people holding the beliefs that inspired the massacre of 50 people.

Brenton Tarrant claimed only Anders Breivik's Knights Templar group knew of his plan - but said he had "donated to many nationalist groups and interacted with many more". He claimed he decided to carry out an attack two years ago, while on holiday travelling in western Europe in early 2017.

Security sources have said Tarrant may have met extreme right-wing organisations during his visit, which coincided with increased tensions over Isil-inspired terror attacks and the French presidential election. His "manifesto" was posted to messaging board 8chan with a plea for anonymous users to spread his message around the world, and they did.

But nothing in the 16,000-word document is new - the ideas, ideologies and memes used have long been spread by far-right groups and figures across the US, UK, Australia and Europe. Tarrant has also expressed his belief in the white genocide conspiracy theory, which states that white people are being "replaced" by non-whites in western nations. He used the so-called 14 words at the core of the theory in his manifesto.

The phrase - "we must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children" - has been appropriated by far-right terrorists around the world, including possibly the arsonists behind the fires in Irish refugee centres. But there are many other proponents of the white genocide conspiracy. Donald Trump drew attention to the theory in 2016, when he re-tweeted a post by a racist and anti-Semitic account called "WhiteGenocideTM".

An alternative version of the same theory, called "the great replacement", is spread by the pan-European ethno-nationalist group Generation Identity and it was chosen by Tarrant as the title of his document.

Demographic change in Europe and debate about how migrants should be integrated has been seized on by the far right and driven a surge in support for populist parties in recent years. Many extremist groups use birth rate statistics to claim white people are threatened in Europe, but "white" ethnicity is ill-defined.

The claims were a recurrent theme of Tarrant's screed, which called for white people to kill non-white and Muslim "invaders" and have more children. Tarrant claimed he had "brief contact" with Breivik, whose own manifesto has inspired attackers and plotters including a US Coast Guard officer who plotted to kill Democrats and journalists.

He claimed he then told Breivik's followers, who call themselves the Knights Templar, of his planned attack and received their "blessing". It is unclear whether contact between Tarrant and Breivik would have been possible. Norwegian authorities have said the computer the mass murderer is allowed has no internet access, and phone conversations are allowed only with a "female friend".

Breivik massacred 77 people in the 2011 attacks targeting the Norwegian government and young Labour Party members.

Tarrant denied being a Nazi but called himself a "fascist" and used neo-Nazi motifs including the Odin Cross and "black sun", which was featured on the front page of his manifesto. The document was mainly formatted as a Q&A, where he asked himself: "From where did you receive/research/develop your beliefs?" The reply: "The internet, of course. You will not find the truth anywhere else."

Robert Evans, of internet research group Bellingcat, cautioned Tarrant's manifesto may itself be a form of "shitposting", where ironic or false content is used to provoke a response.

"The entire manifesto is dotted, liberally, with references to memes and internet in-jokes that only the extremely online would get," he wrote. "They are meant to distract attention from his more honest points, and to draw the attention of his real intended audience."

Amid condemnation from mainstream figures, prominent YouTubers claimed the atrocity was being used to attack their platforms - and the darker forums where Tarrant sourced his views continued to defend them. On Gab, which styles itself as a "free speech social network", many far-right users were justifying the attack by claiming the suspect was merely "fighting back" and "resisting invasion".

On 8chan, where one user hailed Tarrant as "the next Breivik", anonymous users were openly celebrating the massacre. Mr Evans wrote: "Before much more than an hour had passed, there were already calls for other anons to follow in his bloody footsteps."

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Relatives grieve next to empty coffins draped with the national flag at a mass funeral at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Mulugeta Ayene/AP)

Thousands of Ethiopians have attended a mass funeral ceremony in the countrys capital, a week after a plane crash killed 157 people.

Some victims relatives fainted and fell to the ground during the procession through Addis Ababa on Sunday. Seventeen empty caskets were laid to rest in remembrance of the victims from Ethiopia.

The victims came from 35 countries. Officials have begun delivering bags of earth to family members instead of the remains because the identification process is going to take such a long time.

Expand Close Mourners pay their respects in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Mulugeta Ayene/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mourners pay their respects in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Mulugeta Ayene/AP)

Many families have held religious ceremonies and relatives have gathered at the rural, dusty crash site outside Ethiopias capital.

The funerals took place as the countrys transport minister said the black box from the crash was in good condition.

Dagmawit Moges told reporters that data so far shows there is a clear similarity between the Ethiopian Airlines crash and an earlier one in Indonesia that involved the same type of plane.

Earlier, it emerged families are being given a 1kg sack of scorched earth taken from the crash sites.

The soil came as it became impossible to identify bodies and hand over remains to family members, a family member said.

We will not rest until we are given the real body or body parts of our loved ones.

Expand Close An Ethiopian relative of a crash victim grieves next to a floral tribute at the crash site (Mulugeta Ayene/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp An Ethiopian relative of a crash victim grieves next to a floral tribute at the crash site (Mulugeta Ayene/AP)

Forensic DNA work has begun on identifying the remains but it may take six months to identify the victims.

However, authorities say they will issue death certificates within two weeks.

Interpol and Blake Emergency Services, hired by Ethiopian Airlines, will work with Ethiopian police and health officials to identify the bodies, Dagmawit Moges, Ethiopias Minister of Transport said on Saturday.

Expand Close The cockpit voice recorder from the crashed Ethiopian Airlines jet (BEA via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp The cockpit voice recorder from the crashed Ethiopian Airlines jet (BEA via AP)

Preparation for the identification process has already started and we will make sure that the post-mortem investigation will start as soon as possible, she said.

The US National Transportation Safety Board has sent about 16 members to assist the investigation, she said.

In Paris, investigators started studying the cockpit voice recorder of the crashed Ethiopian Airlines jet on Saturday.

The French air accident investigation agency BEA tweeted on Saturday that technical work on the recorder began.

The BEA also said work resumed on the flights data recorders.

The recorders, also known as black boxes, were sent to France because the BEA has extensive expertise in analysing such devices.

Experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board and the planes manufacturer Boeing are among those involved in the investigation.

The Ethiopian disaster and a crash last year in Indonesia were both of the Boeing 737 Max 8 planes.

The United States and many other countries have grounded the Max 8s.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said regulators had new data from satellite-based tracking that showed the movements of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 were similar to those of Lion Air Flight 610, which crashed off Indonesia in October, killing 189 people.

Boeing said it supports the grounding of its planes as a precautionary step, while reiterating full confidence in their safety.
The announcement by Pope Francis that Vatican files relating to the pontificate of Pius XII during World War II will be made public next year, has rekindled interest in that Pope's controversial dealings with the Nazis.

Pius had been criticised in many quarters for failing to publicly condemn the Nazis's extermination of Jews in direct, clear and unambiguous terms. In 1999, a major controversy resulted from the publication of the book Hitler's Pope, whose title seemed to suggest the pontiff was an admirer of, or colluded with, the Nazi dictator - though the author, John Cornwell, was more circumspect in the actual text of his book.

While the opening of files will be eagerly awaited, there is evidence that on one occasion Pope Pius XII actively entered into an anti-Hitler conspiracy.

Before the war and for a period after its outbreak in 1939, there was an active conspiracy within senior ranks of the German military to depose Hitler. General Ludwig Beck, the Wehrmacht chief of staff until 1938, took a leading part in the intrigue as did his successor, General Franz Halder. Also deeply involved was Hans Oster, the deputy head of the Abwehr, German military intelligence. Oster introduced into the conspiracy a Munich lawyer, Josef Muller, who had been an influential figure within the Bavarian People's Party (PVP), which was allied to the Catholic Centre Party, until their joint dissolution in 1933. Muller, who had become friendly with Eugenio Pacelli the future Pope, when he was Papal Nuncio to Bavaria after World War I, was to play a major role in an attempt to gain the Vatican's support for a plot to overthrow Hitler.

In the early years of the Nazi regime, Muller represented the Catholic Church in Bavaria in legal cases concerning breeches of the 1933 German-Vatican Reichskonkordat. The Reichskonkordat had been the product of negotiations between Pacelli and German vice chancellor, Franz von Papen, and was intended by the Vatican to protect the practice of the Catholic religion in Germany. However, the Reichskonkordat neutered Catholic opposition to the Nazi regime as, under its terms, the hierarchy were obliged to swear an oath of loyalty to the Reich and the clergy were required to desist from all political activities.

This contributed to the dissolution of Catholic political and many lay organisations. The treaty bolstered Hitler's prestige and many practicing Catholics, who previously under penalty of denial of the sacraments, had been prevented from joining the Nazi party, were then free to do so.

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The result was that the church was made to appear, at best, benignly neutral towards the regime. Despite the benefit of accruing to the Nazi Party, the provisions designed to protect the church were often ignored.

Working on behalf of Cardinal Faulhaber, the Archbishop of Munich, Muller took responsibility for preparing reports of concordat violations for the Vatican. These included the suppression of Catholic publications, the expropriation of church properties and the arrest of priests who dared criticise the regime. Muller owned a small aeroplane which he flew to Rome on his regular visits. There he liaised with a Bavarian Jesuit, Robert Leiber, who acted as Pope Pius XII's personal secretary.

When Oster recruited Muller into the anti-Hitler conspiracy, he made him a special Abwehr agent. Under this cover, Muller was able to travel to Rome more frequently carrying messages from the opposition within the Wehrmacht. The anti-Hitler plotters wanted to obtain some assurances from the British that peace terms would be on offer in the event of Hitler's overthrow. Surprisingly, the usually cautious Pontiff entered into this conspiracy and put his weight behind an appeal to the British to agree to negotiate a peace with the German opposition if and when they deposed Hitler.

Muller, during his ongoing contacts with the Vatican, informed them about the impending German attack on France and the Low Countries. The Pope went so far as to convey this information to the Belgium and Dutch governments and personally told the British Ambassador to the Holy See of the threat to France in the sure knowledge that it would be passed on to Paris. However, the Germans intercepted a message from the Belgium Ambassador to his government, in which the date of the planned attack was revealed, thus alerting them to the existence of a spy operating at a senior level within the regime. Hitler ordered an investigation into the matter - but this went nowhere when the Abwehr nominated Josef Muller, the chief culprit, to conduct the Rome aspect of the investigation.

Notwithstanding the Pope's urging, the British were reluctant to offer any firm assurances to the plotters concerning their intended putsch. Previous events had made them suspicious of any representations from alleged oppositional generals. Nevertheless, some messages were exchanged and a one-page summary, typed on Vatican notepaper, containing a list of what the British would require of a new German regime was eventually produced, although possibly without the knowledge of the British, and circulated among sympathetic military leaders. But the generals failed to move against Hitler and, with the success of the Nazi blitzkrieg in France, Hitler's popularity in Germany soared, resulting in the opposition becoming dispirited and the plot dissolving. With the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Pius's approach returned to a more neutral stance.

Pope Pius XII was never sympathetic to the Nazis, in fact he hated Hitler and abhorred Nazi racial theories. The fact that the Pontiff entered into an anti-Hitler conspiracy, one that endangered him personally, as well as the institutions of the church in Germany and Italy, makes a nonsense of him being 'Hitler's Pope'. For him the communists were an even greater threat. The Nazis, notwithstanding their assaults on the German church, had not, unlike the Soviets, publicly set it as their goal to destroy Christianity. Moreover, Pacelli had direct experience of communist rule.

During the revolutionary upheavals in Germany in 1919, when the communists briefly held power in Munich, red troops entered his nunciature and put a gun to his head in their attempt, which he successfully resisted, to requisition his limousine. But 20 years later when Muller was acting as an emissary for the German opposition, Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany were effective allies as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

This helps to explain the Pope's actions in 1939-40. The Nazi-Communist alliance was Pius's worst nightmare come true. The Nazis' only saving grace, their role as a bulwark against Bolshevism, seemed to have been foregone. This changed everything: entering into a conspiracy to have Hitler supplanted by an anti-Bolshevik administration would have been worth almost any risk.

Muller continued to conspire against the Nazi regime until he was arrested on April 5, 1943, after another Abwehr agent divulged that he had been seeking peace terms from the British. He was accused of using his role as a reserve Abwehr agent to conspire with the enemy, and although a military court acquitted him, he was immediately rearrested.

After the conspiracy within high levels of the Abwehr was revealed in 1944, Muller was taken to be executed in Flossenburg Concentration Camp alongside other members of the opposition. However, he was reprieved at the last moment and taken instead to Dachau where he was integrated into a hostage group. After being rescued by US troops at the end of the war, he was taken with the other former hostages to Capri for questioning. There he requested he be taken to Rome so that he could demonstrate his claimed links to the Pope.

The Americans agreed and he was flown there, accompanied by his assigned US intelligence officer. In the Vatican, the Pope greeted him warmly and granted him a lengthy private audience.

This article is based on material from 'Dachau to the Dolomites: the untold story of Himmler's special prisoners and the end of World War II' by Tom Wall, published by Merrion Press
A girl lays flowers on a wall at the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch (Vincent Thian/AP)

A steady stream of mourners paid tribute on Sunday at a makeshift memorial to the 50 people killed by a gunman at two mosques in Christchurch.

Dozens of Muslims stood by to bury the dead when authorities finally release the victims bodies.

Hundreds of flowers were piled up amid candles, balloons and notes of grief and love outside the Al Noor mosque. As a light rain fell, people clutched each other and wept quietly.

We wish we knew your name to write upon your heart. We wish we knew your favourite song, what makes you smile, what makes you cry, read one of the tributes, which contained cut-out paper hearts under a nearby tree.

We made a heart for you. 50 hearts for 50 lives.

Two days after Fridays attack, New Zealands deadliest shooting in modern history, relatives were still waiting for authorities to release the bodies.

Islamic law calls for bodies to be cleansed and buried as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours.

Supporters arrived from across the country to help with the burials in Christchurch and authorities sent in backhoes to dig graves at a site that was newly fenced off and blocked from view with white netting.

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities hoped to release all the bodies by Wednesday, and police commissioner Mike Bush said authorities were working with pathologists and coroners to complete the task as soon as they could.

We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen, Mr Bush added.

But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible.

Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some who were waiting for any news.

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The suspect in the shootings, 28-year-old white supremacist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court on Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb, and showed no emotion when the judge read one murder charge and said more would probably follow.

What appeared to be a jumbled 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto was posted online before the attacks.

Ms Ardern said the manifesto had been sent to her office email about nine minutes before the attacks, although she had not received the email directly herself.

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She said her office was one of about 30 recipients and it was forwarded to parliamentary security within a couple of minutes of it being received.

Mr Bush said at a news conference that another body had been found at Al Noor mosque as they finished removing the victims, bringing the number of people killed there to 42.

Another seven people were killed at Linwood mosque and one more person died later at Christchurch Hospital.

Thirty-four wounded remained at the hospital, where officials said 12 were in critical condition. A four-year-old girl at a childrens hospital in Auckland was also described as critical.

Dozens of Muslim supporters gathered at a centre set up for victims, families and friends across the road from the hospital, where many had flown in from around New Zealand to offer support.

About two dozen men received instructions on their duties Sunday, which included Muslim burial customs.

Abdul Hakim, 56, of Auckland, was among many who had flown in to help.

As soon as people die, we must bury them as soon as possible, Mr Hakim said. We are all here to help them in washing the body, putting them in the grave.

Javed Dadabhai, who flew from Auckland after learning about the death of his 35-year-old cousin, Junaid Mortara, said the Muslim community was being patient.

The family understands that its a crime scene. Its going to be a criminal charge against the guy whos done this, so they need to be pretty thorough, he said.

People across the country were still trying to come to terms with the massacre that Ms Ardern described as one of New Zealands darkest days.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis offered prayers for our Muslim brothers killed in the attack.

At his traditional Sunday prayer, Francis renewed an invitation to unite in prayer and gestures of peace to oppose hatred and violence.

The gunman apparently livestreamed the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where worshippers were sprayed with bullets.

The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about three miles away.

Greek police said Tarrant had stayed on the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini and travelled through the country twice, all in 2016.

Authorities in Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia and Hungary have also confirmed visits by Tarrant between 2016 and 2018 as he apparently studied battles between Christians and the Ottoman Empire.

At a news conference, the prime minister reiterated her promise that there will be changes to the countrys gun laws. She said her Cabinet would discuss the policy details Monday.
The human toll from the massacre at two mosques in New Zealand became clearer last night as loved ones shared stories and remembered the 50 victims who were killed as they prayed last Friday.

Families were putting preparations in place to bury their loved ones in the wake of the attack in Christchurch that has been described as one of the country's darkest days.

Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim is feared to be dead - and the youngest victim of the attack. He was at the Al Noor mosque with his father.

Arrangements were being made last night to facilitate victims' families travelling to New Zealand and to have bodies repatriated.

Abdul Aziz (48) was among those to survive and was hailed a hero for challenging the gunman and leading him on a cat-and-mouse chase.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned the killings in New Zealand as an "act of terrorism". He said social media companies "should have zero tolerance for anything that promotes violence or hatred".
Edda Goering, who has died aged 80, was the daughter of Hitler's deputy, Hermann Goering, the head of the Luftwaffe who cheated the hangman at Nuremberg by committing suicide shortly before he was due to be executed for war crimes.

As a child, young Edda was a sort of Shirley Temple of Nazi Germany, a pet of the Nazi media. Her father also became notorious as the Third Reich's biggest art thief, infamous for plundering private and public art collections as the Nazis conquered swathes of Europe, and she was showered with an original Lucas Cranach and other stolen paintings as presents.

She was seven when the war ended and although she was by no means alone among "Nazikinder" in having to bear the consequences of crimes she did not commit, unlike the sons of Hitler's No 2 Martin Bormann and "Dr Death" Aribert Heim, who grew up to express horror at their parents' crimes, Edda never spoke of his activities during the war and claimed that she had only good memories of her father, to whom she said she felt bound "by a great love".

She also retained fond memories of "Uncle" Adolf, who always had liquorice for her in a desk drawer.

In an interview in 1959 she claimed that she had never felt her surname to be a hindrance - and it seems that many in Germany agreed. For a number of years after the war she continued to receive complimentary tickets for premieres at the Bayreuth Festival.

Edda Goering maintained that a great wrong had been done to her family when her father's fortune (largely stolen) was - illegally in her view - confiscated at the end of the war, and she engaged in a prolonged and ultimately fruitless campaign to get some of his possessions back.

Edda Goering was born on June 2, 1938, a year before the outbreak of World War II, and was Goering's only child by his second marriage, to the German actress "Emmy" Sonnemann. Her birth was greeted with near ecstasy by the German media, and Goering is said to have received more than 600,000 messages of congratulation, including telegrams from Lords Halifax and Londonderry.

At the age of five months Edda was photographed stroking the cheek of Hitler, her godfather, at her christening, wearing a gown which he had given her embroidered with swastikas. The occasion was reported by Life magazine as a notable social event, and by The Daily Telegraph.

Edda spent most of her childhood years at the Goering family estate at Carinhall, near Berlin, where she was thoroughly spoilt by her father and his henchmen. In 1940 the Luftwaffe paid for a small-scale replica of Frederick the Great's palace of Sanssouci to be built in an orchard at Carinhall for her to play in.

A reporter for Life observed that she was "a sort of Nazi Crown Princess".

During the closing stages of the war in Europe, the Goerings retreated to their mountain home at Obersalzberg, near Berchtesgaden where, on May 21, a few days before her seventh birthday, Edda was taken prisoner by the Americans and later interned at the Palace Hotel, Mondorf, in Luxembourg.

Freed the following year, mother and daughter went to live in another Goering mansion, Burg Veldenstein, in Neuhaus, near Nuremberg. Her father committed suicide on October 15 1946.

After the war, Edda took a degree at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and became a legal clerk. Later she worked in a hospital laboratory and in a rehabilitation clinic in Wiesbaden, while also caring for her mother, who died in 1973.

At the time of her birth Edda received several works of art as gifts, including The Virgin and Child by Lucas Cranach the Elder, a "present" from the city of Cologne. After the war, the city sought the return of the painting, on the grounds that the gift had been unwillingly given to Edda under pressure from her father.

During a legal battle which lasted for 15 years, the regional court of Cologne gave judgment for the city in 1954, only to have the decision overturned on appeal. In January 1968, however, the Federal Court of Justice of Germany in Karlsruhe gave a final judgment in favour of the city and the painting is now on display in its Wallraf-Richartz Museum.

In 2015 Edda Goering, who had been denied the pension normally given to the children of government ministers of the old German Reich, petitioned the Bavarian parliament's Legal Affairs Committee for compensation for her "father's legacy expropriated in the year 1948", so that she could enjoy a "subsistence living".

After a period of consideration apparently lasting just a few minutes, the committee unanimously rejected her application.

Edda Goering never married but, for several years in the 1970s, was the companion of the Stern magazine journalist Gerd Heidemann. Heidemann later achieved notoriety as the journalist who "discovered" the lost diaries of Adolf Hitler - which were shown to have been a forgery.

Edda Goering died on December 21 last year, but her death has only recently been confirmed. Her ashes are reported to have been interred in Munich's Waldfriedhof cemetery, which has declined to reveal the exact location of her grave.

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Francesco Cali, 53, was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his body at his home Wednesday night (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

A 24-year-old man has been arrested after the shooting death of the reputed boss of the Gambino crime family, New York City police said.

Anthony Comello was arrested in New Jersey on Saturday over the death of Francesco Cali in front of his Staten Island home, said Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea, who stressed that the investigation was in its early stages.

There are multiple, multiple angles that we are exploring, he said at a news conference at police headquarters. Was the person paid to do it? Were others conspiring to do this crime?

The 53-year-old Cali, a native of Sicily, was shot to death by a gunman who may have crashed his truck into Calis car to lure him outside. Mr Shea said Cali was shot 10 times.

Mr Shea said police had recovered the truck but had not recovered the gun used in the murder.

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Asked about Comellos arrest record, Mr Shea said he crossed paths in some limited circumstances with the NYPD including getting a parking ticket on Staten Island the day Cali was killed.

Comello will be extradited from New Jersey to New York to face charges, Mr Shea said. Information on a lawyer for Comello was not immediately available.

Federal prosecutors referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Mafias Gambino family, once one of the most powerful crime organisations in the country.

News accounts since 2015 said he had ascended to the top spot.

Police say they are still investigating whether Calis murder was a mob hit or whether he was killed for some other motive.

The last Mafia boss to be rubbed out in New York City was Gambino don Big Paul Castellano, who was assassinated while getting out of a black limousine outside a high-end Manhattan steakhouse in 1985.
It's a beautiful coincidence that a film about love has bought Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt together. The couple has been dating for over one year and it was during the first schedule of Brahmastra that sparks happened.

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Just a few days ago, Brahmastra director (who also happens to be Alia-Ranbir's very close friend) took to Instagram to share a throwback picture of the couple at a VFX studio and wrote,

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"Ranbir and Alia needed to work as one unit and that relationship was more important than their individual characters because at its heart, our movie is a love story. There has been a lot of love since then..."

Love blossomed between Ranbir and Alia on the sets of their film and everything is going rock-steady in their paradise claim reports. The couple also celebrated Alia's birthday together and now, if reports are to be believed, Ranbir has planned a special gift for his ladylove.

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A source close to the couple has spoken to media websites and claimed that Ranbir is planning to take Alia and fly off to Aspen Mountain Ski Resort in Colorado for a romantic holiday.

Ranbir wanted to plan it ASAP because Alia is already busy with the promotions of Kalank and right before she again gets busy with professional commitments, it was Ranbir's idea to give her a short break.

(Also read: Alia Bhatt Gives A Classy Reply To Kangana Ranaut For Mocking Her Boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor!)

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The rumours of their engagement have been doing the rounds since a long time and considering how things are proceeding, we won't be surprised if one day we see their engagement picture on our timeline!

(Also read: Ranbir Kapoor And Alia Bhatt To Get Engaged After The Release Of Their Film 'Brahmastra')
The death of 50 innocent people in Christchurch shooting attack has left the world stunned and mourning and India is grieved by the loss of seven of its own. One from Kerala, one from Hyderabad and two from Gujarat are among the seven Indian died in the terror attack in New Zealand on Saturday. The three others also belonged to Gujarat and Telangana.

The family of Fahraj Ahsan, the 30-year-old soft engineer was among the 50 victims identified on Saturday as authorities are now shifting bodies to preliminary investigations. Ahsan was born in Warangal, and his father lives at Mehdipatnam and his in-laws at Dilsukhnagar.

Ahsan had been living in New Zealand with wife and two children- a three-year-old daughter and seven-month-old son.

afp

The 25-year-old from Kerala Ancia Alibava was among the victims and she was at the mosque of the attack along with her husband Thrivallur Ponnath Abdul Nazar when the terrorist opened fire.

While her husband managed to escape Ancia was in women section and family till now hasn't received any official information yet from either of the governments.

We are yet to receive an official information on the incident from New Zealand authorities or from the Indian government, a family member said.

The dead also includes four Gujaritis which also include a father-son duo. An NRI from Bharuch and an Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) with roots in Navsari, were among the victims killed by the Australian terrorist.

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Arif Vohra and his son Rameex Vohra who were from Vadodara were reported missing after the attack but later were found dead. Arif's elder son who loves in Australia rushed to Christchurch and later confirmed the death of his father and brother in the attack.

Hafiz Musa Vali Patel (52), a native of Luvara village of Bharuch district was another victim of the attack and he succumbed to the injuries in the hospital after 20 hours of treatment.

Mohammed Imran Khan (47), a native of Karimnagar in Telangana was also among the dead.

afp

Hafiz Musa Vali Patel (52), a native of Luvara village of Bharuch district was another victim of the attack and he died of injuries during treatment.

Mohammed Imran Khan (47), a native of Karimnagar in Telangana was also among the dead.

(With The Times of India inputs)
A responding state trooper found the suspects car going northbound on I-55 and tried to pull it over. Instead, the pursuit took them into Staunton, then back toward the highway, police said. Staunton police joined troopers in following the suspect, who drove off the roadway and got stuck in the median near the intersection of Staunton Road and Interstate 55, according to ISP.
Amid heavy tensions between the two nuclear neighbours, India and Pakistan will participate in the joint anti-terrorism exercise to be this year along with other states of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Also read: In A Rare Sight, Indian And Pakistani Soldiers Dance Like Buddies During SCO Meet In Russia

The announcement of the joint exercise Sary-Arka-Antiterror 2019 was announced during the 34th meeting of the SCOs Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) council held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, PTI reported through Xinhua news agency.

The SCO comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan were admitted into the bloc in 2017 in which China plays a crucial role.

Last year, the exercise had taken place and video of foreign forces along with both India and Pakistan were seen dancing on Punjabi songs and the video had gone viral.

India and Pakistan relations are going through tough times post the Pulwama terrorist attack last month in which 44 CRPF soldiers had martyred. India launched a pre-emptive non-military strike using IAF jets and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) centre in Pakistan. In response, Pakistan launched an offensive against India and an air skirmish between the two countries took place on February 27.

(With PTI inputs)
In the aftermath of the cowardly terror attack on a mosque in New Zealand in which 50 people were killed by Australian terrorist, the New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has been in news for her continuous efforts to help the victims.

PM Jacinda Ardern, afp

I can tell you one thing right now. Our gun laws will change, she said indicating the ban on semi-automatic rifles after the gruesome attack on Muslims who were praying at the mosque in Christchurch.

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Ardern has been in office since October 2017 and in January 2018 she announced that she is pregnant which made her one of the rare head of the states who will give birth to her child while being in office.

The sensitiveness she displayed after the attack has once again put her in the news and people across the world are talking about her.

Here are a few things about New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern:

1. Youngest female leader

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She joined office at the age 37 which makes her the youngest PM of New Zealand in the last 150 years and she became the youngest woman ever to lead any country.

2. A proven progressive

What has happened in Christchurch is an extraordinary act of unprecedented violence. It has no place in New Zealand. Many of those affected will be members of our migrant communities  New Zealand is their home  they are us.  Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) March 15, 2019

Ardern had joined Labour Party of the country at 18 and the party has been famous for the welfare works for the people including providing free mental health care, raising the minimum wage and cleaning of the countrys rivers.

3. Mormon earlier, she stood up LGBTQ rights

Reuters

Ardern was raised by a Mormon but during her 20s, she left the Church after she witnessed the Churchs attitude towards the rights of the LGBTQ community while keeping it always clear that she has no hard feelings for people towards people who are religious.

5. She became PM despite her party not winning the majority

The person who has committed this violent act has no place here. To those in Christchurch; I encourage you to stay inside and follow the instructions of @nzpolice. The Police Commissioner will be making a public statement at 5pm. I will update everyone again later this evening.  Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) March 15, 2019

After Andre Little, the leader of the Labour Party resigned in July 2017, his deputy Ardern took the control of the party. The election in September 2017 didnt give the Labour Party a majority and the National Party won the majority of the seats. But even their seats werent enough to form the government and this Labour Party teamed up with other parties and the coalition formed the government, making her the Prime Minister.

6. Owner of New Zealands first First Cat

Jacinda Ardern calls on people to be kind to SPCA on behalf of her cat Paddles who was ran over yesterday. pic.twitter.com/rvVR7EcUpM  James O'Doherty (@jmodoh) November 7, 2017

PM Ardern had a polydactyl cat name Paddles and she had become a social media star when Ardern created a Twitter account for her. Sadly, Paddles was hit by a car in November 2017 but her social media account will keep her memories alive in the hearts and minds of the people.
On Friday, at least 49 people were killed in a ghastly terror attack that took place at two mosques in New Zealand. A 28-year-old Australian suspect named Brenton Tarrant was arrested in relation to this incident. Tarrant identified himself as a white supremacist and claimed that he was out to avenge the attacks in Europe which were perpetrated by Muslims.

People who were injured or killed in this attack were mainly identified as migrants. The firing marked an attack of xenophobia where questions regarding a growing trend of white supremacy started doing the rounds.

However, US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed concerns that the massacre by an apparent white supremacist in New Zealand indicates a dangerous trend.

Trump was questioned if white people were being aroused in their homelands which might be a rising problem around the world. Trump in response said that he didnt believe that anything like that was happening infact, it was just a small group of people that have very,very serious problems.

Photo: AP

Although Trump referred to the bloodbath as "horrific" and "terrible," his comments downplaying the potentially wider threat were likely to face criticism. Trump has been repeatedly accused of making comments that were at best insensitive and at worst racist when it comes to race relations and far-right movements.

Ever since he assumed office in January 2017, migrants or mainly Muslims have had a change in their preferences of country and have decided to move to neighbouring countries like Canada. The Australian suspect live streamed the entire assault and even published a 74 page manifesto that was filled with racist conspiracy theories, AFP reported.

He also referred to Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose."

However, Trump said that he didnt know enough about the shooting yet and that he hadnt seen the manifesto. International media and foreign savants have often accused Trump for taking a backseat when it comes to global leadership and not taking concrete steps to diffuse international tensions.

Trump has also been accused of whipping up xenophobia with his long-running campaign to build more walls along the US-Mexican border, which he says is under "invasion" by illegal immigrants.

Trump has repeatedly denied racist tendencies and often touts his work in improving economic conditions among the country's racial minorities. However, the right of his party, which includes his most reliable political base, increasingly flirts openly with white nationalism and wild conspiracy theories.

Brian Levin, director at the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, said, however, that the problem could not be more real. "White nationalism and far right extremism is the most prominent extremist threat facing the United States today, and indeed it is a worldwide phenomenon," he said.

However, the Presidents remarks didnt go down well with social media users who called out Trump for his remark of very fine people for white people. The statement was made in 2017 when Trump refused to condemn a march by torch-bearing neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The march ended in violent clashes with leftist protesters and Trump appeared to spread the blame equally, even though the right-wing demonstrators had been chanting a Nazi-era slogan "blood and soil." "You also had some very fine people on both sides," he said.

Here are a few reactions of social media users:

As President, instead of condemning Muslims over and over again, how about condemning White Supremacy over and over again, instead of calling them "very fine people."  Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) March 15, 2019

Why dont you condemn white supremacists? I know. Because you ARE one.  Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) March 15, 2019

For years as a Muslim I was told by the right that Im obligated to denounce any Muslim worldwide who committed an act of terror. But today neither Trump nor the GOP denounced the #NewZealand terrorist attack carried out by a right wing white man. Why the silence?!  (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) March 15, 2019

- One of your supporters did it

- He was acting in line with your racist xenophobic rhetoric and your lies about Muslims

- He cited one of your surrogates by name

- You havent acknowledged any of this

- You havent even acknowledged that the victims were Muslims

- Fuck you.  Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 15, 2019

The shooters manifesto praised Trump as a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.

Let this sink in. A US President is the inspiration of white terrorists around the world.  Glen (@glendburgess) March 16, 2019

When are you going to address this? pic.twitter.com/iSc5Xv8B3g  Maxx Jams! (@Maxx_Jams) March 16, 2019
Just a week ago, a friend messaged me to ask if there was a problem with Reddit. Was the site online, was there some kind of downtime?

I immediately logged on to check, and it was working fine for me. As it turns out, it was likely some other issue at play, but it got me thinking.

When he mentioned Reddit being inaccessible, the first thought that went through my head was, "Oh God they've banned it." It wouldn't be the first time the Indian government has decided something online was a social menace and acted to get rid of it. Which leads me to my next question.

Why in the blazing hells is this okay?

Way back in July 2015, the government decided it was going to crack down on pornographic websites. They didn't want any of that filth polluting young Indian minds.

The government, for whatever reason, initiated a half-hearted ban and eventually even that faded out. But later in December last year, the ban was back on. This time it was spurred on by the then recent spate of incidents of sexual violence. The thinking was that, removing this negative influence, would help the problem.

Also Read: Govt Blocks All Your Favourite Porn Sites in India? Pornhub Has Your Back With An Easy Bypass Website

Fair enough, potential effectiveness aside, at least that move had an understandable reason in mind. But that's not the only time the government has banned a website has it?

For the past few months, certain websites have steadily been going offline in India. It's not a blanket disruption, just a few sites across a few telcos. The guys over at Freedom House have been keeping a running tab, based on user-submitted reports. So how many is it? Twenty? Fifty?

Sure sure, some of those will be overlapping entries, though from different locations. The point is, a lot of ISPs have been gradually blocking websites.

So let's break that information down shall we? We're going to ignore the reports of Pornhub and RedTube and the likes being blocked, because porn sites are a no-no based on a government order. We can also let go off torrent sites that appear because...well...it's technically just illegal remember? But then there are others.

Streamable, which can technically be used for copyright-violating video sharing is a grey area choice, as is file-sharing portal Mega. But then there's Soundcloud on the list of reports, everybody's favourite Indie music free service. College Humor, which is literally just a site for funny nonsense, has been blocked. Telegram. A freaking encrypted messenger is somehow illegal/dangerous/immodest. What the hell?

And probably the worst crime of all, are all the blocked VPN and proxy services on this list.

At least 60 percent of these reports were from users on Jio connections, with about 30 percent from Airtel, and a few Vodafone complaints thrown in too.

Which is weird. I mean, my memory may be a bit foggy but, didn't we go over this already? Didn't we get net neutrality back in July last year? Isn't it illegal for companies to exhibit bias when it comes to serving up online content over their Internet connections? So, is this somehow ok to do without raising too much of a fuss, or are all these blocks also part of a government order?

Also Read: Rejoice Everyone! Net Neutrality In India Is Alive And Well, ISPs Can't Throttle Speed Of Access

It's not like we'd know, because the the Department of Telecom isn't exactly forthright with the details of orders it sends out. So one of two things is happening.

Either telcos are blatantly flouting the rules of net neutrality or the government is asking more websites to be blocked than they acknowledge.

And unfortunately, India has set a precedent for this kind of behaviour. The government has orchestrated 292 widespread Internet shutdowns since 2012. Some of these were during riots and protests and the sorts, and a disturbing number of them were actually preemptive acts. Even worse, the trend has been climbing, with 134 of those shutdowns being just last year. I mean, we're just in the third month of 2019 and there have been 20 already.

The thing is, Internet shutdowns are always claimed to be a "safety measure". It's always supposedly to keep violence from spreading. But what they're most often about, is silencing public anger before anti-government sentiments can spread. Because if you control the Internet, you control information, and therefore the masses.

Just ask China, or Russia, or North Korea. Making sure people see only what you want them to see online is no different than controlling all the TV stations or newspapers. And because the DoT is so vague with its proclamations, we automatically chalk it up to the particular ISP we're on, without knowing who's really to blame.

Also Read: Putin's Building A Separate Internet For Russia, So He Can Control It Better Just Like China
In village Bhilon-Ki-Dhani, barely 10 km away from the international border, where parents do not send their daughters to school is now cheering for a teen girl.

Sixteen-year-old Kamla has become the first resident of this last Indian village in Barmer, Rajasthan to appear for the ongoing Class X state board exams. With literacy rate of less than 20 per cent and a primary school that sees an average dropout rate of 60 per cent, this girl has scripted history.

While the parents didnt send their daughters to the upper primary school till a decade ago out of fear, some army officers posted at the check-post in the village persuaded them to do so. This is when Kamlas father allowed her to study and when Kamla came in Class X she became an inspiration for all.

Times Of India

Education is still a taboo for girls in this dusty village of Barmer, Kamla has been lucky that she is allowed to study while most of her friends arent. Most of them have either got engaged or have been married by now, as reported by Times Of India.

"I am happy to have become the first from the village and I wish not to be the last," said a confident Kamla, who has not made up her mind on picking science or arts for Class XI.

"I have reserved this decision till after my results," Kamla told TOI. She has been going to the school from Class IX on a cycle which she received through the Rajshree Yojana scheme.

Kamlas father is a construction worker and she supports her family by fetching water from a well 4 km away from her village.

"The region sees one crop in a year and the male population goes to either Gujarat or Barmer, Jodhpur for construction work during the rest of the year," Kamla's father, Dwarkaram Bhil, told TOI.

Education is a necessary component in everyones life, but educating girls is still a problem in this country and one of the main reasons is gender inequality, which should be curbed so that the girls also succeed with flying colours.
After Australian minister Fraser Anning blamed the horrific terror attack in New Zealand on Muslim immigration, he was egged by a teen boy at an event in Melbourne. The video of the incident is doing rounds on the internet.

After the video went viral, the teenager was hailed by the netizens for egging the Australian minister. The incident took place when Anning was addressing a press conference on March 16. The video shows the senator being smacked by a teenage boy on his head with an egg. But his reflex action was also fast, the senator punched him back before handing him to the police.

According to the police, the incident is under investigation. But the cops will be looking at the matter and investigating the role of not just the teen but also Anning. Anning came under a lot of criticism after he blamed Muslims immigrating to New Zealand.

Following the egging, the boy was officially unidentified but netizens tracked the teens identity from an Instagram account that apparently belongs to him. People have been flooding his old posts with praises. People have also come up with the hashtag #EggBoy expressing support to him. Many cartoons, posters and GIF's are also circulated on Twitter. Connolly became a sensation overnight.

1.

Today I checked the trending topic on Twitter, then I found an interesting #eggboy hashtag. There are some of funny posted and i can't stop laughing. They call the EggBoy is the Hero we all need right now.

I know im late to know but i should give him apreciete of what he done pic.twitter.com/ndeTUu3mfN  ibrahim Alhadidi (@ibrahimAlhadid4) March 16, 2019

2.

Im not sayyyyiinnngg what #Eggboy did was right.

But I AM saying that if I was his mom, he definitely wouldnt be grounded   Linz DeFranco (@LinzDeFranco) March 16, 2019

3.

Remember his name: Will Cononley. He deserves a Nobel Prize work for protecting humanity against evil individuals #eggboy pic.twitter.com/ERxkImjEyH  IamMe (@Goku1696) March 16, 2019

4.

5.

Thank you for being a human#eggboy pic.twitter.com/5O3S5cQmrF  rima salim (@bundanyalafiif) March 17, 2019

6.

#eggboy made Happy day for all the World   pic.twitter.com/IzjYEdWdEF  Muhammad Saleem (@iammsaleeem) March 16, 2019

7.

The guy who destroyed the instagram egg..long may he live #eggboy pic.twitter.com/AhJiPleAFX  Fahad Dragneel (@DragneelFahad) March 16, 2019

8.

May God bless you with true guidance.

Such a bravery!

You are not #EggBoy, you are BraveBoy. pic.twitter.com/jiZyykImNt  Shihab Ahmed Tuhin (@TuhinShihab) March 16, 2019

9.

10.

11.

Thank you #eggboy the hero we didnt know we needed pic.twitter.com/RxJQc3CP2l  Amber Taylor (@emovegan) March 17, 2019

On March 15, at least 50 people were killed and 50 were injured in one of the deadliest mass shooting in New Zealand. A 28-year-old gunman opened fire in two mosques, the shooting first took place at Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch and the shooter later shot at people present in the Linwood mosque which is about 5 km from Al Noor mosque.
From being a former an ISRO scientist, who was accused of spying for country's enemies to a Padma Bhushan awardee, Shri Sankaralingam Nambi Narayanans story is one of a kind.

Nambi Narayan was honoured with Padma Bhushan by the President Of India, Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday. It is one of the highest civilian honour.

President Kovind presents Padma Bhushan to Shri Sankaralingam Nambi Narayanan for Science & Engineering. Shri Narayanan is an accomplished scientist with more than three decades of experience in Indian Space Research Organisation pic.twitter.com/dQKLj1RzS4  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 16, 2019

Narayanan is best known for his role in developing the Vikas Engine which was used for the first PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) launched by India. The engine was used in the most historic missions of ISRO, such as the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan.

Twitter

To pay respect to all the work he has done until now, a movie called Rocketry  The Nambi Effect was made on his life. The movie was released on January 25, 2019, starring R. Madhavan as the main lead.

Little did he know that from being a pioneer in Indias space technology, he will have to fight for 24 years to prove himself innocent. In 1994, Narayanan and four others were charged with leaking important information and secrets to two alleged Maldivian intelligence officers. Narayanan was arrested and spent 48 days in jail. In 1998, the charges against him were dismissed by the Supreme Court.

But his image was tarnished by then and he was called a traitor, recalling those times he said, "People would come to our house and burn my effigy, call me names, shout slogans... My family suffered a lot. My children were agitated and would fight back. But my wife slipped into depression and stopped talking."

Twitter

Narayanan has also penned down his story in a book titled as Ready To Fire: How India and I Survived the ISRO Spy Case.
According to WHOs Cancer Report, Breast Cancer is the most common in women in India. In a significant step, a Kerala scientist - A Seema - and her team have come up with a bra that can detect breast cancer.

A six-member team, headed by Dr A Seema of the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) from Thrissur has developed a bra with embedded sensors that measures the skin temperature and also creates thermal imaging to detect cancerous cells.

On March 8, International Women's Day, Dr Seema was also awarded the highest civilian honour for women - Nari Shakti Puraskar - by President Ram Nath Kovind for her innovations.

C-MET

Dr Seema told The Better India, how it all started, The idea took root when the director of Malabar Cancer Centre (Kannur) visited us sometime in 2014. Theyve been our medical partners in this project."

"They broached the idea of working out ways of breast cancer detection on a community scale. Mammogram was the golden standard but the provision wasnt available in even Primary Health Centres across the country. What they had in mind was a portable device that could be implemented at a community level. This propelled us to conceptualise a wearable device for detection through thermal imaging.

C-MET

Dr Seema also said that the bra is completely safe and doesnt emit any kind of radiation. "Even girls as young as 15 or 20 years of age can use the wearable device which caters to all body types. This is not possible in the case with the mammogram, as only women above 40 can undertake the screening.".

She also told The Better India, that the cost of the bra is expected to be between Rs 400 and 500.
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In court, additional details about the injuries to the security guards came out. One of the guards, who is 61, fell to the ground, suffering the broken finger, a fracture to his orbital bone, as well as a cut that required 17 stiches. The other man, 26, was not injured, police said.
Bollywood actress Neetu Chandra was a special guest at the International Womens Day celebration held March 8 in New York by the Consulate General of India in New York and the Federation of Indian Association. (photo provided)
Rhea Mitr (5th from left), a student at Quarry Lane in Dublin, California, has been honored by the city as its 2018 Young Citizen of the Year. (photo provided)
Shootin' the Bull Swift Trading Company - 4 minutes ago With the last WASDE report out for the year, and the 23rd's cattle on feed report, there won't be much more to trade off of in the coming weeks. The year of 2021 will most likely be known as the year...

Wheat Firmer Ahead of Weekend Barchart - Fri Dec 10, 11:55AM CST After dropping back 30 cents through the week, and extending the pullback earlier in the Friday session, midday wheat futures have firmed. CBT SRW futures are 4 3/4 to 6 cents higher for midday. KC wheat... ZWZ21 : 782-0s (+1.10%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.3836 (+1.16%) KEZ21 : 801-4s (+0.88%) KEPAWS.CM : 7.8320 (+1.14%) MWZ21 : 1039-2s (+0.14%)

Midday Cotton Mostly Red Barchart - Fri Dec 10, 11:55AM CST New crop October 22 contracts are higher at midday as the markets outlier. October 22 has thin OI, with only 35 contracts open as of 12/9, compared to 32,576 for the Dec contract. The other nearbys... CTK21 : 89.48s (+3.77%) CTK22 : 104.93s (-0.29%) CTZ21 : 111.55s (+0.25%)

Corn Prices Weaker so far Barchart - Fri Dec 10, 11:55AM CST Corn futures are trading a penny to 2 3/4 in the red so far on Friday. USDA reported the weekly average cash price for corn oil from 53 to 57 cents/lb by region. Those averages compared to 56-57.28 c/lb... XVK22 : 2,693s (-0.30%) ZCZ21 : 588-4s (unch) ZCPAUS.CM : 5.7706 (-0.31%) ZCH22 : 590-0s (-0.30%) ZCZ21 : 588-4s (unch) ZCPZ21US.CM : 5.7706 (-0.31%)

Cattle Gaining on Friday Barchart - Fri Dec 10, 11:55AM CST Fat cattle futures are trading through Fridays midday with 7 to 55 cent gains. For Feb, that limits the weeks slide to 87 cents so far. USDA has reported light cash trading activity for the week... LEZ21 : 136.850s (+0.09%) LEJ22 : 141.875s (+0.46%) GFF22 : 164.875s (+0.49%) GFH22 : 165.300s (+0.14%)

Hogs Extending Bounce Barchart - Fri Dec 10, 11:55AM CST Friday lean hog futures are up another $2.10 to $2.65 through midday. That limits the weeks drop to 40 cents for the Feb contract, which had otherwise traded within a $5.57 range this week. USDAs... HEZ21 : 73.050s (+0.86%) HEJ22 : 85.975s (+3.52%) KMZ21 : 86.950 (+1.37%)
Olympic medal winner, Rob Heffernan, who is the Grand Marshal of the Cork parade today has fond memories of attending as a youngster even if his lack of height as a child made him miss half the action.

The former World Champion race walker says he never imagined that he would one day have such a prominent role in the parade.

"All the family would go in to the parade. I was so small when I was young that I would be pushed back in the crowds. But I wasn't the smallest or youngest in the family so I wouldn't be up on dad's shoulders either looking at it.

"I would be in at the parade with my Mam and Dad. It was a real highlight. The Shamrock was bigger back then and everyone seemed to have it."

Rob Heffernan pictured with his family in 2016

Rob will be joined today by his four children Tara, Regan, Cathal and Meghan and his wife Marian.

The kids range in age from 16 down to three so it will be a huge occasion for them.

"Tara is the youngest and Regan is five. It will be lovely for them.

Naturally the older two will be 'disgraced'! All the family will be there. It is going to be a great occasion for us.

"There is a reception afterwards in Soho. My smallies are going to love the whole thing."

Rob, who retired in 2017, said he has hit the ground running and that life is as fast-paced as ever.

His big secret has always been work, determination and graft.

Last year he made it through to the quarter finals of Dancing with the Stars celebrating his milestone fortieth birthday during the show.

Meanwhile, one Cork youngster is giving his grandmother a "room with a view" at this year's Patrick's Day parade.

William Kelleher, 9, from Ballinlough in the city had a novel idea when he noticed that a new hotel was opening on South Mall in the main thoroughfare.

He saved up his pocket money to pay for a room at the Maldron Hotel for his grandmother, Norah Horgan, who has been physically unable to attend the parade.

Be sure to check out https://t.co/yF0bGmLAbk for details on city access, park and ride bus facilities, and traffic restrictions during the Cork St Patrick's Day Parade. pic.twitter.com/aF0E7piFmb  Cork St. Patrick's Festival (@corkpaddysfest) March 16, 2019

The youngster told Cork's Red FM that he wanted to do something special for his lovely granny.

"Last year I saw signs for the Maldron Hotel being built and I said it would be a good idea to check her in there.

She hasn't seen the parade since about 2008 and I have never seen it with her. She just has a little bit of a bad back and can't stand for a very long time.

However, there was one small minor snag in relation to his master plan. The Rockboro student found that his pocket money didn't quite cover the costs so he decided to do extra chores to raise the cash.

"All my pocket money has gone in to this and I have been saving it up for a while. We are going to have a very good view and we are going to see all the floats before anyone else."

The Cork parade will get underway at 1pm today.

It will feature over 2,000 community participants.

It will also include marching bands from the US such as the Mandan Marching Braves from North Dakota and the Arvada West High School Wildcat Marching band from Denver Colorado.

Meanwhile, the Waterford parade will will be led by grand marshals, Des and Mona Manahan.

The elderly couple came to public prominence when it emerged that Des was doing his wifes makeup as her sight was failing.

Des decided to take make up lessons to assist his darling wife of fifty six years.

It all started when Mona was getting a beauty tutorial from Rosie ODriscoll, a makeup artist at a Benefit cosmetics counter at Debenhams.

Des, 83, was watching the lesson and teasing the beautician about how she could do a better job on his wifes makeup.

I started messing with her and I said, Look, youve got it crooked there, you did this wrong, joking her

And then she just handed me the brushes and said, Well, you do it. So I started to do a little bit with it.

The Parade will leave the Glen at 1pm, continuing down the Quay and onto the Mall.

The route will take the parade into the heart of the Viking Triangle, past Reginald's Tower and 33 the Mall where the Irish Tricolour was flown for the first time in 1848.

Happy #StPatricksDay Limerick! Hope you are all set for the #Limerick St Patrick's Day parade today at 12pm! Don't forget to share your experience with #LimerickStPatsFestival - we love seeing your posts! pic.twitter.com/m9JsE0uYYK  Limerick St. Patrick's Festival (@LimerickStPats) March 17, 2019

Limericks St Patricks Festival celebrations will burst into life at midday.

The parade is being co-ordinated by Grooveyard Productions on behalf of Limerick City and County Council.

The concept this year is One Giant Leap.

In Tralee, Co Kerry young Ryan Kelliher, 8, who has muscular dystrophy will join the Executive Chair of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Anthony OGara, as the Junior and Senior Grand Marshals in the parade.

Ryan attends Scoil Eoin in Balloonagh. He loves science and soldiers and he is due to make his First Holy Communion in May.

Janene Kelleher said her son is very excited about being in the St Patricks Day Parade.

Ryan has been beaming from ear-to-ear since being invited to take part in the St Patricks Day Parade in Tralee. He has been a wheelchair user since he was five and he now finds it difficult to participate in certain activities with his friends.

"Ryan spends lots of time in hospital over the course of the year and it means so much to him to be included in activities such as this.

It can be disappointing when he cant do some of the things his friends can do, but he never complains, and he tries twice as hard to achieve his goals.

This years parade will start at John Joe Sheehy Road at 11.45am and will continue through Boherbee, Castle Street onto The Mall and finishing in The Square.

2019 marks the 117th anniversary of the Galway St Patrick's Day Parade. The iconic fountain in Eyre Square will turn green for the celebrations.

The Parade will start at 11.30am and finish at approximately 1pm.

The theme of this years parade is Diversity and it will feature an array of community, cultural, sporting and international groups including Irelands pioneering spectacle theatre company Macnas, led by the Macnas Young Ensemble.

The Ennis parade in Co Clare commences at 11am from Clare County Councils Headquarters at Aras Contae an Chlair.

In excess of 10,000 people lined the streets of the town for the 2018 parade.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that Amhran na bhFiann should be taught in schools and that pupils should learn the words of the national anthem, writes Juno McEnroe in Chicago.

His call, marking St Patrick's Day celebrations this weekend, comes after a Seanad committee previously called for schools to decide policies on teaching the anthem.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during the Tourism Ireland Green Boat Trip on the Chicago river in Chicago. Picture: PA

Asked in Chicago on the weekend, while visiting the US for St Patrick's Day celebrations, Mr Varadkar said he favoured some type of formal teaching about Amhran na bhFiann.

"I think it would be a good idea for the national anthem to be taught in schools. It was actually taught to me when I was in primary school - whether it was mandatory or not I don't know...I think that would be good.

Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond has previously called for the national anthem to be compulsory in schools. He said that many Irish people did not know the words or the tune. Furthermore, he said that he was never taught the anthem in school but had learned it in Irish college in Donegal. He has suggested a phonetic approach, as well as teaching the historical and cultural context in which the song was written, could be introduced in a school's curriculum.

The Seanad Public Consultation Committee on the anthem also previously suggested schools should improve the learning of it in Irish, English as well as in sign language.

Some opinion polls have found that only half of people know the words of Amhran na bhFiann.

Descendants of the authors of Amhran na bhFiann previously expressed disappointment that the anthem would not be enshrined and protected in Irish law after the Seanad committee decided instead to introduce protocols or guidelines around its use.

The same committee proposed that primary and secondary schools should be provided with copies of the anthem.

Mr Varadkar said he favoured a relaxed approach about the teaching of the anthem in schools. He added: "I don't think I would go down the american route, you know the pledge of allegiance at the start of the day, I'm not sure that would really fit in with the Irish culture.

"But the words of the national anthem - I think that is something every kid should learn in primary school."
Kevin Roche was creating eco-friendly buildings long before they became the norm, says Eve Kelliher.

He was a prizewinning architect who was still working well into his 90s.

But although Irish-American Kevin Roche reached the pinnacle of his profession, he eschewed the label starchitect and was regarded as something of an enigma.

Born in Dublin, Roche was raised in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.

He passed away on March 1, 2019, in his home in Guilford, Connecticut (US), at the age of 96, after producing a lifetime of acclaimed work that included the Ford Foundation and Oakland Museum of California.

Kevin Roches architectural philosophy focused on creating a community for a modern society and he has been credited with creating green buildings long before they became part of the public consciousness.

Despite his impressive portfolio  which included 40 years designing new galleries for The Met in New York  the Pritzker Prize winner had no intention of ever retiring.

His road to fame began in Ireland. He graduated from UCD in 1945 and worked for two years for Michael Scott where he contributed to the distinctive design of Busaras. After more than 60 years in the USA, his only Irish project, the Convention Centre Dublin, opened in 2010.

Made in association with the Irish Film Board and the Ford Foundation, Kevin Roche: The Quiet Architect will be screened on Tuesday, March 19, at 11.10pm on RTE One.

The production details how Kevins father Eamon Roche, after being imprisoned during the Civil War, turned his back on politics and became a prominent local businessman. In fact, one of Kevin Roches first architecture projects was to design a piggery for his father.

he interior of the Ford Foundation.

After short spells working for Michael Scott in Dublin and Maxwell Fry in London, he completed postgraduate studies under Mies Van der Rohe at the prestigious Illinois Institute of Technology.

He has won innumerable awards for his designs of over 300 major buildings around the world, among them the Pritzker Prize in 1982 (the highest honour given to a living architect), the American Institute of Architects  Gold Medal Award, the American Academy of Arts and Letters  Gold Medal Award for Architecture, and the French Academie dArchitecture  Grand Gold Medal.

Some of his best-known work includes the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York which he worked on for almost 50 years, the Ford Foundation and United Nations Plaza in Manhattan, A Center For the Arts at the Wesleyan University, corporate campuses for Bouygues in Paris and Banco Santander in Madrid.

His work has been featured in every major international architectural journal. Roche has been described by New York Times architecture critic Paul Goldberger as a brilliantly innovative designer; his work manages to be inventive without ever falling into the trap of excessive theatricality.
Des O'Sullivan reports on the sale of an historic letter detailing plans for French participation in an Irish uprising.

A letter from Lord Edward FitzGerald to his sister Lucy dated December 31, 1796  reporting that a naval fleet from the First French Republic had left the coast  comes up for sale at Bonhams sale of Fine Books and Manuscripts in London on March 27.

The fleet had left Brest that November with 15,000 soldiers, aiming to land at Bantry Bay and assist the planned rising of the United Irishmen under the command of FitzGerald.

Atrocious weather prevented a French landing and the fleet limped back to port in January.

The terms used in the letter are guarded as the family avoided overt political commentary for their own protection. It is estimated at 700-900.

A first edition of Edward Morgans journal of the movement of the French Fleet in Bantry Bay, which is inscribed to Lord Bantry, is estimated at 2,300-3,500.
When lives are tragically cut short, it is generally easier to explain the how than the why, writes Greg Barton. This dark reality is all the more felt when tragedy comes at the hands of murderous intent. Explaining how 50 people came to be killed, and almost as many badly injured, in Christchurchs double massacre of Muslims at prayer is heartbreaking but relatively straightforward.

As with so many mass murders in recent years, the use of an assault rifle, the ubiquitous AR15, oxymoronically referred to as the civilian M-16, explains how one cowardly killer could be so lethal.

It was much the same in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando three years ago, when one gunman shot dead 49 people in a crowded space and, though the motive appears very different, the same sort of military instrument of death lies behind the 58 deaths in Las Vegas a year later. An AR15 was used to shoot dead 11 worshippers in Pittsburghs Tree of Life Synagogue last October and a similar weapon was used to kill six people in a Quebec City mosque in January 2017.

It is a credit to the peaceful nature of New Zealand society that, despite the open availability of weapons like the AR15, the last time there was a mass shooting was in 1997. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern rightly identified reform of gun laws as one of the immediate outcomes required in response to this tragedy.

But lax gun laws are arguably the only area in which blame can be laid in New Zealand. Ardern, together with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, was also right to refer to this barbaric act of cold-blooded murder of people in prayer as right wing extremist terrorism driven by Islamophobic hatred.

State and federal police in Australia have long warned that, next to the immediate threat posed by Salafi jihadi terrorism, they are most concerned about the steady rise of right-wing extremism. There has been some comfort in the recognition that the most active right wing extremist groups, and there are many, are disorganised, poorly led, and attract but small crowds.

On the face of it, then, right wing extremism in Australia is nowhere near as serious as the neo-Nazi movements of Europe or the various permutations of white supremacy and toxic nationalism that bedevil American politics. In America, it is conservatively estimated that there were 50 deaths due to terrorist attacks in 2018, almost all linked to right-wing extremism.

In 2017, it is calculated that there were 950 attacks on Muslims and mosques in Germany alone. Many of last years attacks in America involved a common right wing extremist hatred of Islam, and a targeting of Muslims, joining a long-standing enmity towards Jews.

Almost all recent terrorist attacks have been lone-actor attacks. They are notoriously difficult to predict. Whether inspired by Salafi jihadi Islamist extremism or right wing extremism, lone-actor attacks commonly feature individuals fixated on the deluded dream of going from zero to hero.

One of the main reasons authorities struggle with identifying right wing extremist nobodies who post online, before they turn to violence, is that its difficult to pick up a clear signal in the noise of a national discourse increasingly dominated by exactly the same narrative elements of mistrust, anxiety, and a blaming of the other.

In Australia, as in Europe and America, mainstream politicians and mainstream media commentators have increasingly toyed with extremist ideas in the pursuit of popularity. Many have openly brandished outrageous ideas that in previous years would have been unsayable in mainstream political discourse or commentary.

Donald Trump can be deservedly singled out for making the unspeakable the new normal in mainstream right wing politics, but he is hardly alone in this. And sadly, for all of the relative civility and stability of Australian politics, we too have now come to normalise the toxic politics of fear.

No-one put it better than The Project host Waleed Aly in saying that Fridays terrorist attacks, although profoundly disturbing, did not come as a shocking surprise. Anyone who has been paying attention and who really cares about the well-being and security of Australian society has observed the steady growth of right wing extremist and right supremacist ideas in general, and Islamophobia particular.

Youll have to forgive me, these wont be my best words...



On this heartbreaking day, Waleed reflects and calls for unity. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/mIOI0eGamb  The Project (@theprojecttv) March 15, 2019

They have seen the numerous attacks on Muslims and Jews at prayer and worried about the day when the murderous violence that has plagued the northern hemisphere will visit the southern hemisphere. But more than that, they have worried about the singling-out of migrants, and in particular asylum seekers, African youth and Muslims as pawns to be played with in the cynical politics of fear.

Scott Morrison is right to say these problems have been with us for many years. But he would do better to point out that our downward trajectory sharply accelerated after John Howards dark victory of 2001. The unwinnable election was won on the back of the arrival of asylum seekers on the MV Tampa in August followed by the September 11 attacks, and at the price of John Howard and the Liberal party embracing the white supremacist extremist politics of Pauline Hanson.

Both major parties, it must be said, succumbed to the lure of giving focus groups and pollsters the tough language and inhumane policies the public appeared to demand and reward. We are now beginning to see the true price that we have paid with the demonising of those arriving by boat seeking asylum, or looking too dark-skinned, or appearing too religious.

The result has been such a cacophony of hateful rhetoric that it has been hard for those tasked with spotting the emergence of violent extremism to separate it from all the background noise of extremism.

There are, of course lessons to be learned. Authorities need to do better. We can begin with a national database of hate crimes, with standard definitions and robust data collection. Clearly, we need to pay attention to hateful extremism if we are to prevent violent extremism.

But ultimately, we need to address the permissive political environment that allows such hateful extremism to be promulgated so openly. The onus is on commentators and political leaders alike. They cannot change the past, but they will determine the future.

This article was written by Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University and was originally published on The Conversation.

This article is republished from theconversation.com under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here.
On This Day When US Astronauts Visited Yangon

US Apollo 12 astronauts greet city residents upon their arrival in downtown Yangon on March 17, 1970.
Nearly three years after a leak of NSA exploits by a group calling itself the Shadow Brokers disclosed the open secret that the agency keeps knowledge of vulnerabilities to itself, the Australian Signals Directorate, the equivalent agency Down Under, has posted a document indicating that it, too, does not disclose all vulnerabilities it finds, but retains some for offensive purposes.

So what's new about this? The ASD follows the NSA in this respect and it has been known for a long time that what it knows is private knowledge first, and public knowledge a very poor second.

Does this indicate that a leak of exploits from the ASD is forthcoming and the agency is publishing this undated document to cover its backside? One never knows.

To people who practise "access journalism"  where one paints government/official handouts in the best possible light in order to keep receiving this stream of information, often in advance of others  this kind of "news" it is certainly a matter to crow about. It would only evoke cynical laughter from a journalist.

To anyone who has been reporting about security in the technology field for a while, the ASD statement is no news.

Spy agencies would love it if people believed that they were open and dedicated only to protecting the country in which they are based. But such is very rarely the case, as has been exemplified by all the details about the NSA's blanket surveillance which was revealed by whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

There are security companies which also obtain details of vulnerabilities and then keep them secret, using them as a means to market their own wares. One such firm is Immunity, an American outfit run by ex-NSA employee Dave Aitel and bought by Cyxtera Technologies last year.

There are plenty of others who buy vulnerabilities from every grade of hacker  white hat, black hat, grey hat and even so-called blue hats  and use them to create tools for governments to break into devices. One such Australian outfit, Sydney-based Azimuth, headed by Mark Dowd, was again bought by am American company, L3 Intelligence, last year.

Doubtless the ASD has put this information online to push the myth that it is an open organisation. But then one wonders why it pushes false information  as it has done by claiming that there is no separation between the core and the radio access network when it comes to 5G.

This myth has been pedalled by the ASD's director Mike Burgess and repeated by others who parrot anything that serves their cause, two good examples being former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Nigel Phair, director of UNSW Canberra Cyber.

5G edge separation between the core and the radio network was demonstrated in New Zealand in 2018 by the telco Spark, using the Cisco evolved packet core and Huawei 5G NR and radio access network.

Burgess was quoted by The Australian in October last year as saying: "The distinction between core and edge collapses in 5G networks. That means that a potential threat anywhere in the network will be a threat to the whole network."

When iTWire queried this statement, the ASD claimed that Burgess was referring to "mature" and "far more capable 5G network architectures". This has also been found to be incorrect as was pointed out in a 3GPP panel discussion in September last year.

If the ASD claims to be so open, perhaps it could fess up about spreading this misinformation. Then its claims about "making Australia the safest place to connect online" would, perhaps, have a little more heft to them.
When anything bad happens, politicians always look for the first convenient scapegoat. And in the case of the massacre of Muslims in New Zealand, they have their bete noire right in front of them: social media.

Friendly media outlets are helping out by calling for this, that or the other restriction to be placed on these tech companies.

To be true, social media  in this case, Facebook, Google (YouTube) and Twitter  have their faults and plenty of them. iTWire is a regular and harsh critic of them when they put a foot wrong.

But in this case, they are one of the effects. The cause is the dog-whistling by politicians of various stripes, putting down this community or the other, and demonising people by reason of their faith, origin, and colour.

Also contributing to this are politicians on the other side of the aisle, those who sat silent while hymns of hate were being sung by some in order to make political gains. They are no less guilty.

We have seen the effects of this in the US where Jews, Indians and Muslims have all been killed en masse by white nationalists ever since Donald Trump came to power. But apparently we have not learned from the horrific spate of deaths.

The dog-whistling starts right from the top.

Back in 2011, Lenore Taylor, then working with the Sydney Morning Herald, reported that Scott Morrison, then the shadow immigration minister, had told his colleagues at a 2010 shadow cabinet meeting to capitalise on the growing fears about "Muslim immigration", "Muslims in Australia" and the "inability" of Muslim migrants to integrate.

This is the same Morrison who has made all the right noises after the New Zealand slaughter, including a call for shutting down streaming on Facebook as though that would erase the effects of his dog-whistling.

Remember that members of the government were willing to support a resolution in the Senate that "it's OK to be white" introduced by a woman who has done more than her fair share of outright smearing of Muslims and anyone who suits, as long as it keeps her in the limelight.

In 2016, the Senate held an inquiry into halal food, with many questions seeming to imply that the proceeds from certification of these foods were going to fund terrorism. Islamic terrorism, for anyone who is confused.

More recently, former Labor leader Mark Latham, now running for the Senate in NSW as a One Nation candidate, called for Aborigines to be DNA-tested before they are eligible to receive welfare payments.

And how can one forget Queensland Senator Fraser Anning and his "final solution" statement in Parliament? True to form, the man put out a media release after the New Zealand killings, blaming Muslim migration for the deed!

The Opposition has been strangely quiescent about these racist incidents. Unlike Bob Hawke who hit back strongly at John Howard when the latter claimed Asian immigration was taking place too quickly, and Paul Keating who also bit back strongly at Howard's racist memes, Labor leaders from Kim Beazley onwards have been like blancmange.

Leaders have to lead  just look at New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern. One wishes that Australian leaders had one-tenth of one percent of her leadership qualities.

Many people in every society have strong likes and dislikes. But we practise tolerance to maintain cohesion. We keep our feelings in check for the greater good. Else, there would be anarchy on the streets.

Sadly, those 51 people who died at the hands of a fanatic, who was encouraged to think that he was doing a favour to Western civilisation (?) will not be there to see the fallout of the reaction to their deaths. They have become just another grim statistic to the power of dog-whistling.

Tech companies have contributed much misery to the world at large  Microsoft's software is a glaring example. But in this case, Facebook, Google (YouTube) and Twitter are not to be blamed for this heinous crime. Instead, politicians in Australia need to take a good hard look at themselves in the mirror.
The European Union is likely to announce a third fine on Google this week, this one for alleged abuse of its AdSense advertising service, a fine that had been expected as far back as November 2017 .

Reuters reported that the announcement would involve a smaller fine than the two previous penalties levied on the search behemoth.

In July last year, the EU fined Google 4.3 billion for allegedly breaching anti-trust rules over its Android mobile operating system. Google has challenged this fine.

In June 2017, Google was fined 2.42 billion for allegedly abusing its search engine dominance to give illegal advantage to its own comparison shopping service. The company has appealed against this fine too.

And earlier this year, the French National Data Protection Commission (CNIL) fined Google 50 million (US$56.8 million) forof the GDPR following complaints by the organisations None Of Your Business and La Quadrature du Net, the latter representing 10,000 people.

The EU investigation against AdSense was opened in 2016, with allegations that Google was preventing third parties who were using AdSense from showing advertisements from firms that were in competition with Google.

At that time Google had about 80% of the European search advertising market and the EU claimed the company had been indulging in such practices for more than a decade.

Brussels is not the only one to fine Google for anti-business practices. In February 2017, the Competition Commission of India fined the company 135.86 crore rupees (about US$21.1 million) for "abusing its dominant position in online general Web search and Web search advertising services in India".

The EU's actions against Google may not end with the AdSense fine. Its anti-trust enforcers are inquiring from Google's rivals if the company demotes local search competitors and this could well result in a fourth fine.
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My dictionary defines "kidnap" as follows: to steal (a child); to seize and hold or carry off (a person) against their will, by force or fraud. Sounds like a pretty good description of immigrant children, even babies, under the Trump administration being ripped from their parents at the border without any recording of relationships or destinations. All being done by a pro-life administration that cares far more for fetuses than it does for babies and children once they've been born.
Police said suspect's face is covered with a medical style mask and possibly has a darker mask underneath it. He is wearing a medical style neck brace and his left arm is wrapped in a bandage.
A Mexican journalist shot dead at his home has become the third newsman killed so far this year in Mexico, authorities said Saturday.

The killing of Santiago Barroso adds to a toll of more than 100 media workers murdered in the country over the last seven years, coinciding with a wave of violent crime driven by powerful drug cartels and fueled by political corruption.

I regret the cowardly attack in which journalist Santiago Barroso was killed, said Santos Gonzalez, mayor of San Luis Rio Colorado, the town where the journalist lived, in Sonora state which borders the United States.

The spokesman for the Mexican presidents office, Jesus Ramirez, voiced outrage at this attack on free speech.

Barroso, 47, was shot at home Friday night and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead, said Contrasena, the online weekly he worked for.

Two unidentified assailants who arrived together at the reporters home knocked on his door and when he opened it, Barroso was shot three times point blank, Contrasena said.

Local media have reported that Barroso was working on stories about drug trafficking in his town.

On February 9 a radio journalist was shot dead in Tabasco state, east of Mexico City, after a community radio station director was murdered in the northern state of Baja California Sur early in the year.

Barrosos case comes after Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday said it had asked the International Criminal Court to investigate the murders of 102 journalists in Mexico from 2012 to 2018, calling the rash of killings a crime against humanity.

The watchdog group ranks Mexico as one of the deadliest countries in the world for journalists, behind only war-torn Afghanistan and Syria.

A vast majority of the murders have gone unpunished, as do more than 90 percent of violent crimes in Mexico.

The Mexico office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned Barrosos murder, and its representative, Jan Jarab, said that only with the effective resolution of such cases can a clear message of support be sent to those who practice journalism.

RSF called for an exhaustive investigation of the latest killing.
As the gunman drove to the two New Zealand mosques where he carried out his mass killings, a Serb nationalist song was heard playing in the background of the haunting video he broadcast live on Facebook.

The mass shooters weapons also bore the names of several historical Serb nationalist figures, revealing an unexpected interest in Balkan conflicts that stirred bad blood in a region fractured by war.

Hours after 50 people were gunned down in two mosques by the Australian right-wing extremist in Christchurch, Bosnias ambassador went on local television to express concern about the song heard in the suspected killers video that went on to show him murder victim after victim.

It was a Serbian nationalist song in which the name of Radovan Karadzic is mentioned and called on to lead Serbs, he said, referring the convicted war criminal who led Bosnias Serbs during the 1992-95 war.

Karadzic will go before a UN court this week to hear the final verdict on his 40-year sentence for the genocide of Muslims in Srebrenica and other atrocities during the inter-ethnic conflict in Bosnia that left 100,000 dead.

According to the Bosnian diplomat, the songs lyrics also say Turks must be killed, a term hardline Serb nationalists still routinely use to refer to Bosnian Muslims.

Though linked the 1990s war, the song played by the 28-year-old suspect Brenton Tarrant appears to have more recently been revived as an internet meme in the extreme-right circles he circulated in online.

But Tarrant also connected his savage act to figures deep into Balkan history, alongside a roster of other right-wing extremists from across the globe he paid homage to in his hate-filled manifesto.

 Ottoman obsession 

Among the historical military figures whose names were scrawled on Tarrants weapons were several Serb nationalist icons.

They were men who fought in famous battles against the the Ottoman Empires armies, such as Milos Obilic, a knight in Serb folklore, and Stefan Lazar, a 14th-century Serbian prince.

The names of two other 19th century Balkan military leaders against the Ottomans, including Montenegrin general Marko Miljenov, were also written on the guns.

During the Ottoman empire the Balkans was a site of frequent contact and conflict between the Muslim and Christian worlds.

That history remains a key reference point for Serb ultra-nationalists today.

According to local authorities, Tarrant travelled to the region himself in 2016 and early 2017, passing through Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia, and then Bulgaria in November 2018. He also visited Turkey.

 Inspired by Serb nationalism 

In Sarajevo, the Islamic Community of Bosnia said it was alarmed that the assassin started his bloody escapade to the sound of a song glorifying war crimes in Bosnia.

He was clearly inspired by this same extremist ideology and hatred of the 1990s, the group added.

The shooters Balkan references also aroused bad memories in Kosovo, a mostly Muslim and ethnic-Albanian former Serbian province that broke away in a 1998-99 guerilla war. Some 13,000, mostly Albanians, were killed in the conflict.

Writing on Twitter, Kosovos former foreign minister Petrit Selimi said the Australian gunman was inspired by a particular brand of white supremacist nationalism rooted in #Serbia.

He added: Wars and genocide perpetrated by Serbian ideologues, in Kosovo and Bosnia, seem to have become a point of inspiration for far right across the globe.

 Anti-Serb hysteria 

Officials in Serbia and Bosnia, whose Serb community is semi-autonomous, have been quick to denounce the finger-pointing.

Bosnias ethnic Serb Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak condemned the anti-Serb hysteria he felt seized the region after the Christchurch massacres.

It is dangerous and irresponsible to establish a link between the crazy actions of a disturbed and sick person and an entire people, he said in a statement.

The countrys Serb co-president Milorad Dodik, who shares the post with a Croat and Muslim counterparts, also criticised the vile campaign against his community.

Meanwhile in Belgrade, foreign minister Ivica Dacic insisted Serbia had nothing to do with the massacre.

And the ultra-nationalist Serbian politician Vojislav Seselj, who was convicted of crimes against humanity but still serves in parliament, appeared to see himself as the victim of the story.

The demonisation of the Serbs will continue until our country has surrendered, he told the local channel Happy TV.

bur-ng/ssm/mtp

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I believe that she will become the change agent that Chicago needs so desperately at this critical juncture. I believe that she has the moral compass to guide our city and that she has the skill set required for making critical policy decisions. I believe she has the heart and the soul to usher in a new era of bold municipal policy that improves especially the lives of working people everywhere across our city, especially the people who have the least, Garcia said. Chicago must enter a new era of equitable development, and I believe that Lori Lightfoot will usher in that new era.
The Philippines was poised to officially quit the International Criminal Court on Sunday, though the beleaguered tribunal has pledged to pursue its examination of possible crimes in the governments deadly drug war.

Manilas withdrawal is to become final a year after it told the United Nations that it was quitting the worlds only permanent war crimes tribunal, the second nation to do so.

The Secretary-General informed all concerned states that the withdrawal will take effect for the Philippines on 17 March, UN spokesperson Eri Kaneko told AFP on Friday.

The Philippine government and the ICC on Sunday had yet to comment on the withdrawals effectivity.

The departure of the Philippines follows the court being hit in recent years by high-profile acquittals and moves by several nations to drop out.

Manila moved to quit after the body launched a preliminary examination in 2018 into President Rodrigo Dutertes drug crackdown that has killed thousands and drawn international censure.

Dutertes drug war is his signature policy initiative and he defends it fiercely, especially from international critics like Western leaders and institutions which he says do not care about his country.

However, court officials have said the preliminary probe launched by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in February 2018 into possible crimes against humanity in the drug war would continue.

Under the courts rules, any matter under consideration before a nation leaves the court is still under its jurisdiction.

 String of setbacks 

Duterte has made it clear his government will not cooperate with the ICC in any way.

The court can never acquire jurisdiction over my person, not in a million years, he said in a speech on Wednesday.

Rights group Amnesty International said on Sunday the withdrawal should prompt the UN Human Rights Council to probe the killings.

Filipinos bravely challenging the war on drugs or seeking justice for their loved ones need international support to help them end this climate of fear, violence and impunity, said Amnesty International regional director Nicholas Bequelin.

The ICC examination, which is one step before a full-blown probe, zeroes in on allegations the government has been involved in illegal killings as part of the crackdown Duterte launched in mid-2016.

Police say they have killed 5,176 users or pushers who resisted arrest, but rights groups say the actual number of dead is at least triple that number.

Critics have alleged the crackdown amounts to a war on the poor that feeds an undercurrent of impunity and lawlessness in the nation of 106 million.

The Philippines move to exit follows a string of setbacks for the ICC, including the January acquittal of former Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo and the June 2018 not guilty verdict for former DR Congo vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba.

Burundi in 2017 became the first ever nation to leave the court, which was founded in 2002.

In a wave of unprecedented defections, other African nations  Zambia, South Africa, Kenya and Gambia  have also made moves to quit or expressed interest in withdrawing as they accused the court of being biased against Africans.

However, the court this month got a boost when Malaysia officially joined, making it one of just a handful of Asian members.

burs/ajm/fa
In the edited video, the footage pauses twice and red circles appear on the screen to show what Stephan said were small baggies of drugs that Jenkins had apparently concealed. The baggies appear to fall out of the car as Jenkins is dragged from the police car on two separate occasions.
CRESENT, Ore.--On Saturday afternoon, just south of Crescent, Oregon, Jacob Charles McGarry was pronounced dead by emergency responders after a snowmobile crash.

McGarry, a 21-year-old man from Philomath, Oregon and currently residing in Corvallis, Oregon, was in control of a snowmobile with one rider and traveling adjacent to the railroad tracks near Schoonover 1 and Riverview Street. Klamath County Sheriff's Office says McGarry came in contact with a power pole guidewire causing him to be removed from the snow machine. The crash caused a fatal injury to McGarry, but the rider was unharmed.

First responders from the Sheriff's Office, US Forest Service Law Enforcement, Crescent Fire, and Central Oregon Cascades Fire had to use ATVs and snow machines to access the crash site. An Airlink helicopter crew were also in route to transport any injured parties, but no transports were needed.
Its an interesting opportunity for us because so often our legislators dont know truly what goes on in education in our schools, and yet they want to pass bills and make laws about things they dont understand without getting to the root of who it benefits or affects directly, Collins said. Having an opportunity like with a platform to generate those questions and let them hear what we have to say is just another positive in terms of making sure teachers and students are getting everything they need to be successful.
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People often say that they can die happy if 

Well, I have no intention of dying, but one of my goals in life was achieved recently. Historically, Facebook moms groups have been the bane of existence for many physicians, particularly pediatricians. We are often rated and compared like hotel mattresses. Well, last night one of my friends texted me, Your practice is getting a lot of love on Facebook. Now, this I had to see.

A local mother had written a post on a Facebook page that she learned there are many unvaccinated children in her New York City-based pediatricians office. She was very nervous going there with her child. Followed by that were many pro-vaccine posts recommending our practice. Mothers were praising the fact that we have a zero tolerance policy on vaccines. This is my red line. If you do not trust me about the safety of vaccines, then why should you trust me about any of my medical opinions? Ive trained for eleven years and practiced medicine for eighteen years. I love a healthy debate about many subjects, but vaccines save lives period. There is no debate.

As the night went on, more and more pro-vaccine posts were in the feed! Mothers who expressed fear of their infants catching measles in a waiting room, mothers of children with immunodeficiencies, and mothers with immune problems themselves were voicing their fears. This brought tears to my eyes.

One must remember that pro-vaccine doctors are facing increasing amounts of online abuse. Recently, anti-vaxxers in the community have been targeting pro-vaccine physicians who express their views online, in scientific forums, or even in Congress. When naturopath, Elias Kass, testified about the benefits of vaccines before Congress this February, he suffered a severe backlash online. Fake one-star reviews were posted on Facebook and people were slandering him with lies, trying destroy his livelihood. In October of 2018, when Dr. Zubin Damania (a.k.a ZDoggMD) interviewed Dr. Paul Offit, a leading vaccine researcher from the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, anti-vaxxers tried to break into the studio. They stood outside of the glass and pounded incessantly, disrupting the broadcast and intimidating the doctors.

I spent years working in a hospital-based clinic where parents were allowed to refuse or alter the vaccine schedule. This tortured me inside. As a physician, we take an oath to do no harm. Here I was, forced by the medical administration, to allow parents to expose their children and our other patients, to vaccine-preventable illness and death. I would have to spend many hours trying to educate parents about vaccine safety, only to have them refuse. Then I would have to document that I did my best to educate them. Guess what: If that unvaccinated child contracted a vaccine-preventable illness, that parent could still sue me. They could state that I did not educate them well enough, despite providing literature and data. Just this week, another study disproved any link between vaccines and autism. This study, from Denmark and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, observed over 600,000 children for over ten years. There was actually a higher rate of autism and autism spectrum disorders in the non-vaccinated patients.

So nine years ago when I opened my office, I vowed that I would not allow this to happen. My practice grew slowly because of this decision. Parents came in for prenatal visits. When I told them about the vaccine policy, I probably lost 50 percent of these potential clients. I did not care. Contrary to myths, pediatricians do not make money off of vaccines. Honestly, we may even lose money on them because we have to buy them ahead of time and hope the patients come to get them.

Recently, we had a family that transferred from another practice where the vaccine schedule was staggered. When I explained the science behind our policy, the parents thanked me. The mother said, I am a business owner, and I like that you make a promise to your clients and stick to it. Education does work.

Of course, I have encountered the defectors, the science deniers. Ive even had one mother tell me, Hold on, I just put a poll on my Facebook moms group to see if we should vaccinate today. I did not wait for the answer. If you trust this group over your physician, we are not the right doctors for you. What I said is this, If vaccines were unsafe why would I do this? I would lose more sleep than you because every night I would have to worry that something terrible may happen to your child. That would be a terrible business model for me. I do this because I love children and I want them to live to adulthood because of vaccines.

I will end with some Facebook quotes that are music to my ears, All the kids are vaccinated, and they have a great team, Agree. That (non-vaccinating) would be a dealbreaker for my family, and many more quotes supporting other like-minded doctors who vaccinate their patients. It is going to take time and many more epidemics to undo all the anti-vax nonsense out there, but we physicians can do it if we stand firm together in support of science and health.

Dyan Hes is a pediatrician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Students and their families are increasingly questioning whether the time and money they invest in a college degree will pay off. There is no definitive answer, but college graduates continue to enjoy lower unemployment rates and higher earnings potential than students who don't attend college. Still, in a competitive job market, many college graduates find that a degree isn't always enough to secure a lucrative job offer. Employers also want workers who have real-world experience. That's where cooperative education programs, also known as co-ops, come in. These programs have long offered students a way to gain professional work experience while enrolled in school full-time. Students typically begin college with a year of full-time study, then alternate between traditional academic semesters and full-time workusually for payin their chosen field in three- to six-month stretches. Most students complete between one and five co-op stints, usually gaining at least a year of professional experience before they graduate. Because of the amount of time that students spend with their employers, co-op programs generally require five years for a bachelor's degree, rather than the usual four. Although most programs offer the option to complete fewer co-ops and graduate in four years, relatively few students choose this option. In many co-op programs, about half of the students receive a job offer from at least one of their co-op employers before graduation. And graduates of co-op programs tend to command higher starting salaries and stay with their first employers longer than other recent graduates.

But even with the prospect of a job after graduation, co-op programs can be a hard sell. When Sumita Gangwani, 21, heard about Drexel University's co-op program, she wasn't keen on the idea of spending an extra year in school. Plus, after growing up about 12 miles from Drexel's campus in Philadelphia, she wanted to attend college farther from home. Still, her mother urged her to consider how the work experience she would gain through the co-op program would help her build a career. Now in her fourth year at Drexel, where she is studying environmental science, Gangwani has completed two of three co-opsone in corporate communications for furniture-retailer Ikea and the other focusing on sustainability for a retail trade association in the Washington, D.C., area. "Co-op is helping me build my resume, but it's also helping me find ways to combine my love of retail with my interest in sustainability," says Gangwani. And by taking extra classes while on campus plus a few classes online during her co-ops, she'll graduate with her master's degree. Budgeting for co-ops Scores of colleges and universities, including private colleges, public universities and community colleges, allow students to participate in cooperative education programs or other opportunities to mix education and professional experience. At many schools, the programs are limited to a small group of students, such as those in an honors program or a specific academic field. But at a small group of schools, including Drexel, Northeastern, Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Cincinnati, co-op education is a defining part of the curriculum and culture. The size and schedule of co-op programs varies. For example, most students participating in Northeastern's co-op program complete three six-month co-ops, but co-op students at the University of Cincinnati complete as many as five co-ops in the same amount of time. And at Rochester Institute of Technology, students often complete two of their co-ops in back-to-back semesters.

While a fifth year of school usually runs up the cost of an undergraduate degree, that's not the case with co-op schools. Students pay tuition (and are eligible for financial aid) when they're enrolled in classes, but not while working at their co-op jobs. Payment on student loans that require full-time enrollment, such as federal Stafford loans, is deferred because co-op participants are considered full-time students even when they're completing a co-op. Stretching the equivalent of four years of tuition over five years puts less strain on family budgets and can reduce the amount students need to borrow, says Manny Contomanolis, who works in career development at Northeastern University. Students are generally paid for their co-op positions. The amount they earn depends on several factorstheir level of expertise, the field in which they're working and where the co-op is locatedbut most earn enough to cover their living expenses. For example, at Drexel, about 80% of co-op positions are paid, with students earning an average of about $17,000 per co-op last year. At Northeastern, students typically earn about $20 an hour, or about $20,000 over a six-month period. Those working in a particularly lucrative field, such as computer science or engineering, or who are able to keep their living costs down while they're working, often return to campus with extra money to cover some of their expenses the following semester. In most cases, students are responsible for housing costs while they're working, although some employers provide subsidies or offer company-owned housing. Students who work in an unpaid co-op or who want to cut costs often look for positions near their hometown or in areas where they can live with family.

Earnings from a summer job can reduce a student's need-based financial aid award, but the aid formulas make an exception for co-op earnings. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid requires students to report earnings from a co-op, but the amount is excluded from adjusted gross income when calculating how much the family is expected to contribute toward the cost of college. Brianna Karelin, 23, who graduated from the University of Cincinnati's construction management program last spring, says the school's college co-op program offered her the opportunity to live in different parts of the country without paying out-of-state tuition. Her five co-op jobs took her to Dallas and Allentown, Pa., to work on bridges, to Missouri to coordinate the construction of wind turbines, and to the San Francisco area to create assembly procedures for electrical work. Her co-op employers paid well and provided housing or a stipend to cover housing costs. Her co-op income, combined with careful spending habits, provided Karelin with enough money to cover expenses the following semester and avoid taking student loans for most of the time she was in college. Before graduation, Karelin accepted a full-time engineering job with her final co-op employer, Helix Electric. Charting a course During their time on campus, students take a full-time course load and work with a faculty adviser to prepare, search and apply for their co-op positions. Schools with large co-op programs typically partner with hundreds of companies in the U.S. and overseasfrom multinational companies to small start-ups. It's not unusual for students to have been on two- to three-dozen professional interviews by the time they graduate, says Randall Deike, senior vice president at Drexel University. That puts them a step ahead of other students after graduation and serves them well throughout their careers, he says. Most also build a professional network of contacts that they can use to find their first jobas well as jobs later in their careers.

Students are expected to work with an adviser or co-op coordinator to create a plan to find co-ops in fields that interest them, with various employers, or in diverse parts of the country or abroad. And because students are new to the workforce, many need advice on everything from living on a budget in a high-cost city to understanding the difference between being on a company's payroll and working as a contractor, says Cindy Damschroder, a University of Cincinnati professor who advises students in the school's interior design program. It's not unusual for students to revise their co-op plans, their elective course load or even their career goals when they return from a co-op. Karelin, for example, gained experience in concrete and bridge-building but chose to co-op with Helix Electricthe company that later hired herto try a new area of work and new part of the country. After three co-op jobs, Madaline Ganton, a fifth-year interior design student at the University of Cincinnati, thought she wanted to work at a smaller firm but decided to try a larger event-planning and production company for her next co-op. Once there, she says, "I realized I wanted to work on something that had a faster paceand that I can still get to know my co-workers at a larger company." Ganton recently returned to the same company to complete her final co-op. Other paths to a career A bachelor's degree isn't the only ticket to a well-paying job. With low unemployment rates, job prospects for those with nontraditional credentials are promising. These alternatives to a four-year degree get students into the workforce faster, cheaper or both.
Our elections will be held April 2 but why not participate in early voting. High school and college students should especially vote. If they are uncertain who to vote for, they should form groups together to stage mock debates on candidates, then go in groups to vote. As a senior, the future of this planet is important to me but climate change will not be a factor for me as much as it will be for younger generations. So, it is their future. They should fight for it and that starts with voting.
Rivera said he wouldnt want to take video gambling away from any businesses that currently have it, but any expansion needs to somehow be monitored and limited. He said he also doesnt think a casino is the silver bullet some think it is, and the social costs and costs to the city would outweigh any benefit.
1845 N. Orchard St., Chicago: $5,989,888 | Listed: Nov. 9, 2021



This six-bedroom home has six full bathrooms, two half baths, and a carved limestone and brick exterior. The Christopher Peacock kitchen has Waterworks fixtures, a farmers sink and two Subzero refrigerator/freezers. It also opens to the living room, which leads to an outdoor area with a full kitchen, seating areas, and a wood-burning fireplace. On the second floor, the primary bedroom suite features a dressing room and morning kitchen and an en suite bath with a separate shower and soaking tub. Three additional en suite bedrooms are also on the second floor. Other features include a wine cellar, a library, a media room with a Savant projection and audio system and an attached four-car garage with extra storage.



Agent: Carrie McCormick, @properties, 312-961-4612



*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.


By Emanuel Pastreich





The contradictions of contemporary China were on my mind during my trip to Shanghai in February, 2019. After all, China is not just some country and observing it is not just an amusement. What China becomes, or does not become, will determine our common future.



As I looked around Shanghai, I was thinking about how the American government, and American corporations, have slipped into corruption and militarism, and our distracted population barely notices what is happening. Perhaps I was hoping that China might offer some alternative, but ultimately I was disappointed.



I have followed China for thirty years as part of my career. Many of my colleagues in Asian studies have remarked to me in conversation that they think the country will play a critical role in the world at a future date, perhaps in thirty years.



Recently, I find that the American media is so biased that I must seek out alternative sources and that has drawn me closer to Facebook as a result.



And interestingly, I found many of the more informative articles about US foreign policy posted on a Facebook group dedicated to China's President Xi Jinping. This Xi site was not a public relations site, although it did include some government publications. This Facebook group was one of the few with a large membership that addresses issues in the US and Asia.



Some of the articles present China as a model for the world, a country that is eliminating poverty, that is increasing renewable energy and that has a cultural vitality unlike the West.



But my reading of these glowing reports has left me skeptical. China has tremendous strengths, but I see the same consumption culture, the same indifference to the environment and the same definition of human worth in monetary terms there too.



The articles posted in the group described how China is helping countries in Africa to build power plants and factories and how it is constructing more bridges at home than any other country. They describe a wealthy China covered with massive building projects that has avoided the endless wars of the United States.



But in light of the catastrophe that is climate change, highways and airports should be shut down, and not more built. We know that the same flawed and dangerous ideology of "growth" has infected China, at least as badly. Economics in China is defined in terms of consumption and production, and the impact of such actions on the environment is ignored.



If China promotes "growth and consumption" economics globally, if it continues to fund coal-powered plants and airports along the "Silk Road," we face a grim future. The fact that China is doing a better job of introducing solar and wind power domestically than the US is not comforting.



The interiors of the restaurants in Shanghai were immaculate, at least as clean as anything in Seoul, or Tokyo. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. But the waste of food was horrific and it was no longer so easy to converse with those serving.



I saw no awareness of ecology in the advertisements that everyone must look at. In fact I did not find a single reference anywhere to climate change. Young Chinese toss away plastic cups without a thought about their environmental impact.



Western-style skyscrapers are overrunning Shanghai. Their grand interiors waste energy on a massive scale. They also create tremendous distance between the workers within and the community around them. The small shops and stores that made up the more human Shanghai are being torn down to make way for big construction projects.



Fashion stores, Starbucks and various restaurants catering to the rich and the bored continue to proliferate with little concern for the actual needs of ordinary people. Posters on every corner suggest that people must have a big house and a luxurious automobile in order to be happy.



When I visited Shanghai for the first time in 1990 I met with professors of classical Chinese literature at Fudan University and their students at dirty restaurants and unadorned dormitories. The spaces we met in were dark because energy was expensive  people had a sense of the real cost of things. I felt that the students I met spent their days reading books and pondering serious questions.



I watched the Chinese movie "The Wandering Planet"  (directed by Guo Fan  and based on the novel by Liu Cixin ?  ) while in Shanghai. I had read about the controversy surrounding The Economist's critical review of the movie and the Chinese response.



The title of this article in the February 16 edition of The Economist was simply "Xi Jinping thought saves the world." The dismissive tone was evident from the first line, "The apocalypse looms. There is only one hope for the human race: China."



A firestorm raged online among Chinese people concerning this review.



I was recently forwarded a humorous response to the Economist by the famous blogger Thomas Hon Wing Polin entitled, "Saving the World is also a Western Monopoly." I was recently forwarded a humorous response to the Economist by the famous blogger Thomas Hon Wing Polin entitled, "Saving the World is also a Western Monopoly."

Polin noted,"
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Rain likely. High 47F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 46F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
(PETTIS COUNTY, Mo.) Authorities are searching for an inmate who escaped Sunday from the Pettis County Jail.

Travis Lee Davis, 30, was being held on $110,000 bond for various charges including kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a minor, domestic assault, resisting arrest, and parole violation.

Police said Davis should be considered dangerous.

Authorities said Davis was missing from his cell block late Sunday night. Police found evidence of his escape during a search of the jail.

Davis is described as a white male, 6' tall and 150 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He has several tattoos including an eye within a triangle on the front of his neck. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and grey pants.

Anyone with information should call the Pettis County Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 660-827-TIPS or submit a tip by clicking here.
(HOLT COUNTY, Mo.) Flooding isn't a rare occurrence for people living along the Missouri River in Holt County, Mo.

In fact, the area just returned to normal in the last few years after the big flood of 2011, but now most of the area around Big Lake is once again under water.

Some who work and live there said many will lose everything they own again.

"Lots of water, as usual," Alyssa Barnes said. "Lots of breaches going on everywhere. It's coming in fast."

Home and property already under waterlosses expected to be in the millions.

"It's already the second worst I've ever seen in my 50 years around the lake," Rick Barnes said.

Barnes Realty buys and sells real estate in the Big Lake areaJamie Barnes is also a helicopter pilot.

On Saturday, they took a flight to check on their properties along with the homes and belongings of families and friends.

"Lots of boats and campers were lost at Big Lake," Alyssa Barnes said. "I've never seen that before in the past 21 years that I've been there. Lots of boats and campers had to be left behind."

Lots of questions continued to be asked by people in Holt County, especially as to why the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue to dump water into the Missouri. The Barnes' family believes the Corps could have prevented a lot of the problem.

In the past couple of days in South Dakota, the Corps has been releasing up to four times the normal amount of water from the Gavins Point Dameasing flooding up there, but the water only has one direction to go.

"This is all coming from up north," Rick Barnes said. "It's coming through those dams. The Corps of Engineers control those dams. They'll probably tell us they're doing everything right. I don't think so."

What the Barnes' fear most is that Big Lake has never flooded this early in the year. They know there is a long Spring and Summer to go and a lot of water yet to come.

"That's not good," Rick Barnes said. "We're not anywhere near the end of this issue."

To see more video the Barnes' family recorded of the flood damage, visit their Facebook page.
(NEMAHA COUNTY, Neb.) Reports Saturday evening showing that a levee in southeastern Nebraska along the Missouri River has been breached.

According to the National Weather Service, law enforcement has reported two breaches in the levee on the Missouri River just north of Peru.

The weather service issued a Flash Flood Warning for Nemaha County following the report and warns that water levels will rise rapidly in the area.

At the nearby river gauge in Brownville, Neb., the Missouri River level fell as a response to the breach and is down to 44.66 feet as of 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

The Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for Nemaha County until 5:00 a.m. Sunday.
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) The St. Joseph Police Department has closed McArthur Dr. and Highland Ave. west of I-229.

The police department announced the closure Saturday evening. A large number of people have been using the area to view the high levels of the Missouri River.

The road will reopen for a brief time Sunday so that the Remington Nature Center can operate with normal hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and then police will re-close the road.

The St Jo Frontier Casino announced Saturday that the casino is closed until further notice.
As we pray for the victims families and the victims themselves, we need to also pray for humanity, that we come together and not separate ourselves because of ethnicities, faith, race or religion, said Habib Qadri, superintendent of MCC Academy. We are all children of God.
Leanna Nicole Herron is believed to be in extreme danger, according to the Amber Alert issued Saturday. She was last seen on Saturday afternoon in Fort Wayne. She is a black female, who is 4 feet tall and 69 pounds with brown hair and eyes. She was last seen wearing a gray sweat suit with white stripes and black and white Nikes.
Brenton Tarrant, the right-wing terrorist who shot dead 49 worshippers in a mosque in Christchurhc, New Zealand | (Photo Credits: Video circulated on social media)

Christchurch, March 17: The Australian man facing murder charges in the terrorist shootings at two New Zealand mosques that left 50 dead was a frequent traveler who visited Pakistan, Turkey and Bulgaria, among other countries in recent years.

Tarrant had traveled to Turkey multiple times and "spent an extended period of time in the country," CNN quoted a senior Turkish official on Saturday. What New Zealand, the U.S., Norway and Canada Have in Common After the Christchurch Attack?

He also recently traveled to Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, Bulgarian prosecutor general Sotir Tsatsarov told journalists, according to state news agency BTA. In 2016, Tarrant visited Montenegro and Serbia, Tsatsarov said.

Tarrant is also believed to have spent time in northern Pakistan. Speaking to CNN on Saturday, the owner of the Osho Thang Hotel in Nagar, in Pakistan's northernmost Gilgit-Baltistan region, said Tarrant had visited his hotel in October 2018.

The hotel owner, who did not want to be named for security reasons, described Tarrant as a "regular tourist."

"All I remember was that he was a fan of local food. He would leave the hotel in the morning and would come back in the evening," he said.

Shortly before the shooting began, an 87-page manifesto was posted on social media under the name of Brenton Tarrant. The document was riddled with sarcasm, apparent red herrings and allusions to online meme culture, suggesting an internet-driven evolution of nationalist hatred.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 17, 2019 06:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Russ Newton joined The Times in 2000 as director of operations and president at California Community News, one of the Times wholly-owned business units. Before joining The Times, he was director of operations from 1998 to 2000 at Landoll Inc., a Tribune Education company. Previously, he led the packaging department at the Orlando Sentinel in Orlando, Fla., from 1994 to 1998, and the production division, press and packaging areas at the Daily Press in Newport News, Va., from 1987 to 1994.

Newton joined Tribune Co. in 1985, serving as a shift supervisor, crew supervisor and trainer at the Chicago Tribune from 1985 to 1987. Before joining Tribune, he worked as a press operator at The Times/Journal Company in Springfield, Va., from 1982 to 1985, and as a dispatch courier and press trainee at Madison Newspapers Inc. in Madison, Wis., from 1978 to 1982.

Newton has been a board member at CIPS Marketing Group since 2001 and the International Newspaper Group since 2013. He is a past member of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership 2002-2005.
Bill Nagel joined the Los Angeles Times as Executive Vice President, Business Services in July 2009. In this role, Nagel is responsible for growing alternative revenue streams through the marketing and sales of The Times world-class print production, distribution and marketing services to other entities across Southern California. He is also responsible for business to consumer marketing for the Los Angeles Times Media Groups portfolio of products.

Previously, Nagel was Sr. Vice President of Business Channels for the San Diego Union-Tribune, overseeing both consumer and advertising revenue development. In addition, he was instrumental in developing and executing the Union-Tribunes business strategy, including managing the launch of several successful new products.

Nagel started his career with the Chicago Tribune in 1988. He eventually rose to the position of Director, Transportation and Single Copy, where he was responsible for developing and implementing the single copy strategy for the city of Chicago along with overall responsibility for fleet operations.

Nagel holds a BS degree from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Northern Illinois University.


When visitors to the gigantic Palace Museum complex in Beijing feel a need to sit down for a cup of tea or find a bathroom without a long line, they soon will be able to turn to their smartphones for the information they need.







This modern-day solution at the venerable compound comes thanks to an agreement signed on Friday by the museum and Huawei Co, the telecommunication giant, to build a "smart network" using 5G technology, the fifth generation of mobile network communications.





Under the agreement, 5G Wi-Fi signals will cover the 720,000-square-meter compound, China's imperial palace from 1420 to 1911 and also known as the Forbidden City, and the branch museum of the institution under construction in northwestern Beijing.





But visitor comfort is not the only benefit of a 5G smart network.





Huawei will also provide the museum with cutting-edge technologies for the internet of things-devices or objects linked in a network-cloud computing and artificial intelligence to facilitate such functions as management, security and preservation of cultural relics.





"It's essential to always stay close to the latest technology to better serve the public," said Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum.





Shan said there is still much room for improvement in the handling of a huge number of cultural relics, such as when the priceless painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival is exhibited again next year.





The Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) landscape painting is considered the best-known ancient Chinese work of art. When it was last exhibited in 2015, visitors stood in long lines until 3 am to get a glimpse. The museum ended up preparing instant noodles to serve the hungry visitors.





"I don't want that scenario to recur," Shan said. "Our operation can be done in a more scientific way."





The new system will make use of the more than 3,000 closed-circuit television cameras that are installed all over the Palace Museum. Shan said facial-recognition technology will determine which areas are most popular with frequent visitors in order to analyze their preferences.





"We can later, accordingly, provide useful information on our exhibitions," he said.





The CCTV cameras also are used to safeguard the museum's precious relics. More than 1.86 million of them are housed at the museum, which logged 17.5 million visits from the public in 2018, topping all museums worldwide.





"How can we make sure no single visitor who might have evil ideas threatens these treasures?" Shan said. "After adopting the internet of things, we can instantly detect any motion involving the artifacts to prevent such threats."





Such a networked system also will be used to facilitate management of inventory and closely supervise transportation and exhibition of cultural relics.





New technologies can assist the museum staff in other ways, too, said Wang Tao, a member of Huawei's board of directors.





The company will use algorithms to more efficiently draft tailored plans for restoring cultural relics after information on similar pieces and files on each collection are included in a database.





"We can thus combine old craftsmen's experience and artificial intelligence," Wang said.





The 5G network also will be used to improve remote consultation through webcams, which will facilitate conversations with overseas scholars to jointly find the best answers for restoration and preservation issues, he said.




Brad Agens joined the Los Angeles Times Media Group (LATMG) as Senior Vice President, Digital Sales in September 2012. He is responsible for cultivating revenue opportunities, identifying trends and developing innovative client solutions for the companys digital portfolio, including the flagship latimes.com, mobile apps and an expanding suite of multimedia products.

Agens previously oversaw domestic sales strategy and operations for Gorilla Nation Media, a division of Evolve Media Corp., as senior vice president of National Sales. He joined the company in 2002 as one of its original employees. He has also held online sales and marketing management positions with L90/MaxOnline and RealSearch.

A graduate of the University of Arizona, Agens resides in Venice with his wife and children.
As deputy managing editor, Scott Kraft is responsible for the front page, the Column One feature and major investigative, explanatory and narrative reporting projects.

During more than two decades at The Times, Kraft has been a national and foreign correspondent as well as a news department head. He joined the paper as a staff writer in its Chicago bureau and later was bureau chief in Nairobi, Johannesburg and Paris. He covered the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid and the ill-fated U.S. military mission in Somalia, among other major stories. His story for the Los Angeles Times magazine on the AIDS epidemic in Africa won the SPJ Distinguished Service Award for Foreign Correspondence.

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After a decade abroad, Kraft moved to Los Angeles and became deputy Foreign editor. A year later, he was named National editor, overseeing national correspondents and the Washington bureau. During his 11 years as National editor, he directed coverage of many major stories, including 9/11, three presidential elections, the Clinton impeachment, the 2000 Florida recount and Hurricane Katrina. Reporters on the National staff won four Pulitzer Prizes during his tenure.

Kraft returned to writing in 2008 and helped anchor coverage of the earthquake in Haiti. He became the Page One editor in 2011 and was named deputy managing editor in August 2012.

He came to The Times from the Associated Press, where he was a national correspondent based in New York and a 1984 Pulitzer Prize finalist in feature writing.

Kraft was born in Kansas City, Mo., and has a bachelors degree in journalism from Kansas State University.
Fox News pulled Saturdays episode of conservative commentator Jeanine Pirros program after publicly admonishing her for on-air comments she made last week about a Muslim congresswomans hijab.

Justice With Judge Jeanine  which airs Saturdays at 6 p.m. Pacific and is typically the most watched cable news program on the night  was replaced with a repeat airing of the documentary series Scandalous: The Trial of William Kennedy Smith, according to the Fox News schedule.

A representative for Fox News did not comment on Pirros status or the reason for the programming change. But the switch appeared to be related to Pirros March 9 comment about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who wears a hijab, a traditional head covering worn by Muslim women.

Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution? Pirro said in the scripted opening of her March 9 program that dealt with Omar, a popular target of conservative pundits since she entered Congress.

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Omar, an immigrant from Somalia, stirred public outrage over tweets she made regarding U.S. support of Israel that were interpreted as anti-Semitic.

Fox News, which typically stands by its hosts when they make controversial statements, issued a public rebuke of Pirro over the comments about Omar.

We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirros comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar, Fox News said in a statement. They do not reflect those of the network, and we have addressed the matter with her directly.

At least four advertisers  personal finance company NerdWallet, online marketplace Letgo and drugmakers Allergan and NovoNordisk  have said they have suspended their sponsorship of Pirros program because of her remarks about Omar.

Fox News is already dealing with advertiser avoidance in two of its nightly prime-time programs, Tucker Carlson Tonight and The Ingraham Angle.

Carlson was targeted by liberal media watchdog groups late last year after he said immigrants made the U.S. poorer and dirtier and more divided. He has recently come under fire for comments that many have condemned as misogynistic, racist and homophobic that he made on a comedic radio program.

Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham lost many of her sponsors last year after joking on Twitter about Parkland, Fla., high school shooting survivor David Hogg being rejected by several colleges.

Pirro did not apologize for her remarks, which she said were not intended to question Omars patriotism.

Ive seen a lot of comments about my opening statement from Saturday nights show and I did not call Rep. Omar un-American, Pirro said in a statement. My intention was to ask a question and start a debate, but of course because one is Muslim does not mean you dont support the Constitution. I invite Rep. Omar to come on my show anytime to discuss all of the important issues facing America today.

Pirro received support from President Trump in a series of early Sunday morning tweets. Trump has appeared on Pirros program and is a regular viewer.

Bring back @Judge Jeanine Pirro, Trump said. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well...

stephen.battaglio@latimes.com

Twitter: @SteveBattaglio
Uber Technologies Inc. is in advanced discussions to buy Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ, a deal that would expand the ride-hailing giants operations in the Middle East, according to people familiar with the matter.

The companies may announce a cash-and-shares transaction that values Careem at about $3 billion in the coming weeks, the people said, asking not to be identified because the talks are private.

Negotiations are ongoing and no final agreements have been reached, the people said. Representatives for the companies declined to comment.

San Francisco-based Uber is emphasizing growth, investing aggressively in food delivery, logistics, electric bikes and self-driving cars, as it prepares for a potential initial public offering this year. Uber and Careem held preliminary talks in July to combine their Middle Eastern ride-hailing services, hoping to resolve a costly rivalry in the region, people familiar with the matter said at the time.

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Careem, whose backers include Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talals investment firm and Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Inc., was valued at about $1 billion in a 2016 funding round, making it one of the most valuable technology start-ups in the Middle East.

The company has more than a million drivers and operates in more than 100 cities in the Middle East, according to its website.

Acquiring a rival would be a departure in strategy for Uber. The ride-hailing giant has traditionally used such deals to offload costly overseas operations and take stakes in competitors, as it did in China, Russia and Southeast Asia.

A deal would signal Ubers commitment to the Middle East, where one of its biggest investors, a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund overseen by the divisive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is based. It would also form an alliance with the biggest backers of its main competitor at home, Lyft Inc. Rakuten holds more than 10% of Lyft, which is expected to hold its own IPO in the coming months.
Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin uses a body language stripped of inhibitions. His dancers incarnate fear, despair, hysteria, joy and every feeling in between. He wont explain whats causing the rawness enacted before your eyes, but youll feel the emotions, all right.

In Venezuela, seen Friday night at UCLAs Royce Hall, Naharin engaged in an emotional experiment that he apparently had wanted to conduct for decades. This full-length 2017 work for the devoted Batsheva Dance Company consists of one 40-minute choreographic whole that is performed two times, one immediately after the other. The steps in both parts are the same. Its the principal performers, recorded music (soundtrack designed by Maxim Waratt) and lighting (by Avi Yona Bueno) that differ from the first half to the second.

The burning question, of course, is do the two halves look different? The answer is a contradictory yes and no. Naharin makes memory a character, because being able to recognize what you saw the first go-around  and, more important, noting the sensual permutations  is pivotal. The shifts tend to be subtle, propelled by the musical selections, which include Gregorian chants in the first part and sometimes assaultive contemporary music from all over the world in the second half.

What you bring to Venezuela determines its impact on you and the degree of your reaction and understanding. A display of colored banners, some of them with the shapes and colors (black, white, green and red) of the Palestinian flag, call up different reactions than when the dancers unfurl plain white banners. But the response also depends on recognition of those symbols.

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Notorious B.I.G.s hit Dead Wrong is performed twice; the first time the dancers performed the rap themselves, and the second time they rapped along with the recording. Minus that context, the first time I didnt recognize the song and felt some embarrassment at the profane lyrics.

Naharin is not just presenting his own ideas but holding up a mirror for us to look into, deeply.

Batsheva Dance Company at Royce Hall. (Reed Hutchinson / CAP UCLA)

Like his other works, Venezuela proceeds in mini-chapters, which here are easy to follow. The opening segment, of four couples with their backs to us walking slowly upstage, gives way to a boisterous tango, which then transforms into a miraculous episode of carefully constructed skipping about the stage, through at least a dozen sections. Each cast emphasizes specific physical gestures, again, tending toward smaller accents. Two men exaggerate the action of taking each others hands, for example. The skipping in the second half is urgent and forceful, while it was more melodic and childlike in the first.

At the end, the dancers explode into virtuosic solos, reminiscent of a jazz jam, and it was hard to tell if these individual phrases were repetitions or new. The skill and power of the Batsheva men and women are inspiring to watch. All 16, dressed similarly in black, were outstanding, with Hani Sirkis and Erez Zohar making especially strong impressions.

Naharin has crafted a first-class company through his search for a dance form born out of chaos, that turns up the volume on the scope of sensations, as he says in the program notes. He has stepped down as Batsheva artistic director, and the company will inevitably move in new directions. We were lucky to be along for this singular ride.

Support our coverage of local artists and the local arts scene by becoming a digital subscriber.

See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts.
Sabrina, the single mother at the center of Inda Craig-Galvans new play, Black Super Hero Magic Mama, is acutely aware of the various ways her sons life can be upended.

Gangs, drugs, street violence, the police: If Sabrina (Kimberly Hebert Gregory) is overcontrolling, its because she knows the dangers lying in wait for an African American teen.

Tramarion (Cedric Joe), her gifted 14-year-old, is a model youth. Hes been drilling so intensely for Know Your Heritage, the high school black history quiz show, that theres hardly a historical fact not at his immediate disposal.

Sabrina has done what she can to create an ideal environment for Tramarion. But when she calls his friend Flat Joe (Noah Abbott) a thug, it seems as if she might be having a pernicious influence on her precious son. Tramarion and Flat Joe spend their after-school time in Tramarions bedroom innocently working on a comic book, The Adventures of the Maasai Angel, in which Flat Joe has given their superhero creation the face of Tramarions mother. But her fears arent easily tamped down.

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Tragedy of the kind that Sabrina has desperately tried to ward off strikes in a manner that is shocking not only to her but also to the audience. (The playwright told The Times that she wrote the play while processing what happened to 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot and killed by a police officer while holding a toy gun.)

The situation is horrifically credible. But its not easy to get a handle on Black Super Hero Magic Mama, which is having its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouses Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater under the direction of Robert OHara, a noted playwright himself (Bootycandy, Barbecue, Insurrection: Holding History).

REVIEW: Lackawanna Blues at the Mark Taper Forum is potent as live memoir 

Part of the problem is the lack of dramaturgical rhythm. Craig-Galvan writes in episodic snapshots that have a halting stage flow. The other issue is the fuzzy direction, which fails to establish a crisp and confident tone for the production. Domestic scenes grow slack, and intermittent bursts of satiric parody (of the media and other societal problem spots) are clumsily calibrated.

The staging revolves around Tramarions bedroom, which is poetically right, though it sets up logistical challenges. Myung Hee Chos straightforward set is theatrically enhanced with projections by Yee Eun Nam. A backdrop showing the neighborhood rooftops lends a storybook ambience that is just right for a play that makes critical references to Harry Potter and other fantasy adventure fictions.

Kimberly Hebert Gregory in Black Super Hero Magic Mama. (Chris Whitaker)

REVIEW: At South Coast Rep, Photograph 51 spotlights a female scientist lost in the shadows of history 

Black Super Hero Magic Mama improves in the second half as it ventures into the comic-book realm as a form of grief counseling. Sabrinas labyrinthine adventures as the Maasai Angel are admittedly a little fuzzy. In charting new territory, Craig-Galvans imagination outstrips her (and OHaras) execution. But the connection between fantasy and grievous reality resonates, and Gregory, with her bottomless stare and furious silence, never loses hold of the emotional realism of her characters mournful situation.

Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, in the role of Lena, Sabrinas sister, is also similarly able to stay rooted during the plays otherworldly journey. The young cast members mumble a few too many lines but are utterly natural and adorable.

Like certain dreams, Black Super Hero Magic Mama is more powerful in its overarching effect than in its moment-to-moment action. Impressively daring, the play escapes into a comic-book universe to better come to grips with an overwhelming  and all too real  American horror.

          

Black Super Hero Magic Mama

Where: Geffen Playhouses Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, 10886 Le Conte Ave., L.A.

When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays; ends April 14

Tickets: $30-$120 (subject to change)

Information: (310) 208)-5454 or GeffenPlayhouse.org

Running time: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Captain Marvel has finally hit theaters, marking the live-action movie debut of Earths mightiest hero.

Starring Brie Larson, the 21st installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe follows Carol Danvers as she discovers who Carol Danvers actually is, as well as the true origin of her powers.

The film, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, is the first in the blockbuster franchise to boast a sole female title character. She also turns out to be the most powerful superhero the MCU has introduced to date.

Like the many films that have preceded it, Captain Marvel features post-credit scenes that both tease whats to come in the MCU and raise plenty of questions all on their own.

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(Warning: Spoilers for Captain Marvel below.)

 Watch the trailer for Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvels arrival was teased in the post-credits scene of 2018s Avengers: Infinity War when a dissolving Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) pulled out a pager to send out a distress call, so its only appropriate that Captain Marvel ties the story back to the upcoming Avengers: Endgame.

The origin of that pager was revealed earlier in Captain Marvel as Furys top-of-the-line piece of 90s Earth technology  upgraded by Carol with some Kree modifications for use in case of an emergency.

The films mid-credits scene shows that the heroes who survived Thanos snap have somehow discovered Furys pager and brought it back to the Avengers compound. Thats especially impressive considering how much random debris was likely created in the aftermath of the Infinity War destruction.

Its also clear that Cap (Chris Evans), Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Bruce (Mark Ruffalo) and Rhodey (Don Cheadle)  despite somehow knowing the pager belonged to Fury  are unaware of the true purpose of the device. This makes it likely that none of them are aware that Captain Marvel, whose Air Force pilot callsign became the superhero teams namesake, even exists.

After the pager stops working during the scene, the team wonders just who Fury was trying to contact. But before they can try to reboot the signal, Captain Marvel arrives to ask: Wheres Fury?

Brie Larson in Captain Marvel. (Marvel Studios)

This meeting marks the first real glimpse audiences have gotten of Carol interacting with any of the superheroes assembled by her old friend Fury. And while its clear that the scene sets up Captain Marvels role in Endgame, it also leaves plenty unanswered.

Does Carol know about the damage Thanos has caused the universe? Asking about Furys whereabouts could mean she is unaware that half the universe has dissolved into dust. But its also possible that shes fully aware of the state of the universe and just assumed Fury had survived since she received the signal.

Could this be the first time Captain Marvel has returned to Earth since she left with the Skrulls at the end of the movie? Its apparent that this is the first time Carol has been called up since the Avengers have been assembled since none of the remaining Earthbound heroes knew about the pager. Is she equally unaware of the existence of the Avengers? Has she never dropped by for a social call? What has kept her away?

The second post-credits scene is a bit more lighthearted but just as mysterious.

The events of Captain Marvel expand the lore involving the Tesseract. Fans now know that the cube that holds the Space Stone not only gave Carol her powers, but it spent some time inside an alien cat.

This shorter scene takes place at Nick Furys empty desk at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Goose, who was taken in by Fury, appears and coughs up the Tesseract he had swallowed to keep the Kree from getting ahold of it.

During the film it was revealed that Goose is no ordinary feline; hes actually a Flurken. According to Captain Marvel comics, a Flurkens mouth contains more than just frightening tentacles  its also a gateway to pocket dimensions (like bubbles of space that exist in another reality).

Goose in Captain Marvel. (Marvel Studios)

Since the Tesseract has played a major role in other MCU films, its easy to assume that the scene takes place sometime in the past and is how Fury came to possess the cube.

However, because of Furys absence from his desk, the actual timing of the scene remains vague.

Could the scene have also taken place after the events of Infinity War? Since Goose is an alien cat, his actual age is unknown. Perhaps Goose stuck around in Furys vacant S.H.I.E.L.D. office after he left the organization.

This would mean the Tesseract that Goose spits out is different from the one Thanos used during Infinity War. Considering the events of Captain Marvel already complicated the Tesseracts backstory, this scenario might not be as outlandish as it seems.

Previously it was believed the Tesseract had been in S.H.I.E.L.D.s possession from the time Howard Stark handed it over after recovering it in Captain America (2011) until Loki stole it in Avengers (2012).

But in Captain Marvel, fans learn that at some point it fell into the hands of Dr. Wendy Lawson (a.k.a. Mar-Vell). Maybe she got it from S.H.I.E.L.D., maybe she didnt.

Could the Tesseract play a role in Avengers: Endgame? Will Goose be back? Fans wont have to wait that long to find out. The movie is due for release April 26.

Girls Inc. of Greater Los Angeles and We Have Stories joined efforts to raise money for girls to see Captain Marvel in theaters as part of the #CaptainMarvelChallenge.

tracy.brown@latimes.com

Twitter: @tracycbrown
Austin Knoblauch is an assistant editor in Sports at the Los Angeles Times. He previously worked as an editor and writer at NFL.com. He initially joined The Times in 2005, serving in various web editing and reporting roles. Knoblauchs favorite sports are hockey and auto racing. He is a native of Southern California and graduated from Mount St. Marys University in Los Angeles.
Meg James is a corporate media reporter for the Los Angeles Times, covering the business of television and digital disruption in the entertainment industry. She has been a member of the Company Town team for more than a decade. She previously wrote for the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post. A native of Wyoming, she is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Columbia University.


Douglas Chief Stankewitz got up Wednesday in the early morning darkness. Thats when he meditates and exercises and reads. He turned on the television and caught the Channel 7 news. It was around 5:30. And he heard.

Gov. Gavin Newsom planned to declare a moratorium on the death penalty that day, dismantle the death chamber. Because capital punishment, Newsom said, is immoral and expensive. Kills the innocent along with the guilty. Targets the black, the brown, the poor.

For the record: A previous version of this article said there are 737 men on death row. There are 737 people on death row; 24 are women.

I just thought, Its about time, about time someone stepped up who had the power and authority to do so, Stankewitz said.

He was the first person to land on Californias death row after capital punishment was reinstated in 1978. He was 20 then. He will be 61 in May.

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He is still on death row, sentenced for the kidnapping and murder of Theresa Graybeal, 22, who had gone to the store for a bag of dog food. His case is making its arduous way through the courts. His next hearing is Friday in Fresno.

As the news about Newsom rippled through San Quentin, Stankewitz said in a telephone interview Thursday, there were no celebrations, no cheers among the 737 condemned people on the largest death row in the United States.

Some have talked about it, Stankewitz said. Other ones, I guess, feel numbed. They dont believe whats happening. Its like when people get sentenced to death. They get numb for a week or two. Reality hasnt set in.

No matter how you feel about capital punishment, it is hard to argue that the system is working as originally planned  13 years have passed since California administered a lethal injection in its seafoam green death chamber, with its rows of seats for those who wish to watch.

Stankewitz, a member of the Big Sandy Rancheria of Mono Indians, could be the poster child for the death penalty debate in California.

His defense team insists he is innocent. Capital punishment supporters believe he should have been dead a long time ago.

And Franklin E. Zimring, a law professor at UC Berkeley, points to the Stankewitz case as proof of Californias irrational system and its voters doubts about the ultimate sanction. The Golden State, he says, has an honorary death penalty. And that is no accident.

If what you have is profound ambivalence and conflict, then youre going to have a system that is pushed for good reason toward an operation which is more symbolic than actual, Zimring said. Thats a wonderful political advantage for a governor who wants to do the right thing but is worried about paying the price.

On Feb. 8, 1978, Stankewitz and three friends were stranded in Modesto, looking for a way to get back to Fresno. Hitchhiking didnt work, so they walked to a nearby Kmart, looking for a car to steal. Thats when they saw Graybeal, a newlywed, walking to her car.

They followed her, and when she opened the door, Teena Topping pushed her inside and entered the car. Stankewitz, who was 19 at the time, Marlin Lewis, and 14-year-old Billy Brown followed suit. When they got to Fresno, they stopped at a seedy hotel to shoot up. Then they headed to a small town called Calwa to score more drugs, according to court documents.

Thats where Graybeal was shot in the head. Brown testified that Stankewitz pulled the trigger. But 15 years later, he recanted. In a four-page declaration, he said he had been coerced by the Fresno district attorney, told that he would be charged with murder if he did not testify.

I did not at any time see Doug Stankewitz holding a gun, Brown declared. I did not see who pulled the trigger.

Stankewitz said Thursday that he never went to Calwa, where Graybeal was killed. Instead, he said, he wandered Fresnos Chinatown in a stoned haze. You just walk, he said. Your brain aint thinking.

Stankewitz went to trial in July 1978. That October he was sentenced to die, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. One day later, he arrived at San Quentin.

I havent been on grass for [more than 40] years, he said Thursday. No grass, no mud, no dirt. Just steel and cement youre walking on, looking at.

Stankewitzs first conviction was thrown out in 1982. He was retried in 1983, convicted again and sentenced to death again. In 2012, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out Stankewitzs death sentence and ordered he either be given life in prison without the possibility of parole or be tried again to determine his punishment.

That trial is scheduled for April.

Curtis L. Briggs, one of Stankewitzs attorneys, said that since his current legal team took over in 2016, new evidence has come to light that would show the stocky Mono Indian with black hair cascading down his back was framed. Other evidence  including blood samples  that could help prove his innocence has disappeared, according to his lawyers.

They dont just want a new sentencing trial; they want the case against Stankewitz to be dismissed or ask that he be given a new trial.

The Fresno district attorneys office declined to comment on the case and rebuked Stankewitzs legal team for talking outside of court in a way that could prejudice the proceeding.

A failure of the defense team to abide by the law does not excuse my offices obligation to comply with it, said Steve E. Wright, assistant district attorney for Fresno County.

Over the years, Wayne Graybeal, Theresas father-in-law, largely spoke for the family. He died of bladder cancer in 2017.

But in a 2012 interview, he told the San Francisco Chronicle that Stankewitz was a bad guy and I dont know why hes alive. I wish they would just do what they have to do to him ... my daughter-in-law didnt deserve what happened to her. She was a nice girl. That man needs to die.

Stankewitz gets two 15-minute phone calls a day. He uses them to talk to Colleen Hicks, who he has known for the last decade and loved for the last seven years. She is 71, Cherokee and Lakota, the retired executive director of the Museum of the American Indian in Novato.

First they pray, repeating two benedictions Hicks wrote on Stankewitzs behalf. The prayers begin and end the same way, with a call to the Great Spirit and a heartfelt aho, a Plains Indians way of saying amen.

One prayer is thanksgiving. The other is all appeal: Great Spirit, unravel the web of lies and framed evidence that has kept Chief wrongfully imprisoned and let the truth of his innocence shine light on his path to freedom now, aho.

Ten years ago, Father John J. Jack ONeill was a pastor of St. Mary Magdalene in Bolinas, where Hicks plays piano and is choir director. He had spent 12 years as a chaplain at San Quentin and asked her if she would write to Stankewitz, who was in isolation when ONeill met him.

They corresponded for three years before Hicks visited San Quentin on Feb. 11, 2012, 34 years after Graybeals death.

I had prepared myself to see someone who was really defeated and needed a lot of just sympathy, Hicks said. But there was this giant. She paused, laughed. He just looked like a warrior to me. His eyes were clear and intelligent, alert. I couldnt believe it.

They talked about his case, and when the visit ended, she asked him, Are you glad I came? And he said, When can you come back? And so that started this slow process.

When Stankewitz is freed  she does not say if  they plan for him to live with her in Bolinas, in her high-beamed old-growth redwood home on a leafy acre near Point Reyes National Seashore. She believes that nature will be an antidote to incarceration.

Stankewitz, Hicks and his attorneys worry that the moratorium could complicate his bid for freedom, that the Fresno district attorneys office might just switch course and agree that he should be imprisoned for life without the possibility of parole.

Complications or no, Stankewitz said, Newsoms decision was the right one.

I talked to other prisoners, he said. They feel the same way I feel about it. ... It aint no rich people up here, no big-name family people up here. ...

To be sentenced to death and waiting 20, 25, 30, 40 years and they still carry it out? he said. Thats cruel.
You are here: Business

China's public offering funds reached 13.78 trillion yuan (about 2.05 trillion U.S. dollars) by the end of January this year, according to the Asset Management Association of China.

This marked an increase of 750 billion yuan compared with the end of 2018.

Of the total, the volume of equity funds, money market funds and bond funds all posted growth in January. The money market funds, which increased 7 percent from the previous month to 8.15 trillion yuan, led the growth.

According to the association, the public offering funds were operated by 120 fund management companies, of which 76 were domestic firms while the rest were joint ventures.
Muslim, Jewish and Christian faith leaders gathered for a candlelight vigil Saturday night in Pasadena to remember the victims of the mass shootings in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The event, co-sponsored by the Islamic Center of Southern California and the Muslim Public Affairs Council, began at 7 p.m. in front of Pasadena City Hall, on 100 Garfield Ave.

A white supremacist killed at least 49 people during their midday prayers on Friday, broadcasting the massacre live on Facebook. The terrorist attack in one of the most peaceful nations on Earth sent shockwaves through Muslim communities around the world.

Hundreds of Muslims, Jews, Christians and Sikhs gathered at the Islamic Center of Southern California on Friday for prayers, trying to make sense of the violence and calling for solidarity.

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Tonights speakers in Pasadena included leaders of the Islamic Center of Southern California, Jewish and Christian faith leaders, and Pasadena Police Chief John Perez.

joe.mozingo@latimes.com

@joemozingo
A 9,000-gallon tanker truck leaking gasoline caught fire and triggered multiple explosions in South Los Angeles early Sunday, igniting surrounding structures and sending a huge column of black smoke into the air, authorities said.

L.A. fire officials arrived at the scene in the 200 block of West Slauson Avenue about 7:45 a.m. shortly before the tanker exploded, responding to residents who called 911 to report a strong smell of gas, Los Angeles Fire Department officials said.

The explosions occurred with such force that they broke a large manhole cover in half just east of Brentwood Street and Slauson Avenue and set a nearby home on fire, officials said. Much of the damage was confined to the home and an adjacent parking lot surrounded by corrugated metal.

Two women were injured in the blast; one suffered burns on 30% of her body, and the other was cut by glass from the explosion, officials said. Both were taken to a hospital, where they remained hours after the incident.

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The trucks smoldering gas tank lay on its side in the parking lot with one end blown open. More than an hour after the explosion, firefighters were still clambering on the roof of the charred home nearby.

Los Angeles fire Assistant Chief Jaime Moore said the propertys owners told fire officials they did not know the tanker was on the lot. He said the department is investigating whether the tenant violated the citys fire codes.

I can tell you  that sized tanker should not have been in that lot, he said.

Firefighters do not know how much gas spilled from the tanker. After the fire, it was about 60% full, but some of the fluid inside could have been water and firefighting foam, Moore said.

Thirty people had to leave their homes because of the explosion, including residents of a two-story apartment complex evacuated because of the strong odor coming from the site. The American Red Cross and the city Fire Department helped families find temporary housing.

The lot where the explosion occurred was previously a recycling center, but it had been empty for about six months, a local business owner said. The tanker has been on the lot for less than a month, he said.

Dylan McCarthy, a representative with Canon Business Properties, which manages the property for the lots owner, said the tenant where the explosion took place was using the lot for storage. He declined to name the business.

Dan Rodriguez, a supervisor with the Los Angeles Sanitation Department, stands near a manhole cover that was sheared in two. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Felipe Cuevas, 30, lives just a few hundred yards away from the site.

My sister was getting home from work about 8 a.m. when she smelled gas in the air, Cuevas said. She reported it to the gas company. The gas company told her it would be there as soon as possible. As soon as she walked back into the house, there was a loud boom, followed by six or seven more booms separated by about five minutes.

Cuevas looked out at the neighborhood.

Man, it was scary  look! he said, showing his arms still covered in goosebumps. I pulled out the garden hose, I started drenching our roof and my neighbors roofs with water. I still didnt know what was going on. Then firefighters said, You have to leave. 

Joseph Casillas, 32, and his family also live nearby.

There was a big explosion  we thought it was an earthquake, Casillas said. There was a fireball and a tornado of fire. It was very hectic in the streets of our neighborhood.

Joseph Casillas, 32, talks about explosion that happened near his home that blew off manhole covers on Slauson at Brentwood Street Sunday morning. pic.twitter.com/8iQTSyL8mg  Genaro Molina (@GenaroMolina47) March 17, 2019

Customers of Puro Texcoco, a Mexican restaurant nearby, quickly fled the scene, abandoning their half-eaten tacos and breakfast burritos.

Francisco Pilla, 33, works at the restaurant and was among those who ran.

I heard an explosion, then I started running and I looked back and there was a little river of gasoline running along the curb and into the storm drain in front of the restaurant, Pilla told The Times in Spanish.

The stench of gas saturated the air, Pilla recalled. He heard explosions, and as he looked back toward the restaurant, he saw the gas running into the storm drain ignite.

Its a little river of fire, Pilla said.

Dozens of firefighters battled the blaze for at least 90 minutes before they were able to extinguish the fire, officials said.

The explosion created a huge plume of black smoke that several jetliners cut through during their approach to Los Angeles International Airport, but it did not affect airport operations, officials said.

Staff photographer Genaro Molina contributed to this story.
Colorado has joined a list of states that plan to allocate their electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the nationwide popular vote.

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed the measure into law Friday, uniting Colorado with 11 other states and the District of Columbia in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, whose members pledge to use their electoral votes on whichever candidate wins the national popular vote.

The bill would only take effect, however, if the law is passed by states representing at least 270 electoral college votes, which is the amount needed to win the presidency. With the addition of Colorado, that number now sits at 181.

The other states that have enacted the legislation are Rhode Island, Vermont, Hawaii, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington, New Jersey, New York, Illinois and California. New Mexico, whose Senate approved the legislation earlier this week, could be the next state to join.

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Because Republican-controlled legislatures havent embraced the effort, changing the electoral college delegate procedures in enough states to reach the 270 combined electoral votes needed to become president could be difficult, Reed Hundt, chairman and co-founder of Making Every Vote Count, told the Washington Post last month. The remaining states where the initiative may pass are smaller and left-leaning, he said.

Under the Constitution, states have the power to determine how they award their electoral votes in national elections. Most states have winner-take-all laws, which award all of their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who receives the most votes within the state. Two states, Maine and Nebraska, split their electoral votes to reflect the proportion of popular votes in their states.

Because many states are dominated either by the Democratic or Republican party, the winner of a presidential election is a foregone conclusion in those states. Also because electoral votes are reflective of the representation within the U.S. House and Senate, some states have very large electoral college contingencies, while others are much smaller. As a result, a handful of battleground states are where candidates tend to focus their attention. Still, candidates prefer to win as many states as possible and the popular vote to establish a public mandate for their agendas.

Five of the nations elected presidents have taken office without winning the national popular vote, including Donald Trump in 2016. Electoral college losses can be narrow: If John F. Kerry had 60,000 additional votes in Ohio in 2004, he would have won the election, even though President George W. Bush was 3 million votes ahead in the popular vote.

Due to changes in state demographics, elections are now fought in a tiny number of swing states, Hundt noted. In the 2012, 2016 and 2020 elections, nearly 40 states, representing about 80% of the countrys population, were or will be ignored by both candidates, he said.

This is a new American demographic, which shows that the electoral system of the 18th century doesnt work anymore, he said. No one at the time the Constitution was written thought that 80% of the population would be irrelevant.
A 24-year-old man was arrested Saturday in the shooting death of the reputed boss of the Gambino crime family, New York City police said.

Anthony Comello was arrested in New Jersey in the killing of Francesco Cali on Wednesday in front of his Staten Island home, said Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea, who stressed that the investigation is in its early stages.

There are multiple, multiple angles that we are exploring, Shea said at a news conference at police headquarters. Was the person paid to do it? Were others conspiring to do this crime?

The 53-year-old Cali, a native of Sicily, Italy, was shot to death by a gunman who may have crashed his truck into Calis car to lure him outside. Shea said Cali was shot 10 times.

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Shea said police have recovered the truck but have not found the gun used.

Asked about Comellos arrest record, Shea said he crossed paths in some limited circumstances with the NYPD, including getting a parking ticket on Staten Island the day Cali was killed.

Comello will be extradited from New Jersey to New York to face charges, Shea said. Information on an attorney for Comello was not immediately available.

Reputed Gambino boss Francesco Cali in police custody in Manhattan on Feb. 7, 2008. (Debbie Egan-Chin / TNS)

Federal prosecutors referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Mafias Gambino family, once among the most powerful crime organizations in the country. News accounts since 2015 said he had ascended to the top spot.

Calis only mob-related criminal conviction came a decade ago, when he pleaded guilty in an extortion scheme involving a failed attempt to build a NASCAR track on Staten Island. He was sentenced to 16 months behind bars and was released in 2009.

Police say they are still investigating whether Calis death was a mob hit or if he was killed for some other motive.

The last Mafia boss to be rubbed out in New York City was Gambino don Big Paul Castellano, who was assassinated while getting out of a black limousine outside a high-end Manhattan steakhouse in 1985.
Authorities in the Midwest declared states of emergency amid what they called historic flooding, which forecasters warned would stretch through the weekend.

The flooding shut down roads, forced scores of people to evacuate their homes and cut off access to some towns and cities. In Nebraska, which has seen some of the most significant flooding, Gov. Pete Ricketts said the impacts of the devastating flooding ... could last for quite some time.

Even the forecasters were not immune: The National Weather Service in Omaha reported Friday that it had to evacuate its offices because of rising waters.

Forecasters said Saturday that at least five states were still facing the flood threat. Major and historical river flooding will continue this weekend focused across Iowa, southern Minnesota and Wisconsin, eastern Nebraska and southeast South Dakota, the National Weather Service reported.

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The surging water was fueled by a powerful winter storm  a bomb cyclone  that battered the region with strong winds and heavy rainfall. The resulting flooding was particularly intense because the heavy rain fell on snow that had not melted yet, said Brian Barjenbruch, the science and operations officer for the weather service in Omaha.

And the ground was completely frozen, he said in an interview. Its almost like all of this rain was falling, melting snow and every last drop had to run off.

Barjenbruch said the results have been incredibly damaging in parts of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

It is some of the worst flooding that weve seen in many years, Barjenbruch said of those areas. In some locations its the worst flooding on record on many of these river gauges.

Along with Ricketts, governors in Wisconsin and South Dakota declared emergencies, while Iowas governor issued a wave of disaster proclamations. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said she signed an emergency declaration to free up more state money for people affected by the storm and the flooding.

The storms this week have been extremely difficult for many of our communities, Noem said in a statement. This has been a statewide emergency with people impacted by heavy snow, high winds, rain, and freezing rain.

In his emergency declaration, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said the storm had moved across the entire state of Wisconsin between Wednesday and Friday. In its wake, he said, water was rising swiftly.

The warm temperatures and rain the last few days have caused much of the heavy snowpack and ice to melt resulting in flooding, ice jams, and rivers and creeks to rise, Evers said in a statement.

In Nebraska, scores of residents rushed into shelters while state troopers fanned out for water rescues, officials said.

Nebraska has experienced historic flooding and extreme weather in nearly every region of the state, Ricketts posted in a statement on Twitter. He issued a disaster declaration on Tuesday.

President Trump on Friday afternoon said he had spoken to Ricketts about the situation.

The people of Nebraska & across the Midwest, especially the Farmers & Ranchers, are feeling the impacts from severe weather, he tweeted.

The flooding had closed off main routes through parts of the region, said Jennifer Arthur, 44, a bartender at Jacks Place in Omaha.

You go a couple of miles ... you cant make it very far, Arthur said. You just cant get into town.

Arthur said that Jacks had additional customers because the water had closed some other bars and restaurants  and that the flooding was the main topic of conversation.

Theres a lot of people impacted that had to get out real fast, she said. A lot of people are going to friends houses, hotels.

Officials said the flooding has caused severe damage in some areas, tearing apart pieces of roadways and bridges.

The power of water is really quite impressive, said Barjenbruch. When that water moves out of the channel it is normally in, it interacts with roads, bridges in ways it doesnt normally. When that happens ... we have roads fail, bridges fail, weve even had dams fail in far northeastern Nebraska.

Barjenbruch added: The power of water should never be underestimated.

Forecasters have also warned that, because of significant precipitation during winter and because of what the Washington Posts Capital Weather Gang called an active spring storm track through the nations midsection, this flooding in the Midwest may only be the start of a painful flood season.

Berman writes for the Washington Post.
The apparatus of death is being dismantled in California, and hundreds of inmates slated for execution have been granted reprieves. But whether this is anything more than a pause in the insanity of our states death penalty system will be up to us.

Gov. Gavin Newsoms bold move to defang the death penalty was a shot across the bow in a state that is deeply divided over capital punishment.

He couched it in personal and principled terms: The intentional killing of another person is wrong. And as governor, I will not oversee the execution of any individual.

But for the moratorium to outlast his tenure as governor, hell ultimately have to sell voters on both its philosophical and practical dimensions: Capital punishment is a moral abomination. And our particular death penalty system is a colossal boondoggle that wastes billions of dollars and doesnt make us any safer.

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Its time we reckon with the immorality of government being in the business of killing people.

Since reinstating the death penalty in 1978, California taxpayers have spent roughly $4 billion to fund a death penalty system that has carried out only 13 executions, according to a 2011 review of the process. We have the largest death row in the nation, with 737 condemned prisoners, but our execution chamber hasnt been used since 2006.

The entire process has become such a charade that convicted killers have actually asked juries to sentence them to death instead of life: the cells are bigger, the privileges deemed better and death row prisoners are more likely to die of old age than to be executed.

Only the high court or California voters can end capital punishment permanently in the state. A northern California Assemblyman last week proposed a constitutional amendment banning the death penalty that could go before voters as early as next year.

But thats an uncertain proposition. In recent years, Californians have twice rejected, by narrow margins, initiatives to repeal the death penalty. In 2016, voters opted instead to speed up the process from sentencing to death, giving prisoners no more than five years to wrap up their legal appeals.

The state Supreme Court ultimately watered down that initiative, ruling that mandating such a strict timeline would undermine the courts authority. Its new language says only that death row appeals be handled as expeditiously as is consistent with the fair and principled administration of justice.

Californias multiayered death penalty review  which exists to ensure that fair and principled administration of justice  is anything but expeditious.

The shortage of attorneys equipped to handle capital case appeals is so extreme, it can take 10 years for an inmate to be matched with a lawyer to begin the legal review process, and decades more for the courts to consider every avenue of appeal.

Four years ago, a federal judge in Orange County declared the states system so capricious and dysfunctional that it violates the U.S. constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

The death sentence so carefully and deliberately imposed by the jury has been quietly transformed into one no rational jury or legislature could ever impose: life in prison, with the remote possibility of death, Judge Cormac J. Carney wrote in 2014, as he overturned the death sentence of a man whod been awaiting execution for nearly 20 years.

A state appellate panel nullified Carneys decision, but agreed that the system is so riddled with delays that the death penalty has been stripped of any deterrent or retributive effect it might once have had.

But the lengthy appeals process itself is not the problem. Its a moral necessity in a crowded criminal justice system that puts life-and-death judgments in the hands of fallible human beings, especially when that system is tilted against the poor and tainted by racial bias.

The answer is not to make the execution process more efficient, but rather to recognize its flaws and rethink what purpose it serves. Its time we reckon with the immorality of government being in the business of killing people.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

Enthusiasm for state-sanctioned execution is waning around the country. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have already outlawed capital punishment. Newsom is the fifth governor to translate his objections into an order that, at least temporarily, shuts the process down.

His critics have blasted him for circumventing the will of California voters. Cynics see his action as grandstanding, a flashy but meaningless political maneuver. And those whove lost loved ones to killers on death row consider Newsom callous, blind to the feelings of families of murder victims.

But his sincerity is clear and his reasoning sound. He has publicly acknowledged his reservations for years. And last week he put into words what many of us feel: the death penalty is ineffective, irreversible and immoral, an affront to our values and our aspirations.

Its hard to know what the long-term fallout from his order will be. But Im grateful that Gavin Newsoms passion has put doing away with the death penalty back on our public agenda.

Sandy Banks is a former Los Angeles Times reporter, editor and columnist. She is a senior fellow with the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.
Not long ago, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, was considered a lionhearted champion of civil liberties and government transparency.

In 2007, he helped expose human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay. In 2009, Amnesty International gave Assange one of its Media Awards for exposing a police massacre in Kenya.

In 2010, he was Time magazine readers choice for Person of the Year. In 2011, he won the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. An article in Forbes in 2012 likened him to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and called his detractors cowards. In 2013, he won the Yoko Ono Lennon Courage Award for the Arts.

In fact, before Assange was known for his romance with the Kremlin, and his shady contacts with scurvy Trumpites like Roger Stone and Donald Trump Jr., he was a punk idol, a hacker god. For years, he seemed like an opener of governments who could disinfect the Earth with the sunlight of his tech virtuosity and his eccentric radiance.

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Its possible that the Assange still captivates the imagination of enough romantic anarchists that hell slip the knot of public condemnation once again.

But, like many online high-fliers of the aughts, Assange lacked a moral imagination equal to his skills as a technologist. Instead he soared along  a Byronic heartthrob to budding anarchists  on that eras mandate: Do it for the lulz.

Over the past decade, the lulz  the laughs  have curdled.

When it synced with investigative journalism, exposing the Pentagons sometimes grave misconduct in Afghanistan, Iraq and Cuba, that was one thing. But to hook up with Russian oligarchs and military intelligence to embarrass one American political candidate on behalf of another  thats not lulz. Thats deputizing yourself to an actual authoritarian regime, the kind that a hacker like Assange used to be committed to exposing.

Its not that Assange broke bad. Its that he was never doing any of this on principle. He was driven by snickers and spite.

The expose of Assange as washed up and sold out also spells the end of the old bacchanal on the internet, when its back offices and seedy speakeasies were a happy home for pranksters and poltergeists. These guys were young; they were heedless; and they mostly wanted to show they could pick any lock, pull down anyones pants and make the girls cry. Whether they were villains or heroes only depended on who was doing the crying.

In 2008, when Assange was the new toast of the left, he published email obtained by a 4chan hacker from then-vice presidential nominee Sarah Palins personal Yahoo account. The hacker might as well have rummaged through Palins fridge or sock drawer. The email, like old socks, was entirely forgettable. After Assange later leaked diplomatic cables, Palin called him an anti-American operative with blood on his hands.

But Palins anger at Assange cooled in 2016 when WikiLeaks published what turned out to be Russian-hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, Hillary Clintons campaign chairman. Palin did a 180 and apologized to Assange.

Important information, she said in a blog post, that finally opened peoples eyes to democrat candidates and operatives  was that Podestas risotto recipe?  would not have been exposed were it not for Julian Assange.

Assange used to say his caches of documents were just dry facts and evidentiary exhibits. Journalists and everyone else could make of them what they would.

Its not just dry facts when you cherry-pick from mostly banal documents  like the DNC, Palin and Podesta emails  for max innuendo. Or when you time your revelations down to the minute for max partisan impact.

On Oct. 7, 2016, precisely one hour after Trump could be heard on an Access Hollywood tape announcing his policy of arbitrarily mauling womens crotches, WikiLeaks dropped the Russian-hacked Podesta emails, and conned the media into taking them seriously. It was a signal example of the moral flexibility and bothsidesism that plagues us to this day.

And its not just dry facts when you apparently collaborate in all this with intensely interested parties: a hostile foreign power, Russia; and Trump buddy Roger Stone, high priest of political dirty tricks.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

Assanges hosts at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London have had enough of him. Recently, they laid down some house rules  mostly about unpaid bills, bathroom cleanliness and kitty litter management  and Assange responded by taking them to court for mistreating him.

Perhaps neither the pro-Russian, anti-centrist American left nor the pro-Russian, anti-centrist American right will stand by Assange much longer. Or will they?

Its always possible that the Assange still captivates the imagination of enough romantic anarchists that hell slip the knot of public condemnation once again. In topsy-turvy times, far left and far right seem to agree: Anyone who storms American institutions is a boon to either cause.

That sentence wouldnt have parsed to our grandparents. Even today, it sounds like nonsense from 4chan. But its not.

Twitter:@page88
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department is at a crossroads. Historic reforms that were instituted after the worst scandal in the departments history are now under assault by our newly elected sheriff, Alex Villanueva.

The stakes could not be higher  for the sheriff, his department and the citizens of our county.

In the fall of 2011, county jails were embroiled in a criminal debacle characterized by a pattern of unconstitutional policing. Inmates, civilian monitors and even members of the clergy assigned to the jails signed affidavits testifying that they had either been victimized by, or witnessed violent and unprovoked physical attacks by, sheriffs deputies.

Alex Villanueva can either get on board with the U.S. Constitution or get out of the way.

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There was ample evidence that department personnel fomented division among prisoners that resulted in inmate-on-inmate violence, which was then used to justify violent interventions by jail deputies.

Conditions in the jails had so spiraled out of control that the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice opened a comprehensive investigation into a jail system run amok. In response, Sheriffs Department higher-ups attempted to frustrate these inquiries and cover up evidence of unconstitutional acts.

At the time, I proposed the creation of a blue-ribbon commission to investigate the root causes of the jail turmoil and to propose a fix. I believed this offered the best hope for restoring humane treatment and constitutional policing to our incarceration facilities and to the Sheriffs Department as a whole.

The following week, the Board of Supervisors approved the creation of the Citizens Commission on Jail Violence, consisting of distinguished and experienced jurists, law enforcement officials and clergy.

The Citizens Commission returned a 600-page report that provided a road map for reform. Dozens of recommendations were made, including the establishment of an independent inspector general to oversee the department; a timelier and more transparent complaint-resolution process; swifter discipline for those found in violation of department policies; and cameras in the jails to help verify complaints. The underlying goal of the report was to establish a culture of constitutional policing, and consequences for those who wouldnt acculturate.

In 2014, Jim McDonnell, who served on the Citizens Commission, was elected sheriff and tasked with implementing its recommendations. Many of the reforms have been implemented, and some are still a work in progress.

But the message was clear: There were institutional problems in the department that needed to be addressed, and there would be no turning back.

Not everyone agreed with this new direction, however, especially the union representing the deputies. Last year, it threw its support behind Alex Villanueva, who narrowly defeated McDonnell in November.

Since taking office, Villanueva has vowed to eviscerate these reforms. The current spat between the sheriff and the Board of Supervisors revolves around the reinstatement of a deputy who was discharged for allegedly engaging in domestic abuse against another deputy, who was also his ex-girlfriend.

The countys Civil Service Commission upheld that discharge, but Villanueva has chosen to ignore that ruling by reinstating the deputy. It doesnt stop there. Villanueva is contemplating the rescission of discipline that was imposed on multiple deputies by convening a truth and reconciliation panel, which is beginning to look more like a pardon exercise under the sheriffs unilateral control.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

At stake are three fundamental principles. First, law enforcement personnel must lawfully perform their duties. The most effective way to insure that is to hold them accountable when they dont. When officers transgress enough to warrant discharge, and are then reinstated, it sends a dangerous message to the troops: Watch what we do, not what we say. This undermines the very credibility of the departments stated expectations. That is unacceptable in our democracy.

Second, the sheriff is obligated to accept and respect civilian oversight. While he has significant powers, so do the Board of Supervisors and the Civil Service Commission. He is not a dictator and cant assume powers that he doesnt legally have. Making a virtue of flouting the county charter and its civilian governing body is something that even the most egomaniacal law enforcement chiefs  and weve had a few  would have thought twice about.

Finally, the sheriff and his subordinates must be faithful to their oath of office; to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and of the state of California and to bear true faith and allegiance to them. Villanueva recently asserted that the reforms that were instituted by the Citizens Commission are a social experiment gone awry.

The experiment to which he refers is the U.S. Constitution. He can either get on board with it or get out of the way.

Zev Yaroslavsky is a former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and now teaches public policy and history at UCLA.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook.
To the editor: In case you are not aware, staff members at Stanford and UCLA have also been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the college admissions scandal. Its not just USC, and USC isnt at the epicenter of the scandal.

I am a USC staff member who works for the Viterbi School of Engineering. The majority of the students I interact with daily are community college transfer students, veterans, women, minorities and first-generation college students. Maybe its because I work for the school of engineering, but Ive never even seen any of the students from wealthy and famous parents on campus.

Additionally, my son is a USC graduate and the recipient of a very generous merit scholarship and grants. He was admitted when we lived out of state. And no, Im not a one-percenter, although I wouldnt have paid bribes to get my son admitted if I was.

My son worked hard to earn his scholarship and admission so he could graduate with zero student debt.

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Dan Cordova, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: During a half-century at USC and now in retirement, Ive witnessed steady scholarly development, thanks to the faculty and generations of talented students. It is maddening when our credibility is undermined by one mortifying episode after another.

The rot is clearly deeper than we on the faculty or anyone in the administration has ever been willing to acknowledge. The fraudulent admissions scheme could only flourish in a negligent environment.

Firing the visible perps is a start, but how far up the chain of command did knowledge of the scheme go? And what will happen to the fraudulently admitted students? Some argue that they are clueless victims of parental overattention, but I would not assume that they will progress like real students, for example, by attending their own classes, taking their own tests, doing their own homework and so on.

As one of them has said, if things get rough academically, she will just talk to my deans and sort it out. Does she know more than we do?

Jon Miller, Altadena

..

To the editor: When I headed up university communications at USC in the late 1970s, our goal was to some day be mentioned in the same sentence with Stanford and Yale. Its interesting how things work out sometimes.

Vance Peterson, Altadena

..

To the editor: As I read all the articles about the admissions scandal involving USC and other schools, I am reminded again of a line from an old Bob Dylan song: Money doesnt talk, it swears.

Michael Barclay, Glendale

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York formally announced her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on Sunday, casting herself as the partys strongest champion of reversing President Trumps agenda.

Gillibrand, who launched an exploratory committee in January, has been campaigning for months.

But she used a formal video announcement online to draw fresh attention at a time when rivals Beto ORourke, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris have been dominating coverage of the crowded race, along with former Vice President Joe Biden, another likely contender.

More than a dozen Democrats are already running, including several women for the first time.

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The video highlighted Trumps proposed ban on Muslim travel to the U.S., his administrations separation of migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border and the 2017 march of neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., that led to violence.

Playing off the home of the brave line of the national anthem, Gillibrand says: Brave doesnt spread hate, cloud truth, build a wall  thats what fear does.

She called for universal healthcare, paid family leave for all, a stop to gun violence and passage of liberal lawmakers Green New Deal proposal to end the nations reliance on fossil fuels.

Gillibrands announcement came less than a week after her image as a champion of the #MeToo movement was shaken by a Politico report of alleged sexual harassment in her Senate office.

A former Gillibrand aide resigned after accusing her office in a letter last August of mishandling her complaint of harassment by Abbas Malik, a special assistant to the senator, Politico reported.

Gillibrand declined to fire Malik at the time, but dismissed him this month after Politico inquired about the matter. A spokeswoman said the termination came after a new allegation of troubling comments arose.

Gillibrand told reporters the initial complaint was taken very seriously from the beginning.

I deeply valued her, she said of the aide who filed the complaint.

While many have applauded Gillibrands advocacy on issues of concern to women  she highlighted her efforts against sexual assault in the military on Sunday  some Democrats have accused her of rushing to judgment in 2017 on Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

Gillibrand was the first senator to call on Franken to resign after reports of sexual misconduct, which he eventually did.

Kirsten Gillibrand enters presidential race featuring a record number of women 

In her video, Gillibrand, 52, stressed her potential appeal to independents. She said she voted against the Wall Street bailout while both parties threw billions at the banks and turned a red district blue against all odds, alluding to her 2006 capture of a Republican congressional district in upstate New York.

Over the next week, Gillibrand plans to campaign in the states with the first three Democratic nominating contests in 2020: Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

On Monday, she will hold a town hall, televised on MSNBC, in a swing area of the Detroit suburbs. March 24, she plans to give a major speech outside Trump International Hotel & Tower in Manhattans Columbus Circle.
Nur Bekri, former head of the National Energy Administration, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws including taking bribes, the top anti-graft body announced Saturday.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission said in a statement that they had conducted an investigation into Nur Bekri, also former deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

The investigation found that Nur Bekri took advantage of his positions to help others in promotions, operation of enterprises, and exploitation of mineral resources. He was also found to have taken bribes himself or through relatives.

Other offenses included living an extravagant life style and trading power for sex.

Nur Bekri has severely violated the Party discipline and is suspected of taking bribes, the statement said, adding that he showed no signs of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress.

The case is serious in nature and has a bad influence, and he should be harshly punished, the statement said.

His illicit gains have been confiscated, and his suspected crimes will be transfered to the procuratorate for further examination and prosecution.
Sheriff Jon Lopey was startled when the mysterious stranger offered him $1 million if he would keep deputies away from certain illegal cannabis farms in Siskiyou County.

Lopey called in the FBI, and, later, deliveries of envelopes stuffed with thousands of dollars in cash were recorded by cameras and microphones hidden on the sheriffs cluttered, wooden desk. Two people were later indicted by a federal grand jury for attempting to bribe the elected sheriff.

I was surprised and offended that a citizen would believe a law enforcement administrator would compromise his ethics and morals by accepting money, said Lopey, whose rural county abuts the Oregon border and strictly outlaws outdoor pot farms.

In the more than two years since California voters approved the licensed growing and sale of recreational marijuana, the state has seen a half-dozen government corruption cases as black-market operators try to game the system, through bribery and other means. The cases are tarnishing an already troubled roll-out of the state permitting of pot businesses as provided for when voters approved Proposition 64 in November 2016.

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Opponents of the initiative say the cases confirm their campaign arguments that legalization wouldnt end the black market and the criminal behavior it has unleashed.

We knew this was going to be an issue.The money is so great that the temptation is always there, said William Lowe, a leader of the group Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana.

California is awash in cannabis cash from inside and out of the state, partly because pot remains an illegal drug under federal law, so banks wont accept cash from the businesses. The states black market for cannabis was estimated to be worth $3.7 billion last year  more than four times the size of the legal market, according to the firm New Frontier Data.

Proposition 64, approved in 2016, allowed the state to license businesses to grow and sell pot but required the firms to also get approval from the cities and counties, most of which have outlawed pot operations. Experts say that local resistance explains why many of the corruption allegations center on illegal attempts to buy help from city and county officials.

There is no doubt in my mind that the multi-billion-dollar nature of the marijuana industry is corrupting public officials, said Lopey, a 41-year veteran of law enforcement who began his full-time career as a California Highway Patrol officer stationed in East Los Angeles.

Proposition 64 also outlawed the transportation of cannabis out of the state, which was an issue in the Siskiyou County indictments against Chi Yang and his sister, Gaosheng Laitinen.

Yang allegedly approached the sheriff in his county office in Yreka in the summer of 2017, and initially suggested the $1 million could go to a foundation headed by Lopey.

At one of the subsequent meetings where Lopey was handed the envelopes of cash, Laitinen allegedly sought assurances about what their payments would buy: Are we talking about protection from being raided? she asked the sheriff, according to a DEA agents affidavit attached to the criminal charging document.

The pair allegedly paid Lopey $10,500, including four $500 cash bonuses, before they were arrested, according to court records.

That case is just one of several that have involved cannabis sellers and growers allegedly bribing or trying to bribe government officials, or public officials acting illegally to get rich from marijuana.

Last year, Jermaine Wright, then the mayor pro tem of Adelanto, was charged with agreeing to accept a bribe to fast-track a marijuana business. Wrights trial is scheduled for August. In May, FBI agents served search warrants at the home of Rich Kerr, who was mayor of Adelanto at the time, as well as at City Hall and a marijuana retailer.

Also in May, Humboldt County building inspector Patrick Mctigue was arrested and charged with accepting $100,000 in bribes from marijuana businesses seeking expedited help on county permits, according to the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office.

Last March, a federal jury reached guilty verdicts to bribery and extortion charges against Michael Kimbrew, who was a field representative to then-Rep. Janice Hahn when he accepted cash from an undercover FBI agent while pledging his undying support to protect a marijuana dispensary that the city of Compton was trying to close.

On Tuesday, developer Dorian Gray was held to answer by a judge in a preliminary hearing on charges of offering bribes to then-Oakland City Council President Larry Reid and Assistant City Administrator Greg Minor, according to court records. Gray allegedly offered the councilman cash to help obtain a cannabis dispensary permit, and Reid reported the offer to authorities. Gray is charged with offering Minor, who oversees marijuana permitting for Oakland, a free trip to Spain.

Reid said he was offended by the offer made by Gray in his City Hall office, and reported it to the city administrators office.

He (Gray) said he had an envelope with $10,000 and my name on it in his pocket, and I told him I dont work that way, Reid said. Everybody thinks they can become an instant millionaire by getting a dispensary permit.

Autumn Paine, an attorney for Gray, said the two city officials offered wildly different stories about what occurred.

As for the allegation of bribery against Gray, He absolutely denies that, she said.

An attorney for Laitinen declined comment beyond noting that she pleaded not guilty. Yang has also denied the charge in court, but his attorney did not return calls for comment.

An attorney for Wright declined comment.

Not all of the recent cases involve elected officials. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Deputy Marc Antrim pleaded guilty two weeks ago to federal charges stemming from his arrest for robbing a warehouse of a half-ton of marijuana in October.

While some cases filed in the last year are still pending trial, there have been convictions in other corruption cases in recent years.

California was the first state to legalize the sale of marijuana for medical use two decades ago. The former mayor of the city of Cudahy was sentenced to one year in federal prison in 2013 for taking cash bribes in exchange for supporting the opening of a medical marijuana store in the city.

The head of the citys code enforcement division and a city councilman were also convicted of taking part in the corruption scheme.

Law enforcement agencies are currently investigating possible corruption in other Southern California cities, according to Ed Muramoto, a private attorney for medical pot dispensaries that have complained about cities locking them out of competition for permits.

We have been contacted regarding a good handful of cities and jurisdictions with respect to investigations that law enforcement is engaging in, Muramoto said.

He declined to identify the cities involved, saying he has been asked by investigators not to talk about pending probes.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, a key supporter of Proposition 64, declined to comment on the numerous bribery cases involving marijuana growers and sellers.

State law gives too much authority to local officials to dictate terms of city licenses, according to Dale Gieringer, director of California NORML, a pro-legalization group that supported Proposition 64.

Corruption is always worse at the local level because there are so many more local officials and they arent under as much scrutiny as those in Sacramento, he said. State agencies, he said, have been doing their best to expedite licensing, but too many local players have been getting their hands in the pie.

The Siskiyou County case provides further evidence that California remains the largest exporter of pot in the nation. Yang allegedly told the sheriff he wanted to ship California-grown cannabis to Missouri.

Sam Clauder can speak from personal experience about being caught up in illegal, interstate activity after succumbing to financial temptation. The former congressional aide and San Bernardino County Democratic Party official pleaded guilty in 2017 to charges in Texas of possessing 130 pounds of cannabis that he was transporting back east from California.

Clauder started out driving pot from Humboldt County to legal medical cannabis dispensaries in Southern California. He turned to illegal transportation out of state after he was fired from a job as an aide to then-Rep. Joe Baca (D-Rialto) over an unrelated criminal case for which he was later found innocent.

Clauder said cannabis growers paid him about $30,000 for every 100 pounds of marijuana he transported back east, and he made the cross-country trip about 45 times before he was arrested in Texas.

I think its a temptation, if you cant make it legally, to cross a line, Clauder said. I went from working for a U.S. Congressman to being homeless and destitute overnight. What was I supposed to do? I just fell into it.

Other link goes here 

Coverage of California politics 

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99
Residents from Burbank and surrounding communities aired their concerns regarding 5G, or fifth-generation data networks, to city officials and attorneys this week.

Burbank Water and Power held a town hall meeting at the Buena Vista Branch Library Wednesday to discuss a a proposed wireless communication agreement with telecommunication carriers that would set the framework regarding where 5G devices can be installed and how they should look.

The city-owned utility will host another public meeting regarding the proposed 5G regulations at 6 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the citys Community Services Building, 150 N. Third St., in room 104.

Although the agreement, which will come before the City Council at a future meeting, would dictate the design of the devices and the length of time they can be installed in a given area, members of a panel of experts  primarily attorneys and legal counsels for Burbank knowledgeable about telecommunication issues  said the Federal Communications Commission is strict about the implementation of the devices.

Jonathan L. Kramer, an engineer and attorney who specializes in wireless communications, said cities can go as far as to check whether a device meets standards established by the FCC and how they can look, but thats about it.

In a recent FCC ruling, the agency prohibits state and local governments from impeding on the the implementation of 5G devices. However, the aesthetics of the device and certain fees can be regulated by local and state agencies.

Just like the city expects the residents to follow the laws, and the state expects the city to follow the law, the FCC and Congress expect the states and cities are going to follow the laws that they set down, Kramer said. This is the regulatory environment we operate within, so thats why the city and its proposed regulations [go] as far as we can legally to ensure that the sites comply with the FCC rules.

However, Burbank resident Ara Manoogian argued that 5G devices can potentially be hazardous to the public and does not want telecommunication companies to install them without there being some analysis on the impact they might have.

Concerns about telecommunication devices are nothing new to Burbank. In 2012, the City Council shot down T-Mobiles attempt to install antennas atop the Little White Chapel on Avon Street because of residents concerns.

In making their decision, City Council members cited several reasons for their rejection of T-Mobiles plan, including the fact that the new steeple-like structure where the equipment would have been installed would have made the church too tall to be compatible with the neighborhood.

At the meeting on Wednesday, Riad Sleiman, a principal electrical engineer for Burbank Water and Power, told the public the 5G devices will be much smaller than those proposed for the church, adding the equipment will be integrated into light poles throughout the city.

Though the wireless devices are smaller and consume less energy, Kramer said more devices would have to be installed to improve the coverage area.

Manoogian said he understands Burbank officials can do little to stop phone carriers from upgrading their network devices to be 5G-compliant, but added that cities in Northern California  like Fairfax and Mill Valley  are looking to fight the FCC.

The city needs to, if it chooses to ... oppose the federal law by opposing the ability for this 5G network to be put in and be sued to fight this in court, Manoogian said.

Sherman Oaks resident Nektar Chamchyan said shes not looking forward to the increased Internet speeds the 5G networks claim they will bring nor the health risks she thinks they will cause.

In fact, she told the panel shes considering ditching her smartphone for a more basic cellphone and that shell do away with Internet services altogether.

Ive decided I will be opting out of my smartphone for a flip phone, and if thats not going to work, Im going to stick with a landline, Chamchyan said. If 5G is going to be deployed everywhere, then thats my decision.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
Yorba Linda Town Center has started to take shape at the busy intersection of Imperial Highway and Yorba Linda Boulevard after more than 25 years of debate over what should be built on the former taxpayer-owned land.

Construction crews recently completed a 430-space parking structure that will not only serve the project but also Old Town Yorba Linda, which has struggled over the decades to attract patrons due to a shortage of nightlife destinations and sufficient parking. The 11.22-acre project will be anchored by a 10-screen Regal Cinemas movie theater and Bristol Farms grocery store, which are expected to open in the first quarter of 2019.

In the 125,000-square-foot projects center is a landscaped park that will be nearly an acre. City and business community leaders have talked about hosting public events there in coming years.

These are major things that are happening that will be with us for the next century, said Yorba Linda City Manager Mark Pulone.

Many Yorba Linda residents think of Old Town as exclusively Historic Main Street; however, the district is officially bound by Lemon Drive, Lakeview Ave., Yorba Linda Blvd. and Imperial Hwy.

Over the years, the former Yorba Linda Redevelopment Agency purchased more than 20 residential and commercial properties in Old Town Yorba Linda with the intention of demolishing them to make room for new development.

Los Angeles-based developer Zelman Retail Partners bought the land in 2016 for $3.4 million. The companys Co-President Brett Foy said there are a few remaining retail and dining locations in the project that are still available for lease.

Were very happy with the tenant mix weve got, Foy said. We think its going to be a great thing for the community.

Coinciding with the construction of the center, the city of Yorba Linda will revitalize Main St. and Lemon Drive with new landscaping, curbs, gutters and decorative pavement.

On the other side of Lakeview Ave., the city plans to build a new library and 13,000-square-foot arts center to replace its old, seismically-unsafe library on Olinda St.

Many long-time residents like Mayor Pro Tem Tara Campbell  who was born and raised in The Land of Gracious Living  were unsure if the Town Center would ever be built.

I think this is a big deal for Yorba Linda, Campbell said. A lot of our community wants to spend time in our city. When I was going door-to-door I heard people want to dine here.

Campbell said the city hopes to attract investment in Main Street as well as see an increase in sales tax, building permits and business licensing revenues.

Mike Rocco, co-owner of Main Street Restaurant, said his familys primary incentive for moving to Yorba Linda more than 25 years ago and opening their restaurant and music venue was because of Yorba Linda Town Center.

Rocco said it was frustrating to live through decades of public meetings at Yorba Linda City Hall.

The city is still in its infancy, Rocco said. Nobody wanted to sign at the bottom unless they knew its going to happen.

Now construction is happening a few feet from the restaurants patio windows.

Yorba Linda City Councilwoman Peggy Huang said shes excited to see Old Towns new chapter.

The Town Center will be the synergy we need to energize the downtown of Yorba Linda, Huang said.

Daniel Langhorne is a contributor to Times Community News.

Twitter: @DanielLanghorne
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Yukiko Okada, left, and Mikayla Kinoa, push dolls in strollers signifying they are unable to have children on Saturday during the sixth annual OC Cherry Blossom Festival at Central Park in Huntington Beach. They are members of the Water Blue Agours and use their Japanese names Kanan and Riko.

(Spencer Grant)
Two bioscience companies that once operated in Costa Mesa have reached a $7.785-million settlement with the Orange County district attorneys office over allegations that they illegally sold fetal tissue to companies around the world, prosecutors said Friday.

According to the settlement signed Monday, DV Biologics LLC and sister company DaVinci Biosciences LLC, both based in Yorba Linda, must cease all operations in California within 60 to 120 days. The agreement also requires the companies to admit liability for violations of state and federal laws prohibiting the sale or purchase of fetal tissue for research purposes, prosecutors said.

Also named as defendants in the settlement are company principals Estefano Isaias Sr., Estefano Isaias Jr. and Andres Isaias.

This settlement seized all profits from DV Biologics and DaVinci Biosciences, which they acquired by viewing body parts as a commodity and illegally selling fetal tissues for valuable consideration. These companies will never be able to operate again in Orange County or the state of California, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said in a statement.

About $7.5 million of the settlement amount is the estimated scientific value of a planned donation of the companys adult biological samples, tissues and cells to a nonprofit academic and scientific teaching institution affiliated with a major U.S. medical school, according to the agreement. Prosecutors did not disclose the name of the medical school.

The defendants also will donate and transfer laboratory storage containers and equipment estimated to be worth more than $10,000.

DV Biologics will pay the county $195,000 in civil penalties.

This was a hotly contested case, to say the least. In the end, the parties forged a settlement that benefits medical research, said Michael Tein, an attorney for the defendants. DVs donation is the largest of its kind in history. It allows physicians and scientists to continue to use these cells to find cures for the deadliest childhood and adult diseases. From the beginning, this has always been DVs mission.

Prosecutors opened an investigation into the companies in September 2015 after a complaint was submitted by the Irvine-based Center for Medical Progress. The anti-abortion group gained national attention in 2015 after releasing a video showing Planned Parenthood affiliates discussing the sale of aborted fetuses.

In October 2016, prosecutors filed a complaint against the companies in Orange County Superior Court, alleging unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practices.

The lawsuit accused the companies of illegally selling cells from fetal brain tissue for up to $1,100 per vial from 2009 to 2015, prosecutors said. Fetal tissue and cells were sold to pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions in Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada and the United Kingdom, authorities said.

DANIEL LANGHORNE is a contributor to Times Community News.

UPDATES:

This article was updated Dec. 10 at 11:40 a.m. with a statement from defendants attorney Michael Tein.

This article was originally published Dec. 8.
Laguna Beach police are warning of a virtual kidnapping scam in which callers claim to have abducted children and threaten to kill them unless their parents wire money to an account in Mexico.

Police said the scheme affected two local residents in two days this month and has occurred in other area cities as well. Similar incidents in the region were reported in 2018 and 2017.

In the recent Laguna cases, two parents were contacted March 7 and 8 by someone who claimed to have kidnapped their daughters. In both cases, the caller demanded a large amount of money and directed the parents to go to Costa Mesa to wire it to a Mexican account.

In one case, a man sent $5,000 before finding out his daughter was safe and had not been kidnapped.

In the other, a woman called Laguna Beach police before wiring any money and was able to confirm her daughter was safe.

We believe the suspect was able to learn personal information of the victim through unsecured social media sites (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.), according to a statement from the Laguna Beach Police Department. Review the settings of all your social media sites to make sure they are secured to protect yourself against being a victim.

The department provided several tips on how to recognize whether such a call could be a scam:

The call does not come from the supposed kidnapping victims phone.

The caller tries to prevent you from contacting the supposed victim.

The caller goes to great lengths to keep you on the line.

The caller demands that ransom be paid via wire transfer to Mexico.

The amount of the ransom demand drops quickly.

If you receive a similar call, the department suggests the following:


An Orange County Superior Court judge Monday denied a request from two residents of Huntington Beachs Oak View neighborhood to reconsider his September ruling that exempted the city from complying with state-mandated legal protections for undocumented immigrants exiting police custody.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm Latham & Watkins filed a request in November for a new trial with Judge James Crandall on behalf of Oak Views Victor Valladares and Oscar Rodriguez, as well as the Rev. Samuel Pullen and Henry Josefsberg of Los Alamitos Community United. The latter are seeking to overturn the city of Los Alamitos decision to ignore the California Values Act, also known as Senate Bill 54.

After Crandalls decision rejecting the request, the ACLU filed a notice of appeal of his original ruling, attorney Sameer Ahmed said in an email Monday evening.

The California Values Act  authored by state Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles)  in many cases prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal officials about the impending release of immigrants in custody who may be deported.

On Sept. 27, Crandall sided with Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates, who argued that the law is unconstitutional as it applies to charter cities, which include Huntington and Los Alamitos. Such cities can adopt local laws that sometimes differ from state general laws that govern non-charter cities.

The ruling made Huntington Beach the first city to successfully challenge Senate Bill 54. Gates said the decision exempted all of Californias 121 charter cities.

The ACLU contended that Crandalls ruling created fear in Oak View over the California Values Act not being enforced. Oak View is a predominantly Latino neighborhood bounded by Warner and Talbert avenues and Gothard Street and Beach Boulevard.

But Crandall denied the challengers request to reconsider after hearing arguments Monday from Ahmed, Gates, Latham & Watkins attorney Samir Deger-Sen and California Deputy Attorney General Jonathan Eisenberg.

According to Crandall, in order to be granted a new trial, the ACLU needed to prove that its clients are aggrieved in relation to the lack of enforcement of the law.

Though Valladares and Rodriguez discussed residents fears of interacting with Huntington Beach police if the California Values Act werent enforced, they didnt give specific examples, Crandall wrote.

Their declarations do not establish an immediate, pecuniary and substantial interest, Crandall wrote.

Ahmed said in his email that the courts order and the city of Huntington Beachs actions have caused significant harm to the residents of Huntington Beach.

We are hopeful that the order will be overturned on appeal and the important California values of diversity, inclusion and supporting and protecting our invaluable immigrant communities will be upheld in Huntington Beach and across the state, he added.

Valladares called the ruling unjust and said Tuesday that he and Rodriguez will continue to challenge Huntington Beachs anti-immigrant policies.

We may have lost this battle, but the war is not over, he said. The people will prevail.

Rodriguez declined to comment, as did Jennifer Molina, press secretary for the state attorney generals office, who referred questions to the ACLU.

Gates said in an email that the city is gratified by its latest win in the closely watched legal battle.

The challenge to the state mandate, Gates said, has always been about unconstitutional overreach, not politics or immigration enforcement policy per se.

He called the request for a new trial politically driven and an attempt to undermine Crandalls original ruling.

The judge said his September decision is likely to make its way to the California Supreme Court. Eisenberg filed an appeal in November that is still pending in the state 4th District Court of Appeal for review by a panel of three judges.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella

UPDATES:

This article was originally published at 7:15 p.m. Jan. 7 and was later updated with additional comments.
Actor and musician Jared Drake Bell spent Friday night in jail after pleading no contest to driving under the influence in Glendale within 10 years of another DUI conviction, officials said.

Bell, best known for his starring role on Nickelodeons Drake & Josh, was sentenced late Friday to four days in jail and four years of summary probation after pleading to the misdemeanor charge, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

Jail records show he was released from custody the following afternoon.

The 30-year-old must complete an 18-month multiple offender alcohol education program and comply with any DMV orders and restrictions on his driving privileges. He was also given a so-called Watson admonition, or a formal warning that he could be charged with murder if a future DUI resulted in someones death, officials said.

Bells Glendale arrest stretches back to around 2:20 a.m. on Dec. 21, when an officer saw him swerving and speeding after abruptly stopping at a red light, police said at the time.

During the traffic stop at West Doran Street and San Fernando Road, the officer smelled alcohol coming from the car. Bell subsequently failed a field sobriety test and refused to take a chemical test.

In May 2010, Bell was convicted  six months after the incident  of driving under the influence in San Diego.

Bell co-starred with Josh Peck on Drake & Josh from 2004 to 2007.

--

Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek
The Dodgers defeat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Saturday at Camelback Ranch. They are 13-8-1 in Cactus League play.

ON THE MOUND: Tony Gonsolin worked around two hits and two walks to toss three scoreless innings. The 24-year-old prospect has thrown nine shutout innings this spring. ...Kenley Jansens cutter sat between 91 and 93 mph in a scoreless inning, which concluded with Jose Abreu lining out on the 11th pitch of his at-bat. Jansen surrendered a hit and had a strikeout. He hasnt given up a run in five Cactus League innings and is scheduled to pitch in a minor-league game on Sunday. ...Joe Kelly was dominant in his inning of work, striking out the side. Two of the strikeouts came looking. ...Pedro Baez had two strikeouts in a perfect inning.

AT THE PLATE: Austin Barnes hit a two-run home run off veteran right-hander Ivan Nova in the second inning. The catcher, striving to rebound from a disappointing 2018 season, is batting .333 with two homers this spring. The Dodgers were limited to three hits otherwise, all singles from Edwin Rios, Daniel Castro, and David Freese, who committed two errors at first base.

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EXTRA BASES: Walker Buehler is slated to make his Cactus League debut Tuesday, manager Dave Roberts said. Buehler will be limited to three innings or around 45 pitches. The 24-year-old right-hander, who threw a 35-pitch bullpen session Saturday, has been handled with care this spring after not feeling right at the beginning of camp. ...Corey Seager went 0 for 3 and didnt field a ball at shortstop in five innings in a minor league game Saturday. Roberts said he is scheduled to play seven innings on Sunday and will play for the Dodgers at some point in the next week.... Max Muncy took his first swings since Wednesday, but was held out of the Dodgers lineup for the third straight day because of right forearm irritation. Roberts maintained Muncys ailment is minor and that he wouldnt have missed any time if it were the regular season.

UP NEXT: Rich Hill is scheduled to start and throw five innings against the Milwaukee Brewers at Camelback Ranch. First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m. TV: SportsNet LA. Radio: AM 570, KTNQ (Spanish).

jorge.castillo@latimes.com

Twitter: @jorgecastillo
I was in Xian at the time the Travel article ran in The Times and have just returned (Historic Capital and Modern Hub by David Swanson, Feb. 24). It was my second business trip to Xian in a year. Last year it was just before the New Year holiday, and this year it was just after.

The New Year holiday is one of the best times to visit Xian, in spite of the bitter cold. The nightly light shows are dazzling. When you arrive before the holiday, you can observe the daily addition of a new feature. On the other hand, by arriving after the holiday, you can see the whole effect. The city doesnt remove the lights for several weeks. From my hotel window, I could watch the entire show in the High Tech district  streets adorned with brilliant lanterns and other lights as well as dancing lights creating pictures on the facades of tall office buildings. Its magical.

I also highly recommend the Shaanxi History Museum. Changan (now Xian) was the ancient capital of China, and the museum traces the history from the Zhou to the Tang dynasties with many relics from each era. Its a very worthwhile experience.

Emanuel R. Baker

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Los Angeles

Going solo and doing fine

Regarding the Feb. 24 Departure Points, Be Brave and Keep Going by Julie Steinschriber: I took my first solo trip recently just to see if I could do it.

I had always admired my neighbor who did it, so I thought, Why not?

I took a two-week Canadian cruise starting in Halifax and going down the St. Lawrence River. It was a small ship carrying about 185 people.

After a few days, I met many nice people. The advantage of a cruise is you have dinner with different people every night and make travel friends.

Then a friend and I booked a trip to Cuba. Great, until he broke his arm and couldnt go.

I was faced with canceling or going alone. I decided to head out for the next grand adventure solo  a one-week small-group land tour  and it worked out great. Everybody was very welcoming.

One of the last nights as I was dining with lovely couples from Florida and New York, one woman said, I admire you for traveling solo.

I said, You know what my motto is? and she said, Live life?

I replied, No. What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.

Words to live by.

Nora Barsuk

Glendale

How not to worry about the gas level

Regarding A Digital Eye on Your Rental (On the Spot by Catharine Hamm, March 3): Another alternative to car rental is Lyft or Uber. No worries about the amount of gas in the rental car.

Scott Jessup

Saugus

Keep mums about Merida

I read your recent online article on Merida, Mexico (Easygoing Merida by Margo Pfeiff, Feb. 17): The unspoken rule about Merida is if youve been there, you dont tell anyone just how fantastic it is. OK? Thanks.

William Richardson

Toronto

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
You are here: China

Eleven cases involving ivory items sent by post have been investigated and 95 ivory products have been seized this year, said customs authorities in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

A recent case found that some inbound mail from Japan declared as books, did not conform to its customs declaration after an X-ray scan.

Customs officers later confirmed that there were ivory items in the parcel.

Shenyang Customs said a total of 11 cases involving 95 ivory products that weigh over 11 kg have been seized this year. Items include ivory sculptures, accessories, tableware and art.

Shenyang Customs has launched a special operation to crack down on ivory smuggling through international mail delivery.

China banned all domestic ivory trade at the end of 2017 as part of its commitment to protecting wild animals.
An article in the Feb. 24 Need to Know column (A $32 Golden Gate Bridge fee? by Catharine Hamm) described a settlement by the San Francisco city attorneys office with Hertz, which charged drivers extra fees for using a rental cars transponder, called Plate Pass, for tolls and also charged the renter for each day of the rental, even if that driver did not drive on toll roads any day.

San Franciscos Golden Gate Bridge raised the issue because it no longer accepts cash payments. The $3.65-million settlement will be used for future enforcement, the city attorneys office said.

The article prompted reader Roland Foss to recount his experience leaving Bostons Logan International Airport in a rental car. He wondered whether readers had experienced the same thing, so we asked. Here are some of their responses:

E-Z Pass solution

[Foss] is totally right-on about what a ripoff the E-Z Pass toll fee rental is, or the outrageous surcharge for going through an E-Z Pass booth without the transponder that is charged by car rental companies.

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The solution  and I am surprised E-Z Pass does not offer this  is to have transponders that travelers could use on any car when they are on E-Z Pass Toll Roads. I was told one obstacle is that the transponder and car must be registered, but certainly there must be technology that would allow for transponders to be used in various cars.

It certainly seems like an easy revenue stream for E-Z Pass to exploit. Id definitely get one.

Bob Heiber

Calabasas

Over the river and overcharged

We had a toll bridge experience similar to what was described.

We had a Hertz rental and were driving through Louisville on an interstate highway when suddenly there was a sign that said entering toll crossing, or something vague like that. Whats galling is there was no notice, no alternative offered the stranger, no place to exit after the sign, no place to pay a toll, not even a sign stating how much a toll was. Nothing. We thought maybe the sign was an old one and there was no longer a toll. We had run into that situation before.

After returning home we discovered a nearly $30 extra credit-card charge from Hertz. My wife called to ask what it was and was told it was a toll charge. For that single brief toll crossing. Long story short, Hertz agreed to cut the charge in half, still a ridiculous charge for driving across the Ohio River.

Im glad they got slapped for this practice.

R. Schmidt

San Luis Obispo

Dodging a toll

I smiled as I read the letter about the car rental and the tolls in Boston. During a trip to the East Coast in 2015, a friend and I drove into Boston from New Hampshire. Headed to our hotel, the GPS wanted us to go over the bridge which, as Foss writes, are all electronic tolls.

We managed to get out of the flow of traffic leading to the bridge and onto the nearby streets. GPS kept directing us to go over the bridge (which would have been the fastest, most direct way).

Noticing a policeman on the sidewalk, we stopped and asked if he would give us an alternative route. He told us to just drive over the bridge and we would be billed for the toll. I explained that we were driving a rental and asked wouldnt this bill be a ticket? He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

After reading Mr. Foss letter, Im so glad we managed to find our way through the streets to our hotel without having to go through any electronic toll roads or bridges!

Christina Flores

Los Angeles

Sharing the pain

I feel Foss pain. I experienced the same problem in the Denver area in 2010. I turned down the toll payment option and carefully drove around the area on what I thought were regular surface streets.

Shortly after I returned, I received a bill for a fine for taking a toll road without paying. I did not believe I had done so, but the rental company provided me with a dated photo of the car and license plate taken by a highway camera (or so they said). The date and license plate number were the same as the date and car license plate I had rented.

Unlike Foss, I did not pursue it and paid the fine. I have traveled a great deal and try to do my research about an array of potential concerns, but this one never occurred to me. I try to look at disappointments and problems as learning experiences and move on.

C. Spence

Los Angeles

Running afoul in Florida

Several years ago, I rented a car in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. I knew I would encounter a lot of tolls driving to the Florida Keys and back, so I asked about an E-Z Pass transponder when I rented the car. The agent told me to just drive through them and pay for the tolls when the agency received a bill from the state.

He was wrong. The state charged a $20 fee for each toll that I went through, which amounted to around $200. I got the company to take off the toll fees, but they wouldnt take off the state charges, saying that the agreement clearly said the driver was responsible for any tolls or fines.

Since then I have thought about getting my own transponder and account, but never have because not all states use the same system. Im just more careful to watch for toll roads, or pay the extra fee the rental car companies charge.

John Sanchez

Bend, Ore.

The toll of tolls

I rented a car from Hertz at Logan airport in June 2017 and thought I disabled the toll transponder because I planned to pay tolls in cash as they happened.

I went north to Maine and south to Nantucket, Mass., and returned to Logan, paying tolls at every toll gate that allowed cash payments. Later I received a bill for tolls and the transponder fee. I had passed through toll collection points that I had not realized were toll collection points. Luckily I had only to pay the tolls and the Hertz fee.

Moral of the story: If you rent a car at Logan airport, take the offered toll transponder. You cant leave or enter the airport without paying a toll, and in Massachusetts, all toll points are transponder only.

Erwin H. Straehley

Santa Barbara

Backing off

I had the same experience last summer in Boston. A note in the car said if we did not want to use their E-Z Pass, simply pay cash for the toll, which we did. We were still charged, plus a service fee.

When I called the customer service representative at the rental car agency (not Hertz) to refute it, they said I had to take it up with Bostons toll service directly, even though it was the company that was charging me.

I offered a compromise and it was not taken. I did something I never had in the past and didnt think would amount to anything, but I wanted to be heard, so I wrote a letter to the chief executive officer. A few weeks later I got a call from their office stating the charge had been refunded.

Amy Shachory

Alhambra

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
No one was more surprised than Rotem Sela when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to a short Instagram story she posted on Sunday.

Sela, 35, an Israeli television host, had responded with pique to an interview in which firebrand Culture Minister Miri Regev darkly warned of the dangers posed by Arabs in the upcoming Israeli election. That prompted Sela to ask: When the hell will someone in this government broadcast to the public that Israel is a country for all its citizens? And every person is born equal. Arabs, too, God help us, are human beings.

It wasnt long before she heard from Netanyahu.

Posting a photograph of himself on Instagram against the backdrop of an Israeli flag, he wrote: Dear Rotem, an important correction: Israel is not a state of all its citizens. According to the nation-state law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people  and them alone.

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Israeli TV host Rotem Sela was immediately subjected to a swarm of online abuse after she posted that Israel is a country for all its citizens, including Arabs. (Noam Revkin Fenton / Associated Press)

Netanyahu, 69, added that his administration had invested in the Arab sector more than any other government. But that didnt quiet the furor over his remarks, which seemed to suggest that Arabs  who make up about 20% of Israels population  were second-class citizens at best.

President Reuven Rivlin was quick to lambaste Netanyahu.

We are being exposed to an unacceptable public discourse regarding Arab citizens, Rivlin said in comments appended to a long-planned speech Monday marking 40 years of peace between Israel and Egypt. There are no first-class citizens, and there are no second-class voters. We are all equal in the voting booth.

Rivlin, whose post is largely ceremonial, had been an outspoken opponent of the nation-state law, which was approved by parliament in July. It declared Israel to be the nation state of the Jewish people and downgraded Arabic from an official language to one with a special status.

Rivlin, 79, does not present an electoral challenge to Netanyahu, but the prime minister is facing a strong challenge from former army Chief of Staff Benny Gantz. In his campaign, Netanyahu has suggested that Arabs, who hold about 13% of the seats in parliament, would likely join Gantz in a coalition government.

But Rivlin or even Gantz may not present the greatest threat to Netanyahu, who has dominated Israels political right for a generation. If he fails in his reelection bid, others in his camp are waiting their turn.

Judy Shalom Nir-Mozes, 60, a politically-connected television and radio host and scion of the family that owns Israels widest distribution tabloid, told The Times she is mulling a run for leadership should Israels political stalemate result in another round of elections in the near future.

Shalom Nir-Mozes, a member of Netanyahus Likud party who has long been viewed as a potentially formidable candidate, said her greatest disappointment in Netanyahu is that he is tearing society apart instead of bringing us together, like a leader should.

When I am prime minister, she said, the first thing Ill do is seek out what unifies us.

Netanyahu embraces the ultra-right in effort to stop the left 

Election day is April 9, and recent polls have shown the right-wing Netanyahu neck-in-neck with centrist rivals led by Gantz.

The rights of Israels non-Jewish, Arabic-speaking minorities, including Muslim, Christian and Druze citizens, have been a hot-button topic since passage of the nation-state law, which is the target of several still-pending Supreme Court appeals.

Sela, who has 835,000 Instagram followers, was immediately subjected to a swarm of online abuse after she published her post.

Later Sunday, Netanyahu tried to explain his comments. Speaking to his Cabinet, he said he wanted to clarify a point that, apparently, is not clear to slightly confused people in the Israeli public.

Israel is a Jewish, democratic state, he said. This means that it is the national state of the Jewish people alone. Of course it respects the individual rights of all its citizens  Jews and non-Jews alike, but it is the national state, not of all its citizens, but only of the Jewish people.

The comments come during a turbulent period for the prime minister, who is fighting multiple corruption charges the attorney general plans to file sometime before the election. After the latest comments, even Wonder Woman piled on.

Gal Gadot, the Israeli star of the Wonder Woman franchise, posted on Instagram that Selas remarks about the status of Arabs in Israels political discourse were an inspiration.

Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent.
Two days after the New Zealand mosque massacre in which 50 people were slaughtered by a white nationalist targeting Muslims, President Trumps acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said the president is not a white supremacist  even as Trump took to Twitter on Sunday to praise a Fox News host whose commentary has been denounced by critics as Islamophobic.

In a manifesto distributed on social media, the Australian man arrested in Fridays attack at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealands third-most populous city, said he considered Trump a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose  although he said he did not admire the presidents leadership style or policymaking.

On the campaign trail and as president, Trump has made derogatory references to Muslims. He told an interviewer in 2016 that he believed Islam hates us and, in one of his first official acts, announced a measure targeting immigrants from Muslim-majority nations that set off months of court battles.

In a now-familiar scenario, White House aides and allies found themselves in the position Sunday of attempting to distance the president from previous remarks criticized as racially insensitive or worse  at the same time that Trump was again expressing similar sentiments.

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Mulvaney, appearing on Fox News Sunday, expressed frustration when asked about the positive citation of Trump in the alleged shooters manifesto.

The president is not a white supremacist. Im not sure how many times we have to say that, he said. In a separate interview on CBS Face the Nation, Mulvaney, also discussing the New Zealand attack, said: I dont think anybody could say that the president is anti-Muslim.

In the Fox interview, he said it was wrong to link the accused attackers ideology to the prior comments of Trump or others.

This was a disturbed individual, an evil person, Mulvaney said of the shooter. And any attempt to try to tie him to an American politician of either party probably ignores some of the deeper difficulties that this sort of activity exposes.

Around the time that interview was being aired, the president was tweeting out a vociferous defense of Jeanine Pirro, a conservative Fox News host who was condemned by her own network after she questioned whether the first allegiance of Rep. Ilhan Omar  a Minnesota Democrat who is one of three Muslim lawmakers in the House of Representatives  was to Islamic law or the U.S. Constitution.

On Saturday night, Pirro did not appear in her usual weekend time slot on Fox.

On Sunday morning, Trump, during a barrage of tweets, urged viewers to rally around Pirro and another Fox host, Tucker Carlson, who has been under fire after old audio emerged of Carlson calling Iraqis primitive monkeys and also making lewd remarks about teen beauty contestants.

Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for Pirro, the president exhorted his Twitter followers, adding: Your competitors are jealous.

Among nine tweets on a sunny St. Patricks Day morning, the president also took aim for a second day at the late Sen. John McCain, who died of brain cancer in August, and at NBCs Saturday Night Live, which aired a rerun lampooning Trump. The president suggested the show and others like it that mock him should be scrutinized by federal regulators.

The attack on McCain, long lauded as a U.S. war hero after being a prisoner of war and suffering torture at the hands of his captors during the Vietnam conflict, drew a sharp rebuke from Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, who said on ABCs This Week that Trump should apologize for detestable insults of McCain dating back to the presidents 2016 election campaign.

Coons is a Democrat, and his friendship with McCain was one of many that the Arizona Republican cultivated across the partisan divide.

Meanwhile, signs grew that the role of racial rhetoric in inspiring or discouraging attacks by extremists will be an issue in the 2020 campaign. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination last month, said on CNNs State of the Union that as president, Trump needed to speak out clearly and specifically against attacks on Muslims.

At the very least, he should be giving strong statements, public speeches defending Muslims in this world, Klobuchar said on State of the Union. I think its on all of us to condemn this hate.

After the Christchurch shootings, Trump  who normally tweets out quick denunciations of terrorist attacks overseas carried out by Muslims, sometimes preempting the leaders of countries where they occur  initially responded with a since-deleted link to the right-wing Breitbart News website, then expressed warmest sympathy and best wishes to the people of New Zealand.

Pressed later about the gunning down of scores of Muslim worshipers and the shooters apparent motivation, he called the attack a terrible thing.

In Christchurch on Sunday, mourners paid tribute to the dead at a makeshift memorial, while relatives continued to wait for authorities to release the victims bodies for burials.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities hoped to release all the bodies by Wednesday. Islamic law calls for bodies to be cleansed and buried as soon as possible after death, usually within a day.

Javed Dadabhai, who flew from Auckland after learning about the death of his 35-year-old cousin, Junaid Mortara, said, The family understands that its a crime scene.

Its going to be a criminal charge against the guy whos done this, so they need to be pretty thorough.

Still, it was hard, he added, because the grieving process wouldnt really begin until he could bury his cousin.

On ABC, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said that in the wake of the New Zealand slayings, voters should insist that politicians, including those running for president, should adopt a more civil tone. He did not specifically mention the president.

Theres a role for our leaders to play in raising the level of civil dialogue in our country and lowering the levels of extremist speech, said Johnson, who served in the Obama administration. Americans do listen to their leaders.

Scott Brown, the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, was asked Sunday on State of the Union about the accused assailants praise for Trump in his manifesto.

I dont give any credibility whatsoever to the ramblings of somebody whos rotten to the core and clearly is an extremist of the worst kind who could walk into two mosques and, without any care whatsoever, kill people, said Brown.

The envoy also brushed aside a query by host Jake Tapper as to whether he would like to see Trump specifically say that hes standing with our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Theres been no time in my political or diplomatic life where I have ever questioned our government, whether its this government  or any other prior governments  commitment to end racism, stop bigotry, to really deal with Islamophobic attitudes, Brown said.

Hours after the shooting, Trump was asked by reporters whether white nationalism was a growing global menace, and responded that its a small group of people that have very, very serious problems.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat who appeared on State of the Union, suggested the president was playing down a serious domestic threat.

I think he needs to pick up the phone and call the Department of Justice, she said. He cannot just say its a small group of people. Theres too many deaths.

Sen. Tim Kaine, the Virginia Democrat who was Hillary Clintons vice presidential running mate in 2016, said Sunday that white nationalism wasnt Trumps fault, but that the presidents language emboldens racists.

When you see church shootings in Charleston, a synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, you see this hate-filled manifesto of the shooter in New Zealand who is murdering Muslims, we have to confront the fact that there is a rise in white supremacy, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim attitudes, Kaine said in an interview on Face the Nation.

The president uses language often thats very similar to the language used by these bigots and racists, and if hes not going to call it out, then other leaders have to do more to call it out, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report from Christchurch, New Zealand.

In the chaos of the New Zealand mosque attacks, one heros action saved lives 

laura.king@latimes.com

Twitter: @laurakingLAT
Venezuelas opposition-controlled congress opened its first session of the year Saturday, installing a fresh-faced leader who struck a defiant tone and vowed to take up the battle against socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

Juan Guaido, 35, assumes the presidency of a National Assembly stripped of power by Maduro, whose government is blamed for leading the once-wealthy oil nation into a historic political and humanitarian crisis.

Speaking to legislators, Guaido named several opposition politicians and opponents of Maduros government who have been jailed, driven into exile or killed. He said desperation has forced masses of citizens to flee abroad looking for work.

We are under an oppressive system, he said. Its not just that  it is miserable.

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Tall and youthful, Guaido represents the next generation of Venezuelan political opposition, taking up the assemblys leadership following 74-year-old Omar Barboza.

Guaido is an industrial engineer and former student leader from the same political party as Leopoldo Lopez, Venezuelas most popular opposition leader, who is under house arrest. Government opponents consider him a political prisoner.

Guaido called Maduro a dictator whose legitimacy has run out. Venezuela is living a dark but transitional moment of its history, he said, adding that among its first acts congress will create a transitional body to restore constitutional order, but he offered no details.

He addressed a hall filled only with opposition lawmakers as the government loyalists have long boycotted any sessions, saying the National Assembly has itself overstepped its authority.

However, roughly 20 foreign diplomats from the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy and Germany attended the assemblys inaugural session in a show of solidarity.

It opened days before Maduros inauguration to a second, six-year term widely condemned as illegitimate after he declared victory in the May 20 election that many foreign powers considered a sham.

Venezuelas socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello said Saturday that Maduro will be sworn in on Jan. 10 before the Supreme Court, which is stacked with government loyalists. This defies the Venezuelan Constitution, which requires a president to take the oath before the National Assembly.

As international pressure mounts, a dozen Latin American countries and Canada on Friday urged Maduro to cede power and hand it over to congress until a valid president is elected.

Venezuelan officials accuse the coalition of taking orders directly from President Trump, who they frequently accuse of spearheading an economic war against Venezuela.

Those of us here are fighting every day to restore democracy, Guaido said. We want the protection of the rule of law. We want the Venezuelans to be protected, because we believe in life.
You are here: China

China established 17 new national forest parks last year, bringing the total number to 897, according to a National Forestry and Grassland Administration report.

The national forest parks covered a total area of 12.87 million hectares at the end of last year. China also had 474 national-level nature reserves.

With increased policy support and financial investment, China has achieved remarkable results in wetland protection. Over 70,000 hectares of wetland were restored last year, bringing the country's wetland protection rate to 52.2 percent.

Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan were honored to enter the world's first list of international wetland cities in October last year.

China also intensified its efforts to crack down on ivory trade, the slaughter of wild animals and other criminal offenses.
- Diocesan Bishop of Lagos Anglican Communion, Rt Rev Humphrey Olumakaiye, has urged PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to respect people's choice in the last election

- The cleric said although Atiku and his party have the right to challenge the outcome of the results in court, he warned them against dragging Nigeria backward

- Olumakaiye said Nigerians spoke with their votes during the last general elections

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have been urged by the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos Anglican Communion, Rt Rev Humphrey Olumakaiye, to challenge the just concluded presidential election as good patriots but avoid dragging the nation backwards.

The Nation reports that he said Nigerians have taken a bold step and we must continue to move forward as a country.

Legit.ng gathered that Olumakaiye spoke at the centenary rally in commemoration of the centenary celebration of the diocese recently at TBS, Victoria Island, Lagos.

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It was reported that thousands of diocesans from 14 archdeaconries participated in the colourful display with various floats, radiant dresses, decorations and rich cultural presentations.

He said that Nigerians must pray and thank God for what he has done for them.

When God says yes, nobody can say no. God has spoken and it is for every one of us to come together as one and accept the will of God.

God has appointed a leader for us and it is important that we cooperate with the new government and move the nation forward by making sure that we are also patients that at the end of the tunnel, there will be light, he stressed.

Olumakaiye noted that although it is within the rights of Atiku and the PDP to contest the presidential results in court, he said: they must not drag us backwards as Nigerians have taken a bold step and have spoken with their votes.

He appealed for calm and patience because God is not done yet with Nigeria and respite will come soon.

On the centenary celebration, he said: It is designed to be celebrated throughout this year and it is targeted at fostering a more cordial relationship among members as they look forward to establishing something that the coming generations will also appreciate us for.

He pointed out the rally was set toward showing to the world although we are from different tribes, languages and colour, we are one and there is no other face of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Olumakaiye charged the body of Christ to endeavour to always promote the virtues of peace, love unity and mutual understanding within their neighbourhood.

He said the true Christian faith is a life lived in love. Christ died to reconcile us back to God.

The ministry of reconciliation is not limited and we must continue to work on it not only in the church but in the society.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday, March 16, accused the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood, of denying the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, access to inspect electoral materials.

READ ALSO: Just in: INEC may announce winner of Bauchi governorship election on Tuesday as commission resumes collation

It was reported that the party in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiya, said Mahmood and INEC refused to obey the March 6, 2019 ruling of the Appeal Court.

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2019 elections: Do you still trust INEC to conduct fair elections? - Nigerians speak| - on Legit TV

Source: Legit
- Nigerian comedian Oluwadolarz has called out Prince Shola of Oniru on social media

- According to the comedian, he was recently assaulted by Prince Shola for parking behind the royal blood

- Nigerian police has reacted to the alleged case of assault

Top Nigerian comedian, Ogunleye Olamide Babatunde, popularly known as Oluwadolarz has called out a certain Prince Shola of Oniru for allegedly assaulting him at a birthday party. According to Dolarz, he was given slaps and punches for parking his car behind that of the royal blood.

In a series of rant, Oluwadolarz called out the prince and rained insults on him. The obviously angered comedian condemned royalty in Nigeria and stated that if this is what being royal is all about then it is a big problem.

He stated that it all started when he got to a birthday party at Oniru beach and parked behind a car. After a few minutes at the party, he was called out to come move his car as someone parked in front was ready to move. After reversing his car, the so-call Prince Shola of Oniru attacked him and planted slaps and punches on his face.

READ ALSO: Actress Etinosa finally speaks on going unclad on social media

In the rant clip which he shared on social media, he showed his busted lip and drop of blood that stained his hand from the assault.

Nigerian comedian Oluwadolarz shows busted lip on social media (Picture/Instagram)

Source: UGC

Watch below:

As many people reacted to his post, ACP Abayomi Shogunle commented as well and advised the distraught comedian to report the case to the nearest police station as it may be a case of assault.

Oluwadolarz responded saying he will do the needful.

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Meanwhile, Nigerian comedian MC Abbey recently shared a sad experience he had with police in Lagos state.

The comedian revealed that police officers had asked him to pay N10,000 to write a statement after he had an accident.

MC Abbey noted that he wanted to report the accident for insurance purposes and he was asked to pay for it.

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Frustrated Nigerian man says 'nobody cares about you' on Legit TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- The crisis in the Adamawa APC has reared its ugly head again ahead of the rerun governorship polls in the state

- A prominent member of the party and former SGF, Babachir Lawal, has asked Governor Muhammad Bindow to concede defeat

- Lawal is the leader of an APC faction in the state, which have consistently worked against the Adawama governor

Engineer Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has urged APC governorship candidate, Governor Muhammad Bindow to honorably concede defeat in the interest of peace in Adamawa state.

Lawal was reacting to the release of delimitation details of polling units for governorship re-run election fixed for Saturday, March 23 as released by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the state.

The delimitation details revealed that the total number of registered voters in the 44 polling units stands 34,101 against 40,948 being speculated.

READ ALSO: Okorocha withdrew over N17b from govt's coffers in 2 days - Imo PDP alleges

Umaru Fintiri of the PDP is already leading with 367,471 votes against the 334,995 votes polled by Governor Bindow, with a margin of 32,467 votes.

Lawal said his call for the governor to concede defeat is aimed at strengthening democratic norms, adding that another election is only four years away.

His words: The only honorable thing to do is for my partys candidate, Governor Bindow to concede and give peace a chance.

Therefore, lets not allow elections to cause trouble between brothers, Bindow can go back to the drawing board and launch himself back.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) has called for an independent inquiry into the conduct of 2019 general elections.

The group made the call at a press conference addressed by its convener, Mr. Clement Nwankwo on Sunday, March 10.

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The group said the inquiry should address many issues that have bedeviled the conduct of the polls including procurement, logistics management, role of the military and abuse of process by INEC officials amongst others.

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Election not a do or die affair - Sanwoolu | Legit TV

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5-year-old Jare found her way into the spotlight in 2018, when photos of herself and her siblings hit the internet. The dark beauty was immediately tagged by many as the most beautiful girl in the world and unarguably, she looks just like the perfect black barbie doll.

Since, she was first captured, Jare has not only become an internet sensation but has moved on to become an international model. It was gathered that some international photographers have struggled for a chance to capture the beauty and it can easily be said that her future in the fashion and beauty world is bright.

The latest photos which hit the internet show how just perfectly gorgeous the 5-year-old is. Jare was pictured with international luxury brand, Princess Ford; a haute couture for kids.

Looking as innocent and as pure as ever, she posed, bright-eyed in simple outfits and looked super adorable.

READ ALSO: Actress Etinosa finally speaks on going unclad on social media

Here are photos below:

READ ALSO: Childlike South African actor Themba weds the love of his life at beautiful ceremony

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Meanwhile, a 16-year-old female model has become the first Nigerian to walk for renowned and highly respected fashion brand Louis Vuitton.

The young girl identified as Janet Jumbo hails from Rivers state Nigeria and was born and brought up in Lagos state. She took to social media to share exclusive photos from the shoot and thanked everyone that made it possible for her to achieve such feat.

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Sights and sounds from Miss Nigeria 2018 on Legit TV:

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Nigerians are a well travelled beings. They transverse around the globe in search of greener pasture. Even though some of them have soiled the country's good name, there are still some who have made the country proud in their chosen endeavours.

A Nigerian man was the spiritual leader at one of the mosques that was attacked in New Zealand recently.

Alabi Lateef Zirullah was the prayer leader at the Linwood mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand where a lone gunman, Brenton Tarrant, opened fire on worshippers killing at least seven people, after already killing 42 others at the Al Noor mosque on Friday, March 15.

At the Linwood mosque, worshippers were about to drop to the floor for the second part of the prayer service at around 1.55pm when Lateef spotted the gunman.

On hearing gunfire outside the mosque, Lateef allegedly screamed at worshipers to go down so as to take cover.

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He revealed in a chat with The New Zealand Herald, that: When I saw those Muslims shot dead, I just told our brothers, Go down! Go down! Somebody has just shot our brothers outside the masjid."

"No one listened to me until unfortunately he came from behind and he shot one of our brothers in the head through the window. He saw him standing and shot him through the window. When glass got broken and the brother fell down, everyone realised to go down.

Zirullah later called emergency services and tried to help the dying and wounded after the gunman had left.

READ ALSO: Nigerian photographer Sam fakes asthma attack to overpower two robbers in Rivers

Legit.ng had reported that following the shooting incident, a formidable crowd of Muslims have defied the increased terror threats and they took to Lakemba mosque in Sydney's south west to attend Friday prayers (Jumaat). They were surrounded by dozens of police who swarmed the mosque at 7:17pm to ensure everyone's safety.

Given the incident that had happened to their New Zealand brothers and sisters, the mood at Lakemba mosque was quiet and meditative. But it could be noticed that people were determined to fight the oppression.

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Lagos School Collapse: My aunts children are trapped - lady weeps| Legit TV:

Source: Legit
- Ghana-born actress Ella Mensah says Nigerian movie producers and directors made her bleach her skin

- Ellah reveals she spent close to N1 million to change her skin colours so as to be attractive to movie producers

- The actress says she did not use bleaching cream but took injection instead

Ghanaian actress, Ella Mensah, has revealed that she bleached her skin in other to get movie roles in Nollywood.

In a recent interview with Delay Ghana, Ella revealed how much she spent on bleaching her skin.

The actress said she had to take an injection which cost about 2,000, almost a million naira (N960,225.64). She said: "I don't use cream to bleach my skin, I took an injection."

Ella further claimed that she owes nobody an explanation for bleaching her skin. She said it has helped her gain recognition in the movie industry.

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"I thought about it and it is my own skin and thank God I am not going to hurt or kill anybody. So I did it because I love it and also partly because of my job."

In another interview with Sammy Flexx on Zylofon FM, Ella revealed that Nigerian movie producers and directors prefer giving roles to light-skinned actresses as they see them more attractive.

'If you are a dark-skinned person, your talent alone is not going to push you up because a producer once told me that I have the height, the body and that I am look attractive

READ ALSO: Im afraid I might be losing my fire - Actress Omotola Jalade cries out

In a similar report, Legit.ng had reported the story of a white German woman who turned her skin colour to black. It was also revealed that she will want to relocate to Kenya and also have black children who she plans to raise in the African country.

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Should the government ban bleaching creams? | Legit TV

Source: Legit
The body of an unidentified woman was pulled Sunday afternoon from the Lehigh Canal in Allentown, city police said.

Allentown Police Assistant Chief Gail Struss said between 2 to 2:15 p.m. officers responded to Canal Park for a report by someone walking along the trail who saw a body around 1:50 p.m. in the water. Police and firefighters then discovered the deceased body of the unidentified woman, Struss said.

Allentown Fire Department Captain John Christopher said the body was discovered along the surface of the canal and members of the fire departments dive team assisted city police in the area of Canal Park for a recovery operation.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:26 p.m. by Lehigh County Deputy Coroner Jack Fliter. An autopsy is scheduled Monday to determine the womans exact cause and manner of death.

The death is under investigation by the Lehigh Countys Coroners Office and the Allentown Police Department. Additional information is expected to be released by the Lehigh County Coroners Office once a positive identification is made and next of kin is notified.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Officers from six local and federal law enforcement agencies conducted an undercover prostitution and sex trafficking sting operation Friday outside Bethlehem in Northampton County, according to a news release.

The operation resulted in the arrests of two women on a prostitution charge, five men on a count of patronizing a prostitute and a New Jersey man for promoting prostitution, Colonial Regional police said.

Investigators set up the sting at an undisclosed motel in Hanover Township.

The two women agreed to perform a sex act on an undercover male police officer for money, police said.

The five men charged with patronizing a prostitute are identified as Bruce Pudliner, 42, of the 1100 block of East Highland Street in Allentown; Samer Chatieh, 49, of the 100 block of West Green Street in Allentown; Robert Halpin, 35, of the first block of Harrison Street in Emmaus; Kevin Davera, 55, of the 200 block of West Oley Street in Reading; and Harold Morlez, 47, of the 2900 block of Starview Lane in Bethlehem, according to the release. All agreed to sex acts in exchange for money with an undercover female police officer.

Patrick Phillip Banks, 28, of the first block of Norwood Street in Newark, is charged with promoting prostitution, police said. He was sent to Northampton County Prison on a warrant out of Essex County and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday the charge from Friday, according to police.

The seven others will be charged.

Those not incarcerated could not be reached for comment. No number could be found for some, for others a number listed was out of service and for some a call went unanswered or a message left was not immediately returned.

Assisting Colonial Regional police were officers from the Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township and Nazareth police departments; detectives from the Monroe County District Attorneys Office; the FBI and the Lehigh Valley Crime Victims Council.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein andFacebook. Findlehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A South Side Bethlehem landlord wants to tear down a block of houses it owns to build 10 new row homes for graduate students from Lehigh University and other local colleges.

Lehigh Property Management LLC hopes to raze the four homes at 496-520 First Terrace, which contain a total of 20 bedrooms, and replace them with town homes. Each unit would feature five bedrooms, resulting in an increase of 30 rooms on the narrow street.

On Thursday afternoon, Lehigh Property Managements Austin Siboni and project engineer Karl Leitner, of Barry Isett & Associates, presented a sketch plan to the Bethlehem Planning Commission, detailing what they hope to do on the property. The company owns all but six homes on First Terrace.

Ultimately, the commission endorsed a feedback letter from the citys planning department. The recommends the developer complete a traffic and circulation study, look at reducing the number of units and the building footprint, and provide a parking demand analysis for the area, said Darlene Heller, city planning director.

First Terrace is perched above Lehighs Asa Packer Campus on South Side in a cluster of homes converted into student housing, many of which Lehigh Property Management owns. Currently, about 80 percent of the management companys tenants are Lehigh students, Siboni said.

Theres very little new construction student housing in the neighborhood and the company hopes to bring a new option into the market: brand new, cost-and-energy efficient housing, Siboni said.

Lehigh Property Management LLC wants to tear down four homes -- located at 496 to 520 First Terrace -- and build 10 new townhomes. The narrow road and its parking challenges worried the Bethlehem Planning Commission. (Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Each unit features a first-floor two-car garage and a driveway in hopes of alleviating the parking issues along First Terrace. The townhomes would feature patios on the second-floor, which would be the first living level.

But I would comment that (youre) taking it off the street but youre adding a substantial amount more people, planning commission Chairman Rob Melosky said.

The road narrows to only about 12 feet in front of the homes slated for demolition making parking challenging, Siboni said. He suggested making that stretch of First Terrace one-way. This led to concerns from planning commission members about traffic, parking and the number of people that would be living on the street.

It just appears that parking is a major issue over there, commission member Louis Stellato said.

Melosky suggested revisiting the number of units being proposed and recommended a traffic study. He predicted five students a townhouse means five cars a home.

You can bet that a graduate student is going to get in their car to drive down to campus, he said.

This Lehigh Property Management LLC parking lot only has a few cars in it Friday, March 15. The company says few of its tenant have cars, so parking should not be an issue with a nearby development. (Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Siboni countered that many of the current tenants walk and noted there is a stairway on First Terrace behind Rathbone Dining Hall that acts as a connector to campus. Lehigh Property Management has two nearby parking lots on Stoneman Street and Meade Street that are never at capacity. One of the lots has only three of its roughly 20 spots in use right now, Siboni said.

The developer questioned whether a sidewalk deferral might be possible given how narrow the road is and the steep grade of the property. There is no sidewalk on the existing properties currently.

City officials said sidewalks could be put in, although they may not be ideal. Heller said it really comes down to setting priorities for what the city wants in an area.

Its not a street where wed want to encourage additional cars, Heller said.

The commission is concerned that many recent South Side projects involve taking away parking to make way for new development.

Theres a red flag there that says: Weve got a problem. The whole hill is a problem, in essence, Stellato said. Were not voting on anything tonight, but I just want to bring that to your attention, we are concerned about it.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A drunken driver was ejected from his car after he struck a center barrier and rolled across Route 100 in Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania State Police said.

State police in Fogelsville said the accident began at 9:23 p.m. March 1. The 23-year-old male driver from Catasauqua, whom police did not name, was headed east on Holbens Valley Road before drifting off the right shoulder at Holbens Valley Road and Route 100. The driver then struck the center barrier on Route 100 and rolled across the highway before hitting an embankment on the right shoulder of Route 100, according to police.

The driver was ejected from the vehicle, suffering neck and back injuries, police said. He was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest Hospital in Salisbury Township for treatment. The vehicle sustained heavy disabling damage, police said.

The driver allegedly admitted to investigators he was drinking alcohol prior to the accident.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
St Patrick's Day - 10 facts you need to know starting with - drinking.

1. The drinking...

Drinking wasn't always part of the St Patrick's Day celebrations. It appears we were drowning the shamrock too much and in 1927, the government's pub ban came into force. The pubs were dry on March 17 from then until 1970.

2. There's a row over the parade...

Although Ireland didn't stage its first parade until 1931, there's a dispute between New York and Boston over who staged the first ever St Patrick's Day parade. New York says they had the first official one in 1762, but the lads in Boston claim they sort of held one in 1737.

3. The colour of St Patrick's Day was originally blue, but green became more prevalent as shamrocks became the official symbol of the holiday. In the 1798 rebellion, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of making a revolutionary political statement. The shamrock on their hat was a sign of rebellion.

2. "The Wearing of the Green" came from a song by Dion Boucicault.

3. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, which is both the day of religious feast and the anniversary of St. Patrick's death in the fifth century.

4. A tall tale exists that St Patrick was famous for banishing all the snakes in Ireland. It may not be true.

5. The Shamrock also called the "seamroy" by the Celts was a sacred plant in Ireland because it symbolised the rebirth of spring.

6. Corned beef and cabbage is the traditional St Patrick's day meal, but in New York, some celebrate with Irish bacon to save money.

7. The leprechaun is a purely American tradition introduced by Disney in the film Darby "O'Gill & the Little People."

8. Chicago has been dying its river green for the past 43 years to celebrate "The Emerald Isle." The green appears magically from an orange dye that many other cities have tried to copy.

9. March 17 is not just a national holiday in Ireland. it is also a national holiday on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. Their population of 4,000 come to a standstill for the day too, owing to the large number of Irish emigrants that landed there in the 17th century. In Ireland, the celebration outgrew the word "Day" and became St Patrick's Festival - a four day event that takes 18 months to plan and is enjoyed by 1.2 million people.

10. Shamrock is the symbol of Ireland and St. Patrick, and it became the latter because St. Patrick used it when teaching people about the holy trinity in the Christian religion.
Avoiding a hard Brexit is referenced in the St Patricks Day message from the Catholic Primate of all Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin to the people of Ireland at home and abroad.

Partnership and tolerance, mutual trust and respect, equality and a complete renunciation of violence, are essential for the building of a lasting and just peace.

"All the more reason then for us to resolve, in the name of Saint Patrick, to avoid any return to an infrastructure of suspicion and division which could so easily set back decades of progress  As Saint Patrick himself prayed, may Gods strength pilot us in the coming days, months and years, said Archbishop Eamon Martin

Full text of Message

Forty years ago Pope John Paul II visited Ireland, as a pilgrim for peace. He had wanted to visit Armagh, the Cathedral city of Saint Patrick, but because of the tensions of those troubled times, his plans had to be changed at the last minute. Instead, the Holy Father stopped just north of Drogheda, not far from the Hill of Slane.

Standing for the first time on Irish soil, the Successor of Peter recalled how Saint Patrick lit the Paschal Fire in Ireland so that the light of Christ might shine forth on all of Ireland and unite all of its people in the love of the one Jesus Christ.

In 1979 the border between north and south was heavily militarised and monitored. Pope John Paul II chose to speak about Christ as Prince of Peace, and against the construction of barriers of hate and mistrust.

On 29 September 1979 the Polish Pontiff said at an open-air Mass in Drogheda, Let history record that at a difficult moment in the experience of the people of Ireland, the Bishop of Rome set foot in your land, that he was with you and prayed with you for peace and reconciliation, for the victory of justice and love over hatred and violence.

As a young eighteen-year-old, the words of now Saint John Paul moved me greatly, especially when he called for respect for the inalienable rights and dignity of the human person, for the spirit of Christian love and forgiveness, and for a complete rejection of violence. In fervent prayer, he invoked the help of Saint Patrick to watch over Ireland. Protect humanity.

In these days of ongoing political and economic uncertainty over Brexit, I have been hearing families across the island of Ireland - including those who live and work along the border and those who make their living from farming, business and haulage - express anxiety about what the future might hold. People are speaking about relationships within these islands - north and south, east and west - becoming more strained and fragile.

This year on Saint Patricks Day I, therefore, offer that same prayer, Saint Patrick, watch over Ireland. Protect humanity.

One of the great architects of our peace process, Mr John Hume, used to speak of the border not simply as a line on a map, but as the institutionalised division that can exist for centuries in hearts and minds. If we have learned anything since the Good Friday Agreement, twenty-one years ago, it is that partnership and tolerance, mutual trust and respect, equality and a complete renunciation of violence, are essential for the building of a lasting and just peace. All the more reason then for us to resolve, in the name of Saint Patrick, to avoid any return to an infrastructure of suspicion and division which could so easily set back decades of progress.

During his ministry, Saint Patrick was not afraid to speak up strongly for the dignity of the human person. He was a champion for dialogue and for the peaceful resolution of problems. He offered friendship and forgiveness to his former captors and even to the corrupt slave-trader, Coroticus, who attacked his newly-baptised converts.

I hope this weekend that the prayers and example of Saint Patrick will help our politicians, community leaders and all of us to treat each other with respect in these trying times. If we are to find a way forward and face our many challenges, we need to recover that spirit of fraternity and strive to do bigger and better things (Confession 47). As Saint Patrick himself prayed, may Gods strength pilot us in the coming days, months and years.

Agus go dtuga Naomh Padraig aire daoibh, go dtreorai se sibh agus bhur gclanna; go dtuga se a dhea-mhein chun bhur muintire agus chun cairde uilig na hEireann ar fuaid an domhain, inniu agus i gconai [May Saint Patrick watch over and guide you, your family and loved ones and all friends of Ireland throughout the world, today and always].
A MOTORIST who was caught travelling at almost twice the speed limit has avoided a driving ban.

Ciaran Murphy, 25, of Kiltillahan, Askamore, Gorey, County Wexford was prosecuted before Newcastle West court following a detection on the N20 at Cloghaloka, Patrickswell last summer.

Garda Barry Cullhane said he was on duty at 8.24pm when he observed a Volkwagen Scirocco car which was being driver at 179km/h in a 100km/h zone.

He said the car was travelling from the Adare direction and that there was very little that could be said to excuse the speed.

Solicitor Rossa McMahon said his client, who was travelling to Belfast, knew he was speeding but that he did not realise he was driving so fast.

Urging the court not to disqualify him, he said Mr Murphy drives daily for work and that his licence is extremely important to him.

Mr McMahon told Judge Mary Larkin that the detection was a serious wake up call for his client.

Does he realise if he hit anyone they would be dead? asked Judge Larkin.

He didnt feel the speed, replied Mr McMahon who added that his client has no previous convictions.

Having considered the matter Judge Larkin commented that the offence was really and truly at the very high end.

However, given Mr Murphys guilty plea and his previous good record, she said she would exercise her discretion and not impose a disqualification.

She imposed a 650 fine, giving him six months to pay.
AN exhibition which looks at the important role Limerick and Munster women have played in politics and public life over the past century has been unveiled at City Hall.

The display, titled 100 Years of Women in Politics and Public Life, 1918-2018, is an exciting experience that shines a spotlight on the stories of very familiar and less well-known women, who have contributed significantly to Irish political and public life over the past century.

It details and explores the challenges they faced and the obstacles they overcame, as Irish society shifted through the decades. The exhibition is curated by the historian, Sinead McCoole.

I am delighted that Im in Limerick representing the Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltachts commemorations unit. For me, it is a homecoming, although I am gone from Limerick 30 years. Bringing an exhibition to Limerick as the Munster venue has been a joy, and to such a wonderful venue at Istabraq Hall, said Sinead.

Documenting the womens journey over the past 100 years, I have the privilege of creating Irelands first physical womens museum, albeit as a pop up, thanks to the generosity of many families, archives and collections. With panels, multimedia, objects and clothing you can travel through the decades at this exhibition. It is an honour as a historian feminising Irish history and changing the canon, she added.

The exhibition coincides with Dail 100, a series commemorating the centenary of the sitting of the first Dail and the Decade of Centenaries, which is a programme of commemorations relating to some of the most significant events in Irish history between 1912 and 1922.

The idea came about in the latter half of the 2016 Centenary. I discovered that the most powerful and important women in our country were not featured in our national collection, said Sinead.

It was difficult, we have a virtual women's museum, but this was a chance of a lifetime to make the physical women's museum.

There are 88 women's museum worldwide and for a short time we are the 89, she added.

The pop-up museum at Istabraq Hall contains unseen family photographs, films, interviews, objects, and clothes.

The exhibition is free and is open to the public every Monday to Friday (10am - 5pm) until March 19, 2019.
PENT up demand could drive the price of two pieces of land in Howardstown, Bruree that are being guided at 10,000.

Joe Wheeler, auctioneer in Hospital, is bringing to the market two separate lots located close by each other. Lot one is a residential farm extending to 44 acres. Lot two is 13 acres.

It will be sold for auction at 3pm on Wednesday, March 20 in the Charleville Park Hotel. A big crowd is expected.

Mr Wheeler say he has already had a lot of enquiries about the lands in Howardstown, Bruree.

There is a lot of interest out there. Not a lot of land has come up in recent times in that area.

It is an attractive little holding. It is bounded by two rivers and at the same time it is high and dry. It has been let for the past number of years to neighbouring farmers for dairying, said Mr Wheeler, who is guiding in the region of 10,000 an acre.

And as any auctioneer will tell you, when there are a couple of dairy farmers vying for land for expansion the price can escalate quickly.

Youd imagine there would be a bit of pent up demand there from a few local dairy farmers, he said.

Mr Wheeler has received offers to purchase the land prior to the auction.

We were asked to take offers which would be rare enough but were not willing to sell it prior to auction. It will be sold on the day in two separate lots, said Mr Wheeler.

With the 44 acres comes a typical three bedroom bungalow that needs some upgrading and a traditional range of sheds.

While the 13 acres is a roadside holding.

Mr Wheeler says it is all top quality land.

There will be keen interest to see who the new owner is after the auction in the Charleville Park Hotel at 3pm on Wednesday, March 20.

Contact Wheeler Auctioneers at 061 383403 for more.
A MAN who is serving a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence for attempted robbery has pleaded guilty to stealing 66 worth petrol and driving without insurance, Limerick District Court has heard.

Jonathan Philips, 27, of Clonlara, County Clare, appeared before Judge Marian OLeary on Friday afternoon, charged with theft and no insurance at Limerick Courthouse, Mulgrave Street.

Outlining evidence, prosecuting sergeant Sean Murray said that the accused stole 29 and 37 worth petrol from a forecourt in Clarina on October 16 and October 26 respectively.

The court heard that Philips was identified on CCTV footage.

When arrested on November 10, 2018, full admissions were made.

Philips, who has 121 previous convictions, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison at Limerick Circuit Court for attempted robbery on November 29 last. His release date is March 26, 2022.

At Limerick Circuit Court on April 10 last, Philips was disqualified from driving for 10 years for a number of road traffic matters.

His solicitor Darach McCarthy said that Philips, who is serving his prison sentence in Castlerea, had addiction issues and is in very good shape now.

He has one child and there wont be much of a relationship there for the next couple of years, Mr McCarthy said, adding that his client apologises.

He said that he hoped the court does not add to his current sentence, and that Philips also entered a plea of guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Judge OLeary convicted and fined Philips 500 for two no insurance matters, imposing a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

In respect of the two theft charges, Judge OLeary convicted and fined the accused 200.
TWO men have been arrested after an alleged security breach at Shannon Airport earlier.

The pair, who are former American military soldiers, were arrested under the Air Navigation and Transport Act, suspect of breaching the airport perimeter in a bid to reach a civilian plane carrying around 300 US soldiers.

They are members of US Veterans for Peace - the group has been in Ireland in recent days giving public talks on the issue of Ireland's neutrality.

Sinn Fein Senator Paul Gavan has criticised the arrest of the pair, and urged their immediate release.

Mr Gavan, who was at the airport for a demonstration, said: Gardai should be searching US Army Chartered Planes for weapons, rather than arresting peace activists.

The continued use of Shannon by US Forces is an affront to our countrys traditional stance of neutrality. It also implicates our country in the slaughter of innocent people by US military personnel in their ongoing imperialist wars in Iraq, Syria , and Afghanistan, he added.
THERE is a deep sense of sadness and shock at the passing of Damien Carmody from Montpelier.

The 18-year-old passed away peacefully at his home last Thursday. Damien was the eldest son of his loving parents Shirley and Ger.

The Leaving Cert student in St Marys Secondary School in Newport was a talented photographer, fisherman and massive Limerick hurling fan.

His Ger is chairman of St Flannans Fishing Club. Charlie Lyons, vice-chairman, said Damien has gone fishing many times with his father.

It is very hard to take. He was a quiet, pleasant, just a lovely young fellow. He didnt drink, he didnt smoke and was very popular. He was due to be going to an 18th birthday party on Friday night and was looking forward to that. It is very sad for the whole family and all his friends, said Charlie, who on behalf of St Flannans Fishing Club expressed their deepest sympathies to the Carmody family. It is a double tragedy to hit the family as they lost Damiens grandfather last January.

A post on St Marys Secondary Schools Facebook page reads: The school community is saddened to inform you of the death of a sixth year student, Damien Carmody. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

The school has support structures in place to help students cope with this loss.

Damien had contributed a number of lovely photos to Limerick City Citizens Facebook page. It was created to act as a directory of amazing photos taken by Limerick photographers.

One of its members, Fergal Clohessy dedicated a beautiful photo he took of last nights fireworks display in the city to Damien. Fergal said Damien contributed some lovely photos to Limerick City Citizens before his passing.

He had a great eye for photography and the ones he took will not only preserve the moment but preserve his memory too. May he rest in peace, said Fergal.

Recently predeceased by his loving grandfather Mikey Moloney, Damien is sadly missed by his loving parents Shirley and Ger, his sister Clodagh and brother Dylan, grandparents Mary and Jim Carmody and Mary Moloney, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbours, relatives and friends.

Reposing at Meehans Funeral Home, Castleconnell this Sunday, March 17, from 6pm until 8pm. Arriving at St Josephs Church, Castleconnell on Monday, March 18 for 11.30am Requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in OBriens Bridge Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.




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Date  Tuesday 19th March 2019

Venue  BCIE Ikeja Office,

99, Opebi Road, Valley View Plaza,

Ikeja, Lagos.

Time  3.00pm

Delegate: Dr Victor Atiase; Dr Anthony Olomolaiye

Date- Wednesday 29th March 2019

Venue- BCIE Victoria Island

Time: 2-4pm



To register your interest, Visit: https://coventrylagos.typeform.com/to/Vz4WoJ

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Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, says Nigeria as a Nation is not short of ideas, projects or money but what the country is short of is men and women of integrity in the positions of power.

The Vice President said this when he spoke at a gathering of the All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at a dinner in Abuja.
"I just threw this two-piece, $1,200 Gucci suit on as I rushed out the door this morning," a local fashionista's recent post reads.

Her life, just like her blown-out tresses of long brown hair, looks effortless. This is why people follow her. They do not want to see her struggling to squeeze into a pair of Spanx, nor do they wish to see the two hours it took her to take a single Instagram photo. The public lives of influencers are simulacra  they are fake, yet symbolic of the organized, aestheticized lives we wish we had ourselves.

Like ducks, which seem to glide effortlessly across the surface but are paddling furiously below water, social media stars make it all look easy.

"I feel like I'm always working," said Kathleen Ensign. The 32-year-old San Franciscan runs a blog and two Instagram accounts: @katwalksf for fashion and @katfoodsf for eats. Between the two pages, Ensign has more than 126,000 followers.

...an Instagram celeb like Kylie Jenner, with more than 100 million followers, earns about $1 million per branded post.

By her estimate, she spend at least 60 hours a week working on the brand, whether piecing together outfits, writing blog posts, answering emails or attending local influencer events, of which there are many. When we spoke earlier this month, Ensignhad had events scheduled for every single night of the week: Sunday was the Verve Clicquot day party. Monday called for a comped meal at the new chicken restaurant Peri Pica. Tuesday was a Grey Goose party at 15 Romalo.

Our discussion about "what it's really like being an influencer" was peppered with phrases like: "I enjoy it, but it is work," and "I get a lot of free stuff, but it is also a lot of clutter."

Ensign does make money off her accounts  mainly from sponsored content and hosting gigs  and sometimes a sizable amount, but she still relies on "side hustles," like managing social media for restaurant groups.

"Everyone's trying to jump into it thinking it's a get-rich scheme," she said of blogging. "I don't think they understand how much work goes into it." Being self-employed, she says, means you don't have the benefit of health insurance or built-in vacation time. And when the line between your real life and your business is so thin, it is often difficult to not work.

The five Bay Area women I interviewed for this story, many of whom have been blogging for 10 years or more, said they spend about 40 to 60 hours a week running their pages. Two consider influencing their full-time jobs  one is the mom of two school-aged children and one employs a full-time management team. Two, including Ensign, work part-time with restaurant groups to manage their social media, in addition to their personal pages. One woman, Kelly Huibregtse of @asideofsweet, works as a physician in the neonatal and pediatric ICUs at UCSF and Alta Bates in Berkeley.

Huibregtse was baking macaroons when we spoke by phone in early October; I could hear the oven beeping in the background. She had returned from an all-night shift at UCSF a few hours before, napped through the morning, and now she was baking. At 6 p.m., she'd return to the hospital for another night shift.

Huibregtse's Instagram post from that day shows her eating pie from a shop in Texas, looking serene in head-to-toe pink. "There are two kinds of pie  pie I've eaten and pie I haven't eaten," she captioned the photo, which has 570 likes.

The account is a labor of love, something that "satisfies the other part of my brain" outside the strict hospital protocols of her day job.

"I get a lot of emails from pre-med students and residents who found my blog in this dark time of studying so hard and being broke," she said. It's comforting to know that "somebody is out there balancing it all."

More for you After stumbles, tech companies vow to improve election security for 2018 midterms

Brands have taken notice, too. Huibregtse has worked with big-name companies ranging from Amazon and Anthropologie to Target and Williams-Sonoma. Projects can range from one-off product plugs to a series of Instagram photos to all that plus a blog post. Sometimes brands invite influencers to promote their companies off the internet by inviting them to host product launches and events.

Everyone I spoke to was happy to espouse the companies they've partnered with, but mum on the subject of how much they got paid to do so. Because a job like influencing is just beginning to be considered, well, a job, there's not much reliable financial data on the internet.

Tribe, a tech company that matches brands with influencers, told the Financial Times that payment depends on the influencer's number of followers. Someone with 3,000 to 10,000 followers can charge about $2,700 per Instagram picture, the company said, while celebrity influencers with millions of followers can charge between $6,000 and $17,500 per post. Hopper HQ, a social media planner, estimated that an Instagram celeb like Kylie Jenner, with more than 100 million followers, earns about $1 million per branded post.

According to an analysis by Mediakix, a marketing company that specializes in influencers, companies spent more than $1 billion on influencer marketing last year. That figure is expected to double by 2019.

Returns on investment from influencer marketing can be hard to measure, but the strategy is not solely about moving product, in some cases. Given that companies can align their items with certain pages, which radiate specific values and lifestyles, influencer marketing can also be an effective tool for shaping brand identity. Mommy bloggers get tagged to promote baby food and children's books. Arty girls are sought by makeup and fashion brands, and so on.

Instagram has guidelines for marking content as sponsored, but it's difficult to regulate more under-the-table transactions. Many of the influencers I spoke with are regularly invited to eat at local restaurants for free, the implicit exchange being a post on their social media account about the food. In most cases, these posts fail to mention that the meal was not only comped, but that they were invited to dine there by the business, rather than selecting it organically.

Balancing authenticity with financial viability is like a dance. Too much of the latter, and you lose followers. Too much of the former, and you can't make enough to live in San Francisco. Rather than ducks, perhaps a more apt simile for influencers would be ballet dancers, or circus jugglers.

"I'm trying to keep it real," said Ensign. "If I'm getting paid to wear something, it's because I'd wear it in real life."

It is easy to be skeptical of some of the perks influencers receive, and their sometimes dubious methods for reporting them. Instagram's format does not help this, given that authentic (i.e. non-advertisements) appear side-by-side with sponsored content on the platform. Paid posts are not always marked as such, especially in the Instagram Story feature where the rules for denoting sponsored content are more lax than in the traditional media world.

Jessica Doll, a professional photographer who runs the travel/lifestyle Instagram @hejdoll, has taken about half-a-dozen sponsored trips this year so far, including all-expenses-paid visits to Puerto Vallarta; Eureka, Calif.; Napa; Mendocino; South Lake Tahoe; and Los Angeles. Travel writers for magazines and newspapers are often invited on the same press trips, she said.

"Sometimes you meet traditional journalists who just scoff at you  'You're not a writer,'" she said. "I'm like, 'Yeah, duh.'"

Last year, Oxford Dictionaries added "influencer" to its database: "A person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media ... particularly when they do so in exchange for money or for samples of the product they are promoting."

Ally Chen, of @fashionbyally and a popular YouTube channel of the same name, offered a definition of her own: "I'm a small media company and an entrepreneur."

"I encompass all these different roles," she said. "When a brand hires an influencer, it is one person playing all of them." She thinks influencers deserve to get paid better "because they do so much work"  including taking photographs, styling shoots, engaging with followers, etc.

Part of the trouble with "influencing" is that it has yet to be clearly defined by the culture industry, even as the practice continues to sway the products we by and the lifestyles we idealize.

Beyond the highly toned photographs and the put-together outfits and the #foodporn, I wondered who these women really were, and what goes into creating these polished images of themselves. The five influencers speak for themselves in the above slideshow.

Their responses have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

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San Agustin Cathedral was recently named an endangered historical state landmark because of its wearing condition and historical significance.

READ MORE: VMT student newspaper recognized with national award

Nonprofit organization Preservation Texas deemed the 147-year-old cathedral and six other sites as endangered during an announcement.

On Feb. 23, the cathedral's doors closed for renovations. It comes nearly a year and a half after the campaign "Our StoryOur FaithOur Cathedral" launched to raise $11 million for its preservation.

The Catholic Diocese of Laredo could not be reached for comment Friday.

The San Agustin Church was established in 1756 when Laredo was founded. A chapel was built in 1759 at that site. It was replaced by a church in 1761.

French priest Pierre Yves Keralum later designed the current cathedral to replace the church. The Recorded Texas Historic Landmark was built in 1872.

A brutal hurricane damaged the cathedral's front in 1905, so the entire front wall was repaired in 1911, according to Preservation Texas.

The organization said cracks are everywhere, from the bell to the stained glass windows.

The cathedral was remodeled in 1944-1945 and was expanded by 40 feet, according to a 2018 article from the Virtual Builders Exchange.

In 2013, the cathedral's church tower foundation was reinforced and stabilized, but this caused destabilization in other areas, according to Preservation Texas. The next year, the roof for the cathedral and steeple was replaced.

READ MORE: Daniella Rodriguez recounts on her new YouTube channel how she met Astros star, fiance Carlos Correa

Preservation Texas listed other Texas landmarks as endangered: the Urban Park School in Dallas, porch of the L7 Ranch Headquarters in Terry County, Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Austin, Fourth Ward Shotgun Houses, Wolf's Department Store and Pawn Shop in Houston and La Lomita Chapel in Mission.

Lisa Dreher can be reached at 956-728-2567 or lisa.dreher@lmtonline.com
Christchurch, New Zealand

The death toll in the massacres at two New Zealand mosques rose to 50 on Sunday after police found another victim while removing bodies from the crime scenes, and authorities announced they do not believe three people who had been arrested were involved in the shootings allegedly carried out by a 28-year-old white supremacist.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush also said 36 people are still hospitalized and two of them are in critical condition.

New Zealand's stricken residents have been reaching out to Muslims in their neighborhoods and around the country, with a fierce determination to show kindness to a community in pain.

The shootings suspect, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb. He showed no emotion when the judge read him one murder charge.

The judge said "it was reasonable to assume" more such charges would follow. Tarrant, who posted an anti-immigrant manifesto online and used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the slaughter in the city of Christchurch, appeared to make a hand sign, similar to an OK sign, that is sometimes associated with white nationalists.

The massacre during Friday prayers prompted a heartfelt response from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who pronounced it "one of New Zealand's darkest days" and said the shooter, an Australian native, had chosen to strike in New Zealand "because we represent diversity, kindness, compassion."

Her fellow countrymen seemed to want to prove her right by volunteering acts of kindness. Some offered rides to the grocery store or volunteered to walk with their Muslim neighbors if they felt unsafe.

In online forums, people discussed Muslim food restrictions as they prepared to drop off meals for those affected.

"Love always wins over hate. Lots of love for our Muslim brothers," read a handwritten card on a wall of flowers in a historic part of the city that stretched a full block.

Still, Muslims were advised to stay away from mosques while the nation's security alert remained at the second-highest after the deadliest shooting in modern New Zealand history.

Outside one of the two mosques, 32-year-old Ash Mohammed pushed through police barricades in hopes of finding out what happened to his father and two brothers, whose cellphones rang unanswered. An officer stopped him.

"We just want to know if they are dead or alive," Mohammed told the officer.

Hungry for any news, families and friends of the victims gathered at the city's Hagley College, near the hospital.

They included Asif Shaikh, 44, who said he was among more than 100 people at the Al Noor mosque when the attacker came in. He said he survived by playing dead, but was desperate to know what happened to his friends who were there with him.

"It's been 36 hours, I haven't heard anything about them," he said.

Nearby, Akhtar Khokhur leaned on the shoulders of her friend and cried as she held up her cellphone with an image of her husband.

"I still don't know where he is," she said.

Khokhur, 58, and husband Mehaboobbhai Khokhur, 65, had traveled from India to spend time with their son Imran, their first visit in the eight years since he moved to New Zealand. The couple was due to fly out Sunday.

Imran had dropped off his father, an electrical engineer, at the Al Noor mosque on Friday and was looking for a parking space when the shooting began. They have not heard from him since.

The gunman had posted a jumbled, 74-page manifesto on social media in which he identified himself as an Australian and white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.

He livestreamed 17 minutes of the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where, armed with at least two assault rifles and a shotgun, he sprayed worshippers with bullets, killing at least 41 people. More people were killed in an attack on a second mosque a short time later.

Facebook, Twitter and Google scrambled to take down the gunman's video, which was widely available on social media for hours after the bloodbath.

The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about 3 miles away.

The video showed the killer was carrying a shotgun and two fully automatic military assault rifles, with an extra magazine taped to one of the weapons so that he could reload quickly. He also had more assault weapons in the trunk of his car, along with what appeared to be explosives.

Two other armed suspects were taken into custody Friday while police tried to determine what role, if any, they played in the cold-blooded attack that stunned New Zealand, a country so peaceful that police officers rarely carry guns.

Tarrant's relatives in the Australian town of Grafton, in New South Wales, contacted police after learning of the shooting and were helping with the investigation, local authorities said. Tarrant has spent little time in Australia in the past four years and only had minor traffic infractions on his record.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed Tarrant was involved in both shootings but stopped short of saying he was the sole gunman.

During the Saturday morning hearing, a man who was not in court was charged with using writings to incite hatred against a race or ethnicity, but it was not clear if his case was related to the mosque attacks.

"We appear to primarily be dealing with one primary perpetrator, but we want to make sure that we don't take anything for granted in ensuring New Zealanders' safety," Prime Minister Ardern said.

New Zealand, with a population of 5 million, has relatively loose gun laws and an estimated 1.5 million firearms, or roughly one for every three people. But it has one of the lowest gun homicide rates in the world. In 2015, it had just eight.

Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who bought the five guns used in the crimes legally.

"I can tell you one thing right now, our gun laws will change," Ardern said.

She did not offer too much detail, but said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be looked at. Neighboring Australia has virtually banned semi-automatic rifles from private ownership since a lone gunman killed 35 people with assault rifles in 1996.

Before Friday's attack, New Zealand's deadliest shooting in modern history took place in 1990 in the small town of Aramoana, where a gunman killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbor.
Madison County Community Development is partnering with Ameren Illinois next week to host a customer service event for people struggling with an energy bill.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 at Meadowbrook Baptist Church, 1498 Vandalia St., Collinsville.
The mass shooting of Muslim worshipers by an alleged white supremacist in New Zealand has underscored the deep partisan divide over President Donald Trump's rhetoric on immigrants and whether his words serve as incitement for extremist violence.

Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, said it was "absurd" to draw a connection between Trump's many statements about immigration and the suspected shooter's own words on the subject, spelled out in a lengthy manifesto that referred to immigrants as "invaders within our lands" and called Trump "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose."

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Mulvaney said, "I don't think it's fair to cast this person as a supporter of Donald Trump any more than it is to look at his eco-terrorist passages in that manifesto and align him with (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi or (Rep. Alexandria) Ocasio-Cortez."

The suspect, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, described himself as an "ethno-nationalist eco-fascist" in his lengthy, discursive statement, but he rooted that in his nationalist philosophy, accusing politicians on the left of "presiding over the continued destruction of the natural environment itself through mass immigration and uncontrolled urbanization..."

Mulvaney said, "There are folks who just don't like the president and everything that goes wrong they're going to look for a way to tie that to the president."

"The president is not a white supremacist," he added later, responding to critics who accused the president of echoing the suspected gunman's rhetoric in comments from the Oval Office hours after the massacre.

Announcing his veto of a congressional resolution that would block his declaration of a national emergency at the U.S. border with Mexico, Trump called the movement of undocumented immigrants into the United States an "invasion."

"Last month, more than 76,000 illegal migrants arrived at our border," he said. "We're on track for a million illegal aliens to rush our borders. People hate the word 'invasion,' but that's what it is."

Mulvaney also sought to distance Trump from Tarrant, noting that while the avowed white supremacist called Trump an inspiring figure, he also wrote that he didn't view him as an effective "policy maker and leader."

"Dear god no," Tarrant wrote.

Scott Brown, the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, dismissed Tarrant's manifesto and encouraged people not to read it. "I don't give any credibility whatsoever to the ramblings of somebody who is rotten to the core and, clearly, is an extremist of the worst kind, who could walk into two mosques and, without any care whatsoever, kill people," Brown said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Others on Sunday denounced Trump's response to the attack. On Friday, Trump said that he does not believe white nationalism is a growing global danger and that the suspect belongs to "a small group of people that have very, very serious problems."

On CNN's "State of the Union," Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., one of three Muslim lawmakers serving in the House, urged Trump to deliver a message of support to the Muslim community in the wake of the New Zealand attack.

Trump "is the most powerful man in the world right now," Tlaib said, urging him to speak out about domestic terrorism to the same degree that he has about foreign terrorism. "The fact that we continue to stay silent is what's going to make us as a country less safe."

She also disputed Trump's claim that white nationalism is not on the rise.

"I think he needs to pick up the phone and call the Department of Justice. ... He cannot just say it's a small group of people. There's too many deaths," Tlaib said, pointing to recent attacks on worshipers at synagogues, black churches and mosques. "He needs to do better by us in the country."

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a 2020 presidential candidate, also urged Trump to take a stronger stand against anti-Muslim bigotry.

"At the very least, he should be giving strong statements, public speeches defending Muslims in this world," Klobuchar said on "State of the Union." "I think it's on all of us to condemn this hate."

Trump on Sunday appeared to take the opposite approach, however. In morning tweets, he issued a defiant defense of Fox News Channel host Jeanine Pirro, whose on-air remarks last week about a Muslim lawmaker, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., sparked broad criticism and prompted a condemnation from the network itself.

Pirro had opened her show on March 9 criticizing Omar for what she called "anti-Israel sentiment" and questioning whether it was rooted in Omar's Islamic beliefs.

"Omar wears a hijab, which, according to the Koran 33:59, tells women to cover so they won't get molested," Pirro said on her show. "Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?"

Trump said Sunday that Fox should "bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro."

"The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country," Trump said in a tweet. "They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well."

In a second tweet, he added that the network should "fight back with vigor" against those who have criticized her remarks.

"Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country," Trump said. "The losers all want what you have, don't give it to tuhem. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die!"
Valencia, Venezuela

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido embarked on a new stage of his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday as the rivals held competing rallies in Caracas, a pattern that has unfolded repeatedly as both sides attempt to convey strength.

Addressing large crowds in the northern city of Valencia, Guaido pledged to deliver a better life for struggling Venezuelans as he began a planned tour of the country gripped by an economic and political crisis.

"We're stronger than ever," said U.S.-backed Guaido from a podium draped with a large Venezuelan flag.

The leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly drew cheers with his denunciations of Maduro, although he warned that difficult challenges still lie ahead.

Since returning to Venezuela on March 4, Guaido has led anti-government activities in the capital of Caracas and announced plans to take his message to other regions. But he has been unable to force Maduro to step down and hold elections.

On Saturday, the government organized its own flag-waving demonstration in Caracas.
Violence returned to Paris on Saturday as the Yellow Vests protested for the 18th weekend.

Footage from TV news channels showed broken windows at stores as well as a ransacked restaurant on the Champs Elysees. A bank was set on fire near the iconic avenue, leading to 11 wounded in the building, including two police officers, AFP reported.

The so-called Yellow Vests, named after drivers' safety jackets, started demonstrating around the country at the end of November. The protests were initially triggered by a planned increase in gasoline taxes, but the movement has morphed into a mixed bag of demands, from the cancellation of a lower speed limit on secondary roads to President Emmanuel Macron's resignation.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe met with police near the Champs Elysees toward the end of the day to thank them for their work. He described the situation as "extremely tense" and "unacceptable."

"The acts committed today aren't caused by protesters, but looters, incendiary individuals and criminals," Philippe said in a tweet. "No cause can justify such violence."

About 14,500 people took part in Yellow Vest protests across France on Saturday, compared with 7,000 a week ago, AFP reported, citing estimates from the interior ministry. The movement had seemed to be losing steam in the past few weeks amid the national debate initiative launched by the government of Macron, which allowed individuals and opposition parties to voice their discontent by putting forward political proposals to change the status-quo. That national debate came to an end on Friday.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner earlier condemned the violence on Twitter, saying that masked "professionals of destruction and disorder" infiltrated the protests. Castaner urged police forces to give a firm response to the violence and a total of 121 people were arrested on Saturday.

Store-front windows of jeweler Bulgari as well as fashion brands Boss and Lacoste were smashed, while the Fouquet's restaurant was vandalized with graffiti saying "Sarko broke everything," a reference to the former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who famously celebrated his 2007 presidential victory at the expensive eatery.

BFM reported that some stores on the avenue were also looted as up to 10,000 Yellow Vest protesters took to the streets in the French capital. Around 1,500 of these were "ultra-violent," and ready to cause destruction, Castaner said.

The French capital was also the scene of parallel peaceful protests against climate change, this time mostly near the Opera, reports from news channels showed.
Preparations are underway to begin DNA tests to identify remains of the 157 people killed in the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines last week, authorities announced at a Saturday news conference.

Ethiopian Minster of Transport Dagmawit Moges said it will likely take five to six months to complete the identification, but DNA samples were already being collected from the relatives of victims to aid in the process.
DALLAS (AP)  Dr. Albert Karam knows how important vaccines are for children. He's seen firsthand how immunizations virtually eradicated measles, the disease that made him seriously ill as a child in the 1960s.

While sick with measles, he recalled, he screamed and cried whenever someone turned on the lights, and his skin darkened from hemorrhaging.

"I never, ever, ever want to see another measles case again," he said last month at a news conference highlighting the importance of immunizing children.

READ ALSO: First measles case diagnosed in San Antonio

Karam's Dallas pediatrics office has a policy of not taking unvaccinated patients. It's something he firmly believes in  he said he can't risk unimmunized children spreading illness to infants too young to have been inoculated.

He has had the policy since he started his practice in 1985, he said. Now, he sees more of his peers turning away unvaccinated patients  a policy that gained acceptance by the American Academy of Pediatrics a few years ago.

See the most unvaccinated places in Texas in the slideshow above

Dallas-area pediatricians tell The Dallas Morning News they've found that more and more parents want to be certain their children won't be in a waiting room with children who haven't had their shots, especially in light of recent measles outbreaks around Texas.

Some pediatricians have long-standing policies of not accepting patients who refuse to vaccinate their children.

The website of Pediatricians of Dallas, where Dr. Chafen Hart practices, includes a strongly worded policy stating that its doctors may ask parents to find a new health care provider if they refuse to vaccinate their children.

By not inoculating their children, the policy reads, parents are "taking selfish advantage of thousands of others who do vaccinate their children."

Hart said the policy, which has been in place about 10 years, is strongly worded because the office's pediatricians passionately believe that vaccinating children is the right thing to do.

She said she believes more doctors are adopting similar policies because "more patients are also demanding that we do."

And while ready availability of Pediatricians of Dallas' policy on its website helps vaccine-conscious parents select an office, it also serves as a warning to anti-vaxxers that they're not welcome.

Karam said parents who use his practice rarely refuse to vaccinate their child, perhaps because he's gained a reputation as a doctor who won't tolerate it.

Plus, the anti-vaccine crowd can easily go online to find lists of doctors who are not "vaccine friendly."

Some physicians accept unvaccinated families with an expectation that they'll be able to change their mind over time, said Dr. Jason Terk, a pediatrician with Cook Children's in Keller who is chair of the Texas Medical Association's Council on Legislation.

RELATED: Texas No. 1 'hotspot' for vaccine exemptions

The Texas Medical Association doesn't have a policy on whether doctors should or shouldn't dismiss families that refuse to vaccinate, but Terk said he has had a policy against accepting unimmunized patients for years  "since before it became popular," he joked.

"My first duty is to the patients who currently exist in my practice, and I have to be able to provide them with an environment that is safe," he said.

Lately, he said, many more prospective patients are asking whether his practice takes unvaccinated patients before they decide to commit to a pediatrician.

"The tide is sort of turning toward people who really want practices who they know are going to be safe places to go," he said.

Doctors disagree

Before 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics discouraged dismissing families that refuse to vaccinate. But that changed after pediatricians spoke out, asking for the academy to support pediatricians who bar unvaccinated patients, said Dr. Sean O'Leary, who serves on the academy's committee on infectious diseases.

Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics' official stance is that physicians "may consider dismissal of families who refuse vaccination as an acceptable option," but they shouldn't make that decision lightly or without respecting the parent's point of view.

When O'Leary discussed years ago with his colleagues what their policy would be on accepting unvaccinated patients, they decided to allow them at their practice.

But that conversation could've gone differently "if we had a bunch of parents in our practice saying, 'I like you guys and all, but if you're going to accept nonvaccinators in your practice ... I'm going to find a practice that doesn't,'" O'Leary said.

O'Leary, who along with his colleagues published a 2015 paper examining characteristics of physicians who dismiss families for refusing vaccines, said there can be disagreements among doctors about how to handle these situations.

Some doctors, including Karam and Hart, will agree to take on parents who want their child's immunizations to be spread out over a certain period of time. Karam said there's no truth to the idea that the vaccine schedule recommended by medical officials "overwhelms" a child's immune system, but he's willing to work with those parents.

"That's not ideal, but it's better than nothing," he said. "I can live with that. We're going to get them vaccinated and safe."

Other doctors won't allow departures from the vaccine schedule. Some will only turn away new patients who refuse to immunize, and some will take it a step further and dismiss existing families if they won't vaccinate their children.

But some doctors disagree, arguing that what is best for the children is to keep them in the practice, where the pediatrician can ensure they still get proper care and work to persuade the parents to vaccinate their children, O'Leary said.

"We don't really know when parents are sort of confronted with this policy," he said. "Do they go ahead and decide to get the child vaccinated, or do they just not end up seeing a pediatrician?"

To O'Leary, there's no clear answer on whether physicians should ban unvaccinated patients from their practices. He said he's seen people "in good conscience" make decisions on both sides of the issue.

Where does vaccine hesitancy come from?

Experts say the anti-vaccine movement began with the publication of a now-discredited study by former doctor Andrew Wakefield that linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine with the development of autism in children.

READ ALSO: One Texas city has the lowest rate of measles vaccinations among young children

The study was retracted in 2010, but the damage had been done, said Dallas County's new health director, Dr. Philip Huang.

"There was a good decade  over a decade  of misinformation out there that spread and propagated and magnified," Huang said.

Anti-vaccine propaganda spreads easily on social media platforms such as Facebook, where The Atlantic found that seven anti-vax pages were responsible for the spread of 20 percent of the top 10,000 vaccination posts on the platform from January 2016 through February.

Pinterest recently cut off search results for the words "vaccine" and "anti-vax" in an effort to stop the spread of misinformation, according to The New York Times. Search for those words on the app, and nothing shows up.

When Hart sees vaccine-hesitant parents, particularly those influenced by misinformation they've seen online, she'll often share a story about vaccinating her own children, she said.

"I have a little bit of a pedestal I get on, because my oldest is autistic, and when he was diagnosed I had my second child," she said. "I still vaccinated her exactly according to the CDC schedule, because I felt that strongly that vaccines had nothing to do with my son's diagnosis."

Hart said she's able to counsel most of those parents and convince them that they should vaccinate.

But she deals with the questions constantly. She said every two to three days, she'll interact with a parent who either wants to forgo vaccines entirely or wants to space out vaccinations rather than follow the recommended schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Despite disagreements over vaccines and even disagreements among pediatricians on whether they should treat unimmunized patients, doctors stressed that there's a common goal between physicians and parents: to do the right thing for children.

"Pediatricians are doing their best  they went into the specialty to take care of children," O'Leary said.

And he said parents, whether they want to space out vaccinations or go without them, truly believe they're doing the right thing for their child.

"They're doing it based on misinformation and myths, but they're doing what they think is best," he said.

Measles in Texas

Texas has already seen 11 cases of measles this year, including one in Collin County and one in Denton County.

He said we're a "victim of our own success" when it comes to measles. Before the vaccine was developed, 450 to 500 people died every year from the highly contagious disease. After the vaccine, deaths from measles dropped dramatically.

Because the vaccine was so effective, there's been a drop in public consciousness of the severity of measles, he said.

Huang said Dallas County has room for improvement when it comes to vaccine coverage: 65.6 percent of children in the county are up to date on immunizations, per data from a 2017 survey. That highlights the importance of making sure children get vaccinated, he said.

"The consequences can be very severe, and people forget about how severe they used to be," Huang said.

Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk, a nonprofit that advocates for children, attributed the return of measles to more kids not being immunized against the disease.

When parents pay attention to anti-vaccine misinformation, they're "dead wrong," he said at a news conference in February.

"If someone has misled you to say that your children are not safe if they take a vaccine, of course as a parent you want to listen, because you want your children to be safe," Sanborn said.

"But what we're here to say is you've been misled if you believe this, and it's your duty as a parent  it's your duty as a Texan, in a sense  not only to immunize your own children, but to make sure that all children are safe," he said.

___

Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com

This is an AP Member Exchange shared by The Dallas Morning News.
A group of angry students at New York University confronted former first daughter Chelsea Clinton at a vigil for the 49 people killed in shootings at two mosques in New Zealand, and blamed her "rhetoric" for causing the shooting.

In a video that subsequently went viral, a female student wearing a Bernie Sanders 2020 t-shirt can be seen telling Clinton, "The 49 people died because of the rhetoric you put out there" after Clinton condemned Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for using anti-Semitic tropes.

"This right here is the result of a massacre stoked by people like you and the words that you put out into the world," the student says. "And I want you to know that and I want you to feel that deep inside. The 49 people died because of the rhetoric you put out there."

RELATED: Stricken New Zealanders reach out to Muslims after shooting

"I am so sorry you feel that way and certainly it was never my intention," Clinton can be heard saying. "I do believe that words matter."

"What does I'm sorry you feel that way mean?" another student yells out to the former first daughter.

After Omar faced bipartisan backlash for insinuating that politicians support Israel because of donations from AIPAC and other American Jewish groups, Clinton tweeted, "We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism."

The account that first shared the video of Chelsea Clinton wrote the caption, "the CAUCASITY that chelsea clinton has showing up to a vigil for the 49 muslims massacred in an islamophobic hate crime after STOKING ISLAMOPHOBIA AND RACISM surrounding ilhan omar... f ing ridiculous."

ALSO: Tech companies scramble to remove New Zealand shooting video

The account was subsequently deleted after facing backlash from all over the political spectrum.

"Hey, so, gonna go out on a limb here and say that Chelsea Clinton isn't one bit responsible for the terrorist attack in New Zealand, and it's incredibly disturbing to see even one person harass her in public and make such a ridiculous claim," progressive activist Charlotte Clymer tweeted.

"It's sickening to see people blame @ChelseaClinton for the NZ attacks because she spoke out against anti-Semitism," tweeted Donald Trump Jr. "We should all be condemning anti-Semitism & all forms of hate. Chelsea should be praised for speaking up. Anyone who doesn't understand this is part of the problem."

However, a number of progressives defended the students who confronted Clinton.

"Chelsea Clinton is an enormously powerful and influential person and it's okay for a grieving college student to yell at her," HuffPost writer Ashley Feinberg tweeted.

Another progressive activist wrote, "chelsea clinton's white tears are dangerous."

Click through the slideshow above to see reactions to the confrontation.
Rinroe House, Granard, Co Longford, is where farmer, Martin Joyce, runs his cattle dealer and young bull finishing enterprise, Leinster Livestock.

In recent times many farmers have gone public with the difficulties they have faced in getting stock slaughtered, especially those finishing young bulls and Martin is no different. Martin currently finishes approximately 300 head of bulls each year, though this will no longer be the case once he gets rid of the current stock he has in his possession.

Martin said to the Leader: I am going to finish clearing out the shed and I am not going back finishing again.

If there is no incentive for farmers looking to buy cattle, then why would they bother?

Martin said the future of the industry is looking extremely bleak and said with meat plants having all of the power, many farmers have decided its simply not worth the hardship.

He said: It is extremely hard to achieve the criteria to get the premium price from the meat plants.

Martin said it is standalone farmers who are taking the hardest hits.

He said: I heard one story recently from a farmer, where his bulls were one day over the age limit and instead of getting the 3.85/kg he would have got if they were killed on time, he lost 300 per head .

His bulls were over by one day, which wasnt his fault as the haulier didnt show up, and the price of the bulls went down.

Martin noted that it is likely that farmers will begin renting out their land to make money, rather than lose it by farming themselves. He explained that out of the 30-40 farmers he currently sources stock for, seven have already informed him that they will no longer be finishing young bulls.

He said: The demand for bulls is gone. Theres just no money in it.

Martin explained that any farmers staying with young bull finishing systems are likely doing so out of pride.

Its bankrupting a lot of people. Because those animals have a sell-by-date, the farmer nearly has to give them the animals there and then. They have no leverage or no power to negotiate. Martin noted.

Sometimes I think pride gets in the way. You have to be realistic in this world and you have got to be making money.

The farmer said that meat plants will remain unaffected by farmers opting out of finishing, noting that they hold the power.

The meat plants wont care as if they ever need these young bulls again, they will just raise the price of bulls and farmers will get back into it and so the cycle repeats itself.

He said: They key to everything is making money and if you are not making money, you have to stop. Unless prices change, a lot of men will leave that whole system behind them.

I am disorientated by it all. The future is looking very bleak, he concluded
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A Latvian man has been fined 750 after being caught behind the wheel with counterfeit insurance, tax and NCT discs.

Artis Znotens Upenieks (39) of 12 Palace Crescent, Longford appeared at last Tuesday's sitting of Longford District Court charged with the three Section 26 offences at Ardnacassa Avenue, Longford on November 16 2018.

Mr Upenieks, who was speaking through an interpreter, made no reply when each of the charges were put to him.

He was also charged with driving without insurance of having no licence, contrary to Sections 56 and 38 respectively of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

Prosecuting Garda Paul Stuart said after stopping the defendant's car, he took a closer look at its documentation and noticed an obvious smudge on one of the disks.

Despite being told Mr Upenieks had been fully cooperative and acceptive of his wrongdoing from an early stage, Judge Seamus Hughes said there wereno excuses for the man's actions.

Why does this man, who is a guest of this nation, thinks he can drive around in a car without paying for road tax and insurance?

Brid Mimnagh, defending, said Mr Upenieks had been residing in Ireland for the past 12 years and, though previously an employee of a local waste management firm, had not worked for the past six months.

This man has avoided paying thousands of euro in insurance and road tax and had no insurance, Judge Hughes interjected for a second time.

As a result, Mr Upenieks was handed a two year driving disqualification and fined 250 for the no insurance charge.

He was also issed with three separate and additional fines of 250 each for the false disks and was given three months to pay.

The Section 38 no driving licence charge was taken into consideration.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani paid a three-day visit to Iraq from March 11 through 13. During his visit, President Rouhani, accompanied by a large commercial delegation, met with the Iraqi President, Prime Minister and a number of dignitaries. While the visit was a natural continuation of traditional relations between the two regional powers, it also forms part of Iran's strategy to counter U.S. influence in the region, and will produce long-term implications.



Albeit the eight-year war from 1981 to 1988, Iran and Iraq have traditionally held strong ties and cultural bonds. The two countries both have the largest Shiite populations in the region, and also host major Shiite holy cities: Karbala and Najaf in Iraq; Qum and Mashhad in Iran. Hence, exchanges between ordinary people of the two neighbors are very frequent.

Some special periods in history even witnessed the special bonds between the two. Ruhollah Khomeini, the founding father of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the leader of the Islamic revolution in 1979, was exiled to Iraq after leading the demonstrations against Shah in 1963, and spent several years in Najaf. The Larijani family, who occupy a storied role in Iranian politics, are also strongly attached to Iraq. Ali Larijani, Iran's Majlis speaker for several terms, and his brothers, including Sadeq Larijani, the former Judiciary Chief, were all born in Iraq.

Iraqi Shiite politicians also sought refuge in Iran when they were persecuted by Saddam Hussein's government in the 1990s. These include Ibrahim Jafari, former Prime Minister of Iraq in the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 to 2006, and Nouri Kamil Mohammed Hasan al-Maliki, also a former Prime Minister of Iraq from 2006 to 2014.

However, despite these ties, President Rouhani's visit is also a part of Iran's strategy resisting the U.S. and expanding its own influence. When the U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, which had been hostile to Iran, they unwittingly reignited ties between the two countries when Shiites were elected to power. Despite pressure from the U.S., Iraq has refused to assist the U.S. in containing Iran.

Iran has also worked hard to strengthen relations with its Shiite neighbor. When Iraq was confronting the threat of ISIS, Iran provided economic, political and military support. Then, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump paid a surprise visit to U.S. troops in Iraq on December 26, 2018 without approval of the Iraqi government, Mohammed Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, paid a visit to Iraq on January 14, 2018, which was regarded by observers as a stark counterbalance to American influence.



Hassan Rouhani's visit further consolidates Iran's influence in Iraq. During the visit, the two neighbors agreed to cooperate on transit, oil, joint industrial work, and the dredging of Arvand River. The visit is believed to be a turning point in relations between the two.

In addition to enhancing bilateral relations, Iran also intends to make the visit as a step to overcome U.S. sanctions. After the U.S. restored sanctions against Iran in 2018, Iran has been working to break through the sanctions, and Iraq is a part of such efforts. Despite U.S. pressure, Iraq and Iran have retained mutual trade relations. The two are also talking about banking cooperation. For instance, the Iraqi Rafidain Bank expressed its readiness to establish branches in Iran.

As mentioned, this visit will also produce long-term geopolitical implications. After Iraq war in 2003, Iran was able to form strong relations with Iraq, Syria and Lebanon forming what has come to be known as the "Shiite Arc." During the Syrian civil war, Iran has also been able to further establish its influence in Syria. Currently, Iran is also talking about increasing its investments in Syrian infrastructure construction. Ultimately, Iran's economic relations with Iraq and Syrian will be further strengthened in addition to its political and strategic relations with the two countries.



As is known, the Middle East in general has been defined by the geopolitical competition in the last decade between the camp led by Iran and the one led by Saudi Arabia. Iran will further strengthen its positions in the region as a result of this visit.





Dr. Jin Liangxiang is Senior Research Fellow with the Center for West Asian and African Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/jinliangxiang.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
"We got people from all races, all places, all religions. We in here showing love tonight," he motioned to the crowd. "So I want to send love to all the families that are affected. We are praying for you."



Not long after, fellow rapper Nicki Minaj also sent her love and prayers via Twitter:

My heart is with our Muslim brothers & sisters at this time; after the senseless act in New Zealand,

Support and prayers have continued to flow in following the attacks, which really shows how much this has affected the world. Stand strong Aotearoa.
SPRINGFIELD  Free tickets are available for a concert at Symphony Hall next Sunday, March 24, featuring the U.S. Army Field Band of Washington, D.C.

The concert begins 3 p.m. and is sponsored by the city.

The 70-member Concert Band is the oldest and largest of the U.S. Army Field Bands performing components. The group has performed in all 50 states and in 30 countries for audiences totaling hundreds of millions, officials said. The Concert Band will be joined by the Soldiers Chorus.

Tickets are free and can be obtained by visiting the Army Field Bands website, armyfieldband.ticketleap.com

City officials, including Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and recreation director Patrick Sullivan are welcoming residents to attend. The Springfield Police Color Guard will open the concert.

The Springfield Police Department is honored to join Mayor Sarno in welcoming the U.S. Army Field Band & Chorus to the City of Springfield, said acting Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood. This will be an opportunity for everyone to participate and show our support for the U.S. Army by attending this concert. It is an honor for Springfield to be chosen for this event and the Springfield Police Department is proud to be posting the United States Flag at the opening of the concert.

The concert is slated to include classical, semi-classical and popular music selections, choral arrangements, novelty numbers, military marches and patriotic favorites, according to the U.S. Army Field Band concert summary.

After more than six decades as the militarys most-traveled musicians, the band has gained the title of The Musical Ambassadors of the Army, a city announcement said.
Jeanine Pirros weekly show did not air Saturday on Fox News, one week after she was denounced for questioning U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omars patriotism.

In place of Justice With Judge Jeanine, Fox News without explanation showed a repeat of its documentary Scandalous," which looked at the 1991 rape trial of William Kennedy Smith.

Were not commenting on internal scheduling matters, a Fox News spokesperson told Deadline .

A week earlier, Pirro questioned whether Omars Islamic religious beliefs stand in opposition to the U.S. Constitution. Think about it  Omar wears a hijab. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?," Pirro asked.

At least four advertisers  personal finance company NerdWallet, online marketplace Letgo and drugmakers Allergan and NovoNordisk  have said they have suspended their sponsorship of Pirros program because of her remarks about Omar, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Following complaints, Fox News issued a statement condemning its hosts remarks.

We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirros comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar, the network said last weekend. They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly.

The Somali-born Omar has thanked Fox News, tweeting, "No ones commitment to our constitution should be questioned because of their faith or country of birth.

Rival CNN speculated Pirro had been suspended by Fox News, adding there was no indication that the network had fired one of its highest-rated weekend hosts.

In a series of tweets, President Donald Trump offered his support for Pirro on Sunday morning, blaming radical left Democrats and the Fake News Media for Fox News decision to preempt Pirro, who has been a vocal supporter of the president.

Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well. Fox ... must stay strong and fight back with vigor. Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country. The losers all want what you have, dont give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true ...to the people that got you there. Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine. Your competitors are jealous - they all want what youve got - NUMBER ONE. Dont hand it to them on a silver platter. They cant beat you, you can only beat yourselves!"

Thank you, @FoxNews. No ones commitment to our constitution should be questioned because of their faith or country of birth. https://t.co/haqm7NWRw0  Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 11, 2019

Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well. Fox .....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

....must stay strong and fight back with vigor. Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country. The losers all want what you have, dont give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019
You are here: Travel

 Flash

Forests have become popular travel destinations in China, with gross output of the industry hitting 1.5 trillion yuan ($224 billion) in 2018, official data showed.







In contrast, China's forest tourism industry yielded an output of 1.15 trillion yuan in 2017.





The number of forest trips rose to 1.6 billion last year, a new bulletin issued by the national afforestation authority showed.





Last year, China unveiled 10 new travel routes in forests, the first batch of such routes.





The National Forestry and Grassland Administration has recently released a guideline promoting the forestry industry, vowing to expand forest tourism while conserving natural resources.





In 2018, trips to forests grew by 15 percent year-on-year to account for nearly 30 percent of total domestic travel in China.




A 72-year-old man was killed on I-95 in Canton Sunday afternoon when he stopped his pickup truck, got out and was then struck by this own truck.

Massachusetts State Police said they are investigating the 4:10 p.m. incident and, so far, do not know why the man exited his vehicle.

The crash is being investigated by the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and Crime Scene Services.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of family.
Iraq War veteran Stephen Mandile was prescribed 57 medications over 10 years of treatment through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and pain from a spinal cord injury.

Eventually, he tried to kill himself.

He says things got better after he started using medical marijuana when the first Massachusetts dispensary opened in 2015. I was able to get off of all my other medications and have an improvement in quality of life from making the switch to cannabis," Mandile said. It helps me with pain and other issues more than any other medication really could without turning me off completely and not being able to feel anything.

Mandile, of Uxbridge, is now director of community outreach for a new Massachusetts nonprofit, Alternative Treatment for Veterans. The coalition formed to teach veterans about the medical benefits of marijuana, and to advocate for their increased access to medical marijuana.

Veterans are an extremely important population because they face a myriad of health conditions after service that are often overlooked and underserved, said Marion McNabb, CEO of the Cannabis Community Care and Research Network, or C3RN, which is spearheading the effort.

McNabb said marijuana has shown promise for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and chronic pain  all conditions likely to affect veterans.

As part of the new effort, different groups are working together to conduct a research study on veterans, create a new education and advocacy nonprofit and run a series of conferences around the state focused on veterans and marijuana use.

Its just time we honor those who have served and offer more support at both a state and national policy level that can create systemic change in a sustainable way, said Ann Brum, founder of Joint Venture and Co., a Boston-based business development agency that is helping coordinate the conferences.

Advocates say while marijuana may help veterans with many ailments they are likely to experience, veterans have a particularly difficult time accessing medical marijuana because it is still illegal under federal law. Many veterans receive health care through the VA, where doctors cannot prescribe medical marijuana and benefits do not cover it. Veterans may lose access to other medications if they test positive for marijuana use.

Were trying to combine our efforts to collect some data and some research to change policy at the VA, Mandile said.

Mandile said he hopes to help create an environment where a veteran can be open with their primary care doctor about using marijuana without facing stigma. We want to make it a holistic thing  your doctor knows everything youre doing so they can help you, he said. We dont want a veteran to not have that option just because of the state they live in.

The mission of Alternative Treatment for Veterans will be to raise awareness about veterans and marijuana use, support research, and advocate for veterans access to marijuana. It is working with C3RN to launch the research study, together with UMass Dartmouth researchers.

For the study, veterans will be asked to complete an anonymous online survey to provide information about their service and medical history, cannabis use and consumption preferences, history of opioid addiction, and barriers in accessing medical marijuana.

The survey is open to all veterans, not only those living in Massachusetts.

McNabb said several dispensaries will give discounts to veterans who take the survey. The veterans will also be invited to attend monthly support groups and participate in clinical cannabis studies.

The research findings will ultimately be used to lobby state and federal officials on marijuana-related issues. McNabb said the goal is to advocate for veterans to have access to medical marijuana, for VA clinicians to prescribe it and for VA benefits to cover it.

Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts, the state chapter of a national organization that has assisted veterans for more than 40 years, is involved with the initiative.

Dan Stack, department adjutant of Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts, said medical marijuana can potentially help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. Some of these veterans have been taking opioids to alleviate pain, and some struggle with addiction.

You have veterans suffering with chronic pain, on opioids, who can no longer be on opioids because of the addictive factor, they look to alternative sources to alleviate their pain, Stack said.

Stack said he hopes the study can provide better information to veterans and can be used to lobby VA officials.

There are many studies out there that show medicinal cannabis is a good treatment program for people suffering from stress or chronic pain, Stack said. But theres never been a study that specifically looks at veterans and how they would benefit from this.

The coalition is also holding a series of six conferences around the state focused on de-stigmatizing marijuana use, reviewing research findings, and increasing education for veterans. Upcoming conferences will be held April 18 in Holyoke and June 20 in Worcester.
PITTSFIELD  A fire that killed three people and injured two more residents Saturday was accidental, but officials continue to search for the exact cause Saturday.

Investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Pittsfield Fire Department narrowed the cause to a candle or improper disposal of smoking materials. The fire started in the master bedroom of the home, said Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington.

There is no evidence of criminal activity, she said. This remains under investigation, although at this time we do not consider this to be a suspicious fire.

The fire was reported at about 3:40 a.m. in Lake Onota Village mobile home park. Pittsfield Fire Department responded to find a home on fire on Lakewood circle on fire.

Two residents escaped from the home and were taken to Berkshire Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. One was later transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, Harrington said in a written statement.

The identities and ages of the three people killed in the fire will not be released until family members can be notified, she said.

The bodies of the three have been brought to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Boston. Autopsies are expected to take place on Sunday or Monday, she said.

The home sustained heavy fire damage. A nearby residence was partially damaged by the heat of the fire, Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said.

The Lanesboro and Richmond Fire Departments were asked to respond to provide extra water if there was not enough in the hydrant on the property of the private mobile park, but they were not needed, Czerwinski said during a press statement posted on the Fire Departments Facebook page.

The Fire Department offered its condolences to the family of the victims.

Members of the State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal and detectives from the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorneys Office are also involved in the investigation, Harrington said.
HOLYOKE  The Kelly family rates holidays in the following order: First Christmas then St. Patricks Day.

Thats probably because the family hasnt missed a St. Patricks parade in more than 60 years. They have been there in the rain, snow, biting winds and bitter cold to clap for the colleens, salute the police and firefighters and cheer on their favorites: the Mummers and the Kiltie bands, said Maureen Voutas, of Springfield.

As the Irish would say, its grand, said Sherry Hurley, of South Hadley.

The two, who are cousins, said their grandfather started the tradition and it has been passed on for five generations. This year there were about 30 family members at the 68th parade on Sunday, including Voltas granddaughter who flew in from Texas where she attends Abilene Christian College.

We havent missed one yet and Im 65, said Louise Bisson, of Holyoke, one of the Kelly clan.

Sundays parade attracted more than 20,000 marchers and crowds lined the streets throughout the about 2.6 mile route. Making it all the more festive is this year the parade  which is always held on Sunday  fell on St. Patricks Day.

As experienced parade goers, the Kelly clan sets chairs along the sunny side of Beech Street. The trick they said is to dress warmly and wear green.

Hurley wore many layers over her white Irish knit sweater decorated with green beads her ears were kept warm with green earmuffs. Her cousin said she was wearing two turtlenecks and four sweatshirts  the visible one being a green hooded Holyoke sweatshirt with a shamrock on the front. On it were multiple pins including a Kiss me Im Irish one and she also wore green beads.

The day was declared a success by parade officials. There was a biting wind but it was offset by sunny skies that kept most reasonably warm.

This year the Holyoke Parade Committee raised a record $200,000 to put on the parade  which funds marching units, port-a-potties and everything in between. Because of the effort they were able to add more bands and floats, including an additional Mummers band bringing that total to four, said James Leahy, one of the parade marketing directors and a Holyoke City Councilor.

Studies show the parade pumps as much as $20 million into the local economy in the two days of the event. The parade was preceded on Saturday with a road race that attracted more than 6,100 runners, he said.

I always thing of St. Patricks weekend as homecoming weekend, because so many natives return home for the parade, Leahy said.

Parade President Devin Sheehan confirmed it was one of the biggest parades the committee has pulled off in years with more floats and some exceptional bands.

He said he walked behind one of the new units, the Tian Guo Marching Band of New York, which had about 200 members. They were a powerhouse. They did not stop playing once, they were one of the best marching bands Ive seen.

Overall he reported no problems at the parade and temperatures warmed up enough to bring out big crowds.

Everything seemed to go well and everyone seemed to have a great time, he said.

Holyoke Police officials reported there were no major problems during the parade and confirmed the crowds were on the larger side this year.

The top honorees at the parade were Roger Reidy, the parade marshal, Thomas James"TJ" Jagodowski, a Holyoke native, actor and improv comedian who was selected to receive the parades highest award named for President John F. Kennedy and Christopher Fox, a Notre Dame professor who received the ambassadors award.

Police and firefighters brought a lot of applause from the crowd as did Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Hampden Sheriff Nick Cocchi, who followed the District Attorney with a marching unit of corrections officers.

Its amazing. It is a great experience, Gulluni said. He said he was surprised that so many people stopped to shake his hand and greet him.

Cocchi and Gulluni each sponsored a band in the parade and hosted an after-parade party at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club to invite the general public to get warm and celebrate the end of the weekend. That party was started by now-retired Sheriff Michael Ashe and they decided to continue it.

We are always working to make the community better and it is a good way to reach out to the community, Cocchi said.

Mayor Alex Morse, who confessed his legs were sore even before he stepped off for the parade because he decided at the last minute to run the road race, spent most of the parade shaking hands and hugging residents along the route.

Its good to see old friends and make new ones, he said. Im always proud to be mayor of Holyoke but Im especially proud on St. Patricks Day.

Mayors of Springfield, Chicopee, Northampton, Westfield, West Springfield, Agawam and representatives from dozens of other surrounding communities all marched in the parade. Many communities brought colleen floats, high school bands and other special marching units.

They werent the only politicians. A wide variety of state representatives and senators, including Rep. Aaron Vega and Sen. Donald Humason, who represent Holyoke, marched. They were joined by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, who represents Holyoke and was honored in the past as an award winner for the work he has done to foster relationships with Ireland.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey has marched in six of the last seven Holyoke St. Patrick Parades and this year said he hates to miss the event.

This is the most vibrant, electric parades you can go to. I love it because I get a jolt of energy from the crowds and Im Irish, he said.

But some of the stars of the parade where simply ordinary people sitting on the sidelines like Robert Florio, who donned an eye-catching green suit decorated with shamrocks on the pants, jacket and tie. He also wore a green bowler hat with gold shamrocks.

He said he found the suit last year and this is the second year he has worn it. Everyone loves it, said Florio who grew up in Holyoke but recently moved to Palmer.

He said he loves the camaraderie of the parade, which he attends with friends and family every year. His mother, Jennifer Laramee said she had corned beef and cabbage ready in a crock pot for a post parade dinner.

No matter how far away I live I will always be here for St. Patricks Day, he said.
Even though she wasnt there, presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren was very much part of the annual St. Patricks Day Breakfast in Boston.

The Massachusetts Democrat and the release of her DNA test  which she used to back her claims of Native American ancestry  were part of some of the jabs thrown during the breakfast by politicians who also took aim, not surprisingly, at President Donald J. Trump.

First-time host, state Senator Nick Collins, started off the event poking fun at Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins, who wasnt at the event, but instead was out looking for people not to prosecute. The comment was a clear reference to her position against prosecuting people for minor and non-violent crimes.

The breakfast was moved to the Raymond L. Flynn Black Falcon Cruise Terminal at the waterfront in South Boston for the first time. The jokes, some that fell flat with the crowd at the event, are the norm for the annual event.

Along with Rollins, Collins joked about state Attorney General Maura Healey not attending because she was busy checking out office space on Beacon Hill.

He then showed a fake photo of Healey sitting at Gov. Charlie Bakers desk.

Collins then turned to Warren stating she was one of the 732 Democrats running for president.

She was going to call in, but she just decided to mail it in, Collins said.

Baker joined the jokes referencing Warrens DNA test. The Republican governor said he also took a DNA test and it confirmed he was one one-thousandth Republican.

U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey went after Trump, even pulling out an impression of the president a few times.

49 Seen@ The 2019 South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade

He mentioned the college exam scandal that broke last week during a press conference in U.S. District Court in Boston stating it was a bunch of rich, wealthy, white people illegally using their money to advance their families interest or as they call it in Washington, the Trump administration.

I got into Boston College the old-fashioned way, Markey said. I was born Irish-Catholic.

Mayor Marty Walsh added to the comments on the exam scandal joking that Baker got into Harvard University by checking off the box that said, progressive Democrat.

Markey then quipped Boston is celebrating Evacuation Day, but every day in the White House is Evacuation Day.

The breakfast did start out with a surprise. Collins introduced a videotaped message from former Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden, a Democrat, instantly made a joke toward Baker.

The last time I said something nice about a Republican, it got them in trouble, and I dont want to get you in trouble, Biden said.

Collins, during his introduction of Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, said he knew she lived on an exotic island in Central Mass. but there were no public records available for the address.

The joke was a reference to a Boston Globe story about Politos home on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury. Collins was nice enough to give her credit for her working in bringing to Pawtucket Red Sox back to Massachusetts.

The team will move to Polar Park in Worcester in 2021.
A 25-year-old man and twin 6-year-old boys have been identified as the three people who died in a Saturday fire at Lake Onota Village in Pittsfield.

Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington identified the victims as Austin F. Grzelak, 25, of 20 Larch St., in Pittsfield, and Kasper and Sylas Stone, 6-year-old twins who lived in the home at 11 Lakewood Circle.

The state medical examiner transported all three victims to Boston where autopsies will be performed.

The Berkshire District Attorneys Office sends sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who died in this tragic incident, Harrington said in a news release.

The fire at the Lakewood Circle mobile home started around 3:40 a.m. Saturday. The cause of the fire was either a candle or improper disposal of smoking materials in the master bedroom of the home, investigators said.

Two residents of the home escaped the flames. One of them continues to receive treatment for injuries at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The victim is expected to survive.

Authorities continue to investigate the fire, but do not consider it suspicious.

The Pittsfield Fire Department, the Pittsfield Police Department, members of the State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and detectives from the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorneys Office are all part of the investigation.
A Sunday morning shooting in Springfield left a man with potentially life-threatening injuries, according to police.

The Major Crimes Unit is investigating the shooting.

Authorities say a man was found in the 200 block of Oakland Street shortly after 10 a.m. after he was shot.

The victim was rushed to a local hospital with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Police did not release any more information about the shooting.
 Flash









What we know so far







 Several gunmen opened fire at two mosques in central Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday afternoon, leaving 50 people dead.





 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack as one of her country's "darkest days"





 An Australian citizen in his late 20s appeared in court Saturday, charged with murder





 Two others were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the shootings





 Suspect reportedly uses modified semi-automatic weapons





 Arden said the nations gun laws will change





 Major social media remove shooting video of terror attacks





The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings rose to 50 on Sunday after police said they found another body at one of the mosques, while authorities worked to formally identify victims and release their bodies to families.





Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face further charges.





Friday's attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled as terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand and the country had raised its security threat level to the highest.





Footage of the attack on one of the mosques was broadcast live on Facebook, and a "manifesto" denouncing immigrants as "invaders" was also posted online via links to related social media accounts.





The bodies of the victims had not yet been released to families because investigations were ongoing, but police were working as quickly as they could to do that, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said at a media conference in Wellington.





It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within the 24 hours.





"We have to be absolutely clear on cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs, so we are doing that as quickly and sensitively as possible," Bush said.





Bush said the body of the 50th victim was found at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people died after a gunman entered and shot randomly at people with a semi-automatic rifle with high-capacity magazines, before travelling to a second mosque.





"As of last night we were able to take all of the victims from both of those scenes. In doing so we were able to locate a further victim," he said.





Thirty-six people were still in Christchurch Hospital, with 11 being treated in intensive care, and one child moved to dedicated children's hospital in Auckland.





At a roadblock outside the Al Noor mosque on Sunday, about 40 people were standing in silence near scores of bunches of flowers. Police with gloves and metal detectors combed the street and footpath.




 Flash

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) member states will hold a joint anti-terrorism exercise "Sary-Arka-Antiterror 2019," the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO said on Friday.





The decision to hold a joint exercise was announced during the 34th meeting of the RATS council held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Delegations of the competent authorities of India, Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the RATS Executive Committee attended the meeting.





Chaired by Russia, the meeting also declared plans to hold the first stage of the joint border operation "Solidarity 2019-2021," the 7th meeting of the heads of the border services, and training workshops on identifying and preventing the use of the Internet for terrorist, separatist and extremist purposes.





RATS is a permanent organ of the SCO which serves to promote cooperation of member states against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism. It is headquartered in Tashkent.





The next meeting of the Council of the RATS SCO is scheduled to be held in Russia in September 2019.




by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 15, 2019

Faced with litigation by the broadband industry, the state of Vermont has agreed to hold off on enforcing its new open internet rules.

Vermont and broadband industry representatives informed U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington on Thursday that they also agreed to stay legal proceedings in the case. The delay will last until after a federal appeals court decides the validity of the Federal Communications Commission's repeal of the Obama-era rules.

The move brings a temporary halt to a lawsuit brought last year by a host of broadband industry organizations over Vermont's net neutrality law. That measure, passed last May, prohibits broadband access providers that contract with state agencies from violating the Obama-era net neutrality rules -- including rules prohibiting carriers from blocking or throttling traffic and from charging higher fees for prioritized delivery.

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In December of 2017, the Republican-led FCC voted to revoke the Obama-era rules and to prohibit states from passing their own measures. Tech companies, advocacy groups and others are challenging that decision in court. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments earlier this month, and is still considering whether to uphold all or part of the December 2017 order.

Net neutrality supporters argue net neutrality rules are necessary to prevent Comcast, AT&T and other broadband providers from censoring sites or discriminating against competitors like Netflix. But FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says the former rules were heavy-handed.

Pai has often claimed the former rules depressed broadband investment, but other observers disagree. The pro-neutrality advocacy group Free Press has said investment by 13 major broadband providers increased in the two years after the FCC passed the net neutrality regulations.

After the FCC voted to repeal the former rules, the governors of Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Montana and Hawaii signed orders similar to the one in Vermont, while the state legislature in Oregon passed a bill banning state agencies from contracting with broadband providers that violate net neutrality principles.

Washington State passed a more comprehensive law that prohibits broadband providers operating in the state from blocking or throttling traffic and from charging companies higher fees for prioritized delivery.

California enacted a broad net neutrality law that prohibits broadband providers from blocking or throttling traffic, charging higher fees for fast-lane service, and from exempting their own video streams from consumers' data caps.

That measure faced an immediate court challenge by the Department of Justice, American Cable Association, CTIA, NCTA, and USTelecom. In October, California agreed to hold off on enforcing that law.
According to a small pilot study, moisturizing our skin might reduce the risk of developing a range of chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and even Alzheimers disease. Share on Pinterest Aging skin may play a role in driving chronic disease. The skin is our largest organ. One of its primary functions, of course, is to protect our insides from the dangers outside. It also detects heat and cold, helps to regulate our internal temperature, and allows us to sense touch. Despite its huge size, scientists do not often consider the skins role in chronic disease. However, a group of researchers from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), are bucking the trend. They are focused intently on understanding the role of skin in age-related chronic disease. As people age, levels of inflammation in their bodies steadily increase. Scientists refer to this as inflammaging . Cytokines are important drivers of this inflammation, and the scientists involved in the current study want to understand whether the skin might be involved.

Inflammaging and the skin Scientists have already outlined a relationship between inflammation and a range of conditions, including type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimers disease, and osteoporosis. In the past, scientists thought that the immune system or the liver drove inflammaging. However, according to a new study that the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology recently published , the skin might play a significant role, too. The inflammation must come from an organ big enough that very minor inflammation can affect the whole body. Skin is a good candidate for this because of its size. Senior author Dr. Mao-Qiang Man Dr. Man, who is a research scientist in the Department of Dermatology at UCSF, continued, Once we get old, we have dermatological symptoms like itchiness, dryness, and changes in acidity. It could be that the skin has very minor inflammation, and because its such a large organ, it elevates circulating cytokine levels.

Skin and chronic disease As we age, skin becomes drier and less reliable. Age also affects the skins permeability, meaning that it has trouble keeping water in and pathogens out. A reduction in skin moisture allows small cracks to appear, which sparks the release of cytokines into the blood supply. In younger skin, cytokines help to repair cracks in the skin. Older skin, however, is more difficult to fix, which means that the body continually releases these inflammatory messengers; once they are in the blood, they can travel around the body. Dr. Theodora Mauro, the lead author of the newest paper, explains, Until recently, the scientific community didnt believe that skin could contribute to systemic inflammation and disease. But in the last 5 years, studies of psoriasis and dermatitis have shown that skin inflammation from these diseases likely increases the risk of heart disease. Of course, aging skin is far more common than dermatitis or psoriasis; therefore, according to Dr. Mauro, the overall risk to the population from aging skin could far outweigh that seen from skin diseases. She believes that [d]ecreasing inflammation simply by treating the skin dysfunction seen in aging could have profound health effects.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Katrougalos, will participate in a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council which will be held in Brussels on Monday, 18 March.



Talks between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs will revolve around current international developments, and specifically the situation in Yemen, while relations between the EU and Moldova will also be discussed, following the recent parliamentary elections there (24 February).



Emphasis will also be placed on EU-China relations, with a goal of preparing the corresponding talks in the European Council which will be held on 21-22 March. The Ministers will have the opportunity to exchange views with their Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on issues of international interest which will concern the upcoming 21st EU-China Summit Meeting (Brussels, 9 April).



On the morning of that same day, and prior to commencement of the proceedings of the FAC, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Katrougalos, together with his Romanian counterpart, Teodor Melescanu, will host a working breakfast for the Friends of North Macedonia, with Nikola Dimitrov as an invited guest. The subject of the discussion will be the progress of North Macedonias accession to the EU, while the importance of implementing the reform agenda as well as full implementation of the Prespa Agreement will be stressed.
The head of Army Materiel Command said recently that he is putting a high priority on munitions readiness to make sure Army units are prepared for the next war.

"This means having the right munitions  small-caliber to precision munitions  where we need them at the right time and the right place," Gen. Gus Perna told an audience at a March 14 Association of the United States Army event. "That means we must first ensure that the capability we have here in [the U.S.] can receive, store and issue munitions in a timely, effective manner."

Perna's comments come at a time when the Army continues to replenish its ammunition stocks as it prepares to face an equally formidable foe such as Russia or China on the battlefield.

In the service's fiscal 2020 budget request, it is increasing its investment in every type of ammunition except artillery shells, a heavy investment area in the Army's fiscal 2019 budget.

The Army plans to buy 5,112 Hellfire missiles this year compared to last year's buy of 2,309. The service also plans to spend $508 million on small- and medium-caliber ammunition versus the $382 million it spent last year.

Perna has ordered a reorganization of how depots distribute ammunition to the Army's combat units, most of which are based in the United States.

"We know where they are going to distribute ammunition when the time comes, and we know what they have to replace in time of war," he said. "This is the first time this has been done, and I am very proud of where we are at.  With that said, we have a lot of work to do."

Perna credited the National Guard and reserves as key supporters of the effort.

"They are lined up to support us," he said. "They are executing moves around the country as we relocate ammunition  where it needs to be."

Perna is also repositioning ammunition stocks to key locations around the world at the direction of Army Secretary Mark Esper and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.

"It is a matter of physics  the requirement versus the time to get it there," he said. "The secretary and the chief have given me permission; I have moved it around the world. We have put it in place in support of the [combatant commands], and we know the requirement and we know how to backfill them as they use it. More importantly, we know how it is going to be used in case of war."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
Airmen Have Five Days to Get Immunized After Vaccine Exemption Is Denied or They Face Punishment, Air Force Says

The service required all active-duty troops to become fully vaccinated by Nov. 2 after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in...
ANN ARBOR, MI  Though reports of an active shooter on the University of Michigan campus on Saturday proved to be unfounded, the fear many people experienced as they went into hiding and as officers combed the area for hours was very real.

This real, live response felt terrifying to folks both fleeing the crowd gathering, as well as people who were in the nearby buildings and sort of reacting in a survival mode, said Robert Ernst, associate vice president of Student Life for health and wellness.

Doors were being barricaded with book cases. Lights were being dimmed. People werent sure if it was safe to even shine lights from their phones, and things like that.

In the aftermath of the scare, the university is offering counseling to members of the campus community shaken by the events.

Students can call Counseling and Psychological Services at 734-764-8312, while faculty and staff can call the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office at 734-936-8660.

We think of it as an opportunity within Student Life to make ourselves available to allow students and the campus community to sort of come together following any kind of traumatizing event, Ernst said, adding counselors are listening to people talk through their experiences to help them try to process things and resume normalcy.

Saturdays panic started during an afternoon vigil on the Diag to honor victims of Fridays mosque shootings in New Zealand.

After multiple 911 reports of shots fired at nearby Mason Hall, the university issued an official run hide fight emergency alert and warned of a possible active shooter.

After a thorough search of Angell and Mason halls, officers determined the reports were related to balloons popping in the area, which sounded like shots being fired.

In a statement issued Saturday night, the university indicated there did not appear to be any malicious intent.

Ernst believes the current climate and timing of the incident during the vigil contributed to the sense of fear people felt.

It was a real fear response from folks, he said. And now, even after the fact, I think its become difficult as people are characterizing this event as a false alarm, like it turned out to be just balloons. People are feeling like that minimizes the psychological impact of having gone through it when  it was the real thing  police running through and sweeping rooms while people were barricaded.

After police determined there was no threat, campus counselors met with about 30-40 students and others in the Michigan League Underground Saturday night, Ernst said on Sunday morning as counselors were once again sitting down for another group discussion with several students in the basement lounge.

We didnt know what to expect last night, Ernst said, adding they were there talking from 8 p.m. until almost 11 p.m. and it was a fluid group discussion with some one-on-one sessions.

There was a range of folks who experienced the events of yesterday, he said. There were a number of folks from the Muslim student community who were present and clearly impacted in a couple of ways, feeling concerned about their own personal safety, as well as this notion of feeling targeted.

The vigil that was interrupted by the scare was serving a need for the community, Ernst said.

And this had the effect of ending that, so there was a sense of loss for the event itself, he said.

Even though Saturdays events were troubling, it was reassuring to some to know that law enforcement was able to respond so quickly and take the situation very seriously, Ernst said.

Eddie Washington, executive director of UMs Division of Public Safety and Security, issued a statement on Sunday, calling Saturdays events terrifying and traumatic, though he expressed gratitude for the people who called to report what sounded like shots fired and said the community reacted exactly as expected to the alert.

This incident reconfirms the importance of making sure you are signed up for the UM Emergency Alerts and the importance of being prepared for such situations, Washington said, recommending people visit the DPSS website for more safety information.

Lastly, I would like to emphasize the importance of immediately contacting law enforcement as soon as you become aware of any crime, suspicious activity or public safety concern, he said.

Police officers can not be everywhere, at all times, we rely on our community to alert us to suspicious activity. When in doubt, make the call. We will always err on the side of safety.

People can call 911 or contact DPSS directly anytime at 734-763-1131, Washington said, recommending people save the number in their cell phones and also check out the DPSS App.
ANN ARBOR, MI  It wasnt supposed to end like this.

The vigil held on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday afternoon, March 16, was to honor the victims of two mosque shootings in New Zealand, and to stand up against Islamophobia.

But when police ran through the UM Diag shortly before 5 p.m., yelling for the crowd to clear out, chaos ensued.

People panicked and scattered, as word spread that an active shooter may be on campus, possibly in nearby Mason Hall.

It was a fairly chaotic situation, said Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, who was among several state lawmakers attending the peaceful vigil with dozens of other community members.

Irwin recalls people being knocked over, including state Reps. Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Township, and Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia.

I dont think people knew where to go or what was happening, Irwin said, adding he found a place to duck before trying to help a worried mother find her lost child. He then took cover in a nearby library building and eventually left the scene.

Social media lit up when the university issued an official run hide fight emergency alert and warned of a possible active shooter.

The moment officers yelled at attendees of today's vigil on the Diag to move and take cover.



Video courtesy of Zaynab Elkolaly. pic.twitter.com/odGqyOwoBO  Elizabeth Lawrence (@LizLaw1126) March 17, 2019

Police from various agencies, including K-9 units, swarmed the area and combed through multiple campus buildings, following up on 911 reports of shots fired, but they were never able to find a shooter or anyone shot and later determined there was no threat.

There were reports of balloons popping possibly causing the scare, according to UM police.

Irwin choked up Saturday night as he reflected on how much fear of gun violence there is in todays culture, so much that the sound of balloons popping may have led to such a panic.

It was a sad ending to an otherwise positive event, he said, adding a goal of the vigil was to try to uplift people in the community and make them feel safer, and it didnt have that result. The part of it thats sad is that people are so fearful, and the racialized violence you see all over the world has gotten people on edge, even here.

Jabir Ahmed, 20, a junior at UM, said he was attending the vigil when he heard screaming.

He thought someone was firing gunshots into the crowd.

"We just ran," he said. "I was scared for bullets hitting me.

Ahmed and a group of friends hid during the scare.

"It's just shocking," he said after emerging from the Hatcher Graduate Library. "It's not even shocking. I can't believe it's a normal thing."

15 Suspected active shooter on campus of University of Michigan

While listening to a police radio scanner on his phone, hoping for updates, Ahmed described running from the Diag in the panicked crowd. He also recalled a woman being knocked to the ground. She was helped up and appeared uninjured, he said.

UM police frequently practice for these types of situations, said Deputy UM Police Chief Melissa Overton.

We train run hide fight, which is run out of the building if you can, hide if you have to, and fight if you must, she said Saturday night as police were still clearing campus buildings where people were hiding.

There were more than 10 emergency calls of multiple shots fired at Mason Hall, Overton said.

Police later received reports of a potential shooter on the move to other areas around State Street and South University Avenue, with callers giving different suspect descriptions, including at one point a description of a white man in a black trench coat on State Street.

Various law enforcement units responded to assist UMs Division of Public Safety and Security, including the FBI, Border Patrol, Michigan State Police, Ann Arbor Police Department and Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office.

Huron Valley Ambulance also was on the scene.

By about 5:30 p.m., UM police determined there did not appear to be an active threat to the community but were still investigating and encouraged people to stay clear of the area.

Shortly before 8 p.m., UM police issued an updated alert saying the scene was all clear and all campus buildings were reopened.

Shortly after 10:30 p.m., the university issued a full statement about its response to unfounded reports" of shots fired, saying there were more than 20 calls reporting shots fired on the second floor of Mason Hall, adjacent to the Diag, at about 4:35 p.m., while the vigil was taking place.

Throughout the building clearing process and investigation, officers found no evidence that there had been any shots fired or active attack, the statement reads, explaining additional steps taken.

Officers were able to confirm a report of balloon popping activity in the area where the sounds of shots fired were reported to have been heard. Preliminary information indicates that the activity was not the result of malicious intent.

Calling it a traumatic day for many, the university is making sure members of the campus community know students can call Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 734-764-8312, while faculty and staff can receive support through the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office at 734-936-8660.

There also will be a gathering space in the Michigan League Underground on Sunday, March 17, for students to be in community with one another, and CAPS counselors will be present from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the university.

Ann Arbor News reporter Darcie Moran contributed to this report.
Efforts are underway to help residents in recovery mode after four tornadoes left behind a path of damage across two Michigan counties.

The National Weather Service confirmed a pair of tornadoes touched down in Shiawassee County and two in Genesee County that damaged homes, barns, splintered trees, and downed power lines leaving thousands in the dark.

An informational meeting is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, March 17 in the cafeteria at Durand High School, 9575 E. Monroe Drive, with emergency management and government officials to address items such as recovery efforts, resident/business resources for relief, and short/long-term housing needs.

Shiawassee County Sheriff Brian BeGole confirmed a local state of emergency has been declared after 61 homes were damaged  20 deemed uninhabitable or destroyed  as well as 16 barns and two businesses by the tornadoes, including an EF-2 with winds up to 125 mph from Newburg Rd/Bancroft Rd to M-71 just to the southeast of Vernon.

Were waiting to see what happens on a state level, he noted, going door-to-door to residents to inform them of the informational meeting. Hoping they will do the same so we can get some help from the state for the people requiring resource and (for) the cleanup.

Volunteers are being sought to help work on clearing debris indoors and outdoors. Anyone available can register at the Durand Senior Center, 8618 Lansing Road. Those planning to work outside have been asked to dress with boots, gloves, and warm clothes.

Tables will also be up for volunteer sign-up at the informational meeting. Those looking for volunteer opportunities may call 989-743-2631 or email emd@shiawassee.net or contact 989-743-2635 to make donations or report damage.

The United Way of Genesee County, which serves Genesee and Shiawassee counties, is providing a $20,000 emergency assistance grant to the American Red Cross of Mid-Michigan and East Central Bay chapters for tornado relief efforts.

The grant will allow the American Red Cross to assist with basic needs for those affected by the recent severe weather, reads a United Way statement, adding Individuals affected by the recent tornado should contact the Red Cross for assistance.

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-0 tornado touched down between 7:24 p.m. and 7:29 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at Stanley and Bray roads and lifted near the intersection of M-57 and Irish Road, reaching a peak wind speed of 80 miles per hour when it hit the Camelot Villas mobile home park, twisting one trailer around a tree and damaging 20 others.

An EF-0 tornado touched down at Nichols Rd just south of Corunna Road in Clayton Township before traveling east/northeast to Calkins Road just east of Morrish Road. The tornado lifted near Jennings Road just north of Pasadena Avenue.

Monetary donations are also being accepted by the United Way of Genesee County to aid families. No administrative fees will be taken from those designated funds.

Checks should be made out to United Way of Genesee County Tornado Relief Fund. Donations are also accepted online here.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Grand Rapids police are investigating a report of a car plunging into Plaster Creek late Saturday evening, according to the department.

While no vehicle has been recovered, Grand Rapids Police Lt. Terry Dixon said police have evidence that a vehicle had crashed into the creek.

Police have not yet located the occupants of the suspected vehicle, Dixon added.

The investigation is ongoing and a dive team is preparing to begin its search on Sunday, March 17 once river conditions are considered safe. A section of Market Avenue SW between I-196 and Godfrey Avenue SW remains closed while police continue to investigate.

Police were called around 9:13 p.m. Saturday, March 16, and responded to the 1300 block of Market Avenue SW near the Grand Rapids wastewater treatment facility. Police were originally told that a car had crashed into either the Grand River or Plaster Creek.

It is unclear if anyone was hurt or injured at the time of the suspected crash.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
A shining object was captured descending from the sky on a dash cam video in Russias remote north. A witness claims it was a meteor, but authorities say the location of the incident is too far away to investigate

Another eyewitness told local journalists that it became light and warm during the incident on Friday evening near the village of Tura in the Evenk Autonomous Territory.

However, the celestial body is unlikely to grab international headlines like the exploding Chelyabinsk meteor did in 2013.

A local dispatch service told RIA-Novosti that its impossible tell what the shining object was. It mightve been a meteor or something else.

There are also no plans to inspect the alleged crash site as it is located in a remote hard to reach area, the dispatch service added, saying that the event didnt cause any destruction on the ground.

Also on rt.com Chelyabinsk meteor theft: Court sentences cheeky Russian scientist in scandalous case

A leading research associate at the Krasnoyarsk Physics Institute, Sergey Karpov, told the Yenisei broadcaster that it was likely a very small splinter of a meteor, less than 10 cm in diameter.

Some online commentators also suggested that the footage showed nothing but a pistol flare light, filmed at a good angle.

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At least 42 people have died and 21 have been injured in severe flash flooding that hit Indonesia's Papua province. People, vehicles, and homes were swept away by torrents of water, as roads turned into rivers overnight.

Disconcerting photos and film have been coming from Indonesia's Sentani area in Jayapura Regency in Papua province, showing streets submerged with logs and debris floating in the water.

Officials confirmed Saturday that at least 42 people have been killed and a further 21 badly injured. The National Disaster Agency (BNPB) reported that the flash floods have caused many casualties and expansive damage to the nine villages in the Sentani area.

Footage posted by the BNPB shows a small aircraft being badly damaged as people gather outside.

At least one car was washed away by the deluge and three bridges have sustained heavy damage, the spokesman for the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, tweeted.

Several residents were dragged away by the flood water as it ripped through villages, he said.

The flooding triggered mudslides, making the roads almost impassable.

While the water levels have since receded, the authorities are still assessing the damage.

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Despite two deadly crashes in five months the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing insisted on the airworthiness of the 737 Max. It wasn't until the rest of the world grounded the plane that the US finally conceded.

Airplane manufacturers and airlines commonly base their decisions on passenger safety versus the companies' economic interests. RT talked to analysts to look deeper into the issue and understand why it took the US so long to make the right decision.

Boeing is America's most important exporter by value, so the company's current problems are set to hit the US really hard, according to Alessandro Bruno, independent international affairs and aerospace industry analyst.

Also on rt.com Global airlines face huge losses due to grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 8

"Moreover, China, which is the second biggest market for Boeing outside the US, may use the current situation as leverage in trade talks with the White House," the expert told RT.

The FAA was practically forced to ground the troubled jet after US President Donald Trump "surprisingly turned out to be the only adult in the room," when he insisted on halting the use of the 737 Max 8 jet, according to Bruno.

"Boeing should have acted responsibly and pulled those planes out. Now they have to pay a lot more to fix the problem. They have to pay for the design and technical changes, which means several billions of dollars," he said.

The decision was made under international pressure, as most of the world's regulators had chosen to ground the jet, according to Pyotr Pushkarev, chief analyst at online broker with TeleTrade Group.



"If a similar crash happened in the US, or to the jets operated by the country's airlines, the US citizens could identify the absence of any actions from the government as criminal connivance," he wrote in an email to RT.

So far, the world's biggest aerospace group has suffered big losses due to the shrunk market cap after its shares plummeted amid the latest crash and series of bans globally.

"Boeing's shares rallied from $300 around Christmas time to nearly $440. The crash of 737 Max 8 has washed nearly 15 percent out of its stock with more losses expected to come," Pushkarev added.

According to Bruno, the company should be ready to face legal costs, as the US is the most litigious society on Earth. The affected airlines reportedly have every right not only to sue Boeing, but to cancel their orders for the troubled airplanes, with the producer not having much power to stop them.

"Apart from legal complaints from affected airlines, Boeing may face lawsuits from families of those killed in the crashes, which could reach up to $2 million per passenger. Moreover, investors, especially in the US, may file suits against the company, as Boeing is seen as the top stock of the market," the expert said.

The series of bans of Boeing's best-selling jet may lead to a further plunge in the company's market value, an unavoidable lag in competition with its European rival Airbus, Vladimir Rojankovski, an expert at the International Financial Center in Moscow, told RT.

Also on rt.com Boeing in big trouble for not immediately grounding jets  aviation law expert tells RT

When it comes to responsibilities taken by air carriers, they decided not to take any steps until they were forced to do so, because the losses of the airlines could be immense, according to Katia Frenkel, head of the analytics department at FinIst investment company.

"Air carriers buy airplanes to fly them, to get profit from those purchases. A plane that is kept in a parking shelter does not bring money. Moreover, the company has to pay airports to park its jets. They have to decide which planes to replace the grounded ones with," the expert said.

Both the FAA and Boeing should also be ready for lawsuits from passengers and air carriers, as the agency had been refusing to ground the 737 Max, insisting on its airworthiness until Trump's decision to do so, according to Bruno.

Also on rt.com Airlines lining up for Boeing compensation over grounded jets

"Many airlines will lose business, as they had lost traffic. Now, companies will have to make alternative decisions on how to compensate financial losses for not using one of the world's most popular jets," Bruno said, stressing that more than 300 planes have been grounded, while a few thousands are currently on order.

However, to demand compensation and to receive compensation are two different issues, according to Frenkel.

"That will lead a great number of litigations that could be simmering for years, if Boeing doesn't declare bankruptcy." The analyst said that in the worst-case scenario, the company may lose tens of billions of dollars if airlines cancel their orders. "Boeing could lose much less if the producer recommended its customers to temporarily stop using the jet."

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section
Washingtons comments on oil prices are to blame for problems in the oil market, the chief Iranian energy official has said, warning that the situation could become even worse if the US fails to hold its tongue.

Americans talk a lot and I advise them to talk less. They have caused tensions in the oil market for over a year now and they are responsible for it; and if this trend continues, the market will be more tense, Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zanganeh said late Saturday as cited by the ministry-affiliated Petroenergy Information Network (SHANA).

Also on rt.com Europe shuns Iranian oil despite US sanctions waivers

Iran is one of the biggest producers in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which has frequently met with fierce criticism from US President Donald Trump. The cartel and its allied major oil producers, including Russia, tried to stabilize the oil market by cutting their output after crude prices fell. However, the US leader accused the organization of price manipulation while the US was boosting its own production and exports.

Tehran has been at loggerheads with Washington since President Trump targeted the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal and subsequently withdrew from it. The sanctions on Iran, reintroduced by the Trump administration after the pullout, have taken a toll on the Iranian energy sector, with the aim of cutting imports of Iranian crude to zero.

Also on rt.com US could soon take Saudi crown to become top global oil exporter  IEA

Several countries were granted waivers so they could continue purchasing oil from Iran at reduced rates, but they will expire in early May and new exemptions are not expected.

We do not know whether US waivers would be extended or not, we will do our job but they [the US] say something new every single day, the Iranian minister added.

In January, Tehran said it found new potential buyers for its crude despite US sanctions and pressure on partners. However, some countries, such as Italy and Greece, shun imports from the Islamic Republic, despite having the waivers.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section
Presidential hopeful Beto O'Rourke has said that being a white man is not a disadvantage in the diversity-driven Democratic field  because it has been an advantage throughout his life.

O'Rourke, a former Texas lawmaker of Irish and Italian descent, has been busy checking his own 'white privilege' since he formally joined the extremely diverse Democratic field to vie for the party's nomination.

Speaking to journalists at a campaign stop in Waterloo in Iowa, the state that hosts the first presidential caucuses, O'Rourke sought to dismiss the notion that being a white male might be to his disadvantage when Democrats choose their perfect counterweight to President Donald Trump.

Also on rt.com Beto's secret life as teenage hacker, bovine erotica poet in 'Cult of Dead Cow'

"I would never begin by saying that it's a disadvantage at all," O'Rourke said. He added that throughout his life, his rather conventional background has given him plenty of perks.

"As a white man who has had privileges that others could not depend on or take for granted, I've clearly had advantages over the course of my life," he said almost apologetically.

Saturday was the second day in a row in less than a week of campaigning that O'Rourke invoked his white privilege. On Friday, the three-term former congressman from a predominantly Hispanic El Paso district said that he wanted "to acknowledge the truth of the criticism that [he] enjoyed white privilege."

According to O'Rourke, it helped him walk away unscathed from two arrests when he was a youngster.

While it is unclear if admitting to having white privilege will make him more likable to the left-leaning liberal crowd, the notion has been haunting him from the days of his whirlwind campaign for the Texas Senate seat, which he eventually lost to Ted Cruz despite smashing fundraising records and being a mainstream media darling.

At the height of the Texas race, O'Rourke drew controversy for shortening his name, Robert, to Beto, in what critics argued was a cheap trick to entice Hispanic voters and lure votes from the actual Latino candidate, Republican Ted Cruz.

O'Rourke himself claimed that Beto was his pet name among family and friends. However, it did not stop Cruz from releasing an ad that mocked his nickname with the line: "Liberal Robert wanted to fit in, so he changed his name to Beto and hid it with a grin."

So far, the O'Rourke presidential campaign has been marked by a feeling of general awkwardness.

READ MORE: Betos dental cleaning & Navarros nail file: US immigration debate takes crazy turn

As O'Rourke jumped into the race on Wednesday, he landed on the cover of Vanity Fair. However, according to some netizens, it was his dog Artemis who stole the show, upstaging O'Rourke's magazine debut.

A few days into his campaign, O'Rourke seems to be making headlines mainly for apologizing for past lapses. Earlier this week, he apologized for being a member of a hacker collective called the 'Cult of the Dead Cow' during his turbulent youth. It also emerged that O'Rourke allegedly wrote a poem called The Song of the Cow, addressed to a cow and thick with innuendo.

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Scuffles broke out between opposition and riot police after protesters forced their way into the offices of a public broadcaster in Belgrade, demanding they be put on air. Police resorted to force to evict the crowd.

Protesters against the government of Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic stormed the headquarters of the country's public broadcaster RTS on Saturday evening. Tensions were running high early in the day when huge crowds of opposition activists swarmed the streets to march to the RTS offices to call for more press freedom.

The protesters initially planned to stage a 2-hour sit-in in front of the building housing. However, the situation soon spiraled out of control. While they were chanting slogans outside, a group of protesters led by the leader of right-wing Dveri party Bosko Obradovic and his ally, prominent oppositional politician Dragan Djilas, stormed the officers, occupying several floors.

As the opposition attempted to take over the state TV, riot police blocked entrances to the building, preventing more people from sneaking onto the premises while calling on the activists hunkered down inside to come out voluntarily.

Protesters also plastered the walls and doors of the officers with a tape reading "It has begun," one of the slogans of the '1 od 5 miliona' ("one of five million") protests that have been gripping Serbia since November last year following an attack on opposition politician Borko Stefanovic and several other attacks on outspoken government critics.

The protesters inside, however, were adamant about not going anywhere until they were given airtime.

Speaking to the media before the events took a violent turn, Obradovic insisted he would not resist when police come to remove them.

"We won't resist. We are not here for any kind of violence," Obradovic said, as reported by the Balkan Insight.

But when riot police moved in, Obradovic called on fellow protesters to defy police orders and close their ranks.

Videos have surfaced on social media showing police rounding up protesters and dragging them from the building, as they put up a fierce resistance.

Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin referred called the protesters who occupied the RTS offices "fascists," demanding they receive harsh punishment for their actions.

The 'One of five million' movement decries the Serbian government's human rights record, demands more respect to civil freedoms, including the freedom of the press. Its name was inspired by Vucic's remark that he won't cater to the protesters even if "five million show up on the streets," which is two million less than the total population of Serbia.

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Russian and Chinese state nuclear corporations have signed a general contract on construction of the seventh and eighth power units at the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the biggest joint NPP project between the two countries.

The document was signed by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and Russian Rosatoms engineering division in Beijing earlier this month. Apart from the construction of two power units at the nuclear plant in Chinas Jiangsu province, the parties also agreed on the basic design of the third and fourth units of Xudabao NPP in Liaoning province, the Russian state-run corporation announced in a statement on March 11.

This package defines the major lines to develop cooperation between Russia and China in the nuclear industry for the next decades, Rosatom said.

Also on rt.com Russia aims to attract $28bn investment in power plant upgrades

The initial agreements for the construction of the two units for the Tianwan nuclear site were inked in June 2018, when Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. It was earlier reported that works on the seventh 1,200-megawatt units are scheduled to start in 2021 and the launch was expected in 2026-2027.

Built in 2006 on the coast of the Yellow Sea, the Tianwan plant is one of the biggest joint projects of Russian-Chinese economic cooperation. The First two of its units, with a capacity of 1,000 MW each, were launched in 2007. Unit 3 began operations in 2017, and the reactor at the latest, fourth unit was launched at minimum capacity in September last year after the fuel loading had been finished ahead of schedule.

Also on rt.com Putin vows to launch first Russian-built nuclear plant in Turkey in 2023

Moscow and Beijing have been broadening bilateral cooperation, including strengthening ties in the nuclear energy sector. In June, Russian and Chinese nuclear executives signed the biggest package of contracts in the history of the two countries nuclear partnership, according to Rosatom.

Apart from supplies of the power units, the package covered cooperation on a fast-neutron nuclear reactor currently under construction in China (also known as the CFR-600 fast reactor pilot project) and supply of the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator parts for Chinas lunar exploration program.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section
Shocking video captured by a passenger shows the moment a Cessna 206 fell from the sky and crashed into a forest in Venezuela. The crash reportedly killed two of the planes four passengers.

In the footage posted this week, the light aircraft lists to one side before smashing into a thickly-wooded area below. The crew panics, before the video abruptly cuts.

The accident took place in the Gran Sabana area of Bolivar State. Three of the planes occupants were colonels in the Venezuelan armed forces, while one was a sergeant, ACN reported. Two of the colonels were reportedly killed in the crash.

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'Meatball' Molly McCann survived a suspected broken orbital bone which caused enormous swelling around her left eye to become the first English woman to earn a UFC victory at Saturday's event in London.

McCann, whose eye resembled something more akin to her nickname by the end of the third round of her UFC London bout with Brazil's Priscilla Cachoeira, was awarded the unanimous decision by the cageside judges after three hard-fought rounds.

Also on rt.com Khabib vs Godzilla? Bizarre comic strip of UFC champ resurfaces, feat. Kadyrov & Tsar Nicholas II

The Merseysider former Cage Warriors champion was unsuccessful in her hometown UFC debut last May when she suffered a second-round submission defeat against Gillian Robertson in Liverpool. This time around though, she wasn't prepared to leave England's capital city without having her hand raised - even despite one of the more severe eye injuries seen in the Octagon in recent times.

Following the bout McCann told UFC commentator Dan Hardy that she had endured a difficult year since her debut defeat, imploring the capacity crowd inside the O2 Arena to never give on their dreams, a message she echoed while in the ambulance on the way to hospital - along with some very colorful language.

It was a historic win for McCann who, at the second time of asking, becomes the first English woman to have even won a fight inside the UFC's Octagon.

The fact that it took place in front of her compatriots will make it all the sweeter.
South Africa: PAWO welcomes AU strategy on gender equality

Secretary General of the Pan African Womens Organisation (PAWO) and South Africas Deputy Minister of Communications Pinky Kekana has welcomed the African Unions (AU) Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Strategy 2018- 2028.

The strategy is an instrument aimed at eliminating the constraints hindering gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Aligned to the AU Agenda 2063, the agenda will generate momentum in ensuring gender equality by getting organs of the African Union and its partners to implement the recommendations.

We believe that the strategy is a comprehensive articulation of the AU Agenda 2063 Goal 6 which seeks to ensure that we have an Africa whose development is people driven, relying on the potential offered by African people; especially its women and youth and caring for children, she said on Friday.

The policy recognises that violence against women and related harmful traditional practices are symptomatic of the accepted social norms in many countries and communities.

The spectrum of violence affecting women across Africa includes domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation (FGM), intimidation and additional threats to womens personal security in periods of war and conflict.

PAWO said such violence is exacerbated in conditions of conflict. Human security and bodily integrity for women is critical for the attainment of gender equality.

The organisation also highlighted that women must form part of the mainstream workforce in transitioning the African continent to take advantage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The adoption of the strategy took place during the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) which attracts over 10 000 delegates from all 193 Members States of the United Nations in New York. The CSW got underway on Monday.

As the Pan African Womens Organisation, we understand that strategy can only be a successful strategy if it is inclusive and speaks to people with disabilities and the LGBTQIA+ community, said Kekana.

In the final analysis what we know for sure is that this document lays down the path to gender equality and women empowerment for future generations, this important because, the future is African, black and young, she said. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Global hospitality major Accor Hotels plans to add 20 properties across India in the next three to five years as it adopts an asset-light strategy going forward and mulls bringing new brands to the country.

The company currently has 51 hotels across nine brands with around 9,500 rooms in India.

"We have 20 hotels in that are in pipeline in India which will be operational in next three to five years," Accor Hotels Chief Operating Officer India and South Asia Jean-Michel Casse told PTI.

The new hotels will come up in places such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Udaipur, Goa, Jaipur and Shillong among others, he added.

As the strategy of the company is to develop mid-scale and economy segment, the hotels will be mainly Novotel and Ibis and as well as few opportunities in the luxury space, Casse said.

Luxury space is also increasing in terms of signing products after the acquisition of Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel a few years ago and the acquisition of Movenpick last year.

Accor has become the second largest operator in the luxury space globally which is giving the company more opportunity to bring these brands to India, he added.

"In key cities, we are looking to grow our luxury network by growing brands such as Fairmont and Sofitel. We are also aiming to bring our ultra-luxury brands like Raffles to India and are also looking at luxury leisure with an aim to bring brands like Banyan Tree to India," Casse said.

When asked about the business model the company follows, Casse said: "We follow the asset-light model and we manage the hotels. Going forward it will be 100 per cent asset light."

About the segments, he said the largest segment in terms of volume is still corporate but segments like MICE are also increasingly becoming an important segment.

In India demand has always been strong, the supply has settled and so the company sees an opportunity for increasing the average room rate, he added.

Accor Hotels Group currently has 4,800 hotels in 100 countries.
Jammu and Kashmir Bank on March 17 said it proposes to sell its stake in PNB Metlife India to private equity player Oman India Joint Investment Fund II for Rs 185 crore. The bank has executed share purchase agreement with Oman India Joint Investment Fund II for sale of 4.1 crore shares of PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd, Jammu and Kashmir Bank said in a regulatory filing.

This would be subject to fulfilment of certain conditions precedent, which include requisite prior approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, it said.

Jammu and Kashmir Bank holds 5 percent stake in the insurance venture.

PNB MetLife India Insurance is a joint venture between MetLife International Holdings Inc, Punjab National Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, M Pallonji and Company Pvt Ltd and other private investors.

The state-run Punjab National Bank holds 26 percent stake in the venture, while the US-based MetLife has a 26 percent stake.
Shubham Agarwal

Indian markets displayed stupendous rally for yet another week as Nifty50 rallied by 3.5 percent. All the major sectoral indices were in green.

BankNifty exhibited strong outperformance as it moved in uncharted territory. The Nifty future closed a tad lower than 11,500, while BankNifty future closed at 29,500.

Crude is stabilizing near 67 with Rupee/Dollar appreciating by about 1.5 percent to 69.09 level provided the necessary impetus to the rally.

Both Nifty and BankNifty saw substantial long addition in Futures. During the week, Nifty added nearly 50 percent OI to last week tally, 8.3 mn shares while BankNifty saw the addition of 0.9 mn shares, 43 percent higher than last week base.

Combine OI of BankNifty comes closer to its last one-year high seen in May 2018. Sector-wise Nifty bank was top performer led by a stellar rally in heavyweight like HDFC Bank (5.8 percent), IndusInd Bank (12 percent), ICICI Bank (6.6 percent), Kotak Bank (6.9 percent) and the State Bank of India (6 percent).

Move in stocks is supported by OI addition of 15-25 percent each. The Nifty Energy also showed buying interest led by the move of 4-6 percent in Reliance Industries, ONGC, and OMC stocks.

BPCL and IOC have seen OI accumulation of 20-25 percent in the last week. IT stocks like Infosys and TCS have seen good OI accumulation during the week.

India VIX remained range bound within 15 percent to 16 percent during the week. Volatility skew, an advance study of the placement of IV did depict the move of 11,500 at the beginning of the series, indicating underline bullishness in the market.

PCR (Put Call Ratio) OI wise is moving in the range of 1.6-1.8. Friday session saw ratio trading at 1.77. A significant move above 1.85 could see some consolidation coming in.

The Nifty Option Open interest remained relatively light on Call side, highest being at 11,500 of 23.46 lakh as fright is visible among Call writers while and Put writer showed aggression at every 100 points rally by an upward shift in Put base.

On immediate basis, 11,300 now acts as key support for Nifty monthly with next major placed at 11,000. Participant data points towards the bullish bias of Foreign Institutional Investor (FII).

They have created net longs of nearly 80,000 contracts in Index Futures in March series highest in last 13 months. In Options too their Synthetic long (Call Long+ Put Short) to Synthetic Short (Put Long +Call Short) trades at 1.44.

Clients on other end have gone net short in Index futures this week to 45,929 contracts compare to long of 7,119 contracts seen in the week gone by.

Overall data points towards inherent bullishness in Nifty with substantial long addition in futures, lower Calls resistance and upward shifting Put base to 11,300.

Thus it is prudent to deploy Bullish Strategy on Nifty. With next week being truncated and approaching expiry, Call Butterfly Spread in monthly expiry is recommended.

Call butterfly Spread is a bullish strategy that expects a positive move in underline. Its an idle strategy to play for positive bias along with being completely hedged.

Under this strategy, we are buying 1 lot lower strike Call, Selling 2 lots of higher strike Call and Buying 1 lot of further higher strike Call. The maximum profit would be made at the middle strike.

(The author is CEO & Head of Research at Quantsapp Private Limited.)

The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Indian government recently capped the trade margins of 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs sold under 463 brands to 30 percent.

The move, while partially addresses the problem of high prices of generic anti-cancer medications, leaves behind patented cancer drugs.

The spiralling costs of patented cancer drugs has come to focus with governments in the developed and developing world grappling to deal with it.

A study done by Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta titled Impact of Product Patents on Pharmaceutical Market Structure and Prices found that the proportion of monopoly molecules (cancer drugs) sales has increased from 6.4 percent during 2000 to 2004 to 18.8 percent during 2010 to 2012 and to 59.5 percent during 2013 to 2015.

The molecules with two brands account for about two-thirds of the market during 2013 to 2015. It is a very common practice for innovator companies to in license molecules to Indian companies for distributing their products in domestic market.

In this backdrop comes a blanket statement from Vinod K Paul, a key member of government's policy think tank NITI Aayog.

ThePrint quoted Paul as giving an endorsement to patented drugs and ruling out any price reduction of patented anti-cancer drugs. "The prices of patented drugs cannot be curbed and should not be curbed, Paul said, according to the report in ThePrint.

In principle, it is a discovery and we should respect the innovation, he added.

Paul, the chief architect of Prime Minister Narendra Modis flagship health scheme Ayushman Bharat and chairman of expert committee on pharma pricing that advises National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is an influential voice these days. The governments decision on cancer drugs last week was based on the recommendations of this panel.

The statement from Paul is a departure from the past, when government officials avoided voicing views on patented drugs in public, given the sensitivities involved.

Let's take look at how patents assumed so much prominence in Indian context.

Background

In 2005, India amended its Patents Act, 1970 to introduce product patents in line with Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, disbanding its liberal patent regime that only identified process patents.

India grants patents to product or a process that is new, involving inventive step and capable of industrial application.

The patent term is 20 years from the date of filing, in essence it provides exclusivity of those many years to commercially exploit a product.

In the developed world, patents are used as a carrot to incentivise innovation and help recoup costs related to research and development of drugs.

There was firm opposition especially from Left Front parties against TRIPS agreement, on grounds that product patents will lead to monopolies and make lifesaving drugs unaffordable.

Also there was resistance from domestic pharmaceutical industry that thrived on process patent and by reverse engineering drugs, helping India becoming the pharmacy of the world for cheap copycat drugs.

TRIPS agreement did offer a flexibility in form of a provision for compulsory licensing to overturn patents in cases of national emergency and health crisis.

India used this flexibility once by granting compulsory license in 2012 to Natco Pharma for the generic production of Bayer's Nexavar.

Bayer at that time was selling Nexavar used in treatment of liver and kidney cancers for Rs 2.8 lakh for a months treatment. Natco offered to sell the copy at Rs 8,800, agreeing to pay 6 percent of net sales as royalty to Bayer. The Indian Patent Offices verdict to give compulsory license sparked outrage. Governments in the developed world accused India of failing to protect intellectual property rights.

To be sure, not all patents are genuine innovations. Some are just tweaks of formulation, dosage or combination that are intended at times to extend patent exclusivities, often termed as patent ever greening.

The Indian patent law did have protection from this. India inserted a clause -- Section 3(d) -- in the Indian Patent Act 1970 that does not allow patents to be granted to inventions involving new forms of a known substance unless it differs significantly in properties with regard to efficacy.

Compulsory licensing and Section 3(d), among others are often cited reasons by US Trade Representative (USTR) in keeping India in its priority watch list, that keeps track of countries accused as patent violators, who may potentially end up facing trade sanctions, if they do not act.

Time to exercise caution

Both, US and Germany, have invoked compulsory licensing in recent years, and US President Donald Trump had talked about plans to negotiate prices of drugs for Medicare and Medicaid programmes, all these aimed to reduce the burden on their patients and payers.

Patents are useful in encouraging innovation, but what purpose they serve, if large number of patients cannot afford the innovation and keep suffering and dying.

The classic solution often advanced is a universal health insurance to address the problem of accessibility. That does not hold much water as the experience of US government shows that cost of drugs has pushed the overall cost of healthcare, burdening the people and the government.

It is also documented that several top selling patented drugs, have come from public funded research laboratories and sometimes heavily subsidised by the governments through grants and giving them orphan drug status or fast tracking them requiring lesser subjects for clinical trials. Many times the prices of drugs just does not match up with the cost of development.

Such blanket statement may not help our cause, at a time when India is under tremendous pressure to dilute hard fought flexibilities and provisions offered under Indian Patents Act to protect patients.

Our actions and words are closely followed by rest of the emerging world, when it comes to patents and medicines.
Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose is set to be India's first Lokpal after being finalised by the selection committee appointed by the Centre last year, sources told News18.

The official notification of his appointment is likely to be released next week.

The selection committee comprises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and an eminent jurist.

Justice Ghose retired from the Supreme Court in May 2017. Before his elevation to the apex court, he was a Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court and Calcutta High Court. At present, he is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The Lokpal Act was notified in 2014 to form a panel of ombudsmen to look into cases of corruption and maladministration by public servants.

The Lokpal has the authority to probe complaints against current and former prime ministers, union ministers, Members of Parliament, government and PSU employees, and employees of non-governmental organisations receiving more than Rs 10 lakh-a-year in foreign contributions, among others.

This new authority will work with the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). The Lokpal can ask investigating agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate allegations against public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

On January 17, the SC had demanded information from the Centre about the appointment of Lokpal and asked why the appointment had been delayed.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar died on March 17 after battling advanced pancreatic cancer for over a year. The BJP leader and former defence minister was first shifted to the US for treatment in March 2018. He returned to the country a few months later and was admitted at Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences in September when his condition deteriorated. He is survived by two children. Here are the achievements of Parrikar, who had dedicated his life to the service of the people of Goa. (Image: Reuters)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar died after a long battle with cancer on March 17. The President of India Ram Nath Kovind in a tweet informed of his demise.



Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind

 President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

President Ram Nath Kovind said, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten."

Earlier his office had said that his health condition was extremely critical. Parrikar, 63, was suffering from a serious pancreatic ailment and was at his private residence at Dona Paula.

The former Defence Minister's health, which had been fluctuating for a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days. PTI sources said he had been on life support system since late Saturday night.

Goa-born Parrikar completed his secondary education in Marathi and went on to graduate in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay) in 1978. He is the first IIT alumnus to serve as MLA of an Indian state.

Parrikar served the state three times as chief minister and had a three-year-long stint as Defence Minister in the Narendra Modi-led cabinet. Because of his simple lifestyle, he was called the common man's CM.

The tributes have poured in from all corners. PM Narendra Modi said, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters."



Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

"Manohar Parrikar leaves behind many admirers, many who looked upon him as an idol. My condolences to his loved ones, colleagues & supporters," said Union Minister Smriti Irani.

His successor at the Defence Ministry, Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled."

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief," said Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

With inputs from PTI
On the question of actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death, the former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief said that his party never wanted to make a political issue out of it.

Gujarat BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar parliamentary seat in the sate where polling will be held on April 23, a party legislator said on March 17.

The seat is currently held by BJP veteran L K Advani.

Observers were sent by the BJP on March 16 to seek an opinion of party workers and leaders in Gandhinagar about the candidate from the seat.

"BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. I made this demand in front of the observers and it was supported by all," said Kishor Chauhan, a party MLA from Vejalpur, which is a part of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

He said Shah was earlier an MLA from Sarkhej seat, which is also a part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

"He (Shah) knows everybody here and is the right candidate to represent us," Chauhan said.

No BJP worker or leader staked claim for Gandhinagar and all of them "in one voice demanded that their national leader contest from the seat", party observer Nimaben Acharya said, without revealing the name suggested by the partymen.

All BJP workers were of the view that the seat was held by a national leader so far, so someone from the central leadership should contest from here, another party observer Prithviraj Patel said.

The Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat was won by L K Advani six times since 1991, barring the 1996 Lok Sabha polls.
A Congress MLA in Madhya Pradesh has demanded that the party field four candidates of his fledgling tribal outfit from reserved seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, or else it will approach the BJP.

The Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti is not a registered political outfit yet and is therefore approaching the parties, said Dr Hiralal Alawa, the founder of JAYS who won on a Congress ticket from Manawar in the recent assembly elections.

In the Assembly polls held last year, the JAYS had asked the Congress to field 80 of its members on party ticket. However, only Alawa was given a ticket.

"We have now asked the Congress to field our four candidates as its nominees in four Lok Sabha seats reserved for tribals. If the Congress does not agree, we will approach the BJP with that demand," Alawa told PTI.

"The JAYS had urged the Congress to field its 80 candidates, especially in Malwa-Nimar area, in the Assembly polls. It had agreed to make seven members of JAYS as its candidate. But it just fielded me from Manawar assembly constituency in Dhar district," the former assistant professor of AIIMS-Delhi said.

"This time, we are taking no chances. I had already spoken to the Congress state leadership and placed our demand for four tickets from Dhar, Ratlam, Khargone and Betul. If the Congress does not accept our demand, we will approach the BJP," he said.

He said if nothing works out, the JAYS will field its members in the six Lok Sabha seats reserved for tribals, including Shahdol and Mandla in eastern MP.

"Our compulsion to approach the political parties is that JAYS is not a registered political outfit," Dr Alawa said.

He claimed that the Congress had performed well in Malwa-Nimar in eastern Madhya Pradesh due to the support of JAYS in the assembly polls.

According to the 2011 census, tribals constitute 21.1 percent of the total population in Madhya Pradesh.

The BJP had won all the six tribal reserved seats in 2014 general election.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on March 16 frequent US comments about oil prices had created market tensions, the ministry's news website SHANA reported.

US President Donald Trump, who has made the US economy one of his top issues, has repeatedly tweeted about oil prices and the Organization of the Petroleum Producing Countries. He has expressed concern about higher prices, including last month and ahead of OPEC's meeting in December.

"Americans talk a lot and I advise them to talk less. They (have) caused tensions in the oil market for over a year now and they are responsible for it, and if this trend continues, the market will be more tense," SHANA quoted Zanganeh as saying.

US crude futures briefly hit a 2019 high on March 15 but later retreated along with benchmark Brent oil as worries about the global economy and robust US production put a brake on prices.

OPEC and its allies including Russia, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed last year to cut production, partly in response to increased US shale output.

Washington granted waivers to eight major buyers of Iranian oil after the US reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector in November, after withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"We do not know whether US waivers would be extended or not, we will do our job but they (the US) say something new every single day," Zanganeh said.

Zanganeh was speaking at a news conference ahead of the planned inauguration on March 17 of four development phases at South Pars, the world's largest gas field, by President Hassan Rouhani.

He said Iran had invested $11 billion to complete the phases 13 and 22-24 of the giant field, which Tehran shares with Qatar, and expected to operate 27 phases by next March, SHANA reported.

France's Total and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) suspended investment in phase 11 of South Pars last year after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that do business in Iran.

But Zanganeh said talks with CNPC were continuing.

"Negotiations are ongoing. A senior delegation from China is due to come to Iran for talks. They have promised to come to Iran soon," said Zanganeh, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA.
Terror mastermind Masood Azhar had undertaken a month-long sojourn to England to collect funds for militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir and received Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency), though he got a "very poor" response while travelling to Sharjah and Saudi Arabia before arriving in India in 1994. Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammad, responsible for a series of terror strikes in India including the attack on Parliament in 2001 and a CRPF convoy in Pulwama last month, had procured a Pakistani passport in his real name and original address in 1986 and had extensively toured African and Gulf countries where he realised that the Arab nations were not sympathetic to the "Kashmir cause".

According to Azhar's interrogation report available with security agencies here, he had visited the UK in October 1992.

Mufti Simail, a cleric at a mosque at Southall in London, had facilitated his travel. Originally from Gujarat, Simail had studied at Darul-Ifta-Wal-Irshad in Karachi.

"I stayed with Mufti Ismail in the UK for about a month and visited several mosques in Birmingham, Nottingham, Burleigh, Sheffield, Dudsbury and Leicester where I sought financial assistance for Kashmir (militants). I could collect Rs 15 lakh (Pakistani currency)," he told his interrogators.

The terror mastermind also met other Muslim leaders in the UK including Maulana Iamail, who was also of Indian origin and had been engaged in construction of mosques and madrasas in Mangolia and Albania.

In the early 1990s, Azhar had visited Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kenya, Zambia and collected funds for the terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

Azhar had also visited Saudi Arabia for fund collection and contacted two main agencies in the country handling such aid but without success. One of them is Jamiat-ul-Islah, which is an ally of Jamaat-e-Islami.

"Since Hizbul Mujahideen owed allegiance to Jamat, we were politely refused any aid. The Arab nations as such do not want to give aid for the Kashmir cause," he told the interrogators.

In Abu Dhabi, Azhar could collect Rs 3 lakh in Pakistani currency, another Rs 3 lakh in Sharjah and Rs 2 lakh in Saudi Arabia on his second visit.

Azhar arrived in New Delhi in January 1994 with a fake Portugese passport.

The Ashok hotel in Delhi's posh Chanakyapuri area, which houses the diplomatic enclave, was the first stop of Azhar, who dodged immigration officials' queries about his Portugese passport by claiming he was a "Gujarati by birth".

The Pakistan-based terrorist, who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir within the next two weeks, had also stayed in capital's hotel Janpath and visited Lucknow, Shahranpur and Islamic seminary Darul-uloom Deoband, according to his interrogation report.

"I spent two days in Dhaka and thereafter travelled to Delhi by Bangladesh Airlines (Biman), reaching the IGI Airport in the early hours of January 29, 1994. The immigration officials at the IGI commented that I did not look like a Portuguese but when I replied that that I was a Gujarati by birth, he did not hesitate to stamp my passport.

"I hired a taxi and asked (the driver) for a good hotel. I was taken to the Ashok hotel in Chanakyapuri where I stayed," the interrogation report read.

After arriving in the national capital, Azhar went to Darul-uloom Deoband , Gungoh and then Saharanpur before returning to New Delhi two days later.

On reaching Delhi, Azhar stayed at hotel Janpath located near Connaught Place. Since his flight to Srinagar was booked for February 9, he decided to visit one Maulana Abu Hassan Nadvi alias Ali Mian at his madrassa in Lucknow.

Azhar reached Srinagar on February 9, 1994 where he stayed at the Madrasa Qasmian in Lal Bazar.

Later in the evening, a militant, Sajjad Afghani, came to meet him along with his deputy Amjad Bilal of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami.

The next morning, on February 10, he was escorted by Afghani to a place called Matigund where all Pakistan/PoK-based terrorists had gathered.

"They (the terrorists) were happy about my visit and merger of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. I had taken their addresses and letters so that I could communicate their welfare to their families after returning to Pakistan," he had told the interrogators.

While returning from Matigund, accompanied by Afghani and one Farooq, a militant of Matigund area, who was armed and had a wireless set, the car developed some trouble and stopped.

Azhar and his accomplice boarded a three-wheeler and proceeded to Anantnag. After travelling for about 2-3 km, the auto rickshaw was stopped by Army personnel, according to the report.

"Farooq started running and opened fire which was returned by the Army men. Farooq managed to escape but I along with Afghani was arrested," he told the interrogators.

Azhar was freed from an Indian prison in 1999 along with two other terrorists in exchange for passengers of an Indian Airlines aircraft which was hijacked and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan.
Nine Pakistani nationals have been killed in the terror attack on two Christchurch mosques in New Zealand, authorities said on March 17.

At least 50 worshippers were killed on March 15 in attacks on the Al Noor Mosque in central Christchurch and the Linwood Mosque in the city's outer suburb, in what appeared to be the worst attack on Muslims in a western country.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said that the number of dead rose to nine after three more persons were confirmed dead by the New Zealand authorities.

"A total of 9 Pakistanis were killed in New Zealand terror attack,' he said.

Faisal said on March 16 that six Pakistanis were confirmed as dead while three were still missing.

Prime Minister Imran Khan extended support to the families and also announced to award a Pakistani who tried to tackle the attacker but was killed.

"Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was killed trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognised with a national award,' he tweeted.

Earlier, foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua telephonically spoke to New Zealand's Tehran-based ambassador who is also accredited to Pakistan ambassador Hamish McMaster.

Faisal said that she "conveyed condolences on tragic loss of life in the terrorist attack in Christchurch and requested for facilitation in assisting families of affected Pakistanis."

The 28-year-old gunman, identified Brenton Tarrant, live-streamed footage of himself going room-to-room, victim to victim, shooting the wounded from close range as they struggled to crawl away.

The attack has shocked New Zealanders, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place.

Police warned Muslims all over the country not to visit mosques anywhere in New Zealand in the wake of the Christchurch attacks.
Irked over disclosure of information regarding the UN's rejection of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed's plea for removal of his name from the list of global terrorists earlier this month, Pakistan has written to the global body urging the setting up of an enquiry to find out how India's news agency, Press Trust of India (PTI), got the information.

This is one of the rare occasions when a country has written to the United Nations seeking a probe into publishing of happenings at the world body.

In a letter to the UN last week, Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi urged the setting up of an enquiry to find out which of the 15 members of the Committee had provided the information to India's official news agency' about the UN's rejection of Hafiz Saeed's plea for removal of his name from the list of global terrorists earlier this month, a government source said.

Though she erroneously described the Press Trust of India as official news agency', Lodhi, a former journalist, attached news clippings carrying PTI stories.

On March 7, Press Trust India broke the story about the UN rejecting an appeal by the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind to remove his name from a list of banned terrorists. The UN decision had come after India provided detailed evidence, including highly confidential information, related to the JuD leader's activities, sources had told PTI.

The continuation of the UN ban against Saeed come amidst China blocking another bid, made by France, the UK, the US and Russia, at the global body to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

Reacting to the Pakistan move, officials said the move is an attempt to curb the Indian media's relentless coverage of Pakistan-based terrorism.

Lodhi has not questioned the veracity of the PTI news story but instead sought to restrict flow of information about the continuation of the ban and desired that such information should not be made public in the future, a source familiar with the development said.

However, there was no support for Lodhi's request, sources said.
March 17, 2019 Flawed Safety Analysis, Failed Oversight - Why Two 737 MAX Planes Crashed Two accidents of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft led to a loss of 338 lives. Planes of that type are now grounded world wide. We earlier explained in detail why the incidents happened. New reports confirm that take. For commercial reasons Boeing wanted the new 737 version to handle like the old ones. But changes in the new version required an additional system to handle certain flight situations. The development of that system and the safety analysis of its implications were rushed through. Pilots were not informed of it and not trained to counter its failure. Boeing now hopes that a software update, planned for April, will allow its grounded 737 MAX airplanes back to the flight line. For several reasons that is unlikely to happen. On Thursday Captain C.B. Sully Sullenberger, who successfully landed a plane on the Hudson river after a bird strike disabled both engines, spoke out against Boeing's patch up attempt: It has been obvious since the Lion Air crash that a redesign of the 737 MAX 8 has been urgently needed, yet has still not been done, and the announced proposed fixes do not go far enough. The public will not trust Boeing's, or the Federal Aviation Administration's assurances if Sullenberger sticks to his view. Another reason that Boeing's update will not suffice is a detailed bombshell report researched mostly before last Sunday's crash but just now published by the Seattle Times. It summarizes: [T]he original safety analysis that Boeing delivered to the FAA for a new flight control system on the MAX  a report used to certify the plane as safe to fly  had several crucial flaws.

...

Current and former engineers directly involved with the evaluations or familiar with the document shared details of Boeings System Safety Analysis of MCAS, which The Seattle Times confirmed. The safety analysis: Understated the power of the new flight control system, which was designed to swivel the horizontal tail to push the nose of the plane down to avert a stall. When the planes later entered service, MCAS was capable of moving the tail more than four times farther than was stated in the initial safety analysis document .

. Failed to account for how the system could reset itself each time a pilot responded, thereby missing the potential impact of the system repeatedly pushing the airplanes nose downward.

Assessed a failure of the system as one level below catastrophic. But even that hazardous danger level should have precluded activation of the system based on input from a single sensor  and yet thats how it was designed. The 737 MAX maneuver characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) depends on the input of a vane on the side of the airplane.

Angle-of-attack sensor The vane measure the angle between the airflow and the wing. It thereby detects if the nose of airplane points up or down. It can easily be damaged by a ramp accident or due to a bird strike. The MCAS system depends on the input of only one of these sensors. The corrections MCAS applies to the trim of the airplane are too large for a busy pilot to counter. (A detailed explanation of the system and the accidents is provided by a professional pilot in two videos here and here.) That the system, as designed, engages repeatedly can lead to situations that are extremely difficult to handle. The Seattle Times also reports that managers at the FAA pushed their safety engineers to delegate more certification tasks to Boeing itself. Boeing was eager to get the new version of the 737 out of the door to catch up with Airbus's A-320 NEO. Shortcuts were taken to rush the safety analysis through. The MCAS system is poorly engineered and the design should never have been certified in the first place. But the issue is even worse. The certification that was given relied on false data. The first MCAS design, on which the safety analysis and certification was based, allowed for a maximum trim movement by MCAS of 0.6 degree of a maximum of 5 degree. Flight tests proved that to be too little to achieve the desired effects and the maximum movement was changed to 2.5 degree. A safety analysis for the new value was not conducted. The FAA believed the airplane was designed to the 0.6 limit, and thats what the foreign regulatory authorities thought, too, said an FAA engineer. It makes a difference in your assessment of the hazard involved.

...

None of the engineers were aware of a higher limit, said a second current FAA engineer. Boeing and the U.S. government have a special relation. All administrations, independent of which party rules, give it extraordinary support. That leads to regulatory capture. The FAA is under constant political pressure to relent to Boeing's demands: For Boeings 102-year history, dating to the start of the First World War, the company and the country have relied upon one another, together creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, outfitting the United States with top military aircraft and supplying planes worldwide to allow the growth of passenger air travel and to boost U.S. exports.

...

Whenever the government is seeking to enhance exports, usually youre going to find that Boeing is heavily involved in whatever initiative theyre carrying out, said Andrew Hunter, a defense industry expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. That was true in the Obama administration, and its true in the Trump administration.

...

The risk is obviously that when agencies that are regulatory in nature work closely with a company over a long period of time, the concern is that it could undermine its independence, Hunter said. After the accident last Sunday Boeing used its political connections to prevent the grounding of the 737 MAX. Only after all other countries prohibited further flights did the U.S. join in. It was the president, not the FAA, who announced the decision. The new reports about the outsourcing of FAA safety analyses to Boeing itself, and of the inappropriate certification process, add to the impression that the FAA can no longer be trusted. Even if it certifies Boeing's patch-up solution for the MCAS problem other regulators will disagree. That then will become a severe political problem. Trump's trade negotiations with China depend on the Chinese willingness to buy a large number of Boeing planes. If the Chinese regulators, who were the first to ground the MAX, do not accept the solution Boeing provides, those trade negotiations will go nowhere. It is clear than that Boeing will have to provide a better solution. The U.S. government will have to strengthen its aviation regulator and will have to protect it from political pressure. Should either not happen Boeing's role in the international airline business will be severely damaged. Posted by b on March 17, 2019 at 16:26 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
March 17, 2019

The MoA Week In Review - OT 2019-15

Last week's posts on Moon of Alabama:

March 11 - Russian Internet Protests - These Crowd Estimates Are Propaganda

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There are freshmen from Michigan and Minnesota in Congress who recently made some news with comments about the Zionist lobby. Some anti-imperialists and progressives lauded them for their efforts and defended them against attacks. But these are wolfs in sheep clothing.

Rep. Ilhan Omar Verified account @Ilhan - 1:31 utc - 16 Mar 2019

The people of Syria revolted against Assad's repressive dictatorship 8 years ago today, demanding a more just and free government. Peace loving people around the world stand in solidarity with them in this struggle!

Rashida Tlaib Verified account @RashidaTlaib - 23:46 utc - 16 Mar 2019

The anniversary of the uprising against the oppression in Syria was yesterday. We must recognize the struggle of those who organized and stood up against injustice. It is my hope that we can see a Syria that is truly free one day.

On might guess that the checks from the Muslim Brotherhood, the Turkish and the Qatari lobbies arrived.

As Ilhan Omar once wisely said:

Its all about the Benjamins baby

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Use as open thread ...

Posted by b on March 17, 2019 at 17:56 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
The four principals of Midland ISDs improvement-required campuses showed evidence of progress to district officials during a workshop on March 5  and each was optimistic their school no longer would be an IR campus after this academic year.

Lamar and Travis elementary schools have been IR campuses for four years. These schools are currently tied for the eighth-longest streaks in the state, according to the Texas Education Agency website. Sam Houston Collegiate Preparatory has been an IR campus for three years. Scharbauer is in its first year as an IR campus.

IR essentially means the campus is failing.

A lot of our data indicators are showing that progress looks to be made, Superintendent Orlando Riddick said. We will still monitor that because we know we still have a couple of months of instruction to deliver before our first kids start to launch into that testing mode. Well know as we get closer to STAAR where we need to meet that achievement in other areas. So now, its circling back to do that, but leading indicators show promise.

Riddick and the board asked the principals to present three areas of impact they think have most improved their performance as a campus.

Lamar

Editor's note: Unless otherwise noted, the story's information is from a video of an MISD workshop that took place on March 5. See More Collapse

Principal Amy Clark said there were a lot of things to celebrate, but the three areas she thinks improved her campus the most were:

Professional Learning Communities.

Teachers meet weekly for collaboration and focus the PLCs around essential topics: what the students want to learn, essential standards and learning targets for students. Teachers give common assessments to determine whether the student has learned and use the data to create intervention.

The New Teachers Project.

TNTP is a consulting firm that builds teacher and leadership capacity from the TEA transformation grant. Designed specifically for Lamars needs, they have been working weekly with third- through sixth-grade reading teachers to support literacy development capacity, focusing on lesson plans and rigorous texts.

Capture Kids Hearts

This is a school-wide program that focuses on teachers building relationships with students and each other. This has led to fewer discipline referrals and improved teacher retention; no student is on the transfer list. When out of IR, the school will be nominated as a national showcase school and will be a pilot for its leadership curriculum nationwide, according to Clark.

She said they are also seeing improvements in academic performance, based on the results of the 2017 release test.

They are on track to get out of IR as far as every indicator we have pulled, said Diane Lopez, the districts executive director of elementary education.

Travis

Principal Terri Matthews agreed that PLC is a tremendous vehicle she uses at Travis. However, she believed her top three impacts were:

TNTP.

For Travis, she said the goal with TNTP is to truly analyze student work and the thinking processes that are critical. For instance, why did a student choose answer C instead of the correct answer B? Knowing the answer to that can fill those gaps, she said.

Goal-setting.

Travis has moved the ownership of goal-setting to children, so every student can track their goal, fill in bar graphs and celebrate their success. Transferring the ownership from adults to children is a huge part of improvement, she said.

Using data from work samples and multiple-choice assessments to identify standards.

In every grade, they have identified content area for underlying foundational standards that they need to go back and reteach. She said they are only going to focus on areas that will help students achieve their own growth goals. Some teachers from Bush tutor students who are already performing well.

Matthews said if each student got six more questions right on the STAAR test, the campus would be out of IR status. However, she wants every student to get eight more questions right, so they can excel and be ahead. Each student knows which content they have been missing, so this is what they are working harder on.

I truly believe with every ounce of my being that this will be Travis year, and we will be out, and the data supports that, Matthews said.

Houston

Chancellor (principal) Stephanie Ramos is in her first year at Houston. The three areas she discussed were:

PLC.

The AVID program  academic via individual determination  focuses on writing, inquiring, collaboration, organization and reading.

Campus-wide intervention.

Houston incorporates a power zone  an intervention time  in each grade level. Professors (teachers) share scholars (students) among grade levels so they can meet their needs individually.

Goal-setting and progress-measuring.

Every scholar has a data folder with their level of goals, actions for success they committed to and progress measures.

Ramos said she also saw improvement in academic performance, based on the results of the practice exam.

Our data is indicating positive trends, and were very excited to continue those trends and move our scholars forward, she said.

Scharbauer

Principal Deanna Flader is in her first year at Scharbauer. She said her three areas of impact were:

PLC.

Similar to Lamars efforts.

Campus intervention supports.

Scharbauer has implemented WIN time  what I need. The teachers across the grade level swaps so all can help students through small groups, she said. Common formative assessments are also utilized in WIN times.

Improving campus culture.

The school implemented Midland Value Project campus-wide. Scharbauer students receive mentoring on Fridays from the Abell Junior High team leadership, Mid-Cities Church and True-Life Christian Fellowship.

Last year, Scharbauer scored high enough on the STAAR to be a passing school, but the difference in scores when grouped by ethnicity, race and socioeconomic background was too large of a gap.

Im very confident we will be out of IR this school year, Flader said. We are doing the right work and we are going down the right path, and we continue to analyze that data student-by-student.

MISD Board President Rick Davis said in an interview that he believed the principals all had reason to be optimistic that they were getting out of IR this year, but until the final results are released, nothing is certain.

We hope their optimism will be rewarded by the actual results, Davis said. Time will tell.

If Lamar and Travis both enter IR status for its fifth consecutive year, at least 50 percent of the students could be sent to other schools, as required by Senate Bill 1882. Davis said there are other options, including placing a charter school on the campus with legislative approval.

He said he would prefer to place a charter at a campus that remained IR, instead of moving 50 percent of students to other schools. There has not been any plan approved by the board if Lamar and Travis both remain IR because trustees do not believe that will happen, he said.

We would be very, very surprised, and shocked even, if Lamar remained on IR, Davis said. We dont consider that as a realistic scenario.

In the workshop, board trustee John Trischiti told the principals that the board appreciates what they are doing.

Unfortunately, its just a shame that you get labeled IR and theres so much more going on to a campus than that, Trischitti said. Students should not be measured (by that). Thats the whole teach-to-the-test problem. When I hear you talking about dialing down to the eight questions those students need to (pass), (Id say) weve gotten it backward. Theres something wrong with the system at that point if were dialing down to the point that were going to get those (questions), so we can be sure to hit the benchmark. Theres got to be more going on than this.

If you dont have that pressure on you of getting IR, you can do so much more, he said.
As the 2019 event chair of the second annual Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference (PBWIEC), I had a lot to worry about with making our recently held conference run smoothly. The one thing I did not worry about was holding the event again at the Midland County Horseshoe Pavilion. Joe Kelley and his staff are very professional and capable and made 2 -day event flow seamlessly.

PBWIECs final attendance count this year was at 513, and approximately 57 percent of those attendees were not from the Midland, Odessa or Big Spring areas. The almost 300 attendees not from our area likely had to travel to be at the conference. With tireless professionalism, the Horseshoe Pavilion and its staff helped shine a bright light on our local areas Texas hospitality to those attendees who might never have been to Midland before. PBWIEC had attendees from 14 states (from Arizona to Rhode Island and in between) and two countries (Canada and Venezuela). Our event attendance grew 17 percent from last year; this increase was well-accommodated by the Horseshoe staff.

The entire Horseshoe facility was spotless, the parking areas were clean, ample and well-lit; the staff was courteous and able to accommodate each of our needs in a timely manner.

After I thanked Mr. Kelley and his staff for their fantastic service, I booked the Midland County Horseshoe Pavilion again for next years event.

Jonna Smoot

Time change is stressful for some people

Daylight saving time is upon us once again. As I sit at my kitchen table reading the paper at 7:40 a.m., it is totally dark outside.

My earliest memory of DST is when I was in high school in the 1960s. DST would start in mid-April and end on the first weekend of October. The transition was much easier due to the fact that the sun was at least starting to shine at 0730. It has gotten to the point that we have DST for two-thirds of the year now, and for me the disruption in the spring is worse than that in the fall. I wish that the powers that be would go back to the way they did this back in the 60s and 70s by waiting until mid-April to initiate DST.

If I had my druthers, I would do away with DST all together like Arizona and Hawaii, but I realize there are a number of folks who enjoy the additional sunlight in the late spring/summer time, and I do enjoy that, as well, at times.

It is no wonder that it has been reported that there are more heart attacks associated with the change of time in the spring than at other times of the year. It is stressful to most people to experience this change earlier in the year than later. The Reporter-Telegram reported a few months ago that there was a bill before the Texas Legislature to abolish DST all together, but that doesnt seem to have grown any legs.

I guess as they say: The times they are a changing. The times are changing way too much for this West Texas man, in more ways than DST.

John Bumpers

Its a travesty that library will have impersonal name

Renaming the downtown library should reflect the name of someone whose memory evokes a smile and epitomizes everything good about Midland. Its a travesty that the county commissioners choose to have an impersonal name such as those offered on the website rather than honoring a man in memoriam for his love and dedication to Midland County such as Ed Todd.



If the parameters change, I would like to nominate The Ed Todd Memorial Library as the new name.



Ed had a quest for knowledge and an innate love of books. He was a regular at Friends of the Library. I often saw Ed at the old downtown library. The new downtown library should be a vibrant, eclectic, entertaining, inspirational place to connect with people, books and knowledge. Ed embodied all of the aforementioned characteristics. Thats who Ed was.



If the library is to compete with and provide technology, it needs to be larger than life. Ed Todd was that kind of person.



Ed served professionally as a journalist at the Midland Reporter-Telegram. Not only was he involved in church and organizations throughout Midland, he also volunteered and served the people of Midland.



I attended Eds estate sale as well as his funeral. I was not surprised to see thousands of books that he left behind. Ed experienced joy and inspiration in reading books and in living life. The new library should be exciting and encouraging to all to be better and to do better. Ed did that.



I miss Ed -- his warmth, his smile. I encourage everyone to submit Eds name in the renaming of our community library should the Commissioners Court decide to change their minds in the rules and requirements for renaming a place that could become the heartbeat of downtown Midland.



Laurie Clark
The first time I watched "Arrested Development" reminds me of the first time I drank a cup of joe. The show's rapid-fire banter, its subtle running jokes (even in the background of some episodes), the bizarre ensemble of unlikable but compulsively watchable characters and the exceedingly clever meta in-jokes peppered throughout it all made for an entirely new television experience. Like that coffee, I found the show exciting and energizing. It was a whole new world, suddenly burst open, and I didn't think I'd be able to look at TV the same way again.

As any caffeine-drinker knows, however, having the right amount of coffee is key. Too much, after all, isn't energizing but instead leads to a dull, insistent headache.

Netflix dropped eight episodes of "Arrested Development," comprising the second half of Season 5, on Friday. Many have suggested this might the final batch of episodes - and I pray they're correct.

The once-adored show has fallen out of favor twice since Netflix revived it. The first black eye came with Season 4 in 2013, seven years after its cancellation after three seasons on Fox in 2006. Showrunner Mitchell Hurwitz and his crew attempted a radical experiment in the streaming age: to create a show whose episodes could be watched in any order. Each episode followed one specific character and worked as a sort of puzzle, with no true beginning or ending. This was partially due to the cast's scheduling conflicts, but it also felt like a very "Arrested Development" ploy - only it failed miserably, earning the dismissal of critics and fans alike.

The second came with the first batch of Season 5 episodes, which dropped last May. They felt (somewhat) like a return to form, but the rollout was tainted by sexual harassment allegations against Jeffrey Tambor from fellow cast members from his Amazon show "Transparent," Trace Lysette and Van Barnes. Tambor was dropped from "Transparent" but remained on "Arrested Development" - which led to a disastrous roundtable interview in the New York Times in which Jessica Walter accused Tambor of being verbally abusive on-set, while the show's male cast members defended him and, in essence, ignored Walter.

But putting all that aside for a moment, and looking only at the content of this second half of Season 5 - it's still a tough hang, to put it lightly.

The show is so mired in the past that its title no longer induces chuckles but groans. Humor, of course, is always subjective. But the new episodes don't really seem to traffic in jokes so much as nostalgia. Recurring characters like the always-in-disguise private eye Gene Parmesan appear for mere seconds, not to introduce new jokes but to redo old ones, seemingly just to remind viewers that they exist.

Sometimes, the humor feels outdated, such as the introduction of a group of hard-boiled, criminal gay men who call themselves the Gay Mafia. They fit into a plotline in which Gob has to pretend to be gay (or maybe he really is). The plotline is supposed to be meta, making fun of Gob for his insecurity with his own sexuality. But the jokes fail, leaving the enterprise feeling like the very gay panic humor it's attempting to mock.

At other times, the show's references feel painfully outdated. It's set just before the 2016 election, and the number of Hillary-is-sure-to-win jokes is exhausting. Even its shoehorned Trump jokes, such as Gob referencing "s---hole countries," don't feel as fresh as they might have months ago. That's not even mentioning that a large plot point is set around the bumbling Bluths attempting to build a wall on the border of the United States and Mexico (oddly, to appease the Chinese). That's a tough sell for comedy these days. Sure, such a plotline could easily produce smart satire - but the show treats the wall like an outlandish idea perpetuated by foolish and selfish people, not a divisive political reality that has caused real-world effects such as the shutdown of the U.S. government.

But the biggest problem with the back half of Season 5 is that it's simply not funny.

Jerry Seinfeld famously turned down the most lucrative television deal at the time to continue producing "Seinfeld," because he never wanted to jump the shark. Hurwitz and crew should take a page from the comedian's book.

"Arrested Development," once a wonderfully layered experience that rewarded repeated watches more than almost any other show, now just feels like work. It's the embodiment of a caffeine headache - insistent, annoying and, worst of all, dull.
Jacksonvilles Early Years Program has received high marks for its new building from the states Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale, improving in every area to four or above.

The new facility at 516 Jordan St. ranked four or above in all areas evaluating the building from indoor space to outdoor space and proximity to major roads.

Executive Director Sarah English said in previous years, the building at Walnut Court received several low marks because of the age of the buildings, lack of access to a playground without walking next to and across a road, and just general safety.

It was not in the best condition; it was aging, English said. There was paint peeling, baseboards missing. It was generally in bad condition.

The program has since moved into the newly remodeled former district office and has access to an enclosed playground facility and classrooms.

In 2016, the Walnut Court facility received a score of three for the space being reasonable clean and maintained and an accessibility score of three. For the new Jordan Street facility, the building received the highest score of seven for its cleanliness and maintenance and a score of six for accessibility.

The scale has a maximum score of seven, but English said scores of four and above are considered good.

The evaluators are looking through the lens of the ideal, perfect program and building, English said.

For its outside playground, the new building received a score of four for safety.

English said evaluators listed a few additional features for the playground, such as concrete blocks outside the fence to prevent any accidents from reaching the playground.

The playground received a score of seven for its features and a score of four for its accessibility.

English said evaluators would like to see direct access to the playground from each classroom, instead of through the buildings gymnasium.

The Walnut Court facility received a score of one  the lowest score for its safety.

Comments for the Walnut Court playground stated it was very dangerous because required students to walk along a busy street and parking lot and because it was unfenced. The playground itself received a score of three for its equipment safety.

We spent 20 years at the Walnut Court facility and we were always happy with the Morgan County Housing Authority, English said. They were wonderful.

English said the program is still awaiting its overall score, which includes evaluation of the teaching aspects of the program, to determine if the program is a gold, silver or bronze Circle of Quality program.

In past years, pre-kindergarten programs connected with a school district were automatically ranked gold circle because of the additional resources the program can receive through the district, such as special education services. English said that will change this year and each program will be evaluated using the same standards, without an automatic ranking.

ExceleRate Illinois monitors the programs and provides the rankings.

We should know by this summer where we were ranked, English said.

Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha.
The Meredosia Village Board is seeking applications for a new police chief to replace Curtis Williams.

Williams, who was arrested Dec. 8 on domestic battery and aggravated assault charges, resigned his post in February and pleaded guilty March 7 to the misdemeanor charges. He was accused of shoving Sherrie B. Gilbert, placing a gun to the back of her head and threatening to shoot her.

The board will advertise the position and accept applications until April 15. The police committee then will meet to interview candidates chosen from the applicants.

Board members already have interviewed three qualified applicants for an open village employee position.

In other business, an Environmental Protection Agency audit of the village found the villages water plant non-compliant. The village must buy a new generator for the plant at an estimated cost of $40,000 to meet EPA standards.

Board member Steve Staake suggested that the villages employee handbook needs to be revised, specifically sections on the employee code of conduct and wording regarding employee vacations. Staake and board members Ernie Gregory and Rob Ransom will form a committee to look at making the changes.

A resolution for street maintenance was passed.

Board members also approved the purchase of a new lift station pump for South Green Street.

Resident Bruce Schwalb addressed the board about getting funding for emergency flood control before the Illinois River floods. Mayor David Werries said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must first do a study before the village can pursue funding.
January unemployment rates were up in most Illinois metro areas over last year, with west central Illinois counties seeing rates higher than the state average.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security released January employment data this week that showed, despite adding jobs over last month and last year, the states unemployment rate was slightly up over January 2018  5.3 percent compared to 5.1 percent in January of 2019. The national unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in January.

The rates are not seasonally adjusted.

With the exception of Brown County, west central Illinois counties had higher unemployment rates than the state average: Brown, 3.5 percent; Calhoun, 6.8 percent; Cass, 6.1 percent; Greene, 6.3 percent; Jersey, 6.5 percent; Morgan, 6.1 percent; Pike, 6.9 percent; Schuyler, 6.5 percent; and Scott, 8.7 percent. All were up between .4-1.5 percent from January 2018.

Bonni Waters, vice president of operations for the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation, said unemployment rates have held steady in recent months.

I dont seen anything major that causes any alarm, Waters said of the January numbers.

Waters added the unemployment rate isnt a perfect economic indicator and does not take into account people who are unemployed, but who have stopped looking for work.

In the current economic cycle, Illinois unemployment rate peaked in 2010 at 12.2 percent, according to the department of employment security.

Statewide, preliminary data shows that 78,000 nonfarm jobs have been added over the last year and 24,000 added over December. The number of jobs is typically revised from the preliminary report.

The majority of those jobs were added in northern Illinois metro areas.

The Springfield metro area and the area around the Illinois part of St. Louis did not see the same growth. The Springfield metro area added 700 jobs in the last year. The St. Louis area in Illinois lost 1,400 jobs.

Central Illinois employers advertised 6,000 positions in January, about three-quarters of which were for full-time work, according to data cited by the department of employment security. Some industries, such as construction, do not advertise jobs in online posts and are not reflected in the total.

Waters said there should be some construction and some smaller projects around the area on the horizon in 2019, but no major development projects have been announced.
Update at 7:35am: The Tuolumne County Sheriffs Office reports that missing woman Alice Hobbs has been found safe. She was located 1.5 miles away from her Elizabeth Lane home. She had a scratch on her leg and was confused as to where she was going. Hobbs and her dog Carmelita were taken back to her home and reunited with family.

Original story posted at 10:30pm: Sonora, CA  The woman pictured in the image box was last seen at her Sonora home Saturday evening.

Tuolumne County Sheriffs spokesperson Sgt. Andrea Benson reports she is 79-year-old Alice Hobbs and she has dementia. She walked away from her home on Elizabeth Lane around 7 p.m.

Sgt. Benson describes her as 52 tall, 120 pounds with short gray hair. Hobbs was wearing light grey jeans and a black or gray sweater.

Deputies and Search and Rescue personnel have been combing the area near her home, but have not been able to locate her. Anyone who may have seen Hobbs or know here whereabouts is asked to call the sheriffs office at (298) 533-5815.

.
Michael Ciaglo/Staff

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico regulators are going after a Texas-based oil and gas company over alleged air quality violations.

The environment department issued the notice of violation to Hilcorp Energy on Thursday, saying the company has violated state and federal laws by improperly controlling emissions from one of its wells in the San Juan Basin.
The longest passenger jetliner in the world just made its debut.



On Wednesday, the very first Boeing 777X was presented to company employees, inside the airframer's main wide-body manufacturing facility in Everett, Washington.

Boeing had planned to unveil the jetliner Wednesday, but delayed the debut following the crash of its aircraft in Ethiopia. The event was simplified to respect the recent loss of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8.

At 252 feet, the 777X is longer than its predecessor, the 777-300ER, and the super-stretched Airbus A340-600.

It'll even be longer by a nose than the current record-holder, the 747-8, the latest version of Boeing's own "Queen of the Skies" whose aviation-changing ancestor flew 50 years ago.

With its maiden test flight expected later this spring, the 777-9 is the larger of the two 777X models that make up Boeing's jetliner program.

With that enormous length, the plane is designed to seat between 400 and 425 passengers in two classes, and fly routes of 7,600 nautical miles.

The number of seats will vary depending on what each airline picks for the interior, but it promises to be the biggest twin-engine airliner of all time when it starts flying passengers next year.

A second, no less impressive but smaller model will follow. The 777-8 will seat between 350 and 375 passengers and have an endurance of more than 17 hours aloft. Covering 8,700 nautical miles, or more than 16,000 kilometers, the plane is Boeing's challenger to the Airbus A350ULR's title as the world's longest-range airplane.

Eight airlines have placed 358 orders and commitments for the new jetliner. Dubai-based Emirates will get the first 777-9 next year and the 777-8 will follow two years later.

What will passengers experience in the latest wide-body jetliner to be built by Boeing?

Even though the outer fuselage diameter of the new plane is the same as that of the 25-year-old 777, Boeing has re-engineered the inside of the barrel to be able to update the interior.

By changing the design of the cabin sidewalls and the support structures behind, the cabin will be about 4 inches wider than that of the legacy plane. That might not sound like much, but it could translate to almost a half-inch of additional seat width compared to the currently cramped 10 economy class passengers sitting in each row in most 777s.

But even with that additional space, not much may change, according to travel analyst Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research Group.

"The new cabin wall design has the potential to allow wider seats, especially in economy, and it's a great thing if airlines choose to take advantage of it. My expectation is that out of a desire to keep things consistent and keep costs down, airlines will probably put the same economy seats on the 777X as they have on the legacy 777," Harteveldt said to CNN Travel.

The new plane's overhead bins are larger, so that passengers can better store the ever-increasing amount of carry-on luggage that's brought on board most flights.

The changes to the hidden fuselage structure will give the 777X bigger windows than the current version of the plane, and airlines will have the option to install electronically dimmable window shades, or EDW, like those on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

EDW manufacturer Gentex Corp. says these latest-tech EDWs will block out 99.999 percent of the visible light and operate at twice the speed of current ones.

According to Boeing, the new 777X's interior architecture, lighting, comfort and conveniences will be "inspired" by the 787. As on the Dreamliner, the cabin will be pressurized to a low 6,000 feet, making a long flight easier on the body.

Boeing has invested over $1 billion in a new factory to build the 777X's advanced, carbon fiber composite wing, located at the airframer's Everett twin-aisle aircraft production plant.

The new wing is stunningly enormous, with over 235 feet of wingspan. With the new wing, the 777X will fly more efficiently and bring fuel savings to airlines. But huge wings come with some challenges.

Airlines want to operate the 777X at airports that currently serve today's 777 jets, which have a smaller wingspan of 213 feet.

To solve that problem, Boeing engineers created a unique wing-fold mechanism, a first for a civilian airliner.

On the ground, the outer 12 feet of each wing will fold up vertically, with special locking hardware and software that simplifies the folding and unfolding procedure for the pilots and ensures the plane always flies with the wings extended.

The wing-fold system will allow the 777X to fit at existing gates that handle older 777s.

A super-stretch fuselage and huge wings also need two supersized engines.

Picture this -- you're flying in a single-aisle Boeing 737, the most-delivered passenger jet. Look around at the diameter of the plane's fuselage.

You could be sitting in the middle of a General Electric GE9X engine. Actually, the GE9X is even bigger than the 737's fuselage.

Two of these massive, 134-inch diameter turbofans will power the 777X, each one generating 105,000 pounds of thrust.

That's 10,000 pounds less thrust than the slightly smaller but mightier GE90 that drives the current 777-300 -- a result of 25 years of engine development and improvements in airframe aerodynamics.

With new wings, new engines and an improved cabin and on-board systems, perhaps the 777X is more than just an enhanced 777 and deserves a new name.

When Airbus decided to update its A330 wide-body, it eventually changed so many things about the plane it renamed it the A350.

"Naming an airplane is a bit arbitrary, and there's an argument to be made that the 777X is indeed an evolution of the original 777, but different enough to justify the 'X' identity here," says Harteveldt. "Certainly, there's also a lot of consumer awareness and equity within the 777 aircraft in name."

So, in 2020, when you see a massive jetliner taxiing to your gate with its wingtips folded like a fighter on the deck of an aircraft carrier, you'll be getting ready to fly on Boeing's new flagship.
In recent months the end of the raised dais in chambers at Katy City Hall featured an empty seat. On March 11, a new face filled the seat.

Andrew Vasquez, a former deputy director of finance for the city of Houston, started March 4 as the citys treasurer/finance director. An eight-year resident of the city of Katy, hes happy for the opportunity to work in the city where he lives.

He succeeds Becky Wilkins who left Nov. 26 to assume a position near Austin. City administrator Byron Hebert, the director of finance from 2000-14, had stepped in as treasurer in the interim.

What brought you to the city of Katy?

When I accepted my job in Houston, I was advised by friends who already lived in Houston to explore Katy because of the family atmosphere. My wife fell in love with Katy immediately and all other options were off the table. Katy seemed to be the best location to work in Houston and travel to San Antonio to visit family. I came to the area to work for the city of Houston and like previous positions I have held in large cities, I had a long commute. When the opportunity came up in the city I live in, I couldnt pass it up. I now have a 2.3-mile commute. Its a golden opportunity and I feel blessed. My wife works in administration for the Katy Independent School District. My younger son graduated from Katy High School and now attends Kansas State University where his older brother went.

What is your background?

Im a certified public accountant in the State of Texas. I previously was certified in the State of California. I have a degree in accounting from San Diego State University. I have a little over 20 years in government experience.

What are the duties of finance director? What are the duties of treasurer?

As the Finance Director I manage the administration of the finance department which includes payroll, accounts payable, purchasing, utility billing, banking activities, information systems and tax collections. I prepare and review budgets, monitor revenue and spending trends and issue internal and external financial reports. I am also responsible for evaluating policies. As the Treasurer, I review investment and banking practices, direct investment functions for city funds as well as evaluate cash management practices.

As the area continues to grow and develop, does the job get more complicated with the creation of special taxing districts in addition to the school districts and municipal utility districts?

Its not any more complicated than what I did in the past. I worked in the city of Houston with multiple TIRZs (tax increment reinvestment zones).

What are the positive aspects of the position?

The positive is the small city culture, a good network of employees who are motivated and the opportunity to see immediate results of hard work. The department has nine employees including myself.

What are the challenges?

There is always the challenge of getting over the learning curve with a new job. Disaster recovery requires diligence and attention on top of a full schedule of duties. Fortunately, I dont expect it will be long before Im up to speed and my experience will add value to the city.

What are your goals as treasurer/finance director?

My goal is to navigate the city through the challenges of rapid growth. It is important that the city maintains its excellent credit rating while recovering from Hurricane Harvey flood damage. I want to provide decision makers with good solid information for making decisions.

What do you do in your spare time?

That will be a new venture for me. Im used to putting in quite a few hours at work and staying late just to avoid traffic. Being so close to home Ill have additional time for leisure  to golf and spend more time with my family. I have an interest in classic cars as I own a 1965 Chevy truck. I have not had the opportunity to get to know or spend time with the classic car clubs in the area.

karen.zurawski@chron.com
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a State of Disaster in respect to areas in Manicaland province that were affected by Cyclone Idia, which has claimed 31 lives and displaced 200 people, most of them in Chimanimani and Chipinge.

Among the casualties were two pupils and a security officer from St Charles Lwanga High School, and 10 victims from Ngangu Township in Chimanimani, which was the most affected.

More than a 100 people are still missing.

The declaration, which also covers areas likely to be affected by the cyclone, allows the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) to support communities and provide relief.

Acting President Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

On behalf of Government and the nation, and on my own behalf, I wish to express my condolences to the bereaved families affected by this disaster and to wish a speedy recovery to the injured.

Given this tragic loss of life, the general devastation registered so far and the continuing torrential rains, His Excellency, the President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has declared a State of Disaster in respect of the affected areas or areas likely to be affected by Cyclone Idai in terms of Subsection (1) of Section 27 of the Civil Protection Act (Chapter 10:06), he said.

Areas that currently lie in Cyclone Idai path include Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, parts of Masvingo and Midlands provinces.

Harare and Matabeleland provinces are also likely to be affected.

Acting President Chiwenga said Government is working around the clock to manage this unfolding disaster.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last night commended the army and local and international partners for leading the rescue efforts in perilous conditions, which made it impossible to deploy helicopters and access some of the worst affected areas.

In a tweet last night, the President, who is away on an official State visit to the United Arab Emirates, wrote: My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by Cyclone Idai. Rescue operations are underway and we are grateful for the bravery of the men and women of the Zimbabwean armed forces who, along with our local and international partners, are participating in the urgent rescue efforts.

Yesterday, rescuers braved inclement weather conditions as they battled to reach survivors.

The army also undertook a ground operation to rescue 197 pupils who were marooned at St Charles Lwanga.

Hope

There is, however, hope that the rains would soon let up as the cyclone has weakened into a tropical depression, making it possible for rescuers to get into the affected areas.

The Metrological Services Department (MSD) said it expects a significant decline in rains by tomorrow.

It is now a tropical depression which is subsiding and Monday (tomorrow) should see a significant decline in precipitation across the country if this situation is maintained.

Going forward, the depression is expected to be controlling the weather over much of the country, said the MSD in a statement yesterday.

Cyclone Idai  which is the worst weather-related disaster to affect the country after Cyclone Eline that claimed 91 lives  made a landfall in Mozambique Thursday.

It subsequently barrelled through Manicaland resulting in torrential rains.

By yesterday afternoon, the cyclones epicentre hovered over Rusitu Valley in Chimanimani.

The MSD reported that the rainfall at Chisengu Estate in Chimanimani, at 407 mm, broke a 37-year record of 169mm.

The Mukandi area  also in Chimanimani  recorded 203mm, breaking the record of 141mm measured in March 1976.

Other areas that received intense rainfall include: Nyanga (145mm), both Rusape and Zaka (97mm), Buhera (91mm), Wedza (86mm), Marondera (65mm) and Chisumbanje (48mm).

Chimanimani East Member of Parliament Joshua Sacco yesterday that while the CPU had mobilised helicopters, the weather conditions made it impossible to deploy them.

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GOVERNMENT has declared as national disaster, the devastating Cyclone Idai which has left over 30 Zimbabweans dead since Friday while causing massive destruction and homelessness in the countrys eastern Manicaland province.

This was announced Saturday evening by acting President Constantino Chiwenga.

Chiwenga said, with immediate effect, national and sub-national Civil Protection structures were being instructed to support the affected communities giving urgency to search, rescue and evacuation for the marooned cut off communities.

Conduct rapid needs assessments and render relief accordingly, continue monitoring and surveillance of the situation and devise a comprehensive management strategy to address the entirely of this disaster, he said.

Manicaland province has so far suffered the worst brunt of the cyclone which has resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property and severe damage to roads, and bridges and communication infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the MDC has condemned President Emmerson Mnangagwa for embarking on a trip to the United Arab Emirates leaving the country facing the natural disaster.

For someone to enjoy luxury trips on tax payers funds shows no respect or care for the citizen, what kind of person deserts those he purports to lead? party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Saturday.

What kind of person leaves behind dying children, sinking homes, washed away bridges and goes on a dish sampling mission in the Middle East.

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Imagine, aboard a plane and before take-off you hear a voice saying, This is Captain Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa speaking. We are ready for take-off. Our flight is going to take approximately three hours to our destination. We are going to fly at an altitude of 37 000 feet . . .

This could well have happened.

Zimbabwes President Mnangagwa wanted to be a pilot as he grew up.

Alternatively, he wanted to work in a bank as an economist.

However, the man had a higher calling.

Along the way, he found himself fighting for the motherland in the liberation war against British colonial rule, something that threw his childhood permutations off the rails.

And at a young age, he was famously arrested for acts of sabotage, which set him on course for one of the stories of heroism in the founding of the Zimbabwean nation.

President Mnangagwa shared the other side of his history, which is not known, yesterday when he met youths during the inaugural youth indaba organised by the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Harare.

It was more of an informal discussion where President Mnangagwa took time to field questions from the youths starting from Minister Kirsty Coventry (Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation) who wanted to know President Mnangagwas childhood ambition.

The question was followed by permeating laughter that engulfed the entire conference room before mid-night silence as the youths waited to hear the Presidents response.

In his predictable jovial mood, President Mnangagwa responded: In 1949, my father took me to Shabanie, now Zvishavane. I was about six years old then and he wanted to show me a plane landing and taking off. He carried me on his bicycle. When we arrived after some time a small plane landed and after about two hours it took off again. I was impressed, so I told my father that when I grow up I wanted to be a pilot. So that was my initial ambition as I grew up.

It was not too long before the President had a change of mind.

But events in the family did not make it possible, said President Mnangagwa.

About that same time things were happening in the country which forced my parents to leave the then Southern Rhodesia. I will tell you the little story. At Mnangagwa village in Zvishavane now, we have a dip tank. We take our cattle there for dipping once a week and at this time in history there was an officer called LDO, Land Development Officer  a young white man who came to our dip tank and was destocking cattle.

There was an old woman who had five cattle. This young man said this old woman must sell two of her cattle and keep three. My father (you know we are the Chief Mapanzure clan) and his brothers said no the woman cannot keep three cattle. She has to keep the five. If she has three she cannot survive but this young man said no he was the boss she must keep three and wrote this in the billing book.

This young man had come to the dip tank with a Land Rover so my father and his colleagues took off one of its wheels and took it up the hill. When this young man had finished his work at the dip tank he discovered that his Land Rover was now on three wheels. He asked what has happened to the other wheel they said well, that old woman is going to live with three cattle you drive back to Shabanie on three wheels.

On that basis my father was not liked and eventually we were kicked out and we went to Northern Rhodesia,which is Zambia now. So that changed my attitude because I felt that punishment was not necessary when we were kicked out and grew up in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. That is when I changed from wanting to be a pilot and joined UNIP (United National Independence Party) of Kenneth Kaunda in 1959 or 1960.

On how he became a lawyer, again President Mnangagwa said it was because of circumstances because then he had settled on becoming an economist.

Circumstances forced me to become a lawyer. I was expelled from college because we had burnt the house of one of the lecturers at the college. So we got expelled. I had become a political activist at that age and my desire was to become a soldier and indeed in 1962 I was taken by Zanu to Tanganyika, Tanzania now, from where we were sent for military training in Egypt and subsequently China and then graduated in 1964 at Nanking Military Academy, said President Mnangagwa.

That was my desire to be a soldier and I achieved that. Down the line I got arrested and I think you know the background, sentenced to death and survived because of technicalities in terms of my age at the time. The age of majority was 21 and the time when I went for foreign military training I was under 21. I was saved from being hanged but my colleagues were executed. I went to Khami Maximum Prison, Gweru, Salisbury now Harare and then lastly at Khami Maximum Prison, where I served my 10 years. I did my private studies there. I wanted to be an economist but then the subjects I chose were not available then I decided to go back to do law because I had admired the lawyer who defended me in the High Court who was a Canadian. He was so brilliant and I thought this was very nice. So I decided to become a lawyer and I started my law in prison.

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By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Facebook CEO and squillionaire Mark Zuckerberg recently announced (in a Facebook post, naturally) that Facebook will become a a privacy-focused communications platform. He writes:

As I think about the future of the internet, I believe a privacy-focused communications platform will become even more important than todays open platforms. Privacy gives people the freedom to be themselves and connect more naturally, which is why we build social networks.[1]

Since recent events  the New Zealand massacre live-streamed on Facebook, an executive exodus, a criminal probe into data sharing, and a ginormous day-long service outage[2], all in one week  have put Facebook back in the news, now seems like a good time to evaluation Zuckerbergs new direction. In this simple post, Ill ask two questions: First, can Zuckerberg be trusted? Second, can Facebook become privacy-focused, as any normal human would understand the term? Spoiler alert: No, and no.

Should Zuckerberg be Trusted?

Zuckerberg should not be trusted, for three reasons.

First, Zuckerberg either either lies or bullshits consistently and flagrantly. Hacker Noon reviewed Zuckerbergs Congressional testimony:

I watched Mark Zuckerbergs testimony to Congress this week (first to the Senate, then to the House), I was shocked by how many patently false or misleading statements he made. feel it is important to already get some of the obvious lies out there. I feel that we software engineers and machine learning experts who actually understand Facebooks technology have a duty to spread the word that Mark is either lying or he doesnt actually know what Facebook does

The article reviews four of Zuckerbergs lies, in detail, and concludes:

For those who are US citizens, I ask you to consider for a moment the gravity of the fact that the CEO of one of the worlds most powerful companies is outright lying to the Congress.

Nick Bilton, who has been covering Silicon Valley for years, writes in Vanity Fair:

Zuckerberg is seemingly oblivious to how people really feel about him. He is, without question, one of the least trusted tech executives alive today. When Satya Nadella says he is going to do something with Microsoft, people dont question his ulterior motives. When Tim Cook (or Tim Apple) says hes going to do something at Apple, people dont squint their eyes trying to see where the deceit may [lie] in his statement. Yet, with Zuckerberg, its the complete opposite. Zuckerberg could tell the world hes giving away all of his stock, selling his homes, and walking barefoot around the globe in penance for his sins, and we would all wonder if hes secretly figured out how to generate advertising money from people who walk around the globe barefoot. Facebook can pivot as many times as it wants, but the problem isnt Facebook, its Zuckerberg.

Thats hardly fair. The problem is Facebook too!

Second, Facebook the firm lies strategically. From the British House of Commons, Disinformation and fake news: Final Report (PDF):

The management structure of Facebook is opaque to those outside the business and this seemed to be designed to conceal knowledge of and responsibility for specific decisions. Facebook used the strategy of sending witnesses who they said were the most appropriate representatives, yet had not been properly briefed on crucial issues, and could not or chose not to answer many of our questions. They then promised to follow up with letters, whichunsurprisinglyfailed to address all of our questions. We are left in no doubt that this strategy was deliberate.

Theres no reason to think that the strategy of Facebooks Founder is any different.

Third, previous Zuckerberg announcements have come to nothing. Consumer Reports:

The company hasnt always delivered on past promises. In the spring of 2018, for example, Zuckerberg announced that a Clear History setting would soon allow consumers to delete data Facebook had collected off the site and from third parties. Nearly a year later, the tool hasnt appeared. Its now promised for this spring, and its still unclear exactly how it will work. Consumer Reports e-mailed Facebook for more details about the rollout of Clear History but the company has not yet responded.

(See above; no follow up is a strategy.)

Can Facebook Become Privacy-Focused?

Here is the technical core of Zuckerbergs announcement:

I believe the future of communication will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure and their messages and content won't stick around forever. This is the future I hope we will help bring about. This privacy-focused platform will be built around several principles: Private interactions. People should have simple, intimate places where they have clear control over who can communicate with them and confidence that no one else can access what they share. Encryption. People's private communications should be secure. End-to-end encryption prevents anyone  including us  from seeing what people share on our services. Reducing Permanence. People should be comfortable being themselves, and should not have to worry about what they share coming back to hurt them later. So we won't keep messages or stories around for longer than necessary to deliver the service or longer than people want them. Safety. People should expect that we will do everything we can to keep them safe on our services within the limits of what's possible in an encrypted service. Interoperability. People should be able to use any of our apps to reach their friends, and they should be able to communicate across networks easily and securely. Secure data storage. People should expect that we won't store sensitive data in countries with weak records on human rights like privacy and freedom of expression in order to protect data from being improperly accessed. Over the next few years, we plan to rebuild more of our services around these ideas.

Something, in other words, a lot like Chinas WeChat, or Japans Line. From the perspective of changing Facebooks strategy, this makes perfect sense. From Forbes:

Zuckerbergs essay is a pragmatic business decision rather than some newfound manifesto for solving Facebooks privacy problems. The writing is already on Zuckerbergs wall: the underlying market realities for social media are changing. Consider two kinds of platforms owned by Facebook, the company  the town square version, e.g. Facebook, the original social network for broadcasting widely, and the living room version, e.g. a messaging subsidiary, such as WhatsApp, which narrowcasts to a select audience. The town square is slowly but surely emptying. As a social network, Facebook, has 15 million fewer users today than in 2017. During October  December of 2018, 23% of Facebook users in the U.S. showed signs of activity, e.g. updated their status or posted a comment, as compared to 32% at the same time in 2017. In 2016, Facebook accounted for more than half of time spent on social networks, but that figure is anticipated to be 44.6% in 2019, while, for the first time, from 2018 on, it was expected that Facebook usage among the 11-24 demographic  highly coveted by advertisers  would decline. At the same time, the living room is increasingly where the action is taking place. In the third quarter of 2018, 63% of U.S. internet users shared articles and photos via messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Messenger, as compared to 55% sharing them on a town square social network. By the end of 2018, 60% of survey respondents globally (except for China) used WhatsApp, up from less than 50% two years earlier. In China, the dominant local messaging app, WeChat had 1 billion users in 2018, up from 500 million in 2014. All Zuckerberg is doing is preparing the ground to shift resources over to where the users are going.

In other words, Zuckerbergs announcement is really a product road map. This, again, makes sense, but not as a pivot to privacy. And so to the question weve posed: Can Facebook Become Privacy-Focused? And if we look at Facebook from the 30,000-foot level, from its founding until today, the answer is clearly no, because  like so many Silicon Valley companies  Facebook is based on a form of arbitrage. We can see Zuckerberg himself expressing this idea, in crude terms, way back in 2004 (and ironically enough, in chat):

Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard Zuck: Just ask. Zuck: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS [Redacted Friends Name]: What? Howd you manage that one? Zuck: People just submitted it. Zuck: I dont know why. Zuck: They trust me Zuck: Dumb fucks

Konstantin Kakaes explains in more sophisticated terms, in Technology Review: Zuckerbergs new privacy essay shows why Facebook needs to be broken up:

Facebook has minted money because it has figured out how to commoditize privacy on a scale never before seen. A diminishment of privacy is its core product. Zuckerberg has made his money by performing a sort of arbitrage between how much privacy Facebooks 2 billion users think they are giving up [dumb fucks] and how much he has been able to sell to advertisers [Just ask]. He says nothing of substance in his long essay about how he intends to keep his firm profitable in this supposed new era. Thats one reason to treat his Damascene moment with healthy skepticism.

So  as we might call it  privacy arbitrage is Facebooks business model and has been since its inception (as regulatory arbitrage is Ubers). To avoid tedious discussions about what privacy is and is not, let me give an example where privacy clearly does not exist. From Boing Boing, You cannot opt out of Facebooks surveillance network:

Even if you dont use it, Facebook is embedded across the web and in apps through ads, share buttons, tracking pixels and so forth, watching everything and everyone. Katherine Brindley set out to find how forthright the company was in its claims not to track users who engage privacy controls. Not very. I enabled a bunch of privacy settings and still felt like my Facebook/Insta ads were a little too relevant. So I faked a pregnancy by downloading the What to Expect app to see how long it would take for FB to hit me with a maternity ad. The answer? 11 hours.

The systems that tracked Katherine Brindley will not go away with Facebooks pivot. Nor will the collection of metadata generally. From the New York Times, Zuckerbergs So-Called Shift Toward Privacy:

Here are four pressing questions about privacy that Mr. Zuckerberg conspicuously did not address: Will Facebook stop collecting data about peoples browsing behavior, which it does extensively? Will it stop purchasing information from data brokers who collect or scrape vast amounts of data about billions of people, often including information related to our health and finances? Will it stop creating shadow profiles  collections of data about people who arent even on Facebook? And most important: Will it change its fundamental business model, which is based on charging advertisers to take advantage of this widespread surveillance to micro-target consumers?

The Financial Times, in Facebooks pivot must be viewed with scepticism, concludes that its unlikely that Facebook will do any of these things:

Moreover, end-to-end encryption is a red herring as far as privacy and advertisers are concerned. Facebook does not care so much about the content of private messages as their metadata, such as the location and recipients of messages. This is valuable to advertisers, allowing them to discover groups of users with similar interests. Mr Zuckerbergs post mentions metadata only once, asserting that we use this data to run our spam and safety systems, and suggesting time limits on storage. Minimising data stored is a good principle, but it is largely irrelevant for advertisers once a network of connections has been identified.

And Wired, in Zuckerbergs Privacy Manifesto Is Actually About Messaging, concludes:

The fact that your individual messages might be encrypted in transit does not, in any way, prevent Facebook The Entity from knowing who your friends are, where you go, what links you click, what apps you use, what you buy, what you pay for and where, what businesses you communicate with, what games you play, and whatever information you might have given to Facebook or Instagram in the past.

(Whatever information including Facebooks ginormous social graph, which will doubtless be thrown against the new data from the living room.[3]) Clearly, everything that happened to Katherine Brindley with Facebook as it exists today will continue to happen. Its absurd for Facebook to call this a pivot to privacy.

So think back to Facebooks fundamental business model:

[A] sort of arbitrage between how much privacy Facebooks 2 billion users think they are giving up [dumb fucks] and how much he has been able to sell to advertisers [Just ask]

What Zuckerberg is trying to do with his disingenuous announcement is keep that trade going, by making people think  again  that theyre not giving up as much privacy as they actually are, and thats all hes trying to do.

Conclusion

Should Zuckerberg be trusted? Of course not. Can Facebook Become Privacy-Focused? [hollow laughter]

NOTES

[1] Which is why we build social networks. It is? Really?

[2] For your amusement and delectation, heres a section of the Facebook Terms of Service: We cannot predict when issues might arise with our Products. Accordingly, our liability shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and under no circumstance will we be liable to you for any lost profits, revenues, information, or data, or consequential, special, indirect, exemplary, punitive, or incidental damages arising out of, or related to, Facebook Products, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. So, whatever Facebook might have been doing  its not even clear that the outage was an accident, given that it occurred across the entire Facebook family of apps and services, which Facebook could could be furiously integrating to make an antitrust-driven breakup more difficult  good luck collecting for damages, pal!

[3] Theres also no particular reason to think that the messaging encryption wont be backdoored, both for Facebooks purposes, and as a service to the intelligence community.
He couldnt hack it as a drug-sniffing dog. Now hes conservations best friend CNN. Good dog!

11-foot wall of water: One dam breaks, three counties suffer Lincoln Journal-Star

Severe Flooding Omaha to Southern Wisconsin  50s Possible Late Next Week Star Tribune. Lots of charts and maps. Here is a National Weather Service map.

Insurance Rates Seen Rising in Flood-Prone Areas With Trump Plan Bloomberg

Deutsche Bank set to announce merger talks with Commerzbank: source Reuters

BREAKING: County Board Approves Amazon Incentive Package Arlington Now

The Rapid Decline Of The Natural World Is A Crisis Even Bigger Than Climate Change HuffPo

The Toxic Consequences of Americas Plastics Boom The Nation

Brexit

The Fake News Nazi  Corbyn, Williamson And The Anti-Semitism Scandal Media Laens

Italy probes mystery death of Berlusconi sex trial witness Agence France Presse

737 Max

China

India

Syraqistan

Who Are the Private Contractors Fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan? Defense One

Venezuela

Trump Transition

Police believe New Zealand shooter may have acted alone FT

A teenager egged the Australian senator who blamed the Christchurch shooting on immigration  then got punched in the face WaPo. Now dubbed #EggBoy.

2020

Imperial Collapse Watch

Americas Global Vigilantism The American Conservative

Strategic Violence During Democratization: Evidence From Myanmar (PDF) Darin Christensen, Mai Nguyen, and Renard Sexton World Politics. Useful dynamic to know in a warring states Jackpot scenario.

Guillotine Watch

The college admissions scandal shows how US meritocracy is a sham Richard Reeves, FT. In elite circles, the idea that coveted college places can be bought, one way or another, has been normalised. And once it is known that something is for sale, perhaps it is inevitable that some will come to believe that it can then be stolen, too. Because markets.

Class Warfare

Why are millennials burned out? Capitalism. Vox. Hard to imagine a headline like this in a venue like Vox even two years ago, let alone in (say) 2008.

NASA going commercial could signal a paradigm shift for deep-space travel The Verge

Is a mission to Mars morally defensible given todays real needs? Aeon (AL).

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
(Natural News) The top-dog general in the United States Military has issued a stark warning about tech giant Google, revealing that the companys ongoing work in China is helping to bolster the communist countrys military strength.

Speaking during a recent testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Joseph Dunford, who serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained that Googles continued work in China represents a major geopolitical conflict of interest.

The work that Google is doing in China is indirectly benefiting the Chinese military, and Ive been very public on this issue as well, Gen. Dunford revealed.

We watch with great concern when industry partners work in China knowing that there is that indirect benefit, and frankly indirect may not be a full characterization of the way it really is  its more of a direct benefit to the Chinese military, he quickly clarified.

While Google remains a major private sector tech player here in the U.S. and elsewhere, the company has gotten extra cozy with the Chinese government, even as its avoided working closely with the Department of Defense (D.o.D.).

As we previously reported, Google had been working with the Pentagon on a covert artificial intelligence (A.I.) project known as Project Maven, which involved creating A.I. robots that could scan and analyze video footage, as well as developing new A.I. drones. But that partnership has since been terminated, reports indicate.

Google similarly dropped a bid with the Pentagon to develop new cloud storage technology, citing concerns that working with the D.o.D. would conflict with its principles.

The way I described it to our industry partners is: look, were the good guys and the values that we represent and the system we represent is the one that will allow and has allowed you to thrive, Gen. Dunford added during his testimony.

Is Google working with Communist China against American interests?

Gen. Dunford isnt the only one who sees some serious problems with the way Google operates abroad. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan echoed Gen. Dunfords sentiments during the same committee meeting, explaining that Google has a lack of willingness to support D.o.D. programs.

The technology that is developed in the civil world transfers to the military world, Shanahan stated about Chinas penchant for absorbing civilian technologies into its military apparatus. Its a direct pipeline.

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, had even harsher things to say about Google, chastising the tech giant for refusing to work with the Pentagon while simultaneously helping Communist China build up its military systems.

We are in a struggle with the Chinese government over whether or not theyre going to become a regional and maybe global hegemon with values very different from ours, certainly values that do not favor freedom in the world, Sen. Hawley stated.

We have an American company that does not want to do work with our defense department which is one thing, but theyre happy to help the Chinese, at least the Chinese government that is, the Chinese military, at least indirectly, I think thats just extraordinary.

Google is also embroiled in a scandal over its contributions to helping Communist China build a censored version of its search engine that meets all of the countrys standards for political correctness and speech conformity.

Though Google is now claiming that the project, known as Dragonfly, has ceased, employee whistleblowers say that Chinas censored search engine is now simply being developed by Google in secret.

For more news about how Big Tech is betraying America by colluding with enemy nations, be sure to check out Treason.news.

You can also learn more about whats really going on behind all the rhetoric at Truth.news.

Sources for this article include:

CBSLocal.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) On January 27, Muslim extremists bombed a Roman Catholic cathedral on the Philippine island of Jolo, killing some 20 people and injuring dozens of others. But you probably didnt hear about this horrific religious massacre because the perpetrators were violent Islamic terrorists that targeted Christians, which means the Leftist media pretty much completely ignored it.

Though they often go unreported, there have actually been hundreds of similar such attacks by Muslims against Christians just within the past year alone, and almost none of them were given national, let alone global, media attention. Thats because the only tragedies that ever get reported by the fake news media are those that propagate an anti-white, anti-gun, and anti-Christian narrative.

Take the most recent alleged gun massacre in New Zealand, for instance. The fake news media wont shut up about it, for one, and many of these same propaganda outlets are actually making up false narratives about the alleged shooter simply because hes a white male who supposedly went on a rampage against Muslims while they were worshiping in their mosques.

Its the perfect scenario for the Leftist media to go nuts with all sorts of crazy narratives blaming white people, conservatives, and even President Trump and his rhetoric for this evil act of violence, while also throwing in anti-Second Amendment talking points while theyre at it. But these same disinformation mouthpieces were nowhere to be found when Filipino Christians were murdered in cold blood in the name of Allah  why is that?

After all, both incidents are similar in that a religious group was targeted by deranged terrorists who openly admitted that they were out for innocent blood. The difference, however, is that in the eyes of the Left, its perfectly alright for the lives of Christians to be terminated by extremists because thats considered to be tolerance. But when Muslims are targeted, its automatically Islamophobia and racism by white people against brown people.

Muslims murder Christians and other innocents all the time, but the fake news media ignores it all

The aforementioned religious terror attack that took place in the Philippines was hardly an isolated incident, by the way. It happens all the time, all over the world  though the average person remains completely unaware of it, thanks to a perpetual mainstream media blackout designed to cover up the truth.

As of this writing, there have been 453 Islamic terror attacks in 31 different countries so far this year  and these are just the ones that have been reported. In total, just in 2019 so far, there have been a shocking 1,956 people murdered by Islamic terrorists, and another 2,019 injured, according to TheReligionOfPeace.com.

Had each of these incidents been reportedly as widely and aggressively as the most recent New Zealand attack, the general public would clearly see the threat of radical Islamic terrorism, and perhaps call for Muslims to be banned from the country much in the same way that theyre demanding guns be banned. But because such incidents are kept under wraps, theres a widespread illusion among Leftists that everything is a-okay, and that Muslims are just perfect little darlings who assimilate peacefully into Western society.

Everyday Leftists are also guilty of willfully covering up this inconvenient truth, especially as they seek to legislatively stop hate crimes and hate speech against all people groups in this country except, you guessed it: white people and Christian people.

In other words, whites and Christians are now the only unprotected members of American society who are always guilty of everything thats bad, according to Democrats, and who are never unfairly targeted or mistreated by anyone else due to their privilege. Meanwhile, Muslim terrorists are allowed to wreak havoc all across the globe in the name of diversity.

For more related news, be sure to check out Evil.news.

Sources for this article include:

BBC.com

NaturalNews.com

TheReligionOfPeace.com
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article stated that the race track was set to reopen on Mar. 22.

Santa Anita Park officials plan to reopen the horse-racing track March 29 after a deal hammered out Saturday between the track and the Thoroughbred Owners of California is approved by the California Horse Racing Board.

The arrangement includes a delay to the banning of Lasix, a diuretic that helps prevent horses from hemorrhaging, according to the Daily Racing Forum. The Lasix ban was one of several changes to Santa Anita policies announced Thursday by officials with The Stronach Group, which owns Santa Anita, as a result of the deaths of 22 horse at the famed track since Dec. 26.

But the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the California Thoroughbred Trainers -- which both support the use of Lasix -- balked at the ban, according to the DRF, and it will now begin with next year's crop of 2-year-olds. Additionally, race-day administration of Lasix will be reduced at a maximum of 50 percent of the current levels.

The deal was confirmed to City News Service by an official with the California Horse Racing Board.

Thoroughbred Daily News reported that a Friday meeting including "representatives of The Stronach Group (the track's owner) and various stakeholders" showed major disagreement on the Lasix issue.

The report quoted Alan Balch, executive director of the California Thoroughbred Trainers.

"We had a lengthy, serious and frank exchange of views on Lasix, because we believe very strongly that the administration of Lasix is in the interest of the welfare of the horse," Balch said.

The Lasix ban was one of several changes to Santa Anita policies announced Thursday by officials with The Stronach Group.

The other Santa Anita changes announced Thursday included strengthening the ban on legal therapeutic NSAIDS, joint injections, shockwave therapy and anabolic steroids; "complete transparency of all veterinary records," an increase in out-of-competition testing; an increase in time required for horses to be on-site prior to a race; limiting use of the riding crops to "corrective safety" measures; and limiting horses in training to only receive therapeutic medication with a qualified veterinary diagnosis.

The proposed phase-out of Lasix did not please People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

"California Thoroughbred owners and trainers are like Lasix addicts, but they're shooting up the horses instead of themselves," PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a written statement. "No horses outside the U.S. and Canada race with Lasix in their systems, and the owners' claim that its use must be phased out and not ended outright is transparently bogus."

"PETA is relieved that Santa Anita has finalized its ban on some of the cruelest racing practices -- including injection of joints with corticosteroids, painful shockwave therapy and whipping -- and has enacted medication rules that will end the use of Phenylbutazone 24 hours before a race and most other drugs in the week before a race, among other changes,'' Guillermo said.

"PETA will be watching very closely to see that these changes are implemented, and the public will join us in watching what happens to the horses. If one more horse dies, there will be blood on the owners' hands and hell to pay," she said.

The announced changes came hours after the most recent fatality.

Racing remains suspended at the track, with the two most recent deaths occurring during training.

On Friday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said it has assigned investigators to work with the California Horse Racing Board to determine if any criminal charges are warranted regarding the spate of deaths, a move that was called for last week by many animal-rights advocates.

Also Friday, the congresswoman whose district includes Santa Anita Park said the track should remain closed "until we know the horses are safe."

"I am outraged by the deaths at Santa Anita racetrack," Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, said in a statement. "Animals deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion, and the use of race-day medication like Lasix must stop. The U.S. is an outlier when it comes to the practice of injecting horses with this drug on race-day and we need answers on the impact of this practice at Santa Anita and throughout the country."

"I am calling on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to investigate and hold a hearing on the treatment of horses at Santa Anita and throughout our country, and to examine legislation like the Horseracing Integrity Act that would improve safety for racehorses," Chu said. "I will work with my colleagues to ensure that all animals are treated humanely and to get to the bottom of this crisis."

Responding to Chu's statement, Santa Anita Park's director of publicity, Mike Willman, noted that "medication issues were dealt with very comprehensively in the form of an open letter from our chairman and president."

"At this time, we will not be elaborating on this statement but are hopeful Congresswoman Chu will take these groundbreaking protocols into account as she reviews this entire situation," Willman wrote in an e-mail.

Between December and February of the previous year, 10 horses died at Santa Anita, compared with eight in 2016-17 and 14 in 2015-16.

The track averaged about 50 deaths per year from 2008-18, according to data from the CHRB.

The unusually large amount of rain that has fallen over the Southland this winter has been mentioned as a possible factor in explaining the surge in deaths.

Former track superintendent Dennis Moore and Mick Peterson of Racing Services Testing Lab were brought in to conduct a thorough analysis of the main track, and officials repeatedly said they found no problems.

The issue is on the agenda for the next public meeting of the California Horse Racing Board that was moved to March 28 in northern California to allow for the required 10-day public notice.
The principal of Pittsburg Unified School District's adult education program is clinging to life after being shot by his wife during a domestic dispute early Saturday, according to authorities.

The shooting victim was identified Sunday by police and the school district as 45-year-old Paul Shatswell. He is listed in critical condition and on life support.

Shatswell's wife, Maria Vides, has been booked into County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, police said. She allegedly shot him with a handgun around 1:20 a.m. Saturday in their home on Barrie Drive in Pittsburg.

Michael Bazinet, a childhood friend, said he was supposed to have dinner with the couple Friday night, but plans fell through.

"I came back at 7 in the morning and saw the crime scene tape," Bazinet said. "I sped to the hospital, and it was more horrible than I imagined."

Shatswell is the father of eight children ranging in age from 5 to 29, according to the school district. He previously served as a reserve deputy sheriff for Contra Costa County, along with roles in finance, counseling and educational administration.

"Along with being our adult education principal, Paul was born and raised in Pittsburg, and his children attended, and attend, our schools," school district Superintendent Janet Schulze said Sunday in a social media post. "His impact is wide across our Pittsburg community. Along with the shock and grief, there will be many memories of his love of music, friends, family, Pittsburg, and his passion for education."

Schulze said additional counselors will be on hand at the Pittsburg Adult Education Center on Monday, as well as at the schools his youngest children attend. Staff meetings will be held at the Adult Education Center at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday.

Anyone with additional information about the shooting is asked to contact police Detective Jacob Stage at (925) 252-6972.
South Bay guidance counselors say getting into college will be under close scrutiny this year thanks to the cheating scandal that exposed wealthy families and their alleged paid bribes to get their kids into top schools.

A college seminar was held in Cupertino, California, Saturday where guidance counselors began changing the way they advise college hopefuls.

"I think colleges are almost perhaps over-compensating now this year and probably next year too to make sure they appear fair and balanced in their admissions," said Amy Brennen from Insight Education, a college admissions agency.

Counselors at the seminar advised students to apply to several colleges, take entrance exams early, pick extracurricular activities wisely and to be authentic on their personal statement essays.

"Every year we have families asking if we'll write their student's essays for them," Brennen said. "We have parents trying to inflate student's activities and we're seeing the hammer coming down."

Parents and counselors are not the only ones worried about preparing for college. Students are also concerned about whether their fellow classmates will be accepted because of merit or wealth.

"There will be a lot more questions about whether kids are getting in for the right reasons and if its mostly just privilege at play or if they deserve the spot that they're getting," student Aashrita Natesan said.
Southwest Airlines is officially shuttling travelers from the contiguous United States to Hawaii.

The low-cost carrier on Sunday celebrated its first-ever commercial flight from the mainland to the nation's 50th state. Flight 6808 departed Oakland International Airport for Honolulu at 11:26 a.m., according to the airline.

Hula dancers, a traditional Hawaiian blessing and a ceremonial water arch were scheduled to help send off the plane on its roughly 2,400 mile journey across the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Oakland International Airport is the first mainland airport that Southwest is using to fly passengers nonstop to the islands. Southwest also plans to fly to the islands from three other California cities  San Jose, Sacramento and San Diego  in the future.
Thousands of people paid tribute Sunday at makeshift memorials to the 50 people slain by a gunman at two mosques in Christchurch, while dozens of Muslims stood by to bury the dead when authorities finally release the victims' bodies.

Hundreds of flowers were piled up amid candles, balloons and notes of grief and love outside the Al Noor mosque and the city's botanic gardens. As a light rain fell, people clutched each other and wept quietly.

"We wish we knew your name to write upon your heart. We wish we knew your favorite song, what makes you smile, what makes you cry," read one of the tributes, which contained cut-out paper hearts under a nearby tree. "We made a heart for you. 50 hearts for 50 lives."

Two days after Friday's attack, New Zealand's deadliest shooting in modern history, relatives were still waiting for authorities to release the bodies. Islamic law calls for bodies to be cleansed and buried as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours.

Supporters arrived from across the country to help with the burials in Christchurch. Authorities sent in backhoes to dig graves at a site that was newly fenced off and blocked from view with white netting.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities hoped to release all the bodies by Wednesday, and Police Commissioner Mike Bush said authorities were working with pathologists and coroners to complete the task as soon as they could.

"We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen," Bush added. "But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible."

Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some who were waiting for any news.

The suspect in the shootings, 28-year-old white supremacist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb, and showed no emotion when the judge read one murder charge and said more would likely follow.

Tarrant had posted a jumbled 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto online before the attacks and apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the slaughter.

Facebook said it removed 1.5 million videos of the shootings during the first 24 hours after the massacre.

The revelation in a late Saturday tweet provided a chilling snapshot of how quickly provocative  and often disturbing  images circulate on the internet.

Ardern said the gunman had sent the manifesto to her office email about nine minutes before the attacks, although she hadn't gotten the email directly herself. She said her office was one of about 30 recipients and had forwarded the email to parliamentary security within a couple of minutes of receiving it.

Bush said at a news conference that another body had been found at Al Noor mosque as they finished removing the victims, bringing the number of people killed there to 42. Another seven people were killed at Linwood mosque and one more person died later at Christchurch Hospital.

Thirty-four wounded remained at the hospital, where officials said 12 were in critical condition. A 4-year-old girl at a children's hospital in Auckland was also listed as critical.

Stunned Christchurch residents trying to make sense of the tragedy tied large messages of support to the fence of the botanical gardens where flowers were piling up.

"We are a nation who will never accept acts like this!!!," said a poster-sized message decorated with hearts. "We stand with the Muslim community. We will always fight for the safety of our community. We will always stand as one."

Some people sang tributes and others prayed as camera crews from around the world filmed the moving scenes.

"We are supposed to be a safe place to go about your business and regardless of what your faith is no one should've had to go through what we went through on Friday," city resident Russell Falcome-Price said.

Dozens of Muslim supporters gathered at a center set up for victims, families and friends across the road from the hospital, where many had flown in from around New Zealand to offer support. About two dozen men received instructions on their duties Sunday, which included Muslim burial customs.

Abdul Hakim, 56, of Auckland, was among many who had flown in to help.

"As soon as people die, we must bury them as soon as possible," Hakim said. "We are all here to help them in washing the body, putting them in the grave."

Javed Dadabhai, who flew from Auckland after learning about the death of his 35-year-old cousin, Junaid Mortara, said the Muslim community was being patient.

"The family understands that it's a crime scene. It's going to be a criminal charge against the guy who's done this, so they need to be pretty thorough," he said.

Still, it was hard, he said, because the grieving process wouldn't really begin until he could bury his cousin.

People across the country were still trying to come to terms with the massacre that Ardern described as "one of New Zealand's darkest days."

At the Vatican, Pope Francis offered prayers for "our Muslim brothers" killed in the attack. At his traditional Sunday prayer, Francis renewed "an invitation to unite in prayer and gestures of peace to oppose hatred and violence."

The gunman livestreamed 17 minutes of the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where he sprayed worshippers with bullets. Facebook, Twitter and Google scrambled to take down the video, which was widely available on social media for hours after the bloodbath.

The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away.

Ardern has said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who legally bought the five guns he used.

At a news conference, the prime minister reiterated her promise that there will be changes to the country's gun laws. She said her Cabinet will discuss the policy details Monday.

Arden used some of her strongest language yet about gun control, saying that laws need to change and "they will change."

Neighboring Australia has virtually banned semi-automatic rifles from private ownership since a lone gunman killed 35 people with assault rifles in 1996.

Before Friday's attack, New Zealand's deadliest shooting in modern history took place in 1990 in the small town of Aramoana, where a gunman killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbor.

___

Associated Press writers Kristen Gelineau and Stephen Wright in Christchurch, and Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed.
Preet Bharara, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, explained in an interview Sunday with CBS's "Face the Nation" why he thinks his old office might be a bigger threat to President Donald Trump than special counsel Robert Mueller is, NBC News reports.

Promoting his new book, "Doing Justice," Bharara said that Manhattan federal prosecutors are unencumbered by the restraints put on Mueller, saying the office "doesn't have the same circumscription on its ambit that the special counsel does."

"The special counsel was appointed under a particular regulation and was supposed to look at only things relating to interference in the election and 'collusion' with Russians in connection with the election and anything arising from it, one of which was obstruction," he said.

It was investigators in the Southern District of New York who prosecuted Trump's former longtime attorney Michael Cohen for a litany of crimes. The office is currently probing the Trump Organization and Trump's inaugural committee, and Cohen said in public testimony on Capitol Hill last month that he was still providing those prosecutors with assistance in their various investigations.
President Donald Trump's first congressional veto was more than a milestone: It signals a new era of ever more fraught relations between the two ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Trump's legislative agenda was stymied even before his party lost unified control of Washington at the start of the year and he has grown increasingly frustrated by his dealings with Congress, believing little of substance will get done by the end of his first term and feeling just as pessimistic about the second, according to White House aides, campaign staffers and outside allies.

Republicans in Congress, for their part, are demonstrating new willingness to part ways with the president. On the Senate vote Thursday rejecting the president's national emergency declaration to get border wall funding, 12 senators defected and joined Democrats in voting against Trump.

The GOP-led Senate's 59-41 vote against Trump's declaration was just the latest blow as tensions flare on multiple fronts.

Trump tweeted one word after the vote: "VETO!" And he eagerly flexed that muscle on Friday for the first time, hoping to demonstrate resolve on fulfilling his signature 2016 campaign pledge.

Leading up to Thursday's dramatic vote of rebuke, Republican senators had repeatedly agitated for compromise deals that would give them political cover to support Trump despite their concerns that he was improperly circumventing Congress. But the president was never convinced that any of the proposals ensured the resolution would be defeated, said a White House official who demanded anonymity to discuss internal thinking.

A last-ditch trip to the White House by a group of senators Wednesday night only irritated Trump, who felt they were offering little in the way of new solutions.

As the vote neared, Trump repeatedly made clear that it was about party fealty and border security and suggested that voting against him could be perilous.

"It's going to be a great election issue," he predicted.

Looking past the veto, Trump's plans for future collaboration with Congress appear limited. With the exception of pushing for approval of Trump's trade deal with Mexico and Canada, the president and his allies see little benefit for Trump in investing more political capital on Capitol Hill. Trump ran against Washington in 2016, and they fully expect him to do so again.

Instead, the president  who once declared that "I alone can fix it" before getting hamstrung by the morass in Washington  is exploring opportunities to pursue executive action to work around lawmakers as he did with his emergency declaration on the border wall. He is directing aides to find other areas where he can act  or at least be perceived as acting  without Congress, including infrastructure and reducing drug prices.

Trump made his intentions clear recently as he assessed that Democrats would rather investigate him than cooperate on policy, declaring: "Basically, they've started the campaign. So the campaign begins."

His dealings with Congress were inconsistent even when Republicans controlled both chambers, and he has made few overtures to Democrats since they won control of the House.

Trump initially predicted he could work across the aisle, but that sentiment cooled after the bitter government shutdown fight and in the face of mounting investigations. His frustrations underscore the difficulty the Washington neophyte and former business executive has had with the laborious process of lawmaking, and the challenges yet to come.

The White House argues there are still opportunities for collaboration, listing the ratification of Trump's renegotiated North American free trade agreement, known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, as his top legislative priority for the coming two years. But passage is anything but assured.

Trump's ire has been directed at both parties for some time, aides said. He was upset with the Republicans' performance during the recent congressional hearing featuring his former fixer Michael Cohen, telling allies that he was not impressed with their questioning.

Trump's budget proposal this past week was viewed as a shot at Democrats, with its proposals to increase funding for the border wall and cut to social safety net programs. The plan, which had little in the way of new or bipartisan ideas, was declared dead on arrival by Democratic House leaders.

Further stoking tensions, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to address an upcoming joint meeting of Congress, in what was widely seen as a rebuke of Trump's criticism of the trans-Atlantic alliance. The invitation was backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and followed votes earlier this year in which Republicans voiced opposition to Trump's plans to draw down U.S. troops in Syria and Afghanistan.

Presidential complaints about Congress  and efforts to find a work-around  are nothing new.

Former President Barack Obama in 2014 deployed what became known as his "pen and phone" strategy.

"I've got a pen to take executive actions where Congress won't, and I've got a telephone to rally folks around the country on this mission," he said.

Obama's strategy yielded years of executive orders and regulatory action  but many proved ephemeral when Trump took office and started deconstructing them.
What to Know The Arlington County Board approved unanimously Saturday a multimillion-dollar incentives package for Amazon

The company has announced plans to build a massive campus and bring more than 35,000 jobs to Arlington County

Opponents say the company doesn't need county funds and will cause housing prices to balloon in the area

After a meeting punctuated by angry audience outbursts, the Arlington County Board voted up a multimillion-dollar incentives package for Amazon, which has announced plans to build its second headquarters in Crystal City, Virginia.

The 5-0 vote on Saturday came after an extensive public comment period in which more than 100 people signed up to speak, including several community opponents to Amazon's arrival.

The tense public meeting featured heated back-and-forths between board and community members. As board members announced their "yes" votes, people in the audience shouted "shame."

Prior to this, Arlington County Board Chair recessed meeting after protestors started chanting. Chairman allowed @amazon reps to leave hearing room via rear door behind dais thus avoiding public. Amazon reps never returned. https://t.co/Ps5p8Wbozl  Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) March 16, 2019

Under the proposed package, Amazon could receive a direct payout estimated to be worth $23 million directly from the county and benefit from $458 million in transportation, housing and infrastructure spending over a 10-15 year period.

The direct incentives will come from a hotel tax called the Transient Occupancy Tax. Arlington County expects to see more money flood in from that tax as business travelers come to the Amazon campus and would give Amazon up to 15 percent of revenue over 15 years.

The county's taxpayers will pay for some of the infrastructure investments, and grants will cover more, under the proposal.

Business leaders including the local Chamber of Commerce support the package, saying the economic benefits far outweigh the money spent to lure Amazon. Arlington County expects a $342 million revenue boost over 16 years, mostly from property taxes.

The state of Virginia has already approved a $750 million incentives package for the company.

Opponents are concerned that Amazons second headquarters will cause housing prices to balloon, forcing out residents. A coalition of unions, progressive groups, racial justice advocates and environmentalists also take issue with the companys anti-union moves and partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a letter signed by thirty organizations.

County documents say much of the package is contingent on the tech company fulfilling promises, including:

Create up to 37,850 jobs to the county with an average wage of $150,000 a year plus benefits.

Spend $2.5 billion in capital investments in the county (Such as building out office space)

Occupy 6,000,000 square feet of office space from 2019 to 2034

County Manager Mark Schwartz recommended the board approve the plan and the five-member body is expected to follow that recommendation.

The board meeting on Saturday featured heated commentary from community members, including some outbursts that interrupted the board's deliberations and led to at least two recesses.

Some community members who spoke against the proposal said that board members did not understand the fear Amazon's arrival poses for low-income and immigrant communities.

"This vote today is about racial justice," Danny Cendejas, a member of the La ColectiVA advocacy group, said. "We have been talking to folks in communities of color, immigrant communities. We have been hearing consistently the concerns about gentrification."

Other speakers noted Amazon's relationship with ICE as a reason not to endorse the incentives.

Board Chair Christian Dorsey acknowledged concerns with Amazon's relationship with ICE but said that frustrations with immigration policies should be directed to the federal government, not Amazon.

Board members also praised the work by county officials who won the bid to bring Amazon to Northern Virginia.

Board Vice Chair Libby Garvey said she is excited for the future of Arlington with Amazon.

"Arlington has done a lot of changing in the 40 plus years I have been here and we are ready for this change," Garvey said. "We've planned for this growth, we've planned for these jobs, but we did not expect to get so much of this in one agreement."

And County Board member Erik Gutshall said Amazon's arrival has helped to revitalize community-driven activism.

"Arlington's story has long been rooted in excellent citizen-driven planning," Gutshall said. "Now it's this board's opportunity to define the future of our wonderful little county."

Still, all board members acknowledged that the county must redouble its efforts to secure more affordable housing, investments in education and infrastructure and managed economic growth.

"You don't deal with affordability by keeping people out. You deal with affordability by growing the supply," Dorsey said. "The work now truly begins."

After heated opposition from residents and lawmakers, Amazon dropped a plan to open another massive campus in New York City. So far, the company has found Virginia more welcoming.
Flooding caused by heavy rain and snowmelt is blamed for two deaths in the Midwest, and two others are missing.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes in Nebraska and Iowa as levees succumbed to the rush of water. Flooding has also been reported in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Authorities were using boats and large vehicles on Saturday to rescue and evacuate residents in parts of the Midwest. The scramble to move people out of harm's way was expected to subside going into the new week, as rivers and creeks in flooded eastern Nebraska and western Iowa were expected to crest Saturday and Sunday. That left officials downstream looking to prepare for likely flooding.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson had already met with emergency management team members Friday to review and update flood-response plans, and the Missouri Highway Patrol was preparing additional equipment and putting swift water rescue personnel on standby. The Missouri National Guard also temporarily relocated the 139th Airlift Wing's C-130s from Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph as a precaution.

The National Weather Service said the Missouri River at St. Joseph reached nearly 26 feet on Saturday, about a foot below what's considered major flooding at the northwest Missouri city. But it's expected to crest Wednesday or Thursday at 29.3 feet  more than two feet above major flooding level.

Evacuation efforts in eastern Nebraska and some spots in western Iowa on Saturday were hampered by reports of levee breaches and washouts of bridges and roads, including part of Nebraska Highway 92, leading in and out of southwest Omaha. Authorities confirmed that a bridge on that highway that crosses the Elkhorn River had been washed out Saturday. In Fremont, west of Omaha, the Dodge County Sheriff's Office issued a mandatory evacuation for some residents after floodwaters broke through a levee along the Platte River. And in Mills County, Iowa, authorities ordered people in some rural areas to evacuate after the Missouri River overtopped levees.

The flooding followed days of snow and rain  record-setting, in some places  that swept through the West and Midwest. The deluge pushed some waterways, including the Missouri River, to record levels in Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota. The flooding was the worst in nearly a decade in places.

The family of farmer James Wilke, 50, of Columbus, Nebraska, said he was killed Thursday when a bridge collapsed as he was using his tractor to try to reach stranded motorists on Thursday. His body was found downstream, his cousin Paul Wilke told the Columbus Telegram. Gass Haney Funeral Home confirmed James Wilke's death.

Authorities say 52-year-old Aleido Rojas Galan of Norfolk, Nebraska, died Friday night in southwestern Iowa. Officials say Galan and two others were in a vehicle that drove around a barricade and was swept away. The other two men survived.

Officials said a Norfolk man was seen on top of his flooded car late Thursday before being swept away in the water and another man was swept away by waters when a dam collapsed on the Niobrara River.

Officials in Sarpy County, south of Omaha, said Saturday that power may be shut off to communities along the Missouri, Platte and Elkhorn rivers for safety reasons. They warned those who choose to ignore calls to evacuate that rescues would be attempted only during daylight hours. Some cities and towns, such as North Bend on the banks of the Platte River, were submerged. Others, such as Waterloo and Fremont, were surrounded by floodwaters, stranding residents in virtual islands with no access in or out.

"There is no way out of here unless you've got a helicopter  or a boat," the Rev. Mike Bitter, pastor of Christian Church of Waterloo, told the Omaha World-Herald.

Officials in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska were urging people not to drive unless necessary. In Iowa, a section of northbound Interstate 29 that runs parallel to the Missouri River was closed due to flooding. Authorities were rerouting motorists at Kansas City, Missouri, using a detour that took people almost 140 miles out of the way.

Farther east, the Mississippi River saw moderate flooding in Illinois from Rock Island south to Gladstone. Meteorologist Brian Pierce with the National Weather Service's Quad Cities office in Davenport, Iowa, said flooding on the Mississippi could get worse a few weeks as more snow melts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

"What we're having now is the dress rehearsal for the main event that's going to happen in early April," he said of the flooding on the Mississippi.

Rising waters along the Pecatonica and Rock rivers flooded some homes in the northern Illinois cities of Freeport, Rockford and Machesney Park. The National Weather Service said record crests were possible along the rivers, with water levels forecast to continue to rise over the next several days and remain above flood stage through most of the weekend.

Freeport resident Mary Martin told the (Freeport) Journal-Standard that she went to the store to get milk and bread when she saw floodwaters were rising Friday.

"Within an hour of going to the store, I could not get back in. That's how fast the water was coming up," Martin said.
Local faith and state leaders will unite against hate at a Berlin mosque on Sunday. Organizers said it's a call for the protection of all places of worship.

State Senator Saud Anwar from South Windsor announced the gathering on Saturday.

He said that this is a time where the community must stand together in response to these tragic events. Not only what happened in New Zealand on Friday, but also after attacks at a synagogue in Pittsburgh last year and a Quebec City mosque in 2017, among others.

Senator Anwar will join Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and President of the Islamic Association of Greater Hartford Reza Mansoor.

Mansoor believes people need to come together during times of tragedy and hate.

"We have to do everything in our power to live this American dream of a different faith, of a different color, of all these different tapestry of faiths coming together and making this nation better," he said.

The vigil will take place at 4 p.m. and is open to the public.
Approximately 320 prizes and scholarships were awarded to students from across the state at the 71st annual Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair.

These scholarships and awards amounted to $225,000, a spokesperson said.

The fair took place at Quinnipiac University on Saturday.

Top student projects are headed to the 2019 Intel International Science & Engineering Fair held May 12 to 17 in Phoenix, Arizona.

For a list of all the winners, click here.
Even though St. Patricks Day isnt until a week from Sunday, both Hartford and New Haven are preparing to host their annual parades this weekend.

"Its an opportunity to spread the holiday over two weeks," said Jim Moriarty, spokesperson for the Greater Hartford St. Patricks Day Parade. "It provides the downtown businesses an additional weekend to access the holiday by having the parade tomorrow."

Bars are looking forward to big business on parade day with thousands are expected to turn out for the annual event.

Bushnell Park is still covered in snow, but Saturdays forecast looked good for a parade.

"Were hearing 45 degrees and sun, and you cant do much better than that in March so were very grateful for that," Moriarty told NBC Connecticut.

The parade in Hartford is a decades-old tradition celebrating Irish culture, but new this year will be a performance from entertainers in colorful costumes.

"Were actually bringing in a Mummers group out of Philadelphia, out of that mummers tradition with their fantastic outfits and their signature strut," Moriarty said.

Hartford Police wanted the hundreds of parade-goers to celebrate responsibly.

"Ill take this opportunity to remind everybody that public alcohol consumption is unlawful in the city of Hartford," Lt. Paul Cicero said.

Police also encouraged parade-goers who plan to drink to order an Uber or call a cab.

On Sunday, it will be New Havens turn to host what organizers say is the largest single-day spectator event in the state.

With the Trinity Bar on Orange Street still closed after the September 2017 fire, "currently we are the only true Irish pub in New Haven," said Conor OKeefe, the general manager at Christys.

"This is actually my 10th parade day working in New Haven, this year I get to actually instead of bartending I get to lead my team," he said.

While the Sunday morning forecast has snow and rain, OKeefe said he is not concerned about that impacting turnout.

"Thats the Irish mentality were going to do it," he said, "doesnt matter what the weather is, the parade will always go on."

Moriarty said it is significant to have Saturdays parade in Hartford where many Irish Americans ancestors got their start.

"Its an opportunity for us to demonstrate our pride in our heritage, to recognize the contributions Irish and Irish Americans have made here in Connecticut and across the country," he said.

The Hartford Parade will stepped off at 11 a.m. at the State Capitol and ended at the Memorial Arch. Roads closed for the parade reopened at 3:30 p.m.

New Havens parade starts Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Chapel Street and Sherman Avenue and it ends on Grove Street at Orange Street.
To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories, each Saturday and Sunday we'll revisit 5 stories from the previous week, including the most recent updates.

Flights Grounded

The FAA ordered all Boeing 737 Max 8 & 9 aircraft grounded, joining the rest of the world, which had already banned the planes from flying. The FAA said it made the decision as it learned more about the crash in Ethiopia involving one of the planes. The crash was similar to that of a 737 Max 8 in Indonesia in October. The order caused some delays and rescheduling for passengers flying Southwest, American, and United, all of which use the 737 Max 8 & 9 their fleets. See more on the grounding of the Boeing planes here.

Mosque Massacre

A gunman shot and killed 49 worshippers inside two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday. A 28-year-old man was arrested and charged with murder and several others were detained. Police did not say what the others' connections were to the crime. The death toll rose to 50 on Saturday, according to New Zealand Police. Read more about what the prime minister called "one of New Zealand's darkest days."

President Trump Fan Passes

The West Haven man with cystic fibrosis who received a call from President Trump died on Tuesday night. Jay Barrett, 44, was a big fan of the president and had hoped to meet him before he died. After a social media campaign started by Barrett's sister, President Trump called Barrett on March 5. For more on Barrett's call with the president, click here.

Don't Get Scammed

The Better Business Bureau has released its annual report on the riskiest scams nationwide. Employment scams were deemed the riskiest because of the type of information that can be compromised. See what other scams made the list here.

The Better Business Bureau is providing information on the riskiest scams across the country.

Reunited With Her Rings

A Massachusetts woman who lost her wedding rings at a rest stop on I-95 in Branford last month has her rings again, thanks to a Connecticut state trooper. The woman lost the rings when she got out of her car at the rest stop to use the bathroom. After a state trooper saw the couple's story, he searched through surveillance video from the rest stop and found the moment someone picked up the rings from the pavement. See how the trooper then located the rings and was able to return them to the couple here.

A Massachusetts woman is feeling thankful after a stranger helped her recover her missing wedding rings.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy is scheduled to travel overseas to talk with officials in England, Ireland and Northern Ireland about how Brexit will affect relations between the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Connecticut Democrat is set to leave on a trip for London, Belfast and Dublin on Tuesday, 10 days before the deadline for the U.K. to leave the European Union.

Parliament has voted to postpone Brexit to avert a chaotic U.K. departure after twice rejecting Prime Minister Theresa May's proposed withdrawal agreement. British lawmakers are asking the E.U. to delay the exit.

Murphy is concerned Brexit would weaken both the U.K. and E.U. He's calling for strong U.S. alliances with Europe to counter China's growing economy and prevent China from dictating economic terms around the world.
A mother who is accused of taking her three children during a supervised visit in Waterbury last month, prompting Silver Alerts in Connecticut and Amber Alerts in Texas, was captured in Mexico and the children have been found safe.

Police said the children's mother, 29-year-old Crystal McGrath, was allowed supervised visits with her three children, but violated the conditions of the supervised visitation when she left a McDonald's restaurant on Reidville Drive in Waterbury with her children on Feb. 16 and Crystal's boyfriend, 38-year-old Lester Joy, was driving the vehicle at the time. During a news conference Monday, police said Joy is known to police and on the sex-offender registry.

Police said they were notified around 12:30 p.m. that day that McGrath had left a visit monitored by the state Department of Children and Families and took her children.

A Silver Alert was issued in Connecticut and police said they had information on Feb. 17 that the car might be in Florida and investigators learned that McGraths mother lives there. When they spoke with her, they learned McGrath, Joy and the children were not there.

Amber Alerts were issued in Texas for McGraths three children on Feb. 23. Then, three days later, United States Marshals learned that they were likely in Mexico.

On March 9, marshals found the couple and the children safe in Mexico, police said during a news conference. On March 12, McGrath and Joy were brought back to the United States. Both Crystal and Joy remain in custody and are being held at the Denton County Sheriff's Office in Denton, Texas. They each face charges of risk of injury and custodial interference.

Police believe that McGrath, Joy and the children entered Mexico by car.

Before being brought back to Connecticut, the children were housed at an immigration facility that police said was suitable for children and arrangements were made to bring the children back to the U.S.

The grandmother who lives in Delaware and has custody of the children flew to Mexico with staff from DCF to get the children and 2-year-old Maryah Matthew, 5-year-old Dylan McGrath and 7-year-old Maddison McGrath were brought back to Connecticut and taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

Crystal and Joy are pending extradition back to Connecticut, according to Waterbury Police.

DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes released a statement about the incident on Monday. The entire statement is below:

"First and foremost, we are extremely grateful for the safe return of the children. This positive conclusion results from the joint collaborative efforts of the Waterbury Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Office and the State Department.

This serious incident has led DCF staff to assess the circumstances of our work with families as well as the safety and well-being of children. Our internal review entails multiple divisions within our Department including an active human resources investigation.

We again want to thank law enforcement and members of the community for diligently working together to safely bring the children back to Connecticut."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Two senatorial aspirants on Sunday called for the reimposition of the death penalty for errant police officers and corrupt government officials.

Former Biliran Representative Glenn Chong said he is for the death penalty for heinous crimes. He also said public officers and persons in authority have to face capital punishment for their crimes, citing the killing of his former aide Richard Santillan as basis for his stand.

"Hindi ko talaga mapatawad ang mga pulis na gumawa nito kay Richard Santillan. The fact that they tortured him mercilessly, they deserve the death penalty. Kahit pa heneral ka, colonel ka," he said during CNN Philippines' senatorial forum.

[Translation: I cannot forgive the policemen who did this to Richard Santillan. The fact that they tortured him mercilessly, they deserve the death penalty. Even if you're a general or a colonel.

Santillan was killed in an alleged shooutout with the police on December 2018. Police said the former aide was involved in the illegal drug trade, but Chong believes the operation was politically-motivated, insisting he was the target of the police operation.

Toti Casino, Chong's partymate under the Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino, said plunderers should face the death penalty for stealing the country's funds.

"If you want to fight corruption, sampolan mo ang mga plunderers. Itong mga senador na ninakawan ang kaban ng bayan, sila dapat ang mabitay at malaman na tayo ay seryoso," he said.

[Translation: If you want to fight corruption, make an example out of plunderers. These senators who stole from the national treasury, they should be sentenced to death to know that we are serious.]

Meanhwhile, senatorial hopeful Lawin Arellano said there is no proof that death penalty deters criminals from committing heinous crimes. He added that most of these crimes are related to poverty, saying the government must focus on eradicating poverty. He also said death penalty does not solve the root of the problem.

"We have to value life. Hindi mo na mare-rehabilitate kung pinatay mo na [You cannot rehabilitate if you already killed] with the use of state power," he said.

Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi bet Richard Alfajora said justice reform is necessary, not the reimposition of the death penalty.

There are at least eight bills pending in the Senate which seek to bring back death penalty, including those filed by Sotto and Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Sherwin Gatchalian and Manny Pacquiao.

Lawmakers and President Rodrigo Duterte see death penalty as a deterrent to crimes, but the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has said that capital punishment does not lower crime rates.

The 1987 Constitution abolished the death penalty but allowed Congress to bring it back for heinous crimes. It was brought back under the administration of President Fidel Ramos and abolished again under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III earlier urged voters to elect senatorial candidates who favor capital punishment following the brutal slay of Cebu teen Christine Silawan.
Preliminary information from the flight data recorder of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed a week ago and killed 157 people shows "clear similarities" with an earlier disaster involving the same kind of Boeing aircraft in Indonesia, Ethiopia's transport minister said Sunday.

The disclosure came as thousands marched in the capital of Addis Ababa, accompanying 17 empty caskets at a funeral for the Ethiopian victims of Flight 302. The caskets were empty because authorities have said that recovering and identifying the remains will take months.

The crash of Ethiopian Flight 302 on March 10 and that of a Lion Air plane in Indonesia in October  both of them Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliners  have prompted the United States and other countries to ground the aircraft.

The flight recorders from Flight 302 that went down shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa for Nairobi were recovered "in a good condition that enabled us to extract almost all the data inside," Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told reporters.

Information collected so far from the flight data recorder has indicated "clear similarities" between both crashes, she said. Both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder were sent to Paris for analysis by the French air accident investigation agency BEA.

Moges did not elaborate on what the similarities were.

Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in response to the report from Ethiopia's transport minister that the company "continues to support the investigation, and is working with the authorities to evaluate new information as it becomes available."

Muilenburg expressed sympathies for the families affect by the crash and noted that the company was finalizing its development of a "previously-announced software update and pilot training revision" for the

Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in response to Moges' comments that the company "continues to support the investigation, and is working with the authorities to evaluate new information as it becomes available."

He expressed sympathies for the families affected by the crash and noted that the company was finalizing its development of a "previously-announced software update and pilot training revision" for the 737 Max 8 jetliners.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration already has said satellite-based tracking data showed that the movements of Flight 302 were similar to those of Lion Air Flight 610, which crashed off Indonesia, killing 189 people.

Both planes flew with erratic altitude changes that could indicate the pilots struggled to control the aircraft. Shortly after their takeoffs, both crews tried to return to the airports but crashed.

Suspicions emerged that faulty sensors and software may have contributed to the crashes.

Moges said the Ethiopian government intends to release detailed findings within a month.

At the memorial service earlier in the day, some of the relatives who marched behind the flag-draped coffins were overcome with grief and fainted.

The service came one day after officials began delivering bags of scorched earth from the crash site to family members of the victims because of the problems with identifying the remains.

Family members said they were given a 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) sack of dirt from the crash site. Many relatives already have gone to the dusty field outside Addis Ababa where the plane went down to pay their respects.

Mourner Elias Bilew said he had worked with one of the victims, Sintayehu Shafi, for the past eight years.

"He was such a good person," Bilew said. "He doesn't deserve this. He was the pillar for his whole family."

Associated Press writer Angela Charlton contributed.
Family and friends said their goodbyes to a beloved pastor, his wife and daughter at a funeral service at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas Saturday.

Eugene Keahey was the pastor at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Sandbranch. The funeral was a joint service for him, his wife Deanna and 15-year-old daughter Camryn, who all died in a house fire in Cedar Hill Feb. 28.

Before moving to Mount Zion, Keahey served at Antioch Missionary, where the service was held.

"If you have ever heard of the saying, 'God broke the mold when he made this one,' I'm sure you would agree that our pastor is a genuine example of that expression," one of the speakers at the funeral said.

Police said the cause of the fire was suspicious and that they were still investigating it as a criminal matter.
A large fire at a Houston-area petrochemicals terminal will likely burn for another two days, authorities said Monday, noting that air quality around the facility was testing within normal guidelines.

The fire erupted Sunday at Intercontinental Terminals Company in Deer Park, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Houston. Firefighters were working to control the blaze, nd the company said the risk of explosion remained "minimal."

ITC has said all employees have been accounted for and no injuries have been reported. A huge plume of smoke could be seen for miles, including from the Galveston Ferry, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) southeast of the blaze. Officials estimated the plume rose 3,000 feet (914 meters) to 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) into the air.

The company said the fire spread to seven storage tanks holding components of gasoline and also used in nail polish remover, glues and paint thinner. ITC initially said the fire had spread to eight tanks , but company official David Wascome scaled back the number Monday, saying one of the tanks was empty.

Monday afternoon, ITC spokeswoman Alice Richardson said fire crews had made progress battling the blaze as three of the tanks were now only intermittently on fire.

A report done by the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, a local environmental consultant hired by ITC, shows the air quality around the facility was below levels that would represent a health concern, Richardson said. Data for the company's report was collected from multiple locations in Deer Park and in surrounding communities from Sunday through Monday morning.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Monday the county is performing its own monitoring of air quality and reviewing data from the state.

"The latest information available doesn't show levels beyond a threshold that would make this dangerous," she said.

Hidalgo, the highest elected official in the county, said if conditions change, residents would be alerted about any potential health hazards.

A shelter-in-place order was issued Sunday for Deer Park, which has about 34,000 residents.

The order was lifted early Monday after air-quality tests showed no unsafe levels of chemicals, according to the city.

But city and county officials warned that smoke from the fire could cause skin and eye irritation, and respiratory issues. Schools in the area were closed Monday as a precaution. Deer Park and the school district in neighboring La Porte planned to resume classes on Tuesday.

Isaias Lopez's grandson stayed home after classes in La Porte were canceled. The two walked his dog at a park on Monday and looked at the dark plume of smoke coming from the fire.

"I've seen the smoke since yesterday," Lopez said. "It's been blowing like that. Today it's been making more wind than yesterday. So it's not so bad as long as the smoke don't come around this area. I guess we'll be OK."

Fire crews used foam to protect storage tanks that have not caught on fire

"We are controlling the fire and keeping it off the rest of the tanks," said Ray Russell with Channel Industries Mutual Aid, an organization that coordinates rescue and emergency capabilities of the local petrochemical industry.

Russell estimated the fire would burn for another two days. He said firefighters were now in a defensive mode.

Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen said investigators from her office are on the scene of the fire and are still determining a cause of the blaze.

The fire was the second in as many days at a Houston-area petrochemical facility. A fire at an ExxonMobil plant in nearby Baytown that broke out Saturday has been contained.
On the edge of a vast national forest, in one of Pennsylvania's most rural counties, Joe Carlton was browsing for laughs on a Friday night. The smell of buttered popcorn and candy lingered in the aisles while he scanned through movie titles.

Carlton, 35, picked up Spaceballs, National Lampoon's Animal House, Step Brothers, and the cult classic Office Space, then walked to the counter of Family Video on Pennsylvania Avenue and rented the DVDs, something many Americans haven't done in nearly a decade.

"There is something about physically touching the movies, about flipping it over and reading the back," Carlton said. "You're in a movie store for a reason. You came for movies."

When the digital age, specifically Netflix, came for the brick-and-mortar movie rental business, the decline was rapid. Blockbuster Video, the rental giant with nearly 9,000 locations, declared bankruptcy in 2010. One Blockbuster location remains open, in Oregon. Even smaller rental stores fell, such as Philadelphia's popular TLA Video, which closed all of its locations by 2012.

That's why the Family Video of Warren County, home to 41,815 in northwest Pennsylvania, feels so nostalgic, at least for someone who lives east of Altoona. For the western third of the state, however, from the New York border south to West Virginia, picking out new releases in Family Video just feels like a Friday night.

"We know all our customers by name," manager Debbie Brown said from behind the counter.

The Illinois-based company has 22 locations in Pennsylvania and a surprising 700 total elsewhere in the United States and Canada. The majority are in the Midwest and the Great Lakes region, with a handful in Texas and Oklahoma. Few Family Video locations are in major cities. Michigan, for example, has 109 locations, according to the Family Video website, including some far into the Upper Peninsula, but none are in Detroit.

A 2017 Forbes story about Family Video estimated that Highland Ventures, its parent company, brought in $450 million in revenue.

One reason for Family Video's success is one of rural America's biggest headaches: slow internet connections. Broadband speeds have confounded rural communities for decades, and the debate continues over whether federal and state governments should treat the problem as an infrastructure issue, like electricity, or whether private providers should be incentivized to venture farther out into rural communities.

For Family Video customers, streaming Netflix or any other online service might not be as easy as it is for those in cities and suburbs.

"I was in a store in New York, and two customers said they just don't have enough high-speed internet," said Scott Westberg, a regional director for Family Video.

A recent study by Penn State found that Warren County, home to Allegheny National Forest, had some of the slowest internet in the state, falling below the FCC minimum for "broadband upload speed" of 3 to 5 mbps.

"There's people still using dial-up here," Todd Lake, Warren County's public safety director, told the Inquirer in November.

In the Warren Family Video, some customers said internet speeds weren't bad in town, but they varied wildly just a few miles outside of it. Some just said it's nice to go out and look for movies.

"We can stream Netflix, but it will occasionally have to buffer," said Chuck Gern, who was browsing new releases in the store with son Tyler, 14. "Some of these old movies, though, you can't find on Netflix or anywhere else."

Internet speeds don't explain everything about Family Video's success, or at least its ability to last longer than the rest. Most of the success, Westberg said, comes down to "smart, simple business decisions."

Highland Ventures' origins date to 1946, when the Midstates Appliance & Supply Co. was formed in Springfield, Ill. In 1977, with an excess of VHS tapes from a distributor, then-owner Charlie Hoogland opened the Springfield Movie Club. Rentals started at $5.

In Warren today, a new release DVD is $2.99 for one night, but Family Video still charges late fees. Blockbuster dropped late fees in its final years to compete with Netflix and revenues fell even further.

"It was a crazy idea," Brown said.

Highland Ventures owns all but a few of its locations, both the building and land. Blockbuster rented, mostly in cities and suburban areas.

"Often, Blockbuster took the single best piece of real estate in that area, the best location. The flip side was that when the margins grew thinner, they had the most expensive real estate in the market," said Douglas Green of MSC Retail, a real estate firm in Philadelphia.

Ownership gives Highland Ventures the ability to shrink the footprint of Family Video if the market slows. In Warren, a quarter of the Family Video store was recently walled off and re-purposed into a Domino's Pizza. Highland Ventures also owns a handful of other pizza and fitness chains. Green said the company can simply ride DVD rentals out, fill empty space with other chains, or become landlords.

"Family Video is essentially a real estate company," he said. "It's pretty brilliant."

Barbara Kahn, a professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, said that as long as the physical location is more of a convenience than e-commerce in rural parts of America, Family Video could hang on.

"But once you catch that e-commerce bug, it eventually takes over," Kahn said.

In Warren, the Family Video still feels very much like a movie store, a small-town one, in particular. The store sells popcorn and candy, hands out free rentals for good grades, and holds bake sales and other fund-raisers for local charities. It has up to 40,000 titles, though the adult-film section was phased out to make space for Domino's.

Kids' movies are free and many of the DVD covers have faded over time.

"It's a nostalgia thing for some people who come in here," said Jonathan Campbell, 34, an assistant manager at the Warren store. "But I have two little girls now, and they love coming in here and going to the kids' section, and that's what they know."
More than 150 animals, including 13 pot-bellied pigs, will be flown from North Texas to Minnesota on Sunday to find their forever homes.

The flight is part of a lifesaving effort by the Humane Society of North Texas, the ASPCA and Wings of Rescue.

The Humane Society of North Texas said it discovered it had 13 pot-bellied pigs at its shelters, and thought the pigs would fare better in the Midwest.

One of the pigs, Thelma, was surrendered to the HSNT when she got too big to live indoors -- at 150 pounds. Another, Gidget, was taken to the HSNT by the Wise County Sheriff's Department. Gidget eventually gave birth to six piglets, the Humane Society said. Five other pigs were surrendered by their owners.

All 13 pigs will continue to travel after the Wings of Rescue flight lands in Minnesota, and go on to Iowa, where they will stay with an animal rescue group, the HSNT said.

"It's not every day the Humane Society of North Texas can fly a 150-pound pot-bellied pig along, with numerous others, to their forever destination," said Cassie Lackey, director of communications at HSNT. "Big and small, we help them all, including pigs! We're thrilled to have an opportunity to save more than 100 cats, 13 pigs and several dogs on this flight."
Underage gumshoes came from as far as 60 miles away to solve a children's museum cookies heist Tuesday.

The Longview News-Journal reports 100 young detectives sifted through DNA, fingerprint, blood and bullet samples to find the thief among a veritable who's who of suspects at Longview World of Wonders Museum's Spy Camp.

"First of all, why would you bring bullets into a children's museum?" a puzzled Lia Espinoza, 10, asked. "Why do you need bullets to steal cookies?"

Well, Lia, this isn't the kind of case that will be presented to a grand jury.

This case revolved around finding the culprit who stole Professor WOW's cookies. Each of the fictitious suspects reportedly came to the museum the day of the swipe.

Was it Kristen Ishihara, the Longview city councilwoman who brought her children to the museum when the cookies went missing? Or was it Shalonda Adams, the Pine Tree PACE principal seen dropping off paperwork that day?

Maybe it was Longview police Officer Kristie Brian, who was carrying extra bullet cartridges as she prepared to teach a women's handgun safety course. KLTV-TV reporter Anissa Centers had reported recently about gun safety and had visited the museum, but there's also Longview Public Library director Jenn Eldridge, whose personal collection of books mysteriously included several cookie-theme works.

"All of them are ladies," museum volunteer Bethany Hara said. "It's a ladies' day today."

"We want to know why Anissa (Centers) stopped by," young Kennedy Thompson said. "That's mysterious."

One year ago, Spy Camp attracted only 30 young people, but Executive Director Stacey Thompson said interest in solving this year's spring break crime drew a sold-out class of 100 young investigators. Most of them were from Longview, but some were from such places as Marshall and Shreveport.

"They have five suspects, and so we read them a case file, and now they're going from station to station, which they're taking their own fingerprints and they're going to match them to the suspect's fingerprints and realize that all fingerprints are different," Thompson said.

"In these stations, they're learning more about DNA, what is blood and what isn't (and) if you have blood on a surface, what do you put on it to let you know," she said. "If you have four red things on a surface, how do you know which one is blood or if any of them are blood? So, it's teaching them about what you can put on that surface to see if it's blood, because it will bubble up."

Children examined evidence that included multiple shades of lipstick, nail polish slides and hair samples visible by microscopes, and also bullet cartridges.

"Whoa!" 9-year-old Lily Dodson said when museum playologist Deli Rocha squeezed a drop of peroxide onto a red mark that instantly began to fizzle, denoting that it was blood.

Lia had her own suspicions.

"They have blood on them so they might have scratched themselves while doing something. There are bullet cases, so maybe the KLTV news reporter (or) the police officer -- both of them could have done it because they both were involved with guns," Lia said.

As volunteer Betty Crain assisted in the inspection of dental impression samples, student Avi Welch came to a conclusion.

"I think we found our suspect," Welch said. Crain answered, "That would be it."

The culprit turned out to be Officer Brian, who rewarded the class with three boxes of St. Patrick's-themed cookies.

No bribes this day, officer -- book her.

As for the child spies, pretzels, bananas and water bottles were their payment for day's work. Then their moms -- relieved after a few hours of alone time on spring break -- picked them up.

"Parents love us," director Thompson said, "because they're like, `Yea! We're tired,' and we're like, `Yeah, we are, too."'
A police officer and three firefighters were among seven people indicted this week in an alleged $50 million prescription drug scheme involving public employees, the latest charges in an investigation that has already produced nearly two dozen guilty pleas.

A 50-count indictment unsealed Friday by the U.S. attorney's office in Camden, New Jersey, charged the seven people with health care fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy. Twenty-three people already have pleaded guilty in connection with the investigation, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

"Its a sad day in Margate," Mayor Michael Becker said. "Im angry. Im disappointed that this happened."

Named in the indictment were William Hickman, a pharmaceutical sales representative; his wife, Sara Hickman, the founder of a medical supply company; Ventnor police officer Thomas Schallus; brothers John Sher and Thomas Sher, both Margate firefighters; Camden firefighter Christopher Broccoli; and business owner Brian Pugh.

In addition to the conspiracy and fraud charges, which carry maximum penalties of between 10 and 20 years per count, the Hickmans and Pugh were charged with money laundering and money laundering conspiracy.

Michael Sher, brother of John and Thomas Sher and a former firefighter in Margate, was listed in the indictment as a co-conspirator. He pleaded guilty last year.

"The U.S. Attorneys office is smearing Brians name," Pugh's lawyer, Mike Baldassare, said. "Hes a hard-working local businessman, hes presumed innocent.

Shallus, a 19-year police veteran, was suspended without pay, according to Vetnor Police Chief Douglas Biagi.

This incident and the indictments will not affect the day-to-day operations of the Ventnor City Police Department or the public safety aspect of it," Biagi said. "We persevere and we move on from situations like this and well have to see how it all unfolds in the future.

According to the indictment, the defendants exploited the fact that some state and local government employees had insurance that covered expensive compound medications such as pain, scar, antifungal and libido creams. Reimbursements ran as high as thousands of dollars for a one-month supply.

Sara Hickman's company, Boardwalk Medical, of Northfield, allegedly was paid a percentage of the amount a Louisiana-based compounding pharmacy, not identified in court papers, received from a state benefits administrator for prescriptions received.

Sara Hickman and William Hickman allegedly paid others, including Pugh, to recruit public-sector employees who would obtain the expensive prescriptions they didn't need, and without seeing a doctor.

John Gaffney, a doctor based in Margate, pleaded guilty in 2017 to health care fraud for signing bogus prescriptions for patients he never saw. He faces up to 10 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
Two proposed bills could give Texas landowners more options should electric transmission towers be put up on or near their property.

Republican Sen. Larry Taylor has introduced a bill that would require utilities to notify nearby homeowners and hold public hearings before making transmission upgrades, the Houston Chronicle reported. Republican Rep. Ed Thompson filed a bill that would make it easier for homeowners near utility easements to recover damages if projects lower property values.

Thompson's proposal came after CenterPoint Energy placed transmission towers without notice along an easement that cuts through Silverlake, an unincorporated community near Pearland.

Many Silverlake residents are fighting the Houston utility over its 14-mile transmission upgrade from Pearland to Friendswood, saying the hulking steel towers are hurting property values.

Dean Zebak lives only a few feet away from one of the utility's towers. He said his $410,000 home has lost at least $100,000 of its value, and that real estate agents have told him buyers aren't considering homes near the easement.

Texas law only allows landowners to receive compensation if their property is directly crossed by pipelines, roads and transmission towers. It doesn't apply to those nearby whose property values and quality of life may be affected.

Thompson's proposed bill would allow homeowners near easements to file claims for damages and go through a process similar to eminent domain land takings, in which property owners would have the right appeal to a special commission if they don't believe they're receiving fair compensation.

Texas also doesn't require notice of construction if a utility's project is within existing transmission easements and doesn't require new rights of way.

Taylor's bill would require that utilities provide advance notice of key project details, including what will be built, construction methods and a timeline.

CenterPoint Energy spokeswoman Alicia Dixon said the utility will work with lawmakers to ensure that any new legislation balances the interests of landowners near transmission lines and the millions of homes and businesses that would face increased costs without them.
Grieving family members of victims of the Ethiopian air disaster are being given sacks of earth to bury in place of the remains of their loved ones.

Officials have begun delivering bags of earth to family members of the 157 victims of the crash instead of the remains of their loved ones because the identification process is going to take such a long time.

Families are being given a 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) sack of scorched earth taken from the crash sites, members of two different families told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid any possible government reprisal. An Ethiopian government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters also confirmed the deliveries of soil.

"The soil came as it became impossible to identify bodies and hand over remains to family members," one family member said. "We will not rest until we are given the real body or body parts of our loved ones."

Forensic DNA work has begun on identifying the remains but it may take six months to identify the victims, because the body parts are in small pieces. However, authorities say they will issue death certificates within two weeks. The victims of the crash came from 35 countries.

A mass memorial service for the dead is planned in Addis Ababa to take place Sunday, one week after the crash. Muslim families have already held prayers for the dead and are anxious to have something to bury as soon as possible.

Interpol and Blake Emergency Services, hired by Ethiopian Airlines, will work with Ethiopian police and health officials to identify the bodies, Dagmawit Moges, Ethiopia's Minister of Transport said on Saturday.

"Preparation for the identification process has already started and we will make sure that the post mortem investigation will start as soon as possible," she said.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has sent about 16 members to assist the investigation, she said.

In Paris, investigators started studying the cockpit voice recorder of the crashed Ethiopian Airlines jet Saturday, grieving family members were given sacks of dirt to bury in place of the remains of their loved ones.

The French air accident investigation agency BEA tweeted Saturday that technical work on the recorder began. The BEA also said work resumed on the flight's data recorders.

The recorders, also known as black boxes, were sent to France because the BEA has extensive expertise in analyzing such devices. Experts from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the plane's manufacturer Boeing are among those involved in the investigation.

The Ethiopian disaster and a crash last year in Indonesia were both of the Boeing 737 Max 8 planes. The United States and many other countries have grounded the Max 8s as the U.S.-based company faces the challenge of proving the jets are safe to fly amid suspicions that faulty sensors and software contributed to the two crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said regulators had new data from satellite-based tracking that showed the movements of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 were similar to those of Lion Air Flight 610, which crashed off Indonesia in October, killing 189 people.

Both planes flew with erratic altitude changes that could indicate the pilots struggled to control the aircraft. Shortly after their takeoffs, both crews tried to return to the airports but crashed.

Boeing said it supports the grounding of its planes as a precautionary step, while reiterating "full confidence" in their safety. Engineers are making changes to the system designed to prevent an aerodynamic stall if sensors detect that the jet's nose is pointed too high and its speed is too slow.

Investigators looking into the Indonesian crash are examining whether the software automatically pushed the plane's nose down repeatedly, and whether the Lion Air pilots knew how to solve that problem. Ethiopian Airlines says its pilots received special training on the software.

Associated Press writers Dave Koenig and Tom Krisher contributed.
India said Saturday that it was returning a key diplomat to Pakistan's capital amid an easing of tensions between the nuclear neighbors, but also demanded that its archrival take concrete steps against terrorists operating from its territory.

India's high commissioner to Pakistan was to return to Islamabad on Saturday, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said at a news briefing. Pakistan had announced earlier in the week that its high commissioner to India was returning to New Delhi.

The moves come after the two countries recalled their diplomats for consultations as tensions flared after a Feb. 14 suicide attack on a convoy of Indian paramilitary soldiers in the Indian-held portion Kashmir that killed 40 soldiers.

India blamed the attack on a Pakistan-based militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and launched a retaliatory airstrike inside Pakistan.

Kumar said Saturday that a reported Pakistani crackdown earlier in the week on seminaries, mosques and hospitals belonging to outlawed groups and the arrests of dozens of people was not enough, and that Pakistan should take concrete steps "against terrorists and terror infrastructure" on its territory.

He said a recent United Nations statement also called for "perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism to be held accountable and brought to justice."

Kumar accused Pakistan of failing to take any credible action against Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist organizations, which he said continued to operate with impunity from Pakistan.

"The widespread presence of terrorist camps in Pakistan is public knowledge within and outside Pakistan," he said.

Pakistan says it has arrested 44 people, including the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar who was apparently named in a dossier given to Islamabad by New Delhi. It also says it shut a number of facilities and froze assets of several outlawed organizations.

Pakistan's information minister, Fawad Chaudhry, said Saturday that his country was acting against the banned militant outfits and would not allow anyone to "use Pakistani land for terrorism against any country."

He also said Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had asked India to send evidence it has against any individuals.

"India hasn't shared yet any actionable information and proof against anybody," Chaudhry said.

He also said Khan has invited India to take part in a joint investigation and negotiations, but that there had been no response from the Indian side.

New Delhi's retaliatory strike in the northwest Pakistani town of Balakot last month sent tensions spiraling.

India said its air force hit a terrorist training camp and killed "a very large number" of militants. Pakistan said the strike only damaged three trees in a forest.

Islamabad responded by shooting down two Indian warplanes and capturing a pilot, who was later returned to India as a peace gesture. India said it lost only one aircraft.

Since then, the two sides have exercised restraint amid calls from the international community to avoid war.

Associated Press writer Zarar Khan contributed to this report.
When the gunman advanced toward the mosque, killing those in his path, Abdul Aziz didn't hide. Instead, he picked up the first thing he could find, a credit card machine, and ran outside screaming "Come here!"

Aziz, 48, is being hailed as a hero for preventing more deaths during Friday prayers at the Linwood mosque in Christchurch after leading the gunman in a cat-and-mouse chase before scaring him into speeding away in his car.

But Aziz, whose four sons and dozens of others remained in the mosque while he faced off with the gunman, said he thinks it's what anyone would have done.

The gunman killed 50 people after attacking two mosques in the deadliest mass shooting in New Zealand's modern history.

The gunman is believed to have killed 41 people at the Al Noor mosque before driving about 3 miles across town and attacking the Linwood mosque, where he killed seven more people. Two person died later in a hospital.

Thirty-six people between the ages of 2 and the late 60s who were injured in the attack were still being treated at Christchurch Hospital Saturday, according to a news release from the local health board. Ten patients remained "critically unwell" and one critically injured child has been transferred to a hospital in Auckland.

White supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with one count of murder in the slayings and a judge said Saturday that it was reasonable to assume more charges would follow.

Latef Alabi, the Linwood mosque's acting imam, said the death toll would have been far higher at the Linwood mosque if it wasn't for Aziz.

Alabi said he heard a voice outside the mosque at about 1:55 p.m. and stopped the prayer he was leading and peeked out the window. He saw a guy in black military-style gear and a helmet holding a large gun, and assumed it was a police officer. Then he saw two bodies and heard the gunman yelling obscenities.

"I realized this is something else. This is a killer," he said.

He yelled at the congregation of more than 80 to get down. They hesitated. A shot rang out, a window shattered and a body fell, and people began to realize it was for real.

"Then this brother came over. He went after him, and he managed to overpower him, and that's how we were saved," Alabi said, referring to Aziz. "Otherwise, if he managed to come into the mosque, then we would all probably be gone."

Aziz said as he ran outside screaming, he was hoping to distract the attacker. He said the gunman ran back to his car to get another gun, and Aziz hurled the credit card machine at him.

He said he could hear his two youngest sons, aged 11 and 5, urging him to come back inside.

The gunman returned, firing. Aziz said he ran, weaving through cars parked in the driveway, which prevented the gunman from getting a clean shot. Then Aziz spotted a gun the gunman had abandoned and picked it up, pointed it and squeezed the trigger. It was empty.

He said the gunman ran back to the car for a second time, likely to grab yet another weapon.

"He gets into his car and I just got the gun and threw it on his window like an arrow and blasted his window," he said.

The windshield shattered: "That's why he got scared."

He said the gunman was cursing at him, yelling that he was going to kill them all. But he drove away and Aziz said he chased the car down the street to a red light, before it made a U-turn and sped away. Online videos indicate police officers managed to force the car from the road and drag out the suspect soon after.

Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, Aziz said he left as a refugee when he was a boy and lived for more than 25 years in Australia before moving to New Zealand a couple of years ago.

"I've been to a lot of countries and this is one of the beautiful ones," he said. And, he always thought, a peaceful one as well.

Aziz said he didn't feel fear or much of anything when facing the gunman. It was like he was on autopilot. And he believes that God, that Allah, didn't think it was his time to die.
One man is dead following an argument at a strip club in Miami, police said.

Investigators said a group of men were involved in a verbal dispute inside of the club, which is located at the 12000 block of Northwest 27th Avenue.

Security personnel escorted the men out of the club. The dispute continued in the parking lot. Thats when it escalated into a physical altercation.

Police said multiple people pulled out weapons and began shooting at each other.

Everyone involved fled the scene, leaving behind a man who suffered from an apparent gunshot wound.

The man, who was identified as 26-year-old Andrew Jackson, was pronounced dead on the scene when rescue crews arrived. No one else was injured.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Democratic presidential contender Beto O'Rourke on Friday acknowledged making mistakes as a teen and as a candidate, responding to criticism of his campaign rhetoric toward his wife as well as writings he produced online when he was young.

During a taping of the "Political Party Live" podcast in Cedar Rapids, he addressed criticism of his campaign-trail joke that his wife, Amy, has raised their three kids "sometimes with my help." O'Rourke made the comment at multiple campaign stops during his first swing through Iowa, including earlier Friday, eliciting laughs each time, but he also drew criticism as being insensitive to the challenges faced by single parents raising children.

O'Rourke said the criticism of his "ham-handed" attempt to highlight his wife's work in their marriage was "right on."

"Not only will I not say that again, but I will be much more thoughtful in the ways that I talk about my marriage," he said.

O'Rourke, 46, also said he was "mortified" when he reread the violent fiction he wrote as a teen, which received fresh attention Friday after a Reuters report outlined his involvement in a hacker group as a teen. O'Rourke wrote a handful of posts on the group's message board under the name "Psychedelic Warlord," including a fictional piece he penned when he was 15 about children getting run over by a car.

"I'm mortified to read it now, incredibly embarrassed, but I have to take ownership of my words," he said. "Whatever my intention was as a teenager doesn't matter, I have to look long and hard at my actions, at the language I have used, and I have to constantly try to do better."

O'Rourke had said after an earlier campaign stop that it was "stuff I was part of as a teenager."

"It's not anything I'm proud of today, and I mean, that's  that's the long and short of it," he said. "All I can do is my best, which is what I'm trying to do. I can't control anything I've done in the past. I can only control what I do going forward and what I plan to do is give this my best."

The comments came on the second day of a presidential campaign in which O'Rourke is seeking to establish himself as a unique voice in the race. He avoided what has become something of a tradition among the 2020 contenders by refusing to announce how much money he raised in the 24 hours after announcing his candidacy. He said it would be soon.

"I don't have a definite plan," he added. "We're not ready to release them now."

The former Texas congressman entered the 2020 presidential race Thursday after months of speculation. He raised an eye-popping $80 million in grassroots donations last year in his failed U.S. Senate race in Texas against Republican Ted Cruz, all while largely avoiding money from political action committees. His early fundraising numbers will be an initial signal of whether his popularity during the Senate campaign will carry over to his White House bid.

So far, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has set the pace for grassroots donations in 2020, pulling in $6 million during his first day as a candidate.

Asked if he thought he would top Sanders, O'Rourke said only, "We'll see."

O'Rourke's reception during his first Iowa swing was overwhelmingly positive, even as he launched his campaign by hitting a handful of counties that had shifted from supporting Democrat Barack Obama to backing Republican Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign.

Most of the towns O'Rourke visited during his first two days in the state were small and rural, manufacturing or farming towns. He kicked off his bid in Keokuk, population 10,300, dropped by a private home in Fairfield, a town about the same size, and jumped atop a coffee shop counter to address the crowd in Mount Pleasant, population 8,500.

The strategy set O'Rourke apart from the rest of the field, many of whom have focused their early swings on the state's population centers or on the traditionally blue counties that make up the bulk of the Democratic primary electorate.

Norm Sterzenbach, who's advising O'Rourke in Iowa, said the strategy came out of the Texan's desire to do more intimate events in his first swing through Iowa.

"He didn't want to do big rallies or big events. He wanted to get into communities and really talk to Iowans, and he wanted to go to smaller towns, smaller communities, and places that had been neglected" by politicians, he said.

It was an approach reminiscent of his Texas Senate bid, where O'Rourke hit every one of the state's 254 counties, even the most rural areas, some of which hadn't been visited by Democratic candidates in years. O'Rourke didn't commit to visiting all of Iowa's 99 counties  what's locally known as the "Full Grassley," after Iowa's senior Republican senator, Chuck Grassley, who's famous for doing the full swing  but he said he planned to visit as much of Iowa as possible.

That go-everywhere, speak-to-everyone strategy brought him within 3 points of defeating Cruz in Texas, the nation's largest red state.
A young man on Long Island attacked his parents in their home, stabbing his father and punching his mother, then fled and set another home on fire, police said.

Brian Alejo, 21, of Cedarhurst, was charged with attempted murder, assault, arson, criminal possession of a weapon and attempted escape.

Alejo was arguing with his parents at their home in Cedarhurst when he attacked his father and stabbed him several times, Nassau County police said. The father was hospitalized in critical condition, the mother, Rosa Alejo, told Telemundo 47.

Then, police said, he punched his mother and ran off. Rosa Alejo said she has a black eye.

He allegedly hid in a garage on First Street in Cedarhurst for several hours before starting a fire which engulfed the entire residence and damaged a nearby house. Everyone inside the homes escaped without harm, police said.

Alejo turned himself in, but then tried to escape custody and was restrained by several officers, police said.

It wasn't immediately known whether Alejo had an attorney.
Update: NYPD Backtracks, Says Officer Wasn't Killed in 1999 Shooting

A man wanted in the 1999 shooting of an off-duty New York Police Department officer who later died from his injuries was arrested in Florida almost two decades after the incident, and the head of the NYPD on Sunday offered his thanks to fellow law enforcement for their perseverance.

Local television stations in Jacksonville, Florida, reported Lester Pearson, 43, was taken into custody Friday morning in connection to the death of officer Vincent Ling.

Commissioner James O'Neill tweeted his appreciation Sunday for Jacksonville police and U.S. marshals in the arrest of Lester Pearson.

"Law enforcement professionals demonstrate time & again that we are patient & that our collaborative forces have a very long reach," he said.

It was not clear if Pearson had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf. Messages were sent to the Jacksonville prosecutors' office, and an email was also sent to the Bronx District Attorney's office.

The NYPD did not describe the circumstances of the shooting but, according to a New York Post account at the time, the December 1999 conflict in the Bronx started when the two men ran into each other on the street and an argument ensued. They were connected through the officer's sister.

Ling, 27 years old at the time and an undercover officer, was shot in the chest and had a bullet between two vertebrae. He died some time later.

Pearson at that time had an extensive arrest record and one conviction.
A body discovered over the weekend in a wooded area of Fredericksburg, Virginia, is that of a 16-year-old boy  and authorities believe he was murdered in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Police say Jacson Chicas, of Falls Church, was killed inside a home in the 7000 block of Varnum Street in Landover Hills. His killers then dumped his remains in an area between River Road and the Rappahannock River, police said.

A sheriff's deputy discovered his body off River Road near Route 3 on Saturday.

Chicas' mother, who did not want to be identified, told News4 in Spanish that her son was forced to join the MS-13 gang in El Salvador and that's why their family fled the country.

But Chicas was unable to escape the gang's grip in America.

She said Chicas was trying to leave MS-13 and he had started living at a house in Prince George's County to spare his parents and siblings from danger.

Chicas' mother said when gang members accused him of talking to police they threatened to kill his family and he told them to kill himself instead.

His mother said she knew her son was dead when she saw the photo police posted of a bloody forearm tattoo.

The Stafford County Sheriff's office said Thursday it is collaborating with Prince George's County police in the investigation.

In a video posted to Twitter, the Stafford County Sheriff's office also asked anyone to report suspicious activity they may have witnessed, including a car parked overnight along the road.

On Friday, Prince George's County police said four men and a teenager were arrested and charged in connection to Chicas' murder. Police said all five suspects are part of an MS-13 "clique" that operates in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Police asked anyone who may have information related to the case to call 540-658-4450.
An attack on a New Zealand mosque took the lives of 50 worshippers Friday and left dozens more wounded when a white supremacist opened fire and live-streamed the shootings. Here are the stories of some of those killed and wounded.

THE DEAD

HUSNA AHMED

Farid Ahmed refuses to turn his back on his adopted home, despite losing his 45-year-old wife, Husna Ahmed, in the Al Noor mosque attack. They had split up to go to the bathroom when it happened.

The gunman livestreamed the massacre on the internet, and Ahmed later saw a video of his wife being shot. A police officer confirmed she died.

Despite the horror, Ahmed  originally from Bangladesh  still considers New Zealand a great country.

"I believe that some people, purposely, they are trying to break down the harmony we have in New Zealand with the diversity," he said. "But they are not going to win. They are not going to win. We will be harmonious."

FARHAJ AHSAN, 30

The software engineer moved to New Zealand six years ago from the city of Hyderabad in India, where his parents still live, according to the Mumbai Mirror.

"We received the disturbing news," Ahsan's father, Mohammed Sayeeduddin told the newspaper Saturday. Friends and family had been trying to reach Ahsan since the attack.

Ahsan was married and had a 3-year-old daughter and infant son.

ANSI ALIBAVA, 25

Indian news reports said Alibava, 25, had moved to New Zealand last year after marrying Abdul Nazar.

The Indian Express newspaper said she was studying agriculture technology at Lincoln University and her husband worked at a supermarket in Christchurch. They got married in 2017.

The Manorama Online news site said her mother, Rasia, had prayed for the safety of the two when the news broke of the attacks.

Alibava used to call her family back in India every day, but they were worried when there was no call after the shootings. They later found out from the husband what had happened.

The report said she was hoping to find a job in New Zealand to support her family back home.

INDIAN CITIZENS KILLED

India's ambassador to New Zealand issued the following names of Indian citizens who were killed in the mosque attacks:

 Maheboob Khokhar

 Ramiz Vora

 Asif Vora

 Ansi Alibava

 Ozair Kadir

ABDULLAHI DIRIE, 4

Four of Adan Ibrahin Dirie's five children managed to escape Friday's attacks, but the youngest, Abdullahi, was killed, his uncle, Abdulrahman Hashi, 60, a preacher at Dar Al Hijrah Mosque in Minneapolis, told the New Zealand Herald.

Dirie also suffered gunshot wounds and was hospitalized. The family fled Somalia in the mid-1990s as refugees and resettled in New Zealand.

"You cannot imagine how I feel," Hashi said.

He added: "He was the youngest in the family. This is a problem of extremism. Some people think the Muslims in their country are part of that, but these are innocent people."

ATTA ELYAN

Atta Elayyan, 33, was a goalkeeper for a New Zealand futsal team.

The Oceania Football Confederation said those who knew Elayyan described him as having "an unbridled passion for futsal and for representing New Zealand." Futsal is a variant of indoor soccer. A statement from the confederation released Monday extended condolences to Atta's family and all of those affected.

OFC official Paul Toohey said Elayyan was a selfless man who always had time for friends, family, teammates and young up-and-coming players. "Atta was everything a team could want  an outstanding performer who was dedicated to his goalkeeping craft  but also a great friend and leader among his teammates at Canterbury United Dragons and the Futsal Whites," Toohey said.

His father, Mohammed Elyan, co-founded one of the mosques in 1993, and was among those wounded, said Muath Elyan, Mohammed's brother, who said he spoke to Mohammed's wife after the shooting. Muath said his brother also teaches engineering at a university and runs a consultancy.

ALI ELMADANI

Elmadani and his wife immigrated from the United Arab Emirates in 1998. The retired Christchurch engineer always told his children to be strong and patient, so that's what they are trying to do after the tragedy, his daughter, Maha Elmadani, told Stuff.

"He considered New Zealand home and never thought something like this would happen here," she said.

She said her mother "is staying as strong as possible. My younger brother isn't doing too well with the news."

LILIK ABDUL HAMID

The longtime aircraft maintenance engineer at Air New Zealand was killed in the Al Noor mosque when he was killed, his employer said in a statement.

"Lilik has been a valued part of our engineering team in Christchurch for 16 years, but he first got to know the team even earlier when he worked with our aircraft engineers in a previous role overseas," Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon said. "The friendships he made at that time led him to apply for a role in Air New Zealand and make the move to Christchurch. His loss will be deeply felt by the team.

Hamid was married and had two children, Luxon said.

"Lilik, his wife Nina and their children Zhania and Gerin are well known and loved by our close-knit team of engineers and their families, who are now doing all they can to support the family alongside our leadership team and the airline's special assistance team," he said.

HUSSEIN AL-UMARI, 35

When Aya Al-Umari thinks of her big brother, she pictures him with his arms wide open, ready to wrap her in an embrace. Hussein Al-Umari was a hugger, she says, a kind man, and the quintessential big brother who delighted in teasing his little sister.

Hussein, 35, was killed while attending Friday prayers at Al Noor mosque.

Aya had spent the previous evening having dinner with him, and she recalled how excited he was that their parents had just bought a new car.

She and her brother were born in Abu Dhabi and moved with their parents to New Zealand in 1997. Hussein worked in the tourism industry, and he loved traveling. He had recently traveled to the seaside South Island city of Nelson and had created a video blog of his adventures. Aya had been impressed by how polished it was.

Their mother, an Iraqi calligraphy artist named Janna Ezzat, wrote on Facebook that her son had become a martyr.

Ezzat wrote: "Our son was full of life and always put the needs of others in front of his own."

MUCAAD IBRAHIM, 3

At just 3 years old, Mucaad Ibrahim is the youngest known victim of the attacks. He was separated from his older brother Abdi and their father when the shooting began at the Al Noor mosque.

After an agonizing search by the family, Abdi said police finally confirmed that the toddler had been killed.

Mucaad was born and raised in Christchurch. He was beloved by the community, known for his energetic demeanor and easy laugh. He was bright and bubbly, and loved playing with an iPad.

Ahmed Osman, a close family friend, said Mucaad used to cheer from the sidelines as Osman and Abdi played soccer on Friday evenings at a park near the mosque. The little boy had planned to watch them play soccer as usual on Friday. He never made it.

Osman said the support of the community has helped the family pull through.

"New Zealand is always behind us," he said. "Even when we walk down the street, people stop us and say, 'Are you guys OK?' That's what New Zealand is about. It's all about coming together. One person cannot stop us."

MOHAMMAD IMRAN KHAN

A handwritten cardboard sign outside Mohammad Imran Khan's restaurant, the Indian Grill in Christchurch, on Sunday said simply CLOSED. A handful of pink flowers laid nearby.

The owner of the convenience store next door, JB's Discounter, Jaiman Patel, 31, said he helped the staff with the keys after the terrorist attack that claimed Khan's life.

"He's a really good guy. I tried to help him out with the setup and everything," Patel said. "We also put the key out for them when the terrorists come, and sorted it out for him."

Khan had a son who was 10 or 11, Patel said.

The two were business neighbors who helped each other out when needed, he said.

"We are helping each other. It's so sad."

SAYYAD MILNE, 14

Milne, 14, was described as a good-natured, kind teenager. The high school student was at the Al Noor mosque for Friday prayers when the attack started, his half-sister, Brydie Henry, told the Stuff media outlet.

Sayyad was last seen "lying on the floor of the bloody mosque, bleeding from his lower body," she said her father told her.

Sayyad's mother, Noraini, was also in the mosque and managed to escape, Henry said. The teenager has two other siblings, 15-year-old twins Shuayb and Cahaya.

"They're all at home just waiting. They're just waiting and they don't know what to do," Henry told the news site.

"He had kind eyes, a big heart, a cheeky smile and a thick mop of black hair. He loved playing football and also indoor futsal," Cashmere High School principal Mark Wilson told students at an assembly Monday.

The school's futsal goalkeeper planned to travel with the team to the national tournament in Wellington this month.

JUNAID MORTARA, 35

Javed Dadabhai is mourning for his gentle cousin, 35-year-old Junaid Mortara, believed to have died in the first mosque attack.

His cousin was the breadwinner of the family, supporting his mother, his wife and their three children, ages 1 to 5. Mortara had inherited his father's convenience store, which was covered in flowers on Saturday.

Mortara was an avid cricket fan, and would always send a sparring text with relatives over cricket matches when Canterbury faced Auckland.

HAMZA MUSTAFA, 16

Hamza's family fled the civil war in Syria, then he spent six of his young years as a refugee in Jordan before the family was accepted into New Zealand in 2018.

An excellent horse rider who aspired to be a veterinarian, Hamza, 16, was compassionate and a hard-working student, said Cashmere High School principal Mark Wilson.

"Despite the fact that he hadn't been here for a long time he had already quickly developed many friends," he said.

His younger brother Zaed, also a Cashmere student, remains hospitalized with gunshot wounds to his leg. Their father, Khalid, also died in the attack on the Al Noor Mosque.

KHALID MUSTAFA

Mustafa, who fled the civil war in Syria with his family, was at Friday's Al Noor service with his two sons, 16-year-old Hamza and 13-year-old Zaed.

He died, along with Hamza, while Zaed remains hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

Mustafa's wife, Salwa, told Radio New Zealand that when the family asked about New Zealand before they were accepted in July 2018, they were told "it's the safest country in the world, the most wonderful country you can go ... you will start a very wonderful life there. But it wasn't."

HAJI DAOUD NABI, 71

Nabi moved his family to New Zealand in 1979 to escape the Soviet-Afghan war. Days before the shootings, his son, Omar, recalled his father speaking about the importance of unity.

"My father said how important it is to spread love and unity among each other and protect every member of the society we live in," Omar told Al-Jazeera.

Omar told the news network his father ran an Afghan Association and helped refugees settle into a new country.

"He used to make them feel at home," Omar said.

TARIQ OMAR

Omar, a former Cashmere High School student from 2008 to 2012, was also among those who died, principal Mark Wilson said.

HUSNE ARA PARVIN, 42

Parvin died being struck by bullets while trying to shield her wheelchair-bound husband, Farid Uddin Ahmed, her nephew Mahfuz Chowdhury told The Daily Star, a Bangladesh newspaper.

Chowdhury said Uddin had been ill for years and Parvin took him to the mosque every other Friday. She had taken him to the mosque for men while she went to the one for women. Mahfuz said relatives in New Zealand told him when the shootings began, Parvin rushed to her husband's mosque to protect him. He survived.

The Bangladeshi couple had moved to New Zealand sometime after 1994, Chowdhury said.

NAEEM RASHID, 50, and TALHA RASHID, 21

As the shootings unfolded, Naeem Rashid is seen on video trying to tackle the gunman, according to Rashid's brother, Khurshid Alam.

"He was a brave person, and I've heard from a few people there, there were a few witnesses. They've said he saved a few lives there by trying to stop that guy," Alam told the BBC.

The 50-year-old Rashid's son, Talha Naeem, 21, is also among the dead.

Rashid was a teacher in Christchurch and was from Abbottabad, Pakistan. His son was 11 when his family moved to New Zealand. He had a new job and planned to get married.

Rashid's brother, Dr. Mohammad Khursheed, who lives in Abbottabad, received an emotional call from his sister-in-law telling him of his brother's death.

Khursheed said his brother had already bought a plane ticket to Pakistan for a May family reunion.

Pakistan declared Monday a national day of mourning to honor its citizens killed in the attack, and said Rashid would be recognized for his heroism.

SYED AREEB AHMED, 26

Ahmed had recently moved from his house in Karachi, Pakistan, for a job in New Zealand to help support his family back home. On Saturday, Pakistan's foreign ministry informed his family that Ahmed was among those killed during the mosque attack.

One of his uncles, Muhammad Muzaffar Khan, described him as deeply religious, praying five times a day. But education was always his first priority, Khan said.

Ahmed was an only son who had immigrated to New Zealand for work, his uncle said.

"Education had always remained his first priority," Khan said. "He had gone to New Zealand recently where he got his job. He had only started his career, but the enemies took his life"

Family members, relatives, and friends have gathered at Ahmed's house to express their condolences. His body is expected to arrive there in the coming days.

GHULAM HUSSAIN, KARAM BIBI and ZEESHAN RAZA

Three Pakistanis from the same family  Ghulam Hussain and his wife, Karam Bibi, and their son Zeeshan Raza  were also killed in the attacks.

OTHER PAKISTANI VICTIMS

Pakistan's foreign ministry said three other Pakistanis were killed:

 Haroon Mahmood, 40, son of Shahid Mehmood

Sohail Shahid, 40, son of Muhammad Shabbir

Syed Jahanand Ali, 34

THE WOUNDED

ELIN DARAGHMEH

A Palestinian woman says her 4-year-old daughter is fighting for her life while her husband is in serious but stable condition after being wounded in the mosque shooting.

Asmaa Daraghmeh, 27, said the family moved to New Zealand from Jordan four years ago when her husband received a permit to work as a hairdresser.

"It was a great opportunity," she said, crying on the phone. "The country is safe, beautiful and hospitable."

She spoke from the Auckland hospital where their daughter, Elin, remained in intensive care. Her husband, 33, was being transported to the same hospital.

Asmaa said she is a devout Muslim who was active in the mosque.

"Our life was great in this great country until this devil appeared and turned it to hell," she said.

SHIHADEH NASASRAH

Shihadeh Nasasrah, 63, who was wounded in the New Zealand mosque shooting, said he spent terrifying minutes lying underneath two dying men as the gunman kept firing.

The assailant "would go out and bring more ammunition and resume shooting," said Nasasrah, speaking by phone from a Christchurch hospital where he was recovering from two shots to the leg. "Every time he stopped, I thought he was gone. But he returned over and over again. I was afraid to leave because I didn't know the safest way out. I died several times, not one time."

Nasasrah had attended Friday prayers at the Al Noor Mosque with his friend, Abdel Fattah Qasim, 60, who was killed in the shooting. Both were originally from the West Bank  Nasasrah from the town of Beit Furik and Qasim from the town of Arabeh.

Nasasrah said about 200 to 300 worshippers were in the mosque for Friday prayers, and that he and his friend were sitting in the front, near the imam, or prayer leader. The imam was delivering the sermon when the gunman burst into the mosque, he said.

"Panic spread all over the place," Nasasrah said. "Some started saying Allahu Akbar (God is great). We scrambled to leave toward a second door that leads to a hall and then to the street, but the bullets brought us down."

"Two people came on top of me, and he (the gunman) approached us and opened fire. Both were killed and I felt them dying," Nasasrah said. "I felt their blood. I myself was shoot and I thought 'I'm dying'."

He said he uttered the words that devout Muslims speak before their death  "there is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger."

Nasasrah, a car dealer, said most of the worshippers were from Asia, including Indonesia, India, Singapore and Malaysia, and that Arabs made up a smaller part of the congregation.

The attack left him and other Muslims in the area worried and puzzled.

"I never heard a racist word in this country," he said. "I don't know what happened and why. I will not leave this country. Our lives are well established here, our homes, works, family is here and we will not leave."

As a young man, Nasasrah studied English in the Syrian capital of Damascus, and then worked as a translator at the New Zealand embassy in Saudi Arabia for 14 years. The father of three moved to New Zealand in 1990. His three children graduated from universities in New Zealand and have established their lives in the country.

MUHAMMAD AMIN NASIR, 67

Nasir and his son were just 200 meters (219 yards) from the Al Noor mosque on Friday when everything went wrong. They had no idea that a white supremacist had just slaughtered at least 41 people inside the mosque. A car that had been driving by suddenly stopped, and a man leaned out the window pointing a gun at them.

They ran as the bullets began to fly. But at 67, Nasir could not keep up with his 35-year-old son. He fell behind by two or three fateful steps.

The gunman drove away. A pool of blood poured from Nasir's body.

Nasir, who lived in Pakistan, had been regularly visiting his son in New Zealand.

He was on the third week of his visit when he was shot. He remains in an induced coma with critical injuries, though his condition has stabilized.

ADEEB SAMI, 52

As the rampage inside the mosque began, Sami was shot in the back as he dove to protect his two sons, Abdullah, 29, and Ali, 23, the Gulf News reported.

"My dad is a real hero. He got shot in the back near his spine in an attempt to shield my brothers but he didn't let anything happen to them," Adeeb's daughter, Heba, 30, told the Gulf News.

Sami, described by the Gulf News as a Dubai-based New Zealander of Iraqi origin, underwent surgery to remove the bullet and his daughter said he's recovering.
They are talking about nuclear power across rural Pennsylvania.

This spring, the question of whether to rescue Pennsylvania's nuclear power plants could dominate debate in the state Capitol, and that's of keen financial interest to hundreds of thousands of rural electric cooperative members who rely heavily on nuclear power.

Cooperatives in the nation's No. 2 nuclear power state have perhaps the biggest stake in what critics call a bailout, and they are cranking up their efforts to get their message to employees, cooperative members and, ultimately, lawmakers.

"Every opportunity that we have, I encourage our member owners to bring this up. Every opportunity I have, if at a meeting, I bring this up," said Frank Betley, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, which is owned by 14 cooperatives. "I hope that our people are talking to (lawmakers) at every turn to let them know that, 'hey, this is important to us.'"

For two years, Chicago-based Exelon Corp. and other nuclear power plant owners have worked to build support for a rescue in Pennsylvania, warning that the fleet is being driven into unprofitability, primarily by a flood of cheap natural gas plants entering competitive electricity markets.

Nuclear power, they say, should get the same favorable treatment in Pennsylvania as wind farms, solar installations and other "carbon-free" energy sources in the age of global warming.

To accomplish that, the cooperatives and other nuclear plant owners are supporting legislation projected to cost Pennsylvania's ratepayers around $500 million a year. That's about 3 percent of the more than $14 billion that Pennsylvania's electric customers paid for electricity in 2018, including distribution charges and taxes, according to federal data.

The 14 rural electric cooperatives, 13 in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey, own 10 percent of the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Susquehanna, in turn, supplies roughly 60 percent of the electricity used by the more than 230,000 households, businesses and industrial consumers who are members of the cooperatives and that, they say, has helped them keep their rates well below what for-profit utilities charge ratepayers.

The stakes for the cooperatives are this: If Susquehanna shuts down prematurely, members of the cooperatives can expect a big increase in their electric bills.

However, if lawmakers pass the nuclear-friendly legislation, the cooperatives -- like other nuclear power plant owners -- would bring in more cash. Meanwhile, the bill would shield members of the cooperatives from the rate increases that most of Pennsylvania's other electric customers will pay.

Betley wouldn't provide an estimate for the cost increase should Susquehanna shut down. But Rep. Thomas Mehaffie, R-Dauphin, who introduced the House bill, said it could amount to a 25- to 30-percent hike in members' bills, or higher if natural gas prices rise.

"They are really concerned," Mehaffie said.

Lawmakers' immediate deadline is June 1.

That's when Exelon, the owner of Three Mile Island, has said it will begin the four-month process of shutting down the plant that was the site of a terrifying partial meltdown in 1979, unless Pennsylvania comes to its financial rescue.

Three Mile Island aside, the bill's opponents question whether Susquehanna and Pennsylvania's three other nuclear power plants require a subsidy to stay afloat.

By all accounts, Susquehanna is profitable right now, although nuclear power plant owners warn that the same market dynamics that make Three Mile Island unprofitable will eventually sink Pennsylvania's entire nuclear fleet.

They warn of a future without nuclear power plants. Carbon emissions will rise, natural gas will become the dominant energy source and Pennsylvania will have no hedge against a price spike, they say.

Passing a complicated, heavily lobbied and politically thorny bill won't be easy.

Securing the backing of Gov. Tom Wolf and his fellow Democrats in the Legislature will likely require adding clean-energy concessions and limiting nuclear power subsidies. At the same time, swinging the votes of rural lawmakers behind it could be the difference between its success and failure in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Some rural lawmakers may have divided loyalties if Pennsylvania's considerable natural gas industry maintains its opposition to any nuclear-friendly legislation.

And the cooperatives aren't prominent campaign donors.

But nearly 70 House and Senate members have cooperative service territory in their districts, the cooperatives say. Some of the cooperatives' employees and board members are well known to lawmakers, and the cooperatives are involved in civic causes and donate to local organizations.

"That means a whole lot," Rep. Dan Moul, R-Adams, said of his local cooperative, Adams Electric. "I will go out on a limb to protect that company. They are important to the community."
What to Know An 11-year-old is in police custody in connection to a double shooting on Friday morning in Alton, New Hampshire.

The Union Leader reports that one of the shooting victims has died.

Two local schools were temporarily placed in lockdown in the wake of the incident.

An 11-year-old is in custody after allegedly killing two adults in a shooting Friday in the Lakes Region town of Alton, New Hampshire.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office said Friday night that 50-year-old Lizette Eckert, who had suffered a gunshot wound, was found dead after police responded to a 911 call on Dobbins Way around 7:30 a.m. Her husband, James Eckert, 48, was also found shot.

James Eckert was taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead later Friday night, the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office said.

An autopsy was completed Saturday on Lizette Eckert. The manner of her death was ruled a homicide and the cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head.

An autopsy has been scheduled Monday for James Eckert.

According to Geoffrey Ward, a senior assistant attorney general, the juvenile suspect was apprehended around 9:30 a.m. He was charged with one count of reckless second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The charges filed are under the juvenile system. It's not immediately clear if he'll face additional charges now that James Eckert has died from his injuries.

Because of the suspect's age, Ward said limited information would be made available to the public.

Officials said there is no danger to the general public.

The nearby Alton Central and Prospect Mountain High schools were placed in lockdown during the time when Ward said authorities were searching for the suspect.

"There is no current threat to ACS," Alton Central School Principal John MacArthur said in an email. "As a precautionary measure we have activated a secure campus. Nobody is permitted in or out of the building until we are given an all clear."

State police tweeted around 9:45 a.m. that the "critical incident" had come to a conclusion and the schools lifted the lockdowns shortly after.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call New Hampshire State Police at 603-223-4381.
A portion of Interstate 15 has officially been named after a local firefighter killed after battling one of the largest fires in state history.

Cory Iverson was part of a strike team with Cal Fire San Diego on the front lines of the Thomas Fire in Fillmore, California, that ultimately covered nearly 282,000 acres. On Dec. 14, 2017, Cory Iverson died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiners Officer.

Now, the 32-year-old Escondido man has been given a new honor for his sacrifice  the CalFire Firefighter Cory Iverson Memorial Highway.

His memorial highway spans roughly four and a half miles from I-78 to Via Rancho Parkway.

"Cory did fulfill his destiny, and he is not finished. He has made a name for himself bigger than he ever dreamed of and is changing lives around the world because of the man he was," Ashley Iverson, Cory Iversons wife, said at the roads dedication ceremony Saturday.

NBC 7s Erika Cervantes reports on the special honor bestowed on the fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson who was killed battling the Thomas Fire.

Cory Iverson leaves behind his wife and two daughters  one of who he never got to meet.

"I can still hear him which is why I can't quite grasp the reality that he's no longer with us, Ashley Iverson said. Hearing him is not always in my thoughts, rather sometimes his words come in the most beautiful way, through song."

Cory Iversons family also said seeing the freeway sign might be painful at times but it's a great honor.

"When you pass these signs please do what he would do, smile. Smile because he sees you. Smile because of the good he has done for you. Smile because we know someone cool enough to have a freeway named after him. And, smile because of the love that continues to surround you," Ashley Iverson said.

A fallen firefighter's wife is leading the charge to help first responders battling mental health issues.

Ashley Iverson started the Iverson Foundation for Active Awareness. The foundation helps firefighters and their families deal with mental health concerns. Ashley Iverson said it was a cause close to her husband's heart.
What to Know A man has been arrested in connection with the killing of a mob boss on Staten Island, sources tell NBC 4 New York

Francesco 'Franky Boy' Cali, 53, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at his home in Todt Hill on Wednesday night

U.S. Marshals arrested the man at a home in Brick, New Jersey, sources familiar with the investigation say

UPDATE: Killing of NYC Crime Boss May Not Have Been Mob Hit At All, Sources Say



A 24-year-old man was arrested in connection with the killing of Francesco Cali, a reputed boss of New York's Gambino crime family who was gunned down in a brazen hit this week, the NYPD said.

Anthony Camello, of Staten Island, was taken into custody in New Jersey, police said. Investigators anticipate returning him to Staten Island where he will face murder charges for Cali, said Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea.

"While we believe we have the shooter in custody in this incident, the investigation is far from over," Shea said.

Police are investigating whether other people were involved and a possible motive, Shea said. He said police have an arrest warrant in hand from the Richmond County district attorney's office.

The weapon hasn't been recovered, Shea said.

Camello was picked up at a home in Brick, New Jersey, by the NYPD and U.S. Marshals, sources familiar with the investigation said. His pickup truck was found on Staten Island and cell phone records may have helped lead police to Brick.

The sources said the murder wasn't related to the mob. One source described the man in custody as a conspiracy theory type of guy while a second source said he appears a bit off.

One theory being looked into is whether the suspect wanted to date one of the mob boss's relatives and Cali told him to back off, the sources said.

Cali, known as "Franky Boy," 53, was shot to death in front of his home on Hilltop Terrace not long after dinnertime Wednesday. The 911 caller had initially reported a man had been run over by a vehicle on purpose and that he was trapped; the caller then said he had also been shot multiple times. A suspect fled the scene in a blue pickup truck, the NYPD said.

Investigators on Thursday began retrieving video from NYPD cameras positioned on the pair of roadways that lead in and out of Todt Hill, another source told NBC 4 New York. Surveillance video from the shooting scene is grainy, the source said.

But it shows the suspects truck apparently deliberately hitting the vehicle  perhaps to get Cali to come out of his home. The two shake hands, the license plate from the suspect's vehicle falls off, the suspect picks up the license, hands it to Cali, then pulls a gun and shoots as Cali puts the license in his own car, according to the source.

Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said Thursday that 12 shots were fired, with at least six striking Cali.

Shea said Cali tried to use his car as a shield to protect himself during the shooting.

Mr. Cali was struck several times by gunfire. In trying to elude additional gunfire, [he] fled to the rear area of his private vehicle, he said at a press conference.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn had referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Gambino organization, related through marriage to the Inzerillo clan in the Sicilian Mafia.

Multiple press accounts since 2015 said Cali had ascended to the top spot in the gang, although he never faced a criminal charge saying so.

His only mob-related criminal conviction came a decade ago, when Cali pleaded guilty in an extortion conspiracy involving a failed attempt to build a NASCAR track on Staten Island. He was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison and was released in 2009.

The last Mafia boss to be shot to death in New York City was Gambino don Paul Castellano, assassinated outside a Manhattan steakhouse in 1985 at the direction of Cali's swaggering 1980s-era predecessor, John Gotti.

With his expensive double-breasted suits and overcoats and silvery swept-back hair, Gotti became known as the Dapper Don, his smiling face all over the tabloids. As prosecutors tried and failed to bring him down, he came to be called the Teflon Don. Cali kept a much lower profile than Gotti.

In 1992, Gotti was convicted in Castellano's murder and a multitude of other crimes. He was sentenced to life in prison and died of cancer in 2002.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand formally joined the 2020 White House race on Sunday and previewed the hard line she will take against President Donald Trump by announcing a rally outside one of his signature Manhattan properties.

She had spent more than a month traveling around the country to gauge support for a run.

Her announcement that she was joining the dozen-plus candidates who want to challenge Trump came in a nearly three-minute video produced by her campaign and released early in the morning. She says the national anthem poses this question: "Will brave win?"

"Well, it hasn't always, and it isn't right now," she says. "Brave doesn't pit people against each other. Brave doesn't put money over lives. Brave doesn't spread hate. Cloud truth. Build a wall. That's what fear does."

In the video, Gillibrand says that the country needs a leader who "makes bold, brave choices" and "someone who isn't afraid of progress. That's why I'm running for president."

She said her debut speech as a candidate will come next Sunday in front of the Trump International Hotel Tower in New York.

Gillibrand has been one of the most forceful critics of the Trump administration. Using the backdrop of one of Trump's marquee properties is a clear challenge to the president.

She announced her exploratory committee in January in an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Since then, she has visited a number of states to assess political support for a White House bid.

This coming week she plans to campaign in Michigan, Iowa and Nevada, leading up to her New York kickoff.

Gillibrand has been a vocal advocate for electing more women to office, as well as combating sexual assault and violence in politics and the military.
Gov. Larry Hogan and leading lawmakers are demanding answers from the University of Maryland Medical System, after a newspaper reported this week that several members of the system's board have significant financial dealings with the hospital network.

Hogan said Friday "it is not just unseemly, it is appalling," and he has called for a review.

The Baltimore Sun reported this week that nine members of the system's Board of Directors have business deals with the network that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars each.

Hogan says he plans to join the Senate president and House speaker to demand executive leaders meet with them.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller described it as "a huge disaster right now," and he said "we're going to deal with it this session."
The Maryland Senate has passed a minimum wage bill that would gradually bring the hourly rate to $15 an hour by 2028.

The bill will set Maryland's minimum wage to $11 at the start of 2020, and increase it incrementally over the next several years until it reaches $15. All workers will reach a $15 minimum by 2028.

The version of the bill that passed the Senate had provisions that slowed the increases for employers with 14 or fewer employees to give them time to adjust. It also contains caveats for businesses in Prince George's and Montgomery counties, which already had higher minimum wages than the Maryland minimum.

State Senator Cory V. McCray, who sponsored the bill, is confident that the workers who benefit from the wage hike will "inject that money back into our economy."

"Like the majority of our state's voters, the Maryland Senate recognizes that now is the time to raise the minimum wage to $15," McCray said in an email.

The House of Delegates now must pass the version with the new provisions, which it is expected to do.

Leo Gertner, a staff attorney for the National Employment Law Project, says the higher wages will help families be able to better support themselves.

"This is a huge boost or hundreds of thousands of Maryland families who are going to be that much closer to paying rent," Gertner said.

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has in the past opposed minimum wage hikes, saying they're bad for business. He is joined by chambers of commerce in his concerns that states like Virginia, which recently voted down a measure to increase its own minimum wage, will draw away businesses with cheaper labor.

Gertner argues that those concerns have been refuted by academic research.

"It's just a scare tactic that we see time and again that opponents use," Gertner said.

If Hogan decides to veto the bill, it could still go into law because it was backed by a supermajority in the Senate.

Hogan also has the option to allow the bill to pass without his signature, in which case it would go into effect.
Johnnie Barto, 71, will be sentenced Monday at Cambria County Courthouse in Pennsylvania to spend whats likely to be the rest of his life in prison for sexually abusing a total of 29 children, including two relatives when they were minors, NBC News reports.

Prosecutors say Barto has admitted to sexually assaulting more than two dozen children during the four decades he practiced medicine, and that most were victimized in the examination room of Laurel Pediatric Associates, his practice in the Johnstown suburb of Richland Township.

Erika Brosig said she was 12 when she was assaulted by Barto in 1994 and remains haunted by what happened to her.

He just stuck his hand down my pants, digitally penetrated me, and he moaned, she said. The sound of that moan will never leave me.
U.S. business groups said Friday they are encouraged by China's approval of a new law that loosens restrictions on foreign investment and said it could help smooth the way to a substantive trade agreement between the two countries.

China's ceremonial legislature passed a measure Thursday seeking to prevent Chinese officials from forcing U.S. and other foreign companies to turn over proprietary technology, a key sticking point in the trade fight between the two countries.

The U.S. has imposed tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods in an effort to force changes to a range of China's economic policies. China has retaliated by slapping duties on most U.S. imports.

"It's one of those confidence building measures," Erin Ennis, senior vice president of the U.S.-China Business Council, said of the move by Chinese legislators. It suggests "the two sides are talking the same language."

U.S. companies have long complained that Chinese officials informally push them to turn over trade secrets in order to access China's market. In some cases U.S. businesses are required to form a joint venture with a Chinese partner, and share technology with them. In other cases, U.S. companies are forced to provide trade secrets to win regulatory approval from local officials, who then turn over those secrets to Chinese firms.

The Trump administration also wants China to reign in subsidies for state-owned firms and for companies that are focused on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and self-driving cars.

The new law would bar Chinese officials from leaking technology to Chinese firms, and would also make it easier for more U.S. companies to do business in China without a partner.

Still, it's not clear how close the two sides are to an agreement. Earlier this week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told a Senate committee that "there still are major, major issues that have to be resolved."

Ennis said China needs to publish regulations that would implement the new law, a step they have delayed taking in the past.

Lighthizer has emphasized that the agreement must include enforcement provisions that would allow the U.S. to impose tariffs or other sanctions if China doesn't follow through on its promises. That remains a key sticking point between the two sides, business lobbyists have said.

Lighthizer sketched out how the United States wants to enforce the deal in his testimony Tuesday. U.S. companies that are forced to turn over technology, for example, could bring that concern to U.S. officials, who would raise them in monthly meetings with their Chinese counterparts. Lighthizer and his Chinese counterpart would meet every six months and seek to resolve the toughest cases.

If they were unable to do so, Lighthizer said, the U.S. could "unilaterally act to enforce change," which would likely mean tariffs. The Trump administration wants China to agree to not retaliate, but that is a major sticking point.

Still, both presidents want a deal, business lobbyists say.

"We are cautiously optimistic that the two sides are going to get there," said Jeremie Waterman, president of the U.S. Chamber China Center. "They're clearly whittling the number of outstanding issues down."

Some business groups think an agreement, if it is reached, won't happen until the end of April.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday at the White House, "We'll have news on China probably one way or the other over the next three or four weeks."
Toxic fumes and smoke filled the entire East Boston neighborhood on Friday, but the scene was much different over the weekend as the cleanup after the nine-alarm fire got underway.

"It's heartbreaking," owner of the New England Casket Company Louis Tobia, Sr. said. "But you know you can't bury your head in the sand."

On Sunday morning, the effects of the fire reached beyond the damage to the building. It's unclear whether the Blue Line subway connection will reopen soon and buses continue to shuttle riders outbound past the airport stop all the way to Wonderland station.

At the scene of the blaze, demolition is underway and Tobia is facing the devastation head on, but the fire destroyed 75 years of work. His family's business was started by his father many years ago.

"He came over from Italy when he was 19-years-old. He had 18 bucks in his pocket, and the cab driver took all 18 bucks," Tobia Sr. said.

The fire broke out at the New England Casket Company around 3 p.m. Friday. It began in the structure on Bennington Street but quickly spread to other connecting buildings.

"I see the smoke. I can't breathe. I leave," Joe Pacheco, an employee of the company, said.

Louis Tobia, Jr. says they have a rooftop furnace that heats one of their drying ovens, and it was the furnace that started the fire.

Tobia, Jr. says he isn't sure what's next for the company.

"We didn't think it would end like this, you know? And who knows. We're not making any decisions. Maybe we can rebuild," he said.

For now, nearly 100 employees are out of work, including Pacheco, who has worked here since he immigrated from Portugal over 25 years ago.

"I need to find a new job," he said.

Even his car burned in the fire.

Now, demolition must begin.

"We will be concerned about, you know, what materials are inside the building, and that's why we're going to take it apart as opposed to just demolish it," Boston Commissioner of Inspection Services William Christopher said.

Although the disaster devastated his business, Tobia, Sr. still sees the silver lining.

"This is a material thing. When you lose somebody like your wife or your kids, that's important," he said.

It's still unclear whether the company will rebuild, but the owners say they just want to make sure their employees are taken care of.

About 100 Boston and Chelsea firefighters fought the flames, which filled the air with noxious fumes from hazardous chemicals in the building, until they were knocked down around 10:30 p.m. Friday.

Firefighters say they had a difficult time getting water to the fire.

Both Mayor Marty Walsh and Governor Charlie Baker have said they plan to look into the issue.

Initially, firefighters were ordered out of the burning building due to unstable conditions that ultimately caused three buildings to collapse.

The entire area surrounding the buildings was also evacuated Friday afternoon. By Friday night, Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn announced that residents of Orient Heights could return home.

"Things in very dangerous shape right now. We're in pretty good shape. The neighborhood, we are allowing residents to go back into the buildings, into their homes. We have been monitoring their quality since early evening, and its acceptable level, so we're allowing people to go back into their homes."

Mayor Walsh said Friday it was the biggest fire he's seen during his tenure as mayor.

He also said the fire commissioner always had concerns about the building.

"...because the way it was built," Mayor Walsh said. "It wasn't one consistent building. It was a building, added on, added on. A lot of wood, a lot of saw dust. A lot of chemicals."

The New England Casket Company is a family-run company that's been in business for over 75 years. According to the Boston Globe, the company made a mahogany casket, called the Concord, for Muhammad Ali, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Walter Cronkite, Joan Rivers and Tip O'Neill.

Two Boston police officers were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, two Boston firefighters were hospitalized for exhaustion and one Chelsea firefighter suffered a leg injury.

As of Saturday morning, the Blue Line of the T remained affected by the fire. According to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, personnel and equipment were assisting in draining water from the Orient Heights station and the train yard, which was completely flooded.

Workers replaced fencing Saturday that had to be removed during the firefighting efforts.

Shuttle buses will continue to replace service between Airport and Wonderland Station until further notice, the MBTA said.

"We are working to resume service as quickly and safely as possible and will keep you updated on what's happening. Thank you for your continued patience," the MBTA said Saturday morning.

The fire remains under investigation.
Boston is getting its Irish on today.

The celebration of the Irish begins at 10 a.m. with the annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast, followed by the St. Patrick's Day 5K Road Race at 11 a.m. and then the annual South Boston parade at 1 p.m.

The City of Boston strongly advises parade attendees to take public transportation and parking enforcement will be heavy. Expect street closures and parking restrictions in full effect. The bottom line: avoid driving into South Boston if possible. Street closures and parking restrictions will be in effect so avoid driving into South Boston.

For those outside for various events, bundle up. Although it won't be bitterly cold, it'll be a sunny day with temperatures in the 30s and lower 40s.

The private St. Patrick's Day breakfast will be held for the first time at the Flynn Cruiseport on South Boston's waterfront.

At 11 a.m., the annual road race kicks off at 230 Sixth St. in South Boston and will feature the youth rock-pop band, the Harmaniacs. All proceeds from the race benefit South Boston Boys & Girls' Club. The route takes runners down East Broadway, around Farragut Statue, returns back up East Broadway to West Broadway, left on East Street, left on West Sixth Street to the finish line, according to the race website.

The day will cap off with tens of thousands expected at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, which begins at 1 p.m. The 3.6 mile parade lasts almost five hours and features musicians from around the world. More than 100 groups taking part and include 24 floats and 27 bands. Special guests include dozens of firefighters from Galway Fire and Rescue.

The parade begins outside the Broadway MBTA station at 1 p.m. and travels to West Broadway to Perkins Square, along East Broadway to P Street and then onto East Fourth Street. The route continues to K Street, then East Fifth Street to G Street to Thomas Park to Telegraph Street. Marchers and floats continue onto Dorchester Street, then onto Old Colony Avenue to Andrew Square and the parade finishes on Dorchester Avenue.

Boston police have reported the following road closures and parking restrictions.
The St. Patricks Day parade in South Boston will feature plenty of special guests, including a group of firefighters who came all the way from Ireland.

Nearly two dozen firefighters from Galway fire and rescue will march in Sundays parade. They traveled across the pond to represent their city, which is located in western Ireland.

This year we picked Boston because weve never been before, firefighter Ros Fagan said. And we love it so far.

The group has spent the week leading up to St. Patricks Day seeing the sights in Boston. They took a ride on a fire boat and were touring a Boston fire house when the call came in for a 9-alarm fire in East Boston.

We wanted to help, but we are away on holiday so we left it to the guys here, firefighter Jonathan Folan said.

Welcome to our brother firefighters from Galway Ireland who visited with Commissioner @ChiefJoeFinn at Memorial Hall Friday and had dinner at the Big House E-10,R-1,TL-3,Div-1 tonight . They will be marching tomorrow in the St. Patricks Day Parade. pic.twitter.com/RNaf71CONR  Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) March 17, 2019

The group will march behind the Boston Fire Department in the parade. They said they feel lucky to be celebrating their Irish heritage in a place with so much history.

We just really want to soak up the vibe ourselves, firefighter Brian Fegan said. Its just a good experience outside of Ireland so were really looking forward to it.

Director of parade operations Bryan Bishop said the event will also feature Spanish bagpipers, German leprechauns in addition to other surprises.
It was a morning full of laughs at the St. Patricks Day Breakfast in Boston.

Before the parade, the state's political leaders gathered for the annual event in the city's South Boston neighborhood for Irish songs, Irish dancing and groan-worthy political jokes.

Senator Nick Collins hosted the event for the first time. It was also the first time the event was held at Flynn Cruiseport on the citys waterfront.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker was one of the event's headliners. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh were among the top Democrats who attended.

Sen. Collins, a native of Southie, poked fun at Baker for his British roots and introduced him as King Charlie Baker.

"Alice Elizabeth Gormley from Ireland, my mother, would have been horrified to have anybody talk about me as a descendant of the British crown," said Baker.

Baker, who has distanced himself from more conservative Republican stances and refused to vote for President Donald Trump during the 2016 election, joked that he has decided to take a DNA test.

"The official results of that DNA test? I am one-one thousandth Republican,'' Baker quipped.

In past years, the festivities have drawn phone calls from national political figures, and this year was no different.

Former Vice President Joe Biden offered video-taped greetings.

"We Irish as you know, we're dreamers, yet we're realists. We're spiritual, yet we are doubters. We are compassionate, yet we're demanding. Everything in us runs deep: sadness and joy, heartache and hope, fortitude and faith,'' Biden said. "We are the only people on earth who are always nostalgic for the future.''

A fire at a Worcester, Massachusetts apartment left 13 people spending the Thanksgiving holiday at a hotel, but it could have been much worse if it wasnt for a group of high schoolers on their way home. Four junior ROTC members were driving home from their high school when they saw smoke at a Hamilton Street apartment building. "When we looked back, no one was out... I didn't see no people, or nothing," Abderrahman Sebbai said. "It was just like, we need to go, like we have to go in there fast." The group ran into the burning apartment building, going door to door to save the people inside.

Biden revealed how he met Sen. Collins in New Hampshire when they both worked together in 2007 and said he wished he could attend the breakfast to see his colleagues in Boston and to meet new lawmakers like Pressley.

The former vice president also spoke of his mother, who he believed was the "quintessential Irish lady." He reflected on an Irish lesson that his mother instilled in him, his sibling and grandchildren: "Never bend. Never bow. Never break." Biden said it taught his family about equality and captured the Irish spirit.

"I would say were the only people on earth who are always nostalgic for the future," said Biden. "I think the future is going to be bright."

Before introducing Gov. Baker, Sen. Collins paid tribute to the Massachusetts governor with a "Hamilton" inspired song and dance number. Baker stood and sang along to the tune. Lawmakers were amused with the skit and Sen. Collinss attempt at hitting a high note.

Police are looking for a missing 14-year-old boy from Fall River, Massachusetts. Jose Martinez was last seen walking in the area of Herman Street around 11 a.m. Sunday. Martinez was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and khaki pants.

"Ive never had men with muskets dance behind me at this breakfast," chuckled Rep. Stephen Lynch as he began his speech.

Sen. Ed Markey did an impression of President Trump after telling them to imagine pitching the Green New Deal with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

New Hampshire is getting nearly $600,000 in federal funding that will go toward helping reunite children in foster care with their families. The $544,968 from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was awarded to the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. They will spend the funding on 64 vouchers for families whose housing problems contributed to them being separated from their children.

"Youre going to get tired of drinking so much clean water," Markey said as he imitated President Trumps voice. "Youre going to say Oh please Mr. President we cant drink anymore clean water."

Senate President Karen Spilka revealed a sweet fact about Baker, saying during the weekly leadership meetings that a small buffet is laid out and Baker always goes for the pastries.

Senate President Karen Spilka cracked a few jokes during the St. Patricks Day Breakfast.

"Every single meeting, Charlie Baker devours all of the pastries," she said as she jokingly gave Baker a cookie.

Throughout her speech, Sen. Spilka pulled pastries out of a bag and handed them to the governor. "Ooh, look governor," she said. "Another pastry."

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, was campaigning in Tennessee and wasn't at the breakfast. Attorney General Maura Healey and House Speaker Robert DeLeo were also not in attendance Sunday.

The Boston area has a significant Irish-American population, and South Boston is its historical stomping ground. The breakfast itself dates back more than a century and is a regular stop for politicians courting those of Irish descent.
Rhode Island lawmakers are considering a bill that would require suicide prevention training for public school personnel.

The bill would require school districts to adopt suicide prevention policies and train personnel in suicide awareness and prevention annually.

Rep. Terri Cortvriend, Sen. James Seveney and Sen. Dawn Euer are trying to build support for it.

It's named after Nathan Bruno, a Portsmouth High School student who took his life last year. Cortvriend, a Democrat, was chairwoman of the Portsmouth School Committee at the time.

Bruno's friends approached the lawmakers with ideas that led to the legislation.

Cortvriend says kids need support from the adults in their lives and this bill strives to ensure the adults they see daily at school are ready to connect them to help when they need it.
An unusual and hard-to-miss St. Patricks Day tradition in Vermonts Chittenden County is also a fundraiser for cancer research at the University of Vermont.

Its a very strange tradition, acknowledged Kim Ireland of the S.D. Ireland Cancer Research Fund. But its ours!

Ireland organizes a holiday parade of concrete mixers from her familys concrete supplier and contracting firm, S.D. Ireland.

The companys corporate logo is a shamrock, so each St. Patricks Day for more than 30 years, the Ireland family has shown off its shamrocks on a fleet of mixers that tours Chittenden County.

Sponsorships from area businesses are applied to the mixers drums, raising money for cancer research.

The mixers travel around the Burlington area, honking their horns loudly, in a route that includes driving up Burlingtons Church Street Marketplace, where many families wave to the drivers.

The money raised from the sponsorships$150,000 in 2019, Ireland saidsupports work being conducted at the University of Vermonts Larner College of Medicine by Dr. David Krag and his team, who hope to untangle some of the many mysteries of cancer.

Its absolutely solvable, Krag said of finding much better treatments or even a cure for cancer.

Dr. Krag said he and his research colleagues are now developing a possible new approach to cancer treatment, using a cocktail of nine antibodies to attack cancer cellswhereas other methods often focus on one antibody.

In early tests, Krag said the lab is seeing encouraging results, finding the growth of some tumors has been dramatically stifled.

You kind of have to slap your face and pinch yourself, and make sure what youre seeing is really correct, Krag told necn. So we repeated it again, just to convince ourselves.

The St. Patricks Day mixer parades, along with other donations and projects year-round, have generated nearly $5.5-million for the S.D. Ireland Cancer Research Fund over 20 years, Ireland said, to support the work at UVM.

Its amazing whats going on right here in our own backyard, which is, I think, why we have so much support from our community, Ireland said.

Its still too soon for any human trials for Dr. Krags current research, but he said the lab is deeply grateful for the support from the noisy St. Patricks Day display of concrete mixers.

Its a great event, he beamed.

Were going to keep at this, Kim Ireland said of her fundraising efforts.
Nepal Telecommunications Authority and Thales Alenia Space, France signed on an agreement on providing technical and financial support to Nepals willingness of operating and managing its own satellite. They will materialize the agreement details in the coming months. This is a great opportunity for the Himalayan nation to leapfrog in the field of communication. Nepal does not have its own satellite and this has been a hurdle for providing effective telecommunication services.

Nepal has more than 80% of land covered with mountains making it essential to its own communication satellite. All the telecom service providers in Nepal rely on the satellite link from other countries. Although Nepal is set to launch its own satellite with the help of Japan by mid-May, the use of that satellite will be in a different field. NAST is overseeing the launch of this satellite and is expected to operate from late June.

The scope of communication satellite in Nepal

Although our country does not have its own satellite, the service providers are using satellite from other countries. There is no doubt that having its own satellite will be beneficial for the nation. Some of the scope of having a communication satellite can be

Many service providers in Nepal from broadcasting and telecommunication sectors, rely on Communication Satellite to provide their services.

International satellite bandwidth costs more money compared to having own satellite.

Satellite demand is increasing in the application like DTH, Cable heads, and other fields.

A satellite is a good alternative for communication in places where fiber cable and microwave links are not feasible or difficult.

DTH service has been growing largely in the region and there is an availability of paid channels along with licensed services are available form other countries as well.

Satellite bandwidth becomes essential in providing rural internet along with cellular/mobile networks (2G, 3G, 4G).

A communication satellite is an artificial object in the space that uses a transponder to relay and amplify the radio communication signals. The main job of this satellite is to create a communication channel between the transmitter or source and receiver. The receiver can be located across different places on earth. The communication satellites are widely used by television, radio, telecommunication and military based organization. There are more than 2000 communication satellites used by different governments and private organizations. The communication satellites are mostly geostationary, meaning they are immovable on their orbit. This satellite can communicate with the satellite dish antenna on the earth which points towards the direction of the satellite in the sky.

ITU Allocation for Nepals own satellite

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has reserved an orbital slot for Nepal. The ITU has assigned 50 degrees east and 123.3-degree orbital slots for Nepal. The 50 degrees east orbital slot includes 12 channels in the band 11.7-12.2 GHz in space to earth direction and 14.5-14.8 GHz in the earth to satellite direction. The 123.3 degrees east orbital slot includes 500 MHz in Ku-band (10.7-10.95 GHz, 11.2- 11.45 GHz in space to earth direction and 12.75-13.25 GHz in the earth to satellite direction.)

Although the orbital slots were reserved by ITU for Nepal since long, Nepal was not able to utilize this allocation. The main reason for this was the lack of resources and technical support. However, now Nepal can use the opportunity to advance its telecommunication capabilities using this satellite. Right now, Nepali telecom operators use satellite services from countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and Hong Kong.

The deal between Nepal and France

Thales Alenia Space and Nepal Telecommunication Authority agreed to work together for the awaited launch of Nepals own satellite on 9 March 2019. The two sides will finalize the deal in June 2019 during the PM K.P Sharma Olis visit to France. The MoU includes an agreement for two projects worth Rs 50 billion. The satellite project costs in the range of 20 billion. Eric Imbert, Sales Vice President of Thales Alenia Space feels privileged to have been selected for the project. The main mission of this project is to make high-speed internet access throughout the country. This, in turn, will act as a medium for improved services like e-governance, telemedicine, e-learning, information technology, disaster management and much more.

Nepals Information and Communication Minister Goku Baskota visited France from 3  8 Mar 2019. During his visit, Baskota and his French counterpart inked the agreement. The agreement states that Nepal will receive Financial and Technical support in improving the telecommunication services with Nepals own satellite to launch in 2022. Both governments have agreed upon to prepare Detailed Project Report within three months and start the work. Nepali telecommunication sector can improve service delivery after the launch as long as they use Nepals own satellite. However, they must still rely on international service providers for three more years.

What can we expect from Nepals own satellite?

The launch of the satellite will be a new milestone in the field of telecommunication for Nepal. Nepali telecommunication sector can benefit from this as they can now rely completely on their own satellite. The government itself can utilize from having its own satellite as well. The government entities can link data between government facilities, improve education and medical services whereas the private sector can benefit equally as well. With the increased popularity of HDTV services, the DTH service providers can look forward to grabbing the opportunity. However, the wait is still not over for at least three years. As per the MoU, the satellite launch will take on 2022 only. The future looks bright for the telecommunication as well as broadcast services.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Viber to get latest news, information about Ntc, Ncell, Smart Cell and phones in Nepal.



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St Paul's Catholic Primary School was even congratulated in a letter by the education secretary

A WEST Berkshire primary school has been ranked in the top one per cent of all primaries in the country.

Education secretary Damian Hinds has sent a letter of congratulations to Nuala Oster, the headteacher at St Pauls Catholic Primary School in Tilehurst, to praise her for the exceptional Key Stage 2 achievements.

In the letter, Mr Hinds commended the schools SATS results, in which 100 per cent of children reached or surpassed the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2.

St Pauls was also crowned the best primary school in Berkshire in a new guide.

The Real Schools Guide 2019, compiled by publisher Reach, aims to provide a comprehensive picture of how schools are rated locally, which analyses Key Stage 2 results, progress, pupil-teacher ratios and absence rates.

St Pauls topped both the West Berkshire table of schools and the county table overall.

Mrs Oster joined the schools teaching staff in a part-time role nearly two decades ago.

She became acting headteacher in January 2014 and was officially appointed headteacher in July the same year, taking over from long-standing head Julia Feeney.

Speaking about the success of her school, Mrs Oster said: When we received the letter from the Secretary of State, we sent a personal letter of congratulations to all those children in last years Year 6 to say well done for all their hard work.

Its the senior leadership team that have really grown and blossomed, but everybody works together.

It seems like an awful cliche, but we really are just one big happy family  Im so proud and delighted for the staff and the pupils.

Mrs Oster also pointed to several pupil-led initiatives which she said played a big part in the schools successful learning environment.

This included the schools Mini Vinnie volunteers  Year 5 pupils who regularly fundraise for the Churches in Reading Drop in Centre (CIRDIC) and Reading homelessness charity Launchpad, as well as organising regular liturgies.

Another of the schools outreach ventures involves Year 2 children who spend time with older residents at regular Knit and Natter sessions at Pegasus Court care home near the City Road school.

St Pauls is also a designated teaching school  which means it works with others to provide high-quality training, development and support to new and experienced school staff.

Elsewhere in The Real Schools Guide, Theale Primary School was ranked in second place while Enborne Primary School was rated third-best in the district.

Of the top 10, seven are Church of England schools, and St Pauls, Tilehurst, and St Finians, Cold Ash, are Roman Catholic.

Robert Sandilands Primary School in Speen was the only non-denominational school to feature in the top 10, coming fifth in the rankings.
New Milford Hospital will soon play host to the spring 2019 launch of Aging Mastery Program, a series that teaches older adults how to age well.

The program, coordinated through Regional YMCA of Western CT and the Connecticut Healthy Living Collective, will begin April 5 at 11:30 a.m. at the Elm Street hospital.

The program will be coordinated and facilitated by Maureen Farrell of the Regional YMCA of Western CT. She has facilitated the program in greater Danbury for the last two years.

The educational class teaches older adults what to expect after age 65, and how to make small changes that can have lasting effects on a persons health and economic security.

The 10-session program is free of charge and features a graduation ceremony on week 11.

The goal of the class, created by the National Council on Aging and financial supporters including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, is to empower older adults with the knowledge to make important decisions that will allow them to age well.

Topics to be covered include navigating longer lives, physical activity, sleep, healthy eating and hydration, financial fitness, medication management, advanced planning, healthy relationships, fall prevention, and community engagement.

The program panel of speakers will be local and coordinated by the Regional YMCA of Western CT.

The class will meet once a week and include a personal playbook that participants use to create an Aging Mastery plan.

The class will be held in the hospitals Robison Room B from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information and RSVP, visit www.cthealthyliving.org.
Burnham Library in Bridgewater will present a program about World War I memorials in Connecticut March 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Historian Richard Franklin Donohue will present a lecture and discussion, with a special emphasis on Litchfield County, at the 62 Main St. South library.

Having visited and cataloged more than 220 monuments throughout the 169 towns in Connecticut, Donohue will display images of the monuments and explore trends in their design and placement.

His original research has formed the basis of museum exhibits, traveling lectures and living history programs.

For more information and RSVP, call 860-354-6937 or email cfisher@burnhamlibrary.org.
Chennai: The DMK on Sunday announced its candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, going for well-known faces for the Parliamentary polls and fielding relatively newer names for the state elections.

Much like the AIADMK, which will have children of politicians enter the fray this time, the DMK has fielded Kadhir Anand, son of DMK treasurer Durainurugan, former minister Arcot Veerasamy's son Kalanidhi Veerasamy and long-time DMK leader Ponmudi's son Gautama Sigamani.

While former ministers Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja retain their constituencies, M Kanimozhi enters the electoral fray for the first time. News18 had reported in December that Kanimozhi would contest from Tuticorin, officially known as Thoothukudi. BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan will represent the AIADMK-led front from the Thoothukudi constituency.

The Thoothukudi district has a sizeable presence of the Nadar community and Kanimozhi is expected to have an edge beyond the DMK as she belongs to the community from her mother's side. Soundararajan, who also hails from the same community, is a new contestant in Thoothukudi. Soundararajan has already taken pot-shots at the DMK and Kanimozhi, signalling his intent to get assertive ahead of the polls.

Kanimozhi and Thamizhachi Thangapandian are the only women candidates in the DMK list, which translates to 10% of the total DMK candidates for the Lok Sabha. Interestingly, the DMK is in an alliance with the Congress, which has vowed to have a third of the Parliament made up of women through the Women's Reservation Bill.

The AIADMK on Sunday released the full list of 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry to be fought by it and its allies. The party will field its nominees in 20 constituencies excluding Vellore, where the New Justice Party (NJP) will contest on the ruling partys symbol of two leaves.

Only eight constituencies will see arch-rivals DMK and AIADMK crossing swords one on one.

If Indiya Jananayaga Katchi (Perambalur) and Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (Namakkal), who will contest with their partner DMK's rising sun symbol and Puthiya Needhi Katchi (Vellore) that will fight in the two leaves symbol of its ally AIADMK are considered, then the clash between the two Dravidian majors will be seen in 11 Lok Sabha seats.

Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam released the list in presence of Chief Minister K Palaniswami and BJP Tamil Nadu president Tamilisai Soundararajan.

The AIADMK leaders hailed the alliance as a "victorious" one, while BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan said people wanted "Modi again", adding that the opposition was indulging only in negative propaganda.

Puthiya Needhi Katchi leader AC Shanmugam was also present during announcement of the list.
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New Delhi:

With sudden demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar this evening, the Goa Board HSSC or Class 12 examinations scheduled for Monday, March 18, has been postponed, according to reports. The Goa Board HSSC Exam, which started on February 28 for class 12 students, is scheduled to end on March 26.

Going by the Goa Board HSSC Exam time table, the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) was scheduled to conduct the Banking(601), Logic(552), Computer Science(705), and Co-operation(651) examinations on March 18. With the Government of India announcing national mourning on Monday, authorities have decided to postpone all the examinations scheduled for the day.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said the national flag will fly at half-mast in the national capital, the union territories and the state capitals. A meeting of the Union Cabinet will be held on Monday at 10 am and state funeral will be accorded to Parrikar.

Parrikar, 63, breathed his last at his private residence at Dona Paula near Panaji, after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer, on Saturday evening.

However, the GBSHSE is yet to release the revised date sheet for the Goa Board HSSC or Class 12 examinations which were scheduled to be held on Monday. For more details the candidates are advised to keep a tab on the official website of the GBSHSE that is www.gbshse.org.
New Delhi:

BJP president Amit Shah is slated to head a core committee meeting of the party on Sunday to finalise the list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party top brass is likely to brainstorm on candidates for Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa and Rajasthan.

The BJP is likely to release its first list of candidates on Monday, when its central election committee is scheduled to meet. The list will have names of most of the candidates for the first phase of polling, which will be held on April 11 in 91 seats.

States that will go to polls on April 11 in the first phase of the upcoming seven-phase Lok Sabha elections are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and other top BJP leaders will attend the central election committee meeting.

A meeting of the CEC was held on Saturday as well to finalise the names of candidates. Sources said the discussion was held on seats in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttarakhand and the seven northeastern states.

Sources also said that in Saturday's meeting there was no discussion on Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 parliamentary seats and where the BJP is still in talks with smaller parties to finalise seat sharing. The BJP won 71 seats in the state in the 2014 general election.

On the other hand, the Congress has so far released four lists of candidates.
New Delhi:

The Congress on Sunday said that it will not field any candidate on seven seats in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, leaving them for the SP-BSP-RLD alliance.

"We are leaving seven seats vacant for SP, BSP and RLD. These include Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad and whatever seats Mayawati ji and RLD's Jayant ji and Ajit Singh contest from. We will also give two seats to Apna Dal - Gonda & Pilibhit," said UP Congress chief Raj Babbar.

Babbar added that the Congress will also not field any candidate on the Azamgarh seat if Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav contests from there.

He further announced that the Mahan Dal, with which the Congress joined hands earlier this year, is ready to fight on the former's symbol.

"We had talked to Mahan Dal earlier. They had said they were fine with whatever seats we give them, all they wanted was to contest Vidhan Sabha election. For Lok Sabha elections they had said they'll contest on our symbol. We'll find out a way to work with them," Babbar said.

Also, the Congress reached an agreement on seven seats with Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) in Uttar Pradesh. While the former will fight on two seats, the latter will field candidates on remaining five seats.

In January this year, the BSP and SP had announced their alliance in the state, while elbowing out the Congress. However, both Akhilesh and Mayawati said that they will not field any candidates from Amethi and Rae Bareli -- the two strongholds of the Congress in the state.

Later, the Congress announced to go it alone and contest on all 80 seats in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. It later joined hands with the Apna Dal, Mahan Dal and Jan Adhikar Party.

In Uttar Pradesh, the polls will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will be held on May 23.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won 73 seats while the Congress had managed to win only two. The Samajwadi Party had won five seats and the BSP had drawn a blank in the state.
Chhindwara:

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday said that if party colleague Digvijaya Singh wants to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, he should choose the toughest seat in the state.

While Nath did not mention any seat in particular, he said there were "2-3-4 seats" in MP which the Congress had not won in the past "30-35" years.

Singh, a former chief minister and multiple times Lok Sabha MP, is currently a Rajya Sabha member.

"I have requested Digvijaya Singh that if he wants to contest Lok Sabha polls, then he should do so from the toughest seat. There are 2-3-4 seats from where we have not won elections since the last 30-35 years," Nath told reporters here.

Congress functionaries said he may have been referring to Bhopal and Indore Lok Sabha seats, both of which have been held by the BJP since 1989.

Congress sources said Nath is keen that Singh contest from Bhopal. Former President late Shankar Dayal Sharma was the last Congress winner from the seat in the 1984 general elections.

Nath, in reply to a query, however, said it was for Singh to decide from where he wants to contest.

He also added that the Congress would announce Lok Sabha candidates from the state in the next three-four days.

Nath arrived in Chhindwara on a two-day visit to address 11 rallies, with his son Nakul Nath, in all likelihood, being the Congress' Lok Sabha candidate.

Nath, who is a nine-time MP from Chhindwara, is fighting an Assembly bypoll from here scheduled for April 23.

Nath has to get elected to the MP Assembly in order to continue as chief minister.

The Chhindwara Assembly seat was vacated by Dipak Saxena, who had won it in the 2018 state polls, so that Nath could get an entry into the 230-member House.

(With PTI inputs)
Lucknow:

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is in Lucknow today to review the poll preparations in the state. During her visit, Priyanka Gandhi is also expected to meet party candidates who fought the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Priyanka, who recently took over her official role in party politics, will be meeting all stakeholders to draw a strategy to strengthen the party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In the 2017 UP Assembly polls, the Congress, in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, had suffered a massive defeat at the hands of the BJP, winning only 54 of the total 403 seats.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won 73 seats while the Congress had managed to win only two. The Samajwadi Party had won five seats and the BSP had drawn a blank in the state.

Priyankas Lucknow visit comes a day before she formally kicks off campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls from the political hotbed of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Prayagraj and Varanasi, using the river route.

This will provide her an opportunity to interact the commoners and know their problems, the biggest of which is caused by recurring floods in these areas as well as the reality of Ganga cleaning, which was first launched by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Dwijendra Tripathi said.

"It would be the first time that any leader of this stature will be reaching out to the electorate using the river route in a motorboat, getting first-hand account of the people residing in these remote riverine areas," Congress spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi told PTI.

Priyanka's plans for the first phase of her campaign was stated in a letter submitted to the Election Commission and permission has been granted for her visit from Prayagraj to Varanasi from March 18 to March 20.

The letter also informs that Priyanka will use a motorboat to cover the distance of around 100 km and programmes to welcome her have been scheduled for which permission was required in compliance with the Model Code of Conduct.

In the second phase of her tour, she will travel further to Ballia and cross the river to touch Bihar at Chhapra.

In the second phase in the end of this month, Priyanka will cover a 210-km stretch from Varanasi to Ballia, touching about 150 villages along the banks of the Ganga. This second phase is likely to be of three days.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has assigned 42 parliamentary constituencies in eastern UP to Priyanka. While declaring her name at the eastern UP in-charge, Rahul had said that he wanted Priyanka to review the Congress in the state and ensure that there is Congress chief minister in 2022.
New Delhi:

National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday confirmed that he had received a proposal from the Congress for an alliance in the state J&K for Lok Sabha elections 2019. But he had made it clear to the Congress that only National Conference candidates will contest on the three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley.

If it suits them (Congress), we can talk about other seats. Let's see what response we receive, Abdullah told the media.

The polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in five phases on April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6. The results would be announced on May 23.

J&K has six Lok Sabha seats, three in the Valley, two in the Jammu division and one in the Ladakh division.

Abdullah has been vocal against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not holding the Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously. He had earlier said Modi has "surrendered" before Pakistan, terrorists and separatists,

It amounts to denying the people of the state their democratic right to form an elected government, Abdullah said on the sidelines of a party function in Anantnag district on Sunday.

Commenting on the launch of a new political party by former IAS officer Shah Faesal, Omar said it remains to be seen whether the new party would have something new to offer to the people.

The EC announced the schedule for Lok Sabha polls to be held in seven phases across the country, including in J-K (five phases), but cited security grounds for not holding the assembly polls simultaneously.

In Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, polling will be held in three phases due to security reasons.

"In light of the failure to conduct assembly elections on time in J&K, I'm retweeting my tweets from a few days ago. PM Modi has surrendered to Pakistan, to the militants & to the Hurriyat. Well done Modi Sahib. 56-inch chest failed. #slowclap," Omar, the NC vice-president, wrote on Twitter.
New Delhi:

Amid reports of Shatrughan Sinha shifting loyalty towards the RJD-led grand alliance, the BJP is set to drop the sitting MP from Patna Sahib and he is likely to be replaced by Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Prasad's name was discussed in the BJP's central election committee which was attended by party chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Deliberations continued till late in the night and the name of Rajya Sabha MP R K Sinha was also discussed for the Patna Sahib seat.

The meeting was also attended by other senior leaders, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi and party's Bihar unit chief Nityanand Rai.

On Friday, Sinha had hinted that he would not be working under Narendra Modi anymore, tweeting an Urdu verse that implied the Prime Minister may not have dearth of admirers but the dissident BJP leader would not be one of them.

Sinha has on multiple occasions expressed his unhappiness with the Prime Minister and the BJP leadership and his Friday tweet made it clear he might soon quit the party he has been associated with nearly two decades now.

"Mohabbat karne wale kam na honge, teri mehfil mein lekin ham na honge (you may perhaps have no dearth of admirers, but I would not be among them)," the Patna Sahib MP tweeted.

Though he did not mention Prime Minister Modi in his tweets, the wordings made it clear who he was referring too. In his tweets, Sinha often refers to the Prime Minister as "sir".

"Sir, the Nation respects you, but the only thing the leadership lacks is credibility & trust factor. Leadership jo kar rahi hai aur kah rahi hai kya log uspe vishwas kar rahe hain, shayad nahin (Do the people trust what the leadership is saying and doing? Perhaps not)," the actor-turned politician wrote.

He said, "Any way it all seems to be too little and too late. Promises made in the past are still to be fulfilled. Hope, wish and pray that- Mohabbat karne wale kam na honge (shayad), teri mehfil mein lekin ham na honge."

Associated with the BJP since the 1990s, Sinha fell out with the party's leadership in the recent past, complaining it has become a "one-man show and two-man army"-- a reference apparently to the Prime Minister and his trusted aide and party president Amit Shah.

Sinha has repeatedly asserted he would seek a re-election from the Patna Sahib seat though it may be as a candidate of a different party.

"Location will be the same, situation may be different," the 72-year-old leader has said in the past.

Sinha had served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and is serving his second consecutive term as MP from Patna Sahib.

He has also indicated that an announcement on which of the opposition parties he will be joining was likely next week.

Speculations are rife that the opposition "Mahagathbandhan" in the state, led by the RJD and the Congress, will field him from the Patna Sahib seat.
New Delhi:

Former bureaucrat, Shah Faesal on Sunday launched his political party the 'Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement' ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls at Rajbaghs Gindan park in Srinagar. Claiming support from other parts of the state as well, Faesal said, I had to decide which party to join, and I was about to join one particular party and they gave me a lot of respect. But during that time, I was abused by everyone and today I want to thank all those people. Those abuses helped me start this party, he said. Former JNU student leader and activist Shehla Rashid Shora also joined Faesals party. Shehla has been working closely with Faesal over the past few months and was involved in the decision-making process for the inception of the party.



Speaking about the Kashmir issue, Faesal said, we accept that Kashmir problem needs to be solved according to the wishes of people of Kashmiri people. Its a long route and we can facilitate. We can bridge the gap between Delhi and Srinagar.

This party is not based on religion or region. We are representing everyone. Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of our society. They need to return to their roots. All the members in my team have all left their careers to join me, he added.



Faesal has been travelling through different districts in the Valley, meeting and bringing like-minded individuals into the fold. The party released a vision document before its launch. The vision document said the party will pursue a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem as per the will and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The manifesto said the party will attempt to bring about sustainable peace in the state by making the people politically empowered, economically prosperous, socially emancipated, ethically evolved, culturally enlightened and environmentally conscious.



Shehla, who was also present on the occasion said, We will work for development in the valley. I want to make a request to all the women and girls to come and join us. Women have gone through worse in this conflict and we want them to join our party. We also seek support of students. We want to empower the youth of the state. We will work for those students and businessmen who are outside in different parts of the country.

Shehla emerged as a prominent face after Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were arrested for a February 2016 protest in 2016 against the execution of Afzal Guru.

Faesal has been in the limelight since becoming the first Kashmiri to top the civil services exam in 2009. In a brief statement on Facebook, the 35-year-old Faesal, who belongs to 2010 batch of the IAS, said his resignation was also to protest "the marginalisation and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the state and growing culture of intolerance and hate in mainland India in the name of hyper-nationalism".
New Delhi:

Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday backed Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawatis candidature for the prime ministerial post.

Showering praises on Mayawati, Swamy said that the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh was far better in her rule. For the PM face of the opposition, he also said that the BSP supremo was better than Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Mayawati has been the CM of Uttar Pradesh many times. In her rule, the law and order situation of the state was far better. If she stands for the PM post, then there is neither any doubt in it nor it is laughable. She is far better than Rahul Gandhi, Swamy said in an exclusive interview to News Nation.

In January, the BSP joined hands with the Samajwadi Party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, keeping the Congress out, though the two parties decided not to field any candidates in Rae Bareli and Amethi, the traditional strongholds of the grand old party.

Of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the SP will contest 37 and the BSP 38, leaving three for the Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and two for Sonia Gandhi (Rae Bareli) and Rahul Gandhi (Amethi).

This comes amid efforts by opposition parties to present a united front against the BJP-led government in the parliamentary polls. Mayawati is among the opposition leaders, who are said to be harbouring prime ministerial ambition.

When asked about the political situation in Uttar Pradesh, Swamy admitted that if the sitting MPs are denied ticket by the party, they may shift loyalty to the Congress and the mahagathbandhan. This is the reason why the party has been brainstorming on the candidates in the politically crucial state, he added.

Swamy exuded confidence that Narendra Modi will remain the prime minister after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the BJP will rule for at least another ten years.

He, however, indicated that in order to split the votes of the BJP, Congress may field such candidates who may cause problems to the BJP and the opposition (SP-BSP alliance) contenders may win.

Taking a dig at Priyanka Gandhi Vadras scheduled campaign from Prayagraj to Varanasi using the river route, which will start on Monday, Swamy said that when he, Ashok Singhal and Uma Bharti were involved in cleaning of River Ganga and PM Modi was launching several schemes for it, then Priyanka was busy partying in Europe.
New Delhi:

Manohar Parrikar, Goa Chief Minister, passed away onA Sunday after a prolonged illness, announced President Ram Nath Kovind. He was 63. Parrikar breathed his last at his private residence in Panaji. "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten," President Kovind said.A

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind a President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Parrikar is survived by two sons and their families. "Chief Minister passed away around 6.40 pm Sunday," a senior state government official told news agency PTI.

The BJP stalwart's health, which has been fluctuating for a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days. Sources said former defence minister Parrikar had been on life support system since late Saturday night. Parrikar had been unwell since February 2018 when he was diagnosed with a pancreatic ailment.

The announcement came soon after the Goa CMO tweeted saying the health condition of Parrikar was "extremely critical" and doctors were trying their best. Following the death of former defence minister, the Government of India has announced national mourning on Monday, March 18.

Earlier in the day,A former Goa minister and BJP core committee member Dayanand Mandrekar said the central leadership will have to take a call on new chief minister as Parrikaras health is "very critical".A "If Manohar Parrikar was well, there would be no need to change the leader. But because his health is critical now and there is day to day deterioration (in his health condition) the party has to take some decision. I think it will happen,"A Mandrekar said, adding that you need a chief minister to run the government.

Goa minister Vijai Sardesai on Saturday met Parrikar and said his health had "deteriorated", but he was "stable". Sardesai, along with five Goa MLAs, met Parrikar at his private residence.

The health of Parrikar, who was suffering from a pancreatic ailment, had deteriorated earlier in the day sparking hectic political activities across parties in the coastal state.

Several party leaders and allies in the state government had rushed to meet him on Saturday.A

He was shifted to AIIMS in New Delhi on September 15 last year and returned to Goa on October 14. Since then, he had been recuperating at his private residence at Dona Paula.



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New Delhi:

Five Indians were among the 50 people killed by a white supremacist, who opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, in the worst attack on Muslims in New Zealand, the Indian High Commission said Sunday.

The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The high commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.

"With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted.

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch

Mr. Maheboob Khokhar

Mr. Ramiz Vora

Mr. Asif Vora

Ms Ansi Alibava

Mr. Ozair Kadir@kohli_sanjiv @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj 1/3 a India in New Zealand (@IndiainNZ) March 16, 2019

In another tweet later, the high commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims. (https://www.Immigration.Govt.Nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/family-members-of-mosque-incident)

Our helpline numbers (021803899 & 021850033) will remain available round the clock to assist families as we together cope with our shared grief.

We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin. 2/3 a India in New Zealand (@IndiainNZ) March 16, 2019

On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin". But, he had added, official confirmation was awaited.

The high commission said its helpline numbers -- 021803899 & 021850033 -- will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.

"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin."

It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly.

Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212.

In a 74-page manifesto the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism.

Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.

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New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader and former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat on Sunday left for Delhi amid speculations that he may join the BJP to become the chief minister in wake of Manohar Parrikars deteriorating health. Although the Congress leader denied any such move, speculations were rife that he may be inducted into the BJP and given the chief ministers post.

Kamat was second in command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress. The senior Congress leader, who held reigns of the state from 2007 to 2012, left for Delhi on Sunday. "I am leaving for Delhi on a business trip. It is purely personal," Kamat said before boarding the flight to Delhi from the Goa airport.

However, Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo confirmed that Kamat's name was indeed discussed during the BJP MLAs meeting but said that a final decision will be taken by the central leadership. "Last evening, at BJP MLAs meeting, a discussion was held over Digambar Kamat joining BJP. The decision on whether he will be the CM will be taken by the central leadership," ANI quoted Lobo as saying.

Meanwhile, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of spreading rumours about Kamat. This is a game plan of the BJPs dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress, he said.

Chodankar also alleged that the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations. Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party, he added.

On Saturday, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar wrote to Governor Mridula Sinha asking her to dismiss the BJP-led state government and invite the Congress, which is the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly, to form the government.

"Consequent upon the sad demise of Francis D'Souza, MLA, who belonged to the BJP, it is humbly submitted that the incumbent BJP-led state government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of the people and now also lost strength in the House," Kavlekar said in a letter to the Governor.

"It is, therefore, incumbent upon you to dismiss the state government led by the BJP to ensure that the Indian National Congress, which is the single-largest party in the House and is presently enjoying the majority, be called to form government," he said.

Currently, the Congress has 14 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly, while the BJP has 13 lawmakers. The BJP government has the backing of the Goa Forward Party and MGP. Both parties have three MLAs each. After D'Souza's demise, three Assembly seats in Goa remain vacant.

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New Delhi:

In a major turn-around of events in Goa, former chief minister Digambar Kamat is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to party sources. BJP may offer Kamat chief minister's post amid the calls of political transition in wake of Manohar Parrikar's critical health. The sources also said that the BJP leadership has also taken all its lawmakers into the confidence about Kamat's entry.

Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo also confirmed that Kamat's name was being discussed during the BJP MLAs meeting but said that a final decision will be taken by the central leadership. "Last evening, at BJP MLAs meeting, a discussion was held over Digambar Kamat joining BJP. The decision on whether he will be the CM will be taken by the central leadership," ANI quoted Lobo as saying.

The development is seen as a major setback to the Congress party, which had staked claim to form the government in the state. On Saturday, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar wrote to Governor Mridula Sinha asking her to dismiss the BJP-led state government.

"Consequent upon the sad demise of Francis D'Souza, MLA, who belonged to the BJP, it is humbly submitted that the incumbent BJP-led state government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of the people and now also lost strength in the House," Kavlekar said in a letter to the Governor.

"It is, therefore, incumbent upon you to dismiss the state government led by the BJP to ensure that the Indian National Congress, which is the single-largest party in the House and is presently enjoying the majority, be called to form government," he said.

Currently, the Congress has 14 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly, while the BJP has 13 lawmakers. The BJP government has the backing of the Goa Forward Party and MGP. Both parties have three MLAs each. After D'Souza's demise, three Assembly seats in Goa remain vacant.

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New Delhi:

Manohar Parrikar, who rose from a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to become the country's Defence Minister and also chief minister of Goa, enjoyed a man-next-door image in the politically-volatile coastal state. Parrikar, 63, served the state four times as chief minister and had a three-year-long stint as Defence Minister in the Narendra Modi-led cabinet.

However, Parrikar will always be remembered for the surgical strikes carried out by India Armys para commanders against terror pads in PoK in September 2016 following after the Uri attack.

Parrikars term saw India not only carry out surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Myanmar but also claim political ownership of the targeted operations. The daring move won accolades from political leaders and civil society alike.

In 2017, Parrikar had said the surgical strikes demonstrated Indias hardened military resolve to the world. Parrikar said the surgical strikes against terror pads in PoK had injected uncertainty into the neighbours mind.

Parrikar had said the planning for the strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir started in June 2015 after the NSCN-K ambushed an army convoy in Manipur.

Recapping events that led to the surgical strikes, Parrikar had told a gathering of industrialists that he felt "insulted" when he heard about the June 4, 2015 incident in which 18 jawans were killed.

"The starting of September 29 (2016) surgical strike on the western border was 9th of June, 2015....We planned 15 months in advance. Additional troops were trained. Equipment was procured on priority basis," he had said.

The Swathi Weapon Locating Radar, developed by the DRDO, was used first in September 2016 to locate "firing units" of Pakistani Army, though the system was inducted officially three months later, Parrikar said.

It was thanks to the Swathi Radar that 40 firing units of Pakistani Army were destroyed, he added.

Disclosing that the surgical strikes against PoK militants were planned 15 months in advance after the Manipur killings, he said, "I felt insulted....A small terrorist organisation of 200 people killing 18 Dogra soldiers was an insult to the Indian Army and we sat in the afternoon and sat in the evening and worked out the (plan of) first surgical strike which was conducted on 8th June morning in which about 70-80 terrorists were killed (along the India-Myanmar border)."

"It was a very successful strike," he said. On the Armys side, the only injury was a leech attaching itself to a soldiers leg.

Contrary to some reports, no helicopters were used. "I had placed helicopters (on stand-by) only in case of emergency evacuation," he said.

He also listened intently to a TV discussion with his ministerial colleague Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

"... one question (from media) hurt me. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, an ex-Armyman, was on TV and he was explaining about all kinds of search operations. An anchor asked him would you have the courage and capability of doing the same on the western front," Parrikar recalled.

"I listened very intensely but decided to answer when the time came."

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

The tensions between India and Pakistan, following the Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent strikes by the Indian Air Force on terror camps in Balakot in February, were about to get out of hands, but were controlled by the intervention of the US, particularly National Security Advisor John Bolton, Reuters quoted sources as saying.

The report cited government sources in New Delhi, Islamabad and Washington as saying that at one stage, India threatened to fire at least six missiles at Pakistan, and Islamabad said it would retaliate with its own missile strikes three times over.

While the exchanges did not go beyond threats, but they created anxiety in Washington, Beijing and London.

According to the report, after AIF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman downed a F-16 fighter jet of Pakistan Air Force before he his MiG-21 Bison was hit and he was captured by Islamabad, NSA Ajit Doval spoke to Asim Munir, head of Pakistans ISI, and told him that New Delhi was not going to back off its new campaign of counter terrorism.

Meanwhile, a Pakistan government minister confirmed a specific Indian threat to use six missiles on targets inside Pakistan.

We said if you fire one missile, we will fire three. Whatever India will do, we will respond three times to that, Reuters quoted the Pakistan minister as saying.

Earlier, Economic Times had reported that it was because of the United States putting pressure on Pakistan through high-level military channels that Abhinandan was released within 48 hours of his captivity.

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New Delhi:

Leaders across party lines have paid their tributes to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who passed away at his private residence near Panaji on Sunday. He was 63. The BJP stalwart's health, which has been fluctuating for a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days. President Ram Nath Kovind said he was an "epitome of integrity and dedication in public life".

A "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. A An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind," the president posted on his official Twitter handle.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind a President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Parrikar was an "unparalleled leader".A "A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti."A

Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader.



A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations.



Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters.



Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

BJP national president Amit Shah described Parrikar as a atrue patriota.

aManohar Parrikar jias demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessely dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jias commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary,a he Shah tweeted.

Manohar Parrikar jias demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessely dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jias commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary. a Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

Congress President Rahul Gandhi condoled the demise of Parrikar and described him as "one of Goa's favourite sons".

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief(sic)," Gandhi said on Twitter.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year.



Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goaas favourite sons.



My condolences to his family in this time of grief. a Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17, 2019

The Congress on its official Twitter handle also said: aWe condole the passing of former Union Minister & Chief Minister @manoharparrikar. We hope that his family finds strength in their moment of grief.a

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said: aHe (Goa CM Manohar Parrikar) was a good human being. His passing away has left a huge gap in politics; we have lost a good politician. His demise has caused us immense grief. I express my grief and I pay my tributes on behalf of my party and myself.a

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress: He (Goa CM Manohar Parrikar) was a good human being. His passing away has left a huge gap in politics; we have lost a good politician. His demise has caused us immense grief. I express my grief and I pay my tributes on behalf of my party and myself. pic.twitter.com/QbHpdC7yPo a ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said: "Deeply saddened by the demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. My heartfelt condolences to his family members..May his soul rest in peace.a

Deeply saddened by the demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. My heartfelt condolences to his family members..May his soul rest in peace. a Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) March 17, 2019

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, aSad to learn about the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, CM of Goa. He was a cordial man, who was admired across party lines. My deepest condolences to his family and friends."

Sad to learn about the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, CM of Goa.



He was a cordial man, who was admired across party lines.



My deepest condolences to his family and friends. a Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 17, 2019

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said: A aBJP has faced a huge loss with the demise of #ManoharParrikar Ji... Apart from being a party member, he was a really close friend of mine. He isn't with me today & I'm personally very pained by this. I am immediately leaving for Goa.a

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari: BJP has faced a huge loss with the demise of #ManoharParrikar Ji... Apart from being a party member, he was a really close friend of mine. He isn't with me today & I'm personally very pained by this. I am immediately leaving for Goa pic.twitter.com/tBryEpA5lv a ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy said: aThe nation has lost a true Bharat Ratna today in the demise of Manohar Parrikar. I first knew him when he was a IIT Powai student who served as my booth agent when I won twice in that constituency in 1977 and 1980. He remained my friend through thick and thin.a

The nation has lost a true Bharat Ratna today in the demise of Manohar Parrikar. I first knew him when he was a IIT Powai student who served as my booth agent when I won twice in that constituency in 1977 and 1980. He remained my friend through thick and thin. a Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) March 17, 2019

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: aTerribly pained and saddened....With the sudden demise of Goa CM #ManoharParrikar ji, we have lost a humble, simple, trusted, valued and hardworking leader of India. His dedication towards his work was beyond imagination.a

Terribly pained and saddened....

With the sudden demise of Goa CM #ManoharParrikar ji, we have lost a humble, simple, trusted, valued and hardworking leader of India. His dedication towards his work was beyond imagination. pic.twitter.com/I6a2AQ4a87 a Chowkidar Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 17, 2019

Other leaders who paid tributes to Manohar Parrikar:

aaaa aaaa aa aaaaa asa aaa aaaa aa aaaaaaaaaaa aaaa aaaaa aaaaaaa aa aa aaaa aaaa! aaaaa aaaa aaaaa aa aaaaa aaa aaaaaa aa aaaaa aaa aaaaaaaa aaaa aaa aaaa aaaaaa aaaa aaaaaaa aaaaaa aaa aaa aaa! a Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 17, 2019

Extremely saddened to hear of the passing away of the Chief Minister of Goa Shri #ManoharParrikar.



He was respected by all across political lines.



My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace. a H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) March 17, 2019

Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Sh Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them a Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 17, 2019

Saddened to hear about the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was a true fighter who despite battling cancer, worked tirelessly for the welfare of his people with a sense of duty & dignity. Condolences to his loved ones & family. a Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 17, 2019

Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers a Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 17, 2019

Parrikar is survived by two sons and their families. "Chief Minister passed away around 6.40 pm Sunday," a senior state government official told news agencyA PTI. Sources said former defence minister Parrikar had been on life support system since late Saturday night. Parrikar had been unwell since February 2018 when he was diagnosed with a pancreatic ailment.

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New Delhi:

The sudden demise of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar has left a void in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with condolences from prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been pouring in since last one hour. The news came as a shock, especially to the Goa BJP unit, who will now have to search for a new chief minister for the state. Parrikar (63) died of a pancreatic ailment at his private residence near Panaji this evening.

Hours after the news of Parrikar's demise was made public by President Ram Nath Kovind, Modi took to Twitter and condoled the death of former defence minister of India.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," the prime minister wrote.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader.A



A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations.A



Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters.A



Om Shanti.A pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)A March 17, 2019

Describing Parrikar as the builder of modern Goa, Modi said, "Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress".

Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress. a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

"India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced Indiaas security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," he wrote in a series of tweets.

India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced Indiaas security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen. a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BSP president Mayawati, BJP leaders Subramanian Swamy, Nitin Gadkari, Congress national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are among other prominent leaders who expressed condolences on Parrikar's demise.

Parrikar, who was appointed defence minister of Indian in 2014, was sworn in as Goa chief minister in 2017 after he won from Panaji in the same year. He was heading a coalition government comprising the BJP, Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents.

The death of the BJP minister, who represented the Panaji assembly seat, will also necessitate a fourth bypoll in Goa, where by-elections are scheduled for the Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa assembly constituencies on April 23. These will held in the state along with the Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

After the news of Parrikar's broke, the coalition partners have called emergency meetings. The three Goa Forward Party MLAs led by Vijai Sardesai and the MGP's three MLAs will meet separately later in the evening.

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Jammu:

Pakistani forces violated ceasefire on Sunday by resorting to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesperson said.

Mortar shelling and firing from small arms from across the LoC started in Sunderbani sector around 6.30 pm, prompting effective retaliation by the Indian Army, the official said. He said there was no report of any casualty on the Indian side in the firing, which was still continuing when last reports were received.

Border skirmishes witnessed a spurt after India's preemptive air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps in Balakot on February 26, following the Pulwama attack in which 42 CRPF personnel were killed.

Four civilians, including three members of a family, were killed and several others injured as Pakistan targeted dozens of villages in over 100 incidents of ceasefire violations along the LoC, especially in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, since then.

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New Delhi:

With demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lost yet another staunch Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue on Sunday. Parrikar, 63, breathed his last at his private residence at Dona Paula near Panaji, after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer, this evening. The former defence minister's health, which has been fluctuating for a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days.

Known for his humility and simple lifestyle, Parrikar always stressed on the need to educate people to be humble and down-to-earth. His humility had not changed a bit in his journey from being a RSS pracharak to the defence minister of the nation. Even during his stint as Goa Chief Minister, Parrikar travelled in economy class and moved around without security personnel. After becoming the Defence Minister of India, Parrikar was given a Z category security but there was not a single occasion when he is seen doing show off.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind a President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Manohar Parrikar's life at a glance:

-Born in Goa's Mapusa, Parrikar completed his secondary education in Marathi and went on to graduate in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay).

-Parrikar is the first IIT Graduate to become Chief Minister of a state in India. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in 2001.

-Parrikar joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a young age and became a mukhya shikshak (chief instructor) in the final years of his schooling.

-As a member of the BJP, Parrikar was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Goa in 1994. He was leader of the opposition from June to November 1999. He successfully contested the election to become Chief Minister of Goa for the first time on 24 October 2000, but his tenure lasted only until 27 February 2002. On 5 June 2002, he was re-elected and served another term as Chief Minister.

-It was parrikar, who proposed the name of Narendra Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate before the 2013 BJP parliamentary elections convention in Goa.

-In November 2014, Parrikar was chosen as the Minister of Defence replacing Arun Jaitley, who, till then, held the additional charge of the Ministry.

-On March 14, 2017, Parrikar was again sworn in as Chief Minister of Goa. Hen also served as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.

-Parrikar is survived by two sons- Utpal, who is an Electrical Engineering graduate from Michigan State University and Abhijat, who is a local businessman. His wife Medha died in 2001.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official Twitter handle fell prey to trolls. PM Modi on Saturday had launched Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign for upcoming Lok Sabha elections, urging everyone, who cares of the country, to come forward to fight corruption, dirt, social evils. In automated generated replies, PM Modias verified account pushed a series of tweets tagging accounts that tweeted to Narendra Modi using aMainBhiChowkidara.



The automated messages also reached a host of parody accounts critical of the prime minister. PM Modi replied to a parody account of Nirav Modi, the business tycoon wanted in Punjab National Bank scam. His account also replied to Lalu Prasad Yadavas parody ModiLeDubega.

Dear @narendramodi Ji,

I am feeling shattered today - i can understand that u tweeted out to @niiravmodi - because old friendships mean something to you.#Respect

But why on earth would you tweet to @dhruv_rathee?? He exposes you daily and we troll him hourly!

.#BhaktBanerjee pic.twitter.com/jGgE4uWg9o a Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) March 16, 2019

Did the PM really just tweet Nirav Modias twitter handle to ask him to promote his chowkidar slogan? a Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 16, 2019

PM Modi has often described himself as a "chowkidar" who would neither allow corruption nor get corrupted himself. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the "chowkidar chor hai"(watchman is the thief) jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the Rafale fighter jet deal, a charge the BJP-led government has rejected.
New Delhi:

China on Sunday said that the issue pertaining to India's bid to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" at the United Nations will be resolved soon.

This matter (Masood Azhar on UNSC 1267 list) will be resolved, this is only a technical hold which means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved believe me, Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui told ANI.

Regarding Masood Azhar, we fully understand and we fully believe this matter. We understand Indias concerns and are optimistic this matter will be resolved, he added.

The statement comes days after China yet again blocked yet another move at the United Nations to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist". Beijing put a technical hold on a proposal in the UN Security Council to ban him following the Pulwama terror attack.

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on February 27, days after a suicide bomber of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 44 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, leading to a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee members had 10 working days to raise any objections to the proposal. Just before the close of the deadline, China put a hold on the proposal. The diplomat said China asked for "more time to examine" the proposal.

The proposal was the fourth such bid at the UN in the last 10 years to list Azhar as a global terrorist.

The Committee makes its decisions by consensus of its members.

All eyes were on China, which has in the past blocked India's bids to get Azhar listed as a UN-designated global terrorist thrice.

According to the listing rules of the Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee, if no objection is received by the end of the no-objection period, the decision will be deemed adopted.

As it has done in the past, Beijing put a technical hold on the proposal just as the deadline was about to end.

In 2009, India moved a proposal by itself to designate Azhar. In 2016 again India moved the proposal with the P3 - the United States, the United Kingdom and France in the UN's 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of the attack on the air base in Pathankot in January, 2016.

In 2017, the P3 nations moved a similar proposal again. However, on all occasions China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, blocked India's proposal from being adopted by the Sanctions Committee.

An assets freeze under the Sanctions Committee requires that all states freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.

The travel ban entails preventing the entry into or transit by all states through their territories by designated individuals. Under the arms embargo, all states are required to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories to the designated individuals and entities.

Hectic diplomatic and political parleys had preceded the closely-watched March 13 deadline as New Delhi reached out to the UNSC member countries.

In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, India launched a major diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, holding briefing for envoys of 25 countries, including those from the five permanent UNSC members -- the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France -- to highlight Islamabad's role in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

India also handed over to Pakistan a dossier on "specific details" of involvement of the JeM in the Pulwama terror attack.





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Islamabad:

Pakistan Army on Saturday claimed that it shot down a spying Indian quadcopter along the Line of Control. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed that the quadcopter had intruded some 150 metres inside Pakistan side of the LoC.

"Pakistan Army troops shot down an Indian spying quadcopter in Rakhchikri Sector along Line of Control. The quadcopter had come 150 meters inside Pakistan,? he tweeted.

The report came amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack by a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14.

Amid mounting outrage in India over the Pulwama terror attack, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured Indian pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1.

On March 4, a fighter jet of the Indian Air Force shot down a Pakistani military drone in Bikaner sector of the Indo-Pak border using an air-to-air missile. Another Pakistani drone was shot down by India on February 27 along Indo-Pak border in Kutch in Gujarat.

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New Delhi:

Amid Indiaas claims of Pakistanas involvement in the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which over 40 CRPF personnel were killed, Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed has called the incident aPakistanas finest houra after the 1998 nuclear test. Speaking at a think tank meeting held by Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, the Senator said, "What happened in Pulwama in February, in my view, was Pakistan's finest hour after the nuclear tests of 1998."

The Senator also lauded Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan for his leadership after the Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir and said that the entire country struck common cord after the incident.

"After the nuclear test in 1998, Pulwama and its aftermath a our handling by all, whether itas our political leadership, the government and the opposition, whether itas the military leadership or the media, opinion leaders a all struck a common hour. I would certainly say it is our finest hour," he said.

#BigExpose "Pulwama (attack) was Pakistan's finest hour after Nuclear-Test in Last 20 Yrs.''- Pakistani Think Tank Senator @Mushahid exposing Pakistan's involvement in Pulwama and rejoicing the moment. He is Chairman PCI and Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, at @ISSIslamabad. pic.twitter.com/wYOxXDaDQl a Jammu-Kashmir Now (@JammuKashmirNow) March 14, 2019

Mushahid Hussain Sayed is the Chairman PCI and Senate Foreign Affairs Committee at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. His remarks have come as a shocking testimony about Indiaas claims that Islamabad was involved in the Pulwama attack for which Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed took the responsibility.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Three members of the opposition and some civil society groups on Sunday lambasted President Rodrigo Duterte for his decision to pull the country out from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In a statement, detained Senator Leila de Lima said the decision is a "solid proof that the President is a guilty man who is fleeing from justice."

"Instead of facing the music, Duterte is running scared. Behind the delusional bravado of a tyrant is a man who hides behind the legal acrobatics of his men," de Lima said.

"He may not (yet) be fleeing physically, but he is surely fleeing by abusing his powers as President and usurping the powers of two other branches of government," she added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, called the withdrawal as "Duterte's desperate exit plan to escape international public accountability."

She said the decision defends "the climate of killing and impunity in the country."

"Hindi ito pagtataguyod ng ating soberanya. Ito ay pagtatanggol sa isang tiranya," Hontiveros said in a separate statement.

[Translation: It is not upholding our sovereignty. It is defending a tyranny.]

The senator stressed that Duterte can still be held liable while the country was signatory to the ICC.

"It will not discharge our country of its obligations while it was still a party to the said agreement. It will also not disable our country's cooperation with the ICC conducting criminal investigations which were initiated before the said withdrawal," Hontiveros said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. President, but you cannot evade calls for justice and accountability with a simple goodbye to the ICC," she added.

The country's withdrawal from the ICC, which took effect Sunday, comes after Duterte announced last year his move to take the country out of the international court's jurisdiction following a case filed against him in relation to his violent anti-drug campaign.

The Philippines is the second country to leave the ICC after Burundi in 2017.

READ: PH withdrawal from ICC takes effect Sunday

For Otso Diretso senatorial bet Gary Alejano, the withdrawal "provides no benefit to our country," and only "paints our country negatively before the international community."

In a separate statement, Alejano pointed out the "wide and long-term implications and consequences" of the country's pullout from the international tribunal.

He said the decision, which was "made solely by the President and his cohorts," "will embolden our leaders to commit further human rights violations."

The senatorial aspirant added that the withdrawal will hamper the Philippines from receiving supports from other countries, as the decision "signifies an act that goes against universal values."

"Let me emphasize that the ICC continues to maintain jurisdiction to investigate complaints for extra-judicial killings that were committed before the effectivity of the withdrawal.

"I dare say the enablers of extra-judicial killings in this country will pay the price in full. They will not be spared from the clutches of justice once the war on drugs, which have claimed thousands of Filipino lives, is proven to be a crime against humanity," he said.

"You can withdraw but you cannot hide," Alejano added.

Rights groups oppose

Civil society groups fear that the human rights violations under the Duterte administration will worsen due to the withdrawal.

Human rights group Karapatan said victims of alleged extrajudicial killings which happened in connection to the war on drugs lost another venue to seek justice.

"Ang problema dito, majority of the cases remain unresolved. Lalong tatagal yung kanilang pangarap na magkaroon ng hustisya ang kanilang mahal sa buhay," Karapatan's Deputy Secretary General Jigs Clamor said.

[Translation: The problem is that majority of the cases remain unsolved. Their dreams of justice for their loved ones will take a while.]

Clamor sees the move as a setback in the fight to make public officials accountable even if the ICC pursues its probe after the country's exit.

"It took several years before finally, the Philippine government signed and ratified it, only to put this to a trash bin," Clamor said.

The National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) said the Philippine's exit from the ICC means the tribunal can no longer investigate any crime that the government might commit in the future.

"'Yung mga paglabag ng karapatang pantao, 'yung sa mandato ng ICC na mangyayari sa hinaharap ay hindi na maco-cover ng tratadong ito at di na magkakaroon ng iba pang larangan ang mga biktima," NUPL Secretary General Edre Olalia said.

[Translation: Those violations of human rights that will happen in the future will no longer be covered by the treaty as mandated by the ICC and victims would have nowhere else to go.]

Olalia said the Supreme Court can also declare the country's withdrawal as invalid since it was not ratified by the Senate.

"I don't think there's any hindrance or legal impediment by which a state can go back. The Supreme Court, if it is so minded, can come up with a decision overturning the withdrawal," Olalia said.

Olalia said the murder conviction in the killing of teenager Kian delos Santos, which the government had cited as proof that the justice system is working, is not enough assurance that other victims of alleged EJKs will have justice.

"Out of the several thousands, one, two do not make the rule," he said.

"That is just an excuse to escape liability. Why is it now that the Philippine government is invoking such a thing?" he added.

Olalia said the Supreme Court can also declare the country's withdrawal as invalid since it was not ratified by the senate.

"I don't think there's any hindrance or legal impediment by which a state can go back. The Supreme Court, if it is so minded, can come up with a decision overturning the withdrawal," Olalia said.

CNN Philippines' Correspondent Xianne Arcangel and Digital Producer Robert Vergara contributed to this report.
The Labour and Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) will launch the new system to issue work permits to domestic workers today. The new system will allow applications for recruitment and the issuance of domestic helpers permits to take place electronically through one of the accredited domestic helpers agencies. It also allows three operations to be combined into one and the beneficiary will have the possibility to issue or renew the workers permit optionally for one or two years. The system introduced by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) for the recruitment of domestic workers is aimed at the welfare of both the workers and their employers.

The LMRA recently held a training session for all domestic worker recruitment agencies to inform them about the new system and its characteristics and the agencies new prerogatives. The applications will be passed to both eGovernment Authority and Nationality, Passport and Residence Affairs (NPRA) to issue the worker identification number and visa respectively. Ali Al Kooheji, Vice-President of Operations at LMRA, said: As per the directions of the Government of Bahrain, to ease the procedures for Bahrain nationals and residents, the LMRA has initiated a number of features and facilities to the employers of domestic employees through the new domestic work permit issuance system. Under the new system, employers can go to a recruitment agency approved by the LMRA, choose the worker and submit the application electronically.

The most prominent features of this new system are that it is time and effort saving for the employer where the domestic work permit issuance will be regulated through one electronic transaction, which will help reduce the number of visits to government offices by more than 50 per cent. The new system will allow employers to issue domestic work permits for 12 months or 24 months in addition to allowing employers to renew domestic work permits and residency for six,12 or 24 months, which gives more flexibility to families regarding the period of time for which they need the domestic workers. The new system will help limit the entrance of unfit expatriates to the Kingdom through pre-employment medical check-ups at the country of origin through any of the GCC approved medical centres, which will help maintain a healthy environment for the nationals and residents of the Kingdom.

The new system will issue a CPR (national identity number) prior to the entrance to the Kingdom, which will provide faster and direct access to facilities that need the presence of identification in places like banks, hospital, telecom services, Mr Al Kooheji said. The system is built with features to protect the domestic workers where it will be mandatory for all employers to use the tripartite domestic contract, which is a contract that regulates the relationship between the agency, the employer and the domestic worker. Under the new contract, employers seeking to hire a domestic worker must declare, among other things, the nature of the job, work and rest hours and weekly days off.

It will also mandate a commitment to employment and wage contract for those domestic employees, who are employed through direct employment arrangements such as transfer from an employer to another inside the Kingdom where a recruitment office is not a part of the employment process. Bahrain is set to announce a new system for expat salary protection, which will require every firm to transfer all expatriate salaries through local banks. This will ensure that the payment of salaries fulfils contractual obligations and can be tracked.

Meanwhile, the LMRA has warned of dealing with unlicensed agencies or mediators, the list of accredited agencies can be found on LMRAs website www. lmra.bh or by calling the authoritys contact centre on 1750605.
The Royal Court announced that His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa will leave today for Turkmenistan on an official visit at an invitation by its President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. HM the King will hold talks with the Turkmen President on ways of boosting bilateral co-operation and the latest regional and international developments.
With Elton Johns Crocodile Rock playing in the background and a tribute from Steve Irwins family, a small seaside town in north Queensland bade farewell to a beloved community member yesterday, a saltwater crocodile. Affectionately known as Bismarck, Fluffy or Gary, depending on who you speak to, Cardwell residents held a ceremony to say goodbye to the towns 4.5 metre (15 feet) croc.

More than 50 people attended the service, held at the Cardwell Jetty and organised by local Thea Ormonde. Bismarck made international headlines earlier this month, when fisherman Ryan Moody posted a video to social media about finding the crocodile -- rumoured to be as old as 80 -- dead in a creek with whats believed to be a gunshot wound.

The family of late bushman Steve Irwin sent a representative and recorded a thank you to the small town that played at the service, praising their positive attitude towards the reptiles. They said their late husband and father -- a zookeeper and conservationist -- would have been the proudest of Cardwell residents for accepting the croc as a part of their town. He was so, so passionate about protecting crocodiles and making sure we had these modern-day dinosaurs for the future generations, Irwins daughter Bindi and son Rob said. Ormonde said she couldnt believe the interest the crocodiles death attracted from across the world.

Bismarck delighted locals and tourists as he was always happy to show himself at a safe distance, she said. I believe he lived by the belief, you leave me alone and Ill leave you alone. Not everyone had the same feeling about honouring Bismarck though. Local Member of Parliament Nick Dametto said theres no proof the animal has been shot, its still very much under investigation.

A spokesperson from Cardwell Police confirmed they are currently investigating the death of the crocodile to see if its been killed illegally.
A right-wing extremist who fil med himself rampaging through two mosques in the quiet New Zealand city of Christchurch killing 49 worshippers appeared in court on a murder charge yesterday. Australian-born 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant appeared in the dock wearing handcuffs and a white prison shirt, sitting impassively as the judge read a single murder charge against him. A raft of further charges are expected.

The former fitness instructor and self-professed fascist occasionally turned to look at media present in court during the brief hearing that was held behind closed doors for security reasons. He did not request bail and was taken into custody until his next court appearance scheduled for April 5. Forty-two people are still being treated in hospital for injuries, including a four year old child, after an attack thought to be the deadliest directed against Muslims in the West in modern times. Outside the court, guarded by heavily armed police in body armour, the sons of 71-year-old Afghan man Daoud Nabi demanded justice. Its outrageous, the feeling is outrageous, he said. Its beyond imagination. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Saturday the victims were from across the Muslim world, with Turkey, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia among the countries rendering consular assistance.

Afghan who ran into gunfire An Afghan man, thought to be in his 60s or 70s, died after he reportedly ran into the line of fire to save fellow worshippers at the Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch. Daoud Nabi had lived in New Zealand for more than 40 years after fleeing Afghanistan as a refugee in the late 1970s, and believed his adopted home to be a slice of paradise, his son Omar said. Omar learnt his father had died after trying to shield someone else from a bullet. I got told by my best friends father... that he leaped on somebody else to save their life, he told Stuff.co.nz.

He jumped in the firing line to save somebody elses life and he has passed away. Another of Daouds sons, Yama, was on the way to the mosque -- to make up with his father after a small falling out -- when he bumped into a friend outside who told him your father saved my life. Your father saved my life, according to Australian newspaper The Age. It wasnt until Yama rewatched the gunmans video of the rampage -- which he streamed on Facebook Live -- and saw his father lying dead on his back that he realised his father did not escape.

I never thought it would happen in New Zealand. Its a peaceful country, Yama Nabi said, tears welling up in his eyes. There were reports on social media that Daoud Nabi had opened the door to the terrorist, greeting him with the words hello brother.
Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) held an exclusive tech-driven event entitled #BisB at the Isa Cultural Centre, Manama, in celebration of the Banks 40th year anniversary. The event held in the presence of the Banks top officials, as well as several pioneers in the banking sector, highlighted key milestones and Banks strategic initiatives of this year. Hassan Jarrar, Chief Executive Officer of BisB, along with two members of the Banks management team highlighted the Banks four- decade journey. After sharing a brief recap of the Banks history since its establishment in 1979, Jarrar unveiled the Banks efforts to evolve the identity of Bahrain Islamic Bank.

Jarrar said, Our social innovation pillar, Jood goes beyond the traditional limits of social responsibility, crossing boundaries to reflect our ongoing efforts to create real impact and leave a positive imprint in order to give back to the community in every sense of the word. It is time we start working together across industries to create an innovative ecosystem of learning solve the problems of tomorrow. Jood will, therefore, focus on education and innovation in order to foster an empowered workforce and inspire leadership in future generations, he added. Mahmood Qannati, Head of Marketing, Brand & Corporate Communications, underlined the Banks intention to collaborate with the Ministry of Education on a number of community projects, including but not limited to the Read Innovation Bus - a digitized mobile library managed by MOE that travels around Bahrain to schools in the Kingdom, the Social Innovation Exhibition which will enable high school students to launch new ideas, and the School Renovation Project.

Qannati also shed some light on BisBs exclusive partnership with LinkedIn. Wrapping up the event, the BisB CEO unveiled the Banks new logo stating, We needed to a change, we needed to refresh our logo in order for it to be in line with our vision for the future; but it was imperative to maintain our ties to our name, roots and heritage. So we did not stray away from our original identity.
Were Kiwis. Were that place where Peter Jackson made those endless hobbit movies. Were five million people spread out on two imaginatively named islands  North Island and South Island. Were the land of the long white cloud that stretches over the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps, over the sticky tidal mangrove swamps of the north, over the black shingle beaches crawling with seals and sea lions to the west, over the white sands of the east where Captain Cook first made footfall 250 years ago on Oct 6, 1769. Were a long way from anyplace, and thats the point of New Zealand: We like it like that. Were lucky here. Were out of the picture. Were too distant and obscure for terror cells to bother infiltrating. Were all good. Except now we have to reckon with the tragedy and the grief and the awful, deepening shock of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. News came slow. At first it was described as multiple shootings, and that sounded bad, very bad, but the mind contained it  surely the figure was less than 10. But then the police confirmed 40 dead. An hour later, 49 dead. And then the survivors began describing the shooting and the victims: One little boy, Somali, maybe 5 years old. He was a very nice boy. The bodies in the mosque, waiting to be identified. It doesnt make a lick of sense. This sort of thing  an attack, an armed moron with a mission statement, three accomplices running amok in a flat, romantic city, with its gentle Avon River and its cherry blossom in spring  simply doesnt belong here. When we go about mass killing, we go about it furtively. The Bain family of five, shot at dawn by a deranged family member in Dunedin. David Gray, the lone gunman who shot and killed 13 neighbours in Aramoana. They were New Zealand killings, in the New Zealand manner  seething tensions suddenly unleashed, a mad dog man who shot and killed 13 neighbours in Aramoana. They were New Zealand killings, in the New Zealand manner  seething tensions suddenly unleashed, a mad dog gone wrong. They had recognisable national characteristics. But the mosque killings were something new, something off the chart. This was organised, planned, slaughter on a large scale of the innocent, carried out by a killer or killers with a head full of militant trash  the usual rubbish of white supremacy, with its fear and loathing of immigrants. But the terrorists werent hitting out at some separate, isolated community. Muslims in New Zealand are part of the fabric of everyday life. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is at her best when she addresses issues of national identity. She noted in her news conference held to announce the tragedy that many of the victims of the shooting were migrants. They have chosen to make New Zealand their home and it is their home, she said. They are us. The terrorists killed New Zealanders. The attack, I confess, feels imported: the apparent killer who is Australian, the references in what appears to be his so-called manifesto to right-wing provocateurs and white supremacists in America and elsewhere. But it would be false and gross to describe this as some kind of end of innocence or solely a foreign import. Life in New Zealand is lovely, but it also comes with deep social problems brought on by poverty and homelessness, constant race-based tensions and, yes, lingering resentment of migrants from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Child abuse is a recurring national shame. Violence against women is considered so rife that New Zealand is routinely described as possessing a rape culture. All that and worse in our beautiful archipelago at the end of the world. But at least we seemed out of the terrorist loop. Turns out we were evidently living in a fools paradise. We were otherwise preoccupied with the pleasures and challenges of everyday life. On the day of the mosque killings, tens of thousands of school kids marched in 40 demonstrations across New Zealand, demanding action on climate change. It was a wonderfully liberating sight, something meaningful and urgent, colourful and good-humoured. They carried terrific signs and banners. Social media posted numerous photos from the marches. There was a cracking one of a bearded old geezer called John Geiser, in the North Island town of Masterton, watching the demonstration go by while holding a sign of his own. It read: WELL DONE YOUNG PEOPLE. Well done, John, I thought. I retweeted it, with a comment: Hey good on him! Great guy  respect. NZ is being a great NZ today. That went up at about 11 pm The first reports of the mosque attacks started coming in about two hours later. NZ, suddenly, sickeningly, was being a horrifying NZ.
Marie Bostwick has written a new novel called Hope on the Inside. The New York Times best-selling author will sign copies at The Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington Depot on Saturday, March 30. She will also discuss it and sign copies at Fairfield Woods Branch Library on Tuesday, April 2.

This compelling book is about a mother of four, Hope Carpenter, who finds new purpose in a new phase of her life  in a place she never expected to be. Heartfelt and thought-provoking, its filled with unexpected twists and characters youll think about long after reading the final page.

The story shares what happens when Hopes husband, a hardworking engineer, is suddenly forced to retire and her own job is lost to budget cuts  putting a strain on their savings and marriage. Seeking a paycheck and insurance, Hope winds up in a Starbucks where an unexpected conversation leads her to a new job  teaching crafts to inmates at a prison for women.

At first shes not sure how to relate to them. But shes determined to make a difference, even though certain people think she has no business being there. As Hope gets to know the women and the concern they have for their children and families, she realizes they are not so different.

She and her students begin to bond while embarking on an ambitious quilting project. However, they face a variety of obstacles and must learn to believe in themselves, and have a certain amount of trust in the future, in order to move forward.

The Washington Depot and Fairfield events are a homecoming of sorts, as Bostwick lived in Connecticut for many years before returning to her home state of Oregon, where she resides with her husband. Bostwick is also known for her Cobbled Court Quilts series, among other books.

When not writing, she enjoys quilting, reading, cooking, spending time with family and playing with her grandchildren. Bostwick recently-launched a lifestyle blog called FierceBeyond50. She describes it as a community for women to seize and celebrate their maturity, leading lives of significance, empowerment, and joy.

Fans may pre-order Hope on the Inside (Kensington, $15.95) through The Hickory Stick Bookshop to receive an autographed copy and a free party favor from Bostwick. Books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of Fairfield University Bookstore at the Fairfield Woods Branch Library event.

The Hickory Stick Bookshop, 2 Green Hill Road, Washington Depot. Saturday, March 30, 2 p.m. Book $15.95, event free. 860-868-0525

Fairfield Woods Branch Library, 1147 Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield. Tuesday, April 2, 7 p.m. 203-255-7307
ORANGE  Its not unusual to see customers dancing to the oldies while pumping gas at Bens Shell Service Center & Towing  and if theyre just too cute, the video could end up on the stations popular Facebook page.

The service station combines old-fashioned service  theyll pump the gas and the fancy coffee is free  with modern twists, including outdoor music and a strong presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

A few bistro tables in front beckon customers to sit, gab and hang out, and although the station is in a high-traffic area at 115 Boston Post Road, large wooden planters brimming with American flags and forsythia add a country feel.

Owner Ben Santamauro, 75, for decades ran the station he founded in 1966 as a simple gas pumps/car repair operation. Business has skyrocketed since the continuing transformation to homey began eight years ago, and he credits his wife of 11 years, Andrea Santamauro, 55.

It turned around 100 percent, Ben Santamauro said of the business that always thrived for what it was. Her ideas are phenomenal. Everything she says, shes right.

Andrea Santamauro, who worked as an administrative assistant at a school in West Haven for 16 years, never dreamed she would one day be remaking a service station into a warm, fuzzy place, but she loves it.

She married Ben in 2008 after their respective spouses died within a month of each other. Two years into the marriage, she wanted to get away from the other job, so Ben invited her to join the station team. She said she used to go to the station with her dad when she was a kid.

Now shes the boss, Ben Santamauro said whimsically.

A boss the guys have nicknamed Cruella Deville, she said with a chuckle, because her standards for cleanliness and perfection are high. She wants the bays spotless, too.

The station is located on the Orange/West Haven line and the Santamauros live in West Haven.

Andrea Santamauro got creative with the goal of making the business a mom-and-pop shop.

I think I made it homey; I love customer service, she said. We make friendliness a top priority  I want hellos, goodbyes, thank yous, and when possible, for customers to be referred to by name.

Customer John Keeler of Orange said he is feeling the fuzziness.

I love this place  they treat you like family when youre in here, he said.

Customer Rick Barretta, owner of Barretta Landscaping, recently came up to the cash register giddy with a joke about 5 cents a gallon off for dancing at the pump  and then made it clear that it was just a joke.

Its friendly, everyone is polite, Barretta said.

Andrea Santamauro said she expanded the front customer area to make a waiting room with television, coffee and food station, and installed a drink cooler.

Thats not an uncommon sight in gas station stores, but she took it even further. The coffee, with all kinds of flavor offerings is free. And if someone wants to come in just to warm up, without doing business, they can  and grab a coffee too.

In warmer months, they have a table-top pizza oven out and sell Carmines pizza to bake there.

Andrea Santamauro has held women only car clinics  yes, she learned how to do oil changes  has made the place pet friendly with dog treats, kid-friendly with books and coloring and even added a few basic groceries so it can be one-stop shopping. The oldies are always streaming outside to make the atmosphere more pleasant  many opt to do the Mashed potato, Twist or other dance moves.

There are also all kinds of interesting items for sale: unique greeting cards; biker jewelry (Ben loves his Harley); and rhinestone doo wraps.

Andrea Santamauro even added propane tanks for sale, and it was her idea to add a garage bay just for emissions testing. Since then, the business is doing 30-40 vehicles a day as opposed to nine, she said.

All the interesting activities get posted on social media, and Andrea Santamauro has grown a huge Facebook following and is sure to post often.

It may be a cute meme about car repair, life in general, dogs, specials at the station, a video of a customer dancing, romantic sentiments about Ben still making her heart skip a beat, happenings in the general community, such as West Haven Pizza Wars, and daily trials everyone can relate to  like a treasured coffee mug breaking.

It was on the Facebook page that many learned of the death of Ben Santamauros son, Val, and the outpouring of support helped comfort the family, they said.

When longtime mechanic Ernie Burton returned to Bens Service Center after a brief absence, Andrea Santamauro announced it on Facebook like a rock star was coming to town.

Theres more outreach. People love it, he said of the changes. Its the little extra things customers come for.

Manager John Moore, who has been there 35 years, said that when he started there were only soda, snacks and cigarette machines.

We try to offer everything so theres not another stop, Moore said. The so-called neighborhood gas station has fallen by the wayside.

Ben Santamauros son, Bobby Santamauro, is an auto technician who has been there more than 30 years and said the Facebook presence and changes have increased business.

The cashiers, Freddie Evans and Larry Burgess, who do lots of the gas pumping, feel the love and work hard to pass it on to customers. That kind of an attitude is a requirement for the job at Bens.

Its all family here  everyones family, Evans said.
NEW HAVEN  While Quinnipiac University makes changes under the leadership of a new president, recent moves by the university have stirred controversy.

Quinnipiac University President Judy Olian met with the editorial board of the New Haven Register to discuss how the universitys strategic plan has motivated these decisions.

Long before a new president had been named, we looked at the projects at Quinnipiac to assess the long-term value of those to the university, Board of Trustees Chairman William Weldon said.

The board asked the chief financial officer before Olian was hired to evaluate aspects of the university that most enriched the student experience and those that didnt.

Decisions around the universitys radio station, WQUN, Irelands Great Hunger Museum and the purchase of the property on Spruce Bank Road were set in motion before Olian was brought on, Weldon said.

We were trying to make sure that we were addressing the experience of students as part of an ongoing basis, he said. We needed to look at where the resources of the university are being spent.

When Olian was hired as Quinnipiacs ninth president after John Lahey, she was tasked with creating a strategic plan for the universitys future. She said she and the board have discussed what aspects of the university dont represent the future and everything is under review, including academic programs and centers on campus.

If were going to pursue an ambitious strategic plan, which we are, we know it cant just be layered on top of everything were doing, Olian said. We dont have the resources to do that and there are things that dont represent where the world and society is headed.

Olians plan is based on four pillars  distinctive academic programing, inclusive excellence, nurturing internal and external communities, and lifelong engagement with alumni.

Olian said she envisions a globally engaged citizen of the future bred at Quinnipiac with a bent toward lifelong learning. She said she also sees the student body changing in students backgrounds, ethnicities, ages and geography as more and more students become non-traditional, meaning its not only those 18 to 24 years old living on campus.

The university is also working to engage more transfer students from community colleges and people leaning throughout their lives as they advance their careers, she said.

Olian said shes concentrating on nurturing academic talent that employers are looking for.

Employers and universities are going to look at credentialism in a very different way, Olian said. Shes been meeting with employers around Connecticut and said companies are looking at certificates and badges that are stackable as the new forms of credentials.

We need to be constantly adaptive around the content and its not just a two- or four-year degree, she said. The university of the future will be much more versatile and complicated in terms of all of its offerings.

These plans have underpinned the changes to Quinnipiac.

WQUN

People outside the Quinnipiac community have sharply criticized Olian and the university for their decision to close WQUN and reduce financial support of Irelands Great Hunger Museum. But Olian said she hasnt received pushback from within the university community on these decisions.

The internal community understands that this is really about the student and learner first, she said.

The radio station has primarily been a community resource that area residents tune in to and local businesses advertise on. The universitys position on closing the station, however, has been that it doesnt support student academic interests and declining advertising has signaled decreased community.

Im sure the radio brought value, but it continued to decline over time, and the advertising revenue was declining and they werent supporting it, Weldon said. To continue to invest in areas that are part of the past is probably not the best use of the resources.

The university will reposition the station as a podcasting studio, which Olian said better aligns with student and faculty interests and the future of media.

We need to shift the educational purpose of the radio station to where our interests lie, Olian said. First and foremost were an educational institution.

Olian said she feels for the stations audience but many universities have had to close radio stations because theyre not representative of student interests while a podcasting studio is forward-looking and useful to students, faculty and the community at-large.

I'm hoping this podcasting studio will be available to the mayor, to the first selectman, to the chambers of commerce and other community members if they want to use our channels for podcasting, she said.

Irelands Great Hunger Museum

Weldon said the university doesnt intend to close the museum. Rather, its looking to support the fixed costs and have the museum support the operational costs through philanthropy and self-generated funds by June 2020.

If theres a real keen interest, the museum should be able to sustain itself in that area, Weldon said. Operating costs are around $350,000 and the fixed costs equal roughly the same, he said. It was never the intent of Olian or the board to shut down or close the museum.

Quinnipiac has invested more than $17 million directly and indirectly in the museum, which opened six years ago, Olian said, while only $500,000 has been generated through philanthropy. To see that the museum does become self-sufficient, Olian said she has appointed a very senior person whom she did not name to fundraise for the museum and Weldon said board members have met with a potential benefactor.

Olian said the values of the museum, which are core to the university, will continue through Irelands Great Hunger Institute, the Albert Schweitzer Institute, the Lender Reading room and spiritual centers on campus.

Presidents House

The renovation to the main house at 305 Spruce Bank Road in Hamden caused pushback inside and outside the university, but Olian said plans for the property date to 1990, when Quinnipiac first put a bid on the 32 acres.

I didnt have anything to do with the acquisition with this property, she said. Thats something that happened to be consummated before I arrived and its been consistently pursued.

Spruce Bank was one of the most important strategic properties we could have purchased, Weldon said, because of its position relative to the main campus and, if the university were to expand its core buildings, the property could be the natural place to do it.

Criticism arose at news of the cost of renovations to the house, which are close to $1 million. The interior renovations include a catering kitchen to eventually entertain up to 200 guests, which Olian said she expects to do.

It will be built around how a president will use that building and around the intent of the university, Olian said.

When you consider the amount of money spent on the house of a company president for renovations and what was spent on a routine basis before, this was probably one of the best financial decisions we could make, Weldon said. He said over time, the cost to renovate the house will be insignificant compared to what the university spent on Laheys off-campus house.

Further work on other parts of the property will pause until Quinnipiac finalizes a facilities master plan that looks at future uses for all the universitys properties over the next 10 years.

As Quinnipiac continues to advance itself and move into areas, part of the facilities plan will include buildings, what theyd be utilized for, but its really for the advancement for the students and ed experience whether its administration, classrooms, or something other I dont know at this point.

Olian said some facilities plans include renovations to campus housing and dining as well as a new wellness center and career advising center.

Community Relationships

Ive said since the beginning that we have an obligation to the communities in which we live to share our educational resources and our values, Olian said. One of my first meetings as I hit the ground, was with (Hamden Mayor Curt B. Leng and North Haven First Selectman Michael J. Freda), and I continue to work with them around their priorities.

Quinnipiac and Yale University are the only Connecticut colleges that give voluntary payments to the municipalities theyre in, and Olian said well continue to do that.

We are committed to providing resources to the town that are important, she said. Ive spoken to (Leng and Freda) about projects that matter to them and specifically align with our educational values.

mdignan@hearstmediact.com
It will be five years this June since Camden police arrested 20-year-old Xavier Ingram on gun and drug charges. Hes never appeared in court and still hasnt been tried.

If he gets his way, he never will.

Ingram was paralyzed from the neck down in the course of that arrest in 2014 and will spend the rest of his days in a hospital bed. He is, as his lawyer put it, being punished for the rest of his life.

Ingram claims police broke his neck during his arrest. The Camden County Police Department maintains his injuries occurred when he fell while running from officers, who believed he had dropped a handgun. Ingram sued and a federal jury will decide who is to blame at a civil trial, likely later this year.

Because Ingram couldnt come to court, nothing happened in his criminal case for years. That changed in February when, prodded by a superior court judge eager to move forward, Ingrams attorney filed a motion to dismiss the charges.

Attorney Robert Dunn argued that Ingram cant be tried simply because he cant physically be in the courtroom. In an interview last fall, Dunn called it almost impossible.

The courtroom would have to be set up in some way like a hospital room, with monitors and a hospital bed, to have him there safely, he said.

Its unclear who, if anyone, would pay for all that. Ingram is indigent and the county is usually only responsible for getting defendants to court if they are in custody.

Earlier this year, Superior Court Judge Morris G. Smith indicated he wants Ingram to appear via a video feed from the nursing home where he lives. But Dunn believes that legally, the court cant make Ingram agree to appear that way for trial, when he has right to be there in person to confront his accusers.

Its just the latest obstacle in the case that made headlines in 2014, when the nascent county police department was promoting itself as a more community-oriented force than the disbanded city police. Ingrams claims that police broke his neck didnt help the departments image, and spokesman Dan Keashen called them baseless and frivolous.

If the criminal case does go to trial, the department will likely face questions about the lack of forensic evidence connecting Ingram to the gun, given that police never actually saw him with it.

And then theres the question of how jurors would feel about convicting a man in a hospital bed.

He in a sense is being punished for the rest of his life. I dont know how a jury will deal with that, said Dunn, of Morristown. I think theyd be sympathetic.

The gun charge comes with a mandatory minimum of three-and-a-half years in prison , but Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Spittal hinted in court that his office might not ask the judge to impose it. The prosecutors office declined to comment on the case Friday.

What happened?

On the night he was arrested, Ingram had two previous convictions on drug charges and one of the officers knew him by name. He also had a dollar sign tattooed between his eyes.

But in depositions in his civil case, his family members said he didnt sell drugs and spent most of his time playing video games. He lived with his grandmother in Sycamore Court apartments, which police describe as a known drug-hustling spot.

Thats why police were there to do a sweep of the complex June 12, 2014. Surveillance video shows a group of men, including Ingram, scatter as three officers approach: then-Sgt. Jeremy Merck, 32, and two rookies, Nicholas Marchiafava, 30, and Antonio Gennetta, 31.

Merck said in deposition he saw Ingram reach toward his waistband and then, when Ingram stopped between two cars, heard a sound like something being dropped. Ingram left the area and Merck said he found a gun under the car. Believing Ingram had dropped it, he ordered the other officers after Ingram.

The video shows Ingram run away and fall on the wet road a second before the Marchiafava, and Gennetta descend on him.

What happened next was captured on one of the police departments eye in the sky cameras, but it was so far away that it is hard to say conclusively what the officers are doing as they surround Ingram. The county maintains that the video shows them harmlessly cuffing him, while Ingram says it shows the rookie officers kneel on his upper back and neck and beat him. He said that when Merck approached, he stepped on his neck until Ingram heard it snap.

I never felt this pain before. It was hurting bad. Two, three seconds later, I blacked out, he said in his deposition.

A lack of forensic evidence

Camden police have limited evidence against Ingram, according to a former Forensic Investigations Bureau chief for the New Jersey State Police who reviewed the case for Ingrams civil attorneys.

Merck never photographed or otherwise documented the scene where he found the gun, and there is no forensic evidence linking it to Ingram because Merck never asked the crime lab to test it for fingerprints or DNA, according to the report by John Ryan.

Any evidence on the gun was compromised when Merck handled the gun without gloves and sent it to the State Police crime lab for ballistics testing, Ryan wrote.

While it wasnt routine in 2014 for police to request DNA or fingerprint testing on guns, it has since become standard practice to swab for that evidence, said the labs former director, Howard Baum.

Its very difficult to get fingerprints off a gun, but not impossible, Baum, now a forensics consultant, said in an interview last fall. Its also possible the person shed some skin cells on the gun so you could get DNA from it.

The heroin packets police allegedly found on Ingram also werent dusted for prints, Ryan said, and the officers all told different stories about how they found the drugs.

Marchiafava told Internal Affairs he found them in the ambulance, but later testified that it was in the street. Gennetta swore that he found the drugs when a nurse handed him Ingrams pants at the hospital. Merck initially reported seeing Marchiafava find the drugs at the scene, but later said he did not witness it.

Xavier Ingram in an undated photo before his injury June 12, 2014. (Photo provided)SJN

Why cant he be tried?

Last fall, another judge presiding over the case, Samuel Natal, told the assistant prosecutor to decide whether it made sense to try Ingram given the substantial expense to Camden County to get him into a courtroom. Spittal said in January that his office was pressing forward with charges.

But Dunn and Ingrams doctor dont believe the quadriplegic could be tried in court, even if the county was going to foot the bill. Dunn wrote in his motion that Dr. John Kirbys opinion is that Ingram would be unable to attend a trial.

Dunn quoted Kirby as saying Ingram would have to come to court on a stretcher via ambulance. A nurse would need to reposition him in bed hourly, give him medication multiple times and change his colostomy bag, Kirby opined. Despite his paralysis, Ingram feels pain and it would hurt for him to be moved to a stretcher, Dunn wrote.

At the latest court hearing Jan. 30, Judge Smith said Ingram would have to appear in court via a remote video connection. Smith said he believed that this had been done before at the trial level in New Jersey, though it might have been for safety reasons as opposed to a medical problem.

Dunn disagreed, saying he researched it and there is no provision in state court rules that lets the court force a defendant to appear at trial via video feed because he has a right to be present and confront his accusers. State court rules say a defendant can waive his right to be present, either by agreeing to waive it or by willingly being absent, but Dunn said his client isnt doing either.

Appearing by monitor is not the same as appearing at trial, he wrote in his motion.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Whats a sure-fire way for a mobster to earn a trip to the can? An associate wearing a wire and taping your conversations.

Joseph Servidio, a South Jersey resident who authorities say is a made member of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra, knew this to be true and offered the following advice:

Eighty percent of eyewitnesses got the wrong person. Eighty percent. They look like the person  so without any corroborating evidence, you can even beat that, Servidio can be heard saying on tape, according to court documents. The things you cant beat are the tapes ... with you saying it.

Servidio said this to another made man in the Philly mob. An associate who was  you guessed it  wearing a wire and taping their conversations. Referred to in court documents as CS-1, the confidential informant started feeding information to the FBI in 2015 and would go on to record at least a dozen conversations with Servidio.

Servidio was charged last year with selling large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin laced with fentanyl and other drugs in a federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Camden. Servidio, 59, and the U.S. Attorneys Office have until the end of the March to hammer out a plea deal or the case will go to trial, defense attorney Marco Laracca said.

Servidio, who has pleaded not guilty, is incarcerated at the Monmouth County jail, which is holding him on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service.

But Laracca says his client exaggerated during several of the conversations.

It is apparent that there is a distinction to be made between evidence of criminality vs. criminal braggadocio and embellishment, Laracca said in a statement to NJ Advance Media.

The indictment also names two other New Jersey residents, Carl Chianese of Point Pleasant and Michael Gallicchio of Garfield.

The recorded meetings, transcripts of which are included in the 64-page indictment, happened at Servidios house in Marmora, which is about 20 miles south of Atlantic City, and other locations in the area.

The FBI says it has recordings of Servidio talking about whacking mob associates, maximizing drug profits and cleaning money through legitimate businesses. Here are some of those conversations:

Planning a hit

Servidio and Chianese hung around outside a drug-dealing associates home for three hours, waiting for him to be alone in his house so they could gun him down, the indictment says. They apparently were seeking revenge because the associate, only identified as Individual 3, was suspected of talking openly and disparagingly about Servidios criminal activity.

Servidio allegedly was caught on tape July 6, 2017, discussing how he and Chianese would leave no trace of their involvement.

Me and Carl got two phones, just (exclusively) for this, you know.  The thing is everything is away. Ive been leaving my phones home. I made him (Chianese) leave his E-ZPass home. We paid cash, you know.

Paying tribute

In the Philadelphia crime family, like in other organized crime organizations, there is a process known as tribute. Essentially, an earner has to kick money up the ladder to his superiors.

In a meeting on Oct. 18, 2016, in Philadelphia, authorities say, an unidentified member of the Philly mob lays out that process to a cooperating witness.

"I mean this from my heart  but whatever I do, you get a piece of it, doesn't matter whether its legitimate, illegitimate, whatever I do, an unnamed confidential informant explains to a member of the Philly mob.

The anonymous Philly mob member responds, "Yeah that's our business.  Believe me, whatever I do, it goes up, and all this is, is structure.  What you do (kick proceeds up the hierarchy), I do the same thing. I do it on a weekly basis."

Making my bones

On Dec. 2, 2016, authorities say, CS-1 called Servidio to arrange a meeting in Atlantic City about handing off 60 cartons of stolen cigarettes.

During a recorded phone conversation Servidio discussed making my bones at age 19.  The phrase making bones signifies the committing of a murder, and that Servidio was claiming to have killed somebody when Servidio was 19 years of age, the indictment states.

No shells, no evidence

Revolvers dont leave casings after they are fired. No shells, no evidence. Authorities say thats why Servidio, in a phone conversation on Dec. 31, 2016, was interested in purchasing a revolver.

"Does he got any revolvers  like a .32, .38 (caliber) ?" an undercover agent said. "... Just like something you put on like a foot or something to just have?"

Servidio said, "Well not, not to just to have, to use it and throw it the f--- away.  Don't want no cases (casings) to come out.  A revolver, it's better off."

I like to spend money

Servidio loved to spend money, he told CS-1. Selling drugs was a way to make sure the cash kept flowing, he allegedly said. So there was no love lost when a friends son died from a drug overdose and he was confronted by a grieving mother.

On the recording, Servidio said: "His wife, when I talked to her, she said, 'You're the only person that ever sold drugs that I love. I despise people because my son OD'd.  She said, 'Joe (Servidio) please stop what you're doing (selling drugs), you hurt people, people like you hurt people.' "

"You think she's right?" CS-1 responded.

"Yes," Servidio said.

"What's wrong with us?" CS-1 asked.

"It's the most money I can make (selling drugs), I like to spend money," Servidio responded.

Im a criminal. Everything I do is criminal.

Its not every day investigators catch someone on tape copping to being a criminal. In one of the recordings, Servidio explains where he cleans his cash made from illegal activity. He also admits to robbing an armored car just to break even, the indictment said.

"We need something (income) legitimate. I'm a criminal. Everything I do is criminal, I got to get out of it.  I need like $250,000 a year, or two, to break even. That's what I need, Servidio said.

So I got to do other (criminal) things, 'cause I don't make enough money. Ninety percent of my (remodeling/renovation) work is for friends and family, for free.  I laugh, what did I tell you, why do I keep my company going? 'Cause I got to put the cash (from criminal activity) somewhere. I have to show it (income). How am I paying the mortgage, how am I paying my car payment, how am I paying my insurance, how am I paying my business insurance, how am I paying all these other bills?  Last year I robbed an armored car to break even. What am I gonna do this year?"

I make money every day, illegally

Aside from his remodeling business, Servidio talks about showing legitimate income by making a power move into Atlantic City.

"We don't want, we're not looking to take over the whole town, people don't know, need to know who the f--- we are (Philadelphia LCN). Only if they give us a hard time, then we tell them who we are, we push our chest out."

Later in the conversation Servidio said, theres nothing better than making money. I make money every day, illegally. I dont want to do this shit.

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Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
UPDATE: Anthony Comello to waive extradition from N.J. to face charge he gunned down mob boss in N.Y., attorney says

Questions are swirling around the man arrested in New Jersey early Saturday on charges he shot and killed the reputed boss of the Gambino crime family right outside his Staten Island home.

Anthony Comello, 24, was arrested at a home in Brick and faces a murder charge in the fatal shooting of Francesco Cali, officials said. Comello is being held at the Ocean County jail while he awaits extradition to Staten Island.

Cali, 53, who also went by Frank or "Franky Boy, was shot 10 times with a 9mm handgun Wednesday night outside his home in the Hilltop Terrace section of Staten Island.

The brazen killing was the first slaying in more than 30 years of a New York City crime boss.

While the motive for the killing remains unclear, preliminary information suggests it might not be related to organized crime, according to The New York Times. The report, however, noted that an official cautioned that determination, saying it was still early in the investigation.

In a news conference on Saturday, New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said investigators will be asking whether the alleged shooter was acting alone or working for other people.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The suspect remains at large on Thursday morning in the fatal shooting of a reputed mob boss in Dongan Hills. No arrests have been made in the death of Francesco (Frank) Cali, 53, who was shot multiple times in the torso in front of his home on Hilltop Terrace in Dongan Hills on Wednesday night. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel)

Shea said there was extensive video footage recovered from the house where the shooting occurred.

According to The New York Times, at about 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Comello backed his pickup truck into Calis parked Cadillac Escalade, then walked up to the door of his home and rang the doorbell, showing himself on video cameras.

We have an individual come up; there is an altercation with the vehicle in front. We still do not know whether that was a ploy or whether that was an accident, Shea said.

Shortly after, Comello fired on Cali, hitting him 10 times.

The truck Comello was driving was recovered when he was arrested in New Jersey on Saturday, Shea said. The gun, however, has yet to be found.

Shea said fingerprints were found on Calis vehicle, which he said will be compared with Comellos at some point.

On the victims car that was present at the murder scene that night, we believe we have fingerprints recovered from that vehicle, as well as other places, Shea said.

An official told NJ Advance Media that Comello has family in Brick, which is where authorities arrested him on Saturday.

During the news conference, however, Shea wouldnt confirm any specific addresses.

The Staten Island Advance reported Comello resided on a quiet Eltingville street in Staten Island. His neighbors told the media outlet he was a good kid and a nice guy."

Its a quiet neighborhood. I only spoke with him in passing when we stopped to say hello, Victor Ujeck, a neighbor of Comello, told Staten Island Advance. I was shocked; I never would have expected him to have done this. Hes a nice guy, always asking hows the family?

Though Comello has no criminal history, Shea said that he has crossed paths in some limited circumstances with the NYPD, in the past, mainly involving his driving record.

In fact, the day of the incident, his truck received a parking summons in Staten Island, Shea said.

The Times said in recent years Comello also drew the attention of authorities after acting strangely in a federal courthouse  behavior so odd that he was briefly taken into custody and investigated for any potential history of terroristic threats. The report said, however, there werent any further details about his behavior in the courthouse.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The suspect remains at large on Thursday morning in the fatal shooting of a reputed mob boss in Dongan Hills. No arrests have been made in the death of Francesco (Frank) Cali, 53, who was shot multiple times in the torso in front of his home on Hilltop Terrace in Dongan Hills on Wednesday night. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel)

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn had referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Gambino organization, related through marriage to the Inzerillo clan in the Sicilian Mafia.

Multiple press accounts since 2015 said Cali had ascended to the top spot in the gang, although he never faced a criminal charge saying so.

His only mob-related criminal conviction came a decade ago when Cali pleaded guilty in an extortion conspiracy involving a failed attempt to build a NASCAR track on Staten Island. He was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison and was released in 2009.

The back of the house on Cadiz Drive where Anthony A. Comello, 24, of Staten Island, was arrested on Saturday and charged with killing Francesco Franky Boy Cali, 53, the Gambino family mob boss. The house is in Brick, N.J., Sunday, March, 17, 2019 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media forEd Murray | NJ Advance Media for

The last crime family boss to be shot in New York City was Paul Castellano. The Gambino crime boss was assassinated outside Sparks Steakhouse in Manhattan in 1985.

The Gambino Family was once among the most powerful criminal organizations in the U.S., but federal prosecutions in the 1980s and 1990s sent its top leaders to prison and diminished its reach.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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BAYONNE  A city resident was arrested and charged after attempting to cash stolen checks worth more than $5,000, authorities said.

Last week, employees at Provident Bank on Broadway had alerted police that Medhat Saad, 27, had deposited stolen checks worth $6,043, and was going to be collecting the funds on Friday, March 14, police said.

The bank had contacted the owner of the business which the checks belonged to, American National Property and Casualty Company. The business owners told police that Saad had stolen the checks after unlawfully entering their property, police said.

Officers waited for Saad at the bank Friday, where he was arrested upon arrival. He was found to be in possession of another check for $5,556, authorities said.

He was charged with burglary, theft and bad checks, police said.

Saad has a history of run-ins with city police. Earlier this month, he was arrested and charged with 10 counts of burglary after he was caught in possession of burglars tools and checking handles of parked cars in the middle of a snowstorm.

And in 2013, Saad was arrested on Avenue C after stealing a womans purse and fleeing the scene.
EDITORS NOTE: On April 3, NJ Cannabis Insider will host an all-day live event, featuring industry leaders and the key voices who will shape the industry. Tickets are limited. More information.

It might seem like a study from the University of No Duh, but its one that carries broad economic and health implications for states that legalize cannabis: Pot really does gives you the munchies.

A new study from the University of Connecticut and Georgia State University found sales of potato chips, cookies and ice cream all increased in the months after Colorado, Oregon and Washington legalized cannabis: Chip sales increased 5.3 percent. Cookies, 4.1 percent  and ice cream purchases jumped 3.1 percent in the aftermath of legal pot hit dispensaries, monthly retail scanner data from 2006 to 2016 showed.

Moreover, the junk food sales increases werent temporary. It all begs the question: With New Jersey possibly weeks away from legalizing recreational marijuana, could we be on the cusp of a munchie-fueled obesity epidemic?

Looking at data from the same time period examined by researchers shows some interesting correlations.

True, Oregons obesity rate hit 30.1 percent in 2015, the highest adult obesity rate of any state west of the Rockies, according to a Centers for Disease Control report released in 2016. But similar data shows Colorado had (and still has) the lowest rate obesity rate in the nation, and Washington State has the 13th lowest  and thats despite all three states experiencing rampant oversupply from licensed growers and a huge decline in the per-gram price of marijuana.

So what gives?

Timothy Young, a researcher at San Diego State University, tells NJ Cannabis Insider the answers may lie in a surprising study he conducted on medical marijuana in 2015.

Young and his fellow researchers at San Diego State University and Cornell University found that in states that passed a medical marijuana law saw a 2 percent to 6 percent decline in the probability of obesity.

One big reason, Young said, was the behavior of younger adults, ages 18-34.

Our findings showed that medical marijuana (laws are) associated with a 3.1 percent reduction in the probability of alcohol consumption, and a 4.8 percent reduction in the probability of binge drinking among this younger group, Young said.

He posited that just as medical cannabis lead many younger adults to substitute highly caloric alcoholic beverages with lower-calorie cannabis highs resulting in lower body weight (and likelihood of obesity) the same may be happening with recreational users.

In other words, even though legal cannabis users may visit with Ben & Jerry when smoking cannabis, that may still be far better than the damage done to their waistline by Samuel Adams or Jack Daniels.

And for older adults -- many of whom use medical cannabis to treat pain and inflammation -- weed can lead to greater mobility, and therefore, trimmer waistlines.

Weve seen other studies that show cannabis tends to be something in place of rather than additional when it comes to alcoholic beverage consumption, Young said. Thats something were going to be looking at now that we have more data from (legal cannabis) states.

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Tom Turcich walked out the front door of his Haddon Township home nearly four years ago and has traveled more than halfway around the world, about 14,000 miles, on foot.

Along the way, Turcich, 29, fended off a knife-brandishing attacker in Panama City  and that isnt even his most harrowing tale from the journey.

He recounted bribing his way through a checkpoint in Mexico, seeing the dead victims of a purported gang execution in El Salvador and nearly freezing while camping at 15,000 feet in South America in a first-person column for Business Insider.

Yet hes still on the move, along with his one constant companion - Savannah, his dog. She was a pup when Turcich adopted her while passing through Texas.

Savannah is a beast, man. She does better than I do, Turcich said when reached by phone in Italy, on the 1,073rd day of his adventure.

Tom Turcich and his dog, Savannah, in Italy on March 1, 2019Photo courtesy of Tom Turcich

The first steps

The Haddon Township High School graduate said his worldwide journey was inspired by the death of his friend, AnneMarie. He was 17, and she was 16, when she was killed in a jet ski accident.

I was never close to someone who passed away before. It dawned on me that it could be me," he said.

Turcich decided he wanted to travel around the world, with another key inspiration being Karl Bushby - the ex-British paratrooper who, for the past two decades, has been attempting to become the first person to walk an unbroken path around the world.

However, his dream remained on the back burner while attending Moravian College in Bethehem, Pa., and later while working as a server at the Indeblue restaurant in Collingswood .

He began his journey on April 2, 2015, the day before his 26th birthday, by walking out his front door.

In the beginning, when I was not accustomed to walking so much, my ankles would swell, said Turcich, who is 6-foot, 2-inches tall and weighs between 165 and 170 pounds.4 years and 14,000 miles later

Turcich so far has passed through North American and South America. He took a boat to Antarctica for a comparatively brief walk on the remote continent before flying to Europe. That was cool," he said.

Still ahead is Africa  Turcich said he plans to walk through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia  before crossing to Asia, and eventually flying to Australia.

Then its back home to the United States, for the final leg of his journey.

Walking around the world is not inexpensive. Turcich said his annual expenses average around $12,000, but from the start a sponsor - Philadelphia Sign Company - has unwritten at least a portion of his journey.

The companys owner, Bob Mehmet, is a Haddon resident and his sons knew Turcich during high school, said marketing manager Carly DeGrasse.

She said the company also supplied the baby stroller built for runners that Turcich uses to carry his gear.

Turcich, as his part of the deal, displays the Philadelphia Sign Company logo.

Hed be in trouble without the stroller, as his gear weighs about 70 pounds - and thats not counting food and water.

The lonely, sometimes dangerous road

So whats his pace?

"When its good walking, 24 miles a day, said Turcich, who wears Brooks Cascadia trail running sneakers and has gone through at least 16 pairs.

While separated from family and friends, Turcich has managed to bring them along, albeit remotely, via videos and photos he regularly posts to social media.

His YouTube channel, The World Walk, shows Turcich grappling with a snowstorm, strolling past alpacas in Peru, setting up camp in Panama and countless other vignettes.He described the heat in Costa Rica as so brutal that he was unable to walk after 10 a.m., so he would wake up at 4 a.m. just to get in the miles.

I lost half my toenails, he said.

I would say walking through south Peru and Chili was wonderful. I was in the desert for 4, 5 months, something like that. The temperature was perfect. There was no bugs. I never had to worry about where I was going to sleep when it got dark, he said.

At one point in his videos, Turcich is seen with Savannah walking on a back road to San Miguel, in El Salvador, with a large hiking hat protecting his face and neck from the sun.

He doesnt flinch as two dogs run out of a yard and begin chasing them - harmlessly, as it turns out.

Theres nothing here. Dirt road. Its pretty bumpy, but its going to save me 6 miles, so ... two hours, maybe even more," he tells viewers.

Theres some shade, but its actually hotter here than it was out on the highway.

Six days later, on a different video, he and Savannah are seen exiting Honduras and entering Nicaragua. Savannah, who had stepped on a shard of glass, is wearing two little booties on her front paws.

Turcich is wearing a Philadelphia Eagles hat that, he ruefully notes, is offering less protection from the sun.

I lost my other hat, so I guess Im stuck with the Eagles - just like in life, Turcich says playfully.

But he is upbeat.

This piece of road is lonely and very peaceful. Im loving it.

Tom Turcich and Savannah in 2015 (Photo courtesy of Tom Turcich)

Savannah, though, has been resilient.

We walk all day. Ill collapse on the tarp, exhausted. Shell grab a stick, come over, want to play," Turcich said.

Turcichs near-mugging at a restaurant in Panama City, during the first year of his trip, remains his closest call.

I was sitting there having breakfast when I felt something cold on my neck, Turcich said. He said he looked back and saw a man with nasty, bloodshot eyes, scraggy hair...I realized he had a shiv to my neck," he said.

The shop owner eventually intervened but a second assailant took off with Turcichs backpack, which contained his laptop, passport and other paper work essential to his journey. Fortunately, police were nearby.

Amazingly, the cops got him, he said.

Other encounters, he said, have been positive and inspiring. A highlight was when he was at a restaurant in Peru and saw a photo of Bushby on the wall. The owner noted that Bushby had visited, and showed him a handwritten note from the adventurer. Turcich said the encounter gave him a boost, just when I needed it.

He took a brief break to speak with NJ Advance Media on March 6 - day 1,073 of his journey.

His video from that day opens with a narrow road winding through a mountain of Italy. Savannah is seen playing with another dog.

It was 60 degrees outside, but humid. The next town, he explains, is four hours away.

The video ends with Turcich standing on a hill, near a cell tower, discussing his simple plan for the evening.

Going to cook up some pasta, do some writing and call it a day. Have a good one.

Sometime in 2021, or perhaps 2022  the timeframe has a lot to do with the weather, he explained  Turcich plans to walk up to his front door in Haddon Township, completing a seven-continent adventure that will have covered more than 22,000 miles on foot.

Then hell decide what to do next.

Im not sure. Working on developing my photography and my writing," Turcich said, adding he may write a book.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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A manufacturing business that was looking to open a plant in Salem County and bring an estimated 150 jobs is backing out after claiming the railroad improvements it needed were not completed. County officials, however, say thats not the case.

Empire Blended Products, a specialty cement manufacturing company, based in Berkeley Township, had planned to open a plant at 45 Griffith Street, known as the former Heinz building, in Salem County. The companys plans were contingent upon the completion of a $3 million plan to improve a half-mile portion of track in the citys port area, according to a study conducted by the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization.

But, according to minutes from the Feb. 21 Salem County freeholder meeting, Empire Blended representative Bob Ruby said the company  which he said had already invested $1 million  was pulling out of the city because it could not break ground without a viable railroad.

Ruby, when reached by phone this week, disputed the recorded minutes and declined to comment.

Freeholder Director Benjamin Laury told NJ Advance Media the rail project has been completed, and a train can get into the port  where the company was planning to locate without a problem. The Freeholder Director added that the county has received a number of inquiries about utilizing property near the port area of the railroad.

Now that we have the rail line there at the port, its there for other entities to see. Its a great selling point for Salem, Laury said.

Laury said the company was expected to bring 30 to 50 new jobs to Salem County, however in previous reports, the company estimated a total of 150 jobs by the end of 2018.

Salem mayor Charles Washington Jr. said the city had been recruiting Empire Blended to Salem since 2015.

For us its disheartening, said Salem mayor Charles Washington Jr. The Salem City Commerce Department worked really hard to recruit a manufacturing business into the city at a time when manufacturing companies are closing their doors. For Empire Blended to buy into the vision that the city had made us feel really good that the vision was attainable because we had companies buying into it and made moves to have a presence in our city. The frustration lies in when no matter how much recruiting you do as a community or municipality, it has to be collaborative efforts at all levels of government.

Washington Jr. said the city would continue to try to add businesses to the area.

At the end of the day we still believe in our plan, the mayor added. It was able to get a company into our into our community, and we believe that the plan is still viable and were still going to work to execute our plan and get businesses and jobs into our community.

Salem County had an average unemployment rate of 5.4 percent last year, according to the states Department of Labor statistics.

The section of rail that was to be improved leads to the port area in Salem and is part of the Salem County Short Line, an 18-mile stretch of railroad that run from Salem City to Swedesboro. The project was designed to help to spur economic development in the city and other parts of the county.

A ceremonial ground breaking for the work was held November 2017 and the project received funding from states Transportation Trust Fund as well as a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

However, in a newsletter issued by the county in June 2018, Ruby said the work on the track had just started after unforeseen delays.

Ruby optimistically said in the newsletter that if the county and local officials hadnt been dedicated to the project, Empire Blended would have left Salem City and the County of Salem and repositioned this plant in Delaware.

According to a study of the Port of Salem Corridor Freight Rail conducted in May 2018, Empire Blended planed to use the railroad to carry about 26 rail cars per week when fully operational  raw materials coming in, and finished product coming out.

Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews or on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips
The NJ dioceses release of 188 priests accused of sexual abuse was a step in the right direction toward transparency and finally healing the gaping wounds left by the massive, worldwide sexual abuse scandal. The Pope has been saying all the right things, as well as openly addressing the abuse scandal, which would have been unthinkable under different church leadership.

Transparency and openness are good, but the churchs contrition apparently only goes so far. It stops at the statute of limitations for civil cases brought against it. The church is happy to admit wrongdoing and act contrite, as long as it doesnt cost them anything.

As laws currently stand, victims of abuse have a window of two years from acknowledging their abuse in which to file a civil suit against the church. Theres a bill in the legislature that would extend that window for victims of abuse and make it easier to bring a case against the institution that sheltered and defended their abusers for decades. Its helpful to remember the lengths the Catholic church went to protect the predators in their midst, shuffling abusive priests from parish to parish knowing full well what crimes they had committed.

The issue of sexual abuse among the priesthood was well known within the church, all the way up to the very top of the gilded halls of the Vatican, and for decades nothing was done about it. The church was only ever concerned for its own well being and was content to let the victims suffer as long as it was kept out of the headlines. They lost any benefit of the doubt long ago. Extend the statute of limitations and hold them accountable.

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UPDATE: Anthony Comello to waive extradition from N.J. to face charge he gunned down mob boss in N.Y., attorney says

Police blocked public access to a bayside New Jersey neighborhood Sunday where Anthony Comello, the man accused of gunning down a reputed mob boss last week, was arrested as the investigation into the Staten Island killing remains ongoing.

A source told NJ Advance Media that Comello, 24, of Staten Island, was apprehended on Cadiz Drive in Brick. Property records show his relatives own one of the dozen homes on the quiet, secluded street.

Francesco Cali, considered the underboss of the Gambino crime family, was fatally shot 10 times outside his home in Staten Island on Wednesday. Comello was arrested on murder and related charges Saturday.

Early Sunday, officers stopped traffic and denied access on St. Lawrence Blvd and Bahia Court, blocks away from the home where Comello was arrested. Police said only residents were allowed into the bayside neighborhood at the southernmost end of Brick, where most houses have boat docks.

Its a quiet neighborhood and we are more concerned about the quality of life for the residents on the street, Brick Police Chief James Riccio said in an email to NJ Advance Media. The investigation at the house should be wrapped up soon and the area will be open.

By early afternoon, police pulled the roadblocks back to Cadiz Drive, but continued to block public access to the road, which connects to several adjoining streets. Riccio did not say when the area would open or why the neighborhood was blocked off when residents had not been evacuated or placed on lock down.

Upscale homes, many with covered boats in the driveway, dot the quiet neighborhood. On Sunday, residents moved freely, some walking their dogs or riding their bikes. Occasionally, residents cars lined up along the police checkpoint, waiting to get through to their homes.

The back of the house on Cadiz Drive where Anthony A. Comello, 24, of Staten Island, was arrested on Saturday and charged with killing Francesco Franky Boy Cali, 53, the Gambino family mob boss. The house is in Brick, N.J., Sunday, March, 17, 2019 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media forEd Murray | NJ Advance Media for

On Cadiz Drive, there was a boat covered in a white tarp in the three-story gray-and-white house where police arrested Comello. A sign read Comello Cove at the back of the home overlooking the marina.

Anthony A. Comello, 24, of Staten Island, was arrested in New Jersey on Saturday and charged with killing Francesco Franky Boy Cali, 53, the Gambino family mob boss.

Comello remains in the Ocean County jail in Toms River and will be extradited to Staten Island. Information for Comellos attorney was not immediately available. The New York Police Department on Sunday did not release additional information on the case or confirm who owned the home where Comello was arrested.

In a news conference on Saturday, New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said investigators will be asking whether the alleged shooter was acting alone or working for other people.

The truck Comello was driving the day Cali was killed was recovered when he was arrested in New Jersey on Saturday, Shea said. The gun, however, has yet to be found.

The three-story gray home on Cadiz Drive where Anthony A. Comello, 24, of Staten Island, was arrested on Saturday and charged with killing Francesco "Franky Boy" Cali, 53, the Gambino family mob boss. The house is in Brick, N.J., Sunday, March, 17, 2019Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for

The motive for the killing has not been revealed by police.

NBCNewYork.com, citing sources, reported that cell phone records led police to the arrest in Brick. The sources told NBC that the killing may not have been mob related.

24 Alleged mob boss gunned down on Staten Island

Staff writers Ed Murray and Kevin Shea contributed to this story.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Leave it to Donald Trump to push an idea to the point that anyone can see its absurdity.

The President did that the other day when he accused the Democratic Party of being anti-Jewish.

This set off the predictable bout of name-calling. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida counter-attacked by saying that Trump is the worst perpetrator of purveying anti-Semitism.

She went on to say, The president continues to use dog whistles and train whistles to perpetuate anti-Semitism.

I consider myself to be an expert on the language of political correctness. I know that a dog whistle is supposed to signify some sort of an insult that can be picked up only by the ears of those attuned to it.

But train whistles? I cant imagine what that cliche connotes  other than that its time for adults to give up all this childish name-calling.

The tiff between Trump and Wasserman Schultz stems from comments made by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar about the support that Israel has inside the Beltway. At one point Omar said the support is all about the Benjamins.

The opposition quickly framed this as a slur on Jews. The media duly relayed those claims. But the cliche in question originated in a 1997 rap song by Puff Daddy as a reference to Benjamin Franklin, whose face graces the $100 bill. He was raised as an Episcopalian.

Once you strip that nonsense away, youre left with a contention that the pro-Israel lobby is lobbying.

Duh! Thats what lobbyists do. Most D.C. insiders rank the pro-Israel lobby as second only to the National Rifle Association in effectiveness. Heres an assessment from the BusinessPundit site:

The Pro-Israel Lobby, headed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has been called the NRA of foreign policy lobbies, a hard-edged, pugnacious bunch that took names and kept score.

Not even Second Amendment absolutists, of which I am one, would argue the National Rifle Association cant be criticized. The same should apply to AIPAC.

Then there are Omars comments about many Americans having allegiance to a foreign country. During the 2016 Republican presidential primary campaign, I attended a Chris Christie rally at Rutgers during which self-proclaimed Americas Rabbi Shmuley Boteach of Bergen County got a round of applause by announcing that his son had just flown off to join the Israeli Defense Forces.

Thats dual allegiance by any measure. But no one seemed to mind, least of all Christie. He was doing everything in his power to pander to the Jewish vote.

Thats politics - ethnic politics of a sort with which we New Jerseyans are intimately familiar. My Cuban-American friends are every bit as passionate in their attachment to that island nation as Jews are to Israel.

I once interviewed one who fled to America when Castro took over but returned there to fight. He was taken prisoner at the Bay of Pigs but later returned to Hudson County, where he has lived ever since as a red-blooded American.

Meanwhile a lot of my fellow Irish-Americans raised money for the anti-British side during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. One prominent supporter of the Irish Republican Army was a guy from Long Island named Peter King.

Kings politics were highly controversial and widely debated at the time. But in the middle of it all he got elected to the Republican seat in Congress he still holds.

If youre looking for a good indication of just how tangled ethnic politics can be in the United States, consider that King is also strongly pro-Israel and has been accused of being an Islamophobe  to invoke another term Id like to see removed from the national debate.

The reason Id like to see such terms gone is that they are used not to further that debate, but to end it. Once one has established that ones debating partner fits into some unspeakable category, then that person must no longer be permitted to speak.

Thats the intent of the p.c. types at Media Matters who have set out after Fox News host Tucker Carlson. They dredged up comments Carlson made years ago when being interviewed by a radio shock jock. (See clip below.)

Its not necessary to go into the actual remarks. All you need to know is that the shock jocks name is Bubba the Love Sponge.

Neither Carlson on the right nor Omar on the left has any intention of shutting up. So those exercises in name-calling seem to have come to naught

And I doubt anyone takes seriously Trumps allegation that the Democrats are anti-Jewish  least of all Trump himself.

But we all owe him a debt of gratitude for pushing this practice to its logical  or illogical  conclusion.

BELOW: The rather silly attack on Tucker Carlson:
When a freshman congresswoman reignited a debate over what anti-Semitism looks like, it was New Jersey congressman Josh Gottheimer, her fellow Democrat, who led the call to condemn her remarks.

I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country, his colleague, Rep. IIhan Omar, had said. I want to ask, why is it OK for me to talk about the influence of the NRA, of fossil fuel industries, or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobby that is influencing policy?

Gottheimer spoke to Star-Ledger editorial writer Julie OConnor about the fallout, including a defense of Omar by others in his party, and where to draw the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and anti-Jewish bias. Below is an edited transcript.

Q. Lets start with this: To what do you attribute the increase in hate crimes motivated by anti-Jewish bias? They jumped by 30 percent in New Jersey alone last year.

A. Social media has made it acceptable to say whatever you want in certain circles, and theres no consequence. Like the comments that followed the neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville. There were pockets that actually defended the anti-Semitism. Its almost like the top has been removed from the simmering pot of hatred, and those vapors are permeating communities across the country.

Q. You helped craft a resolution condemning anti-Semitism in the wake of Rep. Omars comment. Why was it anti-Semitic?

A. This has nothing to do with debates about Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship. Its about questioning someone like me, or anyone elses loyalty to the United States, because of my faith, because Im Jewish. Its an age-old trope. When John F. Kennedy ran for office, there were questions about whether he was able to put aside his Catholicism, and whether hed be loyal to the Pope or the United States of America.

Rep. Omar has made other comments about Israel having hypnotized the world, and its support in Congress being all about the Benjamins. These are old tropes about Jews, money and buying influence  I could probably give you a hundred examples dating back to Shakespeare. Part of what makes our government work is that people come to Washington and advocate for ideas. Trying to tie that to Jews buying influence is obviously anti-Semitic.

Q. The House ended up passing a resolution that denounces all bigotry instead of your standalone condemnation of anti-Semitism. Was that a cop-out?

A. Im glad that the Congress voiced its opposition to anti-Semitism and made it clear that the dual loyalty smear is unacceptable. Unfortunately, it was clear from the discussions this week  and in the ultimate resolution  that many people treat anti-Semitism differently than other forms of bigotry and hatred. There shouldnt be an asterisk next to anti-Semitism.

Q. Your original resolution elicited a lot of pushback. Some Jews argued that what Omar said not inherently anti-Semitic, given that she goes on to talk about the influence of AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group.

A. First of all, comparing a group like AIPAC to the NRA, as you might imagine, is intentionally trying to drag down AIPAC in the Democratic party. Would she say that about a group that advocates for other issues, like children with orphan diseases? Trying to blur the lines between her accusation of dual loyalty and AIPAC is a red herring. Theyre trying to divert attention from what she said. Its the trifecta of anti-Semitic tropes.

And theres a long history of this Jewish dual loyalty trope, by Pat Buchanan, Richard Nixon and others dating back to the 1930s. Its not like she can say, I had no idea. I would never question where Rep. Omars loyalties lie. She was elected to the U.S. Congress. She may have different views than me, but I would never question her loyalty.

Q. Critics also argued that anti-Semitic tropes have been used by other members of Congress, like Kevin McCarthy, or President Trump, yet none were subjected to a resolution of disapproval like Omar. Your reaction?

A. Frankly, I thought it was obviously unacceptable what Rep. McCarthy said in October, about three prominent Jewish Democratic donors trying to buy the midterm election. But he handled it in the right way. He retracted it and apologized. You apologize, and you dont do it again. Whats so unacceptable in Omars case is that instead of apologizing, shes just doubled down. Thats why its different.

Q. What about Trump? He praised very fine people on both sides at the neo-Nazi march, and recently called Jewish Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) shifty, a play on his last name, but also the historic anti-Semitic trope that Jews are crafty and sneaky. He hasnt apologized.

A. After Charlottesville, when neo-Nazis and white supremacists marched in the streets shouting, Jews will not replace us, I joined my Jewish colleagues in Congress in writing to the president urging him to condemn this anti-Semitic hatred and to reject incendiary rhetoric that leads to violence.

Q. The anticipated indictments of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for shady dealings with wealthy businessmen in Hollywood and the media is bound to rekindle this debate. Where is the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism?

A. Of course people have a right to question Netanyahu and the alliances hes formed. Ive publicly questioned it myself and said its unacceptable. So have long, stalwart supporters of Israel. But you cross the line when you question Jewish loyalty to the United States, for instance. This is no longer a question of Israel.

Nobody brought up Ireland when they questioned Kennedys loyalty to the U.S. because he was Catholic. Its similar here: Questions about Jews and loyalty and money have nothing to do with Israel. Trying to blur these things is a nefarious tactic to divert from what is anti-Semitism.

Q. Are criticisms of West Bank settlements legitimate?

A. There are certainly legitimate ways to criticize these and other Israeli policies. Personally, I am a strong supporter of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But, again, these are two separate issues. Questioning my loyalty to my country because of my religion is not a foreign policy debate. Its a trope that goes back centuries.

I think blurring the lines between the issues of foreign policy  where we can and should have a debate about things  and anti-Semitic rhetoric and tropes is dangerous, and we cant allow it to happen and take over our discourse.

Q. Is the BDS movement  which promotes boycotts of Israel until it withdraws from occupied territories, among other things  inherently anti-Semitic, as some politicians believe?

A. Yes.

Q. Why?

A. Americans have every right to express themselves and even to choose not to do business with certain companies or countries because of their own political beliefs. This conduct is not necessarily anti-Semitic. But the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement was founded on certain ideas, including a rejection of Israels right to exist.

The notion that just one group of people  Jewish people  do not deserve the same right of self-determination as every other group of people is, I believe, anti-Semitic.

Q. Do you think people are ok with anti-Semitism, as long as it comes from others in their own party?

A. No. I dont think its endemic to either party. I think 99 percent of my colleagues in Congress are not anti-Semitic, and thats why when we see it, we have to speak out against it.
In 2010, Felician Sister Marilyn Minter traveled with five other Felicians for a two-week stay in Haiti where her religious community was considering opening a mission and looking for two volunteers. The other five declined to return, but Minter recalled what one of the little Haitian girls said to her before departing, Are you going to love us and leave us, too? Evidently not. In 2012, Minter and Sister Inga Borko left the U.S. with one suitcase each and no place to go except to land in Haiti.

The Polish-born Borko, a nun for 38 years, had been serving on the Felician sisters international leadership team in Rome for 12 years. She had never been to Haiti, but a doctor from New Jersey was lobbying her in Rome to open a mission in the Caribbean country, especially after the devastating 2010 earthquake. They originally wanted medical people, but that did not materialize. So, after she completed her term, Borko transferred to the U.S. province and teamed up with Minter.

Almost seven years later, they are back in Lodi at the former motherhouse, having been evacuated for safety from the current unrest in Haiti. But they are itching to go back.

At first, they both lived in one room in Haiti as they canvassed the country to find the right region to lay down roots and begin what Minter said was a compassionate ministry of presence. They traveled the countryside to meet the people and assess the enormous poverty. By seeing what people lacked and what they needed, they began a master plan that is now a complex of several buildings, which include a kitchen, a clinic, a residence, a community center, a playground and classrooms. The buildings are made of cement and earthquake-resistant, using solar energy.

The sisters raised funds in the States through mission appeals and donations with every dollar going right to their mission plans.

Minter and Borko work in the Diocese of Jacmal, which is in the southern part of the country near the Caribbean and very rural. The people are extremely poor and live in shacks, which, Borko said, leak all over when it rains.

A major problem is the lack of clean water so the Felicians have started a water purification education program. To spread the word, each family that learns then has to go out and teach three other families. Now they have employed several people to lead the program and pay them modest wages.

People can hardly afford to buy food since it is so expensive so the sisters started the Blessed Angela Kitchen, named after the Felician founder, Blessed Angela Truszkowska. The kitchen serves one hot meal daily. The sisters buy locally to help the economy and provide milk and clothes, especially for young mothers. They send a mobile clinic with two doctors and a nurse into the countryside to stop at each of the 28 chapels they have erected. The medical clinic at the center also dispenses medicine.

Borko said they have a big ministry with children and youth to keep them in school. The center sponsors nearly 200 children and helps them with homework and provides tutors. They have trained and employ 25 teens. There are youth Masses and faith formation.

The foundation of their ministry is empowerment, Minter said.

When they first arrived, the two met with bishops and learned Creole. Now, they are right at home and able to manage with the assistance of five employees each in the clinic and the residence.

Minter, a native of Metuchen, had worked in young adult ministry in the Archdiocese of Newark and is literally a live wire. She is a musician, had done vocation work and was a classroom teacher in her 40 years as a Felician. She is quite animated about her missionary work. Echoing the little girl who inspired her in 2010, Minter said she has loved the Haitian people and, if she has her way, will never leave them.

The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, 07030, FAX: 201-659-5833; Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken.

Details ...

Donations for the Haiti Mission may be mailed to: Felician Sisters Haiti Mission, 871 Mercer Road, Beaver Falls, PA 15010-6856. Make payable to Felician Sisters and write Haiti Mission on the memo line.
WASHINGTON  You may have heard a lot about the Green New Deal, which would set the U.S. on a course to eliminate the emissions contributing to climate change.

You also may have heard discussions about Medicare for All, which could replace private health insurance with a government-run plan.

They are big-time proposals pushed hard by newly elected progressive Democratic lawmakers, as well as many of the partys 2020 presidential candidates  including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker.

But such ambitions likely will run into a roadblock erected by another Jersey Democrat: Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.

His voice speaks louder than most. Pallone, D-6th Dist., has jurisdiction over both health care and the environment as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

But he wants to spend his political capital trying to shore up existing rules and regulations, not propose new ones that have no chance of passing when Republicans control the White House and the Senate.

The primary focus has to be on what we can do now," Pallone said, citing efforts to protect the Affordable Care Act and save the environmental regulations already on the books, both of which are in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.

"Whats happening is so bad that maybe lets, to some extent, shift the debate to what we can do to stop the sabotage and the damage that continues, Pallone said.

A big part of what were trying to do here is not necessarily moving forward, although that would be nice and we will try do, but trying to prevent the sabotage. What else can you do? Were only one-third of the system to pass bills.

Still, Adam Green, an Edison native who co-founded the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Pallone should begin laying the groundwork for such ambitious measures for the time Democrats control the federal government again.

At a minimum, committee chairs like Frank Pallone could hold hearings and they could talk about making down payments, Green said. Its honestly falling down on the job if Democrats are not moving the ball forward on what a governing agenda would look like. Poll after poll shows bold economic populist policies are precisely what Democrats need to win in purple and red districts.

Republicans apparently believe just the opposite. They are salivating over the chance to accuse the Democrats of supporting socialist policies and to blast them for trying to take away the health insurance most Americans get from their employers.

Indeed, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he will ask the chamber to vote on the Green New Deal resolution.

And House Republicans are clamoring for hearings, hoping to taint all Democrats with legislation unlikely to ever reach the presidents desk. Eleven ranking committee members signed a letter seeking hearings on the Green New Deal.

Lets let the American people have a say and a view on these policies, how Democrats should stand behind their proposals and give the American people the chance to learn what they are really about," said Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, the top Republican on Pallones committee. Lets hold hearings, lets pull the curtain back, and lets see where the socialist Democrats stand."

Such labels ring hollow, Democrats said.

Clearly, we are not a socialist nation, said Rep. Jeff Van Drew, D-2nd Dist., one of the New Jersey freshmen targeted by House Republicans in 2020. I like to refer to myself as a compassionate capitalist, and I think thats where most Americans are.

When they were in the majority, Republicans refused to hold hearings on legislation that did pass their chamber, a tax cut that targeted middle-class homeowners in New Jersey and other high-tax states while giving most of its benefits to corporations and the wealthy, and a replacement to the Affordable Care Act that the Congressional Budget Office said would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured.

I think the Republicans are going to say, Lets just talk about Medicare for All and and lets just talk about the Green New Deal so they can beat us up,' Pallone said. I dont usually get requests for hearings on things youre against. Thats a little disingenuous.

Its a way to avoid discussing ways of reaching twin goals of addressing climate change and expanding health coverage, said Booker, who has endorsed both ideas as he seeks the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Its a kind of John F. Kennedy saying, Lets go to the moon,' making a bold resolution like that, and somebody saying, I dont support that because the way you have your rockets designed is just not working." Booker said.

"Instead of trying to figure out a way to give everybody access to health care in our country and to save our planet, people want to try to tear down those folks who are bold enough to stand up and say, I have a vision and a dream for America.'

In New Jersey, where the National Republican Congressional Committee has targeted five Democrats in 2020, the lawmakers said theyre not concerned that they will be held accountable for such proposals.

People in my district are savvy enough to look at how Im voting, look at the legislation that my caucus passes, and make their determination, said Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., said that despite the attention focused in Washington on the Green New Deal nor Medicare for All, his constituents dont ask him much about either.

None of those things are going anywhere, he said. Im into ideas that can actually get signed into law.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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A man was hit with a metal bat and robbed of his wallet and cell phone as he was riding his bicycle on the Lafitte Greenway early Sunday morning (March 17), New Orleans Police said.

Police said a man stopped the 31-year-old cyclist near North Johnson Street and Lafitte Avenue around 12:50 a.m., struck him with a metal bat and demanded his belongings.

Police said the victim handed over his phone and wallet, then gave the suspect his phones pass code. The suspect fled.

Additional information, including a description of the suspect and the victims condition, was not available in an initial police report.

New Orleans police on Sunday also reported a carjacking that occurred Saturday in the French Quarter.

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Police said a 31-year-old man was pulled out of his vehicle and thrown to the ground in the 800 block of Bienville Street. He was parked there, and was returning to his vehicle around 7:30 a.m., police said.

The suspect, described as a man in his 20s, fled lake-bound in the vehicle, then in an unknown direction.

Police also reported a woman had her purse stolen at a bar in the 2600 block of Magazine Street around 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Traceys, which hosts a block party for the Irish Channel parade, is in that block.

Police said the 27-year-old woman was standing at the bar with her hand resting on top of her purse. Police said the suspect grabbed it when the woman turned her head, and fled in unknown direction.

No information was provided about the suspect.
A Maryland man was arrested and faces animal cruelty charges after a video of him tackling a federally protected brown pelican was posted to Facebook, according to the Miami Herald.

In the video, 31-year-old William Hunter Hardesty, is seen trying to grab a brown pelican  Louisianas state bird  at Floridas Key West Historic Seaport. After the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigated the video, which was posted March 8, Hardesty was booked with five misdemeanor charges, the report stated.

Read the full story here.
A man was shot in the leg near the intersection of Elysian Fields and North Claiborne avenues early Sunday (March 17), New Orleans police reported. The typically busy area is at the edge of the 7th Ward and St. Roch neighborhoods.

In an initial report, police said a 30-year-old man was sitting in his vehicle near the Hangover Bar around 2:30 a.m. when an unknown man approached him.

The suspect began a conversation with the victim, police said, then produced a weapon and began firing shots into the vehicle. The victim was shot in the right leg and was driven to the hospital, according to police.

Additional details, including information about the suspect, were not immediately available.

Police reported the shooting to local media just after 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

The shooting was the second confirmed overnight by New Orleans police after a woman arrived at a local hospital after being shot in the leg in New Orleans East.

Heather Nolan contributed to this report.
A man arrived at a hospital late Saturday (March 16) with gunshot wounds to the leg, New Orleans police said. It wasnt clear at first where the man had been when he was shot, but police noted later the man had been in the Little Woods neighborhood of New Orleans East.

The shooting occurred in the 14500 block of Duane Road, according to the NOPD, and the call reporting it first came in at about 11:35 p.m.

Police said the man was being followed by an unknown white SUV when shots were fired. The victim was struck once in the left leg and twice in the right leg.

Additional information, including a suspect description and the victims condition, was not immediately available.

The man was one of two reported overnight by police to have been shot in New Orleans. A man was shot in the leg early Sunday, police said, near the intersection of North Claiborne and Elysian Fields avenues.

Update: Police initially said a woman was injured in the shooting. They later said the victim was a man.

Heather Nolan contributed to this report.
March 11, 2019 Mike Theune, National Park Service PIO , 559-565-3704

CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA, Calif. March 11, 2019  This is the sixth day of an intense multiagency search for missing Marine Corps 1st Lieutenant Matthew Kraft, a 24 year old man from Washington, Connecticut. 1st Lt. Kraft is 61 and 185 pounds.



1st Lt. Krafts planned itinerary is the 195-mile Sierra High Route; he is believed to have hiked out of Kearsarge Pass on Feb 24 with a plan of concluding his hike near the Twin Lakes area by Bridgeport, CA on March 4 or 5. Kraft commissioned as a Marine Corps officer on May 6, 2016. He graduated from some of the Marine Corps' most rigorous training including Infantry Officer Course and Winter Mountain Leaders Course.



On March 4, 1st Lt. Krafts father contacted Mono Sheriff after not hearing from his son. Mono County Sheriffs Office began checking trail heads in the Bridgeport area that day. Cell phone forensics initiated by Mono Sheriff showed that his last phone activity was in the Independence area. Inyo County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue began a search on March 5. The evening of March 8, 1st Lt. Krafts vehicle was located at the Grays Meadows campground above Independence, CA.



Both aerial and ground search operations have been utilized; however, weather conditions in the Sierra have been a significant challenge. Additionally, both ground teams and aerial support have noted avalanche activity throughout the wilderness, including along the Sierra High Route.



Snow instability will remain a challenge as search teams attempt to clear portions of the route, stated Inyo Sheriffs Search and Rescue Coordinator, Sergeant Nate Derr.



Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Incident Commander Dave Fox added We know the public is very interested in helping with the ground search effort, but due to the extreme hazards in the search area, we are not requesting any outside units at this time."



Today the search plan includes air lifting two Inyo County Search and Rescue avalanche experts to the crest of Kearsarge Pass so they can begin to clear the route on the east side and assess avalanche risk for future search operations. On the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks side of the crest work continues to follow-up on possible points of interest and look for any new clues.



Air support is being coordinated with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Fresno County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, Air National Guard, and United States Marine Corps. Fresno Sheriff, Mono Sheriff, Inyo Sheriff, and Sequoia Kings Canyon National Parks are currently in Unified Command. Other agencies assisting include United States Marine Corps, Madera County Sheriff, Yosemite National Park, and California Office of Emergency Services. In addition, two Marines from Kraft's unit are assisting authorities with search efforts at the Search and Rescue Coordination Center.



For more information about this search please visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6272/



If you think you might have seen 1st Lt. Kraft or even been in the search area since February 23, please call 888-653-0009 or visit https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1563/submit-a-tip.htm



-###-


Photo of 1st Lt. Matthew Kraft.

March 16, 2019

Contact: Sintia Kawasaki-Yee, National Park Service PIO, 559-565-3131

Contact: Carma Roper, Inyo County Sherrif PIO

Contact: Capt. Paul Gainey, USMC Spokesperson

CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA, Calif. March 16, 2019  A massive multiagency search in the Sierra Nevada has been underway for more than a week to locate missing U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Matthew Kraft, a 24-year-old man from Washington, Conn. Kraft set out on a solo ski and hike trip on Feb. 24 with an itinerary to complete the 195-mile Sierra High Route on March 4 or 5. Beginning today the search operation will transition into a limited continuous search status until Kraft is found.

On March 4, Krafts father contacted Mono County Sheriff after not hearing from his son. Mono County Sheriffs Office began checking trail heads in the Bridgeport area that day. Cell phone forensics initiated by Mono County Sheriff showed that his last phone activity was in the Independence area, in Inyo County. Inyo County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue began a search on March 5. The evening of March 8, Krafts vehicle was located at the Grays Meadows campground above Independence, Calif.

Backcountry snow instability and weather issues, including high winds, have been a significant challenge for search crews. Both aerial and ground searches have identified avalanche activity, cornices, and snow bridges throughout the wilderness, including along the Sierra High Route. The search zone has been determined to be larger than the state of Rhode Island and consists of the 195-mile Sierra High Route as well as multiple points of potential exit.

Aerial reconnaissance and ground teams have been deployed to the search area; however to date there have been no substantiated clues that link Kraft to any particular search area.

Additionally, aircraft with thermal and night vision imagery capabilities have been flying the route and while several points of interest have been identified  all have been investigated and determined to be animal related. Search crews also employed RECCO technology, an electronic device to find people buried in an avalanche.

Search and rescue authorities have been unable to locate evidence of Krafts location along his planned route.

The Marine Corps, along with the other assisting agencies, will continue to stand by and support Kraft's family, friends, and Marines during this difficult time.

Agencies assisting throughout this search include U.S. Marine Corps, Mono County Sheriff, Mono County Search and Rescue, Inyo County Sheriff, Inyo County Search and Rescue, Madera County Sheriff, Fresno County Sheriff, Tulare County Sheriff, Los Angeles County Sheriff, Sequoia and Kings National Parks, Yosemite National Park, CHP H-80, CHP H-40, Air National Guard, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team, Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit, China Lake Naval Weapons Base, and California Office of Emergency Services.

This is the final news release about this search and rescue operation, unless new information becomes available.

Beginning Monday, March 18, InciWeb, the Incident Information System being used to relay regular updates, will go into inactive status, meaning updates will no longer be posted, but the page will remain accessible to anyone wanting information about this search.

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6272/ For more information about this search please visit:

If you were in the search area on or around Feb. 23, and you think you might have seen Kraft, please call 559-565-4286.
March 16, 2019 Melanie Rawlins , 520-377-5064

Tumacacori was selected to receive a field trip grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of Americas national parks. The grant will cover transportation costs for local public schools to visit and participate in one of Tumacacoris curriculum-based education programs. This grant, part of the National Park Foundations Open Outdoors for Kids program, supports the federal governments Every Kid in a Park program.



I can still remember the excitement of exploring my first national park as a kid and it made me want to discover more, said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. Im thrilled that our National Park Foundation grants make it possible for hundreds of thousands of kids to experience the wonder of parks for the first time, sparking a lifelong love for national parks.



Headlining Tumacacoris school programs this year is Padre Kinos Quest, which explores multiple parts of the 4th grade curriculum including mathematics; geography; persuasive writing; and, of course, the life of Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino. Students must solve their way through a series of puzzles and challenges to collect the Kino Skill Badges required to complete the quest. Like all of Tumacacoris curriculum-based programs, the Quest includes pre- and post-visit lessons and presents Arizona state standards to participants in a hands-on, inquiry-based setting.



With the addition of the National Park Foundations grant, Tumacacori is able to offer immersive educational experience to local students at zero cost to the school. There is no entrance fee, no program fee, and now fully reimbursed transportation. Teachers wishing to participate this school year, should visit www.nps.gov/tuma/learn/education, email Melanie_Rawlins@nps.gov or call 520-377-5064 for more information.


News Release: Fort Collins High School Reigns Supreme at the 29th Colorado High School Science Bowl

Team Heading to Washington, D.C., to Compete for National Title

March 16, 2019

Students from Fort Collins High School dominated this year's Colorado High School Science Bowl and emerged victorious over second-place finisher Loveland High School. For the third year in a row, students from Fort Collins will represent the state of Colorado at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOEs) National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., from April 2529, where they will compete for the national title against students from 64 high school regions.

DOE created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in these fields. More than 290,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl, which stands out as one of the nations largest science competitions. DOE's Golden Field Office once again served as one of the major sponsors of this year's event, along with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The labs involvement is part of its continuing commitment to workforce development through ongoing STEM education programming.

Thirty-six teams from across Colorado competed in the day-long competition at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton. In the final round, Fort Collins won by a score of 80-26, prevailing over second-place Loveland after correctly answering rapid-fire questions in physics, math, biology, energy, chemistry, and earth and space sciences. Fairview High School rounded out the top finishers, earning the third-place trophy. Other schools that excelled during the morning competitions and advanced to the afternoon double-elimination contests were:

Cherry Creek High School

Cheyenne Mountain High School

Fairview High School

Fossil Ridge High School

Niwot High School

Peak to Peak Charter School

Poudre High School

Ralston Valley Senior High School

Rock Canyon High School

Rocky Mountain High School



The National Science Bowl is celebrating over a quarter century of competition as the only academic event of its kind sponsored by a U.S. government agency. Each year, approximately 15,000 high students from across the country compete for a chance at the national finals.

Sponsors for the event are the DOE Golden Field Office, the DOE Office of Science, NREL, and the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

High-resolution photographs of the competition are available to the media on request.
RENO, Nev.Prosecutors said Thursday, March 14, they will seek the death penalty against a 20-year-old Salvadoran immigrant in the United States illegally who has been charged with killing four people in Nevada, including an elderly couple.

Wilber Ernesto Martinez-Guzman is being prosecuted in Reno after authorities said he fatally shot the couple in their Reno home and two women in their homes south of Carson City during a 10-day crime rampage in January.

The case has drawn the attention of President Donald Trump, who says it shows the need for his proposed border wall.

Immigration status had nothing to do with the decision to pursue capital punishment in the case, according to district attorneys Chris Hicks of Washoe County and Mark Jackson of Douglas County, co-prosecutors in the case.

His immigration status was not even discussed at all, Jackson said.

Hicks said Martinez-Guzman would be eligible for the death penalty because of aggravating circumstances that include the killing of more than one person during the commission of felonies aimed at obtaining money and other property.

His young age and absence of any prior criminal history in the United States and El Salvador were also considered, the prosecutor said.

A grand jury indicted Martinez-Guzman on Wednesday on murder, burglary and weapon charges. He could enter a plea to those counts at his first appearance in state court, scheduled April 11.

He has been held without bail in the county jail in Reno after being charged in previous criminal complaints. He was arrested Jan. 19.

His public defense attorney, John Arrascada, did not immediately respond Thursday to messages seeking comment.

Federal officials have said Martinez-Guzman is in the United States illegally but they dont know how or when he crossed the border.

The four slaying victims include Gerald David, 81, and his 80-year-old wife, Sharon David, a prominent Reno Rodeo Association couple who had employed Martinez-Guzman as a landscaper at their house last summer.

Police say they were shot with a .22-caliber handgun that Martinez-Guzman stole from them less than two weeks earlier.

Court documents allege that Martinez-Guzmans DNA was found on the same gun that was also used to kill Connie Koontz and Sophia Renken in their homes.

Death Penalty Sought For Salvadoran In Nevada Killings https://t.co/WdlzHCXQ7l pic.twitter.com/XH2UAW7Nuh  The Village Reporter (@Village_Report) March 15, 2019

Martinez-Guzman was arrested in Carson City, where he also faces a series of weapons and burglary charges.

#RT @AP: RT @APWestRegion: They used to walk into each others homes without knocking. Now residents in a pocket of northern Nevada are tense after 4 killings blamed on a Salvadoran man said to be in the US illegally. https://t.co/jsLpPPNPwd  Michael Miller5229 Cornell Ave El Paso, TX 79924 (@CarnageMovie) January 24, 2019

Hicks said prosecutors presented witnesses and an extraordinary amount of evidence during the grand jury proceeding Wednesday aimed at bypassing a preliminary hearing.

We believe we cut off several months of time that would have been spent in Justice Court, Hicks said, noting the victims families supported the strategy.

Jackson said its the first time he has sought the death penalty in the 12 years hes been the district attorney in Douglas County. Hicks said its the fourth time its been sought in more than 10 years in Washoe County.

We reserve the death penalty for the worst of the worst, Hicks said.

By Scott Sonner
A county in North Carolina passed a resolution declaring itself a gun sanctuary county on March 4.

Cherokee County officials said they will not accept federal or state funds provided to enforce gun control measures or implement anything that would infringe on the right by the people to keep and bear arms as described.

The resolution has some similarities to sanctuary city declarations, in that those cities refuse to enforce federal laws or cooperate with federal authorities to stop illegal immigration.

In this case, the county bases its determination on laws written into the U.S. Constitution. Cherokee County Commissioner C.B. McKinnon posted the resolution on Facebook. It cites numerous justifications for the move that looks not only at the U.S. Constitution but also at legal cases that have upheld such laws.

A Resolution Declaring Cherokee County, NC, a Gun Sanctuary CountyOn behalf of the citizens of Cherokee County, North  CB McKINNON Cherokee County Commissioner".  201935

The resolution also discusses how gun violence should not inhibit the rights of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves.

Moreover, the criminal misuse of firearms is due to the fact that criminals do not obey laws and this is not a reason to abrogate or abridge the unalienable, constitutionally guaranteed rights of law-abiding citizens. The last protectors of the U.S. Constitution are We the People of the United States and our ability to fulfill that role successfully rests on our Second Amendment rights.

Ultimately the resolution passed by a vote of 3-2. The dissenting voters to the resolution on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners included Commission Chairman Hippie Westmoreland, who worried that the resolution might attract fugitives like Eric Rudolph, who was captured in the county in 2003. Dissenting Commissioner Cal Stiles like the resolution but hoped for a simpler version. Both commissioners support Second Amendment rights, the Cherokee Scout reported.

Commissioner Dan Eichenbaum, who wrote the three-page resolution, cited Germany between World War l and World War ll, and the confiscation of guns there that led to the rise of Nazi Germany. He also mentioned how the first actions dictators take is to take away guns from the public, the Cherokee Scout reported.

People are recognizing the threats to this nation. Without an armed citizens our nation will not stand . Only the the  CB McKINNON Cherokee County Commissioner".  2019310

Cherokee County is not the only place to adopt such measures. Twenty-five out of 33 New Mexico counties adopted gun sanctuary measures. In this case, New Mexico law enforcement signed public declarations meant to send a message to liberal politicians trying to enforce gun control measures in the state, Pacific Standard reported.

Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace, president of the New Mexico Sheriffs Association, started the movement within the state. He said that the states gun control measures ignore the concerns of law enforcement.

There are whole sanctuary county, city, and state movements, and those are essentially saying Hey, we can shield immigrants from the federal law,' Mace told Pacific Standard. Theyre picking and choosing which laws they want to follow as a state, so were thinking as a county, why cant we take this back to our commissioners and say were going to draft a resolution that says our counties are Second Amendment sanctuary counties.

The sheriffs have received a lot of pushback from politicians, in a conflict that has led to how much discretion local law enforcement and county politicians have in enforcing laws approved by the state.

Other states to initiate gun sanctuary movements include Washington, Nevada, Oregon, and Illinois.
The president has been friendly for years with Ms. Pirro, whose ex-husband, Al Pirro, served as Mr. Trumps Westchester County power broker in the 1990s before going to prison for conspiracy and tax evasion. Ms. Pirro, whose television career had stagnated, has watched her ratings rise as she became one of Mr. Trumps most fervent on-air defenders.

But even Fox News, which has mostly stood by star personalities in past scandals, flinched last week after Ms. Pirros on-air remarks about Representative Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, a Muslim who wears a hijab. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Shariah law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution? Ms. Pirro asked on her March 9 program.

Among those calling her comments prejudiced was a Muslim producer at Ms. Pirros own network. Several advertisers said they would no longer sponsor her show.

The network said Ms. Pirros remarks do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly, though officials there have not elaborated on that discussion or what internal punishment, if any, was meted out.

Mr. Carlson has also faced scrutiny for offensive comments he made on a shock-jock radio program about a decade ago, which were recently published by the left-wing advocacy group Media Matters for America. Appearing on the Bubba the Love Sponge show, Mr. Carlson described Iraqis as semiliterate primitive monkeys and mused that arranging a marriage between a 16-year-old and a 27-year-old is not the same as pulling a stranger off the street and raping her.

Fox News has not issued its own statement on the Carlson matter. Mr. Carlson did not miss any of his regular network appearances this past week. On air, he thanked officials at Fox News for backing him, and portrayed himself as a target of a liberal mob intent on silencing conservative voices.
EDITORS NOTE

TRAVEL

An article in Travel this weekend describes several new hotels and other high-end developments in Jaffa, the ancient port adjacent to Tel Aviv. In focusing exclusively on those new additions, the article fails to touch on important aspects of Jaffas makeup and its history  in particular, the history and continuing presence of its Arab population and the expulsion of many residents in 1948. Because of this lapse, the article also did not acknowledge the continuing controversy about new development and its effect on Jaffa. After readers pointed out the problem, editors added some of that background information to the online version, which is available at nytimes.com/travel.

ARTS & LEISURE

An article on Page 14 about the actress and comedian Amy Schumer refers imprecisely to the video Ms. Schumer made about Beyonces Lemonade. It was a tribute, not a spoof.

METROPOLITAN

An article on March 3 about the photographer James Van Der Zees pictures of Harlem omitted a credit for the photographs. The credit should have read: James Van Der Zee and Donna Mussenden Van Der Zee, courtesy of Howard Greenberg Gallery in New York.

STYLES

A review on March 3 from Paris Fashion Week misstated the given name of a designer. He is Mariano Fortuny, not Mario.
They shared photos of water rushing over riverbanks and encircling homes and neighborhoods.

Floodwaters had surrounded the town of Fremont, Neb., about 40 miles northwest of Omaha, said Councilwoman Linda McClain. The town sits between the Platte River to the south and the Elkhorn River to the north. Both rivers had overflowed their banks, Ms. McClain said.

Were like an island, she said. You cannot get in or out.

Ms. McClain said she spent Saturday visiting shelters where people who had been displaced were congregating. About 75 people had been reluctant to leave their homes, but as the buildings took on water, they were rescued by airboats and taken to the shelters, she said. Many homes were flooded by as much as three or four feet of water.

Parts of the city had been under a mandatory evacuation.

Right now, were in crisis mode, she said.

Tech. Sgt. Rachelle Blake, of the United States Air Force, said several buildings on the Offutt Air Force Base, which is south of Omaha, had been evacuated as water from Papillion Creek, a tributary of the Missouri River, flooded the southeast part of the base. She said the northwest part of the base was largely unaffected.

She said that it was too soon to quantify the damage, but that buildings and hangars were underwater. Aircraft had previously been moved to higher ground.
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand  When the prime minister announced plans to ban semiautomatic rifles following Fridays mass shootings, it seemed to be the bold response that many New Zealanders wanted  until the countrys attorney general backpedaled almost immediately and said that might not be the governments final decision.

Even after a massacre that left 50 people dead, the fight over guns and safety will be a fraught one for politicians in peaceful New Zealand, just as it is in the United States.

But there is a crucial difference between the two countries that is already apparent: While Washington struggles to take action even as such shootings become more routine, New Zealands government is immediately diving into a detailed discussion of further legislative checks on guns.

The outright prohibition of semiautomatic weapons proposed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern may no longer be on the near-term table. But shes made clear that lawmakers will look at a range of options, from gun buybacks to restrictions on magazines for semiautomatic rifles.
The director Gaspar Noe is fond of making films in which characters are raped and beaten, or in which a drug trip turns into a journey to hell. They are troubling to the stomach. They hurt the heart. So what does a man who is tickled by such horrors watch for pleasure?

Im hypnotized, he said in an interview, by good dancers.

Climax, his most recent film, doesnt just have good ones: They are great. But Mr. Noe also throws fear and revulsion into his movie about a party where punch laced  by whom?  with LSD is served. A pregnant woman is attacked, brutally. A mother locks her son in an electrical closet to keep him away from the increasingly deranged, drugged dancers. (He might have been better off hanging out with them.)

Its fitting that go-for-broke dancing, and the private, messy and passionate lives of dancers, are the conduits that feed Mr. Noes latest creation. A body holds plenty of space for terror.

Like Fred Astaire teaming with Ginger Rogers, dance has found a perfect partner for a new kind of pas de deux: horror. Its a fit. For Mr. Noe  he is an extreme director, and dance is an extreme art  a dancers body has a range of emotions that dont simply land on good or evil.
There are countless books at the annual New York International Antiquarian Book Fair, of course, but also ephemera of all kinds: posters, pamphlets, calendars, playing cards. The price tags can be eye-popping  by the end of a stroll around the fair, $2,500 for a beautiful old deck of cards started to sound, somehow, entirely reasonable.

For people with modest bank accounts, a tour of the fair amounts to a trip to an exhibit or museum, with dealers happily telling the often fascinating stories behind their wares, even if a potential sale is nowhere in sight. The 59th edition of the fair took place March 7 to 10 at the Park Avenue Armory.

In the photo above, Donald Heald, a book dealer based just a few blocks from the Armory, displays the second edition of an 18th-century book by Louis Renard, with illustrations engraved after drawings by Samuel Fallours. Printed on high-quality Dutch paper, the book cataloged the riotous marine life of the East Indies, very little known to Europeans at the time. Some balked at the images, believing they must be fictional, but scientists have verified most of the species depicted (with the exception, Heald wryly noted, of a mermaid). There were only 100 copies of this edition published, and the price tag for this copy at the fair was $145,000.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Authorities are finalizing a draft executive order that aims to address Metro Manila's water shortage problem, a Cabinet official said Sunday.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a statement they will submit the order to the President "for his input and approval," citing that the provisions of the draft order include different components of integrated water resource management.

One of the provisions is the "reconstitution of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) into a body that will be responsible for policy, direction-setting, and the integration of all government efforts pertaining to water."

The NWRB, which is currently under the supervision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, may be placed under the Office of the President (OP).

"Given the scope and breadth of water-related concerns, the supervision of OP could help ensure that all 30-plus agencies involved in water resource management are on the same page," Nograles said in a statement.

The NWRB would also be tasked to craft a national water management master plan in coordination with other agencies that handle water resource management.

This comes after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered officials to release 150 days worth of water from Angat Dam amid a water shortage crisis in Metro Manila.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System said the order cannot be accomplished, adding that the President may have been misinformed on the issue.

Customers of Manila Water have been experiencing water service interruptions since March 7. The water concessionaire attributed the shortage to the decreasing water levels at the La Mesa reservoir in Quezon City due to the dry spell.
WASHINGTON  The United States and China are pushing for a summit meeting in late April to complete a trade deal, while negotiators are still grappling over its terms and how they should be enforced.

Although much remains unsettled, one thing is becoming clear: The Trump administration will continue to hold the threat of tariffs over Beijing to ensure that it lives up to whatever commitments it agrees to in the final deal. That approach is prompting concern among American businesses that the economic damage and uncertainty caused by President Trumps trade war could persist even once negotiations are resolved.

On Friday, a report commissioned by the nations biggest business lobbying group showed that the Trump administrations tariffs are actually damaging an industry the levies were intended to protect. The report, by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Rhodium Group, a research firm, said that Mr. Trumps tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods were eroding the competitiveness of the America information technology sector  including companies that manufacture computers, electronics and telecom equipment, as well as provide services like cloud computing, computer-aided design and customer relations.

The report estimated that the tariffs, if they remain in place, would reduce United States gross domestic product by at least $1 trillion within 10 years. The American G.D.P. was about $20.5 trillion in 2018.
Katherine Tsui and James Dalphond met at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, from which they graduated, and where the groom received a masters degree in computer science, and the bride both a masters degree and Ph.D. in that subject.

Ms. Tsui and Mr. Dalphond grew up only a mile away from each other in Dracut, but they did not meet until they were graduate students at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

With a shared interested in robotics, they worked in adjoining labs, occasionally partnering on robotics outreach events.

While I find most software engineers to be a bit introverted, I thought James was really smart and very sociable and outgoing, Ms. Tsui said. I tend to keep a very close circle of friends, and he quickly began entering that circle.
As Captain Marvel swooped into its second weekend in theaters on Friday, the question wasnt really whether it would top domestic ticket sales, but by how much.

Disney-Marvel can breathe easy. Their latest superhero origin story, the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe dedicated to a female superhero, sold an estimated $69.3 million in tickets nationwide this weekend, bringing its North American total to around $266.2 million.

Thats a higher figure than the lifetime domestic gross of Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($259.8 million), and already makes Captain Marvel the 13th-best-selling film in the current 21-movie Marvel series  with room to grow.

Captain Marvel has done well internationally, too, with $120 million in overseas sales this weekend, according to the studio, for a global total of $760 million. While the figures arent earth-shattering, they indicate a solid success for Disney-Marvel.
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When a hooded gunman pumped close to a dozen bullets into Frank Cali, a reputed leader of the Gambino crime family, outside his Staten Island home on Wednesday night, detectives naturally examined the possibility that the killing may have stemmed from his role atop one of New Yorks five Mafia families.

But after the arrest on Saturday of a 24-year-old man who lives with his parents, it appears the old-school crime figure may have been the victim of an angry young man with a gun and a grudge, but apparently no mob ties.

Some law enforcement officials have said they are looking at the possibility that the alleged killer, Anthony A. Comello, had a romantic interest in one of Mr. Calis female relatives, and that the crime boss had told him to stay away. But the Police Departments chief of detectives, Dermot F. Shea, said the motive was still unclear, and detectives were examining multiple angles.

Mr. Comellos arrest was in some ways a sign of the times in an era when the citys mob clans have become accustomed to a smaller, less powerful role in the criminal and economic culture. Weakened over several decades by a campaign of prosecutions, the Mafia has become less likely to resort to violence, even as gun violence and mass shootings have become a common occurrence in the United States.
Helen Miller, who took care of the sick and the elderly for nearly 40 years in Chicago while championing her fellow home care workers, fighting for greater pay and benefits as a union leader and speaking eloquently about the dignity of their work, died on March 5 in Louisville, Miss., where she was born. She was 82.

Her nephew Tony Berry said the cause was complications of stomach cancer. She had been in hospice care at home.

Mrs. Miller believed that helping the sick, elderly and disabled was a critical service that the state of Illinois undervalued by paying thousands of workers poverty-level wages and offering no benefits.

I took care of some people for 10 or 15 years, trying to give them to same kind of care I would give my own mother, she said in a document published in 2003 by the Service Employees International Union when Mrs. Miller was president of Local 880 in Illinois. And it affects you. When you lose them it hurts the same as if they were a family member.
The Trump administration may not be the most unimpeachable source when it comes to human rights, but the head of the State Departments bureau for human rights, Michael Kozak, was dead on when he said Chinas mass incarceration of Muslim minorities was just remarkably awful.

Mr. Kozak made the comments on Wednesday as the State Department presented its annual report on human rights around the world, an event at which his boss, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, declared that China was in a league of its own when it comes to human rights violations.

Thats a tough call in todays world. But Chinas brutal campaign to strip Uighur and other Turkic minorities in the Xinjiang region of their culture, religion and identity through a network of secretive re-education camps must rank among the more outrageous continuing violations in the world. What makes it all the more galling is the Beijing governments feigned umbrage whenever the camps are mentioned, and its absurd efforts to depict them as Chinas contribution to the war on terrorism.

After initially denying the existence of the camps, China in October began a campaign to portray them as campuses, vocational training centers and boarding schools intended to bring Uighurs into the modern era.
Rural infrastructure offers great opportunity for jobs and development: invest in our farm-to-market roads, the lock and dam systems on our great heartland rivers, and the rapid development of rural broadband.

Opinion Conversation The climate, and the world, are changing. What challenges will the future bring, and how should we respond to them? What should our leaders be doing?

Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States, finds reasons for optimism in the Biden presidency.

Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States, finds reasons for optimism in the Biden presidency. What are the worst climate risks in your country?

Select a country, and we'll break down the climate hazards it faces.

Select a country, and we'll break down the climate hazards it faces. Where are Americans suffering most?

Our maps, developed with experts, show where extreme heat is causing the most deaths in the U.S.

Our maps, developed with experts, show where extreme heat is causing the most deaths in the U.S. What does climate devastation look like?

In Sept. 2020, Michael Benson studied detailed satellite imagery. Here's the earth that he saw  and the one he wants to see.

Democrats have an opportunity to put forward a smart approach to immigration. Manufacturers and farm operations need workers, but President Trump has so demonized the immigrant work force that Republicans wont soon offer anything like a solution.

The Iowa Business Council, made up of 23 executives from Iowas largest employers, recently stressed the need for the state to modernize the immigration system to help expand the economy. Iowa is not alone: Washington State doesnt want apples rotting on the ground for lack of pickers; Wisconsin worries about small dairy operations desperate for people to milk the cows.

Dont demonize Big Ag and factory farms. Its just liberal white noise to most involved in agriculture. Most of our farms are family-owned, not big agricultural corporations, even if they are integrated into the larger systems to one degree or another. Most need that integration to survive.

Of course theres plenty about agriculture policy to rant about. Over the past several decades, the four largest pork packers, beef packers, soybean crushers and wet corn processors have captured 71 percent to 86 percent of their respective markets. Four companies control 90 percent of the global grain trade.

Congress let this happen. We need legislation that revives competition in the agricultural economy.

The Green New Deal, even with its flaws, is a good place to start. The Plains States are among the leaders in solar and wind power. Equally important is inviting farmers to lead the charge in fighting global warming. Farmers can help keep carbon out of the atmosphere through a process called carbon sequestration, a natural result of the right farming practices. These include planting cover crops, leaving organic matter in fields after harvest, rotating in additional kinds of crops and managing grazing . Current farm policy pits conservation efforts against maximizing production.

Policy that stabilizes the farm economy costs pennies per meal; so would compensating farmers for environmental services. This would help all farmers, as well as improve our air, water and soil quality. At a recent Sunday meeting at a Presbyterian church nearby, farmers complained that current farm policies favor those who skip conservation and punish those who do the right thing.
My first encounter in America was with a luggage cart. In the summer of 1992, when I landed at Kennedy Airport, I carried with me a travel bag filled with books. It was so heavy that it could not be checked in at my originating airport in Casablanca, Morocco, without putting me over the weight limit. Since I couldnt afford the excess baggage fee, I brought the bag with me on the plane, where the flight attendant helped me hoist it into the overhead bin. In New York, I hauled it down the jet bridge and through passport control, my hands blistering from the effort. Relief washed over me when I saw a row of carts. I tried to get one, only to discover that it required three dollars to unlock. I remember thinking: What kind of a heartless place is this?

I didnt have three dollars, or a five or a ten. The money I did have was in the larger denominations I had received at the currency exchange office where Id traded in my meager savings. I began to doubt whether I would make it to the terminal from which my flight to California was scheduled to leave. Then a voice behind me called, Do you need help with that? A middle-aged man in a baseball cap picked up my bag and carried it for me to the terminal bus. All the way to my next gate, other people stepped in to help. This wasnt a heartless place after all, I thought; Americans were more than willing to lend a hand to a stranger.

I am no longer a stranger here. In the 20-odd years since I arrived at Kennedy, I have had ample time to learn about this countrys history, culture and politics. Although my plan had been to complete a graduate degree in linguistics and return to Morocco, chance intervened: I met an American, we fell in love, got married. Now, Im an immigrant. There is nothing extraordinary about this condition  I share it with millions of others  yet hardly a day goes by when I am not reminded that to be an immigrant is to have crossed a threshold, to see the world from two vantage points at once, to perceive it in shades of gray rather than in black and white.

When I hear elected officials talk about immigrants, they seem to be speaking about figments of their imagination, conjured up to illustrate talking points. The president rants about criminals, rapists and terrorists, then uses them as justification for building a wall, separating families at the border, jailing refugee children in tent camps and banning people from five Muslim countries. The presidents critics, meanwhile, portray newcomers to this country as singularly talented people who start new businesses, serve in the armed forces, innovate new technologies, run for Congress or otherwise get the job done.
To the Editor:

Re Your Dream Home Should Be a Condo (Sunday Review, March 3 ) :

Thanks to Allison Arieff for this important article highlighting the wastefulness of McMansion-style homes. Her article underscores the thoughtlessness that for decades has characterized urban and suburban design.

If we are to leave a livable planet to our children and grandchildren, we need new thinking and bold moves that nurture Green New Deal lifestyles. Scaling down our ideas of what we must have wont result in onerous changes to the way we live.

In fact, a green perspective can refresh our thinking about what lifestyle means, and help us focus on what is truly important to each of us.

Ill take breathable air, clean water, less stress, family, friends, time and beauty over a lumbering big home any day.
This is a feeling Ms. West Duffy knows well. Years ago she applied to business school and didnt get into her top choice, which forced her to re-evaluate whether she even wanted to go.

I realized that in the process of not getting what I wanted, I had this deep self-reflection about what actually motivated me and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, she said. Looking at the roles that I wouldve had if I had gone to business school, I dont think I wouldve been happy in them.

Next, identify whether youre feeling regret because something in your current situation isnt going particularly well. If youve been obsessing about not getting a job you really wanted, consider if youre only feeling that way because you didnt get a promotion you were hoping for, or because your co-workers have been getting under your skin lately. This can help you recognize that you might be focusing on a missed opportunity not because you truly wanted it to pan out, but because things just arent going very well at this moment.

Perhaps most helpful is to orient your thinking around whats going well right now, and then work backward to figure out why, Ms. Fosslien and Ms. West Duffy said.

Try this exercise the next time youre falling into a what if spiral: Write down three things that went well for you recently, and note who or what caused those things to happen. This helps you look at the positive, while causing you to reflect on the past steps that got you to your current position.

Ultimately, how we frame missed opportunities is a matter of recognizing that life is full of twists and turns, and that change  or a lack of change  doesnt always have to be considered unequivocally good or unequivocally bad. Sometimes it has shades, and those shades can change depending on your perspective.

We operate, especially early in our careers, under so many shoulds, Ms. Fosslien said. And we think we need to immediately have figured out what our passion is, and thats just ridiculous.
Dont make any appeals about how the meeting will benefit the professional youre reaching out to, said Dr. Grant, who contributes to The Times. He also bristles when people are demanding in any way: Instead of expressing some sense of entitlement to my time face-to-face, say, Hey, would you be open to either a phone call or an email dialogue? Give me the option to choose how I want to communicate.

Dont be afraid to think outside the box. Dr. Grant recalled how a group of students all wanted to ask for his advice. They came together as a group and invited him to a short Q. and A. session over Google Hangouts. Instead of fielding 20 or more individual emails, Dr. Grant carved out time to address all the students questions at once.

That to me, is the best example of how to use somebodys time well, he said.

Adjust your expectations

People who receive a high volume of these types of networking requests usually have a screening process in place. Expect light homework, deferrals, referrals or delays in response to a cold email asking to pick their brain.

For Ms. Clark, homework assignments are useful for evaluating a seekers fortitude. If a person is willing to jump through a few hoops, she reasons, they are more likely to be the kind of person who could benefit from a conversation with her.

Sometimes the homework she gives is as simple as clarifying what the seeker is actually looking for.

Oftentimes youll hear, Hi, can I pick your brain? And can we talk about careers for 30 minutes? Ms. Clark said. Its often helpful to just ask, O.K., by careers, what do you mean exactly? That forces them to focus their questions.

Other times, shell pass along relevant articles and invite the person to chat if they have any follow-up questions. This helps ensure that the following conversation isnt superficial.
Sometimes it makes me feel paranoid, and afraid knowing that there is a lot that goes on, she said. It does give me some comfort knowing my surroundings, but Im always torn between wanting to know and see everything, or to have that blind eye toward everything.

Conflicted enthusiasm is a common sentiment among Citizen users: I dont know if I want to know, but I cant not know. In any case, its free, its right there, and its always refreshed. Its a new feed. And as with our other feeds, it can be hard to look away.

Other feeds are full of friends and photos, made for you to see. This one is full of information that feels faintly illicit. To new users, the app itself can feel like a bit of a mystery, too. Where does it come from? How does it work? What  does it want? Heres what we know.

Who?

Before there was Citizen, there was Vigilante, founded by Andrew Frame, formerly of the internet-based phone company Ooma. Vigilante is a new technology that opens up the 911 system, said a launch announcement for the app in 2016. With Vigilante, it continued, vital information is unlocked and everyone can do their part. This sounded an awful lot like, well, a prompt for vigilantism. At the time, the New York Police Department issued a critical statement: Crimes in progress should be handled by the NYPD and not a vigilante with a cellphone. Soon thereafter the app was removed from Apples App Store for violating the companys policies.

But Citizen is Vigilante, redesigned and relaunched, with a less of an emphasis on what it might get you into, and a bit more on what it might let you avoid. The NYPD spokesman at the time the department was disavowing Vigilante, Peter Donald, now works for the company, and was the employee who responded to questions about the app.
SAN FRANCISCO  A decade ago, when the greed and carelessness of the financial industry came close to destroying the American economy, the overwhelming response by politicians and the public was: Meh. Almost instantly, all was forgiven and forgotten.

Now the tech industry  which, among other impressive innovations, provides the worlds knowledge on demand, lets people freely broadcast their diverse opinions and has made shopping as easy as pushing a button  has made some mistakes of its own. It has abused privacy, squeezed the competition and casually spread hate. And thats just the beginning of the list.

Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple might not get away as cleanly as Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, released proposals this month that would force tech breakups and impose severe restrictions on what remained. Another Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, covered more briefly some of the same ground, saying, We have a major monopoly problem.

At a moment when nearly everything in America seems wildly contentious, antitrust action against tech is getting a sober look. Antitrust is the nuclear bomb of regulatory policy, but the reaction to Ms. Warrens and Ms. Klobuchars ideas was surprisingly receptive.
Thats some road trip thats been mapped out by the three drunken travelers now bending an elbow at Joes Pub at the Public Theater. (I mean the ones onstage.) In Anything That Gives Off Light, a wide-ranging work of stand-up musical theater from the Brooklyn-based troupe the TEAM and the National Theater of Scotland, two Scots and an American meet in a London bar.

The Scots are Brian (Reuben Joseph) and Iain (Martin Donaghy), and, in happier times, they were the best of friends. They call the American woman (Jessica Almasy) Red because she never says what her real name is (or if she does, I didnt catch it) but has ordered a red daiquiri.

Red, who comes from the mountains of West Virginia, is on what she describes as a second honeymoon, but without her husband. Iain has arrived from Scotland bearing the ashes of Brians recently deceased granny, a firebrand who used to take the younguns on protest marches. Brian, who appears to devote his life to getting and spending in London, seems to have little interest in either returning to his homeland or revisiting his past. Everybody is on edge.

Still, as the song that opens the show reminds us, theres nothing like a long-handled whisky bottle to blur any unpleasantness. And before the first flush of intoxication has faded into a grayer shade, Brian, Iain and Red are in a rental car bound for Scotland. That country, in this rendering, turns out to be an exceedingly mutable land, fixed in neither time nor place.
Swarms of any other insect might provoke fears of a coming apocalypse, but clouds of butterflies migrating through Southern California are captivating onlookers who are relishing the otherworldly spectacle.

The orange butterflies, called painted ladies, are known to travel annually from the deserts of Southern California to the Pacific Northwest. This month, people are taking notice because of the sheer size of the migration: Scientists estimate the teeming painted ladies number in the millions.

Substantial rainfall in the deserts near the Mexican border, where the North American painted ladies lay their eggs, is the reason for the unusually large swarms. The rain caused plants to thrive, giving the painted lady caterpillars plenty of food to fuel their transformation, said Arthur M. Shapiro, a professor of evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis.
Senator, lawyer, mother, childrens book author and now, Democratic candidate for president. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is in. Im filing an exploratory committee for president of the United States tonight. Hailing from President Trumps home state of New York, shes joining what will likely be a crowded 2020 field. Which Democrats  Who will run for president in 2020? The list is growing. It ranges from  Gillibrand is a former corporate lawyer and congresswoman. Growing up in a political family in Albany, She fell in love early on. I was drawn into politics when I was a little girl. And it was really with my grandmother, who loved politics. She was appointed to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate in 2009. Welcome, Senator. Gillibrand went on to win the seat again in a 2010 special election and has held it ever since. Over time she has reversed her positions on immigration and gun control. You start off in a different place on immigration and now youre more progressive on that. On guns, you started off, you know, more kind of pro-Second Amendment. Now, you went from having an A to an F from the N.R.A. I recognize that there was a lot of things I didnt know, and I should have been fighting for them before. Shes now one of the partys most reliably liberal voices. Some of her priorities: A populist economic agenda, womens rights and gender equality and fighting for victims of sexual assault with a focus on the military. Who is being held accountable for doing nothing since 2013? Who? Which commander? Gillibrand was the first senator in her party to call for the resignation of fellow Democrat Al Franken, following accusations of sexual misconduct. Enough is enough. Here she is during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation hearings. I want to really have Dr. Blasey Fords back tomorrow. So Im going to sit behind her. Not only do I support her. But I believe her. So what is her dynamic with President Trump? He said: Shes just a puppet of Schumer. You know that. He put her there. Hes also referred to her as a lightweight who would do anything for money. She responded this way. It was a sexist smear. Its part of the presidents effort at name calling and its not going to silence me. Gillibrand has also voted against almost all of Trumps major nominees. I urge my colleagues. Reject this bad choice. So what are her chances? Gillibrand is seen as a serious contender, but so far her poll numbers are low. Her next step? Building a national profile and campaign.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administrations aggressive campaign to prevent countries from using Huawei and other Chinese telecommunications equipment in their next-generation wireless networks has faltered, with even some of Americas closest allies rejecting the United States argument that the companies pose a security threat.

Over the past several months, American officials have tried to pressure, scold and, increasingly, threaten other nations that are considering using Huawei in building fifth-generation, or 5G, wireless networks. Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, has pledged to withhold intelligence from nations that continue to use Chinese telecom equipment. The American ambassador to Germany cautioned Berlin this month that the United States would curtail intelligence sharing if that country used Huawei.

The warnings stem from the United States concern that Huawei and other Chinese telecom companies are a significant security threat given Beijings control over the industry. Top officials have pointed to new Chinese security laws that require Huawei and other companies to provide information to intelligence officials, arguing China could gain access to the vast amounts of data that will ultimately travel over 5G, allowing Beijing to spy on companies, individuals and governments  an accusation Huawei has vehemently denied.

But the campaign has run aground. Britain, Germany, India and the United Arab Emirates are among the countries signaling they are unlikely to back the American effort to entirely ban Huawei from building their 5G networks. While some countries like Britain share the United States concerns, they argue that the security risks can be managed by closely scrutinizing the company and its software.
I say this as the father of a middle school student, where middle schools are one of the fastest growing markets for marijuana sales today, he told a coffeehouse crowd. In the black market, they do not ID  they do not care  as long as they can make that sale.

The 2020 Democratic hopeful who may be most vulnerable on marijuana policy is former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who in the 1980s and 90s was a leader in the war on drugs. He championed laws that set tough mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, including possessing large amounts of marijuana. This led to an era of mass incarceration, with a lasting economic and social toll for minorities.

In 1994 Biden had a fairly mainstream position, but in 2020 that position is so far from the mainstream of Democratic politics that it is almost offensive, said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who focuses on state and federal marijuana policy. He called Mr. Bidens history on criminal justice issues his biggest liability in the 2020 primary.

Mr. Biden has apologized for parts of his record, calling a law from the 1980s requiring harsher penalties for crack cocaine than powder cocaine  the former was more popular with African-Americans and the latter with whites  a big mistake.

Spokesmen for Mr. Biden, who has told aides he is 95 percent committed to getting into the presidential race, did not respond to requests for comment.

Two Democratic senators opposed to legalizing marijuana at the federal level  Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who entered the race last month, and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who opted out of running this month  represent battleground states in the Midwest, whose politics are less progressive than the coastal states that led the way to legalizing cannabis for adults.
The Kresge guarantees, for example, are meant to help two funds  run by Arctaris in Boston and Community Capital Management in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  deploy $800 million into Opportunity Zone projects like solar farm development in Flint, Mich. In exchange, the funds are committing to a set of rules that would require them to invest in creating living-wage jobs, form community advisory boards and seek to avoid displacing residents from those zones. They will also compile and share data on the quality and impact of their investments, which is not currently required by the federal government.

But they are dependent on the outcome of the regulations, and whether they will encourage business projects. These are practical concerns for us, said Aaron Seybert, a social investment officer at Kresge. We need to quantify the risk that were taking.

The existing regulations have made that calculation relatively easy for real estate investors, who are accelerating previously planned projects in the zones and starting new ones that might not have worked without the special tax treatment. That activity has already paid off for incumbent landowners in Opportunity Zones, according to research by the real estate firm Zillow: Average sales prices in the zones jumped 25 percent last fall, compared with the year before.

City officials welcomed the new hotel to Avondale, a majority-Hispanic city of 84,000 people that is still recovering from the burst housing bubble a decade ago. At one point, 40 percent of the citys homeowners were underwater on their mortgage or had fallen into foreclosure.

Conditions have improved, slowly, and developers have added 200,000 square feet of new retail space in the last five years, city officials said. But Kenn Weise, the mayor, said the city still needed help  and real-estate development wont do it alone.

The city, Mr. Weise said, needs to revitalize its historic downtown, which has fallen on hard times, and it needs businesses to employ the more than 80 percent of workers who live here but endure long commutes to other parts of the metro area, where the jobs are.

This part of it is easy, Mr. Weise said under the shade of a white tent here recently, gesturing toward the row of shovels that were about to break ground on what will be the latest in a recent string of new hotels near the freeway in and around Avondale. This is the low-hanging fruit.
And over the weekend, the tensions resurfaced, as McCain supporters denounced the presidents tweets  and, in many cases, the president himself.

Mr. Weaver criticized Mr. Trumps avoidance of service in Vietnam, where Mr. McCain was held captive as a prisoner of war, his refusal to release his own grades while criticizing Mr. McCains academic performance at the United States Naval Academy, and the presidents desire to terminate the Affordable Care Act.

These are the things he wanted to attack John McCain on? Seriously? Mr. Weaver said.

I am waiting for Republican members of the Senate who served with the senator for years and allowed him to be the point of the spear on so many issues, he said. Where are they?

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and one of Mr. McCains closest friends, chose to praise his friend rather than criticize the president.

As to @SenJohnMcCain and his devotion to his country: He stepped forward to risk his life for his country, served honorably under difficult circumstances, and was one of the most consequential senators in the history of the body, he said on Twitter. Nothing about his service will ever be changed or diminished.

Mike Murphy, another McCain political adviser, displayed no such reluctance to chastise the president: McCain was a hero, he said. Trump is a whimpering coward. He was afraid to go to Vietnam 47 years ago and is afraid to face the legal consequences of his actions today.

He just has no empathy, Mr. Murphy said. Hes only concerned with himself.

Mark Salter, one of Mr. McCains closest advisers and co-author of several books with him, was even more biting.
With a record number of female candidates running for president, some male Democratic contenders are signaling that a woman will be on their 2020 ticket  just not at the top.

Two male candidates, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Beto ORourke, the former Texas congressman, suggested this weekend that they would pick a woman as their vice president if they won the nomination.

It would be very difficult not to select a woman, with so many extraordinary women who are running right now, Mr. ORourke told reporters in Iowa on Saturday night. But, he noted, first, I would have to win, and this is as open as its ever been.

[Join the conversation around the 2020 election with our newsletter, On Politics With Lisa Lerer.]

The packed Democratic field includes several prominent women, with Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar all running competitively.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia  The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, echoed with the wailing of the bereaved on Sunday morning. Mourners dressed in black had streamed into the vast churchyard, waving pictures of loved ones who died in the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 a week earlier.

But the mourners did not have bodies to bury.

Many families do not expect ever to recover remains. The victims died in a fiery explosion when the plane hurtled to the ground minutes after takeoff, killing all 157 people  crew and passengers  aboard. In lieu of remains, witnesses have said, officials gave relatives scorched earth from the crash site.

On Sunday, empty coffins made their way into the churchyard on black vans while women beat their chests and screamed in anguish.

They fell from the sky, one woman lamented of the crash victims when the vans inched by, trailed by somber airline employees in green uniforms. Where will I go with my questions?
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan  The Taliban carried out the biggest known capture of Afghan soldiers of the war, taking 150 prisoners after they chased units into neighboring Turkmenistan and that country forced them back, Afghan officials said on Sunday.

The operation took place in the northwestern Afghan province of Badghis, and brought to 190 the number of soldiers captured by insurgents in the hotly contested district of Murghab  with 16 more soldiers killed  in less than a week.

Last Monday, an entire Afghan Army company was killed or captured there. By Saturday, its defenders said the district had fallen mostly into Taliban control, though Afghan forces were still holding the districts government center.

The latest capture was perhaps the biggest setback for the Afghan security forces since a Taliban offensive in August in the southeastern city of Ghazni killed as many as 200 soldiers and police officers, but few prisoners were taken then. The biggest recent capture of soldiers by the Taliban was about 50 who surrendered after a siege of their base, known as Chinese Camp, in Faryab Province, also in August.
JAKARTA, Indonesia  Flash flooding in the Indonesian province of Papua killed at least 50 people and injured 59 near the provincial capital, Jayapura, disaster officials said Sunday.

The number of victims is expected to rise as rescuers search for survivors in the town of Sentani, which was hit by the flood Saturday evening.

Sentani is the site of Sentani International Airport, which is the largest airport in Papua and serves Jayapura, about 15 miles away.

In a separate episode in Jayapura, seven people were killed when a landslide crushed two houses, said the Papua regional police spokesman, Ahmad Mustofa Kamal.
As people get desensitized to the same types of attacks, theres incentive to try something new: using tactics, new weapons, new targets and, in this case, we have this live-streaming. Facebook and Twitter frantically trying to pull this down. I think that was part of the panic that this person wanted to inspire, and that is a different dimension than one that weve seen previously. And, of course, that heightens the drama of the events. It also heightens the worldwide interest in a case such as this, which is exactly what the perpetrator wants. Terrorism needs an audience. Without the message alongside the violence, its not terrorism. They want the world to know why theyre doing what theyre doing. Having that live audience there with them and seeing the messages coming through might have been one way of sort of sustaining his motivation right the way through. There have been multiple murders, suicides, sexual assaults that have been live-streamed on Facebook. And the real concern, especially when youre looking at a mass shooting, a mass atrocity, is the social contagion aspect of it. This is a way, in a sense, to use the social media to transmit an extremist virus throughout the global sphere. It is to cause more turmoil after their attacks, try to attract more people to doing similar type of things. But the other sense of the contagion is also just the secondary trauma that this is going to subject anybody who sees it to. A kid can witness things that a person who might have fought in a war would have never seen. This law that we have, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, pretty much carves out this immunity for the tech industry that the only parallel I can see to it in any other sense is the firearms industry. So, with both of those industries, we have engaged in the same rhetoric that says, You have neutral tools and were not going to hold you accountable, even for the most atrocious and predictable things that people will do with your tools. Terrorism is a sort of a public health problem, right? If theres organizations or industries that are contributing to a public health problem, typically they end up getting regulated and they end up getting fined if they step outside of those regulations that have been set up. And I think that this particular space should be treated no differently than anything else thats causing public health problems. But its going to take a political will to make a difference in terms of the mass murders. Its going to take a corporate conscience that says that the control of the social media propagation is as important as the bottom line.
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand  Abdul Aziz was praying with his four sons in the Linwood Mosque when he heard the gunshots. Rather than run from the noise, he ran toward it, grabbed the first thing he could find  a credit card machine  and flung it at the attacker.

The man dropped a shotgun, and Mr. Aziz picked it up. I pulled the trigger, and there was nothing, he recalled. The gunman ran to his car, where he had other weapons, and Mr. Aziz followed, throwing the shotgun at the vehicle and shattering a window.

Mr. Azizs actions, which he and others described in interviews, may have prompted the gunman to speed away rather than return to kill more people. Minutes later, two police officers from another town who were in the area rammed the suspects car into a curb and took him into custody, ending the worst mass murder in New Zealands modern history.

The authorities have not released a detailed account of the police response to Fridays massacre at two mosques in the city of Christchurch, emphasizing that officers apprehended the suspect only 36 minutes after receiving the first emergency call.

But interviews with dozens of survivors, and an analysis of a video recorded by the attacker as well as one made of his arrest by a bystander, suggest that the violence ended after a near miss by the police at the first mosque  and acts of courage during and after the attack on the second.

If not for the two police officers, who have not been publicly identified, and Mr. Aziz, 48, a ponytailed furniture shop owner who fled Afghanistan a quarter-century ago, the slaughter might have continued. The suspect had two other guns in his car, the police said, as well as two homemade explosives.

It absolutely was his intention to continue with his attack, said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after the arrest of Brenton Tarrant, 28, a former personal trainer from Australia who allegedly distributed a manifesto of white extremist hatred minutes before the rampage.

The police said 42 people were killed at central Christchurchs Al Noor Mosque and seven at the Linwood Mosque, and some attributed the lower toll at Linwood to Mr. Azizs decision to confront the gunman. (An additional victim died at a hospital.)
In withdrawing from the court last year, Mr. Duterte said that the Philippine government had enough mechanisms in place to ensure that the justice system functioned properly. He also insulted the court and threatened to arrest Fatou Bensouda, a Gambian lawyer and the courts chief prosecutor, if she entered the Philippines.

The court has been conducting a preliminary inquiry into accusations that Mr. Duterte and other Philippine officials committed mass murder and crimes against humanity in the course of the drug crackdown. That inquiry stemmed from a complaint filed by a Filipino lawyer representing two men who said they had been assassins for Mr. Duterte in Davao, the southern city where Mr. Duterte became mayor in the late 1980s.

A second complaint was filed in August by relatives of eight people killed by police officers in the drug war; they also accused Mr. Duterte of murder.

In their Supreme Court motion, the rights activists said that withdrawing from the court would deprive Filipinos of effective remedies against genocide and other crimes against humanity.

The petitioners argued that those who kill with impunity will only be further emboldened.

When Mr. Duterte took office in 2016, he vowed to end the scourge of drugs and dump the bodies of slain addicts and dealers in Manila Bay. Over 5,000 people have been killed by the police in what are often described as drug raids. Rights groups say many more have been killed by unofficial militias.
BELGRADE, Serbia  Thousands of Serbs protested outside President Aleksandar Vucics official residence in the capital, Belgrade, on Sunday to push for greater press freedom and free and fair elections, an intensification of rallies that have been held every weekend for more than three months.

Demonstrators broke into the state-run television networks building on Saturday to express their anger at what they said was scant coverage of their protests.

Mr. Vucic won a commanding victory in the 2017 presidential election and critics say he has used that dominance to turn the levers of state  the news media, law enforcement and the courts  against his opponents.
There were 15 of them. Most arrived in the dead of night, laid their trap and waited for the target to arrive. That target was Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi critic of his countrys government and its young crown prince. Since his killing in Istanbul, Turkish media has released a steady drip feed of evidence implicating Saudi officials. Weeks of investigation by The Times builds on that evidence and reconstructs what unfolded, hour-by-hour. Our timeline shows the ruthless efficiency of a hit team of experts that seemed specially chosen from Saudi government ministries. Some had links to the crown prince himself. After a series of shifting explanations, Saudi Arabia now denies that this brazen hit job was premeditated. But this reconstruction of the killing, and the botched cover-up, calls their story into serious question. Its Friday morning, Sept. 28. Khashoggi and his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, are at the local marriage office in Istanbul. In order to marry, hes told that he needs Saudi paperwork and goes straight to the consulate to arrange it. They tell him to return in a week. It all seems routine, but its not. Inside theres a Saudi spy, Ahmed al-Muzaini, whos working under diplomatic cover. That very day, he flies off to Riyadh and helps concoct a plan to intercept Khashoggi when he returns to the consulate. Fast-forward to Monday night into Tuesday morning. Saudi agents converge in Istanbul aboard separate flights. Muzaini, the spy, flies back from Riyadh. A commercial flight carries a three-man team that we believe flew from Cairo. Two of the men are security officers and theyve previously traveled with the crown prince. A private jet flying from Riyadh lands around 3:30 a.m. That plane is often used by the Saudi government, and its carrying nine Saudi officials, some who played key roles in Khashoggis death. Well get to Team 3 later on, and for now focus on these men from Team 2. This is Salah al-Tubaigy, a high-ranking forensics and autopsy expert in the Saudi interior ministry. Turkish officials will later say his role was to dismember Khashoggis body. Another is Mustafa al-Madani, a 57-year-old engineer. As well see, its no accident that he looks like Khashoggi. And this is Maher Mutreb, the leader of the operation. Our investigation into his past reveals a direct link between Mutreb and the Saudi crown prince. When bin Salman toured a Houston neighborhood earlier this year, we discovered that Mutreb was with him, a glowering figure in the background. We found him again in Boston, at a U.N. meeting in New York, in Madrid and Paris, too. This global tour was all part of a charm offensive by the prince to paint himself as a moderate reformer. Back then, Mutreb was in the royal guard. Now, he would orchestrate Khashoggis killing. And his close ties to the crown prince beg the question, just how high up the Saudi chain of command did the plot to kill go? Early Tuesday morning, Khashoggi flies back from a weekend trip to London. He and the Saudis nearly cross paths at the airport. The Saudi teams check into two hotels, which give quick access to the consulate. Khashoggi heads home with his fiancee. Hed just bought an apartment for their new life together. By mid-morning, the Saudis are on the move. Mutreb leaves his hotel three hours before Khashoggi is due at the consulate. The rest of the team isnt far behind. The building is only a few minutes away on foot, and soon, theyre spotted at this entrance. Mutreb arrives first. Next, we see al-Tubaigy, the autopsy expert. And now al-Madani, the lookalike. The stage is almost set. A diplomatic car pulls out of the consulate driveway and switches places with a van, which backs in. Turkish officials say this van would eventually carry away Khashoggis remains. From above, we can see the driveway is covered, hiding any activity around the van from public view. Meanwhile, Khashoggi and his fiancee set out for the consulate, walking hand-in-hand. In their final hour together, they chat about dinner plans and new furniture for their home. At 1:13 p.m., they arrive at the consulate. Khashoggi gives her his cellphones before he enters. He walks into the consulate. Its the last time we see him. Inside, Khashoggi is brought to the consul generals office on the second floor. The hit team is waiting in a nearby room. Sources briefed on the evidence, told us Khashoggi quickly comes under attack. Hes dragged to another room and is killed within minutes. Then al-Tubaigy, the autopsy expert, dismembers his body while listening to music. Maher Mutreb makes a phone call to a superior. He says, Tell your boss, and The deed was done. Outside, the van reportedly carrying Khashoggis body pulls out of the side entrance and drives away. At the same time, the Saudis begin trying to cover their tracks. While Khashoggis fiancee waits here where she left him, two figures leave from the opposite side. One of them is wearing his clothes. Later, the Saudis would claim that this was Khashoggi. But its al-Madani, the engineer, now a body double pretending that the missing journalist left the consulate alive. Yet theres one glaring flaw: The clothes are the same, but hes wearing his own sneakers, the ones he walked in with. Meanwhile, the van thats allegedly carrying Khashoggis body makes the two-minute drive from the consulate to the Saudi consuls residence. Theres several minutes of deliberations but the van eventually pulls into the buildings driveway. Again, its hidden from public view. Its now three hours since Khashoggi was last seen. The body double hails this taxi and continues weaving a false trail through the city. He heads to a popular tourist area and then changes back into his own clothes. Later, we see him joking around in surveillance footage. Over at the airport, more Saudi officials arrive on another flight from Riyadh. They spend just five hours in Istanbul, but were not sure where they go. Now we pick up Maher Mutreb again, exiting from the consuls house. Its time for them to go. Mutreb and others check out of their hotel and move through airport security. Al-Muzaini, the spy, heads to the airport too. But as theyre leaving Istanbul, Khashoggis fiancee is still outside the consulate, pacing in circles. Shell soon raise the alarm that Khashoggi is missing and shell wait for him until midnight. The alarm spreads around the world. Nine days later, the Saudis send another team to Istanbul. They say its to investigate what happened. But among them are a toxicologist and a chemist, who also has ties to the hit team. He and Tubaigy attended a forensics graduation days before Khashoggi was killed. Turkish officials later say that this teams mission was not to investigate, but to cover up the killing. Now the Saudi story has changed, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for several suspects in Khashoggis killing. But that doesnt include Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who many Western government officials are convinced authorized the killing. Khashoggis remains still havent been found.
JERUSALEM  A Palestinian carried out a stabbing and shooting attack in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, killing an Israeli soldier and a civilian, and ratcheting up tensions ahead of Israeli elections.

The attack came amid a heated campaign for the April 9 ballot in which a former general leading a new, centrist party is challenging the longtime incumbent, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over who can provide Israelis with better security.

The situation was already volatile.

On Friday, a fragile calm was restored after two rockets from Gaza were fired at Tel Aviv on the night before, without causing harm.

Israel retaliated swiftly, with strikes at what it said were military sites and compounds belonging to Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza. The Israeli military said one of the sites it struck in Gaza was the headquarters for coordinating Hamas activities in the West Bank, where the group has been seeking to foment violence.
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Over a century ago, on Nov. 6, 1917, women won the right to vote in New York. That meant having to convince New York voters  all men, at the time  to support the cause. Today, women are still underrepresented in just about every level of government, both in New York and on the national level. Heres a look at how far women in New York have come  and how much further they need to go.

RELATED: For women, the fight for equality in politics continues

1848  The first womens rights convention in the country is held in Seneca Falls, New York. A group of attendees sign the Declaration of Sentiments, which was written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, declaring equal rights for women.

United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division

1914  Katharine Bement Davis is appointed commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction, becoming the first woman to lead a city agency.

1915  The first referendum is held to decide whether women should be given the right to vote in New York state, but the measure fails.

1917  The second referendum on womens suffrage in New York is held, and this time, it passes.

1919  Mary Lilly and Ida Sammis become the first women to serve in the Assembly.

1920  The 19th Amendment is ratified, giving women the right to vote across the U.S.

1929  Ruth Pratt becomes the first woman from New York to serve in the House of Representatives.

1935  Rhoda Fox Graves is the first woman to serve in the state Senate.

1938  Genevieve Earle becomes the first woman in the New York City Council.

1969  Shirley Chisholm of New York becomes the first black woman to serve in Congress.

Roger Higgins/World Telegram staff photographer/Public domain

1972  Chisholm is the first black American to run for president of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Partys nomination.

1974  Mary Anne Krupsak becomes the first female lieutenant governor in New York.

1984  Geraldine Ferraro, a representative from Queens, becomes the first female major party nominee on a presidential ticket as the Democratic nominee for vice president.

Warren K. Leffler/United States Library of Congress/Public Domain

1993  Judith Kaye, who was appointed the first female judge on the New York State Court of Appeals in 1983, is named the first female chief judge of the states highest court.

2001  Hillary Clinton becomes the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate from New York.

2006  Christine Quinn becomes the first woman and first openly gay member to serve as speaker of the New York City Council.

William Alatriste

2012  Andrea Stewart-Cousins becomes the first woman to lead a party conference in the state Legislature.

Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

2016  Clinton becomes the first woman to be nominated by a major party for president.

2018 - Letitia James becomes the first woman elected attorney general of New York.

2019 - Stewart-Cousins is elected state Senate majority leader, becoming the first woman to lead a majority conference in the state Legislature.
Be present in Lok Sabha, RS says BJP in 3 line whip to its MPs

Election expenditure: How much did BJP, Congress, DMK, CPI, TMC, AIADMK receive funds and spent during polls?

As Cong stakes claim to form Govt, top BJP leaders likely to arrive in Goa

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Panaji, Mar 17: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders are likely to arrive in Goa on Sunday after Congress wrote to the governor staking claim once again.

The MLAs and core committee members of Goa BJP had a met earlier to discuss the political situation rising out of the health condition of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The news of Manohar Parrikar's health condition having worsened triggered hectic political activities across parties in Goa on Saturday.

Leadership in Goa will not change till Parrikar is there: Speaker Michael Lobo

However, the chief minister's office later dismissed it as "rumours" and said that the CM was "stable".

Six MLAs, allies in the BJP-led Goa government, had met Parrikar earlier in the day and extended support to him.

Congress has staked claim to form the government in the coastal state.

In a letter addressed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said that the Parrikar-led coalition government is in a minority and its numbers may "dwindle".

"Consequent upon the sad demise of Francis D'Souza, MLA, who belonged to the BJP, it is humbly submitted that the incumbent BJP-led state government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of the people and now also lost strength in the House," Kavlekar said in the letter.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar discharged from hospital

"Also, we anticipate that numbers of the BJP may further dwindle," he wrote to the Governor requesting that such minority government be not allowed to continue even for a moment. "It is, therefore, incumbent upon you to dismiss the state government led by the BJP to ensure that the Indian National Congress, which is the single-largest party in the august House and is presently enjoying the majority, be called to form government," Kavlekar said.

The strength of the Goa Assembly has reduced from 40 to 37 after the death of BJP lawmaker and resignation of two MLAs -Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte. Currently, the Congress party has 14 MLAs, while the BJP has 13 MLAs. Parrikar was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February 2018 and has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 9:57 [IST]
Afghan crisis: Biden feels US should not be fighting, dying in a war

Talibans new US weapons likely to fall into hands of terror groups targeting India

Aircraft disabled in Kabul: They will never fly again says US military

With US leaving Taliban pins letters on doors with surrender or die message

Before drawdown, put in place elected political structure in Afghanistan, India tells US

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: India has conveyed to the US that it should not withdraw its troops from Afghanistan without putting in place an elected "political structure" to govern the country, official sources have said.

Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale met US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad recently and apprised India's views about drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan, they said.

The US has intensified its efforts in the past few months, including holding talks with the Taliban, to end the more than 17-year conflict in Afghanistan.

The US drawdown in Afghanistan could be a major concern for India

In the meeting with Khalilzad, Gokhale conveyed that India's preference is for having an elected government in Kabul and not an interim arrangement when the US withdraws its forces from the war-ravaged country, the sources said.

Khalilzad informed Gokhale about the issues under discussions with the Taliban and that Washington was insisting on an assurance that territory of Afghanistan will not be used for any terror activities.

The foreign secretary told the US envoy that it should include terrorist groups that acted against India to which Khalilzad gave an affirmative response.

Major powers such as the US, Russia and Iran have been reaching out to the Taliban as part of efforts to push the stalled Afghan peace process.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

In a significant move, India had sent two former diplomats in "non official" capacity to a conference on the Afghan peace process in Moscow in November last year which was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation.

IS kills US service member in northern Iraq attack

The conference organised by Russia was attended by representatives of Afghanistan as well as from several other countries, including the US, Pakistan and China.

India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with the Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 10:20 [IST]
Dawoods Khed Taluka property in Ratnagiri to come under hammer

Dawoods 7 properties at Mumbake; Late to go under hammer today

Cosmetic action on terrorists will not cut any ice, India to Pak

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: If Pakistan was sincere in tackling terror, then it should at least hand over to India Dawood Ibrahim, Sayeed Salahudin and other terrorists who are Indian citizens and residing in that country, government sources have said.

They said Pakistan has failed to take any credible action against Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terror groups even after the dastardly Pulwama attack.

If Pakistan really wants to send a message that it was serious about addressing India's concerns over terrorism, then it should hand over Dawood, Salahudin and other terrorists who are Indians, the sources said.

Jaish-e-Mohammad plotted Pulwama attack from Rawalpindi

Referring to actions by Pakistan such as holding certain terrorists in preventive custody, the sources said India considered them to be cosmetic. Cosmetic action will not cut any ice.

India has been asking Pakistan to hand over Dawood, Salahudeen and several other terrorists who are wanted in India in connection with a series of terror attacks.

The sources said India has shared various key details such as coordinates of terror groups operating from Pakistan soil to Islamabad which can be verified by a third country.

After the Pulwama terror attack, India has mounted a diplomatic offensive to corner Pakistan internationally on the issue of terrorism.

India has been pressing for concrete and verifiable action by Pakistan against terror groups operating from Pakistani soil.

Fire does not stop at Pulwama, it will reach, Delhi, Lucknow says Masood Azhar in audio clip

Tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalated after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack and subsequent aerial strike by India on a training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated the strike next day by unsuccessfully attempting to target Indian military installations. The JeM claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 9:03 [IST]
EC firms up social media rules ahead of LS polls, calls meetings of heads

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Election Commission has called the country heads of all major social media platforms - Facebook (which also owns Whatsapp), Twitter, Google, ShareChat and TikTok - on Tuesday to share updates on the systems they propose to or have already put in place to flag and take down poll campaign that violate the laws as well as the model code of conduct.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) will also send a senior representative to Tuesday's meeting with the full Commission comprising chief election commissioner Sunil Arora and election commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra.

Sources in the Commission said the purpose of the deliberations is to study the proposals that social media companies have drawn up to implement the commitment they had made to EC last year to help the poll body monitor and crack down on campaign and posts on their platform that violate Indian laws including Representation of the People Act as well as model code of conduct.

No manifesto in last 48 hours before polling, EC tells political parties

The commitments related to appointment of dedicated grievance officers with whom EC can liaise to flag posts that are unlawful and have then taken down. Also, they had committed to appointing fact-checkers to scan and take down fake news, fake accounts, abusive posts and spam.

The third commitment related to advertisement transparency, under which they would reveal the adspend on poll campaigns to facilitate EC in accounting for the same in candidate's poll expenditure. All paid advertisements on social media are to be declared as such. Another commitment made by the social media giants is to have each advertisement on their platform pre-certified by the media certification committee before it is uploaded.

This is the first time the full Commission will meet country heads of all the social media firms together.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 10:11 [IST]
'Vakeel Saab': Pawan Kalyan wraps up shoot, producer says, 'we all had a BLAST working with Power Star'

Ex-CBI joint director VV Lakshmi Narayana joins Pawan Kalyans Janasena party

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Hyderabad, Mar 17: Former joint director of CBI VV Lakshmi Narayana joined Pawan Kalyan's Janasena party on Sunday along with former Vice-Chancellor of Srikrishna Devaraya University, Rajagopal at the party office in Vijayawada city. Along with Lakshminarayana, former SKU Vice-chancellor Srirajagopal will also join the party today.

Lakshminarayana had taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Police Service (IPS) in April 2018.

VV Lakshmi Narayana is known to have carried out high profile investigation in YSRCP Chief Jaganmohan Reddy's Assets Case and Karnataka BJP leader Gali Janardhan Reddy's Obulapuram illegal mining cases.

YSR Congress party announces list of candidates for LS, assembly polls

The former CBI JD had also arrested Jaganmohan Reddy earlier in the assets case and sent him to prison for 16 months.

Since his voluntary retirement, Lakshminarayana has reached out to several young voters in both the Telugu states and had expressed his desire to work on issues related to the agrarian crisis in rural areas.

He had created a flutter in May 2018 when he attended an RSS convention in the outskirts of Hyderabad. His picture with RSS leaders in Telangana had given rise to speculation that he would join the BJP, something which was dismissed quickly by his aides.

In November 2018, the former IPS officer and his aides even mulled launching their own political party, with media reports suggesting that the name 'Jana Dhwani' or People's Voice had been settled on.
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar passes away, Union Cabinet's condolence meet today

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Panaji, Mar 18: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away in Goa on Sunday after a prolonged illness. Parrikar, 63, was suffering from a pancreatic ailment, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on January 31, 2019. He has been in and out of hospitals in Delhi, New York, Mumbai and Goa since last year.

President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten."

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Condolence meet to be held in the Union Cabinet at 11 am today for Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The ruling Bharatiya Jananta Party (BJP) has asked Goa BJP MLAs not to leave the state amid reports that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's health is deteriorating. The Goa BJP on Sunday morning said that its leadership was "already thinking about a political transit phase" as political developments heightened in Goa.

Who is Manohar Parrikar? Mumbai IIT graduate who loved politics

The health of Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, had deteriorated on Friday sparking hectic political activities across parties in the coastal state.

As of March-June 2018, Parrikar was undergoing treatment for a pancreatitis at a hospital in the US. He returned to India and in September was admitted in the AIIMS, Delhi for treatment.[32] On October 27, 2018, the Health Minister of Goa, Vishwajit Rane, confirmed that Parrikar has been suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Last year, Parrikar had undergone a three-month-long treatment for advanced pancreatic ailment in the US. He had formed a Cabinet Advisory Committee to guide the state during his absence. On his return, Parrikar continued to discharge his duty as chief minister of Goa.

Parrikar is survived by two sons - Utpal, who is an Electrical Engineering graduate from Michigan State University and Abhijat, who is a local businessman. Parrikar's wife Medha died in 2001.
Lok Sabha elections: In Bihar, RJD in reckoning but Lalu Prasad is being missed

India

pti-PTI

Patna, Mar 17: The presence of Lalu Prasad, known for his witty repartee and rustic mannerism, which made campaigning a lively affair, is being sorely missed this time. The RJD supremo is serving sentences in fodder scam cases and lodged in a Ranchi hospital for a number of ailments.

The inimitable RJD supremo, whose party symbol lantern brings the promise of dispelling darkness, is known to lighten up the tedium associated with elections, often leaving in splits even those at the receiving end of his jibes. People still recall the kind of banter he had brought to the atmosphere during the assembly polls of 2015, when he took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was firing on all cylinders during campaigning.

The polls were fought along with his arch rival Nitish Kumar - who headed the JD(U) as the chief ministerial candidate - but the imprint of Lalu, ailing and disqualified from contesting elections himself, was unmistakable.

Who else could have dismissed prime minister at one panel discussion after another with the remark "Narendra Modi is my junior". The short-lived alliance between the arch rivals proved mutually beneficial as Kumar salvaged his pride, battered by a drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls held the previous year, and returned to power for a record third term.

Congress leaves 7 Lok Sabha seats for BSP-SP alliance

Prasad, meanwhile, succeeded in launching his sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav's political careers. The polls also saw a turnaround in the fortunes of the RJD, which emerged as the single largest party in the assembly, a far cry from 2010 when it failed to muster enough numbers to stake claim to the post of the leader of the opposition.

Taints of corruption, however, continued to haunt the RJD supremo as cases of money laundering were lodged against his younger son Tejashwi, pertaining to a period when he was still in his teens.

The scandal involving Tejashwi, who was the deputy chief minister of Bihar when his party was in coalition with the JD(U) and the Congress, was too much to stomach for an image-conscious Nitish Kumar, who snapped ties with the RJD and went back to the NDA, which he had quit in 2013. The RJD was, as a result of the dramatic turn of events, stripped of power and left with an axe to grind against Kumar.

In a bid to perpetuate his hold over power, Prasad initiated his eldest daughter Misa Bharti, too, into active politics, besides wife Rabri Devi, who had succeeded him as chief minister, and has over the years transformed from a tongue-tied housewife to a doughty, combative politician.

In Tejashwi, the younger son believed to be his father's favourite, the party sees its future, while Tej Pratap reminds Prasad's admirers of his father's mannerisms with a shrewdly cultivated rustic touch. Depending upon their leanings, people recall with disdain or devotion Prasad's earthy swagger.

The ailing septuagenarian continues to occupy the political centrestage in Bihar, even though he has been away from the public eye for more than a year. He now awaits the Supreme Court's decision on his bail plea.

In the caste-ridden polity of Bihar, he would always be remembered as the architect of a formidable winning combination of the Muslims-Yadavs (MY) that thoroughly changed the political landscape.

Despite allegations of corruption or patronage to criminals, Prasad is known for his stout defence of social justice, and the boldness with which he quelled communal passions in surcharged times like the Ayodhya movement of the 1990s. He had even stopped BJP stalwart L K Advani's 'Rath Yatra' in the same year when he was the chief minister, and got him arrested.

The RJD is the single largest constituent of the opposition grand alliance. If the anti-incumbency turns out to be strong, the party may well send the largest number of MPs from Bihar and emerge as a key player in the formation of the new government.

PTI
Going slow on Hafiz Saeed, looking up to Azhar, Pak is only worsening its case at FATF

Did Pakistan ever act against Azhar? Intel reports show, he remained protected always

From plotting a hijack to creating the JeM, why Pakistan guards Masood Azhar so much

'Masood Azhar's issue will be resolved', says Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Mar 17: Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui on Sunday said that the issue of ban on Jaish--Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar will be resolved.

His statement comes days after Beijing blocked India's attempt at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to declare Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist for the fourth time by putting a "technical hold"

Speaking to ANI, Luo Zhaohui said,''This matter (Masood Azhar on UNSC 1267 list) will be resolved, this is only a technical hold which means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved believe me.''

US, UK, France In 'intense' talks with China over listing of Masood Azhar

''Regarding Masood Azhar we fully understand and we fully believe this matter. We understand India's concerns and are optimistic this matter will be resolved,. After Wuhan summit last year the 2 way cooperation is on the right track, on fast track. We're satisfied with this cooperation, optimistic about the future,'' he said.

Ambassador spoke to ANI during Holi celebrations at Chinese Embassy in Delhi.

When asked about the reason for blocking the move initiated by the US, France and UK, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China always carries out "thorough and in-depth" investigation of the applications to the UN sanctions committee.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 13:57 [IST]
No manifesto in last 48 hours before polling, EC tells political parties

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Election Commission has barred political parties from releasing election manifestos in the last 48 hours before polling.

The commission has now made the release of election manifestos a part of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which is a set of rules to be followed by parties after elections are announced.

The amended model code now states, "In case of single phase election, manifesto shall not be released during the prohibitory period, as prescribed under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act 1951."In case of multi-phase elections, manifesto shall not be released during the prohibitory periods, as prescribed under Section 126 of the RP Act of all the phases of those elections."Section 126 of the act embodies "election silence", which prohibits any form of election campaign in the last 48 hours leading up to voting.

[EC wants to help NDA in Bihar, opposition alleges]

As of now there was no rule on timing of release of manifestos.

In 2014, the BJP had released its Lok Sabha manifesto on the day of voting in the first phase. Although the Congress had complained to the EC, stating this would influence voters, the commission was unable to act since the MCC is silent on the timing of the manifesto's release.

A panel formed by the EC had recently recommended that parties be barred from releasing manifesto in the last 72 hours before polling.

While several parties were silent on the issue, the Congress had opposed the proposal.

Since model code is not a law, any violation leads to a reprimand by the EC.In the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, parties cannot release manifesto in the last 48 hours before each phase on April 11, 18, 23, 29, May 6, 12 and May 19.
After Pak allows access, India says yet to decide on opening Kartarpur Corridor

Permit system, Khalistan activities turning Kartarpur talks sour

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: During the talks with a Pakistani delegation on Kartarpur corridor on Thursday, India found that the neighbouring country has a very "narrow" and "limited focus" on the project contrary to perception that Islamabad has a very generous approach towards it, official sources said.

They said Pakistan wanted to introduce a permit system coupled with a fee for pilgrims wanting to take the corridor to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistani town of Kartarpur.

Indian and Pakistani officials held their first meeting on the corridor at Attari on Thursday to finalise the modalities for the corridor linking Gurudwara Darbar Sahib with Gurdaspur district in Punjab.

Pakistan surreptitiously usurped lands belonging to Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara says India

Serious differences between the two sides emerged including on the number of Indian pilgrims who should be allowed to visit the gurdwara - the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev.

"We found that a permit system as well as fees are being introduced for the pilgrims to use the corridor which is in contrast to Pakistan's perceived generosity on the project," a source said.

Last November, India and Pakistan agreed to set up the border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district. Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine.

The sources said India was also concerned over plans by some Sikh groups in the US, Canada and Australia to organise a convention in Pakistan to draw support for "referendum 2020" under which they are seeking support for a separate Khalistan.

Kartarpur corridor: Access mode for Indian devotees yet to be decided

They said New Delhi is conveying to the countries, where pro-Khalistani activities are taking place, that talking about separatism in another country will tantamount to interference in internal matters of India.

They said India is of the view that the noise being made by a small group of people does not represent the views of the Sikh community and that people agitating for referendum are not citizens of India.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 10:05 [IST]
Induction of Congress MLAs into BJP is death of Parrikar's legacy, says outgoing Goa deputy CM

PM Modi pays tribute to 'exceptional administrator' Manohar Parrikar

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

New Delhi, Mar 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to his former Cabinet colleague and Goa CM Manohar Parrikar in a series of tweets on Sunday. PM Modi extolled Parrikar's leadership and hailed him as 'builder of modern Goa'.

PM Modi tweeted, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti."

Goa CM Manohar Parrikar passes away, Union Cabinet's condolence meet tomorrow

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress, " said PM Modi.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress.  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen.
Induction of Congress MLAs into BJP is death of Parrikar's legacy, says outgoing Goa deputy CM

Swaraj, Parrikar, Ananth Kumar: BJP has lost some of its tallest leaders recently

RIP Manohar Parrikar: Condolences pour in

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Mar 17: Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar passed away on Sunday evening after a long battle with cancer.

Parrikar had been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi, and New York since February last year after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

After coming back from New York, Parrikar, was seen wearing medical paraphernalia -a nasogastric tube.

[Goa CM Manohar Parrikar no more]

President Ram Nath Kovind was the first to condole the demise of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar on Sunday evening. The announcement comes amid hectic parleys over Parrikar's successor.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress."

India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced Indias security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen.  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

Calling Parrikar a leader who came up with pragmatic solutions, BJP leader VK Singh said his demise leaves a void in people's lives.

Sad demise of @manoharparrikar ji leaves a void in our lives. He was a leader who came up with pragmatic solutions to the most complex problems-Goa & India have lost a stalwart today. The nation & I mourn your loss, & will miss you. Rest In Peace my dear friend.    pic.twitter.com/fS8MvL8dW4  Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 17, 2019

Expressing condolence, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons."

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, "Deeply saddened and pained by the demise of my dear friend & Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity. He served the nation and the state of Goa with great diligence. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family."

Academician Amitabh Mattoo condoled the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

RIP Manohar Golpalakrishna Prabhu Parrikar. An outstanding leader and a gentleman; IIT graduate who always stood by his principles; loved his native Goa and loved & admired by his land and people.  Amitabh Mattoo (@amitabhmattoo) March 17, 2019

From the early days in politics, he was my partner and good friend. My heartfelt tribute to this great saint of Mother India, who struggled till last breath for the development of Goa, Union minister Nitin Gadkari condoled the demise of Manohar Parrikar.

:                           Chowkidar Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 17, 2019

He patiently endured his illness, says Mamata Banerjee who conveyed condolence to Manohar Parrikar's family and his admirers.

Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 17, 2019

Akhilesh Yadav condoled the demise of Manohar Parrikar.

Nation lost it's proud son, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu expressed condolence to Manohar Parrikar's family.

In his passing, the nation in general and Goa in particular lost its proud son.

My heartfelt condolences to the members of his bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace.#Parrikar  VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) March 17, 2019

Despite his deteriorating health, he put nation first and worked for it till his last breath, former President Pranab Mukherjee tweeted.

Deeply saddened at the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar.He fought bravely against his disease & I always hoped that he will beat it.Despite his deteriorating health,he put Nation first & worked for it till his last breath. May he rest in peace. My prayers are with his family  Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) March 17, 2019

As defence minister his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled, says Nirmala Sitharaman.

Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri.Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled.  Chowkidar Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 17, 2019

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy condoled Parrikar's death and said he was respected by all across political lines.

DMK chief MK Stalin expressed his condolence to Parrikar's family.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar tweeted, "I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar, CM of Goa. We have lost an able and industrious administrator who made his mark with his simple demeanour and extraordinary intellect. My sincere condolences to his family members."

Demise of a doyen, says BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Manohar Parrikar's death.
With Parrikar's passing away, search for new Goa CM set to begin

India

pti-PTI

Panaji, Mar 17: With the demise of chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday, the BJP-led coalition in Goa has to search for a new leader to replace him.

Parrikar (63) died of a pancreatic ailment on Sunday at his private residence near here, government officials said. He was heading a coalition government comprising the BJP, Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents.

The death of the former defence minister, who represented the Panaji assembly seat, will also necessitate a fourth bypoll in Goa, where by-elections are scheduled for the Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa assembly constituencies on April 23. These will held in the state along with the Lok Sabha polls.

"With CM Parrikar's demise, the ruling coalition will have to make a fresh representation to the governor after choosing their leader. The representation will have the letter of support," a senior official from State Legislature Department told PTI. "If the governor (Mridula Sinha) is not convinced, then she will have to invite the single largest party to form government," he said.

PM Modi pays tribute to 'exceptional administrator' Manohar Parrikar

Parrikar, who was defence minister, was sworn in as Goa chief minister 2017 after he won from Panaji in the same year. In order to allow him entry into the Assembly, Panaji MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar resigned on May 10, 2017, after which the bypoll was held.

The Congress is currently the single largest party in the state with 14 MLAs while the BJP has 13 in the 40-member Goa assembly. The Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents have three MLAs each while NCP has one legislator.

The strength House has been reduced to 36 due to demise of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza earlier this year, and Parrikar on Sunday, and resignations of two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte last year. After the news of Parrikar's broke, the coalition partners have called emergency meetings.

The three Goa Forward Party MLAs led by Vijai Sardesai and the MGP's three MLAs will meet separately later in the evening.

PTI
To observe August 5 as Black Day in J&K, Pak Army, ISI put out detailed flow chart

Let Abhinandan go: When Pakistan Army chief was jittery and his legs shook in nervousness

Thaw in tensions? Pak Army chief says time to bury the past

Shot down an Indian quadcopter, Pakistan claims

International

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Islamabad, Mar 17: The Pakistan Army has claimed that it shot down a "spying" Indian quadcopter along the Line of Control.

Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed that the quadcopter had intruded some 150 metres inside Pakistan side of the LoC.

"Pakistan Army troops shot down an Indian spying quadcopter in Rakhchikri Sector along Line of Control. The quadcopter had come 150 meters inside Pakistan, he tweeted.

Cosmetic action on terrorists will not cut any ice, India to Pak

The report came amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack by a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14.

Amid mounting outrage in India over the Pulwama terror attack, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured Indian pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1.

On March 4, a fighter jet of the Indian Air Force shot down a Pakistani military drone in Bikaner sector of the Indo-Pak border using an air-to-air missile. Another Pakistani drone was shot down by India on February 27 along Indo-Pak border in Kutch in Gujarat.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 9:41 [IST]
Members of farmers' body detained in Lucknow for trying to burn effigies of PM Modi, Shah

Priyanka promises to transform politics of Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow

pti-PTI

Lucknow, Mar 17: Sounding the poll bugle from the banks of river Ganga, Congress' in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Sunday said political stagnancy had left the youths, women, farmers and labourers distressed in Uttar Pradesh and it was her responsibility to change the politics here.

Gandhi arrived here for the next leg of her UP tour, as part of which she is to sail from Allahabad to Varanasi on river Ganga.

In an open letter, dated March 17, Gandhi said, "Due to stagnancy in the politics of the state, youngsters, women, farmers and labourers are in worried state.

They want to share their pain and agony, but in the noise of political arithmetic, their voice is completely absent from the policies of the state." Gandhi said political transformation in the state was not possible without listening to the voices of the people and sharing their pain.

"Hence, I have come to your doorstep for a sachaa samwaad (genuine conversation). I assure you that based on the conversation with you, we will bring transformation in politics. We will move towards solving your problems," she said in the letter.

Congress leaves 7 Lok Sabha seats for BSP-SP alliance

The party's newly appointed general secretary said she would contact the people using various means of transportation, including waterways, buses, train and padayatra (on foot). "River Ganga is a symbol of truth and equality. It is also a symbol of our Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (culture).

It does not differentiate among people. Ganga-ji is the lifeline of Uttar Pradesh and with her support I will reach you," the letter read.

Gandhi will be on a three-day tour beginning March 18, vice-president of UP Congress RP Tripathi said in communique, dated March 15, to district magistrates of Allahabad, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi.

Party leaders said Gandhi was likely to use a motorboat (steamer) to cover the distance of around 100 km. She is set to meet family members of martyred CRPF jawan Mahesh Raj Yadav in Allahabad, and on March 20 the ancestral house of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in Varanasi, the letter said.

PTI
JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here

CTET December 2021 admit cards to be out shortly: How to download

Man who killed three arrested

New Delhi

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: A 19-year-old man, allegedly involved in three cases of murder, was arrested following a brief shootout in Dwarka area, police said.

The accused, identified as Vikas alias Vicky, a native of Rohtak, had allegedly killed three persons in the last one week in Haryana and is also a member of Sandeep alias Kala Jhatedia gang, which is active in Haryana, they said.

Nine cases of murder, attempt to murder and Arms act are registered against him in Haryana and Delhi, police said.

Video: Why this Delhi traffic cop held a mirror in front of bike rider without helmet

The accused, along with his associates, allegedly shot dead his grandfather Ram Pal in his village on March 7, they said.

On March 9, he along with his four accomplices allegedly killed a bus driver in a village in Sonepat, and on March 14 he along with his eight accomplices allegedly shot dead a liquor contractor, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said.

On March 14, during night patrolling by a police team at Jharoda Kalan, a motorcycle was signalled to stop, but the motorcycle rider turned and tried to escape, he said.

However, in retaliation police fired in air and apprehended them after a brief chase, the officer said.

During search, one country-made pistol and five live cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused.

Subsequently, he was arrested and a case under section 25 Arms act was registered, the officer said.

Woman forced to consume 'spiked' juice, gangraped near mall

During interrogation, the accused disclosed about the three killings he committed in the last one week, he said.

He was produced before a local court and was send for a two-day police custody, the DCP said, adding that further investigation in the matter is underway.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 12:29 [IST]
JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here

CTET December 2021 admit cards to be out shortly: How to download

Shopkeeper being assaulted by cop goes viral

New Delhi

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: A purported video showing the station house officer and two constables of Sarita Vihar Police Station assaulting a 44-year-old shopkeeper in Jasola Vihar here has gone viral on social media.

The incident allegedly took place on Thursday at about 11:45 pm, when the victim, identified as Mohammad Ibrahim, was closing his food joint, officials said.

According to the victim, SHO Ajab Singh and his two constables arrived and started beating him without any reason following which he sustained multiple injuries.

Woman on Tinder threatens to blow up Rashtrapati Bhavan, warns of nuclear attack; cops on lookout

The policemen were drunk and when Ibrahim asked them the reason for the assault, they threatened him, the victim said.

Other shopkeepers who witnessed the assault fled the scene, he said.

The victim has filed a complaint at the Sarita Vihar police station. Officials said they are probing the allegations and were yet to register an FIR in the matter.

Ibrahim ran his shop on land which was encroached by a man who is wanted in a case of land grabbing in Kalindi Kunj and is absconding, police said.

Video: Why this Delhi traffic cop held a mirror in front of bike rider without helmet

Ibrahim said he paid Rs 10,000 every month to his "landlord" to run the shop, a senior officer said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the SHO had asked Ibrahim to shut the shop thrice before the scuffle began, police said, adding further probe is underway.

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Story first published: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 12:23 [IST]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Four among the 62 candidates in the May 13 midterm elections bared their plans should the people vote them in the Senate.

Senatorial bets Glenn Chong, Toti Casino, Lawin Arellano and Richard Alfajora shared their priority legislations and stands on key issues in the country during the CNN Philippines Senatorial Forum Sunday.

Here is what they had to say:

Yes to honesty, majority for federalism

Amid recent public speculation of proliferation of lies among senatorial candidates, all Senate bets have maintained that they have been honest in their campaigns. The senatorial candidates also said they would prioritize the environment in their plans given the recent water shortage crisis in Metro Manila.

However, not all were acquiescent with the environment departments proposal to open deep wells to resolve the issue. Alfajora voiced his dissent on the move, while Arellano, Casino and Chong agreed with the proposal.

Meanwhile, as Congress continues to debate on a shift to a federal form of government, majority of the candidates said they were in favor of the transition. Only Casino was against federalism.

Sovereignty in the ICC withdrawal

The senate bets were divided on the countrys withdrawal from the International Criminal Court. Arellano and Alfajora were convinced involvement in the ICC did not interfere with the countrys sovereignty, however Chong and Casino disagreed.

Chong argued that the country should operate without submitting to foreign powers. Meanwhile Casino said the withdrawal allows the country to prove its capacity for self-governance. Arellano said if the countrys democracy is clean of anomalies, it should not veer away from international scrutiny.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he will pull the country out from the international courts jurisdiction following a case filed against him for in relation to his violent anti-drug campaign.

Alfajora said instead of ordering to leave the ICC, the President should make a stand and fight for his case.

READ: Senate bets bare opposing sides on PH exit from ICC

Resource management

Three candidates agreed the capital regions water woes stemmed from the privatization of water service. Arellano, Casino and Alfajora agreed the government should oversee the management of water resources.

On the other hand, Chong said the root cause of the problem has yet to be determined. However, he urged the government be better in monitoring operations that involve the providing for the peoples basic needs.

Customers of east zone concessionaire Manila Water have suffered from water service interruptions since March 7. The water concessionaire attributed the shortage to the decreasing water levels at the La Mesa reservoir in Quezon City due to the dry spell.

Casino and Alfajora also suggested to look into alternatives sources of energy such as solar and nuclear to address the countrys power supply woes. Chong said the government should also study energy requirements to brace for limitations on power supply.

Electoral reform, federalism among priority legislations

Chong and Alfajora said they would push for reforms in the electoral system through introducing new technologies.

Chong said he would prioritize pushing for a hybrid polling system to ensure transparency and speedy results for elections. He emphasized that using Smartmatic machines would allow for corruption to seep into the system.

In the case of Smartmatic, we do not know how it is counted. We do not understand how the machine counts it. So dito po papasok ang dayaan [that is how cheating occurs], Chong explained.

On the other hand, Alfajora proposed a touch screen, online, hack-free voting.

Casino, a former information technology consultant for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said he would amend the Automated Election System Law, emphasizing that erring Comelec officials should be strictly held accountable.

Meanwhile, Arellano said he would push for federalism, adding that it would effectively eliminate poverty through providing equal opportunities and resources to the public. Alfajora also mentioned he would push for a federal form of government.
A Staten Island man was arrested Saturday on a charge of killing the boss of the Gambino crime family.

Anthony Comello, 24, was arrested in New Jersey in the shooting death of Frank Cali outside his Staten Island home, said New York Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea. The truck used to lure Cali into the line of fire was recovered in Brick Township, N.J.  about 50 miles from the site of the shooting.

Cali, who took over as head of the Gambino crime family in 2015, was shot 10 times and left to die behind the rear bumper of his car. Comello allegedly fled in the truck and headed south to a New Jersey town where his family owns a house.

An unspecified dispute between the killer and Cali not linked to the mob  is an angle that is being explored for a motive, a New York Police Department source said. A separate source said earlier that the killing appears to be unrelated to any Mafia feud.

But Shea declined to provide any detail on what happened before the Wednesday night shooting.

Let me reiterate this (investigation) is far from over, Shea said. Was he acting alone? Was he acting for other people? Were others involved? What was the motive? I do not have all the answers for you.

State Supreme Court Justice Judge Charles Troia signed approved an arrest warrant specifying that Comello will be charged with murder, assault and weapons possession upon his return to Staten Island. Authorities need to extradite the murder suspect from the Ocean County Jail in New Jersey.

According to Shea, police spoke with Comello several times before he got a lawyer and stopped cooperating.

Shea declined to discuss any relationship between the mob boss and his alleged killer.

We are all aware of Mr. Calis past, Shea said. That will be part of the investigation.

The Sicilian-born mobster known as Franky Boy walked into an ambush when the killer staged a car crash, plowing a pickup truck into the SUV parked outside Calis house about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

When Cali, 53, left his family at the dinner table to investigate, the truck driver jumped from the vehicle and opened fire.

--Tribune News Service
Because of a hard-core Portland alcoholic who died long ago, Kiera Zehner has a place to land while she reclaims her own life, one she acknowledges was slipping away because of drugs.

For the past six months, Zehner, 27, and her son, David, 1, have been living in Lauras Place.

The six-unit Northeast Portland apartment complex sits tucked away on a quiet residential street, created for women recovering from substance abuse. They live rent-free in furnished apartments. Many of them bring their children with them. They stay for up to nine months to plot what they want out of life and what steps they need to take to reach their goals.

Without this place, I would have slipped up, Zehner said as she stood in the middle of the spacious studio.

She knows her path will require vigilance and perseverance, given her background. Shes well aware of the temptations and pressures that exist in the world shes working to leave behind.

The time in Lauras Place has convinced Zehner that shes turned a corner. Not just for herself, but for her son.

Kiera Zehner and her son, David, 1, between Brad Mersereau and Karen Kern, of Letty Owings Center.

Next month, shell move into her own apartment across town. Shes figuring out child care, has a line on a job and plans to study to become a drug counselor so she can help people like herself.

The next tenant in the unit will be a woman Zehner met in treatment. That lineage, she said, makes her feel good.

Each woman to occupy the apartment over the years has left a bit of her spirit behind to fortify those who follow. When they feel doubt, and Zehner said all do, they can draw on the knowledge that a fellow traveler lived in the room and believed in the possibility of change.

The woman before me left me food and clothes for my baby, Zehner said. I plan to do the same thing. Its a way to pay back what was done for me. No one can do this alone.

Zehner said she knows nothing of the buildings history.

Few people do.

***

Laura Mersereau grew up in Southwest Portland. She attended Wilson High School. A yearbook photo shows a redheaded girl with freckles. Classmates knew her as the outgoing girl with friends in every classroom.

But the family had a secret. Her father, Bill, was an alcoholic.

She, too, became one.

Laura and Brad Mersereau

It was like watching a slow suicide, said her brother, Brad Mersereau. She died at 46 from alcoholism.

To honor her memory, and what her life could have been had she accepted help, her brother gave $141,000 to Central City Concern as a lead gift to create what became Lauras Place.

Since opening in 2009, more than 125 women and 90 children have called the complex home.

Central City picks up the tab for annual ongoing costs. Women are eligible for placement after receiving treatment at the Letty Owings Center, a Central City program focused on treating mothers for drug addiction and alcoholism. Women and their children live at the center, which has 29 beds. Statewide, there are only 78 beds, said Karen Kern, senior director of substance use disorder services at Letty Owings.

There is a huge need, Kern said. We have a waiting list of women who need a bed.

Counselors help women in the program learn what theyve identified as essential life skills: budgeting, meal planning, cooking, communication and how to be a good parent. When theyve graduated, theyre eligible to move to Lauras Place.

Its a dance for us, Kern said. We have to figure out who is leaving Letty Owings and when, and then when a space will be opening at Lauras Place.

Once in an apartment, the women are required to be responsible. Vowing to stay clean and sober isnt enough. They undergo weekly urinalysis tests. A case manager checks in with them to talk about issues that could derail any chance of moving forward.

Thats exactly what Brad Mersereau hoped for.

At times, he thought his sister was going to make it. She married in the late 1970s, changing her last name to Pressnall, but was consumed by the demons that had plagued her for so long.

After she died in 1999, her brother learned about her death when a relative called. As a way to try to come to grips with it, he wrote a letter to his sister.

He said you had died, and my first reaction was disbelief. How could this be? You had attended an AA meeting with me recently, and admitted you were an alcoholic in recovery. I thought you had been sober for 6 months.

As it began to dawn on me, I was the only one left from our family of origin to deal with your disease, I felt disheartened and totally numb inside.

We learned from doctors in the following days you sustained a perforated ulcer causing toxic peritonitis. You put on high heels but never made it out of your house the evening of June 13th. A quarter-century of hard drinking caused you to die prematurely 4 months and 6 days after your 46th birthday. The addictive path was your choice at every turn, but what a loss.

Three years later, Mersereau wanted to do more than write letters.

I missed Laura and I wanted her memory to matter, he said. The best thing I could do was to help women avoid what Laura went through.

That was the start of Lauras Place.

***

The apartments have helped clients move to be self-sufficient, Kern said.

Most people have someone in their lives touched by addiction or alcohol, she said. What we do, and what Lauras Place makes possible, is break the cycle and reduce the impact on children.

Mersereau said his father made what he called a heroic decision to dry out and lived a clean and sober life until he died in 1991. His father would be proud that his daughters memory is kept alive through women battling to change their lives.

And its not easy.

No program will work, Zehner said, unless the addict hits bottom and looks clearly at her life and the future if things dont change.

Zehner said shed been using meth and living, while pregnant, in a homeless shelter.

That was bottom.

After delivering her baby, Zehner entered Letty Owings.

My clean date is 8/28/17, she said.

This past week, she looked around her apartment as she packed things for the trip to her new place.

When I leave it will be a reminder to me that a life can change, she said. Thats what Ill take with me.

--Tom Hallman Jr.

thallman@oregonian.com; 503 221-8224

@thallmanjr
Updated on Mon., March 18, 2019

Workers from Little Big Burger on Saturday announced their decision to join a shared union, the Industrial Workers of the World, with Burgerville employees during a rally in Northwest Portland on Saturday.

More than 100 workers and supporters gathered at Couch Park at 11 a.m., then walked to the Little Big Burger fast-food restaurant at Northwest 23rd Avenue and Lovejoy to present a formal letter to management requesting recognition of the union.

Little Big Burger employees say they want to improve working conditions and demand higher wages. Theyve also cited concerns about safety violations, short-staffing and under-scheduling of workers and poor training.

We are out here to tell Little Big Burger that they can do better, said Ashley Reyes, a worker at Little Big Burger on Northwest 23rd Avenue. We have ideas about what that means - fair schedules, better wages, a safer workplace -- but for now were focusing on just telling LBB that were here, were strong and were not going away.

In April 2016, workers at Burgervilles Southeast 92nd Avenue and Powell Boulevard location made history by becoming the first in decades to organize a union drive at a fast-food establishment.

Members of the Industrial Workers of the World  better known as the Wobblies  helped launch the union campaign, which has been led by restaurant employees.

The Burgerville Workers Union has always been proud of our status as the only fast-food union in the country, but today, we take far more pride in saying that were no longer alone, the Burgerville union said in a statement issued Saturday. We may have been the first, but we knew we would not be the last.

Little Big Burger has nine restaurants in the Portland metropolitan area. Its a subsidiary of Chanticleer Holdings, Inc., and was founded in Portland in 2010. Its known for its counter service, cooked-to-order burgers, truffle fries and root beer floats.

A new Facebook page called "Little Big Union,'' holds this slogan: "I cook, I bus, I serve, Im Union!''

A representative of Chanticleer Holdings Inc. couldnt immediately be reached for comment Saturday.

But on Monday, Jason Assad, a company spokesman, responded with this statement:

"Little Big Burger (LBB) supports and respects our employees rights to join or not join a labor union. We are not, and have never been, ;anti-union.' We do believe however, that this is an important decision and not one that should be made lightly. As such, it is our responsibility to ensure that all of our team members have the information that they need to make an informed choice. Above all, such a decision should not be made by just a few, or by the company itself. We support the rights of our team members to cast a vote in a fair, secret ballot election before choosing union representation.

It should go without saying, that we deeply value our Little Big Burger Associates, Key Employees and Managers, along with our guests that keep us all employed. Their support is invaluable and LBB wouldnt exist without all of them. We also pride ourselves on being a hospitality driven business where our associates commitment to delivering exceptional guest services allow them the opportunity to earn tips which can result in unlimited income potential. We are very proud that year to date, the average Little Big Burger employee in the Portland Metro area has earned more than $17 per hour in taxable income.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
From a purely pragmatic point of view, theres a lot to be said for the nonconventional approach two legislators are taking to effectively abolish Oregons death penalty.

The conventional way  asking Oregon voters to approve a constitutional amendment prohibiting capital punishment  hasnt gotten much traction. Even though Oregon has had a moratorium preventing any executions since 2011, theres been little effort since then by elected officials to ask voters to take that final step. Second, its anyones guess how successful that would be. In just over 100 years, Oregonians have voted for the death penalty three times and repealed it twice. And finally, the absurdity of a state that wont execute inmates yet still pays millions of dollars a year to keep the death-penalty machinery moving cries out for some remedy to stop this waste.

The separate bills proposed by Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, and Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, both offer that remedy. Instead of abolishing capital punishment outright, the bills propose dramatically tightening the definition of aggravated murder, the one crime eligible for death. Under both House Bill 3268 and Senate Bill 1013, only terrorism crimes meant to intimidate the government or people that result in the deaths of two or more victims would be aggravated murder. Offenses currently defined as aggravated murder would be reclassified as murder in the first degree, eligible for life in prison.

For those who oppose the death penalty, as this editorial board does, the proposals are undeniably attractive. The changes would immediately limit  if not shut down  the energy and resources going into death-penalty trials, which are lengthier and more expensive than other murder trials. And the bills are respectful of the bounds of the Legislatures power. The definition of aggravated murder is subject to the will of lawmakers or the people, a fact that was expressly advertised to Oregonians the last time they voted to adopt the death penalty in 1984.

But ultimately, the move could spark backlash from the public, which has for decades understood that heinous murders  of a child or of a victim subjected to torture, for example  could be eligible for death. Greenlicks bill, which would apply retroactively and commute existing death sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole, could be particularly inflammatory. And limiting capital punishment only to crimes of terrorism risks coming across as a Legislature taking statutory shortcuts around a constitutional question. As fraught as it may be, legislators should look to refer a repeal of the death penalty to the people and make the clear, convincing case that shows why Oregonians are better off without it.

Its disappointing that there hasnt been more progress on this front. In 2011, faced with the impending execution of twice-convicted killer Gary Haugen, then-Gov. John Kitzhaber announced he would not allow an execution as long as he was governor. Emotional and eloquent, Kitzhaber explained his deep personal and professional revulsion for the death penalty, recalling allowing two executions in 1996 and 1997 to occur in his earlier term as governor. He noted a system that was neither fair nor just and decried the absurdity of a punishment carried out only on those who voluntarily waive their legal appeals, as Haugen had.

But he did nothing else to prompt the statewide conversation that he said needed to occur. His successor, Gov. Kate Brown, noted her own opposition to the death penalty and extended the moratorium on executions. But she too has done little to advance the issue. So, district attorneys continue to seek death penalty sentences in some cases or use it as a bargaining chip in others to secure guilty pleas in others. The state spends millions in legal costs for the lengthy appeals process each of the 30 death-row prisoners constitutionally deserve.

Research has shown capital punishment is arbitrarily applied and questionable as a deterrent. It is exorbitantly expensive, and necessarily so to ensure the protection of defendants constitutional rights. It is socially degrading and does little to heal the intense grief and loss felt by victims who are led to believe that an execution  which rarely even occurs  will provide that.

Greenlick told The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board that it is not clear people are ready to have the big fight on a constitutional change. Similarly, Prozanski noted the many times Oregonians have changed their mind, pointing to his and Greenlicks bill as a means to address the overall issue. But California Gov. Gavin Newsoms declaration of a moratorium on executions in his state last week provides another galvanizing spark to take the final step.

Theres no question that the Legislature has the clear authority to limit the definition of aggravated murder. Theres no question that Oregon is propping up an expensive fiction with its current system. But there is a question about whether Oregon should or should not have the death penalty on its books. Oregonians should be asked to answer it.

- The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

Oregonian editorials Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom. Members of the editorial board are Therese Bottomly, Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, John Maher and Amy Wang. Members of the board meet regularly to determine our institutional stance on issues of the day. We publish editorials when we believe our unique perspective can lend clarity and influence an upcoming decision of great public interest. Editorials are opinion pieces and therefore different from news articles. To respond to this editorial, post your comment below, submit an OpEd or a letter to the editor If you have questions about the opinion section, email Helen Jung , opinion editor, or call 503-294-7621.
By Edith Mirante

Mirante, an author, lives in Sellwood.

The first two years of my life were in a house with a backyard that people called overgrown. Of course, that meant a little urban woodland full of songbirds and adventure for my brother and me. Ive never lost that connection with trees and have spent decades campaigning for rainforests of Southeast Asia against rampant deforestation. My husband works to support land rights of indigenous people of Borneo.

Now we are faced with clearcutting much closer to home. A few feet from our back porch, in fact. And by Portland Parks and Recreation, no less. In 2007 we bought a house in Sellwood. It was built in 1895 when this was farmland, where the Lewelling brothers brought apples to Oregon and orchard-keeper Ah Bing helped breed the sweet cherries that would bear his name long after the Chinese Exclusion Act barred him from the state.

The Oregon Pacific Railroad, a private line, runs diagonally through our neighborhood creating two triangles of land adjacent to our small property. Metro now owns them. Generations of people who have lived in our house have been stewards of that land, replete with wildlife including nearly 40 kinds of birds (we hear owls call at night) and flowering trees that attract honeybees.

In the last week of February, a Portland Parks and Recreation representative mentioned to us that they will be cutting all of the trees along the railway tracks adjacent to our property as part of their project to pave a portion of the Sellwood Gap on the Springwater Corridor as a wide bike path.

Im a long-distance bike commuter on the Springwater. Trail improvements are welcome  but not at the expense of these trees. Since Feb. 27, neighbors have suggested alternatives including a retaining wall and less pavement, that could save many trees.

Portland Parks and Recreation has dismissed our ideas, stating that a retaining wall would add costs to the project and that it doesnt need one because the trees arent on private property. They are holding themselves to a lower standard of tree protection than private property owners. An alternative that could actually reduce construction costs and save many trees is to simply reduce the paved path to a standard 10 feet instead of an extra-wide 16 feet, but this was rejected too.

Portland Parks and Recreation claims it will replace this loss by planting new trees in a different lot (currently a meadow.) As the Arbor Day Foundation emphasizes, large mature trees provide many more benefits than smaller young trees.

In its rush to complete this section of pavement, Parks and Recreation is about to cut the trees during bird nesting season, which is never environmental best practice. Instead, they should ensure that a tree-preserving solution will include all stakeholders: neighbors, urban tree canopy beneficiaries, wildlife as well as Portland Parks and Metro.

Otherwise, when these trees are cut down, there will be a shallow, bare slope. A brief war will ensue between English ivy and Himalayan blackberry. The blackberry will win. Before, squirrels ate the walnuts, bees buzzed in the apple blossoms, birds feasted on the cherries. After they are all gone, we will eat the blackberries with a sense of irreplaceable loss.
LEWISTON, Idaho  The way dams and storage reservoirs on the Columbia River and its tributaries are managed could change dramatically in a short five years if negotiators from the United States and Canada dont strike a deal.

At issue is the Columbia River Treaty, a transboundary agreement that has governed flood risk management and hydropower production for more than five decades. The treaty is evergreen, meaning it doesn't have an end date unless either nation decides to sever the agreement following a 10-year notice. Neither side has given that notice, but both are engaged in talks led by the U.S. State Department and Global Affairs Canada aimed at updating the treaty, The Lewiston Tribune reports.

Under the current terms, the way flood risk is managed changes dramatically in 2024, and that could affect Idaho water. Right now, three huge storage reservoirs in Canada and one in Montana do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to reducing flood risk in places like Portland and Vancouver, Wash. The treaty was precipitated in part by the 1948 Vanport Flood near Portland, Ore., that killed 15 people and displaced more than 18,000 who lived in a low-lying development.

The dams are managed jointly by the U.S. and Canada, and the treaty dictates that reservoirs behind Mica, Arrow and Duncan dams in British Columbia are drafted to hold back more than 15 million acre-feet of water during spring floods.

The water captured by the dams is released later in the year, and Canada is compensated for 50 percent of the released water's potential hydropower production as it moves downstream through U.S. dams.

Flood control

Starting in 2024, the Canadian dams will no longer be obligated to provide downstream flood control protection unless the United States first demonstrates it has done all it can to reduce flood risk by capturing spring flows in its reservoirs. Once that happens, the U.S. can "call upon" Canada to capture water behind its dams.

Under such a scenario, reservoirs in the U.S. would likely be drawn down much lower than they are now prior to spring runoff, threatening the potential for them to refill. And it's not clear which U.S. dams would have to participate.

The U.S. believes its large storage dams named in the treaty  Libby, Hungry Horse and Kerr in Montana; Dworshak, Brownlee and Albeni Falls in Idaho; Grand Coulee in Washington and John Day Dam in Oregon  would have to be tapped to provide additional flood control. Canada interprets the treaty to say all dams on the Columbia River and its tributaries south of the border would have to play a bigger role in flood control. Under that scenario, dozens of other dams and reservoirs would be involved. For example, dams that provide local flood control or capture water for summer irrigation may have to help in systemwide flood control.

Nor do the two sides agree on what constitutes a flood large enough for the U.S. to "call upon" Canada for help. The U.S. side believes flows projected to reach 450,000 cubic feet per second at The Dalles Dam in Oregon would meet the requirement. Canada believes projected flows would have to reach 600,000 cubic feet per second.

The value of water

The flood control regime isn't the only difference negotiators are trying to bridge. The treaty gives Canada the right to half of the hydropower that can be produced in the U.S. by the water the Canadian dams hold back and then ultimately release  known as the Canadian entitlement. Depending on market prices, the power can be worth $150 million to $300 million per year. Those power payments, plus 30 years of hydropower purchased by U.S. companies at the onset of the treaty, paid for the construction of the dams in Canada.

But the U.S. believes the formula that decides the power value of Canadian water is outdated. Because the formula doesn't account for things like how much of the Canadian water is spilled at U.S. dams to improve fish passage, American hydropower interests say the power payments sent to Canada are as much as 10 times what they are actually worth. U.S. interests want the treaty changed to reflect that actual value of the Canadian water.

"It's one of those aspects of the treaty that really calls out for modernization," said Scott Corwin, executive director of the Public Power Council at Portland. "The assumptions that went into the formula that created the downstream power-benefit sharing have become outdated over time. It's a lot of power off the federal side of the system that is sent to Canada, and it's a lot of value to ratepayers of the U.S. that we think should accrue to citizens."

Canadas checklist

Canadians also have identified issues they want to solve in negotiations. The dams have dramatically altered local ecosystems and inundated communities and valuable bottomland behind the dams. The Canadians think they should be compensated for that. When Canadian dams are drawn down, water levels fluctuate dramatically, disrupting recreation, fish and wildlife habitat and exposing huge mud flats that can produce dust storms. The construction of Washington's Grand Coulee Dam prior to the treaty, which Canada did not object to at the time, blocked salmon that once returned to British Columbia rivers, harming Canada's First Nations. They want fish passage and salmon reintroduction to be considered. The Canadians also say their dams allowed lucrative floodplain development around Portland. They would like compensation for that service.

The Canadian government wants to retain the post-2024 flood control regime that alleviates pressure on its dams and reservoirs. They also want more say in the way Libby Dam in Montana is managed. The dam backs up the Kootenay River more than 40 miles into Canada and creates Lake Koocanusa. (The river is spelled Kootenai in the U.S. and Kootenay in Canada.)

This Feb. 14, 2018 photo shows the Vantage Bridge, which carries Interstate Highway 90 across the Columbia River near Vantage, Wash., at dusk.AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File

Negotiations

Talks between the two countries began last May. Those talks are centered on the future of flood control, hydropower generation and ecosystem function, which would be a new aim of the treaty. Several years before negotiations began, the U.S. held domestic talks involving Northwest states, 15 American Indian tribes in the Columbia Basin and hydropower and agricultural interests, to develop goals for treaty modernization.

The tribes on both sides of the border wanted a seat at the negotiating table, but the countries chose to exclude them in favor of small teams.

"The tribes were left out of that conversation in the original treaty," said Scott Hauser, executive director of the Upper Snake River Tribes Foundation. "We feel it's absolutely imperative they are part of it this time."

At the outset, the U.S. is seeking two big goals. First, it wants to avoid the 2024 change in flood control regime. Next, it wants to update the way the Canadian entitlement is calculated. The U.S. also wants ecosystem functions be incorporated in river management. The region spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually in efforts to mitigate effects of the dams on threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead.

Idaho's Sen. Jim Risch sits in a power position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. If the two countries reach an agreement, the updated treaty must be ratified by the Senate. It's up to Risch to introduce the new treaty if and when it's complete.

Risch told the Tribune he intends to flex his legislative muscle.

"The chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee decides if it's going to be heard or not," he said. "So it's going to be a good deal for Idaho, or it's going to be no deal at all."

He insists the treaty should only cover flood control and hydropower production. If it includes ecosystem function or anything that might threaten Idaho's sovereignty over its water, Risch said he won't let the treaty be debated. In fact, he said adding ecosystem function is dead on arrival. That means no more flows for fish and no reintroduction of salmon in places they aren't now.

"It's not going to happen," he said. "The third one (ecosystem function) is not in there now, and it's not going to be added. The reason I say that is I believe we would  I think almost certainly  end up on the short end of the stick.

He said he has a chummy relationship with President Donald J. Trump and has spoken to him about the treaty. Risch also has constituents in Idaho urging him to use his position to exclude ecosystem functions. The Idaho Legislature passed a nonbinding House Joint Memorial in 2014 saying an updated treaty must protect state sovereignty over water.

A group of more than 20 water users, from public power companies like Clearwater Power and Idaho County Light to southern Idaho irrigators and navigation interests like the Port of Lewiston, want the updated treaty to exclude ecosystem function.

"It just creates another piece of red tape, another legal hurdle to operate the system," said Paul Arrington, executive director of the Idaho Water Users Association. "Both countries have laws and regulations to deal with these issues, and it should remain as such."

Even others who want ecosystem function added said they agree with Risch on the need to protect Idaho's water. For example, the Nez Perce Tribe, the state of Idaho and the federal government are parties to the Nez Perce Agreement that helped settle hundreds of water rights disputes in the state. Part of that agreement calls for the state to send 427,000 acre-feet of upper Snake River water downstream each year to help migrating salmon and steelhead.

"I share his concerns on Idaho's water," said Jaime Pinkham, executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. "Years ago I was part of the (Snake River Basin Adjudication.) We worked long and hard with a diversity of interests to bring some peace to the issue. I am as sensitive as he is in protecting the agreement."

Pinkham said that doesn't mean ecosystem function shouldn't be on the table. He said the talks could still produce provisions to improve conditions for fish in the basin that are beneficial to both sides. He cites the recent agreement between states, tribes and the federal government that will spill more water at Snake and Columbia river dams yet allow hydropower production part of the time as an example of creative solutions that are possible.

"Those are great solutions that help the energy sector and help fish, and if we can find the same kind of creative options in the Columbia River Treaty I want us to stay open to that," Pinkham said.

Canadas cards

Canada might seem to be in a position of power. The U.S. wants to maintain the current flood control regime and yet pay its neighbor less for the water it holds during spring runoff.

But Canada may have difficulty fully flexing its muscle. Jim Heffernan, a policy analyst at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, said Canada also wants to protect its own downstream communities from flood, which may require it to hold back much of the spring flows even before the U.S. asks it to. In addition, he said Canada's hydropower system was constructed to operate on the regime in place for more than 50 years. That means the country would likely have to run the system in much the same way it does now to maximize its power production.

"Because of the way they built their system, they have to operate it the way they do now," Heffernan said. "To hurt us they have to hurt themselves."

Canada also benefits from the water spilled at U.S. dams to help salmon. Heffernan said both sockeye and spring chinook returning to the Okanogan River in Canada have improved because of fish-friendly management of U.S. dams. If salmon were reintroduced above Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams so they could recolonize rivers in British Columbia, Heffernan said those runs, too, would benefit from spill at U.S. dams.

"Sockeye salmon and spring chinook returning to the Okanogan watershed in Canada are currently benefiting from changes we made to the system for U.S. stocks," he said. "That is a really important point, because they gloss over that."

A chance to restore balance

Many see a moral reason to include ecosystem function. John Osborn, an environmental activist and physician at Vashon Island, Wash., said the treaty negotiations are a chance to right wrongs to American Indian tribes and Canadian First Nations  and to the environment. He said negotations should address fish passage and salmon reintroduction, climate change, reconnecting rivers to their flood plains and better sharing the benefits and burdens of the dams and reservoirs.

We are truly blessed to live on one of the most remarkable river systems in the world, Osborn said. I think it asks us to look at what has happened in really the short amount of time since Lewis and Clark  the profound changes that have benefited some, perhaps many, but come at wrenching costs  and we find a way to bring balance back to the system, and we build reserves. That is going to be absolutely critical in the time of climate change.
An elderly man was killed by police in The Dalles on Saturday after authorities say officers saw him firing a rifle from his porch at a neighboring home.

James V. Young, 78, was the only person injured during the altercation around 10 p.m. in the 1900 block of East 10th Street. One officer shot Young, police said.

An investigation of the shooting is ongoing, and the officer has been placed on administrative leave. Police havent yet identified the officer.

The Dalles Police Department hasnt released any more details on the fatal shooting. The agency said it plans to provide more information on Wednesday.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
SHENZHEN, China, March 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Designer and owner of the KING PING brand, Wang Ping, challenged the limits of the physical world when he presented the brand's new collection at Shenzhen Fashion Week 2019, which kicked off on March 14. During this year'sA Shenzhen Fashion Week, the brandA held aA "thought"-themed fashion catwalk show promoting its 2019 Autumn Winter Collection, the latest product lineup reflecting Mr. Wang's philosophy ofA removingA boundaries and constraints and following one's heart when designing shoes.A The Construction collection deconstructs a diversity of fabrics in multiple ways and the Wormhole collection showing the designer's interpretation of what the 3D intersection of two universes would look like, w! hile the One collection consists of an entire shoe created from a single piece of leather without any seams. For every shoe in any of his collections, Mr. Wang continually seeks to unleash the openness and inclusivity of design with his "boundless" philosophy of art. In addition to infusing a multi-faceted concept into his designs, the designer created his masterpieces with a focus on the art and the aim of disrupting the conventional way people think of fashion. The catwalk show that he presented pushes beyond the boundary of fashion as it can be imagined.A A Over 20 years ago, Mr. Wang began his career in this new field. He is one of China's pioneers in creating a designer brand with its own original shoe designs. HeA has been a judge in major Chinese and international design competitionsA over the past ten years. In addition to shoes, he is also active in clothing, jewelry, furniture and interior design.A Each of his works is fully handcrafted. He combines curated fabrics and finest craftsmanship with a design-focused aesthetic experience, creating beautiful, comfortable and practical shoes. Mr. Wang has never wavered from the original mission of offering meticulous design. https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/836772/KING_PING_attends_Shenzhen_Fashion_Week.jpg
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA)  The Nigerian Army on Sunday said that in the last two weeks, its troops killed 37 bandits and rescued 80 kidnapped people in the troubled violent State of Zamfara in the northwest of the country
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA)  The gunman who killed 50 worshippers in a Christchurch mosque referred to former world statesman Nelson Mandela in a lengthy manifesto before the incident
Tripoli, Libya (PANA)  Libyan authorities have denied a report that several Libyan nationals were among the victims of Friday's attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zeland, which claimed the lives for 49 worshipers and injured several others
As the news hit the wires on Friday that a jury in a San Diego court found Apple guilty of infringing three Qualcomm patents to the tune of $31 million, Maxell Ltd filed a new patent infringement case against Apple. Maxell is the world leader in batteries, one of the global leaders in professional broadcasting media and one of the global leaders in removable data storage media.

In 2010 it was announced that "Hitachi Maxell" was wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi via a Share Exchange. The reason for mentioning this point is because seven out of the ten patents found in Maxell's patent infringement case against Apple are in fact Hitachi patents. Under a 2013 agreement the patents of the two companies were put under Hitachi Maxell, Ltd, the infringement case notes.

In an overview of the complaint before the court, Maxwell in-part states:

"Since at least June 2013, Apple has been aware of Maxells patents and has had numerous meetings and interactions regarding its infringement of these patents. These meetings included Apples representatives being provided with detailed information regarding Maxells patents, the developed technology, and Apples ongoing use of this patented technology. Through this process, Apples representatives requested and received detailed explanations regarding Maxells patents and allegations. Maxell believed that the parties could reach a mutually beneficial solution and to that end considered a potential business transaction and continued to answer multiple inquiries from Apple over the course of several years, including communicating with Apple as recently as late 2018.

Apple elected, however, not to enter into an agreement and did not license Maxells patents. Instead, Apple continued, and continues today, to make, use, sell and offer for sale Maxells patented technology without license."

Maxell and Hitachi Patents listed in this lawsuit

In total, Maxell is claiming that Apple has infringed on 10 of their patents as follows: 6,748,317 (Hitachi); 8,339,493 (Hitachi); 7,116,438 (Hitachi); 6,408,193 (Hitachi); 6,928,306 (Hitachi); 6,329,794; 6,329,794 (Hitachi), 10,212,586; 6,430,498 (Hitachi); and 10,084, 991.

Maxell further noted in their filing that six of the patents in the case against Apple (6,748,317; 8,339,493; 7,116,438; 6,408,193; 6,928,306; and 6,329,794) were previously and successfully asserted in the District court against Huawei Device Co., Ltd., Huawei Device USA, Inc., ZTE (USA), Inc., ZTE Corporation, and ASUSTeK Computer Inc..

Quick Overview of What Maxell is Claiming that Apple Products Infringe

Maxell Patents 6,748,317, 6,430,498 and 6580,999: according to Maxell, "Eight years before Apple released its first GPS-enabled iPhone and five years before Google launched its first Maps product, the inventors of the 317 Patent were experimenting with ways to deliver navigation services to the small sized screens of cellular phones that were available in 1999."

Services like Apple "Maps" and "Find My Friends" and walking navigation that's part of Maps infringe on Maxell's patents. They present a long list of Apple devices that use these services and therefore infringe on their patent including the new iPhone X family of smartphones.

Maxell Patent 8,339,493: According to Maxell, Apple's back side cameras on iPhones from the iPhone 5s through to the iPhone XS Max infringe on their camera patent. Other products listed are iPads and more.

Maxell Patent 7,116,438: According to Maxell, Apple's AirDrop infringes this patent.

Other Apple services that allegedly infringe on Maxell patents include FaceTime (with image below illustrated); Do Not Disturb (on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch); Low Power Mode on iPhone; Unlock Apple Watch with iPhone and more.

Review Maxell's full court filing below for exact details.

Maxell vs Apple by Jack Purcher on Scribd

Notice: Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of certain legal cases/ lawsuits which are part of the public record for journalistic news purposes. Readers are cautioned that Patently Apple does not offer an opinion on the merit of the case and strictly presents the allegations made in said legal cases / lawsuits. A lawyer should be consulted for any further details or analysis.
Thanks in no small part to folks like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, everyone is talking about socialism these days. Unfortunately, many Christians seem to be under the impression that socialism is at odds with their faith.

Plenty of other Christians disagree, of course. For example, theologian David Bentley Hart has spoken about his democratic socialism on several occasions, and Sojourners Magazine recently published a short piece by Obery M. Hendricks Jr. on The Biblical Values of Ocasio-Cortezs Democratic Socialism. AOC is herself a Christian, along with many other prominent democratic socialists, such as Cornel West and Martin Luther King Jr.

However, Ive yet to find a systematic examination of the many things Jesus had to say on this subject. So thats what Ive endeavored to put together in this article.

My apologies for the length. If Im not mistaken, this has turned into the longest single piece Ive written. But I wanted to cover as much as I reasonably could while limiting my scope primarily to Jesus sayings in the canonical Gospels. (In practice, this has meant Matthew and Luke. Mark contains parallels to many of the passages under discussion, but little unique on this subject. And John, while in no way contradicting these themes, simply has its main focus elsewhere.)

Jesus was a socialist

Its not uncommon to hear people claim that the early church practiced a form of socialism. After all, the Book of Acts does seem to describe something along those lines:

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.  There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Acts 2:4445; 4:32, 3435; NRSV)

But Christians of a capitalist bent tend to brush this aside with a stock response. The Book of Acts, they point out, is descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is, these early believers acted voluntarily, and Acts merely records what they did, but the book stops short of actually instructing other believers to follow their example.

Fair enough. On a technicality, they are correct. The Book of Acts does not explicitly instruct its readers to follow the example of these believers who sold their possessions, held all things in common, and provided for the needy.

For some, thats enough to make this an open-and-shut case. They happily dismiss socialism and move on. However, the more curious might not be content to leave it there. We might venture to ask: Why did the early church act in this manner to begin with? Where did they come up with these radical ideas?

I believe the answer is that the early church was acting directly on the teachings of Jesus because Jesus was a socialist. That being said, I should acknowledge a few things about this claim before defending it.

First, the idea that Jesus was a socialist is obviously somewhat anachronistic. Socialism as a formal economic system did not originate until long after Jesus walked the earth. But as I will demonstrate, Jesus taught (and the early church modeled) principles very much in line with socialist thinking.

Second, socialism has always been a broad concept covering multiple variations and many different aspects. And I have little interest in debating what constitutes true socialism. However, I do need to specify what I mean by making this claim.

When I say that Jesus was a socialist, I am not referring to the communal ownership of the means of production. This aspect of socialism is certainly consistent with Jesus message, and one could argue that it is a logical outworking from it for an industrial society, but it is not something Jesus ever specifically addressed. However, the socialist principle that positively saturates Jesus gospel is the idea of fair distribution of wealth, from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs. And that is what I will be defending in this article.

Third, in the interest of full disclosure, I am myself a democratic socialist and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. I advocate this variety of socialism in no small part because I see it as being so well aligned with what Jesus taught. However, democratic socialism is an ideology particular to our time and culture, and I do not presume it to be exactly one and the same as Jesus teachings. Jesus was a socialist in principle, but he left all manner of room for us to figure out the specifics of applying that principle today.

The kingdom of God

To lay the foundation for this discussion, we first need to consider the kingdom of God (also called the kingdom of heaven in Matthew). Jesus framed all of his teachings within this concept. The gospel itselfthe good news that Jesus preachedis explicitly about this kingdom (Mark 1:14; Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 10:7; 24:14; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 16:16).

The kingdom is the reign or rule or influence of God in the world. This should not be understood as a theocracy where Christians take over and impose their beliefs on others, but as the spread of Jesus love-based ethic in all areas of life. So what does that look like? As Jesus began teaching, he provided a sort of mission statement for his ministry. Composed mostly of quotes from Isaiah, it summarizes Jesus gospel of the kingdom:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lords favor. (Luke 4:1819, NRSV)

Of note, that last bit about the year of the Lords favor is probably a reference to the year of jubilee, described in Leviticus 25. Every 50 years there was to be a release from all debts, a restoration of property that had been sold, and a pause on farming to allow the land to recover. This would indeed have been good news for the poor and the oppressed. It would have prevented anyone from acquiring excessive wealth, and it would have ensured that everyone received their fair share.

We hear echoes of similar themes in portions of Marys Magnificat, her song of praise to God for having chosen her to bear Jesus:

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:5253, NRSV)

And these same reversals of power to care for the poor can be found among the blessings and woes Jesus pronounced:

Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who are hungry now,

for you will be filled.  But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your consolation.

Woe to you who are full now,

for you will be hungry. (Luke 6:2021, 2425, NRSV)

At its most basic level, the kingdom of God means justicefor the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed, the outcastand such justice demands that the rich and the powerful be brought low enough that everyone else can have enough.

Jesus taught that the kingdom is in our midst (Luke 17:21), but that it is also like a mustard seedstarting small but growing ever greater (Matt. 13:31). Therefore he taught his disciples to pray, Your kingdom come, which means Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10).

And yet the kingdom is not something we can simply pray about and then wait for God to accomplish. Were meant to partner with God to bring about these kingdom purposes:

And in everything, as we know, he co-operates for good with those who love God and are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28, REB)

When we say that Jesus is Lord, we are proclaiming him to be the head of Gods kingdom, and we are pledging our service to the spread of that kingdom. We are responsible to work for the changes that advance Gods kingdom within the kingdoms of this world, until we can one day say, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah (Rev. 11:15).

So lets look a little closer at some examples of Jesus teachings about this kingdom.

The rich ruler & Zacchaeus

Well start with the story of the rich ruler. Its found in Mark, Matthew, and Luke, but well quote the latter for now:

A certain ruler asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother. He replied, I have kept all these since my youth. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me. But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him and said, How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. (Luke 18:1825, NRSV)

In all three accounts, the basic story is the same. The rich ruler had lived by the letter of the law, but he had failed the spirit thereof by accumulating so much wealth that should have been used to help others. So Jesus told him that he must distribute his wealth to the poor if he wanted to enter the kingdom of God.

At this point, capitalist Christians are quick to point out that while Jesus gave this instruction to a specific individual, he did not make it a universal mandate. As with the story of the early church in Acts, they are again correct on that technicality. However, Jesus did follow it up with a universal statement about how hard it is for such wealthy people to enter the kingdom of God. Per the comparison of a camel going through the eye of a needle, its impossible. There is no place for excessive wealth in Gods kingdom.

Of course we must use wisdom to discern the point at which wealth becomes excessive. The next chapter (Luke 19) contains the story of Zacchaeus, and the placement of these two stories in such close proximity is probably no coincidence. Jesus had just said that the rich ruler must sell all of his possessions. But for Zacchaeuswho was rich, but likely not quite as wealthy as the rulera slightly different solution would suffice:

Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much. Then Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost. (Luke 19:810, NRSV)

In both cases, what is clear is that excessive wealth has no place in the kingdom of God. As for how much is too much, we cant say exactly how much either had in the first place, but the principle at work is something Jesus said earlier in Luke:

Much is required from the person to whom much is given; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given. (Luke 12:48, TEV)

God & wealth

Jesus elsewhere put it simply, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth (Matt. 6:19). This warning is found in his Sermon on the Mount. And from start to finish, this famous sermon is all about what life should look like in the kingdom of God. While it covers a wide array of ethical teachings, Jesus views on wealth sit right at the center of it all. A few verses after the above statement, Jesus goes on to say the following:

No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe youyou of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, What will we eat? or What will we drink? or What will we wear? For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt. 6:2433, NRSV)

Ive always heard this passaged explained to mean that we should put our efforts into our spiritual life with God, and that God would then take care of our physical needs. The extreme prosperity gospel version would have us donate our every last cent to megachurch pastors with the promise of Gods blessings in return, while a more moderate version would view this as less of an absolute promise than a general principle. In either case, its a transactional understanding of how Gods blessings work.

Can we be honest for a moment? Can we admit that this just isnt true? Can we accept that it doesnt work this way? Can we own up to the fact that the devoutness of ones spiritual life has no effect on whether or not they are physically provided for?

Millions of people around the world do not have access to the basic necessities of life, and some of the most sincere Christians are among them. The last thing they need is to be shamed into believing that their lack of faithfulness is the cause of their suffering.

Not only is the traditional interpretation of this passage absurd on the face of it, but it is also contradicted by Jesus own words from a few verses earlier. He taught that God, far from transactionally giving or withholding provisions, blesses all people equally, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous (Matt. 5:45). And yet it remains an indisputable fact that people go without.

So what did Jesus mean in this passage? Why did he say that we have no need to worry? Was Jesus wrong? Or could it be that weve missed the context for his statements?

I would again suggest that the necessary context is that of the kingdom of God. Inasmuch as the kingdom of God is in effect, all people will be sharing their possessions, and thus everyone will be provided for. Therefore, we must seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (better translated as his justice) by working to bring about this reality.

It is our job to work with God to bring about the kingdom. And once Gods kingdom is fully in place, then all these things will be given to you as well. In the kingdom, where wealth is distributed fairly, we will not need to worry about our basic necessities.

The rich fool

In Luke 12, we find a parallel version of this passage from Matthew. The section on worrying is nearly identical, but in Lukes version, Jesus prefaced it by telling his parable of the rich fool:

The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops? Then he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God. (Luke 12:1621, NRSV)

Here we see exemplified the kind of excessive wealth that Jesus says has no place in the kingdom of God. The land of this man produced an abundant crop, and thats a wonderful blessing in itself! But then he stopped to consider what to do with it. And by now, the answer Jesus would give should be clear. This rich man ought to have used what he needed and given the rest to others in need. Instead, he chose to store his excess wealth in new barns, where this blessing intended to provide for many people would be of no use to anyone.

With this parable in mind, Jesus words that follow make even more sense: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear (Luke 12:22).

Jesus surely wasnt suggesting that we bury our heads in the sand and pretend we have nothing to worry about, despite all evidence to the contrary. Freedom from worry means that we truly have nothing to worry about. That will be possible once we live under kingdom economics that ensure our most basic needs are always met. And for this to happen, the rich must stop hoarding their excess and start sharing it with the poor.

God intends for the world to work in a certain way. When the world is working as God intends, the birds of the air will always have food, the lilies of the field will always grow into their beauty, and people everywhere will always have their needs provided. The fact that so many people are currently without provision means that the world is not working as God intends. And the reason for this is that some are allowed to hoard their wealth when they should be sharing with those who need it.

For those who would see Gods kingdom come, there is nothing optional about the reversal of this grave injustice.

The judgment of the nations

At this point, some of my readers will object because they believe caring for the needs of others should be up to individualsthat we shouldnt involve the government. This is essentially a libertarian position. A Christian variation would suggest that its the churchs responsibility to care for the poor.

I can understand the appeal to this position. I went through a libertarian phase myself. It sounds nice in theory, but the fact is that it doesnt work.

Weve had hundreds of years of allowing individuals in a capitalist society to take care of others, and weve had thousands of years of allowing the church to do the same, and both have proven to be insufficient. Im not saying that charity hasnt done any good at allabsolutely it has! And we should certainly, as individuals and as the church, continue doing charitable work. But its not enough. Individual philanthropy hasnt cut it.

However, if we work together as a nation, we do have the resources to eradicate poverty. Theres enough to go around for everyone. The only reason this hasnt yet happened is that we, as a nation, have allowed individuals to amass excessive wealth and thus hoard what should be communal resourcesland, shelter, food, etc.

Jesus parable of the sheep and the goats is often (and I believe wrongly) explained as a judgment of individuals. But Jesus spoke of nations:

Now when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. (Matt. 25:3133, LEB)

A number of popular translations replace them (referring to the nations) with people, making it sound as though it were a separation of individual people. But thats an interpretative choice that the translators have added to the Greek text. And it doesnt seem to reflect Jesus intention.

The parable is often referred to as the judgment of the nations, and I believe thats exactly what it is. The nations themselves are separated, and they are evaluated according to the standards of Gods kingdom. What are those standards?

Then the king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you as a guest, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you? And the king will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me. (Matt. 25:3440, LEB)

Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, and caring for the sick and the imprisonedthese are the criteria according to which Jesus judges a nation as righteous and as a part of Gods kingdom.

Even if we were to assume, for the sake of argument, that the judgment of individual people was in view here, then this would still be based on their actions within the context of their respective nations. If individual people are being judged, then they are the people of a given nation being judged on how they acted as that nation.

One way or another, you cant remove the national element from this parable without fundamentally altering it. Jesus cares about how nations conduct themselves, and he judges them according their treatment of the least of these. He gave no indication that such matters should be left up to individuals without any government involvement.

The laborers in the vineyard

Another objection is the idea that rich people deserve to keep everything they worked for. Here were getting into one of the fundamental myths of capitalism. I dont want to get too distracted, as this article is supposed to be about Jesus views, but suffice it to say that the rich do not become rich by hard work alone.

No doubt many wealthy people are indeed hard workers. That much is not in dispute. But gaining excessive wealth also requires a good deal of luck or the right connections or previous wealth to build upon or shady dealings or any combination of the above. The rich may work hard, but they do not work harder than the poor. And even if they did, it would not entitle them to an exorbitant lifestyle while others cant afford basic necessities.

In any case, Jesus had some thoughts on this as well. On the one hand, he affirmed that the laborer deserves to be paid (Luke 10:7). But on the other hand, Jesus disagreed with the idea that greater work inherently deserves greater pay, as he explained in his parable of the laborers in the vineyard:

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine oclock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right. So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three oclock, he did the same. And about five oclock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, Why are you standing here idle all day? They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard. When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first. When those hired about five oclock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. But he replied to one of them, Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous? So the last will be first, and the first will be last. (Matt. 20:116, NRSV)

Even though some of these laborers worked much harder than others, it did not entitle them to greater pay. Rather, the landowner was concerned that they all receive whatever is right, which came to a normal daily wage for everyone.

So why was it right for everyone to receive the same wages, even though some worked harder? Because the wages they received were the wages they needed to care for themselves and their families. If the landowner had paid lower wages to the workers who came on later, he would have left them without enough. But if he had paid higher wages to the workers who came on earlier, he would have given them an excess beyond what they needed.

Gods notion of what is right has little to do with proportionality, but it has everything to do with ensuring that all needs are met. According to Jesus, and according to socialism, it is not right for some people to earn excessive wealth while others do not have enough. It may sound counterintuitive to those of us indoctrinated in capitalism, but this is how the kingdom of God is supposed to work.

The shrewd manager

Related to the above objection, some will say that it isnt fair to take from some to give to others. However, we need to understand that the ultimate goal of socialismand of the kingdom of Godis not so much taking from the rich to give to the poor as it is restructuring society so that there are no rich or poor to begin with.

That said, as we progress toward that state, one immediate method for reducing income inequality would be to implement fair taxes. The people who earn the most should also contribute the most back into society. For example, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren have both recently proposed tax plans along these lines.

But Jesus seems to suggest that we go even further than that. In his parable of the shrewd manager, Jesus defies our notions of fairness. The manager blatantly gives away some of his masters wealth by cancelling portions of the debts others owed him:

There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer. Then the manager said to himself, What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes. So, summoning his masters debtors one by one, he asked the first, How much do you owe my master? He answered, A hundred jugs of olive oil. He said to him, Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty. Then he asked another, And how much do you owe? He replied, A hundred containers of wheat. He said to him, Take your bill and make it eighty. And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes. Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Luke 16:113, NRSV)

Ive witnessed biblical teachers twist themselves in knots to try to get around what this passage seems to say. And Ive spent a fair bit of time doing so myself. But maybe this isnt that difficult of a passage at all, and we just dont like what Jesus said.

The shrewd manager gave away his masters wealth, and he was commended for it. Jesus then turned to his disciples and essentially said, Go and do likewise.

The rich man likely became rich precisely by holding the poor in debt. New Testament Scholar N.T. Wright explains that Jews were forbidden to lend money at interest, but many people got round this by lending in kind, with oil and wheat being easy commodities to use for this purpose (Luke for Everyone, p. 193).

But even if he wasnt charging interest, the fact remains that he was rich, and his debtors were poor. He had enough that he could have chosen to lend, expecting nothing in return, as Jesus instructed (Luke 6:35). So thats what he should have done. Instead, this man who had more than he needed demanded repayment in full from those who did not have enough.

Jesus said that the managers method of reducing income inequality was an example of faithfulness. And then Jesus charged his disciplesand by extension usto likewise be faithful with the dishonest wealth that belongs to another.

If were willing to take Jesus at his word, then perhaps we can accept that he wants us to use other peoples wealth for kingdom purposes. This we are called to do as an act of faithfulness. A democratic wealth tax frankly pales in comparison to this radical idea from Jesus.

The rich man & Lazarus

Yet another objection claims that socialism is coercive. This view sees God as being non-coercive, and it asserts that we should thus avoid coercion as well. While I agree with the premise of non-coercion, this principle can easily be taken to an absurd extreme if not properly understood.

When I say that God is not coercive, I mean that God does not override free will and that God is not manipulative. God allows us to make our own choices. However, our choices have consequences, and the wrong choices can harm people.

We may have the free will to be able to make harmful choices, but that doesnt give us free reign to do so. God is not coercive, but Jesus certainly issued warnings related to our behavior. And some of the direst consequences Jesus warned about had to do with hoarding wealth that should be given to the poor:

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich mans table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames. But Abraham said, Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us. (Luke 16:1926, NRSV)

As for implementing democratic socialism on a national scale, were not talking about threatening the rich with violence to force them to give up their money. Were talking about using our democratic system to move toward a more just society that works for everyone. This will be no more an act of coercion than any other aspect of government.

I suppose you could argue that a certain amount of coercion is inherent in any legal system. And if you want to be consistent enough to oppose all legislation of any kind, then more power to ya! No more setting speed limits or establishing fire codes or anything of the sort. But if thats not what you have in mind, then it doesnt work to oppose democratic socialism on the grounds of it being coercive either.

Jesus is Lord

As a final objection, some Christians say that we should stay out of politics altogether. For a while, this was my position as well. Like so many others, I was in the process of extracting myself from the idolatrous relationship between conservative Evangelical Christianity and the GOP. I was coming to understand how the religious right had sold its soul to nationalism and Republican partisanship, and I was determined to have no further part in it. My solution was to have nothing to do with politics whatsoever.

I think that may have been a healthy place for me for a time. I needed the chance to detox from my politically conservative past. But this would not have been a good place for me to have stayed indefinitely.

At the most basic level, opting out of politics is itself a political position. And its a position that defaults to allowing evil politics to harm the most vulnerable members of society. As Desmond Tutu famously said, If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.

Theres this fear that we will turn political involvement into an idol. And given the example we see in the religious right, that fear is not completely unfounded. We would do well to avoid partisan politicsgiving blind allegiance to a party no matter what direction it may take. But the answer is not to opt out entirely and allow societys worst inclinations to take hold.

The answer for Christians is to affirm that Jesus is Lord. And if Jesus truly is Lord, then Jesus must be Lord of our political life, as well as our spiritual life.

Jesus gospel of the kingdom is intensely political. I hope weve established at least that much in this article. To accept Jesus theological teachings while neglecting or outright rejecting his politics is to have only half of his gospel.

Im not suggesting that we necessarily have to affirm socialism itself as a part of the gospel. Theres room for discussion and debate on such particulars. But we must engage in politics that advocate for the oppressed, the marginalized, and the poor. This is absolutely central to Jesus message. His gospel simply is not the gospel without it.

Conclusion

At this point, whether or not you agree with my claim that Jesus was a socialist, if youve at least caught a glimpse of how central economic justice is to Jesus gospel, then Ill count it a success.

This is one of those principles that you cant unsee after having once seen it. As you read other passages in the Gospels, you just might start noticing little hints in this direction scattered throughout. Theyve always been there, but they may not have been quite as obvious before. Perhaps Ill cover more of them at some point, but I think this article has gotten long enough for now.

Id love to hear your thoughts, and I have a request to make. I dont often beg my readers to share my posts, but then I dont often put in quite as much effort as I have for this one. If youve found this article to be thought provoking, would you mind sharing it wherever your people are to be found? Lets start a conversation.

Thanks, comrades!
Remember when, back after the Charlie Hebdo attack, everyone changed their profile pictures and said, je suis Charlie? Well, except that it turned out that at least some portion of that everyone later started saying things like, well, maybe the magazine shouldnt have been saying such mean things about Islam. And later on we ended up with debates over whether the French (and subsequently the Belgians) brought it all on themselves by not properly integrating Muslims into their societies and economies.

This was, of course, followed by attacks in Belgium and London and San Bernardino and Orlando, plus attacks elsewhere in poorer countries that are culturally more distant from us. And now, with the Tree of Life Synagogue attack in October and todays attack on a mosque in New Zealand, we may or may not have something that perpetrators think is a counter-attack.

Its horrendous.

I went to bed last night after the first reports appeared online (readers: dont spend so much time on social media) and woke up with a headache, which, admittedly, probably isnt related, and just contributes to my lousy mood. And the news got worse in the morning, when total deaths appeared.

But then someone shared a tweet by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as reported by Fox News, tying this shooting to those in Charleston, Pittsburgh and Sutherland Springs  the first two of which were white supremacist-connected but the latter not (and not tied to any -ist/-ism motivation).

Happily, this is the only such tweet Ive seen.

How much do you really know about New Zealand? (Dont answer if youre actually from that part of the world.)

Do you know how ethnically diverse the country is? Do you know whether the country has historically been so or has seen recent increasing levels of immigration? Has the country been seeking out high-skill immigrants, or are they low-skilled? Do you know how successfully those immigrants have been integrated into the mainstream of New Zealand life? Do you know, conversely, how the young white men of the country are faring? Do you know whether any of the disputes we have in the U.S. exist there? Do you know what the countrys laws on gun ownership are? How the country is doing economically? Whether opioids are a problem? Racial conflict or discrimination?

Yeah, I dont know either.

I know that Australia has seen lots and lots of nonwhite immigration, but that they are also very determined to control it, to the point of moving asylum-seekers offshore. About New Zealand I know squat. (OK, I know that they have a mandatory retirement savings program called KiwiSaver, and at some point they made the news due to complaints that housecats were killing off native bird species, or something like that. I also read not too long ago that the Maori comprise about 15% of their population and that in recent years lots of effort has been expended on integrating them economically while preserving their culture; whether that connects up to any attitudes about immigration, I cant say.)

But that also means that I dont know whether their issues are the same as ours, and that means that I think that, as Americans, we shouldnt spout off with claims that we know what is wrong and how to fix it.

Maybe the lack of such claims in my twitter feed is a good sign that this isnt happening. But Im fearful that this isnt, or wont be the case for long.

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACrimeScene.jpg; By Supaflyrobby (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons This is just a generic image of a crime scene, not something coming out of the news reports.
Last week, a friend sent me an article bearing the headline They Are Real: Meet Born-Alive Abortion Survivors. Could I maybe blog about it, she asked? This article led me down to a rabbit hole with numbers that kept getting bigger. When I reached an article that argued that there are 44,000 abortion survivors living in the U.S. today, I knew we had a definitional problem. What is really going on here?

The article my friend sent me profiled five individuals it labeled abortion survivors. These individuals are real people. The first one profiled Gianna Jesson, whose mother had a saline abortion at 30 weeks in 1977, and Gianna survived. When she was born alive, she was provided with care and given up for adoption. Melissa Ohdens biological mother had a saline abortion at 31 weeks in 1977; she, too, survived and was provided care.

The other three individuals profiled had a bit of a different story. They were each born to mothers who had attempted abortions earlier in their pregnancies; in each case, the abortion failed to terminate the pregnancy. (I suspect that these individuals are not what most people mean when they hear of born-alive abortions survivors.)

Abortions like those Gianna and Melissa survived are not practiced today. Abortions past the point of viability are expensive and difficult to obtain, and are typically only offered in case of severe fetal abnormality, or other severe cases. Their mothers would be unlikely to access abortions at 30 weeks today. For another thing, saline abortions were deemed unsafe; popular in the 1970s, this procedure has fallen into obscurity.

Before I go deeper in, a few things are worth noting.

First, abortion procedures have changed over the past five decades.

We need to be careful about assuming, based on a story from the 1970s or 1990s, that a procedure would take place again today as described. Many of the horror stories thrown around are decades old, and do not necessarily reflect practices in the present.

Second, pay attention to what numbers are actually counting.

Abortion opponents have long declared that hundreds of babies have survived abortions in Canada, only to be left to die. They base this claim on a specific mortality code: P96.4, Termination of Pregnancy. The problem? This mortality code includes miscarriages where a premature infant is born alive and does not survive.

Third, born alive does not mean viable.

Comfort care is sometimes the best (or only) option for a severely premature infant (regardless of the reason for its preterm birth). There are many cases where a woman delivers too early for an infant to have high chances of survival, and chooses to offer only comfort care, holding the infant while it passes. We consider this acceptable care.

Fourth, killing an infant born alive is considered murder.

Under a law passed in 2002, infants born alive are legally persons regardless of their developmental level. By law, they must be afforded the same rights and care as any other infant born alive. This is why infamous illegal abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell was able to be convicted of the murder of three infants.

Fifth, abortion procedures are designed to ensure fetal demise.

The International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians recommends the administration of a feticide for any abortion past 22 weeks to prevent live birth. After this point, doctors frequently begin abortion procedures by administering an injection directly into the heart to stop the fetal heartbeat.

Abortions that occur later in pregnancy are not an easy thing to talk about; that may be why abortion opponents would rather talk about it than about their efforts to close abortion clinics and end womens access to first trimester abortions. Abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy tend to be performed due to severe fetal abnormality. In many cases, the fetus is not compatible with life.

According to data from the CDC, there were an average of 12 fatalities of infants born alive during an abortion procedure each year between 2003 and 2014. In the UK, an average of 10 infants born alive during an abortion died each year between 1995 and 2004; that number was higher at the beginning of the period and lower at the end, as procedures and guidelines changed.

What is going on here? High resolution ultrasounds designed to identify fetal abnormalities are conducted at 18-20 weeks of pregnancy. As a result, abortions due to fetal abnormalities typically occur around 20-24 weeks. At 20 weeks, a fetus has 0% chance of survival out of the womb. At 24 weeks, a fetus has a 40-70% chance of survival out of the womb. The most common abortion procedure used at this gestation is surgicalin these cases, there is no chance of fetal survival. In other cases, though, a different procedure is used: induction of labor.

Induction of labor is exactly what it sounds likemedication is used to induce premature labor, expelling the fetus. In most cases fetal demise will occur in the process of delivery. When using this procedure at and after 22 weeks of gestation, it is routine to inject a feticide into the heart of the fetus, through the mothers stomach, before inducing labor (this recommendation did not exist in the 1970s). Some women aborting due to severe fetal abnormality opt not to have the feticide, preferring to hold their infant while she dies. Sometimes, too, fetuses younger than 22 weeks are born alive, but with no chance of survival. These infants are provided with comfort care.

In the UK, infants born alive in the process of an abortion varied between 17 and 33 weeks in gestational age, and had a mean gestational age of 21 weeks (i.e. half were born at less than 21 weeks, and half at more). While data on these infants gestational age in Canada does not disaggregate between infants born alive as the result of miscarriages and those born alive as the result of abortions, only 5% of overall fatalities among infants born alive as the result of termination of pregnancy (whether abortion or miscarriage) occurred after 24 weeks (which has a 40-70% chance of survival); a full 20% occurred at week 20 (which has a 0% chance of survival) or before.

Sometimes doctors do not follow the law. Sycloria Williams was 23 weeks pregnant when she went to a clinic for an abortion procedure in 2006. She was given pills to induce pregnancy. A feticide was not administered. The doctor did not show up. Williams went into premature labor and delivered an infant. According to Williams, the baby was breathing and moving. At 23 weeks, her infant had a 10-35% chance of survival. The attendant, who did not have a medical license, put the baby in a sealed biohazard bag and put her in the trash can. No medical care was given to Williams, who had just given birth. The doctor arrived an hour later. He was investigated and he lost his license.

What happened in Williams case should not have happened. For starters, the doctor should have actually been present. For another thing, if the procedure was an induction of labor, a feticide should have been administered first. And finally, if the procedure resulted in an infant born alive, that infant should have been provided care.

Here things get diceywhat care? Comfort care? Or more aggressive interventions? Remember, most infants born alive in such circumstances are far younger than Williams was at 23 weeks. An infant born alive at 21 weeks, regardless of circumstances, is not viable. Providing interventions to an infant that is not viable can be cruel.

One solution is to opt out of this question altogetherthis is where the feticide comes in. In the UK, after guidelines changed to make feticide more standard in cases of abortion at or after 22 weeks, the number of infants born alive dropped. U.S. guidelines now also recommend feticide at or after 22 weeks.

Theres another thing to considerif women had better access to abortion, they would be less at the mercy of hatchet doctors like the one Williams visited, or Kermit Gosnell. If you could go to your doctor for an abortion like you might for an IUD insertionand if women had more widespread access to affordable, high quality health insurance that covered these proceduresthe Kermit Gosnells would be out of business. If you could go to your doctor for the procedure, youd also likely be in a better clinicmaybe even a hospitalif something went awry.

But no. Largely as a result of the anti-abortion movement, abortion has been widely confined to separate clinics.

In the past few months, abortion opponents have honed in on what care should be provided for infants born alive in the process of an abortion, but it is important to remember that is not where their concern ends. To see this in action, when you next speak with an abortion opponent concerned about infants born alive during the procedure, try suggesting a law mandating that doctors who perform induction of labor procedures after 20 weeks of gestation ensure that fetal demise has taken place (i.e. via feticide) before inducing labor, with sanctions for failure to do so.

I am not suggesting such a law, because I am not a medical provider with expertise in this area and because hamstringing doctors with rules written by lawmakers can create unforeseen side effects. Still, such a bill would address concerns about infants born alive during the process of an abortion just as effectively as other legislation being thrown about, if not more so. And yet no abortion opponent is going to see that as a solution, because they view abortion itself as murder.

And here we are. If youre just after basic facts, youve got some now. With the rest of this article, Im going to delve more deeply into the numbers, tracing my own journey as I hunted down statistics and compiled articles. Feel free to join me!

All About Those Numbers

Remember that 44,000 number I referenced briefly? That number came from Christina Dunigan, an anti-abortion blogger who argued that there were 44,000 abortion survivors living in the U.S. today. Were going to examine that number first because it offers a helpful lead-in before going too deeply into the issues.

The article my friend sent me profiled five individuals: two were born alive in 1977 in the process of botched abortions around 30 weeks of pregnancy, but the other three were born later to women who had earlier had abortions that had failed to end their pregnancies. Dunigans claims fit into these same two categories.

From Dunigans post:

Research indicates that between about 850 and 1,800 unborn children survive first-trimester abortion attempts in the US every year. We dont have numbers on what percent of women change their minds about wanting their babies to die and continue their pregnancies. Ill just aim for the middle and say that half of those children get to be born alive. Thats about 1,325 survivors of early abortions every year, about 662 of whom are permitted to live to be born. Thats 25,000 (rounded down) since Roe.

Yes, some first-trimester abortions fail. Up to 5% of medication (pill) abortions fail to complete, while fewer than 1% of surgical abortions fail to complete. Given the rising number of women using medication abortions, Dunigans numbers on the number of failed first trimester abortions are likely low. However, Dunigans guess that 50% of women whose first trimester abortion fails to end their pregnancy change their mind is almost certainly way off.

Women who have abortions are expected to come in for a followup two weeks after the procedure to verify that their abortion completed. If they are still pregnant, these women are offered a second procedure, typically at no additional charge, to complete the abortion. This is understood as routine. Women who have medication abortions especially are informed from the outset that they may have to have a surgical abortion as a followup.

Everything Ive read indicates that a first-trimester abortion that fails to complete is almost universally followed by a second procedure. Yes, some women may decide to go through with their pregnancy after a failed pregnancy, but that number is nowhere near 50%. Women who do decide to continue their pregnancies may face complications with their pregnancy or fetus. Some infants will be born with deformities; others may be normal.

Are there some people whose mothers had a failed first trimester abortion and decided not to have a followup procedure? Certainly. There are also some people out there whose mothers were turned away from abortion clinics because they waited too long, and people out there whose mothers considered abortion and decided against it. None of these individuals are typically what people think of when they hear of born alive abortion survivors.

What about the second part of Dunigans 44,000 number? This is the category Gianna Jesson and Melissa Ohden are in. Its what people typically mean when they reference born alive abortion survivors.

Dunigan writes as follows:

Based on the only report we ever got out of the Centers for Disease Control on the subject, abortionists reported about 500 babies surviving later abortion attempts every year. Times 38 years of abortion on demand, thats 19,000.

I was unable to find anything from the CDC saying that 500 babies survive later abortion attempts each year. This does not appear to be an actual statistic. (I did find other numbers from the CDC, which well get to later.) Dunigan may have misunderstood, interpreting a number that covered a decade more more as an annual sum, and using a statistic that includes infants who are born alive during miscarries and do not survive.

Even if Dunigans claim were correct, its odd that she would assume these 500 infants would all survive. First, as we know, infants who are born alive in the course of an abortion are typically too premature to survive, and often suffer from fetal defects that make their survival only less likely. Second, though, if the anti-abortion movement is concerned with these infants allegedly being killed, its odd that Dunigan would assume they all survive.

I reference Dunigan in part to show you how wild these claims can get, and in part because I found a surprisingly large number of pro-life sites that took her seriously in the course of my research.

At this point, we are going to part ways with Dunigan.

What Is Termination of Pregnancy?

Many abortion opponents both in the U.S. and in Canada who have raised concern about infants born alive during an abortion procedure point to a specific mortality classification: Termination of Pregnancy [P96.4]. But heres the problem: according to the CDC, this category includes spontaneous terminations of pregnancy and induced terminations of pregnancy. P96.4, in other words, includes miscarriages that involve live births. Many abortion opponents tout the CDCs P96.4 category without understanding that this category also includes miscarriages. (You can see an article to this effect from the conservative American Center for Law and Justice here.)

In response to a Congressional inquiry regarding which P96.4 fatalities involve induced abortion, following the discovery of Kermit Gosnells horrific illegal abortion clinic, the CDC published a report identifying which P96.4 fatalities were the result of induced abortions. The CDC data showed 588 deaths classified as P96.4 from 2003 to 2014; of these, the CDC was able to identify just under a quarter as involving an induced abortion.

The CDC explained as follows:

Analysis of the text as reported by the cause-of-death certifier show that of 588 deaths [from 2003-2014] with mention of P96.4, 143 (24.3%) could definitively be classified as involving an induced termination.

The report lists 143 deaths among infants born alive after an abortion procedure over the course of 12 years. The report included this breakdown regarding how long these infants lived before they died:

Age at death Frequency Percent <10 minutes 25 17.5 10-59 minutes 35 24.5 1-4 hours 68 47.6 5-23 hours 9 6.3 1 day or more 6 4.2

The chart above is not evidence of foul play.

First, the report did not state how many weeks along these infants were, which would help tell us whether they were actually viable. Next, the report did not state what care these infants were offered, and whether these infants were offered interventions beyond comfort carealthough we can assume, I think, that the six infants who survived more than a day received more than comfort care. Finally, the report also did not state how many infants born alive after an induced termination may have survived (P96.4 only includes fatalities).

A data request for cases listed with the P96.4 fatality code in Canada resulted in this breakdown (remember that this includes deaths among infants born alive as the result of both miscarriages and induced abortions):

Gestational age Percent 13-16 0% 17-20 19% 21-24 76% 25-28 4% 29 + 1%

An infant being born alive after an abortion is not necessarily a sign that something went wrong. Why? Because some women who abort due to severe fetal abnormality want to hold their child while he passes.

The death of an infant born alive during an abortion procedure is also not necessarily evidence of infanticide. Why? Have a look at the numbers in the chart above. The 19% born in weeks 17-20 would not been non-viable. While the numbers do not break down the 76% that were born between week 21 (0% chance of survival) and week 24 (40-70% chance of survival), we can theorize that the breakdown is heavily loaded at the beginning, given that similar data in the UK found that the mean age was 21 weeks. This means that most of these infants were not viable due to prematurity alone. The 5% at or after 25 weeks were very likely to have fetal defects, making survival less likely.

One anti-abortion writer says this of the CDCs 143 recorded born alive abortion-related fatalities:

That is to say, at least 143 infants died after they were born alive following abortion, whether due to injuries sustained as a result of the abortion attempt, due to active neglect or denial of care of injured or preterm infants or some combination of both.

Do you see whats missing? He writes that these babies died either due to injuries sustained during the abortion attempt or due to active neglect or denial of care. This is balderdash. If the breakdown of these cases is anything like those in Canada or the UK (which well look at in a moment), the vast majority of these cases had not reached the point of viability. Further, most abortions performed after 20 weeks are due to fetal abnormalities, which in some cases may themselves render the infant incompatible with life.

When abortion opponents talk about infants born alive during an abortion procedure, they tend to focus on cases like Kermit Gosnell, who ran a house of horrors illegal abortion clinic. Conditions at Gosnells clinic were unsanitary. Women died, or suffered horrendous complications. When infants were born alive in his clinic, Gosnell snipped their spinal cords. Gosnell was sentenced to life in prison, and he deserves everything he got.

But this is the important part: Gosnell was convicted of the murder of three infants, under existing law. What he did was illegal. It is against the law to kill infants born alive in the process of an abortion procedure. That is murder. He got caught, he got charged, and he got put away. The system ultimately worked.

It is a horrendous mistake to assume that all 143 abortion-related P96.4 deaths reported to the CDC were like those of the infants at Gosnells clinic. We are talking about infants born extremely prematurely. Consider this: between 2003 and 2014, there were 445 infant deaths due to miscarriage. These were infants that were also born alive, and also then died. Why? Because they were born prematurely; not because of foul play. There is every reason to assume the same of the 143 CDC recorded abortion-related born-alive infant fatalities from 2003-2014.

Lets turn, for a moment, to a 2007 study from the UK. This study examined all terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly (TOPFAs) in a database of pregnancies with congenital anomalies. Of the 3,189 TOPFAs identified between 1995 and 2004, there were 102 cases of live birth. Researchers found as follows:

Of the 102 live births [recorded between 1995 and 2004], the gestation ranged from 17 to 33 with a median of 21 weeks. The survival duration for liveborn TOPFAs was a median of 80 minutes. Thirtyseven cases survived for 1 hour or less and six cases survived 6 hours or more. The proportions of live births at different gestations were 14.7% between 16 and 20 weeks; 65.7% between 20 and 24; and 19.6% at or after 24 weeks.

The chance of survival of an infant born alive at 21 weeks is 0%. These chances go up slightly each week, reaching a 40-70% chance of survival at 24 weeks and a 90% chance of survival at 27 weeks. And rememberabortions performed during these weeks frequently involve fetal abnormalities that make chances of survival even lower.

When an infant is born prematurely (or with abnormalities that make her incompatible with life), parents typically choose whether to give her comfort care while she passes or whether to offer more aggressive interventions. Under current law, infants born alive during abortion procedures are to be afforded the same care.

The Born Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002

Lets take some time to look at the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, passed in 2002, and Jill Stanek. Ill give you Stanek in her own words, from testimony before Congress during the debate over the bill. Quick warningthis gets a bit graphic. If youd rather skip the quotes here and read my summaries, feel free to do so.

Staneks testimony began as follows:

I am a Registered Nurse who has worked in the Labor & Delivery Department at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, for the past five years. Christ Hospital performs abortions on women in their second or even third trimesters of pregnancy. Sometimes the babies being aborted are healthy, and sometimes they are not. The method of abortion that Christ Hospital uses is called induced labor abortion, also now known as live birth abortion. This type of abortion can be performed different ways, but the goal always is to cause a pregnant womans cervix to open so that she will deliver a premature baby who dies during the birth process or soon afterward. The way that induced abortion is most often executed at my hospital is by the physician inserting a medication called Cytotec into the birth canal close to the cervix. Cytotec irritates the cervix and stimulates it to open. When this occurs, the small, preterm baby drops out of the uterus, oftentimes alive. It is not uncommon for one of these live aborted babies to linger for an hour or two or even longer. One of them once lived for almost eight hours. In the event that a baby is aborted alive, he or she receives no medical assessments or care but is only given what my hospital calls comfort care. Comfort care is defined as keeping the baby warm in a blanket until he or she dies, although even this minimal compassion is not always provided. It is not required that these babies be held during their short lives. One night, a nursing co-worker was taking an aborted Downs Syndrome baby who was born alive to our Soiled Utility Room because his parents did not want to hold him, and she did not have time to hold him. I could not bear the thought of this suffering child dying alone in a Soiled Utility Room, so I cradled and rocked him for the 45 minutes that he lived. He was 21 to 22 weeks old, weighed about  pound, and was about 10 inches long. He was too weak to move very much, expending any energy he had trying to breathe. Toward the end he was so quiet that I couldnt tell if he was still alive unless I held him up to the light to see if his heart was still beating through his chest wall. After he was pronounced dead, we folded his little arms across his chest, wrapped him in a tiny shroud, and carried him to the hospital morgue where all of our dead patients are taken.

In the late 1990s, Stanek was a nurse in the labor and delivery ward at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. While she did not participate in the abortions that were performed there, she heard stories from nurses who did. The procedure typically used was called an induced labor abortion or a live birth abortion: drugs are used to induce labor, and the pregnant woman gives birth prematurely. According to a Christ Hospital spokesperson, between 10 percent and 20 percent of fetuses with genetic defects that are aborted survive for short periods outside the womb.

When an infant was born alive during an induced labor abortion, Stanek reported, that infant would be provided comfort care. Stanek went public with concerns about what she had seen at Christ Hospital for two reasons: First, she did not feel that the comfort care provided was adequate. (She spoke of a time when she came upon a nurse on her way to leave a premature infant in a utility room to die because she did not have time to hold it and the parents did not want to; Stanek held it so it would not die alone.) Second, Stanek argued that the induced labor procedure was used in cases where it should not have been, such as for non-fatal abnormalities like Down syndrome.

A description of Staneks criticism of Christ Hospitals procedures, as well as similar criticism from other nurses, is included in a Congressional report on the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which was passed in 2002:

According to medical experts, this procedure [induced labor or live-birth abortions] is appropriately used only in situations in which an unborn child has a fatal deformity, such as anencephaly or lack of a brain, and infants with such conditions who are born alive are given comfort care (including warmth and nutrition) until they die, which, because of the fatal deformity, is typically within a day or two of birth. According to the testimony of Mrs. Stanek and Mrs. Baker, however, physicians at Christ Hospital have used the procedure to abort healthy infants and infants with non-fatal deformities such as spina bifida and Down Syndrome. Many of these babies have lived for hours after birth, with no efforts made to determine if any of them could have survived with appropriate medical assistance. The nurses have also witnessed hospital staff taking many of these live-born babies into a soiled utility closet where the babies would remain until death. Comfort care, the nurses say, was only provided sporadically.

The Born Alive Infants Protection Act definitively stated that any fetus that was expelled from its mother and showed signs of life, regardless of its developmental stage, was a person. This is why Kermit Gosnell could be tried for murder. Infants born alive as the result of an abortion have the same rights as any other infant born alive.

The Use of Feticide in Later Abortions

If youve read the wrenching stories of women who had late term abortions that have proliferated in the past few months, you may have noticed a common themebefore inducing labor, their doctors gave them an injection that stopped the fetal heartbeat. In fact, if youve read enough of these stories, you may have been scratching your head in confusion when reading Staneks testimony. Theres a good reason for that.

In June 2007, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Committee for the Ethical Aspects of Human Reproduction and Womens Health released a report titled Ethical Aspects Concerning Termination of Pregnancy Following Prenatal Diagnosis. Translated into plain English, this was a report from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics that made recommendations on ethical issues surrounding abortions performed due to fetal abnormality. Feel free to read the whole thing.

The report included this recommendation:

Termination of pregnancy following prenatal diagnosis after 22 weeks must be preceded by a feticide starting with the injection into the fetal circulation of anesthetics and anti-pain medication.

This recommendation was made in 2007. It may not have been in practice at Christ Hospital when Stanek worked there: the hospital may have been simply inducing labor, and not administering feticide. And that may be why, as a Christ Hospital spokesperson stated, between 10 percent and 20 percent of fetuses with genetic defects that are aborted survive for short periods outside the womb. Thats a really high number!

On this pregnancy forum thread, women who had late term abortions discuss whether or not they were offered feticide beforehand. Several state that their doctors did not think it necessary, because their fetuses had such severe abnormalities they were unlikely to survive the birthing process.

Another quick look at the TOPFA study from the UK is of interest:

Within our study 3.2% of TOPFAs result in a live birth. The proportion has reduced significantly over the period of this study from 4.0% in 1995 to 1.7% in 2004. In particular, those of 2223 weeks gestation have reduced significantly over the period of this study from 6.5% in 1995 to 3.0% in 2004. This is likely to be due to the impact of guidelines issued [in 1998] by the RCOG [Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists], that feticide should be offered to ensure that live birth does not occur following TOPFA after 22 weeks. Our data show a significant chance of live birth at 20 and 21 weeks, which we have quantified as being 3.5% and 5.4%, respectively. The RCOG guidelines do not recommend feticide at these gestations.

In 1998, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists changed their recommendations to state that feticide should be offered in all TOPFAs (termination software pregnancy for fetal abnormality) performed at or after 22 weeks. As a result, the rate of TOPFAs that resulted in live births fell from 4.0% to 1.7%. The researchers further recommend extending that guideline to 21 weeks for cases where fetal abnormalities are less imminently lethal.

We can have a conversation about what renders an abnormality severe enough to indicate abortion. I am myself uncomfortable with the rate of abortions due to indication of Down syndrome. But I also think that we need to have other conversationsare we as a society doing enough to support families that raise children with disabilities? What standards should be set for when doctors encourage termination, and when they should not? Do doctors offer women pregnant with a fetus with trisomy 21 contact info for local support groups, before they decide?

I want to bracket that conversation here, though, because that is not the topic of this post. Instead, I want to focus more specifically on the topic at hand: over time, abortion procedures have been adjusted to ensure that an abortion will not result in an infant being born alive. Indeed, the UK-based Nuffield Council on Bioethics report on critical care decisions in fetal and neonatal medicine: ethical issues contains the following:

The Abortion Act 1967 only permits termination of pregnancy after 24 weeks if a fetus is at substantial risk of serious handicap or there is a risk of grave permanent injury to the woman. For terminations at 22 weeks or later, feticide (ending the life of the fetus, usually by lethal injection into the heart) is usually carried out to ensure that a baby is not born alive. When a woman does not want feticide, some doctors may have concerns because they believe that they are legally obliged to try to save a baby who shows signs of life when born. However, there is no legal obligation to prolong the life of a baby when they have no hope of survival or they will suffer more than benefit from the treatment. What is done should be appropriate to the babys condition. The Council recommended that healthcare teams develop codes of practice that make clear what the law does and does not require doctors to do, and that pregnant women be given information about possible outcomes if a baby is born alive following termination on grounds of fetal abnormality. This seems completely reasonable.

What Is a Live Birth?

I want to take a moment to quote from a blog post published last week by Dr. Jen Gunter, an OB/GYN who has performed abortions. Im an OB/GYN and infanticide is not part of abortion care, Gunter wrote.

Gunter discusses what a live birth means:

This is the definition that most states use for live birth: Live Birth means the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, which, after such expulsion or extraction, breathes, or shows any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. Heartbeats are to be distinguished from transient cardiac contractions; respirations are to be distinguished from fleeting respiratory efforts or gasps. The key part is the last sentence: Heartbeats are to be distinguished from transient cardiac contractions; respirations are to be distinguished from fleeting respiratory efforts or gasps. Movement or cardiac activity does not equate life, by the medical and the legal definitions. Whether a birth is recorded as live in situations of extreme prematurity or fetal anomalies  the kind of situations we are talking about  is not cut and dried. For example, when my son Aidan [one of three triplets] was born at 22 1/2 weeks I was asked if I wanted his birth to be considered a live birth? It was my choice. I had no idea? I mean he lived 3 minutes or so, but he could never live a life. What a live birth got me was a birth certificate. I said yes, but in retrospect I wished I hadnt. A live birth meant he was now a hospital patient and so I was charged $600 for the care he received  a blanket and a nurse holding him. Why was I charged? As he lived 3 minutes I obviously didnt apply for health insurance. With no insurer to bill, I was charged for his post delivery care as if he were a term infant in the hospital for less than 24 hours. Nice, huh? It was super special fighting that bill with collections when my other two boys [born at 26 weeks] were in the neonatal intensive care unit struggling to not die. So awesome the forced birth advocates are involved in helping women like me when we are literally penalized for having a live birth. (Heavy sarcasm). The take away  a live birth does not mean a life is possible. There is a huge difference. And, the recording of a live birth can be fluid based on parental wishes.

What counts as a live birth? Of the 143 CDC-reported fatalities among live births after an induced abortion, 25 lived less than 10 minutes. So, too, theres the issue of viabilityan infant can be alive, but not be viable.

Gunter writes as follows:

Most Abortions Cant Possibly End in a Live Birth Because They are Abortions I cant believe I have to spell this out either. I mean, really? [A]bortions at or after 23-24 weeksthe only theoretically possible live birth scenario are done by two methods: surgical or induction of labor. A surgical abortion does not in any situation result in a live birth. Its not possible. The end. So that leaves induction of labor. Again, these are almost always severe fetal anomalies, so the live birth scenario is preposterous and, quite frankly, offensive to those patients who are living the tragedy. Many patients have a procedure to stop fetal cardiac activity before the induction, so fetal demise has already occurred. Some providers think this may shorten the time it takes for induction. And some patients prefer it. Often there is fetal demise during labor, because that is what happens with severe fetal anomalies. In the rare scenario where there is a live birth, parents hold their baby for comfort care.

Abortion opponents point to rare cases where these guidelines arent followed, like Williams case. But that case was plagued by malpractice. The abortion doctor failed to show up and was not even present. Reading between the lines, it sounds like a surgical abortion was intended, but after Williams took medication to soften her cervix, the doctor was not there, so she sat there until she went into labor. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The doctor lost his license.

Gunter also discusses Gosnell, and then notes:

Legal, available, affordable abortion prevents back alley and clandestine procedures. If you want to prevent infanticide from predators, stop writing laws that restrict abortion. Its that simple.

Conclusion

While abortion doctors estimate that the vast majority of abortions after 20 weeks are performed in cases of fetal abnormality, abortion opponents disagree with this claim. One anti-abortion article I saw linked to a study of women who have had abortions that included a number of women who had abortions between 20 and 24 weeks due to not knowing they were pregnant earlier, or having difficulty access abortion care earlier.

The alter abortions are performed, the more they cost and the greater the associated health risk. To the extent that women are having abortions past 20 weeks for reasons other than fetal abnormality, we need to look at reasons that delay these women from seeking abortion earlier and work to remedy them. We need better sex education, to help ensure that women will recognize when they are pregnant. We need better access to medical care, so that women have a doctor and the ability to book an appointment if they have questions about their health. And, of course, we need better access to abortion care, so that women arent required to drive hours away from home.

Those eager to disentangle later abortions from fetal abnormalities (in an attempt to turn public opinion against later abortions) oppose the very things that would decrease the number of later abortions performed for reasons other than fetal abnormality. This means that there is a serious level of disingenuousness at play.

In 2013, after Kermit Gosnells house of horrors was discovered, the House Judiciary Committee asked each states attorney general whether prosecutors in your state treat the deliberate killing of newborns, including those newborns who were delivered alive in the process of abortions, as a criminal offense. Attorney generals across the country responded that they would, and submitted reports. No widespread problems were revealed.

As I reflect on all of this, it seems to me that the central contentionbeyond disagreement over numbersis what care should be provided in cases where an infant is born alive during an induction of labor abortion. If current guidelines are followed, cases that occur at or after 22 weeks of gestation involve the administration of a feticide before inducing labor. These infants should not be born alive. Infants younger than this may be born alive, in rare cases, but they are not viablebabies born at 21 weeks of gestation or earlier cannot survive.

Administering aggressive interventions to a nonviable infant is cruel. What an infant in these circumstances needs is to be kept warm and held until she passes. Im reminded of the death of one of my great-grandmothers. When the paramedics arrived after she had already passed, they wanted to restart her heart. My mother disagreed. My great-grandmother was gone. We didnt need more traumaand her body didnt either. The same is true here.

That said, any infant born alive during the course of an abortion should be assessed to determine whether it is viable, and if it is viable, it should be provided more than comfort care. This is currently required by law; doctors who do not respond appropriately risk sanctions. But remember, these born alive cases are rare, and in the vast majority of them, the correct assessment will be comfort care. Lawmakers should be careful about legislating specific aspects of medical procedures. They are not doctors, and unintended consequences are far too common.

I appreciated the UK guidelines I quoted from earlier, which advised medical teams to come up with guidelines outlining what care should be provided for in the unlikely case that an infant is born alive in the course of a later abortionand to ensure that women who undergo these procedures are aware of these guidelines.

I dearly wish we could just let medicine be medicine, and divorce it from politics. The fraught political climate around abortion isnt helping. The partisanship gets in the way of honestly discussing real issues.

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I was recently a bystander on a Facebook thread about being Buddhist and Christian. My name was raised as an example of someone, how shall we say, spiritually fluid. A lovely term coined by Duane Bidwell, a professor at Claremont School of Theology, Presbyterian minister, and long time Buddhist practitioner.

I raised my usual objection that being a Unitarian Universalist is not (necessarily) being a Christian. And that, me, while I am a rationalist and naturalist (common characteristics among Unitarian Universalists) I basically considered myself a Zen Buddhist, not a Christian.

The thread moved quickly into a not uncommon conundrum  defining religions. One of the contributors was insistent that a religion must be defined by its most conservative possible definition. And for Christianity that is a relentless dualism. Therefore, according to this principle there could be no possibility for someone being a Buddhist and a Christian. And this stalled that conversation.

This is a common position in some atheist circles, as well as among the oddest of allies, fundamentalists. Frankly, people with fewer axes to grind and an interest in religions find such a position obnoxious. It is usually more about scoring points than uncovering truths. And certainly it is not description of the way things actually work. This is true on grand scales, and it is true for individuals. Religions are aspects of culture and they emerge, they evolve, sometimes they die, okay, they all die. Religions are part and parcel of cultures encountering one another, and in those meetings, clash, engage, redefine, and, well, you know, like all things, evolve

Then, that very day I received an invitation to be on a panel sponsored by the Society for Buddhist Christian Studies, itself a meeting associated with the annual gathering of the American Academy of Religions. A crowd of a rather different color than the adamant atheist who took over that Facebook thread. The subject was a conversation among people who can be identified as Dual Practice/Belonging. Professor Bidwells spiritually fluid. In fact the good professor will be on the panel.

The invitation from an old friend and mentor of mine Ruben Habito, himself a Christian as well as a widely respected Zen teacher, who noted Your unique perspective as a Zen Buddhist and a UU pastor also very deeply knowledgeable of (and once considered ordained ministry in) the Christian tradition will surely provide the audience with very enriching and pertinent insights on the theme.

He reminded me there was a period of discernment where I quite seriously considered whether my home could be as a person of Zen within a Christian denomination. I wrestled mightily with going with my natal tradition as the expression of what I found within Zen. But, I ultimately decided my personal path was best as UU and Zen Buddhist. It granted me the widest range of movement, while still grounding my life. But, I gave it some serious reflections. And, there was and remains a constant Christian connection.

Together these two things, that Facebook thread, and this invitation sparked me to think a bit about religion, religions, culture, adaptation, and evolution.

I suspect part of the problem is the word religion itself. Our current use of the word emerges in the mid Nineteenth century. Some associate it with Christian missionaries encountering the worlds religions. And theres some truth to that. But, I think its largely a misdirection.

Rather the term comes with that wonderful Western interest in examining things. And with that a rising need to come up with working definitions of observed phenomena. So there are religions in particular. And out of observing several rising theories of religions writ large. In the study of religion this has itself been dynamic with the theories constantly changing as new information becomes available. And. Generally a salutary thing. But, the project comes with shadows, and among those shadows is that it seeks that particularization, becoming hard boundaries.

The Buddha noted this is a problem with human cognition. And, here we get a really good example of reification. With our noticing religions in particular we cling to hard definitions. Just like we cling to hard definitions of who we are as individuals. Definitions that are good rules of thumb, but not mathematical axioms. It is important to recall that human beings and our cultures are not nouns, but verbs. Were dynamic.

Here we get that confluence of agendas in the Facebook debate. Youre this or youre that. And there can be no shading. The reality, however, throughout history, as been much messier. Religion is always mutating, always becoming. These changes happen at the edges, mostly. And then slowly migrate to the center. Or, bud off and become something entirely new. The truth of our lives is change. And religions are no exception.

So, getting to the nitty-gritty. For me the problem with joining a Christian church was, and, really, remains that while I am culturally Christian, by most definitions I am either an atheist or, I would prefer a non-theist. Atheist in our time and place has a certain emotional charge that isnt part of my experience.

Now, in fact within mainstream Christian traditions there is a certain elasticity to how one needs to identify ultimacy, the divine, God. And as a UU minister I preach from an ambiguously theistic perspective, to lift a term from my UU colleague Dr Victoria Weinstein. I love theistic language. I think it points to things. And, while I know it is bound to be misinterpreted, what else is new in human religions. And, for me, religion is most of all about the mysteries of being human.

Still, a significant percentage of the Christian community, a majority do insist on a dualistic understanding. If not the full on fundamentalist definition, certainly a dualism that I cannot in good conscience subscribe to. So, while there are a hundred reasons why I identify with Christianity writ large, respect and admire, and in a given moment might call myself Christian, because of all the hedges and buts involved, I do not call myself a Christian.

And thats why after wrestling with the rich possibilities of throwing in my lot with the Anglicans, or, maybe the United Church of Christ, at a critical turn I decided against that route. Not least of which that I would always be a marginal member of the traditionI, and I feel marginal enough, thank you. Still, I could have with only the slightest of compromises, not only joined them, but become in fact become a priest or minister among them.

All without, I honestly believe, compromising my life dedication to Zen.

Part of the issue raises out of what actually Zen might be. I believe it is a religion. In fact it is a particular expression of Buddhism. But, shove and push, I dont believe Zen can be confined to a particular religion. The Christian Zen folk are witness to that reality. Whatever one might want, there they are.

As the religions of the world are concerned to some degree with the how and why of our existence, whether those religions are concerned primarily with cosmology or crowd control or whatever, somewhere along the line these open secrets about who we are will be found. And any mature religion will have people whove seen partially or deeply into the matter and will have integrated these teachings into the religion. Usually this is the territory of any given religions mystical traditions.

And, as I see it, Zen is one of, for me, the clearest and cleanest expression of that mystical heart. But the heart belongs to all of us. So I lift a line from the Anglican tradition that says of the Bible, it contains everything necessary to salvation and gave the phrase a slight twist, asserting that how I see it, all religions contain everything necessary to salvationto that healing insight about who we really are.

But. And. Whatever the right word to assert thats not the end of the deal, religions are too often mostly concerned with other things entirely. Mostly, crowd control. So, while one can find a way in all the religions, there are those with higher signal to noise ratios. For me that leads me to Zen.

And then there is the great clash of religions, and how we meet, how we talk, how we understand what we encounter. I think of Buddhism come to Indian and the astonishing culture clash that would in part result in the birth of Zen. A perspective in some ways so novel that there continue to be people, some polemicists, others honest scholars who wonder whether Zen should even be considered Buddhist.

I know for me it opens to a kind of universalism. And with that. In the moment this raises the question how I, me, James, how do I engage the world and in particular my own life as a Zen Buddhist. What does that actually mean? And, with that what about the mysteries of culture and how we as individuals emerge within this world.

I look at how I engage any number of issues within my Zen life. And I realize my Christian roots, my formal theological formation, and, well, my life taken whole, profoundly informs how I engage the great Zen project.

What I saw was how I, as a Zen Buddhist, raised and nurtured within American Protestant Christianity, who has lived specifically within Unitarian Universalism for much of my adult life, further informed by a seminary education that included a deep investigation of Christian origins as well as an heir to the Western Enlightenment, profoundly informed by a broad and progressive engagement. And, I realize, we all do the same thing. Each in our different way, we are the product of a great mess of things coming together.

So, and therefore, what?

In this reflection, already running on a tad too long for a blog post, Id say this:

Religion is always messy. It is about the most fundamental of human concerns, and we bring our whole lives to it. Those of us who live at the meeting places of religions and cultures need to be particularly humble. If we hope to heal our own hearts, and perhaps even be of use to others, we need to walk both deliberately and carefully. We need to be aware of the lenses we bring to the matter.

And, most of all, to know the project itself is the awakening of the world.

And heres a truth. The pathways to that awakening are mostly held within religions. And religions are parts of cultures. And, all of it dynamic. So, sometimes orthodox. Sometimes syncretic. Sometimes, well, you get it. Its dynamic. We need to be fluid if we want to arrive at a healing place.

But we open ourselves. And, oh, my. We see things through one perspective, but allow ourselves to see at a different angle, and, in a heartbeat the world changes.

So, with that, maybe we can even think of being a bit kinder to each other, more forgiving of foibles, and be more about healing. You know, the project.

A dream within a dream, like a child blowing bubbles becoming worlds

Or, like a dance. Like a dance.
Ranchi: In yet another setback for Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav, a special CBI court in Ranchi on Saturday sentenced him to 14 years in jail and fined Rs 60 lakh in connection with the fourth fodder scam case involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from Dumka treasury in '90s.

Yadav who, along with 18 others was found guilty by the same court on March 19, was given two separate sentences of seven years each to be run consecutively.

The punishment was awarded by CBI Judge Shiv Pal Singh under various Indian Penal Codes (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Acts.

Charges against Yadav included cheating under IPC Section 420, criminal breach of trust by public servant under Section 409, forgery of valuable security under Section 467, forgery for purpose of cheating under Section 468, using a forged document as genuine under section 471, fraudulent cancellation, destruction of will or valuable security under Section 477, and criminal conspiracy under Section 120B.

The judge also slapped Yadav with a fine of Rs. 30 lakh.

Yadav will have to spend an additional one year if he failed to pay the fine.

Others who were also awarded long prison term and fines include former Regional Director of Animal Husbandry Department O P Diwakar, former IAS officer Phoolchand Singh, nine other Animal Husbandry officials, and seven former fodder suppliers.

The RJD chief's attorney Prabhat Kumar said his client would appeal the verdict in a higher court.

Yadav remains incarcerated in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Jail since last December 23 when he was convicted in the second fodder scam case involving fraudulent withdrawal of money from Deoghar treasury.

A fifth and final case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 139 crore from Doranda treasury in Ranchi is still pending.

Talking to reporters in Patna, Yadav's son and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejaswi Yadav once again accused the NDA leaders of conspiring against his father while also alleging his father's life was in danger inside the prison.

"I am convinced Lalu ji's life is under threat because of the conspiracy hatched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders," the heir-apparent to the party in the absence of his father, said.



BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, however, shrugged off the allegations saying if Yadav felt his life was in danger then he should take it up with a court.
For many, corned beef and cabbage is a once-a-year meal, usually eaten on St. Patricks Day.

The hearty dish with potatoes is as much a part of the American celebration on March 17 as wearing green and drinking Guinness.

The secret is to simmer the meat slowly, whether on the stove, in the oven or in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. We have several recipes below.

In the meantime, its helpful to know the recipe has its roots in Ireland but has been slightly altered. The version popular in the United States is the creation of Irish immigrants who, in search of bacon joints to simmer with cabbage, turned to cured beef.

The corned beef was accessible and plentiful in New Yorks Jewish delis and markets where many of the immigrants first lived.

As for corning, it has nothing to do with corn and is a form of curing. The process originated in Anglo-Saxton times when meat was dry-cured in coarse corns of salt, some the size of corn kernels, that were rubbed on the meat to prevent it from spoiling.

Here are some recipes and cooking methods:

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 (3-pound) corned beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat

10 baby carrots, peeled and trimmed

12 small new potatoes or 5 baking potatoes peeled and halved

1 head green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges and core remove

Instructions:

The pot you use needs to be big enough to hold meat, vegetables and simmering water without crowding and overflowing. This is especially important if you're adding more vegetables. You can add more cabbage, potatoes or baby carrots.

Mustard and Horseradish Sauce makes a tangy accompaniment. To prepare it, combine 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish and 2 tablespoons sour cream.

Place beef in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add enough cold water to cover the meat by 2 inches. Bring just to boil on high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim and discard froth that rises to the top. Cover and simmer for 2 hours and 35 minutes.

Add vegetables and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. If you want the cabbage cooked tender-crisp, cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, then add the cabbage for about 15 minutes of cooking.

Transfer beef to a cutting board and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Slice across the grain into 1/4-inch slices.

To serve, arrange beef slices on serving platter. Remove vegetables from pot with slotted spoon and surround beef on platter. If desired, serve with Mustard and Horseradish Sauce on the side.

Here are other methods from From United States Department of Agriculture. Whichever method you choose, be sure the beef reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees to ensure it is safely cooked.

Stove top: Place brisket fat-side up in a large pot and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, allowing about one hour per pound. Vegetables may be added during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking. Cook to desired tenderness.

Oven: Set the oven for 350 degrees or no lower than 325 degrees. Place brisket fat-side up. Barely cover the meat with water --about one inch -- and keep the container covered throughout the cooking time. Allow about one hour per pound.

Slow cooker: If using root vegetables, put them in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cut brisket into pieces of like size to ensure thorough cooking. Place brisket on top of vegetables (if using) or in bottom of cooker. Add about 11/2 cups of water or enough to cover meat. Cover and cook on high setting for one hour. Then cook for 10 to 12 hours on the low setting or 5 to 6 hours on high.Cabbage wedges may be added on top of the brisket during the last three hours.

Corned Beef and Cabbage, Instant Pot

Ingredients:

2 pounds corned beef 1.5 inches in thickness

4 cups Water cold

1 medium onion quartered

4 garlic cloves crushed

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns whol

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon allspice whole

3 cloves whole

3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon ginger ground, optional

6 carrots peeled, cut to 2.5 inches length

4 red potatoes quartered

1 cabbage cut into 8 wedges

Instructions

Rinse corned beef under cold tap water. Rinse well and pat dry with paper towel. Add rinsed corned beef, quartered onion, crushed garlic cloves, pickling spices seasoning, and 4 cups of cold water into the Instant Pot.

Close lid and pressure cook on Manual at High Pressure for 70 minutes followed by Natural Release for about 15 minutes. If the floating valve doesnt drop after 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the venting knob from sealing position to venting position. Open lid carefully.

While the pressure cooker is natural releasing, prepare the vegetables as described.

Set aside cooked corned beef and 3 cups of the hot liquid in a large serving bowl. There should be about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of liquid left in the pressure cooker. Add quartered red potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges in the pressure cooker.

Close lid and pressure cook on Manual at High Pressure for 2 - 3 minutes, followed by a Quick Release. Open the lid carefully.

On a chopping board, cut Corned Beef against the grain into 1/8 inch slices. Serve with cabbage wedges, red potatoes and carrots.

Recipe from Instant Pot.
Two people were killed in a crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike after one of the two cars involved had been traveling in the wrong direction.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Gibsonia, both drivers were killed and several passengers were injured in the Saturday-night crash in Beaver County near westbound mile marker 8.1.

Police say the crash occurred like this:

William E. Paxton, 76, of Pittsburgh, was driving a 2012 Subaru Outback east in the westbound lanes for about 8 miles around 11:43 p.m. Saturday when he struck a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder head on.

Paxton was killed in the crash, and so was Andrew B. Sworan, 36, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, who was driving the Pathfinder.

His passengers, Jane A. Sworan, 40, and two children, a 5-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, were taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Mercy Health Center in Youngstown, Ohio, with possible injuries.

Paxtons passenger, 74-year-old Kathleen Peluso, was flown to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital with serious injuries.

The westbound lanes were closed for about four hours as police investigated.
HARRISBURG  Bracing themselves against freezing gusts on the steps of Harrisburgs Capitol Complex, more than a hundred Pennsylvanians gathered Saturday night to mourn the death of 50 people killed in a terrorist attack in New Zealand.

The gathering, organizers said, had a dual purpose.

We have organized this not only to show support and solidarity with the victims but to send the message that we are united, we are strong, said Atika Syed of Hummelstown, who immigrated from Pakistan nine years ago. Yes, we are scared, but we are not going to be scared into silence.

Fifty people were killed and fifty injured on Friday after a gunman opened fire in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. The shooting, in a nation that typically experiences 40 homicides per year, is the worst in its modern history.

The suspect, identified in court papers as Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, wrote in a manifesto released before the attack that he viewed immigrants as invaders" and wanted to ensure the existence of our people, and a future for white children."

The massacre in Christchurch is the latest in a series of high-profile killings in the Western world motivated by Islamaphobia or racism. In Canada, six people were killed and 19 injured in an attack on a Mosque in Quebec City in 2017. In October, 11 people were killed at a synagogue in Pittsburgh by a gunman who yelled anti-semitic slurs.

On Saturday, leaders of central Pennsylvanias Jewish community said they stood in solidarity with the Muslim community following the attack in New Zealand.

No one should have to fear attending a place of worship, Jennifer Ross, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, told the crowd.

Rabbi Ron Muroff of the Chisuk Emuna Congregation of Greater Harrisburg echoed those words.

On a visit to Pittsburgh following Octobers shooting, Muroff said, he saw many signs posted in storefronts in support of the Jewish community. The one that touched him the most had a simple message: love thy neighbor - no exceptions.

Those words, he said, were as salient as ever. A persons faith, or their country of origin, was irrelevant.

If we can look into each others eyes and we can see not an other but a brother', a sister', then I think theres hope, Muroff said.

Addressing the crowd, other speakers touched on the troubling prevalence of racism and Islamaphobia in American society. Others grappled with the difficulty in fathoming how a young man could kill an innocent person  much less 50, including children.

We should all condemn what happened, said Mohammad Safiullah. It was evil. Pure evil.

As the vigil concluded, Syed, the events organizer, added in final remarks that New Zealands handling of the incident was a model for the rest of the world.

Not only had the nations prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, immediately labelled the attack an act of terrorism, Syed said, her government had already proposed to tighten the nations gun laws.

I would like to say to the people of New Zealand, our hearts hurt, we are in a lot of pain, we cant even imagine what you are going through Syed said. But the way you have handled this crazy situation should be a lesson for Americans and American politicians.
CHICAGO (AP)  Federal prosecutors say the owner of Pennsylvania debt collection company faces charges he tried to bribe county clerks in Illinois and Florida to obtain business from their offices.

Prosecutors said Friday that Penn Credit Corp. owner Donald Donagher Jr. has been indicted on six counts. Officials accuse the 67-year-old of trying to make payments to influence the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk along with three Florida county clerks.

Prosecutors accuse Donagher of making campaign donations, financially sponsoring events and providing free or discounted robocalls on behalf of certain clerks' campaign.

Cook County Clerk Dorothy Browns spokeswoman says Donagher never approached Brown or her office improperly in any way or at any time. Donaghers attorney, Theodore Poulos, says his client acted legally and in good faith and the allegations are false.

Penn Credits website says the firms mailing address is on Commerce Drive, near the border of Susquehanna and Lower Paxton townships. It lists the markets it serves as including state government, health care, education, utilities and telecommunications.

Donagher is described on the firms website as a self-made entrepreneur and leader in the collection industry for more than 30 years.

According to a Jan. 2017 PennLive article, In recent ye, hes also dressed like sSanta and delivered gifts and cash to emergency responders and needy children.s awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Leader Award by the city of Harrisburg and has received recognition countless times for his many entrepreneurial accomplishments and service as a board member by Pennsyvlanias Capital Regional Chamber of Commerce, the website says.

He was in the news two years ago when he sought to amend Susquehanna Townships zoning ordinance to allow him to build a helipad so he could commute by helicopter from his home in Silver Spring Township.

According to a Jan. 2017 PennLive article, In recent years, hes also dressed like Santa and delivered gifts and cash to emergency responders and needy children.

In recent years, Donald Donagher, owner of Penn Credit Corp. has dressed like santa and delivered gifts and cash to emergency responders and needy children. Donagher was charged Friday with trying to bribe county clerks in Florida and Chicago to obtain business from their offices.

PennLive staffer Teresa Bonner contributed to this report.
With each criminal conviction the state of Pennsylvania matter-of-factly tells the defendants how long they will spend behind bars. Hidden from view, in the fine-print, is a long list of additional penalties attached to these convictions.

Only upon leaving prison and while attempting to rebuild their lives, do offenders experience, first-hand, how these non-prison penalties limit or deny their basic rights to housing, food stamps, education, voting, employment, child custody and much more.

A 2018 study conducted by the Prison Policy Initiative found that formally incarcerated people are unemployed at a rate of over 27%higher than the total U.S. unemployment rate during any historical period, including the Great Depression[and]Exclusionary policies and practices are responsible for these . . . States should implement automation record expungement procedures and reform their licensing practices so as to eliminate the automatic rejection of people with felony convictions.

The stigma of incarceration and disconnection from the workforce, according to a Council of State Governments report, are among the challenges people face when trying to find a job after release from prison or jail. People who have been incarcerated earn 40 percent less annually than they had earned prior to incarceration.

Researchers at the Council of State Governments have prepared a list of 850 separate collateral consequences imbedded in Pennsylvania statutes and regulationswaiting to snare persons convicted of a crime. Some consequences kick-in automatically. Others are applied on a case-by-case basis. Some have a set duration, others are indefinite.

Here are a few examples of how Pennsylvanias post-prison penalties make the prison-to-society transition more difficult for many ex-offenders.

Employment

Ineligible to serve as an employee at a licensed tavern gaming establishment. A mandatory/automatic penalty with a time-limited duration for any felony conviction.

Ineligible for farm produce dealer license. A mandatory/automatic penalty with an indefinite duration for conviction of crimes involving fraud, dishonesty, misrepresentation or money-laundering.

Ineligible to serve as firefighter. A mandatory/automatic penalty with an indefinite duration for conviction of violent crimes.

Education

Ineligible for educational support services grant. A mandatory/automatic penalty of indefinite duration for conviction of crimes involving fraud, dishonesty, misrepresentation or money-laundering.

Housing/Family Rights

Terminate parental rights. A discretionary penalty, of an indefinite duration, for conviction of a violent crime.

Deny child custody rights. A discretionary penalty, of an indefinite duration, for conviction of controlled substance, motor vehicle or sex offenses and crimes of violence.

Ineligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance payments. A mandatory/automatic, but time-limited, penalty for conviction of crimes involving fraud, dishonesty, misrepresentation or money-laundering.

Occupational Licenses

Because One out of five working Americans needs a license to work while one in three American adults has a criminal record, the Institute for Justice encourages state lawmakers to repeal needless licenses, scale back anti-competitive licensing laws and strengthen the rights of people with a criminal record to gain meaningful employment.

To do so, the Institute has prepared, for state adoption, a model legislation titled, Collateral Consequences in Occupational Licensing Act. And, to date, at least 18 statesbut not Pennsylvaniahave reformed their occupational licensing laws to reduce entry barriers for those with a criminal record.

Nonetheless, in Pennsylvania, according to the Collateral Consequences Resource Centers Restoration of Rights Project, a non-profit organization that tracks legal restrictions placed on people with a criminal record, employers may consider felony and misdemeanor convictions only to the extent they relate to an applicants suitability for employment/licensure in the position sought. And, by executive policy, application forms for public employment may not inquire into an applicants criminal history.

Each ex-offender has a personal responsibility to make the life-style changes needed to successfully re-enter society. But, doesnt society also have a responsibility to give wrong-doers the opportunity to make these changes and to become productive, law-abiding citizens?

When state legislatures erect legal barriers that make life after prison difficult, if not impossible, they are setting people with a criminal record up for failureand a trip back to prison.

Ronald Fraser, Ph.D., writes on public policy issues for the DKT Liberty Project, a Washington-based civil liberties organization.
One week after the accident at Three Mile Island, I wrote an Open Letter from Harrisburg in to friends and family and anyone else who might care on behalf of central Pennsylvanians.

Forty years later, I'll explore the emotions and attitudes of March 1979 and how they still impact those who lived through those trying days.

Area residents of a certain age retain vivid memories of those scary days, heightened by the many potential scenarios of looming tragedy and the unknown. Scare-mongers uttered the wildest of theories, including that it was the "end of the world." Panic reared its ugly head among many good and stable folks.

In my 40-year-old letter, which ran as a column in The Patriot, I noted how the TMI radio updates were eerily similar to Orson Welles The War of the Worlds program. Both used the phrase We interrupt this program ... very effectively.

The 1939 radio show was science fiction that half the nation thought was real while, 40 years later, TMI was real, and felt like sci-fi. And now it's another 40 years, and the nuclear plant is scheduled to shut down this fall.

Advisories during the early days of the accident ranged from "if you live within a certain radius (10 miles was most prevalent), get the hell out of town and fast," to stay inside, don't go out for any reason. Pregnant women and those who hoped to be someday were vehemently urged to pack necessities and go away, relocate elsewhere, and take all minor children with you.

Friends and colleagues did. Destination: Sunbury, Lewisberry, anywhere but here, along with New York and New Jersey, and points south, north, west.

Concern, confusion and chaos reigned, fueled by rumors and erroneous reports. No one seemed to be in charge, and various spokesmen failed to indicate they had a handle on accurate information as to what was really going on and what residents should do.

Reporters from local media, national press and organizations around the world were frustrated by conflicting reports from officials, a frustration that turned to anger by some.

A savior was needed, desperately.

One appeared. His name Harold Denton. His title: Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Denton, an average-looking, everyday-Joe, took over as information specialist. He seemed to be everywhere, assuring us on radio and TV that we'd be safe, explaining the safety measures being conducted, along with the cleanup. Area residents didn't have to be rocket scientists to understand his laymans language and, most critically, he was trusted - and believed.

Denton retired in 1998 and died in 2017, 11 days shy of his 81st birthday, with little notice, despite his heroic contribution in calming a potentially dangerous situation. Local residents who lived through the ordeal remember Denton and talk of him reverently.

He might not have prevented a nuclear disaster, but he did quell whatever fear-based rioting might have occurred without his presence.

U.S. President Jimmy Carter on April 1, 1979, in the control room of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant near Middletown, Pa. Standing with Carter are, from left, Harold Denton, director of the U.S. Nuclear Agency; PA. Gov. Dick Thornburgh; Rosalyn Carter; and an unidentified control room employee.AP

Denton paved the way for the visit by President Jimmy Carter a few days later. The photo of the president and his wife, Rosalyn, standing in a pool of water in the TMI plant, wearing wading boots, served as the iconic image of assurance that all would be well within Middletowns 10-mile radius and beyond.

With tensions reduced, reporters  many crowded into The Patriot-News building on Market Street in Harrisburg - sought something other than gloom and doom to write about. Feature stories about TMI personnel, farmers and residents, police and firemen, volunteers who helped provide creature comforts for one and all were high on the coverage list.

Midstaters who never dreamed they'd see their name in print or their faces on TV acquired their very own 15 minutes of fame.

Humor - or attempts at it - also made its way into print, best epitomized by the ink-stained wretch who I believe was from Philadelphia and worked at the state house. To paraphrase: If you visit Harrisburg at night, and the streets are dark, dirty and deserted, dont worry! Its always like that.

In the days following the accident, entrepreneurs, quick to make a buck, cashed in on what might be called instant nostalgia. T-shirts, sweat shirts, and banners proclaimed, "I Survived TMI." Drinks and restaurant menu items christened dishes with a nuclear theme.

Old friends from grammar school invited my wife, Betty, and me to New York City to celebrate our safe "escape" from nuclear annihilation. Upon our arrival, our host wasted no time in turning off the lights to see if we'd glow in the dark.

"Good!" they said, when we didn't. "Now, let's have a drink."

Central Pennsylvanians were grateful we dodged the bullet, a bullet that struck the people in and around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant a decade and a half later, killing thousands in the aftermath of the meltdown in the Ukraine.

But our feelings of relief would develop a serious twist. Controversy still revolves around reports linking various cancers to whatever might have escaped into the air, into streams and on the land, particularly farms.

Research failed to establish an indisputable connection. Government agencies wouldn't accept anecdotal evidence as genuine proof.

Personally, I doubt the doubters. While I lack the data, I have seen cancers attack friends and acquaintances in greater incidence than before 1979, often fatally - my wife among them. For nearly 50 years, we shared the same foods, drank the same wine, lived in the same houses, traveled the same roads. Yet, she developed an incurable blood disease and died two months after the diagnosis. Had the leukemia contaminated her bloodstream during TMI and hibernate there, only to emit the toxic elements 30 or so years later?

Her family had no known history of cancer. Mine did.

I've read what I could find and attended conferences, asking opinions and theories of the professionals - doctors, nurses, researchers - who couched their answers with what they believed was only possible and not probable, and certainly not definitive.

I do accept the likelihood that my question as to whether the 1979 incident was tied to later cancers will never be answered. But it hasnt put an end to my wondering.

Meanwhile, if any of the outside journalists who availed themselves of the hospitality of the Patriot-News in 1979 and wish to revisit the newsroom, theyll have to use their imaginations.

A month before TMIs 40-year anniversary, that venerable structure was demolished. Rubble and a hole in the ground are all that remain. And, of course, the memories of us old-timers who lived through those times.

Bill Blando was a copy editor with The Patriot and Evening News in 1979.

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This month marks the 40th anniversary of the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. PennLive is collaborating with PA Post and WITF on a multimedia, month-long look at the accident, its impact and the future of TMI and the nuclear industry. That includes new documentary television and radio programs, long-form audio stories, photos, and digital videos. The work will include the voices of people affected as well as community events to engage with listeners, readers and viewers.
Ive got the perfect slogan for President Trumps re-election campaign: Promises Made, Promises Not Kept, But Im Betting My Voters Are Too Stupid to Notice.

Lets take stock: Trump promised to build a wall along the 2,000-mile southern border, with the cost of the big, beautiful barrier to be borne by Mexico. Trump made this pledge not once but dozens of times, in a call-and-response ritual at his campaign rallies.

Whos going to pay for the wall? he would demand, and the cheering crowds would yell the answer: Mexico!

Result: Not a single mile of Trumps wall has been built. When Mexican officials made clear they would never pay a cent toward construction, Trump asked Congress for the money. Even with Republicans in control of both the House and the Senate for two full years, Congress declined to waste taxpayer dollars on the project.

When Democrats took the House, Trump declared a national emergency in an attempt to steal funds from other projects. Still, despite what he claims, Trump has built no new wall. Trump promised to reverse trade policies that he said were allowing the rest of the world to play Americans for suckers. He pointed to the U.S. balance-of-trade deficit as a yardstick measuring the stupidity of prior administrations that allowed trading partners like China, Mexico, Germany and even Canada to walk all over them.

Tariffs were the solution, Trump said, as he launched a series of trade wars. I love tariffs, he crowed.

Result: The Commerce Department announced Wednesday that the overall U.S. trade deficit in goods last year soared to an all-time high of $891 billion. The deficit with China, Trumps principal target -- the amount by which the value of imported goods exceeded the value of exported goods -- reached a record $419 billion. Many economists believe this is actually a sign of the U.S. economys relative good health. But according to Trumps understanding, or misunderstanding, it is an abject failure.

Trump promised on Twitter that there is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. He made that boast last year following his summit in Singapore with Kim Jong Un, with whom Trump said he had fallen in love. Most experts on North Korea warned that Kims vague promises to work toward denuclearization were worthless, but Trump insisted he had made a breakthrough and mused about possibly winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Result: Following months of little or no progress, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told Congress in January that North Korea is unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons.

A second Trump-Kim summit, held last month in Hanoi, ended abruptly without an agreement. Around the same time, according to news reports, the North Koreans restarted work on a ballistic missile site. While Pyongyang has refrained from further tests of its nukes and missiles, Kims stockpile likely continues to grow. The threat remains.

Trump promised to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, claiming he would put in place a new health insurance system that would deliver better results and lower costs. He made the assault on Obamacare the main thrust of his first year in office.

Result: Obamacare remains the law of the land. Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress failed in an attempt to repeal the ACA and did not even make a serious attempt to design a potential replacement. Republicans have managed to chip away at the health care law -- the individual mandate is gone, for example -- and Trump often claims the ACA is imploding. But still it stands.

Trump promised to spend up to $1.5 trillion on refurbishing the nations infrastructure, building new airports, bridges, tunnels, roads and other gleaming monuments to American greatness. He said he was uniquely able to oversee such a program because of his successful career as a real estate magnate.

Result: Infrastructure Week has become a running joke. Every once in a while, the administration announces it is launching the infrastructure campaign -- then does nothing meaningful to follow through.Trump promised to drain the swamp of corruption in Washington.Result: Perhaps the most corrupt administration in U.S. history, riddled with nepotism and teeming with swamp creatures.I could go on.

Trump did fulfill some promises he made to far-right ideologues (appointing archconservative judges) and the ultra-rich friends he sups with at Mar-a-Lago (cutting taxes for the wealthy).

Overall, though, his administration has been a great big failure. He apparently believes his loyal supporters are the dumbest, most gullible people on earth.

We shall see if hes right.
Theres not much nuance to politics, even when the issue clearly has some. Most folks want clear, black and white, easily defined stances. Like the umpire calling balls and strikes, they want certainty even if its a narrow call.

This weeks vote in the United States Senate to block President Trumps declaration of a national emergency at the southern border in order to secure an additional $3.6 billion to build another 234 miles of physical barriers (the wall) had some interesting nuances. Youd never know it from the headliners.

The national media cast this as a rebuke of President Trumps overreach by end-running Congress with the national emergency declaration. It was more than that.

Presidential declarations of national emergency go back only about one hundred years. President Wilson proclaimed one in 1917 in order to create a U.S. Shipping Board.

Franklin Roosevelt asserted vastly broader presidential powers, as he did with many things, by declaring national emergencies virtually without limitation. The Supreme Court, in the landmark Youngstown Sheet & Tube case reigned him in, but didnt take away the power of a president to make emergency declarations.

It was more than 40 years later when the National Emergencies Act (NEA) was possessed by Congress and signed into law by President Ford. Interestingly, it was sponsored by Peter Rodino, a Democrat from New Jersey who, as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, had presided over the Watergate hearings. He should have known a thing or two about the limitations of presidential power. It passed the House by an overwhelming 388-5 vote.

Since then every president, both Republican and Democrat, has declared several national emergencies. Presidents Clinton and Obama lead the way. How many of those declarations are you familiar with, or even heard of?

There have been almost 60 (59) declarations of national emergency under the NEA. More than half (31) remain in existence. They range from the relatively innocuous, like maintaining presidential power over exports in times of national crisis after the Export Administration Act lapsed, to more serious ones such the first, which dealt with the Iranian hostage crisis.

Theres always been a tension between the executive branch and the legislative over these powers. Regardless of party, the occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have consistently held a very different view from those on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

The current controversy has been cast as a tug-of-war between border security and expanding presidential power.

But some dont seem to really be all that interested in border security. In fact, many congressional Democrats have openly questioned whether or not there is a crisis at the southern border that would give rise to such a declaration.

Yet with national emergency declarations in place involving Somali pirates in Yemen, The South Sudan, Central African Republic, and Burundi, many are asking why these members of Congress are so adamant when it comes to our own border.

Complicating things is the fact that the Democratic leadership has switched positions. It was Chuck Schumer who declared that there was a crisis and then voted for nearly $25 Billion in wall funding.

With clear evidence that more needs to be done, hes an ardent opponent.

The frustration of President Trump is understandable. Whether his move to use the powers of the NEA are the best way of dealing with his frustrations is an open question.

Plenty of conservatives and Republicans are concerned about invoking these powers becoming a precedent that will be used by a left-wing president sometime in the future.

Thomas J. Donahue, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, warned the declaration of a national emergency . . . creates a dangerous precedent that erodes the very system of government that has served us so well for over 200 years.

Several conservative organizations, from the Heritage Foundation, the bastion of right-of-center thought, to Freedom Works also opposed the president out of concern over the expansion of presidential power in areas specifically relegated to congress.

They also opposed Barack Obamas granting millions of illegal immigrants legal status on the same grounds. Their liberal counterparts were not as consistent.

When the Senate vote was taken, a dozen Republicans joined with the Democrats. They were both moderates and conservatives. Both Pennsylvania senators voted for the measure. Not much nuance to that.
For Subscribers Older phones may soon cease to operate with 3G network retirement

A number of older cellphones and devices may no longer work after the retirement of 3G networks next year.
Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland joined an event recognizing grandparents who have become caregivers as a result of the heroin and opioid epidemic. The gathering was held in front of the courthouse in Media in February 2019. More than 40 cases against opioid makers are pending there. Read more

In the 18 months since Delaware County became the first county in Pennsylvania to sue opioid makers, it has become the statewide center for litigation against the manufacturers and distributors of opioids.

More than 40 suits across the state  including complaints filed by Philadelphia city government and District Attorney Larry Krasner  have been corralled in the county courthouse in Media, where litigants didnt have a digital system to file documents until mid-2018.

Filing motions and briefs on paper, and in person, has been but one bump in the road. The suits are on their third Delco judge. Counties are still vying for spots on the leadership team overseeing the cases. Philadelphia lost its own leadership role after a law firms potential conflict of interest came to light. And drug companies have yet to turn over any internal documents.

Delaware Countys original case isnt even in Delco anymore  it is now in federal court in Philadelphia, after one of the corporate defendants argued it should be moved to the federal level. The countys hired lawyers are fighting to be returned to local court.

Pennsylvanias death rate from drug overdoses was nearly double the national average in 2017, according to the DEA. And across the country, counties, towns, and other groups see lawsuits as their best chance to recoup the costs of attending to an epidemic that killed 47,600 people in 2017. Pharmaceutical companies are vigorously defending against allegations that they misled the public about the risk of addiction, and failed to monitor the flow of pills.

In Pennsylvania, depending on which lawyers you ask, that legal process is either going about as well as one could expect given the complexity of a nationwide court battle  or it is in disarray.

Its an unfortunate, sad situation for the people of this commonwealth, said Donald Haviland, whose firm represents Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin, one of the plaintiffs suing drug companies. Were falling way behind. Lehighs own trial date, he says, has been derailed.

Lehigh is one of several plaintiffs looking for an exit from the courthouse in Media. Were trying to get ourselves out of the vortex that is Delaware County, Haviland said. Lehighs objection is pending. Separately, SEPTA and three labor unions, including Philly teachers, have appealed to state superior court to leave as well.

Delcos attorneys say coordinating the cases in one place  and putting them in charge  is intended to be cost effective and efficient, and to avoid conflicting results in different courts. At the federal level, hundreds of cases are grouped together in Cleveland, a high-profile proceeding thats drawn comparisons to the tobacco settlement in the late 1990s.

What we are dealing with is the largest and most complex piece of litigation in the history of the United States, said Paul Hanly, who is co-lead counsel for the Delco cases, along with the consolidated suits in Cleveland, and state-level suits in New York and Illinois. Communities around the country have brought more than 2,000 cases, he said.

Behind the scenes, Delcos attorneys say, there is tremendous cooperation among plaintiffs attorneys, and they attribute some of the hold-ups to companies trying to put off the day of reckoning.

While we wish that the Pennsylvania litigation had been moving a bit more quickly, it is not an undue delay, Hanly added. Any plaintiff in any litigation wants their lawsuit to move as quickly as possible.

Delaware County Council Chairman John McBlain and District Attorney Katayoun Copeland declined to comment on the suit. As for the courts experience with large lawsuits, the county successfully dealt with the asbestos litigation in the 1980s and 1990s," spokesperson Adrienne Marofsky said.

Trial dates for opioid cases are looming in other states, such as Oklahoma, where jurors will be first to hear a case in May. For the federal cases in Cleveland, a judge has designated bellwether trials to start in October.

Lehigh County had a court-ordered trial date, too. Last summer, a judge hammered out deadlines that would have put the countys case in front of an Allentown jury in March 2020. But now that schedule for a courtroom showdown is shot.

These are really risky cases for companies  but not if were not trying them," Haviland said. He contends that Hanly and Delcos other hired attorneys are trying to control the state proceedings, and stand to earn additional fees from overseeing them. Theres a tremendous economic value to them of doing that.

Tobias Millrood, another co-lead counsel who reps Delaware County, said his teams only financial motive here is to hold the defendants accountable for their wrongdoing and make sure that Pennsylvanians are compensated  including Lehigh County.

Other firms do not have the track record or the experience to run this type of litigation, Hanly said. His firm provided evidence in a 2007 Department of Justice case, in which the opioid maker Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty to a criminal charge in Virginia and agreed to pay more than $600 million. (Purdues CEO said last week that the firm is considering bankruptcy due to its potential liability from the opioid suits.) Now, Hanly pointed out, four judges in four jurisdictions have concluded he should be in a leadership role managing the opioid cases.

State attorneys general are working their own cases and investigations. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has been investigating drug manufacturers and distributors since late 2017. Hes among a minority of state AGs who have not filed a lawsuit against drug companies  about three dozen others have  but he is a leader in a coalition of more than 40 attorneys general negotiating through the federal court in Cleveland.

Should those negotiations reach a point requiring additional legal steps, our office will not hesitate to take action against the pharmaceutical industry, said spokesperson Joe Grace.

Despite talk of a global settlement, a singular path to resolve the cases has yet to emerge. Some attorneys, including Haviland, say there is likely no one size fits all solution to end the litigation.

Thats one reason why SEPTA and three unions are arguing they shouldnt have been roped into the Delco group. As third-party payers, for employee health care, the organizations say theyre out of pocket the money they have spent on prescription opioids. Thats a different type of case from local governments arguing that opioids created a public nuisance and increased their costs, says Philadelphia attorney David Senoff, who represents the four groups.

On appeal to state superior court, Senoff argued that his clients werent given a proper chance to object to the Delco transfer. He would like to see the unions cases back in Philadelphia, where he originally filed them, and where the court has a dedicated complex litigation center, known for handling mass tort claims against pharmaceutical companies.

When we first got transferred, Delaware County didnt have electronic filing.  We were hand delivering all of our filings to Media," he said.

Delaware County Judge Barry Dozor inherited the cases in January, taking over from one predecessor who was facing mandatory retirement, and another who was reassigned to criminal court.

One of the issues pending before Dozor is whether an additional firm, or firms, will get a seat at the leadership table. Last October, co-lead counsel firm Berger Montague withdrew from representing the city and Krasners office  after Delcos lawyers alerted the court that Berger represented three wholesale drug distributors in another matter, calling it an irreconcilable conflict.

At the time, the city and Krasner hadnt named the distributors as defendants, but other plaintiffs had. Berger Montague, in court papers, said it did not believe it was conflicted from continuing to serve as co-lead counsel  but would agree to relinquish the post.

The same day that Berger filed its withdrawal in November Krasners office brought an amended lawsuit, this time including the three drug distributors as defendants.

Krasner has asked the court to appoint another one of the citys hired firms, Dilworth Paxson, to a leadership role. The District Attorneys Office declined further comment.

Looking ahead, Delcos attorneys say theyre eager to get on with discovery, once they have a court order in place. They also acknowledge that their own suit could be shipped from federal court in Philadelphia, to join the other federal opioid suits in Ohio.

And if that happens? We would have an opportunity to ask that judge to send it back to the federal court in Pennsylvania," Hanly said, "which, in turn, would almost certainly have to send it back to the Delaware County state court.
Fox News host Jeanine Pirro was absent from the network's lineup Saturday night, a week after making anti-Muslim remarks. Read more

Jeanine Pirro was absent from Fox News Saturday, one week after being publicly rebuked by the network over anti-Muslim remarks she made on her show.

Justice with Jeanine Pirro, which airs Saturdays at 9 p.m., was replaced with a re-run of the documentary Scandalous: The Trial of William Kennedy Smith.

There was no mention of Pirro taking a vacation, and she has been uncharastically silent on Twitter and Instagram for the past week. Fox News isnt saying whether Pirro has been suspended or will return next week, but there is no indication Pirro was fired over her comments.

Were not commenting on internal scheduling matters, a Fox News spokesperson said.

In a Sunday morning tweet, President Donald Trump called on Fox News to bring back Pirro  one of his most outspoken media defenders. While the network itself strongly rebuked Pirros Islamophobic comments, Trump blamed her absence on Radical Left Democrats attempting to silence Fox News opinion hosts.

The absence comes a week after Pirro  who has become a fund-raiser in Pennsylvania and elsewhere for Republicans  questioned whether a hijab worn by Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar signaled her support of Sharia law.

Think about it: Omar wears a hijab, Pirro said last week. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?

Pirros comments were widely condemned, including by Fox News, who said in a statement it had addressed the matter with her directly. Hufsa Kamal, a Fox News producer who works on Special Report with Bret Baier, was a loud critic of Pirros comments, asking her colleague to stop spreading this false narrative that somehow Muslims hate America.

But Pirro remained unapologetic.

Ive seen a lot of comments about my opening statement from Saturday nights show and I did not call Rep. Omar un-American. My intention was to ask a question and start a debate, but of course because one is Muslim does not mean you dont support the Constitution, Pirro said last week. I invite Rep. Omar to come on my show any time to discuss all of the important issues facing America today.

Pirros comments on March 9 also reportedly cost her at least four advertisers  Allergan, Letgo, NerdWallet, and Novo Nordisk.

We absolutely condemn Ms. Pirros comments, which are offensive and completely contrary to our values, Letgo, an online marketplace, told The Hollywood Reporter. We are in the process of ensuring our ads will no longer run during her show."
Harry Rollex, left, and P. Stokes, dump trash at the Sanitation Convenience Center in North Philadelphia, Pa. Wednesday, March 13, 2018. The center accepts residents' bulk trash that the city does not pick up at the curb. Read more

On a day off from work last week, Hugh Davis filled his SUV with two mattresses, some blue plastic tubs, a large potted plant, and assorted trash, drove from his home in East Falls, and dumped everything in Strawberry Mansion.

Legally.

The location, 2601 W. Glenwood Ave., is one of six sites (dont call them dumps) where Philadelphia accepts bulk trash that residents drop off. As the city ramps up enforcement of litter and dumping laws through increased fines and surveillance cameras, what is the city doing to encourage the legal disposal of trash?

Not everybody is trying to be a criminal, said Monica King, chair of the Fishtown Neighbors Associations Beautification Committee. "There are legitimate barriers to legal dumping.

Where can Philadelphia residents legally dump bulk trash for free?

Five years ago, city residents could take their electronics, old furniture, and other bulk trash to three sanitation convenience centers. Philadelphia now operates six strategically placed across the city, said Carlton Williams, commissioner of the Streets Department. The centers, which accept trash only from city residents, not contractors, take items such as televisions and washing machines that the city wont collect with regular trash pickups.

Heres the list of centers:

Northwest Philadelphia: 320 Domino Lane Northeast Philadelphia: State Road and Ashburner Street Strawberry Mansion: 2601 W. Glenwood Ave. Port Richmond: 3901 Delaware Ave. Southwest Philadelphia: 3033 S. 63rd St., near Passyunk Avenue West Philadelphia: 5100 Grays Ave. (temporarily closed, with plans to reopen this spring)

The centers, which cost the city $510,000 annually to operate, are open Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. October through March, and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. April through September. Williams said the city restricts hours so people arent dropping off items in the dark, which can be hazardous.

King said she didnt know the centers werent open Sundays until after she and a neighbor cleaned out the Fishtown Neighbors Associations storage unit on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago and looked up the hours. With a dozen bags of office furniture, paper, expired soda, and bulk jars of pickles and mayo, they drove in her neighbors car to their houses to split the load between them. On the way, they passed an illegal dumping site on Frankford Avenue full of bags of clothes and household junk.

I just said to myself, I totally get why people would do this, " King said.

She said the city should expand the hours  and do a better job of making sure residents know about the drop-off centers.

If you go to survey 10 people on the street and you ask, Do you know what a sanitation convenience center is? nine or 10 of them will have no idea, she said.

The six centers received roughly 183,800 visitors and collected 1.9 million pounds of debris between July 2017 and June 2018.

A three-minute walk from the Strawberry Mansion sanitation center  at the intersection of Ridge and Glenwood Avenues  the space between two buildings was littered last week with trash the center could have taken: a mattress, a paint can, plastic bags bursting with garbage, tree branches, a mop.

Davis haul came from cleaning out his home as he prepares to move. But he estimates he comes to drop off trash once a month, trying to help out trash collectors. Its a family tradition.

My dad would take me to the dump and wed dump everything in the incinerator, Davis, 48, said.

Plus, he is a city employee whose wife works for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Now, the city separates materials and recycles some of it. The city organizes periodic collections of hazardous materials such as batteries and oil, which the centers do not accept.

What are some initiatives to encourage legal trash disposal?

In January, the city started a pilot program called PhilaCan in North Philadelphia around Temple University. The city gives free lidded trash cans to people with limited trash storage to keep on their properties throughout the week. The city is considering expanding the program to other neighborhoods this spring.

Officials also are looking to bring back bulk trash curbside collection, which ended in 2008 during the Great Recession. Residents would schedule pickup times and pay about $25 per item.

The city is considering bringing trash-compactor trucks into neighborhoods on certain Saturdays, a program the city put on hold a couple of years ago because of cost.

"We want to provide accessibility to residents who may not own a vehicle, Williams said.

By the end of the year, city officials hope to change the online form for requesting construction permits to include a drop-down menu of waste haulers. Applicants will have to identify haulers they will use. The city also is working on a registry to keep track of where dumped tires originate and who is responsible for disposing of them.

What are some barriers to legal dumping for developers, contractors, and haulers?

For contractors, getting caught dumping every once in a while can be cheaper than paying to dispose of trash properly, said Robert Dubas, a program coordinator at Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, the state affiliate of the national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful. City officials hope increased fines can curb that behavior.

At most waste disposal facilities, the going rate is about $80 per ton, said Nic Esposito, director of the citys Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet, an interdepartmental effort to clean up the city.

Its not like it costs $500," he said. "Eighty bucks doesnt seem like its going to be that much money that youre going to go dump waste in someones neighborhood and commit a crime.

The process of getting permits for dumpsters and street closures can be another barrier, said Mike Castellano, an associate at Revolution Recovery who helps contractors recycle their materials. Delays for approvals delay construction projects and if developers dont want to wait, theyll start working without dumpsters. Revolution Recovery provides dumpsters and sorts recyclables at its facilities.

Williams of the Streets Department acknowledged the city has to do more to prevent commercial and residential illegal dumping.

Weve got to do more education, he said, "more outreach.
Fritz and Nancy Frey pose for a portrait with their steer across from their store, Frey Livestock Supply, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, PA on Tuesday, Jan. 08, 2019. The couple met at the Farm Show and fell in love there. Read more

HARRISBURG  When she saw him through the haze of whirling fur and hay dust, all that neighing and mooing and oinking began to sound like an angels harp, and the manure took on a more floral tone. Love was blooming at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

He had a dimpled chin and his hair wasnt so gray, but what Nancy Frey, then MacCauley, saw that day among the livestock decades ago convinced her that Fritz Frey was the one.

He had really nice steers, she recalled Tuesday morning.

Pennsylvania is halfway through its 103rd annual Farm Show, with the usual prize rabbits, hog auctions, live calf births, and famous milkshakes that visitors come to expect. But for the farmers and 4-H members who converge from all corners of the state, the weeklong show is also a chance to meet new friends, catch up with old ones, and, yes, even forge a love fierce enough to melt the butter sculpture.

Well, she was showing sheep and I was showing cattle and we were about that age, Fritz Frey said. It was around 1984 and I was 19 and, you know, I figured Id go check out the girls in the sheep barn.

Nancy came from the Chester County 4-H Club. Fritz belonged to the 4-H Club in Lancaster County. In the alchemy of agricultural romance, sheep people and cattle folks dont mix well. Out west, cattlemen referred to sheep as range maggots, and a few members of the Frey family may have thrown that insult around.

Still, Fritz was smitten and would help Nancy out with the sheep at the show after tending to the cattle. Mostly, he focused on Nancy, but still learned a few things about sheep.

Yeah, that I dont like them, he said with a laugh. "I guess opposites attract.

The Farm Show is full of teens on school trips and others whove been excused from classes this week to show their livestock. Others come to help their families. Occasionally, they get free time. Farmers, in general, dont often get to meet other farmers, unless they live close by or bump into one another at the local feed and supply. The Farm Show might not be a real estate convention in sunny Las Vegas, but its still a chance to socialize.

Some of their conversations may focus on agriculture and a review of the past years growing season, but its also likely that they are talking about the many changes that have occurred over the years at the Farm Show and if their children are now showing animals in one of the competitions, said Mark ONeill, of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

Jeanette Stackhouse, teen program manager for the Pennsylvania 4-H, said she met her husband at a 4-H camp in Sullivan County. She was from Snyder County. He was from Columbia County. One of her tentmates at camp was in her wedding and vice versa.

That is pretty common, Stackhouse, 27, said at the show Tuesday. Its a big social circle.

Joel Rotz, manager of the Farm Bureaus government affairs and communications division, had his first date at the Farm Show in 1974. Ronda was a square dancer. He tried to keep up.

We spent the whole time hanging out together that day, he said. She had a boyfriend, and by the end of our time, I kind of thought she might be more interested in me. She sent me flowers afterward.

Joel and Ronda have been married for 41 years and went on to win ribbons for their square-dancing prowess.

Youve got to know how to move to the beat. You have a caller that tells you what to do, and when they say do-si-do, you better know how to do-si-do, he said. I have fond memories of the square dance.

Fritz and Nancy, both 51, wed in 1988 at the Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church in Parkesburg, Chester County, and the pews there were split by more than bride and groom.

They had all the sheep people on their side of the church and we had all the cattle people on ours, just like the old range," said Fritzs mother, June Frey.

Their daughter, Katrina, met her husband at the Farm Show, too.

The Freys havent missed a Farm Show, and their booth, where they sell show supplies, was full of people picking up last-minute items, including combs and halters and a whole assortment of shampoos and conditioners. The couple were in a rush that morning and Fritz said Nancy used the livestock hair spray.

We never left this world, he said.

The Freys still raise and sell some cattle, mostly for breeding stock. One burly, young steer with a lush black coat stood in a pen across from them, eating hay. His name was Duramax, and he was sold earlier in the show.

Hell be hamburger next week, Fritz said.

Cindy Johnson, of York, stood in line at Freys and recounted how her mother, Marge, and father, Leo, met at the Farm Show over 60 years ago. Marge was on roller skates, her daughter said, and faked that she needed a ride home. Leo gave her one. They own Rutters Dairy, which has been open for nearly a century.

Its funny how much it happens, Johnson said. My daughter needs a boyfriend. Maybe she should come to the Farm Show.
Former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo (left) pictured with labor leader John J. Dougherty in 2004 at the Palm. Fumo was instrumental in creating a civic nonprofit called Interstate Land Management Corporation, which has received millions of dollars in taxpayer money over the years to fund upkeep of state-owned land under Interstate 95 along the Delaware River waterfront. Dougherty later became the board chairman. Read more

The January indictment of John J. Dougherty offered a scathing portrait of the citys most powerful labor leader, one who prosecutors say leveraged his political influence to advance his interests and used union members dues like coins from his personal piggy bank.

But the 162-page document wasnt meant to be an encyclopedic account of how Dougherty rose to power and how he exerted it. It didnt even mention all the boards and agencies where hes played a role.

Take Interstate Land Management Corporation. The obscure civic nonprofit was formed 30 years ago for what seemed a worthwhile purpose: to maintain parcels of state-owned land near I-95 along the Delaware River. Over the years, it has quietly received millions of dollars in taxpayer funding to pay for landscaping work between the Walt Whitman and the Ben Franklin Bridges.

In another light, Interstate might be viewed as a blueprint for how political and patronage networks can grow. It was created by state law and shepherded by one of the citys most infamous politicians, State Sen. Vince Fumo, 20 years before he was convicted and imprisoned for corruption.

Over the last decade, Dougherty and his allies took control. Within the last five years, a political consultant for Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the union run by Dougherty, was added to the Interstate payroll as executive director, and two of Doughertys top union aides collected monthly rent checks from the nonprofit. And the board chairman? Doughertys longtime chiropractor and friend: James Moylan, whos now embroiled in his own criminal case.

Dougherty takes interest in every board. Thats what he does, said ex-City Councilman Frank DiCicco, who clashed with Dougherty over the years and whose former district included lands Interstate manages. Its power. Be able to get things done. What those things are, I dont know.

Interstate is one of the countless civic nonprofit groups across the city and state created and managed by community members with insight and devotion to a specific issue, but funded through public money. Over the years, such nonprofits have become focal points in the corruption cases against some of the regions most prominent politicians, including Fumo and former Rep. Chaka Fattah.

David Thornburgh, president of the good-government group Committee of Seventy, said the public should be wary of nonprofits controlled by public officials, their allies and backers.

That opens up all kinds of avenues for self-interest and funneling contributions to friends, relatives, and cronies, he said. That was not quite what I think the IRS had in mind when they started to recognize nonprofit organizations.

A day before Doughertys indictment was announced, Moylan was charged in a separate matter, accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from another nonprofit. But no one has accused either man of misspending any of the hundreds of thousands of dollars Interstate receives each year from the state.

The nonprofit isnt referenced in either indictment, and theres been no call within Interstate for Moylan to step aside. Federal agents subpoenaed documents from the organization a while back," according to its treasurer, Andrew W. Sacksteder, though he said he couldnt recall the details of the request.

Through his attorney, Moylan declined to comment. But the attorney, Joseph Capone, said the chiropractor discussed resigning from his unpaid position as Interstates board chairman after he was charged but opted not to. Moylan had long been active in his South Philadelphia community and once served as Mayor Jim Kenneys zoning board chairman. According to Capone, Interstates leadership wanted him to stay.

Lots of money, few details

How exactly Interstate spends its money is a bit of a mystery.

Its $870,000 annual budget includes $250,000 a year  potentially guaranteed until 2089  from a roundabout lease arrangement with the city, PennDot, and the Philadelphia Parking Authority for revenues from a city parking garage. The rest comes from money it makes off of leasing the public land it manages, for which it pays $1 in rent per year.

Today, the organization oversees things like mowing and replacing benches on PennDot-owned parcels near I-95, including Foglietta Plaza and other sites in Society Hill, Queen Village, and Pennsport.

Interstate officials say the nonprofit also focuses on improving services  like installing new lighting, creating a dog run, a space for day-care and summer camps  across all of its parcels, including in under-maintained and homeless riddled areas.

Supporters of the organization say it is responsive to community concerns about things like overflowing trash cans, illegal dumping, and vandalism. Every time weve called, our concerns have been addressed, said Eleanor Ingersoll, president of the Queen Village Neighbors Association. She said Interstate leases a parking lot to her group, which generates revenue for neighborhood grants, street cleaning, and other projects.

City and state officials have never audited the nonprofit, and Interstate declined to share with The Inquirer its board minutes, a list of detailed expenses, or any internal documents beyond the limited descriptions and dollar figures listed on its publicly available tax filings.

Sacksteder, a community activist and electrical contractor, said Interstate was subject to rigorous annual audits conducted by a third-party accounting firm. The audits are provided to each board member and available to the city and state officials who appoint many of them, he said.

Despite Doughertys recent influence, credit for creating Interstate lies with another larger-than-life figure in Philadelphias tradition of patronage: Fumo, the longtime former state senator and Doughertys mentor-turned-nemesis.

When I-95 was being built in the 1970s and 80s, neighborhoods were decimated and rowhouses taken by eminent domain. Residents were frustrated by the bureaucracy of dealing with city, state, and federal officials, so when the state wanted to build Center City access ramps to the highway, the legislature demanded the creation of an entity that would be responsive to local quality-of-life concerns.

Fumo, whose South Philadelphia district encompassed some of the affected areas, led the way.

The result was Interstate Land Management Corporation, established by a 1988 state highway funding law that authorized $2.3 billion in capital projects and mentioned the nonprofit in a few paragraphs tucked in near the bottom of the 11,148-word piece of legislation.

In Fumos words, Interstate would provide funding to the community without having to go through the aggravation of the annual appropriations process in Harrisburg.

Led by the powerful state senator, the groups nine-member unpaid board  appointed by various elected officials, community groups, and public entities  also fought against development of the proposed Foxwoods Casino along the Delaware waterfront.

Interstates funding comes in part from occasional infusions of public money  like a $1 million reimbursement grant it was awarded by the Wolf administration last year to repair decades-old sidewalks. Its steadiest source of income, though, is the $250,000 it gets each year in revenues from a PPA garage on Vine Street in Center City.

Since 1992, the PPA has shelled out about $8 million under those terms, said PPA spokesperson Marty ORourke, but the state couldnt verify the total passed onto Interstate. The state treasurers office verified that checks totaling $250,000 a year were sent to Interstate in the last five years, but said its records did not extend to the early years of the contract.

Local 98 makes its mark

Dougherty joined the board in the mid-2000s. By then he had more than a decade under his belt as the de facto leader of Local 98, and through the union had helped elevate John F. Street to mayor. But it was in the ensuing years that he amassed the political and financial influence that is credited with electing judges, the mayor, and even the governor.

By September 2013, Dougherty was elected chairman of Interstates board. Under his leadership and with help from other new appointees, the treasurer said, Interstate reevaluated its overhead, cut costs, boosted services, and streamlined operations after 20 years of stagnation.

Our grass has never been greener, our flowers more colorful, and our trees better cared for than at any time in the 29-year history of ILMC, Sacksteder said in an email.

In a statement, Dougherty spokesperson Frank Keel said the labor leader did not seek out nor want the additional responsibility of chairing ILMCs board. Keel said State Rep. Mike OBrien, who died of a heart attack last year after years representing a district that includes areas where Interstate manages land, essentially begged John to step in and save it.

Within months of Doughertys elevation to board chairman, Interstate hired a Local 98 political consultant, Ed Kirlin, as executive director, on a $36,394 annual salary plus benefits, tax filings show. By June 2017, Interstate had more than doubled his salary, to $85,783, plus gave him $14,809 worth of benefits.

Around the same time of Kirlins arrival, the nonprofit moved its office from a residential space in Penns Landing to a building at Second and Mifflin Streets owned since 2005 by Local 98 union president Brian Burrows and its apprentice-training director, Michael Neill, and began paying them $850 a month in rent.

Prosecutors cited that building, at 1837 S. Second Street, in the indictment of Dougherty, Burrows, Neill, and other Local 98 officials. They allege that Burrows and Neill embezzled thousands in union funds to pay for contracting and maintenance work on the facility. (Dougherty is accused of embezzling money for personal use and bribing City Councilman Bobby Henon, among other charges.)

Each have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Keel, Doughertys spokesperson, would not say whether Dougherty knew or disclosed to other Interstate board members that his union associates owned the building where the nonprofit relocated.

For years, the building had housed the Pennsport Civic Association, which had been run by Dougherty. It also is three doors down from what used to be Docs Union Pub, a bar owned until 2016 by Dougherty, Burrows, and Neill, that was also mentioned in the indictment.

Sacksteder, the treasurer, said he didnt know who owned the Pennsport building when Interstate moved there, but he defended the decision, saying it was more accessible to the community the nonprofit hoped to serve and allowed it to slash its monthly rent payments by $700. Burrows and Neill sold it in May 2015 for $373,000, more than twice what they paid for it, records show.

Sacksteder said Kirlins hiring also made sense from a financial perspective. He was willing to work for less than the nonprofits previous executive director  who was paid $107,156 plus $20,964 in benefits  enabling them to add another employee, Sacksteder said.

Before coming to the nonprofit, Kirlin had minted a reputation in Philadelphia political circles. He was a key player in a plot to distribute tens of thousands of anonymous flyers attacking Democrat Michael Nutter in the final days of the 2007 mayoral primary. He snapped enough pictures of DiCicco, a Dougherty foe, over the years that the councilman called him Local 98s director of arts and crafts. The nickname stuck.

In a letter to The Inquirer, Kirlin, 64, called serving as Interstates executive director nothing short of the culmination of my lifes work.

At Interstate he has been able to fulfill a lifelong connection to the neighborhood the nonprofit serves, he said. His grandmother, he said, was among the dozens of families in Pennsport, Queen Village, and Whitman displaced by eminent domain during I-95 construction in the 1960s. Kirlin himself was a founding member of the Pennsport Civic Association and he cites his work with at least a dozen community groups and causes over the years.

My family, John Doughertys family, other Board members families and hundreds like ours lived through that period, and it was much more than buildings that were demolished by the highway, he wrote. But we are a resilient community.

Dougherty left Interstates board in 2015, with Moylan, his confidant, at the helm. Moylan had been appointed to the board by a consortium of community groups that controls two seats. Sacksteder has the other.

Moylan has denied the charges announced against him in January: that he allegedly stole more than $50,000 from two other nonprofit organizations between 2013 and 2016 to pay his personal and business expenses, including his home mortgage and office rent.

Reached for comment, representatives for Mayor Jim Kenney and PennDot Secretary Leslie S. Richards, each of whom control two board seats, declined to speak to Moylans position, deferring to Interstates board. State Rep. Mary Isaacson, who shares a board appointment on alternate years with a fellow Philadelphia Democrat, State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, said she was unaware of any Interstate board discussions about Moylans case.

The board met again Tuesday; Moylans status remains unchanged. No need for any action has been suggested by any board member, Sacksteder said in an email Thursday.

Moylans attorney, Capone, noted that Moylans position is unpaid and said hed done excellent work at Interstate, but he didnt elaborate on specific projects. Theres a lot of oversight there, Capone said. Every dollar is watched. Every dollars accounted for.

He also pointed out that neither Dougherty nor Henon, who has also been charged, has resigned from their posts.

Given the fact that everyone else has been indicted [and] nothing has changed in terms of titles and everything else  , he said. Jim is still innocent until proven guilty.
Sanaa Amanullah, 15, of Collegeville, holds a candle during a vigil at LOVE Park Saturday for the Muslims killed in New Zealand last week. The vigil was sponsored by the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Read more

As daylight dimmed and the wind blew a little colder Saturday evening, around 200 people forming a rainbow audience of Muslims, Christians, and Jews held candles and voiced prayers at LOVE Park to honor the 50 people killed in two New Zealand mosques on Friday.

We come together to let people know that no one is alone tonight, said Jacob Bender, executive director of the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which sponsored the event. CAIR is the nations largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. All human blood," Bender continued, "is our blood.

Invoking the Quran, the Bible, and the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., speakers raged, called for peace, and implored God for help in understanding why an alleged right-wing racist from Australia slaughtered Muslims in the city of Christchurch.

Tonight, we are all Muslims, said the Rev. Mark Tyler, of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. We know your hurt. We know your pain. We will not let you weep or walk alone.

Tyler then asked members of the crowd to chant  You are not alone  for the benefit of the Muslims of Christchurch. As they did, their voices echoed off nearby buildings, while their faces were illuminated by candles in the half-light of dusk.

Tyler said the mass killing brought to mind the shootings at Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue last October and at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., in June 2015.

Sally Baraka, Philadelphias commissioner of human relations, admonished the crowd to stand up against a careless snicker or a dangerous joke that plays to stereotypes." Hateful speech can ignite hateful acts, she said, adding, Please find an opportunity this week to spread peace.

People in the crowd held signs with messages such as Islamophobia = Racism and I am a proud American Muslim. Many snapped photos of friends and loved ones beneath the LOVE statue.

For Ron Lusk, 63, a programmer from Glenside, showing up at the vigil with his wife, Judi, 69, was an important gesture of solidarity with Muslims.

We were all made in the image of God, said Lusk, who worships at New Life Presbyterian Church in Glenside. And its hideous to be killed on the basis of faith. That reflects evil.

Adab Ibrahim, outreach coordinator for Al-Aqsa Islamic Society, a local nonprofit that promotes Islamic culture, complimented the gathering, saying, This rainbow audience gives me hope. She added that during a time of profound grief, coming together with friends helps us heal.

Healing was on the mind of Arshad Amanullah, who brought his family from Collegeville to the vigil. I was really offended by this shooting, said Amanullah, 52, who works for a pharmaceutical company. Things are getting worse, and were here to show solidarity.

His daughter, Sanaa, 15, took to social media to express her pain and confusion over the shooting. Days like this, she wrote, I regret feeling this much emotion.

She added, "I put myself in the shoes of the ones who were shot and killed.

May God bless them.
President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump and Reverend Bruce McPherson, waves to media as they arrive to attend service at Saint John's Church in Washington, Sunday, March 17, 2019 (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Read more

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump spent St. Patrick's Day morning worshipping at the "Church of the Presidents" near the White House.

Trump and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, joined parishioners for Sunday's 11 a.m. service at St. John's Church, a historic yellow church across from the White House and Lafayette Park. Every president since James Madison, who served in the 1800s, has attended a service at St. John's, according to the church.

The Rev. W. Bruce McPherson greeted the Trumps after the short drive from the White House.

The Trumps returned to the White House after the hour-long service.

The Trumps last attended religious services in December, at Washington National Cathedral. Trump has skipped spending the holiday at his Florida estate and stayed in Washington during the government shutdown.
Pope Francis delivers his blessing during the Angelus noon prayer In St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Read more

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Roman Catholics who were sexually abused by clergy are insisting that decisive actions to confront the decades-long problem of pedophile priests and church cover-ups must come out of an upcoming Vatican summit.

A founding member of the advocacy group Ending Clergy Abuse, Peter Isely, contended Sunday that Pope Francis is "facing resistance" from top Vatican officials as he prepares to convene bishops from around the world.

"Let me tell you what it was like to try and have to resist that priest when I was a boy who was sexually assaulting me," Isely said. "So whatever difficulty for him or discomfort this is for anybody in the papal palace, it is nothing compared to what survivors have had to undergo."

Isely offered his perspective in an interview with The Associated Press near St. Peter's Square shortly before Francis spoke of the importance of the Feb. 21-24 event on protecting children and teenagers in the church,.

Addressing faithful in the square, Francis asked for prayers for the gathering of the heads of Catholic bishops' conferences worldwide.

Francis said he wanted the summit, to be "an act of strong pastoral responsibility in the face of an urgent challenge of our time."

Revelations in many countries about priests raping and committing other kinds of sexual abuse against children and a pattern of bishops hiding the crimes have shaken the faith of many Catholics.

They also test the pontiff's ability to ensure the safety of children and punishment for the abusers as well as any complicit superiors.

The Vatican announced Saturday that Francis approved the expulsion from the priesthood for a former American cardinal, Theodore McCarrick, for sexual abuse of minors and adults.

But survivor advocates also have demanded that Francis say what he and other top Vatican officials knew about the prelate's sexual wrongdoing, which spanned decades.

"You abuse a child, you have to be removed from the priesthood," Isely said. "If you cover up for abusing a child, you have to be removed from the priesthood, and this is the only thing that is going to turn the corner on this global crisis."

Another founding member of the group, Denise Buchanan, a native of Jamaica, said a priest raped and assaulted her when she was 17.

"That rape actually resulted in a pregnancy, and the priest arranged for an abortion," Buchanan said.

Veteran Vatican watcher Marco Politi told the AP he also sees the pope facing inside resistance.

"There is a struggle going on between the pope and his supporters who want a change, and a lot of people among the bishops and among the clergy who don't want transparency and applying law and order in the abuse issue in the world," Politi said.

Some of Francis' critics contend that as a product of the Catholic Church's hierarchical culture, he, too, has been slow to recognize the hierarchy's role in perpetuating abuse by pedophile priests.

Francis has tried to temper expectations for the summit, saying in January the problem of abuse will continue because its a human problem. Isely of Ending Clergy Abuse said the bar should be high and the participants have to deliver for survivors.
Gerald and Cindy Rohrer look out over their farm, which recently became the 500th farm to be protected from development in Chester County. Read more

In the far reaches of Chester County, miles past the final stop on SEPTAs Paoli-Thorndale train line, there are vast open fields, farm animals, and quiet. Around 3 p.m., Amish children can be seen walking home from school, trudging along the side of back country roads with lunch boxes in their hands.

As Gerald Rohrer watched a car drive by his familys crop-and-grain farm on a recent afternoon, he chuckled.

Thats two in half an hour, he said. Thats a traffic jam around here.

This environment is vastly different than the kind found in other Chester County towns, such as Malvern or Downingtown or West Chester. But it is the only lifestyle that Gerald Rohrer, 49, a ninth-generation farmer, has ever known.

He grew up here, on a sprawling former dairy farm in Upper Oxford and West Fallowfield Townships that spans more than 100 acres. He met his wife, Cindy Rohrer, a 10th-generation farmer, during their high school years at Lancaster Mennonite, a private Christian school across the county line. They raised three children on the farm, where chores included helping with hay baling or corn farming, and teamwork was of the utmost importance.

Last month, the family became a part of Chester County history when their land became the countys 500th preserved farm.

The preservation marked the latest chapter in Chester Countys three-decade effort to save open space, particularly farmland. In all, the county has preserved nearly 40,000 acres of farmland and nearly 136,000 acres of open space, which amounts to 28 percent of its land.

This designation ensures a familys land will always be used for agricultural purposes, according to the county. Property owners are financially compensated based on an independent appraisal. The Rohrer family declined to comment on how much they received.

As parts of Chester County have been built up, and more and more people have moved to the area, the mission has become even more important, officials said.

Its symptomatic of what is good about Chester County, said commissioner Terence Farrell, that, as the fastest growing county in the commonwealth, we still value open space.

While Chester County has preserved the most acreage and the highest percentage of farmland in Philadelphias collar counties, Delaware, Bucks, and Montgomery Counties also have made efforts to preserve open space. Bucks County, home to 934 farms, has preserved more than 200 properties, totaling more than 16,000 acres. Montgomery County has preserved more than 150, equaling nearly 10,000 acres. And Delaware County, a more condensed and built-up suburb, has preserved two farms  80-acre Arasapha Farms and farmland of more than 100 acres at the Sleighton Farm School, according to the most recent county information.

In Chester County, the Rohrer family was interested in preserving their grain-and-crop farm, ensuring it never becomes a development like those popping up all over other parts of the county.

Its comforting," Gerald Rohrer said, looking out over the property Even if we were to move away, this will stay."

You dont want to see that developed, Cindy Rohrer added, motioning to rolling hills that in warmer months are full of corn. This farm has really good soil, really good ground.

This land has operated as a farm since at least the 1700s, said the couple, who many times have ventured to the county courthouse to look through old property records. In 1966, Gerald Rohrers parents, Elvin and Vera, bought the property, which they ran as a dairy farm.

In 1999, Gerald and Cindy Rohrer bought the farm and sold the dairy cows, they said.

Gerald Rohrer recalled thinking I really want a farm, but I dont think the cows are for me, he said.

The life of a dairy farmer is more grueling, requiring less sleep and busy work year-round, said Gerald Rohrer, who farms full time.

In his current work farming corn and hay, his schedule and workload varies based on the time of year. Some days hes up before sunrise, preparing trailers for deliveries (he sells his hay to horse farms primarily, he said).

Come spring and summer, Cindy Rohrer, 49, who also works as a registered nurse, will bale hay, driving the baler through the fields, compressing the crop with the large machine. In the spring, the family farms corn, too, in separate fields.

Their children Sonya, 22; Brock, 20; and Drake, 15, help out, the couple said. When they were younger, farm work earned them their allowance.

Cindy Rohrer said she wasnt sure yet whether any of the children would be interested in taking over the farm in the future. If they didnt want to, that would be OK with their parents, who never pressured their kids into following in their footsteps.

Growing up, Sonya Rohrer said her house was always the one classmates referred to as in the middle of nowhere," she said. But she loved growing up there  and friends loved jumping on the trampoline, running around the fields, and sledding on their hills.

And her parents said they would not want to live in any area that was more congested. Theres a grocery store 10 to 20 minutes away, Cindy Rohrer said, and Amazon Prime can deliver most items they need.

I dont feel the need to have any more big things closer to us, Cindy Rohrer said.

When the family travels to cities, they enjoy experiencing a different environment, the couple said, but theyre always ready to return home.

We enjoy what we do, Cindy Rohrer said. I think its a great way for our family to work together. Its fun.
President Donald Trump signs the first veto of his presidency in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, March 15, 2019, in Washington. Trump issued the first veto, overruling Congress to protect his emergency declaration for border wall funding. Read more

The great writer Masha Gessen commented the other day that [t]here is an adage of journalism that holds that every story should be written as if by a foreign correspondent. It turns out that a New York Times reporter was taking that very advice, traveling the 128 miles from Manhattan to a strange land of exotic creatures called Old Forge, Pa., just outside of Scranton.

The natives of Old Forge were getting restless about, of all things, a special election for the Pennsylvania legislature. The Republican candidate was a citizen of that former-coal-and-former-textiles town (self-proclaimed Pizza Capital of the World) of 8.313 souls -- a man named Frank Scavo III, whod generated some controversy with Facebook posts about the completely invented scandal known as (irony alert) Pizzagate and, more alarmingly, that Muslims are infidels.

The good news is that Scavo lost the election and wont be spewing his hate in Harrisburg as an elected official. But the Times reporter, Astead W. Herndon, still thought there was a story to be told in the deepening paranoia and resentments of Scavos die-hard supporters in this struggling town that not only voted for President Trump in 2016 but seems all-in with whats sometimes called Trumpism -- but could just as easily be called Neo-fascism -- looking ahead to the 2020 election.

Scavo-Trump supporters echoed the new McCarthyism around their fears of socialism, but much of the concern seemed to center on immigration and race. Thomas Bremer, a 67-year-old notary public and Vietnam vet from Olyphant, Pa., told the Times were being swallowed by people coming in. The candidates dad, Frank Scavo Jr., made much of the oft-cited statistic that nonwhites will be a majority in America by mid-century and said he was worried the nation will lose its roots in Western civilization.

There was a lot more to what the Times Herndon generously called white identity politics in and around Old Forge -- including the 71-year-old woman terrified that they would eventually reach northeastern Pennsylvania from the southern border and when pressed said in a whisper that they have names like Vasquez and Hernandez.

The Times had no idea, of course, that at almost the exact moment its Old Forge article dropped, literally halfway around the world, a 28-year-old Australian man who was much farther along on what one might call the white identity spectrum was armed with a semi-automatic weapon and a GoPro camera and starting to commit one of the most heinous acts of the 21st century. In normally peaceful Christchurch, New Zealand, he gunned down 50 Muslims, as young as a 3-year-old, as they prayed in their mosques -- broadcasting the carnage live on Facebook to draw attention to a lengthy manifesto of racist, white-supremacist hate.

As much as we want to not mention the killers name nor give any oxygen to his half-baked racist conspiracy theories and internet-friendly memes, there are many aspects about what happened in New Zealand on Friday that are way too important for the world to ignore. No discussion should come without first mentioning the humanity of 50 people that we lost -- something that the murderer and those who fail to condemn him are not capable of. You should take a moment to learn their stories, and the aspirations that were snuffed out. They will always remain in our hearts.

Beyond that, Ive never seen an incident that managed to combine so many of our modern anxieties -- especially about the role that the internet and popular social media outlets like Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, and niche sites like 8Chan increasingly play in spreading both bogus information and ideologies of hate, but also about race and religion, the ubiquity of guns, and a political climate that in too many nations is working to foment intolerance instead of eliminating it.

One of those nations, unfortunately, is the United States.

Its ironic that -- in a time when the American political debate centers on Trumps made-up emergency about a border wall -- there aint no mountain high enough to keep the most vile, racist propaganda from spreading from Europe to the United States to Australia and echo back again in a matter of nanoseconds, and to keep that bile from inspiring the kind of deadly violence youd never see from Central American immigrants.

After the banality of the wanton violence and the killers live broadcast, the second most shocking thing about the New Zealand massacre was how well versed the perpetrator was in right-wing tropes that arent just common on the American internet but find their way to mainstream venues like the Fox News Channel or the halls of Congress.

The Australian gunman said he wanted to spark more debate about our Second Amendment, invoked (perhaps sarcastically) the right-wing media celebrity Candace Owens, and spewed a range of warped theories about the threats to Western civilization from invaders that -- while horrible -- were only a degree or two more extreme than what weve heard from an Iowa congressman, Steve King, or from the good citizens of Old Forge, Pa. Or from certain quarters at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Lets be very clear: Donald Trump is not to blame for what happened in Christchurch. The killer was swimming in a cesspool of evil that both predates Trump and is much bigger than him. But lets also not ignore this: At a moment when America and the world need a leader who will be steadfast in speaking out and trying to stop this spread of toxic white supremacy, the 45th president of the United States is doing the opposite. He is swimming in this sewage, and the killer knew it. He wrote in his manifesto that Trump is a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose ...

In the 24 hours after the killing -- a moment when Americans once would have looked to the White House for grace and appeals for unity -- the president acted like a man determined to live up to this murderers endorsement. Trumps complete lack of empathy and inability to even express it, even after the slaughter of 50 innocents, spewed from his Hallmark-random-word-generator that tweeted out warmest sympathy and best wishes to New Zealand. Neither that tweet, nor a subsequent statement from the White House, mentioned Muslims, expressed any solidarity with Islamic people, or condemned hatred.

Instead, Trump stuck to his scheduled event -- the veto of congressional efforts to stop his border wall, the fulfillment of his xenophobic campaign promise to spend billions on a crusade to keep out Hispanic people hes routinely branded as criminals, murderers or rapists. Rather than acknowledge the horror of what happened in New Zealand, the president was dismissive about the white nationalism he foments, saying I think its a small group of people that have very, very serious problems, I guess. He plowed ahead with the border event, even calling undocumented immigrants invaders -- the exact same language used by a man who mowed down 50 worshipers.

Unfortunately, too many Americans have grown numb to the moral inadequacy of this president. Maybe it was a jolt of reality to watch the actions of a real leader -- New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern. In relatively short order, Arden pledged that her government would cover funeral costs for the victims and provide financial support, regardless of immigration status. She donned a hajib and met with survivors at a refugee center, after addressing her Parliament and declaring toward the killer, We utterly reject and condemn you. Whats more, Ardern and her ministers pledged to take immediate action on guns, including a ban on semi-automatic weapons that are used to hunt down people.

Many Americans were stunned when they read about that. A government pledging to respond to a tragedy with something more substantive than thoughts and prayers? Can you even imagine?

The failure of Trump and his government to acknowledge the growing threat of white nationalism is both feckless and dangerous for the citizens he once swore on a Bible to protect. We havent had a white-supremacist massacre on the scale of Christchurch, but weve had close calls. A heavily armed and violence-threatening Coast Guard officer Christopher Paul Hassan had written a hate-filled manifesto that echoed many of the same themes cited by New Zealands murderer before he was arrested.

It would take too long to chronicle all the times that Trump himself has embraced racism, xenophobia and violence. The trail begins in the earliest weeks of his campaign in 2015, when Trump told a questioner who wanted to get rid of Muslims that were going to be looking at a lot of different things. And it leads up to last week, when he warned that his tough supporters in the police, the military -- even bikers -- have his back, an implied endorsement of violence.

This is the deeper threat of Trump -- the unconscionable moral rot that comes from such a man representing America as our president. The United States has already lost the respect of much of the world for electing Trump and largely tolerating his excesses and abuses. And every day that he remains in the Oval Office and is allowed to spew intolerance and shrug at violence from behind the Formerly Resolute Desk, the ideals upon which America was founded continue to melt away, much like the polar ice caps.

People want easy answers. Thus, the obsession with the criminal probe led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and the notion that his report will hand up such clear-cut proof of a presidential high crime that the system will have to respond. But the Mueller probe drags on -- last week brought more delays -- and is bleeding into the 2020 election. Even if a Mueller Report gives us answers on Trump, it wont give us an answer for Trumpism, the poisonous philosophy of white identity now taking root from Australia to upstate Pennsylvania.

We need to get back to this simple premise: Trumps presidency is morally unacceptable. Many of us believed this on Nov. 9, 2016. And weve just seen it ratified on the Ides of March, 2019. Americas political system seems to be too broken to deal with Trumps unfitness through the most immediate political mechanism that we have, which is impeachment. But our spirits are not too broken to resist his immorality with every fiber in our beings. Now is not the time to become too jaded or cynical. Lets renew the vows that so many of us made in those first dark hours. If you believe in a better humanity, Donald Trump is not our president.
Amid all the acrimony in Congress, finding common ground between the two parties is difficult. But one issue with bipartisan agreement is funding our nations biomedical research community. The National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation have received broad congressional support from both sides of the aisle.

Funding these federal agencies directly benefits all states, including Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. In 2018, Pennsylvania received $2.1 billion from NIH and NSF, Delaware $88.8 million, and New Jersey $453 million. These funds go to institutions throughout the states, supporting scientists, students, laboratory personnel, supplies, and equipment.

More critically, these funds support research to help us all live longer, healthier lives. Cancer and heart disease kill many Americans at an alarming rate, and NIH and NSF support helps fuel discoveries of the underlying mechanisms of these diseases, which is essential for developing novel therapies. While much progress has been made to reduce the burden of disease, there is still a tremendous amount of work to do.

Last week, I joined scientists from around the United States on Capitol Hill, where we met with many congressional offices to advocate for additional NIH and NSF support. Like the other scientists that descended on the Hill, I provided examples of research that improves the health and well-being of our nation.

I shared the story of an NIH-funded colleague, Dr. Melissa Witman, who is learning more about the genetic disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This devastating condition affects 1 in 5,000 boys born in the U.S., all of whom develop weakened muscles throughout their bodies. These children typically lose the ability to walk in their early teens, and by the age of 18, the vast majority develop severely weakened hearts.

Dr. Witman is performing a sophisticated assessment of heart and blood-vessel function in these children, in the hope of developing novel interventions to improve their quality of life. This important work could not be done without the support of NIH.

This is just one of thousands of examples of the public good resulting from NIH funding. Unfortunately, the White House just released its budget blueprint for fiscal year 2020, and it calls for a reduction in science funding. This is not a budget designed to invest in our nations future. The scientists who visited Washington last week advocated for increases in NIH and NSF funding. We recommended a budget of $41.6 billion for NIH in fiscal year 2020, and $9 billion for NSF, which represents just a sliver of the total federal budget.

To adequately fund NIH and NSF, Congress also will need to raise the artificial spending caps mandated by the Budget Control Act, as it did in 2013, 2015, and 2018. Raising the caps will facilitate the funding of scientific research, and can be done in a fiscally responsible manner. Only through stable and sustained growth in research funding can we combat the diseases that kill the many, such as cancer and heart disease, as well as the heartbreaking diseases that affect the few, like Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

William B. Farquhar is a professor of kinesiology and applied physiology at the University of Delaware and a board member of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
Phillies Bryce Harper before batting against the Toronto Blue Jays in a spring training game on Friday, March 15, 2019 at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, FL. Read more

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Bryce Harper returned to the lineup Sunday, providing some relief after he was hit in the ankle two days earlier by a fastball.

Harper, batting third Sunday as the designated hitter, missed Saturdays game after X-rays revealed he had a contusion. Gabe Kapler said before Saturdays game that Harper was day to day. Harper, it turned out, needed just one day.

He will not travel with the team to Floridas east coast for games on Monday and Tuesday. Harper instead will stay in Clearwater to play in minor-league games on Monday and then train at the complex on Tuesday. He will play in right field on Wednesday when the team returns to Clearwater to play the Tigers.

He entered Sundays game against the Yankees hitless in his first five at-bats over just nine at-bats over four Grapefruit League games. The Phillies will want to make sure Harper has his timing and rhythm before the team breaks camp next week ahead of March 28s season opener at home against the Braves.

I feel like I need my at-bats and need to feel what it feels like to be out in the outfield and then come back in and getting that at-bat and then going back out as well, Harper said.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, with Reverend Bruce McPherson, walk to their motorcade after attending service at Saint John's Church in Washington, Sunday, March 17, 2019, en route to the White House. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Read more

WASHINGTON (AP)  A top White House official said Sunday that President Donald Trump "is not a white supremacist" and attempts to tie him to the alleged New Zealand mosque shooter are "absurd."

Mick Mulvaney, the acting chief of staff, described the New Zealand shooter as a "disturbed individual" and "evil person" and said it was unfair to cast the 28-year-old Australian "as a supporter of Donald Trump any more than it is to look at his, sort of his eco-terrorist passages in that manifesto and align him with Nancy Pelosi or Ms. Ocasio-Cortez."

Pelosi, a California Democrat, is the House speaker. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is a freshman and major proponent of a plan, named the Green New Deal, for tackling climate change.

"This was a disturbed individual, an evil person, and to try and tie him to an American politician from either party probably ignores some of the deeper, difficulties that this sort of activity exposes," Mulvaney said.

Still, Mulvaney's defense of Trump failed to quiet calls, chiefly from Democrats, for the president to issue a forceful denunciation of white nationalism. They argue that Trump's rhetoric, including harsh comments about immigrants and Muslims, encourages individuals like the New Zealand shooter.

Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the man accused of the deadly shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, left behind a lengthy document that proudly stated he was a white nationalist who hates immigrants and was set off by attacks in Europe that were perpetrated by Muslims.

"Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump?" was one of the questions he posed to himself in the document. His answer: "As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no."

The attacks left 50 people dead, and 34 others wounded, a dozen of them critically.

Mulvaney said Trump is a defender of religious minorities worldwide and that his actions speak louder than his words.

"Look at what we've done while we've been here," he said. "I don't think anybody could say that the president is anti-Muslim."

Before Mulvaney appeared on the Sunday talk shows, Trump tweeted in defense of Fox News weekend host Jeanine Pirro, whose program did not air in its regular Saturday time slot. Fox offered no explanation, but Pirro's absence from the lineup followed anti-Muslim comments she directed last week toward Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., one of three Muslims in Congress, who wears a head covering known as a hijab. Trump tweeted "Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro."

Mulvaney also addressed a threat by North Korea to reconsider its halt to nuclear and ballistic missile tests, saying such a move would be a "truly disappointing turn of events." The threat followed the collapse of nuclear disarmament talks last month between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

The chief of staff also expressed confidence that Trump's veto of a measure blocking his declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border -- in order to build a border wall -- will be upheld when the House votes later this month to override the president.

"It doesn't have a chance," Mulvaney said of the vote set for March 26.

Asked last week whether he saw white nationalism as a rising global threat, Trump said "I don't really."

He went on to characterize the movement as made up of a "small group of people that have very, very serious problems" and said "I guess, if you look at what happened in New Zealand, perhaps that's a case. I don't know enough about it yet."

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., disagreed, saying white nationalism is on the rise "and the president should call it out, but sadly he's not doing that."

As a candidate, Trump proposed banning all Muslims from entering the United States. As president, he drew criticism for attempting to institute the travel ban and for being slow to condemn white supremacy and related violence. After a violent 2017 clash between white nationalists and anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one demonstrator dead, Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides" of the confrontation.

Trump also did not immediately reject support from David Duke, a former KKK Grand Wizard, during his presidential campaign.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who is also Muslim, said Trump should call the Justice Department for data on the rise of white supremacy in the U.S. She urged Trump to use his bully pulpit to denounce the movement.

"He, from the Oval Office, from that power position, can be able to send a signal very loud and clear," she said.

Mulvaney appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and CBS' "Face the Nation." Kaine and Tlaib spoke on CNN's "State of the Union."

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap
Brandon Merrill (left), farm manager at AGreen Farms, and Adam Green, founder and CEO of AGreen Farms demonstrate a new Arize Light, a specialty LED light made for horticultural. Read more

The fancy garnishes, heirloom microgreens, and edible flowers served at some of Philadelphias finest restaurants soon will spring up in an unusual spot: a former office suite in a Germantown apartment complex.

Adam Green, a recent Temple University graduate backed by his finance-industry pro father, is in the midst of remodeling the onetime corporate offices of his landlord at the Rittenhouse Hill apartments, the real estate group Post Bros., into a high-tech hydroponic growing room for herbs and veggies.

AGreen Farms, as the 5,000-square-foot indoor farm is to be known, marks the latest attempt to make small-footprint urban agriculture financially feasible in an industry where most growing is done on sprawling rural fields staffed by low-paid workers and in big greenhouses.

By offering hard-to-source items to chefs who serve well-heeled patrons, Green aims to fill what he hopes will be a profitable niche, despite the high energy costs associated with year-round indoor farming and the wages expected by urban workers. He expects to employ a staff of five.

Garnishes and specialty heirloom products dont travel well, Green said. Being in Philadelphia  where weve got a really great, strong restaurant scene  puts us in a really great place to be successful.

Green said he chose the space in the Rittenhouse Hill complex, near Wissahickon Avenue and Lincoln Drive, for the easy commute  he lives in an apartment upstairs  and because Post was offering less stringent lease terms than some of the other potential landlords he considered.

The deal with Post was also smoothed by his existing connection with Philadelphia chef Michael Schulson, whose new restaurant Giuseppe & Sons is housed in a Center City retail property owned by the real estate group, Green said.

Randy Hope, managing director of Posts retail arm, said AGreen Farms was a good fit for the Rittenhouse Hill offices because the property doesnt have enough parking to accommodate a user that would draw more traffic. The suite had been vacant since Post moved five years ago to offices within its Presidential City complex on City Avenue.

It was space that was lying fallow, Hope said.

Greens effort may be greeted with extra skepticism, after the failure of the 100,000-square-foot facility that had been known as Metropolis Farms in South Philadelphia. That project had been hyped as the farm of the future before it folded amid accusations of fraud aimed at its founder.

Its closest antecedent may be FarmOne in New Yorks Tribeca neighborhood, which similarly focuses on a restaurant-industry clientele. It supplies produce to Michelin-starred eateries such as Eleven Madison Park, Atera, Daniel, and Jungsik.

FarmOne, however, is a smaller operation at just 1,200 square feet, and it makes money from farm tours  $50 for an hour-long visit  as well as sales.

Henry Gordon-Smith, founder and managing director of Agritecture Consulting, a New York-based adviser to indoor-farm operators, said Green is wise to focus on high-end chefs with specific needs.

Typically, you cant compete with traditional agriculture in most product sectors," said Gordon-Smith, who helped FarmOnes owners set up their business but who is not connected to Greens project. "But there are some areas where you may be able to compete, usually because of the quality of your product.

Greens Germantown space will accommodate about 150 growing racks stacked four levels high that will be fed nutrient-enriched water from eight 50-gallon tanks, so the crops can grow without ever touching soil.

By using lamps instead of natural light, along with other climate controls, Green can guarantee stable year-round production of whatever his culinary customers request. The method uses up to 95 percent less water than conventional agriculture, although the constant lighting makes it a big user of energy, Green said.

Greens initial production run will comprise about 80 different kinds of herbs and specialty greens, including micro-radishes and micro-cilantro, he said. Growing will begin soon after the end of construction, which is scheduled for early March, with the first harvests coming later in the spring.

Green, 25, grew up in Cherry Hill and discovered hydroponic agriculture as his calling through jobs at indoor farms and restaurants during and after his studies at Temple University, where he graduated in May with a degree in adult education.

His father, William, chief executive of the Crestar Group of Cos. financial businesses, lent him the nearly $1 million needed for the indoor farms construction and is aiding his son as a business adviser.

To serve as his head grower, Green recruited Brandon Merrill, a hydroponics expert who learned his craft at a research center in Japan that was established to develop indoor-farming techniques after the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011 stoked fears of soil contamination.

Since then, Merrill helped start an indoor farm in Nova Scotia, Canada, where fresh vegetables can be scarce during the regions long, dark winters, and has worked at New Yorks Gotham Greens rooftop agriculture enterprise and at the Oasis Biotech vertical farming facility in Las Vegas.

Merrill said he was drawn to Greens farm in Germantown because of the opportunity it offered to focus on high-end greens and to experiment with the indoor cultivation of specialty crops such as edible flowers.

Green is "really big into food, healthy food, quality food, responsibly sourced food, Merrill said.

AGreen Farms has lined up a roster of chefs, including Schulson, who plan on sourcing produce from the business, said William Green, who declined to identify others for fear of being preemptively undercut by those buyers' existing suppliers.

Schulson did not immediately respond to messages asking about his interest in Greens products.

Yianni Arhontoulis, chef at Mica in Chestnut Hill, said an operation like Greens could be an attractive source of veggies for Philadelphia chefs like him who strive to prepare dishes with locally sourced ingredients.

Something Philly can call its own will definitely be an asset for higher-end restaurants, said Arhontoulis, who had not previously been aware of Greens plan. It sounds like a great project.
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By Lee Van Der Voo

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Hundreds of youngsters skipped school to rally in Washington on Friday as part of what organizers called an international youth climate strike to seek action on climate change.

Chanting climate action now!, some 1,500 students joined the event in front of the Capitol Building, where Congress sits, while similar rallies were held in 46 states.

The demonstrations, which demanded politicians take action to combat climate change, backed measures including the Green New Deal, an ambitious Democratic environmental proposal that has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism.

This is the only Earth that we have. There is no Planet B. There is no other place we can go so we need to save it, said Elise Haverland, a 16-year-old from Silver Spring, Maryland.

Protesters carried colorful homemade placards bearing slogans such as Our planet, our future, Let us Live, and Dont frack up our Earth.

The students also held an 11-minute silence, one for each of the years that a United Nations report said the world has remaining to get climate change under control.

School children across the world held demonstrations to demand action on climate change on Friday.

The protests are the offspring of youth strikes in Europe that were inspired by Greta Thunberg, a lone 15-year-old picketer at the Swedish Parliament. Organizers said they hope staging the event during the school day will signal the importance that students attach to fighting climate change.

Adults come fight with us! 12-year-old Haven Coleman of Denver, one of three youth organizers of the protest in the United States, said from the stage.

The two other leaders of the U.S. movement are Isra Hirsi, the 16-year-old daughter of newly-elected Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, of Minneapolis, and Alexandria Villasenor, 13, of New York.

The group is calling for a national emergency on climate change and for the United States to stop all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The scientific community broadly agrees that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to net-zero by 2050 to halt the catastrophic effects of climate change.

Most of the declared Democratic candidates for the White House have already voiced support for the Green New Deal, a measure proposed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  a sweeping 10-year blueprint for combating climate change that involves reducing carbon emissions and retrofitting infrastructure.

Republicans have dismissed the proposals as unreasonably expensive and disruptive to the U.S. economy. They have tried to use some of the measures to sow discord within the Democratic party, painting their political rivals as shifting to the left and embracing extreme policies.

(Reporting by Lee Van Der Voo; Writing by Gabriella Borter; Editing by Scott Malone and Rosalba OBrien)
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VoteVets and Concerned Veterans for America have come together to push for changes that would end forever wars and limit Trumps unilateral war powers.

The New York Times reported:

Will Fischer, then the director of government relations for VoteVets, the liberal political action committee, was tapped to face off with Dan Caldwell, the executive director of the conservative Concerned Veterans for America. It was a continuation of a yearslong and contentious dialogue over veterans issues, including disputes over health care, which candidates care more about matters important to veterans, as well as their dueling views on the nefarious nature of the Republican or Democratic parties.

But then the two found an unanticipated policy bridge, and have now gone on to work together to persuade Congress to finally revoke authorizations of military force passed after Sept. 11, 2001, which both believe have been bent and stretched to justify wars far beyond Congresss intentions nearly two decades ago.



Lawmakers in each party have already demonstrated an increasing desire to curb Mr. Trumps decisions in Syria, Yemen and beyond. The large increase of veterans in the House, matched with the firepower behind these two organizations on both ends of the political spectrum, means that lawmakers who have long pushed for changes to the authorizations believe their time has come.

The 2001 AUMF was one of Congresss biggest mistakes/h1>

The 2001 authorization to use military force was rushed through Congress in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The authorization is too broad and has been used presidents in ways that were never intended. War powers need to be returned back to Congress. This point is a rare area of bipartisan agreement among Republicans and Democrats, but Congress has struggled to agree on how to deal with the problem.

The ability of the veterans groups to come together in a bipartisan way should make it easier for Congress to do the same.

There is also a lesson here in the unintended consequences of giving up authority to the executive branch that Congress should be aware of as Trump has attempted a power grab with his national emergency. When the legislative branch cedes power to the executive, it can be difficult to nearly impossible to get that power back.

Congress has been trying for nearly two decades to right the wrong of the 2001 AUMF.

The answer might be found in two veterans groups who agree on little but both stand together behind the ideas that forever wars must end, and that a check is needed on the presidents war-making powers.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
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Although there were 12 Republican U.S. Senators who voted against Donald Trump in the vote last week on his emergency declaration, this doesnt mean there is a widespread revolt in his party. In fact, whats more revealing is to look at the senators who did NOT vote against the president, and understand why. Because it shows that Donald Trumps stranglehold on the Republican Party is as strong as ever.

Of the 12 senators who voted to condemn Trumps national emergency declaration, only one is running for reelection next year. And that one is Susan Collins of Maine, who is perceived as an independent by her home-state voters.

This means all of the other Republicans in the Senate who will face an election challenge in 2020 voted to support the presidents national emergency, including many who were strongly opposed to it.

Why would they do that? The answer is simple: fear.

These senators in the presidents party are afraid of one thing above all others, and that is to get primaried.

With up to 90% of Republican primary voters likely to be supportive of Trump, the last thing these senators can afford to do is alienate them by appearing disloyal to the president.

There are several Republicans running in swing states who would likely have benefited from voting against Trump. For example Sens. Cory Gardner (Colo.), Martha McSally (Ariz.) and Thom Tillis (N.C.) all are considered at risk next year. They represent states where Donald Trump is not popular with the general electorate, yet in the crucial Senate vote they stuck with him.

Another good example is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Although there are rumors that McConnell may retire next year, he still is up for reelection. And he endorsed Trumps national emergency declaration even though he had initially warned Trump against making the move.

Republicans have little choice given how important the issue of border security is with Trumps base of Republican voters.

One Republican strategist said:

I think what theyve seen is the Republican base has been energized by the issue the last couple years and its not going away.

This issue has really become a defining issue as you go into the next election cycle.

In a recent Politico/Morning Consult poll 70 percent of Republicans said they will be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports Trumps national emergency declaration.

The arguments against Trumps national emergency declaration dont fly with the Republican base said Ford OConnell, a GOP consultant. This is their No. 1 issue.

OConnell also said that senators like Gardner and Tillis need to worry about fending off primary challenges and turning out conservative voters in the general election where Democratic turnout is expected to be very high.

Even though they want to fend off primary challenges, this is also a situation where, in the general election, if they cross Trump on this issue, Trump could win their state and they could still lose, OConnell said. In a lot of these races, its going to be two-point races, whether its Gardner or its Tillis.

Trump Could Cause Republicans to Lose Control of the Senate in 2020

In next years election there will be many vulnerable Republican senators running for reelection. Of the 34 Senate seats being contested in 2020, currently 22 are held by Republicans.

Democrats could possibly pick up GOP seats in Maine, Colorado, Arizona, North Carolina, Iowa, Georgia, Montana, Kansas and Kentucky. But they only need to have a net gain of three seats to take Senate control (assuming they win the presidency and vice presidency).

With terrified Republicans being forced to support the unpopular policies of their president, many have put themselves in a no win situation.

These senators are so afraid of primary challenges that they have turned cowardly. They are now blindly following Donald Trump (who also may soon be impeached and/or indicted for his criminal behavior).

Constituents in their home states will remember the cowardice of their senators on election day of 2020 when Democrats take back control of the U.S. Senate.
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One of the U.S. Senates most powerful Republicans is fuming mad at President Donald Trump.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has declared war against Trumps White House according to a new report in POLITICO.

Whats riled up Grassley is the refusal by the Trump administration to turn over sensitive information related to Russia.

This mornings article says that Grassley is accusing the Trump administration of stonewalling him over a request for documents related to the Russia investigation, so he is holding up the nomination of a key Trump appointee.

Then the article goes on to say:

The Iowa Republicans demand for Justice Department documents on its probe of possible links between the Trump campaign and Moscow has left William Evaninas nomination to head the National Counterintelligence and Security Center in limbo for the past year, frustrating the nations top intelligence leaders and even some fellow Senate Republicans.

The POLITICO report notes that Grassley is seeking specific documents concerning to Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who became a conduit between former British spy Christopher Steele and the FBI.

In a statement submitted to the Congressional Record, Grassley wrote:

The administrations continued, ongoing, and blatant lack of cooperation has forced my hand.

Grassley has blamed Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats for the lack of cooperation. He also is unhappy with how he is being treated.

DNI Coats is covering for the Justice Department, and theres something embarrassing in it all they dont want us to know about, Grassley said in an interview.

Coats then retaliated by saying that he was deeply troubled by the verbal assault from Grassley.

That is simply not true, Coats stated, saying the information should only be provided through congressional leadership and the intelligence oversight committees.

According to POLITICO:

Grassleys refusal to allow Evanina to be confirmed threatens to inflame tensions between the U.S. intelligence community and Congress at a time when national security leaders are warning that China and Russia are not only stepping up espionage efforts but likely preparing significant operations to influence the 2020 election.

But Grassley is remaining firm in his demands, even as he has been threatened, saying:

If Im going to do congressional oversight Ive got to use every tool I can, because the publics business ought to be public.

Ask Coats if hes concerned about this guy moving on. If he is, then give me the information. If hes not concerned about it, then well continue the hold.

In his statement, Coats responded by saying that Grassley preventing the administration from filling a critical national security position with a nominee who has bipartisan support over a jurisdictional dispute in the Senate ill-serves our shared mission to keep the American people safe.
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By James Oliphant

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (Reuters)  As he had done at several stops in his first campaign trip as a presidential candidate, Beto ORourke on Friday climbed atop a counter at a local Iowa business and addressed a small but adoring crowd. People clapped and cheered. Outside, some waited in the cold, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

By that measure, his tour across eastern Iowa last week was largely a success. But by no means was ORourke considered a front-runner. And that underscored the challenge he faces as he competes for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

ORourke, a former three-term U.S. congressman from Texas, became a celebrity last year when his longshot bid to unseat U.S. Senator Ted Cruz drew national attention and a torrent of money. But ultimately, his fame was not enough.

That loss led some critics to wonder why someone who couldnt secure a Senate seat would then think he should run for president.

That is not his only obstacle. ORourke, 46, is a wealthy, white man from a conservative-leaning state who is more moderate on several key issues than many of his competitors. Given the energy among progressives in the early stages of the race and the diversity of the Democratic field, ORourke would appear to be everything that many in party say they do not want.

More than a dozen Democrats have declared their candidacy to take on President Donald Trump in next years election, including six women. U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California would make history as the first black woman to gain the nomination. Julian Castro, a former secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, would be the first Hispanic to do so. Another contender, Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is openly gay.

ORourke also must grapple with the enduring popularity of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, a progressive who remains a formidable adversary after battling Hillary Clinton in 2016, and former Vice President Joe Biden, who is weighing a presidential bid.

Even so, none of them are on the cover of the latest issue of Vanity Fair, as ORourke is. His interview with the magazine sparked controversy on social media last week when he said he was born to run for president. Critics also found fault with his oft-repeated joke on the trail about how he helps raise his three children with his wife, Amy.

To his detractors, it smacked of white male privilege. ORourke grew up affluent, attended the Ivy Leagues Columbia University, and married the daughter of a real estate baron. His estimated net personal wealth is more than $9 million.

His image in his race against Cruz, however, belied that background. He fashioned himself as the scrappy underdog, a former punk rocker who was battling the establishment, visiting every county in Texas in a Dodge minivan and holding numerous town halls where he fielded questions from the public.

Reuters reported on Friday that when he was a teenager, ORourke was a member of the oldest group of computer hackers in U.S. history, the Cult of the Dead Cow, posing a question whether the United States is ready for a presidential contender who in his youth stole long-distance phone service and engaged in human-rights-driven hacktivism.

He took his outsider strategy to Iowa last week, going so far as to rent another Dodge minivan that he drove himself and shooting a fundraising video on Facebook of him filling its gas tank.

ORourke differed from many of his liberal competitors by talking frequently about how he worked with Republicans in Congress to improve care for veterans in his home town of El Paso, Texas. Asked whether he was a true progressive, he referenced President Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican.

ORourke maintained that his campaign would be relentlessly optimistic  and he only rarely rebuked Trump. We will not belittle or demean or vilify other candidates, he said in Mt. Vernon. We will not define ourselves in contrast to others or say who we are against.

His policy positions were largely nonspecific. He championed universal health care, immigration reform and combating climate change, but largely said any reforms would have to be pragmatic and incremental.

Occasionally, ORourke showed self-awareness of his status as a wealthy, white male, telling crowds that he had been given opportunities denied to minorities and describing the U.S. economic system as imperfect and racist.

He also found that despite the media attention he has received, he was not a household name in Iowa. I didnt even know who he was until two days ago, said Sam Jennison, the owner of the bar in Mount Vernon where ORourke held his event.

But for the most part, those who attended his events spoke of him glowingly and dismissed concerns about whether he was progressive enough. Issues are very important, said Cathryn Layer, 65, of New London, Iowa. Winnability is another thing.

We need a moderate Democrat, and we probably need a white male because that is not threatening to a lot of people, said Holly Manon Moore, 65, of Fairfield, Iowa, who said she is undecided in the race and would want a person of color to be the vice-presidential nominee. If we go too far left, were going to lose.

At the close of his Iowa trip, it remained unclear how ORourkes entrance would reshape the Democratic race. He notably declined to reveal how much money he raised in his first few days as a candidate.

But he did have an impact. At the same time ORourke was in eastern Iowa, so was one of his competitors, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. And while the size of the crowd that came to see her on Saturday was comparable to those at ORourkes events, there were far fewer journalists present.

(Reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
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Tony Bartelme, senior projects reporter for The Post and Courier, has earned national honors from the Nieman, Scripps, Loeb and National Press foundations and is a four-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Twitter: @tbartelme Signal: 843-412-2283.
FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2018, file photo, employees walk through a lobby at Amazon's headquarters in Seattle. Many of Amazons Seattle-area employees will likely be exempt from new proposed labor protections after a push by the tech giants lobbyists to raise the salary threshold at which the rules would kick in. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
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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.
Former Port Authority board Chairman Dan Tydingco submitted affidavits and other documents to a legislative committee last week to dispute allegations against him as he goes through the process of being vetted for nomination to the A.B. Won Pat Guam International Airport Authority board.

The allegations involve a slip-and-fall claim at the Port several years ago. The claim, which the Port found to be fraudulent, led to the firing of seven Port employees, whose terminations resurfaced in the March 8 legislative hearing. Some of the fired employees testified against Tydingco's confirmation to the airport board as they blamed him for their termination.

In one of the affidavits, the safety officer for the Port stated he could not find any evidence of former Port Authority of Guam marketing manager Bernadette Sterne Menos claim that she slipped and fell in the womens bathroom at the Port administration office on Sept. 22, 2011.

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Port safety officer Paul Salas reported his investigation of Menos slip-and-fall claim to former Port Deputy General Manager Anisia Terlaje, who also stated in an affidavit on May 5, 2014, she used the same restroom before Meno did and stated, "at no time did I see a slippery substance on the floor.

And Francisco Roberto, the safety administrator for the Port, stated in an affidavit that workers' compensation claim forms on this matter were falsified and backdated without his prior knowledge.

Menos alleged slip-and-fall claim and the Port's subsequent findings of alleged fraud resulted over a year later in the firing of Meno and the dismissal of six other port employees who have become known as the "Port 7."

The Port 7 employees were fired in December 2012 over an alleged conspiracy to file a fraudulent workers' compensation claim on behalf of Meno amounting to $70,000. The claim was never paid out by the Port.

Most of the employees are seeking to get their jobs back, and one employee is asking back pay of nearly $600,000.

Sen. Mary Torres, who was Port general manager at the time, refused to fire the employees. The board then fired her too. Joanne Brown was named general manager to replace her.

The affidavits surfaced Friday when they were filed with the Legislatures aviation committee, along with other documents, submitted by Tydingco, who was the chairman of the Port Authority board more than seven years ago when the Meno issue came up before the Port board.

The Port board questioned why, under Torres' watch, the administration approved Meno's business class trip to Hawaii for medical care, along with an escort; an "extended" per diem for two including the escort; and payment for the medical care without board approval, Port board records show. The cost of the claims was double the amount the Port had set aside for workers' compensation claims. The Port did not have insurance for work-related injuries.

In an email Friday to aviation committee Chairwoman Sen. Telena Nelson, Tydingco wrote that hopefully you will come to realize that the actions taken by the Port board back then were proper and responsible after you review the relevant attachments associated with the actions taken to safeguard the Port and the public trust.

Besides the affidavit, among the other documents submitted by Tydingco is one called Chronology of Pertinent Facts which is critical of the role played by Torres, who was Port general manager at the time.

Mrs. Torres knew from the very beginning, states the Tydingco memo, that her actions and those of other Port employees were problematic and possibly violated the law and she never disclosed any of these actions voluntarily.

Another document submitted by Tydingco is titled Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law written by Port attorney Mike Phillips.

In the report, Phillips concluded that Meno exaggerated her injuries, lied about what caused them, and manipulated the system in order to reap benefits for which she knew she was not lawfully entitled.

Phillips accused Torres of attempting to coerce Port general accounting supervisor Miami Ulbenario to disburse the checks to Meno and he states that Torres even misrepresented to the board ... that she knew nothing about the claim or travel other than the fact that it all went through the (workers' compensation claim), made by Meno.

Legislative hearing

At the confirmation hearing for Tydingcos appointment to the GIAA board, Tydingco was the subject of scathing criticism from Meno, who accused him of "unethical conduct." She declared that she never falsified any records and called her termination the biggest political witch hunt in the history of this government.

Torres, who sits on the aviation committee, also was critical of Tydingcos nomination at the hearing. She questioned Tydingcos character and said she emphatically opposed his nomination to the GIAA board.

On Thursday, Torres also filed supplemental documents with the committee that is now weighing whether to confirm Tydingcos nomination.

Among the documents submitted by Torres in support of her opposition to Tydingco's appointment is the so-called grave-digger email in which the then-Port board chairman called for what Torres alleges was an illegally convened meeting in October 2012 at the office of Port attorney Mike Phillips.

Board member Shelly Gibson wrote back in jest asking, Do we need a priest, referee, fireman, videographer?

Tydingco responded, How about a gravedigger.

In her testimony against Tydingco, Torres stated that this email exchange occurred long before the December 2012 report or investigation had been completed about (Menos) work injury claim.

The senator said the email succinctly captures the flippancy and cruelty in Mr. Tydingcos desire to bury political foes and other long-time members of the Ports family."

Torres also accused Tydingco of permitting unprofessional and irregular legal billing practices for the sake of his personal relationship with the Ports legal counsel, Mike Phillips.

The senator stated, The Ports legal counsel was allowed to delay the submission of bills for legal services for many months at a time  sometimes more than nine months after services were first rendered ... this meant more than a half a million dollars in legal fees were incurred before bills were even submitted for review and approval.

Torres also countered Phillips' claim that she had been approving Menos leave since July 2011 by pointing out that she was appointed port GM only in February 2012, five months after Menos alleged slip and fall in September 2011.

The board chose to dismiss me from my duties based on a report prepared by legal counsel that is filled with inaccuracies, distortions and poorly reasoned legal conclusions, Torres wrote.

In his Friday email to Nelson, Tydingco wrote: My confirmation is secondary. What does matter is a simple presentation of the clear facts and the truth surrounding the claims made by those who were terminated from the Port Authority."

Some members of the Port 7 have won appeals on their termination from the Civil Service Commission on the grounds that the 60-day rule for management to advise employees of adverse action had been violated.

The merits of the alleged fraudulent workers' compensation claim have never been decided by the court or the CSC.
(CNN)  A Syrian refugee and his teenage sons, a Pakistani academic and a blossoming student are among the victims of Friday's terror attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand.

According to a police statement on Sunday, 50 people were killed and 50 injured after a gunman went on a rampage in two mosques, the biggest massacre in New Zealand's modern history.

The victims were targeted as they gathered at the mosques for Friday prayers, leaving the country's Muslim communityand the worldin mourning.

As authorities begin to release information on the victims, here's what we know:

Daoud Nabi

Daoud Nabi sought asylum in New Zealand more than 40 years ago after fleeing Afghanistan with his two sons.

Christchurch, the place he's called home since 1977, offered hope and safety for him and his family.

Authorities have not released details and information on the victims, but his son, Yama Nabi, confirmed his death.

Naeem and Talha Rashid

Naeem Rashid, 50, and his son Talha Rashid, 21, were among six Pakistanis who were killed in the mosques, according to Mohammad Faisal, spokesman for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking to CNN in Abbottabad, Pakistan, Dr. Khurshid Alam said his brother, the elder Rashid, was an academic who been living in New Zealand for seven years.

"He used to teach at a university," Alam said. "My nephew (Talha) was a student."

Faisal said Saturday that New Zealand authorities had announced the names of all Pakistani nationals who were killed. The other four have been identified as Sohail Shahid, Syed Jahandad Ali, Syed Areeb Ahmed and Mahboob Haroon. Faisal said three others are missing.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the foreign minister of Pakistan, posted a statement on Twitter Saturday, along with pictures of the six Pakistani nationals who were killed.

"My heart is filled with sorrow as I confirm the deaths of the following Pakistanis who embraced Shahadat in the horrific terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand," Qureshi's tweet read. "To their families, I express my deepest sympathies and promise to facilitate them to the best of our abilities."

Khaled Mustafa

Khaled Mustafa, a refugee from Syria, was killed in the attack, Syrian Solidarity New Zealand said on its Facebook page. He was at the mosque with his two sons for Friday prayers when the shooter opened fire.

"Khaled Mustafa is a Syrian Refugee who has come with his family (wife and three children) to NZ, which they thought was the safe heaven, in 2018," Syrian Solidarity New Zealand said.

The group's spokesman, Ali Akil, told New Zealand news media company Stuff that he had spoken to Mustafa's wife, who was "devastated and deeply horrified." He added she did not want to speak with the media during this time, Stuff reported.

Hamza Mustafa

Hamza Mustafa, 14, was attending Friday prayers with father, Khaled, and his younger brother, Zaid, according to Syrian Solidarity New Zealand.

Mustafa's mother confirmed that her eldest son, Hamza, had died and that her younger son, Zaid, 13, was injured, Akil said. Zaid is in stable condition in Christchurch Hospital, he said.

Zaid does not know that both his father and brother have been killed, nor does the younger sister, Akil said.

Lilik Abdul Hamid

Lilik Abdul Hamid, from Indonesia, was killed in the shooting, Indonesia's Foreign Ministry said Saturday on Twitter.

The ministry tweeted its "deep condolences" and offered "prayers for the deceased and the family left behind."

4 Egyptians

Four Egyptians were among the shooting victims as well, according to the Twitter page of the Egyptian Immigration Ministry, which called the attack "despicable."

Mounir Sulaiman, 68; Ahmed Jamal Aldean Abdulghani, 68; Ashraf al-Morsi and Ashraf al-Masri were killed in Friday's shooting, the ministry said.

4 unnamed Jordanians

Four Jordanians were killed, and five who were wounded are being treated in the hospital, Jordan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday.

Nationals from India, Syria, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey are among other victims of Friday's attack, according to the Red Cross.

Suspect Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who broadcast the attack live on Facebook, has been charged with one count of murder, but officials have said additional charges are forthcoming.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "He fled to New Zealand to find refuge. He was shot and killed in his house of worship."
The Connecticut Supreme Court has issued a terrible ruling, opening the way for survivors and heirs of Sandy Hook victims to sue Remington Arms Company. The decision flies in the face of federal law and the Constitution, and will be reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court. It can be understood only as a political, not a legal, action.

The Connecticut Supreme Court Thursday narrowly reversed a ruling by a lower court judge dismissing a lawsuit by the families of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting against Remington Arms Company, allowing the case to proceed. In a 4-3 decision the court remanded the landmark gun case back to Bridgeport Superior Court and possibly created a path that other mass shooting victims can follow to get around the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, known as PLCAA, which has protected the manufacturers of the AR-15 assault rifle from lawsuits.

The PLCAA has no special application to AR-15 style rifles.

The ruling paves the way for the families to subpoena internal documents on how the gun companies have marketed the AR-15, which has become the weapon of choice for mass shooters.

For what it is worth, I dont think that is true.

The gun manufacturers have closely guarded information on how they market the assault weapons.

Why would a reporter expect a manufacturer to publicize its marketing strategies?

The Hartford Courant article quotes a number of triumphalist, anti-gun advocates. But what is the actual legal basis for the ruling?

The court ruled that the Sandy Hook families should have the opportunity to prove that Remington violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) by marketing what it knew was a weapon designed for military use to civilians such as Nancy and Adam Lanza.

Firearms of all kinds have been designed for military use. The 1911, designed by John Browning, was the standard U.S. military pistol for many years and remains one of the most popular pistol designs today. So what? There is no such exception in the Second Amendment.

We further conclude that PLCAA does not bar the plaintiffs from proceeding on the single, limited theory that the defendants violated CUTPA by marketing the XM15-E2S to civilians for criminal purposes, and that those wrongful marketing tactics caused or contributed to the Sandy Hook massacre, Justice Palmer wrote in the majority decision. Accordingly, on the basis of that limited theory, we conclude that the plaintiffs have pleaded allegations sufficient to survive a motion to strike and are entitled to have the opportunity to prove their wrongful marketing allegations.

Under the Supremacy Clause, federal law will govern over state law. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act is intended to avoid precisely the result reached by the Connecticut Supreme Court. The PLCAA puts firearms manufacturers on the same plane with all others. If their products are not defectiveif they do not malfunctionthey are not liable. If someone stabs a victim to death with a knife, the victims heirs cant sue the knife manufacturer. It is the same with firearms.

The Courant story acknowledges that finding an exception in the federal statute will be difficult. The only plausible choice, I think, is negligent entrustment, a concept long familiar in tort law. This is the relevant exception in the PLCAA:

(B) NEGLIGENT ENTRUSTMENT- As used in subparagraph (A)(ii), the term `negligent entrustment means the supplying of a qualified product by a seller for use by another person when the seller knows, or reasonably should know, the person to whom the product is supplied is likely to, and does, use the product in a manner involving unreasonable risk of physical injury to the person or others.

But it obviously doesnt apply to the Sandy Hook case. First, in the normal course, Remington would have sold the gun to a licensed firearms dealer. As far as I know, it had no relationship with the ultimate purchaser. There is no marketing exception in the statute.

Second, the Remington rifle was bought by Adam Lanzas mother, Nancy Lanza. She was a perfectly legal and legitimate buyer. Adam Lanza, the insane teenager who carried out the Sandy Hook massacre, murdered his mother and took her guns to use in his rampage. So there is no possible theory of negligent entrustment against Remington, or anyone else.

The Connecticut Supreme Courts decision is not a good faith exercise of judicial judgment. The four-judge majority engaged in political activism by issuing an anti-gun ruling that is obviously wrong under the Constitution and federal law. It will be reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court. But there is a lesson here: liberals love to talk about the rule of law, but what they mean is rule by lawyers. Rule by lawyers who dictate policies that the people and their elected representatives dont want, and that are likely to be at odds with the Constitution. This Connecticut decision is a prime example.
Todays Yellow Vest protesting in Paris produced violence on a scale not seen since the early days of the movement. AP reports:

French yellow vest protesters set life-threatening fires, smashed up luxury stores in Paris and clashed with police Saturday in the 18th straight weekend of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron. Large plumes of smoke rose above the rioting on Paris landmark Champs-Elysees avenue, and a mother and her child were just barely saved from a building blaze. Cobblestones flew in the air and smoke from fires set by protesters mingled with clouds of tear gas sprayed by police, as tensions continued for hours along the Champs-Elysees. By dusk, as the demonstrators had dispersed, the famed avenue was a blackened expanse.

(Emphasis added)

Once again, French authorities were caught flat-footed:

Police appeared to be caught off guard by the speed and severity of Saturdays unrest. French riot police tried to contain the demonstrators with repeated volleys of tear gas and water cannon, with limited success.

To be fair, Yellow Vests protests seemed to be fizzling out recently. But today, 8,000-10,000 protesters participated, coming from all over the country and even from elsewhere in Europe. How could authorities not have gotten wind that something threatening was afoot? How could they have been unprepared for a significant amount of violence?

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, a crony of President Macron with no obvious qualifications for Frances top cop job, estimated that casseurs (or breakers) made up 15-20 percent of the protesters. The casseurs come from both the far left and the far right, but at root they are just thugs.

Some protesters who did not participate in the violence expressed approval of those who did. Said one:

Im glad there are the thugs, because without them our movement wouldnt get any attention. We need the violence so we can be heard.

A German factory worker who traveled to Paris to show solidarity with yellow vest protesters said he agreed with the destruction inasmuch as banks are the biggest problem in the world.

Eric Drouet, a key figure in the Yellow Vest movement, said that todays march will be his last. Weve proved that marching wasnt functioning, he explained in a video, adding that he would continue the fight in other ways.

I think the government needs to counter the thugs in other, harsher ways.
The United Bank for Africa Plc has announced its Audited 2018 Financial Results with impressive growths achieved across major financial lines.

According to the 2018 financials filed at the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Tuesday, the banks gross earnings grew by 7.0 per cent to N494.0 billion, compared to N461.6 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2017. The banks total assets also grew significantly by 19.7 per cent to an unprecedented N4.9 trillion for the year under review.

These results, according to financial analysts largely demonstrates the benefits of the groups Pan-African footprints with continued growth in market share in key countries of operation across Africa. The contributions of ex-Nigeria subsidiaries at 40 per cent, again confirms the strong footing of the groups franchise in Africa.

Despite the challenging business environments in Nigeria and across key markets in Africa, the banks Profit Before Tax was quite impressive at N106.8 billion, a 2.4 per cent growth, compared to N104.2 billion in 2017 financial year. In the same vein, the Profit After Tax rose by 1.4 per cent to N78.6 billion, compared to N77.5 billion recorded in 2017. Due to lower foreign exchange trading income, Operating Expenses grew by 4.1 per cent to N197.3 billion, compared to N189.7 billion in 2017

Reflecting the modest appetite of the bank in the year under review as well as impact of IFRS 9 implementation, net loans recorded a prudent 3.9 per cent growth to N1.72 trillion while Customer Deposits increased by a remarkable 22.5 per cent to N3.3 trillion, compared to N2.7 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2017, reflecting increased customer confidence and enhanced service channels. Furthermore, Shareholders Funds decreased marginally by 4.8 per cent to N502.6 billion, reflecting the impact of International Financial Reporting Standards 9 (IFRS 9) implementation.

Commenting on the result, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Kennedy Uzoka, noted that the year 2018 was important for the group, as it gained further market share in many countries of operation. More so, the CEO was excited at strategic achievements made in the year, including the start of wholesale banking operations in London, as it seeks to leverage the groups unique network across Africa. UBA also opened its 20th African operation.

Defying the relatively weak economic growth in Africa, earnings were positive and we grew our balance sheet by 20 per cent, driven by the 23 per cent growth in our deposit funding. In a period of economic uncertainty, we have focused on retail deposit mobilization, with exciting results. We recorded a 48 per cent year-on-year growth in retail deposits and improved our CASA ratio to 77 per cent, optimizing our funding mix, which will enhance our net interest margin (NIM), over the medium term, Mr Uzoka said.

Mr Uzoka remained confident that the banks performance would be even stronger in the years ahead and shareholders would enjoy even greater dividends, as the Group is well positioned to take advantage of imminent fiscal reforms across many economies in Africa, a positive outlook which should stimulate new opportunities in infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and resource sectors.

He continued: Our operations in the United Kingdom now offer end-to-end trade, treasury, structured finance, wholesale deposit-taking and ancillary services. With this development, we are better positioned to fulfil our aspiration of deepening trade and capital flows between Europe and Africa. We are also pleased with the market acceptance of our new operation in Mali.

Having said this, I am excited by the profitability of our ex-Nigeria subsidiaries, which now contributes an impressive 40 percent earnings to the Group. At the moment, our Nigerian business is benefiting from our product and operational focus, gaining market share  most importantly, the increasing penetration of our retail offerings is reassuring, as this fundamental progress aligns with our strategy of focusing on sustainable growth.

With great optimism, we look forward to a more rewarding 2019 for our shareholders, as we further sweat our resources and optimize productivity towards delivering superior returns, he concluded.

Also speaking on the performance, the Group CFO, Ugo Nwaghodoh said that the improving mix of the Banks funding base and asset pricing, reinforce a positive outlook on Net Interest Margin(NIM) and broader balance sheet efficiency.

Whilst considerable investment in people, digital transformation and channel enhancement masked cost efficiency gains within the year, with cost-to-income ratio at 64 per cent, we are convinced that our diligent execution of new initiatives will ensure the reduction of Cost to Income Ratio(CIR) towards our medium-term target. Our balance sheet is being positioned to take full advantage of market swings and our strong 25 percent capital adequacy ratio provides headroom for growth, even under a BASEL III scenario. As it stands, UBA has started the year on a good note and should sustain the momentum, as we work towards improving our Return on Average Equity (RoAE), Nwaghodoh said.

United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading pan-African financial services group, operating in 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and with presence in France.

UBA was incorporated in Nigeria as a limited liability company after taking over the assets of the British and French Bank Limited who had been operating in Nigeria since 1949. The United Bank for Africa merged with Standard Trust Bank in 2005 and from a single country operation founded in 1949 in Nigeria  Africas largest economy  UBA has become one of the leading providers of banking and other financial services on the African continent. The bank which was awarded the Best Digital Bank in Africa by the Euromoney awards in 2018, provides services to over 17 million customers globally, through one of the most diverse service channels in sub-Saharan Africa, with over 1,000 branches and customer touch points and robust online and mobile banking platforms.

The shares of UBA are publicly traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the bank has a well-diversified shareholder base, which includes foreign and local institutional investors, as well as individual shareholders.
As the reporter walks towards the heart to heart centre at Wuse District Hospital, she thinks: if truly a drug to prevent one from getting infected with HIV exists, why then are about 1.9 million Nigerians living with HIV?

On getting to the centre, the reporter explains to the nurse that she may have been exposed to HIV following a condom break a night before.

To the reporters delight, the nurse said: I will give you a drug called Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV, and you will take it for 30 days straight without interruption, she said.

Just like the reporter, many Nigerians do not know that these drugs exist.

Unaware

The reporter carried out a series of interviews with some Nigerians to ascertain if they knew about PEP. Unfortunately, out of about 20 people, between the ages 19 and 50 years, none of them had ever heard of PEP. Many of them were only willing to provide their first names.

A lady in her late 20s simply identified as Deborah said she never knew such a drug existed.

I have had countless razor cuts and needle pricking, so if I knew such drugs exist, I would have attempted to get some (drugs) at a time, she said.

Wasiu, 35 years old, also said the same.

Its only God that keeps protecting one. I dont have HIV, and I have never taken any drugs to prevent it. I mean, I dont even know there is a drug to prevent it, he said.

Also, Abdulrasheed said he is hearing about such drugs for the first time.

I am hearing about this for the first time. But really? Such drugs exist, and people dont even know about it. I believe 90 per cent of people you have asked do not know about this drug, he said.

One would have thought the older people would be aware of the existence of PEP.

Solomon Curtis, a 47-year-old man, said he just heard about PEP from this reporter.

Tell me more about this PEP and where can I get it, he said.

Global HIV Prevalence

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the worlds most serious public health challenges.

According to UNAIDS, about 36.9 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS in 2017, of which 1.8 million were children.

The Nigerian HIV/AIDs Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) indicates that about 1.9 million Nigerians are currently living with the disease, according to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).

Globally, in 2017 about 21.7 million people living with HIV (59 per cent) were accessing antiretroviral therapy, an increase of 2.3 million since 2016 and up from 8 million in 2010.

AIDS-related deaths are also said to have reduced by more than 51 per cent since its peak in 2004.

In 2017, 940 000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses worldwide, compared to 1.4 million in 2010 and 1.9 million in 2004.

Certainly, the rate of HIV transmission globally can further reduce, if more people are aware of PEP.

PEP

PEP for HIV is a short-term treatment with antiretroviral medicine to reduce ones chance of becoming infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) after a potentially high-risk situation.

The 30-day medication helps prevent HIV from replicating and spreading in the body as long as it is first taken within 72 hours after exposure.

PEP was initially introduced to health workers who are occasionally exposed to HIV in the line of duty. This is referred to as occupational exposure.

It is now being administered to other non-occupational exposures which include cases of condom break during sex, or in the case of unprotected sex with an anonymous partner or rape cases. It is also used during infections emanating from sharing a syringe for injection of a hard drug.

Before PEP is administered to a person after potential HIV exposure, an HIV test is conducted to determine the status of the person.

PEP can only be started if the rapid diagnostic test reveals no HIV infection present.

Life-saving, Free

Due to the poor health system in the country, one would have thought that such drugs will be unavailable in public hospitals.

But the reverse was the case when PREMIUM TIMES visited the National Hospital, Abuja and Kubwa General Hospital.

National Hospital, Abuja

The drug can be accessed in any of the government-owned hospitals and for free.

A visit to some private hospitals also shows that the drugs are available at no cost.

A nurse at one of the private hospitals disclosed that Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) provide PEP drugs and other antiretrovirals to the hospital.

All you need to do is get a new folder which costs about N3,000, sees a doctor who will direct you to the laboratory to conduct an HIV test. If the results come out negative, PEP will be administered immediately, the nurse said.

Unavailable in pharmacies

The reporter made efforts to access PEP in some pharmacies in Abuja, but only one had PEP drugs which it was ready to sell at N13,110 per pack.

A Pharmaceutical srtore used to illustrate the story

The pharmacies claimed not to have the drugs while others requested a doctors or police report.

Experts Speak

Speaking on the access to PEP, a public health expert, Tolu Fakeye said: with these Basic Health Care Provision Funds (BHCPF), there must be access to essential medicines in whatever package it will be delivered. So they should be available, accessible and affordable.

Adediran Abdulhameed, another public health expert, disagrees with the idea of PEP being made available in the pharmacy.

He said: I dont agree that the drug should be made available in the pharmacy. The concept of HIV in itself is one that requires trained personnel to manage.

And whether we like it or not, PEP is also a form of management, in this case, preventing HIV. I wouldnt encourage someone to go to the shop, get the drugs without understanding it.

So the fact that I am exposed does not mean I should just go and take the drugs like that. I need to have it on record that this person was negative as at the time of being exposed. Because there could also be some legal issues around it like you hinted that someone asked you to bring police report, he said.

Drugs administered for PEP

The most commonly recommended drug for PEP is the combination of Tenofovir ( TDF) Lamivudine (3TC) Efavirenz (EFV).

Others are a combination of Tenofovir ( TDF) + Lamivudine (3TC) + Dolutegravir. (DTG).

The combination of Zidovudine ( AZT) + Lamivudine (3TC) + Nevirapine ( NVP) is also administered in some cases.

However, there are some antiretroviral drugs used for the treatment of HIV infection that may be considered for PEP in special circumstances.

One of such drugs is Zalcitabine (2-3-dideoxycytidine, ddC), also called dideoxycytidine, a drug sold under the trade name Hivid.

It was the third antiretroviral to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.

The combination recommended for children includes Abacavir (ABC) + Lamivudine (3TC)+ ritonavir-boosted Lopinavir (LPV/r).

Side Effects

There are certain side effects associated with PEP. These include but not limited to weakness, headaches, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, fatigue, excess sweating and dizziness.

These side effects could discourage people from taking the drug.

Mr Abdulhameed said he would encourage people to take PEP irrespective of the side effects.

For every drug, there are side effects that are noticeable, but then you find out that we cant do without drugs, he said.

Mr Fakeye said users should not consider the side effects.

The most important thing is the efficacy of the drug and why it is needed. One has identified the very high risk of exposure, so it is necessary for PEP to be taken, he said.

Awareness needed

Mr Abdulhameed calls for more awareness on PEP. He said more awareness would enlighten the people.

He, however, said the job should not be left for the government alone.

I agree with you that more awareness should be created, but we cannot put the responsibility on government alone.

Ill rather say that each one should tell one. I think people should make their health care providers their friend so they can tell them when any incident of exposure occurs.

NACAs reaction

In an interview with the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA), Sani Aliyu, he said the agency would be investing in pushing messages on PEP out in 2019.

I think it is important that our readers know this. If you have sex with somebody who is known to have HIV, or you are using a condom, and it breaks or in the heat of things, you dont use a condom, and you start thinking you may have been exposed to the virus, there is something you can do to stop that transmission, he said.

If within 72 hours, you are put on HIV drugs (PEP) and you take that for four weeks, you will not get HIV. If you leave it beyond 72 hours, the virus would have established itself in the body, he explained.

Mr Aliyu said the drug, if taken as appropriate, reduces the chances of transmission by more than 90 per cent.
1.9 million Nigerians living with HIV  NACA boss.

The Nigerian HIV/AIDs Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) indicates that about 1.9 million Nigerians are currently living with the disease, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has said.

The Director-General of NACA, Sani Aliyu, said the percentage of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria, among the age group of 15-49 years, is 1.4 per cent (1.9 per cent among females and 0.9 per cent among males.)

He also said viral suppression among PLHIV aged 15 to 49 years old with access to treatment stands at 42.3 per cent (45.3 per cent among women and 34.5 per cent among men).

Tunisias mysterious baby deaths rise to 15

An infant died under unclear circumstances at a hospital in Tunisia, bringing the number of unexplained baby deaths at a hospital in the country to 15 since last week, a judicial official said on Wednesday.

Recently, the Tunisian health minister, Abderraouf Cherif, resigned over the deaths at the Rabta hospital in Tunis after 11 newborns were initially reported dead.

The acting Health Minister, Sonia Ben Cheikh, said samples taken from the maternity section at the hospital were being analysed at three laboratories to ascertain the cause of death.

Nigeria improves on HIV ranking, now fourth worst hit country  Minister

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, says Nigeria has moved to the fourth position among countries worst hit by the HIV epidemic.

With an earlier estimate of about 3.2 million people living with HIV, Nigeria was ranked second after South Africa which ranks first with about 7.1 million people living with HIV.

Speaking after the announcement of the Nigeria HIV/AIDs Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) result on Thursday, Mr Adewole said Nigeria has now moved to the fourth position after South Africa, India and Mozambique following the findings of the survey.

In 2016, a report by the World Health Organisation stated that Nigeria had the second largest HIV epidemic, with over 196,000 adolescents representing 10 per cent of the global burden epidemic.

About 18 Nigerians die of tuberculosis every hour  Expert

At least 18 Nigerians die from Tuberculosis (TB) every hour, a TB expert, Lovett Lawson, has said.

Mr Lawson, the Board Chairman of Stop TB partnership Nigeria, said Nigeria has the highest burden of the disease in Africa and the third highest burden in the world after India and Indonesia.

He lamented that over 75 per cent of Nigerians with the disease are yet to be diagnosed or receive any form of treatment.

This, he blamed on the lack of awareness about the disease among the communities and the social stigma attached to those diagnosed with the ailment.

Prevention, best way to manage kidney diseases

In view of the increasing incidence of kidney diseases, the Renal Dialysis Centre (RDC), Ikeja, Lagos, says the best way to manage the condition is through prevention.

John Okoh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RDC, said that from clinical observations and available statistics, more people were coming down with kidney disease.

Mr Okoh said: One of the prescribed ways of managing the disease now is actually prevention, protection and early detection and to do the things to keep the kidneys healthy.

More women die from caesarean delivery in Africa  Research

More women die from caesarean delivery in Africa than in high-income countries, a study published in the Lancet medical journal revealed on Friday.

Cesarean section (C-section) is a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus.

The study found the maternal mortality rate for C-sections in Africa is substantially higher than expected at 5.43 deaths per 1,000 operations compared to just 0.1 per 1,000 operations in Britain.

One in six women in Africa also develops complications during surgery, almost three times that of women in the U.S.

WHO urges govts to enforce ban on tobacco adverting

WHO is urging governments to enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship at sporting events, including when hosting or receiving broadcasts of Formula 1 and MotoGP events.

WHO also urged all sporting bodies, including Formula 1 and MotoGP, to adopt strong tobacco-free policies that ensure their events are smoke-free and their activities and participants, including race teams, are not sponsored by tobacco companies.

These calls come in the light of tobacco companies establishing new partnerships with motor-racing teams.

WHO urged governments to implement their domestic laws banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in the strongest possible ways. This may include issuing penalties applicable under domestic laws and taking preventative action, such as by preventing the screening of events that violate domestic laws.
A former chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Akwa Ibom State, Aniekeme Uwah, has said that the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDs in the state is worrisome and unacceptable.

The Nigerian HIV/AIDs Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) has shown that Akwa Ibom has the highest prevalence rate of HIV in the country.

About 5.5 per cent of the people living with HIV in Nigeria are in Akwa Ibom State, followed by Benue State, which has about 5.3 per cent prevalence rate, according to the findings of the survey released on Thursday in Abuja.

The HIV/AIDs prevalence rate in our dear state is really worrisome and unacceptable, to say the least, Mr Uwah, a medical doctor, said in a statement he issued in Uyo on Sunday in a response to the survey findings.

Mr Uwah said now was not the time for blame games, rather all hands must be on deck. If you are not infected, you are affected, he said.

By so doing, we will take our state out from the infamous position which is capable of increasing the morbidity and mortality rates in the state, decimating our workforce and adversely affecting the policies of government geared towards driving Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and human traffic to the state to boost our tourism industry, Mr Uwah said.

Mr Uwah gave suggestions on what government, organisations, and individuals could do to curb the spread of HIV/AIDs in Akwa Ibom.

Every Akwa Ibomite must take full responsibility for their health and well-being, including not contracting HIV/AIDs.

Therefore, the strategy to adopt is as simple as ABC  abstinence, being mutually faithful, and correct and consistent use of condoms.

Mr Uwah advised the ministry of education in the state to partner with relevant agencies to set up HIV/AIDs club and Peer Education Training (PET) in secondary schools across the state.

Youth Corps members who serve in secondary schools could be trained as Peer Educator Trainers (PETs) during their orientation camp. They will, in turn, train their students on basic knowledge on HIV/AIDs and its prevention, and also serve as their mentors.

Mr Uwah said corporate bodies in the state should incorporate the fight against HIV/AIDs into their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.

These could be in the form of free slots for jingles in the radio and TV stations.

The owners of print media houses could also give free spaces in their newspapers and magazines for adverts on HIV/AIDs.

Other corporate bodies like oil companies, construction companies, agro-allied companies etc should also include HIV /AIDs into their CSR.

Social media influencers should also take up the fight by sharing messages on HIV/AIDs through the social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc). This will ensure that the large population of young people who are on social media is reached.

The government has a very big role to play in combating this scourge in the state. Thankfully, Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration has taken some proactive steps by establishing agencies that will help in the fight.

Mr Uwah advised the state government to strengthen its agencies and institutions through increased funding and capacity building to enable them to deliver on their core mandates.

The HIV/AIDs prevalence rate in Akwa Ibom State is really alarming and therefore should not be taken lightly because HIV/AIDs has no cure.

While implementing the strategies highlighted above, urgent measures should be taken to begin massive awareness campaigns across the state to preserve the lives of our children and generations yet unborn, he added.
Sniper: Choice Killer Substance?

Loveth, a university admission-seeker recently took her life in Ekiugbo, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

According to a witness, she was reportedly displeased with the 163 mark she got in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

To show her disenchantment, she consumed three bottles of Sniper, an insecticide. The bottles were found by her side on the day she was found lifeless.

A Niger Delta University student, Aduba Daniel also committed suicide by drinking Sniper after he discovered he had carryover in his courses.

This came shortly after Ayomide and Ajani Damilola of University of Lagos were reported to have killed themselves using the insecticide following the accusations that they stole clothes in their hostel.

Another 32-year-old banker and mother of two, identified as Peace, of Ughelli, Delta State, committed suicide over her husbands alleged infidelity. She also took Sniper.

Community sources said the deceased, who worked with one of the new generation banks along Market Road, Ughelli, did not leave a suicide note.

These are just a few cases of those who have consumed the insecticide in a bid to take their lives. A few have survived.

Many are not so lucky.

Bottles of sniper can be picked up easily on the streets as they are sold openly in the market.

Increased suicides by Sniper?

In Nigeria, Sniper, which is an insecticide seems to be serving another purpose, it seems.

Many cases of suicides reported in recent months are carried out through the use of the substance. Some are unreported.

The first thing that comes to peoples mind when the thought of suicide comes is sniper, says a respondent.

The lethargy of the authorities in observing this and the easy access many have to this substance is creating anxiety in some quarters.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), it estimated that the method used for 20 per cent of global suicides was through pesticide self-poisoning, most of which occurred in rural agricultural areas in low- and middle-income countries.

Dangerous Substance

A microbiologist, Fatima Ahmed, explains the danger inherent in using the substance for a purpose for which it is not meant for.

Sniper, is a DDVP, 2,2-Dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate compound, marketed in Nigeria by Swiss-Nigerian Chemical Company, as a synthetic organophosphorus but which many Nigerians have converted to an indoor insecticide.

The instruction on Sniper says apply diluted portions to crops and theres a withdrawal time in which the crop should not be consumed so the active ingredient degrades to minimal level before consumption. Now compare this minute concentration to drinking from the original sniper bottle, she told PREMIUM TIMES.

According to her, health experts have raised concerns over the indiscriminate use of Sniper pesticide in the control of mosquitoes, cockroaches and other household insects.

They warned on its dangerous effects, especially to respiratory organs and even carcinogenic risks. A person may be exposed to the associated risk of Sniper through inhalation, absorption via the skin, ingestion, and eye contact.

The popularity of Sniper use amongst Nigerians as an insecticide has grown in recent times, owing to its effectiveness in killing insects better than well-established brands of insecticide, she said.

The demand is also fuelled by its affordability, she adds.

A 100ml of Sniper goes for between N200 and N300 as against Baygon of N700 for 100ml or Killit of N750.

However Nigerians may be paying a heavier price with their health in the long term, if the trend is left unchecked, she added.

Other experts approached for comments warn that exposure to Sniper and other insecticides made from DDVP may affect the eyes, skin, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, central nervous system and blood system.

While some have survived after using Sniper in a bid to end their lives, many others did not survive, a mini-research conducted online by this reporter reveals.

But come to think of it, why the option of Sniper, once the thought of committing suicide emerges?

While some people think the use of Sniper is due to its accessibility, others said it is quick and effective.

Domestic Sniper Users

PREMIUM TIMES interacted with some housewives in Suleja, Niger State who regularly use the substance in their homes for fumigation.

Joy Monday said the availability of the insecticide is the major problem.

The problem is the accessibility of sniper. It is seen almost everywhere around, once you enter the market for example Suleja here, you would find out that there are about 50 people selling it.

Mrs Monday added that the insecticide is very effective when one needs to get rid of insects such as cockroaches and ants.

I do not know why it should be used for a different purpose (suicide) as to what it is meant for? she said.

Rahma Usman explained the effectiveness of the substance further.

Sniper, as a pesticide, is mainly because of the effect it has on various reptiles. When we use insecticides like Baygon, they are good for insects like cockroaches, mosquitoes and the likes, but things like lizards, wall-geckos and other reptiles including dangerous ones, cannot withstand the smell of Snipers. However, I mostly prefer to use it around my house, not inside the room, she said.

Mrs Usman added that everyone knows that suicide is dangerous.

I think its because Sniper ranks among the most available tools for the commission of suicide, that is why it is dangerous.

She also gives an insight into why persons will contemplate ending it all.

Finally, if it helps, I would like to add my opinion on some reasons why people may anticipate suicide.

This includes a failure on the part of friends and associates to notice a friend slowly falling into depression. Many people exhibit tendencies of depression, but if they are not noticed, they end up killing themselves.

She further said other causes include lack of parental care, failure to attain specified goals, and social ineptitude, among others.

New Dimension?

Efforts to get the Federal Ministry of Health to weigh in on this report were unsuccessful. Its spokesperson, Akinola Boade referred the reporter to a staffer called Jude to get the desired information.

But Mr Jude did not pick multiple calls from the reporter or respond to messages.

But in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) spokesperson, Abubakar Jimoh, explained what the agency is doing to regulate dangerous substances.

We are in charge of regulation of chemicals. We have over the years put out control measures, he tells PREMIUM TIMES. What we witnessing now is a new dimension.

In the past what NAFDAC use to battle with under late Dora Akunyili was to mount a ceaseless campaign against acid attack. If I may let you know, the fact that we are controlling chemical does not mean people would not just use it. Even water can kill, anything surrounding you can kill.

What looks very alien in the past is now common. In the past, we use to read those things on the pages of newspaper that abroad, people are committing suicide, it is not in the African culture at all. But now it is with us, people jump into lagoon, others use Sniper.

He said Sniper is just one way people commit suicide.

It is one aspect, maybe if an individual quickly wants to reach out (die) instead of going to the lagoon. But that does not lie within the remit of NAFDAC. Just like talking of road safety, controlling the road movement of vehicle and every other thing and somebody decides to run across the road, how does the VIO get involved in such a situation?

He, however, said the agency is doing its job.

NAFDAC is doing its own work. We are regulating the importation, distribution and the use of chemicals in Nigeria. What we are also concerned about is the abuse of those chemicals. The management of the agency is trying to take a look at it.

What we are witnessing now is a new dimension that is agitating everybody and at NAFDAC end, the management is also looking at how we can come in, even though it does not directly fall within the remit of NAFDAC.

NAFDAC is a federal agency responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and packaged water in Nigeria.

Global Challenge

Suicide is a complex issue involving numerous factors and should not be attributed to any one single cause, experts say.

Not all people who die by taking their own lives have been diagnosed with a mental illness and not all people with a mental illness attempt to end their lives by suicide.

People who have died by suicide typically had overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, despair, and helplessness, research has shown.

Suicide is not about a moral weakness or a character flaw. People considering suicide feel as though their pain will never end and that suicide is the only way to stop hurting.

A 2001 World Health Organisation report on the global challenge laments lack of adequate access to treatment for the mentally infirm by many developing nations.

Constant exposure to severely stressful events, dangerous living conditions, exploitation, and poor health in general all contribute to the greater vulnerability of the poor. The lack of access to affordable treatment makes the course of the illness more severe and debilitating, leading to a vicious circle of poverty and mental health disorders that is rarely broken, the report states.

It, however, says nations should de-emphasise focusing on traditional mental health institutions but focus on community care alternatives.

Such institutions (formal mental health facilities) lead to a loss of social skills, excessive restriction, human rights violations, dependency, and reduced opportunities for rehabilitation. Countries should move towards setting up community care alternatives in a planned manner, ensuring that such alternatives are in place even as institutions are being phased out, the world body said.

Nuggets Of Help

The founder, Smart Suicide Prevention Initiative (SSPI), Smart Chongo, in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES gave some tips on how to help stem the tide. These are reproduced below:

1. REMOVE YOURSELF FROM DANGER OR (IF SAFE) STAY WHERE YOU ARE

Thoughts of suicide can hit hardest when youre in a potentially dangerous area or situation (driving, standing on a balcony, or near guns, weapons, or other potentially harmful objects.

Individuals should physically move or back away from the area or situation in order to minimise the potential of acting on suicidal thoughts.

Do not take unnecessary risks by having weapons or extra medications around  ask a friend or family member to keep or put them away.

2. SLOW YOUR BREATHING

Slowing your breathing helps slow your heart rate and supplies more oxygen to your brain, while also shifting your attention away from whatever thoughts youre having.

Take a few deep inhales and exhales to regain control of your breath  four seconds in, hold for four, four seconds out, hold for four, repeat.

3. RE-FOCUS

There are different ways to do this and some may work better than others for you. Work toward distancing yourself (i.e., shifting attention away) from the negative thoughts of hurting yourself.

A. VISUALIZATIONS: Focusing on breathing can help, especially when combined with visualisations. Imagine your lungs filling up with air, your diaphragm rising and falling. The more detail you add, the better.

If you are counting your breaths, you can also try to visualise the numbers.

For some, imagining yourself in a safe and calming space, being with someone you love, or looking to your faith can help.

B. USE YOUR SENSES: Victim should close his/her eyes for a few moments and then open them. They should focus their attention on whatever is around them.

Try describing what you see in as much detail as possible  whats the texture of the ground, what colours are the walls, what sounds can you hear? Imagine youre writing a scene in a book and be as detailed as possible.

The more senses you use, the more you will be able to shift your focus away from painful thoughts.

C. MUSCLE RELAXATIONS: Often, when you feel overwhelmed, your muscles tighten without realising it. (Your shoulders or jaw may flex, or you may make your hands into fists).

Focus on relaxing your muscles. Start with your head and try to relax each muscle group working your way down (face, jaw, neck, shoulders, back, arms, legs, calves, etc). You can use your hands to massage your neck or shoulders as well.

4. REACH OUT

If using the techniques above dont help alleviate the intensity of your suicidal thoughts, its time to reach out. Even if you dont think the thoughts were that serious, reaching out to others is a good habit to get into. Surround yourself with people you care about, rather than shutting down and isolating yourself. The people you care about want to help  let them know whats going on.

Call the helpline or a friend and explain to them that youre going through a particularly rough time and need their support.

Dont let worries or fears of being locked up prevent you from reaching out and sharing suicidal thoughts with others. There are a variety of professional services and levels of care that can help. Like treating other illness or injuries, for some guys hospital care is a crucial and temporary step needed for recovery.

If you need more urgent support, dont hesitate to call 08062106493. Your safety is your first priority and there are professionals out there to help.onals out there to help.
For Ndidi Godwin, switching her childrens education from a private to a public school has turned out to be a huge mistake. The Methodist Primary School, Ewu-Tuntun, which her two daughters attend has gradually  but steadily  become a shadow of itself over the past years. And there seems to be no succour in sight.

I removed them from private school and brought them here because I know what I got in a public school, said Mrs Godwin, who runs a shop near the primary school.

Its public school I went to in Lagos State. For primary, I went to Ajubiliee Primary school, secondary is Bolade Grammar School, then Lagos State Polytechnic, have I not achieved?

But the current state of Methodist Primary School, Ewu Tuntun in Oshodi, Lagos, is a far cry from what Mrs Godwin experienced in her days.

Established in 1953, the school with a pupil population of 374 consists of three buildings housing 18 classrooms. Ten of the classrooms are not in use while the remaining eight are in advanced stages of disrepair  no windows, broken ceilings, cracked walls, and tattered, leaky roofs.

A haven for hoodlums

Methodist Primary School, Ewu Tuntun, is situated in Oshodi, a bustling community in the heart of Lagos popular for hosting major motor parks as well as housing hoodlums. About 10 kilometres from the school, the state governments ambitious multi-billion naira Oshodi Transport Interchange springs into view as the project enters its final stages of completion.

But the decrepit state of facilities in the primary school at Ewu Tuntun remains in need of urgent, total rehabilitation. In the meantime, it serves as a haven for hoodlums who not only come to smoke Indian Hemp but also defecate on the premises. The abandoned classrooms have been turned to sleeping spaces for the homeless.

During a recent visit by a PREMIUM TIMES correspondent, the stench of stale urine and overnight faeces hung thick in the air.

A classroom turned toilet for hoodlums at Ogundele community where Methodist School, Ewu-tuntun, Oshodi is located

The smell filters into the pupils classrooms during school hours.

All the classrooms are in totally bad states, if you enter the classrooms, they smell like drainage, said Mrs Godwin.

No fence, no security for our children, even the classrooms are not good for learning. Many big people attended this school, in fact, there are many old students of the school living in this area, but nothing has been done.

We hope that the government will do something about the condition of the school.

Another parent said the school premises have become a playground for hoodlums.

There was even a time a classroom got burnt as a result of remnant of a cigarette left in the classroom. Bola Tinubu visited this place when that happened but nothing has been done about the school, said the parent who preferred not to be named.

The front view of a building where pupils learn at Methodist School, Ewu-tuntun, Oshodi

The office of the head teacher, a Deputy Director and a Grade Level 16 officer in the states civil service, is not left out in the ruins.

There is nearly no ceiling under the leaky roof and a wall clock near a wooden locker dangles from the cracked wall.

A teacher in the school told PREMIUM TIMES that the poor state of the building dampens their morale, adding that the insufficient classrooms in the school are causing the classes to be overcrowded. For instance, three arms of a class are merged into one and they are taught by two or three teachers.

The Primary 6 classroom of Methodist School, Ewu-tuntun, Oshodi

Another teacher said whenever it rains, the pupils are exposed to droplets of water from the leaky roof and that there is an overpowering putrid stench in the classrooms during the rainy season.

Limited funds

The Universal Basic Education (UBE), a Nigerian government initiative, replaced the Universal Primary Education and is intended to enhance the success of the first nine years of schooling in a childs life, starting with six years of primary education.

Each of the 36 states and the federal capital territory has a UBE arm to enhance proper co-ordination between the federal and state governments.

In Lagos State, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education, an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Education, is charged with coordinating, managing, and implementing the UBE programme of the state government in conjunction with the federal government.

The federal government through the UBE releases an annual grant which each state is expected to provide an equal amount of money as counterpart fund  a matching grant  before it could access the money.

An abandoned building at Methodist School, Ewu-tuntun, Oshodi

As at April 2018, Lagos State is among the 13 states that had met the condition and had received N1.3 billion from the federal government.

Ganiyu Sopeyin, the executive chairman of SUBEB in Lagos State, said many schools in the state need attention but there are limited funds.

We only have to attend to some schools while others will have to wait, Mr Sopeyin told PREMIUM TIMES, adding that the condition of the school, as well as the population, are some of the criteria SUBEB uses in selecting the schools for renovation.

Because of the situations in the country, we will not be able to get everything done. In spite of the rapport we have with NGOs, civil society organizations and so many societies, we will still not be able to have everything done.

Seyi Akitoye, the public relations officer of Lagos State SUBEB, said there are 1,013 primary schools in the state and 20 are selected every year for rehabilitation.

A classroom at Methodist Primary School, Ewu-Tuntun, Oshodi

We dont depend on the counter-part fund we receive from federal government, the state because of its passion for education also give fund for infrastructural development, Mr Akitoye said.

Mr Akitoye showed the PREMIUM TIMES correspondent a document capturing Methodist Primary School, Ewu Tuntun, as one of the schools to be renovated.

He also added that the board would seek partnership with night and neighbourhood watchers to help prevent hoodlums from gaining access to the school premises.

Recently, a teacher in the school told PREMIUM TIMES that SUBEB officials visited the school and took pictures of the buildings, but added that this is not the first time, they do come but we have not seen any sign.

An abandoned classroom at Methodist School, Ewu-tuntun, Oshodi

For Mrs Godwin, whose elder child in the school is in Primary Five, the governments intervention is not coming anytime soon. She said she takes extra caution to protect her two daughters from the hoodlums who besiege the school premises daily.

They have to put on tights before they can enter that school because they are girls, she said.

Do you know how many times they have come from SUBEB that they will do the school? They will not come.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the governorship supplementary election scheduled on March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of the state.

Kasim Gaidam, the states Resident Electoral Commissioner, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Yola.

Mr Gaidam said the election would be conducted in 29 Wards (Registration Areas) and 44 Polling Units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled in the recent governorship selection.

The Commission had prepared for the Supplementary Governorship election in the state. The election is going to be conducted in 14 LGAs, 29 Wards and 44 Polling Units spread across the state, Mr Gaidam said.

He listed the local areas to include Yola South, Fufore, Ganye, Girei, Guyuk and Hong.

Other are Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo local government areas.

Mr Gaidam, however, explained that the election was declared inconclusive as provided by law based only on official registered voters, not Permanent Voters Cards collected or accredited voters.

He said: Other figures being circulated should be disregarded as only report released by the Returning Officer should be considered.

It could be recalled that the results of the governorship election announced by INEC Returning Officer, Andrew Haruna, shows that the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri, scored 367,472 votes, while a total of 334,995 votes was scored by incumbent governor, Muhammad Bindow, the APC candidate.

The margin between them was 32,476 votes.

(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari will not intervene to help his party win supplementary elections in six states where they are scheduled, the presidency has said.

The electoral commission, INEC, has fixed March 23 for supplementary elections in six states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto) where elections were declared inconclusive.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how INEC declared the elections in the six states inconclusive. because the margin of victory was less than the cancelled votes in each of the states.

Of the six states, the main opposition party, PDP, was leading in five, while Mr Buharis party, APC, was leading in Plateau.

The presidency in a statement by Mr Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said it was aware APC members were criticising Mr Buhari for not interfering in the electoral process to favour them.

Interestingly, while members of the ruling APC party were criticising the president for not interfering on their behalf, members of the opposition were condemning the president based on their assumptions that he would definitely interfere, as many in the opposition did while in power, Mr Shehu wrote.

See the full statement by Mr Shehu below.

The presidency has cautioned against a lot of the hate spewing, incitement to violence and the polarizing statements by so-called political leaders as a number of states brace up for supplementary elections prescribed by the National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The presidency also rejects unfair and ridiculous criticisms of President Muhammadu Buharis apparent disinterest in the upcoming elections in some states by party members who wrongfully assume that the president will abuse power by changing results to favour them.

Past Presidents of Nigeria were known to interfere in inconclusive elections, and that is why party members appear to be upset that the same thing is not happening now, but President Buhari is a different kind of leader. He swore to defend the constitution and will not veer off from that.

The constitution of Nigeria gives the President no such powers. It is unfair and ridiculous to criticise President Buhari for not going against the constitution.

Party members in states where there will be supplementary elections then need to be reminded that they need to work hard to earn their peoples votes, rather than expect President Buhari to manipulate INEC in their favour.

Interestingly, while members of the ruling APC party were criticising the president for not interfering on their behalf, members of the opposition were condemning the president based on their assumptions that he would definitely interfere, as many in the opposition did while in power.

Under President Buhari, INEC had been and will be completely independent throughout the elections, free from any interference.

President Buhari is a man of conviction, and the manipulation of election results goes against everything he stands for INEC is completely in charge.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the governments of Lagos and Oyo states to take immediate action to address the numerous ongoing human rights impacts of the deadly and catastrophic building collapse in their respective states, including by taking meaningful steps to avoid further damage to the human rights of the people affected.

The organisation said: The Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode and Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi should ensure as a matter of priority, access of victims and their families to effective remedies in a transparent manner, specifically, access to justice, adequate compensation, reparation, and guarantees that incidents like these can never happen again.

According to the organisation: These tragedies point to weak enforcement of building regulations and oversight by the two states and urgent need for effective action and reforms. SERAP is concerned that the responses so far by the governments of Lagos and Oyo states have been insufficient to deal with the massive extent of the human costs of the incidents.

In a statement Sunday, SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare said: These incidents come as a tragic reminder of the mismanagement, weakness in the regulatory and monitoring regime. The governments should have done more to prevent them from happening. The governors should act decisively on their commitments to do everything in their powers to prevent more such tragedies, and to bring to justice those responsible, to serve as a deterrent and end the negligence at which many are carrying out their duties.

The statement read in part: Schools should be a sanctuary  a place where children can learn, develop and play with their classmates, and prepare for their future lives in society. Collapse of school building due to weak enforcement regulations or corruption is an implicit attack on the right of Nigerian children to education, life, and human dignity. Such situation creates an environment of fear and severely diminishes the quality of childrens education.

The tragedies demand accountability and both Lagos and Oyo states should accept responsibility for these incidents; promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate exactly how they happened, and publicly apologise to the victims, their families and Nigerians. Building developers and contractors can only be properly held to account if the two states do the right thing for the harm they have caused.

SERAP is seriously concerned about the frequency of building collapse in the country. Many buildings within Lagos and Oyo states reportedly remain in breach of minimum standards. Both governments should urgently take effective monitoring and enforcement action and provide conclusive evidence that buildings within their states are safe, strong, stable and meet applicable legal and building standards.

In order to prevent other tragedies, authorities at both federal and state levels should monitor and effectively enforce compliance by public and private actors with their regulatory and environmental standards. President Muhammadu Buhari and all the 36 state governors should publicly commit that they will do everything possible to prevent new tragedies like those of Lagos Island and Bode, Ibadan.

We condemn the collapse of a three-storey building in Ita Faji area of Lagos Island with over 20 people including school children reportedly dead and 45 injured, and the collapse of a two-storey building in Ibadan, Oyo State, with some people reportedly injured.

We stand in solidarity with those affected and ready to help by providing free legal advice, assistance and support in order to ensure that justice is not only done but also seen to be done in these cases.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged fraud in the governorship elections in five of the six states where supplementary elections have been scheduled.

The electoral commission, INEC, has fixed March 23 for supplementary elections in six states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto) where elections were declared inconclusive.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how INEC declared the elections in the six states inconclusive. because the margin of victory was less than the cancelled votes in each of the states.

Of the six states, the main opposition party, PDP, was leading in five, while the APC was leading in Plateau.

The ruling party faulted the elections or the result colaltion process in the five states it was trailing but commended the process in Plateau.

The APC also accused INEC of conniving with the PDP in Rivers where the electoral commission is yet to declare the results of the governorship election.

The APC stated its stance in a statement by its spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu

See Mr Issa-Onilus full statement below.

INECs Supplementary Elections, Illegal Decisions on Rivers, Bauchi States: Our Stand!

After the March 9 governorship elections across the country, the polls in six states  Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto  were declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The electoral process was also suspended in Rivers state in a very fraudulent circumstance.

Post election, Nigerians will recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had severally raised alarm over the plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to use violence, vote-buying and other election malpractices to subvert the will of the electorate and steal their mandate.

The shocking events leading to the last-minute postponement of the presidential election provided clear evidence with PDP agents caught in different parts of the country with programmed card readers, sensitive election materials and large cache of weapons and security paraphernalia.

Undeterred, the PDP executed its rigging plot through its agents across the country by unleashing violence, vote-buying and hijacking election materials to rig and falsify elections results. The result was violent disruption in many polling areas and over-voting which led to many cancelled votes and ultimately the supplementary elections and suspended exercise in some states.

BENUE

INEC declared the governorship election in Benue State inconclusive, citing an insufficient margin in votes obtained by the APC candidate Barr. Emmanuel Jime and the PDP candidate, Governor Samuel Ortom.

Even though the PDP claims a bogus lead of over 81,000 votes, reports strongly establish that this dodgy figure is an aggregate of votes obtained by subterfuge not from the numbers recorded by the card reader.

There were cases in Logo, Gwer-West, Vandeikya, Guma, Buruku and Gboko Local governments where the card reader was not used.

In Guma, a local government predominated by the APC, zero votes were allocated to our candidate by thugs loyal to the governor of the State, as agents of the party were chased away and election material diverted and ballot papers thumb-printed for the governorship candidate of the PDP.

In Logo, security reports indicated that the ballot papers were massively thumb-printed the night before the election day, while a brazen case of under-age voting supervised by state government compromised security personnel, was prevalent on the actual day of voting.

INEC also reported that 41 polling units in Vandeikya did not use the card reader, as it was the case in many in Gwer-West, Gwer-East, Gboko and other places.

A coalition of election observers in Benue has since called on INEC to declare the candidate of the APC, Barr. Emmanuel Jime, the winner of the governorship polls, in line with the Electoral Act and we align with the position of these observers.

There is no doubt that our candidate obtained the highest number of legitimate votes obtained with the usage of the card reader.

RIVERS

We are concerned and deeply troubled by the unfolding events in Rivers State. The APC strongly condemns this horrid dance in Rivers State. This unholy alliance between Governor Nyesom Wike, PDP and INEC is to prevent Rivers people from electing a candidate of their choice by imposing Wike, the PDP candidate on them. It was glaring that Wike was losing until INEC stepped in to halt the process apparently to save Wike from impending defeat. INEC must put a halt to this madness and brazen illegality.

The desperation of the PDP governorship candidate, Governor Nyesom Wike to remain in office even if it means destroying the State and killing its people, is throwing the State into turmoil and crisis.

With regard to the governorship election in Rivers State, APC has observed with dismay the macabre dance between Wike and INEC in Rivers State. It is on record that Wike through the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga engaged PDP card-carrying members as Local Government Area (LGA) Collation Officers to skew the elections in favour of Wike and the PDP.

We call on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to immediately redeploy Mr. Effanga from Rivers State in order to avoid crisis that may follow the organised crime being executed by Wike and Obo Effanga to rig and alter the result of the 2019 governorship polls in Rivers State in favour of Wike.

Since the suspension of the electoral process in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike and the State REC Obo Effanga have been re-writing and doctoring unit results in Rivers State Government House to favour Wike.

We are dismayed that some sponsored stakeholders including those who witnessed the killing of over 40 persons on the 2015 governorship election day alone due to someones quest to become governor by all means, appear to be hoodwinked by the very same character to believe that security agents especially the Army should have stayed away to allow a repetition of what happened in 2015.

As a party that was solely at the receiving end of the killings in Rivers State, the APC believes that the proactive steps taken by security agents to checkmate a repeat of the 2015 killings and destructions, is commendable and should be applauded by all peace-loving people.

We call on Nigerians and the international community not to be hoodwinked into believing that Nigerian security agencies interfered in the electoral process in Rivers State. It is a misleading narrative being planted in the media to particularly blackmail the military and the federal government into pulling out security agents from the state, thereby returning the State to the killing field many of us witnessed before, during and after the 2015 elections.

It is now clear to all that INEC has become deaf and blind to the fact that Governor Nyesom Wike invaded the Obio/Akpor Collation Centre with over 200 armed thugs and ordered his security men to shoot an Army Captain and another soldier providing perimeter security to the Collation Centre. Wikes thugs carted away the electoral materials including both original copies of unit result sheets and ward collation sheets that were being used for the collation of results and took them to the Rivers State Government House where they were filled out with rigged and inflated figures.

We report that in most of the LGAs in the State, voting had concluded, results declared at the polling units and collation had begun before the abrupt suspension of the process. INEC does not have the power under our Electoral Act to suspend elections that has already been concluded. We suspect that INEC might be working to surreptitiously bring in cooked up results credited to Obio/Akpor LGA to skew the election in favour of Wike. We vehemently reject this anti-democratic move.

PLATEAU

In Plateau state, our comfortable lead is unassailable. We however urge our members, supporters and indeed the entire Plateau electorate not to be complacent, but remain focused as we prepare for the supplementary election that will give our performing candidate, Governor Simon Lalong a second term in office to consolidate on his first-term achievement.

KANO

The opposition PDP camp in its self-deceit has continued to delude itself on its nonexistent electoral chance in Nasarawa local government area. The Kano electorate are not deceived.

Considering what happened in the inconclusive election widely characterized by PDP vote buying and voter intimidation, relevant agencies must ensure that such antidemocratic practice is not repeated.

It is on record how the Kano State Police Commissioner actively assisted the opposition PDP to rig inside Kano city with the deployment of police security for Rabiu Kwankwaso loyalists while state commissioners orderlies were withdrawn.

Kano remains an APC state. With the massive votes garnered by our presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari; the entire incoming 9th National Assembly positions  3 Senators and 24 House of Representatives  won by the APC in Kano State; 27 State House of Assembly seats won by the APC out of 39 and governorship election victories in all local governments outside Kano metropolitan, there is no doubt that Kano State is a stronghold and key support base of the APC.

The APCs visible achievements in Kano state under Governor Abdullahi Ganduje are enough to give the party an emphatic victory in the rerun election. Again, the rerun will be mostly in APC-controlled rural areas and Nasarawa local government area where our Deputy Governor, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna is from. Undoubtedly, Kano state remains an APC stronghold and remains in our firm control.

BAUCHI

We reject INECs decision on the governorship election results from Tafawa Balewa local government area in Bauchi State, as signed and announced by the electoral bodys National Commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye.

While the close relationship between Festus Okoye who chaired the fact-finding committee and Yakubu Dogara of the PDP is well known, hence inappropriate for the fact-finding exercise for Bauchi state, INEC has failed to adhere to the fundamental principle of fair-hearing by not inviting our agents during the hearing to ascertain the circumstances leading to the cancellation of the Tafawa Balewa local government election result.

INECs decision is illegal as the electoral body and contravenes the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended

We reiterate that according to Nigerias 1999 Constitution (as amended) and INEC Guidelines for 2019 General Elections, the electoral body is not empowered to reverse any decision taken at the Collation Centre by the Returning Officer appointed for that purpose.

Such decisions can only be reversed by a court of law, especially when INEC cannot approbate and reprobate.

SOKOTO

As displayed in the results of the presidential election, Sokoto is a strong APC state. This rubbishes the suspicious and apparently stolen results ascribed to the PDP governorship candidate.

It is on record how the PDP candidate and state governor, Aminu Tambuwal used thugs and fake security agents to scare voters in the state. This gave PDP agents a free and field day to rig and manipulate the governorship election.

We are also aware how the huge monies were used to buy votes and how complicit INEC officials disenfranchised APC members by purporting that card readers machines stopped working in APC strongholds..

The forthcoming supplementary election in Sokoto state gives the APC; our governorship candidate, Aliyu Ahmed and indeed the Sokoto electorate and an opportunity claim our mandate.

Sokoto state is ready for the Next Level, we must not allow unpopular elements in the state and their backers in the discredited PDP to steal their mandate and subvert the will of the Sokoto electorate.

ADAMAWA

In Adamawa, the party had reported over-voting and use of security personnel to intimidate APC agents and supporters. While we are confident of our party and candidate Governor Jibrilla Bindows victory ahead of the supplementary election in the state, we urge all stakeholders to avoid actions that can plunge the state into crisis.

We equally urge INEC and relevant security agencies to ensure the supplementary election is free, peaceful and fair compared to the last inconclusive governorship election in the state which was characterised by many irregularities and voter intimidation. No political ambition is worth the life of any voters.

In conclusion, as a party, the APC is very confident of victory in the forthcoming supplementary elections. Our commitment to free and fair elections in the county remains resolute. We urge INEC to ensure that all loopholes that led to rigging, vote buying and intimidation of voters by the PDP is blocked.

SIGNED
The Kano State Government has embarked on massive projects at Gama ward of Nassarawa Local Government Area, few days to a rerun election in which the ward is a big decider.

At least three projects, comprising refuse evacuation, mass drilling of boreholes and road reconstruction were kicked off within the last three days in the community.

Gamas result was cancelled in the aftermath of the March 9 governorship election.

The cancellation followed an attack on the local governments collation centre on March 11 led by top officials of the Abdullahi Ganduje administration.

The attack was believed to have been led the states deputy governor, Nasiru Gawuna.

The altercation led to the tearing of result sheets for the ward, according to the electoral commission, INEC, and returning officers.

Mr Gawuna, the commissioner for local governments, Murtala Garo, and chairman of the local government area, Lamin Sani, were arrested by the police at the scene.

The police later issued a statement confirming the involvement of Messrs Garo and Sani, promising to charge them to court after investigation.

But perhaps to escape the charge of constitutional breach on immunity, the police said they only rescued Mr Gawuna from the scene.

However, in an interview with journalists in Kano after their release, Mr Garo disputed the polices account, as he denied any wrongdoing.

He accused the police of complicity and giving cover to thugs to attack them, without taking stern action.

Project Spree

Gama, a densely populated area of Kano metropolis, is bedevilled by a number of infrastructural and development challenges.

On Friday, detachments of refuse evacuation vehicles were dispatched to the area to evacuate long-abandoned dump sites.

Refuse evacuation vehicles dispatched to Gama

These refuse sites have been a source of concern to us. From time to time they would come and pick a bit of it and leave but it seems this time around they would do it all before the elections, said a resident of the area, Auwal Danlarabawa.

On Saturday, two other projects sprang up; asphalt overlay on Gamas main artery, Audu Utai Road, and digging of at least 11 boreholes in the area.

Within just today (Saturday), the road is almost completed. They started from early in the day, Mr Danlarabawa said.

He said the water projects would ease the residents yearning for drinking water, a major problem in the area.

Allegations Of Inducement

Activists have condemned Mr Gandujes action with one of them describing it as mass bribe and clear case of voter inducements.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Gandujes party, was earlier accused of commissioning women who go door to door to buy votes from women in areas affected by the rerun.

On Wednesday, the police announced the arrest of three men and two women on allegations of buying voters card at the cost of between N500 to N3,000. They, however, did not reveal the party or the identity of the accused persons.

Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The ongoing road project in Gama is everything voter inducement is. You can also conveniently describe it as vote-buying because even in the law, an apparently lawful act can become an illegality if done with bad motive, said Abba Hikima, a lawyer and activist.

The Gama people were left by Gandujes government to tread a dirty, muddy road all through the rainy months of June through August despite calls and pleas, only for them to wake to up to this rushed project.

Government defends action

But speaking to our reporter, the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Garba, said there is nothing wrong for the government to do anything that is not illegal in order to score political mileage.

Though he attributed the undertaking of the projects as purely coincidental, having earlier awarded the projects, he said it was the elections that affected the implementation of the initial plan of starting three weeks ago.

Personally I dont think there is anything wrong with this. Whatever a politician would do to get the support of the people, provided it is going to benefit the people, I dont see anything wrong with that, he said.

If that project is for the benefit of the people of Gama, and part of strategy, the government decides to execute it at this material time, personally I didnt see anything wrong, he said.

Tense Kano Battle

Governor Gandujes decision to execute such projects in Gama could be described as a last-ditch effort to save him from defeat.

After the results of the March 9 governorship election in Kano were declared, Mr Ganduje trailed Abba Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by about 26,655 votes.

The governor scored 987,819 votes to his challengers 1,014,474 votes. However, the number of cancelled votes in the state is 128,572 which led to the declaration of the election as inconclusive and the scheduling of supplementary election in Gama and other areas across Kano.
The police in Bayelsa said on Saturday that they were on the trail of those who killed a police sergeant and wounded another policeman on Friday night in Yenagoa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that unknown gunmen on Friday night attacked the two policemen who were on guard duty at Udeme Hotels in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.

The spokesman of the police command, Asinim Butswat, said efforts have been intensified to arrest the gunmen.

He said that the gunmen,operating in a Toyota Camry car, opened fire on the policemen at about 9 p.m. without any provocation.

The policemen fired back at the armed robbers and in the ensuing gun battle, one sergeant was fatally wounded, he was rushed to the Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, where he was later confirmed dead.

The other policeman is responding to treatment. The unknown gunmen escaped with bullets wounds.

Based on a tipoff, a notorious criminal hideout was raided, where their cohorts were arrested and they have volunteered useful information.

Efforts have been intensified to arrest the gunmen, Mr Butswat said.

An eyewitness had told journalists on condition of anonymity, that the gunmen drove into the hotel in a Toyota Camry, while pretending to be customers.

They turned at the car park and drove towards the gate where they opened fire on the policemen, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that few days to the February 23 presidential and National Assembly polls, gunmen attacked a check point under Julius Berger flyover in Yenagoa, killing a policeman and carting away two riffles.

(NAN)
The Chief Whip of Oyo State House of Assembly, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has exonerated himself from the killing of a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Temitope Olatoye.

Mr Olatoye, popularly known as Sugar, was killed by unknown gunmen during the March 9 Governorship and House of Assembly elections at Lalupon Area of Lagelu Local Government area of the state.

Mr Akinmoyede contested for the Lagelu State Constituency seat for the second time under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.

The lawmaker, who has been in detention at the State Criminal Investigations Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan in connection with the incident, said that he knew nothing about it.

The legislator, in a statement issued on Sunday by his media assistant, Segun Olawale, said that he was not in any way connected with the death of Olatoye.

Although both of us are from rival political parties, Sugar was my friend, brother and longtime political ally.

We were together in APC for a very long time before he defected to the African Democratic Party (ADP) under whose platform he contested the Oyo South Senatorial election.

I am a man of peace and this can be attested to by my political associates, my colleagues in the House of Assembly and indeed, the people of my constituency.

The fact that Sugar and I are not from the same political party does not mean that we should be at each others throats.

Incidentally, we were not contesting for the same political office. While he contested for the Oyo South Senatorial seat, I contested for the Lagelu State Constituency for the second term, he said.

Mr Akinmoyede further explained that he did not hesitate to honour the invitation of the State Police Command at Eleyele, Ibadan, in connection with Sugars death.

He said that he voluntarily walked into the police command since he knew that he was innocent as far as the incident was concerned.

He also said it was worthy of note that the unfortunate killing of Mr Olatoye did not happen at his polling unit, Ward 7, Isale Osun, where he had earlier cast his vote.

The chief whip said that there was no crisis whatsoever while the voting lasted until the arrival of the late lawmaker in Lalupon town from his Alape village with his boys.

According to him, not long after Sugars arrival did I hear that gunshots were being exchanged between his boys and some people at the Lalupon motor park which eventually led to him being shot.

I am therefore surprised by the reports in a section of the media to the effect that I was arrested by the police.

I must state emphatically that I was never arrested, I reported myself to them voluntarily upon receiving their call, the lawmaker said.

Mr Akinmoyede, a former Chairman of Lagelu Local Government, called on the police to intensify their efforts and do a thorough investigation with a view to finding the killers of Mr Olatoye.

(NAN)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday said that it had fixed the only constituency poll for the Ekiti State House of Assembly that was not concluded on March 9 to March 23.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election in Ekiti East Constituency 1 had been declared inconclusive by the INEC, following reported cases of violence and other factors.

INECs Administrative Secretary in the state, Muslim Omoleke, who also doubles as the Commissions Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state announced the new date in Ado Ekiti.

He asked political parties that would be participating in the supplementary election to get ready.

He assured the parties that the commission would not deviate from the tradition of neutrality and fairness in the forthcoming supplementary election.

He said that the election would hold in five polling units in the constituency area, in line with the directive from the Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu.

NAN reports that the election of Ekiti East Constituency 1 was suspended by INEC on March 9, when the house of assembly and governorship elections were being held across the country.

The INEC official had declared the results in the other 25 constituencies which were in favour of the ruling APC.

Mr Omoleke said that INEC would meet with the security agencies during the week and brief them on the need to be well prepared for the conduct of the supplementary election.

He explained that the commission decided to suspend elections in the polling units, thereby making the outcome inconclusive, in line with its promise to be neutral and be fair to all contenders in any election.

We are prepared for the election and we will not deviate from the practice of fairness and neutrality to all political parties.

We will meet the security agencies this week and brief them on how the conduct will look like, so they can plan their own strategies on how to deliver a free, fair and credible election.

We have already received materials from the headquarters and they are being kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria, the materials are under safe custody.

We want to assure voters that we will not let them down. Let them come out massively and vote and we assure them that their votes will count.

INEC did not disappoint in the conduct of the presidential, the state and national assembly elections in Ekiti, this also will not be an exemption, Mr Omoleke said.

NAN reports that the supplementary poll is going to be between Juwa Adegbuyi of the APC and the candidate of the PDP, Ojo-Ade Fajana.

(NAN)
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




Inspired by the classic film Mary Poppins, a favorite of HANA&SHIDA co-founder and creative director Shida since childhood, the eponymous collection was infused with magic elements. Several scenes of everyday life were incorporated into the show, such as a picnic, a garden tour, a tea tasting and a dance routine, helping create an atmosphere full of joy and reflecting the brand's belief in the joy of childlike innocence shared by everyone who maintains a piece of it into adulthood.

Bright colors, slightly retro suits and accessory detailing that echoes with the theme were brought to life on the catwalk. The silhouettes of small animals and plants, as well as charmingly naive penguins, with scatterings of marguerites, parrots and umbrellas, among other cute elements, enhanced the lively and vivid expressions on the faces of the children modeling the clothing line.

Since its 2015 inception in China, HANA&SHIDA has received significant attention and evolved into an established high-end children's clothing brand. In addition to the rollout of the parent-child outfit limited collection, it has also partnered with several artists and art organizations. The brand's debut at Shanghai Fashion Week 2018 caused quite a sensation.

HANA&SHIDA co-founder Hana is an interior designer, while her sister and co-founder Shida is a Le Cordon Bleu-certificated baker. They love life and have a passion for travel and innovation. They have their own opinions about the beauty of life and are quite vocal in their opinion that everyone has an opportunity to enjoy life. During an extended sojourn in the South of France, they came to believe that it is their mission to convey that beauty through a brand and decided to create a lifestyle brand. They advocate that every child has the right to enjoy a happy childhood and encourage children to develop their abilities in appreciating beauty through self-exploration.

Once again the "talk of the town" on the heels, HANA&SHIDA has the potential to become one of the most iconic emerging Chinese children's clothing brands as Chinese brands increasingly attract attention worldwide.

SOURCE HANA&SHIDA
The inaugural Aurora Forum to be held in Armenia, October 14-21, 2019, will bring together thought-leaders and change-makers from Armenia and across the world to facilitate discussions, share knowledge, and experience educational and cultural activities in the sectors spanning from health to technology to education to arts to ecology to humanitarianism. The Aurora Forum is made possible with the cooperation of various organizations in Armenia and globally.

"We are proud to have established a network of people who have made real impact on the world in their particular field," said Vartan Gregorian, Aurora Forum Co-Founder. "The role of the Goodwill Ambassadors is crucial in making the Aurora Forum a platform to inspire the next generation to take the leap toward achieving meaningful, sometimes disruptive, change."

The 2019 Aurora Forum coincides with a special moment in Armenia's history. Last year's non-violent transition of political power put Armenia in a global spotlight by demonstrating how a nation with an educated workforce and commitment to peaceful means can push for a national change. Armenia's "Velvet Revolution," combined with its location at the crossroads between East and West and its rich cultural heritage led to The Economist's designation of Armeniaone of the world's smallest countries in landmass and populationas the Country of the Year in 2018. The Aurora Forum will harness this momentum to highlight the possibilities of social change and the solutions that can be developed by combining national and international efforts and resources to advance humanity.

"There is no greater time to convene and celebrate the disruptors, the thinkers and the innovators in Armenia and across the world," said Armen Orujyan, the CEO of the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST). "We truly believe the expertise and professional achievements of the Goodwill Ambassadors will help make the Forum a success and position Armenia as a hub for scientific, technological and socio-economic development in the region. Aurora Forum will serve as the epicenter of creativeness and innovation assembling some of the greatest thought-leaders and luminaries in science and technology from all over the globe."

"The Aurora Forum is based on our belief that we are all citizens of the world. If we aspire to tackle the world's most pressing challenges, education is key building block for doing so," said Gabriel Abad Fernandez, Head of UWC Dilijan. "As an educator, I am excited to be part of this endeavor dedicated to making lasting advances in the humanitarian, educational, social, cultural and scientific spheres and I am particularly thankful to the Goodwill Ambassadors from around the world who have already joined to make this initiative a success."



The Goodwill Ambassadors are being announced on March 10, 2019, marking the 4th anniversary of the founding of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative - the founder of the Aurora Forum along with IDeA Foundation, FAST, Scholae Mundi Global Educational Platform, UWC Dilijan International College, and Ameriabank. The October 2019 Aurora Forum's events in Armenia will consist of various activities presented by each of these organizations.

For more information about the Aurora Forum Goodwill Ambassadors, please click here.

Contact: Michael Kelly, [email protected], +44(0)7772178030

SOURCE Aurora Forum

Related Links

https://auroraprize.com/en/


PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Onkos Surgical, Inc. announced today that it has partnered with Promimic AB, the world's leading innovator in nano surface modification, to commercialize Promimic's proprietary Hydroxyapatite (HA) Surface Technologies in Limb Salvage Surgery.

"At Onkos, we are focused on bringing to market innovative products and technologies that improve personalization, reduce complexity for our customers and address the clinical challenges associated with tumor surgery," said Sean Curry, SVP of Commercial Operations. "Tumor and revision surgery can be challenging based on the complexity of the procedures and the clinical presentation inherent with the patient population. It is well documented in literature that implant failure due to aseptic loosening remains one of the key challenges associated with limb salvage surgery. These patients deserve better and the technology exists today to design implants with unique porous structures and novel surface modifications that may result in improved implant fixation. We are excited for our partnership with Promimic as the collaboration will differentiate our ELEOS Limb Salvage Portfolio with future designs that incorporate a uniform HA treatment which maintains the integrity of novel porous structures," said Curry.

Steven Gitelis, MD, Onkos Surgical Chief Medical Officer and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Rush University said, "With advancements in cancer therapies, there are increased demands for long-term implant success. Improved osseointegration is critical for our patients and the use of HA with orthopaedic implants is well described. Onkos is developing the next generation of unique 3D-printed implants with novel porous structures to facilitate hard and soft tissue attachment. The development of HA deposition on porous structure is exciting as the combination may lead to improved extracortical fixation and implant survival."

"Our unique surface technology is already clinically proven to be successful to improve osseointegration on the market for dental implants. The partnership with Onkos Surgical represents an important step for us into the orthopaedic space. The combination of technologies and working with the Onkos team is a perfect match. I strongly believe this is a start of a new era for surface enhanced implant treatments," said Magnus Larsson, Promimic CEO. "The HAnano Surface is designed to speed up integration for all types of implant materials and has unique properties to modify porous and 3D printed structures without blocking the pores."

Please note that this product is not yet cleared for sale in the United States.

About Onkos Surgical

Based in Parsippany, N.J., Onkos Surgical is a privately held surgical oncology company founded in 2015. We believe that individuals with cancer requiring surgery deserve solutions designed specifically for them. This principle is the driving force behind our Precision Oncology initiatives. Built on a digital platform, our solutions are rooted in unmatched expertise in patient imaging analysis, personalized surgical planning, and the latest advancements in 3D printing. At Onkos, we are passionate about reducing complexity for our customers and addressing the clinical challenges associated with tumor surgery. www.onkossurgical.com

About Promimic AB

Promimic AB, based in Gothenburg, Sweden, develops and markets products within nano-materials for innovative surface treatments. Promimic has developed the HAnano Surface that speeds up and improves the anchoring of implants in bone. The innovative HAnano Surface is licensed to several dental and orthopedic implant companies. www.promimic.com

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "future," "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "potential," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon management's beliefs, assumptions and current expectations but are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the possibility that regulatory clearance will be delayed or denied, market trends, legislative and regulatory changes, cost-containment trends, product efficacy and safety concerns and supply constraints. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results. The forward-looking statements included are made only as the date of this release. The company assumes no obligation to update any information or forward-looking statement contained herein, save for any information required to be disclosed by law.

Media contacts:

Sean P. Curry

Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations

[email protected]

www.onkossurgical.com

(973) 264-5400

Ulf Brogren

President, Promimic Inc

[email protected]

www.promimic.com

(512) 586-4708

SOURCE Onkos Surgical

Related Links

http://www.onkossurgical.com


Patriots in the hunt for third gold ball Coming off a 2020 season in which they went 1-5, the 2021 Mission Veterans Patriots football team may have caught some people by surprise by winning seven of their eight District 16-5A Div. II games and claiming a share of the district title. But while there is
Washington, March 17 : The US envoy for Venezuela will meet Russian officials on Venezuelan crisis, said the US State Department has said.

Elliott Abrams, the US Special Representative for Venezuela, will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and other Russian officials in Rome, on March 18-19, said the State Department in a statement on Saturday, Xinhua reported.

The two sides will discuss "the deteriorating situation in Venezuela," according to the statement.

Following its recognition of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the nation's "interim president" in late January, the Donald Trump administration has kept piling up pressure on incumbent Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro through sanctions and other measures.

In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced that he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the US.

Moscow has condemned Washington's threats against the legitimate Venezuelan leadership, calling them "blatant interference" in Venezuela's internal affairs and a "flagrant violation" of international law.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that Russia is ready for consultations on the Venezuela crisis with the US in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.
New Delhi, March 16 : Accusing the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi of raising "manufactured issues" in their electoral campaign, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said if those "fake" issues were taken out of Gandhi's speech, nothing will be left.

In a Facebook post, Jaitley said that "falsehood falls apart" and that the "overconfidence" of opposition leaders undermining the electorates' wisdom would not go unpunished in the Lok Sabha elections.

"Rahul Gandhi has led not only his party but the entire opposition to rely on fake and manufactured issues. They raise fake issues, create an echo effect and then believe their falsehood to be true. It's time that they come out of the cocoon of falsehood or perish there," he said.

"Fake issues raised in Rafale, Balakot, Judge Loya's death, bank loan waiver, JNU issue, EVM, GST, demonetisation or Nirav Modi and Mallya, or be it the special status for Andhra Pradesh or the issues of economy, every time fakery and manufactured issues of opposition fell apart...If fake issues are taken out of Rahul Gandhi's speech, nothing will perhaps be left," he said.

Accusing the opposition of underestimating the wisdom of the electorate, Jaitley said the electorate would also underestimate India's opposition parties and show them their place.

"Poll campaigners must know that a campaign of fake issues never works...The real strength of Indian democracy is the inherent wisdom of the voters. They punish non-performers and they vote back those who deliver. Pollsters, political pandits and commentators usually go wrong," he added.

Jaitley said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was led by a leader with whom the comfort level of the voters was high and hence the opposition was in a state of panic with its "negative" single point programme -- "remove one man".

"The level of their ambition is limited. Indian voters have huge potential to distinguish between truth and falsehood and they prefer fairness. Political leaders are over-confident of their wisdom. Little do they realise that the electorate is wiser than them. Voters are capable of punishing those who resort to falsehood," he said.

Expressing confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party under Prime Minister Narendra Modi would get a clear mandate in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Jaitley said unlike many western democracies, a sizeable section of India's population was not permanently politically affiliated and their vote preferences varied from election to election.

He said that hung Assemblies and Parliament are predicted only in opinion polls and since the voter is far more decisive, he endeavours to elect a government with a clear mandate with the front-runner getting more seats than predicted.

In a point-by-point rebuttal of the opposition's electoral issues, Jaitley rejected its contention that a costlier Rafale was purchased by the present government while giving favours to a domestic industrialist violating procedures.

He said both the Supreme Court and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) cleared the deal, rejecting all contentions of the opposition.

On the criticism that the BJP was politicising the terror attack in Pulwama and the Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes at Balakot in Pakistan, and its demand that evidence of what happened at Balakot should be placed in the public domain, Jaitley said the Indian armed forces consider it "not in the interesomfort level of the voters was high and hence the opposition was in a state of panic with its "negative" single point programme -- "remove one man".

"The level of their ambition is limited. Indian voters have huge potential to distinguish between truth and falsehood and they prefer fairness. Political leaders are over-confident of their wisdom. Little do they realise that the electorate is wiser than them. Voters are capable of punishing those who resort to falsehood," he said.

Expressing confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party under Prime Minister Narendra Modi would get a clear mandate in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Jaitley said unlike many western democracies, a sizeable section of India's population was not permanently politically affiliated and their vote preferences varied from election to election.

He said that hung Assemblies and Parliament are predicted only in opinion polls and since the voter is far more decisive, he endeavours to elect a government with a clear mandate with the front-runner getting more seats than predicted.

In a point-by-point rebuttal of the opposition's electoral issues, Jaitley rejected its contention that a costlier Rafale was purchased by the present government while giving favours to a domestic industrialist violating procedures.

He said both the Supreme Court and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) cleared the deal, rejecting all contentions of the opposition.

On the criticism that the BJP was politicising the terror attack in Pulwama and the Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes at Balakot in Pakistan, and its demand that evidence of what happened at Balakot should be placed in the public domain, Jaitley said the Indian armed forces consider it "not in the interest of national security and military discipline that the details of military operations should be placed in public domain."

On the opposition's allegations of waiving loans worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore of 15 industrialists, he reiterated that "not one rupee of loan has been waived" and in fact, the present government through its new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code had recovered almost Rs 3 lakh crore worth of non-performing assets (NPAs) in the last two years.

Jaitley also rejected the opposition's charge of electronic voting machines (EVMs) being tampered with, saying there "was a problem with the political losers."

"It is the same machine with which the Congress party won the recent Assembly elections."

On the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which the opposition has labelled as "a disaster", the Finance Minister said all the opposition parties had supported it and it was a part of the Congress manifesto.

"The opposition alleges that demonetisation was a failure which caused tremendous hardship to the poor people. Demonetisation caused hardship only to the holders of black money. It helped in formalising the economy... It hastened the digitisation of the Indian economy. India today collects more taxes at lower rates and uses them for the benefit of the poor," he said.

On the charge that Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya were helped by the BJP government, Jaitley said that their crimes were committed when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power and it was the BJP government which was trying to bring them to justice.

"Nobody who frauds India can escape," he said.

On the issue of jobs, he said India was the fastest growing economy in the world and its multiplier effect on jobs was very large.
Los Angeles, March 17 : "Riverdale" star Cole Sprouse says he loves spending "quality time" with his actress-girlfriend Lili Reinhart.

"My language of love is quality time. I'm not really the type of person that likes going to a movie and sitting in silence (for a date). Maybe a little breaking and entering! Some photography! Who knows?" Sprouse told Glamour magazine.

Sprouse's favourite date idea is a "road-trip", and he says he once took Reinhart, 22, to a remote location where he surprised her with a hot-air balloon ride, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

He said: "I really like the road-trip date. I took my girlfriend on a date where we drove to this location deep into Canada, and I surprised her with a big hot-air balloon adventure, which was quite a bit of fun. I like travelling quite a bit.

"I like road-tripping. Those grand experiences always end up yielding the greatest memories -- and the greatest romances."
Wellington, March 17 : New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday said she received the Christchurch gunman's 'manifesto' barely nine minutes before the attack.

The attacker was brought down within 36 minutes, she told the press, as she announced a crucial cabinet meet on Monday.

Ardern said by the time a police plan was in place, the 911 number was already buzzing, shots had been fired. The pocket to react was slim, very very slim, she said, and promised all out help to the kin of every member killed.

Fifty people were killed and 50 injured in what is New Zealand's worst attack, when Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, opened fire at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques during the Friday prayers.
New Delhi, March 17 : In a packed auditorium, a short film begins with the opening scene of a young woman worried about attending a meeting with her injured foot. Her friend cautions her that if she does not wear high heels she wont be able to make a good impression. The woman heeds the advice but even before she can make it to the meeting, she stumbles and her heels fall off.

She picks them up and marches into the meeting anyway. She realises her success does not depend on her heels and the film "Parwaaz" - which translates to flight - ends with the shot of the young actor triumphantly flinging away her heels as the audience applauds.

What is remarkable is that this one-minute-short - which questions popular stereotypes and highlights the challenges that working women face - is created by 13-year-old Anuradha who studies in the seventh standard at the local Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Delhi's working-class periphery.

"Women might not be explicitly instructed to wear heels, but the notion of looking good and confident, and doing it because everyone is doing it... these are big factors in what choices we make for ourselves, even if the choices are not the most comfortable," Anuradha, the budding filmmaker, told IANS.

It was not just Anuradha but around 40 girls aged 11-13 years who came together for a rare workshop earlier this month and made some unique films on what freedom meant to them. The brief 'Little Directors' workshop included sessions on film language, conceptualising, interpreting, shooting and communicating via visuals.

Image Source: IANS News 40 girls from under-privileged backgrounds learnt film-making skills from award winning filmmakers Nina Sabnani and Samina Mishra during the Little Directors workshop.

The workshop sought to promote media literacy among these children, many of whom are born to unskilled and semi-skilled workers and daily-wage earners like plumbers and rickshaw-pullers. Now equipped with film-making skills, these young first-time filmmakers chose to tell remarkable stories translating the theme 'aazadi' (freedom) to choice for women in offices, schools and in society at large. Many ideas stemmed from what they see and challenges they face in real life.

Reshma, an 11-year old participant, chose a non-narrative format for her film which clubbed the voice-over of a poem with visuals of girls studying or working on domestic chores. The first few lines of the poem ask: "Why aren't women allowed to go out freely? Why aren't they allowed to study as much as they want?"

"In villages, it is common to marry off girls at a young age and dismiss their study plans for their marriage. In my village near Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), I have seen girls pleading to study more but their parents decide otherwise," young filmmaker Kajal Kumari, whose film transports one to a land of her imagination, said.

In the short film, a girl's parents are seen announcing her marriage while she is a student. Crestfallen, the girl wishes for an alternative reality. Soon, a fairy godmother comes to her rescue and asks her to accompany her to a land of books.

Documentary filmmaker Samina Mishra, who facilitated the workshop along with actor Nina Sabnani, said that in most cases for these girls, freedom interestingly translated to choice. For others, it meant overt questioning of those unsaid societal norms that women are subjected to.

Sabnani and Mishra were involved in the creative exercises and production in the two-day workshop, which was a part of the IAWRT Asian Women's Film Festival in New Delhi in early March. The intention of the exercise was to familiarize the young participants with the basics of filmmaking so they could tell their stories with confidence, while also giving people an opportunity to hear fresh voices that hitherto resided in young minds, the organisers shared.

Kajal, studying in VIII class, said that she always had a penchant for storytelling and that filmmaking was a good tool since "everyone grows up watching television, films and now videos on their mobiles".

Image Source: IANS News These girls from under-privileged background captured on camera and translated on screen what freedom meant to them.

Another group, hoping to send a message about freedom of choosing clothes, brought in costumes like shorts and crop-tops to add nuance to their film.

Yet another group, while experimenting with film formats, chose to shoot an interview around the word 'freedom', and ultimately concluded with the idea that freedom is a state of mind.

In the workshop, the girls acted, handled the camera, learned framing, editing and making a coherent film with a message. Many now desire to learn more about acting and cinematography, even as a career choice.

An attempt at gender mainstreaming, 'Little Directors' not just equipped these adolescent girls with the necessary skills for storytelling, but encouraged their line of thinking about freedom of women in their own communities and society.

Their feminist minds already racing towards telling stories of change, initiatives like these manage to catch them young while building in them skill-sets that would lend meaning and direction to their future lives.

(The weekly feature series is part of a positive-journalism project of IANS and the Frank Islam Foundation. Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)
Wellington, March 17 : New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday said bodies of those killed in the Christchurch mosques shooting will begin to be returned to their families starting with a small number.

Police and Coronial Services were working with urgency and care to identify the victims and handle them according to an internationally approved process, Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall said.

"Identification hearings will start this afternoon and we are anticipating that the process of returning the deceased will commence tonight," said Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha.

"This is a complex task which must be completed according to New Zealand law. We are working closely with community representatives to explain the process," he added.

Police have gathered the evidence and was working with families of those who were still missing.

The Coroner is confirming the victims' identities. "We acknowledge that the last 48 hours have been the most horrific in these families lives.

"We understand it is an added trauma for them that they have not been able to bury their loved ones quickly, according to their religious duty," he said.

"We are working closely with Imams from Mosques and the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand.

"This is an unprecedented event and the support of the Muslim leaders and their community has been invaluable," said Haumaha.

Police and Coronial Services are very focused and working together closely to run the process in a way that is culturally appropriate, robust, and with speed.

Marshall and two other coroners and four support staff are in Christchurch to provide additional capability and support to the locally-based coroners to help speed up the process, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The nationalities of the victims cannot be confirmed at this stage, Marshall said, adding that information on this will be released as soon as possible as the coronial process continues.

"This is a long and complex process and all organisations involved are working as quickly as possible to return loved ones to their families but it's vital we have certainty around cause of death for any future court proceedings," Detective Superintendent Peter Read says.

The deceased are examined and documented in situ, then taken to the mortuary.

The suspect 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, had killed 49 people and injured 50 more in New Zealand's worst attack, when he opened fire at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques during the Friday prayers. One more person succumbed later.

Tarrant has been charge with one count of murder and kept in a high- security facility, Ardern told a press conference.

There would be an increased police presence in Christchurch, the country's second largest city on Monday, with an extra 120 officers, she added, adding all mosques would be guarded by the police.

While she would hold a crucial cabinet meet, specialist teams would be at Christchurch schools and early learning centres. Support lines would also be available to anyone who needs it, Ardern said.

The parliament would pay tribute to the victims on Tuesday. A special vigil has been arranged on Sunday evening in Christchurch where police, hospitals, first responders would be present.
Mumbai, March 17 : Institutional investors, responsible for most of the trading in the financial markets are betting big on Indian markets, especially, banking stocks, which may drive major indices to fresh highs ahead of the polls.

The Foreign Institutional Investment (FIIs) in the equities category during the month of March was worth Rs 17,055 crore, highest since November 2017.

The Banking stocks have been especially favoured and financials being the backbone, it is seen as a sign that markets will continue to soar.

Pointing out some prominent reasons, Mayuresh Joshi, Portfolio Manager, Angel Broking said: "Firstly, the financials account for nearly 38 per cent of the Nifty and are the best proxy for the India story."

"Secondly, while private banks are expected to capitalise on consumer spending, FIIs are seriously looking at PSU banks as long term turnaround plays."

Adding that PSU banks and Private Banks operate on two different sets of triggers at present, Joshi explained, while private banks are expected to have strong retail growth, PSU banks are expected to do well after the NPA crises eases.

The rally is predicated on a stable government post elections and hence further flows would depend on factors like pre-poll surveys and exit poll surveys, analysts said.

Institutional investment from abroad is especially significant as it not only is fruitful for equities but also for the currency. Riding of the same, the rupee has consistently gained against the base currency, the US dollar, for the past couple of weeks.

Deepak Jasani of HDFC Securities, however, cautioned that any sharp concentrated sell-off from FPIs, could puncture sentiments and will reverse the upward movement of the indices.

Attributing the inflows to the improved health of the PSU banks, Jasani said, though the PSU Banks have seen some improvement but a lot more needs to be done with respect to corporate governance practices, better compensation structures, staff accountability in terms of efficiency and innovation and consolidation among PSU banks.

Joseph Thomas, Head Research - Emkay Wealth Management said: "The complex process, that Indian elections are, and its outcome need not always be on expected levels."

Adding that sustainability of inflows will also depend on a number of factors both internal and external which would include the stability of the domestic exchange rate, the course of the US economy, the performance of the domestic economy among others.

Observing the investing pattern, Joshi pointed out that FIIs have heavily invested in large-cap and index stocks, and compared to domestic buying it is more instrumental in pushing the overall index towards fresh highs.

With the pivotal Nifty Banking index touching fresh highs the FIIs-led rally may well see Sensex and Nifty touch fresh highs ahead of the polls as pointed by various brokerages and experts.

On the near term outlook, Jasani said that the FPIs could be active in this window of two odd months as short-term FPIs who want to ride on volatility will come in and exit at appropriate times.

Besides, the local investors may return to equity markets based on improving the perception of stability post the elections.

Also Investor driven DII flows may happen in case new highs are registered on the Nifty and Sensex and if the indices remain stable at those levels for a few weeks.

(Ravi Dutta Mishra can be reached at ravidutta.m@ians.in)
Sentani, March 17, 2019 (Xinhua) A girl stands near a collapsed building after flash floods in Sentani, Indonesia, on March 17, 2019. Sixty-three bodies have been retrieved after flash floods hit Indonesia's easternmost Papua province on Saturday nig Image Source: IANS News

Sentani, March 17, 2019 (Xinhua) A mother holds her child near a collapsed fence after flash floods in Sentani, Indonesia, on March 17, 2019. Sixty-three bodies have been retrieved after flash floods hit Indonesia's easternmost Papua province on Satu Image Source: IANS News

Sentani, March 17, 2019 (Xinhua) People walk on a muddy street after flash floods in Sentani, Indonesia, on March 17, 2019. Sixty-three bodies have been retrieved after flash floods hit Indonesia's easternmost Papua province on Saturday night, and a Image Source: IANS News

Sentani, March 17, 2019 (Xinhua) People clear mud around helicopters after flash floods in Sentani, Indonesia, on March 17, 2019. Sixty-three bodies have been retrieved after flash floods hit Indonesia's easternmost Papua province on Saturday night, Image Source: IANS News

Jakarta, March 17 : The death toll in the flash floods that hit Indonesia's Papua province rose to 63 on Sunday even as rescue operations are underway to search for the dozens missing, a disaster official said.

Torrential rains triggered the floods at around 6 p.m. in several villages in Jayapura district on Saturday.

At least 21 people were critically injured, Cory Simbolon, head of the emergency unit of the provincial disaster management agency told Xinhua.

Over 3,000 people have been forced to flee from their home and take shelter elsewhere as dozens of houses, buildings, bridges and other infrastructure were damaged, he said.

Landslides upstream had accumulated soils at the river, hampering water flow. The flash floods occurred when that soil collapsed, the National Disaster Management Agency's Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
Panaji, March 17 : The Goa BJP's core committee met on Sunday to discuss a succession plan in view of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's failing health.

Former BJP minister Dayanand Mandrekar, who islao part of the committee said ahead of the meeting that for a government to function there needs to be a Chief Minister who can take decisions.

"We will also be discussing that... If Manohar Parrikar was well, there would be no need to change the leader.

"But because his health is critical now and there is day to day deterioration (in his condition) the party has to take a call," Mandrekar said.

"If a government has to be run, you need a chief minister, you need a cabinet leader because a cabinet has to take many decisions," he added.

Party sources also said that some central functionaries of the party were also expected to arrive in Goa to oversee the discussions. Finding a successor to Parrikar took centre-stage after his health on Saturday deteriorated considerably.

Several BJP leaders on Saturday said that the condition of Parrikar, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, was critical.

Parrikar was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February 2018 and has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since.

He is currently being treated at his private residence near Panaji.

On Saturday, his blood pressure had dropped considerably, Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik said.
Kadapa : , March 17 (IANS) YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Sunday announced candidates for the remaining 17 Lok Sabha seats and all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh.

Party President Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy released the second and final list of candidates after paying tribute to his father and former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy at his grave at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district.

YSRCP had announced candidates for nine Lok Sabha seats late on Saturday.

Jaganmohan Reddy will seek re-election from Pulivendula Assembly constituency, his family stronghold in Kadapa district.

YSRCP has retained 40 sitting MLAs. It has given priority to backward classes, youth, experienced and loyalists.

The list of Assembly candidates include nine who worked in All India Services and 15 doctors. Out of the 175 candidates, 33 are below 45 years.

Elections to the 175-member Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats are scheduled on April 11.
New Delhi, March 17 : As the proliferation of disinformation on social media platforms has given rise to a new breed of fact checkers, their efforts may not be enough to counter the impact of fake news during the course of the general election.

Face-checking website Alt News, for example, recently checked the authenticity of a letter notifying people to abstain from using Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram to share political propaganda posts before the 2019 elections.

Circulated under the name of "Crime Prevention Council of India", many users assumed that it was a government order.

Alt News found that Crime Prevention Council of India was actually a non-governmental organisation which said it did not issue the notice.

Will the corrected fact reach as many people as the the original notice which was shared by social media users thinking that it was a government order?

The answer is a clear "no" as research suggests that people are more willing to share fake news than accurate news - a major factor that helps disinformation spread faster, deeper.

"We do not have as much reach as social media platforms have. This is one reason why less people get to know whether the information they consumed was true or false even after our fact checking," agreed Govindraj Ethiraj, Founder, BOOM, which has collaborated with Facebook, Google and Twitter, among others, to fight misinformation.

"Even though we are constrained by the reach, as a fact checking platform, we hope to play an important role in fighting fake news during the general election. Our workload is steadily increasing since the 2018 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election," Ethiraj told IANS.

Several social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and China-based TikTok are collaborating with third-party fact checkers - mainly to ensure that disinformation shared on their platforms do not lead to real world harm or physical injury to people.

Facebook, for example, is working with seven partners in India -- India Today Group, Vishvas.news, Factly, Newsmobile, Fact Crescendo and AFP, besides BOOM - which review news stories on Facebook for facts, and rate their accuracy.

Ethiraj, however, pointed out that even though fact checkers have not been able to curb the menace of fake news on social media platforms, they have been greatly successful in reducing spread of fake news by influencers.

"Celebrities or those with large following on social media will now think twice before posting false information or sharing them. There is now a fear that the information will be verified," he said.

But social media is not just about influencers.

With almost all political parties now prepared to use these platforms to influence voters - unlike in the 2014 general election when only the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) had a vital presence on social media - users with average number of followers and affiliates of political parties are likely to bombard the space with propaganda material.

(Gokul Bhagabati can be contacted at gokul,b@ians.in)
New Delhi, March 17 : Popular Indian fashion designer Ritu Beri has been appointed as the Cultural and Tourism Ambassador of Uzbekistan in India by the Ministry of Tourism of Uzbekistan.

This is in recognition of her contribution towards bringing the two countries together by way of fusing cultures in her clothes line.

"I am delighted and honoured to present the glory of Uzbekistan and create a connecting story between the two countries. It would be my endeavour to deepen the cultural and social ties between the two countries," Beri said in a statement.

She is the first Indian to be appointed to this position.

Uzbek Ambassador to India Farhod Arziev said: "It is a pleasure to appoint Beri as the Cultural and Tourism Ambassador of Uzbekistan. Though she has already been doing a lot of work at a personal level, now there is official recognition of her work."

"Her work would lead to starting of a movement which brings greater closeness between the two countries."
New Delhi, March 17 : Actor Darshan Kumaar, who is working on his next film "PM Narendra Modi", says there are many challenges when one tries to break into the Hindi film industry.

"There are many challenges. If you don't have anyone to guide you in the industry, then you have a tough time," Darshan told IANS.

The actor made his debut in 2003 with the Salman Khan-starrer "Tere Naam", but had his breakthrough in 2014 with "Mary Kom". He was later seen in films such as "NH10", "Sarbjit", "A Gentleman" and "Baaghi 2".

He said it takes a long time to figure out Bollywood.

"It takes years to understand the functionality of the film industry, for instance, to understand how to get work and survive. The survival gets harder because it not only takes a lot of time, but also money. But once you get a break and earn the audience's confidence, you're good. So the journey in B-Town is like a roller-coster ride," he said.

"PM Narendra Modi", a film by Omung Kumar B, also stars Vivek Anand Oberoi, Waheeda Rahman, Boman Irani and Barkha Bisht Sengupta.
New Delhi, March 17 : The Department of Telecom has sent a communication to the sector regulator TRAI seeking its views on the possibility of giving 4G spectrum to BSNL outside auction under a preferential equity infusion route.

This is being done in view of the Supreme Court earlier judgement that all natural resources be sold through auction only. The regulator will now examine whether government controlled entities could be exception to the rule set by the apex court.

In a communication to TRAI recently, the DoT sought its views if 4G spectrum can be given to BSNL outside auction as the PSUs do not participate in the bidding process, official sources said.

In 2012, in a landmark judgement, the apex court had said all natural resources should be sold through bidding for maximistaion of value.

BSNL currently has 5Mhz of spectrum on 800 Mhz band . But for an all India scaling- up of 4G service roll out , it needs at least a cumulative 10Mhz radiowaves. In Rajasthan, the PSU will use 4G spectrum which it has on 800 Mhz band as per the plan.

Sources added DoT will abide by whatever views TRAI will give "but let's see what the regulator says".

Digital Communication Commission, the inter-ministerial panel had advised to DoT to take the comments of TRAI on this issue in view of the Supreme Court judgement that spectrum can not be allocated to telecom service providers without auction.

BSNL, which operates all over India sans Delhi and Mumbai, has been seeking 5Mhz of 4G spectrum on 2100 Mhz band for which it had sent a proposal approved to DoT. It intends to acquire 4G spectrum worth about Rs 13,885 crore.

The mechanism suggested by BSNL is: 50 per cent payment will be done upfront and rest 50 per cent will be made in 10 equal instalments. The upfront payment that BSNL wants is to be met through the equity route where government will be given preferential equity in lieu of the spectrum valued at Rs 6942.5 crore.

TRAI's views may take at least one-and-a-half months, sources said, adding therafter it will be easier for DoT to convince the finance ministry if TRAI gives go-ahead for this move. The Finance Ministry has been seeking the usefulness of such huge capital infusion in BSNL so has the Niti Aayog.

BSNL currently going through its worst financial crisis and it recently sought government's support to pay February salary of its employees. The company is banking heavily on the TRAI's positive comments.

A draft report of IIM-Ahemdabad also suggested government to give 4G spectrum to BSNL to survive in the hyper competition . BSNL offers 2G and 3G services has 11 crore mobile subscribers and gets a number of government projects from which it draws revenues . But post Jio entry in the sector, cut-throat competition has made private telcos lose profits and consolidate to survive.

Keeping BSNL afloat has become more challenging with the absence of a full bouquet of services. After Jio, it is the only operator which has been adding subscribers but not enough to generate revenues since these subscribers are from low voucher category.

The PSU though was the fast entrant in the fast emerging revenue opportunity of FTTH (Fibre-to-the-Home ) segment, without proper planning, it lost the edge to Jio which entered much later. The PSU's enterprise services another money minting business has also seen sluggish growth. For the year 2017-18, the PSU posted a loss of about Rs 8000 crore.
New Delhi, March 17 : The country's largest life insurer Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) may propose a timeline of 3-5 years for cutting down its stake in the recently acquired IDBI Bank to comply with insurance regulator Irdai's norm of 15 per cent stake in a listed investee firm.

Investment returns at right price will the hold key for the LIC to pare its stake in IDBI Bank. Also, the market conditions have to be right.

Cutting down from a high of 51 per cent stake will take longer and cannot be done in months, sources said, adding that the same may be conveyed by the LIC to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai). The decision is yet to reach finality, they said.

Irdai has sought proposals on such a timeline from the LIC management for reducing its stake in IDBI Bank. The regulator's direction on timeline can impact IDBI Bank's stock prices, which is the reason it wants the LIC to propose a time period for stake reduction on which the regulator will take a call.

At present, the permissible limit for an insurer to hold stake in any listed entity is 15 per cent. But the LIC, with special dispensation from Irdai, holds more than this in some state-run banks like the Corporation Bank.

Recently, Irdai Chairman Subhash Chandra Khuntia had said: "We will decide on the timeline on the LIC paring its stake in IDBI Bank. We are not leaving it to them. I have asked them to submit a proposal and after that we will take a decision."

LIC holds 51 per cent stake in IDBI Bank under a specific permission from Irdai, but under the condition that it will bring it down.

LIC had announced the completion of the acquisition of 51 per cent controlling stake in the near crippled IDBI Bank, which made it the majority shareholder of the bank in January this year.

The near Rs 20,000 crore deal has seen the IDBI Bank, which is under the Reserve Bank of India's Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework, receiving Rs 5,030 crore in January and Rs 14,500 crore in December 2018. As a result, LIC acquired 51 per cent controlling stake in IDBI Bank, making the insurer the lender's majority shareholder.

Besides, the RBI permits a ceiling of 15 per cent for promoter stake in a private sector bank. Recently the RBI has re-categorised IDBI Bank as a private sector bank.

For the third quarter ended December 2018, IDBI Bank reported widening of losses by nearly threefold to Rs 4,185.48 crore. The bank had reported a loss of Rs 1,524.31 crore in the year-ago period. Its total income fell to Rs 6,190.94 crore for the quarter, compared to Rs 7,125.20 crore in the corresponding period a year ago.
Christchurch, March 17 : New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday said she intends to ask Facebook how the Christchurch gunman, who slaughtered 50 people during Friday prayers, was able to livestream the massacre.

Using a GoPro camera, the terrorist on Friday broadcast extremely graphic footage of him shooting people at the Al Noor Mosque via Facebook Live. The livestream was available to watch on social media for hours after the attack, newshub.co.nz reported.

Besides being livestreamed on Facebook, the video, lasting 17 minutes, was shared repeatedly on YouTube and Twitter, before being removed by the social media giant.

In a press conference, Ardern was quoted as saying that the New Zealand Government did its best to take down the video, but its power to do so is limited.

"We did as much as we could to remove or seek to have removed some of the footage that was being circulated in the aftermath of this terrorist attack.

"Ultimately, though, it has been up to those platforms to facilitate their removal and support their removal."

She disapproved of the social media giant Facebook's incompetence at allowing graphic content to be uploaded and shared thus widely.

"Obviously these social media platforms have wide reach. This is a problem that goes well beyond New Zealand, it has played out in other parts of the world.

"So whilst we might have seen action taken here, that hasn't prevented (the footage) being circulated beyond New Zealand shores.

"This is an issue that goes well beyond New Zealand, but it doesn't mean we can't play an active role in getting it resolved," Ardern said.

Facebook has on its part said that as many as 1.5 million videos of the attack were removed from its platform in the first 24 hours.

"We continue to work around the clock to remove violating content using a combination of technology and people... ," Mia Garlick, Facebook New Zealand, wrote in a tweet.

"In the first 24 hours we removed 1.5 million videos of the attack globally, of which over 1.2 million were blocked at upload...

"Out of respect for the people affected by this tragedy and the concerns of local authorities, we're also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content," Garlick added.

Ardern also said that in the wake of the Christchurch attacks, she has been in continuous contact with Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, the report said.

"I haven't spoken to her directly, but she has reached out in acknowledgement of what has occurred here in New Zealand. This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook," Ardern noted.
Kolkata, March 17 : West Bengal's Crime Investigation Department (CID) has seized a truck laden with a large cache of explosives from Birbhum district, a senior officer said on Sunday.

Acting on a tip off, CID officers and the police conducted a joint raid and intercepted the truck coming from Telengana near Birbhum's Beliatore area at around 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The CID officer said 66 packets of detonators, 250 packets of gelatin sticks and power gel and 229 bags of ammonium nitrate were seized.

"The truck driver has been arrested as he failed to produce valid documents. He has been produced before the court. Further probe is on," he added.
Chandigarh, March 17 : One worker was killed and two others sustained serious burn injuries following a major fire at the Indian Oil Corp's Panipat refinery in Haryana, police said on Sunday.

The fire started on Saturday night. Fire tenders were rushed to control the flames in the refinery belonging to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).

The 22-year-old victim, Mohan Lal, who hailed from Sonipat district and was engaged by a contractor of the refinery, was trapped in the vacuum distillation unit.

The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, officials said.

Sources said the incident took place when unit was being tested on Saturday night after an earlier shutdown.

Gas began to leaked during the testing, leading to a fire. Mohan Lal and another worker, Deepak, received serious burn injuries as they were trapped in the unit. Their supervisor, M.S. Kherkar, was also injured in the incident.

An internal probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the fire.

This is not the first incident at the refinery in the recent past. Two people died on January 22, 2018, following a fire at the catalyst storage site of the refinery.

The Panipat refinery is IOCL's technically most advanced public sector unit. It is spread in an area of around 4,222 acres and consists of a refinery and petrochemical complex.

It caters to the demand of petroleum products in Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, and parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
KHOST, March 17, 2019 (IANS) An Afghan soldier stands at the site of a bomb attack in Arghandab district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 17, 2019. At least seven people, including a senior police officer, have been killed and three others wo Image Source: IANS News

Nasirabad, March 17, 2019 (Xinhua) Photo taken on March 17, 2019 with mobile phone shows damaged compartments of a passenger train at the attack site in Nasirabad, southwest Pakistan. At least three people were killed and six others injured on Sunday Image Source: IANS News

Islamabad, March 17 : Three persons were killed and six others injured after a blast at a passenger train in Pakistan's Balochistan area on Sunday, police said.

District Police Officer Irfan Bashir said that suspected miscreants planted an improvised explosive device at the rail track to target the Jaffar Express, the Dawn reported.

As the train, coming from Rawalpindi to Quetta, reached Dera Murad Jamali Station, there was a huge blast which damaged a portion of the track, he added.

Investigation is underway, police said.
New Delhi, March 17 : Earlier this month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah met Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and attended Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the highest decision-making body of the ideological fountainhead of the ruling dispensation, to seek support for the Lok Sabha battle.

While the RSS is an inseparable part of the BJP's larger poll machinery, there is a marked change in the narrative this time compared to 2014.

Unlike 2014 when the RSS ran a parallel campaign to ensure that the BJP gets a historic mandate, there is a prevailing sense this time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are extremely capable of pulling it off themselves.

The RSS overdrive in 2014 came as it was considered to be a watershed election at par with 1977 -- when Janata Alliance was able to displace the Congress for the first time -- in terms of its political significance.

New Delhi's political circles are already abuzz with talks that the RSS backs Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for the top job if the BJP falls short of numbers.

Despite a changed narrative this time, the BJP gets the benefit of the vast RSS network across the country. This machinery will come handy again.

IANS takes a look into the extent of the reach of the RSS, how the organization is structured to touch every voter and the issues that will play a major role.

The Organization The RSS has a slightly different way of looking at the country as an organizational unit. It has a flexible structure spreading into geographical areas comprising Prants or Kshetras (states and regions) and Mandals or Nagar (areas and cities).

In RSS scheme of things, India is divided into 11 Kshetras (regions).

South: It includes Kerala and Tamil Nadu South Central: It includes south Karnataka, West Andhra Pradesh, East Andhra Pradesh (re-organized after the formation of Telangana).

West: It includes, Konkan, West Maharashtra, Devagiri, Gujarat and Vidharbha.

Central: Malwa, Madhya Bharat, Mahakaushal and Chhattisgarh North West: Chittor, Jaipur and Jodhpur

North: It is the nerve centre of RSS activities as it includes Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

West Uttar Pradesh: Uttarakhand, Meerut and Braj.

East Uttar Pradesh: Kanpur, Awadh, Kaashi and Gorakhpur.

North East: North Bihar, South Bihar and Jharkhand.

East: It includes Utkal, South Bengal and North Bengal.

Assam: It includes North Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, South Assam and Manipur.

A vast network of RSS frontal organizations work under this broad geographical structure.

Two primary decision-making bodies of the RSS call the shots -- Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini or the central executive and Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the all-India representative council.

(Source: Know About RSS)

The issues

On Sabarimala case

The SC judgment did not take consideration of all relevant entities and customs and the different opinion of the lone woman member of the bench. It was not binding on the state government to implement the decision in any stipulated time-frame but without understanding the nuances of the judgment, the state government has shown undue haste and political ill-will towards Hindu society by facilitating forcible entry of non-Hindu and non-devotee women in the temple.

On national security and Pulwama attack The external forces with the help of anti-national elements are giving shape to violent incidents. The attacks on the camps of army and defence forces, intrusive attacks in the border areas by Pakistan army, the recent Pulwama attack are very tragic. Nobody should take our tolerance as sign of our weakness.

On Ram-Janmabhoomi case The SC has taken a surprising stand instead of accelerating the judicial process to end the long drawn dispute. That the SC should find no priority for this sensitive subject associated with deep faith of Hindu society is beyond understanding. We are experiencing that Hindus are constantly being neglected. While having full respect in the judicial system we would like to say emphatically that judgment on the dispute must expedite and remove obstacles in constructing a grand temple.

(Source: RSS Annual Report 2019 released on March 8)

All the RSS men

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) insists that it provides only "suggestions" rather than "directives' to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But all the RSS functionary are the eyes, ears and mind of the government as they work among the masses.

From giving feedback on selection of candidates from a constituency to reaching out to every doorstep, RSS takes the lead in mobilizing support for the BJP.

The key RSS functionaries who will play a major role behind the scenes during the Lok Sabha polls:

Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi: The RSS No. 2 handles RSS-BJP coordination. As the operational and executive head of the RSS, Joshi has been instrumental in increasing the number of regular shakhas. He recently said that the society does not run on the basis of Constitution alone as traditions and faith have their own place.

Dattatreya Hosabale: A Sah-Sarakaryavaah (Joint General Secretary), he has been assisting Joshi on organizational issues and played a key role in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections having positioned himself in Lucknow working closely with BJP leaders.

Dr. Krishna Gopal: A Joint General Secretary of the RSS, Krishna Gopal is a key figure in handling the issues between the Sangh and BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He is playing the same role which was performed by Suresh Soni in 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the pointsman between the BJP and RSS. From candidate selection to election management, he is the crucial link.

V. Bhagaiah: A joint General Secretary, Bhagaiah is OBC face. He is managing Sangh's expansion plan in in southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangan. An eloquent speaker, Bhagaiah can converse fluently in Telugu, Hindi and English and always conveys his message powerfully. An ever smiling personality, his slim, healthy body and demeanor defies his age.

Arun Kumar: He is the head of communication department of RSS (Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh). Tall and well-built, Arun Kumar interacts with national media and puts forth the RSS point of view. He has worked for many years in Jammu and Kashmir. Arun Kumar has played in role expanding the RSS organization in the troubled state.
Kolkata, March 17 : A 28-year-old Kashmiri shawl trader was assaulted and looted in West Bengal's Kolkata. The accused has been arrested, police said on Sunday.

Shakur Ahmed Shah was attacked on Friday near the railway track in Park Circus area and Rs 1.95 lakh were snatched from him. A man named Hasimuddin has been arrested, police said, adding that they are trying to recover the money.

The victim alleged that while he was walking "some people asked him if he was a Kashmiri and getting an affirmation they started beating him up". Later, he was rescued by his friends.

"I was also stabbed with a knife. I am feeling very scared," Shah said.

However, police said "no such statement was made by the victim" in his complaint.

A police officer said that the "accused person is a local miscreant following the same faith, so it is nothing close to a hate crime".
Hyderabad, March 17 : Farhaj Ahsan, one of the two men from Telangana, killed in the Christchurch terror attack, will be buried in New Zealand itself, his family said here on Sunday.

Ahsan, 31, a software engineer, was one of the 50 worshippers killed in the horrific attack on the mosques during the Friday prayers.

He was living in Christchurch with his wife and two children -- three-year-old daughter and six-month-old son.

Ahsan's parents and in-laws would be leaving for New Zealand on Sunday. His father Mohammed Sayeeduddin told IANS that their travel documents were processed and they would be reaching Christchurch on Tuesday.

Since the family found it difficult to bring the body to India, it decided to bury him there. "I consulted with family members and we decided to perform the burial there," he said.

Sayeeduddin said there was a plan for mass burial of the victims in Christchurch but was not sure if it would take place before Tuesday or later.

Ahsan was initially reported missing. The authorities on Saturday informed his wife Insha Aziz and her uncle, who had rushed from Australia, that he was among the 50, who fell to the bullets.

Sayeeduddin and his wife Imtiaz Fatima, who were hoping to hear some good news about their son, were devastated on learning about his death.

Relatives and neighbours poured in at their house in Nadeem Colony of Toli Chowki area and consoled them.

Ahasan was at Al Noor mosque for the Friday prayers when the terrorist opened indiscriminate fire on worshippers. According to Sayeeduddin, he used to regularly offer prayers at the same mosque as he was living in a nearby neighbourhood.

Unaware of what was going on at the mosque, Sayeeduddin had called his son like a daily routine and when he did not respond, he contacted his daughter-in-law, who informed him about the terror attack at the mosque. Since then it was anxious wait for the family.

Ahsan had gone to New Zealand nine years ago. He did MS from Auckland University and had shifted to Christchurch five years ago.

"He worked for various companies and had recently completed a project in Christchurch. For last six months he was searching for a new job," said Sayeeduddin.

A retired employee of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), Sayeeduddin hails from Warangal district of Telangana and lives in Hyderabad. Ahsan was the youngest among his two sons and two daughters.

Another man from Telangana was also killed in the attack. Mohammad Imran Khan fell to the bullets at the mosque, according to information reaching his relatives in Karimnagar.

Imran, whose family was settled in the US, was engaged in some business in New Zealand for last few years.

Imran Khan's uncle Manzoor Ahmed Khan received information from his brother's family in US about his death in the Christchurch shootout.

Ahmed Iqbal Jehangir, who is from Hyderabad, was injured in the attack. He sustained bullet injuries in the chest and shoulder and he is recovering at a hospital in Christchurch.

Settled in New Zealand for last 15 years, Ahmed runs a Hyderabad food restaurant near Al Noor mosque.
New Delhi, March 17 : El Nino may make a comeback this year to upset the expectations of a good monsoon, according to the latest report by the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

El Nino is a climate cycle formed in the Pacific Ocean with an impact on weather patterns across the globe. The cycle begins when warm water in the western tropical Pacific Ocean shifts eastward along the equator towards the coast of South America.

NOAA forecasters have said that there is a 60 per cent chance of El NiAo conditions continuing through June to August in India.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), however, maintained that neutral El NiAo-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions are prevailing at present, indicating weak El NiAo formation.

"El Nino was supposed to start at the end of last year but it was wrongly predicted. Currently there is a very weak prevalence of El NiAo. Some models suggest that it would retain for the next two to three months, and only thereafter it will weaken. Even at this stage it is weak," D.S Pai, Scientist at IMD, Pune, told IANS.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Earth Sciences had said that there was no indication of El Nino developing and it wont have any impact on the upcoming monsoon.

"It is too early to talk about its impact on monsoon. May be around mid-April and May-end we will have a clear picture of El Nino's prevalence," Pai added.

El Nino forecasts, issued in December 2018 by the IMD for the January-February-March period this year, maintained that the Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs), which is the main indicator of the development of the phenomenon, would remain slightly warm over the central Pacific region.

Except for Kerala, all other sub-divisions in the southern peninsular regions -- Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema and South Interior Karnataka -- received poor rainfall from October to December last year. The northeast monsoon ended up 44 per cent deficient, one of the driest in recent years.
Mumbai, March 17 : Telugu cinemas most rapidly rising star Vijay Deverakonda is ready with his next release titled "Dear Comrade", which will be his biggest release to date in four languages Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada.

The film is said to have a deep-rooted connection to the politics of violence and it's interesting how Vijay fuses vigorous violence with unbridled passion all within a few seconds of the teaser's playing time.

Unlike other major stars, Vijay likes to leave nothing to chance and we've good reason to believe that this teaser showing Vijay knocking a solid punch in an adversary's face and then quickly moving in to catch an intense kiss with his co-star Rashmika Mandanna is indicative of the film's action-romance ideology. The pair was last seen in the 2018 hit film "Geetha Govindam".

In "Dear Comrade", Vijay plays a student leader with Communist leanings. Apparently, this student leader leads in the field of lip-locks too. The kiss in the teaser shows Vijay fully in charge of the task at hand.
New Delhi, March 17 : Lenovo-owned handset major Motorola may have become popular in the global smartphone market in recent years but it has failed to cement its position in India, which is the second largest smartphone market in the world.

Once a popular player in the affordable and mid-price segment in the country, the company's phone business is slipping as competition from its Chinese counterparts mount.

According to Counterpoint Research, Motorola India's smartphone shipments declined 70 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in 2018. The brand sunk from sixth spot in 2017 to 12th in the market in 2018.

"Motorola shipments declined due to the competitive product portfolio of Realme and Xiaomi. Motorola did not refresh its portfolio as compared to other Chinese players which were offering better specifications at competitive prices," Karn Chauhan, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

In August 2015, Chinese tech giant Lenovo announced it would merge its existing smartphone division, including design, development and manufacturing, into the Motorola's Mobility unit.

However, the Motorola brand launched devices three times less than other leading brands in India in 2018.

"The brand has not been able to grow at a pace it could have, sheer on its brand value. After the Lenovo-Motorola merger, the brand as well as the portfolio positioning has gone haywire. There was no distinct positioning between the Lenovo and Moto brands," Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Principal Analyst of market research firm techARC, told IANS.

"Moto was always seen as a brand for evolved users, something which OnePlus capitalised on. Had the Lenovo-Motorola Business Group (MBG) played its cards well, Moto could have been what OnePlus is today," Kawoosa added.

Sudhin Mathur quit in April 2018 as the Head of Lenovo-Motorola Group's Mobile Business in India even as the company was struggling to protect its share in the fiercely competitive smartphone market.

The change in the top management also affected its business in the country, noted Counterpoint.

In India, the budget smartphone segment is currently ruled by the likes of newly-emerged Realme and Beijing-headquartered Xiaomi - with Samsung now joining the budget segment with 'Galaxy M' series.

According to Anshika Jain, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, "The competitive landscape has changed significantly in the last year. We saw key players gaining share while smaller brands exited the market as competition intensified."

"There has been a sporadic growth of brands in the online space, while Moto continued with its limited push despite increasing competition. The push should have increased according to growing competition," noted Kawoosa.

In 2017, Motorola opened its "Moto Hubs" in the country as competition among the top smartphone manufacturers shifted to gain offline space, but to no avail.

(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, March 17 : Morocco could serve as a gateway for India's exports to Europe, West Africa and the US due to a plethora of trade treaties with several countries and entities, a high-ranking official of the North African nation's industry chamber has said.

"Morocco is included in the European Union's European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) which aims at bringing the EU and its neighbours closer," Nabila Freidji, Vice President of Morocco's industry chamber, the Confederation Generale des Enterprises du Maroc (CGEM) told IANS during a visit here.

Freidji, a leading example of the first generation of women entrepreneurs in her country,pointed out that Morocco has free trade agreements (FTA) with 55 countries to give it a market of 1 billion people.

It is the only African country to have an FTA with the US, and has been given the status of a major non-NATO ally by the US government.

The CGEM Vice President emphasised Morocco's possibility of being a springboard for Indian exports and investment into Europe, West Africa as well as to the US.

CGEM, in 2015, signed an MoU with Indian industry chamber FICCI for strengthening commercial relations by expanding and deepening economic, trade and investment cooperation.

Morocco is now the largest foreign investor in India's fertiliser sector, Freidji pointed out.

India sources a large chunk of its rock phosphates and phosphoric acid requirements for its fertiliser industry from Morocco, the world's biggest phosphate exporter.

Although bilateral trade volumes hover around the $1.5 billion mark, the two countries decided to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership in 2015, when King Mohammed VI attended the third India-Africa Forum Summit here.

A founding member of the OIC, Morocco, whose constitutional monarch also has the title of 'Amir al-Mu'minin' or "Leader of the Faithful", has very old links with India dating to the Delhi Sultanate when Moroccan scholar and judge Ibn Batuta came here to join the service of the Sultan and lived in India between 1334-41, before going on to China. Ibn Batuta's account is a primary source of information of life in the Delhi Sultanate.

Moroccan culture is a blend of Berber, Arab, West African and European influences, Freidji said.

"We are both Arab, as well as African and situated on the Mediterranean on the other side of Europe," she said.

Morocco is a member of the Arab League, the Union for the Mediterranean and the African Union. It has the fifth largest economy of Africa.

The CGEM official pointed out that in its drive to integrate Morocco further in the global value chain, the country has also joined the G20 "Partnership with Africa" initiave that aims to promote private investment, particularly in infrastructure, for Africa's sustainable economic development.

The G20 group's initiative is also meant to support African countries in the establishment of a favorable business environment and in the development of the financial sector, in partnership with the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

"French carmaker Renault has created 400,000 jobs in Morocco, while 300,000 jobs have been created by Peugeot. We aim to become the largest car producer in the world by the start of the next decade," Freidji said.

(Biswajit Choudhury can be reached at biswajit.c@ians.in)
New Delhi, March 17 : Former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was on Sunday recommended to be the first Lokpal or anti-corruption ombudsman of India.

His name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and eminent jurist Mukul Rohatgi.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who is part of the committee, did not attend the meeting.

Justice Ghose, 67, who is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) since June 2017, retired from the Supreme Court on May 27, 2017. He had assumed charge as Supreme Court judge on March 8, 2013. His was among the top 10 names shortlisted by the Lokpal Search Committee.

In July 2015, a Supreme Court bench of Justice Ghose issued notice to late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on a petition by the Karnataka government challenging the high court verdict acquitting her and three others in a disproportionate assets case.

He is a former judge of the Calcutta High Court and former Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Born in Kolkata, Justice Ghose is son of Late Justice Sambhu Chandra Ghose, former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.

Graduating in Commerce from St.Xavier's College, Calcutta, Justice Ghose completed graduation in law (LL.B.) from University of Calcutta and obtained Attorney-at-Law at Calcutta High Court, and enrolled himself as an advocate on November 30, 1976 with Bar Council of West Bengal.

He practised in civil, commercial, arbitration, constitutional and company matters both in the original side and appellate side at Calcutta High Court.

On July 17, 1997, Justice Ghose was elevated as a permanent Judge of High Court at Calcutta. He held the post of Executive Chairman, Andaman and Nicobar State Legal Services Authority and Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, West Bengal, since January 2, 2007 and August 1, 2007 respectively.

Since January 14, 2005, he was associated with Indian Law Institute (Calcutta Chapter) and acted as the Treasurer of the Indian Law Institute till May 22, 2012. He Was Chairman of Institutional Ethics Committee of National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata.

Jutice Ghose's appointment has come nearly five years after the Lokpal Act was notified on January 16, 2014.

The law provides for a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to probe cases of corruption against public servants.

The Supreme Court, hearing a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, has been pushing the government to make the appointments. In its hearing on January 4, the apex court had asked the government to appoint a Lokpal at the earliest, saying "much time has elapsed, something needs to be done".

On January 17, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Centre for repeatedly delaying the appointment of the Lokpal. On March 7, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had asked the Modi government to inform the court within a fortnight by when it would finalise the names.

Delayed for some reason or the other, the search committee was constituted on September 27, 2018, after the Supreme Court's intervention and former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai was nominated to head it.
Lucknow, March 17 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's arrival here on Sunday has once again enthused party workers ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Priyanka Gandhi, who held her last meeting at the Nehru Bhawan office on February 14 during her first visit after being made in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, returned to the stage capital on Sunday to meet party workers and groups who had been protesting against Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in the state.

Soon after her arrival at the party office, scores of Congress workers gathered to cheer her and raise slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They also played Holi with each other.

Surendra Singh, a former state Minister during Congress rule in the 1980s, told IANS that "conditions in the state have changed after the arrival of Priyanka Gandhi in active politics".

Singh, who hails from Ballia and was to meet her along with other leaders, said, "People are excited to listen to Priyanka Gandhi as she is the daughter of the state."

On her proposed river tour from Prayagraj to Varanasi from March 18 to 20, Congress worker Shahshi Kant Tripathi said, "During her river ride, she will connect with the people of lower castes like the fishermen community, Bind community and others residing near the banks of the Ganga."

Tripathi also said that during her journey, Priyanka Gandhi will also dent the upper caste votes of the Bharatiya Janata Party as she will touch many Rajput and Brahmin dominated villages during her journey.

In a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, another party worker, Anurag Tripathi from Rae Bareli said, "Ganga maiya ne Priyanka didi ko bulaya hai, kyuki unka ek beta jumlebaaz nikla (Mother Ganga has called sister Priyanka, because one of her sons turned out only to be champion of rhetoric)."

Priyanka Gandhi, considered the second most prominent leader in the party after her brother and party President Rahul Gandhi, is being seen as a turn-around leader for the party in the state, where it was reduced to its family boroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli seats in the 2014 elections, while BJP-led NDA alliance won 73 out of the state's 80 seats.

Uttar Pradesh will vote in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Srinagar, March 17 : A personal security guard (PSO) of National Conference leader Abdul Rehman Veeri was injured in accidental fire in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Sunday.

Jahangir Ahmad, PSO, got injured when his service rifle went off while he was cleaning it, a police official said.

"Ahmad was shifted to hospital for treatment," the official said.
Washington, March 17 : Former US Vice President Joe Biden "mistankenly" announced he was running for President at a Democratic Party fundraising dinner in home turf Delaware, but earned an encouraging response from the gathering.

"I get criticized by the new Left. I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the United... anybody who would run," Biden said on Saturday night event.

"I didn't mean... Of anybody who would run! Because folks, we have to bring this country back together again."

The line drew a raucous response from the Biden-friendly crowd, CNN reported.

Biden's appearance in Delaware comes as he's nearing a decision about a 2020 run. he has indicated to friends it's "all but certain" he'll run, and those familiar with discussions say an announcement could come as soon as April.

At the dinner, Biden offered a possible preview of a presidential campaign message, arguing the country is engaged in a "battle for the soul of America".

If Biden jumps into the fray, he would be taking part in an increasingly crowded race - as 15 other Democrats have already declared their bids.

They include Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, who ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke joined the race last week.
Kolkata, March 17 : The chunk of cement that fell from the ceiling of a heritage building missed an octogenarian former Union Minister -- a tenant -- but has brought to the fore the poor upkeep of the historic structures in the city, mainly due to the absence of proper laws.

Ironically, the 109-year-old Park Mansion on the iconic Park Street had received a prestigious heritage award for restoration of the colonial era structure from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in 2013.

West Bengal Heritage Commission (WBHC) Chairman and well-known artist Shuvaprasanna Bhattacharya said on an average two buildings of heritage value were being destroyed every day in Kolkata, the first capital of colonial India where the British East India Company had set up its base.

"It is unfortunate that in Kolkata, almost two buildings of heritage importance are destroyed every day due to the lack of proper law. I have no idea if the people are aware of this," Bhattacharya said.

The city has as many as 1,475 heritage buildings.

Bhattacharya said due to complex ownership a huge ancestral property, which upholds the city's culture and heritage, remains stuck in legal limbo.

"Due to this, we also cannot take up the property. Some amendments should be made to the existing laws to safeguard the heritage properties. There should be a committee to look after the interest of all the parties," Bhattacharya said.

According to the WBHC Chairman, the exterior of the Park Mansion was maintained well and if there were problems in the interior, it should have been taken care of. "The tenants should not face any problem and, I believe, the owners will see to it," he said.

The matter came to light on March 6 after the attendant of former Union Minister Debi Prasad Chattopadhyaya was awakened by a thud in the early hours of the day. Her foot was hurt and a cement chunk was found next to the bed-ridden Chattopadhyaya.

The family members of the 87-year-old, credited with editing the 100-plus volumes of History of Indian Science Philosophy and Culture, alleged the root of the problem was a leakage on the floor above their apartment.

"This is not the first time. Slabs had come off the ceiling earlier too. Every 5-6 years, we have do the maintenance works (like painting), which is our responsibility. But the building is rotting from inside," said the ailing man's daughter-in-law Supriya Chattopadhyaya.

In 2012, the leakage was noticed and conveyed to building owners, the Apeejay Surrendra Group, but in vain. Since 2016, Supriya has also approached the Kolkata Municipal Corporation several times since Park Mansion was a heritage property.

Then Director General of KMC's Project Management Unit (PMU) Subrata K. Seal had also written that Park Mansion's interior required repairing.

"Repair work is allowed without changing the characteristic dimension of the property. I had written the tenants can take up repair work to prevent any accident," Seal, now holding an advisory position post-retirement, told IANS.

Seal said he had forwarded a no objection certificate (NOC) to the KMC's Building Department, which gave permissions related to construction and repair.

PMU Deputy Chief Engineer P.S. Samanta said if the heritage building was a private property, it was the owner's duty to do maintenance. My department could only send a request letter, he added.

For five years, the KMC has been looking after conservation of the Khidirpur Bhukailash Temple, the Dalhousie area.

However, after Sohini shared the ordeal on Facebook and the incident got media coverage, the family has received some messages from an unknown profile offering help.

Later, she also received emails from the Apeejay Group. The repair work will, probably, start after March 25.

"On March 11, I received an email from the Apeejay Group saying they will do the repair work, but haven't committed any date," Sohini said.

(The writer can be contacted at binita.d@ians.in)
Hyderabad, March 17 : The crisis in Telangana's main opposition Congress deepened further on Sunday with another legislator deciding to join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Vanama Venkateshwara Rao announced after a meeting with Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrashekhar Rao that he is joining the ruling party.

Vanama Rao, who represents Kothagudem constituency in the state Assembly, is the eighth Congress MLA to cross over to the TRS this month. This has brought down the opposition party's tally in 119-member Assembly to 11. It had won 19 seats in the December 7 Assembly elections.

With the latest defection, the Congress may now lose the status of main opposition in the Assembly as it requires at least 10 percent of the members in the House.

With reports of four more MLAs being in touch with the TRS, the defected MLAs may petition the Speaker to recognise the merger of Congress Legislature Party with the TRS.

If two-third MLAs of a party defect, they will not attract disqualification under Anti-Defection Law and can be recognised as a separate block.

Losing one MLA almost every day, Congress appear totally demoralised ahead of April 11 elections to all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The Congress has accused the TRS of hatching a conspiracy to finish off the opposition. CLP leader Malu Bhatti Vikramarka demanded dismissal of the TRS government, accusing it of running the state in feudal, undemocratic and unconstitutional manner. The party plans to meet Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Monday to submit a memorandum in this regard.
Christchurch, March 17 : The Indian High Commission in New Zealand on Sunday confirmed that five Indians were killed in the Christchurch terror attack that claimed 50 lives.

"With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our five nationals -- Maheboob Khokhar, Ramiz Vora, Asif Vora, Ansi Alibava and Ozair Kadir -- in the ghastly terror attack," the Indian Mission tweeted.

"Our helpline numbers (021803899 and 021850033) will remain available round the clock to assist families as we together cope with our shared grief," it said.

It also stated a dedicated page to expedite visa for family members of the victims has been set up by the New Zealand immigration office.

Fifty people were killed in shootings at Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Avenue Masjid in the city on Friday after 28-year-old Australian national Brenton Tarrant opened indiscriminate firings.
New Delhi, March 17 : A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court will begin hearing on five matters, including whether a member of legislative assembly can escape criminal prosecution for accepting or offering bribe by citing immunity under Article 194(2) of the Constitution.

Other matters before the constitution bench include the interpretation of Section 24 of the right to fair compensation and transparency in land acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, whether a citizen is entitled to seek information on the appointment of top court and high court judges and challenge to the restructuring and re-organisation of 19 tribunals that was brought by the 2017 Finance act.

The hearing will commence on March 27.

The question whether article 194(2) of the Constitution confers any immunity on the members of the legislative assembly for being prosecuted in a criminal case for an offence involving offer or acceptance of bribe is rooted in the election of two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand in March 2012.

The Jharkhand High Court had by its February 17, 2014 order rejected the plea for the quashing of a trial court order taking cognizance by one JMM lawmaker Sita Soren for allegedly accepting money from a contestant.

Later Election Commission countermanded the election to the Rajya sabha from Jharkhand.

In the right to fair compensation and transparency in land acquisition, the bench would examine the correctness of the payment of compensation to the land owners whose land has been acquired as well as when the award granting compensation would come into effect.

The matter was referred to the Constitution bench following conflicting judgements by two bench of the top court - each bench with three judges.

The three-judge bench headed by former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha had in 2014 held that if the compensation for acquiring land under 1894 Land Acquisition Act has not been paid to the landowner or deposited with the competent court and the same was retained in the government treasury, then it (land acquisition) would be treated as having lapsed and would be covered under the new 2013 land acquisition law entitling landowners a higher compensation.

"The deposit of a compensation amount in the government treasury is of no avail and cannot be held to be equivalent to compensation paid to the landowners/persons interested," Justice Lodha along with Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Kurian Joseph had said in 2014.

But this was overruled by a majority of three-judge bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar on February 8, 2018. Justice Shantanasgoudar dissented.

The February 2018 verdict had held that 2014 judgement was passed without taking into account the provisions of the 2013 law on land acquisition.

Another significant hearing would be challenge to the Finance Act 2017 relating to the restructuring and re-organisation including the appointment, removal and the service conditions of the members of 19 tribunals.

The Tribunal, Appellate and other Authorities (Qualifications, Experience and other conditions of Service of Members) Rules, 2017 was brought as a part of the Finance Act, 2017.

It has been contended that the restructuring and re-organisation of the 19 tribunals, by the law under challenge, would shadow their independence.

The hearing on the appeal by top court's Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) challenging November 24, 2009, Central Information Commission's order directing the CPIO to furnish the information sought by one Subhash Chandra Agrawal on the appointment of judges to top court could bring it in the ambit of Right to Information Act.

The matter was referred to the Constitution bench on August 17, 2016.

Agrawal had in 2009 sought "complete file/s (only available in Supreme Court) inclusive of copies of complete correspondence exchanged between constitutional authorities with file notes relating to the said appointment of Justice H.L. Dattu, Justice A.K. Ganguly and Justice R.M. Lodha superseding seniority of Justice P. Shah, Justice A.K. Patnaik and . Justice V.K. Gupta."

Both Justice Dattu and Justice Lodha went on to become Chief Justice of India.

The Constitution bench would adjudicate the question "whether the concept of independence of judiciary demands the prohibition of furnishing of the information sought and whether the information sought amounts to interference in the functioning of the judiciary.

Other questions that would be addressed include "whether the information sought cannot be furnished to avoid any erosion in the credibility of the decisions and to ensure a free and frank expression of honest opinion by all the constitutional functionaries.

(Parmod Kumar can be contacted at saneel2010@gmail.com)
The horrendous killing of more than 40 CRPF jawans in a frontal attack on its convoy on February 14 at Pulwama, not too far from Srinagar, by a locally recruited suicide bomber of Jaishe Mohammad (JeM) comes as a stark reminder of how the Pakistan Army remains undeterred in its pursuit of a 'proxy war' against India - using Islamic extremists as its instrument.

Since the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)of Maulana Hafiz Sayeed had come too much into limelight in the context of cross-border terrorism, the Pak ISI had for some time been focusing on Jaishe Mohammad(JeM) the notorious radical outfit run by Pak -based Maulana Masood Azhar -that had the capability of raising 'fidayeen' in the name of 'jehad'.

The attack on the CRPF convoy was made with a 'car bomb' laden with more than 60 kgs of RDX mix-indicating the depth of planning and resource mobilisation carried out by the enemy right under the nose of the Kashmir government. Intelligence from Central agencies pointed to the possibility of a car bomb attack on security forces which was the sign of a clear escalation after organised stone pelting and grenade throwing had proved to be tactics of diminishing returns for Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

The PDP-BJP coalition might have been envisaged as a political strategy meant to demonstrate progress in the return of democratic governance in the state but it did not - for reasons too well known - make any dent on the Pakistan Army's resolve to compel India to resume talks under the pressure of terrorist violence.

The appointment of a politician as the Governor was meant to give a message that return to normalcy of a democratic rule could sit well with the ongoing requirement of Army-led operations against cross border terrorism but in the bargain the deepening threat of Pakistan's covert offensive somewhere ran into ambiguity of interpretation. The political leaders of the Valley - unsurprisingly- refused to condemn terrorists and shamelessly pegged the line that India must seek out Pakistan for peace talks regardless of the latter's terrorist offensive.

Domestic politics blinded the critics of the government against the logic of a Pakistan policy that called upon the hostile neighbour to cease infiltrating terrorists from across the LOC to make way for resumption of dialogue.

The car bomb attack on CRPF convoy would no doubt lead to a post-event examination of the logistic management of the paramilitary forces deployed in the terror-infected state on one hand and, the functioning of the Unified High Command in J& K in key areas like follow-up on the specific alerts from the Centre and the operational needs of the forces working in conjunction with the Army.

There was intelligence about the imminence of a car bomb attack on security forces and therefore to prevent a chain of 70-80 vehicles -transporting over 2,500 soldiers through a terror-affected territory - from becoming a soft target measures beyond the routine road clearing and sanitising exercise were required.

Stopping civilian traffic for a while as a one time step could have prevented a vehicle from getting close to the moving convoy. Was the option of air -lift- a standard practice with the Army- considered at all? If not was it linked to the availability of resources for the para- military forces?

Rising above the details of the terror attack at Pulwama there is need for a course correction in Kashmir on three distinct points. First, the presumption that the problem of dealing with terrorism in the state concerned only the Army must give way to an acknowledgement that J&K - the target of attack from Pakistan - was a virtual war zone where the entire hierarchy of governance- from Governor to the Deputy Commissioner in charge of the district- had to be attuned to the nature and content of the 'proxy war' facing India.

The state administration had to have a share of responsibility in acting on the Intelligence made available and in furthering the work of identifying and locating the Pak agents hibernating in its various wings and outside.

A major problem in Kashmir is the inadequacy of 'Intelligence from below' even as the flow of information from the Central agencies was substantial and actionable. The state could do with an experienced civilian of Intelligence background as the Head of the state to make up for the deficiencies of local response.

Secondly, the policy in Kashmir must aim at neutralising the Pak-sponsored terrorist violence, putting the civilian population on a grid of understanding through empathetic interactions of Deputy Commissioner and District SP with the people on a regular basis for grievance redressal and pressing forth with development projects on the ground.

Moves to encourage democratic processes are welcome but security assessments should be kept free of wishful thinking and political expediency. Pakistan has not wavered from the plan it had set in the early Nineties for replicating the success of Afghan Jehad in Kashmir by pumping in Mujahideen in the valley.

Pak agencies have been following a rolling plan of destabilising Kashmir since then- they used their agents to recruit stone pelters for creating disorder, instigated grenade lobbing on security personnel and sensing the opportunity of recruiting militants locally, started sending out trainers to enlist indoctrinated youngsters in their teens for carrying out attacks. Pulwama offensive is a striking upshot of this new plan of ISI- Adil Ahmad Dar the suicide bomber is said to have been trained by an IED expert from Pakistan.

JeM is close to Al Qaeda- Taliban combine- the first set of Mujahideen called Harkat ul Ansar that was sent in by Pak ISI way back in 1993 to launch Jehad in Kashmir had the protagonists of Taliban and Jaish as its members.

Thirdly, Pak agencies have got into the day to day life of Kashmiris thanks to the existence of a 'fifth column' in the state operating within and outside of the administration and the political umbrella. Pak army has withstood the denunciation by President Donald Trump of its role in providing safe havens to terrorists and even gone on to rebuff the US by declaring that Pakistan committed a grave mistake in joining the 'American war on terror'.

Once the artificial distinction made by the West between 'good terrorists' and 'bad terrorists' -which gave advantage to Pakistan over India -was withdrawn by the US President, Pak army has lost no time in openly supporting radicals ,switching over to war like attacks by fedayeen and taking to the radical methodology of using 'car bombs' against security forces. Also,Pakistan seems to be succeeding in securing a hold in Afghanistan through its bonhomie with Taliban and this clearly has the potential for strengthening cross border terror in Kashmir.

India's policy package for Kashmir suggests itself: go all out to eliminate terrorists in the state through Intelligence -based operations, identify the enemy agents within- hibernating in administration or the political arena -for stringent action and reach out to the youth through the district administration to open up economic opportunities for them. Our Army should now switch over to 'offence is the best defence' on LOC- to deal with infiltration and violations of ceasefire.

The withdrawal of MFN status is the right first step to announce to the world that India now means business as far as the handling of a rogue neighbour was concerned. Pakistan can not take on India in a conventional war and also knows that it has lost the earlier advantage it had of raising the 'nuclear flash' argument to get international attention in a situation of conflict with India.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)
New Delhi, March 17 : Over 67.82 lakh farmers will be left out of the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme as West Bengal, Sikkim and Delhi have not uploaded their details on the PM-KISAN portal, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Sunday.

The three states are besides Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Lakshadweep where funds have not been transferred to the eligible farmers as uploaded data has not been verified and request for fund release has not been made.

Singh said 67.11 lakh farmers in West Bengal would have received Rs 2,000 each had the state's availed the first installment of Rs 1,342 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Nidhi (PM-KISAN).

Similarly, 55,090 farmers in Sikkim and 15,880 in Delhi could not receive their share from the Rs 11 crore and Rs 3 crore funds meant for them under the scheme.

In the interim Budget, the Narendra Modi government announced a direct income support of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments to 12.5 crore small and marginal farmers with land holding below two hectares or five acres under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

The first round of payment for Rs 2,000 has to be made before the end of financial year 2018-19.

Singh said details of 4.71 crore farmers were uploaded by 33 states and Union Territories and 3.11 of them were found eligible after verification.

The first installment has been transferred to about 2.75 crore farmers and requests have been made for transfer to additional 22 lakh farmers, Singh said.

The Minister said details of 1.65 crore beneficiaries were sent back to states for correction, which is still pending with them, he added.

Over 40 per cent of the eligible farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Andaman & Nicobar have received the first installment, he said.

In Jammu & Kashmir, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Telangana, Tamil Nadu too, the installment has been transferred to 25-40 per cent of the beneficiaries.
Mumbai, March 17 : After spending months in New York battling cancer, actress Sonali Bendre Behl is celebrating her "new normal" life with her family and friends.

Sonali on Sunday tweeted a photograph of herself along with her husband Goldie Behl, their son Ranveer, actor Hrithik Roshan, his former wife Sussanne Khan and their children Hridhaan and Hrehaan Roshan.

"There's a lot that can happen in just seven days. From a wedding celebration, to a required course of hospitalisation and treatment, to a leisurely lunch with loved ones, you have to let go to experience the many shades of life! Thankful, my new normal," Sonali captioned the image.

The 44-year-old was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in July.
New Delhi, March 17 : It was not only the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Army that were pressed into action against Pakistan after the Pulwama attack but also the Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, nuclear and conventional submarines and several warships deployed on the western maritime frontier in an aggressive posture.

The Indian Navy Carrier Battle Group that was exercising in the area was swiftly moved into operational deployment at the height of the tension between the two countries.

The details of heavy naval mobilization has come out in public domain only now as the Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (Tropex 2019) has got over.

Around 60 ships and equal number of aircraft had taken part in the war games that had quickly turned into a real time operational situation following the tension.

The Navy said the aim of the move was to deter and defeat any misadventure from Pakistan.

INS Vikramaditya had the full compliment of Mig-29 K fighter jets and was protected by nuclear attack submarine, INS Chakra.

The Indian navy, which is far superior to Pakistan's sea force, demonstrated the versatility to change roles as it operates a large number of combat platforms.

The move of such a large Indian combat fleet forced the Pakistan Navy to stay close to the Makran coast and it could not come out into the open sea.

Earlier this month, Pakistan had raised alarm that it had detected an Indian submarine in its waters but it was dismissed as a false claim by New Delhi.
Vadakara : , March 17 (IANS) K.K. Rema, the widow of T.P. Chandrasekharan, the slain leader of a breakaway group of the CPI-M, Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), said on Sunday that the RMP will support the Congress candidate from Vadakara constituency, as a murderer should not win from here.

While the Congress is yet announce its candidate for the Vadakara Lok Sabha seat, the CPI-M sprang a surprise when it decided to field former party legislator P. Jayarajan from here. Jayarajan has been accused of murder and was sent to jail in two different murder cases which were currently in the court.

Chandrasekharan, who launched the Revolutionary Marxist Party in 2009, was hacked to death by some assailants on May 4, 2012, when he was returning home in his hometown near Kozhikode.

A court has sentenced 11 people, including 3 CPI-M leaders, to life imprisonment in the case. The demand to probe the conspiracy behind the murder is still in the court.

Rema told the media that RMP will not contest the Vadakara seat, and will, instead, support the Congress candidate here.

"We will ensure that the last vote is cast, and cast against Jayarajan. We have decided to support the Congress because a murderer should not win from here. The tears of people like me and others are against Jayarajan. We will do everything to defeat him," Rema said.

The RMP has been contesting elections in Kerala, especially in the northern districts, without aligning with any of the three political fronts in the state.

Rema had contested the 2016 Assembly polls from the Vadakara constituency but lost to C.K. Nanu of the Janata Dal (Secular) despite managing over 20,000 votes.

The sitting Lok Sabha MP from Vadakara, state Congress President Mullapally Ramachandran, has announced that he won't contest the elections this time.

For the CPI-M, the poll battle in Vadakara could well turn out to be the most prestigious one, as Jayarajan was the Kannur district party Secretary, which incidentally was the home district of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, Jayarajan's sister P. Sathee Devi won from Vadakara.
New Delhi, March 17 : The BJP on Sunday announced its first list of 123 candidates for the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh where the polls are due on April 11.

The Bharatiya Janata Party took the decision in its Central Election Committee meeting held on Saturday under the presidentship of Amit Shah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were present in the meeting.

The BJP is fielding its candidates against the candidates of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and the YSR Congress Party, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, which are the two main parties in the state.

Earlier in the day, the main opposition in Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress had released its full list of candidates for 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly constituencies in the state.

The TDP on Thursday had announced its first list of candidates, containing 126 names, for the Assembly elections.
New Delhi, March 17 : As Bihar's Nawada parliamentary seat went to the LJP under the seat-sharing formula finalised by the NDA, Union Minister Giriraj Singh is likely to contest from Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency.

Though the BJP has not yet finalised its candidates, the LJP is likley to field Veena Devi, the present MP of Munger from Nawada. Devi, wife of fromer MP Surajbhan, is likely to contest to Nawada because Munger seat has gone to JD-U. Senior JD-U leader Lalan Singh, a Bihar minister, is set to contest from Munger.

Lalan Singh, a Bhumihar, had won from Munger in 2009 seat but lost in 2014 when the JD-U was not part of the NDA and contested the polls alone.

Former JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar is likely to contest as a CPI candidate supported by the opposition Grand Alliance (RJD, Congress, RLSP, HAM) from Begusarai.

If Giriraj Singh agrees to contest from Begusarai, an interesting battle can be seen between the two firebrand leaders.

Giriraj Singh had announced last week that he will either contest from Nawada, which he won in 2014, or will not contest the upcoming general elections.

Giriraj Singh, known for his controversial statements, is a staunch supporter of Modi and a champion of Hinduvta politics.

Belonging to a landed and powerful upper caste Bhumihar family, Nawada is considered a safe seat for him against the backdrop of Bihar's caste-ridden politics. Nawada has a sizeable population of Bhumihars.

According to the seat-sharing formula, the BJP and the JD-U will contest 17 seats each, while the remaining six seats will go to the Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP.

Another seat, earlier won by BJP that has gone to JD-U is Bhagalpur The seat was earlier represented by former union minister Shahnawaz Hussain, one of the Muslim faces of the BJP in Bihar. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Hussain was defeated by RJD's Bulo Mandal in a close fight. He first won the Bhagalpur seat in 2004 in a by-election. He again won the seat in 2009.
Chandigarh, March 17 : Four persons were killed and one was critically injured when their car collided head-on with a truck near Ladwa town in Haryana's Kurukshetra district on Sunday, police said.

The injured was rushed to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here as his condition was critical.

The accident took place when the Maruti Alto car, going from New Delhi to Yamunanagar, collided with the speeding dumper truck at village Badshami near Ladwa nearly 100 km from here.

Three of the victims died on the spot, police said. The fourth one died on way to PGIMER-Chandigarh.

The victims are said to be from Yamunanagar district. They have been identified as Sunny, Rohit, Aleem Ahmed and Yash, all aged between 22 to 24 years old.

Police and local residents had great difficulty in taking out the men sitting on the front seats of the car since it was badly mangled.

Eyewitnesses told the police that the truck was being rashly driven.

The truck driver fled from the spot, leaving the vehicle behind.
Panaji, March 17 : Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was in critical condition, passed away here on Sunday evening.

The condition of Parrikar, diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and in and out of hospitals, in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then, turned "extremely critical" on Sunday, the Chief Minister's Office tweeted.

President Ram Nath Kovind expressed his grief.

"Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten," he said in a tweet.
Chandigarh, March 17 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday accused Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of violating the model code of conduct by announcing sops on the occasion of the second anniversary of his Congress government in the state.

Sangrur MP and AAP state chief Bhagwant Mann said in a statement the Chief Minister was repeating his tactics of luring voters with fake promises ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

He said Singh has promised loan waiver for Punjab farmers besides taking up the Lokpal Bill, the Conflict of Interest Bill and a bill to secure the properties of the non-resident Indians (NRIs).

Mann said the poll code of conduct was in force when Singh made the promises on Saturday (March 16) to mark the second anniversary of his government. The AAP would file a complaint with the Election Commission (EC), he added.

The AAP leader also said the Congress government had failed to fulfil any of the promises made to voters before the February 2017 Assembly elections. Mann demanded the EC to declare the election manifesto a legal document.

"Political parties must be made bound to fulfil promises written in the manifesto after attaining power. Failing to do so, the EC must have the power to cancel the affiliation of that party and bar that politician from contesting elections," Mann said.

Voting for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held on May 19.
New Delhi, March 17 : The Delhi Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy for killing a minor girl due to a grudge against her over an incident for which he was reprimanded at a tuition class in east Delhi's Shahdara, a police officer said here on Sunday.

The victim's parents, resident of Naveen Shahdara, informed the police their 14-year-old daughter was missing. She had gone to meet her friend in noon but did not return till late evening.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Meghna Yadav said: "During investigation, the police spotted the boy in CCTV footage with the victim. Initially, he tried to mislead the police."

"He told the police they had gone to an ice-cream parlour together and later he returned home leaving the victim in the middle of way," Yadav said.

"But on sustained interrogation, he broke down and confessed the crime. He disclosed that he knew the victim through common tuition classes and later connected with her through Facebook messenger," she said.

"He was holding a grudge against her due to an incident at the tuition class for which he was reprimanded few days ago. He had planned to take revenge," the DCP said.

"As per the plan, the juvenile met the victim and took her for watching movie. After the movie, he took her to an isolated under construction building near Welcome Metro Station. He offered her a drink laced with drugs. When she got semi-conscious, he tied her with tape and strangled her to death," the officer said.

"Prima facie it was found that victim was not sexually assaulted although we are waiting for autopsy report," she said.
Amaravati, March 17 : Barely two days after he was named as the candidate from an Assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh, a leader of the state's ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) crossed over to the opposition YSR Congress Party, which made him the candidate for a Lok Sabha seat.

The YSRCP on Sunday named Adala Prabhakar as its candidate for Nellore Lok Sabha seat, hours after he switched loyalties.

The TDP had named Prabhakar its candidate from Nellore Rural constituency in the first list of 126 candidates released by the party late on Thursday.

Having started to campaign in the constituency, the TDP leader suddenly went incommunicado, surfacing in Hyderabad to join the YSRCP, whose leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy welcomed him. Hours later, Jagan, as the party chief is popularly called, named him as the Lok Saha candidate from Nellore.

In 2014 elections, Prabhakar had unsuccessfully contested as the TDP candidate from Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

In another interesting development, Gedela Srinibabu, who was named as candidate for Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat by Jana Sena, also defected to the YSRCP. The startup entrepreneur called on Jagan in Hyderabad on Saturday and joined the party. However, unlike Adala, Gedela has not found place in the YSRCP's list of candidates for Assembly or Lok Sabha polls.

Actor Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena was reportedly planning to change its candidate from Visakhapatnam and on learning about this, Srinibabu crossed over to the YSRCP in the hope of getting ticket but was disappointed.

Elections to 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled on April 11 in the first phase of the seven phase Lok Sabha elections.
New Delhi, March 17 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching the campaign "Main Bhi Chowkidar" (I am a watchman too) and changing the title of his Twitter account to "Chowkidar Narendra Modi".

"You can keep trying Mr Modi, but the truth cannot be smothered. Every Indian is saying it," Gandhi tweeted with the hashtag "Chowkidar Chor Hai" (watchman is a thief).

"P.S: Do force Sushma ji to add "Chowkidar" to her handle. It's looking very bad," he added.

Capitalising the repeated attacks by the Congress in the Rafale jet deal with the slogan - "Chowkidar Chor Hai (watchman is a thief)", the Prime Minister on Saturday launched the "Main Bhi Chowkidar (I am a watchman too)" campaign on social media.

A day later, he changed the title of his Twitter handle to "Chowkidar Narendra Modi". Several Union ministers and senior BJP leaders, including Piyush Goyal, J.P. Nadda, Harsh Vardhan and Dharmendra Pradhan, quickly prefixed "Chowkidar" to their names on their Twitter accounts.

Union ministers Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman added the prefix later in the day.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah changed his Twitter handle to "Chowkidar Amit Shah" and tweeted: "The one who made cleanliness a moral value... he is called Chowkidar #MainBhiChowkidar. Say with all your heart #ChowkidarPhirSe (watchman again)."
New Delhi, March 17 : President Ram Nath Kovind paid tributes to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away on Sunday evening, terming him an "epitome of integrity".

"Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten," the President, who was among the earliest to offer his condolences, said on his official Twitter account.

The 63-year-old, four-time Chief Minister was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in february last year and in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and Delhi since then.
Mumbai: Players in action during the final match of ISL 2019 between Bengaluru FC and FC Goa in Mumbai on March 17, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai: Players in action during the final match of ISL 2019 between Bengaluru FC and FC Goa in Mumbai on March 17, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, March 17 : Full-back Rahul Bheke scored in second half of extra time as Bengaluru FC edged past FC Goa 1-0 to lift their first Indian Super League (ISL) title, here on Sunday.

Bheke scored in the 117th minute after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.
New Delhi, March 17 : Condolences poured in from across party lines for Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away at his private residence in Panaji on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Parrikar as the "builder of modern Goa" and an "affable personality."

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress.

"India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was the Defence Minister, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi tweeted.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," the Prime Minister said.

Parrikar was known to be one of the first leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party to have advocated Modi's candidature for the post of Prime Minister.

President Ram Nath Kovind eulogised him as an "epitome of integrity." "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and India will not be forgotten," the President tweeted from his official handle.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi hailed the BJP leader for the hardihood he had shown in the face of a "debilitating" illness. "I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons," Gandhi tweeted.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who held the defence portfolio briefly after Parrikar was relieved of that post, expressed his grief in a tweet, hailing Parrikar as someone who was loved by all.

"Saddened to know about the demise of senior BJP leader Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. He always led by example in his public life and was loved by masses. He will be missed by everyone of us. May God render peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti," he wrote.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hailed Parrikar for the work he did to modernise the armed forces, turning it into a "mean fighting machine" during his tenure.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she said on Twitter.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted: "My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace."

BJP President Amit Shah championed the departed soul as a "true patriot". "Manohar Parrikar'ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar'ji's commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary," Shah wrote on Twitter.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took to Twitter to mourn the death of Parrikar. "Saddened at the passing away of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji. He patiently endured his illness. Condolences to his family and his admirers," she tweeted.

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remembered Parrikar for his "simplicity". "Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Shri Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them," Kejriwal posted on his official Twitter handle.

Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy also condoled the death of his Goan counterpart. "Extremely saddened to hear the passing away of the Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar. He was respected by all across political lines. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones," tweeted Kumaraswamy.

"Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend," Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet.

The condition of Parrikar, diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then, had turned "extremely critical" on Sunday.
Panaji, March 17 : Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away at his private residence here on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

The condition of Parrikar, diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then, had turned "extremely critical" on Sunday, the Chief Minister's Office tweeted earlier in the day.

His last rites will be held here on Monday evening, an official statement said.

Parrikar's body will be kept at the Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters here, as well as at a state government-operated arts and culture centre all through the morning and afternoon, for public to pay their final respects, before being taken to the Miramar beach for cremation at 5 p.m., according to a statement from the CMO.

In view of the sitting Chief Minister's death, the state government has declared seven-day mourning. The state education board has also postponed the Higher Secondary School Certificate examination earlier scheduled on Monday (March 18) to March 27 in view of the state holiday.

The Central government has announced national mourning on Monday and the national flag will fly at half-mast all across the country. A state funeral will be accorded to Parrikar, who was a former Defence Minister too.

President Ram Nath Kovind was among the first to pay tributes, terming Parrikar an "epitome of integrity and dedication" and whose services to people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Parrikar, who was among the first BJP leaders to propose him for Prime Minister, as "builder of modern Goa" and that the county would be "eternally grateful" to him for his tenure as Defence Minister.

"When he was Raksha Mantri, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi tweeted.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who held the defence portfolio before and briefly after Parrikar, also expressed his grief in a tweet, hailing the man as someone who was loved by all.

"Saddened to know about the demise of senior BJP leader Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. He always led by example in his public life and was loved by masses. He will be missed by everyone of us. May God render peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti," he wrote.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised Parrikar for the work he did to modernise the armed forces and turning them into "mean fighting machine".

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she said on Twitter.

BJP President Amit Shah championed the departed as a "true patriot".

"Extremely saddened by the untimely demise of my good friend Manohar Parrikar ji. An epitome of impeccable integrity, a down to earth personality, the first IITian to become CM of a state, great son of India gone too soon... RIP my dear friend...," Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet.

Other leaders, cutting across party lines, mourned his death.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief," tweeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted, "My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace."

State Congress president Girish Chodankar said that the "passion and enthusiasm" with which Parrikar took on responsibilities either as Leader of Opposition as well as Chief Minister and Defence Minister will be long remembered by the people of Goa.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and her Karnataka counterpart H.D. Kumaraswamy also condoled his death.

Goa Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao recalled that Parrikar often sought out influential Catholic church leaders for opinions before taking "far-reaching decisions" for the benefit of Goa.

The first Bharatiya Janata Party leader to be Goa Chief Minister, Parrikar headed the state from 2000-05 and 2012-14, before joining the Narendra Modi government as Defence Minister from 2014.

The country's first Indian Institute of Technology alumnus to serve as Chief Minister of a state, he assumed the mantle on four occasions from 2000, but could not complete a single full term in office.

He returned to state politics in 2017 to lead a coalition government headed by the BJP and continued in office despite his protracted illness and criticism from the Opposition and civil society, which had repeatedly demanded his resignation on health grounds.

A widower, Parrikar is survived by his sons, Utpal and Abhijat, their wives and a grandson.
Jammu, March 17 : Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said on Sunday Omar Abdullah, his son, will be the party's chief ministerial candidate at the Assembly elections.

"Omar Abdullah will be the party's chief ministerial candidate. I am old now, Omar is young. I cannot match the energy of young people. I will represent the state in Parliament," Farooq Abdullah said.

The NC President was addressing his first Lok Sabha campaign rally at the Bahu Fort, here. He has already announced that he would seek re-election from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

Taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Abdullah said it was dividing the country by spreading hatred.

"We have to strengthen the country by fighting polarisation, injustice and hatred. You must select candidates who can run the country on principles of equality," he said.

Referring to lotus in the state emblem, he said the state of J&K never discriminated people on the basis of regions and religions.

The NC President alleged a political party had purchased news channels and newspapers to spread propaganda. Abdullah, however, did not name the BJP while levelling these allegations.

He alleged no leader of the ruling NDA alliance at the Centre paid floral tributes to CRPF troopers, martyred in Chhattisgarh.

He said Muslims have never opposed the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"Was Lord Ram only for Hindus? When Muslims have not opposed construction of a temple at Ayodhya why isn't the BJP building it," he said alleging Ram Temple was intended as a political tool and that is why the BJP is keeping the issue alive.

The biggest injustice with the state, he said was the Indus Water Treaty, "Because of which the state could not use its own water resources."

The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, was signed by India and Pakistan in 1960.

According to the terms of the treaty, rivers Sutlej, Ravi and Beas have been ceded to India accepting India's full rights on thier water.

Chenab, Jhelum and Indus were ceded to Pakistan thereby it prevented construction of a dams on them to store water for power generation.

India can only construct run-of-the-river hydro projects on these three rivers, huge power potential is being wasted which could be harnessed for prosperity of the state.
Kolkata, March 17 : A Chinese national has been arrested in Kolkata for allegedly flying a camera-fitted drone over the Victoria Memorial and clicking aerial photographs of the iconic monument, the Kolkata Police said on Sunday.

The monument is situated close to the Fort William, the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army.

The arrested person, identified as Li Zhiwei, was first spotted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Saturday and was later handed over to the Kolkata Police. He has been sent to police custody till March 25.

"Zhiwei, 34, a resident of Shenzen City in China, was caught red-handed by the on duty CISF personnel while he was flying a drone fitted with a camera inside the premises of the Victoria Memorial and clicking photographs of the monument from all directions with the help of a remote control and his mobile phone without any valid permission," the police said.

He was handed over to the Hastings police station on Saturday evening along with a brown coloured drone and a remote control.

"The accused has been arrested for violating the regulation of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Further probe into the matter is on," the police added.
New Delhi, March 17 : The CBI has arrested two Indian Forest Service officials for allegedly bribing an official in the Ministry of Environment and Forest for getting approval for upgrading some work on a previous date, the agency said on Sunday.

Tarun Johri and D. Gogoi, both Chief Forest Conservators, were posted in Arunachal Pradesh and Port Blair respectively.

Johri was arrested from Delhi on Saturday while Gogoi was held in Port Blair on Sunday during separate raids conducted at their premises.

The Central Bureau of Investigation's move comes after it registered a case on Saturday following a complaint from the Ministry of Environment regarding bribery.

Johri and Gogoi are accused of offering Rs 20,000 bribe to an environment ministry official for getting a departmental work done.

It is alleged that some departmental service matter of Gogoi was pending in the ministry for which he had sought help of his batchmate Johri, who was on a visit to Delhi, said CBI.

According to the CBI, Johri paid Rs 10,000 to the official on behalf of Gogoi to a ministry official who complained to his superior about the bribe.

Gogoi is also alleged to have paid another Rs 10,000 to the Environment Ministry official.

After verification, separate CBI teams arrested both the officials.

Johri was on Sunday produced before a city court here and was sent to judicial custody till March 19 while Gogoi will be brought to the national capital on Monday.
New Delhi, March 17 : Manohar Parrikar, who passed away at his private residence on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer, became India's 18th and Goa's second Chief Minister to die in office.

Parrikar, 63, was the first Bharatiya Janata Party leader to be Goa Chief Minister. He headed the state from 2000-05 and 2012-14, before joining the Narendra Modi government as Defence Minister from 2014 before returned to state politics in 2017 to lead a coalition government.

Before Parrikar, 17 Chief Ministers including Tamil Nadu's J. Jayalalitha, Jammu and Kashmir's Sheikh Abdullah and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and Andhra Pradesh's Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy died in harness.

Gopinath Bordoloi (Assam): The first Chief Minister of Assam , he worked closely with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to secure its sovereignty against China and Pakistan (as then East Pakistan bordered it) on the other before his death in 1950.

Ravishankar Shukla (Madhya Pradesh): A freedom fighter who laid special emphasis on the uplift of women and was a staunch opponent of illiteracy, purdah and dowry system, he became the first Chief Minister of the central state in 1956 but died two months into his stint.

Sri Krishna Singh (Bihar): The first Chief Minister of Bihar, Sinha held the post right from when Congress won the elections under British rule in 1937 to 1961, save the World War II period.

Bidhan Chandra Roy (West Bengal): An eminent freedom fighter and qualified doctor, he weas the second Chief Minister of West Bengal. After Independence, the Congress proposed his name as the state's Chief Minister but he declined since he was more dedicated to his medical profession. However, on Mahatma Gandhi's insistence, he accepted the position in January 1948 and held the post until his death in 1962.

Marotrao Kannamwar (Mahrashtra): The second Chief Minister of the newly-created state, he succeeded Y.B. Chavan in 1962 but died after a stint of only one year and four days.

Balwantrai Mehta (Gujarat): Succeeding Jivraj Narayan Mehta as Chief Minister on February 25, 1963, Mehta is the only Indian Chief Minister to become a war casualty. During the 1965 India-Pakistani War, his civilian aircraft was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force on September 19, 1965 as he was returning from a border area, killing him and all others aboard.

C. N. Annadurai (Madras/Tamil Nadu): Popularly known as 'Anna', he left an indelible mark not only on Tamil politics and society, but also national politics. The fifth and last Chief Minister of Madras from 1967 until 1969, he became the first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu when the name of the state was changed but only held the post for 20 days. Annadurai, who had travelled to New York for medical treatment for cancer in September 1968 and underwent an operation, returned to Chennai in November and continued to attend official functions against medical advice. His health deteriorated further and he died in February 1969.

Dayanand Bandodkar (Goa): Popularly known as Bhausaheb Bandodkar, he was Goa's first Chief Minister after liberation from Portuguese rule. He swept the polls in 1963, 1967 and in 1972 at the head of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and remained in power until his death in 1973.

Barkatullah Khan (Rajasthan): The only Muslim Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Khan died of a heart attack while in office, aged 53 years. He was Chief Minister from July 9, 1971 to October 11, 1973.

Sheikh Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir): Known as "Sher-e-Kashmir", Abdullah was the founder of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and held the post of Chief Minister three times between Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India and the early 1980s, amid a turbulent relationship with the Central government and several spells of imprisonment. He was in power when he died in 1982.

M. G. Ramachandran (Tamil Nadu): Popularly known as MGR, he dominated Tamil films and politics. The first film actor to become a Chief Minister, he headed Tamil Nadu for 10 years from 1977, save a six-month interregnum in 1980 when his government was dismissed by the Centre, till his death in 1987.

Chimanbhai Patel (Gujarat): Replacing Ghanshyam Oza as Chief Minister in July 1973, he only served in office till February 9, 1974 being forced out of office by the 'Nav Nirman' movement on charges of corruption. He again became the Chief Minister on March 4, 1990 as a part of the V.P. Singh-led National Front but later switched over the the Congress, and continued in power till his death on February 17, 1994.

Beant Singh (Punjab): Credited with stamping out militancy in Punjab after becoming Chief Minister in 1992, he was assassinated when a suicide attack at the Secretariat building in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.

Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (Andhra Pradesh): Popularly known as YSR, Reddy was a two-time Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (2004-2009). However, early in his second stint, his helicopter crashed in a dense forest in Chitoor district on September 3, 2009.

Dorjee Khandu: He became the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh replacing Gegong Apang in 2007. He was again sworn as Chief Minister in October 2009 but died on April 30, 2011 when the helicopter in which he was returning to Itanagar from a trip to Tawang crashed.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (Jammu and Kashmir): A two-time Chief Minister, Sayeed, who led the first coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir involving the BJP, died on January 7, 2016. India's first Muslim Home Minister in the V.P. Singh government, Sayeed became Chief Minister for the first time in 2002-05 in a coalition government with the Congress. In his second stint, he allied with the BJP to become the chief minister.

J. Jayalalitha (Tamil Nadu): Jayalalithaa, who died on December 5, 2016 in her fifth stint as Chief Minister, held the post for over 14 years between 1991 and 2016.

Affectionately called "Amma" by fans and party activists, Jayalalithaa became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1991. She again returned to power in 2001 but had to step down after her name figured in a court case. After being cleared, she took over again in 2002 and ruled till 2006.

She wrested the state from the DMK in 2011, but had to step down in September 2014 after being convicted in a corruption case by a Bengaluru court. Acquitted, she took back the reins in May 2015 and led her party back to power in 2016. When she was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on September 22, 2016, no one believed that she would come out of it in a coffin.
Panaji, March 17 : Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has condoled the death of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away at his private residence here on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

Sinha said in a message: "As a political leader he had, in his own way, chartered a new approach to various problems and succeeded in resolving many of them by his sincere personality."

The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Parrikar's alma mater, also mourned the death of the four-time Goa Chief Minister. It said in a statement that the institute was "shocked" by Parrikar's demise.

"Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's demise comes as a shock to all of us at IIT Bombay. He was the institute's distinguished alumnus and was keenly involved with many initiatives at IIT Bombay. He was also deeply involved with the launch of IIT Goa," the statement said.

Parrikar is the second Defence Minister to have served in a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition to have died in the last two months. Former Defence Minister George Fernandes, who served in the central cabinet headed by late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, died on January 29 this year.

The condition of Parrikar had turned "extremely critical" on Sunday, the Chief Minister's Office tweeted earlier in the day.

His last rites will be held here on Monday evening, an official statement said.

A widower, Parrikar is survived by his sons Utpal and Abhijat, their wives and a grandson.
Amaravati, March 17 : Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena on Sunday finalized seat-sharing with the Left parties for the next month's Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh.

The Jana Sena has decided to leave seven Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats each to the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Part of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

This was announced by Jana Sena leader after talks with CPI state Secretary K. Ramakrishna and CPI-M state Secretary P. Madhu in Vijayawada.

Pawan, who also decided to have an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), is likely to take a decision soon on the number of seats to be left for the party.

The Lok Sabha seats left by Jana Sena for the CPI are Anantapur and Kadapa while the CPI-M will field its candidates in Kurnool and Nellore constituencies.

The actor said the Left parties which fight on people's issues should have representation in the legislature and hence he decided to have alliance with them.

Elections to 175-member Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats are scheduled on April 11.

Jana Sena has already announced candidates for four Lok Sabha and 32 Assembly constituencies.
Kolkata, March 18 : The Congress on Sunday announced it would contest all 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal as its seat adjustment talks with the Left Front have collapsed.

"We do not think that we need any alliance by compromising our party's dignity. To maintain the dignity of the party, we don't have any other option than fight," state Congress chief Somen Mitra told media persons at the state party headquarters Bidhan Bhavan here.

The state Congress chief would fly to Delhi to seek clearance from the party high command on its stand.

"We will contest all the 42 Lok Sabha seats on our own," Mitra said, thus making it clear that the Congress would be in fray in Raiganj and Murshidabad constituencies also - which were won by LF major Communist Party of India-Marxist in the 2014 polls The immediate trigger for the Congress' decision was the LF deciding to nominate, as an independent from Birbhum, Rezaul Karim, the head of the state Congress medical/doctors cell.

Peeved at Karim's nomination, Mitra had on Saturday expelled him from his post as also the organisation, terming it as an act of "indiscipline".

Mitra complained that during the talks, the LF leaders came up with "weird logic".

"During the meeting, they came up with weird logic, like they wanted to decide about the candidates of our party. For instance, in Birbhum, they have announced the name of the chairman of the doctor's cell of our party. They did not even bother to seek our permission."

"If the Left Front announces our seats, then why should we wait? We must announce all 42 seats," he said.

Mitra said in the Darjeeling constituency also, the LF leaders were "asking us to take candidates from a certain place", despite agreeing to leave the seat to the Congress.

"We couldn't take these sort of logic with ease. And hence we informed Delhi that it is not possible to form an alliance. So once you (Delhi) ratify the decision, we will make the future plans accordingly," he said.
Karimnagar : , March 18 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday launched the party's election campaign with a call for 'Congress and BJP mukt Bharat'.

Addressing an election rally in this town, he blamed the two national parties for all the ills plaguing the country and underlined the need for an alternative to bring qualitative change in the national politics.

Stating he is entering national politics, Rao appealed to people to bless him.

KCR, as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President is popularly known, said a government which works with true federal spirit was required at the Centre to solve the country's problems.

Referring to the remarks by his critics as to what TRS would do at Centre with 16 MPs, KCR said 100 MPs would be with him. He claimed that not all parties were ready to go with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.

"After elections, you will see what we are capable of doing," said KCR, who last year floated the idea of Federal Front comprising regional parties opposed to both Congress and BJP.

The TRS chief appealed to people to elect 16 candidates of TRS and his ally Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad.

KCR targeted both the national parties. "BJP leaders say they are the only Hindus. Then what is their problem if Hindus perform puja," he asked in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticising him during Assembly elections for performing 'puja' and conducting religious rituals.

Lok Sabha elections in Telangana are scheduled in a single phase on April 11.
Kolkata, March 18 : Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi played the role of "perfect chowkidar" by giving Pakistan a befitting reply after the Pulwama terror attack, something his predecessor Manmohan Singh could not do in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

"After Mumbai attack, the government then did not have the guts to give a befitting reply to Pakistan. They sat right, gave statements, said they would talk, make them understand. OK, do all that. We will also do. But so long, we had been suffering," she said.

"And Pakistan continued to claim before the world that they are themselves victims of terrorism. You are grooming terrorists, training them, and sending them to India. And claim you are the victims of terrorism... then take action as per law against them," Sitharaman said.

The Defence Minister said even after Pulwama, the Indian government had given evidence to Pakistan, but it did not act.

Pointing out that even the terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) itself had claimed responsibility for the strike, Sitharaman asked: "What more proof does it (Pakistan) want?"

"What action Pakistan did not take, we took. We had inputs that another Pulwama-style terror attack was in the offing. We studied intel inputs and destroyed the training camps, where terrorists are trained.

"What Manmohan Singh did not do, Modi did. he acted like the perfect chowkidar. and gave Pakistan a befitting reply," she said participating in the panel discussion 'Ensuring India's National Security'.

Sitharman also lashed out at journalists and thinkers in the country who described Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as a "statesman" for returning Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

She said Pakistan did not do a favour but the pilot's release happened as per law.

In this context, Sitharaman reminded the audience that India had returned 90,000 Pakistani soldiers -- taken as prisoners of war after 1971 -- unconditionally.

"But there are some people within India, some journalists and thinkers, who are calling Imran Khan a statesman for sending back our pilot."

Sitharam said the statements given by these people and leaders of various opposition parties were shown on Pakistan television channels, generating high TRPs.

"These are the people who did not want India to purchase Rafale, because they would bolster the strength of our defence forces".

After Balakot air strikes, India has given a message to the entire world that it would not bow down to Pakistan's threat that since it was also a nuclear state, India would suffer if it did something against Pakistan.

She said while Pakistan was not going for a direct war with India, it was training non-state actors to come to India. "The guns, hand grenades were all given by Pakistan."
Panaji, March 18 : A new BJP-led coalition government in Goa will be in place by Monday morning, party legislator Michael Lobo said.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari arrived in Goa in the early hours of Monday to forge a fresh alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and legislators, who were part of a coalition government headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died on Sunday.

"The government will be in place by Monday morning at 9.30 a.m... I strongly feel that all alliance partners and Independents will stay with the BJP," Lobo said.

Gadkari arrived at a city resort around 1 a.m. He is meeting BJP and alliance MLAs there in a bid to cobble together a new alliance coalition government.

The senior BJP leader is also expected to finalise on a Chief Ministerial candidate to replace Manohar Parrikar, in consultation with party President Amit Shah.
Baghdad, March 18 : Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi has said his country will not return to the "policies of destructive wars".

He made the comments on Sunday during a meeting with Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari and his accompanying delegation here, according to a statement by the Prime Mininster's media office, Xinhua reported.

"Iraq is a peace element that would serve the region and will not return to the policies of destructive wars," the statement quoted Abdul Mahdi as saying.

"Our interests are with our neighbours and we have a strong will to open and cooperate with Qatar in all fields, and to exchange interests in the economic, trade and investment fields," the Prime Minister added.

For his part, Al-Kuwari said Qatar is determined to increase cooperation with Iraq and expand relations in economic, trade, construction and investment.

The Qatari Minister also expressed his country's desire to sign a free trade agreement with Iraq to exchange, encourage and protect investments between the two countries.

Earlier in the day, Al-Kuwari, heading a delegation of more than 30 businessmen and investors, arrived in Baghdad with the aim of boosting bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and investment sectors.

The visit of the Qatari delegation to Iraq comes just days after the visit of a Saudi economic delegation, which aimed at activating relations on the strategic level and opening new horizons for cooperation in politics, economy, trade and investment.
Property owners in and around McKinney, Texas are not shy about expressing their opinions about the proposed highway construction.

Theres no doubt that the economic expansion and population growth in McKinney has led to traffic problems. While surface streets offer a number of alternatives for getting from East to West, many prefer Highway 380, which promises to be faster, but due to traffic congestion rarely is.

Should the Texas Department of Transportation create a bypass going through the City of Prosper? Should they create a bypass that eliminates Prosper? Or should they improve the existing Highway 380?

The Prosper Town Council continues to oppose a bypass through any part of the Town of Prosper, and many non-residents stand with them. This option might spell the end of ManeGait. This non-profit helps hundreds of children and adults with disabilities, and is important to many citizens throughout Collin County.

Others in Collin County fear the loss of their rural homes and ranches. Many of these residents are second and third generation farmers and ranchers whose large acreages would be broken up. McKinney REALTOR Pam Gossick predicts that the remnants would eventually sold for rural homes on small acreages, mini-farms, or new subdivisions. Others, who moved into the county for the privilege of living in privacy on their acreage, are equally upset by the idea of a bypass.

Residents with homes for sale in McKinney, Texas are also apprehensive. How will they be affected if Texas DOT chooses simply to improve Highway 380? Should this be the final decision, Mrs. Gossick anticipates that more residents with homes adjoining the highway will opt to move, and that could lead to a softening of prices in these McKinney, Texas homes for sale, at least in the short term.

In the long run, McKinney, Texas has so much to offer that we will continue to see an increase in population, and as Pam Gossick points out, we all have different preferences. At least some of those new residents will view living by the highway as a plus.

Those with strong preferences are encouraged to write McKinneys Mayor and members of the City Council, and to copy TxDOT, Burns & McDonald (B&M) and the County Commissioners.
Now Technologies, Inc. (NTI) (http://www.nowtechs.com) this week announced that Matt Deskin has been promoted to Vice President effective immediately of their Lanham, Maryland based headquarters. In his new role, Deskin will oversee the day to day operations of the company, build relationships with current clients, lead new business efforts, and collaborate with NTI CEO Sean Williams to define the companys long-term strategic direction. NTI has provided IT services to small businesses, government agencies and non-profits in the MD, DC and VA region since 1997.

In his prior role as a Commercial Business Manager; Deskin lead a team of Engineers inside the companys Commercial Business division. Under his leadership, Deskin grew the Commercial Business Division by 80% in his first three years and guided it as it grew by over 500%. Recently, Deskin was instrumental in Now Technologies receiving multiple contract awards in the State of Maryland.

Deskin has worked for NTI since 2008, starting as a Field Technician. He then worked as a Systems Engineer for several years before taking on the role of Commercial Business Manager, a position he held for the past five years.

This is exciting for me to be Vice President at such an established, yet innovative company such as NTI, says Deskin, I am extremely grateful and feel honored to accept the position of Vice President. Over my 11 years with NTI, I have been rewarded for my accomplishments, but I would be nowhere without the team we've built around me. I'm very much looking forward to our continued growth and reaching our limitless goals.

ABOUT NTI

Now Technologies, Inc. (NTI) NTI is a privately-owned, Prince Georges County, MD based certified Small Business (CBSB-13-023) founded in 1997 and located in Lanham, Maryland. NTI is recognized by the State of Maryland as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE #15-022), a local disadvantaged business by Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA), and a Small Local Business Enterprise by Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). NTI holds contract vehicles for several entities including Maryland State CATS+ Master Contractor, Prince Georges County CATS II Master Contractor, an Anne Arundel County IT Professional Services Master Contractor, and a WSSC CATS Master Contractor. NTI is a certified Dell, Microsoft, Cisco, and Juniper partner with many other relationships to provide the expertise our clients demand. Engineering staff have Microsoft (MCSE, MCSA, MCP, MCP+I), Cisco (CCIE, CCNP, CCNA, CCDA), COMPTIA (A+, NET+, Sec+, Project+), and various other specialized certifications.
Front Elevation Al Capone House Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Interior Design by Perla Lichi, ASID Rumors aside, this vintage home was a joy to design, says Coral Springs Interior Designer Perla Lichi.

Per the online encyclopedia Wikipedia Al Capone, sometimes known as Scarface, was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era. He was co-founder and boss of the Chicago Outfit. His seven-year reign as crime boss ended when he was 33.

CAPONE'S EMPTY VAULT

More recently, in 1986, The Mystery of Al Capones Vaults was a two-hour television special. It was broadcast April 21, 1986, hosted by Geraldo Rivera. The much-anticipated event turned out to be an anticlimactic and legendary flop. After almost two hours of teasing viewers, Rivera opened the vault to reveal  nothing!

Nevertheless, South Florida is still filled with Al Capone legend and lore. The Miami mansion where he died is easily located via any search engine. Almost every restaurant and bar established in Capone's time seems to have a story about how Al Capone drank here. But Capones reputed riverside hideout in Fort Lauderdale remains more of a mystery. The only mention of this Fort Lauderdale house we could find was in a 2014 PBS special entitled Al Capone: Icon. Whether or not Al Capone used this home as a hideaway remains to be seen.

PERLA LICHI INTERIORS

It was a very interesting home that was a joy to design, says Interior Designer Perla Lichi. We began our remodel by selecting white background materials. We wanted white walls and specified reflective white ceilings and shiny white floors that would make the rooms appear larger than they are and with higher ceilings. White was also the perfect background for hanging the clients modern artwork.

We added a feature wall in a backlit, wall-to-wall mural. The faux turquoise and onyx muralone of my specialtiesestablishes a color palette that flows throughout the home: living room, family room, master bedroom, and kitchen. Custom LED lighting in a random geometric pattern within reflective white ceilings visually connects the living room, dining room, and family room. A white counter that extends almost the full length of the kitchen is the perfect casual dining area. Grey ceramic mosaic tile with silver accents creates a perfect kitchen backsplash. This same tile is repeated under the long counter, where four white leather stools make it easy for family and guests to join the conversation when someone is cooking. Windows along the front of the house allow water views from every room that faces the river. One can just imagine Capones boat pulling up to unload a shipment of bootleg whisky!

Photos by Barry Grossman, Weston. Perla Lichi is a Florida State licensed interior designer with offices in Coral Springs and Fort Lauderdale. To set an appointment, call (954) 726-0899 or fill out a "Jump Start" form at https://www.perlalichi.com
The package includes Hamburg Homicide (6x45), a crime series produced by ZDF Enterprises subsidiary Network Movie for German Pubcaster ZDF; Swedish cop series Before we die (10x60), produced by A B-Reel Films production in co-production with SVT, ZDF, ZDF Enterprises and FRSM; mini-series Kudamm 56 and its sequel Kudamm 59 on the lives of a Berlin family in the 1950s, produced by UFA Fiction for ZDF and whose leading lady Sonja Gerhardt gained an iEmmy nomination.The programmes will be aired on PCCWs English language free television channel ViuTVsix in Hong Kong.This deal will see a selection of some of our best drama programmes make their debut in Hong Kong, commented ZDF Enterprises VP ZDFE.drama Robert Franke. All titles showcase excellent international content with gripping storylines and intriguing characters. We are looking forward to bringing even more drama to ViuTVsix in the future.
(CNN)  When I woke up Friday morning to the news of the massacre at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, I felt sick. But sadly, not entirely surprised. I had been dreading this kind of violence happening, although I would have never imagined this kind of scale -- 50 Muslim men, women and children killed in cold blood with such clinical, methodical precision and filmed for social media.

Islamophobia is on the rise and has been for some time. Muslims have been demonized, dehumanized and scapegoated on an industrial scale by society since 9/11.

No other group has been punished for the sins of the father in such a systematic and accepted way. Politicians, commentators, influencers and the media on the right have waged a war against Muslims that has become normalized.

The most powerful man on the planet, President Donald Trump, has sought to ban them from entering the United States. British prime minister hopeful and former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson made "jokes" insulting Muslim women, saying they looked like letter boxes. After those comments, Tell Mama, an organization that records Muslim hate incidents, reported that attacks on Muslim women went up.

They often take the form of pulling off a woman's headscarf, especially when she's taking her children to and from school. Imagine what that does to a young frightened and confused Muslim child? We have respected high-profile commentators who say that Islamophobia doesn't exist and imply that "they" have brought it on themselves because of terrorism.

This is like saying that because of this atrocity, every white 28-year-old man should now be on a watch list or face prejudice. It's a nonsensical, primitive argument. Yet one that elites in powerful positions repeat, even though they should know better.

The trope that all Muslims are somehow predisposed to violence or terrorism is dangerous and wrong. Most Muslims -- particularly immigrants -- keep their heads down, want a quiet, peaceful life and want to stay out of trouble. I know this because I am Muslim and know our community. We are not out to cause trouble. We don't come to "invade"; we come to make a better life for ourselves.

We run your convenience store, drive your cabs, feed you late-night food when you've had a drink or look after you when you're ill. We serve our communities. Yet we have become the victims of harassment, hatred and now terrorism.

Attacks -- verbal and physical -- on Muslims are par for the course. But society doesn't seem to care. Our lives and pain don't seem to matter as much because we are seen as second-class citizens or "bad people."

I wept Friday on "CNN Talk," thinking about the sadness of it all. It has been a dark day. But if there is any light, it was the outpouring of grief from people of all backgrounds around the world who sent in messages of solidarity and kindness. If we can take one lesson from the horror of Christchurch, we have to stop this hate and see Muslims as human beings, just like anyone else.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "We have to stop this hate and start seeing Muslims as human."
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Leah Messer is a single woman after splitting from boyfriend Jason Jordan.

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Us Weekly confirmed the 26-year-old "Teen Mom 2" star called it quits again with Jordan after reconciling in November.

The Ashley's Reality Roundup said Messer and Jordan broke up about two weeks ago. Sources said Jordan has been trying to win Messer back.

OK! magazine said Messer unfollowed Jordan on Instagram and also deleted photos of the two together.

She shared a quote from author and poet Maya Angelou Wednesday on Instagram Stories.

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time," she quoted.

Messer followed up Thursday with a message about learning and growth.

"So thankful for this beautiful journey that we call life!" the star wrote.

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"My thought of the day... Everyone comes into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. I'm thankful for everyone I've journeyed with and continue to learn and grow."

"When we can live in the present with appreciation there's no room for judgement. Some things are just not meant to be and that's ok," she said.

Messer is parent to three daughters, 9-year-old twins Aliannah and Aleeah with Corey Simms and 6-year-old Adalynn with Jeremy Calvert.

She came to fame on the MTV series "16 & Pregnant" before starring on "Teen Mom 2."
"Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi explored abuse and pain in an open letter to her younger self.

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The 48-year-old chef and television personality reflected on her experiences with sexual assault and endometriosis in the message published Thursday by CBS as part of its "Note to Self" series.

Lakshmi was born in India and emigrated to the U.S. as a young girl.

She experienced many challenges growing up, including feeling out of place and being sexually assaulted as a girl and a teenager.

The "Top Chef" host recalled how it was "as if nothing happened" after she was molested at age seven and was "silenced into submission" after being raped at 16.

She found comfort in cooking, which would ultimately launch her career.

"It comes really easily to you, and the kitchen has always been your happy place. In fact, you don't know it yet, but your actual career will be about tasting the world," the star wrote.

"You'll realize along the way you are of value. Pads, you won't just survive, you'll flourish."

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Lakshmi faced other challenges as an adult, including being diagnosed with endometriosis.

Her experience with the disorder inspired her to establish the Endometriosis Foundation of America in 2009.

"Womanhood comes with a handicap you won't understand. The uterine disorder, endometriosis, affects every aspect of your life. But you meet a doctor and he saves you," the star wrote.

"When the pain has finally receded, you begin to understand. Your voice matters."

Lakshmi ended the letter with a message of hope and encouragement for her younger self.

"Life has a plan for you," she said.

"You'll be a mom and your heart will burst with a happiness you've never known or thought possible. You'll see that this is the belonging that you've always searched for all your life. You will finally know peace."

Lakshmi is parent to 9-year-old daughter Krishna Thea with Adam Dell.

She told People in December her daughter inspired her to go public about her experience with sexual assault in an interview with The New York Times in September.
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Drizzle and fog early...then remaining cloudy with a few showers. Thunder possible. Low 51F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Drizzle and fog early...then remaining cloudy with a few showers. Thunder possible. Low 51F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
There are four things that stand out in China's strategy for electric vehicles, says Vandana Gombar.

IMAGE: The Mahindra e2oPlus, operated by Ola, is seen at an electric vehicle charging station in Nagpur. Photograph: Aditi Shah/Reuters

As India embarks on a Rs 100 billion ($1.4 billion), three-year programme to support electric vehicles (EV) and charging infrastructure, it may be able to reap a late mover advantage by looking at what is happening in the world's largest electric vehicle market -- China.

There are four things that stand out in China's strategy for electric vehicles:

Rewarding efficiency: The subsidy was always higher for higher-range electric vehicles running over 250 km on a single charge.

Support has been substantially slashed for lower range models.

For cars with a range of 100-150 km, there is nil subsidy support now.

Ecosystem approach: China has the world's most extensive charging system for electric vehicles -- comprising public and private chargers -- and has the largest capacity for manufacturing batteries for electric vehicle.

Credit system: At least one vehicle out of every 10 sold by automakers in China has to be electric in 2019, as per a mandate.

Exceeding this would generate credits that can be sold to other automakers falling short on their mandate.

City restrictions: Cities like Beijing and Shanghai have significantly curtailed sales of conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines.

That has pushed sales of electric vehicles.

Around 18 per cent of all EVs sold globally in 2018 were in six Chinese cities, and some of these rank among the top EV markets globally.

India's electric vehicle subsidy policy announced last month is skewed towards two-wheelers (privately-owned vehicles).

For three-wheelers, and four-wheelers, "the incentives will be applicable mainly to vehicles used for public transport or registered for commercial purpose," the government statement said.

The policy aims to support 1 million two-wheelers, 500,000 three-wheelers, 55,000 four-wheelers and 7,000 buses.

On the renewable energy side, India's capacity reached 75 gigawatts in December 2018.

Another 100 gigawatts must be added by 2022 to reach the target of 175 gigawatts.

Wind farms accounted for the largest chunk (35 gigawatts) while solar power crossed the 25 gigawatts mark.

The balance was biomass and small hydropower.

The outlook for 2019 is positive for both solar and wind.

India will be among the top three solar markets in 2019.

It is projected to install a little over 12 gigawatts this year, according to BloombergNEF (BNEF), equal to the estimated US installation.

China will remain the world's leading solar market, with 39 gigawatts of new solar farms likely to be set up, with the U.S. and India running neck and neck for the second slot, followed by Japan, at about 9 gigawatts.

On wind power, though the market in India was muted in 2018, with just 2.3 gigawatts of new capacity added, the outlook is bullish for the next few years.

About 3.7 gigawatts is expected to be added this year, and around 6 gigawatts or slightly more every year over the next three years.

Global installations are estimated at around 60 gigawatts this year, and in 2020, according to BNEF.

Vandana gombar is the editor, Global Policy for BloombergNEF. Email: vgombar@bloomberg.net
China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Sunday expressed optimism that the issue relating to India's push for designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the United Nations would be resolved through consultations.

"We are optimistic that this matter will be resolved," Luo said on the sidelines of an event at the Chinese embassy here when asked about China putting a hold on listing of Azhar by UN Security Council (UNSC) or UN Sanctions Committee on designating Azhar as global terrorist.

He said China understands India's concerns over the issue.

"I am quite sure this matter will be resolved. This is only a technical hold and the matter can be resolved through continued consultation," he said.

The Chinese envoy also referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year and said the cooperation between the two countries are on the 'right track'.

We are quite optimistic about the future cooperation between the two countries, Luo said.

On Wednesday, China for the fourth time blocked the bid in the UN Security Council to designate Azhar a global terrorist by putting a technical hold on the proposal.

The Chinese move was termed 'disappointing' by India.

It is only a technical hold which means consultations on the issue will continue, government sources had said on Saturday.

The sources said India was 'disappointed' with China for putting the technical hold on the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist and will continue to pursue the matter with Beijing.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 41 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed.

The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

Government sources said on Saturday that India will show patience with China for "as long as it takes" but will not compromise its position on firmly dealing with terrorists.

China has to resolve certain issues with Pakistan though it has adequate information that certain terror groups are operating from Pakistani soil and they are acting against Chinese interests as well, the sources had said.
Senior Congress leader Digambar Kamat left for New Delhi on Sunday, amid speculation that he may join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, though the former chief minister denied any such move.

Speculations were rife that Kamat may be inducted into the BJP and given a major position in the state government, considering Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health.

Kamat was second in command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress.

The senior Congress leader, who held reigns of the state from 2007 to 2012, left for Delhi on Sunday.

"I am leaving for Delhi on a business trip. It is purely personal," Kamat said before boarding the flight to Delhi from the Goa airport.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of spreading rumours about Kamat.

"This is a game plan of the BJP's dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress," he said.

Chodankar also alleged that the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations.

"Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party," he added.

Meanwhile, Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar refused to comment on reports in a section of media that the issue of Kamat joining the saffron party was discussed during its MLAs' meeting held in Panaji on Saturday.

The health of 63-year-old Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, deteriorated on Saturday, sparking hectic political activities across parties in the coastal state.
IMAGE: Locals lay flowers and condolences at the Huda Mosque in tribute to those killed and injured at the Al Huda Mosque in Dunedin. Photograph: Dianne Manson/Getty Images

Thousands of kilometers away from New Zealand, four distraught families in Gujarat and Kerala are waiting for one last glance of their five relatives who were among those killed in a shooting at two mosques in Christchurch.

The grieving families are trying to cope with the loss of their loved ones in the attack by a gunman which left 50 people dead.

Among the deceased were a 28-year-old man from Gujarat, who was recently blessed with a baby boy, and his father, and an Imam who shifted to New Zealand three weeks ago, after his citizenship was confirmed.

Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer hailing from Hyderabad, is also feared to have died and his parents are expected to leave for New Zealand Sunday night, a family member said.

A grieving Yasmeen Vora from Vadodara said their relative Arif Vora, 58, went to New Zealand with his wife on February 14 to see their son Rameez Vora, 28, who was recently blessed with a baby boy.

Rameez Vora, who was settled in New Zealand, took his parents to offer Friday prayers at the mosque when the incident took place, she said.

"Arif's other son Raheel, who lives in Australia, confirmed that both Arif bhai and Rameez were killed in the attack," said the distraught woman.

The family members approached Lok Sabha member from Vadodara, Ranjan Bhatt, who has assured help, she said.

Hafiz Musa Patel, 56, an Imam hailing from Luwara village in Bharuch, who had gone to New Zealand only three weeks back as his citizenship had recently been confirmed, his relative Ayub Ghadi said.

Patel was living in Fiji since the last three decades. His two daughters and three sons are settled in Australia and New Zealand," Ghadi said.

"He had gone to the mosque to offer Friday prayers with his wife and a friend when the shooting happened. Bullets hit Patel in the back following which he was shifted to a hospital in Christchurch where he succumbed," he said.

Besides, Juned Kara from Navsari in Gujarat was also among those killed in the attack, Superintendent of Police Girish Pandya said.

"Kara, a native of Adada village in Navsari, was among those killed in the attack. It was confirmed last night," Pandya said.

The Kerala Chief Minister's Office said that all efforts were being made to bring the mortal remains of a 27-year-old woman killed in the attack.

Ancia Alibava from Kodungallur in Thrissur district, was pursuing MTech in an agricultural university there. She had gone to the mosque to offer prayers with her husband, Abdul Nazar, when the shootout took place. Ancia was reportedly in the women's section.

Her husband managed to escape and informed relatives in Kerala about the tragedy.

NORKA Roots (a department which provides all information pertaining to Non Resident Keralites) was in constant touch with the Indian High Commissioner in New Zealand, a statement by the CMO said.

The high commission officials were informed by the New Zealand Police on Sunday morning that the body would be released within 24 hours.

NORKA Roots officials said as soon as the body is handed over, it would be brought to Kerala within four days.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on the young woman's hometown with her family waiting anxiously for her mortal remains to be brought back for the final journey.

According to media reports, the family has also rejected the request of the New Zealand government to perform the last rites in that country.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post on Saturday, had termed as shocking, the report of Alibava's death.

Khursheed, brother of Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a Hyderabad resident who is recovering after being shot, told PTI that he too would be travelling to the country.

Khursheed was supposed to leave for New Zealand on Saturday night, but could not as he did not have a confirmed ticket, he said.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted on Saturday night that Ahsan, the engineer who is feared dead, had passed away.

A cousin of Ahsan recalled his childhood and their stay at Hanmakonda (Warangal) in Telangana, saying he was a bright student who completed engineering from a city college.
In a 74-page 'manifesto' the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to 'avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims'.

IMAGE: People embrace at the Kilbirnie Mosque in Wellington, New Zealand. The attack is the worst mass shooting in New Zealand's history. Photograph: Elias Rodriguez/Getty Images

Five Indians have been killed in the ghastly terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch in which 50 people lost their lives, the Indian High Commission said on Sunday, as New Zealand grapples with the emotional fallout of its worst attack on Muslims.

The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The High Commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.

'With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch,' it tweeted.

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

In another tweet later, the High Commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims. (https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/family-members-of-mosque-incident)

IMAGE: Friends and family of the victims wait near the hospital for news in Christchurch, New Zealand. 50 people are confirmed dead, with 36 injured still in hospital following shooting attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday. Photograph: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

The Indian mission also said that a support group has been established in Christchurch to assist the families.

In another tweet, the Indian High Commission urged people to donate blood.

'Blood donors reqd: there may be a need for blood donation for #Christchurch victims. If you are A+ or O+ please contact your nearest NZ blood bank branch. Thank you,' it said.

The body of the 50th victim was discovered at the Al Noor mosque, where most victims were killed, when officials were removing the victims' bodies on Saturday, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said, told reporters on Sunday.

The victims' names were not made public. While a preliminary list of the victims has been shared with families, Bush said their bodies have not yet been released.

The number of wounded also increased to 50, he said. Of those, 34 remain hospitalised in the Christchurch Hospital and 12 are in critical condition, Greg Robertson, the hospital's chief of surgery, said.

IMAGE: Locals lay flowers and condolences at the Huda Mosque in tribute to those killed and injured at the Al Huda Mosque in Dunedin. Photograph: Dianne Manson/Getty Images

On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that 'there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin'.

But, he had added, official confirmation was awaited.

The high commission said its helpline numbers -- 021803899 & 021850033 -- will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.

"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin."

It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly.

Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212.

IMAGE: A silver fern is projected onto the sails of the Opera House in commemoration of the victims of the Christchurch massacre in Sydney, Australia. A 28-year-old Australian-born man, Brenton Tarrant, appeared in Christchurch District Court on Saturday charged with murder. Photograph: James D Morgan/Getty Images

In a 74-page 'manifesto' the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to 'avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims'.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism.

Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

The mosque shootings by the white supremacist have shaken New Zealand, regarded as one of the most peaceful countries in the world.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand.

Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.
Senior journalist and environmental activist Darryl D'Monte, who worked with leading English dailies, died at a hospital in Mumbai after a brief illness, a family friend said on Sunday. He was 74.

D'Monte was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in suburban Bandra sometime ago where he breathed his last on Saturday evening, his friend said.

In a career spanning several decades, he served as the resident editor of Mumbai editions of The Times of India and The Indian Express, he said.

Besides a career in journalism, he had a keen interest in environmental issues and took some initiatives for the cause, he added.

Meanwhile, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh expressed grief over D'Monte's demise and appreciated his work towards environmental issues.

Ramesh said he knew D'Monte very well for over three decades.

"He was among India's earliest environmental journalists and became one of the most eminent of them," the former environment and forest minister said.

"His writings, I know, had considerable influence on government policy. He combined passion with solid research. He mentored a number of youngsters in the field of environmental journalism. He and I disagreed at times but retained great fondness for each other," he said.

The minister said he was sure D'Monte will continue to inspire those committed towards ensuring an ecologically sustainable growth.

Read Darryl D'Monte's interview with Rediff.com HERE
There are two sorts of individuals on the planet, the Irish and those who wish they were. In case you are sufficiently fortunate to be Irish, then you are sufficiently lucky today. However, since everyone is Irish on St. Patricks Day, it seems appropriate to share this Irish blessing with you:

May your contemplations be as happy as the shamrock. May your heart be as light as a melody. My every day bring you brilliant, upbeat hours that stay with you all year long.

For our Chamber, we feel very fortunate to be surrounded not only by leprechauns but also by outstanding volunteers and friends who go above and beyond in their efforts to work with us in promoting economic growth and enhancing the quality of life in Northwest Connecticut.

A number of years ago, we created the Chambers Hall of Fame to honor the humble, dedicated people who surround us and work quietly behind the scenes to help us fulfill our mission and build a stronger business community. This year, the luck of the Irish is certainly upon us in that we will be celebrating two inductees at the Chambers Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 11 at Chatterleys Banquet Facility. Karen Kuhl and Paul Patch have contributed hours of time and energy and continue to strengthen the Chamber through their efforts and support.

Karen Kuhl, the Director of Business Development for the Geer Campus in Canaan has 38 years of administrative experience in the senior living industry. She has worked with the Chamber for twenty years in a number of volunteer positions. Karen has served on the Marketing/Communication Committee for 4 years; the Membership Committee for 6 years; the Ambassador Committee for 3 years and currently is co-chair; represents the Chamber as the Canaan Liaison on the Board of Directors; assists with every Chamber initiative.

Paul Patch is a retired Professional having spent 36 years at O&G Industries as Assistant Corporate Secretary. Despite his retirement in 2016, Paul has continued his role on the Chamber Board that began in 2007. He was Secretary for 2 years; Treasurer for 2 years; Vice Chair for 4 years, Chair for 2 years and continues sharing his expertise on the Executive Committee. It is Pauls beautiful rendition of the National Anthem that begins all of our special events.

Congratulations to Karen and Paul. Irish eyes are surely smiling making our hearts happy and all the world bright and gay today and every day. Happy St. Patricks Day.

JoAnn Ryan is President & CEO of the NW CT Chamber of Commerce. You can email her: joann@nwctchamberofcommerce.org or phone: 860-482-6586.
Anticorruption activist and political newcomer Zuzana Caputova won the first round in Slovakias presidential election and will now face second-place Maros Sefcovic, who is backed by the ruling Direction-Social Democracy (Smer-SD) party.



The Slovak Statistics Office on March 17 said Caputova, an environmental lawyer, had 40.5 percent of the vote with nearly all ballots counted.

Sefcovic, the European Commission vice president, received 18.7 percent.



With no candidate receiving more than 50 percent, a runoff will be held on March 30.



Pro-Russia candidate Stefan Harabin was third with 14.4 percent.



Incumbent President Andrej Kiska is not standing for a second five-year term in the largely ceremonial post.



The pro-Europe Caputova, 45, a member of the Progresivne Slovensko party, recently told news website Aktuality.sk that Russian President Vladimir Putin's policies are "a threat not only to Slovakia, but also to the whole of Europe.



She is vying to become the country's first female president.



Sefcovic, 52, an independent backed by Smer-SD, told Aktuality.sk that Russias current relations with the international community -- of which Slovakia is a firm part -- are complicated and I would wish for their improvement."

The election comes in the aftermath of the murder of investigative reporter Jan Kuciak and his fiancee in February 2018. The couple, both 27, were found shot dead at their home near the capital, Bratislava.



The journalist was investigating political corruption at the time of the slayings, which triggered the biggest street protests in Slovakia since the fall of communism in 1989 and a political crisis that led to the collapse of former Prime Minister Robert Fico's government.

Based on reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, AFP, Reuters, Aktuality.sk, and The Slovak Spectator


A court in Russia's Chechnya region has sentenced human rights activist Oyub Titiyev to four years in a penal colony after finding him guilty of possessing illegal drugs, a charge he and his supporters say was baseless and politically motivated.



Judge Madina Zainetdinova announced the verdict and sentence at the court in the town of Shali on March 18, as the 61-year-old Titiyev, wearing black clothes and a black skullcap, was confined behind bars in a courtroom cage.

Titiyev, the head of the Moscow-based human rights group Memorial's office in Chechnya, is to serve the sentence in a colony settlement, a relatively low-security penitentiary.



The trial was being closely watched by Western governments concerned about the rule of law in Russia and by human rights groups that have denounced it as a farce.



Amnesty International said the verdict demonstrated how "deeply flawed" the Russian justice system is, and called the sentence slapped on Titiyev "an affront to human rights, reason, and justice."



The guilty verdict against Titiyev is a "gross injustice to him" and "a disgrace to [the] Russian criminal justice system," according to Human Rights Watch.



The Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights said the verdict followed an "unfair and absurd" judicial process.

And the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatovic, said that Titiyev's conviction was "the latest example of the hostile and dangerous environment in which human rights defenders operate" in Chechnya.



Prosecutors had urged the Shali district court to find Titiyev guilty and sentence him to four years in prison.



The reading of the verdict and sentence lasted for more than nine hours.



The activist has been in jail since January 2018, when he was arrested after police stopped him in his car and alleged that they discovered marijuana in the vehicle.

In his final statement in court on March 11, Titiyev said that he was certain he will be convicted, describing the trial as a "spit at justice" and a remarkable exercise in "hypocrisy and cynicism."

Titiyev's lawyers reiterated the contention that their client is innocent and that the drugs were planted.

They described the case as part of an effort to push Memorial out of Chechnya, ruled for 12 years by Kremlin-backed strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, and other parts of Russia's North Caucasus.

Human rights organizations, the United States, several European Union member states, the European Parliament, and the Council of Europes human rights commissioner have condemned Titiyevs arrest and voiced concern about the case.

In a statement on March 15, Human Rights Watch said the "bogus" case against Titiyev was based on "fabricated" evidence and aimed to "stifle reporting on human rights abuses in Chechnya."



Activists contend that Kadyrov, who was appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2007, has committed serious human rights abuses, including the widespread use of kidnapping, torture, and extrajudicial killings by forces under his power.



Kremlin critics say Putin has given him free rein because he relies on him to keep a lid on separatism following two devastating post-Soviet wars in Chechnya.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP
Afghan officials on March 17 reported setbacks for government security forces in northwestern and northern parts of the country.



In the northwestern province of Badghis, provincial council member Mohammad Naser Nazari said about 100 Afghan soldiers fled their posts and tried to cross into neighboring Turkmenistan during a weeklong battle against Taliban fighters.

Nazari said on March 17 that 50 government soldiers had been killed during the battle in Badghiss Bala Murghab district during the past week.



He said the Bala Murghab district was almost completely controlled by the Taliban, with government forces confined to the district headquarters.



Jamshid Shahabi, a spokesman for Badghiss provincial governor, put the casualty toll for government forces at 16 killed and 20 wounded during the past week.



Shahabi confirmed that a number of Afghan troops tried to flee but did not provide an exact figure.



Meanwhile, in the northern province of Faryab, provincial council chief Mohammad Tahir Rahmani said Taliban fighters killed at least 22 Afghan soldiers with attacks on their checkpoints late on March 16 and early on March 17.



Rahmani said 20 Afghan government troops were wounded in Faryab Province overnight.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
The European Union has welcomed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs decision to pardon jailed rights activists and political opponents as part of a broader amnesty and said it expects similar moves to follow.

A statement by a spokesperson for the European Unions foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said on March 17 that representatives of political parties, nongovernmental organizations, bloggers, and journalists were among more than 400 people pardoned, which it called a welcome step.

The EU expects that further similar steps will follow in future in line with Azerbaijan's international commitments, the statement said, adding that the bloc will continue its engagement with Azerbaijan to step up the cooperation, including on human rights, which constitutes an essential element of our relationship.

Aliyev has ruled the oil-producing former Soviet republic of nearly 10 million people with an iron fist since shortly before his long-ruling father's death in 2003.

Rights groups and Western governments have urged the Azerbaijani authorities to release political prisoners for years and accused the government of fabricating criminal cases to stifle dissent and media freedom.

In all, the amnesty covers a total of 431 people, including several members of the opposition considered to be political prisoners by international rights organizations, according to Aliyev's decree signed on March 16 to mark the Norouz new year holiday.

Under the mass pardon, 399 people will be released from prison, 11 will have their suspended sentences lifted, and 12 will have fines against them dismissed. Three people serving life sentences will have their terms reduced to 25 years.

Aliyev's pardon will also free 14 foreigners from prison.

It is common in Azerbaijan for the president to pardon prisoners ahead of Norouz, which is on March 21, or to mark other celebrations.

However, it is unusual for political prisoners to be included in the pardon.
Police in Pakistan say at least four people have been killed and seven injured by a remote-controlled bomb that exploded on a railway line in southwestern Pakistan just as a passenger train was passing by.



The March 17 attack occurred in the Dera Murad Jamali area of the volatile province of Balochistan about 300 kilometers southeast of the provincial capital, Quetta.



An official from district police, Irfan Bashir, said the Jaffar Express train was traveling from Rawalpindi to Quetta when the bomb exploded, knocking three carriages off the track.



There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.



Baloch separatist groups and Islamist militants both regularly attack railways in Balochistan Province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

Based on reporting by AFP and Dawn News
Iranian President Hassan Rohani on March 17 launched four new projects in the development of a massive natural-gas field beneath the Persian Gulf that Iran shares with Qatar.

Iran has invested $11 billion to complete the projects in the South Pars natural-gas field.

The four projects are aimed at increasing the countrys natural-gas production capacity by up to 110 million cubic meters per day, Irans Oil Ministry said on March 17 in a Twitter statement.

Frances Total and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) suspended investment in one South Pars project in 2018 after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that do business in Iran.

But Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganesh said on March 16 that Tehran is continuing talks with the Chinese firms.

Speaking on March 17 from Bushehr Province in southern Iran, Rohani described the U.S. sanctions as a crime against humanity.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of the former Uzbek president, sought for many years to be the center of attention: globe-trotting, hobnobbing with the rich and famous, trying to convince people she belonged in high society.

Five years after being arrested in Uzbekistan, Gulnara is again receiving attention, though it is a very different sort of attention than the headlines the glamorous "Googoosha" had been seeking.

On March 5, a Tashkent court ordered that Karimova be transferred from house arrest to prison after she broke the terms of her home confinement.

On March 7, the United States Justice Department charged Karimova with soliciting more than $865 million in bribes for access to Uzbekistans telecommunications market.

Karimova's alleged violations of the law are becoming clearer, but her personal situation inside Uzbekistan is shrouded in mystery. International rights groups and others point out that even a person such as Karimova, with all the stories of her supposed avarice and vanity, deserves fair legal representation and a fair and open trial.

On this week's Majlis podcast, RFE/RL's media-relations manager, Muhammad Tahir, moderates a discussion on what is known about Karimovas current situation and what her future prospects might be.

Participating from Washington is Catherine Putz, managing editor at The Diplomat and author of many articles about Central Asia, including the Karimova case.

Also from Washington (at the moment at least), our friend Steve Swerdlow, Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, joins the discussion.

From Prague, Farruh Yusupov, the head of RFE/RLs Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, but previously a member of RFE/RLs Uzbek Service, known locally as Ozodlik, where he reported on the Karimova case, takes part.

And I've become very familiar with the events of Karimovas life over the last two decades, so I throw in a few comments, too.

Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes.
An estimated 10,000 activists supported by opposition parties marched through the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, on March 16, calling for the resignations of President Milo Djukanovic, Prime Minister Dusko Markovic, the prosecutor-general, and the management of state-run television. Participants of the fifth street rally known as "97,000 -- Resist!" accuse the president, whose party has been running the country for almost three decades, of presiding over widespread poverty, corruption within his inner circle, the silencing of whistle-blowers, and the curtailing of media and social freedoms. The protests started after banker Dusko Knezevic, a former key ally of Djukanovic, accused him and his ruling Democratic Party of Socialists of shady financial transactions. Djukanovic has denied the allegations, and the authorities in turn accused Knezevic of money laundering and fraud. The banker has fled the country and is sought by Interpol.
President Vladimir Putin has marked the fifth anniversary of what Moscow considers the day Crimea became part of Russia by visiting Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula, as NATO, the United States, and the European Union again condemned what they called the "illegal" land grab.



On March 18, 2014, Putin signed a treaty that Moscow claims made Ukraine's Crimea region part of Russia, after Russian forces seized control of the peninsula and organized a referendum that was not recognized by the international community.



Ukraine and the West have slammed Russia's move as an "illegal" annexation, leading to sanctions against Russian individuals and entities.



The annexation of Crimea and Russia's role in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, where government forces have been fighting against Russia-backed separatists since April 2014, sent ties between Moscow and the West plunging to post-Cold War lows.



The conflict in eastern Ukraine has left around 13,000 people dead, some 30,000 injured, and uprooted well over 1 million Ukrainian citizens, according to UN and Ukrainian officials.



In Washington, Kurt Volker, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, called the fifth anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea a "sad day."



"This is an illegal occupation, an illegal seizure of territory, and we fundamentally stand behind Ukraine in insisting that its territorial integrity be restored," Volker told journalists.



In a statement, NATO described the annexation of Crimea as "a serious breach of international law and a major challenge to Euro-Atlantic security."



The Western military alliance's North Atlantic Council criticized Russia's "ongoing and wide-ranging military build-up" in Crimea, and raised concerns over its "efforts and stated plans for further military build-up" in the Black Sea region.



The allies also accused the "Russian de facto authorities in illegally annexed Crimea" of carrying out human rights abuses against "Ukrainians, the Crimean Tatars, and members of other local communities," including "extrajudicial killings, abductions, enforced disappearances, violence, arbitrary detentions, arrest, and torture."

They said that there would be no return to "business as usual" with Moscow until there was a "a clear, constructive change in Russia's actions."

Meanwhile, Canada has announced a three-year extension of its 200-member military training mission in Ukraine, with Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland saying that "Ukraine can continue to count on Canada's unwavering support."



"It's very important to send a strong message to Ukraine, to the people of Ukraine, and to the international community that the invasion of Crimea and the annexation of Crimea are a grave breach of international law," the minister added.



Since 2015, nearly 11,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained as part of the Canadian mission, which was due to expire at the end of the month.



On the eve of the anniversary, EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini repeated the bloc's "steadfast" commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.



The "illegal" takeover of Crimea "remains a direct challenge to international security, with grave implications for the international legal order," Mogherini said in a declaration on behalf of the EU.



Mogherini blamed Moscow for the deteriorating human rights situation in Crimea, saying that residents of the peninsula "face systematic restrictions of fundamental freedoms," while the rights of the Crimean Tatars have been "gravely violated."

The United States, NATO, and the EU also called for the release of 24 Ukrainian sailors being held by Moscow.



In November, Russia captured three Ukrainian ships and their crew members near the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.



Russian officials have proclaimed March 18 as the Day of Crimea's Reunification with Russia.



In Crimea, it is a public holiday. Posters celebrating the peninsula's "return to its native land" hung in shop windows and on public transport in the region's main city of Simferopol.



Putin used his visit to Crimea to officially open two new power stations, which he said will fully cover the region's needs after Ukraine cut off energy supplies to the peninsula following its annexation by Moscow.



The power stations in Sevastopol and Simferopol were partially launched last year, but the official inauguration marked the moment they began working at full capacity.



The two power stations were at the center of an international scandal after German conglomerate Siemens said its power turbines had been installed there without its knowledge and in violation of EU sanctions banning the supply of energy technology to Crimea.



The EU widened sanctions against Russian companies and people in 2017 in response to the transfer of the turbines to the Russian-occupied region.



The Russian Foreign Ministry called the decision an "unfriendly and unjustified" step.



In the evening on March 18, Putin appeared on stage at an open-air concert in Simferopol after a meeting with selected representatives of civil society.



The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry protested his visit as a "crude violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."



Putin's trust and support ratings in opinion polls, which were significantly bolstered by the 2014 annexation of Crimea, have declined in recent months amid Russia's ongoing economic woes.



Putin has dominated politics in Russia for two decades, serving as president or prime minister since 1999.

In 2018, Putin, 66, was reelected to another six-year term.

Critics say he has maintained his near monopoly on power by crushing political opposition and stifling dissent.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa
The northwestern city of Murmansk has begun raising funds in support of the sailors who have been detained in the Atlantic archipelago of Cape Verde since February 1 on suspicion of smuggling nearly 10 tons of cocaine aboard their vessel, officials say.

"There is this notion of maritime fraternity, which is why I am calling on all heads of commercial navigation companies and fishing organizations in our city to join the fund-raising campaign to help the Murmansk sailors," Yury Krokhmal, head of the Murmansk Foundation charity, said on March 16.

He said nine of the 12 sailors being detained are from Murmansk.

Aleksei Veller, a former mayor of Murmansk and now a lawmaker in the State Duma, said he has been in touch with the Russian ambassador in Cape Verde and has kept families of the sailors informed of developments.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on March 15 said it was keeping watch on the situation and that the sailors had made no specific complaints or requests, including the terms of their incarceration conditions.

Police in Cape Verde on February 1 said they had seized nearly 10 tons of cocaine and arrested the Russian sailors aboard a vessel docked in the capital.

Police officials said the drugs were seized during the night after the cargo ship ESER docked at the port of Praia for legal reasons following the death of a crew member. The vessel had been traveling to Morocco from South America.

Cape Verde, a group of islands off Africas west coast, has long battled gangs trafficking Latin American cocaine to Europe through West Africa.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and TASS
101 dead sea turtles found in state of Guerrero

Guerrero, Mexico  Environmental officials continue with research into the deaths of 101 sea turtles along beaches in several municipalities in the state of Guerrero.

Officers with la Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente (Profepa) say that in coordination with various other federal agencies, they continue to work to find the cause of the deaths of the 101 sea turtles.

Profepa reports the sea turtles have been found in varying degrees of decomposition in six municipalities of the state of Guerrero, adding that the turtles do not exhibit any signs of marks related to fishing gear.

The Federal Office of Environmental Protection says the deaths were reported by both the public as well as sea turtle camp managers along various beaches of the six municipalities.

The deceased turtles have appeared on beaches in the municipalities of Cuajinicuilapa, Copala, Acapulco de Juarez, Coyuca de Benitez, Tecpan de Galeana and Zihuatanejo de Azueta.

Photo: La Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente

Profepa has requested members of the Red de Atencion para Varamientos de Mamiferos Marinos to gather information about the cases while they continue coordinating trips to beaches to inspect the dead turtles.

During tours, environmental officers found that the turtles do not present any kind of sign or marks that indicate damage by fishing gear. Unfortunately due to the advanced state of decomposition, it was not possible to take samples to determine their causes of death.

Profpea reports that they continue to work with the Navy of Mexico by touring waters to find more specimens and, where appropriate, take samples, but they say only turtles found in advanced state of decomposition have been found so far.

One hypothesis of the cause of death is the proliferation of microalgae by the presence of red tide that when ingested by the turtles, can cause poisoning and paralyze the nervous system. Profepa staff have requested the support of the Ministry of Health to determine if red tide has been detected in the region.

The discovery of the sea turtles comes at the same time as the death of four California sea lions in the state of Baja California Sur. Profepa officers there have found four sea lions that died after becoming entangled in fishing line.


By NPR , March . 15, 2019





Members of Washington's elite legal community decried the "increasing politicization" of the justice system at a particularly sensitive time: as the special counsel probe of Russian election interference edges toward a conclusion.





Abbe David Lowell, a veteran of high-profile cases who has defended members of Congress and Cabinet officials, lamented that public confidence in the FBI, the Justice Department and the rule of law itself has waned, even as he offered praise for Robert Mueller, the man leading the Russia investigation.

Read More:



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It is officially Casemates season! On 1 March, the popular tourist attraction forming part of Luxembourg's UNESCO World Heritage sites opened to the public now that spring is (hopefully) on the way.

Casemates - what does that even mean? Why not 'fortifications'?

As with many words, the etymology of the word 'casemate' comes from the Greek (and then Italian, and then French) - chasma(ta), which means chasm. This references the bomb-proof aspect of the vaulted rooms within the fortifications, which accommodate both troops and equipment. Casemate is pronounced keis-meit in English.

The Bock and Petrusse Casemates

There are two main sites that comprise Luxembourg's fortifications - the Bock Casemates and the Petrusse Casemates. However, only the Bock Casemates are open to the public. The Petrusse Casemates, located on Place de la Constitution, have been closed for several years now, but have been rumoured to re-open in 2019.

The Bock Casemates are quite rightly one of Luxembourg's top tourist attractions, as there is something for everyone. You get to soak in beautiful views of Luxembourg City, explore underground history, and retrace the footsteps of some of Europe's most significant military architects! It's also a decent work-out, with lots of winding stairs but be warned: if you are at all claustrophobic, maybe stick to the outside area.

 RTL Archives

The Gibraltar of the North

The Bock Casemates are made up of a formidable underground network of tunnels, having been worked on by engineers throughout the years. Obviously, the set-up of Luxembourg City was a promising start as a fortification - its natural steep formation already worked well to fortify the city, but Spanish engineers in the 17th century decided to go one step further. They began to transform the city into a veritable fortress and built 23 kilometres of galleries to fortify the city when it was under the control of the (Spanish) Habsburgs.

 RTL Archives  RTL Archives  RTL Archives Les photos diffusees sur ce site sont soumises a des droits dauteurs et ne peuvent etre copiees, modifiees, vendues, sans lautorisation prealable du proprietaire du site en question.

From 1684, the territory was taken over by the French king Louis XIV and the military engineer Sebastien le Prestre de Vauban took charge of expanding the network of the casemates over different levels, some reaching a depth of 40 metres.

The Austrians continued this work in the 18th century, at which point Luxembourg and its fortifications were dubbed the Gibraltar of the North. Following on from the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Prussians went on to further develop the casemates, but that was the end of its extension. The fortress was dismantled in 1867 with the Treaty of London (which guaranteed Luxembourg's neutrality, so there was a benefit. No longer was Luxembourg tugged around like a coveted piece of gold by warring powers), but 17 kilometres of the fortifications were spared. Not by choice, however. It apparently proved impossible to blow up the casemates without destroying a significant portion of the city, which led to the entrances and galleries being sealed.

As a result, the casemates are a fascinating sight to learn about military history, especially as they show so many different military vestiges illustrating this period of European history. Despite the dismantling, they also remain in prime condition.

 By Francisco Palop - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 lu, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28747505

UNESCO World Heritage List

The city of Luxembourg's old quarters and its fortifications have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1994, primarily due to the casemates and their illustration of European military history throughout several centuries.

The casemates are a wonderful opportunity to get to know the history of Luxembourg City and the various foreign powers who controlled the territory centuries ago. It is also an excellent viewpoint for panoramas of the city and the Grund area.

As well as allowing visitors to pass through the former prisons of the old Luxembourg Castle, the visit to the Bock Casemates concludes via the Castle bridge and visitors end up on the Chemin de la Corniche, Europe's most famous balcony.

 By  , CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55115949

Famous visitors and a theatre?

Amongst the famous people who have visited the Bock casemates are (obviously) Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, but also Grand Duchess Charlotte in 1936 (three years after they opened to the public). Other more military-inclined visitors were Prince Henry of the Netherlands (1868), Emperor Joseph II of Austria (1781), and finally, none other than Napoleon Bonaparte himself in 1804!

One of the chambers in the Bock Casemates, formally known as the "Batterie du Grund" had four loopholes for eight cannons, which would fire alternatively to defend the lower town of the Grund. That Chamber is now known as the Tun Deutsch room to honour the Luxembourgish actor (1932-1977), who founded the Casemates theatre and held performances within the city's fortifications.

And finally, did you know that the Gare neighbourhood of Luxembourg City also has casemates?

 RTL Archives

For more information on visiting the Bock Casemates, opening hours, and guided tours, check out our below article.


By Reuters , March . 01, 2019





WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Special Counsels Office on Friday asked a court to delay sentencing for U.S. President Donald Trumps former deputy campaign chairman, Rick Gates, amid ongoing investigations stemming from the Russia investigation.





In a filing with the U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller cited Gates continued cooperation with multiple probes and asked permission to update the judge on the case again by May 14.

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(CNN)  Paul Njoroge and his father-in-law John Quindos Karanja walked away from the site where their wives and children died with bags of soil in their hands.

Three generations of their family were on the Ethiopian Airlines flight to Kenya that crashed last week just minutes after takeoff in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board.

John Quindos Karanja's wife, Ann Wangui Karanja; their daughter, Carol Karanja; and Carol Karanja's three children, Ryan Njoroge, 7, Kellie Pauls, 4, and 9-month-old Rubi Pauls were on the plane. They had been traveling to Kenya from Canada, where Carol Karanja and her children lived.

Ann Wangui Karanja was returning home after traveling to Canada to visit her grandchildren and daughter, who worked as an accountant at an energy firm. Upon the family's arrival in Kenya, John Quindos Karanja would have been meeting Rubi, who was born in Canada, for the first time.

Paul Njoroge mourned his mother-in-law, wife and children at the crash site and reflected on their last moments.

"When I think of that plane coming down and what she thought about, she must have thought about me and how I'm going to live. And the kids, they must have called their mommy, they must have cried out to their daddy," he told CNN's Canadian newsgathering partner CBC. "It will never leave me. It will never leave me."

Identifying the bodies of the crash victims could take up to six months, said Ethiopia's Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges. She said DNA samples are being collected from family members to assist in the identification.

Without remains of their family members to take home, Njoroge and Karanja took soil instead.

"This is just soil from the area, so in case even out of the DNA nothing will be gotten, I'll have gotten this one to be a remembrance of the people I loved," Karanja told the outlet.

It is all they can do for now, but it does not bring them peace.

"We want to go home with them. That's the only way we can have closure. I cannot have any other closure," Njoroge told CBC.

Njoroge and his wife grew up in rural Kenya and went away to college while sending money back to their families, CBC said.

They moved to Bermuda, but most recently she and the children lived in Ontario, Canada, according to the CBC. Njoroge did not join them on their trip to Kenya.

"I booked the flights for them," he said. "And I was tracking the flights."

Njoroge mourned his wife, who he said was "everything."

"She is more than a wife, she is more than a mother," he told CBC. "Because whatever we have received, it is through her."

Now, the family has started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help with the funeral expenses and travel so the family can participate in the DNA identification and hopefully bring their loved ones home.

This story was first published on CNN.com "They lost their relatives in the Ethiopia plane crash. Instead of bodies, they bring back soil"
The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash in Concord on Saturday that involved a shooting.

The wreck was reported at 2:25 p.m. on eastbound Highway 4. A solo female driver from Antioch smashed into a guard rail and her car ended up on the Willow Pass Road off-ramp, the CHP said in a statement.

Officers found bullet holes in the drivers side door, and the woman, identified as 25-year-old Destinee Shaharisha-Jenae Hillery, was declared dead at the scene, the CHP said.

Officer Hannah Walcott, a CHP spokeswoman, said Sunday it wasnt clear whether the woman was killed by gunshot wounds or impacts from the crash.

We dont know the timeline of everything, Walcott said.

The CHP closed all eastbound lanes of Highway 4 for about 40 minutes while investigators looked for bullet casings and processed the scene.

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.

After a rash of freeway shootings two years ago, cities, including Pittsburg, installed surveillance cameras along stretches of Interstate 80 and Highway 4. Officials at the time said gang disputes were behind most of the 28 shootings that happened in a six-month period.

Motorists who witnessed the crash are asked to contact CHP investigators at 707-917-4491.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
The tony town of Hillsborough is suing the owner of one of its most well-known landmarks  the so-called Flintstone House  over gaudy outdoor decorations and other work, including a herd of large dinosaur sculptures and a sign reading, Yabba Dabba Doo.

Attorneys representing the ultra-rich Peninsula enclave filed the lawsuit in San Mateo County Superior Court against the homes owner, Florence Fang. The town said the additions were installed without proper permits and create a highly visible eyesore and are out of keeping with community standards.

Fang, a well-known Bay Area businesswoman, philanthropist and former publisher of the San Francisco Examiner, purchased the iconic home in 2017 and soon began adding the patina-covered dinos and other gaudy outdoor improvements.

The multi-domed home at 45 Berryessa Way is perched on a hillside visible from Interstate 280 and overlooks Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir. The bizarre abode is praised by some and maligned by others for its unconventional design by Bay Area architect William Nicholson. It was constructed in the mid-1970s by spraying concrete over a wire mesh and steel frame.

Fangs modifications also included a retaining wall, steps, columns, gates, a parking strip, and a deck for social gatherings, Mark Hudak, the attorney for Hillsborough, wrote in the lawsuit. Several of these improvements created live-safety hazards that required immediate correction to protect visitors to the property, he said.

Fang did the work without planning approvals or building permits except for a very limited permit for a low wall in the front of the property, Hudak wrote.

The towns building department issued a stop-work order in December 2017, followed by a second notice in January 2018. The building department issued a third notice in August.

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.

Fang was cited for multiple violations last year, and the towns Administrative Hearing Panel issued a order calling the home a public nuisance. In October, the panel ordered the decorations removed by December and hit Fang with a $200 penalty.

Fang did not challenge the order, making the decision final, Hudak said, but the improvements remain, prompting the town to sue.

Efforts to reach Fang were unsuccessful.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
Kirk Seward

A Vallejo man who went missing at Northstar California Resort in Truckee on Monday has been found dead, authorities said Saturday.

Officials believe Danieson Crowder, 40, went snowboarding alone Monday. He was reported missing Wednesday, according to the Placer County Sheriffs Office.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed was given the names of five potential candidates to replace outgoing Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White, and when the choice got down to two, the lobbying began in earnest.

The Firefighters Union led the charge, asking all of their political allies, including former mayor and now Gov. Gavin Newsom to pitch a call to Breed in favor of Deputy Chief Jeanine Nicholson.

Truth be told, it wasnt that hard of a sell.

After more than 20 years of rising in the ranks  paramedic, firefighter , battalion chief and then deputy chief  Nicholson had the support of the Fire Commission, the rank-and-file and Hayes-White.

In fact, Nicholsons selection is just about the only thing that the firefighters union and the outgoing chief have agreed on in years.

One group that wasnt completely sold on the pick was the Black Firefighters Association, which feels that black males have been underrepresented on the departments command staff.

Nicholson, however, appears ready to face the challenges that come with the job.

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.

I love working to bring calm to chaos, she said.

Nicholson lives in Berkeley and plans to move into the city, not that she will have to worry about finding an affordable place to live.

The Fire Department has its own four-bedroom chiefs residence on Bush Street.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phillip Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier
By this time next year, Uber and Lyft passengers in San Francisco will be paying a new surcharge on every trip if voters approve a deal cut in a North Beach restaurant by Supervisor Aaron Peskin and representatives of the ride-hail giants.

The goal is to raise $30 million a year to deal with traffic congestion, brought on in large part by the ride services themselves.

The ride-share companies pay some through their business taxes, but everyone has to be a part of the solution, particularly given that we cant cap the number of ride-share cars on our streets, Peskin said.

Although, truth be told, it will probably be the passengers  not the companies  who pay the new tax.

Heres the story:

For several years, the popular ride services have been adding thousands of cars to the citys already clogged streets.

An October 2018 report by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority estimated that ride hails accounted for up to half of the increased traffic congestion downtown between 2010 and 2016.

City Hall explored various ways to reduce the number of rides, but those efforts went nowhere, in large part because the ride-hail companies are regulated by the state, leaving the city with little power to set rules.

So, Peskin decided to at least try to get the city some money to help alleviate the traffic snarls.

And he used the oldest trick in the book: the threat of going to voters with a tax hike on the companies bottom lines. In this case a hike in their gross receipts tax.

And while polling showed the companies had a shot at beating back such a tax increase, the campaign would likely cost them millions.

So a sit-down was convened in July, at the Piazza Pellegrini restaurant on Columbus Avenue, among Peskin; his chief of staff, Sunny Angulo; Uber representative Davis White; David Noyola, a former Peskin staffer now working for Uber; and representatives from Lyft.

Over plates of antipasto, a deal was struck that would allow the city to impose a 3.25 percent charge on single rides and a 1.5 percent charge on carpool share rides.

In return, the ride-hail companies got a guarantee that the money would be used for traffic-congestion relief. They also wanted the lower rate for pooled rides.

The two sides also agreed that while the city would collect the tax, it would be up to Uber and Lyft to decide how they would structure a potential pass-through to customers. The charges would also apply to autonomous vehicles, if they ever get to the point of offering rides for money.

Mayor London Breed is on board as well.

This measure will provide funding to improve our public transportation system and reduce the congestion, Breed said.

Peskin plans to introduce a ballot measure to the Board of Supervisors in May and hopes to get their unanimous support to put it before voters in November.

The measure would need a two-thirds majority of city voters to pass, but given the support of the mayor and the ride companies, the surcharge will likely have little organized opposition.

Lyft didnt respond to a request for comment, but Uber spokesman White said, We look forward to working with city and state officials to ensure a successful campaign in 2019.

And with all of the big players on board, chances are it will be.

Dessert anyone?

Newsom on tour: No sooner did Gov. Gavin Newsom declare a moratorium on the death penalty in California than he was on a plane to the East Coast for a series of national media appearances, including stops at CBS, NPR and MSNBC.

Hes making the case as a leader to hearts and minds, just as he did with marriage equality, when his willingness to go out on a limb made a huge difference, Newsom political spokesman Dan Newman said.

With, they hope, better results this time.

Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

Many Democrats still feel the national blowback from Newsoms same-sex marriage revolution was one of the reasons Democrat John Kerry lost his bid to unseat George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election.

And now Newsom is making the death penalty a national issue.

One things for sure, with just three months on the job, Newsom is already on his way to being the best-known governor in the nation.

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.

Fire pick: San Francisco Mayor London Breed was given the names of five candidates to replace outgoing Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White, and when the choice got down to two, the lobbying began in earnest.

The firefighters union led the charge, asking all of their political allies, including former mayor and now Gov. Gavin Newsom to pitch a call to Breed in favor of Deputy Chief Jeanine Nicholson.

Truth be told, it wasnt that hard of a sell.

After more than 20 years of rising in the ranks  paramedic, firefighter, battalion chief and then deputy chief  Nicholson had the support of the Fire Commission, the rank and file and Hayes-White.

In fact, Nicholsons selection is just about the only thing that the firefighters union and the outgoing chief have agreed on in years.

SF Fire Department / Sfc

One group that wasnt completely sold on the pick was the Black Firefighters Association, which feels that black men have been underrepresented on the departments command staff.

Nicholson, however, appears ready to face the challenges that come with the job.

I love working to bring calm to chaos, she said.

Nicholson lives in Berkeley and plans to move to the city, not that she will have to worry about finding an affordable place to live.

The Fire Department has its own four-bedroom chiefs residence on Bush Street.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phillip Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier
Its not even three months into 2019, and 10 retailers have filed for bankruptcy, including clothing companies Gymboree and Charlotte Russe in San Francisco. The effect is visible on the streets, with hundreds of stores shuttered and thousands of workers laid off.

The sector is on pace to surpass the closures and restructurings it experienced during the recession. But these failures come as retail spending hit a record $6 trillion in 2018, according to U.S. census figures, not an economic downturn.

Is it the Amazon effect? Companies often cite a tough retail environment, despite the increase in overall spending, with shifts to online shopping and declining foot traffic, particularly at the malls many retailers made their homes over past decades.

But another culprit shows up prominently in their filings: debt laden on in past private-equity buyouts.

Gymborees January filing was its second use of Chapter 11 of the federal Bankruptcy Code, having filed in 2016 to reduce debt from a $1.8 billion acquisition by private-equity firm Bain Capital in 2010. Gymboree cut $900 million in debt and emerged from bankruptcy. It wasnt enough. Payless ShoeSource, which had more than 30 Bay Area stores and plans to close all of them nationwide, also went through two rounds of bankruptcy.

Charlotte Russe, which filed for bankruptcy in February, said it planned to reduce debt from a $380 million acquisition by private-equity firm Advent International in 2009.

Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Retailers are an attractive target for private-equity firms. The threat of Amazon and other online outlets discourages public-market investors from betting on their futures, which drives down their stock price and makes them cheap to buy. Retailers typically have real estate and other hard assets which are easy to borrow against, as well as cash flows from their current businesses that private equity firms can harvest. In leveraged buyouts, private equity firms take control of a company and prompt it to borrow money against those assets, taking little risk themselves. They sometimes pay themselves dividends from the borrowed money  which means they may make a profit on an investment even if the company goes bankrupt.

Once you do that, youve loaded debt on the retailers balance sheet and when interest payments on the financing are due, retailers have to pay, said Kirthi Kalyanam, director of the Retail Management Institute at Santa Clara University.

Competing in e-commerce adds costs, while the decline of customers shopping at malls leaves private-equity-backed retailers struggling.

It handcuffs retailers who are trying to respond to competition because they have to pay down the debt, said Robert Marticello, a bankruptcy attorney in Costa Mesa (Orange County).

Trade publication Retail Dive estimates that 15 percent of retailers that have filed for bankruptcy since 2002 are wholly owned or have a majority stake held by one or more private-equity firms. In the last three years, almost 40 percent of retailers filing for bankruptcies are in that category, according to Debtwire, a financial news service in New York.

Gymboree will shut down its namesake childrens clothing stores, as well as its Crazy 8 stores. Its high-end Janie and Jack line was bought by Gap this month for $35 million. The company is laying off 425 people, 69 of them at company headquarters in San Francisco. Charlotte Russe is laying of 333 employees, including 161 at its corporate headquarters.

In court documents, Brian Cashman, managing director of Berkeley Research Group and Charlotte Russes chief restructuring officer, said the company failed to trim store expenses to better balance brick-and-mortar operations with necessary e-commerce investments.

For loyal customers and would-be workers, the shuttered stores bring a wave of sadness. Swaran Williams, a Vacaville resident whos been shopping at various Gymboree locations around the Bay Area for years, said she was dismayed about the bankruptcy. I shopped at Gymboree for my daughters clothes, she said. Shes tall for her age, so I liked going into the stores. Its hard to shop for her online, Williams added.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Hiba Younus, 20, said her plan for work this summer was to do exactly what she did last summer  take a part-time job at the Charlotte Russe store at the NewPark Mall in Newark. It feels so sudden. I wasnt expecting the company to go bankrupt, she said.

Shoppers and employees should expect more failures. A recent report by Moodys Investors Service, the credit ratings firm, named 17 retailers including Neiman Marcus, J.C. Penney and Davids Bridal that may file for bankruptcy this year.

In their place may be some online businesses, who arent as weighed down by debt and see stores as a way to reach new customers. Bonobos, an online menswear company owned by Walmart, plans to increase its number of stores from 60 to 100 by 2020. New York eyeglass company Warby Parker, which opened its first San Francisco store in 2014 and a Union Square location in 2017, plans to open more stores, as does Los Angeles activewear retailer Fabletics.

Retail isnt going anywhere, Kalyanam said. What is changing is how retail is done.

Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika
As the year began, Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick offered a list of goals for 2019  and she saved perhaps the most ambitious for last.

By the end of the year, Kirkpatrick told the citys Police Commission, she hoped to finally bring her agency into compliance with a federal judges order for reforms stemming from a 2-decade-old brutality case. The so-called Riders scandal has cost Oakland millions in taxpayer dollars and done immeasurable harm to the police forces reputation.

But the effort to shed federal oversight has run into fresh tension, with a disputed investigation of a fatal police shooting derailing hard-won progress. Kirkpatrick finds herself at odds with the federal monitor tracking her reforms.

And now, in a substantial setback, the monitor is expected to soon rule that the department has fallen out of compliance with one of its previously completed reforms, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The finding comes after the court monitor, former deputy U.S. drug czar Robert Warshaw, issued back-to-back rebukes of Kirkpatrick and the department, including criticism over the shooting of a homeless man who was discovered unconscious  and armed  between two homes. Once again, there are questions about whether an Oakland chief will be able to win the forces independence.

Kirkpatrick rejected this narrative during an interview Wednesday in her office at Oakland police headquarters, pointing to successes in reducing officers use of force and lessening racial disparities in police stops. The chief said she has an excellent relationship with Warshaw and remains confident her department will meet its stated goals.

I want to be the best of the best, and compliance falls after that, said Kirkpatrick, who was appointed chief by Mayor Libby Schaaf in early 2017. Just hitting compliance is good, but ultimately the main goal is that we are the best of the best, that we are sustainable beyond the sense of just meeting compliance.

Court monitoring of the Oakland force began in 2003, three years after a group of rogue officers known as the Riders were accused of planting drugs and beating suspects while patrolling West Oakland. Spurred by a civil court settlement, police officials had to make dozens of improvements in the way they trained, tracked and disciplined officers. The court intended the reforms to be completed in five years, but the effort has now outlasted 10 department heads and a generation of officers.

Of more than 50 reform tasks ordered by federal judges, Kirkpatrick inherited just three that remained incomplete. These involved internal investigations of misconduct, tracking racial disparities in police stops and a consistency of discipline policy. The monitors upcoming report will increase the outstanding tasks to four, the sources said.

In addition, a judge decided in November that three completed tasks needed review, after Warshaw found that Oakland officers had sometimes failed to report incidents in which they used force.

The primary source of tension, though, emerged last month when Warshaw issued a scathing report on the departments handling of the police shooting of 31-year-old Joshua Pawlik, which occurred on March 11, 2018. Officers fired on Pawlik as he was regaining consciousness, saying he failed to respond to repeated commands that he take his hand off his gun before he raised the gun and pointed it at them.

Kirkpatrick cleared the four officers who fired their weapons, and Alameda County prosecutors declined to file charges. But Warshaw overturned the chiefs findings, sustaining violations against four officers who were placed on administrative leave last week.

Warshaws findings now represent the departments official position, and if a review board believes the actions are fireable offenses, the city would move toward termination. The officers would still have the right to appeal.

The monitor said internal investigators dismissed video footage that was inconsistent with the officers version of events. The report singled out Kirkpatrick, calling her oversight disappointing and myopic.

As I sit here today, its hard to see how were going to get to compliance with Chief Kirkpatrick, said Jim Chanin, one of the plaintiffs attorneys in the Riders civil suit. I cant speak to Mr. Warshaw, but its moving in the wrong direction and the situation is as bad as Ive ever seen it in terms of the relationship of everyone.

Activists with the Coalition for Police Accountability called for Kirkpatricks ouster following Warshaws report. Coalition members previously criticized the chief for promoting officers linked to a sexual-abuse scandal in which numerous officers from Oakland and other agencies had sex with a young woman, some when she was under 18.

I dont think she has the capacity to lead this department into compliance, coalition leader Rashidah Grinage said. We gave her the benefit of the doubt for a full year, remained neutral, met with her a few times  we were patient, we realized she wasnt going to be able to turn the department around on a dime.

Accomplishing the goal of compliance will require sign-off from Warshaw, who holds dual roles in the oversight process: court monitor and compliance director. As compliance director, Warshaw can change policies, dictate personnel decisions in misconduct cases and discipline, and demote deputy chiefs and assistant chiefs. He can also fire the chief.

By intervening in the Pawlik case, Warshaw flexed his powers in an unprecedented way.

Rank-and-file Oakland officers have been watching the episode closely, and largely stand behind the chief, in part because she has supported them, according to two sources in the department. They said morale is down, and officers wonder whether Kirkpatricks decisions will stand moving forward.

The chief addressed tension in the department Friday, sending a video to her staff three days after the officers in the Pawlik shooting were placed on leave.

I just wanted to share that I know that its been a hard week for you and for all of us, but everything is OK, Kirkpatrick said. I want you to know how much I care about you, how proud I am of OPD, and I have been in a storm before just like you, and I know how to fly in the storm.

Kirkpatrick told The Chronicle she received Warshaws reports as critiques rather than attacks on her leadership. She said the department is open to honest assessments of its policies  and critiques itself as well.

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.

To me, its not a personal issue, she said.

The chief held up departmental statistics as evidence of her commitment to reform.

A major decline in discretionary stops occurred last year, particularly those of black people. Overall, stops that are left to an officers judgment between 2017 and 2018 plummeted by 37 percent, from 31,528 to 19,900. Stops involving black people saw sharper declines than the average, at 43 percent, from 19,185 stops in 2017 to 10,874 in 2018. However, black people still far outnumber any other racial group stopped by Oakland police.

We have made great strides on our stop data and trying to reduce racial impacts in this city, Kirkpatrick said, noting that overall crime has continued to fall during this time.

Kirkpatrick said the department is working with the Police Commission to adjust policies to limit searches for people on probation and parole.

That is a part of our moving toward compliance, but its also exciting, she said. Were one of the only agencies in this country Im even aware of that is making such progressive moves to change policy.

In an interview Thursday, Mayor Schaaf said Kirkpatrick is doing an excellent job as chief. She said dealing with community criticism of use-of-force incidents, such as the Pawlik shooting, is part of a difficult job.

There are many issues that we have to deal with that are complicated, and some that are unquestionably awful, but may in fact be lawful, Schaaf said.

Schaaf noted that Kirkpatrick started a special working group to review trainings and policies to further reduce force, particularly involving armed individuals in states of compromised consciousness.

Schaaf also said the chief has a track record of holding officers accountable. In the two years since coming to Oakland from the Chicago Police Department, Kirkpatrick has fired 31 employees and suspended 61. By comparison, her predecessor, Sean Whent, fired 10 and suspended 46 in the previous two-year period, according to city data. It is unclear how many were sworn officers.

My analysis of her work shows that she is making progress, Schaaf said. But I will always honor the voices that feel that progress is not sufficient or fast enough.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
When Jon DSouza heard the news that Lucca Ravioli Co. in San Francisco planned to close in April, the Mission District resident knew he wanted to claim some memory from the 94-year-old business he had shopped at for a dozen years. Last week, he asked if he could purchase one of the hand-painted red and green butcher-paper signs that cover the stores windows.

The signs are iconic, DSouza said. Theres an emotional connection: Theyre a little piece of what the Mission used to be.

DSouza isnt the only person who wants Luccas windows to come home with him, said Lucca manager Jim Langell, who has drawn the signs for more than 40 years, more recently with help from his 14-year-old granddaughter.

Im surprised, said Langell, noting that the signs usually get thrown away at the end of each week. I make them so fast, theyre not done all that well anymore. But theyre buying everything we have.

Within three days after the Italian American deli announced its closure in January, Lucca sold out of branded hats, shirts and canvas bags  almost 500 of them, he estimated.

To meet demand, Lucca even sold used aprons and shirts.

They were the dirty shirts left over from the holidays, Langell added. There was crusty cheese on them and salami in the pockets. They stunk! But they still had the name on them. Thats what they wanted.

He joked that sentiment and pop art quality aside, his hasty penmanship wasnt the signs only charm.

I went to Poly (Polytechnic High School, which closed in 1973) here in San Francisco, he said. They didnt teach spelling.

Actually, the tradition of misspelling honors the previous sign maker, Lucca owner Michael Fenos late father.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

When I first started here, Michaels father used to misspell one sign for the printer who was down the street, Langell said. He would come every Monday when we redid the signs and tell us we misspelled a word. He did it every time. We got that guy to read every sign out there.

Among the signs other fans are sister-brother business owners Chris and Ben Ospital, who own Modern Appealing Clothing (MAC) fashion boutiques in Dogpatch and Hayes Valley.

We were all saying how much we love those signs, Chris Ospital said. Theres not a lot of real Italian delis left in San Francisco.

The very nature of those signs are so Americana-meets-Japanese watercolors, her brother agreed. Theyre done fast, stream of conscious. In fashion we look at these perfectly composed images, but the (Lucca) signs represent this idea of something not rehearsed and soulful.

The Ospitals asked artist Sam Tripodi if she could facilitate the creation of a custom window installation for the MAC store on Grove Street. Tripodi, a fellow customer at Lucca, called in the other members of the Fake Art Colony, a 3-year-old social group of artists who re-create works of art together.

For the MAC tribute, Tripodi and her friends drafted signs, substituting fashion designers names and garments for meat prices and produce specials. Tripodi said it took her about three weeks from her first conversation with the Ospitals to the final installation, which will be on display through March 25.

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The Fake Art Colony obsessed over details like the weight of the butcher paper, the exact paint hues and the quality of the script on their version of the signs.

Thats a ravioli-makers hand making that sign and you know it! she said. It has a kind of naive quality. I wanted it to be true to what Lucca is about.

DSouza, who put his name in for a Lucca sign, isnt surprised by MACs tribute. In such a rapidly changing city, we find some deeper meaning in the objects we pass everyday, and nostalgia finds unexpected targets.

To quote Marie Kondo, its something that will spark joy in me when I see it in my kitchen, he said. Its not just that its iconic San Francisco. The signs mean something to people specifically in the Mission. It may be unintentional art, but it means something to the neighborhood.

The unintentional artist himself says that even though hes surprised by the attention Luccas signs are getting from the community, not much about San Francisco has surprised him since the Summer of Love. Langell said hell continue to take the names of people interested in owning a sign.

My granddaughter is only 14, Langell said. Shell need it for college tuition one day.

Tony Bravo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tbravo@sfchronicle.com
On a recent Friday night at the Alice Collective, an airy, minimalist event space in downtown Oakland, Stephen Satterfield and Melissa Shi stood before a small crowd to present the strategic vision for Whetstone Media, their Bay Area company. Everything about the moment, from the DJ booth behind them to the images projected from a laptop onto the wall above, might have suggested another tech startup or app launch. And yet Whetstone is not what youd expect.

Instead, the crowd had gathered to preview the fourth issue of a glossy, lushly photographed print magazine  a tactile, recyclable bundle of paper and ink improbably launched into a world where magazines continue to shrink and disappear. Whetstone was created at the same time local publications like San Francisco and Sunset magazines struggled with new owners, staff turnovers and anemic budgets. Add to those challenges the difficulties that most legacy publications have retaining readers and attracting new ones willing to pay for their content.

Yet Whetstone isnt alone. The Bay Area is experiencing a small, yet vibrant, boom in independent, small-circulation magazines. Whetstone, which launched in 2017, is one of several locally (and lovingly) produced magazines like Anxy, Bob Cut Mag, Double Issue, New Life Quarterly, Toothache and Umber.

Published on schedules ranging from quarterly to once a year, each magazine is vying for readers attention in a time of ubiquitous screens, when sharing a headline on social media has replaced reading an article, and posing with a magazine is more common than subscribing to one. The subjects of these magazines vary, but what they have in common is their creators shared belief that time spent engrossed in a print publication is time well spent.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

Print never went away, it just morphed into another model, writes Jeremy Leslie in an email. He runs MagCulture, a website and London shop that ships magazines worldwide. Digital is now like electricity or air. Essential but dull.

Rather than digital killing print, he adds, the exact opposite is happening: Websites and social media have empowered small publishers, Leslie says. They now have the world at their feet. They can promote and sell anywhere.

Another thing these magazines have in common are small, dedicated teams working day jobs while they produce them. In many cases, the creators have little or no professional experience in magazine making.

That might be a good thing. I think a lot of the reason that I started it was being naive, says Nick Muncy, the 30-year-old founder of Toothache, a biannual magazine for and about chefs. If I would have known what a nightmare the Postal Service is and what its like doing all the little stupid jobs, the actual logistics of it  he says, then sighs.

Those logistics, for Muncy, include writing, photographing, staging and designing the 128-page magazine, mostly by himself, while working full-time as the executive pastry chef at Michael Mina in the Financial District. He sells Toothache to readers over the Internet and in 75 stores as far-flung as Australia.

With colorful, surreal covers and food photography so succulent you may be tempted to lick the pages, Toothache reads like the fever dream of a chef whos just passed out after working a 12-hour shift.

Toothache

Hes next level, says Whetstones Satterfield of Muncy. Toothache has done an amazing job growing its audience.

Satterfield, 34, worked as a sommelier and restaurant manager at Nopa before creating his own multimedia company in 2016. (Shi, who lives in Los Angeles, joined last year.) Whetstone is its first offering. I was really interested in creating media that had a purpose to it, he says. There was such an appetite for content like what we were proposing to make that we were able to leverage that into something real.

That content includes deep dives into global cuisine and up-close encounters with the people who create it. Whetstone Media has also produced a series of video dispatches that offer tours through the markets and kitchens in places like Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Gambia and the Republic of Georgia.

Satterfield estimates that 90 percent of Whetstones content is created by women, mostly women of color, a fact that makes his magazine unique in an industry that continues to struggle with inclusion.

I think for the consumer, its ultimately a much better product, not just because Im black but because I have insights through my experiences that Im distilling and now sharing with you that you never had access to through the traditional media pipeline.

Hes a force to be reckoned with, says Anthony Rogers, whose magazine, Bob Cut Mag, featured a profile of Satterfield in its latest edition.

Rogers, 27, is something of a force himself. In 2015, after interning at publications like 7x7 and San Francisco, Rogers spent $500 to create his own magazine in his parents apartment. I had a credit line and a dream, he quips. My mother was like, This is a cute little side project, (but) youre still gonna freelance, right?

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Bob Cut Mag is aimed at San Francisco Millennials, a demographic not known for its interest in print or willingness to pay for content. Some young readers are clearly buying it, but not always for the reasons their parents or older siblings might. Im very happy when people purchase it and post it on Instagram, Rogers says. Then I ask what articles they enjoy and they say, I think its pretty!

Double Issue

Double Issue, another publication focused on the Bay Area, is more explicitly political, mixing current events with historical narratives. Aaron Eske, who created the magazine with Carrie Taffel, Tim Belonax and Bosco Hernandez, said the idea for a magazine about social causes had been percolating among the group for a while, but took on a sense of urgency following the 2016 presidential election.

That election hovers over much of the first issues contents. With personal freedom as its theme, the issue features stories about abortion, interracial dating and the role of gay bars in San Franciscos history.

According to publishing director Taffel, 35, the magazine itself is meant as a corrective to the way many of us consume information in 2019. We want this to be a counter to news push notifications and social media, she says. We want you to actually read the articles and then keep it.

Author Dave Eggers, who also co-founded McSweeneys Quarterly Concern and Might, offered some praise for Double Issue that could serve as a rallying cry for all indie magazine creators with more ambition than capital: This is such a great new magazine, he blurbs on the back of issue one. A bunch of idealistic young people with day jobs decided to put a magazine together thats bursting with hope and outrage and a blinding sort of optimism.

Eggers endorsement reminds me of something journalist Graydon Carter once said during an interview: Young kids, when they want to get together and do something creative, they dont start websites, they start magazines.

Carter, 69, then editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, continued: Magazines are still a very viable part of our lives and will be for as long as people are alive.

Matt Haber is an East Bay freelance writer. Email: style@sfchronicle.com
Facebook, already the leader in enabling you to share photos, videos and links, now wants to be a force in messaging, commerce, payments and just about everything else you do online.

The companys ambitions hark to how WeChat has become the centerpiece of digital life in China, where people use it to order movie tickets, subway passes, food delivery and rides. If Facebook succeeds in turning its own messaging services into a platform for everything, it could ultimately threaten established services such as Snapchat, Yelp, Venmo, eBay and even Apple and Amazon.

Its clear that Facebook does have very broad ambitions here, said Bob ODonnell, president and chief analyst at Technalysis Research. Their goal is to be the WeChat of everywhere but China.

But Facebook faces numerous hurdles. A key one is restoring user trust, following a string of privacy failures that includes the sharing of personal information from as many as 87 million users with a consulting firm affiliated with Donald Trumps campaign. And any change may cause users to rethink their relationship with Facebook.

Facebook has a lot of momentum but its not completely invincible, said Roger Kay, an analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates. People came to Facebook for a particular thing. Offer them a different thing, and theyre likely to re-evaluate whether they want to be there at all.

After all, Friendster and Myspace came and went as Facebook grew. Yahoo and AltaVista moved over for Google. And remember when AOL was popular, powerful and rich enough to buy the traditional media company Time Warner? Both AOL and Yahoo are now fading brands within Verizon.

After building an advertising-supported service that depends on vacuuming up data on your hobbies, interests and political views, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced last week that Facebook will now emphasize ways for small groups to communicate in a truly private fashion.

This involves scrambling all messages in WhatsApp, Instagram Direct and Messenger so that even Facebook itself cant read them. Facebook will also let messages automatically disappear after a set amount of time, something rival Snapchat already does.

Facebook, Zuckerberg said, will then build more ways for people to interact on top of that, including calls, video chats, groups, stories, businesses, payments, commerce, and ultimately a platform for many other kinds of private services.

Facebook declined to further elaborate on its ambitions, and a spokeswoman reinforced that it is early in the process. But there are clues in what Chinese tech giant Tencent has already done with WeChat in China. WeChat combines functions that are typically done by separate companies elsewhere  think of Facebook and its messaging services combined with PayPal and Uber. People use WeChat to buy goods in retail stores, split restaurant bills with friends, pay utility bills, donate to charities and hail rides from the Uber-like Didi Chuxing service.

Facebook already lets people send money to other individuals through Messenger in the U.S. and a few other countries and is testing payments through WhatsApp in India. The New York Times reported that Facebook is also developing its own digital currency to make it easier for users to send money to their messaging contacts.

Facebook didnt offer many details on its digital currency endeavors, but said a new small team was looking for ways to make use of the type of technology powering bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies.

While the current payment options require linking Facebook to bank accounts or services such as PayPal, a digital currency could potentially work without them. That could appeal to users, especially in Asia and Africa, with limited access to banking services, said Avivah Litan, a Gartner analyst who specializes in security and payments.

And it would solve a key challenge with commerce on phones. Litan said entering credit card details on a phone is cumbersome, and businesses often lose customers before they complete orders. If Facebook can integrate payments into messaging, it can keep users within Facebook and convince advertisers theyre more likely to complete sales.

Facebook could also diversify revenue beyond advertising. For instance, it could take a commission, whether for newspaper subscriptions or food deliveries, much as Apple already does with a cut of up to 30 percent for app payments.

Kay said messaging could become one-stop shop for Yelp-like business reviews, OpenTable restaurant reservations, on-demand delivery similar to Uber and a marketplace akin to eBay  the latter being something Facebook already offers on its main app. Amazon might be tougher to challenge, he said, given the companys expertise in delivery logistics, but there might be pieces such as grocery delivery that Facebook can go after.

Nonetheless, potential Facebook rivals need not pack up yet. Zuckerbergs blog read as a manifesto, a list of things he wants to implement, and its unclear how much will actually get executed, eMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson said. She said its too soon for competitors to start drastically adapting.

You cannot be blase about anything Facebook says or does, she said. But I think there is certainly time to see how this all plays out.

There also might be room for Facebook to sit alongside existing services. Facebook might turn to OpenTable within messaging, for instance, rather than build its own service for dinner reservations.

It depends on what exactly the product looks like and how differently useful it is for different kinds of audiences, said Brian Wieser, an executive at advertising consultancy GroupM. Its not necessarily a zero-sum game.

For now, analysts say, potential competitors need to pay attention and be ready to adapt once details are out. Businesses that ignore the threat do so at their own peril.

Potential rivals can also start emphasizing how they are different from Facebook  as Apple is doing by stressing privacy protections in its devices and services. ODonnell added that those in payments need to make sure their services are compelling and easy to use so that they can compete with whatever Facebook brings.

Apple, Amazon, eBay and OpenTable didnt respond to messages for comment. Yelp, Snap and PayPal, which also owns Venmo, declined to comment.

The most immediate threat Facebook poses is to other messaging services. Apples iMessage is popular on iPhones, but theres no version for Android. Facebook could look more appealing as it breaks down walls and makes its three discrete messaging services work together as though they were one.

Snapchat, meanwhile, has struggled since Facebook and its Instagram service copied a feature for posting temporary stories that disappear after 24 hours. Zuckerberg dedicated a section of his blog announcement to reducing permanence, suggesting that Facebook will now take on Snapchats core feature of letting photos disappear after a set number of seconds.

Its yet another example of Facebook trying to attack Snapchat, BTIG analyst Rich Greenfield said.

But whether Facebook succeeds will depend on how many people are willing to move their conversations. Greenfield said Snapchat has a lock on its core, younger audience.

Facebooks plan may face external competition of its own. Unlike WeChat, Facebook faces new privacy regulation in Europe and calls for more controls in the U.S., Forrester analyst Jessica Liu wrote. Zuckerberg is trying to strike an impossible balance between capturing more of users time, appealing to advertisers and appealing to regulators.

Zuckerberg cant have his cake and eat it, too, she wrote.

Anick Jesdanun and Rachel Lerman are Associated Press writers.
Solar panels and wind turbines get a lot of attention, but a more inconspicuous instrument is helping to reshape Americas energy economy: the humble light bulb.

Over the past decade, traditional incandescent bulbs, those distinctive glass orbs with glowing wire centers, have been rapidly replaced by more energy-efficient lighting. The shift has driven down electricity demand in homes, saving people money and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The energy savings are expected to grow as highly efficient and increasingly inexpensive LED bulbs continue to replace older lights. But energy-efficiency advocates worry that the Trump administration could slow the pace of this lighting revolution.

Last month, the Department of Energy said it would withdraw an Obama-era regulation that nearly doubled the number of light bulbs subject to energy-efficiency requirements.

Industry groups are also pushing back on new lighting efficiency requirements slated to go into effect next year.

After climbing for decades, electricity use by U.S. households has declined over the past eight years.

Thats a staggering change, said Lucas Davis, an energy economist at UC Berkeleys Haas School of Business.

The economic recession in the late 2000s contributed to an initial dip in electricity demand, but as the economy improved, lighting and other energy-efficiency improvements continued to drive down household electricity use.

Congress established the first national light bulb efficiency standards in 2007, which were signed into law by President George W. Bush. Starting in 2012, the law required new light bulbs to use 28 percent less power than existing incandescent lights  essentially ending the sale of the older, inefficient bulbs.

A new generation of halogen bulbs initially replaced traditional incandescents, but, more recently, sales of highly efficient LEDs have grown as their prices have fallen.

The switch to more efficient lighting has been relatively rapid, Davis said, because of the short life span of traditional light bulbs. While consumers may replace an old refrigerator or dishwasher with an energy-saving model once a decade, incandescent bulbs last only about a year before they need replacing.

And that replacement yields huge relative savings.

When you take out incandescent light bulbs and replace them with LEDs, the amount of electricity you consume goes down more than 80 percent, Davis said. Theres nothing else like that.

Traditional incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy as heat in order to create light.

Improved halogen incandescents use up to 30 percent less energy than traditional light bulbs and can last three times as long.

Curly compact fluorescent bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs and can last for 10 years. But they can be slow to brighten and have a colder light quality.

LED bulbs, or light emitting diodes, use up to 85 percent less energy than traditional bulbs and can last for 25 years, without some of the drawbacks of compact fluorescents.

A second phase of the 2007 lighting efficiency rules is scheduled to go into effect next year, prohibiting the sale of light bulbs that put out less than 45 lumens per watt. Currently, only compact fluorescent and LED bulbs can meet that requirement. That means all basic incandescent bulbs, including the recent generation of halogens, would be eliminated from store shelves Jan. 1.

Industry groups have contested that standard, along with an Obama-era ruling that expanded which light bulbs it would apply to. The Department of Energy said last month that it had erred when it determined in 2017 that certain decorative and nonbasic bulb styles would be subject to the 2020 standards.

Clark Silcox, a lawyer for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, a trade group that represents major lighting manufacturers like General Electric and Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), said that consumers were already switching to highly efficient LED bulbs on their own, pointing to industry data showing that LEDs outsold all other types of bulbs for the first time in 2017.

The question now is: Does the Department of Energy accelerate that by putting on a ban, Silcox said, even if it would disrupt retail terribly.

But Noah Horowitz, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said theres no reason to move backward, adding that the lighting industry has had years to prepare for the next phase of efficiency rules.

The LEDs are already on the shelf, he said. They work great, they last longer, and they use one-sixth of the power.

Nadja Popovich is a New York Times writer.
A day by the Bay, the OTHER Bay  Half Moon Bay  combines so many of the best things about Northern California, all in one stop. From amazing beer and diverse food offerings, cheap or expensive things to do, a fascinating dock, beautiful trails, world-renowned surfing, reasonable or outrageous hotels, and all a short drive from the chaos of the city. Or the other city. (Yeah, we mean you San Jose, after all you're the most populous city in Northern California).

Grab your sunscreen and a warm jacket, because this is Northern California, and youll be hot, cold, sunburnt and frostbitten on the same day.

There are a few public parking lots and free parking at many businesses.

You could start your day with brunch or just a brew at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, with a large patio overlooking the water, but I prefer working up an appetite.

Wander over to Nasturtium Art of Living and say hello to the two sisters who started this adorable shop full of home decor items, souvenirs, jewelry, Asian-inspired designs, glass dishes, plus all the random seaside-themed items youd expect along the rugged Northern California coast. Outside, theyve amassed a fascinating collection of objects from glass fishing floats to fountains. No shortage of mermaids, but also plenty of non-ocean themed items.

A DAY IN HALF MOON BAY WHAT: Options include a low-budget visit where all you'll pay is gas to get there, or a high-end stay with catered s'mores at a bonfire at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay. WHEN: Year round, but foggier in summer, sunnier or stormy in winter HOW FAR: 30-60 minutes from San Francisco and 30-60 minutes from Silicon Valley and San Jose. It's uniquely equidistant, and surprisingly close to Foster City. HOW MUCH: $ or opt for the high end at $$$$$$$$$ See More Collapse

Continuing the walk west will take you past a small industrial section that shows how real people earn a living along the water, from an inn to a boatyard, the Half Moon Bay Distillery (Yes, they offer tours, but no, I havent been), and a farm supply company.

Keep going, and eventually, youll end up at the ocean instead of the harbor. You'll see the parking lot for the tide pools. That is your ticket to the water, and if you walk out to the point, a long-range view of the world-famous Mavericks surf break. Be extremely cautious, as large waves can easily wash clear up to the cliffs, sweeping people out to sea.

Thats a 3-mile round trip walk, and now youre starving. Time for beer and pub food at Half Moon Bay Brewing. There are the typical burgers, California-style pub food like artichoke hearts, fried pickles, hummus and truffle fries. The clam chowder was rated by the Food Network as one of the best outside of New England, but I didnt try it on my stop.

A quick note on the cartography: Half Moon Bay is the crescent-shaped, water-filled indentation in the coast, but it's also a city at the lower end of the bay. The Half Moon Bay Airport, Mavericks Surf Shop and many eateries are in the unincorporated area of El Granada, or the enclave of Princeton-by-the-Sea, which includes the harbor--all AT Half Moon Bay, but not IN the city of Half Moon Bay.

A cheaper option, if you dont want to drop $25 on lunch (each)? Grab a beer in a bottle to go and try Dads Luncheonette, just a few miles down Highway 1 (thats PCH or Pacific Coast Highway). The hamburger sandwich, mushroom sandwich, homemade potato chips with nutritional yeast and the herb salad are highly rated by the SFGATE staff whove tried it. (Read about the chef in this review from the Chronicle.) And, if youre into railroads, youll notice its in the most quintessential railroad caboose you could imagine. Easy to spot from Highway 1.

If trains aren't your thing, how about planes? Drive the other direction up PCH to the airport for a staff favorite. The vintage airplane themed 3-Zero Cafe is exactly what you would imagine, and you don't have to fly your own plane there to get service. But if you have the means and do fly in, you'll be in good company.

For the afternoon, wander the shops at Pillar Point Harbor. Stop by Mavericks Surf Shop and just eavesdrop as newbies and legends talk about the colossal waves that can break just off the headland. Its still owned by Jeff Clark, the man who first surfed Mavericks, created the contest and can give you advice on boards to ride much, much smaller waves.

Or, for the type of watercraft you sit inside of, check out Half Moon Bay Kayak company where you can rent a boat and paddle around the harbor.

Heading out for some free fun, a beautiful trail runs along the bluff above the beach south of the harbor, and over the creeks, with showers and running water in the main restrooms at Half Moon Bay State Beach.

If youre bored with normal beaches, its worth the additional 30-minute drive (22 miles) from Pillar Point Harbor to Bean Hollow State Beach. Its unusual rock formations sluice water along hard ridges, grinding stones into small pebbles. It feels amazing on your toes, like a massage, and it wont leave your feet as sandy as other beaches. The headland juts out into a dominoes-style jumble of vertical rock slabs that will leave you breathless (or injured, if you fail to navigate the gaps properly). Epic photos, incredible sunsets and a lesson in geology all await at this one stop. Check the gallery above to see examples.

Finally, if youre spending the night, this article wouldnt be complete without mentioning your opportunity to stay at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay, for catered smores around the fire pits, and all that youd expect from a 5-star hotel on the beach. Rooms run upwards of $900 a night, but there may be deals for weekdays without a view. They have kids programs, including a kids night out, so parents can get a break. We wont say how much the smores are. If you have to ask, well

See what we're talking about in the gallery above.

There are hundreds of places to explore and eat in the Half Moon Bay region. This is just one itinerary based on staff experience. We invite our readers to share your favorite Half Moon Bay recommendations and read those of others in the comments.
RICHMOND, Va.  The outcome of a lawsuit alleging that Donald Trump is violating the U.S. Constitution by profiting off the presidency could depend largely on competing definitions of an antiquated word: emoluments.

At the center of the lawsuit is the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution, which bans federal officials from accepting benefits from foreign or state governments without congressional approval.

The attorneys general of Maryland and Washington, D.C., say government spending at Trumps Washington hotel falls under a broad definition of emoluments: any profit, gain, or advantage.

Trumps attorneys, however, argue that the definition does not include payments for hotel stays. They argue the emoluments clause only bars payments to the president if theyre made in connection with services he provides in his official capacity.

The debate over the narrow vs. broad definition will be on display when the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments in the case Tuesday.

Trumps legal team is challenging a decision by a federal judge in Maryland to allow the lawsuit to go forward. Judge Peter Messitte ruled in July that the attorneys general had made convincing arguments that the constitutional meaning of emoluments encompasses any profit, gain, or advantage. It was the first time a federal judge had interpreted the clause.

Trump also argues that as president, he has absolute immunity from the lawsuit. But Maryland and the District say Trumps alleged misconduct is unrelated to the functions of his office, so absolute immunity does not apply.

Before Trump was sued, the emoluments clause was a constitutional provision familiar mainly to constitutional scholars and law professors.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine argue that Trumps failure to divest himself of his business holdings  including the Trump International Hotel in Washington  put him in clear violation of the emoluments clause.

Frosh and Racine, both Democrats, say hotels in Maryland and Washington have been harmed because foreign and state government officials are more likely to stay at Trumps hotel in an attempt to curry favor with the Republican president.

Its not just making something up  its in the U.S. Constitution  hes prohibited from taking payments from foreign governments or from states ... and he does each one on a daily basis, Frosh said.

Trump won rights to lease the U.S. governments Old Post Office site in 2012 and opened it as a luxury hotel in October 2016, just weeks before he won the presidential election.

The hotel, located blocks from the White House, quickly became a hot spot for lobbyists and foreign officials. A public relations firm working for Saudi Arabia spent nearly $270,000 on food and rooms. The Philippine and Kuwaiti embassies also have thrown parties there.

Denise Lavoie is an Associated Press writer.
ST. LOUIS  Residents in parts of southwestern Iowa were forced out of their homes Sunday as a torrent of Missouri River water flowed over and through levees.

Heavy rainfall and snowmelt forced river levels across several Midwestern states to dangerous levels. At least two deaths were blamed on flooding, and two other men have been missing for days. While river levels on Sunday were starting to level off in Nebraska, other residents in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri were bracing for worse flooding to come.

The Missouri River reached 30.2 feet Sunday in Fremont County, Iowa, in the states far southwestern corner, 2 feet above the record set in 2011. People in the small towns of Bartlett and Thurman were being evacuated as levees were breached and overtopped. Thurman has about 200 residents, about 50 people live in Bartlett.

County Emergency Management Director Mike Crecelius said it wasnt just the amount of the water, it was the swiftness of the current that created danger.

This wasnt a gradual rise, Crecelius said. Its flowing fast and its open country  theres nothing there to slow it down.

Lucinda Parker of Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management said nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated at eight Iowa locations since flooding began last week.

In Nebraska, the Missouri River flooded Offutt Air Force Base. Spokeswoman Tech. Sgt. Rachelle Blake told the Omaha World-Herald that 60 buildings were damaged, including about 30 inundated with as much as 8 feet of water Sunday. Hundreds of people remained out of their homes in Nebraska, but rivers there were starting to recede.

The flooding is blamed on at least two deaths. Aleido Rojas Galan, 52, of Norfolk, Neb., was swept away in floodwaters Friday night in southwestern Iowa, when the vehicle he was in went around a barricade. On Thursday, James Wilke, 50, of Columbus, Neb., died when a bridge collapsed as he used a tractor to try and reach stranded motorists.

Two men remain missing. A Norfolk man was seen on top of his flooded car late Thursday before being swept away. Water also swept away a man after a dam collapse.

In St. Joseph, Mo., volunteers were helping to fill sandbags to help secure a levee protecting an industrial area. Calls were out for even more volunteers in hopes of filling 150,000 sandbags by Tuesday, when the Missouri River is expected to climb to 27 feet  10 feet above flood stage.

Jim Salter is an Associated Press writer.
LOS ANGELES  A 9,000-gallon tanker truck leaking gasoline caught fire and triggered multiple explosions in Los Angeles on Sunday, igniting surrounding structures and sending a huge column of black smoke into the air, authorities said.

Fire officials arrived at the scene about 6 miles south of downtown of Los Angeles around 7:45 a.m. to find the truck and surrounding area fully engulfed.

The explosions detonated with such force that they broke a large manhole cover in half and set a nearby home on fire, officials said. Much of the damage was confined to the home and an adjacent parking lot surrounded by corrugated metal.

Two people were injured in the blast, one of them seriously, officials said. Both were transported to a local hospital.

The trucks smoldering gas tank lay on its side in the parking lot with one end blown open.

Felipe Cuevas, 30, lives just a few hundred yards away.

My sister was getting home from work about 8 a.m. when she smelled gas in the air, Cuevas said. She reported it to the gas company. The gas company told her it would be there as soon as possible. As soon as she walked back into the house, there was a loud  boom, followed by six or seven more booms separated by about five minutes.

Joseph Casillas, 32, and his family also live nearby.

We thought it was an earthquake, Casillas said. There was a fireball and a tornado of fire. It was very hectic in the streets of our neighborhood.

Customers of Puro Texcoco, a Mexican restaurant nearby, quickly fled the scene, abandoning their meals. Francisco Pilla, 33, works at the restaurant and was among those who ran.

I heard an explosion, then I started running and I looked back and there was a little river of gasoline running along the curb and into the storm drain in front of the restaurant, Pilla said in Spanish.

The stench of gas saturated the air, Pilla said. He heard explosions, and as he looked back toward the restaurant, he saw the gas running into the storm drain ignite.

Its a little river of fire, Pilla said.

Dozens of firefighters battled the blaze for at least 90 minutes before they were able to extinguish it, officials said.

Louis Sahagun and Joseph Serna are Los Angeles Times writers.
EAST HAVEN  A New Haven resident and Hamden Public Schools employee resigned after she used racial epithets in an encounter with two people of color at a grocery store, an incident shared in a video Friday night that thousands of Facebook users have re-posted.

The video shows a white woman, whom Superintendent Jody Goeler has identified as former Hamden Public Schools employee Corinne Terrone, using racial slurs. A statement from the school district said Terrone has resigned from her position. According to the districts website, Terrone was a clerk in the Central Office.

In the footage, posted by a user whose profile name is Tatiana Winn, Terrone yells the n-word three times and spits at two people, a black man and woman. It is unclear how the encounter began.

After her first use of the racial epithet, the man appears to rush toward Terrone, who taunts, Put your hands on me, come on! and pulls out her phone to begin recording. The man then appears to quickly knock the device from her hand, and does not make further physical contact based on what is visible in the footage.

More for you Listen to calls to police made by woman who made racial slurs in supermarket

When the man slowly walks away, Terrone hurries after him, and the black woman steps in between them.

According to the Facebook post, the video was filmed at East Havens ShopRite. Many of the thousands of comments it has received express support for the black individuals and outrage toward Terrone.

Terrones New Haven home was quiet on Saturday afternoon and no one appeared to be inside.

By that time, a black next-door neighbor had heard about the video and was surprised. The man, who declined to provide his name, said hes never seen Terrone exhibit racist behavior and that his grandchildren often play with her kids.

Shes in a bad situation, the man said.

The man said hes been living next to Terrone for more than eight years and shes been an excellent neighbor.

Shes always been the sweetest woman in the world, the man said.

Several neighbors said police were at Terrones home earlier in the day.

East Haven Police Lt. Joseph Murgo released a statement, saying the department is aware of this disturbing video and the hate speech contained in it but that no complaint has been filed.

We are in touch with ShopRite and are looking to get a better understanding of what took place (Friday) night, the statement said.

The statement asked anyone involved in the incident to contact the East Haven Police Department.

We have a lot of avenues to go down if somebody were to reach out to us, Murgo said. We want somebody to come forward ... if they were present (Friday) night.

If Terrone were charged, Murgo continued, police would base the offense on the complainants statement. Though she could face many possible charges  the minimum being breach of peace  spitting is considered a form of assault, Murgo said.

The Hamden School district posted a statement about the incident on its website.

We have become aware of video footage that appears to show an employee in our district engaged in abhorrent conduct. Specifically, the video appears to show the employee repeatedly calling an African-American man the N-word in a supermarket in East Haven, the statement says.

The video also appears to show the Hamden employee spitting at the aforementioned African-American male as he was walking away from the employee. It also appears that the employees children witnessed her conduct. Because her children were present, school administrators filed a DCF report, the statement continues.

In an email, Karen Kaplan, Hamden Public Schools director of Program Innovation, Technology & Communications, wrote the woman has been separated from employment effective immediately.

The statement also describes the consequences of Terrones actions. While it appears as though this happened after work hours on Friday evening, the Human Resource Director contacted the employee and arranged an investigatory meeting with her. Shortly after final arrangements were made for the investigatory meeting, the employee rendered her resignation effective immediately.

The language the employee used in the video is in conflict with the values of the Hamden Public School System, the districts statement said. Someone who will use that sort of language in any setting, whether public or private, is not someone we want anywhere near our children. The employee is separated from service, and we hope that her children will receive the support they need after witnessing such a traumatic event.

Mayor Curt B. Leng and Council President Michael McGarry described the conduct featured in the video as vile and disgusting in a statement issued Saturday afternoon. Both praised the speed of the response from the Hamden schools.

What I saw was vile and shocking. While I am disgusted and disheartened seeing such hateful behavior, wildly unacceptable anywhere, I am thankful for the swift and effective actions taken by our school system to address this head on and make clear that hate and violence will not be tolerated, said Leng in the statement.

The Legislative Council has been made aware of a video that appears to show an employee of the Hamden Public Schools acting and speaking in a manner that is unacceptable for an employee of the Town of Hamden. The actions and statement of the women in the video are disgusting and horrifying. It is additionally disturbing that the incident takes place in the presence of children, McGarry said. Hamden values the inherent worth and dignity of all people, and the actions and statements in the video do not reflect those values.

State Sen. Len Fasano and state Rep. Joseph Zullo, both Republicans representing East Haven, issued a joint statement condemning the conduct in the video.

What we saw in this video is repulsive and deeply offensive and does not represent the people of East Haven or our values. The behavior is shocking and upsetting and has no place anywhere, including in our community, Fasano and Zullo said in the statement. We understand Hamden Public Schools has acted quickly to seek this employees resignation. East Haven police are also seeking more information and urging any potential victims or witnesses involved to come forward. Hate speech and violence will not be tolerated in our community.

State Sen. George Logan, R-Ansonia, described the events depicted in the video as disgraceful in a statement Saturday.

Shocking. Disturbing. Disgusting. This video made me sick to my stomach. As a community, we must condemn these actions in the strongest of terms, Logan said. We will never tolerate hate speech. Anyone who knows witnesses of this ugly incident should contact East Haven police immediately.

Staff writer Ben Lambert contributed to this story.
On a Sunday morning at Beth Israel Worship Center in Wayne, New Jersey, a bearded pastor named Jonathan Cahn stood on an elevated platform, gazing over a full house. Stage lights shifted from blue to white as the backing band played a drifting melody. Two men hoisted curled rams horns and let out long blasts.

Some of you have been saying you want to live in biblical times, Cahn said, pacing behind a lectern. Then he spread his hands wide. Well, you are.

Sitting at the end of a sleepy drive an hour from New York City, Beth Israel may look like any common suburban church. But the center has a highly unusual draw. Every weekend, some 1,000 congregants gather for the idiosyncratic teachings of the churchs celebrity pastor, an entrepreneurial doomsday prophet who claims President Donald Trumps rise to power was foretold in the Bible.

Cahn is tapping into a belief more popular than may appear.

A recent Fox News poll found 1 in 4 Americans believe God wanted Donald Trump to become president. Celebrities like televangelist Paula White and Franklin Graham have boosted the idea. The presidents own press secretary suggested as much in a January interview. And on the opening day of the Conservative Political Action Conference this month, millionaire businessman Michael Lindell took to the stage and declared Trump chosen by God.

Cahn was ahead of the curve.

He has dedicated an entire book to this very thesis, an insight he claims to have received from God. The Paradigm: The Ancient Blueprint That Holds the Mystery of Our Times, in fact, is only the most recent installment of a best-selling series dealing with the supposed mystical meaning behind all manner of current events. In it, Cahn likens Trump to the biblical king Jehu, who led the ancient nation of Israel away from idolatry.

With his growing stature, Cahn is also a rising figure in some quarters of conservative politics. In an email to congregants, Cahn shared his latest good news: This weekend, he is making his first trip to the presidents vacation retreat, Mar-a-Lago. He is set to address a small gathering of activists and advisers.

After worship on a recent Sunday, in a roped-off section flanked by security guards, Cahn signed piles of his books before a small crowd. At 59, Cahn cultivates a refined demeanor, rarely appearing without a signature all-black suit and tie. He laid his hands gently on one mans shoulders and offered quiet counsel. Be patient, he said. Keep praying for breakthrough.

Gail Greenholtz, an elder member, stood near the end of the line. Many of us consider him a prophet of our time, she said. A visionary.

Michael Cooney, 58, had driven an hour to hear the pastor teach on politics and prophecy. Its all relevant for this moment, he said. He shows us that Trump was actually in the Bible.

Central to Beth Israels story is the unlikely rise of its pastor, a liberal Jew transformed into an end-times evangelist. The tale is also a step into a controversial and burgeoning layer of American religion, where commerce, supernatural belief and patriotism blend freely. Daniel Silliman, a Valparaiso University professor of religion, called Beth Israel and its pastor part of a long tradition of Americans looking to prophecy as a way to absorb the chaos of current events. It can make someone feel that God is working through human history, he said, transforming anxiety into a sense of fullness.

The son of a Holocaust refugee, Cahn was raised in a nominally Jewish family in the New York suburbs. But from an early age, he was drawn to the more esoteric corners of belief.

He devoured the writings of Nostradamus, the Virginia psychic Edgar Cayce and far-out conspiracy theories about ancient astronauts. Cahn soon stumbled on The Late Great Planet Earth, the 1970s best-seller that argued doomsday prophecies of the Bible were playing out with events like the Cold War and Israels Six-Day War. Cahn bought the book thinking it was about UFOs; instead he was given a crash-course in Christian eschatology.

I was just floored, Cahn said. On his 20th birthday, to the dismay of his Jewish father, he became a Christian.

By the 1980s, Cahn was leading outreach for a hippy-style church in New Jersey. His hair and beard grown shaggy, he led services with a guitar slung around his neck. Cahn later broke off to lead an independent congregation, Beth Israel, and built his following through a slot on Christian radio, where his messages took on an end-times flavor.

After the 2001 terrorist attacks struck Manhattan, Cahn adopted a sharp, even more apocalyptic focus.

In sermons, he began comparing the attacks to the ancient warnings of the Bible, drawing largely from the book of Isaiah, where God vows to punish the disobedient nation of Israel.

Cahn said abortion, gay rights and the perceived retreat of religion in the public square were all troubling signs that America, like ancient Israel, had lost its way.

Once rolling with this comparison, Cahn began seeing patterns everywhere. As the Israelites turned away from their God, they were attacked by Assyrians; America, in modern times, was also attacked by a foreign army from the East, al-Qaida terrorists. After the ancient siege, the Israelites vowed to replant a destroyed sycamore grove with new trees; near ground zero, a huge sycamore tree was also destroyed, as the towers fell.

The supposed connections go on. Tenuous as they may seem, Cahn saw the links as compelling. His flock did, too. God revealed patterns, he said. I called it the download process.

Cahn eventually turned his thesis into a full-length book, The Harbinger, in 2012, put out by the publishing arm of the powerhouse Charisma Media, a Christian multimedia company that also runs a daily news site. The book climbed up best-seller lists and hovered there for months, alongside blockbusters like Fifty Shades of Grey. He followed his debut with a companion edition and three other titles, all embellishing on the same theme of prophecies replaying today.

The Paradigm, published in the months after Trumps win, again likens the United States to the ancient nation of Israel  two peoples, Cahn says, who have a unique relationship with God. He then argues that all sorts of figures in contemporary politics have biblical counterparts. Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, for example, are the modern-day analogues to wicked Ahab and Jezebel. Trump is the warrior-king Jehu, who took control of the nation and cast idols out of the capital. Jehu also sought to drain the swamp, Cahn said.

Trump, like his ancient predecessor, Cahn writes in his book, was a flawed vessel being used by God. The unlikely and controversial warrior was destined to become the new ruler of the land, Cahn goes on. The template would ordain that Donald Trump would become the next president.

Some observers object to Cahn's claims to divine insight. In particular, he has attracted the attention of a network of Christian critics who see him as part of a growing stream of over-the-top supernaturalism in the church.

Tensions came to a climax in 2015, when Cahn suggested in a book and during several TV appearances that an imminent cataclysm was on the horizon.

Leaning on arcane readings of the early books of the Bible, Cahn said that just as God visited judgments on the wayward Israelites according to a particular seven-year pattern  something called the shemitah  modern catastrophes might follow a similar pattern. In 2001 came terrorist attacks, in 2008 there was an economic crash. Cahn asked: could 2015 bring another disaster?

But months passed, and the doomsday date came and went. He was dismissed as a grifter.

Cahn actually grows embarrassed discussing the doomsday fiasco. He insists he has always included disclaimers on his work and never set exact dates. Rather, Cahn wanted to warn that a cataclysm could happen, not that it would. I always say: You cant put God in a box.

And Cahns admirers remain true. On a Friday evening this winter, Beth Israel was packed, even though a snowstorm had been forecast.

After worship, congregants gathered near the canteen, where steam rose from platters of rice, beans and soup.

Several worshippers described how they once attended other, more mainline churches before discovering Beth Israel. Some still have a home church elsewhere, but come here for a supplemental dose of mysticism. Bob Keene, a 68-year-old school bus driver, described the appeal. Learning about prophecy puts me at ease, he said. The problems Im having, the things Im going through, those are also part of Gods plan.

Roxanne Mangal, a middle-aged woman in a flowery blouse, said Cahn had healed her of a terrible illness. Joining Beth Israel also brought wealth. My income tripled, she said. It quadrupled.

Now she wanted to show Keene a more recent miracle shed seen, captured on a cellphone photo, no less. After Trump had moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem  the subject of great excitement at the church  she believed she saw the New York skyline light up in heavenly sparks. God did that, she said, thrusting the phone forward.

Hmm, Keene said, looking at the photo politely. I thought it was a sunset at first.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
PITTSBURG (BCN)



A 44-year-old man was listed in critical condition and on life support Saturday afternoon after an early-morning shooting apparently stemming from a domestic dispute, Pittsburg police said.



A police department news release said officers were called to a home on Barrie Drive, in the south part of the city, at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday on a report of a shooting. Officers found the 44-year-old man there with a gunshot wound, officers said on social media.



Police said it appears the victim and his wife had been arguing before the shooting took place. The names of the victim and the suspect were not released as of late Saturday afternoon, and there was no mention of an arrest.





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LOS ALTOS (BCN)



Police in Los Altos are warning residents to be on the lookout for a driveway repair scam that has recently been making the rounds of the Bay Area.



The scammers will often target elderly residents, offering to repair or seal-coat driveways, police said.



They will give victims a verbal estimate without providing a written estimate or a written contract. The scammers will use few tools and low-grade materials to complete or partially complete a sub-par job, police said.



They then demand a cash-only payment that may be significantly larger than the original verbal estimate, police said. The loss in such scams can amount to thousands of dollars, according to police.



Authorities urge residents to be aware of the warning signs of the scam:



-- Selling door-to-door: Reputable and licensed contractors will rarely solicit work by walking door-to-door. Always ask for a contractor license number and for references even if they sound and look professional (construction vests/clothing).



-- Leftover materials: Professional and licensed contractors will know, with great accuracy, how much paving material is needed to complete a project. Rarely will they have leftover materials.



-- Pressured to make a quick decision: Reputable and licensed contractors will provide a written estimate that will be valid for weeks or months. If the great deal they are offering today is not available tomorrow or next week it may be a scam.



-- No contract offered: Insist upon a written contract specifying in detail, the work to be performed and the agreed upon price.



-- Cash-only sales: Most reputable and licensed contractors will accept checks or credit cards and will not require cash-only payments.



-- Too good to be true deals: If the estimated price seems very low, chances are the quality of the work will also be quite low and you will typically be up-charged upon completion of the job.



-- Unmarked truck: The trucks utilized by the subjects will often me unmarked or they will have an out of town address, phone number and/or license plate. A little research will reveal that they have no permanent address (typically will use an address associated to UPS store type business) and the phone number is regularly changed.



Anyone encountering a situation believed to be a scam - or anyone who has fallen victim to a scam -- is asked to call the Los Altos Police Department at (650) 947-2770 and report the situation.





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A 42-year-old Santa Rosa man turned himself into police and was arrested Friday afternoon in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that morning along westbound state Highway 12, police said Saturday.



Daniel Joseph Bazzoli is suspected of driving a 2006 Mitsubishi Raider pickup truck that hit a 25-year-old man on the highway, according to Santa Rosa police.



The victim has been identified as Michael John Campbell of Santa Rosa.



The collision happened about 1:20 a.m. Friday on the highway at Middle Rincon Road, police said. A citizen flagged down a Santa Rosa officer to report there was a man lying unconscious on the westbound shoulder of the highway.



Police said Friday that after hitting the man, the vehicle fled. Campbell was pronounced dead at the scene.



After turning himself in Friday afternoon, Bazzoli was interviewed by investigators and allowed them to access his truck, which had damage from the collision, police said.



Bazzoli was arrested for felony hit and run and was booked at the Sonoma County Jail.







An Antioch man was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of manufacturing and selling illegal guns from a home just a block away from a local high school.



Terry Ferguson, 33, was taken into custody after police served a search warrant at 6 a.m. at his house in the 200 block of J Street.



A felon on parole, Ferguson is suspected of possessing, manufacturing and selling illegal firearms from the house.



Several people were detained at the home, including Ferguson, while detectives searched the residence. In Ferguson's bedroom, they found firearms and evidence that Ferguson was manufacturing unregistered, fully automatic handguns and rifles.



Police released a photo of several weapons found at the home on J Street. The house is two blocks away from the Antioch Police Department and one block from Prospects High School.



The Antioch police SWAT Team assisted in serving the search warrant.



Ferguson is on parole for robbery and on county probation for possession of narcotics while armed with a firearm. He was booked at Contra Costa County Jail on suspicion of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of prohibited firearms, and illegally manufacturing and selling firearms.







A 40-year-old Vallejo man who was reported missing after snowboarding at a North Lake Tahoe resort was found dead Wednesday, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said Saturday.



The man, whose name had not been released Saturday afternoon, got on a Northstar California Resort ski lift on Monday, authorities said.



When he didn't return from the trip, his family reported him missing on Wednesday, said Placer County Sgt. Dave Hunt.



The man's car was still in the parking lot covered with snow, and teams searched the mountain. His body was found by a ski patrol, Hunt said. Especially high snow levels have created hazards for skiers and snowboarders this year, Hunt said.







Police officers in San Leandro on Thursday gave life-saving medication to a woman suffering from an apparent opioid overdose.



Officers with the San Leandro Police Department responded Thursday to a report of an unresponsive woman outside the Taco Bell at 15501 Hesperian Blvd.



The officers located a 28-year-old woman suffering from an apparent drug overdose.



Police said the woman was having difficulty breathing and displayed signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance.



The officers determined the woman had ingested a dangerous amount of opioids.



The officers administered Narcan, a medication that counteracts the effects of opioids, in an effort to revive the woman.



Police said the drug had an immediate impact, and the woman regained consciousness and started breathing normally.



Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported the woman to the hospital for treatment.





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VACAVILLE (BCN)



Vacaville Fire Protection District crews were battling a three-alarm fire late Saturday afternoon at an apartment complex in south central Vacaville, the department reported on social media.



Three ambulances have been called to the blaze, at a large complex at 1501 Alamo Drive. The fire was first reported at about 8:45 a.m. Saturday. A third alarm was called at about 4:25 p.m., firefighters reported on social media.



More information about the fire was not immediately available.





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ROHNERT PARK (BCN)



Seven people were arrested, one for suspected felony driving while intoxicated on what would be her fourth offense in four years, at a Rohnert Park police DUI checkpoint that ran from 8 p.m. Friday until after 1 a.m. Saturday, police said.



Two people were arrested on suspicion of DUI, including the multiple-time offender - a 44-year-old woman from Rohnert Park - for what would be her fourth DUI in four years if convicted, making it a felony count. A 64-year-old man from Santa Rosa was also arrested on suspicion of DUI and also later suspected of bringing illegal drugs into the Sonoma County Jail, a felony.



Five drivers were cited for driving without a license; four were able to leave when licensed drivers came to drive their cars away. The fifth driver's car was towed, police said, when an acquaintance with a valid license couldn't come.



A total of 833 vehicles passed through the checkpoint on East Cotati Ave at Santero Way. Of those, 819 were screened for signs of DUI, and for valid driver's licenses, police said. Thirty-nine drivers went through further testing.



This checkpoint was made possible by a grant to Rohnert Park's Department of Public Safety from the California Office of Traffic Safety; police said more checkpoints will be conducted throughout the year.





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The woman who died in a fatal vehicle accident Saturday afternoon on State Highway 4 in Contra Costa County has been identified as a 25-year-old Antioch resident.



Destinee Shaharisha-Jenae Hillery was pronounced dead at the scene after the silver Honda she was driving crashed into the guard rail eastbound at Port Chicago Highway north of Concord around 2:25 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. She was the car's only occupant.



Investigators located bullet holes on the driver's side door. The preliminary investigation is of a "suspicious death," CHP Officer Hannah Wolcott said Saturday.



Anyone with information about this case is asked to call CHP investigations at (707) 917-4491





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"Oakland mourns his fallen hero," reads a post on the Next Door social networking app from March 17. But the emojis that accompanied the text  two oranges and another of a raccoon  hinted that the deceased wasn't a former mayor, activist or firefighter.

Resident Pawel Dlugosz posted a photo of a raccoon that appears to be dead, laying on the side of Van Buren Avenue in Oakland's Adams Point neighborhood, which is near Lake Merritt. There are flowers laid over its body and at its side, along with an orange.

Along with the photo of the memorial that some Oaklander created for the raccoon, Dlugosz posted, "May his heaven be with trash."

Members of the Adams Point neighborhood and a few neighboring communities gathered digitally to express their concern for the raccoon and pay their respects.

"Oh no," wrote Rachel Gottesman. "I hope it's not the same one that I sat with on my front steps while it ate trash nachos last week." Some people expressed disgust with the posting of the photo. Many others commented that they were touched by the memorial that was raised for the raccoon.

In a separate post on Reddit, user EarthsFinePrint alerted folks in the r/Oakland subreddit of the death of the same raccoon. "RIP Albino Raccoon - I think this was the last one left in Oakland." There was speculation back-and-forth on that post and, in the one on Next Door, as to whether the raccoon was actually an albino.

Dlugosz said that when he told his girlfriend that he was speaking to SFGATE about the dead raccoon memorial, she told him that it had been there since Thursday.

"Oh my gosh. This is our Toronto moment," he said he responded, referencing a 2017 memorial created to honor a dead raccoon after the city failed to pick it up for days. He tagged the City of Oakland in a photo he posted of the raccoon on Twitter, but said he hasn't heard back.

Raccoons are regularly seen in Adams Point community. In July 2018, one that people thought was an albino was spotted at a part of Lake Merritt that's close to Adams Point.

Dlugosz was walking out of his house to go to the library on Saturday morning when he noticed the raccoon on the side of the road.

"It immediately caught my attention," he said. "It just seemed so peaceful and right. We can honor our dead in the right way."

Dlugosz said the raccoons are part of the community. Some hang out on the fence of his house from time-to-time. "It doesn't surprise me that Oaklanders from these parts have a soft spot for them," he said.

Dlugosz said that before moving to Adams Point, he lived in the Outer Richmond, "where raccoons are omnipresent."

"It's kind of funny that I keep ending up in raccoon territories," he said. He said that he and his neighbors in the Outer Richmond, as with his neighbors in Adams Point, respect the raccoons that are endemic to that neighborhood.

Maybe the animals are so respected in the Bay Area (despite being seen as a rodent or pest in other regions) because they are a symbol for the humans trying to survive in the region, Dlugosz waxed.

"Raccoons are representative of the hustle of the region," he said. "Everyone's just trying to get by."
KABUL  An overnight Taliban assault on checkpoints in northern Afghanistan killed 22 troops, after some 100 Afghan forces fled heavy fighting in the countrys west last week and tried to cross into neighboring Turkmenistan, officials said Sunday.

The two battles mark the latest setbacks for the countrys battered security forces, who come under daily attack and have suffered staggering casualties in recent years. The attacks have continued even as the Taliban have been holding direct negotiations with the United States aimed at ending the 17-year war.

Mohammad Tahir Rahmani, head of provincial council in the northern Faryab province, said the insurgents launched the attack late Saturday against checkpoints manned by police and pro-government militias in Qaisar district, setting off a fierce gunbattle that lasted into Sunday morning. The army sent in reinforcements, who were among those killed.

He said 20 other Afghan forces were wounded in the attack.

The Taliban have gained control of more areas in the district after stepping up attacks in recent weeks, Rahmani said, adding that troop reinforcements have arrived from the capital

Provincial police spokesman Karim Yuresh confirmed that a large number of Taliban launched attacks in Faryab, but he could not immediately provide more details.

Last week, around 100 Afghan soldiers in the western Badghis province fled their posts and tried to cross the border during a weeklong battle with the Taliban, officials said Sunday.

Mohammad Naser Nazari, a provincial council member in Badghis, said the soldiers werent allowed to cross the border and their fate remains unknown. The Taliban have posted pictures of captured soldiers on social media.

Jamshid Shahabi, the provincial governors spokesman, said 16 soldiers have been killed and 20 wounded during the ongoing battle in the Bala Murghab district, in which the military carried out air strikes and dispatched reinforcements. He said a number of soldiers tried to flee, without providing an exact figure.

Shahabi said more than 40 insurgents were killed in the fighting. He said the provincial police chief and army commander are in the district and instructing the forces to root out insurgents and rescue soldiers. Officials said the fighting had largely subsided by Sunday, with sporadic clashes breaking out in remote areas.

Rahim Faiez is an Associated Press writer.
Samuel Habtab / AFP / Getty Images

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia  Thousands mourned the Ethiopian plane crash victims on Sunday, accompanying 17 empty caskets draped in the national flag through the streets of the capital.

The service came a day after officials began delivering bags of earth to family members of the 157 victims of the crash instead of the remains of their loved ones because the identification process is expected to take months. Family members said they were given a 1 kilogram (2.2 pound) sack of earth taken from the crash site outside the capital of Addis Ababa.
JERUSALEM  A Palestinian killed an Israeli and seriously wounded two others in a West Bank shooting and stabbing spree Sunday before fleeing, setting off a massive manhunt, the Israeli military said.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said the attacker stabbed an Israeli soldier at the entrance to the Ariel settlement, southwest of the Palestinian city of Nablus, and then took his assault rifle. He then opened fire on several passing vehicles, striking civilians. Another car slowed to a stop and the attacker then boarded it and sped away, firing toward soldiers before escaping into a nearly Palestinian village.

The army identified the Israeli killed in the stabbing attack as 19-year-old soldier Gal Keidan.

Conricus said Israeli troops gathered at the entrance to the village to assist in the manhunt. He said it was unclear if the assailant acted alone or with the assistance of others, and whether he belonged to any Palestinian militant group.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the chase was ongoing and he was confident Israeli forces would apprehend those behind the attack and bring them to justice as we have in all previous cases.

Israels Magen David Adom rescue service said the wounded were a 35-year-old man and a 20-year-old who were treated on the scene in serious condition before being evacuated to a hospital.

The attack comes after two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire last week in separate West Bank incidents, which followed a period of relative calm. On Thursday, Hamas fired a pair of missiles from Gaza toward the Israeli city of Tel Aviv in a rare attack into the heart of Israel that looked to push the sides into another round of escalation. But the launch was apparently a technical malfunction and after a brief Israeli reprisal calm was restored.

Israel is currently in the midst of an election campaign, and Egypt is trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers.

Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks in the West Bank. Israeli forces have killed more than 260 Palestinians in that same period. Israel has described most of the Palestinians killed as attackers, but clashes between protesters and soldiers have also turned deadly.

Aron Heller is an Associated Press writer.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  A U.S. Navy veteran from Southern California has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran, his lawyer said, becoming the first American known to be imprisoned there since President Trump took office.

Though the case against Michael White remains unclear, it comes as Trump has taken a hard-line approach to Iran by pulling the U.S. out of Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers.

Iran, which in the past has used its detention of Westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations, has yet to disclose Whites sentence in state-controlled media. Its mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Obviously, the concern is that the Iranians are using this as a tool against the United States, given the other individuals who are in custody, said Washington-based lawyer Mark Zaid.

Whites arrest was first reported by IranWire, an online news service run by Iranian expatriates, which interviewed a former Iranian prisoner who said he met White at Vakilabad Prison in the northeastern city of Mashhad in October.

In the time since, White has been convicted of insulting Irans supreme leader and posting private information online, Zaid said. He said the information surrounding the case remained vague. He learned of the sentence from the U.S. State Department. The diplomatic agency was advised of it from the Swiss government, which looks after American interests in Iran.

The State Department said late Saturday that it was aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen in Iran.

We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad, it said, without elaborating on the case.

The New York Times first reported Whites 10-year sentence. Whites mother, Joanne White, had told the Times that her son, who lives in Imperial Beach (San Diego County) went to Iran to see a woman she described as his girlfriend and had booked a July 27 flight back to San Diego via the United Arab Emirates. She filed a missing person report with the State Department after he did not board the flight.

White worked as a cook in the U.S. Navy and left the service about a decade ago.

Zaid said White apparently traveled to Mashhad without informing the woman in advance. It remains difficult for Americans to get visas to Iran, 40 years after the Islamic Revolution and the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis.

There are three other Americans known to be held in Iran. Iranian-American Siamak Namazi and his father Baquer, a former UNICEF representative, are both serving 10-year sentences on espionage charges. Iranian-American art dealer Karan Vafadari and his Iranian wife, Afarin Neyssari, received 27-year and 16-year prison sentences, respectively. Chinese-American graduate student Xiyue Wang was sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly infiltrating the country while doing research on Irans Qajar dynasty.

Jon Gambrell is an Associated Press writer.
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STATEN ISLANDS, N.Y. -- Joseph and Mary Nucci of New Springville celebrated 50 years of marriage on February, 22, 2019. The event was marked with an intimate dinner with family and friends hosted by their daughter and son-in-law, Frances and Thomas Wilkinson, at La Strada Restaurant, New Dorp on February 24, 2019.

The Nuccis were married in St. Charles R.C. Church in Brooklyn.

Born in Brooklyn, Mrs. Nucci graduated Washington Irving High School, Manhattan and New York Foundling Hospital, Manhattan with a degree in Nursing.

She worked at St. Charles Hospital, Brooklyn as a Pediatric Nurse for 25 years.

Joseph & Mary Nucci celebrate 50 year anniversary. (Family Photo)

Born in Brooklyn, Mr. Nucci is a graduate of Lynbrook High School, Long Island. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from St. Francis College, Brooklyn.

Mr. Nucci was a Social Investigator for Emergency Childrens Services in Manhattan for 17 years. He was recognized with an Award of Merit for outstanding work before retiring in 2002.

Prior to his work with Emergency Childrens Services, Mr. Nucci worked as a grammar school Teacher for New York City's Department of Education and later as a Social Investigator for the Bureau of Public Assistance.

In their spare time, they enjoy spending time with their two grandchildren, Thomas and Alexandra Wilkinson, attending AARP functions and being members of the Mt. Loretto Friendship Club.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Police arrested a city firefighter Sunday following a crash in Port Richmond that resulted in damaged property and at least one person hospitalized.

Omar Juarez-Rivera, 27, faces charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, according to a written statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Informations office.

A law enforcement source told the Advance Juarez-Riviera crashed a vehicle in to a bush at the intersection of Post and Decker avenues at about 3:50 a.m., then fled the scene.

Police initially responded to a report of multiple injuries, though an FDNY spokesman said only one patient needed to be transported to Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton.
Were highlighting some of the activities Staten Island students are engaged in -- both inside and outside the classroom.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A celebrity pup visited students at PS 30, Westerleigh, to teach students about meteorology, weather and other school subjects.

Meteorologist Ron Trotta and his pup, Schmitty The Weather Dog, visited the school last month. The pair was joined by author Elly McGuire, who wrote the book Schmitty The Weather Dog: Daydream.

The four-pound Yorkshire terrier has appeared on various television shows, including The Ellen Show" and Access Hollywood -- and he has even met Oprah.

Trotta and McGuire have brought the Schmitty The Weather Dog Science Sing-Along Show to more than 200 schools across the country. The program teaches students about literacy, music, weather, interaction and positivity.

The show at PS 30 opened with an animated reading of the book by McGuire. Soon after, Schmitty and Trotta gave students a fun, interactive musical weather lesson. The program ended with a sing-along, which you can listen to below, of the Schmitty The Weather Dog theme song.

View the photos above for scenes from the show.

As part of our education column, In Class, we are highlighting some of the activities Staten Island students are engaged in -- both inside and outside the classroom.

Heres a look at some additional recent education-related happenings.

CUSICK MEETS WITH SCHOOL CLUB

Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island) met with students at PS 54, Willowbrook, last month to discuss the impact of school laws directly benefitting those with disabilities.

Cusick spoke with students and teachers who are part of the Youth Disability Leaders of America (YDLA) club -- an identity-based student club.

Special education teacher Heather Gartenberg was recently awarded a grant by the Department of Education to establish the YDLA.

During the visit, students from the club were able to ask questions about laws impacting those with disabilities and hear personal accounts from Cusick about how laws get passed and how he became a public figure.

Once a week, the club meets to tackle the following: advance equity in the school, community and city; empower families with a shared mission for student success; provide a safe, welcoming and affirming environment; work to support staff members to better understand and support student identity.

Gartenberg said one of her goals is to help improve self-advocacy among individuals with disabilities.

Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island) met with students at PS 54, Willowbrook, discuss the impact of school laws directly benefitting those with disabilities. (Courtesy of Heather Gartenberg)

AMAZON FUNDS COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES

More than 130 high schools in New York City -- including six on Staten Island -- will offer computer science courses, courtesy of Amazon.

Amazon Future Engineer is an initiative aimed at making computer science available to children in underrepresented and underserved communities.

The Staten Island schools that will participate in this program include: Curtis High School, St. George; CSI High School for International Studies, New Springville; New Dorp High School, New Dorp; St. Joseph Hill Academy High School, Arrochar; Susan E. Wagner High School, Sea View; and Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical High School, St. George.

The high schools will offer Intro to Computer Science and Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science courses through the curriculum provider, Edhesive.

We want to help make sure more children across New York City gain the coding skills necessary to have successful careers in many fields, said Jeff Wilke, CEO, Worldwide Consumer at Amazon. We are excited that Amazon Future Engineer will immediately impact more than 130 schools and thousands of students who do not currently have access to computer science education. We will continue to invest in bringing these classes to more schools in New York City and across the U.S.

The program will provide preparatory lessons, tutorials and professional development for teachers, digital curriculum for students and live online support.

Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police have arrested and identified a suspect in connection with the murder of reputed Gambino mob boss Francesco Franky Boy Cali, 53, who was gunned down on Wednesday outside his Hilltop Terrace home.

Anthony Comello, 24, a Staten Island resident, was apprehended in New Jersey and taken into custody early Saturday morning by detectives, according to Dermot Shea, NYPD chief of detectives.

Mr. Comello is currently being held in jail in New Jersey, said Shea, during a Saturday evening press conference at One Police Plaza, Manhattan. We anticipate he will return to Staten Island to face murder charges in the death of Fracesco Cali.

Of how Comello was apprehended by police, a source said: The truck is fairly distinctive." Authorities were able to identify the vehicle and suspect from surveillance footage taken from Calis home and, due to a lot of investigative work, traced him to New Jersey.

While we believe we have the shooter in custody in this incident, added Shea, the investigation, at this point, is far from over.

When he was apprehended, the suspect was in the vicinity of a blue pick-up truck, police confirmed.

We believe we do have the vehicle recovered (from this incident)," said Shea.

Detectives are working to match his fingerprints to Calis Cadillac SUV.

On the victims car, we believe we have fingerprints recovered from that vehicle," said Shea during the presser.

- NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea tells reporters that suspect Anthony Comello, 24, was arrested and is expected to be charged for murder in connection with the execution of reputed Gambino mob boss Francesco Franky Boy Cali, 53, during a Saturday evening press conference at One Police Plaza. Shane DiMaioShane DiMaio

At this point, the motive is still to be determined.

At this time, authorities have not found a known mob connection with the suspect.

It doesnt look like it right now, one source said. We cant rule it out. But we havent found anything to rule it in.

Detectives have numerous theories currently under consideration, including the possibility the suspect had or at one time pursued a relationship with a female member of the mob dons family and if that even has any relevance in the slaying, the source said.

Moments before Cali was gunned down in front of his home on Hilltop Terrace, the suspect -- said by witnesses to be driving a blue pick-up truck -- backed into Calis parked vehicle, prompting the victim to exit his residence, according to police brass who held a press conference Thursday at NYPD headquarters.

We know that there was a vehicle accident in front of the residence, and we believe the victims vehicle was struck, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said this week to the Advance. (Cali) exits his house.. whether it was an altercation or a conversation remains to be seen."
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Ethiopia said on Sunday the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that killed 157 people had "clear similarities" with October's Lion Air crash, according to initial analysis of the black boxes recovered from the wreckage of the March 10 disaster.

Rescue workers comb the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Credit:AP

Both planes were Boeing 737 MAX 8s, and both crashed minutes after take-off after pilots reported flight control problems. Concern over the plane's safety caused aviation authorities worldwide to ground the model, wiping billions of dollars off Boeing's market value.

Investigators are trying to determine why the aircraft plunged into a field shortly after take off from Addis Ababa, searching for possible similarities to an October Lion Air crash that killed 189 people.

"It was the same case with the Indonesian (Lion Air) one. There were clear similarities between the two crashes so far," Ethiopian transport ministry spokesman Muse Yiheyis said.
Today marks the launch of the new Sydney Morning Herald app for Apple and Android mobile phones and tablets.

The app is designed to allow readers to get straight to the story, and move quickly through the days top stories by swiping to the next report. The app also allows readers to personalise their feed via My News, by selecting their preferred order of topics.

The SMH app for Apple devices.

Go to the App Store or the Google Play Store, search SMH and download the app.

After you have reached the maximum number of free articles, a subscription screen will appear. If you already have a print or digital subscription, you can log in at this bottom of this screen. If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe at the introductory rate of $7.49 for the first three months.
Canal Rd Film Centre sits on a sliver of industrial space in Sydney's inner suburbs that is the home to wig makers, gaffers, prop builders and set modellers.

Aquaman, Alien, Hacksaw Ridge, The Great Gatsby, Australia, Pirates of Caribbean, The Hobbit, King Kong, The Water Diviner and Maos Last Dancer, all owe something to the talents of its tenants. A new Channel 7 drama Between Two Worlds is being filmed on the site of the former public works depot, now bordering a cycleway and suburban dog park.

Bespoke shoe maker, Jodie Morrison, in her business, 'Steppin' Out' in Leichhardt, Sydney, has designed many shoes for film, and theatre. Credit:Janie Barrett

But the future of this creative hub is uncertain - the tenants have no entitlement to permanent occupancy over the government-owned site, the option on the original lease having run out in June 2016.

"The NSW Government will continue to lease the site on a month-to-month agreement until the future of the site is determined," says a spokesperson for Property NSW.
A GoFundMe page has raised more than $30,000 for the teen who egged Senator Fraser Anning on Saturday afternoon, but he plans to donate the majority towards victims of the Christchurch terror attack.

17-year-old Will Connolly (pictured) has received an outpouring of support after he smashed an egg on to the head of controversial politician Fraser Anning.

And a separate petition on change.org calling for Senator Fraser Anning to be removed from parliament has amassed more than 1 million signatures in less than two days - a site record.

The originator of the petition, Kate Ahmad, wrote Senator Anning had "no place in the government of our democratic and multicultural country".

Will Connolly, the 17-year-old boy, has received an outpouring of support from around the world after he smashed an egg on to the head of the controversial politician as he spoke to media at a far-right rally in Moorabbin, Melbourne.
Pessimism deplored

"For goodness sake let us get rid in Australia of this atmosphere of gloom and pessimism, and lack of courage, that are growing around us," said the Prime Minister Mr Stanley Bruce in a spirited address to the Provincial Press Conference. One would think we could see no possibility of success in the future of this country, he continued. I assure you that in comparison with the rest of the world we have not got a problem in Australia that amounts to anything. This is incomparably the country with the greatest possibilities in the world.

Indiscriminate police wagon use

The Bathurst branch of the ALP at a meeting emphatically protested against what it described as the indiscriminate use of the police patrol wagon on Saturday afternoons. It was declared that the police made a practice of arresting men who were only slightly under the influence of liquor, taking them from hotel parlours and bars, and even when sitting quietly in parks and other open spaces. The chairman (Mr G Shute) declared [this] one of the greatest scandals and disgraces ever known in Bathurst.

Truth in advertising
An elderly man has become the third person to die on NSW's roads in less than 24 hours.

About 7am on Sunday a Jeep Renegade was travelling in Bungawalbin, west of Evans Head, when it left the road and hit a tree, police have been told.

The driver and sole occupant, an 83-year-old Bungawalbin man, could not be revived and died at the scene.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Two other men died on Saturday in separate single-vehicle crashes.
The terrorist attack in Christchurch on Friday plunged the world into shock. At least 50 people are dead, and 12 more are fighting for their lives. Multiple nations are in mourning, a peaceful city has been torn apart.

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There are more questions than answers. How was mass murder able to occur with so little warning? Why New Zealand? Where did the killer get his evil inspiration? And how can we possibly begin to heal from this local, national and international trauma?

To begin, we suggest the whole political class needs to rethink how it talks about social cohesion, religion and immigration. None of what is said by our leaders and representatives exists in a vacuum.

In recent years we have heard several people in the public eye make claims that sounded ugly at the time and in the context of the horrifying terrorist attack on Friday, should give pause for thought.
Former bikie boss Amad 'Jay' Malkoun, who was fortunate to survive a recent bomb attack in Greece, is set to reap up to $40 million from a proposed housing estate on his farm in Donnybrook, 35 kilometres north of Melbourne.

A business associate of the notorious underworld figure has lodged a planning application for a 194-lot subdivision on the 26-hectare property, which is under consideration by Whittlesea Council.

Former Comancheros boss Amad 'Jay' Malkoun fled Australia for Dubai in 2013.

Malkoun, who is recovering from serious burns and fractures in an Athens hospital, purchased the farm from a relative in 2009 for just $950,000. The value of the land increased exponentially in 2017 when then Planning Minister Richard Wynne earmarked Donnybrook as a key growth area that would be rezoned for residential development.

Local property experts say the site is presently worth about $20 million, but could be worth up to $60 million once the development is complete. Subdivision and construction costs would cost about $20 million.
Disturbing numbers of discarded syringes are washing into river beds as the Yarra reaches the inner city, posing fears for safety around the waterway.

The Yarra Riverkeeper Association, which works to protect the health of Melbournes most prominent waterway, estimates there are tens of thousands of needles embedded in the banks and lying deep in the sediment.

Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly picks up one of the estimated tens of thousands of syringes that are lying in the Yarra and its river beds. Credit:Chris Hopkins

In one clean-up blitz this month the association cleared 4.5 tonnes of rubbish from the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers, including about 300 syringes, in a stark illustration of the damage being done to the waterways. About 95 per cent of the syringes came from the Yarra.

During another blitz in April there were 172 needles among five tonnes of waste sucked up from the Yarra using a specially designed vacuum system to clean up the reed beds.
A motorcycle rider who led police officers on a high speed chase south of Perth has died after crashing the Harley Davidson he was driving.

The male rider, from Dawesville, sped away from police on Pinjarra Road in Mandurah on Saturday night before leading officers on a chase through the suburb.

A motorcycle driver involved in a police pursuit is in a serious condition after a crash on Old Coast Road in Halls Head. Credit:Caitlyn Rintoul, Mandurah Mail

The pursuit ended about 8.30pm in Halls Head when the driver in his 20s crashed along Old Coast Road near the McLarty Road and Leeward Entrance roundabout.

The road was blocked in both directions as officers probed the scene.
There is no doubt Guinness is one of the most famous beers in the world.

And you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone drinking anything else at Irish pubs across Perth on Sunday as patrons young and old rise early to get clad in green and celebrate St Patrick's Day with a pint of the black stuff.

With a river of proud Emerald Isle pubs across Perth, deciding where to drink on the day can often come down to where the tastiest sips of Guinness are poured.

To be sure,WAtoday lifted the lid on which pub in Perth pours the best pint of this iconic beverage that's now brewed all across the world.

Sources who really know their Guinness told us Durty Nellys in the Perth CBD, Paddy Malones in Joondalup, Fibber McGee's in Leederville and Murphys Irish Pub in Mandurah are tops for the quality of Guinness they pour and serve.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the Greens were playing politics and were as bad as Fraser Anning. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen / AAP

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has labelled Greens politicians "as bad as Fraser Anning" after they accused him of playing a role in the Christchurch terrorist attack by fuelling anti-Islamic sentiment in Australia.

Meanwhile, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson - whose party ushered Senator Anning into the Parliament before he defected - said she would not support a bipartisan motion to censure her former senator for his widely-condemned remarks on the massacre.

At the weekend, Greens MPs, including leader Richard Di Natale and NSW senator Mehreen Faruqi, said Mr Dutton should be held to account for fostering Islamophobia in Australia via his comments about Lebanese migrants and the government's treatment of refugees.
All major parties will unite to censure Queensland Senator Fraser Anning, accusing him of trying to incite fear and division across Australia on religious grounds in the wake of the Christchurch terror attack.

As Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for the "full force of the law" to apply to Senator Anning, Labor leader Bill Shorten said the reaction of "right-wing extremists" backing the senator highlighted the fringe element supporting him.

It follows Senator Anning's response to the Christchurch killings on Friday in which he sought to lay blame for the attack on the victims.

The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place, he wrote.
More than one million people have signed a petition to remove Queensland Senator Fraser Anning from Parliament after his remarks following the Christchurch mosque massacre.

Senator Anning said that while he was opposed to violence of any form, what it highlights is the growing fear within our community, both in Australia and New Zealand, of the increasing Muslim presence.

The response on social media was fast and furious but a Sydney doctor Kate Ahmad and a Melbourne author Harris Sultan decided to do more than tweet.

Dr Kate Ahmad: "Its to make clear that this kind of hate speech wont be accepted."

Separately and an hour apart, they started petitions requesting Senator Anning be removed from parliament. For both, it was their first petition. Now merged, the petition is by far the largest in Australian online petition history  and even individually Dr Ahmads had eclipsed the Sydney Opera House horse racing advertising petition in 2018.
Addis Ababa: Thousands of people have accompanied 17 empty caskets draped in the Ethiopian national flag through the streets of the capital during a mass funeral for some of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash.

The service at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa on Sunday came one day after officials began delivering bags of earth to family members of the 157 victims of the crash instead of the remains of their loved ones.

Officials say the soil  given in lieu of bodies  was because the identification process is expected to take such a long time.
London: Prince Charles and Camilla are making a historic visit to Cuba as part of major tour of the Caribbean.

The royal couple will make an official four-day trip to the communist state next week - a first by members of the monarchy and will feature a meeting with some of Cuba's most celebrated music stars.

At a Havana recording studio, the prince and his wife are expected to be introduced to members of the Buena Vista Social Club who became world-wide celebrities when their 1997 album became a surprise global hit and Grammy award winner.

Britain's Prince Charles attends the Royal College of Music's annual awards ceremony in South Kensington, London. Credit:AP

Other highlights of the Cuban trip will see the couple meet Havana owners of the famous vintage cars still running in the capital, although these will be British classics.
London: The possibility of Brexit being delayed or overturned in a second referendum is swinging some Tory Eurosceptics reluctantly behind Theresa May's deal ahead of a third vote on the package.

Talks are continuing with the Democratic Unionist Party, which said there were "still issues to be discussed" with ministers about the deal and the contentious Irish backstop measures.

The Eurosceptic Sunday Telegraph said the DUP was demanding a seat at the negotiating table for post-Brexit trade talks.

There are also signs that Eurosceptic Tory resistance is softening, with backbencher Daniel Kawczynski the latest rebel MP to say they will now back the Prime Minister's plan.
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Trump and the chief executive Large companies regularly contribute money to political candidates and spend heavily on lobbying. But what sets Boeing apart from most others is the care CEO Dennis Muilenburg has taken to cultivate a relationship with Trump, who owns one of the company's planes, a 757. That relationship wasn't always so strong. During the 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly slammed Boeing for the cost of its Air Force One design, suggesting it was "out of control". Candidate Trump criticised the company for setting up a plant in China to finish its 737s, saying it would take "a tremendous number of jobs" out of the country. Dennis Muilenburg, president and chief executive officer of Boeing, has worked hard to improve relations between the company and the White House Credit:Bloomberg Shortly after the election, Muilenburg sought to smooth things over with the president during a visit to Trump's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago. A month later, and days before Trump became president, Muilenburg appeared at Trump Tower, praising Trump's "engagement".

When it came time for Trump to make his first trip out of Washington in early 2017 he went to a Boeing plant in South Carolina to tout US economic growth. The company was later awarded a contract to build two Air Force One planes for $US3.9 billion. "We've got a whole wave of policy issues, topics we're working on," Muilenburg told analysts on a call last year, "but we have a voice at the table, which is encouraging." A member of Trump's cabinet, acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan, spent more than three decades with Boeing as an executive before joining the administration in 2017. Ethiopian relatives of crash victims grieve at the site where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff last Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. Credit:AP Trump has continued to praise the company even as he announced the grounding.

"It's a great, great company with a track record that is so phenomenal," Trump said at the White House on Wednesday. "And they want this solved; they want it solved quickly." Mixed record Still, the company has had a mixed track record meeting its policy ambitions in Washington. Muilenburg personally spoke with Trump to lobby for the safety of the 737 Max 8. And the FAA initially stood by the plane as Britain, France and Germany joined a growing list of countries suspended its use in their airspace. US regulators relented on Wednesday, citing new information from the crash site and satellite data that the agency said suggested similarities between the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday that killed 157 people and the crash in October of a Lion Air Flight off the coast of Indonesia that killed 189 passengers and crew. Rescue workers comb the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Credit:AP

"Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT," Trump posted on Twitter days after the crash, a missive that preceded Muilenburg's call to the White House. "I see it all the time in many products. Always seeking to go one unnecessary step further, when often old and simpler is far better." Loading Experts said Boeing has long been a major player in Washington's influence game, but noted there was no evidence that effort had anything to do with the FAA's delay in grounding the latest 737 model. The federal government spent $US23 billion with Boeing in 2017, a US General Services Administration report on federal contracting shows. "They're really good at capturing defence contracts," said Richard Aboulafia, vice-president for analysis at Teal Group and an aviation consultant. "But there's absolutely no evidence that there's anything untoward with the FAA's decision here." A Boeing spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Aviation oversight Like many other agencies in the Trump administration, the Federal Aviation Administration isn't working at full capacity. Daniel Elwell, a former Air Force lieutenant general and American Airlines pilot, has been serving as the agency's acting administrator for more than year. Loading Trump floated the idea of nominating his personal pilot for the top FAA job last year, but backed down following resistance from lawmakers. The National Transportation Safety Board, by contrast, is a five-member board that investigates crashes and makes non-binding recommendations on how to avoid future mishaps. Trump appointed two of its five members and elevated a third - originally a Bush appointee - to chairman. The board has one vacancy.
Christchurch: Muslim volunteers have started arriving in New Zealand from Australia to help with the huge task of washing the bodies of the dead.

Ali Armando flew in with a group from Brisbane, reporting to the makeshift crisis centre at Hagley College in Christchurch after Friday's deadly mosque terror attack.

Taufan Mawardi and Ali Armando, Australian Muslim volunteers now in Christchurch. Credit:Stuff.co.nz

Volunteers are offering support for the families of the terror attack victims, security around the area and ghusl  the Islamic practice of washing the dead.

"We're ready so that as soon as they start releasing the bodies, we'll do the washing," Armando said.
Zainab Badra helps Barbara Hughes of Williamstown put on a hijab at the Newport mosque. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Leaving a bunch of carnations in the Carlton mosques foyer, Kerry Gavin and her sister Robyn summed up the spirit of sorrow and solidarity conveyed by visitors to 21 Victorian mosques on Sunday.

I came to show that the community feels for these people, to show the Muslim community that we want to support them, said Ms Gavin, 54, of Essendon.

Kerry Gavin lays flowers at the Albanian mosque in Carlton. Credit:Carolyn Webb

Like millions of Australians, the sisters were horrified at the massacre of 50 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand, by a gunman on Friday.
They walked side by side up the white marble steps of St Marys Cathedral in central Sydney, the Catholic archbishop in his purple robes, the Muslim grand mufti in a black suit and tie.

They were to speak of 50 lives lost and two countries anguished by violence, in an interfaith ceremony dedicated to the Christchurch massacre.

The interfaith service at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney. Credit:James Alcock

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was among those in the half-full church on Sunday afternoon, as was Labor's deputy leader Tanya Plibersek, NSW Governor David Hurley, Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Opposition Leader Michael Daley, Opposition education spokesman Jihad Dib and Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore.

Archbishop Anthony Fisher spoke first, welcoming those from all faiths.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Several staff members of USZV are calling on the members of the Supervisory Board of Directors to do the honorable thing and resign since they are fully incompetent and are useless.

The staffers that spoke to SMN News said that there is no leadership at USZV and the Supervisory Board of Directors are supposed to oversee the management of the company while ensuring that the funds managed by USZV are protected.

We know that the board members are politically affiliated, some are confidants to the Minister of VSA Emil Lee some to the Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams. The supervisory board members are all DP appointed members and their core interest is to ensure that Lee and Wescot Williams through her son Andy Wescot get their hospital project. As a staff, we do not trust the supervisory board members because of their affiliation with politicians.

The staff members said that the Minister of Health increased the tariffs illegally and to date no one from the Supervisory Board questions it. Some staff members that are close to management are using the referral to go on their vacations.

SZV patients are the ones suffering as the management team refuses to send patients to the French side since Dr. Louis Jeffry was arrested and is under investigation with the OBSXM operations between SZV and Louis Constant Fleming Hospital. Patients that need a consultation with specialists on the French side are forced to go to Colombia for three weeks. This is costing SZV money and certainly providing the incentives (kickback) for those persons in management that are behind the scheme.

We believe that Members of Parliament must send home the Minister of VSA Emil Lee at all cost as well as the management of USZV, they need to have an investigation conducted into this entity, there is corruption under everyone nose and no one is doing anything to protect the ZV, AOV, FZOG funds. Four years ago, we had some hope in Inspectorate of Health when they announced that an audit was going to be done on the referral department. That planned audit was agreed upon by the Minister of Health Emil Lee, Director Glen Carty, and Inspector General Dr. Earl Best. The staff members further stated that somehow that agreement disappeared because Emil Lee puts pressure on everyone especially when he knows that there are skeletons that will expose him and Director Glen Carty.

The Chairlady of the Supervisory Board of Directors Sharine Daniel has also turned a blind eye on what is taking place at SZV since her focus is getting the Directors position that she was promised while being a campaign manager for Sarah Wescot Williams. It is said that that the SZV will create a position that is not even legal to get Daniel to be part of the management team.

Since Emil Lee blocked Daniel by extending Cartys contract, they have decided to create an adjunct director position which does not exist in SZVs structure. We believe that since Daniel wants this position so badly she has turned a blind eye on her supervisory role, thus we believe they should all do the honorable thing and resign.

The staff members said that they have been hearing that Daniel the head of the internal audit department of GEBE has been assisting the Supervisory Board of GEBE behind the scenes, while she is also vying for the CEO position at that company when the current management team term ends in October 2019. Clearly, Daniel who it is believed is competent is looking to upgrade her position while neglecting the current responsibilities she already has both at GEBE and at USZV.
PHILIPSBURG:---The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset launched its first Little Free Library on the Dutch side of the island at the University Of St. Martin in the presence of the President of USM, Mr. Antonio Carmona-Baez, the Dean of Academics, Dr. Rolinda Carter, as well members of the club.

The concept of the Little Free Library was initially introduced in 2009 by Rotarian Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin and the idea quickly spread throughout thousands of communities in the United States, with the goal of creating awareness on the importance of literacy. The Little Free Library is certainly not a new one for the island of St. Martin, as Rotary Sunset initially introduced the first little free library in December with its initial launch on the Marigot Waterfront. The objective of the little free library is mainly to advocate the importance of reading and to promote literacy, a key area of focus for Rotary clubs worldwide.

We received an outpouring of support and encouragement from members of the community with the installation of our first little library on the French side and we decided that there was a need to construct additional little libraries which would be installed at various locations around the island, especially given the dire state of the public libraries on both sides of the island. Today we are extremely grateful for the support of the Management and staff of USM and for the generous donation of Rotarian Stuart Johnson who sponsored this little free library, President Jaida Nisbett stated. Stuart Johnson in a brief statement expressed his gratitude to Rotary Sunset and to USM for awarding him the opportunity to give back to his community. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be able to give back to USM and I am thankful to be a part of such a wonderful organization which has enabled me to be able to give back to my community and to further promote literacy on our island with the installation of this little library. USM is dear to my heart, especially being a former student and this is a small token of appreciation to show how much I appreciate USM. President of USM Antonio Carmona-Baez in a brief statement thanked the club for their efforts in the community and for considering USM to house one of its little free libraries. On behalf of the Dean and myself, I would like to thank you all for this wonderful opportunity for collaboration. As a new resident on the island, I have come to realize how important Rotary Clubs are to St. Martin and it is extremely nice to see that there are so many collaborative efforts, especially in the areas of education. I do believe this would have a tremendous impact on our students and all visitors who come by. We are truly proud of this collaborative effort and we look forward to many more in the future.

The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to encourage the general public to pass by the little library, take a book and leave a book. Members of the community are urged to donate books they are no longer using to either of the clubs little libraries. The club would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Rotarian Stuart Johnson for his generous donation and to the Management and Staff of the University of St. Martin for their support.
China just hit a rocket launch milestone.

Last week, the China National Space Administration launched its 300th Long March rocket mission, successfully placing the new communications satellite ChinaSat 6C into orbit. The mission launched March 10 atop a Long March 3B rocket that lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China's southwestern Sichuan Province.

"This is a milestone for China's space industry development," said Wu Yansheng, board chairman of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), in a CASC statement.

Related: China On the Moon! A History of Chinese Lunar Missions

China's first Long March rocket, the Long March 1, launched on April 24, 1970 carrying the country's first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, according to the state-run Xinhua news service. That first booster could launch up to 661 lbs. (300 kilograms) into orbit.

China's Long March rockets are built by the country's Great Wall Industry Company, which has developed 17 variants of the booster over the years. Its biggest, the heavy-lift Long March 5 , is capable of launching 27.6 tons (25 metric tons) to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 15.4 tons (14 metric tons) to the more distant geostationary transfer orbit.

The country has also recently developed smaller rockets, the Long March 6, Long March 7 and Long March 11, and has plans to make its Long March 8 booster reusable. A super-heavy-lift Long March 9 booster is also in the works, according to SpaceNews.

This China Great Wall Industry Corporation video still shows China's existing Long March rocket family. (Image credit: China Great Wall Industry Corporation)

The Long March series is not China's only rocket family, but it is responsible for over 96 percent of the country's launches, CASC officials said in the statement.

It took China 37 years to launch its first 100 Long March missions, they added. The next 100 followed in just over seven years, with the final 100 missions launching in the last four years.

China launched 37 missions in 2018, a national record for the country. The country plans to launch more than 30 missions in 2019, according to SpaceNews.

To date, Long March rockets have launched more than 500 spacecraft since 1970, according to CASC officials.
White-armored Stormtroopers in the "Star Wars" movies are practically identical and nearly impossible to tell apart. That uncanny similarity recently inspired a team of scientists who had discovered a new spider genus; the arachnids were so alike each other in size and markings that the researchers named them after the helmeted troops, calling the creatures Stormtropis.

These eight-legged Stormtroopers belong to a family dubbed bald-legged spiders, which are native to South America and Central America.

Like the Stormtroopers, the spiders "are very similar to each other, with some capacity for camouflage"; the sci-fi soldiers and the newfound spiders are also alike in being somewhat clumsy, according to the study. However, there is no evidence (yet) that the spiders, like their movie namesakes, are terrible at hitting moving targets with a blaster. [9 Animals with 'Star Wars'-Inspired Names]

Stormtroopers are a common sight across the Empire's conquered worlds in the "Star Wars" universe, and Colombia's bald-legged spiders turned out to be surprisingly numerous, too. Though the arachnids had never been reported in that country before, the study authors described two species in two previously known genera  Paratropis, Anisaspis  and four in the newfound Stormtropis genus. All the newly described species were scattered across a diverse range of habitats in Colombia.

Male Stormtropis spiders have just two claws on their feet, while other bald-legged spiders have three claws. Stormtropis males also lack the group's signature leg spines and have genitals that are more elongated. Female Stormtropis spiders' genitals have a tubular "neck" and an overall mushroom shape, which also differs from the typical shape found in bald-legged spiders.

Some of the newfound female spiders unexpectedly demonstrated a previously unknown behavior: digging burrows in soil, the researchers reported.

One Stormtropis species  S. muisca  was collected in the central Andes at an altitude of 11,155 feet (3,400 meters) above sea level, making that creature the highest-dwelling bald-legged spider species confirmed to date, the authors wrote.

However, S. muisca's cousins may live even higher than that. The scientists gathered evidence of other bald-legged spider species living at altitudes as high as 13,123 feet (4,000 m), but that data is yet to be published, according to the study.

The findings were published online today (March 14) in the journal ZooKeys.

Originally published on Live Science.
Geneva, March 16, 2018 (SPS) - Hundreds of Saharawi community in Europe on Friday held demonstration in Swiss capital Geneva, denouncing the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara and the lack of progress in the UN-sponsored settlement process.



The demonstration was called for by Sahrawi civil society groups and attended by political, human rights and solidarity figures from several countries, who expressed their condemnation of the recent renewal of the fishing agreement between Morocco and EU, which includes Western Sahara, in flagrant violation of the ruling of the European Court of Justice.



The demonstrators raised pictures of Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan prisons, demanding their release after the deterioration of the health condition as a result of torture and medical negligence.



The Geneva demonstration comes as part of the awareness campaigns in major European cities, so that a solution could be found to enable the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination. (SPS)



062/SPS/TRA
Long Beach to consider how it can better communicate homelessness efforts
Sustainability is the hot topic within the fashion industry.

Reports like the Ellen Macarthur Foundation's 'A textiles economy: Redesigning fashion's future' have helped to make us aware of the impact our desire for fast fashion is having on the planet. Did you know, for example, that a lorry's worth of textiles is disposed of every second, with less than one per cent of clothing being recycled to make new ones?

Shocking statistics like this are starting to penetrate the collective psyche of consumers. At the end of last year, fashion search engine Lyst reported that searches for sustainable fashion were up 47 per cent with a number of sustainable brands, like Veja, appearing in the 'most searched for' chart.

Even the House of Commons has taken action. The Environmental Audit Committee report released in February 2019 revealed that if we don't commit to reducing our environmental impact by 2030, global apparel consumption is predicated to rise by 63 per cent, from 62 million tons today to 102 million tons.

Looking to reduce your fashion footprint? We spoke to six fashion industry insidersfrom stylists and bloggers to designers and writersto find out their top tips on how to shop sustainably.

Invest in vintage, Stephanie Broek, fashion writer and consultant

Top tip: 'Buy more vintage, it's the number one most sustainable thing you can do for the planet.'

What small but effective change can people make? 'Invest in long-lasting high quality designer pieces. When a piece of clothing is an investment, you'll probably think better before you buy: do I really need this? How often am I going to wear this? If you end up buying the garment, you'll appreciate it more and be more careful with it. If you get tired of it, you can still resell it on vintage designer platforms like vestiairecollective.com - therefore, expanding the lifespan of a product.'

Three favourite sustainable brands:

Become more aware, Emma Breschi, model at Models 1

Top tip: 'Awareness. Being more aware and aiming to buy less mass produced and fast fashion products. If we as the consume aim to change our ways of shopping, this will force brands to have to become more sustainable in the way they produce their products.'

What small but effective change can people make? 'Buy less. Wear more. Do you really need a new dress for that one occasion to then never wear again? Think about what do you really need and not want.'

Three favourite sustainable brands:

Create a capsule wardrobe, Katherine Ormerod, journalist

Top tip: 'I started by trying every single thing in my wardrobe on and working out if it actual fitted and flattered me. Post baby my proportions have changed and there were some things in there from my twenties which no amount of elbow grease would help zip up. There were also things that made me feel sad for whatever reason, so I got rid of them. Now when I have an event or a work thing, I know exactly what is available and if I actually need to buy some thing or not.'

What small but effective change can people make? 'It's all about mindset and being conscious before you make a spending decision. For a long time I just didnt know what I had and I think so many of us are guilty of that. I also think it's about being comfortable with sharing old clothes on social media. Its not embarrassing to wear an old season dress now - I mean sure, style has never been about that anyway. But this idea of that's so last season, is so old fashioned. I actually think its really cool to wear old pieces, but style them in a new way.'

Three favourite sustainable brands:

Wear sustainable materials, Amy Powney, Mother of Pearl designer

Top tip: 'Only fill your wardrobe with pieces you love and dont fill it up, this is the easiest way to be sustainable. If you love your purchase you will naturally look after it more, you wont want to throw it away and you will want someone else to love it after you. Three out of five of everything we buy ends up in landfill within 12 months of purchase.'

What small but effective change can people make? 'Dont purchase cheap fibres like polyester and nylon as these are in essence the same as buying a plastic bottle, sporting clothing usually has to be made in these fibres so try and choose recycled where possible.'

DIY old items, Kitty Cowell, stylist and blogger

Top tip: 'You can upcycle items really easily with a little DIY here or there. There are so many ways to wear the same items with cool styling tips, bloggers and stylists online are really good at giving you ideas for this and Youtube is awesome to give you some inspo too.'

What small but effective change can people make? 'Try to find ways to re-wear items in your wardrobe rather than just getting rid and starting again all the time.'

Three favourite sustainable brands:

Share and exchange clothes, Ksenia Schnaider, designer

Top tip: 'The best sustainable thing about my wardrobe is that I am sharing it with Anton (my boyfriend). All the t-shirts, hoodies, shirts, we share. We dont have to buy things twice. Me and my sister exchange clothes as well, something that she no longer wears could be my new favourite thing and vice versa.'

What small but effective change can people make? 'This is simple. Think ahead, buy things for quality, not for latest trends. Choose items that are going to serve you for years, not to mention seasons.'
A man stabbed to death in west London was today named as the cousin of a TV weather presenter who recently delivered an impassioned plea to stop knife crime.

Nathaniel Armstrong, 29, was killed in the early hours of Saturday morning on the same street where Jill Dando was shot dead in 1999.

Nathaniel's cousin, Good Morning Britain weatherman Alex Beresford, posted a tribute today, writing on Twitter: "Nobody wins! Everybody loses!"

Just days ago Mr Beresford delivered a powerful speech on air about the state of knife crime in the UK.

He spoke out on March 5 on the ITV breakfast show during a panel debate on whether there should be more jails in the UK.

He said: "Prison doesn't work though. It does not work.

Weatherman Alex Beresford recenlty spoke out over knife crime in a speech on air / ITV

"Ive grown up in some of these communities you guys are talking about. Some of these boys don't fear prison.

"If we dont change the environment we wont change anything. This has been happening for years, years, and its not always in the media.

Victim: Nathaniel Armstrong, 29 / Facebook

"Yes, policing is one thing, but if you dont change these boys environment,' he said.

"All of you guys have benefited from the environment youve grown up in, this work environment, Ive benefited from it too.

A murder investigation has been launched after the man's death in Fulham / PA

"But if you dont show these boys a different environment you wont change anything."

Mr Beresford's agent confirmed they were cousins as friends remembered Mr Armstrong as a "big friendly giant" who loved basketball.

One of Mr Armstrong's friends, who gave his name as George, 30, said: "We don't know how this happened.

"He's got a lot of friends who live local to here. He was well-known in the local area.

"Everyone in the area would have know him from basketball."

He added: "He was super friendly, a BFG. He looked super scary - six foot seven, big beard - but super friendly. It would shock you how friendly he was."

The victim was today named as the cousin of GMB weatherman Alex Beresford / PA

Dozens of people paid tribute to the victim and offered support to Mr Beresford online.

One person wrote: "Nathan was a gentle giant who came through the youth centres of West London. An athlete, a scholar, a professional. Incredibly sorry for your familys loss."

Alex Beresford spoke out over knife crime in the UK / Good Morning Britain

Another said: "So sorry to hear the news of your cousin."

Another person posted online: "I'm so sorry about your cousin Alex I could see how passionate you were about knife crime and how frustrated you were. My thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time."

A murder investigation is underway and police are urging witnesses to come forward.

DCI Glen Lloyd said: "This murder investigation continues apace. Police work at the crime scene is ongoing. Active enquiries are in hand.

"We are appealing for information from those who were out and about in the area at the time of the attack and saw anything of note. My team is particularly keen to trace a light skinned black male, approximately 6ft tall who was seen near the scene at the time of the incident. Did you see him? Do you know who he is? Anyone with information on his identity or whereabouts is urged to contact police."

No arrests have been made.
T V weather presenter Alex Beresford has paid tribute to his cousin who was stabbed to death in west London, saying it was another life needlessly lost to knife crime.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Mr Beresford said: I'm deeply saddened to confirm my cousin Nathaniel lost his life on Friday night.

"We were all so shocked to receive this news yesterday and our thoughts right now are with his mum, his brother and sisters.

Stabbed to death: Nathaniel Armstrong / PA

"Nathaniel was a bright young man with his whole life ahead of him and this tragedy is yet one more example of a needless life lost to knife crime.

The weather presenter later tweeted, with a heartbreak emoji: Nobody wins! Everybody loses!

Mr Armstrong was described by friends as a big friendly giant.

It would shock you how friendly he was, one said.

Nathaniel Armstrong: 'Big friendly giant' / PA

No arrests have been made in connection with his death. Police were hunting a six-foot-tall, light-skinned black male in connection with the murder.

Earlier this month, Mr Beresford was praised over his interjection in a live debate about knife crime on Good Morning Britain.

Good Morning Britain weather presenter Alex Beresford paid tribute to his cousin Nathaniel Armstrong, 'a bright young man' stabbed to death in Fulham / Ian West/PA

Describing how he grew up in communities affected by knife crime, he said prison is "not a deterrent" to attackers.

He said: "Some of these boys, they don't fear prison. If you don't change the environment it won't change anything and that's the key thing.
H orror footage has emerged of the moment a lorry ploughed into a car on the M1 in a crash which "amazingly" left nobody dead.

The incident shows the lorry "carelessly moved" lane near Milton Keynes and causing the collision.

The huge HGV hits the car, smashing its bonnet off and twisting it off the road.

It then ends up sideways back on the carriageway and is shunted by another huge vehicle during the incident on March 7.

Police said "amazingly" there were no fatalities / Thames Valley Police

Thames Valley Police shared the video and said: "This footage might make you jump.

"Fortunately and perhaps amazingly there were no fatalities following this incident.

The force took the opportunity to urge people to check their blind spots when moving lanes.

There were two passengers in the car, who suffered none life threatening injuries, and one in the second lorry who was uninjured.

The lorry driver, Zbigniew Kaczorowski, 55, from Poland pleaded guilty to careless driving at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court.
T wo men fell victim to knife attacks in the capital last night in the latest stabbings on the streets of London.

One man was stabbed in the chest in the West End and another was knifed repeatedly upon leaving a bowling alley in east London.

Both were rushed to hospital and neither victim is in life-threatening conditition.

The first incident happened as a 24-year-old man left Hollywood Bowl in Dagenham with a family member and a group of males approached him.

As he got into a car the men began to hit out at the vehicle before repeatedly knifing the victim and running away.

Scotland Yard was called at 10.17pm after the man had taken himself to hospital. They described it as an unprovoked attack.

Police continue to investigate and no arrests have been made.

Later that evening, the Met was called to Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End to reports of an assault, where they found a man had been stabbed in the chest and another had been hit with a bottle to the head.

An eyewitness to the scenes, who was stood in a McDonald's by where the incident unfolded, said she saw fighting outside the store then a man smash another person "over the head with a bottle".

She told the Standard: "It was all quite dramatic and happened really quickly."

Following the incident she described how one man was bleeding and another man lifted his shirt to reveal a knife wound.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said they had both been taken to hospital.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of affray following the incident and been taken into custody.
A hammer attack near a mosque in Whitechapel has been branded a "horrible hate crime assault" by police.

Scotland Yard gave details of the assault with a hammer or similar blunt object on Saturday but could not confirm the motive.

However, after establishing three men in a car made "anti-Muslim" comments before the attack it has now been deemed a hate crime.

The victim, described as a 27-year-old Asian man by the Met, suffered head injuries though these were not deemed serious.

Scotland Yard's DCI Sean Channing said: "This was a horrible hate crime assault on a man going about his daily business."

However, he said it was not believed the mosque in the area itself had been a target.

Whilst there were initial Islamophobic comments made by this group towards the individual which are being treated seriously, I would like to make clear that at no point did the group approach any mosque or congregation in the area," he said.

"There is no evidence to suggest that the mosque near the area was the intended target."

After the attack on Friday the trio of suspects returned to their car and fled the scene in Cannon Street Road shortly after 1pm.

Footage on social media showed the group shouting in the street with one man clinging to the car's bonnet as it drove away from the scene with its back window smashed.

The suspects are all described as white men and aged in their 20s.

No arrests have been made at this time and officers continue to investigate.
GA English on Sunday : News in Brief from Bonn and the region

BONN/REGION High waters are interfering with a ferry service and prompting Hennef to erect flood walls, there are some changes to report in Bonn city center and the Godesberg tunnel will be closed at night this week. These are some of our news briefs on Sunday

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High waters force ferry service to stop

The Mondorf Rhine ferry has ceased operations until further notice. High waters have resulted in too much debris washing up at the moorings, making regular operations no longer possible. If the situation eases up over the weekend, service could possibly resume on Monday. In Hennef, mobile protection walls were erected due to possible flooding of the Sieg River. Fire department units placed the protective walls at designated locations along "Allner Weg" to protect the inner city from possible flooding.

(Orig. text: Michael Wrobel)

Changes in Bonn city center

Probably the most important change right now in the city center is that the ice cream parlors have opened again after a winter break. Good news for all ice cream fans. But after 30 years, the shoe store Gut zu Fu will close. It belongs to the owners of the shoe store Schwaeppe, which also has branches in Bad Godesberg and Cologne. The property in Bonn is now up for sale. On the restaurant scene, the former cafe and restaurant "Bottler" is expected to awaken from its slumber after a long vacancy. A new restaurant is expected to open there in May, with a completely different concept than what was previously there. A new tenant has also been found for the former furniture store Lignet Roset on the corner of Oxfordstrae and Bonngasse. Construction workers are currently working there to prepare the space for a bakery with a cafe. The Limbach real estate firm brokered the leases for the new tenants.

(Orig. text: Lisa Inhoffen)

Godesberg tunnel closed at night

BONN. Electrical work in the coming week will mean that the Bad Godesberg tunnel will have to be closed at night. According to the city's civil engineering office, the only lane which is currently open during the day, will be closed at night between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. from Monday to Friday. Regular maintenance work is being carried out, as well work on the power supply, which will cause interruptions with the power. The tunnel on the Rhine side is currently completely closed until May to make necessary improvements to the ventilation technology. When that is finished, the other side will be closed for the same type of work.

(Orig. text: Andreas Stanetschek)

Ford to cut 5,000 jobs in Germany

COLOGNE. Car manufacturer Ford plans to cut more than 5,000 jobs in Germany. A Ford spokesman said in Cologne on Friday that the company had informed its employees about a compensation program and an early retirement program. The U.S. car manufacturer had announced cuts already at the beginning of the year, but without giving any concrete figures. Ford has around 24,000 employees in Germany - nearly 18,000 of them in Cologne. There are temporary workers as well and the job cuts will affect both those workers and the permanent workforce. Job cuts are to be achieved through severance payments and early retirement. Cologne's Mayor Henriette Reker reacted with "a large portion of incomprehension and disappointment" and said it was expected that many of the job cuts would be in Cologne. Ford has struggled in Europe for a long time with high costs and moderate sales. It hopes the cuts will save the company 500,000 U.S. dollars (441,5 million euros).

(Orig. text: dpa)

3,500 participate in Fridays for Future march

BONN. Lastly, here is a brief update from the Fridays for Future march. People all over the world took to the streets on Friday to demonstrate for a better climate policy. Even though the rain was relentless here in Bonn, police spokesman Simon Rott said around 3,500 young people gathered in Bonn city center on Friday morning. The students voiced that it was up to them to protect the climate and their future. Although some politicians criticized the students for skipping school to participate in the rally, 13-year-old Lotta Neue said, We are skipping school for a good reason. She said there were divided opinions in her school on the topic. A school headmaster at a Beuel high school was more accepting of the situation, praising the pupils for their civil courage, while a 9th grade teacher from Tannenbusch took her whole class there. The topic of climate protection had been discussed in class and she used the demonstration as part of her course.

(Orig. text: Nathalie Dreschke, Marie Schneider, Lisa Inhoffen)
T he Duchess of Cambridge stunned in green today as she and husband William led a minute's silence at a St Patrick's Day parade.

The pair both attended the 1st Battalion Irish Guards base in Hounslow, west London, where they led the moment of mourning for the victims of the recent New Zealand terror attack.

William, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards, and Kate were visiting 1st Battalion at their base in Hounslow, west London.

The parade began with the Last Post, before a minute of silence was observed.

PA

The royals, the Irish Guards and their families stood in memory of the 50 victims.

Kate, wearing a dark green Alexander McQueen coat and hat from Lock and Co, then handed out baskets of shamrock as the sun beamed down.

Watching close behind was William, in his Irish Guards Frock Coat in the rank of Colonel.

After Kate presented the shamrock to officers and warrant officers, three cheers were raised to the royal duo.

(REUTERS) / Reuters

After this there was a march past where William took the salute, as some 350 soldiers marched on the Parade Square at Cavalry Barracks on Sunday morning.

Their families watched on proudly, wrapped up warm with blankets to protect from the cold March wind.

Leading the procession was Irish wolfhound and mascot Domnhall, who received adoring attention from Kate as she presented him him with a shamrock.

Drummer David Murray, his regimental handler, said the St Patrick's Day parade was "number one" in his calendar and like a "second birthday".

The mascot was presented with his first shamrock in 2013 and today led the regimental band and parade.

Drummer Murray said: "We've had a week-long preparation as a battalion, we've had a couple of rehearsals, couple of little bits that we've had to obviously fine tune.

"Domhnall - he's been in the battalion since 2012, he's pretty good at his job... doesn't really need to fine tune much so in regards to me and him it's been quite a smooth week."
A man inspecting what is believed to be wreckage at the crash site of an Ethiopia Airlines aircraft near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 crashed six minutes after an early-morning takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 149 passengers and eight crew on board, Ethiopian Airlines said as world leaders offered condolences to distraught next-of-kin. People holding passports from 32 countries and the UN were on board the plane which ploughed into a field just 60 kilometres (37 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa, the carrier's CEO Tewolde GebreMariam told journalists in the capital, lamenting this "very sad and tragic day."

AFP/Getty Images
F amilies of the 157 Ethiopian Airlines disaster victims are being given bags of scorched earth from the crash site in places of their loved ones' bodies.

Officials have delivered sacks of earth intended for them to bury because the identification process is going to take such a long time.

Two grieving families spoke out about the situation and an Ethiopian government official also confirmed the deliveries of soil.

"The soil came as it became impossible to identify bodies and hand over remains to family members," one family member said.

"We will not rest until we are given the real body or body parts of our loved ones."

Ethiopian Airlines plane crash 1 /23 Ethiopian Airlines plane crash People walk past a part of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS People walk past a part of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS People walk past a part of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS A passenger safety instruction card is seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS Cabin serviettes are seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS A civilian takes a photograph of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS Rescuers search through wreckage at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed shortly after takeoff at Hejere near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, some 50 km (31 miles) south of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia AP A man inspecting what is believed to be wreckage at the crash site of an Ethiopia Airlines aircraft near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 crashed six minutes after an early-morning takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 149 passengers and eight crew on board, Ethiopian Airlines said as world leaders offered condolences to distraught next-of-kin. People holding passports from 32 countries and the UN were on board the plane which ploughed into a field just 60 kilometres (37 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa, the carrier's CEO Tewolde GebreMariam told journalists in the capital, lamenting this "very sad and tragic day." AFP/Getty Images Red cross team work amid debris at the crash site of Ethiopia Airlines near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. AFP/Getty Images Rescuers search through the wreckage of an Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed shortly after takeoff at the scene at Hejere near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. AP A general view shows the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS An Ethiopian Airports Enterprise fire engine drives to the scene of the Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. REUTERS A relative reacts as he leaves the information centre following the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. REUTERS A woman reacts as she waits for the updated flight information of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302, where her fiance was onboard at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. REUTERS Family members of the victims involved in a plane crash react at Addis Ababa international airport. AP A family member of a victim involved in a plane crash talks on a mobile phone at Addis Ababa international airport Sunday. AP Relatives of the victims involved in a plane crash board a bus at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya. AP A Djiboutian national Hiba (L) is comforted by a relative as she waits for details of her loved one that was on board the flight Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. EPA Passenger Ahmed Khalid (L), who missed his Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 while connecting from Dubai, is received by his father Khalid Bzambur (R) at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. REUTERS Airport staff install a help desk for the crashed Ethiopia airlines flight at the inernational arrival of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. AFP/Getty Images Relatives of the victims involved in a plane crash board a bus at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya. AP Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam holds a press briefing at the headquarters of Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. AP Passengers wait outside the Bole International airport Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. AP

Forensic DNA work has begun to identify the remains but it may take six months to establish each of the victims of the crash, who came from 35 different countries.

However, authorities say they will issue death certificates within two weeks.

On Sunday an aircraft hangar in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa was filled with the white roses as aviation staff gathered to remember the two pilots and six crew who died in the incident.

A Kenyan man lights a candle at a prayer session, as they mourn their relatives / REUTERS

Weeping women held slender single stems in their shaking hands.

Banks of the flowers, traditionally used to mark the passing of lives, were placed in front of a row of empty coffins at the ceremony.

"Our deep sorrow cannot bring them back," an Orthodox priest in a traditional black turban and black robes told the crowd.

Multiple agencies are working to establish the cause of the disaster, while Interpol and Blake Emergency Services, hired by Ethiopian Airlines, will work with Ethiopian police and health officials to identify the bodies.

A number of countries have grounded the type of plane, a Boeing 737 Max 8, involved in the crash.
T hree children are among at least 50 people killed by horrific floods and mudslides in Indonesia.

There are also 59 people injured after the disaster in Papua province's Jayapura district submerged hundreds of houses water and mud, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

A spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said the destruction saw roads and bridges ripped apart which hampered rescue efforts.

He said 50 bodies had been pulled from the mud and wreckage of crumpled homes by Sunday and many of those in hospital had broken bones and head wounds.

A helicopter shifted by the floods / REUTERS

It is expected the number of dead will rise following the fatal flash floods, which began on Saturday.

Among the horror, Papua military spokesman Col. Muhammad rescuers managed to save two injured infants who had been trapped for more than six hours, whose parents had been swept away and died.

Haerul Lee, the head of Jayapura health office, said some medical facilities had been hit by power outages, adding: "We can't handle it alone.

"We are overwhelmed by too many injuries."

Papua's provincial administration has declared a two-week emergency to seek assistance from the central government.

The worst hit area was Sentani subdistrict, where a landslide early on Sunday was followed by a river that burst its banks, said the local disaster mitigation agency head Martono.
L ove Island stars have criticised the show's bosses after former contestant Mike Thalassitis was found dead in woods near his home in Essex.

His co-stars today hit out at the show for not giving contestants enough support when they leave to deal with their sudden rise to fame.

His former Love Island co-star Dom Lever said contestants need more support when they leave the villa.

He said: "You get a psychological evaluation before and after you go on the show but hands down once you are done on the show you don't get any support unless you're number one."

Mike on Love Island in 2017 next to contestant Georgia Harrison / Rex Features

Malin Andersson, who lost her daughter earlier this year, said she "wouldn't have been able to cope" after the show if she didn't have a "strong head on her".

"Enough is enough" she wrote online.

Former Love Island contestants have paid tribute to Mike Thalassitis / PA

"I got flowers from the producers when my daughter died. No support, or help."

Actress Sheridan Smith wrote online: "This should be a massive wake up call, I feel sick, reach out, sometimes to the most confident friend. We can only learn & try to change."

Kady McDermott, who also appeared on the show, said: "Hopefully going forward reality shows will help more with the aftermath of being on one, because I can say it definitely didn't happen after my series when lots of us needed it. Peoples lives change over night and no one can mentally be prepared for it. The good and the bad."

Love Island host Caroline Flack said Mike was a "total gentleman". She said: 'Mike... you were a total gentleman... I won't forget that ... it's so sad ...you will be missed. RIP."

Fellow Love Island contestant Olivia Atwood posted on Instagram: "Literally don't know what to say. Another one gone too young. Thinking of mike's family and friends at the horrendous time. you will be missed terribly."

Former Love Island contestant Montana Brown said Mr Thalassitis had been in a "dark place" in recent months as she paid tribute.

She wrote on Instagram: "Now I know you were in a dark place a few months back and I thought you were past it and that you were on the up,

"I just don't know how I didn't notice... I am absolutely heartbroken that I couldn't help you."

ITV said in a statement: "Everyone at ITV2 and Love Island are shocked and saddened by this terrible news. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Mike's family and friends at this very sad time.

"Care for our Islanders is a process the show takes very seriously and is a continuous process for all those taking part in the show.

"We ensure that all of our Contributors are able to access psychological support before, during and after appearing on the show.

"The programme will always provide ongoing support when needed and where appropriate.

"We also discuss at length with all of our Islanders, before and after the show, how their lives might change and they have access to support and advice to help with this. "


P olice said today that the death of Love Island star Mike Thalassitis was "not being treated as suspicious" after his body was found in a park close to his home.

Scotland Yard officers said they found the body of a man in his 20s hanged in a park in Edmonton on Saturday.

A spokesperson said: "Police were called to a park near Latymer Way, N9 at 0928hrs on Saturday, 16 March to reports of a man found hanged.

"Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and found a man, aged in his 20s, deceased.

Mike on Love Island in 2017 next to contestant Georgia Harrison / Rex Features

"At this early stage, the death is not being treated as suspicious.

"Police are in the process of informing the man's next of kin. A file will be prepared for the coroner."

His co-stars hit out at the show for not giving contestants enough support when they leave to deal with their sudden rise to fame.

Mike Thalassitis - In pictures 1 /13 Mike Thalassitis - In pictures Mike Thalassitis and Megan McKenna attend Kisstory On The Common 2018 at Streatham Commo Getty Images Mike Thalassitis on Love Island in 2017 Rex Features Mike on Love Island in 2017 next to contestant Georgia Harrison Rex Features Mike Thalassitis from 'Celebs Go Dating' Getty Images Mike Thalassitis and Danielle Sellers attending the ITV Gala at the London Palladium in November 2017 PA Former Love Island contestant Mike Thalassitis who has died aged 26 PA Mike Thalassitis and Montana Brown leave Sexy Fish restaurant in Mayfair SplashNews.com Mike Thalassitis on Love Island in 2017 ITV Mike Thalassitis and Megan McKenna attend Kisstory On The Common 2018 at Streatham Common, London, in July last year Getty Images Mike Thalassitis on Love Island in 2017 ITV

His former Love Island co-star Dom Lever said contestants need more support when they leave the villa.

He said: "You get a psychological evaluation before and after you go on the show but hands down once you are done on the show you don't get any support unless you're number one."

Malin Andersson, who lost her daughter earlier this year, said she "wouldn't have been able to cope" after the show if she didn't have a "strong head on her".

"Enough is enough" she wrote online.

"I got flowers from the producers when my daughter died. No support, or help."

Actress Sheridan Smith wrote online: "This should be a massive wake up call, I feel sick, reach out, sometimes to the most confident friend. We can only learn & try to change."

Kady McDermott, who also appeared on the show, said: "Hopefully going forward reality shows will help more with the aftermath of being on one, because I can say it definitely didn't happen after my series when lots of us needed it. Peoples lives change over night and no one can mentally be prepared for it. The good and the bad."

Other celebrities paid tribute to Mike. Love Island host Caroline Flack said Mike was a "total gentleman". She said: 'Mike... you were a total gentleman... I won't forget that ... it's so sad ...you will be missed. RIP."

Fellow Love Island contestant Olivia Atwood posted on Instagram: "Literally don't know what to say. Another one gone too young. Thinking of mike's family and friends at the horrendous time. you will be missed terribly."

Former Love Island contestant Montana Brown said Mr Thalassitis had been in a "dark place" in recent months as she paid tribute.

She wrote on Instagram: "Now I know you were in a dark place a few months back and I thought you were past it and that you were on the up.

"I just don't know how I didn't notice... I am absolutely heartbroken that I couldn't help you."

Georgia Harrison wrote: "You were an absolute gentleman. Im proud to have known you and all of your family should be so proud to have raised a man as kind, caring and well mannered as you."

ITV said in a statement: "Everyone at ITV2 and Love Island are shocked and saddened by this terrible news. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Mike's family and friends at this very sad time.

Former Love Island contestants have paid tribute to Mike Thalassitis / PA

"Care for our Islanders is a process the show takes very seriously and is a continuous process for all those taking part in the show.

"We ensure that all of our Contributors are able to access psychological support before, during and after appearing on the show.

"The programme will always provide ongoing support when needed and where appropriate.

Mike appeared on the 2017 series of Love Island / Ian West/PA

"We also discuss at length with all of our Islanders, before and after the show, how their lives might change and they have access to support and advice to help with this. "

His manager confirmed the shock news of his death yesterday.
Major tectonic collisions near the equator have caused three ice ages in the last 540 million years

Over the last 540 million years, the Earth has weathered three major ice ages  periods during which global temperatures plummeted, producing extensive ice sheets and glaciers that have stretched beyond the polar caps.

Now scientists at MIT, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of California at Berkeley have identified the likely trigger for these ice ages.

In a study published in Science, the team reports that each of the last three major ice ages were preceded by tropical arc-continent collisions  tectonic pileups that occurred near the Earths equator, in which oceanic plates rode up over continental plates, exposing tens of thousands of kilometers of oceanic rock to a tropical environment.

The scientists say that the heat and humidity of the tropics likely triggered a chemical reaction between the rocks and the atmosphere. Specifically, the rocks calcium and magnesium reacted with atmospheric carbon dioxide, pulling the gas out of the atmosphere and permanently sequestering it in the form of carbonates such as limestone.

Over time, the researchers say, this weathering process, occurring over millions of square kilometers, could pull enough carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to cool temperatures globally and ultimately set off an ice age.

We think that arc-continent collisions at low latitudes are the trigger for global cooling, says Oliver Jagoutz, an associate professor in MITs Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. This could occur over 1-5 million square kilometers, which sounds like a lot. But in reality, its a very thin strip of Earth, sitting in the right location, that can change the global climate.

Jagoutz co-authors are Francis Macdonald and Lorraine Lisiecki of UC Santa Barbara, and Nicholas Swanson-Hysell and Yuem Park of UC Berkeley.

A tropical trigger

When an oceanic plate pushes up against a continental plate, the collision typically creates a mountain range of newly exposed rock. The fault zone along which the oceanic and continental plates collide is called a suture. Today, certain mountain ranges such as the Himalayas contain sutures that have migrated from their original collision points, as continents have shifted over millenia.

In 2016, Jagoutz and his colleagues retraced the movements of two sutures that today make up the Himalayas. They found that both sutures stemmed from the same tectonic migration. Eighty million years ago, as the supercontinent known as Gondwana moved north, part of the landmass was crushed against Eurasia, exposing a long line of oceanic rock and creating the first suture; 50 million years ago, another collision between the supercontinents created a second suture.

The team found that both collisions occurred in tropical zones near the equator, and both preceded global atmospheric cooling events by several million years  which is nearly instantaneous on a geologic timescale. After looking into the rates at which exposed oceanic rock, also known as ophiolites, could react with carbon dioxide in the tropics, the researchers concluded that, given their location and magnitude, both sutures could have indeed sequestered enough carbon dioxide to cool the atmosphere and trigger both ice ages.

Interestingly, they found that this process was likely responsible for ending both ice ages as well. Over millions of years, the oceanic rock that was available to react with the atmosphere eventually eroded away, replaced with new rock that took up far less carbon dioxide.

We showed that this process can start and end glaciation, Jagoutz says. Then we wondered, how often does that work? If our hypothesis is correct, we should find that for every time theres a cooling event, there are a lot of sutures in the tropics.

Exposing Earths sutures

The researchers looked to see whether ice ages even further back in Earths history were associated with similar arc-continent collisions in the tropics. They performed an extensive literature search to compile the locations of all the major suture zones on Earth today, and then used a computer simulation of plate tectonics to reconstruct the movement of these suture zones, and the Earths continental and oceanic plates, back through time. In this way, they were able to pinpoint approximately where and when each suture originally formed, and how long each suture stretched.

They identified three periods over the last 540 million years in which major sutures, of about 10,000 kilometers in length, were formed in the tropics. Each of these periods coincided with each of three major, well-known ice ages, in the Late Ordovician (455 to 440 million years ago), the Permo-Carboniferous (335 to 280 million years ago), and the Cenozoic (35 million years ago to present day). Importantly, they found there were no ice ages or glaciation events during periods when major suture zones formed outside of the tropics.

We found that every time there was a peak in the suture zone in the tropics, there was a glaciation event, Jagoutz says. So every time you get, say, 10,000 kilometers of sutures in the tropics, you get an ice age.

He notes that a major suture zone, spanning about 10,000 kilometers, is still active today in Indonesia, and is possibly responsible for the Earths current glacial period and the appearance of extensive ice sheets at the poles.

This tropical zone includes some of the largest ophiolite bodies in the world and is currently one of the most efficient regions on Earth for absorbing and sequestering carbon dioxide. As global temperatures are climbing as a result of human-derived carbon dioxide, some scientists have proposed grinding up vast quantities of ophiolites and spreading the minerals throughout the equatorial belt, in an effort to speed up this natural cooling process.

But Jagoutz says the act of grinding up and transporting these materials could produce additional, unintended carbon emissions. And its unclear whether such measures could make any significant impact within our lifetimes.

Its a challenge to make this process work on human timescales, Jagoutz says. The Earth does this in a slow, geological process that has nothing to do with what we do to the Earth today. And it will neither harm us, nor save us.

Reference:

Francis A. Macdonald, Nicholas L. Swanson-Hysell, Yuem Park, Lorraine Lisiecki, Oliver Jagoutz. Arc-continent collisions in the tropics set Earths climate state. Science, 2019; eaav5300 DOI: 10.1126/science.aav5300

Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Original written by Jennifer Chu.
A study of the worlds earliest known dinosaur eggs reveals new information about the evolution of dinosaur reproduction.

An international team of researchers led by Robert Reisz of the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga studied the fossilized remains of eggs and eggshells discovered at sites in Argentina, China and South Africawidely separated regions of the supercontinent Pangea. At 195 million years old, they are the earliest known eggs in the fossil record, and they were all laid by a group of stem sauropodslong-necked herbivores that ranged in size from four to eight metres in length and were the most common and widely spread dinosaurs of their time.

Reisz is puzzled by the fact that reptile and mammal precursors appear as skeletons in the fossil record starting 316 million years ago, yet we know nothing of their eggs and eggshells until 120 million years later. Its a great mystery that eggs suddenly show up at this point, but not earlier.

According to Koen Stein, a post-doctoral researcher at Universiteit Gent and lead author of the project, the eggs represent a significant step in the evolution of dinosaur reproduction. Spherical, and about the size of a goose egg, these dinosaur eggshells were paper-thin and brittle, much thinner than similar-sized eggs of living birds.We know that these early eggs had hard shells because during fossilization they cracked and broke, but the shell pieces retained their original curvature.

Members of the team, including Edina Prondvai and Jean-Marc Baele, analyzed shell thickness, membrane, mineral content and distribution of pores, looking for clues about why these early eggs might have developed hard shells. The results of the study show that hard-shelled eggs evolved early in dinosaur evolution with thickening occurring independently in several groups, but a few million years later other reptiles also developed hard-shelled eggs. One possibility is that hard and eventually thicker shells may have evolved to shield fetal dinosaurs and other reptiles from predators. The hard shells would protect the embryos from invertebrates that could burrow into the buried egg nests and destroy them, says Reisz.

Reisz adds that the study raises interesting questions for future investigation. For example, we would like to understand why dinosaurs and their avian descendants never developed viviparity (live birth) and continued to rely on egg laying, while non dinosaurian reptiles and mammals, including ancient aquatic reptiles succeeded in evolving this more advanced reproductive strategy.

The study is co-authored by Koen Stein and Edina Prondvai (Universiteit Gent), Timothy Huang (Jilin University), Jean-Marc Baele (Universite de Mons) and P. Martin Sander (Universitat Bonn) and is published in the journal Scientific Reports. It follows up on earlier research by Reisz, published in 2012, that examined nests of Massospondylus embryos in eggs discovered at nesting sites in South Africa, and a 2013 publication on dinosaur embryology in Lufengosaurus from China.

Reference:

Koen Stein et al. Structure and evolutionary implications of the earliest (Sinemurian, Early Jurassic) dinosaur eggs and eggshells, Scientific Reports (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40604-8

Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Toronto Mississauga.
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The Alliance 2020 USR-PLUS (Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity), Dan Barna and Dacian Ciolos, want the mayors be elected in two rounds, asking the MPs to pass a law in this respect.

"A first point in importance and national impact is precisely to go back to electing the mayors in two rounds, because currently the representativeness of some mayors throughout the country is based on the vote of 8 to 12pct of their electorate, which is pretty ridiculous. We have used and use all the legal tools at parliamentary level and citizen's initiative level, too to amending the law," the USR leader Dan Barna told a press conference in the southeastern city of Constanta.

According to Barna, in reference to the Bucharest Mayor's election, the Opposition must have a single candidate.In his turn, the PLUS head Dacian Ciolos said his party is for the election of the mayors in two rounds.The Senate's President and leader of the minor at rule ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats) Calin Popescu-Tariceanu on Saturday said in Constanta that his party wishes the mayors be elected in two rounds.
The European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elzbieta Bienkowska will attend on Monday in southern Craiova the Car Industry Forum 2019.

The reunion chaired by the Romanian Prime minister Viorica Dancila is part of the series of events organised by the Ministry of Economy during the rotating presidency of Romania to the EU Council.

According to the event's agenda, released by the Car Manufacturers and Importers' Association in Romania (APIA), the Car Industry Forum will be attended among others by the Deputy Premier Gratiela Gavrilescu, minister of the Environment, the Economy Minister Niculae Badalau, and the minister for the Business Milieu, Commerce and Entrepreneurship Stefan Radu Oprea. Present will also be representatives of the car industry in Romania, representatives of the academic milieu, officials of the most important associations with the car industry at national and European level, members of the Romanian Parliament and of the European Parliament.

The topics to be addressed are focused on the durable mobility, the automatic and connected driving, electro-mobility, the GEAR 2030 recommendations' implementation.

The Car Industry Forum 2019 will be structured in a first part including the plenary session, a second part comprising the panels for the topics' debate and a planned and organised technical exhibition and a isit to the Ford Romania plant in Craiova.
The People's Movement Party (PMP) leader Eugen Tomac on Sunday said in eastern Vaslui that his party envisages to grab 10pct of the votes in the May European Parliament's election, a scrutiny that is a test for the PMP and a momentum to relaunch this political party.

"Let's go to battle, people, I want you to understand that we are in a political battle! I want you to understand that you have what to fight for in this campaign. We are having our own list and try to prove once again to all of the hypocrites in politics that this party has the courage and the objectives to fight for. We enter this political battle because we want Traian Basescu to get to Brussels, because ever since it became a EU member state, Romania has a huge vacuum there. Nobody has yet made it to take a stance and explain the Europeans that although we have became a EU member state later, we still are a big nation, with a strong culture, huge assets and a wish for a better life, for EU salaries, for EU pensions, for a life we deserve. (...) Having Traian Basescu ranking first on our EP election list we want to grab 10pct," Eugen Tomac told the PMP Vaslui County College.
Unlike the American Democratic Party, the Western news media and most of my neighbours, I do not fully understand Trump. Although, unlike all of them, I thought from the start he had a good chance of winning and, as time went on, became more confident and finally bet he would win.

One of the consistent themes of Trump's campaign was that foreign entanglements were not to the country's advantage and the wars were a waste of resources; bad for business, as it were. Now, I'm not so simple-minded as to believe campaigning politicians. Bush promised a quieter foreign policy and Obama was going to close Guantanamo; but what made me pay attention to Trump's statements was that they weren't just the disconnected laundry list of focus-groups handed out by most politicians, they had an internal consistency. (And consistent over quite some time: watch this interview from 1987.)

That consistency could be found in his slogan Make America Great Again. It was the "again" that was the clue. Shattered tells us that Bill Clinton tried to get his wife to perceive the dissatisfaction in the USA, Sanders tapped into some of it but Trump saw and understood it early and based his campaign on it; Clinton never understood. Again, that's the clue. I concluded that Trump saw a connection between the loss of "greatness" and the foreign entanglements: the "six trillion dollars" spent in the Middle East would have been better spent on infrastructure". Of course he was right: there is a direct connection. But to stop that drain, Trump, now President, has to break the entanglements and that will not be easy. Last year I formed the theory that he would try to get the allies to break these entanglements and updated the idea recently. (It was written just before we heard that Trump is considering to charging allies 150% for the cost of US bases  something that is sure to cause a lot of re-thinking and disentangling.)

So I expected a Trump Administration to cut entanglements and not create any more. But here we come to the inconsistencies. There have been three actions inconsistent with this view: important inconsistencies. Added to which, Trump seems to have gone out of his way to surround himself with entanglers. And that is a major and puzzling inconsistency: he's free to choose his advisors but he has chosen warhawks almost every time. This inconsistency has driven many people to conclude either that he didn't mean what he said when he was campaigning or that he has been captured by the war party. (Others  see first sentence  remain certain that he's just an idiot, unfit for the office, can't be elected and so on.)

There are three events of the Trump period that I cannot fit into either the Trump-the-disentangler theory or the Trump-dupe-of-war-party theory. These actions just don't fit either: they are inconsistently inconsistent.

On 7 April 2017 the USA attacked a Syrian airfield with (it said) 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles. This was in retaliation for a supposed CW attack for which (certainly wrongly) Assad was blamed. No time was allowed for inspections or any other examination before the strike. The attack was entirely consistent with the long-time attempt by the war party (entanglers all) to overthrow Assad. But, on closer look, while loud (beautiful missile launches at night) it would be hard to imagine a less effective strike. The airfield they hit was empty and no real damage was done to anything. At the time I assessed it as a show for the home audience designed to take the pressure off the "Trump isn't legitimate" meme and, certainly, there was much effusion from the war party and anti-Trump media. But the strike could hardly have been less effective if Assad himself had picked the targets.

A year later there was another bogus CW attack blamed on Assad. And another immediate missile attack (this time France and the UK joined in thereby creating the memorable acronym FUKUS). Again it was a stunningly ineffective attack in which nothing was destroyed. Added to which, it appears that many of the attacking missiles were shot down  unless you can bring yourself to believe the official story that 76 missiles hit this site (heres just one missile hit for comparison). Again the loud, immediate but completely ineffective action. (And, a year later, the attack justification is looking poorly  a BBC producer has just said the hospital scenes were faked and the OPCW found no nerve agent traces. But anyone paying attention already knew this at the time.)

Mystery piled on mystery: the disentangler would realise that Syria was no concern of the US and have done nothing. (And Trump has ordered the troops out.) As to the CW attack claims from the media and the intelligence agencies, the disentangler would immediately ask cui bono? and realise that it certainly wouldn't be Assad; and Trump is surely the last person to believe what the media or intelligence agencies tell him. The disentangler would do nothing, or at least wait until there was some actual evidence. On the other hand, always ready to blow something up, the warhawk would have found valuable targets and struck them hard. No attack  yes; an effective attack  yes; but an immediate attack that does no damage? You can't make any sense out of it.

And now we come to Venezuela. Venezuela has been on the war party's hit list for many years: Obama declared it an "unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States" and there were many attempts to overthrow Chavez. The disentangler would immediate know that that was nonsense on stilts  nothing Caracas could do would affect the MAGA goals: no bridges would be built or destroyed, no opioid victim cured or addicted, no manufacturing jobs gained or lost. Nothing. But the warhawk wants a regime-change/resource-theft operation to bring Maduro down.

But what do we see? Certainly an rc/rt op but a singularly incompetent one. The USA is good at these, it's had a lot of practice, its allies are toeing the line, the media is re-typing the handouts: it should be well on the way by now. But what do we see: the US official put in charge is notorious for involvement in shady coups in Latin America and the Iran-Contra affair, the puppet president is almost completely unknown in Venezuela, the concert was a flop, the "humanitarian aid" another flop, the Venezuelan Army holds firm, no country is willing to provide troops, the big demos in the country are pro-Maduro and anti-intervention (small "thousands" here). So inept a performance that even the NYT is losing enthusiasm: "Footage Contradicts US Claim That Maduro Burned Aid Convoy" thereby blowing up all the faux outrage of "What kind of a sick tyrant stops food from getting to hungry people?" (The significance is not that the NYT has suddenly discovered fact-checking after years of cheering on rc/rt ops but that it is trying to distance itself from this particular one.) Which is not to say that Washington can't destroy Venezuela: enough "precision bombing" can turn Caracas into Raqqa.

One of the reasons Trump won was his implied promise that he would stay at home and repair domestic deficiencies. And yet he jumped to bomb Syria twice and is involved in a regime change/resource grab in Venezuela. But the two bombings could not have been less effective and the Venezuela adventure is looking more idiotic by the moment. Contradiction within contradiction and it's hard to make sense out of it.

Justin Raimondo has been brave enough to try; he thinks the Venezuela rc/rg op is a cunning plot by Trump: "Instead of taking on the neocons directly, Trump embraces them  and we can see the knife go in as this whole scenario plays out." The ridiculous concert just reinforced his conviction "Its all a show, produced and directed by that expert showman: Donald J. Trump." I've wondered that myself  it's so incompetent and at the same time so transparent that it can't be real. For example, Bolton says out loud what is supposed to be said in private: the "humanitarian concerns" are just a cover for the resource grab:

I don't know, but I wonder why such noisy but ineffective missile strikes by people who know how to find and destroy valuable targets and such an idiotically-incompetent rc/rt op effort by people with many successes under their belts.
US President Donald Trump condemned the New Zealand massacre of 50 people by a self-declared white fascist as horrible. In an ambiguous choice of words, Trump said he sent his warmest [sic] sympathies to the victims of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch. He also seemed to downplay white supremacy violence as a problem.

With several surviving victims still in a critical condition, the death toll could rise in coming days.

Of course, Trump would be obliged to join in the international outpouring of condemnation over the barbaric cold-blooded act of mass murder. How could he not, given the shocking horror and depravity of the crime?

But his repeated nationalistic and nativist rhetoric as well as the ideologues whom he associates with make it very hard for Trump and his supporters to deny that there is a link between the White House occupant and the terrorist attack on Muslims in New Zealand, or white supremacist violence generally.

Supporters of Trump have scoffed at media claims made against Trump following the massacre insinuating the president is associated with white nationalism and thereby linked to the violence.

Admittedly, anti-Trump media in the US, such as CNN and MSNBC, will always seek every opportunity to undermine Trump. Nevertheless, on the point of Trumps dalliance with extremist rightwing groups and their ideological memes there is a valid criticism to be made.

The alleged shooter in the New Zealand attack Friday was named as Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian citizen. He openly declared himself to be a fascist, avowing white supremacist ideology. In a so-called manifesto, the suspect refers to Trump as a symbol of renewed white identity.

More significantly, the themes the alleged murderer espouses are central to the Alt Right movement and numerous other white nationalist groups in the US and Europe, issues which Trump has also promoted for political gain.

The themes of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, white genocide by invasion or replacement by brown-skinned foreigners are run-of-the-mill talking points for far-right nationalist movements, which Trump has at times endorsed or given credence to.

Only days before the New Zealand massacre, Trump gave an exclusive interview with Breitbart News. The publication is a proponent of many of the themes surrounding fears of the white race being over-run by hordes of foreigners, and especially Muslim foreigners.

In his latest interview for Breitbart, Trump appeared to be inciting street violence by imploring his followers in the police and military to get tough. He tweeted a link to the publication. But following the horror in Christchurch, Trump deleted his tweet. That move suggests the president is fully aware of the toxic association with Breitbart at such a politically sensitive moment.

Trump and his supporters may try to play the innocent card, decrying what they would call are scurrilous attempt by the liberal media to bracket him with the violence of the far-right.

However, what else is one to conclude about Trump when he has personally amplified the touchstone causes of numerous fascist, white nationalist groups?

This week, Trump has pushed on with his border wall project. He has repeatedly sought to justify that project in sensationalist, scaremongering terms of preventing an invasion into the US from Mexico. The actual figures of migration over the southern border do not merit such high priority given by Trump to the problem. The proposed expenditure of $8-9 billion and declared state of emergency are dog-whistling techniques by Trump to mobilize far-right nationalist support.

Look at the people who associate with Trump. He may claim that their association is not reciprocated.

White neo-Nazi groups like Proud Boys and Alt Right have been hosted at Trump rallies. Alt Right leader Richard Spencer is partial to giving Nazi salutes at conferences and declaring Hail Trump!

David Duke, the grandmaster of the Klu Klux Klan, has publicly endorsed Trump.

Steve Bannon, Trumps former political strategist in the White House, is a big proponent of the replacement theory whereby it is claimed that Muslim, African and other immigrants are invading the US and Europe to obliterate traditional white Christian communities. This was a prime motive for the alleged shooter in the New Zealand massacre. It was also a motive for the mass murder in 2011 by Norwegian neo-Nazi Anders Breivik.

Trump has taken up the cause of white South African farmers who claim that they are being expelled from colonial lands by the ruling ANC black government. This theme has also been taken up in Zimbabwe, and is a major touchstone issue for white supremacist, fascist groups around the world. For Trump to dally with the issue is an unmistakable sign of his witting  albeit tacit  support to such ideology, even though he may publicly try to distance himself at times, such as in the aftermath of the Christchurch atrocity.

Typically with Trump there are abundant contradictions. His son-in-law and special advisor Jared Kushner is Jewish. Yet Trump was accused of giving support to a Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, where the torch-bearing marchers chanted slogans about not being replaced by Jews.

There seems little room for denial by Trump or his supporters about his links to the rise of extreme rightwing, white nationalist, fascist groups. His blanket ban on asylum-seekers from Muslim countries, his unhinged rhetoric about invasion by foreigners, and Trumps association with racist, fascistic ideologues all put this president in the dock for incitement. The reckless rhetoric of Trumps demagoguery is manifest in depraved actions such as the mass murder of 49 Muslims in New Zealand.

Trump cant wash his hands after cynically dabbling in the cesspool of fascist ideology.
After more than six years of delays, Poland has placed an order for twenty HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) vehicles from the American manufacturer Lockheed. This is the initial HIMARS order and ultimately Poland wants to obtain over a hundred HIMARS vehicles and more than a thousand GMLRS (GPS guided MLRS) rockets. This initial order will equip one HIMARs battalion with 18 HIMARS vehicles while the other two will be used for training.

Poland is not buying a lot of GMLRS rockets right now because a new, longer range version is on the way. This will be called TC-GMLRS (Tail Controlled Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) and will have a range of 135 kilometers. TC-GMLRS has already been successfully tested at ranges up to 110 kilometers. The TC-GMLRS rocket is the same size as the current GMLRS rocket and is designed to be used from existing HIMARS (and older MLRS) vehicles after some changes to the fire control system to accommodate the longer range. Prototype TC-GMLRS rockets underwent several successful test launches in 2018 and production versions are expected in two or three years.

As the name implies, TC-GMLRS moves the guidance fins from the nose to the rear and that alone increases range. A more powerful rocket motor, the same size as the current one, is also in development. By moving the guidance fins to the rear of the rocket TC-GMLRS now had room in the nose of the rocket for laser homing sensors and electronics. This would provide a terminal guidance system for even more precise targeting. The GPS guidance system guarantees the missile will land within a ten meter wide circle while laser guidance allows for much more precision (hitting within a meter of the aiming point). The Americans were the first to put such precise terminal guidance systems into service four decades ago.

The Polish HIMARS order had been delayed since 2012 because a competing Polish Homar (Lobster) design was under development. HIMARS and GMLRS eventually won the competition because the American system was cheaper and had considerable battlefield experience.

By 2017 Poland had decided to adopt the American GMLRS rocket. Poland wanted to get GMLRS into action quickly and at the lowest possible cost and in 2018 Polish and American analysts concluded that buying the American made HIMARS vehicles rather than building a Polish version was not only cheaper but would be delivered to Polish troops sooner.

For several years Polish defense studies had shown that the state-owned Polish defense industries could deliver a comparable launcher (to HIMARS) and a comparable Polish made GPS guided rocket. The Americans were willing to allow for license built systems, which is quite common when it comes to fellow NATO members. But in early 2018 American and Polish technical experts got together to work out the details and it was discovered that the Polish manufacturers expected to handle adapting the American tech to existing Polish truck-mounted rocket launcher systems would require more time and higher costs than earlier believed. Some of the American tech to be transferred was going to require the construction of new manufacturing facilities and that use of these facilities beyond the HIMARS contract were not guaranteed. The delays alarmed Polish military planners who increasingly saw the precision firepower provided by GMLRS, a combat proven system, becoming more urgent as the Russian threat seemed to grow. A quick recalculation determined that it would now cost about the same, even be a little cheaper to order the HIMARS vehicles rather than integrating HIMARS technology into the existing, and similar Polish Homar rocket system.

The Homar plan looked good on paper as it involved HIMARS launchers mounted on Polish 6x6 trucks rather than the standard HIMARS system mounted on the 6x6 U.S. Army vehicle system that nearby Romania and other export customers purchased. The Homar plan involved buying 25 GMLRS rockets as well as 61 ATACMS rockets, 34 practice rockets and 1,642 GMLRS guidance systems to be fitted to Polish made rockets as well as GMLRS guidance system test and maintenance systems. This $250 million sale was to enable Poland to build a Polish version of HIMARS launchers under license and integrate the Polish HIMARS with Polish artillery fire control systems using NATO standards. But in the end, the Polish military commanders made a compelling argument that the Russian threat would not wait for the American tech to be adopted by Polish manufacturers and the quickest and most effective solution was HIMARS and GMLRS. Polish manufacturers had long experience with MLRS systems and in adopting new technology. In a decade Polish firms would be offering competitive local designs that could safely complement and then replace the HIMARS/GMLRS.

Most export customers find that the American made $5 million HIMARS truck mounted MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) is already a bargain. Thats what the U.S. Army and Marines found when they adopted HIMARS, which carries only one, six MLRS rocket pod instead of two in the original larger, tracked, MLRS vehicle. Initially, a major attraction was that the 12-ton truck could fit into a C-130 transport (unlike the 22 ton tracked MLRS) and was much cheaper to operate. The first HIMARS entered service in 2005, about a year after GMLRS (GPS guided MLRS rockets) did. The two new innovations worked well together and were a major reason for the success of the GMLRS and the HIMARS rocket launcher. The U.S. no longer buys the tracked MLRS or unguided MLRS rockets.

Poland, like most HIMARS and MLRS users, are now only buying guided rockets. Poland had originally planned to integrate longer range (150-499 kilometer) Homar guided rockets it was already developing into the American HIMARS system. Poland was a major weapons manufacturer during the Cold War when it was occupied by Russian military forces and secret police. During that period Poland produced Russian weapons under license and gradually developed improved versions of the Russian designs. Now even the Russians and Chinese are copying the success of HIMARS/GMLRS.

It turned out that the tech the HIMARS used was pretty powerful, enabling HIMARS to operate (move, receive a target order and launch the GMLRS) using as few as one of the normal three man crew. All that tech is great and Poland would still like to build it under license but the army needed the HIMARS capability now, not later.

Since joining NATO in 1999 Poland has largely replaced Russian weapons with Western ones or upgraded Russian systems to NATO standards. That alone created a new business opportunity for Polish defense firms and Poland is again becoming a major arms producer. Thus it was no surprise that Poland wanted to build its own version of the guided MLRS rockets, a weapon that had been in service since 2004 as GMLRS. Like the unguided version, the GMLRS is packaged and used in containers (pods) holding six rockets each. The fire control system was upgraded to handle precision targeting rather than just a general area. Poland already builds several truck-mounted rocket systems but these still use unguided rockets. Moving up to HIMARS type launch vehicles and GMLRS type rockets was seen as the future and it still is. Getting there just turned out to take longer than the Polish Army thought necessary.

Since 2004 over 3,000 GMLRS rockets have been fired in combat. These guided rockets cost about $100,000 each and have been very successful. That has meant even less work for tube artillery, which had dominated the battlefield since the 17th century. The Polish GMLRS rockets will be based on existing Polish rockets and eventually be cheaper to manufacture. Meanwhile, the U.S. manufacturer has had to resume (after a brief halt) and increase production of the M142 American HIMARS vehicle system for the growing number of export customers.

The 309 kg (680 pound) GMLRS missile is a GPS guided 227mm rocket. It was designed to have a range of 70 kilometers and the ability to land within meters of its intended target, at any range. This is possible because it uses GPS (plus a backup inertial guidance system) to find the target location it was programmed with. In 2008 the army tested GMLRS at max range (about 85 kilometers) and found that it worked fine. This enables one MLRS/HIMARS vehicle to provide support over a frontage of 170 kilometers, or, in places with wide open spaces, like the Eurasian Plains Poland shares with Russia, HIMARS can provide precision fire support over an area of about 20,000 square kilometers. This is a huge footprint for a single weapon (an individual MLRS/HIMARS vehicle), and fundamentally changes the way you deploy artillery in combat. By way of comparison, Excalibur (GPS guided 155mm shell) has a max range of 37 kilometers, and 120mm GPS guided mortars about 7.5 kilometers.

Soon after GMLRS rockets became available it became obvious (to users) that the 89 kg (196 pound) M31A1 high explosive ("unitary") warhead was preferable (and a lot cheaper) than the planned cluster bomblet warheads. About half of the unitary warhead weight is actual explosives. That's twice as much explosive as the U.S. Air Force 130 kg (285 pound) SDB (Small Diameter Bomb). A 155mm artillery shell has 6.6 kg of explosives, and the 500 pound (227 kg) bomb has 127 kg of explosives, which produced an excessive blast for many urban combat situations. The GMLRS seemed to be just right most of the time.

GMLRS has been used with great success in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, where most have been fired so far. The guided rocket is much more effective than the older, unguided, version, and has replaced it for most users. The accuracy of GMLRS means that one rocket does the job that previously required a dozen or more of the unguided ones. That's why HIMARS is so popular. While HIMARS only carries six rockets, that's often enough to last for days in places like Afghanistan, even when there's a lot of combat.

Because of precision weapons like GMLRS and smart bombs, since the end of the Cold War in 1991, the U.S. Army has drastically reorganized and reduced its artillery force. At the end of the Cold War most artillery was conventional tube artillery. That meant towed 105mm, 155mm and 203mm howitzers and self-propelled 175mm, 155mm and 203mm howitzers. The MLRS, a 12 tube 227mm unguided rockets was just entering service when the Cold War ended. In the 1990s it became obvious that smart bombs (JDAM) first used in the 1991 Gulf War were more effective than artillery, and that led to a major shift away from using artillery. By 2004 over 40 tube artillery battalions had been disbanded.

Noting the success of GMLRS, Russia and China have developed and put into service their own GPS guided rockets. Russia has long led in the design of new rocket systems was is playing catchup when it comes to using guided rockets. The multiple rocket launcher was first developed by the Russians before World War II as a cheap alternative to massed artillery fire by individual guns. Long seen as a supplement to regular artillery, the introduction of the high tech U.S. MLRS rocket system in the 1980s began to make a lot of conventional artillery obsolete even before GMLRS came along. Of course, artillery has always been ripe for innovation. The U.S. 175mm gun, introduced in the 1960s, was rendered obsolete in the 1980s with the introduction of special long range ammo for the 203mm (8 inch) howitzer. The U.S. Army stopped using the 175mm gun in the 1970s. When the MLRS entered service, one of the three batteries in each division's 203mm howitzer battalion was equipped with MLRS units instead. But MLRS proved so effective that the 203mm howitzer battalion became an MLRS battalion and the 203mm gun was dropped by the U.S. Army.

There were always non-divisional MLRS battalions, as the MLRS was seen, from the beginning, as an ideal weapon for massed artillery fire. The Gulf War allowed the MLRS to show off what a potent weapon it could be. The larger rockets also provided room for more complex payloads (cluster and "smart" munitions) and guidance systems. This was another example of how technology can transform an old weapon. While the Russians have been using rocket launchers for over 70 years, they never got around to enhancing their effectiveness with a lot of technology until recently and then only because they noted others were doing so and succeeding. Now everyone is changing their artillery forces and adapting to the use of many fewer guided projectiles.
Why it matters: If you have WinRAR installed, make sure you've updated to the most recent version that patches a critical security vulnerability. Vulnerable versions are subject to malicious archive files that are booby trapped and now opportunistic hackers are using this attack vector to hit unknowingly vulnerable users before they can patch.

Download shortcut: WinRAR 5.70

Back in February, cybersecurity firm Check Point disclosed a vulnerability that's existed in WinRAR for some 19 years. The potential attack vector was a result of WinRAR's support for the outdated ACE archive format, whereby those with malicious intent could give an ACE file a .rar extension, and then use it as a booby trap to execute malicious code from a machine's startup folder after a reboot.

Rarlab issued a patch and statement, but those who are not using the most recent version are still at risk.

Now, hackers are leveraging the exploit to reach vulnerable systems before users update. McAfee revealed they've identified "over 100 unique exploits and counting." One particular implementation targets Ariana Grande fans looking to bootleg the artist's popular album "Thank U, Next" by using a file named Ariana_Grande-thank_u,_next(2019)_[320].rar that is booby trapped with malicious code.

Other campaigns have been used to spread malware through the WinRAR exploit as well, as 360 Threat Intelligence Center has been documenting via Twitter.

Possibly the first malware delivered through mail to exploit WinRAR vulnerability. The backdoor is generated by MSF and written to the global startup folder by WinRAR if UAC is turned off.https://t.co/bK0ngP2nIy



IOC:

hxxp://138.204.171.108/BxjL5iKld8.zip

138.204.171.108:443 pic.twitter.com/WpJVDaGq3D  360 Threat Intelligence Center (@360TIC) February 25, 2019





Warning! Upgrades in the #WinRAR vulnerability (#CVE-2018-20250) exploit, use social engineering to lure victims with embedded image files and encrypt the malicious ACE archive before delivering.



Analysis report: https://t.co/LEcRPqP0cT



Chinese version: https://t.co/wbDCdZl1YV pic.twitter.com/8cjieD1xVJ  360 Threat Intelligence Center (@360TIC) February 27, 2019





WinRAR exploit (#CVE-2018-20250) sample (united nations .rar) seems targeting the Middle East. Embedded with bait documents relating to the United Nations Human Rights and the #UN in Arabic, it finally downloads and executes #Revenge RAT.https://t.co/WJ4oJ1UxAz pic.twitter.com/fgHYSD4Mk5  360 Threat Intelligence Center (@360TIC) March 12, 2019





WinRAR has an estimated 500 million users, most of which probably don't know about this vulnerability and that creates a desirable attack surface. This attack is bound to gain more traction in the future, so please share with your friends and family if you know they have WinRAR installed and grab the most recent version of the software.
A hot potato: After four students of Weston Elementary School in Ripon, California were diagnosed with cancer in three years, parents and students alike have begun protesting to force the school to remove a Sprint cell phone tower. The school says the tower is safe and isn't going anywhere.

Kyle was ten years old when, in 2016, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. In 2017 another ten-year-old boy, Mason, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Some parents raised the issue with the school, noting the low likelihood of two children having cancer in the same 17,000-person town, let alone at the same school. In the last two years, two more current students and one former student were diagnosed with cancer.

The Modesto Bee spoke with the brother of the former student, who had a brain tumor removed in a 12-hour surgery last year. They dont know if he will be able to walk or eat on his own again. He is 22 years old. He does not deserve this. Parents of the afflicted students echoed the same sentiment, kids should not be guinea pigs and we should not be taking chances with childrens lives.

On Monday, over two hundred students stayed home, while their parents attended a public meeting to discuss the next step. Earlier this year concerned parents hired Eric Windheim, an electromagnetic radiation specialist, who concluded that although the tower was within government standards, it probably is the cause of the cancer. Children are still developing, and their cells are still dividing. Its the worst possible time in their life to be exposed, he told CBS Sacramento.

His report was a topic of serious discussion at the meeting, but the school contradicted the report in a letter saying they had had the tower tested repeatedly and found the radiation levels to be well below legal requirements and completely safe.

Distressed parents claim the report cant be trusted due to the financial incentive Sprint offers the school to let them operate the tower there, about $2,000 a year for 25 years. Sprint themselves say they are confident that their tower is within legal bounds but want to work with parents and the school to make sure it isnt harming students regardless.

Its difficult to say if its the cell tower causing cancer, if its some other factor or if its just a massive coincidence. But as parents have been saying, if theres even a slight possibility, then take it out.
The president of Louisiana's top school board accused the interim superintendent of the Special School District of running the schools through fear and said it would be a mistake if he gets the job permanently.

Gary Jones, president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, aimed his criticism at Pat Cooper, interim superintendent of the district, which includes three schools. They are the Louisiana School for the Deaf and the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, both in Baton Rouge, and the Louisiana Special Education Center in Alexandria.

Cooper, whose interim post expires on June 8, said last week he plans to apply for the post.

Former Lafayette superintendent leaving state post Amid controversy, the superintendent of the Special School District will be leaving his interim post on June 8, state Superintendent of Educat

He has held the job for the past eight months.

"Personally, I think it is bad practice to have someone serve as an interim for a position he plans to apply for," said Jones, who lives near Alexandria.

"That is especially true when there is so much controversy in the short time he has been there," he added.

Jones said, "You have to be able to provide purpose, direction and motivation. And fear is a short term motivator. The leadership style I have seen from him (Cooper) so far is fear."

The BESE president was even more pointed in an email to Cooper cc'd to BESE members, saying that if Cooper's aim was to provide short-term stability the mission was a "failure."

Cooper, former superintendent of the Lafayette Parish School District, said in an interview he is trying to implement improvements sought by BESE, parents and experts. He said that, rather than relying on fear, he has run a "good professional operation."

"You have to be for kids or you have to be for the system," Cooper said. "And you can't find an in between."

The controversy could become an issue in the 2019 legislative session, which begins April 8.

Louisiana School for the Deaf, others targeted for improvements The state is launching a three-year plan aimed at improving oversight and expertise in the troubled Louisiana School for the Deaf and others, 

Cooper, who is paid $150,000 per year, was named by state Superintendent of Education John White, who will also have the final call on who gets the job permanently.

Jones made his comments one day after Leslie Bello, former director of the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, told BESE she was unfairly forced by Cooper to resign after nine years at the school.

After Special School District was targeted for change, one director defends herself despite departure The former director of the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired in Baton Rouge said Wednesday she was forced to resign her job Feb. 28 a

Christopher Patterson, former assistant principal of the Louisiana School for the Deaf, said in an interview he was drummed out of his $75,000 per year job in November after three turbulent months.

Patterson said Special School District officials micromanaged the school, employees were afraid to report missteps and even his departure was shrouded in mystery.

Allegations against Louisiana Special Education Center sparks State Police probe State Police are investigating allegations of wrongdoing at the Louisiana Special Education Center in Alexandria, officials said Friday.

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Meanwhile, the Louisiana Special Education Center, which houses students and adults with orthopedic and developmental problems, is the subject of a State Police investigation after what officials called a "child on child" incident  alleged sexual battery.

Four leaders of the center are on paid suspensions pending the outcome of the probe, and the results have been turned over to the Rapides Parish district attorney's office.

Some officials contend the leaders are under fire because of a power struggle with Cooper, and that Cooper escalated the incident into one that has alarmed students, parents and others.

Cooper's allies say he is being targeted for simply trying to implement badly-needed changes.

"When I hear people say they don't like the changes, I am not sure what they are saying," said Robin King, director of the division in the Instructional Materials Center, which is part of the Special School District and converts materials to braille for schools.

"I do not ever hear a specific thing," said King, a nine-year veteran of the office.

Kim Littles, regional coordinator for special school programs, made a similar point.

"Something changes, you get disgruntled people," Littles said. "The majority of people on this campus are working to make the environment better for these kids."

The three schools include 284 students, with 134 at the Louisiana School for the Deaf, 69 at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired and 81 at the Louisiana Special Education Center.

White planned to have a permanent superintendent in place by July 1, 2018.

But the candidate who was offered the job, Jon Harding, now director of the Kansas State School for the Blind, turned down the offer.

Harding declined to discuss the district.

The other finalist for the post, Kristy Flynn, is principal of the Louisiana Special Education Center and one of the four officials on paid suspensions.

White said the state will use an executive firm costing nearly $50,000 to find a permanent superintendent and that Cooper is free to apply.

What put some of the controversy in motion was a report issued in March, 2018 by Education Development Center Inc., a Massachusetts nonprofit that studies school policies and procedures.

It said there were problems with the leadership of the Special School District, that some staff members of LSD lacked needed skills and that instructional decisions were transferred from educators at the schools to district leaders.

In comments to BESE last week, White said Cooper has made gains with the schools, including finding a leader fluent in American Sign Language to direct the Louisiana School for the Deaf.

But White said Cooper has also made missteps, including reaching decisions without enough input.

"I could have done some things better," Cooper said of White's comments. "All those things are fixable."
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, left, testifies as family members of victims, from left, front row, Michael Perry, Albert Culbert Jr., Wayne Guzzardo and Therese Chataignier during a hearing on the future of the death penalty in Louisiana in the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee Tuesday March 12, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La.
I am writing today as the principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation to shed some light on the Indian Child Welfare Act, which was grossly mischar
A lot of Louisiana Legislators were surprised last year to learn that in their last-minute scuffle to fix the state budget, they had jettisoned sales tax holidays.

Its a situation they hope to fix in the legislative session that begins in three weeks on April 8  at least for guns and hunting supplies  in what is the first bill that chips away at the bargain that kept the state from careening off the fiscal cliff.

Last year, legislators had deadlocked over how to fill a huge deficit expected when the fifth penny of the 5-cent state sales tax expired. If the penny expired, state government wouldnt have enough revenues to pay the bills absent draconian cuts in services.

Republican House members wanted to retain 40 percent of the expiring penny. Democrats, Gov. John Bel Edwards and most of the state Senate resolved to keep 50 percent or a half of the fifth penny  a difference of about $86 million.

The compromise was a sales tax rate at 4.45 percent of every dollar. But to cover that amount, supporters of the compromise assiduously fought efforts to include exemptions that had been suspended until 2025  arguing that returning this exemption or that one would upset the precise calculations that made the deal work.

Unnoticed until after the bill became law in July was that among the 100 or so suspended exemptions were the three long weekends when consumers wouldnt have to pay state sales taxes on many of their purchases.

The Hurricane Preparedness holiday forgave most of the sales taxes on supplies like batteries, storm shutters, tarpaulins and other supplies, at a cost to the state of an estimated $34,000.

The Annual Louisiana Sales Tax Holiday covers a lot of goods but was mostly used by consumers to buy school supplies. It cost the state about $1.2 million.

And the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday exempted state sales taxes on consumer purchases of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies. The state was expected to lose an estimated $404,000.

Not a lot of money, but the Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C. notes research shows that sales tax holidays do not promote economic growth or significantly increase consumer purchases, which are the arguments for the holidays in the 17 states where they are held. At best, consumers just hold off buying stuff until the holidays roll around.

State Rep. Jay Morris, R-Monroe, is sponsoring House Bill 60, which would bring back the guns holiday. No bills have yet been filed to bring back the other two tax holidays.

The Second Amendment is important to our citizenry. It (HB60) sends the right message, Morris said.

Cynics will question the optics of Louisiana legislators favoring guns over school supplies.

But theres more than Second Amendment boosterism at play.

Consider the case of Columbia, a northeast Louisiana town founded in 1827 as an Ouachita River steamboat port for cotton. Like many of Louisianas small towns in rural areas, Columbias population has been dropping every year since the 1970s. Now with about 384 residents  26 percent of whom live in poverty  the town has only a few businesses and fewer sources of revenues to pay for local government services.

In 2018, Columbia collected $55,318 in property taxes, $189,163 in sales taxes, $159,325 from drinking water and $62,929 in fines as part of the $465,289 in total revenues to run the town. Thats about a third less than the $610,666 LSU President F. King Alexander makes to support his family of four.

Columbia is the hometown to a pantheon of noted Louisiana politicians: John McKeithen, who was governor in the 1960s; his son Fox, who was secretary of state for five terms; former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor; former Attorney General Buddy Caldwell; and state Sen. Neil Riser.

It's Republican Sen. Riser who is pushing the legislation, not so much as pro-gun measure, though he is very pro-gun, but as an economic development idea. He acknowledges that while the gun holiday results in little revenue, the sales that are made are vital to his hometowns remaining retailers who operate on narrow profit margins.

Columbia is the jumping off point for many a hunting trip into the 51,000-acre Boeuf Wildlife Management Area. Owned by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Boeuf is known for ducks, deer and wild pigs. For local merchants, the sales tax holiday accounted for a significant boost in hunters visiting Columbia and making purchases, not all of which are guns.

Sales taxes have multiplier of seven, Riser said, meaning that every dollar spent in one establishment is used to pay wages or buy more stuff at some other local business. Its a huge impact for us, he said.

It may not mean much in places like Baton Rouge, said Riser, who will handle HB60 in the Senate, but for the local Chevron and Quick Mart, its an economic driver.

Our Views: In Louisiana, holiday of sorts suddenly canceled by 'geniuses at the Legislature' Louisianas local and parish taxing authorities  whether they like it or not  are going to have to forfeit revenue on the sales of guns and 

He recalled when the Boeuf was closed for three days because of flooding and those two businesses took 90 days to recover from the loss of income. Thats the kind of thin margins we operate on, he said.

Some legislators want to amend the gun bill to resurrect the other two sales tax holidays, said state Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, who was part of the team who went to the governors office to negotiate the last-minute deal.

Theres been a desire to go back and look at the sales tax holidays, McFarland said. Were not talking about a whole lot of money in the context of our budget as a whole.
AMPs Real Estate Funds Management business is understood to have attracted the attention of three potential bidders looking to expand their presence in the strong office and industrial property sectors.

Speculation of a deal has swirled among analysts and rival industry executives, even though the real estate business is core to AMP Capitals global growth strategy.

AMP Capital's Quay Quarter Tower at Sydney's Circular Quay.

Charter Hall, Macquarie Bank and the giant private equity Blackstone, which lost out to the Canadian-based Oxford Properties in the battle for control of Investa Office Fund last year, are said to be running the ruler over the business.

AMP Capital Investors is one of the largest real estate fund managers in the Asia-Pacific with more than 50 years experience in real estate investment and a team of more than 540 people. It has more than $26 billion in assets under management on behalf of institutional and retail investors.
Only a short time ago, if you had drawn a Venn diagram of Rupert Murdoch and Elizabeth Warren's policy interests and concerns, it would have looked something like two discrete circles with no overlap. But that changed last week when the conservative, Australian-born media magnate and the left-wing US senator became unlikely allies in a quest to rein in America's tech giants.

Murdochs Australian publishing house, News Corp, created global headlines when it provocatively called for search advertising giant Google to be broken up. The suggestion - made in a submission to the Australian competition regulator's inquiry into digital platforms - surfaced just days after Warren unveiled her own plan to break up Google (and fellow internet giants Facebook and Amazon) at the high-profile South by Southwest conference in Texas.

What are Rupert Murdoch and News Corp really up to? Credit:AP

Disclosure: News Corp is the owner of newspapers that compete with the news publication you are reading right now. And The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have an advertising partnership with Google.

Before going any further it is worth making one thing clear: the likelihood that Google (or any of its Big Tech peers) is actually forcibly broken apart in Australia probably falls somewhere between remote and non-existent.
The next few weeks will determine whether the Coalition is finally able to capitalise on an economic gift from Labor: Its plan to abolish franking credit tax refunds.

The Coalitions retiree tax campaign has the potential to convince elderly voters of the fib that Labor wasnt only coming after wealthier investors with share-portfolios, but all retirees, and that it is a tax, when it is the opposite.

Labor handed the Coalition a sword with which it could repeatedly wound its election chances. If only the government could keep its hands on the hilt.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Credit:AAP

It now seems like yesterdays slogan, but the government has a final chance with the final round of hearings this week. It could be the governments last chance to capitalise on an issue that it has so far managed to push off the agenda through its capacity for self harm.
NSW Labor has pledged to revamp the state's industrial relations system with a new government department, restored industrial court and new laws to crack down on unpaid internships, underpaid gig workers and modern day slavery.

Anti-discrimination laws would also be amended to protect pregnant women and those with family responsibilities in the private sector. Existing laws only offer protection for public servants.

Labor's industrial relations spokesman Adam Searle. Credit:AAP

"We are rebuilding an IR system that will operate in the private sector as well as the public sector," Labor's industrial relations spokesman Adam Searle said.

"We are creating a number of different ways where people in the private sector workforce can have access to, and get protections from, the Industrial Relations Commission, whether that is bullying, workplace safety or whistleblowers.
Waverley Depot would become a two-storey bus park under a proposal to reclaim half the site for a new Bondi high school.

Residents campaigning for a new co-ed secondary school - a key issue in the marginal seat of Coogee in the state election campaign - say the government-owned prime real estate could house a school without compromising transport services.

Half of the Waverley Depot site would be reclaimed for a new Bondi high school. Credit:Edwina Pickles.

On behalf of school lobby group CLOSE East, architects Anita Panov and Andrew Scott came up with an idea to slice the 1.67 hectare depot site - last valued at almost $400 million in 2014 - in two.

The Oxford Street side would be used to build a two-level school with a small tower, and an underground bus parking area would be created beneath the remaining half, which houses the heritage-listed sheds.
That nice comedian you saw on The Project? While they kept it clean for TV, theres no guarantee theyll do the same on stage  and of course, live comedy should be unpredictable. But if you want a show thats family-friendly (or something a little spicier) our guide to this years Melbourne International Comedy Festival is a good place to start. And remember: its worth taking a punt on an unknown performer  in one of those tiny venues is our next comic superstar.

Cho Kairin: Already famous in China, Kairin brings his death-defying acrobatics to Melbourne.

The Kagools: They never speak, but the physical comedy of these two UK women is far from silent.

Comedy Club for Kids: A mix of stand-up, sketch comedy and circus acts for kids aged six to 12.

The next big things

Its only a matter of time before these rising stars pack out Hamer Hall.

Geraldine Hickey. Credit:JAMES PENLIDIS PHOTOGRAPHY

John Hastings: He's had a tough time since he was last here; he got hit by a car and broke his arm, became homeless, and had a long-distance relationship. At last, this comic genius  who also features in the Best of Edinburgh Fest line-up  is doing his own show.

Geraldine Hickey: Triple Rs long-running Breakfasters program has launched many sterling careers  and current co-host Hickey is next in line. Her show is called Things Are Going Well which means, of course, they are not.

Nath Valvo: He made his name with an explicit show about Grindr; now, he finds the funny in long-term relationships, successful friends and his mothers dark new habit.

Khaled Khalafalla: Hes appeared in Upper Middle Bogan, Alis Wedding and Utopia. As The Age noted upon his 2013 debut, he already had the confidence of a seasoned veteran. (And he's especially good at accents and impressions.)
The Gospel According to Paul. Written and performed by Jonathan Biggins. Directed by Aarne Neeme. Soft Tread. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. March 26 to 31. canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

It was bound to happen, and it has.

Jonathan Biggins' portrayal of the love-him-or-hate-him Paul Keating is always a hit when it turns up in the annual political satire The Wharf Revue. And whatever your opinion of Keating, he left a big mark on Australia as treasurer and prime minister and continues to spark controversy and garner attention to this day with his firmly expressed opinions, wit and personality.

Jonathan Biggins in The Gospel According to Paul. Credit:Brett Boardman

But a segment in The Wharf Revue has proven to be too small a vehicle to contain Biggins's Keating. Hence, the inevitable: he has his own one-man show, The Gospel According to Paul.
Parents are concerned Transport Canberra's new public transport network will put students at risk, forcing them to cross dangerous roads and adding excessive time to trips between home and school.

Alison Simmons is worried about the safety of her children, after changes to the network mean her children's school bus has been replaced with convoluted possible trips involving multiple buses and either walking or bike riding.

Sisters Cerys Simmons, 12, left, and Rhiannon Simmons, 14, right, wait with classmate Harry, 14, centre, to cross the busy roundabout at the intersection of Erindale Drive and Sternberg Crescent, one of the suggested routes when their school bus is cancelled at the end of April. Credit:Jamila Toderas

The suggested route option for Cerys, 12, and Rhiannon, 14, to get from their home in Fadden to Alfred Deakin High School by 9am is to cross the congested roundabout at the intersection of Erindale Drive and Sternberg Crescent, catch a bus to Woden and then change on to a school bus service for the final leg.

"They can't [cross the roundabout]. That's why I don't know what to do. It's too dangerous," Ms Simmons said.
The terrorist attack in Christchurch on Friday plunged the world into shock. Dozens are dead, others are fighting for their lives. Multiple nations are in mourning, a peaceful city has been torn apart. There are more questions than answers. How was mass murder able to occur with so little warning? Why New Zealand? Where did the killer get his evil inspiration? And how can we possibly begin to heal from this local, national and international trauma?

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has shown the way in the wake of Fridays massacre. Credit:AP

To begin, we suggest the whole political class needs to rethink how it talks about social cohesion, religion and immigration. None of what is said by our leaders and representatives exists in a vacuum.

In recent years we have heard several politicians make claims that sounded ugly at the time and in the context of the horrifying terrorist attack on Friday, should be pause for thought. Former prime minister Tony Abbott proposed Australia should favour Syrian refugees who were Christian.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack claimed, falsely, that the medevac bill would mean rapists and murderers would be allowed into Australia. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has spoken of Islam as a disease that needed to be vaccinated against. And the faster Senator Fraser Anning is drummed out of Parliament for good, the better.
Starting university is becoming less of a daunting prospect for a host of Melbourne secondary students.

Ivanhoe Grammar School year nine students Lucy Schaefer and Luke McAlister at their new campus at La Trobe University. Credit:Joe Armao

Increasingly, high schools across the city are teaming up with universities to give teenagers a taste of higher education.

After running a two-week immersion course at La Trobe for the past decade, Ivanhoe Grammar School has this year taken the much bigger step of opening a specialised year 9 campus on the university's Macleod grounds.

The unique new campus has transformed disused heritage buildings into state-of-the-art classrooms and will allow students to adopt a more university-style, inquiry-based way of learning with access to La Trobe lecturers, researchers and mentors, its science and tech labs and wildlife sanctuary.
Pepper spray and the dog squad were called in to break up a wild party of about 300 people at an inner-Melbourne park overnight.

Police were called to the Westgate Park over a noise complaint about 1.30am on Sunday and arrived to find amplifiers and DJs playing music for the crowd.

Officers pepper-sprayed three people who ran away, a 20-year-old Wangaratta woman was taken to hospital after being hit on the head with a bottle and the 21-year-old Northcote man who organised the party was spoken to and released pending inquiries.

AAP
Rob Martin, Oakleigh South Stop the horror, don't build walls I am appalled at Fraser Anning's comments. If immigration is the issue, is he suggesting that we stop our Aussie cousins from coming to New Zealand? We are the closest of relations. We must stop the horror, not build walls. Bruce Irvine, Christchurch The horrid politics of division

Pauline Hanson believes "Islam is a disease we need to vaccinate ourselves against", so it comes as no surprise that she has not commented on the mass killing of Muslims in Christchurch. She wants Australia to "solve the problem" of terrorism by banning the Muslim faith. Somebody should explain to Hanson that the No. 1 terror threat today is from right-wing extremists, not Muslim-inspired terrorism as Hanson popularises. All terrorist attacks in the US in 2018, for example, were carried out by right-wing extremists, targeting mosques, synagogues and African-American churches. The xenophobic Hanson and her One Nation party will continue to pursue the politics of hate and division  she knows no other way. Neil Hudson, East Melbourne This is how to feed extremism Senator Fraser Anning's views on non-European migrants are abhorrent. His statements about the murders in Christchurch, to the extent that they lay blame for the killings on those who were shot, are vile. He may also have been indicating a connection between migration and hostility to recent arrivals. Such, unfortunately, is true. That hostility when sufficiently inflamed can lead to murder. The hostility does not reside in those arriving but in some of us in the host population  Fraser Anning among that group. He is not alone. Some of the loudest denunciations of Anning's comments post-Christchurch come from those who have carefully, persistently, deliberately stoked resentment of migrants, refugees and cultural change and now need to put distance between their past utterances and the extreme consequence.

Fraser Anning doesn't hide his views, he is a highly visible target of condemnation from the majority of Australians with enlightened and humane views; rightly so. But we should not overlook the much larger group who have fostered xenophobic paranoia with their tales of African gangs, an Asian invasion, attacks on Western civilisation, imposition of Sharia law etc. We all know who they are. They have fed the demented extremism. They are beneath contempt. Bob Aikenhead, North Carlton FORUM Anning doesn't speak for us

It was utterly heartbreaking to hear of the Christchurch shooting. However, hearing Fraser Anning's words of hate and prejudice left me appalled. He does not speak for us. We will not stand with him and his views of some apparent fear of a growing Muslim presence or how immigration programs are to blame as they let Muslims into a country. Anning cannot see that we are all the same, that we're all human beings and all deserve a right to freedom of religion without being persecuted. Do not dare put the blame for a white supremacist terrorist attack on innocent victims. I may not be Muslim, but I will not stand by and let Anning say revolting lies. This year, like many young people, it will be my first time voting in the federal election. I don't know much about politics, however I know who I want to be representing my country, and someone who speaks words in an attempt to separate us instead of unite, will not get my vote. Angela Basile, Burwood Bending in the breeze The government stance on Milo Yiannopoulos: he can't come, he can come, he can't come. Wouldn't it be good if they had a stance based on human decency rather than political expediency? Did they really require his last comment regarding the shooting to convince them of his character? Are they deaf?

Julie Conquest, Brighton Keating a visionary Paul Keating did not have Fraser Anning in mind when he called the Senate unrepresentative swill but the term fits Anning perfectly. John Walsh, Watsonia Hypocritical reaction

Strange how Fraser Anning and his mates were so upset about being attacked by an egg 24 hours after applying the logic that a person or group who because of what they are or represent, and who espouse an odious or offensive ideology, shouldn't be surprised if it incites a violent reaction. I'd add "hypocrite" to his adjectival descriptions. If he can argue innocent Muslims shouldn't be surprised by 50 dead just because they are Muslim in New Zealand or Australia, he and his mates, given who they are and what they represent, should be grateful that they got off with only one egg. It goes to confirm how lucky we are to live in such a tolerant and peace-oriented society, that the majority deplore violence perpetrated on any person irrespective what their world view is, no thanks to Fraser and his mates who think bigotry, hatred and exclusion is going to make our society a better place. Let's hope somehow, sometime, he and his mates learn they are protected by the very tolerant and inclusive society  and its laws, that they are working so hard to undermine and destroy. Paul Reed, Mulgrave Don't let hate win

My heart goes out to those families who have lost a loved one. Love will win, tolerance will win, that neither NZ nor Australia will tolerate the intolerant. Please know we stand with you grieving and together we can fight against this hatred. Together united in the fellowship of humanity, with shared values of love, compassion and empathy, we will not let hate win. David Bennett, Northcote Why no charges? Fraser Anning blames Muslims for the cowardly and shocking attack in the Christchurch mosques. Why isn't he charged with inciting hate crimes? Phil Alexander, Eltham

Power of compassion Thank you, Waleed Aly, for your finely balanced reflection on outrage (Comment, 15/3). Hopefully, our deep compassion for the victims and families of the massacre in New Zealand will outshine and temper our moral outrage while seeking justice. Patricia Bish, Gisborne Hidden rewards I found myself connecting with the article "Risk and reward" (16/3) more than ever, after a discussion with my 17-year-old daughter.

Through her school, she has been a volunteer with the e.motion21 organisation in Kew, where she has been working with Down syndrome youth. Last week we were talking about genetic testing and she asked why would someone test for Down syndrome and why would someone choose not to have a child with Downs. Having never had any exposure to Down syndrome, when I was pregnant I was told that I was low risk with both my pregnancies and thought that was great news. I now feel embarrassed and ashamed by my response, which was one of relief and contentment. I see how much the experience of working with Down syndrome youth has positively affected my daughter and the joy and happiness she feels dancing with these awesome kids. I agree that there needs to be more education and awareness of living with Down syndrome so that future parents are aware of the rewards they will be missing out on if this negative perception continues to exist. Amanda Braun, Caulfield North Recipe for concern

Wendy Tuohy (Comment, 15/3), I don't know which is more of a concern  that Pete Evans and others of a similar ilk have developed the mindset that being a celebrity automatically makes you an expert in everything, or that some people are gullible enough to be influenced by the propaganda of said self-proclaimed experts. John Howes, Rowville Students right to challenge As an octogenarian, I fully support those school children who decided to strike in support of urgent action on climate change. Many of these students are old enough and intelligent enough to see that their future is imperilled by the reckless inaction of adult politicians. When challenged by youthful protesters, adults often resort to a rebuke based on reverse ageism rather than examine the substance of the protest. Climate change apathy is accompanied by a dark cynicism and a pitiless abandonment of future generations by adults who hold political power. Those who have calculated that they will die before things become catastrophic, and care nothing about the next generation, have effectively declared war on humanity. Climate change inaction is intergenerational theft.

Go for it, young ones, if adult politicians won't save you, you need to save yourselves. Ian Bayly, Upwey Hope for the future Congratulations to the students for their strike action on Friday. Current Coalition politicians have set back the climate action agenda for at least a decade and must be judged wilfully culpable. New leaders are emerging and showing passion, intelligence, strategy and backbone  all lacking in our politicians. There is reason to be hopeful that the future will be in better hands than the present. Peter Moore, Clifton Hill

Wrong to miss school Whilst I admire their stance on climate change, I disagree with children missing school to protest. The protests should be held outside school hours. To read that a 10-year-old said they'd experienced many bushfires and the world was coming to an end, baffles me. Supported by one parent with obviously an extremely strong stance, makes me very, very sad as I don't believe she's lived long enough for those to be her own words. By all means protest to help us live in a safer environment but every protester should be on the doorstep of those countries that ignore the words climate change. The emphasis needs to be directed towards the countries that are causing such atrocity. Allison Green, Reservoir

Just flick the switch If young people are concerned about global warming, they should adopt the approach of their parents and switch on the airconditioning. Tony O'Brien, South Melbourne Clear conflict of interest GP Jim Hare (Letters, 16/3) is spot on when he advocates the banning of commission payments to any workers in the financial industry given the clear conflicts of interest involved. In the case of financial advisers, they have already re-named commissions "adviser service fees" and carry on as if nothing has changed. What is required is a ban on super funds paying advisers any form of remuneration. Let those providing financial advice bill their clients directly. This will simplify cost structures, prevent the scourge of "fee for no service", deliver true transparency and put clients' interests first. Super fund returns will increase as they no longer have to maintain expensive administrative tools necessary to pay advisers.

Geoff Allen, Mt Eliza Oxygen for alt-right Eighty per cent of Australians between 18-29 say migrants make the country stronger because of their work and talents (Comment, 15/3). So why are older people failing to see this? Could just a few enlightened politicians agree and promote inclusion and acceptance? Maybe, just maybe, these "right wingers" might not then receive so much oxygen. Carolyn Berger, Kooyong Beneath poor taste

Just when we thought political debate couldn't sink any lower, along comes a politician trying to make mileage out of a massacre. Matt Dunn, Leongatha PM's latest persona Wonderful to see Scott Morrison supporting the Muslim community after the massacre in New Zealand. Wonderful to hear his compassion for the victims of the "hard right" movement. How consistent is this stand with his previous stance on race? How long will this new persona last? Wendy Logan, Croydon North

Dirty dozen Heads up ASIO, if I see Fraser Anning and I'm carrying eggs, I'll probably throw one at him. Matt McRobbie, Mont Albert Anning is self-egging Fraser Anning doesn't need the help of a teenager to put egg on his face. He does it so well himself.

Barrie Bales, Woorinen North AND ANOTHER THING Climate Politicians who minimise days that Parliament sits, condemn kids for having a day off school.

Malcolm McDonald, Burwood It's a pity the kids can't vote. They would elect a more adult government. Derek Wilson, Cheltenham Of the two groups, students and Coalition ministers, I know which ones I think behaved like petulant naive children. Murray Boyd, Jan Juc

Christchurch Can the 19 people who voted for Fraser Anning please seek to have their votes reversed? Richard Hughes, Woodend There must be one very proud little hen cackling around the farm yard today. Margaret Ward, Eltham

Members of the Senate should refuse to sit in the chamber with Fraser Anning. Reg Murray, Glen Iris I don't feel that "OK" about being white today, Pauline. Craig Jory, Glenroy, NSW So very sorry New Zealand. We didn't mean to send our garbage over to you.

Noel North, Malvern East Je suis New Zealand. Barbara Abell, Ringwood North Jacinda Ardern for Australian PM! Barbara Mothersdale, Boronia

What further proof does one need to show how hate speech leads to hate crime. Henry Herzog, St Kilda East Now that we know what hate speech leads to can we please stopit? Hans Paas, Castlemaine Furthermore
The ACT government was aware there were risks to the light rail being completed on time months before the start date was officially pushed back, internal documents have shown.

Heavily redacted ministerial briefs and meeting notes obtained under freedom of information indicate the government had doubts about the timeline the consortium building stage one light rail, Canberra Metro, had set out.

Transport Minister Meegan Fitzharris announced the project was running behind schedule last October. Credit:Jamila Toderas

This was despite repeated public assurances the program would be completed on time.

As early as May, project director Megan Oldfield gave a presentation to the project board's meetings about the risks to the on-time delivery and how those were being managed.
States and territories would share $1 billion to upgrade key parts of the nation's hospitals from emergency departments to mental health facilities under a plan by Labor to ramp up the health issue ahead of the May election.

The plan is to be announced by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Monday and would see $1 billion for capital investments drawn from Labor's $2.8 billion hospitals proposal.

Each state or territory will be able to gain cash which must be spent on capital works. Either the entire tab for a project will be picked up by Canberra or it would strike a deal to contribute towards some of the overall cost.

Labor is promising $1 billion to upgrade health facilities in all states and territories as it ramps up its health campaign ahead of the federal election. Credit:Michele Mossop

Labor is already working with the states to identify projects that might qualify for assistance with a focus on projects that deliver a "tangible difference" to local communities.
NSW Labor leader Michael Daley has given an "ironclad" guarantee that he would not water down gun laws as the Liberals step up pressure and roll out anti-gun advertisements featuring John Howard.

The Liberals delayed the release of the ad for two days following the Christchurch terrorist attack, but published it on social media on Sunday night.

In the advertisement, Mr Howard says the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers had wanted his signature 1996 gun laws repealed and would put "enormous pressure" on Labor to do so if they were to win.

The Coalition has been campaigning strongly on Labor's decision to swap preferences with the Shooters in Barwon and Murray, seats the Nationals fear they could lose in Saturday's election.
Aggressive patients and families are lashing out at doctors and nurses, with reports that domestic violence is spilling over into the state's hospitals.

There were 5514 acts of aggression towards Queensland Health staff last financial year  an increase of almost 50 per cent from two years earlier.

Disturbingly, violence was meted out even against staff caring for the state's most vulnerable children, with reported incidents at Children's Health Queensland more than doubling to 99 last year.

Attacks also spiked on the Gold Coast, at Metro South, the Sunshine Coast and Townsville.
Dubai: Years after the death of his father at the hands of a US Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan, Hamza bin Laden finds himself in the crosshairs of world powers.

In rapid succession in recent weeks, the US put a bounty of up to $US1 million on him; the UN Security Council named him to a global sanctions list, sparking a new Interpol notice for his arrest; and his home country of Saudi Arabia revealed it had revoked his citizenship.

Those measures suggest that international officials believe the now 30-year-old militant is an increasingly serious threat. He is not the head of al-Qaeda, but he has risen in prominence within the terror network his father founded, and the group may be grooming him to stand as a leader for a young generation of militants.

"Hamza was destined to be in his father's footsteps," said Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent focused on counterterrorism who investigated al-Qaeda's attack on the USS Cole.
Kim Kardashian led the praise for New Zealand's vow to change their gun laws less than 24 hours after the attacks that left 49 dead and 20 injured.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has promised the country's "gun laws will change". Attorney General David Parker echoed her thoughts and announced that New Zealand needs "to ban some semiautomatics, perhaps all of them."

Kim, who has been vocal about gun control since being robbed at gunpoint in Paris in 2016, applauded the country for taking immediate action.
Paris Jackson has denied a report claiming she was hospitalised for a suicide attempt.

The 20-year-old's response comes after TMZ reported that she was placed on a 5150 hold  which is used by police, medical and mental health professions if someone is thought to be a danger to themselves  after allegedly being hospitalised for a suicide attempt.

Paris condemned TMZs report on Twitter, writing fuck you you fucking liars in response to the article:
World's oldest semen still viable

Semen stored since 1968 in a laboratory in Sydney has been defrosted and successfully used to impregnate 34 Merino ewes, with the resulting live birth rate as high sperm frozen for just 12 months.

"This demonstrates the clear viability of long-term frozen storage of semen. The results show that fertility is maintained despite 50 years of frozen storage in liquid nitrogen," said Associate Professor Simon de Graaf from the Sydney Institute of Agriculture and School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney.

"The lambs appear to display the body wrinkle that was common in Merinos in the middle of last century, a feature originally selected to maximise skin surface area and wool yields. That style of Merino has since largely fallen from favour as the folds led to difficulties in shearing and increased risk of fly strike," Associate Professor de Graaf said.

His colleague on this project, Dr Jessica Rickard, said: "We believe this is the oldest viable stored semen of any species in the world and definitely the oldest sperm used to produce offspring."

Associate Professor de Graaf said that it was the reproductive biology and genetic aspects of these as-yet unpublished findings that were of most interest to him.

"We can now look at the genetic progress made by the wool industry over past 50 years of selective breeding. In that time, we've been trying to make better, more productive sheep," he said. "This gives us a resource to benchmark and compare."

Dr Rickard is a post-doctoral McCaughey Research Fellow in the Sydney Institute of Agriculture. She is continuing the strong animal reproduction research tradition in veterinary and biological sciences at the University of Sydney through her work in the Animal Reproduction Group.

Dr Rickard did the original work to determine if the stored semen was viable for artificial insemination. This involved thawing the semen, which is stored as small pellets in large vats of liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees. She and her colleagues then undertook in vitro tests on the sperm quality to determine the motility, velocity, viability and DNA integrity of the 50-year-old sperm.

"What is amazing about this result is we found no difference between sperm frozen for 50 years and sperm frozen for a year," Dr Rickard said.

Out of 56 ewes inseminated, 34 were successfully impregnated. This compares to recently frozen semen from 19 sires used to inseminate 1048 ewes, of which 618 were successfully impregnated. This gives a pregnancy rate of 61 percent for the 50-year-old semen against 59 percent for recently frozen sperm, a statistically equivalent rate.

The original semen samples were donated in the 1960s from sires owned by the Walker family. Those samples, frozen in 1968 by Dr Steven Salamon, came from four rams, including 'Sir Freddie' born in 1963, owned by the Walkers on their then property at Ledgworth.

The Walkers now run 8000 sheep at 'Woolaroo', at Yass Plains, and maintain a close and proud relationship with the animal breeding program at the University of Sydney.

###

The research was undertaken in part courtesy of a grant from Australian Wool Innovation.

Media enquiries

Marcus Strom | marcus.strom@sydney.edu.au | +61 423 982 485 | Media adviser

This story has been published on: 2019-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Nacogdoches, TX (75965)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 52F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
$1M Bail Set for Man Charged With Killing Missing Girls Mom

MILWAUKEECash bond is set at $1 million for a 34-year-old man accused of killing a missing girls mother in Milwaukee.

Dariaz Higgins appeared in court Sunday on charges including first-degree intentional homicide.

Body Found in Minnesota Matches Missing 2-Year-Old Girl

Authorities say a body found in Minnesota matches the description of a 2-year-old girl whose mother was killed in Milwaukee this past week.

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension spokesman Bruce Gordon said Saturday, March 16, the body has been preliminarily identified as Noelani Robinson.

Gordon says the body was found in Steele County, Minnesota, south of Minneapolis. He says the Minnesota agency is waiting for formal identification and preliminary autopsy results from the medical examiner.

Authorities had asked the entire nation for help finding Noelani after the arrest of the girls father, who is suspected of fatally shooting her mother, Sierra Robinson in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee police Chief Alfonso Morales said Friday the suspect, Dariaz Higgins, has been providing police with information on the whereabouts of his daughter, but it all has proven to be untrue.

The Search Was a Game To Him

The search to find Noelani has become a game to him. Its obviously apparent that he truly doesnt care about Noelani, Morales said.

Higgins, of Miami, is accused of fatally shooting 24-year-old Sierra Robinson and wounding one of her friends on Monday, March 8.

Police arrested him Wednesday and prosecutors have charged him with first-degree murder.

Prosecutors said in charging documents that Higgins traveled to Milwaukee to give Noelani to Robinson but its unknown if Higgins actually brought her with him.

Police said Higgins was Robinsons pimp and they had been romantically involved, but were no longer together. Robinson left Noelani with Higgins when she moved to Las Vegas last month but wanted her back, authorities said.

According to charging documents, Higgins, Robinson, and her friend spent time driving around together in Milwaukee doing drugs Monday, before Higgins took them to an apartment building where he told them Noelani was.

Prosecutors said Higgins shot Robinson and her friend when they got out of the car.

Missing Children

There were 464,324 missing children reported in the FBIs National Crime Information Center in 2017, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Under federal law, when children are reported missing to law enforcement, they must be entered into the database. In 2016, there were 465,676 entries.

In 2017, the center said it assisted officers and families with the cases of more than 27,000 missing children. In those cases, 91 percent were endangered runaways, and 5 percent were family abductions.

The number of reported missing children has significantly decreased in recent years, according to a 2017 report by the Department of Justice. The number of children reported missing dropped from 6.5 per 1,000 children in 1999 to 3.1 per 1,000 in 2013.

Missing children typically fall into five categories: kidnapped by a family member, abducted by a nonfamily perpetrator, runaways, those who got lost, stranded, or injured, or those who went missing due to benign reasons, such as misunderstandings, according to the report researchers.

By Ivan Moreno
8-Year-Old Edmonton Boy Found Unharmed, Amber Alert Cancelled

EDMONTONThe Edmonton boy at the centre of an amber alert that spanned two Alberta cities has been found safe, and police are crediting an off-duty officer from Calgary with spotting the child and his mother.

Edmonton police said in a news release that the Calgary officer spotted the pair thanks to the amber alert, and that RCMP from Okotoks, south of Calgary, took the woman into custody.

It was without incident, Edmonton Police Staff Sgt. Ashley Emerson said of the arrest.

Police said the boys mother has been charged with one count of abduction, and the 8-year-old boy has been returned to his father.

When they issued the alert Friday night, March 15, police said they believed the boy was abducted from school by his mother that afternoon, and that he was believed to be in danger.

Emerson said police were alerted by a parent at around 3:50 p.m. that a boy was walked out of the building by a woman, without his coat or his outdoor footwear. The school had notified the parent, Emerson said, who then called the police.

After leaving Edmonton, the pair were believed to be travelling in the Calgary area.

Amber Alert issued for 8-year-old boy in Edmonton https://t.co/DNde81l8td pic.twitter.com/faBWgeBStB  Times of News Europe (@TimesEurope) March 16, 2019

Emerson said investigators didnt know at first who the woman was. They then learned there was a parenting order in place and suspected the woman might be the noncustodial parent.

He explained it was several hours before an amber alert was issued because police needed to be satisfied that the childs safety was at risk.

It was only at that point that we utilized that system. We dont use it sort of as an investigative tool to help us resolve the matter quickly. We use it when were satisfied that its met the criteria and that the child is in fact in danger, Emerson said.

Emerson said he didnt know the details of how the Calgary officer knew an alert had been issued for the boy. He said the officer spotted the vehicle that was described in the alert heading east out of the town of Black Diamond on Highway 7 and followed it.

Amber Alert cancelled for Edmonton boy, 8, allegedly abducted by mother https://t.co/hQMyRghewd pic.twitter.com/QrSs3yLDaT  Montreal Informer (@montrealinform) March 16, 2019

RCMP from Okotoks pulled the vehicle over on Highway 7 about halfway between Black Diamond and Okotoks, he said.

Some people took to social media after the alert was issued, complaining that they were woken up by their cellphones, which now carry the alerts.

They were quickly denounced by others, including actor and comedian Andrew Phung, who was in his hometown of Calgary when he said he received the alert.

I was driving home from the theatre and took the scenic route to cover some extra streets. We are a community. We need to take care of one another, Phung said in a tweet.

I agree and am all for it! I was driving home from the theatre and took the scenic route to cover some extra streets. We are a community. We need to take care of one another.  Andrew Phung (@andrewphung) March 16, 2019

Were Certainly Not Going to Avoid Using the System

In Ontario, where 11-year-old Riya Rajkumar was found dead in Brampton last month after an amber alert was issued, police also received complaints about late-night alerts or repeat broadcasts that were issued after the girls father was in custody.

Riya Rajkumar is seen in an undated photo released by Peel Regional Police.  Action News Guyana  2019216

Roopesh Rajkumar, who had been charged with first-degree murder, died after being hospitalized with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

BREAKING: Sources have confirmed to me that Roopesh Rajkumar, accused In the death of his 11 year old daughter Riya, has died of his injuries in hospital pic.twitter.com/SmCtjQcevr  Bryan Passifiume (@BryanPassifiume) February 21, 2019

Emerson said police dont issue amber alerts lightly.

I think if people are bothered by receiving those notifications perhaps they want to have a conversation with their provider and find out a way that they can power off their phone at night so they dont receive those notifications, he said. Were certainly not going to avoid using the system because someone might be disturbed by the message.

Parental Kidnapping

According to the Polly Klaas Foundation, approximately 200,000 children are kidnapped each year by a family member.

Child custody experts said that people kidnap their own children to force a reconciliation or continued interaction with the other, left-behind parent; to spite or punish the other parent; from fear of losing custody or visitation rights.

In rare cases, the kidnapping may occur to protect a child from a parent who is believed to be abusing the child.

Common warnings signs include the other parent threatening abduction, suspected abuse, or paranoid delusion.
90-Year-Old Woman Points Gun and Threatens to Kill Neighbor Over Leaves in Yard

A 90-year-old woman threatened to kill her neighbor after pointing a gun at her, said police in Tennessee.

Nonagenarian Memphis woman Bessie Bowen was charged with aggravated assault and violation of an order of protection, Fox13 reported.

A woman called police saying Bowen pointed a firearm at her and threatened to shoot and kill her over leaves in her yard.

Police say it escalated quickly when the grandmother grabbed a gun.  WREG News Channel 3  2019315

The unnamed woman said she took photos and captured a video of Bowens threats.

Fox13 reported at the woman had an order of protection against Bowen for assault.

Police searched for the gun, finding only the holster.

FAMILY FEUD: "She's always been serious about her yard," he said. "I never had a problem with her. I never seen or heard her do anything like that."  FOX31 KDVR.com  2019316

Bowen was arrested on March 14 and was released on her own recognizance, it was reported.

Another neighbor told WREG that he was stunned to learn about the allegations, but said she has always been serious about her yard.

I never had a problem with her. I never seen or heard her do anything like that (sic), he said. I hope they dont send her to jail.

Shes an old lady. Just serious about her yard, he continued.

In the incident, police responded to the 2300 block of Larose Avenue in Bethel Grove.

Other details about the case are not clear. Its unclear if she has a lawyer.

Violent Crime Up in Memphis

Memphis was ranked by the FBI as the 3rd most violent big city in the United States.

In 2017, the last year that figures were released, there were 181 homicides in Memphis, or about 28 deaths per 100,000 residents, said the FBI in October 2018.

More specifically, In 2017, there were 200 reported homicides in Memphis, but 19 were ruled as justifiable and not counted in the number of homicides sent to the FBI, reports the Daily Memphian publication.

The Daily Memphian in January 2019 reported that there were 184 homicides in all of 2018.

Memphis recorded 184 homicides last year, a 5 percent increase over the 176 slayings in 2017, but still lower than 228 homicides in 2016, the deadliest year recorded in the city in the last two decades, the publication reports.

In September 2018, the FBI said that overall, Americans committed fewer violent and property crimes across the United States in 2017, according to statistics. The violent crime rateincluding offenses such as murder, robbery, and aggravated assaultdropped by almost 1 percent and is still about 4 percent above the 2014 rate. The murder rate dropped by 0.7 percent.

There were more than 1.2 million violent crimes reported to [the FBI] nationwide in 2017. There was a 0.7 percent decrease in murders and a 4 percent decrease in robberies from 2016 to 2017. Aggravated assaults increased 1 percent in 2017. The FBI began collecting data solely on an updated rape definition last year, and 135,755 rapes were reported to law enforcement in 2017, the agency said.

Of the estimated 17,284 murders in 2017, more than half occurred in larger citieswith populations of more than 100,000.

There are fewer than 300 such cities in the United States, and while they account for less than 30 percent of the countrys population, many of them contribute far beyond their share to national crime rates and have done so for years, even decades.

While the national murder rate inched down to 5.3 per 100,000 residents, it spiked by 15 percent in Philadelphia, to a rate of more than 20 per 100,000 residents. Columbus, Ohio, saw a massive 54 percent murder rate increase, reaching nearly 16.3 per 100,000 residents.

The murder rate in St. Louis rose by more than 10 percent and reached 66 per 100,000 residentsthe highest among larger cities.

Baltimores murder rate rose by nearly 8.5 percent, reaching some 56 per 100,000 residents.
Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Kayani (L) and General Hou Shusen (R), Deputy Chief of Staff of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), watch the Pakistan-China military drill in Jhelum, Pakistan, on November 24, 2011. (Aamir QureshiAFP/Getty Images)

Kashmir Conflict Likely to Spur Pakistan to Grow Even Closer With China, Indias Rival

DELHI, IndiaThe recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan in the Kashmir region is likely to bring Pakistan even closer to Indias regional rival China, experts say.

Jayadev Ranade, a former senior official in the Indian foreign intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing, who now runs a China-focused think-tank in New Delhi, said that China views Pakistan as its vassal state, using it to keep India in check.

China and Pakistan already have very close military links, Ranade said, with more Pakistani military officers now going to China for training than to the United States.

There has also been an increase in Pakistan buying military hardware from China, Ranade said.

China is planning to sell an aircraft carrier to Pakistan, Ranade noted, and is using Pakistans ports in Karachi and Gwadar as its military bases.

Following the Feb. 14 terrorist attack in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmirwhich resulted in the killing of 44 Indian security personneland the ensuing military confrontation between India and China, Ranade says China and Pakistan are likely to scale up their collaboration.

Conflict in Kashmir

The attack in Pulwama was claimed by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist group. It was carried out by a suicide bomber, Adil Dar, a Kashmiri local who also died in the attack. Kashmir, divided between Pakistan and India, is claimed by both countries as their own territory.

JeM operates in Pakistan with impunity.

Following the attack, India carried out air strikes in Balakot in Pakistan, where JeM has training camps, although uncertainty exists over the number of terrorists India claims to have managed to target. Following one of Indias air strikes, Pakistan captured an Indian pilot but released him later as a peace gesture.

China condemned the terrorist attack against India, with the Chinese ambassador sharing a minute of silence for those killed at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi.

However, on March 14, China blocked a United Nations Security Council committee from declaring JeM leader Masood Azhar a terrorist.

A.K. Behuria, a fellow at the Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis, says despite Chinas condemnation, the link between China and Pakistan is solid.

According to Behuria, the growing warm relations between India and the United States in recent years has seen a reciprocal response from China, which has pulled Pakistan deeper into its plans for regional as well as international supremacy.

One Belt, One Road Initiative

One of the most important factors behind the closer alliance between China and Pakistan is Chinas dependence on Pakistan for the success of its One Belt, One Road Initiative (OBOR), Ranade says. Pakistan is a key partner of China in the ambitious infrastructure initiative, and the relationship between the two countries on this initiative is seen to be more of a strategic than economic cooperation.

Ranade noted that ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor was the first segment of the OBOR to be operationalized, despite it being the second-last part of the project, showing its importance to the Chinese.

In their mind, it is a piece of real estate they are utilizing and they are going to be cautious about their investments in Pakistan, which are huge, he noted.
America Safer From Foreign Threats Under TrumpCmdr. Kirk Lippold USN (Ret.)

Americas foreign policy and military engagement around the worldparticularly in the Middle Easthas changed dramatically under President Donald Trump . Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Kirk Lippold, who was the commanding officer of the USS Cole when it was attacked by Al Qaeda terrorists in 2000, gives his perspective on Americas current state of national security.

Once a member of the War on Terrorism Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lippold is now a political commentator on matters of national security. He gives his expert opinion on the ISIS retreat in Syria, Iran, and other state sponsors of terrorism and how the safety of the United States on the world stage stands now compared to 10 years ago.

Jan Jekielek: So, I want to talk about Syria. Its in the headlines that the last ISIS strongholds are being eliminated as we speak today by Kurdish forces backed by a U.S.-led coalition. Give us a picture of how you see this situation. Can this actually be the case that ISIS is very close to being eliminated?

Kirk Lippold: I think what youre really going to see is the ISIS combat capability slowly being whittled away and eventually eliminated. While ISIS may live on as an ideology, their ability to now project power, gain territory, influence areas, and continue the wholesale slaughter that we were seeing for years, is going to be stopped. There are probably going to be ISIS-inspired attacks after this, but the real capability that was resident with [ISIS leader Abu Bakr] al-Baghdadi and his ability to take over that huge swath of territory in northern Syria and Iraq is essentially going to be eliminated.

Mr. Jekielek: So, weve heard different things about whats going to happen with U.S. forces. We heard potentially they will be leaving altogether, and more recently, weve been hearing theres going to be a presence maintained. Can you perhaps unpackage that for us?

Mr. Lippold: Absolutely. What you saw is that as ISIS was being reduced, the president saw an opportunity for the U.S. to say, OK, lets bring the troops home. I think that when he held that conversation with President Erdogan in Turkey, he saw an opportunity right then and there to disengage, be able to pull back, and bring those troops home out of northern Syria. In reality, I think as time has gone on and he has gotten a little bit better briefing before that phone call, he now realizes that our forces there serve a very strategic interest for the United States. Not so much for ISIS and their ability for a resurgence and be able to take territory, but we want to be able with our presence to be able to ensure that the training of the forces that weve invested that have eliminated ISIS to continue. But more importantly, we want to make sure those allies are protected. The people who have been at that tip of that spear eliminating ISIS really have been the Syrian Resistance forces and the Kurds.

The Kurds, of course, by Turkey are considered terrorists no matter who they are. And if Turkey were to be able to have their say theyd go in and they would wipe them out wholesale, regardless of the slaughter that may ensue. In reality, the United States by choosing now  I think the president is beginning to see that there is value in staying there because number one, if those forces that have eliminated ISIS continue to exist in that area to keep a lid on any resurgence it serves two purposes: One, [Syrian leader Bashar] Assad cant move back into northern Syria with the help of the Russians and the Iranians. Plus, it eliminates Turkey from coming in and killing all the Kurds who have been our principal fighters and creating that buffer zone that they would like to see because they would like to see the downfall of the Assad regime, which is not going to happen. So, our staying there serves a very long-term strategic interest with a minimal investment in forces to ensure that capability and training stays resident so that if there were a resurgence of ISIS we have the ability along with our coalition partners to immediately eliminate it.

Mr. Jekielek: This is essentially a small presence but not as symbolic, its very, very tactical in a sense, right?

Mr. Lippold: Absolutely.

Mr. Jekielek: How big of a force are we talking about here?

Mr. Lippold: I think well have to really see what we can go down to. We dont want to go too far, and obviously, we need to work with our coalition partners. But I see 100 to 500 troops being in there. But what we want to do is reduce that footprint to a point that with our coalition partners the capability remains, the long-term strategic interests are guarded, and that while it may be tactical in nature, it obviously has strategic impact.

Mr. Jekielek: You, yourself have actually felt the impact of radical Islamic terrorism. Of course with your experience with the USS Cole. Weve also heard at some point that Al-Qaeda was on the verge of being on the run, on the verge of being eliminated, or eliminated. Yes, it seems like the mantle is taken by another group, by ISIS, and others. How are we going to prevent that from happening this time?

Mr. Lippold: I think what the United States needs to look at is we have to have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to terrorists. When you look at the Cole in the context of history up until then, all those embassies, all those attacks that we had, the Beirut barracks, World Trade Center, the embassy bombingsthose were attacks against things that housed and represented U.S. interests. Cole was fundamentally different because it was an attack on our ability to defend our national interests. They were trying to eliminate that capability, so that they could spread their caliphate throughout the world. When it comes to the U.S., if you harm or you kill an American, were going to come after you wherever you are, whatever nation is harboring you, and were going to do one of two things: Were going to capture you if we think youre of intelligence value, or were going to kill you.

And we just have to make it clear to the world that were going to stand by that for the long term. I think President Bush had it right. This is a generational fight. But what we have to do is make these terrorists realize that that is an unsustainable way of getting anybody to do things their way. That it is not how you work in the real world, that you have to engage with policies and that you can sit there and have all the religious doctrine you want. They radicalize the Islamic religion. But, at the end of the day, the United States must stay firm in saying that is not going to be a viable approach for you to take, and the world stands by that as well. I mean even the Chinese, even the Russians, our partners in Europe have a zero tolerance policy toward terrorism. And we have to continue to sustain that as well.

Mr. Jekielek: More than two years ago no one could have imagined that ISIS could be eliminated to the level that it is eliminated. What happened?

Mr. Lippold: I think that several years ago, what people didnt realize is we just took a step back. We once again underappreciated the threat, just like we underappreciated the threat that Al-Qaeda represented to this nation. The attack on the Cole, an attack on our ability to defend our national interests worldwide. The same with ISIS.

We did not realize that this could explode so rapidly, we lowered our guard as did the world because we still have this somewhat antiquated approach toward fighting these guys where we sit and say it needs to be state-on-state. These are state-supported actors. Theres no such thing as a terrorist organization that doesnt have state sponsors. The money flows from somewhere, as do the arms, and we need to realize that we need to go after these state actors that continue to support them. Were 18 years into the war against Al-Qaeda. Yet, they have continued to grow and spread. Whether its in Africa in the Maghreb, whether it is Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, whether it is the true Al-Qaeda as it exists today still in Saudi Arabiawe need to make sure that were holding these nations accountable that continue to fund them.

Mr. Jekielek: But what about ISIS over these last two years specifically? How has their reach and their power been reduced so dramatically? What changed in the policy that allowed for that?

Mr. Lippold: Its a great question. I think what you really saw was the world invest the resources necessary to eliminate, first and foremost, their combat capability. And in doing so, that regained the territory. What it also did was send a signal to the world that ISIS is not this completely invulnerable religious force that is now beginning to spread and dominate throughout the region. What they began to realize that it was vulnerable, that it was not infallible, that it could be defeated, and that, in fact, the ideology was not going to hold it up. So what you see is the combat capability being eliminated, which then was leveraged into regaining the territory that was lost, which then people called into question the actual basis by which the ideology was going after those people and that territory. And now that its virtually eliminated these fighters are fighting for what? Wheres al-Baghdadi? Hes gone. Hes absent. Hes hiding. Hes in fear. Well, if youre the leader of ISIS, and you cant even fight and die with your own men who are willing to die for your cause, whats that really say? You didnt believe in it from the beginning.

Mr. Jekielek: So, youve been referencing the Cole which is now I guess 19 years ago, and it was in 2000 and how it changed what the terrorists were willing to do. Can you expand a little bit on your experience of what happened and how you dealt with it?

Mr. Lippold: Sure. The attack on the Cole, personally, changed my life. And when I look back on it, the fallout from it that I observed in the time in the months and years afterward was literally you had an American people that did not appreciate the threat, we had two presidents, President Clinton and President Bushone Democrat, one Republicantwo separate administrations that did nothing in response. President Clinton kept raising the bar to respond to the attack on Cole17 sailors dead and 37 woundedand got out of office doing nothing. President Bush, unfortunately, came into office with an attitude of Hey, were forward-looking, not backward-acting. Even the Deputy Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz said the information was stale. Excuse me. But at the end of the day, what you ended up happening is the American people 11 months later would tragically realize that that threatour ability to actually wage a war against a non-state international terrorist organizationhad to be carried out and executed.

You still, unfortunately, have lawyers today that argue that we should not declare war against non-state entities. I dont care what the ramifications are in the international politics and law world. I look at it is that we need to invest the resources of a nation as necessary to keep us safe. We cant take our eye off the ball and while we do have near-peer competitors, principally in China, secondarily Russia, and then and other actors that are building and growing: North Korea which is obviously a China satellite, [while] Iran is trying to destabilize the Middle East. Were going to have to address those threats, and were going to have to develop the capability, invest in the training, as well as the systems to be able to counter those and defeat them decisively, not just parity, decisively.

Mr. Jekielek: You said that event changed your life, but what did you learn? Being there and dealing with the situation, what did you learn about terrorism and the resolve?

Mr. Lippold: We learned that when it comes to operating our forces overseas, we really need to take a hard look at: If we are going to put people into ports, at airports, and into forward operating bases, we need to ask the questions, what are we going to give those forces to defend themselves? You look at it, and its what I call peeling the onion back. And you really have to look and say OK, if youre going to do that what are the procedures that they need to operate under. Whats the equipment were going to give them to defend themselves. What is the training that theyre going to have in order to use those procedures and that equipment? What are the rules of engagement? And are we giving the commander the necessary flexibility to do all those things? But the principal driver in all of that is going to be the intelligence. What we didnt know the morning we pulled in to Aden, Yemen, on Oct. 12, 2000, [was that] al-Qaeda had been there for about a year operating from a safe house looking down out over the harbor watching when Navy ships pulled in, what pier they went to, what side they moor to, what boats came out, what path they followed.

Nine months before the attack on the Cole, al-Qaeda had attempted an attack with another boat just like oursthe one that attacked usand it failed. When they did that, they recovered the boat, the explosives, the trainer, the car, moved to a new safe house and nine months later attacked us. The Navy had never anticipated training or expected a waterborne improvised explosive device with two suicide bombers. And, unfortunately, wrong place, wrong time with bad intelligence that morning. Now, I was blessed with a great crew that did the right thing at the right time and saved that ship and their shipmates and the USS Cole is still operating out there today. So, what you have to look at as a nation in order to safeguard our national security interests, we have to have the leadership in all of our military services, regardless of what they get told in a budget-driven environment today.

[We need] to be honest with our elected representatives and tell them, This is what its going to take to defend the United States and our national security interests. Congress, of course, is going to come in and say, Got it. You only get this much. This piece right here is called risk. The American people need to know, understand, and approve that theyre willing to accept that degree or growing amount of risk today. If not, then we have no choice but to either give the military the weapons they need in order to defend ourselves and the policies to be able to support it with both capability and credibility to use it, or we might as well get off the world stage and then pick: would you prefer to learn Russian or Mandarin Chinese?

Mr. Jekielek: The Cole was off the coast of Yemen. And right now, were seeing a lot of people describe as a proxy war over there. Youve got Saudi, youve got Iran. How do you see that situation?

Mr. Lippold: I think what youre beginning to see, and this was something that President Obama, to his credit, began to push, and say these Middle East countries have got to stop relying on the United States, expending our blood and treasure to defend them. And when you really look at it, and youll take a hard look at Saudi Arabia, theyre encircled. Where is Iran today? Theyre with Hezbollah in Lebanon, theyre with the Quds Force training up in Syria. Theyre in Iraq, insidiously inserting themselves throughout the government and the military there as an influence force, not a proxy force. When you come down and look at Yemen to the south, they are there supporting the Huthi rebels there that have toppled the government that was Saudi Arabia-supported. So, Saudi Arabia is essentially encircled. Well, were happy to give you training and capability if you dont like what Irans doing. We have a vested interest to ensure that Iran does not gain more capability and influence in that region, but our partners over therethose Gulf Cooperation Council membershave got to step up. And if they, in fact, see Iran as a threat to their national security interests, theyre going to have to do something. For years, theyve let this problem fester. I dont want to see it come to a head, and hopefully, we can use other influences. But the fact is, Iran has gained that influence because other countries over there have been unwilling to expend their blood and treasure to stop it.

Mr. Jekielek: So, what about the reneging on the Iran deal. How do you see that then in light of what you just said?

Mr. Lippold: There wasnt a reneging on it. What you really saw was a president who came in, and Im one of those people that actually sat down, printed it out and read the 156 pages of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear agreement. It was a bad agreement. It was bad from the start. President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry were so desperate to negotiate a deal that they essentially compromised this nations ability to defend itself. They put Israel at risk. They put the region and the world at risk. It was still a pathway to a bomb. All they did was give them a 10-year break. It didnt take away their research and development facilities, [and] it did not give us the ability to inspect military bases where probable nuclear activity was still going on. So, essentially from A to Z, it was a bad agreement. At some point, you have to say This was not good, it was against our national interests, it never should have been negotiated. But sometimes thats what you get when you have a collaborative group. Everybody wants to compromise down to the lowest denominator.

The United States cant afford to do that. Our national security interests as a leader in the free world have to take precedence, and were gonna be out there. The fact that the Europeans still want to continue to do it, well, thats only because they have a vested interest, having agreed to something that was bad to begin with. With the new leadership, we need to look at it say, Lets go forward. If the Iranians dont want to negotiate, they want to restart a nuclear program, there will be consequences for doing that.

Mr. Jekielek: Do you think the current policies are working?

Mr. Lippold: I think the current policies are slowly working. I think were still trying to build up that groundswell of support for the fact that President Trump pulled out of the agreement, for what are very sound national-security reasons, but make sure that people understand and get on board with the fact that the Iranians negotiated in bad faith. They know it. And while they did get a good agreement from their point of view, we did not. Time to renegotiate.

Mr. Jekielek: So, do you think America, and Americans are safer now in the world than they were 10 years ago?

Mr. Lippold: I think 10 years ago, we felt safer. Today, I think we are safer. And part of the reason is we have a president who clearly has indicated and demonstrated that he is willing to take action. When President Obama drew a red line against chemical weapons use in Syria, and they did it, he did nothing. When you look at when chemical weapons were used by the Syrians during the Trump administration, we raced two guided missile destroyers across the eastern Mediterranean, put them in the launch baskets, and fired the Tomahawks off necessary to eliminate that capability and said, Do it again, well act again. Russia, stop! You cannot support someone that continues to do this. Nonetheless, Syria clearly has continued to use chemical weapons as demonstrated by chlorine gas and others, and they are willing to do it. And, at some point, hes going to be held to account for it.

Mr. Jekielek: So, given all this, what policy recommendations do you have that will actually be beneficial for Americans and for the rest of the world against this terrorist threat in the Middle East?

Mr. Lippold: I think the best thing we can do, initially, is to support the nations that are over there that were still allied with, from Saudi Arabia on down. Make them understand what the national-security interests are of the United States and other allies, whether it is from the Far East in Japan through the Europeans that continue to get oil from that region to power their economies. Make them understand that we will help you, we will help safeguard you, and we will push to get you the resources, the training, and the capability so that you can defend yourself against the insidious nature that Iran is trying to put over there in influencing the region, in surrounding them, and making them feel like theyre vulnerable. Give them the capability that if Iran were to block the Strait of Hormuz, which they have always threatened since 1979 to do, to cut off the worlds oil supply that those nations, in fact, have the capability to reopen that strait without U.S. help. And while well be there to leverage it and do that obviously as with the rest of the world, lets start developing that capability over there in a manner that serves their national-security interests as well as ours.

Mr. Jekielek: You mentioned that America should basically uphold its alliance with Saudi Arabia. Theres been a lot of questions about that, especially in the media, given the murder of journalists, the Saudi journalist, and so forth. Can you speak to that?

Kirk Lippold: All I would say is that, regrettably, the United States, like every nation, must occasionally work with people who are bad actors and have done bad things. Clearly, the killing of [Jamal] Khashoggi, as a occasional contributor to The Washington Post, had done, I think, a lot of the excitement that you saw in the media and the drive you saw was it was something they wanted to try and leverage more for political purposes against President Trump than an actual horrific nature of what they did, which it was, while terrible and there is no excuse for doing that. At the end of the day, there are ways to deal with that that dont need to be splashed on the front page of the newspaper.

The United States has a lot of influence that they can put onto the Saudi government to bring them in line and say that type of behaviorthose types of actionsare wholly unacceptable in how were going to do business. The Saudis are not going to wholesale pick up, give up on the United States, turn to Russia, and begin to buy arms from them. I know a lot of people have looked at that. That really isnt going to happen because they, while they may be occasionally mistrustful of the United States, they fear Russia because they know that Russia will absolutely be ruthless, if they were to ever get into any kind of fight and would probably abandon them.

Mr. Jekielek: You also mentioned I think earlier in the interview that Assad isnt going away. How should America deal with Assad?

Mr. Lippold: I think we should apply as much economic pressure and other means to make sure that no countries deal with him, that he continues to remain isolated, that the countries that support himprincipally Iran and Russiahave sanctions and consequences by other nations, as well to make them realize that, hey you need to figure out a way to have a transition in power away from that brutal dictator. Russia wants to stay there, principally, for one reason: Tartus. It is a warm-water port in the Mediterranean that they have used for decades, from the days of the Soviet Union to be able, if necessary, to project power into the western Mediterranean. We need to make sure the Russians understand were not looking at taking away your warm-water port. We are, however, looking at getting rid of a brutal dictator and having a transition of power, where you can continue to remain engaged there to a point, but not to gain the kind of influence in the region that you think you should have.

When you look at it, while Americans may have felt safe 10 years ago, the hard-line reality is we were beginning to have an administration coming into office that began to do things that would have second- and third-order effects that, in fact, would make us less safe. We took a principal intelligence-gathering facility in Guantanamo Bay and attempted to close it, and a bipartisan group of senators and congressmen said absolutely not. Were not going to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other terrorists; we have to have that facility exist. Then it went on during that administration where they were negotiating with Iran, the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism, for a nuclear agreement that ultimately as you go through the administration would be closed out in desperation, where we would negotiate away the future safety of not only the United States but Israel as well. Then, you also had a president who drew red lines and then let the countries violate them: chemical use in Syria.

So, while Americans may have felt safe, the groundwork was being laid that actually around the world, people were wondering what the United States really stands for? What are they really willing to do to safeguard not only their national security interests but ours as well? Because it appears theyre drawing lines that mean nothing, negotiating away something as vital as nuclear weapons. So when President Trump came in  I dont care how and what he tweets, when you look at the facts of what he is doing, if he says hes going to do it, he is going to work to make it happen. If you draw a red line, he stands by it. If he says hes going to come after you because you kill Americans, hes going to do it.

And the principal example of that: Were coming up on the 19-year anniversary of the attack on USS Cole, and yet one of the principal guys involved in facilitating that attack, al-Badawi, was taken out right at the turn of the new year. That means for 18 years our intelligence community watched, waited, and until they had that moment, without any collateral damage; under this president, they did what was necessary [and] took him out. Thats a huge investment because it tells the world that we will find you, we will hunt you down, and when we hunt you down were going to capture you, or were going to kill you. The two things that President Trump brings to office today that didnt exist before is, once again, we are seeing the capability in the military and the intelligence communities to keep this nation safe.

But, more importantly, the credibility that he will use it to defend this nation.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

American Thought Leaders is a new Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Diana Keel, 38, went missing on March 8, 2019. A body was discovered four days later that law enforcement officials say was likely to be Keel, leading to the naming of her husband as a person of interest. (Nash County Sheriff's Office)

Arrest Warrant Issued for Lynn Keel, Husband of Murdered Nash County Woman

A first-degree murder warrant has been issued for the husband of a Nash County woman who was found dead five days after being reported missing, police have confirmed.

Police are actively searching to find Lynn Keel, 57, reported ABC11.

Authorities had previously considered Keel to be a person of interest in the slaying of his wife, Diana Keel, 38, but now he will be charged for her murder, Sheriff Keith Stone told WRAL, on Friday, March 15.

Keel is considered armed and dangerous and was last seen in Nashville, Tenn. authorities said.

Diana Keel was first reported missing by her daughter on March 7, reported ABC11. She was last seen by her husband the next day, on March 8, he told Nash County Sheriffs Office deputies.

.@NashCountySO says Alejandra Keel was last seen by her husband on Friday. Deputies remain outside her home on Old County Home Rd after checking when her employer said she didnt come in for work for a few days. @ABC11_WTVD #ABC11 pic.twitter.com/QwQOTjPnRb  Anthony Wilson (@AnthonyABC11) March 12, 2019

The womans disappearance led to a massive manhunt. On March 12, her body was found about 30 miles from her home.

After the body was discovered, Lynn was brought in and questioned by detectives. At the time, he was named as a person of interest but had not been charged yet, officials told WSOC-TV.

Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone said Lynn seemed surprised by the discovery of the body.

#Breaking @NashCountySO issues warrant for Lynn Keel, after daylong search for him. Wanted for the murder of his wife, he may be headed to Wilson. @ABC11_WTVD pic.twitter.com/kibECeKpIH  Anthony Wilson (@AnthonyABC11) March 15, 2019

Were just going to take it step-by-step and take our time with the investigation, Stone said. Ive heard nobody that knew her had anything negative to say about this woman. What a tragic event, even more tragic we now have a 10-year-old without a mom.

Dianas family said her marriage was not working out. Her mother said she had even planned to divorce Lynn but her husband had threatened her not to proceed, according to ABC11.

My sister would not leave her kids alone, Diana Keels brother Mauricio said from his home in Columbia. She is joyful, she is caring, she is a great mother, she is the best sister ever. Shes like a guardian angel.

Diana Keels church family is emotional, praying shortly after learning a body was found. They are also praying her children, 19 year-old Laura and 10 year-old Max. The body has still not been identified. pic.twitter.com/beoXUfq0Tm  Kasey Cunningham (@WRALKasey) March 12, 2019

Taryn Edwards, who said she was best friends with Diana Keel for 10 years, said she had been helping her to leave her husband before he put a stop to their friendship, she said.

She said she never felt comfortable with Lynn Keel around.

It was just the atmosphere and the aura that, you know that vibe that you get from somebody, it was always very tense, she said.

On TV: At 10 on FOX 50: Diana Keels best friend says she tried to help her leave husband now charged in her death #wral https://t.co/KgjfC9dVMz  WRAL NEWS in NC (@WRAL) March 16, 2019

Despite wanting to get a divorce, Diana never indicated she was afraid of being physically harmed by her husband according to Edwards.

I wish I had found some way to stay in communication with her, and Ill never forgive myself for that, she said. Im so sorry that I didnt protect you more.

On the other hand, Dianas mother, Esperanza Prada feared for her daughters safety. I am afraid for my daughter, Prada told WTVD from her home in Colombia. I want my daughter to appear.

Years ago, my daughter wanted to separate from (her husband) but she couldnt because he threatened her, Prada added.

Sheriff: Body found Tuesday is missing Nash County woman https://t.co/tvyoDxd3wY  CBS 17 (@WNCN) March 13, 2019

Diana is not the first wife of Lynn to have die.

According to police records Lynns previous wife, Elizabeth Bess Edwards Keel, died in their home in January 2006.

She died from a blunt force trauma to her head but the medical examiner ruled her death as an accident.

Authorities believe Keel is driving a 1998 Chevy pickup truck, pewter/gold in color, and with North Carolina registration plate BBM9232. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Nash sheriff at 252-459-4121.

Have you seen him? Arrest warrant issued for husband of Nash County woman found dead, active search for Lynn Keel underway https://t.co/AU2HKcQoyj pic.twitter.com/zzNmhXNFgy  ABC11 EyewitnessNews (@ABC11_WTVD) March 16, 2019

From NTD.com

Reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to this article.
FilePassengers waiting to board flights at an airport in New Zealand, on June 1, 2011. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Bomb Squad Responds to Suspicious Package as New Zealands Dunedin Airport Locked Down

The airport in Dunedin, New Zealand, has been placed in lockdowaccording to law enforcement officials.

In a statement at 9.55 p.m. local time on March 17, New Zealand police confirmed the airport was closed following a report of a suspicious package on the airfield.

Dunedin Airport is currently closed a police statement said, according to an AFP report. Police are at the scene and specialist teams have been deployed to determine the nature of the package.

An unnamed source from within the airport told the Otago Daily Times the suspicious package was an abandoned bag in a building outside the main terminal of the airport. The source said the bomb squad had been called in.

An Air New Zealand staff member working at the air hub told AFP the terminal building had not been evacuated.

Two flights have been turned back from the airport, according to a Radio New Zealand report. One of the diverted flights was an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington, which was scheduled to land at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The New Zealand Transport Agency was cited by NewsHub as saying that State Highway 86 has been closed at the intersection of Centre Road in response to the threat.

New Zealands Worst Ever Peacetime Mass Shooting

The potential bomb scare comes after New Zealand was rocked by attacks targeting two mosques in the city of Christchurch, leaving 50 dead.

The death toll was revised upward from the earlier 49 after investigators found another victim while removing bodies from the crime scenes, the countrys police commissioner said on March 17.

The suspect in the shootings, 28-year-old Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb. He showed no emotion when the judge read him one murder charge and said more would likely follow.

Tarrant posted a jumbled 74-page manifesto online before the attacks and apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the slaughter.

Witness Len Peneha told The Associated Press he saw the gunman enter the mosque and then heard dozens of shots, followed by people running from the mosque in terror.

Peneha, who lives next door to the mosque, said after the gunman drove away, he went into the mosque to try and help.

I saw dead people everywhere. There were three in the hallway, at the door leading into the mosque, and people inside the mosque, he said. Its unbelievably nutty. I dont understand how anyone could do this to these people, to anyone. Its ridiculous.

Hero Tackled Gunman

A survivor of the shooting at one of the mosques targeted in the attacks described how his friend risked his life to tackle the gunman and wrestle away his weapon.

Syed Mazharuddin told the New Zealand Herald he witnessed the attack.

There was screaming around and I tried to take cover, he said.

Mazharuddin told the Herald that he had barely managed to take cover when the gunman made his way through the main entrance door of the Linwood mosque.

The mosque in the neighborhood of Linwood was the second location targeted by the gunman in Fridays mass shooting spree.

He Just Started Shooting at Them

Mazharuddin said as soon as the gunman entered the mosque, he started firing wildly. Just around the entrance door there were elderly people sitting there praying and he just started shooting at them.

He said at one point one of his acquaintances tried to tackle the shooter, who was dressed in body armor.

The young guy who usually takes care of the mosque  he saw an opportunity and pounced on [the gunman] and took his gun, Mazharuddin said.

The hero tried to chase and he couldnt find the trigger in the gun  he ran behind him but there were people waiting for him in the car and he fled.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Peter Vesterbacka, co-founder of the Finest Bay Area Development, is seen during the press conference about the Helsinki-Tallinn tunnel in Helsinki, Dec. 3, 2018. (Vesa Moilanen/AFP/Getty Images)

Chinese Funding for Finland-Estonia Bridge Questioned by Locals

In Europe, Chinese funding for a proposed undersea rail tunnel linking Finland and Estonia is raising concerns in both nations.

The tunnel, which would span the Gulf of Finland and link the Finnish capital of Helsinki with the Estonian capital of Tallinn, has for years been a topic of discussion between the two countries. The rail would cut travel time between the two capitals to about 20 minutes from the current two-hour ferry ride.

There is frequent cross-border travel between the two countries. Tens of thousands of Estonians commute across the Gulf of Finland to work in the Helsinki area, while the Estonian capital is a popular tourist destination for Finns.

Currently, Finnish businessman Peter Vesterbacka and his company, FinEstBay Area Development, is heading the effort to build the tunnel, which is expected to cost between 15 billion to 20 billion euros ($17 billion to 23 billion). The company envisions that the tunnel, consisting of a rail for freight and another rail for passenger transport, be operational by the end of 2024.

In December last year, FinEstBay Area secured external funding of 100 million euros ($113 million) from Dubai-based construction company ARJ Holding, according to Reuters.

On March 8, FinEst Bay Area announced on its website that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 15 billion euros ($16.8 billion) in financing from Touchstone Capital Partners, a UK-based investment firm that specializes in doing business with China. As a result of the deal, Touchstone would become a minority shareholder in the project.

Kenny Song, Touchstones chairman and founder, described the tunnel as a common focus between Estonia and Finland on Asia-Europe.

According to Reuters, FineEstBay Area has yet to secure approval from the Finnish and Estonian governments, or the European Union.

More details about the Touchstone financing and the negotiations leading up to the signing of the MoU was published in a March 8 article by Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat (HS).

According to HS, negotiations between FineEstBay Area and Touchstone began when Yan Jinxiu, deputy director of Chinas Chinese Railway Academy, which is subordinate to the state-run company China Railway Group, visited the Finnish city of Vantaa to participate in a local tunnel seminar in September last year. Yan is also currently a member of the Academys Chinese Communist Party committee, according to the Academys website.

Concerns

Touchstone would finance the construction of the tunnel through its $100 billion One Belt One Road (OBOR) fund, according to HS.

According to the companys website, it established the investment fund to help connect Chinese state-owned firms with international companies to jointly invest in OBOR projectswith a particular focus on renewable energy, high-technology, infrastructure, real estate, and tourism industries.

Touchstone is capitalizing on Chinas OBOR initiative, which began in 2013 with the goal of building Beijing-centered land and maritime trade networks by financing infrastructure projects throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

Touchstone boasts that its inked strategic agreements with many Chinese state-owned companies that can act as engineering and construction contractors to carry out OBOR projects. In terms of financing, the company points out that it has agreements with Chinese leading investors, such as trust, private, and government funds.

The company also claims to have access to capital from Chinese policy banks, such as China Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of China, and Industrial and the Commercial Bank of China.

Touchstones intentions for investing in the tunnel have since been questioned by Jyrki Kallio, senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, according to his March 12 opinion article published in Finnish business newspaper Kauppalehti.

From Chinas perspective, the tunnel project would be understandable, if the tunnel had a connection to a harbor on the shore of the Arctic Ocean, Kallio stated. But this tunnel project doesnt seem to fit into Beijings agenda for OBOR, he added.

As part of OBOR, China has expressed interest in creating a new shipping route that goes through the Arctic, taking advantage of the melting Arctic ice sheet. The route, called the Northern Sea Route by Beijing, would save money and time compared to the traditional shipping routes through the Suez Canal.

Kallio warned that since there are strategically important state-owned companies behind the financier, so this is mostly about Chinas state-operated action.

Uusi Suomi, a local Finnish daily newspaper, ran an editorial on March 9, called out Touchstone as a Communist Chinese tool for implementing One Belt, One Road. It also pointed out should the deal go through, China could end up taking control of the tunnel because it would be the creditor.

Urmas Paet, Estonias former foreign minister and currently a member of the European Parliament, also issued a warning in a statement to the Estonian News Agency, saying that the risks connected to using money from Chinese state companies are too high, according to New Europe, a weekly English-language newspaper based in Brussels. Paet urged the Estonian government to try to secure funding from the European Union instead.
Flowers and signs laid at a memorial for victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks outside Masjid Al Noor in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 17, 2019. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Death Toll in New Zealand Mosque Shootings Rises to 50

CHRISTCHURCH/WELLINGTON, New ZealandThe number of people who died in a confirmed terrorist attack on two South Island mosques in Christchurch has climbed to 50, after investigators found another victim while removing bodies from the crime scenes, the countrys police commissioner said on March 17, 2019.

It is with sadness that I advise that number of people who died in this event has now risen to 50, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said. As of last night we were able to take all of the victims from both of those scenes. In doing so we were able to locate a further victim.

The bodies of victims in the attack believed to be instigated by a suspected white supremacist on March 15 have not been released to families yet since investigations are still ongoing. New Zealand Police is working as quickly as possible, Bush told reporters at a press conference in Wellington.

Key suspect Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder since March 16. Handcuffed and wearing a white prison suit, he stood silently in Christchurch District Court where he was remanded without a plea. He is due back in court on April 5 and police say he was likely to face further charges.

The attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called terrorism, was the worst-ever peacetime mass killing in the nations history and has raised the national security threat level to the highest.

Burying Begins for Mosque Attack Victims

The grisly discovery of the 50th victims body was made at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people died after a gunman entered and randomly shot people with a semi-automatic rifle and high-capacity magazines, before travelling to a second mosque just a half-hour drive away.

Bush said a further 50 people are injured, with 36 being treated in Christchurch Hospital, two in intensive care, and a child in the dedicated childrens hospital.

Police do not believe the three other people arrested on March 15 are involved in the attack. Two men faced charges unrelated or tangential to the attack, while the woman has already been released.

Hero Commended for Distracting Shooter

One man at the second mosque in the suburb of Linwood is being hailed as a hero for preventing further deaths by distracting and confronting the shooter.

Abdul Aziz, 48, told local media he heard shooting and ran outside the mosque, shouting at the gunman and drawing him away from the building, Newshub reported.

Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, said he picked up one of the gunmans discarded weapons and threatened the man, who drove off.

Police then rammed what they believed to be the gunmans vehicle and arrested Tarrant.

Those two police officers acted with absolute courage, Bush said. They have prevented further deaths and risked their own lives to do so.

Church services for victims of the attack have been held across the country, including at Christchurchs Cardboard Cathedral, a temporary structure built after much of the central city was destroyed in a 2011 earthquake.

Thirty-six people were still in Christchurch Hospital, with 11 being treated in intensive care, and one child moved to the dedicated childrens hospital in Auckland.

A makeshift support centre has been set up at Hagley College, a school across the park from the Al Noor mosque. A stream of victims friends and relatives entered, with one woman carrying sandwiches and falafel.

One local student, who asked not to be identified, said a friend had been killed.

He was studying to be a pilot and we saw him for morning classes. Then he went to the mosque as usual and we are not hearing from him, he said. I got a call last night from a friend, around midnight, to say he has passed away.

Most victims are migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Pakistans High Commissioner said six citizens are dead and three missing.

Gun Reform

Tarrant had no prior criminal history and is not on any watch lists either in New Zealand or Australia.

Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern previously confirmed Tarrant as a licensed gun owner. He allegedly used five weapons, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns, which had been modified.

I can tell you one thing right now, our gun laws will change, she told reporters on March 16, saying a ban on semi-automatic weapons could be considered to help minimise damage caused by any future attacks.

New Zealand had in the past tried to tighten firearm laws. However, these efforts were quashed due to the countrys culture of hunting wildlife and a strong gun lobby group.

There are an estimated 1.5 million firearms in New Zealand, which has a population of 5 million. The country has enjoyed low levels of gun violence.

By Praveen Menon and Tom Westbrook
Forensics experts comb through the dirt for debris at the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, at Hama Quntushele Village in Oromia region, on March 14, 2019, four days after the plane crashed into a field killing 157 passengers and crew. (Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images)

Ethiopia Crash Probe Advances With Voice Download, Fresh Details

ADDIS ABABA/PARISThe hunt for the cause of an Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that killed all 157 people on board gathered pace on Saturday, March 16, when investigators successfully downloaded the cockpit voice recorder and fresh details emerged of the final seconds of the flight.

While experts said it is too soon to know what brought down the Boeing 737 MAX 8 on March 10, aviation authorities worldwide have grounded Boeings 737 MAXs, as concerns over the plane caused the companys share price to tumble.

In Addis Ababa, a source who listened to the air traffic control recording of the planes communications said flight 302 had an unusually high speed after takeoff before the plane reported problems and asked permission to climb quickly.

A voice from the cockpit of the Boeing BA.N 737 MAX requested to climb to 14,000 feet above sea levelabout 6,400 feet above the airportbefore urgently asking to return, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity because the recording is part of an ongoing investigation.

The plane vanished from radar at 10,800 feet.

He said he had a flight control problem. That is why he wanted to climb, the source said, adding there were no further details given of the exact problem and the voice sounded nervous.

Experts said pilots typically ask to climb when experiencing problems near the ground in order to gain a margin of maneuverability and avoid any difficult terrain. Addis Ababa is surrounded by hills and, immediately to the north, the Entoto Mountains.

In Paris, Frances BEA air accident investigation agency said data from the jets cockpit voice recorder has been successfully downloaded. The French agency said in a tweet it had not listened to the audio files and that the data had been transferred to Ethiopian investigators.

The BEA also issued a photo showing the recorder intact but dented by the impact of the planes crash into a field minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa.

We are waiting for the results. We are making all the necessary efforts to identify the cause of the accident, Ethiopian Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges told reporters in Addis Ababa.

This kind of investigation needs a considerable amount of time to reach concrete conclusions.

The Ethiopian carrier said DNA testing of the remains of the people on board flight 302 may take up to six months, and it offered bereaved families charred earth from the plane crash site to bury their relatives. Passengers from more than 30 nations were aboard.

Dagmawit said temporary death certificates had been given, and a final one would be issued in two weeks time. Collection of DNA samples from relatives had begun.

Victim identification would be done to scientific international standards, and internationally recognized organizations such as Interpol were going to be involved in the process, she said.

As families await results from the investigation, the airline is planning to hold a service on Sunday in Addis Ababa, at the Kidist Selassie, or Holy Trinity Cathedral, where many of Ethiopias past rulers are buried under its pink stone spires.

Earth From the Crash Site

We were told by the company that we will be given a kilo (of earth) each for burial at Selassie Church for a funeral they will organize, said one family member who asked not to be named.

The return of the remainsmost of which are charred and fragmentedwould take up to six months, the papers said, but in the meantime earth from the crash site would be given.

Around 100 relatives, including the brother and father of pilot Yared Getachew, gathered at a memorial for the victims at the Kenyan Embassy.

His dream was to be a pilot, said Meno Getachew Tessema, 39, Yareds brother. He was diligent, hardworking, he had a consistent work ethic. I would like to emphasize his record and that he was a rising star at Ethiopian Airlines.

Flight data has already indicated some similarities with a crash by the same model of plane during a Lion Air flight in October. All 189 people onboard were killed. Both planes crashed within minutes of takeoff after pilots reported problems.

The grounding of the 737 MAX jets has had no immediate financial impact on airlines using the planes, but it will get painful for the industry the longer they do not fly, companies and analysts said on Friday.

Boeing plans to release upgraded software for the 737 MAX in a week to 10 days, sources familiar with the matter said.

The U.S. planemaker has been working on a software upgrade for an anti-stall system and pilot displays on its fastest-selling jetliner in the wake of the deadly Lion Air crash.

By Aaron Maasho, Leigh Thomas and Maggie Fick
Sandbags line the intersection of Ridge Road and Military Avenue in Fremont, Neb., on March 16, 2019. (Kent Sievers/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

Floodwaters Breach Levees Prompting Rescues, Evacuations Across Midwest

OMAHA, Neb.Authorities used boats and large vehicles on March 16 to rescue and evacuate residents from parts of the Midwest where a recent deluge of rainwater and snowmelt poured over frozen ground, overwhelming creeks and rivers, killing at least one person.

The scramble to move people out of harms way was expected to subside at the beginning of the new week, as rivers and creeks flooded eastern Nebraska and western Iowa and expected to crest both Saturday and Sunday. This left officials downstream looking to prepare for likely flooding.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) had already met with emergency management team members on March 15 to review and update flood-response plans, and the Missouri Highway Patrol was preparing additional equipment and putting swift water rescue personnel on standby. The Missouri National Guard also temporarily relocated the 139th Airlift Wings C-130s from Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph as a precaution.

The National Weather Service said the Missouri River at St. Joseph swelled to nearly 26 feet high on Saturday, about a foot below whats considered to be a major flooding at the northwest Missouri city. However, the flood level is expected to crest at 29.3 feet on either March 20 or 21more than two feet above major flooding level.

Evacuation efforts in eastern Nebraska and some spots in western Iowa on Saturday were hampered by reports of levee breaches and washouts of bridges and roads, including part of Nebraska Highway 92, leading in and out of southwest Omaha. Authorities confirmed a bridge on the highway that crosses the Elkhorn River had been washed out Saturday.

In Fremont, west of Omaha, the Dodge County Sheriffs Office issued a mandatory evacuation for some residents after floodwaters broke through a levee along the Platte River. In Mills County, Iowa authorities ordered residents in some rural areas to evacuate after the Missouri River rose above the levees.

The flooding followed days of snow and rain, record-setting in some places, which swept through the West and Midwest. The deluge pushed some waterways, including the Missouri River, to record levels in Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota. For many places it was the worst flooding in nearly a decade.

A family is morning the loss of Columbus farmer James Wilke, 50, who died after a bridge collapsed on March 14 while he was trying to reach stranded motorists using his tractor. His body was found downstream, his cousin Paul Wilke told the Columbus Telegram. Gass Haney Funeral Home confirmed James Wilkes death.

At least two other people were missing in floodwaters in Nebraska. Officials confirmed a Norfolk man was on top of his flooded car late March 14 before being swept away in the water with another man after a dam collapsed on the Niobrara River.

Officials in Sarpy County, south of Omaha, said power may be shut off to communities along the Missouri, Platte, and Elkhorn rivers for safety reasons. They warned those who ignore calls to evacuate would only be rescued during daylight hours. Some cities and towns, such as North Bend on the banks of the Platte River, have already been inundated. Others, such as Waterloo and Fremont, are surrounded by floodwaters, stranding residents in virtual islands without access in or out.

There is no way out of here unless youve got a helicopteror a boat, the Rev. Mike Bitter, pastor of Christian Church of Waterloo, told the Omaha World-Herald.

Officials in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska are urging people not to drive unless it is necessary. In Iowa, a section of northbound Interstate 29 that runs parallel to the Missouri River has closed due to flooding. Authorities were rerouting motorists at Kansas City, Miss., using a detour that takes people almost 140 miles (225 kilometers) out of the way.

Farther east, the Mississippi River saw moderate flooding in Illinois from Rock Island south to Gladstone. Meteorologist Brian Pierce from the National Weather Services Quad Cities office in Davenport, Iowa, said flooding on the Mississippi could worsen in the next few weeks as more snow melts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

What were having now is the dress rehearsal for the main event thats going to happen in early April, he said of the flooding on the Mississippi.

Rising waters along the Pecatonica and Rock rivers flooded some homes in the northern Illinois cities of Freeport, Rockford, and Machesney Park. The National Weather Service said record crests were possible along the rivers, with water levels forecast to continue to rise over the next several days and remain above flood stage through most of the weekend.

Freeport resident Mary Martin told the Freeport Journal-Standard she went to the store to get milk and bread when she saw floodwaters rise on March 15.

Within an hour of going to the store, I could not get back in. Thats how fast the water was coming up, she said.

By Margery A. Beck with additional reporting by Caryn Rousseau.
Former Boyfriend of Burned Woman Fatally Shot

COURTLAND, Miss.Authorities are questioning a person suspected of fatally shooting the former boyfriend of a Mississippi woman who was burned to death on March 15, 2019.

Travis Sanford, 33, died at his Courtland home according to Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby. District Attorney John Champion confirmed he was Jessica Chambers boyfriend at the time she was burned to death in Courtland back in 2014.

Sanford was incarcerated at the time and cleared in her death, Darby said. The unnamed suspect in Sanfords death allegedly fired a shotgun while running from Sanfords house about 7:30 a.m. Darby said, adding Sanfords girlfriend and two small children were at home, according to the Clarion Ledger of Jackson.

A day after being set on fire in the town of 500 in north Mississippi, about 65 miles (100 km) south of Memphis, Tenn., Chambers died in hospital on Dec. 7, 2014. Two juries are in a deadlock over whether to convict a different man, Quinton Tellis, in her death. Prosecutors say cellphone evidence shows Tellis and Chambers at similar locations, and they played videotaped interrogations in which Tellis repeatedly changed his story when confronted with new evidence. Tellis initially denied seeing Chambers late in the day but later admitted he had been with her up until about an hour before her death.

Defense lawyers accuse the prosecution timeline of being implausible, and have presented testimonies from 10 firefighters and emergency medical workers who claim they heard Chambers say Eric set her on fire. Mississippi authorities have not decided whether to try Tellis a third time.

Tellis is currently jailed in Ouachita Parish, La., where the prosecutor says a grand jury will consider charges in the death of Ming-Chen Hsiao, a Taiwanese woman fatally stabbed in Monroe back in 2015. Tellis pleaded guilty in 2016 to using her credit card without authorization. After finishing his sentence for that crime, he was arrested on a charge of murder in her death.
U.S. Senate Republican primary candidate Don Blankenship addresses supporters following a poor showing in the polls, in Charleston, West Virginia on May 8, 2018. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Former Senate Candidate Sues GOP, Media for Defamation

A former coal executive is suing a slew of media outlets and an arm of the Republican Party for defamation, claiming they falsely labeled him a felon to sabotage his campaign last year for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia.

The plaintiff, former candidate Don Blankenship, finished third in the May 8, 2018, GOP primary with 20 percent. The winner, Patrick Morrisey, won 34.9 percent, followed by Evan Jenkins at 29.2 percent. Morrisey went on to lose to the Democrat incumbent, Sen. Joe Manchin, 49.6 to 46.3 percent, in the Nov. 6 general election.

Days before the primary vote, Blankenship was polling slightly ahead of his rivals, The Hill newspaper reported May 7, 2018, in an article titled, Polls show Blankenship ahead, sparking panic among GOP. Around that time, President Donald Trump said in a tweet that Blankenship cant win the general election and urged GOP voters to support Morrisey or Jenkins. Blankenship fought back, saying, some have said I am Trumpier than Trump.

Eric Early, who represents Blankenship in the lawsuit filed in Mingo County, West Virginia, said this is a groundbreaking defamation case punctuated by collusion to interfere in a federal election by major media outlets and high-ranking United States senators. There has never been a case like this that clearly exposes the swampy D.C. elite.

Blankenship named both Andrew Napolitano, who is a Fox News commentator, and Fox News network as defendants in the suit.

Supposedly, an attorney and retired judge and [Napolitano] apparently doesnt know the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony or the difference between manslaughter and a minor safety violation, Early said.

The false claim that Blankenship, who had been the longtime CEO of Massey Energy, was a convicted felon or had gone to jail for manslaughter, appeared in the media repeatedly during the primary campaign, according to the legal complaint filed March 14.

On his watch, there was a tragic explosion in 2010 that killed 29 miners at Masseys Upper Big Branch Mine, the complaint stated, but ill-considered regulations caused the incident, which occurred mere hours after ventilation changes the Obama administration required were implemented which cut the mines airflow in half.

In a trial the complaint stated was rife with prosecutorial misconduct, a jury nonetheless acquitted Blankenship in 2015 on all felony counts related to the explosion, but convicted him of conspiracy to violate mine safety laws, a misdemeanor. He received one year in prison and was the only misdemeanant in custody at the correctional facility, the complaint stated.

Blankenship is suing the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Other media outlets named as defendants are CNN, MSNBC, Associated Press, Breitbart News, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Washington Times, and Tribune Publishing Co., which owns the Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News, and other newspapers.
Fox News Host Addresses Judge Jeanine Pirros Absence From Network

A Fox News host has addressed Judge Jeanine Pirros recent absence from the network.

Justice with Judge Jeanine didnt air on the night of March 16 days after Pirro made remarks about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

A Fox spokesperson says, We are not commenting on internal scheduling matters and yet, without some public explanation of why the show was pulledit certainly looks like a suspension, Fox News host Howard Kurtz said on the air on March 17.

He added, Pirros remarks, which were unfortunate, sparked a furor.

Kurtz noted that Omar recently made remarks that were described by many as anti-Semitic, and she drew criticism from Jewish groups.

Kurt reiterated Pirros remarks about Omar.

Omar wears a hijab, which according to the Quran 33:59 tells women to cover so they wont get molested. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution? he said.

Howard Kurtz addressing Jeanine Pirros Fox News show not airing last night: Without some public explanation of why the show was pulled, It certainly looks like a suspension. pic.twitter.com/okw50l7AOm  Contemptor (@TheContemptor) March 17, 2019

Kurtz didnt say that Pirro was fired, as some news outlets reported over the weekend.

Fox, in a statement, said it condemned her comments.

They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly, said the network.

Pirro issued another statement to clarify her remark.

I did not call Rep. Omar un-American. My intention was to ask a question and start a debate, but of course because one is Muslim does not mean you dont support the Constitution, she said.

Meanwhile, on March 17, President Donald Trump called on Fox to return Pirro to the air after her show didnt air on Saturday. She also hasnt posted to Twitter in a week.

The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country, Trump wrote on Twitter. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well.

Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well. Fox ..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

Trump noted that Fox has to stay strong in the face of relentless pressure and fight back with vigor.

Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country, he added. The losers all want what you have, dont give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die!

.must stay strong and fight back with vigor. Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country. The losers all want what you have, dont give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

He also called on Fox to stay the people that got you there.

Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine, Trump added. Your competitors are jealous  they all want what youve got  NUMBER ONE. Dont hand it to them on a silver platter. They cant beat you, you can only beat yourselves!

Hours later, Trump also asked if two Fox weekend anchors were trained by CNN.

Were @FoxNews weekend anchors, @ArthelNeville and @LelandVittert, trained by CNN prior to their ratings collapse? In any event, thats where they should be working, along with their lowest rated anchor, Shepard Smith!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019
Rexford Lynn Keel, 57, was wanted on a first-degree murder warrant in the death of Diana Keel, his wife, when he was arrested on the morning of March 17 in Arizona. He was only 34 miles from the border. (Sheriff's Office)

Husband of Killed North Carolina Woman Diana Keel Arrested Miles From Arizona-Mexico Border

The husband of a slain North Carolina woman has been arrested not far the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rexford Lynn Keel, 57, was wanted on a first-degree murder warrant in the death of Diana Keel, his wife, when he was arrested on the morning of March 17 in Arizona. He was only about 30 miles from the border.

The Nash County Sheriffs Office said in a statement that Rexford Keel was taken into custody following a traffic stop on Interstate 10 near Tuscon.

#BREAKING Lynn Keel, the Nash County man on the run and wanted for the murder of his wife Diana Keel, an emergency room nurse, is captured in Arizona. @NashCountySO will provide details shortly. @ABC11_WTVD pic.twitter.com/T3oaGp1XRc  Anthony Wilson (@AnthonyABC11) March 17, 2019

Keel had a number of bank receipts and a large sum of money with him when he was arrested, the sheriffs office said.

Diana Keel was first reported missing by her daughter on March 7, and her husband told officials he had seen her leaving their home with friends on March 8, ABC11 reported.

The womans family said their marriage wasnt a happy one, saying she was planning to divorce her husband, but he had threatened her, the report said.

Friends also said the two had marriage troubles.

It was just the atmosphere and the aura that, you know that vibe that you get from somebody, it was always very tense, Taryn Edwards, Dianas friend, said of Lynn, reported WRAL.

Yall please go support my friend Laura. Any donation to help her continue life without her mom would be greatly appreciated. https://t.co/ElnfVsPZk8  Justin (@JustinQ_11) March 17, 2019

Rexford Keels previous wife, Elizabeth Bess Edwards Keel, died in their home in 2006.

A medical examiner said she died from blunt force trauma to the head, but it was ruled that her death was accidental, according to ABC11.

She reportedly fell and hit her head on the steps outside their home.

Release Date/Time: 03/17/2019 @ 1:21 PM Date of Incident: 03/09/2019 @ 7:36 PM Incident:Murder (Update #  Nash County Sheriff's Office  2019317

Nash County Sheriffs Department Chief Deputy Brandon Medina told the News & Observer that its not clear if officials will re-examine Elizabeth Keels death.

Its not eliminated, its still on the table, Medina said. We just have to prioritize and our first priority was to get him, and then well look at other things.

Violent Crime Declines in 2017

The FBI said that in 2017 violent crime had dropped by 0.2 percent, according to a release, but aggravated and rape offenses increased by a respective 1.0 percent and 2.5 percent. The murder rate dropped by 0.7 percent, the agency said.

Breaking News: Co-workers of first wife have questions about Nash man now charged with murder. They share their memories with Mikaya Thurmond on WRAL News at 6. #wral https://t.co/oyZ3f20I8R  WRAL NEWS in NC (@WRAL) March 17, 2019

In 2017, there were an estimated 1,247,321 violent crimes. The estimated number of robbery offenses decreased 4.0 percent, and the estimated number of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter offenses decreased 0.7 percent when compared with estimates from 2016. The estimated volume of aggravated assault and rape (revised definition) offenses increased 1.0 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, said the FBI.

The agency added: By violent crime offense, the arrest rate for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter was 3.8 per 100,000 inhabitants; rape (aggregate total using the revised and legacy definition), 7.2; robbery, 29.3; and aggravated assault, 120.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, the FBI said that there are now 670,279 sworn officers and 286,662 civilian officers in the U.S, which is a rate of 3.4 employees per 1,000 inhabitants.
Delegates arrive at the second Plenary Meeting of the second session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing's Great Hall of the People March 9. (Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images)

Impact Investing Must Hold Chinese Companies to Same Ethical Standards

As China stocks gain foreign investors, their ESG impact should be assessed lest global investors practice hypocrisy

Commentary

Socially responsible investing has gained traction in recent years. Traditionally, an underperforming niche product ignored by most serious investors, it has become a key investment rationale and a differentiator among portfolio managers.

There has been tangible growth of investment in companies that make a positive impact in terms of environmental, social, and governance issuesor ESG for short.

As of 2018, $12 trillion of professionally managed assets consider ESG factors in their criteria, according to a 2018 report issued by the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. That represents 25 percent of all professionally managed money in U.S. assets, and a 38 percent growth since 2016.

Despite the prominence of ESG in portfolio construction, ESG investing is still largely confined to U.S. companies. In other words, only U.S. companies are judged on their ESG impact.

The fact that ESG only applies to U.S. companiescompared to their counterparts around the world, which are competing in the same global market for customers and the same global financial markets for capitalis increasingly concerning.

This double standard is most egregious when discussing investing in China. China is the worlds second-largest economy, and wishes to be viewed as an equal partner in ongoing negotiations toward a trade deal with the United States. Its technology companies, such as Huawei, seek to have a level playing field when pitching services to global governments, and, in general, Beijing believes its stock markets are as transparent, liquid, and prestigious as those in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Yet when it comes to investing in Chinese companies, foreign investors suddenly toss ESG factors out the window. Investment managers and index providers are eager to jump into the Chinese market, abandoning the otherwise pragmatic, skeptical (and with ESG criteria, supposedly ethical) lens through which they judge other stocks.

At best, its disingenuousat worst, it almost seems there is Chinese political influence at work.

Palpable ESG Growth

Definitionally, ESG is very broadits a measure of how good a company is outside of financial performance. Entire industries can be expelled, such as those involved in selling tobacco and alcohol, or manufacturing guns and ammunition. It can apply to a companys environmental impactdo its products help or harm the environment, what is the firms carbon footprint, or does it produce toxic waste, and how does it mitigate the effects?

It can also apply to a companys governance and behavior such as ethics, transparency, executive pay, diversity in culture and thought, ownership structure, and whether it exhibits anti-competitive behavior.

We see wealth transferring from baby boomers to millennials, who are more interested in social responsibility, Mamadou-Abou Sarr, head of sustainable investing at Northern Trust Asset Management, which manages $1.1 trillion in total assets, told Barrons magazine recently.

The younger generation is demanding ESG options, he added.

Thats true to anyone familiar with recent developments in the asset management industry. ESG is no longer an underperforming niche sector; its become front and center in picking stocks. In the past, there was little incentive for companies and CEOs to respect ESG impact, but now, investors have a say and they can vote with their capital.

And generally, thats a positive development.

Sarr said that Northern Trusts ESG screening noticed red flags in Volkswagen Group AGs governance, which caused its funds to cut exposure to Volkswagen before its emissions scandal came to light. That allowed most of its clients to avoid the approximately 23 percent decline Volkswagen stock suffered subsequently.

China A-Shares Cannot Be Ignored

Thats an instance where ESG works and Northern Trust stock pickers should be applauded. But those efforts should be expanded.

Billions in capital are about to pour into China. Global index provider MSCI recently announced that it would increase the allocation of China A-shares in its global and emerging markets indices by the end of 2019. Another index provider, Russell FTSE, is also increasing exposure to China stocks in its indices.

That means many passive funds and exchange-traded funds will be set to auto-purchase swaths of China A shares in 2019, flooding Chinese companies and stock markets with fresh foreign capital.

This is the time to have a serious ESG discussion with respect to Chinese companies.

The biggest listed A-shares are state-owned enterprises such as Bank of China, PetroChina, and Sinopec. Massive state-owned firms of this kind are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and are used by official families as piggy banks to fund their lifestyles and dynastic political wealth.

Even private companies, such as the well-known Alibaba and Baidu, are indirectly controlled or influenced by the CCP. CCP members officially sit on their boards, and Party cells are embedded in the majority of non-government owned businesses in China. Some companies, such as Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, are directly involved in administering the Communist Partys police state in Xinjiang, where Uyghur Muslims are being incarcerated en masse in concentration camps, while others like AVIC International Holdings are subsidiaries of state firms that develop weaponry for the Peoples Liberation Army.

Chinas large privately owned firms are becoming more like state-owned enterprises, as many in recent years have implanted in their businesses cells of the Communist Party, the Communist Youth League and even discipline inspection committees, columnist Zhang Lin wrote in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post in a Nov. 2018 editorial.

Even the CCPs own statistics report that 68 percent of Chinas non-state enterprises, and 70 percent of foreign-funded companies had set up party cells as of 2016.

The National Intelligence Law of 2017 obligates every organization and citizen to assist and cooperate with national intelligence efforts. Given the breadth of the definition of national intelligence, its clear that all companies large or small, private or government-owned, must ultimately answer to the CCP when called upon.

Itemizing all the ways in which the CCP fails to meet most ESG factors is outside the scope of this article. Suffice to say, the list is long.

Beijing has also set up the worlds most comprehensive surveillance system to track every movement of each citizen. This culminates in a citizen score that rates each individual and determines what type of services can be accessed.

Meanwhile, the CCPas a reminder, an entity that seeks to control and influence all Chinese businesseshas committed human-rights atrocities such as jailing and torturing millions of Uyghur Muslims, Underground Christians, and Falun Dafa practitioners.

This isnt to forcibly weave social factors into investment decisions and financial returns. But as ESG rises in prominence, we cant be prejudiced in its application. And as the Volkswagen example demonstrated, investors who perform honest ESG due diligence can be rewarded.

In todays investing environment, investors cant succumb to hypocrisyespousing the virtues of ESG on one hand, yet completely ignoring it when investing in China.
The Rock River crested its banks and floods a home on Old Harlem Road on March 16, 2019, in Machesney Park, Ill. Some homes are flooding in northern Illinois as waters rise on the Pecatonica and Rock rivers. The National Weather Service on Saturday said record crests are possible along both rivers. (Scott P. Yates/Rockford Register Star via AP)

More Evacuations in Midwest as Floodwaters Head Downstream

ST. LOUISResidents in parts of southwestern Iowa were forced out of their homes Sunday as a torrent of Missouri River water flowed over and through levees.

Heavy rainfall and snowmelt have led to dangerously high water in creeks and rivers across several Midwestern states, with the Missouri River hitting record-high levels in many areas. At least two deaths were blamed on flooding, and two other men have been missing for days. While river depths were starting to level off in parts of Nebraska on Sunday, the water is so high in many places that serious flooding is expected to remain for several days. And downstream communities in Kansas and Missouri were bracing for likely flooding.

In Iowa, the Missouri River reached 30.2 feet Sunday in Fremont County in the states far southwestern corner, 2 feet above the record set in 2011. People in the towns of Bartlett and Thurman were being evacuated as levees were breached and overtopped.

County Emergency Management Director Mike Crecelius said it wasnt just the amount of the water, it was the swiftness of the current that created a danger.

This wasnt a gradual rise, Crecelius said. Its flowing fast and its open country  theres nothing there to slow it down.

Thurman has about 200 residents. About 50 people live in Bartlett.

Lucinda Parker of Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management said nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated at eight Iowa locations since flooding began late last week. Most were staying with friends or family. Seven shelters set up for flood victims held just a couple dozen people Saturday night.

In Nebraska, the Missouri River flooded Offutt Air Force Base, with about one-third of it under water on Sunday. Spokeswoman Tech. Sgt. Rachelle Blake told the Omaha World-Herald that 60 buildings, mostly on the south end of the base, have been damaged, including about 30 completely inundated with as much as 8 feet of water.

Hundreds of people remained out of their homes in Nebraska, but rivers there were starting to recede. The National Weather Service said the Elkhorn River remained at major flood stage but was dropping. It was expected to dip back below flood stage by Tuesday.

Nebraska floodwaters reached record levels at 17 locations across Nebraska. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency highlighted some remarkably high crests. The Missouri River was expected to reach 41 feet in Plattsmouth on Sunday  4 feet above the record set in 2011. The Elkhorn River got to 24.6 feet Saturday in Waterloo, breaking the 1962 record by 5 1/2 feet.

Nearly 300 people have been rescued from high water across the state.

At least two people have died in the floodwaters. Aleido Rojas Galan, 52, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was swept away Friday night in southwestern Iowa, when the vehicle he was in went around a barricade. Two others in the vehicle survived  one by clinging to a tree. On Thursday, Columbus, Nebraska, farmer James Wilke, 50, died when a bridge collapsed as he used a tractor to try and reach stranded motorists.

Two men remain missing. A Norfolk man was seen on top of his flooded car late Thursday before being swept away. Water also swept away a man after a dam collapse.

Downstream in St. Joseph, Missouri, home to 76,000 people, volunteers were helping to fill sandbags to help secure a levee protecting an industrial area. Calls were out for even more volunteers in hopes of filling 150,000 sandbags by Tuesday, when the Missouri River is expected to climb to 27 feet  10 feet above technical flood stage.

Flooding was causing problems for passenger train service between Kansas City, Missouri, and St. Louis. Amtrak said Sunday that its Missouri River Runner service between the states two largest cities was experiencing delays up to five hours because of flooding and rail congestion. All Missouri River Runner trains will be canceled Monday. The service typically travels twice daily between the two metropolitan areas.

The rising Mississippi River also was creating concern. The Mississippi was already at major flood level along the Iowa-Illinois border, closing roads and highways and swamping thousands of acres of farmland. Moderate Mississippi River flooding was expected at several Missouri cities, including St. Louis.

Flooding has also been reported in Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, officials said residents who evacuated their homes could return now that floodwaters have receded there.

By Jim Salter
MS-13 Gang Members Stabbed 16-Year-Old 100 Times in an Internal Fight

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Mourners lay flowers on a wall at the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

New Zealand Prepares to Bury Mosque Victims as Death Toll Hits 50

CHRISTCHURCH, New ZealandA steady stream of mourners paid tribute on March 17 at a makeshift memorial to the 50 people slain by a gunman at two mosques in Christchurch, while dozens stood by to bury the dead when authorities finally release the victims bodies.

Hundreds of flowers were piled up amid candles, balloons and notes of grief and love outside the Al Noor mosque. As a light rain fell, people clutched each other and wept quietly.

We wish we knew your name to write upon your heart. We wish we knew your favorite song, what makes you smile, what makes you cry, read one of the tributes, which contained cut-out paper hearts under a nearby tree. We made a heart for you. 50 hearts for 50 lives.

Supporters arrived from across the country to help with the burials in Christchurch and authorities sent in backhoes to dig graves at a site that was newly fenced off and blocked from view with white netting.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities hoped to release all the bodies by Wednesday, and Police Commissioner Mike Bush said authorities were working with pathologists and coroners to complete the task as soon as they could.

We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen, Bush added. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible.

Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some who were waiting for any news.

The suspect in the shootings, 28-year-old self-described eco-fascist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb, and showed no emotion when the judge read one murder charge and said more would likely follow.

Tarrant had posted a jumbled 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto online before the attacks and apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the slaughter.

Ardern said the gunman had sent the manifesto to her office email about nine minutes before the attacks, although she hadnt gotten the email directly herself. She said her office was one of about 30 recipients and had forwarded the email to parliamentary security within a couple of minutes of receiving it.

Bush said at a news conference that another body had been found at Al Noor mosque as they finished removing the victims, bringing the number of people killed there to 42. Another seven people were killed at Linwood mosque and one more person died later at Christchurch Hospital.

Thirty-four wounded remained at the hospital, where officials said 12 were in critical condition. A 4-year-old girl at a childrens hospital in Auckland was also listed as critical.

Dozens gathered at a center set up for victims, families, and friends across the road from the hospital, where many had flown in from around New Zealand to offer support.

Abdul Hakim, 56, of Auckland, was among many who had flown in to help.

As soon as people die, we must bury them as soon as possible, Hakim said. We are all here to help them in washing the body, putting them in the grave.

Javed Dadabhai, who flew from Auckland after learning about the death of his 35-year-old cousin, Junaid Mortara, said the community was being patient.

The family understands that its a crime scene. Its going to be a criminal charge against the guy whos done this, so they need to be pretty thorough, he said.

Still, it was hard, he said, because the grieving process wouldnt really begin until he could bury his cousin.

People across the country were still trying to come to terms with the massacre that Ardern described as one of New Zealands darkest days.

The gunman livestreamed 17 minutes of the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where he sprayed worshippers with bullets. Facebook, Twitter and Google scrambled to take down the video, which was widely available on social media for hours after the bloodbath.

The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away.

Before Fridays attack, New Zealands deadliest shooting in modern history took place in 1990 in the small town of Aramoana, where a gunman killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbor.

By Nick Perry and Juliet Williams
Demonstrators participate in a protest against the government of Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega in Managua, Nicaragua, on March 16, 2019. (Reuters/Oswaldo Rivas)

Nicaraguans Follow Venezuela and Cuba, Protest Socialist Regime

Protesters targeting Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega took to the streets on March 16, demanding the release of all political prisoners and turning up the heat on the political crisis that has consumed the country since last year.

Protest organizers and witnesses told Reuters that some protesters who gathered at various points in Managua, the capital, were beaten by police. Since November, bans on street protests have been more strictly enforced. Videos circulating on social media from the protests also showed police hitting civilians.

The national police defended the arrest of 107 protesters in a statement issued late March 16, arguing that those detained participated in protests that were not authorized and that interrupted public order and local business.

The statement went on to note that all those arrested on March 16 were being released following a request from a Vatican representative in Nicaragua.

Crisis of Socialism

All three socialist bastions in Latin AmericaVenezuela, Nicaragua, and Cubahave been mired in unrest while their economies crumble under the burden of socialist policies, resulting in heightened pressure from the United States to abandon the political system.

Protests in Nicaragua first erupted in April when Ortegas regime moved to reduce welfare benefits, but since then have escalated into broader opposition to Ortega, a Cold War-era former Marxist guerrilla leader who has been in office since 2007.

Ortega ruled Nicaragua as a communist dictator for more than a decade before he was ousted in 1990. He returned to power after winning an election in 2006. Hugo Chavez, Venezuelas socialist leader at the time, financed Ortegas campaign.

Ortegas family established a centralized system in which the regime hands out lucrative contracts to cronies of the family. Despite mass protests, the family appears set on staying in power.

Since April, more than 320 people have been killed and some 600 others, who the opposition describes as political prisoners, remain detained, according to figures from human rights groups.

Government officials released a group of 50 prisoners on March 15 following demands by the opposition for more detainees to be freed before the political talks could continue.

The government released 100 other prisoners in late February when it launched a political dialogue with the opposition.

Last month, Ortega said he was willing to reform state institutions ahead of presidential elections in 2021.

Trumps Prediction

Following the economic crisis and political schism in Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump predicted Cuba and Nicaragua would follow.

In 2018, the Trump administration dubbed Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua the troika of tyranny. In November 2018, national security adviser John Bolton said the socialist dictatorships in the three nations are the genesis of a sordid cradle of communism in the Western Hemisphere.

The twilight hour of socialism has arrived in our hemisphere and, frankly, in many many places around the world, Trump said in his Feb. 18 landmark speech in Florida. The days of socialism and communism are numbered not only in Venezuela but in Nicaragua and in Cuba as well.

Indeed, Cubans took to the streets in Havana to protest the communist regimes new constitution on Feb. 23a rare occurrence in the socialist police state.

The new constitution proclaims the Communist Party is the director of Cuban society forever and that socialism is irreversible.

While the referendum succeeded, the opposition contested its legitimacy, saying at least dozens of volunteers who went to watch polling stations have been arrested. Video footage widely circulated on social media showed a man casting several ballots.

Bolton accused Cuba of propping up the Venezuelan regime. Nearly 92,700 Cuban communist proxies work in Venezuelas government apparatus, according to congressional testimony by a retired Venezuelan military official.

The national security adviser called on other nations in the region to let the Cuban regime know that it will be held responsible for continued oppression in Venezuela.

He also called for free, fair, and early elections in Nicaragua.

Until then, the Nicaraguan regime, like Venezuela and Cuba, will feel the full weight of Americas robust sanctions regime, he said.

Reuters and Epoch Times reporters Ivan Pentchoukov and Bowen Xiao contributed to this report.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) at the "Knock Down The House" movie premiere during the 2019 SXSW conference and Festivals at the Paramount Theatre on March 10, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images)

Ocasio-Cortezs Unfavorable Rating Jumps 15 Points Two Months Into Term

The number of Americans who dislike freshman democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has soared by 15 points since she pulled off a surprise primary victory in September last year, according to a poll published by Gallup on March 15.

In a survey that Gallup conducted after Ocasio-Cortez won the Democratic primary in New York in September last year, 26 percent of respondents held an unfavorable opinion. Her unfavorable rating has since spiked to 41 percent, based on a survey the pollster conducted in February, roughly two months after she started her term in the House of Representatives.

After her victory last year, Ocasio-Cortez has floated several radical proposals, including raising taxes on wealthy Americans to 70 percent. She is best known for sponsoring the radical socialist Green New Deal resolution, a plan lambasted by prominent Democrats and Republicans alike.

The Green New Deal calls for forcing the United States to completely abandon fossil fuels by taking all gas-engine cars off the road, upgrading or replacing every home, and ushering in an unprecedented expansion of government into the private sector. The plan calls for a Soviet-Union-style 10-year national mobilization, which would cost American taxpayers up to $93 trillion or $650,000 per household, according to one estimate. The Green New Deal is fervently backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, the biggest socialist group in the United States, and the Communist Party USA.

While her unfavorable rating spiked, Ocasio-Cortez has earned a significant amount of name recognition. While half of American adults were unfamiliar with her when she was a primary-winner in September, only 29 percent didnt recognize Ocasio-Cortez in the February survey.

In total, 31 percent of American adults viewed Ocasio-Cortez favorably, compared to 41 percent who had an unfavorable view.

Ocasio-Cortez drew national attention after she defeated a 10-term Democrat in a primary and became the youngest woman elected to Congress. Since winning, she has outpaced her colleagues in terms of becoming widely recognized by the public as a freshman member of Congress.

Its rare to have a new member of Congress who is so widely recognizable by the public so soon in her career on the Hill. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) each made big splashes when they were elected earlier in the decade, but even after each of their first 18 or so months in the Senate, most Americans had never heard of them or had no opinion about them, wrote Justin McCarthy, an analyst at Gallup.

By contrast, Ocasio-Cortez is known by most Americans at this point, despite having only two months on the job as a House freshman. The only more recognizable member so early on was Hillary Clinton in 2001, who was already well-known from the previous decade as first lady, McCarthy added.

Ocasio-Cortezs rise to prominence parallels that of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich who gained national recognition during the Republican takeover of Congress in 1994, according to Gallup. Like Ocasio-Cortez, Gingrich became a household name while more people held an unfavorable view of him.

Four of 11 demographic groups tallied by Gallup had a net-unfavorable view of Ocasio-Cortez. She is most liked by Democrats with a 41 point net-favorable rating and most disliked by Republicans with a 68 point net-unfavorable rating.
President Donald Trump gestures as he departs after attending services at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, on March 17, 2019. (Eric Lesser/Getty Images)

President Trump Rips Fox News: Bring Back Jeanine Pirro

President Donald Trump called on Fox News to bring back Judge Jeanine Pirro, who was reportedly fired by the network over comments she made about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) last week.

The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country, he wrote on Twitter March 17. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well.

Trump said Fox has to stay strong in the face of relentless pressure and fight back with vigor.

Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country, he continued. The losers all want what you have, dont give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die!

In a follow-up tweet, he added that Fox should stick with the people that got you there.

Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine, he added. Your competitors are jealous  they all want what youve got  NUMBER ONE. Dont hand it to them on a silver platter. They cant beat you, you can only beat yourselves!

Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well. Fox ..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

.must stay strong and fight back with vigor. Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country. The losers all want what you have, dont give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

.to the people that got you there. Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine. Your competitors are jealous  they all want what youve got  NUMBER ONE. Dont hand it to them on a silver platter. They cant beat you, you can only beat yourselves!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

Trump was referring to Fox host Tucker Carlson, who made controversial statements about a decade ago on shock-jock Bubba the Love Sponges show.

Pirros show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, didnt air on Saturday evening, just days after she made her comments about Omar. She had questioned the loyalty of Omar, who wears a hijab.

There was no mention of her taking a vacation, and she has been silent on social media. There were unconfirmed reports that Fox fired her, but the company hasnt yet issued a statement about the matter.

We are not commenting on internal scheduling matters, Fox said in a statement on Saturday to the New York Post.

Pirro had questioned whether Omars choice to wear a hijab signaled her support for Islams Sharia law.

Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution? Pirro said of Omar.

The organization criticized her for the statement.

We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirros comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar, the network said. They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly.

Pirro didnt apologizeshe doubled down.

My intention was to ask a question and start a debate, but of course because one is Muslim does not mean you dont support the Constitution. I invite Rep. Omar to come on my show any time to discuss all of the important issues facing America today, Pirro said of the backlash.

Omar has faced mounting criticism after making anti-Semitic remarks.

Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, blasted Omar for her comments.

Our community is exasperated by Rep. Omars unfulfilled promises to listen and learn from Jewish constituents while seemingly simultaneously finding another opportunity to make an anti-Semitic remark and insult our community, Hunegs said, according to The Associated Press.
Puerto Rico Woman Faces Life Sentence in Murder for Hire of Her Canadian Husband

SAN JUAN, Puerto RicoA Puerto Rico woman found guilty of hiring a hit man to kill her wealthy Canadian husband more than a decade ago has been sentenced to life in prison.

Aurea Vazquez Rijos cried on Friday, March 15, as a U.S. federal judge issued the sentence and ordered that she be transferred to a prison in Fort Worth, Texas. Judge Daniel Dominguez said he believed the jurys guilty verdict over Vazquezs statement that she is innocent.

Her defence attorneys plan to appeal in a case that sparked an international manhunt.

 Informando  2019315

Vazquez had been charged with offering a man $3 million to kill real estate developer Adam Anhang. The 32-year-old was stabbed repeatedly and hit in the head with a cobblestone while walking with Vazquez through the historic part of Puerto Ricos capital in September 2005, just 12 hours after prosecutors said Anhang had asked for a divorce.

During the sentencing, which was held at a federal courthouse near where Anhang was killed, his mother and younger sister read statements.

It certainly helps to put it behind us, but you cant forget your own child who dies before you do, the victims father, Abraham Anhang, told The Associated Press. If you lose a child, theres never closure.

As Abraham Anhang left the courtroom, Vazquez asked him, Are you happy now? to which he replied, Shut up.

 Informando  2019315

Vazquez and Anhang had signed a prenup one day before getting married, with Anhangs value estimated at more than US$24 million and Vazquezs at nearly $62,300. Six months after Anhangs death, Vazquez sued his parents seeking $1 million in damages and $8 million from his estate.

She then left for Florence, Italy, in 2008 and was arrested in June 2013 after flying from Italy to Spain. She and her 1-month-old baby were extradited to Puerto Rico two years later, leaving behind twin daughters she had with a man in Italy.

Also sentenced to life Friday was Vazquezs sister, Marcia Vazquez Rijos and an ex-boyfriend of hers, Jose Ferrer Sosa. All three had been found guilty in October last year.

UPDATE: Juez sentencia a cadena perpetua a Marcia Vazquez Rijos, hermana de Aurea Vazquez Rijos, por su participacion en el asesinato del empresario canadiense Adam Anhang en 2005. #PuertoRico pic.twitter.com/IJwIb2Xmev  Robby Cortes (@RobbyCortes) March 15, 2019

Todays sentence concludes a process, which required a lot of effort and perseverance. Justice was finally served for the victim and his family, U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez said in a statement.

The main suspect, Alex Pabon Colon, pleaded guilty 10 years ago to killing Anhang and co-operated with prosecutors.

Among those who also testified during the trial last year was a man who sued for wrongful conviction after he was found guilty of killing Anhang and spent eight months in jail. He was released when Pabon was charged as federal authorities took over the case.

Montana Man Gets 2 Life Sentences

A 22-year-old Montana man who was convicted of killing his parents has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole.

Kaleb David Taylor was sentenced Friday, March 15, after he pleaded guilty last July to deliberate homicide in the deaths of David and Charla Taylor, the Independent Record reported.

Kaleb David Taylor has admitted to killing his parents in their home near Helena. https://t.co/4box0BXJH7 pic.twitter.com/WCasohIM5C  Independent Record (@helenaironline) July 25, 2018

Lewis and Clark County prosecutors had taken the death penalty off the table early in the process. Family members had requested prosecutors seek a life sentence without parole, county attorney Leo Gallagher said.

He has been in the system his whole life, Gallagher said. He had loving, caring parents who did everything they could and were supportive of him even though he had harmed them and harmed their neighbors, did everything they could to try to salvage him.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Retired Taiwan Military Officers Sentenced for Attempting to Collect Secrets for China

Two retired lieutenant colonels in Taiwan were recently found guilty of trying to collect military secrets for the Chinese regime.

Both went to China for business after retiring from the Taiwan military, and were recruited to become spies for the Chinese Communist Party.

They were sentenced to six months in jail with a fine of NT$180,000 ($5,830) on March 14 at the New Taipei City District Court.

For decades, Beijing has been active with collecting intelligence from Taiwan, particularly targeting active and retired military officers. The Chinese regime considers the island to be a province of its own, though Taiwan has its own democratically elected government, currency, and military.

Beijing has never renounced the use of military force to unite the island with the mainland, hence its efforts in utilizing Taiwan military intelligence for its agenda.

Bian Pong

The two retired officers tried to recruit other compatriots to work for Beijing. The latter thus reported their suspicious activity to Taiwans Ministry of National Defense (MND), which led to their arrest.

Bian Pong, 55, retired from the MND Telecommunications Development Office in 2010 as lieutenant colonel. That office is an intelligence agency within MND in charge of intercepting and deciphering of air signals from the Chinese regime, as well as monitoring space satellites.

According to the complaint by New Taipei District Prosecutors Office, Bian went to China for business purposes and became a spy under a Chinese official named Wang Yongxu beginning in 2015. Wang was director of the 11th Office of the Fujian provincial government, and a Chinese Air Force Major General, according to Taiwanese media.

The 11th Office is located on Xihong Road in Fuzhou City. In public documents, the office is said to be a trading department. However, there are no details about their businesses or products.

Wang asked Bian to obtain classified military reports, but because of Bians retired status, he was unable to. Bian, however, did print out an unclassified defense report from the MND website and passed it on to Wang, on his orders.

Bian invited a retired Taiwanese air force colonel surnamed Fan to visit China and meet with Wangwho introduced himself as a Chinese businessmanin 2015 and 2016, in an attempt to gain intel from him.

During the 2016 trip, Bian, Wang, and four Chinese air force officers began discussing how Taiwans air force performed night combats, island tactics, air combat drills, and so on. Fan became suspicious about the motivation for inviting him to China and reported Bian to MND after he returned to Taiwan.

Lin Shih Bin

Lin Shih Bin, 58, retired from his post as lietenant colonel at the Taiwan National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, a military R&D center within the MND, in 2005. He became a spy for China in 2009 when he visited for business.

Wang was also Lins supervisor, but Lin and Bian did not know each other.

Lin invited a Taiwanese retired air force colonel surnamed You to several China trips beginning in 2009.

In 2010, Lin arranged You to visit Shanghai and Hangzhou City, and met with Wang. When Wang tried to talk about Taiwans Air Force, this alerted You that he was not simply a Chinese businessman.

The Three Weapons

Back in October 2016, then-MND spokesman Chen Jhong-Ji said that many active and retired military officers were lured by the Chinese regime to conduct espionage using three methods: using evidence against them, throwing money, and a honey trap.

Chen gave the case of Lo Hsien-che as the most serious one.

Lo Hsien-che, 60, was a major general and head of the Electronic Communications and Information Department of Taiwans army when he was arrested in 2011. He was also the director of Po Sheng Operation, the electronic warfare communications network that connects Taiwan army, navy, and air force, with their U.S. partners.

During a court trial in 2011, Lo confessed that he got involved with a tall, beautiful, and chic woman when he was stationed in Thailand between 2002 to 2005, though he had a wife and two children back home. The woman was sent by Beijing, and their sexual behavior was taped.

Lo supplied military secrets to Beijing during his time in Thailand and when he moved back to Taiwan. Lo had delivered secrets at least five times. Each time, Lo received $100,000 to $200,000 as payments.

Lo was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Lyubov Korotkova, a Russian foster mother sentenced to six years in jail for starving and drugging a child to claim sickness benefits. (Investigative Committee of Russia)

Russian Foster Mother Jailed for Starving and Drugging Boy to Collect Sickness Benefits

A Russian woman has been jailed for six years for starving and drugging a young boy so she could claim benefits that she spent on luxuries.

A court sentenced Lyubov Korotkova to time behind bars, The Daily Mail reported, and ordered the foster mother to repay over $65,000 in fraudulently claimed child sickness and disability benefits. She was also ordered to compensate the victim to the tune of $10,500 for moral damages.

Korotkova was earlier convicted of intentional infliction of a grave injury to a minor (leaving him) in a helpless state, according to The Sun, and of special cruelty, humiliation and torture. Prosecutors argued she had starved and drugged an orphan in her care for eight years while collecting tens of thousands of dollars in state benefits.

Russian foster mother is jailed for six years for starving and drugging orphaned boy, 11, who weighed just TWO STONE https://t.co/9tSLWoAlCx  Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 17, 2019

Korotkova pleaded not guilty.

Horrific Abuse

Korotkovas abuse of the boy started when the child was 3 years old and continued until he was 11, causing him to live in a state that verged on death.

The malnutrition was so severe that the 11-year-old boy had the weight of a four-year-old child, said Svetlana Petrenko, of the Russian Federal Investigative Committee, as cited by The Sun.

She starved him and made him take medical drugs to build up a clinical manifestation of a stomach disease, said a law enforcement source cited by The Metro.

Evil foster mum starved and drugged her son to claim 50k benefitshttps://t.co/Or859bLS49 pic.twitter.com/dkPCYzAk4K  The Scottish Sun (@ScottishSun) March 17, 2019

Korotkova also homeschooled the child in order not to raise the suspicions of school authorities in the city of Magadan.

She allegedly also kept the truth from her husband and was even hailed as a local hero for caring for such a gravely ill child.

For eight years she deliberately was not feeding her fostered child in order to register him as disabled and receive benefits and sickness payments, said Petrenko, as per The Daily Mail.

Investigators accused her of deliberately hatching the plan to fool doctors into thinking the boy had a serious disease.

During all these years the woman was seeing many different doctors with her child, asking them to check him for multiple diseases, including cancer.

As a result, the doctorswho were cheatedcould not pinpoint the right diagnosis.

Having cheated the doctors, she managed to register her child as handicappedand started receiving financial assistance, compensation and other allowances.

The Mail reported Korotkova had frittered the cash on luxuries.

Her scheme unraveled when a senior doctor who examined the child concluded he was completely healthyapart from the damage deliberately inflicted by the foster mother.

Korotkovas ruse had been so convincing, however, that some local officials stood behind her and challenged federal investigators.

City mayor Yury Grishan even demanded the child be returned to her, according to The Metro.

Campaigners also took up her cause, The Mail reported, and tried to block efforts to remove the boy from her custody.

Federal childrens ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova reportedly intervened in the case to prevent the boy from ending up back in the foster mothers custody.

The court eventually concluded that Korotkova was guilty of mistreating the child in cruel ways tantamount to torture.

The child was taken into custody by Russian child welfare authorities and taken to Moscow for specialized treatment.

The boy is said to be under the permanent care of psychologist Svetlana Suleimanova, who treated the boy after he was freed from his miserable life with Korotkova.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) speaks during a Senate Armed Service Committee on prevention and response to sexual assaults in the military, on March 6, 2019, in Washington. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Sen. Gillibrand Formally Announces Presidential Campaign

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) formally launched her presidential campaign on March 17, with an announcement in a video posted on Twitter.

The message concludes with an invitation to her kickoff campaign speech in front of Trump International tower in New York City on March 24.

Most of the senators kickoff video targets President Donald Trump. The suggestively edited footage casts a negative light on the president that largely aligns with the attacks on him by establishment media outlets.

Im running for president. Lets prove that brave wins. Join me: https://t.co/I1vp93LBUR pic.twitter.com/Giu4u4KEZQ  Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) March 17, 2019

In the video, the senator from New York embraces several socialist policy proposals, including universal health care and the Green New Deal. Gillibrand has co-sponsored both the Green New Deal resolution and the Medicare for All legislation in Congress, which are fervently promoted by both the Communist Party USA and the Democratic Socialists of America, the largest socialist group in the United States.

We launched ourselves into space and landed on the moon. If we can do that, we can definitely achieve universal health care, Gillibrand said in the video. We can provide paid family leave for all, end gun violence, pass a Green New Deal, get money out of politics, and take back our democracy.

Gillibrand already has been campaigning in key states that hold early Democratic primary contests. In an average of public opinion polls tallied by Real Clear Politics, she has earned less than 1 percent support, far behind socialist Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), who is polling at 22 percent. Former Vice President Joe Biden is leading in the polls with 29 percent, but hasnt yet announced his candidacy.

An early win on the trail in New Hampshire  pic.twitter.com/vqYr5tZJgb  Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) March 16, 2019

Gillibrand was more fiscally conservative as a member of the House of Representatives, but her positions shifted far to the left since she was appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, who became President Barack Obamas secretary of state. In key Senate votes in 2018, Gillibrand voted in favor of economic freedom 29 percent of the time, according to a scorecard maintained by FreedomWorks. Sanders received the same 29 percent rating.

Gillibrand then won the seat in a special election and was re-elected to six-year terms in 2012 and 2018. She has attributed the ideology shift to representing a liberal state versus a more conservative district.

Gillibrand joins a crowded field of Democratic contenders. Former Rep. Robert Beto ORourke (D-Texas) announced his bid days before Gillibrand.

All of the Democrats who have formally announced their candidacy and are polling above 1 percent have officially sponsored the socialist Green New Deal resolution, suggesting that the proposal is a litmus test for Democratic candidates.

The Green New Deal calls for forcing the United States to abandon fossil fuels by taking all gas-engine cars off the road and rebuilding or replacing every home and commercial building in America. In addition to enabling unprecedented government expansion into the private sector, the Green New Deal calls for a Soviet-Union-style 10-year national mobilization that would cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $93 trillion or $650,000 per household.

Gillibrand suggested in an interview with New York Magazine that there is nothing socialist about the Green New Deal.

With the exception of ORourke and Sanders, all of the Democratic 2020 candidates have distanced themselves from the socialist label. In the meantime, Trump and Republicans have ramped up their criticism of socialism, lambasting it as a failed and deadly ideology that would bankrupt the nation.

Under the guise of Medicare for All and a Green New Deal, Democrats are embracing the same tired economic theories that have impoverished nations and stifled the liberties of millions over the past century. That system is socialism, Vice President Mike Pence said March 1.

Only 18 percent of Americans view socialism in a positive light, according to a poll by The Wall Street Journal and ABC News. Americans support for socialist policies is also low once they learn of their nature. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that support for Medicare for All dropped from 62 to 44 percent once the policy was referred to as socialized medicine.

Support for Medicare for All dropped from 56 percent to 37 percent once people learned that it would lead to higher taxes.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Suspect Arrested in Murder of Reputed Mob Boss

NEW YORKA 24-year-old man was arrested on March 16, in the shooting death of the reputed boss of the Gambino crime family, New York City police said.

Anthony Comello was arrested in New Jersey in the death of Francesco Cali on Wednesday in front of his Staten Island home, said Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea, who stressed that the investigation is in its early stages.

There are multiple, multiple angles that we are exploring, Shea said at a news conference at police headquarters. Was the person paid to do it? Were others conspiring to do this crime?

.@NYPDDetectives Chief Dermot Shea says Anthony Comello, 24, is in custody in NJ, expected to be formally charged with the murder of Frank Cali. @wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/PXp5dcCx9j  Steve Burns (@StvBurns) March 16, 2019

The 53-year-old Cali, a native of Sicily, was shot to death by a gunman who may have crashed his truck into Calis car to lure him outside. Shea said Cali was shot 10 times.

Shea said police have recovered the truck but have not recovered the gun used in the murder.

Asked about Comellos arrest record, Shea said he crossed paths in some limited circumstances with the NYPD including getting a parking ticket on Staten Island the day Cali was killed.

Information on an attorney for Comello was not immediately available.

#BREAKING @PIX11News Source says 24 year old #Gambino murder suspect, Anthony Comello, may have wanted to date crime boss Frank Calis niece and ran into roadblocks. Comello allegedly smashed Calis SUV & then handed Cali license plate before shooting. pic.twitter.com/YWbNSLqtE8  Mary Murphy (@MurphyPIX) March 16, 2019

 Anthony Comello  20161010

Federal prosecutors referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Mafias Gambino family, once one of the most powerful crime organizations in the country. News accounts since 2015 said he had ascended to the top spot.

Calis only mob-related criminal conviction came a decade ago, when he pleaded guilty in an extortion scheme involving a failed attempt to build a NASCAR track on Staten Island. He was sentenced to 16 months behind bars and was released in 2009.

Police say they are still investigating whether Calis murder was a mob hit or whether he was killed for some other motive.

The last Mafia boss to be rubbed out in New York City was Gambino don Big Paul Castellano, who was assassinated while getting out of a black limousine outside a high-end Manhattan steakhouse in 1985.
The Heritage and Genius of the American People

Commentary

In the lurch to the left leading up to the primary elections in 2020, Democrat lawmakers and presidential hopefuls continue to blur the lines between liberalism, progressivism, democratic socialism, and socialism socialism.

Increasingly, they also redefine freedom in terms of getting free stuff: free health care, free college education, free jobs, and even free incomes and free sex-change surgeries. Can a nation that understands freedom as so many handouts have the disposition to maintain self-government?

In a recent Fox News interview, Ivanka Trump commented on this new push to give Americans free things. I dont think most Americans, in their heart, want to be given something, she said. People want to work for what they get.

Her comment points to the belief that these socialist policies are contrary, and even corrosive, to something noble in the character of the American people.

Also in a recent interview, Samantha Vinograd, a pundit on CNN, commented on President Donald Trumps remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference about the need to preserve American heritage. The statement, she said, made her sick. Any mention of preserving heritage, she suggested, sounds a lot like a certain leader who killed 6 million Jews, and so she proceeded reductio ad Hitlerum.

As if a Hitler comparison didnt go far enough, she claimed that Trumps rhetoric literally posed a national security threat and could have been scripted by Russian president Vladimir Putin. Reductio ad Putinum?

These two interviews juxtapose two larger beliefs. The first is that the American people generally possess a certain character; that such character is good; and that such character is necessary to maintain our form of republican government. The other belief is that no such character now prevails; that when it did in the past, it was reprehensible; and that rather than character, we need only spontaneous culture, or rather multiculturalism, which is largely just a cloak for cultural Marxism.

There is great significance to the difference between these beliefs. More than that, each belief promotes two very different forms of government.

Genius of the American People

Gaining political support by calling to give away free stuff hardly takes genius. Genius, though, is an interesting word. It means more than the rare ability we recognized in Mozart and Sir Isaac Newton. It also means something like character or the particular spirit of a thing. In The Federalist Papersarguably the most profound commentary on our Constitutionthis use of the word genius appears more than 15 times.

In one place, the pseudonymous author, Publius, defined the present genius of the people of America, as the spirit which actuates the state legislatures, and the principles which are incorporated with the political character of every class of citizens. Genius, thus, implies some kind of animating spirit combined with principles, which when acted upon, create character. It also implies that the genius of a people, like their character, can change.

Likewise, Publius mentioned the genius of republican government. This genius includes primarily the intricate blend of constitutional institutions that, importantly, all find their ultimate authority in the people. In order to sustain this genius of government, though, the people must maintain their own genius.

Genius of Republican Liberty

Together, the genius of the American people and the genius of republican government make possible what Publius called the genius of republican liberty. Republican liberty is that sublime condition our founders believed made possible the pursuit of happiness. It has always been the paradigm Americans have sought to realize.

Rather than having a house with a white-picket fenceor even a guaranteed, unearned monthly incomethe true American Dream is the chance to flourish by means of our own capacities within the spacious confines of republican liberty. This liberty is our heritage, if well keep it.

But the pursuit of happiness can be given up, and the condition of liberty includes the freedom to throw away liberty. Nothing is guaranteed in life but death and leftist efforts to raise taxes. So how is the genius of republican liberty preserved?

It requires first that honourable determination which animates every votary of freedom, to rest all our political experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government. This determination for self-government distinguishes a citizen from a subject.

Second, it requires maintaining republican institutions that are dependent on the people. In order for the government to be dependent on the people, though, the people cannot become dependent on the government. Nothing gnaws away at the capacity for independence like getting free stuff; just ask parents whose 30-year-old children still live at home.

Publius summed up these two measures as the genius of the whole system. This system includes the nature of just and constitutional laws; and, above all, the vigilant and manly spirit which actuates the people of America; a spirit which nourishes freedom, and in return is nourished by it.

The point is that first the people make laws, and then those laws make the people.

Socialist policies will change the genius of the government. Self-described socialists like Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), though, assume that the United States can adopt socialism and remain free. In fact, such laws would inevitably change the genius of the American people and render them less capable of maintaining self-government.

We should redouble our determination to maintain our independence and republican form of government in the face of the siren call of socialism. As Publius wrote, It is evident that no other form would be reconcilable with the genius of the people of America and with the fundamental principles of the revolution.

This is our heritage. It is noble and worth preserving.

Clifford Humphrey is originally from Warm Springs, Georgia. Currently, he is a doctoral candidate in politics at Hillsdale College in Michigan. Follow him on Twitter @cphumphrey.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
President Donald J. Trump (R) and first lady Melania Trump (L) depart after attending services at St. John's Episcopal Church March 17, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Eric Lesser/Getty Images)

Washington Senate Passes Bill That Would Keep Trump off Ballot Unless He Releases Tax Returns

The Washington state Senate passed legislation on March 12 that would block President Donald Trump from the state ballot in the 2020 presidential election unless he releases his tax returns.

Washington state senators voted 28-21 to advance the bill to the states House of Representatives, according to CBS News. The legislation would require candidates in the 2020 election to release five years of tax returns in order to appear on primary or general election ballots. The bill also directs Washingtons secretary of state to make the returns public.

The move is specifically targeting Trump, according to its sponsor, State Sen. Patty Kuderer (D). Trump exercised a legal right to keep his tax returns private during the 2016 election.

Although releasing tax returns has been the norm for about the last 40 years in presidential elections, unfortunately, weve seen that norm broken, Kuderer said, according to CBS News. She confirmed later that she was referring to Trump in the statement.

Kuderers bill applies only to candidates for president and vice president. She said the measure is important because voters want to know how a candidate handled his or her finances.

Its become part of the vetting process, Kuderer said.

Presidents usually release their tax returns either before the election or after winning. Trump explained that his returns cannot be released since they are being audited.

Every American citizen has a right to keep his or her tax returns private. Returns can only be released with approval from the commissioner of the IRS.

The Washington state bill would likely be challenged in court if it becomes law. Republicans have said that any attempt to force Trump to release his tax returns would be unlawful.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 25 states have proposed similar bills in recent years. The Supreme Court has ruled that states cannot tack on to the requirements for senators and representatives stated in the Constitution.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson and state Solicitor General Noah Purcell told the sponsors of the bill that it would likely be constitutional but warned that its open to to legal challenges because of the wide range of interpretations of the law.

Critics cautioned that the legal fight could be costly.

Were on really risky ground when were trying to place conditions on a federal election, said Sen. Hans Zeiger (R), according to CBS.

Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar measure in 2017, calling it a political stunt. New Jerseys Democratic lawmakers are attempting to pass the measure again this year, according to The Hill. The states Democrat-controlled Senate passed a bill in February that would require 2020 candidates to release their tax returns. The bill would still need to be approved by the state assembly and signed by Gov. Phil Murphy (D) before becoming law.

Similar to the Washington state bill, the New Jersey measure would require candidates to submit five of their most recent tax returns. If it becomes law, the New Jersey measure would instruct the states electors to not vote for any candidate who did not release his or her tax returns.

Before the midterm election in 2018, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives promised to demand Trumps tax returns as their first order of business. But Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.)the one person with the power to demand the returnsstill says he has no timeline for issuing the request.
Whats Wrong With Reparations?

Commentary

David Brooks of The New York Times has now jumped on the bandwagon, writing The Case for Reparations.

The idea of paying living African-Americans for the sin/crime/abomination/evil (and I use those words only because I cant think of harsher ones) of the slavery of long-dead African-Americans keeps bubbling up.

I ask, if slavery was so vile and indefensible, as 99 percent of Americans today know it was, then whats wrong with reparations? With apologies to the poet, let me count the ways.

1. Reparations would violate a key principle of justice. It would punish those who have harmed nobody. The drive to penalize innocent Americans solely on the grounds that they had a guilty ancestor seems as fanatically demented to me as a Christian zealot who hates Jews because the Jews were the ones who had Jesus executed a couple of millennia ago.

2. Reparations are racist. I would be expected to pay compensation to the descendants of American slaves even though my grandparents didnt come to the United States until after the Civil War. They were poor people who never owned slaves in either the Old or the New World. The only reason I would be expected to pay would be because I am white. My whiteness would be my guilt. But that precept has no more moral justification than blacks being denied their rights for being black. This is just the two wrongs dont make a right principle

3. Reparations are unconstitutional. After the Civil War, Americans voted to abolish the immoral institution of slavery. The 13th Amendment stipulates, Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.  Since living Americans cant possibly be convicted of the crime of slavery, it would be unconstitutional to subject white Americans to the economic involuntary servitude of having to turn over a share of the fruits of their labor to Americans of a different race. It was wrong when blacks were compelled to work for the enrichment of whites, and it would be wrong today to compel whites to work for the enrichment of blacks.

4. Reparations are selective. Slavery is a sad component of a brutal human history. The practice was widespread, and, in fact, persists in some parts of the world today. Not only did whites enslave blacks, but so did blacks. And blacks enslaved whites. And lets not even get into Asias history of slavery. Nor was slavery the only way in which human rights were horribly abused. Should the peoples of Eastern Europe and Western Asia be entitled to reparations because of the depredations of Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan? Should those descended from English serfs be recompensed for the indignities, deprivations, and bondage they suffered? I mean, how far back do you want to go?

If you want to claim reparations for every American with an ancestor who was treated unjustly, brutally, etc., then how can you arbitrarily limit reparations to African-Americans? Reparations are like Pandoras boxyou open it and soon, youre plagued with a proliferation of bad things.

5. Reparations are backward-looking. Well, yes, of course, they are in the sense that some believe that retribution for past offenses would be rectified by reparations, but I am referring here to the costs of living in the past instead of living in the present for the sake of the future. If you want to see how harmful it is to dwell in the past, take a look at the Middle East. While Jews and Arabs who have buried the past and live and work for a peaceful future for all are to be highly commended, it is self-evident from the recurring conflicts that there that too many people just cant let go of the past.

Instead, they are willing to subject their children to the horrors of war in the perennially futile attempt to settle scores that are thousands of years old. Reparations would have us dwell on the worst aspects of our history rather than lifting us above them.

6. Reparations are hypocritical. Craven progressive politicians endorse reparations in the cynical attempt to win the black vote. What incredible effrontery this is. Progressives are the ones who have used urban renewal as a pretext to bulldoze African-American business districts; the ones who devised welfare programs that incentivized single parenthood with devastating consequence for African-American families and neighborhoods; the ones who today strive to deny African-American children school choice and keep them on the teachers unions plantations.

Now, progressive hypocrites seek to portray themselves as champions of justice for the very African-American citizens whom they have repeatedly ruined.

7. Reparations are unaffordable. We cant afford even a fraction of the Green New Deal, yet the politicians who seem most supportive of reparations tend to be the same ones who want to spend us broke on the Green New Deal. Progressives remain oblivious to the simple reality that we live in a world of finite financial resources, and the astronomical costs of their various policy wish-lists are telling them that they have to prioritize and make choices.

For example, do they prefer to try to fix the past by paying reparations or do they want to fix the future by retooling the American economy? At $22 trillion of national debt and counting, why the eagerness to saddle our children with even more debt?

Returning to Brookss pro-reparations column, he claims that the African-American experience is  the original sin that hardens the heart and separates Americans from one another. I dont like the glib phraseology original sin (American societys most wicked and egregious sin is clearer and avoids debatable theological implications), but what I object to most is his use of the present tense.

Slavery, lynching, Jim Crow laws, etc. did harden hearts and separate earlier generations of Americans. Our country was poorer for thatspiritually, morally, socially, and economically.



Lets not repeat those errors by dividing Americans according to race today.

Mark Hendrickson is an adjunct professor of economics and sociology at Grove City College. He is the author of several books, including The Big Picture: The Science, Politics, and Economics of Climate Change.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
TORRINGTON  Things are tense at the Merriman House, also known as the Christmas House.

The deadline for the family to be ejected, or removed, from their home is Monday.

Late Friday, Ron Merriman was packing up a second load of boxes into a U-Haul at the house at 285-287 Main St. He said hes taken one load to a storage container.

We arent going be out of here by Sunday, he said. Theres no way. I need another week.

The home, built in 1900, was auctioned on Nov. 3 for just over $22,800, with the only bid coming from Webster Bank, the mortgage holder.

Records show the family had not paid the $771 monthly mortgage since spring 2017.

Webster Bank, agreed at a recent court hearing to allow a two-week extension of the ejection order. It had originally been scheduled for Feb. 21.

Even with the extension, the ordeal of clearing out nearly four decades of accumulated possessions has left the family members frayed.

Thats on top of an already strained relationship, according to both Ron Merriman and his sister, Donna Merriman.

Things got heated in late February when Ron and his nephew, Corey Merriman, nearly came to blows after the police were called by Donna.

We were trying to go to sleep. It was 11 p.m., said Donna. She and her son share the downstairs apartment of the two-family home.

Ron was hammering and sawing in the basement, It was loud, she said so, I called the cops.

The police report shows that when officers arrived, they talked with Ron Merriman, who told them he was trying to clear out his basement.

Corey Merriman then stepped outside and began a verbal altercation, with his uncle, the report notes. Ron Merriman asked the police to come inside so he could show them something, but Corey Merriman, 38, was still standing in the doorway, police said.

The uncle and nephew began arguing, and Corey began to push and shove the victim (Ron), the report said.

Donna sees it differently. Corey nudged him, she said. The wrong person got arrested.

Corey Merriman was charged with second-degree breach of peace. He was released on a $1,000 non-surety bond, the report shows.

The case was referred to Family Relations Officer, according to court records. Corey Merriman is scheduled to appear in court on April 11, nearly a month after the family almost certainly will have been ejected.

Donna Merriman and her mother, Alice, who is 87, will move into a low-income development in the city, and will meet the court deadline, Donna Merriman said Friday.

Ron said he doesnt know where hell live.

Im not worried about it. Its not like anyone is waiting on the porch with suitcases ready to get in, he said.
After an attack Friday at two New Zealand mosques killed 50, a man is accused of making a threatening gesture at a Muslim worship center in Phoenix.

Around 7:25 p.m. Saturday, Phoenix police responded to a report about an individual acting suspiciously at United Islamic Center of Arizona.
NORWALK  More than 2 billion people own smart phones and theyre checking them, on average, about 150 times per day.

Mantras like Do it for the likes or Do it for the gram are common among youth familiar with social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. But experts say the 15-year-old fad that promised to create a sense of belonging and worldwide connection has had unprecedented effects, not only on youth, but also on adults.

Social media at its core is a way for an individual to broadcast their message to a lot of people, said Max Stossel, head of education at the Center for Human Technology. It has started to really deeply influence every aspect of our lives in a way that maybe means its time to rethink how good is this really for us and how do we want to live with it?

Like, a new documentary coming on March 26 to the SoNo Regent Movie Theater, 64 North Main St. in Norwalk, explores the impact of social media. The filmmaker argues technology is a tool, its here to stay, and understanding its effects on the brain can help people learn to self-regulate and navigate it more safely. A panel of school counselors and mental health experts attending the upcoming screening will answer questions after the film, which starts at 7 p.m.

I think when social media first started we were super excited about its promise to connect people in the broader world. It was a great way for kids to connect with their grandparents or their aunts and uncles who might live in another city, said Colby Zintl, vice president of external affairs at Common Sense Media, who appears in the film. The way that it has gone off the rails is that social media and all these consumer tech platforms have an ad-driven model which basically means that (people are) rewarded for going on more frequently. Theyve built in these sort of digital manipulations that are tricking kids into going online more frequently than they normally would.

Stossel, who formerly designed notifications for a small startup, was told by investors that if he could hold the consumers attention for two minutes or longer the company was valuable. He quickly learned setting video on the auto play feature tailored to the viewers interests would help him meet that goal. The problem, experts said, is that some people find themselves sucked into a dark hole of viewing content, as hours pass before they resurface again.

The opportunity cost for teens is another risk, with experts asking what are youths not doing when theyre engaged in social media for hours.

Theyre not socializing in the real world. Theyre often not developing the social skills that are really important for navigating relationships theyll need in school, work and life, said Daniel Villiers, founder of the Anxiety Institute, a Greenwich-based organization that treats teens and young adults with anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive behaviors and trauma. The more tech usage and social media usage youre engaged in the less physical activity youre engaged in, the poorer sleep that you have.

A big thing Villiers sees in his work is teens experiencing physiological and psychological withdrawal symptoms after their parents separate them from their cell phones.

I work with a lot of kids who literally cannot sit still unless theyre on their phone, he said. And it looks much like an addiction. Theyre squirming in their seat, theyre wanting to go home or to borrow someone elses phone. Theyll do whatever they can to get their fix. When it starts to look like that, when you cant be away from it for an hour or two ... then its definitely a problem.

Although researchers argue teens who use social media are at higher risk for depression, anxiety and lower self-esteem  and those who have more balance with the platforms are more likely to have healthier positive self-image  theres no definitive suggesting social media causes mental illness.

Its not like theres a clear cause of the anxiety epidemic. But research does say that there does show a correlation, Villiers said. They are finding that adolescents with an anxiety disorder spend more time on their phone than adolescents who dont have an anxiety disorder. So, while thats not a direct causal correlation, its a powerful correlation.

Although the movie paints a bleak picture of social media and its effects, film director Andreen said the answer is not to take away cell phones from kids. The message is people have the power to take back the reigns and regain control. Its just an awareness thing. Were not here to scare anyone, she said. Were just here to say look whats going on. Youre in charge.

Her next movie, The Bully Factor, is about cyber bullying, bystanders and the neuroscience behind the phenomenon.

tatiana.flowers@thehour.com
ALTON  St. Patrick wasnt Irish and thats just fine with Colleen Miller of Troy, who was among hundreds of people who crowded downtown Alton streets on Saturday to celebrate St. Patricks Day.

I am so not Irish at all, but it is my absolute favorite holiday of the year, Miller said. I wouldnt miss it for anything, rain, snow, sun, Im here. I know St. Patrick was not Irish and thats why I celebrate so hard, not even being Irish myself.

Miller was appropriately bedecked in green with green accents, something in common with many of Saturdays revelers. But unlike most, she has worked on her ensemble for years.

Ive done many years of collecting, Miller said. Its $10 here, $10 there, you just keep collecting it. You should see my house.

Tristan Boyer of Alton was taking part in his familys yearly observance of St. Patricks Day, and noted that he has both Irish and Scottish heritage.

Other than Halloween, its one of the biggest things that we all get together and come out and do as a family, Boyer said. We bring the kids, the family hangs out, we bring down friends and have a good time. We see a lot of people that we dont usually see.

Boyers mother Yvette, whose grandfather was Irish, didnt care that St. Patrick was not born on the Emerald Isle.

I know St. Patrick wasnt really Irish but he ran all the snakes out, so you cant be mad at that. I mean, cmon, Yvette Boyer said.

Irish people struggled a lot when they came here, so we are proud to be Irish in America, Yvette Boyer said. I think of my grandpa and he used to make whiskey and all kinds of stuff. So its a proud heritage.

The first St. Patricks Day celebration in what would become the United States was held in Boston in 1737. There are 34.7 million U.S. residents with Irish ancestry, more than seven times the population of Ireland itself, according to History.com. One of them is Jenna Smith of Florissant, Missouri, who was celebrating with friends Saturday in downtown Alton.

My mothers maiden name was Quinn, both of my grandparents are from Cork County, Ireland, and my oldest daughters name is Quinn, Smith said. St. Patricks Day means being with my friends, celebrating my familys heritage and history, and living up to my Irish roots.

Blue was originally the color associated with St. Patrick before the adoption of the color green to commemorate the day in 1798. Part of that change reportedly came about because of the legend that St. Patrick (who was never officially canonized as a saint) used the three-leaf clover to demonstrate the concept of the Holy Trinity to the native people of Ireland. The four-leaf clover, which you have a one in 10,000 chance of finding, has since become synonymous with St. Patricks Day, with the four leaves signifying hope, faith, love and luck.

The clover is why Vicki McElroy of New Douglas thinks the ideal color to commemorate St. Patricks Day is a bright, shiny green. She hopes to visit Ireland some day because thats where her ancestors are from.

This is a time to come out and party and celebrate the Irish and Ireland, McElroy said. Come out, drink beer and have fun.

Downtown Alton has become a favorite of many, attracted to Altons growing annual St. Patricks Day Festival. Businesses offered live music and unique, Irish-themed specials.

The businesses that participated this year were: articipating businesses include Bluff City Grill, Bossanova Restaurant & Lounge, Bottle & Barrel, Brown Bag Bistro, Catdaddys, Chez Marilyn, Firehouse Tavern, Gatsbys Grille, Germania Brew Haus, Hops House at Argosy Casino, Johnsons Corner Restaurant, Morrisons Irish Pub, Ragin Cajun Piano Bar, Slottys, State Street Market, and Tonys Restaurant & Third Street Cafe.

Argosy Casino provided a free shuttle throughout the event.
CENTRALIA  The City of Centralia is pleased to bring a valuable small business resource to the area. The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East will host local business owners and entrepreneurs from throughout the region for staff introductions and one-on-one counseling sessions.

The event will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, April 3 at City Hall, 101 S. Locust Street in Centralia. A 60-minute exclusive workshop, Social Media Best Practices, will be presented by Mnichell Stockman of Techknow Solutions at noon.
SOUTH ROXANA  A family of five was away from home Saturday afternoon with their house on Illinois Avenue in Roxana caught fire.

The first fire crews were dispatched at approximately 4:10 p.m. when a neighbor reported heavy flames and smoke coming from the home at the intersection of Illinois Ave. and High Street.

Another neighbor on the scene told a Telegraph reporter that a friend who lives nearby, whod since left, was banging on the front door of the house as flames intensified, in an attempt to help anyone possibly inside.

The neighbor said a couple and three young girls lived there, and a vehicle was parked in the driveway.

He showed me his knuckles, and they were bloody from knocking so hard, the neighbor said.

He said the fire intensified quickly, coming from the front of the house and overtaking the porch.

Fire crews from South Roxana, Roxana, Wood River and Hartford responded and had the flames mostly extinguished within about 15 minutes of arrival.

The family who occupied the home returned to find the crews about 30 minutes after the fire was contained. There were no reported injuries. Dogs kept in a fenced in yard surrounding the house also appeared fine.

The cause of the fire wasnt immediately clear, but firefighters were examining an area under the porch, near the front door.

The home appeared to sustain moderate damage and would likely need repairs before its livable again.
GODFREY  Lewis and Clark Community Colleges Criminal Justice program will open its doors for prospective students to learn more about the program and pursue a career in criminal justice.

The colleges Criminal Justice Open House and Panel will run from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, March 20, in Haskell Hall, located on the colleges Godfrey Campus.

Prospective students and guests will have the opportunity to tour classroom facilities and learn more about the program, enrollment process and financial aid opportunities.

A panel discussion lead by professionals from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Illinois State Police, Madison County Sheriffs Department, Madison County States Attorney and Madison County Juvenile Office will touch on topics related to the profession as well as tips for successful careers in related fields.

There will be free refreshments and L&C giveaways for those in attendance.

Lewis and Clark is a great place to start your college education in criminal justice, Program Coordinator Jessica Noble said. With small class sizes, affordability and professors that care about your success, you can reach your full potential here. We empower you to do your best and work hard to reach your goals.

L&C Criminal Justice majors study police, courts, corrections and the law in society through their coursework, which includes case studies, current news and related discussions on topics like dispute resolution, drugs and crime, child abuse and neglect, gangs, policing, crime theory, private security and more.

Graduates of L&Cs Criminal Justice program, which offers an Associate in Applied Science degree(60 credit hours) and a certificate of proficiency, go on to work in local law enforcement and as state correctional officers upon graduation. The program also has a 30 and Out option, which means that students who already hold another degree can complete the AAS in only a year (two semesters, 10 courses, 30 credit hours).

For those interested in transferring to a four-year school after L&C, the program also has transfer agreements in place with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the University of Missouri St. Louis. The agreements provide a seamless transfer for students between institutions.

To learn more about L&Cs Criminal Justice program, visit www.lc.edu/program/criminaljustice or contact Noble at (618) 468-4524 or jbnelson@lc.edu.
SPRINGFIELD  As part of an effort to rein in the rising cost of prescription drugs in Illinois, Democratic state lawmakers introduced bills Wednesday to impose state regulations on a little-known industry, pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, who negotiate drug prices and benefits on behalf of insurance plans.

Speaking at a statehouse rally with scores of pharmacists from around the state, House Majority Leader Gregory Harris, of Chicago, and Democratic Sen. Andy Manar, of Bunker Hill, blamed that industry not only for manipulating drug prices, but also for pushing independent community pharmacies out of business  charges the PBM industry denies.

So were here today to work on legislation that will outlaw predatory pricing practices, that will stop insurers and PBMs from disadvantaging local pharmacies and local pharmacists, and to make drugs more affordable to families and consumers across the state of Illinois, Harris said at the rally.

PBMs generally work on behalf of health insurance plans to negotiate drug prices and develop what are called formularies  rules that determine what drugs will be covered for particular conditions, and in some instances, under what conditions those drugs will be covered.

In addition, in the case of high-cost drugs, PBMs will often set a maximum allowable cost that limits how much pharmacies will be reimbursed for a particular drug.

Independent pharmacies complain those maximum allowable costs are often less than the wholesale price they pay to manufacturers to obtain the drug. They also allege that certain PBMs have direct ties to large, retail chain pharmacies, such as CVS Health, which operates the nations largest chain of retail pharmacies and provides pharmacy benefit management services.

Harris and Manar introduced companion bills Wednesday  House Bill 465 and Senate Bill 652  that would put PBMs under regulation by the Illinois Department of Insurance.

They would also put several restrictions on PBM operations, such as prohibiting them from putting a drug on a maximum allowable cost list unless there are at least three lower-cost generic equivalent drugs available on the market.

No one regulates PBMs in the state of Illinois, Harris said during an interview after the rally. And this has been true across the country. In the last two years, this has become such an issue in so many states that, I believe now, 25 states are regulating PBMs and adopting similar principles we have here to cut down on the predatory pricing practices.

An association that represents PBMs, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, portrayed the controversy as merely one branch of the prescription drug industry attacking another.

We agree withHarris that more can be done to address rising drug prices, the association said in a statement. However, legislation HB 465, promotes the special interest agenda of the independent drugstore lobby while having adverse effects on drug costs for Illinois consumers.

The association has also argued that it is not to blame for the closure of small, independent pharmacies. Those pharmacies, it said, are at a natural competitive disadvantage because they do not have the purchasing power to negotiate the same kind of prices with wholesalers that PBMs can negotiate.

Harris said the next steps for the bills will be for House and Senate leaders to assign them to committees that will hold hearings on the issue later in the session.

Reach reporter Peter Hancock at phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com
EDWARDSVILLE  Experience the musical fusion of East and West when Orchid Ensemble performs next month at the SIUE Center for Spirituality and Sustainability, as part of the SIUE Arts and Issues program sponsored by WSIE 88.7 The Sound.

Established in 1997, Orchid Ensemble consists of Lan Tung from Taiwan and Canada, Dailin Hsieh from Taiwan, and Jonathan Bernard from Canada.

Tung plays the erhu, a two-stringed Chinese fiddle, that she holds on her lap. Hsieh plays the zheng, a 21-stringed zither, and Bernard plays the marimba and percussion.

According to the Orchid Ensemble website, Tung is also the groups artistic director and producer. Her music often experiments with contradictions by taking culturally specific materials outside their context.

Her works embody the rhythmic intricacy from Indian influence, the sense of breath from Chinese tradition, and years of experiences interpreting contemporary compositions.

Originally from Taiwan, Tung has studied Chinese music from a young age. She was first introduced to the erhu at the age of 10. When she moved with her family to Canada in 1994, she began performing with world music ensembles exploring other cultures and eventually formed Orchid Ensemble in 1997.

Tung has appeared as a soloist with numerous symphonies and orchestras across Canada and in Amsterdam and Taipei.

Bernard melds his western percussion background with his fascination for Asian traditions. The result is a unique sound that incorporates a multitude of percussion instruments, styles and techniques.

Bernard has premiered in over 70 chamber works and is the principal percussionist with the Vancouver Island Symphony. His interest in world music has led him to perform throughout North America, Europe and Japan. He has studied traditional and contemporary Chinese percussion in Beijing, Arabic percussion in Cairo and Carnatic rhythm in South India.

Hsieh has toured in China, Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium.

She is the founder of Augmented Sixth Ensemble, a soloist with the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra, and she performs regularly with the Taipei Municipal Chinese Orchestra and Wei Yi New Chinese Music.

Hsiehs solo CD, Zheng Image, which was released in 2014, features some of her notable works.

While Orchid Ensembles genre is considered chamber music in the states, the trio uses Chinese instruments to bring a Western-Asian musical fusion to performances.

Tickets for Orchid Ensembles 7:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 6 can be ordered online at artsandissues.com or in-person at the Morris University Center (MUC) Welcome Desk. The MUC Welcome Desk is open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. The Welcome Desk is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Brandon L. Engelmann, 35, of 26 Davenport St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 3:09 a.m. Saturday on charges of driving with a suspended or revoked license, and driving an uninsured vehicle.

 Shane M. Savage, 41, of 107 N. Westpoint was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:02 p.m. Saturday on charges of possession of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving an uninsured vehicle and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

 Reid A. Aten-Jones, 19, of 621 N. Main St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 4:07 p.m. Saturday on a charge of criminal damage to property.

 Samantha K. Milburn, 22, of Jacksonville was booked into the Morgan County jail at 6:25 p.m. Saturday on a charge of criminal trespass to state land.

 David F. Ellenburg, 32, of Jacksonville was booked into the Morgan County jail at 6:32 p.m. Saturday on a charge of criminal trespass to state land.

ACCIDENTS

 Lamariss E. Fortune, 36, of Jacksonville was cited for driving with a revoked license after police say the vehicle he was driving backed into a vehicle driven by David A. Monroe, 60, of Jacksonville in the parking lot in the 800 block of West Morton Avenue.

 Marissa D. Gaston, 33, of Jacksonville was cited for driving an uninsured vehicle after police say the vehicle she was driving hit a parked vehicle as she was pulling out of a parking space in the 800 block of Hardin Avenue.

South Jacksonville Police



Calhoun County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Michael J. Eilerman, 28, of Carrollton was booked into the Greene County Jail at 4:51 p.m. Thursday on a petition to revoke probation and a Calhoun County warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court.



Cass County

Virginia Police

 Tyler C. Danley, 27, of Havanna was booked into the Morgan County jail at 11:18 p.m. Friday on a charge of possession of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine.



Greene County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Joseph M. Angle, 34, of Carrollton was booked into the Greene County Jail at 2:30 p.m. Friday on a petition to revoke bail.

State police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Scott P. Clark, 48, of Kane was booked into the Greene County Jail at 9:31 p.m. Thursday on a charge of driving under the influence.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer and Rosalind Essig
The Southern Baptist Convention needs to revisit the recent actions of its bylaws group, which gave short shrift to attempts to launch an investigation into the activities of certain member churches.

Without conducting any investigation, the SBC Bylaws Workgroup quickly began walking back attempts by the SBC president to address public concerns about handling of sexual abuses in its ranks.

A monthslong investigation by the Express-News and Houston Chronicle published last month detailed hundreds of incidents of rape, molestation and other sexual misconduct within the largest coalition of Baptist churches in the U.S., documenting more than 700 victims, many of them minors. This correctly opened a national dialogue on sexual abuse within Baptist churches.

At the center of the discussion was the SBCs failure to address the festering problem because of the autonomy the organization gives its member churches.

It was a great relief to hear SBC President J.D. Greear publicly acknowledge the abuse and demand scrutiny of the 10 churches identified in the newspaper articles for their handling of sexual abuse to determine if they should be removed from the group.

Greear said all the things one would expect from someone trying to manage a crisis.

This is not a fabricated story made up by people with a secular agenda. Weve not taken reports of abuse in our churches as seriously as our Gospel demands, and sometimes even worse, outright ignored or silenced victims. Its time we back up our words with actions, he said in speech to SBC leaders in Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 18.

Less than a week later, Ken Alford of Valdosta, Ga., chairman of the SBCs bylaws workgroup, announced his group was removing seven of the 10 churches and asked Baptist leaders to refrain from publicly criticizing churches without giving them an opportunity to respond.

The backlash from SBC pastors and sexual assault survivors was swift and loud. They decried the lack of investigation and the workgroups failure to contact many of the survivors.

Alford resigned shortly thereafter, citing controversy and angst over his former committees vote to end inquiries into multiple churches. His resignation raises serious questions about which path the SBC will take in its investigation.

In his resignation letter, Alford said it was unfair of Greear to ask the committee to conduct an investigation that the group was not equipped to handle.

What should be obvious is that the task of conducting extensive investigations of churches is an assignment far beyond the capability of our small Bylaws Workgroup, he said wrote. Beyond that fact, however, is the reality that neither the Bylaws Workgroup nor the Executive Committee has any investigation authority given to it by the SBC.

OK, if true, the SBC should commission an independent investigation.

Alford acknowledged the workgroup conducted no investigation into any of the allegations outlined in the newspapers investigation. He also clarified that the group did not clear any of the churches of wrongdoing before announcing an end to inquiries into their activities.

The SBC cannot continue to use the autonomy policies that govern its 47,000 member churches and the lack of any central figure as an excuse for continuing to do nothing.

The SBC has a sexual abuse crisis on its hands, and the victims in theses case deserve better. Just saying the right things is not enough. Action is needed.

 Express-News Editorial Board
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Linkedin Hengky Ola Sura (The Jakarta Post) East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara  Sun, March 17, 2019 17:01 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8259c55 1 Food East-Flores,coffee,Leworook-coffee,Leworook,Demon-Pagong Free

Leworook village in East Flores regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has a wealth of potential. One of them is coffee that can be compared to the renowned Bajawa Arabica and Manggarai coffees.

Leworook coffee has a distinctive aroma and taste that captivated Yosep Yolan Lawe Oyan, a young man from the village, and drove him to open his own coffee business in 2015.

Coffee is not all about flavors, according to Yolan. The beverage carries with it a philosophy and many stories of life. Furthermore, Yolan realizes that with every sip, the coffee reminds him of the tireless efforts of its farmers, including his father and relatives who lived off coffee farming in Leworook.

Coffee farming is not a walk in the park. It could even be more bitter than the coffee itself. Even after laboriously planting the coffee trees, the harvest may not be priced favorably. Sometimes, the price goes up, sometimes it goes down. This raises Yolans concern, and he wondered how he could help coffee farmers market their harvest.

Yosep 'Yolan' Lawe Oyan, a young man from Leworook village, was captivated by the distinctive aroma and taste of Leworook coffee. (JP/Hengky Ola Sura)

I started my ground coffee business in 2015, as I was concerned about female coffee farmers who found no buyers at Oka market. It was difficult for coffee farmers to sell their harvest back then. The only way was to sell them at Oka market, but many times, there were no buyers and the farmers had to take their coffee home. As I was also raised by a father who is a coffee farmer, I kept thinking of how I could help, Yolan told The Jakarta Post.

He tried to find a way to place a higher economic value on the coffee.

Getting insights from the time spent in cafes during his university days in Yogyakarta, Yolan and his wife, Elisabeth Nue Manuk, started a coffee business in their spare time. They process the farmers coffee beans into ground coffee and they even buy coffee beans from the farmers at a slightly higher price from what was offered by intermediaries.

Yolan, who works at the East Flores Social Affairs Agency, then offers the coffee to small shops after office hours, while his wife sells the ground coffee at Oka market.

Read also: Festival Kopi Nusantara celebrates nation's rich coffee culture, history

There have been times when Yolan finds the coffee business very challenging, so much so that he once shut his business down and switched to selling honey for a while. As time passed, Yolan had the idea to present his coffee in more attractive packages.

Leworook coffee, named after the village, is now a brand that is well-loved by regular buyers. The coffee grows around Mount Leraboleng at a height of 1300-1500 meters above sea level. The fertile soil in which it grows gives the coffee its distinct aroma. (JP/Hengky Ola Sura)

He used to offer the coffee in thin, transparent plastic packages but decided to design better packaging.

Yolan received a Rp 15 million (US$ 1051.36) loan from Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), and persuaded his relatives in his hometown and in Larantuka, NTT, to buy the coffee. His business finally became very profitable after four years of hard work, and he was able to support his family and save money for their future.

Leworook coffee, named after the village, is now a brand that is well-loved by regular buyers. The coffee grows around Mount Leraboleng at a height of 1300-1500 meters above sea level. The fertile soil in which it grows gives the coffee its distinct aroma. However, Yolan believes that the traditional roasting process also contributes to the good taste of the coffee.

Coffee roasting uses wood fire and the more cambium the wood contains, the better for the coffee, Yolan said.

East Flower Regent Antonius Hubertus Gege Hadjon voiced his appreciation of Yolans initiative and his determination. He said that his administration was committed to helping accelerate the growth of small and medium enterprises in the regency.

Especially for Leworook coffee, we will push its growth with investment aid through the Selamatkan Orang Muda [Save the Youth] program. We will also put more effort into distributing Leworook coffee outside of East Flores, Antonius added. (mut)
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Linkedin Aine Quinn (Bloomberg)  Mon, March 18, 2019 03:06 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee826050a 2 Environment cow,Hampstead-Heath,London Free

Cows may soon be grazing freely across Hampstead Heath, a vast expanse of countryside in one of Londons wealthiest boroughs.

Six cows could be moved to an enclosure on the heath for a trial period in June in the first stage of the plan, a joint venture between the City of London Corp., the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the Heath & Hampstead Society conservation trust, the Times reported on Saturday. Conservationists are hoping that the plan will then be expanded and ultimately big herds will graze freely across large parts of the heath, controlling vegetation in a natural way, the newspaper said.

Read also: Tomb of Karl Marx vandalized in London

Lindy Guinness, an artist who came up with the idea, said she had been inspired by the work of John Constable, who painted landscapes of the heath with cows in the 19th century.

To me a landscape or park without animals in it is like a room without a fire, Guinness said by email when contacted by Bloomberg. It seems a wonderful way of beginning to influence children and grownups and showing how conservation of their precious lands will be greatly helped by this conservation grazing.

Hampstead Heath, one of Londons most famous green spaces, is about 4 miles from central London. The neighborhood is home to many of the citys most expensive homes and famous for its ponds, which attract outdoor swimmers all year round.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) -  Sun, March 17, 2019 22:12 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825e170 1 People Seven-Seas-Splendor,Seven-Seas,cruise-ship,Serena-Melani Free

A first in cruise industry history, Captain Serena Melani is set to lead Regent Seven Seas Cruises newest ship, the Seven Seas Splendor, after its launch in February 2020.

Melani's career started at age 16 as a cadet while attending school working on cargo ships in her hometown of Livorno, Italy, along the Tirrenian Sea in the Tuscany region. According to a statement, she graduated from Nautical College in 1993 and was one of only a few females holding roles of increasing responsibilities on oil tankers, cargo vessels and container ships.

In 2010 Melani, 45, joined Regent as a bridge officer, before serving as navigation officer, safety officer and staff captain on Seven Seas Voyager. In 2016, she became the companys first female master captain and has led Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Navigator during her career.

Captain Melani has distinguished herself as a trailblazer in the maritime and cruise industries, said Jason Montague, president and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, describing her as an international role model admired by guests and crew.

Read also: French chef first woman to earn three Michelin stars in US

There is a growing number of very talented female captains emerging in our industry, and were proud to be pioneers for those women who aspire to lead the Bridge, Captain Melani said. Exploring the world and leading ship teams has been a love of mine, and I enjoy sharing this passion with everyone who sails with us. Ive always believed in the motto that the cure for everything resides in salt water -- sweat, tears and the sea.

When not sailing the world Melani lives with her husband on the quaint Croatian island of Korcula. This year, however, she will spend much time in the Ancona, Italy shipyard, where Seven Seas Splendor is being built.

Designed to carry only 750 guests, the 55,000 gross-registered-ton Seven Seas Splendor is set to feature one of the highest space ratios and staff-to-guest ratios in the cruise industry. Its Regent Suite will be the largest suite constructed on a luxury cruise ship and provides more than 3,000 square feet of interior accommodation, a 1,300 square-foot veranda, an en suite spa, a personal sauna, a 270-degree view over the ships bow, a glass-enclosed solarium, a personal car with driver and much more.

A luxury ocean cruise line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises boasts a fleet of four ships visiting more than 450 destinations around the world. (sop/kes)
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States  Sun, March 17, 2019 12:33 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8255093 2 People Paris-Jackson,mental-health,rumors Free

Paris Jackson, daughter of the late superstar Michael, struck down rumors that she attempted suicide Saturday, assailing "liars" in an expletive-laden tweet.

Celebrity news website TMZ initially ran the report saying Jackson, a 20-year-old model, was hospitalized after a suicide attempt at her Los Angeles home.

Without providing additional details a police spokesman told AFP that units from Hollywood responded to an "attempt suicide" requiring an ambulance, at about 7:30 am, after which the "subject was transported to a local hospital."

Jackson has been open about her struggles with mental health. She attempted to kill herself in 2013, and told Rolling Stone magazine she had previously attempted suicide "multiple times."

Saturday's rumors follow weeks of fallout over a documentary detailing pedophilia accusations against Michael Jackson, who died in 2009 of an overdose.

The model tweeted recently it was "not my role" to defend her father's legacy, saying other family members were carrying the torch and she supports them.

"I'm just tryna get everyone to chill out and go with the flow, be mellow and think about the bigger picture. that's me," Jackson tweeted.

theres nothing i can say that hasnt already been said in regards to defense. taj is doing a perfect job on his own. and i support him. but thats not my role. im just tryna get everyone to chill out and go with the flow, be mellow and think about the bigger picture. thats me.  Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) March 14, 2019

In a later tweet she said "my father handled his trials and tribulations with grace, peace, and love. it's a more effective way of life. i suggest we all take that as an example."

Read also: 'Better than ever,' Paris Jackson dismisses treatment report

A number of radio stations from Australia to Canada have shelved Jackson's catalogue in light of the "Leaving Neverland" documentary.

French luxury brand Louis Vuitton dropped Jackson-themed clothing on Thursday from a collection it had shown at Paris Fashion Week in January, saying it found the "allegations in the documentary deeply troubling and disturbing."
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Siem Reap, Cambodia  Sun, March 17, 2019 18:07 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825a281 2 People South-Korea,Korea,Moon-Jae-In,Angkor-Wat,Siem-Reap Free

South Korean President Moon Jae-in sloughed off the trappings of high office Saturday and mingled with thousands of other tourists at Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat.

The Angkor Archeological Park, a world heritage site, contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries.

Millions visit each year, making the ruins in Siem Reap province Cambodia's most popular tourist destination.

But it also serves as a frequent stopping off point on major state visits.

Moon lingered for two hours at the site, where he climbed on wooden staircases for better views, examined intricate ancient walls, posed for photos with officials, and paused to enjoy a coconut juice.

He is the first South Korean president to make a state visit to Cambodia in 10 years, according to Yonhap.

Im Sokrithy, from the state agency which manages Angkor, guided Moon along with an entourage and said the leader was curious about the complex's history.

He asked where the stones were taken from and the process of building the temples," he told reporters.

Read also: Hanoi tours offer visitors taste of summit action

South Korea is one of the country's biggest investors and source of tourists, and Moon's presence also delighted South Korean travellers, who clapped and shook his hand.

The appearance caps a three-day trip during which Moon met with Cambodian leader Hun Sen in the capital Phnom Penh on Friday.
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Linkedin News Desk (Kyodo News) Manila  Mon, March 18, 2019 01:08 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825eb24 2 Art & Culture sex-slavery,comfort-women Free

A month-long art exhibit about Filipino "comfort women" who suffered during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s opened Saturday at a university in the capital Manila.

The exhibit, titled "In The Spaces We Mend, Inheriting the Unfinished Narrative of the Filipino Comfort Women," is being mounted by Celline Mercado, a final-year fine arts major at the prestigious Ateneo de Manila University.

Mercado, 21, said that in putting on the mixed-media display in a library at the university, she hopes the experiences and struggles of Filipino women who claim to have been sexually abused by Japanese soldiers will remain alive, especially with the younger generation.

"I went abroad, where I was exposed to a lot of museums. And they were transferring history lessons and memories about the war in a way that we don't have yet," Mercado told Kyodo News at the event.

"So, I wanted to do, in my capacity, an exhibit that could sort of emulate that kind of transmission of memories," she said, adding that it coincides nicely with the celebration of Women's Month.

The exhibit includes illustrations by some of the comfort women themselves, including Maria Rosa Henson, who, in 1992, became the first Filipina to publicly came out with her wartime sexual slavery experience. Some of her personal memorabilia are also on display.

"Comfort women" is a euphemism coined in Japan to refer to women, mainly from Asia, procured to work in Japanese military brothels before and during World War II. In the Philippines, an estimated 1,000 women across the country were said to have fallen victim to the system.

Other artworks at Mercado's exhibit include photographs taken by various artists of the women in their twilight years, a scale model of a house called "Bahay na Pula" (Red House) that served as a garrison of the Imperial Japanese Army where many women were allegedly raped, a video documentary, and a video animation.

The opening of the exhibit was attended by five former comfort women from Pampanga province, north of Manila. The women, now in their 80s, continue to demand a formal apology and just compensation from the Japanese government as well as historical inclusion of wartime sexual abuse.

"(The exhibit) is very important so that those who don't know our history and the kind of life that we lived will understand us. It is important for them to understand our experiences so they can help us in our demand for justice," Isabelita Vinuya, 81, who heads the women, told Kyodo News.

"There are only 28 of us now remaining alive. We hope that our government will hear us out, help us, and support us," she said.

Read also: South Korea to close Japan-funded 'comfort women' foundation

The group had around 90 members when they organized themselves as Malaya Lolas (Free Grandmothers) in 1997. Another organization of former comfort women is called Lila Pilipina (League for Filipino Grandmothers), which grouped 174 individuals in 1992, of whom only seven remain alive.

The women refuse to consider as "official" the statements of apology issued by several Japanese officials in the past, while some of them rejected payments made through the Asian Women's Fund in the mid-1990s, saying it came from private donors.

Mercado said she is targeting high school students in her work on the comfort women issue, which also includes producing a booklet, because the matter is not taught in depth in schools.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Klaten  Sat, March 16 2019

Klaten Police in Central Java have confirmed the arrest of a woman, identified only as Y, in Joton village, Klaten, on Thursday for her alleged involvement in the explosions in Sibolga, North Sumatra, that have been linked to Jamaah Ansharut Daulah.

We have received information from Densus 88 [antiterrorism squad] regarding the arrest. She was allegedly involved in the terrorist activities in Sibolga, Klaten Police chief Sr. Comr. Aries Andhi said on Friday.

He added that the police had seized Ys mobile phone, including its SIM card.

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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Sibolga, North Sumatra  Sun, March 17, 2019 14:28 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8256779 1 National Sibolga,Sibolga-bomb-blasts,Densus-88 Free

Around 155 houses in Sibolga, North Sumatra, were partly destroyed and some decimated by a bomb that exploded on Wednesday, according to Sibolga Mayor Syarfi Hutauruk.

The bomb was detonated by Solimah, the wife of suspected terrorist Abu Hamzah aka Husein, while the police were persuading her to surrender following Huseins arrest.

You can imagine how powerful the bomb was if it could [affect] 155 houses. Luckily, the National Polices Densus 88 counterterrorism squad had already evacuated residents before the explosion, Syarfi said on Sunday.

He added that the incident had resulted in 166 families becoming homeless. In response, Syarfi said, he would coordinate with the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) to help rebuild and repair damaged houses.

Apart from money, the city administration has also been giving rice, instant noodles, drinking water and eggs to affected families, said Syarfi who added that his team had also given Rp 1 million (US$70) to each family.

Prior to the explosion, Densus 88 had arrested Husein who is allegedly linked to the Islamic State (IS) group. Not long after that, his wife, Solimah, had thrown a homemade bomb at the police officers and local residents who had entered her house.

Naim, a resident who was injured by the bomb, said he had gone to Huseins house after he had heard that police officers were approaching the neighborhood.

When he arrived at the location, police officers asked him to persuade Solimah to leave the house but they were instead welcomed with a pipe bomb.

When the bomb went off, I was instantly knocked back [from the bombs impact] and got hurt. At the time, many of our [neighbors] had already been hurt but police officers nearest to the house and I had the most severe wounds, said Naim who is currently being treated at a hospital in Sibolga.

The experience, he said, had traumatized him as he was now easily startled by the slightest bang.

Following the first explosion, Solimah detonated another bomb after a 10-hour stand-off with the police at her other house, killing herself and her child in the process.

As of Sunday, Densus 88 had arrested six suspects linked to the terrorist attack, including Asmir Khoir aka Ameng and Halimah as well as three women identified as R, M, and YS. They were arrested in different parts of the country. (mai/swd)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 17, 2019 15:04 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825794e 1 City jakarta,police,street-crime,operation,crime Free

The Jakarta Polices Anti-Bandit Squad arrested 186 suspects during Operation Cipta Kondusif, which was conducted from March 11 to 15 in Greater Jakarta.

Fifty suspects from West Jakarta were arrested, 37 from South Jakarta, and 31 from North Jakarta, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said as quoted by tempo.co on Saturday.

He added that18 suspects from South Tangerang in Banten, 12 from Depok in West Java, 10 from Central Jakarta, eight from Tangerang, six and four from Bekasi regency and Bekasi municipality, respectively, in West Java, were arrested by the Jakarta Police. Two suspects were arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten, Tangerang, and Tanjung Priok Airport in North Jakarta, respectively. Among the suspects, were an underage person and a woman, Argo said.

They were arrested for various crimes, including muggings, theft with violence and robbery.

The police also confiscated eight firearms, 42 sharp weapons, 59 two-wheeled vehicles, two four-wheeled vehicles, six laptops, 43 mobile phones and Rp 5,557,000 (US$383.24) in cash.

Operation Cipta Kondusif aimed to make the cities safer for the public ahead of the elections on April 17, Argo said.

We can assure the public that this operation will be conducted continuously, he said. (sau)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Bekasi  Sun, March 17, 2019 16:31 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8258eb1 1 City KPK,meikarta-bribery-case,graft-allegation,graft-suspect,Bekasi-regency Free

Bekasi Regent Neneng Hassanah Yasin, who is a suspect in a graft case involving the Meikarta megacity project, has submitted her resignation to the citys council.

Bekasi Council Speaker Sunandar said he had received the letter on Feb. 11.

Following Nenengs resignation letter, the council held a meeting on Friday to announce that Neneng was no longer Bekasis regent.

The deputy speaker, Mustakim, read the letter to the council members before forwarding it to the Home Affairs Ministry, Sunandar said on Friday as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

Neneng was re-elected in the 2017 regional election for a second term and was paired with Eka Supria Atmaja who is now the acting regent.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Neneng and several other regency officials in October last year, accusing them of accepting bribes from Meikartas developer.

The Meikarta modern city project in Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java, is the the Lippo Groups flagship project. (vla)
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Linkedin Rebecca Bryan (Agence France-Presse) Indian Wells, United States  Sun, March 17, 2019 11:11 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee82539c2 2 Sports #sports,#tennis,Roger-Federer,Dominic-Thiem,final,Indian-Wells Free

The 39th match between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal failed to materialize on Saturday as the world No. 2 Spaniard hobbled out of Indian Wells to send Federer into a title clash with Dominic Thiem.

Nadal, whose longstanding right knee trouble flared up in his quarter-final victory over Karen Khachanov, couldn't take the court for the blockbuster semi-final with Swiss great Federer.

"I wanted to try my best to be competitive today," a dejected Nadal said. "I warmed up today in the morning, and I felt that my knee was not enough good to compete at the level that I need to compete, to play semi-finals match of this event."

Federer, seeded fourth as he pursues a record sixth title in the California desert, will battle 25-year-old Austrian Thiem, who is seeking his first title in one of the ATP's prestigious Masters 1000 events.

Thiem, ranked eighth in the world, was rock-solid in a 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 victory over 14th-ranked Canadian Milos Raonic.

Thiem, who advanced to the semis on a walkover when Gael Monfils withdrew with a Achilles tendon inflammation, was locked-in from the start, firing 10 winners without an unforced error in the opening set.

He couldn't convert his only break point against Raonic in the second, and Raonic managed to seize the tiebreaker aided by a favorable netcord bounce for a 5-3 lead.

- 'Amazing' Thiem -

Thiem gained the first break of the match for a 3-2 lead in the third and after saving the only break point he faced all day as he served for the match wrapped it up with a sparkling backhand volley.

"It was an amazing day," said Thiem, who will be playing in his third Masters 1,000 final. "His serve is just unreal so even though I played amazing it was so close the first two sets."

The Austrian said it would "mean the world" to break through for a Masters crown, but noted it would be a tall order against 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer -- who is coming off a remarkable 100th career title in Dubai last month.

"It's not going to be easy," said Thiem, who has split four prior meetings with Federer 2-2.

Federer was looking forward to the match and the chance to break out of a tie with Novak Djokovic for most Indian Wells titles, but was sorry to miss a meeting with Nadal.

Their rivalry stretches back 15 years, and Federer couldn't help wondering how many more chances they might have.

"We've had so many epic battles," Federer, 38, said. "I know that every one that we have now could be our last. So was this our chance at a last one -- I hope not and I believe at the level he's playing and the level I'm still going there's definitely going to be more."

The injury was devastating news for Nadal, whose run to the Australian Open final in January marked a return to competition for the first time since similar knee trouble forced him out of his US Open semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro in September.

He had ankle surgery in November, and only returned to training in December.

"For me it's not about only today. It's about what it means for me to have to pull out in a tournament that I love so much like this one, and in the semi-finals after playing well during the whole tournament," Nadal said. "You can imagine that I can't be happy."

Nadal confirmed he would also skip the upcoming Miami Masters and aim to recover and prepare for the claycourt season, targeting a return at Monte Carlo April 14-21.
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Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 17, 2019 13:35 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825641c 1 National Christchurch,terror-attack,NewZealand,mosque-attack Free

Three Indonesians were victims of the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday. One has been confirmed dead, while two others remain hospitalized.

Lilik Abdul Hamid, a 50-year-old aircraft engineer for Air New Zealand, who had previously been thought missing, was confirmed to have died by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Saturday.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihirojiun [We belong to God and to God we shall return]. My deepest condolences over the death of Bapak Lilik Abdul Hamid, an Indonesian citizen who was a victim of the terrorist attack on Al-Noor Mosque in Christchurch, she wrote on her official Twitter account. She added that the Indonesian ambassador to New Zealand was in Christchurch to assist Liliks family.

A nephew of Liliks posted on Facebook about his death, thanking everyone for their prayers and asking for forgiveness on behalf of the deceased.

Other posts on social media described Lilik as a valued member of the Indonesian community in Christchurch.

Every time guests from Indonesia come to visit, especially ustaz [Islamic teachers], the departed and his wife would always welcome them, not only to stay over at their house, but also to take them sightseeing, one Indonesian living in Christchurch wrote.

Air New Zealand chief executive officer Christopher Luxon said Lilik had been a valued member of the airliners engineering team for 16 years.

His loss will be deeply felt by the team, he said on Sunday as quoted by nzherald.co.

"Lilik, his wife, Nina, and their children, Zhania and Gerin, are well-known and loved by our close-knit team of engineers and their families who are now doing all they can to support the family alongside our leadership team and the airline's special assistance team.

Meanwhile, Zulfirman Syah and his son Averroes, 2, were injured in the attack at the nearby Linwood mosque, but both were in a stable condition as of Saturday.

Zulfirmans wife, Alta Marie Sacra, said her husband had shielded their son during the attack, causing him to sustain much more severe injuries.

He is in a stable condition following the extensive exploratory and reconstructive surgery he had earlier today, Alta wrote on her Facebook page on Saturday. While he is still in the intensive care unit at this stage, he will be moved to the general ward whenever it is deemed appropriate [likely in the next day or so].

She added that her son also had minor surgery to extract shrapnel and was checked for internal injuries.

He is recovering nicely and has been cheerful while keeping the staff in the children's ward entertained with his talkative and energetic nature, she said.

A friend of Altas has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the familys medical and household expenses.

Zulfirman, a native of Padang, West Sumatra, graduated from the Indonesia Institute of Art (ISI) Yogyakarta in 2006. Describing himself as a dad and career artist of 20 years, he has had his work included in art exhibitions at the Siena Art Institute in Italy and the National Art Museum of China in Beijing.

For me, creating art is an expression of my soul, born from my aesthetic experience, he wrote in his profile at the Saatchi Art online gallery. With each new work, I strive to use my technique and vision to make an impact on the evolution of art.

Padang Mayor Mahyeldi Ansharullah visited Zulfirmans family in Nanggalo district on Saturday to pray for his recovery.

We in Padang pray that Zulfirman Syahs second operation in New Zealand goes well, he said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
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Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 17, 2019 18:03 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825a156 1 World #Christchurch,Christchurch,Australia,#Australia,FraserAnning,#mosque-attack,mosque-attack,lawmaker,#lawmaker Free

House of Representatives lawmaker Charles Honoris is calling for the government to ban Australian Senator Fraser Anning from entering Indonesia because of his controversial comments about the recent shootings in mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that killed 50 people, including an Indonesian citizen.

As I condemned the terrorist acts in two mosques in Christchurch, I also strongly condemned the official statement of Senator Fraser Anning of Queensland who basically assumed that terrorism against mosques was a price worth paying [by] Muslims and that Islam is an 'ideology of violence', Charles said on Saturday evening.

On behalf of all the peaceful Indonesian people, I ask the Indonesian government to ban Anning from entering Indonesian territory for any reason so that he cannot bring the perspective that can divide religious communities, Charles, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician at the House's Commission I on defense and foreign affairs, said.

Anning previously drew international condemnation for his efforts to blame the attack on immigration, AFP reported.

Amid the controversy, an unnamed young man, in a protest against his offensive remarks, threw an egg at the far-right Australian senator during an event in Melbourne, prompting the senator to hit him in the face repeatedly before being stopped by what appeared to be a security guard, according to AFP.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described Anning's comments as appalling and ugly with no place in Australia.

An Indonesian national identified as Lilik Abdul Hamid was killed when a gunman opened fire during Friday prayers at the mosques in Christchurch. Two other Indonesians were injured. A right-wing Australian extremist, identified as Brenton Tarrant, has been arrested in connection with the attack. (ipa)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang  Sun, March 17, 2019 14:31 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee82572f8 1 City lobster-seeds,smuggling,soekarno-hatta-airport,aviation-security Free

Aviation Security (Avsec) officers at Soekarno Hatta International Airport foiled the attempted smuggling of 125,619 lobster seeds, believed to be pearl and sand lobsters, which is estimated to be worth Rp 19 billion (US$1.31 million).

Rina, the head of the Fish Quarantine and Fishery Quality Control Agency (BKIPM), explained that the smuggling attempt was prevented after Avsec officers grew suspicious of four suitcases in the baggage handling area.

The suitcases were destined for Singapore using national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, she said on Saturday as reported by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

When the suitcases were X-rayed, an officer found that they contained living organisms.

The officer unpacked the suitcases and found the lobster seeds inside plastic bags concealed by clothes.

Two Indonesian passengers, identified as ER and RW, are listed as the suitcases owners.

When [the suitcases] passed through the X-ray machine, it looked like they were packed only with clothes. After checking them three times, [the officer] confirmed that there were indeed living organisms inside them, Rina said.

ER and RW could not be found when the officers sought them for questioning. Police are still searching for them.

They could be charged under the 2004 Fisheries Affair Law and face a maximum of six years in prison and fines of Rp 1.5 billion if found guilty. (sau)
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Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 17, 2019 08:33 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee824e279 1 National Sandiaga-Uno,Maruf-Amin,presidential-candidate,Presidential-Debate,debate,DebatPilpres2019,#2019PresidentialElection Free

The third presidential debate, which is scheduled for Sunday night, will be the first and only vice-presidential candidate debate pitting senior Muslim cleric and non-active Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Maruf Amin against businessman Sandiaga Uno.

Sundays debate will revolve around education, health, human resources, social issues and culture.

On the topic of health, experts predicted that the deficit of the National Health Insurance (JKN) scheme and the performance of the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), the state insurer that runs the program, would come under the candidates scrutiny.

JKN and BPJS will be discussed in the debate and I predict that both candidates are going to strengthen the insurance scheme and present their strategies [to improve it], Hasbullah Thabrany, a public health professor at the University of Indonesia, said on Friday.

He also said that Maruf must prepare himself with a good defense for the incumbent President Joko Jokowi Widodos policies as the government had recently come under fire for removing several cancer drugs from the JKN scheme in an attempt to control the deficit.

The head of the Womens Health Foundation, Zumrotin K. Susilo, said Sandiaga might use the issues surrounding JKN to attack Maruf during the debate.

[Sandiaga] might bring up access to BPJS and health care for people in rural areas and the eastern part of Indonesia. [] Although many poor people benefit from BPJS, the poor data accuracy of BPJS could leave some of them behind, Zumrotin said.

The secretary-general of the Federation of Indonesian Teachers Associations (FSGI), Heru Purnomo, said that in education, the debate must provide a solution to poor teacher quality and poor student performance despite the government having allocated 20 percent of the state budget annually for education.

[The governments] Indonesian Smart Card [KIP] and pre-employment card that the incumbent has revealed are only to create a good image. They dont really address the education problems, he said.

International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID) executive director Sugeng Bahagijo said that to beat Maruf, Sandiaga, who was Jakarta deputy governor before running in the election, must not only attack, as he and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto did in the previous two debates.

Sandiaga must come up with solutions and not only attack the incumbent programs. If [the solutions] are not achievable they will be like his flagship One District One Entrepreneurship [OK OCE] program [in Jakarta] which looked grand but failed at the end, Sugeng said.

And Maruf must learn to deliver his argument clearly in a short time on the debate night, Sugeng said.

Maruf, who talked the least during the first debate in January, said he was more than ready to face Sandiaga on Sunday.

He said he would explain about the planned pre-employment card in the debate. The card will be launched by him and Jokowi if they are elected in April.

Of course I will highlight Jokowis flagship programs, Maruf said on Thursday.

Maruf, who was a lecturer for years with expertise in sharia economics, however, is concerned about the limited time set in the debate.

I must adjust myself, because I usually talk freely for one or two hours, so when they limit the time of course it is not easy, said the Muslim cleric, who is also an MUI leader and a revered figure in Nahdlatul Ulama, the countrys largest Muslim organization.

National Mandate Party (PAN) deputy secretary-general Faldo Maldini said Sandiaga had met with experts and communities and received many insights that would help him in the debate.

Sandiaga always discusses with Prabowo to find out the root of the welfare problems in Indonesia [] He has also visited 1,400 places in Indonesia to really listen to the people there. [] Insya Allah [God willing] there will be some important issues that will be brought by Sandiaga on Sunday, Faldo said.
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 17, 2019 09:41 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee824fd78 1 Politics Sandiaga-Uno,Prabowo-Subianto-Sandiaga-Uno,Indonesian-politics,patron-client-relations,Prabowo-presidential-bid-2019,Sandiaga-Uno-profile,2019-presidential-debate,2019-presidential-election,#2019PresidentialElection,#2019GeneralElections Free

It has now become apparent that this years presidential campaign is more about Sandiaga Uno than Prabowo Subianto.

The Prabowo-Sandiaga campaign team reported in January that the vice-presidential candidate had contributed Rp 39.6 billion (US$2.73 million), or about 73 percent of the total Rp 54 billion the pair had raised in campaign funds over the past three months.

If we break down the report, of course Sandiaga has contributed the most, followed by Prabowo, team treasurer Thomas Djiwandono told reporters after submitting an official report on campaign funds to the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Ever since he was announced as Prabowos running mate in August, the businessman-turned-politician has been the more popular half of the pair.

He made numerous visits to traditional markets across the country, approaching female voters, whom he called emak-emak (housewives), to listen to their complaints about the price of staple food.

It has long been suspected that the 49-year-old, a former venture capitalist who frequently makes it onto Forbes magazines Indonesias 50 richest list, would be the main patron for Prabowos presidential bid, which was previously marred by financial issues.

Sandiaga, who joined Prabowo on the only ticket that will challenge incumbent President Joko Jokowi Widodo and running mate Muslim cleric Maruf Amin, is the richest of the four with a net worth of Rp 5.1 trillion.

By no means, however, did Prabowo enter the fray with empty pockets.

The son-in-law of former president Soeharto, who also came from an affluent family, Prabowo is the second-biggest donor to the campaign, having contributed Rp 13 billion or 24.2 percent of the campaign fund.

Prabowos party, Gerindra, contributed around Rp 1.3 billion, or about 2.6 percent of the total amount. The rest of the funds came from groups and individuals.

The campaign fund report, however, mentions no details about contributions from other political parties in Prabowos coalition, namely the Democratic Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

PKS executive Mardani Ali Sera, a campaign team official, conceded that his party had yet to contribute to the fund but claimed that it had worked hard for the ticket in conducting campaign activities.

Weve been contributing a lot, except in the form of money. All parties in the coalition have contributed but not always in the form of campaign funds, because most of the [presidential campaign] activities are correlated with parties [legislative campaign] activities, Mardani said.

Democratic Party deputy secretary-general Andi Arief said political parties in a coalition had no obligation to contribute.

In many meetings [between parties in the camp], we never talked about any obligations for parties to contribute funds, Andi said. Nevertheless, Sandiaga has promised to help a lot regarding the funds. And we have no problem with his promise.

While he compensates for Prabowos failure to charm young voters, political observers have criticized Sandiagas role in the campaign as it shows that Indonesian politics is still dominated by patron-client relations that allow businessmen to occupy major political posts in the country and assume control of the countrys resources.

Sandiaga amassed the funding for the tickets campaign by selling his shares in PT Saratoga Investama Sedaya (Saratoga), an investment firm that controls major publicly listed companies in mining -- coal miner PT Adaro Energy and gold and copper miner PT Merdeka Copper Gold, as well as a coal-fired power plant in Gorontalo, and the Awal Bros hospital chain.

Since the announcement that he would be Prabowos vice-presidential candidate in August last year, the former Jakarta deputy governor admitted he had to sell his shares in the company to finance the campaign, earning more than Rp 500 billion from the transaction.

He is still a major individual shareholder of Saratoga, controlling 22 percent of the companys shares, only second to businessman Edwin Soeryadjaya who owns 31 percent.

Earlier in the presidential campaign, Andi of the Democratic Party, which had its cadre Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono rejected as Prabowos running mate, claimed that the PAN and PKS had allowed Sandiaga to run in the April presidential election because of his promise to pay them a political dowry of Rp 500 billion each.

The accusation prompted a probe by the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), but the state elections watchdog later dropped the case because Andi refused to answer summonses.
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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra  Mon, March 18, 2019 03:05 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825fb6d 1 Business mutual-fund,investment,stock,Bareksa,IDX,IDX-regional-offices,stock-market,Medan,KSEI Free

Mutual funds distributor Bareksa Prioritas, a collaboration between digital investment portal Bareksa.com and independent investment advice company Jagartha Advisors, seeks to attract high-net-worth clients in Medan, North Sumatra, after opening a branch office in the city.

The Medan office is the companys first branch outside of Java.

Bareksa.com co-founder and CEO Karaniya Dharmasaputra said during the opening event in Medan that the large number of capital market investors in the city offered great potential for Bareksa Prioritas to expand its customer base.

According to data from the Medan branch of the Indonesia Stock Exchanges (IDX) Go Public Information Center, the number of single investors (SID) in North Sumatra currently stands at 31,510. Of that figure, the number of stock investors in the province is 28,000, around 21,000 of whom are based in Medan.

"We are optimistic that we can secure more clients in Medan, because we offer products and services that will give our clients extra value," he said at the office opening event.

Karaniya added that North Sumatra accounted for around 3.31 percent of Bareksa.com's 380,000 retail investor clients as of January.

With more than 30 percent of Indonesias mutual fund investors as its clients, the company is the largest mutual funds marketplace in the country.

There were 988.946 mutual fund investors in the country as of December, according to the Indonesian Central Securities Depository (KSEI).

As a premium-segment investment product for high-net-worth groups, the clients of Bareksa Prioritas must have minimum account balances of Rp 5 billion (US$349,405). It also handles corporate clients on top of individual accounts.

Karaniya said Bareksa Prioritas provides special services to its clients, including technological solutions for on-boarding processes, transactions and asset monitoring. He added that advisors would assist clients in all of their investment processes.

Launched last year, Bareksa.com has more than 10 advisors who have decades of experience in the finance and banking industries as well as in the stock market, he said.

It has also entered partnerships with 35 investment management companies and offers 181 products across various asset classes.

We believe that these offers will help us stay competitive and strengthen our business penetration among wealthy clients in North Sumatra, Karaniya said.

He added that Bareksa Prioritas also offered exclusive offers to its clients through various programs, such as luxury lifestyle concierge services from Bern & Durell.

The latter would provide clients with exclusive facilities to match their lifestyles in areas such as travel, arts, health and real estate.

Bern & Durell partner Bernardus Sumartok said the concierge company shared Bareka Prioritas vision in the great potential of the niche high and ultra-high net-worth segment.

He said wealthy clients tended to experience difficulties in enjoying an exclusive lifestyle due to limited time and access.

One of the main points in the collaboration between Bareksa Prioritas and Bern & Durell is that we give the clients invitations that allow them to access to our membership, he said. (ars)
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Linkedin Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 18, 2019 03:07 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8260bb3 1 Business digital-economy,startup,tourism,social-media,apps,thomas-lembong,BKPM,regional-administrations,investment Free

The government is pushing regional administrations to exploit the country's numerous digital start-ups to boost local tourism and empower local economies to drive economic growth.

The digital economy was key to the global tourism industry, as well as Indonesia's tourism industry, as it helped the sector to grow more rapidly than ever, Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) head Thomas Lembong said on March 11 at the 2019 Regional Investment Forum in Tangerang, Banten.

He cited data that showed the global tourism industry was growing 7 to 7.5 percent annually, double the 3 to 3.5 percent annual growth of the global economy.

Thomas said the digital economy spurred tourism through social media, which had shifted consumer behavior from product consumption to experiential consumption.

The phenomenon, he said, meant that consumers were more interested in spending on travel to seek Instagrammable moments for posting to their social media accounts.

Aside from social media platforms, other digital platforms that were helping to spur global tourism included online travel agents, home-sharing sites and ride-hailing transportation services, he said.

As the digital economy had great potential in boosting tourism, Thomas said regional administrations needed to gain deeper understanding about cultivating the use of online platforms to attract more tourists and to encourage longer stays.

These apps can help regional administrations drive tourism development, because they [the apps] provide recommendations on where to stay and eat, and help tourists explore their destinations, he said.

Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara echoed Thomas' views, saying that the government and regional administrations should simplify regulations to allow digital start-ups to flourish and to support the tourism industry, as well as the national economy.

He underlined that central and regional governments could facilitate and accelerate growth of the digital economy.

In this way, we hope our digital economy can grow to US$130 billion, about 11 percent of our gross domestic product in 2020, he said.

The Indonesian digital economy has been flourishing in the last few years, as indicated in the mushrooming number of start-ups. Four Indonesian start-ups Traveloka, Go-Jek, Tokopedia and Bukalapak  are valued at over US$1 billion and have achieved unicorn status.

These start-ups have also contributed to scaling up the millions of micro, small and medium enterprises and to creating more jobs in the country.

East Java Deputy Governor Emil Dardak concurred with Rudiantara, saying that heavy-handed regulations would only entangle businesses and hamper their growth, which was needed to grow both the regional and national economies.

East Java was thus ready to implement more "light-handed regulations" so that digital businesses could grow robustly and benefit the province's economy.

Digital platforms can help us do so much, from selling our tour packages directly to tourists [and] promoting our products and commodities abroad. In this way, we can boost our local economy, said Emil.

On the same occasion, Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Sugeng said integrating the digital economy and the tourism industry could spell a "quick win", as tourism could increase foreign exchange inflows.

Increased inflows of foreign exchange would in turn help the country narrow the current account deficit, which had been a factor of the rupiah's steep depreciation last year, said Sugeng.

He added that a vibrant digital economy could catapult economic growth and improve people's incomes, and thus aid the country in escaping the middle-income trap.
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 18, 2019 03:03 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825eeff 1 Business Apple,Apple-Developer-Academy,apple-campus,iOS,iOS-app,Rudiantara,Tim-Cook,Binus-University-International Free

One hundred sixty-five students have graduated from a free, nine-month-long course on application development funded by tech giant Apple and run in collaboration with Binus University at BSD City in Banten.

The graduation is not only a milestone for a first generation of Apple-sponsored local iOS developers but also a government triumph in pressuring Apple  among the worlds most valuable brands  to invest in Indonesia's human capital.

Hence, the ceremony was attended by three ministers: Information and Communications Minister Rudiantara, Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

Seated among the audience, Ricky Christian, 25, a business management graduate, is among the first batch of Binus University students benefiting from the Apple Academy.

We basically learned three things: basic coding, app design and how to do business, he told The Jakarta Post after the ceremony.

The business training, he said, included project management, research and app monetization, while the basic coding was limited to Swift  a programming language created exclusively for Apple products.

The students  30 percent of whom were women  were tasked with identifying and solving four social problems using technology over the course of the program.

Apple vice president Lisa Jackson, who handles the companys education programs, explained this was what the company called challenge-based learning, whereby students are trained to solve problems instead of just receiving knowledge.

Armed with such a problem-solving mindset, Ricky teamed up with five other students to create a job interview training app called Koda, which is available for free on the App Store.

Koda works by asking users standard interview questions, such as: Where do you see yourself in five years? (in Indonesian) and then evaluates their confidence level based on loudness and eye contact.

The app is not yet foolproof, but the team is working on expanding its accuracy by measuring articulation, speech speed and, further down the line, content.

For now, were focusing on nonverbal communication, because 88 percent of communication is nonverbal based on our research, said Ricky.

The teams next step is figuring out how to monetize Koda, and therefore the academy invited several tech companies, such as e-marketplace Tokopedia and online lender Investree, to see and, perhaps, invest in the 33 apps produced by the students.

The apps major limitation is that it is exclusive to Apple, whose iPhones control less than 13 percent of Indonesias smartphone market, greatly limiting the reach of an app that could otherwise help millions of Indonesian millennials.

The Koda team acknowledged that they were open to making the app available for other smartphone brands, including Samsung, OPPO and Xiaomi.

The students can keep their apps in iOS or develop them further in other platforms, but what they are really learning is the importance of developing  through collaboration  a product that is world class, said Apples Lisa Jackson.

The Koda developers, who are mostly business management students, are aware that even a basic understanding of coding and app development gives them a greater chance of employment in the Industry 4.0 era.

At least 50 percent of large companies in Indonesia want to become as technologically advanced as start-ups, providing plenty of opportunity for tech-savvy employees, according to an International Data Corporation (IDC) survey.

However, developer salaries are also relatively low in Indonesia, as an average iOS developer could expect Rp 7.7 million ($539) per month in Jakarta, according to Indeed.com, while an experienced software developer earns at least Rp 20.8 million per month, according to recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.

In comparison, an average iOS developer could earn Rp 16.8 million per month in Malaysia, while experienced developers earn Rp 27 million per month in Kuala Lumpur, according to the same sources.

Encouraging the students to stay in Indonesia, Minister Rudiantara told them during his keynote speech that the country still needed 9 million digital talents to achieve its targeted growth.

He was actually referring to a 2012 McKinsey report that estimated Indonesia needed 9 million workers with secondary and tertiary education  not explicitly digital talent  to meet the targeted 7 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 2030.

Im glad Apple is adding value to this country, but next I want to see an Apple store [instead of an authorized reseller] in this country, he said in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

For the minister, the graduation also symbolized the governments success in making Apple invest in human capital through his ministrys regulation No. 27/2015 on technical requirements for long-term evolution (LTE) technology.

The regulation requires all LTE-capable internet devices sold in Indonesia to contain at least 30 percent local content and thus pushes tech companies to build factories in Indonesia and expose locals to advanced technology.

Apple instead chose to invest its 30 percent quota, which the government calculated was worth around $44 million, to establish three innovation centers between 2017 and 2019.

The second center, which began operations this year, is located in Surabaya, East Java, (in cooperation with Ciputra University), while the other two are located in Batam, Riau Islands, but it is not known when operations will begin.

Apples choice to invest in human capital not only complies with government regulations but also aligns with the governments plan to prioritize building human capital over the next five years.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 17, 2019 07:04 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee824cac4 4 News music-festival,festival,East-Nusa-Tenggara,Malaka,cross-borders,travel,tourism,destination Free

Three mass traditional dances are set to grace the 2019 Malaka and Kefamenanu Cross-Border Music Concert slated for March 28 to 29 at Misi Paroki Betun Field in Malaka regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The event is set to match the festivities presented during the Atambua Cross-Border Music Concert, according to the Tourism Ministry's marketing development deputy assistant for region III, Muh. Ricky Fauziyani.

"After Atambua, we will also present a music concert in Malaka, featuring Maria Vitoria and Bondan Prakoso as guest stars as well as the mass dances," said Ricky on March 10 as quoted by kompas.com.

Among the three mass dances set to be performed in Malaka are the Tebe, Likurai and Bidu.

"These three are inspiring dances because of their traditional values. [Hopefully] tourists [will be able to] learn from the values presented by them," added Ricky.

Read also: More than 30,000 flocked to Cross Border Atambua Festival 2017 music concert

The Bidu dance is a dance to find a life partner and is usually performed by eight female and two male dancers. Meanwhile the Tebe dance, which is similar to the Ronggeng dance, is a form of gratitude when welcoming those returning from war. In October 2015 4,601 dancers set the record for this dance in the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI).

Last but not least, the Likurai dance came to wider public attention when it was performed at the 2018 Asian Games. In October 2017, a performance by 6,000 dancers, who were students of three regencies in NTT's cross-border zone, in Fulan Fehan Hill, was recorded by the MURI.

"The music concert will be a very interesting attraction you should not miss out on," said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya. "Aside from the attraction, accessibility and amenities in Malaka are also sufficient." (kes)
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Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara  Sun, March 17, 2019 13:21 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee82556e4 1 News pearl,Lombok,West-Nusa-Tenggara,destination,travel,tourism,educational-tourism Free

Famous as the producer of high-quality mutiara Laut Selatan (South Sea pearl) in Indonesia, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has been called on to develop educational tourism on pearls.

"Dubbed Lombok Pearl, educational tourism can help boost Lombok as a destination and rebrand pearls as a tourism icon," the head of public relations and socialization at Indonesia Tourism Players (IPI) in NTB, Gede Gunanta, recently told The Jakarta Post.

Under former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, pearls were designated as the icons of Lombok tourism, marked by International Pearls Auction Pearl Queen Contest events that were held between 2009 and 2012.

However, due to a lack of promotion, innovation and creativity in marketing, the pearl business in the region is slowly grinding to a halt.

Read also: West Nusa Tenggara denies reports of canceled cruises to Lombok

"In the old days, tourists who came to Lombok would always shop for pearls. However, it seems that this icon is no longer popular," added Gede.

The proposed concept of a Lombok Pearl educational tourist destination includes an area that will combine Mandalika Beach with the South Sea pearl cultivation process -- from seeding to displaying them in a gallery.

The province is said to have already brought in experts on pearl cultivation. It has also formed partnerships with Japanese and Australian companies.

"We have sent our proposal [to the related parties]," said Gede. (kes)
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Linkedin Kevin Varley (Bloomberg)  Sun, March 17, 2019 08:08 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee824d596 2 News yacht,super-yachts,Caribbean,Mediterranean,sailing Free

Its an annual super yacht rite of passage. As the Northern Hemispheres winter ends, the wealthy and their yachts migrate from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.

While were not quite over the winter yet, the migration has begun in some areas, according to vessel data analyzed by Bloomberg. Antigua and Sint Maarten saw the largest month over month declines, shedding eighteen and ten yachts respectively.

Read also: 2019 Sail Nias launched in Jakarta, expected to boost marine tourism

The Bahamas, which saw yacht infamy over the past week, told a different story. It gained sixteen yachts in March to lead all countries. Hosting thirty-nine super yachts overall, it came in sixth on the yacht leaderboard this month.

The positions atop the leaderboard will likely shift in the coming months. Last year, Italy took the lead from the U.S. in early May after the Atlantic migration was completed. Click here to map all super yachts globally.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) -  Sun, March 17, 2019 19:06 999 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee825b622 1 News operators,visually-impaired,travelers,travel,India,tourism,blind,Rising-Star-Tours-and-Travels Free

A Delhi-based tour operator gives blind travelers the opportunity to see the world through their senses other than sight.

Said to be the only player in India so far supporting visually impaired travelers from across the nation, Rising Star Tours and Travels (RSTT) recently offered a three-day sight-feeling trip to Jaipur in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.

The trip began with an experiential bus ride from Delhi to Jaipur. The travelers were then taken to several spots and participated in activities like horse-riding or camel-riding and shopping, being able to touch and feel everything. So far, 70 visually impaired people as well as volunteers from a diverse range of backgrounds and professions have attended the three-day trips. Most members were sponsored by other people, and the rest by RSTT.

Over a period of nine months, the company says it has organized and sponsored three trips, namely to Pangot (Nainital), Rishikesh (Shivpuri) and Jaipur.

Read also: Dining in the Dark explores struggles visually impaired people face

"Our focus was to provide assistive travel for the blind community. We aim to help them discover a whole new world and become part of it. It is not about charity, it is about spreading happiness," said the company's founder Amit Jain in a statement.

Looking at travel as a holistic experience engaging all the senses, RSTT is set to continue organizing such trips every three months to help sightless people explore the world.

Headquartered in Ashok Vihar, Delhi, RSTT specializes in planning trips to picturesque lands, such as Bangalore, Goa or foreign destinations, such as Bali, Australia and Europe. The company also offers some special journeys called Only Female Travel Tours, Senior Citizen Travel and Travel Kitty. (sop/kes)
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Why Nevada Is About To Become The Richest State In The USA (And Make Some Investors VERY Happy)

Geologists predict that Nevada could hold 25% of the world's lithium supply. And with lithium quickly becoming the most valuable (and important) metal on the planet, Nevada could quickly become one of the richest states in the USA...
For the past several years restrooms at three parks in the city of Alma have been deteriorating.

In 2018, the city applied for a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant to help pay for the work at Wright Park, Riverside Park and Pine River/Conservation Park.

However, the funding request was denied.

But that wont keep city officials from trying again.

The grants are awarded on a competitive basis and Alma did not make the cut.

Last year we were very close in the point score in obtaining the grant, Assistant City Manager Aeric Ripley told city commissioners during a recent meeting. In this application we hope to score additional points.

In its revised application the city would construct new restrooms at Wright Park and renovate the structures at the other two. It would also include adding environmentally friendly features, such as landscaping and lighting, and increasing the amount of the citys match from 35 percent to 40 percent of the total cost.

The city has been encouraged to reapply for the grant, Ripley said.

Almaa Parks and Recreation Committee has also urged commissioners to resubmit the funding request.

The total cost of the three projects is $301,000 for construction and renovation, plus $45,140 for engineering.

The city will request a grant in the amount of $207,690 with the remaining $138,460 supplied by the city.

The top priority of city officials is replacing the entire Wright Park restroom with four universally designed, single occupancy restrooms modeled after the facility on Charles Avenue, which was built to accommodate the adjacent Fred Meijer Heartland Rail-Trail.

The estimated cost for that portion of the project alone is $200,000, which would include updating electrical service to the parks pavilions and sewer work.

Next on the priority list is rehabing the restrooms at Pine River/Conservation Park.

That structure also houses a wastewater lift station. Wastewater funds would be used to do repairs on the roof and brick at a cost of $40,500, while an additional $50,000 would be used to renovate the restrooms.

Lastly, the lowest on the citys priority list is the renovation of the restroom at Riverside Park at an estimated cost of $45,000.

If the grant is approved work would take place in the spring of 2020.

One of the alternatives discussed but rejected by city commissioners was outfitting the parks with portable toilets. However, that would cost the city $102,000 per park over the next 40 years, which is the life expectancy of the new and renovated restroom facilities.

A public hearing regarding the grant application will take place at the next city commission meeting, which is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 26 at the Municipal Building, 525 E. Superior St.
Asana essentials: Yoga postures for any ability part 2

Hi and welcome to part two of my top six yoga postures (asanas) for a happier body and a healthier life.

Health

By Kim White

Sunday 17 March 2019, 10:00AM

You can read part one here. Im feeling very grateful to have shared two weeks with you this month.

I have created a video for you (below), filmed at the beautiful Siam Beach on Koh Racha, that runs through all six asanas from the two articles. Keeping it local and supporting Phuket brands, I am wearing local swimwear by Kaanda Beach Life.

The video puts the postures into a mini yoga flow that you can follow. My suggestion would be to start with good, steady rotations on each side once a day, holding each posture for a minimum of 20 seconds.

4. Lord of the fish pose

Brings life back to the spine, stretches the shoulders, hips and neck, and relieves fatigue, backache and menstrual discomfort.

- Sit on the floor, feet flat on the floor with both knees bent and sink into your sitting bones. (Sit on a folded blanket for extra support.)

- Slide your left foot under your right leg to the outside of the right hip, your left little toe resting on the floor.

- Step your right foot over your left leg and place the sole of your right foot on the floor close to your left hip.

- Inhale, hug your left arm around your right thigh as you raise your right arm and roll your right shoulder down your back.

- Exhale, placing your right hand onto the floor behind your right hip.

- Hug your right knee close to your left shoulder.

- Keep rolling your right shoulder down your back, looking over your right shoulder. Keep both sitting bones on the floor.

- Keep your spine long and straight. Imagine the crown of your head is being suspended from above.

- Hold for 20-30 seconds.

5. Straddle pose

Releases the hip joints and the muscles of the groin, and improves pelvic circulation.

- Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front.

- Rotate your thighs outward and separate your legs away from each other while still maintaining relaxed knee caps and toes facing up to the ceiling.

- Roll your shoulders down your back and hinge forward with a straight back.

- Try to touch the floor between your hands while maintaining a straight back.

- Hold for 20-30 seconds.

6. Cobra pose

- Opens the heart and lungs, and stretches the chest, lungs, shoulders and stomach.

- Lie on your stomach on the floor. Stretch your legs back, tops of your feet on the floor. Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and keep your elbows facing back into your body.

- Feel the pubic bone on the floor.

- Inhale and begin to straighten your arms to lift your chest off the floor, going only to the height at which you can maintain a connection between mat and pubic bone.

- Firm your shoulder blades against your back, extend your ribs and chest forward in order to keep the spine long and healthy for the lift.

- Distribute the backbend evenly throughout the entire spine.

- Hold for 20-30 seconds, maintaining a steady breath.

This is half a rotation of the asana essential flow on the right side. Repeat the movements on the left side to complete one full rotation.

On another note, I am once again honoured to be announced as the Asia Travel & Hospitality Award Best Yoga School in Thailand.

I would like to thank everyone that has supported me; without your support I truly would not be here. Thank you to the multitude of interesting and lovely people that have allowed me to share yoga with them.

Happy stretching.



Metta,

Kim oxo

Kim White Yoga



One of the main motivations that drives Kim to teach Yoga is her desire to keep true, real Yoga alive; the propagation of Yoga for Yoga. She strives to achieve this through teaching and helping people fall in love with Yoga everyday. She gives you her yoga mind and yoga heart to guide anyone wishing to traverse the beautiful journey that is Yoga. Teaching group classes, private classes, yoga intensives & retreats across the Island.



www.mindbodyyogasystem.com

Call +66 862 769 174
Happy Holistay: Make a splash on a Phuket staycation

We can all find ourselves guilty of failing to see whats right in front of us. So quick are we to look beyond Phuket for city or beach breaks that we bypass the expert hospitality available on our very doorstep.

LifestyleTravel

By Amy Bryant

Sunday 17 March 2019, 02:00PM

Baan Thai restaurant serves up lake views and culinary delights from all four corners of the Kingdom.

The penthouse offers the luxury of a private pool and a grand floor-to-ceiling window that bathes rooms in light.

Let Splash Beach Resort remind you that a staycation can be just as rejuvenating as any offshore escape.

The five-star resort sits on Mai Khao beach which, at 11 kilometres, is the longest beach on the island. The pine-fringed, golden sand coastline, which is a pristine and protected part of Sirinath National Park, sees relatively few sun-worshippers in comparison to Phukets other beaches, and so feels like something of a well-kept secret.

At its core, Splash Beach is a family resort and, with 26 types of residences available, they are sure to have a place for any family unit. Choose a penthouse for the luxury of a private pool and a grand floor-to-ceiling window that bathes rooms in light. For an outdoor shower, kitchen and unbeatable views looking out into the big blue, book an ocean-facing villa.

Electric buggies are available around the clock to ferry guests around the 50- acre resort; however, its possible, and pleasant, to walk the peaceful, green grounds on paths that curve delicately around lakes lined with palms and the resorts signature frangipani trees.

During the day, Splash Beach is a bounce-off-the-walls arena of excitement for children and a break-from-it-all breathing space for adults. This juxtaposition plays out in real time. Young ones hare between the outdoor pools and the three-storey interactive playground and marvel at the on-site entertainers, including super soldier Captain America who joined them over a buffet breakfast.

Parents ease themselves into the day with power yoga on the beach lawn, splashrobics in the pool or any of the host of other activities, and indulge in milk baths and restorative massages at the safe and firm hands of the spas therapists.

As the evening draws near on a Friday, and guests are treated to a west coast sunset of candy floss clouds, the beach club comes alive in a show of light and colour. Resident DJs provide the soundtrack as Samui Circus Studios interactive fire shows bring out the pyromaniac in us all and dazzle children and adults alike. Guests graze the all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet, sup free-flow beverages and rehydrate at the fresh coconut bar.

The weekly event, which is open to guests and non-guests alike, is forging its own identity in Phukets saturated beach club market by being authentic, inclusive and without pretense. Its not there to serve overpriced beverages and fill your Instagram feed, its a fun-for-all-the-family, dance-in-the-sand affair. And thats wonderfully refreshing.

The integrated Splash Jungle water park (entrance to which comes free with each room booking) is another must-visit. Thrill-seekers: head for the star attraction, Boomerango, a reverse free fall off a vertical wall. Chill-seekers: float along the 335-metre lazy river or glide up to the in-pool Splash Bar.

An evening in Baan Thai is also in order. The restaurant serves up lake views and culinary delights from all four corners of the Kingdom.

It would be remiss not to mention the resorts close proximity to Phuket International airport. The spectacle of take off and landing seen bar-side or pool-side is truly exhilarating.

How does Splash Beach Resort offer so much and then deliver it all so well after only six months in business? Upon meeting John OShea, the resorts Managing Director, it becomes clear. A family man himself with more than 30 years experience in the hospitality industry, he understands Phukets need for a reliable resort with family at heart. And here it is.

Splash Beach Resort is located at 65/47 Moo 4, Mai Khao Soi 4, Thalang, Phuket, 83110.

The Splash Beach Club holds events each Friday. The six-hour dining and free-flow beverage package is B1,200 net, B2,000 for couples and free for children under 12.

Website  www.splashbeachresort.com

Email  sppkt.info@splashbeachresort.com

Phone  + 66 7637 2000
Island woes hurting investment, Phuket infrastructure needs urgent attention, says new PCC President

PHUKET: Thanusak Phungdet, the newly installed President of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, has placed poor infrastructure development among the top issues concerning the islands tourism industry.

tourismeconomicsconstruction

By Waranya Prompinpiras

Sunday 17 March 2019, 10:00AM

New PCC President Thanusak Phungdet is calling for urgent action on roads, water and power supply. Photo: Phuket Chamber of Commerce

So detrimental is the islands current state of infrastructure support that it may even be affecting decisions by business people in whether or not to invest in Phuket, Mr Thanusak said.

Traffic jams, especially those affecting tourists travelling to and from Phuket International Airport is of vital concern, as is lack of water reserves to ensure water supply to hotels across the island and even poor electricity supply, rated the top of Mr Thanusaks list.

Mr Thanusak, installed as PCC President on Feb 22, told The Phuket News this week that he invited people to inform him of problems their businesses were facing, and hopefully to provide some solutions to the problems.

I want the private sector to trust me as the new Phuket Chamber president. I am glad to hear from them. I can help them because the Chamber is a powerful oganisation that can bring the relevant government department to answer questions from the private sector, he said.

Mr Thanusak explained that he had already identified a slew of issues to be tackled.

I will call for urgent action to be taken on several problems, such as not enough water, poor electricity supply, the number of road accidents and traffic jams. We need to work on solving these problems, he said.

Traffic is of particular concern, Mr Thanusak said.

For tourism, Phuket must be ready to support the number of tourists, especially in terms of transportation. The government must make the new road between the airport and the bypass road to reduce traffic jams and make travelling between the airport and Phuket Town quicker. he said.

The road, a 12-lane expressway from Koh Kaew to Phuket airport costing B5.5 billion, has been in motion for years, with the Highways Department already confirming the route in 2016.

However, no progress has been made since then. Last year, Norraphat Plodthong, Phuket Governor at the time, called for national government support to expedite the project at a meeting of the Commission for the Management of Land Traffic held in Nai Yang.

Present at the meeting were Commission Chairman Lt Gen Jareasakanee Anupaph, Vice Chairman of the 1st Committee Wanchai Sarattultut, Vice Chairman of the 2nd Committee Admiral Yutthana Fakpholgnarn, and Vice Governors from Phang Nga, Krabi and Ranong.

Among the others present were officials from the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, local administrations and relevant government agencies in Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ranong.

And still the project remains stalled.

The idea for the new expressway was put forward by Surachai Chaiwat, who served as PCC President from 2015 to 2018, Mr Thanusak explained.

This road can have many lanes and will reduce traffic problems, in the same way that the motorway from Bangkok to Chonburi has, he said.

Mr Thanusak noted that PCC has direct links with the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok, whose president attends a meeting with the prime minister every month.

And the PCC President also attends meetings with the Phuket governor and the provincial board of the Joint Public and Private Sector Consultative Committee (JPPSCC) every month. I will raise these issues with both the governor and the JPPSCC, he added.

Mr Thanusak said that the PCC addressing the issues were important for Phuket in attracting new investors.

The PCC is a one-stop service centre for business people looking to invest in Phuket. The Phuket Chamber must be strong to make the private sector have confidence and trust us, he said.

They must feel that the Phuket Chamber of Commerce can help them and coordinate with government departments in solving these problems, he added.

And this includes foreign investors, he stressed.
For Subscribers Supply chain issues concern retailers as trucks keep hauling

The world begins to get back to some sense of normalcy, retailers and manufacturers are struggling to get the goods they need to conduct business.
Following the incredible success of the Queen biopic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' last year, with Rami Malek winning Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his role as Freddie Mercury, there are already talks of a sequel.

According to Queen's longtime video director Rudi Dolezal, a follow-up movie is "being heavily discussed in the Queen family". The scope of the sequel is unknown, but it is highly likely that the band's final tour in 1986 will play a role - it is the only tour outside of the first film's timeline, and would give the opportunity to show the band playing a bunch of hits they didnt get to the first time around.

Watch the real Queen performing 'I Want to Break Free' in Budapest on their 1986 tour, which we are likely to be seeing recreated for the film.
A leading economist has aptly invoked a famous Monty Python sketch to describe the mixed signals the Canadian economy is giving.

Is the Canadian economy a dead parrot, like the one in the Monty Python skit? Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, wrote in an investors note. Maybe its just resting, since todays jobs data seem to suggest that theres a lot of life left in it.

Shenfeld was referring to better-than-expected jobs data released by Statistics Canada March 8, showing Canadas job creation performance so far in 2019 has gotten off to its best start in 38 years.

But dont expect these rosy reports to sway fiscal and monetary policy makers from their continued concerns about tepid GDP growth and a continued need for stimulus. Canadian household debt still ranks among the worlds highest, the oil and housing sectors remain weak, and business and consumer confidence has slipped.

The challenge for the Bank of Canada, which in October put its interest-rate hike program on hold, is whether the economy is in a long-term holding pattern or is poised for dynamic growth.

Prospects for GDP growth beyond the current meagre 1.6 per cent in recent months are pinned to an end to the trade war between the U.S. and China; a reversal of the global growth slowdown caused in part by that trade war; and an upturn in the oil and housing markets.

Its tough not to bet on the cautious side, given that the North American economy is likely nearing the end of a recovery that is very long in the tooth.

After all, in the Python sketch, the parrot did turn out to be dead.

The Brexit end-game nears

If youre an investor with the iron gut to bet on currencies, the British pound is looking attractive as a Brexit becomes more unlikely. The pound jumped in value last week as Prime Minister Theresa Mays second proposed Brexit deal was defeated in Parliament.

Sterling will continue to rise as Brexits prospects further diminish.

At this point, getting a Brexit deal Britons can live with requires a multi-party coalition in Parliament able to command a majority in the Commons for such a deal.

But there will be no coalition. May and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn will not join in a coalition that, in their view, hands the other party a victory.

And so, the end-game begins soon, with May forced to asked the European Union (EU) for an extension to the March 29 deadline for Britain to leave the EU.

Of course, the EU might reject an extension, which means Britain would be out of the EU at months end with no remaining ties to the EU.

But that outcome, ruinously disruptive in both the U.K. and the EU, is unattractive to EU leaders who signaled weeks ago that an extension is do-able.

That said, an extension will not resolve the Brexit impasse. Between now and late spring, say, neither British public sentiment nor entrenched views in a factionalized Parliament will have changed an iota. And so, a second extension will be sought, and then another.

One thing that divided Britons do share is an acute weariness over the Brexit uncertainty. The only way to end it is let Brexit die, to be revisited in three or five years time.

That might be the winning campaign promise of Britains next PM.

Sobeys attempted conquest of Toronto

The unusual candour of grocer Michael Medline is refreshing. Ontario has historically been our Achilles heel, the CEO of Empire Co. Ltd. told analysts last week.

Referring to Empires costly acquisition of boutique Ontario grocery chain Farm Boy for $800 million last year, Medline added that Weve never had a weapon like this to go at an area like the GTA [Greater Toronto Area].

Thats not an idle boast. Farm Boy commands unusually high loyalty with its customers, and its extensive line of private label goods is a unique draw. With an average store size of about 25,000 sq. ft., Farm Boy stores can be squeezed into high-traffic inner-city locations.

There are plenty of caveats, though.

Farm Boy, which has just 28 stores, mostly in Eastern Ontario, is an unfamiliar brand in the GTA. It carries a narrow range of goods  produce, meat and prepared meals, and no supermarket staples like cleansers, toiletries and paper products.

Farm Boys premium pricing also puts it up against Whole Foods, which like Loblaw specialty and budget banners such as Fortinos and No Frills, is well-established in the GTA.

Theres also a risk of Farm Boy cannibalizing sales from Empires full-service Sobeys and budget PriceCo stores.

Empire stock, which has doubled in the past three years, isnt cheap, trading at a price-earnings ratio of 23.5. But the odds do favour Medline in this respect: He is making it powerfully clear to Farm Boy how important it is within the sprawling Empire family, and is determined to grow its store count gradually.

Relegating an acquisition to second-class status and rapid over-expansion are two of the leading factors in the failure of most takeovers.
The rifle is capable of rapid semi-automatic fire, accommodates large capacity magazines, and bullets fired therefrom travel at such a high velocity that they cause a shock wave while passing through a human body, often resulting in catastrophic injuries, even in areas remote to the direct bullet wound.

I am quoting here not from reports of last weeks horrific mass shooting in New Zealand, but the Supreme Court of Connecticut decision released Thursday in the case of Donna Soto et al. versus Bushmaster International LLC et al.

Dec. 14, 2012. Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Conn. Twenty-six students and teachers, including teacher Victoria Soto, slaughtered. Soto had turned 27 not many weeks before. Twenty of the murdered were first graders. As the court reminds us, the massacre unfolded in fewer than four and a half minutes.

The gravamen  the most serious part of the plaintiffs wrongful death claims  is that the defendants, that is, the rifle maker and its sister companies, negligently entrusted to civilian consumers an assault rifle that is suitable for use only by military and law enforcement personnel, and violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act  through the sale or wrongful marketing of the rifle.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court decision which had ruled that the gun manufacturer could not be sued over its marketing practices. Contrary to the gun manufacturers claim, the higher court found that injuries and death alleged to have directly resulted from wrongful advertising and marketing practices can be recognized by the trade practices act. Connecticut state law does not permit advertisements that promote or encourage violent, criminal behaviour.

The plaintiffs  families of the Sandy Hook victims  contend that Bushmaster violated the act both by marketing to the civilian market an assault weapon that has no legitimate civilian purpose, and by advertising the weapon in an unethical, oppressive, immoral, and unscrupulous manner that promoted illegal use of the rifle.

For the families the fight is not over yet. The case has now been referred back to a lower court for review.

Yet this is a seismic step in extending the blame beyond 20-year-old shooter Adam Lanza, to the manufacturers of AR-15 style assault rifles. Lanza used the Bushmaster XM15-E2S that had been purchased by his mother. Bushmaster Firearms became part of Remington Outdoor Co. in 2007. The court defines the weapon used by Lanza as Remingtons version of the AR-15 assault rifle, a lethal weapon engineered to deliver maximum carnage with extreme efficiency.

Large capacity magazines. Exceptional muzzle velocity. Lightweight. Limited recoil.

Their lethality is not dependent on good aim, the Supreme Court noted, defining AR-15s as the weapon of choice for mass shootings.

Lanza had taped several magazine rounds together for faster loading, a technique he learned from shooter video games. (He owned a computer game called School Shooting.) In the four and a half minutes he fired at least 154 rounds.

The Bushmaster slogan: When you need to perform under pressure, Bushmaster delivers.

Firearms manufacturers have relied on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which, as the states Supreme Court noted, generally affords immunity to sellers and manufacturers from civil liability arising from the use of their products by third parties.

The exception found in the Bushmaster case hinges on the alleged marketing and advertising activities by the company.

If the defendants marketing materials did in fact inspire or intensify the massacre, then there are no more direct victims than these plaintiffs, the court determined. Nor is there any customer of the defendants with a better claim to standing.

Should the case end up before a jury, we can expect mountains of pieces of internal communications that will expose the companys intent as it broadened the marketing of a military weapon into the civilian populace, and forecast sales growth as a result.

What went on inside Remington? asked Bill Sherlach at a news conference Thursday in Bridgeport, covered by the Hartford Courant. Lets see the internal documents, the external emails as to what the charges were to their marketing and ad execs.

Sherlachs wife, Mary, was among those killed.

Josh Koskoff, the lawyer representing the families, expressed what many gunmakers fear.

This is a day of reckoning in board rooms of gun companies across the country.

Remington, which entered and quickly exited bankruptcy protection last spring, has denied any wrong doing.
After a period of complacency about Chinas growing tech proficiency, the West has swung dangerously to the opposite extreme, grossly exaggerating a feared Chinese tech takeover of the world.

China hawks in Washington and European capitals fear that in one life-altering technology after another, China is poised to capture global leadership at the Wests expense.

China is basically trying to steal the future of Japan, the U.S. and Europe by going after our technology, U.S. economist Peter Navarro, the White House director of trade and industrial policy and one of U.S. President Donald Trumps closest advisers, said recently in a policy presentation in Japan.

But China, while no paper tiger, is a tech laggard in many realms. And China is so beset with fiscal, social and environmental challenges that it poses no real threat to the West.

That assumes, however, that the West backs off from its campaign, spearheaded by the U.S., to stall if not crush Chinas economic ambitions.

The trade war the U.S. is fighting against China has triggered a worldwide economic slowdown. The West also risks denying itself the Chinese advances in telecommunications, environmental technologies and artificial intelligence that would strengthen our own economies or, if we ban them, put the West at competitive disadvantage to China.

Canada is caught in the crossfire of the China backlash. Ottawa is under intense pressure from the U.S. to ban Chinas Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., among the worlds biggest and most advanced makers of telecom equipment, from Canadas next-generation mobility networks. Fifth-generation (5G) networks will be close to 100 times more powerful than current technology.

Canadas arrest at Americas request of Huaweis chief financial officer in December on U.S. allegations of violating American sanctions against Iran has caused Chinese retaliation against Canadian nationals imprisoned in China following the Huawei executives arrest.

Succumbing to U.S. pressure on Huawei might prevent Canada from gaining competitive advantage in becoming one of the first Western economies with full-fledged 5G capability. Most major telecom equipment makers are dabbling in 5G, but Huawei holds the lead in functionality and low cost.

And countries that adopt 5G first are expected to experience disproportionate gains in macroeconomic impact compared with those that lag, Deloitte Consulting asserted in a 2018 report.

Most Canadian cybersecurity experts predict the Trudeau government ultimately will ban Huawei from rolling out its 5G technology in Canada.

Then again, British security officials who have worked with Huawei for a decade report no evidence of Huawei collaborating with Chinese state-sponsored espionage. The same applies with BCE Inc., Telus Corp. and other Canadian telecoms that also have worked with Huawei equipment for a decade.

As long as Canada is prepared to forfeit first-mover advantage on 5G by banning Huawei, we should know the truth about Chinas prowess and its shortcomings.

To give the China hawks their due, China has engaged in intellectual property theft, currency manipulation (suppressing the true value of its currency to underprice its way into world markets) and dumping of Chinese steel in the North American market.

But mostly, China is a story about the shock of the new.

Chinas emergence as global tech powerhouse is of recent vintage, essentially dating from the 2000s. Almost overnight, it seems, China is a world leader in 5G networks, solar panels, wind-power technology, electric vehicles (EVs), e-commerce, high-speed rail and e-payment technology and the networks that support it (financial technology or fintech).

China is accused of stealing or copying its tech advances. In fact, those are common practices worldwide, to judge from the multitude of patent-infringement lawsuits among U.S. and European tech firms.

Actually, China invents most of its world-beating products.

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), China spent a staggering $254 billion (U.S.) on research and development in 2017, or 2.1 per cent of GDP. Only the U.S. spends more on R&D. China aims to close the gap with R&D spending equal to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2020.

China now tops the world in new patent filings and boasts one of the worlds largest pools of STEM graduates (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

China hawks, convinced of the countrys looming global hegemony, point to Beijings Made in China 2025 campaign, unveiled in 2015. That strategy aims for world leadership in selected technologies that will shape the 21st century.

Yet Chinas tech titans pre-date that campaign, by almost three decades in Huaweis case. That also applies to internet search giant Baidu Inc., online retailer Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and tech conglomerate Tencent Holdings Ltd. All are private-sector firms launched by entrepreneurs, not the Chinese state.

In overreacting to the China behemoth, the hawks also ignore the countrys shortcomings.

China has the worlds largest population of poor people, at about 400 million. Its coal-fueled economy causes an estimated 4,000 premature Chinese deaths each day. Its aging population saddles the country with both skills shortages and growing pension deficits.

Chinas over-leveraged state-owned banking system is effectively insolvent. An economic slowdown and declining tax revenues have triggered an austerity drive in government services.

China is a laggard in strategic industries such as pharmaceuticals, commercial aircraft and semiconductors. It has to import about 90 per cent of its microchips, mostly from the U.S.

In confronting Chinese competition, Western firms would do well to heavily reinvest in their businesses, rather than splurging on stock buybacks. A once cash-rich Apple is now debt-laden after massive buybacks. Apples resulting paucity of alluring new products allowed Huawei to overtake it in global market share.

China could turn its fortunes around by reducing the role of state enterprises in the economy and by expanding its earlier market-liberalization reforms. That would mean no more forced technology transfers and predatory licensing agreements endured by Western businesses in China.

Chinas one-party, centrally controlled economic model gets marks for helping enable the country to eclipse Japan as the worlds second-largest economy. But the conformity and bureaucratic meddling that comes with it stifles the creativity required for sustained dynamic innovation.

China could join Canada in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the worlds most advanced free-trade group. By that means, China would project its influence more effectively than with its Belt and Road Initiative. That stalled megaproject to recreate the ancient Silk Road between China and London is opposed by several of the countries its meant to traverse and has proven too costly to build  a road to nowhere.

China could release the Canadian nationals it has incarcerated in retaliation for the arrest of Huaweis CFO, a symptom of an abysmal Chinese human-rights record for which police-state China must someday atone. And the world could do without the triumphalism and arrogance Chinese authorities have inflicted on others, notably Ottawa over the Huawei debacle and Canadas earlier rejection of a Chinese state takeover of engineering firm Aecon Group Inc.

One doesnt instruct millennia-old societies what to do. But for the record, thats what a China in crisis  and not imagined supremacy  will have to do to reap the rewards of genuine world citizenship.

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There was a story in last Mondays Wall Street Journal that caught my eye.

It reported that German industrial giant Siemens AG is teaming up with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners to build an underground 560-kilometre transmission line that will carry power from Iowa to the Chicago area. It will be called the SOO Green Renewable Rail.

So, whats so special about another power line, even if its underground? Just that the electricity it carries will be wind and solar generated. When its completed, hopefully by 2024, the line will be capable of transmitting 2,100 megawatts, which the Journal says is the equivalent of a large nuclear power plant.

Although two European companies are undertaking the project, theres a Canadian connection. Most of the route will run along a Canadian Pacific railroad corridor, which should make it easier to obtain the necessary permits.

I found this story intriguing because I had no idea that solar and wind generation had reached such a substantial scale. I had been under the mistaken impression that green energy initiatives were still small-scale ventures that relied heavily on government subsidies to survive.

Not so, says John A. Cook, president of Greenchip Financial Corp., which specializes in this type of investing.

Last year there was $340 billion invested in wind and solar energy projects  more than for all other types of electrical generation, he told me in a phone interview.

He noted that in December, the Alberta Government signed three contracts to provide 600 megawatts of wind generation to the province for the next 20 years (enough to power 255,000 homes).

The remarkable part of this story is the unsubsidized auction price of 3.7 cents per kWh, he says. This is about half where wind generation was at only a year ago and is almost as cheap as solar. It is also half what a new natural gas or coal plant could produce these electrons at. The breakthrough can be attributed to technological advances, the good Alberta wind regime, and the low cost of capital large developers now bring. For several reasons, solar will continue to grow faster than wind, but 3.7 cents is a game changer.

Greenchip is a sub-advisor to the recently launched Mackenzie Global Environmental Equities Fund. It has only been around since October, so we dont have much history to work with. However, the year-to-date gain of 13.25 per cent (to March 11) is impressive. The portfolio is basically the same as the 11-year-old Greenchip Global Equity Fund, which is only open to accredited investors ($250,000 and up).

That Greenchip portfolio consists of several familiar names such as Siemens, Panasonic, Hitachi and Johnson Controls, plus a lot of companies that few people have ever heard of. The largest position is in JinkoSolar, a small-cap producer of solar modules, based in Shanghai.

Although the prices of publicly traded wind and solar companies have been edging higher, they are still undervalued compared to the broad market, says Cook. It may be hard to believe, but the market capitalization all the listed solar manufacturers in the Greenchip portfolio is just over $10 billion. A single cannabis company, Canopy Growth, has a market cap more than double that.

One reason for the depressed value of solar and wind stocks is that relatively few analysts cover them. Also, environmental sectors generally experience higher levels of technological and regulatory change, which is often missed by investors. Finally, due to the sectors high growth potential and disruptive nature, individual companies or sub-sectors are susceptible to excessive hype and/or cynicism.

The net result, Cook contends, are incredibly attractive valuations.

So, how do you participate in this energy revolution? There are four Canadian mutual funds that focus on these companies. They include the Mackenzie fund already mentioned, the NEI Environmental Leaders Fund, the Desjardins Societerra Environment Fund (a fund that invests in bonds issued by responsible companies), and the AGF Global Sustainable Growth Equity Fund. Its been around the longest and shows a 10-year average annual return of 9.9 per cent. The portfolio goes well beyond energy to include health care, basic materials, consumer cyclicals, etc.

Surprisingly, I could not find a single Canadian-based ETF that focuses on this area. There are several in the U.S., however.

One of the largest is the Invesco Solar ETF, which invests in a portfolio of U.S. and international companies that produce solar power or build components for the industry. Its 10-year record is in negative territory but for the first two months of this year it was ahead an amazing 34.85 per cent.

Another strong performer this year is the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF, which was up 17 per cent for 2019 as of March 11. Here again, the 10-year return is negative.

Investors have taken a long time to understand this business, but they finally are catching on.

Amazingly, this is all happening in a world where the President of the United States is a climate change skeptic, whose policies seek to weaken the development of alternative power sources and, instead, revitalize the coal industry.

Clearly, his plans are not working. Alternative energy momentum is building, and investors are increasingly looking to get in on the action.
MONTREALWhile Montreal is generally viewed as a mixture of British and French influences, look closely enough and youll see the Irish have left their mark  including the 6,000 who lay buried in unmarked graves in the citys Sud-ouest neighbourhood.

In 1847, they came across the ocean on overcrowded ships in the hopes of a new life, but instead many collapsed and died near where they disembarked on the shores of the St. Lawrence River in almost two dozen fever sheds erected to contain the typhus epidemic.

Their bones are still believed to be scattered there, under parking lots, a railway line, and at the foot of the Black Rock  a three-metre tall boulder erected in 1859 in their memory, which currently sits in a median between four lanes of traffic.

For over a decade, Montreals Irish community has lobbied authorities for a park on the spot to serve as a more fitting memorial for the stone and the bones it guards, which historians believe to be the first-ever memorial to those affected by the potato famine, and the biggest Irish gravesite outside Ireland.

You cant even get to the rock unless you take your life in your hands and run across the highway, said Fergus Keyes, head of the Montreal Irish Park Foundation.

We want to make the area more commemorative.

Now, after years of being largely ignored by politicians, the dream is on the cusp of being realized thanks to an unlikely partnership with the provinces biggest hydroelectricity provider.

When Hydro-Quebec purchased the land near the stone that had been coveted for the park in 2017 for a new substation, the Irish community panicked, Keyes said. But instead, the utility jumped on board as a partner, offering 3.5 acres of land for a future park that will be designed by the city and the Irish community.

Keyes said hes been touched by how the people at Hydro-Quebec, who are almost all francophones without Irish heritage, have embraced the project, offered funding and held numerous meetings with the community.

Theyve taken an ownership of this effort, and its quite interesting that theyre so protective, he said.

At a recent meeting, when someone suggested the possibility of moving the stone  a solution strongly opposed by the Irish community  a Hydro-Quebec representative stood up and said, Were not moving our rock, Keyes recalled.

Keyes said the city has also jumped on board, and now, instead of moving the stone, theres talk of instead moving four-lane Bridge street so the stone could sit in the centre of the new green space.

Donovan King, a historian and tour guide, said the Irish community chernobyled when Hydro-Quebec first bought the land. Instead, theyve turned into the best partners ever, he said.

As he led two dozen people on an Irish famine walking tour, he emphasized how the story of the 1847 tragedy is intertwined with that of Montreals other communities.

As he paused by the crumbling greystone of the Grey Nuns former hospital, he described how three successive orders of nuns volunteered to nurse the sick, knowing full well that many of them would contract the illness and die.

Later, next to the Lachine canal, he pointed out the site where the first fever sheds were erected on the orders of a mayor, John Easton Mills, who would himself die of typhus after volunteering to nurse the sick.

Montreal, which had a population of about 50,000, received 70,000 Irish refugees in 1847  the equivalent of some 2.4 million refugees today.

Keyes said the future memorial park will pay homage not only to the 6,000 victims, but also to everyone who pitched in: clergy and military personnel who nursed the sick, Quebecois people who adopted orphaned children and First Nations people who contributed food and money to the relief effort.

His vision of the park includes a water feature, an interpretation centre and maybe even a small plot to grow Irish Lumper potatoes  the crop whose failure set off the great famine and caused the exodus of 1 million people from Ireland.

If all goes well, he said the park could be ready in 2023, when he hopes the area will once again drawn in foreigners from other countries. Only this time, theyll be tourists.

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OTTAWAJustin Trudeau spoke with his counterpart in New Zealand on Saturday, offering his condolences for the 50 people killed and dozens injured following Fridays shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.

The Prime Ministers Office says Trudeau told Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that Canada shares New Zealands feelings of grief and loss, recalling the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting.

One man has been arrested and charged with murder in what appears to have been a carefully planned racist attack in New Zealand.

There are unconfirmed reports that the shooter was influenced by Alexandre Bissonnette, the shooter convicted of six counts of first-degree murder in the Quebec attack.

A now-deleted Twitter account believed to be linked to the accused Christchurch shooter appeared to show three assault-rifle magazines, one of which has Bissonnettes name on it.

Trudeaus office says he offered Canadas support and the leaders agreed to stay in touch and work together on their shared priority of ensuring safe, secure and open societies.

Read more:

Torontonians honour the victims of the deadly New Zealand mosque attacks at vigil downtown

Quebec City Muslim worshippers condemn fatal New Zealand mosque attacks

Scheer issues second statement on New Zealand attack after backlash

Trudeau is set to visit an Ottawa-area mosque today in the wake of the attacks in New Zealand.

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The college bribery scandal is spurring discussion about the ways in which money greases the wheels of the U.S. admissions process  and while most acknowledge there are fewer shortcuts to securing a spot in Canadian schools, advocates say the system is slanted to give well-off students a leg up.

American authorities have accused dozens of people of taking part in a $25-million bribery scheme in which parents allegedly paid to ensure their childrens enrolment in elite schools. Among the parents charged are Vancouver businessman David Sidoo, who has pleaded not guilty, and TV actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.

The selection process at Canadian schools is heavily weighted towards high school report cards, leaving less wiggle room for the sort of chicanery being alleged in the U.S., an admissions consultant says.

The competitive landscape is very different in the United States, said Robert Astroff, president of Astroff Consultants, which helps students prepare for their post-secondary studies. Theres much less opportunity to game the system in Canada.

Canada doesnt have standardized admissions tests like the SAT or ACT, which some of those charged in the U.S. are accused of falsifying, said Astroff.

Prosecutors also allege that parents bribed college coaches to recruit their children. In the U.S., varsity sports are highly monetized, Astroff said, so more emphasis is placed on athletics than in Canada.

Read more:

Scandal lays bare stress of elite college admissions process

Education consultant warns of sketchy services in B.C. amid U.S. college admissions scandal

There are several other factors that can contribute to a students chances of getting into a U.S. school, he said: personal essays, letters of reference, class rankings and relationships with alumni.

In Canada, the admissions criteria are less subjective, he said, and an applicants acceptance often comes down to whether their high school grades meet the minimum requirements.

U.S. schools are sorted into a tiered system in which theres a vast gulf between going to an Ivy League university and a community college, Astroff noted. Theres far less differentiation among Canadian universities, so the selection process is not nearly as cutthroat, he said.

Admissions officials at Canadian universities also stressed these cross-border distinctions.

Curtis Michaelis, admissions and recruitment co-ordinator at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., said the U.S. students he works with are often shocked at how transparent the Canadian system is.

Richard Levin, executive director of enrolment services and registrar at the University of Toronto, said most programs accept 50 to 60 per cent of applicants, while acceptance rates at prestigious U.S. schools can be as low as five or six per cent.

It reflects the fact that we have larger public universities with a big breadth of programs that are generally pretty accessible, he said.

According to a 2017 report by Statistics Canada, the post-secondary enrolment rate of 19-year-old Canadians increased from 52.6 per cent in 2001 to 63.8 per cent in 2014  with the largest gains being made among youth from lower-income families.

But Eloise Tan, research program director of Ontario-based advocacy group People for Education, said schools and policy-makers shouldnt be so quick to pat themselves on the back.

Its not just about explicit paying or bribery to get your kid into school, said Tan. Theres other benefits to having a higher income, that the data shows those students are just more likely to go to school.

Tan pointed to a report released earlier this month by the provincially funded Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario suggesting that high school students who come from families where neither parent has a post-secondary degree are 33 per cent less likely to earn one themselves compared to peers whose parents completed a university or college program.

Students from lower-income families were also less likely to pursue higher education than peers from more privileged backgrounds, the report found.

Tan said parents are increasingly spending money on tutors to boost their childrens marks, but many students cant afford those supports. And as Ontario educators struggle for resources, she said youth from higher-income families are more likely to attend schools that have the fundraising to offer extracurricular activities.

Students from lower-income families are also less likely to have access to guidance counsellors, she said, and if their parents dont have post-secondary degrees, the application process can seem overwhelming.

(The disadvantages) are almost invisible, but we need to make sure they dont remain invisible, said Tan.

Even when universities try to level the playing field, they dont always get it right, said one researcher with the University of British Columbia.

Emily Truong-Cheung, a PhD student in sociology, said UBC changed its admission process in 2012 in an effort to diversify its student population. Instead of just looking at grades, it asks applicants about extracurricular activities and volunteer work.

She interviewed 25 applicants and found that while upper-class youth have the time and resources for volunteering, travel and extracurriculars, working-class students often spend their extra time studying and working to support their families.

They were very embarrassed  I dont want to write about working at McDonalds. Thats not impressive.

Working-class students also felt conflicted about answering a question on overcoming adversity, she said. They wanted to show they had triumphed against the odds, but they also questioned what it had to do with their potential success at UBC.

The University of British Columbia said in a statement the school scores every aspect of an application, so administrators can empirically measure where every candidate falls relative to the pool of potential students.

Truong-Cheung said she didnt think the university should abandon the new process, but it should address the concerns of working-class students. She appreciates that the U.S. scandal has opened a conversation about class inequality in Canadian universities, she added.

I think what admission processes are trying to say is: We want the best. But what this news has shown is that the best looks a lot like someone who has a lot of resources.
EDMONTONSelling CBD without a licence is risky business, but some local stores are stocking it even as the pot police threaten jail time.

After waiting five months for purveyors of pot to get used to the new rules around selling marijuana products like CBD-infused oils, creams even dog treats, Edmonton police have a list of potential offenders that they will target. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid derived from hemp or marijuana plants, while THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive cannabinoid that creates the high associated with cannabis.

Edmonton police busted Kush Klatch Herbal Emporium on 150 St. and 118 Ave. on March 6, their first arrest since cannabis was legalized in October. Cannabis liaison Const. Dexx Williams promised there would be more arrests, for sure.

Store owner Nizarali Lakhani, 65, was charged with unauthorized possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling, and two counts of unauthorized sale of cannabis. Police say he was selling seeds, oils, pills, CBD creams, CBD waters and CBD-infused deodorant.

If convicted, Lakhani could face up to 14 years in prison under the Cannabis Act, which prohibits illegal distribution or sale, producing cannabis beyond personal cultivation limits or with combustible solvents, taking cannabis across Canadas borders, giving or selling cannabis to a person under 18, or using a youth to commit a cannabis-related offence. Possessing more than the legal limit of 30 grams can carry a jail term of up to five years.

When reached over the phone Friday, Lakhani said he had been ordered not to talk about the charges.

But a quick tour around town this week proved some people are not getting the message and think theyre exempt from the rules.

A woman working at a downtown Edmonton vitamin store was happy to help a customer find a 250-milligram bottle of CBD for $60 Tuesday, saying she used it to help get a good nights sleep. She had no idea selling it was illegal.

Trina Fraser, a cannabis lawyer with Ottawa law firm Brazeau Seller, said she hears from clients every day who think selling CBD is legal until they are warned by police.

Read more:

Edmonton police warn of crackdown as they bust unlicensed pot store: There will be more arrests

With pot legalization will come pardons  but its not the same as amnesty, advocate says

Edmonton reopens cannabis retail applications as business prof warns quite a few will fail

Either people dont understand that its not legal to sell these products, or they understand it but they just dont care because they just think the way we regulate it is just ridiculous and whats the big deal, Fraser said.

I can go online (and) I can order these products, I can walk into various stores and businesses and buy these products. Theyre very readily available.

The woman at the vitamin store thought only THC was illegal to sell without a licence, and her supplier told her as much.

Fraser said manufacturers and wholesalers often erroneously assure retailers that unregulated CBD products are safe to sell since cannabis was legalized. Some of the misperception stems from the fact CBD is treated differently than THC in the United States and other countries. Canadas legal framework, however, treats all cannabinoids the same way.

For a CBD product to be legal, it has to come from a producer licensed by the federal government and subjected to Canadas regulatory framework, quality assurance and safety testing. It can only be sold in stores licenced to sell cannabis, so if youre buying CBD anywhere other than one of Edmontons 11 cannabis stores, youre breaking the law.

At an independent pet store in south Edmonton, a reporter found CBD-infused dog treats at $46 for a 227-gram bag.

An employee believed the product was in a legal grey area, and held off on stocking CBD products until he found a company that looked legitimate. The company told him not to advertise that he sells it, but he stocked it anyway. He said many customers ask for the product.

Edmonton Police Service spokesperson Cheryl Voordenhout said officers focused on educating businesses for the first five months after legalization, but now they must enforce the law, because its important that products sold to the public meet Health Canada standards.

An illegal market potentially exposes people to health and safety concerns. Further, a regulated market allows retailers to be held to the same standards, and promotes a fair market for businesses that have gone through the appropriate steps to sell cannabis products legally, she said.

Employees are not exempt either, police said, whether they are just following the rules set down by the boss or not.

Williams, the cannabis liaison, acknowledged some people who are selling CBD products at vitamin stores, farmers markets, trade shows and out of their homes are not aware theyre breaking the law, but he said thats a problem for defence lawyers to sort out.

Rocky Mountain Civil Liberties Association director Sharon Polsky questioned why police are cracking down on a substance that does not cause intoxication.

Last year, the World Health Organizations expert committee on drug dependence suggested delisting pure CBD as a controlled drug, finding it does not have psychoactive properties and has no potential for abuse or dependence.

Polsky said the punishment for selling CBD without a licence is disproportionate to the crime.

Unfortunately, as with so many laws that are poorly written, this part of it might end up having significant detrimental impacts on a lot of peoples lives before its going to get to the Supreme Court in a number of years, just for the court to say, This isnt proportional, she said.

Youre looking at a 14-year sentence for selling a product that has no impairment problems? White-collar criminals arent sent to jail for that long in Canada. But some poor kid whos got a summer job or is working the booth at (a festival) is going to be facing tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees and years in jail and all of the fallout for their entire life, because they got a minimum wage job for an afternoon?

Fraser believes Canada is overregulating cannabis in general, and CBD products in particular.

Its one of these situations where its happening so pervasively that it almost becomes kind of de facto legal because everybodys doing it, Fraser said. You see it in pet stores, you see it in spas, you see it in all of these places to the extent that you would assume these products must be legal because you can buy them everywhere.

Read more about:
A citywide pedestrian safety campaign brought more controversy than awareness when Toronto traffic police tried to clear up confusion on countdown timers  which some pedestrians say arent confusing at all but contradictory.

On Wednesday morning, Sgt. Brett Moore from Toronto police traffic services was at University Ave. and Front St. W. to discuss countdown timers at crosswalks and intersections, the topic of Day 3 of the citys annual March Break pedestrian safety campaign.

The weeklong campaign addresses both drivers and pedestrians, Moore said, with a focus on enforcement and education efforts. He said police would be especially enforcing laws on speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving and reckless driving during the week.

Moore said police addressed countdown timers because road safety is a shared responsibility.

People are often, it seems when we talk to them, confused in terms of exactly how they are meant to be used.

Read more:

Opinion | Edward Keenan: Torontos pedestrian countdown signals are confusing and dangerous

Countdown signals safer for pedestrians, but risky for impatient drivers

As part of the campaign, Toronto police posted a video with a tutorial on using countdown timers.

Moore said the confusion sets in when the countdown numbers replace the walk sign, and drivers making turns once the countdown timer ends.

According to the video, pedestrians are only supposed to cross when the solid walking sign is displayed. When the sign is flashing or the countdown begins, only pedestrians who are already in the midst of crossing should continue.

Those who are not are supposed to wait for the sign to change.

Moore said pedestrians caught starting to cross the street when the countdown begins can be charged a $35 fine.

The message is that were seeing too many unnecessary risks taken by drivers and vulnerable road users  pedestrians and cyclists, when it comes to intersections specifically, he said. With countdown timers, were just trying to put the misinformation to rest.

Its these conflict pinch points at intersections when if used correctly, much less chance for risk, but when used incorrectly, causes people to take chances, dart across intersections when maybe its not expected. We see similar things at the TTC with buses and streetcars, he said.

On Wednesday, Moore advised road users to finish their turns if they were part of the way through the intersections, but to resist the urge to rush through street signals on turns.

We know people are busy and potentially late for work and what not, but we are asking folks to try to resist that temptation to dart across intersections when its contrary to the signals that youve got, he said.

Have Your Say

A police Traffic Services tweet on countdown timers incited pushback from Torontonians on social media, who said the timers are not misunderstood, but ignored because they prioritize the drivers convenience.

One Twitter user said at some intersections the countdown starts immediately, giving him no time to even start crossing.

Countdown timers are NOT misunderstood, thank you very much, tweeted another. The timers are often ignored because they are blatantly unfair, discriminatory and only serve to facilitate driver convenience.

Kyle Ashley, a former parking enforcement officer with the Toronto Police turned road safety advocate, told the Star he thinks theres room for improvement, specifically in shifting the crackdown away from pedestrians.

When we look at the damage that can be done by a vehicle versus somebody crossing the road, penalizing those who may not have the means or are choosing alternative means of transportation  you know hundreds of people crossing the road with one car making a turn  the priority should be given to those who are on feet, who are more vulnerable, said Ashley.

He pointed to city councils move to install leading pedestrian crossing intervals as part of its Vision Zero road safety plan  something hed like to see at more intersections.

The crossings gives pedestrians a five- to seven-second head start before the light turns green for vehicles. It aims to help pedestrians who were hindered by aggressive right turns on crosswalks, according to the City of Toronto.

Ashley said the push against misinformation on countdown timers and fining pedestrians is a waste of police resources.

It treats the public and pedestrians like were stupid. Its not hard to understand the countdown timer  it reaches zero and the light changes, said Ashley, who added that he found the tutorial on countdown timers very condescending.

My biggest criticism is that theyre targeting the wrong people  people arent licensed to walk but they are licensed to drive, so I dont know why the police are treating us like we need a licence to walk or an education campaign.

With files from Claire Floody
Toronto police responded to a call for a person setting a home on fire near the Junction on Friday morning.

Toronto Fire Services responded to a call at around 11:45 a.m. near Runnymede Rd. and St. Clair Ave. W. They have yet to determine the cause of the fire.

Police have taken one person into custody. The suspect was treated for burns on the scene, police said.

Fire services and police are still investigating.
Dan McGilvery spent this winter in a khaki canvas tent under the soaring arches of the Gardiner Expressway.

Steps from the glass towers of CityPlace, on a bare patch of land, he staked out a few feet of privacy. Hes among about half a dozen men who camped out near Spadina Ave. and Bathurst St., seeking refuge and camaraderie in a city that doesnt have space for them.

His makeshift shelter became his home  one he was under constant threat of losing.

In January, the men were served notices from the city informing them they had 14 days to pack up their personal items or they might be removed. The city said it was due to safety concerns. Advocates argued there was nowhere for them to go, given the abysmal rental vacancy rate and packed shelter system.

The deadline passed, but McGilvery stayed. The Star followed him and some of his neighbours over the next six weeks, as they endured snowstorms, frigid temperatures and even a fire  all while fearing the bulldozer would eventually come.

This is what their winter was like:

Feb. 1 around 2:30 p.m.

McGilvery peeks out from behind a blanket draped over his tent on a sunny, cold Friday afternoon. Its been about three weeks since the city ordered him to leave, and hes ready  boxes, plastic bags and storage bins lie nearby, filled with his possessions.

Ive got everything packed already, he says, to get out fast if the city arrives. They said theyll do the cleanup.

Hes spent the last few days in his tent, which is draped in blue tarp, riding out a recent snowstorm and stretch of freezing weather that hit wind chill lows of almost -40 C. Its a temperature at which meteorologists warn exposed skin could freeze in 10 minutes.

There are four tents on the site. A blue and grey one has been left open nearby, and has snow inside. A black jacket with a fur-trimmed hood lies face down on the ground. Theres garbage everywhere  pieces of old chairs, records, blankets twisted and frozen into the ground, needles. But the snow covers some of it, making the camp seem almost clean and crisp. Its quiet too, sheltered from the sounds of the city, except for the woosh of passing cars.

McGilvery may be ready to go. But as for where, he has no idea.

Im not going into a shelter, he says, Nah.

There are too many crazy people there, he says. He did go to a nearby one recently  but only because I wanted to get a pair of gloves.

McGilvery has been living at the camp for a couple of years, he says, and homeless for about eight, since he and his girlfriend split up. On his wrist is a tattoo of a lizard, and on the back of one of his fingers are the initials KH, those of his ex-girlfriend.

Hes 59 and originally from Don Mills. Hes a roofer by trade and worked as one for decades. But hes had some troubles with the law and spent some time in jail. He says he served 18 months about 10 years ago for importing cocaine through the airport.

He has a brother, Mike, who lives near Warden subway station but he hasnt talked to him in a long time. He spent Christmas without him. He missed his mothers funeral two years ago. He had Mikes number in his cellphone, he says, but the phone got stolen and he hasnt been able to contact him since.

Hed like to see him, though.

Nearby, his neighbour Richard Smiths blond Lab mix, Pixie, is running around in a navy blue dog sweater, as her owner places two Starbucks muesli and yogurt bowls on a cooler outside. Smith struggles to close off the entrance of his tent with what looks like part of a couch wrapped in a red blanket.

Shes doing all right, Smith says of Pixie as she gnaws at some plastic nearby. But salt on the street has been pretty hard on her paws.

Smith credits the dog with saving his life and helping him through some addiction issues. Hes been camping at the site on and off for about two years after losing his apartment and job following an arrest.

He doesnt seem worried about the cold. I dont know if you can tell but the winds kind of ravaged us a bit, Smith says.

City officials were by about a week ago to give him a notice saying he needed to move within 14 days  just standard, cant have your stuff on city property.

The 40-year-old appreciates the heads-up, and says what annoys him most is when they say theyre coming and then dont.

After the Star spoke to him for a previous story in January, he says the Streets to Homes people  workers tasked with helping people like him find shelter services and, ideally, housing  came and he filled out some forms.

Im working on getting inside, he says, putting a leash on Pixie.

Smith says he understands the workers are doing the best they can, and doesnt blame them.

If there isnt anything affordable, theyre not miracle workers.

Feb. 14 around 11:15 a.m.

Its Valentines Day, after a fierce midweek storm. There are dog tracks, maybe Pixies, and what look like bunny paw prints in the snow leading into the camp, which is quiet and still.

Most of the men are sleeping, McGilvery says, because theyve been up all night packing.

They were supposed to come and kick us out today, but they didnt turn up, he calls out in a muffled voice from inside his tent. Its OK, were ready.

McGilvery pulls back the corner of his tent. Hes sitting with a large white propane tank. Theres a burner attached to it that he found in the garbage, and hes flicking a lighter on and off, sending off ripples of blue flames.

This tent comes down in one piece, he says. In five seconds I can take this down, and put it up.

Asked where hell go, he grins.

Ive already got a plan, he says. I cant tell you where.

After the storm, temperatures have eased up and some of the snow is melting. Water drips from the underbelly of the Gardiner. A blue scooter lies face down encased in ice.

A younger woman walks by, placing a sole womens boot on top of his trailer. Her name is Nicky, she says, but she cant talk today, maybe some other time.

I want to make a place here for myself, she says, before wandering off.

Theres one tent on the south side of the encampment that has a chimney poking out from it. McGilvery sometimes helps his neighbour chop firewood, and goes over to his fire pit to get warm.

But, despite this, he has frostbite on three of his toes and has been soaking them in warm water at night. Two of the nails have already come off. He blames the city and the mayor for his frostbite.

What kind of mayor would kick people out in the middle of winter? he asks.

If people had left us alone, we could build a little shack and stay warm.

Feb. 27 around 1 p.m.

McGilvery is taking shelter inside his tent as a snowstorm snarls traffic and cancels school buses, with 15 centimetres expected to fall by the end of the day. Across Toronto, people have been complaining about winter for weeks. The sidewalks are icy; its -7 C and feels like -16 C.

McGilvery pokes his head out from behind a blanket. A box spring is resting in front of the tent.

It blocks the wind, he says. Ive got a bungee cord and I strap it around the wood at the back, so then it wont fall over anymore.

It came from one of the buildings, he says, gesturing to the CityPlace condos that are almost hidden by falling snow.

Hes doing fine, he says; his toes are OK, except one thats iffy. He hasnt seen anyone from the city recently and has heard rumours theyre not coming back until it warms up.

But Im always packed up, he says. I just take out what I need.

Terence Campos, who says hes staying at a tent nearby, appears wearing a red, white and black Toronto FC scarf, and holding a plastic container of fried chicken.

I bought it at 7-Eleven just now. Its for a snack. I dont really eat chicken too much, thats the problem. There was a combo, six bucks, he says, handing it to McGilvery.

Campos, 40, is originally from the Eglinton and Keele area but says hes been living in a tent in the encampment for maybe six years.

He knew my toes were cold, says McGilvery, after Campos has moved on. He carefully places the container inside the tent, near a plastic bin filled with biscuits.

The blue and grey tent that was left open is gone. Theres a new red and grey one, and to the east a white structure that looks like tarp stretched into a tent shape. Nobody answers at either one.

Richard Smith and Pixie are inside their own blue tent, tucked away from the wind.

A few books are scattered nearby, including a copy of The Grapes of Wrath, covered in snow. A cooking pot and a can of grapefruit San Pellegrino sparkling water sit on top of a cooler, near a red sleeping bag.

Were all right, Smith calls out from inside. Some people from the city were there yesterday, he adds.

Theyre helping me look for a place, he says.

Asked about the new tents, he answers, Its mostly the same people. The wind kind of wrecked their tents.

McGilvery sometimes goes out at night, he says, if it gets too cold.

I stop at some place thats open 24 hours and warm up, he says. We go bottle hunting or up to Timmies.

He has little patience for people complaining about the weather.

Its winter, what do you want? he says. Its only another month, it will fly by.

March 12 around 3:30 p.m.

Its the first day in months with no wind and a clear blue sky. The camp is muddy and the snow has mostly melted, but giant puddles form ice lakes scattered across the site.

A scrap of burnt paper drifts down from the arches of the expressway.

In the corner where the biggest tent with the chimney was, theres now just a heap of twisted, blackened metal. Theres a burnt wooden board, what looks like a destroyed speaker, and the remnants of a motorized scooter.

There was a big explosion a couple of days ago, says McGilvery, packing bottles and cans into plastic bins. A boom, I woke up.

He doesnt know what happened, or where the man staying there went. Police were called to the fire around 1 p.m. on March 10, just days before. There were no injuries and no tents caught fire  it was a pile of burnt rubbish, according to Toronto police Const. Caroline de Kloet.

McGilvery has been busy, gathering bottles from different places, including the condos nearby.

A lot of them kick you out but youve got to be fast, he says with a laugh.

His friend is going to pick them up, load them into his bike trailer and take them to the Beer Store. Thats how he gets money, he says  hell give maybe $10 to Smith or one of the other guys who help him.

Inside his tent hes made a bed out of what looks like part of a couch or a lounge chair. Hes turned a wooden crate into a bedside table and behind him is a large plastic box with a jar of peanut butter inside.

A white candle sits on the table. He found it yesterday among the garbage in the camp, he says, as he lights the propane tank. He cooks things on it with his burner, such as hot dogs or bacon and eggs. Sometimes a woman comes from Starbucks with food he can heat up. He also has a battery-powered shower radio, but it only gets one station.

McGilvery says he recently met a man who brings food and clothes to the camp, who offered him a roofing job next month that he thinks hell take.

A man in a red shirt and pants wanders into the camp. Hes not wearing a jacket. He asks McGilvery if he can go inside his tent to get a break from the cold and McGilvery lets him.

I let anybody warm up. I dont want to see nobody cold, he says.

Later the man rides through the camp on a bike, carrying a spare tire in his hand. He comes back minutes later without the bike or the wheel, yelling insults at the sky.

Theyre coming tomorrow, hes heard of the city. As hes been hearing for weeks.

Theyre just keeping us on the edge.

March 14 around 1:30 p.m.

The camp is still and empty. There are fresh bulldozer tracks in the mud. Much of the garbage that coated the site is gone. So are the tents.

Theres no sign of McGilvery.

Campos is setting a small pile of belongings near a pillar on the east side of the camp  a green cooler, black and white skateboard, and red folding chair  beside a duffel bag and backpack.

The city came around 8 a.m. to clean up the site.

They said they might get me inside, he says. Thatd be better.

City spokesperson Brad Ross later told the Star that all nine homeless camp sites where eviction notices were issued in January were cleared. Officials wanted to wait until it was a bit warmer, and were also concerned after the fire last week, he said, calling it a fine balance. The debris was cleared out, but the city kept anything that seemed like personal belongings in case people want them back.

The Streets to Homes staff will continue to work with them, he said, and if another camp appears we will assess it and make a decision in the future as to next steps with respect to issuing another notice.

The same day, Mayor John Tory told reporters the city is trying to deal with the encampments sensitively, recognizing the root problem is a lack of affordable housing.

We have a big job to do on increasing the supply of affordable and supportive housing to make sure people dont have to pursue this option, he said.

Campos is not worried about the city workers returning, saying, Hopefully Ill be inside by then.

Smith arrives at the south end, Pixie at his feet, carrying a mattress over his head.

Im surprised shes still on all fours. Weve had a long day, he says.

He was there when the city came, but packed up. It was pretty calm. We kind of knew it was coming.

Hes setting back up temporarily, but he says he has a new housing worker and he too is hoping he can get inside soon.

McGilvery rides by with a cigarette in his mouth and waves, a stack of wooden loading pallets on top of his bike trailer.

Hes been panning nearby, he says, opening his hand to reveal a hot pink Hersheys kiss. A woman reached out of her car to give him a few, along with a bag of womens clothes. He rolls his eyes.

What am I going to do with ladies clothes?

Hes stacking the pallets on top of each other where his tent used to be. He gave the tent to the city during the cleanup, he says, because it had holes in it.

Hes a roofer, Campos says. Im going to get him to build my shack.

Behind them Smith is raking the ground to make a clear patch for his tent.

They give you two weeks notice and if youre not ready its your own damn fault, McGilvery says.

They gave us two weeks notice, but they didnt come for two months.

McGilvery is still mad at the mayor. But not waiting anymore. Hes already looking ahead. Rebuilding.

Now, instead of a tent, hes building the wooden shack hes wanted all winter. The pallets will be a platform to keep him off the mud.

Tonight, hell be in a sleeping bag on the ground. But hes hoping the new shack can be more portable. Hell put wheels on it, he says, and hook it up to his bike.

For when the city comes again.

With files from Tess Kalinowski

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Its a century-old barn-come-nightclub with soaring ceilings, distressed wooden walls and an intimate stage where fans can get so close to the talent  think Kiefer Sutherland, Sloan and 54-40  theyre liable to leave drenched in famous sweat.

The Hayloft Dance Hall in Prince Edward County, a favourite of big city hipsters since 2015 when it was reimagined by a Toronto bar owner, is up for sale for $1.25 million.

A must see to believe! the listing on Realtor.ca says. One of a kind venue  rustic, welcoming and historic venue. Providing wedding receptions for 47 years. Licensed for 197 with patio for 90 as well. A must see!

Owner Shawn Creamer, who bought the property nearly five years ago, put it on the market recently because, he says, he decided to put family first.

Creamer, who recently sold The Dakota Tavern, known for its Bluegrass Brunch, said he no longer wants to let the late-nights of bar-owner life ruin mornings with his two young kids. After many years of nurturing his business, its time to let his wife Shannon Kohlmeier put her career first and become an elementary school teacher, he said. Its her turn.

Creamer, who fell in love with PECs rural charm, picturesque sunsets and pristine coastline, bought the Hayloft in 2014 after a walk-through of the 2.2-acre property that boasts expansive waterfront access and parking for 20 cars. He fell hard for the red barn that, at the time, had a reputation for attracting drunken teens. His family felt that opening a Dakota-like venue in the country would be an ideal way to afford a city escape.

It was almost like God said the Dakota needed a real barn, Creamer told the Star in 2015.

That year, after Creamer and his family settled in the two storey, two bedroom plus bunky loft cottage on the property and opened the Hayloft for business, he says an article in the Star briefly raised the ire of some locals who viewed Creamer as the face of big city urbanites descending upon their quaint, rural region.

The Drake Devonshire had already moved in, attracting an influx of Torontonians.

But the brouhaha was short-lived and much ado about nothing.

Steve Ferguson, PEC mayor, said theres always tension when change is about, but whatever brief acrimony may have existed has dissipated. The new businesses have been respectful of the local culture, he says, enhancing and contributing to it by sourcing local ingredients, donating to local causes and employing a local workforce.

Ferguson said that Creamer raised the bar at the Hayloft, which first opened in 1972, transforming it from a boozy joint to a sophisticated music venue. It has recently attracted first-rate talent, such as the Rheostatics, The Strumbellas and Skydiggers. Ferguson is sad Creamers letting it go. Well have to see what happens.

Creamers just as interested in the future of his red barn-club, which he describes as still endowed with its original charm. Its like someone just took the cows out yesterday and put in the sound system, he said. Thats why he wont just jump at the highest bidder but, rather, will look for the right buyer.

A young couple intent on living and working on the rural property would be well suited, he said, such as a chef married to a concert promotor, or a booking agent and a photographer. When Creamer sold the Dakota, he said he had his eye on a similarly fitting buyer and didnt take the highest offer in order to ensure the Ossington Ave. club could live on.

Creamer plans to run the Hayloft for a little while yet, and hopes the next owner will want to contribute to the PEC community that is very tight knit and warm.
Forty years ago, Haji Daoud Nabi fled war in his native Afghanistan and resettled his family in New Zealand.

In his new home, the 71-year-old would eventually run an Afghan Association, welcoming other refugees and attending Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, where he usually sat in the front row, his son told reporters.

But on Friday, Nabi was late, so he took a seat in the back  placing him on the front lines of New Zealands deadliest mass shooting in recent history.

When a gunman stormed the mosque just before evening prayers began, Nabi reportedly shielded a family friend from the gunfire, his son told reporters.

The friend survived; Nabi did not.

Theres no words, Nabis son, Omar Nabi, told local news organization Newshub. People were praying at their mosque. They got shot in the back. This is not  this is not what humans do.

Read more:

Man who stood up to mosque gunman probably saved lives

Alleged Christchurch gunmans actions stun hometown

Australian senator has egg cracked on head after blaming Muslims for New Zealand mosque attack

At least 50 people were killed Friday in a rampage that spanned two mosques in Christchurch, on New Zealands South Island. The accused shooter, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, allegedly killed 41 people at Al Noor and seven more at nearby Linwood Mosque, authorities said. Another victim died at a hospital.

Authorities said Saturday a 50th person was later found dead in one of the mosques.

Officials have yet to release the victims names, but friends and family have slowly begun to identify their loved ones as those who perished in the mosques. The slain include refugees and immigrants from several countries, high school students, toddlers, academics and leaders of local Muslim organizations.

Government officials have confirmed that there are at least six fatalities from Pakistan, four from Jordan and four from Egypt. The Saudi Arabian Embassy confirmed that two of its citizens were injured, and the family of one later told the news organization Al Arabiya he had died of his injuries.

The New Zealand Red Cross is maintaining a list of names online of those who have not yet been accounted for. The list is colour-coded: orange for missing and green for I am alive.

In the absence of information from officials, some have learned their loved ones died from those who witnessed the massacre or saw its gruesome aftermath. Others, like Haji Daoud Nabis family, confirmed their family or friends are dead by watching the killers live-streamed video of the massacre.

Several students from the local high school had been excused from class to attend Friday prayers, school officials said in a statement. One boy, 14-year-old Sayyad Milne, was at Al Noor when the shooting began.

Ive lost my little boy, his father, John Milne, told the New Zealand Herald. I havent heard officially yet that hes actually passed, but I know he has because he was seen.

Milne said someone had seen his son  whom he called a brave little soldier  on the mosque floor, bleeding.

Its so hard  to see him just gunned down by someone who didnt care about anyone or anything, Milne told the Herald. I know where he is. I know hes at peace.

Two members of one Syrian refugee family were killed in the massacre, and a third was injured, the organization Syrian Solidarity New Zealand confirmed. Khaled Mustafa and his 14-year old son Hamza were killed in the shooting, Syrian Solidarity said. Another son, Zaid, 13, underwent a six-hour operation and does not yet know his father and brother were killed.

Mustafa came to New Zealand with his wife, two sons and daughter in 2018, Syrian Solidarity said.

It is deeply saddening that these refugees have come all the way from Syria to New Zealand, thinking that it was a safe haven, Ali Akil, with Syrian Solidarity, told Newshub. They escaped death and torture in Syria to come to New Zealand, and be killed here.

Abdulrahman Hashi, 60, a preacher at Dar Al Hijrah Mosque in Minneapolis, told the Washington Post that his 4-year-old nephew was among those killed. He received a phone call Friday morning from his brother-in-law Adan Ibrahin Dirie, who was in a hospital with gunshot wounds. Dirie had been worshipping in Christchurch that morning with his five children when the gunman opened fire. Four of his children escaped unharmed, but the youngest, Abdullahi, was killed.

The family had fled Somalia in the mid-1990s as refugees and resettled in New Zealand.

You cannot imagine how I feel, he said. He was the youngest in the family.

Adeeb Samis trip to New Zealand was supposed to be joyful  a chance for the Dubai-based father to surprise his twin children in time for their birthday.

Instead, the 52-year-old dived in front of his two sons to protect them from a gunman, then faced surgery to remove a bullet from his spine, Gulf News reported.

My dad is a real hero, Samis daughter, Heba, told Gulf News on Friday. He got shot in the back near his spine in an attempt to shield my brothers, but he didnt let anything happen to them.

Heba told the Dubai-based news outlet that she lost five family friends, including a 12-year-old boy, in the attack.

The gunman live-streamed the attack on social media. In gruesome video footage, which the Post is not publishing in full, the attacker approaches the entrance to the mosque and raises his weapon. One man tries to greet him, calling out, Hello, brother. Then the gunman opens fire. In addition to the 50 killed at the two mosques, dozens of others were injured or are missing.

Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan, honorary consul for Bangladesh in Auckland, told The Associated Press that at least three Bangladeshis were among those killed in the attack, and others were wounded. One leg of an injured (person) needed to be amputated while another suffered bullet injuries in his chest, he said.

On Facebook, a user named Alta Marie said her husband, Zulfirman Syah, and her son were shot at the Linwood Islamic Center in Christchurch.

I was recently united with my son, who has a gunshot wound to the leg and backside, she wrote. He is traumatized, but we are all alive.

Asim Mukhtar, secretary general of the Pakistan Association of New Zealand, told the Post in a phone call that Al Noor mosque is the largest in Christchurch and that the shooting started 15 minutes before Friday prayers, when many people were still in the parking lot or walking toward the mosque. If the shooting had started mid-prayer, he said, he thinks the death toll would have been higher.

This is a time of distress. We are in disarray. We dont know why this has happened, he said. This is probably the last thing on our mind, living in New Zealand, that this will ever happen.

We are really not feeling safe at the moment, he added.

Pakistans foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said the confirmed Pakistani dead include 48-year-old Naeem Rashid and his 21-year-old relative, Talha Naeem, the AP reported.

Yasmin Ali told New Zealands 1 News that she lost a close family friend whom she loved like a grandfather and now fears she could be targeted just for wearing her head scarf in public.

Family friends that weve known for 19 years  dead. People who were there for my engagement  dead, Ali told the news outlet. You dont think something like this can happen in New Zealand, in Christchurch of all places.
ISLAMABADNaeem Rashid, 50, a teacher and father of three who emigrated from Pakistan to New Zealand a decade ago, was busy this month planning the spring wedding of his son Talha, 21.

Neither father nor son lived to celebrate the occasion. Both were killed Friday, along with seven other Pakistanis, when a gunman struck at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing at least 50 people and wounding scores.

But since then, Rashid has become a national hero in his native country, after video footage of the shootings showed him trying to tackle the gunman outside one mosque before being shot.

My brother was a brave man who died to save others. His death showed how he cared for humanity, Rashids brother Khurshid Alam said in a telephone interview Sunday from his home in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Just a few days ago, he said, we were talking to Naeem about the family coming to Pakistan for Talhas wedding. Now we are talking about his death and funeral arrangements.

Alam said that Rashid and his son, who was shot alongside him, fell victim to terrorism. ... The whole world should work together to eliminate this scourge.

Avowed neo-Nazi Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, has been charged in the massacres.

Read more:

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Mourners pay tribute to victims of New Zealand shootings

Toddler with an old soul: Young victim of NZ attack mourned

Pakistan has been both a victim and alleged source of Islamist terrorism for two decades. Even as tens of thousands of Pakistanis have been killed in Islamist militant attacks, India, Afghanistan and the United States have accused it of sheltering and supporting other militant groups that stage attacks abroad.

The slayings in Christchurch signified a relatively rare instance in which Muslims living peaceably overseas have been targeted by mass violence because of their religion.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced Sunday that Rashid would be given a posthumous national award for bravery. In tweets after the attack, Khan said the nation was proud of Rashid, who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist.

Khan said the Christchurch attacks reaffirm what we have always maintained: that terrorism does not have a religion. He also said, I blame these increasing attacks on the Islamophobia post-9/11, where Islam and 1.3 billion Muslims have collectively been blamed for any act of terror by a Muslim.

His government declared Monday a national day of mourning and ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff.

In an editorial Sunday, the English-language Pakistani newspaper Dawn said that the violent hatred undergirding such mass murders is linked to a process of ultra-right radicalisation that Western political and intellectual leaderships have done little to address. It said that antipathy towards Muslims, anti-immigration rhetoric and permissiveness towards hate speech have all contributed to such violent extremism.

Pakistans Foreign Ministry on Sunday confirmed the deaths of seven other Pakistanis in the mosque shootings.

One was Syed Areeb Ahmed, 27, an accountant from Karachi who had recently moved to New Zealand to take a new job. Ahmeds father, Syed Ayaz, Ahmed told journalists in Karachi that the family had been worried and begun praying for him when they heard of the mosque attacks and were unable to reach him.

We continued to pray for him, but he is no more. I loved my son, Ahmed said. I am devastated.

Among the other Pakistanis killed were Syed Jahandad Ali, 34, a man whose wife and children were on a visit to Pakistan at the time; a couple, Ghulam Hussain and Karam Bibi, and their son Zeeshan Raza; and Mahboob Haroon, 40, an academician and father of two.

Naeem Rashid, a former banker, was reported to have moved to New Zealand to pursue graduate studies. His wife was a teacher there, and their three sons were all students. He was also the cousin of a former Pakistani legislator from Abbottabad, Amna Sardar.

He treated me like a sister. He was a humble and decent man, Sardar said in an interview. But he died as a brave man, the way he lived. I am so proud of him. If he hadnt tried to stop the killer, many more people would have been killed.

Constable reported from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Read more about:
KABUL - The Latest on the war in Afghanistan (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

Afghan officials say the Taliban have attacked checkpoints in the northern Faryab province, killing at least 22 Afghan forces.

Mohammad Tahir Rahmani, head of provincial council, says the insurgents launched the attack late Saturday against checkpoints manned by police and pro-government militias, setting off a fierce gunbattle that lasted into Sunday morning. The army sent in reinforcements, who were among those killed.

He says another 20 Afghan forces were wounded in the attack.

The Taliban effectively control nearly half the country and launch near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces.

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11 a.m.

Afghan officials say around 100 soldiers fled their posts and tried to cross into neighbouring Turkmenistan during a weeklong battle with the Taliban, in the latest setback for the countrys battered security forces.

Mohammad Naser Nazari, a provincial council member in the western Badghis province, said Sunday the soldiers were not allowed to cross the border and their fate remains unknown. The Taliban have posted pictures of captured soldiers on social media.

Jamshid Shahabi, the provincial governors spokesman, says 16 soldiers have been killed during the ongoing battle, in which the military carried out several airstrikes and dispatched reinforcements. He says a number of soldiers tried to flee, without providing an exact number.

The Taliban effectively control nearly half the country and attack Afghan security forces on a daily basis.
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - He spent just three years on this earth, but in some ways, a friend said, he seemed like an old soul. Before he became the youngest known victim of Christchurchs mass shooting, 3-year-old Mucaad Ibrahim had possessed intelligence beyond his years, and an affinity for his elders.

But on Friday, when a gunman stormed into the mosque where Mucaad was sitting with his big brother and father, it was Mucaads youth that left him so vulnerable. In the chaos that ensued as people fled from the bullets, the tiny boy became separated from his family. On Sunday, his brother Abdi Ibrahim said that police had confirmed the worst: Their beloved little boy was dead.

Each of the 50 lives lost in Fridays senseless barrage of violence at the hands of a white supremacist has left an aching wound across this close-knit city. But the death of Mucaad, with his big brown eyes and sweet smile, has pierced with particular ferocity.

Hes been loved by the community here, said Ahmed Osman, a close family friend. Its been tough days. Its been really tough days.

Mucaad was a joyful, energetic child who always seemed to be laughing, Abdi said. And he was bright, with an affinity for technology. His toy of choice was an iPad.

The toddler impressed Osman with his intelligence. Mucaad seemed to particularly enjoy talking to older people, he said.

He was very approachable, Osman said. He is easygoing to talk to.

Nearly every Friday at 6 p.m., Mucaad would go to the park not far from the mosque where his life would ultimately end. There, he would watch Abdi play soccer with Osman and their friends. The toddler would stand on the sidelines cheering them, and kicking a ball of his own along the grass, Osman recalled with a smile.

Mucaad had planned to go to the park, as usual, on Friday evening. He would never get the chance.

That afternoon, he joined Abdi and their father at the Al Noor mosque for Friday prayers. Mucaad was sitting just in front of Abdi, listening to the imam, when a thunder of bullets shattered the peace.

Everyone began to run. Abdi thought his father had Mucaad. In the rush and the crush of people, the trio became separated.

That was the last time Abdi saw his baby brother. After an agonizing search by the family, police confirmed that Mucaad was dead, Abdi said.

On Sunday, Abdi waited at Christchurchs airport for the arrival of another one of his brothers, Abdifatah Ibrahim, who had been overseas when the massacre occurred. The shooting, Abdi said, still felt like a terrible dream.

My mum, shes been struggling, Abdi said. Every time she sees other people crying, emotional, she just collapses.

A few minutes later, Abdifatah emerged through the arrivals gate. He and Abdi wrapped their arms around each other in a tight embrace. And then they went to wait for the release of their little brothers body so they could lay him to rest, a life ended before it had barely begun.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The boy is only 12 years old and looks even younger and smaller kneeling next to the wreckage of a helicopter, flanked by masked jihadis carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles with bandoliers strapped across their chests.

Hamza bin Laden, with a traditional Arab coffee pot to his right and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher to his left leaning against the debris, made his worldwide television debut reciting a poem in a propaganda video just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks planned by his father Osama.

Years after the death of his father at the hands of a U.S. Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan, it is now Hamza bin Laden who finds himself squarely in the crosshairs of world powers. In rapid succession in recent weeks, the U.S. put a bounty of up to a $1 million for him; the U.N. Security Council named him to a global sanctions list, sparking a new Interpol notice for his arrest; and his home country of Saudi Arabia revealed it had revoked his citizenship.

Those measures suggest that international officials believe the now 30-year-old militant is an increasingly serious threat. He is not the head of al-Qaida but he has risen in prominence within the terror network his father founded, and the group may be grooming him to stand as a leader for a young generation of militants.

Hamza was destined to be in his fathers footsteps, said Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent focused on counterterrorism who investigated al-Qaidas attack on the USS Cole. He is poised to have a senior leadership role in al-Qaida.

Much remains unknown about him  particularly, the key question of where he is  but his life has mirrored al-Qaidas path, moving quietly and steadily forward, outlasting its offshoot and rival, the Islamic State group.

LIVING, BREATHING AL-QAIDA

Hamza bin Ladens exact date of birth remains disputed, but most put it in 1989. That was a year of transition for his father, who had gained attention for his role in supplying money and arms to the mujahedeen fighting the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Osama bin Laden himself was one of over 50 children of a wealthy, royally connected construction magnate in the kingdom.

As the war wound down, bin Laden emerged as the leader of a new group that sought to leverage that global network brought together in Afghanistan for a new jihad. They named it al-Qaida, or the base in Arabic.

Already, bin Laden had met and married Khairiah Saber, a child psychologist from Saudi Arabias port city of Jiddah who reportedly had treated bin Ladens son by another wife, Saad, for autism. She gave birth to Hamza, their only child together, as al-Qaida itself took its first, tentative steps toward the Sept. 11 attacks.

This boy has been living, breathing and experiencing the al-Qaida life since age zero, said Elisabeth Kendall, a senior research fellow at Pembroke College at Oxford University who studies Hamza bin Laden.

Hamza, whose name means lion or strength in Arabic, was a toddler when the bin Ladens life in exile began. They moved to Sudan after bin Ladens criticism of the kingdom hosting American forces during the 1991 Gulf War alienated the Al Saud royal family.

Under growing international pressure after bin Laden declared holy war on the U.S., Sudan pushed him out and the family moved again to Afghanistan in 1996. Hamza bin Laden was 7.

Al-Qaidas attacks against the U.S. began in earnest in 1998 with the dual bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people. Its 2000 suicide attack against the USS Cole off Yemen killed at least 17 sailors.

Hamza bin Laden appeared in photographs alongside his father or in propaganda videos in this time, hanging from monkey bars in military-style training or reciting a poem in classical Arabic, garbed in a camouflage vest.

Then came Sept. 11, 2001. The co-ordinated al-Qaida hijacking sent two U.S. commercial airliners slamming into the World Trade Center in New York, one striking the Pentagon and another crashing in rural Pennsylvania, all together killing nearly 3,000 people.

So at age 12, Hamza bin Laden appeared in the video above the wreckage of a helicopter, likely a remnant of the Soviet occupation, not a U.S. warplane as al-Qaida claimed at the time.

He recited a poem praising his fathers ally, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, as the lion of Kabul, ran in a field with other boys and held a pistol above his head as if fearless of American airstrikes. It marked the last moments before the U.S.-led invasion would topple the Taliban and send Osama bin Laden fleeing into the mountains of Tora Bora and, from there, Pakistan.

Hamza later remembered receiving prayer beads from his father with his brother Khalid before leaving him.

It was as if we pulled out our livers and left them there, he wrote.

And then, like his father, Hamza bin Laden disappeared.

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THE IRAN YEARS

Hamza bin Laden and his mother followed other al-Qaida members into Pakistan amid the U.S.-led coalition bombing campaign on Afghanistan. From there, they crossed into Iran, where other al-Qaida leaders hid them in a series of safe houses, according to experts and analysis of documents seized after the U.S. Navy SEAL team raid that killed the elder bin Laden in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad.

The connection between al-Qaida and Iran has been a murky one, firmly disputed by Tehran. Iran, the Mideasts predominant Shiite power, on its face seems a strange home for the Sunni Arab militants. Sunni extremists views Shiites as heretics and target them for violence.

But al-Qaida under Osama bin Laden made inroads with Iran during his days in Sudan, according to the U.S. governments 9-11 Commission. The commission said al-Qaida militants later received training in Lebanon from the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which Iran backs to this day.

Before the Sept. 11 attacks, Iran allowed al-Qaida militants to pass through its borders without receiving stamps in their passports or with visas obtained at its consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, according to a 19-page, unsigned report found among Osama bin Ladens personnel effects in the Abbottabad raid. That helped the organizations Saudi members avoid suspicion. They also had contact with Iranian intelligence agents, according to the report.

Iran offered al-Qaida fighters money and arms and everything they need, and offered them training in Hezbollah camps in Lebanon, in return for striking American interests in Saudi Arabia, the report said.

This matches up with the 9-11 Commissions report, which found that eight of the Sept. 11 hijackers passed through Iran before arriving in the United States. However, the commission found no evidence that Iran or Hezbollah was aware of the planning for what later became the 9-11 attack.

Its unclear why Iran allowed the al-Qaida members, including bin Ladens children and wives, to enter the country immediately after the 9-11 attacks. Irans president at the time, the reformist politician Mohamed Khatami, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the attack, and Iran helped the ensuing U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan. However, by January 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush declared Iran as part of an Axis of Evil alongside Iraq and North Korea.

Irans mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment.

By April 2003, just weeks into the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein, Iranian intelligence officials had had enough of al-Qaida being beyond their control. It rounded up all the al-Qaida members it could find and detained them, apparently at a series of military bases or other closed-off compounds, according to contemporaneous accounts by several al-Qaida militants.

___

CAPITVITY

In Iran, Hamzas mother Khairiah Saber urged the al-Qaida lieutenants there to take her son  now a teenager  under their wing. Hamza wrote to his father recounting the Islamic theology books he studied in detention, while expressing frustration that he was not among the jihadis in battle.

The mujahedeen have impressed greatly in the field of long victories, and I am still standing in my place, prohibited by the steel shackles, Hamza wrote in one of his letters found at Abbottabad. I dread spending the rest of my young adulthood behind iron bars.

But those shackles ended up keeping him and the other al-Qaida members safe as the U.S. under Bush and later President Barack Obama targeted militants across the Mideast in a campaign of drone strikes. Hamzas half brother Saad escaped Iranian custody and made it to Pakistan, only to be immediately killed by an American strike in 2009.

That probably saved (Hamza) that he was in Iran during that period where everyone else was being knocked off, detained, said Tricia Bacon, an assistant professor at American University who focuses on al-Qaida and once worked in counterterrorism at the State Department. It probably was one of the better places to be able to re-emerge at a later time.

Hamza during this time even married into al-Qaida, picking a daughter of Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, an Egyptian who the U.S. says helped plan the November 1998 embassy attacks. The two had two children, Osama and Khairiah, named after his parents.

I ask God to place their image in your eye, Hamza wrote his father. He created them to serve you.

By this time, rumours of al-Qaida members being in Iran had reached a fever pitch. A teenage daughter of Osama bin Laden, Eman, somehow escaped imprisonment in late 2009 and made her way to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. Irans then-Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said at the time: We dont know how this person went to the embassy or how she entered the country.

Khalid bin Laden, another son of the wanted terrorist, later would write a letter that was posted online and addressed to Irans supreme leader saying his siblings were beaten and repressed.

After years of imprisonment, an opportunity emerged for the al-Qaida members held in Iran. Gunmen in late 2008 kidnapped an Iranian diplomat in northwestern Pakistan. He would be freed in March 2010 as Hamza and others also left custody.

Osama bin Laden thought of sending Hamza to Qatar for religious scholarship, but his son instead went to Pakistans Waziristan province, where he asked for weapons training, according to a letter to the elder bin Laden. His mother left for Abbottabad immediately, where her husband was in hiding, with Hamza hoping to come as well.

But on May 2, 2011, the Navy SEAL team raided Abbottabad, killing Osama bin Laden and Khalid, as well as others. Saber and other wives living in the house were imprisoned. Hamza again disappeared.

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REEMERGENCE

In August 2015, a video emerged on jihadi websites of Ayman al-Zawahri, the current leader of al-Qaida, introducing a lion from the den of al-Qaida  Hamza bin Laden. The younger bin Laden was not shown in the video, speaking only in an audio recording. With a voice deepened from the tinny recitals he offered as a child, he praised al-Qaidas franchises and other militants.

What America and its allies fear the most is that we take the battlefield from Kabul, Baghdad, and Gaza to Washington, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, and to take it to all the American, Jewish, and Western interests in the world, he said.

Since then, he has been featured in around a dozen al-Qaida messages, delivering speeches on everything from the war in Syria to Donald Trumps visit to Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip as U.S. president. His style resembles his fathers, with references to religious studies and snippets of poetry, a contrast to the gory beheading videos of the Islamic State group, which had risen up from al-Qaida in Iraq to seize territory across Iraq and Syria.

Hes not blood and guts, said Kendall, the senior research fellow at Pembroke College at Oxford University. His speeches are more literary and educated.

While al-Zawahri still controls al-Qaida, the multiple messages have raised speculation that the terror group may be trying to plan for the future by putting forward a fresh face  albeit one they have so far only showed in old photographs of Hamza bin Laden as a child.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State group has seen its territory slip away as it was pounded by a U.S.-led coalition, Russian airstrikes and Iranian-backed forces.

That has left al-Qaida as the prominent jihadi group standing.

I think as ISIS strength continues to deteriorate, the international community has perhaps realized that there are other terrorist groups  including the ones that never went away, such as al-Qaida, said Sajjan Gohel, the international security director of the United Kingdom-based Asia-Pacific Foundation, using another acronym for the Islamic State group.

In fact, al-Qaida has been quietly growing, regaining strength, letting ISIS take all the hits while they quietly reconstitute themselves, he added.

The State Department named Hamza bin Laden as a global terrorist in 2017, then followed up in February with the bounty on his head as the U.N. blacklisted him.

The designations show officials consider him a threat.

There is probably other intelligence that indicates somethings happening and thats what put this thing on the front burner, said Soufan, the former FBI agent.

But whats happening within al-Qaida remains a mystery. Hamza bin Laden hasnt been heard from since a message in March 2018, in which he threatened the rulers of Saudi Arabia. Why remains in question. Rumours have circulated he himself was targeted in an attack. The CIA also published video of him in November 2017 at his wedding in Iranian detention, showing the first publicly known photographs of him since childhood.

An image from that video now graces his U.S. wanted poster.

Will he be successful? We dont know. Will he live long to do what his father was able to do? We have no idea. We might drone him tomorrow, Soufan said. But this is the plan. This is what they wanted to do. This is what he is destined, I believe, to do from the beginning.

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Associated Press writer Maamoun Youssef in Cairo contributed to this report.

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap.
CAIRO - Hundreds of Sudanese took part in anti-government protests in the capital and other cities on Sunday as the government announced it had secured $300 million in loans to address the economic crisis that triggered the unrest.

The demonstrations began in December over price hikes and food shortages, and quickly escalated into calls for President Omar al-Bashir to step down, posing one of the biggest challenges yet to his nearly 30-year rule. Security forces have responded with a fierce crackdown that has killed dozens of people.

The rallies are being led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, an umbrella group of independent professional unions. Footage posted online showed dozens of people marching in Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, chanting: Freedom, dignity and justice. The also canted the people want the fall of the regime, echoing the popular slogan of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings that briefly defied despotism in the region, but never made it to Sudan.

In some videos, security forces are seen using tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

Also Sunday, dozens of families demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the National Intelligence and Security Service in Khartoum, calling for the release of detained relatives, according to activists who spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their safety.

A leading Sudanese geneticist was among those arrested. Muntasir Ibrahim, who heads the University of Khartoums Institute of Endemic Diseases, was arrested on Feb. 21 from a mosque in the capital, said his son, Gassim Ibrahim.

Gassim said his father and other university professors had drafted an initiative for a peaceful transition of power. Police had previously arrested his father on two occasions in January.

University lecturer Hadia Hasalaah also attended the demonstration in front of the security facility, calling for the release of her husband, Hisham el-Nour, also a university lecturer.

He was detained for around three months without charges, she said. This time, they (security forces) allowed us to protest, because of the American delegation currently visiting the country.

There was no immediate comment from authorities on Sundays protests and a government spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

Sundays demonstrations took place as a U.S. congress delegation is visiting Sudan to meet with government officials and opposition leaders, ahead of the start of a second phase of dialogue between the two countries.

Sudanese lawmaker Mutwakil Ahmed said in a statement the U.S. delegation, led by Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, a Republican from Florida, met with Salah Gosh, the head of Sudans National Intelligence and Security Services and other officials on Saturday.

A report by the state-run SUNA news service said Gosh told the delegation about the positive results of the President Al-Bashir recent decisions to maintain the countrys national security and cohesion.

The report also quoted him as saying that the recent protests were legitimate, but their purposes changed and became illegal. It did not elaborate.

Al-Bashir disbanded the government last month and declared a state of emergency. He also has banned unauthorized public gatherings and granted sweeping powers to the police since imposing a state of emergency last month, and security forces have used tear gas, rubber bullets, live ammunition and batons against demonstrators.

Mutwakil, the lawmaker, said the U.S. delegation has discussed religious freedoms in Sudan, as well the countrys counterterrorism efforts.

In 2017, the U.S. lifted decades-long sanctions, arguing that Sudan is making progress in areas of concern, including improving humanitarian access. The State Department last year agreed to a second phase of rapprochement with Sudan, laying out priorities to reconcile the two nations which have been at odds for nearly three decades.

At the time, no specific timeline was placed for the removal of the terrorism designation which was first placed on Sudan by the Clinton administration in 1993.

Meanwhile Sunday, the state-run SUNA news service reported that the Finance Ministry secured a $230 million loan from the Abu Dhabi-based Arab Monetary Fund to support the countrys balance of payments.

It said the ministry signed another deal worth $70 million with the Arab Trade Financing Program, which is also based in the Emirati capital.

Al-Bashir, who seized power in an Islamist-backed military coup in 1989, has responded to the protests by suspending plans for constitutional amendments that would allow him to seek a new term in next years elections. He has also stepped down as leader of the ruling party, appointing a loyalist in his place.

Critics say he is trying to buy time and remain in power. Al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for charges of genocide linked to the conflict in Sudans Darfur region.

Activists say at least 57 people have been killed in the recent protests. The governments latest tally stands at 31 killed, including policemen. Neither figure has been updated in weeks.
JERUSALEM - A Palestinian killed an Israeli and seriously wounded two others in a West Bank shooting and stabbing spree Sunday before fleeing, setting off a massive manhunt, the Israeli military said.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said the attacker stabbed an Israeli soldier at the entrance to the Ariel settlement, southwest of the Palestinian city of Nablus, and then took his assault rifle. He then opened fire toward several passing vehicles, striking civilians. Another car slowed to a stop and the attacker then boarded it and sped away, firing toward soldiers along the way before escaping into a nearly Palestinian village.

The army identified the Israeli killed in the stabbing attack as 19-year-old soldier Gal Keidan.

Conricus said Israeli troops have gathered at the entrance to the village to assist in the manhunt. He said it was unclear if the assailant acted alone or with the assistance of others, and whether he belonged to any Palestinian militant group.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the chase was ongoing and he was confident Israeli forces would apprehend those behind the attack and bring them to justice as we have in all previous cases.

Israels Magen David Adom rescue service said the wounded were a 35-year-old man and a 20-year-old who were treated on the scene in serious condition before being evacuated to a hospital.

The attack comes after two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire last week in separate West Bank incidents, which followed a period of relative calm. On Thursday, Hamas fired a pair of missiles from Gaza toward the Israeli city of Tel Aviv in a rare attack into the heart of Israel that looked to set the sides into another round of escalation. But the launch was apparently a technical malfunction and after a brief Israeli reprisal calm was restored.

Israel is currently in the midst of an election campaign, and Egypt is trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers.

Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks in the West Bank. Israeli forces have killed more than 260 Palestinians in that same period. Israel has described most of the Palestinians killed as attackers, but clashes between protesters and soldiers have also turned deadly.
LINDEN, Ala. - An African-American woman who took over the helm of a small-town Alabama newspaper that recently called for the Ku Klux Klan to ride again has stepped down after a few weeks, citing interference from the newspapers owner.

Elecia R. Dexter told The New York Times on Friday that she stepped down because of continuing interference from the newspapers owner who had published the KKK editorial. Dexter said she wanted to maintain her integrity and well-being.

I would have liked it to turn out a different way, but it didnt, Dexter, 46, told the newspaper. This is a hard one because its sad  so much good could have come out of this.

Dexter last month replaced Goodloe Sutton as editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter of Linden. Dexter took over after a firestorm erupted when Sutton wrote and published an editorial that began: Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again. The editorial said Democrats and Democrats in the Republican Party are plotting to raise taxes, so the Klan should raid their communities.

It was one of many incendiary and racially insensitive editorials published by the paper.

Dexters appointment was heralded as a positive in the small Alabama town. She said she hoped her appointment would let the community know this is everybodys paper.

But Dexter told the Times that Sutton, who had retained ownership of the paper, had continually interfered in operations.

Sutton did not respond to the Times requests for comment Friday.

The paper dates to 1879 and its editorials are consistently conservative and often critical of Democrats. The use of Democrat in its name reflects back to the period when nearly all white conservatives in the South were Democrats.
WASHINGTON - Before Bernie Sanders took the stage to formally launch his 2020 presidential campaign this month, the candidates most influential adviser took the mic. To cheers, Jane Sanders introduced herself to the Brooklyn crowd as Bernies wife, then conceded that wasnt the most politically correct label.

To be sure, identifying Jane Sanders as the wife hardly captures the scope of her influence on her husbands political career. Across 30 years and a dozen campaigns for federal office, she has served variously as her husbands media consultant, surrogate, fundraiser, chief of staff, campaign spokeswoman and top strategist.

His political revolution has become her career. And her political and business activities have, at times, become his headache. As the Vermont senator undertakes his second presidential run and scrambles his inner circle, Jane Sanders remains his closest adviser, making her perhaps the most influential woman in the 2020 campaign who isnt a candidate.

Bernies top adviser always has been and will continue to be Jane, said Jeff Weaver, a Sanders adviser. She has a voice in almost every major political decision her husband makes, travels with him for major events and is deeply involved in formulating policies, issues and campaign infrastructure. At every level, Weaver said, Jane is intimately involved.

That involvement has drawn questions sometimes about her political judgment, family opportunism and flawed ethics  from political foes, good government advocates and longtime Sanders-watchers in Vermont and in the progressive movement. Most recently, critics questioned the role played by the Sanders Institute , a non-profit co-founded by Jane Sanders and her son, for blending elements of fundraising, family and campaign policy development.

Her dual roles at the institute and in her husbands campaign carried echoes of the Clinton Foundation, which Bernie Sanders criticized in 2016 as a possible ethics conflict and back door for foreign donors seeking to influence his then-rival Hillary Clinton.

Bernie Sanders ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016 criticizing her for the vast sums of money she raised and he seems to be following in some of her footsteps, said Lawrence R. Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesotas Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Now hes raising vast sums of money and its being controlled and shaped by his family.

Jane Sanders acted this past week to remove the think-tank as a possible campaign ethics target, telling The Associated Press that the institutes operations and fundraising would be suspended for the balance of her husbands 2020 presidential campaign. Since its creation in 2017, the group raised more than $700,000, but has not disclosed most of its donors. She said the decision to put the Sanders Institute on hiatus was a forward-looking way to deal with potential concerns.

Sanders may prove an important surrogate for her husband, particularly in a race crowded with female candidates and potentially hinging on how women vote. She publicly defended her husband when he faced criticism for the way his 2016 campaign handled accusations of sexual harassment.

Shes become an essential liaison to the progressive activists at the heart of the Sanders base, using the institute to host meetings of policymakers and activists. An affable, if low-key public speaker, she was the star of the December Gathering in Burlington, Vermont, a three-day policy gathering that featured progressive speakers including environmentalist Bill McKibben, actor Danny Glover and her husband.

Steeped in years of involvement in progressive causes, Sanders comfortably slipped into the role as the events emcee. Before a crowd of more than 250 progressive activists, she stoked applause lines for favoured organizations and lavished compliments on institute fellows.

Similarly, in videos posted on the institutes website, she has led numerous policy conversations with experts in a Brooklyn accent fainter than her husbands.

Jane Sanders is not compensated for her role at the institute. Her son, David Driscoll, has been paid $100,000 a year as a co-founder and executive director, she confirmed. Driscoll had been an executive for Nike and the Vermont snowboarding company Burton, but had no previous non-profit experience, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Like her husband, Jane Sanders has learned not to trust a lot of people. Family is a lot more dependable than outsiders, said University of Vermont political science professor Garrison Nelson, an acquaintance and veteran Sanders-watcher.

Jane Sanders expressed frustration about concerns that she and some of her children have at times benefited from their activities affiliated with Sanders expanding political apparatus.

How can we say nepotism here? It just doesnt fit, she said. She added that the Sanders Institute has developed policy and the content that we get completely separate from her husbands campaign.

Politics has long been a family project for the couple.

Jane Sanders first worked with her future husband as director of the mayors youth Office in Burlington. They were both displaced New Yorkers, Jane noted at the launch rally, stamped by childhood days on Brooklyns city streets. We had very similar experiences, she said. We spent a lot of time playing stickball, running races and just hanging out on the streets with the kids in our neighbourhoods.

They wed in 1988  a second marriage for both  two years before Sanders won his first election to Congress. Jane Sanders went to Capitol Hill as his volunteer deputy  gaining experience in policy, legislation and as chief of staff.

In the early 2000s, she took on a new role along with her daughter, Carina. Two women set up a consulting firm, paid more than $90,000 in consulting fees by Bernie Sanders House campaigns.

In 2004, the year before Bernie Sanders launched his winning Senate campaign, his wife was named president of Burlington College, a local small liberal arts college. In 2010, she worked out a $10 million deal for the college to buy 32 acres of waterfront land on Lake Champlain and a 77,000-square-foot former orphanage and administrative offices of Vermonts Roman Catholic Church, which needed the money to settle a series of priest sex abuse cases.

She promised at the time the deal would be paid for with increases in enrolment and about $2.7 million in donations. But her plans never took wing and under fire, she resigned from the college in 2011. The school closed in 2016, citing debt from the land deal as a major reason for its failure. Prompted by complaints filed by a Republican lawyer about her involvement in the land deal, federal investigators looked into Jane Sanders stewardship but informed her last November that she would not be charged.

Weve learned were going to be attacked, she said during an interview, adding thats the fact of todays politics.

But she said she was confident that the decision to put the think-tank on hiatus was best for the institute to not have the possibility of misinterpretation.

The move, she said, will allow her to expand her campaign work freely for the Sanders campaign, including more solo stops on her husbands behalf.

I will be more active throughout, she said.

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Ring reported from Montpelier, Vermont, and Peoples from New York.
NASHVILLE, N.C. - A North Carolina man accused of killing his wife was arrested Sunday on an Arizona interstate, authorities said, adding they will take a closer look at the death of the mans first wife more than a decade ago.

Nash County, North Carolina, Sheriff Keith Stone said 57-year-old Rexford Lynn Keel Jr. was arrested during a traffic stop on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, by state troopers. Stone said a caller in Arizona tipped authorities that the suspect had been sighted on the interstate. Keel had a large amount of cash and a knife with him, Stone said, and the truck he was driving was searched.

The Nash County Sheriffs Office said it obtained an arrest warrant Friday accusing Keel of murder in his wifes death. The mans 38-year-old wife, Diana Alejandra Keel, had gone missing on March 9. Her body was found days later in another North Carolina county and Stone said it appears she had died of multiple stab wounds.

Investigators said Keel had fled in a pickup truck, launching a multiday manhunt.

Stone said Sunday that it appears the woman, a mother of two, had died of multiple stab wounds. She had a 10-year-old son with her husband, as well as an 18-year-old daughter, according to the sheriff.

My heart goes out to the son, 10 years old, thats without a mother today ... and to the 18 year old daughter thats trying to further her education. What a traumatic experience. What a sad experience this is, he said.

The sheriff said the last person to report seeing her was a mail carrier who brought her a package shortly before she was reported missing.

Stone also said that investigators would be taking a closer look at the circumstances surrounding the death of Keels first wife, which previously had been ruled accidental. Elizabeth Edwards Keel, 42, died at the couples home on Jan. 1, 2006, according to the sheriffs office.

Were going to go back and look at the information ... Were going to talk with the district attorneys office. But definitely its something we need to be looking into, Stone told reporters Sunday when asked about Elizabeth Keels death.

Matthew Lambert, who worked with Elizabeth Keel, told WRAL-TV that friends were surprised at the time that she had died in an apparent fall on some stairs. He described her as an outdoorsy person who liked to ride horses.

A recent news release from the Nash County sheriffs office said Elizabeth Keels death was classified by a medical examiner at the time as accidental from blunt trauma to the head from falling and striking the front concrete steps of the family home.

Keel was listed as being held Sunday in the Pima County, Arizona, jail.
ANETH, Utah - After three unsuccessful days of ground and water searches, authorities said Sunday they were temporarily suspending the search for a 4-year-old girl missing since last week on the Utah portion of the Navajo Nation.

In a statement, the Navajo Police Department said a pause in the search effort will allow authorities to organize and secure additional resources for subsequent search efforts.

Community volunteers will continue organizing search teams, and police officers will remain in the area to investigate any leads in the case, according to the statement.

Anndine Jones reportedly wandered away Thursday afternoon from her home, located 3 miles north of the Aneth Utah Chapter House.

Police originally listed her age as 3, but Sundays missing person advisory had it at 4. Police didnt immediately explain the discrepancy.

Initial search efforts focused along the McElmo Creek that feeds into the San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado River that flows into Lake Powell.

Police said the girls footprints were found along the creek, which was searched by boat teams, divers and drones.

More than 100 volunteers searched Saturday for Jones on foot along 8 miles (13 kilometres) of the riverbed west of Aneth.

Boat crews from county, state and federal agencies covered 24 miles (39 kilometres) of the San Juan River.

Police said there are no indications that the girl was abducted, so the Navajo Nation Amber Alert system wasnt activated. But she is listed as a missing person with the National Crime Information Center.
FERGUSON, Mo. - In a story March 17, The Associated Press reported that the deaths of six young men connected with the 2014 anti-police protests in Ferguson have drawn attention on social media and speculation in the activist community that something sinister is at play. The headline referred to the deaths as puzzling without providing attribution. This version of the story replaces the headline to focus on the fact that activists are unnerved by the deaths.

The story with the new headline is below:

Activists unnerved by deaths of men tied to Ferguson protests

Two young men were found dead inside torched cars. Three others died of apparent suicides. Another collapsed on a bus, his death ruled an overdose.

Six deaths, all involving men with connections to protests in Ferguson, Missouri, drew attention on social media and speculation in the activist community that something sinister was at play.

Police say there is no evidence the deaths have anything to do with the protests stemming from a white police officers fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, and that only two were homicides with no known link to the protests.

But some activists say their concerns about a possible connection arise out of a culture of fear that persists in Ferguson 4 1/2 years after Browns death, citing threats  mostly anonymous  that protest leaders continue to receive.

The Rev. Darryl Gray said he found a box inside his car. When the bomb squad arrived, no explosives were found but a 6-foot (1.8-meter) python was inside.

Everybody is on pins and needles, Gray said of his fellow activists.

No arrests have been made in the two homicides. St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire said witnesses have simply refused to come forward, leaving detectives with no answers for why the men were targeted.

We dont believe either one was connected to each other, McGuire said, but adding, Its tough to come up with a motive without a suspect.

Ferguson erupted in protests in August 2014 after officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Brown during a street confrontation. Brown was unarmed, but Wilson said he fired in self-defence when the black teenager came at him menacingly.

A grand jury declined to charge Wilson in November 2014, prompting one of the most violent nights of demonstrations, and one of the first activist deaths.

Deandre Joshuas body was found inside a burned car blocks from the protest. The 20-year-old was shot in the head before the car was torched.

Darren Seals, shown on video comforting Browns mother that same night, met an almost identical fate two years later. The 29-year-olds bullet-riddled body was found inside a burning car in September 2016.

Four others also died, three of them ruled suicides.

 MarShawn McCarrel of Columbus, Ohio, shot himself in February 2016 outside the front door of the Ohio Statehouse, police said. He had been active in Ferguson.

 Edward Crawford Jr., 27, fatally shot himself in May 2017 after telling acquaintances he had been distraught over personal issues, police said. A photo of Crawford firing a tear gas canister back at police during a Ferguson protest was part of the St. Louis Post-Dispatchs Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage.

 In October, 24-year-old Danye Jones was found hanging from a tree in the yard of his north St. Louis County home. His mother, Melissa McKinnies, was active in Ferguson and posted on Facebook after her sons death, They lynched my baby. But the death was ruled a suicide.

 Bassem Masri, a 31-year-old Palestinian American who frequently livestreamed video of Ferguson demonstrations, was found unresponsive on a bus in November and couldnt be revived. Toxicology results released in February showed he died of an overdose of fentanyl.

The Ferguson protests added momentum to the national Black Lives Matter movement, but they also generated resentment from people angered by TV footage of protesters hurling rocks and insults at police. Amid lingering anger, activists and observers say that while they see no clear connection between the deaths and the protests, they cant help but wonder about the thoroughness of the investigations.

These protesters and their deaths may not be a high priority for (police) since there is this antagonistic relationship, Washington University sociologist Odis Johnson said. I think there is a need for them to have a greater sense of urgency.

Activists say that in the years since the protests, they have been targeted in dangerous ways.

Something is happening, said Cori Bush, a frequent leader of the Ferguson protests. Ive been vocal about the things that Ive experienced and still experience  the harassment, the intimidation, the death threats, the death attempts.

Bush said her car has been run off the road, her home has been vandalized, and in 2014 someone shot a bullet into her car, narrowly missing her daughter, who was 13 at the time.

She suspects white supremacists or police sympathizers. Living under constant threat is exhausting, she said, but she wont give in.

They shut us up and they win, Bush said.

Its unclear if residual stress from the protests or harassment contributed to the suicides, but Johnson said many activists feel a sense of hopelessness.

This has to have a big impact on their mental health, Johnson said. For many, law enforcement is not a recourse. Many times law enforcement is not on their side.

Experts say the deaths also are indicative of a concern at the core of the protests  the underlying difficulty of life for young people of colour. Five of the men who died were blacks in their 20s.

Black St. Louis County residents are three times more likely than whites to be poor, often meaning they lack adequate health insurance that could allow them to better address not only physical ailments but mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

They also tend to live in areas with higher crime rates. The 2010 U.S. census showed that while people who live in wealthy and mostly white western St. Louis County can expect to live well into their 80s, life expectancy in parts of mostly black north St. Louis County reaches only into the 60s. Life expectancy in Kinloch, a few miles from Ferguson, is 56.

Forty-five of the countys 60 homicide victims last year were black in a county where less than a quarter of the population is black, according to police statistics.

Here in St. Louis, unfortunately, we have allowed the culture of crime and violence to morph into dimensions that anybodys at risk any day, any time, said James Clark of the non-profit Better Family Life.
NEW YORK - In a story March 17 about the arrest of a man wanted in the 1999 shooting of a New York Police Department officer, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the officer had died, relying on information from the police department. A spokeswoman for the department now says Vincent Ling survived and has since retired.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Suspect in 1999 shooting of NYPD officer arrested in Florida

The commissioner of the New York Police Department is thanking law enforcement in Florida after the arrest of a suspect in a 1999 shooting of an off-duty police officer

A man wanted in the 1999 shooting of an off-duty New York Police Department officer was arrested in Florida almost two decades after the incident, and the head of the NYPD on Sunday offered his thanks to fellow law enforcement for their perseverance.

Local television stations in Jacksonville, Florida, reported Lester Pearson, 43, was taken into custody Friday morning in connection to the shooting of officer Vincent Ling.

NYPD Commissioner James ONeill tweeted his appreciation Sunday for Jacksonville police and U.S. marshals in the arrest.

Law enforcement professionals demonstrate time & again that we are patient & that our collaborative forces have a very long reach, he said.

Ling, 27 years old at the time and an undercover officer, was shot in the chest and had a bullet between two vertebrae. Sgt. Jessica McRorie, a police spokeswoman, says that Officer Vincent Ling survived and has since retired, even though ONeill had tweeted that Ling had been killed.

It was not clear if Pearson had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf. Messages were sent to the Jacksonville prosecutors office, and an email was also sent to the Bronx District Attorneys office.

The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said it had no information Sunday on the arrest. The U.S. Marshals Service did not return calls seeking comment.

The NYPD did not describe the circumstances of the shooting but, according to a New York Post account at the time, the December 1999 conflict in the Bronx started when the two men ran into each other on the street and an argument ensued. They were connected through the officers sister.

Pearson at that time had an extensive arrest record and one conviction.
LOS ANGELES - The Latest on an explosion in Los Angeles (all times local):

10 a.m.

Authorities say a 9,000-gallon (34,000-litre) tanker leaking gasoline caught fire and caused an explosion that injured two people in South Los Angeles.

The fire department says the blast Sunday morning reverberated through storm drains and sent manhole covers into the air.

Dozens of firefighters took about an hour to douse the fire, which sent up a huge plume of smoke visible across the city.

Officials say two people were hospitalized with unknown injuries.

At least two nearby structures were exposed to flames. The extent of the damage isnt immediately known.

An investigation is underway in the neighbourhood about 6 miles (10 kilometres) south of downtown Los Angeles.

___

8:55 a.m.

Authorities say multiple people have been hurt in an explosion following reports of an underground gas leak in South Los Angeles.

The fire department says crews found flames coming from storm drains early Sunday. Officials say the blast displaced several manholes in a neighbourhood about 6 miles (10 kilometres) south of downtown Los Angeles.

The department says multiple people are hurt. The extent of their injuries isnt immediately known.

It isnt clear if the fire spread to any structures.
ST. LOUIS - The Latest on flooding in the Midwest (all times local):

4 p.m.

Flooding in Nebraska has badly damaged up to 500 houses in one county alone.

Greg London of the Sarpy County Sheriffs Office said Sunday that one levee broke Thursday along the Platte River, and another broke Saturday. He estimates that up to 400 houses and cabins in the area known as Hansons Lake are damaged, including many that are completely submerged. Another 100 or so homes are damaged elsewhere in the county.

The area is near where the Platte and Missouri rivers converge. A Missouri River levee nearby also breached on Thursday.

London says many of the damaged homes are likely ruined. He says that while the area has had flooding before, this years disaster is unprecedented.

Looking southwest towards Waterloo Neb., high waters from the Elkhorn river cover Maple street in the distance Saturday March 16, 2019. The flooding followed days of snow and rain Ai record-setting, in some places Ai that swept through the West and Midwest.





___

This update has been corrected to show the name of the county in Nebraska is Sarpy, not Sharpy.

___

3:15 p.m.

Flooding has reached record levels at 17 locations across Nebraska.

The states emergency management agency says more record crests are expected in various rivers by Tuesday.

Nebraska has had much of the worst of the late-winter flooding thats been seen across the Midwest. Hundreds of homes are damaged and the state says 660 people are staying in shelters.

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency says the Missouri River is expected to crest Sunday at 41 feet (12.5 metres) in Plattsmouth  4 feet (1.22 metres) above the record set in 2011. Serious flooding there is expected to continue through next weekend.

Crest records also were set along the Platte and Elkhorn rivers. The Elkhorn reached 24.6 feet (7.5 metres) Saturday in Waterloo, breaking the 1962 record by 5 1/2 feet (1.68 metres).

Nearly 300 people have been rescued from high water across the state. At least one person has died in floodwaters in the state. A second death from flooding was reported in Iowa.

___

3 p.m.

Officials say residents of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who evacuated their homes due to flooding can return.

Heavy rainfall and melting snow have led to dangerously high water in creeks and rivers across several Midwestern states. Even as the water receded in Green Bay, other parts of the Midwest are still under water or are bracing for flooding. In far southwestern Iowa, residents were being evacuated Sunday as floodwaters overtopped levees. And in St. Joseph, Missouri, volunteers are filling sandbags to help secure a levee protecting an industrial area.

Green Bay Metro Fire Department lifted its emergency evacuation order at 10 a.m. Sunday for an eight- to 10-block area around the East River. The Green Bay Press Gazette reports city inspectors were out placing placards on front doors identifying those not currently inhabitable because they have no heat and those that are safe to re-enter.

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1:55 p.m.

Flooding along the Missouri River is causing long delays for Amtrak passengers.

The passenger rail service said Sunday that its Missouri River Runner service between St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, will have delays up to five hours because of flooding and rail congestion.

Amtrak says all Missouri River Runner trains will be cancelled Monday. The service typically travels twice daily between Missouris two metropolitan areas.

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12:40 p.m.

The flooding Missouri River has damaged dozens of buildings at an Air Force base in Nebraska.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that about one-third of the Offutt Air Force Base is under water. A spokeswoman for the base says 60 buildings, mostly on the south end of the base, have been damaged, including about 30 completely inundated with as much as 8 feet (2.4 metres) of water.

Among the buildings badly damaged are the headquarters building and a hangar.

Offutts lone runway is expected to remain closed until Tuesday afternoon.

Airmen had been filling thousands of sandbags, but the newspaper reports that the sandbagging effort has been halted.

___

11:40 a.m.

Residents in parts of southwestern Iowa are being urged to leave their homes as a torrent of Missouri River water flows over and through levees.

Heavy rainfall and snowmelt forced river levels across four Midwestern states to dangerous levels. Two deaths were blamed on the high and forceful water, and two other men have been missing for days.

While river levels on Sunday were starting to level off in Nebraska, residents in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri were bracing for the worst still yet to come. Flooding has also been reported in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The Missouri River reached a record 30.2 feet (9.2 metres) Sunday in Fremont County, Iowa, in the states far southwestern corner. People in parts of Bartlett and Thurman were being evacuated as water broke through or overtopped levees.

County Emergency Management Director Mike Crecelius says it isnt just the amount of water, its the swiftness of the current that creates a danger.

___

11:20 a.m.

Flooding caused by heavy rain and snowmelt is blamed for two deaths in the Midwest, and two others are missing.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes in Nebraska and Iowa as levees succumbed to the rush of water. Flooding has also been reported in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Authorities say 52-year-old Aleido Rojas Galan of Norfolk, Nebraska, died Friday night in southwestern Iowa. Officials say Galan and two others were in a vehicle that drove around a barricade and was swept away. The other two men survived.

On Thursday, 50-year-old James Wilke of Columbus, Nebraska, died when a bridge collapsed as he used a tractor to try and reach stranded motorists.

A Norfolk man was seen on top of his flooded car late Thursday before being swept away. Water also swept away a man after a dam collapse. Both men are still missing.
PORTLAND, Maine - Members of the lobster industry from the United States and Canada will meet in Maines largest city next month for a meeting about the state of the business.

The University of Maine Lobster Institute is hosting the 15th Canadian/U.S. Lobstermens Town Meeting on April 5 and 6 at the Westin Portland Harborview Hotel in Portland. The yearly event alternates between the U.S. and Canada and brings together lobstermen, dealers, processors, scientists and others from both countries.

Fishermen from the U.S. and Canada harvest the same species of lobster, which is commonly called the American lobster or the Maine lobster. The fishery is in the midst of a time of prosperity, but it also faces threats such as foreign tariffs, warming oceans and new restrictions to protect whales.
SHAWNEE, Okla. - A woman convicted of second-degree murder in the 2017 shooting death of an Oklahoma police officer has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Pottawatomie County court records indicate that 24-year-old Brooklyn Danielle Williams was found guilty on Feb. 1 in the March 26, 2017, death of 22-year-old Tecumseh Police Officer Justin Terney.

Williams was convicted by a jury that recommended she serve 25 years in prison. She was formally sentenced on Friday.

Williams was driving a car carrying 37-year-old Byron James Shepard when Terney stopped her for a traffic violation. Authorities say Shepard ran when Terney learned of an arrest warrant against him, and they shot each other. Terney died the following day.

Shepards trial is scheduled for October. Hes charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty.
No one can accuse Donald Trump of respecting democratic niceties.

In the two short years that he has held the U.S. presidency, Trum; has vowed to crush the re-election hopes of those in his own Republican party who dont support him, threatened to jail his former political opponent Hillary Clinton, sullied the reputation of U.S. intelligence services, undermined the independence of the judiciary and Justice Department, cozied up to the worlds most dangerous dictators, and incited physical violence against both the media and dissenters at his rallies.

But this past week he crossed a line that even his greatest supporters must condemn if they believe in democracy: He threatened his political opponents with violence.

I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump  I have the tough people, but they dont play it tough  until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad, he warned.

The quote, which sounded as if it came from a military dictator rather than the president of a leading democracy, understandably alarmed many.

What happens if Trump loses in 2020? the Liberal advocacy group Public Citizen tweeted about Trumps quote on the right-wing website Breitbart News. Is that the certain point? 

Indeed, Public Citizen isnt the first to raise the alarm that Trump might try to overturn a democratic result that wasnt in his favour.

As reported by the Stars Daniel Dale, in February his former lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress that, Given my experience working for Mr. Trump, I fear that if he loses the election in 2020, that there will never be a peaceful transition of power.

That same month a respected human rights watchdog, Freedom House, sounded the alarm that Trump is not just threatening the survival of democratic institutions such as an independent judiciary and a free press, but the very legitimacy of elections.

In fact, Trump appears to be following the playbook of leaders in countries like Hungary and Venezuela who have subverted democracy, according to Freedom House president Mike Abramowitz:

His attacks on the judiciary and the press, his resistance to anti-corruption safeguards, and his unfounded claims of voting fraud by the opposition are all familiar tactics to foreign autocrats and populist demagogues who seek to subvert checks on their power.

Still, if there is hope it is in the very democratic institutions Trump is trying to undermine.

According to Steven Levitsky, who co-wrote How Democracies Die with Daniel Ziblatt, democratic institutions in the U.S. are, happily, much more resilient than those in Hungary and Venezuela.

Indeed, the threat Trump poses to democracy is probably the very reason Democrats won control of the House of Representatives last fall. And those members are now acting to check the presidents powers.

Still, if there is anything to be learned from Levitskys and Ziblatts book, it is this: Democrats must be careful not to play into Trumps hands by adopting scorched earth tactics that can erode support for the opposition by scaring off moderates.

When the opposition fights dirty, it provides the government with justification for cracking down, they write.

And now that Trump has made it clear he is willing to enlist the military, police and even bikers to crack down on political opponents there is all the more reason for his opponents to follow Levitsky and Ziblatts advice and preserve, rather than violate, democratic rules and norms.

In other words, the way forward is not to counter threats with threats and violence with violence, but to strengthen democratic institutions and embrace vigorous, but respectful, debate.

Its now up to other Republicans to join forces with Democrats to show they wont let democracy be further eroded in the United States by a dangerous bully. After all, no one but Trump wins if it is further damaged.

Read more about:
An extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence: Mass shootings at New Zealand mosques kill 49, one man charged, Online, March 14

The Jewish community of Canada is heartbroken, horrified and angry at the news that Muslims have been massacred in attacks on two mosques in New Zealand. This terrorist atrocity must be condemned for what it is: An act of sheer evil targeting Muslims.

Jewish tradition teaches that every person is created in the divine image and that one who takes a single life destroys an entire world. Those who target Muslims for mass murder, whether in Christchurch or in Quebec City, are destroyers of life and enemies of humanity.

Their clear goal is to divide citizens, intimidate Muslims, and signal that Muslims are not welcome in our society. They will never succeed. You are our friends, our neighbours, and our fellow Canadians. You are home  and together we will defeat those who suggest otherwise.

Shimon Koffler Fogel, Ottawa, On behalf of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Following the horrific and cowardly act of hate that was committed in New Zealand, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto has extended its most heartfelt condolences to the Muslim community.

The Jewish community stands together with our Muslim brothers and sisters today, and every day, in calling out and condemning hatred that leads to violence and the senseless murder of innocent people. Our two communities, tragically, know too well the effects of these dangers. We must continue to stand together in solidarity to expose those who would seek to do us harm, and anchor ourselves in the values of peace we share with all Canadians.

All people, regardless of beliefs, should be able to pray freely and without fear in their places of worship. Thats why UJA will continue to advocate for increased police and other governmental support to ensure security in our diversity of religious institutions across the community.

Our thoughts are with everyone who has been touched by this tragedy. And for the innocent victims: May their memories be for a blessing.
VANCOUVERThe last words Sukhwinder Singh Mithu remembers from his wife were a plea to her killers.

Dont hurt my Mithu. Dont hit him, he recalls Jaswinder (Jassi) Kaur Sidhu uttering.

On that warm June evening nearly 19 years ago, Mithu and Sidhu were returning home on a scooter in the village of Narike in Punjab after an evening out.

Sidhu, who was from Maple Ridge, B.C., had secretly married Mithu  a poor rickshaw driver  a year earlier against her mothers wishes, Indian police have said.

Mithus voice broke in a recent interview as he recalled the attack on June 8, 2000, for which his wifes mother and uncle have been extradited from Canada to India, where they face charges of conspiracy to murder.

A lawyer for the mother, Malkit Kaur Sidhu, and uncle, Surjit Singh Badesha, says he is confident his clients will be found not guilty and allowed to return to Canada.

Read more:

Crown says B.C. woman killed for marrying against familys wishes

B.C. court overturns India extradition in honour killing case

They want to spend the rest of their life in Canada, said Simrandeep Singh Sandhu.

Mithu said he is relieved that they will at last face trial, but the past two decades have been hard on him.

The couple was crossing a bridge when they saw a white car, he said in Punjabi from India. He saw four people get out of the car.

They ran at the pair armed with sticks and swords, said Mithu, 42.

When one of their attackers tried to hit him with a sword, Mithu said he ducked and the weapon hit his wife.

She screamed and fell off the scooter, he said, his voice breaking

He remembers jumping off his scooter and running to her.

I asked them why they were hitting her. I asked them why they were hitting us. I tried to defend her.

His wifes screams haunt him: She was shouting for help. She was asking Are you OK, Mithu?

Thats when he lost consciousness.

For the next few weeks he remained unconscious in hospital. It would be nearly a month before he could see again.

He said no one told him of his 25-year-old wifes death for three months because his family wanted to wait until they thought he was well enough to handle the news.

Her body was found the day following the attack at the edge of a lake. Court documents say a post-mortem showed the cause of death was shock and hemorrhage as a result of injury to the vital organs.

Sidhus mother and uncle believed the marriage brought dishonour to the family, Indian police have said. They have also alleged that death threats were issued to the couple and phone calls were made from Badeshas home in B.C. to some of the perpetrators around the time of the attack.

Sidhu and Mithu met in December 1994 when they both got on a three-wheeler going to a village in Punjab. Sidhu lived close to Mithus house and they soon started meeting.

Over the next five years, they spoke on the phone between Canada and India, and exchanged more than 200 letters.

Her Punjabi was not very good. I dont know English, Mithu said. But we wrote letters and talked on the phone. Our love story was before Whatsapp and smartphones.

Mithus lawyer, Ashwani Chaudhary, said Sidhus mother allegedly had her daughter sign a letter that was sent by fax to police in Punjab saying she had been kidnapped and forced into marriage by Mithu.

Chaudhary alleges that Jassi Sidhu was made to believe the document  written in Punjabi, which she didnt properly understand  was part of an application to get Mithu permanent residency in Canada.

An Indian court document says when she learned about the letter in early 2000, Sidhu went back to India to give a statement to the police that she loved Mithu and married him out of her free will and that the marriage was not to the liking of her parents and maternal uncle.

In 2013, Jody Wright, who worked with Sidhu at a Coquitlam beauty salon, testified at an extradition hearing in B.C. that her colleague was forced to sign a document seeking an annulment from her husband after threats were made against their lives.

Sidhu and Badesha were extradited to India in January, ending a long legal battle in Canada. They were arrested on Jan. 6, 2012  almost 12 years after Jassi Sidhus body was found.

In a unanimous decision in 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada set aside a B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that stopped the proceedings over concerns the mother and uncle would be poorly treated or even tortured in India.

Sandeep Garg, the senior superintendent of police in the Sangrur district, said officers are finalizing their case and it will soon be presented to a court.

Mithu said he is relieved the case is moving forward.

It took a very long time to get a hearing, he said.

Supt. Swaran Singh Khanna of the Bathinda police force took over the case 12 days after Sidhus body was found and says he was struck by the brutality of the crime.

Mithu has had to face a lot. This is a very sad case. There are no words to describe this case, he said in Hindi. Imagine if you had to undergo something like this.

A Supreme Court of India document says the trial court convicted seven out of 11 people who were accused of carrying out the attack, including a police officer, and acquitted four of them. Indias High Court later acquitted three more.

In 2015, the court acquitted Darshan Singh Sidhu, who was accused of arranging the killing in India on behalf of the family in Canada, giving him the benefit of doubt.

Sandhu, the lawyer for Sidhu and Badesha, said with Darshan Singh Sidhu being acquitted the rest of the evidence in his clients case is circumstantial.

The apex court of the country has found no constructive evidence against him and they let him go. Right now theres nothing against them  theres no money transaction, theres nothing.

The case is more of a media trial, he said.

Mithu said he clings to memories of his wife.

We would have had kids, he said, his voice trailing off.

She used to tell me that she can die for me and can never leave me.

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VANCOUVERA group of detained womens rights activists, including former UBC student Loujain Al-Hathloul, are now facing charges in Saudi court, prompting renewed calls for Canada to pull out of an arms deal with the Middle Eastern nation.

The group of 11 women activists, who were detained in the spring of 2018, were brought to court last week and now face charges of promoting womens rights, as well as contacting international organizations, foreign media and other activists according to a report by Amnesty International. While it is not clear who has been charged specifically, due to restrictions on media and other outside observers in court, Jackie Hansen, womens rights campaigner for Amnesty International Canada, says that they are in effect being charged for being activists.

When you look the things an activist does its talking to media and fighting for womens rights, she said.

Al-Hathloul had been an outspoken womens rights advocate for many years, and is known for posting videos online of herself driving, in protest of Saudi Arabias ban on driving for women.

Hansen said that she fears the charges are an escalation of the situation for the group of women. In late 2018, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch both reported that the group of women are undergoing torture and harassment in custody.

The new charges have has also prompted new calls for Canada to end participation in the Saudi arms deal, a $15-billion contract Canada signed in 2016 to provide armed vehicles to Saudi Arabia. While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has mentioned looking for a way to end the deal and a spokesperson for Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland has said that she has brought the issue to the attention of Saudi officials, there has been no recent moves to signifying an end to the deal.

We cant be selling arms to a country with an atrocious human rights record, Hansen said.

We need a global and concerted effort to press Saudi authorities to release these women.

In late February, NDP MP Helene Laverdiere, who has nominated Al-Hathloul for a Nobel Peace Prize, asked the prime minister to release a statement further calling for the government to pull out of the Saudi Arms deal.

It has been four months since the prime minister announced that his government was reviewing the existing arms export licences to Saudi Arabia. When can we expect a decision? she said.

Irwin Cotler, a human rights lawyer and former federal justice minister, said that there needs to be an international effort to push Saudi Arabia to release the women.

He said that despite a controversial tweet from Global Affairs Canada last summer condemning the crackdown on activism, a lack of support from other nations is what may have led to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Regrettably, at the time, not one democracy came to Canadas defence and that emboldened the crown prince to feel he can act with impunity, and that took us down the road to the horrible atrocity with the murder of Khashoggi, he said.

However, Cotler said that the recent condemnations of the Saudi government at the United Nations have been a rare rebuke that could lead to the prisoners being released.

David Moscrop, a political scientist at the University of Ottawa who wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post calling for the release of the activists and end to the arms deal, said that such deals with the Saudi government seem out of step with the Trudeau governments claims of being more feminist and progressive than previous governments.

Egregious behaviours ought to be stopped and punished, he said. If youre going to claim the mandate of being globalist and feminist then you ought to back that up or its going to be difficult.

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The chief executive of Boeing backed down Wednesday and called President Donald Trump to recommend that the United States temporarily take the company's best-selling jet out of service, following two deadly crashes in less than five months. Hours later, the president announced the plane had been grounded.

It was a stark reversal for Boeing, an industrial juggernaut that has enjoyed a decade of rapid growth and has deep ties in Washington.

The plane, the 737 Max, was deeply rooted in the company's psyche, a reflection of its engineering prowess and its enviable safety record. But it was also born of necessity as the company competed with its European rival Airbus.

The stakes for Boeing are high, with 4,600 pending orders that promise to bring in hundreds of billions of dollars. All that is at risk as regulators and lawmakers begin to investigate what went wrong with the Ethiopian Airlines flight and an earlier one on Lion Air. Some carriers are already reconsidering their purchases.

One area of focus is whether the training procedures on Boeing's jet, greenlighted by the Federal Aviation Administration, left pilots unprepared to deal with new software on the plane. When the plane was introduced, Boeing believed that pilots who had flown an earlier model didn't need additional simulator training and regulators agreed. The FAA didn't change those rules after the Lion Air crash in October and there are no plans to do so now.

Although the investigations are ongoing, preliminary evidence and data suggest potential similarities between the crashes, raising questions about the new software. Evidence at the Ethiopia crash site suggests there could have been a problem with the software, an automated system designed to help avoid a stall, which has come up in the Lion Air disaster.

When Airbus announced in 2010 that it would introduce a new fuel-efficient and cost-effective plane, Boeing rushed to get out its own version. The strategy depended heavily on building a plane that worked essentially the same as the previous generation. Regulators agreed it was a derivative model and didn't require additional training, a significant savings for airlines.

For many new airplane models, pilots train for hours on giant, multimillion-dollar machines, on-the-ground versions of cockpits that mimic the flying experience and teach them new features. But in the case of the Max, many pilots with 737 experience learned about the plane on an iPad.

"We would have liked to have had a simulator" from the start, said Jon Weaks, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. "But it wasn't practical."

As Boeing pushed to get the plane done, flights simulators designed specifically for the Max weren't ready. Greg Bowen, training and standards chair at the Southwest pilots association, said senior leadership at the carrier told him the engineering data necessary to design simulator software was still being finalized right up until the plane was nearly completed.

"They were building the airplane and still designing it," Bowen said. "The data to build a simulator didn't become available until about when the plane was ready to fly."

When United was set to take delivery of the 737 Max in 2017, a group of pilots put together training materials without ever flying the aircraft or a full simulator. James LaRosa, a 737 captain and union official who helped lead the training group, said he flew to a Boeing training center in Seattle to learn about the new plane on a mock cockpit unike typical simulators.

In addition to a two-hour iPad training course from Boeing, he and colleagues used their experience in the cockpit to create a 13-page handbookon the differences between the Max and its predecessor. The training materials did not mention the new software.

"When you find out that there are systems on it that are wildly different that affect the performance of the aircraft, having a simulator is part of a safety culture," said Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the American Airlines pilot union and a 737 pilot. "It can be the difference between a safe, recoverable flight and one that makes the newspapers."

Boeing said in a statement that "the 737 Max was certified in accordance with the identical FAA requirements and processes that have governed certification of all previous new airplanes and derivatives."

"The FAA's aircraft certification processes are well established and have consistently produced safe aircraft designs," the regulator said in a statement.

After the Lion Air crash that killed all 189 people aboard, the new software became an area of focus for investigators and pilots.

The new engines on the planes were bigger, to make it more fuel efficient. To compensate for the different aerodynamics that were the result of the larger engines, Boeing installed a system, known as MCAS, that automatically pushes the plane's nose down in certain circumstances. A central concern in the Lion Air disaster is that the system may have malfunctioned, based on faulty sensor readings.

After the crash, it was clear pilots of the 737 Max had not been fully informed about the new software. Shortly after Thanksgiving, pilot unions from Southwest and American met separately with Boeing officials. The unions wanted answers.

According to Tajer, Boeing officials told American's pilots that they hadn't mentioned the new software because they didn't want to "inundate" them with information.

The union told Boeing it was demanding simulators for its pilots. "We don't really care what the FAA requires," Tajer said.

Pilots at American Airlines, who began asking for simulators for the new model as soon as they started flying the planes, ramped up their requests after the Lion Air crash.

Boeing officials promised American and Southwest pilots a software fix within several weeks, but added extra training was not necessary. Notifying the pilots of the nature of the software fix and how it would function would be enough.

The airlines agreed. After those meetings, the pilots from both unions said they were certain they could keep flying the plane safely, even without simulators. Once they had been told how the new software worked, they believed they had "all the information on the system and the ability to interrupt it if it went afoul," Tajer said.

Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House transportation committee, said he asked FAA officials after the Lion Air crash why more substantial training was not required.

DeFazio said the FAA defended what had been decided as the work of pilots and others who "came to a consensus decision."

The FAA bases its rules for training around the typical experience of a pilot in the U.S., explaining that "the average caliber, skill and training of U.S. pilots is extensive, with countless hours of flight time and training both on the flight deck and in simulators." But other countries tend to follow the lead of the U.S. in terms of training, leaving less experienced pilots potentially vulnerable.

"Overseas, pilots in some cases have a tiny fraction of the training that our pilots have," DeFazio said. "Our pilots may all be good enough to recover with an MCAS problem with a bad sensor."

After the Ethiopian Airlines crash, Boeing made calls to airlines, reassuring them it was taking the situation seriously. Still, it had full faith in the plane.

"We are confident in the safety of the 737 Max," Muilenburg wrote in an email to employees Monday, "and in the work of the men and women who design and build it."

The tragedy consumed Trump, according to a person familiar with his thinking. He talked about it repeatedly and brought up other major aviation disasters, including the 2015 Germanwings crash, which left 150 dead after the pilot slammed into the French Alps.

After his first call with CEO Dennis Muilenburg, Trump was leaning against banning the flights, according to the person. But aides urged the president to intervene, telling him that the U.S. couldn't be the only country to allow the planes to keep flying.

Trump blurted the decision out during an event about drug trafficking. "The safety of the American people and all people is our paramount concern," he said. He added of Boeing, "They are working very, very hard right now and hopefully they'll very quickly come up with the answer, but until they do, the planes are grounded."

It is unclear when the planes will start flying again. The company is expected to roll out a software fix by April.

But Boeing isn't planning to overhaul its training procedures. And neither the FAA, nor the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, are proposing additional simulator training for pilots, according to a person familiar with the deliberations. Instead, the regulators and Boeing agree the best way to inform pilots about the new software is through additional computer-based training, which can be done on their personal computers.

While many pilots in the U.S. are still committed to the plane, they are pushing for Boeing to be more proactive.

"Would I go out and fly one today and put my family on it? Yeah, I would. Because I know how to fly it," said Michael Michaelis, top safety official at the American Airlines pilots union and a 737 captain. "But I would like to see the fix done and have a full briefing from the manufacturer about what this thing is really going to do and how it's going to do it."

And airlines are getting flight simulators, even if they aren't required by regulators. One flight simulator maker has received 40 orders.

It will be months before pilots in the United States can use them.
Jeanine Pirro, the Fox News Channel host and former prosecutor, was absent from her usual slot in the network's Saturday night prime-time lineup - and her most powerful viewer was not happy about it.

Fox News bumped the show a week after it publicly condemned Pirro's on-air suggestion that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., did not support the U.S. Constitution because she is Muslim and wears a hijab.

"Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro," President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday morning.

Trump accused Pirro's critics of waging "all out campaigns" against Pirro and fellow Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who was widely rebuked after decade-old racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments resurfaced last week. Both of their comments prompted some advertisers to boycott the shows.

"Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down," Trump said in another tweet, before issuing a curiously dire warning to "Be strong & prosper, be weak & die!"

In yet another post, Trump urged his 59 million followers to "Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine."

Carlson is still on his regular, weeknight schedule, but the network declined to say whether it had suspended Pirro, and a spokeswoman did not respond to a question about when her show would return.

"We're not commenting on internal scheduling matters," the spokeswoman said Sunday. Last week, network executives said Pirro's comments "do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly."

Trump mounted his defense hours after he threatened "Saturday Night Live" and other late-night comedy shows that have made the president a frequent punchline. On Twitter, he asked whether the Federal Communications Commission and, for some reason, the Federal Election Commission should "look into" the programs for "knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of 'the other side.'"

For the president's critics, Trump's latest flurry of morning tweets again lays bare a truism of his administration's view of the media: for those who question or mock him, a flexing of executive muscle and vague, ad hoc threats; but for his supporters, an outpouring of praise and exclusive interviews.

Pirro is one of Fox News' highest-rated hosts and has been a zealous booster of Trump - and she has a history of rhetoric denounced as anti-Muslim. She began her last show by pointing out that Omar, who was accused of using anti-Semitic tropes, wears a hijab and asked her audience to "Think about it ... "

"Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?" Pirro said, invoking a right-wing conspiracy about a purported attempt by Muslims to take over the U.S. government and install sharia law. (In reality, sharia is a framework of Islam and describes guidelines for living an ethical Muslim life.)

Pirro later defended her statements, maintaining that she didn't call Omar "un-American" and that her intention was to "ask a question and start a debate."

"Of course because one is Muslim does not mean you don't support the Constitution," Pirro said.

But the backlash was swift and bipartisan. Hufsa Kamal, an associate producer at Fox News, accused her co-worker of "spreading this false narrative that somehow Muslims hate America."

Some of Pirro's advertisers also have revolted, refusing to buy time on her show going forward. That list includes the Botox manufacturer Allergan; the health technology company GreatCall; Letgo, a website for buying and selling used goods; and NerdWallet.

Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company, is also "re-evaluating" its ads on Pirro's show.

Carlson is also losing advertising - including the pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca - but the network has continued its tacit support for him and his show, which also has high viewership. After Media Matters, a left-wing advocacy group, published audio from Carlson's old interviews on the shock-jock radio program the "Bubba the Love Sponge Show," Carlson thanked Fox News for supporting him.

"Fox News is behind us, as they have been since the very first day," he said last week. "Toughness is a rare quality in a TV network, and we're grateful for that."

No stranger to unleashing controversy, Carlson dug in. After all, he has seen advertisers flee before, and it hasn't made much of a difference to his bottom line.

"We will never bow to the mob, ever," Carlson said on his show.

For good measure, he then added a Trumpian punctuation: "No matter what."

---

The Washington Post's Abby Ohlheiser, Kayla Epstein and Lindsey Bever contributed to this report.
DOW  Darla Cavins and her husband David are spreading the joys of reading throughout rural communities by setting up little libraries in various spots through her Heres To Reading movement.

Reading is essential, Cavins said, as she spoke on what motivated her to set up the little libraries while preparing for Wednesdays grand opening of the little library at Dow Southern Baptist Church.

With the grand opening of the Dow library, at Dow Baptists Church, this coming Wednesday, March 20, Cavins said shes excited to see her plans come to fruition, ensuring the operation of each library for the next 10 years.

By placing these libraries the little libraries in Kane, Otterville, Grafton, Dow, Delhi, Fieldon and Elsah, Cavins said her aim is to help those in rural communities be able to access reading material closer to their homes.

Support from the community has been incredible she added, with book donations numerous sources including Afterwords Books in Edwardsville, Jerseyvilles Friends of the Library and even some custom bookshelves from Jersey Community High School.

Theyre all moving right along, Cavins said as she anticipates having other locations full open in just a matter of weeks.

In addition to plenty of books for all readers, each shed is being prepared with desks, chairs, heating, cooling, electric and even wi-fi in some locations.

Its taken a lot to get to this point and Im so appreciative of everyone who helped, she said. I wouldnt be able to do this if I didnt have peopling helping.

Heres To Reading will be holding the grand opening of the Dow location at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at 24735 Dow Road. Once open the location will be open from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the first and third of each month and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month.

For more on Heres To Reading follow them on Facebook or contact herestoreading@gmail.com.

Reach Steven Spencer at 618-972-6790 or at steven.spencer@thetelegraph.com.
BOWIE, Md. - The United States' 102 historically black colleges and universities have always had a distinctive source of appeal: a chance for students of color to learn and mature without the lingering discrimination and overtly racist history that characterize many institutions of higher learning.

But at a political moment marked by racially divisive rhetoric - sometimes accompanied by deadly violence, most recently an avowed racist admitting to killing of dozens at two mosques in New Zealand on Friday - some say HBCUs are looking more attractive than ever. That sentiment was voiced again and again Saturday at the 20th Annual Black College Expo held at Bowie State University in Maryland.

"It's nice to be around people who can relate to you," said Leon Smith, a 17-year-old from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, who attended the event. After the headlines of the past several years - including a deadly white-nationalist rally that took place in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, less than three-hour drive away from Bowie State - Smith said he felt "more comfortable" with the idea of pursuing his education among other black students.

After years of decline, enrollment at HBCUs is on the rise, according to federal data. Total enrollment in fall 2017 was 298,138, an increase of 2.1 percent over the previous year. That jump came even as across-the-board enrollment in all U.S. colleges and universities continued to fall.

Some admissions officials attribute the gains to increased outreach and marketing by historically black campuses, defined as those founded before 1964 to serve black students during an era of legal segregation. But others say that disquieting setbacks in national race relations have played a role.

"When you think about what happened in Virginia a few years ago, and things like that - students want to be on a campus where they feel safe," said Shanice Pereira, an admissions officer at Morgan State University in Baltimore. "It's something that impacts students and their thinking."

Theresa Price, founder and chief executive of the National College Resources Foundation, which hosts the Black College Expo, said students are increasingly coming to see HBCUs as a "safe haven" from racist views she believes have become more openly expressed since the election of President Donald Trump. "I think definitely the political environment has encouraged people to take a better look" at the schools, Price said.

Trump has repeatedly denied allegations that he is racist or encourages racist views. But the president - who trumpeted the conspiracy theory that former president Barack Obama was not born in the United States and launched his 2016 campaign with a speech in which he said that Mexican immigrants crossing the border were rapists - has come under fire while in office for his reactions to racist incidents.

Trump said there were "very fine people" as well as "very bad people" among the white nationalists who assembled in Charlottesville in 2017, an episode that culminated in rioting and the murder of 32-year-old Virginia resident Heather Heyer.

After shootings carried out Friday, allegedly by a man who subscribed to white-supremacist ideology, left 50 dead at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, Trump said he did not believe white nationalism was a growing threat. "I think it's a small group of people that have very, very serious problems. It's certainly a terrible thing," he said.

The prospect of racist violence also weighs on the minds of parents.

"You always want to be in a situation where you feel comfortable," said Jesse White, a 41-year-old resident of Accokeek, Maryland, who was at the Black College Expo with his 18-year-old son. "And when you think about the political environment in this country right now . . ."

He broke off, then spoke of the mass shooting in New Zealand.

"You look at what happened over there," White said. He said that while he did not attend a HBCU, he is encouraging his son's desire to do so.
CHICAGO (AP)  Illinois high school graduates have increasingly chosen to enroll in out-of-state colleges and universities in recent years, according to new state data.

The Illinois Board of Higher Educations figures reveal that the exodus is continuing, the Chicago Tribune reported.

More than 48 percent of public high school graduates who enrolled in four-year universities in 2017 decided to attend schools that arent in Illinois, according to the data. That figure has climbed from about 46 percent in 2016 and 45 percent in 2015.

In 2002, the number of college-bound Illinois high school students who chose out-of-state, four-year colleges was at 29 percent.

The outmigration trend continues to increase, and that means were not only losing students to out-of-state colleges and universities, were likely losing them to other states for good, said Nyle Robinson, the state boards interim executive director. We want to educate our states students and see them flourish in jobs here in the Land of Lincoln.

The states schools have struggled for years to compete with other institutions elsewhere in the Midwest, which offer certain scholarships and discounted tuition packages

Two-thirds of Illinois students choosing four-year colleges end up in Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin, according to the data.

States outside the region have also gained a foothold in recruiting Illinois students.

California, Georgia, Mississippi, Nebraska and Utah have reported double-digit percent increases in the number of Illinois public high school graduates enrolling in their schools since 2015.

Illinois officials have ramped up efforts to keep students in the state over the past year. Former Gov. Bruce Rauner approved a bill in August that launched the Aim High program, which gave $25 million to the states 12 public universities for merit-based scholarships.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proposed increasing the programs funding by $10 million next year.
EDWARDSVILLE  The attorney for a Collinsville man still awaiting trial in the 2013 murder of Courtney Coats, of Alton, at the hands of her boyfriend, made arguments in court last week that details in the case dont match police reports.

Brandon Chittum, 35, of Collinsville, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, dismembering a human body and concealment of a homicidal death of Coats, who went missing for 27 days in late 2013 before police found her body parts in trash bags along the Illinois River in Greene County.

He has had several lawyers, and his case has been continued several times since 2013, but defense attorney Evelyn Lewis of St. Louis is challenging whether a Madison County Grand Jury was given the facts during a hearing shortly after the body was found.

Chittum is suspected of being with Patrick A. Chase at the time of the murder at home in the 2500 block of College Avenue. He allegedly helped move and dispose of the body. Chittum claimed he killed the woman to put her out of her misery after she fell and suffered a head injury during an argument.

Lewis is questioning whether Chittum actually helped move Coats and other details she claims do not match the police reports.

Then Det. Jennifer Tierney testified before the grand jury as to both Chase and Chittum. They were both indicted on the same counts. Chase pleaded guilty in 2014. He may testify in Chittums trial, which is set for April 1.

The state claims Chittum is guilty under the accountability theory, in that he was accountable for Chases actions.

On Thursday Lewis was closely questioning former Alton Det. Jerry Cooley about an interview in which Chase tearfully told about the events of Nov. 23, 2013. She is claiming in court documents that Tierneys testimony does not exactly match the facts as recounted in police reports.

Associate Judge Neil Schroeder is hearing the case. The hearing on Lewiss motion to dismiss the indictment is scheduled to continue Monday. Chittum has been held since 2013. While in the Madison County Jail, he was charged with aggravated battery to a corrections officer. He is now being held without bail.
COLLINSVILLE  Police have identified the suspect involved in a fatal shooting on Interstate 55 and a carjacking in Glen Carbon Saturday as a 53-year-old Billy L. Walker Jr. of Hillsboro, Missouri.

Walker was pronounced dead at 4:45 p.m. Saturday by the Macoupin County Coroner. An Illinois State Trooper was also wounded in the incident. The ISP trooper is recovering in a regional hospital and is expected to return duty, police stated in a news release Sunday.

Prior to the incident in Glen Carbon, Walker was discovered to have an outstanding felony warrant for a probation violation resulting from weapons offenses. Walker was considered armed and dangerous.

Illinois State Police District 11 confirmed the incident during a Collinsville press conference Saturday evening. Glen Carbon Police Chief Todd Link and Illinois State Police District 11 Commander William Guard were present among other officials.

Guard made a statement on behalf of ISP:

 At approximately 3:45 p.m., Illinois State Trooper received information from Glen Carbon Police Department regarding an armed carjacking. This incident took place in the area of Sams Club in Glen Carbon where shots were fired by the suspect. An Illinois State Police trooper responded to the area and located the suspect vehicle traveling northbound on I-55. The trooper attempted to stop the vehicle and a pursuit ensued into the city of Staunton area, returning back toward I-55.

The suspect, while still being pursued by the ISP trooper and Staunton Police Department, ran off of the roadway and got stuck in the median in the intersection of Staunton Road and I-55. The suspect exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The ISP trooper initiated a foot pursuit of the suspect who brandished a handgun and fired at the trooper. The trooper returned fire, striking the suspect, who is now deceased. The suspect had no identification on his person and remains unidentified at this time. A handgun was recovered at the scene of the shooting. The ISP trooper suffered gunshot wounds and has been transported to a regional hospital where his injuries are reported to be non-life threatening. The trooper is 36 years old and is an 11-year veteran of ISP.

The carjacking incident that took place near Glen Carbon Sams Club is being investigated by the Glen Carbon Police Department and additional information will be available from them. A full investigation has been launched by the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigations.

No additional information is available at this time 
EDWARDSVILLE  A $100,000 grant to help pay the local match for up to $15 million in federal funding to separate stormwater from wastewater sewers in Wood River was approved by two Madison County Board committees and now goes to the full County Board for approval.

The Grants, and Finance and Government Operations committees approved the grant at separate meetings Monday and Wednesday. It will go to the full board next week as an amendment to the 2019 budget to allow the expenditure.

If successful, the grant will help fund the local match for engineering studies necessary for the grant application.

Wood River Mayor Cheryl Maguire said if successful, the city could receive up to $15 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over several years to pay for the work. She added that a decision will not be announced until fall.

The city of Wood River s one of four cities in Madison and St. Clair counties that have a combined stormwater/wastewater system, she said.

The other communities are Alton, Granite City and Belleville.

The communities are being required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to separate the systems. In older communities combined systems were used, and during heavy storms the systems are overwhelmed, resulting in raw sewage being discharged.

All these cities are well over 100 years old, she said. Who knew back then? The city fathers did the best they could with the information they had at the time.

Maguire said they have done some sewer separation but dont have the funding to do a large project.

its so costly, so unless the city is able to get grants or an outside funding source we dont have the money to take it out of our general fund, she said.

We had to do it, she said regarding the grant application. Well take our chances and do the studies that are required. Its one of these things, you take your shot and see what you get. Its not very often that a community of our size is eligible for federal funding for a project of this size.

Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447.
Congressional Republicans almost uniformly have sided with President Donald Trump, even when he has deviated from their long-standing preferences. But his decision to declare a national emergency to divert funds for a border wall is generating some notable pushback from his usual allies on Capitol Hill. With the Republican-led Senate soon expected to consider a resolution of disapproval, maybe this is the start of something that is long overdue: lawmakers claiming responsibility instead of ducking it.

In February, in the wake of the longest government shutdown ever, Congress passed a measure to fund various federal departments through September. It omitted the money Trump demanded to erect a barrier along the Mexico border. So he signed the bill and then invoked his emergency powers, with the stated plan of using $3.6 billion allotted for military construction on his signature project  which, you may remember, he said Mexico would pay for.

This doesnt sit well with all members. Republicans widely accused President Barack Obama for of overstepping his powers to get around Congress, while Democrats generally supported him. The most notable was Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which allowed undocumented immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children to stay and work. It came after Obama failed to get legislation to protect the dreamers  and after he said he lacked the power to protect them without such legislation.

Now that Trump has acted in defiance of Congress, its good to see lawmakers finally awaken to the dangers of excessive presidential authority. Last month, the Democratic-controlled House voted to overturn Trumps action. Next comes the Senate, where its good to see that some Republicans are speaking out on presidential overreach, even when the person using that power is one of their own.

Weve never had a case where the president has asked for money, been refused the money by Congress, then used the national emergency powers to spend it anyway, Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said. To me thats a dangerous precedent. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine introduced a resolution of disapproval for the emergency declaration, which Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have endorsed. Sen Rand Paul of Kentucky also said he would support the resolution, which apparently has enough votes to pass.

The measure is an important exercise, even though Trump is sure to veto it. The problem, after all, is not so much the desire of presidents to act unilaterally. Its that Congress has done so much to enable such actions. The 1976 National Emergencies Act granted the executive branch broad discretion. Since then, 57 emergencies have been declared  and most are still in effect. Trump is hardly a pioneer.

Lawsuits challenging his order are not a good bet to succeed in the Supreme Court. As former White House counsel Peter Wallison wrote in The Wall Street Journal, Congress has provided no standard to judge whether an actual emergency exists, and it is all but inconceivable that the justices would assert the power to impose their own definition. Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, told Vox, He has broad leeway to declare an emergency, frankly, whether one exists or not.

Thats not the fault of the Framers. They assumed that the legislative branch would jealously guard its prerogatives against attempts by the executive to overstep. In our time, though, Congress has often abdicated its responsibilities, preferring to let presidents both make decisions and take the heat for them.

If members dont like how Trump is using his emergency powers, they can take them away. They would be wise to do so, not just to check him but to prevent future presidents, of either party, from following his example.

And if they leave them intact, they will have only themselves to blame.

 Chicago Tribune
Senior Congress leader Digambar Kamat left for New Delhi on Sunday, amid speculation that he may join the ruling BJP, though the former chief minister denied any such move.

Speculations were rife that Kamat may be inducted into the BJP and given a major position in the state government, considering Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health.

Kamat was second in command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress.

The senior Congress leader, who held reigns of the state from 2007 to 2012, left for Delhi on Sunday.

"I am leaving for Delhi on a business trip. It is purely personal," Kamat said before boarding the flight to Delhi from the Goa airport.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of spreading rumours about Kamat.

"This is a game plan of the BJP's dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress," he said.

Chodankar also alleged that the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations.

"Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party," he added.

Meanwhile, Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar refused to comment on reports in a section of media that the issue of Kamat joining the saffron party was discussed during its MLAs' meeting held here on Saturday.

The health of 63-year-old Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, deteriorated on Saturday, sparking hectic political activities across parties in the coastal state.

The BJP on Sunday said it is "already thinking on Goa political transit phase" even as it asserted that the state government was "stable" and warned people against rumours.

State minister Vijai Sardesai met Parrikar on Saturday at his private residence at Dona Paula near here and said his health had "deteriorated", but he was "stable".
A week before Thailand's first elections in eight years, hundreds and thousands of voters crowded into schools, parking lots and temples across the country, eager to cast an early ballot.



Advanced voting is usually a tepid affair, but on Sunday excitement was high as voters turned up in droves to polling stations.

Around 2.6 million, from among the 51 million eligible voters have registered to vote outside their home constituencies in Thailand, including over 928,000 who will cast their votes who will cast their votes from Bangkok.



I finally have a chance to cast my vote as I've waited for so long, said 48-year-old Paka Kaengkhiew as she stood in line in front of Bangkok's Phra Khanong district office.

These polls will also see many first-time voters. Booths in various districts saw people throng the grounds hours before polling begins. In Dusit district  home to military offices and government buildings  voters crowded in a school yard before a polling station there opened. This was also the case Bangkapi district, where queues started to form at 6 am, two hours before polling actually began.



People dressed in their work clothes  military uniforms, hospital scrubs and more casual attire  waited patiently to cast their ballot, aided by student helpers.

Prem Tinsulanonda, the 98-year-old powerful president of the Privy Council, former premier who served as Regent after the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016, arrived in a wheelchair at the polling station at Sukhothai School in Dusit district.

Watched by Thai and international media, the 98-year-old was pushed in a wheelchair into a classroom boasting a portrait of the late King Bhumibol, who he advised, before walking the final steps to a polling booth.



Analysts say the new electoral system favours the army-aligned party fronted by junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is running to be civilian prime minister after a government is formed.
New Delhi, March 17 (PTI) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday exuded confidence that people will make the right choice in the forthcoming general elections by electing a stable government rather than 'mahamilawat gathbandhan', which is being envisaged as a road to disaster.

The mahamilawat gathbandhan, which has leaders and political parties of different ideologies, can only promise political instability, said Jaitley in his seventh blog on 'Agenda 2019'.

"At the cusp of history, India and Indians have a choice to make. Are they electing a six month Government or a five year Government? Are they choosing between a tried, tested and a performing leader or a chaotic crowd of non-leaders?

"Is India looking at a Government which accelerates growth, development and poverty alleviation or is it looking for a Government made by persons who excel only at self-enrichment? I am confident that aspirational people of an evolving society will make the right choice," said Jaitley who is also the head of the publicity wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mahamilawat gathbandhan, being formed with the objective of ousting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "is a road to disaster. It is a race to the bottom," said the minister.

Jaitley said while in the NDA government, the last word belonged to the Prime Minister, there is a "tug of war" on the issue of leader in the coalition proposed by the opposition parties, including Congress, BSP, SP, TMC, and TDP.

"Four people have clearly indicated their desire to be Prime Ministers - Shri Rahul Gandhi, Behan Mayawati, Mamata Didi and Shri Sharad Pawar. Each desires to expand his or her own base and reduce that of the competitor," the minister said in the blog.

He further said that the gathbandhan unquestionably promises only political instability.

Such non-ideological alliances have only lasted for a few months, he said while citing examples of governments headed by Chaudhary Charan Singh, V P Singh, Chandrasekhar, H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral, which did not last full term.

"Who would want to invest in India in an environment of political instability? Would even Indian investors prefer to go outside and look for more stable countries for investment? Where there is instability, there is corruption.

"People with brief political opportunities make the best of them. This is the experience of the past," said the senior BJP leader.

Jaitley further said federalism in India is inherent both geographically and constitutionally.

The Constitution defines 'India' i.e. 'Bharat  a Union of States'.

The states must be fiscally strong. This is the essence of Indian federalism.

Equally, if not more important, is the fact that for India to be a Union of States, there must be a strong Union, he said, adding if there is no strong Union, both India and India's federalism will stand to suffer.

"Let there be absolute clarity. India is a Union of States. It is not a Confederation of States. That is the fundamental difference between NDA and the UPA. This is also the fundamental flaw in this idea of the federal front," he said.

He said the framers of the Constitution had a vision and they were men of wisdom.

When prominent areas like defence, sovereignty, security of India, foreign policy and eventually the war against terror were maintained as primary responsibility of the Union Government, can India be ever defended without a strong Union? he wondered.

"There can be no 'federal front' without a strong Central party," Jaitley said, adding that in the both the NDA governments the nucleus of the coalition was a large party.

"There was no completion for leadership. The last word belonged to the Prime Minister. That is how the two Governments functioned. There was clarity in terms of policy and the Government had capacity to take difficult decisions and deliver," he said.

The minister further said that today we have reached a situation where India grows faster than others in the world.

"The essential pre-requisite for accelerating our movement in this direction is that India must have political stability, a clear policy direction, a strong and decisive leadership. If we falter on any one of these, we will be letting down our own people and future generations. India cannot afford lost opportunities at this stage," he said.

About 900 million Indians would start voting from April 11 to elect the next government in a seven-phased elections. The votes are scheduled to be counted on May 23. PTI NKD CS BAL
Kathmandu, Mar 17 (PTI) Buddha Air, which is Nepal's leading private air service provider, is all set to operate flights to Kolkata from May-end this year, according to a media report.

The airlines had planned to start flights to the eastern Indian city from mid-April. However, it changed its flight dates considering upcoming Indian parliamentary elections, the Himalayan Times reported.

"Although the date of the flights has been changed due to the elections, the flight schedule remains unchanged," a media statement issued by the Buddha Air was quoted as saying by the paper.

Buddha Air will operate its flights to Kolkata with the ATR 72-500 aircraft on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week. PTI RUP

RUP
New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours:



FGN18 MALDIVES-LD SWARAJ

Swaraj holds talks with her Maldivian counterpart Shahid

Male: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday held talks with her Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid and reviewed progress on important bilateral issues, including implementation of agreed outcomes of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's visit to India last year.



FGN19 PAK-JUD-LEADERSHIP

JuD, FIF leadership has gone underground after Pak govt's crackdown: Sources

Lahore: Except Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafeez Saeed, almost all leaders of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation have gone underground after the Pakistan government placed the two outfits in the list of banned organisations, official sources said on Sunday. By M Zulqernain



FGN11 NZ-SHOOTING-2NDLD INDIANS

5 Indians killed in New Zealand terror attack on mosques

Christchurch: Five Indians have been killed in the ghastly terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch in which 50 people lost their lives, the Indian High Commission said Sunday, as New Zealand grapples with the emotional fallout of its worst attack on Muslims.



FGN17 PAK-OIC-NZ-MEETING

OIC foreign ministers to meet next week in wake of NZ attacks: Qureshi

Islamabad: Foreign ministers of Muslim nations will meet in Istanbul on March 22 where an emergency meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been called to discuss ways of addressing anti-Islam sentiment following the twin mosque massacres in New Zealand, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced Sunday. By Sajjad Hussain



FGN21 UK-BREXIT-VOTE

UK PM could scrap third Brexit vote: ministers

London: British Prime Minister Theresa May's government warned Sunday it could scrap a planned Brexit vote this week unless it felt it could win and avoid a long-term EU withdrawal delay.(AFP)



FGN10 INDONESIA-2NDLD FLOODS

At least 50 killed by flash floods in Indonesia's Papua

Jayapura (Indonesia): At least 50 people have been killed by flash floods in Indonesia's eastern Papua province, an official said Sunday, as rescuers raced to find more victims of the disaster. (AFP)



FGN9 NZ-ATTACK-GUN LAWS

New Zealand PM says gun laws to change after mosque attack

Christchurch: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reiterated her promise that there will be changes to the country's gun laws in the wake of a terrorist attack on two mosques and said her Cabinet will discuss the policy details on Monday. (AP)



FGN8 NZ-ATTACK-ARDERN

New Zealand PM received gunman's 'manifesto' minutes before attack

Christchurch: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her office received a "manifesto" from the gunman suspected of killing 50 people in two Christchurch mosques minutes before Friday's attack. (AFP)



FGN14 NZ-LD AIRPORT

'Suspicious package' shutters New Zealand's Dunedin airport

Christchurch: New Zealand police closed Dunedin airport late Sunday after a suspicious device was reported on the airfield.(AFP)



FGN22 ZIMBABWE-MOZAMBIQUE-CYCLONE

Scores dead after cyclone hits Mozambique, Zimbabwe

Maputo: At least 48 people have been killed in Mozambique and 39 in neighbouring Zimbabwe after tropical cyclone Idai tore through the two southern African countries, officials and media said Sunday. (AFP)



FGN20 MALI-ARMY-ATTACK

At least 8 dead as gunmen storm Mali army camp

Bamako: At least eight people were killed on Sunday in a raid by suspected jihadists on an army camp in central Mali, military and security sources said, warning the toll could rise. (AFP)

RUP

RUP
Mumbai, Mar 17 (PTI) Top stories from the western

region at 1645 hrs.

BOM 1 GA-PARRIKAR-BJP

Panaji: Amid Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's

deteriorating health, the BJP says it is "already thinking on

Goa political transit phase" even as the party asserted that

the state government was "stable" and warned people against

rumours.

BOM 5 GJ-NZ-ATTACK-FAMILIES

Ahmedabad: A carnage in far away New Zealand left

three families grieving in Gujarat as four of their relatives

are among those killed in the shootings at two mosques in

Christchurch that shook the world.

BOM 4 GJ-POLL-SHAH

Ahmedabad: Gujarat BJP workers want party president

Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar parliamentary seat in

the sate where polling will be held on April 23, a party

legislator says.

BOM 2 MH-PETER-HOSPITAL

Mumbai: Former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused

in the Sheena Bora murder case, admitted to the state-run J J

Hospital in Mumbai after complaining of chest pain.

BES 9 GJ-ACCIDENT-DEATHS

Surat: Over a fortnight after they went missing,

bodies of five members of a family in Gujarat's Surat fished

out from a local canal. PTI

GK GK
MP BJP leaders join party's 'chowkidar' social media campaign

Bhopal, Mar 17 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh BJP leaders Sunday

joined the party's "chowkidar" social media poll campaign,

hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi added "chowkidar" to

his Twitter handle profile and asked people to take the

#MainBhiChowkidar pledge against corruption.

Among the leaders was former MP chief minister Shivraj

Singh Chouhan, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and

state unit chief Rakesh Singh.

"Chowkidar" is a term often used by the PM to describe

his role at the Centre as a watchdog against corruption as

well as his hands-on style of work.

However, the Congress, which has alleged corruption to

the tune of several thousand crore in the Rafale fighter jet

purchase deal, has been hitting back with the slogan

"chowkidar chor hai" (watchman is a thief).

The ruling BJP has now turned the watchman moniker

into Lok Sabha poll campaign ammunition by asking people to

use it along with their names on social media platforms.

Several Union ministers and BJP leaders have already

made the "chowkidar" addition to their social media profiles.

PTI LAL

BNM BNM
Guj: BJP, Cong hold meetings for Lok Sabha poll candidates

Ahmedabad, Mar 17 (PTI) The Gujarat BJP Sunday held a

meeting to discuss names of candidates for the state's 26 Lok

Sabha seats.

All 26 seats, currently held by the BJP, will go to

polls in a single phase on April 23.

The meeting, which took place in Gandhinagar, was

attended by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, state Lok

Sabha poll in charge Om Mathur and state unit chief Jitu

Vaghani among others.

Names of probable candidates will be discussed for

three days after which a final report will be sent to the

party high command in Delhi, a leader said on condition of

anonymity.

Senior BJP leaders met Sunday to discuss names of

probable candidates for Vadodara, Bharuch, Panchmahals, Chhota

Udepur, Dahod, Valsad, Navsari, Vardoli, Surat, Anand and

Kheda Lok Sabha constituencies, Rupani said in a Facebook

post.

"The Lok Sabha election committee met in Gandhinagar.

Discussions were held on candidates for the Lok Sabha seats

based on input received by party's poll observers," Rupani

said.

Rupani said names of probable candidates for Vadodara,

Bharuch, Panchmahals, Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Valsad, Navsari,

Vardoli, Surat, Anand and Kheda Lok Sabha seats were

discussed.

Sources said sitting MPs from the 26 seats were

discussed Sunday.

Discussions on rest of the seats will be held tomorrow

and day after tomorrow, a party source said.

The opposition Congress also held a meeting Sunday

under the leadership of state unit president Amit Chavda.

Party sources said Congress leaders from Kheda, Kutch

and Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituencies were among those

who met Chavda.

Discussions were also held on the party's preparations

for bypolls in five Assembly constituencies, Congress sources

said. PTI KA PD

BNM BNM
Mumbai, Mar 17 (PTI) Former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was admitted to the state-run J J Hospital here after he complained of chest pain, officials said on Sunday.

Mukerjea, who was lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in Central Mumbai, had been complaining of chest pain for the last few days, a police official said.

On Saturday evening, he again suffered from severe pain in the chest following which the prison medical staff checked him and rushed him to the J J Hospital, he said.

"Mukerjea was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening for chest pain. The patient's condition is stable and he is undergoing treatment," J J Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Sanjay Surase said.

The CBI told a special court here earlier this month that Mukerjea is the "silent killer" of Sheena Bora, the daughter of his wife and former media executive Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship.

The April 2012 murder of Sheena Bora (24) came to light in August 2015 when Indrani Mukerjea's driver Shyamvar Rai spilled the beans after being arrested in another case.

Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, Rai and Peter Mukerjea were subsequently arrested in the case. Rai later became an approver and was pardoned.

The CBI has claimed a financial dispute led to the killing of Sheena Bora. PTI DC GK NSD

NSD
Kolkata, Mar 17 (PTI) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday accused the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of being a "clone" of the previous Left Front regime, and alleged that she was following the same "repressive" measures adopted by her predecessors.

Likening her with Goddess Durga, she said Banerjee fought the "demons" of the 34-year-long Left Front government in the state, and also atrocities by her own workers when she was in the Congress

"The amount of violence she had to go through during her Youth Congress days and from the Communists, she is making everyone suffer the same," Sitharaman said, while asking her if "is this the politics you want to do? Is this 'parivartan' (change)?"

Claiming that the Left Front rule was a "waste" as nothing improved in the state, the minister said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has also "failed" to fulfil aspirations of the people of West Bengal, which was once the foremost in the country in every field.

"The TMC rule in the state is a clone of the previous Communist regime," she said, questioning whether the people of the state "voted for such poor cloning".

Alleging that Banerjee was not "cooperating" with the country's own government, she asked, "Is the central government of our own or of some other country?"

Sitharaman said the TMC supremo accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "suit boot ki sarkar wooing industry bigwigs", while Banerjee herself was asking for investments from them with "folded hands".

The defence minister claimed there is misrule and lack of law and order in the state, and "nobody wants to come to Bengal, despite so many global investment meets".

Criticising the chief minister over the Balakot air strike, she asked her: "Are you with India, nationalist Indians, or are you helping our enemies?"

Observing that the scars of partition and atrocities of the Pakistan Army in erstwhile East Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh, is still evident among those who were displaced, she alleged that the TMC is "helping the same Pakistan by

questioning India's strike on terror camps at Balakot".

Commenting on BJP president Amit Shah's visit to the state, Sitharaman wondered whether the chief minister was "afraid" of it. "You are the CM here, what are you afraid of?"

She also claimed that the TMC had not allowed opposition party candidates to file nominations in the 2018 panchayat polls in the state.

The TMC won 30 per cent seats in the state uncontested, Sitharaman added. PTI AMR RBT KJ
LJP faces uphill task of reasserting its political stance

By Nachiketa Narayan

Patna, Mar 17 (PTI) The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP),

founded by Ram Vilas Paswan, is facing an uphill task this

time in the Lok Sabha elections of reasserting its political

standing after the party chief has virtually passed on the

baton to his son Chirag Paswan.

Serving his eighth term as the MP from Hajipur Lok

Sabha seat, which Ram Vilas Paswan has won with record margins

on more than one occasion, the septuagenarian leader has made

it clear that he will not be contesting the polls and seek

re-entry into Parliament through the Rajya Sabha.

His party, however, will be contesting six out of the

40 seats in Bihar the same number the LJP had won in 2014

in alliance with the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumars

Janata Dal (United).

The success of his party in these six seats which

include brother Ram Chandra Paswans Samastipur, as also Jamui

represented by Chirag Paswan would show the esteem in which

people still hold the legacy of the Union minister whose

frequent change of loyalties has earned him the colourful

sobriquet 'mausam vaigyanik', meaning a weatherman who has the

uncanny knack of sensing which way the wind blows.

The party had come into being in 2000 following a

bitter feud with Sharad Yadav, the veteran socialist leader,

who at that time headed the JD(U) with which Paswan was

aligned.

He sought recognition as a separate group with the

support of four out of 10 JD(U) MPs including himself, which

was granted by the then Lok Sabha speaker GMC Balayogi and the

LJP was thus founded.

LJP started off with its founder being a member of the

Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet. He then quit the NDA and gave

up his ministerial berth in protest against the 2002 riots in

BJP-ruled Gujarat.

Since 2002, Paswan has changed his loyalties at a

head-spinning rate, meeting with success on some occasions as

also humiliating losses like his own defeat in the 2009 Lok

Sabha polls, and its members in both the houses of the state

legislature defecting to the JD(U) in the next few years.

The JD(U)s exit from the National Democratic Alliance

(NDA) in 2013 made the BJP look for new allies and the

opportunity was seized by Paswan even though it required him

to hold the brief for Narendra Modi ironically, the man

blamed for Gujarat riots as the then chief minister of the

western Indian state.

It is believed that the emergence of India as a new

economic power under Modis plank of development with

corruption-free governance became an obvious justification for

Paswans realignment in the larger interest of the people.

If voters re-endorse this plank of the NDA, 'mausam'

(weather) would turn out to be favourable for the LJP too. PTI

NAC MM

JM JM
New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) In the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar the nation has lost a true patriot, BJP president Amit Shah said Sunday, remembering him as a leader who dedicated his life to the country and ideology.

Shah said Parrikar has shown how a BJP worker "even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last".

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also condoled his demise and said his contribution in making the armed forces a lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled.

Shah said, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar ji's commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary. He will always be remembered for his contributions as India's defence minister and as CM of Goa."

The entire BJP, he said, stands firmly with Parrikar's family.

"I along with millions of BJP karyakartas (workers) and importantly the people of Goa, who were his family, express my deepest condolences. May God give the bereaved family strength to withstand this tragic loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he tweeted.

Parrikar died on Sunday following a long illness.

Terming him a sincere, honest and sensitive political activist, Sitharaman said she learnt a lot from Parrikar.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she tweeted.

Parrikar headed the defence ministry from November 2014 to March 2017. PTI KR PR AAR
New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) The CBI has arrested two senior Indian Forest Service officers for allegedly bribing an environment ministry official, officials said Sunday.

Tarun Johri and D Gogoi, both chief conservators of forest, posted in Arunachal Pradesh and Port Blair respectively, were arrested in a case of Rs 20,000 to the environment ministry official for getting a departmental work done.

It is alleged that some departmental service matter of Gogoi was pending in the ministry for which he sought help of his batchmate Johri, who was on a visit to Delhi, they said.

Johri paid Rs 10,000 to the official on behalf of Gogoi to a ministry official who complained to his superior about the bribe, they said.

A case was registered and during the verification process by the CBI, Gogoi paid another Rs 10,000 to the official, they said.

After successful verification, Johri was arrested Saturday, while Gogoi was nabbed Sunday, they said. PTI ABS KJ

KJ

KJ
New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) From putting an emphasis on indigenisation in the defence sector to ensuring that a home- grown fighter jet joins the air force fleet, from the defence forces carrying out a surgical strike to signing of the Rafale deal, Manohar Parrikar had an eventful tenure as the defence minister.

The IITian, who died Sunday after battling a pancreatic illness for over a year, had moved to the South Block at the insistence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2014.

His nearly three-year tenure saw the Army conducting the surgical strike in September 2016, after a terror attack claimed lives of 19 soldiers in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir.

Parrikar also ensured that the long-pending Light Combat Aircraft Tejas is inducted in the Indian Air Force's fleet, besides taking steps to ease the process of indgenisation in the defence sector.

The political controversy over the Rafale jet deal, initiated in September 2016, cast a shadow on his tenure.

Last month, the back and forth between the Congress and the government over the estimated Rs 58,000 crore deal to buy 36 combat jets from France took a new turn with a report in The Hindu daily.

The report cited a November 24, 2015 note of the Defence Ministry which said that parallel discussions by the PMO "weakened the negotiating position of the MoD and Indian negotiating team".

Parrikar had termed the note an "overreaction".

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi claimed that Parrikar had said he had nothing to do with the Rafale deal.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sithataraman said Parrikar, who was her predecessor, was a sincere, honest and sensitive political activist, and she learnt a lot from him.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she tweeted.

Parrikar had moved back to Goa as the chief minister of the coastal state following political compulsion that ensued after the state polls and BJP allies demanded that he head the government.

The Defence Ministry also paid rich tributes to Parrikar.

"@DefenceMinIndia conveys deep condolences on demise of former RM, Mr @manoharparrikar. With hallmarks of strong & decisive leadership, Mr Manohar Parrikar will be missed by whole of the def establishment. Mr Parrikar was at the helm in defence of the Nation from 2014 to 2017," the ministry tweeted. PTI PR AAR
New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Sunday released its health manifesto ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and urged all political parties to give priority to the health sector.

The manifesto contains various suggestions to improve public health, change policy directions, streamline medical education and improve medical research.

"There is insufficient funding in the healthcare sector and the GDP in healthcare is at a dismal rate of 1.2 pc. The out of pocket expenditure is one of the highest for our country and every year over 3.3 per cent of people are pushed below poverty line due to expenditure on health," said Dr Santanu Sen, the national president of IMA.

"In order to improve the overall healthcare sector and cope up with the out of pocket expenses, the GDP must be increased to at least 5 per cent," he said.

The IMA will soon launch a countrywide 'Health First' campaign to propagate the manifesto among the candidates, political parties and the public.

The local units of IMA will conduct public meetings and seminars in which the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections will also be invited.

"The primary and preventive care should be given top priority. Wellness centres have to be reconceived and they have to be manned by MBBS graduates," said Dr R V Asokan, the general secretary of IMA.

"MBBS doctors are ready to work in rural areas and the IMA can facilitate availability of manpower to the primary care centres. There should be recruitment boards to recruit MBBS graduates for primary care," he said. PTI PLB SNE

SNE
New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) The Bhim Army said the Congress has done nothing for Dalits during its 60-year rule and there is no reason for it to support the party in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls.

The remarks by the Bhim Army's national president Vinay Ratan Singh came days after Congress general secretary in-charge for east Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met its chief Chandrashekhar Azad at a hospital in Meerut on Wednesday, which is being seen as a Dalit outreach move of her party.

"The Congress fought B R Ambedkar. The party ruled the country for so long, but did nothing for us. Atrocities were inflicted on Dalits under its rule. It gave rise to the RSS and the BJP," Singh alleged, adding "there's not a single reason for us to support it".

"She wanted to meet Chandrashekhar bhai, but he said no. She then made a special request and they met for a few minutes. No political issue figured in their talks," he told PTI.

The Dalit group's founder, Chandrashekhar Azad, had announced at a rally in the national capital on Friday that he would contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and welcomed support of all parties, including the Congress, to take on the BJP.

Chandrashekhar had also sought the support of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for his candidature, saying his group would back their alliance in other seats.

Singh said the Bhim Army would not have supported BSP supremo Mayawati had she not been part of the Dalit movement and asked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to make amends for the mistakes of his party.

He said a few people in the SP have taken up the issues of Dalits. "But, mistakes have been made and Akhilesh Yadav should give an answer. He should make amends if he wants Dalits to vote for his party," he said.

He was referring to SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's comment in Parliament that Modi should become prime minister again and the party's alleged silence on Dalit issues.

Asked about Mayawati terming the Bhim Army a product of the BJP during the 2017 Saharanpur clashes, he said, "We would have never supported her and her party had she not been part of the Dalit movement. There are a number of Dalit MPs and MLAs who are not part of this movement. We have nothing to do with them."

Singh also said a candidate would also be fielded against Union minister Smriti Irani.

He said they would also field candidates in Punjab which has a considerable Dalit population. The state sends 13 representatives to the Lok Sabha.

The Chandrashekhar-led group shot to limelight during the May 2017 clashes between Dalits and upper caste Thakurs in Saharanpur.

Chandrashekhar was arrested after the clashes. Though he was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court, the UP Police arrested him under the stringent National Security Act. He was released in September 2018 after 16 months in jail. PTI GVS ANB

ANB
Hyderabad, Mar 17 (PTI) The parents of Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer feared dead in the Christchurch mosque massacre, are expected to leave for New Zealand on Sunday night, a family member said.

Khursheed, brother of Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a city resident who is recovering after being shot, told PTI that he too would be travelling to the country.

Khursheed was supposed to leave for New Zealand on Saturday night, but could not as he did not have a confirmed ticket, he said.

A cousin of Ahsan recalled his childhood and their stay at Hanmakonda (Warangal) in Telangana, saying he was a bright student who did his engineering course from a city college.

Fifty people were killed in the attack in two mosques in New Zealand.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted on Saturday night that Ahsan had passed away. PTI SJR APR RHL
Jammu, Mar 17 (PTI) A live mortar shell was found Sunday in a stream in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir and was later defused by the bomb disposal squad, police said.

The rusted 81-MM mortar shell was found lying in the bed of the stream at Arlikhud in the Katra area by some villagers, police investigating officer Suman Singh said.

He said the bomb disposal squad of police immediately rushed to the spot and defused the shell successfully.

It is believed that the shell floated with waste from a nearby security camp, the official said. PTI TAS AQS

AQS
Touched by the compassion of the nurses who tended to her...
Panaji, Mar 18 (PTI) Union minister Nitin Gadkari arrived in Goa in the early hours of Monday by a midnight flight to decide on the leadership issue in the state following the demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Parrikar (63) died on Sunday evening at his residence near here after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year.

Gadkari, who had successfully managed to cobble together a coalition in the state under the leadership of Parrikar in 2017, will be holding discussions with the BJP Goa legislature wing during the night.

The senior leader is also scheduled to meet alliance partners, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Goa Forward Party and Independents, who had given support to the Parrikar-led government.

"The new chief minister will be sworn in by tomorrow morning," a senior BJP functionary said.

Asked if they would continue to support the BJP, the alliance partners said "no one should not be taken for granted" as their support was to Parrikar when the government was formed in 2017.

Parrikar, who was the then Union defence minister, had taken over the reigns of the state after the BJP failed to get a majority in the 2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election.

"No one can be taken for granted. But we all want this government to survive. No one can afford the dissolution of the assembly or keeping the House in suspended animation," Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai told reporters here Sunday evening after a meeting that was attended by leaders of his party, the MGP and Independents.

Sardesai said the alliance partners will take a stand only after the BJP legislative party decides its leader.

BJP MLA Michael Lobo asserted that the next chief minister has to be from the BJP. "The next CM will have to be amongst BJP MLAs," he said.

MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar, however, said nothing was finalised and a decision on leadership would be taken only after meeting Gadkari.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Sunday evening wrote a fresh letter to state Governor Mridula Sinha, staking claim to form the government.

Stating that it is the single largest party in the state, the Congress said it should be invited by the governor to form the government.

The Congress is currently the single largest party in the state with 14 MLAs, while the BJP has 12 in the 40-member Goa assembly. The Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents have three MLAs each, while the NCP has one legislator.

The strength of the House has been reduced to 36 due to the demise of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza earlier this year, and Parrikar on Sunday, and the resignations of two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte last year. PTI RPS IJT
Hyderabad, Mar 17 (PTI) Hitting out at the BJP and the Congress for allegedly failing to meet the aspirations of the people, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday said a federal front government must come to power after the Lok Sabha elections.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi president said he would play a major role and start a national party, if necessary, to herald reforms and unite the country.

"If this country is to improve, it has to move forward on par with other countries at an international level with its head held high. Only if the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are made to run away, alternative federal politics will come in this country. The writ of states should run," he said, kicking off his partys election campaign in Karimnagar.

The TRS is seeking 16 seats for itself and one seat for ally AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi to ensure that Telangana gets a "good" deal post-Lok Sabha elections. There are 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

"Not just these 16 MPs, but by gathering 100 to 150 MPs, Telangana should influence the countrys politics," he said.

The country has not been able to progress the way it should have with the Congress and the BJP at the helm of affairs since Independence, he said.

Giving an example, he said the country is blessed with 70,000 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water, however there is still drinking and irrigation water shortage. He further claimed power plants were not being used effectively.

China has progressed greatly, though it was backward earlier, he said.

Many reforms are needed in governance, judiciary, among others, he said.

During his visit to Telangana, BJP president Amit Shah had said the Centre has given plenty of funds to the state, which is not true, KCR alleged.

He said all central funds received by the state were as per the Constitution.

Telangana is among the six-seven states that make the country run, he said.

The chief minister criticised the thorny relations between the government and the opposition. While Congress chief Rahul Gandhi alleges Prime Minister Narendra Modi is corrupt, Modi retorts by saying the Gandhis are out on bail, KCR said.

He mocked the BJP's "Hindutva agenda", asking whether others outside the saffron party were not Hindus.

"The local Congress, BJP leaders are speaking today with big mouths as if there is no problem, no problem of drinking water, as if they only took contract for Hindu religion. Are you only Hindu? Are we not Hindu," he said.

"We are better Hindus than you. Nobody in India does as many 'yagas' as I do. In fact, Modi (once) said Rao spends most of his time on 'pujas'. What is your (Modi) loss if we do 'pujas'. You come if you like, I will give you 'prasadam'," he said. PTI SJR IND

IND
CHARIHO: Charihos girls and boys soccer teams both won Division II titles in dramatic fashion. The girls won in penalty kicks and the boys in the final two minutes of double overtime. The football team reached the D-III title game, as did the field hockey team. The girls volleyball team played in the D-II semifinals. Erin vonHousen was All-State in girls cross country.

STONINGTON: Stoningtons boys soccer team earned its second straight Class M state title, closing the season with 21 straight victories. The field hockey team lost in the Class S title game.

WESTERLY: Westerlys girls volleyball team reached the Division III semifinals, losing to eventual champion Scituate. The football team played in the D-II semifinals. The girls soccer team reached the D-III semifinals. Jake Serra and Kaya West were All-State in cross country.

WHEELER: Wheeler boys and girls soccer teams qualified for the Class S state tournament.

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Small energy supplier Outfox the Market, mired in serious service issues, is involved in a furious war of words with a band of former customers who have taken to social media to criticise the company.

The exchanges have resulted in the Leicester-based company writing to some members of Facebook discussion group 'Outfox the Market Escapees' warning them of imminent legal proceedings against them.

In the letter, it accuses the recipients of 'hijacking' customer review websites and involvement in 'social media hate groups'. Some have been informed that the company is seeking damages for 'injury of feelings' of 10,000.

Outfox the Market is involved in a furious war of words with a band of former customers

In turn, those who have received the letter, issued by Bastian plc  the owner of the Outfox the Market brand  and who have spoken to The Mail on Sunday say the company is 'crying fire' to disguise its woeful customer service. Any anger, they say  expressed in emails or web chat conversation  has been borne out of frustration.

Outfox the Market blazed a trail when it entered the energy supply market in September 2017 with cut-price deals and eye-catching marketing, attracting thousands of customers.

But in the past few months, the love affair has turned sour as a result of customer service problems. These have been prompted by direct debit payments being ratcheted up, credit balances not being refunded promptly and problems not being resolved.

Protest groups have been formed on Facebook while a swathe of negative reviews have been posted on website Trustpilot.

Independent analysis of customer service satisfaction levels across the energy supply market confirms Outfox the Market's fall from grace. In the last week, both Citizens Advice and uSwitch have ranked the company bottom for customer service.

Comparison website uSwitch ranked it 16th out of 16 while Citizens Advice gave it a score of 1.3 out of five with Outfox being singled out for 'direct debits increasing without explanation and customers unable to contact them to discuss'.

Citizens Advice used publication of its rankings to call for regulator Ofgem to subject suppliers to 'tougher ongoing monitoring, backed up by swift compliance and enforcement action'.

Separately, website energyhelp-line has confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that Outfox is one of three energy suppliers that are currently in receipt of its lowest awarded 'star' rating  one out of five.

This is based on a combination of complaint numbers, the call centre's opening hours and customer satisfaction levels.

Complaints handler Resolver has also told The Mail on Sunday that Outfox is currently in its top five most complained about energy businesses.

Martyn James, head of media and marketing, says: 'What has been most interesting in the last few months has been the switch from people complaining about higher direct debits to the time taken to refund any outstanding credit on their account. That is never a good sign.'

One former Outfox customer who has received Bastian's 'letter before action' says he was left 'feeling suicidal' after seeing his direct debits jump from 50 per month to 450 before Christmas.

A former lorry driver, he is disabled and survives financially on benefits. 'Where can I get 10,000 from?' he told The Mail on Sunday last week. 'I feel humiliated by all this.'

Both Citizens Advice and uSwitch have ranked the energy company bottom for customer service

Another recipient who has received a letter from Bastian urging them to 'remove' themselves from the Facebook group Outfox the Market Escapees so as to 'avoid being involved in all relevant litigation' said: 'Outfox the Market Escapees is not a hate group.

'It's more accurate to call them disgruntled customers  former and current  speaking about their experiences. Outfox should spend more time rectifying account issues and less time arguing with reviewers on sites such as Trustpilot.'

On Friday, Outfox said the company was working hard to restore customer service levels to the 'high standards it set for the vast majority of 2018'.

It also said the 'letter before action' it had sent was not as a result of customers criticising poor service. It added: 'We will not stand by while staff are harassed on the basis of race, gender or occupation. Outfox staff should not have to suffer in this way.'

Some of the Facebook posts seen by The Mail on Sunday  and provided by Outfox  are indeed racist but represent a tiny minority of the overall complaints.
Peter Tutton, head of policy at debt charity Stepchange

We support The Mail on Sundays call for improvements to help consumers avoid making unintended payments under continuous payment authority permissions.

When people are paying for services, they should not be put in a position where they end up paying for a service they no longer want that could tip them into the red when they would otherwise have stayed in the black, just because firms and the payment system quietly collude to make this happen.

We always say that, as a matter of principle, credit should be bought not sold. What we mean is that taking it should be an active choice, not just an incidental side-effect. It is precisely the reason we worry about raising credit card limits, or about checkout basket buy-now-pay-later credit.

And when people are paying for services the same firm principle must apply. The convenience that comes with auto-renewal for services people definitely want is great, but choosing to renew is  and must be  a choice.

So just assuming customers are happy to keep paying is poor practice without providing clear and visible trigger points to make cancellation a transparent option at the relevant time.

Stop the sneaky cash grab campaign Pressure is mounting on banks and regulators to stop people falling into the continuous payments trap, writes Jeff Prestridge. It is a payment system that can result in regular sums being taken from your bank account without warning because they auto-renew unless cancelled. Since we launched our campaign earlier this month, consumer groups have pledged their support, backing our five-point plan. We want companies using such authorities to contact customers at least 30 days ahead of a plans automatic renewal date, giving them the right to cancel and time to act. We also want cancellation options to be communicated by email, text and letter. And we believe banks should agree to identify such payments clearly on customer statements  with the renewal date spelt out. Finally, in signing up to such an agreement, customers should be required to tick a box, confirming that they understand the agreement will auto-renew unless cancelled. Last week Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, branded continuous payment authorities as a major problem. Today, Peter Tutton, head of policy at debt charity StepChange gives our campaign his strong support.

It takes advantage of the human trait that is forgetfulness  which in these high tech days surely doesnt need to be the case. We think firms shouldnt be relying on customer inertia to sell their services.

And we agree that bank statements and systems should make it easier for people to tell when auto-renewals are going to occur, so that they are in a better position to decide whether to cancel them in good time before they happen.

To help anyone bamboozled by the steps they need to take to ensure that continuous payment authority payments actually get cancelled, we have information on our website at www.stepchange.org.

But that doesnt address the hurdle of people not actually realising in the first place that there is a payment authority that they need to cancel.

Some of the worst problems we used to see on continuous payment authority from a debt perspective only got solved after intervention from regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority. There used to be a real problem with payday lenders continuing to take payments when they shouldnt have done.

While that particular problem has been dealt with, convenient assumptions by firms that customers are happy to keep buying their services forever mean that payments get taken when the customer doesnt intend them to be.

Debt is a complex issue, but we know that when debt occurs, lots of other things are often happening in peoples lives  exactly the kind of circumstances where its entirely feasible that cancelling a long-forgotten continuous payment authority may have slipped down the agenda.

Requiring relevant consumer prompts about cancellation at the right time should surely be a non-controversial move. It can only help consumers, rather than the sellers of services, stay in control of how their money is spent.
A little, far too late. That is the only way to describe the decision by three of the countrys biggest banks to join forces and launch a number of shared mini-branches for business customers.

The initiative, that has already kicked off with a branch opening in Birmingham (Perry Barr), is a collaboration between Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland  a triumvirate which between them have been responsible for a majority of the 1,000-odd bank branches ruthlessly culled since the beginning of last year.

Shared branches are also earmarked for Bristol, Crosby (Merseyside), Leicester, London and Manchester. The outlets, jointly owned, will be automated bar for the odd human overseer (hurrah) and allow business customers to come in and bank cash and cheques.

Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and RBS have launched a number of shared mini-branches for business customers

They will also be open for longer than traditional branches, allowing businesses to visit without interrupting their own working days. If successful, the shared branches may be extended to rural areas although I wouldnt put any money on that happening  in the same way as I wouldnt put any money into a Lloyds Easy Saver account, currently paying an embarrassing 0.2 per cent interest.

While any initiative to make banking life easier for small businesses should, of course, be welcomed, this project is misguided. For a start, it is not cities that are crying out for shared branches.

It is towns and rural communities that have been shorn of all their bank branches, leaving cash-based businesses to travel miles to bank their takings (and personal customers too). That is where this initiative should have started.

Indeed, I would guess that if these outlets take off, they could well trigger the closure of many conventional city bank branches. Thats how bank executives work  cost cutting is never far from the front of their minds (just behind thoughts of the bonuses they will earn from wielding the axe).

Secondly, the idea is sadly more than 20 years too late. Shared bank branches  rather than shared business branches  were first mooted by the now defunct Campaign for Community Banking Services in 1996.

Yet, despite the proposal garnering widespread support from business associations, charities, newspapers (none more vocal than The Mail on Sunday) and many politicians, the idea was summarily squashed by the banks like a tomato under the wheels of an HGV.

Instead, they culled branches as if they were badgers, leaving high street devastation in their wake and in the process hitting the most vulnerable (the elderly) and small businesses.

A calamitous chain of events acknowledged last week by Charles Randell, chairman of regulator the Financial Conduct Authority. Derek French, a former NatWest bank manager, was the main driver behind the CCBSs splendid but doomed shared branch initiative.

Last week, I managed to track him down and ask him for his thoughts on these new mini-business bank branches. Singularly unimpressed sums up his thoughts.

Given that thousands of bank branches have closed and hundreds of communities have been rendered bankless over the past 20 years, he said, I fear this too little too late experiment is like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. It will benefit few and satisfy hardly anyone.

A terrible state of affairs that shames Barclays, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland.

SSE has been asked to take on the 17,000 customers of collapsed Brilliant Energy

How ironic that Big Six energy provider SSE has been asked to take on the 17,000 customers of (not so) Brilliant Energy, the latest in a string of small supplier failures.

It is a reflection of regulatory failure by Ofgem which in its pursuit of greater competition has allowed any Tom, Dick, Harry or Fox (see page 103) to enter the market and challenge the fat boys. As sure as night follows days, more minnows will fall by the wayside  and other energy giants will mop up the mess.

Ofgem needs to get its act together. Yes, more competition, but from challengers fit for purpose.
There are hundreds of stocks and shares Isas to choose from  and in the run-up to the end of the tax year on April 5 advertising campaigns promising investment excellence jump off the pages.

It can be tricky to sift through the noise and find the best Isa to suit you.

As an experienced investor, I have tested accounts with nearly 30 providers  funded with my own money  to research the market.

Here's my guide through the minefield to the best Isa options to suit a variety of needs and levels of experience.

Holly Mackay has tested accounts with nearly 30 providers to research the market

Investor type: 'I'm not that interested'

The world of investment management has been slowly waking up to the fact that not everyone finds the nuances of oil price movements or emerging market debt as fascinating as they do.

It is now easier than ever to choose a stocks and shares Isa, delegating the business of investment selection and ongoing monitoring to an expert.

This hands-off approach can often be a great option as customers are more likely to be delivered a well-diversified range of investments which makes it a less risky option than an enthusiast picking a handful of shares  and being exposed to the fate of just a few companies.

So-called robo advisers such as Nutmeg and Wealthify will ask potential customers a few questions to establish what mix of investments will best suit  and then serve up a ready-made portfolio, so no prior expertise is required.

Moneybox is a simple, painless investment app which rounds up your change from any digital expenditure and sweeps the total over to your Isa on a weekly basis. This is perhaps the most enjoyable investment app I have ever seen. It has cut back on the waffle and jargon and it's amazing how loose change can add up.

A number of high street banks have jumped on board this Isa simplification bandwagon.

Santander has designed a user-friendly risk profile questionnaire for its Digital Investment Adviser which will match you to a suitable portfolio. It is a more interesting Isa journey than you might expect from a traditional bank.

It is not necessarily my top Isa pick, but it is well worth a look if you bank with them, like the peace of mind that big brands provide and you want to benefit from seeing your Isa details alongside your online banking.

Investor type: Save money and the planet

For years there has been a lot of intellectual snobbery about ethical investing. Hobbyist investors would typically curl a lip and see this as the domain of lefty, green types who are prepared to sacrifice returns for morals.

But things are changing. Indeed, a recent survey of European institutional investors found that more than 50 per cent expect half of all their assets to be managed according to environmental, social or governance criteria within five years. Not so niche any more.

If we look at the impact on performance, a leading global index with a socially responsible slant  the MSCI SRI All Countries World Index  outperformed the more traditional global index by nearly 3 per cent last year. There is growing evidence that this approach to investing stands up in its own right.

If you prefer a simple all-in-one option, many online robo advisers now offer an ethical Isa portfolio. Nutmeg has led the charge with a complex screening approach behind the scenes.

For those preferring to choose one or two ethical funds as part of a bigger portfolio, AJ Bell Youinvest is a good option offering choice and an ethical filter on its list of preferred funds. Royal London Sustainable World Trust is its top-selling ethical fund.

If you prefer bigger brands, Barclays Smart Investor offers investors the ability to open an Isa and select the Multi-Impact Growth fund.

This aims to invest in the best third-party positive impact investment brands.

Legal & General has a wide range of ethical choices in its Future World range, addressing issues such as climate change and gender diversity, for example.

The online tools for investors in this area remain remain pretty basic but the socially responsible investment range is interesting.

Investor type: The Share trader

Halifax Share Dealing is the cheapest option for most traders. Dont expect any bells or whistles and you should be confident to navigate your own path. But with a 12.50 annual Isa administration fee and a dealing fee of 12.50, costs are low, especially if you dont trade often or hold many investments.

Interactive Investor is one of the only other big names to offer a fixed fee in pounds and pence rather than as a percentage of funds. This will benefit those who have built up Isa investments of 60,000 or more over the years in a blend of shares and funds.

There is still work to be done to offer the same level of service as AJ Bell Youinvest and Hargreaves Lansdown, but this is now an option for confident investors who want choice, interesting content, low fees and who object in principle to the idea of having fees levied as a percentage of their assets.

Finally, AJ Bell Youinvest and Hargreaves Lansdown are strong all-rounders which offer a good, decently priced option for share traders. Service and ease of use is arguably better at Hargreaves Lansdown, but its hard to look past AJ Bell Youinvest as a strong option to suit differing levels of confidence and experience.

Investor type: One for the kids

Junior Isas are a tax-free savings account for children which anyone can pay into. There is an annual limit of 4,260 per child per year.

Wealthify has recently launched a Junior Isa that is probably the most novice-friendly option available. The fund selection and ongoing management are done for you and the website and mobile application are clear and simple to use.

For those wanting a little more choice, Fidelity is a big global brand that offers reasonable value and helpful fund shortlists to assist navigation and choice. Minimum fees make it relatively pricey for accounts under 7,500. Above that and the ongoing annual fee falls to 0.68 per cent.

Hargreaves Lansdown is the UKs largest online investment service. It can be expensive, but its charge for smaller Junior Isas offers good value. There are investment options to suit different levels of confidence and interest. Service is the best around.

Investor type: Save me from myself'

One of the most common mistakes I see from Isa investors is that they have some luck with a particular share or fund, get more interested, trade more and try to time the market.

But timing the market is impossible. Even if you predict events correctly, you cannot assume you will accurately predict how markets will react.

One of the most successful investors ever, George Soros, constantly reminds us that good investing should be boring. The boring solution in the Isa world is Vanguard, a US-based investment firm.

It offers the LifeStrategy range, funds providing access to a broad global mix of investments. Opening a Vanguard Isa and using a fund from this range will cost 0.48 per cent a year. Vanguard will monitor, anticipate, tweak and manage the global range of investments for you.

If this removes investment fun, dont forget you can have more than one Isa. The rules just say you cant pay into more than one investment Isa in any one tax year. If your enthusiasm may be leading to poorer outcomes why not open a new low-cost, ready-made option next tax year (April 6 onwards) and see which approach does better.
Investment trust Merchants represents an attractive proposition for investors in search of income.

Last week, the 656million fund, managed by Allianz Global Investors, appeared on a list of 'dividend heroes' published by trade organisation, the Association of Investment Companies.

It is one of 20 trusts that have increased their annual dividend for more than 20 consecutive years. In Merchants' case, it has pushed up its dividend in each of the past 36 years  and is on course to make that 37 in the coming months with a hike for its financial year of at least 4.4 per cent.

It is one of 20 trusts that have increased their annual dividend for more than 20 years in a row

What makes the trust doubly attractive is that the annual income it pays is at the high end of the scale  an attractive 5.3 per cent, gleaned from a 43-stock portfolio of UK-listed companies.

Many of the trusts on the dividend heroes list  such as Alliance, Bankers, Foreign & Colonial and Witan  have yields of below three per cent.

The trust's manager is Simon Gergel who has been at the helm for nearly 13 years. He says: 'I like to fish in the pond of high-yielding stocks and I am not frightened to rotate the portfolio in search of value.'

The result is that last year he sold seven holdings while taking new positions in six companies. Out went drinks manufacturer Diageo (overvalued, according to Gergel), Lloyds Banking Group (deteriorating outlook for the UK economy), Kier (too much debt), share registrar Equiniti, technology company Nex (ahead of being bought by CME), Sainsbury's and transport company FirstGroup.

In their place have come ITV, tobacco companies Imperial Brands and BAT, wealth manager St James's Place, property company Hammerson and engineer Keller. Since the turn of the year, he has also exited Marks & Spencer  a decision that he took ahead of the retailer's link-up with Ocado.

The trust's biggest stakes are all in traditional income-friendly companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, HSBC and Legal & General.

Yet he is quite happy to hold companies outside the main FTSE 100 Index  the likes of Keller  if they can deliver a growing dividend.

A third of the largest 350 companies by market capitalisation have yields in excess of five per cent. Gergel is also content to hold on to shares even if a strong share performance results in a drop in the dividend yield.

Gergel acknowledges that there are now more risks in the domestic economy than there were because of procrastination over securing a Brexit deal. He says: 'Companies are putting on hold investment decisions.'

Merchants is an ideal holding for income investors. Dividends are paid quarterly and returns are not denuded by the trust's management costs, with the overall ongoing charge working out at a modest 0.58 per cent.

The trust also has nearly a year's income stored away in reserve that it can draw upon to protect shareholders' income if the economy cuts up rough and companies rein in dividends.

The only slight drawback is that the trust does have some 112million of borrowings that carry an annual interest charge just above six per cent.

Although Gergel insists this is not a millstone for the trust, it does mean that for the borrowing to deliver a positive outcome for shareholders, the manager must deliver investment returns in excess of the debt's cost.

Over the past year, Merchants produced an overall return of 6 per cent. Over three and five years, the equivalent figures are 37 per cent and 23 per cent.
One of Britains best-paid female bosses has handed her daughter more than 4million in shares.

Avril Palmer-Baunack, who runs WeBuyAnyCar owner BCA Marketplace, gifted her daughter Iona two million shares in the FTSE 250 company last week.

Palmer-Baunack, 54, faced a backlash last year after pocketing a share bonus worth 29million, making her one of the best-paid women in the country.

Shares: Avril Palmer-Baunack and her daughter Iona, right

Shareholder advisors Glass Lewis called the bonus exceptionally disproportionate, claiming the used car companys value may have been inflated by general stock market swings rather than by her management.

Now stock market filings indicate she has handed some of those controversial shares to her daughter who graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2017 and is now studying for a PhD.

Based on the current share price, the gift is worth nearly 4.2million.

Born and bred in Edinburgh, Avril Palmer-Baunack lives near Milton Keynes with her husband Uwe, a German executive at Volkswagen. She also has a grown-up son.

Palmer-Baunacks 29million bonus thrust her into the centre of a row involving her former employer Stobart.

In leaked emails, Stobarts former boss Andrew Tinkler, referring to the bonus, suggested that he might have been better off if he had a pair of t*** like Avril.
Eight major companies were last night forced to defend links between their senior directors and the Big Four accountancy giants that audit them.

Aviva, Dixons Carphone and private equity giant Melrose are among the firms named and shamed in a new report alleging that board-level connections with auditors represent conflicts of interest.

The report, from shareholder advisory group Pirc, comes at a time when accountancy firms  and in particular the Big Four of KPMG, Deloitte, EY and PwC  are coming under intense political pressure over their auditing work.

Aviva, Dixons Carphone and Melrose are among the firms named and shamed in a new report

In recent years, auditors have come under the spotlight over their connections with scandal-hit firms including Sir Philip Greens BHS, the collapsed outsourcing giant Carillion and the cake shop chain Patisserie Valerie.

Last week, the Government announced that audit watchdog the Financial Reporting Council would be scrapped and replaced by a body with new powers to hold firms to account.

In its annual corporate governance report, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Pirc identifies BHP Group  a mining giant listed in London and Australia  as a prime example of a company with unacceptable connections with its auditors.

Lindsay Maxsted, the chair of the firms audit committee, was until 2007 the chief executive of the Australian division of KPMG  the accountant that audits BHP. Pirc said this suggested an exceedingly close relation between the auditor and the company that is considered highly inappropriate.

BHP, which declined to comment, is replacing KPMG with EY later this year. KPMG along with EY are the joint auditors of London-listed bank Investec  which counts David Friedland, a former KPMG partner, as a non-executive director.

Miner BHP is cited as a prime example of a company with unacceptable connections with its auditors

Investec said Friedland retains independence of judgment given he was never Investec Limiteds designated auditor or relationship partner and was not involved with its Investec account.

Deloitte is caught up in three alleged conflicts. Its position as auditor for Melrose, the corporate raider that bought engineer GKN in controversial circumstances last year, is considered by Pirc to be particularly inappropriate because Deloitte is also a remuneration consultant for the firm, advising on how much executives should be paid.

Melrose said it had dropped Deloitte as a remuneration adviser in March last year and has replaced the firm with audit rival PwC.

Dixons Carphones independence from Deloitte is also raised as an issue because the companys non-executive director Gerry Murphy was a partner at the firm until 2013. Dixons Carphone said it considers Murphy to be independent.

Deloittes position as auditor of Great Portland Estates was also flagged up as an area for concern because the property firms ex-chairman Martin Scicluna was an employee at the auditor for 34 years.

Dixons Carphones independence from Deloitte is also raised as an issue

Scicluna left the firm  which declined to comment  in January to take up the same role at Sainsburys. Pirc also blasted the link between Fresnillo and its auditor EY. The miners audit committee chair Alberto Tiburcio was chief executive of Mancera SC, the Mexican firm of EY, until 2013. The firm declined to comment.

PwCs links to Aviva  which counts former PwC vice chair Glyn Barker as a senior independent director  and gold miner Centamin were also highlighted. The latter case relates to non-executive director Alison Baker, who was a partner at PwC.

However, she neither sits on the audit committee nor the remuneration committee and Centamin claims it has followed the letter of corporate governance rules.

A PwC spokesman said the firm adheres to all regulatory rules. EY said it has in place stringent rules around conflict of interest.

The other auditors declined to comment.
Ocado boss Tim Steiner with his partner, model Patrycja Pyk

A massive bonus scheme which could see Ocado boss Tim Steiner pocket up to 100million is 'excessive' and should be rejected by shareholders, according to an influential investor group.

The payouts, revealed by The Mail on Sunday, are based on the online grocer boosting its share price over the next five years.

Steiner's payout is capped at 20million a year and four senior executives could each get a maximum of 5million a year.

But Glass Lewis, which advises shareholders on corporate governance and pay, said the targets were too short term and could see Ocado bosses get rich from buoyant market forces rather than management strategy.

In a report distributed to institutional shareholders, the group said it had 'severe reservations' because executives 'may be eligible for extremely large payouts' solely based on a rise in the share price.

Ocado, which recently struck a 750million deal to replace its partner Waitrose with Marks & Spencer, has given huge bonuses to Steiner and the board previously.

Steiner, 49, is in line for a separate 25million bonus in May and recently bought a 156ft superyacht, named Silver Fox.

Glass Lewis is also advising shareholders to vote against the re-election of five board members, including secretive Tetra magnate Jorn Rausing, who only managed to turn up to eight of 11 board meetings.

Sources close to Ocado pointed out that the bonus scheme is a long term plan which aims to create substantial and sustained benefits to shareholders.
Ministers drew up secret plans to nationalise parts of hospital cleaning and school dinner contractor Interserve before it was rescued from the brink of collapse last week, leaked documents reveal.

An internal Whitehall strategy memo seen by The Mail on Sunday shows that the civil service last year put together a proposal to create a state-controlled company that would have been on standby in case struggling Interserve went into liquidation.

In that eventuality the Government was prepared to move staff into the new company to ensure vital public services were not disrupted.

Ministers drew up secret plans to nationalise parts of Interserve

The plans are one of the few instances of the Government being prepared to bail out a failed company since RBS and Halifax Bank of Scotland were controversially rescued using taxpayer cash in the financial crisis more than a decade ago.

The East Coast Main Line rail franchise was also brought back into public control when it failed last year.

But the documents raise fresh questions about the structure of the Government contracts system. The entire outsourcing sector is creaking under severe financial strain a year after the collapse of contractor Carillion.

By drafting a detailed emergency plan for one of its contractors, the Government has indicated that it has become so reliant on the services provided by firms such as Interserve, Kier and Capita that it now considers some of them too big and important to fail.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: We do not comment on leaked documents. However, we would point out that it is sensible for central government and other public sector buyers to prepare for all eventualities  even ones we consider unlikely  and make sure that public services are protected.

Interserve had to resort to a pre-pack administration on Friday after its shareholders voted against a rescue plan formed by management. Ownership of the company was passed to its lenders and it is no longer listed on the stock market.

As part of the deal, a consortium of banks, including HSBC and RBS, have written off close to 830million in gross debt. After the agreement with lenders on Friday night, Interserve said: It is business as usual for employees, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

Interserve, which employs 45,000 people in the UK and 68,000 worldwide, said the restructuring safeguarded workers and allowed operations to continue with minimal disruption.

The Cabinet Office said the move brings the company the stability required for it to compete for future business and continue to deliver good value public services for the taxpayer.

Analysis by The Mail on Sunday found that Interserve had secured 45 Government contracts worth an estimated 414million since October 2017, when it issued its second profit warning and entered into crisis talks with lenders.

It derives two-thirds of its 2.9billion revenues from Government contracts. The most recent deal Interserve secured from Whitehall was a 600million contract for discharging patients from hospitals. Interserve was one of 16 suppliers named on the contract.

The most recent deal Interserve secured from Whitehall was a 600million contract for discharging patients from hospitals

Interserves work with the hospitals started just over a week ago. The company had been charged with moving patients from acute care units into care homes or back into their own residences.

Other key wins included a 66.7million contract with the Crown Commercial Service, an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, awarded last July.

The outsourcer also secured a 31.4million contract with Londons Metropolitan Police. The contract, awarded in January 2018 and ending in April 2028, is for supplying equipment and engineering services.

These contracts were awarded despite chief executive Debbie White warning analysts in February that the company had lost out on 150 million worth of contracts in the final three months of the previous year because it was in financial difficulties.

The outsourcer also secured a 31.4million contract with Londons Metropolitan Police

Last week, Capita posted a 26 per cent fall in profits, which came after a string of profit warnings in 2017 and a 700million rights issue in 2018.

Kier, which undertook a 250million rights issue at the end of last year, revealed last week that an accounting error had added 40million to its debt, sending its shares down by more than 10 per cent. The share prices of Capita and Kier have fallen by 26 per cent and 51 per cent respectively over the past year.

Construction giant Carillion went into liquidation in January 2018 after buckling under a huge debt pile. MPs described the failure as a story of recklessness, hubris and greed, its business model was a relentless dash for cash.

In the wake of the scandal, the Government asked outsourcers to document details of their public sector work to allow for the smooth transfer of the business in the case of insolvency.
LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate kicked off St Patrick's Day celebrations in London on Sunday as they observed a parade of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards and Kate presented a shamrock to its officers.

From Galway to New York, events are being held across countries with parades and parties to mark Ireland's National Day, when revellers traditionally dress in green.

Donning a dark green coat, Kate also greeted a tall Irish wolfhound and mascot Domhnall while William, dressed in full military attire, took the salute during a march past.

William, the grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth and second in line to the throne, is colonel of the Irish Guards, a regiment of the British army.

The couple will later meet members of the regiment and attend a lunch. Events will be held across London to celebrate the day. (Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian)
Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sport shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Prim + Preux, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer panty hoses, tights, and leggings under the brands of Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, GT a GoldToe Brand, Silver Toe, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Kushyfoot, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brand names; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, or embellishers, as well as to retailers and consumer brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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Cerro Grande Mining Corporation is a mining, exploration and development company. The Company produces gold, silver and copper, with operations mainly in Chile. Its Pimenton mine encompasses 3,121 hectares (7,708 acres). The Company's other assets are a porphyry copper deposit (the Pimenton Porphyry) and other projects in various stages of exploration and development in Chile, which include Santa Cecilia, Tordillo, and two limestone deposits Catedral and Cal Norte. The Company holds mining claims on Tordillo, which is located 11.5 kilometers southsouthwest of Pimenton and covers an area of 6,632 hectares (16,381 acres). The Company is the 100% owner of the Santa Cecilia project, which is located in the Maricunga gold district of Chile and adjacent to Exeter Resources Caspiche project. The Catedral Project is located 80 kilometers in a direct line south east of Santiago.

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Aston Bay Holdings Ltd., an exploration stage company, acquires, explores, and develops mineral properties in North America. The company explores for copper, zinc, lead, silver, gold, and precious metal deposits. It holds a 100% interest in the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc project that consists of 118 contiguous mining claims and 12 prospecting permits covering an area of approximately 381,468 hectares on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada, as well as holds an interest in the Blue Ridge Project located in central Virginia, the United States. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Varian Medical Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products for treating cancer and other medical conditions worldwide. It operates through Oncology Systems and Proton Solutions segments. The Oncology Systems segment offers hardware and software products for treating cancer with radiotherapy, fixed field intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, artificial intelligence based adaptive radiotherapy, and brachytherapy, as well as quality assurance equipment. Its products include linear accelerators, brachytherapy afterloaders, treatment accessories, and quality assurance software; and information management, treatment planning, image processing, clinical knowledge exchange, patient care management, decision-making support, and practice management software. This segment serves university research and community hospitals, private and governmental institutions, healthcare agencies, physicians' offices, medical oncology practices, radiotherapy centers, and cancer care clinics. The Proton Solutions segment designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and services products and systems for delivering proton therapy for the treatment of cancer. The company has a strategic agreement with McKesson Corp. to supply treatment delivery systems and planning, services, and radiotherapy information system solutions to its U.S. Oncology Network and Vantage Oncology affiliated sites of care; and a strategic partnership with Siemens AG to represent Siemens diagnostic imaging products to radiation oncology clinics in the United States and other select markets. Varian Medical Systems, Inc. was formerly known as Varian Associates, Inc. and changed its name to Varian Medical Systems, Inc. in April 1999. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

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HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TED speaker, entrepreneur, and award-winning author Jared Kleinert will explore the nature and impact of high-achieving millennials during his lunchtime keynote at a Bermuda industry forum in New York Thursday.



Kleinert, named USA Todays Most Connected Millennial, a Champion for Humanity by the United Nations, and a delegate to President Obamas 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, will discuss how millennials and post-millennials measure success, take risks, view their role in the workplace, and set expectations for their careers.

Im honoured to keynote the BDAs NYC Executive Forum, said the 23-year-old author of several books, including his latest, 3Billion Under 30: How Millennials Continue Redefining Success, Breaking Barriers and Changing the World. As one of the BDAs stakeholders abroad, and a former resident of New York, Im excited to join Team Bermuda as the island showcases its value to corporate leaders in the United States. I look forward to sharing my researchand Im also excited to be returning to Bermuda to host more summits later this year.

Kleinert joins former New York mayor and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg and American International Group President and CEO Brian Duperreault as special guests participating in the March 21 Bermuda Executive Forum New York at Convene at 117 West 46th Street. Hosted by the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), the full-day forum will spotlight key industry sectors in the Bermuda market and underscore the islands historic and mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.

The multi-industry forum is the latest in a series hosted in different cities by the BDA, including two in London, one in Miami, and a previous successful New York event last May. Along with Kleinerts talk, a highlight of Thursdays programme will be a fireside chat kicking off the day featuring Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Bermuda Premier David Burtmoderated by AIGs Duperreault, a Bermuda market veteran.

The Premier will be joined in New York by Finance Minister Curtis Dickinson, Executive Chair of the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) Jeremy Cox, BDA CEO Roland Andy Burrows, and more than 40 leading industry and regulatory leaders who will participate in panel discussions on global trends and the advantages and opportunities for business in Bermuda.

Kleinerts books profile young people who have founded companies collectively worth billions of dollars, including WordPress, Duolingo, and General Assembly, as well as celebrities, social-media influencers and leaders across diverse industries ranging from virtual reality to lunar settlement. His insights on entrepreneurship and networking have been featured in Forbes, TIME, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, NPR, Entrepreneur, Mashable, and Fox Business.

As the founder of Meeting of the Minds, an invite-only community that hosted a summit in Bermuda last fall, Kleinert has said he is committed to building a millennial-led network of super-connectorsfrom CEOs to pre-IPO tech unicorns and other industry pioneers.

Thursdays forum8am to 5:30pm, followed by a networking receptiontargets prospective investors and others interested in learning about Bermudas world-class market. Panellists will debate topics including Brexit, US tax reform, and the European Unions substance regime, along with trends affecting industries from healthcare-liability to disruptive technologies. To register, go to: http://bda.bm/bermuda-executive-forum-new-york/

MEDIA CONTACT:

Rosemary Jones

Head of Communications & Marketing

rosemary@bda.bm

441 278-6558/441 337-4696

CONNECTING BUSINESS

The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Our goal? To make doing business in Bermuda smooth and beneficial.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d12a8d0d-482b-4102-9e5d-122fce4d6d6a.
While the talking heads on the tube were all aghast at the news of ultra-rich people scamming to get their kids into elite schools, Ill pulled my shoulders out of my sockets  again  with a shrug.

As long as Bruce Springsteen wasnt implicated, which I highly doubted, I was good.

And really, the news was not news at all.

It certainly wasnt breaking news, largely because this drill of our culture catering to lifestyles of the rich and famous has left us all broken.

The rich getting over, usually at the expense of the poor, is one of the worlds oldest professions  right up there with, well, the worlds oldest profession.

Im reminded of a line in the movie Platoon where the Charlie Sheen character, Taylor, is admonished by a black soldier, King, that, the poor are always getting (bleeped) over by the rich. Always have. Always will.

Emphasis on always.

As in always.

Its a reason I dont get into tongue-clucking mode when a kid from a poor or middle class background gets a 6-year, $11 trillion contract  with a $34.5 billion guaranteed signing bonus  to put a ball through a hoop or hit a ball with a wood club over a fence from some filthy rich owner trying to outbid other filthy rich owners.

Turnabout, in these rare instances, is fair play.

But these are rare instances.

For the most part, it is the other way around, and we should not be surprised by the latest scam.

Maybe the national networks saw it as a chance to talk about something other than All the Presidents Men II, but it is really all connected.

While your president (not mine) signs bills to be unforgiving with the student loan debt that almost all of the rest of us needed to keep literal pace with the Joneses, lets look at his disloyal highness as a prime example.

He got into Penn (after a stint at Fordham).

How did that happen?

Its all a bit murky, but Penn clearly seems less than boastful about an alum in the White House than he is about being a Penn alum in the White House.

Though barely remembered by professors or fellow students, he somehow walked away on his bone spurs with an economics degree (transcript sealed).

And his kids  the spawn of the bible-signing devil  all managed to gain entry into elite schools: Donald Jr. (Penn), Ivanka (Georgetown, Penn), Eric (Georgetown) and Tiffany (Penn, Georgetown).

Meanwhile, our first lady entered America on an Einstein visa (insert laugh track).

George W. Bush? Not quite the sharpest tool in anyones shed, and yet he went to Yale.

There are pictures of Dubya as a male cheerleader, so there is more evidence of involvement in student life that that of your president (not mine), but you still have to wonder how he landed there  given the fact that he is, well, him.

Dubya  despite a middling 77 average at Yale  moved on to Harvard Business School.

See, there was an open rule on the books that students were grandfathered into these place based on bloodlines  as in blood of the blue variety.

A rule? Yes, a rule. Talk about an exclusive country club where the poor kids earn their way in on tips from parking the cars.

George H.W. Bush went to Yale. So did his father before him, Prescott Bush.

Sensing a pattern here?

And its not limited to just Republicans.

The Kennedys all went to Harvard (Ted even got booted for cheating and then somehow reemerged after a military stint).

The difference, as opposed to the current first family, is that they were clearly edified enough by their Ivy League schooling to master critical and nuanced thinking skills.

There are zillions of more examples of how rich people made sure their offspring, deserving or not, were inserted into the race a few laps ahead of a field trying to run it honestly.

On its face, creating something better for the next generation  if only in enlightenment  is at the soul of whats left of the American dream.

Anything beyond that, and we see how badly the system is broken.

This new twist on it, though fairly elaborate and so slimy that it makes you want to take a shower just from reading the sordid details, is nothing new.

Simply put, it involved a whole lot of cheating and bribing  all under the guise of money going to charity.

Sounds bad, and it is bad.

But is it any worse than when poor kids went to fight in Vietnam while the rich kids went to college (or their daddies paid to have them diagnosed with mystery ailments like bone spurs)?

Any worse than serving from 1968-74 in the Air Force and somehow never setting foot in Vietnam (i.e. Dubyah)?

Any worse than working people paying twice as much than the wealthy in taxes?

Any worse than traitor Paul Manafort, and his so-called blameless life of turning American dreams into Russian schemes, getting a lighter prison sentence than a poor person  especially of color  would for a lesser crime?

Yeah, this one had intrigue  with some celebrity names to make it tawdry  but lets be real.

It is neither new nor news.
Lake George

It was the summer of 1956 when Bob Blais showed up in the Adirondack tourist village of Lake George, getting a job on the spot as a seasonal police officer, along with a hat, badge and for the first time in his life, a gun.

"I just prayed that I would not have to use it," said Blais, now at 82 the longest tenured mayor in New York, and the third-longest in the entire country. First elected in 1971, he is running this month unopposed for a 13th term as the top official in the lakeside village that draws millions of tourists a year.

He's seen a lot and done a lot since he first arrived as a 20-year-old college student, looking for work after losing a seasonal job at a bottling plant in his nearby hometown of Saratoga Springs due to an extended illness.

"My mother told me that they were always hiring up in Lake George, so I drove up," he recalled. The Boston University sophomore walked into the village hall, where the police chief saw the strapping young athlete and hired him to patrol the downtown the next day, complete with a revolver on his hip.

And how was he trained? "The chief told to walk up the main street and into every business, to introduce myself," said Blais. Ironically, as mayor he was to dissolve that very police department some three decades later in 1988, after a couple of seasonal cops overreacted and fired shots at drunken revelers. That incident helped provide the impetus to finalize a deal, already in the works, for the Warren County sheriff to take over policing in the village.

As a younger man, Blais worked in the village as a bouncer at some nightspots during the wilder days of the 18-year-old drinking age, managed and then owned a bowling alley/restaurant, developed an amusement arcade, served as assistant chief in volunteer fire department and worked as a Saratoga County deputy sheriff. He has seen some of the famous old establishments either torn down or burned down. He's even suffered the embarrassment of wrecking his boat on a submerged shoal and having to be rescued.

Blais remembers how Canada Street, the main downtown thoroughfare, lined with shops and restaurants, used to be nearly all owner-occupied businesses, with owners either living upstairs or in a home nearby. "Now the vast majority are absentee owners," he said.

He said an infamous incident on the night of July 4, 1970, when Blais was a newcomer on the Village Board, inspired him to run for mayor. That night, the current holder of that office decided to put volunteer firefighters on standby as youthful partiers began filling the downtown. Late that night, the mayor ordered the firefighters to hose down a rowdy crowd that had gathered in front of the post office.

Due to the presence of an Albany Times Union reporter, who was relaxing at a nearby tavern and who emerged to find his convertible car had been inadvertently filled with water, the melee hit the national news wires as a "riot," Blais recalled.

"So I decided it was time for me to run for the job. And I won," he said. Voters have reelected him ever since. Now, he sees his job as balancing the needs of the village's nearly 1,000 permanent residents with the demands of a tourist economy that draws several million visitors a year.

"People can see me here every day, they can see me buying groceries," said Blais. "This is the closest layer of government to people, so you have to be responsive."

But the village also has to ensure that outside visitors are catered to, he said. "I know some people might say it is honky-tonk, but Lake George is like an amusement park," said Blais. "You can't stay still, you have to keep adding new rides, new things to keep people excited and coming back."

"I think at this point, Bob is unbeatable," said Vinnie Crocitto, a longtime friend who owns the Holiday Inn and is a member of the Lake George Town Board. Including this year, Blais has run unopposed eight times, including 1983, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2007, 2011 and 2015. The village election is Tuesday.

Blais can be found some evenings at the Holiday Inn lounge "holding court" and swapping stories, said Crocitto. "I have guests here who have met the mayor over the years, and ask for him. It is like 'Cheers.'"

The mayor's affability and passion for the village and the lake draw people to him, he said. "This place is lucky to have him."

Over the years, Blais has spearheaded an expanding array of tourism events, including the Americade motorcycle rally, an Elvis festival, a muscle car show, a fishing derby, downtown concerts and summertime fireworks over the lake.

He pushed for a lakefront walkway, public docks, a downtown trolley system, and more recently, a new six-story hotel, the tallest building along Canada Street.

And he has more mundane, yet critical things to keep track of, like making sure the village's infrastructure can handle the needs of up to 50,000 visitors on a busy summer day. "Our toilet paper bill for the public restrooms is $25,000 a year," he said.

Replacing the village's 85-year-old sewer plant is atop the mayor's list right now, with Blais trying to hustle up additional state aid to defray the anticipated $22 million cost. The old plant has to be replaced because it is releasing elevated levels of nitrogen into the lake, which can fuel algae blooms that threaten the lake's legendarily clear waters.

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Since 1980, algae levels in the lake, particularly in its southern portion around the village, have been steadily increasing, reducing the clarity of the water.

The sewer issue has been a flashpoint in the village since it was found in 2014 that the former official in charge of the plant had been forging pollution reports as far back as 2007 to make it appear that water standards were being met.

Blais said he and other village officials were caught flat-footed by that revelation, and have been struggling with how best to build and finance a replacement plant that is sufficient to handle the busiest days of the summer tourism season.

More for you Lake George through the years

"The lake is everything. It is the engine, and we have to protect it," Blais said. To help do that, he headed the Save Lake George Partnership, a coalition of environmental groups and municipal agencies that created a boat inspection program in 2013 to keep invasive species from being brought into the lake.

"Bob is a force of nature and for nature," said Eric Siy, executive director of the Fund for Lake George, a lake advocacy group that helped support the boat inspection program. "He has the ability to engage diverse people with that passion that he has and that this special place evokes."

Siy said the boat inspection program, which he said is the strictest east of the Mississippi River, is "a crowning achievement" of Blais' long tenure.

Now Blais is thinking that he might not finish this term, should the sewer plant issue get resolved soon enough. Construction of the new plant will start this summer, and Blais has been busy trying to boost state support for the project to save the village from having to boost its sewer rates and taxes too much to cover the debt.

It is good that Blais is not aiming to become the longest-tenured mayor in the U.S. That honor goes to the mayor of Booneville, Ky., who still serving after 60 years in office.

Once Blais steps down, what would he do? His answer is almost predictable. "I think I would like to get involved in more event planning for the village," he said, citing the pavilion at the new Charles R. Wood Park on the site of the former Gaslight Village amusement park.

The park is another legacy of the mayor's, as it is next to West Brook, an important stream that drains from a nearby mountain pond into the lake.

A section of the former Gaslight Village amusement park was rebuilt into a nature area meant to slow down the creek, absorb any nutrients that might be in the water, and reduce the amount of sand washing through the creek and into what had been a growing delta near the docks of the Lake George Steamboat company and its three tourist dayboats.

Blais stood at the edge of the lake, looking approvingly at the mouth of West Brook and pointing to the sandy stretch. "Before the project, the delta had been growing, and was starting to make it difficult for the boats to dock. Now, the delta has stopped growing and things are just fine."
Seven Albany County employees more than doubled their salaries in 2018 with overtime, the majority being jail correction officers at the nurses at the nursing home.

Five correction officers took home the most overtime in 2018, along with three staff at the county nursing home, one 911 dispatcher and a sheriffs deputy, according to payroll records obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request by the Times Union.

Correction Officers Roy Hoffman, Gary Brothers, Arthur Brothers and Robert Coffey took home the most in overtime, collecting $87,413, $85,865, $72,746, and $64,810 respectively. They each earned a base pay of about $61,600 last year, records show.

All four were among the top overtime earners in 2017 as well.

To address daily staffing challenges  from high turnover of county 911 dispatchers to struggling to attract certified nursing assistants at the nursing home  employees are often enlisted to work overtime, department heads said. Those who earn the most often are the ones who continually rise to the occasion, they said.

Sheriff Craig Apple said lower inmate counts have allowed the county to keep 60 correction officers positions vacant, saving the county millions, but there are times when overtime is needed.

But the emergency communications department faces a different challenge, Apple said.

Theres a high turnover rate with dispatchers. Most view dispatching as a stepping stone to public safety, so I always have openings, he said. One of my goals is to continue to get their salaries up and make the job more appealing so they see it as a career.

Dispatcher Andrea Hancock earned $55,828 in overtime last year, more than doubling her total pay, bringing it to $110,142, records show.

Typically, the 911 call center in Voorheesville is staffed with five to six people a shift, but with a limited pool of dispatchers, if employees have scheduled time off there could only be four dispatchers on the shift, Apple said.

Some vacancies were left in dispatch early in 2018 as shared services talks continued between the county and the city of Albany, Apple said.

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The 911 call center is slated to move to a new wing of the nursing home, which would give dispatch more room to operate and allow the possibility of shared service agreements.

Apple said he could see dispatchers all working out of one office, but keeping separate communications for municipalities, saving on infrastructure and helping with staffing shortages at times.

The Nursing Home is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation, along with the addition of a new, larger space for emergency communications.

The homes executive director Larry Slatky, who every year has been the countys top earner at $350,000 annually, expects the improvements could help attract employees, addressing some staffing challenges.

I think a lot of these problems for our particular nursing home is going to go away when the renovations are done, he said. What weve learned to do is live with the problem. Its not only our nursing home that has the inability to fill open positions, especially with certified nursing assistants. This year we just budgeted the overtime.
Ferrari was not the only top team scratching its head after qualifying in Melbourne.

Prior to the 2019 season opener weekend, Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko predicted that Ferrari was two tenths ahead of Red Bull, with Mercedes only third.

In actual fact, Mercedes utterly dominated qualifying, with Max Verstappen only splitting the Ferraris for fourth place.

"We knew that Melbourne would be a good track for Mercedes," Verstappen said. "But they were really fast."

Marko said the almost one second gap to pole position is "staggering".

"I can only hope that this is Melbourne specific, otherwise it looks bad for the entire season," he said.

"I expected to be on par with Ferrari, which was true, but ahead of Mercedes. Unfortunately, that was a misjudgement."

And Pierre Gasly didn't even make it out of the 'Q1' segment, thanks to a strategy mistake.

"We have to apologise to Pierre," Marko said. "The team was clearly to blame."

And he isn't even expecting the Frenchman to easily carve his way through the field on Sunday.

"Here, overtaking is more or less impossible. If we can put Gasly in the points, I will be happy."

However, Marko said he remains happy with Honda.

"The engines ran smoothly and for the first time we have a 'party mode', which worked well in qualifying," he said. "Our party mode is on Ferrari's level. Only Mercedes has a small lead."

(GMM)
On April 5, notorious former consultant Todd Howe is scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Manhattan for multiple felonies -- bribery, bid-rigging and fraud among them.

It will be the conclusion of a chapter that probably cannot end fast enough for Howe's former legal and lobbying firm, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna in Albany. Hanna became unwittingly embroiled in the case against Howe, a Troy-bred grifter and one-time aide to former Gov. Mario Cuomo  and later his son when the future governor was attorney general.

In the meantime, here is some good news at Whiteman: The firm is expanding its mediation practice, which is led by retired Appellate Justice Bernard "Bud" Malone of Bethlehem.

The firm announced last week that the judge, who has some 50 years of litigation experience, will provide mediation assistance to help people settle their differences in a large office suit at the firm's location at 99 Washington Ave. in Albany.

"The offices have several conference rooms to ensure privacy when speaking with Judge Malone, and free indoor parking is included," a news release from the firm said.

Over its 44-year history, Whiteman has undoubtedly experienced more ups than downs. It is one of the largest firms in upstate New York.

Its low point most certainly is the debacle involving Howe, who somehow managed to stay employed at the firm for six years even after being convicted of bank fraud in 2010. While employed at Whiteman, Howe stole hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Howe's fall from grace is now infamous. Howe admitted to eight counts of corruption-related crimes. He testified against ex-pal Joseph Percoco and three co-defendants. During the trial, a defense attorney for Howe had to admit Howe tried to swindle his credit card company for a night's stay at the Waldorf-Astoria after he cut a deal with the feds. Howe was expected to testify, but ultimately did not, in the bid-rigging trial of former SUNY Polytechnic Institute president Alain Kaloyeros.

Albany lawyer Greenberg joins elite list

Henry M. Greenberg is already the president-elect of the New York State Bar Association.

On April 18, he will add his name to an impressive list of fellow lawyers when he delivers the 55th Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Lecture in Manhattan.

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Greenberg, an Albany-based shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, an international law firm, has an impressive background. He was a federal prosecutor, worked as top counsel for then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and serves as counsel to the state's Commission on Judicial Nomination, which nominates Court of Appeals judges. He also chairs the Judicial Screening Committee for the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court's Third Department, based in Albany.

At the event, Greenberg will be introduced by retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick. He will then deliver the lecture titled, "Charles Evans Hughes & The Role of New York's Organized Bar at a Time of Crisis for the Rule of Law."

Greenberg will be the first State Bar Association president to give the speech since 1970, when it was delivered by Whitney North Seymour. Speakers over the years have included former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch; New York Chief Judges Judith Kaye, Jonathan Lippman and Lawrence Cooke; former Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara; and Robert Katzman and Henry Friendly, chief judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan.

Hughes, a former New York governor, later served as U.S. Secretary of State and later the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The lecture is hosted by the New York County Lawyers Association
Sean Casey, who traded a youthful role at the center of Rensselaer County's political maelstrom for a highly visible career in upstate New York's public relations community, died Thursday night at his home in Hoosick Falls. He was 57.

He will be remembered by his family, friends and colleagues for his sense of humor, quick wit, and for his intelligence and kindness.

Casey, who was senior strategist in public affairs for Eric Mower & Associates, a Syracuse-based firm, worked a full day Thursday in Albany but failed to show up for a client appointment Friday morning. His family responded to his home; they told friends that he apparently had succumbed of natural causes as he relaxed on his sofa during the evening.

Casey showed early interest in politics and was elected to the Hoosick Falls Board of Education shortly after he graduated from Utica College. He then served as town supervisor, all while still in his early 20s.

"He wanted to make a difference in his community," said Margaret Casey, his sister-in-law. wife of his brother Dennis. "Hoosick Falls is a small town, tight and cohesive and it's a typical attitude for people from here."

Casey had political aspirations in those years, but didn't run for office again after losing his re-election bid for a second term as town supervisor. It was a hard loss, Margaret Casey said.

Although he never held elected office again, his career never strayed far from politics.

When Democrats controlled the Rensselaer County Legislature, Casey was named secretary to the majority, the key staff position, which enabled him to wield considerable influence over local political and governmental matters under the leadership of then-county chairman Edward McDonough Sr. When McDonough faced federal corruption charges connected to county insurance contracts, which ultimately led to his conviction and imprisonment, Casey was a key prosecution witness.

After leaving county employment, he joined Sawchuk Brown Associates, an Albany-based public relations firm, hired to expand its practice in public affairs. After the death of the firm's co-founder, David Brown, he joined Mower, and for some years headed its Albany office. He remained active as an adviser, both professionally and informally, to many public figures, including U.S. District Court Judge Mae D'Agostino, former U.S. Reps. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, and John Faso, R-Kinderhook, Assemblyman John McDonald, D-Cohoes, and Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, a Republican.

Mower, Casey's boss, remembers his first impressions of his new employee.

"I was curious because he had an unusual sense of humor, and unusual candor. The combination of wit, cynicism, observational skills and sometimes a lack of restraint combined for a compelling individual," Mower said. "I get up every day with enthusiasm and feeling glad to be alive. But when I knew I was going to be working with Sean, I knew I'd laugh more, I would shake my head not believing what I just heard, and I'd probably have a debate over whether someone was going to jail or not."

Working with Casey would also involve an anecdote from the "Sopranos," a show Casey loved, recited word for word. He also loved the show "Seinfeld" and at his direction, every intern in Mower's Albany office was called Darren, regardless of sex or their actual name  an homage to a story line from the show.

"To many of us, Sean was a cherished pal, and he was a valued adviser to countless others," said Rex Smith, editor of the Times Union, who described himself as a friend of more than 25 years.

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We had lunch together Thursday, and our conversation was continually interrupted by people stopping by our table to enjoy a moment with Sean. I'm sure I can speak for them, and for so many others, in saying that those moments brightened our days and expanded our thinking, and we will miss them terribly."

As a younger man, Casey was an avid hunter and fly fisherman, skills he learned from his father, Jim Casey. In recent years, he mostly set aside those activities, and gave up driving, acknowledging the effects of multiple sclerosis. Yet he remained actively involved in work and commuted daily from Hoosick Falls to downtown Albany, maintaining a busy schedule that seemed to belie the seriousness of his diagnosis.

Sean was kind, his brother Dennis said, always looking for ways to help other people or to make an introduction for someone he saw had potential.

"Whenever he saw a kid, any kid, but especially if it was one of his nieces and nephews, with a screen in front of them, he would ask, 'what book are you reading?'" said Margaret Casey. "And if they said they weren't reading anything, the next day, Sean would provide them with a book." His favorite authors were William Kennedy and Gregory Maguire, and the books he gave were usually autographed, Casey added.

He was a trustee of the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and is a past board member of the Capital District Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Capital District Regional Planning Commission.

Casey was the youngest child of Jim and Alice Casey. His mother died when he was 6. His two older siblings  Dennis and Mary Jane - were grown and out of the house, but for many years Jim Casey raised Sean and David alone, said Dennis Casey, the oldest of the four siblings. Jim Casey was a machinist at General Electric and came home to make dinner every night  always with two vegetables, one a potato. When Sean was a teenager, Jim married again, bringing Mary (Brahan) Casey and her four children into the family. They all got along well, and Mary's maternal presence was important to Sean, Dennis Casey said.

"My brother's sense of humor was inherited from our father," Casey said. "He was a unique person himself. He would say, if I can't make someone laugh or smile today, I've had a bad day. And that's how Sean was, it was part of his upbringing."
Keokuk, Iowa

Diana Martinez, 70, looked at Beto O'Rourke, 46, and made her choice: It was time for Generation X to fix this country.

"Doesn't he remind you of Kennedy?" Martinez said as O'Rourke offered firm handshakes and music recommendations to a coffeehouse crowd. "He's young. That's what it's going to take to try and beat Trump."

Some closer to O'Rourke's age were less convinced. Standing near the back, Erin Cruz, 41, sized up O'Rourke  and then praised septuagenarian socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders.

"I'm looking for someone to be as progressive as Bernie," Cruz said.

Actually, she amended, perhaps just Bernie himself.

O'Rourke entered the Democratic primary race last week with an aspirational pitch and a semi-improvisational tour of Iowa, broadcasting his message of generational uplift and immediately thrusting age into the currents of the 2020 race.

The contenders leading in initial polls, Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden, will be 79 and 78 by Inauguration Day 2021. President Donald Trump will be 74.

Yet as party activists begin to appraise the field, they are already grappling with whether to once again embrace a younger candidate who reflects the future or shrug off age and elevate a veteran politician who most represents their craving for undiluted liberalism and someone who can thwart Trump.

If history is a guide, O'Rourke and other Democrats betting on a youthful appeal  like Cory Booker, 49; Julian Castro, 44; or Pete Buttigieg and Tulsi Gabbard, both 37  should have an advantage. Of the last five Democratic presidents, only Lyndon B. Johnson, who ascended to the job because of the assassination of a 46-year-old president, was older than 52 when he was first elected president.

But for many in the party, dedication to this critical component of past success  putting forward a new face  is being tested in the 2020 race by twin impulses: the devotion to Sanders among voters many decades younger than him, who share his belief that American society is rife with inequities that will not be solved by candidates like O'Rourke, and an overriding desire among Democrats to defeat a president they believe is a menace to democracy.

Supporters of Sanders believe he offers transformational change and brings experience that would help him survive a general election and expand the electorate.

At the same time, moderates in the party are tempted by Biden, wagering that the political equivalent of comfort food to America may prove the safest recipe.

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This combination of a primary electorate that is at once hungry for structural, even radical, reform and deeply nervous about nominating someone too callow to defeat Trump poses perhaps the most serious challenge to a candidate like O'Rourke. He shuns ideological labels, even chafing at "progressive" in the past; often avoids being pinned down on policy; and has no experience in the crucible of presidential politics.

O'Rourke has ample time to flesh out his agenda  he spoke fondly, if not always specifically, last week of "bold, progressive ideas"  and he enjoys considerable assets: a history of record-shattering online fundraising, the appeal of celebrity in a country besotted by fame and a grip on the imagination of a party that loves to fall in love after his star-making-if-campaign-losing Senate race in Texas.

But he is facing a 2020 campaign and election that differ considerably from when Democrats last rewarded a generational argument in a presidential race by nominating then-Sen. Barack Obama.

"There's still a big part of the party that wants to fall in love, and there's another part of the party that will settle for anything that will beat Trump," said Sen. Christopher Murphy of Connecticut, at 45 the youngest Democratic senator. "I think that's a real, daily tension in the party that's going to play out in real time."

There could ultimately be a best-of-both-worlds solution  "It just happened that in 2008 and 2012 we fell in love with the most electable candidate," Murphy recalled  but like many Democrats, he could only guess for now.

"I would generally make the case that the Democratic Party should always be nominating the next-generation candidate, except I'm not sure any of the old rules apply," he said.

"I want to support someone who I think really has a chance of winning," said Brandon Greene, 27, a student and pastor. "We can't take a gamble on a new candidate."

And Tasha Horton, 45, a real estate broker with college-age children who "love the Bern," allowed that her "love is for Kamala but strategically it's either Bernie or Biden."
Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg have denied that their feud is still simmering.

In the newly released Netflix docuseries, Magnussen - who famously told Hulkenberg to "suck my b*lls" in 2017 - is depicted as still prioritising his rivalry with the German.

"I haven't seen it yet, but I can say that Hulkenberg and me is a closed chapter," he told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

"There is no special relationship between us. I would never think of focusing specifically on one driver. And I respect Hulkenberg! A lot. In fact, I think he is a really good racing driver," the Haas driver added.

Hulkenberg agrees that the Netflix documentary makers "exaggerated" the rivalry.

"It's just the usual competition we have in formula one," he said. "They probably exaggerate a bit and try to sell it more, but generally I think it was well made.

"They've made it with sort of movie-like characters, and for insiders some of the scenes are a bit 'hmm'. The reality is not quite as dramatic," said the Renault driver.

Christian Horner and Cyril Abiteboul also hit back at the way their rivalry was depicted in the series.

"I think there may be a fight, maybe between Cyril and Toto this season," Red Bull boss Horner smiled in Melbourne.

Renault's Abiteboul said: "Did I like everything that I saw in it? No. I think it's important to have some formal disclaimer that although it's unscripted, it's a bit of fiction also."

(GMM)
March 15, 2019





Have you installed a location tracking app on your childs or spouses phone? Are you frustrated because you are still unable to get information about their location? Most people get worried and anxious about this situation. However, the important thing is that you need to identify the root cause of the problem.







There are many technical reasons due to which you might be unable to access the location of your loved ones. We will discuss all the probable reasons here so that you can get a realistic answer to your concerns.

When and why tracker apps fail to work

User deletes location history

Some tracker apps make use of the location history to track the location of the users. Most of the users have technical awareness and this why they leave no stone unturned to keep their location discrete. What most people know is that there is a lack of regulation in the location data industry.

They know that information can get spread easily and this is the reason that Google (News - Alert) allows the users to delete a segment of the location history. The user can visit the location delete history page and hit the delete button for removing the location.

It may become tedious to track the location of a person if the phone user deletes history. The situation may occur if your tracking app makes use of history to find the location.

Location tracking may be turned off

Google provides detailed instruction which helps a user to disable location tracking for an Android (News - Alert) phone. What happens is that the users can open the settings page on their phone. First, the user can tap the security & location in the settings option. Next, they can find the location in the privacy section.

When the user opens the location screen, then they can see the app-level permissions. Now, here the user has the option to turn off the location of the app. If this is the case, then your tracker app may not be able to tracker the location of your child or loved one.

The reason most of the users turn off the location sharing on their Android phone is that the tracker apps can access the Android phone data even when the user is not using any additional apps.

Before going for any location tracker app, the wise approach will be to evaluate the situation with a realistic bent of mind. You should have the answers to the following questions. Is the phone user technically aware?

If yes, then it is mandatory that you should go through the https://bestcellphonetrackerapps.com/location-tracker/ and evaluate your case in this scenario. You need to have a clear perception of the features of different apps.

Once you have this insight, you should go through the website of the app that appeals to you. Next, you need to get your questions addressed. For example, if the user has the mentioned restrictions on, then how the app will deal with this case.

The good news is that technological advancements are taking place in the app industry every now and then. Well, this is why you can remain hopeful that your tracker app may offer you some value-added output regarding overcoming restrictions.

It is also essential to check which apps can access your target device with ease. When you stick to this organised approach, then it will become easy for you to get access to the location of the target device. Plus, you will not end up wasting your time exploring the wrong apps, so make sure that you follow the smart approach.
[March 17, 2019] Bedsonline confirms sales team in Pacific

Peter Jones to be the Bedsonline Regional Sales Manager for Pacific.

to be the Bedsonline Regional Sales Manager for Pacific. News follows recent announcement of Bedsonline consolidation, with sister brand TravelCube's customers migrating onto Bedsonline's class-leading booking platform used exclusively by travel agents.

Inclusion of GTA's retail product portfolio significantly enlarges range of exclusively contracted content available to travel agents only  increasing hotels from 55,000 to 170,000. SYDNEY, March 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bedsonline, the global provider of accommodation and complementary travel services designed exclusively for travel agents, has today announced the management structure for the Pacific market. Peter Jones has been appointed as the Bedsonline Regional Sales Manager for the Pacific market. Peter will be responsible for providing Bedsonline's clients  made up solely of travel agents  across Australia & New Zealand with an enlarged product portfolio, enhanced Bedsonline platform, and improved customer experience. In this role Peter will be based in Sydney, Australia and will lead a team of 18 people. Previously Peter was the Head of Sales Europe for Beyond the Bed, based in Palma de Mallorca office  supporting wholesale & retail travel agent customers across Europe to take advantage of Hotelbeds' extensive range of activities, tours, tickets and transfers. Before this Peter worked for Bedsonline in a leadership role for 7 years as Regional Manager, since the brand's launch in 2008 in the UK & Irish markets. Additionally, the roles reporting to Peter have been confirmed, with Shari Rokosuka taking the role of Area Sales Manager to support Peter in managing the Key Account Managers and Sales Executives across the region. Prior to this appointment Shari had been part of the TravelCube team for 12 years. This news follows the recent anouncement that Bedsonline celebrated its 15th anniversary in Spain, the company's founding source market, with a private event attended by over 300 travel agents. Additionally, Bedsonline sales teams in Pacific will be kicking off a campaign to introduce customers  both existing Bedsonline customers and those moving over from TravelCube  to this newly revised offering, including sales meetings, presentations, webinars and various events held in local markets, details of which will be published soon.



James Phillips, Regional Sales Director, AMPAC at Bedsonline, comments: "As part of the recent rebranding and launch of our new value proposition, we're dedicated to continually improving the customer experience, beyond simply our highly sophisticated booking platform with its advanced functionalities. Essential to this is having in place strong teams with unbeatable local knowledge and commitment to the best service possible for our purely travel agent only customer base. Im certain that in Peter and his team we have the best line-up available in the market." Peter Jones, Regional Sales Manager, Pacific at Bedsonline, comments: "I am very pleased to be taking on this new role and having such a strong team in place during this decisive stage in the development of the Bedsonline brand. Throughout the Australia and New Zealand markets, already we started reaching out to our travel partners  who are made up solely of travel agents  to explain how they will benefit from the new and enhanced Bedsonline offering. This includes enhancements we have made by meticulously selecting the best-of-class functionalities from the TravelCube platform, as well as the growth of our product portfolio to reach over 170,000 hotels and the strengthened position to negotiate the best deals for our travel partners."

Recently it was announced that the parent company of both GTA and Bedsonline, Hotelbeds, will consolidate its retail product portfolio and offerings globally under the newly refreshed Bedsonline brand and platform  establishing the world's leading provider of accommodation and complementary services designed exclusively for use by travel agents only. The strategic milestone followed extensive consultation with customers since Tourico Holidays and GTA  along with its retail brands TravelBound and TravelCube  joined Hotelbeds in 2017. Following the consolidation of GTA's brand portfolio and offerings into Bedsonline, the platform now offers, to travel agents only, globally the following benefits: Diverse and competitive product portfolio: 170,000 hotels available globally (with over 90,000 directly sourced, creating a highly competitive portfolio with unique offers), 24,000 transfer routes, 18,000 activities, and 140,000 cars available for hire  all sourced by an expert team of over 1,000 contractors around the world. Powerful and user-friendly technology: Best-in-class search engine designed specifically for the needs of travel agents allows users to filter and compare results in a flexible and practical way  70% of existing customers cite the platform as a top factor in choosing the service. Bedsonline's parent company is the only travel trade wholesaler to operate its own cloud-based, open source data centre handling 1.5 billion searches per day. Local knowledge combined with a global offering: Our experienced local sales teams in every market provide significant knowledge and industry know-how adapted to the specific needs of each market. A migration plan is already underway to speak with the travel agent customers of TravelCube about the benefits of moving onto Bedsonline's booking platform  where the combination of the GTA retail brand's content will increase from 55,000 to 170,000 the number of hotels available to customers. Clients will have sufficient time to transition at their own pace and both workshops and technical support will be on hand to support a seamless migration. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190314/2403280-1 SOURCE Bedsonline

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[March 17, 2019] Photos of the Yoshi's Crafted World and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn Launch Event at Nintendo NY Store Are Available on Business Wire's Website and the Associated Press Photo Network

Photos of the Yoshi's Crafted World and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn Launch Event at Nintendo NY Store Are Available on Business Wire's Website and the Associated Press (News - Alert) Photo Network. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190317005016/en/ In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Quinn D., 4, and Avery D., 7, of Bronx, NY, Valentina P., 5, of New York, NY and Frida F., 6, of Bronx, NY celebrate the upcoming launch of the Yoshi's Crafted World game by challenging their new friends and family members duringa special event at the Nintendo NY store in Rockefeller Plaza. The brand new platforming adventure game Yoshi's Crafted World will be available for the Nintendo Switch system on March 29. (Photo: Business Wire)



Photo 1

In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Quinn D., 4, and Avery D., 7, of Bronx, NY, Valentina P., 5, of New York, NY and Frida F., 6, of Bronx, NY celebrate the upcoming launch of the Yoshi's Crafted World game by challenging their new friends and family members during a special event at the Nintendo NY store in Rockefeller Plaza. The brand new platforming adventure game Yoshi's Crafted World will be available for the Nintendo Switch system on March 29.

Photo 2

In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Avery D., 7, of Bronx, NY gets adventurous during a special event at the Nintendo NY store in Rockefeller Plaza to celebrate the launch of Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, which brings Kirby's craftiest adventure to life with extra epic new challenges and extra abilities. Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is now available for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Photo 3

In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Evelyn H. of Brooklyn, NY celebrates the launch of the Yoshi's Crafted World and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn games during a special event at the Nintendo NY store in Rockefeller Plaza. Both games feature classic characters and an adorable hand-crafted look. The all-new Yoshi's Crafted World will be available for Nintendo Switch on March 29 and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is now available for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190317005016/en/

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Samsung is used to dominating the Android smartphone market with its Galaxy S and Note phones commanding the lion's share of attention and sales. In recent years, though, other Android phone makers have made strides in knocking Samsung off its game, with Google in particular causing some sweaty brows around Samsung headquarters.

Google's Pixel phones have risen up the ranks of Android devices, thanks to the Pixels' superior cameras and pure Android experience. The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are good examples of this, offering smartphone shoppers the best camera phone when they debuted in the fall of 2018. (The Pixel 4, released this past fall, improved on the cameras even further, though we think the iPhone 11 Pro is the best camera phone you can get at the moment.)

But Samsung is clearly up for the challenge. Earlier this spring, the company rolled out a new Galaxy S10 lineup that not only introduces improved cameras and a new UI, but also upgrades the processor and the look of Samsung's flagship phones.

Are these changes enough to vault the Galaxy S10 ahead of the Pixel 3? As you consider whether to get Samsung's latest flagship or opt for a lower-priced Pixel model, here's a closer look at how the different versions of the Galaxy S10 and Pixel 3 compare.

Phone Galaxy S10e Galaxy S10 Galaxy S10 Plus Pixel 3 Pixel 3 XL Debut Price $749 $899 $999 $799 $899 Screen Size (Resolution) 5.8 inches (2160 x 1080) 6.1 inches (3040 x 1440) 6.4 inches (3040 x 1440) 5.5 inches (2160 x 1080) 6.3 inches (2960 x 1440) CPU Snapdragon 855 Snapdragon 855 Snapdragon 855 Snapdragon 845 Snapdragon 845 RAM

6GB, 8GB 8GB 8GB, 12GB 4GB 4GB Storage

128GB, 256GB 128GB, 512GB 128GB, 512GB, 1TB 64GB, 128GB 64GB, 128GB MicroSD

Yes, up to 512GB Yes, up to 512GB Yes, up to 512GB No

No

Rear Cameras

16 MP (f/2.2), 12 MP (f/1.5, f/2.4) 16 MP (f/2.2), 12 MP (f/1.5, f/2.4), 12 MP (f/2.4) 16 MP (f/2.2), 12 MP (f/1.5, f/2.4), 12 MP (f/2.4) 12 MP (f/1.8) 12 MP (f/1.8) Front Cameras

10 MP (f/1.9) 10 MP (f/1.9) 10 MP (f/1.9), 8 MP (f/2.2) 8 MP (f/2.2), 8 MP (f/1.8) 8 MP (f/2.2), 8 MP (f/1.8) Battery

3,100 mAh 3,400 mAh 4,100 mAh 2,915 mAh 3,430 mAh Battery Life (Hrs:Mins) 9:41 10:19 12:35 8:27 9:30 Size

5.6 x 2.75 x 0.3 inches 5.9 inches x 2.77 x 0.3 inches 6.2 x 2.91 x 0.3 inches 5.7 x 2.7 x 0.3 inches 6.2 x 3 x 0.3 inches Weight

5.3 ounces 5.5 ounces 6.17 ounces 5.2 ounces 6.5 ounces Colors

Flamingo Pink, Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, Prism Green, Canary Yellow Flamingo Pink, Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, Prism Green Flamingo Pink, Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, Prism Green, Ceramic White, Ceramic Black Clearly White, Just Black, Not Pink Clearly White, Just Black, Not Pink

Design

You get a full range of sizes when you're open to either a Pixel 3 or a Galaxy S10, with Google offering 5.5- and 6.3-inch models while Samsung sells Galaxy phones with 5.8-, 6.1- and 6.4-inch displays. While the Pixel 3 has the smallest screen size, the Galaxy S10e is actually the more compact phone, at 5.6 x 2.75 x 0.3 inches. The Pixel 3 is taller, though a fraction of an inch less wide. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Galaxy S10 Plus is a little less wide than the Pixel 3 XL (2.9 inches vs 3 inches).

Galaxy S10e

The larger Pixel and Galaxy phones take different approaches to maximizing screen real estate. For the Pixel 3 XL, there's a notch that dips down into the front of the screen, housing that phone's two front cameras. (The Pixel 3 skips the notch in favor of more-traditional bezels on its top and chin.)

Pixel 3 & Pixel 3 XL

All of the Galaxy S10 models use a punch hole to house the front cameras, with the S10 Plus sporting two punch holes for its dual shooters. The look you prefer comes down to personal preference, but the Infinity O display on Samsung's phones is less distracting than the Pixel 3 XL's fat notch.

Galaxy S10 Plus

The Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus also save screen real estate via an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that lives under the display. (The Galaxy S10E is an exception here, incorporating its sensor into the power button on the phone's side.) Using a front-facing sensor to unlock your phone feels a little bit more natural than reaching around the back of the device to place your finger on the phone's fingerprint sensor, as you have to do with the Pixel 3 or 3 XL. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor on the S10 and S10 Plus also performed well in our testing.

Samsung's phones enjoy one other edge over the latest Pixels. All three Galaxy S10 models include a headphone jack; the Pixel 3 and 3 XL do not, though Google at least now bundles a pair of headphones that plug into the device's USB-C port.

Winner: Galaxy S10

Display

Both the Galaxy S10 and Pixel 3 models use OLED screens, though not all OLED panels are created equal. As a company that also has a thriving display business, Samsung enjoys an edge over other phone makers, and the Dynamic AMOLED screen the company uses on the Galaxy S10 is one of the best displays we've ever seen on a smartphone, with enhanced brightness and reduced emission of blue light, which can cause eye strain.

Galaxy S10e

The Pixels top Samsung's new phones on color range, with the Pixel 3 covering 202 percent of the sRGB spectrum, compared to 148 percent and 136.5 percent for the S10e and S10 Plus, respectively. That may be the result of Samsung's phones defaulting to a Natural color setting that's designed to be more realistic.

Galaxy S10 Plus

The S10 Plus renders those colors more accurately, though, with a Delta-E score of 0.29. That's ahead of the Pixel 3 XL (0.35) and Pixel 3 (0.44). (Numbers closer to 0 are better.) The Galaxy S10e fared the worst on this test, with a Delta-E rating of 0.57.

The screens on Google's older Pixels struggle with brightness, with the Pixel 3 barely topping 401 nits when we measured it with a light meter. That's still better than the Pixel 3 XL and its 362-nit result. Suffice it to say, Samsung's phones outshine the Pixels, with the Galaxy S10e reaching 603 nits while the S10 Plus hit 625 nits when we shone a flashlight at its sensor. Still, you won't have to worry about making out what's on the S10's display in bright sunlight.

Winner: Galaxy S10

Cameras

Google has established the Pixel as the standard-setter for smartphone cameras, and it's not just hardware that sets these phones apart. As smartphone makers cram more lenses onto their devices  both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL feature two rear shooters as a matter of fact  the Pixel 3 and 3 XL offer just a single rear camera: a 12-megapixel lens with an f/1.8 aperture and both optical and electronic image stabilization. Up front, the Pixels turn to two lenses; accompanying the standard 8-MP shooter, there's an 8-MP, wide-angle lens for squeezing more people into selfies.

Pixel 3 XL

It's software, though, that sets Pixel photography apart, with Google leaning heavily on AI-powered features and computational photography to handle tasks like stylish background blurs. Pixel 3 camera highlights include Night Sight, which takes sharp, colorful pictures when the lights are low, and Top Shot, where AI-powered smarts select the best photo from a burst of exposures.

Galaxy S10e

Samsung is challenging the Pixel's dominance by turning to more lenses. The Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus feature a three-camera setup on the back, with a 12-MP telephoto lens joining a 12-MP dual-pixel, wide-angle shooter and 16-MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The Galaxy S10e has just two cameras  there's no telephoto lens here  but even that's one more rear shooter than you'll find on the Pixel. Only the S10 Plus matches the Pixel's dual-front-camera approach, though that second lens is a depth-sensing camera meant to produce better portrait effects.

MORE: Best Android Camera Apps - Take Better Pictures on Your Phone

The S10 offers its share of software tweaks, too. Live Focus effects let you play around with everything from color to blurs, and improved AI lets the S10's camera recognize 30 different scenes to optimize its settings on the fly (though not always instantaneously in our testing).

We pitted the Galaxy S10 Plus against a Pixel 3 XL to see how their respective cameras compared. In a photo of some colorful hats taken outside on a busy San Francisco street, the triple lenses on Samsung's phone capture sharper detail, such as the woven fabric. The colors are more natural, too, as the Pixel 3 XL kept things a little darker for the sake of a more-even exposure.

Moving indoors to take a close-up of a cupcake, both cameras produced a striking shot. We prefer the Pixel 3 XL's result, thanks to the way it re-created the texture on the cupcake's frosting. The way it handles white balance is a little more pleasing to the eye, too, as the Galaxy S10 Plus' photo has more of a yellow cast to it, which impacts the color of the shot. That said, the S10 Plus does a better job keeping the shadows light in this photo.

You can see the benefit of the Galaxy S10's extra lenses when we tested out portrait shots. The one taken by the S10 Plus manages to include more of the background, which helps the subject of the photo pop out of the scene. The Pixel 3 XL's photo is a little too dark for our tastes, as well.

Speaking of darkness, this is where the Pixel asserts its dominance. The S10 Plus does a decent job getting some color out of the pitch-black room. But more background details are visible in the Pixel's Night Sight-aided shot.

Moving up front, the dual cameras on the Galaxy S10 Plus handle the background blur well enough, though it intrudes too much on the subject in the foreground. The S10 also smooths out faces in an unnatural way.

The S10 cameras are a big improvement over past Samsung efforts, and in a few areas, the latest Galaxy phones produce better photos than what you'll get from the current Pixels. Overall, though, Google's phone still enjoys an edge, particularly when the lights are low.

Winner: Pixel 3

Performance

Comparing the performance of the various S10 and Pixel 3 models comes down to a tale of two Snapdragons. Released in 2018, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL run on that year's top-of-the-line Qualcomm chipset, the Snapdragon 845. But because the Galaxy S10 is brand-spanking new, it has the advantage of a more recent mobile processor, the Snapdragon 855.

Galaxy S10 Plus

That gives Samsung's phones a significant edge. Qualcomm says the Snapdragon 855 delivers the biggest performance increase ever for one of chip maker's processor upgrades, and based on our S10 benchmarking, we're inclined to agree.

MORE: Android Q Beta Ready for Pixel Phones: How to Get It

The Galaxy S10 Plus turned in a multicore score of 10,732 on Geekbench 4, which measures general performance  the best score we've ever recorded for an Android phone. Lest you think that's the S10 Plus' 8GB of RAM doing the heavy lifting, the Galaxy S10e tallied a score of 10,513, and the model we tested came with 6GB of RAM.

Pixel 3

Both those scores far outpace what Google's best phones produced. The Pixel 3 XL recorded a 7,684 score on Geekbench 4, while the Pixel 3 finished at 7,316.

The results were the same when we tested graphics using 3DMark's Sling Shot Extreme benchmark. The Galaxy S10 Plus' score of 5,486 topped marks from both the Pixel 3 (4,400) and 3 XL (4,396).

The Galaxy S10 Plus also improved upon the Pixel phones' performance in a real-world test in which we transcode a 4K video to 1080p. It took Samsung's new phone 2 minutes, 26 seconds to finish the task, so the Galaxy beat the Pixel 3 XL by 16 seconds.

Google's phones are no slouch on performance, and when issues have arisen with the Pixel 3, Google has rolled out software fixes in pretty short order. But the Snapdragon 845 inside the Pixel 3 and 3 XL just can't keep pace with the improved Snapdragon 855 powering Samsung's latest devices.

Winner: Galaxy S10

Battery

For a while, the Pixel 2 XL was one of the longest-lasting flagship phones you could get, topping 12 hours on our battery test. (We set the display brightness to 150 nits and then surf the web over LTE on the phone until it runs out of battery.) The Pixel 3 and 3 XL took a step back, though, with those phones turning in below-average times of 8:27 and 9:30, respectively.

The Galaxy S10 Plus puts those phones to shame when it comes to longevity, taking advantage of a 4,100-mAh battery. (The Pixel 3 and 3 XL feature 2,920-mAh and 3,520-mAh power packs, respectively.) The bigger battery helped the S10 Plus turn in a time of 12:35, beating the Pixel 2 XL by half an hour. The Galaxy S10e produced a more pedestrian time of 9:41, which was still better than the results from either Pixel 3 model, while the Galaxy S10 lasted for a better-than-average 10:19.

MORE: Longest-Lasting Smartphones

Samsung's phones have another trick up their sleeve for power management. Like Google's Pixel phones, the S10 lineup supports wireless charging. But the Wireless PowerShare feature found in each S10 model also lets you turn your Samsung phone into a wireless charging pad. Just place a device that uses the Qi standard to charge wirelessly on top of an S10, and you can power up that device.

The Pixels can charge up quickly, with support for 18-watt fast charging with the included cable. Buy a Pixel Stand, and you can charge your Google phone wireless at 10 watts. The Galaxy S10 also supports fast wireless charging on supported devices.

Winner: Galaxy S10

Software and Special Features

Because Google enjoys total control over the software side of things, it can debut features on the Pixel you just can't get on other Android devices (at least, until Google inevitably rolls out those features to other Android phones). For the Pixel 3, those special features come powered by Google's prowess with machine learning.

The Google Assistant on the latest Pixel can detect when spammers are calling you; the assistant will then field the call on your behalf, so you don't have to waste time talking to telemarketers pushing dubious vacation and credit card offers. Google's Duplex technology, which allows the Google Assistant to make restaurant reservations for you, also debuted on the Pixel 3, though Google's rolling the feature out to other phones now.

The Galaxy S10 looks to liven things up with Samsung's OneUI interface. (An updated version, OneUI 2.0, is in beta and coming to the Galaxy S10 shortly.) We're not big fans of the rounded icons that OneUI introduces; they look a little simple for our tastes. But the dynamically responsive interface gets rid of a lot of on-screen clutter, and that makes the S10 models easier to use with just one hand, thanks to strategically placed menus.

Both the Pixel 3 and Galaxy S10 ship with Android 9 Pie installed. Because Google runs the show, though, you're going to get software updates faster if you have a Pixel  the Pixel 3 is already able to run Android 10, while that software has not yet rolled out to the S10.

Winner: Pixel 3

Value

Originally, Samsung's phones offered the lowest starting price, at $749, but that's for the Galaxy S10e and not for the fuller-featured S10 and S10 Plus. The Pixel 3 originally cost $50 more than the S10e, though prices on Google's phones have fallen since the Pixel 4 came out.

Galaxy S10

As of this moment, you can get a Pixel 3 for $499 and a Pixel 3 XL for $599. Those are $300 discounts from their debut prices in 2018.





Meanwhile, the Galaxy S10 starts at $899 and the Galaxy S10 costs $999, though Galaxy S10 deals can save you money on those prices. Note that the S10 base models feature 128GB of storage, which is double the capacity on the Pixel 3 base models.

Google's Pixel phones are now available from more carriers, though it's harder to find the older Pixel 3. You'll find that phone at Sprint, Verizon and and Google's own Google Fi wireless service. (Only the Pixel 3 XL remains available at Google Fi, though.) The Galaxy S10 enjoys wider availability, as you can get it from all four major wireless providers, as well as regional carrier U.S. Cellular and the Xfinity Mobile service for Comcast customers. Samsung sells its phones through retailers like Best Buy, Amazon and Walmart, too.

Winner: Galaxy S10

Bottom Line



Galaxy S10

Pixel 3

Design (10) 9

7

Display (15) 14

12

Cameras (20) 17

19

Performance (15) 14

12

Battery (20) 17

14

Special Features (10) 7

9

Value (10) 8

7

Total (100) 86

80



The Pixel 3 remains the phone to get if you want a great camera in your smartphone but don't want to pay full price for a newer flagship. Google's control over Android means that Pixel users get the purest Android experience on any handset. But it's clear that the better Android phone overall is the Galaxy S10.

Samsung's phone offers much better performance and  if you opt for the Galaxy S10 Plus  long battery life. The S10 lineup offers a more striking design and the best display we've seen yet on an Android phone. New features like Wireless PowerShare and an in-display fingerprint sensor on both the S10 and S10 Plus raise the bar for other phone makers. Even the lower-cost S10e doesn't force you to make too many compromises for a more affordable phone.

As good as the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are  and Google's phones have plenty in their favor apart from those superior cameras  the Galaxy S10 lineup sets the standard for Android devices in 2019.

Credit: Tom's Guide


This face-off features two bona fide AirPod slayers. In one corner, we have our reigning champion, the Jabra Elite Active 65t, which we praised for its comfortable fit, enduring battery life and excellent call quality. Our challenger, the Samsung Galaxy Buds, brings a sleek design and comfortable fit to the mix, along with great battery life, an intuitive companion app and strong audio performance.

But in the quest to usurp Apple, there can be only one. Read on to find out if Samsung can dethrone the best wireless earbuds.



Jabra Elite Active 65t Samsung Galaxy Buds Price $159 $129 Colors Black/Titanium, Blue/Copper White, Black, Yellow What's in the Box Charging case and Micro USB cable, eartips Charging case, USB Type-C cable, eartips, wings Battery Life (Estimated) 5 hours, 15 hours (charging case) 6 hours, 7 hours (charging case) Size 1.1 x 1.2 x 0.9 inches 0.7 x 0.9 x 0.8 inches Weight (Earbuds, Charging Case) 0.2 ounces, 2.4 ounces 0.2 ounces, 1.4 ounces

Design

Although you can use them for working out, the Elite Active 65t earbuds don't sport a gaudy neon palette. On the contrary, they look downright contemporary. They're made from either black or blue ABS plastic with a copper or titanium inlay, depending on which color you choose. I'm a fan of the blue and copper myself. Best of all, the buds are IP65-rated against sweat and dust, so you can take them from work to the gym and back.

But I'm also a fan of the Galaxy Buds' design. Drawing from previous aesthetics, the Galaxy Buds are chic and functional. Using a glittering mix of matte and glossy pearlescent plastics, the Buds look like something you'd see in a near-future sci-fi flick.



While the white version of the Galaxy Buds is my favorite, the earbuds are also available in yellow and black. And just like the Samsung Gear IconX buds before them, the Galaxy Buds can survive a good workout, thanks to their sweat-resistant coating.

Winner: Jabra Elite Active 65t

Comfort

When it comes to sheer comfort, I prefer the Galaxy Buds. Once the 0.2-ounce, 0.7 x 0.9 x 0.8-inch buds are in, I can barely feel them. So much so, I wore them for 3 hours without any discomfort. The only time I experienced any problems was at the gym, when my labored movements on the elliptical machine caused one of the Buds to start to slip out.

The Elite Active buds are a bit chunky at 1.1 x 1.2 x 0.9 inches. Thanks to all the tech crammed in, the right earbud (0.22 ounces) is slightly heavier than the left (2 ounces). I was definitely aware of the Elite Active once I placed them in my ear, however.



Even though I wore them for over 2 hours, there was never a moment that I wasn't conscious of them. It's not uncomfortable per se, but it is a bit disconcerting. However, the buds have a near-rock-solid grip that kept them in place as I worked out.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds

Controls

The glossy part of the Galaxy Buds serves as a touchpad to enter commands such as play/pause, skip tracks and answer/end calls. The triangular plate is rather small and is better used for tapping instead of swiping. Thankfully, you don't have to tap too hard to make the magic happen. But tapping on such a small surface does take some getting used to.

Those swanky metal accents on the Elite Active 65t aren't just for show. They act as the controls for your buds, with Jabra splitting command duties between the two. If I needed to adjust the volume or change tracks, I engaged in a series of long or quick taps on the left bud.

Answering/ending calls, playing/pausing music and launching the digital assistant can be performed on the right bud. I really like that Jabra put a pair of notches on the metal discs, so you always know where to press to operate the buds.

Winner: Jabra Elite Active 65t

Special Features and Apps

I'm always amazed at how many functions earbud manufacturers can cram into these relatively tiny buds. In the case of the Galaxy Buds, the biggest feature is wireless charging.

If you own any variation of the Samsung Galaxy S10, you can charge the Buds by placing them in their case and putting that on the back of the phone. That's big if you don't have a mobile charger handy. Other cool features include near-instantaneous pairing, which happens seconds after you open the charging case. The Buds also have Ambient Sound Mode, which allows outside noise to filter in  it's a really handy feature if you're exercising outdoors or trying to navigate New York City traffic.

You access even more functions in the Galaxy Wearable app, including a Find My Earbuds feature and an equalizer. Offering five presets (Bass boost, Soft, Dynamic, Clear and Treble boost), the Galaxy Buds' equalizer can be tuned to your specific listening tastes. You can also toggle how much outside noise can get in via Ambient Sound. Lastly, the app gives you the ability to configure what launches during a long press. You can choose between volume, quick ambient sound or voice assistant.



MORE: Best Wireless Earbuds: AirPods vs. AirPods Alternatives

Jabra didn't skimp on the features in the Elite Active. The buds have an integrated accelerometer, which turns them into a reliable fitness tracker that monitors steps per minute and the time elapsed. It's nice, but we wish Jabra had added more info, like heart rate and calories burned. In case you'll be using the buds outdoors, there's the HearThrough feature for ambient noise. It's a nice feature, but we were disappointed to learn we couldn't disable the feature when using the earbuds in Active mode.

The Jabra Sound+ app lets you further augment the Elite Active's features, including choosing which digital assistant to use (Amazon Alexa or the phone's default) and how much outside noise HearThrough allows in. Jabra also has my favorite mobile equalizer. The app has six presets (Default, Bass boost, Speech, Smooth, Treble boost and Energize) in addition to the free-form, five-band EQ.

The app also lets you adjust in-call volume, including how loud your voice will sound. You can even add more treble or bass. There's also a feature to hear notifications and Caller ID announcements as well as enable/disable auto pause. And, you have a Find My Buds feature to easily track down missing buds. In short, the Elite Active buds are bursting with features.

Winner: Jabra Elite Active 65t

Audio

Surprisingly, these two sets of earbuds were pretty close in terms of sound quality, especially when I switched both to their most neutral equalizer setting. I felt like I was at an old-school red party listening to Cardi B and Bruno Mars' "Please Me" on the Elite Active. The buds produced crisp percussion with a deep low end, with good separation that allowed the synthesized portions of the track to play nice with the keyboard. However, the Galaxy Buds had a cleaner presentation that allowed me to appreciate more of the finer details in the track.

The Jabras got the upper hand on Alicia Meyer's "I Want To Thank You," delivering crisp detail. I heard the timbre of the piano strings and the clear twang of the guitar along with the distinct sound of a drumstick hitting a cymbal. Plus, the soundscape was wide enough to let the vocalist's lovely soprano breathe. I lost some of the percussion on the Galaxy Buds, due to the slightly bloated performance of the bass guitar.



MORE: Apple Airpods vs. Bose SoundSport Free: Wireless Earbuds Face-off

It was really close on Chris Stapleton's "Tennessee Whiskey," with both buds providing full, rich harmonies in concert with the gentle strums of the acoustic guitar and the robust bass guitar.

Winner: Draw

Call Quality

This was no contest. Thanks to Jabra's experience creating award-winning mono Bluetooth headsets and conferencing speakers, the Elite Active buds offer unparalleled call audio quality. The company outfitted the buds with four microphones, which work simultaneously to boost your voice while blocking out outside sound. When I called my mother and then my boyfriend, neither could tell that I was talking to them via a pair of earbuds, and they didn't sound muffled. The ability to adjust the volume of my voice in the call meant that I could talk normally.

The Galaxy Buds didn't fare nearly as well. Although I could hear the people that I called and they could hear me, they all sounded like they were underwater. My callers reported the same audio quality on their end. You can make calls and hear well enough, but it's painfully obvious that you're using something other than the headset to talk through.

Winner: Jabra Elite Active 65t

Charging Case

The Galaxy Buds come in a pill-shaped case that weighs 1.4 ounces and measures 2.8 x 1.5 x 1 inches. The plastic chassis looks nice enough and is easy to open, but it can only deliver 7 hours of additional charge. Since the Buds have an estimated 6-hour battery life, that's only one additional charge with an hour left over. But in case you need to top off the charge, there's a quick-charge feature that adds 1.7 hours of play time after 15 minutes of charging.

Unlike the actual buds, the Elite Active's 2.4-ounce, 2.8 x 2 x 1-inch charging case is rather unassuming. Made from matte-black plastic, the Jabra logo is the only flourish. It took a Herculean effort to actually open the seamingly simple case. I later discovered that you have to squeeze the sides while lifting the lid to access your precious buds.

On the one hand, that means you don't have to worry about the buds falling out when you put them in the case. But you shouldn't have to fight for the right to rock out. What I do like about the case is that it provides five different charges. The quick-charge feature restores 1.5 hours of power in 15 minutes.

Winner: Jabra Elite Active 65t

Battery Life

Samsung is the new king of wireless bud battery life, rating the Galaxy Buds at 6 hours for endurance. I managed to squeeze out 5 hours and 46 minutes at fairly high volume. That's longer than the 4:48 I got out of the Elite Active 65t.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds

Price

The Elite Active 65ts sell for $159.99, which is the same price as Apple's AirPods. Jabra sells replacement buds for $59.99 and extra cases for $69.99. The Galaxy Buds are significantly cheaper at $129.99, but there's no word on whether Samsung will make replacement buds or cases available.

Jabra Elite Active 65t Jabra Elite Active 65t

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds

Overall Winner: Jabra Elite Active 65t

Thanks to its mature, durable design, great sound and varied feature set, the Jabra Elite Active 65t remains our top choice when it comes to truly wireless earbuds. They're somewhat pricey at $159, but the Elite Active provides a sturdy fit, a fitness tracker and a customizable equalizer and excellent call quality. We just hope the next iteration of the buds will have longer battery life and near-instantaneous pairing.
Law enforcement agencies, others voice opposition to legalized medical marijuana in Kansas TOPEKA - In a second hearing before Kansas lawmakers, a bill to legalize medical marijuana was opposed Friday by state law enforcement agencies, an addiction specialist and a doctor. The bill - Senate Bill 113 - was filed by state Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, and supported by local Rep.

No respite from pain and suffering in the Sunflower State. Here's a glimpse of policy push back when it comes to admitting that war against marijuana is lost. Checkit:
Sergio Perez says he sees Racing Point as his "project" in F1.

Earlier, the Mexican was targeting a return to a top team such as Ferrari. But last year, when he forced Force India into administration, he says he placed a bet on the future with the newly Lawrence Stroll-owned outfit.

"I think after the administration process that took place, it was important to stay here," he told El Mundo Deportivo newspaper in Melbourne.

"It was more than just having a seat in F1 for me. It is a very important project that I want to be successful in the coming years for all of the time that I have invested.

"I know that if in three years the result is as big as we expect it to be, it will be thanks in part to the time I invested in them together with all the other key people," said Perez.

He said 2018, when Force India almost collapsed financially, was "madness".

"I could not concentrate on being a driver. I concentrated on saving the team, and still I finished eighth.

"The administration process where I had to save the jobs of the workers were very hard. For me this team is more than a team, it's like my project in F1, and it's the project I want to succeed.

"You never know what will happen in F1 but my main objective is to take this team to the next level," said Perez.

(GMM)
Way, way back in high school days I counted myself lucky to have a couple of wingmen who knew  or claimed to know  the lines that would work wonders with the girls.

Well handle this, theyd say, approaching the lasses as At the Hop, Danny and the Juniors hit tune, played in the background.

And indeed my wingmen were adept in approaching the damsels and engaging them in conversation. Sometimes they even managed to wheedle a phone number out of one of them.

But my wingmen, I have to say, were not in Vladimir Putins class. If I were to do it over again, Id want Volodya (as his buddies call him) as my high-school wingman. That guy knows how to flatter the ladies.

On the recent International Womens Day, Putin had them giggling like teeny-boppers as he laid it on thick.

And these were not just any group of ladies. He was addressing a group of Russian policewomen, ladies able to stand their ground just about anywhere, Id bet.

Putin declared International Womens Day an occasion lit up with the joy of our women and your shining smiles.

You manage everything at work and home and stay beautiful, bright and charming, he continued.

We men, he added, must admit that it is not always easy to be worthy of you.

Putins pitch, of course, would get him nowhere fast with the cohort of females that insists that gender distinctions are merely the social construct of a vestigial, patriarchal imperialism.

But it looked to me, judging by the TASS video, that sly Putin was winning over some ground with the ladies he wooed on International Womens Day.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on that very day, assemblies of celebrants in America seemed to yearn mainly for the day when, say, the number of Screamin Eagles parachuting into battle with the 101st will consist of an equal number of males and females, the day when there will be gender equity in filling the NFLs tackle positions. Not exactly images that exude romance.

In Europe on International Womens Day there were reverberating demands for the continued erasure of artificial male/female distinctions, which, it was said, serve only to perpetuate gender oppression.

Males attending these assemblies surely could be forgiven for protectively clutching their, uh, cobblers.

But on International Womens Day in the land of the Rus, Putin was the holdout. He came across as a throwback Pvt. Killer, the smooth, slicked-down ladies man in the comic strip Beetle Bailey.

Your love unites, he said, gilding the lily, it encourages, supports and makes us feel warm.

Was it possible that Putin had confused International Womens Day with Valentines Day?

In either case, he charged onward.

What does a young woman need to maintain her figure? the mischievous Putin asked, sounding now like a Lothario on the make. Three things, he suggested: A workout machine, a masseuse and a suitor. Giggles from the ladies.

In Putins spiel, according to the TASS transcript, the words workout machine, masseuse and suitor rhymed in Russian.

This perhaps gave his line of woo an extra romantic boost.

Did Pushkin himself, the great Russian poet of the Romantic Era, ever pen such a flowery torrent of woo?

Surely, though, there are elsewhere numbers of truculent feminists who would condemn such woo as the lowest order of porcine male chauvinism, as flagrant cisnormative insensitivity.

Still, you had to give Putin his kudos.

My high school wingmen used to say, With the gals theres no such thing as going overboard with the compliments. You can no more lay it on too thick than you can give them too many roses.

Putin apparently adheres to that school of thought. His Womens Day line included this verbal bouquet:

You are destined to go the whole way of creating new life, the miracle of childbirth. This great happiness of motherhood and child-rearing transfigures the world, fills it with kindness, gentleness, sympathy and asserts the traditional values that have always made Russia strong.

Yes, such rhetoric is not likely to get Putin far with those females who maintain Planned Parenthoods Maginot Line against the embryonic menace.

But Putin apparently doesnt care about that.

He went on to praise womens emotional generosity, a gift of nature, he said. And you, dear women, multiply this gift a hundred times, he added.

The official theme of International Womens Day included none of the sexual, ooh-la-la, vive-la-difference woo that Putin was purveying, however.

Instead, in celebration of International Womens Day you were urged to post pictures of yourself holding your hands like a set of balanced scales, this accompanied by the hashtag #Forbetterbalance.

So then, which approach is likely to yield better results with the ladies?

Flowery words like Putins? Or holding your hands like a balanced set of scales and telling your significant other, Im in favor of better balance, sweetheart?

Ill not hazard a guess. But Ill note that an acquaintance tells me he tried the latter, holding his hands like a set of balanced scales and telling his beloved spouse of 30 years, Im in favor of better balance, honey.

As he tells it, she replied, Take out the trash, dear, and when are you going to fix that leaky kitchen faucet?
Carlos Sainz says he lost his chance to race for Red Bull at the end of 2017.

Last year, when Red Bull needed a replacement for the Renault-bound Daniel Ricciardo, Spaniard Sainz was a contender but ultimately Pierre Gasly got the call.

"It could have gone either way, me or Gasly," Sainz told AS newspaper in Melbourne.

"But I know that when I left Toro Rosso to go to Renault I really lost my ticket to go to Red Bull," he said.

"And I did it consciously and I still believe that it was a good decision for my future."

Sainz is now at McLaren, where he says his new two-year McLaren deal gives him "tranquillity".

"As you can see, I am calmer and happier than ever.

"I look at my experience with Red Bull only as positive because without them I would not have been in F1.

"Yes there were times when I would have liked more independence to make my own decisions, but deep down I must be very grateful."

However, he thinks he is in the right place at McLaren.

"Right now, if you're not in Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes, I think the best place to be is still McLaren. I prefer to be here with a two-year contract and I would not change my seat for anything," said Sainz.

(GMM)
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Ambala, March 16

Brother of JBT teacher Session Kumar Judge (40), who was murdered last year, has alleged threat to his life after he received a phone call.

The deceaseds brother, Vijay Kumar, said a person had threatened him of dire consequences if he gave testimony in the case.

The JBT teacher at a government school in Ganauli village was shot dead near Bakarpur village in the Naraingarh area of the district on July 9 last year. The incident took place when he was on his way to the school on a motorcycle. When he reached near Bakarpur village around 8 am, some unidentified assailants opened fire at him. He died on the spot. The body was found lying in a paddy field. A case was registered under Section 25 of the Arms Act and Sections 148, 149 and 302 of the IPC.

Vijay, while talking to The Tribune, said: I have received a call from a person. He asked me what I have planned regarding the appearance in the case. He has threatened me of dire consequences if I give testimony. Even the eyewitness in the case has received threats several times. We request the police to increase our security.

While five persons were arrested in the case earlier, two were granted bail. The matter is with the state crime branch.

The deceaseds brother has urged the police to arrest the remaining accused in the case at the earliest.

The complaint was made to the police on March 9 and a case was registered today after receiving a report from the cyber cell. A case has been registered under Section 506 of the IPC at Naraingarh police station.

Naraingarh DSP Amit Kumar said: A complaint has been received. Directions have been issued to investigate the matter and take appropriate action. Security has already been provided to them and it is reviewed on a regular basis.
shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

Houston, March 17

Hundreds of Indian-Americans here protested against Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack and urged the global community to hold Islamabad accountable for "atrocities on minorities" and "sponsoring terrorism".

Around 300 Indian-origin people, highlighting the plight of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits and accusing Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorist groups, protested at the prime locations of Houston on Saturday noon.

They termed the February 14 attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed, as an attack on India's sovereignty.

Protestors carried banners like  'Global Terrorist State  Pakistan', 'Pakistan - Stop using terrorism as your State Policy', 'Kashmir is Integral part of India  stop meddling', 'Down with Pakistan', 'Pakistan an architect of genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs', 'Pakistan  take care of your minorities'.

There was heavy sloganeering against Pakistan which protesters termed as a "terror hub".

Earlier a press conference was held by Dr Veena Ambardar on behalf of Houston Chapter of Friends of India Society International and Houston Chapter of Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, emphasising that India has suffered for the last 30 years a constant barrage of terror manufactured in Pakistan and unloaded on Indian soil, killing thousands of Indians.

He said in front of local media that Pakistan is a terror state that has made business out of terror and has become a threat to the world peace.

Addressing the press conference, Achalesh Amar, Coordinator of Houston Chapter of Friends of India Society International, highlighted the international ramifications of terror and role of Pakistan in exporting terror to the world and threatening the world civil society.

He highlighted the role of Pakistan providing shelter to al-Qaeda leaders and providing safe haven and sanctuaries for dreaded terrorists to regroup and export terror machinery in other parts of the globe after the fall of Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.

Amar stated how Osama bin Laden, an architect of 9/11, was found well protected in the garrison city of Pakistan. He said that the London bombings and shooting at San Bernardino, California had Pakistan connection.

Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora members talked about the proxy war unleashed by Pakistan on India under Zia Doctrine in 1988 under the code word 'Operation Tupac'.

They highlighted the operation's salient features which encouraged cross border terrorism, guerilla warfare in India fully supported and led by Pakistan's spy agency ISI and Army regulars.

They made reference to Kargil where the nexus between Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, ISI and its army was exposed at the international level.

The members said that this proxy war has costed India more than 6,000 of its security personnel besides heavy collateral damage. They accused Pakistan for the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs.

"More than 400,000 members were ethnically cleansed and are forced to live as refugees in India," they said.

They urged the global community to hold Pakistan accountable for "atrocities on minorities" and "sponsoring terrorism".

The events were organised by Achalesh Amar, Houston Coordinator of Friends of India Society International, USA and Dr Surinder Kaul, Global coordinator of Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora.

Recently, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in February 14.

In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, India launched a major diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, holding briefing for envoys of 25 countries, including those from the five permanent UNSC membersthe US, China, Russia, the UK and Franceto highlight Islamabad's role in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.  PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16

The list of the Haryana Congress Coordination Committee constituted by AICC Secretary and Haryana in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad, which was released and subsequently withdrawn yesterday, is likely to be released next week along with a number of other election-related committees of the party.

Sources said the release of the list of the coordination committee under the chairmanship of former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda with other party stalwarts from the state as members did not go down well with some state leaders. They are learnt to have met the senior party leadership in Delhi to express their resentment over being downsized in the committee. Further, a majority of the members in the 15-member committee belong to the Hooda camp, which was another bone of contention and the rival camp is learnt to have raised the issue with the top leadership and sought redress. As many as seven members in the list, which was withdrawn hours after its release, belong to or are inclined towards Hooda.

Since a few members of the rival camp were agitated about not being given their due in the coordination committee, sources said that the party top leadership is likely to constitute various election-related committees and release these simultaneously in a bid to placate them. Senior Congress leaders of the state will be appointed their chairpersons to counter heartburn among various factions and balance the equation. Also, these committees are significant because there is a likelihood that the party will continue with them for the Assembly elections due later this year.

Also, while the anti-Hooda camp is insisting on equal weightage, sources said that merely being the chairman of the coordination committee does not give Hooda a say in ticket allocation. Though the call is taken by the Central Election Committee of the Congress, it has state representatives as members. While the state party president and the Legislature Party leader are permanent members, others can be special invitees to the committee. Sources said that the new list was likely to address the issue of special invitees to the ticket-selection committee as well.

Further, the AICC Organisational Secretary rather than Azad is likely to release these lists. Sources said that Azad was at present out of Delhi and was likely to return tomorrow after which the constitution of the committees would be taken up and the issues flagged by the senior leaders would be considered, indicating that further action in the Congress was expected only next week.

One-sided panel, claim state party leaders
shalender@tribune.com

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16

The gender ratio of enrolled voters in Haryana is lower than the states average, which is already highly skewed in favour of men  an aberration the state has been trying hard to correct.

The state has a total of 1.74 crore electors, as on January 31. Of these, 93.97 lakh are male and 80.51 lakh female voters.

The gender ratio of enrolled voters is 856 (that is 856 female voters for every 1,000 male voters), while in the 2011 Census the states ratio stood at 879, implying a 23 point deficit in the gender ratio of voters in these elections.

The state government has been claiming its gender ratio has improved since 2011. If the claims are true, the gender ratio of voters will be even poorer. Going by the overall ratio of 879 and factoring in 93.97 lakh as the total male voters in the state, there are at least 2.08 lakh fewer women voters this time.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer Dr Inder Jeet Singh says the gender ratio of voters has in fact improved since 2014, when it was 847. The lower gender ratio could be because of two reasons. Women usually get enrolled as voters after marriage. Also, a big area of the state falls in the National Capital Region with a high migrant population, which likes to vote at their native places.

When it comes to women contestants, their ratio in the state has always been lower.

Only 11 women candidates (4.8%) out of 230 were in the fray in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, but none could win. The voting percentage of women was also lower than males by over 3%.

In the 2009 polls, there were 14 women candidates (6.7 %) out of 210, and only two were elected. Then too, the voting percentage of women was lesser by 3% than males.

In the 2004 parliamentary polls, eight female candidates (5%) out of 160 were in the fray and only one got elected. Womens voting percentage was again 5% lesser than men.

Voting percentage and number of women candidates have always been lower in the state. They are not becoming leaders. There should be a special campaign to enrol them, says Jagmati Sangwan, state president of All India Democratic Womens Association.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, March 16

A team of government officials led by Puneet Sharma, state coordinator of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, raided a house in Sector 2 of Rohtak and rescued a teenaged boy from Jharkhand. The boy was working as a domestic help in the house.

The team comprised of Narender Kumar, District Child Protection Officer; Neelam Ahuja, member of the Child Welfare Committee; Rajesh from Childline and Sajjan from the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit.

Narender Kumar said a resident had called up on the Childline number and informed them about the issue, following which a raiding party was constituted.

On reaching the house, we found a teenaged boy working as a domestic help. His employers were not present in the house at that time, so we took the boy and sent him to a child care institute. A case has been registered, he said.

The official said that it could be a case of child-trafficking and the persons running the Delhi-based placement agency through which the boy was employed in the house would also be questioned.

He said two minor boys, who were working at business establishments in Sampla township of the district, were also rescued by the team on Saturday. One of the boys was working at a motorcycle repair shop while the other was employed at a general store, the official said, adding that they had been handed over to their parents and a case registered in this regard.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 16

At least 11 persons, including four women and five children, were killed on Saturday and four injured when a Tata Sumo vehicle rolled down into a gorge in Ramban district.

The Tata Sumo vehicle was on the way to Rajgarh from Chanderkote when it met with an accident. The vehicle, having a capacity of seven, was carrying 15 passengers when it rolled down into the 150-foot gorge at the Kunda nullah near the Baglihar power house around 10.30 am.

A police official said three critically injured persons, including the driver, were airlifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, in two air sorties, while a 10-year-old child who was being airlifted to the hospital succumbed at the helipad.

The deceased were identified as Urmila Devi (32), Pari (2), Romal Din (61), Mohammad Mubeen (23), Rubeena Begum (30), Babli Devi (37), Hassan Bibi (40), Immana Bano (13), Arjun Singh (9), Kunal (10) and three-month-old Zakir Hussain.

The injured were identified as Kishore Kumar (22), Mohd Akram (30), driver Sanjay Kumar (20), and Misra Begum (36).

The official said locals and road users raised the alarm and informed the police which, with the help of local people, immediately launched a rescue operation and retrieved the bodies and rescued the injured from the gorge.

At least six passengers were found dead on the spot, while five others succumbed to their injuries while being shifted to the hospital. The allowed capacity for a Tata Sumo operating in hilly roads is seven passengers, but the driver had violated the condition, the official added.

Locals alleged that the road, being constructed under the PMGSY scheme, was in a dilapidated condition due to recent rain and snowfall. The vehicle was moving over a soil mound. It reversed and fell into the gorge, eyewitnesses said.
editorial@tribune.com

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 16

As consensus eluded the members of the campaign and election management committee of the Congress, the panel on Saturday evening authorised the party high command to take a final decision on an alliance with the National Conference (NC).

During a three-hour meeting held at the residence of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, the panel members discussed pros and cons of entering into an alliance with the NC.

The committee was not unanimous on seats to be left for the NC so the high command was authorised to take a final call, one of the members, wishing anonymity, told The Tribune, adding, the decision on the alliance will be announced within a day or two.

The party leadership is not ready to surrender the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat to the NC as this constituency is traditionally a Congress stronghold. Leaving the seat for the NC would prove to be disastrous for the party in the Assembly poll, he said.

The meeting was significant as the central leadership of the Congress has already held interactions with the NC top brass. Saturdays meeting was convened to get a feedback from the state leadership on the issue.

Azad had come from Delhi to attend the crucial meeting so as to brief the high command about the views of the state leaders on an alliance with the NC. Sources said some members suggested that central leaders should not sacrifice interests of the party just for the sake of forming alliances. The Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha constituency comprises 20 Assembly segments which are crucial for the party in the state elections, he said, adding that some members warned that retrieving the lost ground in Jammu would be impossible if this Lok Sabha seat was surrendered to the NC.

The NC is demanding the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat from the Congress as a condition for a pre-poll alliance.

In 2014, both parties had contested the elections in an alliance, but failed to win any seat. The Congress had contested the Jammu-Poonch, Udhampur-Doda and Ladakh seats while the NC had fielded its candidates from the Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag constituencies.

The Jammu-Poonch, Udhampur-Doda and Ladakh seats were won by the BJP. The PDP bagged the Srinagar, Barmulla and Anantnag seats.

Poll panel discusses pros and cons
shalender@tribune.com

Anantnag, March 16

A woman Special Police Officer (SPO) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at her home in Shopian district of south Kashmir this afternoon.

The slain policewoman has been identified as Khushboo Jan, 26, a resident of Vehil village. A senior police official said Khushboo was home when some unidentified gunmen barged into the house around 2.30 pm. They fired at her multiple times, the police official said.

Security forces later launched searches in the area to nab the attackers. This is the third killing by unidentified gunmen in the past four days in south Kashmir, even as one shooting victim is battling for life at a Srinagar hospital.

On March 13, a 25-year-old Army deserter was shot dead in Pinglena village of Pulwama.

The following day, a 60-year-old National Conference block president was shot at in Bijbehara area of Anantnag. He survived the attack and is undergoing treatment at a Srinagar hospital.

In the evening, a civilian was abducted from his house and shot dead in Gulzarpora area of Awantipora.  TNS
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Gurnaaz Kaur

Nowadays, they are not just ubiquitous on the ramps or in the cine world. Even on a regular day, a turbaned Sikh walks with his head high and his headgear with inimitable style and swag.

They may not be grabbing eyeballs on social media like UK-based Sikh Reuben Singh, who became an internet sensation for matching his turbans to his Rolls-Royce for seven days as a befitting answer to a hate remark; or Waris Ahluwalia, who broke the international fashion scene with his trademark black turban and bespoke style.

But the Sikh squad knows the garment is a symbol of honour and pride, and they know well how to create a fashion statement out of it.

An orthopaedic by profession, Manpal Narula believes a turban defines ones personality. It is every Sikhs most proud accessory. The way it adds to your formal look, no brooch or tie can do it. It commands awe and respect like nothing else. The style of turban varies from person to person, but it is important to be neatly tied (which incidentally doesnt take more than three-four minutes), right size (very important) and preferably matching or sometimes contrasting to your attire. I prefer a sober neutral one like a fawn or a grey or the universal blacks and blues. I wear an underturban (patka) with it and I must have around 20 turbans, he shares.

This most identifiable feature of a Sikh, for Sumeet Singh Suden, a corporate employee who has been wearing it for 14 years, is a pinnacle of his social status. Turban is my identity. Ive seen my dad wearing it, his dad wearing it and it is something that makes me different from the crowd. I cant imagine stepping out without my turban. My favourite style is Patiala Shahi and I like to match it with my shirts. My favourite colours are sea green, mustard and maroon.

When asked who wears the turban with aplomb, Sumeet says, Tarsem Jassar is a handsome sardar with turban tied right and in style.

With flamboyant fabrics and accessories, young Sikhs use turban as a way to reflect their personality, as well as a symbol of their faith. Thats how Hardeep Singh Ghai, a physical education teacher, incorporates his feelings about the garment. I know all possible stylesthe Shahi turban, Morni Dastar, Ambarsariya Shahi, Turlan-wali pagg, etc. The catch, however, is that not every style suits everyone and one must keep in mind ones face cut and features while selecting a style. These days the trend is folk style turban called Vattan Vali Pagg and its also my favourite style, so I enjoy wearing it when I am not in school, he smiles. Hardeep also gives tutorials on tying a turban; thats a passion and pastime.

During the summer and winter vacations, with the help of gurdwara management in Sector 22 and 34, I hold a one-week programme to teach dastar bandhi to young boys. About decorating the turban with peacock plumes or ornaments pinned to the front it, Hardeep explains that its only a part of ramp shows or adorned by a groom on his wedding day.

While most Sikh men wear plain turbans in different colours, the printed turbans are prevalent in some parts of Delhi and Mumbai. Youngsters rarely wear them because that was a trend followed by our forefathers. Its during the youth fest or bhangra performance on stage that we use printed cloth and tie it in Turlan-wala style to make it look colourful and catchy, he says.

Talking of the defining elements, choosing them in myriad shades, this man loves to flaunt his turbans. I have one in every possible colour, be it orange, yellow, green or even dark pink. I make sure to match it with my shirt. When tied well, it is iconic and thats my mantra of looking good, says a proud Ranpreet Singh, MD, Weldon Opticians, Sector 17, Chandigarh.

We agree, aesthetic appearance does add to this glorious garment. For Sukhcharan Singh, a law student: I like to contrast it. Matching isnt my trend, so if its a bright shirt, itll be a light turban and vice versa. But whatever be the trend, my turban completes me.

These men say turban is their crown. And we cant agree more.

gurnaaz@tribunemail.com
shalender@tribune.com

Kottayam, March 16

A top Kerala Police officer has assured a group of nuns that the chargesheet against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of repeatedly raping a nun over several years, will be ready in three to four days.

Sister Anupama and three nuns, who have been lending moral support to the victim and are the key witnesses, said the Kottayam SP has assured that the chargesheet would be submitted next week.

We also told the officer that we should not be forced to re-launch our protest on the streets. Franco is powerful, both politically and monetarily, and hence, the witnesses are under duress, she said.

In February, the four nuns, attached to the Kuruvilangad Convent, were transferred to four places in the country. However, the church had to reverse the transfer orders after they organised a sit-in.

The four were witnesses in the case against the former bishop of the Jalandhar diocese, Mulakkal.  IANS
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16

Barely days after the BJP poached the son of veteran Maharashtra Congressman R Vikhe Patil in Maharashtra, the Congress today took sweet revenge on the saffron party by managing to get Uttarakhand BJP stalwart BC Khanduris son Manish Khanduri into the party fold.

Manish crossed over to the Congress in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Uttarakhand. This came as a huge setback to the BJP on the eve of Lok Sabha elections and in a season of poll-time defections.

Rahul Gandhi used the occasion to take a swipe at Prime Narendra Modi-led BJP government and said there is a reason why Khanduri is here.

Gandhi referred in his rally to the removal of BC Khanduri as the chairman of the parliamentary committee on defence after Khanduri had a castigating report revealing the weak state of defence preparedness in the country.

There is a reason why (Manish) Khanduriji is here, Gandhi said. BC Khanduri was the chairman of defence committee of Parliament. He gave his whole life for the country and the armed forces. But when he asked a question on national security in the committee saying the government is not doing what it should do to help the armed forces, Narendra Modi removed him from his position. This is the problem in the BJP. There is no space for truth in the BJP, said Rahul Gandhi, as the battle lines were drawn ahead of LS polls starting April 11.

Gandhi again flagged the alleged Rafale jet deal corruption today and said the Congress wanted a joint parliamentary panel probe into the matter.

Allies with Apna Dal faction in UP

Congress and Krishna Patel faction of the Apna Dal entered into a pre-poll alliance in UP on Saturday with the Congress reserving Gonda and Pilibhit seats for the alliance. The Apna Dal faction led by Krishna Patel's daughter Anupriya, an MOS in health ministry, has allied for two seats with the BJP.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, March 17

Congress will leave seven seats for SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, a senior party leader announced on Sunday.

At a press conference he held on Sunday afternoon, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Raj Babbar said that the party will not pit its candidates against leaders like Samajwadi Party veteran Mulayam Singh Yadav in Mainpuri, Dimple Yadav in Kannauj and Akshay Yadav in Firozabad. The party also will not field candidates against leaders like Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh and vice-chief Jayant Chaudhary, wherever they decide to contest from, he said.

Congress also announced alliance with Jan Akhikar Party, which will fight the election in seven seats: five Jhansi, Chandauli, Etah, Basti and one undecided seatusing its own election symbol and two, Ghazipur and another undecided seat, on Congress tickets.

Babbar also said that Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad had asked political parties to not field against Prime Minister Modi, but that the decision wasnt in his hands. Azad, a Dalit leader, recently announced that he would contest the elections from VaranasiModis current constituency that he had swept in 2014 general elections.

Meanwhile, the party has yet to receive permission for All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadras boat campaign, called Boat pe charchaa planned interaction with students.

General elections will be held in seven phases from April 11. Votes will be counted on May 23. Uttar Pradesh is one of three states that will vote in all seven phases.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16

More than nine years after the Delhi High Court ruled that the office of the Chief Justice of India comes under the purview of the Right to Information Act, a Constitution Bench will examine the issue for an authoritative pronouncement on the issue.

A five-judge Constitution Bench will on March 27 take up the contentious issue that arose from an appeal filed by the Supreme Court secretary general against the January 2010 verdict of the Delhi High Court declaring the CJIs office a public authority within the meaning of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice AP Shah, then chief justice of the Delhi High Court, had upheld a single judges verdict that held the Supreme Court and CJI were duty-bound under the RTI Act to give information in response to RTI applications filed by citizens with regard to the top courts administration.

Earlier, the Central Information Commission (CIC) had in January 2009 directed the Supreme Court Central Public Information Officer to provide the information sought by RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agarwal who wanted information on declaration of assets by top court judges.

A single judge had upheld the CICs verdict. A three-judge Bench of the Delhi High Court dismissed the Supreme Court secretary generals appeal against the single judges order, forcing the secretary general to challenge the high court verdict before the Supreme Court in 2010 itself.

Three issues were referred to Constitution Bench in 2016 for consideration. First, whether the concept of independence of judiciary requires and demands the prohibition of furnishing of the information sought? Whether the information sought for amounts to interference in the functioning of the judiciary?

Second, whether the information sought for cannot be furnished to avoid any erosion in the credibility of the decisions and to ensure a free and frank expression of honest opinion by all the constitutional functionaries, which is essential for effective consultation and for taking the right decision?

And third, whether the information sought for is exempt from disclosure under Section 8(i)(j) of the Right to Information Act?

Interestingly, the top court judges declared their assets in 2009 without waiting for the legal issues involved getting settled.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Srinagar, March 17

A Kashmiri man seeking medical help for his newborn, a Bihar girl facing eve-teasing on board a train and a Rajasthan businessman looking for the person who owes him moneyall find a madadgar (a good Samaritan) in the CRPF, the countrys largest paramilitary force.

The faceless 21-member Madadgar team of the CRPF has been providing help not only to people in the militancy-affected Jammu and Kashmir but other parts of India as well.

The 24x7 helpline was the brainchild of CRPFs Inspector General (Operations) Zulfiquar Hasan as long spells of curfew had become routine in Kashmir in 2016 due to the widespread violence in the aftermath of the killing of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen terror group.

The initiative, which started in January 2017, has many success stories and attracted huge appreciations from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as well as the Union Home Ministry.

A few days ago, the phone at the Kashmir-based Madadgar unit started ringing in the dead of night and the call was from Boniyar in Baramulla town of north Kashmir. The caller, the father of a three-day-old baby, was crying and asking for help as the newborn required immediate transfusion of O-negative blood.

Immediately, the nearest CRPF unit was alerted and jawans with O-negative blood rushed to the district hospital, after taking adequate security precautions, and donated blood for the newborn.

The baby was discharged from the hospital a few days later.

Not far from Boniyar lives Mushtaq Tantray. A resident of Gundbrath in Sopore district, Tantray had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for three-four years.

However, in 2016 his financial condition deteriorated and he had to sell everything and shift to a tin-shed dwelling along with his wife, Mubinaa, and three school-going children.

They (Madadgar) are God-sent angels. They have saved me, says Tantray, whose hameo-dialysis is being taken care by the CRPF for the past two years.

Besides this, he also gets a regular supply of medicines from the paramilitary force, which has been fighting militancy in Kashmir Valley for the past three decades.

This is an effort by the CRPF to build bridge with people of the country. The results have been encouraging and I am sure that we will be able to serve people better, Hasan, who is a West Bengal-cadre IPS officer, told PTI.

Last December, Madadgar received a call from a girl who was travelling in a train from Bihar. She was complaining of eve-teasing by three boys on board and needed help.

The alert sub-inspector at the call centre, which is based in Kashmir, took the PNR number of the girl and checked the live location of the train.

Immediately, the Railway Protection Force at the next station was alerted and the three boys were arrested, recalls Assistant Commandant Gul Junaid Khan, who heads the Madadgar call centre.

We receive on an average around 700 calls a day and the problems can be anything. Even some call us to know directions of roads to reach their destination, he said.

Recently, there was a call from Rajasthan and the person claimed that a Kashmiri businessman owed him money. We verified the claims and found it to be true. After mediation, we ensured that the person was paid all his dues by the businessman, Khan said.

Post February 14, which was the darkest day for the CRPF in Kashmir Valley when it lost its 40 men in a suicide terror strike by Jaish-e-Mohammed, the lines of Madadgar continued to ring with distress calls.

We had not even mourned properly and our boys were out to help others. Efforts were made to respond to calls received from Kashmiris living across the country who pleaded for help...Police officials and NGOs in those areas were contacted and the safety of the people was ensured, says Hasan.  PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Panaji/New Delhi, March 17

Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away at his private residence near Panaji on Sunday evening. He was 63.

"Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten," President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

The condition of Parrikar, diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February last year and in and out of hospitals, in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since then, turned "extremely critical" on Sunday, the Chief Minister's Office tweeted.

The police have laid a cordon around Parrikar's private residence at Dona Paula in Panaji.

Parrikar was exceptional administrator, admired by all: PM Modi

Describing Manohar Parrikar as an unparalleled leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader.



A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations.



Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters.



Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced Indias security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen, PM Modi tweeted.

National mourning on Monday

The government has announced national mourning on Monday following Parrikar's death, officials said.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said the national flag will fly at half-mast in the national capital, the union territories and the state capitals.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet will be held on Monday at 10 am. State funeral will be accorded to Parrikar. National mourning on Monday.

The mortal remains of Parrikar will be cremated here on Monday evening, an official statement said.

The mortal remains will be kept at the Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters at Panaji, as well as at a state government-operated arts and culture centre all through the morning and afternoon, for public to pay their final respects, before being taken to the Sports Authority of Goa ground for cremation at 5 p.m., according to the statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

Condoling the death of Parrikar, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar."

"As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she tweeted.

Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri.Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled.  Chowkidar Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 17, 2019

Parrikar was one of Goa's favourite sons: Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, while condoling the death of Parrikar, described him as "one of Goa's favourite sons".

He said Parrikar was respected and admired across party lines and had bravely battled his illness for over a year.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year.



Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons.



My condolences to his family in this time of grief.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17, 2019

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief(sic)," Gandhi said on Twitter.

The Congress on its official Twitter handle also said, We condole the passing of former Union Minister & Chief Minister @manoharparrikar. We hope that his family finds strength in their moment of grief.

Nation has lost a true patriot: Amit Shah

In the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar the nation has lost a true patriot, BJP president Amit Shah said, remembering him as a leader who dedicated his life to the country and ideology.

Manohar Parrikar jis demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessely dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jis commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary.  Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

Shah said Parrikar has shown how a BJP worker "even during his toughest time, is committed to the philosophy of Nation First, Party Next and Self Last".

Shah said, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar ji's commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary. He will always be remembered for his contributions as India's defence minister and as CM of Goa."  TNS/Agencies
gspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, March 17

India has deployed an elite contingent of its commando-trained armed paramilitary personnel to guard its embassy and diplomatic staff in Baghdad in Iraq, a war-ravaged country getting back to normal after defeating ISIS terrorists.

About 45 multi-skilled troops, drawn from the countrys largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), the CRPF, have taken charge of the embassy complex located in the Al Mansour area of the Iraqi capital, sometime ago.

The contingent has taken charge in Iraq and the troops celebrated their first Republic Day and hoisted the tricolour in that country on January 26, official sources told PTI.

The squad is led by a Deputy Commandant-rank officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and this is the second foreign assignment for the paramilitary as it similarly guards the Indian Embassy in Libyas capital city of Tripoli for the last few years, they said.

India has, on February 4, revised its no travel advisory to Iraq and has said that citizens can now travel to the war and insurgency ravaged country as the security situation has improved.

The advisory, issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, allows Indians to travel to any part of the country for work or business except five provinces of Nineveh (capital Mosul), Salahuddin (capital Tikrit), Diyala (capital Baquba), Anbar (capital Ramadi) and Kirkuk.

It added that travellers should inform Indian authorities at the Baghdad Embassy or the Consulate General in Erbil before they travel to Iraq.

While there has be no targeted hit at the Indian mission in Baghdad, the city has witnessed suicide attacks and bombings by the ISIS terrorists since 2003 when the terrorists captured large parts of the country and neighbouring Syria to establish a self-styled Islamic caliphate.

Iraqi forces, backed by the US, got hold of their areas in late 2017 after numerous gun battles and deaths.

The CRPF commando contingent has been armed with some of the best and sophisticated weapons such as AK-series assault rifles, Glock pistols and other equipment required for an armoured counter-terror shield, they said.

The squad had a good mix of combat-skilled drivers, quick reaction teams, personal security officers, hostage rescue specialists and improvised explosive device (IED) experts who can not only secure the complex but also guard diplomats who venture out, they said.

The commandos have been picked from the highly motivated and disciplined units of the force that have worked in the anti-Naxal operations theatre and the forces special jungle warfare squad, CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action).

The over 3 lakh personnel strong CRPF is the countrys lead internal security force that is tasked with combating the Left Wing Extremism and counter-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Some other CAPFs render a similar task of guarding Indian assets abroad.

While the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan is guarded by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), those in Nepal and Colombo have the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Border Security Force (BSF) contingents respectively.  PTI
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Panaji, March 17

Manohar Parrikar, who rose from a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to become the countrys Defence Minister and also chief minister of Goa, enjoyed a man-next-door image in the politically-volatile coastal state.

Parrikar, 63, served the state four times as chief minister and had a three-year-long stint as Defence Minister in the Narendra Modi-led cabinet.

He was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa, which remained for long a Congress bastion, with regional outfits having pockets of influence.

Born on December 13, 1955 into a middle class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer.

Parrikar never shied away from displaying his affiliation to the Sangh and was even photographed participating in the annual Sanchalan organised by the RSS in the uniform and wielding lathi.

He even credited the surgical strikes conducted by Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during his tenure as Defence Minister to the teachings of the RSS.

His plunge into BJP politics is considered as an attempt by the party to curb the growth of the states oldest regional political party  Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

Parrikar entered electoral politics in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency.

He was leader of the Opposition from June to November 1999 and was known for his speeches against the then Congress-led government.

He became chief minister of Goa for the first time on October 24, 2000, but his tenure lasted only until February 27, 2002. On June 5, 2002, he was re-elected and served another term as chief minister.

On January 29, 2005, his government was reduced to a minority in the assembly after four BJP MLAs resigned from the House.

Pratapsinh Rane of the Congress subsequently replaced Parrikar as chief minister. In 2007, the Parrikar-led BJP was defeated by the Congress led by Digambar Kamat.

But the year 2012 saw Parrikar riding a popularity wave in the state when he took his party to the historic number of 21 out of 40 seats in the assembly.

He went on to become the chief minister again. BJP continued its victory mark in the year 2014 when the party won both the Lok Sabha seats.

After the Modi-led Cabinet was sworn at the Centre, Parrikar was offered a ministerial berth in November 2014. He remained in the union cabinet till 2017 when his party failed to garner a majority in the Goa legislative assembly polls.

He returned to the state in March 2017 when he managed to woo alliance partners such as Goa Forward Party and MGP to support him to form the government.

His health started deteriorating in February 2018 and he was first admitted at Mumbais Lilavati Hospital for pancreatic ailment. He was flown to the US in the first week of March last year where he remained admitted at hospital till June.

Parrikar attended the monsoon session of Assembly from July 19 to August 3, and left for the USA on August 10 for the second round of checkup. He returned to Goa on August 22, 2018.

After being treated at a makeshift medical facility at his residence, Parrikar was shifted to the AIIMS New Delhi on September 15 last year.

After almost a month-long treatment, he returned to Goa on October 14.

Parrikar stunned everyone when he reached the CMs office on January 2 this year after a gap of almost two-and-a-half months.

On January 27, he attended the inauguration of the third bridge on Mandovi river along with Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

He also attended the budget session on January 29 and presented the state Budget the next day. On the last day of the session on January 31, he was taken for treatment to AIIMS, New Delhi and returned to Goa on February 5.

Parrikar also addressed the Atal Booth Karyakarta Sammelan on February 9, 2019 in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah.

During the last few days, Parrikar had been in and out of Goa Medical College and Hospital for treatment, but was mostly confined to his private residence.  PTI
gspannu7@gmail.com

Mumbai, March 17

Raj Thackeray-led MNS, which is struggling to stay relevant in the state politics, would not contest next months Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.

An MNS leader said party president Raj Thackeray would make his political position clear on March 19 in a public meeting and guide the party cadres.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), founded in 2006 by Raj Thackeray after he fell out with Shiv Sena patriarch and his uncle Bal Thackeray, reached its zenith in 2009 assembly elections when it won 13 out of total 288 seats.

The party was also said to be responsible for defeat of Shiv Sena candidates in Mumbai and its metropolitan region, apparently due to division of Marathi votes.

However, the party lost the momentum gradually. Though it never won a Lok Sabha seat, in 2014 elections it was blown away during the Narendra Modi wave.

In the assembly elections held that year, the MNS won only one seat in Maharashtra. Recently, that lone MLA from Junnar in Pune district has joined the Shiv Sena.

In the Bruhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections held in 2017, the tally of MNS was reduced to seven seats. In October 2017, six of its corporators defected to Shiv Sena, thus taking its representation down to one seat.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray will make his political line clear on Tuesday, said the MNS leader.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections next month, the MNS was trying hard to piggyback the Congress-NCP alliance, but was cold shouldered by the Congress, which opposes the violent Marathi manoos politics of the Raj Thackeray-led party.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP had also reportedly offered its support to MNS candidate in Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, but the party decided not to contest the elections.

Election to all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra would be held in four phases between April 11 and April 29. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 16

The Jalandhar rural police arrested three drug peddlers on Friday evening, including a woman and a Nigerian national, and recovered 5-kg heroin from their possession at two separate nakas.

The accused have been identified as Veeryodh Singh of Laiawal village, Pooja of Latiawal village in Kapurthala and Victor Admye David of Abuja State Abuja, Nigeria.

At a press meet, Jalandhar rural SSP Navjot Singh Mahal said assistant sub-inspector Manjit Singh from the Lohian police station received a tip-off that Veeryodh and Pooja were going to deliver a consignment of heroin in the area from Kapurthala, following which Lohian SHO Dalvir Singh, along with woman sub-inspector Amandeep Kaur Mahi, laid a trap at Chachowal bus stand. They spotted a man and woman who tried to outsmart the police by entering the bus stand on seeing cops. On being frisked, the cops seized 1.5-kg heroin from Veeryodhs bag and 1 kg from Poojas purse.

The duo was taken into custody and a case under Section 21 of the NDPS Act was registered against them. The SSP said while Veeryodh already faces two cases, Pooja is a proclaimed offender and already booked in two cases.

The SSP said that in a separate case, sub-inspector Gurdev Singh along with a police team, carrying out nakabandi at Sutlej Bridge in Phillaur, received a tip-off that a smuggler, Victor Admye David, of Abuja State Abuja, Nigeria, is travelling in a bus from Delhi to Jalandhar to deliver a heavy consignment of heroin.

Phillaur SHO Prem Singh was informed after which he reached Sutlej Bridge and started conducting checks. At 11.45 pm, a foreigner got off from the bus and started walking towards Shani temple near the bridge. On suspicion, the cops apprehended him and recovered 2.5-kg heroin from his possession.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16

Claiming that his government has laid a strong foundation for the development of Punjab in just two years, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said the Congress regime had delivered on each of the nine nuktas promised in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

Speaking at a press conference to mark the two years of his government, the Chief Minister said the Opposition had no constructive agenda. In fact, the Congress has no opposition in the state because of the large-scale development done by it. Even SAD president Sukhbir Badals attempts to woo deras ahead of the polls wont help his party, he said.

Asked about the conflict of interest and lokpal bills, as promised by his government, Capt Amarinder said the draft was ready and the law would cover everyone, including the CM. The Bills would be placed before the House in the next session. Only four legislations that his government had promised were pending and would be implemented soon, he said. The policy on sand mining was sub judice and had to be put in abeyance for the time being, he added.

He rejected the charge of babus ruling the state as absolutely incorrect and said the elected representatives had full say in the states affairs.

Taking on the NDA government, the Chief Minister said the Narendra Modi-led Union government was using the defence forces for political gains in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Pointing out that even late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did not use the previous wars with Pakistan for political gains. The Congress never politicised the 1965 or the 1971 war, he said, adding, We have always put the nation above political interests.

He said any government of the day, including the Congress, would have retaliated after the Pulwama attack. The government just did its job, which the Congress governments had done in the past too, he said, adding that the Modi government had simply coined a new phrase  surgical strikes  for such action. It was earlier called border raids.

On the dialogue with Pakistan regarding Kartarpur corridor, Capt Amarinder said he did not trust Pakistans intent behind opening the corridor, as their agenda was nefarious and political, and aimed at exploiting the sentiments of the Sikhs. Underlining the need to keep a close watch on the developments, the Chief Minister said while he was all for the corridor, there was a need to exercise caution.

Indias agenda is religious, but theirs is totally disruptive, he said, citing Referendum 2020 as an example of ISIs attempts to exploit Sikh sentiments to divide and destabilise Punjab. He said the government would waive more farm loans after the state's fiscal situation improved further. He said if funds were available, he would give benefit to more farmers.

NDA politicising forces

Taking on the NDA government, the CM said the Narendra Modi-led Union government was using the defence forces for political gains. He pointed out that even late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did not use the previous wars with Pakistan for political gains. The Congress never politicised the 1965 or the 1971 war, he said, adding, We have always put the nation above political interests.

Never approached ex-PM

The CM said neither he nor any other party leader had approached former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh with a proposal to field him from Amritsar. They had only gone to brief him about the party affairs in the state, he added, adding that the former Prime Minister had already decided not to contest the polls due to health reasons. On move to field Navjot Sidhu from Amritsar, he said, It is up to him, if he wants to fight.
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During seminary school, Luis is encouraged to plant churches and teach. Yet, since he was a child, God gave him a vision of bringing the good news of Jesus to people across the globe. To eventually fulfill this vision, he must overcome many challenges, including personal impatience and doubts with what seemed to be an enduring process while God was teaching, molding and grooming him. Luis learns to stand firm in the plans God has before him while contending with serious threats to his safety as he began evangelizing in South America amidst violent political turmoil.

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editorial@tribune.com

BN Goswamy

One Vishnusharman shrewdly gleaning

All worldly wisdoms inner meaning:

In these five books, the charm compresses

Of all such books the world possesses.

 From Arthur Ryders 1925 translation of the Panchatantra

From among those who read a bit, there must be few, very few, who have not heard of the Panchatantra, that great repository of tales and fables, certainly the most frequently translated literary product of India, which goes a long, long way back into the past. Pandit Vishnu Sharma, a singularly gifted man at a court that one cannot identify for certain  was it in Kashmir, or South India? scholars have long wondered  belonging to a time which again one cannot be sure of  attributions range from a few centuries BCE to a few centuries CE  wrote this work in Sanskrit for three princes, sons of a king, Sudarshan by name.

To appreciate its structure and its raison, one might do well briefly to recall the background against which the work was composed. It is written that the princes, whose names figure in the text, were not especially bright but the king wanted them to be taught, counselled in the ways of the world. The task fell to Pandit Vishnu Sharma, who, sensing that the princes might not respond to straightforward lessons in politics and diplomacy and relationships and administration, devised  brilliantly, one might add  the method of communicating valuable lessons in the form of simple stories in which animals figured more often than men: animals, however, who could think and speak and act in the manner in which humans do.

Vishnu Sharma organised all the stories in five sections he called tantras or strands  that is where the name Panchatantra comes from  each of which bore a meaningful name: thus, mitra-bheda, meaning the loss of friends or on causing dissension among allies; mitra-laabha, meaning the winning of friends or on securing allies; kaakolukiyam, meaning literally on crows and owls but in fact on war and peace; labdhapranaasham, meaning loss of gains, or on losing what you have gained; and, finally, aparikshitkaarakam, meaning ill-considered action, or on imprudence. In a forest was a lake in which, a story might begin, an old stork lived with all aquatic creatures. Another might open thus: There was, in those times, a lion called Irontooth and his two courtiers who lived in the same forest. The lion was always in the company of a jackal named Clever  But whichever tantra any of these stories related to, they remained laced with wit and wisdom, rich in warmth and woven with understanding. And there was at the end of each a lesson, a moral: easy to take in, delicious to roll over the tongue.

The fame of the Panchatantra has not been tarnished by passing time, nor has it lost its lustre even in the barest. There is a version of the text in nearly every major language of India, as Franklin Edgerton noted, and in addition there are 200 versions of the text in more than 50 languages around the world. It is the travels of this simple but great text, however, that are astonishing. Whatever the date of its composition, it is known that it reached the world outside of India as early as the 6th century when the Sassanian emperor, Khusrau Noshirwan, secured a copy of it through a physician of his who went to India. The Sanskrit text was translated into Pahlavi which became the basis of its further translation into different languages in the East. There was delight in the tales and morality at the base of each of them, it was quickly realised. In the Islamic world the trend of translating it began in the 8th century when from the Pahlavi it was translated into Arabic under the orders of the second Caliph of Baghdad, and given the title Kalila-wa Dimnah after the names of two jackals with whom the stories began. From Arabic it went into Persian at the court of that great patron of learning, Sultan Husain Mirza at Herat. The year was 1504, and the title it was given was Anvar-i Suhayli: The Lights of Canopus in other words. Canopus being the second brightest star in the entire firmament, the reference in the new name of the text was almost certainly to the light of wisdom that emanated from it. While this was happening in the east, the text had reached Europe too through a translation by a Jewish priest. It was among the early books printed at the very first printing press set up by Gutenberg. Edgerton goes on to add that before 1600 it existed in Greek, Latin, Spanish, Italian, German, English, Old Slavonic, Czech, and perhaps other Slavonic languages. Its range has extended from Java to Iceland... Back at home, it caught the fancy of the Mughal emperor, Akbar, much as that other great book of stories, the Hamzanama, had. The Anvar-i Suhayli was copied, recited from, and painted, one of the earliest Mughal versions having been produced somewhere close to 1575.

I need perhaps to explain here why I have, suddenly, turned to speaking of the Panchatantra. I was in Mumbai, just a couple of weeks back, at the citys premier museum, the great CSMVS, formerly the Prince of Wales Museum, and was being taken around by its director, Sabyasachi Mukerjee, to see yet another wonderful thing he has done: building a brand new creative space for children. Due to open soon, it is not a conventional Childrens Museum, filled with Child Art, but a learning, liberating, space where children will soon be doing their own things. There, in one of the small rooms, lay a slim little book, a publication of the Museum, titled the Anvar-i Suhayli which I was drawn to. For, I found as I leafed through it, not only did it draw attention to an Akbari manuscript which the museum now owns, but also a wonderful section showing how the manuscript, which was in relatively poor condition, was treated and restored, in the workshop of the Museum, under the eyes of Vandana Prapanna, the curator, and Anupam Sah, the art conservator. It represented a great effort, and I thought it needed to be spoken about. Am I right?
Manu Moudgil

Manu Moudgil

The current debate in the country on rights of forest dwellers has put conservationists in direct confrontation with tribal rights activists. At the root of this conflict is our acceptance of the western delineation of forest and village and constant fight back from the homegrown practice of flexible living with the wildlife.

The book highlights these divides and calls for recognition of varied human experiences as a rosetta stone to living in peace with nature. It brings together 12 scholars who cast a wide net to embrace diverse environmental histories and immediate presents of the world as a counter to the mainstream Euro-centric approach, which is not only limiting but also unjust. This shifting of the gaze also brings to focus glaring mistakes in proposed solutions to environmental crisis. The romantic idea of a pristine past bereft of humans that inspires many conservation programmes is just one of them.

From war zones of Vietnam to bloating cities of Israel, from coastal frontiers to Himalayas, the book rings a constant reminder against cultivating definite notions about nature, which is ever evolving and deeply contextual. How can we understand moorings of cattle trade in Mozambique or movements of wildlife in Bengaluru without their cultural underpinnings?

India being one of the worlds biologically mega-diverse countries with a large human population mostly living in close proximity to wildlife, almost two-thirds of the book features stories from India. But within India too, the authors capture diverse experiences ranging from those living in tolerance habitat with nature to flashlight-wielding gawkers who passionately guard their spaces.

An essay on Central Himalayas  the region that expands from Tibet to Terai through western Nepal, Uttarakhand and Himachal  retraces the long history of social upheavals and innovations to illustrate several modifications the supposedly pristine landscape and unchanging mountain villages went through.

The writings insist on humans as part of the continuum instead of outside it. Michael Adams invokes stories of wild children, Mowgli and his Russian counterpart Ivan Mishukov, to bring a spiritual flavour to intra-species relationships. He calls for attentiveness, instead of fear, in our encounters with strange individuals, cultures and species to realise our potential wild children. Lessons from traditions of Australian aboriginals and tribes in India help define fluidity of these inter-species relationships.

Sandra Swart retraces the shifting relationship of Whites towards Bushmen in South Africa, starting from ridicule and genocidal campaigns against them to being romanticised as pure humans and their later use as a counter against blacks in debates on racism and colonialism. The fallacious short-term view of Africa as a land of nature waiting to be discovered by outsiders is evident in romanticised notions about Bushmen still living in the wild and dressed in skins even though most of them have church services and like to watch television.

The unpredictability of nature and conservation science is brought forth in the example from Lakshwadeep where well meaning steps to conserve green turtles impacted fish and fishers. Environmentalist Ravi Agarwal presents the fault lines in river management designs imported from Europe that cant accommodate buoyancy of tropical rivers. Flagging the case study of Yamuna, he argues that cities in India need to develop differently than their Western counterparts if we want to tackle water pollution.

Recognising divergent stories on nature is a necessary change needed in environmentalism. May be we can extend this flexibility to other spheres of life as well.
Aditi Tandon

Aditi Tandon

If the pre-election discourse is anything to go by, all political parties, mainly the ruling BJP and the Congress, are slogging overtime to impress the millennials. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an appeal to the youngsters through a Twitter post to register themselves as voters. The 2019 elections are special because for the first time those born in the 21st century will be able to cast their vote. I hope all eligible youngsters who have not registered to vote yet will do so and enrich our democracy by voting, said the PM, following up the message with a series of appeals to stalwarts across sectors to create awareness among voters.

So why do the millennials matter? In the 2019 election, starting on April 11, the 18-to-19 year olds will form a swing constituency, having 15 million voters out of the total electorate of 900 million. No wonder, immediately after the Chief Election Commissioner announced the 17th General Election last Sunday, PM took to Twitter, saying, The festival of democracy is here I urge my fellow Indians to enrich the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with their active participation. I hope this election witnesses a historic turnout. I particularly call upon the first-time voters to vote in record numbers.

Young backed BJP in 2014

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP strode past the majority mark on the back of young voters. A post-election survey by the Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) had revealed that youngsters exceeded the general category turnout for the first time in India. The young voters overwhelmingly favoured the BJP, which bagged 34 per cent of the votes cast by the 18-to-25 year olds. The Congress bagged only 19 per cent. That explains the mad rush among the political outfits to tempt this restive constituency.

Modi has often referred to the power of young voters, including in his Independence Day address in 2018. His reaching out to higher secondary students after assuming power in 2014 was significant as those students are now eligible to vote. Recently, on the eve of the commencement of Board exams, the PM addressed the schoolgoers, advising them on the values of stress free learning. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, started a little late in engaging this key segment, launching a youth outreach plan Apni baat Rahul ke saath only last month. The first event was held in a high end restaurant in Delhi, which was attended by eight youngsters, mostly first-time voters.

What are they thinking?

So what is young India thinking? While the Opposition would like to imagine that the fundamental issues of bread and butter, jobs and freedoms would dominate the young minds, they could be in for a surprise. A cross-section of the first time voters The Tribune approached said national security and Indias befitting response to Pakistan post the Pulwama terror attack was dominating the conversations among the college-going youth and they loved Uri, a Bollywood movie on Indian Armys surgical strike in 2016 post the Uri terror attack. The Balakot strike by the Indian Air Force post the Pulwama attack was a much-needed tit for tat, they said. Muh tod jawaab diya hai, UPs Saurabh Tripathi, a social work student, said of the IAF strikes on the terror camps.

Tripathi said he and his friends were impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modis diplomatic efforts that forced Pakistan to release the captured IAF pilot in record time. That was awesome. That goes to show the world is listening to us, said Tripathi.

Every student approached randomly to comment on the factors influencing their voting preferences sounded highly enthusiastic about Indias response to Pulwama. Divya Tomar, a graduate working as a stenographer, said, I dont like the fact that the Opposition is questioning the air strikes. We must show unity in matters of national security, especially when the government has done so well to boost Indian defence and show Pakistan its place.

Poor job scenario, low farm income, agrarian distress and attacks on fundamental rights, the issues not in favour of the BJP, dont seem to resonate much with the youth. They could, though, be latent issues. Asked what she thought of unemployment in the organised sector being at an all-time high, Tuheena Arun, a B Com student at Dyal Singh College, said, Jobs are an issue but I would like to be a job creator rather than a job seeker. I feel the government has done well on the economic front. The recent budget was very good for the middle class.

Against quota

Researchers note the youth vote is confounding. For instance, though youngsters should ideally be votaries of freedoms, a 2017 study on youth aspirations by the CSDS and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung revealed that the majority of the youth surveyed favoured ban on films that offended religious sentiments; half of them said beef should not be allowed; another half felt capital punishment was necessary.

Students do seem to think strongly about the reservation policy though. Kajal Prajapati, a graduate studying accounting, says she belongs to the OBC category but has never taken a quota benefit. I want to compete in the general category. I dont want any doles. Caste-based reservations should be abolished, she says.

Vikrant Sharma, another young voter, adds reservations make sense if based on the economic wellbeing of people. The recent bill giving 10 per cent quota in jobs and education to poor across general categories is a good step, he adds.

With hyper nationalism post Pulwama and Balakot being the sole visible common thread binding conversations among the youth, it remains to be seen if the BJP will retain its young support base in the 2019 LS polls. If yes, to what extent.

Figure this!

15 million: Is the number of first-time voters in the 18-19 age group. This group accounts for 1.66 per cent of the total electorate

Is the number of first-time voters in the 18-19 age group. This group accounts for 1.66 per cent of the total electorate 2.1 million: The number of first-time voters in West Bengal for this elections, the maximum in any state. UP has the second-highest first-timers (16.7 lakh), followed by MP (13.6 lakh), Rajasthan (12.8 lakh), Maharashtra (11.9 lakh), Tamil Nadu (8.9 lakh) and Andhra Pradesh (5.3 lakh)

The number of first-time voters in West Bengal for this elections, the maximum in any state. UP has the second-highest first-timers (16.7 lakh), followed by MP (13.6 lakh), Rajasthan (12.8 lakh), Maharashtra (11.9 lakh), Tamil Nadu (8.9 lakh) and Andhra Pradesh (5.3 lakh) 900 million: Total number of voters in this elections, an increase of 84 million from the 2014 Lok Sabha elections

Youth on their mind

Indian Youth Congress recently concluded its youth outreach plan under the campaign Yuva Kranti Yatra

In his first Mann Ki Baat in 2019, PM Modi spoke about the feats of youth and urged them to register as voters. He said, All of us must realize that being a voter, earning the right to vote is an important rite of passage in ones life.

In January 2019, the BJP launched a special campaign in Mumbai to target the youth. It was called Modi Yuva Shakti

On the eve of the 70th Republic Day, President Ram Nath Kovind mentioned the millennials, signifying the crucial role they will play in the electoral politics

Debutant voters take

Priyanka Devi 19

Qualification: Matriculate

State: Himachal Pradesh

Issues: We need better educational facilities and road connectivity (especially in hilly areas). The lack of faculty and adequate infrastructure is affecting the quality of education. I opine that women must get more representation in politics as they are capable of bringing about an effective change.

Why would you vote: I am excited to exercise my right for the first time. I want to use the power of my vote to bring in honest people to power. The political leaders and lawmakers we elect should work on eradicating corruption.

Sahil Kumar 18

Qualification: Pursuing B Tech

State: Himachal Pradesh

Issues: Unemployment is the biggest concern. In a hilly state like ours, opportunities are limited and the youth have to move out of the state for jobs. If more jobs and sources of livelihood are created for local youth, the state would prosper.

Why would you vote: I would vote to elect a candidate who speaks for youth-centeric issues such as freedom to express on social media and offers viable solutions to tackle joblessness.

Ajay Pandita 19

Qualification: Pursuing B Com

State: Jammu & Kashmir

Issues: Delay in the implementation of a rehabilitation package for 3.5 lakh displaced Pandits and a fast-track recruitment under the PMs programme. Besides, better infrastructure at camps for displaced families in Jagti, Purkhoo, Nagrota, Muthii and Buta Nagar in Jammu

Why would you vote: My generation, born and brought up in migrant camps, hopes the new government we elect, both at the Centre and in state, should work for our rehabilitation and youth empowerment.

Rafia Reshi 21

Qualification: Political Science (Hons)

State: Jammu & Kashmir

Issues: There are issues beyond the Kashmir conflict such as crimes against women. Sadly, everything is covered under the blanket of conflict. Women safety is a priority issue.

Why would you vote: First, I will not vote. Why should I vote when nobody has done any good to Kashmir in decades? I dont find any party in Kashmir as credible. Had I been living in any other state, I would have definitely exercised my right to elect our representatives.

Sunny Devi 23

Qualification: Matriculate

State: Haryana

Issues: Better healthcare and educational facilities, especially for women, at the grassroots level and good infrastructure such as roads. Discrimination between women in rural and urban areas must go.

Why would you vote: I will use my vote to bring in honest people and those who will focus on providing basic and better amenities such as water and round-the-clock power supply.

Pardeep 19

Qualification: Class XII

State: Chandiagarh

Major issues: There is a huge problem of waste disposal, water shortage, lack of roads. We dont get quality education in government schools, and most people like me cant afford education in private schools.

Will you vote? Yes.

Aparna 19

Qualification: Bachelor of Fine Arts- I

State: Delhi

Issues: Pakistan-sponsored terror and Indias tough stance on countering terrorism is the prime concern. Besides, unemployment and economic reforms such as demonetisation and GST and crimes against women are the priority issues.

Why would you vote: Every vote is valuable...I know the importance of elections. When I cast my vote, the womens safety and fight against terror will be the main deciding factors for me for electing the MP from my region.

Ruqiyya 19

Qualification: B.Sc-III

State: Uttar Pradesh

Issues: As young women, we are concerned about unemployment. More important, many people lost their jobs in the aftermath of demonetisation. Unemployment is at an unprecedented high causing huge hopelessness and frustration among the youth.

Why would you vote: The party which will get my vote must have a concrete plan for the safety of Muslims. Lynching must stop. The new government should relook at the proposed triple talaq law.

Nemai Chandra Mandal 21

Qualification: Eighth

(working as electrician)

State: Kolkata

Issues: Though we usually discuss airstrikes and action against Pakistan, local issues are the key. Job creation and job security are important.

Why would you vote: I am thrilled at the prospect of voting for the Lok Sabha elections. I will vote for the party which guarantees us, the refugees whose ancestors had come to India from East Pakistan after the 1947 Partition, job security.

Bhupinder Singh 18

Qualification: Matriculate

State: Punjab

Issues: As a farmers son, my primary concern is crop procurement and better returns. Farmer distress is the key issue.

Why would you vote: I will vote for the party which provides a mechanism for better procurement and remunerative price for the produce. The political leaders and lawmakers we elect should work on solving woes of the farming community and increasing their income.

Ankit Kumar Shrivastava 19
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Christchurch: Several of those killed or wounded in the shooting rampage at two New Zealand mosques on Friday were from the Middle East or South Asia, according to initial reports from several governments. The live-streamed attack by an immigrant-hating white nationalist killed at least 49 people as they gathered for weekly prayers in Christchurch. Another 48 people suffered gunshot wounds in the attacks. Bangladesh's honorary consul in Auckland, Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan, told the media that "so far" three Bangladeshis were among those killed and four or five others were wounded, including two left in critical condition. "One leg of an injured needed to be amputated while another suffered bullet injuries in his chest," Rahman Bhuiyan said. AP

Celebrities condemn attack

Los Angeles: Oscar winner Russell Crowe, director Taika Waititi and veteran actor Sam Neill are among the prominent film personalities from New Zealand who have expressed shock and anguish over the killings. Waititi, best known for directing films such as "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Hunt for The Wilderpeople", took to Twitter to extend support to the grieving community. "My heart is broken. My country is weeping and so am I. I am dying knowing that this kind of hatred can happen in my homeland. All my love goes out to Christchurch, the victims, the families, the Muslim community, and all who have chosen our islands as their home. This is not us," he wrote. Crowe described the incident as "senseless" and "pointless". PTI

Gunman wrote Indian invaders in manifesto

Christchurch: Brenton Tarrant had apparently an aversion for immigrants, including from India, according to a "manifesto" received by the Prime Ministers Office there. The manifesto from the gunman, the New Zealand Prime Minister's office said on Saturday, was received  along with about 70 other recipients  barely 10 minutes before the attacks began on Friday. Denouncing immigrants, the manifesto dubs them as "invaders", and talks about an invasion from India, along with China and Turkey. Tarrant also describes these countries as "potential nation enemies in the East". IANS
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Bamako, March 17

Gunmen attacked and briefly seized a Malian army base overnight, killing at least 16 soldiers and destroying five vehicles in central Mali's Mopti region, two local councillors in the area where the attack happened said on Sunday.

The base is in the village of Dioura, the mayor of the nearest town Kareri, Youssouf Coulibaly, told Reuters from inside it. Central Mali has in the past few years been overrun by jihadists with links to al Qaeda. Reuters
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Christchurch (NZ), March 16

A right-wing extremist who filmed himself rampaging through two mosques in the quiet New Zealand city of Christchurch killing

49 worshippers appeared in court on a murder charge on Saturday.

Australian-born 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant appeared in the dock wearing handcuffs and a white prison shirt, sitting impassively as the judge read a single murder charge against him. A raft of further charges are expected.

A former fitness instructor and self-professed fascist, Tarrant did not request bail and was taken into custody until his next court appearance scheduled for April 5.

Fortytwo persons are still being treated in hospital for injuries, including a four-year-old child, after an attack thought to be the deadliest directed against Muslims in the West in modern times.

Outside the court, guarded by heavily armed police in body armour, the sons of 71-year-old Afghan man Daoud Nabi demanded justice.

"It's outrageous, the feeling is outrageous," he said. "It's beyond imagination."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday that the victims were from across the Muslim world, with Turkey, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia among the countries rendering consular assistance.

One Saudi citizen was killed and another wounded, according to Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television news channel.

At least two Jordanians were among the dead, according to Jordanian foreign minister, while Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Mohammed Faisal said five citizens of his country were missing.

Ardern described the spree killing as a terrorist attack and said the shooter who was not on any watchlist and did not have a criminal record, had legally purchased the two semi-automatic weapons, two shotguns and lever-action gun he used. "The offender was in possession of a gun licence, which he had obtained in November 2017," she said.

"I can tell you one thing right now  our gun laws will change," Ardern vowed.

Tributes pour in

US President Donald Trump condemned the "horrible massacre" in which "innocent people have so senselessly died", but denied that the problem of right-wing extremism was widespread. Australian PM Scott Morrison described the gunman as "an extremist, right-wing, violent terrorist".  AFP

Trump dismisses white nationalism threat

US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed concerns that the massacre by an apparent white supremacist in New Zealand indicates a dangerous trend. AFP

Remorseless smirk

Brenton Tarrant, the main suspect, showed no remorse as he appeared in a court here on Saturday and smirked as the judge read a single murder charge against him. The right-wing extremist, who filmed himself during the Friday rampage, appeared before the Christchurch district court in a white prison jumpsuit, handcuffed and barefoot. IANS

The mere fact that this individual had acquired a gun licence and acquired weapons of that range, then obviously I think people will be seeking change, and I'm committed to that. I can tell you one thing right now  our gun laws will change  Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister, NZ
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Christchurch, March 17

An aircraft engineer, a takeaway store owner, a student pilot; details emerging of some of the 50 people gunned down at two New Zealand mosques paint a picture of dozens of ordinary lives suddenly and savagely ended.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face further charges.

Fridays attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labelled as terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand.

At Hagley College, a school across a park from the Al Noor mosque where more than 40 people were killed, a makeshift support centre was set up on Sunday

A stream of victims friends and relatives entered, one woman carrying sandwiches and falafel.

Muzzamil Pathan arrived to offer his condolences for a friend, Imran Khan, who was killed at a second mosque in the suburb of Linwood.

Khan ran a takeaway and had recently opened a butcher shop, he said.

He was a good person. We wish this did not happen. He came here to New Zealand 18 years ago - he was just 47. He was a self-made man, Pathan said.

National carrier Air New Zealand said Lilik Abdul Hamid, an aircraft maintenance engineer, was in killed at the Al Noor mosque.

Lilik has been a valued part of our engineering team in Christchurch for 16 years, but he first got to know the team even earlier when he worked with our aircraft engineers in a previous role overseas, Air New Zealand Chief Executive Christopher Luxon said in a statement.

The friendships he made at that time led him to apply for a role in Air New Zealand and make the move to Christchurch. His loss will be deeply felt by the team.

Hafiz Musa Patel, an Imman visiting from Fiji, was also killed, according to Abdul Aroon, a friend from Auckland.

We didnt think something like this could happen in this country, Aroon told Reuters.

Six Pakistanis dead, three missing

One student, who asked not to be identified, said a friend had been killed.

He was studying to be a pilot and we saw him for morning classes. Then he went to the mosque as usual, and we arent hearing from him, he said.

I got a call last night from a friend, around midnight, to say he has passed away.

The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Pakistans high commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing.

Khaled Mustafa, a recent refugee from Syria, had also been killed at the Al Noor mosque, Syrian Solidarity New Zealand spokesman Ali Akil told news website Stuff.

Mustafa and his family had survived atrocities in their home country and arrived here in a safe haven only to be killed in the most atrocious way.

His son, Hamza, who is about 16, was missing, and his son Zaid, who is about 13, is in Christchurch Hospital where he underwent a six-hour operation, Akil said. Reuters
WHEN the new coronavirus variant Omicron was first detected in Botswana, it was as if Dr Nicole Ramlachans worst nightmare had come true.

For the past eight months the geneticist and associate professor at UTT had been warning that if there wasnt an uptick in vaccination rates, the chances of the virus mutating would be higher. Her fears were confirmed on November 26 when the World Health Organisation officially declared Omicron a variant of concern.
It is your duty as Prime Minister and Minister of Health to provide whats best for your citizens. The jabs have been provided and are still available to all who want it. But what about those who do not want it?
Five-year-old Internet sensation Jare found her way into the spotlight in 2018, when photos of her beside her siblings hit social media.

The dark beauty who was dubbed the most beautiful girl in the world is now on her way to stardom after becoming an international model.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Jinx: Man whose lovers die shortly after hooking up, begins search for new catch

READ ALSO: Self-proclaimed prophetess who didn't sleep with anyone for 11 years pregnant with second baby

In a few Instagram photos shared by the beauty, Jare was spotted posing in luxury clothes from haute couture brand, Princess Ford.

Looking as innocent and as pure as ever, the barbie doll lookalike posed, bright-eyed in simple outfits and looked super adorable.

READ ALSO: Former Tahidi High actress Jolene reveals she uses her own urine to maintain flawless facial skin

TUKO.co.ke also understands ever since Jare broke the internet, international photographers have been scrambling to get a chance at taking photos of the beauty.

When Jare and her sisters were first spotted in 2018, the whole world went crazy for them.

Even notable actors and actresses from the US could not come to terms with the radiance, beauty and unique confidence the kids had.

Do you have a life-changing story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

His Family in-law took away his children after his wife died

Source: Tuko Kenya
- The incident took place just outside the family's home in Muthaiga

- It is alleged that Assa Nyakundi was adjusting his pistol position when the accident took place

- His 29-year old son was pronounced dead at the Agha Khan hospital

- Police have since confiscated the glock pistol along with 14 bullets in possession of the prominent lawyer

A renowned city lawyer is currently in police custody after shooting his son to death in what he claims was a freak accident.

The family of one Assa Nyakundi were thrown into sudden mourning after he shot his 29-year-old son in their car just as they arrived at their Muthaiga residence on Sunday, March 17.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: If Uhuru respected Raila, who are you not to? Mishi Mboko tells Murkomen

According to reports from The Standard, the two were just from a church service at the ICC church, Mombasa road.

When they arrived at their home in Muthaiga, Nyakundi, a licensed gun owner, decided to change the position of his pistol in the car.

"He reached back to retrieve his Glock firearm serial number Guz 521 loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm from the right pouch of the said motor vehicle to holster it. He claimed to have accidentally shot one round from the said firearm, hitting his son on the chest," a police statement said.

Nyakundi claims to have accidentally shot and killed his own son. Photo: Nation

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Former Tahidi High actress Jolene reveals she uses her own urine to maintain flawless facial skin

It however remains unclear how a simple alteration of a firearms positioning ultimately led to the fatal shooting of his own son.

TUKO.co.ke has also learnt Nyakundi is the owner of a Glock pistol, and had 15 bullets at the time of the incident.

The bleeding son was rushed to Agha Khan hospital where he was confirmed to have passed away as a result of his injuries.

Nairobi police boss Philip Ndolo confirmed the incident, adding that investigations are already underway to establish what exactly led to the shooting.

It is unfortunate a life has been lost more so his son. We are looking into the incident, he said.

Prior to the incident, Nyakundi made a name for himself as one of the prominent legal minds in the city.

He has set up his own firm dubbed Nyakundi and son Advocates which is based in Nairobi and has represented personalities such as Nyeri Magistrate Pauline Chesang, who was implicated in the murder of her own husband Robert Chesang.

The incident comes just as the Firearms Licensing Board conducts a thorough vetting exercise on private gun holders to determine whether they are fit to be in the possession of firearms.

As at Sunday, March 17, 6000 gun holders across the country had turned up for the exercise.

Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Follow us on Telegram: Tuko news

His family in-law took away his children after his wife died | Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
Since the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the fundamental human and civil rights of the Crimean Tatars, as well as those of other ethnic and religious communities, have been violated.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic says that the ongoing militarization of Russian-occupied Crimea represents a blatant breach of international law.

"The ongoing militarization of the territory of Crimea, as well as a violation of unhindered and free navigation through the Kerch Strait and in the Sea of Azov, represent yet another blatant breach of international law. Moreover, it poses a threat to stability and security in Europe," the ministry said in a statement on March 16 on the 5th anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea.

The Czech Republic says the European Union and the overwhelming majority of countries continue to consider the Crimean peninsula as a part of Ukraine.

Read alsoU.S. doesn't and will not recognize Kremlin's control of Crimea  Embassy

"The Czech Republic having also experienced a military occupation of a part of its territory by a strong neighbouring country remains steadfast in its commitment to pursuing a non-recognition policy," it said.

According to the statement, since the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the fundamental human and civil rights of the Crimean Tatars, as well as those of other ethnic and religious communities, have been violated.

"The Czech Republic calls on the Russian Federation to assure compliance with the international human rights standards as well as to immediately release Oleh Sentsov and other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens including the crewmembers captured during the attack on Ukrainian vessels in November 2018," it said.

UNIAN memo. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula. An illegal referendum was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77% of the Crimean population had voted for joining Russia. On March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin. The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced. Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began.
The illegal restrictions to passage via the Kerch Strait have negative economic consequences for Ukraine's ports in the Sea of Azov and the whole region.

The European Union is determined to pursue the policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and will continue imposing restrictive measures.

"Five years on from the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, the European Union remains steadfast in its commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said in a declaration on behalf of the EU on the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol on March 17.

"The European Union reiterates that it does not recognise and continues to condemn this violation of international law. It remains a direct challenge to international security, with grave implications for the international legal order that protects the territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty of all States," she said.

Read alsoCzech Republic: Ongoing militarization of Crimea represents blatant breach of international law

"The European Union remains committed to fully implementing its non-recognition policy, including through restrictive measures. The European Union calls again on UN Member States to consider similar non-recognition measures in line with the UN General Assembly Resolution 68/262," Mogherini said.

In her words, Russia's violations of international law have led to a dangerous increase in tensions at the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov. "The unjustified use of force by Russia against Ukraine on November 25, 2018, is a reminder of the negative effects of the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula on regional stability," she said.

In this connection, the EU reiterates its call on Russia to release the illegally captured Ukrainian crewmembers, vessels and equipment unconditionally and without further delay. "Pending their release, Russia should respect their rights to legal representation and access by consular authorities, and to provide the injured crewmen with appropriate medical treatment," she said.

"The European Union condemns the construction of the Kerch Bridge without Ukraine's consent which constitutes a further violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU expects Russia to ensure unhindered and free passage of all ships through the Kerch Strait to and from the Azov Sea, in accordance with international law," she added.

The declaration says that the illegal restrictions to such passage have negative economic consequences for Ukraine's ports in the Azov Sea and the whole region.

"The European Union does not and will not recognise the holding of elections by the Russian Federation in the Crimean peninsula. The increasing militarisation of the peninsula continues to impact negatively the security situation in the Black Sea region. In violation of international humanitarian law, Russian citizenship and conscription in the armed forces of the Russian Federation have been imposed on Crimean residents," she said.
This farce was rightfully condemned by the international community.

The United States Department of State has called the "referendum" conducted by Russia in Ukraine's Crimea five years ago "a farce."

"Russia's so-called 'referendum' at the barrel of a gun in Crimea five years ago was a farce rightfully condemned by the international community. Crimea is Ukraine," Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State tweeted on Saturday, March 16.

As UNIAN reported earlier, United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker said the United States firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

UNIAN memo. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula. An illegal referendum was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77% of the Crimean population had voted for joining Russia. On March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin. The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced. Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began.
The MAP could be discussed at the NATO London Summit in December this year.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he is convinced that by 2023 Ukraine will be ready to apply for membership in the European Union and NATO.

"In 2023, it is quite realistic to start negotiations on joining the EU and ensure that Ukraine receives a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP)," Poroshenko told the public in Kyiv on Sunday, according to the presidential press service.

Read alsoStoltenberg: "Many different tools" already in place to help Ukraine move toward Euro-Atlantic integration

The issue of the MAP could be raised as early as in December this year at the London Summit of NATO. Poroshenko noted that he wrote about this the other day in a letter to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

According to the head of state, Ukraine is able to get prepared for accession the EU and NATO by the deadline.

"Only membership in the European Union and especially membership in NATO definitively and irrevocably guarantee the independence of the state, security of the country and security of every citizen," Poroshenko added.
Canada's defense ministry said in December that the contingent had trained more than 10,000 members of the Ukrainian security forces.

Canada will announce as expected on Monday that is extending a 200-strong military training mission in Ukraine, a source directly familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan are scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Monday, Reuters said.

"It is the Ukraine extension," said the source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.

Representatives for Sajjan and Freeland did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read alsoEx-Foreign Minister Axworthy to lead Canada's election observation mission to Ukraine  media

The troops, who first went to Ukraine in 2015, are due out at the end of March. Political and military sources had made clear the soldiers would stay longer, given continuing tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

Canada's defense ministry said in December that the contingent had trained more than 10,000 members of the Ukrainian security forces.

The Canadian contingent is in western Ukraine, far removed from clashes between Ukrainian soldiers and Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country.

Freeland, a vocal critic of Russia's move to annex Crimea in early 2014, said in a statement on Saturday that "we continue to condemn this violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the strongest terms."

Canada, the United States and the European Union on Friday imposed new sanctions on a number of Russian officials to punish Moscow for its 2018 attack on three Ukrainian ships and the seizure of Crimea, which had been part of Ukraine.

The Canadian trainers are in Ukraine as part of a larger mission that involves the United States, Britain, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden.
Most of the costs were linked with sanctions introduced by the United States and the European Union against Russia.

Russia's losses over the five years of the illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea were estimated at over US$150 billion.

"Analysts at Bloomberg Economics estimate that sanctions have knocked as much as 6 percent off Russia's economy over the past five years. A study published by analyst Scott Johnson late last year found that the economy of the world's biggest energy exporter is more than 10 percent  or $150 billion  smaller compared with what might have been expected at the end of 2013," Bloomberg Economics said.

Four percentage points of that come from the drop in oil prices, but sanctions and other factors are to blame for the rest, it said.

The U.S. and European Union led a broad effort to punish Russia with sanctions.

Undeterred, Russia has kept integrating Crimea into its economy, investing billions in new power plants and building a giant bridge to the peninsula last year. Most of the costs Russia has incurred have come from the U.S. and EU penalties, which have piled up every year since the annexation, with new ones added for alleged election meddling and other actions.

Read alsoU.S., Canada introduce sanctions over Russian aggression in Ukraine, including in Kerch Strait

The economic lull has meant less money is filtering through to paychecks of ordinary Russians. Average incomes have barely budged above 30,000 rubles a month ($459) since the Crimea takeover and slump in oil prices pushed the country into an almost two-year recession. "One region where incomes have grown is Crimea as wages increase from a low base to catch up with those in Russia," Bloomberg Economics said.

"As the economic pressure takes its toll on ordinary Russians, the positive effect the annexation had on public opinion five years ago has started to wear off," it said. A poll published on Thursday by the Moscow-based Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) found that just 39 percent of Russians think the takeover did Russia more good than harm, down from 67 percent at the end of 2014.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the United States and the United Kingdom announced on the fifth anniversary of the illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea by Russia, that they would never recognize the takeover.

As the Kremlin's press service announced before, Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Crimea on March 18 to attend official events on the fifth anniversary.
A final decision is expected in mid-June.

Ukraine and Russia are locked in a legal dispute over a precious collection of gold artifacts from Russian-occupied Crimea.

"The collection includes ancient jewelry, gems, helmets and scabbards from four museums in Crimea. It was on loan to a museum in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam in 2014  around the same time Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine," NBC News said.

The exhibition included items originating from four museums in Crimea and one museum in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital.

The collection highlights the rich history of Crimea as a staging post at the crossroads between Europe and Asia.

In August 2014, the Allard Pierson Museum returned the artifacts it borrowed from the National Museum of History of Ukraine. However, after facing "conflicting claims" of ownership from both sides, it is still in possession of 572 disputed items.

In 2016, a Dutch court ruled the artifacts must be returned to Ukraine because they are part of the country's heritage, but the Crimean museums appealed the decision.

An appeal hearing took place in an Amsterdam court on Monday, March 11, where lawyers from both sides presented final arguments.

Marielle Koppenol-Laforce, a Rotterdam-based lawyer who represents the Crimean museums, told NBC News the museums were the original keepers of the historic artifacts at the time of the exhibition in Amsterdam and they still are.

Maarten Sanders, one of the lawyers representing the interests of Ukraine, said the annexation of Crimea has been declared illegal by the United Nations, the European Union and many other international bodies.

"On the basis of international law, the Netherlands and its courts should not recognize the annexation," Sanders said. "This implies that any claim for archaeological finds or cultural heritage from Crimea is to be made by its recognized sovereign state, which is Ukraine."

A final decision is expected in mid-June, but that date is not set in stone.
No Ukrainian army casualties have been reported.

Russia-led forces mounted six attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time on Sunday, March 17.

"Weapons banned under the Minsk agreements were used in three attacks," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said on Facebook in an evening update on Sunday.

Read alsoOSCE observers spot 22 Grads in occupied Donbas

In particular, 120mm mortars were used near the town of Maryinka, while 82mm mortars were used near the village of Zolote-4.

In addition, enemy troops opened fire from 82mm mortars and grenade launchers near the village of Novoluhanske.

Anti-tank missile systems were used near the villages of Novotoshkivske and Krymske.

No Ukrainian army casualties have been reported.

The situation remains under control, the JFO press center said.
At least 50 people were killed and 50 wounded in the hate-filled terror attack.

The alleged Christchurch mosque shooter sent a "manifesto" to the office of New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern minutes before the terrorist attack that left 50 people dead, she has said.

Her office was among more than 30 New Zealand parliamentary email addresses that received the document on Friday, the Guardian reported.

The document did not include a location or specific details about the attack.

"I was one of more than 30 recipients of the manifesto that was mailed out nine minutes before the attack took place. It did not include a location, it did not include specific details," she said.

Read alsoViolent provocations possible in occupied Donetsk on Ukraine election day  OSINT expert

"I am advised that within two minutes of its receipt, at least my office it was conveyed directly to parliamentary security."

Ardern said that if the document had "provided details that could have been acted upon immediately it would have been".

"Unfortunately, there were no such details in that email," she said.

At least 50 people were killed and 50 wounded in a hate-filled terror attack targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on March 15.

The shooter, identified as 28-year-old Australian citizen Brenton Harrison Tarrant, has been charged with murder. Authorities found an 87-page manifesto filled with anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim ideas.
(@FahadShabbir)

BUJUMBRA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Mar, 2019) Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Burundi, received a delegation from Al Maktoum Foundation, led by Mirza Al Sayegh, Member of the board of Trustees of the Foundation.

Al Sayegh conveyed the greetings of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Patron of the Foundation, to President Nkurunziza.

President Nkurunziza thanked Sheikh Hamdan for approving the "Al Maktoum school Project," which is the foundations first project in Burundi.

During the meeting, both sides discussed the opening of the foundation's office in the country. President Nkurunziza highlighted his countrys economic and academic development while welcoming investors in many areas, especially in the agriculture sector.

The delegation also met with Deniza Nkurunziza, First Lady of Burundi, who is heading the Obuntu Charitable Foundation, to discuss projects that aim to support women, including the 'Producing Families Project'.

The foundation will supply 71 sewing machines before Ramadan, and train instructors who will teach women during the project. It will also provide the necessary fabric, as well as purchase the end products and distribute them to the needy. The foundation will supply the project with computers and other requirements.

Al Sayegh noted that the First Lady welcomed the project and thanked the foundation for its efforts.
Radical cystectomy Bladder preservation with chemoradiation (Trimodal therapy) Active surveillance

Better preoperative planning

Local staging

Improve the quality of TURBT resection and surgical confidence

Consider incorporating the use of MRI before planning a re-TURBT

Standardize the VIRADS scoring system and implement it on a regular basis to all patients

Improve the response to therapy

Barcelona, Spain (UroToday.com) In the Bladder Cancer in the Young Patient Plenary Session at the 2019 European Association of Urology meeting EAU 2019, Dr. Maurizio Brausi presented the following case to facilitate the debate titled: "No Evidence of Disease After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation for MIBC: What Next? " The patient case was as follows: a 45-year-old man who is a heavy smoker, and presented with macroscopic hematuria due to a 3.5 cm mass in the left lateral wall of the bladder. Following a TURBT procedure, he was found to have a transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) high grade (G3) tumor invading the lamina propria and detrusor muscle. No carcinoma in situ (CIS) was found, but lympho-vascular invasion was found. He was staged as a T2-3 HG TCC. He underwent a CT scan showing the thickness of the left lateral wall of the bladder and normal upper urinary tract. No lymph node enlargement was seen. The patient was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy with 3 cycles of Gemcitabine and cisplatin. He underwent a CT scan and TURBT after completion of chemotherapy, and he was found to have a T0 disease with a normal CT scan.At this point the patient was offered 3 treatment options:In bladder cancer patients, CT scan is recommended in the guidelines for proper staging of the bladder and the upper urinary tract. However, it is important to remember that the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines also state that MRI can be performed instead of a CT scan. MRI offers an opportunity to reduce staging errors through better anatomical visualization.Furthermore, the MRI has the additional value of functional sequences such as diffuse weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. Lastly, MRI also has the advantage of not harboring any associated radiation, like CT scans.Two meta-analyses have shown that mpMRI has a pooled sensitivity of 87% and 92%, and a specificity of 79% and 87%, respectively, in distinguishing between muscle-invasive bladder cancer and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. MRI is impressively successful 95% of cases in differentiating muscle-invasive disease from non-muscle invasive diseaseThe VIRADS scoring system is a standardized approach to imaging and reporting mpMRI from bladder cancer, defining the risk of muscle-invasive disease. It was created through consensus using the existing literature. The scoring is applicable preferably to untreated patients before TURBT or at least 2 weeks after diagnostic TURBT or intravesical treatment. A 5-point VIRADS score is generated using the individual T2W, DWI, and DCE MRI categories and suggests the probability of muscle invasion, as seen in table 1, figure 1 and figure 2.Dr. Panebianco concluded her talk stating that despite the tremendous improvement that has been achieved in bladder cancer, there are still certain issues that can be improved. These include:Use of MRI and the VIRADS scoring system can be applied specifically in young patients, in the setting of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, following immunotherapy, and surveillance of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.Table 1  VIRADS scoring system:Figure 1  VIRADS score 1,2,3:Figure 2  VIRADS score 4 and 5:References:1. Gandhi N et al. (2018), Diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging for tumour staging of bladder cancer: systematic review and metaanalysis. BJU Int, 122: 744-753. doi:10.1111/bju.143662. Woo S. et al. Eur J Radiol 20173. Panebianco V et al. Eur Rad 2017Presented by: Valeria Panebianco, Department of Radiology, University Sapienza, Rome, ItalyWritten by: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre @GoldbergHanan at the 34th European Association of Urology (EAU 2019) #EAU19 conference in Barcelona, Spain, March 15-19, 2019



Further Related Content: What Can We Expect from Trimodal Therapy - Case-Based Debate No Evidence of Disease After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for MIBC: What Next?
Barcelona, Spain (UroToday.com) There are different options for treatment of lower pole (LP) renal stones. A choice is based on patient anatomy, stone factors and surgeons preferences. However, only a few large comparative studies have been published. Dr. Ghani from the University of Michigan assessed the efficacy and morbidity of shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) and ureteroscopy (URS) for treating LP stones of a different size.For this purpose, authors used data from Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative Reducing Operative Complications from Kidney Stones (MUSIC ROCKS) quality initiative. This prospective registry includes data from 24 participating practices on patients undergoing URS and SWL. All patients with LP stones that underwent SWL or URS from June 2016 to July 2018 were analyzed. The demographic factors, emergency department (ED) visit and hospitalization rates, as well as stone-free rates (SFR) after 60 days, were compared. In addition, authors carried out a sub-group analysis with stratification by stone size <1 cm and 1-2 cm.A total of 832 (63.3%) SWL and 483 (36.7%) URS procedures were analyzed. In both groups, there was no difference in the mean stone size (mm) [SWL 8.0 vs URS 8.3, p=0.27]. A majority of procedures was performed for stones <1 cm (74.4%), followed by 1-2 cm (24.5%) and >2 cm stones (1.1%). In URS group, patients had significantly greater rates of medical comorbidity, female gender, positive urine culture, pre-operative hydronephrosis and antiplatelet therapy (p<0.05). Stenting before and after the procedure was more common in URS group. Although an overall 30-day ED visit rate was higher for URS (12.6 vs. 2.5%, p<0.001), there was no difference for stones 1-2 cm. Overall stone clearance was higher after URS (56.5% vs. 39.4%, p<0.0001), as well as values for < 1 cm stones (64.1% vs. 44.3%, p<0.0001) and 1-2 cm stones (38.0% vs.25.0%, p<0.05) (table 2). For stones 1-2 cm, there were no significant differences in complications between URS and SWL.Dr. Ghani concluded that URS provides better efficacy than SWL for treating LP stones, but this method is associated with increased morbidity. However, for stones 1-2 cm in size, URS demonstrates superior stone clearance with no significant difference in complications. Although SWL is still commonly used for LP stones, the results of this study can allow developing the treatment appropriateness criteria for SWL.Presented by: Khurshid Ridwan Ghani, MB, BCh, University of Michigan, Department of Urology, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.Written by: Kirill Shiranov, MD, Fellow, Department of Urology, Rostov University, Rostov on Don, Russia, Twitter: @endourologist and Zhamshid Okhunov, MD, Twitter: @OkhunovZham, Department of Urology, the University of California-Irvine at the 34th European Association of Urology (EAU 2019) #EAU19 conference in Barcelona, Spain, March 15-19, 2019.
Barcelona, Spain (UroToday.com) In this session, Dr. Mottrie argued in favor of the growth of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy. He started the talk by reviewing past data: colorectal and hernia surgery have a complication rate of 37% and 17%, respectively. In the United States, approximately 170 billion dollars are spent annually on surgery, with approximately 41 billion spent on readmissions. Given high complication rates and the significant costs associated with readmissions, Dr. Mottrie feels that we must progress as a group. Improving outcomes can be with better education and proficiency-based training, and to expand surgical innovations.Starting with education, Dr. Mottrie stated this can fall in three categories: standardization of training, improvement of education and quality assured training, and licensing. For example, at Dr. Mottries center, a robotic curriculum was initiated which has now been in practice for greater than 5 years and involves 10 institutions. The importance of a structured training robotic partial nephrectomy program is essential to improve patient outcomes during the surgeons learning curve. In a 2018 European Urology study, no differences in complications, positive margin rate, and post-op renal function were seen in curriculum and standard of care robotic partial nephrectomy.Furthermore, since urologic guidelines do not recommend a specific approach for partial nephrectomy, surgeons still debate wedge resection versus enuceoresection versus pure enucleation. A large systematic review meta-analysis published in the Journal of Urology in 2018 demonstrated equivalent outcomes for robotic partial nephrectomy compared to open partial nephrectomy. Additionally, two studies support the notion that robotic-assisted surgery was associated with lower excisional renal volume loss compared to open surgery. In studies evaluating surgical experience, approximately 20 cases are needed to hit a warm ischemia time of fewer than 20 minutes and 150 cases are needed to hit a goal of 13-14 minutes.Robotic partial nephrectomy has been increasing in popularity, with over 160 publications in 2016. There is support for the utilization of robotic partial nephrectomy for complex, larger masses in the future, as data supports its use in select cT2 masses with acceptable perioperative outcomes.Dr. Mottrie briefly reviewed newer (and expensive) technologies to improve preoperative and intraoperative planning, including 3-D reconstruction with a TilePro onlay, 3-D printed models, intraoperative ultrasound, and fluorescence. Additionally, enhanced recovery after surgery may be possible with the use of low pressure laparoscopic procedures, creating less microvascular ischemia and CO2 reabsorption.In summary, Dr. Mottrie believes that robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy is an operation without limits in the appropriately trained individual. The goals include providing patients with fewer complications and excellent oncological outcomes. The operation will likely take over for most indications for nephron-sparing surgery and can be used on more complex cases in the future.Presented by: Alexandre Mottrie, MD, PhD, Department of Urology, OLV Aalst, BelgiumWritten by: David B. Cahn, DO, MBS @dbcahn Fox Chase Cancer Center at the 34th European Association of Urology (EAU 2019) #EAU19, conference in Barcelona, Spain from March 15-19, 2019.
Barcelona, Spain (UroToday.com) In this session, Professor Kuczyk heeded caution regarding minimally invasive partial nephrectomy for complex surgical cases. Clinically T1b or T2 disease, endophytic or central tumors have greater risk profiles and should likely be performed at higher volume centers by high volume surgeons. Dr. Kuczyk stated that hospitals are putting pressure on surgeons to attract more business by utilizing newer technology or techniques, but that is not without risk. Data is present in the literature utilizing segmental or off clamp techniques, minimally invasive approaches to IVC thrombi and T2 renal masses. However, most of these are done at extremely high volume centers and considered locations of robotic excellence.With the growth of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy has also been the positive margin and complication rate. A 2018 Journal of Urology systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated equivalence of the open to robotic techniques. However, in this analysis, tumors treated by open partial nephrectomy were larger and had higher RENAL nephrometry scores.Analyzing margin positivity after partial nephrectomy, a 2015 Journal of Urology analysis in almost 12,000 patients, Tabayoyong et al demonstrated a positive margin rate of 4.9% in open surgery versus 8.1% in laparoscopic partial and 8.7% in robotic partial nephrectomy. Furthermore, Fero et al demonstrated in 2018 that the utilization of minimally invasive partial nephrectomy increased over time in both cT1a and cT1b tumors. This correlated with the increasing positive margin rate, leading to a quality of care concern. A 2017 national cancer database analysis demonstrated an unacceptably high positive margin rate in the African American cohort, with 13% for robotic partial nephrectomy. Multivariate analysis showed a surgery at a non-academic institution had a higher likelihood of positive margins as well (OR 1.57, p<0.001).Comparing unplanned conversion from partial to radical nephrectomy, hospital and surgeon volume had a statistically significant association with conversion rate. These patterns were also seen in a positive surgical margin, length of stay and readmission rates.Dr. Kuczyk also reviewed the learning curve for robotic partial nephrectomy, suggesting 20 robotic partials per year by a single surgeon and 60-90 over a 5-7 year period to reach the goal outcome (no complication, negative margin, warm ischemia time <25 minutes, and <15% decrease in postoperative glomerular filtration rate). Dr. Kuczyk summarized by stating that when experience with open surgical approach is available, robotic partial nephrectomy should not be offered in the case of insufficient case volume. Current EAU guidelines list partial nephrectomy approach (open, laparoscopic, or robotic) should be based on surgeon experience and skill set (level 2b).Presented by: Markus A. Kuczyk, MD, PhD, Department of Urology and Urological Oncology, Hannover University Medical School, Hannover, GermanyWritten by: David B. Cahn, DO, MBS, @dbcahn Fox Chase Cancer Center at the 34th European Association of Urology (EAU 2019) #EAU19, conference in Barcelona, Spain from March 15-19, 2019.
Barcelona, Spain (UroToday.com) In prostate cancer the Gleason score is a predictive factor for risk stratification, prognosis and a decisive factor for further treatment options. Hence, a correct biopsy Gleason score is essential in proper therapeutic planning. In this study, the authors analyzed whether the hypothesis that center size and pathologist experience affects Gleason score biopsy and final pathology specimen concordance rate.The study took place in 23 Belgian centers between 2009 and 2016 including 8,021 patients who underwent robotic radical prostatectomy. The concordance rate between the biopsy and final specimen pathology Gleason score was assessed.The results demonstrated that the concordance rate was 60.5% for the entire population, and upgrading was seen in 28.6% of patients. A significant effect of center size on the concordance rate could not be identified (p=0.4). However, when stratifying centers by size, variations could be seen. In centers that performed 50-100 procedures per year, 3 of the 9 centers had concordance rate higher than the mean. Two centers that performed >100 procedures per year, but unexpectedly, one of these center scored below the mean.The authors concluded that there is a discrepancy between good and poor performers. Size did not seem to correlate with the concordance rate in this study. One possible explanation is that high volume centers have a higher proportion of referrals and their biopsy results, performed outside the hospital, are not reviewed by their own hospital specialist pathologists. The authors importantly add that in general, use of mpMRI-informed biopsies, pathologist training, and review of outside biopsy results could improve concordance rates.Presented by: Charlotte Soenens, Resident Urologist, AZ Maria Middelares, Department of Urology, Ghent, BelgiumWritten by: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, @GoldbergHanan, at the 34th European Association of Urology (EAU 2019) #EAU19 conference in Barcelona, Spain, March 15-19, 2019.
Barcelona, Spain (UroToday.com) There are several preoperative risk stratification models in prostate cancer that assess the risk of recurrence following radical prostatectomy. However, not all patients who experience biochemical recurrence ultimately progress to clinical recurrence and die from their disease. The authors of this presented study aimed to develop and externally validate a novel risk classification tool predicting clinical recurrence at long-term follow-up in European patients that were treated with radical prostatectomy.



For the purpose of this study, 19,825 patients with prostate cancer who were treated with radical prostatectomy between 1991 and 2018 at two European tertiary referral centers were identified. The main outcome was 8-year clinical recurrence defined as positive imaging during follow-up after the onset of biochemical recurrence. The authors also performed multivariable cox regression model to predict clinical recurrence in patients treated at one institution (development cohort). This model represented the basis for a coefficient based nomogram which was later externally validated in the second institutional cohort. The covariates in the model included PSA at radical prostatectomy, biopsy Gleason grade group, clinical T stage, and percentage of positive cores at biopsy. The authors also performed Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) derived area under the curve (AUC) and decision curve analyses to compare the accuracy of the model to the DAmico risk classification and CAPRA score in the prediction of 8-year clinical recurrence. Lastly, the authors developed a novel risk score using the nomogram-derived coefficients.



The data showed that the median age of the included patients at surgery was 63.7, with 72% of patients having a PSA<10, 20% having a PSA between 10-20, and 8% having a PSA >20. A total of 75% of the patients were clinical stage T1c, 23% were T2, and 2% were >=T3. Most patients had a biopsy Gleason grade group of 1 (43%), 28% had Gleason grade group 2, 13% had Gleason grade group 3, and 16% had Gleason grade group 4-5. Lastly, 44% of patients had <33% involvement of positive cores, 37% had 33-66% core involvement, and 19% had more than 66% core involvement.



Table 1 demonstrates the results of the univariate and Cox regression multivariable model. This model showed that statistically significant predictors of clinical recurrence included clinical stage T2 and T3 compared to T1c, biopsy Gleason grade group 3,4 and 5 (compared to Gleason grade group 1), and >66% positive core involvement (compared to <33% core involvement). Figure 1 demonstrates the calibration plot and nomogram based on the Cox regression model predicting clinical recurrence at 8 years. Lastly, figure 2 shows the decision curve analysis comparing the accuracy of the novel risk tool presented in this study vs. the DAmico risk classification and the CAPRA score. Table 2 shows the final developed nomogram-derived risk score, and figure 3 demonstrated the Kaplan-Meier plot depicting clinical recurrence-free survival stratified by the nomogram risk groups.



Table 1  Univariate and Cox regression multivariable model predicting clinical recurrence:



Figure 1  Calibration plot and nomogram based on Cox regression model predicting clinical recurrence at 8 years:



Figure 2  Decision curve analysis comparing the accuracy of the novel risk tool presented in this study vs. the DAmico risk classification and the CAPRA score:



Table 2  Nomogram derived risk score:



Figure 3  Kaplan Meier plot depicting clinical recurrence-free survival stratified by nomogram derived risk groups:



In conclusion, the authors state that they have developed and externally validated a novel preoperative risk tool to predict long term recurrence in prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy. This model exhibited higher accuracy as compared to the available tools in the prediction of clinical recurrence at long term follow-up. This could potentially assist physicians in preoperative counseling and treatment decisions.







Presented by: Elio Mazzone, MD, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute University San Raffaele, Urology, Milan, Italy

Written By: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre @GoldbergHanan at the 34th European Association of Urology (EAU 2019) #EAU19 conference in Barcelona, Spain, March 15-19, 2019.
Barcelona, Spain (UroToday.com) In this debate, Drs. Nyirady and Mottett debated primary local versus systemic therapy for clinically node-positive prostate cancer. The case began with a 60-year-old male with a PSA of 7.2 and an abnormal DRE. Multiparametric MRI demonstrated a PIRADS 5 lesion in the left central zone. Biopsy results with 5 positive cores of Gleason 4+5 disease (8-60%). The patient underwent evaluation at a multidisciplinary tumor board with a pathological review, bone scan, CT chest, and an MRI abdomen/pelvis. This workup demonstrated no evidence of metastatic disease, but a 1.3 x 1.5cm obturator lymph node. The patient underwent robotic prostatectomy with wide margins and a super-extended pelvic lymph node dissection revealing pT3bN1Mx (3/39 nodes), Gl 4+5 prostate carcinoma and had an undetectable postoperative PSA.Dr. Nyirady argued in favor of primary local therapy. Although newer imaging modalities (ie PET/CT and PSMA PET/CT) have high sensitivity for secondary lesions in upfront staging, leading to better detection of smaller and earlier lesions, their role in primary staging remains unclear. Previous studies evaluation primary tumor treatment with cN1 disease are based on conventional imaging techniques. A previously published retrospective review evaluating 302 node positive patients who underwent radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection over a 15 year period at two centers demonstrated no difference in survival outcomes for patients who were cN- versus cN+. Furthermore, a 2015 JNCI paper demonstrated a 50% mortality reduction in a retrospective review of patients who underwent primary tumor treatment with XRT in cN+ disease as opposed to ADT alone. The STAMPEDE Trial subgroup analysis also showed a longer disease progression interval in N0 and N+ patients treated with XRT. In summary, Dr. Nyirady conveyed that primary tumor treatment with radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection or whole pelvic radiation for cN+ patients as long as they are adequately counseled prior to treatment that a multimodal approach is likely needed.In this session, Dr. Mottett argued the opposite - in favor of systemic therapy only, with the clinician needing to decide the timing of ADT (upfront or delayed) and if ADT needs to be combined with any other treatments (systemic or EBRT). Dr. Mottett stressed that the only randomized controlled trial available to date is a 2006 Messing analysis published in Lancet Oncology, demonstrating that patients treated with immediate ADT had superior survival outcomes compared to observation at long term follow up. While other studies also demonstrate survival benefits ADT with EBRT for pN+ patients, they are retrospective in nature, with radiotherapy location not standardized (prostate vs whole pelvis), and no standard ADT duration. Dr. Mottett stated that node-positive disease is only one important factor to consider, others essential when determining treatment protocols are PSA, Gleason score, and margin status. In this case, level one evidence only exists for systemic treatment with upfront monotherapy. In the future may be co-administration with docetaxel, abiraterone, or EBRT to improve cancer outcomes.Presented by: Peter Nyirady, MD, PhD, DSc,and Nicolas Mottett, MD, PhD1. Department of Urology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary2. Department of Urology, CHU St Etienne, St Etienne, FranceWritten by: David B. Cahn, DO, MBS @dbcahn Fox Chase Cancer Center at the 34th European Association of Urology (EAU 2019) #EAU19, conference in Barcelona, Spain from March 15-19, 2019.
Catholic leaders from all around the world are responding to the tragic shooting in Christchurch New Zealand that killed 52 people, showing solidarity and closeness to the Muslim community.

By Francesca Merlo

Whether through social media or through statements released by their relative Bishops Conferences, Catholic leaders worldwide have been sending out messages of prayer, solidarity and concern for the Muslim community of New Zealand, and worldwide.

A tweet from England

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, tweeted his profound sympathy for the victims praying for the healing of people, and reminding everyone that Jesus calls us to welcome strangers and love our neighbour, however different they may be.

A message from India

Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Indian Bishops' Conference, expressed "profound pain for the massacre. And in remembering that it was filmed and broadcast live on Facebook, expressed his concern with inappropriate use of Social Media. "It is increasingly getting loaded with hate, threatening messages, ultra-nationalistic rage and categorization of dissenters as anti-nationals he said. It is time to call out hate mongers and take them to task", he said.

Statements from Ireland and the US

In Ireland, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, of Dublin, has asked that prayers be said at all Masses in the Archdiocese of Dublin on Sunday 17th March, Feast of Saint Patrick, in remembrance of those who died and were injured in the attacks. The Archbishop has also expressed his concern about anti-Islamic sentiments being expressed via social media in Ireland and even in publications purporting to be of Catholic inspiration.

Listen to our report

A prayer from Australia

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that one of the four people arrested was an Australian-born citizen.

In a statement, Archbishop Mark Coleridge, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, condemned this unfathomable act of evil", and is praying that out of evil good will come, strengthening the bonds of good will in the city, the country and the entire human family, but especially between Christians and Muslims.

Other global leaders have expressed their sadness, including the Archdiocese of Singapore, who states that such deeds remind us of the importance of promoting inter-faith dialogues and that tolerance, mutual respect and appreciation of other faiths, must be taught and learnt.
At least 40 people have died in separate attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. In the wake of the attacks, the nations Catholic Bishops have expressed their solidarity with the Muslim community.

By Vatican News

Reporting from New Zealand, Nicky Webber says, "Our entire country is absolutely devastated by the 49 confirmed deaths in New Zealands first terrorist attack". She described "the massacre of innocent people, at prayer, in their place of worship" as "shocking and heartbreaking".

Listen to Nicky Webber, reporting from New Zealand

The attacks began in the early afternoon on Friday, when at least one person entered the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch and began firing on worshippers. Early reports suggested that there may have been multiple attackers. The attack on the second mosque began a short time later. "Many Muslims attending the lunchtime service at the two Mosques in Christchurch were immigrants and refugees, from war torn countries, seeking peace, safety and solace, for their families," Webber said. "They are Kiwis too, part of our community and we mourn with them too".

Police also found IEDs (improvised explosive devices, or homemade bombs), attached to cars near the site of the attacks. UPDATE: Authorities later clarified that two bombs had been found in a single car.



It is clear that this is one of New Zealands darkest days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement following the attacks. Although she was unable to confirm the number of casualties, local media reported that at least 40 people were killed, and at least 50 people wounded. Clearly, what has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence, the Prime Minister said.



Authorities said that four people  three men and one woman  were in custody in connection with the shooting. One person, a 28-year-old man, has already been charged with murder; while police are continuing to investigate whether the other people arrested were in fact involved. The Australian man, whose name has not been released, had posted a racist, anti-immigrant manifesto on social media prior to the shootings, and afterwards apparently posted video footage of the attack. Police have urged people not to share the violent and disturbing footage, and Facebook and other social media companies have been working to remove the videos, as well as any comments in support of the attacks.

"New Zealand is an ethnically diverse country", Webber said, "which has always practised tolerance for all races, cultures and religions. We are a welcoming, peaceful and compassionate nation who today have been shocked to our very core that such hatred has come to our shores". She said, "Every Kiwi is offering their compassion, support and love to those suffering from this horrific crime".

Catholic Bishops express solidarity

Following the attack, the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand addressed a message to members of the Muslim community in New Zealand:

We hold you in prayer as we hear the terrible news of violence against Muslims in mosques in Christchurch. We are profoundly aware of the positive relationships we have with Islamic people in this land, and we are particularly horrified that this has happened at a place and time of prayer. We are deeply saddened that people have been killed and injured, and our hearts go out to them, their families and wider community. We wish you to be aware of our solidarity with you in the face of such violence.

The message concludes, Peace, Salaam, and is signed by all five Catholic Bishops of New Zealand.


Tivoli Village award-winning artist Mario Basner has been hand-selected by the European Culture Center and the Global Art Affairs Foundation to showcase his artwork at the Venice Art Biennale taking place from Sat., May 11 through Sun., Nov. 24 in Italy. Basner is among 30 artists worldwide that have been globally selected to showcase intricate pieces to an audience of well over 500,000 attendees in a formal gallery setting.

I am elated to represent Las Vegas during the most prestigious exhibition in the world, said Basner when asked about his invitation to the Venice Art Biennale. Not only am I honored to showcase my own artwork, but I am excited to showcase Las Vegas as an epicenter for the arts, similar to New York City and Los Angeles.

Just last week on March 1, Basner held an upscale fundraising event in the penthouse atop the One Queensridge Place in Summerlin to alleviate exhibition and artwork transportation costs associated with his invitation. The intimate and ultra-exclusive A World Class Vision event was hosted by University of Nevada at Las Vegas Presidential Advisor Don Snyder, and Carnegie Hall Concert Pianist Dr. Alexandria Le performed. Guests sampled caviar and blinis paired with a Louis XIII tasting as they browsed Basners fine artwork.

Basner has a gallery located at Tivoli Village in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has been preaching his mission to local artists city-wide in efforts to remove existing stigmas from Las Vegas and bring recognition to its diverse artistic landscape.


Following an incredible sold-out run across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Mexico, Il Divo brought their Timeless Tour to The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort last night (Photo credit: Denise Truscello / WireImage).

Photo credit: Denise Truscello / WireImage

Fans were entertained by the amazing performers as they sang songs from the Timeless album, an album created to celebrate the groups 15th anniversary with a mix of pop and traditional standards in four languages.

Photo credit: Denise Truscello / WireImage

Their performance included John Legends All Of Me, Natalie Coles Unforgettable, and Louis Armstrongs What A Wonderful World, among others.

Photo credit: Denise Truscello / WireImage
Raveesh Kumar Twitter page

Male, Mar 17 (IBNS): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday reached Maldives for her two-day tour to the island nation.

Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid received Swaraj.

Swaraj's visit marks the first high-level visit from India to the Maldives since new government assumed office in November last year.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted: "EAM @SushmaSwaraj receives a warm welcome on arrival in #Maldives. In a special gesture, FM @abdulla_shahid & Foreign Secretary Abdul Mohamed receive EAM at airport. 1st high-level visit to Maldives since new Maldives government assumed office in Nov. 2018."
is an American Western film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman. It was the top-grossing film of its year and top 10 for its decade, though initially received lukewarm reviews from critics. The film was nominated for total seven Oscar categories and won four for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical), Best Music, Song and Best Original Screenplay at the 42nd Academy Awards.The story is loosely based on two Wild West criminal outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker, known as Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman), and his partner Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford). Butch was the brains and leader of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, while his closest companion Sundance preferred action and skill. After their second robbery on the same train, Butch and Sundance began to get pursued by a special posse. With their persistent track, Butch convinced Sundance and Etta (Katharine Ross), the latters lover, that they should escape to Bolivia, which was a paradise for robber according to Butchs visions.The role of Sundance was first offered to Jack Lemmon, who turned down because of schedule conflict, plus he also didnt like riding horses. Other actors under consideration for Sundance were Steve McQueen and Warren Beatty, with the latter declining as he found the film too similar to(1967). As stated by Goldman, McQueen and Newman both read the scripts at approximately the same time and agreed to do the film. However, McQueen later withdrew due to billing disagreements. The role eventually went to Redford, thus creating one of the most iconic pairs to hit the big screen.Here, we look at the duo and their charming chemistry in the film through 36 photos...
Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are parked at a Boeing production facility in Renton, Washington, U.S., March 11, 2019. Source : REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo

The system was implicated in the crash of a 737 MAX 8 in Indonesia in October but the sources cautioned that the cause of the fatal Ethiopia Airlines accident last weekend has not yet been determined.

The software fix, which was already underway prior to the latest incident, will only take about two hours to install, said the sources, who asked not to be identified.

The MAX aircraft have been grounded worldwide in the wake of Sunday's crash near Addis Ababa that killed 157 passengers and crew, and Boeing has halted deliveries of its top-selling model.

The black boxes from the Ethiopian aircraft, which was only a few months old and crashed a few minutes after takeoff, are being analyzed by the French authorities to try to determine the cause of the accident.

The Lion Air 737 MAX 8 crashed last October also just minutes after takeoff, killing 189 people. The initial investigation indicated it was due to a malfunction on the stall prevention system, a new feature on the MAX planes.

Several American pilots also reported issues with the MCAS and the Federal Aviation Administration said it ordered Boeing to issue a fix by April.

The aerospace giant held a conference call on Thursday with at least three carriers using the 737 MAX and gave them the fix, one source said, and the other airlines will get it early next week.

Contacted by AFP, Boeing declined to comment.

Boeing would like to start installing the patch in about 10 days, both sources said.

However, there is a question of logistics involving where the planes go for the installation.

American Airlines, which operates two dozen 737 MAX 8 aircraft, has chosen to update the software itself, one source told AFP.

Neither source was able to specify the cost of the upgrade, but one analyst estimated it would cost about US$2 million for each plane for a total of less than US$1 billion for the 371 planes in use currently.
Roger Federer will be seeking a record sixth ATP Indian Wells Masters title when he takes on Dominic Thiem in Sunday's final. (Photo: AFP/Sean M Haffey)

Nadal, whose longstanding right knee trouble flared up in his quarter-final victory over Karen Khachanov, couldn't take the court for the blockbuster semi-final with Swiss great Federer.

"I wanted to try my best to be competitive today," a dejected Nadal said. "I warmed up today in the morning, and I felt that my knee was not enough good to compete at the level that I need to compete, to play semi-finals match of this event."

Federer, seeded fourth as he pursues a record sixth title in the California desert, will battle 25-year-old Austrian Thiem, who is seeking his first title in one of the ATP's prestigious Masters 1000 events.

Thiem, ranked eighth in the world, was rock-solid in a 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 victory over 14th-ranked Canadian Milos Raonic.

Thiem, who advanced to the semis on a walkover when Gael Monfils withdrew with a Achilles tendon inflammation, was locked-in from the start, firing 10 winners without an unforced error in the opening set.

He couldn't convert his only break point against Raonic in the second, and Raonic managed to seize the tiebreaker aided by a favorable netcord bounce for a 5-3 lead.

'AMAZING' THIEM

Thiem gained the first break of the match for a 3-2 lead in the third and after saving the only break point he faced all day as he served for the match wrapped it up with a sparkling backhand volley.

"It was an amazing day," said Thiem, who will be playing in his third Masters 1,000 final. "His serve is just unreal so even though I played amazing it was so close the first two sets."

The Austrian said it would "mean the world" to break through for a Masters crown, but noted it would be a tall order against 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer - who is coming off a remarkable 100th career title in Dubai last month.

"It's not going to be easy," said Thiem, who has split four prior meetings with Federer 2-2.

Federer was looking forward to the match and the chance to break out of a tie with Novak Djokovic for most Indian Wells titles, but was sorry to miss a meeting with Nadal.

Their rivalry stretches back 15 years, and Federer couldn't help wondering how many more chances they might have.

"We've had so many epic battles," Federer, 38, said. "I know that every one that we have now could be our last. So was this our chance at a last one - I hope not and I believe at the level he's playing and the level I'm still going there's definitely going to be more."

The injury was devastating news for Nadal, whose run to the Australian Open final in January marked a return to competition for the first time since similar knee trouble forced him out of his US Open semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro in September.

He had ankle surgery in November, and only returned to training in December.

"For me it's not about only today. It's about what it means for me to have to pull out in a tournament that I love so much like this one, and in the semi-finals after playing well during the whole tournament," Nadal said. "You can imagine that I can't be happy."

Nadal confirmed he would also skip the upcoming Miami Masters and aim to recover and prepare for the claycourt season, targeting a return at Monte Carlo Apr 14-21.
The Ha Noi Market Management Department has said businesses operating on social networks such as Facebook, Zalo and Viber should be under stricter management. - Photo vietbao.vn

E-commerce websites that violate regulations may be shut down under the law and have their domain names revoked.

In addition, there should be close co-ordination between ministries, departments and agencies in handling and solving e-commerce related issues.

The department sanctioned 47 cases for administrative violations last year, issuing total fines of VND521 million (US$22,360).

In addition, some cases were transferred to the police to handle.
Jean Keijdener

Keijdener brings 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry to Oakwood Residence Saigon. During his career, he has held senior management positions at many leading brands, including Hilton, Hyatt, Renaissance, and Sedona, spanning the geographies of Bahrain, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Tahiti, the Netherlands, the United States, and Vietnam. Prior to this, Keijdener was country general manager for The Ascott in Thailand and South Korea.

Keijdener has an Associate-degree in Hospitality Management from the Hotel Management School in Heerlen, the Netherlands, as well as diverse certifications from accredited educational organisations globally, including Certified Hotel Administrator designation from the American Hotel & Lodging Association, a Certification in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration in the United States. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality in the United Kingdom.

I am delighted to be heading back to Vietnam and work with the dynamic and passionate team at Oakwood Residence Saigon. Apart from seeking to expand the propertys presence regionally, my focus is to ensure that we continue offering memorable stay experiences for our residents, providing the perfect home for travellers to the city, said Keijdener.

Mapletree is a leading real estate development, investment, capital and property management company. Its strategic focus is to invest in markets and real estate sectors with good growth potential. By combining its key strengths, the group has established a track record of award-winning projects, and delivers consistent and high returns across real estate asset classes.

Mapletree currently manages four Singapore-listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) and six private equity real estate funds, which hold a diverse portfolio of assets in the Asia-Pacific, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US).

As of March 31, 2018, Mapletree owned and managed S$46.3 billion ($34.3 billion) of office, retail, logistics, industrial, residential, corporate housing/serviced apartment, and student accommodation properties.

The groups assets are located across 12 economies globally, namely Singapore, Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, the UK, the US, and Vietnam.

Mapletree opens second property in Ho Chi Minh City Singaporean property developer Mapletree is to open Oakwood Residence Saigon, its second property in Ho Chi Minh City in April this year.

Mapletree opens its first Grade A office development in Vietnam Singaporean leading real estate development, investment and capital management company Mapletree today (March 22) opened the Mapletree Business Centre  its first office development with ...
He said that VIR, the press office of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, has made important contributions to socioeconomic development and helped the country attract investment.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at VIRs booth at the National Press Festival

Themed Renovated, creative, responsible Vietnamese press for the interests of the nation and people, this years event attracted 85 press agencies and local journalists associations.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted VIR's role in attracting investment to Vietnam

300 excellent reportages on environment, climate change, and natural disaster prevention in 2018, in addition to more than 80 publications, scientific articles, and press works have been displayed and introduced to visitors at the festival.

PM Phuc highlighted the great contributions of the press to the countrys socioeconomic development over the past decades. He described the press as a forum of the people, and it has been closely accompanying the Party and the government during all periods of the countrys history.

The press needs to disseminate information quickly, accurately, objectively, and honestly about the Party and the states policies and peoples opinions, he stressed.

Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association Thuan Huu said that the festival is aimed at honouring the achievements of the press as well as enhance the exchange between journalists and the community.
Self acclaimed ruffler of President Muhammadu Buhari, Reno Omokri has hailed the Presidents wife for visiting the survivors of the Ita Faji building collapse in Lagos, but called Buhari, an election rigger, for not doing so.

Mrs Buhari had gone to the Lagos Island general hospital to see the survivors from last Wednesday building collapse, that claimed 12 lives, 9 of which were primary school pupils.

Omokri in his reaction said visiting the survivors is what the president should have done, but failed to. He went on the commend the presidents wife for doing that, even though elections are over.

He wrote: I commend Aisha Buhari for visiting victims of #LagosBuildingCollapse. This is what her husband ought to have done. Aishas actions are even more commendable seeing as the elections are over. I believe Buhari is an irresponsible election rigger, but I very much respect Aisha.
Around 100 Afghan soldiers fled their posts and tried to cross into neighboring Turkmenistan during a weeklong battle with the Taliban, officials said Sunday.

Mohammad Naser Nazari, a provincial council member in the western Badghis province, said the soldiers were not allowed to cross the border and their fate remains unknown. The Taliban have posted pictures of captured soldiers on social media.

Jamshid Shahabi, the provincial governors spokesman, said 16 soldiers have been killed and 20 wounded during the ongoing battle in the Bala Murghab district, in which the military carried out airstrikes and dispatched reinforcements. He said a number of soldiers tried to flee, without providing an exact figure.

Shahabi said more than 40 insurgents were killed in the fighting. He said the provincial police chief and army commander are in the district and instructing the forces to root out insurgents and rescue soldiers. Officials said the fighting had largely subsided by Sunday, with sporadic clashes breaking out in remote areas.

Residents worry about safety

Nazari provided a higher toll, saying 50 soldiers were killed and around 100 others were missing. He said hundreds of local residents have gathered in front of the governors office to express their concerns about security in the province.

He said Bala Murghab is almost completely controlled by the Taliban, with Afghan forces confined to the district headquarters.

The Taliban effectively control half the country and carry out daily attacks on Afghan security forces, causing staggering casualties. The attacks have continued even as the Taliban have been holding direct negotiations with the United States aimed at ending the 17-year war.

Attacks on journalists

In a separate development Sunday, an Islamic State affiliate claimed the killing of a local TV journalist in the eastern Khost province. The group did not say why it targeted Sultan Mahmoud Khirkhowa, a reporter with the local Zhman TV and radio, who was killed Friday when two men on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle. Another Afghan reporter was wounded in a targeted bombing last week in the southern Helmand province.

Afghanistan is among the most dangerous countries in the world for reporters. The Afghan Journalist Safety Committee reported 121 cases of violence against journalists and media workers in 2018, with 17 killed.
Years after the death of his father at the hands of a U.S. Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan, Hamza bin Laden now finds himself in the crosshairs of world powers.

In rapid succession in recent weeks, the U.S. put a bounty of up to $1 million on him; the U.N. Security Council named him to a global sanctions list, sparking a new Interpol notice for his arrest; and his home country of Saudi Arabia revealed it had revoked his citizenship.



Those measures suggest that international officials believe the now 30-year-old militant is an increasingly serious threat. He is not the head of al-Qaida but he has risen in prominence within the terror network his father founded, and the group may be grooming him to stand as a leader for a young generation of militants.



"Hamza was destined to be in his father's footsteps," said Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent focused on counterterrorism who investigated al-Qaida's attack on the USS Cole. "He is poised to have a senior leadership role in al-Qaida."



"There is probably other intelligence that indicates something's happening and that's what put this thing on the front burner," he said.



Much remains unknown about Hamza bin Laden  particularly, the key question of where he is  but his life has mirrored al-Qaida's path, moving quietly and steadily forward, outlasting its offshoot and rival, the Islamic State group.



Hamza bin Laden's exact date of birth remains disputed, but most put it in 1989. That was a year of transition for his father, who had gained attention for his role in supplying money and arms to the mujahedeen fighting against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.



As the war wound down, Osama bin Laden would launch a new group that sought to leverage that global network for a broader jihad. They named it al-Qaida, or "the base" in Arabic.



Already, bin Laden had met and married Khairiah Saber, a child psychologist from Saudi Arabia's port city of Jiddah. She gave birth to Hamza, their only child together, as al-Qaida took its first, tentative steps toward the Sept. 11 attacks.



"This boy has been living, breathing and experiencing the al-Qaida life since age zero," said Elisabeth Kendall, a senior research fellow at Pembroke College at Oxford University who studies Hamza bin Laden.

Al-Qaida's attacks against the U.S. began in earnest in 1998 with the dual bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people. Its 2000 suicide attack against the USS Cole off Yemen killed at least 17 sailors.



Then came Sept. 11, 2001. The coordinated al-Qaida hijacking of four U.S. commercial flights killed nearly 3,000 people and prompted the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan seeking to topple al-Qaida's ally, the Taliban, and capture Osama bin Laden.

The al-Qaida leader escaped, splitting from his family as he slipped into Pakistan. That was when Hamza, 12 at the time, saw his father for the last time  receiving a parting gift of prayer beads.



"It was as if we pulled out our livers and left them there," he wrote of the separation.



He and his mother followed other al-Qaida members into Pakistan. From there, they crossed the border into Iran, where other al-Qaida leaders hid them in a series of safehouses, according to experts and analysis of documents seized after the U.S. Navy SEAL team raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Eventually, Iran put the al-Qaida members on its soil into custody, holding them reportedly on military bases or in other closed compounds.



His Iranian detention ended up keeping Hamza bin Laden and the other al-Qaida members safe as the U.S. under Bush and later President Barack Obama waged a campaign of drone strikes targeting militants across the Mideast. Hamza's half brother Saad escaped Iranian custody and made it to Pakistan, only to be immediately killed by an American strike in 2009.



During this time, Hamza married an al-Qaida supporter, a daughter of Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, an Egyptian who the U.S. says helped plan the November 1998 embassy attacks. They had two children, Osama and Khairiah, named after his parents.



In March 2010, Hamza and others left Iranian custody. He went to Pakistan's Waziristan province, where he asked for weapons training, according to a letter to the elder bin Laden. His mother left for Abbottabad, joining her husband in his hideout.



On May 2, 2011, the Navy SEAL team raided Abbottabad, killing Osama bin Laden and his son Khalid, as well as others. Saber and other wives living in the house were imprisoned. Hamza again disappeared.



In August 2015, a video emerged on jihadi websites of Ayman al-Zawahri, the current leader of al-Qaida, introducing "a lion from the den of al-Qaida"  Hamza bin Laden.



Since then, he has been featured in around a dozen al-Qaida messages, delivering speeches on everything from the war in Syria to Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip as U.S. president. His frequent messages have raised speculation that the terror group may be trying to plan for the future by putting forward a fresh face.



Still, what's happening within al-Qaida remains a mystery. Hamza bin Laden hasn't been heard from since a message in March 2018, in which he threatened the rulers of Saudi Arabia.
Brazil is considering granting an import quota of 750,000 metric tons of U.S. wheat per year without tariffs in exchange for other trade concessions, according to a Brazilian official with knowledge of the negotiations ahead of President Jair Bolsonaro's visit to Washington.

That is about 10 percent of Brazilian annual wheat imports and is part of a two-decade-old commitment to import 750,000 metric tons of wheat a year free of tariffs that Brazil made  but never kept  during the World Trade Organization's Uruguay Round of talks on agriculture.

Bolsonaro is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Sunday and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

Farm state senators have asked that wheat sales be on the agenda, in a letter to Trump seen by Reuters. They estimate such a quota would increase U.S. wheat sales by between $75 million and $120 million a year.

Brazil buys most of its imported wheat from Argentina, and some from Uruguay and Paraguay, without paying tariffs because they are all members of the Mercosur South American customs union. Imports from other countries pay a 10 percent tariff.

The Brazilian official, who asked not to be named so he could speak freely, said the wheat quota could be sealed during a meeting between Brazil's Agriculture Minister Teresa Cristina Dias and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Tuesday.

In return, the Brazilian government is hoping to see movement toward the reopening of the U.S. market to fresh beef imports from Brazil that was shut down after a meatpacking industry scandal involving bribed inspectors.

Brazil is also seeking U.S. market access for its exports of limes that are facing phytosanitary certification hurdles.

The world's largest sugar producer also wants tariff-free access to the U.S. market. But Washington is not expected to budge on that issue until Brazil lifts a tariff it slapped on ethanol imports when they exceed 150 million liters in a quarter.

That is a major demand by U.S. biofuels producers, who are the main suppliers of ethanol imported by Brazil.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro arrived in Washington on Sunday to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, and cement a budding conservative-populist alliance that, in part, aims to ramp up pressure on Venezuela.



The far-right leader flew out of Brasilia early Sunday with six ministers, among them Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, Economy Minister Paulo Guedes and Justice Minister Sergio Moro, Brazilian media reported. They touched down at Joint Base Andrews, on the outskirts of Washington, at 3:40 p.m.



It was Bolsonaro's first trip abroad for a bilateral meeting since taking office on January 1. He attended the Davos summit in Switzerland in January.



Bolsonaro, who will also meet in Washington with the head of the Organization of American States (OAS), is scheduled to return to Brazil on Tuesday.



Outside the White House Sunday afternoon, dozens of demonstrators gathered to protest the visit -- holding signs including one that accused Bolsonaro of being a "murderer" over apparent links to suspects in the murder of rights activist Marielle Franco. Police have said those ties are coincidental.



A Trump-Bolsonaro bond could see the leaders of the Americas' two most populous democracies working in concert on a range of regional issues.



Most pressing is the crisis in Venezuela, where the United States and Brazil -- and dozens of other countries -- have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president with the goal of pushing President Nicolas Maduro from power.



The tough-talking Bolsonaro has long expressed his admiration for Trump. He echoes the U.S. leader in spurning multilateral organizations and leftist politics, while promoting businesses over environmental concerns at home.



Their shared nationalist sentiment can be seen in another relationship: that of Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, who is a federal lawmaker, with Trump's former strategist Steve Bannon.



Eduardo Bolsonaro announced in early February that he was part of the Brussels-based group known as The Movement, which Bannon set up to promote far-right nationalistic values and tactics.



The older Bolsonaro announced on Saturday that one key result of his current trip would be the signing of an agreement under which the United States might gain access to a satellite-launching base in Brazil near the equator.



But most eyes will be on developments surrounding Venezuela, which shares a border with Brazil.



Previous Brazilian administrations took a friends-to-all approach to neighboring countries. But not Bolsonaro.



The 63-year-old former paratrooper is vehemently opposed to leftist currents, at home and abroad, and he shares Trump's hostility to the "dictator" Maduro, who took over after the death of socialist leader Hugo Chavez in 2013.



Trump has repeatedly insisted that "all options are on the table" with regards to Venezuela, a phrase understood to include military action.



But Bolsonaro, like other members of the mostly Latin American Lima Group, has ruled out military action in favor of a policy of tightening the economic and diplomatic noose around Maduro.



As well as a "private meeting" with Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Bolsonaro will sit down with OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, and participate in various forums to promote economic opportunities in Brazil.



The United States is Brazil's second biggest trade partner after China.



After his arrival, Bolsonaro was scheduled to dine at the residence of Brazilian ambassador Sergio Amaral with "opinion makers" including, according to press reports, Bannon and U.S.-based Brazilian writer Olavo de Carvalho, considered Bolsonaro's ideological guru.



Bolsonaro is staying in Blair House, the official US state residence opposite the White House used for visiting dignitaries.



After his return to Brazil, Bolsonaro is planning a trip to Chile and then, in late March, to Israel. He forged close ties with Israel's conservative leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when the latter attended Bolsonaro's inauguration.
On the night of Jan. 16, Kol Sat could not locate her husband even after contacting everyone she thought might know the whereabouts of Kong Mas.

The next morning, her mother-in-law called with news: Police were questioning Kong Mas after arresting him the day before.

Kol Sat, a garment worker in Phnom Penh, told VOA her husband had accepted a friends invitation to have coffee only to be picked up by authorities around 9:30 a.m., just hours after Kong Mas arrived in Phnom Penh from Siem Reap province, where he worked as a construction supervisor.

His arrest was related to Facebook posts, said Kol Sat, 35.

Among other things, he criticized the Cambodian government for its role in the possible suspension of Everything but Arms (EBA), the European Unions initiative that grants Cambodia preferential access to its markets, a structure that can be removed if beneficiary countries fail to respect core human rights.

Since then, the EU has taken the first step to suspend EBA.

I think it is just constructive criticism and he is just an ordinary citizen and he has personal rights to post, Kol Sat said. I think perhaps it is not wrong.

Article 41 enshrined in the Constitution of Cambodia states that Khmer citizens shall have the freedom to express their personal opinions, the freedom of press, of publication and of assembly.

A series of arrests

Kong Mas, 33, was one of the leading members in Svay Rieng province of the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party. His arrest is the latest in a series related to Facebook posts that the Cambodian government said were intended to insult and/or incitement, a charge often used to imprison government critics. It carries a prison sentence of six months to two years.

The first prominent arrest occurred in August 2015 and resulted in university student Kung Raiya being charged with incitement for posting a call for a color revolution.

In July 2017, police arrested Rom Chamroeun for posting an image of two pistols on his Facebook page with text seemingly directed at Cambodias prime minister that read, Hun Sen I will kill you. Because if you arent killed, Cambodia will never have peace. Me and my siblings will shoot Mr Hun Sen someday, and his wife and children.

In February 2018, Sam Sokha was arrested after a video surfaced on Facebook that showed her throwing a shoe at a roadside billboard depicting Hun Sen and National Assembly President Heng Samrin. She could be heard saying, These are the men who are destroying our nation. She fled to Thailand requesting political asylum and was arrested for insulting Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party when she returned to Cambodia.

All told, more than a dozen Cambodians have been arrested or detained for making political statements on Facebook, some of them after running afoul of a lese-majeste law passed in February 2018 that criminalizes criticism of the king and allows for sentences as long as five years. In some cases, however, the posters were released after writing a letter of apology to Hun Sen and pledging to stop political posting on Facebook.

Insulting and incitement charge

Sam Sokong, the lawyer for Kong Mas, said his clients arrest was completely politically motivated because the evidence consists of posts from April to December 2018 criticizing the government, supporting the campaign to not vote in the 2018 election, and calling for Sam Rainsy, an opposition leader, to return to Cambodia.

On Jan. 16, just before his arrest, Kong Mas posted a 2-day-old Reuters story saying the EU had decided to take the first step in sanctioning [Cambodia] by removing the preferential treatment of its products such as garments and rice. Then he shared Sam Rainsys schedule of public meetings during a U.S. visit. And he posted that Hun Sens administration ignored problems faced by farmers such as the falling market prices for their output, according to his post viewed by VOA Khmer.

When authorities or the government are angry, they will file complaints and 100 percent of the time, the court has to take action in accordance with the complaints, whether or not theyre based on the law, said Sam Sokong, who has represented five people arrested for their Facebook posts.

Kong Mas has been charged with insulting and incitement.

Silencing criticism

The government has a history of silencing voices it believes have been raised in opposition.

In November 2017, the CNRP, which nearly defeated Hun Sens ruling party in the 2013 elections, was dissolved.

This came after a crackdown on critical media outlets including the closure of the influential English-language Cambodia Daily after the publishers received a large, overdue tax bill, and several local radio stations that broadcast factual programming in rural Cambodia, where ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) traditionally draws its support base.

In addition to suppressing traditional media that are not pro-government, the CPP has pushed to dominate the internet, which the CNRP used to its advantage during the 2013 elections by attracting many young people through its mastery of platforms such as Facebook.

Hun Sen is no slouch on Facebook. On his page, Samdech Hun Sen, Cambodian Prime Minister, the onetime Khmer Rouge commander posts photographs of himself posing with garment workers and students, and gushes about his love for his wife. If this makes the man who became prime minister in 1985 seem more approachable to Cambodias young and increasingly tech-savvy population, 40 percent of whom are avid Facebook users, thats the point.

At a groundbreaking ceremony for a flood protection and drainage improvement project in Phnom Penh on March 4, Hun Sen waved off rumors that Facebook might go dark by saying, I am also a Facebook user, so why would I shut down Facebook?

Instead he ordered officials to draft an new anti-cybercrime law, and Meas Po, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, said it will not affect freedom of expression. According to Meas Po, approximately 13.6 million people, or 82 percent of Cambodians, use the internet, and about 7 million use Facebook, making it the nations most popular social media platform.

Among those Facebook users are community activists and opposition supporters who are increasingly subject to the same pressures as their counterparts in the traditional media, according to Going Offline? The Threat to Cambodias Newfound Internet Freedoms, a report released by the Cambodian rights group, Licadho in May 2015.

I dont believe the authorities do not understand what freedom of expression means, but we know it depends on their interpretation, said Am Sam Ath, Licadhos monitoring manager.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesman Ly Sophana could not be reached for comment.

Rights groups concerns

United Nations Special Rapporteur to Cambodia, Rhona Smith, said in an email to VOA Khmer that she is following a number of cases involving people arrested and even charged in connection with online posts.

I am reminded that freedom of expression and the controls that can be legitimately placed thereon are the same irrespective of whether the comments are made on Facebook, through other social media, or in printed media, she said.

I have previously expressed concern at various provisions of the criminal code being used to limit freedom of expression in Cambodia, she added.

Am Sam Ath expressed his concern that if Hun Sens requested cybercrime law passes, it will be used to stifle citizens freedom of expression.

We are worried that [the government] will become even more strict about citizens freedom [of expression], he said. Perhaps more will be arrested.

With respect to the cybercrime law, Smith said, I have not received information on this law. I can simply state that I hope that any law will give effect to Cambodias international obligations to ensure the appropriate balance between protecting national security and internet freedom.

Kong Mas lawyer, Sam Sokong, said he is asking the Supreme Court to release his client on bail.

Kol Sat who visits her husband once or twice a week, said her husband has lost weight and has developed high blood pressure while jailed, adding He should be released now.
Flight data recorders of Boeing 737 MAX planes that crashed in Ethiopia and Indonesia show "clear similarities", Ethiopia's transport minister said Sunday as the U.S. maker announced it was completing a software update for its anti-stall system.

Dagmawit Moges told reporters that the so-called black box from Flight 302 were recovered in good condition that enabled us to extract almost all the date inside.

He did not elaborate on what the similarities were.

Moges said that a preliminary report on last week's plane crash, which left 157 people dead, would be released within 30 days.

Meanwhile, pressure has been mounting on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration about the safety of the aircraft. The agency has insisted it had followed standard procedures in certifying the Boeing 737 MAX model. It has been reported, however, that the Department of Transportation was investigating those procedures.

Even before the black box of last week's plane was discovered, many had drawn parallels between the Ethiopia Airlines' crash on March 10, and the Lion Air crash last October, both of which were Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

The crash of Ethiopian Flight 302 shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa for Nairobi, prompted the U.S. and more than 30 other countries to ground the Boeing 737 Max 8 fleet.

Meanwhile, thousands marched in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, accompanying 17 empty caskets at funerals held on Sunday for the 17 Ethiopians killed in the crash.

Families of the victims were offered charred earth from the crash site to bury.

Ethiopian Airlines aviation staff gathered Sunday at Bole International Airport to remember the two pilots and six crew members on the flight who died in the crash.

The flight was also carrying 21 U.N. staff members, who were on their way to attend a major U.N. Environment Conference in Nairobi when the plane went down.
After wrapping up thousands of town hall meetings, France starts a new chapter of its "great debate," aimed to address longstanding public grievances and offer solutions to the yellow vest protest movement.

But the broader crisis lingers, seen with upsurge of violence in Paris Saturday, where about 10,000 yellow vests marked their 18th straight week of protests.

Demonstrators smashed and looted businesses on the iconic Champs Elysees and hurled cobble stones at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. Others participated in a peaceful climate march that brought together tens of thousand of peopleunderscoring the diffuse, unorganized complexity of the leaderless protest movement.

Eight weeks of citizen debates, launched in January by an embattled President Emmanuel Macron, have received mixed reviews. Some consider them a groundbreaking experiment in participative democracy. Others dismiss them as a public relations stunt.

The bigger question is whether and how Macrons centrist government plans to transform the public feedback into tangible policy change that can address pent-up resentments and find an exit to the unrest.

The problems start now said analyst Jean Petaux of Sciences-Po Bordeaux University. To totally finish with the yellow vests, the government has to address at least part of their demands, which are very disparate. And give the sense it is offering credible solutions.

For Macron, the immediate takeaways have been largely positive. Up to half-a-million French participated in 10,000 town-hall-style meetings nationwide that tackled pre-set topics, ranging from taxes and pubic services, to democracy and the environment. Organizers also received more than 1.4 million online comments outlining other issues of public concern, including jobs and immigration.



People are learning that politics and how to change a system is a very difficult process, said Bernard Reber, an expert on participative citizenship at the Paris-based National Center for Scientific Research, citing one early achievement.

A mixed review

The debates have also given the president and his government some breathing room  time that will last through the current "phase two," which ends in April. Citizens are being randomly selected to participate in regional meetings aimed to prioritize the myriad demands.

Surveys show the majority of French have broadly given the national debates a thumbs up. More than eight in 10 respondents said the meetings gave citizens an opportunity to express themselves, while smaller majorities said they addressed their personal problems and those aired by the yellow vests, according to a Harris Interactive-Agence Epoka poll published this week, echoing others.

But many appear skeptical that all the talking will amount to much. Another survey found roughly two-thirds doubt the government will ultimately take the public feedback into account.

Frances leading Le Monde newspaper, however, gave the effort a careful, initial thumbs up. Critics who dismissed the debates as a diversion were misguided, it wrote in an editorial, while the yellow vests were eclipsed and marginalize by this exercise in democracy.

Macron has not yet won, it added, he needs to show he hasnt just listened but heard the country.

Government members insist that will happen.

The idea we have to do things differently is obvious, Territorial Collectives Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who helped to organizing the debates, told the weekly Le Journal du Dimanche. We may beef up certain themes, accelerate or correct others.

But Prime Minister Edouard Philippe offered a more cautionary note, those expecting a flurry of government measures emerging from the debates were misguided.

The months of yellow vest protests have slowed Macrons reformist agenda. The protest movement, named after the fluorescent jackets French keep in their cars, has morphed well beyond its initial opposition to a planned fuel tax hike, to embrace a hodgepodge of grievances of a largely rural and working class France left behind.

The French president took an initial step back by repealing the fuel tax increase. Then in December, he went further, announcing billions of dollars of aid for the most vulnerable and laying out plans the debates. Yellow vests dismissed the announcements as insufficient, the most extreme calling for Macrons resignation.

Emmanuel Macron now has to show that his statements  that there is a before and and after the yellow vests  are translated into acts, says analyst Petaux. Otherwise, its just talk.

The next step?

So far, there are at least stylistic changes. Often dismissed as arrogant and aloof, Macron has rolled up his sleeves  literally  and participated in roughly a dozen public debates, in a style reminiscent of his presidential campaign.

Political opponents grumble the French leader has hogged media coverage ahead of May European Parliament elections. And indeed, polls show Macrons approval rating jumped eight points by early March, to reach 28 percent, and his Republic on the March party inching up to overtake the far-right opposition National Rally.

Still, some observers note the debates ultimately involved only a small slice of the population  including many elderly, with time on their hands. The great majority of French stayed home, said analyst Petaux. Its not that they were sidelined. Its that they dont care. They have other things to do.

But analyst Reber, who attended roughly 30 of the town hall meetings, believes the debates should not be underestimated. Theyve been unprecedented in every sense, he said.

A few months ago, he said, many would have dismissed the idea that French would show up and hash out often deeply divisive issues. But thats not been the case, Reber added. People mobilized  and stayed for a long time. I dont know many countries in the world that allow citizens to participate in hours-long debates.

Macron is expected to announce the after-debate roadmap next month. So far, the French president has given little indication of his long-term exit strategy. Some believe he doesnt yet have one.

Im not sure the government has a clear idea of what its going to do with this mass of information Reber said. But it has all kinds of options.

A referendum may be the most obvious path, many analysts say. But it carries risks  not only in terms timing, notably whether to schedule such a vote during May European Parliament elections  but also the chance French may vote against it.

The next steps for the yellow vests are also unclear. A number of analysts believe the movement will slowly die out.

Some diehards will likely continue and harden the protests, Petaux believes, while another group will be absorbed into existing politics parties  mostly on the far right and far left.

A third will relive the nostalgia of the Republic of roundabouts, he said, remembering the solidarity and friendships struck during the protests.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has launched her campaign to win the Democratic Party nomination to oppose President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

She formally launched her bid Sunday morning, not with a big speech, but instead with a video that poses the question, "WIll brave win?"

"We need a leader who makes big, bold, brave choices," Gillibrand says in the video. "Someone who isn't afraid of progress."

The lawmaker is set to deliver her first major speech next week in front of Trump International Hotel in New York City.

She gave an indication in the video of the issues she will focus on during her campaign. "We launched ourselves into space and landed on the moon. If we can do that, we can definitely achieve universal health care,"she said. "We can provide paid family leave for all, end gun violence, pass a Green New Deal, get money out of politics and take back our democracy."

She joins a large group of presidential hopefuls that includes, among many others, some of her fellow female lawmakers: Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Kamala Harris of California, along with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

Gillibrand was appointed to the Senate in 2009. She filled the New York Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, but since then has won three elections to retain the seat.
The sparring between India and Pakistan last month threatened to spiral out of control and only interventions by U.S. officials, including National Security Adviser John Bolton, headed off a bigger conflict, five sources familiar with the events said.

At one stage, India threatened to fire at least six missiles at Pakistan, and Islamabad said it would respond with its own missile strikes three times over, according to Western diplomats and government sources in New Delhi, Islamabad and Washington.

The way in which tensions suddenly worsened and threatened to trigger a war between the nuclear-armed nations shows how the Kashmir region, which both claim and is at the core of their enmity, remains one of the worlds most dangerous flashpoints.

The exchanges did not go beyond threats, and there was no suggestion that the missiles involved were anything more than conventional weapons, but they created consternation in official circles in Washington, Beijing and London.

Reuters has pieced together the events that led to the most serious military crisis in South Asia since 2008, as well as the concerted diplomatic efforts to get both sides to back down.

Dogfight over Kashmir

The simmering dispute erupted into conflict late last month when Indian and Pakistani warplanes engaged in a dogfight over Kashmir on Feb 27, a day after a raid by Indian jet fighters on what it said was a militant camp in Pakistan. Islamabad denied any militant camp exists in the area and said the Indian bombs exploded on an empty hillside.

In their first such clash since the last war between the two nations in 1971, Pakistan downed an Indian plane and captured its pilot after he ejected in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Hours later, videos of the bloodied Indian pilot, handcuffed and blindfolded, appeared on social media, identifying himself to Pakistani interrogators, deepening anger in New Delhi.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi facing a general election in April-May, the government was under pressure to respond.

No going back

That evening, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval spoke over a secure line to the head of Pakistans Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Asim Munir, to tell him India was not going to back off its new campaign of counterterrorism even after the pilots capture, an Indian government source and a Western diplomat with knowledge of the conversations told Reuters in New Delhi.

Doval told Munir that Indias fight was with the militant groups that freely operated from Pakistani soil and it was prepared to escalate, said the government source.

A Pakistani government minister and a Western diplomat in Islamabad separately confirmed a specific Indian threat to use six missiles on targets inside Pakistan. They did not specify who delivered the threat or who received it, but the minister said Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies were communicating with each other during the fight, and even now they are communicating with each other.

Pakistan said it would counter any Indian missile attacks with many more launches of its own, the minister told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

We said if you will fire one missile, we will fire three. Whatever India will do, we will respond three times to that, the Pakistani minister said.

Dovals office did not respond to a request for comment.

India was not aware of any missile threat issued to Pakistan, a government official said in reply to a Reuters request for comment.

Pakistans military declined to comment, and Munir could not be reached for comment. Pakistans foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Trump-Kim talks

The crisis unfolded as U.S. President Donald Trump was trying to reach an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi over its nuclear program.

U.S. National Security Adviser Bolton was on the phone with Doval on the night of Feb. 27 and into the early hours of Feb. 28, the second day of the Trump-Kim talks, in an attempt to defuse the situation, the Western diplomat in New Delhi and the Indian official said.

Later, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was also in Hanoi, also called both sides to seek a way out of the crisis.

Secretary Pompeo led diplomatic engagement directly, and that played an essential role in de-escalating the tensions between the two sides, State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a briefing in Washington March 5.

A State Department official declined comment when asked if they knew of the threats to use missiles.

Pompeo spoke to Doval, the Indian and Pakistani Foreign Ministers Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, respectively, Palladino said.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Phil Davidson told reporters in Singapore last week that he had separately been in touch with the Indian navy chief, Sunil Lanba, throughout the crisis. There was no immediate response from Lanbas office to a question on the nature of the conversations.

Pilots release

U.S. efforts were focused on securing the quick release of the Indian pilot by Pakistan and winning an assurance from India it would pull back from the threat to fire rockets, the Western diplomat in New Delhi and officials in Washington said.

We made a lot of effort to get the international community involved in encouraging the two sides to de-escalate the situation because we fully realized how dangerous it was, said a senior Trump administration official.

The Pakistani minister said China and the United Arab Emirates also intervened. Chinas foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The government of the UAE said Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan held talks with both Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

India has not given details, but has said it was in touch with major powers during the conflict.

On the morning of Feb. 28, Trump told reporters in Hanoi that he expected the crisis to end soon.

They have been going at it and we have been involved in trying to have them stop. Hopefully that is going to be coming to an end.

Later that afternoon, Khan announced in Pakistans parliament that the Indian pilot would be released, and he was sent back the next day.

I know last night there was a threat there could a missile attack on Pakistan, which got defused, Khan said. I know, our army stood prepared for retaliation of that attack.

Misread signals, unpredictability

The two countries have gone to war three times since both gained independence in 1947, the last time in 1971. The two armies are trading fire along the line of control that separates them in Kashmir, but the tensions appear contained for now.

Diplomatic experts said that the latest crisis underlined the chances of misread signals and unpredictability in the ties between the nuclear-armed rivals, and the huge dangers. It still was not clear whether India had targeted a militant camp in Pakistan and whether there were any casualties, they said.

Indian and Pakistani leaders have long evinced confidence that they can understand each others deterrence signals and can de-escalate at will, said Joshua White, a former White House official who is now at Johns Hopkins.

The fact that some of the most basic facts, intentions and attempted strategic signals of this crisis are still shrouded in mystery ... should be a sobering reminder that neither country is in a position to easily control a crisis once it begins.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Saturday that frequent U.S. comments about oil prices had created market tensions, the ministry's news website SHANA reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has made the U.S. economy one of his top issues, has repeatedly tweeted about oil prices and the Organization of the Petroleum Producing Countries. He has expressed concern about higher prices, including last month and ahead of OPEC's meeting in December.

"Americans talk a lot and I advise them to talk less. They [have] caused tensions in the oil market for over a year now, and they are responsible for it, and if this trend continues, the market will be more tense," SHANA quoted Zanganeh as saying.

U.S. crude futures briefly hit a 2019 high on Friday but later retreated along with benchmark Brent oil as worries about the global economy and robust U.S. production put a brake on prices.

OPEC and its allies including Russia, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed last year to cut production, partly in response to increased U.S. shale output.

Washington granted waivers to eight major buyers of Iranian oil after the U.S. reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector in November, after withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"We do not know whether U.S. waivers would be extended or not. We will do our job but they [the U.S.] say something new every single day," Zanganeh said.

South Pars

Zanganeh was speaking at a news conference ahead of the planned inauguration on Sunday of four development phases at South Pars, the world's largest gas field, by President Hassan Rouhani.

He said Iran had invested $11 billion to complete the phases 13 and 22-24 of the giant field, which Tehran shares with Qatar, and expected to operate 27 phases by next March, SHANA reported.

France's Total and China National Petroleum Corp suspended investment in phase 11 of South Pars last year after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that do business in Iran.

But Zanganeh said talks with CNPC were continuing.

"Negotiations are ongoing. A senior delegation from China is due to come to Iran for talks. They have promised to come to Iran soon," said Zanganeh, according to the semiofficial news agency ISNA.
Israel's Supreme Court Sunday disqualified an extreme right-wing politician from next month's parliamentary election for inciting violence and racism against Arabs.



The Israeli election committee had given permission for Michael Ben-Ari of the Jewish Power party to run. But the court Sunday backed a legal challenge by the opposition leftist Meretz party, which argued that Ben-Ari called for violence against Arabs, denying them civil rights, and incited racism.



"The place for people who believe in the superiority of race is behind bars, not in parliament," a Meretz spokesman said.

Ben-Ari condemned the court decision, saying "a judicial junta is trying to impose its laws ... it's not democracy.

The court ruled, however, that another Jewish Power candidate can run. It also overturned an election commission decision to bar candidates from two Arab parties  Hadash-Taal and Raam-Balad.



The commission accused the two parties of calling for violence against the government.



Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked blasted the court's ruling Sunday, saying it forbids Ben-Ari from running "while declaring terror-backing parties kosher is a crass and misguided interference in the heart of Israeli democracy."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political life after police said last month he should be indicted for corruption. Netanyahu has aligned his Likud party with other right-wing parties, including Jewish Power, to form a single slate in next month's parliamentary election.



Many in Israel, left and right, are disturbed by the alliance. A number of Jewish Power members are followers of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, a far-right extremist who called for ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.



Israel, the United States and the European Union declared Kahane a terrorist before he was assassinated in New York in 1990.
Police have a 24-year-old suspect in custody in the slaying of reputed Mafia boss Francesco "Franky Boy" Cali in New York City, authorities said Saturday.

Cali, 53, who was shot to death Wednesday outside his Staten Island home, was allegedly the head of the Gambino family, one of the five Italian-American Mafia families that have historically dominated organized crime in New York and New Jersey.

Police apprehended Anthony Comello in New Jersey on Saturday

and expect to charge him with murdering Cali, New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea told a news conference.

"This is far from over. We are at the beginning stages of this investigation," Shea said.

Surveillance video of the killing showed a man, allegedly Comello, crash his car into Cali's parked SUV, drawing Cali outside in what might have been a ploy to lure him out of the house, Shea said.

ABC News reported that the two men spoke and shook hands before the suspect pulled out a gun. The suspect shot Cali as many as 10 times, Shea said.

Shea declined to say whether Comello had a criminal record, but said he had "crossed paths" with the NYPD. Comello's truck was issued a parking summons in Staten Island on the day of Cali's slaying, Shea said.

Police were still investigating the motive behind Cali's killing, he said, including whether it might have been a domestic altercation or a mob-related killing.

Charges against members of Mafia operations, including Gambino family operatives, have included murder, loan sharking, gambling and illegal drug distribution, Reuters has reported.
New Zealand authorities on Sunday started returning some of the bodies of the 50 people killed in Friday's massacre at two mosques to their families so that they can be buried according to Muslim tradition.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said all bodies will be returned by Wednesday. She said that six disaster victim identification experts have flown in from Australia to help in the identification process.

Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall said her office is "working as quickly as possible" to make sure it returns the right body to the right family. "There could be nothing worse," she said, "than giving the wrong body to the wrong family. This is not going to happen here."

Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha said Sunday that his office has met with leaders of the Muslim community to help them to understand the lengthy autopsy process necessary for a criminal investigation, since it is traditional in Islam to bury a body within 24 hours after death.



The names of the victims have not been made public, although a preliminary list has been shared with relatives.

Authorities have accused a 28-year-old Australian, Brenton Harris Tarrant, of carrying out the horrific attack. He is the only person in custody linked to the killings and has been charged with murder.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said three other people who were initially detained were not involved in the attack, but has not ruled out the possibility of other suspects.

"I will not be saying anything conclusive until we are absolutely convinced as to how many people were involved, but we hope to be able to give that advice over the next few days," Bush said.

He said that because of the need for evidence against Tarrant in legal proceedings to come, authorities "have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity" before bodies can be released to their loved ones. "But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible."

Ardern said that she was one of more than 30 recipients of a 74-page white nationalist manifesto emailed by Tarrant nine minutes before his terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch. He denounced Muslims and called immigrants "invaders" in the manifesto.

She said, however, that she did not "directly receive it" and the document did not give a location for the attacks.

Ardern said Tarrant, a self-proclaimed white nationalist, "will certainly face the justice system of New Zealand."

Earlier Ardern called the mass shooting "an extraordinary act of violence." She said the shooter had five guns, two of them semi-automatic. All the weapons were legally obtained.

The prime minister asserted several times during a Sunday afternoon press conference that "there will be changes to our gun laws." She said details will be discussed at a meeting of her government's Cabinet on Monday.

The death toll in the mass shooting rose to 50 after emergency workers found another body at one of the crime scenes.

Police Commissioner Bush announced that all the bodies from both mosques had been removed and and that in doing so, police were able to locate a further victim.



Tarrant, the suspect, was led by two armed guards into a Christchurch court Saturday where a judge read one charge of murder to him. He wore prison robes and handcuffs and did not speak.

Reporters in the courtroom said the suspect smiled during his appearance. A photo shows him holding his left hand in an upside-down "OK" symbol, a gesture used by white supremacist groups.

After the suspect left the court, the judge said that while "there is one charge of murder brought at the moment, it is reasonable to assume that there will be others."

Tarrant has not yet entered a plea. His next court appearance is set for April 5.

Ardern said 34 people are in hospitals after being wounded in the shooting. Twelve of those people are in critical condition.

Ardern said Saturday that Tarrant's onslaught was cut short when he was apprehended. "It was his intention to continue his attack," the prime minister said.
New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said Sunday that the body of at least one victim of Fridays mass shooting at two mosques will be given to family members Sunday night.

Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall said her office is working as quickly as possible to make sure the office returns the right body to the right family. There could be nothing worse, she said than delivering the wrong body to a family.

Police Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha said Sunday that his office has met with leaders of the Muslim community to help them understand the lengthy autopsy process necessary for a criminal investigation, because it is traditional in Islam to bury a body within 24 hours after death.

The government hopes to return all victims bodies to their families by Wednesday. A preliminary list of victims has been released to families, police said.

Manifesto sent minutes before attacks

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Sunday that she was one of more than 30 recipients of a 74-page white nationalist manifesto emailed by shooting suspect Brenton Tarrant nine minutes before his terrorist attacks on two New Zealand mosques. He denounced Muslims and called immigrants invaders in the manifesto.

She said that it was emailed to her office and that she did not directly receive it and the document did not give a location for the attacks.

Ardern said 28-year-old Tarrant, an Australian citizen and self-proclaimed white nationalist who has been charged with murder in connection with the shootings will certainly face the justice system of New Zealand.

Earlier Ardern called the mass shooting an extraordinary act of violence. She said the shooter had five guns, two of them semi-automatic. All the weapons were legally obtained.

The prime minister asserted several times during a Sunday afternoon press conference that There will be changes to our gun laws.

Death toll at 50

The death toll in the mass shooting at two New Zealand mosques Friday has risen to 50 after emergency workers found another body at Al Noor mosqueas they removed the victims. Forty-two people were killed at Al Noor, seven at Linwood mosque and one person died later at a hospital.

Ardern said 34 people remain hospitalized after being wounded in the shooting. Twelve of those people are in critical condition.

Tarrant, the suspect, was led by two armed guards into a Christchurch court Saturday where a judge read one charge of murder to him. He wore prison robes and handcuffs and did not speak.

Reporters in the courtroom said the suspect smiled during his appearance. A photo shows him holding his left hand in an upside-down OK symbol, a gesture used by white supremacist groups.

After the suspect left the court, the judge said that while there is one charge of murder brought at the moment, it is reasonable to assume that there will be others.

Tarrant has not yet entered a plea. His next court appearance is set for April 5.

Others face weapons charges

Three other people, a woman and two men, were also detained in connection with the shootings. The woman has been released without charge. A man in the car with the woman received firearms charges and he will appear in court Monday.

An 18-year-old man also has a court date Monday for possessing a firearm. He is not connected to the couple.

Police officials say they do not believe the men were linked to the shootings.

Ardern said Saturday that Tarrants onslaught was cut short when he was apprehended.

It was his intention to continue his attack, the prime minister said.

Flowers, mementos, money

Residents of Christchurch have been bringing flowers and other mementos to a makeshift memorial, and an online fund for the victims gathered $684,000 in a single day.

The victims of Fridays shooting included immigrants from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Mass shootings and violent crime are rare in New Zealand, a country of nearly 5 million people. Until Friday, the countrys worst mass shooting was in 1990, when a lone gunman killed 13 people in the small town of Aramoana.
Pakistan has confirmed that at least nine of its citizens are among the dead in Fridays terrorist attack on worshippers in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. The government also has announced that one of the slain Pakistanis who tried to confront the attacker will receive a national award.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi released a statement Sunday in which he said three Pakistanis previously listed as missing have now been confirmed dead: Mr Zeeshan Raza, his father Mr Ghulam Hussain and mother Ms. Karam bibi have now been confirmed to have embraced shahadat [martyrdom] in the terrorist attack in New Zealand. We are in touch with their family. A total of 9 Pakistanis embraced shahadat in New Zealand terror attack, he said.

The Christchurch attacks killed 50 people and injured dozens more. The gunmen live-streamed the terror attack on Facebook.

'Hero' to receive national award

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted Sunday We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognized with a national award.

Rashid, 50, can be seen in the video trying to overpower the assailant after his young son, Talha Naeem, was gunned down but he was critically wounded in the process and later died in a local hospital. Another son of Rashid was said to be injured and under treatment in a hospital.

A banker by profession, the slain Pakistani man went to New Zealand in 2009 for further studies. He earned a post-doctorate degree and worked as a teacher there, said relatives and friends in Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Qureshi told reporters that families of six victims have decided for their loved ones to be buried in New Zealand while relatives of three other victims requested their remains to be transported back to Pakistan.

The government, he said, will officially mourn the tragic killings of Pakistanis on Monday when the national flag will fly at half mast.

Earlier, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman said Rashid and his son will be buried in Christchurch. Mohammad Faisal noted a local Muslim and Pakistani association in the city has assisted in putting the burial arrangements in place.

Qureshi announced Sunday that Turkey will host an emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an umbrella organization of Muslim countries, to discuss the causes, impacts and way forward" in the aftermath of the New Zealand attack.

"The idea [behind summoning the OIC meeting] is to devise a strategy against rising Islamophobia [in West] while keeping the Christchurch tragedy in mind, said the Pakistani foreign minister.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Crimea on Monday to mark the fifth anniversary of Moscow's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine, condemned by the West but celebrated by most Russians.

A Kremlin statement on Sunday said Putin would visit the peninsula and its largest city Sevastopol to attend celebrations marking five years since Crimea "rejoined" Russia.

The Russian leader will take part in a ceremony opening a new power station and meet representatives of civil society during the visit, it said.

On March 18, 2014, Putin signed a treaty with representatives from Crimea to make it part of Russia, two days after a referendum that was not recognized by the international community.

Kyiv and the West slammed the move as an annexation, leading to sanctions against Moscow, but it resulted in a major boost of Putin's popularity at the time.

In Russia, March 18 has been officially proclaimed as the "Day of Crimea's Reunification with Russia."
The Northern Irish party that props up British Prime Minister Theresa May's minority government is demanding a seat at post-Brexit trade talks as its price for supporting her twice-defeated divorce deal, The Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.

The Democratic Unionist Party also wants a guarantee that Northern Ireland will be treated no differently from the rest of the United Kingdom, the newspaper said.

"We are determined that Brexit should happen in accordance with the referendum result, but the only way it can happen which is acceptable to us is if the United Kingdom is treated as one," DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds told The Sunday Telegraph. "The government is now focused on this key issue, but political statements or pledges are not enough."

Earlier, May warned lawmakers that unless they approved her twice-defeated Brexit divorce deal, Britain's exit from the European Union could face a long delay and could involve taking part in European Parliament elections.

After 2 years of tortuous divorce negotiations with the EU, the final outcome is still uncertain with options including a long delay, exiting with May's deal, a disorderly exit without a deal, or even another referendum.

An ultimatum

May has issued Brexit supporters a clear ultimatum: Ratify her deal by a European Council summit March 21 or face a delay to Brexit way beyond June 30 that would open up the possibility that the entire divorce could be ultimately thwarted.

Negotiation of a new deal "would mean a much longer extension  almost certainly requiring the United Kingdom to participate in the European Parliament elections in May," she told The Sunday Telegraph.

"The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. There could be no more potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure."

EU leaders will consider pressing Britain to delay Brexit by at least a year to find a way out of the domestic maelstrom, though there is shock and growing impatience at the political chaos in London.

Her deal, an attempt to keep close relations with the EU while leaving the bloc's formal structures, was defeated by 230 votes in parliament on Jan. 15 and by 149 votes on March 12.

But May continues to fight to build support for her plan, which is expected to put before lawmakers for a third time next week, possibly on Tuesday.

To get it through Parliament, the prime minister must win over dozens of Brexit-supporting rebels in her own Conservative Party  and the Democratic Unionist Party.

The DUP has voted against May's plan because of concerns about the Northern Ireland backstop, which is an insurance policy aimed at maintaining an open border between the British province of Northern

Ireland and EU member Ireland.
A homeless shelter in Wroclaw, Poland, struggled to get enough footwear to people in need. Employees at a local cobbler, who had been donating their own shoes to the shelter, asked online for donations. Nearly 200 pairs walked in, and an idea was born  to restore old shoes to help the homeless. Arash Arabasadi reports.


Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo state has said that the governor-elect, in the state, Emeka Ihedioha does not have the capacity to govern the state, yet makes allegations against a man adjudged to be the highest property owner both in Owerri and in Abuja for several years.

This was part of Okorochas reaction to allegation by Ihedioha that N17 billion was withdrawn from the state treasury, soon after the governorship election.

According to Okorocha, ,Ihedioha is only a professional politician, who has never had any corporate experience  while dismissing his(Ihediaha) as frivolous and cheap blackmail.

The governor said this on S via his Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo in a statement on Sunday.

His words: Chief Emeka Ihedioha, who was announced the winner of the governorship election in the State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been making careless media statements and unfounded allegations, including the N17billion he said the government had withdrawn and the threat to recover what he called Imo Property from the governor.

He had earlier given directives to Financial Institutions in the State against further transactions with the State government. Chief Ihedioha does not have the mental or intellectual Capacity to govern a highly endowed State like Imo. The guy is just smart politically. And Political Smartness is different from having the Capacity for Leadership or governance.

He was contentiously declared winner on Tuesday. And on Thursday he came up with the allegation of the government withdrawing N17billion. He never mentioned how the withdrawal was made whether it was withdrawn cash or through transfer. And where in Imo State, with meager Federal allocation and IGR can one see N17billion to withdraw? Like we said earlier, he is not an intelligent guy. He cant cope with the challenges of governance

He (Ihedioha) is coming to be governor with the only income he made at the National Assembly because prior to his going to the National Assembly he never did any paid job and he is trying now to blackmail a man adjudged to be the highest property owner both in Owerri and in Abuja several years before coming for governor.

He has not said anything about free education, Urban Renewal and several other sensitive people-oriented programmes and policies of the Rescue Mission Government in the State. He is only talking about money and property. It is going to be interesting. A man who failed as a member of the House of Representatives wont do magic as a governor.

He should also know that with what Governor Okorocha has achieved, Imo people wont entertain any excuse from him. If he likes let him talk about Rochas Okorocha from now till when he will leave as governor. The die is cast. Action speaks louder than words. Blackmail or propaganda which the PDP invested heavily in during the 12years they governed the State have become old-fashioned in the State at the moment.

Nigerans in general and Imo people in particular should ignore him whenever he comes up with such gimmicks. After May 29, 2019 he has every right to probe even the food Rochas Okorocha and the family ate in Government House from 2011 to 2015. Ihedioha wont make a good governance.
U.S. President Donald Trump is firing new broadsides at the late-Sen. John McCain, nearly seven months after the one-time prisoner of war in Vietnam died from brain cancer.

In a trio of Twitter comments on Saturday and Sunday, Trump contended the Republican lawmaker helped instigate special counsel Robert Mueller's long-running investigation of links between Trump's 2016 election campaign and Russia, and complained again, as he has in the past, about McCain's 2017 vote that doomed Trump's attempted overhaul of national health care policies.

After the first attack on her late father, she said, "No one will ever love you the way they loved my father.... I wish I had been given more Saturday's with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine?"

When Trump launched another attack Sunday, McCain's daughter said, "My father lives rent free in your head," in a tweet that later appeared to have been deleted.

One of McCain's closest friends in the U.S. Senate, Republican Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, said, "As to @SenJohnMcCain and his devotion to his country: He stepped forward to risk his life for his country, served honorably under difficult circumstances, and was one of the most consequential senators in the history of the body. Nothing about his service will ever be changed or diminished."

Democratic Sen. Chris Coons told ABC News, "I've long thought that his personal and direct attacks on Senator McCain was one of the most detestable things about President Trump's conduct as a candidate," calling on Trump to apologize for his most recent remarks.



Trump quoted former independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who investigated former President Bill Clinton two decades ago, as saying on the Fox News network that the fact that a McCain ally shared a dossier with the media that linked Trump to Russia was "unfortunately a very dark stain against John McCain."



On Sunday, Trump claimed McCain was "last in his class" at the U.S. Naval Academy and that he had sent the dossier to the media "hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election" on Nov. 8, 2016. "He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual). Even the Fake News refused this garbage!"



Trump's claims were wrong on three counts: McCain was fifth from last in his class of 1958. The senator did not learn of the dossier until 10 days after Trump had won the election and there is no evidence that McCain passed the dossier on to the media although a McCain aide said he did. McCain turned the file over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.



Mueller's investigation has resulted in guilty pleas and convictions of five key Trump aides and the indictment of a sixth.

Trump has long labeled the Mueller investigation as a "witch hunt" and rejected any suggestions that his campaign colluded with Russia to help him win or that, as president, he obstructed justice by trying to thwart the investigation.



The president has long shown his disdain for McCain, a fighter pilot before becoming a politician, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam in the 1960s after being shot down over Hanoi.



Trump, during the early months of his presidential campaign in 2015, disparaged McCain's status as a POW, saying, "He's not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured."
The White House on Sunday rejected any attempt to link President Donald Trump to the white supremacist accused of gunning down 50 people at two New Zealand mosques.

"The president is not a white supremacist," acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told the "Fox News Sunday" show. "I'm not sure how many times we have to say that. Let's take what happened in New Zealand [Friday] for what it is: a terrible evil tragic act."

Alleged gunman Brenton Harris Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, said in a 74-page manifesto he released shortly before the massacre unfolded at mosques in Christchurch that he viewed Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose" but did not support his policies.

The statement renewed criticism that Trump has not voiced strong enough condemnation of white nationalists.

Asked Friday after the mosque attacks whether he sees an increase in white nationalism, Trump said, "I don't really. I think it's a small group of people that have very, very serious problems, I guess." He said he had not seen the manifesto.

Mulvaney said, "I don't think it's fair to cast this person as a supporter of Donald Trump any more than it is to look at his eco-terrorist passages in that manifesto and align him with [Democratic House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi or Ms. Ocasio-Cortez," Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic congresswoman.

"This was a disturbed individual, an evil person," he said.

Scott Brown, the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, told CNN that he gave no credence to Tarrant's comments about Trump in the manifesto, saying the accused gunman "is rotten to the core." Brown said he hopes Tarrant is convicted "as quickly as he can be" and the key to his prison cell thrown away.

Trump was widely attacked in the aftermath of a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 when he equated white supremacists with counter-protesters, saying "both sides" were to blame and that there were "fine people" on both sides of the protest.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, one of numerous Democrats seeking the party's presidential nomination to oppose Trump in the 2020 election, said on Twitter after the New Zealand attack, "Time and time again, this president has embraced and emboldened white supremacists and instead of condemning racist terrorists, he covers for them. This isn't normal or acceptable."
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The 18-year-old daughter of Popular Nigerian actress, Iyabo Alice Ojo, simply known as Iyabo Ojo, has taken to her Instagram page to apologize publicly to her mum over an unknown offence.

While it is still unknown what she has done, we join her in asking her mum to forgive her as she has promised never to repeat such again.

She wrote:
2018 BBNaija housemate Khloe is out here letting us know just how thick she is getting.

The model and fashion designer took to her IG page to share a beautiful image of herself donning a sheer pant trouser that did a good job showing off her derriere.

Khloe captioned the image writing;
In one instance, a McLean resident sent Chahal $100,000. In another, a New Jersey resident sent him $30,000. After Chahal told the victim that the initial investment had more than doubled in value, the person sent him another $150,000, according to the indictment.
The 18-year-old, identified as John Doe in court papers, said that Fairfax County Public Schools inadequately investigated accusations leveled against him by a female student at Robinson Secondary School. The male student, who has a 3.2 grade-point average and was on the schools wrestling team, was transferred to an alternative school and placed on probationary status, according to the lawsuit.
Aguas, also a Filipino native and teacher, was not among the group whose visas were held up. She credited the support of Marietta English, president of the Baltimore Teachers Union, for her colleagues smooth transitions when they returned. The union worked with the district to craft an agreement guaranteeing that all the Filipino teachers would get jobs within the district upon returning.
They said they came upon the site of a single-car crash on Manor Road. Two people were taken to a hospital. Police said the matter was under investigation.
The force of the impact caused the Honda SUV to collide with the vehicle in front of it, forcing that car across three lanes of traffic, where it hit the median.
A senior White House official said the FAA had repeatedly told the president by phone that there was no reason to ground the planes and that Boeing had a record for being safe. This official said the FAA showed the president how many Boeing planes were in the sky, told him that the particular model had been flying for years, and urged against a quick grounding.
At least two people have died in the floodwaters. Aleido Rojas Galan, 52, of Norfolk, Neb., was swept away Friday night in southwestern Iowa, when the vehicle he was in went around a barricade. Two others in the vehicle survived  one by clinging to a tree. On Thursday, James Wilke, 50, a farmer in Columbus, Neb., died when a bridge collapsed as he used a tractor to try to reach stranded motorists.
It doesnt matter whether youve signed up with the federal Do Not Call Registry, although companies that call numbers on the list are supposed to be subject to large fines. The robo-callers ignore the list, and evade penalties because they can mask the true origins of their calls. The autodialing programs encode Caller ID information that makes the robo-call look like its from a local number, the Social Security Administration or even your employers head office. That means its harder to ignore the calls  and much more difficult to identify whos actually calling.
The Bayelsa Deputy Governor, retired Rear Admiral John Jonah, has implored Nigerians not to blame the army for its involvement in the 2019 general elections.

The biblical prophecy of siblings turning against each other in the last days has found fulfilment in Kwara politics. There is no other way to explain the gaping rift between brother and sister who have entered another phase in their long and titanic battle for the soul of the state.

The Sun

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) senatorial candidate for February 23 National Assembly election, Barrister Tony Chukwuelue, has concluded plans to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akwa for omission of his name from the ballot paper .

Guardian
Body identified as missing child: A child's body found wrapped in a blanket along a Minnesota highway is believed to be that of a missing 2-year-old girl whose mother police have said was fatally shot by her former pimp, authorities said Saturday. The discovery of the child's body came hours after officials had put out a plea asking "the entire nation" to help find Noelani Robinson, whose father, Dariaz Higgins, is charged with killing her mom in Milwaukee on Monday.

An off-duty public works employee found the body while driving home Friday night, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales told reporters. An autopsy has not been conducted yet, but authorities say that they believe the death did not occur in the last 24 hours and that the girl "had been there for quite some time," Morales said.
Italian officials open probe in death of Berlusconi witness: Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the possible poisoning death of a woman who was a key witness in the trial against former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi over his infamous "bunga bunga" parties. Imane Fadil, 34, died March 1 at a Milan-area hospital, where she had been treated since Jan. 29 for exhibiting "symptoms of poisoning," Milan prosecutor Francesco Greco said, according to the Italian news agency ANSA. In 2012, Fadil had told reporters that she feared for her safety after telling prosecutors investigating possible witness tampering in the case that she was offered money in exchange for her silence.
Central Mali has in the past few years been overrun by extremists with links to al-Qaeda. Violence by extremist groups has worsened almost every year since it first exploded in Mali in 2012, when Islamists and allied Tuareg rebels took over the north and advanced toward the capital, Bamako, until a French-led intervention pushed them back the following year.
That can lead to forms of marketing that are not insidious at all: say, promoting womens shoes exclusively to potential customers who have displayed an online interest in womens fashion. It can also lead to obvious abuses, such as companies displaying housing ads only to white individuals, whether by explicitly excluding minorities or engaging in digital redlining via Zip code restrictions. An expanse of gray lies in between. Regulators will have to decide whether to limit anti-discrimination rules to areas where there are traditionally heightened protections or whether  and how  to push beyond those frameworks. And they will have to address how platforms traditional immunity from liability for users actions runs up against any new rules.
She was tried in absentia in a Revolutionary Court in Tehran. She refused to appear in court, after she was denied the right to choose her own lawyer. The actual length of the sentence is not definitively clear; she has not been informed in writing, she told her husband, Reza Khandan, in a brief phone call from Evin prison. She said the term was five years in one case and 33 in another case involving nine charges, although it could be reduced. The charges are of the bizarre and politically motivated type that dictators often throw at those who protest. According to her husband, they include: assembly and collusion against national security, propaganda against the state, membership in various human rights groups, encouraging corruption and prostitution, appearing at the judiciary without Islamic hijab, disturbing public peace and order and publishing falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion.
If so, that would be a dangerous yielding of U.S. leverage that could all but doom the Afghan government  and the millions of Afghans, especially women, who prize the civil society that lives under its umbrella. Though it may have softened its oppression in some areas it controls, the Taliban has given no indication it is prepared to accept a democratic political system, share power with the Ghani government or respect basic human rights. On the contrary, its leaders have portrayed themselves in recent public statements as victors in the war who are preparing to reap their rewards.
Nine Nigerians have been murdered in the latest attack on Nandu village in Sanga Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna state.

The attack which was confirmed by the state government occurred during the early hours of Saturday.

In a statement by Samuel Aruwan, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Nasir El  Rufai on Media and Publicity, on Saturday, condemned the attack on the unarmed citizens.

Read the statement below
In his March 14 op-ed, The greatest crime in U.S. history?, George F. Will drew attention to the unfolding Catholic institutional criminal operation that has exploited children. The Pennsylvania report is only the latest report that, when combined with reports issued in other countries, provides the same sorts of gruesome details of criminal behavior by clerics. Then Catholic leadership used its unique powers not only to hide sexual predators but also to protect their priesthoods, thus perpetuating expansion of the number of victims.
Contrary to Mr. Glassmans implication of causality, sexual assault is not the result of women drinking alcohol. Sexual assault is caused by individuals who force themselves on those who have not consented to sex or sexual contact  in other words, rapists. Such statements perpetuate the myth that women who experience sexual assault are to blame for that assault.
On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Virginia House of Delegates v. Bethune-Hill, a case in which the court can rule in favor of a healthy republic and a democratic process in which districts are drawn without racial or partisan bias. Mr. McCollums arguments clouded the truth about the harm that Virginias gerrymandering has done and ascribed motivation in a callous attempt to work the refs and public opinion before the case is heard.
Now there are ominous signs that the administration is tightening its grip. Beginning late last year, applicants for visas were put on notice that they may be subject to deportation proceedings in immigration court if their bids for humanitarian visas are denied. That was a shift from earlier practice under which applicants were exempt from summons to immigration court, a policy designed to incentivize victims to come forward. In addition, lawyers for trafficking victims say their clients, often penniless, are now subject to steep fees that were previously waived in the course of their visa applications.
Biden, 76, has repeatedly pushed back possible announcement dates for what would be his third run for the presidency. He has tapped staffers who would be expected to lead a national campaign, leaving many of his political allies convinced hell run. But he has yet to make those plans official.
Scott Brown, the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, dismissed Tarrants manifesto and encouraged people not to read it. I dont give any credibility whatsoever to the ramblings of somebody who is rotten to the core and, clearly, is an extremist of the worst kind, who could walk into two mosques and, without any care whatsoever, kill people, Brown said on CNNs State of the Union.
Theres a long, tortured heritage, if you look at the way the Irish were depicted in the 19th century, in newspapers. There, you had depictions of them as rum-loving individuals who were creating havoc in America. To a certain extent, the message about ORourke draws on that questionable past, said Schmuhl, who has studied portrayals of the Irish in America and is the author of the forthcoming book The Glory and the Burden: The American Presidency from FDR to Trump.


The Chief Whip of Oyo State House of Assembly, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied any involvement in the death of a member of the House of Representatives, Temitope Olatoye aka Sugar.

Akinmoyede has been in the custody of Criminal Investigations Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan over allegations he killed Sugar.

It is worthy of note that the suspect had contested for the Lagelu State Constituency seat for the second time under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but lost to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Akinmoyede speaking via his media assistant, Segun Olawale, on Sunday said, he has nothing to do with Olatoyes murder.

Although both of us are from rival political parties, Sugar was my friend, brother and longtime political ally.

We were together in APC for a very long time before he defected to the African Democratic Party (ADP) under whose platform he contested the Oyo South Senatorial election.

I am a man of peace and this can be attested to by my political associates, my colleagues in the House of Assembly and indeed, the people of my constituency.

The fact that Sugar and I are not from the same political party does not mean that we should be at each others throats.

Incidentally, we were not contesting for the same political office. While he contested for the Oyo South Senatorial seat, I contested for the Lagelu State Constituency for the second term, he said.

Speaking further, the Oyo state chief whip said, there wasnt any form of rancour at their polling unit, until shortly after the late lawmaker arrived.

not long after Sugars arrival did I hear that gunshots were being exchanged between his boys and some people at the Lalupon motor park which eventually led to him being shot.

I am therefore surprised by the reports in a section of the media to the effect that I was arrested by the police.

I must state emphatically that I was never arrested, I reported myself to them voluntarily upon receiving their call, he said.
My brother was a brave man who died to save others. His death showed how he cared for humanity, Rashids brother Khurshid Alam said in a telephone interview Sunday from his home in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Just a few days ago, he said, we were talking to Naeem about the family coming to Pakistan for Talhas wedding. Now we are talking about his death and funeral arrangements.
Initial data from the ill-fated Ethiopian Airlines flight as well as subsequent satellite information recovered showed an erratic flight path during the six minutes that the plane was in the air before it crashed into a field outside the capital, Addis Ababa, killing all 157 aboard.
Pisani-Ferry was hesitant to call the listening tour a success beyond helping to repair Macrons badly damaged image. It has definitely been successful as a political initiative, he said. The guy with rolled-up sleeves, engaging with the people  thats very much associated with the U.S. I wouldnt say it worked, but it has at least delivered an ability to change style from someone very distant to someone more engaged.
In its statement on Sundays attack, Hamas said the shooting was in response to recent events, particularly a dispute last week over the opening of a gate at one of the entrances to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, as well as the expansion of Israeli settlements and the confiscation of Palestinian lands.
Ben Ari and his party, which translates as Jewish Power, have argued for the forcible transfer of Israels minority Arabs unless they swear an oath of loyalty. The faction had been given a shot at entering the Knesset thanks to a deal it reached with two other far-right parties. The agreement was encouraged by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Dolapo Osinbajo, Wife of Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, has joined millions of Nigerians in expressing her kind gestures to the survival of the Ita-faaji, Lagos Island, building collapse.

She was spotted at General Hospital, Lagos Island, today where she spent some quality time with the school children that survived the horrible experience.
Ethiopian Minster of Transport Dagmawit Moges said it will likely take five to six months to complete the identification, but DNA samples were already being collected from the relatives of victims to aid in the process.
Chile has found another use for dams that hold the liquid waste from massive copper-mining operations: power generation.

Calling it the first project of its kind in the world, Anglo American has installed 256 photovoltaic panels at the tailings dam for its Los Bronces complex in Chile. The panels are floating atop the sometimes-toxic ground minerals and effluents blasted out of rocks dug up at the mine.

Anglo American has installed 256 photovoltaic panels at the tailings dam for its Los Bronces complex in Chile. Credit:Bloomberg

The pilot project was expected to generate 150,000 kilowatt-hours a year and help power the operations there, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

While it's not much electricity in the grand scheme of things, Chile Mining Minister Baldo Prokurica hailed the solar project as yet another example of how the country - the world's largest copper producer - is leading the way in improving how miners treat waste.
Lawyers are already targeting Boeing for Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines disaster even while investigators are still trying to figure out what caused two 737 Max 8 jetliners to go down in a span of five months, killing 346 people.

Boeing faces the prospect of substantial payouts to the families of passengers if it's found responsible for both the Indonesia and Ethiopia crashes.

But legal experts say the second one could prove even more damaging for the Chicago-based company. That's because plaintiffs will argue the manufacturer was put on notice by the earlier tragedy that there was something dangerously wrong with its planes that should have been fixed.

Rescuers working at the scene of Sunday's crash. Credit:AP

The second crash "bolsters our claims that Boeing knew or should've known that the plane was defective and did nothing about it," said Brian S. Kabateck, who represents the families of 12 victims of the Lion Air crash in October off the coast of Jakarta.
A flood of iconic Melbourne heritage sites are now worth as little as $1 after their owners successfully disputed their value in the wake of a controversial planning tribunal decision.

The upmarket Intercontinental Rialto Hotel at 495 Collins Street is understood to have joined a growing list of noteworthy heritage sites with nominal values.

"The Block Arcade is today as it was in 1892," arcade manager Grant Cohen said. Credit:Jesse Marlow

The Intercontinental's historic facade, at the property controlled by specialist property fund SB&G Hotel Group, is ranked 40th on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Another city landmark believed to be valued near $1 is the dazzling, 124-year-old National Trust-listed Block Arcade in Collins Street.
City limits Fresh from listing the Flagstaff City Inn in West Melbourne, developer Nicole Chow is now off-loading a medical centre at her recently completed North Melbourne development. CBRE agents Jimmy Tat, Josh Twelftree and Lewis Tong are handling the sale of the 590 sq m medical centre which is on level one at 33 Flemington Road. Its across the road from the citys medical hub, which includes the Comprehensive Cancer Centre, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Womens Hospital. 33 Flemington Road, North Melbourne

Mr Tat said the centre is leased to five tenants, including the Leukemia Foundation. It has an average lease term of 4.5 years and returns $321,047 a year in rent. The property is expected to sell for around $5 million. The timing of the medical centre sale was opportunistic, Ms Chow said. "We still retain a significant interest in the retail shops, car parking and the residential apartments at North. In May 2017, Ms Chows United Asia Group paid a record $20 million for the still-operating Flagstaff City Inn in West Melbourne on Dudley Street.

45-55 Dudley Street is back on the market. A permit for a 25-storey 212-room hotel project was wrestled off the City of Melbourne last year via a trip to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The developer had pitched for 32 levels. Savills agent Clinton Baxter, who is handling the sale for the second time running, is expecting it will sell in the low to mid-$20 million range. The result will be keenly anticipated. A nearby property on Roden Street sold for $1 million less than its 2015 purchase price of $17 million. Ms Chow told Capital Gain she is actively looking for more sites in Melbourne. Last year, she paid around $35 million for Vision Australias office and warehouse at 346-350 Macaulay Road in Kensington. The Singaporean-born developer, who has lived in Australia for more than 25 years, said planning is underway for a development on the Kensington property.

Bourke Hot Investors keen on grabbing a piece of the steadily warming Bourke Street hill action could have their chance with a strata shop in one of the citys earliest apartment projects. Shop 3 at 50 Bourke Street is leased by Golden Star Massage on a 10 year lease that started in 2012. Shop 3 at 48 Bourke Street is for sale. Its just 80 sq m in a ground floor strip across the Liverpool Street laneway from Jobs Warehouse where speculation is rife about a hot new restaurant spearheaded by the O'Brien Group, which owns the nearby Imperial Hotel and the Bondi Iceberg restaurant in Sydney.

The little shop is across the street from 19-21 Bourke where Chin Chin restaurateur Chris Lucas is opening his French bistro Batard; and the old Society site at No. 23-29 for which Swisse Vitamins heir Stephen Ring paid $8.1 million in 2017. Down the hill is Grossi Florentino and Pellegrinis; while up the hill on Spring Street, crowds pack The European and Ronnie di Stasio new Citta restaurant. Colliers International agents Chris Ling and Anthony Kirwan are expecting around $1.5 million for the shop which returns $73,755 a year in rent. The three-to-six storey property was built in 1983. It had been the site of a prominent William Angliss emporium that was demolished to make way for one of the citys first mixed-use projects. There are eight shops on the ground and some 28 apartments upstairs built around a central courtyard. The penthouse sold a year ago for $2.8 million.

All that jazz Elsewhere in the city, Aust Global Investments has received approval to change its permit for 22-24 Bennetts Lane to hotel use from residential. AGI is planning a 14-storey 44-room hotel in the alley which was once home to famous jazz club Bennetts Lane. The skinny tower is going up on a tiny 150 sq m plot of land at the end of the lane which is now dominated by apartment towers and the family offices of rich-listers. The warehouse and carpark at 22-24 Bennetts Lane.

Around the corner on Exploration Lane, the Knowles Group is also going ahead with a hotel on its pocket handkerchief site at No.9-11. Property developer and rich-lister John Knowles had planned to build a 130-room hotel on the 170 sq m site in a joint venture with fellow rich-lister Jonathan Hallinan. It was offered for sale - before construction - for around $50 million. Mr Knowles had paid $2.15 million for the Exploration Lane site in 2010. The venture came undone last year after Mr Hallinan sold a separate off-the-plan hotel project on Flinders Lane to Indian billionaires group Interglobe for $91.3 million. The Knowles Group then tried to sell the raw site but it has now been withdrawn for sale. Mr Knowles and his brothers sold their retirement community business to Stockland in 2007 for $329 million. The move comes as Mr Knowles wife Coral, splashed out $4.07 million on the Sportsgirl shop in Sorrento over the long weekend.
A maths teacher has calculated that teachers who started in 2013/14 would have earned about $44,000 less than those employed after January 2016, by the time they reached the top of the pay scale.

Teachers who started out before the new standards-based pay scale was brought in say they are being paid significantly less compared to those who began teaching in 2016.

Thousands of NSW teachers are being paid less than teachers with less experience because of anomalies in a new pay scale.

Teachers who entered the profession after a new pay scale was introduced in NSW on 1 January 2016 will take seven years, instead of nine under the old scale, to reach the top level which currently pays $109,427.

Teachers have complained they are earning up to $14,000 less than colleagues with fewer years of experience because of changes to the statewide pay scale.

A teacher who started in mid-2015 told the Sydney Morning Herald that he is paid $76,031 under the old pay scale. But if he had started six months later, he would be paid $90,236 under the new scale after the equivalent four years of experience and with the same accreditation at proficiency level.

"If I'd followed the same career path six months later, I would be on roughly $14,000 more than I am now after working for four years," he said.

Another teacher with five years' experience who completed accreditation at proficiency level more than two years ago said she is paid $83,136 under the old scale, which is $10,000 less than a teacher who has three years of experience. By next year, she says she will be paid at the same level as someone with the same accreditation who has two years of experience.

A spokesman for the NSW Department of Education said that "while it is possible for a new teacher remunerated under the new structure to reach a higher salary during a shorter period of time, no teacher has suffered a salary decrease".

"Due to the concern this has caused teachers who are subject to the transition provisions, the department will ensure this issue is given consideration in the next award negotiations which are due to start in 2019," the spokesman said.
Birth order, according to conventional wisdom, moulds personality: Firstborn children, secure with their place in the family and expected to be the mature ones, grow up to be intellectual, responsible and conformist. Younger siblings work harder to get their parents attention, take more risks and become creative rebels.

Thats the central idea in psychologist Frank Sulloways Born to Rebel, an influential book on birth order that burst, like a water balloon lobbed by an attention-seeking third-born, onto the pop psychology scene 20 years ago.

It has long been thought that birth order affects the personalities of children. But does it? Credit:iStock

Sulloways account of the nuclear family claimed that firstborn children command their parents attention and resources, so later-borns must struggle to carve out their niche. Sibling behaviours then crystallise into adult personalities.

I thought - and I still think - its very plausible and intuitive, said Ralph Hertwig, a psychologist at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, who published a study on unequal parental investment with Sulloway in 2002.
I begin this column by apologising for taking up this space, and by acknowledging that in doing so, I have displaced others from it, and by others, I mean men.

I think. Im not sure.

Ever since Prime Minister Scott Morrison told an International Womens Day breakfast last week that we want to see women rise, but we dont want to see women rise only on the basis of others doing worse, I have been confused about the physics of equality.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop during the launch of International Women's Day 2019. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The way Morrison described it, equality sounds like Archimedes bath. Once women hop in, a lot of water will get spilled over the edge, and who will clean up that mess?
Sydney's Opera House has lit up with The Silver Fern of New Zealand as a symbol solidarity and respect following the countrys worst act of terrorism.

The Silver Fern of New Zealand is displayed on the Sydney Opera House as a show of support and respect for the people of New Zealand. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Former NSW personal trainer Brenton Tarrant, 28, from Grafton, was on Saturday charged with

one count of murder, but with 49 dead and 40 injured from his semiautomatic attack on two Christchurch mosques, more charges will follow.

The gunman posted a 74-page "manifesto" online before the attack, and a 17-minute video was also uploaded of him arming himself and entering a mosque where he started shooting.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the display was aimed at demonstrating a "deep sense of unity and compassion" towards everyone affected by the attacks.
The electoral commission had announced its decision on Friday, after receiving the report of its fact-finding committee set up to probe the violence and other electoral infractions that led to the suspension of the poll on Sunday, March 10.

However, the AAC in a statement on Saturday rejected INECs claim that governorship and state assembly elections results were available for seventeen (17) LGAs.

AAC has alleged that Governor Nyesom Wike is the preferred candidate of INEC. The party also expressed its disappointment over the inability of INEC to announce the names of the 17 local governments which the commission declared to have its results.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers commanded Nigerian Army authorities for setting up a committee to investigate the alleged involvement of soldiers in the process that led to the suspension of the elections in Rivers State, as well as the alleged assassination attempt on Governor Wike by soldiers.
I would never have known, but this morningreported that Fox News replaced Justice With Judge Jeanine with a repeat episode of its documentary series, just days after the network said it condemned provocative and bigoted remarks their hate talk psychopath made about Congresswoman Ihan Omar (D-MN). "Think about it-- Omar wears a hijab. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?" Last night,reported:

The change in Fox Newss schedule was evident in an on-screen cable guide. But a Pirro broadcast had been placed in newspaper TV listings for this evening.





When reached for comment, a Fox News spokesperson said, Were not commenting on internal scheduling matters and declined to elaborate.





During her broadcast last Saturday, Pirro, a former New York prosecutor, suggested Omar, a Democractic representative, did not respect the law set down by the Constitution of the United States. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which is antithetical to the U.S. Constitution? Pirro asked.





A handful of advertisers have in recent days expressed their unease. Personal-finance marketer NerdWallet, pharmaceutical advertiser Novo Nordis and online marketplace Letgo have indicated in press statements they will at stop running ads in Pirros program.





On Sunday, Fox News issued a statement rebuking Pirros words. We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirros comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar, the network said in a prepared statement. They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly. Fox News made a similar statement in November when Pirro and fellow Fox News host Sean Hannity, two favorites of President Donald Trump, appeared at a campaign rally Trump held in Missouri.





Rep. Omar responded to the controversy on Monday. Thank you, @FoxNews. No ones commitment to our constitution should be questioned because of their faith or country of birth, she said via Twitter.





Pirro sought to tamp down reaction to her comments [while not apologizing] with a statement Ive seen a lot of comments about my opening statement from Saturday nights show and I did not call Rep. Omar un-American, she said. My intention was to ask a question and start a debate, but of course because one is Muslim does not mean you dont support the Constitution. I invite Rep. Omar to come on my show any time to discuss all of the important issues facing America today.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has backed the idea that the Senate Presidents for the 9th Senate position should go to the South East.

In an interview, Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State, said that both Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Ben Uwajimogu are fully qualified for the position and should be considered by their party, APC.

Ngige said:

We have those that are ranking now. We have Ben Uwajimogu, he is now a two-term Senator, he is coming back from the ruling party We have Dr Orji Uzor Kalu. Orji Uzor Kalu was a Federal Assembly legislator during the military regime, its counted because it was a National Assembly, so he has got some ranking. Therefore, Orji Uzor Kalu is also qualified. Okorochas case will be determined before then. We now have some senators, unlike the last time when we had zero non-party senators coming from the Southeast. There was nobody at all. So, the Southeast should definitely be in the equation, I mean the proportion of Senate presidency.

Ngige also condemned the violence that trailed the polls in some states.

Source: Sun Nigeria
Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Muray-Bruce has taken to social media to express his opinion on the decay in the educational sector in Nigeria.

On Saturday, he opined that teachers should be earning more than politicians in order for them to produce better results.

Read his tweet below;

If I had my way, education would be the biggest industry and the education minister would be the most powerful minister. Teachers would earn more than politicians and Id ask Harvard and Oxford to work with Nigeria to develop a curriculum that turns our graduates to entrepreneurs.

Ben Murray-Bruce is the founder of Silverbird Group.
It was a mothers worst nightmare. A New Fairfield woman put her baby down for a nap one day last summer, and when she turned around, her older child was no where to be found.

A frantic search ensued as neighbors and police looked for the 4-year-old boy whose home was located near a large body of water.

Texas, a 4-year-old bloodhound, and his handler, State Police Trooper First Class Edward Anuszewski, joined the effort.

We try to get something the person last touched, Anuszewski said.

Texas was given the scent of the boy, but kept leading his partner toward the home.

They first went to the boys bedroom, but Anuszewski said Texas headed downstairs to the familys couch. As they moved closer, the trooper spotted the boy  sleeping nestled between the cushions of the big couch.

That was probably the most fun save we ever had, Anuszewski said.

As part of the State Police K-9 Unit, Texas and Anuszewski are stationed at Troop A in Southbury. The State Police have one other bloodhound used for tracking stationed at Troop E in Montville. Four more bloodhound teams will soon enter the class taught by the State Police K-9 Training Unit, which trains teams from around the world in a variety of specialties.

The state police have 62 K-9s, including the two bloodhounds used for tracking. Shepherds are used on patrol and perform a variety of tasks, including tracking criminals. There are also specialty K-9s who sniff narcotics, bombs, accelerants used in arson fires and electronic storage devices.

The shepherds are patrol dogs who do a little bit of everything, said Sgt. Anthony Guiliano, who heads the state police K-9 units. The shepherds are trained to track, but usually can only follow a persons scent for five or six hours, compared to a bloodhound who will follow a scent for much longer.

The specialty dogs, which are primarily Labradors, are trained to detect certain smells. The Training Unit is graduating seven K-9 teams trained in electronic storage detection  a discipline created by the unit in 2012 with the help of Jack Hubble, a retired chemist at the state crime lab.

These types of K-9s are trained to detect a chemical used in every piece of computer storage  whether its an SD card, a thumb drive or any other electronic storage device, Guiliano said. These K-9s help investigators find hidden electronic storage devices that may contain child pornography, he said.

In the 1980s, the Connecticut State Police also pioneered the training and use of accelerant-detection K-9s to assist in arson investigations.

Anuszewski, a 29-year veteran with the state police, was a shepherd handler in the 1990s. Texas was donated by a family when it became apparent he was going to weight upwards of 90 pounds.

Texas was originally paired with a different trooper, but Anuszewski said he was always fascinated with the tracking aspect, so he became certified with Texas in 2016.

Im the driver, said Anuszewski, who spends a good deal of time wiping up his partners saliva. His uniform is covered with it. With a shake of his head, Texas can throw a wad of spit up to nine feet.

The pair has been involved in 30 successful tracks, including the search-and-recovery mission last month for a man who committed suicide in a wooded area of Granby.

We look for people, whether its good guys or bad guys running away, Anuszweski said. He likes people, he just wants to find the person.

His large ears that brush the ground, excessive skin folds that fall forward when his head is down and moisture from his nasal cavity all make him an exceptional tracker when hes hit on a scent.

But his skills were nearly his undoing in December 2017, when he stayed on the scent of a missing Danbury man after Anuszewski fell and dropped his leash.

The pair had been called to find the man who was autistic and had taken off after an argument with his mother. The track led the two to rocky terrain on a ridge. Anuszewski slipped and accidentally let go of the leash as he was trying to break his fall.

By the time I scrambled up the ridge, he was over and gone, Anuszewski said. The problem is with the hounds, once you get him fixated, they are locked in and not listening.

Dozens of K-9 teams and volunteers from Connecticut and New York searched for Texas for three days before he was found in a neighborhood five miles away with his leash caught on a fence in a yard.

The family was on vacation, so they didnt know he was out there, Anuszewski said. Texas isnt much of a howler like other bloodhounds so he wasnt making a racket despite his predicament.

But a federal agent with the Department of Homeland Security who thought he heard some barks while patrolling the area on ATV looking for the bloodhound likely saved Texas life as an ice storm was about to move in, Anuszewski said.

That was the three worst days of my career, Anuszewski said. It was like losing your child and your partner.

Texas now wears a hunting garment with a beacon when on a track, an addition that has been picked up by other law enforcement agencies.

I wish I did this like 10 years ago, Anuszewski said of his partner. Its like getting paid to go hunting every day. Theres always a lot of pieces to put together in a case. Hes not the end all, but hes a big help. Im just the driver.
Shehu Sani, the Senator representing Kaduna Central has warned politicians to desist from the act of promoting ethnic crisis in Nigeria.

Following the tensed atmosphere after between ethnic groups in different parts of the country after the 2019 election, Shehu has urged Nigerians in general and politicians from being hypocrites.

He took to social media on Sunday and expressed his view;
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Mostly cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low near 60F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low near 60F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump stepped up his pressure on General Motors to reopen an Ohio manufacturing plant that recently closed and put 1,700 people out of work.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2019 (998 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump stepped up his pressure on General Motors to reopen an Ohio manufacturing plant that recently closed and put 1,700 people out of work.

Trump's arm-twisting came in a series of separate tweets on Saturday and Sunday . He capped his weekend rant against the GM with a tweet disclosing that he had vented his frustrations during a conversation with the company's CEO, Mary Barra.

"I am not happy that it is closed when everything else in our Country is BOOMING," Trump wrote. "I asked her to sell it or do something quickly. She blamed the UAW Union  I don't care, I just want it open!"

The union is the United Automobile Workers, which represents the employees who lost their jobs in the Lordstown closure. Trump had previously told a UAW leader, David Green, to "get his act together and produce" for the Lordstown workers. Green didn't respond to a request for comment Sunday.

General Motors said in a statement released Sunday evening that the future of plants scheduled to be closed "will be resolved between GM and the UAW." The automaker also said that it has "opportunities available for virtually all impacted employees" at plants that are to be shuttered.

"We remain open to talking with all the affected stakeholders, but our main focus remains on our employees and offering them jobs in our plants where we have growth opportunities," the company said.

Even as Trump said he talked to Barra, he was calling on GM to reopen its Lordstown plant or find another owner, while insisting that the Detroit automaker "must act quickly."

He also blasted GM for letting down the U.S. and asserted "much better" automakers are coming to the country.

Trump praised Toyota for its investments in the U.S. in an apparent attempt to depict GM as being less committed to its home country than the Japan automaker.

The Lordstown closure has become a hot-button issue in an area of Ohio that is expected to be critical for Trump if he seeks re-election as promised in 2020.

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Trump prevailed in Ohio in the 2016 election, a win that helped him win enough electoral votes to become president despite losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton.

That may be one reason why Trump joined a coalition of Ohio lawmakers in efforts to get the Lordstown plant running again. The tweets marked some of his most pointed criticism of GM so far.

Trump has skewered several other U.S. companies for not doing more to help their country's economy, but his remarks so far have been more bark than bite.

For instance, he has publicly called upon Apple to shift most of its manufacturing from China to the U.S., but the Silicon Valley company continues to make its iPhones and most other products overseas.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, last week expressed doubts GM will reopen its Lordstown plant, but he said the automaker indicated it's in talks with another company about using the site.

More than 16 million vehicles were made at the Lordstown plant during its 53-year history until GM closed it earlier this month as part of a massive reorganization. The company also intends to close four other North American plants by early next year.
TORONTO - Two Canadian airlines dealing with the grounding of Boeing Max 8 jets say they have re-assigned other planes to accommodate travellers returning home from March Break vacations.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2019 (999 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An Air Canada Boeing 737 Max aircraft arriving from Toronto prepares to land at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on March 12, 2019. Two Canadian airlines dealing with the grounding of Boeing Max 8 jets say they have re-assigned other planes to accommodate travellers returning home from March Break vacations.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

TORONTO - Two Canadian airlines dealing with the grounding of Boeing Max 8 jets say they have re-assigned other planes to accommodate travellers returning home from March Break vacations.

Both Air Canada and WestJet said Sunday they shifted planes to focus on routes taking travellers to and from vacation destinations like Mexico and the Caribbean.

But the airlines also acknowledged that despite those efforts, the loss of the Boeing jets caused the cancellation of a number of domestic flights over the weekend, as well as delays on customer support lines.

"Recognizing that it is March Break, our priority was to cover our north-south flying and so we have been able to accommodate the vast majority of customers travelling south or returning from the holiday," Air Canada said in a statement.

The company did not say how many of its domestic flights had been cancelled but acknowledged "capacity challenges" on those routes.

Air Canada said it was working to add capacity in these markets "within the constraints imposed by the 737 fleet grounding."

WestJet spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said that since the Max 8s were grounded this week the company has been working to off-set the impact.

"Of the more than 65,000 guests booked on MAX flights up to March 31, more than 85 per cent will have had little to no changes to their flight schedule," Stewart said in a statement.

On its website, the company said it had been working hard to limit cancellations for people returning from southern destinations.

WestJet said Sunday the changes it made resulted in the cancellation of 14 flights affecting approximately 1,600 passengers, with the majority re-booked on flights Sunday or Monday.

Of those cancelled flights, all were domestic except for a single trip from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

"Our teams have been working incredibly hard behind the scenes to limit cancellations to our sunny destinations during spring break and as a result, there have been no sun market cancellations, ensuring that families will be on their way to the beaches and sunshine," WestJet said.

Last Wednesday, Transport Minister Marc Garneau grounded the Max 8s as a precautionary move, three days after the Ethiopian Airlines disaster that killed all 157 people on board, including 18 Canadians.

Air Canada has 24 Max 8s and WestJet has 13  six per cent and seven per cent of their fleets of 400 and 175 aircraft, respectively.

Air Canada has estimated that its Max 8 jets carried between 9,000 and 12,000 passengers a day. WestJet said the grounding order will affect about 1,400 customers daily.

Aviation industry expert and McGill University associate professor Karl Moore said the companies were planning for the return of March Break travellers this week.

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But regardless of how much juggling both Air Canada and WestJet did, there were bound to be cancelled or delayed flights because each company has lost thousands of seats, he said.

"They're moving capacity around but there are limits to what they can do," he said. "It's going to cost them money because there are going to be a bunch of people who miss flights and they'll have to pay those costs."

Moore said after the next few days pass, the industry will move into a period in April and May when travel numbers drop. That will give companies more time to cope with the loss of the planes and figure out a strategy to address it, he added.

The lull should also give Boeing an opportunity to address any issues with the jets, train pilots and begin to repair public trust in their planes which has been damaged after the crash, Moore said.

"Job number one in that industry is safety because if people feel it's unsafe they're not going to travel," he said.

"Boeing has got to say ... 'We're not going to have the Max 8 in the air unless we're fully confident they're safe to travel.' It's going to take time for Boeing to win people back."
Federal Green party leader Elizabeth May is feeling confident about her partys odds in the October federal election, and she wants Manitobans to know it.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2019 (999 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Federal Green party leader Elizabeth May is feeling confident about her partys odds in the October federal election, and she wants Manitobans to know it.

"The stars are aligning in ways that, as leader of the Green Party, I dont think I thought Id ever see," said May in an interview after hosting a town hall event that filled the Park Theatre on Osborne Street.

The event capped off a two-day tour of Manitoba by the party leader, which also included town halls in Brandon and Portage la Prairie.

May, the only Green member of Parliament, doubts Andrew Scheers Conservative party will be able to win a majority this October, given a right-flank challenge from Maxime Berniers Peoples Party of Canada.

"I dont think the Liberals will have a chance at a majority, because Justin Trudeau, theres a bit of tarnish on the glow," she said. "And its likely that well have a minority parliament."

That would mean cross-party co-operation, May said, which is where the Greens could shine  either as a partner in a coalition government, or by supporting a minority government with a confidence-and-supply agreement similar to the one struck by the New Democrats and the Green Party in her home province of British Columbia.

That kind of co-operation has been good for Canadas progressive political movements in the past, she said.

"Thats how we got our health care system, Canada Pension Plan, unemployment insurance, student loans  all of that progress for Canada happened in a minority parliament, back in the 1960s, where the smaller party was open to co-operation."

May said her party would work with any other party, "if its in the public interest."

Manitoba Green Party leader James Beddome, who will run his first federal election for the Greens in Winnipeg South-Centre this year, said Manitobans who support the partys policies should take the plunge and vote Green.

"I think about all the different people that I know that voted for the Trudeau Liberals in 2015 on promises like proportional representation, real action on climate change," said Beddome.

"Now they are, four years later, swallowing thick because they didnt get any of it. So vote for what you want, vote for whos out there truly pushing for those issues."

The Greens won 3.4 per cent of the total vote in the 2015 federal election, and 3.2 per cent of the vote in Manitoba.

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This time, May said, "well do a lot better, for sure," citing a big improvement in the Green vote during a recent Quebec by-election.

"Everything Ive seen in Manitoba is further encouraging me to think that anything could happen in the next election," said May.

Here, a mischevious tone crept into the voice of the MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands.

"It might be that we have to ask if Justin Trudeau is prepared to prop up a Green government, who knows?"

solomon.israel@freepress.mb.ca

@sol_israel
A 29-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with a random home invasion in which a high school student was slain, a crime police said was believed to be fuelled by methamphetamine.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2019 (999 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 29-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with a random home invasion in which a high school student was slain, a crime police said was believed to be fuelled by methamphetamine.

Police said Sunday that Ronald Bruce Chubb was charged in the killing of 17-year-old Jaime (Jimboy) Adao at his home on the 700 block of McGee Street on March 3.

FACEBOOK Jaime Adao, 17, was slain on March 3.

Chubb is also charged with attempted murder and failure to comply with probation. He was detained in custody.

The suspect had been in hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. No charge could be laid until he had been questioned by police.

There was no immediate reaction from the Adao family Sunday. No one answered the door when a reporter went to their home.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Police Chief Danny Smyth consoles Imelda Adao, in a crowd gathered at the Maples Collegiate March 8.

When asked about her reaction to a murder charge being laid, a neighbour said shes "torn."

Rowena Catacudan and her husband live across the street from the Adao home and when the family is out, she keeps an eye on the house.

The slaying shook the Catacudans to their core; the couple is originally from the Philippines, as are the Adaos.

And like the Adaos, the Catacudans have lived on McGee for years, raising a family with three boys, including one around the age of Jaime.

"At first I was angry because of what happened. He was killed in the house, where youre supposed to be safe? (It meant) were not safe in our own homes and I have a family of my own," Catacudan said.

She said she learned more about the accused and now she worries about the effect of mental illness and the citys meth crisis.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Imelda Adao weeps as she describes her son and the events leading to his death to a crowd gathered at the Maples Collegiate on March 8.

"I realized the other guy, hes a victim of the system. And the drugs, theyre all over Im hoping it creates an awareness and they do something about the drugs," Catacudan said.

Court records show Chubb, who has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, has a lengthy history of theft and break-and-enter convictions and has been in and out of jail.

In August 2018, seven months before Adaos slaying, Chubb admitted to assaulting a police officer at a time he was wanted for violating his probation, the final portion of one of the many jail sentences he has served. He was sentenced to an additional seven months.

In January and February, he was charged with breaching his probation.

Chubb was born in Gods Lake First Nation and moved to Winnipeg with his mother when he was nine. Shortly after, he was taken into the custody of Child and Family Services due to his mothers alcoholism.

When he was 13, he saw his 15-year-old brother, John Chubb, beaten to death with a baseball bat in the citys West End.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Police Chief Danny Smyth waits his turn to address a crowd gathered at the Maples Collegiate on March 8.

During the home invasion, which took place around 9 p.m. on a Sunday, Adao told the 911 operator that his grandmother was also in the home.

The incident was recorded in the 911 call and operators heard the attack unfold from the time the intruder broke into the home to when officers arrived and at least one officer discharged their weapon.

"General patrol officers arrived within minutes and entered the home where they located a 17-year-old being assaulted by an intruder with a weapon. In order to stop the threat, officers discharged their firearm striking the attacker," the police said in a news release issued after the attack.

Both men were taken to hospital in critical condition. Adao died a short time later.

Police have not said what type of weapon was used in the attack.

Adao, who was a culinary arts student at Technical Vocational High School, worked at his parents business, Jimels Bakery, on McDermot Avenue. He hoped to attend Red River College and become an executive chef.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Family and friends gather outside 745 McGee Street at a vigil for Jamie Adao Monday, March 4, 2019. Adao was killed in a home invasion March 3.

The tragedy touched the lives of his fellow students, neighbourhood residents, the Filipino community and the city as a whole.

At a March 8 forum at Maples Collegiate, police Chief Danny Smyth consoled Jaimes parents, Imelda and Jaime Adao Sr., as Filipino community members gathered to hear about protecting themselves from crime while the city struggles with a meth crisis. The forum was attended by about 100 people and a large contingent of police officers.

Through tears, Imelda Adao pleaded for justice for her slain son.

"Oh God, I dont know what to say. Whats happening to our community? Whats happening to our city? Why are these people allowed to roam around? Oh Jesus," Imelda said, standing beside her husband.

"We need justice. Thats what were crying for: justice. Justice for Jimboy."

Earlier, the police chief had said that while homicide investigators were waiting for the results of a toxicology test, signs pointed to the suspect being high on meth at the time of the killing.

"Our early indications from our investigators is that he may have been using meth beforehand. We dont know that for certain yet But it looks like he may have been using meth," Smyth said.

"I thought it was fair to comment at least that much so it helps people square away such a senseless act. You cant make sense of it otherwise."

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The Filipino community shared their grief on social media, calling the teenager well-liked.

A GoFundMe page raised $10,000 for the parents and to start a baking class in memory of the teen.

"We know that baking is very close to his heart and he has so much love and passion for it," said the fundraising page.

"It was so unfortunate that a very innocent, God-fearing, loving, sweet, respectful kid, a very kind 17-year-old boy, full of life, with wonderful vision and dreams will suddenly, brutally die (by) someones hand.

"His life was taken just like that."

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba is looking into the police shooting of the suspect.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2019 (999 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Slainte to St. Patrick

Watch the McConnell Irish Dancers show off some fancy footwork, quaff a Guinness or two, enjoy a hearty bowl of stew and more at St. Patricks Fest today at the Centre culturel franco-manitobain (340 Provencher Blvd.). Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for kids.

Caterpillars and chameleons

The Manitoba Theatre for Young People is presenting a trio of Eric Carle childrens classics  including The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Mixed-up Chameleon  today and March 23-24. Carles unique illustrations are brought to life with black-light theatre and fanciful puppetry. Showtimes are 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. all three days (Note: the March 23, 4 p.m. show is in French).

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The Manitoba Museums new exhibit, The Divided City, which centres around the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, opens Friday.

Film Fest encore

Winnipeg Cinematheque (100 Arthur St.) is screening Mind the Gap  Best of Fest winner at last years Gimli Film Festival and an Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary  Wednesday through Saturday. The film follows three young skateboarders as they cope with volatile domestic lives. Visit winnipegfilmgroup.com for tickets and showtimes.

Home show

Five bands hit The Good Will Social Club (625 Portage Ave.) stage Thursday to raise funds for the Spence Neighbourhood Associations Homelessness Outreach Mentor Program. Tickets are $25, available through showpass.com. The show begins at 9 p.m.

Strike action

Travel back to the epicentre of the Winnipeg General Strike with the help of the Manitoba Museums new exhibit, The Divided City, opening Friday. The exhibit uses digitally-projected strike scenes, artifacts, archival photos, and audio to re-create the 1919 labour milestone that saw 30,000 workers take over downtown Winnipeg for 40 days. Visit manitobamuseum.com for hours.

Get your GOAT

Also at the Manitoba Museum next Saturday and Sunday is the inaugural GOAT Artisan Market, which unites a variety of local makers, including clothiers, bakers, artists and potters. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days; admission is $5 at the door.

Laughing matter

Twenty local comedians  all vying for a spot in the upcoming Winnipeg Comedy Festivals Red Carpet Comedy Show  hit the McPhillips Station Casino stage Saturday for a mirth-filled smackdown. Each comic has just three minutes to make an impression. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are $10.
It looks the fight between Apple and Spotify is all set to go from bad to ugly. Spotify filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission and released a major PR campaign along with a Time to Play fair website against it for its monopolistic App Store practices. Apple then hit back on Friday morning with a detailed reply in which it accused Spotify of wanting to keep all the App Store benefits for free.

Now, a Spotify spokesperson has hit back at the comments made by Apple. He said that every company with a monopolistic behavior will say that they have not done anything wrong.

Every monopolist will suggest they have done nothing wrong and will argue that they have the best interests of competitors and consumers at heart. In that way, Apples response to our complaint before the European Commission is not new and is entirely in line with our expectations.

We filed our complaint because Apples actions hurt competition and consumers, and are in clear violation of the law. This is evident in Apples belief that Spotifys users on iOS are Apple customers and not Spotify customers, which goes to the very heart of the issue with Apple. We respect the process the European Commission must now undertake to conduct its review.

Our Take

It looks like Apples battle with Spotify is going to take the same course as its ongoing battle with Qualcomm. Theres going to be a lot of mud-slinging involved between the two companies now.

Spotify in its place is correct that Apple has a monopolistic approach towards the App Store and uses it to promote its own apps and services which gives it an unfair advantage over its competition. But then Spotify should also realize that there are certain costs involved with the upkeep of the App Store and it needs to contribute towards that, though this doesnt justify the fees charged by Apple.

[Via Variety
As protests continue to erupt in the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and across the world in outrage against the horrific shooting of Jacob Bla Read more
In the wild, turkeys are very different from the domestic birds that might end up on your table for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Wild turkeys are sleeker, weighing about half as much as turkeys raised domestically, and their plumage is dark, not white, to help them blend in with their surroundings. Wild turkeys have powerful, muscular legs and thighs that allow them to run quite quickly -- as fast as 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) in short bursts. These wild cousins of farm-raised birds can even fly, exploding off the ground and into the trees in order to avoid danger from predators. Just don't expect to see a turkey -- even a wild one -- soaring gracefully overhead: their flights only cover about 100 yards (91 m) or so.

Fly, you turkey:
Schlumberger NV engages in the provision of technology for reservoir characterization, drilling, production and processing to the oil and gas industry. It operates through the following business segments: Digital and Integration; Reservoir Performance; Well Construction; and Production Systems. The Digital and Integration segment combines the company's software and seismic businesses with its integrated offering of asset performance solutions. The Reservoir Performance segment consists of reservoir-centric technologies and services that are critical to optimizing reservoir productivity and performance. The Well Construction segment includes the full portfolio of products and services to optimize well placement and performance, maximize drilling efficiency, and improve wellbore assurance. The Production Systems segment develops technologies and provides expertise that enhances production and recovery from subsurface reservoirs to the surface, into pipelines, and to refineries. The company was founded by Conrad Schlumberger and Marcel Schlumberger in 1926 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

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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.
Australian Leaders Fund Limited is an equity mutual fund launched and managed by Kingston Funds Management Pty Limited. It invests into the public equity markets of Australia. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. It invests in the value stocks of companies. The fund typically employs both quantitative and fundamental analysis focusing on factors like a history of superior returns on the capital employed in the business through the economic cycle, management with a track record of creating and distributing value to shareholders and businesses with a capacity to grow. It also employs short selling. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the ASX All Ordinaries Accumulation Index. It was formerly known as Wilson Leaders Ltd. Australian Leaders Fund Limited is domiciled in Sydney, Australia.

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The following companies are subsidiares of SAP: Abakus, Abakus Europe Limited, Abakus Ukraine Limited Liability Company, Adatfeldolgozasban Informatikai Kft., Altiscale, Ambin Properties Proprietary Limited, AppGyver, Ariba, Ariba Czech s.r.o., Ariba Inc. Palo Alto, Ariba India Private Limited, Ariba International, Ariba International Holdings, Ariba International Singapore Pte Ltd, Ariba Slovak Republic s.r.o., Ariba Software Technology Services (Shanghai) Co., Ariba Technologies India Private Limited, Ariba Technologies Netherlands B.V., Beijing Zhang Zhong Hu Dong Information Technology, Business Objects, Business Objects Holding B.V., Business Objects Option LLC, Business Objects Software Limited, CNQR Operations Mexico S. de. R.L. de. C.V., Callidus Software, CallidusCloud, Christie Partners Holding C.V., Clear Standards, ClearTrip Inc., ClearTrip Inc. (Mauritius), Cleartrip MEA FZ LLC, Cleartrip Private Limited, Coghead, ConTgo Consulting Limited, ConTgo Pty. Ltd., Concur (Austria) GmbH, Concur (Canada), Concur (France) SAS, Concur (Germany) GmbH, Concur (Japan) Ltd., Concur (New Zealand) Limited, Concur (Philippines) Inc., Concur (Switzerland) GmbH, Concur Czech (s.r.o.), Concur Holdings (France) SAS, Concur Holdings (Netherlands) B.V., Concur Technologies (Australia) Pty. Limited, Concur Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited, Concur Technologies (India) Private Limited, Concur Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Concur Technologies (UK) Limited, Concur Technologies Inc. Bellevue, Contextor, Coresystems, Crystal Decisions (Ireland) Limited, Crystal Decisions Holdings Limited, Crystal Decisions UK Limited, Emarsys, EssCubed Procurement Pty. Ltd., Extended Systems, Factory Logic, Fedem Technology AS, Fieldglass Europe Limited, Financial Fusion, FreeMarkets Ltda., Frictionless Commerce, Gigya, Gigya Australia Pty Ltd, Gigya Ltd., Gigya UK Ltd, GlobalExpense Limited, Highdeal, Hipmunk, Hybris (US) Corp., Hybris GmbH, Inxight Federal Systems Group, KXEN, Khimetrics, LLC "SAP Labs", LLC "SAP Ukraine", LLC SAP CIS, MaXware, Merlin Systems Oy, Multiposting Sp.z o.o., Nihon Ariba K.K., OpTier, OutlookSoft, OutlookSoft Deutschland GmbH, PLAT.ONE, PT SAP Indonesia, PT Sybase 365 Indonesia, Pilot Software Inc., Plat.One Inc., Plat.One Lab Srl, Plateau Systems LLC, Quadrem Africa Pty. Ltd., Quadrem Brazil Ltda., Quadrem Chile Ltda., Quadrem Colombia SAS, Quadrem International Ltd., Quadrem Netherlands B.V., Quadrem Overseas Cooperatief U.A., Quadrem Peru S.A.C., Qualtrics, Recast.AI, Right Hemisphere, Roambi, Ruan Lian Technologies (Beijing) Co., SAF, SAP (Beijing) Software System Co., SAP (Schweiz) AG, SAP (Schweiz) AG Biel, SAP (UK) Limited, SAP (UK) Limited Feltham, SAP AZ LLC, SAP America, SAP America Inc. Newtown Square, SAP Andina y del Caribe, SAP Argentina S.A., SAP Asia (Vietnam) Co., SAP Asia Pte Ltd, SAP Australia Pty Ltd, SAP Australia Pty Ltd. Sydney, SAP Belgium NV/SA, SAP Beteiligungs GmbH, SAP Brasil Ltda, SAP Brasil Ltda Sao Paulo, SAP Bulgaria EOOD, SAP Business Compliance Services GmbH, SAP Business Services Center Nederland B.V., SAP CR, SAP Canada, SAP Chile Limitada, SAP China Co., SAP China Co. Ltd. Shanghai, SAP China Holding Co., SAP Colombia S.A.S., SAP Commercial Services Ltd., SAP Concur, SAP Costa Rica, SAP Customer Experience, SAP Cyprus Limited, SAP Danmark A/S, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG Walldorf, SAP Dritte Beteiligungs- und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, SAP EMEA Inside Sales S.L., SAP East Africa Limited, SAP Egypt LLC, SAP Erste Beteiligungs- und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, SAP Espana - Sistemas Informatica, SAP Estonia OU, SAP Fieldglass, SAP Financial, SAP Finland Oy, SAP Foreign Holdings GmbH, SAP France, SAP France Holding, SAP France Levallois Perret, SAP Global Marketing, SAP Hellas S.A., SAP Holdings (UK) Limited, SAP Hong Kong Co., SAP Hosting Beteiligungs GmbH, SAP Hungary Rendszerek, SAP India (Holding) Pte Ltd, SAP India Private Limited, SAP India Private Limited Bangalore, SAP Industries, SAP Industries Inc. Newtown Square, SAP International, SAP International Panama, SAP Investments, SAP Ireland Limited, SAP Ireland US - Financial Services Designated Activity Company, SAP Israel Ltd., SAP Italia Sistemi Applicazioni Prodotti in Data Processing S.p.A., SAP Italia Sistemi Applicazioni Prodotti in Data Processing S.p.A. Vimercate, SAP Japan Co., SAP Japan Co. Ltd. Tokyo, SAP Kazakhstan LLP, SAP Korea Ltd., SAP Labs, SAP Labs Bulgaria EOOD, SAP Labs Finland Oy, SAP Labs France SAS, SAP Labs India Private Limited, SAP Labs Israel Ltd., SAP Labs Korea, SAP Latvia SIA, SAP MENA FZ L.L.C., SAP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SAP Malta Investments Ltd., SAP Mxico S.A. de C.V., SAP National Security Services PA, SAP Nederland B.V., SAP Nederland B.V. s-Hertogenbosch, SAP Service and Support Centre (Ireland) Limited, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP d.o.o., SeeWhy, Signavio, SuccessFactors, SuccessFactors Inc. South San Francisco, Sybase, Syclo, TopTier Software, Triversity, Vimercate, Virsa Systems, Visiprise, Wicom Communications, and conTgo limited.
Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. engages in the management of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It operates through the following segments: Asset Management, Real Estate, Renewable Power, Infrastructure, Private Equity, Residential Development, and Corporate Activities. The Asset Management segment includes the management of its listed partnerships, private funds and public securities. The Real Estate segment is comprised of the ownership, operation and development of core office, core retail, LP investments and other properties. The Renewable Power segment encompasses the ownership, operation and development of hydroelectric, wind, solar, storage and other power generating facilities. The Infrastructure segment consists of the ownership, operation and development of utilities, transport, energy, data infrastructure and sustainable resource assets. The Private Equity segment refers to the broad range of industries, and is mostly focused on business services, infrastructure services and industrials. The Residential Development segment represents homebuilding, condominium development and land development. The Corporate Activiti

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Baker Hughes, a GE company provides integrated oilfield products, services, and digital solutions worldwide. Its Oilfield Services segment offers drilling, wireline, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention services; and drilling and completions fluids, completions tools and systems, wellbore intervention tools and services, artificial lift systems, pressure pumping systems, and oilfield and industrial chemicals for integrated oil and natural gas, and oilfield service companies. The company's Oilfield Equipment segment designs and manufactures products and services, including pressure control equipment and services, subsea production systems and services, drilling equipment, and flexible pipeline systems; and onshore and offshore drilling and production systems, and equipment for floating production platforms, as well as provides a range of services related to onshore and offshore drilling activities. Its Turbomachinery & Process Solutions segment provides equipment and related services for mechanical-drive, compression, and power-generation applications across the oil and gas industry, as well as products and services to serve the downstream segments of industry. Its product portfolio includes drivers, compressors, and turnkey solutions; and pumps, valves, and compressed natural gas and small-scale liquefied natural gas solutions. This segment serves upstream, midstream, onshore and offshore, industrial, engineering, procurement, and construction companies. The company's Digital Solutions segment provides sensor-based measurement, non-destructive testing and inspection, turbine, generator and plant controls, and condition monitoring, as well as pipeline integrity solutions for a range of industries, including oil and gas, power generation, aerospace, metals, and transportation. It serves through direct and indirect channels. The company is based in Houston, Texas. Baker Hughes, a GE company is a subsidiary of General Electric Company.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Roper Technologies: 3089554 Nova Scotia ULC, AC Analytical Controls B.V., AC Analytical Controls Holding B.V., AC Analytical Controls Services B.V., Acumen PM LLC, Aderant Canada Company, Aderant Company, Aderant Holdings Inc., Aderant International Holdings Inc., Aderant Legal (UK) Limited, Aderant Legal Holdings (AUS) Pty Ltd, Aderant Legal Holdings (NZ) ULC, Aderant Legal Holdings Inc., Aderant North America Inc., Aderant Parent Holdings Inc., Advanced Sensors Limited, Alpha Holdings of Delaware I LLC, Alpha Holdings of Delaware II LLC, Alpha Technologies B.V., Alpha Technologies GmbH, Alpha Technologies Japan LLC, Alpha Technologies Services LLC, Alpha Technologies U.K., Alpha Technologies s.r.o., Alpha Trust Corporation, Alpha UK Holdings LLC, Amot Controls Corporation, Amot Controls GmbH, Amot/Metrix Investment Company Inc., Amphire Solutions Inc., Amtech Systems (Hong Kong) Limited, Amtech Systems LLC, Amtech World Corporation, Aplifi Inc., Ascension Technology Corporation, Assureweb Limited, Atlantic Health Partners Inc., Avitru LLC, Axium Holdco Inc., C/S Solutions Inc., CBORD Holdings Corp., CIVCO Medical Solutions B.V., Centurion Research Solutions LLC, Civco Holding Inc., Civco Medical Instruments Co. Inc., CliniSys Group, CliniSys Group Limited, Clinisys Scotland Limited, Clinisys Solutions Limited, Cointec Ingenieros y Consultores S.L., Compressor Controls (Beijing) Corporation Ltd., Compressor Controls Corporation B.V., Compressor Controls Corporation Middle East, Compressor Controls Corporation S.r.l., Compressor Controls LLC, Compressor Controls Mauritius Ltd., Compressor Controls Pty Ltd., Compressor Controls Saudi Arabia LLC, ConstructConnect, ConstructConnect Canada Inc., ConstructConnect Inc., Cornell Pump Company, DAT Solutions LLC, DATSolutions Private Limited, DCMH Group Holdings Inc., DCMH Group Holdings LLC, DCMH Holdings Inc., DI Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., DI Dutch Holdings LLC, DI Hong Kong Limited, Dash I Inc., Data Innovations, Data Innovations Canada Ltd., Data Innovations Cooperatief U.A., Data Innovations Europe S.A., Data Innovations LLC, Data Innovations Latin America Ltda, Dawning Technologies LLC, Deltek, Deltek Ajera Inc., Deltek Asia Pacific (HK) Limited, Deltek Australia Pty Ltd., Deltek Danmark A/S, Deltek France SAS, Deltek GB Limited, Deltek GmbH, Deltek Inc., Deltek Nederland B.V., Deltek Netherlands B.V., Deltek Norge AS, Deltek Sverige AB, Deltek Systems (Canada) Inc., Deltek Systems (Colorado) Inc., Deltek Systems (Philippines) Ltd., Deltek WST LLC, Dominion I Inc., Dynamic Instruments Inc., Dynisco Enterprises GmbH, Dynisco Enterprises LLC, Dynisco Europe GmbH, Dynisco Holding GmbH, Dynisco Hong Kong Holdings Limited, Dynisco Instruments LLC, Dynisco Instruments S.a.r.l., Dynisco LLC, Dynisco Parent Inc., Dynisco S.r.l., Dynisco Viatran LLC, Dynisco Viatran (M) Sdn Bhd, Dynisco-Viatran Instrument Sdn Bhd, FMS Purchasing & Services Inc., FSI Holdings Inc., FTI Flow Technology Inc., Fluid Metering Inc., Foodlink Holdings Inc., Foodlink IT India Private Limited, Foundry, Foundry Visionmongers (Ireland) Limited, GeneInsight Inc., Getloaded Corporation, HRsmart Canada Inc., HRsmart Czech Republic, HRsmart France SAS, HRsmart Germany GmbH, HRsmart Inc., HRsmart International, HRsmart International Holdings LLC, HRsmart Mexico, HRsmart SA (Pty) Ltd., HRsmart Talent Management Solutions Europe Limited, HRsmart Ventures LLC, Handshake Software Inc., Hansco Automatisering B.V., Hansen Technologies Corporation, Harbour Holding Corp., Hardy Process Solutions, Horizon Software International LLC, INPUT Inc., IPA Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., ISL Finance SAS, ISL Holding SAS, ISL Scientifique de Laboratorie - ISL S.A.S., IT Canada Holdings LLC, Innovative Product Achievements LLC, Inovonics Corporation, Instill Corporation, IntelliTrans Limited, Intellitrans Canada Ltd., Intellitrans LLC, Intellitrans Sweden AB, Job Access LTDA, K/S Roper Holding, K/S Roper Investments, Laser App Inc., Link Logistics Holding LLC, Loadlink Technologies Corporation, Logitech Limited, MED Professional Services LLC, MEDTEC Inc., MHA Long Term Care Network Inc., MHA Long Term Care Services Inc., MIPS Austria GesmbH, MIPS CZ s.r.o, MIPS Deutschland GmbH, MIPS France Sarl, MIPS Nederland B.V., MIPS Schweiz AG, MIPS Software Iberica SL, MPR Readers Inc., Managed Health Care Associates Inc., Marumoto Struers K.K., Medical Information Professional Systems NV, Medina Acquisition LLC, Metrix Instrument Co. L.P., NDI Europe GmbH, Navigator Group Purchasing Inc., Neptune Technology Group (Canada) Co., Neptune Technology Group Inc., Neptune Technology Group Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Neptune Technology Group Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Neptune Technology Group Services Inc., Nippon Roper K.K., Northern Digital Inc., Off-Campus Advantage LLC, Omega Legal Systems Inc., PAC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PAC Denmark ApS, PAC GmbH, PAC Instruments (Thailand) Company Limited, PAC Instruments Asia PTE. Ltd., PB Bidco Limited, PB Holdco Limited, PB Midco Limited, PB Topco Limited, PGP UK Limited, Petroleum Analyzer Company L.P., Phase Analyzer Company Ltd., PowerPlan, PowerPlan Canada ULC, PowerPlan Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Inc., PowerPlan Intermediate Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Operations ANZ Pty Ltd, PowerPlan Operations Ltd., Project Diamond Intermediate Holdings Corporation, Project Torque Intermediate Holdings Inc., Project Viking Holdings Inc., Project Viking Intermediate LLC, QSC 1208 Limited, QSC 1209 Limited, RF IDeas, RF IDeas Inc., RI Marketing India Private Limited, RIL Holding Limited, RMT Inc., RT Merger Sub Inc., Rebate Tracking Group LLC, Resonant Software Inc., Roda Deaco Valve Inc., Roper Acquisitions Holdings Inc., Roper Brasil Comercio E Promocao De Productos E Servicos LTDA, Roper Canada Holdings LP, Roper Canada UK Limited, Roper Denmark UK Limited, Roper EUR Pte. Ltd., Roper Engineering s.r.o., Roper Europe GmbH, Roper GM Denmark Holdings ApS, Roper Germany GmbH, Roper Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Roper Holdings LLC, Roper Holdings Limited, Roper IH LLC, Roper Industrial Products Investment Company, Roper Industries Denmark ApS, Roper Industries Deutschland GmbH, Roper Industries Inc., Roper Industries Limited, Roper Industries Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Roper Industries Mauritius Ltd., Roper Industries UK Limited, Roper International Holding Inc., Roper International Holding Limited, Roper International Holding SCS, Roper LLC, Roper Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Roper Middle East Ltd., Roper NL1 UK Limited, Roper NL2 UK Limited, Roper Pte. Ltd., Roper Pump Company, Roper Scientific B.V., Roper Scientific SAS, Roper Scot LP, Roper Southeast Asia LLC, Roper Swiss Finance GmbH, Roper UK Investments Limited, Roper UK Ltd., Roper US Finance I LLC, Roper US Finance II LLC, Roper-Mex L.P., Ropintassco 1 LLC, Ropintassco 2 LLC, Ropintassco 3 LLC, Ropintassco 4 LLC, Ropintassco 5 LLC, Ropintassco 6 LLC, Ropintassco 7 LLC, Ropintassco Holdings L.P., SHP Group Holdings Inc., SIRA LLC, Shanghai Roper Industries Trading Co. Ltd., Sinmed Holding International B.V., Societe de Distribution de Logiciels Medicaux, SoftWriters Inc., Softwriters Holdings, Softwriters Holdings Inc., Sohnar Pty Ltd, Star Purchasing Services LLC, Strata Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., Strata Decision Technology LLC, Strata Parallel II Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker 2 Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs Holdings LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs L.L.C., Struers (Shanghai) International Trading Ltd., Struers A/S, Struers GmbH, Struers Inc., Struers Limited, Struers SAS, Student Advantage LLC, Sunquest Europe Limited, Sunquest Holdings Inc., Sunquest Information Systems (Europe) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (India) Private Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (International) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems Inc., Sunquest Information Systems Pty Ltd, TLP Holdings LLC, Technolog Group Limited, Technolog Holdings Ltd., Technolog Limited, Technolog SARL, The CBORD Group Inc., The Foundry Bidco Limited, The Foundry Bidco No.2 Limited, The Foundry Holdco Limited, The Foundry Holdings Limited, The Foundry Intermediate Holdings Limited, The Foundry Midco 3 Limited, The Foundry Midco No 1 Limited, The Foundry Midco No 2 Limited, The Foundry Topco Limited, The Foundry Topco No.2 Limited, The Foundry USCo Inc., The Foundry Visionmongers Ltd., The Tidewater Healthcare Shared Services Group Inc., The Washington Management Group Inc., Torque Acquisition Holdco Inc., Transcore Atlantic Inc., Transcore CNUS Inc., Transcore Holdings Inc., Transcore ITS LLC, Transcore LP, Transcore Nova Scotia Corporation, Transcore Partners LLC, Trinity Integrated Systems Limited, UHF Purchasing Services LLC, Union Square Software (International) Limited, Union Square Software Inc., Union Square Software Limited, Union Square Software Pty, Uson L.P., Uson Limited, Utilitec Limited, Utilitec Services Limited, Utility Data Services Limited, Verathon Holdings (Delaware) Inc., Verathon Inc., Verathon Medical (Australia) Pty Limited, Verathon Medical (Canada) ULC, Verathon Medical (Europe) B.V., Verathon Medical (France) SARL, Verathon Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Verathon Medical (Japan) K.K., Verathon Medical (UK) Ltd., Vertafore, Vertafore Canada Inc., Vertafore Inc., Vertafore India Private Limited, Viastar Services LP, Viatran Corporation, Walter Herzog GmbH, WorkBook APAC Ltd., Workbook Software A/S, Zetec (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zetec France, Zetec Inc., Zetec Korea Inc., Zetec Rental LLC, Zetec Services Inc., iPipeline, iPipeline (TCP) Limited, iPipeline Canada Inc, iPipeline Co. Ltd., iPipeline Holdings Inc, iPipeline Inc, iPipeline Limited, iSqFt Holdings Inc., iSqFt Parent Corporation, iSqFt Sub Inc., iTradeNetwork Inc., and mySBX Corporation.
C&J Energy Services, Inc. provides well construction, well completion, well support, and other complementary oilfield services and technologies to oil and gas exploration and production companies throughout the continental United States. It operates through Completion Services and Well Support Services segments. The Completion Services segment provides hydraulic fracturing; cased-hole solutions comprising cased-hole wireline, pumpdown, wireline logging, perforating, pressure pumping, well site make-up and pressure testing, and other complementary services; and well construction and intervention services, which include cementing, coiled tubing, rig services, fluids management, and other completion and well support services. This segment also engages in the engineering and production of various parts and components, such as perforating guns and addressable switches, which are used in the completion process. The Well Support Services segment offers rig services, such as providing workover and well servicing rigs that are primarily used for the routine repair and maintenance of oil and gas wells, re-drilling operations, and plugging and abandonment operations; fluids management services, including storage, transportation, and disposal services for fluids used in the drilling, completion, and workover of oil and gas wells; and other special well site services, such as fishing, contract labor, and tool rental services for the completion and workover of oil and gas wells. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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Our portfolio of high quality UK commercial property is focused on London Offices and Retail around the UK. We own or manage a portfolio valued at A13.7bn (British Land share: A10.3bn) as at 30 September 2020 making us one of Europe's largest listed real estate investment companies. Our strategy is to provide places which meet the needs of our customers and respond to changing lifestyles - Places People Prefer. We do this by creating great environments both inside and outside our buildings and use our scale and placemaking skills to enhance and enliven them. This expands their appeal to a broader range of occupiers, creating enduring demand and driving sustainable, long term performance. Our Offices portfolio comprises three office-led campuses in central London as well as high quality standalone buildings and accounts for 65% of our portfolio. Our Retail portfolio is focused on retail parks and shopping centres, and accounts for 31% of our portfolio. Increasingly our focus is on providing a mix of uses and this is most evident at Canada Water, our 53 acre redevelopment opportunity where we have plans to create a new neighbourhood for London. Sustainability is embedded throughout our business. Our places, which are designed to meet high sustainability standards, become part of local communities, provide opportunities for skills development and employment and promote wellbeing. In April 2016 British Land received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development, the UK's highest accolade for business success for economic, social and environmental achievements over a period of five years.

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Election Commission of Pakistan ECP Jobs 2019

Latest Election Commission of Pakistan ECP Management Posts Karachi 2021 Election Commission of Pakistan ECP Government of Pakistan requires qualified and well educated candidates for the positions of Election Officers BPS-17 in all over the country.

How to Apply on Election Commission of Pakistan ECP Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.
Intu owns and manages some of the best shopping centres, in some of the strongest locations, in the UK and Spain. Our UK portfolio is made up of 17 centres, including eight of the top-20, and in Spain we own three of the country's top-10 centres, with advanced plans to build a fourth. We are passionate about creating compelling experiences, in centre and online, that make our customers smile and help our retailers flourish. We attract around 400 million customer visits and 26 million website visits a year offering a multichannel approach that truly supports retail strategies. Our strategic focus on prime, high-footfall flagship destinations, combined with the strength and popularity of our brand, means that intu offers enhanced footfall, dwell time and loyalty. This helps our tenants flourish, driving occupancy and income growth. We are committed to our local communities, with our centres supporting nearly 130,000 jobs (representing about 3 per cent of the total UK retail workforce), and to operating with environmental responsibility. We have already met or exceeded a significant number of our 2020 environmental targets.

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Kraken Robotics Inc., a marine technology company, designs, manufactures, and sells software-centric sensors, batteries, and underwater robotic systems for unmanned underwater vehicles used in military and commercial applications. The company offers AquaPix Miniature interferometric synthetic aperture sonar (MINSAS), a configurable MINSAS; and SeaVision, an underwater laser imaging system. It also provides KATFISH, a towed underwater vehicle for high speed and high resolution seabed mapping; ThunderFish, a hovering autonomous underwater vehicle; ALARS, an autonomous launch and recovery system that enable an unmanned vehicle and its payloads to be brought aboard to a host ship; and DataPod, a removable data storage module for marine applications. In addition, the company offers pressure tolerant encapsulated components, such as batteries, thrusters, actuators, and electronics; and robotics as a service, as well as implements digital signal processing and user interface software for anti-submarine warfare sonar applications. It has operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company was formerly known as Kraken Sonar Inc. and changed its name to Kraken Robotics Inc. in September 2017. Kraken Robotics Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in Mount Pearl, Canada.

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Margaux Resources Ltd., a polymetallic exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in the Kootenay Arc in Southeastern British Columbia in Canada. The company primarily explores for zinc, gold, and tungsten deposits. It holds an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Jackpot/Oxide, Ore Hill, Aspenex, Bayonne, Sheep Creek, Canex, and Old Timer properties located in Salmo, British Columbia. The company was formerly known as Carmen Energy Inc. and changed its name to Margaux Resources Ltd. in July 2013. Margaux Resources Ltd. was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Calgary, Canada.

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Electrician & Helper Jobs 2019 in Saudi Arabia

Latest Al Shughla Overseas Employment Promoters Posts Saudi Arabia 2021 A well known and reputed oversea company requires the services of technical and energetic personnel for the posts of Electrician & Helper in Saudi Arabia 2019.

How to Apply on Al Shughla Overseas Employment Promoters Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.
The following companies are subsidiares of Sealed Air: A.P.S. (Holdings) Limited, AFP Trading (China) Co. Ltd., AFPTOH LTD, APS Automated Packaging Systems GmbH & Co. KG, APS Verwaltungs-GmbH, Air Ride Pallets Hong Kong Limited, Austin Foam Plastics Inc. (dba AFP Inc.), Automated Packaging Systems, Automated Packaging Systems Asia Holding Company Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Comerciale Importacao do Brasil Ltda., Automated Packaging Systems Europe, Automated Packaging Systems LLC, Automated Packaging Systems Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Southeast Asia Co. Ltd., B+ Equipment, B+ Equipment SAS, Beacon Holdings LLC, Biosphere Industries, BluPack (New Zealand), Blue Dot Packaging Pty Ltd., Cactus (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Cryovac (Malaysia) SDN. BHD, Cryovac Brasil Ltda., Cryovac Holdings II LLC, Cryovac International Holdings Inc., Cryovac LLC*, Cryovac Leasing Corporation, Cryovac Londrina Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal  Embalagens Ltda., Cryovac-Sealed Air de Costa Rica S.R.L., DELTAPLAM Embalagens Industria e Comercio, Diversey, Diversey J Trustee Limited, Diversey Trustee Limited, Entapack Pty. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packaging Co. Ltd, Fagerdala (Shanghai) Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shanghai) Polymer Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Thailand) Limited, Fagerdala (Xiamen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Leamchabung Limited, Fagerdala Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Mexico Supply Chain S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Packaging Inc. (Indiana), Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd, Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Ltd., Getpacking.com GmbH, Invertol S. de R.L. de C.V., JSC Sealed Air Kaustik, KRIS Automated Packaging Systems Holding Company, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal Limited, Nelipak Holdings, Pack-Tiger GmbH, Polyrol Limited, Polyrol Packaging Systems LLC, ProAseptic Technologies S.L., Producembal- Producao de Embalagens LTDA, Reflectix Inc., SLD Air Packaging Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Saddle Brook Insurance Company, Sealed Air (Asia) Holdings BV, Sealed Air (Barbados) S.R.L., Sealed Air (Canada) Co./CIE, Sealed Air (Canada) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Limited, Sealed Air (Israel) Ltd., Sealed Air (Korea) Limited, Sealed Air (Latin America) Holdings II LLC, Sealed Air (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sealed Air (New Zealand), Sealed Air (Philippines) Inc., Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Sealed Air (Ukraine) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Pty.) Limited, Sealed Air Americas Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Sealed Air Argentina S.A., Sealed Air Australia (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Real Estate Pty Ltd, Sealed Air B.V., Sealed Air Belgium N.V., Sealed Air Central America S.A., Sealed Air Chile SpA, Sealed Air Colombia Ltda., Sealed Air Corporation (US), Sealed Air Cyprus Ltd., Sealed Air Denmark A/S, Sealed Air Finance B.V., Sealed Air Finance II LLC, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Funding LLC, Sealed Air General Trading LLC, Sealed Air GmbH (Germany), Sealed Air GmbH (Switzerland), Sealed Air Hellas SA, Sealed Air Holding France SAS, Sealed Air Holdings (New Zealand) Pty. Ltd., Sealed Air Holdings South Africa Proprietary Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK I Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK Limited, Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Sealed Air Hungary Ltd., Sealed Air Investment and Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Japan G.K., Sealed Air LLC, Sealed Air Limited (Ireland), Sealed Air Limited (UK), Sealed Air Luxembourg (I) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg (II) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Management Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Sealed Air Multiflex GmbH, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) I B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands Holdings V B.V., Sealed Air Norge AS, Sealed Air OY, Sealed Air Packaging (India) Private Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Packaging LLC, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging S.L.U., Sealed Air Peru S.A.C., Sealed Air Polska Sp. Zoo, Sealed Air Pty Limited, Sealed Air S.A S., Sealed Air S.r.l., Sealed Air South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Sealed Air Svenska AB, Sealed Air Taiwan Limited, Sealed Air UK Limited Partnership, Sealed Air US Holdings (Thailand) LLC, Sealed Air Uruguay S.A., Sealed Air Verpackungen GmbH, Sealed Air de Mexico Operations S. de RL. de C.V., Sealed Air de Venezuela S.A., Sealed Air s.r.o., Shanklin Corp, Shanklin Corporation, TTS-Ciptec, TXAFP Asia Pacific Ltd., TXAFP GP LLC, and Trigon Industries.
The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE).
Indus Hospital Karachi Jobs for Phlebotomist & Supervisor

Latest Indus Hospital Medical Posts Karachi 2021 Indus Hospital Karachi, Pakistan are required applications from experienced candidates to fill the posts of Phlebotomist, Research Associate, Supervisor, QA Officer, Supervisor Training, Technologist, Deputy Manager.

How to Apply on Indus Hospital Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.
Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest

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The following companies are subsidiares of V.F.: 1994 Inc. Ltd., 530 Park Ave 10-F LLC, 530 Park Ave 14-H LLC, ALL'CROWN SA, Administradora Mexicana de Servicios S de RL de CV, Administradora de Servicios Honduras S.A., Altra Footwear, Altra LLC, C.C.R.L. LLC, Chapter 4 Corp, Cherry SAS, Ciliegia Srl, Corporacion Distribiduidora de Dickies S de RL de CV, Cutler de Mexico SA, Czech Distribution Services s.r.o., DSI Enterprises LLC, Dickies de Honduras SA de CV, Dickies de Parras S de RL de CV, EAGLE CREEK EUROPE LIMITED, Eagle Creek, Eagle Creek Inc., GFYS LLC, GREENSPORT MONTE BIANCO, Horace Small, INVERSIONES INMOBILIARIES AUSTRALES SA, INVERSIONES VF CHILE DOS LTDA, INVERSIONES VF CHILE LTDA, IW Apparel LLC, IW Holdings LLC, IW Panama Trading S. de R.L., IceBreaker, Icebreaker Apparel LLC, Icebreaker Australia Pty, Icebreaker Australia Retail Pty, Icebreaker Europe Limited, Icebreaker Holdings Limited, Icebreaker Licensing LLC, Icebreaker Limited, Icebreaker Merino Clothing Europe Ltd., Icebreaker New Zealand Limited, Icebreaker Pure Merino GmbH, Imagewear Apparel Corp., Industrial Laundry Services LLC, Industrias Coahuila de Zaragosa S de RL de CV, JanSport Apparel Corp., Kipling Apparel Corp., Kipling Belgium, Kipling Holdings LLC, Kirsche GmbH, Kodiak Group Holdings CO., Lee Bell Inc., Lucy, Lucy Apparel LLC, Majestic Athletic Official Store, Mo Industries Holdings, NII Sales - Texas LLC, Napapijri, North East Rig-Out Limited, North Elm Properties LLC, RED KAP DE MEXICO S DE RL DE CV, RKI HONDURAS S de RL, Reef Holdings Corporation, Rock & Republic, SERVICIOS Y PROMOCIONES TEXTILES LTDA, South Cone, South Cone Inc, Supreme, Supreme Holdings Inc., Supreme Intermediate Holdings Inc., T.I. Venture Group Inc, TBL INVESTMENTS HOLDING GMBH, TBL Licensing LLC, THE NORTH FACE ITALY SRL, THE NORTH FACE SAGL, THE RECREATIONAL FOOTWEAR CO., TIMBERLAND EUROPE BV, TIMBERLAND HK TRADING LTD., TIMBERLAND LUXEMBOURG HOLDING ASIA S.A.R.L., TIMBERLAND UK LTD., The North Face, The North Face Apparel Corp, Timberland, Timberland Asia LLC, Timberland IDC Ltd., Timberland International LLC, VANS MADEIRA LDA, VANS SPAIN SL, VF (J) FRANCE SAS, VF (J) NEDERLAND BV, VF (J) NETHERLANDS SERVICES BV, VF APPAREL PORTUGAL LDA, VF ASIA LTD, VF Apollo Investments Limited, VF Apollo Singapore Pte. Ltd., VF Asia Sourcing Ltd, VF Austria GMBH, VF BRANDS MALAYSIA SDN BHD, VF BRANDS TAIWAN LTD., VF Belgium BV, VF Brands Pte. Ltd., VF CH Apollo Sagl, VF CH Holdings GmbH, VF CH Imagewear Canada GmbH, VF CH MEXICO INVESTMENTS SAGL, VF CH-MEX Holdings LLC, VF CHINA LTD., VF CIS LLC, VF COMERCIALIZADORA LTDA, VF CZECH SERVICES SRO, VF CZECH SRO, VF Corporation, VF DE ARGENTINA SA, VF DO BRAZIL LTDA, VF EGE GIYIM SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI, VF EUROPE BV, VF GERMANY TEXTILE-HANDELS GMBH, VF Germany Services GMBH, VF HELLAS EPE, VF HOLDING SAGL, VF HOLDINGS MEXICO LLC, VF Hong Kong Limited, VF IB Holdings LLC, VF IMAGEWEAR DE MEXICO S DE RL DE CV, VF IMAGEWEAR MAJESTIC (UK) LTD, VF INTERNATIONAL SAGL, VF INVESTIMENTOS DO BRAZIL LTDA, VF IP Holdings LLC, VF ISRAEL (APPAREL) LTD, VF ITALIA SRL, VF ITALY SERVICES SRL, VF Imagewear Canada Co., VF Imagewear Inc, VF Intellectual Property Services Inc, VF International Holding GmbH, VF Investments Holding GmbH, VF Investments Netherlands BV, VF JEANSWEAR ARGENTINA SRL, VF JEANSWEAR ESPANA SL, VF Japan KK, VF KOREA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, VF LUXEMBOURG SARL, VF Management Service Italy S.r.l., VF NL Holdings CV, VF NL Imagewear B.V., VF NORTHERN EUROPE LIMITED, VF NORTHERN EUROPE SERVICES LIMITED, VF Norway AS, VF OUTDOOR (CANADA) CO, VF OUTDOOR MEXICO S DE RL DE CV, VF OUTDOOR SERVICES S DE RL DE CV, VF Outdoor LLC, VF PANAMA SOURCING SERVICES S. DE R.L., VF PARTICIPACOES DO BRASIL LTDA, VF PERU SA, VF POLSKA DISTRIBUTION SP ZO O, VF Playwear Dominicana SA, VF Playwear LLC, VF Receivables LP, VF Receivables Services LLC, VF SAGEBRUSH ENTERPRISES LLC, VF SALES SAGL, VF SERVICIOS DE HONDURAS SA, VF SERVICIOS EL SALVADOR LTDA. DE CV, VF SHANGHAI SOURCING LIMITED, VF SOURCING THAILAND LTD, VF Scandinavia ApS, VF Services LLC, VF Servicios de Guatemala Srl, VF Servicios de Nicaragua Srl., VF Shanghai Enterprise Company, VF Shanghai Limited, VF Singapore Overseas Services Pte Ltd, VF Solutions LLC, VF Sourcing India Private Limited, VF Sweden AB, VF Switzerland Enterprises GmbH, VF Taiwan Limited, VF Transglobal GmbH, VF Treasury Services LLC, VFSE Investments LLC, VFSLA Commercial Services LLC, VFSLA Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Vans, Vans Inc, W-D APPAREL COMPANY LLC, W-D Licensing LLC, WD Europe SAS, WD Supply Holding Limited (HK), Walls Cayman Limited, Walls Holding Company LLC, Walls Industries LLC, Williamson Industries Ltd., Williamson-Dickie APAC Holding Company Ltd., Williamson-Dickie Apparel Trading (Shanghai) Ltd., Williamson-Dickie Canada Co., Williamson-Dickie Europe GmbH, Williamson-Dickie Europe Holdings Ltd., Williamson-Dickie Europe Ltd., Williamson-Dickie HK Holding Company Ltd., Williamson-Dickie Holding Co-Mexico S de RL de CV, Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company LLC, Williamson-Dickie Middle East FZE, Wooster GK, Workwear Sourcing S. de R.L., World Jeans VF Asia Ltd, Worldwide Workwear Ltd., and Ying Tao Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd..
Village Farms International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes greenhouse-grown tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers in North America. It operates through three segments: Produce Business, Energy Business, and Cannabis and Hemp Business. The company also owns and operates a 7.0 megawatt power plant that generates and sells electricity to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority; and produces and supplies cannabis products. It markets and distributes its products under the Village Farms brand name to retail supermarkets and fresh food distribution companies, as well as products produced under exclusive arrangements with other greenhouse producers. The company was formerly known as Village Farms Canada Inc. and changed its name to Village Farms International, Inc. in December 2009. Village Farms International, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Delta, Canada.

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Nursing Jobs 2019 For Saudi Arabia

Latest Syed Ajlal Enterprises Medical Posts Saudi Arabia 2021 Medical, health and technical female candidates for the positions of Staff Nurses & Nurses required for a well known and reputable Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

How to Apply on Syed Ajlal Enterprises Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.
WSP Global Inc. operates as a professional services consulting firm in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Europe, the Middle East, India, Africa, Australia, Asia, New Zealand, and internationally. The company advises, plans, designs, and manages projects for rail transit, aviation, highways, bridges, tunnels, water, maritime, and urban infrastructure for public and private clients, construction contractors, and other partners. It also provides engineering and consultancy services, such as decarbonisation strategies, SMART building design, structural and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services. In addition, the company works with and advises businesses and governments in various areas of environmental consultancy including ESG matters. Further, it provides long-term operational management support services comprising first feasibility studies; advisory services, which comprise technical, financial, and environmental issues, as well as engineering design and energy simulations. Additionally, the company plans, designs, and supports the development of pipelines and gas networks; and offers services to maintain the integrity of critical assets, and obtain permits and consent for clients in the mining, and oil and gas industries. It also provides a range of consulting and engineering services, such as strategic studies, concept design, and productivity analysis, as well as engineering, procurement, and construction management contract services to the food and beverages, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, automotive, and chemicals industries. In addition, the company offers strategic advisory services comprising planning and advisory, management, and technology and sustainability services. The company was formerly known as GENIVAR Inc. and changed its name to WSP Global Inc. in January 2014. WSP Global Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Valero Energy: AIR BP-PBF DEL PERU SAC, BELFAST STORAGE LTD, CANADIAN ULTRAMAR COMPANY, COLONNADE TEXAS INSURANCE COMPANY LLC, COLONNADE VERMONT INSURANCE COMPANY, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY LLC, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OF CANADA INC., DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL HOLDINGS LLC, DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL LLC, DIAMOND K RANCH LLC, DIAMOND OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., DIAMOND SHAMROCK REFINING COMPANY L.P., DIAMOND UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., DSRM NATIONAL BANK, ENTERPRISE CLAIMS MANAGEMENT INC., GCP LOGISTICS COMPANY LLC, GOLDEN EAGLE ASSURANCE LIMITED, HAMMOND MAINLINE PIPELINE LLC, HUNTWAY REFINING COMPANY, MAINLINE PIPELINES LIMITED, MAPLE ETHANOL LTD., MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT GP LLC, MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT L.P., MRP PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, NECHES RIVER HOLDING CORP., NORCO METHANOL LLC, OCEANIC TANKERS AGENCY LIMITED, PARKWAY PIPELINE LLC, PENTA TANKS TERMINALS S.A., PI DOCK FACILITIES LLC, PICKARD PLACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, PORT ARTHUR COKER COMPANY L.P., PREMCOR USA INC., PROPERTY RESTORATION L.P., PURE BIOFUELS DEL PERU S.A.C., PURE BIOFUELS HOLDINGS L.P., Parkway Pipeline, Premcor, Pure Biofuels Del Peru, SABINE RIVER HOLDING CORP., SABINE RIVER LLC, SAINT BERNARD PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, SUNBELT REFINING COMPANY L.P., THE PREMCOR PIPELINE CO., THE PREMCOR REFINING GROUP INC., THE SHAMROCK PIPE LINE CORPORATION, TRANSPORT MARITIME ST. LAURENT INC., ULTRAMAR ACCEPTANCE INC., ULTRAMAR ENERGY INC., ULTRAMAR INC., Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, V-TEX LOGISTICS LLC, VALERO (BARBADOS) SRL, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS GP LLC, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS LIMITED, VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ARUBA ACQUISITION COMPANY I LTD., VALERO ARUBA FINANCE INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA HOLDING COMPANY N.V., VALERO ARUBA HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA MAINTENANCE/OPERATIONS COMPANY N.V., VALERO BROWNSVILLE TERMINAL LLC, VALERO CANADA FINANCE INC., VALERO CANADA L.P., VALERO CAPITAL CORPORATION, VALERO CARIBBEAN SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO COKER CORPORATION ARUBA N.V., VALERO CUSTOMS & TRADE SERVICES INC., VALERO EAST BAY LLC, VALERO ENERGY (IRELAND) LIMITED, VALERO ENERGY ARUBA II COMPANY, VALERO ENERGY INC., VALERO ENERGY LTD, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS GP LLC, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS LP, VALERO ENERGY UK LTD, VALERO ENTERPRISES INC., VALERO EQUITY SERVICES LTD, VALERO FINANCE L.P. I, VALERO FINANCE L.P. II, VALERO FINANCE L.P. III, VALERO FOREST CONTRIBUTION LLC, VALERO GRAIN MARKETING LLC, VALERO H2 PIPELINE COMPANY LLC, VALERO HOLDCO UK LTD, VALERO HOLDINGS INC., VALERO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC., VALERO LIVE OAK LLC, VALERO LOGISTICS UK LTD, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY (PANAMA) LLC, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPY INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO MARKETING IRELAND LIMITED, VALERO MKS LOGISTICS L.L.C., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEW AMSTERDAM B.V., VALERO OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONS SUPPORT LTD, VALERO PARTNERS CCTS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS EAST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS WEST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS EP LLC, VALERO PARTNERS HOUSTON LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LOUISIANA LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LUCAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MCKEE LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MERAUX LLC, VALERO PARTNERS NORTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS OPERATING CO. LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PAPS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PORT ARTHUR LLC, VALERO PARTNERS SOUTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS TEXAS CITY LLC, VALERO PARTNERS THREE RIVERS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WYNNEWOOD LLC, VALERO PAYMENT SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE LLC, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE OIL TERMINAL LTD, VALERO PLAINS COMPANY LLC, VALERO POWER MARKETING LLC, VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL PARTNERS LLC, VALERO REFINING AND MARKETING COMPANY, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-ARUBA N.V., VALERO REFINING COMPANY-CALIFORNIA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-OKLAHOMA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-TENNESSEE L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-MERAUX LLC, VALERO REFINING-NEW ORLEANS L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-TEXAS L.P., VALERO RENEWABLE FUELS COMPANY LLC, VALERO SECURITY SYSTEMS INC., VALERO SERVICES INC., VALERO SKELLYTOWN PIPELINE LLC, VALERO TEJAS COMPANY LLC, VALERO TERMINAL HOLDCO LTD, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO TEXAS POWER MARKETING INC., VALERO ULTRAMAR HOLDINGS INC., VALERO UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., VALERO WEST WALES LLC, VRG PROPERTIES COMPANY, VTD PROPERTIES COMPANY, WARSHALL COMPANY LLC, and ZELIG COMMERCIAL INC..
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The New York National Guard will partner with Brazil to conduct joint training missions and military exchanges.

National Guard officials say the state program agreement was signed Thursday in Manhattan by Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields, the adjutant general of New York, and Rear Admiral Guilherme da Silva Costa, representing the Brazilian Armed Forces.

The agreement is the latest program that pairs the state National Guard with the militaries of foreign countries.

U.S. military officials say the nation now has partnerships with 83 countries.

New York has sizable Brazilian-American communities in Westchester, Queens and Manhattan.

The state's defense forces include the Army National Guard, the Air National Guard, the New York Guard and the New York Naval Militia.

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  A Lafayette woman's passion for knitting has helped serve hundreds in the community. Now other local organizations are getting involved.

For Julie Conlon, founder of Lafayette Plarn Project, it all started with a passion for knitting and a book.

The book was about a woman who purchased items from women around the world who were earning under a dollar a day, said Conlon. She purchased them, brought them home to her garage and started selling them.

That women then gave 100% of her proceeds back to the women she bought from. But that was only one part that sparked Conlon's interest.

She discovered some of the countries, they didn't have yarn to knit or crochet with and they used plastic and I just said, Plastic? I never heard of that," said Conlon. So I start googling knitting with plastic and I learned the term, plarn."

She found that "plarn" is primarily used to make sleeping mats. Its durable and water-resistant nature makes it useful for people who spend a lot of time outdoors, like someone who's homeless. This led Conlon to Lafayette Transitional Housing.

Set up a regular schedule a couple of mornings a week and go sit with the homeless clients and discovered, I hear so much about their lives, said Conlon.

While working to fulfill their needs, other local organizations began wanting to fulfill hers. Franciscan Health recently donated unused curtain fabric from the former St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Jordan Manufacturing in Monticello donated pillows for her to give to LTHC clients.

That then put together the need of re-purposing the privacy curtains into bags that could carry the pillows, said Conlon.

Conlon hosts regular sewing events throughout the community. Volunteers and transitional housing clients are encouraged to participate.

LTHC clients say Conlon's sewing and crocheting projects have positively impacted them.

It's great, it's better than laying on the ground, you're out of the mud and if you do get rained on or in the mud, you can just spray it off and recycle, said one LTHC client.

Another LTHC client said, I thought well that looks like something that would be fun to do and something that would kill time and also be able to give back for what I've been given.

I'm just really proud and glad that she's doing this for people. She's one of my heroes, said another LTHC client.

Julie Conlon said she wouldn't be able to provide like she has without the help of volunteers.

If youre interested in participating in sewing events or donating to Lafayette Plarn Project you can find them on Facebook here.
Susan Kootnekoff is a lawyer with Inspire Law. Phone: 250-764-7710. Email: info@inspirelaw.ca. On the web: inspirelaw.ca. The content of this article is intended to provide general thoughts and general information, not to provide legal advice. This column appears Fridays.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Overcast. High 43F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 27F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Higher wind gusts possible.
Floyd Mayweather wants to prevent his ex-girlfriend from deposing his friend as part of their dueling lawsuits, saying if the man gives testimony it could violate a settlement they reached. Mayweather is responding to Shantel Jacksons motion seeking permission to depose his friend, Marc Laidler. He says the testimony would be irrelevant and a violation []

Shantel Jackson Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather wants to prevent his ex-girlfriend from deposing his friend as part of their dueling lawsuits, saying if the man gives testimony it could violate a settlement they reached.

Mayweather is responding to Shantel Jacksons motion seeking permission to depose his friend, Marc Laidler. He says the testimony would be irrelevant and a violation of a confidential settlement signed between Mayweather and Laidler.

Mayweather says Jackson is trying to ask Laidler about unrelated claims and the deposition should not be allowed.

He also argues that Jacksons request is overbroad and would allow her to see confidential settlement documents.

The fighter accuses her of abusing the courts subpoena power by trying to get the documents and testimony from Laidler. He is pleading for the judge to deny her motion.

Back in 2014, Shantel Jackson  who dated Floyd Mayweather before starting her current relationship with Nelly  sued the fighter, accusing him of assault, battery, defamation and invasion of privacy (for allegedly releasing information about an abortion she had on his social media). He has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

Floyd recently counter-sued Shantel accusing her of using his credit cards without his permission and stealing his money. She has denied making purchases without his knowledge. The case is still pending with both sides preparing for trial.

Recently, Jackson recently filed docs seeking for the judge to force Laidler to sit for a deposition and answer questions about Floyd. She believes he has information that will help her case.

She believes Laidler has information that pertains to her claims Mayweather engineered the theft of her personal property from a storage unit in Glendale, California.

In her suit, Jackson explains she broke up with Mayweather originally in 2013 and moved out of his Nevada home to Los Angeles. She put the majority of her stuff in a storage unit but then Mayweather persuaded her to move back to Vegas and resume their relationship.

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She believes Floyd Mayweather directed someone to steal large quantities of her property and only realized it months later. Jackson claims that Mayweather even admitted to having the items taken and then promised to return only if she followed his wishes.

Jackson says her own investigation indicated Laidler was involved in the theft and wants to grill him about it. She thinks the man also will be able to explain where her property was disposed, Mayweathers motives and credibility as a witness and Mayweathers reputation for violence.

She is asking for him to turn over all records including information on whether Floyd had the property handed over to one of his baby mamas Melissa Brim.

Jackson is also wanting to know if Laidler has documents relating to any claim by Laidler that Floyd Mayweather committed or directed any other person to commit any violent act upon Laidler at any point.

The post Floyd Mayweather Wants to Stop His Ex-GF Shantel Jackson From Questioning His Friend in Ongoing Legal Battle appeared first on The Blast.
An outstanding debut feature by Chinese writer-director Wang Lina, A First Farewell centers on three Uighur children and their farming families whose lives are upended by regulations demanding increased levels of Mandarin language-based teaching in schools. Beautifully photographed and performed by amazingly talented non-professional child actors, Wangs film is an emotionally rewarding glimpse into challenges faced by this Muslim minority. Having already won the Crystal Bear of the Generation Kplus section at Berlin and the Asian Future best film award at Tokyo, Farewell is certain to attract further commercial interest and film festival invitations following exposure at Hong Kong FilMart.

Avoiding commentary on headline-grabbing issues relating to the Uighur that surely would have seen her work fall foul of Chinese censors, Wang opts for storytelling reminiscent of many fine Iranian films such as Majid Majidis The Color of Paradise (1999). Told mostly through the eyes of primary school-aged characters, Farewell operates firstly as a film that can be deemed as suitable for children, while also offering plenty for adult audiences to read between the lines.

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The pattern of life in a village on the edge of a desert in Xinjiang Autonomous Province is established in graceful, unhurried sequences. Isa (Isa Yasan) is the youngest son of a goat-herding family. In a heart-melting early moment, the bright-eyed boy feeds one of his beloved animals with a babys bottle. Hes also required to look after his mother (Ugulem Sugur), whos now deaf after contracting meningitis and frequently wanders away from home. With older brother Moosa (Moosa Yasan) about to leave to further his education, Isas the only one left to help his father (Yasan Kasimu) with the hefty work burden.

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The films glowing heart is Isas friendship with neighbor Kalbinur (Kalbinur Rahmati) and her little brother Alinaz (Alinaz Rahmati), the children of an unnamed, cotton-farming couple (Tajigul Heilmeier and Rahmati Kranmu). In joyful scenes, the inseparable trio play in a poplar tree forest and construct a special house for a sick young animal. But before viewers can get too comfortable with such innocent charms, Wang brings a gritty edge to things with Isas mother disappearing and Kalbinur describing how her parents arguing makes her think theyll soon get divorced.

Whatever hardships the children face at home pales in comparison with their difficulties completing schoolwork in the foreign language of Mandarin. As stern teachers, including Mr. Ni (Ni Dewang), explain, learning Mandarin is the only way to get ahead in adult life. Wangs incisive script shows how this policy affects children, adults, and community elders, who fear an exodus of young people to the cities will leave no one to care for them.

For Kalbinurs mother, its personal and financial. After berating her husband for not taking the kids language studies seriously, which in turn will condemn the family to ongoing poverty, shes publicly humiliated at a parent-teacher meeting for her daughters poor grades. This extraordinary scene is as close as Wangs screenplay gets to overt political commentary. That said, authorities might view it approvingly as a strong message that needs to be delivered for the common good.

Stunning images of seasonal change enhance the films themes of loss and upheaval. Shot over the course of a year by D.P. Li Yong and dedicated by Wang to her hometown of Shaya in Xinjiang, Farewell treats viewers to memorable views of lush greenery, winter snowfalls, and lonely trees somehow surviving in otherwise barren stretches of desert. Wangs top-notch team includes composer Xi Wen (Black Coal Thin Ice), whose subtle score ranges from haunting electronic ambience to Eastern-influenced riffs on spaghetti Western-style rhythms. Editor Matthieu Laclau (Ash Is Purest White) expertly assembles a great deal of plot and character information into 86 minutes than never feels rushed.

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For fans of Mary Lamberts original 1989 adaptation of the beloved Stephen King book, the new remake of Pet Sematary is different enough to offer shock and surprises to even the most ardent of loyalists.At its premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival, several audience members braced themselves for pivotal moments from the older movie, and then jumped or nervously laughed when their anticipation was met by a clever psych-out by directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, whose previous film, Starry Eyes, also played at SXSW.The movie opens differently than its predecessor. This time, the family car door is open, and there are bloody handprints still fresh on the drivers side window. A thick trail of blood leads from the house to outside, but there are no characters in the frame or much of a clue as to whats happened. The film then jumps back to the fateful day the Creed family moved from Boston to Ludlow, Maine, teasing the high-speed danger just outside their new homes driveway. Behind their home is a macabre grave site the local kids have named a pet sematary for their deceased animals. Just beyond the borders of the area lies an even scarier plot of land.Watch Video: The Dead Return in Latest 'Pet Sematary' Trailer But 'They Don't Come Back the Same'While many of the favorite characters remain almost intact from Kings book, there are a few tweaks by the actors in their performances to give this version some more twists. Louis (Jason Clarke), a sensitive doctor, seems more attuned to the needs of his family. Hes very playful and connected with his daughter and son, and his softened persona makes him a more tragic figure as the events start to turn dark.His wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), feels more grounded than her predecessor. Seimetz displays her characters childhood traumas on the surface, like a woman fighting down her demons from taking over. John Lithgow brings a much more sympathetic approach to older local Jud and his curiosity about the supernatural grounds. But the films breakout star is Jete Laurence (Sneaky Pete), whose scary-good performance as the sweet and naturally curious 8-year-old Ellie recasts what could have been a silly part into something thats genuinely creepy and heartbreaking.Also Read: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Stephen King's 'Pet Sematary' (Guest Blog)This Pet Sematary is notably different in pacing, starting off with a disturbing image and working quickly to retrace the steps that led to that moment. The movie is relatively on the bloody side of horror, including scenes like the films opening shot and the unfortunate family cat that gets a mangy makeover later in the movie. Cinematographer Laurie Rose (Stan & Ollie) casts much of the film in a pale blue pall, as though the sun never comes out in this part of Maine.While the trailer unbelievably spoils one of the remakes biggest plot twists, theres still a lot of hidden references for people familiar to the story, like an updated cover version of The Ramones Pet Sematary over the credits. For those new to what happens, this remake will perhaps act as a gateway to checking out more adaptations of Kings stories or reading his books.One of the most enduring aspects of the narrative is how it addresses grief, our inability to let go of loved ones when they die, and our fear about discussing mortality. Louis and Rachel fight over how to talk to Ellie about death, revealing an American cultural taboo around the subject. Rachel, traumatized by the early death of her sick sister, wants to shield her daughter from the harsh sting of losing a loved one for as long as she can. Louis disagrees, and theres a sense that the movie sides with him, although it later shows that while he can talk about loss in the abstract, and try to fight against it as a doctor, he still does not know what it means to grieve for someone and to let them go.Also Read: CBS All Access to Adapt Stephen King's 'The Stand' as Limited Series With 'Fault in Our Stars' Director(When the directors and some members of the cast and crew took the stage after the screening, Widmyer described his Pet Sematary as elevated horror. Theres not an elevated thing about it. Its not high-concept, paced like a slow-burn arthouse movie, or meant to shatter audiences expectations of what defines a horror movie. Pet Sematary is just a regular horror movie told with the directors style, and its not like this genre is short on stylish directors: Sam Raimi, George Romero, John Carpenter and David Cronenberg, to name just a few, scared audiences with their groundbreaking works, yet their movies may never be classified as elevated horror. Its a false label that sneers at the history and conventions of the genre for the sake of filmmakers egos and, in a way, it diminishes what Lambert accomplished with her version of Pet Sematary in order to elevate their vision above hers.)That Q&A aside, I quite enjoyed the thrills of the new Pet Sematary, much like I enjoyed the scares of the old movie. Its terrifying story about death still leaves audiences with much to think about long after the credits roll, and the twists that lead to a new ending are fun to follow. Thirty years after the original movie frightened audiences, its source material has given new life to one of the best Stephen King adaptations in the past decade. Read original story Pet Sematary Film Review: Stephen King Remake Digs Up Fresh New Scares At TheWrap

For fans of Mary Lamberts original 1989 adaptation of the beloved Stephen King book, the new remake of Pet Sematary is different enough to offer shock and surprises to even the most ardent of loyalists.

At its premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival, several audience members braced themselves for pivotal moments from the older movie, and then jumped or nervously laughed when their anticipation was met by a clever psych-out by directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, whose previous film, Starry Eyes, also played at SXSW.

The movie opens differently than its predecessor. This time, the family car door is open, and there are bloody handprints still fresh on the drivers side window. A thick trail of blood leads from the house to outside, but there are no characters in the frame or much of a clue as to whats happened. The film then jumps back to the fateful day the Creed family moved from Boston to Ludlow, Maine, teasing the high-speed danger just outside their new homes driveway. Behind their home is a macabre grave site the local kids have named a pet sematary for their deceased animals. Just beyond the borders of the area lies an even scarier plot of land.

Watch Video: The Dead Return in Latest 'Pet Sematary' Trailer But 'They Don't Come Back the Same'

While many of the favorite characters remain almost intact from Kings book, there are a few tweaks by the actors in their performances to give this version some more twists. Louis (Jason Clarke), a sensitive doctor, seems more attuned to the needs of his family. Hes very playful and connected with his daughter and son, and his softened persona makes him a more tragic figure as the events start to turn dark.

His wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), feels more grounded than her predecessor. Seimetz displays her characters childhood traumas on the surface, like a woman fighting down her demons from taking over. John Lithgow brings a much more sympathetic approach to older local Jud and his curiosity about the supernatural grounds. But the films breakout star is Jete Laurence (Sneaky Pete), whose scary-good performance as the sweet and naturally curious 8-year-old Ellie recasts what could have been a silly part into something thats genuinely creepy and heartbreaking.

Story continues

Also Read: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Stephen King's 'Pet Sematary' (Guest Blog)

This Pet Sematary is notably different in pacing, starting off with a disturbing image and working quickly to retrace the steps that led to that moment. The movie is relatively on the bloody side of horror, including scenes like the films opening shot and the unfortunate family cat that gets a mangy makeover later in the movie. Cinematographer Laurie Rose (Stan & Ollie) casts much of the film in a pale blue pall, as though the sun never comes out in this part of Maine.

While the trailer unbelievably spoils one of the remakes biggest plot twists, theres still a lot of hidden references for people familiar to the story, like an updated cover version of The Ramones Pet Sematary over the credits. For those new to what happens, this remake will perhaps act as a gateway to checking out more adaptations of Kings stories or reading his books.

One of the most enduring aspects of the narrative is how it addresses grief, our inability to let go of loved ones when they die, and our fear about discussing mortality. Louis and Rachel fight over how to talk to Ellie about death, revealing an American cultural taboo around the subject. Rachel, traumatized by the early death of her sick sister, wants to shield her daughter from the harsh sting of losing a loved one for as long as she can. Louis disagrees, and theres a sense that the movie sides with him, although it later shows that while he can talk about loss in the abstract, and try to fight against it as a doctor, he still does not know what it means to grieve for someone and to let them go.

Also Read: CBS All Access to Adapt Stephen King's 'The Stand' as Limited Series With 'Fault in Our Stars' Director

(When the directors and some members of the cast and crew took the stage after the screening, Widmyer described his Pet Sematary as elevated horror. Theres not an elevated thing about it. Its not high-concept, paced like a slow-burn arthouse movie, or meant to shatter audiences expectations of what defines a horror movie. Pet Sematary is just a regular horror movie told with the directors style, and its not like this genre is short on stylish directors: Sam Raimi, George Romero, John Carpenter and David Cronenberg, to name just a few, scared audiences with their groundbreaking works, yet their movies may never be classified as elevated horror. Its a false label that sneers at the history and conventions of the genre for the sake of filmmakers egos and, in a way, it diminishes what Lambert accomplished with her version of Pet Sematary in order to elevate their vision above hers.)

That Q&A aside, I quite enjoyed the thrills of the new Pet Sematary, much like I enjoyed the scares of the old movie. Its terrifying story about death still leaves audiences with much to think about long after the credits roll, and the twists that lead to a new ending are fun to follow. Thirty years after the original movie frightened audiences, its source material has given new life to one of the best Stephen King adaptations in the past decade.

Read original story Pet Sematary Film Review: Stephen King Remake Digs Up Fresh New Scares At TheWrap
While Trump recently dismissed current Late Night hosts, tweeting that they lacked talent, Stephen Colbert says the President has actually borrowed some of his lines from The Colbert Report.

He could have stolen a lot of my lines, Colbert said during CBS An Evening with Stephen Colbert at PaleyFest in Los Angeles on Saturday. He stole a thing the other day. We actually ran a clip of me saying it on the old show.

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Stephen Colbert Zings Donald Trump's Latest Tweet Trash Of Late-Night TV

He (Trump) said, I dont use my brain, I use my gut, and thats literally the opening of The Colbert Report, Colbert said. I said, Did you know there are more nerve endings in your gut than in your brain? He just said that. He is a delicious idiot.

Colbert also recalled when he first wanted to call the President an idiot on his current program, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Showrunner Chris Licht had asked him, Are you sure you want to call the President of the United States an idiot? Colberts response? Im pretty sure.

Colbert

The Colbert Report (2005-2014) featured him playing a caricature of himself, which he said would no longer work comedically, since parodying the American neutral as a white, straight, male, Christian was an actual political position now.

Receiving a standing ovation as he arrived on the PaleyFest stage, Colbert was thanked by moderator Pete Holmes (HBOs Crashing) for supporting those who find todays politics both troubling and indigestible.

Then, when Holmes asked Colbert his thoughts on recent comments made by Jay Leno, the audience seemed a little surprised by his response.

During an interview with Al Roker on The Tonight Show earlier this week, Leno had said, everything now is, if people dont like your politics, they  everyone has to know your politics. He added, when people see you as one-sided, it just makes it tough. Trump then tweeted his support of Leno, saying he found late night very boring and totally one-sided.

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Addressing Lenos comments at PaleyFest, Colbert said, I agree with what he said. He said it was a different time.now theres one subject, so people see your politics more when you do it now, but Im fine with that. I dont think theres anything wrong with saying this person is damaging the nation.

Colbert also defended his position, saying he doesnt see himself as a political player. I dont think I should be taken seriously, he said, but I feel seriously about whats going on in the country.Im there to make everybody feel better and know theyre not alone in that.

There were also some good-natured jokes at the expense of CBS, despite network president Kelly Kahls presence in the audience.

You cant even show a pencil drawing of two frogs having sex Colbert said of the network, to loud laughter from the PaleyFest crowd. We had a non-political story of these two frogs, and over my shoulder we had a pencil drawing from a scientific journal.and we got a notice from the network saying, You cant show that.'

But Colbert cleverly got his revenge. The very next day, he said they decided to do a completely made-up story involving tandem skydiving frogs. We used the exact same picture. They did not blur it. He also recalled being told he couldnt even say s**t happens in Latin.

Joking aside however, Colbert made it clear he embraced and even enjoyed those network rules. I love constraints, he said, Do anything is a terrible note.

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Donald Trump threatened Saturday Night Live and other late-night shows with a federal investigation for poking fun of him, calling it in a Sunday tweet, one sided [sic] media coverage.Its truly incredible that shows like Saturday Night Live, not funny/no talent, can spend all of their time knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of the other side. Like an advertisement without consequences. Same with Late Night Shows, the POTUS wrote.Should Federal Election Commission and/or FCC look into this? he added in a subsequent tweet. There must be Collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia! Such one sided [sic] media coverage, most of it Fake News. Hard to believe I won and am winning. Approval Rating 52%, 93% with Republicans. Sorry! MAGAAlso Read: Alec Baldwin's Latest 'SNL' Sketch Has Trump in Another Twitter RantGallups last Donald Trumps Presidential Job Approval Ratings (for March 1-10, 2019) stood at 39 percent, while 57 percent disapprove.SNL ran a repeat Saturday of the Christmas 2018 episode in which the cold open  titled Its a Wonderful Trump  had Trump get his wish that he had never become president, and the circle of people around him led happier lives as a result. The president was clearly fired up when that episode originally aired on Dec. 15, tweeting at the time, It is nothing less than unfair news coverage and Dem commercials. Should be tested in courts, cant be legal?Also Read: Alec Baldwin Asks if Trump Twitter Rant 'Constitutes a Threat' to His Family's SafetyComedy programs are under exactly zero legal obligation to be even-handed in their satire, regardless of whether the butt of their jokes is a political figure, Law&Crime columnist Elura Nanos wrote Sunday. Similarly, news programs are legally permitted to be as one-sided as they like. As an agency of the federal government, the FCC must adhere to the limitations set out by the First Amendment  which means that censoring speech based on its political content is as illegal as it gets.Saturday Night Live is a satire show that has mocked every president since Gerald Ford in 1976, along with a number of political figures. Trump hosted SNL in April 2004 and on Nov. 7, 2015.Read original story Trump Threatens SNL With Federal Investigation Because They Mock Him At TheWrap

Donald Trump threatened Saturday Night Live and other late-night shows with a federal investigation for poking fun of him, calling it in a Sunday tweet, one sided [sic] media coverage.

Its truly incredible that shows like Saturday Night Live, not funny/no talent, can spend all of their time knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of the other side. Like an advertisement without consequences. Same with Late Night Shows, the POTUS wrote.

Should Federal Election Commission and/or FCC look into this? he added in a subsequent tweet. There must be Collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia! Such one sided [sic] media coverage, most of it Fake News. Hard to believe I won and am winning. Approval Rating 52%, 93% with Republicans. Sorry! #MAGA

Also Read:Alec Baldwin's Latest 'SNL' Sketch Has Trump in Another Twitter Rant

Gallups last Donald Trumps Presidential Job Approval Ratings (for March 1-10, 2019) stood at 39 percent, while 57 percent disapprove.

SNL ran a repeat Saturday of the Christmas 2018 episode in which the cold open  titled Its a Wonderful Trump  had Trump get his wish that he had never become president, and the circle of people around him led happier lives as a result. The president was clearly fired up when that episode originally aired on Dec. 15, tweeting at the time, It is nothing less than unfair news coverage and Dem commercials. Should be tested in courts, cant be legal?

Video: 'It's a Wonderful Trump'

Also Read:Alec Baldwin Asks if Trump Twitter Rant 'Constitutes a Threat' to His Family's Safety

Comedy programs are under exactly zero legal obligation to be even-handed in their satire, regardless of whether the butt of their jokes is a political figure, Law&Crime columnist Elura Nanos wrote Sunday. Similarly, news programs are legally permitted to be as one-sided as they like. As an agency of the federal government, the FCC must adhere to the limitations set out by the First Amendment  which means that censoring speech based on its political content is as illegal as it gets.

Saturday Night Live is a satire show that has mocked every president since Gerald Ford in 1976, along with a number of political figures. Trump hosted SNL in April 2004 and on Nov. 7, 2015.

Read original story Trump Threatens SNL With Federal Investigation Because They Mock Him At TheWrap
When entering a meticulously designed living room, we feel it right away: the perfect proportions giving the space a certain grandeur, the plush seating drawing us in, each well-appointed seat suggesting long lazy afternoons spent without having to leave the living room Just like a beautifully directed movie, a well-decorated living room is at once engaging and impressive, but it's also familiar and safe. Trying to replicate this attention to detail in our own homes, though, is another challenge. As much as we try to replicate the feelings we've experienced in certain rooms (that we've visited and loved), there's usually something that's just off.

Interior designers spend their lives studying the little details that make a room perfect. And sometimes, what is wrong in our own living rooms can be as simple as a painting hung too high or a lack of eye-level lamps. To shed some light on the most common living room decorating mistakes that may be plaguing our spaces, we asked a stylist, an interior designer, and a residential architect to share the decorating mistakes they frequently notice in living rooms everywhere. The space of your dreams may not be so out of reachsimply fix these mistakes, adopt these living room ideas, and then enjoy your new and improved space.

Mistake #1: Selecting the Wrong Sofa

Designers agree: A great living room starts with a great sofa. "So often I come into a house and the owners have good taste, but they already have a sofa that they want to work with," explains stylist and TV host Emily Henderson. "They don't want to replace it because it's not that old and they don't mind it. I've had to break the news over and over that with a sofa like that, they would never get the room they want," says Henderson.

David John Dick of DISC Interiors agrees, "We hear time and time again from our clients how the sofa they purchased in the past was not comfortable or was too big (or too small) for the room. In living rooms, a good sofa is key to comfort, but it's also central to how a room feels and looks. Our tip for getting it right is to pay attention to sofa seat height (a low seat is hard to get in and out of) and to draw a furniture floor plan before purchasing. Buying on impulse is great for accessories and side tables, but never for a sofa, as it can be a very costly mistake."

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"To avoid choosing the wrong sofa, stick to something simple," adds Henderson. "No one loves a simple sofa more than me because they are so easy to style." She recommends paying particular attention to the quality of the fabric and the timelessness of the shape. Henderson recommends staying away from overly ornate details like curved legs, winged arms, tufts, and nailheads.

West Elm Andes Sectional ($3398)

Mistake #2: Falling Into the Showroom Look

Another mistake that plagues living rooms everywhere, according to New Yorkbased architect Elizabeth Roberts, is the "showroom feel." (In other words, a room that looks like it's all been purchased from the same store.) "It's important to us to mix new and vintage elements in order to create an interesting, eclectic, and individualized room," she says. DISC Interiors agrees: "We love the patina of vintage furniture, especially paired with modern upholstery."

To avoid feeling like you're in a store, Roberts also recommends leaving adequate room in the budget for lighting, textiles, and accessories after large items are selected. "The small pieces are what add personality," says Roberts. "We also prefer to light the living room with low lighting instead of overhead light. Floor lamps and table lamps are best for living rooms," she says.

Chairish Modern Wine Colored Leather Chesterfield ($3000)

Mistake #3: Buying a Rug That's Too Small

For Henderson, one of the main offenders in living room decorating is the poorly sized rug. "America has been suffering for too long from 'small rug' syndrome," she says. "I see it virtually every day, and it pains meespecially when it can be so easily avoided." Huge rugs can be expensive and can feel like such a scary commitment, but according to the stylist, it's one of the most important aspects of a room.

"Living rooms almost always need at least an 8-by-10-foot (if not a 9-by-12-foot) rug. Unless you have a tiny living room, stay away from anything under 6-by-9-feet. A 4-by-6-foot rug might be fine next to a bed, in a kitchen, or in an entrance, but it will assuredly not work in your living room," advises Henderson.

West Elm Patina Rug ($149)

Mistake #4: Poorly Planning Your Layout

While it may be tempting to push a sofa against a wall facing the TV stand and call it a day, Roberts reminds us that there is more involved in planning a great living room layout. "It's important to consider and create conversation groupings, especially if the room is long and narrow like many townhouses and lofts," she says.

"It's also very important to consider views from major seating elements. In a large open room, it's nice to be able to sit on a favorite piece while addressing the rest of the room. In a small room, it's important to consider necessary window views. In a room with a fireplace, it's often difficult to know where to put the TVlarge TV cabinets are cumbersome and don't fool many. My favorite solution is a projector that projects onto the white wall above the mantel," says Roberts.

Liza Slipcovered Sofa ($2695)

Mistake #5: Hanging Art Incorrectly

"Art hung the wrong way on a wall is like a character in a movie wearing a really bad wig," Henderson says, "it's just kinda hard not to see it, and you wish so bad you could just rip it off, knowing that everything would be so much better without it. It doesn't ruin your experience, but it's just terribly distracting."

While some agree that art should be hung at eye level, the stylist stresses that this doesn't apply in every case. "Yes, the art should be at eye level, but not if your ceilings are really low and not if you are really tall," she says. "If the wall were cut up vertically into four sections (going from bottom to top), think of the art being in the third quadrant (counting from the floor)," says Henderson.

Ilka Kramer MalaNazar 30 ($890)

Mistake #6: Making It Too Precious to Live In

While the days of unused "sitting rooms" and plastic-wrapped furniture are long gone, Roberts still insists on paying special attention to making your living room fits the conveniences of everyday living. "Select textiles and rugs that can take the wear and tear of everyday living," she recommends.

Roberts says, "There are some great outdoor fabrics that we're using indoors that dogs and kids cannot destroy. It's important to select rugs that will wear well. Beware of the seductive silk rug. Wool is a much better rug for a family. Make sure that there's adequate storage in the living room to contain all of the items that we like to have around: toys (if you have children), books, remotes, and a junk drawer. It's always helpful!"

Knoll Womb Chair and Ottoman ($5223)

Mistake #7: Not Mixing Periods and Styles

Dick says, "Often times people feel boxed in and limited by the architecture of their home and select furniture based on the home's architecture and time period. Our solution is to mix furniture styles with the style of architecture." In one Georgia home, the design firm merged contemporary furniture with traditional crown molding, Moroccan antique rugs, African beaded benches, and contemporary art. "We love to recover and rework vintage pieces and mix them with custom sofas so the living room feels timeless and approachable," he adds.

Roberts has one indispensable trick for combining periods and styles: "When mixing new and vintage elements, pay attention to furniture heights, as traditional furniture is typically higher than modern pieces."

Bestlite BL4 Floor Lamp ($976)

Next, see the five decorating mistakes people with good style never make.

This post was originally published on December 31, 2017, and has since been updated.

Read More from MyDomaine
Photo credit: Stephen Lam - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

A recent report gained traction on Medium discussing whether Apple AirPods cause cancer through radiation.

This data is based on a petition to the United Nations and the World Health Organization that was signed in 2015.

Some experts argue that the level of radiation emitted from Bluetooth wireless devices is dangerous. However, other experts state that the levels of radiation are less than cell phones and we should be fine using wireless headphones.

Last week, some tech fans became concerned after freelance writer Markham Heid published an article on Medium that examined the safety of AirPods and similar wireless Bluetooth headphones. The piece, which gained traction online and was recently covered by other news outlets, had some questioning: Do AirPods actually cause cancer? The answer isn't simple. Here, we break it down.

In his piece, Heid spoke with Jerry Phillips, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, who said, My concern for AirPods is that their placement in the ear canal exposes tissues in the head to relatively high levels of radiofrequency radiation."



However, Phillips clarified that the risk is not solely limited to AirPods, but that there also is evidence for "potential concerns for human health and development from all technologies that operate at radio frequencies." Those may include cellphones, cordless phones, cell towers, radio, Wi-Fi, and more.

Photo credit: Stephen Lam - Getty Images

Phillips is one of the nearly 250 scientists from across 40-plus countries that signed a 2015 petition to the United Nations and World Health Organization seeking for better protection from and further study on the increasing exposure to "non-ionizing electromagnetic fields [EMF]." The petition, which was initially released on May 11, 2015 and revised on January 1, 2019, also stated that there are health risks to humans, animals, and our environment.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, EMFs "are invisible areas of energy, often referred to as radiation, that are associated with the use of electrical power and various forms of natural and man-made lighting." The petition warns that negative side effects of EMF exposure could include: "increased cancer risk, cellular stress, increase in harmful free radicals, genetic damages, structural and functional changes of the reproductive system, learning and memory deficits, neurological disorders, and negative impacts on general well-being in humans."

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The Institute adds that EMFs are divided into two groups: non-ionizing, "low-level radiation which is generally perceived as harmless to humans," and ionizing, "high-level radiation which has the potential for cellular and DNA damage." The radiation released by wireless devices and Bluetooth technologies, like AirPods, is non-ionizing, Heid wrote.

There's limited research on Bluetooth specifically, but the greater research on EMFs and their side effects suggest that wireless headphones may cause health risks, according to petition signatory Joel Moskowitz, director of the Center for Family and Community Health at the University of California at Berkeley. However, Apple has previously responded to apprehensions regarding AirPods by saying it complies with current safety guidelines, according to Heid.

You don't necessarily have to give up your beloved wireless headphones altogether, unless you want to err on the side of caution. Dr. Michael Schulder, Director of Northwell Health's Brain Tumor Center in Lake Success, New York, told Men's Health: "We cannot avoid radiation in our lives even if we lived a completely pastoral existence off the grid. For me, the added convenience of the AirPods doesnt matter so I choose not to use them."

Wireless headphones even gives off less radiation than our mobile devices do, Schulder added. "There has not been a major bump in tumors to suggest that cell phones are causing [them] and we know that the Bluetooth radiation is less than cell phones themselves," he explained.

If you're still open to wearing wireless headphones, consider adding the below stylish auditory accouterments to your collection.





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Instagrams day-long outage didnt stop stars from finding the perfect selfie lighting this week. Eye-catching moments include Zendaya who greeted the sun with a high, honey-toned bun, smoothed up brows, terra cotta cheeks, and rosy glossed lips. Elsa Hosk sported freshly soaked golden strands, reminding onlookers to keep your eyes on the prize while showing off bronzed cheekbones and a pink pout. Meanwhile, mother-daughter duo Jada Pinkett-Smith and Willow Smith blessed us with their ethereal glows, Willow with rose gold lids and Jada showing off impeccably manicured hands.

On another beat, some leading ladies embraced memorably striking looks: Nicole Kidman rocked a bold cardinal lip and updo featuring fishnets that doubled as an eye mask. Model Aweng Chuol wore an inventive pearl-toned, three stroke cat-eye; black coats of liner hugging the top and bottom lash line. A pomegranate-toned lip pulled it all together thanks to the steady hands of Raoul Alejandre. And speaking of a statement cat eye, Rowan Blanchard stepped out with a fuchsia-lavender mix on her lids, paired with a chestnut pixie cut and flushed skin.

A few muses enjoyed scenic destinations. Rainbow colored nails, adorned by Melody Ehsani rings, complemented the pyramids in Cairo well. In Brazil, Candice Swanepoel, showed off back bending skills along the shoreline at Barra Grande beach. Model Frida Gustavsson enjoyed a water fall moment atop a tree trunk whilst wavy strands delicately grazed her shoulders. And the weeks most celebrated couple, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, relaxed after their engagement, reminding us all to take a moment and feel the breeze.
Ken Burns loves to talk. The legendary filmmaker admits he can get long-winded, which makes sense when you think about it. Youll remember Im a filmmaker who makes 10-part series that last 18 hours, he jokes.

The one thing hes never spoken at length about is his restaurant. For almost 18 years, hes been part owner of the Restaurant at Burdicks, a cozy nook serving French and American fare in Walpole, New Hampshire.

Somebody asked me recently Why dont you just say something? Burns told Travel + Leisure. And I thought, Who cares? I mean, its not really a labor of love because the only thing I do is lift my fork.

Burns calls himself a silent partner in the business. Hes not involved in the restaurants day-to-day operations, but can be seen eating there as many as six or seven times a week.

In 1979, Burns made a home out of an 1820s farmhouse in Walpole to achieve the magnificent isolation he sought to finish his work. Hes been there ever since  its where hes created all of his documentaries with Florentine Films, where he raised his daughters, and where he opened his French-inspired bistro.

Burns saw an opportunity in his charming New England town in the mid-1980s. When a grocery store in town moved to a new location, it left a gaping vacancy in Walpole's town center. Burns teamed up with chocolatier Larry Burdick, who owned the nearby L.A. Burdicks chocolate shop, to eventually open the restaurant there in 2001.

The whole impetus for me was not to invest in a restaurant, not to own a restaurant, but to do a community service, which was to fill this empty hole, Burns says.

Related: 20 Reasons to Love New Hampshire

With a population of just under 4,000 people, Walpole is small, and also extremely idyllic. The center of town is its lifeblood, clustered around a post office, a clinic, a real estate firm, and a chocolate cafe. Today, the Restaurant at Burdicks acts as an anchor of sorts, despite the low profile Burns has kept as one of its owners.

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In the midst of all of that Normal Rockwell or Currier and Ives is a real legitimate restaurant with complex flavors and wonderful things, Burns says.

The Restaurant at Burdicks sits inside a whitewashed antique clapboard overlooking one of Walpoles main thoroughfares. Inside, the vibe can only be described as cozy, thanks to soft twinkle lights and local art adorning the walls. Its a haven for fine dining in southern New Hampshire, offering a seasonal, locally sourced menu with a few sought-after staples like oven-roasted chicken and seared duck breast. An extensive wine list, along with a robust event calendar, attracts locals and tourists alike.

If you go to downtown Walpole, its sometimes hard to get a parking place. Its not necessarily because of the restaurant as it is, but from what the restaurant has brought in, Burns says.

Burns and Burdick, who is no longer a partner in the business, also opened a small specialty market called Walpole Grocery. It stocks local meats, cheeses, and breads, along with wine, beer, and organic fruits and veggies.

Walpole Grocery and the Restaurant at Burdicks certainly serve the community, but they also serve Ken. When his work requires him to hole up in the editing room for days at a time, hes been known to subsist solely on the restaurants Kens Salad. The dish of Bibb lettuce, grilled salmon, avocado, shaved parmesan, and lemon vinaigrette is Burns own creation. He had been ordering it off-menu for years until one day it was put on the lunch menu. Its remained a favorite ever since.

The running joke I have with Ken is How often do you check your mercury levels? Because he is a lover of salmon, says Tom Goins, partner and general manager at the Restaurant at Burdicks.

Goins says Burns has always been careful with the use of his celebrity. Hes hosted a few talks at the restaurant and once agreed to display his Emmy awards over the bar, but has never wielded his influence to snag a table or a free meal.

Its just one of the great pleasures of my life that Ive been able to do this, Burns says. Ill tell you, if people come in and see it and Im in town, there is a really good chance Im there for lunch or dinner.

Burns explains hes played a very small part in creating a really wonderful thing, and he hopes patrons will continue to slip into their seats, order a good meal, see friends, and have conversations.

Where I live is central to who I am as a person, Burns says. And at the heart of that is Burdicks.
Even if youve never met an identical twin (or two) youre probably familiar with famous 90s superstars Sister Sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry, or The Parent Traps Hallie and Annie Parker (played by Lindsay Lohan and Lindsay Lohan). While the number of twins has been increasing in the last three decades, its still rare: Approximately 3.3 percent of babies born today is a twin (either identical or fraternal), compared to two percent in 1980, and identical twins are less common than fraternal twins. However, doctors in Australia have just published a report in The New England Journal of Medicine confirming that theyve been monitoring a set of the rarest kind of twin  the second set of semi-identical twins ever recorded. Heres how this happens, and what it can mean.

newborn male fraternal twins sleep peacefully after birth together swaddled and together in their crib.

What is a semi-identical twin?

If you cast your mind back to high school biology class, you might remember that fraternal (dizygotic) twins occur when two separate eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm. (Di means two and a zygote is a fertilized egg, hence this term identifies twins who grew from two separately fertilized eggs.) These twins get 50 percent of their DNA from the person who produced the egg, and 50 percent from the person who provided the sperm. Identical twins (monozygotic) occur when one egg is fertilized by one sperm and then splits and develops into two separate embryos. These twins share 100 percent of their DNA. Semi-identical twinning, on the other hand, is believed to occur when a single egg is fertilized by two different sperm and the resulting embryo splits, explains Daniel Kort, MD, Associate Medical Director and Practice Director of Neway Fertility in New York.

The set of twins involved in the current study are only the second on record to have survived to birth  and the first to be identified during a routine pregnancy scan. At six weeks, doctors noticed signs that their mother was expecting identical twins; but at the 14-week scan, they realized that the twins were different sexes, meaning that they couldnt be genetically identical. Now aged four, the twins live in Brisbane, Australia, but their identities havent been revealed. Since they developed from the same egg, they share 100 percent of their mothers DNA, and further tests found that they share 78 percent of their fathers, according to doctors monitoring them. The first set of semi-identical twins ever identified, who were born in the US in 2007, shared 50 percent of their fathers DNA. The term semi, which means half, isnt quite accurate: The medical term coined by the doctors who wrote the latest report is sesquizygotic twins, since sesqui means one and a half.

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Why are semi-identical twins so rare?

Its actually not unusual for an egg to be fertilized by two sperm and then split into separate embryos, Dr. Kort explains. The fertilization of one egg by two sperm, known as polyspermy, is a well-described phenomenon, he says. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the resulting embryo does not develop and does not become a pregnancy. What makes this case so remarkable is the fact that following polyspermy, the embryo divided into two embryos (twins) capable of implanting and developing into a pregnancy.

One of the reasons that semi-identical twins dont normally survive is because they have three sets of chromosomes, a condition called triploidy that usually leads to miscarriage or birth defects that are incompatible with life. In this case, one of the twins has gonadal dysgenesis, a condition in which external sex organs dont fully develop. A polyspermic embryo, by definition, is highly abnormal, Dr. Kort confirms. Such an embryo has significant genetic instability and is prone to multiple genetic mutations, such as seen in gonadal dysgenesis. Gonadal dysgenesis can manifest in a variety of clinical presentations, typically including [biological] sexual ambiguity and sterility. The same twin also suffered a blood clot at birth, which led doctors to amputate one arm. Otherwise, the twins are developing without issue.

In case you were wondering, the chances of there being some identical or fraternal twins out there who are actually semi-identical are unlikely. While this is possible, such an occurrence is highly unusual, Dr. Kort reassures us. Furthermore, with the increase in popularity of genetic testing, it is likely that more of such cases would be reported. Wherever these twins are now, we wish them all the best.

RELATED: This Company Is Working to Make IVF and Egg-Freezing Standard Employee Benefits

(Photo via Getty)
Whale sharks can grow to be as long as a double-decker bus - simonjpierce@gmail.com

Preparez-vous! Preparez-vous! our captain shouts. Then Allez! Allez! A droite! Flippers on, masks down and snorkels up, we slide rapidly into the water from the rear of the boat. For a few seconds we can see nothing but bubbles. When they clear, we spot a huge whale shark swimming straight towards us  flat-headed with a yard-wide mouth. We paddle back to avoid him, but the enormous creature takes no notice. He glides past us  all 18 sleek feet of him. We turn and follow.

The next few minutes are sublime, thrilling, unforgettable. The whale shark swims serenely on through clear blue water lanced by refracted sun beams. We are so close we can see his small black eyes and the hole just behind each one, his layered gills and the sharp, parallel ridges running down his back. Hundreds of white circles are scattered across his head but run in geometric lines down the length of his great blue-grey body.

He proceeds like royalty with a retinue. Tiny yellow-and-black-striped pilotfish swim just ahead of him, riding his bow wave. Skinny white suckerfish tuck themselves in behind his pectoral fins, some literally attaching themselves to his skin like velcro. Other fish  cobia and jacks  follow in his wake, hoping he will lead them to food.

We are transfixed, awestruck, oblivious to the small, purple-ringed jellyfish brushing past us. Then, with a sideways flick of his powerful tail, the whale shark begins to dive. Deeper and deeper he goes until all we can see are the white suckerfish just above him. Eventually they too disappear into the dark depths. Our pursuit is over. We swim  elated  back to our boat where Arthur Guillemain dEchon, the French owner of a whale- and whale shark-watching business called Les Baleines Randeau, is already scanning the surrounding waters for the telltale signs of other whale sharks.

We dry off in the hot sun. Far to the south, across the rippled sea, we can make out the mountainous outline of mainland Madagascar. To the east, much nearer, lies the large offshore island of Nosy Be from whence we have come. A host of other small, hilly, forested islets dot the water. So do boutres (dhows) with great white sails shaped like giant shark fins, and the small wooden pirogues  with their crude outriggers and colourful home-made sails  of umpteen fishermen.

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Nosy Be, off the Madagascan coast Credit: getty

In the distance, our Malagasy spotter has seen a commotion of white terns swooping and diving into the water, and we speed off again. Hundreds of tuna are leaping about in pursuit of bait fish. Guillemain dEchon slows the boat and scans the boiling water. He spots a great grey form just below the surface, and manoeuvres our boat into its path. Preparez-vous! he cries, and we slide back into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean for our sixth exhilarating encounter with a whale shark that morning  tourists, yes, but also active participants in a concerted effort to save these extraordinary creatures from extinction.

Whale sharks, named for their size, caught the popular imagination with their starring role in the BBCs series Blue Planet II. They are the largest fish in the world, the largest that have ever existed. They are larger than most whales, larger even than the long-extinct megalodon, which preyed on whales. A mature adult can easily weigh 20 tons and measure 40ft  the length of a bus. The longest ever caught allegedly measured 65ft, and the heaviest weighed 42 tons.

Whale sharks are also an endangered species and their numbers have roughly halved since the 1980s  a victim of overfishing, the use of gill nets and the Chinese taste for shark-fin soup.

Their presence in the relatively shallow, nutrient-rich waters off Nosy Be was first recorded by a couple of western scientists in 2007, but political unrest deterred further research until a young Belgian conservation biologist named Stella Diamant, a graduate from Warwick University, visited Nosy Be in 2014. She found there were more whale sharks there than anybody realised. They were so big and beautiful. I was blown away that these things still existed, she said.

Diamant, now 29, contacted Simon Pierce, the New Zealand-born head of the Marine Megafauna Foundation and a leading authority on whale sharks, who agreed to oversee a research project. (Both Diamant and the whale sharks of Nosy Be appear in the BBCs forthcoming series, Blue Planet Live.) In 2016, Diamant identified 85 whale sharks during the three months from mid-September that they spend feeding on the shoals of tiny fish off Nosy Be (each whale shark has its own unique set of markings). In 2017 she identified a further 115. By the end of 2018, with the help of Les Baleines Randeau, she had found more than 280.

I was highly impressed. It meant this was a pretty significant hot spot, Pierce told me as we headed north from Nosy Be on a catamaran, three days after our adventure with Guillemain dEchon. There were scarcely 30 such locations left in the world, he said, and even fewer where adventurous tourists could swim with the whale sharks.

Over the next two days, Pierce, Diamant and I sailed to the remote archipelago of Mitsio, about 40 miles away, to see whether there were more whale sharks feeding there. It was a memorable voyage. We saw flying fish and sailfish, dolphins, a leopard shark, a manta ray and a pair of Omuras whales  a species so rare that they were only officially recognised in 2003. We watched two humpback whales breaching, spouting and exuberantly slapping the water with their tails. Our crew caught barracuda and Spanish mackerel, which we ate grilled and as ceviche barely an hour after they were hauled from the water.

Stella Diamant will appear in the forthcoming Blue Planet Live Credit: Simon J Pierce

We visited a thatched-hut fishing village that lacked mains electricity or running water, and was accessible only by boat, and stopped on a tropical island with beaches of pristine white sand washed by aquamarine waters. Later, we admired a vast cliff of vertical basalt columns known as the Organ Pipes that thoroughly eclipsed Northern Irelands Giants Causeway.

We saw no whale sharks, but I learnt a lot about those remarkable creatures from Pierce and Diamant. Or, more accurately, I learnt how little is known about them. Almost all the whale sharks who feed off Nosy Be  and in the worlds other coastal hot spots  for two or three months each year are juvenile males under the age of 30. Where they go for the rest of the year, and where female and adult male whale sharks dwell, is a mystery, though the best bet is that they live far offshore in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Theyre the biggest fish in the sea, but the oceans are even bigger, says Diamant, who is tagging a few in an effort to find out more.

We know they dive deeper than any other fish, and that one tagged whale shark reached a depth of 6,324ft, but nobody knows why. They feed on plankton and tiny fish, which they catch by gulping and filtering vast amounts of water through their mouths and gills, but there is little food at such depths. We do not know how they reproduce, though males have two claspers or penises. No whale sharks have ever been seen mating or giving birth. Only one pregnant female has ever been caught  off Taiwan in 1995. She had no fewer than 304 pups inside her. Some were still in an embryonic state, others hatched and swimming freely in her uterus.

One of the only places where adult whale sharks are found is the Galapagos Islands, and until recently scientists believed that was where females went to spawn  a claim repeated on Blue Planet. But last year Pierce and a team of researchers performed ultrasound tests on some apparently pregnant whale sharks there, and discovered they were not pregnant at all.

A whale shark swimming with its young Credit: Simon J pierce

We do not know what age whale sharks live to  estimates vary from 70 to 130 years. Nor do we know how many are left in the oceans. Id say tens rather than hundreds of thousands, said Pierce. One reason for this lack of knowledge is that dead whale sharks do not wash up on beaches, like whales, but sink without trace because they have no blubber.

Among the very few things we think we know is that they grow skin that is nearly four inches thick, have only tiny, vestigial teeth and do not communicate with each other. Despite their latent power and strength, they also happen to be utterly gentle  unlike other members of the shark family. And that, inevitably, makes them a magnet for tourists.

Theyre mesmerising, says Diamant, who thinks that each one has its own personality and has given all of Nosy Bes whale sharks names. Some are shy, some curious and some not bothered.

Pierce calls them Labradors of the sea. There are no other animals of that size you can interact with in complete safety and with no training, he says. Not only are they placid but theyre completely adorable. Everyone comes away as ambassadors for whale sharks. It changes peoples lives.

Nosy Be has long attracted European tourists  for its climate, beaches and coral reefs, its diving, whale-watching and deep-sea fishing. They come to see the lemurs, boa constrictors, geckos and chameleons in the Lokobe Nature Reserve (I stared straight at a 6in leaf-tailed gecko on a tree trunk without seeing it, so perfect was its camouflage.)

They come also for the relaxed cohabitation with the handsome, friendly Malagasy people, and for the lush vegetation. Everything grows on the so-called Perfume Isle: pineapples, guavas, mangos, limes, lychees, cocoa, jackfruit, vanilla, bananas, chilli peppers, orchids and the exotic ylang-ylang tree. Now, increasingly, tourists are also coming to swim with Nosy Bes newly discovered whale sharks  the fish the Malagasy people call marokintana (many stars) after the markings on their backs.

Three years ago, just a couple of operators offered tourists that opportunity. Today about 15 do, charging a modest 50 for a half-day excursion that includes a traditional lunch in a beachside hut and, at the end, a chance to snorkel above huge green turtles grazing like cows on seabed weed. Several international airlines have recently launched direct flights to Nosy Be that avoid Antananarivo, Madagascars chaotic capital.

Normally such an influx would fill conservationists with alarm. Too often tourism destroys the very wonders that it feeds off. But happily Pierce and Diamant insist that precisely the opposite is true in the case of Nosy Bes whale sharks. Counter-intuitively, they argue that well-managed tourism offers the best hope of protecting Nosy Bes rare and priceless aggregation of those giant fish.

They hope it will persuade local people that they are worth much more alive than dead by generating income for hotels, restaurants, boat owners and guides in one of the worlds poorest countries.

Local fishermen on board a pirogue Credit: simon J pierce

Tourism creates an economic incentive for conservation and management. It is really useful for whale shark conservation. Its a $100 million industry around the world, and provides a clear argument for protecting the species, Pierce contends. Tourism is only a threat if it gets out of control, says Diamant, who works hard to persuade the operators to adopt a strict code of conduct. This limits the number of boats and swimmers that can approach a whale shark, forbids the swimmers from touching them or the boats from venturing too close, and bans all flash photography.

They say the biggest and most immediate threat to the whale sharks actually comes from a secretive $2.7 billion deal that Madagascars then president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, agreed with Beijing last September, which will permit 330 Chinese vessels to fish in Madagascan waters over the next decade. This could destroy the fish stocks on which the whale sharks feed, and see them entangled in nets or caught by propellers as they migrate to or from Nosy Be. Already as many as 40 per cent of Nosy Bes whale sharks, and 70 per cent of the wider population, bear propeller scars  some quite horrific.

In a country with a highly unstable government and a poor record of conservation, additional threats come from proposals to drill for oil in marine territory, and open a rare-earth mine in the vicinity. It is a fair bet that none of the profits from those enterprises would benefit the local communities.

As with so many other endangered species, Pierce says, the race is now on to save the magnificent whale sharks of Nosy Be, and of the wider world. Whale sharks have never been in a worse state, he warns. Theyre really at a tipping point. They could go into extinction, and within my lifetime we could lose the biggest fish thats ever lived. But if we can stop people killing them, and create pride in their presence, we think they could bounce back.

The essentials

The one-week BBC1 series Blue Planet Live begins on 24 March. Natural World Safaris is offering an 11-day Whale Shark Research Expedition in November from 3,885, led by Stella Diamant (naturalworldsafaris.com/wildlife/whale-shark; 01273 691 642). The price includes flights from Heathrow to Nosy Be on Ethiopian Airlines, accommodation, expedition yacht, transfers and most meals. For more details about the Madagascar Whale Shark Project, go to madagascarwhalesharks.org.
Photo credit: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE - Getty Images

From Town & Country

Kushner Inc., Vicky Ward's explosive book about Jared and Ivanka Trump, contains new reporting about the roles that President's daughter and son-in-law play in the Trump administration.

Ward details how the President's daughter and son-in-law were both shaped by their powerful fathers.

Ward dedicated her book to "my newly adopted country, the United States of America."

My new book, Kushner, Inc. (Greed. Ambition. Corruption.) The Extraordinary Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, is dedicated, not to a person, but to my newly adopted country, the United States of America. That may seem like just a rhetorical flourist-but it isnt: After two years of intense reporting, my findings show that the threat that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump pose to the systems and protocols that have kept this great country safe and free, is both extraordinary and extraordinarily under-recognized.

That is why, after living here for 22 years, I decided it was imperative to become a U.S. citizen-and to report the book. I felt that it was my civic duty, the most important and urgent thing I could do for a country Ive grown to love deeply and to which I owe so very much. I must play my part to rescue it from two entitled New York silver-spooners. I needed to report the systemic damage theyve caused, and even more importantly, the why.

That is why my book delves into their pasts and the culture that shaped them into two people who consider rules, including the rule of law, as something that exists for other people. As I said on Sunday on ABCs This Week to George Stephanopoulos: Most people go into government for public service. They [Jared and Ivanka] have gone in for self-service.

Photo credit: CBS Photo Archive - Getty Images

I glimpsed the dangers of Javanka during the Transition: I think like many of us, I was hoping for the best. Surely, no one wants an incoming President to fail. But when the Trumps gave their first TV interview to CBSs 60 Minutes, it wasnt Donald Trump who, back then, worried me. It was Ivanka. The fact that she wore a $10,000 bangle from her fashion line, on television and then hawked it to viewers the next day was appalling.

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We have clear conflict of interest laws that say you cannot profit from a role in government. (The subsequent apology from Ivankas spokesperson was worthless, since to quote a former Senior White House official, you cannot un-see the bangle,-and Ivanka would not sell or close her company, at least for the next 18 months). Even as she said she was not going to seek an official role in the Trump Administration, I gathered from DC sources that she was making plans to do just that.

And then, before the Inauguration, it was reported Jared Kushner, self-appointed head of foreign outreach on the Transition, and therefore point-person for the Chinese government, had, during the Transitions very first week, also met secretly with a Chinese insurance firm, Anbang, a potential savior for the Kushner familys dire financial problems.

Kushner, who appears never to have thought too deeply about the meaning of the word transparency or its importance in government, didnt mention his business dealings to any of his Transition colleagues. Unsurprisingly, as I report, when they learned of it, they were utterly appalled. As I say in the book, the stench of corruption was so overwhelming that in-coming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was terrified that, all by himself, Kushner would topple the USs maximum pressure campaign on North Korea (a campaign which also requires maximum pressure on China). Gary Cohn, the incoming director of the National Economic Council, told Kushner that everything he did from now on would now look as if hed come into government for one purpose-to enrich himself.

The story gets worse. Much worse. Youll need to read the book for all the gory details, but do pay attention to the important issue of who closed the White House visitor logs-and why. Interestingly, it wasnt President Trump-you can probably guess who it was.

Meanwhile, though I am certainly not a member of Trumps base, when I see the caps saying MAGA I smile to myself because Kushner, Inc. is my small effort to really Make America Great Again. And, if I want anyone to read-well, flick through-this book, its Donald Trump himself. The President knows Jared and Ivanka are his greatest liability, particularly as the issue of how they got their security clearances is now under investigation by Congress.

The question is, can the man who prides himself on his appeal to tough people, find the courage to send his daughter and her husband home? If he needs any help with justification, I can point him to specific page numbers. Mr. President, sir, I am just a phone call away.

An investigative journalist, Vicky Ward is a contributing editor to Town & Country magazine and the author of The Liar's Ball: The Extraordinary Saga of How One Building Broke the World's Toughest Tycoons.

('You Might Also Like',)
By Conor Humphries, Jamie Freed and Allison Lampert

DUBLIN/SINGAPORE/MONTREAL (Reuters) - The grounding of Boeing's global 737 MAX fleet has brought headaches for airlines that need to find alternative aircraft to fly in their place, but it has given some carriers a welcome opportunity to re-evaluate orders for the plane.

Countries and airlines around the world banned the 737 MAX this week after a deadly Ethiopian Airlines plane crash killed all 157 people on board. The disaster followed a fatal crash of the same model operated by Lion Air in Indonesia in October.

For airlines that over-ordered the latest version of Boeing's 737 workhorse, the grounding could be a good excuse to delay or cancel purchases, saving cash on the balance sheet, analysts said.

"These unfortunate developments could give airlines that have potentially over-ordered an opportunity to review their requirements and fleet strategy," CAPA Centre for Aviation Chief Analyst Brendan Sobie said.

Many airlines have had to quickly find other aircraft to substitute for the grounded 737 MAX, which has also complicated plans by airlines to use the fuel-efficient, longer-range jet to serve new destinations.

Southwest Airlines Co, the world's largest operator of the MAX, was planning to fly the jet on its new California-Hawaii route later this year, while Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes inaugurated flights from Brazil to Orlando and Miami in November after receiving its first 737 MAX planes.

Normally there are financial penalties for airlines that cancel orders and for manufacturers that do not deliver according to the contract terms. It was unclear how much legal leverage the MAX grounding might give airlines to wiggle out of commitments or seek damages for costs and lost revenue.

Among airlines that may regret ordering too many 737 MAX, Sobie cited Vietnam's VietJet Aviation JSC, which he said had based a decision to expand from an all-Airbus A320 fleet by adding 200 737 MAX jets on a flawed strategy of opening joint ventures in overseas markets.

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VietJet said it was closely monitoring developments and would make a decision about its order once more is known.

Among other Asian airlines, financially troubled Malaysia Airlines said on Friday that its order for 25 737 MAX jets was under review. Garuda Indonesia said this week it might cancel its order for 20 737 MAXs, which it had already reduced from 49 before the crash.

Lion Air, one of Boeing's top three MAX customers in terms of total orders, had already thrown into question 187 unfilled orders after its October crash. It told Reuters on Wednesday it would halt all planned 737 MAX deliveries until after a final report into its crash is released later this year.

In Europe, analysts said there was a case for and against cash-strapped Norwegian Air cancelling MAX orders: The ban would offer a reprieve from debt commitments but could leave the airline at the back of a congested Airbus order queue or increase operating costs if flights were replaced with less fuel-efficient jets.

Loss-making Norwegian already said in February it was postponing delivery of 12 MAX aircraft from 2020 to 2023 and 2024 to cut expenditure and shift its focus from expansion to profitability, and this week became the first major airline to publicly say it will seek compensation from Boeing over the MAX grounding.

A Norwegian Air spokesman declined to comment on Friday on whether it was discussing delaying or cancelling altogether MAX 8 orders, saying it was in dialogue with Boeing about a range of topics but had nothing new to share.

FLEET PAIN

For many large carriers like American Airlines Group Inc and China Southern Airlines Co Ltd, the 737 MAX a tiny proportion of the total fleet.

But smaller airlines Iceland Air, Poland's LOT and Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA had planned to use 737 MAX jets to cover 25 percent, 17 percent and 11 percent of their summer schedules respectively, Goodbody analyst Mark Simpson said, giving them a higher exposure to the grounding.

"This is going to impact on their operations and cash flow," he said. "Particularly into the Easter peak season next month and potentially through the summer as well... People will be scrambling for spare aircraft and there are not many, so lease rates will rise."

Meanwhile, Air Canada on Friday became the first major airline to publicly attach dollars and cents to the uncertainty surrounding the 737 MAX, saying it was suspending its 2019 financial forecasts.

One silver lining for the airlines: Reduced seat capacity may allow them to hike passenger fares, analysts said.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries in Dublin, Jamie Freed in Singapore, Allison Lampert in Montreal and Gwladys Fouche in Oslo; additional reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paolo, Cindy Silivana in Jakarta and Liz Lee in Kuala Lumpur; writing by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
By Stephen Nellis and Jan Wolfe (Reuters) - Mobile phone chip supplier Qualcomm Inc on Friday won a legal victory against iPhone maker Apple Inc, with a jury in federal court in San Diego finding that Apple owes Qualcomm about $31 million for infringing three of its patents. Qualcomm last year sued Apple alleging it had violated patents related to helping mobile phones get better battery life. During an eight-day trial, Qualcomm asked the jury to award it unpaid patent royalties of up to $1.41 per iPhone that violated the patents. The $31 million penalty is small change for Apple, the second most valuable U.S. company after Microsoft Corp, with a market value of $866 billion and annual revenue totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. But the setting of a per-phone royalty rate for Qualcomm's technology gives the chip supplier a fresh line of attack in its two-year old legal battle with Apple. The biggest case, filed by Apple in early 2017, begins in April. Apple has sought to dismantle what it calls Qualcomm's illegal business model of both licensing patents and selling chips to phone makers. Qualcomm has accused Apple of using its technology without paying. "The technologies invented by Qualcomm and others are what made it possible for Apple to enter the market and become so successful so quickly," Don Rosenberg, Qualcomm's general counsel, said in a statement. "We are gratified that courts all over the world are rejecting Apple's strategy of refusing to pay for the use of our IP." In a statement, Apple said it was disappointed with the outcome. "Qualcomm's ongoing campaign of patent infringement claims is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the larger issues they face with investigations into their business practices in U.S. federal court, and around the world," Apple said. It declined to comment on whether it would appeal. In other cases against Apple, Qualcomm has won sales bans on iPhones in Germany and China, though the Chinese ban has not been enforced and Apple has taken moves it believes allow it to resume sales in Germany. Qualcomm also suffered a setback with U.S. trade regulators who found that some iPhones infringed one of the San Diego-based company's patents but declined to bar their importation into the United States, citing the damage such a move would inflict on rival Intel Corp. The verdict on Friday could come into play in the trial in April because it puts a per-phone dollar figure on some of Qualcomm's intellectual property. Qualcomm's patent licensing model relies on charging phone makers a cut of the selling price of the phone, a practice Apple has alleged is unfair and illegal. During an earlier trial between Qualcomm and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Apple executives outlined their company's extensive negotiations to reduce those license fees to $7.50 per phone for Qualcomm's patents. The San Diego jury valued just three of Qualcomm's patents in the company's portfolio at $1.41, a figure that the chip supplier believes bolsters its contention that its licensing practices are fair. "The three patents found to be infringed in this case represent just a small fraction of Qualcomm's valuable portfolio of tens of thousands of patents," Rosenberg said in a statement. Gaston Kroub, a patent lawyer in New York not involved in the case, said the verdict was clearly a win for Qualcomm. But it does not say much about the value of Qualcomm's entire patent portfolio and was unlikely to spark settlements discussions, he said. "Apple is very skilled at handling appeals and taking a longer-term view. This isn't something that will bring Apple to the table with any sense of urgency," Kroub said. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Jan Wolfe in Washington; Editing by Richard Chang)
By Tracy Rucinski (Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Sunday it was finalizing the development of a software upgrade and a revision of pilot training for its 737 MAX, the plane that has suffered two fatal crashes in the last five months. The updates are intended to address how the aircraft's flight control system - MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) - responds to erroneous sensor inputs, the planemaker said https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2019-03-17-Boeing-CEO-Muilenburg-Issues-Statement-on-Ethiopian-Airlines-Flight-302-Accident-Investigation in a statement. A 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after take-off on March 10, killing all 157 on board. Ethiopia said on Sunday the crash had "clear similarities" with a Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October, according to initial analysis of the black boxes recovered from the wreckage of the March 10 disaster. Concern over the plane's safety caused aviation authorities worldwide to ground the model. Boeing has been working on a software upgrade for an anti-stall system and pilot displays on the 737 MAX, its fastest-selling jetliner, following the deadly Lion Air crash, and has said it was updating pilot training as well. One idea for revised training is an additional 10-15 minute iPad course that would explain the new software, according to Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for the American Airlines pilot union and a 737 pilot. However, specific new pilot training is not expected to be defined until the software fix is in place, industry sources said. Boeing plans to release upgraded software for its 737 MAX in a week to 10 days, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. Boeing did not immediately return a request for comment. (Reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago and Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Cooney and Cynthia Osterman)
China's rubber-stamp parliament approved a foreign investment law Friday that may serve as an olive branch in trade talks with the United States, but it received a lukewarm welcome from business groups.

The legislation aims to address long-running grievances from foreign firms including stronger protections for intellectual property, but the US and European chambers of commerce voiced concerns that they were not given enough time to give their input.

The National People's Congress voted 2,929 in favour of the law -- with eight against and eight abstentions -- barely three months after a first draft was debated, an unusually quick turnaround for the legislature, which meets once a year.

The move comes as US and Chinese negotiators hold complex talks aimed at resolving a months-long trade war that has pounded businesses with tariffs on $360 billion in two-way commerce.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday the negotiations should wrap up within four weeks, adding: "We are getting what we have to get."

China's top trade negotiator, Liu He, held phone talks with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, with the official Xinhua news agency saying they made "substantial progress".

The bill will eliminate the requirement for foreign enterprises to transfer proprietary technology to Chinese joint-venture partners and protect against "illegal government interference" -- major sticking points in the trade negotiations.

The legislation will come into force on January 1, 2020.

China will also amend its intellectual property law and "introduce a punitive damages mechanism to ensure that all infringements will be seriously dealt with", Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told reporters at the end of the parliament's two-week session.

The changes will "ensure violators have no place to hide", he said.

Under the bill, foreign investors will enjoy the same privileges as Chinese companies in most sectors, unless they have been placed on "negative lists", officials say.

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- 'Small slice' of concerns -

Li said China will soon announce shorter negative lists and continue to trim them in future, "increasing the scope of what is not prohibited".

Tim Stratford, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said "the last minute efforts are appreciated".

But, he added, the changes "only address a small slice of the overall set of concerns our members have about the uneven playing field foreign companies encounter in China".

The chamber was concerned about vague language in provisions that allowed local governments to expropriate investments that "harm public interest" and the inability to appeal against the outcome of national security reviews.

Jacob Parker, Beijing-based vice president at the US-China Business Council, welcomed the "positive language" in the bill but added that "real investment on the ground will depend on how narrowly tailored those negative lists are going forward".

Businesses are still concerned that industry-specific laws and local administrative approvals may impede full market access despite provisions in the negative list.

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China had earlier complained that Beijing was rushing the investment law to appease the United States.

"More than anything else, foreign companies want equal treatment and opportunities," said Mats Harborn, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.

"While not all of our concerns were addressed in this law, it is time to move forward," he added.

Both the EU and American trade chambers had urged China to consider having a single Company Law to govern both foreign and domestic enterprises, as is common in many countries.

The law includes a new article on protecting foreign companies' commercial secrets, and fleshes out criminal penalties for officials who leak confidential information they obtain from overseas businesses.

"I think we can safely assume that this language is a result of the trade negotiations as it was slipped in at the last minute," Parker said.

The European Chamber singled out one of the law's stipulations that permits China tit-for-tat retaliation against any country that discriminates against Chinese investment.

"This clause allows for political issues to influence investor-state relations, and gives China power to take unilateral action," the European chamber said.
Washington (AFP) - Similarities between the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, confirmed by black box data, have focused attention on an anti-stalling system used in the new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) is an automated safety feature on the 737 Max 8 designed to prevent the plane from entering into a stall, or losing lift.

Both the Lion Air jet, which crashed in October, killing 189 people, and the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft, which went down a week ago Sunday, leaving 157 people dead, were fitted with the system.

Both planes experienced similarly erratic steep climbs and descents and fluctuating airspeeds before crashing shortly after takeoff.

A malfunction of the system was implicated in the Lion Air accident in Indonesia.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said findings from the crash site and "newly refined satellite data" warranted "further investigation of the possibility of a shared cause for the two incidents."

The 737 Max 8 and 9 have been grounded worldwide since the Ethiopia crash, and on Friday industry sources said Boeing plans to upgrade the MCAS system in the "coming weeks."

MCAS was introduced by Boeing on the 737 Max 8 because its heavier, more fuel-efficient engines changed the aerodynamic qualities of the workhorse aircraft and can cause the plane's nose to pitch up in certain conditions during manual flight.

Angle of attack sensors on the aircraft tell the MCAS to automatically point the nose of the plane down if it is in danger of going into a stall.

This is done through horizontal stabilizers on the plane's tail which are activated by the aircraft's flight control computer.

According to Boeing, MCAS does not control the plane during normal flight but "improves the behavior of the airplane" during "non-normal" situations.

These could be steep turns or after takeoff when a plane is climbing with flaps up at speeds that are close to stall speed.

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According to the flight data recorder, the pilots of Lion Air Flight 610 struggled to control the aircraft as the automated MCAS system repeatedly pushed the plane's nose down following takeoff.

The pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines plane reported similar difficulty before the aircraft plunged into the ground shortly after takeoff.

- Boeing was criticized -

A preliminary report on the Lion Air Flight 610 accident blamed it in part on a faulty angle of attack sensor that triggered the MCAS system and automatically forced the plane's nose down.

Pilots flying the same Lion Air plane the previous day had managed to override the automated flight control system.

Boeing came in for some criticism after the Lion Air crash for allegedly failing to adequately inform 737 pilots about the functioning of MCAS or provide training about the system.

Following the Lion Air crash, Boeing issued a bulletin to airlines operating the 737 Max 8 advising pilots how to override the MCAS system.

The US aircraft manufacturer issued a statement on Monday saying it was too early to understand the cause of the Ethiopian Airlines accident.

Boeing also said it was working on a software update to the MCAS system which would be deployed across the 737 Max fleet.

On Sunday, CEO Dennis Muilenberg said the company was finalizing the software update and pilot training linked to the MCAS.

"Boeing is finalizing its development of a previously-announced software update and pilot training revision that will address the MCAS flight control law's behavior in response to erroneous sensor inputs," Muilenburg said in a statement.

Boeing had also previously said procedures already exist to "safely handle the unlikely event of erroneous data coming from an angle of attack (AOA) sensor," the suspected cause of the Lion Air crash.

"The pilot will always be able to override the flight control law (MCAS) using electric trim or manual trim," the aircraft manufacturer said.

The manufacturer has described the Max series as its fastest-selling family of planes, with more than 5,000 orders placed to date from about 100 customers.

But not since the 1970s -- when the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 suffered successive fatal incidents -- has a new model been involved in two deadly accidents in such a short period.
By Aaron Maasho and Leigh Thomas

ADDIS ABABA/PARIS (Reuters) - Investigators seeking the cause of the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that killed all 157 people on board have begun studying the cockpit voice recorder, France's BEA air accident investigation agency said on Saturday.

Downloading the data from the recorder retrieved from wreckage of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane was expected to take four to five hours, a spokesman for the agency said.

The BEA also issued a photo showing the recorder intact but dented by the impact of the plane's crash into a field on Sunday minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopian carrier said DNA testing of the remains of the people on board flight 302 may take up to six months, and it offered bereaved families charred earth from the plane crash site to bury. Passengers from more than 30 nations were aboard.

As families wait for the results from the investigation into the cause of the crash, Ethiopian Airlines is planning to hold a service on Sunday in Addis Ababa, at the Kidist Selassie, or Holy Trinity Cathedral, where many of the country's past rulers are buried beneath its pink stone spires.

"We were told by the company that we will be given a kilo (of earth) each for burial at Selassie Church for a funeral they will organise," said one family member who asked not to be named.

Papers given to the families at the Skylight Hotel on Saturday said death certificates would be issued within two weeks, and an initial payment made to cover immediate expenses.

The return of remains - most of which are charred and fragmented - would take up to six months, the papers said, but in the meantime earth from the crash site would be given.

Abdulmajid Sheriff, a Kenyan whose Yemeni brother-in-law died, said the family had already held a service.

"We are Muslims we didn't care about that (earth). We did yesterday our prayers at the mosque and that is all for us."

Experts say it is too soon to know what caused the crash, but aviation authorities worldwide have grounded Boeing's 737 MAXs, as concerns over the plane caused the company's share price to tumble.

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Flight data has already indicated some similarities with a crash by the same model of plane during a Lion Air flight in October. All 189 people onboard were killed. Both planes crashed within minutes of take off after pilots reported problems.

France's air accident investigation agency said on Saturday it was working on the Ethiopian flight's black boxes in coordination with teams from Boeing as well as U.S. and EU aviation safety authorities.

The grounding of the 737 MAX jets has had no immediate financial impact on airlines using the planes, but it will get painful for the industry the longer they do not fly, companies and analysts said on Friday.

Boeing plans to release upgraded software for the 737 MAX in a week to 10 days, sources familiar with the matter said.

The U.S. planemaker has been working on a software upgrade for an anti-stall system and pilot displays on its fastest-selling jetliner in the wake of the deadly Lion Air crash.

(Additional reporting by Maggie Fick; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Alexander Smith and Mark Potter, William Maclean)
Brussels (AFP) - The EU's anti-trust regulator is to slap tech giant Google with a new fine over unfair competition practices, sources told AFP on Friday.

Brussels has targeted the Silicon Valley firm's AdSense advertising service, saying it restricts some client websites from displaying ads from third parties.

The decision in the long-running case, first reported by the Financial Times, is the latest anti-trust salvo against Google, which has already received nearly seven billion euros in EU fines.

Two sources close to the matter said the verdict would land next week, most likely on Wednesday.

"We are in the process of finalising the AdSense case," EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said earlier this week.

In July 2018, the US giant was ordered to pay a record 4.34 billion euros for abusing the dominant position of Android, its smartphone operating system, to help assure the supremacy of its search engine.

A year earlier it slapped Google with a fine of 2.42 billion euros for abusing its dominant position by favouring its "Google Shopping" price comparison service in search results.

Google has appealed both decisions to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
(Reuters) - Shares of Facebook Inc fell as much as 5 percent on Friday to their lowest in nearly three months after the surprise departure of Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, at a time when the company is again being scrutinized over its handling of privacy, extremism and political content. Cox, a Wall Street favorite who has worked with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for 13 years, led the social network's business development team and helped define the business model of its messaging service WhatsApp. "We believe Cox played a critical role in establishing FB's mission, values, and culture, and he was extremely well-regarded inside and outside the company, including by Wall Street," JPMorgan analysts wrote in a research note. Also departing is WhatsApp Vice President Chris Daniels, adding to a string of recent high-profile exits from Facebook's product and communications teams. Facebook, Twitter and Google were also facing another round of public discussions over extremist content on their platforms on Friday, after video footage of mass shootings in New Zealand was live streamed and widely shared online. "The live-streaming of New Zealand's shooting will certainly bring on more questions of regulation and scrutiny over Facebook. It helped provide a platform for today's horrific attack and will undoubtedly be called into question for facilitating the spread of this," said Clement Thibault, analyst at global financial markets platform Investing.com. The gunman, who was part of attacks that killed 49 people in New Zealand, broadcast live footage on Facebook of the attack on one of the mosques, leading to calls for more content moderation by the social network. Britain's interior minister Sajid Javid said social media firms must take action to stop extremism on their channels after Friday's shootings. "You really need to do more @YouTube @Google @facebook @Twitter to stop violent extremism being promoted on your platforms," Javid wrote on Twitter. The social media companies have said they would take down content involving the mass shootings, which were posted online as the attack unfolded. Facebook has been investing heavily to weed out fake content from its platform and has hired thousands of employees for moderating content and suspended hundreds of suspicious accounts in different countries. The company's shares were down 2.5 percent at $165.83 in midday trade. (Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Patrick Graham and Bernard Orr)
Associated Press

The NCAA has placed the Auburn men's basketball program on four years probation for unethical conduct involving former associate head coach Chuck Person and imposed a two-game suspension on coach Bruce Pearl for failing to monitor his assistant and adequately promote compliance. An NCAA Committee on Infractions panel issued its findings Friday. The NCAA, however, mostly accepted Auburn's self-imposed penalties in the case dating back to September 2017, when FBI agents arrested Person as part of a wide-ranging investigation into corruption in college basketball.
Caracas (AFP) - A German reporter held by Venezuelan authorities for four months flew back home Sunday after being conditionally released, a Venezuelan NGO said.

Billy Six, 32, "is in the air right now, flying from Caracas," Carlos Correa, head of the Espacio Publico non-governmental group that defends free speech, told AFP.

The organization published a photo on Twitter showing the German in a plane making the sign of a "V" for victory with his fingers.

Arrests of media employees have increased in recent months as President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido duel over who is the legitimate president of the economically-devastated stricken country.

Six was arrested in northern Falcon state on November 17 for allegedly photographing Maduro at a proximity deemed too close by the leader's minders.

After being held for four months by the Venezuelan intelligence service -- during which he staged a brief hunger strike -- he was released on Friday with orders to report to court every two weeks, Espacio Publico said.

But Correa said that, as he had no specific ban on leaving the country, Six "considered it best" to return to Germany.

"We were able to speak to him," said Correa. "He is doing well. He is in good spirits."

Six had complained earlier in a letter that he was being refused a chance to defend himself and that he had been denied the results of medical tests conducted after he contracted dengue fever.

His case, at first taken up by a military tribunal, was later transferred to a civil court in Caracas.

The freelance reporter had been in Venezuela to investigate drug trafficking, smuggling and human trafficking -- and the exodus of Venezuelans forced to migrate due to the economic crisis.

Espacio Publico and journalists' associations in Venezuela accuse Maduro's government of systematically limiting access and movements of journalists.

About 50 arrests of journalists have been recorded by Espacio Publico this year in Venezuela.

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Guaido, head of the opposition-controlled legislature, declared himself interim president at a public rally on January 23, saying that an election widely viewed as a sham last year meant Maduro was a "usurper."

The opposition leader is backed by more than 50 countries, including Germany and the United States.

On March 7, Maduro's government expelled the German ambassador, accusing him of "meddling" in domestic affairs.
Thessaloniki (Greece) (AFP) - Two thousand people held a silent march in Greece's second city Thessaloniki on Sunday, marking the anniversary of the departure in 1943 of the first train taking members of its Jewish community to the Auschwitz death camp.

Participants held white balloons bearing the message "Never Again". They gathered at the city's old railway station where that train pulled out on March 15, 1943.

Among those present for the 76th anniversary commemoration was Jurgen Haus, grandson of a German soldier, who expressed his "deep regret" for the actions of his Nazi forebears.

"I am here to break the silence... I love Israel, I cannot remain silent in the face of antisemitism," he said in a speech.

Holocaust survivors Heinz Kounio and Achileas Koukovinos were honoured during the commemorations.

Thessaloniki had a population of more than 50,000 Jews before World War II some 46,000 of whom were deported and killed at German Nazi death camps.

Before the deportations started the community in the city, which mainly comprised Sephardic Jews chased out of Spain in 1492, had developed to the point where it earned the nickname the "Jerusalem of the Balkans".

But then came the horrors of 1943, when virtually all of the town's Jews were deported, just four percent of them surviving the Nazi death camps to which they were dispatched

In recent years, Thessaloniki has held commemorations in mid-March instigated by mayor Yannis Boutaris to remember the first of the convoys of Jews rounded up and sent off to the camps from Thessaloniki's railway station. Sunday's turnout was the biggest yet.

Before that the fate of Greek Jews had become something of a taboo subject.

It was only in 2004 that teaching about the Shoah became compulsory in Greece and ten years later that a monument would be erected at the site of the former Jewish cemetery which the Germans razed and where the city university now stands.

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Last year Israeli President Reuven Rivlin visited to lay the first stone of Thessaloniki's 7,000 square metre (75,000 square feet) Holocaust Museum, financed by Germany and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and which is due to open in 2020.

However antisemitism showed its ugly face again in January when the Jewish Memorial Cemetery in Thessaloniki was vandalised two days before Holocaust Memorial Day.

The Jewish Memorial Cemetery was constructed on the site of an old Jewish Cemetery that was destroyed by the German Nazis forces occupying Greece during World War Two.
When Afghan refugee Abdul Aziz saw a man brandishing a gun outside his mosque in Christchurch, he ran towards the attacker armed with the only weapon he could find -- a hand-held credit card machine.

Seven people were killed when a white supremacist stormed Linwood Masjid -- the second mosque he attacked on Friday -- as worshippers knelt to pray.

But the death toll could have been much higher if not for the heroic actions of Aziz, an Australian citizen, whose efforts to distract and chase the gunman away have attracted widespread praise.

"You don't have much time to think, whatever you think of, you just do it, you know," Aziz told AFP, brushing off the "hero" tag as local Muslims gathered to thank him for saving relatives and friends.

"I just wanted to save as much lives as I could, even if I lose my life."

Aziz and his four sons were worshipping at the mosque when they heard the loud cracks of gunfire outside the building.

Initially thinking someone was setting off firecrackers, Aziz became suspicious and ran out of the mosque, grabbing a small credit card processing device.

Outside, he was stunned to find an armed man wearing military-style fatigues.

"At first, I didn't know if he was the good guy or the bad guy. But when he started swearing, I knew he was not the good guy," he said.

Aziz hurled the machine at Tarrant and then ducked between cars as the self-confessed fascist unleashed a barrage of shots at him.

Aziz then heard one of his sons call out, "Daddy, please come back inside!"

Unhurt, he picked up an empty shotgun the gunman had discarded and shouted "come on here" repeatedly in an effort to draw him away from his sons and the other worshippers.

"When he see the gun in my hands, I don't know what happened, he dropped the gun and I chased him with my own gun... I managed to throw the gun on his car and smash the car window, and I could see he was a bit frightened."

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The 48-year-old kept chasing the attacker as he sped off in his car. The gunman was apprehended by two armed police officers soon afterwards.

Aziz returned to the mosque where he was met by scenes of carnage. Dead bodies were strewn around the mosque, among them his close friends.

"When I close my eyes, I still see bodies everywhere," he said. "We are all still in shock, but what can you do. You cannot bring them back."

Then came another shock.

Aziz said police who arrived after the shooting blocked him from re-entering the mosque, thinking he might have been the gunman as he was seen earlier with the weapon.

"For a long time, I didn't know if my kids were alive or dead or injured because I couldn't go inside the mosque," Aziz said. He later found out all his sons had survived.

Aziz arrived in Australia as a child refugee. He lived in Sydney for almost three decades before moving to Christchurch two-and-a-half years ago.

He says he has nothing but contempt for the attacker.

"A lot of people tell him he is a gunman. But... a man never hurts anybody. He is not a man -- he is a coward," Aziz said.

He said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from his neighbours after the attacks.

"There's very nice people around here. When I went home last night, my wife told me all the neighbours, they sent flowers... cards, foods, cakes. They showed all their love.

"That's why I love New Zealand -- you won't get that sort of love and that sort of respect anywhere."
Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the Chuck Hagel Forum in Global Leadership on Feb. 28. (Photo: Nati Harnik/AP)

DOVER, Del.  For a brief moment, former Vice President Joe Biden placed himself in the crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates during a speech on Saturday night. Biden seemingly described himself as one of the people running while noting he gets criticized by some progressives.

I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the United Biden said, then quickly corrected himself to say, of anybody who would run. I didnt mean it! Of anybody who would run.

The former vice presidents speech was the keynote of the First State Democratic Dinner at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino. Bidens appearance in his home state came amid mounting rumors and speculation he will enter the 2020 presidential race.

Asked about the running remark, Biden spokesperson Bill Russo pointed to the second half of the sentence in which Biden corrected himself. During his career, Biden has earned a reputation for verbal misfires. A volunteer for the former vice president who was in the ballroom for the speech described the comment as a mistake.

He did not announce. That was the slip of the tongue, said the volunteer, who declined to be identified by name.

As he has inched closer toward entering the presidential race, Biden has faced criticism from progressives who believe he is too moderate. Critics have pointed to his tough stance on crime when he served in the U.S. Senate, for instance. Biden has also faced backlash for a speech he gave last month in which he called the current vice president, Mike Pence, a decent guy.

Bidens speech on Saturday was in many ways unapologetically moderate. He noted that his home state has become known for the Delaware way where political rivals dont demonize or belittle each other. Biden also said Delaware Democrats might even say a nice word about a Republican when they do something good. Biden suggested America should have more of this type of consensus on the national stage.

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We need a little more of the Delaware way, Biden said, adding that our current politics is so mean, petty and vicious.

Despite his largely conciliatory tone, Biden offered an aggressive critique of President Trump and said our Democracy is under threat by the current administration. Specifically, Biden blasted Trumps 2017 response to the neo-Nazi rallies in Charlottesville, Va., as well as the presidents attacks on the free press, Congress and the independent judiciary.

The president is systematically tearing down the guardrails of our democracy, Biden said.

Biden also criticized Trump for endangering what he described as the bargain that built the middle class with his tax policies and cuts to social programs.

Theyve made a basic value judgement theyd rather reward the superwealthy and hope something trickles down than help anyone else, Biden said of Republicans.

As he leveled these criticisms, Biden once again seemed to hint at a coming campaign.

Youre going to hear a hell of a lot more about it from me, said Biden.

Even as he declared there is a raging battle for the soul of America, Biden struck a hopeful tone and repeatedly said this country has a higher capacity for greatness than any other.

As tough as things are right now, Im optimistic, he said. Its not about me and whether I run or not  and I mean that sincerely  its about the capacity to restore America and once again become that shining city on the hill.

While Biden stopped just short of launching a presidential bid, his fellow Delaware Democrats all seemed primed for him to enter the race. As he took the stage, Biden was greeted with chants of Run Joe! Run! Speaking to reporters before the speech, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons indicated that, whether or not the night included an announcement, he expects Biden will throw his hat into the ring.

I am very optimistic that Joe Biden will announce soon. I dont know about tonight  I would be surprised, but its possible that the energy and passion of the room will lead him to do something bold and unexpected here, Coons said, adding, I do think he is all but certain to run.  He is 95 percent there.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Jerusalem (AFP) - The main challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in April elections wants an investigation into leaks that led to stories about his phone being hacked, suggesting the premier's allies were behind the leak.

Israel's Channel 12 television reported last week that Benny Gantz's telephone had been hacked by Iranian intelligence.

Gantz, a former military chief of staff, later confirmed the hack without saying who was behind it, but added there was nothing on the phone that could be used to blackmail him.

A Gantz ally has since said Iran was not behind the hack.

In a letter sent to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Saturday, Gantz's lawyers called for a urgent investigation into the leak of the information.

"There is no denying that there is a series of indications... that the leak would have come from a certain office located in Jerusalem," the letter said, adding however that there should be an investigation and not speculation over the leak's source.

Israeli media reported that domestic security agency Shin Bet informed him of the hack of his phone five weeks ago.

Yair Lapid, a former finance minister who joined forces with Gantz to form their Blue and White electoral alliance, said that Netanyahu's "use of sensitive security materials to try and besmirch Benny Gantz proves he's afraid of him".

Netanyahu's office has said that the premier was not updated by the head of the Shin Bet on the affair.

Opinion polls show Gantz's centrist alliance could win the most seats in April 9 elections, but it is unclear whether it would be able to assemble enough parties for a coalition.
Managua (AFP) - Riot police in Nicaragua used tear gas against opposition demonstrators and reporters on Saturday, temporarily detaining over a hundred people after they attempted to protest for the release of opponents to President Daniel Ortega's government.

Ortega has opened a tentative dialogue process with the opposition in recent weeks in an effort to bring an end to a broad movement against his iron-fisted rule that began last year.

But the issue of political prisoners remains a strain on the talks.

Police said that they had arrested 107 people at the would-be demonstration. They were later released.

An AFP journalist at the scene said the police deployed tear gas and bullets against protesters, and seized the equipment of journalists covering the scene.

Earlier, opposition members reported that at least 30 people were arrested for trying to take part in Saturday's demonstration, which ultimately did not take place.

Family members said that among the arrested were ex-rebel Monica Baltodano and her sister Sofia Arce.

Two opposition negotiators also were believed to be among those arrested.

More than 700 people were detained during a deadly crackdown on rallies that began last April that began over controversial pension reform but grew into a mass movement against Ortega.

The crackdown left at least 325 people dead between April and October, while thousands of Nicaraguans fled the unrest.

The opposition accuses Ortega, a 73-year-old former Sandinista rebel leader, of running a corrupt, cruel and incompetent leftist dictatorship in the poor Central American country.
A one-time gym trainer from rural Australia who became steeped in neo-fascist ideology during travels in Europe, Brenton Tarrant described himself as an "ordinary white man" -- until he became anything but ordinary.

The gunman behind the massacre of 49 people in two New Zealand mosques flashed a white power sign during a brief court appearance Saturday, but he was not on any terrorist watch-list and appeared to have no criminal history.

Tarrant, 28, grew up in the small town of Grafton in northern New South Wales, where he graduated high school before earning some fitness qualifications and going on to find work at a local gym in 2009.

The gym's owner, Tracey Gray, described him as a hard-working trainer but said he appeared to have been changed by his travels in Europe and Asia -- which social media posts suggested included trips as far afield as Pakistan and North Korea.

"I think something must have changed in him during the years he spent travelling overseas," Gray told national broadcaster ABC.

"Somewhere along the lines, experiences or a group have got a hold of him," she said.

Gray's speculation was backed up by a rambling, hate-filled, manifesto Tarrant posted to social media ahead of the Christchurch killings.

In the 74-page screed, he says he first began considering an attack in April and May of 2017 while travelling in France and elsewhere in Western Europe.

He mentions being shocked at the "invasion" of French cities by immigrants and his "despair" at the French presidential vote that year which saw pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron defeat his far-right opponent Marine Le Pen.

In a brief biographical sketch included in his manifesto, Tarrant describes himself as "just a ordinary white man... born in Australia to a working class, low income family".

His childhood was "regular" and, he insisted, issue-free. He "barely" achieved a passing grade in school and had no interest in pursuing higher education.

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According to media reports, his father died of cancer in 2010 and gym owner Gray said she believed he had a mother and sister still living in Grafton.

Tarrant left the gym in 2011 and his travels, he says, were funded by money he made investing in Bitconnect -- an open source cryptocurrency that collapsed in early 2018 amid charges it was a glorified Ponzi scheme.

Two modified semi-automatic weapons -- reportedly AR-15s -- two shotguns and a lever-action gun were used in Friday's deadly rampage, and photos of the weaponry with distinctive writing on them were posted on social media days before.

Scrawled in English and several Eastern European languages were the names of numerous historical military figures -- many of them Europeans involved in fighting the Ottoman forces in the 15th and 16th centuries. A few took part in the Crusades, centuries earlier.

Ankara on Friday said it was investigating Tarrant's multiple visits to Turkey, and who he might have met while he was there.

The Bulgarian government has also said it was looking into Tarrant, who apparently visited the country late last year, as well as having earlier travelled to other parts of the Balkans -- including Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Tarrant's manifesto said he took "inspiration" from other right-wing extremists including racist Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik, who murdered 77 people in Norway in 2011 motivated by his hatred of multiculturalism.

Tarrant described Oswald Mosley, a notorious British fascist leader and anti-Semite from the 1930s, as "the person from history closest to my own beliefs".
A Pakistani victim of the Christchurch attack who apparently tried to tackle the gunman before being shot dead will be awarded posthumously in his home country for his courage, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Sunday.

Khan spoke as the Pakistani foreign office confirmed that nine of its citizens had been killed in the mass shootings at two mosques in the New Zealand city which claimed the lives of 50 people Friday, including many who had emigrated from around the world.

Video of the massacre shows one man gunned down as he approaches the shooter, while others flee.

The man is believed to be Naeem Rashid, although his face is blurred in the footage and he has yet to be formally identified.

"Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognised with a national award," Khan tweeted on Sunday.

Pakistan has several awards to recognise civilian bravery, and Khan did not specify which one would be awarded to Rashid, whose son also died in the massacre.

Rashid's elder brother Khurshid Alam told AFP in the northwestern Pakistani city of Abbottabad that the award "means a lot" to his family.

"I feel very proud," he said, calling the loss of his brother and nephew a "big, big shock".

Naeem, he said, had visited the family last year, staying for two months.

"We had a lovely time. He was a man who would be like a kid with children, and like an adult with grown-ups," Alam said.

- Suspect visited Pakistan -

Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the award would be given on March 23, Pakistan Day.

He confirmed that nine Pakistani citizens had been killed in the attack while one was in critical condition.

One "is still not out of danger but he is being treated", he told reporters in Islamabad without identifying the victim.

Qureshi said families of six of the victims have decided to bury them in Christchurch, while the other three want to bring the remains to Pakistan.

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"Whatever the families will decide, we will respect it and fulfil their wishes," he said, adding that flags will be flown at half-mast in Pakistan on Monday in honour of the victims.

Officials in Pakistan's picturesque northern areas also confirmed that the main suspect, 28-year-old white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, had visited the region as a tourist in October, staying for more than a week.

Syed Israr Hussain, owner of Osho Thang Hotel in Minapin Nagar, told AFP: "(Tarrant) ... stayed for two days before leaving for Khunjerab (Pass, on the border with China).

"He was a decent and quiet guy."

He said he remembered Tarrant among the many tourists who visit the region "because he was so impressed by the area, and said he had heard so many negative things about Pakistan but he found it the opposite".

Tarrant's alleged involvement in the massacre left him "surprised and shocked", he said.

Tarrant is also believed to have visited Gilgit and Skardu in the mountainous north.
A police van outside Makkah Mosque in Leeds (PA)

British police patrolled mosques in London, Manchester and Birmingham on Friday following the terror attacks in New Zealand which left 49 people dead.

The head of British counter-terror police said his officers would stand together with Muslim communities across the country in the wake of the deadly attacks.

Today we will be stepping up reassurance patrols around mosques and increasing engagement with communities of all faith, giving advice on how people and places can protect themselves, said Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu.

We are standing together with our Muslim communities and all those shocked and horrified by this terrorist attack in New Zealand.

A police officer stands opposite Finsbury Park Mosque in London, ahead of the Friday prayer service, following the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand.

West Midlands Police assistant chief constable Matt Ward said there was no intelligence suggesting an increased threat but said patrols were needed because of what happened elsewhere.

Officers will be engaging with key religious buildings today to reassure local people, he said.

We will continue to work closely together and unite against those who seek, through violence and extremism, to intimidate or cause fear.

Christian James Lynch, from Riverside Church, hands out flowers to Muslims as they leave Birmingham Central Mosque as Friday prayers finish after the attack on the Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand.

There have been attacks carried out on British mosques in recent years, most notably that by Darren Osborne who was jailed for 43 years after driving into a crowd at Finsbury Parkl mosque and killing one person.

Assistant chief constable Russ Jackson, of Greater Manchester Police, said: We will be working hard to reassure them and communities of all faiths.

We have nothing to suggest a threat locally but regardless of this we want to reassure people and so we will be increasing patrols in and around local mosques.

Imam Qari Asim talks to PC Plumber as he visits the Makkah Mosque in Leeds to lend assurance following the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon expressed solidarity with the Muslim community after attackers opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers.

On behalf of the Scottish Government and the people of Scotland I extend my thoughts to the people of New Zealand and everyone affected by the horrific attacks in Christchurch, she said.

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The UK authorities were not alone in authorising such patrols.

A policeman looks at flowers following the attack on the Finsbury Park mosque (PA)

Read More

YouTube and Facebook criticised for streaming footage

Racist Australian senator condemned for anti-Muslim comments

YouTube star PewdiePie sickened after gunman uses his name

In France security measures near religious sites were also stepped up.

Mr Basu said British counter-terror police were monitoring events in New Zealand closely.

He added: Our international network of UK counter terrorism officers will be ready to support our counterparts in New Zealand in responding to and investigating this appalling attack.

We stand together with all our communities and partners here in the UK and overseas.
By Joseph Ax and Charlotte Greenfield LEBANON, N.H./CHRISTCHURCH (Reuters) - The Friday massacre at two New Zealand mosques, live-streamed to the world, was not the first time that violent crimes have been broadcast on the internet, but trying to stop the spread of a video once it has been posted online has turned into a virtual game of whack-a-mole. The livestream of the mass shooting, which left 49 dead, lasted for 17 minutes. Facebook said it acted to remove the video after being alerted to it by New Zealand police shortly after the livestream began. But hours after the attack copies of the video were still available on Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube, as well as Facebook-owned Instagram and WhatsApp. Once a video is posted online, people who want to spread the material race to action. The New Zealand live Facebook broadcast was rapidly repackaged and distributed by internet users across other social media platforms within minutes. Other violent crimes that have been live-streamed on the internet include a father in Thailand in 2017 who broadcast himself killing his daughter on Facebook Live. After more than a day, and 370,000 views, Facebook removed the video. In the United States, the assault in Chicago of an 18-year-old man with special needs, accompanied by anti-white racial taunts, in 2017, and the fatal shooting of a man in Cleveland, Ohio, that same year, were also live-streamed. Facebook has spent years building artificial intelligence and in May 2017 it promised to hire another 3,000 people to speed the removal of videos showing murder, suicide and other violent acts. Still, the problem persists. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on Friday all said they were taking action to remove the videos. "Police alerted us to a video on Facebook shortly after the livestream commenced and we quickly removed both the shooters Facebook and Instagram accounts and the video," Facebook tweeted. "We're also removing any praise or support for the crime and the shooter or shooters as soon as were aware." Twitter said it had "rigorous processes and a dedicated team in place for managing exigent and emergency situations" such as this. "We also cooperate with law enforcement to facilitate their investigations as required," it said. YouTube said: "Please know we are working vigilantly to remove any violent footage." Frustrated with years of similar obscene online crises, politicians around the globe on Friday voiced the same conclusion: social media is failing. As the New Zealand massacre video continued to spread, former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark in televised remarks said social media platforms had been slow to close down hate speech. "Whats going on here?" she said, referring to the shooter's ability to livestream for 17 minutes. I think this will add to all the calls around the world for more effective regulation of social media platforms. COPIES SPREAD After Facebook stopped the livestream from New Zealand, it told moderators to delete from its network any copies of the footage. "All content praising, supporting and representing the attack and the perpetrator(s) should be removed from our platform," Facebook instructed content moderators in India, according to an email seen by Reuters. Users intent on sharing the violent video took several approaches - doing so at times with an almost military precision. Copies of the footage reviewed by Reuters showed that some users had recorded the video playing on their own phones or computers to create a new version with a digital fingerprint different from the original. Others shared shorter sections or screenshots from the gunmans livestream, which would also be harder for a computer program to identify. On internet discussion forum Reddit, users actively planned and strategized to avoid the actions of content moderators, directing each other to sharing platforms which had yet to take action and sharing downloaded copies of the video privately. Facebook on Friday acknowledged the challenge and said it was responding to new user reports. "To detect new instances of the video, we are using our artificial intelligence for graphic violence" as well as audio technology and looking for new accounts impersonating the alleged shooter, it said. "We are adding each video we find to an internal data base which enables us to detect and automatically remove copies of the video when uploaded." Politicians in multiple countries said social media companies need to take ownership of the problem. "Tech companies have a responsibility to do the morally right thing. I dont care about your profits," Democratic U.S. Senator Cory Booker, who is running for president, said at a campaign event in New Hampshire. "This is a case where youre giving a platform for hate," he said. "Thats unacceptable, it should have never happened, and it should have been taken down a lot more swiftly." Britain's interior minister, Sajid Javid, also said the companies need to act. "You really need to do more @YouTube @Google @facebook @Twitter to stop violent extremism being promoted on your platforms," Javid wrote on Twitter. "Take some ownership. Enough is enough." (Reporting by Joseph Ax in New Hampshire and Charlotte Greenfield in Christchurch, New Zealand; Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington, Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru and Paresh Dave in San Francisco; Writing by Peter Henderson, Miyoung Kim and Jack Stubbs; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Baghuz (Syria) (AFP) - Trudging up an ochre cliff-face in eastern Syria, veiled women, wounded men and dusty children make a final journey out of the Islamic State group's crumbling redoubt.

Under the drizzle of a dark brewing sky, their exodus Thursday from the last dregs of the extremist group's "caliphate" in eastern Syria has tones of an apocalypse.

They are hundreds to plod up the steep winding dust path, in silence only broken by the odd crackling of machine-guns and the cries of young children.

Fleeing their smoldering encampment in the riverside village of Baghouz, they walk into territory held by the US-backed Syrian forces who have been fighting them for months.

Women dressed from head to toe in black stumble under the weight of bags bulging with belongings -- one with a toothbrush poking out.

A woman clutches to her chest a baby swaddled in a coloured blanket. Another carries two toddlers, one on each hip.

Another still loses her balance, but her companions catch her as she falls, then push and pull to bring her back onto her feet.

A little girl trips and falls in the dirt, losing a tiny pink sandal. She puts the shoe back on, and carries on.

By her side, her brother moves forward on his hands and knees.

Their mother has her hands full with their belongings, and appears unable to help.

- Blood stains -

As she catches a glimpse of journalists, a dust-covered little girl bursts into tears.

A woman wearing a wide brown-coloured velvet robe, limps forward. She stubs her toe, wailing briefly in pain.

The hundreds leaving are mainly IS fighters and their families, forces fighting them say.

The men are of all ages, many are wounded. They are hunched over on crutches. One has an eye patch, the other an arm in a sling.

Dried blood stains streak grubby beige trousers.

Some men are wrapped in thick woollen kaftans, but nearly all sport thick black or greying beards.

"The situation is dramatic -- you know that," one of the men says.

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His face wrapped in a red-and-white scarf so only his eyes are visible, one man makes his way on crutches improvised out of tree branches.

An old man hobbles up, his calf smothered in bandages, his arm around a US-backed fighter helping him along.

"I come from the country of Imam Bukhari -- Uzbekistan," he says, referring to the Uzbekistan-born ninth century Islamic scholar.

"The camp. Many wounded," he says in Arabic with a faint accent.

- Pushchairs abandoned -

Among those leaving the last patch of the "caliphate" declared in 2014 when it stretched across a swathe of Syria and Iraq, many are foreigners.

Some men say they are Iraqis. Some children appear to hail from Asia, while another is blond.

A black man tries to hide his face from the cameras.

At the top of the hill, they will be searched and men suspected of being IS fighters detained.

Women and children will be trucked north to already overcrowded camps for the displaced.

The edge of the path is littered with baggage abandoned along the way: pushchairs, clothes, blankets, suitcases left gaping open.

An official from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces says the cliff-side path is the only one protected from jihadist fire.

"When there are heavy clashes, people use this passage," SDF spokesman Adnan Afrin says.

Among the latest wave, a man concealing his face under a black scarf carries the arched, motionless body of a young boy across his arms.

The barefoot boy's T-shirt is pulled up, revealing skin stretched over a skinny belly, ribs jutting out.

"Wounded," the man tells journalists, his eyes remaining fixed in front on him.
* May seeks to save her Brexit deal

* May to warn of 'Hotel California Brexit'- Times

* Northern Irish DUP in talks with government

* May tells lawmakers: Approve my deal by March 21

* May to attend EU summit on March 21-22 (Recasts, adds May's comments)

By Andrew MacAskill

LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May's warned lawmakers that unless they approved her Brexit divorce deal after two crushing defeats, Britain's exit from the European Union could face a long delay and could involve taking part in European parliament elections.

After two-and-a-half years of tortuous divorce negotiations with the EU, the final outcome is still uncertain with options including a long delay, exiting with May's deal, a disorderly exit without a deal or even another referendum.

May issued Brexit supporters an ultimatum: ratify her deal by a European Council summit on March 21 or face a delay to Brexit way beyond June 30 that would open up the possibility that the divorce could be ultimately thwarted.

The prime minister bluntly warned that Britain will be forced to take part in European parliamentary elections expected to place at the end of May if there is a longer extension to Brexit talks.

"If the proposal were to go back to square one and negotiate a new deal, that would mean a much longer extension  almost certainly requiring the United Kingdom to participate in the European Parliament elections in May," she said in an article in the Sunday Telegraph.

"The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. There could be no more potent symbol of parliament's collective political failure."

The Sunday Times said May will warn Brexit supporters that unless they support her deal they will face a "Hotel California Brexit" where you can check out, but never leave.

EU leaders will consider pressing Britain to delay Brexit by at least a year to find a way out of the domestic maelstrom, though there is shock and growing impatience at the political chaos in London.

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Her deal, an attempt to keep close relations with the EU while leaving the bloc's formal structures, was defeated by 230 votes in parliament on Jan. 15 and by 149 votes on March 12.

But May continues to fight to build support for her plan, which is expected to put before lawmakers for a third time next week, possibly on Tuesday.

To get it through parliament, the prime minister must win over dozens of Brexit-supporting rebels in her own Conservative Party and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which props up her minority government.

"I know that I will have to do more to convince others, as well as the DUP, if I am to succeed in finally securing a majority for the deal," May said.

The DUP said on Saturday it is continuing to hold talks with the government but differences remained over the Irish border.

The proposed changes would address the most contentious part of the divorce deal - an insurance policy aimed at avoiding controls on the sensitive border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

The DUP is also demanding a seat at post-Brexit trade talks as its price for supporting her deal, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

But the opposition Labour Party's finance policy chief John McDonnell said on Saturday he was concerned that Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond's presence during the talks on Friday means the government might have offered the DUP money to back the deal.

"It will rightfully be seen by the British electorate as corrupt politics and will demean our political system in the eyes of the world," McDonnell said.

The DUP denied that they were seeking money from the government.

THIRD TIME LUCKY?

After three dramatic days in parliament this week, lawmakers voted on Thursday to have the government ask the EU for a delay beyond the date Britain is scheduled to leave - March 29.

May says she wants to minimise any delay but to achieve that she will need parliament to back her deal at the third time by the middle of next week, possibly on Tuesday.

She needs 75 lawmakers to change their vote. If she can swing the DUP behind her, along with several dozen more Brexit supporters in her own party, she will be getting close to the numbers she needs.

One eurosceptic Conservative lawmaker Daniel Kawczynski said on Saturday he will now back May's deal because otherwise there is a risk Brexit may not happen.

Around 20 Conservatives lawmakers are unlikely ever to be satisfied but she may draw in a small number of opposition Labour lawmakers.

In another sign of how Brexit continues to reshape loyalties in Britain's politics, a senior Conservative lawmaker quit his local party on Saturday due to disagreements over Brexit.

Nick Boles, 53, has been critical of the government's threat to leave the EU without a deal and has faced calls from his local party to be ousted as its candidate for the next general election. {nL8N21308E}

Boles said he could remain aligned with the Conservatives in parliament if it is offered "on acceptable terms."

(Reporting By Andrew MacAskill Editing by Clelia Oziel and Guy Faulconbridge)
Vice Chairman of the HCM City Peoples Committee Le Thanh Liem (R)

congratulates Hungarian Consul General Baloghdi Tibor at the event (Photo: VNA)



Speaking at a ceremony on March 14th, Vice Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Le Thanh Liem expressed his delight at the growth of Vietnam  Hungary relations, stressing that the Vietnamese people always remember Hungarias support for their struggle for independence.



Official development assistance from the Hungarian government has contributed to Vietnams progress in science-technology and health care, while the joint education programmes have been effective, he said.



Liem noted ties between HCM City and Hungary have seen improvements in recent years via stronger cooperation in health capacity training, water management, wastewater treatment, cultural exchange, tourism and trade-investment promotion.



The official said he believes the Consulate General will devise more initiatives to enhance the countries friendship.



Hungarian Consul General Baloghdi Tibor said the seven-decade diplomatic relations are growing strongly thanks to high-level visits exchanged between the two countries leaders, engagements between their legislative bodies, and people-to-people exchange.



He said Vietnam and Hungary have boosted their ties in legislation and defence-security. They have also enhanced trade and investment collaboration in oil, water management, health services and agriculture.



The diplomat said the Consulate General is proud to help connect HCM City with Hungarian localities.



Currently, HCM City is implementing health capacity training programmes with major Hungarian universities like Semmelweis, Pecs and the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest. The Industrial University of HCM City and Hungarian-based Thermo Wat company signed a memorandum of understanding on turning wastewater into electricity.



The southern city and Hungary signed an agreement to establish their cooperation in 2015. They are working on joint projects in health, classical music, and water supply and drainage management./.
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A United Nations envoy condemned Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas on Sunday, accusing the group of violently suppressing peaceful protests.

Since Thursday hundreds of Palestinians have taken to the streets in multiple locations throughout the Gaza Strip, protesting the rising cost of living in the Palestinian enclave.

Dozens have been arrested, including journalists and human rights workers, with security forces using violence to break up the demonstrations, according to rights groups.

"I strongly condemn the campaign of arrests and violence used by Hamas security forces against protesters, including women and children, in Gaza over the past three days," UN envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories Nickolay Mladenov said in a statement.

"I am particularly alarmed by the brutal beating of journalists and staff from the Independent Commission for Human Rights and the raiding of homes."

"The long-suffering people of Gaza were protesting the dire economic situation and demanded an improvement in the quality of life in the Gaza Strip. It is their right to protest without fear of reprisal."

Hamas, which has not yet commented on Mladenov's accusations, has controlled Gaza since pushing out rivals Fatah in 2007.

Since then the group has fought three wars with Israel, with the Jewish state maintaining a crippling blockade of the enclave.
By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) - "Just a ordinary White man, 28 years old," was how Brenton Harrison Tarrant, accused of killing 49 people and injuring more at two mosques in New Zealand, introduced himself to the world in a manifesto circulating online. "Born in Australia to a working class, low income family," he added. Other than that, the country that spawned the man accused of the world's second-deadliest shooting was scrambling for clues about a life that those in his hometown said left little impression until he unleashed a long, articulate screed published online along with a link to a livestream video of the mosque shootings. Under New Zealand's contempt rules, there are limits on what can be published about him, to preserve his right to a fair trial. Although his social media profiles on Facebook and Twitter were taken down soon after news of the incident spread, police said Tarrant had lived in Grafton, an inland city split by a river and known for its logging industry, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of Sydney. In his 74-page manifesto, he said he had gone to the local high school. Grafton High School did not return a Reuters phone call seeking comment. Tarrant said in his document he received "little education during my schooling, barely achieving a passing grade", skipping university to work and deal in cryptocurrency, which he said was profitable. He also became a committed member of his local gym, Big River Squash and Fitness Centre, as a high school student, qualifying as a personal trainer, the Sydney Morning Herald quoted its owner, Tracey Gray, as saying. "He started coming to my facility as a boy that was finishing school and showed a lot of dedication to his own training," the paper quoted Gray as saying. "He never showed any extremist tendencies in conversations I had with him." Tarrant left Grafton around the time of his father's death in about 2011, Gray told the Herald. On Saturday, no one was answering the gym's phone and its Facebook page had been disabled. Grafton Police declined to comment on whether they had any previous dealings with Tarrant, as did the New South Wales state police. New Zealand authorities have said he was not on any watchlists. EXPERIENCES ABROAD Tarrant wrote that he used the spoils of his cryptocurrency dealings to travel in France, Spain and Portugal in 2017. Several countries checked their records after the attacks and discovered that he had also embarked on other travels. A few months before his Western Europe trip, in late 2016, Tarrant visited Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia, where he stopped by historic battle sites, Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov told Reuters. He returned to the region in November 2018 to tour historic sites of Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. His interest showed "a very serious knowledge of the Balkan history in details I would say even few people in the Balkans know," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Elaterid Zachariah said. Tarrant also visited Turkey "multiple times and spent an extended period of time in the country", a senior Turkish official told Reuters, without giving dates. The authorities there were now investigating his movements domestically in the wake of the shooting, added the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media and commented on condition of anonymity. His suspended Facebook page also showed a post from Pakistan in 2018 in which he called the country "an incredible place filled with the most earnest, kind hearted and hospitable people in the world," according to the Herald. In Grafton, which holds a jacaranda festival each October, councillor Greg Clan said the city was conservative with no mosque or significant Muslim population. "Why this particular person from Grafton had a set against Muslims I would not know," he said. "It's just weird, apart from being shocking." (Additional reporting by Paulina Duran and Tom Westbrook in SYDNEY and Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz and Dominic Evans in TURKEY and Tsvetelia Tsolova in BULGARIA; Editing by Gerry Doyle)
Dozens of graves were being dug in a Christchurch cemetery on Monday for the 50 worshippers killed in two mosque attacks, as families clamoured for the return of their dead.

Coroners said they hoped to let grieving relatives fulfil Islamic burial customs soon, but insisted they had to move carefully through their investigation into the horrific multiple murder.

As New Zealand grappled to come to terms with the slaughter -- the worst attack on Muslims in a Western country in modern times -- tales of heroism, suffering and incredible grace emerged.

Farid Ahmad, whose 44-year-old wife Husna was killed as she rushed back into a mosque to rescue him, refused to harbour hatred toward the alleged gunman, Australian-born, self-avowed white nationalist, Brenton Tarrant.

"I would say to him 'I love him as a person'," Ahmad, who uses a wheelchair, told AFP.

Asked if he forgave the 28-year-old suspect, who is being held in custody after appearing in court, he said: "Of course. The best thing is forgiveness, generosity, loving and caring, positivity."

Husna Ahmad was among four women believed to have been killed by Tarrant, who documented his radicalisation and two years of preparations in a lengthy, meandering and conspiracy-filled far-right "manifesto".

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was holding a cabinet meeting Monday to address gun laws and intelligence failures, was among about 30 officials who received the document ahead of the attacks.

"It did not include a location, it did not include specific details," she said, adding that it was sent nine minutes before the rampage and handed to security services within two minutes.

Around Christchurch, New Zealand and the world there have been vigils, prayers, memorials and messages of solidarity.

An emotion-filled haka -- the Maori war dance -- was performed by a New Zealand biker gang to honour the Christchurch dead.

The country remained on high alert, with police on Sunday briefly closing an airport in the southern city of Dunedin -- where Tarrant had lived -- after an unidentified package was spotted on the airfield. The airport re-opened a few hours later.

Story continues

In Australia, counter-terrorism police searched two homes early Monday, both near the town of Grafton where Tarrant grew up.

"The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand police in their ongoing investigation," a police statement said.

- Generations -

Islamic custom dictates that the dead should be buried within 24 hours, but strained authorities -- desperate to make sure no mistakes are made or the complex investigation harmed -- said a quick process was difficult.

"All of the deceased have had a CT scan, their fingerprints are taken, the property they were wearing or had with them is removed," said Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall, adding that dental impressions were taken and post-mortems performed.

Ardern said she expected all the dead would have been returned to their families by Wednesday.

An AFP reporter early Monday saw workers and excavators preparing dozens of graves in Christchurch cemetery, though it was unclear when the funerals might start.

"It's a massacre, what else do they need to know?," said school principal Sheikh Amjad Ali, expressing frustration over the wait for loved ones' remains.

The dead from Friday's attack span generations, aged between three and 77, according to a list circulated among relatives.

Some victims came from the neighbourhood, others from as far afield as Egypt. At least two of the dead came from the same family -- a father and son.

Delhi said Sunday that five of its nationals were killed, while Pakistan said nine of its citizens were among the dead, including one man who died trying to rush Tarrant.

- Pre-schooler fights for life -

Authorities said 34 people remained in hospital.

Among those fighting for their lives is four-year-old Alin Alsati. The pre-schooler was praying alongside her father Wasseim at the Al Noor mosque when she was shot at least three times.

Her father, who was also shot, recently emigrated to New Zealand from Jordan.

The number of dead and injured could have been higher, were it not for people such as Afghan refugee Abdul Aziz.

Aziz was at the Linwood mosque with his four sons when he rushed the attacker armed with the only weapon he could find -- a hand-held credit card machine.

He then picked up an empty shotgun discarded by the gunman and shouted "come on here" in an effort to draw him away from his sons and the other worshippers.

"I just wanted to save as much lives as I could, even if I lose my life," he told AFP.

- Gun policy on agenda -

The mosque attacks have shaken this usually peaceful country, which prides itself on welcoming refugees fleeing violence or persecution.

Ardern has said she would use the cabinet meeting to press for a ban on semi-automatic weapons of the type used by Tarrant. A series of reform attempts in recent years have failed.

Ardern also wants answers from social media giants over the livestreaming of the carnage.

Facebook said it had removed 1.5 million videos of the attack around the world in the first 24 hours.
The head of the Blue and White party, Benny Gantz, appealed Sunday to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, asking him to conduct an urgent examination" that would determine who stands behind a false report which claimed that Iranian intelligence hacked his phone.
For the first time, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is launching a special folder with 52 maps in English of the sections of the Israel National Trail  from Dan, near the Lebanese border in the far north of the country, to Eilat at the southernmost tip of Israel on the Red Sea.

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Besides maps, the folder includes information in English about each section and the points of interest along it.

The Israel National Trail markings in the Arava region (Photo: Dov Greenblat)

The new English folder is lightweight and easy to carry, and is suppose to make the navigation experience much easier.

"The need for maps in English came from the public, from tourists who arrive in Israel in order to hike," says Motti Ben-Shitrit of the SPNI department for marking trails. "We are delighted to make our beautiful nature more accessible for tourists who are not Hebrew-speakers."

The Israel National Trail is about 1,070 kilometers long, and since its opening in 1995, thousands of travelers have hiked its path. The trail is marked with three stripes (white, blue, and orange), and takes an average of 45-60 days to complete.

The Israel National Trail maps in English (Photo: SPNI)

According to statistics compiled in 2010, only four out of 10 hikers complete the entire trail. Recognizing this, the planners divided it into 52 smaller sections that can be hiked separately. Some sections can be completed in day trips or over the weekend.

In 2012, National Geographic magazine included the trail on its world's 20 most epic hiking trails list. It was praised for "connecting to something that often gets lost in all the headlines: the sublime beauty of the wilderness of the Middle East. It was described as a trail that "delves into the grand scale of biblical landscapes as well as the everyday lives of the modern Israeli."

After that, the number of foreigner tourists in the trail has grown. "That is why we've decided to produce this folder for the nonHebrew speaking tourists. We came to realize that tourists want to hike on the trail, but find it hard because of the language," the SPNI adds.

The trail passes trough mountains, forests, villages, streams, springs, nature reserves and historical sites. Last year, the SPNI and the Survey of Israel (SOI) launched a website with 52 maps of the trial's sections available for free download. English maps are also available now for free at this website.

Since January 2016, the Israel National Trail has been available for exploration on Google Street View.

Click here for more information about purchasing the folder.
At least one person has died of injuries sustained in a West Bank shooting attack Sunday morning.

Two other people are also critically wounded in the attack near the settlement of Ariel.
Islamic Jihad welcomes the West Bank shooting attack in which at least one person is killed, but does not claim responsibility.

"The attack in Ariel was carried out in order to came to move the compass and bring the struggle to its natural location," the terror group says. "We welcome the attack and salute the rebel heroes in the West Bank
Hamas welcomed the attack at the Ariel Junction on Sunday that left one person dead and another two wounded.

"This is a response to the crimes of the Israeli occupation, and to the events in Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, said the terror group in a statement. All the acts of oppression and attempts to undermine the resistance will not succeed in defeating the will of our people or preventing them from following the path of jihad."
Doctors at Beilinson Hospital were fighting Sunday to save the life a rabbi and father of 12 who was left in critical condition after the shooting attack in the West Bank hours earlier tha left one dead and two badly wounded.

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The family of Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger, aged 47, a resident of the West Bank settlement of Eli, has asked for people to pray for his recovery.

Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger (Photo: TPS)

For the past three years, Rabbi Ettinger has been at the head of the Oz and Emunah hesder yeshiva (seminary that combines religious study with IDF service) in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood of southern Tel Aviv.

The yeshiva website says that its aim is to "strengthen and rehabilitate the neighborhood and its Jewish residents, to let new blood flow through its veins, and to restore its Jewish and spiritual character. The problem of illegal immigrants in Israel is currently found in Tel Aviv, but it is spreading to other cities around the country.

"We are helping to stem the problem with the yeshiva physically in the neighborhood, while providing a sense of Judaism, belonging and security to the residents," the website said.

Oz and Emunah yeshiva (Photo: Adir Yanko)

"We really love the rabbi, it's very important for us to strengthen the people of Israel and the rabbi's family at this hour," says A., who is studying at the yeshiva.

"We heard this morning about the shooting incident, but we did not really connect it to the rabbi," A. said. "People from the yeshiva have started organizing visits to Beilinson Hospital in order to be with the rabbi and his family, and to see how we can help the family at this time."

The scene of the attack (Photo: AFP)

Rabbi Ettinger's neighbor, Aviad, told Ynet: "We are praying for a miracle and his recovery. Soon we will organize prayers for his recovery at the settlement. Rabbi Ettinger is a person who always turns to Jewish law for answers.

"He saw his work in south Tel Aviv as mission, and opened a yeshiva there to increase the number of Jews in the area. We are hoping for a miracle."

The IDF launched a massive manhunt to track down the attacker, who fled the scene of the attack in a stolen car.
Blue and White Party officials on Saturday urged Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to investigate who leaked claims that Iranian intelligence hacked the phone of their party leader Benny Gantz. The party officials, who reject any prospect of a national security breach, also alluded to possible involvement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates in the affair.

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On Thursday Benny Gantzs campaign confirmed that the former military chief, who has been campaigning on his security credentials in a bid to end Netanyahus decade-long rule, was the target of an Iranian hacking attack several months ago.

The appeal made to Mandelblit doesnt explicitly place blame on the prime minister, mentioning only the fact that the leaked report traces back to a very specific office in Jerusalem. "If the leak was motivated by political interests, it would constitute a threat to the security of the state, in addition to a breach of trust of the highest order.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz (Photo: Avi Roccah, Emil Selman)

"Theres nothing that illustrates the loss of morals more than a situation in which state security and state officials are enslaved in favor of a narrow political interest." In addition, Blue and White asked the attorney general to instruct the prime minister, who is in charge of the cyber network, to "refrain from using bodies under his authority, as well as the information available to him, for personal and political interests.

It should be emphasized that the incident in question happened some four years after Gantz finished his term as (military) chief of staff and the current timing of its publication raises many questions, Blue and White, which has outpaced Netanyahus conservative Likud in pre-election polls, said in a statement.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)

A day after the news about the phone hacking brokesending his new Blue and White party reelingGantz convened a surprise press conference on Israels southern border, where he tried to divert attention to recent violence involving Gaza militants (who fired two rockets at Tel Aviv Thursday evening). Gantz has pointed to his leading role in the 2014 Gaza war as proof of his toughness.

Were fighting for our home and our struggle for democracy and ethics here, Gantz said, chiding reporters who asked about the hacking. The phone is not the story..I ask you all to be serious enough to deal with whats important.

Benny Gantz on the Gaza border (Photo: Avi Roccah)

Gantz provided few details about how he was hacked or what type of information might have fallen into the hands of Iranian intelligence. He attempted to play down the scandal as merely unethical prying.

The Prime Ministers Office denied all involvement in the scandal, emphasizing that the head of the Shin Bet domestic security service did not update Netanyahu on the issue. Neither Likud, nor the prime minister are involved in this in any way, said the Likud party in a statement. Gantz, howeverwho says that we should be more aggressive in Gazasupported the dangerous Iranian nuclear deal, and participated in an event marking the deaths of 1,000 Hamas terrorists killed in Operation Protective Edge.

Blue and White, however, doubled down on their claims that Netanyahu is the one behind the leak. In a 36-word statement, there are three false remarks, which is a new record. Gantz didnt support the Iranian nuclear deal, and didnt participate in the event marking the deaths of terrorists. He also didnt release 1,027 terrorists from Israeli prisons, like Netanyahu did in the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal, said the party statement.
The IDF soldier killed Sunday morning in a West Bank shooting attack was named as Staff Sergeant Gal Keidan, aged 19 from Be'er Sheva.

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A combat soldier, Keidan was killed when a Palestinian attacker stabbed him and seized his weapon at Ariel Junction, close to the settlement bearing the same name.

Staff Sgt. Gal Keidan

The attacker then apparently shot Kaidan with his own gun before fleeing the scene in a stolen car. The gunman later shot and wounded two other people.

The scene of the attack at Ariel Junction (Photo: AFP)

Keidan was a member of the Artillery Corps, from the "Fire" brigade. He will be laid to rest at 11am Monday at the military cemetery in his hometown.

The IDF launched a massive manhunt to track down the attacker, and was searching local villages as well as all vehicles heading from the area into central Israel.





Security forces at the scene of the attack (Photo: Yariv Katz)

One of the wounded was identified Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger, aged 47, a resident of the West Bank settlement of Eli and a father of 12.

Doctors at Beilinson Hospital were fighting to save the rabbi's life after he was left in critical condition in the shooting attack.

Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger (Photo: TPS)

For the past three years, Rabbi Ettinger has been the head of the Oz and Emunah hesder yeshiva (seminary that combines religious study with IDF service) in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood of southern Tel Aviv.

Rabbi Ettinger's neighbor, Aviad, told Ynet: "We are praying for a miracle and his recovery. We will be organizing prayers for him at the settlement."

The Ettinger family asked for people to pray for the rabbi's recovery.
Six days after Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 went down minutes after take-off, killing all 157 people on board, and following heavy pressure from the Israeli government, the local authorities on Saturday allowed a team of volunteers from Israel's ZAKA search and rescue organization to begin the hunt for the remains of the two Israelis on board the plane.

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Shimon Ram, a 59-year-old security expert from Zichron Yaakov, and Avraham Matzliah, a 49-year-old businessman from Maale Adumim, both perished in the crash.





ZAKA volunteers searching for human remains at the site of the plane crash

Ethiopian Airlines announced Saturday that the DNA testing process to identify the victims and collect the bodies could take up to a year and a half. Instead, they offered each bereaved family a kilogram of land from the scene of the crash so they could hold funerals.

Ram's family said they sought the assistance of President Reuven Rivlin in bringing his body to Israel.

"We have asked the president for help. Recent efforts to identify bodies are progressing slowly and we still do not know when he will be buried in Israel," the family said.

The family of Shimon Ram hold an Israeli flag at the site where Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 went down (Photo: AFP)

The ZAKA team was accompanied by Israel's Ambassador to Ethiopia Raphael Morav, Consul Opher Dach and representatives of the Ram and Matzliah families. ZAKA volunteers regularly attend the scene of road accidents and terror attacks in Israel, where they gather body parts and help identify victims. The name is an acronym of the Hebrew phrase "Zihui Korbanot Ason" (identification of disaster victims).

The search for the remains of the bodies began following permission from the local authorities. Prior to receiving approval, ZAKA accused the Ethiopian government of disrespecting the victims and denying them their dignity in death. "We have never seen such behavior in 30 years of handling disasters in Israel and around the world," ZAKA said.





The Israeli victims of the plane crash

According to the ZAKA team on the ground, locals looted the scene of the disaster as soon as the plane crashed. They said that the locals had overrun the site with tractors and bulldozers, ignoring the dead bodies and descerating of the honor of the victims. The looters, they said, covered over the site even as it was strewn with the remains of the dead and their possessions.

Israel's Foreign Ministry worked throughout the week for permission for the ZAKA volunteers to complete their work. Their efforts, not to mention a personal request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were in vain until Saturday night.

"We found hair, teeth, body parts," said ZAKA volunteer Elazar Samet. "We are making great efforts, alongside with ambassadors of other countries. We have found passports, documents, pictures. We began digging with our hands. We will do everything to help as many people as possible regardless of religion, race or gender."

Rivlin spoke on Friday with his Ethiopian counterpart Sahle-Work Zewde, and thanked her for allowing the Israeli team to search the area.

"Israel will go anywhere in the world to bring home our loved ones," Rivlin said. "Please allow us to continue our search in the broadest way possible."
The latest information regarding Sunday mornings terrorist attack at Ariel Junction that killed an Israeli and wounded two others is that the attacker was acting on his own initiative, a lone wolf. However, this was no ordinary lone wolf attack; the perpetrator was unusually cold and calculated and likely had military training.

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We know this because the terrorist successfully approached the soldiers, who were securing the Ariel Junction hitchhiking post, with the knife hidden on his person, drawing it only at the moment he fell upon his victim and stabbed him, presumably the reason the attack was so deadly. He also immediately knew how to make use of the gun he snatched and was quite accurate in his shooting.







The vehicle used by the terrorist

The terrorist seemingly planned his escape and seized the opportunity to flee when he saw the car abandoned by its driver. He drove to another location and opened fire there as well, before heading toward the Palestinian town of Burqin and abandoning the vehicle to seek hiding, probably realizing that he was better off on foot.

The evidence indicates that he was a member of a local terrorist organization drawing inspiration from Hamas. Perhaps he was even acting on behalf of Hamas, which has recently demonstrated an interest in fanning the flames of violence in the West Bank. Perhaps it is connected to events in Gaza where protests against the high cost of living are increasing.

The Hamas department which oversees the West Bank was bombed by the IDF Friday, in response to the rockets launched at Tel Aviv Thursday night. They have good reason to show Israel that they are still up and about and perhaps todays terrorist was acting on their behalf.

Troops hunting the attacker (Photo: Reuters)

In general, there is an abundance of reasons why terror groups would want to enflame the West Bank and commit attacks at this time: the dispute over the Gate of Mercy at the Temple Mount, the deteriorating economic situation and youth unemployment among Palestinians, due to the cessation of American funds and Israel holding back tax transfers, and of course the weekly situation at the Gaza border.

All of the above mean that the situation is extremely volatile and even if Hamas or Islamic Jihad do not directly take advantage of it, it can lead to their supporters committing or assisting in attacks.

The Israeli public is not always aware of the activities undertaken by the IDF to thwart terrorism or of the grassroots violence, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, but the data indicates that these attacks have increased lately, and so has the activity of the IDF and Shin Bet to thwart them.

But there is no foolproof guarantee. Occasionally one slips through and commits a deadly attack. It happened last year in Barkan and it happened today in the same general vicinity. Then, it was a lone attacker who received assistance from his family and from Hamas operatives in the West Bank, before and after the attack; it is likely that todays attack is similar.

The IDF must investigate the behavior of the Artillery unit soldiers who were stationed at the scene of the attack. Difficult questions arise regarding their performance. But first they must find the attacker who is on the loose with the weapon he stole from the soldier he killed.

The soldiers are expected to detect the attacker before he strikes and they should have neutralized him as he approached, especially after he already attacked one of them. It is not yet clear whether they opened fire, but they certainly failed to hit him or prevent him from continuing on his rampage. It must be thoroughly investigated.

Those soldiers guarding the hitchhiking post were not trained infantry troops. It is unknown whether they are trained to handle such a situation and whether they were sufficiently alert at the time. Worryingly, there have been a number of incidents recently in which IDF soldiers were attacked under circumstances in which they should have been better expected to handle.
GENEVA - Iran recalled its ambassador to Kenya because of a court decision upholding sentences for two Iranians in jail, foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said Sunday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency.

Iran also lodged a formal complaint with the Kenyan ambassador in Tehran on Saturday because of the Kenyan court decision in the case of Ahmad Abolfathi and Seyed Mansour Mousavi.

In 2016, a Kenyan judge reduced the life sentences given to the two Iranians convicted of planning bomb attacks to 15 years. The case raised concerns about possible Iranian plans to strike targets in the east African nation.

The two were arrested in June 2012 and convicted a year later of planning attacks and possessing 15 kg of military-grade RDX explosives.

The men may have had links to the Quds Force, the elite extra-territorial special forces arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Kenyan investigators have said.

The men were scheduled to be freed before the Kenyan court upheld their sentences on Friday, Qassemi said.
The Supreme Court disqualified on Sunday the candidacy of Right wing Otzma Yehudit candidate Dr. Michael Ben-Ari from running in the April elections and approved the candidacy of a controversial Arab party, overturning March 6 decisions by the Knessets election board. The court also approved the candidacy of Professor Ofer Cassif, a far-Left Hadash candidate who has made controversial comments in the past.

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A majority of eight to one judges ruled to disqualify Ben-Ari, Justice Noam Solberg was the sole dissenter. Justice David Mintz was the sole dissenter in approving the candidacy of Cassif and the Balad Party as a whole. The court also declined to disqualify Itamar Ben-Gvir, another candidate of the Otzma Yehudit list.

Ben-Ari at the scene of Sunday's attack

Ben-Ari reacted to the ruling by saying: There is a judicial junta trying to take over our lives. This is not democracy.

The United Right Party called the ruling absurd, predictable and a travesty and vowed to put an end to what they called judicial overreach. The people, not the judges should be choosing the candidates, they said.

Ofer Cassif (Hadash) thanked the court for their ruling: The attempt to ban me and the Arab Balad Party stems from the hate and racism of the radical Right led by Prime Minister Netanyahu. I, along with my partners in Hadash will continue to unrelentingly combat the occupation and work for peace and justice and against racism and for equality. I am sure we will triumph.

Ofer Cassif (Photo: Yoav Dudkowitz)

In a panel of nine judges, the court examined the candidacy of Ben-Ari on Thursday. Justice Yitzhak Amit asked then: According to the ideology of Dr. Ben-Ari, those who identifies with the nationalist Arab movement are enemies. And at least 99% of Israeli Arabs identify with the movement. is he against the entire Arab population?

Ben-Aris attorney thought to explain to the court that his client has no problem with Arabs who see Israel as the state of the Jewish people and that those who are not loyal to the state should not be citizens of the state. Justice Hendel then asked whether one who does not break the law is considered loyal.

The rulings were widely expected and unlikely to shake Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to form a rightist coalition that might secure him a record fifth term.

Justices Solberg and Mintz (R)

The Central Elections Committee, a monitoring body made up of delegates of parties in the current Knesset, last month approved Ben-Ari's candidacy while disqualifying Raam-Balad, a joint party list representing some of Israel's 20 percent Arab minority.

Israel has in the past prosecuted two Balad figures for contacts with Palestinian militants and accused former party leader Azmi Bishara of helping Hezbollah during the 2006 Lebanon war.

The court voided the ban on Raam-Balad, a mix of Islamists and Arab nationalists which describes itself as a democratic movement.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said in a statement that the court's blocking of Ben-Ari "while declaring terror-backing parties kosher is a crass and misguided interference in the heart of Israeli democracy".

Netanyahu's bid for reelection has been challenged by a centrist newcomer, former IDF chief Benny Gantz. Their escalating exchanges of allegations have included corruption, bigotry, forsaking national security and abetting Israel's foes.

The premier's partnership with Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) also drew rare censure from the U.S. pro-Israel lobby and normally staunch Netanyahu backer AIPAC, which branded the party "racist and reprehensible".

A poll aired by public broadcaster Kan on Sunday put Likud narrowly in the lead to form the next coalition government with a projected 31 of parliament's 120 seats against 30 for Gantz's Blue and White party.
Dozens of Jewish, Christian and Muslim clergy held an interdenominational prayer vigil outside the New Zealand embassy in Tel Aviv Sunday, in light of the massacre committed at two mosques in that country in Christchurch.
A bundle of balloons were found on Highway 40 in the northern Negev late on Sunday. Police sappers examined them for explosives. This is the fourth incident of incendiary balloons launched from Gaza into Israel on Sunday.
Vacant land lot prices continued to rise despite declining land-sales volume, according to the latest Housing Industry Association (HIA)-CoreLogic Residential Land Sales Report.

During the September quarter, land lot prices across Australia hit $279,949 up by 0.8% for the quarter and 0.9% for the year, making it a record high. However, the number of residential land lots sold dropped by 16.2% over the same perioddown 25.8% from the figure logged in 2017.

A fall in demand for land would usually mean a decrease in land prices. The anomalous prices-sales behaviour in the land market, in which prices increased as demand fell, is likely to reflect a lag in the impact of a material change in market conditions, said the report.

After five years of exceptionally strong sales activity, a credit squeeze and a loss of market confidence led to a rapid fall in new home sales and approvals. This slowdown is evident in land sales, and unfortunately, the fall in demand has not yet resulted in a fall in price, said HIA Chief Economist Tim Reardon.

In addition, this condition puts pressure on the new home market and could impede activity in the home-building market.

Should the cost of new-home production continue to rise, fewer new homes are going to be built as customers opt to buy an established home or delay a new home purchase, the report said.

It is this shortage of supply of new homes that was the key factor that drove rapid house price growth over the past two decades, the report said.

The March 2019 edition of the HIA-CoreLogic Residential Land Report assesses activity in 47 markets across Australia, including the six state capital cities.
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - The Arizona Teachers Academy, created by Governor Doug Ducey in 2017, aims to tackle the nationwide teacher shortage by creating the next generation of Arizona teachers.

Students in the program, which operates at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona, receive a scholarship covering their tuition and fees in exchange for committing to teach in an Arizona public school.

By removing the financial burden of tuition, the Arizona Teachers Academy makes it easier for potential educators to pursue career opportunities and helps ensure the best and brightest teachers get to the front of Arizona classrooms.

During his 2019 State of the State address, Governor Ducey highlighted the success of the Teachers Academy and called for expanding the program:

Four years ago, I heard what sounded like a really good idea to address the teacher shortage. If someone graduates from an Arizona university, is willing to stay in Arizona, and teach in a public school, why not allow them to graduate debt-free by providing a scholarship?

So we turned it into reality and launched the Arizona Teachers Academy. Already, 221 students have started moving through the program. This year we plan to significantly expand it: more dollars, more support. We are going to create a pipeline of talent and the next generation of Arizona teachers.

Governor Duceys fiscal year 2020 budget makes a permanent investment of $21 million to expand the Arizona Teachers Academy. The additional investment expands eligibility to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines, provides tuition benefits for up to four years and adds financial incentives for students who teach in critical-need areas like special education or schools in low-income districts.
Latest News

Washington, DC - Remarks by President Trump on the National Security and Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border:

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Earlier today, I spoke with Prime Minister Ardern of New Zealand to express the sorrow of our entire nation following the monstrous terror attacks at two mosques. These sacred places of worship were turned into scenes of evil killing. Youve all been seeing what went on. Its a horrible, horrible thing. I told the Prime Minister that the United States is with them all the way, a hundred percent. Whatever they need, we will be there. New Zealand has been a great friend and partner for many years. Our relationship has never been better. And what theyre going through is absolutely terrible.

So our hearts are with them, and whatever we can do.

Were grateful to be joined today by the Vice President  thank you very much, Mike, for being here  members of my Cabinet, devoted public servants, and Angel parents  very important people to me and to a lot of other people. I want to thank you all for being here. Thank you so much for being here, and we appreciate it. Thank you. Youve gone through a lot. As we take action to restore our national sovereignty and defend this nation from criminal cartels, human traffickers, and drug smugglers. Crime of all kinds coming through our southern border and other places. But this is the place. This is the place. We have the biggest problem by far.

And I want to also compliment the incredible people at Border Patrol and ICE and law enforcement for the job they have done. Theyve apprehended so many thousands and thousands of people that, if we had the proper protection, we wouldnt even have to apprehend. They wouldnt be coming in.

As President, the protection of the nation is my highest duty. Yesterday, Congress passed a dangerous resolution that, if signed into law, would put countless Americans in danger  very grave danger. The Democrat-sponsored resolution would terminate vital border security operations by revoking the national emergency issued last month. It is definitely a national emergency. Rarely have we had such a national emergency.

Therefore, to defend the safety and security of all Americans, I will be signing and issuing a formal veto of this reckless resolution  and thats what it was. And I have to, in particular, thank the Republican  strong, wonderful people  the Republican senators that were on our side and on the side of border security and on the side of doing what they have to to keep our nation safe. They were very courageous yesterday, and I appreciate that very much.

Congresss vote to deny the crisis on the southern border is a vote against reality. Its against reality. It is a tremendous national emergency. It is a tremendous crisis.

Last month, more than 76,000 illegal migrants arrived at our border. Were on track for a million illegal aliens to rush our borders. People hate the word invasion, but thats what it is. Its an invasion of drugs and criminals and people. We have no idea who they are, but we capture them because border security is so good. But theyre put in a very bad position, and were bursting at the seams. Literally, bursting at the seams. What Border Patrol is able to do is incredible.

I also, by the way, want to thank our military, because our military has been very much involved, as you know. And theyre putting up walls, in some cases temporary; in some cases, they were supposed to be temporary. Theyre so good that theyre better than the permanent. So were leaving them.

Weve really nowhere left to hold all of the people that were captured. And were at a point where were just going to have to say, with these horrible decisions that weve been handed by people that arent living in reality, that theres nothing we can do. Theres absolutely nothing we can do. Were bursting at the seams. You can only do so much. And the only option then is to release them, but we cant do that either. Because when you release them, they come into our society, and in many cases theyre stone-cold criminals. And in many cases, and in some cases, you have killers coming in and murderers coming in, and were not going to allow that to happen. Just not going to allow it to happen.

There has been a nearly 2,000 percent increase in border-related asylum claims over the last decade. Part of the reason is because our country is doing so well economically that people are coming up in droves. The vast majority are rejected, but smuggling organizations  making a tremendous amount of money, like theyve never made before  are using these people to crash the system. Our immigration system is stretched beyond the breaking point.

And as I said, nothing much we can do. We can just do our job and do it well. But theres a point at which, if the Democrats would  wed get in, wed be able to make a deal. Literally, in 15 minutes, we could make a deal on changing catch and release; changing the horrible asylum laws that are so unfair; changing visa lottery, chain migration. These laws are just horrendous. I wont explain them, but everybody standing behind me knows exactly what they are: Theyre dangerous for our country, and theyre inspired by Democrats who have to change.

One in three migrant women is sexually assaulted on the journey north. The border crisis is driving the drug crisis. Seventy thousand Americans a year are killed by drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. And the 70,000 people is a number thats so low that it probably shouldnt even be used anymore.

The mass incursion of illegal aliens, deadly drugs, dangerous weapons, and criminal gang members across our borders has to end.

We are bringing out thousands and thousands a year of MS-13 gang members, and other gang members that are just as bad, where they come into our country, theyre able to skirt the border, come through areas where we dont have proper wall, where we dont have any wall at all. And they get into the country and they do a lot of damage, in many cases. But we get them out by the thousands, and we bring them back or we incarcerate them.

The national emergency I declared last month was authorized by Congress under the 1976 National Emergencies Act. And there havent been too many that are a bigger emergency than we have right at our own border.

Consistent with the law and the legislative process designed by our Founders, today I am vetoing this resolution. Congress has the freedom to pass this resolution, and I have the duty to veto it. And Im very proud to veto it. And Im very proud, as I said, of a lot of Republican senators that were with me. And Im also very proud of the House. The Republicans in the House voted overwhelmingly in favor of a secure border.

Since 1976, Presidents have declared 59 national emergencies. They often involved protecting foreign citizens in far-off lands, yet Congress has not terminated any of them. Every single one of them is still in existence. And yet, we dont worry about our land; we worry about other peoples lands. Thats why I say America first. If thats okay: America first.

The only emergency Congress voted to revoke was the one to protect our own country. So, think of that: With all of the national emergencies, this was the one they dont want to do. And this is the one, perhaps, they should most do.

Were joined today by many brave law enforcement officers, including sheriffs and just people that have been just tremendous, tremendous backers of law and order, which we have to have.

Were also joined by friends of mine, Mary Ann Mendoza, Kent Terry, Laura Wilkerson, Sabine Durden, and Steve Ronnebeck. And Im going to ask Steve to say a few words. And Im going to ask some of the folks behind me to say, also, a few words as to the importance of what were doing. Theres nothing more important.

As I said, I was elected on a very  by a very, very great group of American people  millions and millions of people  because they want security for our country. And thats what were going to have.

Id like to ask Secretary Nielsen to say a few words and then Attorney General Bill Barr. And then Id like to go to some of the folks behind me, and perhaps youd have something to say. And then were going to sign something thats going to give us safety at our border.

Secretary?

SECRETARY NIELSEN: Sir, I just want to thank you and the Vice President for your leadership and your constant support of the brave men and women not only represented behind you, on the very frontlines of our country, but of CBP and ICE.

The fact that this is an emergency is undeniable. We have not seen this type of flow. As you know, its predominantly families and children, which means that theres a very unique and dangerous humanitarian crisis at hand, in addition to the security that you just described in your remarks.

So we have a duty to know who comes in our country, and we have a duty to ensure that the flow is safe and orderly. Thats what youve attempted to do and thats what youve demanded that Congress do. And I just again ask Congress to please pay attention. Weve given you the facts. The system is breaking. Security is at risk. And the very humanitarian protections that we hold dear in this country are at risk in terms of our ability to provide those to vulnerable populations.

So, Mr. President, thank you always for your leadership and great support.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you. Bill?

ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR: Mr. President, your declaration of an emergency on the southern border was clearly authorized under the law and consistent with past precedent.

As you said, the National Emergencies Act directly authorizes the President, and gives broad discretionary authority to the President, to identify and respond to emergent circumstances that require a decisive response.

And the humanitarian and security crisis we have on the border right now is exactly the kind of emergency that Presidents are permitted to address under the National Emergencies Act.

THE PRESIDENT: Right.

ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR: As you alluded to yourself, in the past 40 years, there have been 59 emergencies declared. And many of these have dealt with political conditions in countries like Burundi, Sierra Leone, Belarus. The crisis that were dealing with today is right on our doorstep, and it presents a real clear and present danger to the American people.

So what youve done from a legal standpoint is solidly grounded in law. And from the standpoint of protecting the American people, its imperative.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Bill. Thats great. So youll be defending it 

ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR: Yep.

THE PRESIDENT:  and youll defend it well. I have no doubt about that.

Would anybody like to say something? Why dont we start with Mike?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, Mr. President. I dont know that Ive ever been more proud to be standing next to your desk than I am today, to be standing with these courageous Americans and with these extraordinary Angel parents.

We have a crisis on our southern border. The reality is its not only a crisis of illegal immigration, but criminal elements are coming across our border; the flow of drugs. Now drug overdose is the number-one cause of death for Americans under the age of 55.

So the crisis on our southern border is a crisis all across this nation. Add in human trafficking and all that comes with this crisis; justify the Presidents declaration of a national emergency  this is affecting all the people of the United States.

And today, Mr. President, with your strong support for the men and women of law enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security, and with, I know, what is your love in your heart for these Angel parents, youre keeping your word by vetoing this legislation, by finding the available resources to build the wall, address this emergency, and secure our border.

And I know I speak on behalf of all gathered here, people all across this country, when I say thank you for keeping your word, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mike. I appreciate that. (Applause.)

Sheriff, please.

SHERIFF LOUDERBACK: Mr. President, thank you so much for a very necessary veto to support public safety in this country. The sheriffs and men and women of law enforcement in this room and across this nation owe you a debt of gratitude for something that weve been waiting for, for decades. Our hats are off to you again, sir. Its an honor to be here. Its an honor for sheriffs to be involved in this, and its an honor for law enforcement, as we fight the drug trade every day in this country, and all the things that go along in our business, in our profession, from an insecure border. So, again, sincerely, we thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you for being there with me all the way. (Applause.) I appreciate it very much.

Sheriff, what would you like to say? Thank you.

SHERIFF LEWIS: Mr. President, I cant thank you enough on behalf of Americas sheriffs. As you well know, there are men and women in law enforcement across this country that are fighting a battle every single day. They are in the trenches.

While we Americans only make up about 7 percent of the worlds total population, about 68 percent of the worlds total drugs are consumed here in the United States every year. This is not political propaganda. We have a dire crisis on our southwest border, and Americas sheriffs stand behind the President of the United States, 100 percent. He has had our back. Hes had the Americans back. And we stand behind you solidly for what youre doing here today.

This is unprecedented for a President to take this type of action. And we commend you, we applaud you, and I salute you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Say something, please. What youve been through  what youve been through is terrible.

MS. MENDOZA: My son was killed in 2014 by a repeat illegal alien criminal allowed to stay in this country. He was police officer in Mesa, Arizona.

And Angel Families come forward to tell their stories not because weve created a manufactured crisis but because we want to tell the American people and share with you our heartache and let you know what is happening on our doorsteps, whats happening to your neighbors, whats happening to your fellow Americans. And there is a way to prevent this, and its not by continuingly lying to you and telling you that there isnt a problem. There is a problem. Its a national emergency. And thank you 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.

MS. MENDOZA:  for following through on your promises. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Please. Go ahead. Please.

SHERIFF LAMB: Mr. President, I echo the sentiments. Thank you for all the support. This has been something were not used to for the last several years, to have this kind of support.

This is  what we say in Arizona is, this isnt about immigration anymore; this is about drug trafficking and human trafficking into this country. If you care about human rights, you should absolutely care about border security. Human beings are being  their rights are being violated on that border every day.

And I know I speak on behalf of the Arizona border sheriffs that I challenge our congressmen and women and senators to come down and see firsthand what were dealing with. See it for yourselves before you cast your vote. And youll see that we do  we are dealing with a crisis. And were fighting every day alongside our federal partners, our local partners, sheriffs officers to take care of this.

So thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Great job.

Sheriff?

SHERIFF HODGSON: Mr. President, Ive been a sheriff for 21 years, and Ive been dealing with Congress for 21 years on this issue of immigration. A lot of people have listened over 21 years, but Mr. President, you are the first person who has taken action. And you have given us back our footing in law enforcement, but youve also given the American people back what they deserve, which is to be protected.

And signing this today, I cant tell you how much it means to all of us in law enforcement. But, importantly, Mr. President, when I hear people say, You know, this is all manufactured. Its all this and that  no, its not.

In my county alone, one city, we have on average, on second shift at our hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts, 15 to 20 overdoses on second shift every day. And this is going on  thats one example. This is happening all over the country.

But, Mr. President, you have stood up and youve taken the action. And the American people are behind you and were behind you. And thank you and God bless you for what youre doing.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Sheriff. Thank you. (Applause.)

Is Thomas Murphy here? Wheres Tom? Tom Murphy. Tom? Wheres Thomas? You had a horrible ordeal that you just went through with your son.

MR. MURPHY: Mr. President, Id like to tell you and tell the public that if you dont think it can happen to you or your family, I have a quick story.

Ive been with state police for over 30 years working narcotics and gang task forces, and supervised those for 22 years. My son grew up with depression issues and some mental health concerns. He self-medicated with marijuana. At 18  and his father, me, had him arrested a few times along the way.

When he turned 18, he moved out the day of his birthday, when he turned 18 years old, because he knew Dad had rules, and one was: no drugs in the house. He moved out, stayed with some friends, got a job. He had a work-related injury where he severed four fingers, and he was introduced to opioids. So he was battling two things, actually: mental illness and the opioid addiction.

Afterwards, he finally came to me and, for the first time in his life, he said he needed help. We sent him to a rehab facility for only 30 days because thats what our insurance would pay for at that time. He came out of rehab. Everything was fine for approximately three months. The craving was too much for him, got a hold of some heroin that was laced with fentanyl, and he died on December 13, 2017.

So Im here to say: As far as stigma goes in narcotics and Its not going to happen to me, its not going to happen to my family  my father is a retired minister of 45 years. My sister is in the medical field. My brother is in law enforcement. No one even smokes in our family. No one has ever been arrested. It happened to me. It happened to our family. So, it can happen. Thats how horrific and addictive this drug is.

So anything you can do to help us and families like us is greatly appreciated.

THE PRESIDENT: And its coming through the southern border, folks. All through the southern border. Thank you very much.

SHERIFF JENKINS: Mr. President, thank you very much, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, please.

SHERIFF JENKINS: This is the first real step in confronting the heroin drug crisis in this country. Were going to make real strides after this. Im the sheriff of your home over at Camp David, Frederick County.

THE PRESIDENT: Thats right.

SHERIFF JENKINS: We suffer the same problems there. And Im convinced, without what youre here doing today, every county becomes a border county. Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Sheriff. (Applause.)

So lets get this signed, right? On behalf of your great loved ones, right? I always said, They will not have died in vain. Did I tell you that a long time ago? Three years ago.

MS. DURDEN: Yes. You told me that four years ago.

THE PRESIDENT: Right? When we first met on the campaign.

MS. DURDEN: Yes. Four years ago. Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: When they said, Oh, Trump is not going to win. You said Trump was going to win, and I said, And they will not have died in vain.

MS. DURDEN: Thats right. You told me that.

THE PRESIDENT: And thats true. I say it today with even more meaning. It was a big step.

(The veto is signed.) (Applause.)

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thats a big  a big step. Were building a lot of wall right now. Its started. A lot of people are saying, Well, gee, you took down wall and youre building new. Well, we took down wall that almost didnt exist. It was like paper. And were replacing it with, in many cases, 30-foot bollards. And, in many cases, were replacing it with 18-foot wall.

But we have a lot of  we have many miles under construction right now, and were going to be signing contracts over the next couple of days for literally hundreds of miles of wall. And its being built in the right places, and its doing the job. Its doing the job.

And its interesting  its like a little bit like water. As we do  we did San Diego. You know, California is very interesting because they keep talking in California  We dont want wall. I see a new candidate who is in the mix; he wants to take down the walls. Try that sometime. Youll see what will happen. Youd have tens of millions of people coming in.

You see  take a look at Tijuana. Take down that wall. You want to see a mess? Take down that wall; youll see what will happen. Right now, we have thousands of people who are in Tijuana trying to get in. Theyre not getting in.

So as we build it, it gets better and better. But it gets really to a point, and they come through a point. But you can control that point. And this is serious stuff. This is  were able to do it cheaper, better. Its better wall. Its different from what youve been watching going up. We had to take the old plans. We didnt want to stop, so we took the old plans. We didnt like it.

This wall is a beautiful-looking structure. Its much stronger. And you can build it faster and cheaper. Other than that, what can I say, right?

Its a  its going to be great, and its going to have a tremendous impact.

And on top of that, I have to thank the Secretary and all the people that have worked so hard, because what you do on the Border Patrol  what you do, what those patrol agents and what the ICE folks do, and taking people out of the country that nobody wants to talk to. Even some of the sheriffs there  you know, if you can get ICE to do it, you dont mind if they do it. Right, Sheriff? As tough as you are.

These are tough people and theyre great people. These are people that  the ICE folks take such abuse from Democrats and some others. They love our country as much as anybody loves our country.

So were building a lot of wall and were taking good care of our people. And were doing, at point of entry, a tremendous amount of work. Were already in contract to buy  they make pretty incredible new equipment for drug detection where you can find out whats in the wheel of a car, where it is, where its in the engine, where its in the hubcaps. I mean, we have some incredible stuff.

Plus, we have  also, were getting dogs. More dogs, believe it or not. I still say  is that still true? Theres nothing that replaces a good dog. Is that right?

PARTICIPANT: Absolutely.

THE PRESIDENT: Buying this equipment for very expensive. But we havent been able  its true. We havent been able to match the dog.

Ive seen out at Secret Service, where they showed me the dogs, certain types of German Shepherd  very specific types of dog. But what they do is theyll run by 15 boxes, all empty except one. And theyll be very, very strongly sealed boxes. And theyll coming running full speed and stop like on a dime. They know the drugs are in that box. Its the most incredible thing.

So, were spending hundreds of millions of dollars on equipment, but I will say this: Its not as good as the dogs. (Laughter.) But, as you know, were getting you  so youre going to have the best equipment, but were getting a lot of dogs for the various entry points also.

So with that, I just want to thank everybody for being here. In particular, I want to thank you, folks, because you have been  and please say hello to all of your friends that have been with us, really, from day one. What youve gone through is unthinkable, and I appreciate it.

And youre strong people. Youre strong and youre proud. And your kids are, you know, looking down on you right now and theyre  theyre very proud of their moms and their dads. You know that, right? Theyre very proud. (Applause.) Thank you very much.

And, again, to those Republican senators that did what they had to do yesterday, I want to thank them. Theyre very special friends and very special people. And they want to see borders that are strong, where we dont allow drugs and crime and all of the problems coming into our country.

Thank you all very much. Thank you.

Q Do you see, today, white nationalism as a rising threat around the world?

THE PRESIDENT: I dont really. I think its a small group of people that have very, very serious problems. I guess if you look at what happened in New Zealand, perhaps thats the case. I dont know enough about it yet. Theyre just learning about the person and the people involved. But its certainly a terrible thing. Terrible thing.

Yes?

Q Mr. President, some of the Republicans who voted for this resolution say they support border security but oppose executive overreach. Do you have sympathy for their position?

THE PRESIDENT: I do. Look, they were doing what they have to do. And Im  look, I did  I put no pressure on anybody. I actually said  I couldve gotten some of them to come along. I said, I want you to vote your heart. Do what you want to do. Im not putting any pressure. Ill let them know when theres pressure. Okay? And I told them that.

I said, When I need your vote, Im going to let you know. I didnt need the vote because we all knew it was going to be a veto, and theyre not going to be able to override. Its going to go very quickly.

And we have a great  as your Attorney General just said, the case is a very strong case, a very powerful case. It was  I think, actually, a national emergency was designed for a specific purpose like this. So we have a great  we have a great case, and I think its going very 

I mean, ideally, they shouldnt even sue in this case, if you want to know the truth. They shouldnt be suing on this case, but they will because they always do.

We want border security, we want safety, we want no drugs, we want no human trafficking. Okay?

Q And on  just one follow-up on New Zealand. The killer in this tragic incident wrote a manifesto apparently. Did you see that? Apparently, he mentioned your name.

THE PRESIDENT: I did not see it. I did not see it. But I think its a horrible event. Its a horrible thing. I saw it early in the morning when I looked at what was happening in New Zealand. I just spoke, as you know, to the Prime Minister. I think its a horrible, disgraceful thing and a horrible act.

Okay? Thank you all very much.
Latest News

Phoenix, Arizona - According to new data released by the United States Census Bureau, Arizonas bilateral trade with its North American trading partners jumped in 2018  reversing a downward trend of recent years.

Trade with Mexico increased 7.7 percent from 2017 to 2018 to a total of $16.7 billion while trade with Canada grew by 2.4 percent to $3.7 billion. Arizonas total bilateral trade with Mexico and Canada came in at $20.2 billion in 2018.

Arizonas international relationships have never been stronger  and the increase in trade between our state, Mexico and Canada only provides further evidence, said Governor Doug Ducey. More goods flowing through Arizonas ports of entry mean more jobs, more business and more economic opportunity for our state. Arizona looks forward to continuing to build on our states strong international partnerships.

In February, Governor Ducey issued a letter urging Congress to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, an agreement which would modernize U.S. trade relations with both Mexico and Canada.

"While the North American Free Trade Agreement was a historic agreement and visionary for its time, it is nearly 25 years old. The business world has evolved tremendously during that time, but our trade policies have not kept up," Governor Ducey stated in the letter. "As we seek to secure Arizonas economic future, a strong trade deal with Mexico and Canada is crucial. I urge you to work with your colleagues in Congress to move towards ratification of the USMCA as quickly as possible."
Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday drew flak from the opposition RJD-Congress combine over the visit to his official residence by former state minister Manju Verma, who is out on bail in an Arms Act case.

Verma, who had stepped down as the social welfare minister in August last year, following allegations of close links between her husband and Brajesh Thakur the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal was granted bail in the case lodged at the Cheria Bariyarpur police station of Begusarai district by the Patna High Court earlier this week.

The case was lodged upon recovery of a huge cache of ammunition from her residence by a CBI team, which was conducting a raid in connection with the shelter home scandal.

Verma, a sitting MLA from Cheria Bariyarpur, was suspended from the JD(U) headed by the chief minister ? in November last year after the Supreme Court took exception to her evading arrest. "The chief minister has always adopted a holier than thou attitude with regard to corruption cases against leaders of our party. Now he should explain his respect for a person undergoing trial in a serious case," RJD national vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told reporters here.

His comment was in reference to Kumar breaking his alliance with the RJD in 2017, following allegations of corruption against his then deputy Tejashwi Yadav whose father and party supremo Lalu Prasad is serving sentences in a number of fodder scam cases.

"The JD(U) chief is jittery over losing his grip over the Lav-Kush combine he had cultivated, comprising his own caste group Kurmi and the numerically superior Koeris. But his efforts would be of no avail as Koeris have come with the mahagathbandhan en bloc since RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha is by our side," the RJD veteran said.

Verma belongs to the Koeri caste and she has been alleging that she was "framed in the case" since she was a "woman belonging to a backward class".

Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra also criticised the chief minister over the development and asked "what message is Nitish Kumar trying to send across by meeting a leader suspended from his party on account of involvement in a serious criminal case at the time of elections".
The Delhi police arrested a man for posing as an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and duping a lady of a huge sum of money.

The 30-year-old man duped the lady of Rs 1 lakh on the pretext of getting her a government job, as reported by news agency ANI.

He was arrested on March 15 and sent to judicial custody.

The accused has been identified as Rajkumar, a resident of Kirari area in Rohini area of the national capital.

"On Friday, the 24-year-old woman filed a case against the accused," news agency PTI reported quoting Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini), SD Mishra. She alleged that she met the guy in a gym a couple of months ago. The man introduced himself as an IPS officer and they became friends.

"Later, he told the woman that he loved her but could not marry her as he had cancer. He said before dying he wanted to see her as a government officer. He took Rs 1 lakh from the woman," the DCP added.

During interrogation, the accused revealed that he was working as a driver and earlier used to work in a gym. A case has been registered under the relevant sections of the IPC, the DCP said.

Earlier in 2013, he was arrested in a case of forgery at the Rohini South police station where he claimed himself as a sub-inspector and duped people, the DCP added.

with PTI inputs
PANAJI: BJP ally Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) president Dipak Dhavalikar on Sunday claimed that it is possible that the state legislative assembly would be suspended till bypolls to three assembly constituencies are held in April.

The MGP leader made the statement just a day after the Goa Congress leaders wrote a letter to state Governor Mridula Sinha staking claim to form the government. In its letter, the Goa Congress had claimed that Manohar Parrikar government in the state has lost the majority and the Congress must be given an opportunity to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly, PTI reported.

When asked to comment on BJP's statement that the party is "already thinking on Goa political transit phase", Dhavalikar noted that the party would definitely face the crisis in the near future.

"Crisis has not begun yet. The crisis in the government will happen after Manohar Parrikar," the MGP chief was quoted as saying by PTI.

The fluctuating health of 63-year-old Parrikar has resulted in hectic political activities in the state. The Congress had claimed that Parrikar's government had lost the majority in the assembly, after the demise of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza.

Meanwhile, the BJP MLAs held a meeting on Sunday to hold discussions over the possibility of former Chief Minister and Congress MLA Digambar Kamat joining the BJP and becoming the new chief minister of the state.

"Digambar (Kamat) has gone to Delhi to join the BJP. He has no other business there," Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo said.

Kamat left for New Delhi on Sunday on Monday morning and before leaving for Delhi he told reporters at the Dabolim International Airport that he was going to Delhi for a "private purposes."

Another BJP MLA told IANS that Kamat, who also belongs to influential Gaur Saraswat Brahmin caste just like Parrikar, may get the opportunity to become the chief minister if he decides to join the BJP.

"Our party is in talks with Kamat. But his exit from the Congress has not been finalised yet. He has worked with the BJP leadership before and the transition should not be an issue," the BJP MLA told IANS.

However, Congress leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar rejected the reports that Kamat was joining BJP. He stressed that Kamat was a senior member of the party and he had informed the party high command before leaving for Delhi. "There is no doubt about Kamat`s commitment to the party. He will stay with the Congress," Kavlekar said.
A condolence meet is scheduled to be held in the Union Cabinet on Monday morning as Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away late on Sunday evening at his residence near Panaji, Goa. Parrikar, 63, died at around 8.15 pm after suffering from a prolonged illness. The meet for the four times chief minister of Goa will be held at 11 am on Monday.

Born on December 13, 1955, into a middle-class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer.

He was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa.

The CM's health started deteriorating in February 2018 and he was first admitted at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital for an ailment. He was flown to the US in the first week of March 2017 where he remained admitted at the hospital till June.

Parrikar attended the monsoon session of Assembly from July 19, 2018, to August 3, 2018, and left for the USA on August 10 for the second round of checkup. He returned to Goa on August 22, 2018.

After being treated at a makeshift medical facility at his residence, Parrikar was shifted to the AIIMS New Delhi on September 15, 2018. After almost a month-long treatment, he returned to Goa on October 14, 2018. Parrikar stunned everyone when he reached the CM's office on January 2, 2019, after a gap of almost two-and-a-half months.

On January 27, he attended the inauguration of the third bridge on Mandovi river along with Union minister Nitin Gadkari. He also attended the budget session on January 29 and presented the state Budget the next day. On the last day of the session on January 31, he was taken for treatment to AIIMS, New Delhi and returned to Goa on February 5.

Parrikar also addressed the Atal Booth Karyakarta Sammelan on February 9, 2019, in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah. During the last few days, Parrikar had been in and out of Goa Medical College and Hospital for treatment but was mostly confined to his private residence.
NEW DELHI: Former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is likely to be India's first Lokpal or anti-corruption ombudsman, government sources said.

Sources told IANS that Ghose's name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee comprising of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, eminent jurist Mukul Rohatgi.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also a member of the high-power committee, skipped the meeting.

Sources added that four former High Court judges, including a woman judge, and four former civil servants would be the other members of Lokpal. The committee succeeded in selecting the Lokpal weeks after the February-end deadline set by the apex court.

It is learnt that the Selection Committee had finalized and recommended Justice Ghose's name two days ago and an official announcement in this regard will be made on Monday.

The Lokpal Act was passed in 2013 and it involves the setting up of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to probe corruption cases against certain categories of public servants, including current and former prime ministers, Union ministers, members of Parliament, government employees and employees of public sector undertakings, and employees of NGOs receiving more than Rs 10 lakh a year in foreign contributions, among others.

in 1997, Justice Ghose was appointed as the judge of the Calcutta High Court and he was elevated to the SC in 2013. During his tenure as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice Ghose had convicted Sasikala, the close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in a corruption case.

Justice Ghose retired from the SC in May 2017 and is now a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar died in Panaji on Sunday after suffering from a prolonged illness. He was 63.

The senior BJP leader had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic ailment in hospitals in New York, Goa, Mumbai and Delhi since February 2018.

A condolence meet will be held in the Union Cabinet at 11 am on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sadness over Manohar Parrikar's demise and called him an unparalleled leader. "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti,"" tweeted the Prime Minister.

Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress.  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019

President Ram Nath Kovind has expressed deep shock over the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and said, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind," tweeted President Kovind.

Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 17, 2019

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu has expressed deep sadness over the death of Manohar Parrikar and tweeted, "Deeply saddened to learn about the untimely passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa. He is one of the most lovable and honest senior politicians of our country. He was a dynamic and dedicated individual who led life full of values and principles. #Parrikar"

Deeply saddened to learn about the untimely passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa.

He is one of the most lovable and honest senior politicians of our country. He was a dynamic and dedicated individual who led life full of values and principles.#Parrikar pic.twitter.com/TJ29N0w8V2  VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) March 17, 2019

BJP President Amit Shah termed Parrikar's death as a huge loss for nation and remembered his commitment for the welfare of people.

"Manohar Parrikar jis demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessely dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jis commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary," he tweeted.

Manohar Parrikar jis demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessely dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jis commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary.  Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has also expressed deep sadness over the demise of Parrikar and called him one of Goa's favourite sons. "I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief," tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goas favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17, 2019

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also offered her condolence and said that Shri Manohar Parrikar was a sincere, honest and sensitive political activist.

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri.Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she tweeted.

Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest & sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri.Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean & mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled.  Chowkidar Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 17, 2019

Home Minister Rajnath has expressed deep shock and pain over the demise of Parrikar. He remembered him as an honest leader who was known for his simplicity. "Deeply saddened and pained by the demise of my dear friend & Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity. He served the nation and the state of Goa with great diligence. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family," tweeted Singh.

Deeply saddened and pained by the demise of my dear friend & Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar. He was known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity. He served the nation and the state of Goa with great diligence. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.  Chowkidar Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 17, 2019

Finance Minister Jaitley has expressed pain over the demise of Parrikar and said that he will be missed by everyone. "Saddened to know about the demise of senior BJP leader Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. He always led by example in his public life & was loved by masses. He will be missed by everyone of us. May God render peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti  ," tweeted Jaitley.

Saddened to know about the demise of senior BJP leader Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. He always led by example in his public life & was loved by masses. He will be missed by everyone of us. May God render peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti    Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) March 17, 2019

Defence Ministry has conveyed deep condolences on demise of Manohar Parrikar. "@DefenceMinIndia conveys deep condolences on demise of former RM, Mr @manoharparrikar. With hallmarks of strong & decisive leadership, Mr Manohar Parrikar will be missed by whole of the def establishment. Mr Parrikar was at the helm in defence of the Nation from 2014 to 2017," tweeted the Defence Ministry spokesperson.

. @DefenceMinIndia conveys deep condolences on demise of former RM, Mr @manoharparrikar. With hallmarks of strong & decisive leadership, Mr Manohar Parrikar will be missed by whole of the def establishment. Mr Parrikar was at the helm in defence of the Nation from 2014 to 2017 pic.twitter.com/cp11v8Sotr  Defence Spokesperson (@SpokespersonMoD) March 17, 2019

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal paid his tribute to Parrikar and said that he was a symbol of simplicity. "Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Sh Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them," tweeted Kejriwal.

Extremely saddened at the news of passing away of Goa CM Sh Manohar Parrikar ji. A symbol of simplicity in politics who led a humble life is no longer with us. May his family bear the irreparable loss with courage. Prayers with them  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 17, 2019

BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani posted an emotional tweet remebering Parrikar. "A leader, a mentor, a friend- Parrikar Sir meant all that & more to my family. But then every Goan can say the same for that was the persona of Manohar Parrikar. He taught me dignity in the face of adversity, loyalty in tough times & perseverance so that determined goals are met," Irani said.

A leader, a mentor, a friend- Parrikar Sir meant all that & more to my family. But then every Goan can say the same for that was the persona of Manohar Parrikar. He taught me dignity in the face of adversity, loyalty in tough times & perseverance so that determined goals are met.  Chowkidar Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 17, 2019

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge remembered Parrikar as a good human being and said that his demise has left a big void in Indian politics. "He (Goa CM Manohar Parrikar) was a good human being. His passing away has left a huge gap in politics; we have lost a good politician. His demise has caused us immense grief. I express my grief and I pay my tributes on behalf of my party and myself," Kharge told ANI.

Priyanka Gandhi also paid her tribute to Manohar Parrikar and said, "My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace."

My condolences to the bereaved family of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. I met him only once, when he graciously visited my mother at the hospital two years ago. May his soul rest in peace.  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 17, 2019

Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad has also condoled the death of Manohar Parrikar. "Deeply condole the sad demise of Manohar Parrikar. A brilliant IIT graduate, an outstanding CM of Goa, an accomplished Defence Minister, a man of impeccable integrity, firm believer in good governance and above all a good human being. Miss you Manohar Ji," he tweeted.

JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda expressed his grief on Manohar Parrikar's death and tweeted, "Deeply saddened by the demise of Shri. Manohar Parrikar. May God give his family the strength to bear this loss."

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav condoled the demise of Manohar Parrikar.

               !                     !  Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 17, 2019

Parrikar is survived by two sons. His wife Medha Parrikar died in 2001 following an illness.
Visakhapatnam: Taking a jibe at YSR Congress Party, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday claimed that if YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's party wins the upcoming state Assembly election, then the state will be ruled by Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR).

Naidu made the statement while addressing party leaders and cadre in Visakhapatnam. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister did not take name but indirectly accused YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of killing his own uncle, YS Vivekananda Reddy.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are experts in cheating and betraying... Andhra Pradesh got injustice due to KCR and Prime Minister Modi. But Jagan has colluded with them and betraying the state... Do we need a person who killed his own uncle and vanished all the evidences? KCR is supporting Jagan, as he wants a puppet government in Andhra. If YSRCP wins, KCR rules the state. So don`t vote for YSRCP," Naidu was quoted as saying by ANI.

Naidu claims that YSRCP has no right to even sit in opposition. He added that the MPs of YSRCP chose to resign as they lacked the courage to fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament and their MLAs failed to attend Assembly sessions as they could not fight on public issues. He remarked that YSRCP MPs and MLAs are only interested in taking salaries and they are not fit to represent the public.

"KCR comes to Visakhapatnam on the name of performing `pujas`. When KCR who had worked for me shows such attitude, how much attitude I should have? We have launched Mission 150+. We have to win all 25 MP seats in the state," added Naidu referring to upcoming Lok Sabha poll.

Naidu remarked that Andhra people showed their political acumen by defeating Congress badly for failing to do justice to the state by dividing it into two parts and now BJP should also meet the same fate in the state. Naidu stressed that Modi-KCR-Jagan have come together only to destroy Anhdra Pradesh but the people of state will not surrender before them. "We have the spirit of NTR with us. He gave us the slogan of self-respect. I gave you the slogan of Self Confidence. If anyone attacks our self-confidence, will we leave them?" Naidu added.

(with ANI inputs)
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, alma mater of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who breathed his last on Sunday, expressed grief and condoled his death.

In a statement, IIT-B said that the chief minister came as "a shock to all of us at IIT Bombay". The institution asserted that CM Parrikar was the institute's distinguished alumnus and keenly involved with many initiatives at the institute.

The institute added that CM Parrikar was also "deeply involved with the launch of IIT Goa". The CM was also the Chief Guest for the 55th Convocation of IIT Bombay held on August 12, 2017, at the Institutes Convocation Hall.

"Goa Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar's demise comes as a shock to all of us at IIT Bombay. He was the Institute's Distinguished Alumnus & keenly involved with many initiatives at IIT Bombay. He was also deeply involved with the launch of IIT Goa. He was the Chief Guest for the 55th Convocation of IIT Bombay held on Saturday, August 12, 2017, at 10 am at the Institutes Convocation Hall. The Institute condoles his demise," read the statement.

63-year-old Parrikar passed away at his private residence near Panaji, Goa, on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle with an ailment.

His last rites will be held on Monday evening. A widower, Parrikar is survived by his sons Utpal and Abhijat, their wives and a grandson.

The death of the four-time Goa Chief Minister came as a shock to the nation.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar breathed his last on Sunday at around 8.15 pm at his private residence near Panaji, Goa, at the age of 63. His ailment was diagnosed in February 2018 and he had been in and out of hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and even the United States. While there had been no official statement about the condition of his ailment, several Goa ministers had admitted that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

READ: Manohar Parrikar, Goa Chief Minister and India's former defence minister, dies at 63

Born on December 13, 1955, in Goa, Parrikar took oath as the Chief Minister of the state four times. Known for his simple lifestyle, Parrikar would often be seen standing in public queues without the pomp and show generally associated with politicians.

In June 2018, he had made his first public appearance after his return from the US, displaying his resolve to work for the state. In another rare appearance in December, he was seen inspecting a half-constructed bridge on Mandovi river in Goa with a food pipe attached to his nose.

His video from an event where he asked 'How is the josh', a dialogue which had become famous from the movie Uri: The Surgical Strike, had seen the crowd erupt into thunderous applause. Parrikar serving as the Chief Minister despite his ailing condition had also been a matter of severe criticism by the rival parties who had been alleging that he is doing harm to the state by holding on to the top post despite his ill-health.

However, he silently kept up his josh, held meetings from hospitals and his home and kept the government going.

He first came to power in Goa in October 2000 after the BJP withdrew support to Francisco Sardinha government pushing the 11-month-old government into a minority.

In February 2002, Parikkar resigned as the CM and called for fresh elections. He came back to power and took oath in 2002 and served till 2005.

After the BJP's victory in the 2012 Assembly elections, he was entrusted with the post yet again. However, when the saffron party won the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he was elevated to the national level. He quit as the CM handing over the baton to Laxmikant Parsekar and took charge of the Defence Ministry. But his stint at the Centre ended in just two years.

In the 2017 Goa assembly elections, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party but the BJP managed the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Independents to secure the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member house. The allies though were keen to have Parrikar back. The Goa Forward Party said that it would agree to the give support to the coalition government only if Parrikar is named the Chief Minister.

The BJP then asked Parrikar to move back to his home state to lead the state government.

A highly acclaimed leader, Parrikar was the first engineer of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) to have become an MLA. He was trained in metallurgical engineering. Before joining the BJP, he had had a close association with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, where he served on many posts.

He is credited with bringing the well-acclaimed International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to Goa. Known by many as a 'man of ethics', he worked towards the accomplishment of better infrastructural works like the construction of major bridges bus stands, road network and district hospitals across the state.
PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Parrikar died on Sunday in Panaji after suffering from a prolonged illness. He was 63. A condolence meet will be held in the Union Cabinet at 11 am on Monday.

Centre has announced national mourning on Monday. Parrikar will be accorded a state funeral and national flag will fly at half-mast in Delhi and capitals of States and Union Territories.

The BJP leader had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic ailment in hospitals in New York, Goa, Mumbai and Delhi since February 2018.

A frail Parrikar had made rare public appearances in the past few months and was mostly recuperating at his home in Dona Paula.

The three-time Chief Minister of Goa also served as the defence minister between 2014 and 2017 in the Narendra Modi government. Parrikar was a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh from November 26, 2014, to September 2, 2017.

He had, just before the BJP parliamentary party meet in Goa in September 2013, proposed that the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi be projected as the prime ministerial candidate of the party.

He became the Chief Minister of Goa for the first time 2000 and continued till 2005. His second stint was from 2012 to 2014 after which he joined the Central government. He became an MLA in 1994 and was the Leader of Opposition in the Goa Assembly from June to November 1999.

A graduate of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, he was the first alumni of one of the top engineering institutes of India to become an MLA.

Parrikar was born in Mapusa joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a young age.

He is survived by two sons. His wife Medha Parrikar died in 2001 following an illness.
New Delhi: Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Sunday said that China understands India's concern on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and he is optimistic that the matter will be resolved soon.

"Regarding Masood Azhar we fully understand and we fully believe this matter. We understand Indias concerns and are optimistic this matter will be resolved," Zhaohui said while speaking at Holi Melan celebrations at the Chinese embassy in Delhi.

"This matter (Masood Azhar on UNSC 1267 list) will be resolved, this is only a technical hold which means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved, believe me," Zhaohui added.

Recalling the Wuhan summit, the Chinese envoy said that the two-way cooperation between India and China "is on the right track" and "fast track". "We are so satisfied with that cooperation and progress. I am quite optimistic about future cooperation," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met four times last year starting with famous informal Wuhan summit followed by meetings on the sidelines of SCO, BRICS and G20.

China had on last week put a hold on the listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist under the United Nations Security Council 1267 committee. But the hold continues for nine months before which a decision on the listing of JeM chief has to be made.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has said that it is willing to give more time to Beijing regarding its decision on Masood Azhar.

A govt source told WION, India will wait patiently and will not rest till Azhar is listed. Adding, New Delhi is prepared for a long haul.

Masood Azhar-led JeM is a United Nations listed Pakistan based terror group. It was responsible for the dastardly Pulwama attack on February 14 that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel.
Pakistan on Sunday resorted to ceasefire violation in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The unprovoked firing took place at 6.30 pm along the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of the district, as reported by news agency ANI.

Mortar shelling and firing from small arms from across the LoC started in the sector prompting effective retaliation by the Army, news agency PTI reported quoting a defence spokesperson. He said there was no report of any casualty on the Indian side in the firing, which was still continuing when the last reports came in.

There has been a rise in ceasefire violation after India's preemptive air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camps in Balakot on February 26, following the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

At least four civilians, including three members of a family, were killed and several others injured as Pakistan targeted dozens of villages in over 100 incidents of ceasefire violations along the LoC, especially in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, since then.

with PTI inputs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday expressed their condolences after the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. The leaders paid tribute to the former defence minister and four times Goa chief minister.

Calling him an unparallel leader, a true patriot and an exceptional administrator, PM Modi said that he was admired by all. He asserted that Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa and his pro-people policies ensured the progress of Goa.

The prime minister also spoke highly of Parrikar's contributions towards India's security and defence production.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi, "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti."

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress. India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced Indias security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," tweeted PM Modi.

President Kovind also expressed his grief at the death of Parrikar. He called Parrikar an epitome of integrity, adding that his service to the nation and Goa will not be forgotten. "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind," tweeted the President.

The Vice-President called the death of Parrikar an "untimely passing away". He added that Parrikar is one of the most lovable and honest senior politicians of our country. Naidu further added that he was a dynamic and dedicated individual who led a life full of values and principles.

"Deeply saddened to learn about the untimely passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa. He is one of the most lovable and honest senior politicians of our country. He was a dynamic and dedicated individual who led a life full of values and principles. In his passing, the nation in general and Goa, in particular, lost its proud son. My heartfelt condolences to the members of his bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace," tweeted the Vice-President.

The former defence minister was battling a serious ailment and died at his private residence in Dona Paula near Panaji, Goa. He was 63. Parrikar's health was fluctuating for a year and took a turn for the worse in the past two days. He is survived by his two sons and their families. Parrikar had been unwell since February 2018.
New Delhi: Former media executive Peter Mukerjea, a co-accused in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case, has been admitted to the hospital on Sunday after he complained of chest pain. He was rushed to JJ Hospital, confirmed Medical Superintendent, Dr Sanjay Surase.

Peter is currently lodged in Arthur Road jail.

He was arrested in 2015 in connection with the murder of Sheena Bora, the daughter of his wife Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship.

24-year-old Sheena Bora's murder in April 2012 came to light in August 2015 when her driver Shyamvar Rai spilt the beans after being arrested in another case.

Indrani Mukerjea - also a former media executive - was arrested in the case along with her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, Rai and Peter Mukerjea. Rai later became an approver and was pardoned.

Indrani is facing a murder charge while Peter has been accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation of being a part of the criminal conspiracy.

The investigating agency has claimed that a financial dispute led to the murder of Sheena Bora.
SRINAGAR: Former IAS officer Shah Faesal on Sunday kickstarted his political journey officially by launching his political outfit 'Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement'. The party was launched at a function at Gindun Ground in Rajbagh area of the city on Sunday. His journey in politics begins 9 years after he became the first Kashmiri to top the UPSC civil services exam in 2009.

The 2010 batch UPSC topper had resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in January this year to protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir. After his resignation, the former bureaucrat has been met several youngsters to get their support for his initiative. He had also launched a crowdfunding campaign in January to support his initiative.

Hitting out at the Centre, he has often said that the government was subverting public institutions of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

As per the vision document of the party, Shah states that the outfit will use democratic methods and legislative processes for resolution of all disputes, issues and problems.

The vision document also states that the party shall pursue peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem as per the will and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Some of the other 29 objectives of the party include - "Striving to rebuild J&K as an inclusive pluralistic society with religious, ethnic, linguistic, and geographical diversity and to revive neglected cultural traditions and arts like Dogra art, Budhist heritage and other folk traditions; To build a progressive, gender-sensitive political institution to give women equal rights and representation in all spheres, be it constitutional, legislative or administrative; To be a youth-centric organization in terms of the cadres, strategies, agenda, and aspirations."
New Delhi: The BJP is set to drop sitting MP from Patna Sahib Shatrughan Sinha and he is likely to be replaced by Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, sources said Saturday. Prasad's name was discussed in the BJP's central election committee which was attended by party chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shatrughan Sinha has been critical of the party's top leadership on several occasions in the past. He has often taken a stance at variance with the official party line, including on demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax, and shared the stage with opposition leaders at an anti-BJP rally in Kolkata in January, where he was projected as the "star speaker".

Deliberations continued till late in the night and the name of Rajya Sabha MP RK Sinha was also discussed for the Patna Sahib seat.

The meeting was also attended by other senior leaders, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi and party's Bihar unit chief Nityanand Rai.

Shatrughan had earlier said that he will not change his constituency in the coming Lok Sabha election "whatever the situation", making clear he would contest again from Patna Sahib seat irrespective of the party decision. "Situation kuch bhi ho, location wahi hogi (Whatever the situation, location would be same)," Sinha said on the phone from Ranchi.

On a recent visit to Lucknow, he had held a meeting with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, giving rise to speculation his wife Poonam Sinha may enter active politics from the Uttar Pradesh capital, currently represented in Lok Sabha by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Asked about it, the actor-turned-politician said he will neither confirm nor deny this.
BENGALURU: General Secretary of Karnataka BJP Arvind Limbavali on Sunday said that the state unit has shortlisted candidates for all the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, adding that a final call in this regard would soon be taken by Central Election Committee (CEC) of the party.

"We have shortlisted the names of all the candidates (in Karnataka). The central election committee will take a decision on it and release the list," Limbavali told reporters after the party's state core meeting in Bengaluru. The meeting was chaired by BJP state president and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and was attended by BJP general secretary and state unit in-charge P Muralidhar Rao, BJP organising secretary (in-charge south India) B L Santosh, former chief ministers D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar. According to Limbavali, the list of shortlisted candidates will be tabled before the CEC by the state election committee.

Talking about Mandya Lok Sabha seat, where Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is locked in a direct fight against actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, wife of late actor-turned-politician Ambareesh, Limbavali remarked that during the meeting discussions were held on fielding a candidate from Mandya. He added that a final decision in this regard will be taken based on Sumalatha's decision.

Sumalatha's decision to fight from Mandya is set to make things tougher for Nikhil because Sumalatha enjoys good popularity in the constituency. Sumalatha's late husband Ambareesh had won thrice from Mandya. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha on a JD(S) ticket and twice on Congress ticket. He was appointed minister of state for information and broadcasting when UPA-1 was in power, PTI reported.

Limbavali also informed reporters that senior Congress leader from Hassan, A Manju is set to join the BJP. Manju, a well-known critic of Gowdas, is expected to join the BJP after his meeting with Yeddyurappa.
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Raj Babbar on Sunday announced that his party has decided to leave seven Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh for Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

Addressing a press conference, Raj Babbar said: "We are leaving seven seats vacant for SP, BSP, and RLD. These are Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad and the seats from where Mayawati ji, RLD`s Jayant ji and Ajit Singh will contest ensuing Lok Sabha election."

He added that the Congress has also given Gonda and Pilibhit seats to Apna Dal. Revealing the party's plan to work with Mahan Dal, Babbar said that both the parties have reached an agreement under which Mahan Dal will contest on the Congress symbol.

"We had talked to Mahan Dal earlier. They had said they were fine with whatever seats we give them. All they wanted was to contest the Vidhan Sabha election. For the Lok Sabha elections, they had said that they would contest on our symbol. We will find out a way to work with them," Babbar was quoted as saying by ANI.

It is to be noted that SP, BSP, and RLD have already sealed a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll. As per the deal between the three parties, BSP will contest on 38 seats, SP on 37 and RLD on 3 seats. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance has left Rae Bareli and Amethi seats for the Congress.

Babbar also added that the Congress party has reached a deal with the Jan Adhikar party (JAP) on seven seats and as per the deal, JAP will fight on five seats, while the Congress will name its candidates on two seats.

Babbar also informed the reporters about Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi`s proposed visit to Uttar Pradesh, saying that the party has received the required no objection certificates (NOCs) from the state government for Priyanka's tour."We have obtained NOCs from many departments and some other clearances are pending. She will be visiting the places that have been finalised," he said.

Uttar Pradesh will witness polling during all seven phases of the election to be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. The votes will be counted on May 23.

(with ANI inputs)
LUCKNOW: Soon after arriving in Lucknow on Sunday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi wrote a letter to the people seeking their support for changing the course of politics in the state. In the open letter, Priyanka said that people want to share their problems but their voices have been muddled.

"The women, farmers and workers of the state are facing many difficulties. They want to share their concerms with the politicians but their voice has been muddled in the current set up," she wrote in her letter in Hindi.

Priyanka also said that she will reach out to the people of the state to listen to their problems and assured them that she will try to work on finding solutions for the same.

"I want to assure you that after listening to your concern we will make the changes that are required in the state. We will work together to solve the problems," she wrote.

"I believe that the changes in the political landscape of the state cannot be done without reaching out to the people and listening to them. Hence, I am reaching out to you to have an honest dialogue with you," she added.

Priyanka arrived in Lucknow on Sunday to review the Lok Sabha poll preparations in the state. During her visit, she will meet the party candidates who fought the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress, which was in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, had suffered a massive defeat in the Assembly elections. The SP-Congress combine won 54 seats of which only 7 were from the Congress.

Priyanka, who recently took over her official role in party politics, will be meeting all stakeholders to draw a strategy to strengthen the party for the upcoming election.

Congress General Secretary UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrives in Lucknow, to hold meeting with party workers today. She will take a 3-day, 140 km long 'ganga-yatra' on a steamer boat, starting tomorrow, from Chhatnag in Prayagraj to Assi Ghat in Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/i5X4qPQuHD  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 17, 2019

The letter comes ahead of her three-day poll campaign which begins on Monday from her great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru's birthplace Prayagraj to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

During the course of her 3-day visit, Priyanka is likely to cover a distance of over 140 km through four districts of the state - Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi - by steamer as well as in a car. Her journey will commence from Prayagraj on Monday and conclude at Varanasi's Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh ghat on Wednesday evening.
Kolkata: The West Bengal unit of the Congress on Sunday called off seat-sharing talks with the CPI(M)-led Left Front for Lok Sabha polls, after weeks of hectic parleys failed to resolve the impasse over the distribution of seats.

West Bengal becomes a new addition to the list of states where Congress failed to clinch a seat-sharing deal to take on the BJP. CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra said he will not make any comment until and unless he gets to know anything official from the Congress. The Left Front has called a meeting Monday to decide its next course of action.

"It has been decided by our party unit that we don't want any adjustment or alliance by compromising our dignity. The Left can't dictate us on who will be the candidate and who won't. We will fight alone in Bengal," state Congress chief Somen Mitra announced after a closed-door party meeting on Sunday evening.

The decision by the Congress Sunday paved way for the four-cornered contest in Bengal between the Trinamool Congress, BJP, Left Front and the Congress. "I will be going to New Delhi tonight with names of three probable candidates for every Lok Sabha seats for the first three phases for clearance from our high command," Mitra said.

A section of the Congress leadership felt insulted over the Left Front unilaterally announcing its list when the talks were on between both the parties, party sources said. The Left Front in its list announced Congress leader Rezaul Karim's, chairman of the state medical cell of the party, from Birbhum Lok Sabha seat.

The Left's candidate list mentions Karim as their candidate from Birbhum but did not mention which party he represents. "How can they decide who will be our candidate? Our medical cell chairman's name was declared as their Birbhum candidate without taking due permission from our side. This is absurd. So what's the use of negotiations if Left front declares candidates on our behalf?" Mitra asked.

"We wanted this alliance, but unlike the CPI(M) we didn't want it to be a marriage of convenience. We wanted a credible alliance where both had equal respect, but the CPI(M) was unwilling to do that," senior state Congress leader Subhankar Sarkar said.

The Left Front announced its first list of candidates for 25 seats in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls Friday leaving 17 constituencies for the Congress. According to sources, the state Congress is not happy with the seats that were left for the party. Since the beginning of seat-sharing talks between both the parties, there have been several issues which had cropped up time and again.

Initially, the impasse over Raiganj and Murshidabad Lok Sabha seats were resolved after the intervention of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. The Congress later decided to leave those two seats for the CPI(M) as it had won those two seats last time.
NEW DELHI: Continuing his tirade against the proposed 'mahagathbandhan' of opposition parties, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday reiterated that the voters will elect a stable government and reject the 'mahamilawat gathbandhan' in the upcoming Lok Sabha poll.

Jaitley said in his seventh blog on 'Agenda 2019' that the 'mahagathbandhan' is a road to disaster and will lead to political instability in the country.

"At the cusp of history, India and Indians have a choice to make. Are they electing a six month Government or a five year Government? Are they choosing between a tried, tested and a performing leader or a chaotic crowd of non-leaders? Is India looking at a Government which accelerates growth, development and poverty alleviation or is it looking for a Government made by persons who excel only at self-enrichment? I am confident that aspirational people of an evolving society will make the right choice," said Jaitley.

He added that the only objective of 'mahamilawat gathbandhan' is to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the opposition parties have no agenda aimed at the development of the country.

Jaitley stressed that in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, the Prime Minister's word is the last work, while the opposition parties, including Congress, BSP, SP, TMC, and TDP, are yet to finalize a leader.

"Four people have clearly indicated their desire to be Prime Ministers - Shri Rahul Gandhi, Behan Mayawati, Mamata Didi and Shri Sharad Pawar. Each desires to expand his or her own base and reduce that of the competitor," the minister said in the blog.

Referring to the past coalition governments, Jaitley noted that such non-ideological alliances have failed to last beyond a few months. Jaitley cited the examples of governments headed by Chaudhary Charan Singh, V P Singh, Chandrasekhar, H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral, which failed to complete their full term, to buttress his claim.

"Who would want to invest in India in an environment of political instability? Would even Indian investors prefer to go outside and look for more stable countries for investment? Where there is instability, there is corruption. People with brief political opportunities make the best of them. This is the experience of the past," said the senior BJP leader.
National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Sunday asserted that the party has received a proposal from Congress for an alliance for Lok Sabha election, adding that it was possible only if the Congress agrees to NC's seat-sharing offer.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told Congress that only National Conference candidates will contest from the three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir valley. Speaking at a party function in Anantnag district, he added that if Congress agrees to it then talks will take place between the two parties for other seats.

"It's true that we had received a proposal from Congress for alliance (in J&K for Lok Sabha polls). But we've told them clearly that only National Conference candidate will be there on the 3 seats in the valley (Kashmir). If it suits them (Congress), then we can talk about other seats. Let's see what response we receive," said Omar.

He said he has conveyed to the Congress his party's willingness to discuss the other three seats -- two in Jammu and one in Ladakh region.

The parliamentary board of the National Conference is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the probable candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi arrived in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow on Sunday to review the Lok Sabha poll preparations in the state. She arrived at the Amausi airport at 10:30 am after which she went to the Congress office.

During her visit, she will meet the party candidates who fought the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress, which was in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, had suffered a massive defeat in the Assembly elections. The SP-Congress combine won 54 seats of which only 7 were from the Congress.

Priyanka, who recently took over her official role in party politics, will be meeting all stakeholders to draw a strategy to strengthen the party for the upcoming election.

She had kicked off her official journey in politics in February when she held a roadshow in Lucknow with party president and her brother Rahul Gandhi by her side. During the 30-kilometre-long roadshow, Rahul, Priyanka were joined by senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and hundreds of party members and supporters.

Over the course of three days after the roadshow, she had met party leaders in the state and held meetings regarding the constituencies which fall under her purview in UP East.

The trip to Lucknow comes ahead of her three-day poll campaign which she will begin on Monday from her great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru's birthplace Prayagraj to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi. According to Congress leaders, Priyanka will cover a distance of over 140 km through four districts of the state - Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi - by steamer as well as in a car. Her journey will commence from Prayagraj on Monday and conclude at Varanasi's Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh ghat on Wednesday evening.
INDORE: Senior BJP leader Satyanarayan on Sunday warned that he will fight the upcoming Lok Sabha poll as an Independent candidate if the party decides to renominate Lok Sabha Speaker and Indore MP Sumitra Mahajan from the seat.

The 79-year-old BJP leader popularly known as Sattan said that party workers in Indore are unhappy with Mahajan because she had completely ignored them.

It is to be noted that Mahajan is an eight-time MP and she and had won from Indore since 1989 after registering a big victory against former chief minister and senior Congressman Prakash Chandra Sethi.

"If the party gives a ticket to Mahajan for the ninth time, I will be forced to think of contesting against her as an Independent candidate. Majority of the party workers are unhappy with her as she has not been in touch with them," Satyanarayan told PTI.

He added that though Mahajan has won from Indore for eight times in a row, she has failed to do any memorable work in the city. Satyanarayan suggested that the BJP should choose general secretary Kailash Vijaywargiya, local MLAs Ramesh Mendola, Usha Thakur or city mayor Malini Gaud in place of Mahajan from Indore.

Reacting to Satyanarayan's statement, state BJP spokesperson Umesh Sharma said, "Sattan was one of our big leaders since the Jan Sangh days. I feel we will be able to placate him and he would support the candidate chosen by the party."

(with PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan's son Taimur Ali Khan is the internet's favourite baby and his pics and videos often go viral. Baby Tim steps out of the house and makes headlines, making his ocean of fans go gaga over him.

The blue-eyed boy was recently clicked enjoying horse riding in Bandra. He was seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue denims, and white shoes.

Check out the pics here:

(Image Courtesy: Yogen Shah)

Two days back, pictures of Saif and Kareena heading to Taimur's annual day at school went viral. Baby Tim also got a cool new hairstyle for the event and pics of him with his parents were adorable beyond words!

Saif and Kareena are doting parents to their adorable 2-year-old boy and have often spoken about him during interactions.

From the moment he was born, Taimur's pictures have been floating on the internet. Netizens can't go a day without their daily dose of Baby Tim's pic. The tiny tot even recognises the media and often greets them with a smile.

There are several fan clubs on Instagram dedicated to Taimur.
Choreographer turned director and actor Raghava Lawrences upcoming film Kanchana 3 is all set to release on April 19. Kanchana 3 is a horror comedy film much like its prequels like Muni, Kanchana and Kanchana 2. The shoot of the film has almost been wrapped up and the film will be released in Telugu and Tamil languages as well.

Raghava Lawrence takes special care of each and every details when it comes to film making. The motion picture which released a few days back grabbed the attention of the audience. It was first time a motion picture got released along with Dolby Atmos audio.

Light House Movie Makers and Raghavendhra Productions Banner are bankrolling this project and B.Madhu will present the film while Raghava is investing in the project.

Lawrence said  We worked very hard for this film. Story-Screenplay and graphics will mesmerize everyone. This Kanchana-3 will be released on April 19 worldwide. This is the fourth film in this series. We shot for almost 220 days for this film and executed every detail perfectly. We are planning to cut the trailer to beat the response of Motion picture. My getup got a lot of accolades from the critics and I am very happy about that. We are planning to release this movie as a summer gift to all movie lovers. We strongly believe that Kanchana-3 will be a whole new level of horror-comedy experience you will taste this year.

Oviya, Vedhika, KoVy Sarala, Kabhir Dhuhan Singh, Sriman, DevaDarshini, Sathyaraj, Kishore and others are part of this film.
Christchurch: An aircraft engineer, a takeaway store owner, a student pilot; details emerging of some of the 50 people gunned down at two New Zealand mosques paint a picture of dozens of ordinary lives suddenly and savagely ended.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face further charges.

Friday`s attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labelled as terrorism, was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand.

At Hagley College, a school across a park from the Al Noor mosque where more than 40 people were killed, a makeshift support centre was set up on Sunday.

A stream of victims` friends and relatives entered, one woman carrying sandwiches and falafel.

Muzzamil Pathan arrived to offer his condolences for a friend, Imran Khan, who was killed at a second mosque in the suburb of Linwood.

Khan ran a takeaway and had recently opened a butcher shop, he said.

"He was a good person. We wish this did not happen. He came here to New Zealand 18 years ago - he was just 47. He was a self-made man," Pathan said.

National carrier Air New Zealand said Lilik Abdul Hamid, an aircraft maintenance engineer, was in killed at the Al Noor mosque.

Lilik has been a valued part of our engineering team in Christchurch for 16 years, but he first got to know the team even earlier when he worked with our aircraft engineers in a previous role overseas," Air New Zealand Chief Executive Christopher Luxon said in a statement.

"The friendships he made at that time led him to apply for a role in Air New Zealand and make the move to Christchurch. His loss will be deeply felt by the team."

Hafiz Musa Patel, an Imman visiting from Fiji, was also killed, according to Abdul Aroon, a friend from Auckland.

We didnt think something like this could happen in this country, Aroon told Reuters.

SIX PAKISTANIS DEAD, THREE MISSING

One student, who asked not to be identified, said a friend had been killed.

He was studying to be a pilot and we saw him for morning classes. Then he went to the mosque as usual, and we aren`t hearing from him," he said.

"I got a call last night from a friend, around midnight, to say he has passed away.

The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Pakistan`s high commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing.

Khaled Mustafa, a recent refugee from Syria, had also been killed at the Al Noor mosque, Syrian Solidarity New Zealand spokesman Ali Akil told news website Stuff.

Mustafa and his family had "survived atrocities" in their home country and "arrived here in a safe haven only to be killed in the most atrocious way".

His son, Hamza, who is about 16, was missing, and his son Zaid, who is about 13, is in Christchurch Hospital where he underwent a six-hour operation, Akil said.
Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday said that she received a 'manifesto' from the terrorists who opened fire in two churches in Christchurch just nine minutes before the attack. The death toll in the attack has gone up to 50 which includes five Indians.

Jacinda added that the terrorist was brought down within 36 minutes of the attack. She said that by the time a police plan was in place, the 911 number was already buzzing as shots had been fired.

Defending her team, she said that there was very little time to react to the message in the manifesto' "The pocket to react was slim, very very slim," she said while vowing to the kin of all victims who have been killed. The PM has also called a crucial cabinet meet on Monday.

Mosques across New Zealand were opened on Sunday but police are maintaining a strict vigil and the premises will have an armed presence. "Mosques are welcome to open their doors if they choose to do so. Police will continue to maintain a presence at all Mosques across New Zealand," New Zealand Police tweeted on Sunday.

Mosques across the country were advised to shut down following the March 14 terror attack, which shook the global community.

The attack was carried out by 28-year-old white man Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who has been charged with murder ever since. Police believe that Tarrant single-handedly carried out the terror attack at both the mosques during the ongoing Friday prayers for which a large number of people had congregated.

At least five Indians, including three from Gujarat have been killed in the attack. The 36 people who had been injured also included two Indian nationals and two persons of Indian origin. All injured are undergoing treatment at Christchurch Hospital.
The forum took place in South Africas capital Pretoria on March 14th and 15th under the co-chair of Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong and South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Reginah Mhaule.

At the forum, Vietnamese and South African ministries and sectors reviewed bilateral cooperation since their third meeting, which was held in Hanoi in 2015 and discussed measures to capitalize on the countries potential in the coming years.

The sides agreed to maintain delegation exchanges at all levels, and mutual support and cooperation at international organizations and multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations.





Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong and South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Reginah Mhaule sign the meeting's minutes (Photo: VNA)



They shared the view on the need to strengthen bilateral partnership in economy, trade, and investment and to soon sign a memorandum of understanding on boosting joint work in mineral resources, electricity power and renewable energy.

They recommended the launching of negotiations for coal export from South Africa to Vietnam, and boosting the trading of their farm produce and food products.

The South African side promised to assist the organization of events that introduce Vietnamese goods into local supermarket chains.

The two sides agreed to hold a meeting of the Vietnam  South Africa subcommittee on trade in 2019 and assigned specific agencies to carry out commercial promotion activities.

They pledged to continue with joint work in the protection, conservation and management of biodiversity, while exchanging information on seized wildlife animals, and implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The two sides vowed to negotiate towards signing an agreement on cooperation on agriculture, fishery and forestry before the end of 2020.

The sides agreed to hold their third defence dialogue in Hanoi this year, boost capacity training collaboration in military health, logistics, and defence industry, and exchange experience related to UN peacekeeping mission.

Vietnamese and South African ministry of public security reached consensus on cooperation to prevent crime, particularly drug and wildlife trafficking, while working to sign an agreement on judicial support concerning crime.

In terms of education-training and science-technology, the sides highlighted the need for more exchanges of researchers and organization of scientific seminars toward the signing of more collaboration agreements in the fields.

Vietnam suggested increasing exchanges of cultural, sport and tourism delegations, facilitating art-cultural activities and film screening in both nations, and exchanging experiences in tourism and tourism development policies.

At the forum, Reginah Mhaule expressed the hope to receive Vietnams support in developing ties with the Asia-Pacific region. She said she backs the ASEANs stance on tackling international dispute using peaceful measures in line with the UN charter and international law.

The official stated that South Africa will soon send a diplomatic note on its official support of Vietnams candidacy for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure. She also stressed her countrys willingness to help Vietnam establish relations with the African Union.

Concluding the event, the two deputy ministers said bilateral trade, current at USD1 billion, still fall short of potential, agreeing to boosting business connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.

The next meeting was planned to take place in Vietnam in 2021./.
Cellist Mun Tae-guk, left, and pianist Han Chi-ho perform together at a press conference on Mun's first international album "Songs of the Cello" at the Munho Art Hall in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Credia



By Kwon Mee-yoo



Cellist Mun Tae-guk released his first international album through Warner Classics, one of the world's most influential classical music labels.



The 25-year-old cellist won the Pablo Casals International Cello Competition in 2014, becoming the first Asian to receive the award named after Spanish cellist and composer Pablo Casals (1876-1973). He is the first Korean cellist to release an album through a major classical label in 23 years after Chang Han-na.



"There are few Korean cellists who have worked with Warner Classics and I am grateful and honored to record with Warner," Mun said during a press conference Tuesday.



Titled "Songs of the Cello," the album is an homage to Casals. Mun selected repertoire from Casals' albums and his favorite pieces and added Schubert's "An die Musik" (To Music) and Schumann's "Widmung" (Dedication).



Like many cellists, Mun is influenced by Casals in many ways.



"I don't remember when I first listened to Casals' music, just like I can't remember how I began playing the cello. Casals was one of the musicians whose music was played at my home all the time," Mun said. "I experienced a lot by taking part in the Casals Competition and I wanted to show respect and gratitude to Casals as the competition winner, resulting in this album to be themed around Casals."



The cellist is also inspired by Casals expressing his beliefs through activism.



"Casals arranged the traditional Catalan folk song The Song of the Birds for cello and piano and played the song often for the peace of Catalonia. As I agree with Casals' pursuit of peace and love for humans, I want to express my gratitude for him from person to person," Mun said.



Mun is accompanied by pianist Han Chi-jo, the second prize winner in the ARD international music competition in Munich, with no first prize awarded, in 2014.



"When you record with other instruments, sometimes you have to sacrifice to match with them. But with Mun, we could compromise without sacrificing each other," Han said. "Cello is a difficult instrument to play an ensemble with since it is low-pitched. In a cello-piano duet, it is important to communicate with each other and strike a balance."



Mun spoke well of Han too. "I am not the person to evaluate Han's play, but he is a delight to play with. When we play together, he is always there with me, not one of us following the other," Mun said.



Mun and Han will held a duo recital at the IBK Chamber Hall of Seoul Arts Center on March 22.



At the concert, Mun will begin with Bach's "Suites for Solo Cello No.1" and continue to duet with Han in Beethoven's "Cello Sonata No. 3" and Stravinsky's "Suite Italienne."


K-pop boy band EXO throws a gig during "Green Nature 2019 EXO Fan Festival" on Saturday at Korea University's Hwajung Gymnasium in Seoul. Courtesy of Nature Republic



By Dong Sun-hwa, Lee Gyu-lee



K-pop titan EXO has rocked some 6,000 international fans during its fan festival hosted by cosmetic brand Nature Republic.



The band kicked off the "Green Nature 2019 EXO Fan Festival" with the songs "Tempo" and "24/7" on Saturday at Hwajung Gymnasium at Korea University, Seoul.



The eight members  Suho, Xiumin, D.O., Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Sehun, Chen and Kai  also sang a birthday song for the brand to celebrate its 10th anniversary.



"I hope Nature Republic would flourish 100 years from now with EXO," member Sehun said.





EXO members play games during "Green Nature 2019 EXO Fan Festival" on Saturday at Korea University's Hwajung Gymnasium in Seoul. Courtesy of Nature Republic



They also played several games with their fans, known as EXO-Ls, and presented the brand's goods to fans during the "slingshot event."



The highlight came by the end of the party. The brand held an award ceremony to appreciate the stars who have been the faces of the brand for six years. The fans were thanked too, and were given a "Thank-you Award." The special EXO face packs were their rewards.



"Thank you, EXO-L, and let's stay together for a long time," band leader Suho said. "You all are grand prize awardees for us."



The band rounded off the event with its song "Love Shot."



The festival was broadcasted live on Instagram and Weibo, a Chinese social media. Approximately 200,000 people in total watched the live, according to Nature Republic, Sunday.





EXO takes photos with some 6,000 international fans during "Green Nature 2019 EXO Fan Festival" on Saturday at Korea University's Hwajung Gymnasium in Seoul. Courtesy of Nature Republic






Korea Federation of Banks (KFB) Chairman Kim Tae-young, fifth from right, and Bun Yin, vice chairman of the Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC), fifth from left, hold their bilateral agreement on education at ABC's headquarters in Phnom Penh, March 15. ABC will support Korean bankers entering Cambodia, and KFB will provide education on financial technology to Cambodian bankers. Courtesy of KFB




By Park Hyong-ki







KB Kookmin Bank Cambodia has forged an alliance with Pi Pay in digital banking in Phnom Penh, the bank said, Sunday.







The two sides will seek to connect their respective platforms not only to offer convenient mobile payment services, but also to develop new financial products for local customers, the Seoul-based bank added.







Pi Pay is Cambodia's biggest mobile payment company with over 250,000 users who can settle transactions at 3,500 local retail stores via its application.







The Cambodian fintech startup, which was launched in 2017, handled transactions worth $150 million as of the end of December 2018.







Pi Pay also has ties with Alibaba's Alipay.







KB Kookmin Bank said the bank's Liiv digital platform will be connected to Pi Pay, enabling the Korean bank to join Pi Pay's local retail network.







They will create loan products, which will be offered via the two platforms.







"KB Kookmin Bank's Liiv will seek to forge ties with various Southeast Asian market leaders to further foray into retail banking in the region with success," said Choi Chang-su, managing director of the bank's global business, in a press statement.







The bank will also further promote its Liiv platform with Cambodia-based Express Food Group's (EFG) Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, beginning in April.







EFG operates franchises such as Krispy Kreme, the Pizza Company and Swensen's Ice Cream & Sundaes. Liiv users will be able to settle their payments at Krispy Kreme.







KB's Liiv in Cambodia has 76,000 users. The digital platform handled overseas wire transfers worth $17 million last year. It also extended loans worth $19 million in 2019, according to the bank.







KB Kookmin Bank Cambodia opened in 2009 through the launch of its headquarters in Phnom Penh.










By Park Hyong-ki





Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki / Yonhap

Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki is expected to face questioning by opposition lawmakers as he briefs them on his ministry's key plans for this year.
Kim Alla, granddaughter of the late independence fighter Hong Beom-do, poses with a photograph of her grandfather, who led the Korea Independence Army to oppose Japanese forces, at her house in Spassk-Dalny, Russia, Feb. 28. Korea Times photo by Kwak Yeon-soo



This is the sixth in a series of articles highlighting overseas independence fighters on the occasion of the centennial of the March 1 Independence Movement  ED.



By Kwak Yeon-soo



SPASSK-DALNY, Russia  "All his life, Hong Beom-do wanted nothing but liberation from Japan's colonial rule," Kim Alla, 77, the only surviving granddaughter of the freedom fighter, said during an interview with The Korea Times at her home in a small town in Russia.



Hong, who led resistance fighters against the Japanese army, is one of Korea's most celebrated independence activists who fought for liberation during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation.



He was born in 1868 in Pyongyang, in what is now North Korea, and was a hunter before organizing a resistance force named the Righteous Army.



Hong and his force moved to Gando, also known as Jiandao, China, in 1910 to train anti-Japanese freedom fighters.



He also formed the Korean Independence Army, in which he later served as top commander, to attack the Japanese troops that sought expansion into China.



Returning to Korea in 1920, he was successful at the Bongoh Town Battle and Battle of Qingshanli.



Seeking refuge from the Japanese army, Hong escaped to the Russian Far East. There, he also joined forces with the Russian army, still hoping to oppose Japan's invasion.



As a result, Hong was the first Korean independence activist who was recognized by Lenin, the Russian revolutionary leader from 1917 to 24.



"Although my grandfather was close to Lenin, he wanted nothing  not even a penny from the government  for his activism while he was alive," Kim said.



Hong excelled at hit-and-run tactics and earned the nickname "running Hong, flying Hong" after his clever combat strategies, according to Kim.



"I heard from my mother that Hong used sheaves of paddies to make noise to lure the enemy into traps. When the Japanese rushed toward where the sound was coming from, he and his force attacked them."



Hong also had to escape through a soakaway when he was discovered by the Japanese.

"Ever since I was a little child, my mother told me stories of Hong, saying that someday people would come to me asking about my grandfather and I should be ready to tell them all about him," Kim said.





Kim Alla, granddaughter of the late independence fighter Hong Beom-do, poses with keepsakes from her grandfather, who led the Korea Independence Army to oppose Japanese forces, at her house in Spassk-Dalny, Russia, Feb. 28. Korea Times photo by Kwak Yeon-soo




North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il, right, enters the guesthouse of Russia's foreign ministry to meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov in Moscow, March 14. A group of Russian senators is visiting North Korea separately from March 14 to 21 to discuss issues on business, culture and other areas. / Yonhap



Russian senators visiting Pyongyang until March 21



By Yi Whan-woo



A group of Russian senators is visiting North Korea, the latest in a series of talks between the two countries following the collapse of the U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.



Sergei Kislyak, the first deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council's Committee for Foreign Affairs and one of the Russian delegates, said the visit from March 16 to 21 will be "an absolutely natural, normal practice" to continue dialogue between the two countries.



But speculation is rampant it results from Pyongyang's desperate bid to woo support from Moscow, following the collapse of talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.






Park So-youn, head of Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), enters Jongno Police Station in central Seoul, Thursday, to be questioned over her alleged euthanizing of some 250 animals secretly. / Yonhap



By Kim Rahn



The National Assembly Research Service has advised law revisions to better protect and manage animals at privately run shelters, according to its report, Sunday.



The advice comes after an allegation that Park So-youn, the head of animal rights group Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), euthanized hundreds of rescued dogs secretly due to a lack of space at the group's shelters.



According to the report, the number of private shelters is estimated at 150 nationwide, and the Animal Protection Act is not applied to them unlike facilities run by local governments.



So these shelters do not have regulations about euthanasia unlike the public ones where only vets administer it under strict rules and leave records.



"Rescue activity can become animal hoarding," the report said. "Keeping animals indiscriminately may lead to mass animal abuse."



The report advised relevant law changes to set criteria on private shelters and force animal groups to report their facilities to the authorities.



It also urged to expand shelters run directly by local governments: now there are 293 animal protection centers supervised by municipalities, but 253 of them are private ones to which the governments outsourced.



"The outsourced ones are selected mainly based on bidding prices, so they are likely to focus on seeking profit rather than animal welfare," the report said.



According to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, some 102,500 animals were kept at the 293 centers in 2017. About 27 percent of them died natural deaths, 20.2 percent were euthanized, 30.2 percent were sent to new homes, and 14.5 percent were returned to their owners.



Last Thursday, Park was questioned by police over allegations that she had some 250 animals put down without the knowledge of CARE staffers and donors since 2015 after rescuing them mostly from dog farms. She is also accused of embezzling the group's funds.


At the signing ceremony (Source: VNA)



The two sides reached the deals after the talks between Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and Cambodian Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Tram Iv Tek in Phnom Penh on March 14th.



During his working visit to Cambodia from March 13th to 16th, Hung informed his the Cambodian minister about the development of Vietnams information and communications technology (ICT) sector.



According to the Vietnamese minister, Vietnam is focusing on developing logistics to promote e-commerce and telecom infrastructure as foundations for digital economic development; testing 5G mobile network; developing e-Government and smart cities; monitoring cyberspace and ensuring cyber security for government agencies and key information infrastructure facilities; and developing a digital ecosystem.



For his part, Tram Iv Tek said as part of efforts to promote Cambodia's quadrangle development strategy, the government has paid attention to promoting high-speed internet connectivity, developing e-Government from central to grassroots levels and opening postal services to communes.



In the recent past, Cambodia's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) has issued several documents and decrees on ICT management, he said, expressing his hope that Vietnam will help his country develop postal services and support Cambodia in building infrastructure to prevent cyber attacks.



Following the talks, representatives from the two ministries and enterprises of the two countries signed a cooperation plan between Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications and the MPT, a deal between Vietnams Information Security Department and Cambodias ICT Department and a pact on digital signatures between Vietnams BKAV Group and the MPT.



Under the agreements, the Vietnamese side will enhance postal cooperation with Cambodia by opening post offices at border gates to develop cross-border and express mail delivery services and postal financial services.



The two sides will continue negotiations on division of frequency use for new generation broadband mobile communication systems; research and deploy network transfer to keep numbers; and television digitalisation.



Vietnam will help Cambodia build a cyber security monitoring centre and provide three full scholarships worth USD27,000 each for Cambodian students to pursue study at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology.



Hung asked the MPT to continue supporting Vietnamese IT enterprises as Viettel, VNPT, FPT and VNPost to invest and do business in Cambodia, especially in IT projects in sate and government agencies./.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo answers questions at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., Friday. / AFP-Yonhap



Cheong Wa Dae continues to support dialogue



By Yi Whan-woo



North Korea is apparently playing hardball with the United States, indicating it may pull out of negotiations over denuclearization.



The latest message, from North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui Friday, increases uncertainty over the stalled talks as both sides reportedly remain poles apart over how to proceed with denuclearization, analysts said Sunday.



Choe said North Korea may stop negotiations with the U.S. and reconsider whether to maintain its moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests.



Washington, instead of denouncing Pyongyang this time, said it maintains expectations for negotiation, highlighted Kim's promise for denuclearization and urged Pyongyang to implement it accordingly.



"We have every expectation he will live up to that commitment," U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo said in response to Choe's warning. "That's Chairman Kim's word."



He added Kim, during his Hanoi summit, spoke directly to Trump and "made a commitment that he would not resume nuclear testing, nor would he resume missile testing."



He denied Choe's argument that Pompeo and U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton created an environment of hostility and mistrust at the Hanoi summit, while Trump was more willing to talk.



"They're wrong about that. I was there," Pompeo said.



He said he does not think "allegations" will hamper his ability to aid future negotiations.



Bolton referred to Choe's argument as "inaccurate."



South Korean analysts speculated Sunday the U.S. is committed to resuming hard-earned dialogue. But referring to unpredictable Trump, they warned it can fall apart if the North "crosses the line" and therefore President Moon Jae-in should step in as the "mediator" immediately after wrapping up his week-long, three-nation ASEAN tour. He returned home, Saturday.



The fragile U.S.-North Korea dialogue puts the centerpiece of Moon's leadership, rapprochement with the North, at risk again after the Hanoi breakdown in late February.



Moon's wider push for rapprochement, including economic cooperation, requires easing of nuclear sanctions on the North.



Cheong Wa Dae remained unchanged in its stance that it will "continue to support" dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.



"The President is facing a critical situation as a mediator," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "Once the North makes the decision to leave the dialogue table and resume nuclear tests, there will be nothing he can do."



The professor said Moon's role also will be critical to woo support domestically, considering the economic slowdown and the fall in his approval rating. It came down to 44 percent  the lowest since he took office in 2017, according to a Gallup Korea poll released on Friday.



"Losing support from people means he will lose momentum for inter-Korean reconciliation," Yang said.



Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University, said, "The U.S.-North Korea talks may break down, if Moon does not take action accordingly."



He called the situation "very serious," claiming Choe added fuel over concerns that the North may carry out missile launches again.



He referred to Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS)'s recent finding that the Kim regime is restoring facilities at long-range rocket launch site in Tongchang-ri.



38 North, a U.S. website specializing on North Korean studies, separately indicated efforts to rebuild some structures at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station.


The North Jeolla provincial government's blueprint for a third finance center in the city of Jeonju / Korea Times file



By Kim Bo-eun



The government is currently reviewing the viability of a third finance center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, but foreign individuals in the sector here are skeptical.



The plan is among President Moon Jae-in's election pledges, to develop and invigorate provincial areas.



However, the plan has come under criticism, as the country's first and second finance centers in Seoul and Busan are considered to lack competitiveness.



Meanwhile, the North Jeolla provincial government has already started planning for the 250 billion won ($220 million) project, but no businesses have applied to relocate to Jeonju. The provincial government has been contacting businesses, requesting them to make the move. The local government will have to use its own budget to create the center if no businesses end up relocating. The only finance-related state-run institution in Jeonju is the National Pension Service.



Regarding the plan to create a third finance center, James Rooney, vice chairman of the Seoul Financial Forum, said "It does not make any sense. I do not see any similar case like this in any other country in the world of Korea's scale." Rooney was a professor of international finance at Sogang University.



"Even Busan can only be justified as a financial center if it focuses on a very specialized set of financings related to its international trade and marine engineering context."



Jeffrey Jones, chairman of the board of the American Chamber of Commerce, said the location in Jeonju would pose a challenge, considering it is a provincial city, a distance away from the capital.



"The plan is nice in terms of trying to decentralize, trying to alleviate concentration in Seoul. But it would be difficult to attract people to Jeonju," he said. Jones is also a lawyer at Kim & Chang.



"The government might try to do this through subsidies but this doesn't help the businesses to be successful. An incentive the government could provide for businesses to come to Jeonju is to create a deregulatory environment there," he said.



"Korea lost a lot of foreign asset, securities firms because they felt government restrictions were too tough."



Korean professionals also hold a negative view of the project.



"The key to creating a financial hub is having professional personnel. It is different from the manufacturing sector, where you can build a factory in a provincial area and hire locals there to work for the factory," said Kim Sang-kyung, chief executive of the Korea International Finance Institute.



"Even for the Busan International Finance Center, the focus was only on the hardware  bringing financial institutions to the city  and not the software  the people."



The government designated Busan as the second finance center in 2009 and relocated a number of state-run financial institutions, including the Korea Exchange, to the city.



Focus on Seoul, Busan



She added that it would be better to concentrate on existing financial hubs, rather than trying to create more.



"It will bring down the overall standard of all of the finance centers  it is a zero-sum game."



Yun Chang-hyun, an economist at the University of Seoul, said, "The plan to create a finance center is not supposed to be a plan for provincial development." Yun is also a former president of the Korea Institute of Finance.



"Accessibility is important if you want foreign businesses to come. It would be better to concentrate on the existing two centers in Seoul and Busan, which offer high accessibility in terms of transport," Yun said.



The decision on the finance center is set to be made within the first half of this year. It is seen to have been delayed due to opposition from Busan, over concerns regarding its finance center losing competitiveness if a third one opens.


By Lee Min-hyung





North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has underlined the need for his country's "independent" economic growth following his failed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.



"There is nothing to be done if you only wait for somebody to give you a hand," Pyongyang's state-controlled Rodong Sinmun quoted Kim as saying, Saturday.



It is a serious political agenda and a matter of life or death for the North to choose between independent growth and dependence on foreign influence, the propaganda newspaper said.



The regime also stressed that it would tackle tough economic sanctions from international society by revitalizing the economy through competition among provinces.



"Putting provinces into competition with others is a very effective and powerful way to achieve overall prosperity across the regime," it said.



The remark came at a critical time when North Korea is showing signs of returning to the past by threatening to resume its nuclear armament in the wake of the recent breakdown of the second Washington-Pyongyang summit.






Seen above is the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong, North Korea. / Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has taken issue with South Korea's failure to notify the council of the country's shipments of petroleum products to North Korea last year for the establishment of the inter-Korean liaison office there.



According to an annual report by the United Nations Panel of Experts, Tuesday, all United Nations member countries should report to the UNSC any shipments of refined petroleum products to the North, but the South did not send the notification.



This was in contrast to the South Korean government's earlier stance that the case had nothing to do with any violation of international sanctions on the North, as the shipment was aimed at the special purpose of building the office and the U.S. also understood the intention.



But the panel expressed different views on the issue, saying that any member states should notify "any transfer of refined petroleum products to the North."



"The panel notes that the specific language of paragraph 5 of resolution 2397 requiring member states to notify the UNSC Sanctions Committee on North Korea of any transfer to North Korea of refined petroleum products is by territory as opposed to possession and does not differentiate between temporary and permanent transfers, or under whose control the items will be after transfer," said the report published Tuesday.



Last year, the South Korean government argued that it had closely discussed the matter with the U.N. and the United States while carrying out the project.



Last August, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said the case had nothing to do with a violation of the U.N. sanctions on the North, as the petroleum transfer was not aimed at giving economic benefits to the regime. She also said the government continued to exchange its views with the U.S. over the issue.



Even if the report did not state that South Korea violated U.N. sanctions on North Korea, the latest message by the panel is seen as a warning sign to the South that the country should remain more careful when pushing ahead with any inter-Korean projects.



The panel also noted that it sent a letter to the South regarding August media reports on the transfer of petroleum products to the North for the opening of the liaison office.



"South Korea explained that 'among 338,737 kilograms of petroleum products used for the implementation of the joint projects from January 2018 to November 2018, 4,039 kilograms were unused and brought back to the South,'" said the report.



At that time, the South underlined that the country used the petroleum products "exclusively for the implementation of the projects, while ensuring that no transfer of economic values to the North occurs," according to the report.




By Arthur I. Cyr

"Here is a book you should have, Mr. Director." With that, Jacqueline Kennedy handed CIA director Allen Dulles a copy of "From Russia with Love" by Ian Fleming, the latest novel in the series featuring lethal British agent James Bond.



Their 1957 encounter in Palm Beach, Florida, reflects the continuing close cooperation between government professionals in Britain and the United States. The term "special relationship" aptly describes the understanding.



Our partnership began during the darkest early period of World War II, and is rooted in national intelligence operations. This bears directly on the current effort by Britain's government to withdraw from the European Union, known as Brexit.



Peter Gross recounts the conversation between Jacqueline Kennedy and Allen Dulles in his important book "Gentleman Spy" a comprehensive biography of Dulles, who was a world-class networker. That skill was important to his rise to the top of the highly competitive world of intelligence. Mrs. Kennedy's husband had emerged as a serious contender for the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination.



President John F. Kennedy's fondness for Bond novels sparked the durable movie franchise. The Hollywood Bond's fetish for high-tech equipment, however, contrasts with the Bond of Fleming's novels.



Both Dulles and Fleming served as intelligence officers during World War II. That war began extremely close cooperation between American and British intelligence.



Earlier, British intelligence work was crucial in persuading the United States government to intervene in World War I. British agents intercepted the so-called "Zimmerman Note," a German government cable describing plans to develop an alliance with Mexico, and London shared the alarming document with Washington. That plus German declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare against Allied shipping tipped the balance in favor of the U.S. declaration of war.



During agent Fleming's World War II service in New York, he described for Bill Donovan, head of embryonic U.S. intelligence, the sort of personality to direct a new operations office in that city. Dulles, who fit Fleming's profile perfectly, was hired.



Dulles later managed operations in Switzerland, a neutral meeting ground for agents of the Allies and Axis. A vast cast of characters in between encompassed fanatics, fools, fraudsters, dedicated patriots, geniuses and skilled operatives. Electronic surveillance existed, but the working environment and challenges were overwhelmingly human.



The ugly as well as complex nature of human intelligence operations naturally encourages the alternative of using electronic information gathering and surveillance. American fondness for and skill at technology has led us to embrace this approach, during but especially following World War II. The British are relatively more committed to the use of human agents and means.



An important but under-discussed dimension of Brexit is the impact on defense and security cooperation in Europe. Jonathan Evans and John Sawers, former heads respectively of MI5 and MI6, Britain's intelligence agencies, have stated loss of shared data and general collaboration and therefore argue against Brexit.



Pauline Neville-Jones, a former national security adviser, warned Brexit could weaken police cooperation and border security, perhaps encouraging renewed Northern Ireland violence. Even Theresa May before becoming prime minister noted the EU facilitates such collaboration.



Beyond NATO, there is the important "Five Eyes" intelligence network, which includes Australia, Canada and New Zealand along with the United Kingdom and the United States. In future, this partnership could be strengthened, and perhaps made more formal.



If Britain actually leaves Europe, the U.S. should pursue new bilateral intelligence collaboration efforts. Ideally, our strong bias toward technological means would shift.





Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War."


By Chang Se-moon



On Feb. 22, the Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) of Washington, D.C., and the North Korea Strategy Center (NKSC) of New York City hosted an important seminar at the National Press Club in the U.S. capital. The title was "FEARPOLITIK: Kim Jong-un's Great Purge." I was there as a guest.



Released at the seminar was "Executions and Purges of North Korean Elites: An Investigation onto Genocide Based on High-Ranking Officials' Testimonies" by NKSC.



There were three speakers: David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Jared Genser, managing director of Perseus Strategies, who has been heavily involved in global cases relating to human rights; and Kang Chol-hwan, chairman of NKSC.



Peter Lee of NKSC interpreted Kang's presentation made in Korean. The moderator was the well-known Greg Scarlatoiu who is executive director of HRNK.



All panelists stressed that any negotiation on denuclearization in North Korea would fail unless human rights violations were included in the negotiation.



Maxwell points out that denial of human rights is a tool for Kim Jong-un to perpetuate his regime, and that companies should not, and likely would not, invest in North Korea unless human rights are addressed before their investment decisions.



When I asked to evaluate the direction of President Moon Jae-in's policy toward North Korea, Maxwell responded by saying that in his view as a security expert, the North Korean military has been in an offensive mode, while the South Korean military has been in a defensive mode.



Recent agreements between the two Koreas effectively disarm the defensive posture of the South Korean military, while leaving the offensive posture of the North Korean military unchanged. This makes the South's security more dangerous.



Genser stressed that human rights issues should be on the table of any negotiation with North Korea. Otherwise, these negotiations will simply elevate Kim Jong-un's status in the international community, while legitimizing human rights violations in the North.



Genser points out that Kim fears for his life underneath his smiles, and current negotiations with North Korea are precarious since he may be assassinated at any time.



Kang, who himself is a refugee from North Korea, reminded the audience that unlike his father and grandfather who rarely killed their relatives, Kim Jong-un killed many of his close relatives, including his stepfather, stepmother, uncle Jang Song-thaek, and more. Jang's wife, who is Kim Jong-un's aunt, simply disappeared. No one seemed to know what happened to her.



Kang states that Kim is so paranoid of his security that he even killed the chief of his security forces who protect him. Kang also points out that current negotiations will simply boost Kim's status, unless human rights issues are included in negotiations.



Now, I will list names of North Korea elites who have been executed by Kim Jong-un. Names are followed in parentheses by position, year of execution, and brief notes when needed. The names below are some of the many who were executed.



Hong Suk-hyung (North Hamkyong party secretary and former director of planning and finance department, 2011); Ryu Kyung (director of the State Security Department, 2011); Ri Yong-ho (chief of staff of the North Korean People's Army, 2012); Kim Chol (deputy director of the Ministry of the People's Army, 2012).



Jang Song-thaek (Kim Il-sung's son-in-law and Kim Jong-un's uncle, 2013); Jeon Young-jin (Jang Song-thaek's brother in law and former Cuba ambassador, 2013); Ryu Jae-kwan (chief of the Beijing Haedanghwa Restaurant, 2013); Park Kwang-cheol (ambassador to Sweden, 2013, entire family sent to prison camp). Kim executed many more during 2013 with some being executed with their entire families.



Baek Gye-ryong (chief of the Central Party, 2014); Kim Kyung-hee (Kim Jong-un's aunt, 2014, assassinated); 10 key members of the People's Security Department (all executed, 2014).



Byun In-sun (general of the People's Army, 2015); Choi Young-gun (deputy prime minister, 2015); Kim Young-jin (deputy prime minister for education, 2016); 50 staff members (State Security Department, 2016, executed by anti-aircraft guns).



Kim Jong-nam (Kim Jong-un's half-brother, 2017, assassinated at Malaysia airport); Kim Won-hong (head of the State Security Department, 2017, purged); 10 high-ranking officers (North Korean military officers of the General Political Bureau, 2017). Execution continued through 2018 as four high ranking officials, including Hwang Yong-sik who was the CEO of the Kum Kang Development Company, were executed.



If you want to know details about executions in North Korea, you may obtain a copy of the Executions and Purges of North Korean Elites, published by the North Korea Strategy Center.



I only wish that leaders of North Korea would never have an opportunity to influence the criminal justice system in South Korea, that the safety of North Korean refugees living in the South be completely guaranteed, and that the current practice of prosecuting high-ranking officials of the past administrations either slow down or, at the least, be explained more clearly.





Chang Se-moon (changsemoon@yahoo.com) is the director of the Gulf Coast Center for Impact Studies. The views expressed in the above article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times.


Continued policy failures bring down Moon's approval



President Moon Jae-in's job approval rating has hit the lowest since he took office in May 2017.



Various reports show the public is getting increasingly frustrated with the Moon administration. A Gallup poll released last week showed that 46 percent of the respondents gave a negative assessment of the President's job performance while 44 percent thought he was doing a good job. It should be noted that there were more people giving bad reviews that good ones.



In a Realmeter poll, more than 50 percent gave a negative response to the President's job performance. The survey showed that even people in the southeastern Gyeongsang provinces, a traditional stronghold of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, are starting to turning their backs on the President. People in their 30s, who were favorable about the Moon administration in the past, are also starting to disapprove of the President.



The noticeable decline in the President's approval rating stokes concerns of a lame duck presidency as Moon has entered the third year of his job with not much to show for it.



The latest surveys showed the biggest reason for their disapproval of the President was his administration's insufficient response to issues closely related to the people's livelihoods, such as the job crisis. The people are also angry that the Moon administration's North Korea policy has been causing rifts with the U.S.



The President's untimely focus on North Korea at a time of grave economic crisis is one of the main reasons for the growing public anger toward the President. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party's floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won has emerged at the center of controversy for calling the President a "chief spokesperson" for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. While Na's remarks are completely inappropriate, it does reflect the sentiment of the increasing number of Koreans who are displeased with Moon's North Korea policy.



Despite the collapse of the U.S.-North Korea talks, President Moon has shown his eagerness for economic cooperation with the North. This goes against the U.S. position that sanctions against North Korea must be maintained firmly until Pyongyang takes concrete steps toward denuclearization. Many people believe Korea must be on the same page with the U.S. at all times when dealing with North Korea and slow down the pace of economic projects.



Cheong Wa Dae's problematic choices for key posts in the Moon administration have also resulted in the people's disappointment in the President. Recently, Moon conducted a major cabinet reshuffle, but as in the past, many of the nominees turned out to have flaws in their personal or professional backgrounds, reflecting Cheong Wa Dae's dysfunctional appointment process and lack of sincerity to significantly improve policy outcomes. For example, many people agree the President's nominee for minister of unification, Kim Yeon-chul, who has been a proponent of lifting sanctions against North Korea, does not seem to be the right choice at this point.



The third year has always turned out to be difficult for past presidents. Moon should reflect on the shortcomings of his administration and try to fix them before it's too late. Otherwise an early lame duck status will be inevitable.








Korea-Japan relations are showing no signs of improving after months of conflict following a Supreme Court ruling late last year for Japanese firms to compensate Korean victims of forced labor during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation.







The Japanese firms have refused to comply with the ruling, causing a diplomatic row between the two countries. The victims are seeking the seizure of assets of the relevant Japanese firms.







Concerns are mounting that Tokyo may take retaliatory action against Korea. Such concerns were raised particularly after Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso made remarks last week about considering punitive economic measures, including tariffs, should Korean plaintiffs who were forced into labor during World War II take further legal actions.







Against such a background, a meeting of business leaders of the two countries was supposed be held in May, but it has been delayed until September.







Last week, directors-general of the two countries' foreign ministries met in Seoul, but only reaffirmed their differences on urgent bilateral issues.







Korea and Japan are indispensable economic and cultural partners for each other. If Tokyo takes retaliatory measures against Korean firms and visitors, the strong partnership of the two countries will be hampered in various areas. Seoul should figure out what Tokyo plans to do and prepare corresponding measures.







The countries must cooperate to ensure that historical issues do not get in the way of maintaining healthy bilateral relations.


By Mark Peterson



Today, I want to return to an earlier theme that I like to write about  that of the stability of Korean history. The stability argument runs counter to the general perception of Korean history among the average Korean citizen these days. Of course, the 20th century was not very happy for Korea, with the Japanese takeover, division, war and unresolved division, but if one looks beyond the 20th century  both forward to the 21st century, and back into the 19th century and earlier, leaving the 20th century, the hallmark of Korean history and culture is stability.



I have written about Korea's long dynasties, and the smooth transitions from one dynasty to the next. I've written about the uniqueness of Korea's surnames  that there are so few, compared to other civilizations  and that such large percentages of the population bear few surnames: Kim, 21 percent; Yi, 15 percent, Pak 9 percent. And that these surnames were the royalty of former dynasties. Along these lines, I thank professor Martina Deuchler for arguing that Korea's ruling aristocracy has not changed or been interrupted for over 1,500 years.



Today, I want to thank professor David Kang for arguing that as a peninsula, Korea really only has one border  the land border with China. Actually, the border with China is two rivers  the Amrok (Yalu) River and the Tumen River.



The Amrok River has been the northern border of Korea for over 1,000 years.



Kang asks the question: Can you name another border between two countries that has existed longer? Can you name another border that has existed for anywhere close to 1,000 years?



Think of the borders of Europe for example. Thanks to the technology of modern YouTube, one can see the historical movement of borders over time in Europe in a five-minute video. The borders of China  with the exception of that with Korea  also changed over time. One can even argue that the internal borders of Japan change with changes of shogunate dynasties. But the Amrok River has been Korea's border for over 1,000 years.



The Tumen River border was settled a little later  basically at the beginning of the Joseon Kingdom, about 600 years ago. That's the new border, and it is older than almost all other borders, making the older border, the Amrok, all the more remarkable.



The point is that the border issue only underscores the other aspects of Korean stability. It is a rather dramatic feature, when you think about it. A huge marker on the land, unchanged, everlasting.



It's more dramatic than the other features that show Korea's stability. The river is visible, and the other features are hidden in the study of history  although one can argue they are hidden in plain sight! But even the visible symbol of national and cultural stability, the Amrok River, needs to be interpreted. I must confess I didn't see it, until Kang pointed it out in a lecture I listened to on YouTube, and I've been preaching Korean stability for years.



Now the objective is to move these interpretations of Korea's stable history into the Korean consciousness. For the sake of Korea's collective self-esteem and understanding of its own past, we need to get the word out.



I have a dream  to copy a phrase  that everyone in Korea, from schoolchildren on up to their parents and grandparents, on up to the taxi drivers (who I enjoy speaking with so much on my visits to Korea) will come to appreciate the remarkable features of Korea's history. I have a dream that Korea will discard the "beaten-up Korea" image, the war-ravaged Korea that is so prevalent today. I have a dream that Korea will take new pride, not a phony, "rah, rah" pride, but an accurate and fact-based pride in its unique place in world history.



I've taken on the theme of the "Frog Outside the Well" as a vehicle for, on the one hand, poking my Korean friends in the ribs with my interpretations of Korean culture and history, and on the other hand as a beacon of light and hope that I want to show my Korean friends. "Come up, and out of the well."



It's a brighter story than is being told in Korean schools today. But in addition, now, to the clear evidence of the surnames as symbols of lasting royalty, and the long, stable dynasties  the longest in the world  we can add the 1,000-year border, the Amrok River, as a symbol of Korean uniqueness and stability.





Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.


The final resting place of Maximilian Taubles at the Incheon Cemetery in 2018.



By Robert Neff



In February 1886, a mysterious American suddenly appeared in Seoul. He was Maxmilian Taubles. Taubles, 40, was a good-looking man with blue eyes, light blond hair and a full beard streaked with gray. In San Francisco, where he was from, he was outgoing and "very popular with the ladies as well as the boys," but in Korea he was completely the opposite.



There were no hotels in Seoul so the acting Charge d'affaires of the American legation, Ensign George C. Foulk, made arrangements to provide him temporary housing at the legation. In correspondence home, Foulk wrote:



"Although I am very poorly fitted up, and do not care to have to entertain strangers, yet life for foreigners here is so hard that ordinary humanity compels us to wish to help strangers, and so, without notice from Mr. Taubles, I prepared a place for him to live here at least for a few days."



Taubles, however, declined to stay with Foulk and, in fact, avoided the American legation except to present his letters of introduction. He did, however, ingratiate himself with the Chinese legation, which helped him obtain lodging at a small Korean house nearly a mile from the neighborhood where most westerners lived.



Taubles apparently wanted little to do with his fellow Westerners, keeping most of his personal life a secret  even on his deathbed.





The gravestone of Maximilian Taubles at Incheon Cemetery 2018.

He was born in Prague in 1845. His father was "a 37-year old Czech-German Jewish soldier and chandler" who did his best for his family. Like many sons, Taubles did not wish to follow his father's career and, in 1866, fled his homeland, possibly to avoid serving in the Austro-Hungarian army, and eventually made his way to the United States.



In the 19th century, many Americans thought of California as a place of adventure where a hardworking man could make his fortune, and apparently Taubles was no different. After traveling across the country on the transcontinental railroad, he arrived in Sacramento, California on March 31, 1875.



It seems he was not able to readily find employment so he drifted north to the mining areas of Idaho Territory.



Once there, Taubles suffered "bad luck and the mining interest was dull" so he took part in a scheme with another Bohemian miner to scam their fellow miners out of some of their hard-earned money.



They rented a building and began charging people $1 for the opportunity "to see the great and only ferocious kyhega."



The sounds of 'fearful growling and clanking chains" soon drew a large crowd and one by one they paid their admission fee and went in only to discover there was no fantastic creature but only a man dressed in a bearskin and dragging a chain.



According to Taubles, "the only way they saved themselves from being killed by some indignant miner was by [Taubles's] partner standing at the door as each man came out, thrusting a revolver in his face and saying in a loud and piercing tone of voice: 'A fine show, isn't it?' The answer was always: 'You bet.'"



He returned to California, became naturalized, got married and worked as an agent and bookkeeper. Art, however, intrigued him and later supported and defined him.



In 1884 he was the "manager of the Ichi Ban, San Francisco's chief store for the sale of Japanese goods" and was described as an "authority on Japanese industrial art" and was "one of the best respected critics of painting in San Francisco." Apparently he was "also a writer of recognized ability."



Perhaps journalism was not the only reason he was in Korea. Foulk speculated that Taubles was acting as an agent for the former American Minister to Korea, Lucius Foote  a man who dabbled more than once in business ventures in Korea. Perhaps, assuming that this was true, it may explain the large number of Korean curios that Taubles acquired and the lack of articles (he published none while in Korea).



For Taubles, acquiring these Korean goods must have been a daunting effort. Not only did he not speak Korean but a smallpox epidemic was ravishing the city when he arrived.



The streets were a quagmire of mud and filth, crowded with men during the day and women in the evening. Seoul maintained a strict curfew prohibiting men from being on the streets in the evening (but this did not apply to westerners) allowing women a brief respite from the confines of their homes. Many of these women carried their sick babies upon their backs, whispering softly, in honorific Korean, to their small wards in an attempt to quiet their cries of discomfort and misery.



Taubles had obviously been warned of the disease in Japan, but since he had been inoculated in the United States he felt invulnerable. Even when Dr. Horace Allen, an American physician living in Seoul, informed him of the risks and offered to vaccinate him, Taubles refused and then, somewhat pompously, lectured Allen on the "barbarous custom" of vaccinating people.



But it wasn't the streets Taubles had to fear  it was his own home. The Western community tried to convince him that it was unsafe to live among the general Korean population, especially during a smallpox outbreak, but he fatally ignored them. Unknown to him, the Korean family had a child sick with smallpox and only a thin paper partition separated his bedroom from the child's room.



Within a week Taubles had contracted the disease and grew steadily weaker and weaker until he could no longer get out of bed unassisted. Allen and his colleague, Dr. J. W. Heron, were sent for and began treating him around the clock.





So Yu Taek, director of Incheon Facilities, with the grave of Maximilian Taubles on her right. Circa 2018.
RTHK: Tribute paid to victims of mosque attacks

New Zealanders flocked to pay tribute on Sunday to the 50 worshippers slain in two mosque attacks, as families clamoured for the return of their dead.

Coroners said they hoped to let grieving relatives fulfil Islamic burial customs soon, but insisted they had to move carefully through their investigation into the horrific multiple murder.

As New Zealand grappled to come to terms with the slaughter -- the worst attack on Muslims in a Western country -- tales of heroism, suffering and incredible grace began to emerge.

Farid Ahmad, whose 44-year-old wife Husna was killed as she rushed back into a mosque to rescue him, refused to harbour hatred toward the alleged gunman, Australian-born, self-avowed white nationalist, Brenton Tarrant.

"I would say to him 'I love him as a person'," Ahmad, who uses a wheelchair, told AFP.

Asked if he forgave the 28-year-old suspect, he said: "Of course. The best thing is forgiveness, generosity, loving and caring, positivity."

Husna Ahmad was among four women believed to have been killed by Tarrant, who documented his radicalisation and two years of preparations in a lengthy, meandering and conspiracy-filled far-right "manifesto".

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her office and some 30 other officials had received the document by email about nine minutes before the attack.

"It did not include a location, it did not include specific details," she said, adding that it was sent to security services within two minutes of receipt.

Earlier on Sunday the prime minister, wearing a black headscarf, appeared visibly moved as she greeted and hugged members of the Muslim community in Wellington, and laid a floral tribute to the victims of Friday's atrocity.

Around Christchurch, New Zealand and the world there have been vigils, prayers, memorials and messages of solidarity.

"We stand together with our Muslim brothers & sisters" were the words on a large red banner, above a sea of flowers at one of the sites in what one resident dubbed the "city of sorrow".

An emotion-filled haka -- the Maori war dance -- was performed by a New Zealand biker gang to honour the Christchurch dead.

The country remained on high alert Sunday, with police closing an airport in the southern city of Dunedin -- where Tarrant had lived -- after an unidentified package was spotted on the airfield.

The dead from Friday's attack span generations, aged between three and 77, according to a sombre list circulated among relatives.

Some victims came from the neighbourhood, others from as far afield as Egypt or Fiji. At least two of the dead came from the same family -- a father and son.

Delhi said on Sunday that five of its nationals were killed in the attack, while Pakistan said nine of its citizens were among the dead.

"It's a massacre, what else do they need to know?," said school principal Sheikh Amjad Ali, expressing frustration over the wait for loved ones' remains.

Islamic custom dictates that the dead should be buried within 24 hours, but strained authorities, desperate to make sure no mistakes are made or the complex investigation harmed, said a quick process was difficult.

"All of the deceased have had a CT scan, their fingerprints are taken, the property they were wearing or had with them is removed," said Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall, adding that dental impressions were taken and post-mortems performed.

Ardern said she expected all the dead would have been returned to their families by Wednesday.

Authorities said 34 people remained in hospital.

Among those fighting for their lives is four-year-old Alin Alsati. The pre-schooler was praying alongside her father Wasseim at the Al Noor mosque when she was shot at least three times.

Her father, who was also shot, recently emigrated to New Zealand from Jordan.

"Please pray for me and my daughter," he pleaded in a Facebook video message from his hospital bed before undergoing surgery.

The number of dead and injured could have been higher, were it not for people like Afghan refugee Abdul Aziz.

Aziz was at the Linwood mosque with his four sons when he rushed the attacker armed with the only weapon he could find -- a hand-held credit card machine.

When Aziz heard one of his four sons cry "Daddy, please come back inside!" he picked up an empty shotgun discarded by the gunman and shouted "come on here" repeatedly in an effort to draw him away from his sons and the other worshippers.

"I just wanted to save as much lives as I could, even if I lose my life," he told AFP.

The mosque attacks have shaken this usually peaceful country, which prides itself on welcoming refugees fleeing violence or persecution.

On Monday Ardern will gather her cabinet to discuss changing the country's gun laws.

That could include a ban on semi-automatic weapons of the type used by Tarrant. A series of reform attempts in recent years have failed.

Ardern also wants answers from social media giants over the live-streaming of the carnage.

Facebook said it had removed 1.5 million videos of the attack around the world in the first 24 hours.

The video has been classed as "objectionable" under New Zealand law, meaning that anyone who shares it could face prosecution and jail.

Meanwhile after days of lock-downs, security warnings and fear, police have urged Kiwis to go back to their normal business.

When they return to work, school and hobbies on Monday however, they will find a high police presence, said commissioner Mike Bush.

"This is for everyone's safety, to reassure the public." (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
At the meeting, the countries spoke highly of the positive development of the bilateral cooperation over the time, especially remarkable outcomes in implementing the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-Canada Enhanced Partnership (2016-2020).

A Vietnamese delegation led by Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, head of the countrys permanent mission to ASEAN, attended the seventh ASEAN - Canada Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting, which took place in Jakarta, Indonesia on March 15th (Source: asiapacific.ca)



They noted that 86 percent of action lines had been carried out through many practical projects meeting ASEANs demand, including the ASEAN-OECD project on supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2016-2021, worth CAD11.9 million (USD8.92 million).

The Canadian side affirmed that ASEAN is a priority in its foreign policy, and pledged to continue its support for ASEAN in the building of the ASEAN Community and implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 and the Work Plan III of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI Work Plan III).

Canada also expressed its hope to elevate its relations with ASEAN and to join and contribute to regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Defence Minister's Meeting-Plus (ADMM+) and the East Asia Summit (EAS) for regional peace, stability, security and development.

In the coming time, ASEAN and Canada will tighten cooperation in all three pillars of political-security, economy and socio-culture, focusing on trade-investment, SMEs, disaster management, energy security, transnational crimes, education, promotion and protection of the rights of women, children and migrant workers, among others, through the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action 2016-2020./.
Kim Sang-jo, head of the Fair Trade Commission, speaks during a press conference at the Korean Cultural Center in Brussels, Belgium, March 11. / Courtesy of the Fair Trade Commission



By Baek Byung-yeul



Korea's antitrust agency will look into whether Google's "bundling" of its services is an anticompetitive practice, said the head of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC).



Google has offered its Android operating system to phone makers for free, but the firm has been criticized for its bundling practices as the firm gives its bundle of services on Android taking priority over other firms.



"The fair trade issue involving Google can be categorized into two  the search engine market and Google's Android operating system," Kim Sang-jo, chairman of the FTC, told Korean reporters at the Korean Cultural Center in Brussels, Belgium, March 11.



Kim also said "Google doesn't have a dominant position in the search engine market in Korea," implying that the FTC's ongoing investigation on the firm's Korean unit is aiming at the Android operating system.



The FTC has been investigating the company regarding whether its Korean unit has exerted pressure on local game companies to release their games exclusively on Google's Play app store since April 2018.



His remarks came on the sidelines of his participation in the 19th International Conference on Competition held in Germany. This is the first time the FTC chairman officially signaled the direction of the investigation on Google.



"Google has spread its other services taking advantage of its dominant power in the search engine market. Also the other issue involved with Google is the firm's bundling of its apps and services related to the Android operating system," Kim said.



"The Android operating system is open source software allowing everyone to customize the source code, but services related with the Android operating system are not."



Kim mentioned Google Play as an example of how Google promotes its services on its Android operating system saying, "Google has been bundling its Google Play as the mobile app store is embedded in the Android operating system."



Google has been hit hard for its anti-competitive practices throughout the world. In Europe, the tech giant was ordered to pay a record 4.34 billion euros ($4.92 billion) by the European Competition Commission in 2018 for abusing the dominant position of Android.



Kim explained the European Competition Commission has been investigating Google, who already has the dominant position in one service, but it has excluded other competitors by abusing its monopoly position in the market.



While taking part in the international antitrust regulators' meeting, Kim also proposed the creation of a consultative body to deal with alleged unfair practices by global IT firms.



In a circumstance where the influences of those global IT firms are getting bigger, he emphasized the need of joint actions through the community of international competition laws to deal with possible market uncertainties and confusion caused by those firms.


Entertainment Dublin St Patricks Day Parade Live Stream & TV Coverage

Dublin St Patrick's Day

17.03.2019 07:18:35 - Watch live streaming from Dublin for the St Patrick's Day parade. Ireland's top St Pat's Day parade TV and live stream.



(live-PR.com) - The St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin is of course the most popular anywhere in the world, watched live by a crowd of half a million, an on TV and on live stream online by many more.



To watch the Dublin St Patrick's Day parade live:



www.myworldevents.com/parade/dublin-st-patricks.html



Parade background



The parade in Dublin has been a tradition for many years now, and is in - The St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin is of course the most popular anywhere in the world, watched live by a crowd of half a million, an on TV and on live stream online by many more.To watch the Dublin St Patrick's Day parade live:Parade backgroundThe parade in Dublin has been a tradition for many years now, and is in fact now only one part of a St Patrick's Day festival in the Irish capital that includes parties, walking tours, live music concerts and much more. The streets of Dublin will be packed woth locals and visitors alike throughout the St Pat's celebrations.



St. Patrick's Festival, Ireland, was established by the Government of Ireland in November 1995 and has since developed into a multi day celebration which takes place annually on and around March 17, St. Patrick's Day - the national holiday of Ireland.



Saint Patrick's feast day, as a kind of national day, was already being celebrated by the Irish in Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries. In later times, he became more and more widely seen as the patron of Ireland. Saint Patrick's feast day was finally placed on the universal liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church due to the influence of Waterford-born Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding in the early 1600s. Saint Patrick's Day thus became a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. It is also a feast day in the Church of Ireland, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church calendar avoids the observance of saints' feasts during certain solemnities, moving the saint's day to a time outside those periods. St Patrick's Day is occasionally affected by this requirement, when 17 March falls during Holy Week. This happened in 1940, when Saint Patrick's Day was observed on 3 April to avoid it coinciding with Palm Sunday, and again in 2008, where it was officially observed on 15 March. St Patrick's Day will not fall within Holy Week again until 2160. However, the popular festivities may still be held on 17 March or on a weekend near to the feast day.



In 1903, St Patrick's Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. This was thanks to the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, an act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced by Irish Member of Parliament James O'Mara. O'Mara later introduced the law which required that public houses be shut on 17 March after drinking got out of hand, a provision that was repealed in the 1970s.



The first St Patrick's Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five days long; more than 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009's five-day festival saw almost 1 million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor theatre performances, and fireworks. The Skyfest which ran from 2006 to 2012 formed the centrepiece of the St Patrick's festival.



The topic of the 2004 St Patrick's Symposium was "Talking Irish", during which the nature of Irish identity, economic success, and the future were discussed. Since 1996, there has been a greater emphasis on celebrating and projecting a fluid and inclusive notion of "Irishness" rather than an identity based around traditional religious or ethnic allegiance. The week around St Patrick's Day usually involves Irish language speakers using more Irish during Seachtain na Gaeilge ("Irish Language Week").



Christian leaders in Ireland have expressed concern about the secularisation of St Patrick's Day. In The Word magazine's March 2007 issue, Fr Vincent Twomey wrote, "It is time to reclaim St Patrick's Day as a church festival". He questioned the need for "mindless alcohol-fuelled revelry" and concluded that "it is time to bring the piety and the fun together".



As well as Dublin, many other cities, towns, and villages in Ireland hold their own parades and festivals, including Cork, Belfast, Derry, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, and Waterford.



The biggest celebrations outside the cities are in Downpatrick, County Down, where Saint Patrick is said to be buried. The shortest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world formerly took place in Dripsey, County Cork. The parade lasted just 23.4 metres and traveled between the village's two pubs. The annual event began in 1999, but ceased after five years when one of the two pubs closed.

fact now only one part of a St Patrick's Day festival in the Irish capital that includes parties, walking tours, live music concerts and much more. The streets of Dublin will be packed woth locals and visitors alike throughout the St Pat's celebrations.St. Patrick's Festival, Ireland, was established by the Government of Ireland in November 1995 and has since developed into a multi day celebration which takes place annually on and around March 17, St. Patrick's Day - the national holiday of Ireland.Saint Patrick's feast day, as a kind of national day, was already being celebrated by the Irish in Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries. In later times, he became more and more widely seen as the patron of Ireland. Saint Patrick's feast day was finally placed on the universal liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church due to the influence of Waterford-born Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding in the early 1600s. Saint Patrick's Day thus became a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. It is also a feast day in the Church of Ireland, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church calendar avoids the observance of saints' feasts during certain solemnities, moving the saint's day to a time outside those periods. St Patrick's Day is occasionally affected by this requirement, when 17 March falls during Holy Week. This happened in 1940, when Saint Patrick's Day was observed on 3 April to avoid it coinciding with Palm Sunday, and again in 2008, where it was officially observed on 15 March. St Patrick's Day will not fall within Holy Week again until 2160. However, the popular festivities may still be held on 17 March or on a weekend near to the feast day.In 1903, St Patrick's Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. This was thanks to the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, an act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced by Irish Member of Parliament James O'Mara. O'Mara later introduced the law which required that public houses be shut on 17 March after drinking got out of hand, a provision that was repealed in the 1970s.The first St Patrick's Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five days long; more than 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009's five-day festival saw almost 1 million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor theatre performances, and fireworks. The Skyfest which ran from 2006 to 2012 formed the centrepiece of the St Patrick's festival.The topic of the 2004 St Patrick's Symposium was "Talking Irish", during which the nature of Irish identity, economic success, and the future were discussed. Since 1996, there has been a greater emphasis on celebrating and projecting a fluid and inclusive notion of "Irishness" rather than an identity based around traditional religious or ethnic allegiance. The week around St Patrick's Day usually involves Irish language speakers using more Irish during Seachtain na Gaeilge ("Irish Language Week").Christian leaders in Ireland have expressed concern about the secularisation of St Patrick's Day. In The Word magazine's March 2007 issue, Fr Vincent Twomey wrote, "It is time to reclaim St Patrick's Day as a church festival". He questioned the need for "mindless alcohol-fuelled revelry" and concluded that "it is time to bring the piety and the fun together".As well as Dublin, many other cities, towns, and villages in Ireland hold their own parades and festivals, including Cork, Belfast, Derry, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, and Waterford.The biggest celebrations outside the cities are in Downpatrick, County Down, where Saint Patrick is said to be buried. The shortest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world formerly took place in Dripsey, County Cork. The parade lasted just 23.4 metres and traveled between the village's two pubs. The annual event began in 1999, but ceased after five years when one of the two pubs closed. Author:

Martin Kerrigan

e-mail

Web: http://www.myworldevents.com

Phone: 0035799813173 17.03.2019 07:18:35 -

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Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > Leaves from the Jungle and Anthropological Jigsaw

Introduction

The anthropological method did not exist the way we know today almost a century back. It was established through prolonged field data collection, as was established by Malinowski in the study of the Trobriand Islands in the Western Pacific. Almost a similar trend was followed through by Radcliffe Brown in the study of the Andaman Islands. The method entailed prolonged interaction between the researcher and the studied communitybetter known as the Participant Observer method or the Observer Participant Method. Though there is merit in implementing this technique for data collection, the danger of ethnocentric bias cannot be ruled out. This entailed some of the leading anthropologists from India to opt for the rapid Cross Fire Interview method. This permitted hermeneutic handling of collected information better than the Participant Observer technique or for eliminating ethnocentric bias.

In the last forty years of my career, I have lived in villages for short durationsnot more than week at a stretch. Such endeavours allowed me look into crucial factors which sustained social solidarities bridged over conflict cartels. Epistemologically these ventures helped me to seek combinations of social dynamics based on structural functionalism and random flights of social conflicts. This approach has been delineated by scholars such as Max Gluckman and Andre Gunder Frank. Coser and Rosenberg too were closer to synthesising the two approaches.

Initiation into the field of Anthropology

MY orientation to the latter approach began with my sojourn to Madhya Pradesh, presently within the ambit of Chhattisgarh. It began with a quick look into the burial process of an old man belonging to Dudh Kawar tribe. The Dudh Kawars emphatically claim themselves to be Hindu. The village where I made this quick observation is named Lichirma, located about 50 kms off Bilaspur on the way to Ambikapur. This happens to be a forest zone and the tribe there is assigned to be junglemen thriving primarily on the food-gathering economy and fond of dwelling on penury contented to sustain on the food-gathering economy. But this contention got blurred when I made a short visit to Guturma, another Dudh Kawar village bang opposite to Lichirma.

I reached a home where the household members were busy negotiating with an outside contractor who was settling the price for the kendu or tendu leaf collected by the tribesmen. Tendu leaves are high on demand for the bidi-making industry. This totally counters the concept of tribals being largely a non-economic community depending on self- sustenance.

This observation later became solidified after my observation of the Mahadeo Koli tribes of Pune district in Maharashtra. The Mahadeo Kolis inhabit by and large in mountainous forest zones. In spite of such areas of habitation, they thrive little on agricultural production and depend on collection and sale of hirda or myrobalana very expensive medicinal plant and ingredient of producing shoe polish. This practice is so popular among one of the most developed tribes of Maharashtra, where education is highly sought for and many of them work in cities like Mumbai and Pune. Tanaji, was a seniormost army general of Shivaji, the king and legendary hero of the Marathas. Tanaji was a Mahadeo Koli. Not very long back, Madhukar Rao Pitchard, a Mahadeo Koli person, was the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra under the aegis of Sharad Pawar, the Maratha strong man. Jayaba, the founder of the Jawhar principality, was not only a double-edged sword playing a bridge-buffer role between the sea coast and the hills or Western Ghatslooting and protecting the traders passing by, particularly the Nane Ghat pass. He was a Mahadeo Koli who joined hands with Shivaji while plundering the Surat port. Almost a similar kind of bridge-buffer diadic relation existed between the Tadvi Bhils and Vasabha Bhils, between the mountain passes of Khandesh and princely states of Gujarat bordering on Maharashtra.

A similar bridge-buffer role existed between the Sherdukpens and Akas on the routes between Tawang and Tezpur in Arunachal Pradesh. While the Sherdukpens were long-distance traders between Barpeta in Assam and Tibet-Lhasa, the Akas demanded quit money from the traders. This type of relationship reflects the peripatetic life-style and trading relationship of various tribes in different locations in India. This analysis defies the common notion of tribes being sedentary and isolated. The notion of tribes being isolated and non-monetised is thus a myth of modernity.

It should not be ignored that Alexander, the Great conqueror, was born at a tribal village of Mesopotamia in Yugoslavia. He and his troops traversed along distance land trade routes. The Bedouin tribesmen in Saudi Arabia and adjoining areas were first-class traders amidst the sand dunes and oases. The Sentinelese of Andaman Islands have been a conduit facilitating long distance trade between West Asia and South-East Asia along sea routes. Taimur Lung was another famous tribal king from Uzbekistan-Central Asia to invade India up to Delhi. He followed the age-old trade route crossing the Hindu Kush through the Himalayas.

Sacred Groves and Dynamics

WHEN dealing with the lives of the tribesmen, a very common notion among the scholars that emanates is the institution of Sacred Groves. The topic has come more into notice because of the crisis of environment witnessed globallymainly in the Western hemisphere where the wooden plants disappeared long back due to rabid consumerism and wanton destruction of natural wealth, particularly the ozone layer caused by industrialisation and the carbon emission by aero flights. As a panacea the Western countries have been pressurising the Third World nations to limit their functional industries and grow and save trees. This strategy emphasised on the maintenance of sacred grovespatches of forests dedicated to deities. In general no part of the forest should be felled or even touched. The legend of the sacred grove of Nemi in Oslo is often referred to. According to legends, the sacred grove dedicated to the goddess Nemi is perpetually guarded by a king with a sword in hand. He guards against intruders who might break a bough of the plant and acquire a moral right to fight and dislodge him and become a new priest king. This thus results in constant pressure such that power does not remain consolidated in one hand and remains constantly shifting. The constantly shifting power in perpetuity leads to an anarchic formation. Ernest Gellner terms the process as revolution in revolution. Mao Zedong similarly tried to shift power from fixed hands in running the state or the nation-state of China. Colin Debray, a renowned Marxist scholar, named the system as Revolution in Revolution. Ernest Gellner too studied the system and branded this as Revolution in the Sacred Groves.

Looking into the system of sacred groves from a political-economic approach as opposed to ecological determinism ultimately leads to the automatic understanding of the human race from the anarchic inclination. In my wide study of the sacred groves in various parts of the country I did not find any community to acknowledge that they maintain sacred groves for the sake of environment. The most common response has been that the groves reflect honouring the heritage and containing the natural beauty. This reflects the fulsome existence of the human race. Unfortunately, many different scholars from various parts of the world, knowingly or unconsciously, fall prey to the notion propagated by the Western view- point. The fact that sacred groves reflect social spaces more than physical entities gets ignored. One should not miss the point that there exist many sacred groves within the premises of state-managed reserved forests and sanctuaries. This manifests the perpetual race between the state-sponsored technical order and moral order of the people. Even when reserve forests and sanctuaries are fully under state control, the compartments are demarcated on the basis of traditional village demarcations. About thirty years back it came to the knowledge that two adjoining tribal villages, Mokas and Pendhermati, were having conflict over their boundary demarcation within the government forest and the case was referred to the Prant Office (Land Revenue Department) at Nandurbar in the Dhule district of Maharashtra. These types of conflicts are methodologically referred to as proto-political relations.

The Sahrul puja in Ranchi city incorporates the worship of flowers and has environmental implications on the one hand and political impor-tance on the other. During this puja processions accompanied by music and beating of drums end at the sarna or the sacred grove. The activity acquired greater virility with the strengthening of the Jharkhand movement at the instance of local tribesmen. Unfortunately, this dimension of the puja is almost totally ignored endangering the very existence of the indigenous people located there.

It is interesting to note that every Mahadeo Koli village in the Pune district has a boundary-level sacred grove which is located right within the border of the adjoining village. Apart from the boundary sacred grove each and every Koli settlement has a village-level tutelary deity-level (Gaon Devi) sacred grove which reinforces the territorial demarcation. Understanding this helps in the operation of village-level programmes. In the case of a village in Ambegaon taluka I saw a boundary-level deity having been declared as the tutelary deity. This instantly led me to conceive that there must have occurred shifts in the village territories. This was confirmed by the villagers as they informed that after a plague epidemic with the death of several people, many of the survivors shifted to the next village and the boundary deity was converted into a gaondevi or tutelary deity.

A little more understanding of the dynamics of sacred groves can create wonders. The tutelary deity-level sacred grove dedicated to Bhairavnath has many thick and large ancient trees. Few of the villagers turning greedy tried to sell off the grove to some Muslim wood-cutters by bribing the priest in whose name the sanctuary was recorded. But the drive was called off at the instance of an NGO operating in the region. The NGO blamed mainly the Police Patil and some influential persons of the village. But after interviewing many villagers I realised that the matter was not as simple as the NGO had projected. It struck me as to how the priest could be offered just Rs 500 for such an expensive grove. All the more, how can the priest give a consent signature; morally speaking he could just be a custodian. A little more probing revealed that about 30 years back there was a land revenue record exercise in the village. Since the grove had no formal owner, villagers decided to put it under the name of the priest whom they could easily control. Otherwise, the state could have taken control over it.

At a village called Kua in the Sindhdurg district of Maharashtra there is a sacred grove in Deoraiwadi. Though it is not very large, it has a thick vegetation. None of the villagers enter into the grove except for one night when everybody does so and clear off the leaf litter, twigs and branches. A similar round-shaped sacred grove, called Kaya, exists among the Mijikenda people in the eastern coast of Kenya. Very old villagers usually inhabit it. Politicians visit the grove when their boons are fulfilled. This apart, the villagers assemble within the grove when the society encounters any crisis and all the leaf litter and dirt are cleared up.

The most important sacred grove I have witnessed is the one located at Kabi village about twenty kms north of Gangtok, the capital of the Sikkim State. The grove, which is about two hectares in size, is called Kabi Lonstalk. The grove commemorates the blood treaty signed by Khye Bumsa (the king of the Denzong tribe) and Thekok Tek, the Lepcha king. This treaty signifies the formation of the Sikkim kingdom. The environ-mental importance of the grove is rudimentary and the state sponsors the commemoration function every year. In this manner, the State of Sikkim asserts its supremacy. It is though legally within India, in moral terms it is a non-state entity where the moral order reigns supreme and religious rituals mark several state holidays.

Anarchic Cliches

NOT only does the state order to adopt anarchic positions, the system plays a significant role in the villages as well as cities and metropolises. There are various community-level centres of congregation where castes and communities regularly assemble and take up issues for their own upliftment. Many such organisations take up the function of sanitation and maintenance of parks and temples  the Bahai temples, for example. The Sikh gurudwaras too are famous for their altruism as they run langars to feed the tourists and the disabled. But none can surpass the Christian missionaries. No wonder, they are so strongly rooted among the tribes of North-East India. They are famous for running schools, colleges, medical dispensaries and hospitals without much government interference.

Death Knell of Anthropology and its Future Destiny

IN spite of so many illustrations, anthropologists in India are far from realising the principles of anarchic order and are busy settling ridiculous propositions. For instance, Ajit Danda, a senior scholar, concluded that religious mendicants like Rajmohini Devi and Gahira Guru (based in Chhattisgarh) were instrumental in reinforcing national integration through their utterances and religious proclivities. In reality they were operating under the aegis of the Marwari business-men and contractors (mainly dealing with tendu leaves). In contrast, a reporter of The Statesman daily pinpointed the initiation of a Ram mandir at Barbil, a small tribal predominated town of Odisha as a mark of penetration of the monetary system among the tribes of a non-moneytised zonea sign of neo-colonialism. No wonder, anthropology in India has almost vanished into the blue. Students are found withdrawing from their course after the first year, as seen in the case of the University of Pune in Maharashtra. Scholars from history, geography, economics and political science have filled the void created by anthropology and anthropologists. This is a good sign as well since a neo-colonial subject is wit-nessing its death knell. Funds for sponsoring studies on sacred groves too are drying up as a symptom. David Harvey, an anarchist scholar, delineates that the study of Anarchism is the only way to look for social realities in future. The funding should not be much of a problem if the communities become convinced of such social fecundities. This situation is bolstered by the appropriate use of hermeneutics involving both theory and practice. 

Prof J.J. Roy Burman belongs to the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > State Murderers of Jamal Khashogi and their Cohorts Must Not Get (...)

by Gautam Sen

Jamal Ahmed Khashoggi, a journalist of the Washington Post newspaper of the USA, was brutally and in a unique diabolical manner, put to death on October 2, 2018 when he went to obtain documents connected with his proposed marriage with his Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cenghiz. The incident occurred inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, and was executed by a hit squad of the Saudi Government headed by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBD), specially sent to Istanbul to execute this heinous mission. Though Khashoggi had a working relationship with the Saudi Government earlier, of late the relations had soured owing to his incisive criticism of Riyadhs policies and human rights record. MBD had obviously found the trenchant criticism intolerable, particularly from of a Saudi citizen having considerable sway over public opinion in the USA. However, what has stupefied public opinion at the international level is the audacity of the act of premeditated murder of its own citizen, its viciousness, under state sponsorship. Khashoggi was lured into the Saudi consulate while his fiancee waited outside, killed by strangulation, his dead body cut into pieces and then, dissolved in acid by the Saudi Governments assassins to eliminate all traces of his existence.

The USA has been and still remains one of the close political and strategic allies of Saudi Arabia. President Trump and his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, have brazenly defended the Saudi regime of MBD, in a laughable manner by stating that MBD may or may not have known about the murder, while the US Governments intelligence establishment is reportedly in possession of details sufficiently corroborating to the Saudi Governments complicity at the highest decision-making level with monitored evidence picked by the USAs ally, Turkey, with its suspicions flagged. This only indicates that immediate strategic considerations have out-weighed the Trump Administrations commit-ment towards the principles of human rights and those on which the UN is founded, lack of concern for the brazen violation of the UN Human Rights Convention and even internationally accepted norms of functioning of foreign missions and stipulated behaviour. The ghastly murder was carried out by the Saudi Government through its functionaries and murder squad within its Istanbul consulate and diplomats premises in gross contempt of diplomatic conventions and, most importantly, of the Geneva Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April, 1961particularly its Articles 4(1) and (3), proscribing misuse of diplomatic privileges and immunities. The saving grace is the ensuing huge condemnation within the USA, including strong criticism by political leaders like Senator Jim Rish, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and other Senators and Congressmen who have opined that while Saudi Arabia was a strategically important ally, the alliance must be reconciled with American values.

International outcry has also been extensive. The latest condemnation of the Khashoggi murder has come from Agnes Callamard of France, the articulate UN Human Rights Council-appointed rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary and arbitrary executions. The Khashoggi episode is ominously unique in many respects. First of all, no country, which is part of the UN system, has resorted such state-conducted gory assassination of its own citizen in a diplomatic mission abroad. Secondly, this is a case of aggressive and murderous behaviour of a set of foreign government functionaries in cloak-and-dagger fashion in a third country in subversion of the norms of diplomatic immunity and behaviour guaranteed under international law and conventions. Thirdly, this is a case of brazen violation of domestic law of the host country by the country which perpetrated the murder. Finally, it is a case of extreme anti-humanitarian behaviour of the country which engineered the diabolical act against Khashoggi, an international journalist, and an assault against freedom of expression. Special rapporteur Callamard has opined that the Khashogi incident is part of a well-evidenced killing globally of journalists, other human rights defenders, activists and opponents of various regimes. It will be of essence for the international community, and particularly for countries which uphold the tenets of freedom of expression, humanitarianism and codified norms of orderly diplomatic behaviour, to counter the challenge posed by MBD and his regressive regime. An opportunity will arise when the Callamard report is presented to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2019.



In such matters, institutions like the Inter-national Criminal Court (ICC) operating under the Rome statute, need to play a decisive role. The UN and its principal organs like the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council, and specialised agencies like the UN Human Rights Council, should also work as part of a continuum to build a strong consensual framework at the international level to counter such nefarious acts of oppressive regimes. The bane of international law is its dependence on conventions and sustainability on consent of nation-states. Nation-states showing arrogance, suppressing its own people, rogue behaviour and defiance of international law, need to be placed under a sanctions regime in the interest of humanity and orderly state conduct. This requires political will on the part of the international community, and particularly of the major powers or groups like the USA, China, Russia and the European Union. India, because of its democratic ethos, commitment to norms of orderly international behaviour and adherence to human rights, could play a positive supportive role in the matter. However, overriding strategic concerns or implications on other state interests tend to impinge on such matters. Dependence of many states on imports of Saudi Arabian oil will tend to mute criticism of the MBD regime and its anti-humanitarian acts.

While acts of illegitimate detention of protesters, torture and murders by the state and under state sponsorship are per se abhorrent, inhuman behaviour outside the territorial confines of a state also need to be proscribed as per democratic norms and international conventions in force, and prevented. Such acts on foreign soil have an added dimension, which is a matter of serious concern and adversely impinges on state sovereignty. This aspect, specifically, requires careful appraisal. Such acts have been condoned and rationalised by states in the past apropos their national security interests, particularly during major war periods and in the subsequent Cold War era. State deployed espionage agents have on many occasions been apprehended and put to serious torture and death. Many states will have reservations against attempts to impose an international control regime on them, related to and impacting their state sovereignty. However, a differentiated approach is necessary to constrict and control rabid anti-humanitarian state activities against proponents of democratic values like Jamal Khashoggi, as carried out by the MBD regimes functionaries, on foreign soil, particularly in its diplomatic missions.

The norms of functioning of foreign missions consequently require a revamp and, if a forward movement can be achieved through the instrumentality of the Callamard report to the UNHRC, that will be a gain for the world community and citizenry of many countries. However, the personal losses of people like that of Khashoggis Turkish fiancee and quite a few others like her from countries oppressed by tyrannical regimes, need to be redressed through an expanded ambit of institutions like International Criminal Court.

The author is a retired senior IDAS officer who has served the Union and State governments in India. The views expressed in the article are personal.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > Modis War Rhetoric may Boomerang on India

The government should welcome Islamabads move to ban militant outfits designated by the UN Security Council as a step in the right direction. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by making a gesture. But a leap of faith is needed.

Pakistan is crossing the Rubicon. Even if it is only acting under compulsion to conform to the standards set by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, which has included Pakistan in its grey list, the Pakistani move overlaps certain templates that have appeared lately. There has been a high level of international attention on terrorism, focusing on the Pakistan-based militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Pakistan cannot afford to waffle anymore.

Second, this move is in consonance with Imran Khans overall conciliatory attitude toward India since he came to power, especially his most recent gesture to return the Indian pilot. Third, this move must be seen in conjunction with the extraordinary public remarks on March 4 by the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, hinting that Pakistan may not oppose a joint move in the UN Security Council by France, Britain and the US to list the JeM chief, Masood Azhar, as a global terrorist.

Qureshi reportedly said: Time has come for Pakistan to decide in its own interests. Well do whats in Pakistans interests We have some global commitments We will have to take action which doesnt harm our global reputation. He characterised the situation around the Pulwama attack as a defining moment for Pakistan.

When asked specifically whether Pakistan will seek a veto from China in the UN SC once again, Qureshi said meaningfully that Pakistan will try to build a consensus among all parties and do whats in Pakistans interest.

Qureshis remarks signal that the ground beneath the feet is shifting and Islamabad cannot remain wedded to the old matrix. The big question is whether Pakistan is changing tack on its opposition to previous attempts in the UN SC to list Azhar as a global terrorist. Indeed, that could be the case.

The interplay of various factors possibly accounts for the new thinking in Islamabadone, quiet Chinese advice behind-the-scenes; two, the manifest interest of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to seek a new type of relations with India; three, the endgame in Afghanistan heralding a new beginning in regional politics; four, Imran Khans innate Westernism that seeks rapprochement with the US and Britain; and five, a cool assessment that the upheaval in Jammu and Kashmir has acquired a dynamic of its own and Pakistans campaign on Kashmir can only acquire greater credibility and appeal in the world community if it has no blood on its hands.

Finally, all this is unfolding at a time when the US needs Pakistans help to wrap up a settlement in Afghanistan, which enables President Trump to announce troop withdrawal. The prioritisation of Pakistan in the US regional strategy at present has serious implications for India at a time when the situation in J&K has touched a criticality.

The US interest lies in insulating the Afghan peace process from India-Pakistan tensions. Pakistan is notifying the Trump Administration that it may stop being a facilitator and give up pressuring Taliban anymore if tensions continue with India. Pakistans UN ambassador, Maleeha Lodhi, told Reuters that Islamabads focus could completely shift to its eastern border with India. If the crisis with India continues, Pakistan will be obliged to keep our entire focus on our eastern border. That may affect our efforts on our western front, Lodhi said. (Talks in Doha between US officials and Taliban representatives, February 25, 2019)

Islamabad may not be overstating the risks of the fallout on Afghan peace talks, since many of the Pakistani officials who deal with India are also responsible for Afghanistan. The bottom- line is that in the current state of play, any US strategy to guard Afghan peace talks from India-Pakistan tensions inevitably brings the Trump Administration perilously close to the Kashmir crisis.



AGAINST this backdrop, Pakistan cannot but be intensely conscious of the need to do some house cleaning of its own. This is where a discernible shift in Chinas stance recently merits attention.

The Chinese reaction to the developments since the Pulwama attack has been one of strict neutrality and a balanced view. It gives primacy to regional stability, while taking into account both Chinas longstanding friendly ties with Pakistan as well as the positive trajectory of the Sino-Indian relations since the Wuhan Summit last April.

Significantly, China has taken a proactive role of peacemaker-cum-facilitator-cum-moderator. This implies receptiveness to Indias profound concerns as a victim of terrorism and a realisation in Chinas own self-interest that regional peace will be better served through closer cooperation between China and India in the fight against terrorism. Of course, such cooperation would have positive fallouts for the overall relationship between the two countries, too. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said at a media briefing on March 4:

We hope that India and Pakistan, as two important countries in South Asia, will enjoy good neighbourliness and friendship and resolve their issues through friendly consultations China is in close communication with both to facilitate reconciliation and dialogue. China will continue to play a constructive role in its own way in whatever that will help ease the situation and promote regional peace and stability In fact, China has been in close contact with both India and Pakistan and making efforts to promote peace and facilitate talks.

The government newspaper China Daily, in an editorial comment on February 28, expressed understanding for Indias anger over the Pulwama attack but disapproved of Delhis military escalation on February 26. Again, it highlighted Imran Khans repeated overtures for dialogue but only to call upon him to release the Indian pilot as a measured step in a show of goodwill to improve its ties with India. On February 28, the veteran India hand, Wang Dehua, also penned a commentary in Global Times saying: China will act as a mediator between India and Pakistan in the long term, hoping to accelerate the peace process between the feuding nations.

There is no competitive edge to Chinas role. China is already an influential player in the region and a stakeholder in regional stability. Most important, China hopes to create conditions in which India and Pakistan can discuss their mutual differences and resolve them bilaterally. It is a long-term project, if Wang is to be understood correctly.

All in all, therefore, the Pakistani move to ban militant outfits and placate international opinion and Islamabads openness to a UN SC resolution on Azharinstead of beseeching China to cast yet another vetoenables Islamabad to occupy the high ground.

This would mean that while Delhis long-cherished desire to settle scores with Azhar is nearing fulfilment, there is a flip side to it, namely, the P-5 members will also expect India to follow through by commencing talks with Pakistan. Paradoxically, PM Modis war rhetoric only adds to the sense of crisis in the region. Modis war rhetoric may boomerang on India.

Ambassador M.K. Bhadrakumar served as a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for over 29 years, with postings including Indias ambassador to Uzbekistan (1995-1998) and to Turkey (1998-2001).
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > People Will Win

BINOY VISWAM

We are passing through a very crucial period in the history of our country. The political battle for which we are gearing up is to determine the destiny of our nation. The formations and strategy of the battle are being finalised by various forces depending upon different factors. Political developments are taking place in a swift manner. The Left and democratic forces understand the complexity of the political conditions. The questions they pose before the nation are also complex. Experiences of these days again remind us of the inevitability of strengthening our struggle and preparedness to face all sorts of challenges. The RSS-controlled BJP is in a desperate mood to hijack the political agenda of the coming elections. In these general elections, after five years of Modi rule the socio-economic policies and their impact should have been the issue of political discourse. But the ruling dispensation wants to divert the attention of the people from the real issues of the common mans life and to arouse a war hysteria, wedded to ultra-nationalism. The people are committed to national security and are pledged to defend the country from any sort of foreign intervention. They will stand with the armed forces in fulfilling the task of protecting India. But the people of India reject the RSS-BJP theory that defending India means defending the BJP!

The BJP, the party of the extreme Right, came to power with its fascist philosophy in 2014, making all kinds of promises before the people. Bringing back black money, two crore jobs per year, eradication of poverty etc. were the highlights of the BJP manifesto. Sab ka saath, Sab ka vikas was the watch-word of that document. The manifesto in its last paragraph declared .... Under the charismatic leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, we enter the elections to the 16th Lok Sabha and we will work whole-heartedly to give a stable, strong, visionary and progressive government to India. It is an opportunity to change our fate and of our nation. Glory to mother India, glory to her children.

What has happened in the last five years is just the opposite. Hardships of the common people were doubled during this period. Hunger and poverty were the fate of a majority of mother Indias children. As per the 2018 Global Hunger Index (GHI), published in October 2018, India was ranked 103rd out of 119 qualifying countries in the index with a score of 31.1. India suffers from a high level of hunger that is serious.

The Oxfam report says that the top one per cent of the countrys richest are getting richer by 39 per cent as against just three per cent increase in the wealth of the bottom half of the population. The bottom 60 per cent, the majority of the population, own merely 4.8 per cent of the nations wealth. The report also shows that women and girls are the hardest hit by the rising economic inequality. Indias top 10 per cent of the population holds 77.4 per cent of the nations wealth and 13.6 crore Indians continue to remain in debt since 2004. This report was published on the eve of the World Economic Forum held in January 2019. The rulers of India used to make hollow claims of achievements at this Forum.

The CRI (Commitment to Reduce Inequality) Index released by Oxfam and Development Finance Internatinal, ranks India 147 among 157 countries. It has been placed 151st on the index for public spending for healthcare, education and social protection, 141st for labour rights and wages.



DURING Modis regime the unemployment rate be-came the highest in the last 45 years. The latest CMIE (Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy) report shows that the unemployment rate shot to a 27-month high of 7.38 per cent in December 2018 and more than 1.09 crores lost their employment over the last 12 years. Of these 83 per cent jobs were lost in the rural areas and the majority job-losers were women.

The report of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), that reveals the alarming proportion of unemployment, was shelved by the Modi Government. The Chairman and members of the National Statistical Commission who ratified the NSSO findings were forced to resign. The government, which replaced the Planning Commission with NITI Aayog, had no hesitation to change the basic year in determining the GDP from 2004-05 to 2011-12. Still they failed to hide the crisis that has engulfed the growth scenario of the country. Official sources have recently come out with the rate of growth in the third quarter of the current financial year; this is only 6.7 percentage points whereas it was seven per cent in the previous quarter. These years witnessed the naked collaboration of the ruling party with the corporate houses more than ever before. Achhe Din was experienced only by the richest in the country. In turn their coffers were laid at the service of the ruling party. According to the reports produced by the Association of Democratic Reforms, the political funding from the corporate houses to the BJP was about Rs 437.04 crores (through 2977 contributions). In the same period what they contributed to the second biggest beneficiary, the Congress party, was only Rs 26.65 crores (through 777 contributions).

The Narendra Modi Government, guided by the fascist philosophy of so-called Hindutva, was bent upon doing irreparable damage to the Constitution and to all the institutions established under it. Their antagonism was against sovereignty, democracy, secularism and socialism which are the fundamental principles of Indian republic. Their attempt was to tame the executive, legislature and even judiciary to serve their narrow majoritarian world view. Attack on universities and education was the order of the day under the BJP rule. All investigating agencies, including the CBI, were treated as parrots caged by the BJPs high-handedness. Minorities were living under constant fear. Their cultural and religious rights were often attacked. Under the brahminical-patriarchal influence of the RSS ideology the rights of the Dalits, Adivasis and women were ruthlessly suppressed. In many places innocent people were killed in the name of cow vigilantism. All of a sudden cow became a political animal which could easily provoke communal frenzy. The Human Rights Watch report released recently says that the cow protection groups in India have killed at least 44 people over the last three years and 36 of the dead were Muslims. About 280 people have been injured in more than 100 attacks between May 2015 and December 2018.

Workers and peasants, the real producers of wealth in the country, were the sections most badly affected by the pro-corporate policies of the government. Peasants all over the country were denied remunerative prices. They were made to suffer under the debt burden and lack of irrigation facilities. Millions of them were forced to become agricultural labourers. In May 2017, the govern-ment informed the Supreme Court that every year more than 12,000 farmers suicide was reported in the agricultural sector since 2013. According to this, in the five years of Modi rule more than 60,000 peasants had to commit suicide.

In places like Madhya Pradesh they were even shot dead. The government has stalled the release of data on farmers suicides for the past two years. A government of neo-liberal policies committed to the class interests of the super rich would essentially become anti-working class. The Narendra Modi Government throughout its tenure treated the workers as its class enemies. Even the 44 labour protective laws enacted since the British days were thrown into the dust bin and in their place the idea of four labour codes mooted. Workers were placed at the mercy of capitalists on the pretext of ease of doing business. Nationwide workers strikes and the demands raised in those strikes were totally neglected by the ruling class.

The Indian Labour Conference met only once during the five years of Modi. Workers in the financial sector like banks and insurance had to undertake a series of struggles for their very existence. The waves of united actions against the anti-worker, anti-people policies developed the fighting spirit among the masses. On January 8 and 9 around 20 crore workers struck their work, the biggest ever number in the history of free India. Through a series of mass actions the working people served their warning notice to the ruling classes. The toiling masses will not sit idle when their motherland is being looted by the exploiting classes more than ever before. They are determined to fight for their emancipation from the yoke of exploitation, communal-casteiest forces. On March 5 their war cry was again heard in the national Capital at the workers convention organised by the Central Trade Unions. Workers and peasants together with all democratic, secular forces will definitely throw out the Modi Government, the symbol of national betrayal.

The author, a former Minister of Forests and Housing in the erstwhile LDF Government in Kerala, is a member of the CPIs Central Secretariat.
Mount Huangshan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in eastern China's Anhui province. It is renowned for magnificent natural scenery which includes massive granitic boulders, old pine trees and the sea of clouds.[Photo by Shi Guangde/Asianewsphoto]

China's Huangshan, also known as Yellow Mountain, one of China's major tourist destination, is trying to promote itself into international market with a promotion event held in Berlin.

With more than 80 guests, the event was held Sunday at Berlin's landmark TV tower.

Wang Kun, the assistant president of Huangshan Tourism Development Co., Ltd., told the event that "Huangshan city established sister city ties with Stralsund in Germany in 2015, and Berlin is the first stop of our European tour this time. We sincerely welcome all friends to Mount Huangshan, to enjoy the beautiful nature scenery and to understand more about Chinese history and culture".

Mount Huangshan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in eastern China's Anhui province. It is renowned for magnificent natural scenery which includes massive granitic boulders, old pine trees and the sea of clouds.

In recent years, Mount Huangshan has received an average of nearly 3 million visitors per year. And it was also acclaimed through art and literature during a good part of Chinese history. Today it holds the same fascination for visitors, poets, painters and photographers all over the world.

The next promotion event of the mountain will be held in Prague of the Czech Republic, according to Wang.

`

[ Editor: WPY ]
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > New Robe

What is so special in the news item:

an organ being donated?

A flourishing black market offers

a choice to know the donor,

preserve purity of body and soul!

But the headline is eye-catching:

a Muslim donates one kidney

for his poor, ailing Hindu friend.

Eyebrows are half-raised;

discordant notes are voiced.

A body part from another faith

saves the donee; he breathes life.

A nagging question: what will be

his identity donned in the new robe?

It is abiding, binding, shared humanity.

A.K. Das
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > Patriotism of Cowardice and Enslaved Mind

by Prem Singh

The modern industrial civilisation has witnessed two World Wars. The researchers of war have yet not been able to estimate the magnitude of casualties/deathsboth military and civilianwhich occurred in these two World Wars. The estimated figure of people killed in both World Wars is between 10 to 15 crores. World Wars I and II were preceded and succeeded by many major battles. Wars of independence were invariably fought by all the colonised countries. Even the Cold War, that began after the end of the World War II and lasted until the dissolution of the USSR, has been described by the scholars as a special kind of world war. Cold War was also characterised by a large number of deaths. There have been many direct and proxy wars during and after the Cold War involving sometimes two countries and sometimes five-six countries. In many wars of the nature of internal conflicts such as those that followed the dissolution of Yugoslavia, civil war was accompanied with racial massacre. In the last few decades, Islamic terrorists have redefined the concept of war which now includes the features of traditional war, counter-war and civil war. In response a new concept of War Against Terror (WAT) has emerged, and it is global in nature.

In the First World War, chemical weapons were used, but not nuclear weapons. World War II witnessed the emergence and consoli-dation of US supremacy over the erstwhile colonial powers primarily due to the formers use of atom bombs on Japans Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities. Since then, on the one hand, the world is living in the danger of a nuclear war, and, on the other hand, the same nuclear weapons are considered as a deterrent to the Third World War. The weapon-manufacturing countries are competing against each other in the race to produce extreme weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, the discussion on the imminent Third World War has also been continuously occurring on the world stage. Since the end of World War II, it is believed that Europe and America had sworn that the Third World War would not be fought on their land. In this context it becomes pertinent to take note of Albert Einsteins words: I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

India also played a role in these ongoing wars. The path of Indias colonisation by the British was paved by numerous battles and treaties. Being a British colony, India participated in the two World Wars, even though the participation was limited in nature. In 1857 and 1942, India fought a direct war against the colonial power. In the middle of World War II, under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose and in collaboration with the Axis countries, the Azad Hind Fauj (Independent National ArmyINA) fought the freedom struggle of India in its own way. In the struggle of 1857, millions of Indians sacrificed their lives for the sake of independence. Also in 1942, according to Dr Lohia, 50 thousand patriots were killed by the British. After independence, in 1948, 1962, 1965, 1971 and 1999 India fought wars with its two neighboursPakistan and China.

This brief recounting of wars has not been done to show the scale of the destruction of lives and resources or its drastic effects on human beings, although that is a matter of a separate problem altogether. However, if the imperialists will keep on looting, wars will also keep on occurring. The looters will continue to wage wars against the countries that are looted. Simultaneously, the imperialist forces will keep forcing these countries to wage wars against each other and will also fight amongst them-selves for the dominance on various resources. Further, the brokers serving the interests of the imperialist powers in the countries looted by the imperialists will keep waging wars against the working classes of their own countries. Therefore, wars are inevitable until this exploitative capitalist system exists. The aforementioned details have been made in order to demonstrate that while living in the civilisation of the wars, Indias mainstream civil society, which, to a large extent, includes the intellectual class as well, has no serious understanding about war neither for their own sake nor for the country, nor for the world. The same civil society is not only ignorant of the worlds war-industry; it doesnt have any idea about the potential role of India in current or future wars (if any). It is said since World War II that the next World War, whatever form it takes, will be fought on the soil of Asia. But the Indian civil society has no anticipatory thoughts about the possible role of India in that war, and how the consequences of that war will impact/shape India. The same civil society has no knowledge of the reasons behind the success of the erstwhile invaders and colonialists in defeating the Indian forces in the wars. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the civil society is an illiterate lot even regarding the two major wars of Indias independencethe armed struggle of 1857 and the peoples struggle of 1942.

It may be due to the fact that a civil society has decided to deliberately overlook the wars by focusing its attention on other areas of national life concerning the countrys strength and prosperity. There are many such countries in the world including Japan. In India, with Gandhis support it can be said that we, as a society, dont endorse perpetuation of violent conflicts. But the dream of the civil society in India is to see India as a superpower soon without being actually aware of the real network and pace of the growing military-world. Rather, a part of the civil society considers India as a superpower owing to it being a huge market and the associated economy. This civil society of India displays its patriotism in a variety of bizarre ways and appears to be fiercely full of exhortations of war. In this context, the situation has now become catastrophicthat it attacks in groups, even sometimes alone, the hidden traitors in the house. It has become a common practice that such elements of civil society openly abuse even women in the name of patriotism.

Needless to say, in reality, the civil society of India does not know its country. Nor does it feel any sincere attachment to it. It cannot even think of making any sacrifice for the country. In spite of this, it is seen always afflicted with patriotism and war hysteria posing itself as the sole master of the whole country. Such groups term themselves as civil society of India, but its members would be termed as illegitimate citizens of India if they are tested on the touchstone of the Indian Freedom Struggle and the Indian Constitution. In the words of Kishan Patnayak, this enslaved mentality has irrepa-rably dented their minds. In my journalistic writings over the past 20-25 years I have written many a time about this phenomenon of the Indian civil society. One may notice that this pathology shows no sign of abatement; rather it grows in intensity with the passage of time. So, despite the repetition, here it is being briefly considered once again.

2

With the making of a new India with the New Economic Policies, patriotism possessed the civil society like a ghost. Simultaneously, its already narrow sense of citizenship became narrower, and the virtues of humanity also decreased. The fact is known to everyone that the resources and labour of the country have been pro-gressively robbed in the interest of corporate capitalism in the last three decades. During the rule of Narendra Modi, this process has turned into a blind race. The private sector is being promoted at the expense of the public sector against the spirit of the Constitution. All democratic institutions are being destroyed. Democracy is changing into a mobocracy. India is stuck badly in the clutches of neo-imperialism. The deeds of the political leadership, which resulted in the loss of freedom, the Constitution, the resources, the labour, the constitutional institutions, could not have been done without the collusion of the civil society. But the civil society is not ready to accept the blame of being the countrys traitor and the imperialist forces slave as the same civil society has unjustly enriched itselfsocially as well as econo-micallyin the last three decades.

As the treacherous conduct and slavery of the civil society of India increases, its pompous display of patriotism will also take new forms. The corporate capitalism will readily sponsor such performances in a full-fledged manner, so that the vast population, devastated by the loot, continues to be intoxicated by the drug of patriotism. The civil society will continue to tell this deprived and excluded population that the cause of their problems is not the loot of corporate capitalism, but the Muslims. However, the impact of this jingoistic atmosphere is such that even Muslims do not want to be behind anyone in the race of showing patriotism!

The ideals of patriotism projected by the civil society keep changing from time to time. But there is a fundamental condition for this ideal-manhis faith in capitalism should remain intact. For the past few years, his ideal is Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Take the RSS first. Since its establishment, the RSS has a deep desire to be labelled as a patriot. It is said that Gods bounty is boundless. Todays divinity resides in corporate capitalism. With the grace of corporate capitalism, the RSS is distributing certificates of patriotism today! It tells that the army of its volunteers can reach the front even before the Indian Army! The bunker made from cow dung will fail Chinas invasion of Dokalam! Nation-protecting yagnas safeguard the nation from external aggression! Soldiers should regularly read Gita-Ramayana to enhance their bravery! Through some of its leaders, it also conveys that soldiers are meant to die for the security of the country as well as the seats which will be won by the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the atmosphere created by the death of the soldiers in Pulwama and on the border! Its workers are caught while spying for the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, but that does not matter to the patriotism of the RSS! Because in its eyes they are holy sinners!

Narendra Modi, whose government allowed 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the defence sector when he became the Prime Minister, explains that the traders take more risk than the soldiers for the country! He also says that business runs in his veins! Patriotic businessmen are seen running with him in the country and abroad! Perhaps in this venture Narendra Modi one day went to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif without any official programme! In the Rafale aircraft deal, the name of the public sector company, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), was removed and replaced with the newly formed company of industrialist Anil Ambani! The way he openly and publicly announces his intimacy with his industrialist friends, he also does the same about the Armys operations! The interest of the merchants is paramount for him, provided they are big businessmen! The risk-takers of Modi sometimes leave the country and flee abroad!

This personality called Narendra Modi is the ideal of patriotism of the civil society of India. In the case of patriotism, the civil society worships him unquestioningly. So, Narendra Modi too considers himself to be above questions and is confident that his worshippers are capable of taking care of all the task. Even after the terrorist attack on the security forces in Pulwama on February 14, he was busy filming himself, inaugurating events and giving speeches at the election rallies by extending an open hand to his worshippers!

A little discussion about the Pulwama attack must be made here. In any well-organised country, the task of investigating the deaths of soldiers in a terrorist attack is the first and foremost. And if this was done, some clues must have been found out by now. But nothing like this happened in India. So far the number of soldiers who were martyred in the attack is itself not clear to the public. Somewhere the number is written 42, somewhere 44 and somewhere above 40. If the Pulwama attack happened due to some lapses on behalf of the government, as the State Governor had said immediately after the attack, then it should have been honestly detected. Accountability should have been fixed, and under the law, the culprits should have been punished. The truth of taking responsibility of the attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) should have been further ascertained for the sake of the militarys security in future. But sadly, February 14 was sunk into the war cry. The death of these para-military soldiers carry no value, because they were not members of the civil society that has been well-fed by the loot of corporate capitalism. Yes, they could be used to do politics; and that use has been made thoroughly.

In a democracy, the military establishment works under the political leadership. But at the same time it is also necessary that a political leadership is not working under the pressure of imperialist powers at least in the matter of the countrys security. The Indian Air Force (IAF) entered Pakistan in the pre-dawn hours on February 26 and dropped bombs at the training camp of the JEM situated in Balakot. According to the Foreign Secretarys statement, this was a non-military preemptive action of the Air Force. The President of America had given a statement that India would do something big to avenge the Pulwama attack. In retaliation of the IAF action, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) entered the Indian territory and attacked a military base. Indian pilot Abhinandan Varth-man had to land in the Pakistani territory due to the damage of his MiG-21 fighter aircraft. The US President again said that a good news will come from Pakistan. The Indian pilot was released by Pakistan.

After Indira Gandhi, America has been dictating India more or less during the tenures of all the Prime Ministers. On October 1, 2001, the JEM attacked the Assembly in Srinagar, in which 27 people were killed and 60 were injured. The then Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, wrote a letter pleading with US President George Bush to persuade Pakistan to stop facilitating terrorists on its soil. At that period 9/11 had happened and Vajpayee had been the first after Britains Prime Minister Tony Blair in joining the US new war against terrorism. But America stood with Pakistan; it is with her even today. It is understandable that America dictates Pakistan; but how can it give directions to India?

There has been a continuous demand for war from the civil society following the events that took place on February 14; and this continues till today. There has been no war, and it was not meant to be. Of course, more than 50 Indian soldiers have been martyred in a fortnight. Theres still no certainty regarding the number of terrorists that have been killed across the border in the air strike by the IAF. The bombs dropped in Balakot were purchased from Israel. The war-mongers, in their enthusiasm for war, did not care to discuss why India started buying arms from Israel, when it used to buy arms from Soviet Russia and won three wars against Pakistan on their strength? Will Indias security be predicated on weapons purchased from abroad forever? Will the weapon-selling countries continue to provide India with weapons that could secure its boundaries in a possible Third World War or in any other war? Will the security of India be given to the private companies established by the players of crony capitalists guided by their lust for profit at the expense of the public sector? Will America, the Mecca of the civil society, which it has been worshiping for the last 40 years, stop giving arms and other financial assistance to Pakistan? And, will India become a superpower on the strength of the purchased weapons?

The air strike took place 12 days after the Pulwama incident. It was well thought-out that there should be no civilian casualties in the attack. But what justifies the decision of keeping out the military bases of Pakistani Army, which helps the terrorists, from the target of the attack? Any war usually takes place between two armies of two countries. If the war-demanding civil society considers this action to be the destroyer of terrorism, then it is not aware of the nature of the Pakistan-based and international network of terrorism. Business flows in the Prime Ministers vein. War cannot be fought with a commercial instinct; only political trade can be done in the name of war. War is the art of Veer Rasa (heroic essence). The SthayiiBhava (enduring emotion) of Veer Rasa is Utsah (enthusiasm). Poets have said that this feeling is found only in those men and women who attained the sublime nature. Those whose anger destroys their wisdom cannot preserve the spirit of valour associated with war.

Actually, the war-mongers and their heroes are guided by the feeling of hatred. There is no need to state towards whom this hatred is directed. Every person knows his/her feelings well. Since Indias defeat in the 1962 war, China has occupied 20,000 square kilometres of Indias territery. The Parliament of India had passed a unanimous resolution to reclaim its lost territory. But the war-mongering civil society of India never demands the teritory captured by China. It also never demands the boycott of America, the saviour of Pakistan, which kept Osama bin Laden hidden in its territory. The point to be understood is that the civil society always indulged in demanding war but is grossly unaware of the true national spirit with which it is fought. A civil society having a coward and slave mind can quarrel, but not embark on war. The most worrying aspect of this negative mentality of the civil society guided by hatred is that it can have an adverse impact on the psychology of the security forces in the long run.

3

Considering the RSS and Modi as its ideal cannot lead us anywhere in a war. For patriotism is not limited to the RSS/BJP camp only. There are a great number of people associated with political parties other than the RSS/BJP supporters. With them, all the highly educated professionals and government officers are also involved. They, despite all their capabilities, are essentially political illiterates. The RSS/BJP brand of patriotism derives great strength from them. The secular progressive camp of the civil society is against the RSS/BJP brand of patriotism. But it has been relegated to the margins. There is nothing in their kitty other than repeating some of the prevailing facts against the RSS/BJP or making jokes about the devotees of Modi on the social media just to tease them or make fun of them. The secular progressive camp is not being able to regain its strength and there are several reasons for that. The most important reason is that by being a covert supporter of capitalism it automatically stands with the RSS/BJP. Apart from this, its strategy of sustaining war status with the RSS also strengthens the RSS/BJP. Its opportunistic behaviour with non-BJP political parties and politicians hinders the strenuous political efforts to evolve a decisive alternative to capitalism; and thus it brings lasting benefits to the RSS/BJP.

Most of the intellectuals and activists who fight for social justice in this camp promote the political power of the RSS/BJP by abusing Hinduism and its Gods/Goddesses. There are also individuals and groups in the secular-progressive camp that are always full of anger towards the Indian state. In anger, generally they forget to make a difference between the governments formed in the Indian state and the state itself. Their anger often leads them to oppose of the Indian state. The advantages of this go to the RSS/BJP alone. There is also a special group of Bharatiyatawadis (scholars interested in exploring and employing the Indian systems of knowledge) in the civil society. They connect themselves with Gandhi. However, it is often found that most of them distort Gandhi and the RSS becomes their last refuge. A new ideologically neutral group is also there which has come out of the womb of corporate capitalism directly. It has a long-range existence from the saffron to the red. However, its brand of patriotism is identical to the RSS/BJPs.

In the last three decades, the secular progressive camp has not been able to comprehend a patriotic narrative apart from the RSS/BJP. Now it does not even seem to have this desire. It talks about the Idea of India in such a manner as if India resides in any book. The secular progressive camp can be seen in using its intellect, which is never suspect, either in certain identity discourses or tie-ups or in the endeavours to acquire governmental posts and prizes. The RSS/BJPs brand of fake, hollow and hypocritical patriotism prevails because there is no authentic alternative to it. Therefore it is prevailing. As long as this brand of patriotism will run, the real crisis before the countryfreedom for the anti-imperialist forcescannot be resolved. This is a big achievement of the RSS/BJP that, by making an alliance with corporate capitalism, it has provided credibility/reputation to the cowardice of the enslaved mind in the country.

The author teaches Hindi at the Delhi University and is the President of the Socialist Party (India).
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > No Time for Politics, Jingoism

IMPRESSIONS

It is good that 12 fighter jets bombarded a terrorist camp in Pakistan with the intention of delivering a blow that would be remembered. More significantly, India crossed the Line of Control for the first time to hit Balakot, the terrorists nerve-centre. The message was heard in other countries as well; many of them asked the Pakistan Government to help eliminate terrorism. The pressure exerted by them also persuaded Pakistan to release the IAF hero who had shot down their F-16 before his own jet was shot down and he was captured.

But this is no occasion for jingoism. Carefully calibrated military operations lose their import when cheap celebrations are mounted for populist approval. The damage done in this area by the shouters of our television channels is a disgrace. Citing the over-patriotic declamations of channel monologists, Pakistan was able to argue that India was a trigger-happy hatemonger. They scored a brownie point or two when Wing Commander Abhinandan was captured, giving Imran Khan an opportunity to say: Our action was only intended to convey that we have the capability to hit back.

The outcome of that capability was not known to the Indian public for quite a while. As TV-fed superpatriots enjoyed firecrackers, Agence France-Presse released a photo showing the wreckage of an IAF jet shot down by Pakistan. The Defence Command of Pakistan released photographs of Wing Commander Abhinandan arrested alive after successful air combat within Pakistan territory. It was left to retired Indian Army colonel-turned-columnist Ajai Shukla to tweet what happened: Two MIG-21s were lured by two PAF F-16s into an air def ambush. The F-16s made shallow ingress into Indian airspace, dropped bombs and waited for IAF MIGs that scrambled. Then F-16s turned back, MIGs followed, were shot down by air defence guns. A prestige win for Pakistan.

So where do we go from here? The most important thing for any country in a situation like this is to present a united front. The unity has to come from within, clear and unambi-guous. This has so far been proving difficult. Twentyone Opposition parties complaining together about the government not taking them into confidence was not indicative of unity. The Cabinets strongman Arun Jaitleys attack on the Opposition did not help either. Nor did high-profile government functions like the launching of the Khelo India Mobile App and the dialogue between the Prime Minister and BJP karyakartas gathered from all over the country. Couldnt these things wait for a day or two?



If we cannot get over narrow political self-interests, perhaps we do not deserve the honour and respect we demand as a nation. The depths to which politicians can sink even at a time like this was shown when Karnatakas BJP leader said that the IAF action against terrorists in Pakistan had resulted in a Modi wave that would help his party win 22 out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the State. Are our defence personnel facing the enemy and risking their lives to help the BJP go to the Lok Sabha? A man who does not understand that the country is bigger than his party ought to be banished from public life for good. When such petty men flourish in our country, it becomes difficult for us to successfully confront an overrated adversary across the border.

If India is to assert itself as an effective modern state, it will have to first stop politicians who hurt its cause. It then must firm up international links that it can depend on. In the current crisis, Saudi Arabia and even China provided sober advice to Pakistan. But to what extent can India depend on them? Saudi Arabias main ambition is to destroy Iran. For that purpose it has even joined forces with its traditional enemy, Israel. Iran, on the other hand, is having exactly the same problem with Pakistan on the Balochistan side as India is having with it on the Jammu-Kashmir side. Incensed by Pakistani terror groups attacking Iranian interests, Tehrans strong man, Major General Soleimani, warned Pakistan quite bluntly only a couple of weeks ago.

It is a complex scenario. But the handling of it can be simple if we decide to join forces with those whose interests coincide with ours. They are different from those who want to join hands with us to further their interests. So the challenge is double-headed. Can we distinguish between promoting our interests and helping others promote theirs? More importantly, do we have the guts to do whats best for us?
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > Post-Pulwama Triumphalism Spells Disaster for...

In dealing with the Pulwama attack of February 14, India has exhibited a degree of triumphalism that could spell disaster for the Kashmiri people and for the future of Indian democracy.

India saw the Organisation of Islamic Cooperations invitation to be a guest of honour at the 46th session of its Council of Foreign Ministers Conference in Abu Dhabi as a triumph over Pakistan. An even bigger triumph was that the meeting passed a declaration without mentioning Kashmir.

The triumph was facilitated by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Indian media did not question this solidarity. Why should it have? The Saudi regime stands internationally accused of murdering Jamal Khashoggi, a dissident, author, columnist for The Washington Post and editor of the Al-Arab News Channel. He was assassinated inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October last year.

India had warmly welcomed the very man accused of ordering the murder, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and now Riyadh was reciprocating by blocking any mention of Kashmir in the declaration.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with Bahrain and Egypt, have blockaded Qatar since June 2017 for supporting terrorism, a claim Qatar denies. They have issued a 13-point list of demands which must be met for the land, air and sea embargo to be lifted. Point 6 demands that the Al Jazeera network be shut down while Point 11 demands the shuttering of six other news outlets.

Media is the most important casualty of the war against terror. In India, a significant section of the media has been silenced by the Bharatiya Janata Party Government, which has thrown in jail even bloggers with no link to terrorism.

On February 22, the Governors administration in Jammu and Kashmir abruptly stopped advertisements to Greater Kashmir, the Valleys largest English newspaper, which was already blacklisted from getting ads from the Central Government. Ads were also stopped to Kashmir Reader, a daily banned for around three months during the 2016 mass protests.

The administration did not provide a reason for stopping ads, but officials indicated it was done at the behest of the Indian Government. It is thought the move is intended to stop the newspapers from publishing highly radicalised content glamourising terrorists and anti-national elements.

Closing Space for Debate

In the 1990s, the Kashmiri people were demonised by the Hindi film industry. Today the BJP has created an atmosphere in which ordinary Kashmiris working and studying in different parts of India are subjected to mob attacks. This would not have been possible without the triumphalism accompanying the war against terrorism.

The people of Kashmir are victims of many kinds of atrocities and their voices are silenced in a thousand ways. This time, they are being crushed by a discourse of triumphalism that is becoming ever harder to resist. It closes all democratic space for discussion and debate and prepares a ground ripe for recruitment by militant groups.

By putting national security on top of its agenda, the Narendra Modi Government has closed any possibility of discussion on the underlying political causes of the Kashmir conflict.

In contrast, Modi willingly talked to Naga insurgents, even those who had blown up convoys like the one targeted in Pulwama.

The most distressing aspect of the Indian states and the medias responses to the Pulwama attack is that they have worsened rather than addressed every single underlying cause of the discontent of the Kashmiri people.

Indias security doctrine under the BJP borrows from the United States War on Terror. The BJP does not seem to realise that despite fighting for nearly two decades now, the US and its allies have been unable to eliminate terrorists. Their endless war has only served to destabilise several countries.

Analysing the impact of American trium-phalism, the historian, Andrew J Bacevich, writes: Post-cold war triumphalism produced conse-quences that are nothing less than disastrous. Historians will remember the past two decades not as a unipolar moment, but as an interval in which America succumbed to excessive self-regard. That moment is now ending with our economy in shambles and our country facing the prospect of permanent war.

Today, with Indias economy in a shambles and unemployment rising, the BJPs policies on Pakistan and Kashmir could result in destabilising South Asia.

This is a very real danger if the BJP comes back to power on May 23 and is allowed to continue with its triumphalism, for it will only further alienate the people of Kashmir and polarise the Indian society.

(Courtesy: scroll.in)

Nandita Haksar is a human rights lawyer, teacher, activist and author.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2019 > What We Defend in Kashmir

From N.C.s Writings

The following appeared fiftyfour years ago as the editorial in the Annual Number of Mainstream 1965. This brings out in sharp relief the contrast between what prevailed then and the national situation one is confronted with today vis-a-vis Pakistan, Kashmir, the minorities and the Muslims in particular.

The valiant defence of the Motherland by our armed forces as well as by the brave people of Jammu and Kashmir has inspired the nation. The grim determination of the people of this country not to rest till Pakistani aggression is completely vacated and it is ensured that there will be no recurrence of violation of our frontiers was fully reflected in the Presidents message and in the Prime Ministers broadcast to the nation.

The entire people of this country realise fully the truth of Srimati Indira Gandhis declaration that what is at stake in Kashmir is not only our territorial integrity but the very basis of our life as a nation, namely, secularism. The people of Kashmir have risen as one man to give the lie to Pakistans propaganda about the communal appeal there; the rulers of Pakistan have themselves realised that their calculation of being able to rouse communal passions in the Valley and enlist the support of Muslims for their treacherous bid to annex the Valley by force has gone completely awry. In their anger and frustration they are trying frantically to escalate the conflict; their crossing of the international border is open admission of the utter and unrelieved failure of their strategy. Their bluff has been called by the determined drive of our Armed Forces to liquidate the bases from where their aggression operates.

The immediate task before the country is, of course, to get Pakistani aggression in Jammu and Kashmir vacated as quickly as possible. Our Army and Air Force are engaged in this task, and there is no doubt that before long they will liquidate the remnants of the armed infiltrators and wipe out the units of the Pakistan armed forces which have entered our territory. But every one of us has to recognise that wars are not won on the field of battle alone. Only a dedicated people resolved to safeguard national values at the cost of their lives can ensure the ultimate victory to which President Radhakrishnan has referred. The entire people of India must settle down calmly to face the bitter logic of an armed conflict with a neighbour; that is the only way the constant military menace of Pakistan can be met effectively.

There is an unhealthy tendency in some sections in this country to worry unduly about the reluctance of many foreign countries to recognise the fact of Pakistani aggression and the attempts made at the United Nations Security Council to equate the aggressor and victim of aggression. As Jawaharlal Nehru repeatedly told us, our national honour can only be defended by us, in the final analysis, and by nobody else. The truth of this was demonstrated clearly during the Chinese aggression. It has been demonstrated, too, by the heroic struggle of the people of South Vietnam against the armed might of American imperialism. The fact that Pakistan has been using American military equipment, including tanks and planes, against India only helps us to realise that we cannot depend on the undertakings given by the Western Powers; we have also to recognise the fact that the Western Powers have deliberately armed Pakistan in spite of our protests over the years. It is futile to feel aggreived that the United States does not pull up its military ally despite the latters flirtation with Peking. As we show up the nemesis of the US policy of pampering Pakistan with arms over the years, let us not deviate from the path of national honour nor beg for the support of the very same powers to defend our freedom.

The world will respect us only if we ourselves defend our territory against aggressors. In the case of Pakistan this task is comparatively easy. But even if we face a more powerful aggressor and have to wage a prolonged war to preserve our freedom and our chosen way of life, we have to do so depending on our own strength. No power on earth can defeat or overcome a courageous people endowed with the will to freedom. This is the lesson of history. So let us resolve in this hour of crisis that, however difficult the struggle, we will face it with complete confidence in the ultimate victory of a just cause over the forces of evil, that we will fight with our bare hands if necessary to prevent violation of our sacred soil.

Difficult days are ahead of our nation, as Sri Shastri pointed out at the meeting of the National Development Council. By agreeing to make the Fourth Plan defence-oriented and by offering to strain every nerve to raise the necessary resources, the Chief Ministers of the States have demonstrated that in an hour of crisis they have to rise above regional considerations. As in 1962 the entire working class in the country is unitedly resolved to maintain and improve the tempo of production for defence. The only uncertain factor is the conduct of the majority of the trading community. Despite the pledges given by their spokesmen in recent days, misgivings on this score remain, in view of their performance during the time of the Chinese aggression. In any event, if the government firmly pursues the policy of removing every obstacle in the way of defence, the anti-social elements which seek to take advantage of the crisis can be put down.

In this period of difficulty the government has certain tasks to fulfil without delay. In the knowledge that the people are solidly behind it the government should take steps immediately to organise procurement and distribution of available foodgrains. Unscrupulous traders and middlemen should get no quarter; they should not get the ghost of a chance to exploit the peoples difficulties to enrich themselves. In short, the economy should be placed on a war footing and those who hinder the war effort by causing difficulties to the people should be dealt with mercilessly. There can be no softness in times of war. Such drastic measures will not only enthuse the people but inspire the jawan and the pilot to deeds of greater and greater glory.

Another important aspect of the defence effort is the maintenance of communal harmony in the country. Apart from the Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir, who are fighting shoulder to shoulder with their Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and other brethren against the armed Pakistani infiltrators, the minority communities in the rest of India have solemnly pledged to sacrifice everything to safeguard national freedom in common with the majority community.

We should not be carried away by any communal outrages that the rulers of Pakistan may engineer, for if we do we will only be playing into the hands of President Ayub and his henchmen. The prevalence of communal harmony in this country is a constant eyesore to the rulers of our neighbouring country, for it constitutes the final refutation of the two-nation theory and the final proof of the superiority of secularism as a way of life. Unfortunately in our midst also there are fascist elements who would like to grab power on the crest of a wave of communal frenzy. In the past they have succeeded in creating serious trouble, although they have been put down by the government and the people. Poona has been a mild warning. In the future communal elements should not get even an opportunity to provoke tension anywhere in India. This is a major responsibility for both the government and the people.

In the midst of all this we as a people have to bear in mind constantly that the people of Pakistan are our brethren, that we cannot hold them responsible for the misdeeds of their rulers who are resorting to aggression frequently only to divert the attention of their people from the misery and privation they have suffered for years. As our Prime Minister put it, we wish the people of Pakistan well.

In the final reckoning, these two neighbours, India and Pakistan, shall have to live side by side as brothers in peace and friendship. As we defend our sacred land with all our might, we must not let iron enter into the soul of this great nation.

(Mainstream, Annual Number, dated September 11, 1965)
UKIP Urged to Change Name to BNP 2.0 So BrExit Party Can Fight a 2nd EU Referendum

The far rights near total takeover of UKIP, the party that played a pivotal role in delivering a LEAVE victory at the June 2016 EU Referendum under Nigel Farage's leadership. Which given the collapse in electoral support from a high of 18% of the vote to today's polls barely registering 5% support ensures that should there be a 2nd EU referendum then there is virtually ZERO chance that LEAVE would win a new vote. Even if Nigel Farage manages to get his new BrExit party of the ground.

As today's UKIP's primary objective is no longer for the UK to LEAVE the EU but to perpetuate and magnify hatred of all things muslim, that even resulted in UKIPS former leader Nigel Farage resigning membership of the party in the wake of its growing obsession with Islamophobia, increasingly embracing right wing extremist ideologies most notable of whom or Tommy Robinson (fake name) and Katie Hopkins, as UKIP continues to trend towards becoming BNP 2.0. Which soon becomes apparent when visiting any of the popular UKIP facebook groups, that UKIP / BNP 2.0 is no longer a party focused on the UK leaving the EU but rather in disseminating hatred of muslims with many similar tropes posted as found at the heart of the right wing extremist terrorist's so called manifesto focused on the 'Great Replacement'.

Apparently UKIP / BNP 2.0 have a particular hatred of London's Lord Mayor, Saddique Khan and Labour front bencher Diane Abbot.

Typical of what gets posted about Dianne Abbott several times per day!

Again espousing very similar tropes as the New Zealand terrorist.

And even going so far as to encourage blaming the victims of the New Zealand terror attack.

With a guy in Oldham Manchester crossing the line and actually heaping racist praise on the terrorist who was promptly arrested for by Manchester Police. We have deliberately blurred the whole of his post so as to avoid the spread of his hate speech amongst like minded individuals.

However, the consequences of the transformation of UKIP into BNP 2.0 in that it would now be near impossible for LEAVE to win a Second EU Referendum which appears to be the most probable outcome out of Britain's ongoing BrExit chaos.

And given UKIP's embrace of Tommy Robinson then I would not be surprised if he becomes UKIP's next leader or at the least represents UKIP / BNP 2.0 as a prospective parliamentary candidate at the next general election, though I am sure electoral law dictates that people cannot stand for parliament under a false name.

Whilst if UKIP has any shred of decency in respect of wanting to honour the result of the June 2016 Referendum, then they should complete their name change to BNP 2.0 so as to allow Nigel Farage's BrExit party a better chance at rebuilding an effective electoral base in attempts at winning a 2nd EU referendum.

By John York

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

Copyright  2005-2019 Marketoracle.co.uk (Market Oracle Ltd). All rights reserved.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




The biennial exhibition is held to showcase Ikebana works by prominent artists as well as domestic and international students. Vietnam is the sole foreign country participating in this years event.

The arrangement by Le Dieu Ngoc Linh uses a traditional conical hat as the main ornament to reflect the beauty of Vietnamese women, while the work of Do Vy Anh is a combination of a crane flower with a black vase and red steel wires.





Do Vy Anh's flower arrangement (Photo: VNA)

The five-day exhibition features hundreds of flower works, including those arranged by members of the Ikenobo family, especially the 45th headmaster Ikenobo Senei. It is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors.

Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, with a history of more than 600 years. Meanwhile, Ikenobo is the oldest and largest school of ikebana.
Gold Mining Stocks Fundamentals

The major gold miners are grinding higher in a solid upleg, fueling growing interest in this small contrarian sector. Theyve mostly finished reporting their fourth-quarter results, revealing how they are really faring fundamentally. Collectively the worlds biggest gold miners continue to face serious challenges, which often stem from declining production. That makes stock picking more important than ever for investment success.

Four times a year publicly-traded companies release treasure troves of valuable information in the form of quarterly reports. Required by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, these 10-Qs and 10-Ks contain the best fundamental data available to traders. They dispel all the sentiment distortions inevitably surrounding prevailing stock-price levels, revealing corporations underlying hard fundamental realities.

While 10-Qs with filing deadlines of 40 days after quarter-ends are required for normal quarters, 10-K annual reports are instead mandated after quarters ending fiscal years. Most gold miners logically run their accounting on calendar years, so they issue 10-Ks after Q4s. Since these annual reports are larger and must be audited by independent CPAs, their filing deadlines are extended to 60 days after quarter-ends.

The definitive list of major gold-mining stocks to analyze comes from the worlds most-popular gold-stock investment vehicle, the GDX VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF. Launched way back in May 2006, it has an insurmountable first-mover lead. GDXs net assets running $10.6b this week were a staggering 47.1x larger than the next-biggest 1x-long major-gold-miners ETF! GDX is effectively this sectors blue-chip index.

It currently includes 45 component stocks, which are weighted in proportion to their market capitalizations. This list is dominated by the worlds largest gold miners, and their collective importance to this industry cannot be overstated. Every quarter I dive into the latest operating and financial results from GDXs top 34 companies. Thats simply an arbitrary number that fits neatly into the tables below, but a commanding sample.

As of this week these elite gold miners accounted for fully 94.1% of GDXs total weighting. Last quarter they combined to mine 300.8 metric tons of gold. That was 35.2% of the aggregate world total in Q418 according to the World Gold Council, which publishes comprehensive global gold supply-and-demand data quarterly. So for anyone deploying capital in gold or its miners stocks, watching GDX miners is imperative.

The largest primary gold miners dominating GDXs ranks are scattered around the world. 21 of the top 34 mainly trade in US stock markets, 6 in Australia, 5 in Canada, and 1 each in China and the United Kingdom. GDXs geopolitical diversity is good for investors, but makes it more difficult to analyze and compare the biggest gold miners results. Financial-reporting requirements really vary from country to country.

In Australia, South Africa, and the UK, companies report in half-year increments instead of quarterly. The big gold miners often publish quarterly updates, but their data is limited. In cases where half-year data is all that is made available, I split it in half for a Q4 approximation. While Canada has quarterly reporting, the deadlines are looser than in the States. Some Canadian gold miners drag their feet in getting results out.

While it is challenging bringing all the quarterly data together for the diverse GDX-top-34 gold miners, analyzing it in the aggregate to see how they are doing is essential. So each quarter I wade through all available operational and financial reports and dump the data into a big spreadsheet for analysis. The highlights make it into these tables. Blank fields mean a company hadnt reported that data as of this Wednesday.

The first couple columns of these tables show each GDX components symbol and weighting within this ETF as of this week. While most of these stocks trade on US exchanges, some symbols are listings from companies primary foreign stock exchanges. Thats followed by each gold miners Q418 production in ounces, which is mostly in pure-gold terms. That excludes byproduct metals often present in gold ore.

Those are usually silver and base metals like copper, which are valuable. They are sold to offset some of the considerable expenses of gold mining, lowering per-ounce costs and thus raising overall profitability. In cases where companies didnt separate out gold and lumped all production into gold-equivalent ounces, those GEOs are included instead. Then productions absolute year-over-year change from Q417 is shown.

Next comes gold miners most-important fundamental data for investors, cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per ounce mined. The latter directly drives profitability which ultimately determines stock prices. These key costs are also followed by YoY changes. Last but not least the annual changes are shown in operating cash flows generated, hard GAAP earnings, revenues, and cash on hand with a couple exceptions.

Percentage changes arent relevant or meaningful if data shifted from positive to negative or vice versa, or if derived from two negative numbers. So in those cases I included raw underlying data rather than weird or misleading percentage changes. Companies with symbols highlighted in light-blue have newly climbed into the elite ranks of GDXs top 34 over this past year. This entire dataset together is quite valuable.

It offers a fantastic high-level read on how the major gold miners are faring fundamentally as an industry. Unfortunately they were generally struggling on multiple fronts in Q418. The more quarterly reports I read and data I gathered, the more apparent it became that many if not most of the worlds biggest gold miners continue to face serious challenges. That makes GDX itself way less attractive to gold-stock investors.

GDXs holdings grew much more concentrated over this past year, with the top 34s total weighting rising from 90.5% in Q417 to 94.1% in Q418. That is partially due to increased merger-and-acquisition activity driven by big gold miners trying to replace depleting production. For years many have proven unable to replenish mined gold organically, leaving buying other companies the only option to maintain mining tempos.

Production has always been the lifeblood of the gold-mining industry. Gold miners have no control over prevailing gold prices, their product sells for whatever the markets offer. Thus growing production is the only manageable way to boost revenues, leading to amplified gains in operating cash flows and profits. Higher production generates more capital to invest in expanding existing mines and building or buying new ones.

Gold-stock investors have long prized production growth above everything else, as it is inexorably linked to company growth and thus stock-price-appreciation potential. But for some years now the major gold miners have been struggling to grow production. Large economically-viable gold deposits are getting increasingly harder to find and more expensive to exploit, with the low-hanging fruit long since picked.

More and more gold-industry experts believe peak gold is nearing, after which global mine production will start declining. For many years now new deposit discoveries and mine builds have failed to keep pace with depletion at existing mines. So production growth is slowing. According to the World Gold Councils latest fundamental data, global mine production only edged 0.8% higher in 2018 compared to 5.3% in 2013!

GDXs major gold miners are the biggest in the world, with access to many billions of dollars of capital to expand their operations. Yet even with those vast resources by his sectors standards, the top 34 have still failed to grow their production. In Q418 they collectively produced 9.7m ounces of gold, plunging a colossal 7.5% YoY from Q417s 10.5m! That is shockingly bad, and the root of the major gold miners problems.

Total world gold production per the WGC merely slipped 0.9% YoY last quarter. Incidentally that was just the second YoY quarterly decline in the past 32 quarters, adding more fuel to peak-gold theories. Across all of them growth averaged 2.5% YoY. Seeing the top 34 GDX gold miners production plunge at 8.3x the world rate in Q418 is very concerning. Many major gold miners are stagnating, retarding GDXs potential.

Just over half of GDXs top 34 gold miners, fully 18 of them, suffered average production declines of 8.9% YoY! The worst in terms of impact came from GDXs largest component Barrick Gold. GOLDs gold mined fell 5.8% YoY in Q418, representing 1/10th of the total drop among the GDX top 34. Barrick is so desperate to buy production to offset its serious depletion that it recently purchased major gold miner Randgold.

That deal completed on January 1st, 2019, so GOLDs Q418 results dont yet reflect it. Randgold mined 374.6k ounces last quarter, which was actually up an impressive 9.9% YoY. That helps explain some of the big production drop among the GDX top 34. Randgolds production was included in the GDX top 34 in Q417, but of course its stock no longer exists this week when I downloaded GDXs current component list.

Adding Randgolds Q418 production in cuts the GDX top 34s production decline to 3.9% YoY. Going the other way and instead removing it from Q417s total leaves the top 34s mined gold down 4.4% YoY. But thats still much worse than that overall 0.9% YoY decline in global gold mine production last quarter. As I explained in depth in a mid-February essay, gold-stock mega-mergers wont solve this depletion problem.

Before Q418, Randgold suffered 4 quarters in a row of falling production averaging declines of 7.4% YoY. Barricks quarterly production has fallen for 6 quarters in a row, averaging hefty 13.4% YoY drops! Merging depleting major gold miners together doesnt magically boost their collective production. It just masks production declines for a single year, the first 4 quarters comparing post-merger results with pre-merger ones.

Once those great cross-merger YoY comparisons pass, the relentless depletion in both companies gold mines will quickly become apparent again. The larger any gold miner, the harder it is to grow and even just maintain production levels. Because exploration budgets largely collapsed since 2013 when gold plunged and crushed gold stocks, the global pipeline of bigger economic gold deposits to mine has mostly dried up.

GDXs top-two components have always been Barrick Gold and Newmont Gold. This week together they accounted for 19.5% of its total weighting and a whopping 28.0% of the top 34s total Q418 gold mined! Had Barricks and Randgolds merger been consummated in Q4, GOLDs production wouldve soared over 1.8m ounces. Newmont didnt want Barrick to surpass it, so in January it announced it was buying Goldcorp.

GG produced 630k ounces of gold in Q4, which will be added onto Newmonts production going forward once this deal is done. Had Newmont and Goldcorp been together in Q418, this gold-mining behemoth wouldve produced nearly 2.1m ounces! Those levels are staggering, and will really increase these two mega-miners dominance over this sector and GDX. These mergers pro-forma impact on GDX is massive.

Using Q4s numbers, Newmont and Barrick wouldve accounted for a colossal 38.8% of the GDX top 34s entire gold mined including Randgold. Their collective weighting in this leading gold-stock ETF would shoot over a quarter. So the overall GDX future performance will be more dominated by Newmont and Barrick than ever before. If they cant grow production from such stratospheric levels, theyll retard GDXs upside.

With gold deposits increasingly harder to discover, and taking even longer to get permitted and brought into production at ever-higher costs, the biggest gold miners are going to find it impossible to even maintain their outputs. Any production growth is going to come from smaller gold miners, and their stocks will soar to reflect it. Unfortunately the impact on GDX will be muted, since its weightings are tyrannized by the giants.

Kirkland Lake Gold has been one of the best-performing gold stocks over this past year. In 2018 its stock rocketed 69.9% higher as GDX fell 9.3%! The reason investors flocked to KL is it has rapidly grown its gold output, which soared 38.8% YoY in Q418. That greatly boosted its sales, operating cash flows, and profits. More gold produced spreads out the big fixed costs of mining across more ounces, amplifying earnings.

No matter how awesome KLs management has proved, such production growth was only possible from a relatively-low base. KL produced 167k ounces of gold in Q417, compared with around 8x that from each Newmont and Barrick. The biggest gains in gold-stock prices wont come from super-major-dominated GDX, but from smaller mid-tier gold miners. Investors will continue to prize and richly reward production growth.

Peak gold is likely bearish for the largest gold miners that drive GDX. Capital inflows from investors will wane along with their shrinking production. But lower gold mined supply on balance going forward is wildly bullish for the mid-tier and junior gold miners growing their production! The resulting higher gold prices will catapult their profits and thus stock prices far higher, attracting investors fleeing the struggling majors.

The only way to reap these massive gains is directly investing in the best individual gold miners. Their fundamentals are far superior to their sectors as a whole. While buying GDX is easy, the lions share of that capital is funneled into the major gold miners with slowing production. Their underperformance will dilute away any outperformance among mid-tier miners in this ETF, leading to way-inferior overall gains.

Given the sharply-lower gold production by the GDX top 34 in Q418, per-ounce mining costs shouldve risen proportionally. Gold-mining costs are largely fixed quarter after quarter, with actual mining requiring the same levels of infrastructure, equipment, and employees. So the lower production, the fewer ounces to spread minings big fixed costs across. These elite gold miners indeed reported higher costs last quarter.

There are two major ways to measure gold-mining costs, classic cash costs per ounce and the superior all-in sustaining costs per ounce. Both are useful metrics. Cash costs are the acid test of gold-miner survivability in lower-gold-price environments, revealing the worst-case gold levels necessary to keep the mines running. All-in sustaining costs show where gold needs to trade to maintain current mining tempos indefinitely.

Cash costs naturally encompass all cash expenses necessary to produce each ounce of gold, including all direct production costs, mine-level administration, smelting, refining, transport, regulatory, royalty, and tax expenses. In Q418 these top 34 GDX-component gold miners that reported cash costs averaged $655 per ounce. That was up a sharp 9.1% YoY, among the highest quarterly cash costs seen in years.

That still shows the major gold miners face no existential threat as long as gold stays over $650, which is about half current levels. And Q4s cash costs are artificially high due to two anomalies. Buenaventura and Hecla both reported cash costs rocketing to extremes of $1627 and $1048! Excluding these outliers, the rest of the GDX top 34 averaged cash costs of $598, which was right in line with Q417s overall $600 read.

Way more important than cash costs are the far-superior all-in sustaining costs. They were introduced by the World Gold Council in June 2013 to give investors a much-better understanding of what it really costs to maintain gold mines as ongoing concerns. AISCs include all direct cash costs, but then add on everything else that is necessary to maintain and replenish operations at current gold-production levels.

These additional expenses include exploration for new gold to mine to replace depleting deposits, mine-development and construction expenses, remediation, and mine reclamation. They also include the corporate-level administration expenses necessary to oversee gold mines. All-in sustaining costs are the most-important gold-mining cost metric by far for investors, revealing gold miners true operating profitability.

The GDX top 34 gold miners reported average AISCs of $889 in Q418, up 3.6% YoY. That is inversely proportional to the 4%ish YoY drop in their gold production when Randgold is accounted for. While $889 is the highest seen since at least Q216 when I started doing this quarterly research, it is still roughly in line with the past four quarters averages of $858, $884, $856, and $877. And like cash costs this is skewed high.

Buenaventura and Hecla also reported anomalous super-high AISCs of $1485 and $1582. Excluding them, the rest of the GDX top 34 averaged much-lower all-in sustaining costs of $837 per ounce in Q418. So much to their credit, the major gold miners are ruthlessly managing their costs as their production slumps. Thats bullish for their coming earnings growth as gold continues grinding higher in this bull market.

Gold-mining profits really leverage higher gold prices, and big earnings growth attracts in investors to bid up stock prices. In Q418 gold averaged about $1228 per ounce. At the GDX top 34s average AISC of $889, that implies the major gold miners as an industry were earning profits of $339 per ounce. Those are going to grow considerably this quarter. The almost-over Q119 has seen average gold prices near $1303.

AISCs are likely to decline from Q4s high levels in this current Q1, but lets assume they remain stable at $889. That implies the major gold miners are earning about $414 per ounce this quarter. In other words a mere 6.1% quarter-on-quarter rally in average gold prices could drive a major 22.1% QoQ jump in the major gold miners profits! Thats why major gold stocks tend to amplify gold uplegs by 2x to 3x or so.

It is encouraging the gold miners costs remain well-positioned to fuel big profits growth in a higher-gold-price environment despite their intractable production slumps. Investors love chasing earnings growth, which is looking to be scarce in the general stock markets this year. The good gold miners stocks are likely to see big capital inflows as gold continues climbing, driving them and to a lesser extent GDX higher.

Unfortunately the hard accounting results in Q418 were far worse than AISCs. Q418s average gold price was 3.8% lower year-over-year, which combined with the 4%ish-lower gold production including Randgold among the GDX top 34 to really weaken financial performance. Overall quarterly revenues among these elite major gold miners fell 10.3% YoY to $12.8b. Operating cash flows amplified that drop.

Total OCFs among these GDX stocks collapsed 30.4% YoY to $3.7b in Q418. That means less capital available to finance mine expansions and new mine builds, exacerbating the production struggles. Yet overall corporate treasuries fared relatively better with a 14.6% YoY decline to total cash balances near $12.1b for all these miners. All this was understandable, but hard GAAP accounting profits were a total disaster.

Warren Buffett once famously joked about airline stocks, saying he wouldve done investors a huge favor if he couldve shot down the Wright brothers maiden flight in 1903 killing that whole industry before it was born. His point was the airlines never earned profits over the long-term, so they werent worth investors time. The major gold stocks Q4 losses made it look like they could never earn any money either, terrible.

Last quarter the top 34 GDX gold miners, the biggest and supposedly best in the world, lost a staggering $6.0b collectively! That compared to relatively-minor total losses under $0.1b in Q417. At $1228 gold the major gold miners shouldve been earning solid profits. Yet they were hemorrhaging money in an accounting sense fast enough to make drunken sailors blush. So what the heck happened in this sector?

The problem was colossal non-cash impairment charges, gold miners writing down the value of mines on their books for a variety of reasons. These were mainly lower forecast gold prices reducing the economic reserves at those mines. While an accounting fiction, these perceived losses must still be flushed through income statements when they are believed to happen. The list of impairments disclosed in quarterlies was long.

GOLD reported about $1.1b in impairment charges in Q418, AEM $390m, AUY $151m, AG $168m, and the list goes on. But the writeoff king last quarter was Goldcorp, reporting an inconceivable $4.7b in impairment charges across multiple mines! Newmonts offer for Goldcorp valued its mines much lower than their carried book value, forcing GG to write off the enormous differences in what may be its last solo quarter.

Together Barrick and Goldcorp wrote off $5.8b in assets in Q418, 97% of the GDX top 34s total GAAP losses last quarter! This is yet another reason gold-stock mega-mergers are bad news for this entire sector. They give the managements of these giant gold miners cover for flushing away what were likely poor past decisions in allocating capital. Smaller miners focused on fewer mines seem to suffer fewer impairments.

Ive extensively studied and actively traded gold-mining stocks for decades now, and these latest writeoffs seem really fishy. Major impairments are understandable in years gold plunges sharply, like 2013 when it plummeted 27.9%. That really changes the economic assumptions underlying the value of gold mines on balance sheets. But 2018 saw nothing like that, with gold slumping a trivial 1.6%. Big impairments made no sense.

While the average gold price slumped 3.8% YoY in Q418, that isnt even material. And in full-year terms, 2018s average gold price was actually 0.8% higher YoY. Huge writedowns on a flat gold year dont look righteous at all. Gold-mining-company managements have a serious credibility problem with gold-stock investors, and pulling stunts like this worsen it. These guys need to start managing for their shareholders.

The major gold miners Q418 results were disappointing overall. Huge sky-is-falling impairments along with sharply-lower production driving much-weaker sales and operating-cash-flow generation sure made GDX look like an iffy investment at best. Offsetting that negativity somewhat was good control over their all-in sustaining costs, which only moved modestly higher and wouldve fallen without a couple anomalous reads.

The key takeaway here is avoid GDX. The worlds leading gold-stock ETF is increasingly burdened with giant gold miners struggling too much fundamentally. Their high weightings within this ETF are certain to retard its future performance. Its far better to deploy capital in great smaller individual gold miners with superior fundamentals. Plenty of these companies are included in GDX, but have relatively-low weightings.

GDXs little-brother ETF GDXJ is another option. While advertised as a Junior Gold Miners ETF, it is really a mid-tier gold miners ETF. It includes most of the better GDX components, with higher weightings since the largest gold miners are excluded. I wrote an entire essay in mid-January explaining why GDXJ is superior to GDX, and my next essay a week from now will delve into the GDXJ gold miners Q418 results.

Back in essentially the first half of 2016, GDXJ rocketed 202.5% higher on a 29.9% gold upleg in roughly the same span! While GDX somewhat kept pace then at +151.2%, it is lagging GDXJ more and more as its weightings are more concentrated in stagnant gold mega-miners. The recent big mergers are going to worsen that investor-hostile trend. Investors should buy better individual gold stocks, or GDXJ, instead of GDX.

One of my core missions at Zeal is relentlessly studying the gold-stock world to uncover the stocks with superior fundamentals and upside potential. The trading books in both our popular weekly and monthly newsletters are currently full of these better gold and silver miners. Mostly added in recent months as gold stocks recovered from deep lows, our unrealized gains are already running as high as 75%+ this week!

If you want to multiply your capital in the markets, you have to stay informed. Our newsletters are a great way, easy to read and affordable. They draw on my vast experience, knowledge, wisdom, and ongoing research to explain whats going on in the markets, why, and how to trade them with specific stocks. As of Q4 weve recommended and realized 1076 newsletter stock trades since 2001, averaging annualized realized gains of +16.1%! Thats nearly double the long-term stock-market average. Subscribe today for just $12 per issue!

The bottom line is the major gold miners are still struggling fundamentally. Their production shrinkage is accelerating, pushing costs proportionally higher. That led to weaker sales and operating cash flows in Q4. And accounting profits cratered into a dark abyss on enormous and suspicious impairment charges by big gold miners involved in mega-mergers. These poor results are retarding GDXs upside potential.

But smaller mid-tier and junior gold miners with superior fundamentals are bucking this trend to enjoy big stock-price gains. They are still able to grow production off way-smaller bases, boosting their earnings and attracting investment capital. They will continue amplifying golds uplegs, multiplying wealth for their contrarian investors. Gold-stock upside potential remains huge outside of the increasingly-problematic majors.

Adam Hamilton, CPA

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At the hand-over ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh commended efforts of Roccas, who is now Belgian Ambassador to Cuba, in promoting the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium during her tenure in Hanoi.

Roccas contributed to the success of high-level visits between the two countries as well as important cooperation projects such as the Dinh Vu Port in the northern city of Hai Phong.

For her part, the diplomat thanked the Vietnamese State and people for the noble award, which acknowledges her contributions to the bilateral ties.

Roccas recalled the time when she worked in Vietnam and stressed potential for a stronger bilateral relationship, not only in politics and economy but also in cooperation development and culture.
President Macrons trip to the three East African countries held a historic meaning as it was the first visit made by a French head of state to Kenya since 1963 and to Ethiopia since 1966, as well as the first to Djibouti made by a French president for 20 years. Taking place in the context of Frances relations with African countries remaining stagnant and other powers unceasingly strengthening their cooperation and investment in the continent, President Macrons visit reflects the goal of restoring Pariss position through enhancing its economic, cultural and military presence in the region once lying in Frances influential zone.

Three stops on the French leaders journey back to Africa were countries with favourable geographical locations, potential markets and the leading dynamic economies in East Africa. Despite being small in size, Djibouti holds a crucial geostrategic position, as it lies on the maritime route linking Asia with the Suez Canal and adjacent to the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which sees the shipment of roughly 4.8 million barrels of oil every day. Djibouti is a former French colony, where a seaport was built in 1844 to serve French military ships in and out. This is also the place where France has placed its largest military base in Africa, with about 1,450 soldiers stationed not far from bases of the US and some other nations.

Meanwhile, Kenya and Ethiopia are the fourth and fifth largest economies in the southern Sahara region, with dynamic markets and a relatively crowded middle class. Both countries reported a high economic growth rate last year, at 8% and 5%, respectively. With their dynamic private sectors and increasingly financial stability, these two French-speaking countries can serve as important gateways for France to easily penetrate into the market of hundreds of millions of people in the East African region.

France is seeking to maintain its bilateral relations with the East African countries in many fields and in the Francophonie space. Djibouti is a seaport investment and cooperation destination that is hardly ignored by France. Ethiopia tops the list of Frances trade surplus markets with some key items such as Airbus A350 or modern medicine. Meanwhile, Kenya, with its abundant oil reserves, is a stopover for many multinational corporations and big French companies. However, cooperation between France and the East African countries has been somewhat declining in recent times, partly due to Pariss inadequate acceleration efforts, and more seriously because of the tough competition in the race to gain market shares and influence in the dark continent between the powers, not only the United States or the United Kingdom, but Asian partners as well.

The aforementioned problems are part of the motivation for France to launch a new conquest in its previously influenced areas. The concerns and practical cooperation projects taken along by President Macron in this return journey have been welcomed by regional partners with many expectations. Along with Frances desire to return, Djibouti hopes to become a new Dubai, capable of competing against the busy seaports in Africa. Ethiopia believes that the expansion of partnerships, including with France, contributes to maintaining its economic and political autonomy. For Kenya, apart from economic and energy projects, new directions in cooperation have opened, especially in terms of infrastructure and the environment.

In Frances journey back to Africa, there are not only economic and military contracts. A plan to build a clean city in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa, an environmental conference themed One Planet held in Kenyas capital Nairobi, or President Macrons visit to an ancient temple in Lalibela city and a world cultural heritage in northern Ethiopia, show the prospect of comprehensive cooperation between France and East African countries. In the context of fierce competition for influence in Africa, President Macrons visit affirmed that France does not forget and continues to be a reliable partner of countries in 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,
Pennsylvania Horticulture Societys Harvest program ends season with almost 19,000 pounds of produce donated and $30K raised to fight food insecurity
World leaders, policymakers, business executives and campaigners who will attend the high-level meeting are expected to chart a new roadmap to help mankind leapfrog into a green and sustainable future, said Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN secretary-general's special envoy for the 2019 Climate Summit.

Preparations for the summit are in top gear and organizers have identified specific areas for discussions that are expected to boost global response to climate change, the official told Xinhua on a side event of the just concluded fourth session of UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya.

"We look forward to a meeting that can agree on specific actions to be implemented immediately to boost emissions' reduction and climate mitigation," he said.

One of the key objectives of the summit will be to urge industrial powers to cut down on carbon emissions in line with international treaties, he said.

"We will also be focusing on transformative areas like renewable energy and nature-based solutions to climate change including forests, land and oceans," he said.

"The summit will pay attention to specific sectors that can boost emissions reduction like aviation, shipping and cement manufacturing," he said, adding that incentives to boost investments in green technologies will also be discussed at the summit.

More than 100 world leaders are expected to attend the high-level climate summit in New York.

The fourth session of UN Environment Assembly, under the theme "Innovative Solutions for Environmental challenges and Sustainable Consumption and Production," was held on March 11-15 in Nairobi, Kenya.
MERIDEN  Architect Lorenzo Hamilton drew up plans for many iconic buildings in the city around the beginning of the 20th century. His grandson, Marcus Hamilton, shared some of his grandfathers sketches recently at the public library.

Many of the sketches were of historic city locations including the World War One Memorial on Broad Street and the Andrews Homestead. Hamilton spoke as part of a monthly lecture series at the library in partnership with the local historical society.

The stuff in the lecture isnt even a quarter of it, Marcus Hamilton said during the Tuesday event.

Lorenzo designed many important city landmarks including the original Wilcox Technical High School, The Castle home on Lambert Avenue, Hanover School, and many others.

Among the last big projects Lorenzo designed was Veterans Memorial Hospital in 1952, just three years before his death.

The early rendition had three floors, Marcus Hamilton said. It ended up being two floors.

Lorenzo Hamilton was born in 1895. He attended Meriden High School in 1911, where he frequently drew cartoons for the school yearbook.

Of course, if youre an artist in high school, Marcus Hamilton said, you contribute to the high school annual yearbook.

While in high school, Marcus Hamilton said, Lorenzo met his future wife, Ella Stohr.

He soon graduated high school and was accepted into Yale College. While there, he received a scholarship allowing him to study in Europe for a year, according to Marcus Hamilton.

While in Europe, Lorenzo Hamilton honed his skills by sketching landscapes and buildings. His initials can be found hidden in many of his design sketches.

My grandfather sometimes liked to hide his initials, you can see it in this one, Marcus Hamilton said, pointing towards a sketch of a house. Its in the railings.

Before graduating, Lorenzo Hamiltons Yale education was interrupted when he joined the Army to fight in World War I. The WWI veteran would later collaborate to design Veterans Memorial Boulevard on Broad Street, featuring the iconic World War I monument by Italian sculptor Aristide Berto Cianfarani, among his sketch subjects.

Lorenzo Hamilton returned to Yale after the war and graduated in 1921 with a degree in Fine Arts. After a few years, Lorenzo Hamilton opened his own architectural firm in 1923, according to the Meriden Historical Society. He began to design and propose many memorable city landmarks.

Mayor Henry T. King appointed a committee in 1919 to inquire into and report to the people concerning a memorial to those who enter the service of their country from Meriden, according to the book 150 Years of Meriden, published in 1952.

The appointed committee found that the city was in favor of constructing a memorial, but now had to find a place to put it, according to 150 Years of Meriden. There were a few proposals to place a structure next to City Hall where the Civil War Memorial now sits, but all plans were rejected.

Years had passed and there was still no agreement. It seemed like there was never going to be a memorial constructed. That was, until Lorenzo Hamilton showcased his proposal to the committee in 1928.

On June 11, 1929, a committee approved Lorenzo Hamiltons proposal for the memorial. The sketch of his proposal was shown by Marcus Hamilton Tuesday night.

The memorial on Broad Street was supposed to be a lot taller, Hamilton said, as he showed the original sketch his grandfather drew. I guess they changed it.

Lorenzo retired in 1953, just a year after his last big project. His death followed just two years later in 1955, a shock to the community, but his legacy lives on. He is now remembered as the architect who helped design the city.

Susan Zagorski, of Meriden, shared that she was Lorenzo Hamiltons neighbor when she was a child.

I did not realize all the things he had done. I was seven when he died, Zagorski said.

Years ago, Paul Butkus of the Historical Society discovered the work of Lorenzo Hamilton. He quickly found and contacted Marcus Hamilton asking for information on his grandfather.

Paul wrote me a letter, Hamilton said. It was very specific handwriting, I recognized it. I looked up Paul and he was an architect, so that explains the handwriting.

Marcus Hamilton and Butkus began working together to compile books of his grandfathers sketches.

I work on it whenever I have a second, Hamilton said.

Hamilton said they hope to donate the compiled work to the library in the near future.

mphilavong@record-journal.com

203-317-2208

Twitter: @Maxine_Jo
WALLINGFORD  Town native Ben Russos dip company has been named the official salsa and guacamole of the Boston Red Sox for the 2019 season.

This was one of these defining moments to get the right partnership that can help grow and expand in the New England area, said Russo, one of the owners of the Tex-Mex food brand Chica de Gallo, based in Massachusetts.

Chica de Gallo, which includes a variety of salsa and guacamole, such as mango pineapple and spicy with ghost pepper, will be sold at concession stands, nacho bars and luxury suites in Fenway Park in Boston.

Were excited to partner with Chica de Gallo, said Red Sox executive vice president Troup Parkinson. Its always great when we can partner with local, Boston-based companies and we are pleased to welcome Chica de Gallo to the Red Sox family.

Russo moved to Massachusetts in 1996 after graduating from Trinity College in Hartford. He and co-owner Amanda Bauman started with another partner in 2012 after friends suggested that the trio sell their salsa. When the third partner left in 2014, the company rebranded, updated recipes and increased promotion.

Bauman was doing a product demonstration in Boston when, unbeknownst to her, a Red Sox representative sampled some salsa. She received an unexpected email from the team a week later.

We were like is this real?  Bauman said. We were very excited.

To say that our jaws were on the floor doesnt do it justice, Russo said. We were speechless.

The pair was already focusing on trying to saturate the New England market and promote the brand any way they could. They hope to expand outside the Boston area.

We would like to break out of the region and East Coast and become a national brand, Bauman said.

The company is preparing to set up products in Fenway Park for opening day, which is April 9, and will introduce new, 2-ounce grab-and-go containers at Fenway.

Russo said the next step is to sell single-serving containers in a multipack. He added the new Red Sox partnership will be followed by a promotion blitz.

I dont know if we could have had a better partner than the Red Sox, the most recognizable team in the world, Russo said.

jroman@record-journal.com

203-317-2420

Twitter: @JenieceRoman
Gurbir Singh By

Express News Service

Philanthropy just got a massive boost. Wipro chairman has announced that earnings from 34 per cent of his shareholding from the software giant  or Rs 52,750 crore ($7.5 billion)  would be parked with the Azim Premji Foundation that works for social uplift. Adding this to his earlier commitment, Premjis contribution to his foundation has touched Rs 1.45 lakh crore ($21 billion), placing him among the worlds biggest philanthropists along with Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and George Soros.

The Azim Premji Foundation has meanwhile announced that with the increased fund flow, plans are afoot to open a university campus in three years. The foundation also provides grants to 150 NGOs working on projects involving differently-abled people, tackling drug abuse and violence against women.

BIG DONATIONS DECLINE

But Premji does not represent the real face of Indian philanthropy, which has proved to be quite tight-fisted over the years. Management consultant firm Bain & Company, which brings out an annual Indian Philanthropic Report, painted a fairly rosy picture in its 2019 edition, stating that social sector funds had continued to grow 11 per cent annually. Government social sector funding, it says, went up 10 per cent to Rs 2.1 lakh crore in FY2018 and private funding rose 15 per cent to Rs 70,000 crore in the same period.

However, the same report reveals that take away Azim Premjis contribution from the Ultra High Net Worth Indians (UNHIs who put in more than Rs 10 crore), and the segment has seen a 4 per cent decrease!

This is particularly problematic, given that UHNI households have grown at a rate of 12 per cent over the past five years and are expected to double in both volume and wealth from 1,60,600 households with INR 1,53,000 crore combined net worth in 2017 to 3,30,400 households with INR 3,52,000 crore combined net worth in 2022, says the report. So, the more the number of rich and the size of their riches, the less they gave back to society!

The Union governments witch hunt against NGOs did not help either. Using its powers under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010, it has cancelled the licenses of more than 13,000 NGOs, including Greenpeace and Amnesty International. This has resulted in foreign contributions declining by about 40 per cent, the report says.

ALSO READ: Azim Premji gives Rs 52,750 crore Wipro shares to charity

Philanthropy, which is providing for the welfare of the less privileged, is an ancient Hindu culture and predates the philanthropy of the American billionaires. Daan is not a condescending concept as often made out; it epitomises the feeling of giving and caring for others. As millions queue up to meet their God in temples and mosques, Daan  money and food for the poor  has become part of worship. A similar extension is the free Langar or the soup kitchen run from Sikh Gurdwaras.

INCREASING WEALTH

Yet, the spirit of giving among the rich has not kept pace with the increase and concentration of wealth. According to the 2018 Giving USA report, Americans gave a total of $410 billion to charity last year. The Bain report says the entire Indian private sector funding for philanthropy was Rs 70,000 crore or a little less than $10 billion!

Meanwhile, 106 Indian billionaires made it to the Forbes 2019 list, making India the country with the third highest number of ultra-rich individuals, behind China and the US. In size, according to Oxfams 2018 annual study, Indian billionaires wealth increased by Rs 4.89 lakh crore (approximately $70 billion), a sum sufficient to finance 85 per cent of the all states budget on health and education.

As IndiaSpend.com points out, though Mukesh Ambani topped Barclays Hurun India Philanthropy List in 2018 by donating Rs 437 crore ($624,000) for education, healthcare and rural development, it was just 0.1 per cent of his wealth, which grew by $10 billion in 2019. In comparison, Bill Gates, who is worth around $94 billion today, has given away $50 billion so far to non-profits and charities, and US

Berkshire Hathway chief Willian Buffett, worth $84 billion, has donated $46 billion.

Interestingly, worldwide the biggest philanthropists are not necessarily businessmen and industrialists. They are successful professionals  people like US TV host Oprah Winfrey and British author J K Rowling. In India too, the informal channels of philanthropy  through temple trusts and mass daan programmes, is robust and growing. Even a small initiative called Daan Utsav, a movement that celebrates giving during Gandhi Jayanthi Week, has gained considerable traction over the years.

Azim Premji has just raised the bar; and clearly the rich in India need to do better!
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Over 2,000 volunteers and members of 60 citizens groups staged a massive protest on Saturday against the controversial elevated corridor project after the government recently floated tenders for it despite opposition from various quarters. The protest was in addition to several steps being taken by citizens to pressure the government to scrap the project.

The protest garnered the support of around 1,200 people from many Residents Welfare Associations. The protesters included volunteers from Citizens for Sustainability, Whitefield Rising, Cubbon Park, Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike, Bangalore Apartments Federation, I Change Indiranagar, Environment Support Group, Bengaluru Suburban Rail Users and others. They demanded cancellation of tenders, raising slogans like TenderRadduMadi (scrap the tender).

The KRDCL has floated tenders for the north-south segment of the project under three packages at a cost of Rs 4,612 crore. The overall project cost is pegged at Rs 33,000 crore including land acquisition.

Elevated corridor will lead to chopping of 3,600 trees

A member of Citizens for Bengaluru, who was part of the protest, said, The state government should at least realise that it has to shelve the project which is not in favour of the public. The project will cost the green cover of the city 3,600 fully-grown trees.

Theatre personality and activist Prakash Belawadi said, The government should consider the public demand and then go ahead with such projects. We did not want to protest but the governments attitude has prompted us to do so.

The government should first explain how it is going to help us and have a discussion forum to involve everyone in this. It is hardly democratic when the government goes ahead with projects even without public consultation, he added.

Srinivas Alavilli of CfB said, This is absolutely not right that the government is taking up the project amid opposition from the public. The elevated corridor will not help in decongesting the citys traffic, instead it will result in axing of 3,600 trees. The government should cancel the tender and hold meetings with citizens in this matter.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Monthly passes which were launched by Chennai Metro Rail a week ago, have received good response from commuters who can now travel multiple times at a cheaper rate.

Commuters can now travel on the metro any number of times in a day from any desired station along the 45-kilometre phase one stretch. The passes are available at Rs 2,500 with a refundable deposit of Rs 50. Officials said these passes are much like the tourist card but on a monthly basis.

These were launched specially for office-goers and regular commuters who use the metro more than once a day. The already present trip card facility allows a passenger to travel a set number of trips between two stations. But these passes have no cap on the number of rides in a day, added an official.

Introduction of tourist cards and monthly passes is one among many steps taken by CMRL to increase its footfall. This initiative comes a month after the extension from DMS to Washermanpet was opened. According to CMRL, it caters to 90,000 commuters on an average per day.

Arjun S, a daily commuter, said the monthly passes have reduced his travel expense of commuting from Vadapalani to Washermanpet by Rs 600. I travel twice a day by the metro. In a month, I spend about Rs 3,000 only for commuting between home and office. After I purchased a monthly pass, my expenses have come down to a large extent, he added.
Egypt's parliament calls for broad action, not only to confront terrorist organisations, but to address the causes of terrorism, as well as the financiers of it

Members of Egypt's parliament have condemned the deadly terrorist attack on two mosques in New Zealand that left 51 people dead and dozens injured, highlighting also the urgency of international cooperation to fight terrorist acts.

"The world woke up Friday morning, 15 March 2019, to a tragic terrorist incident, after the execution of two terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, leaving 49 people dead and many others wounded," a joint statement read on Saturday.

The members stated that the attack runs contrary to all human values, killing civilians while performing religious rites of worship. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the people of New Zealand and the peoples of the world," the statement read.

The statement added: "Remembering the painful incident, we all remembered the incident of Al-Rawda mosque in northern Sinai in 2017, which claimed the lives of 305 people, as well as the bombing of the Cathedral Church in December 2016, which killed 29 people and injured 31 others. Today, New Zealand is suffering from a painful incident. The motives and reasons differ. However, it emphasises that terrorism, whatever its religion or orientation, is ultimately terrorism that threatens the security and stability of states."

"While we strongly condemn this incident and give our categorical rejection of all forms of violence and murder, we have found that the best solution to prevent terrorism is to confront ourselves first and foremost with the reality of the situation.

"The incident represents a new reminder of the need to continue and intensify international efforts to combat terrorism and to confront all forms of violence and extremism.

"The terrorist attack on New Zealand's mosques shows a dangerous indicator of the rise of hate speech against foreigners and Islamophobia. Here we would like to refer to a study published in Newsweek magazine by researchers from the University of Georgia, which dealt with the attacks in the United States between 2006 and 2015. It pointed out that only 12 percent of terrorist attacks in 10 years were committed by Muslims. It is a clear and frank response to Australian Senator Fraser Aning's reading of the tragic incident we are about to condemn.

"The New Zealand attack perpetrator is not Arab or Muslim, as some claim, and this may be the beginning of a new terrorist organisation, as the perpetrator belongs to the extreme right.

"The statements written on the terrorist's weapon confirm the extreme animosity towards Islam and Arab immigrants."

The members then emphasised the need for all countries of the world to develop a plan and strategy to deal with terrorism, else it will increase and spread; the need for international communication between parliaments of the world through the International Federation of Parliaments, to come to a common definition of terrorism and hate crimes, as well as work on the enactment of laws to punish terrorism, and to emphasise that terrorism has nothing to do with any religion, but terrorism is aggressive behavior regardless of the religion of its perpetrators.

Members also underlined the need to unite the countries of the world to address the financiers of terrorism and extremism and the providers of safe haven for them. Also the need to train and equip migrants to integrate into the communities that receive them.

Members asserted the need for the countries of the world to adhere to the statement of the Sheikh of Al-Azhar and the Pope of the Vatican in the United Arab Emirates, which calls for peace and love among peoples, regardless of differences of religion.

Also the need for comprehensive and real solutions to confront the causes of terrorism and violence, including: the need to agree on pragmatic mechanisms for migration from one country to another, with the obligation of the immigrant to engage in training for integration within the immigrant community; spreading religious tolerance and principles that accept each other and instill the concept of human brotherhood in schools since childhood; launch a global campaign against extremist religious leaders and teachers; underline the need to cultivate a culture of difference and that man has to love his brother, even if he differs intellectually, religiously or culturally.

Members also asserted the need for social media owning companies to delete any content that incites violence. The owners of social media networks and global search engines should quickly commit themselves to cooperating with security agencies around the world through the UN Security Council and the United Nations to report any person who incites murder or violence through them.

Great efforts should also be made towards bolstering the cause of peaceful coexistence and the prevention of extremism and terrorism. The call for the suppression of terrorism should also apply to government practices towards their peoples and the practices of the superpowers towards weaker states of the world. "If we continue to justify the crime in some cases, we will deepen the root of terrorism and even legitimise it," the statement read.

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By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: IN several instances, cash seized during elections is returned back due to a lack of ill motive. On other occasions, however, it is the involvement of multiple departments and agencies in the investigation that leads to the cash being returned.

Once the cash is seized by the police officials, the charge sheet lands up with either the revenue officials, the returning officers, the income tax department or is deposited in court. Except when the cash is deposited in courts, the treatment of the offence substantially changes and leads to the decriminalisation of the offence, allege civil rights activists.

For instance, when the amount gets to the hands of I-T officials, they check if the money is black or white. They check if the amount has been taxed and if it is not, the tax is deducted and returned, said Chelikani Rao, a former UNESCO functionary and a civil rights activist. The cash is returned when revenue officers take charge as well. They give back the money after issuing a notice seeking an explanation, and the money is given back hardly without any deductions, Rao added.

Padmanabha Reddy, secretary of the forum for good governance (FGG), said, Without a proper account being kept, there is a chance of decriminalisation of the offence. The money is used for influencing voters, which is a criminal offence be so. Depositing the money with courts will ensure that there is a proper trial.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The water in Periyar river, the lifeline of Ernakulam district, which caters to the potable water needs of Kochi city, turned black again, leading to mass death of fish at the regulator cum bridge in the Eloor industrial area, on Saturday. The river has been flowing in black, green and red hues for the past one week, indicating release of chemical effluents from the industries functioning on either side of the river at Eloor. Irked over the repeated discharge of toxic pollutants into the river, the environmental activists have decided to launch a stir demanding stringent action against the factories.

The river has been changing colours for the past three months and we have petitioned the Pollution Control Board at multiple occasions demanding to shut down the factories violating the norms. But no action has been taken till date. We are planning a reception to the campaign Puzhakal Ozhukanam (Rivers should flow) organised by Friends of Latha, at Eloor on March 23. We will launch an agitation then to save the Periyar from the toxic pollutants, Purushan Eloor, a green activist told Express.

The Pollution Control Board is continuously monitoring the industries on the banks of the Periyar and will initiate stringent action against industries violating the guidelines. Stagnation of water and growth of algae has led to depletion of oxygen levels in the water, leading to mass fish death, PCB environmental engineer P B Sreelakshmi told Express.

According to her, a green colour layer was found in the downstream areas of Periyar on Friday which indicated the growth of algae. On Saturday morning the river water turned black at Pathalam and oxygen levels were deficient. The fish in the river came to the surface due to oxygen depletion. The oxygen level is minimum during early morning and gradually increases during day time. The Pathalam regulator cum bridge has been closed resulting in stagnation of water, said Sreelakshmi.

The colour of the river turned black indicating anaerobic action in the river. The dissolved oxygen level in the morning stood at 1 mg per litre which was very much less than what is required for the aquatic life. We have informed the District Collector and requested to give necessary direction to the Irrigation Department to maintain the flow, she said.
Manoj Viswanathan By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The scientists, who attended the three-day International Conference on Benthos organised by the Cusat Department of Marine Biology, recommended a long-term plan to protect the marine ecosystem from chemical and plastic pollution and to ward off the ill effects of climate change.

There is too much pollution in the estuaries and backwaters in Kerala. I was involved in the classification of short necked clams in Kochi estuary. The heavy metal contamination of the estuary is affecting the health of the organisms. This may adversely affect the health of the people who consume the clams. The authorities should initiate action against the chemical industries releasing effluents into the rivers, UK National Museum of Wales Honorary Research Fellow Graham P Oliver told Express.

He said microplastics are posing a threat to the health of humans and other animals. The sea breaks the plastic into microscopic pieces and organisms including the clams ingest it. Plastic is indigestible and by entering the food chain it poses a threat to all living beings, said Oliver.He urged the Union Government to issue a water framework directive setting very strict regulations to curb pollution. There is a need to create awareness., said Oliver.

He said the flood has brought more nutrients along with sediments to the coastal sea and it will lead to a slight increase in availability of fish along Kerala coast in the future. He said overfishing has led to depletion of fish stocks in the Arabian sea and there is a need to adopt sustainable fishing practices. National University of Singapore Marine Science Research Programme Director Peter Ng Kee Lin said the scientists world over should come together and persuade political masters to adopt methods to save the planet from pollution and climate change.

Climate change can lead to a rise in sea level and increase in seawater temperature. This will affect the marine animals which will need time to adapt to the changes. We should have long term plans to address the ill effects of climate change and pollution. There is a communication gap between the scientific community, the public and the scientists, which need to be addressed, he said.

The conference deliberated on the need for better management of Decapod fishery resources and recommended further studies on the physical, geomorphological and environmental setups which influence benthic ecosystems in the Indian Ocean, said programme convenor S Bijoy Nandan.We have to conduct more studies on the impact of pollution on the ecosystem and create facilities to explore deeper parts of the ocean hitherto unexplored, to expand biodiversity knowledge, he said.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Leader of the Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met Governor ESL Narasimhan on Saturday and requested him to initiate a CBI inquiry into the murder of his uncle and former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy.

Speaking to media persons later, he demanded to know how can the case inquiry be entrusted to a person (Chandrababu Naidu) and those in his government, when he is the one among the suspects in the murder case.

Inquiry conducted by the police officials who report to him will not bring out the truth and the real culprits in the case. Hence, we are demanding a CBI inquiry or an inquiry by a neutral party, which has no relation to the State government, he said.

Reddy made it clear that if CBI inquiry is not initiated in a day or two, they will approach court seeking justice. Pointing out at close monitoring of the developments in Vivekananda Reddys murder case by DG (intelligence) AB Venkateswara Rao, the YSRC chief said the police official is Chief Ministers man and alleged that he had helped Naidu in finalising the deal in connection with the desertions of MLAs from the YSRC.

If Chandrababu Naidu has not at fault in the case, why is he hesitating to give the case to the CBI? he questioned. He maintained that conspiracy angle in the case cannot be ruled out in the murder of his uncle. The former minister was not even provided security by the government, he pointed out.

All my uncle did was to campaign extensively for Sudheer Reddy, a fresh face pitted against C Adinarayana Reddy. Fearing defeat, he was killed, he alleged. He also reiterated his allegations against Chandrababu Naidu with regard to the murder of his grandfather, death of his father, attack on him and now, the murder of his uncle.
By PTI

LONDON: Actor Ralph Fiennes has revealed he initially planned to turn down playing Voldemort because he was not aware about the "Harry Potter" saga.

The 56-year-old actor said he was ''ignorant'' about JK Rowling's wizarding franchise when he was first offered the role of the Dark Lord in second movie "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" in 2005.

''The truth is I was actually ignorant about the films and the books. I was approached by the production. Mike Newell was directing the film that they wanted me to be in the first time Voldemort was going to appear physically. ''Out of ignorance I just sort of thought, this isn't for me Quite stupidly I resisted, I was hesitant.

I think the clincher was that my sister Martha - who has three children who were then probably about 12, 10 and 8 - she said, 'What do you mean? You've got to do it!' So then I rewound my thinking," Fiennes said during an appearance on the "The Jonathan Ross Show".
Diana and Michael Preston By

Express News Service

Fortunes Soldier

By: Alex Rutherford

Publisher: Hachette India

Pages: 448

Price: `599

Husband-wife duoauthors Diana and Michael Prestonworking under the pseudonym Alex Rutherford, has the entire Empire of the Moghul series to its credit. Their recent book, Fortunes Soldier, talks about Lord Robert Clive and his tryst with India. In a freewheeling chat with Medha Dutta Yadav, they reveal how working as a team has its own advantages.

Lord Robert Clive; (right) Diana Preston

How did you get into historical fiction and why did you choose a pseudonym?

A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time, our non-fiction book about the Taj Mahal, got us into writing historical fiction. The Moghul Chronicles, which we read during our research, bowled us over with their astonishing stories and personalities.

In particular we were struck by the warrior code of throne or coffin the Moghuls brought with them from Central Asia and how in generation after generation a cycle of violence and lust for power played out. Originally we planned to fictionalise the Moghul story in a trilogy but quickly realised that the stories were so vivid and rich that each of the first six Moghul emperors merited his own novel. Thats why the Empire of the Moghul series became a sextet. We chose our pseudonym to avoid confusion with our non-fiction work. It was also fun and quite liberating to invent a new writing persona.

What are the advantages of working as a team?

Its good because, like in a writers room for film or TV, it allows us to bounce around and develop ideas and storylines that we might not have thought of alone and of course it relieves what can be a writers lonely life.

Have your travels helped your writing?

We love travelling and are currently aboard a ship sailing from Indonesia to the Philippines and reckon weve visited over 150 countries. Travel alters perceptions, challenges preconceptions and sparks curiosity. India was one of the first countries we visited and we return often. It was the people we met, the stories we heard, the things we learned, that inspired us to write about the Taj Mahal, the Moghuls and most recently Fortunes Soldier about Robert Clive.

Tell us about Fortunes Soldier.

The book is set in India in the mid-18th century. The central figures are Englishman Robert Clive and a young Scot, Nicholas Ballantyne, who arrive in Calcutta to seek their fortunes. Almost immediately war between Britain and France in Europe ignites conflict between the two in India where the British and French East India companies, craving profit and power, are rivals. The once great Moghul emperors are in decline.

The viceroys through whom they once ruled an empire of 100 million are no longer loyal lieutenants but increasingly independent princes straining against their remaining ties to their Moghul overlords and incautiously eager to find allies among the unscrupulous Europeans. Fortunes Soldier relates how in this dangerous, volatile world Clive and Ballantyne face temptations and choices that ultimately threaten their friendship. It concludes with the battle of Plassey.

Was Clive challenging to write about?

Clive was certainly controversial in his lifetime, in both India and Britain, as well as today. The challenge of bringing such a figure to life attracted us to writing Fortunes Soldier. We tried to show Clives character in all its facetsstrengths such as his courage and ingenuity but also fatal weaknesses such as overweening ambition, greed and a depressive argumentative nature that would ultimately damn him, particularly after the period of our book. The historian John Dalberg-Acton was right to say power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Is historical fiction a better way of learning history?

Historical fiction, if well-researched, is a great way of learning about history as it can more easily capture your imagination and draw you into stories of the past. We always include historical notes with our novels telling readers which original sources weve used and the main facts behind the books so readers can explore further.

What are you working on next?

We are looking forward to working with Star TV on the major dramatisation of our Empire of the Moghul series and were thinking about the possibility of sequels to Fortunes Soldier. Were also beginning work on a non-fiction book about Charles Darwin and The Voyage of the Beagle.

One irritating habit you hate in each other.

Michael: While discussing work Diana is hard of hearing

Diana: When Michael mumbles

A favourite fictional

character.

Hamlet, because you feel the uncertainties, conflicting emotions and desires tormenting him as he confronts the dilemmas of an extraordinary situation

One guilty-pleasure read.

Diana: Helen Fieldings Bridget Joness Diary

Michael: George R R Martins Game of Thrones

One author who overwhelms you.

Leo Tolstoy, John le Carre,

Donna Tartt

Favourite word, and why?

Yes, because it opens doors and creates opportunities
Medha Dutta Yadav By

Express News Service

Pragpur, an idyllic village in Himachal Pradeshs Kangra Valley, is a 45-minute drive from the railway station, Amb Andaura. We stopped at a snug little place the Judges Courtthat was built by Justice Sir Jai Lal between 1914 and 1918.

The owners of Judges Court, Vijai Lal Kuthiala Sood (and his wife Kamini), who is the grandson of Sir Lal, says, In the mist of time memories fade and whilst we have lived in the era of the British Raj with its subtle grandeur, it was our wish to preserve this slice of history, so that successive generations may experience it.

The place is a laidback travellers haven spread across 12 acres with 30 tastefully done-up rooms that stand testament to the bygone era. Begin the day by basking in the morning sun while sipping a cup of tea, catch up on reading and even borrow a book or two from the in-house library. As the evening approaches, head to the local bar or enjoy the wintry starlit sky sitting around a crackling bonfirea perfect recipe for a leisurely holiday.

Perhaps, the only thing that disappoints is the food. In the hills, especially at a place that boasts of growing its own vegetables, food should be quintessentially fresh. The meals here served are neither European (given the high footfall of global travelers) nor have the authenticity of Himachali cuisine. And with hardly any other places to eat in Pragpur, there is no choice but to consume the below-average fare.

VIEW GALLERY: Judges Court - A Himalayan tryst with history

However, the mansion is placed right in the centre of all the action. On a lazy day, one could go walking in the village that was certified as a Heritage Village by the state government in 1997. Founded in the late 16th century by the Kuthiala Soods in memory of Princess Prag Dei of the Jaswan royal family, with its winding cobbled lanes, mud-plastered walls and slate-roofed houses, time seems to have halted here.

A narrow lane outside the Judges Court gates snakes through the village and leads to an ornamental water tank called Taal that was built before 1868.

Pragpur houses have extremely varied architectural stylesKangra, Rajput, British, Portuguese and even Italian architecture can be spotted. Many temples fill the region, especially the renowned Bagula Devi Temple.

The village is also apt to station oneself and travel to other places in the Kangra Valley. The eco-tourism and birding site Maharana Pratap Bird Sanctary on Pong Dam is 30 kms from Pragpur. The Egyptian vulture and the White-rumped vulture are a common sight.

The Masroor rock cut temple, built in the 8th century, is located 55 kms from Pragpur. It reminds one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

But its the overarching

Dhauladhar range that is unmissable. On a clear day, one can see the snow-capped peaks glistening in the sun. In fact, the crystal clear air made us want to shun the city life forever and stay back in a small cottage amidst the verdant beauty.
Medha Dutta Yadav By

French artist Maite Delteils paintings explore the charming colours of the countryside, perhaps drawn from the environment she was brought up in France. Nature filled my every waking hour, says Delteil, whose ongoing exhibition in Delhi, The Yellow Room, boasts of around 30 works that have never been exhibited before. Most of them date back to the late 1960s.

The paintings feature women as the sole subjects. Of course, nature also plays an important role. I have always been close to nature and maybe that is one of the reasons I keep going back to nature in many of my works. Also, if I were to rate my own art, I would say it is contemplative. I like being alone and my art portrays that, says Delteil, who divides her time between Paris and Delhi.

Unlike most artists, Delteil likes going back to an art work again and again. There are a few paintings in this exhibition that I have taken years to complete. I would carry these with me when going to France and would keep adding bits and pieces to it. In fact, there are a few in the exhibition that I would like to rework on. To me, an art work is almost never complete, she adds.

The preview to the exhibition will also showcase a short film by Joy Banerjee on Delteil titled Maite Enchanted.

Delteil was born in 1933 and is married to contemporary Indian artist Sakti Burman, who she met while they were still studying art. While growing up she did not really think she would become an artist. It was because of my father that I am what I am today. Since his dream of pursuing art remained unfulfilled, he let me pursue art and encouraged me, says she. Delteil elaborates more on why her father could not pursue art. His family believed that if my father becomes an artist, he will waste his life drinking and in the company of other vices, laughs the octogenarian. In an age, when there were very few women artists, even in the hotbed of culture, France, Delteil was encouraged to pursue her hobby and craft and turn it into a profession.

In 1963, she married Burman and was introduced to India and its cultural landscapeor as she likes to put it, Bengalis and their culture. I found them very similar to the French. Her first solo exhibition took place in 1964 and there was no looking back.

Delteil is part of one of the most famous art families in Indiabesides her husband Sakti, her daughter Maya Burman is also a celebrated artist; as well as her niece Jayshree Burman and her husband, Paresh Maity. She believes that India and its art has evolved from the time she first set foot in the country. She rues the fact that when she first saw Indian art or rather observed Indian artists, she realised that they rarely, if ever, played with colours. Everything was rather bleakblack, brown, white and the occasional ochre, she says. But today, she believes the colour palette has enhanced to include a variety of shades.

India always had artistic potential, and it is coming to the fore now, she smiles.
Shevlin Sebastian By

As you step into the TKM Warehouse at Mattancherry, Kochi, a stand-alone brick wall catches the eye. The top is covered by black upholstery, from which hangs several strands of black hair. It looks benign, but Probir Gupta, a featured artist at the Kochi Muziris Biennale, is implying an act of extreme brutality through this work. This is a reference to the Muzaffarnagar communal riots of 2013 when several women were raped inside their own houses. Finally, seven women decided to speak out about what had happened, says Probir about the installation titled Witness to Turbulence.

The Delhi-based artist, who grew up in Kolkata, is inspired by struggles all over the world as well as closer to home. In Bengal, there was a movement against zamindars or landlords who were ruthlessly snatching land from the people. My work is about people and situations. I dont claim myself to be from the left or the right. Im basically for human rights, says the 59-year-old.

According to Probir, in any area of conflict it is the women who are first attacked. At present, the Rohingya women are being gang-raped and tortured by Burmese soldiers. This is happening in Syrias ongoing civil war. It happened in the 1971 Bangladesh War. Korean women, who were called Comfort Women, were raped by the Japanese soldiers during the Second World War, he says.

Some of his works have the actual footprints of women who fled Bangladesh during the partition of India in 1947. From a middle-class life, they went tumbling down the social ladder and spent years working as domestic helps in Kolkata households. Every evening the women would meet at a temple dedicated to the snake goddess Manasa in the suburb of Sursuna. They would sing and cry, thinking about the past, and shared each others pain and sorrow. And they always prayed to the Devi for protection, he elaborates.

Filled with historical references, an installation with the bust of defaced Lord Buddha and a brass plate dated April 2003 stands out for its references to the time when an Iraqi museum in Baghdad was vandalised by American soldiers. It had some of the most important items of the Mesopotamian civilisation. As a citizen of this world, I wanted to express my outrage, says Probir. The Buddha is also a reference to the huge sixth-century Buddha statues at Bamiyan, Afghanistan, which were destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001.

Another interesting work is an abstract painting called What If?, where Probir asks the viewer to imagine former US President George W Bush taking oath of office from legendary Black civil rights activist Dr Martin Luther King. What if, indeed!
Medha Dutta Yadav By

The Oxford English Dictionary defines fact-check as investigate in order to verify the facts. Global Factthe annual conference of the International Fact-Checking Networkhas doubled in size every two years since its first session in London in 2014. In India, digital media evolved post-2014 Lok Sabha elections and today with another election at the door, there is a vitiating atmosphere.

Fake news has grown to gigantic proportions till the line between what is true and what is not has become blurry. This has given rise to fact-checkers, who have taken up cudgels to go past the smokescreen. For the first time, the Election Commission has asked that all candidates will have to give details of their social media accounts while filing their nomination papers for the national election. And every day post-Balakot, both Pakistan and India seem to be competing against each other in a game of our fact vs your myth.

M Dinakaran, Deputy Inspector General and chief spokesperson of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has gone on record to say how the paramilitary force was targeted after the Pulwama terror attack. While some circulated fake news about a team of sniffer dogs dying in the blast, others shared morphed gory images of bloodied parts in a bucket, claiming that this was how the bodies of the slain jawans were being handed over to their families. Another viral image showed an injured army man in combat outfit with bandages on his body. The post claimed that the man left his treatment mid-way to teach terrorists a lesson after hearing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the Army a free hand to retaliate. Later, it was proved that the photograph was of a Russian soldier and was taken during a 2004 terror attack in Russia. A dedicated team of 12 to 15 people from across the country debunked at least five posts a day starting February 14.

To counter fake news, the CRPF put out an advisory on the attacks and also asked three lakh of

their own personnel to be alert and bust fake news by sending out fact-based reports.

Before even journalism began, fake news was there. An early record dates back to ancient Rome when Antony met Cleopatra and his political enemy Octavian launched a smear campaign against him with short, sharp slogans written upon coins in the style of archaic tweets. The propagandist became the first Roman emperor. Now, there is an army sitting on social media to amplify fake news. It is all a vicious cycle of untruths.

It is only the fact-checkers who stand in the way. What began as a hobby for many has turned into a full-fledged profession now. From college graduates to seasoned professionals, many are turning to fact-checkingsome on a full-time basis with a proper office and team dedicated to it, while others are doing it part-time, teaming up with like-minded individuals. In fact, there are training workshops, such as the recent ones conducted by Google, and also by other private bodies that teach the youth how to go about fact-checking.

Political Upheavals

Dhruv Rathee is 23 years old and a social media sensation. His YouTube video page has over 4.6 lakh subscribers and climbing. A former photography and filmmaking enthusiast, who was earlier content with posting videos about his travel, today Rathee is busy being part of the ever-growing tribe of dedicated fact-checkers, who do not shy away from taking on the powers-that-be. One of the first political videos Rathee released was BJP Exposed: Lies Behind the Bullshitthe video intercut Modis pre-election speeches with his governments failures and backtracking on promises. I made that video out of frustration, Rathee says. The video registered over 50,000 views. Rathee turned into a social media influencer when, in a video, he debunked claims about the inefficiency of Arvind Kejriwals Delhi government.

Ahmedabad-based Pratik Sinhadescribed in his words as geeky and the co-founder of Indias leading website on fact-checking, AltNewsstarted fact-checking after his over 300-km-long march on foot from Ahmedabad to Una to protest the flogging of Dalit men. He decided to launch a digital outlet to talk about peoples issues. Debunking fake news automatically became an objective. Sinha believes that if something is viral on Facebook, its at least five times more viral on WhatsApp and more difficult to counter. Recently, his site fact-checked a set of images doing rounds on social media supposedly depicting the impact of Indian Air Forces airstrike in Pakistan. The photographs show mass graves and dead bodies. AltNews found the original photographs on

Getty Images, which describes the pictures as, Pakistani Edhi charity volunteers bury the bodies of unclaimed heatwave victims at a graveyard in Karachi on June 26, 2015.

As the 2019 Lok Sabha elections approach, it is a race to pinpoint what is the truth and what is not, and more importantly, whose truth is it. James Wilson, a civil engineer who works with the Inter-State Water Advisory Committee of Kerala, became a social media celebrity after he began to dissect the Centres victory cry regarding the note ban on his blog Decipher the Demonetisation. In a post on August 14 last year, Wilson questioned the governments shifting statements on the rise in the number of new taxpayers post the currency ban.

His conclusion: So all these hard data from the CAG, CBDT and MoF proved that there was no substantial increase in the number of new taxpayers or direct tax collection due to demonetisation. Likewise, Truth Vs Hype, a show on NDTV, also fact-checked the governments so-called claims of 91 lakh new taxpayers in the financial year 2016-17. Anchor Sreenivasan Jain pointed out that the figure did not tally with the governments own Economic Survey report which said that there had been an addition of 80.7 lakh new taxpayers during FY 2016-17.

Then Power Minister Piyush Goyal got a taste of fact-checking early on in his job with the Modi government. He had tweeted: Govt has illuminated 50,000Km of Indian roads by retrofitting 30 lakh conventional street lights with LED lights. Unfortunately, the picture used was one which was at least eight years old. SMHoaxSlayer was the first to point it out: Great work sir. But a small requestwhen its already done, pls use real photos. This is decades old used by many manufacturers & countries. AltNews went a step further and reported that the picture dated from at least 2009 and was used on the CNET website as part of an article about a partnership between LED start-up Luminus and a Japanese firm.

Pankaj Jain, founder of SMHoaxSlayer.com, started his website in August 2015 and claims to have debunked more than 2,000 fake news. Jain was drawn to fact-checking when he realised how harmless pranks on WhatsApp groups were misinforming people. He says earlier most of the WhatsApp shares used to be messages such as one can get AIDS by drinking a cold drink or Diwali photo from Nasa, etc. Later it turned into sharing of videos or images that would incite communal hatred and violence etc. Jain explains how his work is cut out for him: People send in their queries with video/images etc. Or sometimes I spot them on social media. I start with keyword searches on various platforms. If it is an image, the first thing required is reverse image search. In case of videos, reverse image search of few frames helps. Once the real information is out, I put it out on the public domain.

Jain recently fact-checked a Getty image that was doing the rounds on social media. It showed an aerial photo of damaged and destroyed structures in Balakot. It was claimed that the pictures were of post-IAF strikes. Jain found that though the picture was from Balakot, it went back to October 15, 2005, when 90 percent of the city was levelled by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake.

Bharat Nayak, founding editor of The Logical Indian, says their intention from the beginning was to provide correct information. Around end-2015, says Nayak, they noticed that the volume of fake news was on the rise with some painful real-life consequences. This urged the team to start a dedicated fact-checking segment in 2016. As elections approach, it is natural that circulation of fake news and propaganda will increase. Apart from verification of communal posts and other user-generated fake news, we shall be dedicatedly verifying the claims of our political leaders. The idea is that when the voter approaches the ballot, he/she shouldnt vote on the basis of false information. We are also going across the colleges in India and conducting workshops to create awareness on how to identify fake news, says Nayak.

The site recently debunked Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekars claims that no Kashmiri students were harmed by mobs post-Pulwama.

In 2014, Govindraj Ethiraj, former editor-in-chief of Bloomberg TV India, started Factchecker.in. Touted as Indias first dedicated fact-checking initiative, it is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Networks code of principles. It debunked Prime Minister Narendra Modis claim that 35 airports were built over the last four years. The site revealed that only seven airports were made operational between 2014 and 2018. Later, Ethiraj launched Boom in 2016, an independent digital journalism initiative, which further brought forth BoomLive, another fact-checking initiative. BoomLive recently busted Pakistani website World News Observers article claiming US defence equipment manufacturer Lockheed Martin planned to file a lawsuit against India for making false claims about downing a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet on February 27.

Milking Chaos

An emerging pattern is the appearance of fake videos or images coinciding with major political events. For example, last year with the Sabarimala debate heating up in Kerala, on almost every alternate day there was a video or image of a devotee heckled by secular forces, or stories about women carrying soiled sanitary napkins into the temple, or images of murdering an Opposition party member by the ruling partys cadrewhich was later proved to be a video from Mexico. Even ministers and government officials resort to spreading fake news or fall victim to it. In May 2018, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor shared a news article on former RBI chief Raghuram Rajan being appointed head of Bank of England. Tharoor later tweeted, saying that he might have been taken in by fake news. Minister of Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal, also fell for a fake video of the Vande Bharat Express and ended up tweetingIts a birdIts a planeonly to be massively trolled for the time-lapse video.

Senior journalist and digital strategist K Yatish Rajawat, who has worked extensively on fake news, says, Fake news has always existed. Now, the capacity for it to spread has gone up exponentially due to social media platforms. It is generally created to evoke an emotion hence its capacity to be shared and to go viral is much more than any other boring information. People share information that has an element to shock.

Academic Turmoil

At a time when fakery seems to be the normfrom Amazon and Swiggy reviews to political allegations and news reportsone would think that education is maybe one sector that still propagates truth. Well, think again. Last year, a dozen media organisations, including The New Yorker, Le Monde and a major Indian media house, dug deeper as part of an investigation facilitated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on fake journals.

The study found that India, with 903 universities, 39,050 colleges and 10,011 stand-alone institutions, is one of the biggest global hubs for predatory publishing. From plush offices in the heart of bustling metros, to a one-laptop office in some nondescript town in the hinterlands, these publications have a strong online presence with minimum or zero editorial checks.

In 2010, the University Grants Commission introduced the Academic Performance Indicators in which it made research compulsory for teachers for career advancement. For would-be scholars, who do not have the means and intellect to do the same, the simple solution is to pay a certain fee to be included in a fake journal. The charges range from as little as `2,000 to a steep `1.6 lakh per paper.

Clamping Down

From people getting lynched, to mobs going on a rampage, to targeting the socially weaker sectionsit is a monster waiting to rise from its sleep. Little wonder that ahead of the general elections in India, social media giant Facebook got a new team as part of its third-party fact-checking programme. The company has joined hands with the India Today Group, Vishvas.news, Factly, Newsmobile and Fact Crescendo for this initiative. If a fact-checking partner rates a story as fake, the social media company will reduce the distribution of the post by 80 percent. Facebook, which has close to 300 million users in India, has been getting flak from across the globe due to misuse of user data. In fact, the social media major was criticised by the Indian government for its role in up to 30 mob lynchings. WhatsApp is deleting two million accounts per month globally to curb spread of misinformation. It has limited the number of people to whom a message could be forwarded to five.

Also, lax laws relating to digital platforms are a bane. For example, ownership is never checked. Even a Chinese entrepreneur can invest money in a website in India to propagate the kind of news he/she wants. A recent BBC researchBeyond Fake Newshas revealed that the rising tide of nationalism in India is behind the spread of fake news. The research commissioned by the BBC World Service is a part of the larger campaign and series by the BBC on disinformation and fake news. About 16,000 Twitter accounts and 3,000 Facebook pages were analysed. Poor standards of global media literacy and the ease with which malicious content can spread unchecked on digital platforms mean theres never been a greater need for trustworthy news providers to take proactive steps, Jamie Angus, Director of the BBC World Service Group, said in a statement.

Roadblocks

A big hurdle to effective fact-checking is the language. Most of the content is produced in Englisha language only spoken by about 10 percent of Indias population. But websites are quickly realising it and setting up dedicated Hindi pages which is helping to extend their fact-checking news to more than 60 percent of the population. Google News Lab recently conducted a five-day training session with journalists from across India on the importance of fact-checking. There are plans to get 200 trainers in seven Indian languages besides English and Hindi on board. They will further train 8,000 journalists by end-2019, says Irene Jay Liu, Googles News Lab lead for Asia-Pacific. Over the past two years the company has already trained more than 6,000 journalists in English and Hindi.

There was a time, fake news or rather rumours went viral by word of mouth, but now thanks to social media, spreading such news is just a click or swipe away. Time is clearly running out, and people and the government need to be made accountable and rules should be put in place to counter it while there is still a chance.
An event called the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research will take place next month in Egypts New Administrative Capital, minister of Higher Education said

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Sunday that scientific research in Egypt is still inefficient due to scarce resources.

"The industry of scientific research has been developing, yet it needs more effort ... we as a government have been exerting all our efforts to offer the needed chance to our Egyptian and African sons and daughters to grow more in this field," El-Sisi said.

El-Sisi said that Egypt and the African continent will depend on high calibre and distinguished thinkers to lead them in the field of scientific research.

His comments came during a session titled "The Future of Scientific Research and Healthcare Services" at the Arab and African Youth Forum in Aswan.

The three-day youth event began on Saturday.

At the end of his comments, El-Sisi said that his country will always offer all its resources to the African youth "with all respect, love, and humility."

The panel speakers at the session included Egyptian Minister of Health Hala Zayed, Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, and African and Egyptian officials.

Abdel-Ghaffar announced that an event called the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research will take place next month in Egypts New Administrative Capital.

It will host a large number of prominent personalities from various universities, institutions and international organisations, he said, and will take place from 4 to 6 April.

The health minister said during the session that Egypt has received the accreditation to produce many medicines in country.

"We have started serious steps in the manufacture of oncology drugs, we have obtained international accreditation for the production of many medicines in Egypt, and we are working to standardise drug registration procedures in Africa to make them available at a low price," she said.

Arab and African Youth Forum

The other sessions and workshops at the youth forum on Sunday will tackle innovative ideas to realise Arab-African integration in various domains, including in public services.

Attendees will review the role of emerging companies in developing scientific research and health services as well as upgrading Egyptian infrastructure, especially in the fields of education and health.

Talks will also tackle an array of innovative ideas making use of modern technology in boosting investment, especially e-trade.

Achieving peace and security in the Arab and African regions, in order to achieve economic growth and encourage tourism and investment, will also be discussed.

The Arab and African Youth Platform is being held as part of the recommendations of last years World Youth Forum.

Aswan was announced by El-Sisi at the World Youth Forum as the capital for African youth in 2019.





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Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

HAJIPUR/BIHAR: Three criminals were killed and another three arrested in an encounter with the special task force (STF) of Bihar police on Saturday.

The encounter took place at Bahlolpur village, within the ambit of Mahnar police station, about 55 km from Patna, when the criminals opened fire at the special task force personnel. Around 400 rounds of ammunition were fired from both sides for 45 minutes, sources said.

NH Khan, IG, Tirhut, said the criminals killed were members of an interstate gang involved in gold loot in West Bengal, Rajasthan, Delhi and Bihar.

The criminals killed were identified as Manish Singh from Vaishali, Mohammad Abdul from Samastipur and Mohammad Imran from Maniyari in Muzaffarpur district.

They were wanted by the police of those states as well and, recently, raids were conducted on their suspected hideouts in Vaishali, Khan said. Vaishali SP MS Dhillon said the 8 criminals had taken shelter at Bahlolpur for the last few days.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

Three-time former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is the tallest leader of the Congress in Northeast, who was instrumental in scripting victories for the party in Assam thrice on the trot from 2001. Gearing up for a hectic poll campaign at 83, the still vibrant leader opens up to TNIE on all issues political:

What are your views on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 which kept Northeast on the edge for a few months?

The states in India were created on the basis of language and culture and traditions, not on religion. Therefore, there cannot be a Bill on the basis of a religion. This is precisely because it goes against the principles of our Constitution. In any case, what is the need for a Citizenship Bill? There are no large-scale complaints about harassment (of non-Muslims) in Bangladesh or Pakistan. Even today, there are more than two crore Hindus living in Bangladesh. There havent been complaints about them being subjected to harassment or religious persecution. There is no precedent for such a law anywhere in the world. Even Pakistan, which is not a secular country, does not have a law protecting the interests Muslims, who are harassed elsewhere in the world.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has struck an alliance with the BJP despite the move being opposed by a section of its leaders. Do you see a future for the AGP?

After the AGP forged a pre-poll alliance with the BJP, despite the latters assertion that it will pursue the Citizenship Amendment Bill if voted to power, I dont see a future of the party. The AGP has betrayed the people of Assam. The alliance was sealed to serve its sheer lust for power. The people of Assam will not forgive the AGP.

Will the AGP-BJP alliance be a threat to the Congress?

No threat at all. It is, in fact, going to help us. People know we have been fighting against the Citizenship Bill. They have realized that Congress is committed. So, the only choice left to them is Congress. I am very optimistic they will vote for us. As I see it, the AGP-BJP alliance is a blessing in disguise for the Congress.

FOLLOW OUR LOK SABHA POLL COVERAGE HERE

Can the minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by Lok Sabha member Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, be an option for the Congress in its hunt for allies?

Congress cannot go for an illicit marriage. I personally favour a love marriage instead of an illicit marriage. I will not endorse an alliance between the two parties.

Are PM Modi and the BJP politicising the Pulwama terror attack and the events following the incident?

They (BJP) are raising all such issues to cover up their failure. Why are they taking shelter under it? The Indian Air Force had done an excellent job and we are all proud of it. The armed forces belong to the whole country and not to one political party. Since the BJP failed to deliver on its promises, it is playing on the sacrifices of our forces to curry favour with voters. Our economy is in very bad shape. All sectors are lagging. Instead of giving a true picture to the people, the Prime Minister is trying to use the sacrifices and valour of our armed forces to derive political capital.

Has Modi been able to deliver on promises made to people in the Northeast?

He has utterly failed to fulfill his promises. He had promised to drive out illegal immigrants after May 16, 2014. After coming to power, he did nothing to that end. The NDA has not done anything to stop the flow of illegal migrants into Assam. Today, the BJP doesnt talk about the immigrants or creating jobs or granting Scheduled Tribes status to 6 communities in Assam, as it had promised.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Newly-appointed general secretary of Congress party and in-charge of eastern UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has resolved to change the politics of Uttar Pradesh. Writing an open letter to the people of countrys most populous and politically crucial state on Sunday, Priyanka called herself Congress'foot soldier who was entrusted with the responsibility to change the face of UP politics with peoples help.

"There has been stagnation in politics of Uttar Pradesh owing to which women, youth, labourers and farmers are in distress. They are looking for someone to share their pain and plight but their voice has sunk in the cacophonous arithmetic of cast, community and politics in the state hence they are denied a role in framing the policies for the state," she wrote in the letter released to media.

Striking a personal note with people of UP, Priyanka further said that she had been associated with the land for ages. "I firmly believe that no political change can take place without understanding your plight. That is why I am coming to connect and have a direct dialogue with all of you," she said.

"I want to assure you that after listening to you, we will together bring about a change in the face of politics based on the foundation of truth and resolve. We will then move together to resolve your issues, wrote the Congress leader in a bid to strike a dialogue with the electorate ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, the Congress general secretary arrived Lucknow on Sunday morning to meet party workers and office-bearers ahead of her trail on steamer from Prayagraj to Varanasi from Monday to Wednesday.

Her Ganga Yatra on steamer will take off at Chhatnag in Prayagraj on Monday and culminate at Assi Ghat in Varanasi, parliamentary constituency of PM Modi, on Wednesday evening. She will take the steamer ride at various locations from Prayagraj to Varanasi via Mirzapur and Bhadohi.

On Monday, Priyanka will visit Manaiya and take a boat ride. She is also expected to have a "boat pe charcha" with students. At around 11 am, she is expected to visit Dumduma where she will hold a meeting with locals.

At around 12 noon, Priyanka will visit Sirsa and then to Lakchhagrih at 1 pm. On the same day, the Congress leader will visit Manda and Sitamadhi.

Priyanka Gandhi returned to Lucknow a month after she was launched through a road show on February 11 along with her brother and party President Rahul Gandhi and her western UP counterpart Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Kumar Waii on Sunday alleged he was denied ticket by his party, BJP, for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state as he was a contender of chief ministership.



CM saab (Pema Khandu) used his money power (to keep me out of poll fray). He thinks I am a contender of the CMs post, Waii alleged in a telephonic interview with this correspondent.



The world is run on money power and when the CM purchased the party high command, what can I do? I cannot challenge it, he said, adding, I did a lot for the party but today it ignored me. The BJP ideology says it is the country first and then party and individuals. However, that is not being practised.



The BJP on Sunday announced the names of all its 60 candidates, including three women, for Arunachal elections. Apart from Waii, Minister Jarkar Gamlin, who is a brother of former CM the late Jarbom Gamlin, and about half a dozen sitting MLAs were not issued tickets.



Waii had won the last election unopposed from Bameng seat in East Kameng district on Congresss ticket. He had switched over to the BJP along with a large number of Congress MLAs, including Pema Khandu, two years later.



Waii is miffed that the BJP is fielding a man, who allegedly has no political background, from Bameng.



The person (Goruk Pordung) given the ticket became an active member of the BJP only a month ago. He is not even Class V passed and doesnt have a political career. Secondly, the BJP accuses the Congress of favouring family politics but the party itself is indulging in it, he alleged. Pordung is a relative of Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.



Asked if he will be in the poll fray, Waii said, Why not? Democracy is run by the public. I will do whatever they want. My decision is that I will contest the polls. I will ask my supporters and the public which party I should contest from and take a call accordingly.



Waii was severely criticised recently after three persons had died in police firing during protests against Khandu governments bid to grant permanent residence certificates to six non-tribal communities in the state.
By PTI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thousands of kilometres away from New Zealand, four distraught families in Gujarat and Kerala are waiting for one last glance of their five relatives who were among those killed in a shooting at two mosques in Christchurch.

The grieving families are trying to cope with the loss of their loved ones in the attack by a gunman which left 50 people dead. Among the deceased were a 28-year-old man from Gujarat, who was recently blessed with a baby boy, and his father, and an Imam who shifted to New Zealand three weeks ago, after his citizenship was confirmed.

Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer hailing from Hyderabad, is also feared to have died and his parents are expected to leave for New Zealand Sunday night, a family member said.

ALSO READ | Two more fatalities from Telangana in Christchurch shooting

A grieving Yasmeen Vora from Vadodara said their relative Arif Vora (58) went to New Zealand with his wife on February 14 to see their son Rameez Vora (28), who was recently blessed with a baby boy.

Rameez Vora, who was settled in New Zealand, took his parents to offer Friday prayers at the mosque when the incident took place, she said.

"Arif's other son Raheel, who lives in Australia, confirmed that both Arif bhai and Rameez were killed in the attack," said the distraught woman. The family members approached Lok Sabha member from Vadodara, Ranjan Bhatt, who has assured help," she said.

Hafiz Musa Patel (56), an Imam hailing from Luwara village in Bharuch, who had gone to New Zealand only three weeks back as his citizenship had recently been confirmed, his relative Ayub Ghadi said. Patel was living in Fiji since the last three decades. His two daughters and three sons are settled in Australia and New Zealand, Ghadi.

ALSO READ | Two more fatalities from Telangana in Christchurch shooting

"He had gone to the mosque to offer Friday prayers with his wife and a friend when the shooting happened. Bullets hit Patel in the back following which he was shifted to a hospital in Christchurch where he succumbed," he said.

Besides, Juned Kara from Navsari in Gujarat was also among those killed in the attack, Superintendent of Police Girish Pandya said.

"Kara, a native of Adada village in Navsari, was among those killed in the attack. It was confirmed last night," Pandya said.

The Kerala Chief Minister's Office said that all efforts were being made to bring the mortal remains of a 27-year-old woman killed in the attack. Ancia Alibava from Kodungallur in Thrissur district was pursuing MTech in an agricultural university there.

She had gone to the mosque to offer prayers with her husband, Abdul Nazar, when the shootout took place. Ancia was reportedly in the women's section. Her husband managed to escape and informed relatives in Kerala about the tragedy.

NORKA Roots (a department which provides all information pertaining to Non-Resident Keralites) was in constant touch with the Indian High Commissioner in New Zealand, a statement by the CMO said.

The high commission officials were informed by the New Zealand Police on Sunday morning that the body would be released within 24 hours.

NORKA Roots officials said as soon as the body is handed over, it would be brought to Kerala within four days.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on the young woman's hometown with her family waiting anxiously for her mortal remains to be brought back for the final journey.

According to media reports, the family has also rejected the request of the New Zealand government to perform the last rites in that country.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post on Saturday, had termed as shocking, the report of Alibava's death.

Khursheed, brother of Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a Hyderabad resident who is recovering after being shot, told PTI that he too would be travelling to the country.

Khursheed was supposed to leave for New Zealand on Saturday night, but could not as he did not have a confirmed ticket, he said.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted on Saturday night that Ahsan, the engineer who is feared dead, had passed away.

A cousin of Ahsan recalled his childhood and their stay at Hanmakonda (Warangal) in Telangana, saying he was a bright student who completed engineering from a city college.
By Online Desk

WELLINGTON: Five Indians were among the 50 people killed by a white supremacist, who opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, in the worst attack on Muslims in New Zealand, the Indian High Commission said Sunday.

The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers.

Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The high commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.

"With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted.

With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch

Mr. Maheboob Khokhar

Mr. Ramiz Vora

Mr. Asif Vora

Ms Ansi Alibava

Mr. Ozair Kadir@kohli_sanjiv @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj 1/3  India in New Zealand (@IndiainNZ) 16 March 2019

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch

Mr. Maheboob Khokhar

Mr. Ramiz Vora

Mr. Asif Vora

Ms Ansi Alibava

Mr. Ozair Kadir@kohli_sanjiv @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj 1/3  India in New Zealand (@IndiainNZ) 16 March 2019

In another tweet later, the high commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims.

Our helpline numbers (021803899 & 021850033) will remain available round the clock to assist families as we together cope with our shared grief.

We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin. 2/3  India in New Zealand (@IndiainNZ) 16 March 2019

On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin". Adding, official confirmation was awaited.

Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand.

Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.

ALSO READ: 'RUN!': New Zealand shooting victims recount horror, mourn the lost

Meanwhile, the number of the injured people from the terror attacks stood at 50, and 36 of them were still being treated in Christchurch Hospital, with two remaining in intensive care unit and one child at a children's hospital, Xinhua reported citing the police.

For the time being, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant was charged with murder. The terror suspect appeared briefly in the Christchurch District Court on Saturday.

ALSO READ: New Zealand mosque attack: Defiant shooter charged with murder, flashes white power gesture in court

The charging document showed the maximum penalty will be life imprisonment. He will be in custody until April 5, according to the High Court in Christchurch.

(With inputs from agencies.)
By PTI

NEW DELHI: From putting an emphasis on indigenisation in the defence sector to ensuring that a homegrown fighter jet joins the air force fleet, from the defence forces carrying out a surgical strike to the signing of the Rafale deal, Manohar Parrikar had an eventful tenure as the defence minister.

The IITian, who died Sunday after battling a pancreatic illness for over a year, had moved to the South Block at the insistence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2014.

ALSO READ | Goa CM and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar passes away at 63

His nearly three-year tenure saw the Army conducting the surgical strike in September 2016, after a terror attack claimed lives of 19 soldiers in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir. Parrikar also ensured that the long-pending Light Combat Aircraft Tejas is inducted in the Indian Air Force's fleet, besides taking steps to ease the process of indigenisation in the defence sector.

The political controversy over the Rafale jet deal, initiated in September 2016, cast a shadow on his tenure. Last month, the back and forth between the Congress and the government over the estimated Rs 58,000 crore deal to buy 36 combat jets from France took a new turn with a report in The Hindu daily.

The report cited a November 24, 2015 note of the Defence Ministry which said that parallel discussions by the PMO "weakened the negotiating position of the MoD and Indian negotiating team".

Parrikar had termed the note an "overreaction". Congress chief Rahul Gandhi claimed that Parrikar had said he had nothing to do with the Rafale deal. Defence Minister Nirmala Sithataraman said Parrikar, who was her predecessor, was a sincere, honest and sensitive political activist, and she learnt a lot from him.

ALSO READ | India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar: PM Modi

"Shri Manohar Parrikar is no more. A sincere, honest and sensitive political activist. Was simple and down to earth, I learnt a lot from Shri Parrikar. As Raksha Mantri his contribution to making the armed forces a modernised, lean and mean fighting machine will remain unparalleled," she tweeted.

Parrikar had moved back to Goa as the chief minister of the coastal state following political compulsion that ensued after the state polls and BJP allies demanded that he head the government. The Defence Ministry also paid rich tributes to Parrikar.

"@DefenceMinIndia conveys deep condolences on the demise of former RM, Mr @manoharparrikar. With hallmarks of strong & decisive leadership, Mr Manohar Parrikar will be missed by the whole of the def establishment. Mr Parrikar was at the helm in defence of the Nation from 2014 to 2017," the ministry tweeted.
By PTI

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar parliamentary seat in the sate where polling will be held on April 23, a party legislator said on Sunday.

The seat is currently held by BJP veteran L K Advani.

Observers were sent by the BJP on Saturday to seek an opinion of party workers and leaders in Gandhinagar about the candidate from the seat.

"BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. I made this demand in front of the observers and it was supported by all," said Kishor Chauhan, a party MLA from Vejalpur, which is a part of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

He said Shah was earlier an MLA from Sarkhej seat, which is also a part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

"He (Shah) knows everybody here and is the right candidate to represent us," Chauhan said.

No BJP worker or leader staked claim for Gandhinagar and all of them "in one voice demanded that their national leader contest from the seat", party observer Nimaben Acharya said, without revealing the name suggested by the partymen.

All BJP workers were of the view that the seat was held by a national leader so far, so someone from the central leadership should contest from here, another party observer Prithviraj Patel said.

The Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat was won by L K Advani six times since 1991, barring the 1996 Lok Sabha polls.
By Online Desk

NEW DELHI: A day after launching the "Main Bhi Chowkidar (I am a watchman too)" campaign on social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday changed the handle name his Twitter account to "Chowkidar Narendra Modi".

In a matter of minutes, BJP president Amit Shah followed suit and also changed his account name to "Chowkidar Amit Shah".

Updated Twitter accounts of BJP ministers. (Photo: Twitter)

Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, J.P. Nadda, Harsh Vardhan and Dharmendra Pradhan have also followed their leaders in changing their names on Twitter accounts.

This changing of names comes after a war of words on Twitter between the Congress and the BJP.

BJP has also released a series of videos promoting the campaign with the tag line 'Chowkidar phir se'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a unique campaign 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' video trying to take potshots at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his personal attack against him.

ALSO READ: PM Modi urges supporters to take 'main bhi chowkidar' pledge

"Your Chowkidar (custodian) is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone," the Prime Minister tweeted releasing the video on his Twitter handle.

Mr Gandhi has used the line 'Chowkidar chor hae (Watchman is the thief)' to take forward his campaign against the Prime Minister on Rafale aircraft deal with France.

FOLLOW OUR LOK SABHA POLL COVERAGE HERE

(With inputs from agencies.)
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Sunday said he is "optimistic" that the matter pertaining to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar being designated as a 'global terrorist' will be resolved and his country has put "only a technical hold" on it before a UN Security Council committee.

Talking to ANI, Luo said, "Regarding Masood Azhar, we fully understand and we fully believe this matter. We understand India's concerns and are optimistic this matter will be resolved."

"This matter (of putting Masood Azhar on UNSC 1267 sanctions committee list) will be resolved; this is only a technical hold which means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved, believe me," he asserted.

"After Wuhan summit last year, the two-way cooperation is on right and fast track. We are so satisfied with that cooperation and I am quite optimistic about future cooperation," he added.

On March 13, China had blocked a proposal by the US, the UK and France, among others, to enlist Azhar as a global terrorist before the UNSC committee.

A day after, Beijing had defended its technical block on the proposal, saying it needed "more time" as it is "conducting a comprehensive and in-depth review" on the listing request put forth by the countries.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang had told reporters at a regular briefing said that it will continue "coordinating" with all the relevant parties to find a "lasting solution" to the issue if it is to be resolved in a "responsible and sustainable way."

READ| India will be 'patient' with China for 'as long as it takes' to list Masood Azhar as global terrorist

"The 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council has clear criteria for the procedures to list terrorist organizations or individuals. China is conducting a comprehensive and in-depth review on the listing request put forth by the relevant countries. We still need more time and that is why we decided to put a technical hold on it," Lu had said.

"It complies with the rules of procedure of the 1267 Committee. We hope that relevant actions taken by the 1267 Committee will help countries concerned to settle their issues through dialogue and consultation and avoid adding more complex factors to regional peace and stability. China will continue its communication and coordination with all relevant parties in a constructive and responsible way to properly settle this issue," he had said.

"By putting a technical hold on the listing of Masood at the 1267 Committee, China aims to get more time for the Committee to review this issue and for all parties to engage in consultations and create a favourable atmosphere. In the long run, it will help ease tension and maintain stability in the region," Lu had remarked.

"If this issue is to be resolved fundamentally and in a sustainable way, we need a solution agreed by all. China will continue to step up communication and coordination with all relevant parties including India to properly settle this issue," he had said.

India had expressed disappointment over the development but vowed to continue to pursue "all available avenues to ensure that terrorist leaders who are involved in heinous attacks on our citizens" are brought to justice.

The United States had also said that the failure to designate Azhar as a global terrorist "runs counter" to Washington and Beijing's goal of regional stability and peace.

For the fourth time in the last ten years, China had blocked the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, despite his outfit carrying out the ghastly Pulwama terror attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

A global terrorist tag under the UN's 1267 committee would have led to a freeze on Azhar's assets and a ban on travel and keeping weapons.
A naval unit rushed to a sailing boat that began to sink near the Qandera coral reef in South Bernice in the Red Sea

Egypts Naval Forces rescued two French tourists Sunday from drowning south of the Red Sea, an army statement said.

The statement revealed that a naval unit rushed to a sailing boat after it was hit by 40-knot wind speeds, causing the boat to start sinking near the Qandera coral reef in South Bernice in the Red Sea.

Naval forces transferred the tourists to the nearest port where they received treatment.

Earlier this month, Egyptian and French naval forces carried out maritime training exercises in Egyptian waters.



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Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Demonstrating its operational readiness in the wake of the Pulwama suicide bombing, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, and the pre-emptive airstrikes on Jaish-e-Mohammad terror crib in Pakistans Balakot, the Indian Navy has deployed its nuclear submarine and Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya in operational posture.

The Navy put out a statement, saying, The major combat units of the Indian Navy including the Carrier Battle Group with INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships, submarines and aircraft swiftly transited from exercise to operational deployment mode as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated.

The Pulwama attack on February 14, for which the Jaish later claimed credit, led to rapid deployment of the Navys assets for operations in the north Arabian Sea.

The exercise, involving about 60 vessels of the Indian Navy, 12 ships of the Indian Coast Guard and 60 aircraft, commenced on January 7 and was planned to culminate on March 19.

The spokesperson of the Indian Navy said, Availability of such a large number of combat-ready assets in the theatre of operations for TROPEX exercise allowed the Indian Navy to expeditiously respond to the developing situation in synergy with the three services.

Around the time of the Pulwama terror strike, the Navy and the Coast Guard were engaged in the largest War Game  the Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 19).

Referring to the press briefing by senior officials of the Army, Navy and Air Force, on February 28, the Indian Navy, in its press release, said, A clear and resolute message regarding the operational posture of the Indian Navy to prevent, deter and defeat any misadventure by Pakistan in the maritime domain in the maritime domain was also issued during the tri-services press conference.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary charge sheet against Kerala resident Nashidul Hamzafar in the ISIS Kasaragod module case where youths from India were recruited for the terror group. Investigators have accused 26-year-old Hamzafar for furthering the objective of the proscribed terrorist organization.

The case relates to the criminal conspiracy hatched by Hamzafar and 14 others, belonging to Kasaragod district of Kerala who left India with the intention of joining and furthering the objectives of ISIS, also known as Daish.

Pursuant to the conspiracy, 14 accused from Kasaragod district had exited India or their workplaces in Middle-East Asia between mid-May and early-July, 2016 before travelling to Afghanistan or Syria, where they joined the ISIS/ Daish, said NIA, in a statement on Saturday.

Last year in September, the NIA had arrested Hamzafar from Delhi after he was deported from Kabul, where he was arrested by Afghan Security Agencies in October 2017 for illegally entering the country and attempting to join his co-conspirators.

Nashidul Hamzafar had maintained contact with the other absconding accused in this case, including the prime conspirator Abdul Rashid Abdulla and Ashfak Majeed, who was known to him through his college-mates Shihas and Firoz Khan besides accused Bestin Vincent in a similar case, the NIA said.

In pursuance of the criminal conspiracy hatched with the fugitive ISIS member, Hamzafar left India on October 3, 2017 and travelled to Muscat, before travelling to Iran and reaching Kabul, where he was arrested by the Afghan Security agencies. This was one among several such cases where the NIA had not filed a charge sheet.

Documents delayed charge sheet

According to sources, the NIA had required few documents from other countries, including Kabul, to proceed with the case due to which there was a delay of almost 3 years in filing the charge sheet. The NIA may also file another charge sheet, as other details sought by the investigators from other countries are pending
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has fixed a timeline for the release of the manifesto by political parties and barred parties from releasing manifestos in the last 48 hours before polling.

Manifestos for both single and multi-phase elections will not be released during the prohibitory period, as prescribed under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Section 126 of the Act embodies election silence, which prohibits any form of the election campaign in the last 48 hours leading up to voting.

In case of single phase election, manifesto shall not be released during the prohibitory period, as prescribed under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. In case of multi-phase elections, manifesto shall not be released during the prohibitory periods, as prescribed under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, of all the phases of those elections, said the EC in its circular issued on Saturday to the parties.

ALSO READ: Ahead of polls, EC to meet with heads of social media platforms

As of now, there was no rule on the timing of the release of manifestos. There have been a few instances when the manifestos were released a day before polls.

In 2014, the BJP had released its Lok Sabha manifesto on the day of voting in the first phase. Although the Congress had complained to the EC, stating this would influence voters, the Commission was unable to act since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was silent on the timing of manifesto release.

The provision will, henceforth, be applicable and implemented as a part of the Model Code of Conduct for all future elections, EC added.

FOLLOW OUR LOK SABHA POLL COVERAGE HERE

Earlier, the Election Commission had reached out to all national and regional political parties and sought their views on a proposal to fix a timeline on the release of manifestos.

In the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, parties cannot release manifesto in the last 48 hours before each phase on April 11, 18, 23, 29, May 6, 12 and May 19.

New rules in place
By PTI

NEW DELHI: China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui Sunday expressed optimism that the issue relating to India's push for designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN would be resolved through consultations.

"We are optimistic that this matter will be resolved," Luo said on the sidelines of an event at the Chinese embassy here when asked about China putting a hold on listing of Azhar by UN Security Council (UNSC) or UN Sanctions Committee on designating Azhar as global terrorist. He said China understands India's concerns over the issue.

"I am quite sure this matter will be resolved. This is only a technical hold and the matter can be resolved through continued consultation," he said.

The Chinese envoy also referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year and said the cooperation between the two countries are on the "right track".

We are quite optimistic about the future cooperation between the two countries, Luo said. The Chinese move was termed "disappointing" by India. It is only a technical hold which means consultations on the issue will continue, government sources had said Saturday.

The sources said India was "disappointed" with China for putting the technical hold on the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist and will continue to pursue the matter with Beijing.

The fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack. Government sources said on Saturday that India will show patience with China for "as long as it takes" but will not compromise its position on firmly dealing with terrorists.

China has to resolve certain issues with Pakistan though it has adequate information that certain terror groups are operating from Pakistani soil and they are acting against Chinese interests as well, the sources had said.
Kumar Vikram By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Giving a new spin to Rahul Gandhis favourite jibe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJPs Main bhi chowkidar (I am a watchman too) campaign on Saturday. There is a perception within the party that the Congress presidents Chowkidar chor hai (The watchman is a thief) remark has not gone down well with the people. The BJP now wants to capitalise on it with its new slogan and forge a connect with the common man.

ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi at public meeting in Amethi, says chowkidar proved to be a 'thief'

A similar strategy was successfully implemented by the BJP ahead of the 2014 general elections, where the party used senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyars derogatory chaiwala reference to launch the Chai pe Charcha mass campaign. This time, the campaign has come amid Rahuls repeated attacks on PM

Modi and his government over the Rafale jet deal.

FOLLOW OUR LOK SABHA POLL COVERAGE HERE

The word chowkidar was widely used during the 2014 campaign when Modi had promised to work as a watchman to guard peoples money. The prime minister has now tweeted, Your Chowkidar is standing firm and serving the nation. But I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Along with the tweet, Modi released a video that ends with an appeal to people to join the PMs Main Bhi Chowkidar programme on March 31. In 2014, the BJPs slogan Achhe din aane wale hain (Good days are about to come) became an instant hit.

Rahul responded with a tweet, saying Defensive tweet Mr Modi! You feeling a little guilty today? and shared a cartoon of the prime minister with Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya and others.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Senior journalist and environmental activist Darryl D'Monte, who worked with leading English dailies, died at a hospital in Mumbai after a brief illness, a family friend said on Sunday.

He was 74.

D'Monte was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in suburban Bandra sometime back where he breathed his last on Saturday evening, his friend said.

In a career spanning several decades, he served as the resident editor of Mumbai editions of The Times of India and The Indian Express, he said.

Besides a career in journalism, he had a keen interest in environmental issues and took some initiatives for the cause, he added.

Meanwhile, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh expressed grief over D'Monte's demise and appreciated his work towards environmental issues.

Ramesh said he knew D'Monte very well for over three decades.

"He was among India's earliest environmental journalists and became one of the most eminent of them," the former environment and forest minister said.

"His writings, I know, had considerable influence on government policy. He combined passion with solid research. He mentored a number of youngsters in the field of environmental journalism. He and I disagreed at times but retained great fondness for each other," he said.

The minister said he was sure D'Monte will continue to inspire those committed towards ensuring an ecologically sustainable growth.
By Express News Service

In a calculated move aimed at making China change its stand on the UN designation of Masood Azhar, three major UN players  the US, UK and France  plan to make a combined effort to assign the global terrorist tag to the Pakistan-based Jaish leader. The trio is seriously considering an open debate on the issue, which will be followed by a vote, very soon.

The expectation is China will find it tough to defend a terrorist in public and it also runs the risk of being isolated.

The move comes close on the heels of China blocking a resolution at a UN Security Council Committee on designating Azhar as a global terrorist.

On Friday, Chinas foreign ministry had sought to justify its technical hold on Azhar blacklisting saying it needs to study all sides of the issue, which will take time.

However, Beijings delaying tactics may not cut ice with other UNSC members, who are losing patience.

According to reports, hectic parleys are on between the three permanent UNSC members and China to arrive at a compromise on Azhar. If the discussions fall through, then the three countries will quickly move a resolution for the terrorists listing in the most powerful wing of the UN, which will be preceded by an open debate on the issue.

Why its different this time

While China has so far managed to block a resolution on Masood Azhar four times in the UN, the dynamics are different this time. The general mood among other UNSC members is one of frustration at Chinas temerity to protect a known terrorist. And, unlike in the past, they are not willing to wait for long to conclude talks with China
By UNI

NEW DELHI: A war of words has been witnessed on Twitter between the Congress and the BJP on the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign launched by the ruling party on Saturday.

In posts on social media late on Saturday, the Congress took potshots on one of the tweets on the BJP's campaign going to an account titled @AmbaniKaChela (translating to "Ambani's Stooge"), and another to a fake account of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi.

The BJP even seemed to have received a response from the fake account of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi, which read as "Sir loan maaf karwao sara (please waive off all my loans)".

Taking a jibe at thus, the Congress, on its Twitter handle, said,"It's great to see that Modi is still in touch with his buddies."

Its great to see that Modi is still in touch with his buddies. #ChowkidarChorHai pic.twitter.com/191BinitIb  Congress (@INCIndia) 16 March 2019

Hitting back at the Congress, the BJP, on its official Twitter handle, wrote,'' Dear @INCIndia, Dishonesty, deceit, photoshopped images and fake news is your identity. For decades, your leaders have used those techniques to loot, plunder and ruin India. It is against this Congress culture that India stands vigilant and says #MainBhiChowkidar.''

Dear @INCIndia,



Dishonesty, deceit, photoshopped images and fake news is your identity.



For decades, your leaders have used those techniques to loot, plunder and ruin India.



It is against this Congress culture that India stands vigilant and says- #MainBhiChowkidar. https://t.co/fOAqoP0V0W  BJP (@BJP4India) 16 March 2019

Responding to the BJP attack, the Congress wrote on its Twitter handle, ''Dear BJP, We're sorry your campaign backfired. We sympathise with your pain & frustration. Maybe you should make an effort to be real than rely on bots. Feel hugged. Love, From the party that fought for your freedom."

Dear BJP,



Were sorry your campaign backfired. We sympathise with your pain & frustration. Maybe you should make an effort to be real than rely on bots :)

Feel hugged

Love,

From the party that fought for your freedom



P.S #EkHiChowkidarChorHai ;) https://t.co/2LtfDwIFPW  Congress (@INCIndia) 16 March 2019

The tweet had the tagline 'EkHiChowkidarChorHai'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a unique campaign 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' video trying to take potshots at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his personal attack against him.

"Your Chowkidar (custodian) is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone," the Prime Minister tweeted releasing the video on his Twitter handle.

"Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying -Main Bhi Chowkidar," Mr Modi tweeted.

Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation.



But, I am not alone.



Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar.



Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar.



Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar  Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 16 March 2019

The video has a Hindi song saying 'Woh Mujhe kya behkayenge (How can anyone mislead us as a nation).

It also has a line - "Jhoot ke kapaal mein satya ka Prahar hoon (Our truth will always triumph against falsehood)".

Mr Gandhi has used the line 'Chowkidar chor hae (The custodian is corrupt)' to take forward his campaign against the Prime Minister on Rafale aircraft deal with France.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Raj Thackeray-led MNS, which is struggling to stay relevant in the state politics, would not contest next month's Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.

An MNS leader said party president Raj Thackeray would make his political position clear on March 19 in a public meeting, and guide the party cadres.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), founded in 2006 by Raj Thackeray after he fell out with Shiv Sena patriarch and his uncle Bal Thackeray, reached its zenith in 2009 assembly elections when it won 13 out of total 288 seats.

ALSO READ | BJP-Shiv Sena alliance strong and impenetrable, says Devendra Fadnavis

The party was also said to be responsible for the defeat of Shiv Sena candidates in Mumbai and its metropolitan region, apparently due to division of Marathi votes. However, the party lost the momentum gradually. Though it never won a Lok Sabha seat, in 2014 elections it was blown away during the Narendra Modi wave.

In the assembly elections held that year, the MNS won only one seat in Maharashtra. Recently, that lone MLA from Junnar in Pune district has joined the Shiv Sena. In the Bruhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections held in 2017, the tally of MNS was reduced to seven seats.

In October, 2017, six of its corporators defected to Shiv Sena, thus taking its representation down to one seat.

"MNS chief Raj Thackeray will make his political line clear on Tuesday," said the MNS leader.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections next month, the MNS was trying hard to piggyback the Congress-NCP alliance, but was cold shouldered by the Congress, which opposes the violent "Marathi manoos" politics of the Raj Thackeray-led party.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP had also reportedly offered its support to MNS candidate in Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, but the party decided not to contest the elections. Election to all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra would be held in four phases between April 11 and April 29.
Ravi Shankar By

Fashion is clothing that makes a statement. The current sartorial affidavit of the freedom debate is the infamous hijab, which conservative Muslims consider a mark of modesty and modern Muslims an emblem of gender slavery and patriarchal tyranny in countries governed by savage laws.

Iran is one such country of darkness. This week, prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes - 21st century Islamic chic. She represents women arrested or jailed for discarding their hijabs. Mortal enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia are united by a passion for moral police and Islamic vigilantes. They routinely stop women for not adjusting their headscarves properly and order them to wipe off their make-up. Defiant women are slapped, beaten, handcuffed and thrown into police vans.

A single religion across two cultures and continents is in conflict over its defining costume: the hijab. For Western Muslims, it is a proud signature of defiance against rising Islamophobia. Recently elected US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar wears a hijab to work. But Sotoudeh perceives the hijab as a symbol of oppression. For Omar, it represents religious freedomironically possible for her only in the West and not in Islamic countries.

9/11 and the subsequent global polarisation that followed, advanced political Islams invasion of other cultures through proselytisation or violent terror. Until then, nobody in the civilised world thought much of hijabs and burqas, which were indulgently considered quaint customs of a primitive culture. Subsequently, Islamic rule in Asia and the Middle East brought these garments to world attention. Reports of women whipped, jailed and even executed for shedding burqas shocked the world.

Suddenly, the burqa was the new horror black. A woman describing the experience of wearing one told a newspaper that she felt like a blinkered horse, forced to look straight ahead, undistracted by what may be happening on either side of me. Exactly what a conservative Muslim man, a Wahhabi cleric, a Saudi Mutaween policeman, an Afghani Taliban and an Iranian ayatollah would expect of women, her burqa stopping her from really seeing where I am going and it stops me from seeing whats going on to my left or right.

Wait. Some Hindus have their version of hijabs, too. Women cover their heads at ceremonies and in front of elders as a mark of respect. However, the scriptures do not order women to cover their heads, nor is it mandated during prayers and ceremonies.

Clothes make the man. In the Islamic world, clothes unmake the woman. For centuries, her body has been the battleground of history, embellished, sanctified, violated and worshipped. And the war is far from over.
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has called for implementation of programmes to achieve integration without obstacles between Arab and African nations.

The president was speaking at the Arab and African Youth Forum in Aswan during a session entitled Nile Valley: The Pathway for Arab and African Integration."

He said that Egypt is always ready to cooperate with all Arab and African countries, and not only with its brotherly neighbour Sudan.

He also said that African and Egyptian youth, with the potential, willpower and perseverance given to them by God, can present themselves very well in any country they travel to.

He praised the historical ties between Arab and African nations, which were demonstrated by multiple summits held over the past 40 years, he said.

El-Sisi said that the dream of Arab-African integration is not new, adding that the founding fathers of the African Union had always hoped to make it come true.

He also warned of the negative impacts of social media on regional stability.

"Before we talk about Arab-African integration, we must be aware of threats to the stability of our countries,'' he said, underscoring the important role played by political leaders and media officials to spread awareness among citizens about the challenges threatening their countries.

El-Sisi said that empowerment of women and youth should be generated by political leadership that can transfer it from desire to reality.

"Any business or capital owner seeks stability in the country he is willing to invest in," the Egyptian president commented.

"Safety and stability is a great opportunity we shouldn't lose," he added.

El-Sisi was briefed on the activities of a number of youth entrepreneurs in Egypt during the session, as well as recent efforts exerted by banks and financial institutions to achieve financial inclusion, develop payment systems and maximise funding for small- and medium-scale projects.

During the session, Heba El-Bashbishi, a specialist in African affairs, thanked El-Sisi for his intensive efforts to restore Egypt's strong role on the continent.

El-Bashbishi said that the challenges facing Africa and the Arab world are enormous, including terrorism.

The Egyptian president also discussed the presidential programme for grooming young people for leadership, saying it was motivated by a strong belief in their capabilities and qualifications, and said he wished Egypt could provide more scholarships to Arab and African brothers.

The presidents spokesman, Bassam Rady, said in a statement on Sunday that the president had also inspected the economic pavilion on the fringes of the youth event.

The three-day youth event began on Saturday.

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Shankkar Aiyar By

The saga of gender justice and empowerment of women in Indian politics is laced with tragedy and irony. One of the clauses in the Bill to reserve 33 per cent of the seats for women assured that the reservation would cease to exist after 15 years. Yet, 22 years and four months after the Deve Gowda regime introduced the Bill on September 12, 1996, the idea of forcing change is stranded between promise and political patriarchy.

The issue of gender empowerment is ricocheting rhetoric on the campaign trailthanks to moves by TMC and BJD to ramp up the number of women contestants.

The 16th Lok Sabha is the fifth successive house which left the task incomplete. Meanwhile, the number of women contesting in LS polls has moved from 274 to 668, while those nominated by national parties has moved from 107 to 146. Roughly ten per cent of the women contesting get electedchances improve to 24 per cent if from a national party and 41 per cent if contesting on a state party ticket. The number of women MPs has crawled from 40 to 62, while the number of women voters is up from 28.2 crore to 43.1 crore since 1996.

The matrix of gender empowerment is complex. India got its first woman chief minister in 1963. Since then more than a dozen women from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Jaipur to Jadavpur have led large, populous and complex states. India got its first woman prime minister in 1966. It has a woman as its defence minister, a woman as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and half a dozen women in the Cabinet. And India has lakhs of women elected at local and state levels. Has political office delivered? The point is right to franchise and political office, though necessary, is not sufficient for change.

Gender justice and empowerment demand institution of economic empowerment, and it is time India legislated to reserve at least 33 per cent of the jobs in government for women. The elitists will argue quotas are antithetical to equality. This is not a dole but a necessary policy reform for propelling economic growth and ensuring the sustainability of political empowerment. This idea was first suggested by this column in February 2014. In 2019, the need for urgency is greater.

India can scarcely live in denial about the tragedy of exclusion of women from the economy. The traditional notions of politics and policies need to be binned, the shibboleths of cause and sequence need to be dismantled and end the exclusion of women from the economy. The new India Story begins in1991 post liberalisation. In 1990, the ratio of women in workforce was 35 per cent. In 2018 with just 27 out of 100 women participating in the economy, India is ranked 171 out of 190 as per ILO/World Bank data.

India is ranked alongside Oman Libya and Pakistan, trails Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Malaysia, and is way behind all the BRICS peers. At 27 per cent, womens labour force participation is worse than that in sub-Saharan Africa at 63. It can be argued that agrarian and poor economies have a higher level of female participation. India trails China by 122 places, Sweden by 120 places, Singapore by 118 places, Germany by 88 places and even Japan by 53 places.

What should concern India is that female labour participation in the age group of 15-24 is worse at 16 per cent, down from 30 in 1990. A fallacious argument echoed is that this is because more women are going in for higher education. There is the scale argumenthow many women are in higher education out of the total workforceand then what about those who graduated in the past decades? More critically, does this thesis hold true for Sweden, China or Korea or Germany, who boast of participation rates of 56 per cent, 45 per cent and 48 per cent?

Exclusion has economic consequences. The Economic Survey says that of the 29.5 million employed in the organised sector, only 6.05 million are women3.1 million in the public sector and 2.9 million in the private sector. It is no secret that when more women work, economies grow. Women contribute roughly 41 per cent of the GDP in China, 40 per cent in America and over 35 per cent in Western Europe vis a vis 17 per cent in India. The 2018 Mobile Gender Gap report of GSMA points out that over 74 per cent of women in China use mobile internet compared to 13 per cent in India. Deprivation leads to social consequences. The 2018 UN Gender ratio report ranks India at 191 out of 201 countries on sex ratio.

The resistance to reservation of 33 per cent government jobs for women will be articulated by interpretations of articles in the Constitution.

This reservation can be housed within the existing reservations for jobsall things being equal as per the Mandal table, 33 per cent of jobs can be reserved for women. Sure, there will be litigation, and a Supreme Court which weighed in favour of women in two classic cases will be tested for its sensitivity on gender inclusion. Failing all else there is the option of placing the legislation in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to preclude judicial review. Hopefully that would not be necessary.

Women hold up half the sky. Can politics deliver without empowering them?

Shankkar Aiyar

Author of Aadhaar: A Biometric

History of Indias 12 Digit Revolution, and Accidental India

shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com
Prabhu Chawla By

If terror had an MBA, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar would be its marquee brand and the chief sales manager would be Beijing. The dubious credit for sustaining this weapon of mass murder goes to Pakistans duplicitous bedmate China. The 50-year-old Azar is the ISIs angel of death in the subcontinent. But China sees him as a wealth creatora facilitator of its strategic and business interests in Pakistan and beyond. In the process, it ignores the policy generosity that allows the Chinese to earn dollars in India while funding its pet terror lords in Pakistan.

Its black economics, stupid. There is no other explanation for the dragons consistent protection of Azar. Ideological pragmatism is in Communist Chinas capitalist bloodstream, where Azhar thrives as a malignant microbe; the caretaker of its investments in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that spans the terror-infested Af-Pak border terrain. Once completed, it will provide an alternative route for Chinese exports to the Middle East and Europe. Xinjiang is the starting point of such super-hyped Chinese BRI projects.

Through CPEC, Beijing aims to link Kashgar in Xinjiang with Gwadar port in Balochistan, giving China ready access to energy bazaars in West Asia and Africa. According to published reports, over 50,000 Chinese citizens will be staying in Gwadar port after CPECs completion. Only Azhar can ensure their safety, besides the smooth operation of the project. Simply put, Azhar is a blackmailer of Chinas economic interests. To paraphrase Roosevelts quip on Somoza, China knows Azhar is a blackmailer, but he is their blackmailer. Which is why Beijing vetoed the United Nations Security Councils fourth attempt to declare Azhar a global terrorist. His venomous talent to propagate terror and seed suicide warriors is stoked by ISI patronage.

An international terrorist tag would have adversely affected his upward trajectory, choked financial support and severely curtailed JeMs capacity to raise arms inside or outside India. China behaved like a defiant apologist, issuing a statement asking for more time to study the documents before taking a final call. Its spokesperson said, The discussions, I want to say, must follow the rules and procedures of the relevant bodies and only the solution that is acceptable to all sides is conducive for resolving the issue. The only relevant bodies should be the ones bloodied and shredded by Azhars suicide bombers and terrorists. But China, with its history of state-sponsored pogroms45 million people were murdered by Mao Zedongobviously doesnt give a damn.

Its granite view that oversaw the Cultural Revolutions horrors, the Tianemen Square carnage and torture of dissidents promoted Beijings open support of the Pulwama massacre. However, it dampened BJPs spirits. Congress president Rahul Gandhi belligerently tweeted Weak Modi is scared of Xi. Not a word comes out of his mouth when China acts against India. NoMos China Diplomacy: 1. Swing with Xi in Gujarat 2. Hug Xi in Delhi 3. Bow to Xi in China. The BJP promptly rummaged in the Congress closet of skeletons and pulled out Nehrus self-sacrificial naivete allowing China a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. The party tweeted, China wouldnt be in UNSC had your great grandfather not gifted it to them at Indias cost. India is undoing all mistakes of your family. Be assured that India will win the fight against terror. Leave it to PM Modi while you keep cosying up with the Chinese envoys secretly.

Such verbal wars apart, Beijings persistence in saving Azhar leaves a querulous question mark on the effectiveness of Indian diplomacy on China. Post Pulwama, India admirably mobilised 13 UNSC members to sponsor the resolution against Azhar, though the outcome was predictable. The nations that moved the resolution had also been hit by Islamist savagery in the past ten years. Since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, India has been pressing the UNSC to declare Azhar a global terrorist. He has the devils own luck. The Vajpayee-led BJP government was forced to release him from a Kashmir prison in December 1999 after an Indian Airlines plane was hijacked from Kathmandu.

After all, 180 lives were at stake. The uninterrupted mayhem that Azhar and his terror establishment unleashed hasnt persuaded China to withdraw its bloodstained blessings. Its schizophrenic pragmatism is evident in its patronage of Azhar even as a Pak-nourished Islamist insurgency by Uighurs flourishes in Chinas Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province. Over a million Uighurs are languishing in Chinese jails. Muslim prayers and possession of the Koran are banned. Evidently South Block has failed to read the tea leaves, underestimating the strategic and economic affinity between the Chinese government and Pakistans terror gangs.

Indian diplomacy and the corporate world have been infiltrated by pro-China elements, which ignore the national interest and allow Sino-centric trade to flourish here. In 2018, India-China trade was worth around $84.44 billion as against $71.18 billion the previous year. But the over $50 billion trade deficits shows no sign of shrinking.

The Indian taxation system has only allowed the indiscriminate dumping of cheap and inferior consumer goods in the country, causing myriad indigenous units to close. Indian consumers spent over `50,000 crore in 2018 twice the amount they spent in 2017on smartphones manufactured by the top four Chinese brands. Chinese smartphone brands that account for more than 50 per cent of our market include Honor, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Infinix, Lenovo-Motorola and One-Plus. China has exploited the price sensitive-Indian mindset by dumping cheaper household goods ranging from assembly line homes to toys.

Its a long road travelled from 2014, when economic and diplomatic achhe din were in the air. Ignoring convention, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited President Xi Jinping to Ahmedabad in September 2014. Afterwards, they met twice in 2015, thrice in 2016 , thrice again in 2017 and once in 2018, at various international forums abroad and in China. PM Modi has met Chinese leaders over 10 times. Unfortunately, his 56-inch hugs failed to melt Jinpings hard heart, which brimmeth over with love for Azhar.

Their terror tango has caused political embarrassment to Modi, who was once described byJinping as one of his closest friends. The Chinese understand markets and money. India has both in abundance. It may be difficult to defeat China in war games. But economy games could script a different ending. Fracture Beijings resolve to support the terror manufacturers and salesmen using market missiles. Mandate 2019 should also be sought on the promise of purging Chinese infiltrators in the Indian dispensation and casting the shadow of risk over investing in Pakistan and doing business in India. Hindi-Chini can be bhai bhai only if China dumps its bloodsucker bhai who has quarters across the border.

Prabhu Chawla

prabhuchawla@newindianexpress.com

Follow him on Twitter @PrabhuChawla
By Express News Service

GUNTUR: The police seized 600 gelatine sticks and 800 electronic detonators and silver articles worth lakhs of rupees in two separate incidents on Saturday. The Dachepalli police seized the explosives and arrested auto-rickshaw driver Yadagiri, while inspecting vehicles at the border check-post near Pondugulla village in Dachepalli mandal. He was illegally transporting the explosives from Nalgonda to Rentachintala.

In another incident, Tenali One Town police CI RS Kishore Kumar seized silver articles worth `15.31 lakh from an APSRTC bus on Saturday. The police arrested Fazal, Amanullah Khan and Srinivasa Rao from a bus proceeding to Visakhapatnam from Tenali depot.
By Express News Service

KADAPA: Even as the YSR Congress has raised its pitch for CBI inquiry into the murder of former MP YS Vivekananda Reddy, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified its probe by picking up at least six persons, who are closely associated with the slain leader. The letter, which was purportedly written by Vivekananda Reddy accusing his driver of attacking him, was sent to forensic lab for analysis.

SIT chief Amit Garg and his team inspected the house of Vivekananda Reddy in Pulivendula. According to highly placed sources, the police have taken Vivekananda Reddys personal assistant MV Krishna Reddy, driver Prasad, cook Lakshmi, her son Prakash, watchman Ranganna and Gangi Reddy, a close associate of the former MP, into custody for questioning. 

The five police teams set up to assist the SIT in the probe, is also inquiring the case from various angles, sources said. Investigators are also probing the financial dealings of the slain leader with others and also examining political reasons if any that might have led to the murder.

Though there were reports that Vivekananda Reddy wanted to contest elections and was not given a chance, the same was ruled out as he was working as an activist of the YSRC to strengthen the party in some key segments like Pulivendula in Kadapa district, a senior police official said.

Former Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy, against whom the finger of suspicion was pointed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday night, said that he received a phone call from his relative in Hyderabad at 6.30 am on Friday that his uncle died.

SIT picks up six in Viveka murder case

CM Naidu questioned as to how Avinash Reddy got information about Vivekananda Reddys death when his personal assistant did not inform him.I immediately went to the house of Vivekananda Reddy. After seeing his body, we rushed out and at 6.43 am, I made a phone call to the police. We waited for the arrival of police for 15 minutes. Later, we made three calls to the police. The police reached the house at 7.13 am and later the body was shifted to hospital, he claimed.

Avinash also added that he requested the doctors not to conduct postmortem till the arrival of Vivekananda Reddys daughter Sunitha from Hyderabad. It was only after Sunithas arrival, the body was thoroughly examined by the doctors and we came to know that it was a murder, he claimed.

It was the media which circulated widely that Vivekananda Reddy died of cardiac arrest. Police can verify my call data and that of my Personal Assistant as part of their investigation, he said.

Asked whether the letter recovered from the scene of offence contained the handwriting of Vivekananda Reddy, Avinash said he used to see typed matter of his uncles correspondence and dealings.

CEO speaks to Kadapa, Kurnool SPs

CEO Gopal Krishna Dwivedi on Saturday spoke to SPs of Kadapa and Kurnool districts and enquired about Pulivendula murder and Kaggal firing. He directed them to focus on effective maintenance of law and order in the two districts to ensure free and fail polls.
By Express News Service

Confident that he will win from Thiruvananthapuram again, Shashi Tharoor, who has represented the constituency twice, says that the youth of the country will play a significant role in the current polls. Speaking to Express Chief of Bureau Anil S, Tharoor also expressed his displeasure over the recent defection of Tom Vadakkan to BJP and why Rahul Gandhi deserves to be the next Prime Minister.

Excerpts:

Q: Senior CPI leader C Divakaran is the Left candidate in your constituency while the BJP is all set to field a former Governor. How confident are you about winning?

A: I think my work for Thiruvananthapuram and the people who reside here in itself offers a great source of confidence about my quest for another opportunity to represent the people. I am glad that the contest is with a former Governor and a former minister because that will be a worthy fight for the values that define our land. I believe I will prevail.

Q: The BJP has been raising allegations over the death of your wife. Recently, BJP state chief P S Sreedharan Pillai too made a defamatory remark in this regard. How do you propose to take on such accusations?

A: Sreedharan Pillai and the BJP machinery at large must certainly feel threatened by my presence and views and handicapped by their inability to fight me fair and square. That is why they are resorting to false accusations and cheap innuendos. These lies must stop and that is why I have filed a defamation case against Sreedharan Pillai. Challenge my work as an MP, dont invent lies about my personal life!

Q: Dont you think such mudslinging could reflect among voters in the coming LS polls?

A: Not really. For one, the majority of the electorate, particularly in Thiruvananthapuram, are far too intelligent and discerning to be swayed by petty politics based on falsehoods.

Q: The Left maintains that other than mere promises, you havent done anything for the constituency. Contesting for a third term, how do you evaluate your achievements?

A: If the Left even took the effort to look at my MP progress report, they themselves would have to acknowledge how misguided their leaders are by suggesting this standard line. I am confident that the work that I have done for Thiruvananthapuram speaks for itself. My main promise is to keep doing the same for another five years.

Q: Many Congress leaders are migrating to the BJP and Tom Vadakkan is the latest example. Is it because the Congress senses a BJP victory?

A: I think its unfortunate that Tom Vadakkan has fallen prey to the allure of petty chauvinistic politics and bigotry that is inextricably linked to the BJP today. To a certain extent, I am pained by the hypocrisy in his decision to join an organisation that is fundamentally antithetical to all the values and principles Tom has argued for during his tenure in politics.

But at the same time, I wouldnt be too fussed by it. For one thing, he was hardly noticed when he was in the party, so why is it big news when he left? For another, defections are happening on both ends and among the various political parties in India. I honestly dont see what difference he can make for the BJP.



Q: How decisive would be the young voters in the current polls?

A: I think youth, not just in Thiruvananthapuram but in the country at large will play a significant role in the current polls. And they should if they want to raise their voice against the step-motherly treatment that has been handed out to them by the present ruling dispensation. Unemployment is at an all-time high, job losses are rampant, the economy at large is in a shambles due to demonetisation and the hasty implementation of GST.

Our education system has also been wrecked through low budgetary allocations. All of these have dented the prospects and future of our youth. They must certainly step and express their dissatisfaction through ballot box. Ultimately, my message to the youth of the country is this: Politics is not just about the choices you will have to make in the general elections but about decisions that are being taken every day that will inevitably affect your daily life.

Q: If a Congress-led government comes to power, can we expect you to play a big role? Who would be the PM?

A: I am confident that a Congress-led government will come to power at the Centre, and when it does I will undertake whatever responsibilities the party sees fit to give me. But that being said, all of the issues that you have raised, including any decision on the PM candidate put forward by the Congress and its allies, will emerge from established processes and conventions, which will, of course, have to be representative of the interests of the larger coalition that the Congress helms.

At a personal level, having had several interactions and discussions in close quarters with the Congress president, to my mind it is evidently clear that Rahul Gandhi has all the right qualities to make an excellent Prime Minister. His inclusive style of leadership, a willingness to reach across the political divide, paired with a distinctive charisma, humility and remarkable awareness, all suggest that he would be able to fittingly match the expectations of the top job.
By Express News Service

ALAPPUZHA: Sacrificing ones land for peoples benefit is not something everyone does. Santha Rajan of Ambedker Bhavan at Thalavady in Kuttanad is an exception, though.

Setting an example for her villagers, Santha donated half of the three cents of land she owns to the panchayat for constructing a public road in ward-11 of the panchayat.

Santha, who lives with her two daughters and grandchildren, had received the land as tenant-ship from her landlord a few years ago and had began the construction of a home on the plot with government aid. The construction of the house is yet to be wrapped up.

Meanwhile, the footpath adjacent to her house was the lone accessible road for over 25 houses in the colony. The panchayat had cited unavailability of land as obstacle to construct a proper road. Now, with Santha donating the land, the panchayat has taken up the roads construction, said ward member Ajithkumar Pisharath.
George Poikayil By

Express News Service

KASARGOD: The murder of Youth Congress workers Sarath Lal P K and Kripesh was evidently savage, but the Crime Branch investigation reveals the treachery was diabolic. On Saturday, the newly formed Crime Branch team made its second arrest  Ranjith P alias Appu, a 24-year-old painter from Kanoth in Kalliyot near Periya.

In a statement, Crime Branch DySP V M Pradeep Kumar said Ranjith allegedly tipped off the whereabouts of Sarath Lal and Kripesh to the killers on the fateful night. He told the killers, who were waiting, that the two were on the way, he said.

Ranjith and Kripesh were thick friends, though they were supporters of different political parties, said their common friends.

Though Ranjith is a CPM supporter, he hung around with us and was never involved in any mischief before, said Deepak (name changed), a common friend. Ranjith and Deepak did their Plus Two together at Government Higher Secondary School, Kalliyot. Sarath Lal and Ranjith did their schooling together and were classmates in the same school.

On February 17, the fateful day, Ranjith hung around with Kripesh and Sarath Lal and others since morning and hand lunch together, said Krishnan (name changed), another common friend. Later in the evening when we were sitting at a tea shop, Ranjith went past us on his motorcycle three times. As it was Ranjith, we did not suspect anything, he said.

But after the double murder, he went into hiding, they said. We thought several CPM supporters had gone into hiding and he too might have gone underground fearing police action, said Deepak. But on Saturday, we heard the Crime Branch arrested Ranjith. It was shocking, he said.

Kripesh and Ranjith were not only thick friends but from the same community. In December, the two did a fire ritual together as part of the observation of pottan theyyam. The friends showed a photograph of Ranjith he shared on Facebook.

Kripesh, known as Kichu, has commented on under photograph: Appu etta polichu. Kripesh called Ranjith, etta (elder brother). The comment can be loosely translated as Awesome bro. We are still in disbelief. He could have just warned Kripesh if he could not stand up for him, said Deepak.

A couple of days ago, the Crime Branch had arrested A Murali, 36, a driver, in connection with the crime. He is accused of ferrying out the hit team after the two were killed on the night of February 17. Murali is the driver of Sastha Gangadharan, a quarry owner and contractor. Sarath Lals father Sathyanarayanan had named Gangadharan as a suspect.

Police had already arrested Gangadharans son Gijin in the case. Interestingly, Gangadharan and Sathyanarayanan are also childhood friends.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The 2019 general elections for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will see over 1.5 crore first-time voters casting their votes in the country. These voters in the age group of 18 to 19 years constitute 1.66 per cent of the total electorates in the country. This is the countrywide scenario. In Kerala, around 2,61,750 first-time voters will play a big role in deciding the fate of candidates.

Hence, to woo these first-time voters, political parties and candidates are going all out in making use of social media platforms and latest technologies to win the hearts of these youngsters. According to Abey Kuriakose, an ITI student, the political parties are using platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter to connect with young voters. They are using these platforms to acquaint the tech-savvy youths with their policies and plans. And it is working. Political parties are also using these platforms to motivate youth to exercise their franchise, he said.

However, most of the youth are a disappointed lot. It would have been better if national parties had more young candidates in their list. To understand and identify the problems faced by the youth, the leader too should be from a generation closer to their own, said Albert Benjamin, first year LLB student, NUALS. Of course, experience matters. But for the older generation to understand the needs of the youth and work accordingly is a bit tough, he said. According to him, basically, all the youngsters will be influenced by the choice of their family.

But even then, it would be good to have a candidate who has a strong education background. For me, it is one of the most important qualifications that a candidate needs to gain my vote, he said. While Albert seeks an educated leader, Anandha Krishnan M S, a BSc mathematics student, wants a candidate who has a finger on the pulse of each and every citizen in the country.

According to Anandha, the leader should be acquainted with the problems faced by the weaker sections of society, workers, students, women and farmers. But, it would have been even great if the candidates chosen by the parties had been younger, he added. Also, if the candidate had been one who could influence and work for the betterment of those in the grassroots level, it would have been much better, he said.

Many of the first-time voters are worried about the recent increase in religious tensions. According to Nimisha S Pradeep, an economics student, the move to destroy the plurality of our country is worrying. Many students from Sree Sankaracharya University for Sanskrit who will be casting their votes for the first time expressed disillusionment with the track record of the political parties in the fray. Even as many students expressed their intention to press the NOTA option, the Election Commission and the political parties are going all out to encourage youngsters to cast their votes.
By Express News Service

KOZHIKODE: Hopes soar for Muhammed Asim, a differently-abled boy from Velimanna in Kozhikode, with Prime Minister Narendra Modis office directing the Union Human Resource Development Ministry to take appropriate action to help the boy continue his education.

Thirteen-year-old Asim, who has 90 per cent disability, has been waging a spirited battle for the past one-and-a-half years seeking to upgrade his upper primary school to a high school for himself and several other students from the region. Asim completed Class VII from Government Upper Primary School, Velimanna, in March 2018.

Noushad Thekkayil, a human rights activist, had sent an online petition to the Prime Minister in the second week of February, seeking his immediate intervention in the issue. In his petition, Noushad pointed out Asim was in no state to attend the nearest school which is 5 km away and thus is deprived of the Right to Education guaranteed under Article 21-A of the Constitution and the Right to Education Act, 2009.

Following the PMOs instructions, the Ministry of Human Resource Development directed the Secretary, General Education Department, to take appropriate action to address his issue immediately.

We are really happy the PMs office has intervened in the matter. We are yet to receive any official communication from the State General Education Department. We hope he will be able to go to school at least in the next academic year, said Asims father Muhammed Saeed. Asim is on a 24-day-long yatra on his wheelchair to protest against the state government for turning down his plea.
Nirupama Viswanathan By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Dravidian parties in the State grew from the anti-Brahminism movement, with an ostensibly anti-caste ideology at its heart. However, the two Dravidian majors, along with the national parties remain dependent on the existence of caste-based parties to help in the consolidation of votes. Far from rejecting the idea of caste, the Dravidian parties have thrived for years by using caste representations to their electoral advantage.

The very first government formed by C Rajagopalacharis Congress in the State in 1952, was, in fact, made possible by the support of MA Manickavelu Naickers Vanniyar-based Commonweal Party as the Congress had failed to win majority in the Madras State. Naicker went on to become the Revenue Minister in Rajajis Cabinet. In 1954, it was K Kamaraj who sought the support of the other Vanniyar faction led by SS Ramaswamy Padayachi, bringing both Vanniyar groups under the Congress wing.

Although caste politics were never new to the State, their role was cemented only after the emergence of M G Ramachandran and the AIADMK, said experts. The DMK, for its part, remained a party without any major caste consolidation until 1967 although some sections labelled it a Mudaliar party as its leader CN Annadurai belonged to that caste.

That was not completely true as, at that time, many castes in the Chennai region were termed Mudaliars. It was not a singular caste. Besides, although Annadurai belonged to that caste, he was not acknowledged as one by members of the same community, said Dravidian ideologue Subaguna Rajan.

However, Annadurai is said to have made attempts to appease the Brahmin community in 1967. With the rise of MGR and the consolidation of the Mukkulathors and Gounders, the AIADMK was able to keep the DMK out of power (from 1977) until 1989, said Subaguna Rajan.

Around 1989, the DMK surrendered itself fully to caste politics because they were aware of the need to re-strategise, said Subaguna Rajan Indeed without using the caste-based parties to their advantage, the two Dravidian majors would have not been able to sustain power and would have faded away in the State like the Communist parties, he added.

Walking a thin line

The Dravidian parties, especially under DMKs M Karunanidhi and AIADMKs J Jayalalithaa, had found the trick to success soon enough: keep the caste-based parties close enough so they do not feel rejected but also so they dont grow beyond the control of the two parties.

The parties realised that they would be out of business if they let the caste-based parties grow. They needed to show various castes that they were not averse to them. AIADMK, for instance, would give CK Tamizharasan a seat if the VCK allied with the DMK. Similarly, the DMK, would send S Jagathrakshagan into the fray if the PMK allied with the AIADMK, said academic and writer Stalin Rajangam.

The two parties also did not particularly encourage friendships between caste parties .

They did not want the PMK and VCK to forge an alliance, for instance, although when both were part of the same alliance it turned out to be a political failure in itself, he said.

Campaigning in Madurai once, Karunanidhi had reportedly said, Singathin guhayil Siruthaikku enna velai? (What work does the panther have in the lair of the lion). The lion was seen as a symbol used by the Thevars and the panthers, by Dalits.

Eradicating the caste lines would have been detrimental to both these parties so they would rather find ways of how they can turn it to their advantage, said Stalin.
RTHK: "Black box data shows similarity with Lion Air"

Black box data indicate "clear similarities" between last week's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet and the October crash of an Indonesian Lion Air plane, Ethiopia's transport minister said on Sunday.

"Clear similarities were noted between Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610, which would be the subject of further study during the investigation," Dagmawit Moges told journalists, adding a preliminary report into last Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people will be released in "30 days". (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: National general secretary of All India Mahila Congress (AIMC), Apsara Reddy on Saturday filed her application seeking a party ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections. She has filed her application for contesting either from Karur or Arni constituency. She is the first transwoman to be appointed as a key functionary in the Congress.

Having a voice for transgenders in Parliament will truly signify inclusion and equality. Often bills are curated taking little or no consideration of our state of mind and opinion. Its imperative for members from all minorities to find place in the Parliament. Only then can we truly talk of inclusion, Reddy told Express.

For far too long, transwomen (we) have been told we arent good enough, we wouldnt have meaningful lives and that our Journeys have been wrongly judged. I have fought long and hard for mainstreaming and raised my voice continually, she added.

Apsara Reddy did her graduation in journalism from Monash University and post-graduation in broadcasting from City University in London. She started her career by working in BBC World Service and had worked in The Hindu, New Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle and written columns on the topics including consumerism, politics, celebrity lifestyles and education.

Whether the Congress would really walk the talk on inclusion by giving an opportunity to a transwoman to contest polls or her appointment to a party post will be limited just to tokenism, is to be seen in the coming days.
Jayanthi Pawar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: WhereIsMugilan? This has been the question on the minds of activists, family, friends and scores of people over the past month. On Friday, Twitter was flooded with questions from people questioning the government and police on the mysterious disappearance of the activist who was last seen in Chennai on February 15.

Mugilan, a native of Erode, started his career as an employee of the State Public Works Department. He quit his job in 1996 to raise his voice against environmental issues and corruption.

Having been engaged in activism for over 23 years, Mugilan didnt let various threats, including death threats, one year in prison or illegal detention by police, hold him back from releasing a video on the police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters last May.

He released the video titled Sterlite Hidden Truth on February 15 in Chennai. The video accused two police officers of colluding with officials from Sterlite to instigate violence during the protests on May 22, 2018 which led to the police firing. Thirteen people were killed in the firing. During a press meet that day, Mugilan blamed the police for torching vehicles and attacking the protesters.

After the press meet, he left to board the Mangalore Express at 10.30 pm to reach Madurai. That was the last time he was seen. His friend Sridhar Nedunchezhiyan said he received a call from Mugilan 25 minutes after hed left the press meet.

During the call he reportedly told Sridhar about threats he had received from police and Sterlite officials. Sridhar promised to receive him at the Madurai station the next morning (February 16) at 10.30 am. However, the train was delayed by four hours and Mugilan was never seen again.

Raising suspicions about his mysterious disappearance, a complaint was filed but no action was taken. Later, advocate Henri Tiphagne filed a habeas corpus petition before the Madras High Court, which issued notices to the Chennai police commissioner and superintendents of police of Kancheepuram and Villupuram.

On Wednesday, CB-CID put up posters promising rewards for any information about the activists whereabouts. However, speaking to Express, Tiphagne, an activist and founder of Peoples Watch, said the state had to take up the responsibility in finding Mugilan.

The police prefers to use technology for surveillance rather than for investigation. We have not seen a sophisticated use of technology. Mugilans missing complaint was sent to police online on February 16. Exactly, 10 days later, I got a call from the Tindivanam police office inquiring about the complaint, although two court hearings had been heard in the case by then, he said.

Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam said Mugilan had been strongly protesting against the Koodankulam nuclear plant. In 2012, he went missing and around 75 criminal cases were filed against him. He also served one year in jail and getting bail in those cases was a big challenge. He even approached the Supreme Court which ordered the cases to be closed but nothing happened, he said.

Speed up investigation

Venkatesan said Mugilan was released in 2018, and had been protesting against Sterlite since. In this context, his disappearance seems very suspicious. Nobody has even a small clue on where he is, which is very worrying. We are not even sure if the police interrogated Sterlite officials about his disappearance. And the entire process of tracing the activist is moving at a snails pace. After one month, only on Wednesday were notices being put up in public places. Unless the investigation speeds up and the officials are interrogated, the truth will remain hidden, he added.

He said activists have been facing threats from the government and other bureaucrats when raising their voices against corruption or non-people friendly schemes or projects. Mugilans disappearance is a new way of silencing issues which is a threat to democracy itself, he pointed out.

A senior police officer in the CB-CID said that posters had been put up in various places and two phone numbers (9962908908 or at 044-28513500) had been set up for public to call with tips or information.

There are several teams working to trace Mugilan and we have got certain clues and are probing in all the angles to trace him, said the officer.

The delay in tracing Mugilan evoked criticism from political parties and activists. Various protests and candlelight marches have been held demanding the police to speed up the probe.

It may be noted that Mugilan is not the first activist to face threats. Thirumurugan Gandhi, founder of the May 17 movement was detained under the Goondas Act for holding a rally at Marina Beach to commemorate the civilian victims in the final phase of the Eelam war. He had been holding such rallies for several years. However, in 2017 police detained Gandhi and three others under Goondas Act. He was also recently arrested on sedition charges.
Angela Paljor By

Known to follow a modern and chic framework, Nikhita Tandon, who has been a part of the fashion industry since 2007, showcased her collection Every Drop Counts on the fourth day of India Fashion Week.

The growing water crisis and the never-ending problem of water pollution were the driving forces behind the Autumn-Winter collection. All over the world, people are talking about how to save water. The biggest example, what we are hearing, is that by April 14, 2019, Capetown city, South Africa, may not have drinkable water. This is an alarming situation for humans. Each and every one of us needs to do our own bit to save our ecosystem. As I was constantly reading about the environment, I thought why not do something to raise the awareness when I am blessed to have such a beautiful platform, said Tandon.

The collection showcased the undertones of the ocean and water-inspired colours. And the entire collection has different motifs and embellishments. In some outfits we are using pearl work, in some we are using shells, mermaid colour sequins. Every embellishment is related to some aspect of sea or water, whether in terms of cleanliness or the pollution, said she.

The show started with tranquil colours, showcasing the grandeur and beauty in the serene shades, slowly taking us toward the concern of the show which is to save water. The most interesting aspect was the final black and gold lineup, representing the future if we dont do anything about saving our planet. Elaborating further, Tandon said, If we dont act now, the once blue planet earth might turn into a black one. The first line up showed the oceans in it majestic grandeur, in serene shades of blue and green. But what are the oceans without its majestic kings and queens? The black gold collection is a tribute to the whales, sharks and dolphins, urging people to do something to save them.

The evening started with semi-formal pret line to a more formal one. Talking about the designs, she said, The silhouettes are not really changing, it is the colour pallete that takes it from semi-formal to formal. Silhouettes are pretty much same throughout the collection; there are more fitted silhouettes because while making the collection I thought what would suit mermaids. I thought a more fitted silhouette would suit the mermaid than loose ones. So everything is fitted with a bit of plunging necklines, nicely detailed sleeves, either in by cut with pearl work or leather work.

Tandon believes that in terms of saving the environment the fashion industry can play a huge role. We should use more organic and sustainable fabrics along with products that are eco-friendly. Also, the fashion industry is a great platform to discuss such issues and bring awareness because we dont just garner the attention of media but the attention of people at the same time. The more we talk, the more it will help.
Richa Sharma By

What is common among union minister and Lok Jan Shakti Partys Ram Vilas Paswan, Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan, BJP MP Kariya Munda and Jharkhand Mukti Morch chief Shibu Soren  all have won Lok Sabha elections for eight or more times from their respective constituency for nearly 40 years.

The USP behind these evergreen MPs is their consistent popularity among voters due to their strong ground connect, easy accessibility and readiness to troubleshoot problems faced by people. Over four decades, all these MPs have earned faith and respect of their electorates irrespective of their allegiance with any political party.

They are among 42 Lok Sabha MPs who have represented their constituency for five or more terms.

72-year-old Paswan, known as weather vane of politics, has won nine Lok Sabha terms from Hajipur in Bihar after being elected to the lower house for the first time in 1977 on the Janta Party ticket.

Paswan has changed his loyalty from the Congress-led UPA to the BJP-led NDA but his voters have more or less remained committed to him except in 2009 when he was defeated by JD (U) candidate Ram Sundar Das.

He was against elected to Lok Sabha from Hajipur in 2014 and the credit for this goes to his personal connect with people in the area. Now, he has decided to leave the seat for his younger brother Pashupati Paras, who is likely to contest on the party ticket from Hajipur.

The Dalit leader made his debut in politics as an MLA in 1969 on the ticket of then Socialist party. Thereafter, he joined the Lok Dal party in 1974 and was jailed for opposing the imposition of emergency in the country.

For eighth time BJP MP Kariya Munda from Khunti in Jharkhand, it is perhaps easy accessibility, his simplicity and flawless political career that makes this Padma awardee so popular among the people in the tribal dominated area.

The 82-year-old tribal leader is actively involved in social work and runs several schools, hospitals and orphanages in the region and his commitment to people finds admiration also in the opposition circles. A tribal face in the BJP, Munda has been voicing concerns regarding land rights of indigenous people.

In the list of evergreen MPs is another leader from Jharkhand  Shibu Soren. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha President Soren was elected for the eighth time as Member of Parliament from Dumka in 2014. He is considered as a savior among tribal people due his role in formation of Jharkhand, carved out from Bihar, in 2000.

Soren, who has served thrice as Jharkhand chief minister, is revered as Guruji by tribal people in his constituency. He was charged and later acquitted by the Supreme Court in a murder case of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha in 1994 but that has not diminished his popularity among his clan as they have faith in him.

The popularity of these MPs has grown so much that people know them more by sobriquets like Guruji (teacher) in case of Soren and Tai (elder sister) in the case of eight-time BJP MP Sumitra Mahajan.

The 75-year-old MP from Indore in Madhya Pradesh holds the unique distinction of being the only woman member of Parliament to get elected eight consecutive times from the same constituency and her impressive victory margins bear ample testimony to the immense popularity she enjoys.

The LS speaker enjoys a good rapport with people, especially women, in her constituency and is being lauded for her unblemished political career spanning over four decades. She is famous for personally taking initiative to look into problems faced by people and providing a helping hand.

Inputs from Mukesh Ranjan (Ranchi), Rajesh K Thakur (Patna), Anuraag Singh (Bhopal)
Express News Service By

NEW DELHI: All the six trial courts in Delhi have put out a list of directions for their staff in line with the apex courts directive to all states that they put in place a witness protection scheme.

Last December, the apex court had approved the Centres draft witness protection scheme. Noting that one of the main reasons for witnesses turning hostile is that they are not provided appropriate protection, a bench of Justices A K Sikri and S Abdul Nazeer instructed all the states to implement it till Parliament comes out with legislation.

There are several instances where witnesses turned hostile in cases including the Jessica Lal and the Nitish Katara murder cases, the Best Bakery case, and the hit-and-run case involving Salman Khan.

In early March, the trial courts issued the notification for their staff to adhere to the rules as and when any vulnerable witness comes to the court for recording their statement.

The witness protection scheme, a first in India, allows witnesses to file an application for seeking protection order before the competent authority of the district where the offence is committed. Witnesses are grouped under three heads of Category A. B and C, with the first comprising those facing threat to life and family members.

Under the scheme, it is the duty of the court staff of the judge to furnish the contact number of a vulnerable witness or his/her guardian to the court staff well in advance so as to make necessary arrangements of transportation.

The District and Sessions Judge will chair the competent authority, with the police head of the district as a member and the head of the prosecution as its member secretary. The authority, when it receives an application, has to call for a Threat Analysis Report from the ACP/DSP in-charge of the police sub-division concerned.

Protection measures are to be applied in proportion to the threat faced by witnesses. These measures are not expected to go on for an infinite period but are expected to be for a specific duration on need basis which is to be reviewed regularly.

Safeguards are put in place to ensure witnesses and accused do not come face to face during investigation or trial and adequate security measures are in place for the safety of witnesses. Also, possible steps are to be taken for expeditious completion of trial in such cases.
Harpret Bajwa By

Express News Service

The Sikh community in New Zealand, following the terror attack on mosques in central Christchurch which claimed 50 lives, stepped up to help the victims families in every way possible.

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Guru Nanak Community Kitchen based in Auckland and various Gurdwaras started providing langar (community food), accommodation, free transportation, funeral services and providing Muslim community space for their religious prayers.

READ| Days after terror attack, New Zealand mosques 'free to open' as heavy vigil continues

One of the founding members of this NGO who did not want to be named, said, "after the terror attack in Christchurch a message was sent out to our community requesting volunteers to help with manpower in the aftermath of Christchurch terror attack. Thus over four hundred volunteers came forward and many of them went to Christchurch to help out. As we had received requests from our Muslim brothers for washing bodies, digging graves, providing transport, accommodation, food and other logistics".

"The Jagat Guru Nanak Sahib Gurdwara (Sikh temple) in Christchurch which is close to the hospital and the mosque is now working with our NGO. The people from the Muslim community who are based out of Christchurch and needed a place to stay are being referred by us to the Gurdwara as it is providing free accommodation and food to the needy. It is also providing free transportation to people who need to visit families or be picked up from the airport," he added.

Apart from the above-mentioned services, the NGO has reached out to other Gurudwaras in Auckland to offer a safe space for the Muslim brethren to offer their prayers.

READ| Husband of slain woman says forgives New Zealand mosque gunman

The Guru Nanaks Free Kitchen was started in on April 21, 2007 in Auckland by a group of six like-minded people who wanted to tell and teach the locals in this small island country who are Sikhs as the people though there that Sikhs are Muslims only as these men wanted to tell them (locals) about the Sikh religion, help the homeless, make them comfortable and provide other necessities.

"Our group who are serious about helping around New Zealand in whatever way purely works with the help of volunteers who come out to help as and when their services are needed. Our purpose is to coordinate resources such as manpower, food, water equipment, people with specific skill sets at times of natural disasters, emergencies etc," he said.

Also, another NGO Sikh Sangat New Zealand is also helping in the same way in this time of crises.
By PTI

HOUSTON: Hundreds of Indian-Americans here protested against Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack and urged the global community to hold Islamabad accountable for "atrocities on minorities" and "sponsoring terrorism".

Around 300 Indian-origin people, highlighting the plight of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits and accusing Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorist groups, protested at the prime locations of Houston on Saturday noon.

They termed the February 14 attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed, as an attack on India's sovereignty.

Protestors carried banners like 'Global Terrorist State Pakistan', 'Pakistan - Stop using terrorism as your State Policy', 'Kashmir is Integral part of India 'stop meddling', 'Down with Pakistan', 'Pakistan an architect of genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs', 'Pakistan' take care of your minorities'.

There was heavy sloganeering against Pakistan which protesters termed as a "terror hub".

Earlier a press conference was held by Dr Veena Ambardar on behalf of Houston Chapter of Friends of India Society International and Houston Chapter of Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, emphasising that India has suffered for the last 30 years a constant barrage of terror manufactured in Pakistan and unloaded on Indian soil, killing thousands of Indians.

He said in front of local media that Pakistan is a terror state that has made a business out of terror and has become a threat to world peace.

Addressing the press conference, Achalesh Amar, Coordinator of Houston Chapter of Friends of India Society International, highlighted the international ramifications of terror and role of Pakistan in exporting terror to the world and threatening the world civil society.

He highlighted the role of Pakistan providing shelter to al-Qaeda leaders and providing safe haven and sanctuaries for dreaded terrorists to regroup and export terror machinery in other parts of the globe after the fall of Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.

Amar stated how Osama bin Laden, an architect of 9/11, was found well protected in the garrison city of Pakistan. He said that the London bombings and shooting at San Bernardino, California had Pakistan connection.

Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora members talked about the proxy war unleashed by Pakistan on India under Zia Doctrine in 1988 under the code word 'Operation Tupac'.

They highlighted the operation's salient features which encouraged cross border terrorism, guerilla warfare in India fully supported and led by Pakistan's spy agency ISI and Army regulars.

They made reference to Kargil where the nexus between Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, ISI and its army was exposed at the international level.

The members said that this proxy war has cost India more than 6,000 of its security personnel besides heavy collateral damage. They accused Pakistan of the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs.

"More than 400,000 members were ethnically cleansed and are forced to live as refugees in India," they said.They urged the global community to hold Pakistan accountable for "atrocities on minorities" and "sponsoring terrorism".

The events were organised by Achalesh Amar, Houston Coordinator of Friends of India Society International, USA and Dr Surinder Kaul, Global coordinator of Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora.

Recently, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in February 14.

In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, India launched a major diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, holding briefing for envoys of 25 countries, including those from the five permanent UNSC members -- the US, China, Russia, the UK and France -- to highlight Islamabad's role in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Foreign ministers of Muslim nations will meet in Istanbul on March 22 where an emergency meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been called to discuss ways of addressing anti-Islam sentiment following the twin mosque massacres in New Zealand, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced Sunday.

ALSO READ | Pakistan to give national award to citizen killed trying to save others during New Zealand mosque attack

Qureshi told a press conference in Islamabad that Turkey holding the rotatory OIC presidency decided to summon the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting after consultations.

"The idea (behind summoning the meeting) is to devise a strategy against Islamophobia, while keeping the Christchurch tragedy in mind," he said, adding that the participants will discuss the root cause of the issue.

A 28-year-old immigrant-hating white nationalist, who is believed to have lived in Dunedin, killed 50 people when he opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers.

Nine Pakistanis were among the 50 people killed in the attacks.

Qureshi said that Pakistan will observe a day of mourning on Monday for victims of the New Zealand mosque attacks and flags would fly at half-mast.

He said families of six Pakistanis decided to bury the victims in Christchurch while bodies of three others will be transported back to Pakistan for burial.

Qureshi said that after completing the process for identification, New Zealand officials would start handing over all bodies to the heirs on Monday.

He also paid tribute to a Pakistani man, Naeem Rashid, who died after trying to tackle the gunman, for his bravery and courage.

The minister said that in recognition of Rashid's courage, he will be honoured with a national award on Pakistan Day, March 23.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: A courageous Pakistani national who died in the ghastly Christchurch terror attack on two mosques will be conferred with a national award posthumously for trying to tackle the White supremacist gunman before being shot dead by him.

Naeem Rashid, a resident of Jinnahabad in Abbottabad and a professor in New Zealand, was present at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch when the terrorist opened fire on Friday and killed 50 worshippers.

Prime Minister Imran Khan extended support to the families and also announced to award a Pakistani who tried to tackle the attacker but was killed.

"We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was killed trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognised with a national award," Khan tweeted on Sunday.

READ| Six Pakistanis confirmed dead in New Zealand terror attacks

Rashid's 22-year-old son, Talha Naeem, a civil engineering graduate, was among those who lost their lives in the shooting. Rashid, who was injured in his bid to overpower the attacker, passed away on Saturday after succumbing to his injuries.

Pakistan Foreign Office on Sunday confirmed, six Pakistani nationals were killed in the attack that took place on Friday.

The 28-year-old gunman, identified Brenton Tarrant, live-streamed footage of himself going room-to-room, victim to victim, shooting the wounded from close range as they struggled to crawl away.

The attack has shocked New Zealanders, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place. Police warned Muslims all over the country not to visit mosques "anywhere in New Zealand" in the wake of the Christchurch attacks.
By PTI

MALE: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday held talks with her Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid and reviewed progress on important bilateral issues, including implementation of agreed outcomes of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's visit to India last year.

Swaraj arrived arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit, the first full-fledged bilateral trip from India to the island nation after the government of President Solih came to power in November last year.

Working together on an ambitious agenda of cooperation



Warm discussions between EAM @SushmaSwaraj & Foreign Minister @abdulla_shahid. Reviewed progress on important bilateral issues, including implementation of agreed outcomes of the State Visit of President @ibusolih to India pic.twitter.com/2FVT6X51gx  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) March 17, 2019

Solih visited India in December last year during which India announced a USD 1.4 billion financial assistance to the island nation.

The two countries had also agreed to remain mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the Indian Ocean region and not allow their respective territories to be used for any activity inimical to their interests.

Swaraj also held a joint ministerial meeting with nine other Maldivian ministers, including Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi and Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer.

In a special gesture, Swaraj was earlier received at the airport by her Maldivian counterpart and Foreign Secretary Abdul Mohamed. Swaraj will also call on President Solih on Monday and Speaker of the Parliament Qasim Ibrahim on Sunday. Minister of Home Affairs Sheikh Imran Abdulla will also call on Swaraj.

In New Delhi, the MEA said Saturday that her visit is aimed at further strengthening the "close and friendly" relations between the two countries. "India attaches the highest importance to its relationship with the Maldives which is marked by trust, transparency, mutual understanding and sensitivity," it said. "The ministers will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and discuss future programme of action," the MEA said.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and a number of senior officials are accompanying Swaraj during the trip. Officials said it will be the first full-fledged bilateral visit at the political level from India to the Maldives after the new government assumed office. They said Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Maldives in November only to attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony and no substantive discussion had taken place then.

Sources said the Maldives was aware of Indian government's limitations due to the election code of conduct and that Swaraj's visit will be to enhance overall ties which came under strain during the presidentship of Abdulla Yameen, who was known to be close to China.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated after the then President Abdulla Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 last year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days. Solih became president in November after he defeated Yameen in presidential elections.
Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has announced that foreign nationals will be screened for hepatitis C as part of the current nationwide anti-hepatitis C campaign.

Giving a speech at Sundays final session of the Arab and African Youth forum in Aswan, El-Sisi announced that the Egyptian government would launch a new phase of its 100 Million Lives initiative to screen non-Egyptians staying in the country for the viral disease.

Launched in October 2018, 100 Million Lives is the countrys largest ever anti-hepatitis campaign, and had screened nearly 30 million Egyptians as of last month.

El-Sisi also declared that an Arab-African mechanism to fight terrorism and to work on empowering women and youth would be established.

He also said that a new Egyptian-Sudanese forum was being prepared, to increase the coordination between the two countries.

In his speech, El-Sisi called on Arab and African youth to hold on to their dreams, to be determined to achieve them, and to work hard to make their countries stable and more peaceful.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also honoured a number of distinguished youth figures from Egypt, the Arab world and Africa in military, media, telecommunications, architecture, IT, social media and sports.

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By PTI

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday called on her rebellious MPs to do the "patriotic" thing to strike an "honourable compromise" over Brexit as she prepares to table her twice-defeated withdrawal agreement to another Parliament vote next week, hoping it would prove third time lucky for her.

Her latest plea came at the end of a frenetic week in Westminster as MPs voted on a flurry of motions, not just ruling out leaving the European Union (EU) with May's deal but also without any deal in place at all, calling for a delay to the March 29 Brexit Day deadline.

ALSO READ | UK PM Theresa May fights to save Brexit deal

May warned deeply divided Brexiteers within her own party and across the House of Commons that failure to once again support her deal, which was defeated by a resounding 230-vote margin in January and a smaller 149-vote margin last week, would mean the UK may not leave the EU for many months and may even rule out Brexit altogether.

She urged MPs to get behind her "improved deal" before a European Council summit in Brussels next week, with legally binding changes to the controversial Irish backstop clause addressing concerns that the UK could be tied to EU rules indefinitely.

"If Parliament can find a way to back the Brexit deal before European Council, the UK will leave the EU this spring, without having to take part in the European elections. If it cannot, we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever," she writes in 'The Sunday Telegraph'.

As things stand, May is hoping to return to Brussels with a Parliament-backed deal to seek a short delay until June 30 to complete procedures.

It is for the EU to decide the terms and conditions of any extension because legally the UK is still due to leave the economic bloc on March 29.

With European Parliament elections scheduled to take place towards the end of May, if the UK Parliament remains deadlocked over an exit strategy, the EU is expected to agree to only a lengthy delay to the Article 50 Brexit mechanism.

Such a move would necessitate Britain's participation in the European Parliament polls.

"The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs [Members of European Parliament] three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. There could be no more potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure," Theresa May warned.

Against this backdrop, she is set for a last-ditch attempt at getting her deal through the Commons as she seeks to change the mind of 75 MPs to vote differently from last week and win the required majority.

"For those who backed remain, I am asking them to remove any chance of the UK staying in the EU. For those who backed leave, I am asking them to vote for a form of Brexit that may not be everything they hoped for," she urged.

There are some signs that hard-Brexiteers might be ready to change their minds over fears of a lengthy delay or no Brexit at all, with a letter signed by Tory MPs from Leave-backing constituencies, including former Brexit Secretary David Davis, urging colleagues to back the deal.

The Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which has voted against the agreement twice already, also held out some hope, saying that while there were "still issues to be discussed", it remained in talks with the government.

The 10 votes provided by the DUP, which provides Theresa May's Conservative Party government with its crucial Commons majority, are key to the British Prime Minister proving third time lucky with her withdrawal agreement.

Meanwhile, Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has written to MPs across the Commons inviting them for talks to find a cross-party compromise over Brexit.

In his letter, he called for urgent meetings to find a "solution that ends the needless uncertainty and worry" caused by May's "failed" Brexit negotiations.

Meanwhile, the latest opinion poll conducted by Opinium for the 'Observer' newspaper exposed the lingering divisions across the country over Brexit, with an equal set of people (43 per cent each) found backing a second referendum and leaving the EU without a deal by March 29.

The poll found that if a second referendum were held with the options of accepting Theresa May's deal or remaining in the EU on the ballot paper, 46 per cent said they would back remain, against 36 per cent who would vote to leave on the terms of the British Prime Minister's proposal.

The figures will encourage remain supporters ahead of a mass demonstration and march in favour of a second referendum scheduled to take place in London next Saturday.
By PTI

CHRISTCHURCH: The New Zealand leader's promise of tightened gun laws in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings has been widely welcomed by a stunned population.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her Cabinet will consider the details of the changes on Monday.

ALSO READ | New Zealand gunman's family 'shattered' by his deeds

She has said options include a ban on private ownership of semi-automatic rifles that were used with devastating effect in Christchurch and a government-funded buyback of newly outlawed guns.

While curtailing gun owners' rights is a political battleground in the United States, Christchurch gun owner Max Roberts, 22, predicted Ardern won't face serious opposition to her agenda.

"There will be no opposition to it. There's no movement in New Zealand for that. Our media and politics are more left wing," said Roberts, a carpenter who uses guns for hunting.

Elliot Dawson, who survived the shooting at Christchurch's Linwood mosque by hiding in a bathroom, hopes New Zealand follows Australia's lead on gun control.

In Australia, a virtual ban on private ownership of semi-automatic rifles and a government-funded gun buyback cut the size of the country's civilian arsenal by almost a third.

The ban followed a 1996 massacre in which a lone gunman used assault rifles to kill 35 people in Tasmania state in 1996.

"Personally, I don't think guns should be legal at all. Maybe in some extreme self-defence, but I don't think they need such firearms like that," Dawson said.

"New Zealand is not America. America is a totally different situation. I think in America it would be probably more dangerous to take people's guns away. But here, I don't think we need them at all."

Akshesh Sharma moved to Christchurch from Fiji to study.

He was shocked that the shooter was able to get his hands on such military-style weapons.

Sharma agrees with the prime minister that gun laws need to be tightened.

ALSO READ | Families in Gujarat, Kerala mourn for loved ones killed in New Zealand shooting

"I don't see this as a place where you need guns to live to feel safe," Sharma said.

"I can understand in the US maybe, but here it's a different story."

Roberts, the gun owner, doubted banning certain types of weapons would be effective.

But he said New Zealand should only allow its own citizens to buy guns.

Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the Australian charged in the Christchurch shootings, obtained a New Zealand gun license in November 2017 and started legally amassing an arsenal of five guns within a month.

"I think when people harbour hate like, that these things are possible," Roberts said.

"Particularly Australian citizens, I don't understand how they can get access to firearms in New Zealand when New Zealand citizens can't get access to firearms in Australia," he added.

Ian Britton uses a rifle for shooting rabbits and target shooting.

He favours outlawing assault rifles like those used in Christchurch because they're unnecessary.

"I can't use the words I'd like to use, but it's disgusting. I never thought I'd see that in this country," Britton said.

Ardern noted that attempts to reform had failed before under pressure from the gun lobby.

"There have been attempts to change our laws in 2005, 2012 and after an inquiry in 2017. Now is the time for change," she said.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Rain. Thunder possible. High 58F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Windy with thunderstorms, especially this evening. A few storms may be severe. Low around 35F. Winds SSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been successfully implementing "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Constitution of the Peoples Republic of China and the Basic Law of the HKSAR with the full support of the Central People's Government since 1997. Human rights and freedom in Hong Kong are fully protected by the Basic Law, Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and others.

We are determined to safeguard the rule of law and freedom. They are the core values of Hong Kong and cornerstone of our long-term prosperity and stability. Judicial independence is guaranteed by the Basic Law and firmly underpins the rule of law. The power of final adjudication of Hong Kong is vested in our Court of Final Appeal, which may invite judges from other common law jurisdictions to sit on it. Hong Kong ranks first in Asia in terms of judicial independence. We are also one of the world's safest cities.

Hong Kong is a vibrant, highly open and international city. The Heritage Foundation of the United States has ranked Hong Kong the worlds freest economy for 25 consecutive years.

We will continue to build a caring, inclusive and fair Hong Kong by investing heavily in social services, improving peoples livelihood, enhancing children's well-being and protecting the rights of all workers.

"One country, two systems" has proven a successful innovation. We are committed to upholding the principle of "one country" whilst leveraging our unique advantages under "two systems". We will seize the immense opportunities of the national Belt & Road Initiative and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development to propel Hong Kong forward.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung gave these remarks at the plenary meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council on March 15 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Hundreds of Sudanese took part in anti-government protests in the capital and other cities on Sunday as the government announced it had secured $300 million in loans to address the economic crisis that triggered the unrest.

The demonstrations began in December over price hikes and food shortages, and quickly escalated into calls for President Omar al-Bashir to step down, posing one of the biggest challenges yet to his nearly 30-year rule. Security forces have responded with a fierce crackdown that has killed dozens of people.

The rallies are being led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, an umbrella group of independent professional unions. Footage posted online showed dozens of people marching in Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, chanting: ``Freedom, dignity and justice.'' The also canted ``the people want the fall of the regime,'' echoing the popular slogan of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings that briefly defied despotism in the region, but never made it to Sudan.

In some videos, security forces are seen using tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

Also Sunday, dozens of families demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the National Intelligence and Security Service in Khartoum, calling for the release of detained relatives, according to activists who spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their safety.

A leading Sudanese geneticist was among those arrested. Muntasir Ibrahim, who heads the University of Khartoum's Institute of Endemic Diseases, was arrested on Feb. 21 from a mosque in the capital, said his son, Gassim Ibrahim.

Ibrahim said his father and other university professors had drafted an initiative for a peaceful transition of power. Police previously arrested his father on two occasions in January.

There was no immediate comment from authorities on Sunday's protests and a government spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

Sunday's demonstrations took place as a US congress delegation is visiting Sudan to meet with government officials and opposition leaders, ahead of the start of a second phase of dialogue between the two countries.

Sudanese lawmaker Mutwakil Ahmed said in a statement the US delegation, led by Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, a Republican from Florida, met with Salah Gosh, the head of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services and other officials on Saturday.

A report by the state-run SUNA news service said Gosh told the delegation about ``the positive results of the President Al-Bashir recent decisions to maintain the country's national security and cohesion.''

The report also quoted his as saying that the recent protests ``were legitimate, but their purposes changed and became illegal.'' It did not elaborate.

Al-Bashir disbanded the government last month and declared a state of emergency. He also has banned unauthorized public gatherings and granted sweeping powers to the police since imposing a state of emergency last month, and security forces have used tear gas, rubber bullets, live ammunition and batons against demonstrators.

Mutwakil, the lawmaker, said the US delegation has discussed religious freedoms in Sudan, as well the country's counterterrorism efforts.

In 2017, the US lifted decades-long sanctions, arguing that Sudan is making progress in areas of concern, including improving humanitarian access. The State Department last year agreed to a second phase of rapprochement with Sudan, laying out priorities to reconcile the two nations which have been at odds for nearly three decades.

At the time, no specific timeline was placed for the removal of the terrorism designation which was first placed on Sudan by the Clinton administration in 1993.

Meanwhile Sunday, the state-run SUNA news service reported that the Finance Ministry secured a $230 million loan from the Abu Dhabi-based Arab Monetary Fund to support the country's balance of payments.

It said the ministry signed another deal worth $70 million with the Arab Trade Financing Program, which is also based in the Emirati capital.

Al-Bashir, has responded to the protests by suspending plans for constitutional amendments that would allow him to seek a new term in next year's elections.

He has also stepped down as leader of the ruling party, appointing a loyalist in his place.Critics say he is trying to buy time and remain in power.

Activists say at least 57 people have been killed in the recent protests. The government's latest tally stands at 31 killed, including policemen. Neither figure has been updated in weeks.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Chief Executive Carrie Lam

As some of you may know, I took part in the inaugural Diversity List launch three years ago, that is 2016. At the time, I was the Chief Secretary for Administration. Im delighted to return today as the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, here to applaud The Zubin Foundation and its vision of improving the lives of our ethnic minorities. Its a vision I share, a vision my Government shares.

Through this Diversity List initiative, the foundation is committed to expanding representation among Hong Kongs ethnic minorities in our advisory committees; to getting their voices and their ideas heard; and to ensuring that our ethnic minorities play a significant role in Hong Kongs future. The reason is simple - the ethnic minorities are part of the Hong Kong family - so Hong Kongs future is their future.

Each year since 2016, the annual Diversity List has identified a number of talented, non-Chinese individuals. With the professional support of Spencer Stuart, this identification process is a serious and thorough one. As a result, the identified candidates are very well informed about Hong Kongs issues and are passionate about improving peoples well-being, ready to make a difference for Hong Kong. Whats more, they are committed to serving the people through participation in government advisory and statutory bodies.

These several hundreds of advisory and statutory bodies play an important role in Government, assisting us in consultation with stakeholders and in the formulation of policy objectives, and where some of these bodies are actually tasked with executive functions, they are important bodies in implementing important government policies. Through these bodies, community leaders are identified and nurtured, and some of these community leaders subsequently could be appointed to become politically appointed officials of the HKSAR Government. Im pleased to note that 18 individuals from the Diversity Lists of the past three years now serve on 27 Government boards and committees, but of course we have other sources to identify ethnic minority talents for appointment.

This years Diversity List particularly targets young people from 18 to 35. That, Im very pleased to note, echoes my Governments efforts to encourage more young people to participate in policy discussion and debate. That also reflects the reality that our ethnic minority population, particularly the youth, is surging. Between 2006 and 2016 for example, the population of South Asian residents between 15 and 34 increased some 53% to 71,000.

Ethnic minority youths receive local education and are immersed in the local culture. Many speak fluent Cantonese and mix well with Chinese friends. They are familiar with issues locally and globally. No less important, they have grown up in the digital age, accustomed to expressing their opinions on social media. We are eager to bring their voices, their insight, their ideas and their commitment into the Government.

The Governments twice-yearly Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth encourages participation in policy discussion. It invites those between 18 and 35 to nominate themselves to become members of government advisory committees. The scheme's second phase was set in motion last December. Im pleased to say that more than 1,400 young people, including ethnic minority youths, applied to serve on 10 government advisory bodies and committees.

My Governments target is more ambitious still. We are committed to expanding the ratio of young members in our advisory boards and committees to 15% by the end of this current-term Government. For those of you who are interested in serving, you are most welcome to join the Self-recommendation Scheme in future, or you can just forward a curriculum vitae form to our Home Affairs Bureau. It will add your name to a database from which bureaus and departments draw suitable candidates for their advisory boards and committees.

We are, let me add, fully committed to promoting equal opportunities for ethnic minorities and eliminating racial discrimination in Hong Kong. This requires concerted efforts by different government bureaus and departments. Thats why we established the Steering Committee on Ethnic Minorities Affairs last July under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary. We are also working to improve the Administrative Guidelines on Promotion of Racial Equality for all government bureaus and departments, as well as organisations that provide services to ethnic minorities.

To enhance legal protection for ethnic minorities, we have introduced a bill that would take forward eight recommendations from the Equal Opportunities Commission on the Discrimination Law Review submission. Six of those recommendations are related to the Race Discrimination Ordinance.

Legislation of course, is not enough. Public education and better integration of our ethnic minorities are equally essential. In that regard, the Equal Opportunities Commission produces a wide variety of publicity and educational offerings. These include weekly radio programmes, newspaper and Mass Transit Raiway advertisements, as well as roving exhibitions and school events.

Ladies and gentlemen, building a harmonious and inclusive society demands surpassing commitment and exceptional dedication. The very tragic incident that happened yesterday, taking away so many lives, again reminds us of the importance of inclusion. The Zubin Foundation and Spencer Stuart have that in abundance, and Hong Kong has become a better place with their continuing efforts in engaging our ethnic minority communities, and in working hand-in-hand with my Government to create an inclusive and flourishing Hong Kong.

Finally, my congratulations to the young men and women selected for this years Diversity List. I wish each of them and all of you, a healthy, harmonious and rewarding year ahead. I look forward to seeing some of these young men and women in my Government committees soon.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave these remarks at the launch ceremony of Diversity List 2019: Youth to Watch on March 16.




MDC vice-president Elias Mudzuri has given the clearest indication yet that he will challenge the main opposition partys leader Nelson Chamisa at the partys congress in May.





Mudzuri (EM), who was elbowed out by Chamisa from the helm of the party following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year, told Standard chief reporter Everson Mushava (TS) in an exclusive interview yesterday that the partys founding leader left him with the task of reuniting the MDC.





The former Harare mayor and ex-Energy minister said he was ready to contest any position he is nominated for ahead of congress.





However, he believes the MDC urgently needs to convene an extraordinary congress to elect Tsvangirais successor using 2014 structures.

Mudzuri also believes Chamisas strategy to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwas legitimacy is ill-advised as their election dispute was resolved by the Constitutional Court in August last year.





He is also not happy about the direction the party is taking and say MDC alliance is not keeping Zanu PF on its toes.





TS: You were recently quoted by the state-controlled media allegedly voicing concern that the MDC faced a split if it did not handle the forthcoming congress well. What prompted you to go public about these issues and had they been discussed internally?





EM: We have adequate internal dispute resolution mechanisms in the party to able to deal with all disputes that may arise.





What is now missing in the leadership are enough leaders who are prepared to protect and uphold the peoples leadership manual as laid down in the MDC constitution.





Some of our leaders are now more preoccupied with getting positions of influence and privilege in the party and government while breaking the peoples charter at the same time.





Such a scenario, if not addressed quickly, will always lead into disputes.





Splits are a natural product of irreconcilable disputes within an organisation, and the MDC Alliance is not exempt.





The only way to avoid such splits from happening is for leaders to follow the constitution, and for the people, through their leaders, to speak out when they notice a problem.





The concerns I raised had much to do with party members as they had with ordinary supporters.





There was a worrying rise in unhealthy discourse in public domains like social media, which might have been wittingly or unwittingly sparked by some senior members of our party who should probably have known better.





TS: What do you think the party needs to do to emerge stronger from the congress?





EM: Strength comes from numbers, and the numbers are the people who subscribe to the common vision and ideology of the party.





So to gain more strength, the party needs to refocus its vision and ideological values to attract more numbers.





There is urgent need to recalibrate the opposition in Zimbabwe, and to align it with the peoples changing needs and circumstances.





We need to reset our ideological bearings to resonate with the people. This way, we will be able to bring more people into the party, and to emerge stronger.





Theres also need for the party and its members to channel all their operations through the constitution, keeping within the tracks of democracy.





We have a duty to right the many wrongs of the last three decades through doing what is right, to exceed where Zanu PF lacked and succeed where they failed.





This is how our party can emerge strong, through the image of democracy and constitutionalism we will be respected and even imitated by other parties.





TS: After Tsvangirais death you were engaged in a tussle for the control of the MDC with Chamisa and early this year you were targeted for attending a meeting with Mnangagwa. Have you ever felt isolated and frustrated by those internal conflicts?





EM: Ive not felt isolated at all, the people have always been clear about what they want.





Its not possible to be isolated when the partys structures are fully behind you. I felt a little frustrated when the constitution was not being followed.





When the late Morgan Tsvangirai left for South Africa on his last journey (may his soul rest in peace), he appointed me in front of other standing committee members to act on his behalf as president of the party until he returned.





When he passed on, after all burial proceedings were done with, I enquired from the partys organs between congress about the best route to take for the party in view of the fact that VP Chamisa was claiming to have also been appointed acting president by the late president via a tweet.





On realising that a leadership dispute would negatively affect our party, elections were very near, I talked with Dr (Thokozani) Khupe, who had been elected VP from our last congress, to take over the reins of the party and to call for an extraordinary congress that would choose president Tsvangirais successor.





The constitution was very clear on what should happen when a president dies or resigns from office, but things didnt go according to plan.





There was a general attack and purging of some senior party members by some unruly members of the party. Some of the attackers were rumoured to be from outside the party.





In politics you go through bumpy rides and this was not the first one. I experienced persecution and violence at the hands of (the former president Robert) Mugabe including an attack at my home.





It gave me greater strength and resolve to fight for what I believe is right. In fighting for what is right, you are never isolated or alone, there are always others right there with you and urging you on.





My visit to State House was a constitutional obligation according to the standing rules of Parliament.





There was nothing unusual about that visit since my visit was above board. The event was national, it was not a Zanu PF event.





TS: Your name has been mentioned among those who might challenge Chamisa at the May congress. What is your reaction to such speculation?





EM: If nominated to stand for my party, I am more than ready to serve my party and my country.





I am also ready to unite the party. its a task that our late icon Morgan Richard Tsvangirai left me when we met for the last time at hospital in South Africa.





I have said this before and you have given reason for me to repeat it! I will make a public statement at the right time.





There are processes that must be observed and followed. I dont know which position Ill be nominated for, so I, like everyone else, will have to wait for the nomination process.





TS: How is your relationship with Chamisa following the leadership contest last year?





EM: My relationship with Chamisa is cordial.





TS: ln your opinion, is the MDC Alliance delivering on its 2018 election manifesto, and if not, what do you think is lacking?





EM: If we are delivering anything, we are certainly not doing enough. A lot more should be done.





The problem with what happened after the elections is that we had never budgeted for a loss in the elections, which in my opinion was more easier to win than lose.





Our election promises were as a result biased towards a win (read through our Alliance agreement).





So far I believe as a party we have failed our members and the nation at large. We are not the government of the day. We are not in power and so there is a limit to what we can deliver through Parliament and councils.





In Parliament we do not enjoy a majority. The urban councils we control have not been spared by the downsliding economy of Zimbabwe.





I, however, think we have to think outside the box and not be handcuffed by excuses. We have to do better and we owe it to Zimbabweans to do better.





TS: Is the MDC Alliance playing its role in keeping the ruling party in check?





EM: My view is we are not playing the proper role of an opposition party and that we lack that patriotic spirit for our country.





Yes, we have our reservations on how the elections were held, but I still think we must be rational and be able to see to it that the welfare of our people takes priority ahead of everything.





People are suffering and there is need for all Zimbabweans to be united and to work together for the good of the nation.





We can lead and serve our people, even without state power if we do our things well. As I said before, we dont have a two-thirds majority in Parliament. It makes our job harder and more challenging, but the job can be done without doubt.





We can pressure Zanu PF in and outside of Parliament. Our MPs, senators, councillors have to up the ante by upping their game.





We have to be sharp and keep our eyes on the ball at all times, avoiding distracting side shows.





History will judge us harshly if we do not keep Zanu PF in a pressure cooker.





TS: Do you think a resolution on the election dispute between Chamisa and Mnangagwa is possible?





EM: Its not possible, under the constitution of Zimbabwe, to resolve an election dispute that was heard and settled by the Constitutional Court.





I believe the decision arrived at was final, and that there is no other legal remedy.





TS: In your opinion, why do you think was the reason Chamisa performed better than the MPs and how can it be addressed in future elections?





EM: When we went into the election Zanu PF was greatly divided.





There were many instances where some Zanu PF supporters voted for their preferred MPs in Zanu PF, but on the presidency they voted for VP Chamisa.





Thousands who had been staunch supporters of Robert Mugabe chose to vote for VP Chamisa for president.





TS: What do you think needs to be done with our politics as a country to come out of the economic mess we are in?





EM: We need to redefine our role as the opposition party in Zimbabwe so as to remain relevant to the needs of our people.





We must put the needs of our people and country ahead of our needs as leaders, both in government and in the opposition.





Its easier to find solutions when theres comprehensive dialogue among the people about our challenges as a nation.





TS: Chamisa hinted that one of the VPs should be a woman, what is your view regarding that?





EM: That is in line with our constitutional demand of including women in all positions of decision-making. It was a very commendable hint.





TS: Are you happy with how the branch congresses are being held and do you think the party is going to hold an incident-free national elective congress?





EM: An incident-free election is impossible when the constitution is not being followed.





What is overdue in MDC is an extraordinary congress to elect our late president Tsvangirais successor.





Our ordinary five-year congress is due in October this year, not in May. All structures from the last congress in 2014 are expected to run office until October.





Congress delegates from the 2014 structures are the ones who are expected to elect a substantive successor for the late president Tsvangirai at an extraordinary congress. Standard




Retailers have hiked petrol and diesel prices by up to 8 cents per litre, adding to the burden of consumers dealing with record prices and amid rising political pressure on the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government.





The marginal increase comes just two months after government more than doubled the cost of petrol to $3,31 a litre and diesel to $3,11 a litre, sparking violent protests.



A survey by the Daily News on Sunday in Harare showed the price of petrol was hiked to $3,37 a litre, while diesel was raised to $3,19 a litre



Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) communications officer Gladman Njanji said the increase has been necessitated by a recent revision in excise duty. At the beginning of the month, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) hiked customs and excise duty by threefold after government gazetted Statutory Instrument 32 of 2019, which legalised RTGS dollars as legal tender.



These figures take into account the revised excise duty and represent maximum Freight on Board (FOB) prices.



Operators may however, sell at the prices below the cap depending on their trading advantages, Njanji said.



With effect from March 11, Zera recommended a fuel maximum pump price of $3,19 and $3,37 per litre for diesel and petrol respectively.









The authority also recommended that with effect from Monday, fuel retailers can charge up to $3.20 for diesel and $3.38 for fuel.



The increase comes at a time when the fuel crisis still persists, with fuel queues having resurfaced in most parts of the country. Daily News




A BULAWAYO man has taken the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) to court challenging its decision to charge him duty in foreign currency for his imported vehicle.





The vehicle, a Toyota Hilux was imported from the United Kingdom in December last year and has been stuck at Plumtree Border Post after the owner Mr Lincoln Moyo failed to raise the required amount in foreign currency to pay duty.





Mr Moyo, through his lawyers Ncube and Partners, Friday filed an urgent chamber application at the Bulawayo High Court citing Zimra and its Commissioner-General Ms Faith Mazani, as respondents.





He also wants an order exempting him from paying storage charges for his car pending the finalisation of the matter.





In his founding affidavit, Mr Moyo said in terms of the law he qualified to be exempted from paying duty for his car in foreign currency.





He argued that the vehicle was consigned on December 17 last year before Statutory Instrument 252A-Customs and Excise (Designation of Foreign Currency Dutiable Goods) Notice 2018 came into effect. According to S1 252A, goods purchased on or before November 22, 2018 and consigned on or before January 3, 2019 are exempted from the operation of this notice.





Prior to the advent of the SI 252A, importers would be allowed to pay duty in the local currency which is now known as RTGS$. The advent of that Statutory Instrument brought about the requirement to pay duty in foreign currency and in my case, I submit that I am exempt from paying duty in foreign currency, he said.





Mr Moyo said despite applying for exemption the respondents failed to respond to his letter.





Acting in terms of SI 252A, I applied to the Zimra station manager at Plumtree Border Post for exemption and the matter was referred to the Commissioner General who failed to respond. The contents of the letter betray the fact that the second respondent (Ms Mazani) does not understand the provisions of the statutory instruments, he said.





Mr Moyo argued that the law stipulates that one can apply for exemption simultaneously with the importation of the car at any rate within 42 days from the date of importation





He argued that his car has been unlawfully stuck at the border post because he is failing to complete the importation process as Zimra insists on him paying duty in foreign currency.





At the same storage charges are being levied at the rate of US$10 per day and because they are being paid in foreign currency, the respondents are benefitting twice as they are gaining on storage charges and at the same time insisting on me paying the duty in foreign currency, said Mr Moyo.





Zimra is yet to respond to the application. The Government, last year, introduced the payment of customs duty in foreign currency for motor vehicles in a move aimed at controlling the surge in the importation of non-productive goods.




Doctors are struggling to assist patients with absolutely no support from government, a cyclone is wrecking havoc in the Eastern parts of the country, old problems such as fuel shortages persist yet Mnangagwa flys out once more.







The MDC condemns this kind of behavior. For someone to enjoy luxury trips on tax payer's funds shows no respect or care for the citizen.





What kind of person deserts those he purports to lead?





What kind of person leaves behind dying children, sinking homes , washed away bridges and goes on a dish sampling mission in the Middle East.





1.At the bare minimum the cyclone should have been declared a National disaster. This allows the unlocking of more resources to assist those in need. The reluctant approach adopted by government is reflection of negligence.





2.The government must adequately inform citizens with the same intensity that Mnangagwa and his henchmen had when they sought election.





3.State intervention on disaster response should have kicked in by now, on a massive scale.





4.There is need to establish hotlines for those seeking help and constant updates. At the moment there is no line of communication.





5.In the medium to long term the Civil protection unit has to be equipped to be responsive in times of disasters. At the present moment it is not helpful to citizens - the Battlefields disaster also buttresses this fact.





6.In the meantime the MDC calls for urgent assistance in the form of tents , food, blankets to the affected families specifically in the Eastern Highlands where houses have been washed away.





Zimbabweans are struggling, Mnangagwa has made it clear that the people's struggles are not his struggles.





Foreign trips have gobbled a huge chunk of public funds with no return. Hospitals have no painkillers, linen, blades and even gloves.





The obsession with talking to externals is not bearing any fruit because the fundamentals back at home are not there.





The MDC insists that globetrotting will not help, what is needed is genuine National dialogue to resolve the crises hitting Zimbabwe.





MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!





Jacob Mafume
(Newser)  The environmentalist group Sea Shepherd said Thursday that it found the body of what appeared to be a vaquita porpoise, one of perhaps only 10 that remain in the world, the AP reports. The group said the remains were too badly decomposed for immediate identification and had been turned over to authorities for further study. Two Sea Shepherd patrol boats found the animal in a net Tuesday in the Gulf of California, the only place the critically endangered tiny porpoises live. The group patrols the gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, removing illegal fishing nets. The vaquitas get caught in nets set illegally for totoaba, a fish whose swim bladder is considered a delicacy in China.

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In a report issued earlier this week, an international commission of experts estimated only six to 22 vaquitas remain alive. The lower figure was the number of vaquitas actually seen on the surface during a trip by researchers last fall. The higher estimate was the number of the animals that may have been heard over a system of floating acoustic monitors making distinctive, dolphin-like "clicks." The commission said the most likely number of remaining vaquitas was somewhere around 10. And the vaquitas are concentrated in an increasingly small area of about 15 miles by 11 miles, its report said. Defending the vaquitas in the small area should not be "an impossible task, as the area to be protected is not large," the report added.

(Read more endangered species stories.)
(Newser)  A 24-year-old man was arrested Saturday in the shooting death of the reputed boss of the Gambino crime family, New York City police said. Anthony Comello was arrested in New Jersey in the death of Francesco Cali on Wednesday in front of his Staten Island home, said Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea, who stressed that the investigation is in its early stages, the AP reports. "There are multiple, multiple angles that we are exploring," Shea said at a news conference at police headquarters. "Was the person paid to do it? Were others conspiring to do this crime?" The 53-year-old Cali, a native of Sicily, was shot to death by a gunman who may have crashed his truck into Cali's car to lure him outside. Shea said Cali was shot 10 times.

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Shea said police have recovered the truck but have not recovered the gun used in the murder. Asked about Comello's arrest record, Shea said he "crossed paths in some limited circumstances with the NYPD" including getting a parking ticket on Staten Island the day Cali was killed. Comello will be extradited from New Jersey to New York to face charges, Shea said. Information on an attorney for Comello was not immediately available. Federal prosecutors referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Mafia's Gambino family, once one of the most powerful crime organizations in the country. News accounts since 2015 said he had ascended to the top spot. (One response to Cali's death: "A couple of guys got to get killed now.")
(Newser)  Paris Jackson is lashing out at TMZ over a disturbing report about her on the website. The outlet reported that the 20-year-old daughter of Michael Jackson was hospitalized after a suicide attempt Saturday morning. Her response was blunt: "F--- you you f---ing liars," she tweeted Saturday afternoon. It appears that Jackson did indeed go to the hospital, but the reason is unclear. Paris had an accident this morning that required medical treatment, a source tells People. She is currently resting at home and doing fine. (Jackson has said it's "not her role" to be defending her late father in the wake of pedophilia allegations in a new documentary.)
(Newser)  Three people were arrested after the twin mosque attacks in New Zealand, but police now think main suspect Brenton Tarrant of Australia acted alone, reports the Wall Street Journal. Police had picked up a woman and another man, but New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush says it now appears they had nothing to do with the attacks. Authorities, meanwhile, raised the death toll from 49 to 50 after another body was found, while two of the 36 people still hospitalized remain in critical condition. "We're all gobsmacked, we don't know what to think," Tarrant's grandmother, 81-year-old Marie Fitzgerald, tells Australia's 9News. She says her grandson returned home for a visit a year ago, and the family had no inkling. We are so sorry for the families for the dead and the injured," adds uncle Terry Fitzgerald. "I cant think nothing elsejust shattered is the word."

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Marie Fitzgerald says her grandson, 28, left Australia when extremist attacks were increasing in Europe and elsewhere. Its only since he traveled overseas I think that this boy has changed completely (from) the boy we knew," she says. The AP reports that Tarrant visited the Balkans within the past three three years, where he seemed fascinated with religious conflicts in the region. It was previously reported that he was listening to music that glorified Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, a convicted war criminal, while driving to the attacks. The first bodies were being returned to families on Sunday, though it may not be until Wednesday before all are returned. That situation only added to families' grief because the dead are typically buried within 24 hours in Islam. (Tarrant apparently made a gesture in court for the white-power movement.)
Algeria's newly-appointed prime minister has started talks to form a new government, the state news agency reported on Sunday, in a move designed to appease protesters demanding President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika and his inner circle step down.

The new cabinet will include experts without political affiliation and will "reflect the demographics of the Algerian society", APS quoted an official source as saying.

The aim is to "show willingness to establish a government of great openness".

Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui is unlikely to defuse anger on the streets by kicking off talks on a new administration.

Algerians, who have been demonstrating for over three weeks, have rejected overtures by Bouteflika, who has reversed a decision to stand for another term after 20 years in power.

"The new government will fall in 24 hours as long as it lacks legitimacy and popular support," said Fodil Boumala, one of the people protesters have chosen to spearhead popular pressure against what they see as an authoritarian system.

Bouteflika stopped short of relinquishing office and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted, meaning he will likely remain in power for some time.

Algerians have previously heard promises from Bouteflika, who has hinted at wide ranging political reform and steps to improve an economy which has offered many Algerians few opportunities despite the country's oil and natural gas wealth.

Protesters have grown tired of the same ruling elite, veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France, the military, intelligence agencies and big businessmen.

Algerians have made it clear they will only settle for new leaders who can improve living standards, deliver greater freedoms and dismantle a Soviet-style bureaucracy that has discouraged investors.

On Friday, hundreds of thousands of people staged the biggest demonstration since the unrest began. Some carried banners saying "No to Bedoui".

Bouteflika has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. Protesters say he is no longer fit for office.

The president has been losing allies in recent days since returning from medical treatment in Switzerland, including senior members of the ruling National Liberation Front party, known by its French acronym FLN.

Protests have been mostly peaceful, with security forces showing restraint. The military, which is expected to keep playing its influential behind-the-scenes role as a power broker, has stayed in the barracks.

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(Newser)  A US Navy veteran from California has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran, says his lawyer. As a result, Michael R. White has become the first American known to be imprisoned there since President Trump took office. Iran, which in the past has used its detention of Westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations, has yet to report on White's sentence in state-controlled media. "Obviously the concern is that the Iranians are using this as a tool against the United States," Tarrant's Washington-based lawyer, Mark Zaid, tells the AP. White's mother, Joanne White, has said that her son, who lives in Imperial Beach, California, went to Iran to see a woman she described as his girlfriend and had booked a July 27 flight back home to San Diego via the United Arab Emirates.

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Joanna White filed a missing person report with the State Department after he did not board the flight. She added that he had been undergoing treatment for a neck tumor and has asthma. The State Department said late Saturday that it was "aware of the detention of a US citizen in Iran," but did not elaborate on the case. White has been convicted of insulting Iran's supreme leader and posting private information online, Zaid said, adding that information surrounding the case remained vague. The detention comes as Trump has taken a hard-line approach to Iran by pulling the US out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. White worked as a cook in the US Navy and left the service about a decade ago.

(Read more Iran stories.)
(Newser)  An unlikely figure has been caught up in the heated debate over hate speech in the aftermath of the New Zealand mosque shootings: Chelsea Clinton. Two New York University students confronted Clinton at a vigil for victims Friday night and accused her of contributing to anti-Muslim rhetoric that leads to rampages like the one in New Zealand. The exchange has been widely circulated, and while Clinton has not publicly responded to the controversy, the studentsNYU seniors Leen Dweik and Rose Asafare doubling down. The details:

What Clinton said: Last month, Clinton joined those criticizing Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar for comments about Israel they deemed anti-Semitic. Clinton tweeted: Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism.

Last month, Clinton joined those criticizing Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar for comments about Israel they deemed anti-Semitic. Clinton tweeted: Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism. At the vigil: Clinton showed up at the NYU vigil, and Dweik confronted her afterward. (The students have copyrighted video of the exchange, but you can see it via this BuzzFeed link.) This, right here, is a result of a massacre stoked by people like you and the words that you put out into the world, Dweik told Clinton, per USA Today. And I want you to know that, and I want you to feel that deep down inside. Forty-nine people died because of the rhetoric you put out there.

Clinton showed up at the NYU vigil, and Dweik confronted her afterward. (The students have copyrighted video of the exchange, but you can see it via this BuzzFeed link.) This, right here, is a result of a massacre stoked by people like you and the words that you put out into the world, Dweik told Clinton, per USA Today. And I want you to know that, and I want you to feel that deep down inside. Forty-nine people died because of the rhetoric you put out there. Clinton's response: "I am so sorry that you feel that way," Clinton told Dweik. "It certainly was never my intention. I do believe that words matter. I believe we have to show solidarity with each other."

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They explain: The students have taken flak for going after Clinton, but in an op-ed at BuzzFeed, they defend the move. "Anti-Muslim bigotry must be addressed wherever it exists," they write. "This is not about left and right." They say Clinton was wrong to accuse Omar of anti-Semitism when all she did was "challenge the status quo" in regard to Benjamin Netanyahu's policies about Palestinians. In doing so, Clinton "stoked hatred" against the Muslim community.

The students have taken flak for going after Clinton, but in an op-ed at BuzzFeed, they defend the move. "Anti-Muslim bigotry must be addressed wherever it exists," they write. "This is not about left and right." They say Clinton was wrong to accuse Omar of anti-Semitism when all she did was "challenge the status quo" in regard to Benjamin Netanyahu's policies about Palestinians. In doing so, Clinton "stoked hatred" against the Muslim community. They explain, II: "When we saw Chelsea Clinton at the vigil ... we saw an opportunity to access someone who has a huge public platform and who used that platform to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar," Dweik told ABC News. "We took our chance to speak truth to power.

"When we saw Chelsea Clinton at the vigil ... we saw an opportunity to access someone who has a huge public platform and who used that platform to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar," Dweik told ABC News. "We took our chance to speak truth to power. One phrase: In an interview with the Washington Post, the students say they took particular issue with Clinton's use of the phrase "co-signed as an American." The phrase, Asaf says, is an "anti-immigrant trope." "To me, when speaking of someone who is a refugee, its a dog whistle, its signaling this is a patriotic issue and that nationalism excludes people like Ilhan Omar."

In an interview with the Washington Post, the students say they took particular issue with Clinton's use of the phrase "co-signed as an American." The phrase, Asaf says, is an "anti-immigrant trope." "To me, when speaking of someone who is a refugee, its a dog whistle, its signaling this is a patriotic issue and that nationalism excludes people like Ilhan Omar." Unusual defender: Donald Trump Jr. was among those defending Clinton. "Its sickening to see people blame @ChelseaClinton for the NZ attacks because she spoke out against anti-Semitism," he tweeted. "We should all be condemning anti-Semitism & all forms of hate. Chelsea should be praised for speaking up. Anyone who doesnt understand this is part of the problem."

Donald Trump Jr. was among those defending Clinton. "Its sickening to see people blame @ChelseaClinton for the NZ attacks because she spoke out against anti-Semitism," he tweeted. "We should all be condemning anti-Semitism & all forms of hate. Chelsea should be praised for speaking up. Anyone who doesnt understand this is part of the problem." Response to that: Neera Tanden of the Center for American Progress, who has worked with the Clintons for years, accused the president's son of having a political motive with his tweet. The right wants to exploit disputes in the Center-Left," she wrote. "I know people are upset by the video but I urge all to move on. People were murdered by white nationalist hate. Spend your time fighting that instead of each other.

(Read more Chelsea Clinton stories.)
(Newser)  New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand formally joined the 2020 White House race on Sunday and previewed the hard line she will take against President Trump by announcing a rally outside one of his signature Manhattan properties. She had spent more than a month traveling the country to gauge support for a run, reports the AP. Her announcement that she was joining the dozen-plus candidates who want to challenge Trump came in a nearly three-minute video released early Sunday. She says the national anthem poses this question: "Will brave win?" "Well, it hasn't always, and it isn't right now," she says. "Brave doesn't pit people against each other. Brave doesn't put money over lives. Brave doesn't spread hate. Cloud truth. Build a wall. That's what fear does."

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In the video, Gillibrand says the country needs a leader who "makes bold, brave choices" and "someone who isn't afraid of progress. That's why I'm running for president." She said her debut speech as a candidate will come next Sunday in front of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York. Gillibrand has been one of the most forceful critics of the Trump administration, and using the backdrop of one of Trump's marquee properties is a clear challenge to the president. She announced her exploratory committee in January on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Since then, she has visited a number of states to assess support for a White House bid. This week she plans to campaign in Michigan, Iowa, and Nevada, leading up to her New York kickoff.

(Read more Kirsten Gillibrand stories.)
(Newser)  The latest fallout of mass killings in New Zealand involves a teenager cracking an egg on a politician's head, the Independent reports. Australian Sen. Fraser Anning was giving a news conference Saturday in Melbourne when the 17-year-oldidentified in media reports as William Connolly, per the Washington Postsmacked a raw egg on him. Anning responded with a punch to the face and his supporters tackled Connolly before putting him in a chokehold. This came a day after the far-right lawmaker blamed immigration on the attacks that killed 50: "The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place," he said in a statement.

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The "Egg Boy" video has gone viral and Twitter is abuzz as politicians weigh in, with prime ministers of New Zealand and Australia denouncing the senator, per NBC News. Meanwhile, a petition to have Anning removed from parliament has nearly 1.5 million signatures and a GoFundMe page has reached $35,000 for Connolly's legal fees, per Bloomberg. Quotes from an Anning rally earlier Saturday are also getting attention: When Anning said many of his supporters are under age 35, a supporter noted the mass killer was 28, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. "It's the younger generation taking up the fight," the supporter said, and Anning responded, "Well he's obviously a little on the crazy side, but yeah." (Read more New Zealand mosque shootings stories.)
(Newser)  The New Zealand PM's promise of tightened gun laws in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings has been widely welcomed by a stunned population, reports the AP. Jacinda Ardern said her Cabinet will consider the changes on Monday. She has said options include a ban on private ownership of semi-automatic rifles that were used with devastating effect in Christchurch and a government-funded buyback of newly outlawed guns. While curtailing gun owners' rights is a political battleground in the United States, Christchurch gun owner Max Roberts, 22, predicted Ardern won't face serious opposition to her agenda. "There will be no opposition to it. There's no movement in New Zealand for that," said Roberts, a carpenter who uses guns for hunting. Elliot Dawson, who survived the shooting at the Linwood mosque, hopes New Zealand follows Australia's lead on gun control.

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In Australia, a virtual ban on private ownership of semi-automatic rifles and a government-funded gun buyback cut the size of the country's civilian arsenal by almost a third. "I don't think they need such firearms like that," Dawson said. "New Zealand is not America." Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the Australian charged in the Christchurch shootings, obtained a New Zealand gun license in November 2017 and started legally amassing an arsenal of five guns within a month. Ardern noted that attempts to reform had failed before under pressure from the gun lobby. "Now is the time for change," she said. New Zealand was the only one of nine jurisdictions at a 1996 meeting of Australian police ministers to reject an agreement that semi-automatic long arms would be banned except for use by licensed professionals. A Sydney University gun policy analyst if New Zealand "hadn't been the exception on that day and done what Australia did, this wouldn't have happened."

(Read more New Zealand mosque shootings stories.)
(Newser)  Looks like Gambino crime boss Francesco "Franky Boy" Cali was killed by a local guy in a dispute over a woman, the New York Post reports. Sources say Anthony Comello, arrested Saturday, was upset the mafioso barred him from seeing a woman in Cali's familymaybe his niece, who was home at the time. So the 24-year-old allegedly drove over Wednesday and smashed into Gambino's Escalade. When Cali, 53, came outside, Comello handed him a fallen license plate and shot him about 10 times with a 9-millimeter pistol, authorities tell the New York Times. Cali's home security camera apparently caught the whole thing and Comello's fingerprints are on the license plate. "This went from the perfect crime to amateur hour," says a law-enforcement source.

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"Anthony Comello will go down in the record books as being one of the dumbest killers in New York City history, if not in the US and the world," the source adds. "Not to mention that the victim was the head of the Gambino crime family." Which hardly matches the local word on Comello, who worked construction jobs, lived with his parents, plowed a neighbor's snow, and said "hi" on the street. Only complaints are that he shot fireworks late at night and "was a little bit aggressive," per a local deli worker, "a little loud." Meanwhile, CNN notes the murder weapon hasn't been recovered and NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea is urging caution: "The investigation is far ... from over," he says, adding that it "will turn to were other parties involved in this." (Read more murder stories.)
(Newser)  Back when he was still just teasing a presidential run, Beto O'Rourke told Vanity Fair he was "born to be in" the race, the AP reports. Now that he's campaigning to far greater media attention and much larger crowds than many Democrats who've been competing longer, they are taking offense at the former Texas congressman's sense of entitlement. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar drew the sharpest such contrast on Sunday, saying "I wasn't born to run. But I am running" while acknowledging, "Oh, that's the Beto line." She said on NBC's Meet the Press, "No, I wasn't born to run for office, just because growing up in the '70s, in the middle of the country, I don't think many people thought a girl could be president." Asked about the same O'Rourke quote, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, was gentler, saying on Fox News Sunday that "I think I was born to make myself useful."

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Still, other Democrats have taken more veiled swipes. Julian Castro, who hails from San Antonio, has pointed to references that he's the "other Texan" in the White House race and says that though he's not the front-runner now, he will eventually overtake better known candidates like O'Rourke. When asked about the Vanity Fair quote, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker said that he's dedicated his professional life to working with "communities that are really being left out and left behind." New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she'd be more willing to fight hard for Democratic values than promote the kind of feelgood, bipartisan optimism that O'Rourke favors. Such intraparty fighting is uncommon with the election still about 18 months away and marks a contrast to how nice the crowded field of Democrats running was to one another before O'Rourke's announcement.

(Read more Election 2020 stories.)
(Newser)  A top White House official said Sunday President Trump "is not a white supremacist" and attempts to tie him to the alleged New Zealand mosque shooter are "absurd," per the AP. Mick Mulvaney, the acting chief of staff, described the New Zealand shooter as a "disturbed individual" and "evil person" and said it was unfair to cast the 28-year-old Australian "as a supporter of Donald Trump any more than it is to look at his, sort of his eco-terrorist passages in that manifesto and align him with Nancy Pelosi or Ms. [Alexandria] Ocasio-Cortez." Mulvaney calls the shooter "a disturbed individual, an evil person, and to try and tie him to an American politician from either party probably ignores some of the deeper, difficulties that this sort of activity exposes."

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Still, Mulvaney's defense of Trump failed to quiet calls, chiefly from Democrats, for the president to issue a forceful denunciation of white nationalism. They argue that Trump's rhetoric, including harsh comments about immigrants and Muslims, encourages individuals like the New Zealand shooter. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the man accused of the deadly shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, left behind a lengthy document stating he was a white nationalist who hates immigrants and was set off by attacks in Europe that were perpetrated by Muslims. "Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump?" was one of the questions he posed to himself in the document. His answer: "As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no." (See how New Zealand is moving on gun control after the shooting.)
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Occasional snow showers. High 12F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Occasional snow showers. Low 1F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.
The Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit has warned of the deteriorating financial situation in the Palestinian Authority following a dispute with Israel over payments to families of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Last month, Israel announced it would deduct five percent of the monthly revenues it transfers to the Palestinian Authority from taxes collected on imports to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Aboul-Gheit made the remarks during his meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki and Finance Minister Shukri Bishara several days ago, his spokesman Mahmoud Afifi said on Sunday.

"The Israeli move constitutes a blatant violation of international law and Paris Convention, which is an integral part of the Oslo agreement that regulates relations between the Palestinians and Israelis", Aboul-Gheit said.

The two ministers presented a detailed report on the economic hardships facing the Palestinian government, the spokesman noted.

Aboul-Gheit further stressed the Arab countries' commitment to reinforcing resistance of the Palestinian people in face of the Israeli aggression.

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At least 50 members of the Afghan security forces have surrendered to the Taliban in a fight for control of Afghanistan's western province of Badghis, local officials said.

Some 100 Afghan personnel who are part of the interior ministry's border police attempted to flee their posts into neighboring Turkmenistan on Saturday, but they were prevented from entering that country, Badghis provincial council chairman Abdul Aziz Bik said on Sunday.

About 50 Afghan border police surrendered, while the remaining 50 continued fighting in the district of Bala Murghab, he said. Bala Murghab is the province's most populous district.

"These soldiers have been fighting against the Taliban for years and if they give up, they will be killed by Taliban," Bik said.

The district was at risk of falling to the Taliban unless Afghan forces receive air and ground reinforcements, Badghis provincial council member Abdullah Afzali said on Saturday.

Provincial councils are elected bodies that sometimes have closer connections to local residents than government officials have.

The Taliban said 90 border police had surrendered to the militant group. It posted photos on Twitter of a line-up of dozens of men who the Taliban said were captured border police, and it added that it had killed many others.

It was not clear how many Afghan and Taliban forces have been killed or wounded in the battle for the district.

Jamshid Shahabi, a spokesman for Badghis' governor, said the Taliban had inflated its estimate of captured forces.

Fighting in the Bala Murghab district has intensified in recent months. The Taliban killed 20 Afghan soldiers and captured 20 less than a week ago.

The Taliban controls or contests nearly half of Afghanistan, the most since U.S.-led forces ousted it from power in 2001, according to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. The militant group conducts frequent attacks on Afghan security posts.

Afghanistan's annual increase in violence typically happens in spring. Taliban and U.S. officials finished the latest round of peace talks on Tuesday, with both sides citing progress.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's ministry of defence could not be reached.

The Taliban, ousted in 2001, say they are fighting to expel foreign troops, topple the Western-backed Afghan government and restore its version of Islamic law.

Some 17,000 foreign troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a U.S.-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces.

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Following the abysmal performance of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state Assembly election in Edo state, a group under the um...

Following the abysmal performance of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state Assembly election in Edo state, a group under the umbrella of Edo PDP Parliament for Positive Change, has urged the state party chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, to step aside as the chairman of the party.









The group said they were out to rescue the PDP in the state from non-winning election syndrome and turn it into a vibrant, inclusive and transparent Party that will always win elections in the State.









A communique signed by its Legal Adviser, Barr. Davison Osas Davison and made available to journalists in Benin said the group was opened to other party members who are passionate about the PDP and want to reverse its electoral misfortunes.









In that past nine years, Dan Orbih has never won any reasonable election, rather he has consistently pretending to be winning his polling unit and ward only to be losing his local government, senatorial district and the State to the ruling APC.









It is only in Edo that the PDP will win the Presidential elections only to lose the State assembly election, owing to seeming arrangement between him and All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, who is from his place , he said.









we can no longer fold our hands and allow a group of political merchants to destroy the party we laboured to form and nurtured before the so-called leaders came in from other parties to reap where they did not sow,.









He accused chief Orbih of using his position to enrich himself.









Responding, Chief Orbih described the group as faceless, saying there was no group with such name, either at the state or national level of the party.









They are faceless group sponsored by the state APC as a payback for the humiliating defeat it suffered in the Presidential and National Assembly election, he said.









On spending nine years as chairman, Orbih said with the partys constitution, it was impossible for anyone to spend more than eight years of two tenure.









He added that his tenure expires next year and that the party is looking for a competent party member, who can step into his shoe.
Fulani leaders have alleged the killing of 81 cows and rustling of 32 by suspected local militia on Thursday, near the College of Accou...

Fulani leaders have alleged the killing of 81 cows and rustling of 32 by suspected local militia on Thursday, near the College of Accountancy in Kwall, Bassa local government area of Plateau State.









Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Jonde Jam Fulani Youth Association of Nigeria, at the weekend, described the attack as unprovoked.













MACBAN Chairman in Plateau State, Muhammad Nura Abdullahi mailed pictures of the dead cows and told journalists that 81 cows had been shot dead with others matcheted, 32 rustled while 48 were injured but eventually taken to the slaughterhouse to avoid further loss.













Abdullahi said both Operation Safe Haven and the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede had been notified of the incident and had sent representatives to take records of the carcass of the cows.









OPSH sector 6 is aware and I personally reported to the Commissioner of Police, who advised that I take the matter to the DPO for documentation which has been done. The Area Commander and the DPO have visited the scene and seen the evidence, he said.









On his part, the National President of Jonde Jam Fulani Youth Association of Nigeria, Saeedu Maikano said the attack was deliberately done to spite the cattle owners and wondered why the state government was yet to issue a condemnation.









According to Maikano, is the government saying it cannot protect us and our property? Do they know how long and how much it cost to rear one cow to the level of maturity? This attack is deliberate and unprovoked and I dont think the state government is serious about protecting us.









The Police Public Relations Officer DSP Tyopev Terna continued to avoid comment despite promising to call back or send a statement in the last two days but Operation Safe Have Media and Information Officer, Major Adam Umar confirmed the killing of the cows, saying the incident had occurred around the dam, opposite the College of Accountancy in Kwall while the cattle were grazing.









Major Umar said the attackers had chased the cows to a forest area and shot dead several as well as rustled others.









He said though, he could not give the exact number of cows killed and those rustled, the task force was doing everything possible to trail the assailants.
We all have our agenda based on the needs of our constituents, but the issue of reforms must take precedence over all others as it is the only way to guarantee the nation democratic existence.
Ahmad Garba, a journalist kidnapped on his way from Abuja on the eve of governorship Elections, said he lost hope of coming out alive fr...

Ahmad Garba, a journalist kidnapped on his way from Abuja on the eve of governorship Elections, said he lost hope of coming out alive from the forest where his abductors held him.









He said his abductors kept threatening to kill him daily for the eight days he spent in their custody. Ahmad, a staff of Aminiya, a Hausa language paper published by Media Trust, narrated his ordeal.









He explained that the kidnappers killed one person in the commercial vehicle they were travelling in including the driver.













He said the incident happened around 6 pm close to Rijana town along Kaduna Abuja highway.









We were travelling in a commercial vehicle on our way back to Kaduna from Abuja when the kidnappers (All Fulanis) opened fire on the car at Rijana town. I didnt know what happened. I only saw people coming out of the bush with guns. They killed the driver when he tried to escape and one other person.









 They took us inside the bush after about two-hour trek even though I was assisted by other victims because I couldnt walk due to my health condition. We remain under their custody for eight days with their boss threatening to kill us all daily. in fact, due to his threat I completely lost hope of coming out alive,  he said.









Ahmad said when the kidnappers discovered he was a journalist they kept insulting him telling him to make sure by the time he regains his freedom he tells President Buhari that he cant stop them from their illegal activities.









He said when they finally let him go, one of the kidnappers gave him N1500 to use as transport. Daily Trust gathered that a friend of Ahmad took the risk to go and brought him home after the kidnappers called his family to send someone to get him because he was too weak to walk.









Ahmad thanked all who played a role to get him released from his abductors.
For some time now, actor, Funsho Adeolu, has been uploading videos of himself carrying out different types of exercises on his Instagram...

For some time now, actor, Funsho Adeolu, has been uploading videos of himself carrying out different types of exercises on his Instagram page and many of his fans have adduced different reasons for his recent preoccupation with being fit. However, when we reached out to him to find out the reason for the exercises, the actor stated that it wasnt new; rather, he had been engaging in exercises for a long time.









He said, It is nothing new. I have always been doing those exercises; just that I dont upload videos of them on social media. It has been my daily lifestyle for some time now. Everybody has to keep fit, regardless of age.









Adeolu also informed our reporters that he had been practising tae kwon do since he was 13 years old. He said, From when I was 13 years old to when I was 30, I used to practise tae kwon do. As a matter of fact, I almost got a black belt, and I used to train for a very long time. Now, I decide to exercise by doing something that is convenient for me. Majorly, to exercise, I dance for two hours nonstop. While dancing, I use every part of my body.









Adeolu also stated that though he is usually called Finest by people in the industry, he doesnt consider himself a sex symbol. Yes, they call me Finest but it doesnt make me feel anyhow. It doesnt make me a sex symbol. Everybody who knows me knows Im responsible to my wife and children.









Speaking on the next phase of his career, the actor said, I want to start a training school for young actors. Though there are lots of such schools around, mine is going to be different because I would carry out screening to find out if the intending students really have the talent needed. If they dont have the required talent, they would not be admitted to the school. I will also invite professionals to screen the students coming into the school. The training will last for just three months and we will tutor them on acting for stage, acting for TV, speech (how to sound on TV), and something called madhouse for retentive memory. We would also teach them how to behave at auditions.









Sharing his thoughts on the current crop of young actors in the industry, Adeolu said, I noticed that people just come and go within the blink of an eye. I have been acting for over 30 years. I started my career in 1987, and by 1989, I was already in the papers. I said to myself that if I could be here for that long, I should be able to help others to have such an enduring career.
The Police Command in Kaduna State on Sunday vowed to fish out the attackers of Nandu village of Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna S...

The Police Command in Kaduna State on Sunday vowed to fish out the attackers of Nandu village of Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State and bring them to justice.









The Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, who made this known to newsmen in Kaduna, said the command had mobilised operatives to the scene of the incident and taken the injured and dead to the hospital.









Sabo said that a joint patrol team of the Police and the Army were in the area to forestall possible break down of law and order.









He added that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Ahmad Abdurrahaman, had condemned the killing and commiserated with the families of victims of the attack.









According to him, Abdulrahaman has advised the affected community against taking the law into their hands and to allow justice to take its course.









He explained that unknown gunmen entered Nandu village on March 16, shot dead nine persons, injured two others and torched several houses.

















(NAN)
The former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, yesterday said he quit partisan politics to get involved in some other vocatio...

The former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, yesterday said he quit partisan politics to get involved in some other vocations and take on some new challenges.









Daniel conveyed this in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus.









The letter, which was sent to newsmen on Sunday by the former governors media aide, Steve Oliyide, indicated that Daniels resignation takes effect from March 14.









Daniel served as the Deputy Chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (South) in the just concluded presidential election.









It would be recalled that Daniel directed his supporters to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Dapo Abiodun, in last Saturdays election, wherein Abiodun emerged winner.









Away from partisan politics, Daniel said he would rejuvenate his charity based organization, the Gateway Front Foundation (GFF) to dispense succour to our people in need, address and assist in the areas of some of their health challenges.









He added that I also plan on resuscitation of the non-partisan Political Leadership Academy (POLA) which I established some years ago as a platform of political education to our citizens.









Daniel said I must say that looking back, I do not have any regrets over that patriotic choice and decision, especially as several of our citizens, leaders and stakeholders in the state and outside have commended that singular action. Many stakeholders within and outside Ogun State feel fulfilled, excited and grateful about our decision to join others in putting a stop to a regime that was believed to be against the collective and general welfare of our people.









Let me also add that in the last few months, I have had one of the rare privileges of travelling around the length and breadth of our great country on at least two occasions; the first being during my campaigns to become the National Chairman of our great party, and later as the Director General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization (APCO).
Analysis of the data from the black boxes of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed killing all 157 people on board showed 'clear similarities' with October's Lion Air crash, a spokesman for the Ethiopian Transport Ministry said.

Both planes were Boeing 737 MAX 8s, and both crashed minutes after take off after pilots reported flight control problems. Concern over the plane's safety caused aviation authorities worldwide to ground the model, wiping billions of dollars off Boeing's market value.

"It was the same case with the Indonesian (Lion Air) one. There were clear similarities between the two crashes so far," spokesman Muse Yiheyis told Reuters.

"The data was successfully recovered. Both the American team and our (Ethiopian) team validated it. The minister thanked the French government. We will let you know more after three or four days."

A preliminary report on the crash is to be released within 30 days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing the transport minister.

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US Charge dAffaires Thomas Goldberger visited the city of Minya this week to celebrate the Fulbright Commission's 70th year in Egypt.

Goldberger and members of the embassy team met the president of Minya University, Dr. Mustafa Abdel-Nabi Abdel-Rahman, and his senior team, and attended a reception with students at the Minya Universitys Museum of Fine Arts.

The event highlighted Fulbrights active art and humanities portfolio in Egypt.

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Goldberger also met the governor of Minya, Qasim Hussein, at his office and highlighted the US support for Egypt.

They discussed political, economic, and social developments in the governorate, which has nearly 6 million inhabitants.

There are a number of US embassy initiatives in the governorate, including assistance provided through USAID in the agriculture, water, business, tourism, and health sectors, as well as an active English language teaching programme for high school students, and other cultural and people-to-people exchanges with the United States.

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Goldberger and Hussein visited a local library and met with graduates of the ACCESS English language programme, which has provided two years of supplementary English language learning for thousands of high school students throughout Egypt.

Me and the embassy members very much appreciate the warm welcome and support from the people, university, and officials of Minya during this important visit, said Goldberger at the end of his visit.

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Dale County Sheriff's Office(BIRMINGHAM, Alabama) -- Alabama police have linked a suspect to the 1999 cold case murders of two 17-year-old girls using DNA and genetic genealogy.



Investigators identified Coley McCraney, of Dothan, Alabama, in the murders of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett as the case closed in on two decades without being solved, Ozark Police Chief Marlos Walker told ABC News.



The upcoming 20th anniversary, along with the April 2018 arrest of Golden State Killer suspect Joseph James DeAngelo, prompted the police department to send evidence from the crime scene to Parabon Labs, a Reston, Virginia, company that provides DNA phenotype services, Walker said.



The two teens, students at Northview High school in Dothan, were headed to a party on July 31, 1999, but got lost and ended up about 20 miles northwest in Ozark after they confused the directions, ABC Dothan affiliate WDHN reported.



Hawlett's mother, Carol Roberts, said in 2007 that the girls called her from a gas station, telling her they were on their way home, according to the local station. When they hadn't made it back by dawn, Roberts called police.



At first, there were no signs of foul play when investigators found the black Mazda sedan the teens had been driving by 9 a.m. the next day, WDHN reported. But when they opened the trunk, they found Beasley and Hawlett inside with gunshot wounds to their heads, according to the station.



One of their purses was found in the front of the car with all of her cash and credit cards inside, leading police to believe that the motive was not a robbery, WDHN reported.



No one had been arrested in the nearly 20 years since the killings. But a few months before the anniversary, police sent evidence from the crime scene to Parabon.



Genetic genealogy allows law enforcement agencies to identify a potential suspect through his or her family members who voluntarily submit their DNA to a genealogy database, allowing investigators to create a larger family tree than in years past.



After the evidence was analyzed at Parabon, investigators recognized McCraney's last name from the DNA search, Walker said.



Police then brought the 45-year-old in for a DNA swab, the police chief added, and it matched the evidence collected at the crime scene.



McCraney was arrested Friday and charged with multiple counts of capital murder as well as first-degree rape, online jail records show. Walker said he was not considered a suspect in 1999 and had been under investigators' radar.



It was not clear Sunday if McCraney had an attorney. He is being held at the Dale County jail without bond, according to his jail records.

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Queer Eye is back with its third season on Netflix! And if you haven't started watching the new episodes, then you better prepare yourself for some tears, laughs, and majorly adorable moments from the Fab Five. One of the moments that has gone viral is the way Tan France pronounces the word "squirrel."



This time around, the guys go to Missouri. And within the first few minutes of the very first episode, while talking about their first hero, Tan gets into a debate with his American/ Canadian friends about the pronunciation of "squirrel." The Internet did its thing, and now there are a bunch of hilarious squirrel/squirl/skwerl/skworl tweets. Here are some of our favorites:

Shout out to Queer Eye for throwing me into an existential crisis bc like ... CAN I pronounce squirrel correctly?  Preeti Chhibber (@runwithskizzers) March 16, 2019

I have just discovered that in America "Squirrel Girl" rhymes.  Andrew Ducker (@andrewducker) March 16, 2019

I think the hardest thing about this queer eye episode is learning that there is consensus amongst Americans that the word squirrel is pronounced skworl.  Jordan Raskopoulos (@JordanRasko) March 16, 2019

I love hearing non-american english speakers trying to pronounce it. It really makes the squirrels sound more noble. Like perhaps they own the tree they're stashing nuts in. It's their their estate, perhaps.  ya boy deezy (@DB_Sleazy) March 16, 2019

First thought and possibly the most important thought of the series: Americans pronounce 'squirrel' like they're using mouthwash #JusticeForTan  Jess Brough (@Jessica_Brough) March 15, 2019
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Veteran Iranian Lawmaker And Former Guards Commander Convicted Of Rape

03/16/19

Source: Radio Farda

A veteran member of parliament and a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has been convicted of rape, the head of the Justice Department, Gholamhossein Esmaeili, announced on March 15. Hours later, the IRGC-run Fars news agency reported that Esmaeili was referring to the MP for the city of Malekan, Salman Khodadadi, who is chairman of the legislative body's Committee for Social Affairs.

Based on local news reports, Khodadadi was sentenced to two years' exile, a two-year ban from serving in public institutions, and 99 lashes.

Speaking with the judiciary's news website, Mizan, Esmaeili said that because the verdict was not final and can be appealed, he could not elaborate on the case.

However, Fars insisted that its "investigative" reporters had verified that the defendant is Salman Khodadadi.

The MP Supervisory Board said it had not yet received any information on the case.

The body of Zahra Navidpour was discovered on January 6 in her mother's house in Khodadadi's Malekan constituency. Malekan is a town and a small region in Iran's East Azerbaijan province.

In a statement, the prosecutor's office in Malekan said it was an "apparent suicide," but investigations were underway to determine the actual cause of death.

Navidpour had released a video and audio clips accusing Khodadadi of sexually assaulting her when she had asked for a job approximately four years ago.

Furthermore, Navidpour had said she was repeatedly threatened by Khodadadi's nephew, Massoud Hashempour, and Kamal Khoshpayman, the head of the legal affairs office of the municipality and IRGC member in the city of Tabriz, respectively.

Navidpour had also said she gave evidence to the IRGC's Intelligence Organization, the Intelligence Ministry, and the Guardian Council but received no response.

According to Navidpour, the Guardian Council contacted her and asked her to submit her evidence. When she met with members of the council, they told her to file a complaint and that they would "stand behind her." But after filing her complaint, she said, she was told, "It has nothing to do with us. We are not a law office."

In the video she gave to Gunaz TV to broadcast, Navidpour asked international organizations to help ensure her safety. Gunaz TV is a TV channel transmitted in the Azerbaijani language, and its headquarters are in the U.S. city of Chicago.

Posting on Telegram, Akbar Alami, a former MP, called on the authorities to look into Navidpour's case and question reports that it was a suicide, especially considering the victim's determined pursuit of her rights over the last four years.

Moreover, Navidpour disclosed that at a court hearing, Khodadadi had admitted that the voice in audio threats sent to her belonged to him, but the judge decided to release him on bail.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on January 8 that documents left by Navidpour showed that several other women had also been raped by Khodadadi but did not file complaints out of fear for their lives.

Khodadadi has served five four-year terms in Iran's parliament, but he has been a controversial figure due to multiple sexual-abuse allegations.

He is a veteran of the IRGC and also served in the Intelligence Ministry -- strong credentials for a candidate to pass the stringent barrier of the Guardian Council, which vets all candidates before they can run for elected office. Usually, thousands are rejected, and a much smaller percentage are approved to run.

Roughly midway in his more than 20-year career as a lawmaker, he was summoned by a Tehran court and arrested on charges of "moral corruption" and illegal sexual relations and later released apparently on bail. In Iran, any intimate contact with a member of the opposite sex outside of marriage is punishable by law.

It is not clear how his legal travails ended, but he was re-elected to the parliament in 2008. A female member of parliament objected to the approval of his credentials, but she was later persuaded to withdraw her objection. In 2012, the Guardian Council did not approve his candidacy, and for one term he was out of the parliament.

When President Hassan Rouhani was elected in 2013, Khodadadi became an adviser to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Khodadadi apparently has a doctorate in international relations.

In 2016, he was again elected to the parliament.
Good Iraqi-Iranian Relations Are Not A Reason To Worry

03/17/19

By Paul Pillar (source: LobeLog)



By esfera, Shutterstock

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been visiting Iraq this week-a friendly, extended visit that has yielded several bilateral agreements on trade and transportation. Such an event causes heartburn, of course, within the Trump administration and for others who believe that the only useful thing to do to Iran is to try to isolate and cripple it.

History and geography have pushed Iraq and Iran to strive for close and cordial relations today. It is the sensible thing for each state to do. And Americans need not suffer heartburn because of it.

Iraq and Iran share a 900-mile border and at times have shared difficulties along the border such as restive Kurdish minorities and an old boundary dispute along the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Such geographic cohabitation has long carried the potential both for trouble and for cooperation. The shah of Iran, for example, assisted an insurgency by Iraqi Kurds as a form of pressure on Baghdad but stopped doing so as part of an agreement in which Iraq made concessions regarding the location of the boundary along the Shatt al-Arab.

A formative experience for both countries was the devastating war, which Saddam Hussein started, between Iraq and Iran in 1980-1988. The war caused hundreds of thousands of casualties. For Iranian leaders, the indelible lesson was the need to have a regime in Baghdad friendly enough toward Iran never to do what Saddam did. Iraq, which also suffered mightily in the war, came away from the conflict with similar lessons about the need to have a stable relationship with its neighbor to the east.

The Trump administration's effort to get everyone in the world to join in its campaign of ostracism and punishment of Iran is colliding with these geographic and historical realities. Iraqis of various political stripes see the U.S. coercion of Iraq to join the pressure campaign as a misguided attempt to export an obsession and as contrary to Iraq's own interests, and the Iraqis resent it. The resentment was clear last month when President Trump said in an interview that he wanted to keep a U.S. military base in Iraq "partly because I want to be looking a little bit at Iran because Iran is a real problem." Iraqi President Barham Salih spoke for his countrymen when he responded, "Don't overburden Iraq with your own issues...We live here." The senior and highly respected Shiite cleric in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, stated, "Iraq rejects being a station for harming any other country."

In addition to the security reasons that both Iraq and Iran have for keeping their relationship stable and not making trouble for each other, there are economic reasons. Iraq as well as Iran needs the bilateral trade. Iraq especially depends on imports of Iranian natural gas and electricity to meet its energy needs. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi notes how Iraqis suffered from a U.S.-imposed economic blockade during Saddam Hussein's rule and states, "Iraq will not be part of the sanctions regime against Iran and any other people."

Iraq and Iran still have their differences and disagreements, but Iraqis are aware that the most consequential thing Iran has done in Iraq in recent years has been to assist the Iraqis in liberating the large part of western Iraq that had come under the rule of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS or IS). Iran has been the most important source of outside assistance in defeating IS-assistance that is unburdened by any talk about keeping military bases on Iraqi soil for the unrelated purpose of "looking" at rivals of Iran. Awareness of this assistance is probably one reason Rouhani has enjoyed a successful visit with all the trimmings, including a full slate of meetings with Iraqi officials, businessmen, and tribal leaders. In contrast, President Trump's foray into Iraq last December was a quick, unannounced, middle-of-the-night drop-in to a U.S. military base without meeting any Iraqi leaders.

One of the principal consequences of the regime-changing war that an earlier U.S. administration launched in Iraq 16 years ago has been a marked increase in Iranian influence in Iraq. Now a different U.S. administration is apparently bent on changing another regime while exhibiting similar disregard for, or misunderstanding of, relevant regional realities and likely consequences. The makers of the 2003 war surely did not intend to increase Iranian influence in Iraq, and thus the heightened influence must be considered another failure of that war. But now that the influence exists, it is not worth losing any more American sleep over it, at least not without asking "influence for what?"-especially given that the most conspicuous objective Iran has pursued in Iraq is one the United States shares: the defeat of IS.

The United States still has an interest in post-Saddam Iraq being a stable, prosperous, and peaceful country. It thus is against U.S. interests to pressure Iraq into participating in economic warfare that is damaging to Iraq itself.

It also is against U.S. interests to pressure the Iraqis into violating their own constitution-a constitution written with U.S. encouragement and tutelage after the ouster of Saddam, partly with the aim of preventing the country from again becoming a participant in regional conflict and strife the way it was under the late Iraqi dictator. One of the "fundamental principles" enshrined in that constitution as Article 8 is:

Iraq shall observe the principles of good neighborliness, adhere to the principle of noninterference in the internal affairs of other states, seek to settle disputes by peaceful means, establish relations on the basis of mutual interests and reciprocity, and respect its international obligations.

That's still a good idea.



About the author:



Paul R. Pillar is Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Studies of Georgetown University and an Associate Fellow of the Geneva Center for Security Policy. He retired in 2005 from a 28-year career in the U.S. intelligence community. His senior positions included National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia, Deputy Chief of the DCI Counterterrorist Center, and Executive Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence. He is a Vietnam War veteran and a retired officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Dr. Pillar's degrees are from Dartmouth College, Oxford University, and Princeton University. His books include Negotiating Peace (1983), Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy (2001), Intelligence and U.S. Foreign Policy (2011), and Why America Misunderstands the World (2016).


U.S. Navy Veteran Sentenced By Iran To 10 Years In Prison, Lawyer Says

03/17/19

Source: RFE/RL

The lawyer of a U.S. Navy veteran detained in Iran says his client has been given a 10-year prison sentence. Washington-based lawyer Mark Zaid told AP that Michael White was convicted of insulting Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and posting private information online.



Michael White with his mother Joanne White.

According to White, her son has cancer.

White was the first American known to be detained in Iran since President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.

Zaid said the U.S. State Department had informed him of the sentence for White, who is 46 years old. The State Department had been given the news by the Swiss government, which oversees U.S. interests in Iran.

Iranian state media have not reported on the sentence.

White, who is from California, reportedly went to Iran in July 2018 to see a women he had met online. He had booked a July 27 return flight but did not make that flight after being detained.

On March 11, an Iranian prosecutor, Gholamali Sadeqi, said that White was facing unspecified "security charges."

In January, White's mother, Joanne White, called on Iranian officials to release her son because she said he had cancer and urgently needed treatment.

At least five other U.S. citizens are being held in Iran, with whom the United States has not had diplomatic relations since 1980.



Based on reporting by AP and The New York Times
Defying US sanctions, Iran inaugurates new South Pars gas field phases

03/17/19

Report by Press TV; photos by Ehsan Naderipour, Islamic Republic News Agency

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has inaugurated four new phases of the huge offshore South Pars gas field in a move, which has been seen as a clear sign of the failure of US sanctions against the country.

During an inaugural ceremony in the southern coastal city of Kangan on Sunday, Iran's president officially launched phases 13, 22, 23, and 24 of South Pars gas field, noting that despite all the US pressures on the Iranian nation, especially through the imposition of unilateral economic sanctions, Iranians remain steadfast and resistant and continue to progress.

"Americans did not want us to inaugurate any important projects during the current year, but we made all projects operational on schedule," Rouhani said.



"Today is a very auspicious day for the Iranian nation, which has dealt strong blows to enemies, because they thought that by imposing sanctions, they would be able to stop all our plans and advances," Rouhani added.

The inauguration of the new phases of Iran's South Pars gas field has been seen by experts as a clear sign of the failure of US sanctions against the country's energy sector, which were mainly meant to curtail Iran's production of oil and gas as its main revenue sources.



US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington in May last year from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015, and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.



Under the deal, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.



Trump's administration announced re-imposition of the "toughest" sanctions ever against Iran's banking and energy sectors with the aim of cutting off the country's oil sales and crucial exports.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani said, "Enemies thought that they would mount such economic pressure on [the Iranian] people that our people would bend the knee in front of superpowers. However, this great and history making nation has demonstrated its steadfastness and resistance at all junctures of its history, especially during the current year, which is nearly finished."



Noting that "the sanctions imposed by the United States against Iran are sanctions against humanity," Iran's chief executive emphasized that what Americans are doing against Iran is a crime against humanity, but "America will never achieve its goals."



"Before being an economic war, sanctions are psychological war through which America is trying to make the Iranians pessimistic about their future ... and make them think that as time goes by, their conditions will deteriorate," Rouhani said.



Saying that production of gasoline in Iran has been doubled since the inauguration of his administration, Rouhani said, "During recent rounds of sanctions, we saw that the United States did not even think about imposing gasoline sanctions on Iran, because it knew that Iran has become self-sufficient in gasoline production. Today, we are also self-sufficient in producing diesel fuel and gas."

In a TV interview back in February, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said the country has become self-sufficient in gasoline production despite US sanctions on its energy sector.



His remarks came after President Rouhani inaugurated the third phase of a gas condensate plant, known as the Persian Gulf Star Refinery, in the southern city of Bandar Abbas.



The gas condensate plant supplies various petroleum products, including diesel fuel, gasoline, hydrogen, sulfur and jet fuel.



"Fortunately, we do not need to import gasoline anymore. We have reached self-sufficiency. We can export our produced gasoline, but have no export plans," Zangeneh was quoted as saying by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
The Government has signed a 40 million euro facility with the European Union (EU) towards the promotion of investments and job creation in the country.



The financing agreement is the last programme to be signed from Ghanas indicative allocation of 323 million euros under the 11th European Development Fund and National Indicative Programme spanning between 2014 and 2020.



Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, the Information Minister, who announced this at a media encounter in Accra on Sunday, said the programme focused on promoting conducive business climate, enhancing public financial governance and employment creation.



Additionally, it would promote domestic foreign investments to enable businesses to spearhead economic transformation and job creation.





More so, it would strengthen public financial governance and boost domestic revenue mobilisation as well as combat corruption in the public sector.



Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, signed on behalf of the Government of Ghana, while Ms Diana Acconcia, the EU Ambassador to Ghana, initialed on behalf of the EU.



The agreement is expected to support the countrys ambition of attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



The funds would be managed by the Government of Ghana and the programme is aligned with President Akufo-Addos vision of achieving the Ghana Beyond Aid to accelerate economic growth.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The men of God in 'cassock' commanding the Cedi to rise through prayers have been taken to the cleaners by the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt.



The Veteran Journalist says it does not make sense for those in 'cassock' to claim that the value of the Cedi is falling simply because Ghanaians are not praying enough and also not praying to the right God.



Without mentioning any man of God, Kwesi Pratt who was contributing to a panel discussion on Radio Golds Alhaji and Alhaji talk show fumed saying this is sickening in the extreme and some of them were heard not too long ago praying so hard for the Cedi to rise.



Cedi Still Falling



Mr Pratt further averred that in spite of their commands, the Cedi keeps sinking, bemoaning that they dont appear to be learning; still shouting and disturbing, humming in the ears of Ghanaians with silly prayers which resolve no problem but rather compound them.



Meanwhile, the cedi has depreciated by 8.5 percent since January 2019, reaching a record high of 5.60 in March 2019.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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Ghanas number one mortgage financing firm, GHL Bank will host its first Housing Fair of 2019 on the weekend of 27th and 28th April.



The event will bring together a wide range of developers whom the bank has had a long-standing relationship with, as well as new and upcoming housing brands, property experts and service providers along the home purchase value chain.



Property seekers can expect to engage with an extensive selection of beautiful houses and apartments from the best housing brands, property and land agents, interior space and constructions firms plus an array of appliances, electronics, furnishings and furniture, all with amazing discounts, in one location.



Side attractions include free expert consultation and education on a range of housing related topics through insightful seminars, and a mini food festival which will offer a mouth-watering selection of local and continental dishes.



The GHL Housing Fair has become a household name, helping thousands of property seekers find suitable real estate property since its maiden event in 2006. Previous events have drawn large crowds interested players, as the GHL Housing Fair continues to be recognized as the one-stop-shop for all home buyers and sellers.



The upcoming GHL Housing Fair takes place at the GHL Bank forecourt and seeks to meet the ever-increasing demand for property acquisition in Ghana.



Registration and further enquiries from property owners and managers, seekers, investors, landlords, tenants, industry stakeholders and the general public can be made at 0302 770522 or 0545877299 (WhatsApp).

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Police in Kpando have arrested Maxwell Boateng, an electrician, for allegedly installing and selling Power Distribution Services' (PDS) meters to defaulting customers.



Boateng was said to have been engaged by a contractor to replace faulty meters for PDS clients but he diverted and sold the meters to unsuspecting customers.



Mr Francis Opoku Manu, PDS Public Relations Officer for Volta Region who briefed the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the police picked intelligence on March 12, 2019 on activities of Boateng and arrested him.



He said the police have identified 16 meters diverted by Boateng and processed him for court.



The PRO said Mrs Phanney Adiko, the Acting District Manager of Kpando PDS Ghana Limited, said the police on their regular house-to-house monitoring found some new PDS meters and after investigations arrested Boateng for selling the meters to the clients.



He said Mr Delali Oklu, the Regional General Manager, PDS, commended the police adding that efforts are being made to identify and prosecute all who are engaged in such acts.

Source: GNA









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Cabinet has approved a Policy on Ghanaian content and Participation in the Downstream Petroleum Industry in Ghana.



The Policy is intended to ensure a Ghanaian-driven and Ghanaian owned petroleum downstream industry capable of attracting increased local value-added investments and enhanced Job opportunities as well as indigenous knowledge, expertise and technology in the industry for overall benefit of Ghanaians.



Addressing the Press in Accra, Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the new policy framework covers areas such as; trading, shipping and bulk distribution of petroleum products, Infrastructure development in the petroleum sector such as construction of port discharge facilities, processing and petrochemical plants



The rest include supply of petroleum to strategic sectors of the economy as well as general procurement of goods and services for the downstream industry.







Though there has been significant progress in the role and participation of Ghanaians in some of the downstream activities, the government believes there is still lots more space for Ghanaian participation, retention of profits and hard currency, Development of skills and expertise and increased job creation locally he added.



Energy Minister Peter Amewu will subsequently provide more details on the Policy nuances per activity



A petroleum downstream Ghanaian content committee is to consequently be established under the NPA to supervise, coordinate, administer and monitor and manage the development of local content in the downstream industry.



Mr. Nkrumah said government believes efforts such as these will assist in strengthening the Ghanaian economy as well as ensure that Ghanaian capital is bolstered.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









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The Government of Ghana and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will host an Investment Forum on Ghanas Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from 18th to 19th March 2019 during the Africa Climate Week, which is slated from the 18th to 22nd March 2019 at the Accra international Conference Centre.



The two-day forum will discuss ways to crowd-in private sector investment for projects in Ghana that are financially viable, and that also deliver the climate solutions Ghana pledged in its Nationally Determined Contribution.



Ghana needs about USD 22.6 billion investments from domestic and international public and private sources to finance its climate actions, starting from 2020. About USD 6.3 billion is expected to be mobilized from domestic sources and USD 16.3 billion will come from international support and this is the best time for us to discuss how to mobilize more investment, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).



The forum will be a platform to discuss and showcase proven climate solutions and investment-ready climate action projects to attract support from all relevant stakeholders and mobilize investments for climate action in Ghana.



Huge investment is required to tackle climate change globally, and this calls for innovative financing especially from the private sector to accelerate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions, Gita Welch, Resident Representative of UNDP Ghana.



Discussion at the forum will focus on:



 Scaling the Need and Investment Opportunity for Low-Carbon Transition.

 Increasing Climate Project Flow with Innovative Finance.

 Accelerating Private Sector Investment (in press conference format).

 Adapting to Climate Change: Resilience, Security and Finance.

 Climate Action and SDGs: Engaging Enterprises to Advance Nationally Determined Contributions.



Stakeholders from international/development organizations, government agencies, civil societies and academia are expected to participate in the forum. Key speakers will include:



 Prof. George Gyan Baffour, Minster of Planning, Government of Ghana.

 Patricia Appiagye, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).

 John Pwamang, Acting Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

 Alhassan Andani, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana and President of the Ghana Association of Bankers.

 Dr. Arona Soumare, Principal Climate Change and Green Growth Officer, African Development Bank.

 Paul Stevers, CEO Think Renewables Group.

 Daniel Rossetto, Founder, Paris Climate Bond

 Albert Touna Mama, Resident Representative, International Monetary Fund.

 Ibrahim Peghouma, Senior Regional Energy/Environment Officer for West Africa, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ghana.

 Gita Honwana Welch, Resident Representative, UNDP Ghana.



The Paris Agreement requests each country to outline and communicate their post-2020 climate actions, known as their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.



The Investment Forum during the Africa Climate Week will officially launch and present Ghanas Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation and Investment Plan, which outlines the key actions that Ghana will undertake in the next 10 years to meet its commitment to the global fight against climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement.



The Africa Climate Week will lay the groundwork for the upcoming UN Secretary-Generals Climate Summit scheduled to take place during the 73rd General Assembly in September 2019.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has expressed concern over the reported physical attack on some staff of the Radio XYZ, an Accra-based private radio station, by Reverend Isaac Owusu-Bempah, the Founder of the Glorious Word and Power Ministries International.



The GJA condemned the action by Reverend Owusu-Bempah and urged the Police to arrest and prosecute him in order to deter him, his assigns and other like-minded persons from conducting themselves in similar manner.



A statement signed and issued by Mr Affail Monney, the President of the GJA, said in a democratic dispensation, the means to seek redress to grievances are governed by the rule of law and civility.



It said the1992 Constitution under Article 17(1), provided in unambiguous terms that no person is above the law.



We also call on the Christian Council of Ghana, Ghana Catholic Secretariat, Ghana Pentecostal Council, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council and other Christian bodies, and Christendom in general to condemn the violent conduct of Owusu-Bempah, which has brought the name of their faith into contempt, disrepute and ridicule.



It reiterated its call on members and other media practitioners not to be intimidated by deviants of the rule of law who may want to use violence as a weapon to stifle press freedom, adding that they have a constitutional mandate to discharge their duties without fear or favour.



We, however, advise journalists and other media practitioners to uphold high professional standards at all times and endeavour to be a bedfellow of only the truth.



Our calling is to report the truth as stainless as it is and not to mix truth with derogatory, insulting or provocative comments,it said.

Last Friday, March 15, 2019, Owusu-Bempah was reported to have stormed the premises of the radio station in the company of four gun-wielding thugs in search of a presenter of the radio station.



In the process, the Reverend Minister and his armed cohorts allegedly manhandled the Administrator and other staff of the radio station.

The attack on Radio XYZ comes exactly four months after Owusu-Bempah reportedly vandalised studio equipment at Hot FM, another Accra-based radio station. Featuring in a Current Affairs programme on the station on December 13, 2018, he, in a fit of rage, allegedly vandalized the studio equipment.



These two instances of attack on radio stations within a spate of four months are clear indications that the man of God is fast gaining notoriety as a man of violence and for which reason, he must be charged for assault.

Source: GNA









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Some beneficiary communities of governments One-Village-One-Dam policy in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region say the policy has failed to address their irrigational needs as suggested by government.



According to them, the constructed dams in their communities lack facilities for irrigation farming.



They are therefore appealing to the government to expand the dams to include such facilities.



The One-Village-One-Dam policy is aimed at ensuring all-year-round farming in northern Ghana through the construction of irrigation dams in every village.



In the Bongo district, four out of the eight dams awarded for construction have been completed and handed over for use. They are the Kulyenligo, Feo, Ayopia and Kabere dams.



But a few months after their construction, the dams are drying up.



Some residents in these communities, predominantly farmers say, the dams can only be fit for purpose if they are expanded and equipped with irrigation facilities.



Atanga Abire, a farmer at Kulyenligo said, Government has constructed the One-Village-One-Dam here but the dugout is small to contain enough water for irrigation farming. We only use this water for building our mud houses and for our animals to drink. So, we want government to expand the dugout to contain enough water for dry season farming.



The dam cannot give us enough water for our animals not to talk of irrigation. We are not able to do irrigation because the water is not enough and the dams are too small. We want the government to come and expand the dams if only he wants us to do irrigation farming in Feo, Akubire Alhassan also stated.



Another farmer in Kabere added that we have not been sleeping because of this irrigation farming under governments One-Village-One-Dam programme. But if the water in the dugout was enough, we would have engaged in vegetable farming here and will not be going to Kumasi. But the dugout is drying up. So, we want government to expand the dugout for us to enable us to do dry season farming.



But District Chief Executive for Bongo, Peter Ayinbisa says, the One-Village-One-Dam is being constructed in phases, reiterating that the dams meant for irrigation will be constructed soon.

Source: citi









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ghana is seeking a total amount of 22.6 billion dollars as its budget to implement her 31 national actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change from 2020 to 2030.



The country, would therefore, use the platform of the Africa Climate Week, (ACW) being hosted in the Accra from Monday March 18 to Friday March 22, to seek more partnerships to enable her implement her Nationally Determined Contributions (GH-NDCs), Dr Emanuel Techie Obeng, a Principal Programme Officer, at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said.



The theme for the ACW is: Climate Action in Africa: A Race We Can Win, while the NDCs are each countrys national action plans to deal with climate change challenges and help place the globe into low carbon pathway and climate resilient future.



Dr Techie Obeng, who doubles as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) National Focal Point on Climate Education, Training and Public Awareness in Ghana, said 10 billion dollars of the budgeted amount would be needed for climate change mitigation actions in the country, while 12 billion dollars would be used for adaptation actions.



Speaking at an Africa Climate Week Media Encounter Programme, organised by the Climate Action Network-Ghana in partnership with the EPA, Dr Obeng Techie said Ghana was mobilisiing six billion dollars out of the amount from domestic sources while the 16 billion dollars would be mobilised from international sources.



He said the Gh-NDCs also covers seven economic sectors with 20 mitigation and 11 adaptation actions, involving water, agriculture, forestry, energy, gender, among others.



Dr Obeng urged the media to acquaint themselves with climate change issues so they could partner the government and other stakeholders in mobilising action that is threatening human survival.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A proposal by the Business Committee of Parliament for the House to adjourn sine die on Friday, 12 April 2019, was on Friday met with some objection, with calls on the Executive not to stampede the House with eleventh-hour pieces of legislation before it rises.



A discussion on the Business Statement for next week, after it had been read by Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, signaled to the House the need for a firm programming that would allow the House to fulfill its international and global obligations, in addition to domestic parliamentary business.



Citing health concerns for Members of Parliament, Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, raised red flags over the practice where some pieces of legislation from the Executive are brought to the House in the last week of sitting before the House rises.



He complained that long hours of working in the last days was risk on the health of the legislators; and wondered why various governments over the years have waited and rushed proposed legislation on the House few days before rising.



Alhaji Muntaka suggested to the House not to admit any eleventh hour business, with a caution that the Executive cannot stampede us.

Minority Leader and MP for Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu said last-minute proposed legislation does not allow the public, in whom sovereignty rests, to make inputs into the lawmaking process.



Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye, the Speaker of Parliament, agreed that there should be a symbiotic relationship between the Executive and the Legislature, and appealed to the Executive to bring the proposed legislation, but bring them timeously.



The discussions indicated a need to review the date for adjournment, and possibly fix it for 3rd April 2019, in view of international assignments that the House would be engaged in.



Meanwhile, the Majority Leader said the House shall begin sitting beyond the regular adjournment time of 1400 hours, and would add additional days to have enough time to complete its scheduled business.



He urged all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Central Government to endeavour to as soon practicable, to submit to Parliament any outstanding or urgent government business which requires parliamentary action before the House adjourns sine die.

The House also took strong exception to the failure of the Ghanaian public universities to submit their annual reports to the House, in recent years.



When the House sits next week, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu and Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs, said it would ask the Minister of Aviation the steps the Ministry is taking to improve service delivery and customer satisfaction for passengers flying commercial international airlines on the Ghana-Europe and Ghana-America routes.

Source: GNA









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A 41-year-old woman came into the Dearborn Heights Police Department on March 8 at 6:07 p.m. to file an attempted fraud report.

She reported to police that, the day prior, she had applied for a $5,000 loan online through the website speedingcash.com. She was approved for the loan, and $826 was sent to her bank account.

A representative from the website told the victim that they would withdraw the $826 out of her account the next day, and they would then deposit the full $5,000.

Vibe Credit Union caught and denied the original transaction, and informed the woman that it was a fraudulent transaction. The account was closed, and she ultimately did not lose any money.

Officers told the woman how to avoid this type of scam in the future, and advised her to monitor her credit and to ensure new accounts were not opened in her name.
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
Editor's Note, February 22, 2019: With the original information that was published online by the Oregon City Police Department, we believed that Benchmade's services were used to properly destroy the firearms per the ATF's acceptable destruction procedures. We were wrong. Benchmade's services were used to cut up firearms so that the gun pieces could fit into a specific-sized box that the OCPD could then take to a third party for final destruction. The title has also been updated to reflect this information. The previous title was Benchmade Destroys Guns, Internet in Flames.

Over the last day, Benchmade and the Oregon City Police Department have been battered on social media everywhere. Why do you ask? Because Benchmade cut up guns in order to assist the Oregon City Police Department in an effort to comply with the department's policies. Once photos of a Benchmade employee cutting firearms at the Benchmade facility hit the Oregon City Police Facebook page, it didn't take long for 2A supporters to share their thoughts.

WHAT STARTED IT ALL

The initial post was quickly discovered and screenshotted before the Oregon City Police deleted it, presumably as a result of the backlash they received. The post included photos of a shotgun, what appears to be a sword, and a lever action rifle being torch-cut by two unidentified persons. Also on the table was an SKS that wasn't shown being destroyed, but it's safe to assume the rifle suffered the same fate as the ones pictured.

The text of the post read as follows:

Thank you Benchmade Knife Company for assisting us today by cutting up guns that are ready to be destroyed.









Unfortunatly the original post from Oregon City PD didn't include much information beyond there were guns being destroyed and they were in the Benchmade facility.

WHY WERE THE FIREARMS DESTROYED?

We reached out the Oregon City's Community Communications Manager, Kristin Brown, for more information about what was going on in the photos. Brown told us that the police department follows Oregon statute 98.245 and 98.336 when disposing of property. She also stated that the firearms were being cut up in order to be placed into boxes that were too small to fit the long guns in without cutting them to size.

When asked about obvious rifle length boxes in the photo that could have been used for shipping to their third-party contractor responsible for the destruction of property in accordance with state law, Brown said that she wasn't quite sure why the police department didn't use those to ship the firearms slated for destruction. Brown also shared that the police department normally uses a local machine shop to cut firearms to the required size for the box, but for an unknown reason, the machine shop declined to assist the police this time. That is when OCPD turned to Benchmade.

We also reached out to the Oregon City Police Department's Public Information Officer, Captian Shaun Davis, who informed us that it was Benchmade employees that were photographed cutting the firearms, not employees of the city. He also clarified that the third party service that they use for evidence destruction in accordance with state law requires all of the property to be destroyed to fit inside a particular size box. When asked what size the box was, Davis was unable to provide dimensions while speaking with us. While it is within the law for the police department to auction off seized firearms, Davis stated that in the 20 years he has been employed at the Oregon City Police Department, they have never sold firearms to licensed dealers.

HOW THE GUNS WERE DESTROYED

The photos show a Benchmade employee using a plasma cutter to cut the firearms. It should be noted that the ATF gives strict guidelines as to how a firearm is to be properly destroyed and a plasma cutter is not an approved method. The reason that an oxy/acetylene torch is specified in the demilling of firearms is that a larger amount of material is removed when the cut is made as well as the slag left on the edges of the cut. Check out the vintage-feeling, but informative video posted below about the difference between the two types of metal cutting tools.

If the Oregon City Police Department didn't have the tools on hand to properly demill the firearms as mandated by department or city policy, why wouldn't they follow the guidelines of the ATF? Not only does it appear that they used the wrong tool, but the photos don't show a single cut in the prescribed places, likely leaving the receiver intact.

Another question that many were left with is why would the Police Department ask Benchmade for assistance when the Clackamas Fire District Station 5 has the proper equipment on hand. We asked the station and were told that they need to be ready to respond to an emergency at any given moment, using the equipment for non-rescue tasks would jeopardize that readiness. Not a bad answer.

How about the Oregon City Public Works? We reached out to Public Works but weren't able to confirm they have an oxy/acetylene torch at their disposal. It is a rather common piece of equipment and should be a tool that is in common use within Public Works, especially if they have welding equipment.

If you aren't familiar with it, here is the ATF's guide on properly destroying firearms:

SOCIAL MEDIA GOES INTO A FRENZY

As you might expect, 2A supporters angrily took to social media to lambaste Benchmade and the Oregon City Police Department for the destruction of firearms. Memelords like the_engineering_dept, extendoclipazine, and notthe_atf have come up with some reasonably funny Benchmade memes, bringing even more attention to the issue.

Doug at the_engineering_dept nailed the tool used to cut the guns up in the photos and tossed a Benchmade logo on the side.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuISWYpnHSy/

Instagram user extendoclips took a rather predictable stab at the NRA and Yeti while roasting Benchmade.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuIRH7HBqvj/

In yet another meme, user notthe_atf boiled down all of the comments from the 2A community into a single photo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuJqHGvHKkm/

One of the more notable comments left on the Benchmade post with over 3,700 reactions from other users was from Jim Fuller, founder of Rifle Dynamics.

Jim Fuller's comment:

I've been asked by agencies to destroy guns, it's not in my company's business ethics to do that. I myself had a very expensive gun stolen from me, used in a crime, confiscated but I was refused to get it back because it was used in a crime and it was destroyed because some anti-gun politicians mandated it. You guys could have nicely said no.

Many commenters even did some digging into the political donation history of Benchmade. According to OpenSecrets.org, the company has contributed a total of $29,803 since the 2012 election cycle to political candidates. Of that nearly $30,000, the last time that a Republican candidate received a donation was in 2012 for the amount of $500, the remaining $29,303 in donations have been made to Democratic candidates.

It should be noted that Open Secrets has a disclaimer on the bottom of the page that states, The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from organizations' PAC, their individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families, that has been largely ignored by those discussing the political donation aspect.

OREGON CITY POLICE RESPOND

Following the social media outrage, the Oregon City Police removed the original post and replaced it with a more detailed post that read like it was intended as a response to messages sent to the page but was repurposed as a hasty official statement.

Oregon City Police Chief Jim Band and Mayor Dan Holladay's collective response cleared some things up that were left unknown in the first post.

If you read the post carefully, it suggests that the police department was merely present when the guns were cut up. We confirmed with the Oregon City Police Department that the firearms were indeed cut up by employees of Benchmade using Benchmade equipment. They also stated that they took the pieces for final destruction which is confusing. If the firearms had been destroyed per ATF requirements, they could have just tossed them moved on with life. But as previously discussed, the firearms were not completely destroyed and would be shipped to a third party for proper destruction.

From Oregon City:

Good evening, We understand some of our followers are upset with Benchmade knives because of a recent post we put out. The post did not give everyone the full story on why the guns were required to be destroyed. We receive guns that are turned in from community members that they no longer want the guns and want them destroyed. We also have guns that are evidence and when a case is adjudicated the guns are ordered by the court to be destroyed. These guns were required to be destroyed. We reached out to Benchmade to do us a favor at our request. Benchmade is a strong supporter of law enforcement and the Oregon City community. We were present when the guns were cut and we took them for final destruction. We apologize for not informing everyone on the initial post. Benchmade is an excellent company and we urge everyone that had said they no longer support Benchmade to reconsider once they have all the information. Again, we apologize for not informing everyone with our recent post. Respectfully, Chief Jim Band and Mayor Dan Holladay

BENCHMADE RESPONDS Benchmade posted an official statement on their Facebook page following the outburst or anger on social media. The official statement contained a quote from Chief Jim Band that stated the OCPD does not sell firearms and it is the department's policy to destroy them.

From Benchmade:

Benchmade is aware of the recent post from our local Oregon City Police Department.



We apologize for the confusion and concern that this post created. These were firearms that the Oregon City Police Department had to destroy in alignment with their policies. Oregon City Police requested the use of specialty equipment within the Benchmade facility to follow these requirements, and as a supporting partner of our local police force, we obliged the request.



Benchmade is a proud and unwavering supporter of both law enforcement and Second Amendment rights. These are commitments that we do not take lightly and will continue to support well into the future.



When asked for clarity from Oregon City Police Department, Chief Jim Band made the following statement: When property is to be destroyed, it is the policy of the Oregon City Police Department to destroy property, including firearms, in accordance to our procedures and ORS. The Oregon City Police Department does not sell firearms. -Benchmade

CONTINUED OUTRAGE Historically the firearm community is not quick to forgive a company that they feel has donned a red coat and betrayed a founding principle of this county, this time seems to be no different. The continued memes, comments, and other stabs at Benchmade's cooperation with local police haven't slowed in the least. In fact, the amount of comment frequency seems to be increasing by the hour.

Expect this post to be updated with new information as we learn more.
Earlier this month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah met Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and attended Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the highest decision-making body of the ideological fountainhead of the ruling dispensation, to seek support for the Lok Sabha battle.

While the RSS is an inseparable part of the BJP's larger poll machinery, there is a marked change in the narrative this time compared to 2014.



Unlike 2014 when the RSS ran a parallel campaign to ensure that the BJP gets a historic mandate, there is a prevailing sense this time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are extremely capable of pulling it off themselves.





The RSS overdrive in 2014 came as it was considered to be a watershed election at par with 1977 -- when Janata Alliance was able to displace the Congress for the first time -- in terms of its political significance.



New Delhi's political circles are already abuzz with talks that the RSS backs Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for the top job if the BJP falls short of numbers.



Despite a changed narrative this time, the BJP gets the benefit of the vast RSS network across the country. This machinery will come handy again.



IANS takes a look into the extent of the reach of the RSS, how the organization is structured to touch every voter and the issues that will play a major role.



The Organization

The RSS has a slightly different way of looking at the country as an organizational unit. It has a flexible structure spreading into geographical areas comprising Prants or Kshetras (states and regions) and Mandals or Nagar (areas and cities).



In RSS scheme of things, India is divided into 11 Kshetras (regions).



South: It includes Kerala and Tamil Nadu



South Central: It includes south Karnataka, West Andhra Pradesh, East Andhra Pradesh (re-organized after the formation of Telangana).



West: It includes, Konkan, West Maharashtra, Devagiri, Gujarat and Vidharbha.



Central: Malwa, Madhya Bharat, Mahakaushal and Chhattisgarh



North West: Chittor, Jaipur and Jodhpur



North: It is the nerve centre of RSS activities as it includes Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.



West Uttar Pradesh: Uttarakhand, Meerut and Braj.



East Uttar Pradesh: Kanpur, Awadh, Kaashi and Gorakhpur.



North East: North Bihar, South Bihar and Jharkhand.



East: It includes Utkal, South Bengal and North Bengal.



Assam: It includes North Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, South Assam and Manipur.



A vast network of RSS frontal organizations work under this broad geographical structure.



Two primary decision-making bodies of the RSS call the shots -- Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini or the central executive and Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the all-India representative council.



(Source: Know About RSS)



The issues



On Sabarimala case



The SC judgment did not take consideration of all relevant entities and customs and the different opinion of the lone woman member of the bench. It was not binding on the state government to implement the decision in any stipulated time-frame but without understanding the nuances of the judgment, the state government has shown undue haste and political ill-will towards Hindu society by facilitating forcible entry of non-Hindu and non-devotee women in the temple.



On national security and Pulwama attack



The external forces with the help of anti-national elements are giving shape to violent incidents. The attacks on the camps of army and defence forces, intrusive attacks in the border areas by Pakistan army, the recent Pulwama attack are very tragic. Nobody should take our tolerance as sign of our weakness.



On Ram-Janmabhoomi case



The SC has taken a surprising stand instead of accelerating the judicial process to end the long drawn dispute. That the SC should find no priority for this sensitive subject associated with deep faith of Hindu society is beyond understanding. We are experiencing that Hindus are constantly being neglected. While having full respect in the judicial system we would like to say emphatically that judgment on the dispute must expedite and remove obstacles in constructing a grand temple.



(Source: RSS Annual Report 2019 released on March 8)



All the RSS men



Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) insists that it provides only "suggestions" rather than "directives' to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But all the RSS functionary are the eyes, ears and mind of the government as they work among the masses.



From giving feedback on selection of candidates from a constituency to reaching out to every doorstep, RSS takes the lead in mobilizing support for the BJP.



The key RSS functionaries who will play a major role behind the scenes during the Lok Sabha polls:



Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi: The RSS No. 2 handles RSS-BJP coordination. As the operational and executive head of the RSS, Joshi has been instrumental in increasing the number of regular shakhas. He recently said that the society does not run on the basis of Constitution alone as traditions and faith have their own place.



Dattatreya Hosabale: A Sah-Sarakaryavaah (Joint General Secretary), he has been assisting Joshi on organizational issues and played a key role in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections having positioned himself in Lucknow working closely with BJP leaders.



Dr. Krishna Gopal: A Joint General Secretary of the RSS, Krishna Gopal is a key figure in handling the issues between the Sangh and BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He is playing the same role which was performed by Suresh Soni in 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the pointsman between the BJP and RSS. From candidate selection to election management, he is the crucial link.



V. Bhagaiah: A joint General Secretary, Bhagaiah is OBC face. He is managing Sangh's expansion plan in in southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangan. An eloquent speaker, Bhagaiah can converse fluently in Telugu, Hindi and English and always conveys his message powerfully. An ever smiling personality, his slim, healthy body and demeanor defies his age.



Arun Kumar: He is the head of communication department of RSS (Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh). Tall and well-built, Arun Kumar interacts with national media and puts forth the RSS point of view. He has worked for many years in Jammu and Kashmir. Arun Kumar has played in role expanding the RSS organization in the troubled state.
Qualcomm is working with a San Diego software startup thats trying to stamp out Internet fakery by flagging photos and videos that have been tampered with.

The duo has ambitions of one day helping online communities sort real content from the fictitious.

The startup, called Truepic, can recognize whether a photo or video has been manipulated, and says its software can be used to fight the rising problem of deep fake videos made with artificial intelligence, or AI. Equally intriguing, however, is Truepics ability to certify when images and videos are real  a powerful tool for citizen journalists and news organizations, along with businesses worldwide.

Until recently, creating computer-generated videos was a difficult task reserved for Hollywood producers. But last year, crafty developers began experimenting with software tools that could be used by the masses, including a program called FakeApp that allows users to create doctored videos by swapping out the faces of people.

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The victims of deep fakes have largely been famous women, whose faces are often swapped with porn actresses to create realistic-looking sex tapes. But doctored videos also have the potential to disrupt politics. Last May, a viral video of Donald Trump showed the president offering advice to the Belgium people on the issue of climate change. As you know, I had the balls to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, and so should you, he appears to say. It turns out the video was made by a Belgian political party using video manipulation tools.

Deep fakes  a term that plays on the AI phrase deep learning  have risen up during a time of rampant misinformation campaigns online. Riots in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, for example, were fueled by fake stories and online rumors designed to incite and influence political opinion.

Fake news is pervasive and only getting worse, said Craig Stack, co-founder of Truepic.

Why Qualcomm is interested

Qualcomm has been toying with modifying video using AI for years now, said Sherif Hanna, who led Qualcomms product marketing team for the past seven years. Hanna said the company was chewing on many futuristic applications, including a video conferencing tool to aid communication between people speaking different languages.

The idea was to manipulate peoples faces so that, for example, you look like youre speaking Mandarin when really youre speaking English, Hanna said.

But Qualcomm quickly realized this kind of technology could be dangerous in the wrong hands, Hanna said, and started to look for ways to make sure video and photo manipulation could be kept in check.

Executives at Qualcomm first heard of Truepic when the local startup made headlines last June for raising $8 million from venture capitalists. The tech giant got in touch with Truepics founders, Stack and Jeffrey McGregor, to see if they could work together on research and development. Interestingly, Hanna ended up leaving Qualcomm to join Truepics staff shortly after meeting the founders.

Qualcomm spokesman Keith Kressin said the company is working with Truepic to optimize the startups image verification software on their Snapdragon chips.

Qualcomm Technologies will enable Truepic to access additional device information to further improve the security and performance of Truepics image-verification technology, Kressin wrote in an email.

How does the Truepic technology work?

The startups technology works in a few different ways; one is by controlling the original capture of the photo or video by getting people to use their app. This feature is designed for those who want to prove their image is real.

As soon as you press the shutter button, were transferring that data directly to Truepics secure server, said McGregor, who leads as Truepics CEO. Once the image or video lands, we run our certification process on it. We ensure theres been no editing or manipulating. We attach our own metadata to it, and then we store it in perpetuity on our server. So we always have the original copy.

Stack added that 22 different tests are run on the photo or video within 5 seconds. The image, data and security checks are then written into a blockchain to prevent tampering.

Whats better than having this certified by one server? Having it certified by thousands, Stack said.

Users can export a verified and watermarked version of the image, with the Truepic stamp signaling to others that the photo can be trusted. A six-digit code is tied to the image URL, so viewers can double-check what theyre seeing with the verified image on the Truepic server (this prevents scammers from being able to duplicate Truepics watermark).

Stack said the new partnership with Qualcomm could make their technology more secure.

Right now, were still relying on the phones software to give us the image from the camera, Stack said. We can further enhance security if the technology runs directly on the chip.

The partnership with Qualcomm is still in its early days, but Hanna said the implications of such a relationship could be monumental for Truepic. In theory, any smartphone maker using Qualcomms chips could have access to the Truepic technology without having to download their app. For example, the cell hones built-in camera might have a Truepic mode that would allow users to capture authenticated photos and videos, should they choose.

Whos already using it?

Today, the Truepic app is used by doctors, hospital workers and citizen journalists in Syria to document attacks on civilians. The app was used by 16-year-old Muhammad Najem, whose September video (a message to President Trump asking that he protect children like me from chemical attacks) has been seen more than a million times. Stack said the U.S. Department of State is also training citizen journalists in the Middle East to use the Truepic app in their reporting.

Here is my message to President Donald Trump. Transcript in my next tweet.@realDonaldTrump



https://t.co/h8zuNeeK1k pic.twitter.com/EEydR0jIEH  muhammad najem (@muhammadnajem20) September 7, 2018

Stack said the company is in talks with social media companies  including one extremely prominent one  where fakes and forgery can quickly spread. The Truepic app is already used by Reddits popular Ask Me Anything Q&A subjects.

While Truepics fake-news-fighting agenda seems altruistic, the startup also big plans for businesses to use the tool. Thats likely wise, as media companies and citizen journalists arent known for being big spenders. There are many industries, however, that could benefit from photo verification tools: insurance companies verifying photos tied to claims; home rental companies certifying their pictures are accurate and recent; health and beauty companies to legitimize before and after photos; eBay sellers that wish to satisfy a buyers concerns.

Stack was tight-lipped about Truepics existing customers, but the company is on track to rake in $4.5 million in 2019 revenue and has more than 100 clients. Thats not too shabby considering the company was founded in 2015.

The company has raised a total of nearly $10 million in startup capital and employs 25 people at its San Diego headquarters.

Truepics software can identify picture fraud. In this example, Hanna tried to fool the system by taking a picture of a picture on a computer screen to pass it off as authentic. But Truepic caught it and it failed verification. (Courtesy/ Truepic)

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brittany.meiling@sduniontribune.com 619-293-1286 Twitter: @BrittanyMeiling
North County Transit District has postponed the removal of about 90 bus stops, saying it needs more time to address concerns and to post notices at each of the locations to be eliminated.

We are unfortunately behind schedule in deployment of signage at stops slated for removal, said NCTD communications officer Kimy Wall.

Notices must be posted at each stop at least 30 days in advance, she said. As a result, the service that had been scheduled to end April 7 will now end April 21.

NCTD has 30 bus routes with 1,800 stops. Plans call for the elimination of 27 stops in Oceanside, 18 in Escondido, 13 in Encinitas, 11 in Carlsbad, 10 in Vista, seven in Solana Beach and three each in San Marcos and San Diego.

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Each city is represented by one of its city council members on the transit districts board of directors.

Feedback from the city of Solana Beach resulted in the retention of four bus stops there that were previously proposed for elimination, Wall said.

Carlsbad and at least one individual also had questions about some of the stops, she said.

Jason Haber, assistant to the Carlsbad city manager, said there was some back and forth between Carlsbad and transit district officials, but the city did not plan to dispute any of the proposed removals.

Its just been requests for additional information, Haber said.

An Oceanside planning official last week did not object to the closures there and said speeding up service could be an incentive to get more people to ride buses.

Bus ridership has declined across the country for at least the past decade, as people turn to online ride-hailing services such as Uber and other transportation alternatives.

More than 6.4 million bus trips were taken on the districts Breeze buses in 2018, a drop of 26 percent from the 8.7 million trips taken in 2009.

NCTD sent letters in January to all the cities in its service area announcing the optimization program and the specific stops to be eliminated. The program was outlined to the NCTD board in February.

The truth of the matter is weve got to make transit a lot more competitive and a lot better, district Executive Director Matt Tucker told the board. To do that, this is the easy step.

He also suggested that more cuts could be coming.

If you squirm over this, you are really going to squirm later in the process, as we get down to the consolidation and the optimization so we can raise that quality, Tucker said.

No one from the public or on the board objected to any of the closures at the Feburary meeting.

Stops to be eliminated are under-used, have other stops nearby, and have limited or no facilities such as benches and shelters, district officials said. Most have five or fewer riders per day and dont comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Other factors considered included proximity to schools, medical services and disadvantaged communities.

The closures announced for April are the first phase of a program that could include additional eliminations in the second phase. In the third phase, the district plans to add amenities to the most heavily used remaining stops and making them ADA compliant.

The timeline and potential implementation of future phases will largely be addressed based on the results of comprehensive studies that will begin this year, Wall said.

A full list of the stops to be eliminated is posted on the districts website, www.goNCTD.com.

NCTD also has announced it plans to increase fares for the first time in 10 years.

The new fares would be coordinated with changes by the Metropolitan Transit System in San Diego as part of an effort to ease passenger transfers between the two systems.

NCTDs basic one-way bus fare of $1.75 is expected to increase to $2.50, but so far no date has been announced for the new ticket prices to take effect.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
The local choral groups Pacificaires and Cedar Center Chorus are presenting a spring concert showcasing the work of British composer John Rutter, known worldwide for his work in choral music.

To mark the occasion, it has invited Texas Bach Festival music director Barry Williamson as guest conductor.

Williamson, known for his expertise on 18th century music, will direct Rutters Requiem, which the composer completed in 1985.

The program will also include other Rutter pieces, directed by Eunice Williams, that will include his arrangement of When The Saints Go Marching In.

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In addition to the choruses, the concert will also feature an orchestral ensemble.

Williamsons visit as guest conductor reunites him with the two local choirs, both of which performed with other U.S. choirs at Carnegie Hall in 2018  it was a performance of Gabriel Faures Requiem, conducted by Williamson.

Pacificaires and Cedar Center Chorus: Requiem: 4 p.m. April 6. First Baptist Church of Pacific Beach, 4747 Soledad Mountain Road, San Diego. Free. pacificaires.org

Twitter: @outdoorlivingsd

michael.rocha@sduniontribune.com
As if the first year of college isnt anxiety-inducing enough for California teen Lexi, shes been sent off to the University of Connecticut by her mother with a cautionary urban legend planted in her head: Theres a serial killer with a hook for one hand who preys upon young women. Thanks, Mom.

Whether the murderous madman is real in University of California San Diego MFA grad Lauren Yees Hookman is purposely ambiguous. But theres no shortage of graphic evidence in the 2015 play that Yee has referred to as an existentialist slasher comedy that he exists, at the very least on the power of suggestion. Blood turns up everywhere  on clothing, on knives, on Lexis own hands. The Hookman, meanwhile, is a masked figure naturally dressed in black. Or is he just in Lexis mind?

San Diego States School of Theatre, Television and Film is staging Hookman in association with Moxie Theatre under the direction of Moxies executive artistic director, Jennifer Eve Thorn. All the Hookman actors and crew members are SDSU undergrads or graduate students. Hookman was actually workshopped in 2012 at UCSDs Baldwin New Play Festival, the same year Moxie produced Yees A Man, His Wife, and His Hat (since retitled The Hatmakers Wife).

With all the stage blood and the one-act plays cutting takes on college life, Hookman is undoubtedly a treat for the students involved. Kennedy Garcia, playing the lead role of Lexi, admirably carries the show, which is presented in SDSUs rather awkward Experimental Theatre. Her fellow actors, for the most part, are mired in one-note type roles: the text-obsessed roommate, the self-involved blond girl, the slacker-sounding boyfriend.

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The one supporting character who seems like a real person is Lexis best friend, Jess (Dominique Payne). A California flashback to a drive the two are taking from In-N-Out to the movies is Hookmans hook. Jess ends up dead, killed by: A drunk driver? A murderer? Lexis reckless driving? The scene plays out three times in the makeshift chassis of a car onstage.

This ambiguity, it turns out, is necessary for Lexis self-examination and confrontation with her fragile psyche. Everything that goes down in Hookman in between these fateful car scenes, from a grisly murder (the shows one true fright) to a quixotic encounter at a memorial for the dead Jess, is presented as enigmatic or surreal or both.

Further roiling the waters are Yees built-in musings on misplaced victimization, responsibility and culpability, and the complexities in general of trying to find ones place as a young woman in the micro-society of college, one that can be unjust, high-pressure and even predatory. (Lexi confides to Jess, in one driving flashback: I think I was raped.) For existential heft, Joan Didions The Year of Magical Thinking is repeatedly name-dropped, too.

The issues raised are crucial ones, but there are way too many for a 70-minute play in which the visual effects inevitably cause the thoughtful reflections to lag by comparison. Ultimately, the answer to who or what the Hookman is will depend on which aspect of the production resonates most.

Hookman

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Through March 24.

Where: Experimental Theatre, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area

Tickets: $17-$20

Phone: (619) 594-6884

Online: ttf.sdsu.edu and moxietheatre.com

Coddon is a freelancer and a lecturer at San Diego State University.
Jane Elliott is used to speaking her mind. At 85, the fiery anti-racism activist doesnt wait for an introduction before stealing the microphone at a packed San Diego event Saturday.

Can I say something yet? she asks the events organizer, the Rev. Shane Harris, whos been delivering announcements and awards at the podium for the past half hour.

The Peoples Alliance for Justice is holding a reception to honor Womens History Month, shining a spotlight on five women who are leading social justice in San Diego. But Elliott is the headliner.

Harris, the founder and national president of the alliance, is used to commanding the pulpit, but hes a good sport as Elliott sternly points to a chair and orders him to sit down. Its her turn to talk.

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More than 90 people gathered at the Union-Tribunes headquarters to hear Elliott speak. The event was overbooked by about 40 people, with attendees crowding into the back and sidling up to the walls.

Elliott is used to crowds. Shes spent the past 50 years speaking out against racism in America, first thrown into the national spotlight as an unorthodox Iowa school teacher in the 1960s.

The day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Elliott decided to teach her third-grade classroom  all white children  what discrimination feels like. She sorted the students into two groups: blue-eyed kids and brown-eyed ones. The children were told those with brown eyes were smarter, faster and better than people with blue eyes. The brown-eyed students quickly became cruel and entitled, while the blue-eyed ones turned timid.

The exercise proved to Elliott that prejudice is a learned behavior, she said. Which means it can be unlearned.

The classroom activity thrust Elliott into headlines and onto television sets at the height of the civil rights movement, eventually making her the subject of documentaries and textbooks over the years.

Melvin Callender, who drove from Oceanside to hear Elliott speak, said she made an impact on him as a child when he saw her interviewed on Oprah. And Jasmine Johnson, who brought her 8-year-old son Ezra to the event, had watched all of Elliotts speeches on YouTube.

I just wanted to be in the same room with her, Johnson said.

Elliotts speech was direct and rattling. Her overarching message is that racism can be destroyed through education because it is fueled by ignorance more than hate. Its a topic shes as passionate about today as she was 50 years ago. Even her sweatshirt carries the message: Prejudice is an emotional commitment to ignorance.

Its time to get over the idea of different races, theres only one: the human race, Elliott said.

The tiny white-haired woman seemed to captivate her audience, who chorused in approval throughout the speech.

The event also honored five women who are fighting on behalf of civil rights and social justice in San Diego.

They are Angela De Joseph, founder of Women of Color Roar Media; Tinicia Smith, co-founder and president of Black San Diego, a group for businesses and entrepreneurs; Marlea DellAnno, civil rights attorney; Tonja Daniels, president of the Peoples Alliance for Social Justice San Diego chapter; and Malaiha Cole, a 9-year-old who saved her own life and her 3-year-old brothers by calling 911 while being kidnapped.

The Peoples Alliance for Social Justice was founded in September by Harris, who has since moved to Los Angeles. Daniels was appointed president of the local chapter, while Harris leads the national cause.

Attendees live stream Jane Elliotts speech to social media. (Brittany Meiling/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)

The Peoples Alliance for Justice attracted more than 90 attendees. (Brittany Meiling/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)

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brittany.meiling@sduniontribune.com 619-293-1286 Twitter: @BrittanyMeiling
Before Saturday, Marshall Shakro had not gotten a haircut since July 2015, when he shaved his head to support an aunt who had been diagnosed with leukemia.

His aunt, Malvina, died a month later.

On Saturday, in her honor, Shakro, 23, donated about 12 inches of his wavy, brown hair.

He joined hundreds of others in San Diego  men, women, boys and girls  who got a haircut to donate their tresses for two reasons: in an attempt to break a Guinness World Records title and, more importantly, to support a nonprofit that provides wigs to children and young adults affected by medical conditions that cause them to lose their hair.

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Shakro, who had grown to love his locks, grew teary eyed after his fresh cut as he remembered his aunt.

This was all for her, the Los Angeles resident said, but also for the kids. I wanted to give back and donate it and give it to the kids who cant grow hair.

Dubbed The Great Cut, the all-day event at the Port Pavillion on Broadway Pier was organized by The Longhairs, a San Diego-based grooming company that gained exposure last year on the hit show Shark Tank. The company persuaded businessman Mark Cuban to invest $100,000 for 20 percent equity.

On Saturday the goal was to break the Guinness World Records title for the most amount of hair donated to charity in 24 hours. The record was set in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 14, when more than 2,000 people donated 338 pounds of hair total during a beauty event.

The Longhairs announced Sunday that 339 pounds of hair were donated during the San Diego event, surpassing the previous record by a pound.

Inside the Port Pavillion on Saturday, hairdressers from San Diego and beyond who volunteered to give free haircuts laid out their tools on tables  their scissors, combs, water mist spray bottles, hair clips, mirrors, hair straighteners and dryers.

The hair they cut will be donated to Children With Hair Loss, a Michigan-based nonprofit founded in 2000 by Regina Villemure, whose niece was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3. She is now in her 30s.

Villemures nonprofit each year provides more than 500 wigs to children and young adults 21 and under at no cost.

When theyre first losing their hair, its absolutely devastating, Villemure said of the group her organization helps. Every day some of them watch their hair fall out. And as their hair falls out, so does their self esteem.

The wigs, she said, rebuilds their confidence within minutes.

Its a smile that you can never take out of your mind and your heart, she said.

1 / 19 Gene Morel of Kansas City Missouri, left, takes video of himself while Sonya Cortez, right, cuts his hair during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 19 Soodi Pourhassan cuts the hair of Christopher Kindred of Orlando, Florida, which took him three years to grow, during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 19 Guillermo Flamenco, left, of Los Angeles, has his hair cut by Melanie Lucia during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss, to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 19 Melanie Lucia, left, finishes cutting the hair of Guillermo Flamenco, right, of Los Angeles during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 19 Lisandro Antonio cuts the hair of eight-year-old Dahlia Beach of Pheonix during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 19 Locks of hair in boxes during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 19 Sarah Krzemien, left, and Clay Orey, right, measure locks of hair before placing them in boxes during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 19 Brittany Dunn, a Guinness World Records adjudicator watches as hair is cut during The Great Cut, held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the world record for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 19 Sam Sawyer holds his hair that took him two years to grow, and was cut during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 19 The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 19 Sonya Cortez holds hair she cut during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 19 Stacy Godwin cuts the hair of Kevin Gavin of Pasadena during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 19 Eight-year-old Dahlia Beach, left, of Pheonix has her picture taken by Lisandro Antonio, right, during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 19 Kasey Johnson, left, cuts the hair of five-year-old Alexia Cuevas, right, of National City during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 19 Jenna Freitas of Escondido cuts the hair of David Ryan, right, of Fresno during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 19 Lindsey DeLauder, left, cuts the hair of Tiffany Vilchis, right, of Paradise Hills during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 19 Courtney Neyhart, left, of Oceanside, has her hair cut by Stephanie Starboard, right, of Jamul during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 19 Dale Devore of Yuma, Arizona has his hair cut by Soodi Pourhassan during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 19 Soodi Pourhassan finishes cutting the hair of Christopher Kindred of Orlando, Florida, which took him three years to grow, and he live streamed during The Great Cut held at the Broadway Pier, an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most hair cut in a 24-hours. The hair will be used by the nonprofit charity, Children With Hair Loss to make wigs for children who cant grow their own hair. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Stephanie Smith, of Sabattus, Maine, remembers the smile on her daughters face after she put on a wig for the first time. Her daughter, Mahala-Dineh, has alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair to fall out. Within three months in 2017, Mahalas long, brown hair fell out.

It was pretty hard for me, Mahala, 17, said. A teenage girl is all about hair, all about dressing up for dances.

She spent more time in her room alone and less time with friends. At school she was picked on.

It was very hard for me to watch as a parent because it wasnt something I couldnt fix, Smith said.

While it took time to get comfortable with the idea of a wig, Mahala became confident once again. So confident she decided to not wear a wig to the event on Saturday.

Ive definitely become a stronger person, she said.

Villemure said Children With Hair Loss provides wigs to young adults up to age 21 to allow them to complete college and enter the workforce as confident adults.

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez

UPDATES:

10 p.m. on March 17: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 6:15 p.m. on March 16.
Thousands mourned the Ethiopian plane crash victims on Sunday, accompanying 17 empty caskets draped in the national flag through the streets of the capital as some victims relatives fainted and fell to the ground.

The service came one day after officials began delivering bags of earth to family members of the 157 victims of the crash instead of the remains of their loved ones because the identification process is expected to take such a long time.

Family members confirmed they were given a 1 kilogram (2.2 pound) sack of scorched earth taken from the crash site. Many relatives already have gathered at the rural, dusty crash site outside Ethiopias capital.

The victims Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 came from 35 countries and included many humanitarian workers headed to Nairobi.

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Elias Bilew said he had worked with one of the victims, Sintayehu Shafi, for the past eight years.

He was such a good person, Bilew said. He doesnt deserve this. He was the pillar for his whole family.

French investigators said Saturday night that they had successfully downloaded the cockpit recorder data and had transferred it to the Ethiopian investigation team without listening to the audio files. Work on the flight data recorder resumed Sunday but no additional details were given.

Experts from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the planes manufacturer Boeing are among those involved in the investigation.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has said satellite-based tracking data shows that the movements of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 were similar to those of Lion Air Flight 610, which crashed off Indonesia in October, killing 189 people. Both involved Boeing 737 Max 8 planes.

The planes in both crashes flew with erratic altitude changes that could indicate the pilots struggled to control the aircraft. Shortly after their takeoffs, both crews tried to return to the airports but crashed.

The United States and many other countries have now grounded the Max 8s as the U.S.-based company faces the challenge of proving the jets are safe to fly amid suspicions that faulty sensors and software contributed to the two crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.

Associated Press writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
Thousands of people paid tribute Sunday at makeshift memorials to the 50 people slain by a gunman at two mosques in Christchurch, while dozens of Muslims stood by to bury the dead when authorities finally release the victims bodies.

Hundreds of flowers were piled up amid candles, balloons and notes of grief and love outside the Al Noor mosque and the citys botanic gardens. As a light rain fell, people clutched each other and wept quietly.

We wish we knew your name to write upon your heart. We wish we knew your favorite song, what makes you smile, what makes you cry, read one of the tributes, which contained cut-out paper hearts under a nearby tree. We made a heart for you. 50 hearts for 50 lives.

Two days after Fridays attack, New Zealands deadliest shooting in modern history, relatives were still waiting for authorities to release the bodies. Islamic law calls for bodies to be cleansed and buried as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours.

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Supporters arrived from across the country to help with the burials in Christchurch and authorities sent in backhoes to dig graves at a site that was newly fenced off and blocked from view with white netting.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities hoped to release all the bodies by Wednesday, and Police Commissioner Mike Bush said authorities were working with pathologists and coroners to complete the task as soon as they could.

We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen, Bush added. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible.

Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some who were waiting for any news.

The suspect in the shootings, 28-year-old white supremacist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, appeared in court Saturday amid strict security, shackled and wearing all-white prison garb, and showed no emotion when the judge read one murder charge and said more would likely follow.

Tarrant had posted a jumbled 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto online before the attacks and apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the slaughter.

Facebook said it removed 1.5 million videos of the shootings during the first 24 hours after the massacre.

The revelation in a late Saturday tweet provided a chilling snapshot of how quickly provocative  and often disturbing  images circulate on the internet.

Ardern said the gunman had sent the manifesto to her office email about nine minutes before the attacks, although she hadnt gotten the email directly herself. She said her office was one of about 30 recipients and had forwarded the email to parliamentary security within a couple of minutes of receiving it.

Bush said at a news conference that another body had been found at Al Noor mosque as they finished removing the victims, bringing the number of people killed there to 42. Another seven people were killed at Linwood mosque and one more person died later at Christchurch Hospital.

Thirty-four wounded remained at the hospital, where officials said 12 were in critical condition. A 4-year-old girl at a childrens hospital in Auckland was also listed as critical.

Stunned Christchurch residents trying to make sense of the tragedy tied large messages of support to the fence of the botanical gardens where flowers were piling up.

We are a nation who will never accept acts like this!!!, said a poster-sized message decorated with hearts. We stand with the Muslim community. We will always fight for the safety of our community. We will always stand as one.

Some people sang tributes and others prayed as camera crews from around the world filmed the moving scenes.

We are supposed to be a safe place to go about your business and regardless of what your faith is no one shouldve had to go through what we went through on Friday, city resident Russell Falcome-Price said.

Dozens of Muslim supporters gathered at a center set up for victims, families and friends across the road from the hospital, where many had flown in from around New Zealand to offer support. About two dozen men received instructions on their duties Sunday, which included Muslim burial customs.

Abdul Hakim, 56, of Auckland, was among many who had flown in to help.

As soon as people die, we must bury them as soon as possible, Hakim said. We are all here to help them in washing the body, putting them in the grave.

Javed Dadabhai, who flew from Auckland after learning about the death of his 35-year-old cousin, Junaid Mortara, said the Muslim community was being patient.

The family understands that its a crime scene. Its going to be a criminal charge against the guy whos done this, so they need to be pretty thorough, he said.

Still, it was hard, he said, because the grieving process wouldnt really begin until he could bury his cousin.

People across the country were still trying to come to terms with the massacre that Ardern described as one of New Zealands darkest days.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis offered prayers for our Muslim brothers killed in the attack. At his traditional Sunday prayer, Francis renewed an invitation to unite in prayer and gestures of peace to oppose hatred and violence.

The gunman livestreamed 17 minutes of the rampage at the Al Noor mosque, where he sprayed worshippers with bullets. Facebook, Twitter and Google scrambled to take down the video, which was widely available on social media for hours after the bloodbath.

The second attack took place at the Linwood mosque about 3 miles away.

Ardern has said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who legally bought the five guns he used.

At a news conference, the prime minister reiterated her promise that there will be changes to the countrys gun laws. She said her Cabinet will discuss the policy details Monday.

Arden used some of her strongest language yet about gun control, saying that laws need to change and they will change.

Neighboring Australia has virtually banned semi-automatic rifles from private ownership since a lone gunman killed 35 people with assault rifles in 1996.

Before Fridays attack, New Zealands deadliest shooting in modern history took place in 1990 in the small town of Aramoana, where a gunman killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbor.

___

Associated Press writers Kristen Gelineau and Stephen Wright in Christchurch, and Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed.
Electric scooters and how to regulate them is a key issue emerging between two leading candidates running for mayor in 2020.

Councilwoman Barbara Bry and Assemblyman Todd Gloria, who are both Democrats, differ on requiring adult scooter riders to wear helmets and on how open the city should be to banning scooters in highly congested areas like the citys boardwalks.

Gloria helped pass new state legislation last fall eliminating a requirement that adult scooter users wear helmets. Bry lobbied against that law, contending cities should be allowed to regulate helmet use.

She also lobbied unsuccessfully for a temporary ban on scooters on boardwalks last summer. Bry says bans make sense in congested areas, where the differing speeds of pedestrians, bicyclists and scooters create chaos and increase injury risk.

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Gloria says bans could make sense in rare cases but he is optimistic about using geofencing to automatically slow scooters to a maximum speed of 8 mph in sensitive areas.

Both candidates say they are frustrated that San Diego has yet to pass scooter legislation while many other California cities did so months ago.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer released a long-awaited set of proposed rules last month, but nothing has been adopted.

Bry says Faulconer should have followed the lead of some other large cities and imposed a moratorium on scooters a year ago and then required scooter companies to submit proposals and agree to pay city fees.

Gloria said that wouldnt have been unreasonable, but Faulconer and the City Council also could have crafted regulations that would have boosted safety while allowing scooters to keep operating. He says scooter regulations must balance safety with the fostering of a new transportation option that could help the city meet climate action goals, reduce traffic and free up urban parking spaces.

Legislation is always a balance, not just with scooters, he said this week. Its particularly difficult when you have something that is entirely new.

Bry agreed that scooters have enormous potential but said that shouldnt outweigh safety concerns. She added the city is spending many millions on a vision zero plan that seeks to eliminate all transportation-related fatalities.

We have this great vision zero plan, so why should we accept less for scooters? she said. I want the riders to be safe and I want the pedestrians to be safe.

On helmets, Gloria stressed that state legislation eliminating the requirement for those 18 and older simply applied to scooters the same rules governing adult bicycle riders.

I think its clear that requiring helmets for all users would have significant impacts on the use of these scooters, he said.

He also noted that the law, which Bry unsuccessfully lobbied former Gov. Jerry Brown to veto, created other scooter restrictions, such as requiring drivers licenses for users, setting maximum speeds, prohibiting double riding and creating parking regulations.

Because of the citys lack of action on regulating scooters, these are the only protections that San Diegans actually have, Gloria said.

Gloria said a better safety solution than helmets is creating more infrastructure, such as protected lanes and pathways for bikes and scooters.

Bry supports that infrastructure, contending the city should be requiring scooter companies to pay sizable fees to help the city create it.

These scooter companies have raised millions of dollars and they expect to pay reasonable fees, she said. Right now, they make money off of our infrastructure and pay us nothing.

Faulconers proposed regulations would require the scooter companies to utilize geofencing technology to restrict scooter speeds to 8 mph in designated zones including several parks, parts of the downtown harbor and boardwalks in Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and La Jolla. The companies

Bry said the mayors plan would rely on that approach in too many areas, suggesting bans are likely necessary in several places.

The regions first scooter fatality took place in Chula Vista in December, when a car struck a scooter from behind. A man suffered serious injuries in another crash last Wednesday in downtown San Diego.

There are lots of injuries  many people dont go to emergency rooms and dont report them, Bry said.

Bry and Gloria are considered the leading candidates among 11 people who have officially filed for the 2020 mayoral election. Faulconer cant run for re-election because of term limits.

Thanks partly to backlash against President Donald Trump, Democrats enjoy a nearly 20-percentage-point registration advantage over Republicans in the city.

Bry, 69, says her experience as a technology entrepreneur before being elected to council in 2016 makes her the ideal candidate for the job. She has criticized Gloria as a career politician.

Gloria, 40, says San Diego needs a leader who has overcome adversity and reflects the increasingly diverse city. He is Latino, Native American and Filipino, and would be the citys first gay mayor.

Other candidates filing papers to run for mayor so far are Cory Briggs, an environmental attorney and vocal City Hall critic; Tasha Williamson, an advocate for victims of police violence; Bonnie Eisner, Richard Hansen, Beatrice Marion, Rich Riel, Cedric Green and JErek Evans.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
For todays Back Story, senior reporter Peter Rowe delves into the challenges of capturing the experience of living in cars parked by the beach.

Q. How did you find these people?

A. I decided to canvas San Diegos coastline, from south to north. My first stop was a dirt parking lot above Sunset Cliffs, but the only folks there were surfers or people on lunch break, enjoying the spectacular vista. No one was camping overnight.

Q. Why not?

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A. That lot lacks an essential amenity: a restroom. My next stop, the parking lot by the Ocean Beach lifeguard station, had facilities and perhaps a dozen over-nighters.

Q. In your reporting, did anything surprise you?

A. Yes. I had expected to find down-and-out people living in rusting hulks. For the most part, that wasnt the case. Some of the poorest van people  latter-day hippies whose vehicles looked like they had been liberated from junkyards  didnt seem eager to find jobs or move into an apartment. They seemed to relish the freedom to come and go as they pleased.

For others, though, living in a vehicle is their least-bad option. Theyve been forced out of housing and this is slightly better than sleeping rough, exposed to the elements.

Q. How old were these people?

A. Living in a vehicle  even an RV  for months or years at a time is not for the faint of heart or creaky of joint. The youngest I interviewed was 22; the oldest, 59.

Q. Besides age, what other divisions did you find among the van people?

A. Theres a hierarchy of vehicles. As I mentioned, some are rolling wrecks. Other are sleek, late-model vans or RVs that have most of the conveniences of home. One van had a sink, small refrigerator and laminated fake wood floor. The interior was as tidy and compact as a racing yacht.

Q. One person you talked to had lived in vehicles for years, yet always avoided beach parking lots. Why?

A. Safety concerns. Compared to the safe parking lots run by local nonprofits, beach lots have a frontier atmosphere  its something like the Wild West.

Q. How so?

A. There are occasional incidents. There are loud arguments, fist fights. One man told me that a rental scooter had been thrown at his vehicles windshield. Some over-nighters are neat, picking up after themselves and their pets. Others are slobs, scattering trash and even animal and human feces.

Q. How well policed are these lots?

A. Not well, according to the van people. We dont pay taxes, one said, so the police dont care. Others insist the police pounce on the smallest infraction, citing van people for blocking sidewalks or sleeping in public.

Q. Did you witness that?

A. No. The only interaction with law enforcement we witnessed  we, because photographer Howard Lipin was there and captured this  was an officer warning one of the van people to put his dog on a leash. She was firm but polite.

Q. Now that the law against sleeping in vehicles has been repealed, are van people living in beach lots round the clock?

A. No. There are still parking restrictions. The beach lots I visited all prohibit parking for certain late-night or early-morning hours. At La Jolla Shores, for instance, cars must leave no later than 10 p.m. and cannot return until 4 a.m.

Q. Weve heard from residents who fear transients will overwhelm beach lots this summer. Do you think that will happen?

A. Good question, and I dont have an answer. This is a mobile population, often moving to other parts of the country. But as one told me, I always come back. Its beautiful here and you are on the ocean.
A dozen tenants of a Scripps Ranch apartment building were displaced when a fire broke out in a downstairs unit on Saturday.

No one was injured and all residents got out safely, a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department official said.

The blaze was reported at 1:20 p.m. at the complex on Erma Road off Scripps Ranch Boulevard.

Flames that erupted in the first-floor apartment quickly spread from the patio to the balcony of the unit above, and then burned through the roof, a fire official said. Fire crews called for a second-alarm response to get additional fire engines.

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It took firefighters about 45 minutes to knock down most of the blaze.

A fire official said the Red Cross was called to assist 12 tenants displaced in five apartments.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @pdrepard
President Donald Trump is again training his fire on the late Sen. John McCain, nearly seven months after the Arizona Republicans death from brain cancer.

Trumps tweets over the weekend prompted a rebuke from the senators daughter Meghan McCain and from some lawmakers.

On Saturday, Trump quoted former independent counsel Ken Starr, who criticized McCain on a recent Fox News show. In the segment, Starr referred to reports that a McCain ally had shared with the media parts of a dossier that allegedly included information linking Trump to the Russian government.

Trump piled on in his Saturday night tweet, criticizing McCain - as he has repeatedly done on the campaign trail and in interviews - for his vote against repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017.

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Meghan McCain tweeted in response: No one will ever love you the way they loved my father ... I wish I had been given more Saturdays with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine?

Sunday morning, Trump was at it again.

Returning to the subject of the Steele dossier, Trump incorrectly stated that John McCain, who the president claimed had been last in his class at the U.S. Naval Academy, had sent the Fake Dossier to the FBI and Media hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election.

He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual). Even the Fake News refused this garbage! Trump said in the tweet.

No one will ever love you the way they loved my father.... I wish I had been given more Saturdays with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine? https://t.co/q7ezwmHiQ4  Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 16, 2019

Meghan McCain responded to Trump via Twitter.

My father lives rent free in your head, she said in a tweet that later appeared to have been deleted.

Trumps tweet contained three errors. McCain, a member of the Naval Academys class of 1958, graduated fifth from last in his class. The senator was not made aware of the Steele dossier until Nov. 18, 2016 - after Trump had won the election. And there is no evidence that McCain gave the dossier to the media.

Former McCain aide David Kramer, a Russia expert, testified in a deposition in the BuzzFeed libel case in Florida that he gave the dossier to the media in December 2016. McCain himself gave the dossier to the FBI, but there is no evidence that he gave it to the media.

The libel suit was filed by a Russian technology mogul, who argued that the news outlet defamed him when it published the dossier. BuzzFeed prevailed in the suit in December, when a judge found the organization had the right to publish the dossier. In response to a request from the New York Times, the judge last week unsealed documents related to the suit, including Kramers deposition, which is why the topic is again back in the news.

Some of McCains former Senate colleagues defended him in the wake of Trumps tweet.

On CNNs State of the Union, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a 2020 presidential contender, called Trumps attacks on McCain just another outrageous action by the president.

John McCain was a war hero, Klobuchar said. He served our country well. And he died. And the courage he showed in life was matched - when he was in that cell for five years in Vietnam, as a prisoner of war - was matched by the courage he showed us when he died.

Klobuchar also defended McCains handling of the dossier, arguing that turning it over to the FBI was the right thing to do.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was one of McCains closest allies on Capitol Hill but who pivoted to fully embrace Trump after the senators death, praised McCain on Twitter but made no mention of the president or his remarks.

As to @SenJohnMcCain and his devotion to his country: He stepped forward to risk his life for his country, served honorably under difficult circumstances, and was one of the most consequential senators in the history of the body, Graham said. Nothing about his service will ever be changed or diminished.

The Washington Posts Rosalind S. Helderman and Colby Itkowitz contributed to this report.

First published by The Washington Post
An Australian Senator who blamed the New Zealand mosque attacks on Muslim immigration threw punches at a 17-year-old boy, who cracked an egg over his head in wake of the mass shootings.

Video recorded during his appearance before press in Melbourne, sees Senator Fraser Anning directly addressing cameras when the teen approaches him from behind, raising an egg over the politicians shoulder. The moment it shatters, Anning whips around and throws two punches at the boy before several of his supporters step in to help, tackling the teen to the ground.

The 17-year-old was arrested and later released without charge, a Victoria police spokeswoman told 7 News. Authorities said no charges have been filed against Anning or the men who pinned the boy to the ground, adding that the entire incident is still under investigation.

Anning, a Queensland lawmaker, in a statement earlier in the day said New Zealands immigration policy prompted the carnage in the city of Christchurch Friday afternoon, adding that it highlights a growing fear over an increasing Muslim presence.

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As always, left-wing politicians and the media will rush to claim that the causes of todays shootings lie with gun laws or those who hold nationalist views but this is all cliched nonsense, he said.

The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration programme which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place.

Anning noted that he is utterly opposed to any form of violence within our community and I totally condemn the actions of the gunman.

However, whilst this kind of violent vigilantism can never be justified, what it highlights is the growing fear within our community, both in Australia and New Zealand, of the increasing Muslim presence, he continued, dubbing Islam the religious equivalent of fascism.

He later took to Twitter to double down on his remarks.

Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence? he asked.

In a follow-up tweet, Anning wrote: I wonder if there will be as much outrage from the left wing when the next Muslim terrorist attack occurs? Most likely silence and talk about lone wolf attacks, mental illness and no connection to Islam.

Annings remarks were in response to a targeted attack on two separate mosques in the city of Christchurch, located on a New Zealands south Island. At least 49 people were killed during weekly prayer service Friday afternoon  30 of them at the Masjid Al Noor Mosque while at least another 10 were fatally shot at the Linwood Masjid Mosque.

Officials said dozens more, some of them children, were also seriously injured in what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern dubbed a clear terrorist attack.

Three people were arrested in connection with the incident, including a 28-year-old from Australia, identified as Brenton Tarrant, who was charged with one count of first-degree murder during his initial court appearance. Hes accused of strapping a camera to his head and carrying out the shootings at both mosques.

Political leaders and people across social media were quick to rebuke Anning for his comments in wake of the New Zealand tragedy. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison slammed the lawmaker in a series of tweets, writing that his disgusting views did not belong in parliament.

New Zealand like Australia, is home to people from all faiths, cultures and backgrounds, he said. There is absolutely no place in either of our countries for the hatred and intolerance that has bred this extremist terrorist violence and we condemn it.
Athletes are famous for having butterflies before their event. Nerves, you know.

Coronados Alysah Hickey had her own encounter with butterflies  the real kind  en route to setting a school record and San Diego Section yearly best of 5-101/2 in the high jump Saturday at the first University City Track Classic.

That came after she long jumped a legal personal best of 20 feet, 2 inches while hitting 20-9 on her final attempt. Except for the fact it was aided by an over-the-allowable 2.8 meter-per-second breeze, it was superior to the section record of 20-7 by Sweetwaters Gail Devers in 1984.

And both marks shared the spotlight at the UC meet with a 2019 state-best 13-4 in the pole vault by Rancho Bernardo sophomore Ashley Callahan.

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About those butterflies.

It appears University City High must be in a butterfly migration corridor and one of the first warm days of the year brought them out in droves.

They were swarming, hitting me on my arms, and I just laughed, said Hickey, a senior bound for the University of Oregon. I just thought, OK, lets go, get that record. 

That was in reference to the school mark of 5-101/4 set in 2005 by Jamie Klages. Last year, Hickey cleared 5-10 at Mt. SAC not knowing that the school mark was just a quarter-inch higher.

I had them put the bar at 5-61/2, then an inch and a half higher at 5-8, said Hickey. I knew Id go to 5-101/2 if I cleared 5-8.

Finally, I got back to 5-10, but this time I made sure it was 5-101/2.

Although she missed here first try, she simply moved her step back a little to make up for the added height. On her second attempt  her ninth jump of the day  Hickey sailed over and immediately jumped up and down in the pit.

The bar went to 5-111/4 and her first and third attempts were very close misses with her heels tipping the crossbar, bringing it down.

That 5-101/2 leads the state and is No. 3 all-time in the section.

As for the long jump, she moved to No. 2 in the state this year and improved on her own best of 20-01/2 last summer at No. 4 all-time in the section. Had the 20-9 attempt been wind-legal, it would have been a record, but Hickey did not seem concerned.

As for Callahan, she cleared 13-1 easily, she bounced the bar but cleared 13-4 on her second try and then took three attempts at a section record 13-7 with her second try the closest.

My goal now is 13-10 and I want to get on a bigger pole, said the Broncos sophomore, who didnt even know she was going to be in the meet until Monday.

I always have bigger goals. I wanted 13-4 and I got it. We had a great tailwind and I felt energized before I jumped.

Other quality marks included:

- 2:17.88 by Coronados Teresa Perez in the 800.

- 43.14 by the St. Augustine boys 4x100 relay team.

- 57.36 in the 400 by Katriina Wright of University City.

Brand is a freelance writer.
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- The latest market intelligence study on the Ammunition market applies the best of both primary and secondary research techniques to bring to light the growth rate of the Ammunition market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026. The comprehensive study covers hard to find facts about the market landscape as well as its growth prospects in the years to come. Most importantly, the research report includes vital statistics about the major vendors occupying a strong foothold in this industry. Besides this, in order to calculate the market share, the study takes a closer look at the selling price of the product across different regions.



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Scope of the Report: The researcher assessing the Ammunition market dive deep to unearth intangible facts related to the key restraints, opportunities, and threats expected to shape the progress of the industry during the forecast period, 2019 - 2026. Significant evaluation of other factors such as demand and supply status, import and export, distribution channel, consumption volume, and production capability play a vital role in offering business owners, stakeholders and field marketing personnel a competitive edge over others operating in the same space. All important data are presented in self-explanatory charts, tables and graphic images that can be incorporated into any business presentation.



Market Segment on the basis of manufacturers, the report covers:

Orbital Atk, Vista Outdoors, Rosoboronexport, Olin Corporation (Winchester Ammunition), Ruag Group (Ruag Ammotec AG), FN Herstal, Nammo, Nexter, BAE Systems, Poongsan Defense, IMI (Israel Military Industries), General Dynamics, Day & Zimmermann, Rheinmetall Defence, Finmeccanica, Bazalt, Zavod Plastmass, National Presto, China North Industries Corp (NORINCO), CSGC



Market by Type

- Small Caliber Ammunition

- Medium Caliber Ammunition

- Large Caliber Ammunition



Market by Application

- Military

- Law Enforcement

- Civilian



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The study explores in details about the recent trend fast gaining momentum in the Ammunition industry due to factors including but not limited to growing customer preference and a sudden rise in their spending capacity. Aspects attributed to the gross margin, profit, supply chain management and product value and their considerable impact on the development of the Ammunition market during the forecast period, 2019 - 2026 is carefully scrutinized during the research.



Estimating the potential size of the Ammunition industry:

Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the Ammunition industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user  customers. Data on the entire size of the Ammunition market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the Ammunition industry for a specific product or service.



Exploring growth rate over a period:

Business owners looking to scale up their business can refer this report that contains data regarding the rise in sales within a given consumer base for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. Product owners can use this information along with the driving factors such as demographics and revenue generated from other products discussed in the report to get a better analysis of their products and services. Besides, the research analysts have compared the market growth rate with the product sales to enable business owners to determine the success or failure of a specific product or service.



The research provides answers to the following key questions:

- What is the estimated size of the Ammunition market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026? What will be the growth rate of the industry during the estimated period?

- What are the prominent driving forces likely to impact the progress of the industry across different regions?

- Who are the major market players occupying a strong foothold in the Ammunition market? What are the winning strategies adopted by them to stay ahead in the competition?

- What are the potential opportunities for the Ammunition market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026?



There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the global Ammunition market.



Chapter 1 covers the Ammunition Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;



Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2019 and 2026;



Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2019 and 2026;



Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Ammunition, for the period 2019- 2026;



Continue



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Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- A business phone system is used in business environment that surrounded by small key telephone system (KTS) to the large private branch exchange (PBX). The current trend in this system is of use of cloud hosted VoIP unified communication where expensive PBX is not required. With growing need for enterprise mobility, new technologies are expected to shape the very market. Business Phone Systems are subjected to data breach and stringent regulations are in place to protect the same regulatory bodies such as General Data Protection Regulation (EU) and the Privacy Shield (USA). As per GDPR, Controllers of personal data must put in place appropriate technical and organizational measures to implement the data protection principles.



Advance Market Analytics recently introduced Business Phone Systems Market study with in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status to 2023. Business Phone Systems Market explores effective study on varied sections of Industry like opportunities, size, growth, technology, demand and trend of high leading players. It also provides market key statistics on the status of manufacturers, a valuable source of guidance, direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.



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Major Key Players in This Report Include,

Cisco [United States], ESI [United States], Nextiva [United States], Toshiba [Japan], ShoreTel Sky [United States], 8x8 [United States], Avaya [United States], FortiVoice [Canada], AT&T [United States], Vonage Business Solutions [United States], Huawei [China], Microsoft [United States], Lenovo [Hong Kong], Ooma Office [United States], RingCentral [United States], ShoreTel [United States] and NEC [Japan]



The report focuses on Global Business Phone Systems Market major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What's more, the market development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.



The market study is being classified by Type, by Application and major geographies with country level break-up that includes South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Europe (Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Rest of Europe), MEA (Middle East, Africa), North America (United States, Canada, Mexico).



The research methodology used to estimate and forecast the Business Phone Systems Market began with capturing data from the key vendors' revenue and market size of the individual segments through secondary sources, industry associations, and trade journals, such as the World Analytics Association and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. The bottom-up procedure was employed to arrive at the overall market size of the market from the individual segments. After arriving at the overall market size, the total market was split into several segments and sub segments, which were then verified through primary research by conducting extensive interviews with the key industry personnel, such as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Vice Presidents (VPs), directors, and executives. The data triangulation and market breakdown procedures were employed to complete the overall market engineering process and arrive at the exact statistics for all the segments and sub segments.



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Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Business Phone Systems Market:

1. Market Overview

1.1. Introduction

1.2. Scope/Objective of the Study

1.2.1. Research Objective

2. Executive Summary

2.1. Introduction

3. Market Dynamics

3.1. Introduction

3.2. Market Drivers

3.2.1. Growing Need for Enterprise Mobility

3.2.2. Growing Adoption of the Cloud and Unified Communication

3.2.3. Reduced Total Cost of Ownership

3.3. Market Challenges

3.3.1. Rising Concern About Quality of Service

3.3.2. Network Limitations

3.4. Market Trends

3.4.1. Growing Use of Cloud Based Private Branch Exchange (PBX)

3.4.2. Hybrid Key Telephone System with Support of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

4. Market Factor Analysis

4.1. Porters Five Forces

4.2. Supply/Value Chain

4.3. PESTEL analysis

4.4. Market Entropy

4.5. Patent/Trademark Analysis

5. Global Business Phone Systems, by Type, Application and Region (value) (2013-2018)



Finally, Business Phone Systems Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies.



Data Sources & Methodology



The primary sources involves the industry experts from the Business Phone Systems Market including the management organizations, processing organizations, analytics service providers of the industry's value chain. All primary sources were interviewed to gather and authenticate qualitative & quantitative information and determine the future prospects.



In the extensive primary research process undertaken for this study, the primary sources  Postal Surveys, telephone, Online & Face-to-Face Survey were considered to obtain and verify both qualitative and quantitative aspects of this research study. When it comes to secondary sources Company's Annual reports, press Releases, Websites, Investor Presentation, Conference Call transcripts, Webinar, Journals, Regulators, National Customs and Industry Associations were given primary weight-age.



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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Troops of India and Pakistan Saturday exchanged heavy fire and targeted each other's positions on Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir, Indian military said.

The two sides exchanged fire in frontier Poonch district, about 180 km southwest of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, a defense ministry spokesperson said.

The exchange went on for sometime but so far no loss of life was reported in the skirmishes on either side.

For the past around two weeks there has been a flare up on LoC in Kashmir. Both Indian as well as Pakistan controlled parts have suffered civilian as well as troop casualties during the skirmishes.

The daily firings have forced population on both sides of the divide to migrate to safer locations.

The latest tension between New Delhi and Islamabad grew after India carried out an air strike inside Pakistan, triggering a retaliation. Though the situation has de-escalated to some extent following calls of restraint from several countries, the situation on LoC remains yet to show desired results.
Sarasota, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/15/2019 -- Global Fast Food Wrapping Paper Market: Overview



Wrapping paper is used in food packaging at quick service restaurants, cafes, full-service restaurants, and other organizations. Wrapping paper for fast food packaging is generally made of materials such as paper, PP, PE, PVC, EVOH, and biodegradable materials. Paper-based wrapping papers utilize raw materials such as kraft paper and specialty papers such as greaseproof papers, wax-coated papers, and foil papers. These papers are available in a variety of thicknesses ranging from less than 8 microns to more than 20 microns. Primary end uses for fast food wrapping paper are sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, chicken, and other snack foods.



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Global Fast Food Wrapping Paper Market: Growth Factors



The demand for fast food wrapping paper is increasing at a decent growth rate in both developed as well as in developing countries. This is primarily due to the high growth in the on-the-go and the fast food sector globally. Furthermore, ease of storage and good functional properties of the product in order to keep food fresh for a long time will further drive the market trends. Escalating product demand in the major countries such as the U.S., China, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, and Scandinavian countries will further stimulate the expansion of fast food wrapping paper market in the coming years. Growth in these countries is fuelled by the inclination of the consumers and companies towards the adoption of eco-friendly packaging solutions. This will not only help food-service companies create a better brand equity as well as brand image, but also increase customers in the long term. However, the market demand is expected to be hampered due to the increasing prices of raw materials and lack of qualified labor.



Global Fast Food Wrapping Paper Market: Segmentation



The global fast food wrapping paper market can be classified into product type, food type, and end-use. On the basis of product type, the market is sectored into Plastic foil, Aluminium foil, and Paper. Based on the food type, the fast food wrapping paper market is sectored into Sandwiches, Burgers, Pizza, Wraps & Rolls, Chicken, and Other Snack Food. On the basis of end use, the fast food wrapping paper market is divided into Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes, Fast Food Outlets, Cinemas, Airline & Railway Catering, and Institutions.



Global Fast Food Wrapping Paper Market: Regional Analysis



Based on regions, the global fast food wrapping paper market can be divided into five main regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The Asia Pacific fast food wrapping paper market is expected to offer substantial growth opportunities to the local and multinational manufacturers. The demand is primarily driven due to the high growth in the consumption of fast food items in countries such as India, China, and ASEAN countries. Growth in consumption of fast food wrapping paper is driven by increasing disposable incomes of the middle-class households who demand convenience food products at reasonable costs.



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Moreover, massive demand for burgers, chicken rolls, sandwiches, and pizzas in countries such as the U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, France, and Norway will drive the growth both in North America and European regions. With headquarters of the firms such as McDonald, KFC, Burger King, etc. in the U.S. will further embellish the North America market growth.



Brazil is likely to contribute notably towards the growth of LATAM fast food wrapping paper market.



Global Fast Food Wrapping Paper Market: Competitive Players



Some of key players in fast food wrapping paper market are Berry Global, Inc., Delfort Group, Georgia-Pacific LLC, Twin Rivers Paper Company, Hindalco Industries Limited, Huhtamaki Oyj, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Limited, Amcor Limited, Mondi Group, Reynolds Group Holding Limited, Thong Guan Industries Berhad, The Clorox Company, United Company RUSAL Plc, Hulamin Limited, Anchor Packaging Inc., Harwal Group, Oji Holdings Corporation, S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Nordic Paper AS , Advanced Coated Products Ltd. (The Food Wrap Co.), Pudumjee Paper Products Ltd. , KRPA Holding CZ, a.s., BPM, Inc., Seaman Paper Company, and Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.



Global Fast Food Wrapping Paper Market: Regional Segment Analysis



North America

The U.S.

Europe

The UK

France

Germany

The Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

Latin America

Brazil

The Middle East and Africa



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What Reports Provides



Full in-depth analysis of the parent market

Important changes in market dynamics

Segmentation details of the market

Former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value

Assessment of niche industry developments

Market share analysis

Key strategies of major players

Emerging segments and regional markets

Testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.
Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- Headliner Market: Insight



Realizing high stiffness and light weight in automotive headliners has become the new normal among auto component manufacturers, which has emphasized studying arrangement in thickness direction and GF content. Increasing expansivity of automotive headliner is a key agenda behind these efforts. Recently developed ultra-light material (UL grade) has enabled realization of high elastic slope, while illustrating excellent dimensional stability and moldability. Such developments have further aligned well with weight reduction focus in automotive headliner.



Demand for automotive headliner rides the coattails of automobile manufacturers' focus on improving the marketplace competitiveness, by equipping vehicles with full range of safety devices and convenience. Rising emphasis on reducing environmental footprint has resulted in weight reduction of auto components, and headliner is no exception.



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Headliner substrate materials have witnessed continuous evolution over the years, for catering transforming demands of the automotive industry with regard to structural requirements, design flexibility, acoustics properties, and aesthetics. Novel composite materials have been developed for headliner using long chopped glass fiber and polypropylene, which have been formulated for meeting application needs in automotive interiors. These new composites offer reduced environmental impacts, and better end-of-life recyclability compared to polyurethane substrates. Such new developments and automotive lightweighting trends will continue to impact development and demand for headliner in the upcoming years.



A composite material which is generally stick to inside area of roof of yachts or automobiles is called as headliners. Headlines are generally made of fabric with foam or nonwoven backing. The multilevel composite material used in headliners carried various functions together such as stiffness, look, sound reduction and feel, which is required in cars. Headliners are typically adjusted with the head impact counter measures. They can also assimilate extra lighting film made of LED behind the fabric. To provide soft and comfortable touch and a similar appearance, headliners are mostly made of tricot knit fabric. Due to heat and humidity, headliners can fail from the roof. This failure was common in cars which was produced in 1970s.



Headliner- Drivers



The use of nonwoven headliners has increased in last few years as they are very easy to handle during the process of assembling. Safety and good performance are two factors which are required while making a car or any other automotive vehicle and headliner provides these features. With the help of headliner automobile makers can make lightweight vehicles. Headliners give comfort and also offers cutting-edge insulation, resistance to water, fire, and fuel retardancy in case of extreme abrasion and temperature. Headliners can be lined, printed and coated, heat formed and are tailor-made in their operations. Owing to the various benefits that are attached to headliners and due to their skillfulness, headliners are widely used in construction and designing of various other transportation and vehicles such as spacecraft, aeroplanes, boats, satellites and trains. In short, headliners are responsible in making the vehicles attractive, sustainable, safer, cost-effective, and attractive. All these benefits which are associated with the use of headliners are fuelling the growth of headliners market.



Headliner- Restraints



The replacement process of headliner is very lengthy which includes, removal of present headliner, removal of fabric of old headliner, fitting of headliner repair kit and then application of adhesive and reinstallation. The headliner kit is expensive. The bigger the size of the vehicle, the cost of the headliner kit increases. Regardless of the precise mode of production, an automotive headliner produced from slabstock foam suffers from the disadvantage of requiring many productions steps and resulting the in the production of relatively large amounts of scrap foam which can be difficult to discard. These are the few factors which are hampering the growth of headliner market across the globe.



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Headliner- Regional Outlook



Asia Pacific leads the headliner market in the years to come. As there is increasing demand from China for SUVs and other premium vehicles, Asia Pacific regions is likely to develop at a very rapid rate during the projected period. In Latin America region, the sales of automotive is moderate due to slow pace of growth in Latin American countries like Mexico and Brazil. However in US the demand for SUV and premium cars is continue to grow and it will contribute to higher revenue share in the headliner market.



Headliner- Key Players



Adient, Lear Corporation, Heartland Automotive, IAC Group, Dienetics, Motus, Futuris Automotive, Group Antolin and Daehan Solution Alabama are some of the top manufacturers of headliners across the globe.



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- The latest market research report titled Industrial Hydraulic Filters market offers a detailed evaluation of the market situation within a specific geographic region. This Industrial Hydraulic Filters Market study contains vital data on market shifts owing to social, economic, cultural and technological changes worldwide. Explaining market opportunities remains the key focus of the study. Industry experts analysing the business environment also take a closer look at the organizational alignment as well as the capital structure.



Request for Sample Copy of Industrial Hydraulic Filters Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/14320



Scope of the Report:

The research methodologies used for evaluating the Industrial Hydraulic Filters market are inventive and also provides enough evidence on the demand and supply status, production capability, import and export, supply chain management and investment feasibility.



The investigative approach applied for the extensive analysis of the sale, gross margin and profit generated by the industry are presented through resources including tables, charts, and graphic images. Importantly, these resources can be easily integrated or used for preparing business or corporate presentations.



Major Players in Industrial Hydraulic Filters market are:

Pall, Hydac, Parker Hannifin, Baldwin, SMC Corporation, Bosch Rexroth, Caterpillar, Donalson, UFI Filter, Mahle, Yamashin, Schroeder Industries, Cim-Tek, Ikron, OMT S.p.A, Eaton, Lenz Inc, Groupe HIFI, LEEMIN, Juepai, Xinxiang Aviation, Depaike, Changzheng Hydraulic, Evotek



Most important types of Industrial Hydraulic Filters products covered in this report are:

- Suction Side Filters

- Pressure Side Filters

- Return Side Filters

- Off Line Filters

- In-Tank Breather Filters

- Others



Most widely used downstream fields of Industrial Hydraulic Filters market covered in this report are:

- Construction Machinery

- Petrochemical & Chemical Industry

- Mining Industry

- Others



The market intelligence study for the Industrial Hydraulic Filters market further provides an inside-out overview of necessary aspects associated with the product classification, important definitions, major orders and other industry-centric parameters. An underlying part of the study also maps the important factors associated with the recent events such as mergers and acquisition, collaboration and new product launches.



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Understanding the market size:

The size of the Industrial Hydraulic Filters market is viewed in terms of the Share of Market, Total Available Market as well as Served Available Market. Not only does the study present the combined revenue for a particular market but also the market size for a specific geographic region. Analysis of percentage or the size of the Total Available Market based on the type of product, technology, regional constraints and others form an important part of the Industrial Hydraulic Filters report.



Market share:

The report discovers market's total sale that is generated by a particular firms over a time period. Industry experts calculate share by taking into account the product sales over a period and then dividing it by the overall sales of the Industrial Hydraulic Filters industry over a defined period. Subject matter experts further use this metric to offer a general idea of the share and size of a firm and its immediate rivals. By providing an in-depth knowledge of the position a company as well as an entrepreneur holds in the Industrial Hydraulic Filters market



Attracting the target audience:

First, the comprehensive report finds out why customers need a certain product or service. The study focuses on what problems a certain product and service can solve. Apart from target demographics industry experts weigh up on the factors including audience type, as well as others vital attributes about the target customer segment.



The research provides answers to the following key questions:

- What is the estimated size of the Industrial Hydraulic Filters market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026? What will be the growth rate of the industry during the estimated period?

- What are the prominent driving forces likely to impact the progress of the industry across different regions?

- Who are the major market players occupying a strong foothold in the Industrial Hydraulic Filters market? What are the winning strategies adopted by them to stay ahead in the competition?

- What are the potential opportunities for the Industrial Hydraulic Filters market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026?



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- A new market assessment report on Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel market provides a comprehensive overview of Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel industry for the forecast period 2019 - 2026. The analytical study is proposed to provide immense clarity on the market size, share and growth rate across different regions. The profound knowledge and extensive examination of the trends from the yesteryear and future aims at offering the stakeholders, product owners, and marketing personnel a competitive edge over others operating in the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026.



Request for Sample Copy of Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/16363



Scope of the Report:

This industry assessment for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026 incorporates projections pertaining to the investment feasibility, gross margin, profits, consumption volume, production capability and major market vendors. Likewise, statistics associated with the competitive landscape, shifting consumer behaviour and spending power is showcased and well-explained with the help of treasured resources such as charts, graphs and graphic images, which can be easily incorporated in the business or corporate presentations.



Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers:

Norton, 3M, Kuretoishi, Camel grinding wheels discs and abrasives, Tyrolit Group, SHIN-EI Grinding Wheels, DSA Products, Andre Abrasive, DK Holdings, Elka, Thai GCI Resitop Co, LangFang JuLong, Wan Yuan GrindingWheels, White Dove, Henan YuXing



Market by Type

- Al2O3 Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel

- SiC Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel

- MBD & CBN Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel

- Others



Market by Application

- Metal

- Stones

- Steel

- Others



Subject matter experts conducting the study also take a closer look at the products at their development stage and in the pipeline to help business owners conclude on the business strategies that can lower their cost and promise great returns or profits. Strong emphasis on new launches, acquisition and mergers, collaboration, import and export status and supply chain management empowers the business evangelists, manufacturers and business owners build a robust strategy when it comes to making an investment.



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Estimating the potential size of the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel industry

Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user  customers. Data on the entire size of the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel industry for a specific product or service.



Exploring growth rate over a period

Business owners looking to scale up their business can refer this report that contains data regarding the rise in sales within a given consumer base for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. Product owners can use this information along with the driving factors such as demographics and revenue generated from other products discussed in the report to get a better analysis of their products and services. Besides, the research analysts have compared the market growth rate with the product sales to enable business owners to determine the success or failure of a specific product or service.



Grow with the trend

The Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel helps product owners learn how certain trends will shape the growth of the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel industry over a long term. The study closely looks at the historical price pattern of various products and services and empowers entrepreneurs to form the right opinion about the future trends. Accordingly, business owners will be able to decide their course of action and make a wise decision.



The research provides answers to the following key questions:

- What is the estimated growth rate and market share and size of the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026?

- What are the driving forces in the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026?

- Who are the prominent market players and how have they gained a competitive edge over other competitors?

- What are the market trends influencing the progress of the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel industry worldwide?

- What are the major challenges and threats restricting the progress of the industry?

- What opportunities does the market hold for the prominent market players?



Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/phenolic-resin-grinding-wheel-market



There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel market.

Chapter 1 covers the Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;



Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2019 and 2026;



Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2019 and 2026;



Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Phenolic Resin Grinding Wheel, for the period 2019- 2026;



Continue



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- The latest report PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay Market discusses everything a business owner needs to know about the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. The document offers an insight into what the target customer's needs and wants. Industry experts have extracted data from various sources on size, share, growth rate, production volume, production capacity, import and export status, distribution channels and more and have analysed it thoroughly. By properly assessing the competitors and their offerings the study aims at empowering business owners to step ahead.



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Scope of the Report:

The research methodologies used for evaluating the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market are inventive and also provides enough evidence on the demand and supply status, production capability, import and export, supply chain management and investment feasibility. The investigative approach applied for the extensive analysis of the sale, gross margin and profit generated by the industry are presented through resources including tables, charts, and graphic images. Importantly, these resources can be easily integrated or used for preparing business or corporate presentations.



Major Players in PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market are:

- Panasonic

- OMRON

- Toshiba

- NEC

- IXYS

- Cosmo Electronics Corporation

- Okita Works

- BRIGHT TOWARD INDUSTRIAL



Market Segment on the basis of Type, the report covers:

- Above 20 V and Below 80 V

- Above 100 V and Below 200 V

- Above 200 V and Below 350 V

- Above 350 V



Market Segment on the basis of Application, the report covers:

- Power Storage System

- Test Measurement & Telecommunication

- Medical Device

- Industrial & Security Device

- Others



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The market intelligence study for the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market further provides an inside-out overview of necessary aspects associated with the product classification, important definitions, major orders and other industry-centric parameters. An underlying part of the study also maps the important factors associated with the recent events such as mergers and acquisition, collaboration and new product launches.



In addition, the research lays down a robust groundwork for obtaining a vast amount of information that potential customers can use to increase their profits and reduce costs. The inclusion of data on market segmentation by type, application, and geography offers clarity presents an analytical picture of, what manufacturers are aiming for.



Estimating the potential size of the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay industry:

Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user  customers. Data on the entire size of the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay industry for a specific product or service.



The research provides answers to the following key questions:

- What is the estimated growth rate of the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026? What will be the market share and size of the industry during the estimated period?

- What are prime factors expected to drive the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay industry for the estimated period?

- What are the major market leaders and what has been their winning strategy for success so far?

- What are the significant trends shaping the growth prospects of the PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market?

- What are the key challenges expected to restrict the progress of the industry for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026?

- What the opportunities product owners can bank on to generate high profits?



Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/photomos-optically-isolated-relay-market



There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the global PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay market.

- 1 PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay Market Overview

- 2 Global PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay Market Competition by Manufacturers

- 3 Global PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2019)

- 4 Global PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2019)

- 5 Global PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

- 6 Global PhotoMOS Optically Isolated Relay Market Analysis by Application

- Continue



About MarketExpertz

Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges.



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- The latest market evaluation report on Tracheostomy market explores how the Tracheostomy market will continue to expand for the forecast period 2019 - 2026. The study further serves as a unique research for stakeholders, product owners, and field marketing executives looking for actionable data and unique resource on market size, share, and growth.



The research is one of its kind global analyses of aspects such as import and export status, supply chain management, profit and gross margin worldwide for the forecast period 2019 - 2026. Extensive coverage of statistics associated with recent events including acquisition and mergers and strengths and weaknesses of a company forms an important part of the study on the Tracheostomy market.



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Scope of the Report:

To help gain the business owner further gain business intelligence the study on the Tracheostomy market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026 brings to light data on production capability, consumption capacity, spending power, investment feasibility, and technology innovation. A thorough assessment of market performance across different regions is presented through self-explanatory graphic images, charts, and tables that add weight to corporate presentations and marketing materials. The study offers regional profiles of major vendors and extensive country-level break down to empower companies to make a wise investment decision when exploring new regions.



In market segmentation by manufacturers, the report covers the following companies-

Medtronic, Teleflex Medical, Smiths Medical, TRACOE Medical, ConvaTec, Boston Medical, Cook Inc, Fuji Systems, Pulmodyne, Well Lead, TuoRen



In market segmentation by Regions, the report covers-

- North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

- Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.)

- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.)

- South America Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile etc.)

- Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia etc.)



Most important types of Tracheostomy products covered in this report are:

- Tracheostomy Tubes

- Tracheostomy Ventilation Accessories

- Tracheostomy Clean & Care Kits

- Cannula

- Others



Market split by Application, can be divided into:

- Hospitals

- Ambulatory Surgical Centers

- Homecare

- Others



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The market intelligence report gives business evangelists an authority to review the major trends, opportunities, and challenges expected to shape the future of the industry during the estimated period. Importantly, the study not only helps spot the major vendors but also their winning strategies. The real-time data accumulated through qualitative and quantitative research technique further help business owners determine where they stand in comparison to their region, country, and product category.



The study objectives of this report are:

- To analyze and study the global Tracheostomy capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2019-2026);

- Focuses on the key Tracheostomy manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future.

- Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis.

- To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.

- To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.

- To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth.

- To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments.

- To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market

- To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market

- To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.



There are 13 Chapters to thoroughly display the Tracheostomy market.

This report included the analysis of market overview, market characteristics, industry chain, competition landscape, historical and future data by types, applications and regions.

Chapter 1: Tracheostomy Market Overview, Product Overview, Market Segmentation, Market Overview of Regions, Market Dynamics, Limitations, Opportunities and Industry News and Policies.

Chapter 2: Tracheostomy Industry Chain Analysis, Upstream Raw Material Suppliers, Major Players, Production Process Analysis, Cost Analysis, Market Channels and Major Downstream Buyers.

Chapter 3: Value Analysis, Production, Growth Rate and Price Analysis by Type of Tracheostomy.

Chapter 4: Downstream Characteristics, Consumption and Market Share by Application of Tracheostomy.

Chapter 5: Production Volume, Price, Gross Margin, and Revenue ($) of Tracheostomy by Regions (2013-2019).

Continue



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Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- Gasoline Direct Injection System Market is expected to surpass USD 10 billion by 2024. These systems help in enhancing driving performance and helps in reduction of pollutants by adopting of turbo-charging and other downsizing concepts they also provide 15% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. These benefits will promote the gasoline direct injection system market demand through the forecast time period.



Request For Sample Copy Of This Report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/219



Rising demand for automobiles and the need to address fuel economy requirements from the price sensitive user base are forecast to drive the gasoline direct injection system market. Stringent regulations pertaining to carbon dioxide emission and other standards will attract a larger customer base. Furthermore, technological advancements and developments such as use of controlled valve and drive systems in order to provide optimal fuel economy metrics will stimulate the gasoline direct injection system market growth.



Europe contributed over 40% to the gasoline direct injection system market share in 2015 owing to rapid rate of adoption in the region.



APAC is projected to witness the highest CAGR over the forecast time period owing to emerging economic conditions in the region.



The MEA gasoline direct injection system market is estimated to foresee a growth of 10% CAGR owing to increasing demand from transport segment in the region.



Make an inquiry before buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/219



On the basis of component, the industry can be segmented into electronic control units (ECUs), fuel injectors, fuel pumps and sensors. ECU accounts for the largest share, followed by fuel pumps, injectors and sensors.



The rising demand for passenger vehicles in countries such as India, U.S. and China has led to a substantial growth in demand for the utilization for economic fuel engines such as GDI systems. Furthermore, rising demand for commercial vehicles (CVs) will propel the overall the gasoline direct injection system market growth.



Browse Full Report Summary @ https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/gasoline-direct-injection-gdi-system-market



The players involved in the industry include Magneti, Bosch, Delphi, Hitachi, Marelli, Denso, Continental. The overall GDI system market is considered to be fairly consolidated. Other notable companies operating in the business include Eaton Corporation, Bajaj Auto, MSR-Jebsen, Stanadyne, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, etc. The intensity of competition is expected to increase in the forecast timeframe. The major competitive strategies adopted by the players comprise new product development via investing heavily in research and development, development of technology, and effective pricing strategy. Other strategic initiatives include mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and building strong distribution channels.



About Global Market Insights:



Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2019 -- "White Spirits Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012-2016) and Forecast (2017-2025)," a new report published by Persistence Market Research, tracks the performance of the global white spirits market for a projected period of eight years, i.e. between 2017 and 2025. According to this report, in terms of value, the global white spirits market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.2% during the assessed period. This market is estimated to be valued at US$ 5,832.3 Mn by 2017 end and reach US$ 8,103.2 Mn by the end of 2025. The steady growth is anticipated in terms of demand from various applications, such as paints thinner and cleaning & degreasing solvents which is expected to drive the growth of the white spirits market during forecast period.



Global White Spirits Market: Key Regulations



Need: In the recent past, regulatory bodies have begun implementing regulations mandating the reduction of VOC emissions due to rising environmental concerns and deteriorating air quality across the globe



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Regulations: Directive 2004/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on the limitation of emissions of VOCs due to the use of organic solvents in certain paints and varnishes and vehicle refinishing products and amending Directive 1999/13/EC Paints based on white spirits, intended to be used by the general public, are restricted in Denmark for indoor use on ceilings and walls. In 2007, the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits proposed the following value as recommended occupational limit value for white spirits: 20 ppm (116 mg/m) as 8 h average level, 50 ppm (290 mg/m) as 15 min short-term exposure limit level. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set the legal limit (permissible exposure limit) for white spirits exposure in the workplace as 500 ppm (2,900 mg/m3) over an 8-hour workday. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has set a recommended exposure limit of 350 mg/m3 over an 8-hour workday and 1,800 mg/m3 over 15 minutes.



Description: The "VOC" directive that aims to reduce ozone formation potential of VOCs in connection with photochemical reactions in ambient air, defines 12 sub-categories for coating products applied to buildings and five subcategories for vehicle refinishing products for which limits are set with regard to VOC content. The maximum permissible VOC content range is 30840 g/l, depending on the product.



Effect on the White Spirits Market: Owing to regulations related to VOC emissions, there is increasing demand for low aromatic white spirits globally, which hinders demand for conventional white spirits. Major manufacturers are shifting focus towards marketing of white spirits with low aromatic content so as to comply with regulations.



Global White Spirits Market: Forecast by Application



On the basis of application, this market is segmented into paint thinner, cleaning solvent, degreasing solvent, fuel, disinfectant and others. In terms of application, the paint thinner segment is expected to witness healthy growth owing to increase in demand from industrial and architectural/decorative coatings during the forecast period. Building & Construction segment is expected to register nearly 1.3X growth between 2017 and 2025. The Paint Thinner segment is anticipated to witness sound growth. It is expected to grow with a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period.



Global White Spirits Market: Forecast by Grade Type



Grade type segment consists of low flash grade, regular flash grade and high flash grade. Regular flash grade segment is projected to expand at a relatively higher CAGR over the forecast period. The regular flash grade segment is estimated to account for a 60.9% revenue share in the global white spirits market in 2025, followed by high flash grade and low flash grade segments respectively.



Global White Spirits Market: Forecast by Product Type



Product type segment includes type 1, type 2 and type 3 segments. In terms of value, the type 1 segment has been estimated to account for a 46.1% share by 2025 end. This is projected to grow 1.4X during the forecast period to be valued at US$ 3,778.4 Mn in 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 4.3%



Global White Spirits Market: Forecast by Region



APAC is the key market that accounts for a major share in the global white spirits market. The market in APAC is expected to register high CAGR over the forecast period and provide significant opportunities in the global white spirits market owing to the growing paints & coatings, automotive, packaging and building & construction industry in this region as well as shifting of manufacturing industries to China, India and ASEAN Countries. APAC is estimated to account for around 41.4% share in terms of value in the global white spirits market in 2017.



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Global White Spirits Market: Key Players



ExxonMobil Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Total S.A., Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Neste Oyj, Haltermann Carless Deutschland GmbH, DHC Solvent Chemie GmbH, GSB Chemical Co. Pty. Ltd., and Al Sanea Chemical Products are some of the key companies operating in the global white spirits market.
The J-10 fighter jets of the People's Liberation Army Air Force's Bayi Aerobatic Team arrived in Pakistan on Saturday in preparation for a flight performance there on March 23 in celebration of Pakistan's National Day.

The Chinese pilots, invited by the Pakistani side, received a warm welcome upon arrival as local children greeted them with bouquets, China Central Television reported on Saturday.

A parade is scheduled on March 23 to mark Pakistan Day, said Asif Ghafoor, a Pakistan Army spokesperson, Pakistani news website thenews.com.pk reported on Thursday.

Contingents from countries including China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey will participate in the parade, with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad being the guest of honor, the report said.

Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday that China sending fighter jets to celebrate Pakistan Day is symbolic of the friendship between China and Pakistan, noting that Pakistan is an all-weather friend of China.

This is not the first time the Bayi Aerobatic Team performed in Pakistan.

On November 19 2017, the team staged a "wonderful" aerobatic flight with J-10 fighter jets in Quetta, the capital city of Pakistan's Baluchistan province, according to China Military Online.

In addition to the J-10's flight performance, Chinese analysts expect more Chinese elements at Pakistan Day parade as the country operates a variety of Chinese weapons.
Twitter/@ABC(MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa) -- As he had done after every campaign stop in Iowa since announcing his presidential campaign, Beto O'Rourke was shaking as many hands and taking as many selfies as his staff would allow when an attendee grabbed his attention.



David Suarez leaned over the counter at the Mount Pleasant coffee shop where O'Rourke spoke Friday morning to ask the former congressman about DREAMers, immigrants brought to the United States as children whose legal status remains in limbo after the Trump administration rescinded protections given to them under former President Barack Obama.



O'Rourke told Suarez he supports immediately legalizing DREAMers, referencing, as he so often does, his hometown of El Paso and the way its diverse population of immigrants is able to come together to find solutions and common ground.



The answer sounded good to Suarez, but in a town that saw 32 undocumented immigrants rounded up last year by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), the issue hits home for many of the town's Hispanic residents, and it was not sufficient.



"This is a big concern for our Hispanic community here in Mount Pleasant," Suarez told ABC News. "That sounds good in a speech, but we have to see the actions.



"He looks like a very good candidate, but we have to wait a little bit more until we can see the other candidates and what they propose," Suarez said of O'Rourke, the former three-term congressman who shot to national stardom during his losing U.S. Senate bid last year against one of the GOP's most polarizing figures, Sen. Ted Cruz.



The impression of O'Rourke as a relentless optimist was echoed by many of the people, mostly Democrats, who showed up to see him talk about why he has jumped into a crowded Democratic primary field that has swelled to over 15 candidates.



"I don't know if Beto can win," Jackie McVery, who supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Iowa caucuses, said prior to O'Rourke's second event in the state in Fort Madison. "I just have to see how he interacts with other candidates, if he has that fight ... because Trump is mean, he's cruel, he will tear his family apart. ... If Beto can stand up to him then I think he has a huge chance."



Campaigning from the bed of a pickup truck, standing on the front bar of coffeehouses, and after a St. Patrick's Day-themed 5K race, O'Rourke said his campaign for president will be much like his long-shot bid to unseat Cruz, focused on "showing up everywhere," and speaking to voters disillusioned with the political process.



"This campaign has got to be about learning from the people we meet and finding a way to bring people together," O'Rourke told reporters after finishing his 5K race. "This pace and this manner of campaigning is not just perhaps the best way to win, it may be the only way to serve if we're going to beat the challenges before us."



It's a welcome message for many who showed up at O'Rourke's events, but with just under a year until the 2020 Iowa caucuses, many Democrats in the state are withholding judgment on the Texan's chances against a field of Democrats that already includes six U.S. senators and could soon see the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden.



"I'm real curious about some of the women, but we haven't seen any of them yet," Susan Fisher said at O'Rourke's event in the town of Washington, Iowa.



When asked outside of his campaign stop in Washington about whether Biden should run for president, O'Rourke heaped praise on the man currently leading in most early polls of the Democratic field.



"I don't see why not," O'Rourke said when asked if Biden should get in the race. "I think he's done an extraordinary job for this country as senator and as vice president."



When a voter at one of his events in the town of Independence stood up to say he did not want Biden to run, O'Rourke said he disagrees, saying he would welcome Biden's perspective in the race.



"Hes been there, done that. Hes just too old, that voter, Jake Blitsch, a Navy veteran, told ABC News after the event. "I want to see someone younger than me."



O'Rourke, who said during his 2018 race that he would vote to impeach President Donald Trump, believes the issue should now be left up to his former congressional colleagues. Still, he said it is "beyond a shadow of a doubt that the president sought to collude with a foreign power against the United States to undermine our democracy."



"Youre asking me, 'Has the president committed impeachable offenses?' Yes, period," O'Rourke said.



The first days of O'Rourke's presidential candidacy were, like many, far from perfect. The candidate issued apologies for both a joke he made about his wife primarily raising his three kids, and a report about disturbing writings of his as a teenager.



"My ham-handed attempt to try to highlight the fact that Amy has the lion's share of the burden in our family ... should have also been a moment for me to acknowledge that that is far too often the case, not just in politics, but just in life in general," O'Rourke said during a podcast taping Friday evening in Cedar Rapids.



Of his teenage writings, O'Rourke said, "I'm mortified to read it now, but I have to take ownership of my words and understand the way they make people feel when they read them."



In spite of the joke and the writings, O'Rourke is unwavering in his confidence that his presidential campaign can tap into the same type of organic enthusiasm and grassroots energy that defined his race against Cruz, a tall order to replicate over what is sure to be a grueling, almost two-year campaign.



O'Rourke, while acknowledging he fell short last year, is adamant that his 2020 race will be run in the same way, despite the logistical challenges.



"It's a big country, and traveling to be with everyone in a campaign that receives no PAC contributions, in a way that feels right to me, which is ensuring that no one is left behind or taken for granted. We go everywhere and really run this for an entire country," O'Rourke said.



"That's going to be our challenge. It's a function of geography and time, but I will work with everything that I've got, I will do my best to be part of the largest grassroots campaign this country's ever seen," he added.



That strategy will continue in the coming days, as O'Rourke continues his initial campaign blitz with two stops in Wisconsin and rumors of a bigger swing through the Midwest ahead.



As he got into the Dodge Caravan he has been driving around Iowa, O'Rourke said the plan is to drive the car all the way to the state that follows Iowa in the presidential nominating contest some 1,200 miles to the east -- New Hampshire.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
ISLAMABAD, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan Army said Saturday that it has "shot down" an Indian spying quadcopter along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region.

The incident happened amid tensions between Pakistan and India following a suicide attack in the Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.

The Pakistani Army's spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said on twitter that the Indian spy quadcopter was shot down in Rakhchikri sector along the LoC, which divides the two countries in the Kashmir region.

He said the quadcopter had come 150 meters inside Pakistan.

Last month the Pakistan air force said it had shot down two Indian aircraft after Indian army claimed they struck a camp of militant group in northwest Pakistan.
The New Zealand dollar stuck to a tight range ahead of domestic gross domestic product data later this week and the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

The kiwi was trading at 68.44 US cents at 8am in Wellington from 68.43 late Friday in New York; the trade-weighted index was at 74.19 from 74.17.

Mixed US data overnight Friday, with US industrial production and manufacturing output weaker than expected but consumer confidence better than forecast, helped keep the Kiwi rangebound.

Domestically, this week's fourth-quarter gross domestic product data will be in focus, with economists expecting the data to show the economy grew 0.6 percent during the quarter.

The global focus for financial markets will be the Fed's latest monetary policy statement and economic forecasts due early Thursday New Zealand time.

"Despite the market pricing no change at the upcoming FOMC meeting, the statement and press conference will be of great interest," said ANZ FX/rates strategist Sandeep Parekh. "With US data teetering, not to mention warnings over global economic growth, the Fed appears to have pulled the handbrake on its hiking cycle at the right moment."

He said markets will also be watching for any further news on Brexit with the UK parliament expected to vote again this week.

The kiwi was at 96.57 Australian cents from 96.48 in New York. It was trading at 51.48 British pence from 51.49, unchanged at 60.43 euro cents, at 76.32 yen from 76.28 and at 4.5943 Chinese yuan from 4.5936.

(BusinessDesk)

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Thousands of Okinawa residents in southern Japan rallied on Saturday to oppose a relocation plan of a U.S. air base within the prefecture.

Some 10,000 protesters gathered at a park in the prefectural capital of Naha, demanding the Japanese and U.S. governments halt a plan to move the Futenma base from the Ginowan region to the less densely populated coastal area of Henoko, which is also on the island.



Demonstrators take part in a protest in front of the Japanese Consulate General in New York on February 25, 2019, against the relocation of a major U.S. military base in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture./VCG Photo

The Okinawans, suffering from crime, pollution and accidents related to the U.S. bases and personnel on the tiny subtropical island, wish to see the Futenma base move outside of Okinawa and Japan altogether. Last month, more than 70 percent of local voters rejected the central government's relocation plan in a referendum, but the Japanese government decided to continue with the replacement construction, dismissing the outcome of the referendum as unbinding.
San Francisco: Software giant Microsoft is planning to increase the maximum number of people who could be part of a Skype group call from 25 to 50 members.

With this update, Skype is also enabling the audio and video buttons in larger groups to let users easily mute their microphones or turn their webcams on or off as per their convenience, Engadget reported on Friday.
When a 12-year-old Indira Lachhimasyu first picked up a Dhime baja (a traditional Newar drum) at her home in Bhaktapur, different people had different things to say. But two-and-a-half decades on, she has proved her doubters wrong, mastered the instrument and become one of Nepals first dhime girl.

Lachhimasyu grew up around a lot of traditional instruments as her house was also a school for boys interested in various instruments. But surprisingly, she would not be allowed to play them as she was a girl. My room was next to the classroom and I used to listen to the teachers instructions and tap my hands to the beat when the boys rehearsed, she adds.

Itching to play the Newari drum, Lachhimasyu asked her grandfather if she could play the instrument. He agreed instantly as did my father and then whenever the room was empty I started playing dhime.

One day when no one was around, Lachhimasyu was playing the dhime. Listening to her play was a German national and visiting faculty at the Kathmandu University Gate Wagner, who taught young boys how to play. Wagner was on his way to the class when he saw her play; he was surprised. When I told Wanger about my desire to play the instrument, Wagner immediately agreed and asked me to join his classes along with the boys, she remembers.

I have to thank him because if it wasnt for Wagner, people wouldnt have known about me. He told me that it didnt matter that I was a girl and that I should play the instrument and help change peoples mind. Since then I dont think I looked back.

Even though Lachhimasyu received support from her family and her teacher, she did face harsh criticism from society. People questioned why a girl was playing the instrument and criticised her family for letting her play.

People were telling me that I wouldnt achieve anything by playing dhime and there was no point in it as I would soon get married and go to another mans house and look after a family, adds Lachhimasyu.

But thanks to the support from her family she kept on playing.

The times were different back then. No one dares question me now. People were uneducated and I feel that was the major cause for the criticism.

When Lachhimasyu played dhime in public at a festival for the first time, she got mixed reactions. As she was dressed in a saree and was sporting short hair, people at the festival felt it was some sort of a gimmick.

Many thought that a boy had worn a saree and was playing dhime. But after the program, many came to meet me and told me that it was nice that I was playing the instrument and asked me to carry on.

But there were some who criticised her again but Lachhimasyu says she didnt care about negative comments and only took positive ones which helped her move forward. By the age of 15, Lachhimasyu also started to teach other girls how to play the dhime. My grandfather did not care about what people would say. He asked me to teach other girls how to play dhime. After that, I assembled 12 girls and started teaching them. That gave birth to the group  Dhime Girls.

Twenty years on, Lachhimasyu shares that no one from the group plays anymore. Even though they meet on a regular basis, most stopped playing because they didnt have support from their families. She feels that if other girls had got similar support as she had, things would have been different. Family support is crucial when it comes to doing what you love, she adds.

Playing the dhime, Lachhimasyu has travelled all across Nepal and has also travelled to countries like India, Italy, Germany, and Thailand. The first time I visited Italy people were quite shocked. I was the only girl in the group of musicians visiting from Nepal. It was the same when I played in Germany and Thailand.

She shares it was the same when she took part in different competitions. I beat boys in the competition. I sometimes feel that I got special treatment because I was a girl, she adds laughing.

Lachhimasyu, unlike a decade ago, is not as active as she once was. She teaches local curriculum at Shri Bhramayani Basic School and gives students from class 4 to 9 dhime lessons at Everest English School. Apart from that, she has also been teaching a group of young boys how to play dhime in her house in Bhaktapur.

Even though she still plays at various programmes, she now wants to nurture a new generation of dhime players. She has been teaching young boys and girls to play the dhime and urges them to take part in the various jatras (festivals) that take place in Bhaktapur.

It is important to teach the new generation and involve them. If they arent involved in these jatras they will never know how much fun it is playing the dhime. This also helps us preserve these instruments. That is important because I dont think limiting instruments to the museum will help us preserve it, she adds.

Lachhimasyu adds that she feels she has helped break a stereotype in the society and thanks her family for the support they have given her for the past 25 years. When I talk to my parents they feel proud that I changed the perception of a lot of people and they also say that they are quite glad that they supported me in my journey.

She adds that even those who questioned her over 20 years ago now thank her for her role in promoting culture. Ever since I picked up the dhime, Ive been known as the dhime girl. And now I feel quite proud that I chose this path.
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Lahan, March 17

A key meeting of Alliance for Independent Madhesh (AIM) on Sunday started with a surprise.

The move of the alliance, which had hitherto been demanding that Madhesh be declared a separate country, has been seen as its attempt to silence critics, who have been accusing its leader CK Raut of not giving up his secessionist agenda despite an agreement with the government to do so.

The meeting of the outfit is taking place for the first time since its leader CK Raut signed an 11-point agreement with the government on March 8.

Everyone participating at the meeting had to show their citizenship certificate at the gate before they were let in, said a source present at the meeting. A source at the meeting said that Raut wants to send a clear message that he has decided to give up his separatist movement.

The two-day meeting is expected to decide AIMs future. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa told Parliament recently that Raut would have to of his party. Sources believe a new name for the party is also being discussed at the meeting.
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Bar-headed geese travelling at heights of up to 9,350 meters arrived at Jagdishpur Lake in mid-September, followed by the common teal, and after two weeks the common coot. They were joined by the green sandpiper, common greenshank and the Temmincks stint. These migratory birds travel thousands of kilometres from Mongolia, Russia, China, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan to reach the lake during the winter months, said the ornithologist Dinesh Giri.

They have stayed until now at this lovely habitat, earning it the title of Birds Paradise. Jagdishpur Lake hosts the highest number of migratory birds arriving in Nepal, according to senior ornithologist Hem Sagar Baral. This makes it a mandatory place to visit for bird watchers in the country. The small movements, actions and sound of birds around the lake make it an enchanting spectacle. Some of the arriving birds complete their gestation cycle here, nestling, laying eggs and then flying back to their homes with their offspring.

The air distance travelled by the migratory birds varies from about 4.5 thousand kilometres to 7.5 thousand kilometres. Some fly directly, like the duck species, which fly day and night to arrive; others arrive in a more leisurely fashion taking between a week and ten days to get to the lake, with 65 species of migratory birds arriving in the winter.

Jagdishpur Lake is the only water body in Nepal large enough to host more than 20,000 birds. The lake is actually a manmade reservoir, the largest in Nepal, constructed in the 1970s. It has a surface area of 225 hectares (2.25 square kilometres), and is fed by a canal from Banganga river. The number and diversity of birds is why it was listed as a Ramsar Conversation site in 2003, one of ten in the country.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), among the 887 species of birds in Nepal more than 167 species of birds are found at this lake. Eleven of the worlds rare species can be easily spotted, according to the Birds Conservation Association.

Unfortunately, the lake has not been studied in great detail, and there are concerns that even common species  marked as of least concern by IUCN seem to be dwindling. Of these, the cotton pygmy goose, garganey, black-headed ibis, pheasant-tailed jacana and red-crested pochard can be seen in large numbers, but the northern shoveler, spot-billed duck and falcated duck are decreasing in number, said Baral. If Nepal is to preserve this rare paradise for birds and birdwatchers alike, it needs to seriously work on a sustainability plan for the lake.
At least 8 dead as gunmen storm Mali army camp



Bamako, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2019



At least eight people were killed on Sunday in a raid by suspected jihadists on an army camp in central Mali, military and security sources said, warning the toll could rise.

Driving cars and motorbikes, the attackers stormed Dioura army camp in the Mopti region at dawn, leaving "many soldiers dead or missing", a military source said.

Separately a Malian security source spoke of "a heavy toll of at least eight dead".

"There are dead soldiers, others are missing and still others are wounded," he said, but could not confirm reports from local villagers that up to 15 troops had died.

A second military source said the troops had tried to fight off the attackers.

"Our men responded. I saw at least four bodies on the ground. We don't have an exact toll yet but there is a lot of damage," he said.

A foreign security source said efforts were under way to determine how many people had died.

Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, a strong French military contingent and the creation of a five-nation military force in the region, jihadist violence has not abated in Mali which suffered 237 attacks in 2018, UN figures show.
Interestingly, Ethiopia refused to hand over the crashed 737s black boxes (actually they are red) to the FAA, as is normal with US-built aircraft. Instead, Addis Ababa sent the data boxes for analysis to BEA, Frances well-regarded aviation accident investigator.

by Eric S. Margolis





I dont like flying. I consider it unnatural, unhealthy and fraught with peril. But I do it all the time. For me, its either fly or take an ox cart.





In fact, Ive been flying since I was six years old  from New York to Paris on a lumbering Boeing Stratocruiser, a converted, double-decker WWII B-29 heavy bomber. I even had a sleeping berth. So much for progress.





Lots can go wrong in the air. Modern aircraft have thousands of obscure parts. If any one of them malfunctions, the aircraft can be crippled or crash. Add pilot error, dangerous weather, air traffic control mistakes, mountains where they are not supposed to be, air to air collisions, sabotage and hijacking.





I vividly recall flying over the snow-capped Alps in the late 1940s aboard an old Italian three-motor airliner with its port engine burning, and the Italian crew panicking and crossing themselves.





Some years ago, I was on my way to Egypt when we were hijacked by a demented Ethiopian. A three day ordeal ensued that included a return flight to New York City from Germany, with the gunman threatening to crash the A-310 jumbo jet into Wall Street  a grim precursor of 9/11. My father, Henry Margolis, got off a British Comet airliner just before it blew up due to faulty windows.





Which brings me to the current Boeing crisis. After a brand new Boeing 737 Max crashed in Indonesia it seemed highly likely that there was a major problem in its new, invisible autopilot system, known as MCAS. All 737 Maxs flying around the world should have been grounded as a precaution. But Americas aviation authority, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), allowed the Max to keep flying. The FAA is half regulator and half aviation business promoter, a clear conflict of interest.





The crash of a new Ethiopian 737 Max outside Addis Ababa under very similar circumstances to the Lion Air accident set off alarm bells around the globe. Scores of airlines rightly grounded their new Maxs. But the US and Canada did not. The FAA continued to insist the aircraft was sound. The problem, it was hinted between the lines, was incompetent third world pilots.





It now appears that Americas would-be emperor, Pilot-inChief Donald Trump, may have pressed the FAA to keep the 737 Maxs in the air. Canada, always shy when it comes to disagreeing with Washington, kept the 737 Maxs flying until there was a lot of evidence linking the Indonesia and Ethiopian crashes.





Trump finally ordered the suspect aircraft grounded. But doing so was not his business. Thats the job of the FAA. But Trump, as usual, wanted to hog the limelight.





By now, the 737 Max ban is just about universal.





Interestingly, Ethiopia refused to hand over the crashed 737s black boxes (actually they are red) to the FAA, as is normal with US-built aircraft. Instead, Addis Ababa sent the data boxes for analysis to BEA, Frances well-regarded aviation accident investigator. Clearly, Ethiopia lacks confidence in the veracity and impartiality of the FAA and the White House.





Today, Trump professes vivid interest in Boeings well-being. Last May, however, Trump cancelled an Iranian order to Boeing for $20 billion in airliners which had originally been signed under the Obama administration. Israels fingerprints were all over this cancellation. Iran desperately needs new aircraft to replace its fleet of decaying, 1960s passenger aircraft that have become flying coffins.





Boeing (I am a shareholder) will recover from this disaster unless the 737 Maxs center of gravity is dangerously unstable. The mystery autopilot system will be reconfigured and pilots properly trained to use it. Air France had a similar problem when it introduced the new A320. But Boeing, not third world pilots, is at fault.





Theres another key factor. Ive been writing for decades that passenger aircraft should return to the three-man crew they had 40-50 years ago. The position of flight engineer was supposedly eliminated by cockpit automation. Today, aircraft are so electronically complex they need a specialist on board who can deal with problems. Pilots should not be expected to be masters of computer technology. A third crew member is essential when things go wrong. But employing one costs money. It seems rock-bottom fares remain more important than safety.




Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government could have explained the reality to the people  more money for guns means less money for everything else

by Tisaranee Gunasekara





Not only our actions, but also our inactions, become our destiny.

Heinrich Zimmer (The King and the Corpse)





On the night of January 2nd, 2006, five students were killed in Trincomalee. Shanmugarajah Gajendran, Lohitharaja Rohan, Thangathurai Sivanantha, Yogarajah Hemachandran and Manoharan Rajihar, all of them either engaged in or about to engage in higher studies, had gathered near the sea front to celebrate the New Year. A bomb was thrown at them from a passing three-wheeler, and the injured youth were gunned down, allegedly execution style, about 20 minutes later.





The authorities claimed that the young men were LTTE operatives, and died when the bomb they were carrying exploded. The truth came out to thanks to the courage of the District Medical Officer, Dr. Gamini Gunatunga. Dr. Gunatunga, a Sinhalese, did the post-mortem and testified that the victims had been shot to death.





At that point, the Rajapaksa administration had a choice  ensure an impartial investigation, protect the witnesses, allow the courts to do their job. It wasnt as if the political authorities were unaware of the truth. According to a Wikileaks cable, in a conversation with the then American Ambassador, Basil Rajapaksa said, We know the STF did it, but the bullet and gun evidence show that they did not. They must have separate guns when they want to kill someone.





The government had nothing to do with the murder. But it had everything to do with the subversion of justice. The political authorities took a political decision to banish law and install impunity in its stead. As a result, the suspected killers, after a brief stint in remand, roamed free while the families of the victims faced harassment and threats.





Trinco-5 case was an early warning of what was to come, the myth of a humanitarian operation with zero-civilian casualties. That myth was enabled by a consistent policy of banding every dead or injured Tamil a Tiger-victim or a Tiger. That policy began in earnest with Trinco-5. From then on, impunity would be not partial (as it was previously) but absolute. The result was a permissive environment in which even preventable crimes and avoidable mistakes became inevitable. When the aid workers massacre in Muttur happened in a few months later, the UTHR pointed out the connection. One thing is certain about the ACF killings. They would not have happened if minimally, timely disciplinary action had been taken against SP Kapila Jayasekere once his role in the Five Students outrage became widely known. Instead he was promoted to SSP in July 2006.





Ending impunity and bringing about justice was a key promise of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration. But the steps taken in this regard were small and hesitant. Instead of prosecuting at least some of the crimes vigorously, the government dragged its feet, sent mixed signals, and allowed a section of the defence establishment to blatantly ignore court orders. As a result, justice remains undone, killers roam free, and the foundation of future crimes are laid.





One of the most pernicious myths peddled by populist leaders is that justice can be compartmentalised, that injustice can be rendered non-contiguous. The Sinhala majority believed that the carte blanche given to war heroes would pose no threat to their own safety. Under Rajapaksa rule, indifference to injustice in the North and the East was turned into a patriotic duty. But impunity cannot be dammed or guided, as the abduction-murder of two businessmen in Ratgama demonstrates yet again. Had the victims been Tamil, they could have been called Tigers; had they been Muslim, they could have been called Islamic fundamentalists. Since they were Sinhala, there are attempts to claim that they were members of the underworld, a euphemism used during the Rajapaksa years to justify extra-judicial killing of Sinhalese.





Had the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration acted decisively to bring justice to at least some victims of uniformed killers  such as the 12 young men suspected to have been abducted and murdered by a for-profit Navy gang  the Ratgama crime might not have happened. The lesson is clear; so long as members of the armed forces and the police are placed above the law, and attempts to prosecute them for crimes committed is depicted as acts of anti-patriotism, impunity will survive, and claim its victims from anywhere in Sri Lanka, from any ethnic or religious group, any walk of life, any profession, including the military and the police.

The indivisibility of Injustice

During the Fourth Eelam War, General Parakrama Pannipitiya headed the victorious Eastern offensive against the LTTE. In early 2009, he was arrested by the police on a charge of treasure-hunting. The real reason for the arrest was his ongoing conflict with Gen. Sarath Fonseka. In 2008, Gen. Pannipitiyas security was withdrawn suddenly, and he was forced to seek judicial intervention. The Supreme Court, overruling the objections of the AG, issued an interim order allowing General Pannipitiya to use his staff quarters and retain vehicles and escorts he was entitled to as Commander of the Security Forces (East). In delivering the order, Justice Nimal Gamini Amaratunga said, Over the media, Api Wenuwen Api is aired every half an hour but people like the petitioner dont even have themselves.





That was 2008, when the Mahinda-Gotabhaya-Fonseka triumvirate ruled the roost. Post-war, the triumvirate fell apart, reportedly for the same reasons Gen. Fonseka developed an enmity towards Gen. Pannipitya, the division of spoils. Gen. Fonskea wanted his share of the glory, and the Rajapaksas were not in a sharing mood. With himself out of favour, Gen. Fonskea was unable to keep Gen. Pannipitiya incarcerated. After all, it was not he but the Rajapaksa brothers who controlled the police and the AGs Department. In mid-2008, charges against Gen. Pannipitiya were dropped, and he was freed. In a few months, Gen. Fonseka himself was jailed on spurious charges.

In February 2010, Gen. Pannipitiyas wife, in an interview with the state owned Daily News, revealed how her husband was persecuted by Gen. Fonseka, and called Gen. Fonsekas own incarceration a retribution of Kamma. The real reason for both miscarriages of justice was impunity. If the rule of law prevailed, neither general would have been arrested for a crime he didnt commit. Sarath Fonseka could persecute Parakrama Pannipity because the rule of law had been replaced by the law of the rulers; the Rajapaksa brothers could persecute Sarath Fonseka for the same reason.





Lord Actons in his famous letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton argued against bestowing immunity on men in power: You say that people in authority are not to be snubbed or sneezed at. I cannot accept your cannon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong. The argument remains more valid than ever today, especially in places in Sri Lanka beset by all too many sacred cows.





Impunity corrodes morality and encourages crime. Eventually, impunity saves none and can endanger all, including those who once enjoyed its protection. In 2012, Minister Mervyn Silvas son, Malaka Silva and his friend Rehan Wijeratne assaulted Major Chandana Pradeep of the Military Intelligence. Eventually the major was forced to take the blame on himself, because the Rajapaksa brothers, those crusaders for the safety and honour of war-heroes, opted not to back this particular war-hero. Malaka Silvas father was a favoured stooge; and Rehan Wijeratnes mother was the chairperson of the Ranjan Wijeratne Foundation which funded the book, Gotas War.





A similar outcome might be in the making today, concerning the killing of a police inspector in Borealla. The suspects are all politically-connected brats, driving at breakneck speed. When the case was taken up, journalists were not allowed to enter the court, an indication of political interference. The President, who has appointed himself as the guardian of the military and the police, is yet to condemn this incident, or to visit the bereaved family. A similar silence prevails in the UNP and the SLPP. In the end, the family members of the inspector might find themselves in the same company as the family members of Trinco-5 and innumerable other victims of impunity and injustice.

Economic injustice lives on

Almost a decade after the war, defence continues to claim the largest chunk of government expenditure. For the year of 2019, defence has been allocated Rs. 393 billion, while health gets 187.4 billion and primary and secondary education 105 billion.





To prevent a new Southern insurgency, Sri Lanka needs lower living costs and higher living standards, better paying jobs and greater hope, not more warships. To prevent a new outburst of separatism, Sri Lanka needs reconciliation and reconstruction and a workable political solution, not more military helicopters. Spending more on defence when the priorities are clearly otherwise, will not make us safer; it will make us more unsafe.





Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government could have explained the reality to the people  more money for guns means less money for everything else - education, health, a decent system of public transportation, better roads and other basic infrastructure, more research and development.... In a war situation, such a trade-off makes sense; it is necessary. In a time of peace it is criminally stupid.





In Sri Lanka, theres no military-industrial complex. What is there is a military-commercial complex. That military-commercial complex is as much of a bar to reducing military expenditure as the military industrial complex is in a country like the US. When expensive military hardware is imported, local agents and their political backers benefit, and benefit enormously. No wonder that we are buying helicopters instead of building houses in the North, buying warships instead of upgrading education in the Deep South.





Economic justice was a top promise of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe admiistraiton. The leaders spoke about the iniquitous system of taxation prevalent in Sri Lanka, blamed the Rajapaksas for imposing a proportionately greater tax burden on the poor and the middle classes than on the rich, and promised to correct the imbalance. Under Rajapaksa rule, the ratio between indirect to direct taxes was a morally unacceptable and economically damaging 80:20. By reducing the purchasing power of a majority/plurality of people, such extreme levels of taxation undermines the prospects of small and medium scale enterprises, and thereby economic growth, and income and employment generation.





Budget 2019 provided the government with a last chance to deliver a measure of fairness, of justice in the all important realm of economics. It failed. And so long as that fundamental inequity remains unchanged, the government will have no option but to impose more and more indirect taxes on people who are less and less able to absorb the resultant economic shocks. In the fortnight since the budget was presented, the prices of fuel and bread has gone up, and the price of milk powder is slated to follow suit. This is a path to greater inequality, a path which will eventually veer away from democracy and carry Sri Lanka back to the autocratic past, with the freely given consent of a majority of her people.





Inequality is a choice, as Joseph Stiglitz pointed out. When open democracies fail to address  or even acknowledge the gravity of  inequality, an antithetical narrative gains ground, like now. According to this narrative, the rampant and persistent inequality many countries are afflicted by doesnt stem from Hayeks triumph over Keynes, the codification of the Washington Consensus and the transformation of trickle-down economics into an article of faith. Inequality, this narrative claims, is a result of policies which favour the Other, over Us, The solution is the enthronement of a tough leader who can pack off immigrants, keep minorities in place and return the country to its real owners.





In Sri Lanka, this trend is evident in the putative presidential campaign of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. His political platform is built on a carefully constructed narrative against liberal democracy. Rights are dismissed as counterproductive, freedoms excoriated as dangerous and democracy ridiculed as soft, flabby and ineffective. Complex problems are simplified, depicted as solvable through the ruthless exercise of Will by a powerful leader. In this narrative, warfare state is what a country needs to stay safe and get ahead. If the war on terror is over, there is always the war on crime, on drugs, on alien influences... And Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, reportedly chosen by Brother Mahinda as the SLPP presidential candidate, is definitely the man to drive us to that future of unending wars against eternal enemies.